Stepping down the stairs with purpose, and driven with the knowledge that the Forhorns were about to face the men that had almost killed him, Alvador joined the others at the table, sitting across the table from the other two.

He looked pleased with himself "I have something for both you, Pathwyn, and Hewney, and I have composed a quick poem to commemorate the occasion."

Alvador clears his throat.

"Maybe we will meet just one too many bandits.
You will be feeling like your not having it.

Need to act quick before someone dies?
It will be right about then you realize.

Things may get away from us tonight.
Lucky you have a pouch of anti-light."

With that he produces two well tied belt pouches and holds one out for Pathwyn.

"I couldn't come up with something relevant to rhyme with Birahu, or Dak - act just didn't seem to cut it.  So, I'll just say remember that the font of darkness will completely banjax their vision, also."

Finally abandoning his search for Vallivoe's Sundries Shop after fruitless hours of searching, he headed back to the inn for dinner with the others.  It seemed his navigational skills were even worse in town than they were in the wild.

Perhaps tomorrow, he'd hire a native guide to show him around town.  He'd really felt he was so close.  He must have walked right past.  Perhaps when he did find it, he would discover that poor signage had been his downfall.

Spotting everyone already downstairs for dinner, Dak headed straight over to greet them.  Hopefully, their days had been more productive than his thus far.

"I see I may be the last to arrive," Dak said, seating himself with the others.  Hewney may have been missing, but of all of them, the other half elf was the least likely to get himself into trouble he couldn't get out of.

"I have no new news other than confirming I have the ability to get lost no matter where I'm trying to go."

"Sure thing, Birahu.  Have a seat."

It sounded like Alavador had been busy, crafting items from the enchanter's books as well as poems.

"Anti-light," she said with a grin, taking the pouch he held out to her.

She wanted to open it right then and there to try it out, but she doubted the staff and other patrons would take kindly to being plunged into anti-light without warning.

"Thank you for this plan-B.  The poem was delightful too.  Bravo!"

Pathwyn slipped the anti-light containment pouch into her belt pouch to free her hand so she could clap properly.

"Did you know that poetry was one of the earliest forms of arcane magic?  It even predates written magic.  Poem spells could be crafted spontaneously or classics could be memorized.  No meticulous pre-focussing of the excited energies necessary either way.  It grew into the lyrical and melodic magic the harpers use today.  Of course, even epic magic poems weren't as powerful and reliable as the arcane magics you two perform.  You can imagine why they fell into disuse or melded with musical accompaniment."

Birahu takes his seat and inhales, she smells fresh, the bag of anti-light was an amazing  addition. Alvador was worth his weight in gold!

While Dak had found Vallivoe's Sundries, what was found within were just that--sundries of no particular value to the adventurer, but rather to the homemaker.

The group had returned to the inn for a dinner with perhaps an hour left in the day before the sunset closure of the gate.

In reply to DM (msg # 533):

"I have a surprise for them too, if it works. Confuse Languages, I memorized it this morning. Cast it on them and they can't communicate with each other. The leader will be shouting gibberish to his men and vice versa!"

"How unique!  I don't believe I've ever heard of that spell reversal.  Bandits expecting somnumancy will never see the curse of Babel coming.  Good work."

Once Hewney arrived Pathwyn gave them the news.

"There's a bit of a complication.  I spoke with the guards at the city gate today and they made it quite clear that the gates are sealed shut from sundown to sunup.  No one in or out.   This means we have to leave within the hour now and camp out overnight to do our deep night bandit scouting.  I'm sorry Dak.  I'd prefer to leave later, after your training, but that's no longer an option.  You'll have to either come scouting in the dark with us or train with the smith tonight.  It's your choice."

"Can't we get a pass or something from the butcher?" he asked hopefully.  "We're on official business.

"And if it's just scouting, do you really need me out there in the dark?  I'm just going to be out there standing around in the dark.  If I'm not there, it might give you more incentive to avoid getting into a fight."

This gate thing was a real hassle.  Especially on his first real training day.

"It can't hurt to ask.  For that matter, maybe he won't mind us letting ourselves out over the walls after the gates are closed.  Does someone still have rope?  We'd need a grappling hook too, or a helper at the top of the wall who will stay back, or some sort of, I don't know, untie spell or something."

Just like that she was certain they could find a way to include Dak if he wanted to come along.

"Waiting for morning to be let back in isn't so bad.  The newly nocturnal Forhorns can just sleep when we get back to the Hammered.  We don't even have to take our bedrolls."

"We used up the old rope that I had a ways back," Dak said, thinking of what he had back in the room.

In reply to Dak (msg # 538):

"I have a 50' rope. We can use that if they allow us."

Giving up on the possibility that the others would notice him, Hewney finally got up and moved to join the others at the table. "I hope you all pay more attention out there tonight than you've done in here," he remarked, setting his tankard on the table and sitting down with them. "I've been sitting over in the corner there and none of you even noticed."

"I don't see a problem with camping outside tonight. It will only take a few hours to scout things out, and we certainly have the gear and experience in camping at this point."

Why had Hewney been hiding out in the corner?  Pathwyn had no idea, but he was a stealthy guy.  It worked for him.

"Of all the terrible luck.  I was going to go over and ask that half-elf fellow in the corner, who was conspicuously not wearing a broad brimmed hat, if he would untie our rope from the top of the wall tonight, but now he turns out to already be a Forhorn.  We'll have to find someone else to help us."

Pathwyn laughed.

"Thanks Birahu.  You're one well prepared adventurer."

"Let's make a quick meal of this and go see the constable with some time to spare before sundown just to be safe."

If the others were in agreement, they finished up their dinners and headed to the butcher's shop.

Dak was fine with heading out to the butchers after a quick meal.  Though he still thought the others could handle scouting without him.

Hewney had been ready to go for hours, so he just told Pathwyn, "I'll go get my things." Not being overly trusting of strangers, he saw no reason to leave any of his things at the inn.

He was back downstairs in minutes, backpack on his own back for a change, rather than tied to behind a saddle.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Wed 16 Mar 2022.

Eating lightly, Alvador remembered almost vomiting when he was shot.  Knowing he would be hungry later, he pockets a couple of rolls, to snack on later.

With a cross between cheerful enthusiasm, and anger he exclaims "Let's go!"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:45, Wed 16 Mar 2022.

Birahu was ready to go. He had his stuff and he had his friends.

Having not been to the butchers before, Dak was keen to meet them and hoped they were reasonable about letting them out after dark.

The gang wrapped up their meal as efficiently as clockwork, and the went to the butchers.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:11, Mon 21 Mar 2022.

Birahu stayed in the middle of the group.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:11, Mon 21 Mar 2022.

As the group finished their meal and headed outside, they could see that the hour of sunset was approaching.  Most of the shop owners seemed to be busy with tidying up and sweeping, in preparation for closing for the night.  Only the inn itself, the tavern across the way, and the shrine in the center of the town were exceptions.

As such, there was little to impede them on the way to the butcher's, the woman who had greeted them busily wiping down all the surfaces of the counter.

Pathwyn greeted the butcher with a smile.

"Hello Jalessa, we're here to see Constable Burk again."

Not finding another visit to the butcher's all that interesting, Hewney lagged at the back of the group. More for practice than because he expected to see anything interesting, he kept a watch for anyone who was watching them with unusual intent.

Probably the whole town knew about them at this point. Did they know about their plan to take on the bandits, though? Or had the butcher and the woman working his counter kept that information contained?

He waited just outside the butcher's shop when they arrived. Within earshot to listen in, but leaning against the wall and looking bored, while watching the surrounding area. He was rather looking forward to tonight's foray -- but if they were going to be expected, he'd prefer to know ahead of time.

Dak entered with Pathwyn, but let her take the lead as she'd already spoken with the butcher before.

Birahu just followed the others for now, he would keep his thoughts private for now.