Barg emerged from the wagon grinning ear to ear.

"The goblins were not very brave. Barg is hoping you are brave and help Barg fight many goblins, but if not, Barg will show you how!"

"I am Lucian Crawford, and I..." When he looked into the back of the wagon at the elf maiden the color fell from his face and he exploded into action.

Stepping away from the wagon he pointed to a nearby soldier standing guard duty and said, "You, Morgan, fetch the cleric Snatono at once."

The guard bolted away as the man turned to the mounted escorted and said. "Philastrase riding back to the battlefield, bring the Commander here at once. Tell him that his lady is here and she is ill."

As the mounted man wheeled his mount around without so much a nod of acknowledgement Lucian was issuing more orders, "Bugler, a call to arms, and make it loud!"

A moment later a young man or older teen, it was hard to tell in the ill fitting chain mail, began blowing a repetitive tune on a trumpet. The whole camp came alive as troops abandoned chores, meals, card games, or simply rolled from their blankets and began preparing for combat.

Lucina came around gingerly lifted the Elf Maiden in his arms as several warriors gathered around him, he carefully moved her to the tent he had exited as he spoke to them, "Ronnick, set your platoon about the commander's tent, Yori set your platoon to guarding the approaches, Daniel set your cavalry about the camp to meet any pursuit. Set archers to kill anyone who does not heed the call to halt. Now go."

At the entrance to the tent, Lucian stopped as if he had just remembered a detail left undone and looked back at the wagon with its odd collection of adventurers. He smiled and said, "You have done well to return our Good Luck Charm to us, we are grateful, down the road to the south is a small village, Yannuf, go there and take your ease. Tell the man at a tavern called the Rusty Goblet that King of the Taps sent you and he will see to your every need."

With that he disappeared into the tent just a thickly muscled Dwarf cleric came running up the incline to the tent. He was clad in a loincloth with a purple vestment cloth about his neck and an silvery holy symbol hanging at his hair chest. He was carrying a square wooden box in one hand had a backpack slung over the other shoulder.

Armored warriors carrying shields and an assortment of weapons surrounded the tent and their leader, an tall half-Orc called Ronnick, stepped forward to the wagon and old the bemused group there, "Thank you for returning our Lady to us, we will see to her, please take yourselves to the Yannuf. I am sure the commander will find you soon to learn what has transpired."

"Another glorious triumph for Barg, son of Barghest and hero of the Ash Glade!"

Barg puffed his chest out and smiled wide, clearly pleased with himself

"To the tavern! Barg is hungry and needs meats!"

Brengalyn watched the parade of mercenaries with interest. Her own experience with the company she'd grown up in was flooding back, days filled from dawn to dusk with sewing, scrubbing and scouring, patching and sharpening and polishing. Horses to feed and stables to muck out

Put her boots to her horse lightly she headed off in the direction of the tavern to await this Yannuf. Once they arrived she placed a couple gold on the bar

"Drinks, please. Several. And whatever food you have going. It's been a long road to get here."

"Impatience only brings more waiting, we'll have food and drink to fill us soon enough but for now we need to be planning our next moves."

Thamkis found her seat as best she could and stared at the others a moment

"Are we staying put, looking for work? I don't suppose any of you have ideas on where you'll head next if some work doesn't drop down?"

A rather plump woman with sure hands and an easy smile set out well made pewter tankards and a glazed pitcher of wine. It was a deep rose-red color and had the sweet metallic scent of wine that wasn't watered down.  She pulled the serving tray to her hip and beamed at them.

"I'm Hildegarde, the locals call me Hilly." She smiled wider and squeezed her shoulders together making her large breasts swell out a bit. "They say it because I'm tall, but I know the real reason. What can I get you traveler's? We have a few roast hens left in the kitchen and there is a boar roasting on the spit. Oh, and the bread is fresh, it came out of the oven yesterday just before dinner."

"Boar for me, a hen for the goblin. Whatever the two ladies are having, and bread yes."

Brena smiled at Hilly with the thinnest veneer of warmth. Her . . . particular assets were certainly noteworthy, but they couldn't beat a roast chicken and some wine and a game or two of dice for Brena.

She looked to Thamkis once the woman had left and took another draught of her wine.

"If we remain as a group, I'd say seeing how this goblin fight is progressing is smart. These people are in need of strong arms, and what's more getting desolated by the goblins won't leave them alive to pay for mercenaries again. It's in all best interests to see these people protected . . . even better if the goblins live to turn their wills to more fruitful work. Never seen blind ambition as a goblin's flaw, more taking orders from on high. We cut the head and those goblins will be like Barg here, ready to put shoulder to the wheel and push to make a better life."

"Two hens! Barg has powerful hunger!"

Barg slammed his fists on the table and threw his head back in a mad laugh before grabbing a tankard with both hands and tilting it back . . . and not drinking anything. Of course! He filled the tankard first and then tilted it back to gulp the red stinky liquid before licking his lips and letting out a satisfied sigh

"Barg does not care where we go, but Barg will go with you all. Barg will test his strength and the greatest strength of all is to do good! He knows this!"

Penny rummaged through her pack trying to find something "Those dang pixies ran off with my journal again!" she threw her hands up in defeat and sank into a tall pint. Smiling at Hilly's chest then her face. The joys of being short she thought. " You are a very pretty lady Hilly. I wouldn't mind something sweet, do you have anything with honey or cinnamon?" she asked hopefully. Penny dusted off her dress and tied her hair up.
Turning to the others she nodded "I'm down for anything as long as I'm having fun and you all are very fun" she beamed "Even miss sour Bren" she stuck her tongue out at the mercenary.

Thamkis waved off the wine

"Thank you, but no. I would love some tea if you have it, or perhaps a hippocras if you don't? And bread will do we just fine thank you."

She busied herself with feeding small bits of waybread from her pack to Graham until Penny spoke of sourness.

"Sour Bren!?"

Thamkis gave a tut and a finger wag

"I'll have you know I was sour long before any of you were born!"

The elderly halfling tried her best to look old and wizened and stand-offish, but a thought occured to her as she looked again to Penny

"Well, that is . . . I suppose when you were born I wasn't yet middle-aged. I sometimes forget you gnomes are one of the elder races, formed in the first age."

OOC: Too funny, great job

Penny shrugged into her mead. Placing a finger up as if to say one moment please as she downed it, placing it down with a belch. "Apologies then sour Grandmother" Penny winked, "We're just a bunch of old girls and Barg living it up now aren't we? Still, I'm fifty so I guess I'm technically older then Bren. You hear that? You gotta respect your elders Bren" she stuck her tongue out jokingly.

"In goblin dens, we show respect to biggest, fattest goblin. Goblin who is biggest gets most food after all, and a goblin who grows big is fit to rule! Strongest one is biggest one. But Barg knows secret, for Barg is not biggest and Barg is strongest. Is more guideline."

He looks around the table

"So Pennypurse should listen to Bren, she is biggest."

"I like Barg's idea, personally."

Bren laughed at the whole situation, shaking her head

"You all are a delight I have to say. Best company I've had since I set out on my own."

Their server returned, all smiles and cleavage, with a large tray laden with whole chickens, bread, cut fruit, fresh vegetables, a pitcher of wine, a pitcher of beer, fresh bread, and cutlery. She set the tray down with a little strain and began spreading out plates and mugs followed by the food, and then pouring drinks. Her smile never faded, anyone who cared to look at her got a wink, and without a word she was off again in the growing crowd.

Barg took his chicken in his gnarled clawed fingers and began the process of jointing the poultry, licking the grease of his fingers as he began with the white meat and moved to the dark, hungrily devouring a chicken in it entirety before looking up again.

"So have friends decided on direction?"

Pouring out more to drink Bren considered Barg's question

"We should check with these folk, offer our services. It'll be tough, errant adventurers are bad for mercenary business, but we might be able to work as fixers here and there for a week or so, a month at most. Do some good, make some coin. I imagine none of you object?"

"Once you get to my age, you find yourself in need of far less reason to go anywhere, and fewer places to be. I think seeing these people safe sounds like a lovely idea."

While the others indulged Thamkis mostly slowly ate her food and avoided the beer and wine.

Penny chimed in "What about that outpost we passed? We did intend to go back and help them"

In reply to Penny Perseus (msg # 90):

"As good a place as any to start!"

Brena raised her cup in salute to Penny

"Might I entreat you fine people to dine on my coin while I check you interest in working to fix a problem my company is having?" the voice from the crowd belonged to a tall man clad in fine furs and a lavish purple cloak. "My name is Remmick Stohl, though most people here about simply call me Remmi. Nice to make your acquaintance."

He bowed with a bit of a flourish. A small man was standing nearby with the demeanor of a bantam awaiting orders.

"Or we start here!"

Brengalyn turned to face the man

"Hello Remmi, pleased to make your acquaintance! I am Brengalyn of the Dusk Basilisks, and these fine people here are freelancers I associate with in these times, to better resolve problems for the virtuous and gods-fearing. May I make the introduction of Barg the goblin, Penny Perseus and the goodwife Thamkis and her esteemed familiar the Viscount Graham Quackers."

She swept a hand over the table and returned to Remmi

"What problem are you having?"

"Remmis Toll, Barg is pleased to be making the acquaintance!"

Barg reached into his belt pouch to take out his shiny blue rock, holding it in hand. The foot was gamey indeed.

"Well met, Master Goblin." The man had an easy smile and a practiced manner. "It has come to my attention that a band of marauding orcs, deserters from the local war, have been raiding my hunting camps in the night and stealing the pelts my hunters have so diligently gathered."

He set himself into a chair and waved to the bantam and spoke a simple, "Wine, several pitchers," over his shoulder.

"These Orcs seemed unable to prevent you from crossing the battle lines to deliver the Lady, er, that distressed elf maiden to the healers in the camp." He smiled and waved to a merchant in the crowd as the man passed by. "It would seem such adventurous and honest people could be trusted to help me secure my hunting camps and my merchandise. This is of extreme importance to me, I would reward you all handsomely."

"Handsome rewards from a handsome man. I can certainly do that. How much gear and goods are we talking? Will we need mules and carts, or will you be retrieving your merchandise after we've driven off the orcs?"

Thamkis abstained from the wine for the moment, but didn't draw too much attention to that.