It is only a couple of hours to retrace your steps to the small cave on the slope and it is quite well-sheltered from the elements and makes a good camp site.   Watches are set, a meal eaten and the party settles down for the night.

Morning comes and there is a fog covering the land below the cave level, clearly having rolled up from the marshes in the South.  The promontory with the Keep rises above it to the West and South and the forest marches out of it up the slope to the edge of the clearing wherein the cave sits.

The fog clears up by mid morning however and it is a bright day when the party reaches the road to the South through the forest.  From there another couple of hours of brisk walking and they are back at the Keep in the early afternoon.

The gate guards greet them with a hearty welcome.  Corporal Jarl greets you as the portcullis is opened.  "We were uncertain of your fate when the ladies* returned late last night with no report of your fate. They asked Captain Tarlach if they could join the Watch here in the keep and I believe he will grant it," Jarl explains.

* The fate of Reea and Jori.

For the rest of the journey to the keep Gyp was in fine spirits. He frolicked and japed. At the keep he greeted the guards merrily and headed to the tavern and inn, the Green Man.

”Tonight we will eat, make merry and sleep well” he announced to his companion. At the tavern Gyp was free with his entertainments, he tumbled, he sang and joked with the tavern folk. He had his eye out for any mercenaries or men-at-arms he might interest in joining them on their next venture to the caves of chaos.

With the night and road back to the Keep uneventful Leozaren relaxed somewhat, and once back at the inn could truly take time to reflect. There were changes to their small band, but for the most part they had come through unscathed and earned a little reward for their efforts. The elf ate a simple meal and then retired to his bed for the evening.

As much as he likes the company of Gyp, Faldal does not stay too late either that evening, preferring to spend time praying for all the souls whose suffering he witnessed during the past days.

Around mid day after the party returned from the keep two men enter The Green Man, speak with Wilf for a moment, and the latter directs them to Gyp.  They are wearing chainmail and tabards of the Keep, each has a sword and dagger on their belts.  They approach Gyp and the shorter one speaks.  "I'm Wort, this is Joop," he introduces his companion.  "We're interested in the job you posted.  What's the it like and what's it pay?" he asks as they sit across from him.

Merriness and entertainment followed Gyp as he kept his antics up both day and night. The court fool was juggling whilst hopping on one foot as he spied the two guardsmen approaching. He tossed the apples he’d been juggling toward the hands of the two men, the third he caught in his mouth and took a bite “well met gentlemen Wort and Joop. Enjoy the sweet and delicious apple, one of many treats in store!” he promised.

Then he pointed to a table and seated himself on a stool “my companions and I journeyed to the Caves of Chaos one day past, we journey again on the morrow. Stout heart and strong swords we require. We have met kobolds which were vanquished. However we have been warned of goblins and hobgoblins in the deeper caves. It will take a day’s march to reach the caves and a day to return. We will spend a day in the caves” Gyp explained.

”To guard us on our travels and join battle against any chaospawn in the caves I offer three gold pieces a day, so nine gold each for the trip” the fool smiled charmingly as he rolled the gold coins around his hand before he laid all eighteen coins out on the table.

OOC Gyp has +1 reactions modifier.

Joop looks satisfied with Gyp's offer but before he can say anything, Wort puts up a hand to stop him.  "What about any loot found?  What's our share?" he asks looking seriously across the table.

“Ah” Gyp paused dramatically, picked up one of the gold coins and flipped it then snatched it out of the air “how about a wager?” the fool grinned “heads, you get a full share to split between yourselves. Tails, you get a half share to split” Gyp held the coin against the back of his hand in expectation of their answer.

OOC Can Gyp use any of his Thief/Jester skills to rig the coin toss?
This message was lightly edited by the player at 06:40, Thu 03 Feb 2022.

Once again Joop looks game but Wort shakes his head.  "I'll not gamble on wages for such a dangerous venture.  Play straight and fair and you'll get the best of us," he says a hand on Joop's shoulder keeping his companion from doing or saying anything rash.

Disappointed by the lack of fun displayed by Wort Gyp put the coin back on the table and he didn’t show any lack of enthusiasm but leaned forward with a wink “true this a dangerous expedition and you’ve proven that you take your work serious” Gyp nodded and counted numbers of his fingers.

“As such well prepared men-at-arms who are looking for a fair share how about we take away the coins” the fool looked at the pile on the table “but instead you take a half a share each?” he let then consider it and looked hard at Wort “or you take the coins now and then a half share to split between yourselves after our adventure is concluded?”

"And what outfitting do you provide?" Wort says as he considers the offer.  Joop looks confused for a moment and then sits back a little more serious.  "We can't keep these?" he asks Wort indicating his chainmail.  Wort looks at him with a shake of his head.  "Belong to the Keep they do, big loss if we don't come back with it," he says soberly.

Things were getting difficult. Gyp wondered who was in charge of the negotiations. For a boss Gyp felt he was getting pushed around, however he recognised the need for muscle on their coming expedition so kept smiling as he saw his coin purse deleted and more hungry days to follow.

"I will provide you both with leather armour" he looked to Wort "a mace and a javelin" then to Joop who Gyp was growing fonder of "a spear and a short bow".

Gyp was hopefully that he’d have enough funds left to at least get some ale tonight too and felt it would be a good opportunity to get to know his men-at-arms "and ale tonight, I'll buy us all ale, let us toast our union together!"

"Alright then, the gear now and a share of the treasure to split, with our share going to family if we don't make it back," Wort says.  He puts his hand out to shake.

Falco slowly sips his beer while sitting at an adjacent table, watching Gyp negotiate with the two henchmen prospects. He's feeling comfortable now that he finally has some coin in his purse. Having coin solves a lot of his immediate concerns. A warm bed. A warm meal. Plenty of beer to drink. Ah, this is the life. Just one thing missing...a saucy wench sitting on his lap.

The spearmen wonders how the others of their lot are enjoying their spoils.

Pleased with the outcome Gyp genuinely smiled as he shook Wort and Joop's hands.

"Aye now we drink to it" he bought ale.

OOC Gyp will be busy shopping. He'll need to buy the suits of leather for Wort, Joop and himself, also some other stuff too. Do you want me to post a shopping list, is everything in the book available?

OOC:  Anything on p. B12 is available.  Once that is done, what is the plan going forward?

After his shopping was completed Gyp entertained the patrons of the tavern. With belly and cup full the court fool was a fine companion.

In the morning he was eager to return to the caves. Dressed in leathers and girded with sword he had a more hardened look.

"To the caves" Gyp swept his arm out and pointed into the distance.

OOC Ready to journey to the caves. I'd suggest taking the same route as last time.

Shopping list. For Gyp: Sword, silver dagger, long bow, leather armour. For Wort: Leather armour, spear. For Joop: Leather armour. Gyp will providing his mace, javelin and short bow to them too.

Leozaren spends his time mostly in quiet study, but exercises daily in the open ground of the castle to keep in shape. Other than that he eats and drinks simply, as he waits for the return to the caves.

Falco spends time talking with the guardsmen.  There is a lot of wild speculation about the caves, and he hears some things he already knows including the fact that many different creatures live there and that the lower caves are infested with "dog men."  One guard has heard that the bugbears are afraid of dwarves.  "Got a licking from some dwarves where they used to live, I hear," he adds.  Another tells a tale of an elf who was lost in the marshes south of the road.

His days in the fort were spent mainly drinking wine, his meals consisting of soup, bread and cheese. It was a pleasant experience and much nicer than many of the days previously. Such a lifestyle came from the bounty of raiding the kobold caves so Gyp knew they were numbered unless the returned to adventuring. With his men-at-arms Wort and Joop in tow Gyp readied himself, now armed with sword and armour he felt a little more confident however he’d still be letting Falco and Leozaren lead the way.

OOC I’ve updated Gyp’s gear and coins and he’s ready to hit the road.

Faldal spends a lot of time praying for all the lives that have been taken during their past expedition, and his fallen friend Dynlor. He also takes advantage of his time in the keep to buy a holy symbol and a vial of holy water to the local head clerics.

When the time comes, he is ready to go with the party, happy to see the two newcomers brought in by Gyp the jester.

It made Gyp feel good to have the approval of Faldal with the hiring of the two men-at-arms. There was security in numbers and Gyp hoped that their journey to the caves would be without peril.

With Joop and Wort in tow, the group sets out for the Caves of Chaos again, better armed and better prepared for what lies ahead.

---

Will you take the road back to the caves?  Or cut through the forest and the clearing like before?

With everyone ready Gyp gave a jig and pointed to the forest “let’s follow the same trail as before” the fool suggested.

"Agreed. The road seems too obvious and dangerous, and the forest has served us well to this point."

Leozaren is happy to be outside the castle walls, even given the dangers.