Book 1 - Chapter 2: The Road to Aite-Aerd

[Asta]

Location: Telan
Date: Sehstam 24, Lasdey, 795
Time: 06:00


All:
The next morning came quick, the sun still had yet to rise and the air blew cool on your skin. The smell of burning wood still hung in the air, and it will be that way for a few days yet despite the fires being put out. Marcas and a few of the villagers congregate at the north entrance to Telan proper carrying a few small bundles and holding the reins of three horses.

"Morning." the mayor says with tired look on his face. It would seem he spent the better part of the night awake and planning for the restoration work that will be done. "As promised, horses and some gear for the journey. Should be enough to get you to Caer Móg though you may need to hunt along the way."

The villagers hand over the packages of food and other travel supplies, expressing thanks as they do. Afterwards, Marcas offers another small wrapped package and folded piece of parchment. "Map of the Steppe," he says, and you can hear the exhaustion in his voice. "Other thing is a gift for any Wanderers you come across, they'll offer you shelter for nothing if you ask, but it's only proper to bring a gift."

"I want you to know, the whole town really appreciates you taking this journey. It's not going to be easy, but it could very well save the town if there's more of those little bastards waiting to raid us again. It might take some time to get an audience with the Righ, but try to come back with news as soon as you can. Good luck."

Marcas steps back to allow you space to mount your horses and offers a thankful bow, the villagers present do the same.

[spoiler]The gear you receive from the villagers includes any camping equipment you may already have in your inventory. If you don't already, you'll obtain a bedroll and blanket. It also contains the following:
Tinderbox x 1
Rations, Trail x 12 (Divided into 3 days of rations per person.)
Potion of Cure Light Wounds x 1[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Map][/spoiler]

[Throndir]

Telan
Morning

"I should be the one thanking ya." Rhenri made sure to smile brightly when she was taking the offered food and travel supplies from the other townsfolk. She already brought all of her necessities in her pack, and was fairly prepared for the journey, but she wouldn't say no to the townfolks' help. She very well knew that gifts, both giving and receiving, was a great way for townsfolk to get acquainted with a person. For whatever reason, it made one seem more trustworthy. She would likely be living here in the town for the foreseeable future anyways, so being 'trustworthy' would at least play to her benefit.

[info]General knowledge check on what I know about Wanderers.

[blockquote]Rolled 1d20-1 : 4 - 1, total 3[/blockquote][/info]

"What's in the package?" Rhenri asked, not being able to help her curiosity on he package to be as a gift for Wanderers.

[Asta]

[info]General Knowledge:
To the best you can figure, "Wanderers" is just one of many local euphemisms for the nomadic tribes that live on the Great Highland Steppe.[/info]

"Hm? Oh just a little knickknack. Knife with some scroll-work on the the handle. It's really not much but customs are customs you know" Marcas answers.

[pringerbeam]

     Thedrin put a hand over his mouth as he yawned. Not even his time in the academy had required waking this early. "A king with no protocols and vagrants with proper gift exchange... What a land." He remarked, taking out the dagger looking at the blade for a second before returning it to the box. "What exactly do we do if we encounter more than one group of wanderers?"

[Asta]

"Be polite." Came the reply, and there was a certain amount of seriousness to the mayor's voice that implied the consequences of being rude to any nomads you met would be dire indeed.

[pringerbeam]

     "Ah but of course, don't want to wind up a shrunken head on some steps tribe's totem." Replied Thedrin as he tied the saddle bags of supplies onto his horse.

[Asta]

"Yes. Quite." Marcas could not be bothered to correct Thedrin on what might actually happen if they managed to offend the very patient and magnanimous nomads of the Steppe. "You had better be off, don't want to waste daylight."

[spoiler]If no one has anything more to add, I'll move the thread along with my next post.[/spoiler]

[Asta]

With very little in the way of fanfare, your party sets off along the road heading north. The first half of the journey, by reasonable estimate, will take about seven and a half days provided nothing terrible befalls you.



Location: Road North of Telan
Date: Sehstam 27, Resdey 795
Time: 15:00

The sun is beginning to set on the third day of your journey. The last two days have been pleasantly uneventful and the weather has been good. You can feel the change in season beginning, and with it a gentle breeze blows. Soon it will be time to discuss setting up camp for the night, but suddenly Scathach catches a scent on the wind.

"Oi smell ah campfoier. Make that a 'ole lot of 'em..." she says, and sniffs deep again. "East, proobably aboyt tree miles, jist over tha 'orizon dare." She points east and sure enough, the wind picks up again and you smell it as well. "Thoughts? It's an 'our oyt av tha way but cood be somethin' worth lookin' into."

[pringerbeam]

     The three days on the road did not agree with Thedrin. The creeping chill of autumn made the nights in his simple bedroll practically unbearable. Oh how he wished for the warmth of a woman to survive the cold nights. Further, the meager rations they had been given before were starting to grow thin and he was pretty sure he would be out of food by tomorrow. The possibility of trading with a caravan wasn't one he wanted to turn down. "I say we take a look. It could be a caravan or perhaps the Wanderers."

[Throndir]

Road North of Telan
Third day into journey

"I ain't in any particular rush." Rhenri glanced at their last group member. "Howbout it, Cecilia?"

[Oath]

"It wouldn't hurt to investigate, though we should be cautious. This close to the road they're likely to be friends, but better safe than sorry." In the best case, they would have a large camp and safety in numbers, in the worst case they may have to continue on through the night. Cecilia felt the odds were in their favor, however.

[Asta]

Location: Nomad Camp North of Telan
Date: Sehstam 27, Resdey 795
Time: 16:00

After about an hour riding east off the road you find that the source of the smoke was indeed a collection of campfires and a sizable collection of yurts. Though you are still quite a distance away, another rider seems to have noticed you and quickly closes the distance; its a young human man wearing a robe-like garment with a high collar and a light coat over top. He waves to you amicably but stops at a distance of about 100 feet, a small but interestingly curved bow rests on his lap.

"Mendiležir! Greetings, travelers. You are friends?" he calls out in heavily accented common.

[pringerbeam]

     Despite the relatively primitive nature of the yurts laid out before Thedrin, after three days of roughing it curled in a bedroll they appeared as welcome as a palatial estate.  "I assume these are the wanderers."  He said to Scathach as the rider approached them before calling out to them.  "Hail fellow travelers. I am Thedrin Ashewake, knight errant, and we are on a quest to travel to Aite-Aerd and come in peace."

[Throndir]

With this stranger before them at a 100 ft. away, Rhenri couldn't help but glance around the area as well if there might be others watching them that could be hidden.

[info]Perception
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+7 : 11 + 7, total 18[/blockquote][/info]

[Asta]

"Aye, that's them." Scathach replied.

[spoiler=Rhenri's Perception]You barely notice an additional four people hiding in the tall grass nearby.[/spoiler]



"Very good! Come, rest for the night. Warm fire and food if you like. A big group keeps the predators away too." the man smiles as he replies, then gives a sharp whistle.

From the tall grass nearby, four other people step out as if un-melding from the darkness and the underbrush; three men and one woman, each wearing a mid length cloak the color of which could only be described as "nondescript". One of the men nods at your group, before turning his attention back to the darkness of the steppe.

"Come, let The People give you our hospitality." the rider says before turning his horse back toward the camp.