(044) A Hinterlands Venture

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:
Rufus thanks Ulric and Dieter for the food and says, "You people are going to be good friends, I can feel it now. Now lets be off to meet the others."

Rufus will keep a eye out at the rear for any signs of trouble around the area as he travels along with Ulric and Dieter .

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
Josiane leads Murphy out of cover to join the others.

"Good sirs," she says to the newcomers with a smile and a curtsey.

[mgtremaine]

mgtremaine wrote:
Wen would look pleased both at the size and composition of the gathering group and the prospect of sitting down to a civilized rest under the noon sun. "Please join us. I'm sure our stalwart guardians will not mind the company nor the repose. Alas I have no wine to offer you, but if require something to help unwind I can perform a rain song for you."

Wen would look for a shady spot of such exists, and will waiting for the group to gather he would bring for a set of pan pipes and produce a sound that mimics the falling of gentle rain and after several minutes he'd hold out his hand and pretend to wipe the water from his brow.....

Eventually Wen would stop and say, "Tell us of Ket, recent rumors of suggested interesting times are afoot there. I have travelled from the Westwold in hopes of discovering, well, shall we say certain esoteric bits of ancient knowledge."

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
Josiane listens to the rain song with rapt fascination.

"Now this is an elf!" she thinks to herself, blissfully oblivious to the brooding presence of the ancient Highbough...

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough sulks.

[waysoftheearth]

ehiker133 wrote:
Once again confined to their hood, at least for the time being, Desmond and Mondes sulk beside Highbough.

"Hope e's not tryin' to make it rain on us," mutters Desmond.

[waysoftheearth]

danhem wrote:
Ulric felt strangely happy being on the road again. While he still had much to learn of the knowledge they'd already gained, he felt eager to find more.

"We are running an errand to retrieve some artifacts," Ulric said to Rufus. "There may be some fighting to be done once we get there. Maybe even before; you never know with these lands."

"Now tell me. Did you find anything interesting in the vaults beneath Ket?"

[waysoftheearth]

tonneau wrote:

Alas I have no wine to offer you, but if require something to help unwind I can perform a rain song for you."

Yes, well a poor substitute for wine some might say...Gustave muses to himself.

Turning to the one called Armando, he proffers some crumby remnants of pastries from his pack, "Pastries I have, but...err...they seem to have suffered somewhat en route..."

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Introduction are made, and plans are made to establish an impromptu campsite some two dozen yards off the road, in the shade of a rangy copse of paperbark trees, where a well earned repast might be enjoyed while stories are exchanged.

Sir Eberhart's pavilion and the crossroad is less than half an hour march further up the road, and Ket is less than half a day behind. Eberhart's retainers seem eager to make all haste onward to Ket, for they certainly don't want to be out in the wilderness by night! They bid you good day, and with much bowing and sweeping of their feathered caps, they continue on their way.

Only Armando and Wen remain to break bread with the company while the sun is hot and high in the sky.

All told then, the company now comprises:

Armando the Gooch (just met),
Wen the Owl (an Elf, just met),
Rufus Brandystoe (a Halfling, cousin of Wibert the former party member),
Torben (a fighter, caught napping in the barn this morning),
---
Guntrum the Thick (a fighter),
Dorgan the Sinister (a left-handed dwarf),
Josiane the Guided (a templar),
Desmond/Mondes (a two-headed halfling!),
Highbough the Cypher (an ancient elf),
The Gustave (a fighter),
Olaf sharpeyes (a young fighter),
Ulric "Firestarter" (a wizard of local renown),
Dieter "Ogreslayer" (a hero of local renown).

and Murphy the Mule.

So it is a merry company of 14 (including the mule, so as to not total 13).

Plans for the coming afternoon and evening are discussed over trail rations and water...

[mgtremaine]

mgtremaine wrote:
Wen would happily bid farewell to the escort and engage in conversation with the party becoming more and more interested as the reveal any hints or rumors regarding Ket and the current state of affairs in the area.

Once Wen is aware of Highbough (and Ulric) he would try to have a quiet word with them. In Serayenon Web would say "Wise-one it is an honor and a blessing to be in your learned presence. I am but a decade out of the Ivory Wold and have learned but little amongst the men of Westwold. But this winter under the light of the full moon I saw the word "Ket" written upon the frosted grasses. I know almost nothing of this place but trusted in the portent that I must come here. The somehow Ket holds the secrets that drew from the Ivory Wold. I pledge my aid to your cause if you'll have me. I am as learned as you but I have brought with me The Libretto Hermetica from out of the Wold."