Nurthk and Astrule both notice (as will anyone else who beats DC 20, I should mention):
As much as Hiritus is avoiding Fendric, he's also avoiding Shavah... She seems to be following along, as well, being quite directly friendly to everyone but him. (OOC: I'm quite curious to see what the hawk makes of this, if he cares, heh.)
(Note to wings, as I'm not sure you've seen me use this trick before: Just cut and paste the above to somewhere the font won't copy, like notepad...)
(i feel like ive been thrust into this without any reassuring foreplay)
(Heh, sorry about that... Forgot just how much the party had changed. Here's a brief run-down, so you don't have to wait, although the rest can correct and elaborate when they get the chance.)
Fendric is still Fendric, the young fawn-haired half-elf acolyte of Pelor. Although he's lost a bit of his youth, it seems.
Niccolo is still Niccolo, the gnome violinist and storykeeper. He hasn't lost a bit of anything since you last saw him, it seems, which is appropriate for a man of histories.
And Oliver is still Oliver -- the old lutist from Caval's Horde in Hedrogura, although when and how he arrived with the rest of this group is, well, his story to tell. He seems to have regained quite a bit of youth; perhaps he picked up some of Fendric's.
Nurthk... You did meet Nurthk briefly, at a bar in Bethel, before disappearing to bury the ring. He's a half-orc of stern character and strong build, and it appears your initial assessment, that he may make a trustworthy and devoted companion, was fairly accurate. He's still here, after all.
Raven is a new face, entirely. Tall, well built, and carrying a nice big greatsword. He'd remind you a little of Victus, if his mood wasn't all wrong: Too openly high-spirited.
Hiritus you may have met extremely briefly before leaving... He's another follower of Pelor, plucked from the temple in Bethel at right around the time you parted ways with the rest of the Fellowship. He definitely still has his youth.
Shavah, as is clear once she dons her standard-issues with morning, is a follower of Heironeous... You recognize the look of her various insignias as originating with the temple guard of Bethel.