Drynethael hangs back, listening to the conversation between the cleric and the local woman. He makes brief eye contact with the goodwife and her children, and a forced smile appears on his face - an all too infrequent sight for the normally stony visaged elf. His long years spent studying and training with the Knights of the Hart in Celene left little room for socializing with those outside the Order. As a result, Drynethael often feels a bit awkward around strangers - particularly strange humans.
It is fortunate, then, that Drynethael met his present companions along the road, the more world wary among them more than capable of making up for his somewhat insular upbringing among the wealthy of Celene. In particular, the cleric Aredal's warm and friendly demeanor allows Drynethael to silently observe the idiosyncracies of human interaction without making a fool of himself in this unfamiliar setting.
As Aredal begins to politely question the woman about bandits, Drynethael's thoughts are brought back to his mission. He dare not disappoint his superiors at the Order. Drynethael intently listens to the woman's answers, attempting to pick up any subtle visual or vocal cues that would indicate anything less than a truthful answer. (//OOC: Sense Motive, if applicable, I hope this is the right way to ask to make a check?//) As he does so, he takes a mental note of apparent prosperity of the farm house and surrounding homes.
