[5e_One Shot] Baptism by Fire

[FitzTheRuke]

Mardoc grunted at the idea of the apprentice tagging along. He had little patience for the young, but he understood that a bird could not stay in its nest for forever. The lad did not seem ready for this sort of work, but he did not think that Delenir would make this decision lightly.

He sniffed both potions, trying to get a sense of what type they were, and their specific ingredients. He couldn't abide fennel root, and some clerics insisted on using it for healing potions.

OOC: Fixed.

 

[Neurotic]

"Horses?! Why don't we travel in coaches? It is safer and more comfortable?" Amil asks the group. "And we can put travel baggage there with books and other necessities."

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"Why lad, 'tis a matter of practicality. Coaches need good roads, while horses can handle a wee trail, single-file." replied Mardoc to Amil. He didn't like horses much - foolish, flighty creatures - but they were much more versatile than a coach. He added, "Nah, all we need for baggage is some good solid saddle-bags. We'll need a few tents, in case we need to sleep it rough. Dinnae be afraid of the dirt. The dirt will look after ye."

 

[Helmsman01]

"Half your trip will be spent on the river, so don't worry to much about your horsemanship." Delenir says calmly. "Captain Scrinner will take you all, along with some supplies for the forts as far as Fire Trees. There you will meet up with a baggage train head to Fort Silan."

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"There ye have it." pronounced Mardoc, "We'll be on the river much of the way."

He had the look of a dwarf who didn't like to be on water, and the idea of it didn't make him feel at all better, though he tried to cover it.

 

[Neurotic]

We don't know into what we're going. How do I select travel books to cover the subjects we might need? I'll take my travel-cyclopedia and my current book. What else? Maps of the western borders...hmmm....one empty tome, if that is alright with you, master Delenir, that is all I think. One does as one must and right now we travel light and fast, right?" Amil the Archivist muses "I'm all for practicality, master Mardoc, but dirt...yeah, it spoils supplies, erases writing, gets into places...it is much the same as water in that regard. Let's stay clean and dry, yes?"

 

[Helmsman01]

Tower of Delenir...

The morning dawns cool and clear, and the group is led down to the docks used to supply the tower. Moored to the woodened planks is an old keelboat with a single mast near its center. The sail is rolled up and people move about with purpose as they load the ship with sacks of grain and barrels of other goods bound for the forts to the west.

Captain Scrinner is overseeing the loading of his shallow bottomed boat, worried about keeping things balanced. Looking on the group and their travel baggage (Amil being allowed to take whatever he wished from the library has a large bulging duffle beside him}. And with a grunt and little introduction and ceremony he sets the group up in the front of the ship and then turns back to rearrange the cargo to compensate.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Fort Silan

Aridrish finished his meal and was leaving the fort to head back into the mountains, when he noticed a group of knights and men-at-arms gathering at the gate. He had sat and watched as folk calmly went about their day before, but now things seem a bit chaotic and confusing, as horses are saddled and carts are lined up.

"Come on, come on! We need to get moving." a large human in steel armor says from atop his horse. "You lot want to make Fort Wheelan by nightfall? Then get moving."

The carts are empty and manned by two men-at-arms with a knight on horse escort. Alot of force just to travel half a day to the east. Aridrish is held-up at the gate as the six carts and their escort are ushered through first.

He overhears a gate guard say to his partner, "I hope what got dem others doesn't attack the supply run. I fer one could use a fresh loaf me-self."

 

[Kobold Stew]

Morning comes, and Darrock is tired. He's been up a good part of the night, carving two stones each into the shape of a mountain lion: one is crouching, the swiping with its paw at an unseen opponent. He's not an artist, but is proud of the result. The soapstone was soft, and the silica swirls almost give the cats the effect of a tiger, but with white not dark stripes.

The two are keyed to each other now, and he is looking for the Arch Mage. He assumes he'll be there, and he'll give one of the stones to him, placing it in his palm directly. "If you need to contact us, hold the outstretched paw and speak your message. It can work once per day, your lordship. I'll try to send a message to you each day, at twilight. Please keep the stone with your person."

He pulls at one of his ears, which is not as alert as it had been the previous evening.

(If The Arch Mage is not at the boat, Darrock will find Fern, and urge him to bring him to his master. "He'll want to say a proper farewell to you, and I would like to give him a gift.").

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Mardoc stepped off the boarding plank and onto the keelboat. He shook his head in dismay at the stacks of books being loaded toward the groups designated space at the ship's bow. "At least the lads' hearts are in the right place, e'en if their heads are nae." he thought to himself.

 

[Neurotic]

Mardoc stepped off the boarding plank and onto the keelboat. He shook his head in dismay at the stacks of books being loaded toward the groups designated space at the ship's bow. "At least the lads' hearts are in the right place, e'en if their heads are nae." he thought to himself.

OOC: it's the other way around - the heads are, the hearts aren't besides, Amil travels light, it is only a single bag with a bulge, not full crate

Amil looks at the boat...a barge? He steps onto it dropping his books carefully NOT on the floor that may get flooded, but on a high, dry place and he secures them before taking care of his other needs.
"Good morning to you, gentleman. Beautiful morning for travel. May The Lords of Good keep us from all harm and watch over our travel. They keep watch over us as we come and go, both now and forever."