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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rybaer" data-source="post: 1156526" data-attributes="member: 118">Elsewhere...Osric Hammelhorn, an unassuming young man and wanderer, has been riding with a small caravan carrying pottery and wool from Gahanis to Lothis.  His skill with the bow was welcomed by the merchant company.  Fithizer the Gazer, the sibbecai wagon-master, mentioned that wandering bandits and bands of rhodin have been found in greater numbers ever since the Ebonring Keep was retaken.The trip out of Gahanis is quiet.  About noon on the first day out, however, a traveller passes on his way to Gahanis.  He pauses briefly to chat and mentions that he is bringing word from the Keep - a call for adventurers to help find and recover an artifact of some sort.  This call for help percolates in the back of Osric's mind throughout the day.  The nature of the artifact was not mentioned, but many such items have religious significance.  Given that the Ebonring Keep has been in rhodin hands for over a hundred years, there could be interesting and lost lore to be recovered from within its walls.In the late afternoon, the caravan passes a group of four armed men.  The men have the hard look of warriors - carrying bows and shortswords, and dressed in hardened leathers.  The four look over the caravan's eight wagons and dozen men...and pass on by without so much as a nod of greeting.  Fithizer the Gazer barks out a laugh once the caravan is well past them.  "Bandits," he says, "I'd bet my cargo on it.  Guess they didn't like the odds.  Keep an eye out, though, in case they have friends around and decide to follow us."That evening, the caravan reaches the Grumblewood Roadhouse, a collection of buildings within a crude stone and wood walled enclosure.  The roadhouse is bustling with activity from a number of other travelers going between Gahanis and Lothis - servicing wagons, tending horses, and grabbing a bite to eat.  Fithizer the Gazer pays the coin for the crew and guards to eat a simple meal and sleep in one of the common rooms as long as they take shifts watching over the wagons.Osric draws first watch, and it storms heavily throughout the shift.  Most of the others are drinking and playing dice games, or have already gone to bed.  Osric continues to ponder the opportunity at the Ebonring Keep and resolves to ask Fithizer permission to leave in the morning.In the clear, cool, predawn light, Osric finally corners the wagon master as he's barking orders to the crew.  He explains his desire to pursue any possible religious lore.  Given the roadhouse's location on the intersection with the road to Ebonring Keep, it would be most advantageous to part ways here.  Fithizer frowns, but admits that he should have plenty of men to safely make it the rest of the way to Lothis.  He gives Osric a couple silver for his services and wishes him well."Just a bit of advice, there," Fithizer says.  "You might want to wait up for some other travelers...er, adventurers.  It's a bit more dangerous between here and Ebonring Keep.  The giants almost never patrol that area and it's rife with bandits and rhodin.  Safety in numbers, right?"The young akashic takes the old wagon master's advice to heart.  Figuring that any adventurers from either Gahanis or Lothis answering the call for help would likely come this way, Osric finds a comfortable spot to sit along the roadhouse's outer wall and wait.</blockquote>

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