The Gathering
As you gather downstairs, the innkeep takes your orders silently. He then brings out the food, grumbling something about it being far too early for this kind of food.
Outside, there is the sound of a small horse and a donkey walking by. The sounds stop, and three figures - Tori'shel, a male halfling, and a male gnome - enter the inn.
"I've returned." Tori'shel announces as she enters. She takes a seat at your table, and the two accompanying her do so as well.
"Tristam has left. The shop he set up here is now being run by two of his apprentices. These two," she indicates the two with her. "have been sent along with me by Tristam to help me along the way to the Greater Council."
She indicates the gnome. "This is Nicodemus, although he goes by Niko. He's a trained technologist, and a good one, too. His tools and devices going to be very helpful on this trip, I assure you."
She then points at the halfling. "This is Liat'ned, a paladin from the Dividing Range. He's been around the Coldlands lately, though, on some quest or other. He's a friend of one of the apprentices at the shop, and Tristam thought it would be a good idea if he went with me. For protection."
She then sits back in her chair.
"I've heard that we begin tomorrow. I don't know what you intend to do, but I'm going to go back to the shop to pick up a few devices and make sure everything is ready. I also want to go over the path we're going to take again, to make sure that we're making the most progress each day as possible. Before I do that, though, I'll answer any questions you have right now, if you have any."