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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carlo-One" data-source="post: 8230044" data-attributes="member: 7015827">As Kablin cleared the rough-hewn inn table, he inquired if the adventurers would be taking the road out that day. Dermot replied that it looked like they would be, one way or the other. The innkeeper said he and his wife had been right proud to have them there, which earned a smile and a return compliment from Darrow as the dwarf headed upstairs to put on his armor.Aerikoth unblinkingly watched Kablin finish up and depart, and a now-armored Darrow arrive, before inquiring about the smell of raw meat. The wizard asked if his three companions had provided the inn with game, which Dermot acknowledged and Darrow elaborated on by describing the big rabbits they had slain. Aerikoth expressed his doubts as to the actual threat posed by them, only to be contradicted by all three, Darrow saying that goblins could have ridden them as mounts and Shanni likening them to boars.After departing the inn, the four discussed how they wanted to do the meet at the site mentioned in the note. Dermot suddenly remembered he had meant to bring up the fact he had taken a couple of trinkets off Lord Tagreth Cormaeril, including a ring of invisibility. They agreed to have Darrow use the ring, since Aerikoth had his own magic and Dermot and Shanni were adept at sneaking. Once they all were hidden from casual sight, they made their way to the grave at village’s western outskirts.After taking up their positions in view of the site, they saw the two ox drivers, Hal and Lally, having a conversation about getting ready for the road. Lally went inside the nearby farmhouse as Hal finished cinching up his ox in the pasture, apparently inured to the constant rain. Darrow, as had been previously decided, was the first to initiate contact, surprising Hal as he appeared seemingly from nowhere. The dwarf gave a friendly greeting and confirmed to Hal that the adventurers would be leaving soon too. Some small talk about Darrow’s brewery plans occupied them for a while.Shanni, evidently losing patience, showed herself and approached Hal, inquiring with a pointed look if he were there to pay his respects, echoing the language used in the note she had found. He said aye, paying them before heading back to Westgate, and the petite rogue said she was there to do the same. They then bantered about business opportunities in Tallwell and taking the road to Westgate, which Hal indicated he would do after waiting for the rain to let up a bit. Darrow said that he would prefer to do the same, although it wasn’t up to him, then excused himself, as did Shanni, citing the need to get out of the rain. Hal wished them fair travels and Shanni reciprocated.Darrow and Shanni met up with Dermot and Aerikoth, who were puzzled and underwhelmed by the results of the meeting. Aerikoth speculated that one of the drovers might have known Aratae in the past and wished to pay his respects, if they were from the village and knew the Winnfalls. He also pointed out that it was likely they were illiterate, given their occupation, implying that the note was note from them. Shanni just continued cursing the rain, while making it known that she had been put out by Darrow’s forthright approach to the conversation. This made the dwarf grumble, as she refused to explain further, saying she had been intrigued but was bored now. (It seems that the dwarf was unaccustomed to the requirements for clandestine-type meetings, unlike the "petite rogue" - but then again, if that is what Shanni truly was expecting, why did she bring Darrow and the others along in the first place? I have to think there was more to this incident than is reflected in the chronicles. --R)With nothing keeping them in town, the four set out across the countryside. By the time they had reached the neighboring village of Glees, it had stopped raining, to Dermot and Shanni’s delight, but the petite rogue started complaining again when the skies opened up as they reached the Turnton/Glees crossroads, as did Darrow. From there, they walked the rest of the way to Westgate, arriving as the sun was setting.Being in the large city again apparently made them lose their bearings, as they took the long way to the Gatreach Inn, although were able to pick up some additional rumors in the streets. Inside, Jandrico Swift and his new half-orc employee Barzog welcomed them back, Barzog leaving with a cheery wave to his friends from Starmantle. The four adventurers then caught Jandrico up on the results of their travels and were also informed by the innkeeper that the nearly-rebuilt Gatereach guest house was available for them to occupy, if they wished. (A generous and noble gesture by Jandrico, considering that the previous one had been burned down in order to get at the party's possessions. Of course, the Cormaerils were the original culprits and by this point were no longer a threat, but it still must have given some pause to the innkeeper in his considerations. --C)</blockquote>

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