"Sylvia pleasure to meet you. As for joining us? Well come on in and say hello to everyone and they can decide. I'm....indecisive." Sylvia spoke with uncertainty. "Over there, the big guy is Oleg his wife is Svetlana. They are our current hosts please be nice and I hope we can talk again soon."
Daitetsu gave another quick bow. “Thank you, uh, Sylvia-san, I shall.” He made a note to greet his host as soon as he could get the chance.

A small green lizard approached him. The little creature intrigued him. He had never seen such a strange race. Truly the west was just as filled with exotic wonders as the travellers' stories told.

“I am Achuak Zhinar, a resident of this area and a walker of the green. I am the newest member of this clan, but none-the-less I wish to welcome you among us. We are in need of strong people, as one before me turned against the group… a traitor is the word? He has joined the bandits, and has become an officer of the Stag Lord."
Daitetsu's jaw set. He had experience with traitors before. It was something of a sore word for him. “Greetings Zhinar-san. I am pleased to hear my strength is welcomed. Regardless what he calls himself, any man who preys upon others has lost his honour. I would be happy to test my blade against such a lord of bandits.”

"I should also tell you that the stress is high at the moment, so please forgive any outbursts from the others.”
That was another thing Takahashi was slowly getting used to. These western people were very prone to displays of emotion. It seemed no one in these lands knew how to restrain themselves.

[Ortlieb & Sylvia.]

Sylvia blinked, his words stung and hit home harder then anything had in years. She could handle being slapped around could steel herself and turn her heart to stone when she needed to, but this was something that left a wound. "Y-your leaving?" She spoke quiet, hanging her head and letting her hair fall over her face. She didn't want him to see her crying. She steadied her voice and focused on each slow, painful word to hide her emotions. "But....if, if you must go....I won't ask you to stay I have no right to force you to...Just, be safe, I promise should I get the chance I will seek you out. Be Safe Brother, here." She carefully rose to her feet and took the necklace she had claimed earlier. Kissing it gently she pressed it into Ortlieb's hand and squeezed gently. "Please keep it and promise you won't forget me. Give it to Ramathu if you want, something for him as well." She sniffelled a bit and looked up, her eyes watery. "Farewell Ortlieb, Brother, I won't say goodbye, because goodbye is to definite. I will find you when I am finished here." She wiped her eyes on her arm and smiled all her willpower holding back her emotions. She didn't want him to remember her sad. "I...I have to go now." She threw her arms around the half-orc and gave him a big hug before turning and sprinting off to wherever, she wanted a building, four wall, somewhere she could hide for the next while.

[Sylvia Alone]

Sylvia had managed to find her way to the bunk house and the bed she had claimed. She laid curled up on it in the fetal position holding her knees to her chest and idly petting her snake. Tears streamed from her eyes as she silently cried, long ago she had learned that crying loud often resulted in getting beaten. She sniffled though, although it was time to eat and she was indeed hungry she didn't move. She was still, the only sign she was actually alive was the occasional sniffle or the occasional shudder from crying. Today was one of the worst days so far and she wanted nothing more then it to be over, looking like a hurt child, or animal right now.

[supper]

The wafting smell of food had filled the chilled air, Junn sat up slowly and gazed out over the yard as most of the party gathered for dinner he sighed heavily and his eyes focused on the stanger whom had come to Olegs earlier in the day

-speaking in Alko to himself-

"I suppose we should introduce ourselves I dont think hes going to leave, just remember to nice"

Junn decended from his rooftop pirch and made his way over to the table to get some food and make his introductions. He paused for a moment before approaching the group took a deep breath and sighed put on as slight smile and walked over to the newcommer

" We havnt been introduced "

Junn bowed slightly

" I am Junn Vallo at your service"

He rose to standing

(assume this is where the pasuse took place for Daitetsu to introduce himself should he wish)

" I would stay and chat but I have made myself somewhat of a... pariah for the moment should you wish to converse you may find me in my nest atop the building there"

Junn motioned to the building he was resideing atop of

" Goodnight to you"

Junn grabed his dinner and made his way back to his nest

[Supper]
At supper Ortlieb made official the announcement that he and Ramathu would be leaving the following morning while the Greenbelt party themselves were leaving for the Sootscale caverns. He cited the reasons and apologies that he had given to Sylvia and Achuak in brief, explaining that the climate was just too cold here for Ramathu, and that he would be travelling south through the River Kingdoms by the Sellen River, hoping to visit the strange and fantastical forests around north of Kyonin.

During supper, Sordin soon found himself seated between Jhod, the travelling priest, and Kesten, the leader of the Post’s guards. He soon found this was no accident. Kesten was a moody sort who visibly worked up the effort to hold a conversation. He asked if there had been an older Varisian man among the bandits slain at Thorn Ford (there hadn’t). He explained that he worked with a mercenary once by the name of Falgrim Sneeg who robbed the group he was with and fled to this region to become a bandit.

“If you do find the thieving coward, bring him back alive, if you can. There’s a reward in it for you all if you bring him in either way, but if he’s alive to face his punishment, my contacts will be happier to make it more worth your while.” After that he returned to his drink and said nothing for the rest of the night, when not giving order to his men.

Not long after, Jhod attempted to engage him in a conversation about the rumours he’s heard of lost ruins and treasure populating the Greenbelt. It was obvious there was something on the priest’s mind that he was getting to, so Sordin let the man go on (with or without much response, as you decide fitting).

“Truth be told,” Jhod admitted sheepishly, “there is one particular, ah, rumour that has caught my attention especially. I figure, since you’ll be spending a fair bit of time exploring this area, you might be able to put it to rest for me. You see it seems worship of Erastil is not uncommon in the more rural parts of this area, as it often is. There is something about the teachings of ‘Old Deadeye’ that appeals to small-town folk. Lead by example and good deeds and none of this flowery rhetoric stuff. But I’m rambling again, I’m sorry my good man.

“Anyway, it seems some people think there may be a temple dedicated to Erastil, lost somewhere out there in the Narlmarch Woods. Oh, and I suppose I should mention it would seem, ah, rumour holds that the temple is guarded by a fierce bear. I suppose I know it sounds strange, but so do most rumours about these areas, hey?. Would you keep an eye out for this old priest?”

(Sordin gets the sense that the balding man may not be telling him everything; you can make a Diplomacy at anytime during the following conversation to press the matter. Also, while both are talking to Sordin, anyone at the table can choose to respond to either of them.)

[Sylvia Alone, approximately just after the beginning of Supper]

There was a loud, obvious groan of the floorboards at the entrance of the guest house. Sylvia did not have to turn to see whose bulk had caused such a protest. She wiped the tears from her eyes but kept her face hidden for the moment.

“You’ve been crying.” Ortlieb stated flatly in his low, gentle basso.

“H-How did you know?”

“The walls told me,” he said, then immediately abandoned his attempt at levity.

“Look,” he said, easing down onto the cot next to hers, “Goodbye doesn’t have to mean forever. Who knows, maybe next summer things will be different and I’ll come back north to visit you. Ramathu would be fully grown by then—he’ll be taller than you easily.” A moment of silence passed.

“What I’m trying to say is… I won’t say goodbye either. I have something I want to give to you, too, but it’s not done yet. I will give it to you before you leave tomorrow. That way we’ll both have something.”

(Assuming Sylvia doesn’t trust her own emotional state right now enough to say anything, Ortlieb will understand and let her be for the night.)

Before he left the half-orc paused at the door. “Also, you should eat something. You’re too skinny, girl.”

(+2 new quests; Svetlanna’s Ring, and a Wanted quest from Kesten)
(+1 new quest; Temple of the Elk from Jhod)

Overhearing the priest of the foreign god, Achuak rubbed his chin. He had not seen such a place before, but that was only to mean that it was not in his territory.
“I am sorry to interrupt, but I would like to say that your temple, if it exists, is probably not in the south eastern edge of the forest. I do not go too far into the forest – only enough to harass the thieves, but I am certain that it will either be across the south river, or further to the west.”

“Master Oleg, may I use something to mark our map?”

After getting the map from the group, and some sort of writing utensil from Oleg (even if it is some burnt remains), Achuak marked the general area where his tribe resided.

“It is to the south of that large tree which is already marked. I suggest we avoid that tree though – it is infested with a cursed race of creatures. Creatures that we loath so much that my people and I use their name only in curses. Seeing as how the charter wants you to all remove harmful creatures from this land before settling, I would recommend attacking them sooner or later, but for now we should go straight for my home.”

When his own little meeting had been finished, Achuak decided to roam the post by himself. It was in this exploration that he found the poster board with various jobs set out, and rewards for their completion. His eyes narrowed as they read the one about his people. Tearing it off, he ran up to Oleg, thrusting the parchment up so that the human could identify what it was that Achuak was angry with.

“What is this!? Your people come into our lands, they set lethal traps which maim or kill us, and call entire territories as their own for the sole purpose to hunt for furs and pelts. Then when my people disarm your traps, and defend our own claimed areas, you decide to put a bounty on ‘dealing’ with us one way or another? For all I know, it was only I who have been a bane among the humans, and that was just petty theft of food stuffs and the occasional drink or tool. How can your people call to kill my kin for ‘being a problem!?”

After taking a deep breath, Achuak calmed down and continued.

“I will not hold it on you alone for this bounty, nor will it really affect my affiliations with you or the rest of my new found friends – if anything we are already working to fix this ‘problem’. However, it does concern me that your people would see us merely as a pest or threat, and not as a people with our own culture, dreams, and abilities. I hope that in the future referencing to us kobold folk will come with a bit more… affection?”

[supper]

Junn hearing Ack screaming about the bounty turned and smirked and set the bowl of food down on a nearby table and moved over to ack

-speaking in dragonic-

"I warned you of this at the camp this party paves the way for such men to come in and there is no set answer to once we do finish our quest that we can stop them as I told you we're all monsters but I will make you a promise should we succeed with your help and I am in a position to I will do everything within my appointed power to assure the safty of your people, we elves have an affinity with nature and it would pain me to see harm come to an indigionous race such as yourself"

Junn held out his hand to the little kobold and smiled warmly


[Junn and Ortlieb and Syl]

After speaking with Ack and fetching his dinner Junn went to return to his nest but paused at the door hearing the voices inside and listened for a moment, when Ortlieb walked out of the bunk house as they were about to pass Junn held out his hand to stop him

" You and I dont see eye to eye but even as such I would have been a fool not to see how useful you were to this group.... I wish you luck in your travels and may fairer winds catch your sails"

Junn walked past Ortlieb and into the bunk house to see Syl

-again in dragonic-

"Hes right you know you should eat alittle meat on your bones will keep you from freezing in the winter months here"

Junn set his bowl down on a table for her

"... Im sorry for the events at the camp... sometimes my emotions get the best of me hate me if you will I've become accustom to such things... but please eat keep your strenth up. It wont be long before we face danger again... goodnight "

Junn took his leave and returned to his nest for further thought and meditation when he reached his roost he turned from the ladder and faced the open world a smirk on his face

[Sylvia, Ortlieb, Junn, Achuak.]

Sylvia silently cursed herself, they both were right. She had to eat and Junn had even left his food for her. She sat up and stared at the food, a hand placed on her stomach to stifle the pains. She sighed, swallowed hard, swallowed her emotions. There would be a time proper for their release and she bottled them up, all the hurt, the pain the sadness. Slowly she got to her feet, eyeing the bowl again she shook her head. "Not mine...his...I'll get my own..." She muttered quietly, sadly.

Wiping her eyes she exited the bunkhouse and looked for Junn, the ladder was an obvious sign. He was meditating so she would keep it brief, standing at the ladder she called up gently. "Junn, I'm sorry to I was also out of line please. I'll get my own food, you eat yours you need food as much as anyone. Thank you though, I don't expect us to be the best of friends but I would at least like us to get along for now." She smiled slightly, trying to show she ment well but her current state wasn't doing her much.

Her peace with Junn concluded she turned to the shouting and the angry kobold. Approaching the little kobold she scooped him into her arms and gave him a hug. "I'll speak on your, and your peoples behalf after we help them. I would rather coexist then fight." She let the little kobold down, though her voice was steady her posture and eyes gave away her true feelings. Turning to Oleg she bowed politely. "Whoever put the, bounty, on the kobolds. Please I'd like to speak with them after our next escapade is done and see if we can't sort out the misgivings." Her thoughts finished she again tried to smile, but seeing Ortlieb only made her lip quiver. Gathering some food for herself she bowed politely again. "Thank y-you, but I'll be inside the bunkhouse if a-anyone needs me. Ortlieb, please wake me before you go I don't want you leaving with me asleep." She smiled again, blinking back her tears and swallowing more emotions.

Her dealings done she retired to the bunkhouse, not inside it yet, she downed her food and left the dishes on the steps before heading in. Not wishing to disturb Junn's food she covered it carefully with a cloth to keep it hot before sitting on her claimed bed, crossing her legs and closing her eyes, smiling slightly as she held Fang close, the little serpent soothing her troubled soul.

[Kobold Bounty]

At first it seemed like Oleg was going to be angry, but before he got his chance to explode he seemed to remember his manners and settled on being peeved at the little kobold’s accusations.

“Now listen here you, I don’t know anymore about that poster than I do about what they’re doing with these charters or why it took two months for them to finally send me some guards. I moved out here exactly to get away from all that bureaucracy and politics.

“All I know is that the Sootscale tribe has been here since before even Svetlana and I moved into this old border fort and it wasn’t until recently that people came telling of kobolds getting hostile. That’s when they put up the poster to see what was making you all so riled up—you may notice it says to ‘make peace’—assuming that there is a chance that your people still want peace with the trappers in this area.”

Oleg’s momentary ire fizzled down and he took a seat. He sighed and his tone became conversational. “As for these traps of yours, I don’t know a trapper damn fool enough to go looking for game that far from the forest. Any trapper worth his salt marks their traps so that others don’t happen into them by mistake. I don’t know who might be setting this traps, but they’ve got no business working these woods if they’re as careless as you say.”

Sylvia chose that moment to sneak up and grapple the little kobold into a hug.

“I’ll speak on you and your people’s behalf after we help them. I would rather coexist than fight.” She let the little kobold down, though her voice was steady her posture and eyes gave away her true feelings. Turning to Oleg she bowed politely. “Whoever put the, bounty, on the kobolds. Please I'd like to speak with them after our next escapade is done and see if we can't sort out the misgivings.”
Oleg’s eyebrows raised, and a touch of a smile came to his face. “I wish you luck with that, then, girlie. It’s the same people you and I both work for—the Swordlords of Restov.”

(Sylvia leaves, this space here for Achuak’s apology as discussed with Ray, explaining how the little kobold is somewhat stressed with the fact that his people are being destroyed from within and now he finds that they potentially face more threats from without)

“You know something, Achuak? The way I figure it, you’re either in the best position to help you’re people through the coming months, or the worst.” Oleg looked thoughtfully at the parchment Achuak had given him. He crushed it in one movement and chucked it into the fire. “It seems to me one way or another a whole lot of people are going to be coming to live in these lands soon, and the best way to make sure you don’t get swept aside in all that change is by being one of the people doing the changing.” The trading post master leaned back against the wooden table. “Either that or you fight back until it overwhelms you, and in all my years’ experience as a trapper and then a trader, I’ve found that nature favours those who can adapt to survive.”

[Midnight]

When the full moon reached it’s zenith in the night sky, Ortlieb slipped out into the courtyard, taking care to be quiet. He had notified Oleg ahead of time, but still he preferred not to disturb anyone’s sleep as he went about his business. Contrary to a few days ago, the night wasn’t too cold, though it was still cool.

The half-orc undid the thick wooden post that held the gates shut. Opening one door just enough to admit the passage of his bulk, he crept out into the night. Using the light of the unimpeded full moon and his own suburb racial vision he easily found his way to one of the small copses of trees that grew around the grasslands in this region.

Ortlieb hefted up the axe he had borrowed and pressed the blade to one of the tree’s branches. He lined up where he would sever the limb and gave thanks to the tree. The Green Faith taught that all things possessed a vital spirit worthy of respect and deserving of attention. It took only a couple strong whacks to fully sever the limb.

After he removed the twigs sticking out from the branch, he sat down at the best of the tree, stripping the bark with his large knife. The druid hummed a song while he worked, carefully whittling down the piece of wood in hands into something with shape and form.

The moon was well into its descent by the time he finished.

[Morning]

Contrary to his norm, Ortlieb was not among the first awake. It was not until halfway through breakfast that the half-orc rose from his slumber.

After breakfast he helped Oleg brush off the horses and hook them up to the wagon one last time. Achuak described their route around the tree already landmarked on the map to the rest of the party.

Sylvia slipped away while Kesten was assuring them that he and his men would keep a steady watch on the Post and that they need not fear an attack on their base of operations while they were away. It was no secret who she was going to visit.

Ortlieb was in the stables with Ramathu, apparently bidding farewell to Oleg’s old pony Claptrap. He rose at once when he saw Sylvia come in. He held out his hand, palm down. Something was trapped in his mighty fist. “For you.”

Ortlieb placed the tiny wooden statuette he had spent part of the night carving in her open palms. It was a wooden totem of a gorilla, standing on its hind legs. A rune was graven into its chest. The craftsmanship was rough, but obviously carved with care, and the eyes were kind of adorable. They reminded her of Ramathu.

“Druidic writing is mostly like Taldane, using combinations of letters to represent sounds and words, but it also has several symbols that stand for basic concepts that are significant to druidism. This one stands for the World. Unity. The Whole. It means that no matter how far we are apart, we are still on the same world, under the same sun and stars. It is my way of saying ‘Remember me—I will remember you: we will meet again.’”

[Departure]

Ortlieb saw the Greenbelt party off before pointing his feet east to Restov from where he would begin the journey that would take him to the southern forests of the River Kingdoms.

(Just because I have brought the time line around to the Departure doesn’t mean our stay at Oleg’s is over. We are in the wrapping-up of the downtime, though, so if you have things you want to get to, don’t delay. I suppose we could go on, but that begins to stretch the backposting a bit. Note that Junn either is currently or will soon be trying to get a party started beginning around just after Oleg and Achuak talk, just after supper.)

[Departure.]

Sylvia looked over the little totem Ortlieb had carved for her. She smiled slightly and held it close. She had said her goodbyes the previous night, a hug and a kiss on the cheek and a promise that when they would meet again she would be someone, not just another young girl playing hero. This she swore, her fears, her worries, her troubles all put aside. She was in this for the long-haul come hell or high water, she would see this clearing this exploration through to the very end. She was with the rest of the group now, having secured the totem with some sturdy string she wore it as a necklace. A fire burned in her eyes, a task was at hand a new friend who they had promised to help and nothing short of death would stop her from seeing this through. "Achuak, I'll uphold my promise and Ortlieb's. Let me count for us both." She said in draconic to the little kobold.

[just after supper]

Junn had made his way back down to fetch his food from within the bunkhouse but instead of returning up had decided to eat with the others, the silence and gloom of the fort was deadly and you could cut the tensions of the air with a knife Junn had spent the last little while conversing with the other traverlers whom found themselves at Olegs that night and having already had a couple of drinks with them an idea struck him and he rose to his feet with a childlike vigor

"I PROPOSE A TOAST TO OLD FRIENDS AND NEW -motions to the travelers he was speaking with- TO OUR VICTORY THOUGH SMALL A STEPING STONE ON THE PATH TO GREATER GLORY TONIGHT SHOULD BE ONE OF CELEBRATION THOUGH ONE OF US LEAVES COME THE MORNING LET US NOT SEND OUT FRIEND AWAY WITH A MEMORY OF GLOOM LET OF DRINK AND REJOICE IN THE TIME WE HAVE HAD AND TO FURTURE MEETINGS"

Junn turned his attention to Oleg

"DRINKS FOR EVERYONE MY GOOD MAN IT IS TIME FOR CELEBRATION!"

(there I tryed owen its in your hands now make it work)

[Takahashi]

Sordin observed Takahashi as he entered the camp, but made no move to introduce himself. He wanted to get a gauge of the man's personality before he let their affiliation be known. So far he had little impression of the man, however, at the very least his politeness made it seem likely that he wouldn't be prone to spontaneous murderous outbursts, which Sordin considered to be very much to the positive.

[Supper]

Sordin was surprised, and saddened by Ortlieb's announcement. Out of the whole party, the two members that he found he could relate with the most had left. The irony of how the bitter, backstabbing doctor had grown on him did not go unnoticed to Sordin. Nonetheless, he was regretting the departure of one of the few emotionally stable members of the party. He'd grown fond of him over the brief time they'd known each other.

Soon after getting seated for his meal Sordin found two strangers seated around him. Well, not quite strangers, he'd seen them before around camp but hadn't spoke to either. He hadn't met the priest, but he had run into the mercenary on their way in and knew him by name. Kesten Garess. Sordin took some pleasure in the fact that he knew more about this man than Kesten realized. He had a habit of picking up rumors, especially about important people. The more you know about someone, the greater advantage you have over them. He laughed to himself, thinking of how many Paladins would condemn that train of thought. He cared little of that. Information can be a weapon, and you never know when you'll need an extra sword. Quietly focusing on his meal he waited for one of them to speak up.

Kesten spoke up first, he asked if they had found Varisian man among the bandits. Sodrin had not seen such a man, and told Kesten so.

“If you do find the thieving coward, bring him back alive, if you can. There’s a reward in it for you all if you bring him in either way, but if he’s alive to face his punishment, my contacts will be happier to make it more worth your while.”
Sordin nodded and said, "I doubt we'd have the time to actively seek this thief out, but if we run into him we'll certainly do our best to bring him back to you"

After another brief break, allowing Sordin to dig into his food a bit, the priest voiced his request. Sordin nodded his head as the man spoke, but couldn't help but think And how does this matter to anyone, least of all me?. When the man finished Sordin sighed and said, "I'm sorry, and I don't speak for the rest of the group when I say this, but I hardly see any reason for us to seek out this temple especially seeing how you believe it to exist solely based on, ah, rumors," Sordin paused for a second, regretting letting that mockery slip out, "Sorry. You'll have to give us more reason to seek it out, we're not going to go out of our way to fight a bear just because an old man was wondering if there was a temple in the woods. Who knows, you may have better luck with someone else, I'm not the most pious sort."

[Supper]

"Sorry. You'll have to give us more reason to seek it out, we're not going to go out of our way to fight a bear just because an old man was wondering if there was a temple in the woods. Who knows, you may have better luck with someone else, I'm not the most pious sort."
“Oh, of course. I didn't mean to seem like I was asking you to do something for me without reward. I was hoping merely to confirm my...” he let out a good natured self-mocking chuckle, “'rumours', as they were, before drawing out any further plans.”

Jhod appeared to notice for the first time that by some odd circumstance he had finished his meal. “Oh, pardon me dear sir—I don't wish to disturb you unnecessarily,” he apologized. He gathered his cup and plate. “Anyway, just know that if you need any help, I'll be here.”

Before Sordin could respond, the priest's attention seemed to be diverted elsewhere, “Oh, Svetlana dear, let me help you with all that firewood.”

The Rahadoumi paladin couldn't tell if he had been apologized to, pitied, or simply escaped. Possibly a mixture of all three.

[Party]

The guards smiled and murmured sounds of agreement of a celebration, but looked to their commanding officer before they went all in.

“I think I'll turn in early tonight,” said Kesten. “You lot enjoy yourselves tonight—just be ready for an early morning.” He left to a small chorus of cheers. Rather than going to his tent, though, the morose guard captain climbed one of the ladders to the top of the palisade. His silhouette stayed there for a good part of the celebration, looking out over the south wall.

Oleg happily supplied the necessary fuel for the celebratory mood. The remaining three guards, as well as the travelling hunter all took to celebration with gusto, and Jhod merrily volunteered to show the others a card game played in his native Galt, far to the south, though he kept his own liquor consumption well within moderation.

(Now it's up to you how smashed y'all wanna get—don't dwell on it for too long, look forward to my next post coming soon taking us one a whirlwind adventure southeast to the kobold caverns.)

Pharast 7
Northern Kamelands
En Route
The route Achuak had drawn up skirted around the northeastern horn of the forest and then trekking southeast in a wide arc around the territory of the creatures that the little kobold would not name but would speak in hateful epithets about.

On the first day the party entered the hilly region that dominated half of the greenbelt alongside the Narlmarches, known to the locals as the Kamelands. The rocky hills rose out of the grasslands, dotted by the eponymous kames—rocky mounds of ancient stone strewn about the land. The natural incline of the terrain and the tall brown and yellow grasses of the region slowed travel a bit.

By the first hour the attentive traveller began to see great, strange patterns in the kames, vaguely resembling ancient way-markers or long-forgotten barrows in some places, in others appearing to follow no discernible plan, but nevertheless seeming to line up in some pattern or another. And then in other places it was easy to chide one's imagination for getting away from them on the long journey.

The party was not far from stopping to make camp after their first day of travel when over the crest of a low hill they spotted a group of wild boars. The trio all squealed and turned to face the party. The large male of the three pawed the ground and made a warning clak-clak-clak noise with its tusks.

(Your move; Sordin wins highest initiative. The three boars are lined up about 60ft/12sq. in front of you. Don't forget to step off the wagon first if you plan to attack them. Also carry on wrap-up backposts as needed.)

[Party.]

Sylvia choice to forgo the festivities, instead climbing the ladder Kesten had earlier but she also avoided him not wishing to disturb the guard captain any. She rested her arms on the wall and stared out over the landscape, her mind still full of sadness and other thoughts. "Fang...I wish you could talk...I need a friend right now..." She mumbled, not to herself either she was genuingly talking to the snake who forever remained coiled gently about her neck like some form of living necklace. One hand tenderly stroked the little snake's head, his eyes fixed on his friend and his tongue flicking out to taste the air. Sylvia looked troubled, occasionaly she would brush a few strands of stray hair away or look towards the party. "I don't belong with them anymore then I do elsewhere, but. I'll do my best to fit in, hopefully things turn around." She mumbled to herself, that creeping familiar sense of loneliness and sadness settling over her. It would be a long night for the young girl.

[Boar Encounter.]

The journey had been long, and boring for the most part. She hadn't said a word to anyone and looked very distant as she stared at the passing scenery. Her head was still full of thoughts and she was still feeling quite sad over Ortlieb's departure but she did her best to hide it. When things had finally ground to a halt and they were setting up camp the oddest of things happened, a trio of boars was trying to play hardball. "What the hell?" She frowned, as if the long day hadn't been enough now some wild animals were set to try and further shove her and the party into the ground.

[Supper]

As the old man left Sordin's face fell into his palm. Or the other way around, he couldn't tell. Perhaps he had come off a little more strongly than he intended. The impression he had left with the priest was certainly not the one he wanted. It wasn't a price he was asking for, but a reason why the old man even wanted to find the temple. He was sure that Erastil had temples enough, what was one importance of finding one more? Unless the priest was on some sort of committee for locating misplaced temples. He sighed, it was the old man's REASON he wanted, not a reward. What's done was done though, he'd have to remember to clear this up with the old man when he got his next chance.

[Party]

With the confusion with the old man still bothering him, Sordin didn't feel like joining in the festivities. He turned in shortly after Kesten.

[Boars]

Sordin comfortably leaned back against the edge of the wagon and looked at the scenery as they passed it. All of it was so unlike what he was used to in Garund.

Soon before they were about to stop to set up camp, Sordin saw the boars. Normally, he'd be prefer to leave them alone. But if they were going to be stopping soon that may not be a good idea. Judging by the look of it these boars were territorial, which would not bode well for any camp they might be setting up. With any luck, they might be able to scare them away if a shot lands near. Sordin stood up, drew his bow and aimed an arrow as close he could to the larger of the three without hitting it.