As the merchant was quickly ganged up by the elfs companions, he raised his hands in a show of peace.

He appeared to be most affected by the half orc and the.. unnerving stare of the dark elf. Though he seemed to pay attention to Reynards and Doc Kilk's words. At Doc Klik flipping the table, the others attention shifted onto them and they grumbled and went back to their business.

The trader shifted underneath the uncomfortable stare of Morrigu and he was about to speak when she asked him.

"Tell me, how well do your children sleep at night?" .

Unbidden, a chill crept through his spine and he shuddered a bit, getting a shaky.

"Fine.. Thank you.". is she threatening me..?

The trader gulped and asked "What is it you want then? Supplies? Fine. Take them. I'll give you 3 for the price of 2? Is that fair to the rest of you?"

Although his tone was irritated and hurried, it was plain to see that he felt slightly shaken up by this encounter.

as the merchant offered a good deal on supplies, Trossach stepped back again. He was pleased with most of the members of the group. Ochit clearly would stand by people - and seemed to have a good sense of justice. Trossach greatly valued that and liked what he saw in the half-orc. Raynard had also been reliable. The Doc was smart. He'd acted to diffuse the situation, which was exactly what was needed. Smart. Trossach liked that. Yes, if this had been a test, 3 of the 5 had passed.

Crowe? Where was Crowe? Sitting back and drinking. Not a bad choice, call the test incomplete.

And then there was the fifth. He didn't think she'd really started it, but she certainly hadn't acted to settle things down. And that comment about the guys children . . . Trossach didn't like threats and he certainly didn't like threats against kids. Right now, the dark elf smelled of trouble. She would need to be watched.

With these ideas floating through his mind, the big Mul moved by the door to await his companions. He was ready to get out of the tavern and begin the expedition.

Crowe observed the "altercation" silently from a dark table while sipping on small glass of whiskey he had palmed from a table he had walked by while everyone was paying attention to the disturbance and "clumsy" antics of Doc. "Looks like the lot of them jump at the slightest sign of trouble, that could prove useful in the future..." His thoughts trailed off as he finished the glass and set it down, silently congratulating himself of assuming correctly that the merchant would bend before any of the others had to break him.

He casually strolled up to the group once things had calmed down a bit, "We only get paid if we find this hidden thing in the ruin before anyone else, so I suggest we get a move on if we have everything we need." With that he adjusted his cloak and pack and headed out of the uneasy and crowded confines of this tavern and leaned against the wall to wait for the rest of the group.

Ochit was pleased the merchant seemed to realize his error. But then, Morrigu spoke a thinly veiled threat. Quickly the merchant offered to sell three days supplies for the price of two.

"Sell right. Not cheat you." Ochit did not want to take advantage of the man. He simply wanted to correct an injustice. Looking at Morrigu he added, "Manners bad. No make scary talk. Better than him maybe not." Ochit turned and walked back to join Klick.

"We only get paid if we find this hidden thing in the ruin before anyone else, so I suggest we get a move on if we have everything we need."
Reynard did not like the unsubtle threat by Morrigu, but he said nothing. At this moment, it was probably not best to antagonize any one of group. The first mission would be taxing enough on their loose alliance. Even he would admit, to himself, that he was hardly trusting of the group here. Despite this, he had to push past this, and work with them.

He nodded to Crowe. "Very well. I am fine with moving out now. I have already obtained my supplies, so I have no need to wait. Hopefully, I am not impeded too much with my armour in the heat."

"What is it you want then? Supplies? Fine. Take them. I'll give you three for the price of two. Is that fair to the rest of you?"

Morrígu beamed. All of her smiling had convinced the nasty human to make up for his rudeness. She might even let him keep a finger or two. Maybe... Never letting her smile falter, the dark elf proffered the required coin and quickly stashed the supplies in her bad. It was all for her and Xenophobella. Giggling to herself a bit, Morrígu began to move away from the trader but was stopped by Ochit looming shadow. The hulking beast had come to darken her mood again!

"Sell right. Not cheat you." Towering above her, Ochit stared down as he lectured. "Manners bad. No make scary talk. Better than him maybe not."

Her smile remained in place as Ochit turned and walked away but the light in her eyes completely died. There was not even the faintest glimmer of mischief. There was only wrath. He had said the stinking human sow was her equal. A human! A MALE!

Her fingers began to twitch at her side.

"Honglath ussta ssinssrigg. L'ust'dan orn tlu sila've ugul, jhal dos z'klaen tlu zaale. Fay'laph weth harventh." (Calm my love. The infidel will be brought low, but you must be patient. Savor each cut.)

At the sound of Xenophobella's voice Morrîgu ceased her twitching. She was right. Now was just not the time to teach the orcish fool the way of things. There would be time for such things later, and she would stretch them out into the sweetest of symphonies. The thought of Ochit's song made her erupt with giggles. With her wrath having cooled, Morrígu stuck her tongue out at the half-orc's back and then proceeded to follow him, skipping all the way.

Upon hearing the intentions to travel out into the nasty sunshine, that skipping abruptly stopped. They were going to travel the whole way bathed in foul sunlight... Fear filled Morrígu's eyes and she looked at each one of them pleadingly.

"Nooooooooooooo," Morrígu whined. "Not the nasty sun."

((OOC: Fully intend to cooperate with you all about traveling by day, but Morrígu is a dark elf, and she's crazy, so she'll need a bit of convincing.)

Ochit looked at the drow. He wondered if she always caused trouble. "Walk day. Shade can make. Go, stay. Choose." Ochit gathered his things and moved outside, ready to depart.

Trossach stood by the door and watched as the Drow whined about the sunlight. He understood the problem, a light sensitivity was likely to be an issue. But sometimes you just had to put up with things. If there was anything a Mul understood it was persevering through hard times. And you didn't whine about it.

Ochit gave Morrigu the choice to stay or go, but from Trossach's point of view, she had already made that choice. And the rest of the group could not be held up. He handed his maul to Ochit as he passed and approached the Drow and, stopping directly in front of her, spoke.

"You already chose to join us. We need to move - now. If you whine like this on the trail you could get us all killed." With those words he reached out, grabbed the small woman under the armpits and simply picked her up. He turned towards the door and with arms out stretched holding the small burden, he walked out of the tavern. Once outside he moved to the rest of the group and set her down. "If you are not coming, run now. Otherwise we will try to provide shade - sun sensitivity must be unpleasant." When she didn't run he turned to the rest of the group and said, "Ok, she seems to be coming. Lets move."

The trader handed the supplies to Morrigu and accepted the coins, busying himself with something behind the counter.

As the group spoke amongst themselves, discussing plans and admonishing a certain dark elf for her oddities, many of the "adventurers" began leaving. Eventually, Trossach picked up Morrigu and "convinced" her to join them in travelling.

The sun was hot and bright, beating on from above. As the group left the safety of the village and began leaving, a pair of guards stood at the gate, watching as the group of 30 ish began their travels. One of them, a youth of perhaps 16, a boy with a horrible sunburn on his face in the shape of his helmet looked grim and said to everyone:

"Kalak watch over you.". ((Most powerful Sorceror King, rules Tyr))

A dry wind swept among the land, kicking sand in everyone's faces, in their eyes. Visibility was poor. Of course, the templars did not bother to leave the comforts of the inn. Despite the conditions, the group managed to head north west, towards the supposed ruins.

Nothing eventful happens during the first day, Making good progress, camp is set up in the meager comfort of a small sand dune, offering protection against the wind and shade against the setting sun. The cold appears to start to settle in as the temperature drops uncomfortably.

((Okay, not much to do this week, Next week will be more exciting though Just lemme know what you want to happen, taking watch, building a fire, anything like that))

As they made camp. Ochit took out a small piece of wood, a piece of string and his knife. He began to whittle and about 30 minutes later his work was complete. Approaching Morrigu, he held out his completed project. "Wear day. Make sun not bright. Help." In his hand was a pair of sunglasses used by his people.

"Fire for not freeze. Who awake?" Ochit knew that without a fire the night would get very cold. Although he often traveled alone at night he would feel better if someone was awake watching over the others. Well at least he would feel safer with most of the others watching over him.

Trossach looked at the glasses that Ochit had made for Morrigu and smiled. He was liking the little guy more and more every minute. Those things were cool. Would they help with the Drow's sun sensitivity? He had no idea. But the idea and the generosity were both very good.

After the half-orc barbarian commented on the fire, he added his own thoughts to the mix. "Those eye covers are very interesting, Ochit. You have many talents. I agree, we need a fire. Unless others oppose, I will help make the fire and take the first watch. We can try to keep the flames hidden by the dune. Sleeping with no guard in they wild would be a bad idea."

He then spoke to the parties resident night walker. "Morrigu, I don't know how tired walking in the sun has made you, perhaps you need more rest now than the rest of us. Or maybe, since the night is your time, you are stronger. Why don't you double shift with someone as much as you feel capable. That way we take advantage of your nocturnal abilities as much as possible, while ensuring that you get the rest you need before tackling the daylight again."

Doc Klik settled his pack by the dune that they would seek shelter from the elements behind. He pulled forth both of his shields from his arms, wrapped his blanket around one, then the other and dug them into the dune, providing additional cover from the winds with an angled lean-to that would let most of the irritants of the desert drift over the resting party.

He watched as other's prepared a small campfire, and as they did so he dug out small burrows into the sand within which bedrolls could be set.

As people inquired about who would take watch, Klik turned, leaning on his native Gythka; whose spiked polearm drifted through the sand leaving intricate patterns and strange markings, many of which were quickly erased by the shifting sands.

Projecting his mind to those gathered he spoke
"Rest easy, I will keep watch as a shepherd does their flock. I need not sleep as you do, and will take the time to prepare for the morrow, and perhaps annotate our travels."
Given their pre-adventure apt for conflict, Klik figured these early hours of the evening may be his only quiet time to reflect in the days ahead, and he had no qualms with dutifully putting the wasteful 'sleep' other creatures needed to more productive uses.

(Easy DM references) Passive Perception 15, Active Perception (+5), Darkvision 60ft, Stealth Checks while on watch (+5)

During the course of the night (if nothing happens) Doc will pray for the following new spells (If interrupted I'll use the current spell list)

Cure Wounds
Guiding Bolt
Shield of Faith
Bless
Detect Poison and Disease

Morrígu stomped along in a fury. She had spend the WHOLE day walking in the nasty sun. The. Whole. Day. A bit of shade from the giant bug-man-thing was her only respite from the shining, burning horror that filled the skies. Not that it did much, the sun didn't burn her anymore than it did the surface dwelling fools who loved its light. She just could barely see a damn thing. Squinting so she didn't trip over a stray rock made her stomping tantrum far less intimidating. She would have set something on fire had she been able to see it.

Yet her solar ordeal was not the true source of her fury, it was the Mul. The giant blubbering oaf had picked her up like a child, and taken her out into the sun with the rest of them. HE had pick HER up LIKE A CHILD. Oh how she hated him. The glares she had been shooting Trossach throughout the day were decidedly diminished by her squinting. Since that method of expression had been denied her, Morrígu would have to find a more creative means of expressing her displeasure. Perhaps something involving the aroma of goblin butt... Until then she would have to resort to cursing, which she had done with colorful proficiency throughout the day.

They made camp just as the daylight horror began to die down because the light loving twits were getting tired or afraid of the dark or some other wimpy idiocy. She had been forced, FORCED, to walk in the light and now that she could finally see they wanted to stop and sleep. Stupid clumsy men! Morrígu hissed and cursed again.

Just as she was about to begin another colorful litany Ochit walked up to her holding some crude wooden contraption. He held the object out to her and Morrígu quickly snatched it from his hand for proper inspection. What was it!

"Wear day. Make sun not bright." Ochit barked.

Morrígu looked up at him with eyes violet and azure. She quickly placed the trinket over her eyes and found they made the world a wonderfully darker place. It worked! Ochit had magic fingers. Giggling she grabbed the half-orc and gave him a big hug. She didn't even mind the smell of orc. Then, Morrígu the Great stepped away, and began to twirl and dance with glee. That glee was short lived.

After the morning violation Trossach dared to approach her, "Morrígu, I don't know how tired walking in the sun has made you, perhaps you need more rest than the rest of us. Or maybe, since the night is your time, you are stronger. Why don't you double shift with someone as much as you feel capable. That was we take advantage of your nocturnal abilities as much as possible, while ensuring that you get the rest you need before tackling the daylight again."

Was he trying to be all nice nice now?
Morrígu said nothing and stood there, motionless and smiling.

"Kyorl hwuen uk v'dri, ussta ssinssrigg. Udos zhal inbau ukta wun l'isto."
(Wait until he sleeps, my love. We shall get him in the night.)

Xenophobella's voice was always calming and she had the best ideas. Nocturnal tortures sounded so lovely. Morrígu giggled and then skipped away. It was going to be such a lovely night.

Ochit was more than surprised at Morrigu's reaction to his sunglasses. He expected her to complain that they were not pretty or that they couldn't possibly work. Giving him a big hug and dancing with glee was certainly better. Ochit smiled. "Like happy, anger pretty not" rnrnHe heard Trossach compliment him on his talent. "Know stuff. Speak sounds to tell hard. Hope help." Looking at Morrigu and her sudden change of temperament, Ochit added softly so Morrigu would not hear "Right head not think".

Crowe was all to happy to let one of the others take watch, he knew from previous travels just how much of a drastic change sunset brought to the desert, and he was all to happy to spend the freezing night bundled up in his bed roll.

As he ate a bit of the simple food he had bought for this trek he idly fumbled with the ring he wore, a gift from another member of the family before they had gotten separated. As his mind wandered back to those simpler days he pulled forth his lute and began to pluck at the strings, humming a tune from his childhood as he played.

He said nothing to the rest of the group, unless addressed specifically, and even then his responses would be short as he was lost in thought.