Game thread - It begins...

"I'll take first one. I'm not tired yet." This would give Ax time to think and search the barn and the immediate vicinity for anything useful without the others watching him. You could also tell much about a person by watching them sleep.

"I have to agree with you Arden, about Moer. I didn't get a strong feeling about his loyalties to Emil either. And I'd like to keep my options open, if you know what I mean."

"I do," Arden returns quietly to Aaxi. Lowering his voice further, he gestures with this eyes to Arnd and Swaneke and adds, "And keep one eye on those two, even after your watch. They could prove worrisome."

"Good. I'll take second -- wake me at midnight," he says loud enough for the whole crew to hear.

Rose is more than a little tired. She is very glad when Ax volunteers for first watch. "Wake me when my shift is up." She quickly doffs her armor and slips into a deep sleep even faster. She is used to working hard, but with more varied tasks. Walking all day in heavy armor has worn her out.

Before they bunk down for the night, Arden fetches water for them all to wash in, relieves himself outside against the side of some outbuilding, and settles in for some shuteye. But he keeps tabs on Rose as she sleeps, making sure she's not bothered by the two men that argue back and forth like children; he trusts neither of them around a young woman. In the morning, after everyone has risen and made ready, he collects the coins for Moer and prepares to lead the group away from the farm just after the sun is above the horizon -- and finds that Swaneke and Arnd have their own ideas.

The squabbling pair are headed into the fields when Arden looks to the priest, the farmgirl and the halfling and shakes his head. He's not for traveling long with these fools if they keep it up, but he calls to them regardless as he walks towards them, ready for the day's travel.

"Arnd. Swaneke -- wait. We won't be ambushed in a pasture, it's more like to be on a road. But that shouldn't steer our course regardless -- we'll need to use those roads, they're faster."

In the distance, two farms are visible, and Arden points at both of them. "I spoke with Moer this morning about who resides in each of those places. One of them is a widow and her family, but the other was abandoned some years back. Perhaps a good place for highwaymen such as those we're talking about to hole up in. I say we check there first. Make sure we're not leaving some threat to Mohr and the widow unattended."

Looking over his shoulder, the dark-haired man asks, "what do you three think?"

Arden is right not to trust those two. They are stupid and trouble, a really bad combination. "I wouldn't dismiss bakers and cobblers, Ax says to the two morons. "A large group is more than capable of putting the hurt on us especially in an ambush situation. Arden is right. We should stick to the road for a whole lot of reasons."

Ax didn't think his words would matter. People like that are also very stubborn. "We should get rid of them as soon as possible. Let them go into the fields while we stay on the roads," he says in a very low voice to Arden although he doesn't care much if they hear him.

Rose feels a great deal of relief when Ax and Arden discuss ditching the troublesome duo they have been stuck with. At the same time she also feels a small bit of guilt. Here she was, only her second day as a soldier, and she was already turn against her own...

"I hate to say it, but we stand a much better shot of staying alive without those two. Neither of them seem interested in listening to reason." It suddenly dawns on Rose that after those two are gone, she will be the weakest link. She quickly adds, "I may be green, but I'm a quick learner and I follow directions well."

"You two," Arden calls to the two men. "This way!" The man points, adding, "We're going this way."

To Rose and Aaxi, he quietly says, "let's just see if they'll listen to reason."

Ax watches with great interest. He doesn't necessarily agree with Rose but he gets her point of view. Nodding at Arden he says, "Don't count on it."

Arden leads the group south, but he walks among them rather than in front.

"So what are your stories?" he asks Swaneke and Arnd. "Old friends who decided to join the cause? Are you locals?"

Rose is quite pleased with the way things are going. She feels that they have a competent leader and skilled group. They might just live to see the end of the week. Especially if every farm turns out to be as peaceful as the last one.

She cannot help but smirk when Arden asks the other two party members to share a bit about themselves. She immediately makes a bet with herself that Swaneke will tell some exaggerated tale that overvalues his most likely minimal skills and Arnd will reveal very little while being mopey and complaining about how he'd rather be anywhere but here.