
The party heads out to the stables to retrieve their horses, and discover that the large man named Kobort already has a fine looking warhorse of his own. Strapped to the beast are a lance, a flail, and a rather worn-looking battleaxe, nicked with use.
The party also realizes that the thief named Norris, only having joined the party a brief moment, has gone missing as well as Angel. Neither Turuko nor Kobort seem to be aware of this or care at all, and not interested in waiting for the man you all barely knew to turn up, you get your mounts saddled and loaded up with tack and harness, saddlebags filled with all the party’s worldly possessions and treasures, and set out for another excursion of the Moathouse Ruins.
The silent Trading Post Man-at-Arms has been left to watch over his employers’ store this trip and the group’s two new faces, Turuko and an almost equally silent fighter named Kobort, have agreed to aid the party for a 7% share of any profits returned with each. It’s about an hour after noon. Despite the autumn season and a light drizzle falling, leftover from yesterday’s rain, the day has been unnaturally warm, creeping into the low 80s.
Villagers watch as you head out on the road east of town, as do laborers working on the new castle, though not with as much curiosity or interest as on the last two explorations. It seems that some of the locals are getting used to the party’s passing back and forth.
Maloria and Bors ride up from. Behind them Turuko sits astride his borrowed horse next to Gilly, and Eltrezar and Kobort take up the rear. "A fine day it is to start our first day on the job, is it not, Kobort," Turuko asks his companion.
"Mmm…" the big man grunts noncommittally.
"Yes, and you thought you would regret rescuing me from those gnolls I imagine. Thought I was lying when I said I would find us easy riches just waiting to be plundered, and yet here we are my friend. About to earn ourselves some of the easiest coin we could hope for, we are, and certainly more than we’ve had opportunity to take advantage of quite a while for us both, I would imagine. The wealth we seek will present themselves in their own time, however, and we must merely keep our eyes open to the moment and seize them when they do, wouldn’t you agree?"
"Mmm…"
"’Mmm’ indeed friend, ‘Mmm’ indeed... Tell me," he says to those sitting nearest him. "Why is it you choose to keep your wealth in your saddlebags? Are you not worried that some rapscallions may come and plunder your steeds and the wealth they bear while you’re busy slaying ogres, and burning slimes? I should think that of the tales you’ve told us during our impromptu interview, bandits should be a concern. They’ve been there already, yet you remain confident that your profits are safe unattended. Why is that?"
As Turuko chatters on you realize you’re approaching the rock outcropping that inexplicably turned the air around it an icy cold yesterday. As you approach, you await the same phenomenon to begin, yet the air remains warm, even a bit damp and muggy underneath the heavy armor of those wearing it.