A Gathering Storm

"You are hearin' what you wanta, priest. The lady said plan on food. Means we have to fetch it ourselves." Lothar corrects with a deep chuckle. "Lothar. Called the huntsman by ma clan. Never knew my da."

"Kvarek is my name." Kvarek waits for his thaler and then leaves the room. A week's provisions to secure and then off to the north gate. It must be his mercenary background, as he wasn't interested in asking more questions. Besides, any information this far from the 'front line', as it were, would by inaccurate at best.

Bartalom stays to the rear of the group vying for Lady Revora's attention. Once they have been attended to, he steps forward and smiles broadly but so self-consciouly that he imagines it appears to others as a grimace.

"Well met, Lady Revora! My name is Bartalom, and I'm a novice in Ordo Magica; Master Vernam instructed me to seek to join your party, ma'am"

Blight-twisted walkers in dark. Half of dese ain't left dis cramped up hole of a hovel. Better set them straight for what they'd be needin'. "I get da feelin' some of yo folks are a bit..." he pauses thinking of a nicer word, "green to bein' in the forest." He remembered have this similar conversation with his last apprentice. "Ya do be wanting to get things that ain't gonna sour up befer you ate 'em. A hard crust of bread, dried up block o' hard cheese, nuts, jerked meat, dried fruit, and tha like. It ain't gonna be what somaya er used ta, but it should keep for a quite a few days." Might as well keep them from starvin', else they'll be clamorin' for my food.

Oria sighs loudly. She expected that answer of course but it was worth a try.

She thought Lothar was cute the way he was teaching those in need about choosing what foods to take on the trek. But all in all the group looked like they had a chance to fulfill the quest and make it back in one piece with the prize and preferably alive.

She motioned to leave, glancing at the others.

Sunset

As you approach the main gate fortuitously arriving together, the rain has let up but there's is still a chill moistness to the air that promises a miserable journey tonight.

When you get to the gate, you first hear a commotion. When enter the space beside the gate, through the haze of the light rain and dim light, there seems to be more people than you'd expect. You see five cloaked figures (gray-black cloaks that appear to be festooned with feathers), and three more besides. Two of the cloakwearers are standing above two more figures, probably guards who are lying on the ground. Three other cloak wearers have surrounded a lithe figure of small stature.

Violence appears imminent. What do you do?

The wizard stops abruptly in his tracks... something is evidently, not right... he glances to his left and to his right and recognises faces from earlier - and to no one of them in particular he says, "Something has gone wrong, it looks like there may be two dead or injured guards. Violence isn't my business, but I can be of use in a fight. Are any of you warriors?"

I can swing a sword," Oria says modestly as the slide of metal against sheath is heard.

Her long-bladed sword has a short cross guard and a fishtail-style jeweled pommel, being narrow at the base and flaring out in width as it rises. A family heirloom it had served her well so far.

Oria stands ready for action and looks forward to displaying her prowess, especially to the good-looking one with the scar.

"Ho there! This seems to be a serious conversation we've entered. What is afoot fellows?"

Kvarek stops with the others he recognizes from the earlier meeting.

Ansel remains quiet, but visibly readies himself as Kvarek questions the group. Kvarek will be a good ally in Davokar... Ansel carefully looks over the two groups searching for any identifying marks on either side.

Lothar leaves the bow at his back. Better to catch them with their guard down, if needed. "Not really our fight id'it?" He offers, though he knows this will be the first of many. He holds the quarterstaff as a walking stick but readies to block should one of the blackguards move on them.