Chapter 1 - The Beginning

Aelar looks over the diagram again, committing it to memory before speaking, "Let's get going, we can figure out the distraction on the way," with that he checks to make sure he has all of his gear and waits for the others.

"Such a small caravan for six guards" Ütés mumbles under her breath. "Why such a heavy escort?"

She turns to Aelar and whispers in Elvish, "Something doesn't seem right about this."

Aelar nods and responds to Utes, also in Elvish, "Has anything been right since that horrible night? We'll figure it out, and get through it, all of us together," he finishes, grabbing and gently squeezing her shoulder before quickly letting go, realizing he might have been a little bit out of line. He mutters an embarrassed apology.

Not entirely comfortable with Aelar's gesture Ütés raises an eyebrow as he offers an apology. An apology that she ignores.

"I'm just starting to wonder who is ambushing who here. This almost seems like a perfect setup to capture the last free member of your troupe." Ütés lets out a small sigh before adding, "Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I think it would be in our best interest to keep a close watch on anyone outside of the four of us."

She subtly motions towards Ramas...

All conversation is in whispered Elvish.

Ramas continues, looking a bit puzzled by your elven whispers, "I myself have wondered the same thing. The humans under the employ of the bard, the true threats to us, are always the ones on these six guard spots. More interestingly every caravan we have ever observed has a covered wagon or two. The other carts we can see are general supplies, foods, ales, tinkerer parts, weapons, but the covered wagons we have never been able to gain intelligence on what is inside of those"

Ramas shuffles through the papers that have started cluttering the table and finds a rolled up scroll, he unfurls it and you see what look like diagrams of a covered wagon of sorts. Instead of the canvas roof it looks more like a carriage, having a large wooden roof over the back of the wagon. Diagrams show a set of double doors on the back with two bolts across it.

"We know something of high importance is on these wagons, but we've never been able to discern their origin, and we have never seen them opened. This, however, is also going to be our best bet at getting into the fortress. Once inside we know they do not check this at any point along the route. We just need a diversion to be able to get into one."

GM: I'm going to assume you muttered under your breath in common since you specified after that you spoke in elvish.

I mutter distractedly "Hmmmyes, distractions... of course... indeed..." while I consult my memory for the most effective forms of distraction used throughout history, for instance during wars and/or general trickery such as in performance arts. Generally this is not my area of expertise, but I've done so much reading that it's possible I may have stumbled upon something purely by coincidence.

"Hmmm, perhaps Aelar and Crolwell can offer to perform for the caravan?"

"I would be fine with performing, but under what pretext? How often do random performers offer to perform for a well-guarded caravan?" Aelar asks. It certainly could work; with his new magical boots it would be no trouble to sneak in after the performance.

Crolwell whips out his fluba and nudges Aelar, "it doesn't matter, they willn't have seen anything like us. Trust me, by the time I'm done, they will be begging for us to... uhm... what were we trying to do again?"

"While a performance would indeed be a distraction it would seem, as Aelar suggests, wildly out of place. If I was escorting a caravan when such an event occurred it would put my on higher alert more than anything."

I tsk loudly and break out my professor voice. "Have you never come across a traveling group of entertainers on their way to a nearby town? I've read about them. It isn't entirely out of the ordinary to encounter such a group resting up or even warming up for an upcoming performance. If you played and sang at a distance, perhaps their interest would be piqued that they would wish to see it for themselves. I could provide dazzling lights, sounds, and smells to truly make it memorable. Unless you have other ideas?"

I look around at the group and tap my foot impatiently. "Well, if that is not to your liking, another option would be for one of us to feign illness or injury and approach the caravan in that manner."

Ramas stands pondering for a moment. "Actually injury could work. The jungle forests around here are quite dangerous at times, seeing an injured person coming out of them will likely not set off alarm bells right away. It would also be easier for more people to get onto the caravan if only one person is holding attention", he says as he starts to clear the table, "Either way, we should get moving. We can always discuss the plan along the way."

He walks over to the red door and opens it, it leads to something you've seen before. It is an earthen tunnel lined with torches. He leads you down and out of it and you find yourself at a small cave entrance just outside town. There are 5 horses tied to trees here that have been stored for you.

"Oh, such beautiful horses. But, am I expected to ride them? Without a carriage?" I jump slightly when one of them whinnies.

"You...You've never ridden a horse before?", Ramas questions, looking slightly concerned. He looks over to Utes, Aelar, and Crolwell. "Would you be able to assist her, maybe it would be best if she rides with one of you?"

Aelar will consider for a moment before nodding, "I don't mind if she rides with me, I'm excellent with horses," he says. With that he swings up to sit on his horse and holds his hand out to Xadira to help her up.

"I read a book on animal handling once, when I was a child. It was very informative. Did you know that the diet of a horse affects their overall health and longevity, in addition to their speed and stamina? This is especially true when... " I rattle off 20 facts that I remember from the book, half of which are obvious and the other half of which don't apply to this situation but are still fascinating nonetheless.

I grasp Aelar's hand in a vice-like grip and attempt to climb up onto the horse.