IC Toes in the Water

[CoffeeIncluded]

Little One...Well, it's not like she's tall; there are elves taller than Natalia. And it's not meant in a cutting way.

Natalia looks at the rest of the party. When they don't tell her to keep the information to themselves, she says, "To Linwood, to save them from orc bandits."

[Zman]

Valen

"Isn't that a mere petty job for dragon slayers, giant killers, masters of the arcane, master healers, and mighty berserkers?" Valen chuckles, his face is not full of malice, but merely amusement at the group around him.

"I too am off to save the town of Linwood for i could use the coin and prefer helping others to earn it. Any place is better than this wretched place.".

And it is hard to b found in the frontier wilderness...

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia jerks back. "Same place, same job?" The rogue turns to her friends and teammates and asks, "Your opinion? Strength in numbers--a mutual goal?" Another thought strikes Natalia. Eying Valen suspiciously, she asks, "...Stalker?"

[Athedia]

"We are going to be paid per head, so less money overall. But cooperation is still a good policy, together we higher chances of survival than an individual who may have rather low chance anyway. If what you said in the story is any clue." Mithril answered Natalia's question, but reflected on her final statement. Had either of them told Valen where they were going. No, not that she remembered.

[Cavelcade]

Kurt just shrugs. "More members, more backup," is all he has to say on the matter, quickly hopping into his own bed.

[Zman]

Valen

"Stalker?... I suppose that is a possibility. It is a rather odd occurrence that after running into me, you've managed to end up at the same inn as me only a short time after I booked a bed here. You booked the remaining beds in my same room....now you tell me that you are following me across the Moonsea."

Valen looks at NAtalia, a quizzical jesting look in his eyes, "Are you stalking me Little One?". Looking from Natalia to Mithril, "Lass?"

[Zman]

Henry Hendersforth

As the group is discussing the odd coincidence, the young man, maybe 16, that was gathered around the pole climbs the stairs to the loft. The sounds of the common room below are beginning to dim. He is thin, just past the gangly stage in his life, with a rich auburn colored hair. His new shortsword, the leather scabbard still moist with oil, at his hip.

He eyes the room warily, his gaze lingering awkwardly on the three young women. He looks at the gathered alotment of people, "Good evening... Mamadams. Names Henry" he studders either from the excitement of sharing a room with such grand adventurers, or from the excitement of sharing a room with three young women. Upon seeing the only unoccupied bed he claims it with a pack full of provisions most notably an old hunting shortbow.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia pauses for a moment at Valen's turnaround, then smiles. "Suppose so," she says as she thrusts out a hand. "Cooperation for now?"

Feeling a gaze upon her back, Natalia turns around to see a young man, the youth from before, staring at her and her two female friends. Natalia shifts uncomfortably; she's had men stare at her like that before, albeit very rarely, and while she did like the attention on some level...

She moves a bit closer to Mithril and notices the old shortbow in the boy's pack. What an interesting contrast between that and the new sword. "...Why switch weapons?" Natalia asks.

[Zman]

Henry Hendersforth
Looking confused for a second, "Oh, I've had this Shortbow forever, it was my dads. We used it to hunt all of the time.l.and I didn't have a sword.". The boys inexperience radiates through his weak expterior.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Wonderful, and this kid with no experience is marching off to face down dozens of orcs. He's going to get gutted. Wait, if the shortbow's here... "...Your father?"

[Cavelcade]

Kurt shakes his head at the lad, mouth firmly shut as he rolls over on the bed, for once not butting in.

[Athedia]

This boy barely looked as though he could grow a beard, let alone fight."Henry, do you plan to fight the orc's as well?" Pity was crossing her face at the idea that this boy's father may have died, and the boy was heading off toward his own death.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Orcs are...dangerous," Natalia adds. Frankly she is growing more doubtful that they could match the feats Shiny regaled in his tale, and there's no way she'd let this kid several years younger than her (the youngest member in the group!) wander into near-certain death.

[Zman]

Henry Hendersforth

As the group begins to dissuade him, "You are starting to sound like my father...who is very much alive, toiling on that god forsaken farm and dreaming of a better life.. He holds out his sword, "That isnt the life for me. I spent ever copper I had to make it this far and buy this sword. I've made my decision, I'll live or die by it. All I ever wanted was that choice."

[Athedia]

"I understand, we all made the same choice at one point." Mithril gestured to her comrades. "But we had each other. You heard my friends story, I almost died." Well it was a partial truth, she had almost died but not from drowning.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia pauses, then nods in understanding. "Free for your own choice. Can't fault you for that...But do you know the choice? And...Why a sword? Your hands know a bow better."

"Mithril's right," she adds. "Adventurers...work in teams. Saved her."

[Zman]

Henry Hendersforth

"All I've ever had is myself. I may be better with a bow, but only a fool goes into a fight with nothing else. I know enough to know that.". He readies his bed, maybe a little more forcefully than necessary as he is visibly torn by his decisions.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia's assortment of weapons, along with the memory of being forced to borrow Miriam's crossbow to fight a spider, clearly show the truth in Henry's statement.

"Bigger fools fight without friends, Natalia says, "Find allies...Make your own team. Many others just like you."

[Athedia]

"We should probably sleep, Natalia. We have a journey ahead of us tomorrow." Mithril lay down on the mattress but didn't close her eyes. Instead she decided to wait until everyone was asleep.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Yeah...Right, Mithril. Rest for the day." Natalia turns over, attempting to find a more comfortable spot on the mattress. Before going to sleep, however, Natalia says to the boy. "More jobs, more chances. Not telling you to turn back. Telling you to prepare. One life, but many offers."

[Admiral]

Shiny leans up on his elbows. "No need to be so bleak! Even the greatest of adventurers started somewhere. You know what you're up against, don't you, Henry?"

[Zman]

Henry Hendersforth

"Orcs, never seen more than a half Orc in my life, but I figure I shoot one in the heart it'll stay down.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"And allies swarm you," Natalia mumbles. "Your backup?"

[Zman]

Henry Hendersforth

Looking slightly annoyed at Natalia, "I was planning on staying near town and defending against raids until I find a group to bring the fight to them. I'm not stupid."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Oh!" Natalia pushes herself up on her elbow. "That's...Different." Well, they were out of arguments. And it certainly sounded like the town needed all the help it could get. Looking around, she notices that Mithril seems to be the only one still awake. Natalia nudges her friend and asks, "Help him with others?"

[Athedia]

"If he stays near the town, he'll have plenty of company. But if I am going to be risking my life anytime soon, I want one nights sleep on a real mattress." Mithril rolled over and closed her eyes.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Uh...Okay...S-sorry..." Uneasily, Natalia rolls over and slowly falls asleep.

[Athedia]

Once Mithril heard the slow breathing indicating sleep from the rest of the people in the room she slowly sat up. Reaching into her pack she pulled out the hand crossbow and bolts she had bought earlier. She put them on top of Natalia's pack before lying back down on the mattress and finally going to sleep.

[Zman]

It took a few moments before all of the rooms occupants fell asleep, the only sound that filled the room was the deep basso of Dwarven snoring. In the dead of night Mithril snuck a present out of her pack for her close friend Natalia.

The party wakes to the smells of the morning cooking fire below as the Inn prepares for breakfast. The sun is just beginning to crest the horizon as dawn approaches.

Valen gets up quickly and quietly, grabbing his few and already packed belongings before heading downstairs.

Once down the stairs you see the gruff man from the night before with gathered gear, already finishing his breakfast, leftovers from the night before. His beard is ragged, hard lines adorn his face. His pack is worn, two fine swords and a shortbow can be seen attached to his pack accompanying the two daggers he wares on his belt. He nodes to those waking before grabbing his gear and heading for the harbor.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia wakes up, inhaling the smell of smoke and meat with a yawn as she rubs the sleep out of her eyes. A glance at her pack causes her mouth to snap shut.

Lying on top of her pack is a hand crossbow, light and easily concealable. Despite being a generic model and well-worn, it fits snugly in her hand; she could easily shoot it in her right, off hand while wielding another weapon in her dominant left. It was obviously left for her, and even more obviously a wonderful gift. Natalia stares at her present for a while and murmurs, "Who?"

Thinking about it, Natalia starts to have a hunch, and the thought makes her smile even more. She'll ask later. For now, the rogue puts the crossbow in her bag, wakes up the party, and heads downstairs.

"To set sail!"