May 5th

The GM would like to know if the party is formally heading to Ishiban now and, if so, if they're hiring anything to make the trip smoother / quicker.

Javan will wait to do the recruiting and all that stuff for when he reaches Ishiban. If there's a merchant or a convoy going to Ishiban, he'll offer the services of the Scarves. Otherwise, he'll pay for the cheapest transport to Ishiban that won't end up being slower than doing the trip on foot.

For the ridiculously expensive price of 1 gold, the party can hire a Shreth-drawn carriage which will cut the journey down to a mere 18 or so hours of solid travel. There aren't many other options other than, of course, walking or joining a caravan which is the same speed as walking.

At about this point in time several of the Scarves will quietly ask their boss what they're doing down here exactly, with a tone of wondering why it's worth the attention of their burgeoning mercenary company.

"Right, so why go to Ishiban, which is a small point on the map compared with Hebian-To, which is a star... I have a number of reasons for it, but the biggest one is that one of my hew-man friends has a bad feeling about having their whole race in the continent being brought to such a remote place. At the very least is sketchy and they... don't really have many allies that they can count with if things go south for them."

"If Rory's right then we got trouble to deal with as well as an opportunity if we play our cards right. If he's wrong, well... at the very least we'll get paid to."

"And before you guys attempt to remind me, I know, escort missions are boring but it's honest work. Ishiban being located where it is should give us an idea on the situation away from the big Sho cities, in theory should not be overrun by mercenaries like Hebian-To is right now and there's a chance we find work opportunities that we would have missed otherwise. Plus walking is good for the soul, and make the food taste even better at the end of the day."

If his answers end up satisfying the Scarves, he'll promptly work out an arrangement with a caravan going to Lanzhou or Ishiban. If there's a caravan that is working towards the 'rebel' side of things, they'll get priority and Javan will present himself as a sympathizer.

He'll also acquire some quality rations for the Scarves, hoping it'll improve morale a bit. No special rations for himself for some reason tho.

This sounds wonderful to me. Also, gawking at the shreth. We go! If we can be separate while hitching a ride with the shreth caravan, I'll ask the caravan master, or a trader, or a driver, what in the elements these "shreth" things are, and how they were tamed.

I concur with Rory. Also curious on what a Shreth is.

Javan would have third'ed the motion but has suddenly become a bot. *equips sunglasses*

The caravan gallops southwards, the Shreths of course wearing Woven perfume to mask their natural scent, per Sho customs. This particular group of merchants believes in the Alterations side of things, though not too strongly. They are, of course, quick to yak anyone's ear off about how they think things should be done to establish a new government. Anyone with Knowledge: Politics can tell they have no idea how a government works or how complex it is.

Shreth, which neither Human has ever actually encountered before, are somewhat large, strong looking creatures that gallop forward on four legs, the forelegs being larger and more developed than the hind, with large spikes jutting out of each shoulder and around the jaws. Their fur is long, and in this case exceptionally well groomed. Their movements cause a deep, bass thunder but they emit surprisingly soft, higher pitched chrills and chirps. The merchants present, eager to appear knowledgeable before the foreigners, discuss them for the next several hours; eating habits, sleep patterns, and a lord of other minutiae, though the important bits trickle in as well. Apparently Shreths are very strong and very intelligent pack animals, easy to tame and train in more complicated maneuvers, and surprisingly docile when properly cared for. They are exceptionally strong, and their fur coats carry quite a price, renowned for both toughness and softness of the fur itself, thus lending appeal for cosmetic and martial means. They are used almost exclusively as pets or as labor animals, almost never entering more military or guard duties like some other animals, due in large part to their more docile nature; a Shreth might raise an alarm over an intruder, but getting one to fight is exceptionally unlikely.

The party will reach Ishiban well after nightfall, as the caravan will be traveling the entire day and into the night, eager to set up shop and hock some wares to the new Human customers.

Archengeia wrote:They are exceptionally strong, and their fur coats carry quite a price, renowned for both toughness and softness of the fur itself, thus lending appeal for cosmetic and martial means.

ooc:

Rory is quite puzzled by the idea(or fact, rather) that such a large creature with spikes all over it would be so peaceful.

When we arrive at night, Rory will press on, using Gather Info to ask if they've seen many of his race before, hoping to prompt people into divulging that yes, they've in fact seen large groups passing through recently.

If groups of humans have been settling here(or perhaps reportedly "leaving" without being seen or any word of them wandering off), he'll also ask if there is a part of town people should avoid, leading into this line of questioning with smalltalk typical of newcomers(bonus for being a Human).

Higaide will gather info on the humans: Where they are and what's the general mood toward them, as well as specifically about Jonathan and Jenna.

My intention is to find an abandoned place where I can squat for the night, depending on whether the humans have stayed or left. If they've for sure been passing through with no weirdness, Then I will just get a room for the night(one on the ground floor) and put on my Peerless Drudge Charm. The less time Thog sends awake while I'm asleep inside an inn, the better. I will just sort of...keep watch, and stay busy reading those books I found to pass time. Perhaps there is something useful I can learn about Weaving(just knowledge, not skill ranks or unlocks).