Session 10: Meeting some new team mates

General Summary

Preparation for a new adventure

I found a new caravan to join! The caravan guards are actual adventurers, which is promising. The Tiefling immediately took interest in me when she saw me and started talking a lot. She told me that they couldn’t pay me, which doesn’t matter, as I’m here for the adventure and to help people, not to make money. She also told that they were already close to their destination, but would look for new adventures once we were there. I could join on these adventures as well, which is a nice promise. The last thing she told me was less pleasant, their destination is over the sea and we will have to cross by boat. I very much dislike the idea of crossing water, but one who wants adventure and to see the world, must suffer sometimes. And so I will.

With her were two dwarves, one redheaded and one with dark hair. The redheaded dwarf didn’t look much as an adventurer. If I didn’t know better, I would call him a bookkeeper. Apparently he was also new to the group. We’ll see how long he lasts.

The caravan was parked in a market area next to an inn and inside was the last member of the group. A large talking snake with a poisonous bite, who looked like someone good to have around in a fight. It is the first time I saw a Naga and he had an actual membership to the adventurers guild!

A ratfolk guy, who had been scampering over the market area all evening, came also into the inn, and the Tiefling took immediate interest in him. Once the Rat felt safe, he took the talking over from her. Apparently he was only three years old, but already an adult. He was used to everyone kicking him about and looked like a varmint, although he also looked quite fragile. He was very happy when the Tiefling gave him one gold coin.

Everyone had told me their names, but as usual I forgot them straight away. Usually this results only in minor problems, but the ratfolk guy was offended when I called him Rat, even though there were no other rats about and it described him perfectly, without any possible confusion. He tried to offend me in return by calling a bear. I tried to explain him that a Firbolg is nothing like a bear, but he didn’t want to listen. I suspect that I will have to anticipate that whenever he calls out for a bear, he actually wants to call me.

It was late and everyone went to bed. The Tiefling was so charmed by the Rat, she had him sleep at her feet. I slept in the forest, one moment away from the noise of the town.

The next morning the caravan was not yet ready for departure, it would stay for another day. Instead, we went for the adventurers guild. The Rat went his own way. There were three missions available for adventurers of our level, one to retrieve a sunken cargo from the bottom of the ocean, definitely not my favorite, one to retrieve medical supplies and one about a trick house. The Rat returned, acting all mysterious. Only once we went outside, he told us that he also obtained some possible missions, one shady version of the sunken cargo mission, and one to retrieve something valuable from a house. He said we would be helping people, but I didn’t think they would be the right people to help. After some discussion, the Naga forced the decision by accepting the medical supply mission, much to my relief.

After informing at the doctors office, it became clear that the mission consisted of two parts, one to collect honey and one to collect spiders webs. Clearly there is some danger involved, as they were willing to pay fifty gold pieces for each part of the mission. The honey was to be retrieved from the forests to the south, the spiders webs from the mountains southeast of there.

I hope I can talk the bees and spiders into giving us their goods, as I would hate to kill them over it, but helping sick people is more important, so if I must, I will.

When we prepared for departure, it became clear I was right about the redheaded dwarf. He snuck away without saying a word, clearly not cut out for adventuring.