HotDK 14: “Caravan and Half-Dragon Spotting”

Within just a couple of hours of getting settled in at Selebon's Inn and setting up watches, Rargir and Arynor spot a group of people and porters carrying a palanquin that looks very similar if not the same as the carriage that was spotted in the Cult's caravan. Aluric, waking from a nap, and looking out of the top floor window of the inn manages to spot what appears to be the hand of a black Half-Dragon or Dragonborn handing one of the cultists a money purse through the curtained window of the palanquin. Recalling that the Cult's leader, Rezmir, is a black Half-Dragon, he immediately heads down stairs. Malice, Rargir, and Arynor see this same exchange from various vantage points on the street but not the correct angle to spot Rezmir's alleged hand.

After heading back upstairs and covertly watching from the window, you discuss your plans and wait for the Cultists complete their business with Selebon's Equipage. They do not, however, appear to make any arrangements with the inn. You only are able to observer the porters (which may or may not be cult members; you really can't tell) switching the cargo from the hand carried pallets to the wagons.

After letting the cultists and their porters clear out, the group rouses Pubert from his nap and heads out to see merchants or teamsters might be hiring and more specifically is there a caravan leaving within the next day or two. Based on Malice's first conversation with Selebon, you locate Achreny Ulyetin (ACK-riny Uul-yeah-tin), a male human who's not unfriendly, but is generally smelly, vulgar, and completely without manners, but is immediately impressed with the opportunity to have guards as intimidating as Pubert and Aluric. Without too much ado he offers Pubert, Aluric, Malice, and Arynor 10gp per tenday plus food and road expenses covered to act as guards for his two wagons with Malice also being a backup driver. Brehanna and Rargir are both are able to sign on as guards/works with Male Lightfoot Halfling Teamster named Losvius Longnose for 5gp per tenday plus food and expenses. Losvius was hired by a merchant named Lai Angesstun, a Male Gold Dwarf who deals in scented cooking oils and perfumes from Amn. The caravan was originally going to leave the next day but postpones their departure by a day due to a large group that just arrived and needs an extra day to load up (the cultists your guess).

Upon returning to the Inn, Selebon finds you and lets you know that the group you asked him to keep an eye out for bought five wagons and a chariot. However, upon the morning of the caravan's departure, you count only three wagons manned by cultists and the chariot is nowhere to be seen. And with that, the caravan begins the two-month journey north toward Waterdeep with Achreny's two wagons taking the lead and Losvius' wagon right behind. The cultists three wagons begin the journey as the tail, with various other merchant wagons making up the middle along with individual travelers, some on foot and some on horseback.