Part 23: Wherein everyone talks their problems through and there's almost no fighting at all

: You're sure we need to leave town right away? I bet we coulda squeezed another hour or two of hero worship before it turned to fear and superstition.
: Always get when the getting's good - and so far as anybody knows, we got those Luskans all on our own!



: So as far as I can tell, port Llast is all better and we've done our job. That should get us some credit with the Circle of Friends, maybe enough to find out what they know about Sa'Sani's missing associates.
: Who?
: Our boss's missing business partners? Kizu and Il'foss? We're supposed to find out what happened to them by befriending the merchants?
: I don't remember any of that.
: Why did you think we were on this big mission to Port Llast?
: …Something to do?
: The girl has a point there. I'm not really following this whole quest thread thingy of yours.
: You'll have to forgive them. The closest we've come to intrigue in our previous work was when the rats we were exterminating nominated a delegate to discuss terms.
: I told you there was something them Thayan spell-slingers weren't tellin' us about that "cheese" they lost.



: Well hopefully now we get to do some real hero stuff for once instead of running around for boring talky merchants.



: I wouldn't bank on it, Agda…
: Ask him if he has something a little more befitting our skills than a supply run.



: I'd ask again, but I'm afraid we'd get something even worse. Like filling in ledgers or pillaging some fresh ink.



: Okay, boring or not, we're still trying to get in good with the merchants and that means we should find Nevalle and help Sa'Sani get that trading post.
: Nevalle's an important member of the city elite, second to Nasher himself. It'll be hard to track him down, assuming he's not on campaign and harder still to get an audience with-
: Isn't that the bloke over there?



: Mission accomplished, Haalgrad. Congratulations on cutting short the only interesting part of our present task.



: Good first impressions are important when meeting high ups, so let's try to be good.
: Not gonna try and rob this guy?
: Pickpocketing hasn't been paying off so well latel- uh I mean of course not. Because that would be wrong.



: Is this man a lord of the city or a real estate agent?
: I admit that is a little steep.
: Perhaps he thinks the trading post "priced to move" in his war torn home.
: Step aside, I've done government work before. All old Nevalle's looking fer is someone to grease the wheels a bit.



: That… wasn't exactly the favour I expected to hear.
: Helping orphan children?
: Are we orphan children?
: No, Aka, we're Halflings.
: Oh. Good!
: So, do we start walking towards Crossroad Keep now, or spend the night at-



: Woooooo!, I's druck en-ou_gh to start using pro-noons again! You! Me! I!
: I think that Orc's a paladin. Or… that paladin's an Orc. Which way round does that go?
: Where did my drink go? I left it right here on the bar for only-
: Very dangerous a young lady leaving her drink unattended. Don't worry, I took care of the threat for you. *Burp*

The Next Day



: Uuurgh… was the sun that bright last time we saw it? Nobody's been turnin' it up on us, have they?
: Soooo… how much of last night does Pick remember?
: All of it. I was drinking water.
: Awwwww, there goes Agda's fun on the long walk ahead.
: Did anyone see an Orc? For some reason the words "Orc" and "lay on hands" are floating around my head.
: New fun found!



: So we help the orphans, get the necessary payment for the trade post and supplies for New Leaf from Sa'Sani, gear up, and then head north?
: Sounds about right. Might take us another day to put everything together.
: Ugh are we going to go all day without killing anything?
: Find a way to slay this hangover and you'll be my saviour, little lady. Ooooh… the wind's so loooud.
: You hear it too?



: I am still not sure what to make of Sa'Sani. When we last met she seemed… less than impressed.
: She can be a little cold at first. Don't worry, we're bringing good news and fresh work, she'll like our determination.
: And we like Sa'Sani's coin! Everybody wins!



: First stop, the keep. We should sort out that orphanage thing.
: Race Aka to the top!
: No fair! Which way's the top?
: …Up?



: That's not a half-bad keep, for human construction.
: Criticizing human architecture, Haalgrad? Have you ever built anything in your life?
: Built a plug for an insufferable wind-bag once, but looks like it didn't work.



: Wow! Look how fancy he is. He must be the king of the Dwarves, huh?
: Huh? No, that's just-
: Yes, Aka. He is king of all dwarves. I am his loyal servant.
: And a knight! Haalgrad's been a secret knight all along! Aka's his squire!
: What? Aw nuts, I don't know anything about horses and stuff.
:_{Now that you mention it where are all the horses these days?}

Editor's Note:

One fact often glossed over in epic histories and tales of this particular period is the little known Great Horse Plague. For a period of several decades an unstoppable pox spread across the realms that only affected horses and other beasts of burden. The sickened animals could not be ridden and needed to be kept out of sight in order to recover privately, but for whole decades there was nary a single horse to be ridden across whole swaths of our world. The Sword Coast, the Jungles of Chult, Rasheman, and the far north were quite badly affected, but for some reason Cormyr was especially unaffected.

As a result of this plague there were no cavalrymen, all major wars were fought on foot, and trade was conducted from large wagons pushed by teams of men. The few remaining, healthy horses were so valuable that they could not afford to be ridden and were kept standing stock still as a sign of wealth in cities of great fame.

By the time of our protagonists' exploits, life without horses had become so familiar that their absence was rarely if ever noted - much to the puzzlement of extra-planar visitors and long-lived races who only stopped in every century or so.

: Right, we really need to behave this time, so-



: What is this. What is she doing. She's talking to Khelgar, isn't she.
: Hallo!
: Wait, I'm lost again, is he-



: A secret prophecy? Why does everyone else know more about me than I do?
: Prophecy! We're in the big leagues at last! Bet we get our own destiny and everything.



: Right, okay, let's try this again.
: Aka, I know you're excited about being in a vision but please try to pay attention.
: I can't! What if the time comes while I'm not looking?
: I promise, I will let you know when "the time comes". Whatever that means.



: …Kind of curt, isn't he?
: To the point! Dwarf after my own heart.
: Let's try this again. This time with our request first.



: Well played, Agda.
: Agda just kicked for the heart - emotion's shin!
: Right, now we need to do his favour. So, off to the bar.
: Good idea! It's almost been a whole day since last stop!



: So who're these guys? Friends of the Dwarf king?
: For a price they might be. I hate sellswords.
: Don't be so quick to judge. If it was just gold they wanted I bet Khelgar could've paid up…



: Wait, is that all?



: Good job, Calanire!
: Their comparison was apt, adventuring gives one some talent for herding children. I may have to look into teaching soldiers after retirement - or running a daycare.



: Right, it's getting pretty late out. Why don't you guys let me handle the trade talk with Sa'Sani and we'll set out for New Leaf tomorrow?
: Sure thing. I'm gonna go see if that grey-haired elf we picked up is any good at old maid, hur hur hur.
: I'll get my cards!
: I need some time on the roof to re-centre on my patron's voice. Fetch me in the morning, would you?
: Pick, can we talk?



: Don't wanna be rough, but all this notventuring is getting really stale.
: I… know what you mean. It's been slow going since the old band broke up.
: Fun, profit, and fighting, right? Agda doesn't want to end up some dead-end merchant selling salt to tall people.
: I don't want that either. I promise from tomorrow onwards things'll be different. No more notventuring. I think New Leaf will be the start of something different, you'll see.
: Looking forward to it, Pick.








Meanwhile…