Guilliam is excited about the prospects of a new mission with his friends. "C'mon boys, let's take on this new quest. I can think of nothing I'd rather do than fight for our homeland at your sides." With a twinkle in his eys, Guilliam changes his mind on the spot "I take that back. Ensuring the place of 'Rinder's Six' in folklore is my true calling. But I can't do that unless I'm there every step of the way!"

Guilliam is certain that his friends will agree so he doesn't spend more time trying to convince them. Instead, his mind recalls what he knows about the Raimead Mountains. "Sir Nigel" he exclaims, "just as we set off on our last quest we met a trecherous man who was spreading rumours of the Knights of Rinder. He claimed that in one of the secluded passes in the Raimead Mountains, the Knights were constructing a flying contraption. This is not bad in itself. Quite marvelous actually. But then he went on to accuse the Knights of using the help of hobgoblins. And even worse, that they let the hobgoblins pilliage the nearby towns as payment for their work. Sir Nigel, what could be the basis for such viscious rumours?"

Crayne glances at Guilliam as he raises up the point about the so-called flying contraption and nodds in agreement and says, "You have a good memory!"

The Knight looks down at the table, scratching his nose. Raising his eyes again, he answers the question. "Gentlemen, what you have heard is a rumor. I have heard many such stories in my lifetime. Stories of a flying machine have been floating around for many years. I've heard rumors about a powerful wizard in the mountains, sandstorms in the desert that can bury a man alive, and monsters in the lake that eat children for dinner. Some rumors are true, but most are not. What you have heard is a rumor, and that's all I can tell you, men, regarding the flying machine."

Crayne then listens intently to the Knight as he explains the new mission and the rumor. Occasionally he takes a sip from a glass of wine and biting into some cheese and bread. After the Knight finishes Crayne thanks the Knight for the money, grinning broadly, "I thank you for the money. I'll have to think of something to which I can spend it on now. I'm sure that I'll come to some choice. However, that is later to be pondered over." Crayne picks at his cheese, "Urh! Excuse me! Waitress! Theres a hair in this cheese! Disgusting! I don't know! What's the world coming too when a man can't even eat is cheese without there being the hair of others in it? Please can you bring me a replacement."

Crayne shakes his head as the waitress goes away, "Anyhow! as I was saying!" taking another swig from his wine, "I am very intrigued by your offer of 100 gold pieces in order to get this armor back safely into the armies hands. A couple of questions that do spring to my mind at the moment are! Firstly, how far away is this mountain site and where do we meet up with the miners? Secondly, how will this metal be transported? You said shipment! I'm not very keen on ships! There very easily sunk most of them you know! Is there some way you can ensure safe passage through the waters?"

Sir Nigel chuckles with a smile as he gulps down some ale. "No, good fellow. There will be no sailing on this mission. You will travel north to our capital city, Merriam. I do believe you have a map," he says, motioning to Guilliam. "There at the miners guild you will find the team. You will then set off westward toward the mountains. The miners will know the way. Some of them, I believe are your kind," Nigel points to Storm, who looks up from behind a goblet of wine. "It will probably take another two days to reach the base of the mountain, and from there you will do your work. The miners will have a wagon with them, which they will leave at the base camp. That wagon will take the first shipment to Parton, the capital city of Bryant, Duke of Raimead's, dukedom. When you arrive in Parton, you will accompany the ore to Castle Raimead, where I or another Knight will await you with your reward."

Edryd nods, listening carefully and taking in all the directions. "Can you tell me about the mountains?"

"It is a long chain of peaks, as you can see on your map. There are but four safe passages through between the Merriam dukedom and the Raimead on the other side. I warm you, do not stray from those passes, or try to cross the mountains any other way. Many men have tried."

"They tried and failed?" Guilliam asks.

"They tried and died."

There is a moment of silence around the table. Then Canter speaks, "I for one am willing to go. Who else will join? Guilliam the Gale? Crayne? Storm?"

Storm peers into his sack of 75 gold pieces with a large grin, not really paying much attention. Very happy with his bounty, he start chuckling under his breath, and mentions something about armor. His gaze is interrupted by the sound of his name. He stares wide eyed at the offer for a second reward, then places his new money in his bag and pounds his fist down hard on the table, making the goblets of wine spill over, and knocking his own flat to the table. "Arr, mates! I be wanting more o' where dis here came from! I be going to the mountains!" It is doubtful whether Storm has ever been more happy.

"I believe it is Anhur's wishes for me to go, as well," Edryd puts in.

"Good, then," Nigel says, "You men should depart soon. You may spend the night here in Nesor, and then be on your way. You may continue to use those mounts Sanford provided. I will hopefully see you in Castle Raimead. Good luck to you, men." With that, the Knight rises from the table and stepping over a puddle of spilled wine, makes his way to the bar. After a few words with the barkeep, he picks up the bag with Mazen's body and leaves the tavern.

After the meeting is over, Crayne speaks with Guilliam and informs him that training will begin at dawn tommorrow. "I will attempt to teach you the first trick that all mages start out on. I will try and teach how to light a spark on your fingertip! This will take much concentration so do not despair if you fail at first. As I said before you must possess the deepest commitment! Thus there will be little time for you to go off buying instruments and singing!"

He does however add, "I was very impressed with the song you made! You certainly have a talent there!" Its certainly not often that Crayne does compliment. However, this time he does shying away and then looking to the rest of the group, "Now I suggest tonight that we stay here and enjoy the pleasures of this very fine drinking establishment. We can learn more of each other and I don't know about the rest of you but get drunk as well! The wine in here is fantastic! Pity about the cheese though!"

Guilliam gets up from the table a few minutes later. Leaving his bag with Canter, he leaves the tavern, telling his friends, "I'll just be seeking out the guild tonight. I'll return by morning!"

The rest spend the evening drinking and eating, knowing that soon they will not have such fine food before them. Late in the night they retire to rooms upstairs, most falling asleep as soon as they hit the hard pillows.

The next morning...

The following morning, the party decides to do a little shopping before setting out for Merriam. Guilliam pleads with Crayne to accompany him in search of some magic accessories. Wandering the narrow streets for an hour or so, Cranye and Guilliam find a tiny shop which sells the necessary items. By the time they've left, Guilliam has purchased an attractive scroll case, 10 sheets of paper, a pen and some ink so that he can be a little more dilegent in his studies of magic.

They then meet up with the rest of the group, window shopping (and enjoying at least a semblance of civilization!) along the main market square. Storm stops at a small cart and purchases a bag of one hundred little pointed jacks. "What under the moons are those?" Guilliam asks the dwarf.

"Caltrops," Storm answers curtly.

Cy then pats the young bard on the back, seeing the opportunity to share his knowledge of weapons and warfare. "You leave them on the ground behind you and they slow the enemy as he follows you. Very effective." Guilliam nods, thanking Cy and peering at the small sack. He then quickly scrambles back to the cart, buying a small sack of his own.

Canter stops at a small tanner's shop. After chatting for a few minutes with the shopowner, he purchases a pair of leather gloves, some leather tools, and some spare strips of leather. Mimicing the fighter's actions, Guilliam, too, buys the same items.

"Enough of this money spending," Edryd says after about two hours of milling around. "Some things may be necessary, but I can think of other places that could use our riches more than these street merchants. Besides, we must make haste to Merriam and find these miners." The others agree, and after finding their way back to the tavern, mount the four horses.

The trip northward begins uneventfully. The terrain begins to differ from that of Southern Rinder; there are more hills, and soon the great Raimead Mountains can be seen looming on the horizon. As night approaches, camp is made beside the road and a fire is lit. The horses are fed by Guilliam and Canter.

In the morning, the party breaks camp and continues on toward Merriam. By early afternoon the large city, with the beautiful castle at its center, seems to approach. On the outskirts of the city a few small village houses and shops can be found along the road. Farmers can be seen returning from a day in the fields, and the smell of cooking permeates through the streets.

Guilliam finds a middle aged man and stops him, attempting to mimic the local dialect as best he can. "Good man, can you tell me where the Miner's Guild is?" The man thinks for a moment, and then answers: "Through the city gates, past the second blacksmith. There's a sign, you'll find it." Guilliam thanks him as the party continues moving.

The buildings become more and more dense and the streets continue to narrow. More and more people can be seen walking the street, and the pace of the horses must be slowed so as not to hit the walkers and to account for other traffic, wagons, carts, and the like. Soon the party approaches a large stone gate in the street, with a tall stone wall stretching off to the right and left. "The city wall," Cy says under his breath.

The gate is open, but four guards stand watch, inspecting everything that goes in. As the party approaches on horseback, one guard holds up his hand so as to stop them. Edryd, whose horse is in the lead, speaks first. "Goodday men, may we pass?"

The guard looks up to Edryd, peering for a moment at his holdy symbol. He then looks to the rest of the group, momentarily stopping at Storm (and inspecting his many visible weapons), and then at Cy, whose insignia of the mercenary on his chestplate registers with the guard. He then clears his throat before speaking. "There is a toll, five coppers per person, three per animal."

"Fair enough," Edryd says, turning his head to look to the rest of the party. Canter nods. Crayne shrugs his shoulders as if to say, 'if we must.' The money is collected and handed to the guard.

"And you will leave your weapons here." He points to a pile of blades and bows leaning up against the wall. Cy clears his throat in protest, and Edryd looks back to the party, looking for their response.

CRAYNE-- do you intend to teach Guilliam "Cantrip" in the morning? Please inform me of whatever spell you choose to teach so that I may roll the appropriate check and add the spell to Guilliam's CIS.

I have decided not only to number, but also to title each turn so that if you are looking for one particular turn on the website (which has recently been updated: https://members.tripod.com/~DMRinder ), you may have an easier time locating it. I have also posted a page on the web site about Canter. If you'd like a page about your character, please simply send me the info you want posted and I'll put it up.

1. Each character gained an additional 2 hp for rest over the two nights, up to their max.

2. Each character spent 5 sp on lodging at the tavern in Nesor.

3. Purchases:

STORM: 100 Caltrops @ 1sp each, totaling 10 gp.

CANTER: one pair of leather gloves, @ 1 gp, a set of leatherworking tools @ 9 gp, 5 spare strips of leather @ 2 sp each, totaling: 11 gp.

GUILLIAM: one nice scroll case @ 10 gp, 10 sheets of paper @ 2 gp each, one pen @ 9 sp, one vial of ink @ 8 gp, 100 Caltrops @ 1 sp each, one pair of leather gloves @ 1 gp, a set of leatherworking tools @ 9 gp, 5 spare strips of leather @ 2 sp each, totaling: 60 gp, 9 sp.

I have deducted these amounts from your money on your CIS and added these items to your records.

4. Each character please subtract 7 cp to cover the toll (splitting the cost of the horses evenly), paid to the guard.

5. WILL YOU LEAVE YOUR (exposed) WEAPONS AND ENTER THE CITY? Or would you rather send one or two people in while the others do something else? What's the plan?

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