As they travel to Merriam, Guilliam occasionally breaks into song to raise the others spirits. Finally at the gates, Guilliam listens to the guards' proposal and thinks that it makes sense. He takes out his three knives and his scourge. Then, at the last moment, he looks to Edryd, Cy and Storm to see what they do.

Crayne nods to the man and the turns to the group, "I'm a little bit dubious of this guards intentions. A toll merely to enter into the city. I can't remember a time before that this has happened!" Crayne then proceeds to see if all people coming into the gates are being charged the same amount or even if people are being charged at all.

Edryd, too, is uneasy about the guard's somewhat strange request. This is Rinder, after all. Before answering, though, Edryd also looks through the gate to see if anyone else in the street is carrying an exposed weapon.

Perhaps surprisingly, Crayne and Edryd's gazes fall upon unarmed pedestrians. They can see through the gate farmers, shopkeepers, children, and a few men on horseback (one even wearing studded leather armor). But none carrying exposed weapons. Edryd squints his eyes as they fall upon the mounted man, seeing what he thinks is a short sword tucked under the saddle, but he can't be sure.

Seeing that everyone is being charged the toll, too, Crayne then responds to the group: "I think we should pay up and agree with the guards terms. Despite me not agreeing with it!" Though he also adds, "Urhmmm! I suggest that we leave somebody here with the weapons. I see it silly that we put all our weapons down here and merely leave them." Crayne then turns over to Canter, "Canter would you mind for the while if you were to remain behind and keep a watch on our weapons?"

Canter looks to the rest of the group, then dismounts and turns to Crayne to respond. "I don't see a problem with that. I'll just stay here and keep the guards company, while keeping a close watch (those words emphasized for the sake of the guards) on our goods. But be sure not to forget me, now!" he says with a slight smile.

The group hands their weapons over the Canter, who piles them along the wall and then sits down next to the pile, pulling a few scraps of leather and his new set of tools out of his bag.

Edryd, however, dismounts and walks up to the guard. He seems slightly angry but well in control: "Sir Guard? Do you often ask such inhospitable things of your guests? Furthermore do you bid the Knights of Rinder lay down their arms at your feet? Which of you would still own your head? We are here as a service to your city by the charge of Sir Nigel of the Knights of Rinder, and we do not see it fit to travel through the streets of a large city unarmed like children lost in midnight's forest."

The guard laughs out loud. "You men may be soldiers, but nay you look to me like Knights of Rinder. I seen me many a Knight pass through these gates, and nay I ever seen you folk. Beside, you folk aren't the only ones unarmed. There be no blades, bows, or weapons in the city, save them a the Knights and their men. And you folk nay looka like children," he says with a smirk, placing his thumb in his mouth as if to suck it. Two of the guards standing behind him, now interested in the situation, begin to openly chuckle.

As if he just snapped, Storm rushes forward, charging at the guard, a knife raised. The guard quickly reaches for his sword, but Storm's charge is blocked by Cy and Edryd, who throw themselves in his path. Breathing hard, Storm glares at the guard. "We ain't children," he says in a low grumbling tone.

Turning to Cy, the guard says, "You best be keepin' a close eye on that one. Some folk don' like that kind."

Storm, still being held back, tries to break away toward the guard, but is stayed by Cy and Edryd. "We'd best be moving, and soon," Guilliam says quietly. Nodding in response, Edryd leads the group (minus Canter) through the gate, gripping Storm's arm until they're well past.

Once inside, the party finds a thriving metropolis. Narrow streets are lined by two and three story houses, shops, inns and taverns, and other establishments. The strange smells of cooking, baking, and horse maneuer fill the air. And the voices of all sorts of people, mostly human (though a few halflings and half-elves can be seen among the crowd), add to the crowded nature of the scene.

Following the directions of the peasant, the party continues down the street. The going is slow, considering the crowd must part to allow the four horses to move through. Soon, however, they find themselves at a corner. Hanging above the door to one of the corner buildings, a small sign reads: "Miner's Guild of Merriam".

Tieing up the horses to a nearby signpost, Edryd, Cy, Storm, Crayne, and Guilliam enter the small building. After climbing an old rickety flight of stairs, they come to a closed door. After knocking loudly a couple of times, a small, balding man opens it slowly. His white mustache dripping, he quickly raises a napkin to wipe it off, then extends his hand in greetings.

"Welcome. Oh! Welcome! By the sight of it you must be sent of the Knights of Rinder," he says, his eyes growing wide with excitement.

"That we are," Edryd confirms. "We were sent here to find the mining party to take to the mountains. Are we in the right place?"

"Yes. The right place...yes. Come in! I'm Biln. I was just finishing me soup." The door widens into a long, narrow room. A few tables and chairs sit in the middle, most covered in a thin film of dust. On one table a stack of papers sits next to a pile of picks and shovels. "Me men are scheduled to arrive here in Merriam tonight. Then we leave in the mornin'. We be very excited, yes, to mine for the Duke. But concerned. We be hearin' rumors about missing persons at the mine. Have you heard anythin'?"

1. The option is still open for character web pages. If you want one for your character, simply send me the text, images, etc and I'll post it for you. https://members.tripod.com/~DMRinder

2. HOW WILL YOU ANSWER BILN THE MINER? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM? Do you have any last minute preparations to make before heading out the following morning? Unless you instruct me otherwise, I'll assume the party will stay in a nearby in, but how will you retrieve Canter? (He wouldn't want to stay out all night!) Any ideas for how to smuggle your weapons in? Or will you hide them outside the city walls and get them in the morning on the way out?

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