In Warlike Array

Sofia nods. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we return..." the priestess answers.

At least she was getting to hold Night's reins again... and to enjoy the company of her friends for a while.

Each of you gathers up the few belongings on the table and bid farewell to the quartermaster, walking the horses through the dim passageway to the lonely hill east of the East Village, where the snoring grizzly bear pays you no mind. As you emerge from the cave, the moonlight and stars greet you and the early night breeze brings the sweet smell of late summer grass to your nostrils.

All is still, similar to the last time when you made this trip. However, the presence of new company--not to mention the dangerous task assigned to you--gives a different feel to the journey.

Blake

Blake looks haggard. "Could I get a look at that map?" he asks.

Karn looks at Blake and seeing he looks a bit worn, hold out his jug and asks, "You look a bit beat. Would you like a drink?"

Sofia let out a gentle laugh and directed her mount closer to the wizard's. "Fear not - even if you answer no, Karn here will probably give you many second chances..." the priestess said with a mischievous smile. "Our monk has a generous heart and his fascination for fermented grapes is unshakable."

"Certainly," Layna replies to Blake. "But lets get a bit farther from the cave entrance first. We can set camp and look at the maps together then."

Blake

Blake grins at Karn's indefatigable cheer. He accepts the jug and takes three swallows before passing it back. "I feel like there's a lot I need to know, but I don't want to spoil the mood by talking about work."

He nods to Layna.

The party rides down the hill, moving generally northwards through the tree-dotted farmlands on the outskirts of Astangard. After a couple of hours, but still before midnight, you are far enough from town that even the sparse agrarian population has thinned to nothing. You find a good campsite off the trail, secluded by a copse of tall maple and oak trees, and pitch your tents where they will not be easily seen. The moon overhead casts deep shadows among the spreading branches.

OOC

Time to set a watch rotation. Three groups of two, please.

Astaban says, "I'll take the first watch with someone."

"Probably makes sense to watch with your tent-mate," Layna says. "I can do second watch."