-----Runik first sniffs as he looks at the weapon. His eyebrows then raise and he remarks rather impressed, "Aye, lass, that be a fine weapon indeed!" He stares at the signature and seal intensely.
-----Nodding, he looks over at Kazel and says, "I be headin' to Hearthorn af'er we gits this buziness done down here. May have to look up this Grindor."
-----"Ye hears that, Marast?" Runik suddenly speaks up with a wicked look in his eye. The elf still stands a few feet away with his arms crossed watching the road. "The lass here grew up with dwarves n' she kin proba'ly outsnick you!"
-----The elf turns and glares at the dwarf. Marast simply says, "Girl have elf in blood. Do well even with dwarf 'round." He then turns back and silently watches the road.
-----Kazel shrugs and leaves the two bantering. She turns to Seth and Brandel and asks, "How bout we wait until an hour before sundown. Then we'll still have time to get back if we want to. Or whatever else you can think of."
-----She flops down on her back staring into the sky, all out of ideas for the moment.
-----Seth nods, "That sounds okay. I can practice my harp, and we can all relax, it has been a tiring march. Dread can catch us up wherever he is.. as long as he does not get caught."
-----Brandel nods at Kazel. "Sundown will most likely be in two hours," he says. "We will move out in one hour if we do not see any sign of the Dread Pirate. That will give us more time to rest."
-----Brandel walks over to Krord and takes his place watching the northern woods. The large mercenary comes over and sits next to Seth and Kazel as the musician begins playing the harp. The soft sounds of the instrument begin carrying on the still air. Krord falls silent listening with a large smile on his face.
-----Runik goes back to watching the eastern marsh while the haughty elf stands at his post, motionless like a statue.
-----"Hey, d'you know how long it takes to get to Vigilance?" Kazel suddenly asks Brandel. "By wagon, let's say."
-----The question snaps both Brandel and Runik around to look at Kazel. Brandel shrugs and after a moment of thought, he replies, "By wagon? I would say you are looking at two months on the journey. Of course, it would be much quicker if you had a boat and took the river."
-----Runik stares at Kazel with a strange look and asks, "Lass, yer not a'thinkin' a'goin' there, are ye? I hears it's a big cesspool o' the scum o' the lands."
-----"All right then, how long by boat?" Kazel asks Brandel before turning to Runik. "But that's just it now, my friend. Everyone's heard about it but never been there."
-----She chews thoughtfully on a blade of grass before explaining. "Always wondered what it's like cos I heard, somewheres someone before my father's from there a long time ago. That, and all this countryside's making me feel tired and thinking urban thoughts."
-----"Well, by boat," answers Brandel, "the journey might be . . . twenty days."
-----Runik squints up his eyes and he grabs his warhammer. "Ugh," he grunts, "travelin' on water? Tis better to head't the mountains!" The dwarf then widens his eyes and asks excitedly, "Ye ev'r seen a dwarven stronghold, lass? Now that be somethin' to be beholden!"
-----Krord begins humming lowly along with the music Seth plays. The huge mercenary seems off in his own world and his humming does not always match the tune's melody. Although Krord is apparently not gifted as a singer, he is enjoying the entertainment.
-----Seth changes the tune to a ruddy sea shanty that Dread had taught him a while ago and casually mentions, "Do not forget we have our very own Pirate Captain, Dread Gimplefwick Whispy Beard, remember! He has a boat or ship or something like that. I am sure he would let us all go for a sail on it. I could get Books to find us some treasure maps, and Maime to pack us all an excellent picnique. It will be fun!"
-----Suddenly the music stops and Seth has leapt to his feet. "Yes, what a great idea as soon as we finish this job! Think of all the art works and treasures we will find!"
-----Kazel whoops and claps to the jaunty music until it stops. "Hmm, this dwarven stronghold, you are talking about the Gildenstar Hills then?"
-----She seems to look torn for a second and then just says, "Well there's time to see them all, as long as we have a boat! And treasure maps."
-----"Aye, there be some strongholds 'mongst the hills n' on to the mountains!" answers Runik.
-----Finally an hour passes and Brandel gathers the mercenaries together to ready the horses. "Back to the castle, is it?" Brandel says mounting up on his horse.