Turn 34 -- Payment

Even with the camp now secure, Gnore heads out into the Thornwood to continue his watch. Starting from the point where the bandits exited the forest, he makes a semi-circular patrol through the trees. With sword drawn, he constantly scans the surroundings throughout the area, looking for any sign of trouble.

Back at the camp, Beleg puts down his sword with his other equipment before going over to the still form of Talimar. Laying hands on the still form of the elf, Beleg beseeches Forseti once again for the power to heal. After his prayer is granted, Beleg rises and goes in search of Gelderon.

Talimar still does not wake but his breathing has once again strengthened.

"Have any of your people been hurt, Master Gelderon," asks Beleg to the visibly shaken merchant.

"What? Ah, no, no. Thank you sir," stammers Gelderon, "Your company saved our lives! As well as my goods!" Gelderon then emphatically shakes the hand of Beleg as he falls over himself to thank the huge warrior as well as the other members of the company. "I hope your friends will be ok," he says in reference to Dain and Talimar.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," answers Beleg, "Now if you'll excuse me?" He then goes back to his tent and begins to put on the rest of his armour and prepare for the journey back down river.

Garth continues to minister to Talimar and keep fresh bandages on the elf's wounds, also trying to rest himself as much as possible.

"Was that the Black Arrow you guys told me about?" he finally asks.

"I'm unsure," offers Kre in response to Garth's question, "Lemme check real quick." Kre then moves off to search the bodies with Ras, looking for any sign as to his father's band, or any that lead to his former captors. He returns shortly shaking his head.

"No sign of the Black Arrows or the Zhentarim," he says. "I don't know who these guys work for, nothing to identify them."

As Kre finishes his report, Ras moves over to drop a bag containing all the goods taken from the bodies of their attackers. In the bag are several gold and silver crowns as well as a few gems and a nice gold belt buckle from one of the men. Ras also drops a longsword and a longbow to the ground with the sack. Both weapons appear to be of superior quality. "These were the only weapons of interest that any of them had," says the young halfling. "Maybe we can have one of the mages check them out when they're on their feet again?"

Over behind Kre, Ras and Garth, Ortho continues to bandage his own minor wounds. After this, he drags his bedroll behind a crate and after checking on Talimar collapses on his bed to sleep and recover. Almost asleep, Ortho can be heard to mumble, "Silly elf, and he calls ME reckless...."

The companions continue to rest the remainder of the morning until an hour or so after dawn. At this time, Gelderon and his men begin the preparations of loading the goods back onto the barge for departure. Beleg helps the men out to speed up the process.

After all the goods are loaded and Gelderon and his men are ready to leave, Beleg, Druckner, Randor, and Kre pick up the still sleeping bodies of Dain and Talimar on the make-shift stretchers made by Druckner. The recovering mages are placed on a position of the shift that will not jar them around to much and they can continue to rest. Finally, Gnore is the last to board and silently moves to the bow of the barge, finally sheathing his sword a few minutes after the barge departs from the shore.

After a few moments, the stoic dwarf releases a large yawn and rubs his eyes to try and delay the growing drowsiness that is creeping in on him.

Upon setting the mages down to rest, Druckner speaks up to address the companions, "I reckon we better head for Thurmaster right away. I wonder if their base is the mines after all? This is the third time we get attacked in or around the Thornwood. And remember that Scourge thing that Kuiper told us about? Maybe we're just up against more than one gang? They all want the same thing though, Mages. Hmph! Why would anybody want one anyway?" He ends his oration with a smile and a nod towards his dosing companions.

"I agree that they may be in the Thornwood but if they were wouldn't one of the many patrolling rangers have found the lair? Hmm...Did anyone notice which way the leader flew off?" asks Randor in response to Druckner.

"Don't know where he flew off," begins Kersath, "I couldn't tell once he got above the tree-line, the rain was falling too hard for me to see."

"I suggest we wait and discuss these issues once we get to Thurmaster," says Beleg, "These are discussions that Dain and Talimar need to be a part of as well."

As the others agree to wait for their sleeping companions to be a part of the discussion, many of the others set about to get some rest of their own. The only exception being Gnore, who continues his watch at the bow of the barge.

The company continues its journey down the river on the slow-moving barge for the remainder of the morning. Shortly after noon, Dain and Talimar awaken almost simultaneously, both begging for food. Both men are still weak from their wounds but the quick healing of Garth, Randor, and Ortho means that they will fully recover from their wounds. About an hour after they wake, the barge comes to dock at Thurmaster. Gelderon and his men set about to unload the cargo and load it onto wagons that they had waiting for them here before they can continue overland to Parlfray Keep.

"We'll take our payment now," says Ras as he moves to collect from Gelderon.

"What? Payment now? Our agreement was that you continue with us to Parlfray Keep. I need the protection of your company. You saw what happened last night!" Gelderon answers, "You can't desert me now!"