<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">The Ugly Mug Tavern</span></div><br/>The tavern hooted in laughter at Yazhu's comeback. Apparently those with the talent to parry Eldric's wit and riposte a verse of their own were few and far between. "Alas, your words stab deep into my breast! Sweet valkyrie, bear me to my deserved rest!" Eldric over-dramatically gasped like he had been stabbed in the heart and made a graceful if exaggerated death swagger aiming to land right in Yazhu's arms.<br/><br/>If she caught him, he would wink and whisper, "Will you bear me to the Valenhall of your chambers where fallen warriors drink and battle forevermore - or at least until morn?"<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Tomgruv</span></div><br/>Spivey and Sandra listened as Yazhu described the oversized black raven. When she had finished Sandra said, "We'll put up some general wards around camp... Meanwhile keep an eye out in case it shows up again, we need to get a look to have a better idea what it is exactly."<br/><br/>Yazhu and Kelda cleared out a tunnel of kobolds, the Ulfen woman showing off the berserker techniques of her people, and everything was going smoothly until Kelda tripped over a trap in the dark and triggered a rockfall that blocked off the way back behind them, leaving the two of them trapped in a dead end. Fortunately, the noise quickly attracted the rest of the Jade Whores' attention on the other side. "Hang tight, the miners will dig a path through to you! They say it'll take a few hours," Ameiko's muffled voice shouted from the opposite end of the cave-in. It seemed that Yazhu and Kelda had some time to pass...<br/><br/><strong>Social Link</strong><br/>Ameiko 5<br/>Baihu 2<br/>Sandra 3<br/>Shalelu 2<br/>Kelda 1-->2<br/>Spivey 2<br/>Marcius 0<br/>Nualia 0<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Solskinn</span></div><br/>Yazhu's suggestion mirrored what the other Jade Whores were thinking, and the caravan continued through the night without stopping. Thankfully they met nothing on the road, and Solskinn was far behind them by the time the first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon.<br/><br/>Then, Yazhu spotted the large raven again! Its size made it easy to pick out from the rest of the murder of crows that shadowed the caravan. Sandra yawned as she squinted at the raven. "I can detect some druidic magic, I think." Spivey nodded agreement from her lookout perch in Yazhu's cleavage. As if noticing their scrutiny, the raven suddenly dove into the brush and out of sight.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DC 22 Perception</div><div class="spoiler_body">One of the raven's wing pinions is blood-red in color...<br/>Follow-up check: DC 15 Knowledge (arcana) OR DC 15 Knowledge (local Lands of the Linnorn Kings)</div></div><br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Grungir Forest</span></div><br/>"I'll go with you," Shalelu volunteered. "Me too!" Spivey added, perhaps a bit too unwilling to leave Yazhu's cleavage. The scouting duty went by quietly, the most notable event being another sighting of the mysterious raven, and the caravan followed without incident.<br/><br/>(If the previous DC 22 Perception check was failed, you may retry it now.)<br/><br/>The forest was ancient and mysterious, with trees thicker than the caravan's wagons and stretching higher than towers, their canopies blocking out the sun with fairy-like motes of light among their branches providing dreamy illumination. The wind whistling between their leaves and needles seemed at times to almost resemble airy speech, and Yazhu could swear that some trees that were on one side of the road when she scouted ahead had crossed over to the other side by the time the caravan passed. Spivey had a few things to say, "Can you feel the connection to the fairy realm of the First World? Fey powers rule here... don't stray off the road, even Desna might have a teeny bit of trouble helping you here!"<br/><br/>The steady exertions of the past few days - the fight in the mines of Tomgruv, the overnight ride past Solskinn, and now scouting Grungir Forest - was starting to take its toll. Being a ranger Shalelu was able to carry on without rest, but for Yazhu it would test her fortitude.<br/><br/><em>DC 15 Fortitude: If Yazhu fails she is fatigued until stated overwise. If she succeeds Shalelu is impressed (+1 social link).</em><br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Thundering River - Losthome</span></div><br/>The caravan emerged from Grungir Forest onto the banks of the Thundering River. True to its name the fast flowing water made a continuous thundering noise as it flowed over rocks carried down from its source in the mountains. Their route now was north along the Thundering River until it flowed into the mighty Rimeflow River, and then west to Kalsgard.<br/><br/>The logging town of Losthome was on the far (east) bank of the river, though the caravan's route north had no real need to cross the bridge over to that side. "Their key industries are lumber and woodworking," Ameiko recalled, "Most of their finished furniture are sent down to Kalsgard by barge for export, but we can buy some as trade goods relatively cheap here I think." There was also the promise of an inn and a rest... and on the other hand, also the risk of more unreasonable tolls.<br/><br/>"I want a real bed for once! My butt is killing me!" Baihu complained, wanting to stop the caravan overnight in Losthome.<br/><br/>"Haven't you learned your lesson from the Jol toll?" Sandra countered.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;">Thundering River - Eldentre</span></div><br/>Storm clouds gathered as the caravan headed north, and before long the wagons were drenched in cold autumn rain. The town of Eldentre was not far ahead - again on the eastern side of the Thundering River, with a bridge connecting the two banks - with a skyline dominated by a giant oak tree whose branches shadowed the roofs of the houses below. In fact, as lightning struck, the bolts seemed drawn to the oak again and again, which crackled with visible arcs of electricity but did not catch fire.<br/><br/>"That's the Lightning Oak!" Ameiko exclaimed. "Its famous for enchanting weapons with electric powers using the lightning stored in the tree."