<div align="center">(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bc/8a/5a/bc8a5a2d176a1aee8985c5a407f1a799.png)</div><br/>Party (PC's) have all for reason or other joined a caravan led by a merchant lord; Cain Nyrood (https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/019/042/913/large/mateusz-mizak-1merchant-1-art.jpg?1561747317). Merchant lords are higher-tier merchants in the Guild who have established grander status to point that they run multiple businesses across Free Nations instead bound to a single location (or single field). Cain is a slave merchant by primary trade and is among a few trusted guild members to do transactions with slavery. But this caravan has no slaves as cargo (besides personal owned ones), rather he is conducting a routine transport of goods to Azure City. However he is not using regular established roads instead he uses a less safe, more dangerous, route through backcountry which is quicker but the region is called backcountry because there are fewer communities or cities in the region and thus less Guild presence and operations.<br/><br/>Which is the primary reason why Cain risks it because he calculated with his caravan he would pay more in other expenses if they go through the safer established road, in inn expenses, tolls, and whatnot. Even as a high-ranked guild member he gets only a discount in tolls and he needs to pay them for each country he has to go across with his caravan which is going on for a long journey. So this reason why he goes through a more dangerous route and why he personally with his personal guards (and battle slaves) he secures the cargo. Also, there have been hints he is meeting someone in Azure City which he must attend personally and sounds important but it's none of the business of regular caravan folk.<br/><br/>The caravan consists of Cain's staff also by other merchants and travelers who paid Cain for the right to be in his caravan camp and Cain provides a single free meal once per day. Of course, nothing is truly free and it's assumed those who partake in caravans like this (as an unwritten rule) that you participate in defending the caravan and all its members. Adventurers and other travelers will hire themselves as mercenaries for caravans like this but Cain himself hasn't hired anyone but welcomes adventurers to his campfires to listen to their stories while he shares some of his own (while having a slave on each of his laps).<br/><br/>Besides a couple of feral goblins the journey has been uneventful, and boring, just like caravanners like (and mercenaries dislike as they get paid for every dangerous encounter a bonus). However, during one of the camping times, a hooded figure came from a forest in hurry and carrying a sack requested to meet with the leader of the caravan, she was led to Cain's tent. An hour later, the party (PC's) were invited join to Cain's tent, which they had never done before.<br/><br/>As the party enters the tent, which was filled with luxury divans, a table filled with food, and fine wine in a goblet, Cain sat on a golden chair while having seven comfortable large pillows laid down on a rich carpet. Besides him knelt a naked mongrelfolk woman, human but with cat ears and dark skin who was covering best as she could with her hands as Cain smiled widely to display his golden teeth on display and says; "Welcome, come in! There is a bit of odd circumstance but a potential opportunity for you guys to earn some nice extra cash! Come take a seat and I shall explain details, but if you are not willing to take work that has a high risk of injury and death despite the price, please leave now."