Our heroes leave the comfort of the temple Zenenicel, on route to the mountain village of Binbma. Before leaving the priests of the temple graciously gave each crusader a pouch with 75 bragons each. The groups were also given a set of equipment which included an ax, spade, pick, extra rope, lanterns, and a small supply of fire wood. With food, coin, and each other, the warriors press forward into their legendary adventure.

ten hours of traveling has made the group slightly fatigued. Most notably Caja, after gorging herself on the buffet earlier during the day, has developed a spell of motion sickness. It is decided that the group will clear a spot and make camp for the night.

After an hour of setting up the group finds themselves together by a cozy fire.

The firelight seemed to warm the air and Inkah couldn't help but imagine the flames were magic. She knew they weren't, of course, but it was nights such as this, when the sky was clear and the moon shone down in contrasting colours to the fire that she thought stories were made of. Hren lay by her side, making the odd noise now and then. She looked to the others, offering them a tired smile. "It's a nice night." She said softly, looking towards the stars.

Her face still quite green, Caja made a face at Inkah's proclamation. "Course it's a nice nigh'." She wrapped tighter in her own oversized clothes, cursing the priests who didn't remember to give them blankets for the night. Caja felt more than a little ill as she sat in the dirt with her legs pulled up to her chest. It took all her energy not to retch again and she stared at the fire instead.

Taneyr dropped his large, gray cloak around the small girl's shoulders, not too concerned about the dirt that was covering her. "There you are, my dear, that should keep you a little more warm." He turned to Inkah with a kind smile. "Yes, it is. However I do hope for some cloud cover once we reach the mountains. It will be cold there if it continues to be this clear."

Bael hummed a song to herself, listening to the comments of the others but having no real thoughts to contribute. Most of her concentration was dedicated at this time to her pistol and rifle. It was a chore keeping them in the pristine condition she did, but it was done with love. The wood shone orange with an orange glow in the firelight and she caressed it gently with her fingertips, and then in an instant whisking away the prints with her oiled rag.

Nooj was seated beside Bael. He was slightly uneasy with her fiddling with her weapons by the fire, but refrained to speak about it. Instead he observed the group. "Friend bard, this day has made my throat most dry. Would it be possible to partake in the brew you have been so kind as to bring?"

Llyvurn had been sorting some things on his wagon, his ear had been cocked in the general direction of the fire anyway but Nooj's words had caught him a bit off guard. "For Nylram's sake, we're going to be at this for months. You can all call me by my name, and I know you're my friend" he let out a soft chuckle however as the sound of liquid splashing into metal came form the cart, he carefully stepped out holding his lute in one hand and a large tankard in the other smelling of beer. As he delivered it to Nooj however he cast a glance down at Bael, a sly grin on his lips "Interesting song there... you know the words to that?"

Bael startled at Llyvurn's words. Looking up at him she swallowed and then replied, "It's nothing but a simple fisherman's shanty," Bael slung her rifle and pistol back into their sling and then set the whole lot down beside her, "something my father used to sing on long nights like this." Bael shifted her weight and cupped her hands together in her lap.

With her fingers in his mane, Inkah absentmindedly fiddled with the hair she found there, going between brushing and deft plaiting; Hren made a sound equivalent to a purr, if horses were capable of such. She glanced at Caja, seeing how travel-weary she looked and wished that there was something she could do to help her. Her thoughts then travelled to Llyvurn, wondering whether he might have something that could make the girl feel better.

"Oh... your father?" the smiled on Llyvurn's lips was quite sly, the obtuse grin of someone knowing something the other didn't. It wasn't unfriendly though and he simply nodded to Bael "One of the best gifts is a song, I'm glad you remember it so well." He wasn't going to offer to play it, well maybe the music, but he only knew one version of that song. His gaze travelled over to Caja as well, she was rather the center of attention "Does she show any signs of getting better?" He had a little something, but he wasn't sure how much it would help.

"I'm better now," Caja protested to Llyvurn, snuggled tightly in Taneyr's cloak. "Iffen you all woul' stop askin' questions." She exhaled quickly, staring into the fire some more to avoid anyone else's gaze. She really hated traveling in groups.

Taneyr looked over at Llyvurn as he spoke. "Maybe you could grace us with a song," he said lightly. "It has indeed been a while since I was able to enjoy a good shanty." He glanced around. "That is if any of you do not object." He had pulled out a vial which he got Caja to drink after a little prodding. She was a stubborn child, and he knew her stomach would still be aching her. "Perhaps we could all settle in and listen."

"Aye indeed music would be good," said Nooj drinking from the tankard. He leaned back and, through the fire, noticed a glimpse of a large scar on Bael's spine. This made Nooj's curiosity grow, but refrained to speak about it.
  
"Well I had an egg to settle your stomach... but I guess I'll cook it tomorrow for breakfast" Llyvurn said with a slight shrug to Caja before chuckling to the rest of them. Well they didn't seem to mind having a bard along at all. "Well.. I do know a few shanties" he chuckled as he pushing his lute into the normal position "But... considering company... Yes I think that one will do..." He paused, let a note ring out, then began to strum a purposeful pattern out; it was really a shanty, to be sung while sailors work. This meant that the others could also joined in, you didn't need a trained voice to sing shanties. He started, grinning to himself as he gazed off up into the clear sky:
"Yes, aye, and we'll haul, aye,
To pay Raddle Byle for his boots;
We'll tauten the bunt, and we'll furl, aye,
And pay Raddle Byle for his boots.
Yeo, aye, and we'll sing, aye,
To pay Raddle Byle for his boots;
We'll bunt up the sail with a fling, aye,
And pay Raddle Byle for his boots!
Yeo, aye an we'll haul, aye,
To pay Raddle Byle for his boots;
We'll skin the ol' rabbit an' haul, aye,
To pay Raddle Byle for his boots!"

Bael joined in on a quiet harmony. Her voice was that of an alto, untrained, but warm, with a gravely edge. She knew only some of the words, and where she didn't she simply hummed. It was a song she had only heard in passing, on the docks where the sailors, with their tan skin that smelled always of salt water and wind, would haul in the crates, their brows glistening with the effort. How many times had she sat, idle, simply watching them, hoping one day to sail, to feel a ship beneath her feet. Now she shivered at the thought.

Sydnee, who until this moment had been rather silent within the group, began to hum at first, and then join in with a deep baritone voice, clear and true. This was a song he knew well, from all his days at sea and on the docks on the brink of the ocean. He was fond of songs and signing, and it brought back memories of crews and comrades past whom he had once shared many evenings, such as this one, with. It brought back the feeling of belonging, of freedom, of safety and security, but also of uncertainty and tribulation. These were the kinds of feelings, however, that Sydnee lived for.

The trio of voices blended into chords that inexplicably warmed the cockles of Bael's heart. The sound of their song slipping into the smoke of the fire and drifting, in lazy wisps, to the sky. Bael looked up at Sydnee, everything about him smelled of the ocean. Of old memories that haunted her. The cocky smile of someone used to the freedom the water offered. The skin pulled tight and warm over thin features sprayed with sea foam. For a moment, as she watched him, the memory of someone, so similar, flashed through her mind, and for that small moment as she gazed at Sydnee the iron clad wall she kept about herself dropped. Then without even a pause, it flew back up, cutting off her emotions. Emotions where dangerous, especially in her line of work. She felt afraid. Afraid to grow attached to these seemingly unremarkable people, chosen for a remarkable task. People she knew, that must be, like herself, confused as to why they were here. What had led them to be chosen by a God. As their song drew to a close, Bael felt her heart longing for those few seconds of warmth and memory she had felt. The sound of their voices drifted into the wind, now only a whisper in the back of her mind.

Inkah listened with a small smile. Despite the circumstances under which they had been brought together, the moment seemed peaceful, beautiful and she was happy to be a part of it. She whispered her thanks to Bysaelruma; she had no doubt that the god was watching over them, there could not be scene such as this without the blessing of the Goddess of Peace. Breathing a prayer, she looked up to the sky once more, asking quietly of her god to offer them protection on their journey, despite the calm of the moment, she was sure they would need it.

Taneyr smiled to himself as he settled near the fire, his herb pouches nearby. He was tying together bundles of herbs as he listened and hummed along. His smile was warm, and nodded his head in time with the music. It was good to hear all the voices over the fire on a peaceful night, which he knew in the future would be few.

Anyone sitting near Caja would be amazed to hear the words and rough melody coming from under the large cloak that was draped around her. Though the words were somewhat strange, such as 'boods' instead of 'boots', they were all there. Her eyes were locked on the fire, however, and there was no smile on her face. Caja did not like sitting out in the open like this. There were too many things out there that would hear the music and see the fire and she was ready to flee at a moment's notice. Since her stomach no longer ached her, she was feeling tired. Caja was nearly positive that most of these people had never been out in the open at night, or they wouldn't be so relaxed. She sang, however, because the song was already there.

Llyvurn smiled, they had mostly sung. It felt good to think that they could easily sing along with him; but something else had happened he knew, there was something in the air. He couldn't place his finger on it, but that song had just done more than amuse them. The bard grinned at the fire, edging over towards the bundle of robes that was Caja and kneeling down beside it. "I haven't had the chance to ask yet lass" he continued to call her that, to him it was a sign of endearment, he liked Caja because she was... well, honest without being rude. Most of the time. "How old are you?" he didn't want to bother her, he'd go if she wanted, but he was interested in the girl.

Looking up at Llyvurn, Caja frowned. "I don' righ'ly know," she said. It was the truth. Caja thought she was maybe 15ish, but wasn't going to bet on it. "I'mma guessin' I migh' be fifteen, but 'oo knows." She did scoot over slightly to give Llyvurn room to sit. Of all people, Caja knew she looked younger than she actually was. Or that she felt she was. It wasn't a problem, though, because the older girls on the street were often picked up for brothels, and Caja did not want to be a whore.

"You're very young lass. I'm surprised you were chosen for this" Llyvurn didn't like to see young lives wasted, but he questioned how long she would have had to wait before that life would have gone anyway. She had been dreadfully thin, this might even be the best thing that's happened to her. "Where do you come from?" he asked, wondering if she knew anything truly, except how to live.

"For one so young to be chosen, you must be very special." Inkah smiled. She believed what she said, they girl had adapted well to the situation even though she was thrust into it without really knowing why or how. Perhaps, better than most would even without such strange conditions.

Caja wasn't sure about what Inkah had said about her being special, but she gave the woman a shrug anyway. Looking up at Llyvurn, she frowned. "I'mma from de city." She had only ever seen one large city, so she wasn't sure if they knew what she was talking about or not. She didn't know the name of the country, didn't even know what a country was. She knew that the towns had names, but not what any of them were.

"If I may shed some light on the situation," said Escrat "When we met" He gave Caja a cold glance "we were in the capital city of Cikay in Rammvena. How long have you been there child?"

It was obvious to Llyvurn that Caja had recieved no education, and probably hadn't left the city she was born with. You would think somewhere like Rammvena would share the wealth among the people, considering they worshipped Suhdeli and all, but more often than not people considered "fortune" as a more personal goal. He looked over his shoulder, back towards the cart as he let Caja and Escrat talk for the moment; he had some maps, he could teach the girl. If she was willing to learn that is.

"My dear," said Escrat "Tell me, did you ever know your parents?" He knew this was a difficult question to ask.

"I live' in anoder town firs'," Caja said. "Bu' dey was all poor, so I wen' to de city." She looked at Escrat. "I don' amember how long I been dere. Dree win'ers I live' drough dere. An' I ain' got no paren's." She didn't seem upset with any of the facts that she had listed off. They were just that, facts, and they didn't affect her in the least. She was content in her ignorance of the land, or so it seems. Sometimes Caja had a fervent wish to be able to read and write and know who she was. But that wasn't as important to her as being alive.

Hren moved at Inkah's side, getting up so he could sleep. Despite the fact that horse knew that Inkah would let no harm come to him, he still chose to sleep standing up. Inkah often wondered what he was thinking, even though she could read him from his body language most of the time. She too stood up and lead him slightly away from the main group. Not bothering to tether him to anything, she patted his muzzle and whispered a goodnight before moving back to the fire. 

The song dwindled into the firelight, and into the cool night air. Sydnee closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the breeze. What he wouldn't give to be on a boat right now, grasping tightly to the ropes, feeling the breeze and sweet saltyness of the sea against his face and chest. Soon, he reassured himself. Soon I will be back at sea. But until then I must finish this journey. For their sake. almost instinctively his hand moved to pat the worn letter than was hidden in an inner pocket of his vest, near his heart. He opened his eyes, and sighed. "If we want to get a good start tomorrow we should take turns resting now. I suggest we go on shifts, perhaps three or four hours long each?"

"Aye," said Nooj. "I'll take first watch." He stood and grabbed his sword and tankard. "Inkah you will stay with me, will you not?"

"Of course." She nodded. Inkah looked to Hren, the stallion was, while sleeping guarding her small amount of posessions; her eyes moved to the simple short sword she'd brought with her. Though hoping that she wouldn't need to use it she retrieved it from his side as quietly as possible and slid it through the belt at her hips.

"Right then." Said Nooj. "For the rest of you, get as much sleep as possible. He looked around as best he could at his troop.

Taneyr settled down near the fire, wrapping his spare blanket around himself. "Wake me for second watch," he told Nooj before pillowing his head with his bag and falling asleep.

Inkah moved to the boundary of their camp and sat on a conveniently placed rock. She eyed their surroundings, watching as a small leaf fluttered from one of the closer trees. Her gaze followed it until it reached the floor and became lost in the undergrowth.

The hours past slowly. Time could only be told by the gradual dimming of the fire.

"Lady Inkah?" said Nooj "May I have a word with you?" His voice was quiet so that he would not disturb his companions.

"More than one." Inkah's lip quirked as she spoke and her words were just as quiet. She looked to Nooj, slightly amused at him calling her 'lady'.

"We have been on guard for a few hours now. Make ready your sleeping spot while I wake the bard and priest." Said Nooj without a tone of emotion. He then turned and walked toward the pair to start the next shift.

She nodded and moved to Hren, quietly arranging her sleeping area and stowing her sword. She was happy not to have needed it. She watched as Nooj woke the Taneyr and Llyvurn, as soon as she saw that they were awake and alert enough she allowed herself to drift to sleep. Thoughts of the days ahead drifted into dreams.

Taneyr woke up and sat up, giving Nooj a nod that he was awake. He kept his blanket wrapped around him and picked up his bag, carrying it to the edge of the camp. Sitting so he was looking out into the darkness, he pulled out his herbs and started sorting them quietly.

"Ah and at the best part... she'll have to wait" Llyvurn muttered to himself as he got up to shuffle closer to the fire. He rested his back against the log, there was no point in working on his maps because he knew this road; he'd never gone inside the temple but he'd been up and looked before. He glanced over towards Taneyr, unable to see what he was doing in the man's own shadow. "What do you have there?" he asked from his own place, never being one for anything but inquisition.

Taneyr turned to Llyvurn and smiled, holding up the herb bundles. "I must at least attempt to keep up with my daily chores, even if it is late at night." He scooted closer to where Lyvurn was. "I really hate when I am woken out of a good dream," Taneyr said conversationally, having heard Llyvurn's remark. "It is always at the best parts."

"I'd say that my dream wouldn't have interested you... but I do remember hearing the word grandson earlier" Llyvurn glanced over at the horse now resting in front of his cart "Are the priests of Zenenicel more forgiving in that sense or did you have your child before you joined the order? I know it's one of the few things that kept me from weaing a cassok and worshipping Nylram the rest of my life."

Taneyr was silent for a moment before he looked up at Llyvurn. "My life is one that is better in a bard's tale, though I guess I could give you the shortened version. I was married once. I had a son. My wife and son are both with Zenenicel now. My son married while I was a priest. He had a son. My grandson..." Taneyr paused. He sorted his herbs slowly, breathing deeply, regaining his composure. He had never spoken of his family to anyone other than the high priests. "My grandson, Vesper...he lies in the temple of Zenenicel at this moment, tended by his mother. He was injured by Vmopint." Taneyr stopped his story, staring at the herbs in his hands, which were shaky and unmoving.

Llyvurn was silent for a while before some footsteps were heard. There was a clink of a bottle, then more footsteps as Llyvurn arrived appeared beside the priest holding spirits strong enough to tarnish cups if it was poured into it. "Your grandson" he said softly, placing the bottle beside the priest and hoping that the man wasn't forbidden from touching it "is a brave man to have fought Vmopint. He did more than most would dare do, now he is in safe hands I am sure he will recover."

Taking the bottle, Taneyr took a good swallow of it, wincing as he did so. "That is the problem. He has recovered as far as human intervention will allow. Yet he still cannot walk or speak." Taneyr took another drink of the spirits. It would not make him feel better, but it would make it easier to bear speaking of. "Vmopint killed my son, and Vesper took it upon himself to face the beast. I have made it my goal to see that creature dead and to see my grandson walk again."

The nod was one of understanding, grim, grim understanding. Llyvurn knew that the bottle was going to almost disapear in the priest's hands now as he said gently "Vengence can only recover so much, but to recover from an injury that deep in a man's mind it must be done. As cold a comfort it is, I am sure it will bring comfort." He looked up to the priest, soon Llyvurn would be on watch by himself "Your grandson still lives. Your line continues. You are in a band of god chosen warriors. And..." Llyvurn paused, he stared at the blackness ahead of them, then nodded "and this is what the gifts the gods grant us after this quest shall be used for. No amount of riches, fame, glory, would ever be justifiable over the recovery of a loved one of the saving of innocents."

Taneyr looked over at the bard. "You would have made a fine priest," he said with a half smile. "You are right. I do not travel for fame or riches. I travel so that the gods may see my line as worthy enough to save. So that maybe I can see my grandson look at me with recognition. So that I may bounce a great-grandson on my knee." He set the bottle aside, picking up his herbs again. "If the gods decide I am worthy of all that, of course."

"The gods decide that you are worthy for the trip, if they decide your cause is not worthy..." Llyvurn let out a slight intake through his teeth, similar to the noise made by contracters when looking at a building. It was the noise of someone who was trying to sum up in a very precise way exactly what carefully worded offence he was about to say. "Well then what gods are these to shake your faith and demand so much? They order so much, yet to deny a man so little as his family..." Llyvurn tutted and shook his head, perhaps he was the right man for this job, the bard seemed fearless in the face of godly wrath "You are a just man, and a priest. The gods will bend to your will."

Taneyr smiled to himself and nodded. "You are right. Of course you are right." He looked out towards the shadows again and gathered up his herbs. "I hold out much hope that my family will be restored." He glanced at the sleepers, looking over at the priest. "Do you suppose it is time to wake the next pair for watch?" he asked, glancing at the moon as it passed overhead.

"I think... that you should rest" it had barely been an hour, but Llyvurn could do this on his own. "I travel the roads myself, I am used to looking out for strangers approaching. Rest well sir, you have a days travel ahead of you. I will wake the others when it's time. Anyway, you've just gulped half that bottle, your eye sight will play tricks on you before too long."

The old priest glanced over at the young bard. Taneyr lauged quietly. "Half this bottle will not do much, youngling." He looked at the remainder of the bottle. "If I managed the rest, you might hear some stories you would be interested in. Stories of battle and love and travel." He smiled to himself and shook his head. "No, I will stay awake, if only in silence and finishing my work for the next hour or so." He set the herbs out near the fire to dry and looked over at Llyvurn. "Maybe you can tell me a tale. What of your life?"

"Oh not much has happened in my own life, I was put in the Monastery of Nylram by my parents at a young age, learnt to read, write, create maps, sing, play instruments, dance and do everything a young boy must learn to have an utterly stagnant and boring life. Until I was take out by the older boys to a local tavern where I met several strong headed and even stronger thighed women..." Llyvurn let out a soft chuckle as he gazed towards the fire "Nothing happened then, I was still but a fledgling, and quite a worried one at that. But I kept returning, I became known, I became friendly and I became... too wild for the priests to permit. I left at nineteen, not young by any means but... still naive from my stays at the Monestary. Six years of travelling have bent what there used to be, but I still carry Nylram's teachings in my heart... Even if more often than not my body gets the final say." He chuckled, dropping the priest a soft wink to try and lighten the priest's mood; the man could forget his troubles in the bard's laughter and past.

Taneyr chuckled. "You should have joined Zenenicel. We are not so puritanical about copulation as the other orders. We are the priests of humanity, after all. And it is human nature to seek out the comforts of companionship." He smiled to himself. "It was why I, after having sired a child, was allowed to join. You are still young, though. You haved much left of your life."

"Time makes fools of us all" Llyvurn let out another laugh, trying not to be too loud around the sleeping warriors "Another reason I left Nylram. But a priest's life is not for me friend, I cannot devote myself so readily and hold faith immortal in the Gods. I am not a God fearing man, I do not believe that they should govern lives..." suddenly he lowered his voice slightly and leant towards the priest "And between you and me I do not think they can even control us. That blood contract was fancy yes, but if they have the power to smite a man on the spot why are we out here having to stop heretics and non-believers. As much as I admit we are the tools of Gods we are the most dangerous tools to use. Men lose hands and fingers, Gods can lose much more."

"The gods have lost much," Taneyr said sadly. He shook his head. "A man who has not spent most of his life serving would not easily understand, but the gods, over these past decades, have lost much of their powers. They have lost worshippers, the majority of the people, much like yourself and Sydnee, no longer have any faith in the power of the gods. That has weakened them greatly." He cast an eye towards Sydnee's still sleeping form. "It is the men that give the gods power, however it is also the men who have the ability to take it away once more." Taneyr turned the herbs so the other side could dry. "It is something that most people do not understand and why having devote followers is so important to them. The gods pooled what little power they had to unite us together, and they could not even finish that one to its final completion as our party is not whole. They have not the powers to smite the entirety of the heritics, but in that contract they gave us the power to do so, if slowly."

"And that is one of the reasons I am here. I am as much a heretic as all the others we will fight, but I see that they are needed to protect us." Llyvrun was being very secretive about this, as if worried that the Gods would think he liked them "I do not follow them because I think sometimes a person needs to stand outside of everything to make sure it's all working and nothing is openly wrong. I have done many things on my travels, told a lot of stories, but I have always respected the people's beliefs where I am. I watch people, I watch Gods, and right now the world needs balancing." He sighed and say back, dropping his pretence of secrecy as he said lightly "In times of terror and worry people pray. Then they stop believing. If you and I manage to get people back to the praying part and the Gods gain more power... perhaps we will have a chance at this. While we are a grand group of warriors, I think in the end our lives will hinge on Gods." He sniffed slightly and turned his gaze to the fire "Here's hoping at the end of it they won't decide I need a bit of smiting as well."

Taneyr laughed lightly, going back to his herbs. He left Llyvurn to his thought, sinking into his own as he sorted his herbs and let them dry. He waited patiently until he could wrap them in the fine cloths he had brought along and line them at the bottom of his bag. The time passed, and the moon traveled across the sky.

Two more hours have passed and the third and final shift were called on to stand guard.

Bael rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the back of her palms. She glanced at Sydnee and prodded the fire with the end of a stick. The silence was only broken by the occasional snore from Llyvurn. Bael coughed awkwardly.

Sydnee sighed. After their little spat in the temple, what was he supposed to say? He was usually the suave ladies' man, and now... Awkward silence. He looked to the stars, and then looked to her. "Have you ever looked to the stars and created patterns out of the dots of light?" He spoke softly, as to not awake the others.

Glancing up at Sydnee Bael shifted her weight and finally spoke, "My father used to...they had names, stories...He said they were once Gods. Cast into the sky to forever watch us below, immotral, unmoving..." Bael looked back at the fire and watched it's haunting dance. Her father was always a subject she found hard to speak about.

"My favorite is the story of the ancient sea-god Rashahana," Sydnee murmured. "She was gorgeous, and perfect they say. Every sailor's dream. She would guide them through dangerous storms and help those who were lost to find their way to safety, guiding them by her glowing light." He shifted his weight and leaned back on his elbows, his face tipped to the sky. "They say she fell in love, and her sister of the mist, Aibaelahana, grew very jealous. So after her sister visited her love one night, Aibaelahana made his ship disappear into the vast sea, into the great mist." Sydnee stopped to lick his lips before looking to Bael. "Her sister, Rashahana, was wrought with grief. She ventured after her love, and never found him. And now sailors get lost in the mist, and never find their way because Rashahana is still looking for her love. However some sailors say they've spotted her making her way through the mist, leading them out and disappearing again." He smiled a wry smile. "Perhaps she'll find her love someday."

Bael laughed a loud laugh and then quieted instantly, glancing around at her sleeping comrades. She glanced up at Sydnee, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "and you think you could seduce a goddess, eh?" Bael followed Sydnee's body with her gaze from top to bottom, she scoffed, "You're that confident in your...abilities?"

Sydnee chuckled. "No mistress. I never could seduce a goddess... But I could seduce a woman." He winked and then looked back to the stars. "I've never seen this lady, but perhaps one day the Deliah and I will see her yet."

"Your ship, I gather?" Bael responded quietly, "I hope you live to see her sail again, friend. A word of warning," Bael leaned back on her hands, showing off some of her more womanly aspects and revealing the resting place of the grenade on her hip, "Try and follow up that wink..." Bael cast Sydnee a side long glance, "and you won't."

"It's worked before," Sydnee murmured, looking over her body for a moment before looking back to the stars. "And besides, now is no time for romance. We're all in great danger."

"Romance...danger...what's the difference," added Bael her words edged with a dark humor. The next hour passed in a more comfortable silence, each musing to themselves. As theirs was the last watch the skyline was turning a lighter shade of grey. Clouds tinged with linings of orange and pink hovered above the silhouetted mountains. A bird unfamiliar to Bael began to call in the thick. It's strange song lilting through the cool morning air as mist began to rise from the streams, covering the tree tops in a moist blanket.

The sun was rising over the distant mountaintops. The group packed their equipment and began their travels once again. After a quick breakfast the group was in high spirits to finally visit their first town together. The bargons in their pocket were beginning to burn a whole in their pockets. After half a days journey the warriors enter the township of Jeumod. They were reluctant however to see the Cult of Yeiovan have infested the town.

“We must tred softly here.” Said Nooj, his face turning red at the sight of these heretics. “We are to stay at the Chiefdom Lodge. There are stables ready for the horses also. You are free until the morning. Dismissed!” Nooj turned and walked into town.

In the town of Jeumod you will find a general store, clothing store, armory, and taven. Jeumod Shops

"This place has changed since I was last here" Llyvurn said under his breath, looking around at the people "People used to smile. I've been noticing this lately where I've been going but I wasn't sure if it was because of something or if those areas had always been like that." He looked around as he steered his cart into the stables; once inside he began to busy task of putting stuff away. While usually this was just a normal chore now it was important, theft could not be tolerated right now and he had a feeling leaving his cart in here might mean a few little things get pocketed. Or a few big things. It was a while before he left his cart, and most things had been hidden in secret compartments, apart from the still which was too big and hot to carry away. He stepped out onto the dirt, sighing slightly and deciding that he needed to head into town as well to buy some things

Inkah followed Llyvurn into the stables and dismounted Hren, not liking to leave him alone in unfamiliar places but resigned to the fact that she would have to. She leant her forehead against his muzzle and whispered comfortingly to him, knowing he didn't like the idea either. Backing away from him she pulled her long coat closer around her, "I'll be back soon, Renny. Don't miss me too much." She grinned to the horse before walking out of the stables ever aware of the Yeiovan that loitered the streets.

Taneyr looked around. "I wonder if there is an inn here," he said absently. He hitched his bag up higher and smiled as he spotted a likely looking building. "Ah, yes. Are you coming, Braquis?"

Sydnee walked past Inkah and Llyvurn, his hands in his pockets. He was curious to check out the various shops. He had a feeling that they wouldn't have more opportunities to stop and shop in the future, so he figured it was best to do his shopping then and there instead of regretting it later. He dipped his head and stepped into the doorway of one of the shops.

Nooj Hated for people to call him by his first name, but he complied with the priests wishes. “Aye father.” As he followed the old man, watching his trainees disperse in town.

Caja was about to follow the rest of them into the shops, but when a shopkeeper gave her a dirty look and chased her away with a broom, Cajanic ran after Nooj and Taneyr, convinced she was not safe in the town alone. She wished that Llyvurn had not disappeared so quickly, otherwise she would have followed him.

Llyvurn returned quickly however, holding large armfulls of eggs, ham and rope and frowning in concentration. He tottered along towards his cart, then after another short shuffling around he returned from his cart with a happy sigh, that was a rather easy shopping spree. He glanced around, wondering where everyone had disappeared to, then spotted the inn; it's a place to start at least. Unbeknownst to him he followed after Nooj, Taneyr and Caja towards the inn.

The taven was littered with cult members. The four crusaders squeezed themselves up to the bar. The barkeeper looked down at Caja's filthy body and sneered.

"Her coin is just as good as the rest of ours." Said Nooj eying the barkeeper. "3 ales and a dairy for the lass." Nooj placed 3 bargons on the table and leaned back in his chair.

The barkeeper rushed back with drinks in hand. After handing him their beverages he gave a slight bow and went off to check on his other customers.

Taneyr sat down and looked around the tavern as he took his drink. He noted the cult members but did not stare as the townspeople did. He simply sat there, nursing his ale, and casting a sidelong glance at Nooj.

Drinking the milk in three swallows, Caja amused herself with looking at the people. In a crowd like this, a small theif could often go unnoticed. The cult members looked the most entertaining to her. Since they were in their white robes, she figured they had some coin, even if she had no idea who they were. Sliding from her stool, Caja wandered around the room, doing her level best to go unnoticed, which wasn't too hard. The people here didn't care one way or another. After a few successful passes of the normal patrons, Caja made it to her first cult member. She came up empty, though, and was heavily confused because by the looks of it, the man was drinking the best stuff in the house.

Llyvurn was about to call out to Caja, but noticing her purposeful track through the crowd he rolled his eyes and sighed softly at the girl. It was one of the main reasons he had decided not to haggle earlier, he had the tongue that could leave golden strands in the air after it, he would have easily haggled the man down. But he'd just wanted an unremarkable in and out with few difficulties and a fair price; he'd grab her the next time she came near him but for now he couldn't bring attention to Caja or she'd get caught thieving.

"Little one!" groan Nooj who seemed to have an eye in the back of his head. His voice was stern, knowing they were not in the best of company.

Caja heard Nooj's groan but couldn't held checking one more of the cult members. Her hand ran into a piece of paper and she expertly pulled it free, quickly stashing it deep in the many layers of her clothes before starting back towards the group.

Taneyr leaned a little closer to Nooj when he groaned and shook his head. "Cannot stop her now." He had seemingly come to terms with the quirks of his companions.

"OI!" cried one of the cult members. "That little rat lifted my papers!" In an instant the remaining cult members began to encircle the small group.

Nooj sighed. "One drink in. Father...bard. Stay close." Nooj was all to familar with whatwas about to happen.

The arm found Caja in a second and dragged her to Llyvurn's side, the man suddenly looked rather... stern, fatherly, commanding. "Lass!" he was using that booming tone that he managed to pull off, the one that cut over others and seemed impressive "What have I told you about this way of life? We took you from the streets to teach you better ways to live than this petty theiving. Now" his hand was hard on her shoulder, actually hard, Llyvurn hope he didn't spook the girl "give the man his papers back now and apologise as we have taught you." He looked up at the man she'd stolen from and gave a solemn nod "I'm sorry, I lost track of her in the crowd. There are too many of these children who have had to fight for themselves all these years, I am doing my bit but I am finding this one much more difficult than others."

---

Sydee tipped his hat over his eyes to shield them from the sun as he left the weapons shop. He once again shoved his hands into his pockets and looked left to right, deciding just where to go next.

Inkah wandered out after him, still filled with confusion, "How did you do that? She looked almost like she was going to eat me, then you wander in and she's like butter. How?" Her actions were almost as dramatic as her speech was but she didn't much care, she was amazed at how easily the discounted price had come to him.

Sydnee chuckled. "It's helpful to have a pretty face and a sad story when bartering with ladies," he explained, then added, "You should try sweet-talking a man sometime. I'm sure it'd have a... similar affect."

"I'm not sure I quite have the same talent as you..." Inkah shook her head, smiling lightly, "I'm afraid I have to leave you to your own company now, Hren may be getting restless." She nodded her head as a form of good bye before turning toward the stables.

"Lad these men don't play games." said Nooj, he glared at the one Caja stole from and with a smirk boasted, "In fact their not even men at all."

A fist was thrown through the crowd and connected with Nooj's face, knocking him back slightly. Chaos was unavoidable at this point and an all out tavern brawl began.

Nooj collected himself and with bull strengh pushed back almost six men. "GET THAT GIRL OUT OF HERE!" he cried as he tried with all his might to keep the gap open long enough for the pair to escape.

One of the cult members broke loose from the rest of the pack. Taneyr grabbed the man and hurled him bodily over the heads of the rest. Despite his apparent age, the priest was holding his own against the men. He glanced back at Llyvurn long enough to say, "Get going!" before engaging one more that had broken loose.

"Well it was worth a try" Llyvurn said, hauling Caja up over his shoulder and trying to sprint for the door. He was stopped by a confidently grinning cult member wielding a piece of broken bottle. They both reacted at the same time, the man stabbed forward towards Llyvurn's stomach with the glass as the bard did what he did best, lash out with whatever he had at hand that wasn't Caja. Both blows met, one person staggered back in pain, it wasn't Llyvurn. The drink might not have been the best for consumption but it worked wonderfully to blind an attacker and sting the fresh mug shaped wounds in the man's face. Llyvurn took the oppertunity and ran towards the door, hoping to the Gods that he managed to drag Caja out before someone else pounced forward.

Hearing the uproar from the stables Inkah grabbed a her lance from Hren's saddle and ran to the tavern; she had a sneaking, sinking suspicion that she would need it. Pulling the door open her eyes were met first with Llyvurn and then Caja as they hurried forward. With one end of the lance she kept the door open, the other was pointed at the cult members. "You even think of touching them..."

Caja finally managed to break loose of Llyvurn's grip and hit the ground running. She dove underneath Inkah's legs, running out the door. Her feet carried her as fast as she could go down the path, running in the direction of Binbma without her group. She had food, she had coin, right now, she just wanted to get away. A cult member managed to catch her foot before she got too far, though, and she whipped out her dagger, stabbing the man in the face before he let go and she ran straight out of the town at full speed.

Taneyr, on the other hand, was deep in the melee. He was brandishing two poles that had come from the bar stool. The old priest was surrounded in unconcious bodies of cult members and townspeople alike, all who had turned and attempted to attack the small group. He had a growing bruise on his side, though, where the stool had originally made contact with him and shatttered, and he knew it was going to cause some pain later on. It was a damn good thing he was a healer.

Sydnee mumbled a curse under his breath and ran for the tavern. "What the hell is going on here?" He growled to Inkah as he passed her and pulled his pistol from its place in the holder on his leg. He entered the tavern and shot one shot into the air, causing multiple gasps and looks of shock to come across people's faces. Smoke gathered at the pistol's tip, and he slowly drew his arm back to his side before extending it to some of the cult members. "Now, unless you would like a nice hole in your face, you'll kindly back up and lower your weapons."

"Dammit dammit dammit" Llyvurn said, dodging around Inkah as well with a soft "Scuse" as he moved around her. He wasn't going to let the girl just belt for it, but she was a lot faster than he was. He found himself catching up slightly as the cult member caught her foot, but she was soon running out of town... and he was heading right after her. It probably wasn't the wisest thing to do, the only thing he actually had on him right now was the money and the mug still clutched tight in his fist. The others would look after his things he was sure, but that was only if it took a while for him to catch Caja.

"Silly boy, guns are for girls," Bael whispered in Sydnee's ear as she came up behind him. The noise from the Tavern brawl had woken her from the glorious nap she had been enjoying in Llyvurn's cart. The crowd was beginning to grow restless again and dangerous glances were cast toward the crusaders. A mug flew from the back of the tavern and crashed Taneyr's feet throwing the pub back into chaos. Without hesitation Bael jumped into the thick of the crowd disappearing from Sydnee's view. Leaping over fallen chairs and ducking as random limbs swung at her head and various other body parts Bael managed to clamor onto a table. Standing she pressed two fingers to her mouth and whistled sharply. Unhitching one of the three grenades from her hip she lifted it into the air above her head. The crowd instantly grew silent. Gazing up at her as she pointed her flintlock down at the crowd and turned in a circle on the table, her grey eyes blazing. "Now ladies and stupid gits," she began with a hiss, "For those of you that are unaware of what I'm holding in my hand, it's a highly dangerous explosive known as a grenade. Now..." Bael jumped down from the table and instantly the crowd around her shifted so that she had a wide range around her. As she moved toward the door a path cleared in the crowd, "you are going to let my friends and I leave, without a fuss." Bael cocked her head toward the door, gesturing for the other crusaders to high tail it out of there as fast as possible.

The sight of Bael holding a grenade made Nooj quite uneasy. He grabbed Taneyr and quickly walked out of the tavern.

Inkah followed out after them, moving backwards and keeping the sharp end of her lance towards the cult members. Once outside she looked to Nooj, "What now?"

Taneyr allowed himself to be pulled from the tavern. He immediately rushed to the stables, expecting to see Llyvurn preparing the horse. Not seeing him made Taneyr a bit nervous, so he quickly pulled the horse away from the oats and attached it to the cart. Taneyr hated carts, but he would get this one underway as quickly as possible. He threw everything he could find of the crusader's into the back of the cart and got it out to the main path. Robir was in fine spirits after his snack and complied to Taneyr's wishes and they were soon headed down the path. Taneyr stopped the cart long enough to tell Nooj, "I am going on ahead. If you see Llyvurn, tell him I have the cart and all our things. Get out of here as soon as possible." He headed down the path, in the same direction Caja and Llyvurn had gone earlier.

Nooj acknowledged Taneyer as he rode off then looked around at the group. "Load up and let’s move out. The air here is too thick with the smell of kuiducc_{goat ass}. We leave in 10 minutes!"

Bael gripped Sydnee's wrist tightly and backed out of the Tavern. "If any of you follow us within the next few minutes...I promise, a building in this town will fall. You will let us leave," Bael cast a sharp glance at the facess in the crowd, "Close the door." she commanded the bar tender, who leapt over the counter and did as he was told. Bael pulled Sydnee into an alley near the stables and pressed her back against the wall taking a deep gasp of a breath. Closing her eyes and breathing out she flashed the pirate a grin, "Alright...let's get the hell out of here!"

Feeling intoxicated from the excitement of battle, Sydnee laughed and threw his head back. He bit his lip for a moment and then ran after Bael. He had never thought he could have so much fun on land. He slipped his gun back to his holster, and looked ahead.

Running into the stables, Inkah leapt lithely onto Hren's back and steered him out of the stable. She looked to the weapon shop and bit her lip, it hadn't been nearly eight hours and her sword wouldn't be ready. She breathed a low curse before her eyes caught sight of a lone Yeiovan heading toward the tavern. With a wry smile she rode towards him, pressing the tip of her lance on his neck before he even noticed she was there, "Your sword or your life. Choice is yours." He growled at her but reliquished his sword regardless, prefering to lose a weapon than to die, "Many thanks." After the words were uttered Inkah slammed the hilt into his head, rendering him unconcious. "Hyah!" She yelled the command as Hren sped after Taneyr.

The group left Jeumod in broken spirits. The Cult of Yeiovan proved to be too much at this point. After a day and a half worth of traveling they made it to Binbma.

---

_{The Crusaders Ballad | Zenenicel's Temple | Traveling to Binbma}