We decided to split up to increase our chances at getting useful information about the cultists. Fynn, Kaiya and Shan decided to travel as traders and dressed up their car in bright colors. The dwarf Thoredim and Posmet meanwhile applied as bodyguards with Zardan Barmur, the boss of the Triboar Traveller who got them a job with an arrogant elven lady named Edherly Lewel, trading in precious woods. After some negotiation, Posmet was hired as personal bodyguard for 10 Gold per week while Thoredim, due to her apparent dislike of dwarves, was only offered half the salary as general guard.
While everyone among the 20-30 people is waiting for the caravan to leave, Shan sniffs around for a familiar smell of cultists (and food) and picks up a weird metallic smell from a bunch of suspiciously covered carts.
Fynn does what Fynn does best and chats up everyone in the vicinity, meeting a very chatty dwarven lady. She points out a halfling named Erin, an old woman that makes Fynn feel weirdly suspicious. There is also a gnome named Jemna Gleamsilver who is on a self-discovery-tour.
It gets afternoon before the caravan finally sets out. At the last minute, a big human dressed all in red named Jos arrives.
The people on the wagons with the weird metallic smell keep to themselves and seem a little suspicious to us.
As we set up camp in the evening, Fynn begins to play some music and is joined by La Fero “The Silent” who knows all of Fynns songs, even the “I like red dragons…” song. When questioned where he knows it from, he points to the guards of the covered wagons.
When Fynn an Thoredim meet at the ale wagon, they chat about the suspicious wagons while Fynn slightly places the electrum ale mug back in Thoredims hands.
It will not remain there for long because the group comes up with a plan to find out the contents of said cars: Posmet casts invisibility on Kaiya who places the ale mug in the back of the wagon with a handle sticking out.
Fynn and Thoredim then raise some attention and go over to the group of suspected cultists and accuse them of stealing. When Thoredim opens the tarp and – after some back and forth – one of the wooden boxes inside, they find nothing but cured meats. Poking around in them with the crowbar achieves nothing but making sure they will become friends on this trip.
After we called it a night, two more travelers arrived and politely asked to join the caravan, Arietta and Celina.