Late evening, at the White Ravens. The party has decided to hire a senior scout, Denneth Fa'ool, and a drover, Bish Nelfyn. Denneth is a tall muscular male Human with olive skin and dark eyes, salt and pepper hair in a long braid, mid-fifties, originally from Dalkesh. Bish is male Halfling who is constantly jovial, with tousled brown hair and a goatee.
While having dinner at The Spurs, Askelon receives a Sending from Kenryst Gelarhun. Askelon tells the party that a crew of six have arrived in Burzyn looking for them. A paladin, knight, bard, rogue, barbarian ranger, and warlock.
Faelon hands over a jar of rubble from the Laranian Temple to Askelon. "Askelon, you still collect, yes?" Askelon seems nonplussed. "Thanks, yeah, I am. Thanks."
Faelon visits Weyliri, but it is the wrong time of the month for her. He tells her the team is leaving in the morning.
Larane 2
The party awakens before mornbell. Breakfast. During morning prayers, Hjalgrimm tells the sword that we are travelling today and will likely be gathering more souls soon. During breakfast, Denneth and Bish arrive. They pay for some breakfast. Ardail Falesh gets more money, 5pp from Hjalgrimm, asks the Dwarf to give one to the stablehands. Weyliri arrives, announces she will travel with you for the next leg.
The party leaves Tashal via Ternua gate and travels north around the east side. They split up at the south side of Artoen so Askelon and Hjalgrimm can pick up Escorsen. The Demilich complains briefly about not getting notice, but quickly has his undead assistants pack up his books and materials. He has them carry his reliquary to the entrance room, then he sets up the traps and creates an illusion of a wall covering the hallway opening. He jumps into his box and closes it, then Askelon locks it and puts it into Escorsen's Bag of Holding. Askelon and Hjalgrimm hurry to catch up with the rest of the party.
As they leave Tashal the environment is pastures and fields. They pass through Holdan (FM), across a small bridge into Touvant (FM) with picturesque woods to the west. They pass through Gramant (FM) before entering Heru with its keep sitting at the confluence of the small Gexel River and the Shem river (almost as wide and deep as the Kald River). A new stone bridge crosses the Shem and the party passes through a toll house into Antiven (FM). From there the Fur Road runs northwest along the northern banks of the Kald river, and crops and pastures are replaced with fields and meadows, a half hour jaunt through a marshy area, and more meadows.
Just on the other side of the marsh the party stops for lunch. Bish backs his cart up next to a firepit and begins unfolding and pulling out shelves. He gathers some fresh water from the nearby stream connecting to the Kald, builds a fire, puts a kettle over the fire, adds the water and several ingredients, and within fifteen minutes there is a delicious aroma wafting over the group. The party enjoys their lunch and rest and resumes their journey.
As they resume travel, hills are becoming more prominent as the road slopes gently upward to the northwest. It is late afternoon when the party spots croplands surrounding the village of Airth (FM) where the Murina river empties into the Kald. By sunset the party arrives at Ovendel (FM), having travelled through forests. A peak rises sharply to the west of the Kald. The party arrives in Ovendell.
They decide to stay at the Mermaid & Werewolf Alehouse. It is busy, mostly with travelers and merchants. There is some entertainment, and Weyliri and Noctis join in. Noctis is getting much better with his playing. Bish tells the party his Ostler friend here is named Bysshe. Giggles.
During dinner, Askelon receives more Kenryst sendings.
Later in his room, Askelon transcribes Summon Undead (Nat 20, so materials for only one level are consumed) .
Larane 3
The party has breakfast and returns to the road. The road from Ovendel to Olokand is almost due north. After a brief trip through woods and alongside the Myaman stream the party enters the agricultural surroundings of Nelefayn Hundred. They pass through Miradel (FM), Greaven (FM), Lindel (M), Nevanfal (HM), across the Leber River, where the Fur Road once again joins the banks of the mighty Kald. They travel along the river through Leberand (M), Palentas (FM), and Alakenos (FM), before arriving in Tentru (FM). A large stone bridge takes the party over the Kald and through a toll house into Olokand.
The Elendsa bridge crossing the Kald river from Tentru to Olokand is impressive - a stone span 12' wide and over 200' long. As they approach Olokand on the west bank the view is imposing. A two story twin tower stone gatehouse stands at the end of the bridge, with the castle walls extending hundreds of feet north along the river bank and a few dozen feet south. Caer Olokand rises up at least five stories behind the gatehouse, with a wooden lookout tower extending another two stories beyond that. They can see the town of Olokand spreading out south of the castle.
Once the party passes through the tollhouse inside the gatehouse they can see several rows of buildings in the town, and just beyond one row stands a large three-story building with a fenced in yard. It looks quite new, and you can count five chimneys, plus several other buildings in the compound. Tenktovie tells the party that is the Standing Bear.
Tenktovie explained that Olokand has three inns - the Standing Bear, the Kald and Castle, and the Amber Inn. When the festival season arrives the town ranks will be swollen, and lodging is twice its normal cost, if you can find it at all. The Standing Bear is by far the most luxurious, and expensive. A room will be available to house a group as large as the party, but it is a single room with multiple very nice beds and with a fireplace. It will cost 2gp person per night for a private room. Food and drink are extra, as is the bath tent. The Kald and Castle tends to attract the merchant class and has excellent food (and women). The Amber Inn caters more to the laborers and is run by a Jarin from Orbaal.
Given the late hour and few shops open, if any, the party heads to the Standing Bear. They find it already crowded, but secure a couple of tables. Almost immediately Tenktovie approaches a tall blond woman who appears to be in charge. Hjalgrimm and Faelon manage to pick up that he is asking her if she knows where he can find Misha Pravda. The lady asks "Who's asking?" and Tenktovie responds "Her brother." She tells him that she is staying at Meselyne Music in the center of town. He thanks her and tells the party he will be back later tonight.
The party secures rooms and some dinner.
While the party are settling in to dinner, Weyliri decides to head for the stage to do some entertaining. Noctis joins her. While she is predictably good, enthralling the crowd with Sindarin sagas, Noctis is off the charts with his ocarina. He seems to completely meld into the tapestry woven by the Halean priestess. They actually made some decent coins from donations from the audience.