A Feast of Fishes
Seventeenth Day of Ashinu-ezna (Ashinu Ascendant) 1348 A. L. (After Landfall)
Twas a strange sight, almost as if seen in a dream. Dozens and scores of otters, dark pelted and bright eyed sitting around polished stone tables, listening with rapt attention to the tale of your adventure in the woods of Lirman. From the time you heard the cry of the Boar-folk to the first meeting with the dark fey and its failed curse to the confrontation with the enchanter and the final ambush as you passed into the deeper woods.
Though you are far indeed from a bard they seem to love the tale, gasping and cheering at all the right times, especially the pups of which there seem to be quite a few here tonight, a show of trust to strangers they knew nothing of. You had not even been asked to disarm as is customary for feasts, but then there is very little that is customary about this feast. Fish of course make up the heart of it, herring and tuna and great stacks of anchovies still crackling from the fire, but there were roots as well of every sort one might find in these woods and leaves of mint and juniper cast upon them all. Over in the corner you spy eggs set as if in the bird's nest, though after Nico had tried one the rest of your men steer clear. Unlike the fish and roots they are not boiled or cooked in any way, though that is not to say your hosts scarf them down without care or decorum. They use carefully sharpened skewers to make a hole in the shells and drink the contents.
About the only thing that is missing is any sort of drink other than water in bowls of polished stone. Then again, given how precarious first impressions can be, it is perhaps best that you can all approach them with a clear head, for certain it does not seem to have lessened the merriment of the Otter-kin.
They do not seem to have among themselves any rank besides the Voice for questions come quick and thick such that if they were spoken with words you would doubtless not be able to answer all of them.
Why were the tree-men important? How did you know which path to follow? Why would anyone as big and strong as a boar have to build shelter in summer? And that is not even getting into the questions the pups are wont to ask.
What's a king and why would you listen to them? What's a god and why won't they just talk plain to your face? You are very glad Inge answered those ones.
But among the storm of questions some are spoken with a deeper purpose, the timber of the mind graver.
Why go against allies-pledged for strangers and who was Ohun Greenbelt to you?
"I cannot abide those who slay helpless folk for naught but their own gain, and if the price of stopping that is losing an ally then I am well rid of him. I had hoped that their lord would see sense, but as he did not..." you shrug. "The world is a wide place and better allies can be found in it, for certain I had not expected to find such fine company when set upon the shore to hunt yet here we all are." The words might be flattery, but they are no less true for it.
There is a brief lull in the call of many minds and then the Great Voice, him of the silver whiskers and deep green eyes, asks.
"You fight for Green Belt man because he paid good, yes? Task to make bright deep-stone to make weapons to fight better? Would you take other payment too? Fish, sharp making stones, smooth bright river stones?"
Only a fool would miss the plea unspoken, the otter-folk have some need of warriors, yet little to pay them with, yet what need that might be you do not know. They seem here rich in all they need to live and their folk are for the most part untroubled and happy to hear tales of far off lands. If there is a danger it is only a few now.
What do you reply?
[] You would fight not only for pay but for a good cause also
[] You do need supplies, fish and other fruits of the land and sea
[] Write in
OOC: Every otter here appears to be telepathic and telepathy has an easier time getting meaning across then language, so you can have six otter pups asking related questions and you get them in a bundle which you can then reply to in one go, at least once you get used to it. 
