Into the Press
12th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
"We can make it better Cob! With more magic..."
"And more materials, all we had back there was rock."
"And we can build it to be able to stand up to the sea, not just the river."
"Maybe even the ocean."
If any of the citizens of Cassomir wandering by
Admiral's Fen are surprised to see a hooded man and what is clearly some kind of magician tripping over each other's words to reassure a despondent goblin whose ears were
just starting to perk up again, they do not show it over much. Mayhap because here on the trade route that links Highhelm and the sea they have learned not to meddle with dwarves lugging small heavy boxes unmarked by any seal. Maybe its the sight of what's obviously a noble of a more martial bent in need of a shave and a wash in something other than river water, and thus assumed to be in an ill-mood, or maybe its the enormous horned frog following alone, festooned with baggage.
It's probably the giant frog.
"Maybe we should get something sweet to celebrate the journey's end," Mina says, looking around for some kind of confectionery stand and finding none in spite of the omnipresent sweet, almost floral, scent in the air.
"Ach, lass, I wouldn't advise it," Urgor laughs. "The Taldan Emperor takes a dim view to foreigners licking his ships, I hear."
"
Ships?" she asks bemused.
"It's the tar they use hereabouts, made from blackwood sap that comes down from the southern Verduran. It's part of the reason why the Taldans made a deal with the druids."
"Couldn't they just farm the stuff?" Leontas asks, having fallen in line with the rest of you. Until you sell off the adamntine the agreement forged in Gavhaul's blood still holds.
"Maybe they could, but why go to the trouble when the druids can do it for them?" The dwarf shrugs then points ahead. "That looks like a likely enough tavern for the lot of us."
The large weater-beaten building sporting a colorful yellow and green roof resembles a stout keg of ale about as well as brick and mortar can manage, leaving you not the least surprised for being able to read the lettering on the sign in dwarvish:
Kegfoot's Arms.
One would think travelers would be more interested in Kegfoot's foot, you think amused.
On the one hand, dwarvish lodgings are likely to set you back more than anything short of noble fine dining, on the other they are also the most likely to respond with axes at the door to any Aspis goons unhappy at the caravan making it to its destination without the man who commissioned it and in the care of its former guards. If you had not been traveling with a score and more dwarves who would sooner dip their heads in whale oil and stand in for candles than lie about their names you might have tried to weave some lie about where you came. As is, Pisca had been curt with the harbormaster and not a little overbearing to his assistant such that both were glad to see the back of you and your cargo.
To be honest, you are just glad for a bed that doesn't sway, but there's still more to be done to turn metal and treasures into gold that you can spend, and to earn all the goodwill you can for the parts of the journey you wish known while avoiding those that aught to stay silent.
Party Gains 2,114 EXP from the Encounter with the Scorpion's Sting and Reaching Cassomir
[] Escort Marik the Masterful and Tarik the Wise to their new, temporary home in the rather ominously named 'Swift Prison'
[] Join Urgor in getting the adamantine certified and prepared for reforging
[] Visit the local lodge to recieve your reward from the Pathfiners, return the mirror, and catch up on news
[] Look through the markets, Cassomir is second only to Opara in all of Taldor. Merchants from as far north as the Lands of the Linorm Kings and as far south as Khatapesh can be found here
[] Try to help Sir Pisca drink the alchemical fluids somewhat safely, the man has been as good as his word and it would be useful to have a living contact in the rarefied circles of Taldan nobility going forward
[] Keep an ear out for the Consortium, they will no doubt hear of your arrival sooner rather than later
[] Write in
OOC: You can split up the party to do more of this. Also I will be traveling for most of the day Sunday so the update will be late or might be delayed for the next day. I'll see what I can do. 
