On A Knife Edge

Chapter 17: Cabin in the Woods

The party woke up the next morning and met in the main tavern room and ordered breakfast. After a quick breakfast the party swung through the merchant district to buy some basic supplies and then turned towards the town's eastern gates.

"Okay guys we need to get heading out. There is really no time to waste." Lucian said.

"I really don't want to walk that far again, " Rory said with disdain. "Can we try and find some transportation to at least get up part of the way there?"

"Agreed Rory." Lucian said.

The party searched around the market district to see if any of the merchants that were starting to pack up were heading east. As they were asking around it just so happened that there was a red bearded dwarf that was packing up with his cart facing the east.

"Ah yes, the adventurers league dwarf." Kainith pointed at the dwarf. "Let's go ask him if he is leaving. Lucian, you got along with him. How about you ask?" Kainith pushed.

Lucian nodded and started walking over to the dwarf and with a wave got the dwarfs attention.

""Hello sir!" The dwarf exclaimed. "If you're looking to shop I'm sorry I'm just finishing packing up so I can't really get to any of my stuff."

"No, We aren't looking to shop. We..." Lucian gestured to his band of adventurers. "...can't help but notice you are looking like you're going out of the east gates. I don't suppose you are heading east?" Lucian asked.

"Why do you want to know?" The dwarf asked with suspicion.

"We need to head east to a crossroads and we really don't want to spend days walking again." Rory continued to gush. "Honestly when you decide to become an adventurer no one tells you about all of the walking."

A smile now forms on the dwarfs face. "Well I am going east to a new digsite. I suppose I can take you part of the way. I will need some form of payment. I'm not in the business of given' things away for free."

"Deal" Rory said as he crawled in the back of the wagon pushing merchandise aside. "Rance, pay the man. Let's get going."

Rance with a sigh pulled four gold pieces out of his pouch and gave the dwarf the pieces. "Four gold. Hopefully this is enough? One gold per person."

The dwarf happily turned to the gold and said, "Oh I think this will do." He grabbed the gold. "I guess I'll introduce myself since it seems like we're gonna get to know each other on this trek." The dwarf reached out his hand to Rance. "Names Hakket. Dwarf of the Explorers League."

The whole party took turns shaking the dwarfs hand. Rance and Lucian climbed into the back of the wagon with the dwarfs' merchandise while Kainith sat up front by the horses with Hakket. Hakket and the crew set out from the town of Rivens eastern gate towards the crossroad mentioned by Elara.

The journey towards the Whispering Woods was a stark contrast to the harsh desert they had just a few days earlier traversed. As they continued on the pathway Kainith started making conversation with Hakket while the rest of the party started bickering in the back of the cart over another tall tale Rory was telling.

"So Hakket, The Explorers League, that's pretty impressive. What are you doing just hawking wares in some small town?" Kainith asked.

"Well the League has to make money too. This time I was the designated merchant. We all take turns and split into markets all over Archanella." The dwarf answered.

"That makes sense." Kainith mused. "So where are you off to? You said digsite. Anything major or just more old relics."

When Kainith said this the swarf got a smile on his face. He leaned in and said in a conspiratorial whisper. "You know all that purple metal all over Archanella? Well, we might have found a still mostly intact village buried by layers of soil and rock. That's where I'm headed now. We are hoping to find more information on the precursors. Or at least that's what we are calling it."