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Lucretia and Larz dig using the shovels as Serena and Balnor help gathers stones from nearby. The others hitch a couple of horses to the second wagon, (a difficult operation because of the dead horses that needed to be unhitched and dragged away first!). By the time the wagons start to move out, the shallow grave is nearly complete, and the four remaining take only another ten minutes to carry the bodies to the newly created muddy ditch and lay them inside. Larz mutters some prayers in dwarvish, and then the four of them scrape the mud and stones over the top of the makeshift grave.

Wiping the mud from them as best they can, the four mount up and ride after the slower moving wagons. Twenty minutes later and the party is re-united, and back on route for Nesme. The road surface continues to be made from the strangely uniformly shaped stone, and the wagons roll easily along it.

After about an hour, the rain storm stops almost as quickly as it had started. The sun comes out briefly, but the party fail to regain the mood they had when they had set out in the morning.

***

The rest of the afternoon wears on, and as the sky is just starting to darken, that the group see a large armed caravan ahead, it's 10 wagons already parked up for the night. A voice hails a greeting, and a couple of figures step forward from the circle of wagons to meet the party as they approach.

One of them is a broad shouldered man of middle years, his face creased and tanned with the colour of one who spends most of his life on the road. The other is younger, but with similar facial features - possibly related.

"Well met Travellers!" says the older man as soon as the party get close enough to hear. "Care to share our camp?"

The members of the caravan welcome the party into their camp. They appear friendly and offer sympathy to the group, seeing that several of "The Unknowns" are blood splattered and show the signs of recent injuries. A priest of Waukeen (OOC: an excuse for you to go to my web-site and look up the info on the Gods!) appears, and nods to the man and his son, who appear to be the caravan leaders. The party get the feeling that they have somehow been "vetted" and passed judgement.

Their leader introduces himself as Gerard, and his son Kalvin. He is a seasoned traveller, and well aware of the perils of travelling in this region. Looking around his camp, the party can see what looks like at least 10 armed men, all with bows as well as swords, and he mentions in passing that he has some form of magical defences as well, though he does not elaborate.

As the story about the massacred traders is told, Gerard approves of the party. "Tis better that the goods don't go to them barbarian scum!" he snorts. "I know Ebon Escalde" he says, "and he will be pleased to receive those goods, as I know he is running out!" He shakes his head sadly. "A great shame about Klondar. I knew the name, but never traded with them myself. Family outfit as I recall."

Hearing that one of the members had escaped, Gerard offers to make enquiries when he reaches Longsaddle. "The survivor will be glad to hear that his dead comrades have been honourably laid to rest, and pleased to hear that they didn't die in vain - since the shipment is likely to make the journey after all!"

***

The camp is relatively quick to set up, and the evening is spent swapping tales with the members of the other caravan, preparing food and repairing the various new rents and holes that have appeared in some of the party's armour.

Larz offers to Gerard for the Unknowns to help with the "night watches", but Gerard waves the help away. "You have been through battle, and need your sleep!" he declares. "Rest safe here tonight, for you will have to watch your own backs on the remainder of your journey!"

The night passes uneventfully.

As a grey and miserable dawn arrives, the caravan and it's guests awake and start to get their things together. Stiff and cold, the party go through their usual routine. The warriors warm themselves up, whilst the more learned members of the group sit quietly with a hot drink and study their books or pray to their gods.

***
OOC: If you want to do any specific things at this point - either conversation with the NPCs of the caravan, or casting of spells etc, then please do post them retrospectively and I'll post a response. If a lengthy conversation is entered into, then consider the following postponed. If no one wants to do anything else, then the following can take place.
***

Finally the two groups are ready to depart, and say their farewells.

"Take care, particularly at night!" warns Gerard. "For the most part, the river keeps the Trolls of the Evermoors at bay, but there are the odd one or two that have found their way this side of it, and they mostly move at night". He nods at the two half-elves and the dwarf. "At least you've got some with good night vision!" he comments, "though fire is your best friend. Make sure you have a good fire going each night and plenty of firewood. It'll help keep them away since, if they fear anything at all, they fear fire."

So saying, he mounts his own horse and bids the party farewell, turning to ride after the wagons that are slowly moving off.

The party get themselves together and likewise start to move their two wagons out.