10-18 Eleint, 1493
❧High Road Road Crew Caravan
Morning
For today, we were ordered to scout along High Road, ahead of the caravan. We passed out our communication gems and climbed up on our horses. Well, Lhel walked on foot, but the rest of us rode horses.
After a while, we heard the sounds of battle and came across a wagon under attack by about a dozen bullywugs. There were 3 humans trying to guard the wagon and its gnome driver. The gnome looked unharmed but the humans were in pretty bad shape.
After a quick agreement via the gems, we rushed in to help. Lhel beat us all there. Do you think the horses felt self-conscious about being slower than a human? They were well-trained horses and stayed nearby throughout the fight. I tied mine off on a tree and joined the ground battle while the others used range attacks. Ultimately, we managed to save the wagon and the gnome, but the humans did not survive their wounds.
We checked the bodies for pulses and loot. We did get some armor, spears, and longsword but almost no money. Since the guards were humans from Waterdeep, we decided to preserve their bodies so that the caravan master could make sure they were returned to their families. Then, we turned our focus on the gnome.
Demdoo Bagman… something Delmes (Demdoo Banbagysk Gaadwi Didle Delmes), was on a service for the church in Waterdeep to help the wagon reach the road crew caravan. There were tools and other building supplies in the wagon (you know we checked!) and he seemed honest enough. He did also help Kalama preserve the guards’ bodies. We decided it would be best to wait with him until the caravan caught up.
I don’t know what prompted it, but at one point he declared, quite sarcastically, “Thank you for being respectful of my fellows’ bodies while stripping their bodies. Lathender smiles upon you.” That’s the deity that Lhel is always praying to, I think.
Anyway, when the caravan caught up, the caravan leader wasn’t happy that we were just standing around. We explained what happened and he seemed exasperated with us. He agreed to take the wagon of supplies, but he refused the gnome claiming he was our responsibility now! Then, he gave a pony to Demdoo and told us to get back out scouting.
❧Caravan nightly camp, 5 days from the Road Camp
Night
On this particular night, Kalama was on the first watch, Lhel was second and I was third. During Kalama’s watch, there was a loud bang and a bright flash of light. Someone had thrown something into our campfire that exploded! It not only woke us but everyone in the tents around us.
The caravan master came stomping up to us and demanded to know why we were lighting fireworks in the middle of his camp! We didn’t do it! We tried to convince him that it wasn’t our fault, but he sure didn’t seem happy with us at all. He told us to stop causing trouble or he’d kick us out of the caravan!