[pnpgm] Game Update #2 - File #4 - Ki'ama holds his meeting..

[Wout Broere]

#1: Either style is fine by me.

Unali remains silent and pensive for a while and then speaks up:

"My Katai is a large and populated country, but with so many in the 
cities, there is still a lot of open land, wild and untamed, where you 
may find no one or just a few farmers. Still, it is not a land that we 
could travel unnoticed.

As a band of merry entertainers, we would need to draw a lot of 
attention to ourselves and stop at all towns and cities to make our 
cover believable. Travel would be slow and it would be hard to disappear 
suddenly as word of our coming would travel ahead.

As a merchant caravan we would draw less attention of the farmers and 
citizens, but a lot more from the town guards and tariff masters. 
Especially coming from the north, where there is only Chosai to enter 
from by road. Only if the contact is in northern most Katai the road 
would be the best way.

In both cases we would have to travel over the plains of the Sarghut or 
the forest of the Kll'maun. Both kill first and ask question ... not at all.

We might pose as a escort for a minor noble from Marentia or its 
neighbouring countries who is coming in search of exotic goods and 
treasure. There are many fine silks, furs and jewels to be bought in the 
cities and such visits are infrequent but not unheard of. Of course, 
such a noble would arrive from the south, and most likely by ship.

That would mean we need to find a captain who is willing and capable of 
transporting all of us. I miss Damon sorely now. He would know how to 
trnaport us and all our 'items' with little risk. But, it will give me a 
chance to polish up my seamanship. We could land at or near some of the 
coastal cities and get information. Possible a ship could even travel 
some way up the larger rivers and we could easily find places to get 
ashore with little fuzz.

I would also like to learn some of these skills of placing merchandise 
where it will not be found. Together with the spell Kiet is talking for 
making magic disappear from sight, we should be able to bring our items 
along. That would save Chion the mana expenditure. I fear that we will 
need all the power we can against the treat of the grays.

My vote is we travel to the sea and find a ship. We could even buy a 
ship with the profit from the castle alone.

As for cover story, we need a noble.
Chion does not look exotic enough by far for these lands. He could pose 
as the local guide. He will be happy to know he brought his 'wife' 
along. /Don't get any funny ideas./  Ben'dar, Caladan and Farseeker are 
the obvious body guards. We have personal entertainers and bards, Kiet 
and Strie'bog. The personal healer Z'leyra. A female companion, Fremea, 
who would probably be kept out of sight of sailors and city guards, as 
she is too pretty for their own good.
Chion is the seaman hired to come along as he knows their ways. Arawn 
would be the noble. I am sure he can pull off the required aloofness. 
Raban would better pose as a warrior than a bard, bit both could do. 
Kell is the friend or merchant who travels along as companion and will 
do the trading as he is skilled in the ways of traders.

Now we need to find out more about where we need to go."