What To Expect?

Joint Post with Jaxx, red_sword7, Zeeke, Winteroak, and Omni

When Wolf had called for a rest, the Arbiter had to agree. They had been on the move now for a few hours and a short rest seemed most welcoming.

The party found a dry spot to gather, start a fire, and take rations. Turning to the soldiers, she asked, "Tell me, sirs. What exactly was your experience with the natives? Are they temperamental? Do you expect any issues?"

Jab and Rash, the two older soldiers assigned to them looked at one another. The men were clearly related. The older of the two looked at Voah and replied. "We've traded a blind bit wi' a couple o' de smaller tribes around de forests o' de city, before, Arbiter." Jab said stoking the fire in front of them.

"Dee can be, as yous put it temperamental, if dee feel disrespected." Rash added mumbling not looking Voah in the eye. "And dee dun like us kind too much."

The Arbiter, insightful on the subtleties of non-verbal communication, could tell that Rash was either awed or intimidated by her. That was good. It was hard to garner such respect from men, especially those with little piety.

"Go on, sir." She said gently. "Do we have some idea of what happened to disrespect them, besides the obvious fact that we are intruding on a land that they call home?"

Jab and Rash looked at each other. "Well, ya see Arbiter, few munths after we got e'yer some o' de lads gota bit carried away and tewk a couple o' native lasses fe sport, if yous take mah meanin..." the older of the two started. " Sir Zane gave dee th'eads of them lads but..." he paused looking to the flames. "Some o' de tribes won't deal wi' us now. Wil murder us on sight." Rash finished.

"Right... Well..." she said aloud; in her head she was thinking 'That figures, wonder what else the Duke and Zane failed to mention'. "Would you know the tribe they disrespected if you saw them?" she continued.

Wim leaned back against a tree covered in his cloak and the hand me down leather armor he was wearing. He was given a bow and a quiver full of arrows after he proved that he could shoot one. he also had his sword strapped to his hip. In his hand he was practicing palming coins, making one, then two, the three disappear and reappear in different sequences.

Wim thought to himself, there are ways of doing that and many ways not to do that type of activity. For all his faults, Wim actually enjoyed being in the company of women. What man does not wish to be seen as a hero in the eyes of an attractive woman?

“Relations can be repaired,” he said shifting then standing up. “We just need to figure out what is important to them and look for common ground to start from,” he said hoping his chin was not going to be the starting point.
“Family seems to be one thing,” he said.

"Pretty 'ard ter tell dem apart Arbiter..." Jab and Rash looked at one another. "We be deal'n wi' dee ones called Grey Mouth. Its dee we gona meet."

"That's the plan, but by the sound of it we won't know for certain." she said, thinking.

Wim smiled at the Arbiter and said, “Sounds like those boys did not even try.”

Wim would rather use his brain than fight. He always ended up on the short end of the stick when the fighting happened.

"Nowt in loife is certain." Rash said shrugging.

Hunter quietly ate his provisions away from the group while perched on a large tree branch. This way he could get a better view while resting within ear shot of the others. He remained silent as he listened to them go on about their strategies on how to win over the natives. From the likes of it, the past efforts from the Duke did not bold well in working with the natives. Since there was a lot of reasons that could have caused the break down in the relationship, he didn't bother to figure it out. What mattered now was what would happen when the holy woman spoke to the natives. Granted, Hunter didn't put much stock in a peaceful resolution so he had already had several escape plans if things went south. As he watched for wildlife and intruders he wondered if the natives leaned more on the civil side or the savage side.

“Rash, may I speak with you privately?” she looked him directly in the eyes and held her gaze until he was uncomfortably aware of it.

The man nodded visibly nervous to be the focus of the Inquisitor.