Chapter 2: Arriving in Jalanthar

Avis watches the hen cross their path. She looks to Nerea with a smirk. "One of yours?" she asks. "You do seem to attract as many animals as a princess."

Ikkri mimics the hen's clucking.

"Believe it or not, no," Nerea replies in a pleasant tone. "Though I'm happy that you seem to hold me in such high esteem, I only have eyes for one bird." One of her cheeks dimpling as she smiles, she blows Ikkri a kiss, laughing when he preens. "There's a pretty boy."

Turning to Kardalis, whose expression verges on indecipherable, she asks, "How are those wounds? Are you feeling any residual pain?"

Kardalis stretches his sides, testing them again, after the journey.
"Right as rain, thankfully, those ones didn't have that essence coating their blades or I may be in more dire straits"

Imarra is glad to be in a town again. As much as she likes seeing the scenery, there is nothing like getting into a new town and getting to know how the people there are. Her familiar struggled a bit in her hands when she spots the hen, making Imarra hold her tighter to not have her jump off and run after it, "Nadra no. You get something when we get to the inn.".

"I have bandages and other healer's tools with me if there is a need for it." Imarra offered, despite knowing that there was little need for them with a cleric around.

"Thank you," Nerea says with a quick grin. "It's reassuring to know you'll be well taken care of if something were to happen to me. You know, back home, my mother often said that we should always plan  for the worst possible outcome. Look and behold: my pack is heavy with her advice."

"I do hope it won't come to that, but it seems many children are taught similar things. Being able to take care of oneself is an important skill." Imarra responds, nodding to Nerea in appreciation.

Avis sniffs. "That's true enough. If my mother taught me anything, it's that you can only depend on yourself." Then, she mutters, more quietly, "Gods know I didn't learn anything else useful from her."

Kardalis laughs to himself, "Shockingly 'mommy issues' was not on my list of unexpected things about Avis... Funny"

Nerea tilts her head slightly, gazing at Avis with faint curiosity and the barest glimmer of sympathy, before turning her attention to Amra and the Crowing Cockatrice's central yard. "This man we're looking for--ranger Rhenwald. What exactly does he look like? A description - even a brief one - might help expedite this process."

The notion that one can only depend on oneself from Avis gives Imarra a feeling that she had a much different childhood. Maybe it was something in her tone. But Kardalis has shared even less of him, so she decides to ask him once in the cocatrice.
Moving beside the half-drow she asks "I have to say I know fairly little about the drow and all of it might be hearsay, would you mind sharing what your parents and patrons thought were important lessons?", hoping not too offend him by questioning about it.

Kardalis laughs mirthlessly, "Ha, to the drow I am nothing, I am iblith, dobluth. What I know of the drow is that they view any not of their own with spite and hatred. I know their language, I know their religion, and I know I am far happier when I have nothing to do with either.
Sorry if that does not satisfy, abbil"

As the group finds a table, Avis chooses to sit beside Imarra, across from Kardalis and Nerea. Ikkri sits on Avis's far shoulder, putting as much distance between himself and Nadra as possible.

"How funny," she says to Kardalis. "I feel much the same way about my...situation. Aasimar are expected to serve the gods, but I want nothing to do with them. In my experience..." She redirects her gaze to the Nerea. "The gods only want to use us as tools to further their own power. You might do well to think on that, cleric."

Kardalis looks up into the ceiling as if mulling over Avis' statement... after a momentary silence he speaks, "I think I am not jealous of you. In my experience it is far easier to be satisfied with exceeding the low expectations other place upon me before they have any knowledge of who I am, than to--and I admit this is speculation--shatter the false hopes of those expect something which you cannot, and will not give."

"Somehow, I suspect our prickly sorceress does not particularly care whose expectations and hopes she might shatter. Indeed, she may even relish the process," Nerea says, as she meets Avis's eyes. She smiles faintly, the quirk of her mouth crooked. "I wasn't always a cleric, you know. I sang performances and danced and, to be frank, a temple was the last place you might have found me. I still don't think I care for most gods. But the Forest Hunter saved me. He has granted me his blessing, his goals align with mine, and..." She shrugs, proffering her hand so that Ikkri might perch upon her fingers if he chooses. "I trust and serve him. He never asks for more than I can give."

Looking at Avis briefly before responding "Admittedly I know none of you well. But it is my belief that everyone, regardless of how aloof they hold themselves, measures themselves against some expectation, and that standard cannot be entirely created within one's own mind. No matter who you are, there is always something external that pushes us, else why would be where we are right now, out in the world?"
He leans back in his chair, "I wax too philosophical, abbil"

The experience Kardalis shares of the Drow is a disheartening one. How a person is able to be so hateful is beyond her experience, but a whole group or more. She is unsure she could even imagine, despite having been taught of the evils the Thay committed in the past.

Thinking Imarra blocks a paw Nadra stretches towards Avis, keeping the cat on her lap and from bothering her companion. "It pains me that you had to such terrible experiences, both of you." Imarra begins, continuing more towards Avis then "However I feel similarly to Nerea. I might not be a cleric, but I follow the deity's teachings, celebrate their holydays and trust in them. If my actions strengthen them, I am sure it will benefit many more people than I personally ever could.".

Avis leans back and crosses her arms. She allows Ikkri to flit to Nerea's finger; she does tire of his feathers tickling her ear. The raven is glad to be further from Nadra's reach.

"I don't trust anyone or anything that requires me to bend the knee. Particularly when their motives are so elusive." She smirks. "The first time my celestial ancestor tried to make demands of me on behalf of the gods...well, you can imagine where I told him to shove it." She waves a dismissive hand. "But Kardalis is right. I suppose I do have a standard to measure myself against. It may be hard to believe, given my skill, but I've yet to reach it."

Amra soon joins her employees at the table, accompanied by a young waitress with a tray of pewter tankards filled with potent Jalanthar Amber, which the adolescent woman in the apron carefully distributes among the adventurers around the table.

Waitress: "Food shall be brought over shortly, Goodwoman."

Amra Braegen: "Thank you kindly." the moon elf replies appreciatively before taking her seat by the table.

"Still only tharsun (late afternoon), so don't expect an Evenfeast or anything," the moon elf remarked, looking at the hearty half-elven cleric. "Several bells 'til Eventide, so it'll probably just be some bread, cheese and sausage for now."

"Where are we to find this ranger fellow if he isn't here? Or are we planning on just waiting for him to show up?"

"If he doesn't show up, we'll pay him a visit at his place. He lives a short walk north of town."

"Fine by me," Nerea says, as she encourages Ikkri to perch upon her shoulder. Once he's settled, she reaches out, drawing one of the pewter tankards closer. She doesn't sip at it, however, instead gazing at the rest of her companions with a thoughtful smile. "Once we do find him - Rhenwald, that is - how far is the pass? We'll set out in the morning, I imagine..."