Honestly, I couldn't tell you when and what happened in what order. It's been a long time, and this journey was some forty days long. I remember it raining for several long days and nights, and, when it finally ended, the next morning, we were greeted by mushrooms for miles upon miles as far as the eye could see. When they were disturbed, terrible things happened though. They sounded like the wails and screams of humans dying. I remember being nearly driven mad by that one simple morning. I covered up my ears as best as I could, and powered through with all of the others that could do the same to clear the way again.

Another day while we were amid walking, we found a bunch of hobgoblins blocking the road. There was an overturned cart, and a cultist, I think, buried deeply to his neck in the sand. The word 'TRAITOR' written in blood on his forehead. We met a fighter named Buster just before we engaged the clan of them. We discussed tactics for a moment before using him as the keystone to get close before using a pincer maneuver and flanking around their ranks. The battle was glorious, and probably the most tactical that group ever was.

As we were getting closer to Waterdeep, we were walking through a path through a forested area when people up front were starting to pull out bows and arrows. Quickly a fire fight was happening as lesser marksmen were starting to fire at the largest elk I had ever seen in my life, and this one had a golden cloak that gleamed in the light. Atop its head was a rack of antlers that seemed to be made of pure silver. We hunted it down in the woods into a ruin, and, in that ruin, we were able to greet it. It was odd. We thought it was a beast, but, instead, it gave us a longbow, telling us of a prophecy of some sort regarding our journey.

Like I said, we went through a lot. Regardless, after Elli killed that halfling, that's when things started to get truly interesting. The cult was starting to recognize us.

At the end of the day, word of the death of Losvius Longnose had spread throughout the camp. Nobody seemed to know what had caused it, but the general consensus was that it wasn't a natural death. Nebula looked to their group's employer before quietly excusing herself from around the campfire. Her eyes searched the dark landscape before she found Elli working on some sort of remedy near their cart. She hovered over the other woman for a moment, waiting somewhat impatiently to be acknowledged. Her breathing hitched in anger before it flared with a small spark of lightning in her eyes as well. She shoved Elli up against the cart. "What did you do?"

"What I had to." Elli responded with surprising calm. Her eyes meeting Nebula's furious ones.

Nebula's arm pressed harder into Elli's chest, pinning her in place while the other charged with lightning. "What have I told you time and again?" She shook Elli. "Tell me." She growled.

Elli's eyes didn't look the least bit afraid. "Do no harm." She responded calmly.

"You took that Talos be damned vow, so keep it. What was the point otherwise?" She grumbled, moving her hand back down and away from Elli as the pressure from her other arm ceased.

"I was protecting myself." The woman responded. Her shoulders seeming to relax slightly with Nebula's sudden calm.

"Then protect yourself, but do. Not. Screw. This. Up." She enunciated each word in order to make her point. She finished by popping the 'p'. She took a step away, and turned to go take a walk into the trees, shaking her head. She needed to calm the fuck down.

As she walked off into the night, Xanth, who was quietly observing in the darkness on a rock smirked to himself. Oh, yes, he was enjoying this a bit too much. This sort of dissent, he could use.

By morning, their employer gathered the group around, and gave them their pay for the last several days of the journey before waving them off. The adventurers that had been schmoozing him a few nights ago were his new guards, leaving Kalinthe, Xanth, Nebula, Elli, and Boar staring as they walked off into the distance. What in the world were they supposed to do now? Obviously, they could follow, but would it look suspicious?

Kalinthe was the first to roll his eyes and continue their march northwards. They would have to figure it out as they went. By noon, however, disaster struck as their former employer's cart was being attacked by a cordon of trolls, which nearly toppled and destroyed the cart. The man's new employees looking on in panic. Obviously, they hadn't been prepared for actual danger on the trail. Kalinthe walked up, and crossed his arms as he watched the destruction.

The merchant turned, and looked at the group of five that he'd initially hired. "Help! Please! My whole livelihood depends on it. I'll give you double what I promised. Just get rid of the nuisance!" He demanded in his fervor.

Xanth's eyes alighted at the man's misfortune. "No, I don't think we will." He grumbled in his grizzly timbre.

"Please," he fell on his knees before the group, pleading, and very nearly crying. "I'll do anything."

Nebula elbowed her way between the two darker figures. "Triple."

"Done!"

With that, the group sprung into action, dispatching the trolls with practiced ease. Especially given the trump card that was Xanth, and his propensity for fire. Once they were finished, Xanth turned to look at the man who was still knelt down on the ground. His eyes glowed lightly, and he feigned blowing some dirt out from under his nails. "This never would've been a problem had you stayed the course." He very nearly threatened. With that, he looked behind the merchant to find the supposed adventurers that he'd hired in their stead.

Xanth was easily a foot or two shorter than most of them, and, as soon as he got close, they were looking down at him. Now that he was up close and personal, it was easy to see. These men were hardly even that. Young. Inexperienced. Their armor was merely scrap metal formed and fashioned together to look impressive. It glinted with a shine that no true warrior would ever allow of their armor. It had never even been used as such. They were taking advantage of the mental weaknesses of the merchant, and his lack of knowledge or perception of the situation. He scoffed. They were useless to him. He rolled his eyes, and waved a hand, turning around. Only speaking to them once they were behind him as they ought to be. "If I ever see you useless walking corpses again, I will feast on your flesh while you're still breathing." He threatened, smiling and letting out a derisive laugh as they ran off.