Hiring on to the caravan for Yalann....

The good thing about large trade caravans, was that they were always looking to hire more protection. Especially when they were taking a long journey like to the Despotate of Yalann, the mighty mountain city was a very long way. It would take a long time for slow moving trade wagons, through vast wooded forest lands and low rolling hills. It would be no easy journey in a western direction, and then in a northwestern direction, fording a number of rivers along the way. Ulkin knew all of that before he approached the caravan leader, a rather jovial looking human merchant named Jodaz a fat man with a round red face. The human had a upturned nose, and flabby jowls that wobbled when he talked. He rather reminds you of a well fed hog, only one that was in a strangely happy mood. Where as the leader of the caravan guards was a rather young dour faced Dwarf, you know that he was young because his iron grey beard dangled down only halfway to his belt. The merchant Jodaz introduced him as Belknab Trollbreaker. the stout Dwarf looked you up and down with a nasty grin on his face. You can tell by the look on his blunt face that he doesn't care much for you, but its the merchant who was paying so the Dwarf would have to take you. "Ulkin Nordane..." You start to introduce yourself to the Dwarf, only to have him cut you off with a gruff grunt.

"Yer some human woman's **** baby. So I'm just gunna call ya '**** baby'." The Dwarf snorted giving you a little shove, plainly he's trying to get you angry. Trying to get you to do something dumb, like push him back or take a swing at him. You just stand there looking down at him for a slit second, before your face splits into a grin as you retort.

"At least if someone sits me in a barrel... I'd be able to just step out of it." It was a clever insult about the Dwarf's small size, this making Jodaz smirk broadly as Belknab's cheeks redden.

"Hahah..." The Dwarf laughed at last, punching you in the thigh roughly as he looked up at you. "This one's got wit... as well as muscle. I'm starting to like him already... changed my mind gunna call you 'Smartass' instead. Alright lets take a look at yer gear... arming coat... scale-mail coat sword and shield that's all good. Yer gunna need a winter cloak through, cause its going to be cold where we're headed."

"Oh my yes... I do dread the cold." Jodaz agreed with a shiver, taking a bottle out from under his heavy robes. "Luckily I've got plenty of fire whisky to keep me warm." The fat merchant explained, flashing you a wide smile as he pulled the cork out of the bottle and took a long drink. "If you ever get to cold stop by... I'll give you a little something to warm you right up."

"Don't warm him up to much... I don't want any of my guardsmen drunk on duty." Belknab snorted as he walks past you, pausing to look back for a moment. "Oi Smartass... come with me... I'll show ya the guards wagon you can stow yer things in there while we move in the day. Then get out what you need when we camp at night, if ya get killed on the trip we'll sale yer stuff and the living will split the coin." The Dwarf explained in a callus manner, as you follow him back to the box caravan wagon. You stow your things away inside, before Belknab takes you around introducing you to the other caravan guards. They are mostly humans and dwarfs so the greeting isn't very friendly however there is one huge half Orc. Who seems to be guarding one particular wagon, that wagon you learn is the Dwarf's private wagon. And then the other merchants and their servants again mostly humans or half Elf's, lastly he takes you over to the dinner wagon and introduces you to the cook. A hefty grizzled old Minotaur who takes one look at you and snickers lewdly, before offering you a greasy hand.

"Always nice to have a bit of fun." He greets cryptically, before pushing a thick sandwich into your hands.

"Never mind him... E's a good cook but a bit loose in the head."