To the riverbank

We stepped outside into the crisp morning air, where Guard Thomas was standing near the Lion’s Pride signpost, leaning heavily on his spear while chewing on a piece of dried beef. He eyed our trio with a mixture of relief and deep skepticism - a bruised paladin, an overly zealous priestess, and a warlock who looked like he was one loud noise away from collapsing.

“Ah, good. You assembled a party,” Thomas said, swallowing his food and gesturing down the dirt path leading east. “The murlocs down at the riverbank have been turning over fishing boats and harassing the locals near the wooden docks. They’re loud, slippery, and they come at you in packs, so don’t get reckless.”
“Fear not, Guard Thomas!” Sister Clara proclaimed, clutching her holy book to her chest. “With the Light as our shield, no amphibious horrors shall stand against us!”

Thomas blinked at her enthusiasm, then turned his gaze back to me. “Right. Just remember: stick strictly to the paved road until you hit the treeline. The Defias Brotherhood has been lurking around the orchards lately. Those bandits would love nothing more than to jump a fresh paladin and strip you clean of your gear... or worse.”

Gerald let out a miserable groan, burying his face in his hands. “Defias bandits... splendid. My morning just keeps getting better.”
“Keep your eyes open, watch each other’s backs, and try not to end up as murloc bait,” Thomas added, giving us a curt nod. “Good luck, recruits.”
“Right then,” I said, adjusting my belt and taking the lead. “To the riverbank. And if anyone sees a bandit, we run.”