Fellowship of the Dice

Kol looks at Conrad and then to Vara, "Sounds like I was lucky I didn't sign on to this venture from the start, but Conrad's right I'd love to hear more. Name is Kol by the way."

Vara laughs, "You kids are going to get in deep over your heads, but what do I have to loose." He then tells the tale, as he knows it, of Arafel and the trip to Carn Dum.

...That's when I managed my escape into the west. I fled, what else could I do, I'm no match for wraiths and evil creatures of Shadow. The ponies were unstable anyhow, even if I wanted to stay and help. It was an hour before they came under control and by then I was hopelessly lost in those lands. I did my best to get unlost. Along the way I lost some of the gold to a night raid by goblins, another sack was spent as toll to a large stone troll I ran across, and what I had left was just taken by Nalir. I've suffered terribly because of all this. Worse thing is I wager those Rangers who's claim was on the gold will be after me too, thinking I robbed them. I don't know what to do now."

He thinks a moment and then stands up, "I better pack camp, and move on."

"Where will you go now? To hunt down that nasty dwarf that just robbed you?"

Vara begins to pack up his stuff, what's left of it. "I don't know. I'm no match for Nalir alone...and I'm not sure I want that gold back. There is a curse on it you mark my words. I think... I think right now I want to go to Bree. The Prancing Pony has warm beds and cold ale. From there I might be able to find work." He shoves a shirt into a bag, he looks slide long, "No doubt Nalir will go there first before moving on...." he is a dwarf after all and can't so easily let go of gold, and revenge.

Kol smiles, "Bree? Its not the wilds or any great adventure, but my feet need to travel. If you like Vara I'll come with you to Bree, I don't know what we might find there, but either way I need to be out of Combe even if its just a trip to the big city."

He then turns and motions at the hill and waves Macy and Benton to join them down here with the dwarf.

"Why Bree certainly is a nice place to be. So how can I refuse? Let's be off!"

Conrad is excited to have made a new friend, and to be on the way back home.

The group helps Vara pack up and then is off. Benton refuses to just go to Bree, not without checking in at home first. So it takes the group a day or more to get things put straight. The Longhole Hobbits have family there, cousins an aunt, etc, and you hope to arrange to stay with Gracey Longhole instead of spending money at the Prancing Pony every night. A letter is sent by post, and arrives back, things are put in order and eventually the group heads out on the short road from Combe to Bree.

Eventually the group is off and arrives in Bree August 3rd, four days before things would truely change for many of the friends.