We have planned our route and tactics for the caravan, as well as setting forth a "shopping list" of items to get before we leave. As we commence preparations to depart with the caravan, Grog first arranges for a little cart to hold his pig before he and Whitefire head for the sage's tower to buy herbs & tobacco and to pick up the armor. The herbs and tobacco are to disguise the suit of royal armor from prying eyes, which Eric suggested. They negotiate with Cellian for the load he has already had packed on a mule. When they succeed in purchasing the load, they repackage everything, concealing the pieces of the armor within, then loading the bundles on the old warhorse that Eric bought to use for a pack animal.
       Meanwhile, the rest of the group scatters over the town, making last minute arrangements to make the journey easier and safer. Eric takes the pooled money to buy the wand of Cure Light Wounds, as we decided the other one is being used very quickly. We continue to pair off for safety's sake and negotiate for any acquisitions as quickly as possible. Eric is inspired and buys a wagon with a yoke of oxen and several shields to be set up as a travelling fort for archers on the way. (Then if we are attacked, the archers will have a fairly safe vantage point from which to fire at our attackers!) Paired with Aribeth, Eric makes several other purchases, including blue paint. Aurora, partnered with Brandon, purchases Grog's 2 10' poles,hammock and 9 oilskin tarps, as well as the items she has thought of: a bale of straw, 2 Sunrods, a bullseye lantern and three vials of anti-toxin.
       The caravan now consists of 13 wagons, each wagon except ours having a driver and two guards. Our wagon is hitched to the rear of the last wagon for guidance. It is past the time for the caravan to depart and Grog & Whitefire have not yet returned. Eric takes the lead, suggesting that we go without them and let them catch up with us, which should be no problem, since the caravan is forced to move at such a snail's pace. As we go, it is suggested that some of the group could coach the henchmen/guards in battle tactics. As well, Eric says that we should gather each night for a "group blessing" and check the gathered persons for evil, poison & magic. These ideas are accepted as wise precautions and we continue for a short space before being stopped at the sight of a farmer carrying his dead 10 year old son in his arms. He claims that the Ettin came to his farm to steal a pig and his son was killed by it. "The Ettin is crazy!", he cries. While we are stopped by the farmer, Grog and Whitefire catch up to us. Grog wants to go kill the Ettin but the majority of the group says that our duty to guard the caravan comes first. If the Ettin attacks the wagon train, we will do our best to kill it but we cannot take the time to detour to kill it, leaving the caravan unprotected!

       As the day goes by, the weather has grown steadily more unstable. The town is surrounded by clouds spanning more than twice the area of the town limits! It rapidly becomes more blustery increasing swiftly to rainy and then a veritable downpour. We come to the conclusion that this storm is the result of magic, ritualistic magic!! We do not let the rain stop us, although it has slowed us by quite a bit. We continue even when the lead wagon breaks a wheel and cannot proceed. Grog and Whitefire help by levering the wagon up from the rutted road and allowing the broken wheel to be removed and the new one hammered into place. Eric leads the rest of the wagons around the disabled one, getting two past it by the time it is repaired. We continue to within the tree line, finding a clearing big enough to hold our wagon circle. Most people put their bedrolls beneath the wagons, although some pitch tents. A guard roster is set, made up of two group members with those hench persons who wish to join us on watch each shift. Eric and Grog suggest and accomplish a lean-to sheltering the fire so that hot mornbrew would be available to help us stay warm and start our day out better - the cooks are grateful and use the already started fire to prepare hot rations for the first meal. Aurora checks the Food Wagon and supplies for poison with her Detect Poison cantrip and finds nothing. Eric has previously scanned for magic with Detect Magic - the Magic Shoppe's wagon, the 2 henchmen guarding it, and several party members detect as carrying magical items. Grog surreptitiously scans the persons in the wagon train during the "mass blessing" with "Detect Evil" and finds 2 evil persons, the guards of the "Magic Shoppe's" wagon. Brandon has also noticed that they are carrying equipment more indicative of rogues than fighters!! The EVIL henchmen are armed with a set of magical clothing, 2 magical swords and 2 magical crossbows.
       The next day, before nightfall (around 4:00), we reach Kedis. Although this is rather early to stop for the day, travelling further would entail another night on the road, instead of a safer night at a campsite within the town boundaries. The caravan members are allowed to leave the campsite by twos for short periods, for security reasons. Brandon & Whitefire take a list of herbs & a sample of tobacco to town and check out the market for them - an herbalist offers 1800 gp for the entire load and will come by the campsite in the morning with the money and to confirm the value of the herbs and tobacco. Eric and Aribeth go to town to look around, and Eric finds a great buy, a Traveller's Cloak and buys it at once. After he returns, he finds out that one of the evil henchmen has sneaked out of camp and gone into town. He comes back with a town wench & takes her to his tent. The second one gets permission and leaves, coming back with a wench, of his own. He also takes the wench to his tent. Eric tells the henchmen to get the 'ores' out of the camp as they are a security risk. They argue with him as they've already paid for their services, so Eric calls group together to back him up on camp rules. We tell them to either take them to an inn or get them out!! We finally agree to pay the wenches' fees in order to settle the argument. The rest of the drivers & guards are also informed of the rules against inviting 'company' into a trade caravan.
       Early the next morning, the herbalist and his guards come for the herbs. Eric haggles with him and the herbalist offers 1200 gp for just a small package of the herbs 600 for the rest of the goods. Eric accepts for the small package but refuses the money for the tobacco and the rest of the herbs. (Not only does he think that they are worth more, if we sell them, we can no longer conceal the armor!)
       We leave shortly after breakfast, when everyone is up and accounted for. The travelling conditions are now much easier and well before nightfall we reach Aleath and proceed to a secure campsite for the night. The caravaneers wish to go out on the town but we all forbid it, offering to pay for a spree for them all - AFTER the caravan items are sold.

       Aribeth and Whitefire go to request an audience with the King and are asked what their business entails. Whitefire gives the interviewer a tracing of the symbol from the armor, and they are immediately ushered into a room where the King and a large number of guards are waiting. They are questioned about the symbol - where they got it, how did they find it, everything! They quickly decide to reveal all the details of how we acquired the armor with the symbol and where. They are asked, did you find the prince's body/bones? No, we did not, they tell him. They are asked, where the armor is and reveal the location as well as the fact that it was transported to Aleath concealed in a cargo containing tobacco. The King and his guards go with Whitefire and Aribeth, having them lead them to the wagon where the cargo had been concealed. The other people in camp see the King's entourage and emit cries of astonishment and excitement. Eric and Aurora are alerted by the disturbance, emerge and spot the King with his entourage and make their obeisances, as the guards proceed to the wagon. They awaken Grog who was sleeping within, and he begins to pull out the pieces, one by one.
       The king is so pleased to have some news of his son's fate, although no news of his final fate, he promises us great reward and invites us to a ball on the following night. We are all excited and most of us buy new finery to wear to the ceremonial event. Grog refuses to buy 'fancy clothes' and says if he has to wear dressy clothing, he will not go. However, Aurora buys herself a grass green silk gown embroidered in gold with an emerald green velvet cloak and prepares to go to the Court function and enjoy herself.