"I'll buy you a snack in turn. I don't want to be taking advantage of your generosity." She pauses and frowns. "I try to do the right thing. Even if, you know, people don't think Fischers are quite right in the head sometimes."

"So far I haven't seen anything that'd give me that impression; and anyway, best to judge people as individuals. They're endlessly varied and exciting if you take the time to know 'em."

"It's the religion," she says sadly. "People don't like it. But I am faithful." For some reason this makes her give a look of dark amusement tinged with guilt.

"What does that mean practically? I don't know much about Fischer religion."

She taps a finger on the bar and thinks.

"...Our gods are apparently creepy and - wrong. They say that the deep ones consider people like ants, to be used or brushed aside as no more than an annoyance. That they are trying to corrupt and destroy the world, even. This is incorrect. Some of them would kill people, sure, but some love us instead. They just... Don't understand very well."

"Ah," says Thorn. "And because of their misunderstandings, there's sometimes trouble?"

"Persecution. Raids on our communities with little or no international outcry, because 'everyone knows' those were foul cults up to no good. Sometimes they really were. There is a sovereign nation of Fischers, but it's very small and weak, so..." Sigh. "It is not so bad as all that. The world is full of trouble. But some kinds of trouble hit harder."

"For what it's worth, I understand something like that. I grew up in a place that... was not especially tolerant of women who appreciated other women. Different kind of stigma, but..."

Blink. "Really? Of all the things to fail to tolerate. Might as well decide to hate colorblind people, or, or, sailmakers."

Abyssia raises one arm as if to pat Thorn on the shoulder, then hesitates awkwardly and puts it back down.

She halfsmiles a little sadly. "I'm past it now, mostly. Thank you for the concern; but now let's move on to something less sad. What's with this pilgrimage you say you're on?"

"Oh. That's... Not entirely a happy subject either unfortunately. It's- Loosed to the currents. Some Fischerfolk are - encouraged to leave home and wander. Those who don't really have a place at home, mostly. Or those who have made a few too many enemies. To level up and learn new Skills and bring them back to their homes, eventually. It's kind of open ended, even if I also have - some other goal I can't figure out yet. Most loosed never come back, one way or another."

"Oh. I see." 

She sighs. 

"... It really sounds like you could use a traveling companion."

A dark look crosses her eyes, then one of guilt. "..Mmm, maybe. To Mar- To that town with the dungeon, I forgot the name, at least. I won't get worse off delving and saving up."

She nods. "Alright. I was planning to leave tomorrow, assuming I found someone to watch my back. Is that alright with you?"

"The two of us would probably be fine, but a bigger group is generally safer. Careful is good. Perhaps someone else wants to go inland. And maybe someone needs to get out of town and could use an escort. I'll ask around once I'm a little cleaned up, if that's alright?"

"That's fine. And... no, nevermind that. Later, when I know you better."

"Yeah, likewise. I'm staying in a solo room here if you need to find me. Bye for now."

She settles her bar tab and heads for the door at the back of the bar area.

Alright. She can't afford a pistol, and she's going to be walking all day on a dirt trail with a pack on her back. She can walk forever in the city with her sneakers. In the wilds... she'd be stupid not to have something with decent ankle support. 

So: hiking boots. Decent ones, at a full silver and four copper. And then... then she guesses she'll write a sign on the back of her repairs one. "Forming Marondel overland party, inquire here." And she'll hold that up in the square. 

There are a fair number of people interested, actually, especially since it's just a daytrip. With a population of a couple thousand, quite a few people would like to travel elsewhere on any given day, but the overland route is the only viable one at the moment. Inquiring minds want to know when she's leaving and what kind of pace she expects to set.

She expects to leave early tomorrow morning, set a leisurely pace and make it to Marondel in the afternoon with plenty of day to spare.

Someone tells her that there's actually a caravan-of-sorts already planned for around that time and pace, the list of attendees is posted on the boards outside the Lord House.

Well then she'll go join that! If she can find the Lord House. Has she passed it already?

It's an unassuming looking building, but in hindsight there's only a few places with bulletin boards. It's on a sort of side street between the bulk of town and the monastery. It's open to the public, and looks like someone built a fancy manor house and then kept adding things and squeezing out the surrounding buildings. There's a jail wing, an office wing, a big fancy courtroom, and a museum. As well as fancy residences in a private wing for said Lords, of whom there are apparently four at the moment.

The bulletin board posting lists eleven names and mentions that there are seats or spots for goods available on a wagon in the train.

Does it look like you can just go ahead and add your own name to the list? 

Yep. There's no pen hanging from the board or anything, but there are half a dozen examples of handwriting.