The Wandering Traveler

Summary

The Wandering Traveler is a simple traveler encountered by the party in Session 6 while they were camping in a pumpkin field. He arrives at a critical moment when multiple party members are trapped in sweaters during the Sweater Entrapment Incident. Despite the party's initial suspicion—particularly from Safia—the traveler proves helpful, successfully freeing Cat and Sucks from their predicament and providing crucial intelligence about the dangerous situation awaiting them at New Smoke.

Appearance

The Wandering Traveler is a male in his mid-30s with pale skin, average height, dark long hair, and a small beard. He wears simple sackcloth clothing and carries a walking staff. When Cat asks if the staff is a shillelagh, the traveler indicates it is not—just an ordinary walking stick. His simple appearance aligns with his claim of being "a man with nothing," someone the bandits at New Smoke found not worth robbing.

History

Session 6

The Wandering Traveler approaches the party while they are camped in a pumpkin field, finding them in disarray with multiple members trapped in layers of sweaters. He calls out over the commotion: "Now, what's this? Am I interrupting something?" Despite the chaotic scene, he maintains a polite, cheerful demeanor and offers assistance: "Wonderful day to you. It's nice to meet fellow travelers. Is there anything going on here that I can help with, perhaps?"

When he sees the sweater situation, the traveler makes a pun, describing it as "a bit of a pumpkin" of a pickle, then laughs at his own joke—a tendency that characterizes his gentle, self-amused personality. He asks if the trapped party members wish "to remain in sweaters, or would you like to walk free at some point in the future?"

Working with Vasso, the traveler helps free Cat from the sweaters, pulling them off "like a magician's handkerchiefs." He expresses surprise at the sheer number of layers: "Oh, there's another one. Oh, wow. You know, I thought that we'd reached the end of the sweaters, but I'm surprised." When Cat is finally freed, the traveler comments on the child's small size: "Oh, you're a child. You're so small."

The traveler also helps free Sucks from the sweaters, later remarking: "It turns out all you guys needed was an adult." He identifies what he sees as "the easiest, fastest way to get out of these sweaters," offering a simple solution the party had not considered.

When Vasso flirts with him, the traveler gently deflects: "I might be a little old for you, Vasso."

Throughout the encounter, Safia remains suspicious and hidden, refusing to come out despite the traveler's invitation: "Why don't you come out from. We can all talk like civilized folk." The traveler addresses the party's paranoia directly, pointing out the logical flaw in thinking him a bandit: "I am no bandit, just a simple traveler, which I know is the thing that very sinister people often say." He continues: "If I were a bandit, do you think that I'd walk up and basically unarmed, try to help you?" He also jokes about the implausibility of stealing sweaters: "It'd be quite a king's bounty, wouldn't it, if I got away with six sweaters."

The traveler provides critical intelligence about New Smoke. He explains he is "coming down from New Smoke, seeing where the wind takes me," traveling north from the settlement. When asked about conditions there, he describes the New Smoke Gang Takeover: "Oh, it's quite a situation up there. They're. You know, it was bad before with the food shortages, but some fairly rough folks seem to have place under new management." He explains that these rough people are "shaking people down pretty good going in and going out," demanding "the lion's share of whatever you're transporting."

The traveler reveals he was able to pass through New Smoke unmolested because of his poverty: "Oh, it's hard to take things from a man with nothing. They saw my shirt, they saw my trousers, saw my stick, and told me to get on my way." This information proves crucial for the party's planning as they approach the settlement.

Key Attributes

Demeanor: Gentle, helpful, and patient, with a self-amused sense of humor (laughs at his own puns)
Speech pattern: Polite and conversational, occasionally self-deprecating about his jokes
Possessions: Simple sackcloth clothing, walking staff (not a shillelagh), nothing of material value
Lifestyle: A wanderer "seeing where the wind takes me," traveling with no particular destination
Intelligence gathering: Observant about the political and security situation at New Smoke, willing to share information freely
Problem-solving approach: Practical and straightforward, able to see simple solutions others miss
Voiced by: Shawn (the GM)