At hearing McCormick's comments, as Anavren gets up to leave the table to go speak to Acea, Anavren stops in his tracks and slowly turns back to face the Perrenlander. His eyes narrow at the Perrenlander's continued insulting speech. Anavren speaks quietly and evenly with a hard edge to his voice. "N'Tel'Quess, you are no soldier, you know not of what you speak. Rao's enemies are already a day ahead of us. They are mounted and will only increase their lead on us. We DO need horses if we are serious about the commisson that Rao has ordained that WE complete for him."

"I can see that Rao and his bishops mean absolutely nothing to you. You have directly disobeyed Rao's commandments. You don't appreciate that Rao himself appeared to annoint us as his champions. You are neither peaceful, serene, nor reasonable. You are also willing to let the Healer slip into the hands of others while Rao's bishops languish with an insanity akin to yours. You are a heretic at best. I know you lie when you state that you know Rao's mind, you don't even undertand what Rao says when he speaks to you directly so that all may hear. If Rao really favored you, or walked with you, or whatever it is you rant about, he would have manifested through you, not Duras."

"Your threats are hollow, N'Tel'Quess. No constable would believe a besotted blathering lunatic such as yourself. In fact, I'd wager a silver that you'd end up in jail for either drunkenness or lunacy if you tried. So, go running to the nearest law enforcement officer, you crying little girl. I care not. I fear not in the slightest. I don't fear you, and I don't fear your boyfriend, Ian, either."

"Now, I've met you insult for insult. We should be even. Either you can heed Rao, drop your ill will towards me, and make a decent attempt at working together, or we can continue to strive against one another, create headaches for the rest of the party, and jeopardize the health of Rao's bishops as well as our own lives. It is beyond my hope that you are capable of simply speaking decently to me, so I guess I know your answer in advance. If I were a lesser being, I'd throw my drink in your face to right your wrong against me from the previous days. Thankfully, I've forgotten that incident. Take care that your future behavior doesn't reopen old wounds or create new ones."

Anavren turns to Duras before he goes to speak to Acea. "Wait for me, I'll just be a moment. I'd like to see what Rao's church has to say about our request," Anavren says with a disapproving half-smile at McCormick. You need not be a part of an attempt to "swindle" horses out of the church. The paladin sees the light of reason, knows the seriousness of our situation. I've persuaded him. That's all I need, Anavren thinks to himself.

Anavren turns to the rest of the party at the table, "In the morning," Anavren says with the slightest of bows in dismissing himself. He then walks over to Acea.

After listening to Acea's explanation, Anavren says softly, pleadingly to Acea, "Look, we HAVE to put our differences aside. Clearly we don't see eye to eye, but does that mean we have to DETEST one another? May we PLEASE start over? Next time my suggestions send you rocketing over the night sky, please debate with me rather than becoming angry, PLEASE. I was taught only a fool doesn't consider ALL his options, no matter how unpleasant, and that's why I often speak of worst case scenarios. I ask for your understanding, and I ask that we put our differences aside for the duration of this quest."

Upon hearing Acea's response, no matter the response Acea gives, Anavren takes his leave of Acea to follow Duras to Rao's church.
Anavren is a tall high elf with typical black hair & green eyes. He stands 5' 5" tall & weighs about 133 lbs. Anavren is dressed in forest colors, studded leather armor, helmet and buckler. He is seldom without his mighty composite shortbow in hand!