Prologue

[Breila]

Goldmoon lowers her head, although everything inside her flares up at being called a "barbarian servant". She does her best to act the part, using the staff - a plain wooden staff as it appears now - as a walking stick. She's tired enough that it doesn't need much acting.

As they pass the guard, her mind is racing, though. When the Goddess had given the staff to Riverwind, it surely was because those people looking for it now were attempting to do something with it she didn't approve of. So their task now was to protect the staff as well as finding out what it could do.

In safe distance of the guard, Goldmoon approaches Sturm.
"Thank you, Knight Sturm, for vouching for us. You took a risk, though. What made you sure we're not villains?" In her voice, "knight" is a title of honour.

[JadedDM]

"I suppose you might call it a 'hunch,' my lady," Sturm answers. "I sense you are good folk, and I consider it my duty to aid good folk whenever I can." He seems to stand a little taller at her kind words.

Riverwind decides to speak up now. "These Seekers...you know of them?"

"Yes," Sturm replies. "They are dedicated to finding new gods. However, they are incapable of magical healing, like the true clerics of old were said to possess. They were nothing more than a cult when I left home, but it sounds like they have grown considerably in power since then. Most of them are well-meaning, but some are charlatans only looking to acquire power and line their pockets with steel."

[Breila]

"I see." Goldmoon says. "And their leader, this *See-oh-kratt* seems to be very keen on power. He probably won't have qualms about abusing it, either."

She sighs, sensing trouble ahead, but not yet ready to tell Sturm they have this staff the guards are sent to look for. They're going to need help, though. As they walk on, she slows down to walk beside Riverwind again, to talk to him in their own tongue when it is no longer impolite towards Sturm to do so.

"Do you think we can trust him? Should we tell him about the staff?" Her tone of voice doesn't exactly match her words, it is meant to sound like a quiet exchange between friends or lovers.

[JadedDM]

"Best spiced potatoes in Ansalon," Caramon suggests before following his brother and sitting next to him.

After a moment, a barmaid approaches with curly red hair. Something about her seems oddly familiar. "What can I get you boys?" she asks, smiling.

Meanwhile, the old man continues telling a story about Huma Dragonbane to the children. He often forgets his place or gets distracted, and requires one of the children to help him get back on track.

[JadedDM]

Riverwind shakes his head. "Even if he can be trusted," he says in their native tongue, "there is no guarantee he can do anything to help us. We need to find someone who is an expert on the old gods. A scholar or sage, perhaps."

As the three continue on, the massive vallenwood trees that Sturm spoke of come into view. As it turns out, he was not exaggerating in the least.

However, Sturm did leave out an important detail. Most of the buildings in Solace are not on the ground as one would expect, but nestled snugly in the boughs of the mighty trees themselves! Spiraling stairs wind around the trunks of the trees to reach the buildings, and wooden bridges extend between the trees, connecting buildings.

"Solace," Sturm says fondly, looking up. "It has not changed a bit."

[Breila]

Goldmoon stands still and looks up in awe, her princess's training keeping her jaw from dropping. After a while, she says: "Well, this is not a place for people who are afraid of heights."

Her throat is a bit tight, she doesn't know how she will feel up there. After all, she's a daughter of the plains, and the lowest boughs of the vallenwoods are higher than any rooftop at home...

[Jenara]

"Spiced Potatoes you say?." Lara asks as Caramon departs to join his brother, seeing the Mages demeanor and the way he appears in the shadows, she shudders and shakes her head.

Finding a table near the Old Man she listens to the mans story, he was close to what she knew, but some of the words were.. Different, not what she knew.

Waiting for the young Barmaid she sits alone, playing with her hair.

[JadedDM]

"It's nothing to worry about," Sturm says. "The buildings are quite secure and have been for many years." He points upward at one of the buildings. "That is the Inn of the Last Home. I am meeting some friends there this evening. I can escort you there, if you like, my lady."

[Breila]

Goldmoon laughs softly. "My lady... well, to the people here, I look more like your *barbarian servant*.

For several reasons, Riverwind and I should keep a low profile. Maybe it would be a good idea for us to play that part. What would we be expected to do as your servants, Sturm?"

[JadedDM]

"Not everyone is as bigoted as that guard," Sturm says. "But if you wish to be my servants, you may. But I could not ask anything of you. It would be against my code. All I plan to do tonight is just visit old friends at the inn. I have not seen them in five years, and we all took an oath to meet this night."

[Breila]

Goldmoon turns to Riverwind: "What do you think? As this good man's aides and companions, we can move in town without arousing suspicion, run errands and talk to people.

Or do you have a better plan?"

[JadedDM]

Riverwind considers. "As long as it is advantageous to us, I suppose so," he says. "If you really believe we can trust this man," he adds in their own language.

[JadedDM]

Caramon grins up at the young woman. "A bowl of spiced potatoes, a pitcher of ale, and a cup of hot water for my brother."

The girl smiles back. "Be right back." On her way back to the kitchen, she stops by Laurana's table. "Wow, an elf! We don't see many of your kind up here, miss. What can I get you?" she asks.

[Jenara]

Smiling at the girl she places both hands on the table. "I hear your Spiced Potatoes are good, may I have some of those? Please, and a Glass of Water."

Before the girl leaves she adds, "My people do not venture out often, we prefer the safety of our home." She smiles once more, pushing her hair back, she looks to the Old Man. "Does he tell stories here often? I like the old stories."

[Breila]

"So, Knight Sturm, can we be your servants for the time we're in Solace?

You will need someone to help you out of that beautiful armor. Riverwind could do that. And I could see to your comfort, like preparing a bath or buy provisions. Having people do that for you will enhance your standing, I'm sure.

We will tell the people we left our homeland because we only had the choice between separation and exile." Goldmoon looks fondly into Riverwind's eyes. "You, Knight Sturm, kindly took us on so we have a living here.

And none of all this is a lie."

As they continue towards the inn, Goldmoon quietly talks to Riverwind in their language. "He needs to trust us at least as much as we need to trust him. And he doesn't know anything about us. And people here will more likely talk to a resident knight's servants than to some mysterious strangers."