CH 6: Solace

[JadedDM]

"Not so fast there," Tanis says. "What happened here? Was there a battle?" he asks. He didn't like the idea of taking a teenage girl with them, but he wasn't sure he liked the idea of leaving her here, either.

[Breila]

Goldmoon smiles at Tika, too. "Yes, what happened here? I have seen no other young women when we passed through the town. I know you are quick and observant, what can you tell us?"

[Jerrard]

"Tika, the road ahead is dangerous." Sturm says with a hushed voice, glancing around constantly.

[Jenara]

"Yes it is." Laurana comments, her eyes still on the cloaked figure, could it be one of the Dragonmen? Why would they hide? "Yes, where are all of the others? The able bodied men and women?" She asks, snapping her head back to face the Barmaid.

[HorizonsDream]

"Giant red dragons attacked. They actually lifted the inn right out of the tree and placed it on the ground before burning the tree. Everything else was burned or knocked out of trees," she explains softly. "We really didn't stand a chance. When people fought back they were killled by the dragonmen. The dragonmen took mostly everyone that was healthy, caged them up, and carted them south. Theros is still here though since he can fix weapons," she says, referring to the town blacksmith.

"Though, there are a lot of those dragonmen, goblins, and hobgoblins around now. They are led by someone named...Froggie?" she says, though she doesn't sound so sure about that name.

"Getting out of here is probably the only choice I have now," she adds trying not to sound scared.

[Breila]

"Were all the buildings taken out of the trees first, or just the inn?" Goldmoon is curious.

[Jenara]

"It must have been awful." Laurana says to the girl, they couldn't leave her here, how long before she would be taken away too? "Where might they have taken them? Tas, do you have a Map? " she asks the Kender.

"Reds? A whole flight? How can we hope to beat them?" Sturm muses stroking his mustache.

[Kafen]

Tas blinks and starts to empty his pockets of maps looking for a useful one. He looks around at the others in the bar while they are talking. "I have some maps..." He muses as he searches his pockets.

[HorizonsDream]

"They were headed south, " Tika says. "Like I said, most places were burned or knocked out of trees except here."

[JadedDM]

"South..," Tanis mutters. "What's south? Qualinesti...but why would they take prisoners there?" He shakes his head, unable to figure it out.

As Tas rifles through his maps, trying to find one that is of the south and fairly recent, the door swings open suddenly. Five kapaks burst in, look around, and sit down at a table not too far from the group. "Service! We need some ale over here!" one of them demands, slamming his fist into the table.

"Yeah," adds a second one to Tika impatiently. "Get that round little ass of yours over here and get us some 'taters, too!"

Laurana and Sturm, both keeping an eye on the cloaked stranger, notice he becomes fairly tense at the sight of the draconians, but does not move otherwise.

[Nuke]

Riverwind notes the entrance of the new group, then turns to his plate staring at it as he eats. He has to try real hard to suppress his hatred so as to not endanger his comrade.

"Yes, we need to move on, as quickly as possible."

[Breila]

Goldmoon lays a hand on Riverwind's arm, hoping to help him stay calm.

[Jerrard]

"There is a jumpy one over there." Sturm comments as he watches the figure, "I would guess they are fit and healthly and fear being taken like the rest of the people."

"So we are going the same way as the people were taken?" He asks keeping his voice low, "We are still going to Qualinost?"

[Jenara]

"I need to go there, I have to find out." Laurana says quietly, "I'll go alone if I have to."

"Magpie come with you, me not left you go alone." The dwarf dives into the potatoes with gusto, ignoring the Dragonmen.

[HorizonsDream]

Tika lets out a small groan as the draconians make their demands. "I got to get back to work," she mutters as she stands and moves to go help the draconians that just walked in.