A lithe fellow with a stack of flyers walks through the center of town. He can be seen counting the papers in his arms nervously, but moves with the haste and speed of someone with an important task at hand. He stops briefly at the Healers Den, the Shady Corners, and finally at the town post. At each stop, he nails a small flyer to the door which reads as follows:
BEWARE! DRAGONS!
Aggressive dragon sightings and Drakna bandits have attacked Halfway, Thricefork, and Woodhaven.
Lock your doors! Hide your children!
Brave adventurers wanted to seek out and slay dragon. Inquire at Dragon's Crest for more details.
A crude picture of a skeletal dragon grasping villagers in its tallons and breathing fire is drawn at the bottom of the note.
Shortly after the angori shows up, The Uordeq Shaman appears from another part of town. Once he finally reached the distance where the sharp lines of text actually became visible Blisdon began scan his eyes across the parchment, quietly furrowing his brow and made an odd, thoughtful expression with his mouth; As if chewing on something that had a strange and long-forgotten taste he couldn't recall.
"I've always wanted to wear a dragons skull in my ritual stormdances.Lets get a train of folks together,bend them over something and spank them until crickets start coming out."
Blisdon held out his fist for a fist-bump of agreement with Nakigahara as the shaman turned his head to the small lad turned town-crier.
"Well hey there buddy, Yaknow where a man o' the spirits like me might find this...Dragon"s chest? or..er...Dragon's Crest?"
"Well when the Tavern Starts lending out books instead of mugs and shushing those who talk too loud then I'd be happy to abandon my barbaric ways and indulge in the more sophisticated and cultured pastimes. " Said the shaman as he turned to the monk, a sly grin brightly illuminating his face.
"Dragon's Crest?" The page replies, "probably a few week's journey from here on foot if you get lucky with the spans, or if you're quick, you can just follow me.
The man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gate crystal. "But you have to be real quick," he laughs while concentrating on his destination. The crystal shimmers with a silver light and the man vanishes from the center of town as quickly as he appeared.
Thalenir appears in a flash of light, looking around as if searching for something. He notices the surprised expressions on the other bystanders. "I assume that magical emanation was someone gating out, then, and not just my imagination?"
He examines the flier, and his eyes narrow. "Scorch...," he mutters to himself, then reads in more detail. "Thricefork and Halfway in Sardia. Woodhaven in Nastal. Even Dragon's Crest in Lower Metsar. My you have been busy..."
Thalenir involuntarily flexes his right hand. "It would have been nice of the messenger to leave a proper conduit. How do they expect us to reach Dragon's Crest?"
Delvin slipped from the shadows of the forest to sidle up to the town post, brilliant blues scanning over the parchment that had most recently been placed. His eyes widened as he read the name "Dragon's Crest" and a slight shiver traversed the length of his spine. Upon looking at the picture of the dragon he'd quirk a brow, "By the sands, this is either an omen or a blessing, perhaps even both". He'd step back from the post so that the others could read it,
He couldn't help but give a grin at the Bro-fist between the massive Angori and the Monk-Fae, a slight snicker escaping him. "So, We're to head to Dragon's Crest?" he'd ask no one in particular. Though he noted that some of Jastrey's more able bodied warriors were here to take up the task, "Count me in, I may request we make a pit stop in the wraithwood however, there are a few certain someone's that could use my blade through their chest" he laughed before realizing how callouse that made him sound, "It's a long story, but they are murderers and dabblers in the dark arts, most importantly murderers though. Would anyone like to assist?" He wasn't entirely sure but the two incidents could very well be connected anyhow.
Annaleigh, walking in front of Ohren back to the tavern, noticed a small crowd gathered and drug her new friend along to investigate. From a distance a massive Angori was already clearly visible and she cringed inwardly. When she got up close enough to see what was causing the crowd, she got a good idea of how eclectic the citizens of jastry were. She blinked in a touch of surprise before politely sliding through all those taller than her- in short everyone gathered- so that she could see the paper they had all gathered around.
The diminuative Angori flinched at the thought of what she read, muttering, "Oh my. That doesn't sound particularly good... Rampaging dragon and Drakna. I suppose I came to the right place after all."
Teufel walks up to the town post and works his way to the front of the group to get a good look at the flyer. He listens for a while, then mutters to the large angori:
"Im in, if you need the extra set of blades". He touches the weapons suspended at his hips as he say it. He arrogantly assumes the angori heard him, and walks away muttering to himself about it being hot as pit already without the dragons.
Morzoth sees the comotion at the post and sees his future rival standing above the rest. He gets closer to the crowd and works his way in. Finally when he gets close enough to naki he says "Naki we have a score to settle" as he says this a blue flame sparks up in the palm of his left hand. "but until we do lets see what each other is made of with a little dragon hunt"
As Taklinn walks into town to run errands, he sees the crowd gathered and walks over to see what is afoot. He walks up next to Thalenir after reading the flyer and says quietly "Is the Dawn going ta be lookin' into this, mage? I ain't one fer stirrin up that worm again, but iffin I am gonna be getting eaten by a dragon, that is the belly I am needin' to be seein'."
The commotion at the town post drew an Uordeq from the woods, bow on her back and a decently sized dead rabbit dangling by it's back legs from one of her small fists. An arrow shaft jutted from the freshly dead rabbit's soft brown fur. With her free hand Binx pulled away the mask that covered her entire head, save her eyes. She didn't seem to acknowledge anyone in the gathering of townsfolk besides Morzoth, to whom she gave the smallest of nods before taking a long look at the flyer, The slight arching of one of her thin eyebrows was the only sign of the young woman recognizing the crude drawing of one of the town's terrors.
Approached by Morzoth, Nakigahara's attention shifts, dark eyes glancing through the shadowy holes of his mask. "I'm completely willing to settle it here and now, even with a maimed leg." His jovial nature gone, a seriousness felt in the tone of his voice. "Name a time and a place..." He tightly grips his massive warpike, which begins to glow bright red orange before fading to its original cold steel. "Don't think I haven't learned a few new tricks in my absense. Though I'm interested to see how you fair in combat, Morzoth."
Drux see the crowd forming around the post and knows something must be up. He heads in that direction. Seeing an new letter on the post he begins to read.
After finishing he says, "I assume we aren't standing here and doing nothing. Scorch is still causing havoc and we must do our duty and be rid of him once and for all. Oh and I do believe it would be a good idea to leave Kirell behind, last time he was in Scorch's presence things didn't go so well."
Ohren glares at Naki and Morzoth. "HEY HEY HEY... We is brudders here. Why we all fightin.. No fightins... Is bad for us..." He tries to stand infront of the little angori female to obsure her from the view of the other two. "Why doesnt you twos go to de Quarker and settle eberyting in de... DUNDER RING!! Four horns enter... two horns leave..."
Morzoth stands and looks dead at Naki and then a huge smile comes over his face "Against you win or loose it will be one hell of a fight" the blue flame in his and brightens and sparks. Morzoth lets out a great howl as he shoots a fire ball off into the air. he lowers his head down at naki and begins to speak. " on the day of the largest moon befor the sun sets we will have our duel" with this he turns and leaves walking back to the quarter to begin training.
Thalenir glances over his shoulder at Taklinn. His eyes betray an uncharacteristic malice. "There is no question. Scorch must die. I will seek him out and end him myself if that's what it takes. If these people know his whereabouts, I intend to answer their summons."
Annaleigh spun around at the sound of her new friend's exclaimaition. Side stepping slightly to get a better view- she could barely see over Ohren's shoulder. Her gaze landed on the giant, presumably the Nakigahara she had heard about, and another smaller (though still larger than she) Angori. It seemed like Ohren was trying to break up a possible fight, suggesting the pair take it back to the Crimson Quarter and settle their in the "thunder ring." She blinked as the smaller Angori howled and shot off a blue flame into the air before making his challenge and walking in the direction of the Quarter. Her eyes went from the retreating form of the other Angori to Nakigahara.
"Some tribe, indeed. What in the bloody name of Aramir was that about? And fighting on a maimed leg? That'll be helpful to fixing it! Are all the Angori here mad??" Annaleigh remarked none too quietly, with her free hand on her hip. As an after thought, she added, "No offense meant, Ohren."
Teufel watches as the fight unfolds by the town post, and watches as the thin angori shoots a blue flame high into the air. His eyes trail the flame as it flys. He thinks to himself "this is going to be one heck of a fight". He watches as the thin one walks towards the Crimson Quarter.
Without a word, Teufel slips out from the crowd of people, and goes directly towards the treeline. He silently tails Morzoth into the Crimson Quarter, purely so he can see the upcoming fight.
"Then ye have me axe mage. Just promise me that I can dig around in his guts after he lays dead at our feet." Taklinn says back to Thalenir, a grim determined jaw clenched and a fire burning deep in his eyes. "That pestilence has many things to answer for, and I'll see the deed done aside ye." He looks around to the gathered group and looks shakes his head a bit saying quietly "We may be needin' some help. It'll be like lambs to the slaughter fer some of these shortbeards, though they seem eager."
Annaleigh looked at Ohren, "Not mad as in angry, my friend. Mad as in crazy. No, I'm not mad, but I'm not quite happy either, not with a dragon about and running amok."
The slight Dregoth shook her head at the seemingly foolish males of her race before just out right turning away from them. She had listened a bit to the conversation between the armored dwarf and the mage Empyrean and it intrigued her. She turned and took a couple steps over to them, "Pardon my intrusion, but I over heard. It sounds like you know of the dragon the flyer mentioned and mean to slay it. I'm a touch new around here, but should they be needed my healing skills and claws are at your service. Even, that is, if I happen to be on of those.. erm... 'lambs to the slaughter' you mentioned."
"Well maybe ye are and maybe not Angori, but from what I'm seein we may be needin some more healers. We have had trouble with Scorch before, and if this be the same dragon, then we are definately needin' all the help we can get. Mage iffin' we get out of this scrape alive, I will be askin ye to help me with some enchanting. Me belt has lost its juice and I ain't and strong as I once was." Taklinn says quietly with a low growl.
Akon steps up beside the arch-magus, arms folded and hood drawn up against the daystar's horrid rays. "Thr dwarf is right." She muttered, hard set gaze fixed on the parchment as she spoke to Thalenir. "Powerful though you are, it would be suicide to go against him alone, if it is indeed Scorch. Though odd that those among the living are siding with him, unless the Lich has turned said Drakna into his undead slaves. His prowess over the dark arts is none to be trifelled with."
Annaleigh smiled when Ohren also said he was coming along and dipped her head slightly to him. She couldn't decypher what exactly he'd called the Dwarf and Empyrean and was about to ask for their names and give her own when Akon approached and spoke to the mage.
Annaleigh blinked, somewhat startled by the Uordeq's words-having paid no attention to the crude drawing at the bottom of the poster, "Lich? This Scorch, isn't just a dragon?"
"Course I'm right hoot. This bag of bone and scales has been a thorne in our side fer too long, and it seems he has been travelin' the world since last we met him. Probably roundin' up more cultists an' makin' an Army to come back and deal with us properly." Taklinn scoffs as Akon makes her observations. "An' ye heard right horned one, he has been bested by us afore, but come back stronger and with more fodder to throw at us every time. Of course this is all assumin' that it is Scorch we're talkin' about and that he hasn't gone to recruitin' other dragons into his force." Taklinn visibly shudders at the thought and pulls out his flask and whispers something indecipherable to it before putting it to his lips and taking a long pull.
"I can't imagine a Dracolich would taste very good, Ohren, or really even be edible..." The little Angori remarked, knowing it was not uncommon for some Angori to devour enemies.
"That sounds like a very persistent dragon, indeed." Annaleigh mused, almost to herself. She had never heard of this Scorch before, but the thought of a dracolich recruiting cultists was enough to make her cringe- let alone the thought of one with a grudge and a habit of getting stronger each return. "Well, as I said, I'll do my best to be around and lend my aid and, if it comes down to it, my animal form may not be large, but I'll lend a set of claws as well, sir Dwarf. Annaleigh, is my name by the way, of the Telamon Druid enclave."
"Thats one heck of a mouthful to say Anna, Taklinn is me name. Me Mage friend Thalenir here has a bit of a score to settle if ye catch me meaning, otherwise he is a pretty charming lad, fer a mage." Taklinn says with a bit less of an edge to his voice; the drink obviously settling his nerves a bit. "But stranger things have happened in Jastrey don't ye doubt, it seems that this town is always in the way of some evil doer or another, and iffin yer wantin some adventure, then this is as good a place as any to settle into."
Annaleigh chuckled, she couldn't argue with her mouth full of a name now that she belonged to the enclave instead of the Tribe of Bloodrenders. She nooded at both men, "It's nice to meet you Takklin, Thalenir. Seems like it is the adventurer's paradise if what you're saying is true. My question is, how much stranger can you get than an undead dragon with a grudge? Wait... Don't answer that. I think I'll just stick around and find out."
Smoothing out her skirt, she sighed. Nodding to each male in turn and one to Akon as well, she excuesed herself before turning to leave. "Well, I guess I'll need to be sharpening my healing and my fighting. I'll be seeing ya'll around"
Nakigahara hobbles over to the town post, his right leg recently maimed from a competitive wrestling match against the tag team of a bear and a troll. He quickly reads the note. "Dragons, eh? WHO WANTS TO COME KILL THINGS WITH ME?!"