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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jeremy" data-source="post: 1379534" data-attributes="member: 4036">Cormanthor, North of Galath's Roost15th of Deepwinter in the Year of Wild Magic Crouched down around a small campfire were the two moon elven Rangers Revan had seen the previous night. Each looked up and regarded the group before they shared a look and a nod and began making room. They introduced themselves as brothers, Simimar and Lathai Evioro. Apparently they were originally from Bristar, though most recently from Tangletrees as part of a unit dispatched to combat the increasing drow raids in Mistledale. They had been in this area since the militia disappeared while spying on the Roost. "Something dangerous is lurking around the keep. One of our friends, Nylian Moonglade, was killed north of here. We found his body. Looked like he was cut down by an axe. We have no idea though what happened to his companion, Inialos Oakwood. Of him there has been no trace," the younger brother, Lathai, explained. "We were hoping you might have had some sign of him?" "Nope," Titus replied, "You're the first living folk we've seen around here so far. But we'll keep an eye out for your friend." The two Rangers looked at each other again, then at Revan. But Revan had situated himself at the far side of the camp and was leaning up against a tree looking the other way, his left hand on his opposite shoulder. *** Sometime later after having shared a small meal the two groups exchanged information. The Rangers asked about the drow camp and corpses South of the Roost and they compared findings. Titus inquired about anything further that the elves might know about the history of the place. Lathai answered, "Many centuries ago, this area was the site of an elven watchtower, but it was abandoned long before humans came to this area." "So whut's wit th' giant insects?" Galdur broke in. The Ranger shrugged, "Perhaps there was something here the watchtower guarded against. I think there was a burial crypt under the tower. If it survived all this time, the magicks warding it might be damaged. But there are more dangerous things in Cormanthor than large insects." "I heard that Galath's Roost was haunted," Elayne said quietly as visions of headless ghostly riders thundering through the Dale played in Titus's imagination. "It is true that there have been many reports of a ghost in this area. Maybe Galath and his men do want a piece of the raiding going on. Or maybe it is an older spirit from the watchtower, angered by the Ssri-Tel'Quessir that pollute Cormanthor. In any event, I doubt it would have anything to do with the most recent raiding you said you were here checking on. These reports have come in since long before now." The two groups continued talking for some time before, weary from the long day, they bedded down. *** Cautiously making their way back up the causeway the company kept their eyes and ears open for any sign of danger. As they stepped back into the ruined fort, everything seemed quiet. Patches of snow held together in shadows provided by piles of rubble or uneven flagstones broken and pushed up at odd angles persisted by hiding from the sun. The pair of oak trees that stood in the midst of the Roost leaned and swayed a little in the wind. After a moment the group split up to investigate the keep. Revan headed over to the large hole near the blockhouse. He was attempting to peer over its edge when it started to collapse, but the nimble elf stepped easily on each falling stone back to safety. After it had settled down he was able to see some kind of underground grotto with a stream, vines, undergrowth, and various limestone formations. The others looked up at the commotion but Revan simply shook his head before heading over towards Titus coughing. Titus was examining the broken down set of stairs descending into the bowels of the fort. The left retaining wall had caved outwards and the roof of the stairs had consequently fallen covering the stairs in debris. Down below the stairs appeared to open into some kind of natural cave. Elayne was examining the remains of what used to be a great hall. It had two great fire pits at the fare end with barely standing chimneys in each corner. Unlike most of the interior walls of Galath's Roost, the hall's walls had been made of stone and thus were still standing, though there was another oak tree growing out of the floor in the room. Galdur was standing beneath the sleeping oak in the middle of the fort figuring he was about equal distance from everyone else should anyone need aid. He was looking from group to the next when suddenly he came under attack. Something small and hard struck his left armored shoulder with a light clank. "Whut th' blazes?" The dwarf spun around, axe in hand, searching for his assailant. *Clank* Another object skipped off his armor, his eyes followed the motion and saw where it hit the ground. He had been struck by... an acorn? Above him in the tangle of bare branches of the tree came a series of short hissing sounds. The dwarf could swear something was laughing at him. "Hey!" The others returned to the middle of the keep to find him staring up into the branches overhead. After a few moments of looking in vain, Titus shrugged and started climbing up the tree. An excited chirp was heard just prior to a veritable flood of acorns pouring down the trunk and over the branches which provided very slippery grips but failed to dislodge the persistent human. As Titus gained purchase in the lower branches a small reddish-brown object shot out of the upper branches towards the great hall at incredible speed. Elayne tried to follow it on foot but it zipped up and into the top of one of the chimneys and disappeared. Approaching carefully she could hear it skittering around in the chimney, it sounded like it might be getting ready to fly out the bottom, crouching down she tried to get a look up th--*WHUFF*--e chimney. Only to get a face full of soot. She backed away from the fire pit coughing and sputtering as the hissing laughter broke out louder from the chimney. The little imp had used a down sweep of its wings to do that on purpose. Standing straight Elayne did not play into its game and instead merely calmly motioned with her hands and stated firmly, "Clean." Soot and dirt lifted itself away from her until she was her normal pristine self. Titus meanwhile had found a large sack still filled with hundreds of acorns and began climbing down the tree with it. When he reached the bottom he saw Elayne still staring at the fire pit and grinned. He held a finger up to his lips and quietly crept to the side of the chimney. Bracing himself against the chimney and the wall he began climbing it. A few old stones cracked and groaned causing him to stop and redistribute his weight, but he kept going. With every grumble there was a nervous chirp from within the chimney. About halfway to the top there was a loud crack as the chimney would take no more. A terrified squeak was heard as the little creature shot out the bottom of the chimney covered in soot just before it buried him. Titus however was in a more difficult position. He rode the chimney down as it fell over sideways and at the last second managed to hurl himself clear of the raining debris taking only a few bumps, scrapes, and bruises where there could have been much worse. The creature had flew out the bottom and bump somewhat dazedly right into Elayne who managed to grab him. It was a dragon! The creature seemed to read her thoughts and still for a second. A moment later she heard in her mind, Yes! I am a DRAGON! And you have entered my home. You must pay a tax! While she tried to comprehend what was going on the little bugger wiggled it's way free, flitting down to the ground and landing to stand up on its hindquarters, it crossed it's arms and puffed out it's chest while spreading its wings wide. Titus grinned at the little soot-covered thing and grabbed up the sack of acorns he had found earlier while Elayne formed her first thought on the matter. "He's so cute!!" This apparently wasn't the effect the dragon was going for and it deflated somewhat dropping down on all fours. Into Titus's mind he said, Hey you. Those are mine. Give them here. Kind of shocked but then kind of not, Titus played right back. "You want them? Tell us what you know about this place." Nooooo, he drawled mentally. My home! You invaded it. You will give me those back right away.. And she will clean me! Or I will be very angry! Titus laughed and again the dragon bristled. Titus looked at Elayne and she nodded, extending her cantrip to the little guy and cleaning him off. He was a little russet horned dragon with a long barbed tail. Titus smiled and said, "There, you're all clean, we helped you now tell us a little about this place." Nuh uh! Gimme! I am a MIGHTY dragon and you'll be sorry if you don't!"That's not how it works, we did something for you, now you do something for us." Titus was having fun with this. I'm warning you, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry... But the playful tone and child-like mental voice of the dragon failed to have it's desired effect on Titus and he just laughed and held the bag up, waving it back and forth. "Talk." Quick as a flash the little dragon shot towards Titus and whipped out with its tail, stinging his leg. "Hey!" Whatever Titus was about to say though was lost in a huge yawn as he fell over and went to sleep. The dragon nodded its head sharply with a little snort and snatched up its sack. Then, inexplicably it curled up on the sleeping man for all the world like a little cat and laid its head down with a big grin stretched all the way across his face. Elayne half giggled at the sight and asked, "What's your name little fella?" The dragon preened and settled in before replying happily, Rossal. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=12968&stc=1" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></blockquote>

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