NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4513908" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 13 - Chauntea's Blessing (Part 5)Thira looked around the bustling city streets beyond the arch as she passed through the Eastgate, hooded once more as she had learned to always be around those who were deemed to be civilised folk. She looked over at Kel who was similarly hooded and then turned her eyes to Lavren. She winked at him and he smiled. It was late and Thira was anxious to conclude their business so that she and Lavren could retire to one of the city’s inns that he had told her so much about as they had travelled down from the mountains.“Shall we find the Harvest Altar?” she asked the others then, turning away from Lavren. She made her way over to one of the gate guards, clad as they all were in tabards emblazoned with the Purple Dragon of Cormyr. The tiefling was thankful that her stave was not considered a weapon else she would have been asked to peace bond it as the others had done when they left Winterhaven. Lord Padraig rarely enforced the peace-bonding rule in his small part of Cormyr’s frontier, but elsewhere it was rigidly adhered to.“We seek the Harvest Altar,” said Thyra softly. “Do you know of it?”“Aye,” answered the guardsman. “On the far side of town, near the High Horn Gate. Next to the Red Sword.”Thira thanked the man and the five companions moved off, heading through the centre of Arabel towards the High Horn Gate which Lavren told them was the west gate, directly opposite the East Gate through which they had entered the city. The Red Sword proved to be a tavern and the Harvest Altar a small covered shrine to Chauntea, the Great Mother who brought bountiful crops to all who honoured her. Black wheat sheaves and rotten fruit lay at the foot of the altar while a small shelter had been squeezed against the western wall of the place. A ragged curtain, once fine perhaps, barred the doorway and as the light around the companions faded, a faint orange glow could be seen around the curtain. Kel started toward the doorway but Dulvarna held her back as she and Erlmoor took the lead.“They are unlikely to welcome hooded strangers,” said the warrior woman.“Or hooded drow,” rumbled Erlmoor with a fierce glare at the dark elf.Dulvarna pulled the curtain aside and stepped into the small and cluttered chamber in which the priest of the shrine lived. An unremarkable man with messy brown hair and a short beard turned towards her from the fire at the far end of the chamber. He reached for a mace with his left hand while letting go the spoon he held in his right, allowing it to settle gently into the pot of broth that hung over the fire.“Who are you?” asked the priest. “What brings you to seek Chauntea’s blessing.”“We bring a letter from Sister Linora in Winterhaven,” Thira answered as she pushed into the chamber behind Erlmoor.“We seek unguents and herbs for a ritual to save our friend from death,” said Dulvarna producing the letter from her belt. “We have gold and will pay.”The priest cracked open the seal of Linora’s letter and read quietly for a moment before looking up at the strangers with sad eyes.“Alas, the unguents and herbs you require are not here,” he said at last. “They were in a wagon coming from Suzail that was attacked on Calantar’s Way just four days ago. Kobolds took all that was carried and slew three guards.”“And where do these kobolds lair?” asked Kel. “Have any tracked them or seen them elsewhere.”“I followed their tracks,” answered the priest. “For Brother Milos is no coward. They dwell within the northern edge of the King’s Forest, in a hidden hall.”“Then why have the Purple Dragons not sought them out?” asked Erlmoor.“Alas they worry little about one small wagon and a band of kobolds,” answered Milos. “There are said to be Banites abroad in the city and the garrison worries more about them than anything else.”“Then we shall seek them out,” said Dulvarna. “For your sake as well as for our friend’s.”“Can you draw us a map?” asked Lavren.“I can do better than that,” answered Milos. “I can show you the way.”</blockquote>

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