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Message: <blockquote data-quote="silentspace" data-source="post: 1178153" data-attributes="member: 14316">Zanock starts heading back towards the caravan on foot, Piece of Meat following a few steps behind.  The rest of the group is still clustered around Bert, who has regained consciousness and is resting on the ground peacefully for a moment.  Then Darien holds up his hand and everyone goes suddenly quiet.Darien is peering into the sky, towards the northeast, in the direction of the Severin Forest.  When you search the sky you can’t see anything, except for the clouds rolling slowly across the clear blue expanse.  Then a speck appears in the distance, and grows.  Its some sort of winged creature, but it is still too far for you to see clearly.  It approaches closer, making a wide circle around the caravan, well out of missile or spell range.  Then it starts an approach descent, heading straight towards the front of the caravan, where everyone is gathered around.  It is coming from the direction of the sun, and you have to squint to even see it.The way the object is hidden in the sun, it gets within a few hundred feet before you can even make out what kind of flying creature it is.  It is a giant eagle!  And it has practically landed before you see that it has a rider.  It is a stunningly beautiful animal, standing ten feet tall, its golden wings spanning twenty feet from tip to tip.  Its powerful claws touch gently on the ground just a few feet in front of Darien.  It’s saddlebags are surrounded by weapons holsters.  There is a bow, a couple swords, a lance, and many arrows and javelins.A male elf, wearing green robes over green chainmail, jumps nimbly from his saddle.  Darien dismounts also.  They grip each other’s forearms.“Valindon, my friend, it has been a while,” says Darien.  “How are the elves of Vizelan?”“Aye, Darien, five years it’s been.  Vizelan does well.  I saw the stopped caravan, and came to see if there was trouble, but I see it was only a boar.  And I see you are guarding caravans again.”  His eyes survey the party. “And hiring some unusual help.”“Yes, well times are tough, as you well know.  You might be interested in my new hires.  Let me introduce you.”Valindon greets each of you, looking you plainly in the eye as he does so.  He radiates a sense of strength and power, and for a moment you feel you would follow him anywhere.  It doesn’t seem like the right moment to say anything beyond simple introductions though.  Afterwards, he turns back to Darien.“Darien, I must warn you, there has been a lot of movement lately.  Large bands of goblinoids and orcs.”  He gives Zanock a brief smile.  “And ogres in unusually large groups too.  Something is happening.”“The Red Claw Clan?”“Yes, they are the largest group.  Larger, even, then our last estimates.  We believe they are growing, and splitting up, many of them carrying false war banners to hide their true numbers.  Be careful, my friend.”  “Thank you for the information, Valindon.”  They grip each other’s forearms again.  Then Valindon turns and nods at the assembled caravan guards, and at you.  He climbs nimbly back up into his saddle, and is soon rising into the sky.As he fades away in the distance, Darien says “That was Valindon, one of the greatest war leaders of the Vizelan elves.  It’s strange to see him out here alone, dressed as one of his Eagle Patrol.  There must be something he wanted to see with his own eyes.”  He pauses for a moment, deep in thought.  “This is how it happened the last few times too.  Just before the Gorukan invasions, there were strange movements amongst the evil humanoids.”</blockquote>

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