(Tavern) City of Orussus, The Red Dragon Inn VII

[Kahuna Burger]

Another dwarf, clad in concealing rags and carrying a large pack, approached the girl. He said nothing but appraised her form carefully, checking for wounds or any other ailments that he could help with.

"What does this Dragon look like?" he asked her curtly.

Katherine rises and walks over to the girl, interposing herself in front of the dwarf if she feels his bluntness is rattling her further. She says quietly to the others, "Everyone give the child some space for a moment. Jack, can you get some warm milk from Joe?" Focusing the girls attention on her and speaking in a smooth and gentle voice she says, "Sina is a beautiful name, mine is Katherine. There's lots of people here who would be happy to help you and your village. But this very moment, you are safe here and I want you to take a couple of deep slow breaths and drink this. Then we'll get the whole story from the beginning."

ooc: Diplomacy +9 take 10, also sense motive +6 (+8 against humans) to casually apraise the attitude of the girl and the man with her.

 

[Pbartender]

"Jack, can you get some warm milk from Joe?"

Before Katherine is finished phrasing the request, Jack materializes beside the distraught girl with a large glass of milk and a plate of cookies to go with it. "Why don't you take a seat, miss?"

 

[nimisgod]

The ragged dwarf backed off when Katherine shielded the child from his interrogation.

The mumbled complaints that escaped his lips ceased when the half-elf began to comfort the child. Though Veras-Re was not at all diplomatic nor genteel, he was intelligent enough to let someone more capable do the talking.

When most folk looked into the shadows of his hood and into his milky white eyes, they usually ran away screaming or averted their gaze in disgust.

If he was to know more of the Dragon, he had to keep on the lowdown.

 

[fuzzy]

Rika stands up and looks the man and child over.
I, too, would like to know what the dragon looks like. I'll be glad to help however I can.

 

[Velmont]

As all the comotion goes by, Opale show up again at the top of the stairs.

"What is all that noise about? Is the Inn under attack? I won't be able to sleep with all that noise..." she shout to make herself heard.

She stares around and see Naga that is staring at the crying little girl.

"Oops... what is that about?" she ask again, on a more gentle tone.

 

[Knight Otu]

The girl, which visibly shrunk when the dwarves approached, appears to be unhurt. The merchant, seeing the look of the second dwarf, explains "She was in pretty bad shape when I picked her up, so I brought her to the newly consecrated temple of Hyrag first, who could help her."

As far as anyone can tell, both the merchant and the girl are telling the truth. Sina, calmed a bit by the milk begins again.

"My mom ...told me that the kobold first came about ...five years ago. Can't remember much of that... was too young to remember much... They rule the village... unseen, hiding from visitor... but kill those who find out...
The dragon... not very often in Grenton... and then mostly... in human form... Once... there was this man... mom told me not to watch... kobolds tied him... to a tree... as a sacrifice... to Eskaron... he changed... scales... claws... teeth... bit... head..."
Overwhelmed by the memories, Sina again breaks into tears.

 

[nimisgod]

Veras-Re looked at the weeping child with a mixture of irritation, disgust and impatience. The dwarf's past had done well enough to remove pity and mercy from his heart. Still, he was not adverse to throwing a bone or two.

"Tragedy affects only the weak. The strong live and learn. Realize this quickly and those you care for will be saved. " he said to the child in a half whisper.

Veras-Re lived. And he learned well. But enlightenment was not fast enough.

He considered the situation before him, putting the risks and the rewards upon a scale.

The hooded dwarf looked to the merchant, appraising him. "What are you to her? An uncle? What have you to gain from this?"

 

[Jdvn1]

Farid looks confused, "Gain? From this? I don't think anyone could gain much from this tragedy." He raises his urgosh, "Why don't we go there and clear out some kobolds? Hopefully it's not too late for the rest of the town. Should we bring extra milk?" Faird tightens some belts, ready to go.

 

[Velmont]

Opale climb down the stairs and join the group that surround the young girl and merchant.

"Ok, let's resume to be sure I didn't miss something while I was trying to sleep. That young girl's village is run by a dragon and some kobolds. She saw a villagers that has been sacrifice to that dragon by the kobold... Before becoming all crazy and running straigth to our death, what do we know about that dragon? What color is his scales, how tall is he? And how much kobold there is?"

 

[Pbartender]

Farid looks confused, "Gain? From this? I don't think anyone could gain much from this tragedy."

"You'd be surprised, chum," Jack answers sardonically.

"Ok, let's resume to be sure I didn't miss something while I was trying to sleep. That young girl's village is run by a dragon..."

"A shapechanging dragon," Jack interrupts, "Apparently, he's an human, more often than not."