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

[jayaint]

Thanyvan Broadoak

The door to the inn swings open and then closes. A tiny quarterstaff clicks and weaves its way across the tavern to the bar. Only then, as the halfling hops and climbs up into a tall stool can any one see who darted in.

The halfling is obviously the runt of his family. He would be considered tiny, even by halfling standards. He is wearing leather armor that is dappled with the colors of the season's leaves. On one shoulder piece however, two gray crossed fingers are sketched out with painstaking care, if not artistic skill. His blonde hair is stringy and well-travelled and trails down his back.

There is another knock on the door, and a nearby barmaid goes to open it. As she does, a black-ish flash of feathers streaks across the room to land on the halfling's shoulder, scolding him with hoots and hums. A tiny jet black owl, not much bigger than a human's outstretched hand, is perched there, eyes whirling.

"Sorry, Tyrr... I was in such a hurry to finally be here. I'm so excited to have arrived." He says, offhandedly.

"Bartender, I am Thanyvan Broadoak, druid of Phyrah, and I have been drawn here by the legends of adventures to be had. I have marched for many days, but here I am. Nature has permitted my passage, and I thank her for her blessings."
As he settles down a bit with a small plate of food and tiny cup of drink, he turns to the bar at large to soak in his surroundings.

 

[SlagMortar]

Planus looks with interest as the new comer enter. He then visibly pulls his attention back to the task at hand, fighting down the urge to talk with the druids about what beautiful forest they are from. Mongrel has brought this girl here for us to help.

"The only way to answer these questions about the dragon is to see for ourselves. This poor child has been through so much, her fear is certain to color her story. Besides, this inn is starting to get stuffy. I'd never come in doors at all if there wasn't such interesting people here.

"Metallic dragons, chromatic? Lavendar are my favorite. Easy to see in the woods."

 

[jayaint]

"A crying girl? Dragons?"

Thanyvan looks around wide-eyed.

"This place doesn't disappoint. I have barely arrived and it seems there is already some unnatural abomination to set right. Let's go."

Looking to Planus and recognizing a kindred soul, Thanvan nods his tiny head and clamors down from his lofty stool to join the action.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

"Well, it looks like we have two groups suitable for different kinds of reconisence," Katherine says with a warm smile. "Sina, why don't you tell us as much as possible about the location of your village and its surroundings. Then you can describe your mother and another adult you trust to us so that those of us going to the village can make contact with them." She glances around at the others, guaging their reactions to the plan. "we can take one evening and night for one group of us to assess the village and the other to search for signs of this dragon, then meet at a safe camp to plan an attack. Does that work for everyone?"

 

[jayaint]

Thanyvan claps his tiny hands together gleefully, "A plan!? Excellent. It will be a joy to stretch my legs again."

Tyrrette, the owl, rolls his large eyes dejectedly and sighs.

"Easy, you. You are the laziest animal." Thanyvan scolds.

He ambles up to the group and hopes that they will get on one knee to discuss tactics, seeing as how he is only staring at kneecaps, currently.

 

[nimisgod]

Veras-Re nodded silently in assent.

 

[Jdvn1]

"we can take one evening and night for one group of us to assess the village and the other to search for signs of this dragon, then meet at a safe camp to plan an attack. Does that work for everyone?"

Farid nods, "Pardon, I don't know tha area too well. How far is th'town from here? Is there a location closer by we can seek information? -- Maybe a place to use as our safe camp?"

 

[Pbartender]

"Yeah, that is far from unusual... but I can't remember which type of dragon do that.

"If I remember correctly, some dragons can shapechange my nature, and some change shapes with spells."

"It might not be a dragon," Jack mentions off-handedly, after returning to his half-finished beer.

"It could, conversely, be a human shapechanging to look like a dragon... Or something that looks like a dragon... Or using illusionary magic to disguise himself as a dragon... Or maybe he's something else entirely... Anybody care to hunt a were-dragon?

"Whatever it is, Katie's right." The bland halfling continues in a tone that suggests they are discussing an upcoming lawn-bowling tourney. "If we're going to do this, we're better off taking the time to do it right. Begging your pardon, little miss, but if the village has suffered this long, they can endure a little longer. Killing ourselves bravely won't save her village. Watch where you walk, so you know what your stepping in, my Gramdma used to say."

He ambles up to the group and hopes that they will get on one knee to discuss tactics, seeing as how he is only staring at kneecaps, currently.

Thanyvan suddenly realizes he's not the only halfling with his head in the huddle. The non-chalantly practical advice comes from a forgettably inconscipuous halfling next to Katherine, holding the remains of a plate of cookies in one hand, and half a mug of beer in the other. To all outward appearances, it seems as if the other halfling has been here discussing the adventure since the little girl's introduction, but Thanyvan doesn't remember noticing him until just now.

Odd that.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

"Peace, calm friends. This child is frightened. All of you talking at once, proposing plans of attack and defense and scouting and spying... 'Tis doing no good. Let us hear what she has to say first." The still kneeling druid turns to look kindly into the little girl's eyes. "There now, little one. Tell us all you have to tell so that we may know the whole situation." Quarion kneels in silence, waiting for her response.

 

[Knight Otu]

Though through tears, the girl hisses back at Veras Re "A dead heart is the greater weakness." The merchant is a bit calmer in his reaction to Veras Re's accusations. "Well, Master Nameless Dwarf, my reward in this is the feeling to have done something good, and admittedly, the hope that the respect for us merchants rises a bit again."

As the conversation begin to get chaotic, and the girl isn't even able to get through to the planning and chatting adventurers, Jakub knocks loudly on the table. Once he gets everyone's attention, he tells the girl to answer the questions again.

"The dragon... I think it had... dark scales... not sure if they were green or truly black... it went so fast... E...Eskaron, that's what he calls himself... he's big for a human... I think he grew a bit more in his change..."