Escarin joins Xorn at the corpse, looking into it's face. Noticing it's features and structure he turns back to the others.

"These were mean enough, but you can imagine how powerful one several times the size of this could be... I pray.." He pauses looking at Geoff, and then at the staff "Well, let's say I hope, not to have to face one." 

Bryony seizes the spear and brings it up for use, only to find the last foe slain and done with.  Watching the bodies of her captors turn to stone is a horror all its own, for there is no legend or even myth that speaks of anything like this.

The redheaded warrior finally blinks off her shock when she realizes there's not only conversation around her, but questions directed at her.  "I'm Bryony," she says, by way of introduction before handing the spear back to Geoff, whose staff still holds so much of her attention and hopes.  "Bryony Ember.  I'm not from here.  I was, um."  Admitting her quest seems a sure way to be dismissed but with that staff?  Perhaps they'll understand.  "I was searching for the Old Gods, actually.  I've traveled far to get here, only to be captured by those lizardmen.  Dragon men?"

She eyes the bodies of the black hatchlings and shudders.  "If not for the evidence of my eyes, I'd question anyone who said dragons had returned."  Alex's remarks about seeing a dragon cause her to turn to him and say "It's a fake.  It's made out of wood.  I was tied up in there, actually, when the dragon men captured me."

Having returned her only weapon, Bryony starts to search among the dead dragon men for a sword, a mace, or preferably a quarterstaff.  And while she does, she asks "What brings you here?  And where in all of Krynn did you find a staff like that?"

Geoff says to Xorn and Escarin, "Healing magic...I thought it was nothing more than a legend of the past...was this what Forestmaster meant...?" He pauses and stares at the Staff, deep in thought.

He snaps himself out of it when Bryony hands him his spear. "Oh, right, sorry. My name is Geoff Krowly. All of us spent the last five years searching for a sign of the old gods as well. It appears our meeting was more than coincidence. We were on our way to the ruins when we encountered trouble." He motions to all the dead corpses and hatchlings.

"As for the Staff...well, perhaps my brother Tyrros will be best suited to explain how he got it."

Shan, with her hood on, only her green bright eyes seen in the shaodws of it says 

“Sorry to cut the pleasentires, but we should speak as we walk. We don’t know how many more of this creatures are here, and we have a timeline. I feel that many of our questions will find answers when we finally reach our destiny. We could take a quick look at your fake dragon, perhaps your stuff is there Bryony?. Anyway we should get going. “

Geoff knows Shan is correct, now is not the time for idle talk, "Yes, we should keep going."

Nodding to each in turn, “That one is Alex, Escarin, and...” pulling his spear out of the ground “...I am Xorn.” The Minotaur begins moving ahead into the jungle, his hooves hitting the ground with a dull wet thump.   “We better get moving. I want to see this dragon carving.”

"Well met, I wish there was more time to introduce ourselves, and to study these creatures for that matter, but we have to hurry."

With that Escarin shoulders his pack, and goes to move off, checking first that Shan seems ready to travel after her exertions. 

Tyrros looks at his brother in despair. 

His eyes are saying .. Please don't let me relive this again... 

To Bryony, he says " It was given to me, I was sick and feverish, I knew it wasn't for me but I don't remember anything else..." He looks at the dragon men... "Until now." 

"Miraculous," Bryony says, once more admiring the staff before looking at the man bearing it, as well as his brother.  "We're near Xak Tsaroth, or at least where it was before the Cataclysm, if the map I saw is any indication.  Perhaps we'll learn more there?"

She falls in with the group as they move towards the carved wooden dragon.  "Thank you again for the rescue," she says to the general party.  "If you don't mind me traveling with you for now, I'd love the opportunity to repay the favor."

“We’ve been told to be here, in Xak Tsaroth today. That it is of the utmost urgency and importance that we must be in the city. You are more than welcome to join us but our path isn’t easy neither safe.” Tells Shan to Bryony. “In your map. Where the city itself was? How much farther?” 

She has this urgency feeling growing in her.

As the group moves once more forward, albeit carefully you can all sense a feeling of urgency. 

You arrive in a large clearing.  In the center a huge dragonlike statue made of wood and foilage towers over a tent made camp. You can see why anyone would be awed by it. 

The camp seems deserted and a large trunk on the side of the largest tent lays open. (OOC: Bryony's stuff are in there.)

A big bone fire in front of the sculpture lights the whole clearing. 

“Impressive, that used to be heir regular size Xorn “ says Shan. “We should get moving but... “ she looks to Escarin and open her hand, in her palm a small blood of swyrling fire appears. “Shall we?” She ask to him.

With a slight bow of his head Escarin replies "Always prepared, very wise" He lets force energy crackle over his own hand for a moment.  "Ready if you are, Shan". Looking up at the effigy he adds "Impressive, certainly, terrifying might be another way of describing it."

Xorn’s powerful legs carry him to the base of the statue. Staring up at it’s size, he nods. “Yes, this is far more impressive.” While there, he takes a moment to inspect the craftsmanship of these lizar... dragon people. 

12

Growing up in Solace, Xorn is not used to being intimidated and is too proud to admit any creature, let alone this one, would terrify him as Escarin has suggested. So he merely nods at his friend’s observation and continues his inspection of detail.

[ooc]I forgot to bold my speech befor the roll. If I do it now it will trigger dice tampering.  

Xorn inspects the edifice and motives the resemblance with the black hatchings they have killed.

The craftsmanship is crude but he can see that much effort as been out into it's creation. 

To the southwest (7 on the map ) is a graceful tower, beautiful even in crumbling decay, rises from the waters of the swamp.  Finely carved and polished stonework walls still glint beneath the encroaching mosses and undergrowth. Although the wooden floors and rafters have long since rotted away, a carved stone staircase circles up the interior of this tower to a stone floor at the top. The tower might provide a view of all the surrounding swamplands; it is not an easy climb. 

To the southeast, the swamp thickens,  pools of fetid black muck can be seen, ( 8 ) and further east  (9 ) the soggy jungle floor suddenly ends in a 1,000-ft. cliff. Water from the swamp trickles down the stone bluff to a turbulent coast. The New Sea spreads to the eastern horizon, covering what was once a fertile plain. 

To the south, a bridge of rope links the rest of the ruins. 

"So we have have two choices it seems, do we, or at least some of us risk the climb to survey the area or do we head across the bridge and take our chances with what we might find on the other side.  Do we even have time to make the climb, scout the area and then get down and into the city before we run out of time, for that matter?"

Escarin shakes his head, angry with himself. He then goes still for a few seconds and his familiar, Havran, comes to him. 

"My friend can you search the area for us?  We must now what we are going to face?"

The raven takes off again flying up above the group.

OOC I would like Havran to scout as far as he can whilst remaining in contact with Escarin, allowing Escarin to see through his eyes at relevant points through the scouting, so he has a good idea of what is immediately ahead of them over the bridge and what is in the tower if possible.

Perception for Havran 19

Shan's question about where the city lies leads Bryony to point towards the southwest and the tower that still stands there.  "I was heading there to see if I could get the lay of the land before I was captured.  I think we're on the outskirts of it as it is."

Once the group arrives at the great wooden dragon, the redhead is only too delighted to find her possessions.  Armed once more in chainmail, she hefts a finely made quarterstaff banded with iron and thumps it against the ground.  "There, now I can offer a little more contribution in the next fight."

Seeing several in the group intending to set fire to the dragon, Bryony speaks up.  "I know we've just met but I'd urge you to reconsider," she says to Shan and Escarin.  "That much wood will make a bonfire that could be seen for miles, and in the midst of a swamp those who may still be here will immediately know what's burning.  We may still have the element of surprise, if there are more of these dragon men further on.  That said..."

She rubs her chin and stares thoughtfully at the dragon.  "If only we had some proper reconnaissance.  If we knew where they were, we might be able to use a fire at this dragon as a diversion to let us slip between any guards they have." 

At Bryony’s words Shan closes her hand and the fire vanished.

”But it would have been a true declaration of intentions “ she said smiling “ you are right. Stealth is our best weapon now. Let’s get moving.”