Horros agrees to move on with the group with a slight head bow to the Lord “we’ll move quick then.”

Dagger Falls

Taya's parting words to Lord Thornvale and the decision to leave Riggs in his care was a pragmatic choice. They entrusted the Lord with the responsibility of extracting whatever additional information Riggs might hold, a task that Dagger Falls was better equipped to handle. As they turned their backs on the encampment, leaving Riggs to his fate, there was a palpable sense of closure on that chapter of their journey.

The road to Dagger Falls passed without incident, the party moving with efficiency and purpose. The day's travel allowed them time to reflect, to strategize, and to prepare for the challenges that lay ahead in Dagger Falls and beyond. The Arcane Brotherhood, the mysterious Zenezara, and the shadows cast by the desert of Anauroch loomed large in their thoughts. Yet, with each step, they drew closer not only to Dagger Falls but to the heart of a conspiracy that spanned the breadth of magic and the ambitions of those who sought to shape the world's destiny from the shadows.

Arriving at the outskirts of Dagger Falls as the light began to wane, the party took a moment to gather themselves. The city before them held answers, allies, and perhaps new challenges, but they were ready. United by a common cause and driven by the need to uncover the truth, they stepped forward into the city, the next phase of their quest unfolding with the promise of revelation and the hope of averting a crisis that threatened to engulf their world in chaos.

This is an RP encounter, it is currently morning at camp, you can take this time to plan with each other and move into the city when you are ready.

"I don't think we should linger here very long.  We should speak with Caelum and Elara quickly and see if they have magical means to warn Sembia of the conspiracy.  If they have ways to get us to Snowmantle quickly, even better.  Otherwise, my suggestion is that we conclude our business and be on our way in no more than a day.  Does anyone else have any business here?"

 "Other than stocking up on arrows and food, I see no need to linger."

"Agreed, let's just look for the arcane brotherhood and stock up on anything we need. We should be careful to who we communicate that we want to warn Sembia. It could easily be construed as treason to Dagger Falls' war efforts. I know that we actually want to warn them about an earlier attack but someone critical could take that as a ruse."

“Good point Taya. I know little of the power structure of Sembia. I know not who to trust with our information. Perhaps the Brotherhood could offer some advice on how best to proceed. As far as provisions, I think the supply’s provided by Shadowdale should last us to Snowmantle, so that’s one thing we will not need to acquire.”

“Sounds straight forward enough to me. I’m good to go when we see fit. If we don’t need to stock up too much let’s focus on checking in with any lingering loose threads then hit the road. Once we are able to settle somewhere I can set up shop and make us some coin repairing arms and armor and such…” Horris chimes in slinging his shield over his shoulder. 

Galdric is going to make directly for the Arcane Brotherhood in hopes of locating Caelum and Elara to see what aid they can provide.

Haj is going to visit a fletcher/armourer. Other than that he has no plans and can leave as soon as the others are ready.

Haj rejoins the others after a short while, differently attired.

"I managed to find the armourer, and besides a few arrows I managed to acquire some stronger armour, although it cost me my old leathers, my old bow and almost every coin in my purse. I'm sure he had bedine blood the way he haggled. So, I'm a little better protected and a lot poorer. I may have even less coin than Horros!"

Taya joins Galdric and helps where she can.

Horros joins Taya and Galdric providing support as needed. 

Cal plans to report to the Arcane Brotherhood as quickly as possible, but he excuses himself from the group to "run a quick errand" on the way.

He splits off the find the Red Rock Inn, and in it, a woman by the name of Lira. He has both good and bad news to share with her about the couple from the burned down tavern, Lila and Eron. He's not sure how she'll take the news, if tales of the attack have already reached her she might find comfort in knowing they're safe.

After this errand Cal plans to rush back and meet up with his party as quickly as possible.

The Mage Tower

The Mage Tower of Dagger Falls rose majestically above the cobblestone streets, its stones etched with glowing runes that pulsed gently in the dusk light. Within its walls, the trio found a gathering of the city’s most learned mages and scholars, all embroiled in a fervent debate over the preservation of magical artifacts. Amid the discourse, an elderly scholar, her robes dusted with the wear of many years in the archives, spread out a series of ancient maps and texts on a large oak table.

As she adjusted her spectacles, she muttered to herself about recent visitors seeking knowledge on ancient wards. The maps before her were marked with various locations around the city, one of which was notably circled several times with notes scribbled hastily in the margins. Catching the attention of Galdric, Horros, and Taya, she looked up, her eyes sharp yet curious. "You seem out of place among the panic of parchment. Looking for something, or someone, perhaps?"

The Red Rock Inn

The warm, inviting atmosphere of the Red Rock Inn contrasted sharply with the cool evening outside. As Cal entered, he saw Lira, the innkeeper, serving drinks with a weary smile. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and she wore a simple apron stained from the day's work. She laughed heartily at a patron's joke but her eyes betrayed a hint of underlying stress.

As Cal approached the bar, he overheard a pair of cloaked figures in the corner. One leaned in, whispering, "The pieces are moving quicker than expected, and the desert's call grows stronger." His companion nodded, tapping a sealed letter on the table, "Do you think they'll get to it before we do?" Their eyes scanned the room, cautious and calculating.

The Fletcher

On the outskirts of town, Haj entered a dimly lit shop that smelled strongly of wood polish and metal. The walls were lined with beautifully crafted weapons. The shopkeeper, a stout man with a thick beard and hands scarred from years of meticulous work, greeted Haj with a nod. "Looking to sharpen your edges or something more unique?" he asked, eyeing Haj's well-used gear.

As Haj browsed, he spotted an arrow with unusually intricate fletching and a metallic gleam. The shopkeeper, noticing Haj's interest, picked up the arrow and weighed it in his hand. "Found this one near some old ruins north of here. Odd markings, aren't they? Ever seen anything like it?" he asked, offering the arrow to Haj for a closer look.

“We’ve been hoping to have a word with Caelum and Elara. They are members of the Arcane Brotherhood and they’ve told us we could find them here,” responds Taya without giving too much away. As she speaks she is trying to get a look at the map and what has been marked most prominently outside of the city (Perception: 10, rolled Nature by accident, 19 with Galdric’s help)

"They are friends of ours that we met recently, and they invited us here.  My name is Galdric."

Galdric is attempting to Help by distracting the clerk so Taya can get a better look at the map

"I was looking to restock my quiver while I'm in town., and maybe upgrade my other equipment. For the right price of course."

Haj examines the arrow that the fletcher has offered, trying to recall anything that he may know. Investigation 11, arcana 16, history 4.

Horros hangs back for now observing the behaviors of those speaking. (Insight check: 12 )

Cal approaches the cloaked figures with a confident smile, interrupting their conversation, hopeful he might confuse them with nonsense and mislead them into believing him someone else.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," he says, "but I couldn't help overhearing your discussion about pieces moving and a desert's call. Fascinating topics! It just so happens that I'm quite knowledgeable about such matters. My name is Gort."

He pauses for dramatic effect, then continues, "You see, I've been known to dabble in a bit of desert intrigue myself. Why, just last month, I outwitted a sandworm with nothing but a spoon and a jar of pickles!"

Cal leans in conspiratorially, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "But enough about me. Let's talk about this desert of yours. Is it the kind with the singing sand dunes or the talking cacti? Because I've got a killer impression of a talking cactus, if I do say so myself."

He chuckles to himself, waiting to see how the cloaked figures will react to his bizarre introduction.

(Not sure which so: Persuasion 12 // Deception: 13 )

Quote from Ravnodaus >>

Cal approaches the cloaked figures with a confident smile, interrupting their conversation, hopeful he might confuse them with nonsense and mislead them into believing him someone else.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," he says, "but I couldn't help overhearing your discussion about pieces moving and a desert's call. Fascinating topics! It just so happens that I'm quite knowledgeable about such matters. My name is Gort."

He pauses for dramatic effect, then continues, "You see, I've been known to dabble in a bit of desert intrigue myself. Why, just last month, I outwitted a sandworm with nothing but a spoon and a jar of pickles!"

Cal leans in conspiratorially, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "But enough about me. Let's talk about this desert of yours. Is it the kind with the singing sand dunes or the talking cacti? Because I've got a killer impression of a talking cactus, if I do say so myself."

He chuckles to himself, waiting to see how the cloaked figures will react to his bizarre introduction.

(Not sure which so: Persuasion 10 // Deception: 7 )

His backup plan is to twin a suggestion spell if shit goes sideways, something to the effect of: Leave the letter and leave town. (And will silvery barbs one if needed to land it)