Xari looks back down slowly from the red star.  Why am I more scared of it up there than all the carnage and pillaging all around?  Where's Hadrian got to?

Sensing that Evelyn is not one for talking with the governor, the big man steps forward once more, hunching his shoulders a little.

"Sir.  Only bringing up a blue dragon because of the blue-scaled kobolds and drakes, cultists masked with blue dragon-maws and a big blue-scaled half-dragon out there just now.  The drakes and half-dragon, from what I've read, it takes the same-colored dragon and magic to create them."

For emphasis, he thumps the tattered book whose corner is peeking out of his pack, though that is a different book entirely...

"As for helping out there in the town tonight, can't speak for the others.  But I'll go.  Wherever you point us.  I think Hadrian will too, once he gets up here."

Nighthill grunts, "so some strange woman shows up, tells you there's a change in your plans, we then get hit with the deadliest raid we've ever faced and you think she's not involved?" The governor tilts his chin down, raising the brow of his good eye at the elf sorcerer. "Be serious Perynor."

He turns his head to regard the big man again. "You sound confident that a dragon is involved...And it makes sense. Let's count ourselves fortunate that it hasn't deemed it necessary to show up itself yet."

"Good man. If it were me, I'd start with the temple. But you've been on the streets more recently than me, so I leave it up your judgement." The governor begins to hobble back along the length of the keep's walls towards the other side where the stairs are. "Let's go collect this Hadrian of yours, then I'll show you how you can get out." He stops briefly to point to a bend in the stream about 100ft southeast of the keep's southeast corner. You can't see anything immediately obvious. "There's an old tunnel exit hidden there - that's where you'll be coming out."

To the other two, he says over his shoulder. "Come help or don't, it's up to you."

The priestess thinks for but a moment before turning her head to face you. "Going back out...?" She says in disbelief. Then slowly nods her head, closing her eyes as if recalling a memory. "There's a small bedroom in the southeast corner of the temple...Underneath the bed is a chest with a prayer book. Elder Meron had it inscribed with healing spells years ago - I could make good use of it here."

As you return, Brandon Rathwyn and his wife Marena make space for you, sitting on either side of their daughter. The girl draws in a breath as you mention the pain, but nods her head with misty eyes. As deftly and gently as you can, you apply the salve to the wound. Calla whimpers some, but does not cry out. You wrap the bandage tightly, and the girl's mother pulls her into an embrace. Brandon puts a hand on your shoulder. "Thank you stranger, for this, and for getting us out of there. I swear I'll repay you some how."

Hadrian
After you finish settling them, you wander back out into the courtyard just in time to catch the others coming back down the stairs, lead by the limping governor. One of your companions points you out, and once you realize they're coming your way you walk to the meet them.

As Xarian had pointed out his background, the governor addresses Hadrian as an equal. "My Lord," the governor scrutinizes the nobleman briefly with his eye. He gestures vaguely towards the gate, "many of my people are still trapped out there. Your friend said you'd be willing to help me get them to safety. Does he speak truly?"

"You'll have my assistance." 

While they're on the walls still, Evelyn searches the town's burning and ransacked buildings for the inn. "We left some people behind at the Bent Bow. I think we should get them first."

Aimon reluctantly follows the governor, Evelyn and Xarian as they move through the keep. Everything in him screams at him to stay in the keep rather than putting his neck on the line outside. Everything except a small corner of his mind where the guilt that he may have played a roll in all this lurks. The guilt whispers to him. Blue dragon masks. Blue drakes. Blue half-dragons.

A blue dragon scale goblet.

He shakes his head and joins the others, regret and shame colouring his pale features. "Is there anyone that can tend to our wounds before we leave again? None of us made it to the keep unharmed and if we're to go back out there..."

Hadrian winces slightly, it had been a while since he'd heard someone seriously address him in that manner. He throws up a hand, "Just Hadrian, please. And yes. Whatever help I can offer is yours. Without question." He was itching to get back out there

Though the redhead's question was directed at the governor, after what he's seen he feels he has the answer to it. "There's a healer in the keep there," He says, pointing to the room he'd visited briefly. "But just the one...And she's quite busy tending to people with more severe wounds than any we have." He grabs the extra potion from earlier, and hands it over to Aimon. "We have that, and she did say that within the temple there was a prayer book with some healing scrolls inscribed on it. I'm sure if we return that to her she'd be willing to part with at least one."

Evelyn
You can see the inn from the north wall - it's still standing, untouched by flames so far. "I hadn't realized it was being used as a sanctuary," The governor says, rubbing his chin. "Add it to the list then."

"It's as...Hadrian..." Governor Nighthill raises a questioning eyebrow as he regards the younger noble. "...Has told you Perynor. Sister Arien is doing her best with what little supplies we have. Her magic is being reserved for those with otherwise fatal wounds."

Aimon
It crosses your mind that Sibba's shop - if it were still standing - would likely have more potions stocked in it. There was also the added bonus of it being near your own warehouse.

The governor clears his throat, "If you're ready then, I can show you the tunnel. I'll have a pair of my guards watch it while you're out. Do you know where you're going first?"

Xarian tries to catalog in his somewhat reeling mind what and where the different targets are within Greenest, which to him is still an unfamiliar town.

Passive Investigation:  16

The big man stands and counts off on his fingers, his stutter seemingly overridden once more by the obvious urgency of the situation.

"All right.  Here's what I think I've heard so far in terms of targets, so we can prioritize, or perhaps pick two targets nearby each other for a sortie:"
1.  "First, Governor Nighthill mentioned the Town Hall, large building with folk possibly trapped inside, a little to the northeast."
2.  "Second, the Governor talked about an evening worship at the Temple, steeple to the southeast, plus Hadrian mentioned a healing scroll."
3.  "Third, the Governor spoke of Lord Myrren, tough old retired knight from the Order of the Companion, and a force heading his way to the northwest."
4.  "Fourth, Evelyn rightly brought up the people trapped at the Bent Bow where we started the night.  Which was... where?  To the north?"

"If we have any other targets we know of, NOW'S the time to speak up!  I'm game.  But out of those, targets 1, 3 and 4 are all north-ish if we wanted to do more than one.  BUT, it also looks like the old tunnel we're using for our sortie comes out by a stream just southeast of here, so that might lend to trying the Temple first, since that's to the southeast.  Which brings up another question..."  Xari turns back to the Governor with a pained expression.

"Sir, we might have to return here to the keep, to rest ourselves, or deposit any surviving civilians we're able to pick up before hitting the next target.  Do we walk up to the front gate?  Or bring them back the secret way by the stream?  Using the secret way coming back could reveal it to the enemy."

Aimon looks from the potion to a nasty cut in his side, then to the similar wounds the others are sporting. Damn it! He shakes his head and tucks the potion into his robes for when it might be needed more direly.

"Sibba had a stock of these," he says, patting where he had just stowed the potion. "Their shop is to the west. If we go toward Lord Myrren we could check it on the way."

And Gods be good the storehouse would be standing as well...

Hadrian, who had missed the rundown given by the governor, listens intently as Xarian lays it all out. Then considering Aimon's comment, he puts forward his opinion. "I did say we would go back for the people at the Bent Bow after dropping off Mary and her son somewhere safe..."

"But as Xarian points out, we can do multiple things at once. Go retrieve this Lord Myrren first...It sounds like he may be able to help us anyway. We can stop at this shop to see if we can find more potions, and then lastly pick up our friends at the inn before returning to the keep."

 "Right now the gate is surrounded." Nighthill says flatly, gesturing towards the large wooden doors. "Unless you can do something to draw them away, you'll have to make sure you aren't followed and use the tunnel."

Xari rolls his shoulders and exhales slowly.  "Right.  Secret entrance both ways.  Lord Myrren first, then, ah... Sibba?  Sibba's shop.  Then the Bent Bow.  Temple and Town Hall will have to wait. We get back in one piece, we take a breather and then see about those places or anywhere else."

High up on the southeast corner of the keep walls, a tiny dark grey owl perches, as if to keep watch.  The big man looks around at his newfound companions, finding himself wondering incongruously where Rox has gotten to.  "Everyone good?  No time like the present.  Let's roll."

As the governor leads the party to the tunnel, Xari asks, "Sir.  This Lord Myrren, how should we recognize him?  Just head northwest until we see an elderly knight?  And is there something we can tell him to prove to him that you sent us and we are trustworthy?  Or battling his foes should be enough?"

Evelyn follows after towards the tunnel. "He's an old noble. Believe me when I say they all have a distinct look about them." She wrinkles her nose. "And smell."

The druid glances at Aimon, tilting her head. "Would he recognize you? That would make it easy for us."

"Without doubt," Aimon confirms quickly as he follows to the secret exit.

"I am one of Greenest's most well-known merchants. The Lord will surely know me upon seeing me."

OOC: A DC 14 Insight check would reveal that Aimon is actually not super sure and there may be some exaggeration to his status in Greenest.

Nighthill whistles and two guards: a middle aged man with sandy blonde hair and a younger raven-haired woman, move their posts next to the gate to follow. They seem to be handling the situation better than most of their fellows. One of them carries a sheathed greatsword with both hands.  The governor leads you through the main ground floor of the keep, careful not to get in the way of Sister Arien or any of the wounded. Through a door in the back of the room you're lead into a storeroom. Barrels and crates block an ironbound door, with a wave of his hand the guards begin to move them. When they've finished, Nighthill hobbles over to the door and unlocks it. The two guards once again follow, one putting their spear away to grab and light a torch. "As the elf girl says, Lord Myrren should recognize Perynor. If that doesn't work or you lose him before reaching the manor, remind the Lord our current Dragonchess tally is 9 to 8."

Down a set of stairs you're lead into a tunnel, which gently slopes downward the further in you go. At the end of it is a locked iron grate, through which you can see the stream bed. Nighthill once again steps forward, taking out a key ring and unlocking the gate. "Warren and Lina here will guard the entrance while you're out."

With a grunt, the governor takes the greatsword Warren had been carrying, offering it pommel first to Xarian. Its hilt is wrapped in in deep brown leather, with the guard flared slightly in the shape of an open leaf. "It's of no use to me right now. Has a small enchantment on it to keep it from dulling. Should serve you well tonight."

Aimon visibly pales at the suggestion he might be 'lost' before they reach the Lord at his manor. He turns to scurry back down the tunnel and to the heart of the keep, but there are a handful of people behind him that he would have to push through, making his cowardice very obvious. He clenches his jaw and instead makes for the gate.

Hadrian suddenly finds himself face to face with Aimon as the sorcerer very obviously turns to head back the way they came. When the young man instead turns back around to leave through the gate, Had smiles. "Always forwards friend, that's the way you make it through the night."

He steps out afterwards, carefully looking over the nearby environment to make sure no one has seen them coming out. 

"Are you able to get us to this Lord Myrren's manor, Aimon?"

Perception: 18 with Devil's Sight - You can see normally in Dim Light and Darkness—both magical and nonmagical—within 120 feet of yourself.

Quote from na0mi >>

Evelyn follows after towards the tunnel. "He's an old noble. Believe me when I say they all have a distinct look about them." She wrinkles her nose. "And smell."

Xari's jaw strains in an effort not to laugh outright at the elven woman's remark.  As it is, he grins and studiously does not look at Hadrian.

"Aye.  Supposing we survive," the big man deadpans, "got to ask the red star lady for magic deodorant.  Never too early to plan for one's golden years..."

His demeanor changes entirely when Governor Nighthill offers him the enchanted Greatsword, +1.  Xari has read a bit about magical weapons when lounging in Orlan's study, but never had he conceived of ever wielding one.  His stutter returns full force as he accepts the weapon.

"S-sir.  I - I'll try my b-best to do the blade j-justice," he manages to stammer.  He offers his own mundane greatsword back in return.

As before, the big man takes up a rear guard position at the back of the group once they exit the tunnel near the stream, looking around carefully to judge how easy or hard it will be to approach the entrance without drawing undue attention.

Aimon slinks out of the tunnel and into the empty stream bed. He looks to the nearest builds to get his bearings.

"Ah yes, the manor is over that way," he says, a pale finger pointing toward the northwestern side of town.

His nervousness forces him to unconsciously call lightning to his hand once again, small, harmless sparks dancing between his fingers.

 OoC: So 120 ft is quite far as it turns out.

You come out of the tunnel on the north side of the stream, up the hill behind you, you find plenty of cover from trees - the gate itself is well hidden. If you didn't explicitly know where it was you, it'd be very easy to miss.

Hadrian
You're very certain that no one has seen you come out of the tunnel given its location, and the general lack of people in this area. Across the stream to the south and east you can see a group of three homes and a few auxiliary buildings, all shrouded in darkness. On the one that faces directly at you, you can see that the door has been kicked open, though there's no movement. Oddly enough, you notice that south of the stream no fires have been started.

The west of you is a small wooded area. Dense enough to hide in if need be, but not so dense that it would slow you down.

To the north you can see the keep rising on the hill, as well as a few more burning homes to its east.

Nighthill nods, "From what I've seen, you'll do it justice indeed lad." The governor claps the big man on the arm, then moves out of the way. As you all exit, he parts with a gruff, "kill as many of the bastards as you can." The guard hands Nighthill the torch, and he retreats back down the tunnel. The two guards close the gate and lock it, pulling back into the cover of darkness.

As you make it back outside, Rox takes a few steps away from the young nobleman for space. Within the keep, he'd been sticking close to make sure he wasn't himself mistaken as a raider that had somehow slipped in.

How would you like to proceed to the manor?

Aimon takes a few moments to visualise the town's streets, buildings and outskirts. He's not used to sneaking through it to avoid an invading army, though, so it takes him some effort to think about it from a different angle.

Eventually he pipes up to say, "We can follow the stream most of the way. It's wooded and should keep us hidden. Once we closer to the manor, we'll have to take to the streets again, though. Then it will depend on how many of those thugs are around," he concludes with obvious distaste.