OOC: Directons are up to Hrain with survival checks remembering the map in his office. Thomas and Haldur are just running recon front and rear. Got an note on my interpretation of exhaustion. I'm putting to the community for feedback. Please stand by.

(Perception 13)

Perception Check; looking, listening or smelling for anything threatening from the rear: 13

Investigation Check; looking for any suspicious protrusions or mechanisms that might indicate traps: 15

Perception: 11

Survival 6 with advantage. 

Lyra and Lebenha seem far too preoccupied with the smallness of the room to notice anything else until the gnome moves to the window looking out. 

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It takes Hrain's group another half an hour but they reach the outer door which after some heaving the men manage to get open and enter the dungeon. Moving through the group Hrain sees a man named Enders. This human warlock is being held for murdering another warlock in his tent but the circumstances around the death were suspicious. Hrain and his Sunite comrades held Enders for questioning having come upon the dead warlock. Waiting for Bhalla and the Commander's judgement of the man after Hrain collected more evidence that confirmed Enders' defense the warlock was protecting himself and the man, who had always been a troublemaker, had died in a combination of Enders' damage and the damage the man did to himself trying to conjure more magic than he could handle!

Hrian and the group arrived upstairs to find the garrison being reorganized by his only known living lieutenant a half-orc named Lara Peregrine. The half-orc approaches Hrian happily relieved to hand the Captain back his responsibility leading the remaining twelve Sunites, those accounted for, now in the garrison.

"Sir," Lara exclaims as Hrian emerges from the dungeons. "We have seven injured badly, they are in the infirmary. Five of us are able-bodied. We are rotating shifts guarding the gates but the wards are raised, no one has challenged them on foot. Well, none but the dragon..." she trials off taking a deep breath. "None of the other garrisons have sent messages but Mielikki they have fallen! I think the others do not wish to be intercepted by the enemies. We know of a Green-clad chromatic caster sir who nearly leveled the halfling and gnome encampments during their battle with him and several other humans. He seemed to enthrall the others but did join willingly. They were only human sir that I could see on the field fighting us sir. I noticed no other groups affected by this thrall either. Some of the sorcerers were taken by Chauntea's Shepherds in an attempt to be broken from the bewitchment but I have no idea of the success!" She explains taking another deep breath to continue. "The...the squads that arrived were badly injured, near death but we have no idea is others took shelter in the other garrisons. The white dragon....did I mention the dragon sir," Lara asks looking distressed as she tried to look composed, the events of the day, however, have obviously shaken the paladin. "Has been seen testing our wards but they are holding," she adds looking at Hrian for instructions but then adds quickly. "One squad brought prisoners up from the cells and explained they were put there by Hawthrone..." she trails off, "I've locked them in the visiting chamber sir but they have given us no problems," she finishes noticing Bhalla looking dead on her feet as well as Haldur (who recognizes her from bouts in the training ring), Thomas from his work with Mystrians, and Kat from her work with the camp's children.

OOC: I've decided to move forward from the tunnels because it was taking far too long to reunite the party. I felt the story was lagging from the Chroma-Caster battle and the folks in a cage. We may return to the tunnels later as a party. *hint-hint*

Please post at will.

"So long as they got their wards up as well, I would not worry too much about the Mystrian Garrison. At the very least, leadership will still be intact, as Captain Matthias never leaves the Garrison."

Thomas, though not nearly as bad off as Sister Bahlla, definitely looks the part of an exhausted soldier. His breath is somewhat ragged as he continues,

"I can take a look at the injured, but it may not do much good. The fight we just escaped took a lot out of me."

Folzi backs away from the window when the dragon blocks out the sun. "I wonder what we should be more concerned with...the dragon, or the one that was able to take it for a mount," he asks rhetorically. He begins to pace with combination of nervousness andfrustration of being cooped up. As he passes by the window each time, he peers back out again and watches for any sign of life from his camp. 

Hrain arriving in the garrison feels energised and no small amount of relief, seeing familiar faces he realises he is needed immediately and sets to getting an understanding of the wider situation. 

"Lara, thank you for the summary, although they are grim tidings I am not surprised, the power we witnessed today was great and we were caught out, totally surprised."

Looking around at the group and the Sunites nearby he makes a decision. 

" There are only a small number of us capable of fighting, what we need is a chance to rest, you say the wards are holding, we must trust in them for a little while, as many people as we feel we can safely spare need to rest now, including Bhalla and Thomas who are totally drained. When they have rested they can use their healing powers to bring some of the others back into the fight and we can rest others who have not yet had the chance to. We do not have enough information to plan an assaults and with adragon to contend with we are unlikely to succeed in a direct assault, we must trust to the wards, and plan for a prolonged engagement, we will need a full inventory of both resources and personnel" 

Moving towards Halberd he slaps him on the shoulder. 

" Another thing Lara, I believe you know Haldur, or Halberd as he prefers to be known, this man has impressed me greatly today with his skills in battle and  his courage, afford him every courtesy and I hereby grant him a field promotion to Lieutenant as you are seemingly the only other left, ensure the others understand his role, I appreciate there is much he doesn't know about the garrison but he will learn. I will now see these casters that have been brought up, before I do do you have any idea what Hawthrone was doing? Or for that matter any idea where he is?"

Hrain turns to Thomas

"I value your insight greatly, I want you to rest at the earliest opportunity but if you would stay with me whilst I meet these casters I would appreciate it, I need to know if I can trust them and I think you are a good judge of character, would you do this with me?"

"I can do as you ask, Captain. So long as it does not take too long. But first, if you can afford me about ten minutes, I would like to see to your critically injured. We can't afford to lose any more people."

"If you have the strength then let us both go, I can spare a little healing magic too, we may be able to get a couple of them back on their feet."

Hrain smiles at the good heart of the Mystran cleric, willing to put others before his clear exhaustion.

"This should not take long, we will be in the infirmary if needed" he says to Lara and Haldur.

Upon arrival in the infirmary, Thomas will make a quick assessment of which ones are the most injured. He will then take ten minutes to cast Prayer of Healing, targeting the six most critical individuals.

Heals for: 13 to each target.

"I cannot match such skill at healing, but I will assist this last soul with my own gifts."

Hrain uses 10 points of Lay on Hands on the last critically wounded member of the garrison in the infirmary

"The Sisters bless us each in different ways. What matters is that we all do our part. Like down in the tunnels. Without you, the rest of us would likely not have been able to navigate them. You have my thanks for seeing us through that."

Thomas looks away for a moment before letting out a mighty sigh...

"Well, now I think it's time we go check on those Casters, right?"

Lyra sighs. "You've noticed him too, then? Part of me was hoping it was just a hallucination. Now that we have agreed that we want to avoid the Dragon rather than allying with it, I believe that we should tell the ones responsible for keeping us alive about that duo. Since they keep attacking this garrison I somewhat doubt they care much about the three of us anyway." Feeling a sudden urge to act, Lyra bluntly rises from the bed and grabs a clean robe. Without hesitation, she turns away from the gnome, takes off the old and battered piece of cloth and slips into the new one. She then walks over to the door and bangs on it loudly for 3 seconds, before she yells out; " EXCUSE ME! Anyone here? There is something you guys should hear about!"

"Yes sir. I....would suggest," she paused unsure she should mention it but presses through her nerves, "sergeant Cara Hudson for a field promotion too sir," she says anxiously. "She brought serveal of our comrades back disregarding her own safety," she adds quickly.

Hrain remembers the young human cleric of which Peregrine speaks. 

Hrain and Thomas go to the infirmary. This garrison laid out much like the others and with thier combined healing the bulk of the seven Sunites laying in the infirmary are healed enough to regain consciousness. They also bring three from the brink of death. These men and women, however, remain wounded by loss of limbs or stricken with varying degrees of exhaustion, poisoning, and curses yet to be restored by rest or superior healing magics. 

The lone cleric in the infirmary, a young blonde human cleric named Winifred "Fred" Pines, is very grateful but insists she can handle the rest of thier recuperation.

OOC: Class breakdown of survivors to come via PM Phade/ Hrain since you know everyone.

After this Hrain leads his companions upstairs to the guest quarters and Peregrine's upgraded cage.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Folzi, Lyra, and Lebenha have been lingering in the small but in comparison to their tents luxurious room for hours now until they hear the door open again.

Three figures enter the room....

OOC: Hrain, Thomas, and Haldur introduce yourselves. We're now current time. THE PARTY HAS BEEN JOINED!! Casters y'all can intro after the Shepherds and co. have gone ok?

As Thomas enters the room, the Casters would notice that he is young, yet older than the Captain. He wears clerical vestments which are ripped and burned in places (from being hit by lightning), revealing a coat of chainmail beneath. He has the well groomed look of a Shepherd Officer, but is obviously worn and haggard looking as he approaches.

Anyone who spends a lot of time in or near the Temple of the Four, would recognize him as being one of the current instructors of the school run by the temple.

Thomas does not immediately speak, perhaps waiting for others to go first.

Image for reference:

      The gnome wrinkles his nose at Lyra's suggestion as she bangs on the door. "I don't know how easy it is going to be to avoid this dragon."  As it appears he knocks were answered and three figures enter, "Hrmph... Another set of babysitters." He shakes his head and jumps up to have a seat on the foot of the bed to see what these newcomers have to say.

Winged helmet stowed under his arm, shield slung across his back Hrain enters the room, the young captain has made a clear effort to improve his appearance following his emergence from the tunnels and the time spent healing the others in the infirmary, his plate shows signs of recent battle but has been cleaned and and the steel and gold shines brightly.  There is a hardness in his appearance that may be tiredness but he moves with purpose and a confidence that catches the eye.

A lock of long black hair falls across his face and he smoothes it back behind an ear studded with a number of golden piercings connected by a fine silver chain.  As he look across at the three casters his eyes play over them in turn, as the captain tasked with ensuring the security of the camps he knows all of the casters by sight, but knows some more than others.  He recognises the gnome, as a spokesperson for his race, they have spoken briefly before but Hrain wouldn't claim to "know" him, of the two women the human seems familiar and the paladin tries to place where he has seen her before.  Finally he turns to the elven woman and his eyes stop dead for a moment as he recognises her from the carnage earlier.

"My Lady, it seems Hawthrone may not have carried out my orders and returned you to your tent, I can only hope you have not been mistreated.  You may speak freely, you all may, this day is too badly marred to stand on ceremony or let fears hold us back from the truth."  He moves towards the window looking out over the devastation of the morning assault. "I do not approve of disobedience but it seems that Hawthrone may have inadvertently saved your life by bringing you here, if that is what happened". Quieter, speaking to no-one he adds "I wonder if he managed to save himself too.." 

Standing straighter, the captain turns back to the group "The day has caused me to forget my manners, my name is Hrain if you did not know.  I am the senior member of the Sunite garrison and in command of this tower.  My comrades Thomas and Haldur may wish to introduce themselves more fully but I would also like an explanation of what has brought you here to this tower and any observations you have made about this situation, and I would like to get to know you as individuals.  What we have known here for half a century has been has been smashed asunder in a morning and we find ourselves in unfamiliar situations, let us get to know each other to better aid our chances of survival, and then victory."

"The dragon has a what?!" that's the first time that the others see Lebenha raise her voice and really surprised " We have to get out of this dammed camp... what are they thinking of?" she says looking to the closed doos as if it can answer her question.