"Very interesting" remarks an unfazed Jahren.  "And if we do just run away?  How does Yestrel fare with Verdant Cloud then?"

Jahren also ponders the idea of using the prisoner handoff of the party as an ambush, but imagines Verdant Cloud would see that coming and might potentially bring reinforcements as well.  He asks Candour if he thinks Yestrel and/or Bahedron would support the move.

Candour frowns and thinks about this, "Uh...well...I suppose if you just run away it leaves Yestrel without a bargaining chip, though....maybe he's hoping now with an open line of communication he can come to some other agreement?  We're sorta out of my expertise here. But, look, that's not honestly your problem. You have the chance. If you want to, run, Yestrel and Hillsfar can't be blamed for that."  He considers the prisoner exchange, "I have no idea how the wyrm would want it to work, but...i'd be surprised if she didn't anticipate something. I think Bahedron would only support the move if it didn't appear as if we'd helped you. If you were to die, and it looked like we'd helped, that would be disastrous.  She'd certainly raze parts of the city in retaliation...."

"Well, I thank you for being a bit of a problem child, Candour" replies the bard.  "I wonder how Yestrel would feel about an unannounced visit..." he also ponders.

"Back to your area of expertise... how do you plan to deal with Lady Thiscar, "Mr. Green" and the trade cabal that seems to have your city in their grip?  Surely you have a plan there.  What would be needed to greatly reduce their influence?  Evidence of conspiring against Yestrel?  Heads on platters?  Something else?  Dragons or not, it would seem that they overstep their bounds if they are so bold as to abduct you without fear of consequences."  While polite, Jahren is putting a bit of pressure on Candour now.  He and Behedron must have at least some thoughts in this area beyond "I don't know, we just whisper to strangers like Jahren and hope for the best."

Candour looks at Jahren now with a bit of caution, clearly choosing his words carefully while trying to remain open,  "Look, Jahren, you seem like a nice guy, so, I've been pretty open with you, but honestly meeting directly with Yestrel right now seems like a bad move, and likely to force him into a corner. And honestly, about the rest, that's really Bahedron's concern. I can't speak for him, but...if Yestrel fails, they will be his new lord, and if he wishes to maintain his station after, he's not free to simply face off against them. So, consider this meeting a favor...a heads up. He could have easily just kept this to himself and let the entire situation proceed without you knowing. Now you know. Act accordingly. I must depart..."  He gives a last glance at Jahren, his eyes full of concern, before he casts a spell and vanishes from the store, leaving Jahren alone with the smell of saw dust and sap. 

     As she can no longer update the mansion menagerie, Fianna relaxes and awaits word from Jahren, or his return...

With the fun seemingly done for the evening now that FinFin is back, the group, with only minor nagging concern for Jahren head to sleep. Toc promises to check on Jahren to make sure he's ok.

Jahren, Candour has recently departed when Toc contacts you, "Hi. Checking in. Let me know if you are ok. Are you flying back, or sleeping there and teleporting in the morning?"

Jezun replies to Tic, very sincerely, "Friends do that sometimes. This one time, at the Wild Buffalo Tavern, in Telflamm? I was drinking some light ale and eating some poultry wings, and some of my friends came in and grabbed me, threw a hood over my head, and carried me out of there. Eventually they pulled the hood off and I was tied to a chair at the top of this old tower with no ceiling." He furrows his brow in a pensive way. "They shouted a lot of questions at me that I didn't really understand, for like a long time, and then must have gotten bored, because they left me there all alone. They mentioned something about feeding a giant Rock, which didn't make sense, because rocks can't eat. But eventually I figured it out -- they didn't want to be friends anymore, so I just slipped out of my chair and didn't even bother with the locked door, and I left. I don't think I ever told them that I could fly? Anyways, sometimes people who you think are your friends try to abduct you and feed you to things that can't eat." He nods again, still seriously, and then returns to listening to Fianna's narration, mouth pursed mostly-seriously. 

     At the end of Jezun’s story, Fianna looks at him and starts to inquire why he would....

     No, she thinks to herself.  Nope, nope, no.  Just... leave it alone....

     With a shake of her head to clear it, Fianna went right back to what she was saying.

Jahren gives Candour a sincere "thank you, my friend" before his contact departs.  Taking a deep breath and letting it all soak in, the bard decides to go visit his Harper contact, even if he has to wake him.

The bard replies to Toc on the way.  "Verdant Cloud bartering Yestrel for our heads.  Need to give him leverage or have Hillsfar hunting us.  Three days until he decides.  Flying back."

The bard expends magic as needed to move about the city and insists on a brief meet with a Harper contact.  He tells them of the dragon's proposal, and that he needs eyes on Yestrel's place for the dragon's humanoid messenger.  He needs them followed at all times, ideally discerning how they contact Verdant Cloud.  He suggests if Jahren has not returned before the three day mark and they are able to send Yestrel a message, they tell him that Jahren asks him to accept the deal, and tell Verdant Cloud it will take 7-10 days or more to recall Jahren and the team and capture them as the latter will be no easy task.  During this time Jahren will find Yestrel a better solution.  Additionally, the terms of the meet where Jahren and the rest are to be handed over would be good to know.

Soon the bard is flying back towards Toc and the group on his carpet, but as soon as he starts to get cold he begins expending the rest of his magic for the day to Polymorph into a giant eagle and thus hasten his trip back quite a bit so he'll still have time to rest.

(Dash as Giant Eagle to double travel speed for much of the trip back work?)

Tic's eyes grow wide as Jezun proceeds with his story. At the end...eyes still wide...he stares at Jezun...silent, without a word.  Toc meanwhile clears his throat, "Um...that's a very interesting story Jezun."  He scratches his head and glances away. Tic is still just staring at him.

Flying as a giant eagle is immeasurably more comfortable for long haul travel, at least in this climate and Jahren makes good time. As he flies as quickly as he can, his mind races back to the conversation with the Harpers. They'd agreed to everything Jahren had asked for. Friends in high places. As Jahren touches down its well past midnight. In the dark it was quite difficult to find the spot in the woods they'd stopped for the night. Toc was thoughtful enough to send him a message and check on him though, eventually sending up a magical beacon to draw him to. 

Settling into the comfy bed inside the mansion, despite his racing mind...the exhaustion set into his muscles from his 20 km "jog" quickly take him away to sleep. 

The next morning everyone enjoys a lovely breakfast meal in the mansion with poached eggs, lemony sauce, bacon, sausage and orange juice.  A bit of a blurry eyes Jahren emerges in the banquet hall after everyone else...and, after getting some appropriate food and beverage, gives everyone the update on the situation. 

Toc taps his fingers on the table. "Logically speaking...it's a tough offer to refuse.  Even if a dragon and her two children were the major source of problems for the city, a protection arrangement seems a fine answer. It leaves their resources free to deal with other issues....such as their military forces...removes a significant threat hanging over all of them, eases up trade, which...is a big concern for Hillsfar, and the cost is giving up a small group of people that have...perhaps as far as they are concerned...been acting rogue and liable to stir up trouble. We need to find a way to make ourselves more valuable them.  Or...simply call it a day and not go back there."

The trail that you'd picked up you'd manage to lose yesterday.  Despite conversation about possibly talking to them, once you'd hit the forest it had become impossible to know if they'd still trailed you.  But...with FinFin keeping an eye out, it seemed as if indeed you had lost them. 

Toc looks to everyone, "Is our plan for today still to follow this gnoll raiding parties trail and find this goblin?"

     "Personally I don't see how this changes our plans one bit," Fianna says, a bit reluctantly.

     "I mean, when was Hillsfar's safety ever our concern?  They never wanted us there to begin with," She continues, a bit more forcefully. "Well maybe Jezun.  He passes their purity test, it looks like.  But the rest of us...  well we're not quite vanilla enough for them, are we?  Even if we can pass... Seriously, can someone remind me why we should care if the town falls?  Ok, ok. There are innocent people there.  People who do nothing to our kind...  People who do nothing to those who despise us either."

     "The dragon's are on our list, more of less.  They seem to be something we're going to face off against eventually.  But I see no reason to speed that encounter up before we're ready for it just to save some people more than willing to sell us for a false sense of security..."

A tired Jahren nods with regard to following the gnoll raiding party.

As they depart the bard says to the others "speaking of more valuable than the protection of a trio of dragons, I wonder just how large this goblin's treasure might be."  "If it is significant, I might donate my half to the hiring of third party forces to ease the burden of both the elves and Hillsfar.  I would not expect the same of each of you, of course, as the spoils of your heroism are well earned and it is not to me to tell you how to spend it."

(OOC: I wonder if Jahren in his many travels, or anyone in the party for that matter, might know of allies who would help for enough coin.  Surely someone powerful out there owes one of us a favor!  haha  Next step would be to get them to the region swiftly, via teleporting groups if need be.)

((OOC: Fianna has been in these woods mainly solo, sometimes with the elves...  But she'd not have other contacts unless they were of the forest.))

     "Perhaps Toc would have better insight on the elvish thinking than I... But I am not entirely sure that bringing in a large enough force to be significant would be entirely welcome by them.  Of perhaps even by Hillsfarians?" Fianna says, thinking through the idea.  "Isn't there a saying about how quickly today's liberators can turn into tomorrows oppressors?"

     "Don't get me wrong.  YOU I am willing to help.  Even if your goal isn't entirely to my way of thinking.  And gold and items mean little to me unless they help me watch out for these forests and those within them.  I hold no...  Well I wish no ill upon those in Hillsfar.  And if my actions assist them, well hopefully it helps open their eyes.  But winning their hearts and minds is not my mission.  The forest is.  I'll not abandon the forest for those people."

(sorry, missed your post #1432 while I was writing my last one...)

Jahren replies to Fianna "you are right about Hillsfar."  "This quest is mine, and mine alone.  The elves have similar issues, however, which some of you may care about."  He glances at Toc as he says this before continuing "and others are invested as well."  "The question might be is Hillsfar worth caring about, even if it is for what others, such as the elves, might have to gain from Yestel and the rest."

Regarding today's liberators and tomorrow's oppressors Jahren smiles widely at Fianna and says "that's why you need someone who can selling it to them," referring to himself of course, as he winks at the half-elf.

"Speaking of all of this, Toc, I've been meaning to ask you when a meeting with (insert Toc's elven leader / boss here*) might be appropriate?"

*Sorry, can't find the name at the moment

Toc responds to Fianna, "Well Fianna. I love your passion, and share your ...emotional response to Hillsfar.  However another part of my mind is very concerned about what a world without Hillsfar looks like. With Myth Drannor gone, I'm afraid the only thing from keeping this entire region from falling into disarray is Hillsfar. Without them, the garrison at Yulash would dissolve, leaving a gaping wound to the underdark potentially spewing demons and others nasty things. The trade routes would lose their protection. Trade and liveliehoods of everyone in the region, from that farm of halflings, to lumber mills, to the village of Elventree, would cease to have a reason to exist and lose a military presence that keeps the northern orcs and goblins from encrouching south and into the forest. As much as I despise the racism that exists there, the city is a necessity for maintaining this forests stability.  But...they're a long way off from vanishing. They can get a bit beaten up first and still recover...I just...am not sure I am willing to let the innocent lives be sacrificed. The way of life is all they know. There's no one telling them the right way to behave."

He sighs heavily, and looks to Jahren, "We can meet with Coronal Ilsevele in Semberholme, whenever you wish. We need just have an opportunity for me to have a teleport spell available. Well, let us see about this goblin then..."

The group emerges from their dimensional mansion, pulling their horses that have been saddled and groomed by the servants.  After a few moments everyone is saddled up. Toc motions to Mirica to lead them onwards, and she takes point, as the group picks their way through the massive trees of the forest of Cormanthor.  After traversing the forest trail, signs of the gnoll's passage lead to what looks like a small mountain, or rather a chunk of a larger, flying mountain unceremoniously dropped into the middle of a forest glen. It looks like that because that’s precisely what it is. A fragment of the city of Shade that must have been sent hurling through the air for miles to come crashing down here. To make matters worse, the entire glen is littered with large pools of fetid, green water that leak from the great rock. Whatever happened here has decimated the local plant life. The land here is twisted and corrupted. Trees have gone black with rot, and bear strange growths of slimy, green crystal. The ground is soggy with oozing, green muck.  The entire glen stinks of rot and pungent alchemical fumes. There is no life here. The air is thick and humid. No wind touches this place, making the stench that much denser. The ground here is packed by footprints of all manner of creatures. From Leucrotta to Gnolls, to Goblins. A mucky well used path seems to a large crack in the massive fragment of stone. It is quiet. One of the horses snorts out, trying to clear the smell from its nose.

     "Does the region need civilization and stability?  Arguable.  But even granting the point I do not believe the region needs a fearful, hateful and racist civilization.  With some prodding, some protection, some guidance, those halflings would populate a much friendlier and welcoming city than the Hillsfarians ever will," Fianna counters. "Combine the small folk with those refugees at the crossroads and I would bet you'd have a much more tolerant city."

     "And as for no one telling them the right way to behave, perhaps I credit them with too much intelligence?  For I assume they are smart enough to know right from wrong.  But perhaps you are right, perhaps such is beyond their ken. If so, all the more reason they should not be allowed to set their own paths..."

"Indeed, off with their heads!" proclaims Jahren in jest.  "It is true that we could take a flame to the wound or sever the limb entirely, but while it is in my power to help it heal I will try.  A wise elven Queen once told me to picture the way the world should be and go build it thus, and so I shall."

To Toc Jahren says "if we are to make ourselves more valuable than the verdant wyrm then perhaps seeing what the elves might offer towards our greater good would be prudent once we have dealt with the goblin situation."  "Surely they hold more wisdom than I."

Otherwise Jahren is ever happy and playful as always, asking Jezun for more stories during their travel just to see the reaction of others.  As the party works its way into the green muck the bard falls behind just briefly while activating his carpet.  Floating a couple of feet above the oozing morass he feigns a smug facade while looking down at the other's boots mockingly.

As they move out into the open Jahren suggests "perhaps a bit of cover for our approach" just before moving towards the center of the group and casting Pass Without Trace over the party, the horses, etc. and ensuring all stay within the range of the spell.

((If we're riding horses why are our boots mucky?  But Fianna is not above jumping down, he new boots staying clean as she walks a couple inches above the muck, and scooping up a few handfuls to toss at the flying bard!))

     Fianna will continue chatting about the pros and cons of helping Hillsfar and throughout the talk it becomes pretty clear that she's more just in the debate for the intellectual exercise and that she holds no animosity to the people and would of course help in any way reasonable.  She won't sacrifice herself for an empty gesture but she is more than willing to go down fighting if there is any chance of success. 

     Still and all, it's quite possible the final decision will be made for her and that the Fey Lady would direct her actions...

     And directing FinFin, Fianna has the pseudodragon once more scouting from above, checking the lands ahead and warning of anything strange or any movement.

Earlier, Jezun replies to Fianna: "Oh I do love vanilla a lot! You all aren't fans?" He looks around, slightly disappointed.

His main contribution to the discussion of what to do about the three day deadline between the city and the dragon is to ask a few questions.

"What if we could get the angry big dragon mad at the racists in Hillsfar? Or maybe blame the racists in Hillsfar for the dragon nearly obliterating the city? I don't know how it could be done, but sometimes taking two things you don't like and turning them on each other is easier than fighting both of them." Jezun does not explain himself well, but you can tell a few layers of his mind are actually processing some of what's going on. 

He does tell, at Jahren's request, a serious of small stories about some of his previous battles that make clear that while he's not been in many fights recently, he's stumbled into plenty of battles over the course of his life, usually when someone has been in need of assistance, or when he's gotten a bit confused and misread a situation extraordinarily badly. 

As they get closer to the fallen mountain, he does his best to watch their tail and listen for any sound not made by the party. 

Perception: 26

FinFin flies around the area.  21   The pseudo dragon doesn't spot any active threats, though it's clear this whole area is well travelled by creatures, as the small familiar spots numerous tracks all throughout the nearby forest and around the massive chunk of rock. 

When Fianna playfully reaches down to pick up some of the muck, she feels a warmth in her hand when she scoops some of the green infused stuff into her hand. She quickly drops it, and wipes it off on a nearby tree trunk...though her skin continues to tingle and burn slightly from the ooze. 

The horses seem none too pleased about stepping in the strange muck, making whinny's and snorting furious as they prance their feet about...which only splatters mud onto their undersides.