OOC: The only place to see outside of the Keep clearly is along the ramparts or in/atop the tower.

From the darkness, a creature strides into the dim light of the dying fires around the keep. Although it is shaped roughly like a human, it is at least seven feet tall, its skin is covered in blue scales, its fingers bear wicked claws, and its face has the muzzle and reptilian eyes of a dragon. The creature stops about eighty yards from the main gate of the keep and scans the walls. A line of kobolds fans out behind it. With their spears, they prod four human prisoners into the dim light. You can make out a woman, a teenage boy in a blood-soaked tunic, and two children. Then the half-dragon creature hails the keep.

"Defenders of Greenest! This has been a successful night, and I am feeling generous. Do you see these four pitiful, useless prisoners? We have no need for them, so I will trade them back to you. Send out your best warrior to fight me, and you can have these four in exchange."

Suddenly there is a commotion along the wall, and Escobert the Red and a few other defenders have wrestled Sergeant Markguth to the ground. He writes against them as they restrain him, shouting almost incoherently, "Let me, damn it, that's my sister and her kids!"

"Settle yerself, ye nut. What good are ye to 'em if ye're dead? Think!" Escobert growls, as Governor Nighthill spots the presence of the party, approaching Thrax and Yevele, who are closest, but attempting to catch the attention of Smoke and Rogram as well.

"My friends, you've demonstrated your prowess all through this frightful night. I realize this is an awful burden to ask you to bear, but any of you has a better chance to defeat that horror than my militia have," Nighthill says.

Yevele will step up and say "I'll do it. I wasn't involved in the battle at the mill, so I'm not as banged up as the others."

Joining the others as Yevele is speaking up, Rogram furrows his brow. "Not as banged up?" he asks. "You've got just as many scrapes as the rest of us." He looks at the governor. "I'll go. These are my people, so I should be the one."

About then, Thia appears on the parapet.  She looks in a terrible state and has clearly had to drag herself up the long, stone stairs at great effort. But the is there to give her support to the party, and the brave fool who goes out to engage this champion.

Whoever goes out, she will take them aside and whisper her support.  “You have ever been a brave defender of this town,  go now and show this dragon thing what it means to be a hero!”

Bardic Inspiration for 1d6.

As the governor speaks Smoke moves closer. 

No Yevele, the creature is to strong. We cant fight it alone. 

He looks around a moment. Its like the mill, they want to kill us so they can take the keep. 

(ooc: Does Smoke know anything about these halfdragon creatures using his Dragon Scholar background?)

Thrax closes his eyes as the others discuss the the challenge issued by the menacing halfdagon. He does his best to tune out all of their talking so he can focus on the guidance of Gond. After a few moments he steps forward. "It may be my destiny to have come here today to face this being. He says calmly. I am in no worse shape than Rogram or Yvele I can go forward to face this foe in combat if that is what fate decrees."

OOC: This is a tough one, I'm not sure I trust the raiders to give a fair deal, but hard to turn down a noble challenge to save the lives of innocents. Sounds like a suicide mission, but Thrax is at peace with his creator lol. Depending on what we know from Smoke's Dragon Scholar background check, we could take anyone willing to accept the challenge and roll for it?

Smoke Arcana/Nature: 21

Sergeant Markguth continues to struggle, but ceases when Governor Nighthill holds out a hand and shouts, "Hold, Layton."

Turning back to you, he offers, "I am grateful for your desire to help, but I feel it must only be one of you. The creature spoke of a single champion, I would not send more than one, lest he simply execute the hostages."

"Escobert, wake Maria. I want her standing at the gates," he commands.

For Smoke:

As Smoke takes a look at the creature he shouts to the others and the guards Thats a half-dragon, it looks like it could be related to Lennithon. Very evil!

Smoke steps a little closer mumbling to itself Vile creatures, cannot be trusted.. 

Start to yell again It cannot be trusted to hold up its end of the bargain! 

He starts pacing back and forth not trying to get bundled up to much with the guards. 

Rogram furrows his brow. "But if it cannot be trusted ... " He curses in Dwarvish. "What is there to be done?"

The governor rubs his bandaged head, deep in thought. After a few seconds, he concludes, "I do not know that the honesty of this creature matters. What does he stand to gain? If he wanted to kill the children and their mother in front of us, would he not have done so? If none of you are willing to do so, then I will allow Sergeant Markguth to fight for his sister, but I fear I will only be sending him to his death."

“Even though we may not trust them, we cannot let this man face the half dragon on his own. I will be your campion Governor Nighthill. May the divine guide my hand!”

OOC: I would like to make sure that Yevele and especially Rogram (as this is his home town) have a chance to respond before moving forward.

OOC: It totally makes sense for Thrax to do it if it's a one-on-one thing. He's got the AC advantage. In fact, Rogram has the next-to-lowest AC of the party. However, Rogram's low wisdom, combined with his "my people" attitude, isn't going to back down. So, despite what the character is saying, the player is all for the party figuring out how to get Thrax out there instead. It would be good if we could figure out a way for Rogram to be agreeable so that he can cast heroism just before Thrax goes out to give the cleric a tiny boost to his hp each round for a minute.

Rogram scowls at the lizardfolk. "I have grown to appreciate you a great deal over the past day or so," the half-dwarf says earnestly. "You are strong and capable, and your faith is admirable. But I will not hide in here while you stand alone against a monster to save these neighbors of mine. Greenest is my home. They accepted my father and his family in their time of greatest need, and they loved my mother. I owe them everything, and it's time I thanked them." He looks at Governor Nighthill, his eyes hard. "Open the gate." Turning from the party, Rogram begins marching toward the stairs to descend.

As Rogram turns to walk off, Thia reaches over and puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.  "Rogram, we all agree with everything you have said.  This is your town and we all know you wish to stand firm with them in these terrible times.  You have already given everything you have in the defence of the town tonight.  Without your heroic efforts, this town would have fallen and many of your friends would be lying cold and dead in the dirt.  You should be proud of yourself.  I know your father would be.

"But you are not the one who needs to step out there today. You are shattered.  Thrax may not be of this town, but he has stood alongside you in this heroic defence.  At this second in time, he is better placed to defend the town.  Your town.   Put your town before your pride and let the lizardman step forward.

"Perhaps you can help by other means?  Just a word from you could aid and inspire Thrax to greatness?"

OOC: Nice!

Rogram's face displays a range of emotion as Thia speaks to him. His green eyes dart from her face to Thrax and back several times. His lips part as if he is about to speak, but he manages to hold his tongue until she has finished. The pain in his leg seems to intensify and even throb, pounding the truth of the half-elf's words into his brain. He looks apologetically at the governor one last time before looking pleadingly at Thia. "You're sure?" he asks. After she nods, he sidesteps her to face the cleric. "You're sure you're up to it?"

While the other three are talking, Yevele quietly makes her way to the front gate to see if she can be let out to confront the half-dragon.

Worried about who would go to fight the halfdragon Smoke paces back and forth nervously. There are to many..

After taking a few steps he stops to look forward back into the keep or outside trying to think of how he can help. We cant fight them all.. 

Think.. think..

He ponders a moment more thinking of Lennithon's attack and how it divided the troops. Smoke will look inside the keep and on the parapet a bit more in search of an oil flask and some torches if he can find them. 

Thrax places his hand on Rograms shoulder “I am sure. I was called to this place by a higher power, facing this foe may be why my God has me here. Should I perish while saving these people then I will die knowing this was his plan for me.”

Thrax turns his head to Nighthill and gives a solem nod as he gathers his shield and spear and prepares for the duel.

Rogram's already troubled face darkens when the lizardfolk admits that this might result in his death, but he then appears to make peace with the cleric's decision, and gives a silent nod.

OOC: Rogram will accompany Thrax to the gate and will cast heroism on him at the last second, knowing it only lasts for a minute. He is also willing to inspire if someone else doesn't do it already (since you can only have one bardic inspiration at a time).

OOC: Excellent communication with Rogram, I love to see it.

Yevele is already standing at the front gate when Rogram accompanies Thrax. Governor Nighthill and Sergeant Markguth follow closely as well, while Escobert the Red darts across the courtyard to the infirmary, where he no doubt disturbs plenty of injured townsfolk in his mission to wake Maria.

Moving about the wall, Smoke finds a couple of torches burning low on sconces, but has no luck finding any oil.

The low bellowing of the half-dragon's impatient shout causes Sergeant Markguth to ask, while the guards at the gate look to him for their cue, "Which one of you will be fighting this monster? I will not risk the death of my family so that two of you can break his offer. I would rather fight him myself and perish, if it means they have a chance at being set free."