Session 68: Drakesmouth Trail Report
General Summary
The following morning at breakfast A'lar would smile to the others, "So we may need to stay a few days, I have contracted with the lady of the house of the rising sun next door to perform a play, all be it a slightly more risky version of it, is everyone ok with a few more days in town?" The Scales all agreed as there was a few more things to square away. Adalon would offer an explanation of a shield supposedly sold by their target, only to find an image of the shield to manifest floating above him as he described it. "Neat trick, " A'lar would offer off handed as he studied the shield. Adalon would seem confused as his telepathic powers were seeming to expand in ways he had not experienced before. The shield would be of from the proper house that held the staff, giving credence that the fellow in question may be the right person after all.
A'lar before sending Indalell into get the information would venture with Ismaril and Longwei to the settlement office to see if they could have more luck then Adalon did who had raised several suspicions with Belmara, the Gnome in charge of the bureau. Explaining themselves plainly "Belle" would give them the information, the rough area assigned to Darion Reolwyn and his people to settle, a solid 600 miles north and east. As the three left, Longwei would feel a tug on his sleeve, turning he would see the short stature of a halfling, barely in his 20's. "Exc..excuse me sir...miss...sir," nodding to each of them as he stammered, "I don't mean to be eaves dropping but in all honestly well I was eaves dropping, but, you are heading into the Basin?" The three would exchange glances as Longwei took a knee to not tower over the small halfling. "Yes, that is the plan young man," Longwei would offer. "Well you see my family well what's left of it after the war that is, well, we have a deed here to settle out that way and would love to beat the rush this spring, but cant seem to find anyone who will travel with us for protection ya see, off the main roads, this time of year and its dangerous," he would ramble a little, tho realizing it he would bring his train of thought back, "In any case if you are going that direction, I was hoping we could maybe higher you to help guard our wagons?" Longwei would nod, "Send the elder of your people to the Copper Breaths Draught to discuss it with us, I am sure something could be arranged." The Halfing would beam, "Thank you sir...ugh, my names Finnegan...Finnegan Thistledown, but everyone Calls me Finn, Thank You!" he would make a motion to tip his hat tho he wore no hat and would hurry away to make arrangements. Ismaril would smile, "I Like him."
A'lar would spend the next day preparing for his show as Liora rehearsed with the girls and saw to promotion. The night of the spectacle they would put on the play, a story of two star crossed lovers from rival houses. Many heated scenes of debaucherous parties, lustful encounters, and violent altercations would follow, culminating in the finale where the two lovers reconcile their families and give hope to the whole city. Among the crowd A'lar would see the original author, Elion Thalor who would applaud giving him an approving nod before disappearing into the crowd. With the play a success and the contract secure with the halfling wagon train they would depart in two days time when the weather broke. The travel would be rough the first week meeting them with pouring rains, wagons getting stuck in the mud and breaking axels. With their backs to the wheel they would only lose a days time to this, the halfings most appreciative of A'lars portable mansion, especially the youngsters. The Following week would meet them with thick fog, causing several of the children to get lost. Ayrien would quickly find them before any terrible harm befell them and kept the wagons moving and a good pace thru the country. Adalon riding his drake above would note pairs of Kholo, curiously riding horses and keeping a watch of them.
The third week on the road the Scales and their halfing caravan would reach the descent into the basin, Adalon noting the initial road down would prove an apt ambush place with enemies on raised cliffs. Sure enough as they set in, the sounds of gunshots would ring out with Hyena like cackles from the Kholo raiders. As the scales swung to the west to confront them A'lar would note the piercing sensation as a bullet tore thru his flesh. Ismaril would feel a glancing strike as they both turned to the east, finding no gunmen and hardly a sound of the weapons firing. Several more hushed shots would finally reveal 2 humans and an orcish gunment with golden weapons, and long cylanders protruding from the barrels quieting the shots. As the Scales tore into the Kholo, Indalells blades paired with Longweis fists would down two. Adalon and Thirhe would land dispatching 3 others with dragon breath and biting cold magic from Adalons talismans. Ayrien would provide cover with arrow shot as Veara leapt to chase off the last Kholo. A'lar would send his magic to heal Ismaril as two more bullets tore into her. As blood poured from the wounds her eyes would go black as the large orc gunslinger would stutter and start, his heart seeming to arrest in his chest as her mind tried to shut off the beating of his heart. Shaking it off another set of bullets would ring out, A'lar struck squarely again would collapse his eyes rolling back in his head. A magical arrow would pierce the orc from Ayriens bow as she spun to answer the fire from the west. Ismaril would phase thru space and time arriving behind the orc, her blade piercing his body with a satisfied smile. Where the orc should drop he would simply roar in defiance and move to draw his massive battle axe. A'lar would be faintly aware of the cold wet ground as his vision began to fade.
