At first, Terex is nervous about how high up he is, how far away any kind of cover is. Pseudodragons weren't really high-flyers by nature, prefering to stay under cover of trees... or in the case of Terex and other Kotelian pseudodragons, between walls and buildings.
But when his nervous glances didn't reveal any large shapes winging towards him, the little dragon starts to relax and enjoy the view. It was kind of funny seeing his squad look so small, when he knew they were all bigger than him. Before he got too distracted, though, he reminds himself to get back on task and look around.
He didn't see much at first, but after a little bit something about the eastern horizon caught his eye. He stares out for a while before deciding it looked like smoke.
Terex does an acrobatic little somersault and dives downward until he's in telepathy range again.
There's some smoke waaaaay out to the east! he reports. I don't know if it's the centaurs or not, but we could look.
Finding their way without Terex would be very very much harder. In a way he was the only one of them who was not replaceable, not that Kincaid was planning on loosing anyone.
"Well spotted Terex! Let's go a day East and try this again. It should be obvious if we're dealing with a town well before we get there, hopefully we can figure out if it's the centaurs or something else too." replied Kincaid his voice sounding particularly deep today.
Yes, let's do that! Terex enthusiastically agrees.
Travelling across the grass without further incident for 3-4 days, the group finally comes close enough to see a town. It's an odd town, in that it has a wall that looks about 1000 years old. It's fully operational in some places, but has fallen in or out in other places. The group is about a half-day's walk from it before they can make out anything other than a smudge on the horizon.
Upon hearing the news, Kincaid considers for a few moments before saying, "I think we should report our findings before we make contact and again after. I'd also like to try and figure out who lives here before we meet them if possible, perhaps we might find some tracks or other signs."
Looking at the rest of the squad, Kincaid asks, "Do you think we should approach the town directly or maybe circle round for a bit?"
I could go ahead and look around, Sverix suggests. I can pretty much just disappear in this tall grass, so I can sneak up and see who's there.
"Seeing who or what lives there might be a good idea." He looks around, trying to see if there is a path somewhere in all that grass. "There must be a road of something that traders use to come and go to that village. Maybe we could find some clues about the nature of the inhabitant."
Terex goes winging toward the city, zooming a few feet above the grass to keep himself hidden.
When he get's about a 1000 feet from the city, he stops and hovers. Every once in awhile a flying form pops into view between breaks in the wall, or goes up above the 80 ft wall sections that are still in one piece.
"See anything interesting cuz?" A rumbly voice asks about 20 ft behind Terex. When his neck twists around like a pretzel to look behind him, he sees a tall humanoid dragon kneeling down in the grass, his head just above the grass. His angular head a much larger version of Terex's own, and his rumbly voice sounding perfect for the Draconic language that rolls off his forked tongue. He doffs his hat. "You don't have to sneak up on Kymerrai, Cuz, nobody will eat you." He laughs. "You're barely a snack anyway. There's other pseudo's in town, maybe you can find a cute girl to spend the afternoon with."
Hylar follows along with the group, charging the scroll case day by day with some of his leftover energy, always sure to keep some latent healing in case of ambush.
Oh! Terex mentally exclaims in surprise.
He turns himself about entirely to look at the interesting dragon-man without having to twist his neck around so much. Hello! I didn't think someone so much bigger would outsneak me, he 'says', giving the bigger draconic creature a little grin. So Kymerrai is the name of this town? What's it like? My friends and I have been traveling a long while and it would be nice to have somewhere friendly to rest for a day or two.
He remembers the stories the gnolls told... had some of the dragons later settled down with some human-type people? Where were the centaurs, then?
The dragon-man frowns, and taps his head. "Now now cuz, it's considered rude to use mind-speak without permission. Use your voice, little one, I can hear and understand you." He adjusts his hat, and continues. "I had better be able to outstealth just about anyone, or I wouldn't be a very good guard, now would I?" He grins, but preens a bit. "Certainly little cuz, I didn't know psuedo's traveled in packs, the ones in our town certainly don't."
"Oh, sorry," Terex says aloud in Draconic, "Where I come from people don't all know Draconic, so I'm used to telepathy. And, well, we've been traveling a lot and people don't always speak languages we know."
He hesitates a moment, debating how much he should tell just now. "My friends aren't pseudodragons. We're kind of a strange group, actually. Oh, and I'm Terexaltherin, but you can call me Terex. Good to meet you!"
He gives the dragon-man another little grin.
The dragon-man nods. "Well met Terexaltherin, I am Savarish'Eltasharn." Savarish'Eltasharn bows, doffing his hat again. "I see, your companions are not dragons then. Well, that may present a problem. For them more than you. As long as you vouch for them, you should have no issues entering the city. If they insult someone, they will need to be able to keep their heads on their shoulders themselves in a duel, or you'll need to defeat the offended party for them. As long as they behave themselves, they should be fine. We have traders from Sethaleash, Mistru, and even Jastuppaksi on occasion, although those usually end up half dead before they leave. Bovine idiots."
Wait, so everyone in... Terex starts, excitedly, then realizes what he's doing.
"Sorry! Like I said, it's a habit. But everyone who lives in Kymerrai is a dragon?" he asks, excitement clear in his little voice. "Wow! I can't wait to visit! But I should get my friends first."
He pauses a second. "Umm... what's this about duels, though? If it's too much of a problem they could probably just camp outside. But it should be easy not to insult anyone, right?"
Savarish'Eltasharn shrugs. "It should be easy to not insult anyone, but there's always those who can't let their own ego go long enough to avoid doing so. And no, there are no actual dragons in the city, we chase those out. But you and others with dragon blood in our veins are allowed in unrestricted."
"Okay, that makes sense. Thanks, Savarish'Eltasharn! I'll go get my friends now. You'll probably see us again soon!"
With that, Terex flies back to the squad.
Terex waves excitedly to his squadmates when he sees them, then swoops in to report.
I talked with one of the guards of the town, and it turns out most people there have dragon blood! Apparently they have some really strict ideas about insults, though, so we have to be really polite or the person who feels insulted can challenge one of us to a duel. But it sounds like as long as I'm with you guys we'll be fine.
Kincaid can't help but feel powerless while Texrex scouts ahead. As they wait he mutters to the rest of the squad, "I hope Terex isn't getting into trouble. Of course he's so small nobody is going to see him, I'm probably worrying about nothing."
Upon Terex's return, "A town of dragon kind." Kincaid tried to imagine it, "How very interesting... I guess we should say hello. Does it have a name?"
It's called Kymerrai! Terex answers, excitedly. It sounds like they get people visiting from other cities, too, so we should be able to pick up some information about other cities while we're there, too. Oh! I wonder if we can buy a map?
He pauses. Ummm... I wonder what they do for money here? I don't think we can use requisition chits...
"Huh that's a good question. I guess we'll just have to find out..." replied Kincaid as he turned to walk towards the distant town.
An hour or so later, the group approaches the town wall. It's quite obvious that the town was built in antiquity, many generations ago. It's been modified over the years, the old buildings collapsing and new ones built from the rubble. As the group approaches, a half dragon in a uniform stands up out of the tall grass.
"Halt, Lesser Folk. Entry to this city is forbidden to those who lack the Patronage of One Of The Blood."
The half dragon puts a hand on his sword, his head cock to one side so one golden eye can glare at the group from under the blue straw hat.
Kincaid blinked in mute incomprehension, "Anyone know what he said?" Knowing this could be awkward he was careful to keep his hands away from his weapon and to avoid any sudden movements.
Terex flies to the front of the group and brightly says,
The guard nods, and bows, taking his hand off his weapon. He steps to the side, and motions for the group to continue on.
The entrance to the city that the group uses looks as if it is not often used, indeed, it is barely a gate anymore. There may once have been a portcullis, but it is no longer there. The wall on one side is partially collapsed, only the two towers on each side of the gate prevented the gate from being wiped out when the wall fell.
Stepping into the city however, the group is greeted by the sight of dozens of psuedo and fairy dragons zooming around the city, darting from building to building, swooping down to annoy or greet inhabitants by turns.
A dozen pseudodragons play tag in a tight formation while a regal looking fairy dragon apparently keeps score, tossing pebbles into various piles as the arcane game continues.
A half-dragon centaur is standing in an open stall a block down, with an array of weapons spread out before them and a heavy leather apron over it's torso with tools hanging from it.
All over the city can be seen more of the half-dragons such as the guard outside, by far the largest group of inhabitants.
However, as you see a half-minotaur/half-dragon stalking down the street, it quickly becomes apparent that the creatures that you mistook for half-dragon humanoids are not half-dragons, and are instead a race of humanoid dragons you've never seen before.
As you all marvel at the ancient and constantly being renewed city, a far away echo of Kotelia, you realize just how far you've come, and how small your world was before, within the walls of the great city. You feel as if your horizons have expanded, and your city shrunk in some way that is bitter sweet.
Terex looks about in excitement, wanting to talk with everyone and find out everything he could about this city, but disciplined enough not to do so.
Keeping his telepathy limited to only his squad, he asks, What do you think we should do first?
Hylar was somewhat used to feeling small, not perhaps in the same way as Terex being as he was at least nominally a standard sized creature, but more in the sense of the bulk of most of those he served with in the military. Then this place came, and crushed him under its sheer size. First there was the draconic nature the whole thing held, a marvel to be sure, but that centaur made him look positively inadequate. Truth be told, were it not for the aid of Kasha, he was probably outclassed by any one of those present. It was sort of an emasculating experience.
Thinking back towards Terex, in hopes he can relay it, Hylar remarks I think we should get some more information, especially if a map would be available.
Kincaid marvelled at the variety of dragon kind, ranging from pseudodragons smaller than a house cat to that hulking minotaur dragon thing. Clearly this was not the place to make a ruckus, "He's right, a map would be very useful. Oh wow look at the size of that one over there! Uh yeah. We really need to mind our P's and Q's around here... I wonder if we can find somebody to show us around, and tell us how not to anger the locals."
Rokas can't help but to look at everything. The only city he knew was Kotelia, so he was trying to study the difference in construction and city planning, if there was sign of any. "This place is amazing. Just imagine the possibilities if they could rebuild it completely." He turns to Terex, somewhat worry about the lack of dragon blood in most of the group's vein. "Do you know if there is some sort of social protocol here? Like can we speak to people directly, or do you have to talk for the group?"
Ummmm... I don't really know, Terex replies to Rokas. But if you don't speak Draconic you may not share a language with them, anyway.
To the whole group, he suggests, Maybe we could talk with the half-centaur one with the weapon shop? We could at least ask if he'd be willing to tell us where visitors to town should go. But we probably shouldn't just stand around too long.
"Hello.Howaryou.imgoodthanks.yourenew.ilikenew.newisgoodandfunandinterestin g.areyouwiththegoblinthing?Ihopeheisfunny. Helooksfunnyjustliketherest"
The voice sounds very excited. Even if it was speaking very fast
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As Gethraxxis is striking up a conversation, four kobolds exit the inn and enter the street.
The first is dressed in full mithral plate with a fish shape on his shield, the fish scales are alternating gold, silver, copper, brass, and bronze. He's in mid sentence as they enter the street. "...that Fibritz, are you sure? I haven't heard any tales of the Death City sending out assassins."
A second kobold, hot on the first ones heals, is juggling needle sharp daggers as he runs backwards in an armor kilt, his eyes large and his voice eager. "I'm telling you, my cousin is honest as the day is long. He swears the watch squad got ambushed, and they had to send out the Rapid Response Team, they caught some of the assassins. There's a bounty out for the rest, 1000 gold a piece."
A third kobold, this one an albino with an elaborate antler headdress and a staff with a purple crystal on the tip trails along, and laughs. "Someone in your family, honest? Really? I'll bet my staff that he's a thief."
The second kobold does an elaborate flip with his knife. "He's never been convicted..." The kobol replies, his voice sounding plaintive.
A fourth kobold, a gold skinned kobold with a double headed dragon staff biger than he is (and more muscles than the average orc) laughs out loud, joining the four. "Which, by Sobet, just indicates he's smarter and more clever than you are." He chuckles and joins the group as they head past the party, toward the gate. "Still, if there's a bounty, and the Death City is waking up, it's worth checking it out. Things are finally calming down, the last thing we need is another war on the horizon. The last one was bad enough."
The four kobolds continue on their way, chatting about bounties.
Terex's little head whipped around as he looked for the source of the other mental voice. Hello? Could I ask who's speaking? I'm Terex, and my friends... ummm... aren't any funnier than most people, I think?
Distracted by the mental conversation, he almost misses the kobolds' conversation... but something they say makes his heart sink.
He relays the conversation to his squad, then asks, You don't think they mean Kotelia, do you? Do you think... do you think someone's *really* trying to stir up trouble for us again?
"Wherearemymanners.athomeithink. Or packedinmybagormaybelostinthemarket.notsure.gethraxxisimcalled.pleasuretose enewpeople."
He still doesn't single himself out though
I plan on making their next few steps VERY wet
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Terex chuckled mentally a bit at Gethraxxis's jokes, though he was a bit wary. He figured there was a 50/50 chance of this voice being a faerie dragon, and given that he hadn't shown himself yet, he thought the chances of his conversation partner being a mischievious faerie dragon were rapidly rising.
Good to meet you, Gethraxxis. Are you from Kymerrai, or are you a traveler like us?
"Traveller.itraveljustlikeyou.fromheretomarketsandhome.fromhometothetownand thentothewoods.alwaystravelalwaysmoving.veryboringtostayinoneplacetoolong"
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Travel is kind of fun, Terex agreed. So what kinds of places have you been?
"Oh. Well. Here. There. Lots of places. Can't really explain. Not really important. Is it?"
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Feeling a little like a fish out of water, Kincaid marvels at the variety of Kobolds and other fantastical creatures. When Terex explained what the Kobolds had been saying, he replies "Kotelia is quite some distance from here. Could it be that city of Demons the Gnoll warned us about? That was to the south of them which I guess is somewhere west of here. Or it could be something completely different, we should try to find out what it was - back home will want to know."
Kincaid thinks about the conversation a bit more before adding, "I wonder if it's worth going for this bounty? Chits wont work here but apparently gold does."
What if this is the city of demons the gnolls were talking about? Terex suggests to the squad, a thought occurring to him.
"Oh. I know what I learn. Learning is best. I just don't care much for place names. The experience is much more interesting than names. Like I was at this beautiful place with flowers. And lots of fountains. There was music everywhere. Danced and played the entire day. Those are the things remember. Names not so much. Boring. Well. What brings you here?"
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Terex realizes he should tell the rest of the squad he's having another conversation. The strain of paying attention to so many things are starting to wear on him. Hey, someone else is talking to me telepathically, he tells them. Not sure who.
Hylar, not being fluent in Draconic, didn't overhear the kobold conversation. "Gold spends as well as anything, I would imagine. Gold chits were valuable, it stands to reason..."
Going through his pack, Rokas takes out a flask of acid. "Well, if we need money, we can sell those. I can make more later when we get back home or if we can get access to a lab. As for the other topic on hand. I sure hope they mean the city of demons. Maybe we can investigate about the bounty?"