"Come now, nothing in these woods have been too threatening so far eh?"
"Whew! I am beat! I am looking forward to some brew and hot food around the campfire tonight!"
By the end of the day, folks seem willing to give this sleepover plan one try, and hesitantly bed down for the night after getting a couple extra hours of logging in.
The next morning, everyone gets back to work, and by the end of THAT day, you've got so many logs that it'll be a real chore to drag them all back; it's decided that having a third day's worth of logs is impractical, so everyone heads back to town, agreeing to a tentative plan of two-day logging cycles.
After two days of hard labor, the evening finds you taking some much-needed R&R back at the tavern. While you're there, a messenger comes in and addresses you all, handing off a note with all of your names on it. The wax seal is the one used for official business of the town elder, Yana. Opening the letter, you find that it's a summons to meet Yana in her office.
Right.
Now.
Corson drains his drink and stands. "Ladies and gentlemen, I take my leave." Giving a mock bow that seems to be amusing to the commonfolk, he nods to his friends and heads off to Elder Yana's house.
Narnel follows quietly with his hands clasped together behind his back.
Pavel mutters under his breath as he heads to meet Yana
"Couldn't we get ONE night off? Was that too much to ask for?"
Grumbling an agreeance to Pavel, "Aye, the life of a hero, never a dull moment,"
Trundling along behind the group, his muscles sore from the logging efforts.
Corson claps a hand on Pavel's shoulder, "Duty calls, my friend."
His smile is somehow comforting, but the sad look in his eyes carries a mystery of its own...
"We won't be building a wall forever. I'm sure there'll be plenty of time for a rest later."
You arrive at Yana's house and are again led into the receiving room that's starting to become familiar to you. This time, Yana is already there, waiting for you. As soon as the attendant leaves you alone with Yana, she addresses you:
"I understand that two nights ago, you accompanied the men I sent to handle a predator issue with a farm on the south edge of town. Is this correct?"
"Yes. we were able to handle the situation peacefully"
"Aye, the drake snagged a sheep, but Pavel seemed to convince it to leave and not return. Why? Did something happen?"
The men you sent were less than helpful, Elder Yana.
"Now, Narnel, be fair. What did you expect them to do? I would not have expected them to react in any other way. Now, they may know better, but I cannot blame them for reacting the way they did," Corson looks thoughtful.
Shrugging, making eye contact with Yana "Yeah, I had the luck to be on second watch and the beast came during the first, so I slept through it,"
Cedany keeps to the back of the group, she was really no help at all. Having slept through the encounter.
"Yes, this matches what my men told me when they reported in." Yana says. "I then had them go to that farm again last night, just in case. They were both killed."
She pauses a moment to let that sink in.
"I spoke with Yammock, who said she watched from the window after hearing the commotion. She described the same type of creature, and watched it beat the guards to death with its tail and then carry them off in its talons."
Yana takes a moment to rub her temple, then says, "Yammock blames you for their deaths, because you didn't kill the predator. She has spread this blame to the victims' families and around the town. Given that you're the group that championed the wall when the town was split on the issue, this is causing problems. Therefore, I want you to make a public gesture of reconciliation, while also solving the drake issue. Find the drake, kill it, and bring back whatever remains you can find of the two guards. Do you understand?"
"I understand. But I am very surprised the Drake would return and kill the guards. I want to verify that this is what happened,
If it was, I take full responsibility for what happened. None of my friends should be blamed for this in any way."
"I accept responsibility as well," Corson nods to Pavel, "We will investigate the scene, and track down the creature."
Corson looks determined, jaw set.
Growling, "Well isn't that a pile o' s*+@, Aye we'll slaughter the beast and mount its head on a pike,"
That damn Yammock, pinning this on us, we did our best
"I'm not interesting in assigning responsibility," Yana says bluntly. "I'm interested in keeping this town safe and happy. Right now, that means you lot solving this problem."
She dismisses you from her receiving room and you are ushered out of the estate.
"Pavel, Cedany, Crax, I will need your sharp minds and eyes. Let us go to investigate the site of the attack. I have a bad feeling that there is more to this that we are being told," Corson says as they leave Elder Yana's manor.
Am I not invited, Corson, because you think me blind? I was the first to spot the Drake upon his arrival.
"Sorry, Narnel, you were so quiet, I forgot you were there! I am boneheaded sometimes... Apologies, friend Narnel." Looking around to see if he forgot anyone else, "How many drinks did I have? I cannot remember... Where's Holly?"
"Yes, lets go take a look"
"You call and I answer, I have as much responsibility in this as anyone, it was my suggestion we even take a look."
You head back to Yammock's farm to have a look. A light can be seen emanating from the farmhouse's window, but nobody is outside nearby.
There's a small section of fence that looks like it contains some new wood, suggesting that it was damaged in the attack and then had parts replaced today. Near that spot are small fragments of twigs that may have been parts of the hunting blind, but you'd guess the bulk of its remains have already been disposed of. There are also some scratches in the ground which may be where the drake was said to have picked up the bodies in its talons.
Like the last time you were here, there are no heavy footprints, suggesting that the drake remained airborne, much like last time. However, there are some scratches on the ground which could be where the drake picked up the bodies with its talons. You also see bloodstains in the dirt in the area.
"Signs seem to point to the same creature. The lack of heavy prints and slight scratches where the bodies may have been picked up," Corson looks thoughtful, but concerned.
"The Drake, if that is what it was, picked up the bodies over here. You can see that this fence was harmed in the attack and has been repaired. Looks like the hunting blind was disposed of even before the Drake attacked"
"It is possible that they were taking us at our word that it was done. I wonder how long they were watching to make sure that it was successful?" Corson wonders aloud.
"Can you track it, or did it fly in?"
It flew in.
"So, do you think you can locate its lair or are we better trying to lure it out?"
"We did see it fly off, the first time, so we know what direction it went. Pavel, do you think you know enough about the creature that you could find its lair? I am still not completely convinced that there is not something more at play," Corson scrunches up his face, "Maybe I am seeing things that are not there. The simplest answer, right?"
"I actually know quite a bit about these things ...."
Growling, "This time we'll kill it, I feel for those two men that died on our watch, shouldn't dismiss this though as an attempt to make us look bad, maybe it is all a ploy,"
"I agree, feeding on animals is one thing, killing folk is another."
"Looks like the hunting blind was disposed of even before the Drake attacked"
Pavel knows that hill drakes are so named for nesting in hilly regions, and that such a region exists to the west of Wood Creek, on the other side of the river, which is the direction the drake came from. The region fades from green grass to craggy, brown hills and scattered brush/trees as you go further west, making a hypothetical drake nest likely to be at least a few miles out.
morning works for me.
"I agree that we have no choice but to kill the drake IF it was indeed responsible this second time. I'd like to make sure of that if it is possible"
Corson returns home and goes through a long-forgotten ritual, cleansing the body and mind, in preparation for a battle, before heading to bed.
I do not know if there is much doubt about it being responsible. If we pursue it to its lair, we may find remains.
"If the dragon hunts at night, does it sleep in the day? We should attack it in the early morning when it is its most tired!"
He smacks his fist into his hand, crushing an imaginary drake beneath his fist.
"I cannot see at night, my friend, but it does bear consideration. What do the rest of you think? Of course it is only a few miles away, so we will probably get there about mid-morning, and we will still have almost the entire day to search the hillsides," Corson seems to be reasoning it out as he goes...
"Unfortunately I have no night vision either, and even casting about with torches our senses are going to be dimmed while searching."
I say we press on. I can see well at night, and we may be able to position ourselves for a surprise attack once the sun crests the horizon.
"I agree with Cedany and Corson. Better to set off just before dawn when we can see where we are going"
"Remember, we will still be searching for the lair at night! I think it is wiser to go at first light, and we can search while it yet sleeps."
You turn in for the night, getting some rest before heading out to find a drake lair in the morning. You head to the western edge of town and rent a pair of rowboats to cross the river before heading out on foot toward the western hills.
After a couple of hours, you're finally deep into the craggy, rough hills where you think you might be able to find a lair. Jagged rocks jut out randomly among the otherwise rolling hills; trees are scattered and smallish; patchy, long grass and small brush cover portions of ground haphazardly.