”Whether or not to slay the ghouls is not the question., m’Lady,” Alden replies. ”As you say, they cannot be abided. Unfortunately, I am too green in matters of the undead; we all are. We want to face them with the best possible means for success. Once the ghoul threat is no more, we can attempt to join the Chelish survivors with our neighbors in a spirit of one whole community.”
With a bow to her Eochaidh says, "Greetings Lady Talschornvox. If you would like to eat first afterwards we have an update on the situation with our newest neighbors - and we need your knowledge and wisdom."
Rabbit scrambles to his feet with wide eyes on realizing that the dragon is among them. He bows deeply, checks that Mr. Whisper isn't looking particularly edible, and nods several times at Talscharnvox.
"It's as they say, great lady. There are ... new neighbors, and they say they will abide by our leadership if we rid them of a problem they currently have. If they abide by our leadership then we can ensure they don't bother you or violate your woods, ma'am. It's just that we haven't got any knowledge of the things plaguing our new neighbors and, well, we'd like to, um, succeed. May I get you anything to drink?"
The dragoness sits primly at a table and listens quietly as the party explains their circumstances. Milana returns in a moment with a small board of cured meats, her best smoked cheese, and some pickled vegetables. She also pours her a small cup of reserved wine. She tries one of the slices of cheese, and then quickly follows with a pickled treat after finding it to her liking.
"I know very little of ghouls." she says, "But you should be able to deal with any minor undead if you could fight werewolves. This is good fare lady...?"
"Milana." the innkeeper says. Talschornvox smiles faintly and retrieves a gold mark from a pouch at her hip. "It's value is not as high in this world, but I thank you for the food. Alas, I do not need any wine Rabbit, but might I see your familiar?" she returns as her smile turns more sinister.
"These new neighbors seem to be a fruitful opportunity for you all. Do you intend to be this concerned each time a shard merges?" she asks, "I had though you more... industrious. Where is your paladin?"
***********************
The swan maiden looks befuddled for a moment. Then it dawns on her. "Oh!" she says in surprise, "I know very little of undead. If that is why you came to me I will be of no help I'm afraid." She seems a touch embarrassed, and looks around a moment before meeting Alden's gaze again. "Was there anything else you wanted, ser paladin?" she asks hopefully.
”I admit, seeking your expertise was my primary goal on this particular occasion,” Alden replies, flushing slightly at what he perceives to be either her admonishment or interest in him. ”I am hopeful that sometime soon, when innocent lives are not at stake, we could take our time to speak at length, and become better acquainted with one another.”
I hope I am not being presumptuous, and end up making a fool of myself! Alden thinks to himself, as he meets the swan maiden’s gaze and offers what he believes to be a charming smile.
The lady seems disheartened, but nods. She holds out the downy white feather as a token. "It has been years since I have had a proper conversation. she admits.
Alden accepts the feather from Sarana, his hand lingering against hers. "Thank you, m'Lady. I will carry it with me, and think of your lovely smile when I see it. Is there any token I can give you in return?"
"I will think on it." she says quietly. She glances away and after a moment draws her hand back. "Stay safe ser paladin." she adds. As Alden turns to go he notices the large, mottled brown wolf was at the treeline watching him. After meeting his gaze for a moment it turned and walked off.
Alden releases her hand as soon as he feels her pull away. He fastens Sarana's feather to his bandolier.
"If I survive, I will return, m'Lady. I look forward to our first real conversation."
He gives her a respectful bow of his head, and turns to return to Passbog.
"Alas, I do not need any wine Rabbit, but might I see your familiar?" she returns as her smile turns more sinister.
"These new neighbors seem to be a fruitful opportunity for you all. Do you intend to be this concerned each time a shard merges?" she asks, "I had though you more... industrious. Where is your paladin?"
Oh dear, Rabbit thinks, and clears his throat a bit nervously. Hopefully, a dragon would think it was rude to eat your familiar right at the table? Hopefully? Right?
He nervously fetches Mr. Whisper and holds the squirming rabbit up after leaning in to whisper Behave! to it. The rabbit does not seem assuaged by this command. Slowly, Rabbit proffers over the white bunny, which glares with a pink eye at Talschornvox.
The question also seems rather fraught. "Mr. Cooperson is seeking some further council on the undead," he says after a moment's hesitation. "And with all respect, great lady, I think it's, um, better to be cautious than to charge into, well, any situation without knowing what you're dealing with? Or trying to? Caution is maybe what kept us alive with you, since if we'd come in eager to fight I think that we would all be past meals by now. Anyway, if nobody knows more about them then we'll just go do our best, but I don't think it's bad to try and learn things first. Er, ma'am."
"You know, you're right." Kevan says to the dragon and then walks outside.
Kevan starts walking back toward the city wall.
In the wake of his earnest speech to the dragon, Rabbit suddenly blinks, as Kevan is.. leaving?
"Um... Mr. Nimblefingers, where are you headed?" he says, rather nervously. He does many things rather nervously.
Eochaidh is puzzled at Kevan leaving and follows him to see what he has planeed, "Where are you going Kevan?"
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”To be resourceful.” he says as he walks out.
Alden makes his way through the woods and back to Passbog, maintaining a steady pace, but keeping an eye out for trouble.
Kevan heads out. Thanks to the pep talk from the dragon he's sure he needs to do some scouting about. You can't attack an enemy unless you know where he is. So, in he shall go, to discover what he can. He may try spying on the city wall as well but first the graveyard.
Alden makes his way slowly back to town. The trek back is uneventful, and he has plenty of time to ponder on his long walk. After all, he had spent most of his day doing so. By the time he was getting back the sun was low on the horizon.
As Kevan approaches the gate the guards atop it look down at him curiously. Before he can pass through though one of them holds a hand up to indicate he should stop. "Ho!" the guard calls, "What business have you alone?"
Alden makes his way to Milana's to see if anyone is still gathered there, and if there is any news regarding the Dragon.
Jaxom follows Kevan. When hailed he stops and smiles. "Mind if I take a shift with the guards on the post? Maybe kill a couple of ghouls if they come out?"
Eochaidh, despite his intuition to do the opposite, can't let Kevan go alone.
"We're planning and I need to look around the cemetery. Information wins battles you know." Kevan responds to the guard.
if needed...
The guard looks down at the group with blank confusion before turning to his comrade on the wall and briefly conversing. "Just stay there!" he calls, "I need to ask the commander." The other guard soon exits at the ground level and takes off running, and as he does the remaining man keeps the ballista ready.
It was a long while before the guard who ran off returned with Tymos and one of the female guards from your first encounter with him. The man looked somewhat disapproving to see a portion of the group returned. "I was told you wanted to scout about the cemetery?" he asked with a look to Kevan, "I already told you once I would not let you enter the graveyard until you were committed. I cannot let anything come out of the graveyard until certain the ghouls are dealt with. Disease mind you. " He held his hands out with a shrug.
After a moment he looked to Jaxom. "More watchers are always welcome." he adds, "Especially at night. When can we expect Ser Alden and... Rabbit to join you and venture forth? Are you three come in advance of the others?" He seemed to find saying Rabbit's name odd to his tongue, making a bit of a face.
”I want to get as close as possible to get additional information. I would really like to go in and look for entrances and exits to the underground.” Kevan says expressing his intent. ”Multiple entrances gives us other opportunities to get out but it also gives the monsters extra opportunities to flank us. If you let me in you can inspect me when i come out but waiting until we are committed does not leave us with time to plan.”
"You can always plan inside." Tymos says callously, and after a moment he places his fingers to his temples, "Listen well, I cannot risk any of you carrying disease back out into the city. At least not until the threat is ended. I would not have sworn to go in with you if I intended to make the task needlessly difficult."
Not wanting to make the situation more tense, Kevan gives up this idea. Downcast, he turns back to the farm.
If that is the best he can do, Kevan will join Jaxom. Perhaps they can spot the beasts in the act.