September 10, 349

After having a good night's sleep, the party gathers in the common room to have breakfast and discuss their plans for the day. Looking around, they see that the place is empty except for yourselves and a human waiter setting some tables. Continuing the conversation from last night, Urwing frowns. "And why should you be the one to challenge the minotaurs Kat? And if the only reason is because you are a minotaur yourself, that is not enough. Besides, I would rather have your skills available after the battle. If you are the one fighting you might not be in a condition to work your magics."

Kat responds, "The minotaurs would be upset if one of them lost to an outsider. That could be dangerous in and of itself, as most humans here are considered fodder for minotaur sport. I do not like that at all. Add in the fact that you follow Paladine, and the minotaurs might not let you out alive at all."

Urwing smiles charmingly. "The first reason is not an issue. I will tell you why later. And if they would kill me for my following of Paladine, they will do the same for your beliefs. Anyway, since the others seem to be in favor, lets see what the circumstances are first.

Reg nods in agreement.

The waiter brings back plates of sausages and hot cakes to eat. Everyone begins eating their breakfast.

Waiting until the waiter leaves the room, Urwing turns to the others. "I am always truthful with my companions. I hope you will all be the same with me."

Before your eyes Urwing changes from the tall human woman form she just had to the form of a female minotaur of about the same size. "Yes, this should serve me well."

However Urwing is aware of stares from you, and continues.

"I am an Irda. A shapechanger. Many fear us, but we are a peaceful people. Several years ago our Isle was invaded by a fleet of the Dark Queen's minnions. I and many others, my husband, friends and both of my children included, were taken to the slave camps in the south to work. Once I was a blacksmith, but Paladine showed me how to forge a weapon, and I am now a paladin in his service. I escaped, and managed to return home. But home without those I love is meaningless. Thus I journey across Krynn, hoping to help others of my race return home."

Reg is shocked..."Damn....Well this is a surprise lass!" Reg is quiet a moment, but then continues, saying, "Well, you're obviously still a paladine no matter what race yer are....I don't have a problem with ya being a shape-shifter...in fact it might prove very usueful in our adventures ahead." Reg walks over to Urwiung and grabs her hand.... helping her to her feet, muttering.."Never kneel unless your forced to."

Urwing rises, but slowly, still waiting for the response from the others. "Yes. I am always a paladin. It is who I am. It is why I tell you this now."

Angus' eyes widen.

"Wow! Can you do that again?" he asks in wonder. "Can you turn into a dwarf? A dog? A cat? An elf? An - "

Tabrina cuffs him.

"Shut up," she says to the dwarf, before turning to Urwing. "I don't care what you are on the outside," she says. "It's what inside that counts. As long as that remains constant, the shape of your being doesn't bother me."

Urwing smiles. "The size can not be overly different from my natural state, but animals are not out of the question. And I am quite pleased with the elvish form I have chosen, as it most resembles my true nature."

Sarah scratches her head in amazement. "There have always been rumors whispered about your kind, but I have always reserved judgement until I actually saw something with my own eyes. That you follow paladine is enough for me."

Urwing nods. "Our histories tell us that we were once a vile and evil race, without soul. I'm told that those that did not turn away from that path changed over time into hideous beasts that we know as the Ogres of today."

Urwing shudders. "A sad fate, for they have lost everything now but the hate they have always known."

Kat chuckles, "I always thought you were a bit different for a human, but I am quite impressed by your new form. Please stay in it and I would ....," I say as I blush," ok, I would like it, suffice it to say." I finish as I extend my hand to Urwing for her to stand up.

Urwing stands, and taking her hand pulls softly on the fur around Kat's muzzle. "I'm married you know, and have been so for almost a century now, but I thank you for the complement."

Urwing bows to all of you. "Thank you for your kinds support. Now lets continue and see about returning some stolen property."

"Shopping, first," says Tabrina.

Reg nods, "It wouldn't do to let these folks go into battle with absolutely nothing to defend themselves with...plus we need to stock up on food and other supplies as well."

Urwing grins, her new minotaur muzzle flashing sharp teeth. "Well, the shops should be opening soon. If you need any funds I have a little on hand you can borrow."

Sarah steps forward. "As a cleric of Kiri-Jolith, I am required to feed men in battle. Thus, I am able to automatically create food and/or water once per day as needed. We won't have to carry as much as a result."

"How about the women?" asks Tabrina. "Do we starve, then?"

Urwing gives Tabrina a sharp look. "There is no need to pick a fight. You know she didn't mean to exclude anyone."

Sarah sighs. "Of course I didn't exclude anyone, otherwise I would exclude myself! Then again, the only group I was with for a while were the Knights of Solamina, and a woman knight is extremely rare." She frowns.

Urwing laughs. "This is true. I should know, although I'm not of their order."

After breakfast is finished, the party goes up to the desk to pay their bill. The proprietor mentions "18 sp please." The party pools the money and pays the bill. Stepping outside, the day is sunny, but cool. It is mid-morning and the streets are busy with town residents going about their daily activities. Everyone is wondering where to go first, to get food or supplies, before heading out of town.

Urwing is ready as she is, but will help any who need help in getting goods.

Tabrina says, "First we should get Angus here some armour and a sword. We could both use packs, a lantern, some pouches, waterskins...that sort of thing. I could use a dagger. Unfortunately I suspect that I won't be able to afford to buy a spell book or spells to put in it...did someone say that the mages have different orders, here? Hell. Do they have guilds...any in this town?

"Oh well...let's be off!"

Sarah tells Tabrina, "There is one mage guild on all of Krynn that is known by most people. There are three orders in the guild, membership depending solely on your disposition to the world as far as I can tell. The simplest thing for you to do is to try to pass yourself off as an apprentice, and get someone to sponsor you. Provided you, um, survive their so called test, you will be a member."

"Ahhh...what is this test..?" Tabrina asks.

Sarah shrugs. "A test. That is all that is known by those who aren't magi. Survive, and you make it into the order. Fail, and they unceremoniously dump your body somewhere. I have always disagreed with their methods, but they are very set in their ways and will probably never change them. Most mages who surive can become extremely powerful though."

Taking Kat's advice that the humans around here are mainly pirates, merchants, or servants, before heading out, the party tries their best to conceal any metallic armor. The party, with Urwing looking like a minotaur, sets off down the road that they entered Pyte from, back to Thorador, to claim Tabrina's and Angus' possessions.

The morning's coolness quickly gives way to a humid mugginess as the sun climbs in the sky The well travelled dirt road is a bit busier today than yesterday. Passing in the other direction are groups of humans and minotaus. To the east in the distance is hilly terrain. In the fields fields are flocks of sheep being tended by human shepherds.

The party sits down to have lunch after travelling the morning. Tabrina turns to Urwing. "I'm not picking a fight!" Tabrina snaps at Urwing. "I don't know what the customs are like here! There are places on some of the worlds I've been to where women are treated as little more than animals!"

Urwing nods. "My people treat each other equally. But I have found such is not the case off the Isle. But for now please forgive any slips of the tongue. As she said, she did not mean to exclude anyone."

Early in the afternoon, after the party finishes having lunch, they set out again. A short while later, around a bend in the road, they come upon a group of eight humans at the side of a road. Sitting beside them is a wagon. The humans are working on the cart. Approaching it, the party can see that it looks like the wagon is broken.

"Ho, humans," Kat booms, "Dost thou need help with your wagon ? This is not the safest place to have a broken cart." I ask with a hand on my quarterstaff in case of some trouble.

Reg will look the stituation over...looking especially at the humans. He will try to note things like how they are dressed whether they are carrying weapons.

Urwing also approaches. "What seems to be the trouble, friends? Is the wheel broken, an axle? Do you have the tools and supplies to repair it?

Reg grumbles under his breath, "....foolish palidins...."

The humans are dressed in robes with capes of average quality. The cart is about 15 feet in length and is loaded with crates. One of the humans addresses Urwing, "Please sir, there is something wrong with the rear axle of our cart. We do not have any tools to fix it. You being a minotaur, with your knowledge, maybe you can fix it. We must get to Lacynos before the end of the week to deliver this shipment or our master will be extremely angry with us."

As Urwing approaches the cart, Angus agrees with Reg. "Is there any other kind?"

Urwing gives both of you a dirty look. "You may think differently if ever you find yourselves in trouble and I decide to help."

Angus just smiles.

Sarah laughs. "Of course they will.. They are like most people, they will grumble and complain most of the time but until you have to save them. For that they will beg and plead, and when the deed is done they will go right back to complaining."

Reg returns Urwing's dirty look and says quietly, "We know nothing of these people...for all we know this could be a trap of some kind designed to lure travelers in so that they can rob them."

Sarah remarks, "Life is like love. You must reach out knowing on occassion you will be burned. To keep to the safe path is to miss out on all the things that make life worth living."

Upon hearing this statement, Reg looks like his is about to puke.

Kat suddenly looks up into the sky. He stays like this for a few minutes, then comes back to reality. He tells the party "My god Mishakel has called upon me to serve her. I must be off. Good Luck to you all." With those parting words, Kat turns back and heads off in the direction of Pyte, waving as he goes.

Reg steps back, draws his sword and holds it at his side. The others can see that Reg is not happy about this situation, but he says nothing and does not move to help any of the humans near the wagon. Instead he seems to be keeping a waqtchful eye out for trouble.

Sarah muses. "Axles are usually difficult to fix. I suppose we would have to cut a tree down to do it. Not impossible to do though. Out of curiosity, what are you shipping which is so important?"

"We are delivering a shipment of wool and sheepskins to be woven into clothes. If we do not deliver a quota on time, we receive less for them. Our boss wouldn't be too pleased about that. Can you see our dilema now?

Urwing looks at the problem. He wonders how long would it take to convert a tree into an axle. He ponders the possibility of moving the unbroken axle to the wagon's center and turn it into a large cart, and how long that would take.

He realizes that a tree with a minimum diameter of three inches would be needed. Looking around, he sees that the countryside is devoid of tree of that size.

"Depending on how bad things look, it may simply be quicker for us to transport one of your group to the next town, where you can hire help to come out and fix your wagon."

Urwing looks up and down the road. "If I where you however, I would unload the wagon and put the goods somewhere off the road where they can't be seen. There will be no fixing the thing while its loaded, and you don't want a large pile of crates out in the road attracting attention."

All of a sudden the humans change forms. In their place are winged draconians. Reg and Angus look on in surprise at this transformation. Two of them leap to attack Urwing as the rest of them close in on the other party members.

The first draconian on Urwing attacks with their claws and tail, striking him with his tail for 7 hit points damage. The second draconian attacks Urwing the same way, managing to gouge him with a claw for 2 hit points damage.

Urwing, the lady minotaur draws her blade and slashes at the draconians. "Back to your mistress I shall send you!"

Striking out, Urwing's long sword bounces off the draconian's armor.

Reg tries to charge the nearest dracoian, yelling, "Attack!", but can't because he is still surprised.

"Ack!" says Tabrina. "What in Hades are they?"

Sarah frowns. "I've heard rumors of these things, but I've always not really believed them. Aside from that, I have no idea what they are."

Urwing, recalling seeing their kind before while she was captive, tells Tabrina and Sarah "Draconians. I don't know from whence they come, but they serve the Dark Queen."

The paladin continues the attack.

Sarah casts Magical Vestment.

Realizing that the spell takes a whole round to cast, and that a draconian will be on her before she finishes the spell, she cancels it before losing it.

The draconians are now on the others at the back. Reg and Angus are no longer surprised. Reg, El, Thurston, Bakis, Angus, and Sarah each have one on them, while Urwing has two draconians on her.

Sarah is is melee, so instead of casting Cause Light wounds (x3), she draws her hammer and attacks. Her hammer bounces off the draconian's armor.

Urwing continues to attack the draconian, managing to sink her long sword into it.

Now the Reg has recovered from the shock of seeing the draconians, he will charge the nearest monster, sword at the ready.

Taking a swing at a draconian, Reg sticks his sword into it, causing blood to appear.

Reg's draconian will return the attack, managing to hit Reg with a claw for 4 hit points damage.

Sarah tries to bring her shield around for better protection. If she gets a chance, she will try to get out of combat to get a spell off.

Sarah manages to get her 'cure light wounds' off and hits her draconian twice. The draconian winces at the attaack.

The draconian manages to hit Sarah with both claws and the tail for 7 hit points damage.

Angus, wearing his shiny suit of banded mail, attacks with his new-found long sword, but it ricochets off the draconian's armor.

A draconian will attack Angus, digging one claw into him for 4 hit points damage.

El will use his long sword, but it bounces off the draconian's armor.

El's draconian digs both claws into him for 9 hit points damage.

Thurston and Bakis will try to run away, as they are unarmed.

The draconians on Thurston and Bakis successfully attack the retreating pair. They start chasing them.

Reg continues to battle the draconian, quickly stabbing it and causing it to collapse to the ground.

Sarah will use her last cause light wounds and then switch to her hammer, hoping the damn thing will die soon.

She successfully hits the creature with the spell, causing more damage. She then grabs her hammer to fight with.

No longer surprised, Angus will draw his sword and attack.

The sword easily penetrates the draconian's skin, drawing blood.

Tabrina will stay back...using her staff for self defence only.

Urwing continues her attack. Her sword smoothly beheads the draconian. She turns to attack the other one.

El's sword deflects off of his opponent's armor.

The draconian fighting Sarah whips its tail at her, causing 7 hit points damage. One of his claws manages to inflict 1 hit point damage as well.

The draconian on Urwing has its tail and claws all bounce off of her armor.

As well, the draconian's claws and tail deflect off of Angus' armor.

On El, though, the draconian manages to hit him with a claw and tail, causing 8 hit points of damage.

The draconains on Thurston and Bakis continue their relentless attacks.

"HAHAHA!" howls Angus. "THOR!"

He presses the attack.

Tabrina, meanwhile, sees that all of the enemy are preoccupied and are not noticing her. She circles around to the other side of the wagon.

Urwing remarks, "Sounds like another dwarf I know..."

After a few more rounds, the last of the draconians falls. Looking at them is eerie because they no longer look like draconians, but like the character that delivered their fatal blow.

Everyone checking themselves over shows that some members are more injured than others.

Looking around, there is no sign of Thurston or Bakis, or of the draconians that pursued them.

Searching the corpses turns up 12 gems in total, each worth 500 gp.

Going over to look at the cart and what's on it, printing can be seen on the boxes. It is illegible, however.

In the boxes, however, are not wool and sheepskins as was told. Instead, they hold all sorts of weapons and supplies. Included are daggers, swords (long, broad, two-handed), halberds, battle axes, cross bows with bolts, flasks, hooded lanterns, ropes, grappling hooks, shovels, torches, tinderboxes, waterskins, rolled up tents, belts, boots, and robes.

If no one else does so, Urwing will lay her hand upon El.

Urwing is most concerned about the missing members. "Did anyone see which way they traveled? Does anyone here have any skill in tracking?"

"El, you're a ranger or something, aren't you?" asks Tabrina brusquely. "Why don't you track them?"

Turning toward Tabrina with a bloody hand pressed against his side, El replies, "Sure, I can do that just as soon as I patch myself up."

Urwing continues, "Looks as if they are preparing for battle. Since the wagon is broken, I suggest we bury these goods so that no one but us or our allies can make use of them."

Tabrina says, "Good idea. But maybe we should go after Thurston and Bakis, first."

"Dops?" she says, looking at the corpses.

Urwing shakes her head. "From what I've seen of their kind, each type of Draconian has its own magical power. I've never seen this type, but I've heard of some that turn to stone, trapping your weapon inside their bodies. A deadly power if you need your blade quickly to parry the beast's neighbors."

Sarah smiles. "I doubt my hammer will get stuck in one then."

Tabrina takes the gems to hold onto.

Being short of equipment, Angus and Tabrina go over to the cart and will help themselves...

As soon as Elderitch is bandaged and/or healed, he will attempt to pick up the tracks of Thurston and Bakis.

Putting his nose to the ground, so to speak, Elderitch quickly picks up a trail heading back in the general direction of Pyte. Moving the corpses off the road to beside the cart, the party follows El. The tacks are easy for El to follow, but he can't distinguish what tracks belonged to who. It only takes a couple of minutes before the sight of two bodies can be seen ahead. They are recognized as that of Thurston and Bakis. Looking around, nobody else can be seen.

Carefully approaching the bodies, the party examines the area.

"Darn," says Angus. "They were good people."

Tabrina says nothing, but her chin quivers.

Urwing frowns. "The optimist in me says that our friends were victorious, and that these are draconian shapechangers. But I know of no way to find out. El, can you find any more tracks?"

Tabrina looks hopeful at these words.

From the cart, Angus takes a grappling hook, tinderbox, 5 torches, waterskin, belt, boots, 20 light quarrels, light crossbow, dagger, 50' rope, and a hooded lantern. Tabrina takes a dagger, belt, boots, and a cloak.

Urwing puts her hand on Tabrina's back. "Remember what happened to the other draconians when they died. Come, lets find our friends."

Sarah wonders "Is EVERYTHING duplicated? Wounds and such? I don't recall these creatures using a sword against us.. were they killed by a sword?"

Sarah, looking at the bodies, sees that they are covered in slash marks like those made with claws.

El carefully looks around, but does not detect tracks leading off in any direction.

Urwing sighs. "I still choose to believe that these are simply the dead draconians. But we shall bury them in any case, and return to the wagon to make sure those weapons don't get into enemy hands. Then we will continue on our way... "

"Well...I guess that is that," says Tabrina, steadying herself. "Angus, we should bury them."

The dwarf nods.

Reg watches for signs of trouble while Angus and Tabrina bury the bodies.

After the bodies are buried, Sarah gives last rites. She asks Kiri-Jolith to watch over them.

After the ceremony, the party returns to the scene of the battle with the draconians. The cart and bodies are the same way they were before. Taking the shovels to digs holes, the party takes the rest of the day to bury the equipment. Wondering what to do about the cart, the party decides to demolish it. When all is said and done, it is nighttime. The party travels about a mile before making camp a little ways off the road. The night is uneventful.

Go to September 11,349.

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