September 13, 349

The following day, September 13, starts off warm and sunny. The party sets off to continue their way to Lacynos. After a couple of hours of travelling, a large city can be seen. Approaching it, the party sees that there is a wall around it. The sea can be seen on the other side of the city. Reg looks at El and says "It looks like Lacynos to me. What do you think El?" El nods in agreement.

Remembering what Katrick Argonne said about staying low keyed, everyone covers their armor and conceals their weapons as the party approaches town.

The road crosses the river and turns to the west as it approaches Lacynos. The wall that surrounds it is about 30' high, with towers at regular intervals along the entire wall. The towers jut an extra 40' above the top of the wall. The road meets the wall at a gate that is open. It is guarded by a dozen minotaurs however. The party stops to ponder its next move.

Sarah shakes her head. "Can we assume that walking straight through the gate is dangerous? Or would they just let a party of nonminotaurs through without hassle?"

Reg shakes his head. "I don't know. Why don't we circle around and see if we can find another way into the city?"

Tabrina looks to the paladin for the next move.

Urwing suggests "Lets try an approach from the harbor side. I'd like to see what is visible from land. Perhaps if we come under scrutiny, I can claim to be your slave master travelling under orders of Lord Myca to meet his agent. One minotaur is more than enough to handle a handful of unarmed slaves."

The group decides to find another way into the city. You discover that the entire city is surrounded by a wall. Two other gates were seen. They both looked like carbon copies of the first, with an open gate and a dozen minotaurs around it.

Going to the shore does no go as the wall goes out into the sea, blocking any view of the city from land.

The party decides to try the original gate, prepared to use Urwing's excuse about the rest of the party being slaves.

As the party approaches the gate, a couple of minotaurs look up, but have no reaction. They go back to what they were doing. They are surprised at how easy that was.

Once inside the walls, the party observes that the streets are filled with people. they are predominantly minotaurs, with humans comprising the rest. A few elves, dwarves, and ogres can also be seen. The streets are paved with dirt. The buildings are crudely made of wood, and they have a very dilapidated look. None of the buildings are painted, so they all have the same ruddy brown colour. They are one or two stroies tall.

The party assumes that it is in the downtown section, as there are many businesses, inns, and taverns along the street. They quickly come upon a market square in a big open area that is filled with a chaotic collection of stalls, tents, and booths. The smell of fish permeates the air, as it is being sold in many booths. Other products being sold are wool and woolen products, weapons, armor, and jewelry.

Angus scratches his beard. Several fleas hop out.

"Reg...what were we doing here, for, anyway?" he asks.

Urwing tells Angus "We've heard some rumors that some strange occurances were happening, and a fleet has been spotted off the coast. I'd like to know the truth of such rumors. Also if possible we should see if we can locate any further draconians. They are the direct servants of the evil we fight. Find them and we shall find our foe."

Urwing recommends we find a reputable inn. We can nose about the docks later.

Reg nods in agreement saying, "We need to find a place to hold up before we search out this area."

Everyone nods in agreement. Walking down the street, places such as The Oak Rail, and The Pirate's Ship are quickly found. The party decides on The Oak Rail because of its name. Walking inside, the place looks to be a bit run-down condition. At the desk is a big burly minotaur who looks up and asks "What do you want?"

Tabrina...at the back of the group, looks nervous and lets the paladin do the talking.

"We need some rooms." Urwing drops down the money to pay for them. "Also we are expecting a ship in. Where can we find a harbor master that knows the departure and arrival times?"

The Minotaur counts the number of people and says to Urwing "The rooms are 10 sp per room per night. You can pay for tonight now. If you plan to stay longer, the rooms can be paid for in the morning. As for schedules of ships, You can find that out down at the harbour." He gives directions. He then shows you to your rooms, which can sleep two comfortably. The rooms have the bare necessities, two beds and stands beside them.

After getting settled in, the party makes for the common room to get some food and drink. The room consists of a few tables, with a bar on one side. After some food and drinks, which consist of chicken fingers and mead, are on the table, the party discusses their plans.

Angus looks at the chicken fingers.

"I used to know a guy named Chicken," he says. "I wonder if these are his?"

"Shut up, Angus," says Tabrina. "So...what is our plan of action? You want to pay a visit to the harbour, right? I *really* could use a spell book...but we'll have to earn some money, first..."

Reg smiles at Angus. "Well, I could enquire at the local fighter's guild (there should be one in this size city) to see if there are any fights or short missions that I could participate in to make some money.", says Reg

Urwing smiles. "Yes. The harbormaster should hopefully have a list of ships entering and exiting this port. If there is a fleet nearby, they will need provisions, and perhaps the lists will tell us something."

"What we can do about this, I don't know yet. As for money, I have some. We should not need to look for jobs to pay our keep. However I will not pay excessive bar bills, so mind yourselves."

"Tabrina, you should indeed find out how much a new book will cost, and the spells that go in it also. There may be a mage here who could help you. This seems to be an open city, although still a minotaur one."

Sarah nods. "Try to pretend you are an apprentice - the mages on Krynn have an exclusive guild.. anyone can try to enter, but it serves you better as an apprentice because then at least you can back up your lack of knowledge about the order. Most mages wear either white or red robes.. at least those who venture out in public anyway."

Tabrina nods, "Good idea...I may be able to trade a potion or two for a book with a few spells..." She stands and asks the bartender / innkeeper or whatever, "Sir, would there be a magic users guild in this fair city?"

The barkeep slips his hand out, palm up. Tabrina acknowledges it by slipping a half dozen few silver pieces into it. The barkeep then talks. "It's down by the shipyard, but I'd avoid that place if I were you."

Tabrina asks "What is it about the area that should be avoided?" as she slips a few more silver pieces into the bartender's hand.

"The area's under tight security. There's lots of activity going on down there."

The party is curious about the area, so they head out towards the shipyards after getting directions. Passed along the way is a wall made of large bricks, that is 20' high and about 100' long. Standing at a gate are two armed minotaurs. As the party passes the gate, they can see a large structure that is made of several buildings.

One of the minotaurs yells at the party "Get out of here if you don't want trouble."

The party quickly continues on their way. They finally come upon the shipyard area. In front of them are several large galleys in advanced stages of constructionin drydock. Vast stacks of lumber are piled on the wharf beside the shipyard. The work is being done mostly by human slaves, overseen by a dozen whip-wielding minotaurs.

There are a couple of hundred slaves at work in the area. After some observation, the party sees that some humans are treated with more respect than others. These humans are using tools like saws and drills.

Tabrina looks at Urwing again...

Reg shakes his head, "Not sure what to make of all this. You think they're building ships?"

Urwing tells the party to stay put. She approaches one of the workers with a drill.

Urwing comes back after a few minutes and tells the party "The worker I just talked to is employed by Chot Es-Kalin to help finish his fleet of ships. He says that this Chot fellow is the leader of the city. He is desperate to get his fleet ready because it is feared that they will be needed for battle. The worker also told me that he heard of rumour about navigators being trained somewhere in the centre of the island to steer the ships to the far corners of Krynn."

"Battle? Where? Who could the minotaurs be fighting that would require so many ships? As for searching Krynn, I don't know how useful a gesture that would be.. no one has really found anything past the oceans."

Tabrina says, "Could someone please give me brief geographical or geopolitical history of Krynn? Like, who hates who?"

Tabrina shakes her head.

"I'm sorry for sounding selfish," she says, "But does any of this affect us? I'm new here...I know nothing about the political or military situation here. Are we expected to go against this guy...is that what the rest of you are here for? Or are you just here for the loot?"

"I am!" says Angus with a grin.

Urwing smiles. "While any loot we may find can always be put to good use, I am here to see what can be done to stem the growing evil that permeates the land. Minotaurs are in general a prideful lot, but that does not mean they are truly evil. Before we take any action, I would like to know exactly what they mean to use this fleet for."

Angus rolls his eyes, then chuckles.

Urwing gets a strange look on her face as an idea comes. "Any of you have any sailing experience? Perhaps we shall see if any of the ships are looking to expand their crews..."

Elderitch speaks, "No, but we should be able to get on as hired hands or maybe even mercenaries if we really wanted to."

"That is a good question," Urwing says. "Much has changed since my people last visited with the other races of this land. I know that the Dark Queen uses draconians as her minions. But as for the other races, I do not know. The minotaurs I hope have their own plans, and are not serving the Dark Queen directly. This we must find out."

"Don't look at me," says Tabrina, turning a little green at the thought.

Urwing seeks out one of the minotaurs at the shipyard to inquire about signing up. He is told that they are not recruiting at the moment. Then remembering the conversation with the worker, Urwing remembers that mentioned something about navigators being trained somewhere on Mithas.

It is getting late in the day, so the party decides to retire to the inn for dinner. Making their way back to the inn, the party notices that there are less people on the streets but a larger presence of armed minotaurs.

Over a dinner of hot sausage and rolls, with a good mead to help wash it down, the party discusses their strategy for the next day. As a waitress places a plate in front of Urwing, she tells him "Someone is waiting for you in the back alley. It's about recruits for the ships." She then quickly walks away.

Urwing tells the others that she'll be right back and heads out the door. THe others wait for heer return.

Walking outside and around the corner of the building, Urwing sets eyes upon another minotaur. He is average sized and has rugged features that show that he is of middle age. He talks in a low voice. "You there. You've been asking questions about training for the military. I have some valuable information, but as you know information isn't cheap."

Angus has another beer or three.

"I hope she hasn't met a press gang out there," says Tabrina...sipping her mead. "Depending on what she learns, maybe we should investigate these navigators..."

"What's your price? What do you have to tell me?"

"5 gp will go a long way," the minotaur replies.

Urwing hands the man five gold. "Make it good, and you shall have more. Now speak."

The minotaur starts talking "There is a place high up on the mountain where recruits go to train. It is rumoured that a tower at the site possesses strange magic that hastens their training. Chot Es- Kailin wants to quickly build a force in order to quench his thirst for power."

The minotaur quickly disappears down the alley. Urwing takes this information back to the party.

Sarah says "I'm more interested in figuring out what is going on here. You don't need this many ships for a small scale battle.. they are gearing up for something which I'm not certain I like. Minotaurs can be pretty dangerous foes."

Urwing reenters the room and sits down at the table. She tells the party "An old minotaur told me that 'There is a place high up on the mountain where recruits go to train. It is rumoured that a tower at the site possesses strange magic that hastens their training. Chot Es-Kailin wants to quickly build a force in order to quench his thirst for power.' What do you make of it?"

Reg replies, "I'm not really sure what to make of it. They way I see it our goals are two fold...one, to stop any 'evil' that may be occuring here...and two, to find fortune and fame (Reg emphasizes point number two). I'm not really sure if I'm up to taking on an entire city, but I would be willing to check out this tower with you folks. Urwing, did you get any idea how many recruits there are up there or how we might sneak into such a place?"

"Let's visit this place an' wreck it!" says Angus.

Urwing smiles. "I think we need to check this place out. Looks like an adventure is in the brewing..."

"No, he didn't. But I guess we shall soon find out."

Sarah shakes her head. "This is a bad omen if minotaurs can train themselves this quickly.. We had better check this place out for some more information."

The party retires back to the inn to plan for the next day. After getting directions the next morning, they head out east of the city. It is a fine day for travelling, as it is warm and partly cloudy. The road is quickly left to go cross country.

Go to September 16,349.

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