After the conclusion of his meeting with Rast, Andrew returned to the barracks, and spent some time in prayer.  He was overjoyed and relieved to discover that Najela had returned to him.  Daggda had discovered the same thing during her morning prayers.  Everything seemed to be back to normal, except that the concentrated force of Moradin's energy was diluted -- as if he had some other thing on his mind, and Daggda knew exactly what that might be:  the return of his "brother" god, Silindur.

Sandros, after the lengthy meeting with his sister and Paula during the morning, returned to the barracks with Veneron.  Ven stopped at the gem merchant and arranged to pick up the gem the following day, delaying yet again his spell, for he remembered that he would need an uninterrupted 12 hrs to find his familiar, and he had an appointment this very afternoon.... Fosco's mysterious meeting.

Sandros had stopped along the way to inquire at the DMAG [Dragon's Maw Adventuring Guild] and had hired a "between assignments" swordsman to complete his training for a reasonable 2gp.

The others woke in the early hours to a loud clatter, as the food serving crew entered in the pre-dawn hours and tripped Tav's noise-makers. 

Avon went out into the city and had uncovered an establishment called Blexcroid's Curiosity Shoppe.  Blex was a retired adventurer, and from the looks of him, he had been in more than his share of battles.  He still retained the bulky muscles of the fighter he had been, but he now had several layers of fat.  Blex had taken a look at the harp and made some semi-favorable responses.  He allowed that  "to the right buyer" it might be worth a lot, but he had no idea who that buyer might be.  He offered to take it off Avon's hands for 500 gp.

Tavarak spent the morning successfully completing his study of the new 2nd level spell he was learning, and thereafter spent the early afternoon in the agility training that Astaire thought was so elementary and Tav thought was so impossible.

In the mid afternoon, the group reassembled, and at about 3pm, Fosco Bracegirdle arrived.  "Good, good, good!  I am afraid, good honorables, that I do not have any more information  for you but I am ready to take you to this meeting.  I will meet you outside the Dwarven embassy... for I remind you that it is very important that I not be seen with you.  When you see me again, just follow as discretely as you can."

And so saying, he left.  When they saw him at the end of the block outside the embassy, they followed as he led them on a twisting and turning trail through many of Squarento's streets.  As they walked, it occurred to more than one of the group that nine adventurers, armed and with some equipment following a block behind a halfling clad in a gold-colored tunic would not exactly be "inconspicuous"... but it was Fosco's plan and they stuck with it.  It took nearly an hour but eventually they found themselves on a small, quiet street in a prosperous looking residential neighborhood -- not the sort that would have lots of servants, just prosperous merchant folk.

The home is not expensive looking, yet it is a large and comfortable building: 2 stories high and made from solid beams of wood and stone. Fosco rings the bell and then opens the door. As the group enters, he indicates that they should go to the left: into a large square room, with many chairs, two couches line the walls opposite the hearth. Leading to the back of the room is a door, and in front of the door is a pair of large and very ornate chairs  clearly this chair would be used by the master and mistress of the house.

The group settles into the chairs, and Fosco turns to face them with a serious expression. He takes a deep breath and the group braces for one of his verbal onslaughts.

“The lady with whom you will soon meet has asked me to say this to you. She asks that you each pledge that you will never speak of this meeting or anything discussed here with anyone else… and that if you cannot do so, you must leave now.”

Everyone is stunned. A few simple sentences with uncomplicated thoughts -- from FOSCO !!??

After each has made his or her pledge, Fosco opens the door behind the chairs. A woman enters, she is tall -- over six and a half feet tall  with broad shoulders and is very muscular. Her face is somewhat triangular in shape, lightly tan and attractive. She has long, fine golden hair, worn in a loose braid that extends to her waist. She wears layers upon layers of golden materials, each filmy and gauzy.

She smiles as she enters and sits in one of the large chairs in the front of the room. As she walks forward, the magic bracelet that Andrew wears on his bicep under his robes begins to get cold. Then it gets colder. And colder still. Soon it is throbbing with cold so strong that he wonders how it can not burn him, yet it does not. The message to Andrew is clear, there is something on her person that is very potent magic.

She sits in the chair and looks at each member of the group. Veneron cannot control his gasp of surprise. She has dragon eyes the distinctive diamond shaped pupils are unmistakable. Her irises are golden, like everything else about her. Recognition dawns in the other members of the party as well, and Andrew understands that the magic detected by the bracelet is not centered on a thing  it is her. It has long been the teaching of the Druids that dragons are creatures of pure and powerful magic.

“Thank you for coming,” she says. Her voice is low and strong for a woman, but then they remember that she is not truly a woman. Perhaps her voice is high and gentle for a female golden dragon. “And, without being overly dramatic, I ask you to remember your pledge. For there would be repercussions that even I cannot foresee if it became known that I even met with you.”

“I am named Draco Bialinnionir n'thorn d'Ovlentorglth -- or just Bial for short," she smiles briefly. "I undertake the risk of this meeting because I am a mother. Even so, I must guard my words, for I am bound by a pledge, even as all of my kind are bound.” She looks at each of them once more. “Perhaps you are clever enough to discern the truth of the situation even tho I cannot speak of it directly.”

“For the first time in my long, long years, my mate and I have produced a fertile egg. Some months ago, something happened and that egg is no longer in my possession or control. I am pledged not to speak of the circumstances, and even mentioning it in this company is stretching the limits of that pledge.  Since the dawn of time, this is an unprecedented happening, and a source of enormous concern and grief to me. She will hatch within the next few months, if all goes well, yet the life that looms before her in the current circumstances is horrible. She would become the mate of something not of our kind. I would gladly offer my own life to change that, but it is not within my power to do so… nor even within the power of all of my kind combined.”

“If it came to be that this precious egg came into your control -- and control would mean the power to remove it or destroy it -- only then could I come to bring her home. But…” her voice breaks but she continues “… if she could not be rescued, I would rather see the egg destroyed than allow her to be born into… into circumstances of which I cannot speak.”

“It is forbidden to me to ask for aid, and I do not ask you to help in that way.  Since I do not ask for aid, I do not offer any reward.  And yet, I know some of what tasks you will undertake, and if by chance you should come upon an egg seeming made of gold, about 2 ft in diameter, know that she is mine.  For there is no other dragon's egg in this world today.”  She opens a carved wooden box and hands it to the nearest party member, JessJazza. It contains a small egg of gold, approximately 1” in diameter, and, to judge by its lightness, it is hollow.  Even Avon, when it is his turn to look at it, cannot imagine how it came to be made. “Crush this miniature, if you should find her and should you be in such circumstances that you could rescue or destroy the egg, and I will know that I am freed from my pledge and will come to rescue her."

"There is little more I can say, but if you have any question, that I can answer, I will attempt to answer it."

JessJazza takes the egg and smiles confidently at her new group. "Y'all don't play around, do you?" She says, obviously thrilled. "I don't think Illuvitar was either when he sent you to me." She looks at the dragon and nods respectfully. "This has to be fate, ma'am, and don't worry, we'll find your baby. Just point us in the right direction and tell us what to look out for."

Bial turns toward the Illuvitarian priestess and blinks her large liquid golden eyes slowly, regarding her carefully.  "That is one thing I specifically cannot do.  I can not point you in any direction in particular, nor mention who to look for or anything of the sort.  Under penalty of... well let us just say under severe compulsion, none of my kind may make any effort at all.  That is why this meeting must remain strictly private and why I am not asking that you do any special searching on my behalf."

"Like your God, Illuvitar, and yours," she turns toward Daggda, "I and my kind are very strict in keeping our word, once given.  I could no more break my oath than... than... change my color."  She smiles.

"Fragile?" Bial raises an eyebrow.  " Well that depends.  In my terms, yes.  But in human terms, not very.  It would take a concerted effort with steel or magical weapons to break a dragon's egg, but it could be done by a moderately strong human with a little determination.  Throw it from a cliff and it will break.  As to care... well, if it were in my care, it would be pampered beyond any belief and kept at a normal temperature.  Normal for a dragon, of course, is considerably warmer than a human would find comfortable for long times.  Think of a very hot summer day, in full sun, for a long period.  That would be the "normal" environment for such a precious item.  But it would survive so long as it is not subjected to freezing or boiling.  Anything in between would be acceptable, for a short period."

"It would be clumsy for you to deal with.  It is 2 ft in its smaller diameter and 3 ft in the longer diameter, and of course, it is egg-shaped.  It will be a uniform color:  deep and pure gold color.  It is not made of gold, of course, that is merely it's color."

As the image of a broken dragon egg cooking with bacon flits momentarily thru Moongloom's mind, Bial flashes her eyes in his direction, and the mage wonders for a second if he HAD said something out loud.

Bial seemed to ignore Sandros' speculation.  "Why you?  Well, of course, I am not sure that you will happen to come across my child's egg.  Nor, if you do find it, that you will come to be in control of it.  Nor even if that happens, that you will choose to contact me.  Nor still further that you will be able to do anything except destroy it."

"But this I do know, for some say I have an interesting ability to make shrewd guesses of the future."  Her eyes turn directly to Avon, tho she continues to address the group.  "There is a key -- or part of a key -- already found by you.  And you will be attempting something very dangerous and will come in contact with those who work for the full return of the Dark God Silindur.  In doing that, you will go places and see things that regular folk do not."

"Wherever it may be, my egg is surely not in a place where regular folk might see it.  If they did, I think word would get around, don't you?"

She pauses, as if unsure whether to say more.  She does.  "Your Duke is a mean, venal, sadistic insect, and I will never understand why humans allow such to come to positions of leadership.  Anyone with any insight at all should have culled him before he came to adulthood.  I cannot, as you know, confirm or deny that he is involved in my problem in any way.  But I do know that he, unknowingly, has another part of your key."  Her eyes pass around the group slowly.  "The path of his future crosses yours.  There is great uncertainty there, which cannot be seen beyond."

"People change, power corrupts?" JessJazza says, as if taking the side of all humanoids in defending the duke, who isn't here to defend himself. JessJazza also wonders briefly who the duke is. "Duke has part of key...." JessJazza mumbles to herself. She looks around at the group and says. "Well...then whichever of you has any sort of a key or part of a key better let the rest of us know."
 
 Avon looks at JessJazza. He doesn't say anything. He  gently moves his  foot sideways until it hits his backpack. The  feeling of his backpack  comforts him. His lips moves as he wants to say  something, irritated by  the bluntness the fighter displays. He hesitates, he  searches for words.

"How charming." He says more to himself than anyone  else. He stops  looking at the elf, but continues talking to her  nonetheless.  "Directness seldom is an easy path to travel. But  never mind that, tell  me, how long have you been with us... friend? A day,  half a day, hours?  Trust is something you have to win." He looks around  the group and  guesses their reaction. "Or at least my trust is  something you have to  win."

JessJazza glares at Avon. "How about you can trust me to the point that I'll leave the church I'm supposed to be staying at to help a confessed vampire because I know its the right thing to do?" She sighs. "You never worked in a group before?"

He has to force himself not to laugh when he  thinks about the  situation. "Do you honestly think I am going to tell  you what this key  is? Just to sneak up to me during the darkness of  night? Come to think  of it," he motions to the rest of the group, "they  probably will tell  you anyway."

"You presemptuous moron." JessJazza sighs. "You just told me you had it! If I really wanted it that bad I'd stab you in the back and take everything you had and sort out what the key was later." She shakes her head. "Focus more on thinking, less on being paranoid."

He sighs, "Take this lesson from me,  milady," he grins as  he turns to JessJazza again, "those who think of  themselves as being the  purest and the noblest might just turn out to be the  lowest and most  evil characters." His grin disappears rendering his  face blank and  emotionless.

JessJazza looks like she has a headache coming on. "And take this lesson from me milad, the more you open your mouth the more you let be known about you." She pauses. "Even if you pretend to be something you're not."

He only beams a wide smile towards JessJazza.

His eyes alight with wonder Andrew takes in the scene with undisguised amazement. Dragons are one of Melfis' strongest earth magics, and his magic bracelet could definately attest to that. Unconsciously rubbing at the wicked cold that somehow doesn't burn Andrew listens to the wonderous creature's story without uttering a sound. The druid can truly feel for the mother and his prayers to Najela in the comming days would include a prayer to help the party find the egg. Any help would be a great thing indeed.

With no questions to ask and undestanding the depth of the oath the dragon speaks of Andrew waits quietly while the others ask what they will then he is ready to go.    With a bow worthy of a King Andrew pledges to do his best to help the lady in need.

Daggda is mumbling into her beard.  "I just love how elves are so cheerful and courteous to each other.  Well....at least they're not throwing daggers, yet. ... Moradin, give me strength."

Bial sits calmly at the front of the room, blinking those large, liquid gold eyes at them.  "If there are no more questions, then."

Slowly she rises and turns to leave, but she pauses, as if she had just thought of something.  Turning to Veneron, she reaches as if to take something from a place that floats invisibly in thin air.  She sprinkles a pinch of some golden powder into a folded paper and hands it to the young mage:  "Concentrate on the type of familiar you want as you add this to the normal formula.  It will improve your chances."

Then she turns to Moongloom, with a smile.  "I have such a weakness for those who have given their lives to the weaving of spells."  Again, she reaches into thin air and plucks a small something from some place not in this dimension.  She extends a small gold charm in the shape of a dragon toward the blue skinned wizard.  "Wear this in battle.  It will make you a bit luckier in your spell casting."

Moongloom blushes--and it's quite a sight when his cheeks turn purple!-- and stares at her eyes as if forgetting she was a dragon, of all things, so entranced is he.   He takes the amulet with awe and puts it around his neck, nearly falling from his chair with distraction, "Thank you, milad...err midrag...err ma'am."

She wishes them all good luck in whatever may lie ahead, and then leaves thru the same door she had entered.

Fosco stands in front of the door, beaming.  "She is wonderful is she not, which is what I had told you earlier, of course, and how horrible it was for her ... " and it goes on for several minutes.  The gist of it all is that he is assuming you will help her and thank you very much and if you need anything else, just come here and ask him.  This house, apparantly is where he is to be found.

So, the adventurers think a bit to see if there is anything else they want to know from the talkative little fellow, before they leave.

"Well, now can we go and get Sandros to this Sessassithsuss witch?"  asks Daggda.  She was impressed by the dragon and all, but anything that is purely magic will always be somewhat suspicious to a dwarf.

Patiently, Tav explains that he has about 5 days of training left...Sandros says he has some business that will take about the same time... Ven explains about the spell he wants to cast....

Daggda sighs impatiently.  "All right, all right.  5 days, then.  And not a day more."  She wags her finger beneath Sandros' nose.  "You are not getting any healthier, you know."

Sandros raises an eyebrow, and smiles. "Oh? I feel better now then I have in years! Like I could climb walls or something, maybe..." He snickers. "Okay, okay...I gotya. Five days it is."

Sandros, when he finally left the Slipper to join his friends, said his goodbyes to Dee. "Dee...I have to leave for a little while, with my friends. But I'll be back. Please...keep yourself safe while I'm gone. I'll be looking you up as soon as I set foot in the city walls again." He smiled, and gave her a big hug and kiss, then went off to find the others.

Esmee

Each goes about his business and the next few days pass quickly.

Tavarak has learned his spell and finally finishes the exhausting days of training with the halfling Astaire.

Sandros spends an equally exhausting series of days studying the two-handed fighting style with his hired teacher, and almost every night having dinner with his sister at the Silver Slipper.  Paula's accounting was meticulous.  She had paid 400 gold for Dee -- actually it was 4 platinum.  Someday, Sandros notes, he wants to think of how much things cost in platinum.  And there was a long series of weekly entries, for Dee's earnings v. room/board charges.  He cringed a little when he thought what she was asked to do for those "earnings."  He noted that her earning rate had gone down in the last few months -- when he asked her if she was sick, she explained that she had been keeping the records and had spent less time with "clients." 

The bottom line was that Sandros spent 235g 14s 78c to bring his sister's account to zero.   Paula threw a great celebration dinner, inviting all her employees and all the adventurers to be her guest.  And quite a bash it was.  There were exotic meats of all kinds, prepared by the very best halfling chefs the city could offer.  The party finally ended at 3am, when Avon declined to test Daggda's drinking capacity again.

Veneron finally got to cast his find familiar spell.  With Karnak's aid, it went quite well, until he went to add the dust that Bial had given him.  Karnak was dead set against altering the formula in any way, but, when Ven insisted, the old wizard threw up his hands and left.  "You're on your own then.  I've never heard of a dragon giving ANYthing to a mortal... You've been taken in by a trickster, lad."  He seemed convinced that the spell would fizzle.  The gem that had cost Ven nearly all of his share of the treasure had been ground to dust.

Ven winked at Moongloom, who had asked to come and watch the casting -- it was something he might want to do someday.

For many long hours, the smoke from the red hot brazier boiled out into the room.  Up the chimney and out the windows it billowed.  Karnak came by to see if they were still alive, since no find familiar spell HE had seen worked like this.  When he saw that they were, he left, muttering that the spell was ruined, no doubt about it.  Inside the magical lab, however, Ven and Moongloom were feeling no pain.  It was magical smoke indeed, no doubt about it.  After a few hours, they began to get the munchies, and Moongloom went out to the kitchens.  He came back with a tray of food... which they proceeded to devour.  A few hours later, he repeated it.  Giggling could be heard from inside the smoky room, as Veneron and Moongloom enjoyed the side affects of the smoky spell.

It was almost exactly 11 hrs 45 minutes after the smoke had started when a small creature flew into the room through one of the open windows. 

"OI !!" Screamed a loud voice inside Veneron's head.  "This smoke is no good for you, bubbie!   Go out and get some fresh air.  I'm here already, so relax with the spell casting.  OK?'

Veneron blinked and clapped his hands to his ears.  The volume level was making his eyes water, his ears pound and even his hair hurt.  Moongloom looked at Ven quizzically, obviously he heard nothing,  and the blue mage continued to chew calmly on a fudgey pastry.

"OUT.  Get out.  The smoke is no good, I'm telling you.  You have to learn to listen to your Esmee if we're going to travel together.  Now... go and get some healthy food, not this munchie-junk.  A little chicken soup wouldn't hurt either."

Ven staggered out from the smoky lab into the fresh air of the courtyard.  He had not seen the light at all this day, and he blinked and rubbed his eyes, as if he were coming out of a cave.  He looked around to see who or what was SCREAMING inside his head.  There it was, sitting on the wall that surrounded the well.  It was a red dragon!  Or at least, it LOOKED like a red dragon.  If there could be a red dragon that was about 8 inches tall.  It looked at him, head turning first this way then that.

"So ?? You were expecting, maybe, somebody else? "

"Can you stop shouting?" Veneron says to the pseudodragon.

"OI !!  Hey boychick.  I don't understand your language when you talk it.  You have to THINK about what you want to say... but don't say it."

"Can you stop shouting?" Veneron thinks to the pseudodragon.

"I'm not shouting.  THIS IS SHOUTING!!"

Veneron grabs his head with both hands.  It felt like a volcano was about to erupt inside his skull. 

"Is it better if I whisper?"  says Esmee the pseudo-dragon.

"Oh yes, thank you very much," Ven replies, as the pounding in his head lessens.

"Good!"  Esmee flaps her small wings and flutters up to Veneron's shoulder.  She wraps her long prehensile tail around his neck. 

Still trying to clear his head from the long hours of  the smoke-induced high followed by the loud voice in his head, Ven decides that he needs to go directly to the library and learn a little about the pseudo-dragon. 

While the training is underway, Veneron spends some time getting to know Esmee.  She is old for a pseudo-dragon, and has a decidedly grandmotherly attitude.

Moongloom, during these five days, will have two pouches/pockets, sewn into his pants. They will have bottoms that can be opened with the tug of a string, allowing their contents to be spilled onto the floor. He will put marbles into them both.

The group begins to discuss their plans for getting to the swamp.

Ready to Leave

June 18 ---
Training is complete.  Daggda stands in front of the group.  "NOW? Can we finally go to the swamp?"

Sandros gets a real serious look on his face, as if thinking hard about something. "Hmm...well...I DID want to spend some time shopping, and then there's more training to do, and I think I heard of some old friends here in town I need to look up..." He gave Daggda his biggest grin. "Just teasin' ya, Dagg. Let's go. I want to get this over with, one way or another, for good."

Ven, with Esmee the pseudodragon comfortably curled around his shoulders and neck seemingly asleep, chimes in, "So what is the plan? Or wait, do we have one should be the first question? We do need to go through an army, right? Unless somebody's figured a way around that particular obstacle, I suggest we see if we can get a brief meeting with Jimmy arranged to see if he know of any discreet ways of getting around all those soldiers. By the way, assuming that we get through the army and get Sandros here cured, are we going to try to come back here or do we have other destinations in mind. We do have an egg to be on the lookout for."

Esmee lifts her head briefly and looks at Ven silently. After a pause, Ven says to the creature.

 "Don't be silly, Sandros won't bite you. It's Avon that he really wants to knaw on; you're to rough and scaly, I'm sure. And no, I don't have any more of those grapes. I'll be sure to pick some up before we head out." Ven pets the creature paternally and it lays its head back down and begins to purr contentedly.

Surprisingly enough Avon looks rather lively. His backpack is stocked with all kinds of provisions, the thief is becoming quit an outdoors person, at least according to himself

 He yawns and stretches, he is ready for a new adventure. He checks his weapons one last time, adjusts his chain underneath his woollen clothes, spits and then awaits what is going to happen while wondering what a golden dragon egg could be worth.

Andrew will spend the rest of the days helping Bartriba and Featherbrain with their druidic attacks on the army outside any way he can and his nights for dinner with the lovely ladies of the Silver Slipper and maybe another few chats with Rast and Featherbrain on the side to find out anything more that he possibly can about what is going on.

Enjoying the relative peace of the city by the time the days are up Andrew is aching to be free outside the walls once more and is anxious to get back to the forests.

Veneron asks about Jimmy and manages to find him living with his parents in a small apartment above a tailor's shop.  The boy says he does not know any special way out of the city in that direction.  There is the way they came in.  There is a similar tunnel/sewer entrance/exit on the west side of the city, but you could just walk out on that side.  Or you could go out thru the north gate and try to go around the north end of the army and then circle around behind, altho that WOULD be longer.  And his mother is adamant that the boy will NOT be going out with ANYbody in the near future, eliciting an "OH MAAAAWWWWMMMMM!" from the boy. 

After Ven's suggestion about talking to Jimmy, Andrew approaches Rast and his Druidic superiors about how to get past the Duke's army.  Rast suggests that the obvious way would be to sign on as guards with one of the caravans that foreign (Gaednorian) merchants own.  These caravans run about once/month and will go as far as Athring.  That's about a 2 wk trip.

Featherbrain offers his mount, Farseer by name.  He is a giant eagle and would be willing to take 1 person at a time.  It would take about a day per person to get out beyond the army (and for the eagle to return to the city) that way, since one could not fly a direct course.  The giant eagle could take no horses, of course.

Bartriba offered no ideas about how to get past the army, except to find some means of becoming invisible, altho that would not help with sounds or smells.  The swamp was in her normal domain, however, and she mentioned that the old witch lived about a day's walk beyond the end of the river that passed thru Riverside.  She warned about the lizardman patrols -- a large group of them seemed to have taken over Baran's Keep, near the center of the swamp -- plus the usual swamp problems: poisonous toads and leeches and the like.  She also pointed out that there seemed to be a mated pair of hexapumas in the area, whom she had not had the opportunity to meet yet.  She also said that there seemed to be some sort of very large lizard in the swamp, which she also had not yet investigated.

Moongloom suggests going about it multiple ways to speed it up. "I can get one person and their mount out safely every day, via a spell that makes them completely unable to be seen. If those who have no mount go with the giant eagle, we can do it in a only a few days. Otherwise we could always go north around the army, it seems no matter what it will be slow going." he shrugs.

Avon shrugs. His initial idea of becoming an outdoors man shatters in his mind. He shrugs. "All I know is that sometimes the most obvious route gives the most cover." He is silent for a few seconds. "But then, I have never seen a safe filled with gold in a forest." He sits down, gets something to eat from his backpack and starts chewing on a piece of meat.

JessJazza thinks about Moonglooms comments. "Well, that would leave an unequal ratio of horses to people." She comments. "That would make moving difficult." She looks out the gates, wondering what sort of army is out there. "I just got in this city a short while back, I've heard a lot of whining about an army but I've never heard any details about it. What exactly is out there?" She asks the group.

What with helping Bartriba and Featherbrain with setting various plagues and swarms on the army, Andrew has had the most time to look at the opposing army from the top of the city walls.  The druid explains that there is a large number of tents and men camped on the other side of the Rangithael.  That means they are a couple of hundred yards from the walls themselves, varying as the wide, swift river's course changes.  He quickly sketches a map.

"The swamp we're trying to get to is on the level of the high ground, back near Riverside. "  continues the druid.  "There are knights, and lots of armed men...mostly commoners who have been pressed into service, but quite a few of the Duke's normal soldiers."

Tav adds, "When we came in to the tunnel/swamp exit,  there was no one camped in the area along the Old Coast Road.  They probably just patrol it... like they did on the highlands.  The area is heavily wooded, and we could probably sneak thru... the big risk I see is the half-day we'd take to get up the twisty road up the face of the bluff... That took almost a half-day going up when we left before."

"Do you think anybody would believe us as caravan guards?"  asks Daggda.  "That would have the advantage of being faster...Only problem I see is ... no caravan!"

JessJazza studies the map. "Well, I don't see anything particularly wrong with going around the long way here." She traces the path that leads to the bluffs. "Couldn't your eagle friend come and meet us at the bluffs, carry us up the side and then we could continue horseless from there? We would have the horses to get around the army, and pushing on on foot from there on wouldn't be so tough now would it?" She asks everyone.

Tavarak nods at JessJazza's plan. "I like that and think it has the best chance of working, however I do think that a HUGE bird of prey would tend to attract some unwanted attention. They would be foolish or blind not to send out a squad of soldiers to investigate."

The bard leans close to Avon, "Something you mentioned back during the meeting rings true my friend..."those who think of themselves as being the purest and the noblest might just turn out to be the lowest and most evil characters."... I believe it was, well if one were to follow that logic to the fullest then wouldn't those who think of themselves as being the lowest and most evil characters maybe just turn out to be the purest and noblest?" The bard winks at the thief.

Avon shrugs and offers the bard a piece of fruit he digs up from his backpack.

Tav takes the offered piece of fruit "My thanks Avon."

Sandros nods, and adds, "I don't think we'll want to leave the horses behind. If we run into trouble, we may need them anyway. I think we should just try and sneak out like we came in...and move as quickly as we can. Be well rested BEFORE we go, so we can stay in the saddle as long as possible." He shrugs. "That way, if the soldiers DO see us, we should be able to outrun them by the time they do. Or, since we're heading AWAY from the city, they might just ignore us anyway." He chuckles. "Okay, so maybe they WON'T just ignore us..."

"Are we voting, then?" Ven says. "I vote for the long, safe route around. I think we could possibly sneak past, Sandy, but an injury to one or more of us before we've even reached the Swamp would definitely make things difficult on us."

Andrew listens to all the options presented and nods his head when Ven finishes. "I agree with Ven. We should just go the long way around. That way we stand the least chance of running into problems AND we keep the horses which to me is the only way to go. We can push hard and make good steady progress without all the need for silence and stealth. It may even end up being faster. Who knows?"

Sandros purses his lips in thought a moment, nodding slowly. "Agreed. Makes sense to me. However..." he sighs, as he realizes something. "It might be a bit difficult to take the horses into the swamps. What are we going to do once we get there? We can't just leave the horses on their own, can we?"

"Surely after a week or so we'll have trail rations, a good horse stew would be welcome," Ven pipes in. "But that is a good point. If we're going to travel on foot through the swamps, then maybe we should reconsider the eagle route. It'll get us out--we can go by night to avoid being seen flying through the sky on a giant bird--and we won't have to worry about the horses. Besides, it's gotta be fun flying on an eagle."

JessJazza makes eye contact with Ven and smiles. "My thought exactly." She says, hoping she can fit flying on a giant eagle into the travel plan. JessJazza isn't depressed at all about her idea getting shot down, she was just trying to help and obviously the crew thats already done it once would know more about it than she would. Hell, JessJazza avoiding fights was like a goblin shaking hands with a dwarf. It just didn't happen. So the short elf listened to the discussions silently. "I just thought I'd mention this," She says. "About the giant eagle being seen, didn't Moongloom mention he had a spell of invisibility?" She shrugs.

Sandros grimaces. "Yeah...but even so, flying elves and humans are still bound to draw attention." He shrugs. "I think my biggest worry with using that method is who's going to go first? It'll be some time that the first person will be alone and in the middle of the swamp. Something that doesn't sound very appetizing, especially with rumors of lizard men about." He grins, and adds, "And even in the dark, there are still those who can see. One elf looking up, and the whole thing would be over, invisible or no."

The dwarf has been looking at the map.  She looks up and says: 

"Ok, here's how I see it. 
--3 days by sewer and then Old Coast Road to Riverside.  Make it 4 to allow for "sneaking" when we have to avoid whoever and whatever.  But we all go together.   That's a big plus.
--2 days travel by the High Road to Riverside, but it will take 4 days to get us all out using Moongloom and Ven's invisibility casting.  Did I mention that I'm not partial to having a spell cast on me?  Well, I'm not.. but I could tolerate it if it will mean getting Sandros to the swamp witch faster.  And whoever goes first will have 4 days of hiding in the woods alone... and I'm not sure how to coordinate a rendesvous when we haven't been there before, and you're trying to rendevouz with somebody invisible.
--at least a week.. .may even 2 weeks, for the "go around" plan.  There are no big roads that are on the map up there, but there must be some, but we dont know what we'll find.  The plus is *maybe* less danger and we're together for fighting strength.  We avoid the Duke's known strong point of Riverside, but we dont know how to find where we going in the swamp except by following that river that runs thru the town.
--one / day if we go by Eagle.  Did I mention that I'd rather have a spell cast on me than fly on the back of some giant bird that might see me as the size of a decent snack??  But if you all want to do that, I'll just pray to the allforger and hold on to a feather.  This way is 9 days, and we'll be spread out.  And no horses...now that would not be a problem for me, normally...but I was thinking that  when the swamp might be up to my chin, riding on the back of that mule might not be a bad idea.

And as for going thru the swamp without horses.... It probably WOULD be easier without horses, despite my height... but who knows if we're going to come back *HERE* afterward?  I mean... suppose we have to cross a large distance after we leave the swamp? "

Moongloom is rubbing his chin thoughtfully while listening to the various views, then shakes his head and says, "I think the dwarf is right. Going by way of sneakiness and sewers is probably our best option. We get the horses and each other, with a minimal chance of being seen, and a short time span. Let's not forget Sandros may not have more than a few days before he looks to chomp our," he swallows, "YOUR necks," he looks at Sandros, "remember my blood isn't normal," then to the group, "This is a little risky, but the best plan overall, I think. Risk is involved in all the plans, even going around we risk Sandros being beyond the lizard woman's abilities to save him. Better to take the one with risks you have faced and are aware of, then one with maybes and uncertainties. As far as the eagle, if that is the route you choose, I will meet you there with my invisibility spells. Any mage in that army worth his pointy hat will fry the poor bird before it gets halfway to the swamp."

Avon yawns. From past experience he knows this could take some time. Having satisfied his initial hunger, he arranges his backpack as some sort of pillow and sits against it. Better make good use of this situation he thinks. But no matter how much he tries its impossible to get a good rest. "Lets just go through the sewers. I'm getting used to that place anyway."

JessJazza nods somewhat wistfully. "Aye, it seems to be the best idea."

Sandros grins evilly, and said, "Blueberry flavor, isn't it?" He chuckles for a moment. "I think we should go the short route, even though it's more dangerous. We'd probably run into soldiers going the long way anyway, eh? And JJ...you can always take an eagle ride when we get back." He gives her a smile.

Ven nods his agreement.

"I'm gonna hold you to that." JessJazza says, kidding with Sandros. If she had any reaction whatsoever to being called 'JJ' she doesn't show it.

From the Library

-------from Melchior's Compendium of Magical Creatures-----

Melfan Pseudodragon

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:        Temperate or subtropical forests and caves      
FREQUENCY:      Very rare       
ORGANIZATION:   Solitary        
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day     
DIET:   Omnivore        
INTELLIGENCE:   Above Average (11-13)   
ARMOR CLASS:    2       
MOVEMENT:       6, Fly 24       
HIT DICE:       2       
THAC0:  19      
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1       
DAMAGE/ATTACK:  1-3+special     
SPECIAL ATTACKS:        Poison sting    
MAGIC RESISTANCE:       35%     
SIZE:   (6-8 inches long), (almost) prehensile tail 12" more    
MORALE: Champion (15)   

Pseudodragons are a species of small flying lizard that inhabits heavily forested wilderness areas. These playful, benign creatures have magical powers that they can share with others, so they are often sought as companions.
        Pseudodragons resemble miniature red dragons. They have fine scales and sharp horns and teeth. A pseudodragon's coloration is red-brown as opposed to the deep red of red dragons. Its tail is about 1 feet long (longer than the pseudodragon itself), barbed, and nearly prehensile.
        Pseudodragons communicate via a limited form of telepathy. If one elects to take a human companion, it can transmit what it sees and hears at a distance of up to 50 yards. Pseudodragons can vocalize animal noises such as a rasping purr (pleasure), a hiss (unpleasant surprise), a chirp (desire), or a growl (anger).

Combat: The pseudodragon can deliver a vicious bite with its small, dragonlike jaws, but its major weapon is its sting-equipped tail. The creature can move it with flashing speed and strikes at +4 on attack rolls.  The tail sting inflicts an additional 2d4 hp of damage (save vs. poison for half damage).  The poison sting can be used only once per combat turn (10 rounds).  Once stung, the victim will take additionl damage for up to 10 rounds.  Each round the damage will decrease by 50% (round down).
        Pseudodragons have  infravision with a 60 foot range.
        A pseudodragon is highly magic resistant and can transmit this magic resistance to its human companion via physical contact (a pseudodragon likes to be perched on the top of one's head or curled around the shoulders and upper back).

Habitat/Society: These forest-dwelling creatures place their lairs in the hollows of great trees or in large caves.
        A pseudodragon will very rarely take a human or demihuman as its companion. Some view these pseudodragons as the human's pet; the pseudodragon will be sure to correct this misunderstanding. There are two ways to become a pseudodragon's companion; one is to use magic to summon it (a find familiar spell). Another way is to find the pseudodragon on an adventure and pursuade it to become a companion. The pseudodragon that searches for companionship will stalk a candidate silently for days, reading his thoughts via telepathy, judging his deeds to be good or evil. If the candidate is found to be good, the pseudodragon will present itself to the human as a traveling companion and observe the human's reaction. If the human seems overjoyed and promises to take very good care of it, the pseudodragon will accept. If not, it will fly away.
        The personality of a pseudodragon has been described by some as catlike. A pseudodragon is willing to serve, provided that it is well-fed, groomed, and receives lots of attention. At times a pseudodragon seems arrogant, demanding, and less than willing to help. In order to gain its full cooperation, the companion must pamper the pseudodragon and make it feel as though it were the most important thing in his life. If the pseudodragon is mistreated or insulted it will leave, or worse, play pranks when least expected. Pseudodragons particularly dislike cruelty and will not serve cruel masters.

Ecology: Pseudodragons are omnivorous but prefer to eat meat. Their diet consists chiefly of rodents and small birds with occasional leaves, fruits, and berries. In the wild, pseudodragons live solitary lives, protecting small personal hoards in their nests. They gather to mate once per year, in early spring, when gatherings of dozens of pseudodragons are not uncommon. After mating, males and females separate; females lay speckled brown eggs in clutches of four to six which hatch in mid-summer; females raise the young by themselves. Pseudodragons hibernate in winter; the young leave the nest in spring to mate.
        Pseudodragons have a lifespan of 10-15 years.

Here is some of the more relevant info that Daggda found in the library.  Just as a reminder, she was trying to learn more about how the old dwarves worked with the mystical metal: hizagkuur.  That skill is now lost to the dwarves, and has been for long generations.

From Wozak's Rede: le Mort du Kuzzar

...
Under the mountain went they,
Wizard, bard and mountain king,
Kuzzar, dwarven stone-singer,
Ellianastha, silver-voiced elf,
and Stormbringer, iron-fisted giant.

Doom they fought, Dragon black
Kraa by name, Steed of Silindur. 

Elf did  summon and did charm
By song and voice and jeweled harp.
Giant did struggle and fight
‘gainst the Doom with axe
and Broadsword  sharp.

Smallest, yet largest was the dwarf,
For he the beast of Doom did hold,
With Spell of Graustruk did he forge
Ore of Hizagkuur to tomb of strength untold.

Of heroes three who mountain entered,
Dwarf did find his doom with dragon,
And giant died of battle’s wounds,
Sole elf with harp came to tell the tale,
Of Doom’s death for centuries yet anon.


Daggda was also able to piece together a rough translation of a portion of  The StoneSinger: Myth or Fact? by Storak,  son of Ruzak, son of Hizak.  The original was in an archaic dialect of Dwarvish, the pages of the unbound manuscript were brittle and dusty.  Storak lived at Mountainfast, ancient home of Hizak and his clan, in the mountains beyond the mountains of the Great Rift.

The spells of stoneshaping were carefully guarded, and none but one or two of each generation would know the magic of the Stone-Singing.  (The surrounding sections made it pretty clear that it was not “singing” in the way that word is now used.  The ancient word means something like: “changing the stone by singing or chanting words that contained magic”.  It sounded to Daggda almost identical to the kinds of chants that she had seen cast by Veneron and other mages.)

The book of runes was lost when Kuzzar died in the mountains now known as the Shoulders of Silindur, and with it went the forging magic.  But Ruzak had seen it being used when he was young and had shown the results of this powerful dwarven magic to his son Storak, and it is no myth or children’s tale.  Only with the magic of the Graustruk (or stoneshape) spells could a StoneSinger melt and reform all types of stones, ores and even the very mountains themselves into shapes and forms that would match an image formed in his mind.
…
One myth tells that when the Hizagkuur Sword forged by Moradin, and given to Illuvitar, was used to slay the god Silindur, the dwarves were punished by the loss of the Graustruk magic and the Hizagkuur forging that it allowed.  Thus are dwarves denied their only true magic while the Dark God shall be dead.  But, who could be powerful enough to deny Moradin what magic or power he wished to grant to his dwarven children?  Another legend tells that Jorandur, eldest son of Najela and most powerful of the Dark Gods, demanded a sacrifice from Moradin, for creating the only weapon which could kill a god.  That sacrifice was the destruction of the blade itself, and the loss of the ability of forging another.  Only thus was peace between the Gods of Dark and the Gods of Men secured.

Tavarak had a somewhat more difficult time in finding references to the Dragon’s Claw sword that he now bore.  Most heroes who bore a special sword were not given to putting into writing what specific powers it might have, for the sensible reason that doing so might give an enemy valuable information.

He came across a sole reference to a long sword of elven manufacture which was called “Nail of Draco”, and that could easily be an alternate translation of the elven words on the sword that Tav had read as “Dragon’s Claw.”  If that was the sword he now carried, it was about 1200 years old!  It was forged on the Isle of View by a joint effort of the Elven Master WeaponSmith,  Arnoern Sorlis, and the Aeron Wizard, Skarn.  That sword was given to an Elven lord when he went to Gaednor and the lands beyond to fight in the Goblin wars.  It was said to be exceptionally & magically sharp, would never lose its edge, and could shed light that would blind evil demons and devils.