-----A large trading post is set up in one building with its barn-like doors opened wide for its patrons. A tavern is enclosed within a smaller building featuring a golden leaf painted on a sign above its door.
-----Quite a few yards away past several buildings and homes, a structure stands apart featuring a long wooden building. At the side of the building is a three story stone tower. The structure looks as if it might be an official's place.
-----"Lord Howrun will be pleased that you have arrived," comes a strong feminine voice. Suddenly amongst the guards, the adventurers see the ranger Sula holding her spear in her hand.
-----With that, the entire party is lead down a side road away from the trading post and the tavern. There in a field behind a small cottage, many tents and temporary structures are set up with many people moving about. Sol, Sarah, Raven and Rinda recognize many of the elves and woodsmen in Lord Howrun's troop.
-----Standing beside a small campfire, a large table is set up. Many parchments and maps look to be unfurled upon it as a trio of people pour over them.
-----One is the Lord Wizard, Zepharon, dressed in his familiar blue robes speaking to the ranger Roderon. The elven warrior, Mulador, dressed in green-scaled armor continues to look over the paper-burdened table.
-----Suddenly, the wizard looks up and a smile stretches across his face. Turning, he catches a young courier with instructions to bring the town's physician.
-----Roderon immediately calls for some in the troop to see to the riders' horses.
-----At the sight of her long lost daddy Sarah does her best to keep her composure, remembering how it sometimes irks the Lord Wizard when she runs up and hugs him when he's conversing with important people. She does her best, keeping her composure long enough to walk up to the trio and present a formal curtsey of greeting. But that's all she can hold out for and after her one gesture of manners she throws her arms around the Lord Wizard and hugs him tight.
-----"Daddy I missed you!" She says happily. "I have so many stories to tell you." She kisses him on his cheek and hugs him close. Then she shoots an apologetic look to the two men he is holding council with and slowly disengages herself from her father.
-----Enjoying watching Sarah's exuberant greeting with her father, Sol briefly forgets other company. Only once the pair of wizards pull apart does the Gorian let Thunder be led away. He then steps up and nods to the various personages, "Lord Wizard, glad t'see ye again. Roderun, Mulador, likewise. Is Lord Howrun about? We've a report o' some urgency t'make."
-----Zepharon smiles widely and returns a bow to his daughter before she leaps at him. As he gathers her in his arms, he laughs joyfully while trying to keep from losing his wide brimmed hat. "I've missed you too, my daughter," he tells Sarah while hugging her tight. "I am so proud and happy to see you safe. I want to hear all you have done!"
-----With a look of concern, he then looks at the young mage's companions and adds, "Your gallant friends have seen battle and are need of healing. The town's physician will be here shortly," he says to the adventurers.
-----Quickly answering the young warrior, the Lord Wizard says, "Young Stormbringer, Lord Howrun is in counsel now with Lady Evalyn. You can make your report here to Sir Roderon and he can relay it to the Lord once he joins us. You look as though you could use the time to relax."
-----Just then two joyous voices are heard as two men wearing the surcoats of Oakwood dash from their tents. Everyone recognizes Abram and Bradley who were last seen escorting the wood elf Marast from the Town of Redmarsh. They call greetings to everyone in the group and shake hands with Romney. The compassion the guards hold in their eyes belies their remembrances of their fallen comrade, Shema.
-----"Abram, Bradley! 'Bout time ye showed up!" Sol calls delightedly, completely ignoring the fact that it was him that was late to meet. Clapping both on the back, the warrior then tries to regain his composure and moves back to where Roderun stands, his report then beginning, "Well, after we parted at th' inn, we headed south and made decent time t'th' swamps. It was dark, but we decided t'complete th' journey t'Gafa, an' had t'deal wi' a bunch o' flesh eating undead fer th' trouble. We made camp in a blacksmith's stable, encountered some . . . er, doppelgangers who fled after failing t'get one o' us alone."
-----Sol frowns as he recounts the next part, "We were t'meet wi' one o' th' villagers, t'find out what was going on, but he was found dead th' next morn' wi' th' assassin we met in Xyl hanging about. He got away . . again, an' we met up wi' the rest o' th' surviving villagers. We basically learnt that whole families had disappeared, almost every evening, thanks t'troublemakers at th' local ruined keep. So we headed there an' fought a large bunch o' orcs and something called a beholder. Unfortunately, Mirian, th' good lady who accompanied us, was slain by th' eye tyrant before it was dealt with. Th' remainder o' Lord Howrun's troop was then found captive in th' keep, an' the assassin was finally finished."