* The greater part of a day has passed since the troops brought their fallen comrade to Evenor following their adventures at the ruins of old Meg's hilltop home. The brief Northern autumn seems to be ending early this year, if the weather on this day is any judge. Snowflakes fall sparsely from gray skies, and a cold wind blows down from the north. * Villagers have been leading carts into town all day, but the Order of the Dragonsaint has been within the temple grounds bidding a final farewell to their dral companion. Colonel Glass left the ceremony as early as possible, having already given the recruits to meet him across the street at the Lonesome Tankard when they've paid their last respects. * LaughingBear stands with his head bowed as he murmurs a few words wishing Dral1's spirit well on his continued journey. * Klizurk stays silent, lighting a series of candles as she meditates over Dral1's deeds. After all are done paying their respects, including herself, she sees about getting the body cremated, as is the custom of her people. * Just outside the temple's ruined walls, the sounds of clattering wagon wheels and hushed conversation seem far away. Whether this effect is caused by echoes or a more divine force is uncertain, but it has helped to make the Order's activities feel more private. * Marcus--the priest of Verloren who tends the temple in Evenor--has been helpful and accommodating for the Order, and his hospitality and that of his god extend to assistance with the cremation of the dral's remains. * Dral remains quiet and still, as though in deep meditation. * LaughingBear bows out and leaves respectfully to cross the street upon the cremation of the fallen dral. * Klizurk, after dealing with the cremation, heads across the street to the Lonesome Tankard, remaining quiet. * When Klizurk leaves the temple, two young men are hauling a two-wheeled cart loaded with vegetables across her path. The two of them seem to be talking about the capture of Goodman Mavis when one of them spies the kith and falls silent. The other one turns in kind, and he frowns at Klizurk as well. The two haul their cart out of the kith's path and on their way. * Klizurk barely takes notice at the two and keeps walking. * Dral bows before Marcus. "I thank you for your kindness and help in laying my comrade to rest. He was a brave warrior. Already, I hear word of his return to my brothers. Take heart. Until we meet again, friend of the Dral." He bows again and follows his friends to the Lonesome Tankard. * Marcus returns Dral's bow, and bids him well. * The mood inside the Lonesome Tankard is tense: villagers huddle around the large, nearly pit-like fireplace and talk of harvests and timber hauls and river traffic, but at every table there seems to be some mention of the Curse, or of Goodman Mavis's capture. * LaughingBear is solemnly silent as he enters the tavern, and he casts a glance around for the Colonel. * Most of the villagers are humans, but four dark-skinned gnomes sit cross-legged on top of one table in a corner beside the stairs, speaking quietly among themselves. At another table in the opposite corner--and just next to a foggy window--sit the graying human Colonel Glass and an unfamiliar vriak. Both seem to be the center of as much attention as the newly-entered troopers. * Klizurk boldly walks over to the table where Colonel Glass is. "You wished to see us?" * LaughingBear shrugs the sparse snow off his feathers and approaches the table where Colonel Glass and the vriak are sitting. * LaughingBear salutes. "I hope we're not late, sir." * FlyingTurtle is quite a small Vriak, with exceedingly dark feathers of mottled brown and black, many of which are covered up with blackened studded leather armor. So nothing happened at all on the way. Nice and boring there and back. I didn't even have to dodge any bandits. * The colonel nods to the vriak. "I'm glad to hear it. Not every mission is as quiet... though that's a mixed blessing I suppose." He looks up and smiles faintly when the troopers arrive. "Not at all, Laughing Bear. Klizurk. Dral. You couldn't be late, considering..." The older human sighs. "At any rate, I'd like you to meet a new recruit into the Order." * FlyingTurtle raises his glass. "Howdy. Flying Turtle, of the central Kaddegh river valley." * LaughingBear nods politely toward the newcomer. "Laughing Bear, of the Earthspine mountains. Pleased to meet you." Pleasure's mine. * LaughingBear is, next to the dark vriak, quite his opposite, with his mostly-white plumage and stocky - perhaps even chubby - build. Glad to meet you. I am Dral. Right. Pleasure. * Klizurk salutes Flying Turtle. "Good, we can always use help. Klizurk, of the clan Sapphires of Githaxitn." * Klizurk , having been an almost complete opposite to their Fash friend, doesn't mind the contrast really. Never heard of them. Where's that? Depends. Most of us come from the northern area of the Kaddegh River Valley. * FlyingTurtle nods. * Colonel Glass nods when the introductions are over. "Have a seat, troops. Flying Turtle here just got back from helping us out with Young Tom. The little kid who helped you get to that runesmith's place? Wasn't kind enough to deliver a message, o' course, but we can't always get what we need." * Klizurk chuckles and does as asked. "Cute kid. He's got potential if he can properly apply it." * LaughingBear sits down by Klizurk. * Glass nods his agreement and continues. "I managed to get Craig to help me open that box you brought back from the hill last night. I can't make heads or tails of it, but there's a big book in there so I assume you got what you needed." Now we just have to deliver to the old runesmith, according to our debriefing. We don't have a lot of time to do that, though. Mavis won't eat unless I force mashed-up food down his throat, and he tried to gouge his own eyes out when his family went in to see him. So, we're gonna have to move fast. I will leave now if you have nothing else to say or add. * LaughingBear nods. "I'm ready to leave now, if it's best to hurry." * The human allows himself a grim smile. "Fortunately, the baroness understands how urgent our mission is. There aren't many horses in this little town, but she supplied me with enough to get one fast and strong enough for each of you." Will you be joining us, Colonel? * Colonel Glass shakes his head. "Afraid not, trooper. I've got to stay with Mavis until he's dead or cured. Nobody else around here will watch him except for a couple of the baroness' guardsmen, and they don't like doing double duty more than they have to." * LaughingBear nods again. "Good luck, sir." Very well. We leave as soon as possible. Yes, do you have the book, sir? Glad to hear it. Craig's people have geared up your mounts; they're in the stables and ready to go. Hm? Oh, yes. About that. * The colonel reaches under his chair and hauls out a relatively small pair of saddlebags. "The book's here," he says as he pats one pouch, "and everything else that wasn't coin is in the other one." * Glass places the saddlebags in the middle of the table. "I know I don't need to warn you to be careful, but the gnolls will probably be out in force this afternoon. The longer you tarry, the darker it'll get, and the horses can't find their footing in the woods past dark." Clearly we just need to get through the woods before dark then. We can do it. Understood, sir. We'll hurry. * Dral scoops up the saddlebags, "If there's nothing else, we'll return as quickly as possible, sir." Where are the mounts? * The colonel nods. "I know you can. They're in the stables, just through the door there." He nods across the room, then pushes away from the table and salutes his troops with a first over his heart. Conversation in the inn dies down at his rather obvious maneuver, and so everyone hears him give the troopers a proper Order salute. "Strength and Cunning." * FlyingTurtle salutes. * LaughingBear returns the salute. * Dral salutes. * Klizurk returns the salute, and without a word heads to the stables to mount up and head out. * LaughingBear heads out after Klizurk to the stables to fetch his riding dog. * Dral follows Laughing Bear to the stables and searches for a horse suitable to his weight and size. * FlyingTurtle goes for his mount. * The crowd in the inn watches the troopers depart in near silence, but no sooner than the door between the stables and the common room closes behind the troopers do the townsfolk's whispers become excited conversation.