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Porthios turns his gaze to Laurana. "Ah, it's you." His eyes flicker over to Tanis, then back to her. "And suddenly, everything is beginning to make sense now." He shakes his head. "We have no room for refugees, much less humans. You would know that had you not run out on your family and your people."

"Brother, hold," Gilthanas councils. "The large man with one arm saved my life. I owe him a debt that must be repaid. Furthermore..." He steps closer and quietly whispers to his brother in the elven tongue. During their conversation, he points to Goldmoon. Porthios' gaze turns to the woman, locking eyes with her. Slowly, his gaze wanders downward to the gold medallion proudly displayed around her neck.

They exchange a few more words, and then Porthios faces the party. "The human called Theros is welcome back with us, and the human called Goldmoon and her companions will accompany us to speak with the Speaker. The other humans, however, are on their own."

Sturm watches the exchange between the three Elves, did Laurana know her homecoming would be so hard? It was much like his own in fact, returned to find everything had changed.

"Tanis?" He asks his eyes on the refugees "These people are farmers, not warriors, we can give them weapons." The Knight rubs his beard and looks at the weapons wagon, "If our hosts will permit such things." He asks.

"As for your Sister, she has proved a worthy companion. Without her I doubt we would have found our way to the Disks." He raises his head and watches the reaction from the Elder Elf.

"I know you will not understand my motives. And I don't really plan to discuss it with you know, Brother." Laurana lowers her voice somewhat, trying to to shout. "You knew what was happening, that this was coming, and I was left in the dark, I had to listen to hushed talks just to know what was going on! You all treat me like a little Girl, well I am not."

"But... If I had know the Speaker would have acted the way he did.. I would have stayed." She lowers her voice more, the serious warrior fading becoming a young, hurt little girl once more.

"Magpie come to, she tell people how nice you are, how you help." The Gully Dwarf moves herself close to Laurana, almost to protect her.

"We will come, won't we Tanis?" Laurana says looking hopefully at the Half Elf with her almond shaped eyes.

When Portios looks at her, Goldmoon returns his gaze with pride. When he proclaims that the other humans are on their own, she tells him: "The enemy have eradicated my people. They will do the same with these people here, and with yours. If you cannot bring yourself to taking them with you, at least give them weapons. Like this, they can be another line of defence, and not just victims."

When a chance comes to do so, Goldmoon will WITHDRAW to study the disks, hoping for inspiration. She will see to the party's wounds, using her herbalism and healing skills, and DETECT POISON when a wound looks suspisious.

(OOC: freeing slots for healing spells, as long as there are no other clerics, she'll have to be the box of band-aids)

~So she knows how it feels,~ Tika thought to herself as Laurana stated pretty much what she just stated earlier. "That wagon is full of weapons," she says. "But these people aren't trained with such weapons. The most they can do is try to find a safe place to go. Perhaps there are a few elves that can lead them somewhere that might lead them down a safe road?"

"These people will not make the journey past Pax Tharkas unaided. If you mean to leave them to their deaths, why bother freeing them elf? Could you not at least let them travel to your kingdom's border, then let them turn south and have at least a sliver of safety within the shadow of Qualinost? Or do you want them captured and questioned about the plainswoman and the god's gifts?" .....Still sifting through the wagon, Caramon finds a decently balanced two-handed sword. He smacks the flat of the blade against the wagon to test its temper..... "Here's a blade for a grownup Tika, if you think that you can wield it?"

Laurana was not the only one facing a difficult home coming. Tanis looks to Sturm and shakes his head. "You just said it yourself. These people are farmers, not warriors. And mostly women and children. They're more likely to hurt themselves with weapons than any potential enemies." He doesn't try to argue with Porthios, though--he knows the elf too well.

"As for your sister, she has proved a worthy companion. Without her, I doubt we would have found our way to the Disks."

If Porthios is the least bit impressed with Sturm's comment of Laurana's ability, he does not show it. He doesn't look like he cares the slightest bit, in fact. Instead he crosses his arms and says to the elf maiden, "You claim you are not a child, but you ran away, leaving behind your responsibility to your people--and for what? To chase after some childhood fantasy--and a half-breed, at that." He is unable to hide the disgust in his voice.

"We will come, won't we Tanis?"

Tanis looks around the clearing at the number of elven warriors and mages surrounding them. In answer to Laurana's question, he says quietly, "I don't think we have much choice."

At Goldmoon's statement to turn the refugees into possible sword fodder, Porthios nods to another elf, who retrieves a few short swords from the wagon and gives them to the refugees. They take them tentatively, clearly unsure what to do with them. "We cannot spare any elves, especially not for humans. We have freed them, this is as much as our generosity extends," Porthios says.

"Could you not at least let them travel to your kingdom's border, then let them turn south and have at least a sliver of safety within the shadow of Qualinost?"

He laughs derisively at Caramon's statement. "Do you truly believe that our territory is safe for any humans? Besides, one of them could be a spy for Verminaard, for all we know. I only am allowing you to come into the city's borders because my brother vouches for you." He looks around the group for any further dissent. "I will not speak of this any further. We go now." He looks to another elf. "Send word ahead to father. Let him know we have captured a wagon of supplies and...are bringing some honored guests with us."

Flint snorts. "Honored prisoners is more like it. This is going to be rough on you, my lad," Flint says to Tanis in a low, gentle voice.

"I know, old friend," Tanis rests his hand on the dwarf's shoulder. "I know."

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(OOC: You say 'box of band-aids' like it's a bad thing. Well, she does worship the goddess of healing, after all. )

Goldmoon casts Withdraw and spends some time reading over the Disks again.
Goldmoon casts Detect Poison, finds none.

"Now is not the time to argue over such things." Laurana says simply to her elder brother. "No where is safe tanis it seems, and do we not have a goal?"

Sturm frowns at her statement, saying nothing.

The tall elf called Porthios leads the way through the pine forest. As dawn creeps to daylight, a deep roaring sound thunders in the far distance. After several hours, it is obvious that the source of the sound is a huge waterfall, plummeting from an unimaginable height.

The path westward is blocked by a massive gray cliff of dark granite. The pines march right to the cliff base; from there smooth stone ascends for nearly a mile. A fringe of green at the summit suggests that more forest lies beyond.

Porthios leads the way through a chuckling stream to the base of the falls, where a deep, clear pool collects the outflow of the towering spume. Stepping nimbly from rock to rock, the elf crosses the pool and enters a darkened hollow that gapes behind the waterfall.

Here, a steep stairway, cut from the living rock of the cliff-face, begins to ascend. A curtain of silvery water sheds light on the secret way. The path is strangely easy, turning beneath the waterfall until it finally emerges under a clear, autumn sun, atop the high plateau of Qualinesti.

Aspen forests shiver in the noon brightness, the trunks reflecting an ivory whiteness. The fresh, earthy scent of moss rides the air. A soft trail spread with evergreen needles seems to appear magically before Porthios as he leads the way further into the wood.

After several more hours of providing a smooth path through the woods, the needle-strewn forest floor ends abruptly in front of a deep chasm. Rolling blankets of moss coat both sides of the 100' wide gap; billowing mist far below suggests that rapid waters cut along the chasm bottom. A narrow footbridge, suspended from sturdy aspens, spans the chasms.

Gilthanas speaks, "Qualinost is protected on all sides by such barriers. Yet I fear that even these will be of little aid against the dragonarmies."

Across the bridge, a few slim towers appear through the aspens ahead. Now Porthios walks with a bouncing step, like a traveler who sees his home on the horizon.

The dense aspen forest thins out in front of the spires and arches of Qualinost. The city is small by human standards; by the same token, no human could ever build a city like this. Four slender towers lined with silver mark the four corners of the roughly square city. Between each of those towers, strings of slender arches--also silver--stretch in an elegant chain.

A high tower of burnished gold dominates the city, throwing off sunlight in a whirling, sparkling pattern that gives the impression of movement. Of course, the tower is quite still, but the illusion is very realistic indeed.

Beyond the arches, the wide, quartz-lined avenues of the city lie dappled in the strange green forest light. Many of the city buildings are made of quartz, too, and aspen beams inlaid with silver and gold. The buildings are tall and slender, blending gracefully with the many aspens that fill the city.

And everywhere, there is frantic activity. Female elves and elf-children either rush about carrying large bundles toward the central tower, or scamper toward houses, empty-handed. The adult males are all armed and alert, graceful bows and slim longswords ready to meet any foe.

Gilthanas and Porthios have been talking quietly. Now Gilthanas turns toward the others. "I know you are all tired and need a well-deserved rest. I ask that first you accompany us to the tower of the Speaker, where you will meet the Speaker of the Suns, my father. As soon as possible we will see you to comfortable quarters and refreshments."

All of the elves are moving in the general direction of the lofty golden tower. Porthios and Gilthanas start off in that direction.

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It is now Morning Watch (6:00 AM).

(OOC: Forgot Breila said she wanted to use her healing checks, so I'll go ahead and roll those now.)

Goldmoon makes a Healing check on Tasslehoff (1d20): 20, fail.
Goldmoon makes a Healing check on Caramon (1d20): 11, pass. Caramon is restored (1d3): 1 HP.
Goldmoon makes a Healing check on herself (1d20): 12, pass. Goldmoon is restored (1d3): 2 HP.
Goldmoon makes a Healing check on Riverwind (1d20): 7, pass. Riverwind is restored (1d3): 2 HP.
Goldmoon makes a Healing check on Sturm (1d20): 2, pass. Sturm is restored (1d3): 3 HP.
Goldmoon makes a Healing check on Flint (1d20): 5, pass. Flint is restored (1d3): 3 HP.
Goldmoon makes a Healing check on Sunstar (1d20): 2, pass. Sunstar is restored (1d3): 3 HP.

Tired and worn, Goldmoon had taken Riverwind's hand whenever the width of the path allowed it. Now that they enter the city, she is awed. "What beauty!" she whispers, following the two elven princes, hardly able not to stumble because she looks up at the buildings.

(OOC: Are you sure about the time given? 2 AM is in the middle of the night, yet you spoke of dawn and then sunlight on the buildings?)

(OOC: Good point. I've changed it to 6:00 AM, Morning Watch.)

"Yes my home is quite lovely, a nice place to live. Yet something is different, Elves never change, its strange when they do. I doubt this will be the last change we see." she stands alone, feeling out of place.

"My father is a kind and just man. I hope he forgives me."

"Not many humans have seen such a beauty, I am awed." He says watching the sight with interest.

Tas looks around and considers. "The question is, will the humans bother with helping once they hear how their fellows are being treated." He is not shy about saying it loud enough for the group to hear. "Any place may have beauty, but it is only an empty shell if the people are empty of compassion."

Tika's eyes widen as she looks around Qualinost. Much like everyone else, she seems to be in awe. "This place is beautiful," she says softly, pausing just to admire the the place. "Everyone is in such a hurry though," she points out. "I didn't think elves were in a hurry for anything, or at least that is what I've been told."

Tasslehoff wrote:"The question is, will the humans bother with helping once they hear how their fellows are being treated."

"The humans have all been conquered," Gilthans points out. "Haven, Solace, Gateway, and the tribes on the plains. There are none left to come to our aid."

"They would not come anyway," Porthios says. "Believe me, kender. My people would be treated far worse by the humans were the positions reversed."

Tika wrote:"I didn't think elves were in a hurry for anything, or at least that is what I've been told."

"They're evacuating," Tanis comments. "They intend to abandon Qualinost."

"It is the only choice left to us," Gilthanas says, nodding in confirmation. "We cannot stand against the dragonarmies, not with the dragons they control."