CH 7: The Slave Caravan

[Breila]

Goldmoon turns to Elistan. "Lord Verminaard, yes. What can you tell me about him?" she wants to know.

[Jenara]

(Ooc remembered it a while back, wanted to find a suitable place for him to mention it!)

"You drop soup in bosses lap? He get mad? Me get mad locked in cage!" Magpie all but shouts, before Laurana pulls her back.

"Sshh.. Yes please tell us, who is this lord?" offering her hand she smiles. "Laurana, and my brother Gilthanus."

Sturm looks at the cleric a moment, before moving over to Tika. "Thank you. Your words were helpful. Sorry you got caught up in this mess."

[JadedDM]

Elistan sighs. "Verminaard first approached the council of Highseekers in Haven some time ago. He told us he was only interested in conquering the elves, and only wanted permission to move his troops through our lands to do so. The council was enthusiastic and easily swayed. Furthermore, Verminaard demonstrated he could perform miracles, like heal the sick at a touch. He claimed he was doing the work of a goddess--a true goddess--and many were taken in by his honeyed words."

The old man shakes his head. "I was one of the few who opposed this, although I admit I was fascinated by the man's miracles. But we were a distinct minority, and so the council opened the gates to Verminaard and his troops. Once inside, they showed their true colors quickly enough. They turned on us, and Haven was conquered in short order. I managed to escape, with the help of these two young guards. We fled to Solace, but alas, the dragonarmies came here, as well. I understand they have conquered the northern, coastal towns, as well. They say Gateway is being sacked as we speak, and there are rumors the villages on the plains have fallen, as well.

"I fear there may be no hope left. Verminaard will not stop until he has conquered all of Abanasinia. Only the elflands remain, and he is gathering his strength for a full assault against them."

[HorizonsDream]

Tika looks to Sturm for a moment before she smiles to the knight. "I wanted to come with you guys. I didn't realize you were all in this much trouble though," she admits. "We can't lose hope though," she says to both Sturm and Elistan. "Isn't that kind of like quitting all together?"

[Jenara]

"Giving up would mean they have won, we can't let that happen!" Laurana announces loudly, realising how loud she was she hushes down. "Sorry, I think we should keep fighting, that's all.."

[Jerrard]

"Indeed Laurana, Tika, giving up is obviously not an option, the Oath does not allow such things." He nods to Elistan, "Then it appears we will be taken to this place. Tas, do you know of anywhere like that?" He asks looking at the Kender, it was possible he might know.

Sturm sits near Tika, making a vain attempt to protect the girl, she had stepped into something quite out of her depth.

[Breila]

"I admit we are in a difficult position right now. But with the help of Mishakal, I was able to defeat a dragon. So I am not ready to give up hope, even though the villages of us plainsfolk have indeed been destroyed." Goldmoon says, mostly to Elistan, but also to the whole group.

[JadedDM]

Through the long night the wagons roll ever southward. The towering summits of the Twin Peaks Pass soon fall to the rear. Winding out of the mountains, the caravan passes through a dark and silent town--the formerly bustling community of Gateway. Obviously, the Dragonlords have been at work here.

South of Gateway, the plains of Abanasinia spread to all sides. For several hours, the caravan makes good time across the dull flatlands, until the sound of flowing water whispers far to the south. Shortly, the caravan trundles over the only bridge to cross the might White-rage River.

Now the land rises. More trees line the ascending trail. The Elvenhome of Qualinesti lies somewhere to the west.

"Pax Tharkas," Gilthanas says quietly. "That must be our destination, as I suspected. It is bitter indeed that a monument of peace has been perverted to the evil purposes of slavery." He shakes his head slowly.

=============

It is now Late Watch (10:00 PM).

[Kafen]

*place holder*

(( 16 to whatever check to see if Tas knows anything about the place ))

"Ohhhh" Tas says with awe and wonder. He looks at the place carefully as it is a new thing. He thumps one of the bars in idle fashion and looks at the lock.

[Jenara]

Int check: 1d20=2

"Pax Tharxas? Kith-Kanan was involved wasn't he? I remember our nursemaid telling me how it was built as a trade route between Thorbardin and Qualinesti. A new hope for our people." Laurana says quietly looking at Gilthanas.

[Nuke]

"Dearest Goldmoon, I am not about to give up hope either. You know that we, as a group, are doing Mishakal's work, over and above any service we can do for a war torn continent. Can we worry about the important issue here, like how and when we are to get out of here? Then we can approach this from a different perspective."

Th plainsman then once again inspects the floor of the wagon. How wide is a board, are there any soft spots due to rot?

[JadedDM]

"That's right," Gilthanas says. "It was long ago, in the near forgotten Age of Dreams. Kith-Kanan led the elves to Qualinesti. The Second Dragon War of Silvanesti had brought these western elves great fame back in their ancient home. But Silvanos, King of the Silvanesti, felt uneasy at the rise to power of the Qualinesti elves.

"Yet when the Kinslayer war with the human kingdom of Ergoth erupted, the king did not hesitate to call upon the Qualinesti. The war was long and bloody, leaving scars that no treaty could heal. Thus, when borders were agreed upon and the bloodshed halted, the elves of the west felt removed from their kin, and wanted no part of the ancient home of Silvanesti.

"With the scribing of the Sword-sheath scroll, many problems of the world were laid to rest. The King of Ergoth gave the western elves a magical wooded place of great beauty and natural harmony--the land that has come to be known as Qualinesti.

"Sad was Silvanos the king, when his eldest son Kith-Kanan chose to lead the western elves to their new home. Deep was the split between the two elven kingdoms. Silvanesti continued to follow the lofty ancient ways, removed from the other peoples of Krynn, while Kith-Kanan and the Qualinesti made peace, traded, and intermarried with their neighbors.

"Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of a great life was Kith-Kanan's signing of a permanent peace with the Mountain Dwarves of Thorbardin. Sharing their knowledge and skills, the two peoples built the mighty fortress of Pax Tharkas at the border of their two lands. For many centuries Pax Tharkas was a bastion of peace and safety--a symbol of the cooperation among folk of different background and race.

"Even now, as we hear that the fortress is in the hands of the dragonmen, I cannot believe that it has fallen to storm. Only the darkest treachery from within the walls could have led to this sorry outcome."

Riverwind notes that each of the boards are two feet in width, but all seem fairly dry and sturdy. Even if he could find a way to break through one, there is still the question of how he could lead the party to safety with the 45 kapaks, 100 hobgoblins, and 100 goblins escorting them.

As he contemplates this, he notices some movement in the forest. It may just be an animal--perhaps a stag or rabbit, but he notices it again in another area.

========

(OOC: Err, Kafen, they aren't actually at Pax Tharkas. It's not visible yet. That's just where they are heading. So there's nothing to look at, other than the nearby forest.)

[Jenara]

Laurana sighs. "Home, its nearby." she looks to the trees almost longingly. "What.. What will they do to us?" she shudders looking at the other three females, they would work the men..

"Oh.. Oh no, Father, the war, if they realise. Do you realise what this means?" she looks directly at her brother who must know what she means.

What were they to do? Sturm ponders, the elf was right, she'd be mis treated, and used as a bargaining tool.. The war would turn quickly.

"We will do what we can." the knight mutters, if only they could escape?

[Kafen]

Tas prompts. "The dragons could eat us - maybe cook us, first." He thinks about the stew. "I'd not like to be a stew." Then, he considers the acid of the dragonmen. "Maybe they will disolve us, I bet that would hurt."

[HorizonsDream]

"So far, they don't know who you two are yet do they?" Tika asks Laurana and her brother.