Hasan listens to Leosin with interest but says nothing. He cringes a bit at his companions' reactions but continues to keep his mouth shut.

Leosin nods. "Yes, they seem to be more concerned with loot than prisoners. If you are so inclined to attempt to rescue any captives, I can't prevent you from that. Just be careful you don't get caught yourselves," he says. "In addition to what must be a hefty haul of plunder by now, they have a clutch of dragon eggs in the large cave that the half-black dragon Rezmir intends to hatch. The cave is off-limits to everyone but those who've been cleared by Rezmir or Mondath. It is well-guarded..."

Aisha nodded at Leosin's words, they had still a lot of information to gather before finalizing a plan. She hesitated when he mentioned dragon eggs "Effendi Leosin, are dese dragon eggs of a black dragon, or did dey show a different colour?" she asked curiously. "You say 'dose cleared by Rezmir or Mondath', how do dey prove dey have permission?" she wondered, perhaps they could just fake the permit, or they could steal it from someone.

"We should at least try to destroy de eggs, or we could end up with more dragons to fight eventually."

"When we were in the camp, I got the impression that the permit was given to those that they knew and trusted. So it was not a matter of getting some token, but more they recognising your face." Inanah answered Aisha's question, then was silent a moment while she thought. "But perhaps master Leosin has other information about it."

She turned to Leosin, "Do you have knowledge where the dragon went? Or is it still in the camp with the raiders? We didn't see it but maybe it is in the cave." The presence of the dragon would make things much more difficult and dangerous.

"I didn't get a chance to see the eggs for myself," Leosin says. "And your impression is correct; they rely on personally knowing and recognizing each other. If they don't know you, you're not getting into that cave.

"The dragon that attacked Greenest is not in the camp, but I don't know where it is."

Talik stepped forward "the cave system looked extensive that's a large cliff they have built their base around perhaps there is another way in not known to them maybe from the plateau at the top "

He thought for a moment "someone could try to locate it if it's there then a small group enter and destroy the eggs. Getting out might be an issue but if we were to keep a couple of eggs we could use them as a bargaining tool to free the prisoners or to at least give us a chance to escape"

Inanah gave an encouraging nod to Talik when she saw him about to speak. Then she smiled when he made his suggestion, there was merit in it. "You might be right, with all the caves in there, maybe some of them connect and who knows what small tunnels there might be. If there are no local scouts or hunters that have knowledge of the area before, I would be willing to try to find a way in. I know you would have the skill to come with me, Talik." She sighed and shook her head, looking little sad. "I'm not that eager to destroy the offspring of any creature, even dragons, if there is a chance that these eggs are from other dragons that are not corrupted, perhaps we should find a way to save at least some of them."

She turned to Leosin and Nighthill, "Does either of you know anyone that would have knowledge of the area from before the camp came to be there?"

"forgive my frankness about the eggs all I meant was if we had them they could be used as a bargaining tool if need be.....they are obviously valuable to the raiders otherwise they wouldn't have gone to all the trouble for them. But I agree destroying them would be an act of pure evil." He understood where Inanah was coming from.

"Then I alter my suggestion we take the eggs and save the prisoners as all are captives in this situation perhaps if we survive we could try to find the dragon eggs parents and return them." He added as a suggestion

Hasan continues to listen. He's willing to undertake the mission but is a bit apprehensive about his companions' plans, though he says nothing at this point.

Governor Nighthill and Leosin indicate that they are not familiar with the area. Then Leosin says with a smile, "Don't get ahead of yourselves... You can find me in Elturel after you scout out the camp again. If, by chance, I've moved on before you reach the city, seek out Ontharr Frume instead. You can report your findings to him and collect your pay then."

Aisha had been quiet throughout the exchange, contemplating if her suggestion of destroying the eggs and preventing a flight of evil dragons strafing unyielding cities, was indeed pure evil. "A necessary evil, if at all. - As long as you burn them till nothing remains, then they never get the chance of harming anyone." the voice inside whispered again.

The sha'ir looked at Inanah intently, she seemed to make the decisions here, "I do understand your reluctance to eliminate de dragon's offspring, yet, if you ask de mothers of dose soldiers who died fighting de dragon attacking de city, I am sure dey wished somebody had prevented de existance of dis menace." she explained. "But I guess it is not my call to make." she added quietly.

The sorceress had no problem comprehending the dilemma of killing the unborn, the helpless if you will, but there had yet to be a black dragon to be born that did not kill innocents and helpless if it suited their goals. She wouldn't press the matter, she only wanted another side to be heard.

Nodding she agreed to Leosin "We should find out more about de current situation, before finalizing any plans. - Still, can we obtain a couple of messenger birds?" she brought up her suggestion again.

Inanah returned Aisha's gaze fiercely, standing straight and unwavering, "If you would have listened me more carefully, you might have understood my intention better. It is an evil thing to kill an unborn creature, to not give it the chance to decide what it's final destiny would be. I'm not as naive to think that a black dragon is very likely to go against it's basic nature, but anything is possible." She then sighed and shook her head again, speaking more softly. "However, perhaps it is a less evil thing to destroy those eggs than it is to let a clutch of black dragons grow. Even if one of them would turn good, the others would undoubtedly be evil."

Then she spoke up again, "But if there should be eggs that are not black, that they might have stolen from good dragons, those we should try to preserve. This was the main meaning of my earlier statement, I apologise if I was unclear. But there is not much use in debating over this, we might not even be able to gain access to the caves."

"Your idea about message birds is a good one, Miss Aisha. Without magic they are the fastest way to tell what we have found out. It might be that by the time we would get there ourselves the news would be useless."

She turned again to Leosin, "They say you have pursued knowledge of this Cult of the Dragon, what have you found out that you can tell us?"

"We don't have any messenger birds trained currently," Governor Nighthill says to Aisha.

"I doubt it will be necessary to communicate that quickly, anyway," Leosin adds. "I've been tracking the Cult for a while now and I don't expect them to make any sudden changes in their plans or mode of operation.

"It seems, based on what you told Nighthill, that you are quite knowledgeable about the Cult yourselves. However, if you have any specific questions I can answer, I'll do my best."

Isolde listened and watched, her bright green eyes flicking from one speaker to the next with her brow knit in concern and concentration. She had no questions for Leosin. She made her comments to her own small company.

"The objective then is to surveil and report to Elturel," she said gruffly. "We will see what we see. If circumstances allow for a rescue of prisoners ... circumstances that do not hasten their deaths and that allow a real chance for escape ... we take advantage of them. Likewise, to reach the cave, to liberate the eggs, or destroy them ... well, we will see what we see."

There was a slight commotion outside the door to the room they were in. Heavy, hurried footsteps, and finally, the door opens.

In steps a young woman, all a-dressed in chainmail and surcoat, with a shield on her back and a mace hanging in a strap on her hip. A very subtle film of sweat has formed on her forehead, giving the impression that she has indeed hurried here. Not out of breath, though, as she looks to be dutifully in shape.

"Oh goodness, what luck. I thought you had left already." she says alloud, as she sees the lot. "You bunch are the heroes from the other day, yes? The ones the villagers have been talking about?" She barges in with little to no regard for decorum. It seems she has a higher purpose now than to see to such trivial things in comparison. The back of her hand, clad in a glove, is brought up to wipe some of the sweat from her face, combing back her long blonde hair somewhat so they do not stick to her face.

"Yes, our assignment is clear," Hasan says with a nod. "Everything else is contingent on whatever opportunities present themselves. I suggest we get moving soon."

When the new arrival enters, he looks at her and furrows his brow but says nothing. Then he glances around at those gathered to see if anyone seems to recognize her.

Aisha is a bit disconcerted by the sudden appearance of the blond woman, but she feels she cannot reply to this, as she had done nothing thus far but help Leosin get back to town. Staying in the background she merely observed.

"I am Isolde Glibhammer, of the Glibhammer Clan," the dwarf maiden answered ... which was not quite an answer. She looked up at the young newcomer appraisingly. Although Isolde was tall for a dwarf, she was shorter than most human women. "Why? Who are you, and do you seek to join us?" Her tone was abrupt but not challenging.

"I'll take that as a yes, then." she smiles. "My name is Fleur Beaumont, I moved into Greenest recently to help with what I could-" she continues, clutching the pendant around her neck as she talks, "-and when I heard about your group, I wished to seek you out and join you, to continue provide what aid I can. If you'll have me, of course. This threat sounds too big to just sit at home about. Idle action is no help to anyone."

She looks to the mayor and the monk, as if only now realising they were there. She looks a bit apologetic, but says nothing about it.

Inanah thought it strange that the blond human spoke about them like they were a known groups of mercenaries that were used to working together. Although she did have a point, here they all were, planning on another mission together with gold at the end of success.

"I am Inanah Naïlo or Nightbreeze, like humans usually say." She evaluated Fleur from head to toe, noticing the weapons. "I'm not sure there is any group to join, miss Fleur, rather just several people that want to accomplish a common goal. But if that is your wish and you can use those weapons you carry, I'm willing to travel with you."

Then she turned towards Leosin again, not having forgotten his promise to answer questions about the Cult. "Master Leosin, we might have found out few things about the camp, but we didn't really find anything out about the Cult itself. Like, what are their goals? Just raiding and plundering or something more?"

Aisha realized that this new woman, Fleur, was just in the same situation as she had been when introducing herself to the Heroes of Greenest^TM. "Welcome to de ranks of dose who oppose de Cult of the Dragon, hanimeffendi Fleur." she said with a gentle smile and a respectful bow. "I am convinced together we can make a difference." she added, then took a step back, not wishing to make herself the center of attention while the question of Inanah hadn't been answered.

After the monk gave his answer, Isolde announced, "There is nothing left to discuss that cannot be discussed on the road." She made steps toward the exit and didn't look back to see if others were following.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:44, Sat 09 Nov 2019.

Talik grabbed his gear and made ready to leave as well

Inanah opened her mouth to say something to Isolde, but then when she just stormed away, shrugged and turned back to Leosin. She still wanted to hear the answer to her question and might have more based on his answer.

She could catch up to the dwarf, they had short legs and she knew where they were travelling to, it wouldn be hard to track them.

---

OOC
DM, please answer my question to Leosin.

Leosin answers Inanah's question with a concerned look on his face: "It seems they are intent on bringing back Tiamat, the mother of dragons. How exactly they intend to do that, I don't know, but they have been raiding and collecting loot for some time now, so I suspect that they need treasure to accomplish that goal. They must have quite a haul by now, especially after the raid on Greenest."