After hearing news of a dragon attacking Nashkel, Aegon and the Troupe make haste to the south so they can aid in whatever way they can. Though their way is hindered by bandits, they keep pushing forward, knowing that they may already be too late.
15 Eleint 1368
We are all out of breath and exhausted when we see Nashkel in the distance. We don’t see a dragon at first. Actually, we don’t see one at all. Are we too late?
We approach the town and we see no smoke, no burning buildings, nothing. The town doesn’t look like it was ever under siege. That nobleman lied to us! We ran all that way for nothing!
As we walk across the bridge into Nashkel a child approaches us.
Deazle: Hey, aren’t you Aegon?
Aegon: Yes, Iam and what’s your name?
Deazle: None of your beeeezwax. I’m just wonderin’ cause some guy inside the Nashkell Inn told me he would give me a gold piece if would watch for you and tell you that he was waiting for you. .
Aegon: Why does he need to talk to me?
Deazle: How should I know…What do I look like? I’m just a kid!
Well, there’s nothing for it. We go into the inn. As we do so, Shar-Teel decides to flirt. I think?
She gives me a rough shove on my back. A veiled caress, perhaps.
Before I can react, a man approaches me and introduces himself.
Jeremy: Ah yes, there you are Aegon, my name is Jeremy. I am Mayor Berrun’s assistant.
Aegon: How may we help you?
Jeremy: Well I was just getting to that. The mayor is very busy and he asked me to find you and ask of you a favor. I mean after everything you did with the mines and all well you a local hero around here. Yes sir, you took care of those mines good. Everyone around he is talking about you. Anyway, as I was saying I need to as a favor of you. You see we have just heard that a…well…um…a dddddragon is headed this way and well with everything you have done for us so far we were hoping that you could help us this once more… mean it’s pretty scary, I’ve never seen a dragon and I don’t really care to either. Will you help?
Aegon: We will do as you ask, Jeremy and you can tell the people and the mayor not to worry.
Jeremy: YOU WILL! …I mean, you will. That’s great wait until everyone hears about this, Aegon, “Dragon Slayer”…I like it, it has a nice ring to it. I knew you would, I just knew it!
Aegon: I’ll see to it.
I’ve grown a lot since I left the keep. From Aegon the Errand Boy, to Aegon, Deliverer of Letters. Could I truly become Aegon the Dragon Slayer? Only time will tell.
Since there is no urgency any more, Kivan tells me he wishes to focus on his hunt for Tazok. I tell him I understand, and to find me in the Jovial Juggler if he ever needs more help in his quest.
As Jeremy leaves, another man approaches us. He is well groomed, and dons some heavy armour as well as a large sword and a halberd.
Conchobhair Strongblade: I overheard ye speaking to Jeremy. So you are going to fight this dragon are ye? Have ye ever fought a dragon before?
Aegon: No, but we have to do something and it would seem that there is no one else.
Conchobhair Strongblade: Then ye should join up with me. More than one dragon has felt the sting of my blade. I mean to take this one as well. Allow me to introduce myself, Conchobhair Strongblade at your service!
Aegon: The offer is well met friend. We could use another, eh…strong blade in our group.
Conchobhair Strongblade: Then let us not tarry here further. That vile creature is just not going to wait for us. We must proceed at once to it’s lair.
He tells us he is a cavalier, and that slaying dragons and demons is his specialty.
As a paladin, Conchobhair can heal people by laying his hands on them.
He can even cure diseases if there are any present.
He also has the innate ability to Detect Evil, wherever it may be.
And he can offer Protection from that evil.
His cavalier attitude allows him to remove the fear from his allies, in combat or otherwise.
His sword is known as the Dragonslayer, enchanted to do what you would expect with that name.
We have an enchanted halberd known as The Stunner in our Bag of Holding. Conchobhair accepts it as a replacement for his halberd.
His armour is an impressively ornate piece of plate mail armour, blessed to provide extra protection.
We have better in our armour collection, however, so I give him some enchanted full plate armour to protect himself with instead.
While we are in Nashkel, I want to investigate the brigands that attacked us and the letter we found on them. The letter mentioned that a man named Caerwin would be in the market, so we make our way over. On our way we learn that Conchobhair is well known in this town.
Aaron: Hello, Conchobhair Strongblade.
At the market we ask around about Caerwin. Most of the patrons just want to make conversation.
Lestor: Sure is a nice carnival they put on… If only there were more people here to enjoy it…
Aegon: What’s your favorite act?
Lestor: My wife’s a fan of the guy performing Galahynne’s “Nosferatu” but I’ll take the Great Gazib’s exploding ogre any day…
We keep searching and eventually find the man in the market square seeking people to listen to his music.
Cearwin: Greetings stranger your timing could not have been better. I’ve just finished work on my latest composition. It’s called Tymora’s Heart, a tribute to the Lady Luck herself, would you like to hear it?
Aegon: At the moment I’m looking for the bard Cearwin would you be him by any chance?
Cearwin: I am known by that name why do you ask?
Aegon: Whilst travelling here I was besieged by a group of brigands who had just killed a halfling. After narrowly escaping with my life I retrieved a letter from one of them and a symbol I know to be that carried by worshippers of the Black Lord. Your signature is on the letter.
Cearwin: This is bad news. I am glad you survived the attack, but the letter you found was meant to have reached Beregost over a week ago. Tell me did you find any talismans on the bodies?
Aegon: There were no talismans just a few gems, nothing of real value.
Cearwin: Most unfortunate. It seems Beshaba has graced me today. I’ll have to seek another messenger to deliver the letter. You seem to be of the adventuring type would you be interested in such a journey?
Aegon: I might but I’ll need to know more about the stone you mentioned in the letter.
Cearwin: I am forbidden to talk about the stone. Zentarim spies are everywhere and the fair is not the place for such a conversation. There is a man in Beregost called Aranor he will tell you more about the stone. Accept and I will give you 250gp for your trouble.
Aegon: I accept your offer where in Beregost can I find the man you call Aranor?
Cearwin: Excellent! Look for Aranor in the taverns, the Burning Wizard is his favourite so start searching there. Whilst you are gone I will try to discover what happened to the talismans. Be safe on your journey and may Tymora’s luck go with you.
My dreams of being Aegon, Dragon Slayer are at an end. I am still the Deliverer of Letters. I take a look at the letter Caerwin gave me, hoping to find some clue. It is mostly the same as the old one with some updated information about our slaying of the Bane-worshippers.
I pack the letter into Bartleby’s Letter Case. I will deliver it later. Right now we have a dragon to hunt. We must slay it before it actually attacks Nashkel.
We march south, toward the dragon’s lair.
16 Eleint 1368
As we travel through the night we are ambushed by screaming xvarts. The group descends upon us, short blades at the ready. Time to see what our new blade can do.
His defense isn’t as strong as I expected, and he takes a few scratches despite his enchanted plate mail. His sword, however, cleaves through the creatures like butter. What xvarts didn’t fall to the arrow now lie mutilated at his feet.
Under cover of night, we continue onward to the dragon’s lair.
As we approach the dragon’s lair, we can already hear the sound of combat. Others have already come for the dragon. Perhaps they will be of help in the coming fight. We can only hope…
