The Road Less Traveled
It is early evening, several hours before sunset, and you find yourself in the Regent Square district of Astangard, only steps from the Grand Temple of the Scarlet Flame. The iconic structure looms over the nearby buildings, its asymmetric towers reflecting the sunlight from their polished bronze surfaces. But your destination is a little more ordinary--at least compared to the events of last night.
On a narrow side street from the square, you reach a well-kept little establishment headlined by its beautiful, hand-carved sign of a very lifelike dragon. The equally ornate door is carved to reveal a single dragon in relief, with bright crystals for eyes and hammered metal scales. Eventually, all of your new friends are gathered together around a single table near the back of the restaurant.
The owner is a pleasant enough fellow, though his place is a bit run-down around the edges and his clothes look quite threadbare. He seems to hardly remember Karn Lee, which may be for the best. The roasted ducks are both plentiful and flavorful, and the goblets are never empty--except for Karn's, for some reason...
The other patrons include a number of worshipers from the nearby temple and a dozen or so members of the Prince's Guard. Mindful of the attention, your conversation remains pretty bland.
As the meal is winding down, you hear the gongs from the nearby temple signifying the sunset services are about to start. With polite thanks and a quick exit, your group moves quickly to make it out of town before the gates are closed. The guards eye you suspiciously but say nothing as you hurry past.
The Grey Fox is in full swing as you arrive in the gathering darkness. Fortunately, you don't have to endure the melodies of the drunken bard for long before a familiar halfling greets you and ushers you downstairs. There, the quartermasters attend to each of your requests, carefully filling saddlebags and loading up a half-dozen dappled brown horses for your use. After only thirty minutes, your packs and mounts are ready to go.
As the quartermasters are finishing up, the halfling--his face still covered by his hood--provides you with several maps detailing the best paths to get to the mine. Almost none of the route is along the main roads--"The better to avoid official entanglements," the halfling says--but there are detailed landmarks and measurements to make up for the lack of trails.
After the quick briefing, the halfling bows. "Good luck," he tells you in a hushed tone. "We'll be waiting for your return."
On a narrow side street from the square, you reach a well-kept little establishment headlined by its beautiful, hand-carved sign of a very lifelike dragon. The equally ornate door is carved to reveal a single dragon in relief, with bright crystals for eyes and hammered metal scales. Eventually, all of your new friends are gathered together around a single table near the back of the restaurant.
The owner is a pleasant enough fellow, though his place is a bit run-down around the edges and his clothes look quite threadbare. He seems to hardly remember Karn Lee, which may be for the best. The roasted ducks are both plentiful and flavorful, and the goblets are never empty--except for Karn's, for some reason...
The other patrons include a number of worshipers from the nearby temple and a dozen or so members of the Prince's Guard. Mindful of the attention, your conversation remains pretty bland.
As the meal is winding down, you hear the gongs from the nearby temple signifying the sunset services are about to start. With polite thanks and a quick exit, your group moves quickly to make it out of town before the gates are closed. The guards eye you suspiciously but say nothing as you hurry past.
The Grey Fox is in full swing as you arrive in the gathering darkness. Fortunately, you don't have to endure the melodies of the drunken bard for long before a familiar halfling greets you and ushers you downstairs. There, the quartermasters attend to each of your requests, carefully filling saddlebags and loading up a half-dozen dappled brown horses for your use. After only thirty minutes, your packs and mounts are ready to go.
As the quartermasters are finishing up, the halfling--his face still covered by his hood--provides you with several maps detailing the best paths to get to the mine. Almost none of the route is along the main roads--"The better to avoid official entanglements," the halfling says--but there are detailed landmarks and measurements to make up for the lack of trails.
After the quick briefing, the halfling bows. "Good luck," he tells you in a hushed tone. "We'll be waiting for your return."
