Winterhaven

With the kobold bodies searched and hidden, the travelers continued on their way, keeping a nervous eye on the surrounding landscape and their hands near their weapons. As they walked, there was none of the joviality that had accompanied their steps the entire way from Cayo Huesso. The sobering scent of blood soaked death followed their trail.

As they drew closer to the village, more homes sprang up on either side of the road, spread far apart, but a sign of civilization out of the wilderness. But despite the relative abundance of homes, they didn't run into a single person.

"Probably out in the fields, tending the crops. It's coming up to harvest time," Azareth mused to himself.

"They're so defenseless out here," Bergeron rumbled in reply, looking at the simple homes.

"Aye," Angus said, remembering the homes on the outside of the city he had grown up in. His father had never been able to protect them from marauders, because to do so was to leave the city vulnerable. "They know the risks of living outside of the village gates. I'm sure they are better protected than it seems from here."

They came up over a rise in the road, and saw the village wall rising up from the ground in the distance. It was certainly no Caverhelm, or even Cayo Huesso, but out here in the wilderness, it seemed a powerful beacon, an outpost of strength and community in the midst of an otherwise inhospitable wilderness. With their destination in sight, the travelers relaxed a bit and quickened their steps.

Two soldiers guarded the entrance to the village, middle aged, but alert and strong, longswords handging at their side, wearing thick leather armor.

"Angus, why don't you do the talking?" Azareth said, quietly. "They're humans so they're probably be more receptive to you." He glanced to his other two companions. "Maybe you too should stand back and bit and keep quiet. Especially you," he said to Geldon. "We don't need to annoy them with all of your questions."

"You know, guys, I'm not really that bad," Geldon said, sniffing and holding his head high (for a halfling). "How much have we learned over the years, Az, that we wouldn't have known if I hadn't been friendly and curious?"

"I'll keep him quiet," Bergeron said, putting a heavy, scaled hand on Geldon's shoulder. He had to bend his knees slightly to do it.

"Hail, good sir!" Angus said heartily as they approached the gates. "How fares the day for you?"

"Fair enough," the older guard replied. "It's been a slow day, which is always a double edged blade of boredom and relaxation. You four be the first travelers we've seen. Where you bound?"

"We're actually here to visit your fair village," Angus replied. "We've come from Cayo Huesso, seeking our mutual friend Douvan Stahl. Do you know him?"

"Depends," the guard replied, "on what yer planning to do with those weapons once you find him."

"Oh, no sir," Angus replied. "We keep the weapons for protection only. We're on a peaceful mission. Though we did have a run in with a half dozen kobolds not two hours west of here."

"Really? Were ye hurt?"

"Nothing major. We managed to dispatch them all. Does this sort of thing happen often?"

"It does happen on occasion," the guard admitted, thoughtful. "Though usually not right on the road from Cayo Huesso, and not recently. The kobolds supposedly been getting more daring lately, but they've always been round these parts. Lord Padraig, mayor of the town, been trying to eradicate them buggers fer years, but most of the villagers are simple farmers, and do not want to leave their farms to join any sort of expedition."

"Is the mayor the sort of man who might hire outsiders to take care of that sort of problem?" Azareth asked, stepping forward.

The guard looked him up and down. "Cleric, eh? Half elven at that? Don't see many of your kind around these parts. You might be interested in stopping by the temple. They're always interested in meeting clerics. And aye, he might be amenable to hiring some sturdy folk like yerselves." He smacked himself on the forehead. "Haven't answered yer original question yet, have I? Yer friend Douvan's been stayin' at the inn, which is the big building right through the gate. That's where I'd suggest you all try to find some lodgings too, since it's the only place in town. Shouldn't be too tough this time-a year."

Angus opened his mouth to ask more questions, but Geldon stepped forward and interrupted. "Thanks very much. What's your name, good sir?"

"Atoll, little one," he replied.

"Well Atoll, we are Geldon, Azareth, Angus, and Bergeron. Hopefully we'll be seeing you again!" Without another word, he strolled into the village, the others following quickly behind him.

"He was done talking," Geldon replied when asked why he'd ended the conversation. "That's why he brought up the inn."

"Fair enough," Azareth said, who knew how perceptive his little friend could be. "What should we do now?"

"Let's go see if we can get an audience with the mayor. The idea of solving a kobold problem appeals to me lately, especially after the surprise we had this morning," Angus said. They asked a passing villager, who gave them directions to the mayor's walled manor.

Two more guards stood outside the gate to the mayor's home.

"Halt!" one of them demanded, gruff. "What business do you have with the mayor?"

"We're a band of warriors, traveling through the village. We've heard that the mayor has been trying to rid the area of kobolds, and we'd like to offer our services in that area. Is he in?" Angus smiled at the guard, who glowered back.

"You 'warriors' don't look particularly battle hardened," he said, not answering the question. "What makes you think that you can be off help."

Angus dropped the smile from his face and stepped forward. "Well, we've already started. We ran into a half dozen kobolds on the way here. We left them for the buzzards."

"Kobolds? On the road?" The guard spun to his companion, who had been silent and dozing. "Go tell Atoll about this! He must be informed. The village must be protected."

The other guard snapped to attention and began to jog off.

"We already told him!" Geldon called after him. The man stopped.

"I told you to go tell Atoll about this!" the guard yelled. The other man started running again.

"I have to be sure," the guard explained. "Now what is it that you want?"

"We'd like to see the mayor," Angus said

"Well, he's not here. Leave me your names, and I'll be sure that he's informed." The guard turned away.

Bergeron stepped forward and put his hand on the man's shoulder. "When do you think that might be?" His voice was quiet, almost a hiss. The man turned slowly, licking his lips.

"I don't know for sure. Lord Padraig is out for the day, and will be busy for most of tomorrow. Perhaps the day after?" The man stepped backwards.

"Thank you for your time, good sir," Angus said, bowing slightly. He turned and began to walk away.

"Thank you for telling us about those kobolds, and for taking care of them. His Honor often goes to the inn in the evenings, to mingle with the villagers!" the guard called after them. "You might be able to gain an audience with him them."

Angus turned and bowed again. "Let's go," he said to his friends. "I've met too many guards like him in my life."

As they walked away from the mayor's home, they saw and registered a tower in the middle of the village, rising up maybe 50 feet.

"Looks like a wizard's tower, Angus!" Geldon said. "Any idea who might live there?"