-----Sol's gaze grimly lingers over the diseased populace before turning to speak to the knight, "Sir Zantar, Oakwood is only now recovering from its own troubles. These guards are helping my companions and I hunt down some thieves as well as deal with another criminal that conspires t'cause more strife fer Redmarsh."
-----"My name is Sol Herron, and these are my companions; Raven, Sarah, Rinda, Garrison, Romney, Abram, Shema and Bradley." Sol nods politely to the knight as he introduces himself and indicates all the others in turn as he calls their names. The Gorian then boldly asks, "The guard at th' gate was kind enough t'mention that one o' th' thieves that we track asked at th' gate t'see you, and they all rode in th' direction o' th' keep. Were ye approached by this motley band?"
-----Sarah shoots the mounted knight talking to Sol an unfriendly look and then moves Marlexana closer to Rinda. "How bad is it?" She whispers to the priestess as she distributes the last of her silver coins and some gold ones to the beggars. "How long has the plague been in this village?" She quietly asks the beggars, her heart breaking for them as she can see their pain and what they are suffering through.
-----A grim faced Raven motions for the wolf to stay by his side. Raven's eyes roam over this diseased town and the poor sick people around him. Raven says to Rinda, "I wonder if Krondor could be behind this poor town's problems."
-----"Aye, they interrupted my preparations for patrolling my town much as you are now," answers Sir Zantar with a frown. "They identified themselves as special operatives of Lord Lambert. I was especially offended by the presence of the halfling with the stuffed bird on his shoulder. They did claim to have seen the black dragon which roams this area and wished to know the location of its lair."
-----"Typical." Sarah says, annoyed. "Let someone else kill the dragon and then plunder the lair while they try to bring justice to the world. I swear when I find those damn thieves...." Sarah lets her threat trail off as she thinks about the spells she's created.
-----The Knight of Redmarsh pauses long enough to shoot a disapproving glance toward the young mage as she hands out coins to the beggars. He says nothing to her and turns his attention back to Sol. "I gave them leave to seek the dragon in the marsh east of the town," Sir Zantar concludes with a dismissing look.
-----"You're short a dragon now." Sarah informs the knight. "How many were there?"
-----Rinda turns to Sarah with a look of overwhelmed distress on her face. "It is worse than bad," the huntress answers softly, "This is the worst condition a town could suffer." Her eyes widen as she looks down one of the streets to see more diseased or deceased bodies lying by the buildings and in the street.
-----Sarah's looks mirrors Rinda's as she takes in the scene. "What can we do?" She asks the huntress.
-----One of the poor pathetically thin men answers Sarah in a weakened voice after blessing her for her attention. "These past few weeks, MiLady," he tells her, "Many of us have lost our families. We cannot leave the town as the dragon waits to devour all who leave."
-----"If there is a way to put a stop to this I will find it." Sarah tells the man. "You have the word of Sarah Night on that."
-----The huntress moves her horse closer to Raven's and replies to him, "My love, I would doubt that a former knight, a fighting man could do this unless he had powerful magic to aid him." The huntress seems to shutter at the thought and she reaches for Raven's hand.
-----"We have magic on our side too." Sarah reminds the priestess.
-----Appearing to hear the conversation between the two hunters, Sir Zantar looks at them and says, "This is the second time today I have heard of Krondor the traitor. Those you seek also mentioned him."
-----"Probably to join forces with him and pillage as much as possible while everyone dies from disease." Sarah says disgustedly. "Tell me Sir Zantar, do you have any knowledgeable wizards in this town?"
-----Sol turns in his saddle and looks at the hunter, talking excitedly, "Raven, if they've left t'th' east, then we can pick up their trail again right now. Better yet, if they enter a marsh, they'll be that much easier t'track...I hope."
-----The warrior then speaks to Sir Zantar, "Sir, if ye ride north along th' trail fer a short while, just past th' woods, ye should find th' body of a young black dragon. Some thirty feet of it. If there was only one ye knew of, as Sarah said, it's well an' truly dead now. It was silly an' cocky enough t'land an' try t'eat us.
-----Without pausing for breath, Sol launches into a new topic, "An' about Krondor, he's holed up near Nox, an' what th' scruffy pirate's crew said was true. Three of them were operatives of Lord Lambert, the rest are newly hired mercenaries who used t'patrol yer own fief to th' north before their captain decided he'd had too much o' Redmarsh. Unfortunately, these former companions of ours decided t'betray us by both stealing from us and Sir Greene, and stealing my damned identity. Oh, I also would not fret too much about th' halfling, he manages t'offend just about everybody."