Episode 1 Scene 1b : The Arrival

You awaken to find that the caravan has stopped once more, which means your shift would be beginning soon. However after getting your stuff together and getting out of the sleeping wagon you were in, you find that the caravan has actually arrived at its destination. You see another of the group you agreed to hang with upon arrival but not the other four.

The caravan master seemed like perhaps the most likely individual to answer her question and it did not take Kendra long to locate him and pose her question. He informs here that the Paladins took them into the village most like to the Garrison but he was not sure why or what they had done. His comments seem to imply they had gotten in trouble or at least he felt they did.

Getting directions to the Garrison was even easier for the guards at the main gate told her how to get there. Basically follow the main road through the village and take a right first chance you get until you get to the bridge.

Upon arriving at the bridge they are greeted by more guards who stop them and say, "Halt, state your business"

The guards nearly automatically reciprocate Kendra's smile with smiles of their own as almost memorized and seem to be nearly oblivious to Kroog's presence. However, they look a bit confused at Kendra's descriptive question. Then one of them them managed to respond saying, "Uh.. well a dwarf, human, dragonborn, and some ghad-awfully-dressed tiefling passed through here a bit ago with Shahadur and Katsmon but that is the closest to what you are describing."

The guards take in Kroog as if for the first time but seem perhaps unimpressed or just so enamored of Kendra that they do not care. The guard that spoke replies to Kendra, "Uh yeah probably," he thumbs in the direction behind him, "in the main office."

Kendra begins to walk forward but the guards do not move out of her way so does not get very far, "Uh sorry but you cannot go in carrying weapons you will have to leave them here and submit to a check to make sure you do not have any hidden weapons. Again sorry but its the rules."

The guards do a thorough and fairly practiced methodical search of both Kendra and Kroog removing all weapons that they find. Then one of guards holds out a small round glass-like sphere, "Please place your hand out palm up."

When placed in Kroog's hand it seems to do nothing however when placed in Kendra's hand glows a soft blue. "Okay you have to wear this." A guard produces a wrist bracelet of dark metal covered by inscribed runes. As he snaps it securely into place on Kendra's right wrist, Kendra suddenly feels like a part of her just disappeared. There was a profound emptiness feeling that she had never felt before, a sort of horrible loss as if... as if... she was utterly alone. Note in the outer world but within her inner being, she felt for the first time in her life complete loneliness.

"Okay you two follow me." one of the guards says and then turns and begins walking to the main gatehouse.

The view and empty feeling Kendra is experiencing is anything but pleasant. The abject loneliness seems to almost gnaw away at her inner resolve and her normal view of beauty that she had come accustomed to had been replaced by an extremely drab dullness. She can easily imagine someone wanting to end their existence if this was what they had to experience every day. No beauty, no joy, just a gnawing loneliness in world of dreariness.

Kroog on the other hand simply follows along seemingly without an apparent care in the world, although he too has issues as without his weapons and in the current situation is probably feeling a bit naked.

Bringing up the rear are another pair of guards meaning that Kroog's unprotected back is individuals he does not know. Causing it an uncomfortable imaginary itch that cannot be scratch to form in the middle of his back.

While the walk to the inner Keep is short to the both of them it seems extremely prolonged. Stepping into the Keep brings on an even greater senses of foreboding and a sense of claustrophobia and the weight of it is just so horribly depressing. The arduous climb up those endless stairs.

The front guard stops and knocks on the door which is eventually opened from the inside. The guard waves the two in. After they enter the human holding the door closes it and they find themselves in a room with their comrades, a dwarf sitting at a desk, and elf standing beside him, a dragonborn off to their left and human by the door.