Interlude: Greenest In Ashes

Quinell's hope turns to self-blame as he gazes down on the scorched town. Perhaps if he had payed attention to the visions sooner he could have somehow prevented this disaster. Perhaps if he had spent less time carousing and more time nurturing his gift, he would have deciphered their dire warnings earlier. He takes some solace that their are survivors. Perhaps the town had some warning and it was only the buildings that had been the casualties of the conflagration. Unlikely, but one could hope. Perhaps this was not even Greenest. After all, he had never been here. Perhaps this was another town and there was still time to save Greenest from whatever ravaged this town. No. He was sure. The pit of his stomach told him this was indeed Greenest.

Making his way down the hill towards the town, the smell of sulfur in the air grew thicker, nearly choking him. What could have caused such a blaze? His mind turned over dozens of possibilities. He entered the small town and stopped a passerby.
"Excuse me good citizen. This is Greenest is it not?"
"It was."
"I am truly sorry. Can you tell me what happened here?"

"A what? A dragon? How is such a thing possible?" Quin thinks back to his dreams. There was more
than just fire in his vision. This could just be the beginning.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" He tries to do his best to provide some assistance, using his simple magics to put out small fires, but looking around at the devastation he feels impotent.
"Does anyone know where the dragon went? Has anyone warned the other towns?"

"Thank you. I am truly sorry for your loss." Quin takes his leave from the farmer and heads down the street towards the keep.
A blue dragon Quin thinks, as he tries to recall what he knows of the beasts. The town was burnt down. Surely that was the work of a red dragon? Everyone knows they breathed fire. Could the farmer have been mistaken about the color? Or did all dragons breathe fire? No. Each to its own color he remembered, and the visions: cold, choking fumes, lightning storms, waves of acid. Yes. Surely, blue dragons breathed lightning. That could have set the town ablaze. That made sense. Lost in his own thoughts, Quin almost collides with another farmer.
"Excuse me. Sorry.. sorry."
But that would mean there were four more dragons out there.. somewhere.. Could that be true? His vision was right about Greenest. Quin shuddered at the thought that his vision was right about five dragons. If one dragon could do this.. what could five do? And what could he do against it?
Qui arrived at the keep. Right now all he had was questions. Perhaps someone inside would have answers. Quin approaches the keep guards and introduces himself as he would when arriving at a foreign court, bowing low.
"Hello. I am Quinell of the Zaemaris family. I have come to offer my assistance. Would it be possible to speak to the governor?"

"Yes M'Lord. I am Quinell Zamaeris of the House Zamaeris. I received a dire warning about the attack on your town and had come to warn you, however, I see now that I have arrived too late. Nonetheless, I am hoping I can still be of some service. I believe that this attack was not an isolated incident and there are more attacks to come. Perhaps not here. It is difficult to say. To be frank m'lord. I have received a vision of dire portents."

Quin mulls over the governor's words. Nodding politely as the governor speaks.
"A cult.. hmmm.. Tiamat? A dragon scholar? That sounds promising. Perhaps this scholar could tell me.. I mean us.. more m'lord. You say he went to look for the monk? Perhaps if I found them we could pool our information. Make some sense of it."

"Do you think they will return here m'lord? If so, I would wait. If not, the risk may not be as great as you think. I am not without .. abilities."

"Well then with your permission m'lord, I shall remain here in Greenest and lend whatever aid I can until they return."