Raider's Camp

Linston closes and tells the monk what is going on.

We are here to get you out. Be ready.

He casts cure wounds between berating the prisoner.

the monk opens one eye as he feels a tugging at his ankle. He whispers in a feeble voice,

"get away from me..."

then a surge of vigour seems to seep into him, and he hears Linston talking. He looks around in every direction, making sure no one is watching. Then says a little bit louder

"get away, I do NOT need help"

Clarice looks at Linston in disbelief, shrugging her shoulders.

"As you wish, my friend." she says quietly to the monk. "We will be on our way then."

Quiet. Or do you want to die here? Grim wispers to the monk. He then pulls out the trinket they got earlier and shows it to him. We are here to help.

"I'm FINE" he hisses "if you want to help......hide. In a day or two, the army will leave again. To raid another town. Then.... destroy the eggs."

"Where are these eggs? And whose are they?" Clarice whispers to the monk.

'there are dragon eggs' the monk whispers 'in the caves'

he indicates the cave mouth direction with his eyes

"they are going to breed a war machine...."

Linston starts to walk away, impressed with the mans courage. He hates to see someone suffer, but if they are planning on raising a dragon army...one persons life means nothing.

Die scum!

Following Linston's lead, Clarice throws an insult towards the monk and starts to head out of the camp.

"Shall we find a place to rest and keep watch for the next day or two?" she quietly asks the others.

Yeah. I hate to leave him behind, but we can't allow this lot to get control of dragons.

The camp has gotten really quiet the last hour or so. Everyone crashing after an adrenaline fuelled night of raiding. No one seems to have even noticed a missing group of slaves.

There are small cooking fires here and there. A few bandits and mercenaries sitting about, stirring the ashes while chatting quietly. You realize how tired and hungry you lot are. Not having stopped or eaten since leaving Greenest this morning.

I think we should get to the woods. We could try to grab food here first. I just don't want to get roped into an army or be hunted as deserters

Looking about, Linston notices the guard positions are being filled, and the non-existent security is being replaced by a well organized night watch; at the gates, the perimeter and in the towers.

But his keen ear is drawn to a cultist attempting to put together a work detail to go out and do some hunting.

"there ain't enough meat fer' mornin'." He says, loudly, looking for volunteers "a double ration tomorrow for any hunter what goes out ta get some!" he laughs "lose a bit o' sleep - gain a bit o' breakfast!"

Hey guys...want to go hunting? Gets us out of camp.

Linston leads the group over.

Hey, we will hunt.

"If that gets us out safely, then yes."

the cultist looks you over, not particularly impressed if his sneer is any indication.

"all hail Tiamat" he says as he makes a hand gesture at you, three fingers outstretched, with the index and ring fingers curled back. "the last group came back empty handed. that's why we're in this predicament, and that's why they are digging latrines for the rest of their lives"

he pats Clarice on the head patronizingly (is there any other way?) and hisses "don't......dissapoint us...." before stepping aside, and gesturing to the gate guard to let you through.

We will come back with food or not at all.

"What a charitable lot.. Any of you know anything about hunting?"

I figured we would just hide in the woods until they left and then check out the cave. But to answer your question...I can hunt.

"Never hunted in my life. Hiding in the woods works for me, they'll just assume we got lost or killed."