Krum:
“Returnin’ to Mirabar, I couldn’t be waitin’ to go back and give that Kragtoe and the other dull picks on the Council the what-for and slam the head o’ the shadow dragon in the middle of their meetin’ table. Kragtoe showed herself to possess the wisdom of a human, complainin’ ‘bout possible reprisals for our actions. ‘From who?” I asked, “We be leavin’ all the invaders dead and gone!” She be sputterin’ after that and it only be the gnome that be keepin’ me from doin’ something rash. The Council refused to commit to reestablishing Lodestone Mine, and I be seein’ them as a oreless shaft then. “Dumathoin be rememberin’ yer cowardice!” I told ‘em, and made me exit, the gnome takin’ the shadow dragon head with him.
“Zoltan be tellin’ us that Longsaddle, a wee town more than 200 miles south down the Long Road, might be interested in the head of the dragon, and convinced us to be goin’ that way. A long journey fer questionable profit to be sure, but we be needin’ to get back to Leilon anyways. Leavin’ Mirabar we met up with a half-elf, Atticus, dressed in robes and carryin’ a stick. He be no stranger to Henrick, it be seemin’, and threw in with us to Longsaddle.
“Torinn be galavantin’ about on his griffon while the rest of us be hoofin’ it, and he soon spots trouble. We come up on a campsite that had seen recent violence: bodies be lyin’ about and fires to the wagons still be smolderin’. One survivor be tellin’ us it was snake people who ambushed them, takin’ prisoners after layin’ waste to the camp, includin’ a little girl.
“Then a surprise: Belomash be demandin’ to go after them. Not be sure what got between his tusks to make him so antsy for a couple humans, but we agree and head into the swamp off the road to the west.
“Henrick conjures up a bear to help track the humans, and the swamp gets to be hard goin’ (me ring of water walkin’ be keepin’ me feet dry, at least). Belomash pushes forward hard, and we get the feelin’ it be somethin’ he be hearin’ that be encouragin’ him.
“Henrick’s bear then lets out a roar and disappears in the water, thrashin’ one minute and then gone beneath the dark surface.
“We take up defensive positions, lookin’ for signs of what could take a bear under, but then Torinn be cryin’ out a warnin’: “Above us! A green dragon!”
“We be lookin’ up at that and sure enough, a fargin’ green lizard be comin’ down, announcin’ itself in Common as “Jade” and askin’ who be callin’ him.
“We all look at Belomash.
‘Friend of yours?’ asks Torinn.
‘Grummsh take your heart for his dessert. I had nothing to do with this.’
“Henrick “shoot arrows first, ask questions of the corpses second” releases two at the dragon.
“The dragon be takin’ umbrage at that and does what dragons do, spewin’ its poison on all nearby. The dragonborn and his griffon move on the wyrm, while I be healin’ Henrick who didn’t be holdin’ his breath in time.
“We ain’t bein’ no strangers to fightin’ dragons anymore, and the dragon be gettin’ the worst of it. Belomash, apparently not be worryin’ that this dragon be relations to his buddy Venomfang back in Thundertree, unleashes a lightning bolt at it and Torinn finishes it off with his sword. I be healin’ everyone who needs it after the battle and we be continuin’ on our way, minus the bear. This bein’ after Henrick collects the dragon’s teeth like some deranged dentist. I admit I be interested in collectin’ the dragon’s poison sacs, but I be botchin’ the operation and ruin ‘em.
“Further into the swamp we come upon some ruins and against me better judgment we venture in. Through the doors the hallway slopes down and water be up to the others’ ankles. Then we see the camp-raidin’ snake creatures, one of them with six durned heads.
“After gettin’ a taste of our blades and magic, many of the beasties slither off while Atticus kills the last with some fancy hand and foot movement. Wouldn’t be thinkin’ to look at the elf that he be dealin’ such damage with those thin limbs of his, but he be doin’ it.
“We be findin’ the little girl along with her dad in another chamber, waitin’ to be eat, it seems. Investigatin’ a bit more, we find some scrolls and a bow which Henrick claims, and we make our way back to the camp.
“That settled, we be turnin’ our eyes once more to Longsaddle.”
