Finding Dougal and nearly losing my life

Adventure Log
To our disappointment, Dougal did not meet us at the arranged time. As we waited, we got to know the people in Winterhaven. Sylvar spent some quality time getting to know Salvana and the folks who frequented the inn. This sketch was created by a kindly fellow named Amarynceus, who drew it here in return for a pitcher.

Morthos preferred to keep to himself while we waited. Vanya scouted out the city, and Kanaan slept away much of the day trying to get over a nasty cough he had picked up while traveling. I went in search of the local house of worship--or at least the one other than the bar.

The kindly Sister Linora runs the temple of Avandra within the keep. On my way back, I met a young guard named Thomas who told me of the baron's late father, "The Dragon." He apparently was quite a character and quite a fighter in his time, but he died peacefully in his sleep. So much for my theories that the burial site associated with dragons was a reference to him.

Meanwhile, Sylvar was making the rounds with several locals at the inn. Salvana, the owner, tipped him off to Dougal's abrupt departure immediately after he had spoken with Elian the Old. Fortune favored us because Elian happened to be sitting just a few tables away--or perhaps there isn't much going on in Winterhaven besides drinking Pelor's finest. Though he didn't care for being called "old," Elian certainly enjoyed putting away a few beers. The farmer's weathered appearance contrasted greatly with the soft, learned face of the man who accompanied him, Valthrun the Prescient. Valthrun was friendly enough and made polite conversation about Childwall and the art of wizardry. These pleasantries led us to exactly what we wanted to know: where was Dougal?

Elian sketched out a map for Sylvar, pointing out the burial site in which Dougal had taken such interest. It was an ancient site that dated back to before Nerath and was loosely associated witha dragon cult. Doubtlessly, the stories of this place must have excited our friend and scholar of history. When we regrouped that afternoon--dragging Morthos out of his private meditations but leaving Kanaan in a pleasant slumber--our party agreed to seek out the site and search for Dougal if he did not come looking for us first.

As we waited to the end of our appointed meeting, it became clear that the wait was worthwhile. Dougal did not appear, but the baron did. All business, Edmund Padraig quickly sized us up and offered a hundred gold to dispose of his town's kobold problem. "Something is getting them worked up. They haven't acted like this before," he warned. On a napkin nearby, he mapped out their den.

The details of this commission and the way we fulfilled it will be left for my next entry. While the act of helping a good community and ridding the world of evil pests is important, we were concerned foremost with locating our missing friend.

For this reason, when we set out along the well-traversed road from the gates of Winterhaven, we turned to the southwest--toward the burial grounds rather than the kobold lair. Taking no care to disguise our tracks or approach the site with secrecy, we were hailed loudly by the friendly call of a gnomish man who looked much too happy see us.

I was duped by the man's small stature and wide grin, but our ranger was not. Vanya, who often sees what I do not, hung back from the group as we were led up to their excavations. Two others were busily digging and taking care not to let their eyes meet us. That should have been enough to tip me off, but unfortunately it wasn't until a knife was thrust against the spine that I realized this gnome was not the amiable fellow he pretended to be. Though the tricky little man slipped in and out of my visibility, Vanya, Morthos, and Sylvar showed great strength and courage that would have made our sparring master at Childwall beam with pride.

With great effort and many prayers to Pelor, I kept my entrails from spilling to the ground. The foes were defeated and we happly discovered two things of great interest: a silver mirror with many ritualistic runes, and--stuffed inside an oddly-shaped cloth bag--our kidnapped friend Dougal.

"The suffering ends, and the sun rises again." -Illumination #4