The Free Plain

A large raven, 4 feet tall, stares at Jarkoopi.  It keeps it's distance and follows.

As Vale and Jarkoopi had their exchange, Ignatius took the moment to step aside and finish a bit of... business, he had. Walking over to his young soldier, he looked him in the eyes. They were mostly white and stared blankly back at him, but there was still a spark behind them. Good! Glad I'm not losing my touch. I just hate to get swindled out of a good deal. He snapped his fingers, and the strings showed briefly as they severed. The young man fell to the ground, sputtering and coughing. Ignatius kneeled down and grinned. Well, young one, you are certainly a font of resilience. I wasn't even certain my magic could keep you resuscitated. Now, about our deal...

The soldier's eyes darted around frantically, and he struggled to speak as blood poured from his body with renewed vigor. "Bu... But sir! T-The deal was you help *cough* help us win-" Ignatius interrupted him. And help you I did. But as you know, there will always be casualties in war, and I'm afraid you have found yourself amongst them today. So, I believe I shall be retrieving my payment earlier than expected. He leaned in close to the boy's ear and whispered. I come to carry you to the other shore / Into the eternal darkness / Into fire and into ice. Placing his index and middle finger on the young man's forehead, he made a small circle on it and began to slowly pull back. The soldier stopped moving, and trailing behind Ignatius' fingers was a single white feather, seeming to glow softly as it seemed to materialize from the soldier's head. When it finally pulled completely free, the soldier fell back, limp. Dead. Ignatius stood and slipped the feather into his jacket, and returned to the quarreling dragon and man just in time to hear the scream. He was intrigued, though not particularly interested in investigating until Jarkoopi offered to come along. I would not turn it away, but it is not my decision to make. He smiled at Vale, glad his back had been to his activities just a moment before.

((I'm going to initiate a timeskip to the next morning in order to move the overall story forwards. If your character is still in a scene, feel free to finish that. You don't have to commit to the new time until you're ready.))

A squad was quickly formed in order to search for the straggler goblin, especially when word got around that one of their number was missing. Faisine's disappearance would not go unnoticed for long, especially after the battle when those who went on the mission to the enemy camp were accounted for in an attendance-call by Council Member Owyn.

The squad consisted of eight highly trained light rangers, specifically formed to track and scout over long distances. After spending time analysing any tracks (which was quite easy due to the previous rain that left the ground rather moist) on the outskirts away from the battle, they discovered what they collectively agreed to be signs of a struggle and kidnapping. With the correct set of tracks now in their sights, they followed after Faisine.

-----

The next morning, a great victory was celebrated with a breakfast feast. Goblin carcasses were burnt husks on the remains of a bonfire on the outskirts of the camp and several council-members were addressing soldiers and volunteers who had helped deal with the greenskin menace. Many people sat around open fires or at joined street-tables filled with sausages, bacon, eggs and breads and the morale of the settlers seemed to have been greatly improved.

All went quiet, however, when Owyn decided to make a small speech.

"Fellow settlers, last night our brave volunteers and soldiers proved that our dream of a better life for our families cannot be undone so easily. These Free Plains are where we have chosen to make our future homes and now, those homes can be built with earnest! Of course, many of you lost materials and resources due to what was undoubtedly a cowardly raid on our caravan, but we did not lose all. We still have enough to start laying our foundations and building our supports and in just a few short months our first fully-furnished community will be finished. Of course, the going will be tough. We will need to gather more resources, gather lumber from the trees and stone from the mountains, but with hard work and perseverance we can succeed!"

Suddenly, two of the volunteers from the previous evening stepped up onto the stage; Owyn seemed surprised and a little annoyed at the sudden appearance of Elden and Line, but it seemed they had something important to say.

Elden was the one to speak, his lip movements covering a grin. "Friends, me and my colleague here were two of those who went to try and deal with the goblin camp. Of course, it did not work out as expected but... Well, we have some rather good news. You see, as we now know, the entire thing was a trap. The camp was empty and destroyed, which leads to one question... Why would the goblins keep all those valuable resources there? Those wood planks, crates of goods, stonemason tools and stone bricks?"

"They wouldn't, obviously," Line butt in. "So I used my farsight magic to search for a certain sign of life-sign. Specifically that of the large, muscular oxen and horses that would pull wagons and carts."

Elden interrupted Line's butting in, exclaiming, "the goblins moved our resources and we've found where to! A large cave-opening at the base of the mountains. A treasure-cove of almost everything they stole from us and more! We've already told the commander of our new guard and they're taking steps to move it to our stockpiles as we speak!"

There was a loud cheer from the crowd, with several hats thrown into the air and the downing of early-morn' ale. Elden and Line were all but pushed into the crowd where they were greeted like heroes and forced to sit at waiting plates with food piled high, while Owyn chuckled and took back to the centre stage.

"Well then," Owyn picked up, "I guess it's better than expected. Alas, I have to dampen the mood with the announcement of my retirement from my position. These past several weeks, I have been something of an unofficial leader to my people and head of our co-operative council. It's time for me to step down and for a real system of government to be formed in my stead. The current council will no doubt stay on, but they have much to discuss in my absence as to who and how they decide to lead us. I would like to thank all of you for your continued support and for believing in our shared dream and I will still be here to help however is needed."

The crowd had gone much quieter. It wasn't a particularly sad announcement, but still shocking to many. Owyn merely smiled and made his way back to his tent to eat with his family.

The wildfire grew rapidly as the land dried out from the rain. This would cause the wildfire to grow fastly, charging across the fields and aiming to climb the mountains and forestry.

The hotash was not helping. The drier spots within the surrounding miles would begin sparking smaller fires in the plains that had oppurotunity to grow larger with every passing moment.

The smoke would darken the skies, making morning dim to the lands it covered. It would also make it very hard to breathe between the fire sucking the oxygen while mixed with carbon monoxide.

Even though the people in the Free Plains aren't directly in the effects of the wildfire, it was visible and moving their way. The challenge was theirs, but they should keep in mind that there is other warriors in the Free Plains and maybe the one who summoned the fire or the star on the mountain could help. What would they people do in the fave of this threat?

The overall position of Faisine and her captors would be difficult to determine by the scouts, what with the flames that crept closer to the settlement making sighting anything before them no easier than a silhouette against a bright light. Still, the tracks were followed carefully and surely and with every passing minute they would catch up to her with great speed.

-----

The settlers were now worried. The flames were not stopping as they previously hoped, but in fact drying out the moist land and creeping ever towards their possible destruction. It was time to do something, they knew, and so they collectively declared a state of emergency. Anyone not strong enough to aid were preparing to be evacuated towards the river, where the wooden barge-ship that bought the beast commander and his reinforcing soldiers the previous night would be able to ferry them across if all was lost.

However, it would not come to that. Anyone with the strength to lift one took all the containers they could find; buckets, bowls, jars and even blankets and clothing and filled or otherwise doused them with water from their well. Then, with carts and horses loaded with as much water as they could gather, every soldier and strong-armed man formed a line upon the plain and began to move towards the wall of flames in an attempt to combat it.

Hesk had come to the "Free Plain" after finding one of their notices and hoping that he would be able to join and start anew when he suddenly saw a huge fire raging in the area. He quickly run as fast as his four legs allowed him and crossed the river and then crossed it back at the camp to bypass the fire. He quickly offered his help in bringing water to the fire since apart from his own arms he could also bring people in his back quicker than they could run and if it all went wrong he could help in cruising people over the river to escape the flames, Hesk quickly dispelled those thoughts away and quickly grabbed two buckets, raised a startled farmer into his back and hurried to the fire while conjuring water blasts to help in extinguishing the flames.

Ten specs in the air appeared. They were moving extremely fast, circling over the fields. Only the sharpest of eyes could see them.

If anyone could see them, they would see ten small dragons that were mounted by armored elfin warriors. What they were looking for was unknown, but they were definitely scoping out the lands.

The smoke and fire was a hinderance to them. It was also a hinderance to anyone trying to spot them. Maybe they would go on their merry way, or maybe they would attack. Either way, they did not come any closer to the ground for the time being.

(This is strictly for Trogdor. It holds no effect on anyone but him. It can be sourced to the posts on the Free Plain Plataeu)

As Trogdor entered the Free Plains and took notice to Zaltos in the middle of the fire, something would attempt to create voices in the dragons head. It would be soft whispers calling to the dragon, telling it to come closer.

"Come, child of fire. I shall heal your wounds and wash away your anger. For the life of man is limited, but the children of fire are immortal. Do not fall to the hands of man, but rule their ways. Seek the fire, dragon, for he shall assist in their fall and work your revenge. All this is here...follow my way beside the Phoenix and glory is yours.." The voice spoke, having an angelic tone in it's masculine voice.

Obviously the voice was reaching out to Trogdor, wanting him to respond back.There was no exact point where it stemmed from, and it wasn't Zaltos. What happened next was up to Trogdor.

    Scared as all hell, Garo decided now would be a good time to leave. He'd be back, perhaps, to help the people of the plains another day. He and his wolves were in the middle of what seemed to be a land of great importance and destiny, a calling to all those much beyond himself, and that he may fall victim to wildfire or crossfire soon.
    He fell back, into the woods, with his pets. He felt good for helping the people of the plains against the goblins... but that's enough adventure for one day.