The Wizards' Scroll part3

When Quinten talked to the Company about the job, he had asked the twins, naturally, and Heljah. And Soren would be a good asset, to check the countryside for trouble. Quinten sent Heljah ahead to book passage with a caravan, and today they were headed out. Soren and Heljah were already with the caravan, waiting for the rest of the party to join up.

Valasar was suprized when Quinten suggested he come along, and despite himself his tail flicked with pleasure.

Valasar wasn't comfortable in Sharn. The city was crowded and loud, with buildings like trees that stretched forever in the sky, held there by some strange magic. These soft people lived stacked on top of each other, like termites in a mound, all bustling and largely unpleasant. He longed for the open forests of home.

"So, where is this village, anyway?" Han asked Quinten. He walked a little behind and to the right of Quinten as they left the small apartment that served as Company headquarters. His brother Kol shadowed the left.

"We'll take the freeroad to Sterngate. It's a couple dozen miles to the northeast of there." Quinten said casually.

"Woa, in Thrane? Do they know we're looting an old village of their's?" Han looked nervous, an expression unusual to his face.

"It's not looting, it's salvaging. The wizard is an ex-patriot of Thrane who works at the Morgrave University."

"So they don't know." Han shook his head and laughed. "You didn't tell the Captain that part of it, did you?"

"Relax, it's up in the mountains, no one's gone there in years. As long as we keep a low profile, no one will care." Quinten said as he led the group down, down to the harbor. The streets were getting more crowded. Valasar wrapped his cloak more tightly around his scaily head. In this quarter of the city, the residents were often unfreindly, green-skinned beings, that the soft people called goblins. It was wise to avoid attention.

"That's what they said in Quebra." Kol commented. These soft people used strange voice tones, that seemed to change the meanings of the words. It was difficult for Valazar to catch the meaning, at times.

"Thrane, Morgrave, Sterngate? What are these places?" Valasar was cocked his head to one side and glanced at Quinten.

The leader of the group looked back and smiled, a movement that involved revealing the teeth and narrowing the eyes, meant to be reassuring. "Sorry, Scales, sometimes we forget you're not from the Continent. Sterngate, where we are headed, was a military outpost during the War. It marks the border between Breland, where we are, and Thrane."

"And the tribe of Thrane would not let us trespass on their territory." Vasalar nodded. "So we must be cautious."