Palaver Among Friends

“Something looms on the horizon, something unseen as of yet.” Arsten lamented to Kalina and Briar as they each relaxed beside a lighted brazier; warm scents of tobacco blanketed the Yawning Portal's wide central room embracing its patrons in good company.

“It’s called Greengrass and soon it will be upon us all,” Kalina said in a mock sinister tone. “An astute observation war-general obvious,” her lighthearted sarcasm usually well taken among friends fell lifeless in the flickering room.

“I see feel it too.” Briar admitted dourly. “It gathers like a shadow as sure as evening stalks the day- like Midsummer follows Greengrass.” Speaking of what would be their last day in the Realms.

“That is not what I mean.” Arsten said then took on a look of distant concentration towards the well as he looked for a way to explain what his gut was telling him. 

He took a drink of his ale. They were overlooking something and it pained him; it was just one reason Arsten was not sleeping well.

“It is like they, the cult and or the dragons and know that when I say ‘they’ I mean both, have at least one more ace to play.” Arsten said at length. 

“Another wish? We have each seen the result s of such powerful magic as of late." Kalina testified. "The dragons have found a way to permanently alter magic and not in the random way wild surges alter spell results, these are consistent changes.”

“Yes but these we know, my fear is that we have not seen the worst from the cult of the dragons yet.” Again Arsten struggled to articulate his instincts. “No, not the ‘worst’ that is wrong- maybe I mean the true purpose of the dragons and their collaborators.”

“They are our blood enemies from generations past, they mean to kill us.” Briar noted looking at her Samular kin. To Arsten Briar looked the youngest of them all not even old enough to drink.

“The cult appeases the dragons with some payback from the Crusades and the cult gains favor from the dragons. Simple really,” Kalina said oversimplifying their schemes.

“Yes but they too are affected by the godsfall like everyone else.” Arsten said with a note of emphasis in his voice.

“You are right! Just because the gods had their mischief and impose themselves on the realms does not mean the dragons have abandoned or even changed their goals.” Kalina said grasping Arsten’s meaning at once.

“We still are not sure as to what the dragons and the cult were doing against us before the time of troubles.” Briar said in an ominous tone, one of unknown dread.

“We know the cult was gathering Netherese magic and had a keen interest in artifacts from the Crusades to appease the dragons.” Arsten reminded Briar, “We have to assume that never stopped and that they too are close to their goals as we are.”