Dragonlance Chapter 1 Reunion

 Chapter 1 Reunion

Tanis and Tasselhoff were the first of the travellers to return to Solace and be reunited with Flint. A week later Tanis heard a strange tale about a woman with healing powers only a days journey away on the other side of the lake.

Taking Flint's cart he and Tass headed off to investigate. They were overjoyed to encounter Caramon and Raislin on the road coming towards town. As the four friends caught up on what had happened over the last five years two plainsmen came running out of the woods being chased by Hobgoblins and an Ogre. A short battle ensured during which the companions saw one of the two woman, who carried a glowing blue staff, calling up Mishakal and the wounds inflicted on the other women closed.

After the battle the two strangers introduced themselves as Goldmoon and Riverwind. Everyone returned to Flint's house in Solace to discuss what they had seen. Goldmoon explained they had been driven out from their tribe and were looking for a place called Xanadu. Raislin recalled this was an ancient trading city from the fallen empire of Istar but it was believed to have sunk under the New Sea. Caramon mentioned that the patrols of Seeker Militia they had seen were looking for a magical staff.

The companions decided to travel to Haven, the capital of the Seeker Lands, in search of maps for where this ancient city lay. During the two day journey there were many more refugees travelling south. They talked about demons from before the cataclysm having attacked Longridge, Northkeep and Staughton.  These were all said to have fallen to the invaders. Caramon helped by letting some orphaned children ride in Flint's cart. Goldmoon, and her kender prophet, started spreading the new Mishakalism religious as she healed the sick.

The gates of Haven were closed due to the shear number of refugees flooding into the city. Fortunately Flint and Tanis has some old business partners and, having loaded the cart with weaponry taken from the dead Hobgoblins were able to show they were here on business not actually refugees themselves. Raislin turned Goldmoon invisible so she could sneak in behind the cart as everything was being searched.

It was a good job Flint was rich, we emphasise was, as he had to pay for a large room at the low down dive The Steel Tankard. He had to pay even more for breakfast the next day!

First Raislin went to the university only to find one of the Highseekers, rulers of the land, had already removed all maps from the building. Next the companions headed to the great Temple Council Hall. Using magic an invisible Tasselhoff snuck into the building, broke into the war room and escaped having stolen the large map he found. He also took a small wooden horse he found that had "2nd Battalion" written on the base along with a note offering to not invade Haven in exchange for the blue staff signed with the initial V.

Getting a table at a posh tavern the companions examined the map and decided on their next plans. Sadly this was a war map of the local area with red crosses across most of the northern towns and another note written next to Qualinesti saying that the Elves, never the friendliest of folk, have closed the border.

Raislin and Caramon investigate and find there is a split in the Highseeker council between those who think returning the staff with protect Haven from the invaders and those who do not. Looking to play both sides for the best deal the brothers visit Highseeker Elistan when the rest of the party return to the Steel Tankard to rest.

Elistain is a troubled man having a crisis of faith. He talked about having visions of needing to send the prophet with the magical staff to Xanadu but not knowing if he can trust them. He agreed to pay the twins 100 crowns each if they can discreetly bring him the staff bearer.

The next visit is to Highseeker Locar who offers 500 crowns for the 'stolen' staff. He plans to return it to the foreign priests who have recently arrived in the city in exchange for a pack of non-aggression guaranteeing peace in our time. He said the staff bearer along with a kender jester have been spotted in the city and they are closing in on their location.

Caramon and Raislin hurry back to the inn passing road blocks as they go. Fortunately they arrive ahead of the Hold Guard who are performing house to house searches and get everyone out. Tanis calls upon his druidic training to mask the party while Tass is, once again, turned invisible allowing them to make it back to Highseeker Elistan's house.

The butler puts them in the pantry as Highseeker Locar is currently visiting. There is some talk about killing or subduing Locar but in the end everyone waits for him to leave. Afterwards Goldmoon and Elistan talk. Elistan had found a book about Paladine, the Celestial Paladin ruler of the old gods. Like Goldmoon he has been having visions and had collected information on Xanadu. He shows them where it is; the other side of the Eastwall mountains on the shores of the New Sea. Completely in the opposite direction to what the companions have travelled!

Elistain says he will get them out of the city but where will they go? Given a choice between the closed forest of the Elves, the dread Darken Woods or trying to navigate the dangerous white rage river the companions decided that Tanis, who grew up there, may be able to get them through Qualinesti.

Early the following morning the party cross the river into Elven lands and are stopped by two elves guarding the boarder. Tanis introduced himself to the garrisons leader Lotharis Moonsilver. Initiallly they say the humans must return but they will summon Gilthanas Kanan who is close by and Tanis can put his case to him. Not being a human Tasslehoff happily wanders into the forest and chats with the elves and finds out there is around 100 of them mostly concealed in the woodland.

Gilthanas, second son of the elven king, arrives. He is disdainful of Tanis's first offer of money to be allowed through the Elven realm and claims his adopted brother has only one things he can offer. To the shock of the companions who have known him for years Tanis public renounces his betrothal to someone called Laurana Kanan. After this a group of a dozen elves are assigned to lead the companions east to the old road bridge and the ancient broken road leading north. The companions spend the second night in a treetop village where they can rest safely listening to stories from the elves, many of the younger ones are worries about events happening in the seeker lands.