Magellen’s Journal

July 1993

Exhausted entering Forked Bridge, I went directly to The Prancing Pony, hoping Julip was still barding there and that he wasn’t off adventuring. The inn was busy and a small band was on the stage with people singing and dancing. Not my usual type of inn, but I was hoping for Julip’s help and at least I knew that the brawler blocking the way to the upper floors wouldn’t let the riff raff up.

Forcing my way to the bar, an oaf of a goliath was lifting a keg into place, ignoring me while he placed the tap and filled a tray full of steins. Annoyed I finally threw a gold at him, the shiny coin glittering through the air and attracting more attention than I had wanted. It bounced off of his shoulder and landed on the tray he was working on. Finally turning to look at me, he smiled, which did not seem genuine, but I took it anyway and asked him if Julip was still working here.

As he strode over, I realized just how large this man was, clearly over a foot taller than me, and probably three times as wide. I slid my hand down to my spell book thankful that I still had force cage prepared. Looking down at me he informed me that Julip was off somewhere in Phinwyn and he wasn’t sure if he was coming back… and then politely picked me up and deposited me outside the bar.

Glad that was all I got for throwing a gold coin in the middle of a bar, well, at least I know I’m not getting any help here; though I’ll have to watch for footpads. Heading to the Book Nook Cellars, my personal favorite inn in Forked Bridge. Walking through the city I realized it was later than I thought the sun already going down and the candles and glow bulbs being lit around the large town.

Entering the quiet establishment the same gentlemen, who is always on, takes my pack to a room and gets a private bath started, before informing me the kitchen will bring out a small tray of food with a decanter of the inn’s whiskey to my room. Taking in the smell of the old tomes and the bags of grain and buckets of mash in the cellar distillery, I felt like I was home again. Very rarely do I come across another patron here and if I do there is a polite nod or possible inquiry on about a book that each of us is reading, no more. Perfect place to relax after a hard journey.

Sitting in my bath, I weighed the pros and cons of asking around about the dragon. If I caused worry or a rumor got out of hand, people might try to attack it, it seems dangerous, but not necessarily evil. If I don’t at least warn people it could end up attacking, if it doesn’t get enough cultists or tributes. I wish I could have gotten it to talk more. I think I will do some research at the library before I go. I don’t know what their dragon section looks like, but I may get lucky.

Entering the library the next morning, I found a school class being read to by a tabaxi dressed as a pirate reading some silly nautical book to children who, in my estimation, were far to old for such silliness. Finding the librarian to be a competent autognome that has been programmed with all the books in the library. It brings me to a section on fauna with a microsection on reptiles and dragons. Grabbing all the books that seemed appropriate I sat and ready as much as I could about dragons, specifically, green dragons.

Not much information seemed right or if it was correct the depictions didn’t seem to match this “Aurora”. Finally in a journal of a professor at the Simic University I found a reference to an emerald dragon. He met one that was transformed into an elf, they were quiet and did not want to talk of their draconic nature. They wanted to be left alone in seclusion amassing knowledge over coins, artifacts over gems.

Leaving, I once again realized how late it was, I could hear the bards in the inns as I mulled over what I learned at the library. It took me a moment before I recognized I had been stabbed, as someone grabbed for my book, I was quickly able to touch the book and cast disintegrate on my attacker. Regretting the action almost immediately I heard footsteps running away behind me and realized that maybe it had been the best course of action. I do wish I could have questioned them. Looking back the others were out of sight.

Getting back to the inn, I mended my clothing and went down for dinner, perusing their library for information on orcs, dragons, or any new spells that I could learn while I was here. Learning more about orc biology than I truly cared to know, I finally went to bed, deciding that it was time for me to move on in the morning but towards the capitol to try and get help or start heading towards the pass. I’m still unsure.

Prancing Pony

Book Nook Cellars