We needed
help getting into the dock at the All Clans Isle. A group of Council
vassals came out to take our tossed rope and pull us into dock.
We were greeted by a concerned crowd, which only grew when our
story began to be told. Lord Sutton, thank Io, was covered by
his cloak and firmly out of sight as our cargo was unloaded. The
majority of which, we had found out a few days ago, consisted
of cattle to be used for food for visiting dragons.
The All Clans
Isle was the site where the Council Aerie had been built, and
the home to the Council of Wyrms. The Aerie itself had been built
by vassals from every clan, stretches 16,000 feet from end to
end, and over 5,000 feet from the ground below. It had been built
from a single chunk of solid rock taken from the top of a mountain
on nearby Exauderon island. From start to finish its construction
had taken the vassals, and all of the dragons whom had helped,
fifty years of constant non stop work. The removal of the rock
from the mountain top and bringing it here alone had taken massive
amounts of magic.
The only visible
openings from a distance are 15 holes carved about the top of
the rectangular aerie. Each is meant for a particular dragon type,
and by tradition only those dragons may enter each portal. All
Clans Isle, the sight of this wonder, was mostly grassy plains
and rolling hills.
In this place
Lord Sutton had been born. By Council edict, every quarter of
a century, every clan must turn over at least one dragon egg to
the council custodians. The eggs are raised side by side, and
are tended by a group of elves, dwarves and gnomes. I wondered,
as he left our new friends behind, how he must feel coming back
here. To the place of his birth, and the place were the decision
to destroy his clan had been made. I knew that I harbored no few
conflicting emotions about the place.
Yes, I said
friends. The sailors, even Forlik to my surprise, had become that
in those few days of striving to survive. Battling back to back
with a person for your life tends to give you a respect for one
another. We parted company with bows and headed through the streets
of the small settlement. End game was nearing, and we both felt
it. We needed to make our way through into the Council itself,
and place our petition with the Council Custodian, Mykell, an
amethyst dragon descended from Starratiel herself. If another
found Lord Sutton first they could press charges for the resumption
of the trial against him. Which would keep us here for Io only
knows how long, and how it would end.
There are
a series of entrances along the base of the Council Aerie for
Vassals and Council Custodians to enter through. We headed for
one of these, passing more then one herd of cattle and cows on
the way, which were being kept as food for the dragons who were
presently here. We had nearly reached the nearest entrance when
our troubles began.
--------------
Laureine and
Jean Sutton walked side by side. It was hard for Laureine to walk
besides Lord Sutton, she kept wanting to walk a step behind him
and to his right, the traditional place for a Kindred. They had
nearly reached the first entrance, guarded, as always by two Council
Custodians dressed in the brilliant purple. Io's holy symbol was
prominently displayed upon there standard, an eight pointed star
with a central rising spoke. Just as the two elves, bearing bags
of recently bartered for food stuffs, approached intent on bluffing
there way inside, a group emerged.
The group
which emerged was made up of two dwarves, and four elves dressed
in vaguely familiar colors. Lauriene and Jean stepped aside, intending
to simply go around them, and enter the Aerie, when the lead elf
drew his sword and barred thier path.
"Why
if it isnt Jean Sutton, of clan Cloudkill. Fancy meeting you here."
The elf's face twisted into a sadistic smile. "I charge you
with breaking the Council mandate regarding Humans, and remind
you that you must immediately resume your trial."
