Scene: Tressa, Lord Uthna's Castle
Time: Midmorning

     One guard motioned for them to follow him.  He left them in an
empty receiving room.  T'rend laughed, "Now we'll see how upset Uthna
is at not getting a QueenRider.  All depends on how long he makes us
wait."

     Despite the older DragonRider's doubts, Lord Uthna didn't keep
them waiting too long.  After less than ten minutes, the bluff noble
came bustling into the receiving room. "Ah, DragonRiders!  Welcome to
Tressa.  Welcome!" Uthna practically radiated energy and good will. 
His black hair was streaked with grey, but his muscular body showed no
signs of aging.

     Mukale exchanged glances with T'rend.  The older DragonRider gave
an uneasy shrug, and addressed the Lord.  "Thank you, Lord.  I am
T'rend, Grall's rider.  This is M'kale, rider of Tarranx."

     Uthna looked at Mukale, seeming somewhat surprised at the
youthful appearance of the young rider.  "Greetings to you, T'rend and
M'kale.  And to your Dragons.  I am surprised that the good WarrenLady
did not send a QueenRider as part of her deligation."  His tone was
faintly accusitory.

     T'rend grinned at Mukale.  The younger rider nodded defeat, and
then considered a response.  "She would have, to be certain." he
soothed in his best trader's voice.  "Unfortunately, the Warren is
still recovering from the deprivations of the Wraiths..." he trailed
off.

     Uthna nodded encouragingly, with a muttered, "Filthy monsters."
as his only comment.

     Mukale continued.  "Between supervising the reorganization of the
caves, and assisting in the healers, our QueenRiders are very busy." 
He paused as if in regret.  "To be sure, once things have returned to
normal, that WarrenLady Waylene will see to the nicities of a proper
visit."

     Lord Uthna chuckled politely.  "Well spoken, M'kale.  However, I
presume that this present visit has some other purpose than to
demostrate the glib tongue of the Warren's young riders."  Facing
T'rend he nodded.  "What do I owe the pleasure, DragonRider?"

     T'rend smiled.  "The other day, myself, M'kale, and some others
were patrolling the hills to the east of here.  Another of the young
riders, Shard, rider of Chalecony, spotted a man tied to a stake."

     Uthna blanched white at the mention of the man.  "And...?"

     The older DragonRider waved at Mukale.  "The lad actually knows
more of what happened."

     Mukale returned T'rend's nod.  "Yes, Lord.  Shard landed, and
attemted to untie the man, as there were Wraiths coming.  In the end,
Chalecony uprooted the entire post, and took it to the Warren.

     "Our healers have examined the man.  They tell me he is insane. 
He speaks oddly... madly...  As if he were in league with the
Wraiths..." Mukale let his voice trail off suggestively.

     As he spoke, Lord Uthna had remained frozen.  Now he shivered,
and released the breath he had been holding while the DragonRider
spoke.  "We call them HellSpawn." he said at last.  "They are few --
fortunately -- but for every one that is killed, another appears in
his place."  He stood, and began pacing the room.  "The HellSpawn work
with the Wraiths.  Noone knows why.  But two attacks by the foul
creatures almost succeeded in the last year when HellSpawn worked
their way into a sentry position.

     "Our healers have tried to cure them... and failed.  When the
Townspeople discover one, they... do what was done to the one you
found."  He took a deep, shuddering breath.  "When my guardsmen find
one, the best I know how to do is give them a clean death."

     Mukale listened to the explaination with growing horror.  "How
long have there been HellSpawn around?"

     Uthna was morose.  "The first appeared two years ago.  At first,
it was thought to be a sickness of some sort.  The man was restrained,
and treated, but died within a week.  The second did not happen for
six months.  That was the first one to cooperate with the Wraiths
during an attack of the town.  Since then... its been one or two a
month...  Men... Women...  God!  Even children, twice!"  The anguish
in his voice was painful to hear.

     Mukale trembled in sympathy.  "Do these people have anything in
common?"

     Uthna smiled hollowly.  "You think we didn't look for that,
M'kale?  We did.  We found nothing.  Farmers and craftsmen.  Rich and
poor.  It seems to make to difference."

Fearfully Submitted,

Mukale and Tarranx

::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::
::=::=::      http://www.cs.uoregon.edu/~meckardt/       ::=::=::
::=::=::         [madmike@gladstone.uoregon.edu]         ::=::=::
::=::=::            [meckardt@cs.uoregon.edu]            ::=::=::
::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::
::=::=::        See the Dragonland Maps at:              ::=::=::
::=::=::   http://gladston.uoregon.edu/madmike/dl.html   ::=::=::
::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::

NRPG: Wecome to a new dimension of terror.

Kristen, does T'rend have any comment before we blow this popsickle
stand?




                Mike Eckardt
                 (He's mad.  Mad!  MAD I say!!!)