A Bright New Day

One bright morning, the town suddenly sees a flood of Draconian soldiers making their way to the tavern. They appear to be far more relaxed than usual, some of them not even in armor or armed, and quite chatty.

“So, what did you think of the Pri- I mean… The King’s speech?”

“I think he’s being far more generous than I would have been. Everyone who opposed him should be dead.” A Draconian with green scales says.

“What do you mean? That shit came out of nowhere. One minute we were training, the next we were defending the king. And that’s what we’re trained to do.” A yellow scaled Draconian replies.

“Yeah. Can’t fault all of us for doing our job. I think he’s doing the right thing.” A red scaled Draconian this time.

“Of course, you do. You just want to be all up in-“ The green scaled Draconian starts to say but the red scaled Draconian punches him in the shoulder. “Ow! Asshole…”

Inside, the tavern is full to bursting with soldiers. Drinks are being passed around as quickly as they are being made. A waitress squeals as a Draconian steps on her and he immediately looks over his shoulder and grunts an apology. The general chatter has them speaking so loudly to each other that they can easily be heard outside.

Wandering the streets of Volaire are groups of Draconian soldiers. They chat idly as they wander the streets. A few stop in at the Artisan’s Guild to take a look at the wares. A few Draconians hang out on the docks, careful to stay out of the way of any workers.

Overall, the chatter seems to vary from group to group.

But in general… The topic of conversation… is King Kalil.

The tavern buzzed with noise, Draconian soldiers filling the space with boisterous chatter. Maximilian sat at a corner table, his long black hair framing his sharp, angular face. He leaned back, one clawed hand on the table, surveying the room with calm intensity.

He had arrived early, intending to study the ancient tomes stacked beside his untouched cup of ale. Their faint magical aura intrigued him, but the Draconians’ sudden arrival disrupted his focus. Their relaxed demeanor was unusual and Maximilian’s instincts urged him to listen.

Their chatter revealed much: divided loyalties, debates over King Kalil’s mercy, and simmering tensions beneath their camaraderie. Maximilian took it all in, noting every detail—their words, tones, and the unease of those who avoided the conversation altogether.

Satisfied he’d heard enough, Maximilian stood, his towering form drawing uneasy glances. Without a word, he gathered his books into a satchel, leaving his drink untouched. Adjusting his longsword and shield, he strode out into the bustling streets of Volaire to find the Baroness and report what he had heard.

As the days go by, the number of Draconian soldiers in town returns to normal. The Draconians all seem to return to their daily tasks and patrols. 

One day, a Draconian with short black hair and piercing blue eyes steps out of the portal. There are yellow scales at his temples and some on his neck. He adjusts his uniform, which is decorated with medals over his heart. He looks around and then proceeds into town.

When he enters town, he makes his way to the tavern and walks up to a soldier standing outside. "Report."

The soldier salutes. "Commander! Sir! Nothing to report, sir! It's been a quiet day, sir."

The Commander nods. "Thank you, Private Aspen. You're dismissed."

The soldier dips his head and then walks off to return to his post. The Commander then proceeds into the tavern.

After receiving Maximilian's report, Jade can be seen leaving the embassy. She is walking into town with her flesh golem close by her side.