Occupation of Gateway

When Cateria saw dragon army major riding towards Gateway and started to follow him, she was just curious. And after she heard him talk with the local seeker commander about highlords offer, and threaten him, she still was just curious when she tried to find something more about it.
When Gateway guard recommended to her that leaving was a good idea and seemed nervous, she tried to pry some information from the seeker commander, but he didn't seem to like her, so she thought she'd just mention what she had learned to Krys or Seros.
Unfortunately she didn't find either.

No matter what she thought about Takhisis, or draconians, or the highlord Shneezel, she was not going to fight against the dragon army. It was the problem of the people of Gateway if their seekers where making deals with the highlord. But she knew Krys would care about what happened and what would happen was bound to be interesting... so Cateria went back to Gateway, telling her self it was just becouse it was better to know everything she could, if she wanted to stay alive in the middle of the dragon armies.
Refugees from New Ports were a sorry lot. It was interesting that the dragon armies hadn't just killed them all, and even more interesting that the seekers seemed to think that the invading army hadn't done anything that made them the enemy. So Cat sat and listenet and ended up having a little argument about gods and evil whith Shiverwind, while the red dragon army invaded Gateway.
She left whith Shiverwind and the idiot of Nuitari, after the highlord (who surpridingly ended up being a woman, not Shneezels (probably a good thing)) made a short bombastic speach while waving around a big flag.
Atleast she finaly wound Krys after the takeower and could tell him about it.

Finally, after traveling around Tarsis and Caergoth, Seros was back in Solace. And what are the news he hears from Cateria? New Ports and Gateway have been taken over by the Dragon Army. First there is confusion and shock. But after hearing a short version of the events from Cat, there is only anger. Again they advance further. Again they take freedom away from people and slay those who oppose.

Seros makes the decision to go see Gateway himself. Ember thinks that is foolish, but he only wants to gather some information, not cause any trouble. If he chances the armor into more casual clothes and leaves his horse behind, he shouldn’t raise any suspicions.
In the end both Ember and Cateria are coming along.

Just seeing the red banners makes his blood boil. Cateria told that New Ports tried to resist and paid the prize for that. Seros does not even want to imagine how badly things are in there. But he needs to keep calm. There are approximately 40 soldiers on duty all around the town. Seekers have joined their forces. Some guard dogs here and there. There is no knowing what the true numbers are and how many more will come. This is bad… Gateway would be perfect base to head for Solace and Haven. Not to mention the tribes. Something must be done and quickly.

He asks Cateria to give a message to his the friend of hers, Krys. Seros wants to talk with him. By the way Cat always speaks of him, the man sounds like the type of person who wants to do something to stop the army.

Cat leaves after promising to relay the message. Now it’s only him and Ember in the middle of the occupied town. If they just leave peacefully…

Seros is suspicious when the woman offers him to get on her horse. Do they need a hasty retreat or something? And why is she grinning like that? He makes sure Ember is not planning on punching any of the soldiers and only then he complies.

And then she goes and kicks one soldier on the face.

“Wha- You said you wouldn’t punch anyone!”

“That wasn’t a punch!”

“Oh you..! Nevermind, let’s just get out of here!”

They are chased all the way to the woods. Seros has to kill at least two of the pursuers. Damn… And Ember called him stupid. She is the crazy on here.

Cateria had already went to see both towns once, when she finaly ran into Seros. But when Seros said he wanted to see Gateway him self, Cateria disaided to tag along. She had just taken a quick look around at the both of the towns. And she still hadn't seen that highlord, or her dragon. And no matter what Ember said, she had told Krys she'd try to find out something about them... especially becouse she couldn't find that elf.
Besides. It would be good to know what they looked like, both the highlord and the dragon. That reminded her, that there were more things she sould ask about from Krys... And Seros wanted to see him too.

Getting in to Gateway and not drawing any attention from the soldiers was easier than Cateria thought. Even with Seros and Ember. Maybe loosing the armor really did make them look like any other Gateway citizen.They looked around, sat in the inn for awhile and just before Cateria left towards New Ports, she heard Ember saying something about hitting a soldier. She didn't really think about that, but after she had left the town, there was some commotion behind her.
Oh well. She told them not to get caught. If they did, it was their own fault.

The constant anger still followed Ember everywhere, even when she tried to hide it under all the blustering and joking. And the news about Dragon Army taking over New Ports and Gateaway didn't really help her to let go of that old venom.

It had felt good to kick that soldier in the face when Ember and Seros had made their way away from the town, but the aftertaste of it was just even more bitter that it had been before. She got herself mixed with the things she never wished to get part of. And she knew where her anger really was aimed to... or whom to. The Que-woman may have stayed aside if it hadn't gotten personal after that stupid staff and.. and..

(Even thinking about it made Ember grave after a drink... uh, definietly needed something stronger right now.)

Everyone at least seemed to think that the Dragon Army was going to take over in the end - at least little was done to stop it. Tribes would not yield, Ember was sure of it, and she herself would never agree to be killed or slaved by anyone.

Maybe.. maybe Seros was right when he had suggested that someone should go and try to talk with the Que-tribes. But would Ember be the best candidate for that? Perhaps not - she usually got what she wanted through intimidation and with a swing of her axe. Maybe that half-breed-elf could try and talk with Que-Teh at leat.. but her own tribe, Que-Kiri, would not welcome outsiders so eagerly.

(That drink. Now. All this worry over one stupid army made her so thristy.)

Prove of the situation in New Ports:





Eisenfaust takes a look around in New Ports. Smirking he mutters: "Them stupid ones!"