The Silver Dragon at Jehrico

In the year 35 of the Third Age, Calanthi was looking forward to a period of growth and opportunity because they had doubled their land holdings, and with fruitful grasslands that would bear great harvests, for generations ahead. And then there was an ominous visit by The Silver Dragon in the Spring.
Nobody knows why The Dragon chose to make his announcement in Jehrico on that day. Some have speculated it was because the Dragon saw into the future and knew the role the people who happened to be in Jehrico that day would play into events. And so, The Dragon chose that time and place.
As the morning activities were getting started in Jehrico, the company of Illihambur were preparing to visit the town to do business and Bene Timber, the renowned Bard and Diplomat was approaching, someone sighted the approach of The Silver Dragon from the east. A commotion was raised throughout the town and the notable figures dressed to prepare for an audience with His Eminence. The Baron and his privy council rushed to the town gate expecting the Dragon to land in the high rock at the confluence of the rivers. And so this is what happened. The Dragon slowly circled and landed as gracefully as a beast of several tons is able, and he waited for those figures that dared to approach him.
It was well known in Calanthi that The Silver Dragon was not an adversary to the people, but nobody would call him "friendly", even though he had only been helpful to the nation. A dragon, even the metallic ones, are fearsome beasts that can wipe out scores of people in moments. They are also incredibly intelligent and wise. You won't defeat a dragon with strength and you won't defeat him with wit, but you will anger him if you try. In the years since Calanthi was founded there was never a credible account of any dragon being killed. But in spite of the fearsome presence, The Dragon has only been helpful, so the people wanted to know what this visit would bring.
The dragon had landed near the peak of the stone outcrop and waited, observing the people as they milled about and came closer. The Dragon understood that if he were to walk down the slope to them it would instigate a panic among the crowd, so he allowed them to approach at their own pace. The Baron knew he must greet the great lizard, because in The Dragon's mind his title of Baron was of little significance to him so protocol dictated that The Dragon be welcomed by the people and not the other way around.
The Baron was grateful to know Bene Timber was present. Bene Timber, being a gifted diplomat, would prevent any ill chosen words from being elevated into a conflict between them. Bene Timber had great respect among the nobles and the Baron hoped he had respect from the College of Dragons too. And as the Baron approached His Eminence, he could see Illihambur with Bene Timber approaching as well. And while the Baron has his privy council with him, the others came alone.
And at the appropriate distance, the Baron called out, "Hail and well met", as the Baron tried to shake off the fear inside him and emulate the Bards, "Your Eminence", and at that the Baron and his councilors bowed, "on this fine morning, we bid you to share what news you would with us." And the Dragon raised his head several feet and turned to face Bene Timber. Bene Timber stepped one foot forward and bowed and said, "Greetings from His Majesty and The Corps. I am pleased to see you again and I wish to place myself at your disposal, Your Eminence." Illihambur just stood without speaking but never took his eyes off The Dragon.
The Silver Dragon then surveyed the crowd and then directed his attention to Bene Timber and the Baron. As he spoke, his jaw moved, but it did not seem that it moved to match the words coming from his mouth. He said, "I have come with a message for you, the people of Calanthi, from the King to the newborn, all of you. You have fought the Orcs and sent them north. Now you fear they plot their revenge and scheme to attack you. It is right that they resent losing their hunting grounds in Calanthi just as it is right that you hold resentment at the commoners killed in so many orc raids. You celebrate your victories, but I tell you it is too early for celebration. A greater plague falls on the land in the north, and it moves south covering the land with darkness and despair. The plague will swallow you up unless you make an alliance with the Orcs against it. All your gains are nothing worth if you succumb to the plague." The Dragon paused waiting for a response.
Bene Timber was the next to speak. "Where will we go to find the Orcs so that we may speak together of this thing you tell us?" The Dragon responded, "You know The Men of the Wild. They know always where to find the Orcs. Go north and you will find the Orcs. But you know finding them is only the first challenge." The Baron spoke next. "How can we speak with the Orcs when they would kill us on sight? If we meet, it will only be in battle, not because we want it, but because they want it." And at this, The Dragon raised his head to its full height and flared his wings a bit. There was a commotion in the crowd and the baron and his advisors covered their faces with one arm. The dragon began to calm, lowering his head and furling his wings, and said, "After what happened over the past decades, you think the Orcs want battle with you? Did you not, for thirty years, want battle with the Orcs? You Mer and Men squabble over land. I have told you what comes. Do what you like." The Dragon appeared to be preparing to fly off in that moment. Bene Timber yelled out, "Forgive me, Your Eminence, the Baron says what he fears. He fears the wrath of the Orcs, and rightly so. The Orcs would fall on him like a hailstorm if they could. He asks, in his own way, if you could help him understand how a discussion with the Orcs would be possible. He does not challenge your wisdom inviting us to have the dialogue with The Orcs. I will speak with The Baron and the other people of Calanthi. I will help them see that at your invitation the time has come to have a new relation with the Orcs. We will be their equals not as warriors and adversaries, but as nations. We will do this because you tell us it is time. Thank you for your visit. We shouldn't detain you further and I can see there is somewhere else you wish to be. May the sun always be warm on your wings." And Bene Timber bowed again and stepped back a few steps to give The Dragon more room.
The Dragon seemed to smile at Bene Timber. Then he drew a deep breath that could be heard by hundreds, and exhaled. He took a step to begin positioning himself to leap in the air, and turned his neck to face Bene Timber. He said, "And some say I have a silver tongue. Well met, my friend." And as he completed his turn he took three rapid steps and leaped into the air and flapped his wings to gain speed. He circled a wide path over them as he gained altitude and then turned to follow the flow of the river downstream in the direction of the Capitol. Other than a gasp from the crowd as he leapt into the air and began flying, for it was hard to imagine how anything so heavy could fly, there was not a word spoken until the dragon was over a mile away.
When Bene Timber turned his gaze away from The Dragon, he saw the Baron mopping his brow with an handkerchief. Seeing Bene Timber looking his way, he stepped closer to him and said, "Thank you ever so much, sir. I never needed a diplomat so much and I will not forget what you did nor what you can do. Will you be staying in Jehrico? May I please extend the hospitality of my household to you?" And Bene Timber smiled at the Baron and said, "Thank you for your kind words. I did nothing more than my duty to the King and to you, one of His trusted nobles. I thank you for your offer, and, while I had not planned to stay, I would stay today with you. I do need to ask your help to have a few messengers put at my disposal as soon as I am able to write my correspondence. If you could also put a pair of scribes at my hand, and a quiet room to consider this matter, I could discharge my duties immediately." And the Baron bowed to Bene Timber, an act that was an inadvertent violation of protocol, and replied, "Of course. At once!" And the Baron turned and asked one of his advisors to have a carriage meet him and Bene Timber at the bottom of the slope to carry them back to the mansion.

Bene Timber was one of the higher ranking diplomats in the King's service. He was a "Diplomat Visitor" to a County and later to a whole Duchy earlier in his career, and this is a non-threatening way to say he was a member of the Inspector General's office in modern times; he was something like an Auditor to those nobles. He "visited" and assessed the health of the County(ies) and reported back to the leaders in the Diplomatic Corps on his observations. If he found something amiss, an investigation was likely to follow.
And now he has a new position as a Diplomat Visitor where he is allowed to visit any Duchy at his discretion, talking to the people, the authorities, the nobles and their councils and also with the other Diplomat Visitors from The Corps. This is the reason Bene Timber was traveling through Jehrico on this morning in the spring of 35 TA.

Illihambur is an important figure in Calanthi and he is not even a citizen of the country. Illihamber is the leader of a trading caravan from the nation of Colorova. Colorova is a mostly desolate place that has one advantage of lying along the important trade route to the east. The single commodity that comes from Colorova is Toco, a plant that has great leaves that are harvested, dried and processed into a substance that people enjoy smoking. Some places have tried to grow Toco, but nobody's toco is like Colorovan toco. So his caravan brings exotic luxuries and toco to Calanthi to trade and he has been doing this for a very long time. He now takes on a half dozen young men from his country and trains them to be caravan leaders.
Both Illihambur and Bene Timber have been in Calanthi for a long time. But how they met is a mystery to most people. But it is widely known they are now close friends.

Type

Statement, Political (Manifesto)

Besides The Baron and his privy council, there was another group present in Jehrico when the Dragon delivered his message. These were a group of adventurers traveling west with Illihambur's caravan that were hired to provide security to the caravan. The group included ...
Musq, a tall, calm, level headed human fighter from the coasts of Calanthi.
Featherfoot, a small inquisitive, to her own detriment sometimes, gnome beastmaster ranger. She grew up on the streets of Copernicus.
Ganny Gobs, another gnome, and a bard. She was old and living a new life after her children grew to be adults and left home.
Gurt, a broad dwarf always in the mood for a drink. He is a war cleric but would rather use his might than his wit.
Varris, an high-elf with a distinguished background developing his skills as a Vengence Paladin.
Zennom, a wood elf land druid who tolerates his mates but believes they are often too brash where he must come to rescue them.