Auran nodded. "Thank you for your time Captain. Rest assured, we shall do our best. Continue your fortifications. We leave at dawn upon our quest."

After taking his leave, Auran returned to the inn, and made his way quietly to his quarters.

After shutting the door, he sighed, fighting the urge to collapse into a lean upon the wall. His armor felt heavy with the weight of his duty. He leaned his longspear, warstar and shield against one of the walls, then set about removing gauntlets, greaves, and breastplate. Each one in turn he cleaned meticulously, pulling out some polish from within his rucksack.

As he finished, the tools of his purpose gleaming back at him, he caught his reflection in the mirror-shined surface of his breastplate. Reaching up with one golden scaled hand he touched talon to cheek, the face that was not his own. Gone were his fair features, the high regal cheekbones, the elegantly pointed ears. It was the face of a dragon which stared back at him, fierce and regal in it's own way, yet alien. Even were he to return to his ancient homeland, there would be no one to recognize him.

Pushing the melancholy of his thoughts aside, Auran set about the chore of cleaning the rest of himself, bringing the same loving attention to his scales as he had his vestments. He may be an elf no longer, but he still had elven pride.

Once his ablutions were complete, the dragon-born returned down the stairs. Although he was in no great mood for socializing, it was perhaps best to discuss their plans for the next day before retiring to rest.