(5e) Something to Call Home: IC Thread

[Trevethan Norn]

Something to Call Home

Something to Call Home Recruitment Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?527834-(5e)-Something-to-Call-Home-Rags-Riches-and-Reputation&p=22112833#post22112833)

Something to Call Home OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?527838-(5e)-Something-to-Call-Home-Rags-Riches-and-Reputatio-OOC&p=22112892#post22112892)

Something to Call Home Dice Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?527835-(5e)-Something-to-Call-Home-Dice-Thread&p=22112843#post22112843)

http://pre15.deviantart.net/60f3/th/pre/i/2011/277/5/1/the_inn_by_edli-d4bt320.jpg


21st Day of Kythorn


Darkhold: 1st Watch

A wind, born in the highest folds of the Sunset Mountains, soared and screamed with an elemental fury past a thousand black cloaks, snapping banners tight against their staves, and causing the tasseled streamers of the shining lances to reach out as if in search of new prey. It echoed and moaned as it crossed over the ridge and hurtled through the cracks in the aged fortress, stark against the pale fingers of first light. In the wake of that wind, the dragon banner on a field of black and gold seemed to hang as if yearning to take flight from the castle walls. It left as quickly as it had come, eagerly racing away to the east, towards softer lands and to war.



Skye – Marlyle Estate, 5 miles from Middlerod: 1st Watch

The marquis had been definitely lying about his means; Skye in fact wondered if he was truly a marquis at all. More likely, he was some jumped up merchant who was content to grandstand himself to peasant towns he saw as too obtuse to realize a noble when they saw one. Either way, the night had not been wholly unproductive.


Skye cautiously slipped one arm along the stone gutter overhanging the ivy-encrusted manor and quickly wriggled out of the leaded glass window. She quickly pulled her lithe figure up and over onto the roof before rolling to her feet and gliding towards the giant oak which dominated the small courtyard and manor alike. It was the work of seconds to jump out, grasp a branch, and pull herself into a position where she could sit in peace, obscured from view of all but the small path leading up to the estate.
As she sat, she pulled out a sugared plum pilfered from the table last night, and a small brown pouch. In it, she found a ring bearing a sort of seal and the detritus of a relatively wealthy man; 4 fat gold pieces, each with bite marks, 1 comb of some white material which Skye had not previously seen, and one silver tube, enriched in filigree and sealed around its waist with emerald green wax. Upon the wax were the initials A.G., superimposed on a stylized griffin. Curiosity had her by waist, but her life since the loss of her parents had taught her that people who paid for information seldom appreciated initiative on the part of those they paid to acquire it.


Deciding that her patron would not care about the coins, nor the comb, Skye quickly placed the pouch on a leather halter around her neck and resumed her exit. She was almost to the bottom when a violent wind shook the oak so violently that it nearly bent horizontal to the ground. As she clung desperately to her foothold, the branch gave way and she was thrown over the estate wall. The impact of cold water, was welcome on such a hot summer day, but the green scum which slid down her hair and breasts enhanced the feeling that her day had taken a turn for the worse.



Valgerda – The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Valgerda, having been used to the appreciative and boisterous listening of the mead hall, was greatly disgusted by the sodden mess that lay before her. None of them understood the art which she attempted to mirror. In truth, she would have to admit that she was not mirroring the art of Bragi as much as she was mutilating his tale, but these common folk of Faerun had no taste for great deeds and great tragedy. Valgerda, having been used to the appreciative and boisterous listening of the mead hall, was greatly disgusted by the sodden mess that lay before her.

The inn had been packed for the last week and the innkeeper was running out of stores as fast as travelers could toss gold at her. To think that gold was being tossed around in this mean hovel of an establishment, with no mead, nor even proper ale to lift the spirits, only served to reinforce Valgerda’s belief that the Valkjur had deliberately thrown her to the world with the least chance of success in ascending. If she had not been told to seek out the help of these folk, she would have walked as far as possible until she could have found some mighty hillfort. Surely a people as cowed as this were dominated by a warrior caste.

Despite her overly bitter assessment of the crowd, which unfairly was comparing the halls of the Aesir to mortal peasants and mercenaries, there were not a few men of varying ages who carried themselves as characters with the ability to confront danger. In the back, far into the depths of the inn, where little of the firelight reached, sat a large and imposing figure. As he watched her, Valgerda could see faint tusks catch the light whenever he grimaced in apparent pleasure. From what she could tell, he was wearing heavy chain, while the long dark shape at his back spoke to a brand of some considerable size. Feeling that he looked the least incompetent of the lot, she made the mental decision to start her quest with him.


With a quiet and contemplative flourish of the lute, the sun rose over the fields of the dead, the valkjur descended to recover those whom Valhalla sought, and the bard moved towards the back, never taking her eyes off of the shadow-cloaked man.



Shadow – The Shop, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Shadow flipped the dagger he always kept on his person tip-down into the wood between his two middle fingers with a loud crack. The only customer in Kurgan’s shop twitched nervously, causing his swaying chains of office to rustle loudly in the otherwise overwhelming stillness. Whether because of the eerie glow of the brazier behind James, or because of the demonic heritage which was his curse, it seemed that the magistrate from the next town over had every reason to believe that the Tiefling could cut out his heart at the slightest provocation.

“I meant no harm, ye understand, it’s just that our folk have had a hard time since the opening of the many inns in this town. They take first stock of all the merchants out of Iriaebor, leaving nothing for our industrious innkeepers. We have been sold brown bread that I pledge could serve as bricks in the tower! Your master was to help us with securing better provisions and rerouting some of the traffic!” The overripe official managed to regain some of his normal arrogance as he remembered the just nature of his underhanded deal. “Ye were to discourage travelers from making their rest for the next several leagues, at least! Tell me what your master Kurgan has done? Nothing! I want you to fix my problem, since it is now your problem!” Turning as quickly as his rotund self would allow, the magistrate stormed out and up the dank cellar stairs to the brewery above, leaving only the green light and flickering flames of the brazier which had been lit for James’ own amusement.



Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

The bard played with higher than normal skill for the town, that was a certainty, but something was missing from the performance. That ‘something’ Reynard could innately sense, but not describe, filled him with memories of disappointing lost battles and even reminded him of Henry. While it had been years since regret was tied to any notion of his half-brother, it still made him shift awkwardly in his seat. Carefully chosen to afford an expansive view of both entry points to the inn and still remain out of eyesight from all but the stage, Reynard had an unparalleled platform from which to observe this new torrent of refugees.

From whence they came, he did not know; too many stories of raiding orcs to the south, too many stories of increased banditry from the east, and too many people all-together in this small village. In truth, Middlerod had swollen to seven times its customary size for nearly 3 weeks, though none had noticed it except to happily pocket the inordinate amount of coin which many travelers shed in their flight. This bard was different from the others… There was some aura or quality about her that mad Reynard watch more closely. She carried herself like someone who looked for challenge and who would run towards a fight, not away. It might have been that he could not place her race amongst the kin of the world, but there was something more…

Whatever quality he noticed, he realized that he would soon have a chance to find out as the bard locked eyes and held the contact as she finished her song and made her way to the table.



Colette – The Hermitage, 1 or 2 miles from Middlerod: 1st Watch

Colette tossed a sweat-drenched lock of long black hair out of her eyesight and gently nudged it back under the restraining tie from which it had sprung. It would never do to add hair to the current alchemical batch, a torrid brown liquid which she mistrusted in every way. Despite her excitement over new possibilities for mitigating fevers and general maladies, she was not about to indulge herself in excessively interesting and accidental experiments.

The past few weeks had been an exhilarating series of successes; she had first managed to cure all the sore-root afflicting the townfolk and sparing them a death of starvation. She was barely completing her notes on the prior success when she discovered a wonderful new salve which staved off the worst hunger pangs of the many travelers that had started pouring through the region. Finally, she hoped that tonight would be the night that she could cure blackeye. For generations the Greenfields had been plagued by this disease, and only those in the Greenfields ever contracted it. What began as a graying of the white part of a man’s eyes progressed rapidly into necrosis of the appendages, tongue, and genitalia within three days. No amount of bleeding, miracle, or other alchemical and arcane intervention had proven effective. It was small wonder that wishing someone a black eye had come to be a criminal offense under threatening harm within the counties of the Greenfield.

As she refocused on the task at hand, Colette noticed pools of sweat drenching her clothing, wrists, and forehead. Deciding that a break was in order, she carefully stoppered her test series and swept out the door, into Andreas’ library. While nothing belonging to her brother would ever be considered light reading, Colette had found that being in the room of so many past adventures allowed her to relax. Several times since she had returned to the family estate she could have sworn that she heard his voice, as if from far off. However much she wished to see his face, it was clear that that would not happen while at home with her memories. As she moved aside a clutter of papers on her brother’s desk, she saw a tiny glitter of gold on ancient vellum.

She moved aside the rest of the academic detritus and uncovered a small folio, perhaps a hands-breadth in size. The gold writing which had caught her attention were inlaid with electrum or some similarly prized metal, and offset the tiny runes inscribed around its border. Whoever had created this work was clearly a high master of the art of printing and arcana, both. Even Candlekeep would have been proud of possessing this little volume.



Gindlewin – The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Tonight’s bard of choice was exceptionally brilliant. It had been some time since Gindlewin had managed to get in for a good drink and a meal; barristers work always seemed to increase when population rose, and Middlerod’s constabulary was understaffed and over-utilized. A natural early riser, Gindlewin instead had been forced to become a creature of the night as he put in long hours covering the needs of justice brought home by hundreds of travelers and refugees. It was only happy accident then, that he was here to enjoy the bard’s songs of far off lands and mighty warriors.

As if to highlight his good fortune, Gindlewin noted that he still had the new tome to pour over. He had acquired it as compensation for his services before the magistrate in the case of a young thief. While the thief undoubtedly had stolen the bread in question, none could prove it, and Gindlewin’s heart had gone out to the starving urchin. A few words to the right people had seen him dusting library shelves for the last 3 weeks as part of his sentencing. The lad had been thankful, and had graciously offered to part with what the gnome suspected had been another incident of impromptu acquisition. One look at its contents, however, had smoothed over any guilt he may have had about possession of property of dubious ownership; it was clearly an arcane text, though the language itself was not one he recognized. The shear thrill of a potential discovery practically ignited his nervous system, and made him hyper-aware.

He noted how the bard and the half-orc in the back seemed to be having silent conversation throughout the performance. The fact that they seemed to connect was as obvious as if they had been spell components. As if to confirm his observation, the bard finished a quite thrilling tale of worthy battle and sauntered before the doughty warrior. His naturally garrulous nature seemed to propel him out of his seat. Tonight would be a night of discovery, or nothing at all! The dead could keep their sleep; Gindlewin preferred to hunt knowledge. The decision made, the portly gnome threaded his way through the inn towards the back table, flagging down a nearby barmaid and requesting 3 mugs of the innkeepers reserve as he did so. Free drinks always helped ease a conversation with interesting people.



Evodine – Market Street, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Evodine Marielle Kallam had been raised in the finest quarters in Nashkel, safe from the roughest winters the Cloud Peaks could furnish. Still, she wished at that moment that she were in the meanest hovel on the highest steading rather than concealed in the musty and slimy thatching. The summer heat had not prevented a heavy downfall in the past week from soaking heavily into the thatching and there festering into some hot abomination of pressed straw, pigeon dung, and who knew what else. All of the waiting and disgusting odors would be worth her wait, however, if she managed to corner the magistrate from the next village over.

Enough experience of her familial dealings, combined with the teaching of Karash, had given her a nose for corrupt dealings and she intended to find out which of the preceding weeks troubles this fat overseer had created. She strongly expected that the recent string of robberies, spoiled grain, and general larceny were for the benefit of other competitors, but lacked enough proof to go before mayor, much less the count. If only she could corner him and beguile him with the offer of a partnership or some other task which would gain his trust. Good grain did not spoil in a day, no matter the weather. People were starving in the further sprawling homesteads and justice should be served.

After what seemed like an eternity, as the pale fingers of dawn reached over her hiding spot on the low-slung roof, she saw the rotund and balding official emerge shakily from the brewery. He must have been providing rare patronage to Kurgan’s workhouse, as everyone with finer tastes could not stand the deep brown ale for which he was known. Truly, the ability of the beverage was an incredible aid for increasing both headaches and a loss of inhibition. This town official was no stalwart mercenary to be drinking from dusk ‘til dawn, and he showed his indulgence by shouting and singing raucously in an off-key voice as he reeled down the lane towards the stable on which she lay prone. While she doubted he could ride far, it would be wise to stop the fool before he could kill himself and so lose all proof of ill-doing. The jump would not be far, and she doubted that he would even notice her descent in his inebriated state.

[Phelan Boots]

As Valgerda finished her performance she locked eyes with the man, she was not about to allow the only true warrior in the room escape until she at least got a story out of him. As she got closer, and saw the tusks, she knew then why he seemed familiar.

Ah, another half-Orc, I met some of your tribesmen to the south about a month back. I thought I glimpsed a warrior, but why do hide back here in the shadows? Surely someone with your prowess must be a celebrated hero of a muck hole such as this?

As she spoke, she plopped down in the seat across from him, leaned the chair back on two legs, ordered two heavy meads from the barmaid, and began strumming idly on her lute.

"I don't suppose you have a tale of heroism and valor that you would care to share with me?"

[CelestialBard]

Of course. Skye thinks, scooping the thick muck from the watery pocket formed between her chest and her leathers. She flicks her hand to rid herself of the gunk but with a shake of her wrist comes a shooting pain that races up her arm. Her teeth grind as she wills back a groan, no need to make more noise than she already had. Some burglar, huh? She stifles a laugh now too, which comes out as a barely audible snort of air.

What is this, anyway? A moat? Tsk, 'Rich' people. Floating in the water, she looks around and quickly discovers that it was not, in fact, a moat but rather an ornate cement fountain.What are the odds?
Glancing around, her eyes dart to the tree branch that snapped, now floating with her in the grimy pool. She tilts her head up and squints in the dark, looking for where the perch was once attached to the tree and what angle she would've landed had she been positioned differently. I suppose it's better than dropping 40 feet into the dirt and breaking something. Still going to leave at least a bruise, though. Thanks, Tymora. Could've been worse. She massages her left elbow, which she must've cracked against the bottom of the decorative stone upon impact.

Wading through the water, she uprights herself and finds that it is not very deep; her feet find purchase on the bottom and she can stand to her full height with much of her torso still above water. She makes her way to the edge and hoists herself over it, wringing as much of the dirty water out of her layered cloaks as possible. The thick heat will dry her off eventually but it's better to not be weighed down and create a track of mud in the meantime.

Briefly grabbing at the pouch to be sure her treasures remain undisturbed, she is relieved to find that there's little to no damage. It's not as if i'm getting paid to bring back the queen's precious crown or nothin'. It was just some tube. Whatever, a gold piece is still a gold piece. But... She pushes the curiosity out once more; that's how you lose a hand. She limbers up and, with a deep exhale, starts into a jog back to the closest outpost, dreaming about the grand feast she'll have upon returning with her quarry.

[Shinimasu]

"What the devil...." she murmured softly out loud to herself as she turned the book over in her hands. Where had this come from? Had it always been here? Colette felt as if she would have remembered something like this, or that at the very least Andreas would have shown it to her. He always liked to brag whenever he found something especially noteworthy and this seemed especially noteworthy. No it must have been acquired sometime in the space between her absence and his. Sometimes it was so easy to forget how long she had been away from home, the time spent in Candlekeep seemed like hardly any time at all even though it formed the majority of her adult life.

The notion was further reinforced when she sank into one of the large plush reading chairs and sent up a small cloud of dust, grimacing as she made a mental note to at least attempt to clean in here. If he ever did come back he wouldn't be happy to see she'd let his things lay here neglected even if she wasn't the best at keeping a tidy house. Dusting the furniture could wait though, for now she was much more interested in thumbing through the pages of the book to see if she could parse what the little volume had to offer her. To try and figure out why Andreas hadn't used it as his own ticket out of here, but had instead left it behind. If indeed he was the one who had left it at all.

[Fishybugs]

https://neverwintervault.org/sites/neverwintervault.org/files/project/24814/images/1273009158fullres.jpg
Evodine Marielle Kallam ( http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1248427)
First Level Rogue
HP: 9/9 AC: 14

The night seemed to stretch on forever. Evodine ran through mental exercises taught to her by Karash intended to keep herself alert. One, three, five, seven, eleven, thirteen, seventeen, she began for the third time. She always got lost around 179, but it kept her mind occupied. She shifted her position to get comfortable again as she thought she would have been much smarter sitting in the alehouse watching the man than on a pointed slate roof.

Evodine shakes her head in disgust at the gluttonous man. She flinches as she hears a screeching or howl of a wild animal, looks around quickly to make sure she is in no danger, then winces as she realizes he has begun to sing. Gods, that's awful. She watches the man walk her way...well...this way and that, but in her general direction. As the "singing" grows louder, she thinks to herself that she has to do something to shut him up.

She lets herself down off the ledge of the roof as quietly as possible and follows the man into the stable. "Good morning, sir, she begins. "Out for a morning ride?"

[Dain Broadbeam]

James listened in silence as the man spoke, eyes locked with his, unblinking. “Of course, sir,” James replies, barely keeping his contempt for the man from his voice. Arrogant bastard he thinks as the man leaves. “What have you gotten us into this time you old fool…” he mutters as he gathers his dagger and quarterstaff. He gives the man a few minutes before he follows up the stairs as the brazier returns to its natural colour. As he reaches to open the door he mutters a short phrase, and his eyes shifts to a more “human” looking eyes.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow looks around in the common room and squints as the morning lights streams through the door as the last patron leaves. Looks like the bugger had enough and left. He stands still for a moment considering going out to see if he can catch up to the magistrate Gah, he's probably far gone by now. With that Shadow saunters over to Kurgan and drops down in a low chair next to him with a grimace. One, just one "normal" sized chair, would that be too much to ask?. Out loud he asks "So my friend, what sort of trouble have you gotten us into this time?" As he speaks he removes his hat and drops it on the table and leans back, both hands behind his head.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Reynard tensed as the bard started towards him. People did not approach him often. He was hardly the sort of figure whom people would seek out for conversation. That meant the woman was looking for something. Either someone to fight against her or beside her. He hoped it would be the latter.

He leaned back in his chair and let the shadows fall across his face. So far he had avoided being seen without his hood up, but he wondered how long that would last. Many of these refugees were fleeing orc raids to the south. What difference would it make to them that he had human blood in his veins? An orc and a half orc are not far removed. He was well aware of that himself.

He rubbed his father's ring absently under the table as the bard came up to him. She did not seem threatening. So it was the latter then. Reynard relaxed slightly and raised his tankard in greeting. Good evening, my lady. I thank you for your song. I have not heard such fair music in many a month. May I buy you a drink to show my appreciation?

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye – The track towards Middlerod, 2 miles from Middlerod: 2nd Hour


Skye alternated her pace returning from the Marlyle estate from a jog, to a trot, to a walk, and back. Many years of hard living had at least given her some practice in moving efficiently over the countryside and she put it to good use as the countryside rolled steadily past. She found the breeze slowly caressing her soaked frame to be a welcome break from the oppressive heat of summer. Whatever protection she was afforded by her leather padding did not extend to shelter from the sweltering humidity that dominated the Greenfields in prime growing season.

As she ran, she stewed over the contents of the tube. It wouldn't pay to pry, but she would be damned if she did not try to lurk around Kurgan's shop to see if she could overhear or spy on his use of the items. He had not specifically asked her to return with the item in question - only to return with a summary of the truth behind this newly minted marquis. On that score, she was certain that the Marquis d' lafeyette was a phony. He was a paper and wine merchant from Scornubel, or she did not know an acorn from an oak tree. What had not been answered was what a merchant from Scornubel was doing this far south in a middle-of-nowhere town like Middlerod. He should have left at first sight of the oncoming hordes of refugees. At the very least he could have made a good trade heading west along the road to Candlekeep and Baldur's Gate.

So distracted was Skye that she failed to notice anything was amiss until a creaky voice called out to her from a copse of trees some 20 feet from the road to her right. "Hello miss! And where might ye be off to so early? Hmm?" The voice belonged either to an old man or a woman of middle age, though she did not see its owner. "Well nevermind that, lady. Put your bow and sword down, throw your purse out onto the road well away from you, and you'll not see harm done." At the moment's hesitation by Skye, the voice cracked out, hard as iron, "Drop it! Now! We have arrows aimed at your tiny little heart, and we never miss!"

[Trevethan Norn]

Colette – The Hermitage, 1 or 2 miles from Middlerod: 1st Watch

The simple yet refined nature of the folio intrigued Colette to no end. It was flexible, if old, and made of some sort of vellum, yet try as she might, it would not open. It was nerve-wracking to have something so obviously arcane in her hands and yet be nowhere near figuring out its nature.

As Colette tried different words of opening which she knew her brother had favored for a few of the secret compartments in his room, the small volume lay on the desk unchanged. She uttered a curse her father had only ever utilized on one or two occasions and heard a small crack. Startled, she shot straight up in her chair as if stung. On close examination, the volume was still untouched, but the desk itself seemed to have shift slightly along the left hand side. If not for the noise and a slight shift in the piles of scrolls, she would never have noticed the change.

[Trevethan Norn]

Shadow – The Shop, Middlerod: 1st Watch

The black-haired dwarf barely even glanced up at Shadow. He was a dour dwarf, and took pleasure in hard work and focus. Kurgan waited until the last customer had left for some minutes before chuckling, "I have gotten us into no trouble. That fat fool of a magistrate has received the services he paid for; slighting of the east road and better goods forwarded to Lagtower.40 gold pieces he paid for our services and he thinks I will harm my own folk and the town. Pha! More the fool, he! There is crime and their is villany; I am not willing to be the latter!" The dwarf furrowed his brow as he inspected a miniscule amount of dirt on the last of the earthenware steins. "Speaking of fools lad," his voice was a deep slow rumble, "you've been one too, lately." At Shadow's motion of protest, Kurgan cut downward with his free hand in a chopping motion, "Enough! I know that you are consorting with dark types. You are moving outside of 'normal crime'. No, do not protest. We both know you have been consorting with eldritch powers of late. I can understand wanting a source of power in the face of these rumors of war, James, but I cannot allow my own son to fall into the trap of becoming what everyone fears his heritage will bring... You are better than that!"

As if the fear of James giving way to his supposed hereditary nature had galvanized him, Kurgan slammed the stein onto the hard table and pushed himself up. He paced back and forth, looking at the door and at James in equal measure. "That damned fool of a magistrate has too much power, as cowardly as he is, and will use it if he thinks his deal has not been fulfilled. His town of Lagtower is too close to the Black Talon garrison, and they are too friendly, by half." He stopped and turned to stare out the sunlight peaking through the vaulted windows in the ceiling. Suddenly, he spun around and slammed his hand onto the table in front of James. As he withdrew his hand, James saw a small black pouch, plump and slightly clinking in the absence of pressure. "You will take this and go to the inn. You will make friends with the first party to leave town that looks capable of defending itself, and you will go with them. It does not matter the direction, only that you leave. I can do no more good for you than this boy. Know that I always love you as my son. I cannot let you stay here and consort with the darkness behind my back."

Kurgan turned away, and James was shocked to see the first tear he had ever seen from the doughty old dwarf leaking from his good eye. "You will not be here come midnight, because fire is coming to Middlerod." The dwarf lumbered up the stairs to his sanctuary, weighed down and defeated.

[Shinimasu]

Colette – The Hermitage, 1 or 2 miles from Middlerod: 1st Watch

Colette observed the desk cautiously for a few moments waiting to see if it would do anything further. When it did not move on its own she attempted to push it. The desk was rich mahogany with, and not ordinarily something she would be keen on trying to move on her own, but now it slid easily under her weight.

Her heart was in her throat, because this was also new. Either something else put in place after she'd left, or something he'd always had and kept secret even from her. She didn't begrudge him having secrets. Gods only know how valuable privacy was in this house. But the idea that there were things she didn't know about him still... well fifteen years is a long time. She carefully took the sealed book from the top of the desk and placed it in her bag for safekeeping until she could have someone more knowledgeable than her take a look at it. She didn't want to lose track of it in the cluttered study.

"Alright Andreas, you old devil, what have you been getting up to while I've been gone..." she murmured softly as she bent down to inspect what was behind, or perhaps underneath, the old writing desk.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

The half-Orc seemed not to have heard her questions as she'd approached. When the barmaid returned with her drinks, Valgerda set one in front of the Orc, flashing him a smile.

"Ye could by me a drink, but perhaps we should finish what we've got first, no? Besides, if you truly wish to express your gratitude for the song, I would rather have your story.

Before she drank, Valgerda removed a bug from the glass. With the briefest of forlorn looks, she gulped down half the watery mead. In her disgust she seemed to lose murmur to herself.

"They call this swill mead?! This world must be damned."

Realizing where she was, she downed the rest of the glass and leaned in to make sure he heard her.

Now I'll have that tale...and the drink. The name is Valgerda, friend Orc, but if I like your story,you can call me Val

She offered him a wink, as if that should be payment enough.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow – The Shop, Middlerod: 1st Watch

James heart got stuck in his throat as Kurgan continued to talk. How? What? But.... As Kurgan walked away his heart finally got dislodged from his throat, just to fall bellow the floorboard. "It wasn't for power..." barely a whispered. For the next several minutes he sat there as if petrified, his mind numb. When he finally some of his senses returned to him he stood up, grabbed the pouch along with the rest of his gear and staggered out in the street. He would eventually find his way to The Dancing Swan.

[Trevethan Norn]

Colette – The Hermitage, 1 or 2 miles from Middlerod: 1st Watch

She had never known her brother to hide anything, so Colette was both piqued and intrigued at the same time. As she slid the desk back, it was apparent that the whole heavy mahogany assembly had been carefully crafted on a cantilever system that allowed the desk to shift slightly up and over. Beneath the desk lay a smooth tile, slightly raised no more than a half inch higher than the rest. From under the desk, no one would have known that tile had even been used in the flooring of this room; the polished floors were of various inlaid with many types of fine wood, but it was still solid wood except for the area now exposed.

There was some faint shimmering line beneath what little dust had managed to creep under the desk. As she wiped away the grime, she saw that it was a pictograph of some sort, perhaps 4 inches wide, and 6 inches tall. To her practiced eye it seemed incomplete, somehow. She could only make out one word, written in Elven: Myth.

[Trevethan Norn]

Shadow – The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st hour

The world seemed to have died to Shadow's senses. The cold, cruel claws of dawn sliced against the darkness, bringing with them the forewarning of a scorching summer day. Shadow scarcely felt it. He was lost and an orphan once again. He was hurt, confused, scared, and angry. Kurgan should have known that he wasn't the type to seize power for power alone. Kurgan should not have turned his back on him. Kurgan should have let him stay and help! The carousel of emotions repeated itself as Shadow was forced to admit the most galling thing about the ordeal; he knew Kurgan thought he was keeping him safe.

Blindly, Shadow slumped through the doorway of the Dancing Swan, immune to the early morning cheeriness which cut through drunken snoring as productive inhabitants mingled with wine-sodden layabouts. He pushed away the friendly inquiry of the innkeep as he had no interest in food. He did, however, have an interest in drink. He seated himself at a far corner of the establishment, facing the window, and cried silently. Now that he was alone in his own world, he remembered that he still had the pouch clutched tightly in his hand. Shadow undid the drawstrings, and peeked inside the soft leather void within. The light fell on gold pieces in the largest single quantity he had ever seen in his life time. It appeared that Kurgan had given him the fee from the magistrate in its entirety: 40 gold pieces, almost 2 months wages of a master artisan, and over a years pay for the likes of an orphan like James.

[CelestialBard]

Skye had slowed to a walk only for a moment when the voice startled her from her thoughts. Sh*t. She stopped dead in her tracks. Her heart, which was pounding in her ears after running some distance travelling on the ruddy dirt path, evened out with each deep breath she took.

A crunch of leaves about twenty feet ahead. Sounds like bandits, and a lot of them. I got some information, that's all I was asked to do. But that sealed scroll... I don't even know what it is or what it could be worth. Damn it.

It would take a keen eye, but her hands had begun to shake slightly when the man commanded that she toss her weapons away. Pft. No way, not me. You've got the wrong girl, sir. I'm no maiden. It was hard to make out any shapes within in the shadows but she figured if they've done this before then they had the upper hand either way. I could dodge an arrow or two if I run, Skye thought, and if they attack, I might be able to pick off a few.. But before she could finish postulating a plan, the voice shouted again. Okay, think. Bandits. Angry bandits.

Carefully and as steadily as possible, she raised both her hands over her head, palms open, in a motion easily recognizable as surrender. More subtly, however, she traced a Sigil in the air; the sign for 'Protected' in thieve's cant. Deep Breaths. If they've got any honor at all, they'll know not to harm me. She then cleared her throat and spoke a language that had become second nature over the years. "<Undercommon> Be careful where you tread, friends."

[Trevethan Norn]

Evodine – Market Street Stables, Middlerod: 1st hour

The intoxicated official reeled back at her presence as if struck by some unseen adder. On fully seeing her through his blurred vision, he seemed mollified to be speaking by a woman of good upbringing; despite her time in the muck above the stables her well-crafted leather and deep greens were still notable for their quality. What was more, Evodine held her self as one with a right to respect. You could take the noblewoman out of the keep, but you could never quite take the manners of the keep out of the noblewoman. "My, my, dear lady. I humbly request your pardon for my, err, current difficultish." The horrid man attempted a bow which became a lurch as he overbalanced at the waist and tumbled headfirst into the nearby mucking pen. "Pha! Perhaps, you would, ahem, be of some aid? I have urgent business to attend to with the count." At that mention, his pride had obviously flared and he looked at her, expecting her to be impressed by the quality of his connections.

[Fishybugs]

https://neverwintervault.org/sites/neverwintervault.org/files/project/24814/images/1273009158fullres.jpg
Evodine Marielle Kallam ( http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1248427)
First Level Rogue
HP: 9/9 AC: 14

Evodine puts on a smile used to move men's hearts across the lands. "The count, you say?
What could you possibly be discussing with him?" She pauses momentarily as if waiting for an answer, but before he could get his drunk reflexes to respond, she gasps as if an idea has struck her. "He's asking your advice, isn't he? A smart man like you? Trying to help figure out something?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Evodine – Market Street Stables, Middlerod: 1st hour

The magistrate is clearly taken aback by the gushing enthusiasm which Evodine displayed, "Er, um, harumph, yesh... Of coursh, the count ish lucky to have a humble servant like myself at his dishposal... My town ish not... inshignificantly considered among the most rich districts in his fief." Clearly, this beaming specimen of alcoholism has a loose grasp on reality; one thing she had learned at her mother's knee was how to weigh the wealth of a man by his dress and composure. He may have been wealthy for this area, but Evie knew for a fact that Middlerod enjoyed much more prosperity than Lagtower since the fall of the local keep many years ago.

"Harold Grandmayor, magistrate, at your servish, m'lady," quickly, she helped him regain his balance as he threatened to once again capsize into the midden heap, "I am in your debt for your ashistance. What may I do for you?

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye – The track towards Middlerod, 2 miles from Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Skye had scarcely had the words out of her mouth before she had to leap back with a yelp. An arrow had flown right past her face from the center of the copse of trees, though it had missed her by a foot at least. "Quit it with the funny signs lassy! No one needs to get hurt. Just toss out your purse and put down yer weapons and walk on out of here." The voice had taken on a hoarse quality which betrayed that the owner was nervous or winded. The gamble as to which it was did not seem to matter to Skye, who did not like the feeling of a nervous archer almost as much as a winded one who might slip at any time. "And stop your gibberish... mages die just the same as the common man, and we have ye dead to rights. The next arrow that flies will no miss."

[Fishybugs]

https://neverwintervault.org/sites/neverwintervault.org/files/project/24814/images/1273009158fullres.jpg
Evodine Marielle Kallam ( http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1248427)
First Level Rogue
HP: 9/9 AC: 14

Evodine unleashes her smile once again on the magistrate. "It's more what can I do gor you? I've been wanting to learn the ways of business and government from someone so very wise in them. Is there any room in your heart for taking on a student...or partner?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Evodine – Market Street Stables, Middlerod: 1st hour

"A shtudent?" the bleary-eyed man attempted to look straight at her, but somehow kept missing, "No. I do not need a shtudent. I have shlaves for that, whom I can dishpose of if need be. You, my dear, would not have anything I want. I am shorry, but when I said anything, I meant only a few thingsh..." He turned and began stumbling towards the back of the stable, "Hoshler, get my horsh! I have urgent need to be on my way back to my sthitty." A young boy, somewhere around the age of 12, came running up with the reins to the most gaunt looking nag Evie had ever seen. The fact that that animal could even remotely support the great bulk of the magistrate was almost beyond belief. It seemed that the nag thought so, too, as it made a devilish business of the mounting as the magistrate curse and swayed on the mounting block. Finally, the magistrate was seated unsteadily, and the horse started to walk back towards Evodine. "M'lady, if you could be sho kind as to let me pash, I will not treat you unkindly should you have a chance to come to Lagtower." As he emitted the last words, he tossed a silver at Evie and one at the hostler, "Go and get drunk on me...I hear there is a good inn in town by the name of the Danshing Sshwwan... or something like that..."

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Reynard flinched when she called him an orc. Still, it was to be expected. I'm afraid half-orcs would not be very welcome in Middlerod at this time. Besides, I have little in common with my brutish cousins to the south. My name is Sir Reynard of the house of Greycastle. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

He sighs. I cannot say that I have a tale quite as heroic as yours. Certainly there are no valkjur nor any giants, but I trust that it will serve.

He tells her a tale he heard a long time ago, from a bard in his father's employ. The story of a great wizard named Ambrosius Aurelianus who lived in the times long forgotten, and how he was tricked into an eternal sleep by the machinations of an evil fey. It is a tragic tale and he attempts to do it justice, though he had little experience with such entertainments.

When he has finished, he smiles and drains his mead. Does that story please you, Lady Valgerda?

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye – The track towards Middlerod, 2 miles from Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Skye slowly unsheathed her sword from her side and tossed it on the ground and repeated the same action with her beautiful little bow. "I have no purse on me. If I did, I would not be jogging back to town!" Her impatience got the best of her at the last comment as the injustice of the situation unfurled in her mind, "I am not a rich woman and I have done nothing to you! Let me go, I beg you." There was a stiff silence which expanded into the air between the copse and the road. To Skye, the deadly calm was torturous. So this is how it feels when being held for ransom. I should remember the fear so that I can play on it more thoroughly next time. Finally, the silence was broken by a thin whistle, "You 'ear that boys? She ses she hansn't got anything else of value! No? Then lass, if you do no mind, please strip down. We are hungry lads, you see, and we can't help but notice your pack on your back which marks you as a well-to-do traveler of some account. Isn't that right boys?!"

She was properly cooked now. There was no motion from the treeline, but Skye knew that the time to act was soon approaching; you could cut the tension in the air with a cold knife

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Valgerda, noticed the half-Orc flinch at the mention of his race. Yet, once he set in on his tale of Ambrosius Aurelianus, he had her rapt attention. She was obviously trying to remember every detail.

"It is a good story, a warning to foolish wizards who believe their magic will solve every problem. Their magic is just as likely to get you in to trouble as it is to solve a problem."

She looks around behind her, obviously looking to order another round. The barmaid, unfortunately is nowhere to be found. Annoyed with mead situation, she turns back to her companion.

"As I said, it is a good story, but it is not yours.. I want to know what brings a warrior of the house of Greycastle, to slink in the shadows of an inn with watered down mead, in the mud ball known as Middlerod? Also, your cousins to the south may be a rough lot, but they are warriors true. If you have anything in common with them, Sir Reynard, you would make a mighty companion."

[Shinimasu]

Colette – The Hermitage, 1 or 2 miles from Middlerod: 1st Watch

Colette attempted to press down on the raised tile, but to her consternation it would not budge. Clearly she'd done something to make it respond in the first place but she doubted swearing at it until it reacted would be a sound or rational course of action. Instead she traced her fingers speculatively over the symbols, wishing she could make out more of it than "Myth" though it stood to reason that if there was one word in a language she could read, there might be more in a language she simply didn't recognize.

It was times like this she hated being out here in this small middle of nowhere town, she hated having a discovering literally right at her fingertips remaining tantalizingly out of reach, she hated not having a reservoir of knowledge to turn to in her immediate vicinity. Even in the middle of her childhood home she felt for a moment so desperately homesick for Candlekeep. And then she hated herself for feeling that way, because middlerod was what it was and the people here were no more deserving of scorn than anyone else. She was tired and frustrated and being unfair to them in the process.

It occurred to her to look out the window at this point because she had a hunch she was perhaps up later than she'd intended. And she grimaced as she saw the early morning light filtering through the trees because she knew it meant she had worked through the night without meaning to. Getting up she carefully slid the desk back into place before going back downstairs to make a quick breakfast of burnt toast and strong black coffee, before gathering up her things and setting out towards town. She would see about getting a few more supplies, and perhaps see if she could find that gnome she'd been hearing about. Even if he didn't know anything new, just having someone to bounce ideas off of would be better than going stir crazy in an empty house.

[Aardvark 001]

Hmm. That is not an idea which will find much support in these parts, which is why you find me confined to the shadows.
Besides, surely having power is of little consequence compared to how you use it.

Reynard smiles. As for my presence here, there is little to tell. Why does an errant knight ever do anything? For adventure and fame and glory, but also simply because he can.

It is much the same with me. Middlerod is a good a town as any in these parts and I thought I may find an old friend here, though it seems I was mistaken. Perhaps I shall be on my way again soon.

And what about you, Lady Valgerda? What brings you to this poor place, singing songs which have so little meaning for these wretched travellers?

[Dain Broadbeam]

James' eyes went as wide as barrel wheels at the sight of the content. The shock went away quickly, replaced by paranoia. Had anyone seen it? In one smooth and rapid motion the coin pouch disappeared into a secret pocket inside his coat. As he sent a nervous glance at the people around him.Right. Okay. Think. Think Shadow, think. At least he was at home field. He had spent many a night in this tavern listening and sharing stories and wild tales. Most people would at this hour be either too drunk or busy with their own conversations to have noticed anything I hope... Right. First thing first, I need to calm my nerves.. He dried his tears and moved over to the bar while whispering an incantation under his breath, changing his eyes appear "normal" with a grey colour.
"Oi, Hurbert, give me a glass of your strongest. Better make it a double." A ginger gnome moved over to James with a puzzeled look.
"Mornin' Shadow. That bad a day huh?"
"Yeah..."
"Cheer up kid, tomorrow is another day. And careful, that thing will melt your stomach." Hurbert said as he filled up a glass with a dark brown liquid and sat it down in front of James. James offered a weak smile before he down the entire drink in one go without a second thought. His throat was filled with the fires of hell, leaving it numb. James' face twisted in a grimace.
Not sure I can feel my throat anymore... Think I need a pint to wash that down."

[Fishybugs]

https://neverwintervault.org/sites/neverwintervault.org/files/project/24814/images/1273009158fullres.jpg
Evodine Marielle Kallam ( http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1248427)
First Level Rogue
HP: 9/9 AC: 14

Evodine feigns surprise at the magistrate's home city. "Lagtower, you say? That is certainly quite a coincidence. The fates have conspired for us to meet, Magistrate Grandmayor," She mentally scoffs at the man's grandoise name. I myself will be there in three days time to supervise the shipment of flour, oat, and rye. It'll be passing through there on the way here."

Evodine leans in toward the alcohol-smelling man and says in a conspiratorial tone, "I hear prices are up here...some sort of unusual food rot. You'd do good yourself, a man of your standing, to ship some staples in while the time is right."

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

"Really, Val is fine. I'm certainly no lady in need of rescuing." With another wink, she drains the last of her drink.

"Also, no story of bravery and valor is meaningless, regardless of whether this rabble knows of the heroes who accomplished the deeds."

"As for myself though, I was sent to this...erm, town, to recover an item of value to my people. Although, I suspect the trail is long cold, if I'm in the right place at all."

As she finishes speaking, she gives Reynard a calculating look, as if trying to size him up.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye – The track towards Middlerod, 2 miles from Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Skye was caught in between complete terror and pryoclastic fury. She bent down jerked the pouch she had stolen from the estate out from her bodice, turned, and threw it back the way she had come as hard as she could. "Take it then, bastards!" Before the small projectile had even left her hand, Skye scooped her sword and bow from the ground in front of her and was running at an angle down the path toward Middlerod; she had spotted a small ditch not more than 30 paces to the left where some old farmer had likely irrigated crops in times past. If only she could make it to the ditch and safety. She had never run as hard as she did in that moment. A sharp yell of surprise followed in her wake, "Oi! You bitch! Come back 'ere." There was a snapping sound like the twang of a bow string being released and she pitched forward into the ditch. A fiery red pain blossomed from her rib, and she screamed in agony. She had never been shot by an arrow before,and it was not a welcome experience.

Skye felt true terror for the first time since the death of her parents. It could not end this way, she would find the bastards that did this to her, and kill them before she killed the Black Talons.

[Trevethan Norn]

Evodine – Market Street Stables, Middlerod: 1st hour

"And who'sh been telling you that, wench?!" The magistrate had taken umbrage to her idle commentary and was now very much looking at her with a sort of renewed hate. "Who has been telling you that there is unusual food rot here? The food is fine as day for all I can tell! You ashk me, you had besht keep to yourself. Nevermind coming to my town lass, I can see now that you are far too much of a busybody for your own good!" With that, the magistrate nearly charged her down as he tried to exit the stables as fast as the nag would carry him.

He made a sudden sawing motion on the reins and nearly flew over his horse as it swung hard to the left, and then was gone. Evie ran out to see him bumping around like a rotten sack of potatoes on the frail but frightened mount. She turned, disheartened, and saw a shadow of movement from Kurgan's brewery; that tiefling orphan whom Kugan had controversially adpoted seemed to be slinking down the street in the direction of the Dancing Swan with a most furtive manner.

[CelestialBard]

Fear gripped her by the throat, choking two angry tears from her pale blue eyes. The pain in her side was enough to knock the air out of her and she struggled to hang on to any semblance of the calm, cool state that she normally kept. But this was not normal, nor was it any time to think about facades or appearances.

Skye mumbled another swear under her shaky breath, wincing as she attempted to touch the bolt embedded in her lower back. Her frail frame could barely survive an encounter with poison, certain death awaited if this thing had punctured her lungs. No. No. No. Not today. Not by this scumbag and his shoddy aim. She turned slightly to try and assess the situation, terror starting to worsen by the millisecond as her mind began to race with possibility. I can't take this thing out, there's no time--they might hear me. F*ck. Okay.

If I run now, there's no chance I'll make it. I'll be struck down and tossed into a ditch, approximately the same size and shape as this one--how convenient for him. Or... Searching for a solution, she caught sight of a thorny weed ten paces off, trailing towards a cluster of trees further out in the field. Her eyes widened with an idea.

She quickly ripped a piece of her cloak off and carefully maneuvered to the plant, purposefully catching the black cloth in the bristles. Then, without a sound, she moved further off into the overgrown brush that had taken root on the far side of the ditch. Can't run, but I sure as hells can hide.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – Market Street Stables, Middlerod: 1st hour

Evodine jumps out of the way of the frail horse as it is directed to run past her. "Wouldn't want the poor thing to hurt itself any more than that bloated man is doing," she mutters to herself as she charges out of the stable. As she runs into the street, she swings her bow around, nocking an arrow and taking aim at the fleeing man.

Do it Evie, the little devil on her left shoulder tells her.

Now, now, the angle on her right shoulder whispers in her ear. "That's not the way we solve things, is it?

Just do it. Nobody will even know! Just do it, Evie, the devil says. As she stands, watching the horse flee as if in slow-motion, she realizes the voice sounds like her father.

That's right, the angel says, a smug tone in her voice. That's the way dad would handle it.

Three more seconds pass which seem like an eternity, then she lowers her bow and quivers her arrow. She lets out a large breath she hadn't even realized she had been holding.

"Shut up. Both of you, she responds to her imagination. She looks down at herself. Still covered in muck, haven't eaten in...who knows how long...and she sniffs at herself and winces. Good Gods, I need a bath.

She spins and turns to head back out of town to the cave she had taken over when movement catches her eye. Where is Shadow heading at this time of the morning? The Dancing Swan, it seemed. Well...that's two times in the last two minutes that inn had come up.

Evie wasn't one for coincidence. With a slight sigh, she realizes the bath will have to wait. She sneaks (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22130821&postcount=17) along the steet behind him, keeping an eye on the young man. She almost chuckles when she hears herself. The tiefling was older than her, she was pretty sure.

[CelestialBard]

I should leave. I have a chance to run--they aren't anywhere in sight. Now or never. She inspected her wound once more; it hurts, but nowhere near the pain of a damaged ego. She willed herself to go but knew she couldn't leave. Whoever that voice belonged to, they had a mess of karma coming to them in the form of a very pissed off dagger to the chest.

Slowly but surely, over the next moment, a fire ignited in her rib cage. It almost made the stabbing feeling still deep in side disappear entirely. Stealing from the well-off is one thing, but stealing from me is a bad lifestyle choice.

She determined that the southern route was perfect for circling back around as it provided ample cover. Quietly, she snuck towards the hills, using the tall grass to obscure the line of sight between her and the position in which she rationalized the bandit had fired from. Odds are, they had already picked up the bag and realized that the loot was hardly worth committing murder over, though she herself considered it.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye – The track towards Middlerod, 2 miles from Middlerod: 2nd Hour

While she ached, and fire raced through her body with every carefully placed, her sense of righteous anger pushed her to forge ahead. No one would have seen her return, so stealthy was she in her sought for vengeance. It was as if the loss of 40 days wages was nothing besides the price she placed on her pride and dignity. As she stalked back towards her adversaries, she planned out in her mind how she would treat those who had ordered her to strip down and deliver her valuables.

Before long, perhaps half the hour was gone and she was positioned on the far side of the stand, with the copse between her and the road. She had figured that it would be unwise to approach from the estate, but even more unwise to have come back down the angle of the track which she had been using. With little now but to put Tymora to the test, Skye uttered a quiet prayer to the goddess of trickery and made a quick dash into the edge of the copse. She made it across so quickly anyone who could have been watching would have merely seen a waving of the undergrowth which was thickly choking the area around the wood. However, from the lack of outcry, it appeared that her advance had gone unnoticed.

Skye crept even more carefully through the snarls of canegrass and briars, blending in amongst the oaks and ash trees who crowded in close ranks. She had not crossed more than 15 feet of the wood when she heard a muttered voice, "Oh, Ilmater help me... Please, I beg you. Let her live. My child is dying. Please, take his suffering upon yourself. This war was not her doing, not my doing, not the doing of any but those evil black guardsmen. Please..." The hoarse voice descends into a fit of sobbing and nothing else moves of the floor of that heavily shadowed copse. Cautious and curious, Skye slowly moved herself to a better vantage point around what seemed to be a clearing in the middle of the wood. Inside, there was the remains of what looked to be a familial camp, though the inhabitants had seen much better times. A brightly painted red wagon a light in gold and yellow paint lay canted dangerously to the side where cracked wheels rested. It seems that both of the wheels on one side had sheared clean off, though Skye could not readily determine the cause.

In front of the wagon a hunched man in a black cloak was sobbing over a prone figure of a child. Though she could not see the child well from her cover, what she saw of her face was a sick pale shadow that could not be on any living thing. The child's face matched the drawn white hair of the old man as if to showcase their mutual frailty in dreadful irony. Beside them both lay a small black crossbow and 3 bolts. She could not see any possessions beyond a small cookpot that had to have a hundred holes, a small brass tube which had seen better days, and her pouch, spilled open on the man's other side. "Oh please Ilmater, let her survive to Middlerod. Grace be on us if we find a healer. I cannot allow the blackeye to take her, Lord. I cannot!"

[CelestialBard]

Gripping her dagger so tightly that her already pale knuckles whitened further, she so clearly imagined the path her knife would take if she desired to loose it. His words meant nothing. It was only when she caught the barest glimpse the small, stiff figure strewn about the older man's lap, her heart clenched.

Something different burned in her now, the memories of being a child--of losing her parents to the petty criminals that took whatever they pleased, including lives. Am I evil for wanting those who harmed me to die? Have I sunk so low that i'm willing to kill this man and ultimately his sickly daughter? She--she can't care for herself, she'll expire out here in the mud. I would be no better than the Talons.

She lowered her blade and began to pace in a row, hidden by the shadows of the treeline. Her fingers anxiously fiddled with the gold coin she kept tied to her wrist. Revenge. I want revenge. I'm not a bad person, I just have to do what I need to in order to climb to the top. They say jump, I don't even ask how high. It's just one man. I could end him easily, he wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. Gods, what am I even thinking! That's horrible, you psycho. Skye, get it together! He got his fair share of bad luck and hard times, no need to harm him further. No one deserves this fate.

A minute passes in near-silence, the man mumbling something between shaking sobs. A sigh. Then, a flurry of cloaks moves into the camp, stalking up close behind the weeping wreck of a hopeless father. The sound of metal landing in soft dirt with a thud.

Skye had the drop on him now.

She cleared her throat before speaking, startling him into an upright position, though he dare not move an inch. "Don't look at me or I will end you." She rasped, "That's ten gold pieces. I expect you to take her to the nearest village and get her whatever help she needs." She tossed a waterskin and her dried rations next to the small leather pouch as well. "That's for you to share. If I ever cross paths with you again, expect it to be the last time." And, quiet as the sleeping mouse tucked into her halter, she turned on her heel and left. Limping her way to the dusty path, clutching her side as the pain twisted through her back, wishing she had more to give.

[Shinimasu]

Colette – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Hour

Though the sun was not yet high enough to be a menace, Colette was thankful all the same for the shade provided by the trees as she walked along the simple dirt path. Ancient oaks and leafy maples occasionally broke ranks to offer a view of the sweeping golden fields, some wild and full of tall grass and ticks, some settled and full of wheat waiting for the fall harvest. Aster flowers and gooseberry bushes dotted the path, and despite the humid air and the summer heat she found the walk pleasant regardless. The road was dirt, but it was flat and well traveled with no stray rocks or hidden ditches waiting to sprain the ankle of an unwary traveler, and the countryside was likewise devoid of any hills more challenging than a gentle slope. Out here in the fresh air she felt some of her earlier irritability melt away, though by the time she reached town she had more than burned off her rather spartan breakfast and her stomach was complaining.

She reached in to her back to check her coin purse, five gold coins sat gleaming back up at her, an aggregate of payments for simple farm remedies given to those in need of them. More than enough for an actual breakfast from some place that knew how to cook it. She mused to herself if she shouldn't just start asking for payment in home cooked meals, it wouldn't be uncharacteristic of a place like this. On the other hand the people who sold reagents to her likely wouldn't accept a warm apple pie in trade.

She wasn't surprised to find Middlerod already bustling with activity, a farming village was always up at the crack of dawn getting things done, and the establishments would be up with them. However the streets seemed more crowded than usual. She was not unaware of the sudden influx of travelers, but it seemed like there were always more and more of them each time she came into town for something. Good mood somewhat soured by the crowds she made her way to the dancing swan Inn hoping to find a free table and absolutely murder a rasher of bacon.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin – The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch (w/Valgerda and Reynard)

A tiny voice piped up again, and it seemed as though it may have been saying the same thing a few times before attempting a volume loud enough to be heard. "Actually, when treated like any other tool, magic can be quite pragmatic. I daresay swords have caused their fair share of trouble when used incorrectly as well! And there is the tale of the Song of Wars, so..." At almost this exact moment, a barmaid, who didn't seem to notice the source of the small voice, placed a round of three mugs on the table. "Aherm... Would you consider it rude of me to ensconce my derrier in this empty spot?" A small gnome with oak-skin, black eyes, and a rose tuft of hair on the front of his head hoisted himself up in the chair.

"I'm afraid I must agree with our large friend as to the nature of valor and heroism. No tale told is told unwisely, lest it be told to a rock. Well, the wrong rock. From what I've heard, some rocks feel they have no time for such frivolity." He took a drink of his swill, grimaced a bit, then took a second drink and seemed resigned to the taste. "I must say though, that your tales are by far the most outstanding this town as heard in an age! I came over to congratulate you on a job well done! How did you come by such skill? Where have you heard such grand sagas?"

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan , Middlerod: 1st Watch (w/ Reynard & Gindlewin)

Accepting the drink and giving the gnome a short bow of thanks and welcome, Valgerda spoke to the newcomer. "The sword may also be used improperly, but generally the worst that happens is someone slices off an appendage or somehow impales themselves or their friend."

She paused to sip her drink.

"When mages and warlocks act foolishly they manage to tear holes in the very fabric of reality. And there always seems to be some sort of eldritch horror waiting to exploit such opportunities."

"As for my training, you might say it's in my blood. My mother and aunts were great teachers, and I've been collecting stories all my life. Speaking of stories, what is this Song War you speak of? That sounds like a battle I would be interested in."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan , Middlerod: 1st Watch (w/ Reynard & Valgerda)

"Ah, well, there is that. The rending of the fabric of reality..." Gindlewin waved his fingers a bit, made the sound of a chipmunk, and a tiny, ghostly image of a gem-studded sword, a storied king's blade, appeared over the table. "Then, magic so often comes from within, the spark of life, when a sword takes so much. A foundry, a mine, the miners, the smith, a civilization. The intent to kill... or defend, I suppose. There is that. But a sword could have been something else and wasn't..." With another chipmunk sound, the sword became a plow, then disappeared in smoke as Gindlewin waved it away. "Not that I don't understand your complaint mind you. I will keep it in mind as my training progresses. No holes in reality. Check!" He looked up with a beaming smile.

At the suggestion of a trade in stories, Gindlewin almost seemed to vibrate. He told a saga of a song sung by a maiden that, once sung, was so beautiful that anyone who heard it fell deeply in love with her. As a result, the king to whom she was wed kept her locked away in a high tower, but one day, a passing knight overheard the song and took it upon himself to "rescue" her and take her away to a far away land. Her former king, in an outrage, gathered his armies and went to war. There was much tragedy and heroism, and Gindlewin told it, if inexpertly, in a lawyerly way, which indicated how the pursuit of something so seemingly benign and good as beauty could lead to death, dismemberment, and war. He tried to make it short, which meant it was only quite long.

At the end of the story, Gindlewin slapped his forehead. "Oh, how rude of me. My name is Gindlewin Bookbinder, but my friends call me whatever they like. You may call me whatever you like!"

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: Probably getting on to 2nd Watch (w/Gindlewin and Reynard)

"Well then, friend Gindlewin, I shall call you Vinr. It means "friend" in my native tongue. You may call me Val, or whatever you like. Let me see if I can recount your story correctly..."

Valgerda leaned back in the chair and strummed a few chords, she stopped, sat up, and said, "Actually a tale like this deserves to be done correctly, I shall call for the aid of my old drinking buddies..."

As she settled back in and played, the strings began to glow with a golden light, and a deep, throaty chanting filled the room, pawing at the hearts of the occupants. As Valgerda laid into her version of the tragedy of the Song Wars, she sung of brave men fighting for the woman they both loved. Her song told of how the maiden had found the knight and the king dead, one with a sword piercing his armor, the other with a sidearm sunk to the hilt in his neck. In a vow to never sing such a destructive song again, the maiden cut out her own tongue, and threw herself in to the sea.

As Valgerda finished, the farmers still seated in the Swan found their drinks further watered down from the tears they had shed. She had shed a few tears herself for the valiant dead. Valgerda played on softly as the chanting continued. Looking to Gindlewin, she spoke, "You were correct, Vinr, when you said that magic is the spark of life. The purist form, however, comes from the music, we simply attempt to capture it."

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch (w/Grindlewin and Valgerda)

The song broke even Reynard's usual reserve. He hid his face in the shadows to conceal the moistness of his eyes. I thank you once more... Val. I cannot remember the last time I heard such a beautiful song.

As for me, I have no magic to speak of, and very little music besides. All I have is my sword, and this I promise to you for anything that you desire. I would not be selling it cheap, to be selling it for such a song.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

James became completely consumed by the bards song. He had heard many a song before, but they all paled in comparison. As the song ended he took a moment to take stock of the bards companions. Well, that looks like as good a start as any. So, with a deep breath James sauntered over to their table next to the bard. With a gracious bow"My dear lady, that was... unbelievable. I am in fact at a loss for words! I hope you don't mind me joining you for a drink or two? without waiting for an answer James grabs a chair from the next table and plumbs right into it. But my, where are my manners. Hello everyone, I am James Smith, though my friends call me Shadow. he adds with his best smile.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 1st Watch

Evie enters the Swan just moments after Shadow. She scowls a bit as she notices the pouch get shoved into his pocket, but the sound of the music coming from the bard's instrument stops her dead. She pauses and listens to the words of the song. Such a tragic story, she thinks to herself.

She notices the crowd around the bard and decides to insinuate herself into the group. Maybe get to meet this woman who could make such wonderful music. She strides forward and introduces herself, speaking mostly to the bard. "Greetings. I didn't know there was anyone of such talent in town. You do credit to your profession, miss. Would anyone be opposed to me taking a seat with you? It's been a long night and I could certainly use something to drink."

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch (w/ almost everyone)

The chorus faded faded as Valgerda took notice of the newcomers. "Well, it has been quite a while since I've played for a group who properly appreciated such a tragic tale. You may call me Val, and you're all certainly welcome to join our table, especially if you bring drinks."

She said the last bit with a wry smile.

"Allow me to introduce my companions. This is the noble Sir Reynard of house Greycastle, he's gentler than he looks. Sir Reynard and I were discussing the valor of his cousins to the south. And this jolly fellow, called Gindlewin by some, is probably the most dangerous fellow in town. I believe he and I had just come to an understanding that magics are best not used to tear holes in reality. But here we all are, and my gut tells me there are all sorts of interesting people sitting at this table.

At this point, Valgerda has shifted around to lean her chair back against the wall. On her lute, she begins a soft, cheerful melody that sounds of friendship. The tune is quiet enough not to impose on the conversation, but still dance in the back of your minds.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

She had thought she was only getting breakfast but she had scarcely been seated at a table before an absolutely haunting refrain started and sent her into a sudden tailspin of emotion. She felt both for the maiden and the lover, trapped by fate and circumstance and ultimately doomed by things so far outside of their control. Cursed by a beautiful voice...


"I don't know what I did to deserve this today. I try to be a good person. I just wanted eggs..."

By the time Colette came out of the depressed fugue brought on by the bard's otherworld performance there was already a small crowd congregating around the table. The good news was that the gnome she'd been looking for appeared to be with them. The bad news was he surrounded by people she was less than keen on approaching. Ugh crowds. Maybe she could just.. quietly go over and see if she could get his attention.

Getting up gingerly she approached the group, coming up from Gindlewin's side she gently tapped him on the shoulder, since she didn't trust herself to be heard over the din of the bar without shouting. "Look I wouldn't be interrupting if I didn't have something kind of important to ask. You've done a bit of arcane study right?"

[CelestialBard]

After knocking a code on the back of the inn, Skye stumbled into the storage room and made her way around the front, catching the barest glimpse of the great hall as she moved towards the common area. Raucous conversation and storytelling drifted past her, but the oozing blood seeping into her garb propelled her onward.

Stashed in the corner was the town apothecary switching her wrinkled lips between the two separate drinks that rested on her small table. I always wondered how the guild was able to afford her services, turns out they just give her as much alcohol as she can swallow. Her legs dangled from the chair and from her large stuffed bag drifted the scent of many different herbal remedies.

Without hesitation, the obviously old halfing woman spotted Skye limping towards her and gave a grin, showing off a smiled riddled with a few rotted teeth. "Tsk. Lass, 'ave a sit. Show Bena what mess ya got inta." Bena made a circle motion with her hand and the lanky thief blanched at the notion, but complied nonetheless. Wordless, Skye turned and rested her arms over the back of the rickety wood chair, straddling the seat and letting out a heavy sigh of exhaustion.

Tiny hands made quick work of removing the bolt--with a swift motion, she yanked the arrow straight out of the younger girl's flesh. Skye clenched her teeth to keep in the yelp but to no avail, the shock caused her to let out a piercing wail of agony that resounded in the room. Embarrassed at the thought of anyone hearing her, she remembered that there was a musician playing loudly in the next room over.

Beads of sweat dripped down her pale face as the halfling applied bandages and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "All done, dearie. I be sendin' the bill to tha Talons, but I do take tips ya knar?" Skye shot her a look and the old woman smiled, utterly unphased by the glare.

Getting up, Skye did notice a significant difference in the pain. What was once a sharp, rigid pang was now a throbbing, dull sensation. She made her way back towards the door she entered from but in her relief she failed to notice a chair that had recently been scooted outside the common room. A loud thud echoed through the room, accompanied by a breathy, "SON OF A--"

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Watch (w/almost everyone)

Gindlewin was balling openly at the song. It was the perfect retelling of one of his favorite stories. He made a mental note to try telling some of his more esoteric stories to Val, stories he had never heard told and which only existed in his books and his mind. He had hardly noticed the veritable army the table had acquired during the song, but now it seemed someone wanted his attention.

At the tap on his shoulder, the small scholar turned around and saw the woman behind him. He made direct eye contact, his brow furrowed in concentration, and mouth flat. Then he burst out in a smile. "Why, that isn't young Colette? I'd never forget those eyes! Well, I haven't seen you since you were a wee one. And it looks like you have done well for yourself. Arcane study? Yes, it's a bit of a specialization of mine. We were just discussing it in fine company. I would be pleased if you joined us!" Gindlewin waved over another round for the increased table. Everyone appreciated the story, which he felt a spark of pride for for having introduced it. "Now, are you in need of my humble services? I would only be too happy to help."

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Watch (w/almost everyone)

Evodine nods her head at Valgerda. "I'll be right back." She walks to the bar and orders a round for the table and a pitcher of water for herself. That's gonna make a dent. Before she returns to the table, she also asks the barkeep for a wet...somewhat clean...towel.

As she takes a seat at the table, she eyes the expanding group around it. Some she recognizes from around town, some she has never seen before. "Nice to meet you, Val. I'm Evodine." She makes attempts at wiping the muck from her armor, starting at the top and working her way down until only pressed-in smudges remain, along with a pile of muck on the floor. That'll have to do until I can get home and scrub it, she thinks to herself as she pushes the muck under the table with her foot.

She suddenly freezes, a stray thought in the back of her head starts yelling, waving flags at her conscious mind while making its presence known. "I'm sorry," she says a bit hesitantly, "Did you say something about holes in reality?"

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Not expecting to be recognized, nor the warm enthusiastic welcome, Colette couldn't help flushing bright red even as she mumbled a thank you and sat down at the table.

"Look I'm not here to eat up a bunch of your time, I just found something weird in my... well my brother's old library. I can't make heads or tails of the thing except for the fact that it's sealed and won't open." She produced the vellum journal carefully from her pack and set it on the table for Gindlewin to inspect. "I think it's..." she paused at the sound of a loud thud and a "SON OF A-" that trailed off into muffled swearing, before turning back to Gindlewin "I think it's something he found before he left. In the interest of saving myself a trip back to candlekeep I thought I might ask you to look at it first."

She didn't mention the raised tile just yet, or the sliding desk. That felt a little too personal and might require inviting someone back to her house which she was always a little wary of doing. Granted after the welcome she just received she was feeling almost guilty for not having said hello sooner. And if she were actually capable of cooking she was half tempted to invite him by for dinner anyway.
"I ah... I hope you've been well? In the meantime?" she said, attempting to return some of the courtesy but the delivery was still stilted and a little awkward.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

As Valgerda was exchanging pleasantries with the new arrivals, she noticed another lurking past the door. It seemed apparent to Val, that the lurker thought herself to be sneaky. Thinking nothing of it, Valgerda went back to her music.

A few moments passed, along with some strange sound similar to a muffled yelp in, what seemed, the next room over. Her mind on her music, Valgerda wasn't concerned with what was probably just a bar maid getting pinched. They usually know how to deal with that sort of thing.

Another moment passed, and then ruckus at the same doorway did catch Valgerda's attention. "SON OF A-" The lurker was back.

So you're the thing that goes bump in the night? That sounded painful."

The bard whispers something in to her finger and then points it at the lurker with her thumb raised up. Dropping her thumb a puff of mist leaves her finger and hits Skye in the face.

You hear something in an unearthly language, and the pain in your side subsides.
"In my experience, chairs are better used for sitting, rather than kicking." Valgerda nods meaningfully at the empty space at the table. "If you're going to eavesdrop, you may as well get a good seat and a drink."

[CelestialBard]

Clutching at her knee, she immediately recognized that every patron in the room must've heard the commotion and instinctively turned to bolt for the door. Before she could make it, however, she was frozen in her tracks. A sultry voice called across the room, making Skye want to shrivel up into a worm. Sounds like the one singing earlier. The one with a huge crowd surrounding her. Skye's face heated up, flushed an unnatural red color against her normally pale skin. Everyone's staring. There's no where to run. Gods, this is it. I'll die by embarrassment.

She turned her head slightly to look at the one who spoke and suddenly the velvety soft tones rang out again, only in a foreign tongue and inside of her head this time. The pain subsided immediately, clearing her of the bumps and bruises scattered about her, as well as sealing shut the wound near her rib cage. Upon meeting the woman's eyes, she only had one thought.

Woah, she's.. gorgeous.

Sputtering, she stood to her full height and glanced about the room, tucking a tuft of her thin bleached hair behind her ear and revealing a thick back line across her cheek. Resigning to the fact that it'd be more suspect to rush out now, she meekly made her way to the side of the table. Skye cleared her throat before speaking but her words still came out raspy. "Thank you, for... Well. I-I will just. I'll stand.. Over here.." she mumbled, then promptly scooted towards the edge of the gathering.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Reynard sank further into the shadows as the crowd gathered, but it was to no avail. What had been the quietest corner of the tavern was now buzzing with activity. Admitting defeat, he drained his tankard and rose from his seat with a polite Excuse me to Grindlewin and Val.

Slipping away to the bar, he tapped on the counter with a coin. The gnome behind the bar came up to him and took his empty tankard. Another one, Reynard?

Reynard smiled. If you can Hurbert. Thank you. Hurbert knew who he was. He'd found out the very first night, yet he'd treated the half orc as nothing more nor less than just another customer. For that, Reynard was grateful.

When the gnome brought him his drink, he took it and learned on the bar, surveying the crowd surrounding his new friends, letting his eye linger over some of the more colourful characters he could see.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Watch (absorbed in a book)

Upon merely seeing the tome, Gindlewin sucked in his breath and looked up at Colette. "The knowledge contained herein is perhaps precisely the kind of knowledge that could lacerate the veil twixt realities and usher in an apocalypse of new possibilities, be they fruitful or... well... betentacled." He ran his hands over the cover, brow wrinkled in consternation. Then he took a quick sniff of it to note any smells, putting it quite close to his round, plump nose without actually touching it. "Of course, it could just be the diary of a secretive hedgemage with a taste for the morbid. We'll have to examine it further when we can find a quiet moment. We shouldn't wait too long, however. Tonight!" He handed the tome back to Colette, but his fingers holding on to it a little too tight as she took it revealed his reluctance at letting such a thing go. "I urge you to hold off until I can help you. There are wards placed on this item which could result in anything from damage to the book to yourself if handled improperly. As much as I would like to, we dare not open it until we are sure it is safe."

When the book is stowed away, the gnome seems to come out of a daze and remembers his manners. He introduces himself to the rest of the group, though his speech begins to slur just a bit with all these rounds everyone is purchasing. He attempts his usual politeness, but seems distracted after this, his mind focused on being able to more closely examine that book when things are quieter!

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Watch

Evodine blinks a couple times. She holds her glass of water in both hands in front of her. You haven't slept all night. You're not ready for this.

She looks around the table at each of the others, checking for signs of comprehension. Finally, she turns her eyes back upon Gindlewin. "Huh?"

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

The confirmation that this was something interesting, that this was a legitimate find, sparked her awake. The bleary look clearing from her eyes, and she suddenly looked alert and sharp as the edge of a knife. And once again she placed the book carefully back in her satchel.
"I live out of the way here, but if you don't mind the walk I have something else you might want to take a look at. That's all I'm really comfortable saying in public..." she glances around at the others as if finally really seeing them for the first time. "If you want to give me ten minutes with the thing though I might be able to find out more before then." Because for the first time she also remembered the weight of the heavy spellbook in the satchel at her side.

Glancing at the others she recognized the Orc... well half orc. The tusks were smaller than his full blooded kin and there was something more human around the eyes. She had seen him out and about town with a strut that would put any well bred gentry to shame. Well more like send them into an indignant snit, she didn't doubt they might take his mannerisms as a personal insult. And she recognized Shadow, a shady character but not a malicious one by all accounts. Still not exactly two of the most reputable characters. Granted the rest were more or less strangers, completely unfamiliar faces. Which made them a little worse than characters of ill repute as far as 'who do I trust these arcane secrets to?'

And then of course there was the bard. A complete enigma. Colette turned to face her and by extension the others. "Apologies for barging in. I'll go ahead and free up the chair now."

[Trevethan Norn]

Everyone - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd hour


Scarcely had Colette turned to leave her discomfort with social engagement when the town bell began a furious clangor. Sharp cries could be heard growing outside the inn along with deeper shouts that sounded ominous. No one moved for a split second, not comprehending what was transpiring. A sharp cry near at hand was cut off, and with a splintering of wood, the body of a town guardsman was tossed through the heavy oak door, skewered in place by the largest bolt any of the inhabitants had ever seen.

The scene through the door was pure chaos; a stampede seemed well under way as hundreds of livestock fled the chaos in front off the Inn.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Watch

Evodine rolls from her chair at the unexpected explosion of wall and crouches in the corner. She peeks over the edge of the table and her face crunches in disbelief. "Wha?" Once she determines there is no imminent threat, she grabs her bow and walks toward the exit. There is plenty of exit now.

Evie looks up and down the street, trying to determine where the cattle are coming from.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

As the body of the guard crashed through the wall, Valgerda sprang up with her shortsword in hand running to the hole to get a peek.

Well that was unexpected. That bolt is huge! Jotunn perhaps?!

Just as she got to the hole and got a glimpse outside, she felt hands grasp her arms and drag her back.

That must be Reynard...

[CelestialBard]

Wood strewn about, blood pouring from the guard's body, Skype went into action once more. Just can't catch a damn break, can I? Quickly surveying the field, she calculated the odds. No one's come inside yet, they don't know I'm here. I can maybe get one of these people out of here. The gnome was too far to grab and tuck under her arm while the other patrons seemed to scatter to the winds.

The bard caught her eye again. She had pushed her lute back over her shoulder and drew a blade, walking towards the splintered hole. What the hells? Weaving through the room at face pace, Skye grabbed the musician by the arms and tugged, pulling the girl back much easier than anticipated. She dragged her to the side room where the elderly halfling should've still been partaking in her drinks, attempting to stash the storyteller for the time being.

"I don't know if you're under a spell or just plain stupid, but whatever speared that hulking man through the door is certainly going to show it's ugly mug soon enough and I don't intend to be here when that happens. Make better decisions if you want to survive through this, too." Skye then realized she had maintained the vice grip on the other girl's arms for an extended amount of time and quickly released the grapple. Her hands began to tremor as she turned and peeked around the corner, trying to judge the intensity of the situation.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Before Reynard could form any clear impressions about the group, the whole room erupted into chaos. Reynard stared at the bolt. His thoughts were no longer groggy from the mead. The rush of battle cleared his mind. Something that big would probably punch through his chain mail without any problem. This called for careful thought. But first, he had to do something about the crowd.

Everybody get down now! he bellowed, drawing his sword and striding to the wall where the guard hung limply, impaled by the bolt.

Reynard threw his hood back, hoping to intimidate the crowd into backing away from the direction that the bolts came from. So much for secrecy. He turned to Hurbert. Have you got a back door to this place? Or a cellar?

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Valgerda found herself suddenly hurled backwards just another bolt flew past her face. The next moment she was up against a wall with someone ...the Lurker? almost shouting at her.

"...under a spell or just plain stupid, but whatever speared that hulking man through the door is certainly going to show it's ugly mug soon enough and I don't intend to be here when that happens. Make better decisions if you want to survive through this, too."

A spell? No, her magic was exhausted for the foreseeable future. As Valgerda began to process what the Lurker was saying, a wild spark filled the bard's eyes. What some might first mistake for panic, as she frantically spoke it became clear, the visible golden light in her eyes was nothing less than pure fury.

"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, LURKER! IF THESE ARE JOTUNN WE FACE, THEN THEY ARE CERTAINLY WITH HIM. I MUST DEFEAT THEM, I MUST RECLAIM THE HORN. IT IS THE ONLY WAY...

Valgerda's voice filled the inn with rage as she shouted. Realization of where she was, and that she was spilling her secrets to the world, began spread across her face, and her voice faded away to barely a whisper.

"I must know if these are giants."

[Dain Broadbeam]

James jumps straight up as the guardsman comes flying through the door. And here I thought I was having a bad day. I guess it still might end up as bad as his... Grabbing his quarterstaff he runs over to the fallen guardsman. I guess the war has come for us after all. Please not be a god damn hugh crossbow bolt...

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan Under Siege, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

The moment that man had come crashing through the door it was like time had slowed to a crawl for her. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. This was Middlerod of all places, literally out in the middle of nowhere. There was no military advantage to capturing it. It's most valuable exports were grain and sheep. Why was this happening?

Dimly she could hear the shouting in the background as various people all tried to do everything at once. Someone was shouting about giants. She could hear Reynard, as if from very far away, shouting at people to get down which seemed like a capital idea and she ducked behind a table. One of those bolts would kill her. She reached into her alchemist's satchel, fingers closing around a little bottle of Alchemical Fire. She could feel the glass heat up slightly as the mixture inside reacted to the heat of her hand, the minute something tried to point a crossbow in her face she was chucking this at their head and running.

She glanced over to make sure Gindlewin was alright. "Get under a table or something, don't just sit there."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour (w/ Welsker)

When Colette looked over, at first it appeared that the gnome had disappeared. At a second glance, she saw him already huddled underneath the table. He was gesticulating wildly and tittering. Had he gone mad so quickly? Then she saw the even tinier creature at Gindlewin's feet. He seemed to be having an argument with... a weasel?

"<Weasel>Yes, yes, 'some hero I am.' Still, you are more likely to go unnoticed, and we need to know what is going on! I just imaginify you out there and then back!" Welsker, the Fey Weasel, Dark King of Ferretonia, seemed to finally agree. With that, Gindlewin picked up the dark velvet creature, crawled to the nearest window and peeked out. Not seeing anything in the commotion, he concentrated for a moment and Welsker became a two dimensional child's drawing, then disappeared, then reappeared on the roof of the next building over to get a good vantage.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Watch

Evodine steps back from the opening, no apparent danger barging through the door. She leans over to check on the status of the guardsman. The size of the bolt sticking out of him did not bode well, but she had seen people take some pretty serious wounds and not get taken out. She leans down and checks his pulse, then grabs some towels to help staunch any bleeding. She secures the bolt so it doesn't move around inside him and cause any more damage than it already has, then checks his other vitals. Is he breathing? Does he have a pulse? Skin pallor?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Hour

The poor man of the city watch never had a chance; he was affixed to the heavy oaken door more firmly than any joiner could have wished. His rib cage was now spread wide open by the 6 inch diameter bolt which had heralded the entrance of something fierce to Middlerod. Unfortunately for Evodine, her instincts to immediately render aid placed her in the path of a second incoming shaft. With no notice but the bright scream of wind rushing past its vanes, Evodine was thrown violently back into the common room as the doorway itself collapsed. Shrapnel flew everywhere as she lost consciousness beneath a table some 20 feet from the doorway.

James - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

James, who had likewise had altruism or, at the very least, curiosity in the forefront of his mind barely had time to note that this was the largest shaft he had ever seen. The head was embedded nearly 6 inches at least into the heavy oak door and had split it it nearly in two. The broadhead on it must have weighed 30-40 pounds at the least. Made of solid wood and iron and fletched with gigantic red and black feathers, the titanic bolt would have inspired without its grand entrance. Barely had these thoughts finished percolating into the mind of the young warlock when he was peppered by fragments of door frame from the explosive force of the second newly arrived projectile. He staggered backwards, gripping his side as several particularly large skewers of wood lodged themselves deep into his right side and upper thighs.

Skye - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, LURKER! IF THESE ARE JOTUNN WE FACE, THEN THEY ARE CERTAINLY WITH HIM. I MUST DEFEAT THEM, I MUST RECLAIM THE HORN. IT IS THE ONLY WAY...

Valgerda's voice filled the inn with rage as she shouted. Realization of where she was, and that she was spilling her secrets to the world, began spread across her face, and her voice faded away to barely a whisper.

"I must know if these are giants."

The serious tone with which the bard pronounced her belief about the current threat made Skye want to both cry and laugh hysterically at the same time. Giants?!!! Giants are myth and fairy tale. They only came from the mountains and the forests many leagues from here, even in the stories. Skye, whose natural inclination was to flee through the back door, was shamed by the eagerness of several of the newly acquainted to fight whatever lay in wait.

Skye screamed back, "What could possibly have brought giants to Middlerod?! All we get is bandits and thugs, this is some cruel invention of the Black Talons no doubt, meant to cow even more under their..." She realized she was venting about a well-respected mercenary outfit that was seen as keeping the peace, and quickly stopped her panic-driven tirade.

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Colette had turned to give advice to the gnome, but it seemed that he needed no such warning; he was muttering and waving his fingers in odd patterns at a weasel which she could have sworn looked momentarily regal and cowardly at the same time. While the was the middle of nowhere, it seemed the amiable gnome was prepared to do something about the recent disturbance. Colette lost sight of the weasel only to spy it, or one which looked much like it, on the roof of the building across the way through the open window on the inn wall.

Why did the gods always make arcane discoveries so hard? All she wanted was for the gnome to assist her with her brother's mystery, and suddenly the whole town seemed under siege. Knowing in her heart that the gods were not so fickle, and that her timing must have merely been bad as usual, did nothing to calm her racing mind.

Valgerda - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Finally! Valgerda felt alive as she only did in Bragi's most epic songs. Perhaps my mother's advice was not so ill-given. If the jotun are indeed assaulting this place, perhaps there is some great secret here that Loki is also attempting to wrest for his own deceptive ends. In her great joy at the thought of testing her might against the enemy of her people, Valgerda's eyes swept across the shattered wreckage of the front door as it was caved in by a second incoming bolt.

The young woman who had so effusively admired her skill as a skald was blown inwards and thrown more than 20 paces across the room, out of view underneath a table. It seemed to Val's mind that unless something was done for her quickly, the woman would not be able to have any songs sung for her honor. Others were injured, including the man named Shadow who was blown away from the door in a cloud of shrapnel and sparks. This was a very real attack, and whatever she may have known about battle, Valgerda also internally doubted very much that she could best a Jotun in single combat. She would never have admitted that to anyone, of course, but the fact remained.

Reynard - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

It seemed that being a half-orc was nothing compared to the devastation wreaked by the massive bolt. Reynard had seen siege-work in his quest to become a knight of valor, though only from a distance, but he was quite sure that these bolts did not come from ballistae; after all, he had seen no encircling army, and siege engines would have made no sense for an assault on such an openly planned town. Reynard was accustomed enough to the sound of battle, however, to hear the keening of a second incoming shaft, and threw himself to the side. Shrapnel bounced off of his armor, but he was unharmed as the quivering bartender pointed to the kitchen. "I, err, the inn has a safe room master, but we cannot fit all of these guests in it..." The diminutive bartender was scratching at his ginger hair as if he had lice, "Whatever shall we do?! My inn is being demolished by Gond-knows-what!"


Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

The quick thinking wizard was terrified, but also exhilarated. He had never been in a fight before, and something of the song sung by Valgerda, the bard, must have stuck inside his very core. This is exciting! I must see what is going on. Not personally, of course, but you will do just fine Welsker.

Despite the weasel's understandable reticence, he finally acquiesced to being sent across to the roof of the opposing building. Gindlewin was relatively safe behind this thickly constructed table, and his curiosity was killing him. He would only be a moment - just long enough to see what was going on outside. As he closed his eyes and the terrified weasel's perception came into rather shaky focus.

Directly down the street that terminated into the Dancing Swan a large herd of stampeding cattle, hogs, and draft horses seemed to be driven by a large group of even larger humanoids. The weasel's rather poor eyesight could not make out race or identity at this distance, but the fact that they were the cause of the commotion was reinforced as two of their number paused in their livestock driving efforts to carelessly toss two torches into the stables before skewering two shapes in the town watch livery. Smoke began to stream out of the low-slung building as Gindlewin watched in horror, caught up in what the stabled horses must be experiencing at that very moment.

The horror was diverted as the rising flames caused the gnome to cast his vision even further down the road. Fire too, was rising from the area of the brewery and stables, though the ferret cannot make out much more. The whistling and crash of a projectile much like the shaft which had riven the inn drew Gindlewin's eye further down the street. Much further beyond the melee, 2 titanic shapes revealed themselves to be the source of the bolts, as each periodically raised and lowered some type of construction which could only be intimidatingly large re-curve bows. Those bolts were being fired seemingly at random, striking into street and into buildings on either side of the main pike. Random though they were, they were effective against whatever they smote.

Gindlewin turned his gaze away from the devastation in front of him and noted that the street that runs perpendicular to the previous street was filled to bursting with fleeing animals, refugees, and the few fighters brave enough to try rushing to the assistance of the guards. Should even he have wanted to enter that dangerous melange of life and death, there would be no room to enter.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

As the second arrow shattered the doorway she felt like her nerves were on fire. Like her body was moving independently of brain as it raced trying to make sense of her situation. The door was blocked, made impassible by debris from the caved in section of roof, unless there was another way out of the inn it would almost be literally shooting fish in a barrel. Colette had no faith in the roof or the walls ability to stop projectiles the size of small trees, they would punch through the thatching like it was wet paper. The windows might provide a route of escape provided you didn't shred yourself on the broken glass, but they let out into the streets. Out into what was sure to be sheer pandemonium. Escaping the unknown danger only to be trampled by the panicked townsfolk.

She was barely aware of reaching Evodine's side until she felt the still warm blood on her knees as she knelt down beside her, hastily rummaging through her things for something that would help. Trying to figure out what was most in need of mending. The answer appeared to be "all of her" though, the only thing Colette could tell for sure without risking further damage was that some things had definitely been broken and that there was a frightening amount of blood and she was losing color quickly.

"Damn it damn it damn it...." she let out a litany of frustrated swearing, pulling out a vial of something brilliant blue and slightly shimmery that smelled strongly of lavender and willow bark. Popping off the cork and tilting Evodine's head back as much as she felt safe doing she poured the tincture down her throat, keeping a close eye to make sure she didn't aspirate the potion instead of swallow.

She watched with some relief as she saw the flow of blood begin to slow and color return to Evodine's face. Some of the bones snapping back into place with an uncomfortable crunching sound. It wasn't perfect, she was still clearly injured, but it would be enough to give her a chance to get out of here. Colette patted the side of her face briskly, attempting to rouse her faster. "Come on, come on we're not dying just yet. Pull it together."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Gindlewin came back into his own senses as Welsker returned to fantasy. He was shaking, but whether with fear or excitement, it was difficult to tell. He straightened his robes a bit to look more dignified and began to step out from under the table when the second bolt crashed into the building. He was peppered with debris but managed to hold his footing and, for now, his courage.

In the wake of Reynard's getting everyone motivated to stay down and quiet, his light voice carried a weight it only had thus far during legal proceedings. "Nearly a score of invaders that I can see. At least two giants!" For emphasis, he pointed at the bolt. "That is their arrow. They seem to be deliberately causing chaos and are driving a stampede this way. They are burning buildings. We cannot stay here!"

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Valgerda's rage at being pulled back from the window quickly left her when she saw the other woman's body thrown back in to the room.

I have to remember that these people are not the Einherjar. They don't spring back up when the fighting is over. I'm not even sure how vulnerable I am on this plane, but I suspect I'm looking at the answer on the ground there.

As she was contemplating this, she heard Vinr's voice pipe up, and confirm her theory. He sounds so official... Her mind made up, Valgerda decided she'd had enough of playing target practice. She wanted to fight back, but vengeance might need to wait until she was stronger. Still, she had to see the Jotunn, she had to know.

"Perhaps you're right Lurker, we are not in a position to fight back. We must escape, but I must see one. Please help me?"

Skye felt the request in Valgerda's words down to her bones. As Valgerda got up, she began beating candles out, and turning off lamps. She turned to the group and then the inn keeper to speak.

"Snuff the lights, the Inn is lit up like a bonfire, it is no wonder they are shooting at us. Hubert, is there a back way out? Some people can hide in the cellar, but I need to see these giants."

As she's speaking to the gnome, she grabs her pack from behind he bar, ready to be pointed in the right dirrction.

[Dain Broadbeam]

James - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

James look down at the massive bolt with disbelief. The next thing he knew was that of a blinding pain from his right side. Looking down he noticed large wooden splinters protruding from his body. Can this day stop getting better?. Taking in what the statesman said about the status of the town he hobbled towards the bar after the bard, an "Au" escaping his lips every time he used his right foot. Arriving at the bar he turned around and look at all the panicking patrons milling around, shouting and screaming. Pulling out one of the splinters with a grimace he started to mumble an incantation. The next words he uttered easily rose over the clamour of the other patrons "How about listening to the nice Half-Orc. GET DOWN!"

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Hurbert! The safe room. Where is it?! Reynard snarls in exasperation as the gnome simply cowers in front of him. He draws his greatsword and turns to Valgerda. I shall come with you. Jotunn or not, this inn cannot take much more of this.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

"Perhaps you're right Lurker, we are not in a position to fight back. We must escape, but I must see one. Please help me?"

Skye was completely taken aback by the request from the warrior poet; no one had ever truly trusted her as an orphan, and she was not accustomed to being asked to go into the way of danger by someone she had just saved. Her anger at nearly dying earlier in the day, possibly dying now, and the fear of not understanding the situation made Skye incredibly tense. "You think you can face giants?! That GUARD thought he could face giants! I am not having you die when I just saved you! Please, if you must look at whomever is attacking, perhaps you ought to do so from another vantage point? There is a back exit through the kitchens if you would just follow me." She turned to run and was confronted by the panicked townsfolk still in the bar. While her instinct was to run and hide for another day, it seemed her new acquaintances were made of different stuff.

Not a single one of them had turned to run. Instead, they had all tried ushering the innocent to safety. Skye was chagrined but still indignant that people would think so little of saving their own hides. She thought quickly, and in one smooth motion pick-pocketed the last drunk sitting by her. He did not have much, but a quick heft of the purse told her that the man was relatively well-to-do; there had to be at least 2 gold pieces inside. In a loud voice she cried, "One gold piece to the man or woman who finds everyone a way to safety! May I suggest the back entrance?!"

There is no crofter, no matter how dire the situation, when offered more gold than he would earn in a ten-day to escape with his life, who will not immediately comply. The panic of the room was still palpable, but several of the sober individuals ran to pick up a few of the trestle tables and began stacking them against the remains of the shattered door. It would not stop something capable of shooting those shafts, but it would definitely hamper any smaller attackers and give the occupants of the inn some cover. The rest bolted for the kitchens as fast as they could, not caring who was trampled. Several of the barmaids were tossed roughly aside as the larger and more aggressive drunks made a mad dash through the serving door.

[Trevethan Norn]

James and Reynard - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd hour

James and Reynard both had their eyes on the bartender as James had roared just as futilely as the errant knight. The normally genial and ebullient gnome was a complete wreck. It seemed that bar fights were understandable, but this appeared to be the first time his bar had been raided. Hurbert coughed and spluttered at the request to let others use the inn's safe room, "But, but, my faaamily!" he wailed. With a scream of terror as another impact shook the front wall, the ginger bolted to the staircase faster than Reynard could have credited as possible. While Reynard sneared in disgust and unlimbered his brand, James was not as quick to dismiss the fear of the gnome; after all, it was entirely reasonable to have your insides turn to jelly in the midst of your first attack by giants. He was, however, very curious as to why the gnome had gone up the stairs, rather than back into the kitchen. If the gnome was concerned about surviving and making it to the safe room unless..

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd hour

Gindlewin sighed and seemed suddenly older than he had before. "Friends, I'm afraid that we are seeing the downside of having swords. It makes problems seem too simple. These creatures are not such as we can deal with. Getting the townspeople out should be our first priority. Reynard, what do you know of this saferoom? Is it even large enough to fit us all?"

[Dain Broadbeam]

James - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd hour

James looked on with a puzzled look on his face as the gnome raced UP the stairs What in the name of Tymora.... Out loud he says to Reynard: "Help the people down here, I'll check on the Gnome," before he hurries after Hurbert. His face twisted in a painful grimace as each step sends a new jolt of sharp pain up his right side. "Dammit dammit dammit". As he rounds the last corner of the stairwell he is filled with a moment of surprise as he just glimpse a heel disappear behind closing panel. Wha..
Oh. Hehe.. Au James chuckles. Right, laughing hurts too, great.... He pokes his head around the corner and shouts down: "I *think* I found the safe room he was babbling about. It's over the common room." He then turns his attention to the wall. Now, where's the opening mechanism... Before him is a stone partition of a landing swan. Hum, landing swans, dancing swans, could it be?. A few quick manipulations to the partitions confirmed James' suspicions as the swan was transformed into a dancing swan, quickly followed by a puff of air as the panel pops out. James almost giggled, his pain briefly forgotten as he attempts to push it, but instead of going in as expected, by pure chance his slight off centre push made the panel slide. It moved with surprising smoothness to one side. A safe room with a well oiled mechanism? Now that's odd. Interesting. The room in front of was in fact not a large safe room. Poking his head through the opening he spotted a tunnel. An exited shout escaped him: "Eureka!"

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Hour

Evodine finds herself suddenly on the floor several feet from where she awoke. The room is in a shambles, and the inhabitants are in chaos. She blinks a few times to clear her head. She sees the group heading up the stairs. "But...the way out is..." She looks around a bit, confused. She follows the few she saw up the stairs, assisting any of the others in the room who will allow her to.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

"Wait don't try to walk you're..." Colette sputtered out as Evodine staggered to her feet and began moving up the stairs, "still injured." She finished flatly, "like herding cats I swear."

Still Gindlewin was right and since it seemed like several of the others had the upstairs well and truly covered she got to her feel and followed the press of the crowd towards the back of the inn. Thankfully she found no giants, less thankfully she found what was more or less a dead end. High stone walls around a lot in the back, currently full of people emptying into the alleys to either side. She couldn't see them but she could hear the bellowing of panicked animals. Children crying. Every passing second had her wishing more and more fervently that this was some sort of nightmare. That she would wake up any second in her bed and everything would be normal.

She lingered a moment before turning to head back inside, seeing nothing that would significantly hinder or help their efforts. It was good to know the option was available but she also wasn't about to try and cut and run while people were still in trouble.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

After watching the innkeeper and the man named Shadiw run up the stairs, Valgerda realized she should be able to get a better vantage point up there. As she raced toward the stairs, she called back to the half-Orc, "Reynard, we should be able to see them from one of the upper rooms! Up the stairs and straight at the first door she could see. Trying to force her way in with her shortsword, she was quite surprised at the quality of construction of this particular door. Huh, they don't really train you to break down doors in Valhalla... She looks are to see the man named Shadow giggling in front of what appears to be some passageway.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod, 2nd hour

Gindlewin sighed. He didn't quite see how going upstairs was a prudent course of action. Still, getting trampled in a frightened horde didn't seem intelligent either. In his most lawyerly voice, he tried to calm the people and keep their heads down until a place could be found for them.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

It seemed that most everyone had lost their minds. No sooner had the skewered individual before her been healed than she was running off upstairs. Her healer paused on her knees, stunned, and muttered something that sounded vaguely like cats. She paused for but a moment before bolting for the back in the only sensible action of the evening. Seeing no reason to stay in the common room, and followed the curious lady with the bulging bag as she sped through the kitchen and peered out into the stockyard.

While her new acquaintance looked outside and idled on the threshold, Skye very carefully sidled out behind a nearby stack of barrels. She never occupied a back-lit door longer than could be helped. As her nerves calmed slightly from the feeling of being in cover, Skye took a careful look around the yard. It dawned on her that she had never seen an inn quite so well constructed, even in Iriaebor. She had not noted it during her stay in the town, being more concerned with drink, work, and avoiding notice, but this inn was practically a fort in many aspects. Where normal stock yards would have perhaps a split-rail fence to prevent loose animals from wandering, or even a small wood fence of five or six feet, this inn was entirely built of stone, including its 10 foot high external walls. Not only were they strongly built, but the iron spikes, broken glass, and other detritus atop the wall, which she had mistaken for artistic garbage, now seemed to serve another purpose.

What else have I missed? she had a good look at the outside of the inn, she realized that very little wood - while present in abundance on the inside - was actually exposed to the weather. Turning her eyes from the inordinately well-assembled inn itself, she considered the walls once more. If she did not know better, she would have glossed over the walls due to the scrap and supplies stacked hastily against them. However, she was in a mood to find shelter and her mind noted that the majority of the provisions were of stout construction. The barrels, boxes, and other paraphernalia were placed with nearly consistent height to form what could be used as a walk-way around the circumference of the entire enclosure. An average person standing on the goods would have 4 or 5 feet of protected wall which could be looked over with only an exposed head

Skye was drawn back from her observation with a final look at the stables by the screams she heard echoing in the alleys and the back street bordering the inn. She could hear rushing footsteps, though she could not see much beyond the peasants rushing through the gates on either side of her. It seemed that much off Middlerod was in a panic. Above all, she heard a bone-chilling horn and guttural war-cries. Orcs!? Raiding so far north?! Skye had heard enough stories from her Black Talon comrades to recognize the distinctive sound of the orc celebration of battle for their god, but she had never heard that the raiders had pushed quite so far past their southern raiding grounds. The news was chilling to her bones; orcs rarely raided in anything but overwhelming strength, preferring complete victory. What could they possibly have that could fire something so large?

Rayne & Ozuel - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

A hard night of drinking for Rayne had turned into an early bed as her companion had aided her up the stairs to their second-story bedroom. She absolutely should not have tried to match the mercenary captain drink for drink from the second hour of the afternoon until nearly midnight. She certainly should not have boasted about her ability to drink Calimshan firewater through her nose; while it made for an impressive show, it always ended up with burning and bloody nostrils. However, try as she might, Rayne had a very hard time being in one place on land for too long, in too sober a mood. She had only come here at Ozuel's insistence, though the sorceress had undeniably picked the most mundane and safe places on their journey. Ozuel's talent at remaining in the most boring of places irked Rayne's need for adventure, but it also meant that she had a fatter purse while still making progress towards the ocean.

It would have been faster on the river many leagues to the north, but seeing it had made her have nightmares of the sinking of her ship. Not to mention, Rayne's last choice of a stopping point had ended with the small village inhabitants chasing them out with pitchforks and many a close arrow. It seemed that magic was not accepted in all areas, particularly when evidenced by non-humans.

Rayne's turned over in her sleep and pleasant memories of the escape from one tight pinch with her runaway noble elven companion suddenly became gory and horrifying; She heard the first ballista bolt impact the ship as her captain screamed. Prepare to be boarded! Swords men, defend the Star! She knew what would happen next. The second bolt took him clean through his torso, and a half-dozen men with him, as it swept a steal net across the deck in its wake. The ship began to heave more violently as cold fingers tore at her, shaking her. Someone screamed from her side, "Rayne, wake up! Rayne, the inn is being attacked!"

Ozuel shook her sailor friend with all her might as the half-elf tossed in her nightmare. It was a miracle that her companion could sleep through the loud cracks and screams issuing from outside, but that was nothing compared to the terror that she felt from the loud sound of battering and splintering at the door to their domicile. She could see flames through the windows; it had been too common an experience in her recent life for her to not recognize the orange and yellow glow, even in the early morning light. This was no dawn echoing off the low clouds. She hurriedly tossed an incantation of mending at the door, watching metal splinters force themselves back into their places within the iron banding. A resounding chopping sound echoed from outside, and her work was completely undone as she could see that the banding had begun to buckle. Oz turned to her friend, "Rayne, wake up! Rayne, the inn is being attacked!"

[willowedc]

Rayne - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

"The abyss?" Ryane growled as she twisted to land on her ass and not her face, as she was suddenly pulled from her perfectly comfortable bed. "Oz,” she groaned as she collapsed backward onto the floor. “If you wanted to go party down stairs, just go, you're a good looking woman. I'm sure you'll have a great time. Anyone gets too handsy, blow 'em up,” she grumbled as she made to roll onto her side, so she could go back to sleep.

Her hand reached up onto the bed, as she searched blindly for a pillow. There were few appealing things about being land bound, but one of the major advantages were pillows; nice, soft, fluffy, pillows. Her hand stilled as she heard the unmistakable sound of wood fracture.

“Wait,” she said as she closed her eyes and shook her head, in an attempt to displace the fog in her mind. “You said, attacked. The inn is being attacked,” she repeated back as she finally looked toward Oz.

Oz was crouched, with her crossbow aimed at the door. Her sea blue eyes were trained on the door, and her usually amused expression was one of intense concentration. It was the same intense look that Rayne only saw when Oz really was ready to blow it up. “Right,” she muttered as she slipped her hands under the mattress and removed her longswords.

Instead of her usual fluid grace, Rayne tripped over the corner of her bed as she took a step, and slammed head first into the door. With a low groan of pain, and a silent shake of her head, she pushed off the door so she could stand to the side of it. She glanced at Oz and couldn’t help the embarrassed blush that flooded her cheeks and spread out to her ears as she mouthed, Sorry!

Rayne held her swords confidently, as she absently wiped the blood dripping from her nose onto her sleeve. ‘I really need to lay off the Calimshan firewater,’ she thought, as she readied herself for bloodshed.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Reynard cursed. He had run up the stairs after Val and struck the door when her sword failed to open it. His blade had splintered the wood but the iron bands still held it together. He heard voices coming from the other side. Open up! he shouted, pounding on the wood with his fist. There are giants attacking the village. We need a good vantage point.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Coming back to the Center of the Inn Colette found the main room significantly emptied, most of the occupants having fled out the back door. Gindlewin was still present and she wasn't sure if she should be relieved or distressed by that.

"Come on we should probably foll-" she was cut off by the loud crashing and banging from upstairs from something that sounded distressingly like metal on wood. "I swear on any god who happens to be listening, has everyone lost their minds?! What are they doing up there?!" Picking up the hem of her robes she took the stairs in twos until she reached the top, gawking at the sight of Reynard and Val and the half broken door, and Shadow cackling to himself by an open doorway whose contents she could not see from this angle.

"Listen it seems your brains have all been replaced with cabbages or have you forgotten there are giants and gods know what else descending on this village and we need to leave immediately. Stop messing with the doors!"

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

James stood with his head into the opening listening to the echo of his shout with a big grin on his face until his attention was pulled away by what sounded as metal hitting wood. He pulled his head back and looked with a quizzical expression at the bard and the knight trying to knock down a door. "Um, guys, the Gnome went through here," he paused as a muffled voice came through the cracked door. "aaand I think there's someone in there,"
"Open up! There are giants attacking the village. We need a good vantage point."
"fair enough, but didn't Gindlewin give an apt description of the situation? And no, my brain has not been replaced by cabbage. I have in fact found a safe way out" The last bit he added half as a reply to the newly arrived Colette. He looked over her shoulder towards the stairs as he finished ""lastly, any more of you coming? How is it downstairs?"

[CinLee]

Ozuel shakes her head on the way to the door putting away her crossbow. If they just wanted to us the window why didn’t they just knock? Nodding to Rayne, Oz opens the door. Window is that way, Oz gestures back over her shoulder. Looking around at the strangers crowding the hall, Oz’s ears perk up. After grabbing her pack and throwing a few loose things into it, Oz strolling over to a young looking teifling. Oz extends her hand and flashes a smile. Ozuel, is the name and did I hear you say something about a way out. I think a safe way out is just what we need. Glancing back at Rayne, Don’t You agree?

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Reynard's face broke into a relieved grin. Well done, Master Shadow! I knew Hurbert was hiding something. He turned to the elf and bowed quickly. I beg pardon for the intrusion. I did not know that the room was in use.

He let the elf pass him and went to the window, giving another brief greeting to the room's other occupant. In the back of his mind he felt uneasy. He always felt uneasy around elves and half elves, although with the latter at least he found some sympathy. There was something in the way that they looked at him...

He flung open the window and peered out, trying to assess the situation and see if there was any way to stop the attackers.

[willowedc]

Rayne collapsed back into the wall as Oz opened the door to the party assaulting it. Her gaze stayed focused on the people outside their room. From her vantage point she could see, two human women, a male tiefling, a woman whose race she couldn’t identify, and the male who’d been attacking the door. He was taller than she was, by more than a few inches. He had green tinted skin, blue hair, and orcish features, ‘half-orc,’ she recognized.

When a deep masculine voice said, “I beg pardon for the intrusion, I did not know this room was in use.”

She snorted derisively as she muttered <elvish> “Yes, because an occupied room, at an inn, at the break of dawn, while the village is over-run with refugees, is an unexpected occurrence.” She could tell from the slight embarrassed tinge on his cheeks, that he understood her muttering.

She also noticed a burst of resignation in his gaze, as he offered her a generic greeting. She was familiar with the look hidden in his eyes, it was the same one she had; an underlaying readiness to always be prepared for the worst from people. ‘Smart,’ she thought to herself.

As Oz packed her gear, she noticed his bearing, ‘Noble, curious.’ The fine quality of his clothing, the sound his well made armor made, the way he shifted to the side, to allow Oz to leave the room, all spoke of an intimate familiarity with wealth, privilege, and gentile manners. ‘Even more curious.’

As he ducked into the room, she caught a glimpse of the variety of weapons he carried. When he brushed passed her, and headed for the window, her hands tightened around her sword hilts. She continued to lean insolently against the wall beside the door as he threw open the window, and looked out over the village. Her amber eyes narrowed, and she moistened her lips with her tongue, as he exposed the back of his neck to her.

That was the moment she heard Oz’s voice, “Ozuel, is the name and did I hear you say something about a way out. I think a safe way out is just what we need.”

Rayne pulled her attention away from the half-orc, and turned her head as she glanced toward her friend. She met Oz’s sea blue eyes and her brief moment of murderous contemplation, faded away.

“Don’t you agree?” Oz said as their gazes locked.

Rayne groaned as she pushed away from the wall. “Need?” she replied, in a raspy voice. “Hardly, but I will admit it would be useful. I have no desire to be killed in this land locked village, surround by swine, and farmers.”

Rayne settled her sword belt over her hips, and sheathed her blades with an aggressive “thump”. She smiled to herself as she noticed the half-orc’s hand twitch unconsciously in response. She tossed her pack onto the bed, and tied her two pillows to the bedroll. She paused, only for a moment, before she snagged one of the pillows from Oz’s bed and tied it to the top.

After settling her pack, and ensuring access to the arrows in her quiver was convenient, she lifted her longbow and crossed the room. With a jaw cracking yawn she glared at the bard standing in the doorway, in hopes getting the woman to move out of her way. Once she was in the hall, she stood behind Oz and the tiefling.

“I’m guessing this is your safer way,” she stated, as she rested her hands on her swords. “It sounds deadly out there. With people making sudden movements above the average roof line, it’s bound to become deadly in here sooner rather than later, ” she commented, as she moved Oz out of her way. She brushed passed the tiefling. “I’ll go. Oz, don’t fall too far behind. You can always greet them once we’re clear of the inn.” She entered the dark passage, with an excited gleam in her amber eyes.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brunjolf - The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Just as Valgerda was about to try kicking in the door, it swung open to reveal a pair of angry looking feyfolk. They seemed to be putting up some sort of protest, however Valgerda barely noticed as she followed Reynard past them. Valgerda's mind was wholly focused on witnessing the giants said to be terrorizing the town. Pushing her way to the window with Reynard, she finally saw what she had been looking for. Only...

"Vinr!!! Those are not GIANTS! They're obviously just trolls..." As Valgerda turned back to the room, the disappointment was evident on her face. "We should have a discussion about the differences once we leave town. By the way, it would appear Middlerod may not be standing for much longer."

She looked for her companions and realized something was missing from the room. Where did the sleepy elves go? Deciding it might be time to leave, she headed back for the hallway.

"Shadow, you said you found an exit?"

[CinLee]

After a cursory glance at the other in the hall and their recently vacated room. Oz flashes a grin and a wink to the teifling, see you in the shadows. With that Oz, ducks into the passage behind Rayne. Coming! Oz quietly murmurs to herself,Wouldn't want to loose the only person I have called friend in years. Oz smiles affectionately at Rayne's back.

[CelestialBard]

Skye's hand fiddled with the coin once more, the metal warm from the near constant fidgeting between her fingers. It calmed her a little too much, the worry beginning to seep from her body and into the idle movements. As she looked around, fire and screaming chaos overtaking the town, her mouth moved to recite some words she remembered from the stories her mother used to tell her.

Slowly, her face twisted into a look that could only be described as a trance. <Heavily accented> "Moth'r earth gaveth birth to a issue nam'd Skye..." She mumbled as she moved to a barrel and climbed on top of it. Even on her tip-toes, she had a hard time seeing much more than bodies coating the dirt in tangles of crimson. A pang rang through her gut.

"Skin whey-face as snoweth..." She hopped off the cask and attempted to listen over the shouting of the huddled townspeople, seemingly trapped in the inn's compound. It was a futile endeavor, there would be no other exit from such a fortified place except over a wall or through the main gate. There was no doubt in her mind that she could make it over but with that notion came a certainty that only a few of the other patrons would be capable of making the same trip. The situation became more grim by the minute, and she couldn't help but feel growing dread in her stomach. Of course nothing else in this sh*t town is as heavily armored as the g*ddamn tavern.

"Eyes pure as the ocean bloweth..." She chewed at her lip, peeling away a layer of dried skin. There's nothing I can do for these people, It's too late for them. If I live I could always warn other villages of the dangers that happened here. Yeah, that'll clear the conscious. A bony hand raked through her matted hair as she slipped back into the building.

Standing behind the newly vacated countertop, Skye rummaged through the shelves and helped herself to a fine liquor she figured was probably out of her price range. Investigating further, she also found a chunk of cheddar and a quarter of an apple wrapped in a napkin. Maybe the Orcs will take what they want and leave the rest. She laughed half-heartedly through her nose, clutching the bottle and meal, and tucking herself under the thick wooden bar. No better place to hide than this, I suppose.

She raised the drink into the air in a mock toast, "and a smileth yond madeth the gods crye!" quickly followed by a sip and a big bite into her breakfast.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Reynard stood frozen at the window, watching as his deepest fears were realised. Orcs. Orcs and ogres. He had never seen an orc raid before. He had avoided any place where orcs were known to gather. He had gone the other way when he heard about raiding tribes. He told himself that this was not because he was afraid, but because he would just confuse the situation further. Now he knew that to be a lie.

They were larger than he expected. An active childhood and plenty of food had given Reynard a good stature to be sure, but these beasts would still tower over him by a head. Their painted skin and large tusks filled him with a sort of fear that he had never known.

Then there were the ogres. His father had told him stories... His father rarely spoke to him of his years in captivity, but that was a story he had often told when the children were by the fire and he was warning them about the dangers of the world.

Ogres. Less than giants but at the same time so much more. Mindless beasts with no concern but food and mating and bloodshed. They were the bogeymen of his childhood. A reminder of what he was. What he could be. He watched as they ploughed through buildings with a single stroke, spreading death and destruction with a wave of their hand. He would have faced a giant with equanimity. An army of giants, even. But this?

He had heard it said that a man's true character is shown by what he does in times of crisis. He could go down there. He could face down the orc chieftain, defeat him in battle and stop the raiders in their tracks. He could do that.

Reynard ran. He went to the stairs and bellowed Come upstairs! There's a secret passageway. It'll keep us safe. Then he followed behind the others, his head hanging in shame.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Shadow stood there with a curious look on his face as he witnessed the two elf-like characters strolled into the hallway. His early burst of excitement over his discovery had faded away, replaced by a throbbing pain from his right side and upper leg. His eyes followed the half-elf as she brushed past him, lost in thought until a voice brought him back to the present:"Shadow, you said you found an exit?" "Hmm, exit? Ah, yes, this way. he replied, not taking his eyes of the opening. He started walking with a noticeable limp "Follow me please. I must warn you however," he turned and looked at the half-orc "It might be a bit, err, snug." He ducked back into the secret passage and continued to the left towards the tracks, leaving a trail of blood. As he walked Shadows eyes darted back and forth. Where's there one surprise there's often a second...

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, 2nd Hour

Well, I've read the stories. When in doubt, a wizard should always trust his heroes' crazy plans. Gindlewin's chipmunk sounds were more urgent as his glowing arrow appeared above the patrons' heads to light the way up the stairs and into the secret passage his friends had found. Once everyone was safe inside, Gindlewin ran to the windows to get a good look at what was going on outside.

While Valgerda seemed upset to not being seeing giants, Gindlewin was only too happy they were apparently something much smaller. "They look like giants to a weasel, okay!" As the raiders got closer to the building, he attempted to distract them. Whenever he saw one zero in on a citizen, he would wave his fingers and create a glamour of a guardsman with sword raised to distract it.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine – The Dancing Swan: 2nd Hour

Evodine makes it up the stairs, though the pains in her entire body cause her to move slowly. The world still spinning around her, she follows the group through the secret exit. "Did someone say something about giant trolls? Huh?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Everyone but Skye and Gindlewin - A passageway, The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Ozuel had to stoop far lower than she had anticipated when the tiefling had said that there was a passageway away from the danger. In her world, this was more like a crawlspace or attic tunnel than a proper passage. Still, she was a sorceress and she doubted that anything would cause her undue harm. She crouched forward through the quasi darkness as quickly and silently as she could though there was really no point with the cumulative noise of the party and their excited chatter echoing from behind her.

She could hear Rayne whispering behind her softly, though she had no idea why the sailor thought she would know the reasoning of an orc raid. "Do I look like a watch captain or ranger to you?" she hissed. "I have no idea, nor do I intend to find out. We should have been able to stay for a small while at the inn and get supplies. As it is, I only have a few. How many rations do you have?"

The group crawled along through the semi-darkness, following the tracks as quietly and as quickly as possible. James, lost in a mix of excitement and misery between his discovery, his aching side, and his painful loss of a father-figure. As the sounds of fighting faded from hearing, he felt well and truly lost. Clearly, the tunnel was a magical construct, but what it was doing in the second floor of an inn in a town like Middlerod was beyond him. Behind him, the warrior and the others crowded after in less than silence, though it was clear they thought themselves stealthy. A glance backwards told him that the half-orc was likewise lost in his own thoughts. From the furrowed brow Reynard, as he had named himself, seemed to be exploring similarly pleasant thoughts.

Time stretched into eternity for the small band and it was a good 2 hours at least of slow progress before they felt a small but steady breeze of fresh air coming from a slightly wider space ahead. Slowly, they each exited the passageway to see a cave which appeared to double as a warehouse. It was not large, perhaps 50 or 70 feet in diameter, with a ceiling of no more than 10 feet in height, but it was clearly worked stone, and well crafted at that.

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, Second Floor, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Gindlewin was so fixated on the window that he did not hear the rest of the group leave the room. He turned his head to ask for assistance and saw that even the kind bard was not in view. How odd...No matter. Where there is a wizard, there is a way! He turned to the headboard, clambered up the side, and carefully grasped the sill 5 feet above the floor. Now if only I don't fall... He was an astute climber, however, as he had to feel at home in the trees of his family, and he scrabbled quickly over and onto the small hole in which the window was set. The heavily leaded glass was not the clearest, but he was able to open one pane the tiniest bit. It was enough to see the wreckage that was being sown about so heavily by the two large trolls. He felt embarrassed that he had not named them properly; he had of course read about trolls in the many stories shown him by Allura, but to his knowledge they had been just that.

No matter their true name, they were masters at reducing the buildings of the town with might swings of their clubs. The smaller raiders, which he could see very clearly were orcs, seemed to be making a great business of piling anything remotely valuable onto a very large, very dubious sort of wagon at the end of the street. Surrounding the wagon seemed to be a group of 10 or 15 particularly tall warriors who seemed to be bossing the others about. Few survivors moved in the street at the far end, though Gindlewin did spy a pregnant lady perhaps 60 paces away who was hunkering behind an upturned ale barrel. She seemed to sense that her doom was on her as she tried to sprint the remaining distance to the inn. A lone warrior spotted her and unlimbered a large bow. There was no way she would make it to safety.


Skye - The Dancing Swan, Under the Counter, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

The food was good, and the liquour was better. Before more than a handful of moments had passed she was mildly inebriated. She had never been one for strong drink, and this seemed to have been the Calimshan firewater she had heard so many boasts about. Her throat burned, and her head started to beat like a drum. Skye began to regret her choice of beverage, but before she could consider the finer points of her suffering, the back door came crashing off its hinges and the room was covered in an explosion of flour. Today had apparently been baking day, and the large white sacks which Skye had dismissed now divulged a particularly fine white powder which made it hard to both breathe and see. She held herself extremely still as a harsh voice spoke and her blood chilled in her veins, "Urrul tar beigtr zur!" There was the sound of crashing objects as heavy footsteps filled the room. Clearly, tables were being overturned, and goods were being looted. She only dimly saw shapes through the haze, but one was close enough for her to tell that this was no friendly humanoid.

Skye had never seen an orc before, but the stories she had heard did not do this specimen justice. He was at least seven feet in height, and wore teeth and an assortment of contrived metal and leather armor across the majority of his body. In his right hand was a cruel axe, and in his left he seemed to be holding a shield made of skins and other materials. That he was in charge was apparent from the deference the smaller bodies seemed to pay him as they moved in and out of the back exit. He turned as a horrendous scream came from the direction of the pantry; apparently a scullion had tried to secure a hiding place. The sickness in Skye's stomach increased as she heard the scream cut off, followed by a series of nasty laughter.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - A cave, Somewhere Outside Middlerod (?), Two Hours Later


Evie had regained her senses as she moved through the tunnels, carefully navigating and sneaking through. As she did, she reflected on her night. She had been pretty proud of how stealthily she had followed the magistrate, and wondered what would happen with him now when he met with the Duke.

Stooping over was starting to give her a kink in her neck and shoulders. She started sizing up the others, wondering who had the strongest hands to work out the knots she was likely to have. At least she wasn't as tall as some of the others. Sometimes, being short had its advantages, especially when you were trying to sneak. She hears the others talking and asks, "Orcs? Someone said they were giants...or maybe trolls? I don't know. I was hit pretty hard. I'm going to start making sure I'm out of the way from now on." She reaches up to her head to make sure the wound was no longer bleeding. Confident it had stopped, she continued on for what seemed like days.

Evodine was quite intrigued when the tunnel finally opened out into a cave, though it didn't look like any cave she had seen before. usually, the ceiling was so high you couldn't see it. "Anyone have any idea where we are?" She flops down on the floor and attempts to stretch her neck and shoulders out, then presses them down against the hard floor, working out any knots which have formed.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod, Second Watch

"I.. huh..." Colette was admittedly not able to keep up her frustration as she went over to examine the passage shadow was talking about. It seemed like just when she was begining to accept a new normal, something else showed up to throw her for a complete loop. "Alright well that is definitely a... passage there. Good job I guess."

However the sound of war horns turned her blood to ice in her veins as they drifted in through the open window of the room across the hall. And as the others moved past her into the tunnel she found herself moving with them. She was out of time, and they needed to leave if they were going to live through this. The passage was dark and cramped, the occupents silent and somber, moving quickly and urgently through the darkness for what felt like an eternity. She was lost in her own thoughts, of her quiet little home in the hermitage. Would she return to find it burned down? Would she ever be able to return at all? She couldn't say all her memories of that place were particularly happy but to have the option so decisively removed was surprisingly painful. To say nothing of the terrible fate that had befallen middlerod. A place that had done less than nothing to deserve this.

"The gods are bastards, is this all just sport for them? Do we really get so little consideration?" she thought bitterly to herself. "None of this is fair."

Eventually they came out into... well not light persay but a less oppressive darkness and she stretched as she waited for her eyes to adjust. She heard Evodine ask "Anyone have any idea where we are?" and shrugged. "Not a clue." And then speaking up to the wider population asked "Is anyone hurt? I have medicine available if you are, and since we're out of present danger we might as well patch up."

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow collapsed against a crate in the cave/warehouse soon after leaving the passage and started to pull out the last few splinters. The long trek crouched down in the cold dark tunnel had drained him of the adrenaline. Now he was cold, tried and in great pain. On top of that his mind was completely numb. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep. Sleep and wake up and realise all this had just been a horrible nightmare. "Is anyone hurt? I have medicine available if you are, and since we're out of present danger we might as well patch up." James raised a bloodied hand in the air in reply. Both the constant walking for the past two hours and his crude attempt to remove the last splinters had made sure that several of the wounds was still bleeding. "If you would be so kind," he added with a yawn.

[CinLee]

Looking around Oz is not what to think. You would expect a storage area to not be quite so barren. Among the live stock areas there are several crates tied down. I would expect crates to be tied down on a ship but in a cave, Oz pondered to herself, this just did not seem right. Crates with strange writing in dwarven runes. "Can anyone make out what is written on these crates? They seem to be dwarven runes but I can not make out the meaning of the inscriptions." Looking around for provision there are bags of wheat and flour not very useful for travel. Ah, large wheels of cheese. Grabbing a sack and stuffing one of the wheels of cheese into it, Oz spies a holding barrel of wine. Knowing Rayne's fondness for drink Oz searches through the empty sack, barrels and containers. Coming up with two smaller casks, Oz heads over to the wine barrel and begins to fill them with wine. As she fills the casks Oz looks around her, companions?. So, can anyone make out what is written on the crates?

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: Second Watch

Valgerda watched her fellow tavern goers funnel in to the tiny passage way. The majority of the group seemed to be following the sleepy elf down in to the hole. Valgerda was torn, she wanted to stay and fight, but she also trusted her allies when they said the odds were too great. The Lurker had definitely been wounded once already this evening. If warriors like the Lurker and the noble half-Orc didn't think themselves up to the task...well certainly they have much more experience in such matters than I?

As the last of the group left through the tunnel, she took one last look in to the room with the window. Seeing Gindlewin casting some magics out the window, she shouted at him over the din outside, "Vinr, everyone is leaving through the tunnel! Unless you're going to rend a hole in the fabric of reality, you should come along. Although, if you are planning to do that, give me a head start, okay? Thinking about the possibilities of foul magics destroying the entire town sent a shiver down Valgerda's spine and she ran in to the tunnel. She cast a spell to make her sword glow with radiance, just be sure the darkness wasn't reality unraveling itself.


Valgerda Brynjolf - Cavern Warehouse: Second Watch(?)

As Valgerda entered the tunnel behind the rest of the group, she began to look around, holding the radianting sword above her head as a torch. At first glance the storeroom seemed innocent enough, if perhaps significantly out of place. How did Hurbert move supplies miles underground, and why bother? Something foul caught Valgerda's attention, perhaps some odor? Her first thought was to the carcasses hanging to the right. Upon further inspection though, they seemed benign. Just meat being hung to cure. Valgerda realized then, it wasn't an odor after all. Trusting her instincts she scanned each of the pens in turn, her eyes finally settling on the end. As she approached the offending cage, she understood.

These aren't pens for animals, this is a prison!

It was at about that moment, the voice of one of newcomers piped up. They had talked quietly at the front of the group during the walk down, but Valgerda was in the rear and still didn't know how to tell the voices apart, let alone anything about them.

"Can anyone make out what is written on these crates? They seem to be dwarven runes but I can not make out the meaning of the inscriptions."

As she walked over to have a look at the runes, Valgerda informed the rest of the group about the prison cell. "You would think if Hurbert was going to use this prison as a storeroom, he would at least get rid of the manacles and cells. Right? She was relieved to get away from the cell as she pointed it out to the others.

[CinLee]

As, Oz finished filling the wine casks she turned to the two warriors who had tried battering her and Rayne's door in. The female warrior was saying something about prison cells.

"You would think if Hurbert was going to use this prison as a storeroom, he would at least get rid of the manacles and cells. Right?

l do not know much about prison cells but maybe he had still had use of them. Why else keep would you keep them? Perhaps we should try and determine how long it has been since these cells were last used. Sorry for the lack of interduction earlier, I am Ozuel. With that Oz heads over to the cells for a better look, adjusting the sack of wine casks and cheese on slung over her shoulder.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Reynard twisted the ring on his finger, looking listlessly about him. He had not taken it off since the death of his father. Now he felt like he did not deserve to wear it at all. He had failed his father's name. He thought that he could prove himself worthy. Show that he was a Greycastle in deed as well as in name. But he had run at the first sight of danger.

"Can anyone make out what is written on these crates? They seem to be dwarven runes but I can not make out the meaning of the inscriptions."

A voice in the back of his mind tried to tell him that it was a futile fight. That he couldn't hope to beat an entire tribe of orcs, let alone two ogres. He silenced it. Fighting against immeasurable odds is exactly what a knight does. It is exactly what I was trained to do.

He drew himself up. And he was not just a knight. He was more than that. He was no mere landed noble, growing fat on the work of his serfs. He was a knight errant. And that meant he had a responsibility to right his wrongs. He would not run away. Not again.

So, can anyone make out what is written on the crates?

He jerked out of his reverie, filled with a new sense of purpose. Let me see, He said. It may be orcish. That is written in dwarfish script, when it is written at all. More likely it is gnomish. Perhaps Grindlewin could... He looked around and frowned, noticing for the first time that their friend was not with them. Where is Gindlewin?

[willowedc]

Rayne - The Dancing Swan Supply Cavern, Middlerod: 4th or 5th Hour

Rayne noticed the crates, hanging meat, and pens, in the vague way of having seen them, but being less than interested in them. If her head wasn’t pounding quite so fiercely, she would have looked around for supplies to loot and figure out a way to transport one of those aging sides of beef. As it was, her gaze was fixated on the path through the supply cavern.

She followed it to the end, to find herself facing a closed stone and iron door. She wanted to grasp hold of the handle and find out if it opened in or out. However, she resisted the temptation to figure out how to open the door and stared at it intently. She could hear the others speaking, but they were far enough away that she didn’t have to listen to what they were talking about.

Another jaw cracking yawn, reminded her she was still stupid tired as well as hung over. “Tempus’ balls!” she snarled to herself. She shrug out of her pack and removed three torches. She left her flint in her pack, it wasn’t like she needed more light. She left her pack leaning against the wall to the right of the door at the distant end of the cavern, and stalked back to the group.

“Kid,” she greeted the injured tiefling. When his eyes met hers she set the unlit torches beside him. “In case your girl here needs more light, so she can heal you and the other one up.” She smirked at the blush that tinged his cheeks. “Thanks,” she added as she stood. “Good job on finding the passage, name’s Rayne.”

She nodded to the human woman who was healing the Kid, before she followed Oz’s voice over to the cells. Oz was trying to puzzle something out. She lifted the unfamiliar bag off Oz’s shoulder and hefted it over her own. “The abyss did you find?” she muttered as several heavy somethings slammed into her back.

“I’m at the back door.” She held her hand up to forestall the lecture. “No I didn’t try and open it. Someone who is sober should look at it. Just make noise when you approach, I’ll be napping with my swords drawn.”

She left the group to their investigations and self-imposed tasks, and returned to the back door. She set the bag to her left, before she removed her swords, and leaned against her pack. A quirky smile tilted her lips, as she held her swords on her lap and her head rested against a nice, soft, pillow.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

Colette saw Shadow raise his hand in the air with a "If you would be so kind." Somewhat impressed that he had the presence of mind to be so polite when a good half of his body looked like it had been used like a splintery pincushion, she went over to kneel down beside him, fishing through her pack for the appropriate supplies. He at least was in less dire straits than that woman had been and she could afford to take her time with this. And speaking of that woman Colette was going to have a few words with her after this about trying to sprint up stairs on still mending legs.

"Here lift up your shirt for me a bit. I can't see the worst of it otherwise..." she said as she set down a bowl from her satchel to collect the bits of shrapnel in as she removed them from his body. He was lucky none of them had been embedded so deeply as to require more invasive methods but she could still hear the sharp intake of breath every time she fished one out of him. As she worked she heard footsteps approach.

“Kid,” the strange fey woman nodded at him before setting an unlit torch next to them. “In case your girl here needs more light, so she can heal you and the other one up.” Colette gave her a withering look in response to 'your girl.' But no sooner had the woman introduced herself than she had wandered elsewhere. "Your girl indeed..." she grumbled, propping up the torch and striking a spark to light it. The illumination was welcome, the insinuation was not. And once she was satisfied that she had the worst of it out of him, and that she wouldn't be healing over a pebble or shard of wood, she drew a poultice out of her bag and applied the smooth minty smelling concoction directly to the wound. Watching as the broken skin began to knit and mend itself. "You might still have a couple small splinters in there but no worse than what you'd get handling a wooden barrel. Just take it easy for a bit and let it do its job. I won't be able to give you more for a while yet so if you open it all back up then it's on you."

Straightening up she got to her feet, wiping her hands on a cloth that she stowed back in her bag. With all immediate problems taken care of she turned her attention to her surroundings, trying to ignore the persistent smell of old cow and raw meat in favor of the myriad crates piled inside of the pens. Until something inside of them caught her eye, drew her hand, because it set her senses tingling in the same way they book she had found earlier did.

Magic

But not currently functional magic. She reached out and picked up the stones curiously. She could see a ring of runes etched into the smooth polished surface but one of them had been chipped most likely dropped at some point. Breaking the inscribed spell and marring its surface with a patch of roughness. Maybe if she just... grabbing a small pick from one of her pouches she spent several minutes re-carving the spell. But she almost dropped it again when it flared back to life in her hands, fumbling and grabbing at it and breathing hard. It worked!

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - Earlier in the tunnel.

Dammit dammit dammit! I was not supposed to be this weak! The long trek through the tunnel following the traumatic experience of being showered in wooden shrapnel from the broken door had sparked fear and paranoia in James’ mind. You promised me I wouldn’t be this weak! What more do you want? His mind rambled on in a good mix and angry and paranoid thoughts. We made a deal. You will get what was promised. Have no doubt about it. I always follow through. You help me, I help you. Please.

Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

“Kid, in case your girl here needs more light, so she can heal you and the other one up.” “My girl?” He replied in confusions, his head slightly tilted to the right. “I guess some more light can’t hurt… Thanks” He added with a tried smile as he looked back at her. “Thanks. Good job on finding the passage, name’s Rayne.” “Heh, you’re welcome. Curiosity and luck can get you quite far. Names James by the way, though my friends call me Shadow,” he finished with a boyish grin. He then proceeded to light one of the torches with a mumble, which oddly enough sparked a green flame instead of the more normal orange hue. The boyish grin returned at the elf’s confused expression to the torchlight “Old habit” he added with a wink.
"You might still have a couple small splinters in there but no worse than what you'd get handling a wooden barrel. Just take it easy for a bit and let it do its job. I won't be able to give you more for a while yet so if you open it all back up then it's on you."
James looked on in amazement as his wounds started to close and the pain resided. As an added bonus his head cleared a bit as well, and he felt less tried. He traced over the repaired skin with his hand. “Not even a hint of a scar. Truly amazing. Thank you. And I’ll try to be a bit more careful.” He shook her hand with both his as he spoke. “Oh, erm, sorry about the blood…” His chin bloomed a darker shade of red then usual as he noticed he had gotten blood all over Colettes hand with the handshake. He searched his pockets in desperation for a piece of clean cloth to dry it off with, but he came up empty handed. Recovered from his embarrassment he noted the sorry state of his leather armour. Well that’s ruined… Might as well take it off… With a heavy sigh he removed the ruined leather while casting a glance around the cave.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

Evodine rests for a bit as she clears her head. After a few moments, she notices people crowding around looking at some script. She gets up to see if she can make anything out, but it's all Troll to her. After that, she sets about checking out the warehouse, her practiced eye maybe catching something the others missed.

While she moves around, she gathers a cloth and some water and begins cleaning her face, arms, and armor of any dirt, grime, and gore. She listens to the others speak when she's near them, and concentrates on her inspection otherwise.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - Cavern Warehouse, Near Middlerod: Second Watch(?)

"...Where is Gindlewin?"

Valgerda was concentrating intently on the runes, when she heard Reynard. She looked up at him, obviously worried about something. "Last I saw of him he was casting some magic down at the invaders. I did tell him we were leaving and how, so I hope he's right behind us." Valgerda looked back to the Elf, who named herself Ozuel. "You may call me Valgerda, perhaps we weren't the most polite in that situation either. I cannot read the writing, but I can tell you it isn't written in the Giant tongue.

Valgerda steps away from the group for a moment and looked around the room again. She knew she needed guidance from the Allfather, and she knew what she needed to do to be heard. Valgerda had hoped it wouldn't have to be the hard way, but as she looked around she found nothing worthy of sacrifice. He who Chooses the Dead demands a steep price today, but I will pay it gladly.

With face of fixed determination, Valgerda found a spot to herself as far from the offensive cell as possible and pulled out her dagger and the mead flagon she kept in her pack. Inspecting the blade to ensure it was still sharp, she knelt down and held the dagger out with her right hand. With a deliberate motion grasped the blade with her left hand pulled it through, the blade was red and wet with her blood. As it began to flow, she guided the stream into the flagon, and in a few moments it was full with about a pint of blood. Confident she had enough, Valgerda used the minor healing abilities of her people to close the cut. Solemnly, she held up armband to the gods in both hands, and began to pray.

"Hail Odin, Hail the Allfather
The Blind Spearman, and Feeder of Ravens,
Father of Magical Songs, of the Slain, and of Victory!
You who gave your eye for knowledge,
You who brought poetry the world,
You who led the Aesir to victory over the Vanir,
Shed your light of wisdom upon me.
Show me if these are the companions I seek.
Give me the means keep them safe.
Give me the strength to defeat your foes.
With these boons, I vow on the armband of my father,
To serve you in all things.
Hail to Odin, Father of All"
Finished, Valgerda slipped the arm band back onto her wrist. She then dipped three fingers in to her blood, and drew three vertical lines down her face. Finally she poured the blood out on the ground, in offering to Odin.

"Shall we go get our friends back?"

[CelestialBard]

Skye held her breath, folding her legs in a strained manor if only to press an inch deeper into the hidey-hole. She covered her mouth with one shaky hand; partially because she was trying to avoid heaving at the sound of a person drowning in their own blood, and partially because she wanted to avoid being the next said drowning person. The alcohol helped numb some of the nerves but it certainly could not settle her stomach. She centered once more, panic would only kill her faster.

Deciding that she would be unable to finish the meal despite her hunger pains, she tucked a trace amount of cheese into her jacket pocket for the albino mouse that happily grabbed and devoured the morsel. Quietly rummaging through her pack, Skye found the piece of broken glass she often used for reconnaissance during burglaries. Sticking it just past the lip of the wooden counter, she turned it ever so slightly until she had a good view of the behemoth. Good gods. He really is a Brute, huh. It seemed as though this was the one in command, as he did little but upturn a sack of flour and call out demands to the other... Sh*t.

Chewing on a nail, Skye suddenly realized she had no idea how many others there were throughout the building. The entrance to the front had been barricaded due to her proposition and now the back door was blocked by the rushing of raiders in and out of the building. She recalled the group from earlier had sprinted upstairs but not come back or made gurgling screams similar to the unfortunately deceased in the other room. Either they all had a swift death or they had found a means of escape. It seemed the latter was more likely, since quiet was obviously not this pack's forte.

Watching the chief intently through the mirror, she noted his attention was easily caught and held by the slightest of movement. I can work with that. She moved the angle of the reflection around, searching for something that would make a lot of commotion upon impact. A beautiful stack of sparkling blue and white porcelain sat precariously over the edge of the counter, remarkably undisturbed by the chaos of the situation. Ah, fine china. Might as well make some use out of it. Taking an elegantly detailed plate from the ledge, there was a moment when she considered saving it for her own.

The thought dissipated soon after, however, as she chucked the dish into the common room, making a loud shattering sound as it broke into a million glass fragments scattered across the floor. The exact second the Orc moved towards the larger room, Skye was gone; a shadow of a figure full-on dashing into the adjacent room she hoped was unoccupied and hurtling up the stairs. The only thought echoing in her head: Run.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: 2nd Story window, 2nd Hour

Gindlewin's stomach dropped. What kind of creatures would do this? It's so villainous, it's out of a storybook. Under his breath, he spoke a short prayer to Shaundakul as he weaved his spell. "Windrider, open all doors to this woman and shut them to her enemies." An image formed out of the smoke next to the Troll, one of the town watch ready to strike. It only needed to work for a moment.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

Evodine sits down to read the ledger she has found. She shakes her head in distaste at the things going on here. She looks toward Shadow and wonders how much he knows about what the owner of the inn was up to. He found the trapdoor awful quickly. He must have known this was here.

As she continues to browse the ledger, the color fades from her face. She closes her eyes as her stomach sickens. What is HE doing here? I thought I left this all behind. She looks around at the others. At least they didn't know her by her true name. Evodine walks over to Shadow, folio in hand, waving it towards the young tiefling. "It's slaves. The old man was running slaves through this cave. Did you know about it? Were you helping him? This is disgusting!!!" She throws the ledger to the ground next to James and awaits an answer, hand on the hilt of her dagger in case he tries to attack her.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

"It's slaves. The old man was running slaves through this cave. Did you know about it? Were you helping him? This is disgusting!!!" James' golden eyes grew wide in shock at the accusation. "What? Slaves? What old man? Why the f*ck would I have anything to do with this? Because I am a theifling? I have NOTHING to do with slavery." he spits on the ground when he finish talking, visibly shaking in anger over the accusation. "I have been called many ugly things by the people of this town, but nothing as vile as this.". He picked up the ledger to try and see what she had just read.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

"Why would I accuse you? You've been living here, haven't you? Under his roof? You're saying you knew nothing about his awful works?" She looks skeptically at the young man...who, technically was about her own age.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

"Living here? At the inn? And who is this man you keep talking about? I know nothing of any slavery"

[willowedc]

Rayne cracked an eye open at the indignant shriek that echoed around the cavern. "Idiot," she muttered, as the woman's voice bounced around them. Even from this distance she could hear the anger and fear in her voice. She sympathized, somewhat, but the fact was they were only two hours gone from the Orc raid. If the orcs were following, they'd easily be able to hear the noise. 'Irrelevant, I guess,' she thought. 'Not like I'm getting my ass up to go figure it out.' She closed her eyes and shifted slightly. The comfort of the soft pillow curled around her as she fell back asleep.

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: 2nd Story window, 2nd Hour

The orc hesitates for just a moment as he sees the new foe. He quickly tackles the image only to fall to the ground and regains his bow, but it is enough. The woman scrambled around the corner was lost to sight. Hoping that brief respite would be enough, Gindlewin heard a great series of crashes and a scream which was quickly cut off. Something was going on down below.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye - The Dancing Swan, Under the Counter, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

Skye's healed wound seemed to throb in her panic. She was blinded by fear and praying madly to any deity who would hear her as she ran swiftly towards the other side of the common room. She caught glimpses of a few shapes coming out of the storeroom to her right just as she cleared the kitchen exit. "Ko'rash! Geen kai Jon!" Her hurt seemed to clench as she hurtled one of the trestle tables and swung around the banister of the staircase. Someone had seen something and she heard heavy footsteps and snarls pounding after her as she took the stairs 3 at at time.

As she trampled her way to the top of the stairs Skye saw the gnome coming back towards her, obviously not abreast of the proceedings. What are you doing?! You nearly gave me a heart attack and prevented me from saving othe..." The words died in his mouth as she flew past him towards an obviously open door panel, catching hold of his through with one hand as she did so. In mere moments she dove with the two of them into the tiny passage, rebounded off the wall with a sharp crack as her right wrist folded back on itself and turned to face the door. Thankfully, she was not unfamiliar with secret passageways, and she found the level just as a monstrous orc rounded the stairs. He looked her in the eye as the stone swung shut, and she felt fear flood over her in waves as he whipped his hand forward before charging. Something flew past her faster than she could track, but the door was safely closed a split second later. The crash seemed muffled more than it ought to have been, but Skye wasted no time feeling around in the dark for light, for safety, for anything. There was none, and she was stuck in the dark with a gibbering gnome and her fear that the stone would split at any moment.

[CinLee]

After standing and staring at the cells with their chains and shackles for a few moments, Oz realized that she had no idea what these would be used to restrain. As Oz continued to stare at the cells in complete befuddlement, a heated argument catches her attention. Her head snaps up at the word slaves.

"It's slaves. The old man was running slaves through this cave. Did you know about it? Were you helping him? This is disgusting!!!"

Seeing a disturbed young lady cruelly verbally attacking the young teifling, Oz turns and slowly starts walking towards the two with her hands out in front of her. As if approaching a frightened and cornered animal. "Have you forgotten we are in the middle of an Orc raid? Now, I don't believe that this young lad has anything to do with slavers. It makes no sense for him to have taken the time to try and lead complete strangers to shelter, if he cared as little about the life of others. If he was a slaver it would have made more sense for him to get himself to safety and leave the rest of us to deal with the Orcs on our own. I do not know how he found or knew of this place, but now is not the time to be throwing accusations at one and other! We need to get through this raid. Then if you still feel like it we can throw accusations and explanations till your hearts content. What matters right now is getting through this situation." Hoping that she calmed the young lady down or at least got her to see a little sense and trying to maintain an outward appearance of calm, Oz turns to Valgerda. "Now did I here you say something about getting your friends back? That would be a more constructive activity. How many are we missing?"

[Shinimasu]

Colette - Cavern Warehouse, Near Middlerod: Second Watch(?)

"...Where is Gindlewin?"

"Last I saw of him he was casting some magic down at the invaders. I did tell him we were leaving and how, so I hope he's right behind us."

In all the chaos of leaving, tending to those injured, and her fruitful if yet unidentified discovery she realized they'd lost track of Gindlewin and the pale girl from before. Her stomach dropped and she did a quick count of the room. Everyone from the table before, and two newcomers from the room Reynard had broken into...

"Two, we're missing two people.." she said, going over to where Oz, Evie, and Shadow were standing having some sort of argument about slaves. "A gnome and a young woman. Speaking of which you," she rounded on Evie, "Shouldn't even be standing up let alone working yourself into a lather. You were nearly dead not a few hours ago, sit down before you undo all my work."

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

"Living here? At the inn? And who is this man you keep talking about? I know nothing of any slavery"

Evodine stares down at Shadow for a few moments before continuing "Isn't the owner of this inn your adopted father? The gnome?" Though her voice is confident, her stance starts to reveal that she may be realizing she has made...another...mistake.

Well, just finish him off, the devil with her father's voice says. She takes a deep breath and waits for Shadow's answer.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - Cavern Warehouse, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Valgerda found her call to arms cut short by an argument breaking out behind her. Things were getting heated quickly, and any momentum she'd gained was quickly evaporating. What are they even arguing about? Someone is a slaver?

"Now did I here you say something about getting your friends back? That would be a more constructive activity. How many are we missing?"

"YES! We should go get Vinr, and..." Valgerda looked around counting people. "Well, the Lurker isn't here, though I'm not sure she wanted to follow us.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

"Isn't the owner of this inn your adopted father? The gnome?" James' barked a mirthless laughter at that. "Oh I see. Just because they are short they all look the same to you, is that it? I don't have an adopted father. Not officially anyway. Kurgan, the owner of the brewery, who's a dwarf by the way, was kind enough to take pity in me. Without him people like you would have let me starve to death in the gutter years ago." With that he threw the ledger back at her feet. "I only know Hurbert, that's the name of the Gnome innkeeper, as good as the next patron at that inn. It was only luck that I managed to catch a glimpse of him fleeing through the wall panel. Is that it?
Or do you have more baseless accusations you want to throw at my face?" he finished with a sneer.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - Cavern Warehouse: Time Unclear

Evodine snorts at Shadow's assertion that she didn't care about the poorer folk. "I've given up more than you know for people starving in the gutter." She looks mournfully towards the pens. "For people who have nothing. For people who are treated like less than people. It appears I'm not the only one making assumptions here tonight." She bends down and picks up the ledger, looking for some form of identification on it, trying to ascertain who it belongs to. "As far as whether Hurbert is kind or not...well, as you probably know, not everything is as it appears."

Evodine pauses a moment, then extends her hand toward Shadow to assist him up. "Let us start over. With my apologies. I misunderstood the situation, and before you go throwing more accusations, it has nothing to do with what you look like or how tall your father is. I heard things wrong is all." She looks at Shadow expectantly, waiting for him to accept or deny her outstretched hand.

[Dain Broadbeam]

"I've given up more than you know for people starving in the gutter." “Have you now…” His voice dripping with sarcasm. "For people who have nothing. For people who are treated like less than people. It appears I'm not the only one making assumptions here tonight. As far as whether Hurbert is kind or not...well, as you probably know, not everything is as it appears."

"Let us start over. With my apologies. I misunderstood the situation, and before you go throwing more accusations, it has nothing to do with what you look like or how tall your father is. I heard things wrong is all." Shadow lowers his eyes with a barely audible whisper “I have no father” followed by a deep sigh before his eyes again meet Evodines. “I guess I can give you a second chance,” he took her hand and pulled himself up. “Just a piece of advice, to help alleviate chances for misunderstandings. Don’t throw such strong accusations without strong evidence. I have had sh*t like this thrown after me my entire life. Everything from stealing an apple, to causing death, blindness. All this based simply on what I am.” Evodine looked down in surprise at something suddenly poked her thigh, seeing for the first time James’ tail protruding from his long coat to punctuate his point. “As for why you care so deeply for slavery is a discussion for later, but firstly I do believe we have a raid to survive, and we’re missing someone?” With that he turned and walked back towards those talking about the missing pair, shooting an apologetic but mischievous look towards Colette. Finally free of his ruined leather armour he muttered an incantation while drawing symbols in the air in front of him. As a result a hint of a shadow seemed to cling to his form when you didn’t focus on his form. “Did anyone close the passageway behind us? If not, we can hope they found it. Or for those of you who are more pessimistic inclined, the raiders might have found it…”

[Fishybugs]

Evodine -- Tavern Warehouse -- Time Uncertain

“Just a piece of advice, to help alleviate chances for misunderstandings. Don’t throw such strong accusations without strong evidence. I have had sh*t like this thrown after me my entire life. Everything from stealing an apple, to causing death, blindness. All this based simply on what I am.”

Evodine blushes slightly at Shadow's very true remarks. She had jumped to conclusions based on very little evidence. Slavery. Why couldn't it be left behind? Thankfully, things seemed to be smoothed over for now. She smiles a bit as she watches Shadow walk away, his tail flicking a bit revealing his irritation. I'll make it up to him.

Evodine rushes to follow Shadow. "Missing two? Let's go find them."

[willowedc]

‘You self indulgent, lazy ass, half-breed! You’re a sorry excuse of a third rate pirate! Get to the nav cabin, before I give you ten lashes for dereliction of duty!’ 1st Mate Argent’s voice echoed in Rayne’s head, causing her to jolt awake. “Yes ma’am!” she called out as she scrambled to her feet. Her heart was racing as she opened her eyes.

She stared at the distant light, as she remembered she was the only surviving crew member of the Ivory Star. She could hear the others in the cavern, voices were still raised, but too distant to be intelligible. She exhaled slowly as she closed her eyes and focused on drawing in breath and exhaling slowly, to calm her racing heart, and her out of control emotions.

Once she was calm, she realized she had a pressing matter to take care of. She bent and removed a scrap of rag from the side pocket of her pack, before she turned to the left and vaulted the low wall at a sprint. Her left foot failed to clear the wall, and she crashed to the floor. “Tempus’ balls!” she swore. “This floor is foul.” After she climbed to her feet, she dropped her breeches.

Rayne buttoned her breeches, as she walked back to her pack she stripped out of her shirt. She towered over the innocuous looking pack as she rolled her shirt. She set it to the side, and unfastened the pack straps, tossing the pillow to the side. She pulled her under tunic out of her pack, as well as her chainmail. The last thing she pulled out of her pack was a gold and green bandana, with ivory stars. She folded the bandana, wrapped it around her head, and tied it off under her hair. “I’ll need to get this mess braided in the next town,” she stated as she captured her wild locks.

She unclasped her sword belt and set it to the side. “You need to bleed, to grow strong girl,” she said, repeating the words Rethman said when she was learning to dual wield. “Blood, sweat, the sea, and fine pieces of treasure. Not taverns, willing bodies, and fine meals. If all you want is the latter, set down those swords and spread open your legs. Your look is exotic enough, you’d be a wealthy whore, no doubt,” she stated tonelessly as she started to don her armor. “Life is filled with choices girl, stand up or lay down.”

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - Cavern Warehouse, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Carefully, Valgerda pulled the lute over her head and set it down gently against the wall. Next, she took off her pack and set it down beside the lute. If there was to be fighting, she would just as soon not have her lute in the middle of it. The pack would just slow her down. How she wish she still had her shield! Aside from my mother's gift, I would trade everything in that rucksack to have my shield back..

With the argument finally appearing to die down, Valgerda was eager to go back and recover her friends. "So, if you two are all done, can we go find Gindlewin? Who's coming?. Then she turns around and heads towards the tunnel, not waiting for answers.

[Shinimasu]

“Did anyone close the passageway behind us? If not, we can hope they found it. Or for those of you who are more pessimistic inclined, the raiders might have found it…” the tiefling said, as he and Evodine finally managed to calm down though Colette could not for the life of her understand why the woman had gotten so worked up over slaves to begin with. Granted the conditions in this warehouse were not the most... accommodating looking but still it wasn't uncommon. She wouldn't have expected it of the innkeeper though. And the fact that he'd kept it in a magic secret tunnel instead of out in the open seemed suspect but they literally had bigger things to worry about because shadow brought up an excellent point.

"Sh*t, I know I didn't. Did anyone close the passage after we went through?" she asked, looking around the room. On the one hand it gave her some hope that Gindlewin might have gotten through. On the other hand their could be a cohort of orcs marching down on them as they spoke. If the former then they could go back down and meet them halfway. If the latter then they needed to move on from this place as quickly as possible. And there was no way of knowing which choice was the correct one.

"I would go with you," she added addressing Valgerda. "But if the tunnel is full of orcs instead of friends we're liable to meet a short nasty end. We should have some way of warning anyone who stays behind to wait that they need to run if it's dangerous. I may have something that can do this actually..."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - A Dark Room

Gindlewin huddled down with Skye, not quite understanding how the orcs had gained the inn without him seeing, not quite understanding where he was. Maybe he wasn't cut out for all of this adventuring business. He tries his best to be quiet, but casts about for his wand and readies towards the door.

[CelestialBard]

The sick crack in her wrist made her instinctively hiss, though it was nowhere near the pain of being gutted alive. For now she was just grateful to be... "Uh... Where are we?"

With a small groan, Skye squinted and rolled her right joint. Really have to pay closer attention to details. I have no idea where this goes and can't even see my own hand in front of my face. Feels broken, maybe he can tell. The rock made a relatively loud cracking sound, the orcs slamming all the might they could muster into the wall. Not now, though.

Skye turned to where the little man had been deposited before. The gnome had decided to try and take a stand once more, refusing to budge from staring down the stone slab. Haven't these people ever heard of cutting losses? Or closing a g*dsdamned door? These are Orcs we're dealing with here. She cleared her throat, probing out a careful hand to locate him without causing panic. Seemed as though he was crouched on the... wooden floor? There were slats that certainly felt like wood, kept to the ground by evenly spaced metal bars of some sort. Are we in a mine shaft under an inn? Sketchy. She felt around a bit more, noting that there was a large enough opening in the wall for one person to crawl through at a time.

The man pulled an item out of his robe and positioned himself towards the entrance of the area, mumbling something that sounded vaguely animalistic in nature. Maybe he's a druid. Regardless, Her voice cracked as she began to speak. "I'm no mathematician but I reason that out of the two options, the direction without hungry raiders is likely safer than the one that is. I... I can't see so I need your beady little eyes to take a look this way, fella. I'll lead, come on." But before he could give her an answer either way, she grabbed at the scruff of his neck and began dragging him down the hall, the hurt hand trailing on the wall of the darkened interior.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - Secret Hall (w/ Skye)

Gindlewin shrugged Skye off him. "Good woman, I would thank you to unhand me as you stumble down this (admittedly incredible) hallway! Especially given that, as you said, I can actually see in it! I'm only sorry that I don't have a way to illuminate it for you. We'll forget the beady eyes comment and that you seem to be upset that I didn't instantly comprehend that we were in what appears to be a mineshaft in the second floor of an inn." Gindlewin instead took her hand and began guiding her down the hall. "What is this place? I've never seen the kind of magic that could do this." Their speed picked up with someone who could see in the lead, but frequently, he stopped to pick up a rock or run his hand along the wall, just to make sure it was real.

After a minute, his breathing seemed to have slowed. "You'll have to forgive my rude outburst. It is not pleasant to have another use one's small size to pull one about. It serves as a reminder that so long as I live with your kind, I will forever be standing on chairs to be able to utilize the tables. I haven't missed our burrows in a long time, but I do now." He squeezed her hand. "Thank you for saving me."

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye and Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan, In the tunnel, Middlerod: 2nd Hour

The impatient and anxious rogue followed her loquacious companion through the pitch black darkness. Despite her belief that he would not harm her Skye could not help but running her hand on the walls to either side as often as she could. The crawl alternated between all fours and crouching motions which made her back ache.

Gindlewin, for all of his gracious eloquence, was caught between personal affront at just how easily the waif had manhandled him, fear at being chased by orcs, and complete fascination with the magic involved in making a second floor passageway through a plainly subterranean tunnel. He itches to meet its creator. Who knew what lore could be learned by making a study of the arcane disciplines involved in the construction?

His distraction allowed only part of his senses to register that he had run into a flat wooden door. The craftsmanship of the door reminded him of drawings he had seen in some of Allura's tomes. In fact, he had the brief feeling that he had seen an exact copy of the tableau depicted around the knocker before the swan's head knocker asked, "You are not a family member, but you are family...what purpose brings you here?"

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: In the Tunnel, Middlerod: 2nd hour

All of Gindlewin's weariness dissipated at the words of the knocker. It was like he was living in one of his stories! He hemmed and hawed about a proper answer though until finally going with, "Thank you for saying so! We seek refuge and to rejoin our friends. What is your purpose? Are you alive?" He reached out a hand for the knocker, but stopped short and pulled his hand back. "I feel it would be rude to touch you without asking first. Oh, how awful of me! Mr. Doorknocker, this is my friend... Have we been properly introduced? I am Gindlewin Bookbinder, local barrister and book collector!"

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Reynard put his weapon back in its scabbard. Perhaps if I travelled ahead, I may be able to fool any orcs who followed us. It will not be a perfect deception but it would buy us some precious few moments.

In any case, we have to go back to the village to see if we can help. Orcs are not kind to those whom they capture. I know this better than most. They managed to take us unawares earlier, but we should find reinforcements and take the battle to them. Is anyone with me?

[Shinimasu]

Colette- The Cavern Warehouse, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

"Are you insane? What chance do you think any of us have against a whole horde of Orcs? Look maybe your skills and your stature would see you through the day, but Middlerod is a lost cause. It was burning down around our feet as we left and by the time we manage to crawl our way back through that tunnel there's going to be nothing but ashes!" Colette rubs her temples. "Valor without discretion will get us killed. I'm willing to go back for my friend but I'm not willing to go on a suicide mission for a town that's likely already dead. We can find gindlewin, get out of here through that door," she gestures to the large stone and iron door on the cavern wall, "and then you can find someway to satisfy your second hand guilt that doesn't involve putting us all in an early grave."

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: In the Tunnel, Middlerod: 2nd hour

"You say you are friend as well as family? To which do you owe allegiance? The spider, the dove, the lion, the adder, the raven, the boar, the leaf, the rock, or the stag?" Gindlewin could have sworn that the swan glanced at his companion with a lifelong expression before continuing, "To whom does your other claim allegiance?"

[willowedc]

Rayne – Supply Cavern: Unknown Hour

The whistle of an arrow, echoed through the cavern as it flew passed Valgerda’s ear, and clattered to a stop within the passage.

Rayne moved into the edge of the light, revealing the longbow in her hands as well as her altered look. No longer is she partially dressed and unkempt. She’s now dressed in full chain, with her swords strapped to her sides.

While singing in elvish, she removed a second arrow from her quiver, and notched it <elvish>“Gentle westwind, gentle westwind, it’s been a year now, since they left me. A year of heartache, and of nightmares, gentle westwind, it’s time for you, to go. I need the northwind, the cold sharp northwind, I need the northwind, to help me grow. I am weak now, but I’ll bleed stronger, the northwind’s fury, and ragging glory, I will harness, and make my own.”

Rayne looked over the group. “Are you so eager to die, you’ll line up and invite the orcs to kill you? Certainly you are not so imbecilic as to believe anyone other than a ranged caster, with eyes sharp enough to see in the dark, would be able to go forth and return? Even then, it is still a foolish path. As for you,” she focused her attention on the half-orc. "Do not be so eager to throw away your life. Are you more skilled than the entirety of the village guard?"

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Reynard bristled at the way his suggestion was received. He felt his heart pounding and his hand twitched, yearning for his sword, but he kept his control.

Do not mistake my sensibilities for foolishness, he said through gritted teeth. I did not suggest that we march into the village ourselves, but that we warn the nearest garrison and return with them to Middlerod to help in the fight. I am not so conceited as to think myself invulnerable and not so mindless as to go back without a proper strategy.

And you, he snarled, turning to Rayne. I suggest you put away your bow, pirate, unless you wish us to answer in kind. I merely suggested that I go first because it appeared that I had the heaviest armour, besides the fact that my appearance may allow me to fool an orc at first glance. If you wish to lead, I wish you luck. Only remember that an orc's vision rivals even an elf's and that a knight's sword is better defence than a pirate's cutlass.

[CinLee]

At the out burst from Rayne, Oz smiles. "Pirate cutlases have ended many a knights lives and I for one have no intention of throwing my life away. I will gladly help you get you friend back but not at the risk of myself or my companion. I do however suggest we assesse our current situation and come up with a plan quickly. Seeing as we do not even know where we currently are and Orcs could erupt from the tunnel at any given moment.

Oz looks from one face to the next, not seeing the spark of leadership flare to life there in, she heads over to the door Rayne had been sleeping by. Leaning against the wall Oz closes her eyes letting her hand run delicately over the ruff surface of the cave wall. As Oz waits for the others to decide on a course of action she focuses on the sounds around her. Inhaling she takes in the scents of the cave. Something feels off about this place. Her eyes have not been able to make out anything to off, but maybe she could pick it up with her other scenes. Perhaps she had been inland to long. Oz always felt a bit paranoid being away from the sea. Too many eyes and too many places for those eyes to hide. No, Oz gives herself a mental shake and focuses in on her scenes.

[CelestialBard]

From the darkness, a voice began asking questions. The only thing keeping Skye from immediately attacking whatever was in front of her was the fact that the man still holding her hand seemed calm--even then she remained weary. He had done nothing to wrong her so far, but he also had been one of those heroic types when faced with the choice of running or being flayed.

"I feel it would be rude to touch you without asking first. Oh, how awful of me! Mr. Doorknocker, this is my friend..." She didn't answer immediately, caught off-guard by the presence of someone else down in these strange passageways. Okay, Doorknocker must be a Gnomish name. Sounds like it's just one of the Inn keeper's relatives or something. Wait. What did he say?

It was too easy to get lost in her head when the dark was so oppressive that she couldn't tell if her eyes were open or shut. A brief silence filled the tunnel. "Gindlewin," She repeated. Realizing how quiet it got after she absently echoed the word, she got the feeling that wasn't the appropriate response. Trying again, she guessed at what the question must've been. "Uh, sorry. I'm Skye Per--Skype. Or Skye. S...Some people call me Stripes, I guess. Not really the best name, but I can see where they got it now that I think about it... " She continued rambling nervously for a few seconds more and then cut it off.

This Doorknocker guy asked something too, but I have no clue what that animal malarkey means. Lost in translation, perhaps. She nudged her companion forward, urging him to answer in her stead, hoping that might get her out of the awkward situation.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - Cavern Warehouse, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Valgerda had intended to ignore everyone as they argued and just see who followed her. As she turned to head into the tunnel though, the arrow clattered off the wall next to her ear. She stopped in her tracks, and turned her head to look at the arrow while the elf started singing. It was a beautiful song, though Valgerda didn't understand a word of it. She was reminded of songs of struggle and defiance.

Valgerda turned and stared flatly as the warrior said her piece. Reynard was apparently also upset by this display, and reasonably so. After he and Oz were finished speak, Valgerda had to speak her mind. "Your song is beautiful elf warrior, and I hope to have a chance to learn it sometime. At this moment though, our friend is still back there with the Orcs you're so afraid of. Your display speaks of taking action, yet your words are of hiding and running away. Sir Reynard and I can see just fine, and we are going to retrieve Gindlewin and bring him back here. If you would like to join us, I suggest you don't waste arrows. If you're afraid then stay here and we will return. Anyone else is welcome to join us, if we're not back in six hours, then leave without us.

[willowedc]

Rayne - Supply Cavern, Unknown Hour

Rayne smirked as she un-notched her arrow and returned it to her quiver, keeping the orc’s angry gaze as she slung her bow behind her. “I have no intention of raising arms against you. I can tell you are skilled with that sword.” She winked. “Though you may need to have your eyes checked, as my ladies,” she rested her hands on her swords, “are decidedly, not cutlasses.”

She turned her attention to the woman she couldn’t identify. “I’ve never met your kind before. I am unfamiliar with your race’s skills, propensities, and culture, therefore, I will temper my responses to your foolishness.” She paused and looked around at the others. “We were lucky the Kid found the passage, lucky that you choose our room to invade, lucky that those who were injured were attended to by a skilled healer, and lucky we ended up in a place with supplies and no overt enemies. Battle luck like that shouldn’t be ignored, or taken for granted.”

She muttered, <elvish>“I am really not sober enough to be the voice of reason.” Her words made her pause and blink in surprise. “Me the voice of reason, when is that ever a good idea?” she asked of no one. Rayne turned and started to walk toward her friend. “Oz, tell me you noticed it, too!”

[Dain Broadbeam]

James' eyes went wide in shock as he witnessed the arrow slamming into the wall. What in the nine hells' going on. He observed the following exchange with his eyes glued to the notched arrow until he could take it no more. “Me the voice of reason, when is that ever a good idea?” At that he barked out a harsh laughter, his tail snapping like a whip behind him. "You, the voice of reason?! Unless reason is elvish for stupidity, in which case I wholeheartedly agree with you. Be so kind to put that bow away before you hurt yourself dear. May I remind you all that there could spring forth orcs from that tunnel over there at any moment? And what are you doing loosening arrows at those who saved your sorry hide? Bicker over what blades she has?" If sarcasm was a liquid, the party would have been in deep trouble. "For the rest of you, do keep in mind that the tunnel is both dark and narrow. If anyone were to walk back towards the inn, both the ability to see in the dark AND sneak around would be of use.
No point going in there just to realise you ran into some orcs when you have been skewered. Nor do I think the orcs would be fooled for long by you good sir knight.
I'm afraid only silly humans and that like would mistake you for an orc, orcs least of all." He leaned heavily on his staff with a sigh. "My eyes have no trouble with the darkness, AND I am sneaky enough that I might take a peak into the inn to see if there's anyone there.
I do however not fancy walking back into that hellhole we just escaped from. At least not yet. On the other hand I'd feel much better if I knew there were no orcs in that tunnel, and that the secret door was closed..." His eyes rested on the arrow by the tunnel as he muttered "And I'm the kid? hah..."

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - Cavern Warehouse, Middlerod: 2nd Watch

Ugh I can smell the alcohol on that elf from here. Why do these people have such a hard time holding their mead? I'm no longer inclined to trust my things around her. Valgerda walked back to the tunnel but stopped to pick up her belongings again. After she had shouldered her pack and lute once more, she turned to the group.

"This is the plan, we go back up to the inn to see if we can find Gindlewin. We deal with any threats as quickly and quietly as possible inside the inn. The town is lost, so we don't leave the inn unless its necessary to rescue Gindlewin. If we run into orcs in the tunnel, I will blow on my warhorn and we're going to come running back as fast as possible. Once we have him, we come back down here and try to leave through that door. Hopefully it goes somewhere useful. Now, Reynard and Shadow, as you both seem inclined to do the same thing, I would be grateful for your assistance. That goes for anyone else who wants to come along, but I'm leaving now.

Hoping that had sufficiently satisfied everyone's panic, Valgerda lit her sword back up and scrambled in to the tunnel, leaving the group to their own devices.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: In the Tunnel, Middlerod: 2nd hour

"It is good to meet you, Stripes. We are literally talking to an actual doorknocker. How great is that?" Gindlewin's face scrunched up in the darkness. "Is this some kind of riddle?" He began to enumerate by counting off on his fingers. "Well, I am a story-teller, peaceful, I'd like to think courageous, not much of a healer but willing to shed my skin when it doesn't suit me, clever, maybe not stubborn but certainly majestic, I come from the forest, I just love rocks, and stags are magnificent? I like all of those things. Do I have to pick just one? Stripes, which do you think you owe allegiance to?"

[CelestialBard]

"It is good to meet you, Stripes. We are literally talking to an actual doorknocker. How great is that?" Gods, he chose the worst possible nickname out of the ones I prattled off. I should t--I'm sorry..."A What?" Gindlewin had this strange tone in his voice that let her know that he not only was telling the truth but that he was excited about it. She tugged her hand loose of Gindlewin's grip and reached out in front of where she thought he was facing, hoping to find a similarly small man opposite him.

To her dismay, it was in fact a door; masterfully crafted as far as her hands could tell. Near the midpoint there rested a heavy metallic... Doorknocker. What it depicted was almost impossible to figure out using only touch. Great. One exit is blocked by some riddle riddled nonsense and the other has some very angry invaders. I overestimated the cut of this gnomes jib, didn't he have a bag of books or something? This thing'll probably kill you if you answer wrong and he just... gave like, ten wrong answers, I'm sure.

Recalling the options she picked out a few that might fit her. "The adder or the raven? I..." She hesitated, not knowing how much information she was actually willing to give up to an animated chunk of wood. Skye lowered her bad hand down to the handle of her trusty dagger, hoping to draw quick enough should a situation arise. "I was bitten by a snake when I was younger, upon entering the black talons. I owe them my life..." She gritted her teeth. Despite being unable to actually see his face, her eyes searched for Gindlewin to gauge his reaction, hoping it was not one of anger.

[Shinimasu]

Colette - Cavern Warehouse; Second Watch

"This is the plan, we go back up to the inn to see if we can find Gindlewin. We deal with any threats as quickly and quietly as possible inside the inn. The town is lost, so we don't leave the inn unless its necessary to rescue Gindlewin. If we run into orcs in the tunnel, I will blow on my warhorn and we're going to come running back as fast as possible. Once we have him, we come back down here and try to leave through that door. Hopefully it goes somewhere useful. Now, Reynard and Shadow, as you both seem inclined to do the same thing, I would be grateful for your assistance. That goes for anyone else who wants to come along, but I'm leaving now."

"Yes yes I'm coming. You won't need the bloody war horn I've got something more discreet." Colette moves to duck back into the passage after her before turning to look at the others. "Look I'll say it now, if I've already had to treat you, you might be better sitting and resting here. I won't be able to help you again if you lose a limb or some nonsense. Not for another eight hours at least, unless you want your liver to shut down."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: In the Tunnel, Middlerod: 2nd hour (w/ Doorknocker and Skye)

Gindlewin seemed unfazed at the mention of Skye's past. "Well, that certainly sounds as though you owe allegiance to the raven over the adder, no? So we'll say, for my friend, she is of the Raven, which reminds me of the parable of the bird which uses pebbles to obtain water from a thin necked bottle. Smarter than one would think! So for me, we'll say the Rock by way of those useful pebbles. It's best to work together, after all!"

After answering, he seemed to finally sense Skye's uneasiness. His voice was now tinged with regret. "I apologize for my boldness. It just seems the rest of our new friends went this way, and I'd rather take my chances with Doorknocker than head back to those orcs."

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin & Skye - The Dancing Swan: In the Tunnel, Middlerod: 3rd hour

The knocker had not displayed any animation towards Gindlewin's boisterous recital, but it seemed to shimmer slightly at Stripes mention of a snake. It could have been the gnomes imagination, however, given his excited state as it was gone in the next instance.

"A wise and steady course, master Bookbinder. The rock and the raven are equally family in one part, and friends in another." The Swan seemed to eye the human behind Gindlewin before continuing, "See that the raven does not become a snake, and you may pass." With the admonition came a slight rustling sound as the wings of the swan slowly moved upwards as if in flight. There came a slight clunk, and the beautifully carved door swung inwards to admit entrance. Beyond the door was a rosy scene with a well-lit room with a sunken floor. Though sized for gnomes, the sunken floor was not mirrored in the creation of the ceiling, and Stripes could finally see once more due to the light of 6 lanterns and one large hearth. The room was sumptuously appointed, with fine woods, many shelves of books, casks, and other accoutrements of a comfortable gnomish home. On the floor of the rectangular room lay one of the most beautiful carpets Gindlewin or Stripes had ever seen; it was full of lush greens, glittering turquoise, and deep purples depicting a scene of some castle on the waves over its 20 foot length.

So caught up were the pair in the display and richness of the room that they failed to notice its inhabitants. "I say, how did you get in here!? This is a private sanctuary for my family! How dare you invade my priva... oh, hello Gindlewin." Hurbert, it seemed, was torn between anguish at having his private space invaded, and more than a little pleasure at seeing the barrister.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine -- Tavern Warehouse -- Time Uncertain

Evodine sighs as she contemplates the group she had fallen into. Since leaving home, she had been a loner. Nobody to depend on, and nobody who depended on her. That was the way she liked it. Since arriving in Middlerod, she had hoped to turn it into a thriving town, but now what was the future? She would have to get back and assess the damage.

"Hopefully there's something left to save," she unwittingly says aloud. She nods to Colette. "I'll go with you. We need t see how we can help the others."

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - The Warehouse: 2nd Watch

Reynard took a deep breath and smothered his anger. He grinned at Shadow. It seems your advice has fallen on deaf ears Master Shadow. Even so, I thank you for your kind words. I am glad to see your wounds do not trouble you too greatly. You are welcome to accompany us, although if the healer is correct, it may be best for you to tend to your injuries for now.

He turned to Rayne. I suggest you rest and sober up. The situation is trying for all of us and drunken actions do nobody any good. With that, he turned and followed the others into the passageway.

[willowedc]

Rayne – Supply Cavern: 5th Hour

Rayne glanced down the length of the cavern as she leaned against one of the short walls. She heard the others speaking, but wasn't close enough or interested enough to pay attention to their words. Instead, she watched as those who escaped the orc raid, burning village, and destruction, decided to forgo their sense. They were lining up to crawl back toward the inn without knowing a cursed thing about the passage, the conditions in the village, or anything else for that matter.

“I can understand the desire to hunt for your companions,” Rayne stated, as the half-orc disappeared into the passage. She focused her attention, seriously, on the door and the area of the cavern around them. There was something tugging at her mind, a familiarity just out of reach, so she rambled.

“There is a hesitance to lead or follow, that reveals they are unfamiliar with each other. Yet they are heading into a potential conflict which requires at least a commonality of mutual survival, if not trust,” she observed. “If we can find a vent, I think carving a hunk of meat off one of those carcasses and cooking it sounds like breakfast. Though I would much rather discover what is on the other side of this door, and why salty sand keeps tugging at my mind. Information, just out of my awareness is always bothersome.”

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - The Warehouse: 5th hour

James' sighed as he watched more and more people go towards the passage, leaning heavily in his staff. "No, why would you..." he muttered as he started to follow after them. "Wait for me. Telling you 'told you so' after you're dead is a bit pointless, no?". He entered the passageway while mumbling under his breath.

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: Hurbert's Refuge, Middlerod: 3rd hour (w/ Skye and Hurbert)

Completely taken by surprise, after spending a silent moment taking in the fullness of the room, Gindlewin managed to cobble together a sort of bow. "Hurbert... I never knew! This... this is no mere illusion!" He gestured back to the tunnel. "Gamgam Badger couldn't have done this with her best year! Forgive my rudeness, both for the intrusion and lack of proper introductions. This is my new friend, Stripes. She saved me from an orc outside. Quite courageously, I might add. The town, Hurbert, the town is in shambles. Whatever you have here is the best hope for many townspeople, even if just in the tunnels. Have our friends who entered before us not passed this way already? They seem quite capable. They could prove useful in the event that even these magics are not enough to stop what is going on outside. It is good to see you and yours safe, old friend. I would understand if you don't want us here, but..."

[CelestialBard]

The sudden brightness of the room almost gave Skye a headache. Her eyes adjusted as best as they could but within the short span of time, blotches started forming at the corners of her vision. Eventually it cleared and in front of her she could see an unhappy but apparently friendly gnome that she recognized as the barkeep from before. It seemed he was covered in silver chains, trinkets, and baubles of many sorts, though she had a hard time discerning how much they would fetch on the market. All this expensive stuff off an innkeeper's salary? Not likely. I don't trust this guy at all.

Feeling his glower not even subtly rest upon her, Skye let go of the hilt of her dagger and instead nursed her right wrist, attempting to inspect it in the newly available light. "It's Skye. Pleasure." She said, her head bowed, voice dripping with irritation, not bothering to make eye contact with the two men. She was not a fool and knew when her presence wasn't wanted.

"I don't want trouble. Let us in or don't let us in, that's your decision. All I need from you is an exit not drenched in Orc sweat." She rolled her wrist once more, grimacing in pain, then chuckling softly. Skye lifted her head, finally returning Hurbert's judging glare with her own dagger-eyes. "It's a fancy place you've got down here, beautiful family. I'd hate to see something bad happen if you refused to help, but I pray that situation won't arise."

[CinLee]

Oz opens one eye. Shaking her head she watches the group start to file back into the tunnel. Crawling 2hrs back through that cramped passage had no appeal to Oz. Smiling as Rayne got closer. We will be here by the door. Before you run off, what is your plan? Are you planning on coming back here or perhaps sending anyone you find seeking safety down this way? There is only so much you can do and it might be prudent to have a plan in place before rush into a town filled with Orc raiders! As she waited for the response to her questions Oz started cutting chunks of cheese and meat, food sounds good. Turning to Rayne, so breakfast?

[willowedc]

Rayne - Supply Cavern 5th Hour

Rayne pulled back from the door at the mention of food. “Yes please!” she exclaimed as she ran her fingers over the slight depression within the carvings. “Oz, did you notice this empty spot? It looks like something fits in it! Also the floor, there’s no scuff marks. What kind of door doesn’t leave scuff or wear marks? Tempus’ balls! she cursed as she turned away from the door, annoyed.

She dropped down next to Oz and glanced toward her blue haired friend. “So, this is a thing,” she said as she lifted a hunk of cheese. “Not the cheese, obviously, but an orc raid in the middle of nowhere, against a town with hardly anything and refugees with even less. A slave raid or something else? There's something off about the manacles, in the cells, something. I'm not certain what it is. I know you looked at them. Would you check them for me? Maybe your arcane gaze will be able to figure it out.” She glanced toward the passage, before she focused on Oz and the much appreciated food. "Thanks for this Oz, and where did you find the cheese? It's cursed good."

Rayne was mid swallow, when her eyes bulged. In her surprise she started choking. After a few moments she sucked in a breath, then another, and another. Once her breathing was steady, she set down the bite she was about to take and pulsed up onto her feet. “Clean! Oz, that’s it!” She exclaimed, before she went racing off. In her haste she slid around the corner.

“Tempus’ balls! That’s what’s wrong with them! They are CLEAN, no blood stains or bits of flesh, like you’d expect to find on the manacles in a slaver’s pen! There’s chunks of fur, and bone!” she called out, as she noticed them. Her brows knitted, as she scanned the cavern. Seeing nothing she hadn’t already noticed, she returned to her breakfast.

“Clean manacles, chunks of fur and bone, supplies, a door that isn’t a door, a woman whose race I don’t know, an orc raid in the middle of nowhere,” she groaned in annoyance as she sat back down. “I’m not certain any of this makes sense,” she muttered, before she focused on breakfast.

[CinLee]

Ozuel in cavern around 5th hr.

Oz slowly chewed her food, as she watched the others enter the cramped tunnel again. Clean manacles, orc raids on unimportant little towns, and boxes with strange writing on them, none of these thing made sense. Just like nothing in her life had made sense after the night she lost her happy little home. Oh, how she missed the sea. Thing always feel more simple and peaceful with a ship under your feet being carried along by the winds or rocked by the waves.

Looking to Rayne, "No none of this makes sense. There should be no reason for the Orcs to be raid these little towns. They must have a reason, but I can not think of one. Even if they were just look for supplies, with all the evacuees in this town it is not ideal for supply looting. I just do not have the information need to comprehend the meaning of these raids. Then there are people rushing right back into the danger we just left. Plus this cavern/storeroom, just feels off. There are no signs of rats or vermian and you say the manacles or clean. I say we look around one more time. Then follow the others. It may be best to stick with a group, at least till we figure out what it going on. What say you?"

Oz proceeded to finish off her food as she waited for Rayne to reply. The cheese was rather good. Maybe as she looked around she could ponder the people fate had choose to throw her way today!

[willowedc]

Rayne - Supply Cavern, 5th Hour

Rayne listened carefully while Oz spoke, between the pair of them Oz was the more level headed one. She could tell from her friend's tone, that there was more to her suggestion than not understanding the cavern. Oz's voice held a lamenting quality, that few would notice, one Rayne heard only occasionally during their travels. It resonated with Rayne, it spoke of a deep loss that was too painful to think of.

Rayne knew she could be cold, aggressive, aggravating, and irritating. It was a necessary survival skill, when you grew up on a ship full of pirates. Sometimes, she wondered what kind of person she was before the accident that stole her memories. But then, things like this happened to crush her curiosity with the necessity of being focused on the present.

“I’m with you,” she replied. “I’ve done far stupider things than crawl back toward battle while fully armed. I can’t think of an example right now, but I’m certain I must have; knowing my temper and willingness to battle. If that’s your decision, then we go. This cavern is more complicated than the abyss to understand, leaving it an unresolved mystery won’t cause me a moments pause. I'll take the rear guard, just in case the door that isn't a door opens and unleashes something unexpected at us," she said with a glare at said door. "At least we were able to eat breakfast this time," she added with an amused snort. She glanced at the wheel of cheese, then over at Oz. "We're bring the wine and cheese you found right?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin & Skye - The Dancing Swan: Hurbert's Refuge, Middlerod: 3rd hour

"Gamgam Badger is it?" There was a slight flicker above the gnome's palm, and in it the two uninvited guests saw uncharacteristically life-like depictions of a rock and a raven followed by the raven sloughing its skin and revealing the form of a field viper. The distracting display of light and form nearly prevented the wizard from seeing a momentary wind pass over the innkeeper. Gindlewin had the feeling that he could do much the same. Always a fiend for knowledge, he had a knack for the smallest detail and given the way the day was going, he had some idea that the hand play had been cover for some sort of shielding.

Hurbert's eyebrow tilted up slightly as he stared stonily at the rogue. "I suppose it is, at that. My family have always been good about keeping together. Who is this person behind you? Skye, is it? Skye is a name not given to many, even with human tendency for caprice." He tilted his head as he seemed to notice Stripes eyeing the baubles at his belt. "Though perhaps caprice fits you quite well. Your eyes wander almost as much as your tongue, traveler. I serve the inn at my pleasure, but do not take me for some weak-willed tavern owner. I have far less to concern myself with now that my family is here, than I did with orc raiders outside. Me, personally, I like your chances better with the orcs if you turn to a snake. The raven is regal, crafty, and a survivor. I hope you have those traits, too." For a moment, he twitched his fingers Skye noticed a small scimitar at his back which had been obscured by the drape of his robe.

The innkeeper's demeanor changed as he shifted his focus back to Gindlewin. "My apologies my friend. It has been a most difficult night, and I am concerned for the townsfolk as much as you. Perhaps we can help them once I know why and how you and several others managed to enter the safeway. Certainly it is impossible to house everyone. I am loathe to divulge this place to anyone I do not trust innately." Hurbert cast a glance above his gnomish counterpart and continued, "Though it would seem I have had little enough choice in the issue tonight. What exactly do you propose, sir barrister?"

[Trevethan Norn]

James, Val, Reynard, Evodine, Rayne, & Ozuel - The Tunnel, Middlerod: 5th Hour

The two stubborn figures soon caught up to the rest of the shambling procession. Val crawled along, crouched on her toes, preferring to keep the sword to her side to avoid fully blinding herself and ruining her night vision. Now that the group seemed to have fixated on a goal, there was a new sense of deliberate purpose which was palpable. The light cast harsh shadows against every post and timber frame, and seemed to run along the tracks far into the darkness. For close to two hours or more there was nothing but a straight path of agonizingly slow progress. Each member was silent - lost in their own personal passageways - until the one called Shadow spoke up quietly, "Does anyone feel the breeze?"

It had been easy to dismiss in the hot and cramped quarters which seemed to hold the party down, but now that the tiefling had pointed it out, it was undeniably present. Eagerly, the column increased their speed, hoping to see some sign of their missing acquaintances, and stumbling forward, Valgerda realized she could stand up. Illuminated in the glow of the sword was the hallway into which they had all fled earlier in the morning, but what drew all eyes was the split surface of stone on the right wall. The wall itself seemed steady, but two feet from a tiny wooden lever there was a column of light gleaming down on a cruel axe. It slid back out of sight and the party became conscious of muffled hammering and grunting as if the terrifying sounds of the early morning were issuing from miles away.

[CelestialBard]

Unbelievable! Not a drop of sweat on this guy, Innkeeper my ass. And the nerve to take a jab at me? She scoffed. The urge to flick a dagger ever-so-slightly above his head and put his ego in check was tantalizing. How dare he live like a king while the rest of the town gets torn asunder and turned to ash? He ran and hid--So did I--but to learn he's got a luxury estate...! Tymora, you unsightly b*tch.

The gnomes continued conversing for what seemed like a millennia and it soon became tiresome for Skye waiting in the dimly lit hallway. Being honest with herself, she knew she wouldn't hurt a person unless deemed necessary or just, but the temptation to do harm haunted her more and more often. If not for the notion that he most likely had a plethora of traps waiting on the other side of the door for them, she would have just shoved past him in search of a way out. All she wanted to do was crawl back into the safety of her hovel, savor the last two gold she had pilfered earlier, and recover.

Today I lost 15 pieces to a desperate father, got shot in the side, cracked my elbow and my knee, and now my throwing arm is busted. She sighed quietly and sunk to the floor, using the light pouring through the opened passage to address her wrist once more. Refusing to tear her well-worn and beloved cape further, she lifted her shirt slightly and began unwrapping the cloth around her ribs. Since that bard spoke to her earlier, she'd barely felt the pain throbbing through her chest and figured the wound had clotted at the very least.

To her surprise, the hole left in her side had sealed up nicely, leaving the barest of marks on her already mottled skin. Pleased with the development, Skye took the semi-bloodied bandages and started securing her wrist as tightly as she could muster. She listened to the two carry on, working until she was satisfied with the stability. That should do it.

[CinLee]

Ozuel-5th hr cavern

"Yes I think it would be wise to take what provisions we can, with the increased raids who knows when we will get a chance to resupply."

After looking around the cavern once again, Oz turns to Rayne in frustration. "Well looks like this place is loath to give up any more of it's secrets right now. Into the tunnel?"

As they crawled along the passage Oz and Rayne whispered back and forth. "I can't seem to figure out most if these people. I get that the young teifling, Shadow was it, has friends and family in this town. He is probably worried about them. Now the healer Colette, though new to her trade, I am sure she us worried about the injured."

After whispering with Rayne a bit more, Oz falls into a sullen silence. As they neared the end of the tunnel and were at least able to stand up. Oz notices the obvious ray of light and the ax. Great! With a raised eyebrow and a frown on her face, Oz casts message to Rayne. "I am so glad we crawled
2 hours back down that Dusty tunnel. Do you think they will pull the lever and let their "friends" in? I am not looking forward to a fight in this cramped passage!"

[willowedc]

Rayne - Passage, 7th Hour

Rayne snorts softly behind Oz, as she listens to her friend’s irritated tone messaged into her head. She caught hold of Oz’s pack and whispered in her ear, “If it comes to blows, I’ll pull your pack off, drop mine, and hit the floor so you’ll have enough room to crawl over me to get behind me. I don’t have a clear line-of-sight at the door. Neither do I think the woman leading us, has much combat experience. I doubt she’d understand the command to get down. What in the abyss do you think she is anyway? Not a Fey, nor a race from the material plane. Her beauty is unnatural, it feels, not sinister, but untrustworthy.”

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - Passage, the Dancing Swan, 7th Hour

The cooling breeze was a welcomed change after the long trek through the cramped tunnel. No sight the missing two and what appeared to be someone trying to break down the sliding panel was not. Did the panel close itself? Or did we actually close it but forgot? Well, it has been what, 4 hours since we left? Unless... He looked around at the walls with a curious look before a new hit in the panel brought him back. Right... First thing first. With a low whisper. "Just what are the odds you two at the front are going to try an open that panel?"

[CinLee]

Ozuel-7th hour passage of the dancing swan.
"What is she? Annoying and trying to get us killed, other than that I have no idea." Turning to Shadow, "from what I have seen of those two so far, the odds are pretty high that they will at least try to open that panel."

Focusing on the two at the head of the party, Oz's eyes grow intense and a scowl crosses her face as she casts message. "Tell me you have the intelligence not to open that panel! We need a plan before that ax wielder gets in here." Hoping against hope that her message would shake these two out of their suicidal actions, Oz tries to prepare for what is to come. Rayne and her could not do much from the back of the line. Shooting either bows or crossbows would only endanger those ahead of them. Not sure what else to do Oz crouches down on the side of the tunnel back where it begins to narrow, waiting for what was to come.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine-7th hour passage of the dancing swan.

Evodine sat in the tunnel running the night through her head. How had a basic scouting mission gotten so far out of control? She stretched her neck to either side, attempting to work the kinks out from moving through such a small tunnel. It was nice to be able to stand again, and she began stretching out her muscles. With the sounds coming from the other side of that panel, it sounded as if she would need to be able to move quickly.

She pulls a torch from her pack, waves her hand over it and it suddenly ignites. She walks around all the walls looking for any other markings, levers, or possible hidden doors. While she does so, whispers to the others, "So...anyone got a plan?"

[willowedc]

Rayne – Hidden Passage, 7th Hour

“Oz,” Rayne whispered as she backed up until she was close to Oz. As she watched the axe, she said, “I’ve got a really dumb idea. You know that thing you do, when you find something that’s broken; but you need it to be whole,” she paused for a moment. “Mending, I think you call it. Can you do that to the door, to keep the hole from enlarging?”

She glanced back at her blue haired friend, "What do you think, dumb idea right?" She paused. “Unless we could prey on the superstitious nature of your average orc, and make our own arcane trap that occurs as the door magically mends itself.”

[CinLee]

Ozuel 7th hour passage of the dancing swan

Oz, tilted her head at Rayne. "I don't know if it will work. There seems to be something of an arcane nature about this passage. I'll give it a try though."

With a sigh Oz pushes herself up and works her way to the door. As so as she reaches the door she begins casting mend repeatedly on the tare, as fast as she can cast. Please by the grace of Selune, let this work, Oz prays as she continues to cast mend. At least let this buy us some time. Looking to the others.

"I don't know if this will work or for how long. So if you could come up with a plan of attack or escape I would appreciate it."

As Oz turns all if her attention by to trying to mend the damaged door, a light slivery glow seems to emanate from her, as if the thousands of tiny translucent silver scales that cover her skin are a light with magic. Those who have sharp eyes and are focusing on her may also notice her pupils take on a slanted reptilian look and her nail appear more claw like when she casts.

[Trevethan Norn]

Ozuel - The Passage, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Ozuel could see the stone slivers of the door as her senses wound through the coarse powder and fragments of the door. Cool silver light flickered around the edges of the hole, like fire attempting to catch on wet pine needles. She was straining herself to the breaking point, willing the pieces back together. I need more of the pieces in the hole. The gap is too large to mend! Where are those twice-cursed pieces?!

[willowedc]

Rayne – the passage, 7th Hour

“Pieces, pieces,” Rayne muttered as she made her way toward Oz. She spotted a few pieces, but not nearly as many as she suspected she needed. She lifted the ones she could find, and passed them over as she stared at the hole and watched the axe. Oz made some progress with mending the hole, but she could see the constant use of arcane was starting to take its toll. ‘It was a stupid plan,’ she confirmed silently.

Rayne restrained from sighing audibly. Instead she returned to her pack, and ignored the curious looks of the others as she retrieved a cask of wine. The metallic bands that kept the wooden container closed might work to trap the axe. ‘The wine,’ she whimpered silently, as she forced herself to walk back to the door.

In a half hearted effort, she pushed the cask to the hole in the door. The axe head pushed back and nearly caused her to stumble. With a now annoyed glare at the door, she forcefully, kept the cask pressed up against the hole. she hissed, as she braced herself against the hole.

She felt the axe bite into the cask, catch on the metal band and rip right through it. The wine went rushing out the hole in the cask, as well as the hole in the door, and down onto the floor by her feet. “Oi Kid! Anyone with magic! If I can get the axe head to tangle up in the remains of the bands of the cask, could you cause the door to moan and groan intelligibly?”

Rayne twisted the remains of the cask in an attempt to get the axe tangled up with the metal bands as he pulled it back. “Figure out what in the abyss you want to do, this is a minor distraction at best!”

[Dain Broadbeam]

"Well, no point in trying hide the fact that we are here anymore I guess. We either run, again, or we go through that panel. I'd prefer the former." James' looked on confused as the elf put the casket up against the hole. The stone is giving in, just how is that cask going to help? “Oi Kid! If I can get the axe head to tangle up in the cask, could you cause the door to moan and groan intelligibly?” "I'm sorry, you want me to do what with the door?!"

[CinLee]

Oz around the 7tn hour.

As soon as Oz realized that to much damage had been done to mend the gap closed she shifted her focus to keeping what remained of the door together. Glancing back at the others , "I can not mend this there is just to much damage already done. I'll try to keep it from getting any worse, but I don't think that will work for very long." At uttering this omission, Oz was surprised to see Rayne shove a wine cask into the tear in the door. “Oi Kid! Anyone with magic! If I can get the axe head to tangle up in the remains of the bands of the cask, could you cause the door to moan and groan intelligibly?”

"Nope, but I will try and keep the gap from widening as long as I can. Manifesting sounds is not with in my range. Now, I might be able to make a spooky image appear but I would have to stop mending any new damage to the door! Anyone else got an idea?"

[Fishybugs]

Evodine around the 7th hour, near to the door.

Evodine's lips curl up in a frustrated snarl as she finds nothing else in the room. No other escape, no nothing. It all came down to this. If she was going to be a leader, it was time to step up and lead. She listens to teh others brainstorming a way to slow down the attackers.

"Anyone else got an idea?"

She looked at the hole in the door. She had hit smaller targets than that. Evodine pulls out her bow, grabs an arrow from her quiver and concentrates. She blocks out the sounds coming from the hall, pushes all her feelings down inside herself and becomes numb to the world. She focuses on the door, the hole in the door, and then imagines the room beyond. Her practiced hand brings the arrow to her mouth without her even realizing it, and she runs one of the feathers between her lips. She didn't know why Karash had ever done it, but the first time she hit a rabbit at 500 feet was when she had copied him. Superstition, tradition, or maybe it was magic.

"Yeah," she says, her voice an emotionless void. "I've got an idea." With her final word, she holds her breath to steady the bow and releases the taut bowstring and lets the arrow fly. It flew right through the hole in the door, striking something beyond.

[CinLee]

Oz 7th hour passage of the dancing swan.

An arrow flew past her out the gap in the door, hearing it hit Oz got a idea. "I am dropping mending!" Oz sent a twisted grin towards the door. "Let's see how they respond to their own accursed sign."

With the images of her home, the little village that had shown her the only love and happiness she had experienced in her life burning around her. The memory of her love bleeding out, choking on his own blood, the screams of the old and innocent young ringing in her ears. Oz sent an image of a bleeding skull on a bloodred crescent moon, the sign of the orc dark deity Shargaas, through the tear in the door. Her rage making the image expand as it slid through the gap.

"Let them think, those who follow the orc god of Chaos, Death, Evil, and Pestilence lurk behind this door!"

Oz fought to raine in her boiling emotions, before memories of that horrible night drove her into rash action. Reaching into her pocket Oz gripped her charm. Rubbing the smooth surface she felt herself calming.

[Trevethan Norn]

Evodine - The passage, Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Evodine was already drawing another arrow as she exhaled. A guttural cry was heard as if many yards away and a voice shouted, "Gahz tu! Shargass dik urrun!"

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - The Dancing Swan: Hurbert's Refuge, Middlerod: 4th hour (w/ Skye and Hurbert)

Gindlewin and Hurbert haggled the way that gnomes do, running off on lines of thought that seemed like tangents to outsiders, but were of crucial importance to the small ones. They moved in and out of Common and Gnim as words in one language seemed insufficient, even occasionally plucking a word or two of Espruar as it applied. It seemed laborious, but a gnomish home was sacrosanct and this law was enforced not only by custom, but by the great power that comes from being so highly connected to a place for so long. That said, Gindlewin was always known (among gnomes) for his pointedness, so the negotiations took short of an hour.

Gindlewin stood up from the rug he had absentmindedly plopped down on and shook out his sleeping legs. "So can we agree, then? You help us find our friends, house the innocent townspeople until this is over, and allow us to stage our assault on the town from here?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewing & Skye - Hurbert's Refuge: 4th Hour

"Ah, hmm, that's the rub, isn't it." The gnome looked genuinely sad. "I can't allow for the secrecy of this refuge to be breached, but, perhaps I can help you. I have a few... friends, who might join you in scouting and clearing whatever may be left of the town. The inn should be safe enough if you can clear it out. My great, great, great, great, great, great grandpap built this place to withstand the old raids from the south. No other building is as strong. I doubt the raiders will have done much beyond burn a bit or break a bit that can be replaced. The bones of this building are solid stone and iron." Hurbert called out, "Jop, Flourit, Cumber, Hal, come out here. The barrister needs some help cleaning out the inn." Summoned by the curious little innkeeper, 4 more gnomes came out from behind a tapestry at the back of the room. "But daaad, you said you didn't want us getting mixed up in this! Hey now! Dad is going to let us fight, finallly! Shut up you idiot!" The 4 gnomes poured out in a mixture of excitement and anticipation, as Gindlewin and Skye stared between Hurbert and his apparent progeny in shock.

"These are my oldest boys, and they will be more than enough to help you with whatever's left. Please keep an eye on them for me Gindlewin. They may not look like much," the innkeeper had to stifle the protest with a wave of his hands, "but they won't be hurt out there. That much I guarantee. Jop here has been studying some time in addition to his other duties. He could probably learn a few things from you, but maybe show you a thing or two, I'd wager. Did I mention that Allura gave him several tomes before she left? Flourit here, he's good with knives." There was a look of pride on Flourit's face as he flourished what appeared to be 4 different daggers in a fan which disappeared into his sleeves. "And Cumber, well, he's a devout follower of Gond, though I am not quite sure Gond would approve of his alchemical experiments...Hal, is going to see that they all come home."

Hurbert turned to Skye, "I'll thank ye kindly to never threaten me or mine again, but I understand that these days are stressful. Take this." He pulled a strange looking silver cylinder from his belt and held it out to her. "Only use it if you are desperate, or if there is a large group of orcs together. When you need to, press the top and twist it clockwise, then throw it as hard as you can. Oh, and it is better to not be too close to whatever you are bunging it at..."

[CelestialBard]

Sitting on the dirt floor in near-darkness for another half hour was torturous. They squabbled in broken common, weaved in part with a language she could only reason was gnomish, or something similar. Her ears heated up, the thought that this conversation might be about her unwanted presence crossed her mind more than once. By the time Hurbert had addressed her again, Skye had already dumped all of her belongings onto the ground and put them back in her pack twice, attempting to sort them somewhat.

Sure, sure. Make us responsible for Joop, Floop, Timber, and Tall. I'm sure I look like a qualified nursemaid. Now that I think about it, that's probably what Cassian thought of me too. She laughed under her breath and picked at her nails with her own dagger, eyeing the one with the knives. If he dies, I'm so taking those. After a bit more talk, she gathered her things and stood up as far as she could in the cramped space, feeling this interaction was finally coming to a close.

It was then that Hurbert handed her the tube.

It was silver and cylindrical, something about it seemed familiar. "Oh sh*t." Skye said aloud, accidentally. Looking between the huddle of gnomes, she couldn't contain her curiosity. "This thing looks just like that one I st--found earlier." She turned the tube carefully in her hand, inspecting it. "Though that one was smaller and just... nicer overall. It had a big wax seal on it and initials. A.D.? No, maybe that was a G. Nevermind, I have it right here..." She carefully placed the tube Hurbert gifted her on the ground and began digging through her newly organized bag. Where is it?! Must've dropped it somewhere... Oh no. Skye froze. The excitement fell from her face and was replaced with a grim realization.

"I think I kinda gave it to an old man and his ill daughter who were stuck on the side of the road. I mean, he robbed me... but I let him keep it. Tell me I didn't just murder two people."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin & Skye - Hurbert's Refuge: 4th Hour

After Skye's outburst, Gindlewin looked at her in surprise. Every new turn made him feel like he actually was in a book! "Stripes! Are you still some kind of highwayperson? Don't get me wrong. I just mean that I need to hear of some of your adventures when all this is over!" He turns to address his fellow.

"Hurbert! I'm quite certain you have amassed an arsenal that might border on the illegal! Of course, I think we'll all be grateful for it now... However, I cannot, in good conscience, ask you to endanger your sons. Then, I know they are more capable than stating law at a bunch of orcs would be..." Gindlewin ran his hand through his tuft of hair. "Well, if we are to complete both our goals, the finding of my friends and the removal of them from your home, how do we find them? I am certain that they entered the tunnel, though I cannot tell you how. How is it that we did not pass them on our way in?"

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin & Skye - Hurbert's Refuge: 4th Hour

Hurbert looked at the woman with some confusion, "You have seen one of these before? I do not see how you could have, these gizmos are my own invention. I would be most curious if you could recover that item. I had not heard of similar inventors in the area." He turned back to Gindlewin, "Illegal? Inventions are rarely ever illegal ser barrister. A gnome has a right, nay, a duty to pursue progress! It is in our blood, after all. I am not asking you to endanger my sons. They have been wanting to save the town almost since we got here, but I thought better of it until I could assay what was going on. If you care to have a look, you may see some interesting things." Hurbert motioned to a telescope of gnomish proportions which had gone unnoticed in the corner. "My own invention, too, and it helps me keep an eye on things during the nights. I think you will find it most delightful! Oh, and it makes sense that you would not have seen any friends... I take it these were not our brethren by ethnicity?" Gindlewin shook his head in a confused manner. "Well you see, grandpap lived in a very different time. Mind you, not many humans and elves may be trusted these days, but back in his day the answer was zero. So, among other things, the tunnel was enchanted with great skill to serve purposes based on true self; the idea that certain races possess qualities that never change. In fact, I am rather surprised that Skye here turned up with you at all. Did you share a link with her when you entered the Safeway?

[CelestialBard]

"Stripes! Are you still some kind of highwayperson? Don't get me wrong. I just mean that I need to hear of some of your adventures when all this is over!" Turning slightly to acknowledge Gindlewin, Skye snorted in response. "No, believe it or not, I was the one who got robbed." She picked both her ransacked bag and new gadget off the ground, cautiously examining the tube as Hurbert spoke.

Skye eventually shook her head in disagreement. "Not like this, per se. Like I said, it was fancier. Had a ton of scrolling all over it, and a big green emblem like a Griffin or something. Initials were 'A.G.'. That's all I remember, and even that might be wrong."

She tucked some thin blonde hair behind her ear, exposing one of her infamous face tattoos and grinning at her impending joke. "As for how I ended up here, i'm half gnome." There was a pause and she swore either Joop or Floop held back a laugh. "Honestly, though, I have no clue."

Skye moved to put the canister in her pack but hesitated, "Is this... okay to put in here? I'd rather not start any fires."

[OneFamiliarFace]

Gindlewin - Hurbert's Refuge: 4th Hour (w/ Skye and Hurbert)

"We were holding hands as we entered, maybe? Okay then, your sons come with us. Please tell me our friends are not lost for good in some hell-gnome dystopia of crazy traps?" Then the initials Skye had been saying hammered through his head.

He whirled around on her. "Did you say 'A.G.,' as in, 'Aurelia the Glamorous?' Gosh, and here I thought I was special! We'll have to get to the bottom of that later!"

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - Tunnel Passage, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Valgerda had initially been glad to hear her companions following her back to the Inn. She's estimated they'd gotten almost halfway up the tunnel when she started hearing the grating voice of the sleepy elf behind her. She must be Odin's punishment for running away...I think I would rather be Loki forced to have poison drip on his head.

The next hour was one of the most horrible tortures Valgerda had ever experienced. The combination of the cramped spaces and the obnoxious chatter about cheese were almost unbearable. When they tunnel finally opened up to the entrance hall, Valgerda was almost relieved to see the Orc trying to break down the door.

As she was trying to sort out the situation, her two tormentors stepped up to the hole and attempted to...well she wasn't really sure what they were trying to do. The more tolerable of the two, Oz she called herself, spent a long moment doing some magic. It seemed to make the broken stone on the edges of the hole smoother? I don't understand how that is supposed to help, but I think I can see how I might use that spell in the future.

Then the drunkard made her move and attempted to plug the hole with a cask of wine she had undoubtedly stolen from the Inn. Valgerda was reminded of a child's toy she'd played with as a baby. It was an extremely simple puzzle that involved fitting the correctly shaped block in to the appropriately shaped hole. Most children mastered it in a couple years, the drunk struggled for what felt like hours trying to make the cask fit. It almost pained Valgerda to watch the confusion spread across the drunks face, as she repeatedly failed to accomplish her intended task.

Suddenly an arrow whizzed over Valgerda's ear and through the hole. She felt a rush of adrenaline when she heard the Orc squeal on the other side of the wall. "Finally someone with some sense. Now stand aside and let us recover our friends...

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - Tunnel Passage, Middlerod: 7th hour

Let us not be too hasty, Reynard growled, his voice echoing in the tunnel. If we remain here,
they have the advantage. They need only shoot into the tunnel and they are sure to hit us. We must either push past them into the room beyond or lure them in with us so that their advantage is lost.
In either case, Lady Val and I would be better placed at the front while the rest of you used your arrows and magics from behind us.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine - Tunnel Passage, Middlerod: 7th Hour

"I'm not too proud to stand behind you," Evodine declares as she readies another arrow. "By all means."

[willowedc]

Rayne - Passage, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Rayne’s expression turned into one of cold fury as “The Idiot”, as she thought of the woman she did not know the race of, decided now would be a good time to rouse from whatever imbecilic stupor she’d been in since they arrived back at the door. A brief flash of murderous intent filled her as the woman’s grating voice almost drown out the orc’s speech.

She’d seen Oz’s face, her fury was as dark as Rayne’s own. Oz didn’t speak much about her past, but Rayne had seen the locket. She’d seen the painful longing that flashed through Ozuel’s blue eyes, and the occasional tear of lament. They knew what damage an entire raiding party of orcs could cause, even if this unnatural being did not.

Rayne was deeply tempted to step out of the way, and fade back into the shadows of the passage. So she could watch The Idiot rush headlong into a horde of orc, and see how many of the others she led to their deaths before she met a bloody end. She exhaled slowly, allowing her breath to wash away her visceral reaction to the woman.

“Ozuel,” Rayne said after the orc finished calling out, “What did you do? He’s called out “Great One! Call the Red Fang of Shargaas.” She looked between her friend and the half-orc. “Do either of you know who or what that is?”she asked, completely ignoring The Idiot.

[CinLee]

Oz around 7th hour passage in the dancing swan

Oz sharply turned to Rayne, what did you say? This could be bad. I projected an image of the symbol of shargaas the orc dark lord. I was hope to either drive the away or make them think we are there side. However Shargaas is also the orc god if assassins. If they are calling an assassin of Shargaas, that would be really bad. We need to stop them before they can bring anyone else here. Lord Greyscale, if you would be so kind.

Oz gives Reynard a slight bow and slides to the side and back of the passage entry way. As she passes Reynard she leans in a whispers.

I know she can come across as a bit hard and crass but there is no one better to have at your side in a fight then Rayne. I will follow you lead good Sir.

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - Tunnel Passage, Middlerod: 7th hour

Reynard smiles at his companions, thankful for their support. Very well, he says, drawing his sword. The choice is yours Val.

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin & Skye - Hurbert's Refuge: 4th Hour

Hurbert turned slightly pink and sputtered, "Hmm, er, hmph. Yes it is perfectly fine to place in your satchel, but I would not, if i were you. You may need it fast. It is not going to catch you on fire, if that is what you fear." The gnome seemed unusually mirthful as he said the last few words, and Skye could have sworn that there was the slightest hint of a twinkle in his eye. "Now, since you have been here a while, would you two be on your way? I need to get back to my oscilloscope!" Hurbert looked back at the telescope mounted in the wall. "I am seeing so many interesting things tonight."

[CelestialBard]

Gindlewin lit up at the mention of the initials. "Did you say 'A.G.,' as in, 'Aurelia the Glamorous?'" Skye had been trying to piece together the puzzle in her head but outwardly she just shrugged. "I mean it was the 'Marquis' who had it, so that's a possibility." She said, rubbing her eyes and yawning. It's not like I'm special, either.

With Hubert's snide comment she grimaced and slung the sack over her shoulder, gripping the silver canister in one hand. Discomfort ran through her spine and the hairs on the back of her neck stood upright. "Right," She snapped, "Wouldn't want this lovely little home to turn to ash."

Reaching out for Gindlewin's hand again, she turned and motioned for the other gnomes to take the lead down the tunnel. "I'm quiet enough to sneak up there unnoticed but I can't see a thing in the dark, so Joop--Er.. Whomever was skilled with knives should scout ahead instead."

While waiting for the gaggle of guys to move along, she subtly drew the theive's cant sigils for "Safehouse", "Traps", and "Dead End" in the direction toward Hurbert's home. Doubt anyone will come down here but might as well mark the paths I find..

[Aardvark 001]

Reynard Greyscale - Tunnel Passage, Middlerod: 7th hour

So be it, Reynard said, seeing his companions' resolve. Holding his sword in front of him, he flung open the door and charged out with an ungodly cry.

An orc staggered in front of him, clutching at the arrow sprouting from his neck. Reynard drove his sword at his chest, trying to finish him off.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine--Hall Passage--In combat

Evodine looses her readied arrow as soon as Reynard has opened the door, hoping to down the orc she had previously wounded.

[Trevethan Norn]

The Combat Squad - 2nd Story Landing, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Reynard's pent up frustration at so many things which had transpired in the morning was unleashed in one mighty thrust which went straight through the heart of the massive orc in front of him. As he felt the shame of his earlier cowardice well up inside of him, the half-orc heaved upward with the blade and sliced the torso of the orc in half before it toppled backwards and fell several feet down the staircase to the middle landing. As it was falling, an arrow whizzed past his head for the second time in nearly as many hours and struck home in the orcs eye. Reynard turned slightly and gave the gathered acquaintances a look to curdle milk, "Enough with the shooting at me!".


As if summoned by his yell, angry shouts were heard from somewhere on the lower floor of the inn. The sound of running feet brought three gigantic brutes charging up the stairs to the middle landing. Two in the front had bucklers of incredible size, and all three had rough-hewn and cruel-looking axes. They looked up at Reynard and he instantly recognized both anger and disgust at finding a weakling in their presence.

[Trevethan Norn]

Gindlewin & Skye - The passage outside Hurbert's door, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: Middle of the 4th hour

The sound of the excited voices of Jop, Flourit, Cumber, and Hal faded in the distance as they ran down the passageway before Skye could yell at them to stop. Gindlewin likewise seemed to be roused by the chance to be saving the townspeople, though his maturity bore him slightly better. There is all so much to think about! This is just like the books Allura and I spent time poring over in the hermitage! And our kind innkeep is an inventor, and a magician of some sort! He felt quite satisfied with the events, the state of the town not withstanding. "It is like being in a real-life fairytale and I, Gindlewin, together with my new criminal acquaintance, Stripes the highwayman, will lead my kin to victory. We will save the..." At this point Gindlewin realized that he had been quite so far into his head that he had started to narrate the actions of the daring duo and he snuck a quick look at Stripes. Her face had an odd expression that Gindlewin could not ascertain. "I mean... Children! Come back here at once! We are your chaperones!" The 4 younger gnomes paused some 60 feet down the tunnel and stopped their animated chatter. "Hurry up! We will miss all the good bits!" He quickly tugged at the woman behind him and they soon found their way to the alcove which had permitted entrance to the tunnel of wonders.

On reaching the room, Stripes saw that the lever was still firmly in place, and the door safely down. No sound could be heard but the lack of sound or wind made her slightly nervous.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Valgerda saw Reynard charging forward and was hot on his heals out the door. The half-Orc clove the invader in half with a single swing, just before an arrow whispered between Val and Reynards head to sink in to the eye socket of the dead Orc. Valgerda was relieved to notice that it hadn't been the Drunkard shooting. "Fear not Sir Reynard, it wasn't the Drunkard." Valgerda followed Reynard to the top of the stairs, where he held his ground.

There she saw the battle line forming, and positioned in line with Reynard. This is it, real battle... She had trained all her life for this moment and the anticipation was palpable. She knew she had to hold her ground, but she prepared herself for combat and muttered a quick prayer of protection to Odin for herself. Valgerda looked at the closest Orc and clenched her fist at him. "Ah, a pity, we only fight dogs today..."

[CelestialBard]

"It's Skye," She deadpanned, being lead through the darkness once more. "And would you quit with the 'criminal' talk? The last thing I need is to have the town guard after me too." Gindlewin had to be the only person in Faerun to be thrilled about being partnered up with a thief. For being the adult amongst the group of gnomes, he was excited often and over the strangest things. But, being honest with herself, she had lacked childish optimism for some time now--it was a nice change of pace. Skye bit at the inside of her lip and then resigned with a sigh. "At least... don't say it so loud."

On approaching the lever, she made note that it seemed undisturbed in the relatively short time they had been underground. It was unnerving. "I could've sworn that party hid in here but if there wasn't an exit then... What the hells? I don't see any reason for Hurbert to not tell us if they had been by. I mean, unless he told you something I didn't catch. You were switching back and forth between Gnomese. Gnommon? Ugh. You get my point. Did he tell you where they might've gone?"

She absently began feeling at the walls again to check if there was another path she had perhaps missed upon entering. To her frustration, it was still just a tunnel burrowed into the direction in which they had come. Nothin'. Moving on to the stone slab door, she pressed an ear and listened for a minute, closing her eyes and motioning for the restless gnomes to quiet down.

After a moment of near-silence, she crawled a few feet away from the doorway. "I'm not sure if we'll be able to shut this hatch from the outside, so maybe it's best if only a few go to scout." She whispered, thinking aloud. "Flumber and I can take a look and you can stay and close it behind us. If we don't come back in a minute then we're either trapped or dead and then you'll need a new plan."

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye, Gindlewin & Co. - Passage, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: Middle of the 4th hour


The gnomes seemed to paying very little attention to Skye as she crept about with her ear to the wall, but Gindlewin perked up at the mention of other tunnels. "Umm, no, I do not see any other tunnels than the one we left. In your experience as a vagrant, have you often found secret tunnels such as this?" Skye was incredulous. It seemed as if the idea appealed to the gnome's senses; she could practically see his ears vibrating with pleasure. In fact, she had never before found secret tunnels on second stories where there should have been walls and air. She also did not want to admit to the buoyant barrister that she had no idea if the group she had just met - and who seemed the most capable in the inn - had actually entered this room. She had heard one of them yell about a safe room on the second floor, seen the opened panel in her rush to escape the orcs below, and simply dove for it with gnome in hand. There is no way this stupid inn has more than one secret room... is there? She did not want to think of a house filled with magical secrets like the one she had just uncovered. It made her head hurt. How am I to be a successful thief if I always have to check for mystical traps and hiding places? Still, she had to admit that her sense were telling her nothing about this arcane mystery. There was only the lever to move the facade, the tunnel, 5 gnomes, and one very irritated and confused thief.

Now that she had gone silent, it seemed that the younger gnomes felt the need to fill the void once more, having finally paid some heed to her comments, "Certainly not! We shall all go out together! Father is overly concerned. He KNOWS we won't hurt ourselves." A look seemed to pass amongst the older children and the younger one who had voiced the heroic notion seemed instantly chagrined. "Well, I am sure he knows how skilled we can be. We have practiced our whole lives for this moment!" There was a look of pleading in the eyes of the youngest that was not so well hidden in the older brothers as well. Gindlewin turned to Skye and gave a nervous tilt of his head before nodding, "Well, Hurbert did seem to be comfortable with having them go, and he seems to have more information than he lets on. I don't know if you noticed, but he seemed well aware of the events outside for someone who had been in a tunnel of secrecy all night... Shall we venture forth as a group to save the town?!" Skye could not help but hear the poorly concealed burst of excitement which accompanied the barrister's last statement.

[CelestialBard]

She tilted her head back in annoyance, letting out a breathy sigh and dragging both her hands and the canister down her face. At times it seemed Gindlewin was harder to converse with than her mouse despite the fact that Fig can't reply in common. The gnome certainly wasn't a dullard, only eccentric and easily impressed apparently. "Yeah, I noticed. Nothing about this situation is normal."

Yielding to the group's decision, she attempted to silence the memory of blood curdling screams ricocheting in her brain. If they want to dive head first into certain doom, who am I to stop them? It's not my fault. Skye began limbering up as best as she could muster while being enveloped in the gaggle of gnomes. Shaking out her hands, she winced at her still hurt wrist. Sending up a quick prayer, she hoped that the binding would at least negate some of the pain of use. Just another mission. Do the job, don't get caught, reap the benefits.

After almost a full minute of psyching herself up, she finally faced the small crowd. In one clenched fist, a rusted evil-looking dagger and in the other, a pristine silver tube. "Okay boys, let's do this."

[CinLee]

Oz 7th hour the dancing swan

Oz watched Reynard and Valgerda rush trough the door. Reynard gallantly slayed the orc with a mighty blow, backed up by Valgerda. One of the others in the tunnel let loose an arrow. Reynard's surprised shout of stop shooting at at me caught the attention of three large brutes, who charged up the stairs into the landing. Not wanting to level all the work to the fighters. I sent a ray of frost at the brute on the right. Glancing at Valgerda, I decided to hold my opinion on her till after the this fight. I was just getting to many mixed signals from to many of the people in this group. This fight should help me make up my mind, on if this would be a good group for me and Rayne to travel with till we could get back on the sea. With these thoughts running through my mind I prepared to cast ray of frost again.

[Trevethan Norn]

Oz & Co. - 2nd floor, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th hour

Ozuel's confusion at the dynamics of her new acquaintances found solace as her initial cantrip spewed forth, straight into the face of the orc with the titanic great axe. A moment of shock passed over her face as her face grinds into a nasty snarl. The orc was visibly slowed by the stream of permafrost aimed at her, but she charged up the stairs behind her compatriots with only slightly less agility. This one is stubborn, Ozuel thought as she made ready to blast her opponent again. The fastest of the two orcs in the lead charged shield first into Valgerda, apparently not intimidated by a language he could not understand. The vicious arc of the battleaxe whipped around more quickly than val had expected and caught her in her left side, biting cruelly before being withdrawn. Val let out a gasp at the pain, but had the wherewithal to understand that she was in shock and could not truly feel the pain that would come later.

A split second later the second orc charged roughly into Reynard with the full side of a massive rawhide shield.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Passage, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: Middle of the 4th hour

Gindlewin nodded excitedly and seemed to be muttering to himself. He even produced a small oak rod which looked like a teacher's pointer. Skye recognized that implement even if she had never finished what education was offered in her town. It hurt when you had your knuckles hit. The gnome grabbed the lever and pulled it down. As he stepped back, there was the softest hiss of air and the panel of stone moved aside to permit a view into the second floor. Skye snuck out quickly and quietly, more nervous now than she had been in her flight from the kitchen. She would be damned if she let herself get caught so easily again. The gnomes had all fallen quiet despite some excited jostling as the four brothers attempted to make their way out onto the landing at the same time.

One dirty look from her stilled them, and she quietly turned back to peek around the corner. At first she saw nothing, but a hand tapped her on the shoulder and the rogue nearly lost her cool. She spun quietly and saw a disembodied gloved hand floating in the air at her shoulder which shortly pointed up at the ceiling. When she looked, her jaw dropped in shock; there, at the junction of the ceiling and the landing edge, was the perfectly calm gnome with the knives. She could not believe her eyes as she followed his careful movement crouching along the ceiling and crawling over the wall as if he was on a perfectly normal floor before grinning at her and dipping around the wall. There were no words for the shocks she had experienced this morning, but Skye was utterly non-plussed. Seeing her pause, the other gnomes motioned for her to keep going. "Don't worry, he won't scout. He is going to go make trouble elsewhere if there are too many eyes watching the stairs." As if to reassure her that it would work, the gnome - who she noticed was wearing a fine chain armor under his rather dirty robe and had somehow produced a shield and mace - grimaced and added, "He is good at getting into trouble..." Gindlewin moved up quietly and whispered, "I think you had best lead us Strip... err, Skye." He almost seemed disappointed at using the generic real name instead of a criminal alias, "You have the most, ummm, experience in these matters."

She gave them a quick look and noticed the way the younger ones especially seemed to grasp various weapons which she had not seen in the darkness. Apparently her little squadron very much had meant what they said. Skye sighed and peered around the corner again. There was no sound from within the inn as far as she could tell. No breaking of things or screamng, not even fire in the inn itself. She could hear some screams in the distance along with triumphant shouts and hollering, but the inn seemed clear.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: 7th Hour

The axe bit hard, and Valgerda thought of her training back in Aesgard. Fighting on this mortal realm was much more visceral. She was suddenly aware of the blood trickling down her side, and she understood that she was feeling pain. It was more distant than she had expected though. As if the pain were strolling up a long mountain path, with no rush to catch up to her. ...this is an odd sensation... No sooner than the thought verbalized itself in her head, Valgerda knew she had lost track of the protective magics of Odin.

[CelestialBard]

Agitated, she started to correct him again. "It's Sk--Oh. Yeah." Her irritation waned as she smiled lopsidedly for a brief moment. "You got it, Gin." Pulling the hood of her thickest cape up and over her head, she crept out of the tunnel.

The fine wooden floorboards didn't even so much as creak as she snuck into the modest room; the inn really was sturdier than she first thought. Glancing back at the heavy polished stone that was now shifted to the side of the cavern, she noted the deep gashes across the finely crafted image of a swan. Despite taking such brutal damage, there hadn't been any cracks on the other side of the rock. Gnomes. Changing her attention to the room, it quickly became obvious that anything of value had been removed. The crumpled sheets were torn, antique night stands ransacked, even the bronze lantern seemed drained of oil. What could a lot of Orcs possibly need curtain rods for? She pondered for a second. Wait, nevermind. Yuck.

Motioning a quick 'Clear' to the group, she pulled out her handy little mirror again and crouched down next to the door frame. Checking the corridor first, Skye found no wandering behemoths pacing the halls and decided it was safe enough to dart across the way to the small alcove just out of view of the stairway. Still using the glass, she scanned the staircase and the ground floor around it, seeing nothing but smashed decorations. Beginning to make the signal for 'Clear' in thieve's cant again, she stopped short, exasperated. Does Flourit even know the Cant? Should've asked. Sh*t. Maybe they can lip read. Shifting so that they could see her face beneath the black shroud, she mouthed "Clear" wordlessly.

Pressing against the patterned wall, she turned the corner and descended down the stairs, wary of the looser looking planks. The portraits that previously lined the inside of the Inn had been stripped and dashed onto the floor, in their stead hung rectangles made of a century's worth of accrued dust. Approaching the end of the banister, she moved from the wall to the post and glanced through the archway leading to the storage rooms. Still no Orcs? Suppose they took everything worthwhile and moved on. Either that or I underestimated how stealthy they can be.

Avoiding the shattered glass littering the ground, Skye tip-toed to the edge of the back room and peeked her head in, confirming her suspicions. A mix of coagulated blood and flour coated the floor, and in the back corner she swore she saw a foot missing the rest of it's body. Flattening against the wall again, she covered her mouth to will back a gag. Looking back up to the gnomes waiting at the top of the stairs, she gave a thumbs up and a sickly grimace.

[Trevethan Norn]

Reynard & Co. - The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: 7th Hour

The massive brute charged Reynard faster than he had expected. Time seemed to speed up as a ray of permafrost shot past himself and lady Val and he gaped a split second too long at the deep wound which had been hewn into the slight female warrior. His head snapped up at the last second and he attempted to brace himself against the charge, but to no avail. The bullrush tossed him off of his feet to sprawl a good 5 feet on his backside. Reynard felt the wind get knocked out as his shock finally registered. He could actually die facing a full blooded orc! He braced himself and began sucking wind while his mind raced.

[willowedc]

Rayne - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod, 7th Hour

Rayne’s hand brushed over her longsword as The Idiot goaded her, by implying she had less than ideal control over her bow. Unfortunately for The Idiot, Rayne had heard far worse from people she actually respected. If the foolish woman survived, there would be time for a conversation about respect. She watched as the half-orc was sent flying, and The Idiot took bloody injury.

As far as Rayne was concerned, there were two choices; survival and stupidity. The smart choice, from a survival standpoint, was to spring the lever and close the door. Loosing one arrow to distract the nearest orc. The passage mouth, at the other end had a higher strategic value; especially because you could kill the bastards without risking your own neck. At some point the orc would stop crawling through that stupid tunnel and either collapse it or give up. The much stupider choice was to rush out into the fray.

“Greyscale,” she barked at him as she left the passage and entered the inn. “Do you want me on the bow or on the line?” she demanded as passed him, to square off before the nearest orc. Deadly intent filled her as she attacked. She knew herself to be a tall woman, but this thing was taller, broader and slathering. A sadistic smile tilted her lips as her axes swung. The familiar weight in her hands guided her actions. First her right and then her left snapped out, cutting through the air with a familiar grace that caused her golden eyes to dance with bloodlust.

[Trevethan Norn]

Rayne & Co - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th hour

Rayne was mad. To make matters worse, not only was she mad, she was also halfway between drunk and sober before the noonday meal, fighting orcs outside of the bedroom she should have been comfortably occupying. Her first wicked swipe did not take into account the momentum the brute had and bounced jarringly off of his shield. The second, more calculated and vicious stroke from her offhand caught him deeply on the inside of his left leg as he braced himself and he howled in pain and rage. Today was not going, well, but perhaps there would be ale for free when she and the band of misfits had cleared the inn and found the gnome everyone was so worried about. The stroke should have killed an ordinary man, but these orcs were just as bad as the ones who raided her ship. Today is not the day I flee another orc! Rayne gritted her teeth, now focused on living and killing.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - The Dancing Swan, Middlerod, 7th Hour

One by one the others rushed out of the tunnel into the fight in the hallway before James' could even react. Someone's in a hurry. Taking a deep breath he moved over to the opening and peaked out. A dead orc lay in front of him, with Reynard sprawling near it. Valgerad looked hurt as the deadly dance continued. This could have gone better. Right, lets try to fix that. With a firm grip on the staff his right hand traced invisible symbols in the air as he invoked arcane words directed at the orc who duelled with Rayne. As the last word died on his lips his hand extended towards him, sending a green ball of crackling energy shooting into the hall.

[Trevethan Norn]

Shadow & Co - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Shadow knew better than to hurry his magics, but his sense of imminent peril caused him to focus on the curse too hard. With a slight stutter, he mispronounced one of the incantations for his eldritch blast and the bolt sailed above the heads above Reynard, Rayne, and their attacker, missing Rayne by inches. He yelped an apology and refocused his attention towards the task at hand. The whirl of the melee was moving faster than he could track, but he watched in horror as a very grim and enraged orc took advantage of the break in the fighting caused by her comrades bullrush and swung a mighty great axe in a side arc towards Val's exposed and wounded side. There was barely room to swing as the axe scored the tiniest sliver of wood from the opposing wall before biting so deeply into the wound that Val rebounded off the staircase wall and crumpled back towards the group of survivors. He could not tell, but he did not see any breath. There was only the struggle to survive, grief for the new friend could come later, but Shadow prayed that it would not be needed.

[Trevethan Norn]

Colette & Co - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Colette was stunned. It seemed that the theme for everyone she met and started to like in the last few years ended up dead. She was in shock, she realized, as her hand slowly drifted to her pouch. She did not even bother to touch the warm flask which held certain death for all involved, but reached again for the tincture of willow and lavender. "Can you STOP DYING!" She had not meant to yell quite so loudly, but she was feeling desperate and unsure about her survival. Events like this did not happen in Middlerod, and they certainly did not happen at her familial manor. All of this just because I needed the opinion of our barrister, whom we have lost... Colette yelled to the two swordsmen in front of her, "Cover Lady Val, I need a moment to heal her! Please...." The last came as a plea for sanity and reason, as the conflict and obvious dislike between the fallen lady warrior and the ruffian named Rayne loomed large in her head.

[Trevethan Norn]

Reynard & Co - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Reynard had had the wind knocked out of him by the orc's attack, and he lay on the landing floor for a moment, sucking wind and trying to get up. Finally time resumed its normal course and he shot to his feet as he heard Lady Val crash into the wall with a crash. The sailor seemed to be proving her worth as she dueled his assailant with a furry of arcing axe heads, but his eyes were all for the two brutes standing over the broken form of the warrior bard. With an uppercut swing that turned into a thrust, Reynard's blade slid through the orc's exposed rib cage, and across her torso. Before she had chance to realize that she had been nearly split in two, he used his momentum to occupy the space in front of his newfound battle-mate. As he did so, the woman named Colette rushed to give succor to the fallen, pouring the contents of a tiny silver vial into the woman's mouth before closing it and rubbing her throat.

Reynards distraction proved his downfall; as he slowed and turned to look at the healer do her work, he felt a throbbing pain in his left side. He looked over, shocked to see the head of his adversary's great axe sticking out past his chest. He revolved slowly, his body not registering the death blow as his heart bled strongly at the devastating cut. He had time for one last thought, I am no savage!, then everything went black.

The inn, which had been filled with the cacophony of battle, was filled for a moment with silence, as if shocked at the manner of the noble knight's death. His body remained upright for just a moment, and then he fell down the stairs backwards, sprawled over the corpse of his defeated foe.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Passage, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: Middle of the 4th hour

Skye had seen death before, but she had not seen such savagery, even from the Black Talons. The flour seemed to enhanced the smell and make it appetizing; nothing had had a chance to rot, and so it smelled rather like a meat pie one might expect to find on feastday. The banal reality seemed to make the awful truth so much harder to grasp. People should have been going about their day, building prosperous lives or losing the prosperous portions to her and those like her. None of them deserved this cruel butchery. She carefully slid towards wreckage of the front door and peered out. The town was a mix between pristine and completely destroyed buildings. The stables were a pile of ash and split timbers, its occupants likely taken for food or fled. She could now see past where the old brewery had stood, all the way to the small shrine to Amaunator which passed for the religious presence in the town. Its walls looked sooty, but it seemed that the pure white stone which surrounded it was not cracked or broken down.

As she crept around to the back, she peered out carefully, sliding low to the ground so that only her eyes were exposed past the threshold. For a moment, all she saw were muddy tracks, overturned bales, and split boxes. Then she heard it. Perhaps she had heard it before but now it registered; from somewhere to her left, she heard a tiny, sniffling whimper.

[Fishybugs]

Evodine -- Dancing Swan, Middlerod -- 7th hour

Things seem to move in slow motion as Evie watches Reynard fall. She barely knew the man, but from her limited interactions with the knight, she knew she would have liked him. She did have a thing for half-orcs after all, but that's not an issue for now. As everything sped up to normal motion again, she lets the second arrow fly at the closest orc, hoping to avenge the death of her new acquaintance.

[CinLee]

Ozuel- 7th hour dancing swan

As Rayne rushed into the fray, Oz switched to a more reliable spell. As in all fights the tempo of time was swinging between agonizingly slow and faster than a rushing river. It seemed to take eternity for Sir Greyscale to regain his feet. Then in the blink of an eye he heroically cleaved one of the three remaining orcs in twain. Seeing this sent a glimmer of hope into Oz's heart. Only to have that change into the though, "They are going to get us killed.", as an axe appeared as if by magic in Greyscale's side. A mortal wound that sent the Regal Sir Greyscale tumbling down upon his fallen enemy.

Oz quickly assessed the situation. Rayne was holding her own. Colette was tending to the injured bard/fighter? The two near Oz sent out an arrow and a ball of greenish energy. Oz steeled her nerves and sent three claw like missiles into the one she perceived to be the biggest threat.

"How dare you strike Sir Greyscale! I shall not let the eradication of such a fine Gentlemen go with out retribution,"Oz hissed at the orc wielding the axe still dripping with Reynard's blood.

[Phelan Boots]

Valgerda Brynjolf - The Dancing Swan Inn, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Valgerda's world went fuzzy and then dark as she felt an impact at the same part of her side. She had the strangest taste in her mouth when she woke, like cinnamon and smoked eel. The orcs were still all around her, but she saw one had fallen. And so had Sir Reynard it seemed. Valgerda whispered a quick prayer to him under her breath, hoping her mother might offer him a place in Valhalla if he wanted it.

Valgerda stood up, and took in the situation. The bookish woman was near here with a small empty vial in her hand. She had to protect her friends, but there was an Orc right next to her. She prepared the same incantation as before, and spoke at the Orc in front of her. "Sir Reynard may have been half-Orc, but he was one hundred times the warrior you will ever be!

[Trevethan Norn]

The party at the Stairs - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

The suddenly reduced party braced themselves for the worst before realizing that they were facing only one opponent. Though it took time for the orc to fall, the brute facing Rayne slowly tipped backwards as its nervous system registered the presence of a feathered shaft materializing in its eye. The warrior screamed a roar of anger and fell towards Rayne with a crash.

The other remaining combatant seemed to have no qualms about the loss of his two comrades. He sneared as the words of the recently revived warrior minstrel flowed over his hardened heart and moved towards her intently. Before he could finish his task and assault the interfering alchemist, 3 magical darts of eldritch force slammed into his chest. The hide was pierced and his skin seemed to bubble, but the orc was tough. He turned aside his progress to assault Rayne. With the quick experience of a battle-hardened veteran, his upwards slash bypassed her guard before she could react and cut deeply into her torso. She was lifted off her feet by the force of the blow and fell to the ground, blood pooling around her.

"Dash kul Thran! Dash kul Shargaas!"

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Passage, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: Middle of the 4th hour

She took her time sliding through the threshold. Skye had learned that caution was even more needed this day than was her usual wont, and she made nary a sound as she melded with the sooty shadows of the early morning light. Whatever her approach, her heart dropped into her stomach as she saw a tiny child whimpering and sniffling to herself from beneath the remains of a pile hastily ransacked crates. She must have been concealed by the soot and and smoke of the fire! Skye knew in her heart that the orcs would not have spared the youngling, but must simply have overlooked the child in their rampage.

[CelestialBard]

Aw, hells. She cursed internally, Another kid is the last thing I need in this motley crew. Seeing the girl tremble behind what little cover she had twisted Skye's gut. She motioned a 'Halt' to the rest of the party and double checked the surroundings to be sure she wasn't going to be spotted. No other Blacktalon would dream of harboring a child when their own life was at steak.

But, Skye was no ordinary Blacktalon.

The layers of cloaks masked the rogue's form as she snuck towards the tiny figure, attempting to move slowly as to not startle her further. Skye made a snap using her thumb and middle finger to catch the girl's attention, then moved her hand into a "Shh" pose and silently pressed it to her chapped lips. She bent forward, whispering a barely audible, "I'm Skye. Can you move?"

The girl nodded wordlessly as wide frightened eyes took in the whole of the pallor women's sunken and tattooed face. Her small voice shivered as she replied, "'m Herania, I wann... m-my mommy." and promptly broke into tears. Skye quickly hushed her and peeked only her eyes over the boxes, scanning to be certain no one heard the sniffling. So far, it seemed as though the chaos was providing ample distraction.

Turning back to Herania, she forced a what she imagined to be a reassuring smile and spoke softly again. "I'll help you find her, but you have to be sneaky, okay? No more crying." Skye began unknotting the ties to the smaller blue cape under her thick black wool cloak, slipping it out and then over the child's shoulders. "This will keep you safe but only if you can be extra quiet. Follow me."

Taking the girl's hand, she pulled her towards the threshold of the door and brought her to the group of gnomes currently taking battle stances. "Guys, we have a situation."

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Kitchen, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 5th hour

Gindlewin turned away from where he had been inspecting an apparently unbroken jar of honey. "Hmm, oh... oh my, well, yes. Is she yours?" Skye could almost hear the hope in the barrister's anxious voice, "No, hmm, I suppose not. It would seem that this is our first rescue! How thrilling! I don't suppose you asked her who she is?" The gnome seemed to have regained the confusing exuberance which had irritated her earlier, but Skye struggle to keep a straight face as the child decided that this was a good time to lay her soul into some heavy blubbering, "Who are y-you? Y-you're not my papa."

Gindlewin seemed entirely non-plussed, having mostly tried to avoid helping his clan with the child-rearing in favor of books. Books were always fantastic and made sense, even when they were morbid in their content. "And who are you, little one?" Skye and Gindlewin both jerked, but the voice had come from one of the gnome brothers still with the group. As he continued, the gnome named Hal walked up to the child and opened his hand. In the palm was a small butterfly which floated towards the child who hid herself in Skye's cloak. "Oh come, child. You must learn that we are not here to harm you! We are clearly the good guys, here to save you! I am Hal, and over there is Jop, and Cumber, who're my brothers. This gnome here is Gindlewin, who has rescued us from our father's enforced restraint. That woman next to you is Skye, of late a criminal, but with an apparent good streak in her." The gnome was obviously not experienced in discussing matters with children as the child clung even more tightly to Skye's leg in the wake of the gnome's academic lecture. Gindlewin shrugged and looked to Skye, "So, Stri... err Skye, how should we proceed?"

[CelestialBard]

Irritation practically radiated from Skye. "Are you Fu--" She felt the pressure of Herania holding tightly to her leg and glanced down. "--uuunny. Ha ha! What silly gnomes." Skye smiled again to the girl but it quickly dropped into a gritted grin as she lifted her face to glower at the party. I'm surrounded by idiots.

"This is my friend Herania. She's looking for her mother." Squatting beside the child, Skye pulled down her own hood and tucked some hair behind her ear, attempting to seem personable."Can you tell us what she looks like and where you last saw her?"

The girl cupped her hand to her mouth, whispering into her ear. After a moment, Skye nodded and stretched back to her full height. "She's got curly black hair and she's wearing a pretty purple dress the same color as Herania's. They got seperated near the temple. We have to make finding her a priority. For now, sweetie..." She looked around the room and found the cupboard in which she herself had hid earlier. "I think we should play a game. You know it already, but it's one of my favorites. I want you to hide really good and don't come out unless we say the secret pass code. Uh... 'Purple'. Understand?"

[Dain Broadbeam]

James looked on in horror as two more of the party fell. Oh sh*t Oh sh*t Oh sh*t Oh sh*t Oh sh*t Oh sh*t At least it was only one orc left standing as well. It was time to finish this. With a deep breath he started his incantation, determined to not screw up like last time. With a loud "Die" a new green crackling ball of energy flew towards the remaining orc.

[Trevethan Norn]

The party at the Stairs - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

The furious burst of force caught the orc just as he was turning towards the two women on the stairs. There was a loud hissing as Shadow briefly saw the spine of his foe and then the orc exploded in a cloud of black, shadowy soot. Where previously there had been a brute of nearly 7 feet in height, slavering for the blood of his enemies, there lay only the scorched and shivered shield and a great axe that gleamed cruelly through the ashes of its master.

As the small company reeled to regain composure, a cloudy shadow oozed from the blade onto the floor before disappearing into the floorboards with a brittle rustling sound. "Kul Shagraaaaaasssssssss."

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Kitchen, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 5th hour

The child was not quick to catch on at first. Slowly, however, realization that she was to be abandoned spread across her ashen face and she came to life in a fit of panic. "Y-you said you w-would help me find my mommy! I promise I will be quiet! P-Please!" Hal gave Skye a look of pure reproach, "I suppose I ought to not count on a hardened robber to care for the child's feelings, but I thought you would understand how she feels. Clearly, she needs someone like you to serve as a maternal figure until we find her mother." Gindlewin roused from his horror at Herania's outburst and shook his head emphatically, "There is no way we will be able to go about our task of helping the town with her so obviously distressed. Hal, I thought you were the responsible one out of your brothers."

Hal looked slightly humbled, but he simply shrugged as if to imply that children were not his area of expertise. At that moment, Herania screamed again in her annoyingly loud and miserable manner, and the whole company nearly jumped out of their skin. Looking up Skye saw that the gnome Flourit had returned. In his hands were two dripping scalps and on his face was a look of pure elation. "I got my first two! Bagged them easy as pie with a couple quick strokes before the scum was even properly dead! I told pop that we had nothing to worry about! He KNOWS we have nothing to worry about." With a frown that became a grimace, Skye placed her hands over the child's mouth to stop the hysterics, knowing at this point that she could never get the child to stay quietly in a cupboard.

"Flourit, that is quite well-done; disgusting, but very well done indeed." Gindlewin seemed slightly nauseous and the looks he gave the dripping skin and hair made Skye wonder at his taste for adventure. "We have other problems, Flourit. You have done a good job taking those two, though I must wonder how you did that by yourself... We have to take care of this child first, and then find her parents and help the others. So, unless you have a better idea, please remove the scalps from our presence so that we can quiet this poor girl." Flourit's smile faded slightly as he looked at the tiny child. Skye was surprised to see that no light came to his eyes when he looked at Herania, and felt for a moment that perhaps she had found a kindred spirit. "Perhaps we can use her wailing... Dad wouldn't like it, and you probably won't either Hal, Cumber... What if we just took her with us? Any orcs would be bound to come investigate the caterwauling and we could sort out the town's troubles that much faster." He looked towards Skye and Gindlewin and Skye could have sworn that there was a hardness and a gleam in his eye.

[CelestialBard]

A flash of disgust and shock crossed Skye's face before it turned to a stony expression. "We are not using her as bait." She announced, wrapping a protective arm around the girl and pulling her in. Still looking to the blood-frenzied gnome, it was unnerving to think that she considered them like-minded only moments ago. "I don't know what cage your father had you reared in, but in the civilized world, we don't use children as cannon fodder." She shook her head in disbelief and then bent back down to the girl, wiping the welling tears from her eyes and hushing her.

Still, in weighing the options, Flourit's point had some validity. Testing her wrist resulted in another sharp pang similar to the ones she had been ignoring, there was no way she could tote the girl and remain hidden. All she could hope was for the girl to comply.

Picking her up, Skye nudged open the cabinet with her boot and then moved to place the girl inside. "Herania, please--" She was flailing and wailing, kicking Skye in the torso until eventually wriggling free and swiping a blade from the rogue's belt.

Suddenly, it was a stand-off. The little girl held the rusted but well-made dagger out in front of her in a way that would be considered threatening to the untrained eye. Skye raised her hands in the air in a false act of surrender, snickering as the girl screamed, tears and snot mixing down her soot-covered face. "I WANT MY MOMMY, YOU SAID YOU WOULD FIND HER! YOU PROMISED!" Her stance was off and the grip on the knife was so poorly positioned that Skye could come up with more than one way to disarm her if needed.

"Throwing a fit isn't going to get your parents back, trust me. I'll help you, but only if you can listen to instructions and calm down."

[Trevethan Norn]

Colette & The party at the Stairs - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

The silence which followed the creeping ooze was as stark and deafening as the crack of thunder. In a slowly dazed movement Colette walked towards the sailor in her pool of blood. She kneeled and took some time to feel around the wicked gash displaying her innards for the world to see. "Oz... Ozuel, is it? Does your friend love life? I will try my best to help her heal, but I am not sure my alchemical concoction can fix this wound." She rummaged in her bag and carefully pulled out a vial with a swirling silver liquid and opened Rayne's mouth. Pray that it works while I pack her guts into her skin. After the liquid disappeared, she slowly began placing the innards as neatly back into the cavity below the woman's ribcage. "I just hope it is enough..."

[CinLee]

Ozuel- 7th hour dancing swan

Seeing Rayne fall bleeding​ from a blow sent by the last of the orcs caused Oz's attention to waver sending her ray of frost off course hitting one of the already downed foes.

I hope Collette still has some of that healing concoction. Another crackling green orb shot from Shadow, winging it's way towards the orc. Right, head back in the fight Oz. This was by far not, Oz's first fight. Struggling to regain her wandering focus, Oz prepared to send out a ray of frost again. Only the sight of Rayne crumpled on the floor bleeding, kept sending her thoughts reeling.

No, I should not be this weak. Why, why am I still this weak. I can't loose anyone else. Not again! Oz steeled her determination and dropped all thoughts of ray of frost, in favor of using a more surefire spell. Feeling the words begin to jumble and mix in her mind she knew she could only cast a spell this strong once more with out rest. It did not matter. The only thing that mattered was saving Rayne.

Just as this thought settled into Oz's mind, the crackling ball of green energy cast by Shadow hit the orc incompletely obliterating it. Rushing forward Oz gave Collette a push towards Rayne. Can you do something to help her? Please, please help her, stammered a visibly shaking Oz. Dose she have a love of life. More than anyone I have ever known. Please solune help Rayne.

[CinLee]

As the others stood around Oz began to pray. " Solune, please give me the strength to protect and care for those who I find myself traveling with.* Help me with my weaknesses.* I no longer wish to standby helpless as those I care for lay bleeding​ out.* Solune, I ask you to grant me your healing presence. I beg of you lend me your power, so I may heal in your name.*

As silver tears slid down Oz's cheeks a seed of peace began to bloom in her heart spreading through her body leaving her in a state of peace.* As Oz wiped the tears from her face she felt a warmth emanating from her pocket.* Pulling forth her belove treasure, Oz saw emblazoned on the smooth surface of her sea glass the silver eyes and seven stars of Solune.* Holding the symbol of Solune out towards Rayne. Oz knelt down placing her hand on Rayne's shoulder feeling Solune's healing presence spread froth returning Rayne's innards to their rightful places and sealing the wound with new a new growth a flesh. It appeared the Lady had heard and granted her request. Rayne had been spared from death. Instead of crumpled and bleeding out she sleep a healing sleep no longer at deaths gate. Eager to see Rayne's cocky grin, Oz sent a thanks to Solune and the last surge of healing magic into Rayne. I need some sleep just as soon as Rayne is back up.

[willowedc]

Rayne at the Stairs - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Rayne’s grunt turned into a gasp, which turned into a gurgle as the axe sliced too easily through the chainmail she was wearing. She thought, ‘Cursed orcs!’ as the pain of her injury consumed her. Unlike her training injuries, or any of the injuries she’d ever taken while sailing, fighting and carousing, the searing pain overwhelmed her inebriated mind and she blacked out.
--
Rayne jolted as she heard the crash of wood. “Mother!” she screamed as she was tossed from her bunk, to land harshly on her shoulder. In her panicked state she scrambled to her feet and wrenched the cabin door open. She ignored the cries of her family, as she rushed topside.

A tidal wave of cold sea water came crashing down the stairs to the lower level of the ship. Rayne frantically caught hold of a railing, to keep from being swept back into the cabin she shared with her cousins. Her parents would be on deck, especially in a storm like this. Her mother would never allow her father to stand against the natural destruction a storm like this brought, on his own.

She crashed into the wall and fell onto the floor as the hull of the ship was tore open by barbed ballista, that were wrenched out of the ship to allow the cold water of the Moonsea to rush in. In a panic, she hesitated. Desperate concern for her parents, and equally intense concern for her cousins caused her to freeze.

Her inaction cost her the seconds she needed to escape, the merle that entered through the hole in the hull of the ship. She felt the wet, cold, arms of a sea drow wrap around her, before she was suddenly submerged and being rapidly swum away from her families’ ship. When she saw the silloutte of the ship, was the moment her stunned mind reminded her of her father’s lessons.

She clamped her mouth tight and her nostrils flared in anger as she silently gathered the grace of Celestian her father was teaching her to control. ‘By Celestian!’ her mind voice screamed, the moment before a burst of radiant energy pulsed out of her hand and into the sea drow stealing her away from her family. The surprised sea drow released her impulsively, as Rayne channeled another burst of radiant energy away from her. She felt a blow to the back of her head, and then the world went dark.

--
Rayne floated in the quiet darkness. She had no idea if her eyes were open or not, but she felt like they were open so she pretended she closed them, and let herself float. The weightless feeling reminded her of the gentle days on the ocean with the crew of the Ivory Star. As she floated, she could feel moisture surrounding her, smell the scent of the sea. Just as she started to fully relax into the embrace of her beloved ocean water, she heard a voice. The voice triggered a flash of memory, Ozuel trying not to laugh at her after she’d entangled herself in the rope on the deck of the ship. A relentless series of flashes of the time she’d spent traveling with Oz pounded into her head and her heart, causing tears to slip from her closed eyes.

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Kitchen, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 5th hour

The young girl hardened her expression so fiercely that Skye wondered for a moment what would become of her. It was like looking at herself in an uncomfortable reflection from the loss of her own family. I cannot start thinking like that. I have a job to do and I am a Blacktalon. Skye impulsively reached for the dagger in a fit of irritation but the girl moved faster than she would have thought possible. She redirected Skye's outstretched hand past her center and made a seriously convincing attempt to smash the butt of the dagger into the side of the rogues skull missing only because of the older woman's years of surviving with a rough lifestyle. Skye was in no mood to deal with this unexpectedly capable girl and swung her dagger pommel in a mimicry of the attempt by her clingy assailant. Unlike the younger female, she struck her target square in the temple forcing her to release her grip on Skye's arm and causing her to stagger back. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE! THE BAD MAN KILLED PAPA!" She crouched low and backed away a small distance, but ran into the oncoming shield of Cumber. The gnome had a look of horror and distaste on his face as she crumpled to the floor, unconscious, "I...I... she needed to be quiet!" He was the most disconcerted gnome Skye had ever seen, which said volumes.

[willowedc]

Rayne - Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 7th Hour

Rayne felt the tingling warmth of healing energy flow into her as she lay on the floor of the inn. There was a minty undertone to the tincture that Colette used on the Idiot. Since she could taste the flavor in her mouth, she figured the woman had kindly poured healing draught down her throat. The warm feeling causing her body to surge with health, was the result of divine healing. How she knew it, she wasn’t certain; having no memory of being healed by a priest or cleric it shouldn’t be possible for her to know – but she was as certain of that, as she was her name.

She drew a deep breath. Despite that all she wanted more than anything was to lay here and sleep, she opened her eyes. The roof of the inn, was oddly clean. ‘I expected to see cobwebs,’ she thought randomly, before she turned her head and stared into the room she’d shared with Oz. “Figures the bastards wrecked the room,” she groaned in a raspy voice.

She heard a familiar annoyed snort, and exhaled slowly, before pushing the dead orc clear of the shield he’d been using. She was tempted to kick its remains down the stairs, but the Knight was down there, along with the other dead orcs. Rayne climbed to her feet and handed the shield to the Idiot. She glanced over all the others, and held Oz’s familiar blue eyed gaze for a long moment, before she nodded her head in recognition of the silent plea.

Rayne readied her bow and notched an arrow, as she focused her gaze on the bottom of the stairs. “Kid!” she called out. “Good work! Colette, thank you. Sniper, your damn good with that bow. You ready to hunt more orc? Oz is dead on her feet, she needs to be able to rest in safety, and her highness,” she nodded toward the Idiot, “has decided she wants to stand on the front line. I’m **** at finding anything hidden, so if any of you have scouting skills we need them. We have two choices, we go down, or we go back into the passage, close the door and rest. This isn’t my party to lead, so one of you has to decide.”

[CelestialBard]

She leaned back from a battle stance into something with a semblance of relaxation, blowing her hair out of her eyes. "Nice hit. Gods, I can't stand children." She bent down and yanked the dagger from the girl's loose grip, placing it back in the designated hostler. Skye then scooped up the relatively fragile girl who lay unconscious on the floor, lifting her head gingerly as to not jostle her. The situation was unfortunate but not too unexpected considering the events of the day thus far.

"I'm going to go stow her upstairs, if that's alright with everyone else?" Glancing around the room, no one could come up with a reason not to keep her hidden within the newly cleared out inn, seeing as it also happened to be the best built building in the town. With no objections, Skye began moving up the stairs.

Herania looked almost peaceful in her induced state, save for a welt forming on the side of her small head. Skye grimaced and massaged it lightly with her thumb as they arrived to the top floor. Creeping into a vacant room down the hall, she snatched one half of a cleaved pillow from the bed with her free hand and then drifted to the antique wood wardrobe. Throwing the open sack of feathers to one side, she lowered the girl into the sizable closet, setting her up in what she assumed would be the most comfortable position possible. She adjusted the raggedy loaned cape into a makeshift blanket and then closed the heavy doors, shutting the child into what she hoped would be safety. Taking a bit of rope from her pack, Skye tied the handles together with a few knots to slow anyone from getting in--or out. Pausing a second to scribble a note using a quill and spilled ink from the ransacked desk, she was satisfied with her work as she tucked the parchment into the handles. In sloppy handwriting, it read:Herania sleeping. Will return soon. Touch her? You die. <Hastily drawn brand of the Blacktalons> Upon leaving the room, Skye dropped some ball bearings onto the floor around the doorway as a nice deterrent to intruders.

Soon enough, she was reunited with the group, her hood pulled back over her hair. "Let's get a move on."

[Trevethan Norn]

Skye & Gindlewin & Co. - Kitchen, The Dancing Swan, Middlerod: 5th hour

Skye could not help but feel smug at her little bit of internal humor. The girl deserved her safe-keeping, after all, and the rogue could finally convince her nagging sense of guilt to be quiet. Gindlewin seemed excited that his companions had so admirably and charitably dealt with a trying situation. "Oh, very well done, both of you! I must confess that I am not much use in the way of hiding bodi... err, people." He turned to Flourit, "Did you happen to spot any more out there when you shaved the hairlines of the two brutes?" Flourit shrugged and said, "Oh, I didn't see much of anyone. Refugees have fled, though I thought I saw a few picking through the wreckage. I could hear the orcs though; probably out past the temple trying to loot it. From the looks of its walls, it seems to have withstood the attack or at least its walls have. Could start there?"

[CelestialBard]

Skye tugged the portion of her cloak that typically hangs loose around her neck up so it shrouded the bottom half of her face. Making an exit out the back door of the Inn for the third time this morning, she clung to the shadowed edges of the building, scooting along the walls to the corner. Poking her head out to get a glimpse of the town, she spotted a few humanoids rummaging through the stables down the street to the left. Deciding that she didn't want to deal with more people, friendly or not, she motioned a 'Right' to the rest of the team and then dashed to the backside of the parallel business.

Quickly and quietly, Skye sprinted from one side of the street to the other, pausing when arriving only for the not-so-swift gnomes to catch up. Not knowing what to expect as she passed by each of the various structures, she made sure to note where the silver canister had been tucked away. Her hurt hand bent to rub the coin bracelet as she prayed, eyes darting between alleys, attempting to catch any sort of sudden movement. Tymora, I know i've not been faithful in a while... but, i've been trying to rely on you some more. Is that why you keep plaguing me with such rotten situations? You're tired of me being so insolent? She sighed, not actually expecting an answer to suddenly appear before her. Instead of lingering on the silence, she focused on the task at hand. Find her mother.

[CinLee]

Ozuel- 7th hour dancing swan

Oz lifted her weary head and sniffed the air. Wrinkling her nose she proclaimed, before we decided an thing maybe we should check out the source of this smoke. I for one do not want to rest in a burning inn. Nor do I wish to the passage way if this exit no longer exists. Not to mention, we still have two people to locate.

Oz looked around the group. It was obvious this mornings chaos had taken a toll on them all, but now was not the time or place to rest. At least Rayne was back, thank Solune, and was in fighting spirit once again.

I propose we proceed with caution. Secure this location. Then reevaluate the situation. Oz rubbed her temple as wisps of smoke continued to spiral into the hallway. This was this was going to be a long day.

[CinLee]

Ozuel- 7th hour dancing swan

Oz turned to the bard/fighter, musical/warrior? Nodding to the shield Rayne had handed her, Valgerda, can you use that shield? If you are well and able it might be best if you lead. Neither Rayne nor I know the two we seek, and we need a strong leader right now. Not that Oz thought Valgerda was a strong leader, but if she knew how to use a shield the front of the line was where she belonged. Not taking her eyes off Valgerda, Oz sent Rayne a "message".

(I know she is an idiot, but it looks like she is the only one with any shield training. Perhaps this will give her a chance to redeem herself.)

Turning to Shadow and the archer, nice shooting you two. Oz sent a smile in Shadow's direction. I am unfamiliar with the spell you were casting, but to proved to be quite affective. Nor can I ignore the value if a well placed arrow. With that Oz, approached Collette. Thank you for aiding Rayne. I know we are strangers and I thank you for all you have done. You are truly a good person, Collette.
At that, Oz proceeded to lean against the wall near the entrance to the hidden passage. Watching the smoke swirl and dance through the hall, listening to the timbers of the inn creak and adjust under the trails of the morning, Oz waited for the others to decide on the next course of action.

[Dain Broadbeam]

Shadow - 7th hour dancing swan

James' eye went wide as the orc disintegrated from his blast daym. His surprised exaltation quickly subsided as the lifeless forms of his new companions came back into view. He stood motionless in the opening as a dazed Colette went to work on the fallen elf. "Is he..." the question hung unasked as he cleared his throat. His head shook as he drew in a deep breath before his eyes fell on the now breathing Rayne. "Right. Priorities. The smoke? I'd very much like to make sure there are no surprises waiting for us up here before we venture down to the first floor, but I agree, the source of that smoke is a priority. If someone could try to poke a head around the stairwell I can quickly check the reaming rooms up here."

[CinLee]

Feeling a moment of pain and vertigo as she looked down the stairs, Oz decided against volunteering to watch the stairs. Rayne can you keep an eye on the stairs wail we check the rooms on this floor? Oz pushed herself away from the wall and began following Shadow, down the hall glancing into each room as they passed but not entering. She did not feel up to doing much more then trailing and providing back up if needed.

[willowedc]

Rayne, 2nd floor landing, the Dancing Swan, Middlerod, 7th hour

Rayne kept her smile to herself as she stood sentinel with an arrow notched in her bow. If she was at the top of her skills she’d be able to fire off two arrows, before anything knew she was laying in wait for it. She snorted quietly. ‘There’s no way I’m at the top of my skills,’ she thought silently. Staying still and upright she could manage. Investigating the source of smoke she hadn’t even noticed until Oz and the Kid discussed it, not so much.

Rayne kept her attention focused on the bottom of the stairs, while keeping one ear alert to the status of Oz and the others.