Satisfied they had gathered all the necessary reagents that Laurel required to make the special concoction for curing the town of the pestilence known as black scour taint, the companions head south through thick vine, heavy fern and thickets, to reach the river. There are no paths. The companions take turns at taking point, hacking through the undergrowth and vine. The heat of the day beats down on everyone. Those in heavy armor are soon forced to abandon the steel or suffer exhaustion and fatigue. Beyond the irritating bites of insects or scratch of thorny vines and serrated fern leaves, everyone suffers with the lack of water. Three hours later, the forest opens to the bank of the river. There is not much of a bank, just three feet or so of mud and vine. It is usually more steep, but the recent rains have swollen the river. Most of the trees grow right up to the water's edge. The river is lined with reed, high grasses and other vined foliage, some now swamped in water. It is forty yards wide from bank to bank and the muddy water is filled with large logs floating slowly with the current to the west.

Somewhere to the east, a shout or two is heard. Looking in that direction, a wooden barge with three men can be seen a ways away on the other side of the river near the bank. Two men are shirtless and are pulling at a large log with gaff hooks. The third holds a long pole with one end in the water in front of the barge while keeping an eye on the river.

Leah manages not to say, `I told you so' to the other who had not wisely removed their armor long ago. They learned their lesson, and there is no reason to be smug or rude.

Seeing the flooded river, Leah frowns. There will be no way to swim across that, even if karrock was not a dwarf. However, the discovery of the barge is a good thing. It would be perfect for what was needed. And those are clearly a wise group of individuals. One of them is carrying a pole, after all.

"Hello!" she calls out, adding, "Do you need help?" she asks of the men.

"Whatever they're after it must be big or viscious or both," Roxie stated as she looked a little more closely. "Maybe once they haul it in they'll give us a ride over."

The man holding the steering or anchor pole shifts his eyes in the direction of the party while other two men seem oblivious to her call. There is a few words, inaudible from this distance, followed by some laughter and the other two men taking a moment to glance down river. They do not answer and finish pulling a stuck log from the underbrush of the bank with their gaff hooks. The three men then drift to the center of the river, talking amongst themselves as they draw nearer on a parallel course to the party. All three men are sweaty, lean, with muscles that lend evidence to the hard work cutters are used to.

The man guiding the barge with the pole wears a simple brown tunic with breeches and hard boots. He has a belt with a dagger and a wide brimmed straw hat that is torn along the edges. The other two men wear breeches and shoes. They too have belts without the dagger. Their only weapon appears to be the poled gaff hooks.

Red beard's eyes shift from Leah, to the other members of the party and his eyes become hooded and wary. "Well now, I wouldn't a mind with just the purdy lady, but this aint no ferry and we got no time to dally much. Take four trips to get ya all across safely."

One of the other two men mumbles something to red beard who simply nods.

Roxie looked to Jhaelin and wished she could have told him what the men were saying but she couldn't. Keeping her voice in a whisper so the men wouldn't hear, she addressed the situation. "I've got some coin, make it worth their while to take the time to get us across," she offered.

This was how she used to live, treading across a tightrope and unsure if she could trust but these people had taught her there were some who could be trusted. She knew it was risky but they could be honest folk too and just worried about taking time away from their work. "I would advise Tynia, Leah, and Iliana be accompanied by one of you gentlemen."

Jhaelin breathes a sigh of relief at seeing the river, then his brows furrow at its width, overflowing banks, and silently bobbing logs going by. He offers a silent prayer for help, which apparently is answered moments later at the discovery of the barge with men on it. The cleric makes a holy sign with his hand then steps forward.

"Blessed are we that our paths cross, good man." Jhaelin says.

"Don't know if we can trust them," Karok muttered, his gravelly voice audible over the sound of the river, though the words were indecipherable more than a few feet away. "And that's a lot of splitting up for us. We'd be pretty reliant on them bringing us together again, too. Maybe we can think about grabbing some of those logs and holding onto them as we float across."

"Thank you!" she calls back to the men when they say they can ferry them across.

To the others, she says, "We should see if they will let us rent the barge, so we can all go across together, then once we're there, we can just bring it back so they don't have to ferry one or two at a time."

"Good idea, if they'll go for it," he conceded. "That way only one of us would be in any great danger."

Cassius also steps forward. His holy symbol, a ringed cross with colored pebbles along its axis, shines in the light of the sun.

"We require your assistance, good sir. The Gods reward those who help those in need with His blessings. As they reward you with blessing, we will reward you with some coin for your trouble."

Red beard notices the two clerics... and of different faiths. He decides it wise to help the party cross the river. They were late getting down river anyway, and no one wanted to be cursed by the Gods. He needed all the help he could get. Besides, a few coins could help feed his family.

Red Beard leaves the two gaffers on the shore and takes the party across the river safely. It takes three trips. Afterward, Cassius blesses the man, throwing a little holy water upon him while Jhaelin pays out sixty silver coins from the party's treasure pouch. Well wishes and goodbyes are exchanged and the party continues their trek through the thick forest. For hours they hack through the underbrush until finally reaching the edge of the forest. The party heads south and west through the barren foothills filled with stumps as far as one can see until finally finding the wagon rut road. It is an hour since the sun dipped below the horizon when the party finally reaches Falcon's Hollow.

Tired and exhausted from a very long day of hacking and hiking, the party enters Jak-a-napes.  "Oh HO HO!  Welcome back my friends!" the proprietor Jak Crimmy stammers, welcoming them back.  He quickly has them seated. Rooms are settled, as before, and hot food prepared.  A serving girl, a lass in her teens, sets the drink of choice before each companion in the party. For this time of the evening, Jak-a-napes is near empty of patrons. Only two other tables have customers.  Perhaps the Black Scour has taken a dire toll...

Jak returns from the kitchen after instructing his cook.  He looks the party over with a critical eye.  His usually friendly and infectious smile is masked by a somber expression. "Welcome back Jhaelin." The Tavern keeper nods a greeting at those he has met before and introduces himself to those he has never met. His eyes linger on Roxie and Jhaelin and the evidence of the hardships they must have endured.  He shakes his head.

"Well, yer alive and so you must have been successful on your quest. Have yeh been by Laurel's place?" the keeper asks. He sighs, shaking his head. "Of course yeh haven't."

"Jhaelin, the lass has gone missing. No one has seen her since shop's closing last night. Most say she has run off, tired of the constant harassment by the folk of this town fer help. Gone to Falcarragh they say. I have a worry. I never knew her to run off from anything."

"If someone does wish ill for the town-- and works towards that end-- Laurel would be prime target for abduction. Especially if they knew we were getting close with these ingredients for a plague-cure," Karok stated. "We're going to have to keep those well-protected, by the way. We don't want them stolen. A couple of 'em are not replaceable."

Leah returns the greetings given by Jak, but she does not otherwise join the conversation. She does not know Laurel, or exactly why they are here, but at least the drinks are nice. She takes careful note of the decor, in case she can glean any tips for when she has her own inn.

"Interesting the timing," Roxie muttered to Jhaelin. "It's like someone knows exactly where we are and removed her just before we could reach the ingredients to her. I could take a look around her shop and home, see if there's anything to give us any ideas if you like." She looked at the ring she'd taken from the body of the young man she was sent to find. "Though ... I need to make a sad report first."

"'N I don't think any of us want to be walking around here alone," Karok suggested. "Or we'll find Laurel, the hard way. I'll ward you through the town," he told Roxie.

Roxie was so used to going places by herself it hadn't occurred to her that maybe she shouldn't go off alone and Karok's offer was met with a sweet smile. "Your company would be much appreciated, my friend," she said with a light clasp on his shoulder.

"Well, you've shaken down as a valuable member of the party," the dwarf stated, almost defensively. "I don't want the enemy-- whoever THEY are-- to be grabbing our useful assets."

Roxie's mouth quirked into a tiny smirk. "Ah ... good to know I'm useful but my assets aren't usually so easily grabbed," she retorted. When would dwarves learn it was okay to show a little softer side now and then?

"We got news you were still alive yesterday." Jak states, following up on Karok's words about knowing whether or not they were close. "Not much in the way of knowin if yeh had any success, mind yeh, but it come as quite a surprise you were spotted at the Crucible."

Jak's eyes glance at Cassius and Leah pointedly, "That man was with you two told the tale."

Leah looks bewildered, and points as Cassius. "No, he's the storyteller."

"Missing!?" Jhaelin repeats, sliding his chair back to stand. "Laurel would not run off. That's just absurd. I have to get over there."

Jhaelin gets to his feet, listening as Karok and Roxie speak. He nods his head in agreement of their assessment.

"I need to get to the Roots N Remedies shop. Maybe she left a note, or there is some clue to her whereabouts. Karok, Roxie and... Leah. Come with me if you will. We can also take care of your errand on the way Roxie."

"He's not talking about Cassius, Leah."

Jhaelin turns a questioning eye to Jak, "Is the man who told the tale of our location staying here?"

"Oh!" she exclaims, getting Jak's meaning with Jhaelin's clarification. "You mean it was... um... he had a big nose, I remember, what was his name, ummm... it's on the tip of my tongue, blalalalalala, ahn tha thip uhf mah tsungkah, blalalala... He carried stinky wolf fur, and tried to steal everything I found in the pack... ummm... I'm sorry, I don't remember his name," she admits sheepishly.

When Jhaelin suggests she come along, she smiles and agrees. "Yes, I am finished here."

Jak shakes his head. "No. I heard he was at the church of Iomedae. He was torn up something bad."

The serving girl brings out hot plates of food and places it before the companions.

"Easy Jhaelin," Roxie said softly and reached out to touch his arm. "Get some decent food in you and then we'll go look and you know you can count on us to help. We'll find her and a few more minutes probably won't make a difference." She looked at him and smiled gently. "We can look at the shop first and then I'll take the news. My news has no chance of a happy ending but your situation does."

The evening meal of hot roasted mutton, potatoes and bread is welcomed by all the companions. They have not had a hot meal in days, with the exception of roasted wolf. What should have been a celebratory meal is tempered by the knowledge that Jhaelin's sister, Laurel, has gone missing. Jak Crimmey thinks foul play is at foot, but says that others express opinions that she may have fled to Falcarragh.

Jhaelin, Roxie, Karok and Leah leave Jak-a-nape's after the meal. They walk the quiet street of Falcon's Hollow, keeping a wary eye on deep shadows and dark alleyways on their left. To their right and up the rise is the walled Perch containing Kreed manor, Vode's tower, the consortium's HQ, the high market and other logging magnate houses. Somewhere beyond the stone wall a dog barks into the night. The skies are clear overhead and filled with stars. Rising on the eastern horizon is Ygdl. The waning moon is hugely exaggerated in size and color due to atmospheric lensing. An impressive view. A light, dry breeze through the streets brings the smell of home cooking and fireplaces as the party approaches Laurel's shop. The Roots N Remedies shop stands closed, dark and locked.

"Do you have a key?" Karok asked Jhaelin. "Or know where she leaves one?"

"We could have had mushroom soup, if you only had not kept all the wolf mushrooms hidden away from me," Leah remarks, but she enjoys the meal as much as anyone.

Arriving to the shop, Leah considers Karrock's question, then checks under the mat.

Jhaelin shrugs, then checks the flower and herb boxes at the window sills for a hidden key. There is no "matted" rug of any sort in front of the door. He knows there is one on the inside. There are no garden gnomes or landscaping rocks either.

Jhaelin gives Roxie a sheepish look with a nervous cough.

Roxie wished the circumstances were different but the night was truly lovely and could have been enjoyed in a much different manner. Still, she enjoyed the meal and more so the walk outside ... even if she felt the need to look at every sound and squint down each alley.

Standing outside the store, she thought a moment. "If she fled out of fear, would she truly have taken the time to lock the door?" she asked no one in particular and then glanced both directions. It didn't matter if anyone was watching them as she was going to do what she was going to do.

"I'm going to walk around the building, see if I can spot anything unusual like footprint scuffs, windows and other doors being ajar or broken," she told Jhaelin quietly while they looked for a key. "If I spot anything I'll whistle. If you haven't gotten the front door open by the time I get back, I'll get us in."

Karok followed her at a distance, swinging out from the building by a few paces and trailed Roxie around to keep her in sight.

Leah knocks on the door. "Hello! Anyone home?"

"I don't think anyone is home, Leah. Let's follow Karok and Roxie, just in case there is trouble. Keep your pole ready."

Jhaelin moves to follow Karok.

Provided there is no answer to her call, Leah will do just that, and follow the others. There are mixed emotions on the mention of her pole, but they are complementary, complimentary mixed ones, so she has it prepared as suggested.

Roxie walks cautiously around the side of the building and down a narrow alleyway between the Roots N Remedies shop and a long unidentified building. Nothing appears out of the ordinary. The windows are intact and the sills where many different types of herbs are growing in window boxes are still there. Roxie smiles as she catches sight of the dwarf cautiously keeping a distance from her, but within sight none the less.

The back of the building is nondescript. There is a closed door in the middle of the back wall. The area reeks of spoiled and rotting food. Off to the side of the steps of the door is a dark compost pile of refuge. Two omnivorous mammals with a pointed muzzle, long tail, and greyish-black fur with black bands around the tail and across the face are currently sniffing through it. They are known as the arahkun. The arahkun disappear into the shadows as Roxie approaches. While the door is pulled closed, it is also obviously broken. A shard of the wood lies on the step.

As cute as those creatures were, Roxie knew they would be vicious if approached so left them enough space to retreat comfortably. She had noted Karok trailing her, a little bemused smile creeping up and some warmth of friendship spreading throughout.

Spying the bit of wood on the doorstep, she let out a soft whistle and waved Karok closer. It was just a hunch but she had a feeling the other two were close behind so she waited until they were all there. "This back door is shut but it's obviously broken and someone didn't clean up as there's a chunk sitting there screaming foul play."

She looked at Jhaelin, her blue eyes filled with anxiety. "I doubt anyone is in there but I'm going in to see any other signs." She didn't say it but she hoped she wouldn't find a body. "Karok, join me will you?" she asked gently.

"Right here," the dwarf stepped up. "Are we goin' in fast or slow?"

"Slow at first but any sign of trouble, I'll step aside and let you barrel through them," Roxie said with a lopsided grin. Stepping up to the door, she listened first and checked around for any traps.

The minutes pass slowly as Roxie searches the doorway for a hidden trap. A dog atop the perch barks and howls and another somewhere within town answers the call with barks of its own. Finally, Roxie gives up the search having not found any evidence the door could be trapped. Gently pushing it forward, she cringes as a vertical plank buckles inward on the left side making an audible cracking noise. The iron band at the top of the door is broken on the inside and the bottom one twisted. Someone used force to break open the door.

Broken, the door still slides open easily on its hinges with the outer most plank leaning precariously sideways. Darkness beyond, but what little light there is reveals a kitchen. A low, wood fired oven sits off to the left along the wall and is cold. A small table and two chairs sits in the middle of the room. Immediately to the right is shelving beneath some stairs with sacks and jars of foodstuff and dried herbs. A wooden cupboard sits along the stairs to the right with a barrel next to it. A small barrel of water sits on the cupboard along with a large wooden bowl filled with water and yellow flower petals. A sweet smell permeates the air. The barrel next to the cupboard holds a straw broom and a mop with some rags folded over the rim.

Ahead, across the room, is an open doorway that leads into the shop. Just to the right of the doorway are wooden stairs that lead up to a loft where Laurel sleeps.

From somewhere beyond the doorway into the shop comes the sound of something rolling. Then a crash and tinkling as something breaks. A hiss and screech is followed with a cat darting through the doorway and bounding up the stairs.

Karok moved forward, took care to hop over the broken boardage near the door and slipped across the kitchen.
Sword and shield in hand, he paused, letting his vision accustom itself to the lesser light of the interior.

Assuming nothing presented itself from the shoppe section, he advanced to take a look around the business area from which the noises had come.

Roxie looked at the bowl with water and flowers, smelled the sweetness and wondered if it was just to cover the herbs or something else. Her morbid musings were disturbed and her dagger seemed to fly into her hand when she heard the noise and then relaxed only marginally when she heard the cat. There had already been too much noise so she didn't bother trying to move too quietly.

Tapping Karok as he entered the shop area, she whispered "Someone's in here ... besides the cat." Making her way toward the front door, she waited until she was near it to call out. "Laurel? Are you in here?" She kept her dagger ready and knees bent to be ready to move as needed.

Karok slid over to get the wall to his back, and scanned the shop space with dark-invasive eyes. His sword and shield were ready.

"It seems empty enough," Leah opines, as she dips a finger in the sweet smelling water and considers the scent. "If anyone was here, they would have answered us by now," she states, reasonably.

Karok goes through the doorway into the shop with Roxie's whispered warning fresh in his ears, then puts his back against the wall to the left of the doorway. He scans the room with darkvision that can penetrate the deepest of shadows and spots a big man trying to conceal his massive frame behind some crates to his left in the corner of the room just beyond a workbench.

Roxie moves across the room, avoiding a central alchemy workstation toward the front door. She calls out.

Recognition of being seen spurs the big intruder to action. He stands and grabs the edge of the heavy wooden workbench and shoves with all his weight and strength behind it at Karok.

"Gartlieb! You bumblin idiot!" comes a cry.

Another, smaller man... a young man really, leaps from the same corner from behind some crates. The glint of a dagger flashes in the dim light as he moves at Roxie in a crouching run.

Leah and Jhaelin, still in the kitchen area, can hear the commotion in the front of the shop.

---

Begin combat round 2032.06 (rnd1)...

Karok... make a DEX check with your rolls. If you succeed in gaining initiative the check will not come into play and you avoid the bench. If you fail to gain the initiative, you will be hit with the workbench and suffer no damage but may be knocked down as determined by the DEX check.

Alternatively, if you choose to push back instead of moving out of the way (if gaining initiative) you may do so. Roll a STR check, if this is your action. A contest of strengths would then ensue.

Magic in play...
None known

Hearing the commotion, Leah decides to investigate. Pperhaps it is another kettle gone bad. But the shop is a bit cramped for a pole, and being in town, one can get arrested for fighting with swords. So, she will grab the straw broom and use it to drive out any unwelcome guests there might be in this establishment. It might be a mess, but that does not mean any old riff-raff can act as they please.

Karok saw the man's move for the work bench, and moved to get around it, applying some leverage strength, in case he didn't make it. Gartllieb was going to be answering some questions.

Roxie saw the man running for her, the glint of light off the blade and whirled to the side while muttering unladylike things trying to make a slice along his side. Seeing her attempt now bearing fruit, or more specifically any juice, she hurled more insults at him.

Jhaelin leaps back down the stairs at the sounds coming from the front room. He didn't have his shield with him, having left it at Jak-a-napes. He jerks the dwarven war hammer from its thong and rushes into the room, swinging at the first unknown he sees.

Gartlieb pushes the workbench forward and it scrapes across the floor, but not far. Karok turns and pushes back. It is some effort to stop the momentum of the bench and reverse it, but it happens. The big man's foot slips beneath him and the bench slams into his chest sending him reeling over a stack of crates and onto the floor with a crash. The man scrambles to get up.

Roxie feints to the left in the darkness, drawing the man in that direction. The combat maneuver works and she slashes out with the dagger. The blade's edge skips along the supple leather tunic the man wears doing no damage at all. He counter attacks, wrenching Roxie's other arm around and throwing her into the central work table. She slams into the bench with the middle of her back and grunts as the man lunges with the dagger. She twists just in time, narrowly escaping certain death. The blade penetrates her armor just beneath her right breast and skims along a rib as she twists away (-5). Had she not moved, it would have struck her heart.

As the big man thrashes on the floor, grabbing the bench to get back up, Leah comes from the other room with a broom stick in hand. With a vicious slash downward, the stick pops the man on the arm, but the effort is not enough to cause serious damage.

"Owwwww... that hurt!" the man yells, yanking his arm away from the bench. He grabs at a wooden stool as he flails to get up.

"You will PAY for THAT!"

---

Begin combat round 2032.12 (rnd2)...

Roxie determines the skinny man is skilled with his dagger... maybe more so than she.

The big man loses a round defensively getting to his feet.

From what Karok had seen the smaller man with the dagger seemed more dangerous... but Roxie did have Jhaelin to help her and, without him, Leah would be on her own.

He decided he would try to finish off the big man, but make him a prisoner rather than a corpse.

Pain shot through her shoulder and then her back as Roxie was slammed on the bench, the realization she was outmatched the only thing saving her as she wrenched to the side but felt the searing sensation along her ribs. "Ho there," she hissed. "I can think of much better things to do on a bench than that," she said as she flung the dagger at the man and wished dearly she could inflict a little pain back.

Jhaelin flanks the skinny man, trying to keep him between himself and Roxie. Maybe then, one of them could get him from behind. At the opportune moment, Jhaelin swings his war hammer at the young man. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but the man does have a dagger and means business. The old adage, kill or be killed, comes to mind.

A momentary look of worry creases Leah's face as the man speaks. Is he the shop owner and charging her for the broom? The group treasure has not even been split yet! But a realization that this is not a general store, and their customer service leaves much to be desired assauges any concerns she has.

So, instead, she replies, "I'm testing the merchandise first," and attempts to smack him about the head with the broom.

The big man, Gartlieb, pulls the wooden stool to him then raises it just in time to deflect another swat of a broom stick from Leah. He twists to his side, avoiding Karok's attempt at hitting the man with the hilt of his sword. Gartlieb pushes the dwarf back with the stool and finally gets to his feet. He throws the stool to the side and lunges at Karok with balled fists.

Meanwhile...

Across the room, Roxie braces against the worktable and kicks the skinny man away from her. And into Jhaelin, ruining his swing with war hammer. With the impact from the man the hammer flies from his grip, landing several feet away. The skinny man pushes off Jhaelin, knocking the cleric onto the floor on his backside. Roxie takes the opportunity to throw a dagger taken from her belt. It flies across the short distance and pierces the man's supple, light leather jerkin below his right collar bone. He yanks the dagger out with a pain filled grunt and lunges at Roxie with two daggers now in his hands. The two rogues clash and Roxie deflects strike after strike, steel clanking again and again, but the man presses her relentlessly. He feints, drawing Roxie in, then grabs her defending arm and twists. Roxie spins reluctantly and with pain by the force of the twist. The skinny man grins as his blade comes down into her back, finally finding purchase into flesh (-4). He releases her arm and pushes her away from him, ready to dance again.

---

Begin combat round 2032.18 (rnd3)...

Jhaelin must spend a round getting up.

The sound of the blade sinking into her back was just as sickening as the pain it caused but Roxie wasn't going to give up until she couldn't move anymore. "What did I ever do to you?" she snarled and lunged after the man, intent to inflict pain back. In the back of her mind, she was hoping she could at least keep him distracted from Jhaelin who's god might give him a lucky blow to the man's head ... and then heal her dumb ass again.

With the large man having turned his attention from Leah to Karrock, Leah sees her opening! His head is totally exposed and he is ripe to be knocked unconscious with a well-placed broomstick crashing against his skull.

She rears back and swings the broom with all her might... and forgets a broom is not nearly as long as her 10' pole. The swing is a complete miss, she loses her balance as she spins almost like a top and likely stumbles over Jhaelin on her way to a horrific fumble.

Striking to subdue on the big guy.

Leah smacks the large brute across the back. The broom stick cracks and breaks into with one piece flying into the corner and the other piece too short to be of any use in her hand.

The large man barely acknowledges the attack as his right fist pummels into Karok's jaw. The upper cut is powerful and splits the skin beneath the dwarf's beard (-2). Karok attempts another strike with the hilt of his sword, but the brute dodges the swing with a backward tilt of his body.

"Half man too short!" he laughs.

Meanwhile... across the room, Jhaelin rolls to get to his feet while trying to avoid being hit himself. Roxie and the skinny man continue their deadly dance of daggers. The clank of steel on steel echoes as the two try penetrating each other's defenses. Roxie seizes on an opportune moment, slashing the man across his neckline and collarbone, then deftly twists away to avoid the man's counter strike. The blade of the dagger misses her by a mere inch.

---

Begin combat round 2032.24 (rnd4)...

Magic in play...
None known

Karok did not pause to bandy words with his opponent, he simply shifted his weight and tried to strike the big (smart alecky) man with the FLAT of his blade.

Roxie continued to try to find an opening, eyes narrowed in anger and feet barely making any noise as she danced with the man and seeing a tiny opening thrust forward again.

The quality of merchandise in this store leaves something to be desired, Leah thinks, even if it does not sell brooms. She looks about and grabs the closest available useful object with which to continue hitting the large man. Hopefully it is something sturdy, like a stool or a pan. If it is something breakable like glass, then she will throw it rather than strike with it.

If nothing is available, or she runs out of objects, then she will instead kick at the man. Perhaps he can be knocked down.

Finally back on his feet, Jhaelin resorts to casting since his war hammer lays somewhere out of sight. With his holy symbol, a silver pendant emblazoned with a hand holding a lightning bolt held forward he utters one word.

"Candelux!" he says with concentrated thought on the skinny man's eyes.

Karok and the big man continue their close encounter with fists flying back and forth and each dodging blows or landing harmless ones, while Leah grabs the wooden stool that had been thrown aside by the big guy. She swings it at Garlieb, putting a very feminine grunt behind it. The brute catches the stool with one hand and pulls Leah toward him. He deflects a swing of Karok's sword with his blade in the other hand.  The deflected blade breaks one of the stool's legs. Gartblieb pushes Leah backwards a few feet while releasing the stool from his hand. He cracks his knuckles and smiles at Karok.

"Little man poor at swords... Aaaughh!"

The big brute rushes Karok with raised fists. One good punch... all he needs is ONE good punch and the dwarf will reel in a daze till tomorrow!

Meanwhile... across the room, Roxie and the skinny man continue their dance with daggers. A quick learner, Roxie feints and draws the man in as he had done her earlier. She grabs an arm and twists and like she herself had been, the man is thrown around with his arm bound tightly up behind him. Roxie brings the dagger down into his shoulder but not as deep as she had hoped. Still, the blade cuts a path though some nerves and the man drops the dagger from his favored hand. At that moment, Jhaelin finishes his spell and the light equal to that of staring into a torch fills the man's eyes, effectively blinding him. Shielding his eyes with his arm does no good as he deftly twists away from Roxie's hold on him.

"Curses! CURSES! I'm blind Gartlieb! KILL THEM! KILL THE CLERIC!"

Going on instinct and what senses he does have besides sight, the skinny man continues to attack.

---

Begin combat round 2032.30 (rnd5)...

Magic in play...
None known

"Stop that!" Leah demands. "You aren't supposed to do that!" she informs the cad. This would be so much easier if she could use her pole!

But now is not the time for deadly weapons, not here in town, and not against someone not using it himself. So, she utters another huff of frustration, and charges the man, using both hands to once more swing the stool at him with all her less-than-considerable might.

Karok hears the call to kill the cleric and phases over to put himself between Jhaelin and Gartlieb. He tries striking the man with the pommel of his sword. He's getting enough practice; maybe he'll get good at this someday.

The dance continued only now Roxie's mind was slipping into old times, bringing back images of dark allies and doing anything she could to survive and protect those for whom she cared. When the man screamed to kill Jhaelin specifically, something inside her snapped and the rage boiled through her veins. "You won't live to see your friend fail," she snarled and then maneuvered behind him with intent to surprise and slash his throat.

As the skinny man stumbles around somewhat blinded, Jhaelin balls his fists and attacks.

The big man issues his war cry and rushes at Karok with an arm pulled back for a right jab to the head. Karok moves forward, a bit quicker than the big man, and jabs upward into the man's chin with the pommel of his sword. The upper cut knocks the man back and his head to the side. He falters in step with a dazed look to his eyes. He grabs the edge of the workbench to steady himself and Leah smashes the stool across his back. The big man is knocked forward a step but is otherwise unaffected by the attack. He throws an arm up feebly to ward off any further attacks as he blinks wildly.

Meanwhile... across the room, Roxie finds opportunity as the skinny man becomes blinded by Jhaelin's enlightening spell. The man's head glows as bright as a torch within the dark room and he stumbles around attacking wildly with his dagger. Roxie maneuvers herself behind the man and lunges. Her blade pierces the leather tunic easily and sinks into flesh. The move does two things. First, it hurts. Second, it lets the man know where she is at. The skinny man twists, slashing out viciously and Roxie backs away too slow. The blade catches her across the scalp behind the right ear and travels down into her cheek to the edge of her mouth (-3). A piece of ear lobe hangs, nearly severed from her head.

"Ha haaaa... your good lass! But I am better!" the little man says, spinning for another attack. He shouts at his partner in crime, "Gartlieb! WHAT are you DOING? FINISH them!"

---

Begin combat round 2032.36 (rnd6)...

FYI... only "unarmed" striking will stun or knockout an opponent. Typically, anything other than a pommel, hilt or fist used in a fight is considered "armed" combat and normal damage applied. Flats of blades, hafts of hammers, etc. are considered clubs and weapons. KO's only apply to 4HD or above. See the "In House Rules" thread for more details.

Big man stunned for two rounds due to the use of the pommel, not including this round... the victim cannot make any attacks until the stun wears off. Also, while stunned, the victim moves at one-third the normal movement rate for whatever speed they are attempting. They suffer a -4 penalty to all saving throws, they suffer a +4 penalty to their armor class, and they cannot concentrate, cast spells, or use magical items.

Magic in play...
None known

Karok had finally gotten a shot in! By the mercy of Moradin, maybe he could follow up with another!
This message was last updated by the player at 14:31, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

In spite of herself, perhaps because of the wounds she'd already taken including the dagger still protruding from her back, Roxie screamed as the dagger slashed the tender flesh of her head and face... a scream that turned into a snarl of pure rage. "Underdogs can win to and you just brought out the bitch," she growled as she clung to his back and reached in to bring the blade along his throat again.

Jhaelin gasps at the wound on Roxie, but she is a strong girl. He will heal her soon, but he wanted to get to the bottom of these thugs being in the shop. Why were they here? What were they doing? Where was Laurel? Being the third man out, Jhaelin takes the opportunity and risk to get in close and put the skinny man in a hold.

"Don't kill him Roxie!" he warns, knowing the trouble it could cause them. He just hoped she had the restraint even though the man obviously has no scruples about killing them.

"They will tell us where Laurel is."

Leah backs away from Karok and the big man, holding her stool threateningly but staying out of the fight for the moment as the man is dazed and reeling and Karok moves in close again for another swing. Gartlieb puts a hand on Karok's shoulder and pushes, but Karok barrels forward and lands a haymaker in the man's face. His head is forced sideways and a gout of blood and one tooth spews from his lips. The big man staggers to the side, trying to keep the dwarf at bay with upraised arms until the ringing stops and his vision clears.

Meanwhile... across the room, Roxie and the skinny man continue their dangerous dance with daggers. The man though is not so graceful at the dance as he was moments earlier. A divine light as bright as a torch fills the space behind the eyelids. He can see, just not very well. Vague shapes which move beyond a veil of really bright light is all he can detect. He realizes he is in trouble and crouches low. Now, he has to use instinct from his other senses like sound or feeling the change in the air around him by movement.

Roxie makes her move, coming in low and quick from behind. She grabs the man's head and pulls back, readying her blade to slice through his neck, but he counters with a twist at the last moment and gains his freedom. Her blade catches him at the base of the neck and slices along his right shoulder blade as he pulls away and swings behind him with his blade. Roxie dodges the attack with ease and Jhaelin comes from nowhere, slamming into the man hard from behind and wraps his arms tightly in a hold. The cleric actually picks the skinny man up in a bear hug, swinging him into the air and twists, slamming himself into the wall of the shop with the man between them. The thug grunts with pain as his face smashes against the wood. Jhaelin does not let go.

---

Begin combat round 2032.42 (rnd7)...

Skinny man is in a hold... therefore, easier to hit. He can not get out of the hold unless a successful attack with dagger, a gouge, throw, or someone gives him assistance.

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Light) Blindness on Skinny guy for 80 minutes.
Big guy Stunned for 3 rounds not including this one.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:45, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

Pain, anger, and frustration as well as adrenaline could sustain her only so long and while she knew Jhaelin was right she couldn't help wanting to kill the man who would kill them all.

Grunting in surprise as Jhaelin grappled him, she knew he had one blade in his off hand that could be used against the cleric. Silently she dove for that weapon-filled hand and tried to slice him enough to drop the weapon.

The group had worked so hard, undergone dangers that had claimed many of them, and now these Gumbardenes threatened it all. They WERE going to give the alchemist back, they WERE going to answer some questions, and they WERE going to learn something of pain along the way!

(Attack to subdue!)

Having taken a moment to readjust the damaged stool in her hands, Leah rejoins the fight, attacking the large man once more. "Take this! And THIS! And one of THESE!" she says, as she punctuates her attacks.

Jhaelin pulls away from the wall and twists so that Roxie might be able to land a hit or two. Whatever happens, he tries to maintain his hold on the man and once again throws himself at the wall with the man between them.

"TELL us where Laurel is!"

The fight in the Roots N Remedies shop continues with Karok hitting Gartlieb again in the head with a wild swing. The man staggers beneath the onslaught, completely dazed and reeling with confusion. He puts his hands up defensively to protect his face and Leah smashes the wooden stool across his back again.

"Owww! That HURTS! OKAY, OKAY!!" the man whines, backing into the corner where the crates are.

Meanwhile... across the room, Jhaelin slams into the wall again while holding the skinny man in a bearhug. The man's feet dangle beneath him, just off the floor. A grunt of pain escapes his lips as his face is once again planted into the wooden wall.

"I DONT KNOW! I DONT KNOW WHERE LAUREL IS! LET US GO!" the man pleads. When Jhaelin refuses to let go, Roxie sees the man make an attempt to plunge his dagger into Jhaelin's thigh but misses. The torchlight blinding the man lets Roxie get close without being noticed and she slaps the dagger from his hand with her own blade.

"ALRIGHT! AAIGHT! LET ME GO!" the man huffs between gasps for breath.

---

Begin combat round 2032.48 (rnd8)...

Skinny man is in a hold... therefore, easier to hit. He can not get out of the hold unless a successful attack with dagger, a gouge, throw, or someone gives him assistance.

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Light) Blindness on Skinny guy for 79 minutes and 4 rounds.
Big guy Stunned for 2 rounds not including this one.

Roxie ran the blade lightly along the man's thigh and her other hand reached right between his legs to get a good hold on his jewels, squeezing just enough to start hurting. "We won't let go until you tell us everything. And if you don't, you'll be minus a few danglies."

The point was poised and at the least would threaten to skewer at least one of his bits. She couldn't meet Jhaelin's eyes as she resorted to tactics she'd been taught long ago, couldn't let him see that she would truly go through with her threat.

Karok paused for a heartbeat. Was the man surrendering? Probably not, Probably just trying to get his breath. "If you give up," Karok roared, throwing another punch. "Sit down, hands under you!"

Not believing the man for one second, Jhaelin continues to keep him in a tight hold, pulling his fists toward him and giving the man little chance of catching his breath. Then Roxie takes hold of the cards and Jhaelin asks the questions.

"I DONT BELIEVE YOU!" he says forcefully into the lad's ear. "WHERE is SHE? WHO SENT YOU HERE?" Jhaelin gasps with reddened face. "TELL US OR YOU WILL SUFFER DIRE CONSEQUENCE. I WILL BURN THE WRATH OF HEIRONEOUS' JUSTICE THROUGH YOU AND THE LITTLE LADY HERE WILL TAKE WHATS MOST PRECIOUS FROM YOU."

A lie, but maybe one the man will believe. At worst, these two were going to be handed to the sheriff.. what was his name... uggggghh! Hmmmmm... at least, he hoped Roxie was just bluffing. No time to dwell on that.

"TELL US WHERE SHE IS! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?"

Karok presses the big man into the corner. He lands a glancing blow with the pommel of his sword to the mans face, bloodying his nose. Gartlieb continues to raise his arms defensively and does not sit as instructed. There are crates next to him that could easily be sit upon. He shakes his head, clearly still in a daze. He even throws a few swings at Karok that are easily dodged or blocked.

"NO MORE. NO MORE!" he pleads.

Meanwhile... across the room, Jhaelin and Roxie have pinned the skinny man into a dire position. The man stops all movement, save trying to breathe as Roxie squeezes a fist around his sac, putting into jeopardy the possibility of having future sons. The man's eyes go wide with fear as Jhaelin's words stab his ear then he feels the tip of the dagger below.

"I-- I don even know a Laurel. We jas sent 'ere to look fer loot." the skinny man gasps. Jhaelin does not let up on his grip. "Told the place be empty. An easy take."

Skinny shuts his mouth, saying too much.

---

Begin combat round 2032.54 (rnd 9)...

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Light) Blindness on Skinny guy for 79 minutes and 3 rounds.
Skinny is held until hold broken.
Big guy Stunned for 1 round not including this one.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:56, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

"I SAID SIT DOWN," roared the dwarf. "If you're stupid, it's time to wise up, and if you're stubborn, you'll see reason or we'll beat you senseless."

Civilized, if pithy, dwarf striking to subdue.

A little tighter squeeze and Roxie continued to rein in her temper. "WHO told you to clear out the place?" she demanded and poked the tip of the dagger every so lightly against the tender area.

The man had not sat down, as Karrock had suggested, and had thrown a few more swings. Thus, Leah felt it was justified to continue clubbing him with the stool, until he was forced down.

Another jab by Karok, followed up with another clubbing to the side by Leah with a stool and the big man sits. He leans his big frame back against the wall, looking at the two of them. He pinches off his bleeding nose and closes his eyes and breathes heavily through his mouth.

Meanwhile... across the room, Jhaelin continues to hold the skinny man tightly. The man can just barely breathe. Roxie presses her questioning, pressing the dagger firmly between fingers holding his loin cloth.

"KABRAN! KABRAN sent us! For frack's sake... get away from me with that."

---

End of combat rounds...

"Kabran." Jhaelin repeats.

A memory of Laurel's words come unbidden to him... he relates what he recalls.

"Kabron Bloodeye."

"If you meet him, he is not one you will likely forget soon. Kabron runs the parlor house, The Rouge Lady. If what I heard is true, if anyone has a beef with Gavel Kreed, its Kabron. Gavel's the one ordered his nose taken off for criminal activities here in the Hollow."

It would seem he is the one after all that is behind this whole mess. Doesn't make sense though. Why ruin your own venture?

"Roxie. See if you can find something to tie these two together with. They're going to sheriff Deldrin."

Jhaelin drops the man who falls to his knees on the floor, no where near one of his daggers.

"Might have been these two roughed up Ordil before we left town. We will find out." Jhaelin shoves at the man with a boot. "I promise that."

Roxie didn't move immediately but gripped the man just one more notch firmer. "Behave yourself or I won't listen to my friend," she growled. Then she let go and backed away a step or two, watched him for a moment and finally went to find some rope or any good material they could use to tie up the buffoons.

"Here, I've got rope," said Karok, reaching back to fish in his pack, never taking his baleful glare from the big man sitting before him.

When he had the coil, he gave it a short distance toss to Roxie.

"Oh," Leah said, and then began to laugh. "I had the stool! No wonder you didn't sit down when first told!"

With a hearty laugh, she then suddenly smashed the stool onto the sitting large man once more. One could give information as well as two could. And with one unconscious, the other would have less funny ideas of trying to slip the rope. It would also be eaasier to watch just the one as well. Of course, getting them to the sheriff would be more problematic perhaps, but the little one could drag his big friend there.

However, if her first swing did not render the man unconscious, and anyone other than the two raised an objection, she would stop and defer to the group, even if they did not have her keen mind.
This message was last updated by the player at 15:12, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

The big man puts up an arm to deflect the incoming attack from Leah, but is too slow. The stool smacks him across the upper arm and shoulder.

"Aaiiee! I'M SITTING! I'M SITTING!" the man pleads, glaring at Leah as his vision clears and ringing in his head stops. The big man sizes Karok up with a calculating look, then sighs as his eyes glance to his partner in crime.

"You'd do well as to jas let us go."
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 15:12, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

"Yes. No harm done." the skinny man follows, breathing a sigh of relief when Roxie releases him. He didn't want to spend time in jail, especially if they didn't steal anything. "We take noth'n. Just let us get on. Told you what you wanted."

"No. We are not letting you go. You will meet justice in one form or another."

Jhaelin regards the two men as Roxie tethers them together. What were they going to do now?

"I don't know Kabran, but have heard of his foul deeds in town." Jhaelin speaks aloud. "His passion for vengeance against Gavel Kreed may have pushed him beyond rational reasoning. He could be the one behind the pestilence. He could have Laurel beneath the Rouge Lady now somewhere in his brothel. That's where we must look."

Jhaelin glances at the two criminals.

"Do we keep these two for bargain?"

Jhaelin moves to Roxie places a hand against her wounded cheek. Words of healing prayer are murmured.

Illiana was happy, though completely surprised, when the two elves stated that they had to leave. They spoke with Jak Crimmey about their recent venture into the Darkmoon Vale to retrieve the reagents for Laurel. Then, they made well wishes and left. They had somewhere to be and time was beginning to run short.

Illiana smiles as she drinks again from her mug of ale. She didn't really like ale, considering it a drink beneath her. Wine... wine was more refined. The woman elf had not asked for the spell book. Not even to study from it. Which was fine by her. She was not going to relinquish it to her anyway. Good riddance. She finds elves just a little too arrogant for her taste.

Another gulp of her drink...

But Cassius and Shandrilar. They had made their excuses as well and left. A surprise they left, but no surprise to her at them leaving together. She had seen the lust in their eyes for one another, even if the others had been blind to it. Illiana laughs inward... lust. Isn't that a sin for a priest? She shakes her head. No matter.

That leaves only me... she thinks dryly, taking another drink. Behind her somewhere, a singer tells a ballad about some dwarf named Grimaxe while stringing a lute.

"I should have left with them." Illiana replies to her mug in a stupor. "No tell'n what kind of trouble they get into. Mayhap, like the others, I should just leave."

"Another ale if you will sir." she says, gulping the last from her mug. "One more, then I think I will go find the others."

"They did enter your cousin's shop where they have no warrant to be," Karok spoke up. "My counsel is to take them to the sheriff, and tell what we know. He seems a good man; he might be able to help."

He shifted his weight, slightly, just in case one of the prisoner were to try something before being bound.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:21, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

"Sister." Jhaelin corrects Karok. "Okay, so lets get going. Out the back. I can jog into Jak-a-napes real quick when we go by there on the way and get my things. I think a trip to the Rouge Lady is in order."

Roxie had fallen silent as death though from her elevated breathing rate and slightly stiff movements, she was obviously hurting. Now that she wasn't fighting and the adrenaline was wearing off, she felt the burning along her ribs just under her breast and the deep pain in her back. She had been lucky he hadn't pierced her lung.

Then there was the gash that nearly took part of her ear off and ended near her mouth, sure to scar and leave her with a face no one would want to gaze upon anymore. Why was she being punished so when she was finally on the right track, doing the best she could to help others? Perhaps there was no redemption for her after all.

As Jhaelin's hand touched the ruined flesh of her face, her head tilted slightly into his hand and he could feel more moisture slip over his fingers and down his hand. Her breathing eased and regulated to a more normal rate as the pain ebbed to bearable levels while his healing power flowed through her.

There was gratitude in those blue eyes that held his only for a moment before she turned her face away. "Thank you," she said softly and then squared her shoulders. "I need to get my pack as well," she stated. "Then we'll see what we can find." Laurel had no time for her self-pity so she wouldn't delay things with silly womanly histrionics, certainly not wanting to appear like the ill-tempered mage.

"Y'better search those gumberts, too," Karok suggested. "Make sure they didn't take anything, check for hidden blades and such."

"Good thinking," Roxie said and cursed herself for not already doing so. Taking a little time, she searched all over the men. Pockets, sleeves for drop sheaths, hideaways in boots and belts. She didn't mean for them to get the jump on them again!

The skinny man has a blade in his boot (smaller than a dagger) and nothing much else of value, except fifteen copper coins and a leather wrapped set of thief tools. He wears a leather tunic over a normal shirt. Black leggings with a leather belt and buckle, and high boots. The big man wears a wool shirt and leggings with hard boots and leather gauntlets. A weapon is not found on him. In his pocket is 23 copper coins, one silver, and a set of carved wooden dice.

The companions lead the tethered and subdued criminals out the back door. Two rahkun's chitter in surprise and scramble to get back under the house as Jhaelin pulls the door shut. Well... as shut as it can be. It looks closed, but anyone paying close attention would be able to see it is broken.

The night air smells of woodsmoke and home cooking once back on the main road and away from the alley. The companions pass only one person as they make their way toward Jak-a-napes, a boy of teenage years pulling a cart behind him.

Finally, they reach the tavern.

"You two. Sit on your bums in the road." Jhaelin commands the two criminals. "If you move to get up, Karok will smite you down with his sword."

He turns to Karok and Roxie.

"I'll see if any of the others want to join us."

Once satisfied he can leave Karok for a moment, Jhaelin then enters the tavern to retrieve his gear and speak with the other companions.

"My pack's next to yours," Roxie said as she set a bolt in place and held her crossbow trained on the skinny man. "Nab it for me while I keep an eye on these two?" She wasn't about let the rotten thief get the upper hand again.

Leah is about to strike the man again, but Roxie is too busy searching him, so as that goes on, she will instead try to repair the broom as best she can. When she looks up, they are about ready to leave. So, she joins the others on the walk back to the tavern, taking the remains of the stool with her.

As they arrive, and Jhaelin goes into the tavern, she frowns at the large man and says, "You're not sitting now." She tries once more to club him with the stool.

With a little encouragement from Leah, the two criminals sit in the road, discouraged from making any attempt at escaping. Not that they were not thinking on it. The skinny man's darting eyes are a sure sign he seeks an opportunity, but one look at Roxie's crossbow settles him. The big man seems complacent for the moment.

Jhaelin retrieves his gear and Roxie's pack.

Illiana exits the tavern with a slight stagger to her walk. She is smiling, as if finding something extremely amusing until she gets to the road with Karok and Roxie.

She gives the two criminals a questioning look, noticing the rope tethering them together.

"New pets?" she asks, giggling a bit. Then, she sees Roxie's freshly wounded face. Her hand goes to her mouth, covering a sucking intake of breath. "Ohhh my. That's--"

"I knew I should have come with you." she stammers apologetically, pulling a lock of her long blonde hair out of her face.

Jhaelin returns from the tavern with a deep frown creasing his lips and his forehead furrowed in a pinch.

"The others have left us." he says. "Jak says the elves said they had to leave. That they were out of time for something. Whatever that means. Cassius and Shandrilar left shortly after that. Not sure why, but it was clear to Jak they were not coming back."

"No matter. We don't need them."

"Sure," Karok granted. "We still have a mage. Who's been drinking."

"Does magic work well, when the mage has been drinking?"

"Shut up," he added to the larger prisoner who was snickering.

"I am not so sauced as to be incap- *hic* -able of casting my spells." Illiana replies indignantly. "Unlike those of your obtuse ilk, I can moderate *hic* my drinking and maintain some decency and functionality without profanity or poignant odor."

Illiana points at the larger man.

"Snicker *hic* at me again and I will turn you into a slithering slimy salamander for the rest of your pathetic life."

"On the bright side of things, we no longer have to contend with those haughty and arrogant elves. Oh... Where are we going with these two?"

Jhaelin eyes Illiana with a displeasing expression. Too much to drink, but could he really blame her? If he were not looking for Laurel, he would partake in a drink or three himself. He shrugs it all away and turns to look down the street.

"We are taking them to the jailer, magistrate Deldrin."

With that said, Jhaelin pulls the skinny man to his feet with one hand. His war hammer is in the other. His shield is across his back as well as the ogre club. His pack is shouldered.

Seeing Roxie still wounded, Jhaelin again lays hands on her (not like that--pervs) with a prayer of healing murmured. A soft amber glow passes between hand and cheek. Jhaelin holds the dangling, almost severed lobe of her ear back in place as the wounds close. A slight coloration of a scar was there, but in time it would heal. Time heals old wounds.

"There," he says pouring comfort and warmth into her deep eyes, "all better."

"And after we take them to the Sheriff," Karok replied, "Then Jhaelin wants us to visit some very bad people who might know where Laurel is."

The dwarven warrior found himself surprised at the disappointment he felt at the elves' leaving. They had actually proven useful in a fight, and not bad company once you got used to them. He never would have believed he could feel that way a month ago!

Roxie was already at a boiling point emotionally, glaring wickedly down the crossbow at the skinny man when he started to shift but when Illiana came out and was oh so obviously repulsed by what had been done to her, Roxie nearly turned the weapon on the mage. The muscles of her jaw clenched in fury but she kept that focus on the man as Jhaelin brought out her pack.

It seemed another blow that they lost so many. Cassius was able to take some of the burden off of Jhaelin and she wished she could kick his arse for leaving. She'd also liked Durwe and Tynia, having actually bonded a bit with the female over their mutual dislike of the mage. And of course that was the one they were stuck with...

The others were speaking to her, inebriated as she was, so Roxie chose not to say anything. Mainly because she didn't trust herself with what she would most likely say. It didn't keep her from thinking things though, many unladylike and quite uncharitable things running rampant through her mind about the beautiful woman with the foul heart.

She was so lost in her thoughts and focus on the skinny man that she didn't realize Jhaelin was there and flinched greatly when he touched her, hissing from the painful sensation. More relief washed through her and as he looked into her eyes she couldn't hold on to the anger, not all of it anyway. He brought a sense of calm to her that no one had before. "Thank you," she said again, hoping her voice didn't betray her uncertainty.

Leah is pleased to see the duo take direction so well, and stops trying to hit the larger man with the stool.

When Illiana comes out of the tavern, she shakes her head. That girl needs to be more careful and situationally aware. Alone and drunk can leave one getting taken advantage of. She of all people should be aware of this, or perhaps that is why she is drinking, to forget. She gives her a reassuring smile, just in case.

The smile is dropped when she learns Cassius is gone. She will miss having a storyteller about.

Jhaelin looks up and down the street with his brow furrowed in thought. His eyes linger on the building just across the square to the south, about a hundred yards away.

"If we follow the road, we will have to pass The Rouge Lady over there to get to the town watch building. Do we want to do that and risk being seen?"

"We could take Midroad and then cut across the back."

OOC... the town watch building is located on the south road that runs east and west along the river. It is the larger brown building that sits on the north side of the road on the map (not numbered).

"Well, if they saw us dragging their hirelings along, they'd probably realize that we're back, and we're trouble," Karok suggested. "I think I'd rather be a surprise to them. Is there a good back way we can take?"

"If we knock one of them unconscious, and have his friend carry him, I can take them to the sheriff," Leah says. "They should not know me, after all."

Since Leah joined the group later, it is not the worst of plans. Of course, her understanding of events might not be sufficiently coherent that they would want to send her off to explain things herself...

Jhaelin smiles.

"It's not that they would recognize us, Leah. It is that they would see that we have these two whom they sent. And if they saw only you, then they would target only you. No. Better stay together."

Agreeing with Karok's wise counsel, Jhaelin leads off down Midroad to their right.

The companions lead the two criminals westward along Middle Rd, commonly referred to as Midroad. Taking this path allows them to not be seen by patrons or hired thugs employed or loyal to Kabran. A couple of dogs bark at them, but it is otherwise a calm trip. The criminals seem subdued and resigned to their fate. Halfway down the road, Jhaelin suddenly veers left, crossing a plank lying across a wide, deep ditch that contains what appears to be run-off water.

Jhaelin leads the companions through a short clearing, then up the side of the town watch building. The front dimly lit wooden walk creaks beneath heel when stepped upon and immediately a dog within the building starts barking. A knock at the door is answered with someone sliding open the small window portal in the door. A young man stares back at the group.

"Who goes there this time o' night? What's yer business?" the voice growls amidst the noise of the barking and growling dog.

Someone else within the building shouts, "Shut that damn mutt up Negle! Augggh... SHUT UP!"

This is followed by a thump as something hits a wall, but the barking continues.

Roxie looked at the man, her crossbow still trained on the skinny man. "We caught some people robbing a shop and brought them to you," she stated clearly.

The window slides shut and a bar is lifted from the stout door on the other side before being opened. A young man in his twenties, wearing chain mail and brandishing a spiked mace stands aside, allowing the companions to enter. He shushes the dog (a large laberador type) with a gesture and a word.

"Come in... come in." he says, gesturing as everyone files into the building. Once in, he bars the door again and turns to regard the group of strangers. "A burglary you say?"

The central room is spacious with a large rectangular thick wood plank table dominating the center of the room with benches. It is fastened to the floor with iron bands, as are the benches. Mugs, candles, a pitcher, small bucket, platter with meat, three wooden plates and 5/8ths of a cheese wheel sit on the table. Directly to the left and right are two open doorways leading to small hall with a door on either side. These are cells, if one notes the construction of the doors. A single, bolted slide window occupies their iron bound faces and all slides are open. a wooden cup lies in the middle of the left hall, its contents splattered upon the wall and floor. A haggard, stubble filled face peers from one of the windows, hoping to see whats going on.

Along the back wall of the room are two open doorways. One leads into an office where a desk can be seen, and through the other door can be seen some beds, wardrobe cabinets and foot chests.

The center of the room is lit by a two tiered antler and chain chandelier that contains thick candles. A hat peg board is mounted on the wall next to the exit door. A ring of keys is on one peg. A long oiled leather surcoat for rainy weather on another. Two sets of high boots are lined beneath the peg board.

"You are welcome to some pheasant and cheese there. Some water in the bucket if you have a thirst for it." the man says, taking the ring of keys into hand. He leads the two into a cell on the right and unties their binds before closing and locking the door with a key.

"So. Them's somm'o Kabran's bunch. Don't see much burglary 'roun 'ere. So what's yer story?"

Jhaelin takes a seat on the end of one of the benches with his back to the table, keeping an eye on things. The man was young and probably just the night watchman. The sheriff likely is laid up in bed in his home somewhere, or he could be back there in a bed.

"We've just returned from a quest given to us by the shop owner of Roots N Remedies, Laurel Barker." Jhaelin says matter of factly. "We have gathered necessary reagents for her to make a possible curative for the black scour taint."

"Anyway, when we get back to town, we discover she has gone missing. We sought clues to her disappearance at her shop, where she also lives... and discovered those two in the act of burglarizing the place. They put up a bit of a fight, but we got the upper hand. And... here we are."

"They told us they were sent to rob the place by Kabran. Said it would be an easy job. I presume this to mean he knows Laurel would not be there, and logically, knows where she is or what has happened to her. I intend to find out and could use your help when we go to the Rouge Lady and confront him."

"Yeah... I heared 'bout Laurel. She ain' miss'n tho. I heared tale she up 'n left town early yesterday fer Falcarragh. It's all 'bout town."

The watchman pulls his chain coif down off his head and sits, pulling a piece of a stalk of cane sugar from his tunic. He slices a piece, lost in thought and begins chewing on it.

"Mebbe she left 'n mebbe she didn't." he says finally. "Can't say fer sure, but no point in know'n anyway. Still 'gainst the law to break in her place, gone 'r not."

Chewing his piece of cane, he squints over at Jhaelin, "Now, as fer me help'n you out. I have me duties 'ere as the watch 'n can't leave. Magistrate Deldrin be back in the morn'n 'n might be able ta give yeh more'n that."

The watchman spits the piece of cane, depleted of liquid and sugar from his mouth to the floor. Then sets on chewing another piece.

"If yeh can't wait tho... yeh might's well know yeh ain' gonna find Kabran over at the Rouge. Not on this night. He'll be up'ta his place up at the falls with whores 'n ale aplenty. If Kabran's got Laurel, she'll be down 'n his basement up there."

The watchman reaches over and scratches the dog behind the ears.

"Anyways, I'll get these two over ta the magistrate in the morn'n. Vamrose gonna be tickled pink ta see 'em."

Roxie listened to it all and the thought of someone who had to be nice, given she was Jhaelin's sister, being stuck in a basement with whores made her mighty uncomfortable. Figuring Jhaelin would want to be heading that direction immediately, she looked at the young guard. "What's his place like there? Guards and general outside layout?" she asked him.

"Ain' much to it. Squat stone and wood build'n left'a the road near them falls. Most figure it use'ta be a garrison mebbe hunnerds 'o years back. I'd spect to meet some 'o Kabran's bunch keep'n a look out 'round the place."

"Never been inside there myself."

"Do you have any notion how many warriors this Kabran has on site?" asked Karok. "Does that include any mages or clerics you know of?"

Leah looks up from the table, where she was sitting, munching away on the offered meal. "Too bad," she says between mouthfuls. "If he's in his home we can't meet him. It'd be illegal to break in."

The watchman places the ring of keys back on the peg board, then tucks away the rest of his cane stalk into his tunic. He sighs before answering, his mind tumbling with thoughts.

"No idea on their numbers." he replies to Karok. "And as fer sorcery... you should be wary. Rumors 'round 'ere bout Kabran in cahoots with Vode. Some says he even been below the tower up on the perch. Nary other can claim that privy. Might be that Vode lets one or two 'o his wanna-be's serve Kabran's needs."

The watchman glances at Leah when she speaks her comment.

"You all ain' look'n to break in are yeh? Mind yeh, the place ain' no part 'o the Hollow, but wouldn't be right to go break'n into places on just 'spicions 'n fancy think'n."

"The law's the law."

His smile seems forced...

"The law's the law," Karok agreed. "I just like to know about things. Like... Vode? What's a Vode?"

(He'd heard a little information on this point, some time ago, but hope to check and expand upon that intelligence.)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:40, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

"Vade! It's VADE!, you lout for a watchman." The voice comes from behind a cell door. An intoxicated looking face peers through the open slide window. "He's the mage of the tower. And bring me a drink!"

"You wasted your cup of water! Now shut up!"

Negle, coughs, then answers, "Pardon me. Vade then..." the watchman throws the inmate a sour look. "...I don know much 'bout him really. Enuf to keep away. He ain' seen much either. He goes 'bout his magicky business under his tower n keeps to his self. Only times he seen is up in the Consortium's headquarters. Word from servants up there is they's tension 'tween the Kreeds and him."

Negle walks over to the cell door and slides the window shut with a slam and bolts it.

Jhaelin gives Karok a thoughtful look. That could be some important information to think on. They still did not know who was behind the town getting sick in the first place. Could Vade be behind it?

"Do you think him an evil man, this Vade?" Jhaelin asks. "Has no one mentioned the possibility of him being behind the pestilence in this town?"

"I can still hear you!" the drunken man retorts from behind the cell door. "I regret the day I spat your worthless ass into your momma's belly! NEGLE... LET ME OUT OF HERE!"

The rant is followed with a resounding kick to the cell door which rattles on its hinges.

Negle's face flushes crimson red and his fists ball at his sides.

"'scuse the noise." he says apologetically.

"I don think 'o him at all." the watchman replies. "Most says he's an evil sort. An ilk of the devil and consort to demons. But that's tavern talk. Yeh know how it is."

"Aint likely he started this plague thing neither. Was one 'o his got sick in the first place. He was seen over at the church till the boy died. Wasn't no talk of someone causing this thing till you folks come to town."

"We should *hic* go talk to him." Illiana says off-handedly. "He might *hic* know something.... anything."

The mage's eyes are bright from inebriation, but also shine with the possibility of speaking with a powerful mage. What secrets and knowledge could be stored within those walls?

Leah looks satisfied. The watchman said they weren't planning on breaking in, so she must have misheard.

But she does look up when talk of the sickness comes. "You know, my daddy got very sick from pollen every year. If plants made him sick, and people in town were getting sick when we arrived, then it might be that they're all allergic to elves. They're plants, you know. Things should be fine now though; they left town."

As soon as Leah mentioned breaking in, Roxie decided to keep her mouth shut. Yes that had been clearly what she was going to do but having it said in front of the law sort of put a damper on things.

She took in everything said though, her mind working on possibilities and probabilities but then Illiana spoke up and she could only look at the power hungry little mage with a sigh. Perhaps she should gag both the women to save them all a little ...

Her hand went to her face when Lean spoke of elves being plants, knowing this young guard had to think them quite inept. "Give me strength," she murmured and simply gave up, hoping they got what they needed and got out of there soon.

Negles eyes wander over to Leah as she begins speaking. She finishes her statement and he blinks three times rapidly before turning back to Karok.

"What's she goin' on 'bout?"

"She's got some... original ideas," Karok explained succinctly. "Thinks elves are plants, and dwarves are rocks. And don't get her started about ten foot poles--"

The companions gain no further information from the night watchman and exit the building with the promise to meet with the magistrate Vamros the next day concerning the two criminals. The night has settled into the darkness of stars and rising moon. The lone calls of night birds echo from the far forest, crickets chirp, and frogs croak their songs of mating as the companions ferry across the river to take the Neufeld road north. The sky is clear and filled with the constellation of gods and immortals and a light breeze blows from the southwest.

It is a two hour walk for the companions to get up to the falls. The dirt road wound through the foothills, climbing in elevation and following the ever faster flowing river. The falls is to the right of the road and is a sight to behold. A seventy foot drop down sheer cliffs. The sound is like thunder so close.

Not seeing the dwelling at the falls, they continue the road about a half mile when it drifts off to the left, veering away from the river at this point. Around the bend of a low hill appears a low stone wall running parallel to the road. Looking left, the wall runs up the low hill as far one can see in the darkness. Ahead, the low stone wall runs along the road into a copse of trees.

The companions leave the road and follow the low stone wall up the hill. On the crest of the twenty or thirty foot high hill an outcropping of boulder and rock offers an excellent spot to scout the valley below them beyond the low wall. From their vantage they can make out three buildings through a large copse of trees. One is stone, the light of the moon reflecting from its walls. The other two must be wooden. No light can be seen. The trees begin some two hundred yards away beyond several sheep milling about or sleeping.

The normal sounds of the night in the open country is broken by the sound of galloping horses coming from the south along the road which the companions had just traveled.

"I can see in the dark," remarked Karok. "And that gives us a bit of an edge. But--" he turned to Jhaelin. "Do you need to rest up and pray for your spells, or something? If you do, I guess we might be able to sleep here tonight. I'd take first watch."

"I prayed while we ferried the river." Jhaelin replies, turning his head to better hear the riders upon the road. Looking back that way, he could see the road up to the bend in the moonlight and it is empty.

"Riders." he mumbles. "At this time of night?"

"Why not?" Karok mumbled back. "WE'RE out at this time of night? Think we'd better hide or something?"

"Why?" Leah asks Karock. "We aren't doing anything wrong. And we're on land, so Jaylin doesn't have to be afraid either."

"I just don't believe in coincidences." Jhaelin mumbles, watching the south road. "Nor can we trust anyone in Falcon's Hollow."

"No we don't need to hide. We are pretty well hidden right where we are near these boulders. We can see the road by moonlight up to where it enters those trees."

"I think Roxie should go scout those buildings, but lets wait till these riders pass."

Roxie frowned as she heard the riders and gathered her thoughts as she looked down at the buildings. "Could just be some of his men coming from the brothel or could be informants. Let's just hope it isn't the two we took in just a bit ago," she stated softly. "I'll head on that direction but wait a bit before I get too close," she told them. Rolling her shoulders and head to loosen up a bit, she started the slow, quiet trek toward the buildings.

The sound of galloping horses subsides, muffled by the low hills, but soon a party of five riders appears by the light of the moon on the road to the south. They are no longer galloping, but riding slowly up the road. It is too far away to make out any details of the riders, save that they all but one wear a cloak.

As the companions watch, the riders reach the bend in the road and stop. Each dismounts and then they seem to be talking amongst themselves, about two hundred yards away. Counting... there are two larger figures, two average in build and one diminutive. One of the larger figures throws back his head, appearing to drink something not from a water skin.

Roxie moves slowly through the throng of sheep. A few move out of her way without a bleat, but most do not even notice her. Soon she is at the copse of trees.

The group of riders leave their horses behind and advance up the road, spreading out at the silent command of one larger figure. It would seem they are trying to be silent, muffling their movements with a slower pace.

Leah is not quite certain what the group is doing here, but she never quite grasped everything about the last one either. Still, the others seem to know what they are doing, so for now she is content to follow, pole in hand.

Traversing the grazing land, Roxie kept her nose alert for anything fresh so she wouldn't step in the wrong place and she remembered again why she hadn't wanted to retire to a life of mucking out stalls. Her nostrils clamped down to keep the stench to a managable level as she watched the others.

They were moving as she would though it was curious why. Were they looking for them or were they about to do something on the keep? She would keep her distance but continue to follow them as quietly as possible.

Illiana stifles her laughter... snickering instead at Jhaelin's words. She keeps her eyes on the four moving men along the road.

"Wasn't there five of them?" she asks quietly in a whisper.

She strains her eyes, but only sees four. The other one must be behind one of the others. Looking back at the horses, she counts five of them.

Roxie remained quite still and squinted in frustration at the dim lighting. She knew she'd seen a smaller person but now didn't, making her suspect the worst. It could be hidden by the others but somehow she thought it wasn't so continued to hold herself rigid behind her tree. Once the others were closer to the building, she'd make her move back to the others to report but for now chose to wait a bit just in case...

Leah frowns at Jhaelin and says, "The only way to make a friend is to be a friend. If they're looking for us, it doesn't make any sense to hide."

However, for now she will hold both her tongue and her pole.

Karok's voice was low-pitched, grating stone at the bottom of the quarry as he answered Leah: "Someday you'll be in a place where people seek you out to be your friend, get a room, have a drink."

His hand was unconsciously covering his beard in a protective fashion, "But it's likely that THESE folks are seeking us out to stab till we die, bury our bodies and claim a reward for killing us."

"Old dwarven saying: 'Keep your voice down and try to make friends with people who AREN'T trying to kill us'."

The riders enter the copse of trees that surround the road near the gate through the low wall. They are no longer visible from the hill top, nor can Roxie see them from her vantage point.

"Well now." Jhaelin says, no longer spotting the riders. He is at a loss as to what to do. "Do we go in after them? Wait and see if they leave? Or spook their horses away?"

The cleric squints into the darkness toward the stone building barely seen through the trees, the moonlight reflecting off its stone walls. Where is Roxie? He hopes she does not do anything to endanger herself. He tries to shrug off the feeling of apprehension within him.

Roxie stood there for several minutes, debating going closer but given the lighting she would probably just walk right into a trap again and it wasn't an option when she was alone. Hoping there was enough distance and their attention was elsewhere, she turned back toward her friends and tried to work her way back through the sheep and then would make haste to get back to the group.

"They've put themselves in hiding near the one obvious way into that place," Karok observed. "Good set up for an ambush. I'm not sure if we're the ones they're laying for, but I'd be surprised if we weren't."

"Maybe they're just lost in the woods?" Leah asked. "That can be terrifying you know. Maybe we should go help them."

"Once again," Karok sighed. "Make sure you're making friends with people who AREN'T trying to kill us."

Five to five, so far as they knew, he ruminated. Oh, there were some estimable talents in his group, but there was no way of knowing what the others could do.

It would be nice if they turned out to be allies, as Leah assumed, but they simply couldn't be sure of that, yet.

"They are not lost Leah." Jhaelin says quietly, looking in the direction of the stone building through the trees. "They are along a road and one can not be lost on a road. A road always leads somewhere."

"We have five hours until first light. I say we wait a bit."

Jhaelin turns to Karok, looking for response to his suggestion.

Karok nodded. "Night's our friend," he said tersely. "We can spend a little more time in it."

His dark-piercing eyes were scanning the terrain. "See something coming. One person. Slender. Might be Roxie."

"You don't know they're trying to kill us," Leah pointed out to Karock. "We met a lot of other people we didn't know before and they joined us, or at least had stew before leaving. I didn't know you before and I haven't tried to kill you yet."

She considers Jhaelin's comments, and then says, "If you don't know the road, you could still be lost. Maybe they ran into the road in another forest. Or they could be from the sheriff bringing news of hay fever remedies. But we won't know if we don't say hello."

Still, if they want to wait she will wait, although she does have one question, "Who's Rocksie? Another dwarf?"

"Wha-- no, she's a member of this party. Small, thin woman. Cat-quick. Climbs walls. Jhaelin has to keep healing her up. Any bells ringing for you?"

Illiana rolls her eyes and turns away from the trio, wondering again why these people put up with Leah who is completely daft and without intellect what-so-ever. She wouldn't even make a good innkeeper in her opinion. Better for the girl to go off on her own seeking her dream than continuing with the party, but Illiana has no say in things. No say at all. In fact, they ask me nothing. They do not seek my counsel. They do not ask my opinion. But one day... one day, the tables shall turn upon them all.

"I'll gather *hic* their horses and return." the mage says, starting off down the hill. She did not ask their permission, nor their opinion. Might be, with all this waiting, that someone searching the horses can glean some information.

Karok hurried to catch up, short legs moving quickly.

"Interesting suggestion," he allowed, as he caught the young mage. She was drunk, he had to recall, and would have to be handled right. "But they'll be sure to have left someone watching the horses. And, yes, you could probably deal with them, but that's likely to bring all the rest. Unless you want to join battle right now, best to put off taking the horses."

"Sometimes you have to be patient about these things. You might actually be walking into a trap."

Why did he feel like he was talking to a stone wall? No, that wasn't fair; stone walls listened to him.

Illiana grunts her disapproval at the approach of the dwarf. She could surely handle bringing a few horses up the hill. Did he think her incompetent? Rash? Or childish?

She halted at his explanation of reasoning and through her spirit induced headache found logic in it. The skinny small one did disappear. Where did he go? Could he be watching those horses?

"You are quite right Karok. Though it has been a couple of hours, I'm afraid my indulgence of spirits tonight has dulled my reasoning. For now, I shall defer to your advice on the situation."

She turns and begins back up the hill.

Jhaelin sighs a sigh of relief as Karok and Illiana return to the outcropping of rock. They should remain near the rocks to not be seen. Movement draws his attention to the low wall and he spots Roxie crouching on this side of it, having obviously just climbed over.

"You see anything?" he asks as she approaches.

"There you go," the dwarf replied, both pleased, and relieved, returning with her. "The thing is you have a special gift with the magic. We all know that. And I don't doubt that someday you'll be a powerful wizard. But, as wondrous as your magic is, sometimes it's only part of the solution."

"Experience gives you a good idea what you can handle and what you might need help with-- and even great wizards need help, sometimes, whether they'll admit it out loud, or not-- but you've got to survive to get experience."

"I think you've just shown you have enough common sense to, maybe, survive. We'll help with that, too. Like the rest of us count on your help."

Not a bad kid, he thought. Just not enough guidance in the past and young, SO young...

"Oh, is ~that~ her name?" Leah asks. "I just called her the pu... well, never mind. Rocksy it is. But she never played any music for me." She thinks hard about that last fact. Maybe it is dwarf music and only they can hear it. It's a well-known fact they can have conversations with stone walls after all, so dwarf bells they alone can hear makes sense.

When Karok and Illiana return, Leah had missed their full conversation, but she does hear Karock's final comments. So, she will also give encouraging words to the poor girl. "Yes, we'll all help you. Someday you'll forget." And she'll give her a hug to make her feel better.

Roxie looked up at Jhaelin and felt a twinge of frustration and hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed. "I never did see the small one again and the other four had weapons drawn, moving along like they were looking for someone. They went into the complex and I heard some of the pigs protesting but other than that ... nothing. I thought about going in further but decided it probably wasn't a good idea going it alone."

The stars and moon move across the sky past a hand as the companions wait among the outcropping of rocks on the hill. The cool air of the night seems to seep into everyone's bones, sending a shiver or two through a body. Being in the open on the hill, a light cool breeze doesn't help matters. Weariness threatens the concentration of the party. One does not make the trip made today through thick forest, up and down the stumpy foothills, and then a climb to the waterfall without some toll on the body. Awake for nearly twenty one hours now, exhaustion becomes a factor and most beg for the comfort of sleep, if only silently.

Finally, the riders emerge from the copse of trees, following the low wall along the road back toward their horses. They stroll casually with a quick gait and without regard to stealth. One of the larger men leads slightly ahead of the others and all five can be seen.

"Psssst. Look!" Jhaelin cues, getting up from his position against a boulder. He was lucky to have noticed the returning riders at all. His eyes were getting heavier by the minute. What were they doing now? What had they been doing?

"They're back, and going for their horses."
This message was last updated by the player at 21:44, Sun 20 Nov 2022.

"Could be they have nothing to do with us," Karok posited. "I don't see Laurel with them, anyway, and she's the one we've come for."

"I'd say, if they don't make trouble for us, we don't need trouble with them. Let's let them ride away, then we can think of moving on the place down there and pulling a rescue."

"All five are back together," Roxie observed with that suspicious expression creeping up. "We couldn't see any of their faces and they're all wearing cloaks. Who's to say they didn't just take Laurel and she's with that group?"

"None of them seem to be female that I can see," said Karok, still peering at the group. "And none of them are moving under duress. They look purposeful. Focused. I don't think anyone there is going anywhere they don't choose to go."

" 'Course I can't say I always know how humans operate so I could, just, be wrong, but that's my guess."

As the companions watch, the riders mount their horses. There is a bit of conversation among them. Then one of the larger of the men heads south at a gallop while the other four head north at a casual trot. Soon they are gone from sight, having entered the copse of trees again.

Leah blinks at the conversation, then closes her eyes again, and tilts her head back down. "I told you they were friendly. Now they're out looking for other... friends."

Her head droops as her thoughts drift off.  She is so tired.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:53, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

"Let Roxie and I go ahead of the rest of you by, maybe twenty or thirty feet, as we go," suggested Karok. "My dwarven eyes see well in the dark and I can scout ahead. Roxie would have a chance of spotting hidden traps as we come to them."

"We go to a place on the wall not too near the gate, go over. Roxie finds an approach to the building and looks for traps. Then we go in. Hopefully not by the front door. The longer we can keep them from knowing we're there, the better I like it. We grab one alive and question them to find Laurel if we can."

"Can you offer any improvements to that plan?"

Roxie glanced at Leah as the woman nearly dropped off to sleep and wondered if she would be safe to just leave here. Let her sleep if thats what she needs. She knew they wouldn't agree to that though and turned her attention to Karok. "Sounds good enough for me though we'll want to avoid the pigs. They really let everyone know someone is around them." Looking at Jhaelin, she left it as his decision.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:54, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

"Right," Karok agreed. "The pigs, and the sheep I saw over there. We'll swing wide." He glanced down at Leah.

"Anyone want to wake the inn-keeper. If we can keep her quiet, she can actually do some good in a fight."

Jhaelin shakes Leah gently to awaken her.

"Come. We are sneaking ahead. You, me and Illiana will follow the others. Be as quiet as you can."

"Illiana and I." Illiana amends Jhaelin's speech, getting to her feet.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:55, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

Karok moved ahead of the group, and about five feet to the side of Roxie. He peered ahead and quietly alerted her as to terrain, hazards seen through dwarven infra-vision.

Leah yawned, and stretched, and blinked her eyes. Sitting there a moment, she said, "It seems like I just went to sleep." But she would don her gear and join the others, not giving much thought to what was going on. Whatever it was, they would be fine. She had her pole, after all.

Roxie stepped lightly along with Karok, straining her tired eyes to search for anything but also kept an ear out for anything out of the ordinary. If they didn't rest soon, she wondered what good at all they would do for Laurel but she pressed on and did her best to ignore her body's protestations.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:58, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

The companions follow the road in the darkness, skirting along the low wall until they get within sixty yards of the gate entrance. It is a stone arch, heavily worn and broken in patches. Once over the low wall, it is a relatively short walk through the copse of trees and underbrush until they can see the squat stone building. In some time in the past, it was once a garrison perhaps. Now, it seems to have been converted to a residence. Two other rustic looking wooden buildings are behind the stone one. One appears to be a barn with a fence around it. An occasional piggish noise comes from that direction. The other building's use is unknown and partially hidden from view. The wooden double door to the stone building is guarded by a large figure leaning against the wall, one foot resting on a stone. A large war hammer leans on the wall next to him. He bites into an apple and chews. The soft glow of lantern or torch light can be seen at the bottom of the door and reflecting off the stone at the narrow windows.

A voice (barely audible) draws your attention, then suddenly a figure comes around the corner of the stone building from the direction of the larger wooden one. Stables likely. It is the skinny fellow from Laurel's shop!

"Baaah! We would've seen em on da road if'n they come this way Brin," the larger man says around a mouth full of apple. "Gartlieb and yeh be jas alike. Now quit'cha worry'n. Me'n Ash, we take care of em. What I can't bash, he will bake or make squirm. Best you stay clear 'o him too."

The skinny man opens the door and goes through as the larger man laughs, spitting bits of apple from his teeth in the process.

Doorway is sixty yards from player's positions as they hide in the copse of trees. The man has not taken notice of the companions.

---

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Armor) on Illiana, AC6, 9 points remain.

"It would seem the local constable is as corrupt as the rest of town." Jhaelin murmurs quietly, watching the man ahead once again scan the road. "I figured as much."

He shifts his weight on his feet, and grips his war hammer more tightly. Laurel could be in that building. They had to know. She is the only chance the town has to be cured of the black scour taint.

"Sounds like there's a caster in there. Ash."

Jhaelin didnt hide the worry in his voice on that knowledge. He voices his first thought on options.

"If we can draw the big one there away from the door, Roxie might be able to subdue him quickly."

"I guess I can do that," Karok said. "I'll try to lead him over, get him to turn his back on the hiding place. Be ready."

The dwarf laid down his shield, sheathed his sword, and left concealment with a staggering step. He sang an old dwarven mining song in a bleary, not uproariously, but loudly enough for the big guard to hear.

He stumbled, righted himself, seemed to see the guard for the first time. "I found a tunnel to the moon," he declared, slurring a bit. "I was there. I was on the moon! And then I came back to tell people, but now I'm lost!"

He sounded almost ready to cry at this last.

Leah started giggling at Karock's antics and words, although she did her best to try to hold it in as her body began to convulse with mirth. And she would nudge Illiana and gasp, "He is even tipsier than you!"

Despite her reaction, it was quite possible she would not be heard by the guard. She was trying to hold it in, Karok had been ahead of them, and when a dwarf is singing, it does tend to become a center of attention.

Karok steps from the copse of trees onto the path leading up to the double doors. He staggers a bit, putting on a show of drunkenness and muttering nonsensical words of tunnels and moons. The guard immediately tenses, throws his half-eaten apple to the ground and pulls a sword from its scabbard.

"ASH! BRIN! NEGLE! THEY'RE HERE!" the large man calls, eyeing the dwarf suspiciously in the moonlight. The man glances around behind Karok, scanning the deep shadows within the copse of trees.

"THEY IN THE TREES!" he shouts, then charges at Karok with raised sword and toothless grin.

---

Begin combat round 0226.06 (rnd1)...

With the information provided in posts, the PC's know they are up against two fighters, a rogue and a mage.

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Armor) on Illiana, AC6, 9 pts remain

"Roxie, hide and get that mage when he presents himself." Jhaelin says quickly, grabbing at his war hammer and shield. There is no doubt in Jhaelin's mind these guys were going to fight to win. "Keep alert and Illiana, target that mage first when he comes out. We have to take him out quickly or we could all die quickly."

Jhaelin bursts from the copse of trees upon seeing the guard charge at Karok.

Illiana nods her head in the darkness, ignorant of the fact that Jhaelin probably doesnt see it. She mentally goes over the spells prepared in her mind, readying herself for the task that might come. This was her chance. Her chance to really prove her worth to these companions that she had the mettle, the nerve, and confidence to take on anything in her path. Her primary offensive spells at the moment... burning hands from Brett's spellbook, and magic missile.

Standing behind one of the trees for cover, she waits in the shadows. Karok and Jhaelin could deal with the large, sword wielding fellow.

"Dergleshite!" Karok cursed, pulling his sword to withstand the charging man. "That's what I get for tryin' to be clever."

"Next time leave the cleverness to me, Karrock!" Leah calls out in response as she rushes forward to assist. It is clear she has the most sense out of the group. After all, none of the others remembered a 10' pole.

With a nod to Jhaelin, Roxie bounded off a short distance in a different direction at a slight angle from the others. She set up with her crossbow trained on the doorway, ready to fire as soon as she sees what looks to be the mage step into view.

Karok and the man guarding the building's double doors meet. Karok's swing is blocked by the towering guard's own sword. The man grabs Karok's wrist and spins, using the dwarf's momentum to throw him against the stone wall with a thumpf. A quick slash downward opens a gash into Karok's torso (-7), biting into bone!

Leah comes up behind the man and prods at him with her pole. She hits him square in the back, rattling his cage a bit but doing no serious physical damage. The man swings around, knocking the pole away with his arm.

"That all yeh got!?" he says with a sneer.

The pole flies backward toward an approaching Jhaelin. The cleric deflects the pole upward with his shield, then brings his war hammer down hard with a smiting blow to the guard's shoulder.

The double doors swing open, revealing two figures. One, the party recognizes right away as being Negle, one of the magistrate's constables. He leers at Karok, Leah and Jhaelin, then looks farther past them into the trees.

"Whare's th'rest 'o yeh?" Negle steps forward, pulling his sword from scabbard. "COME ON OUT! WE KNOW YOU THERE MAGE!"

Negle rushes to help the guard while the other man, "Ash", begins casting...

---

Begin combat round 0226.12 (rnd2)

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Armor) on Illiana, AC6, 9 pts remain
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:18, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

"Of course it is, dummy" Leah replies. "If I had more than one 10 foot pole, don't you think you would see it?"

And when the door opens to reveal Nergal leering at the two of them, Leah shudders and states firmly, "Don't worry Karrock, I'll protect your modesty from him." After all, Karrock does not need any more babies.

So, she changes target, and will attack the constable with her pole if it is still in hand, or with her short sword if the pole has been knocked away and is not recoverable.

Karok spins, sword slicing in a straight arc. He is too angry to feel the pain, yet, but he resolutely did not try to figure out what Leah was talking about. It would only make him say, "HUH?"

Like usual.

Illiana has no intentions of removing herself from the protection of the trees. she hoped no one could see her yet. As soon as the two men appear on the doorway, she begins casting.

"Solaise solatcuam!" she mutters, pointing her finger at the man she identifies as casting.

Jhaelin leaves the guard to Karok and turns to meet the constable with his war hammer and shield.

"I figured you for a rat Negle!" he says, putting his weight behind the hammer while swinging.

The light crossbow recoils in Roxie's hand as the bolt is propelled forward toward its target. In that instant the advantage of concealment is destroyed. The bolt flies true toward its mark, but is suddenly deflected by Leah's pole as the warrior awkwardly prods at the constable from a distance. The flight path is deviated downward at an angle substantially, and the bolt strikes Karok deep into the thigh (-5).

Negele slashes Jhaelin across the upper chest, finding flesh (-2) as the cleric lunges for him with the war hammer. Jhaelin lands a solid blow on the shoulder of the constable, nearly knocking the man to his knees.

The man known as Ash finishes casting as Karok and the big guard trade ineffectual blows against one another. The caster targets his largest known threat; the cleric known as Jhaelin. A magical bolt of energy streaks from Ash's finger tip and strikes Jhaelin unerringly. Chain mail links rattle and the cleric is knocked back a step or two, having suffered a forceful impact (-4).

At the same instant Ash finishes his spell, so does Illiana. A bolt of magic streaks from her finger and strikes the mage, tearing a rip through his shirt. Skin ripples as if the man were hit with a giant invisible fist and he whirls around, grabbing at the doorway to keep his footing. His angry eyes turn toward the trees.

"So.. there you are!" he mutters, beginning to cast again.

---

Begin combat round 0226.18 (rnd3)

Conditions/Magic in play...
(Armor) on Illiana, AC6, 9 pts remain
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:26, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

Roxie saw the arrow going true and then ... the pole got in the way and the bolt ended up in her friend. "Dammit!" she snarled and realized she needed to get up close and personal again. While the mage was starting to focus on Iliana, she yanked out a dagger and took off running toward the mage. If he had someone in his face, it would make it a lot harder to cast.

An arrow came flying at the companions, but Leah was right there with her pole of amazing utility, which deflected the arrow into Karrock's leg. Painful, to be certain, but Leah knew that was better than having it split his skull.

Truly, this pole was a marvellous item. No wonder all adventurererurures swore by them and recommended them so highly. There is no telling how many people still have heads today because of poles.

And so, she smiled and said, "You're welcome!" to Karrock, as she once more pokes at the enemy.

The fight was not going well. Karok had been wounded, had been unable to penetrate his opponent's defenses, magic was coming into play, now, and somebody from somewhere had shot him in the leg.

All of this, doubtless, added to his bad temper as he roared at Leah: "Alright, Woman, you've proved that you WILL touch him with a ten foot pole. Now poke with with your dalesnarfajin SWORD!"

Roxie's head tilted ever so slightly as she yanked the dagger from its sheath and started to run for the mage, her expression showing she was not in a good mood. "Think we got company to the right of the building," she warned the others and lunged with the dagger trained on the mage.

Karok and the guard continue attacking each other; neither gaining an advantage in any way while Leah and Jhaelin make ineffectual attacks against the constable. Negle returns a vicious sword strike against Jhaelin, cutting the cleric across the thigh (-3).

The mage, Ash, finishes his spell and another magic missile streaks from his fingertip, striking Illiana unerringly. She gasps as the pain ripples through her (-4) and is knocked back a few steps. The spell she was casting is disrupted.

So intense on his casting, Ash did not see Roxie until too late. The rogue lashes out with her dagger, cutting a swath through flesh and shirt. The blade skims the edge of a rib in the process.

A gasp of pain erupts and Illiana looks down to see a dagger being pulled from her abdomen (-8 backstab). She slides down the trunk of the tree to the ground, surprised eyes staring at a young skinny man leering at her in the shadows. Blood seeps through fingers that press against the wound.

---

Begin combat round 0226.24 (rnd4)

"Not until they're out of arrows!" Leah stated firmly. "Poles are our only defense!"

And it will have to be defense, as her offense with the pole has not been particularly effective, something that does not change with her next attack on the enemy.

Roxie stays on the mage, making another attempt to bring his blood to the surface but if not hopes to at least keep him too occupied to cast anything at her friends.

Karok could not afford to be more than peripherally aware of what was happening, around the battlefield. His problem was the warrior in front of him.

Growling, he blocked a sword sweep, deflected his enemy's blade, then tried a counter slash back across, aimed at the man's lower torso.

Jhaelin follows the streak of a magic missile from the mage into the trees. Illiana is hit. Then, from the shadows comes a skinny figure that plunges a dagger into the mages abdomen, ramming her against a tree. Jhaelin gasps, knowing it is likely a fatal attack.

"Leah! Keep on him!" Jhaelin shouts, turning toward Illiana. If he can reach her in time, he may be able to save her. But first, he has to get rid of skinny. He silently curses their luck. Cassius had been the one carrying the healing wand, and now... he was who-knows-where.

OOC: Casting Entangle on skinny (Brin), and provoking possible attack from Negel when retreating (+2 to hit, no shield or dex bonus)

The skinny man disappears back into the shadows, but Jhaelin continues casting. He finishes the spell and the limbs of the trees, the underbrush, and even the grasses begin to move in the area beyond where little fellow vanished. A yell filled with curses can be heard from within the copse of trees. Jhaelin bolts for Illiana and Negle takes the opportunity to hit such an easy target. The blade slices down the cleric's back, its tip clinking against chain mail links and cutting through his blue cloak stylized with a lightning bolt in silver. Jhaelin is unharmed as he bolts away.

Ash backs into the building's foyer as Roxie continues to press her attack with a dagger. He is quick to cast, chanting all-too-familiar words of magic which she has heard before from the late Brett. Ash splays his fingers vertically and a jet of flames spew forward, lancing outward at Roxie. Knowing what was coming, the rogue ducks low and to the side quickly to flank the mage and hopefully dodge the flames. But Ash is just as quick and turns, keeping the full brunt of the spell's effect on Roxie (-6). She is singed head to toe when the flames die down, and her attempt at hitting the mage with her dagger is feeble and easily dodged. The mage throws Roxie against the stone wall of the inner foyer and laughs. When Roxie turns around, the mage holds a pendant and his eyes beckon to her.

"Nowwwww... why would you want to hurt your friend? We should work together and defeat those who want to harm me."

The pendant twinkles with an inner light that draws Roxie's eyes.

Meanwhile, the guard finds an opening in Karok's defenses and takes a swing. The blade skims along the dwarf's arm, opening up an annoyingly painful gash (-1). Karok spins, following the momentum of the guard's blade and creates a deadly arc of his own blade. The edge bites deeply into the guard's torso, only stopping when it hits bone. The man cries out in agonizing pain!

"Aaaaauggh! I'm not done yet dwarf!" he shouts, spinning for another attack yet with a slight limp. He knows another hit like that could very well end him.

Leah swings her pole around but Negle, ten feet away, easily dodges the end of it. With Jhaelin bolting away, the constable turns his attention to the young woman wearing chain mail that obviously did not fit her.

---

Begin combat round 0226.30 (rnd5)

Roxie, make a SAVE vs. SPELL roll along with your intended actions rolls.

Conditions/Magic in play...
Illiana is "helpless" and dying (-5)
40' area of entangle on the other side of Illiana (10 rnds, not including this one)

Jhaelin bolts across the clearing and into the copse of trees where Illiana is leaning against a slender trunk of broadleaf, a common tree of the region but smaller than those of the darkmoon vale.

He quickly checks for life, the words of a healing prayer ready upon his lips and his holy symbol in one hand.

Shield up to block his blow, advance, thrust!

Leah could not afford to be more than peripherally aware of what was happening around the battlefield, as it was all just too much to concentrate on at once. However, she did have enough awareness to reply to Jhaelin, "There's nobody under me!"

So, putting aside any imaginary thing she was supposed to stand on, she considered her options. Her pole has not been so effective so far in attack, but it is more defensive than anything else, and it saved Karrock's life. So, until the archer is defeated, she will have to stay with the pole.

There is the one in front of her, but he is more than 10' away. So, she considers going to help Roxie instead, but as she tries to decide, the constable charges her. With the decision of who to attack made, and she is glad it has been decided, Leah swings her pole up once again.

The mage was too fast and Roxie saw her folly even as she tried to evade and screamed as the flames lashed across her body. She should be used to pain by now but it always surprised her how much it really could hurt. Looking up for her target she realized too late what was happening and found herself entranced by the pendant.

"Nowwwww... why would you want to hurt your friend? We should work together and defeat those who want to harm me."

Roxie had never had that many friends, only a few in the caravan and the company she had been keeping so any threat to someone she deemed a friend was met with fierce loyalty. It felt strange somehow that suddenly this man should be her friend. Was it that pretty pendant? One thing she knew in that state of succumbing to the spell but still fighting it, she wanted that shiny so lunged forward to take it from the man.

The grunts of physical effort and the clink of metal on metal echoes in the darkness as Karok and the large guard continue the fight. The guard slips up in his defense and it costs him. Karok slices into the man with his blade, opening yet another gash down his torso. Blood seeps heavily from his previous wound and this new one will tax his stamina heavily. He staggers a bit, but manages to stay on his feet.

"If you doin som'thin Ash, yeh better get to it!" the man shouts.

Meanwhile just inside the double doors of the stone building Roxie lunges at the mage, grabbing for the pendant. She gets her hand on it, but the mage interrupts the activation of the magic and pulls it away and to his chest.

"You little bitch! Take this!" he spouts, reaching for her and chanting.

Jhaelin finds Illiana alive, but only barely. Its a matter of time. His healing prayers are answered, but it is not nearly enough. He will have to try again before she is well enough to help them.

Negle finds Leah's pole weapon annoying. When he tries to get close to her, she moves away.

"Wiry little thing aren't you." Negle says to Leah, "No matter. You aren't built for this kind of fighting. Too bad Kabran want yeh dead. I'd make welcome you in my cells."

Negle feints with his blade, then twists to move in quick for the kill. Moonlight glints off his sword as he swings at Leah again.

---

Begin combat round 0226.36 (rnd6)

Conditions/Magic in play...
Illiana is "helpless" (-5)
40' area of entangle on the other side of Illiana (9 rnds left)

Karok fought doggedly on, determined that he would not be the one to fall...

"I haven't done anything illegal, cell watcher," Leah asserts as she prods him with her pole again.

Jhaelin again prays over the injured Illiana in an effort to save her life.

Roxie had no wish to be touched by the mage and backed out of his reach but with a flick of her wrist sent the dagger in his direction.

A smile erupts on the constable's face when his shiny blade slices into Leah, cutting through chain link and flesh (-2). It is not a deep cut due to the chain mail, but hurts just the same. Leah backs away while swinging her pole around, gaining momentum with its length. The end of the pole raps hard against Negle's side with a loud clink against the chain mail. The constable grunts in pain.

Though in pain, he laughs raggedly, looking up at the woman, "You bring a stick to a sword fight. Stupid woman."

Meanwhile...

The door guard makes a vicious downward slash against Karok but finds nothing but dirt. Karok stomps the blade, ripping it from the man's grip. The guard barely escapes a slashing upward thrust of Karok's blade by backing away quickly. He pulls a dagger from his belt with a curse.

Jhaelin finishes another healing prayer. Illiana closes her eyes as the magic washes over her, closing wounds and invigorating her (+6). The effect fades quickly. She leans weakly away from the tree, holding an arm against her abdomen in pain. She is still very much wounded, but manages to get to her feet.

Ash reaches for Roxie, finishing his spell. There is a crackle of noise as blue arcs flash between the mage's fingers. A humming noise can be heard as an arc moves up his body between arms and torso. Sensing the danger, Roxie twists away from the mage, tossing her dagger at the same time. Ash misses her with his reach, but her dagger pierces through his shirt sleeve and into his arm with a thunk! The mage's arm is quickly withdrawn and dagger removed. He hisses in pain and anger amidst the crackling and humming of power in his hands.

---

Begin combat round 0226.42 (rnd7)

The mage and Roxie are in the foyer and out of view from anyone else. Jhaelin and Illiana are twenty yards away from the fighting.

Conditions/Magic in play...
Shocking Grasp (Ash), 1 round left
40' area of entangle on Brin ,(8 rnds left)
Mage Armor (Ash), AC6, 6 points left

"But it's a really ~BIG~ stick," Leah asserts, as she waves it wildly in a maneuver that nobody, either in their right mind or even under most hallucinogens, would call an effective combat attack.

Karok's heart leapt! He had a clear advantage now. But this was not the time to get sloppy. He advanced after the guard quickly, but careful of his balance and foot.

With a half lunge and a jab, he aimed at a worn spot in the guard armor in the torso area. One must always maintain their armor, he thought sententiously.

Once to her feet, Illiana peers around the trunk of the tree to the fighting. she can see Karok and Leah but not Roxie and the mage.

"Where did the mage go?" she asks quietly before beginning to cast.

Casting Magic Missile at Negle

Jhaelin continues his healing prayers over Illiana, ignoring her question.

Roxie kept trying to stay out of the mage's reach, knowing that voltage would hurt if he managed to snag her. Ducking behind him, she lashed out with the dagger and hoped to score another stinging wound on him. She was at least keeping him from doing anything to her friends for the moment.

Roxie flanks the mage and slashes with her dagger regardless the dangerous crackling of lightning displayed between his fingertips. The blade cuts through his thin cotton shirt and into flesh, skimming beneath a rib. The mage gasps and twists away from the dagger while reaching for Roxie. Finding herself cornered, the mage lands a hand on her arm and the effect of his touch is electrifying (-5). She pulls away from the mage quickly as the numbness spreads with the pain. The mage smiles creepily.

"Like that?" he asks rhetorically. Though severely wounded, he pulls a dagger from his belt.

Meanwhile...

Outside the large man that was guarding the door has been disarmed and pulls a dagger from his belt. He slashes at Karok, but the dwarf is a step ahead of him. Karok's blade bites deep into the midsection of the guard, disrupting his feeble attempt to strike with the dagger. The dagger slips from his fingers as the man leans back against the stone wall and slides down it. Blood seeps heavily from three deep wounds. His eyes take on a far away look of one that is dying and knows there is nothing he can do about it except accept it. He looks up at Karok, a bit of blood seeping from his lips.

Leah does not see the fighting between Karok and the guard. Her attention is on the watchman called Negle. She spins her pole in an arc, though a little shakily, and misses the constable by a wide margin. The pole continues on its journey, carried by momentum and the slightly off-balanced Leah. Negle's blade comes crashing down. It would have cleaved Leah into had she not bounded back to correct her imbalance. This leaves her pole vulnerable however. The sword cleaves it into, leaving it now four feet short of a wondrous ten foot pole.

Jhaelin finishes his spell, further healing Illiana (+7). A moment later, Illiana finishes casting her magic missile. She changes her target at the last second, unable to locate the caster. The missile streaks from her fingertip and strikes Negle. Chain mail ripples from the impact and the constable is knocked back a step or two.

---

Begin combat round 0226.48 (rnd8)

The mage and Roxie are in the foyer and out of view from anyone else. Jhaelin and Illiana are twenty yards away from the fighting.

Conditions/Magic in play...
Guard is "helpless" and dying
40' area of entangle on Brin ,(7 rnds left)
Mage Armor (Ash), AC6, 2 points left

All the damage done to Roxie over this short time had left her scarred and there was only a soft down of golden hair on her head and now she was burned and electrocuted. The creepy smile was returned, her eyes full of malice. "Oh yeah, I liked that a lot," she said in a menacingly seductive voice just as she lunged forward, intent to stick the dagger in his gut and twist.

"Heironeous be praised." Jhaelin murmurs upon inspecting Illiana after the healing prayers. She is whole and appears uninjured. He turns his attention back to the fighting.

"Good. Karok has defeated the guard. Negle can not stand against all of us." he says, absently fidgeting with one of his own wounds. He was injured, but would save the last of his energy for anything more serious.

"Save your spells Illiana for the mage. He may may yet live. I think he and Roxie are inside the building. Come!"

Jhaelin takes up his shield and war hammer and leads Illiana toward the double doors. She was their best chance against another mage.

"ROXIE!?" Jhaelin calls out, crossing the gap between building and trees. He hoped she yet lived. Anxiety builds within his chest following these thoughts and he prepares his last spell, just in case.

(OOC) Lose initiative in moving. Cast CLW on Roxie, if she is dying. Otherwise, attack the mage with war hammer. Will roll either result.

Illiana turns to Jhaelin as the warmth of the healing spell fades.

"Thank you." she says, then notices the movement and noises behind her. She turns.

Illiana's eyes widen in bewilderment. The noises turn out to be low limbs, bushes, and even the grasses... all twisting and writhing in a mass that reaches for them. Luckily, they are just out of reach. Shouts and curses can be heard from somewhere close within the entanglement and Illiana gives Jhaelin a questioning glance, but his attention is on the double doors of the stone building. She looks that way and can see movement inside. Was that Roxie she saw briefly? The mage must be in there as well.

At Jhaelin's urging, she crosses the yard, staying close behind the cleric. The spell for burning hands is most present in her mind, as she enters the building.

(OOC) Lose initiative in moving. Casting Burning Hands at the mage

Karok gave a quick warrior's salute to the dying guard-- he was an evil rapscallion, but he died in the line of his duty, after all-- then leapt towards the next target.

Jhaelin and Illiana were heading towards the building-- presumably where Roxie was-- so that left him to help Leah.

"Nagle, you traitorous scum," he gritted, as he approached.

Then the turncoat lawman's blade sheered off a section of Leah's silly-arse long-stick and the blunt shaft flew end over end to thump the dwarf on the brow of his helm.

There was a brief flash of pain, and a few stars shot across his personal sky. He got his shield up, quickly, in case the man turned on him!

"NNNNNOOOOO!!!" Leah cries out to the heavens as she drops to her knees, holding the former-pole-now-sticks to the sky. "All is lost!"

Leah drops to the ground in apparent anguish at the destruction of her most precious item. She is so distraught, that she apparently forgets she is in a fight. Negle's eyes widen at the opportunity before him. He raises his sword for a quick and deadly strike, but then a danger sensing tingle runs the length of his spine. Negle kicks Leah in the shoulder with his boot, knocking her over into the dirt just as Karok reaches him. Negle deflects a weak attempt by the dwarf to hit him and returns his own blade in a vicious upward slash. The blade rakes the dwarf up his front, cutting through leather and belly flesh and nicking his chin (-3). A tuft of beard falls to the ground and Negle flanks around, putting distance between him and the girl on the ground. No need in her tripping him up.

"The girl quit. You might as well too dwarf!" the constable spouts.

Meanwhile... inside the stone building, Roxie slashes out with her dagger. The mage now possessed her other dagger, the one she threw at him and one he pulls from his belt. This second one has an ugly sheen to its blade.

Roxie's blade pierces the magic armor protecting him and sinks deeply into his chest. At the same time, his own dagger pierces Roxie's armor and finds flesh, though not as deeply. Ash falls to his knees, gasping hard with a bloody froth forming at his lips.

"You bitch! Kabron will-- will--", the mage sputters, but he never finishes the sentence. He falls over, raggedly gasping for breath and likely drowning in his own blood.

Roxie leans back against the stone wall of the foyer, relieved to have bested the mage. But relief turns to fear. She hears the dagger hit the floor before realizing it even left her fingers. In fact, she could not feel her fingers, nor her feet, then nothing... she was lying in the corner, staring up and unable to move even an eyelash.

Jhaelin and Illiana race into the foyer. The cleric quickly rushes to Roxie's side, uttering a prayer for healing while looking her over for the most serious wounds. She was breathing, but looks dead. He had seen this before with Karok. Paralyzed!! But for how long? Was it a spell? He casts his last remaining spell to cure her wounds (+4).

Illiana finds the mage dead or dying and holds off casting her spell.

---

Begin combat round 0226.54 (rnd9)

Conditions/Magic in play...
Guard is "helpless" and dying
40' area of entangle on Brin ,(6 rnds left)
Ash is "helpless" and dying
Roxie is paralyzed

"Quit?" Karok scoffed. "In the face of someone like you?!"

He burst into derisive laughter, but the treacherous militia man was proving uncooperative in staying anywhere near his sword blade.

Illiana picks up the mage's dagger and looks at it, noting the strange greenish tinge along its edge. She scrunches her face in disgust and contempt.

"Poison!" she says, throwing the dagger to the floor. She turns back to look at the poor woman on the floor. Jhaelin would take care of her, if she lives. There was still the constable outside to take care of.

Illiana moves back into the yard to within range of the constable. She holds her hand forth and splays her fingers, ready to cast her spell.

"Give up the fight NOW, or I will burn the flesh from your bones watchman!"

OOC -- casting burning hands depending on constable's action. Rolls in dice thread just in case he dont.

Arn DEAD! Ash DEAD! And Brin no where to be seen. Probly run off or was dead in the trees. He was the only one left... against all of them! Against a mage!

"Alright! ALRIGHT!" the constable shouts, throwing his sword to the ground and backing away from Karok. He quickly raises his arms and watches Karok intently to see if the dwarf is going to give up the fight. If not, he would have to run for it.

Karok does not press the battle, but warily circles to keep the man between himself and Illiana, to cover Leah, lest he decide to try and take her for a hostage.

"If you surrender, you live," he pronounces. "I am a dwarf of my word. Lay face down on the ground, now. I'm going to check you for hidden weapons."

She'd let her anger get the best of her and left herself vulnerable but she'd smiled when her dagger sank into his chest. She'd saved the others from him, done what she'd set out to do and even the slight pain he inflicted as he went down didn't phase her.

"Kabron can *bleep* himself for all I care," she muttered to the dying mage as she leaned back. Now if the others were okay, even that crabby magette, she thought to herself. thunk She looked down and saw her dagger on the floor and tried to raise her hand to look at it, wondering why she was starting to feel heavy.

Panic rose within her as her body slumped to the ground. She didn't even have a chance to cry out for the others. Air moved in and out of her lungs but nothing would respond and she couldn't remeber ever being so scared. She heard footsteps and then saw Jhaelin, felt some healing enter her body but knew it wasn't enough.

"Poison." She heard Iliana say what it was and then a small part of her reacted as she saw Jhaelin looking at her. The tear ducts already full released the salty fluid and tears spilled out the corners of her eyes. Help me ... please ... she thought with all her mind.

Shaken out of her mourning by a boot to the shoulder and suddenly staring at the sky, Leah rises, intent on vengence. Unfortunately, the scavenged chain mail is not the best of fits, and she is not so used to rising on it, so it takes a moment, until she uses the two halves of the pole to assist her. Even in death, it is doing all it can to help them live, she realizes.

By then, the constable has already surrendered, and although she would like to strike him and ruin his day, she holds back, and instead looks forlornly at her pole, and asks Illiana, "Do you think it can be re-enchanted?"

After patting the traitor down, Karok told him: "Still not killing you, but going to tie you up, so you can start any mischief against us."

"Is everyone alright?" he asked of Iliana.

Jhaelin cradles Roxie in his arms. He senses her there, within her eyes and when a tear falls he gently wipes it away. More tears form, an effect of the eyes not able to blink he realizes.

"Its okay. You will be okay." he says gently. "I can not image what you must be feeling, but it will pass. You are only paralyzed for a time."

Jhaelin strokes her short hair, the hair he had cut, with a gentle touch. She had been through so much in the last few days. He could never repay his debt to her bravery. He could never... would never define her by her past. Only by her actions. And of his companions this last week, he admired her the most. Karok was their strength. But Roxie-- well, he could not exactly put it to words yet.

"We win the day. Again, because of you Rox." he says with a grateful smile and with unbidden urge, he kisses her forehead.

He continues to cradle her protectively as he looks on at what happens outside, fighting the physical pain he feels. A cut across his chest and thigh. At least they had stopped bleeding, but the magic missile had left him battered and bruised in the chest. It hurt to breathe. He has one last spell, but waits. One last spell could save the day for someone.

"It was never enchanted to begin with girl." Illiana says derisively to Leah's plea. "You have a sword. Go cut another one."

With glaring eyes, she keeps her stance. She is ready with spell in case the prisoner decides to pull something he thinks will be clever.

"I'm fine." she says to Karok in reply.

Negle does not resist and keeps a wary eye on Illiana as he lays upon the ground with arms outstretched. If not for her, he could certainly out run this lot. But against magic? Not going to chance it.

Negle wears a chain shirt beneath an outer leather surcoat and a mail coif. Beneath the surcoat, a sheathed dagger is found tucked in the constable's belt and no other weapons are found. Soft riding boots are devoid of hidden knives, but does contain a boot pouch with some silver coins (26). There are no concealed weapons within his leggings. A key ring with two keys (One skeleton and one pronged) is on his belt.

As Karok searches the constable, the sound of the writhing mass of entangling trees, limb, grass, and shrub subsides from the copse of trees and it becomes eerily quiet. Jhaelin's entangling spell apparently has ended.

Just inside the stone building, Jhaelin comforts Roxie as her paralysis persists for ten minutes. Then she begins the agonizing and torturous feeling of muscles awakening. While others can sympathize with her, only Karok can empathize with what she is feeling, having gone through the same thing only days ago.

---

End of combat....

Lying on the ground face down with arms outstretched, there is not much Negle can do. He has thought about running multiple times, but one look at the mage standing over him quells those urges quickly. Would Brin try to help him? Not likely, he surmises. The thief will save himself and run to Kabran.

"HEY! What you going do with me?" he asks his captors.

Locked inside of her own body was the worst torture she probably ever suffered. Roxie was one used to freedom in movement and mind yet there she lay, mentally slamming against the restraint of her body. She thought she would not be able to endure but Jhaelin wiped away her tears and spoke soothingly, gently ran his hand over her head and kissed her forehead.

Internally she could feel herself shaking, still afraid and yet his reassurances helped bring a little peace to her. That peace was shattered though as it felt like millions of tiny needles heated in a forge lanced through feet and hands, spreading like a wildfire to the very center of her being.

Soon it felt as if she had been submerged in lava and a deep moan issued from her chest as her body seized in Jhaelin's arms. Her breaths came in ragged gasps and she started to shake violently, soft choking sounds coming from her throat. The first movement was her eyelids, blinking rapidly against the tears before her lips moved into a grimace of pain.

"Gods," she gasped in pain and her arm jerked while slowly moving to wrap around his neck. Turning slightly, she buried her face in his chest and gritted her teeth as she seethed against the pain. It was like an eternity of burning in the lowest hell though actually only a short time, but finally her body began to normalize. She was drenched in sweat and tears but eventually sagged against Jhaelin, panting heavily.

Raising her head, she looked into his eyes and her palm smoothed along his neck to his cheek. "You save me over and over, in more ways than you could ever know," she whispered to him. And then, before she could lose her nerve, she brought her lips to his for a kiss as fiery as what she'd just been through and yet full of sheer bliss and passion.

"We're going to have a talk," Karok told the turncoat militia man. "You're going to fill us in on some things. After that, it's up to Jhaelin. And be glad. He's likely to be much more merciful than me, or that mage who's going to have a hangover soon. And especially more than the woman whose stick you went and chopped."

"You tall-soxed fool. You had no concept of the trouble that could mean, breaking her ten foot pole like that!"

"Of course it was not enchanted to begin with. Nothing is. First the item is made, and ~then~ you enchant it!" she says patiently to Illiana, trying to explain how the procedure works. For a mage, the poor girl certainly does not know very much about magic, she thinks, but she is too polite to say so.

However, she does have a good point in one respect. She does have a sword, and it is better than nothing. So, she stows her pole(s) and draws the short sword. It is no 10' pole, but it is better than nothing.

Stalking over to Karok and Negle, she stands there a moment, then, unless stopped by Karok, brings the blade hard across Negle's thighs, cutting muscle deeply. "No running!" she demands.

But whether Karock is fast enough to stop her or not, she will verbalize what they all no doubt want to ask. "Answer the questions! Where can we find a good mage, one who can re-enchant magic poles! Where is the moose head! Answer me!" She hefts her sword, ready to make him regret it if he refuses to answer the questions.

"Aauuuggghhh!" Negle cries out when Leah cuts across his thighs. He rolls over on the ground and kicks out at her with his boot ineffectively. "Get away from me!"

"Vade, at the perch can pro--" Negle squeaks in fear of being attacked again. It was a simple question, and he knew of only one mage that might be capable of such a thing. But her next questions halts the words on his lips as his mind reels with confusion.

"Whaa--" he sputters, then turns to Karok, gripping his wounded legs with his hands. "What she talk'n bout? Moose head?"

Surprised, Jhaelin's reaction was slow at first. The kiss is unexpected and Roxie's lips press against stiff lips. But he succumbs quickly to his own urges and opens to her with an exploring passion. An emotional moment for them both that quickly ends when Jhaelin's pains overcome his passions. He pulls away, gripping at his battered self.

"I'm sorry." he says quickly, trying to shallow his breathing. He pulls an arm against his chest and grimaces. Might have a broken rib, he thinks. Squinting through the pain, he looks at Roxie with eyes that plead for forgiveness.

"C'mon," he says, reaching to help her up.

When Jhaelin pulled back and hissed in pain, she realized then he was hurt as well and she pulled away quickly so she wouldn't put any pressure on his wounds. She felt awkward now, like maybe she'd done something wrong.

"I'm so sorry Jhaelin ... I shouldn't have done that, especially since you're hurt," she said quickly and scrambled to her feet. There was still some residual ache and tingling but she could move at least.

"We should get back to the others," she added and started to walk away from him, her exposed skin blood red. She had acted impulsively and while she didn't regret the kiss, she wondered if he did.

"She's quite mad, you know," Karok cocked his head at Leah. "You REALLY shouldn't have broken her stick. I MIGHT be able to keep her from eating you, but you'd better speak up quick. Where's Laurel?"

Negle eyes Leah forlornly. Mad the dwarf says. Yeah, he could see that.

"Laurel's in the cellar under the stairs." he says, sitting upright

"Im more than mad, I am very angry!" she agrees, then pushes Negle back down into a prone position.  "Karrok better find his moose head in there, or else!"

Karok signaled Jhaelin, when he appeared from the building. "We found out where Laurel is," he shared. "And Leah wants a moose head. Soon."

"Well where is she?" Jhaelin replies to Karok as he steps from the building. He ignores the part about a moose head as it pertained somehow to Leah.

Seeing the fighting over and no further threats, Jhaelin expends the last of his energy with a healing spell upon himself.

"She's in the cellar," Illiana says. "Under the stairs."

"That's what the fellow said," Karok agreed. "Let me know if you need my help, there."

"Now," he said, kneeling down to look into the bound man's face. "You mentioned a Vade, at the Perch. He's, what, a mage? Tell me about him."

Roxie emerged walking rather stiffly, still burned in a few places and looking worse for the wear but with purpose. "Your mage is dead," she told their captive and wiped the bloody dagger off on his shirt, letting the blade come close to his throat.

"He said something about Kabron right before I pulled this out of his heart so why don't you tell us about him and if the place where Laurel is held is locked and guarded in any way." Her tone and expression brooked no waffling, and whether or not he gave information about the cellar, she would be going there in just a few heartbeats.

"I yield the floor," Karok said, legislatively. "To the delegate from, um, Hades. Better talk to the mage-killer," he told the prisoner. "She's worse than the Stick-Master, here."

"The pronged one unlocks the cellar door." Negle says, pointing at the ring of keys. There were several skeletal keys and one pronged one. "Nobo--"

Negle glances at the "lady mage", then the "stick master", and lastly at the "mage killer" and gulps hard. All fierce and all women. Curses!

"Nobody in there but her-- but- mebbe Brin. Mebbe he go in through the side doors 'n kill 'er afore runn'n to Kabran, or he may jas head straight out fer Kabran."

He shrugs.

"Don't know. He's a tricky sort."

Jhaelin turns to search for the cellar as Negle speaks.

"The rogue!" he says in a warning over his shoulder. He suddenly does not want to enter the dark dwelling alone and turns back around.

"He WAS trapped with my spell, but no longer."

Jhaelin's eyes scan the edge of the copse of trees. That rogue could be anywhere! But... he's alone and there are many of us. Little comfort against an assassin.

"Devils be damned!" he says, grabbing the ring of keys. He turns and heads into the building at a quick pace.

"Better go get Laurel, quick," Karok counseled. "I'll watch the prisoner, here. Stay down tall socks."

(OOC- Normally this character would grab the keys and run for the door, to the rescue. But I'm going to a wedding, today, will be out of town, and don't want to hold the game up for the rest of you.)

Roxie knew the drill. "Iliana, you and Leah go with Jhaelin. I'm heading for those side doors." Veering off from the others, again, she kept alert and hoped the scum wasn't back there or already in with Laurel.

"I don't want your moose head, Karrock," she assured him. "You can have it back when we find it. And it better not be trapped!" she adds sternly to Negle.

She glowered at him a moment more, only turning away to correct Illiana and Jhaelin. "No, I'm right here! I'm just holding a sword, not a pole, so you must have been confused. But it's me."

Then they all said a lot of things that did not make all that much sense to her, but she was almost certain they were swearing. "Ass," she said to Negle to fit in.

And that brought them to splitting up. The pushy girl wanted her to go with the cleric and the poor girl. That could be a problem if they could not see her though. So she waved at Illiana and said to her, "I'm right here! I'll be with you!"

And right before running off after Jhaelin, she bonked Negle hard on the head with the hilt of her sword. "Stay down!"

A quick search of the old stone garrison turned ranch home finds Laurel to indeed be in the cellar under the stairwell. There are no moose heads. Gagged and tied, Laurel sits near an empty wine rack and some barrels and is relieved to be found. She hugs each of the companions, surprised and grateful to see them alive. Her blouse is torn revealing much of her bosom and her skirt slit to the waist revealing bruised leg. She is otherwise, in appearance, unharmed. A stair leads up to an opened side entrance to the outside.

The companions return Laurel to Falcon's Hollow on horses taken from the stable. Negle is locked up in a cell he once guarded; across from his dad. The magistrate can deal with him on the morrow. Laurel wastes no time in creating the brew as outlined from her grandmother's tome using the reagents which the companions worked so hard to acquire. Meanwhile, the companions get some much needed sleep at Jak'a'napes and return to Laurel's shop late morning the same day to find her delivering the brew to the local sick without harassment or incident by Kabran so far.

Quantities of the curative is sent to the cleric of the church of Iomedae, Lady Cirthana, where many sick lay in suffrage. Within two days, the pestilence is defeated and Falcon's Hollow begins to return to normal. The companions are invited to the Consortium Headquarters up on the Perch for a celebration in honor of their valiant efforts to save the village people. There they suffer the pompous arrogance and air of superior authority of their lumber magnate hosts and tell the tale of their venture. They are rewarded with a fine feast, dancing and to each, one hundred acres of undeveloped rolling grassland to the west (if they wish) upon condition of settling in the area in addition to a sum of gold.

No definite answer is determined (yet) on who was behind the spread of the disease. Many of the consortium asked questions which were unanswered. Blame seemed to lay at Kabran's feet and many were outspoken for quick justice, especially one magnate named Gavel Kreed. Kabran has not been seen in a couple of days and is rumored to be in the parlor house, the Rouge Lady. Others blame the kobolds, believing their sudden presence to be of significant importance and a danger to the security of Falcon's Hollow.

It is now three days after Laurel's rescue and the last day Jak Crimmey will tend to the companions on behalf of himself, the town, and his brother Dalthor in Falcarragh with free room and board. The companions enjoy a round of Jak's famous flap-jaks with milk and honey in the morning hours, when a porter from the Consortium Headquarters arrives. The magnate Gavel Kreed asks (more like an implied request) that the companions join him at the Headquarters for a luncheon at mid day to discuss a matter of utmost importance.

Negle only makes it alive to the cell because Jhaelin will not allow Leah to bring righteous vengeance down upon him. No moose head! She is apologetic to Karrock when this fact is discovered, and she dearly hopes one day he will receive his precious treasure.

There is a new person there though, and Leah wonders if she is a new companion. It does not seem like it though, as she already has a shop of her own. And she hogs all the mushrooms they had adventured for for herself! Hmmph!

The feast and the dancing are nice, and Leah does her best. She just wishes there had been more time to prepare, and she could have dressed better. Or perhaps not, since the reward was given at the feast. Well, at least she tried to wash out more of the blood, mostly hers, from what she did wear.

The offer of land was a wonderful thing! One hundred acres! She could build an inn, and then plant a wood, and have a piglet, and a rabbit, and a mule, and an owl, and a pooh bear, all in her own 100 acre woods! Well, 20 acres, unless the others did not want theirs. Maybe a farm would be nice too.

During the three days after returning and before the Consortium offer, Leah will look throughout the town for a mage who specializes in repairs and the mending of broken objects, so she might get her weapon restored. She has perhaps 100gp to use after the feast. Hopefully that will be enough. If anything is left over, then she can do a bit more shopping.

When the offer from the porter comes, she accepts the offer and will attend. A matter of importance sounds important!

When they had gotten back, Roxie gratefully took a room and locked herself away. She still hurt and was absolutely exhausted so pretty much barely got her clothes off and was asleep before her head hit the pillow. Sometime in the night, her eyes snapped open and she realized she had a grip on the dagger beneath her pillow. Some things were automatic now, never having to think.

What had woken her though was the dream. Her lips still tingled and the vision of that shared kiss lingered in her mind's eye. "Way to go, Roxie," she whispered sarcastically to herself. "Paw at him like a fool and scare him off. Hell, should just pack up and leave now." Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling and willed herself to go back to sleep.

There was one set of clean clothes left in her pack, simple black leggings and a black sleeveless button-down shirt. After a good long bath and another bit of angst over the loss of her hair, she was at least good and clean for the first time in a while. Looking in the mirror though wasn't a bright idea. The scar ran along her face and there was a slight notch in her ear. The light fuzz covered her head but there were other obvious vestiges of wounds.

She could be one of the visions of death, she thought. "You are what you are and might as well forget that fanciful thinking," she told her reflection. Again the thought occurred she should leave but she didn't. There was at least the report to the family of the deceased couple and collecting the reward for helping Laurel. She even suffered through the feast and dance though mostly hung back in the shadows.

The offer of land was accepted though willed to Jhaeilin in case something happened to her. Maybe he could use it in conjunction with his to make a grand church and place of study. She doubted she'd ever really get to settle there and snorted at the idea of her in a dress with a baby slung on her hip. As soon as the snort died though she knew it was what she wanted. A normal life with someone to love her.

That final day, she sat there quietly eating the meal provided and savored the taste of the milk. The feelings inside of her hadn't died, had only continued to tear at her insides but she continued to torture herself just for another moment near. Her dwarven friend received a few glances and she thought of asking if he would go with her, his humor much to her liking and she wouldn't be totally alone.

Her thoughts were interrupted though when the messenger appeared with his missive. A moment of anger flashed in her eyes though they were downcast at the time. Hadn't she done enough for this town? Suffered enough? Sure they gave her land and money ... that old line of thinking halted though as she looked up to see what the others would say. Who was she kidding? She knew she wouldn't abandon them.

Jhaelin spent the last few days at the church of Iomedae, helping Lady Cirthana with the sick. The curative from Laurel proves to defeat the black scour taint quickly and one by one, the sick become well and leave. Some are scarred, some are not. But all will live.

When not in prayer, meditation, or helping with the sick Jhaelin rests on some bedding in a storeroom. He stays close in case he is needed and the room at Jak'a'napes was just too far away. This is what he kept telling himself. But as he enters the inn on that third day and sees Roxie, the turmoil he has been repressing foments to the forefront of his mind. He reacts quickly by forcing a smile to his face.

Wearing the same clothes as three days ago, he walks over to the ceramic bowl filled with water and rose petals and washes his hands before taking a seat at the table. He looks at his companions in turn, wondering what they were going to do now that their quest was over.

He glances at each of his companions in turn, lingering longer upon Roxie. A slow crimson flushes his cheek before he averts his eyes. He silently chastises himself.

"Good morn'n all." he says, stacking food on his plate and pouring some goat's milk in a mug.

"Black scour taint is eradicated." he exclaims, smiling broadly. "I thank you all for helping me. I would not have retrieved those reagents without your help. I wonder wha--"

The messenger interrupts with his summons and departs. Jhaelin considers the invite.

"Gavel Kreed." He repeats the name. "Sourly looking fellow with a thinning and receding hairline."

Jhaelin rubs his own hair absently.

"And none too happy with any conversation involving Kabran. You all have nothing more vested in this, but if you wish... come with me and let us see what this intrigue is. I would enjoy the company." Jhaelin's eyes divert to Roxie at his last statement. "But first, I must bathe and clean up. Mayhap a small nap and prayers. I have received the blessings of Heironeous and he has seen fit to further my advancement in his good Will with a new and more powerful spell. Lady Cirthana was kindly enough to share her library with me as well."

He coughs awkwardly, not being one to boast upon accomplishments and turns to another topic.

"Leah. I was not able to find anyone in town that could magically mend your- ahem -magic pole." Jhaelin ignores Illiana's rolling eyes and soft sigh. "I did, however, speak with a gentleman about your wishes to establish an inn. He was particularly interested in the fact that your land is on the other side of the river."
This message was last updated by the player at 15:03, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

Illiana sits straight and proper with her hands in her lap, taking small bites of her meal every few minutes. She too had a new spell and more power, though she would never, ever divulge to this cleric where she obtained it.

She rolls her eyes at the mention of the magic pole. Ludicrous! Ridiculous!

But her slight scowl turns to a warm smile when Jhaelin mentions the prospect of the girl getting her own inn. That suits her just fine. Personally, she intended to see if Jhaelin wanted to further adventure and if the dimwit got her inn, maybe she could stay behind.

"That sounds wonderful Leah! You could start your own inn!" she says with a voice dripping like honey. "You certainly have the talent for such a thing."

The few patrons who enter the Inn immediately recognize the group of companions and stop by their table to thank them in words for their help with the town. Men shakes hands enthusiastically and women gush words of praise. At least with Falcon's Hollow, the companions have garnered some reputation among its citizens.

There was a lot Jhaelin was talking about that did not make much sense, but she smiled politely as he spoke, since it seemed to be important to him, whatever it was. However, when he got to the important points, it was with undisguised depression that Leah takes the news that there has been no luck in finding a competent mage with which to fix her magic pole. At least there was some bright news in that he met someone interested in staying at her inn.

"Yes, it is wonderful," she replies to Illiana and Jhaelin. "I didn't even have to advertise and now I have my first customer! But Jay Lynn, I hope you told him I still have to build it first, since right now it's just land with no inn on it you know. But if he wants to reserve a room now, we can do that, although I'll have to go get a ledger for him to sign to show he is staying, and the dates, so I don't book his room with someone else, and so it could be some time. Oh! Is he a camper? He can camp out on my land if he is, and I'll just have to pick some prices, but that would probably be less expensive than the cost to stay in the common room, when there is a commons to stay in."

She thinks for a bit, and adds "But if he is not a camper and he does sign the ledger, he should know that it might be a while before it's all built because building buildings is not cheap you know, so I'll probably need more money for that. I'll have to go adventuring again for more so I can have the inn all built, and plus, I'll also need furnishings and dishes for a proper inn. Right now I've only got a ceramic bowl, and a small iron pot, but don't worry, it's not enchanted like the kaldrun was that attacked us all, since it's a nice pot. Oh! I also have a spoon, and I'm positive it's a dessert spoon, because I've been using it to eat desserts and it's works just like a good spoon should, so that must be what it is, you know. What was the question again?"

Jhaelin laughs as Leah's words tumble from her mouth. He lets her finish.

"No no. I told him all that. He is not interested in staying at your inn. At least, not yet as it is not yet built. He is interested in building your inn when the time is right and if you are interested."

Jhaelin, still smiling, drinks from his cup while hoping Leah could not misconstrue what he just said.

Leah grimaces. "I would have hoped you wouldn't have told him ~all~ of that. I don't want rumors going around that the kettles might animate and attack the customers, after all, since they won't be magic ones. So, remember that sometimes you have to be careful about what you say." She shrugged, forgot about it, and then nodded, "Yes, I'll meet him, since I am interested, because I could use a good builder for the inn. But I hope he has a team with him, because building an entire inn by yourself is hard work, and not very fast, and I don't want to leave all the campers sitting outside for too long, or they might decide to look for another inn if it starts to rain too hard."

They had done a good job. They had lost some companions along the way, but, all, here, had survived. And they had saved a village from the ravages of disease. Even without the praise of the people he would have felt like a hero.

He didn't mind the praise, though. Nor the reward. Karok wished his family could see him now!

Up the road and perched atop a hill that overlooks Falcon's Hollow are a collection of buildings. The Darkmoon Logging Headquarters can be found there. A place where most of the consortium's business is attended. It is a squat stone building with a red tapestry on either side of the door. Black embroidery depicts two men holding a logging saw between them. This building, Kreed's Manor, and Vode's tower are each surrounded by an inner stone wall. An arched gateway with iron gates leads to each. The single gate to the Perch are guarded by four watchmen who scrutinize every entry. These men are known to be employed by the consortium and not by the town. Therefore, they are not a part of the town's watch.

The center of the Perch houses the high market. Brightly colored tent stalls occupy the space where vendors ply trade in more valuable items and curios. Imported foods, clothing and spices can be found in the high market for high prices. A market catering to the more wealthy. The very center of the high market contains a very large stump. This is supposedly where the first tree of the Darkwood Vale was felled some years ago. A huge, rusted two-man saw is standing in a cut atop the stump at an angle with its wooden ends whitened with age.

The companions are led away from the gate of the Perch by sentry to Kreed's Manor where they are expected. A serf leads them inside and through a wide hall with rooms to either side, then into a wide living chamber where there is a fire roaring in what might be the largest hearth any of the companions have ever seen. It is surrounded by an ornately carved mantle of dark wood. Plush couches and chairs line the center of the room around a low table that is nothing more than a simple stump, though impressively large. All this sits on a very large red and gold rug. Silver platters, pitchers, mugs, small plates, silverware, and an ornate candelabra are upon the large dark wood grained table. The walls are lined with some tapestry and paintings. A suit of armor adorns the northeaster corner of the room. Above the fireplace are mounted several different type of antlers. Everything from stag to moose.

Two large, long haired brown dogs lounge by the couch near the fire and look on with curious black eyes as the companions enter, tongues wagging from their mouths with every pant. A thin man, Gavel Kreed, stands as they approach and waves them forward to sit. It is easy to imagine this man was once tough and wiry, filled with strength, but no longer as age creeps up on him. Perhaps he was the one that once wore the armor in the corner. Now, there is a slight stoop to his gait. Wrinkles permeate his face and his hair is long and grayed.

"Welcome. Welcome." he utters throatily, retreating back to his high backed chair. He waves at them. "Sit, please. CABRYN! Pour them some wine."

A small female with dark hair tied back in a bun and reserved eyes comes from where she was standing unnoticed against a wall and does as she is told. She wears a cotton green dress with a black belt and sandals. She begins pouring each companion a chalice of wine from a long necked silver pitcher.

When Jhaelin had come back to the inn, she'd seen the look of uncertainty and then the forced smile. He was uncomfortable around her now and it was her own damn fault. Cut and run woman. You got enough to kick back for a while, even some land if you want to settle down.

He gazed at her then, color rising to his face and he looked away. Was it good or bad feelings that made him act this way? If she left, she'd never find out though this was all new territory for her. He was eloquent with words and she was like a tavern wench. She should try to talk to him, at least apologize for making him so uncomfortable but things were moving again and they might need her. He might need her.

The place was a magnet for her, so many shiny things that she knew would bring a lot of money on the market. Her fingers twitched more than once but she reminded herself she was trying to make a new life for herself, one that was on the right side of the law. Her fingertips caressed the chalice though when the wine was given, noting the exquisite detail and then turning her attention to what this man might have to say.

Leah looks about the room, admiring the decor. It was similar to how she should decorate her inn. Adventerurerurerers like horns and antlers and dead things on the walls.  Her eyes go wide and she nudges Karrok in the arm.

"Moose head" she says, admiring the antlers on the wall.

Sitting and drinking the wine, she wonders if it is made locally or imported. She'll need a supplier as well.

Karok took in the scene with aplomb. This WAS the nicest place he'd seen since beginning his travels among the tall folk, but stood up only moderately well to some of the fine dwarven cave homes in the mountains.

The precious metal service was decently crafted, the wine pretty good. He enjoyed the amenities and said little.

Let the rich man think him a simple fighter of little wit.

He wouldn't be all that far off.

Gavel notices Leah's appreciation of his decor and when her eyes linger on the mounted antlers, he smiles with a certain pride.

"Took me eleven years to acquire all of them. I killed each on hunting expeditions with a bow. Not one of those fancy magical bows either. Just an orcish bow given to me by a chieftain in times more.... forgiving." he says, looking along the row of mounted exotic horns. "My most prized is from a moose, an animal they say is now gone from this world."

"I have one you should see in another room, a dragon's skull they tell me, although I did not kill it. I come across it long ago in the wilds."

Gavel returns his attention to the adventurers before him. They were so young and some part of him balked at exploiting their skills. But skills they have and skills he needs.

"You wonder why I have asked you here." he says, sipping from his own chalice of wine. "So I tell you. Someone must be held accountable for those whom have lost their lives in this deliberate attack on our community. The people are angry. We feel justice must be carried out in order for the community to heal."

Gavel waves the girl away dismissively.

"We wish to commission you to carry out this justice. Find Kabran and bring him to the magistrate. Preferably alive, but I know him. He will fight when cornered. In return, we can offer you more gold and jewelry. We are also influential, and can help with whatever desires you might have in Falcon's Hollow. Perhaps one wishes to be mayor, or high priest of a new church. That sort of thing."

Jhaelin eyes the young woman circumspectly as she pours the wine. Servant or slave? He could not tell for certain. Servants can look dejected and submissive under bad employers. He had to push the thought aside and let it lie. For now, but he would ask around about it. Slavery is forbidden in the Ulduaan region.

Jhaelin balked inwardly at the fine headquarters of the logging consortium as they walked through its hall. Everything he looked at hinted at money and power. Exorbitance at the suffrage of those below in Falcon's Hollow. He wondered how many below had ever seen the insides of this place. Gavel's manor might be even more lavish.

Thinking on the offer, Jhaelin slowly places his chalice of mostly untouched wine on the table before him. He leans forward, interlacing his fingers in his lap.

"Is that truly your only motivation Gavel?" Jhaelin asks.

He then looks around at his companions, wondering what they were thinking. The man's words are rank with contradiction to reality. The logging consortium has no interest in those who have died. So what is his true motive here?

Roxie brought the chalice up in her left hand to take a soft inhalation of the liquid inside and then took a small sip. A whisper of a sound reached her ears and she paused, head tilting just a fraction as she tried to listen more.

Slowly she set the chalice down and her hand rested near the hilt of the dagger sheathed at her belt. No matter unresolved feelings, her gaze met Jhaelin's with an intensity he had come to know as wariness and a readiness to spring into action. Yet she remained still, straining to hear more sounds that were not exptected if possible.

Leah did not see a need for tension, so she had none. She likewise paid little attention to the serving woman, other than to admire her sharp outfit, and wonder where she had purchased it from. Maybe she could ask her later.

With the conversation about antlers, she says, "No, they're not gone at all. I saw a mouse just the other day. But they don't have antlers like this. These are far too big for them, you know! Even for a giant mouse, or giant rat. So, not rare or antlered at all. Now a jackalope, THOSE are rare."

When the dragon skull is mentioned, she replies, "Okay. Let's see." Maybe she can find one too.

As the discussion turns to what they were brought here for, Leah says, "If you know Kabran, why don't you ask him to turn himself in? And I'll need an inn permit, and a pole-mending mage."

Gavel puts down his chalice of wine and leans back in the high backed chair, giving Jhaelin a hard questioning look. One could tell he withheld a controlled anger at being questioned. After a moment he sighs.

"I have underestimated you Jhaelin." he says with a wave. "Yes, we run a business here and it is important to us. But the people are the backbone of our business. You can not cut trees without lumberjacks and barkers. You can not float trees without floaters and pikers."

"The people are our business. Who do you think asked the local herbalist to seek out adventurers? Do you think she, a lowly town herbalist, could afford to pay such a reward?"

Gavel pauses, his mind changing thoughts rapidly. He is obviously very unaccustomed to having his motives questioned. He seems flustered.

"Kabran took your sister. Kabran is implicated in the attack on the village with the taint. My motives are simple. Bring him to justice. Will you do this for us? We will pay you fifty gold apiece."

His gaze lands on the strange spoken Leah.

"And Im sure I can help you with any permits you require."

Karok shrugged his massive shoulders. "I'm finding I don't much care for this Kabran," he said serenely.

"I dont like him either, but I dont like the consortium more so." Jhaelin says to Karok, evidently uncaring whether Gavel could hear him or not.

"I spent most of my childhood here in Falcon's Hollow." he says to Gavel with a sigh. "It's no secret what's between you and Kabran. They call him Kabran Bloodeye now and wears a mask to hide what you did to him. Ive never seen his face, but one of those who have says you must have a strong stomach for it."

Jhaelin pauses to let that sink in.

"I think... you could take care of this yourself if you wished, but you would rather have us do your dirty work for you. You want a buffer between you and anything to do with Kabran so you dont look bad. Just like... you did with Laurel? And why is that?"

Now Jhaelin was stumbling through thoughts and possibilities that seemed to tumble from the back of his mind. Something was not right. Something didnt add up. His mind reeled with half formed thoughts and questions. He shakes his head to clear it and makes his point.

"The people are angry and this is bad business for you I think. Angry people are unproductive. So... you figure you can kill two doves with the fly of one stone. Kill Kabran, with whom you have a shared hatred, and protect your business interests by settling the inevitable disruption of your production."

Jhaelin stands.

"I can not speak for everyone here. But for myself, I will not accept your offer. You wish to exploit us on convenience of circumstance. Kabran may not even be behind the attack on this village. We dont know. What we DO know is that he took Laurel for some purpose. For that he will suffer in justice. For that, I will bring him to the magistrate alive or dead. This, I have already decided. Not for you! The outcome may be the same and beneficial for you and if I were an evil man, I would accept your offer in greed. But to accept implies I am allied with you and your business and I am not."

Illiana starts and turns to look over at the dull-witted cleric with a confounded expression. Is he nuts?

"You will turn down fifty gold for something you are going to do anyway?" she asks in a barely restrained voice. "What fool would do that? I could use such a reward to help fund my research."

Roxie hadn't liked what was going on either, wondering if pointing the finger at his known enemy would take away blame from himself. It was a common ploy and most villagers never realized what was going on until it was too late.

She was silent as she rose a fraction of time behind Jhaelin but when Iliyana called him a fool, her eyes became as hard as the steel of her blades. "One day you'll learn you can't put a price on honor."

Stalking over to the mage, she glared daggers. "He has saved your life time after time, treated you with dignity and respect even when you clearly didn't deserve it, so you'd serve yourself best to not call him a fool again," she growled as her face ended up mere inches from the other.

Backing away then, she looked at the rest of her party. "Time to go?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. It was probably best she at least walked out of there for the moment before she let her old ways take over completely and left the twit laying her own pool of blood.

Illiana glares back at Roxie with eyes like flaming daggers of her own, but keeps her mouth shut. Clearly, the rogue and the cleric had a thing. She knew that all along because she was just that perceptive about people. She could read them like a book. The rogue was more than a little scary anyway it just wasnt worth her time to bicker.

"Fine." she says, standing as Roxie moves away. "But research is NOT CHEAP!"

"Do you think we're dumb?" Leah stands, hands on hips, facing the man with the keen decorating sense. "A piece of gold is only worth one gold, not fifty, unless it is a really big piece! We demand fifty separate gold pieces each, inn permits, access to enchanted pole repair magic, and a moose head for the dwarven lady!"

Karok opened his mouth to respond, did a double take as Leah made her contribution to the conversation, then said. "Aye, a person has to be a little bit careful who they crawl in bed with. I don't know you, but Jhaelin does, and we're a team. Good day to you, and thanks for the ale."

He gave Leah one more dubious look, then went over to join the group in a unified walk out.

As Jhaelin is finishing his words, Gavel sighs and turns away. He begins walking toward another doorway.

"Suit yourself. You will not get far here cleric." he says, folding his hands behind his back as he walks away. He mutters with a dismissive wave, "See them to the door."

The companions make for the hall which leads to the double doors to the headquarters. They know the way out, but the girl with head down follows anyway as commanded. Suddenly she gasps and stops as pale hand lands on her shoulder. Looking back, the companions see a robed man standing behind her. His robe is midnight blue with intricate silver embroidery along the wide cuffs and hems. A cowl hides most of his features except for long, stringy brown hair flowing from beneath it and a hawkish curved nose and thin tight lips. The man sports a short cropped and pointed goatee of brown hair. Shadows hide his eyes and any other features. His has light skin.

"I am Vode." he says, then shushes the girl. "You can go now. Do not speak of me."

The girl moves away, moving a bit faster than before.

"I would speak with you, if that is alright." He regards each in turn to feel inclusive. "Shall I walk with you?"
This message was last updated by the GM at 15:38, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

"How do you feel about ten foot poles?" he asked, apparently, to the wizard, in apropos of nothing.

Already on edge, the dagger had slipped from its sheath at Roxie's waist as she stepped toward the door to lead the way out though it remained in more of a defensive position flat against the underpart of her forearm rather than out in an offensive position. She'd heard something before and the way Gavel said they wouldn't get far made her quite suspicious.

Walking along, she felt the anger boiling at Iliana for her insolence. She found herself hating her as much as this elusive enemy if not more so. Ill tempered and ungrateful, always ready to put someone down. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that had been her not that long ago and that realization only made her angrier.

Hearing the gasp behind them, Roxie whirled to see the robed figure with his hand on the girl and the knife flicked out away from her arm, ready to battle if necessary. Her eyes narrowed as she began to shift, wanting to position herself better but allowing him for now to speak to them.

"Oh, good! We agree!" Leah says cheerily, glad Gavel had accepted her terms. She was a shrewd negotiator, she congratulated herself, as she went to join the others, since there was no more point in remaining here. They now had a job to do, after all.

As they exited and the robed man appears, Leah looks oddly at Karrock. Everyone likes ten foot poles if they want to survive, so she did not see the point of the questions. But the man asked if he could walk along, so Leah shrugged in response. "That's usually how new members join," she stated, thinking this was just a new member of the band.

Vode regards the dagger with a glance and doesnt move. His eyes move to Roxie's and he says, "Such... passion." Roxie wonders just which passion he might be talking about, but the mage does not elaborate. She notices his eyes quickly dart to Illiana before moving to Karok.

"Ten foot poles." Vode repeats, musing over the question from the dwarf. It was an interesting question. "Well... I have always preferred the shorter staff, but some say that ten foot poles can be very useful to adventurers and some innkeepers."

The edges of his thin tight lips rise ever so slightly into what might be a smile. He starts walking toward the double doors, gesturing for them to follow. Once outside and near the inner walled gate, he stops and turns to them.

"It is certain that Kabran is a vile man as most would tell you. It was not always so. He harbors an anger for terrible things done to him. I do not believe he is behind the attack. He did take Laurel and I am not sure why. Perhaps to further hurt Gavel as an opportunity."

Vode looks around carefully. A crew of roofers have a wooden ladder leaning against the building to the right and a couple of workers mill about. He lowers his thin reedy voice to just above a whisper.

"I do not believe in coincidences. At the feast, you spoke of the ancient dwarven monastery and it intrigued me greatly. I am almost certain the threat to this village originates from there. The one thing no one has questioned is... what better place to find an odd rock and rare fungi than an ancient dwarven hole in the ground? The crag is another possibility, but one not as nearly convenient as a ruin."

Vode's eyes linger on the pendant hanging from Karok's neck, his eyes flicker with intense scrutiny, much the same as the night of the feast.

"If you seek further adventure-" he says finally. "-and a chance at finding the source of those responsible for attacking Falcon's Hollow, return there and delve deeper into the ruins. There is talk of kobold witch-doctors. There have been a few kobold raiding attacks on Neufeld road north. Your kobold assassin could be evidence of their lair."

Seemingly precognitive about everything else, he apparently did not know Illiana was brought there by a raiding party of kobolds.

"Think on it." he says, looking at Jhaelin. "If you wish to go, come ready to my tower at dusk. We will discuss your venture further and prepare. Think on what you may need in assistance. If you do not come, I have my answer."

Suddenly, there is a commotion over at the ladder where the roofers work. "LOOK OUT!", one yells as a stack of roofing tiles slides down the slope, tumble to the ground twenty feet below, and break into pieces with a loud clatter.

Turning back to Vode, he is gone.

Roxie's eyes widened and then narrowed again immediately at the mage's words, not liking his implication as it was ambiguous and entirely too close to the truth on many fronts.

Peripherally she noted he glanced at Iliyana and her screams about research made her wonder if he would try to apprentice the foul woman. She wouldn't mind getting rid of her but to someone this powerful she could only imagine the hell the woman would put others through.

The gaze drifting to Karok brought another surge of protectiveness and the way he eyed the pendant along with talk of the ruined monastery made her bristle. She remembered the secret passage they hadn't been able to access. She'd also wondered what had been able to kill a huge spider and push it out onto them, then disappear before they could be seen.

There were many unanswered questions there but she also hated that place more than anwyhere she'd ever been. So much pain and near deaths for her had happened just there. For a split second she looked away at the cry and crash, then cursed herself when she looked back to see the mage had disappeared. "Sneaky damn mages," she muttered and looked at Jhaelin. "Interesting talks so far today," she quipped.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:45, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

Illiana's eyes lit up the moment she saw the strange mysterious man. Mysterious meant magic. She follows, listening to the conversation, hanging on every word and forming a hasty strategy on what to say to him. How to impress him and gain his confidence as a possible ally, if not... tudor.

The noise and clatter of breaking tiles brought a flush of anger to her face. Her concentration on what she was about to say vanishes and when she turns back to the mage, he is GONE! Such power, she muses.

Illiana places an hand on Jhaelin's arm, "Oh Jhaelin, we have to come back and see what he says. It would be derelict to do otherwise. We will come back won't we?"

She looks over a the taller, more ancient looking tower. The other stone buildings were newer. They did not have a layer of green moss and thick vine creeping twenty feet up their sides. She wonders what wondrous and fantastic knowledge might be contained within that curved wall.

Jhaelin was beside himself at the moment and unusually quiet. He listens to Vode as they move along the hall and out into the inner courtyard. It was an interesting proposition. One, it could in fact lead them to the source of the attack on Falcon's Hollow, or it may not. Did he want to go back there? Was he resigned enough for the adventurer's life? He searches his soul and finds himself yearning to be back into the unknown. It invigorated him, though he suffered a bit. A hand absently rubs his head that has a few days stubble growth.

He had to face it, as he looked at the others. They were an adventuring group, but did they want to go back?

Jhaelin moves off toward one of the high market stalls where a woman had wares of jewelry and trinkets for sale. An elven tiara catches his eye, bringing thoughts of Durwe and Tynia. Were they okay?

"Do we want to go back to that place?" he asks casually to the others while sifting through a couple of silver earrings. Why earrings, he questions inwardly already knowing the answer. He puts them down and moves on to some bangles.

"If we do, we need to prepare. Some potions against poison comes first to my mind. I can see if Lady Cirthana will help with that, or Laurel. We should see if Vode will help in our preparations. See what he is willing to offer. Maybe he has a magic item or two, or potions and scrolls."

"Personally, I am for going. I yearn for the adventure and unknown. In the cause for good, of course. But each of you should make your own decision. Just know that I value you each. Karok, you are a rock of wisdom and tactics. Illiana, your use and knowledge of magic outstrips any mage I have known. (He doesn't elaborate that he only knew one - the late Brett) Leah, you are the best cook I know and Roxie--"

Jhaelin's eyes move from the stall to her, a pair of silver bangles in his fingers, "--you have skills no adventuring party should be without."

"Back to the monastery, eh?" Karok ponders. "Well, at least we know our way to the place, and halfway around it. And, if we have some sponsorship this time, with magic items, sure, why not?"

"I'd particularly like to rid the world of a few kobolds!"

Roxie's eyes had lingered on those earrings and a few other items around Jhaelin but focused on him when he started noting each person's contributions. Her skills, the unsavory type. She was useful though she reminded herself.

"There was that passage I wanted to figure out," Roxie said as she looked over at another stall with hair ribbons and scarves, her own fingers absently going to her scalp at the nape of her neck. There was a time that pretty blue one would have looked nice threaded through with a braid.

Her hair had been as nice as Iliyana's which brought the vision of how the mage had touched Jhaelin's arm and she'd coo'd at him to go to Vode's tower. He hadn't pulled away, even when she'd called him a fool just shortly before. Cut and run, fool!

"We need more ways to heal though, potions and a wand. A means of keeping us cool would be nice too," she heard herself saying. She would stay and torture herself, maybe even getting herself killed this time. Crossing her arms across her chest, she internally chastised herself for being a fool but a glance over her shoulder brought her eyes to Jhaelin and a soft smile formed on her lips.
This message was last updated by the player at 15:53, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

“No, we can’t go there now” Leah said matter-of-factly. “We already agreed to go and capture the Kabron who is kidnapping townspeople. If he will take herbalists, innkeepers will be next, and then where will people stay? Besides, after all that bargaining, they agreed to give us Karrock’s moosehead, and we can’t just throw that away. He has been searching for so long!”

“Besides, this new party member isn’t very smart. Why would an innkeeper need a ten foot pole? That’s a silly idea.” She chuckles and shakes her head. “No, not very smart at all.”

“Karrock, we can make another pilgrimage to your home after if you like, and it’ll be nice to see how fast your children are growing, but we should stop the kidnapper first.”

Karok regarded Leah with wary incredulity. Maybe she had elven blood, he decided. Maybe that's why she was so fey and daft.

"One thing I would like," the stated. "Is to upgrade by armor. If they have anything around here in dwarven sizes."

"Leah, we don't know where the kidnapper is...yet. But we do know where the monastery is." Jhaelin remarks as he shows two pieces of jewelry they had acquired to the vendor. The woman seemed very pleased by them. One a jeweled silver buckle and another a silver rope necklace. The vendor takes both pieces and after a bit of trade speak, Jhaelin walks away with one hundred fifty gold coins to add to their coffer. He searches the stalls for a gemcutter as he moves around the market.

"I think we can sell most of these things," Jhaelin says, looking through the leather pouch containing the accumulated treasures not divided among them. "After, we will divide the coins and any portion that can not be divided evenly shall remain in the coffer for expenses."

Jhaelin trades the sapphire necklace they had acquired for its worth in coins, then moves on.

"Yes. A wand would be splendid!" Illiana says, responding to Roxie's suggestions without looking at the rogue. She swipes her fingers through her long hair, letting the mid day's sun filter through the golden locks while playing at the ends with her fingers. "We must suggest that for sure. Perhaps one that creates a burst of fire, or a bolt of lightning. I have actually seen one of those work and it is impressive and quite dangerous."

She spoke so fast as to become breathless for a moment as her mouth is unable to keep up with her thoughts. She envisions herself holding such a wand and feeling its power! She rests a hand on her chest, her eyes alight with possibilities.

"Scrolls could be very very useful too."

An hour passes and Jhaelin manages to sell all of the wares they had collected in their adventure. The high sun beats down on the market intensely and the companions begin to feel the heat, reminding them of the journey they would have to take to get to the monastery. The coins are counted and divided among the companions while eating a bowl of fish chowder one vendor sells near a large tree with wood benches and tables. A brief respite enjoyed in a great shade from the heat of the day.

There are numerous people in the market, small as it is, and the area is patrolled by guards.

"Aye, I like the thought of watching a bunch of kobolds all fry in the space of a couple of heartbeats," Karok said. "Just mind that your friends aren't standing there, fighting amongst the kobolds when you fry them."

"Scrolls would be good, though. Both for your kind of magic, and for healing.

Can't have too much healing, it seems."

"Trust me, it's not fun being roasted," Roxie said and couldn't quite suppress the shudder. Fish chowder wasn't one of her favorites but it filled her belly and she tucked away her share as she eyed their surroundings. There were guards and it was broad daylight but that didn't mean someone wasn't fool enough to try to steal.

It also gave her a reason not to look at Iliyana, who she knew was deliberately trying to ruffle her feathers by playing with her gorgeous hair. She wouldn't give her the satisfaction though of showing how much it hurt but there was a dangerous glint in her eyes. Hair could easily be cut in the heat of battle ...

On the north side of the Perch sits an open stable against the outer high wall. Five stalls for horses can be discerned and one for a large hay stack. Right next to it sits a stone building that is a blacksmith's work space with a fire pit, bellows, and a large anvil in the center. A single door on the inside leads to a room. On pegs along the walls of the work space are various tools of the trade and below them are heavy wooden counters with bits of armor, weaponry, and other items in the works. Below the counter is some shelving with iron ingots piled onto them. To the back, near the wall is a smelter for melting the iron into bars and just behind the fire pit is a tanning rack for making leather. The long side of the building facing the stable has a twelve foot wide opening. The heavy double doors are open.

The blacksmith is a short fellow with broad shoulders and massive arms in muscle. He has a weathered look about him with taut skin with many scars from sparks of hot metal. He wears a heavy apron and is working on a horseshoe. The rhythm of the hammer echoes across the market when Karok approaches.

When he looks up, his bespectacled eyes squint, noting the group of adventurers. Upon seeing Karok, his eyes widen a bit with confirmation of rumor.

"You that group what cured the sickness. What brings yeh here?" he asks, wiping sweat from his chin and forehead with a cloth.

"Good day sir Smith," Karok hailed him politely. Smiths, of course, inhabited an exhalted place in any dwarven community.

"It looks like we're heading out, again, to try and help the people, here. Danger's likely to be greater, too. I was told you could size a suit of armor to fit someone like me, maybe before tomorrow. I'd be hoping for a suit of banded or splint mail, if you could oblige. And I'd be willing to trade in these well-used leathers, if you get some good out of them."

"Well, if it can be done, Durnan Smith can do it." the smith says, eyeing the dwarf up and down. Taking mental calculations, he figured he could alter a suit of banded mail he has inside.

"Come with me." Durnan says, making for the door on one side of the workspace. Behind the door was a shop, of sorts, where all manner of things were stored. The smithy opens a crate and pulls out a suit of human sized banded mail and holds it up. It clearly was used, but in good shape. A few leather straps and cinches were newer than the overlapping horizontal strips of laminated metal sewn over a backing chain links and soft leather.

"Ahh yep. I can do that." he says, then looks at the dwarf. "I'll do the work. Take two of us all night, but it can be done. Won't charge yeh for that see'n how you all helped our little town 'n all. The suit, I can part ways with it for say.... 95 kings. That's about half what its worth new minus a little for your leather we can put to re-purpose. That do yeh?"

Durnan breathes carefully, waiting to see if the dwarf was going to try and barter with him.

While the others meander away to the blacksmith, Illyana continues to move through the market. She finds one old codger that sells reagents and buys some components required for some newly learned spells. She has spent considerable time the last few days learning, practicing, and transcribing spells. It is tiring, to say the least, and her friends will be impressed when she reveals her new power.

She also stopped by a vendor selling dresses and other tailoring items before finally meeting back up with the others.

"Aye, good enough," agreed Karok. "It's much of my cash reward from the city, but I figure this will be a good investment. Here's forty-five, now, on good faith, and I'll bring you the rest on the morrow when I pick up the armor.

“We can ask Gavelhammer where he is. If he wanted us to bring him to justice, he should know. And you wanted to stop him from kidnapping more people, didn’t you?” Leah asks, wholly confused why they are not looking for the mage. “And we might know where the monastery is, but we also know where the bakery is, and we are not going there. Although some fresh rolls would be nice,” she quickly adds as she takes another bite of the fish chowder, before adding aa bit of garlic to the dish.

When they split up to go to the market, forge, and elsewhere, Leah likely goes back to Gavel’s home, intent on asking where Kabron is.

Leah finds the gate to the consortium headquarters closed and locked, thereby barring any attempt at finding Gavel. The companions spend the rest of the day preparing for their journey, buying provisions and such. Jhaelin procures four vials of anti-toxins from Laurel. Two for snakes and two for spiders. Lady Cirthana at the church of Iomedae is helpful by providing a scroll which would slow the spread of any poison, but not cure it. She also provides a scroll for protection from evil and another two of cure light wounds.

A messenger sends word to the companions that Vode has been otherwise detained in business affairs and will be unable to meet with you this evening. He will expect you all mid-new sun on the morrow and apologizes for the delay. The rest of the day for the companions is spent in idle rest and preparation. The baker happily supplies a couple of fresh loafs of bread to Leah when she visits the shop.

Jhaelin returns to Jak'a'napes after long hours at the church of Iomedae. His expression is weary and his face haggard from exhaustion. Roxie sits at one of the tables alone and Jhaelin frowns inwardly. He had to speak with her, but was uncertain what to say. They had shared a moment between them at Kabran's ranch, a moment his mind kept returning to time and again. The memory of her soft lips upon his brings a burning to his loins and a crimson flush to his face and mostly bald head. But what had that been? An over reaction to being healed? True feeling?

Jhaelin approaches the table and when she looks up he smiles warmly at her blue eyes, as he always does. He pulls a chair and sits, feeling comfortable and familiar around her. They had all shared an experience together and he could feel a bond growing between them all... well, maybe not Illyana. He pushes the thought of the mage away.

"I have scrolls and potions," he says cheerily to Roxie, waving Jak's son over to the table to order an ale. "Laurel provided some potions and Lady Cirthana at the church provided some scrolls for us."

Jhaelin's eyes light up at the mention of being at the church.

"An ale," he says to Jonny.

Roxie had let the others go off on their business, not wanting to get in the way of some and simply not being able to stand being around another for more than was necessary. She thought about going with Karok though, to see if they had any armor that was lightweight and would grant her better protection but knew something like that would cost more than she had.

The market held nothing she needed though she had bought a couple more changes of underclothes. Dresses were not for her and she had no need for hair accessories anymore. Jewelry was also laughable now given the way she looked. It would be like dressing up a scarecrow!

So she sat in the corner with her back to the wall and eyes on the door as always, nursing an ale as well as her hurts inside. What was her purpose anymore? Before it had been coin and jewels, gathering wealth to ... do what? As she had traveled through life, she found herself lost.

The door opened and Jhaelin stepped in and she felt that lost sensation fade away. It didn't matter where she was or what they were doing as long as he was near. It seemed she had broke the cardinal rule of those who had trained her. "I don't care how good looking they are... never never never fall in love."

Her brooding demeanor had lightened the moment he walked in and she felt her heart racing as he strode toward her and sat down. "That's really good news," she replied about the potions and scrolls and wished she could make his eyes light up the way they did when he spoke of the church.

"Leah isn't going to be happy going back to the monastery," she commented off-handedly as she took another sip. "Too bad we can't get something to make her a little smarter. Her heart's in the right place but she's like a babe on a battlefield, distracting to the point it can get someone killed including herself."

As she spoke, she realized she cared too much now. She didn't want Leah to get hurt and felt an odd protectiveness of the woman. It was rather a stark contrast to her feelings about Iliyana. Perhaps both were needed to balance things, a frustrating epiphany!

All her internal evaluations weren't doing her any favors and not the best way to pass time. She was used to being on the move or doing something unless she was sleeping so downtime, seen by a luxury by some, was a bane to the thief. "So we don't have anything to do until late tomorrow morning," she said with an unreadable glance to Jhaelin. "What do people around here do for fun?"

...to the point it can get someone killed including herself."

Jhaelin sighs. In truth, he was torn on the issue of Leah. He would feel responsible if anything did happen to her, and it would. She just did not possess the common sense required for adventuring. But then, who was he to try to thwart the wishes of another from doing what they want? A friend, that's who. A friend looking out for their safety. He would talk with her.

"I will have to talk with her," he says, unsure exactly how to go about that. He could see the worry in Roxie's expression and figured she felt as responsible as he would if something bad happened. He places his hand on hers on top of the table and smiles reassuringly. The touch quickens his heart. "The Gods protect the innocent most of all."

...do people around here do for fun?"

Fun? His expression is one of bafflement and perplexity and his hand retreats from hers. What did one do around here for fun? The things he did when younger were not so much fun as exciting and what most would call trouble making. A pang of guilt claws at his insides on thinking of those times and he pushes away buried memories.

A smile creeps over Jhaelin's face as he remembers the one thing he did do for absolute fun and excitement. Something banned for years since one of his childhood friends was killed. B'netha Falls as they come to call it as kids.

"Can you swim? How about a trip to the falls? I have something to show you there. It will be beyond anything you have ever experienced." he says with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

Illyana enters the Inn and sees Roxie and Jhaelin sitting at a table with Jhaelin's hand over hers. She rolls her eyes pretentiously and seeks out Jak Crimmey, the innkeeper to book a room for the night. She has to use her own coin because according to Jhaelin, the party coffer is empty. "Sure it is", she thinks.

After booking her room, which cost her five pieces of silver. She retires to her room for the rest of the day and indulges herself with research and study.

Roxie saw the turmoil Jhaelin felt about Leah and shared it because the woman was actually sweet at times and had actually made her laugh on more than one occasion, something rare for the brooding woman. It was only when danger arose that she felt anxiety.

The gods protected the innocent but once in a while an innocent slipped through the cracks. "You don't have to be alone when you talk with her and maybe there's something, a magic item maybe, that could help her. This mage surely has things around that would at least help when the chips start flying."

Her eyes flicked up to the door and she saw Iliyana enter, haughty as ever and then rolling her eyes. In a way she felt sorry for the woman, apparently never having felt something strong and sweet for anyone. It made her wonder if she had she been abused or was just normally a bitch.

His hand had felt nice resting on hers but then he pulled away like she'd burned him and his expression changed to what looked like shame and guilt. Her gut clenched as she thought he couldn't stomach even a light touch. No, it couldn't be that if the signs she'd been seeing were right.

Her interest was certainly piqued when he asked if she could swim and said there was something he wanted to show her. "I can swim a bit, used to every chance I had as a little girl." Downing the last of her ale, she thought of how the water would feel against the heat of the day and smiled, a genuine and unguarded expression.

"Well let's to it then," Jhaelin says, downing the last of his ale. "We can pick up some meat and cheese in low market to take with us."

After buying a few picnic provisions, Jhaelin and Roxie make their way up Neufeld road toward the falls in mid-low sun when the day just begins to start cooling off. The road winds along the fast flowing river, then strays off toward the left to climb the ridge. That way leads toward Kabran's ranch and Neufeld, a small farming village further along. At the base of the ridge, Jhaelin leads Roxie off toward the river and the ever louder falls. It comes into view and is quite a sight. The tumultuous roar of the water cascading into the pool below is like thunder. A light mist of water hangs in the air, cooling the area from the otherwise intensely hot day.  This is B'onetha Falls.

At the base of the falls, is a large pool of water, a common place for swimming by the locals. The pool is edged with large boulders that are ringed with green algae and tall darkwood trees spared cutting by those who are sentimental toward such things. The falls drop at least forty feet from top to pool. Forty yards south of the falls, the water drops quickly down steep white frothed rapids until finally settling into the river flow about a hundred yards further.

On the other side of the pool, a boy sits on a boulder in the shade with a fishing pole. He looks on with piqued curiosity.

Roxie follows Jhaelin into the churning pool of fresh water and finds the rocky ground angles downward sharply. They swim toward the falls and then using the rocks to help them move forward goes behind and under an overhang only a few feet over the water. Hidden by a curtain of water and a twist in the rock is a fissure that cuts back into the face of the falls. The channel is wide enough to swim, but the two find a rocky bottom beneath their feet as they proceed inward with the water chest deep. It is dark, uninviting and a surprisingly strong current pulls against their legs, trying to draw them inward.

Ten feet in it seems suicidal to proceed any farther. Fear of being sucked into some underground fissure and drowning becomes quite overwhelming.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:27, Mon 21 Nov 2022.

"FRIGHTENING ISN'T IT," Jhaelin shouts, staring into the darkness ahead. He can feel the tenseness in Roxie's hand, her grip tight and un-ordinary. He turns to her, mischief and excitement mixed with more than a little fear and trepidation in his eyes. He grips her shoulders and has to shout above the thunderous roar of the falls.

"GRAB THE ROCKS AS THE CURRENT PULLS YOU ALONG. IT WILL GET STRONGER, BUT DON'T BE TOO AFRAID. FOLLOW THE LEFT WALL BY FEELING YOUR WAY ALONG. IF YOU LOSE YOUR GRIP... WELL..."

The meaning was clear. Don't lose your grip. Jhaelin smiles, clearly invigorated by a rush of adrenaline.

"READY?"

The walk was pleasant, no pressure to go kill something or someone nor any real goal set making it one of life's simple pleasures to be treasured. Her thoughts crept back to Leah, how vulnerable she really was and her conscience nagged at her. In their own way, they protected her and kept her from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous sorts.

Her thoughts halted when she saw the pool and waterfall, one of nature's most beutiful adornments. "This is lovely," she said and followed him into the water, a small smile playing on her lips at the confused look on the boy. Further in, the adrenaline was starting to kick in and she was more than a little surprised.

Admittedly afraid of big spiders, something they had in common, Jhaelin always seemed so steadfast and while he would go into adventure as boldly as anyone this was something she hadn't expected. Deep inside him was a thrillseeker and it made her blood rush with joy. Her hand squeezed his as that powerful sensation coursed through her and she smiled almost ferally.

"ALMOST!" she shouted back with a chuckle. When he turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, she saw the look in his eyes and it was mirrored in hers. He was magnificent and her hand rested on his chest as he instructed her for the next step on this exhilarating journey. "NO LETTING GO!" she promised and nodded her head as she pulled her hands away. "READY!"

Jhaelin leads Roxie deeper into the channel and into the dark. The current pulls at their legs, enough so that they have to hold onto the rocks to keep from losing their footing. Soon the channel is too deep to walk the bottom as the the floor angles downward steeply.

The roar of the falls becomes muffled and fades the deeper they go, slowly moving hand over hand along the rock wall of the channel. Several minutes pass in darkness as they move along, then the water starts to take on a soft greenish hue, lit from deep below by a soft light that flickers like sunlight glinting off a coin. The rippling surface of the water creates a dizzying pattern of movement on the limestone walls of a small chamber above the light and there there is a small ledge above the waterline.

Jhaelin and Roxie pull themselves onto the ledge, breathing heavy from exertion. The plateau is just big enough for the both of them, covered in moss and relatively dry. The ceiling is low and just high enough for them to sit comfortably. The surface of the water in the chamber slowly swirls like a whirlpool. The pool is about thirty feet deep and clear with the chamber walls sloping down like a bowl strewn with rocks, boulders and an abundance of underwater fauna that are tugged at by the current. There are no fish. The glint of light is too bright to see what exactly is creating it-- whatever it might be is small.

Jhaelin helps Roxie from the pool, taking her under an arm and pulling her from the water onto the ledge. His breathing is heavy and he drips from ear to nose. He blows some water from his face, then swipes away the excess with his wet shirt before laughing. They were a mess. At least they didnt have to worry about hair. She had trusted him, he thinks. Fascinating! Now they sit on a small ledge, safe, wet and dripping.

"Well... what do you think?" he asks, looking around at his secret space. Refracting light on the surface of the water moves across every crevice of the chamber... and her wet face. Her wet clothing clings to her lithe and petite form. He smiles at the turn of his thoughts, remembering the kiss a few days ago.

"Beautiful-- isn't it." he murmurs. He meant more than the chamber of light. Here in this place, they were alone. He could reveal his attraction to her. Anywhere else... anytime else... he had to be strong and reserved.

Jhaelin reaches over and wipes some water from her face and cradles her chin in his hand. Be bold, he thinks, hoping the moment returns.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:18, Sat 12 Aug 2023.

Roxie was tenacious for sure, gripping the rocks and scooting along without anything beneath her feet a short time before him but she was used to scrabbling along like this and felt her heartbeat quicken from the danger and excitement. Slowly the din of water crashing down began to decrease and there was a more hollow sound with a slight echo signaling a cave-like structure just ahead.

For a moment she paused to look at the light and wavering shadows on the walls before hurrying after Jhaelin. Her smile was almost manic and he could likely feel her heartbeat as he reached down to help her onto the ledge but then she had a chance to truly look at everything about her expression seemed to soften.

Her eye was first drawn to whatever it was giving off the light and the lure of it was strong. Her mind went to work, imagining tying a rope around her waist and diving down to at least see what it was but being able to pull herself to safety. It would also be tempting to take it but that seemed to bother her.

This was Jhaelin's place, a wonderful secret he was sharing with her and she knew she wouldn't be able to take anything from here because it would be like stealing from him. Taking a moment to squeeze some water from her shirt his words brought her back to him.

"I think it's the most beautiful place I've ever seen," she said and there was an honesty ringing in the air. She had seen a lot of luxurious places but this was natural, truly spectacular and most of all he was sharing this with her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:20, Sat 12 Aug 2023.

Overcome with emotion, Jhaelin can do nothing but smile and soak in the warmth and beauty that is Roxie. He has never met anyone that was nearly like her, which is why he was attracted to her. Only two weeks they have known each other and yet feels comfortable with her like they have known each other for much longer. He wanted her to know how much he enjoyed her, yet found it awkward to express.

Interlacing his fingers within hers and kissing the back of her hand. "I love you and none other."

A commitment, he realizes, and determination is etched in his features. With a sigh, he rolls over and begins to get dressed after wiping away a bit of green moss and blood from his knees. He winced at the pain and could have healed it away, but hoped that later the pain might give credit to the reality of what happened here. A way, in his mind, of making it last a bit longer.

"As much as it might seem to be, this is not why I brought you here Roxie." Jhaelin says, smiling. "I have now experienced something never before done, and now, I will give to you something exciting and never before done."

A bit of mischief gleams from his eyes and a smile parts his lips as they finish dressing in the cramped space on the ledge. He looks down into the depth of the pool and the bluish green light plays across his features. "You felt the danger, the excitement in getting here yes? Yes... I felt the same the first time I came in here."

He births a deep, rich laugh that echos in the tiny chamber. "You should know me better than that. I would never lead you into that kind of danger. Here, take my hand! Don't let go and follow me!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:30, Sat 12 Aug 2023.

Roxie follows Jhaelin's lead and leaps from the ledge into the swirling currents with him, a maelstrom of clear water that tugs the two of them in a spiral down into its depths. When righted the correct direction, Roxie tries hard to see what that source of light is. Suddenly, the world goes dark and a coldness and pressure like nothing she has ever felt collapses inward on her. Her ears pop and what breath she had is blown from her lungs explosively. Surrounding her is a dark underwater expanse, alien and unlike anything she has ever seen or imagined. About to panic, she realizes she is still holding Jhaelin's hand. Through blurry vision and slightly stinging eyes she tries to lock her vision on a nearby object, but the world changes again in a flash. Roxie and Jhaelin erupt from beneath the surface of the river, bubbling up like a potato in a stew pot. They gasp for air, find it and then are pitched forward violently over the falls still holding hands. An involuntary scream comes from Roxie as they fall, then splash into the froth below. The sun has dropped below the horizon now and the air is cooler. A storm brews off to the southwest, splaying lightning throughout the high canopy of forming clouds. Apparently, they have been in the secreted space for about two hours.

Jhaelin swims back to the shallows of the pool after making sure Roxie would do the same by never letting go her hand. He did not have as much energy left in him as he thought he had, and apparently... by the looks of the sky, they had been in there longer than he thought. He stops walking toward the shore and turns to Roxie, leaning over and panting heavily. He had been quite a bit younger the last time he had done that.

"Did you see it?" he asks between breaths. Would she be mad at him? It had been, after all, an unexpected thing and he forgot to mention about the pressure.

Jhaelin's vowlike words struck Roxie in the heart, truer than any arrow or blade and she felt tears well in her eyes. "And I love you, will give myself to no other," she returned the sentiment and commitment to him. Now more than ever she felt the need to protect him, to stand by him every step of the way and do what she could to make him happy.

His comment that he hadn't brought her here for what they had just done brought a hint of a playful smirk and the his rich laughter filled the cavern. "It was an adventure getting here and whether you meant to or not, I'm glad you did," she said softly. "While getting here and this place is exciting, it doesn't hold a candle to you." Leaning over, she lingered in a tender kiss before they slipped back into the water.

If anything, Jhaelin was finding she would follow him anywhere. While she might not always be fearless, she trusted him though she had to admit she wished she had taken a little deeper breath. Even as she felt panic welling, there was also awe at the underwater eden. Just as rapidly though, she was whisked away and when she thought she would pass out and drown, air assaulted her face.

Her hand was clenched like a vice in Jhaelin's as she tread water and tried to regain her breath only to feel herself suddenly falling. Of all the things ... she screamed? She hadn't done that since she was a child and it was a tad embarrassing as they bobbed back to the surface. Once their feet were safely on ground, she found she was actually giggling.

Looking up into his eyes, she nodded. "I saw it," she said and was definitely awestruck by the entire experience. "Thank you Jhaelin ... for every exciting and incredible moment." Stepping into his arms, she held him for a long moment with her ear over his heart so she could hear it still beating wildly.

Jhaelin chuckles, "I should have warned you. I forgot what it was like."

He holds her tightly to him, lightly resting his chin on the top her head. He can feel the stubble where her hair was beginning to grow back in. It was another perfect moment in what now was the perfect day. Tomorrow, they would worry about the town. Tomorrow, they would once again put on their adventuring faces. Tonight, he would be with her. He would be open to her, share himself with her, and lastly find out more about her.

"Come on... it's getting late. Usually, we swim into the channel and do that over and over again, but Im too spent to try that. Maybe some other day, if we return. Right now, let's get a room at Jak'a'napes for the night. It will be new moon before we get back."

Jhaelin gives Roxie a knowing smile, clearly intending to get one room for the both of them and kisses her passionately. He shoulders his pack with what small provisions they brought minus some bread and cheese they could eat while they walked back and started off down the road arm in arm with her. He is a happy cleric...

"I admit being surprised you have such an adventuresome streak in you, more than the going off to do good in the world that is," she teased lightly but there was no doubt she was entirely pleased with the revelation. After several minutes in his arms, she turned with him to head back to town.

"Another time we will definitely go back and do that again, over and over," she winked. His comment of getting a room on the heels of her quip brought a definite sultry look and her hand slipped from his waist to his backside giving him a little pinch.

"I don't know," she drawled a little acting like she was going to protest. "I guess we can share a room on one condition," she stated and looked at him intently for several strides before her expression softened at his own worried one. "I'll share that room as long as you promise to take my breath away at least one more time before we sleep."

"Hello? Hello? Hello?" Leah calls as she rattles her iron pot against the gate of the consortium headquarters. "Is anyone home? Hello?" If someone answers, she will ask her question about finding Kabron. But if there is no answer, then she will start to throw rocks over the gate, hoping to attract someone's attention while continuing to call. If there is still nobody who comes to speak to her, then she will put her hands on her hips and say to the gate, "Well, if we can't get in, how are we supposed to tell you when we succeed?" She leaves slightly annoyed. Fortunately, she perks up by the time bread is gained, fresh from the bakery.

Back at the inn, she speaks with the innkeeper about the cost to rent a room until they return. It is getting ridiculously heavy carrying all of this equipment, she thinks, and some can stay behind if she has a place to keep it. After all, she does not even know how to play a lute yet. Of course, it might still be good to practice with, so maybe it is essential adventuring equipment, especially if they run into a savage beast. Music soothes them, after all.

No one answers Leah's calls, neither from beyond nor from the gate itself. A couple of guards patrolling the market do stop and keep a wary eye on her for a few moments. After some muttered comments and laughter, they move on.

Later, Leah rents a room for the week for the price of two royals (2gp) which is paid in advance before gathering with the other companions for their trek back into the monastery.