Inizii -- Logs

Dusk has nearly started by the time the group gets to the campsite which had been used just before reaching the Frozen Axe clan. Katya hasn't caught up yet, but the ranger had said she wouldn't be too long after sunset.

Kyrel says as the camp is set up, "Maybe we should check out that cave of yours while we wait."

Derleth looks over at the brooding Vane, decides not to ask him to light the fire, and gets out his flint and steel after collecting some wood together...

The camp is soon ready, a fire glowing in the center. Kyrel looks back up the trail. "I wonder how long she's going to be..."

Kaz, having slid off one of the pack horses, pauses while pulling out his sleeping bag. "So, what is this about a cave and precious stones inside?"

Derleth says, "Mebbe we should leave one o us behind t' watch for her, while we go and check out that cave, aye." he grins. "Tis not far from 'ere."

Kyrel says, "At night? Morning's soon enough, I'd think."

Sara gets her resting place ready, looking to get her few hours of sleep in early as usual.

Derleth says, "Well, depends on what kind o time we desire t' make...then again, if there be a ton o' profit lying behind those walls, we may choose t' stay a bit longer..."

Kaz thumbs toward the silent elf. "I say we leave him behind. You both mentioned not having enough magic to move anything, so he can stay back, ne?"

Sara tosses in, "Then I guess you'll be doing the diggin', Kaz? Let's just wait till morning. I think we might have a better chance of finding something there then anyway."

Kyrel glances at his silent brother. "I suppose... things should be safe enough this close to the giant's fort. Though I wonder how they've missed the place."

Derleth blinks. "And what difference d' it make, lass? We've plenty o' Light enchaments at our disposal..tis not as if anythin' be going t' walk away overnight..."

Derleth glances at Kyrel. "The giants did seem t' bear no love for the dwarfkin...they probably ne'er bothered to look."

Sara says, "True, but you never know what might be stirring in the night hours..." as she pulls out the broken weapon shaft with the red gem still attached.

Derleth seems to draw no conclusion from Sara bringing out the weapon hilt. "True, true, Sara m'dear...still...asking questions o' the dead, I'm told, is best done at night..."

Kyrel watches Sara fiddle with the gem on its shaft. "I'm surprised that you found that gemstone. Usually looters would have scooped up anything like that, no matter which side won."

Derleth says, "Could be there were no one left t'loot, Kyrel..."

Sara says, "I don't think there were any looters to take it to be honest." She looks at Derleth, "It's not talking I'm worried about Derleth, it's the other things he might want to do."

Kaz crosses his arms impatiently. "Are we going, or not?"

Sara spits out quickly, "No."

Derleth says, "The giants bespoke a great battle with undead...perhaps the dwarves crushed themselves along with the foul beasts as a last resort..."

Derleth blinks at Sara. "Ah beg yer pardon?"

Derleth says, "Tis a corpse. T'will do nothing but lay there."

Kyrel nods. "True. From what Kholodnaya told us on the way up, the tribe was pretty much wiped out, and I got the impression that it was a vampire they ... were.... " He stops and looks carefully at the gem and its setting. "Where exactly did you find that stone?"

Sara says, "Remember you said that Derleth... I only hope you're right."

Kaz comes forward, eyeing the gem, before glancing at Sara, expectantly.

Derleth looks between Kyrel and Sara, being bombarded with information from both sides. "Wait a minute..." his brow knits in thought. "Ye're not saying what ah think ye're saying...are ye?"

Sara says, "If you insist on going tonight, I'm coming with you." She removes a dagger from her belt and begins running it along the broken piece of weapon, attempting to sharpen the splintered end.

Kyrel says, "I can think of one other reason that someone would leave a gemstone on a stick when fighting vampires...."

Derleth waves his hands. "Nae, hold off here! That couldna ha' been a vampire! Iff'n it had, he'd ha' crumbled t' dust long ago!"

Kyrel shakes his head. "Only if the head were cut off as well. Was that near the corpse?" He looks thoughtful, if a bit worried. "Kholodnaya did say that the dwarves didn't know how to deal with a vampire...."

Derleth blinks and bites his lip..."But....nae the head were still attached...but dammit all, if it were a vampire, why didnae it just get up and bite me?"

Kaz looks quizzical, before peering at Derleth. "How'd you find the corpse?"

Kyrel says, "They do take time to recover after being disabled for that long. I think we need to find this corpse. Immediately..."

Sara looks mournfull, "Because you're not the one who pulled out the shaft."

Derleth says, "It were half buried by rocks..."

Kaz nods his head. "Well, there's one reason it likely didn't get up... And, it was likely a sitting duck, just waking up and you two standing Right There..."

Derleth goes ashen. "Ye mean the...Sarah, ah thought ye said the....oh Lliara have mercy..."

Sara get's a spark of life in her eyes, "Wait, didn't you guys say that you signed a contract of some sort and can be tracked by it?"

Kaz looks grimmer, and moves to his quiver of bolts. He snaps the metal head off of one, and as Sara had before, begins to sharpen it.

Derleth blinks stupidly at Sara. "What d' that have anythin t' do with anythin?"

Kyrel says, "Our patron could track us. We've got plenty of time before we're due back, though. Why?"

Sara says, "I've put a lot of thought about this, Derleth. I regret putting all of you in the danger that I have, that is, if this is the creature that destroyed the dwarven clan. I've turned my attention away from my initial prey to this vampire creature."

Kyrel says, "Let's just go see if that body has indeed walked away before we worry too much about it."

Derleth blink again, and then looks sternly at Sara. "Ye had no way o knowing the nature of this undead thing...ye'll not hold the burden alone o' putting it back in its grave."

Sara says, "You always need a place to start when hunting someone, a way to track them, follow their path. If we could use the same magics that could track you guys with the piece of armor you took from the body Derleth... Well it might give us an advantage, if not just a path to follow."

Moving back, Kaz nods. "And, do we really have the supplies to kill this thing?"

Kyrel says, "A wooden stake, fire... anyone have any garlic?"

Derleth considers Sara's words. "That magic ah dinnae believe is known t' us, Sara....tis Basel's magic. But...using the armor shard, ah mae be able to cast a locate spell on the armor...but that tis assuming e' still has it on."

Sara says, "I don't know enough about the creature or how it works. All I can figure is that this thing here," she lifts the gemmed shaft, "It has to go back in its chest."

Derleth says, "I have wolfsbane t' stuff it its mouth...always thought that was just a formality, nae neccecary t kill it...and ah have holy water. Also, the lightbolt spell ah've been taking t' carrying will hurt it muchly."

Kyrel says, "I think we're well enough prepared, then. Let's hope we're worrying about nothing..."

The rogue crosses his arms. "I don't know about all of you, but I'm not paticularly fond of the idea of chasing down some powerful thing that took out a dwarven Clan, right now. Shouldn't we get some information on this thing, and its kind, before we start chasing it with sharpened sticks and water?"

Kyrel says, "Right now, we're just seeing if the thing is still there."

Sara says, "Right, we at least need to find out if it is really what we think it might be."

Derleth sighs. "Aye, we should. Vane, would ye..." He abruptly hears the sound of Vane snoring. "Right. Kaz, will you watch Vane while we go check out the cave?"

Kaz sighs, and nods, offering the bolt-now-stake. "Here."

Derleth takes it and stuffs it in his belt. "Thankee. Now..." He picks up a stick, and casts a Light spell on the tip of it. "Right. Off a vampire huntin' we go, then."

Sara gathers what she needs and waits for the others to head out, taking her position behind the pack as usual.

The three move on the same path Sara and Derleth had made earlier in the week. Darkness has allready fully set in, and the trees surrounding the cave seem to shade the rock face in even further darkness.

Derleth steels his nerves. "I'll go in first. Ah'm best equipped."

Kyrel says, "Let's see this body, then, and we can all go back to camp and have a good chuckle about it."

Derleth takes a vial of holy water from his belt, grips the magic torch firmly in the other, and strides in. Kyrel stays with the others, and rouses Kiri to help watch behind them. Sara follows in close behind Derleth, not letting him go in anywhere near alone or unprotected. Her spiked chain, now held at the ready, begins to glow with sparks of energy.

The cave chamer is as it was before. Walls that appear to have been scorched by some blast, burnt or rotting timbers for supporting a mine shaft's ceiling, the caved in wall... All seem to be in order. Except, for one simple difference: The body is .... gone. The rocks that had been piled on it seem to have been shifted as well, and a small gap in the northwest corner of the cave leading into the darkness beyond is now visible.

Sara bows her head, "As we feared."

Derleth groans. "Lliara have mercy. The body is gone, and there be a passage through the rock where there were none before."

Off in the distance, a chorus of wolven howls split the night.

Kyrel spins, suddenly very nervous. "Back to the camp. Quickly. Night is not the time to hunt vampires, and safety is best in numbers. We get Kaz and Vane, and then ride back up our trail toward the giant's stronghold to find Katya."

Sara says nothing but begins to back out of the cavern.

Exiting the cave, and heading through the small cluster of trees, something comes aparent, that wasn't on the trip in. At the foot of a tree to the side, the snow seems a tad...darker.

Derleth eyes the dark patch nervously. Pulling a rock from his pouch, he casts another Light dweomer on it, and tosses it at the snow.

The rock bounces off the spot, and now shedded with light, the snow looks a tad...Pink? And, definetly bulged.

Derleth says, "Lets go. Now."

Kyrel hisses between his teeth. "Not quite yet. Cover me." He moves quickly, his attention everywhere at once, kicking at the pile of snow to see who's buried there.

The pink snow seems...*Solid*. But, it crunches beneath Kyrel's boot, and the snow beneath is definetly redder. The body beneath slightly rolls out of its extremely shallow grave. Flesh as pale as snow. A young barbarian, by the looks of it, and the punctures on his throat aren't the only thing that caused the bleeding; deep cuts on a leg, and chest score the body.

Sara says, "Enough, let's go."

Kyrel actually looks a little relieved. "At least it isn't Katya. We need to bring it along, I think. Burn it, else it'll be a subordinate vampire in a day or three."

Derleth says, "Ah dinnae care t' carry a dead body. Lets just burn it here."

Sara says, "Or you said sever its head didn't you?"

Kyrel says, "True. You have that stake, Derleth? Stab the corpse's heart while Sara gets the head. We can stuff wafers in its mouth later."

Sara says, "I haven't got anything to cut its head off. Maybe Kaz's Scimitar."

Derleth grimaces and steps forward. Taking out the stake, he kicks the body onto itsback...

Derleth says, "Ah have a dagger...but that will nae do it cleanly..."

Kyrel grimaces. "We don't have time to do this with a dagger. Bring the whole body along, then. Let's go!" He grabs the body by one leg and starts dragging it, motioning to Sara to help. "Move out. Derleth, go fox and take point."

Derleth doesn't bother to argue. He shrinks down into a small snowfox and darts forward in the snow, looking out cautiously for hungry vampires...

Kyrel adds, "Kiri. High Sentry." The bat chirrips in irritation at the cold, but complies, flitting around over his mage.

Kyrel sets the pace as fast as is safe over the rough terrain, and maybe a little faster. He does not want to meet a vampire, and he really doesn't want to meet one with only half the party. After several seemingly endless minutes, the three make it back to camp unhindered.

Derleth turns back into a man as he goes over to the fire. "Dammit, Kyrel! You could have told me you were going to send Kiri out! I almost hit a tree when I heard his skree, thinking it was the damnned dwarf."

Kaz stands up from his spot, crossbow at the ready. Spotting the corpse, he asks, "What the hell do you three think you're doing?"

Sara says, "Precautions I guess..."

Derleth grabs an unburned section of a branch in the fire. "Burning a damned corpse what was sucked dry by the vampire.."

Kyrel apologizes. "Sorry... I didn't think about that. I'm not sure that vampire bats use Kiri's style of darksight." He continues. "We're taking precautions. Do me a favor and chop the head off, willya? Then pile the firewood over the corpse and burn it. The rest of us will break camp. We're heading back up the trail to meet up with Katya. Move!"

"To the nine hells..." Kaz sets his crossbow down, taking grip of his scimitar, and, nodding to Kyrel, makes short work of the nasty job, swiftly slicing the head off.

Derleth starts setting fire to the barbarian's tattered leathers...

Kyrel recounts what happened quickly for Kaz and Vane as he works. "The body was gone, the rocks were disturbed in a way that looked like it had gotten up from where it was lying, and there was a hole broken through the cave-in. And this..." He points at the body, "... was buried in a shallow grave just outside. I think we have a vampire."

Vane doesn't bother to stand up from where he'd been sitting, or even raise his head. "So. Allow me to recount for myself, so that I do not make errors in judgement."

Kaz groans. "So, are we going to go chasing this thing down, or head to Nemford first?"

Vane says, "You found a corpse in a cave... with a bit of wood driven through it."

Derleth says, "An gem encrusted axe handle, but aye."

Vane's head snaps up and with greater volume than one would expect from someone with so slight a frame, bellows, "So you pulled the stake out of it?!!"

Sara says, "We didn't know it was even wood there, Vane."

Kyrel says, "Recriminations later, brother mine. Right now we have a more serious problem."

The air is steadily filling with the scent of burning flesh as the body of the unfortunate tribesman is consumed.

Derleth groans, and grabs Vane by the front of his robes. "Look, Elf! Unless ye feel like ye and yer rat'd like ta be meat snacks for the damned dwarf, quit yer bitchin' and get packed!" he snarls.

Vane snatches the cleric by his collar, and says, very, very softly, "If you wish to live another moment, you will take your hands off of me this instant. And if you ever touch me again, Derleth, I promise you I will send you to see your Lady in many, many small fragments."

Sara sits back and watches those that she feels bound to protect now, as they argue through the stupidity.

Derleth lets go, but not out of any fear of Vane. He's more afraid of the vampire at the moment. "Most intelligent, Vane. Kill the only holy man in the party when yer being chased by a vampire." he growls, turning away and going to get Platinum set.

Kaz, without sound, simply begins to pack his horse.

Vane says, "Kyrel, this is absolute foolishness. We are in no way bound to clean up after this madness."

Vane says, "We should leave here. Now."

Derleth makes sure his equipment is securely squared away, and then goes over to a nearby evergreen, taking out his sharpest dagger and sawing away at a branch.

Kyrel doesn't shout so much as growl. "Knock it off, both of you. You can beat each other up after we're under a roof again. Tonight, we're going to go back to Kholodnaya's fort and make sure the giants know what's happened, and make sure that Katya isn't alone with this thing running loose.

Kyrel pulls out his camp hatchet and lops a branch off for the cleric. "Here. Don't dull your knife trying to do that. Now, if we're ready, mount up and move. Back up our trail. Kiri, high sentry again."

Vane folds his arms. "What's come over you, Kyrel? Do you mean to actually risk your life to correct this idiotic mistake?"

Derleth thanks Kyrel with a grunt and then ties the evergreen branch to the back of Platinum, making sure it reaches to the ground.

Kyrel shrugs. "Not if I don't have to. Staying out here in the wilderness with a vampire running loose strikes me as a way to risk my life without correcting it, though."

Vane shakes his head and swings himself into the saddle. "And yet you want to set yourself to alerting a tribe of giants. You've too much of your father in you, little brother. I can't comprehend you at all sometimes."

Kyrel snorts. "Vane, the giants are the closest roof to where we are. Vampires can't enter a dwelling without an invitation, remember?"

Vane says, "You are aware, brother, that may be quite apocryphal."

Kyrel says, "If it is, they're still possible allies."

Derleth seems like he would retort, but just shakes his head and seethes internally.

Vane says, "Any port in a storm, little brother?"

Kyrel grins. "Indeed. Even grouchy giants are better company than a hungry vampire."

Sara sits back and listening, wondering where they had gathered all of this vampire lore during their studies. Perhaps I'll have to take up some study. she thinks.

Vane shakes his head and sighs. "You'll be the death of us both yet, Kyrel... but let's be quick about it." He spurs his horse.

Derleth waits for the others to ride ahead...

The group sets out, back up the trail they left from the giant stronghold. Kiri flutters back to Kyrel every so often to get warmed up again, but reports nothing dangerous - a couple of wolves off in the distance, but they are not following the party.

Derleth sets Platinum off at a slightly slower pace, making sure that the evergreen branch is wiping out all traces of the horses hoofprints in the snow...

Kiri does report, however, the approach of a horse, before the others can pick it up. Katya's voice calls forth. "You're going the wrong way! Why're you coming to meet me?"

Vane bends down a bit in the saddle; he reaches surreptitously under his coat for his spell pouch.

Kyrel says, "Change of plans. Remember that chat we had with Lady Kholodnaya about the dwarven vampire? He's awake again."

Sara rides just in front of Derleth, letting him attempt his track covering. "I'm sorry about this" she whispers to him.

The ranger comes close enough for her face to be visible...which contorts into shock. "What? How... He must've been dead for nearly a century!"

Vane says, "As to the how, Katya... ask the remainder of our little party."

Derleth shakes his head at Sara, sighing. "Twas nae yer fault. By all accounts the dammned vampire shoulda crumbled t dust. And ye didnae know at the time what he were."

Kyrel nods. "Well, technically he still is. Vampires are like that. Remember that cave that they investigated on the way up? They knocked the stake loose from what was left of the body."

Katya swears rather ripely. Her hand drifts to the haft of her battle axe. "Then what's the course of action?"

Sara says simply, "They want to head for safety and let it be."

Kyrel says, "Well, we just finished step one. Wanted to make sure you knew. Do you think the Chieftain will put us up for the night? If we're going to go hunting it down, I want to do it in daylight."

She frowns, at that. "Damn... You know, I'm uncertain... I don't even think I would've been welcome to stay the night, let alone all of you... I honestly don't know. Kholodnaya's word is higher then any of her clan, but she is in the minority in her acceptance of humans."

Derleth says, "So we camp outside. As long as we're far from the cave and close t' aid."

Kyrel says, "We found a body that he'd drained and buried to make a servitor... we burned it. I think he'll be rather put out with us... At the very least, we need to find a different campsite."

She nods. "Fair enough. And what of the morning?"

Vane says, "If I know my sibling at all... he'll want to go looking for it."

Kyrel grins at his brother. "He needs to be dealt with quickly, I think... before he has enough time to regenerate fully and replenish his henchmen. Are you up to a vampire hunt tomorrow?"

Sara says, "This really isn't your fight. If you don't want to go after it, I'm going after it alone."

Vane absently touches the bridge of his nose. "Have I a choice, Kyrel? Really? I'll prepare as much light and fire as I'm able in the meantime."

Katya clears her throat. "There might be a problem..."

Kyrel looks at the ranger. "What?"

"If he's a dwarf, or at least a smart one, he'll return to the mines. I think that's where he was put down. If he did, then we have a serious problem. The main mine is a good few miles from here, but the tunnels crisscross for a long ways in many directions, if not deep. Not only that, but some of the barbarians have likely taken up refuge in those halls. That's where many of their weapons came from; digging out collapsed tunnels and stealing the weapons left behind."

Kyrel nods. "The body we found was a barbarian, in fact... but what do you suggest?"

Vane says, "This is a problem? Collapse the entrances, let the Underdark deal with it."

The ranger just gives Vane a look. "First of all, I can't think of anyone with maps of the mines. We could be wandering in those tunnels for days, and either not hit all of them, or go around in circles. There are lots of hiding places for our prey. Second, we'd have to deal with the barbarians that Are there, first. Third, there's no telling how many entrances there are to the shafts. Four, don't vampires have some way of changing, or what not? Couldn't he get out of a small hole?"

Kyrel nods. "He probably could, yes. They can shift to rat or bat, most of them."

Derleth nods. "Aye. As mist. Collapsing the tunnels doesnae guarantee anything."

Vane says, "For one, dear ranger, that can be done more than easily without ever going into the tunnels. For another, I can easily seal a tunnel such that Mask himself couldn't pass. Regardless, I'm in no mood to argue; if you have a better idea out with it and let's be off."

Sara says, "We... or rather, I just have to kill it."

Derleth says, "Mayhaps we could stake out the cave entrance, Wyvernjack. There seems to be evidence he's not staying inside..."

Katya sighs. "Personally, I'd like to leave, get enough supplies, some able swords, maybe even a tracker in Nemford, and start hunting it. Or warn the Giants and Shimsha's tribe, and simply let the blood sucker cut down the barbarians and leave it at that."

Vane says, "The first sensible thing I've heard today, Wyvernjack."

Kyrel says, "Once he's run out of barbarians, though, he'll have a horde of subordinates. Best to deal with him quickly, but you're right. We won't be able to do it tomorrow by ourselves."

Sara says, "Go get your reward for your creatures, then we can worry about the thing." She glances toward Derleth. "And one priest may not be enough..."

Kyrel turns Maya's head back to the south. "That being the case, let's ride. I'd prefer to keep moving than to set up camp and risk the thing finding us asleep."

Vane says, "I refuse to believe you can even consider sleep at a time like this, brother... let's away from here."

Katya lifts her head, peering at the moon. "I'd say we have a good... thirteen hours, before dawn."

Sara says, "One always needs their sleep Vane, most important when you are in the chase. No matter if you are the one chasing, or being chased."

Kyrel nods. "And as long as the moon is up, we have light enough to ride. Shall we go?

Derleth grunts, and gees up Platinum.

Vane says, "I can do without. Particularly until I know which of the two I am. Hya!"

Vane spurs his horse and sets off at what could charitably be called a brisk pace.

The night was surprisingly uneventful, if not tense. The baying of wolves had punctured the stillness a few times during the night. However, a few hours before dawn, Katya's cabin comes into view, looking as dark and quiet as it was left. Katya nods, and reins her horse, before moving into the cabin. "File in. There's only floor but..." She shrugs.

Kyrel says, "Better than snow."

Sara says, "We should get some rest and finish up business here as quickly as possiable."

Kaz rubs his forehead, looking exhausted. "I need a drink..."

Kyrel says, "So do the horses. Stable 'em first, then we can crash."

Vane sighs quietly, "Nothing but strenuous of late. Perhaps that's not a bad idea."

The rogue looks up. "Are we heading into town for a tankard?"

Sara says, "Later Kaz, later... get some sleep."

Sara tends to the horses and makes sure everyone is settled before she makes a last minute check of the area and settles in herself for a quick sleep.

Derleth snores.

Sara is up once again only a few hours after falling asleep, out practicing with her chain before the others wake. Even in the rush that the group is in she decides to rummage through Katya's place in search of something to make for breakfast for the lot.

The group awakens to the smell of pancakes coming from the small kitchen.

Vane doesn't appear to have slept at all, only lapsed into quiescent trancelike reveries over a period of several hours while he sits in a corner, spellbook and several folded notes spread out in front of him. The sun creeping through a window rouses him from the last such spell, and he slumps back against the corner, rubbing his eyes. He quietly goes about cleaning up his notes.

Derleth groggily pulls himself out of bed, and gets into a lotus postion, lighting some insence and doing his morning rite, praying to Lliara for prayers that will help him bring the vampire low...

Kyrel stretches as the smell of a proper meal reaches his nose. The floor is harder than the ground, but a good deal warmer, and Kiri is quite happily perched in the rafters above the fireplace.

Sara pops her head out of the kitchen after hearing some movement, "Breakfast for anyone who wants it. Double portions for you Kaz. I hope you don't mind Katya, me snooping around your kitchen and all"

Derleth says, "Well...we can be thankful for one thing at least..."

Kaz drags himself off the floor, and tries to get moving, simply. He drags himself toward the pancakes, starving. Katya rises, suiting up instinctively. The ranger nods toward Sara. "You cooked. I don't care."

Sara, having done her share of the chores and ready to head out, seems a bit over-occupied with her thoughts. She slumps down in a chair, weapon in hand, thinking about the night's events.

Vane finishes tucking away the last of his notes into his spellbook, marking a few tabbed references, and otherwise tidying his research. He reaches into his pocket and pulls on one of his gloves; the book closes and vanishes. He tucks the glove back into a pocket of his overcoat on the floor, and pads toward the kitchen. "I've not smelled that in awhile... Kyrel. C'mon. There's food."

Derleth says, "the bastard is a dwarf...so it's likely he's not a mage as well."

Sara says, "later Derleth. Eat and let's get your business done when we can focus on it fully. But not now."

Derleth stretches and scratches his chest. "Aye, lass. Thankee for yer cooking, me dear."

Kyrel is already bundling up his sleeping roll. "Sounds good. We should probably head back to TarlBren and sort out our business with Basel, then see if we can recruit some fighters before coming back up here. Katya, how often do you ride up to see Kholodnaya?"

Vane tucks back a strand of hair behind his ear, entering the kitchen. "Dwarves have been known to master the Art. Consider also that our vampire is of a dark bent. I would make no assumptions, in the absence of evidence. For once, however... let us hope you're correct." He allows himself a smile, seeing real food. "Ah. Yes. Thank you, Sara. Excellent."

Derleth doesn't argue. He's never heard of a dwarven mage, but then, Vane's the wizard and would know more. So he just pulls up a chair and eats. He's good at that.

The ranger says, "Every month, Kyrel, give or take a day." Kaz seats himself at the table, uncertain for his double helpings, but not questioning it. "Didn't the Jarl say it was a dwarven wizard who collapsed the tunnel on the vampire's head?"

Kyrel says, "Yes, I believe she did, but it could have been mining skill, too, not necessarily magic. It's hard to tell this long after the event."

Sara says, "Fireball, most certainly magic. Didn't you notice the walls of that place? Scorched."

Kyrel says, "Yes, and those walls hadn't been brought down either. I don't think it matters."

Sara says, "Faulty beam or something. Anyway, now that you've all nearly finished, let's get on the road back to town."

Kaz begins to eat, before offering, "Whatever the case, I'd still like to get me a drink before we start on the road."

Sara turns to Derleth, "And don't you forget to keep a low profile. I don't need your 'friends' showing up to collect whatever it is you took from them in that card game of yours."

Derleth sighs. "Aye, lass. Ye dinnae need t' remind me o that. I have an enchantment that'll serve t' keep me inconspicuous."

Vane eats quietly, seating himself next to his brother. Oddly, he looks a lot smaller outside of his overcoat, and next to Kyrel it's more obvious that the younger is just slightly taller; wearing a black shirt and leather breeches, he resembles someone's teacher or riding instructor. "Any support structure, exposed to a blast of proper magnitude, would fail under such circumstances. Or perhaps it was both. An effective trap. Dwarven ingenuity lends itself to such things."

Kyrel grins at Derleth. "Maybe not, but it doesn't hurt, either. We need to replenish our supplies and head out. No need to spend the night."

Kyrel glances out the window, then, and realizes how low the sun is already. "Or... maybe we should. But no wandering around looking for games, Derleth. If you need to play cards that badly, I'll play with you."

Derleth waves a hand. "No card games, Kyrel. I'll be good." He seems moody and withdrawn.

Later, entering the gates of Nemford, the city seems to be at its normal bustle, and the docks seem to have gathered a larger crowd than usual.

Derleth weaves a spell and changes himself into a large man wearing a large cloak. "There. Tha' shoul' keep away the prying eyes..."

Kyrel says, "They certainly won't think of you as a short cleric. Shall we see what's happening down by the waterfront?"

Derleth glances curiously at Kyrel. "Why th' waterfront?"

Vane says, "There appears to be quite a crowd forming."

Sara says, "Think it has anything to do with our worries?"

Kyrel says, "I hope not, but let's find out."

Derleth shrugs and gives Platinum a nudge in the right direction...

The crowd seems to actually be gathered around a warehouse. Heavily armed guards are standing around a wagon being loaded with crates. The stink of fish is definite, wafting off the water, but just as strong in the crates.

Vane adjusts his dark glasses. "It's a.... fish shipment." His shoulders slump. "Why exactly does this merit an audience?"

Derleth says, "Maybe people like fish."

Kyrel says, "Remember the local lakefish? They've got ivory bones. The locals are probably hoping someone drops a crate. Let's get rooms at the inn if we're going to stay over, and pick up our supplies."

Vane says, "Evidently, Derleth."

One of the members of the crowd, an aging man smelling of tanning chemicals, leans in at Kyrel. "Aye. Hopin' a drop of bone be landing close. Them's going down to Tarlbren for merchants t'pick up, on a caravan headin' that way."

Sara turns to the group, "So, you were going to get your stuff done weren't cha?"

Vane hmmmms. "I've no real business to do here. Kyrel, have you anything you need to do?"

Kyrel nods. "Let's go. We probably want to get moving out before the caravan does, or we'll have to skirt around a bunch of suspicious guards."

The tanner turns. "Ya going to the Snowed Inn, mayhap? Here to speak to the body haulers too?"

Vane says, "Body haulers...?"

The tanner nods. "Aye. I want ta ask where the bodies they be takin' are. I want ta see if one of 'em is me brother."

Sara glances at Vane, wondering if he is thinking the same thing she is.

Vane gives the rogue a soft nod.

Kyrel looks at the tanner curiously. "We're not from around here. Why do you need body haulers?"

The worker glances to Kyrel. "Oh...then ya hadn't heard... There's a mine, several days out to the south west. There was an accident, and several men were killed. Some of 'em were from Tarlbren, and the corpses are hitching a ride on the caravan, so they can be dropped off and buried with their families."

Vane says, "Is that so."

Sara gasps, "I knew some of the people there. Is there a list of names or do we have to go look at the bodies?"

"Aye. I havn't been able ta get off work before now; I'm to see if one of the men be me brother." He shakes his head to Sara. "Sadly, no... You have to go identify 'em."

Kyrel sighs. "I know quite a few folks from Tarlbren.. we spent the summer there. I suppose we should go see."

Sara pouts as she looks to Vane knowingly, "I didn't want to have to look at all of the bodies..."

Derleth's eyes swivel as he looks at the others, choosing to say nothing, but wondering if they're thinking the same thing he is...

Sara says, "Come then, let's get this sad business over with."

The tanner nods. "Well, I stopped by here t' ask the Caravan director," He jerks his chin toward a fat man off to the side, watching the crates loading onto the wagon, "Where the body haulers are." He tips his hat in respect. "Anyways, sorry ta be the bearer of bad news..." With that, he pulls away, starting toward the Inn.

Vane turns his horse, tilting his hat down a bit. "Be at ease... I'll go with you; you needn't view it all yourself. Let's go, and see if our friends number among them."

Kyrel waits until they are alone again. "And let's make sure that none of them have bite marks. I'm suspicious of the timing. I don't know if the tunnels reach this far, but...."

Sara adds to the whispering, "And what sort of an accident I wonder?"

Derleth says, "They said it were several days out. Probably farther than the cave we were at. But who knows how far the mines reach in th' other direction..."

In the cellar of a shop, several simple pine boxes line the floor, a large pile of snow piled around them. Off to the side of the cold, dank room, a grizzled man polishes on a bottle of liqour, settled onto a stool. He looks up, as the group enters. "Be need'n a look?"

Kyrel nods. "Yes. We want to see if any of our friends are here."

The man nods, and staggers toward one of the boxes, and tugs the lid open. "Already one or two's stayin' here to be buried in the bone yard, up in the woods. Tho, looks like many of 'em are goin' back to Tarlbren." He steps back, gesturing to the beaten corpse, in bad shape, amid the light snow stuffed in the box around it. "Him one?"

Sara holds the gemmed weapon piece in her hand tightly as she inspects the bodies.

Vane holds a part of his scarf over his mouth and nose. "How terrible. What sort of accident was this?"

Derleth stays in the back, out of sight of the grizzled man, and clasps his holy medallion, chanting a prayer to detect evil.

The man, noting no recognition, closes up the box, and moves on to the next. "Tunnel collapsed. Whole tunnel dropped ontop of their heads. One of the bodies was too badly crushed to be recognizable. Though the foreman had an idea who was in the tunnel at the time."

Sara takes specific note of their necks and the color of their skin looking for anything abnormal.

The man goes through the whole crew. One in particular looks familiar, a young man who was seen in passing during the previous summer in Tarlbren.

Vane bends down a bit to examine this last. "This one's a Tarlbrenner."

The man nods, and makes a mark on the coffin lid, like some of the pine boxes have. "Thank ye."

Vane mms. "Certainly." Still holding the scarf over the lower half of his face, he quietly gives the body a once-over. The corpse looks like it was killed by the cave-in, as do the others. Derleth sighs. He doesn't look relieved that the spell revealed nothing...only more worried.

Sara turns to the others, "Now what?"

Kyrel continues talking to the old fellow to distract him as Vane checks. "A sad business. Do they have any idea what caused the cave-in?"

The fellow takes a drink from his bottle. "Eh... Bad beam, or somethin'... Haven't a clue, t' tell ye the truth. Y'd think they'd learned, after the accident a few years back."

Kyrel says, "Odd that they wouldn't have. Does the mine owner work down there himself?"

"Nah. Lazy bastard sends these men down there, and doesn't lift a pick to help. The few miners, I hear, that know what they're doin' are the dwarves, and a hand full of us men."

Kyrel nods. "That's it, then. If he doesn't go down there, he doesn't care if the beams are right." He keeps the fellow complaining until the others have finished checking the bodies, then bids him goodbye and heads out with the rest.

The Snowed Inn is less crowded, apparently the drinking hour hasn't hit. However, this doesn't stop Kaz from heading to the bar. The dwarf behind gives a laugh, mockingly reaching for the keg of Alchemist's Fire.

Derleth orders a mug of ale and then sits in a dark corner, nursing it, his cloak pulled up around him.

Sara sits with Derleth, kicking her feet up onto the table and leaning back in her chair.

Vane finds a table by himself, puts his back to a wall, and begins to study a few folded scraps of paper.

The day wanes into dusk, and the men getting off work file in, ordering food and drink, starting to get thick headed, and settle in clusters around the fire. Although they are in close proximity, the tale swapping hasn't begune yet.

Kyrel comes downstairs at dusk to get some food and see what stories are being told tonight. With any luck, he might be able to steer things toward the old dwarven mines.

Atleast an hour passes, before the coversations start to turn toward exaggurate dtales of youth, the older men drawing together.

Derleth turns and looks at Sara. "So....who were ye hunting anyway? Or were that just a story ye told so ye could join us. Ye seemed not to bring up mention of Jamiltn hiring you t' protect me with right away."

Sara says, "He hired me, like I've said."

Sara says, "I've been after the guy called the Robin. Figured he might have headed further north to swindle the barbarians or something. I looked, sometimes while you were all sleeping, but couldn't find any trace of him." She changes the subject. "So what did you guys say you were getting in return for the winter wolves?"

Derleth says, "Oh, A nice hunk o gold, and some odds and ends for the mages...I ferget the exact details....seems so long ago at this point..."

Sara throws in an "I see...", obviously thinking about something else.

Kyrel gets his meal and moves to sit near the story-tellers. He'll wait for a lull in their conversation, and then ask, "Does anyone know any really old tales from around here?"

Derleth tilts his head sideways, looking at Sara. "What be the matter, anyway. Still broodin' about the dwarf? Or is there something else, lass? Ye seem so pensive and spending much time alone...not that ye were gregarious before, but tis noticible.."

One of them thumbs toward a gentleman in his later state of life. "Exer's older then dirt. He'll know," The man offers.

Sara says, "I just worry that I've brought a great deal of danger to you all. I'm working out how to go about reversing that."

Kyrel looks toward the old fellow. "Any good legends?"

Exer straights up from his quiet corner, chuckling lightly. "Eh? Whatcha looking for? I'm no bard, no, but I've heard my share o' tales."

Derleth pats Sara's knee. It's obvious that he's had a bit to drink by this point, because this is something he'd never have dared to do sober. "Ye dinnae need t worry, lass...them two chirlish mages aside...we started this t'gether an we'll end it t'gether..."

Kyrel shrugs. "If I knew exactly what I wanted to hear, I wouldn't need to hear the tales. There's things I've heard about mines up to the north - do you any stories about that?"

Sara says, "well, I'm still the one that needs to make sure it get's done. I can't just let it roam free."

Derleth says, "nae can any good man or woman, lass. Ah only fear what innocent lives the creature might taken while we round up reinforcements...if I thought ah could take on the undead thing myself, I'd be off t'night. Tis a pity there's no way t' find the bastard.."

Sara says, "I told you, we should be able to use the same magics that can track you guys to find the vampire by the piece of armor that we have. That's why I want you guys to get to the man that holds your contract. Maybe he can tell us where we can hire that sort of magtic."

The old man lifts a hand, scratching the back of his ear. "Hrm... Well, I know Ivan's," He glances toward the bar, "From them mines. As are them dwarves in the one down south. This whole place's rich with iron and coal, that's why those men down south've been working their arses off. Y'know, I worked in those mines, when I was younger..." He glances at his callused hands, before shaking his head. "Where was I?"

Kyrel prompts the old fellow. "Ivan's old home?"

Derleth scratches his chin. "Mayhaps....mayhaps..."

Exer ohs! "That's right. Ivan. He was a boy, er...well, a boy by his race's standards...he didn't have a beard, I know that much." He scratches his ear again. "Oh, yes, he was a boy, by the time them mines closed up. They had to close 'em up. But now them wild men have moved in, 'twas what I heard."

Kyrel nods. "Yep. They are... we ran into a few of them while we were up there."

Exer mmhms. "I could tell ya a story or two about them wild men. Them are bent up on that dragon thing... He's razed a village or two over by the glacier, but Nemford's not had no trouble with the white worm. I was talking about...Ivan, yes. So, they had to close some of the tunnels, to bury these living dead."

Kyrel looks interested at the old fellow's last comment. "Living dead? There were undead there?"

He nods. "From what I'd gather... not sure if they were zombies or whatever decides to crawl out of its tomb. Though, I know that dwarf wizard who was there wasn't raising 'em."

Kyrel says, "Did they ever get rid of the undead, or did they have to abandon the mines because of the things?"

Exer hmms... "Well, lot of the dwarves died in in the process of fighting the undead. The clan wasn't going to survive, too few of 'em. So, they just closed it up and left. Y'know, if you're wanting to know all the details, y'might want to talk to Ivan, over there."

Kyrel says, "I'll just do that, then. Thanks for the tale, Exer. I'll send an ale over for you, okay?"

Sara nudges Derleth, "Did ya hear any of that?"

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