To Hold A Fort, Part 2

Plot Summary
The group are trapped in an overrun castle. Separated, they have no contact with each other. Jayon, commander of the attack, takes Faelnon and Foilae to be tortured. Dytalorien was sent after Shandor and the rest are running around like headless-chickens. The attackers are tearing apart the library looking for something.

After what seems like an eternity, Faelnon contacts Ariea in A'lure via telepathy, she gets help via a psychic scan to find Shandor. Shandor is warned and finds himself moving towards the castle.

As Jayon issues orders he is tackled by Shandor. Shandor is easily thrown and knocked out. Tasselhof and several others manage to meet up and deal with a handful of attackers.

Shandor is thrown into the torture pit along with Faelnon. A mage manages to restore Shandor's memory. Faelnon manages to break free and deal with his torturer. He frees Shandor as a group smashes into the room. Faelnon orders them to leave as he goes to save Foilae. Shandor runs off, his mission to rally the group to the library.

Foilae is freed and startles Faelnon with his mission; to destroy the library. The two elves sprint towards the library praying that Shandor and the others haven't gotten there before they do.

In the library the group have assembled and are locked in combat with the attackers. Faelnon and Foilae arrive on the scene. As Faelnon tries to get the group out Foilae ignites a pile of books. Soon, the library is ablaze.

Outside the troops mutiny against Jayon. One loyal servant warns that the library is on fire.

Faelnon continues trying to herd the group out as Jayon arrives, the two begin a fierce battle. Jayon scurries up a bookcase, trying to find the book he is looking for. Faelnon follows and gets to the book he hid before Jayon. Enraged, Jayon pursues Faelnon into the attic. Faelnon flees onto the snow-covered roof. He runs along it, but is tackled, the book goes a few metres away. Faelnon is knocked backwards and sliced down the roof, one hand manages to grip and stay gripped, on the edge. Faelnon manages to contact Shandor again, who promptly casts a spell lifting Faelnon up.

Meanwhile, Jayon is chanting from the book. The sky darkens. A viewing-portal forms. Through it Faelnon sees Tildruin, it pans down through rock and dirt to a cavernous, dark, chamber with seemingly no end. A creature emerges an looks through the portal. This creature is gigantic. Jayon says he is willing to free this creature. Faelnon tackles him away and orders that the creature be gone. It chuckles and answers, ' Haá~gaâ§ÀÅam*jasbeº¿ÆË Øüþdg! H˜Ðßÿò×faenly, æacëßOƒw! ŒtrOoLU˜T ‡‡l, €‰› ˜?ϱ¡ÇÐ. ×ýþôõH?OtT§¦ ¥¤¢¿' The portal slams shut as Jayon rams Faelnon off the roof the two plummet through the air, Faelnon kicks off Jayon, who is impaled on a row of spikes surrounding the castle grounds. Faelnon lands painfully, but is quickly on his feet.

The troops flee from the castle and an eerie quiet comes over the battlefield. Shandor and Faelnon have a brief conversation before going to join the group, who have lit a fire outside. The snow had stopped falling. Everyone talks and is merry as a figure appears and requests a fire. Faelnon thinks it odd that a person would be wondering in this weather, but says nothing. The figure soon leaves, Isondil pursues. The two fight and Isondil comes out the victor, he carries proof that the figure was in fact a spy for the enemy. Faelnon sighs and admits that this is grim news, as Shandor urges him to tell the group the truth or he will. Faelnon sighs and reveals what the beast said: 'The creature beyond the viewing portal was the one that we face, the one the Gifts are gathered to destroy. I recognise the language, translated it....' He stops before sighing loudly. Faelnon reports, 'It said "You wear that which was built to destroy me. It will not work. Nothing can harm me now. I have summoned *them*, bringers of doom, those born to destroy. Now you will falter and fall." It knew about are attempts to rally the Gifts and the races. And those troops we have fought all day were its minions, or rather, *her* minions. She can summon thousands of them, they were a cult long ignored by the Elven Wise Lords. Someone told her about the Gifts, it sent thousands of spies into the world to gather as much information. No-one found anything. But then it found Foilae's castle. In it, it discovered that Foilae contained a book that would help her brake free. That is why she summoned her forces. And the forces we fought today were but a speck of dust compared to the forces she could summon.'

With this dark news in there minds the group try to go to sleep.

Full Log

[Narrator] Previously, on the 'Quest'

[Narrator] Faelnon had turned to a wall that was glowing a dull blue from the moonlight. Arathus asks Faelnon "Are they Runes of some sort?" Faelnon says, 'Yes, this is excellent. It tells of a Gift... but I just can't make sense of it.' Kalypse is puzzled 'why not?'

[Narrator] Faelnon says, 'It looks to be Ancient Elven Runes, but if you translate it as such, it is utter non-sense.' Faelnon states, 'I doubt that cloud will hold much longer, a powerful snow-storm seems set our way, we must ride fast to the home of Foilae!'

[Narrator]

Faelnon turns to Foilae, 'I have brought a parchment with some particular runes. Truth be told, they have me quite stumped, you see, they look like Ancient Elven, but…' Faelnon launches into an explanation of the runes he found. Foilae listens to Faelnon and nods, 'I will try and help you, friend, but I do have some… unfortunate news of my own.'

[Narrator] Caught in the blizzard, Shandor spots a group trudging through the snow. The group are clad in black armour and carry pikes and poleaxes. Unbeknownst to Shandor, that group heads towards Foilae's castle and Shandor's group. Foilae's maid bursts into the dining room, an arrow piercing her shoulder, 'We are under… attack.'

[Narrator] Hundreds, possibly thousands, of armour clad warriors line the area near the castle. The attackers have broken into the castle from many doors and windows and are spreading out.

[Narrator] Faelnon runs into the room which is a very grand library. Faelnon sees a book that appears to be glowing on an opposite bookcase. Faelnon picks up the book that was glowing and tucks it under his Elf-Gift-Robe. As he falls from the bookcase he slips the book into hiding. He is stabbed by an Attacker and dragged to the commander of the Attackers, along with Foilae.

[Narrator] Shandor is trapped in a snow storm. A boulder became dislodged and he had barely managed to miss it. It had however, knocked him out and into the snow, which now covered his limp form.

[Narrator] The group are separated from each other, cold, most injured, weak, or trapped by attackers. The castle is being ransacked. Things look bleak for the group. Shandor lies near-death in the barren wilderness.

[Narrator] And now, on the 'Quest'

[Narrator] Faelnon, Foilae and the maid are dragged into the courtyard, it is wrecked. Barrels Isondil had placed, and later destroyed, litter the ground. Arrows jut from the floor. The North tower is ablaze and half of it has completely collapsed. Doors and windows have been knocked in, fires have spread through the cellars and kitchens.

[Narrator] The group are scattered amongst the castle, from Mihwen in the cellars to Kalypse in an attic. The grand library is being ransacked by swarms of attackers, tearing books off the shelves, flipping through them and then discarding them. The group have no idea how to contact each other, escape, or fight the thousand or so of attackers.

[Narrator] Shandor is lying in a frozen wasteland, unconscious and near death.

[Narrator] Near Faelnon, Foilae and the maid there is a small wagon, the small window was barred, but the end of it has been broken apart. A tall figure nears the wagon, looks away and mutters, 'Damn them! They escaped… into that castle, no doubt.' He shouts something in a foreign language and several attackers go to him, nod and then run into the castle.

[Narrator] The figures goes to the entryway to the castle and leans against a series of spikes running along the perimeter.

[Narrator] The figure turns to Foilae, Faelnon and Foilae's maid. The figure is clad in blood red plate-mail armour. His eyes are black, he smiles a cruel smile. On his forehead is a scar, shaped as some kind of symbol. He is the Commander of the Attack, Jayon. He approaches the three and grabs Foilae by the jaw. He chuckles and throws him backwards, tumbling him to the ground.

Faelnon dives for the figure, but is struck down.

Varadrion looks down on the attackers from the rafters is the library

Vaedron sits breathing heavily in his cellar hiding place.

Varadrion creeps slowly along the beams, watching the men rip through the books

Dytalorien slips into the castle grounds, unnoticed.

Vaedron looks around nervously and curses in elven.

Tasselhof walks behind Varadrion on the beams

Varadrion keeps looking at the men and silently draws his sword

Vaedron finally decides that he can't stay in one place and begins to sneak his way out of the cellar.

Dytalorien gazes upon the scene within the courtyard, his face grimly set.

Tasselhof pulls a throwing knife

Enox is confused, he doesn’t know where he is

Vaedron hastily makes his way up the stairs from the cellar and finds his way to the kitchen.

Varadrion whispers to Tas "Watch them, and kill any that are moving towards me" and drops silently to the ground in a corner

Tasselhof loosens his sword

Tasselhof nods

Tasselhof handles two knives, ready to throw

Vaedron hides under a table as he watches two attackers run through the kitchen.

Varadrion creeps down a wall towards an attacker that is flipping through books alone

[Narrator] A flock of attackers come into the library, 'Boss says to check for intruders and to keep all out of this place.'

Kalypse hears the noise on the library

Tasselhof pulls Varadrion, "Lets move!"

Faelnon lunges towards the leader of the attack

Varadrion looks up surprised

Varadrion jumps on top of a stack and runs for the exit

Faelnon groans, feeling his stab wound ache.

[Narrator] The figure smirks, 'This one has spirit, go see if you can take that out of him.'

Vaedron tries to move from under his table hiding place and accidentally knocks over a few pots and pans causing a large crashing sound.

Tasselhof runs after Varadrion

Varadrion cuts down an attacker and jumps out the library doors

Tasselhof puts his knives away and draws his sword

Vaedron runs for his life knowing that the attackers would soon check out the loud noise.

Faelnon is grabbed by three attackers and dragged into the castle.

Varadrion stands outside the library, sword drawn, but decides to run

Tasselhof runs out of the library, and after Varadrion

Enox walks up the stairs

Varadrion hears a loud ruckus in the kitchen and runs toward it

Tasselhof follows to the kitchen

Vaedron finds his way to a large rooms where he hides behind a large stone statue.

Faelnon is dragged into some room were iron spikes and various other tools of torture have been set up

Kamrock watches the courtyard from his window

Vaedron sits a quietly as he can while he tries to catch his breath.

Varadrion runs through the kitchen into a large room with some statues in it

[Narrator] The figure turns to Foilae, 'Old man, what have you been hiding from us? Tut tut. Where is it?' Silence. 'Fine. You four, take him and torture it out of him.' Four attackers grab Foilae.

Faelnon groans as he is hit once more across his face, 'What- do… you want?'

Tasselhof follows Varadrion

Enox walks in the sleeping room, and sees an attacker

[Narrator] A torturer chuckles, 'From you? Nothing, I'm just having fun.'

Varadrion looks around the room but sees nothing but a few statues

Tasselhof looks around the room

Faelnon spits blood as he is struck in the stomach.

Enox runs out of the room down the stairs with an attacker following him

[Narrator] An Attacker takes an iron rod from a fire, he approaches Foilae, 'Now, tell us what we want to know?' Foilae says nothing. The attacker presses the iron rod against Foilae's knee. Foilae lets out a brief scream.

Tasselhof says "Check the statues"

Vaedron hold his breath as he hears footstep enter the room where he is hiding.

Faelnon hears Foilae's scream and struggles against his chains.

Tasselhof starts looking behind the statues

Varadrion runs behind a statue and runs into a dark figure

Dytalorien lifts his head at the sound of a piercing scream and furrows his brows.

Vaedron slowly peaks from behind his statue and notices that it is only Tasselhof and Varadrion.

Tasselhof looks up in surprise

Kamrock climbs out of the window and clings for dear life.

Tasselhof says "Vaedron!"

Vaedron sighs and motions with his arm for them to come over.

Enox still running from the attacker an runs in the kitchen

Echnaton hides in a dark place, holding his bow ready.

Varadrion looks up to see Vaedron

Tasselhof goes over to Vaedron

Faelnon is struck again. His face is cut and bruised, his eyes look weary. He mutters something. 'What?' The attacker growls, striking again. 'Was that?'

Faelnon grins, teeth bloodied, 'Oh, nothing.'

Vaedron whispers to the two, "Come here and be quiet, we don't know when more attacking will be coming."

[Narrator] In the A'lure woods it is far into night time. Ariea snaps awake, hearing a voice echoing in her mind.

Enox Gets his crossbow ready and waits for the attacker, Ready to shoot.

Dytalorien cautiously moves forward, heading towards the source of the sound.

Varadrion says quietly "there are of us, maybe we should try to find the others"

Vaedron whisper to the two, "Have ether of you seen Faelnon?"

Tasselhof sheaths his sword, and pulls two throwing knives

Varadrion says "I saw him in the courtyard some time ago, but nothing since"

Tasselhof says "To the courtyard?"

Varadrion draws his sword and says "Maybe we should look for them"

Vaedron sighs and rubs his forehead.

Tasselhof wings off a knife as a man enters the room

Vaedron nods to Varadrion.

[Narrator] An attacker strikes Foilae with a piece of wood, 'Tell me where to find it.' The torturer says. Foilae grins, 'I don't know where it is… I will tell you how to use it however.' The Attacker looks at him, 'Continue.'

[Narrator] 'To activate it, you must go to a large public place…' Foilae grins widely, 'And dance around in a pink tutu.' The torturer growls and strikes Foilae on the face, nearly knocking him into unconsciousness.

Vaedron says, "Lets go."

Tasselhof says "Onward"

Varadrion walks slowly out the door

[Narrator] In the bleak, frozen, barren wasteland Shandor stirs awake. A female voice, surprising familiar, sounds in his mind, saying just one word in a sweet, high-pitched tone, 'Help…' Shandor suddenly finds himself on his feet.

Tasselhof follows

Echnaton hears familiar voices form the right side

Faelnon is struck again, but smiles through it all, 'Are you mad?' The attacker asks, striking him once more, 'Quite possibly.'

Varadrion runs towards the courtyard, stopping to cut down some attackers in the confusion

Echnaton leaves his hideout and moves that way

Vaedron whispers to Tasselhof and Varadrion, "We must be quiet."

Enox shoots the attacker down who was running in the kitchen

Tasselhof throws a knife at the neck of a attacker

[Narrator] Jayon, commander of the attack on Foilae's castle, towers over his troops. Jayon is struck down by a shape, who rolls away from the commander. The shape is Shandor. Shandor charges at Jayon, who grabs Shandor by the tunic and flings him over his shoulder. Shandor slams into a wall with a *thud* and slides to the ground.

Tasselhof retrieves his knife

Faelnon grins, 'You see, I have backup-' He is interrupted when Shandor is thrown into his room, accompanied by Jayon, 'This is your back up?' Jayon asks, kicking Shandor.

Faelnon 's grin fades as he looks at the unconscious form of Shandor, 'Er- no, of course not,' he chuckles weakly.

Echnaton closes up to Veadron & co.

Varadrion slowly walks out into the courtyard and looks around

Vaedron says to Varadrion, "See anything?"

Enox walks out of the kitchen searching for somebody he knows

Tasselhof s sharp hearing hears Faelnon

Kamrock climbs to his feet, looking at the faces in the courtyard

Varadrion replies softly "nothing important, just more attackers"

Tasselhof whispers "This way"

Varadrion says "Should we remove them?"

Tasselhof starts off down a corridor

Enox walks slowly to the courtyard in the shadow.

Vaedron draws his dagger and says, "No just be vigilant."

Echnaton follows behind Tasselhof

[Narrator] The torture goes on for another hour. A mage is working on Shandor. He reports to Jayon, 'There is something blocking memory from his mind… evil magics.. I can brake them.' Jayon nods, 'Do it… perhaps he is the one with the knowledge I seek.'

Tasselhof says to Vaedron and Varadrion "Come on! I heard him"

Kamrock looks at the attackers, and ducks.

Vaedron follows after Tasselhof.

[Narrator] The Mage turns to Shandor and places his hands on Shandor's head. Light flashes between the two and Shandor gasps and writhes in pain. The magic stops and Shandor looks at Faelnon with recognition.

Varadrion follows Tasselhof slowly

Tasselhof comes to a door, and hears Faelnon inside

Enox sees Kamrock in the courtyard but also the attackers.

Faelnon struggles against his bonds again. Something scrapes against his wrist, he looks down and spots a small piece of glass that got caught up with his tunic when he dived through the double-glass doors. He manages to get it in his hand as the Mage and Jayon leave. The torturer smirks and steps around to Faelnon.

Tasselhof quietly picks the lock

Faelnon remains silent as the torturer leans closer to Faelnon and whispers, 'Oh goodie, now I have two to make scream.'

Vaedron places his ear up to the door.

Faelnon smirks, 'I don't think so.' Before whipping his fragment of glass into the torturer's throat.

Faelnon grabs the keys to his shackles as the torturer goes down to the floor, gurgling.

Faelnon quickly unlocks his chains and unlocks Shandor's.

Tasselhof bursts through the door "Faelnon!"

Faelnon stretches his legs for a second before hearing the door being picked

Echnaton puts an arrows on his bow and gets ready to shoot

Faelnon dives out of the way as a halfling rushes through it.

Vaedron runs into the rooms following Faelnon.

Faelnon grabs a sword from the torturer.

Enox mumbles some words and suddenly Enox is invisible

Tasselhof draws his own sword

Kamrock makes a run for the door.

Tasselhof looks for the commander

Vaedron strikes down one of the tortures with his staff.

Tasselhof spins to kill a attacker

Faelnon barks at the recent additions to the room, 'Go!'

Faelnon says, 'Go, flee before the attackers come.'

Vaedron stands looking around the room trying to decide who to hit next.

Faelnon says, 'I will get the others out.'

Tasselhof follows the groups, attacking the rear

Faelnon steps towards Shandor, he taps Varadrion and says, 'It's okay, go with the others.'

Dytalorien finds himself within some unfamiliar corridors and mutters unpleasantly.

Tasselhof sheaths his sword

Vaedron nods to Faelnon and grabs Varadrion’s arm for him to follow.

Enox sneaks behind the two guards gets his knife and slices the throat of one of the attackers

Tasselhof lets three knives fly at some attackers

Tasselhof shouts "Run!"

Varadrion follows the others out

Enox suddenly the other attacker grabs Enox and throws him into the wall

Tasselhof follows the groups, knives flying

Faelnon sets Shandor on the ground and impolitely slaps him around the face, 'Wake up!'

Varadrion goes off looking for Jayon

Vaedron throws a small ball of fire at an attacker as he runs with the rest of the group.

Tasselhof cries in glee "Shandor!"

Shandor blinks from the sudden slap, 'What on Tarkna?!'

Echnaton treis to stay with the group

Shandor looks at Faelnon, completely remembering who he is, 'In… that place they put magics on me, to block what I used to rememb-'

Faelnon interrupts, 'It's okay Shandor, let's just get out of here and help the others.'

Tasselhof says "We have to get out of here. I'm running out of knives" he looks at Faelnon

Enox is badly wounded and the attacker is about to slice Enox in two pieces.

Kalypse comes out of the attic and climbs down the bookcases of the library

Tasselhof kills another attacker

Echnaton fires an arrow at one of the following attackers, but with bad accuracy.

Enox screams, 'Help'

Faelnon barks at Tasselhof, 'Go!'

Varadrion tosses a few knives to Tas and then runs off

Vaedron motions for Tasselhof to follow him.

Tasselhof dashes to where Enox is trapped

Dytalorien absently moves a few stray wisps of hair from his face, and be unsheathes his saber

Tasselhof kills the attacker from behind

Kalypse tries to balance herself on the spread books on the floor

Vaedron yells to Varadrion, "Have you seen anyway out of this castle that isn’t blocked by attackers?"

Faelnon states, 'I will get Foilae.'

Echnaton sees the hit attackers falling down and blocking the others for a few moments

Dytalorien paces forward, not really knowing where he's heading.

Enox turns to Tasselhof, 'Thank you!'

Varadrion yells back "No, I’m going to find the leader"

Tasselhof shouts "Kill the attackers"

Shandor states, 'Can you handle it yourself?'

Tasselhof shouts "Leave the leader! Come one!"

Varadrion says "Go, I’ll find you"

Enox Gets his staff and start mumbling some words, suddenly his staff is on fire

Vaedron shouts to Varadrion, "You can't take him on alone. Come with us!"

Faelnon replies, 'I'm fine, don't worry about me, worry about yourself. Get the group and rally them in the library, it's a good focal point.'

Shandor nods, 'I'll do my best.'

Shandor runs off into the corridor labyrinth.

Varadrion shouts to Vaedron "you wouldn't understand, so come with me or run"

Faelnon runs into another room where a figure is towering over Foilae. He runs up to the figure and taps him on his shoulder, as the figure turns round Faelnon says, 'Hello, how are you? That's my friend don't-cha-know.' Before punching the figure straight into unconsciousness.

Tasselhof says "Well so much for a clean escape" and heads off towards the library

[Narrator] Foilae looks up at Faelnon, begins to stand up and states, 'I heard a distinctly Dwarven accent then…'

Faelnon smirks, 'Never mention it again.' He continues, turning away from Foilae, 'We are headed to the library to rally the troops, as it were.'

Vaedron sighs and says to Varadrion, "Fine I will go with you!"

Echnaton follows Tasselhof to the library

[Narrator] Foilae states, 'Excellent, while in the library, we must destroy it. All the books.'

Faelnon snaps around to look at Foilae, 'You want to what?'

[Narrator] Foilae re-states, 'You heard me. Destroy the library.'

Varadrion turns a corner with Vaedron and sees Jayon and two of his troops talking

Tasselhof kills the attackers in the library with a storm of knives

[Narrator] Outside the troops are restless, only a hundred or so were sent into the castle, the rest wait outside, tired, cold and miserable.

Dytalorien grunts as he stumbles into the library, looking about his surroundings.

Kamrock forces his way back into the castle.

Faelnon charges through the corridors with Foilae, but he doesn't spot Shandor anywhere, 'If we can get to the library before Shandor we can destroy it without the group being trapped.'

Tasselhof suddenly sees a gold ring, and pops it into a pouch

[Narrator] Foilae cocks an eyebrow, 'Shandor? Is he okay?'

Enox runs to the library, and sees Dytalorien standing

Faelnon nods, 'Just confused.'

Echnaton shoots at another attacker, this time with a better result

Varadrion turns to Vaedron and asks "Which do you want"

[Narrator] Outside, the troops are getting more and more aggravated as the blizzard grows worse and worse. Finally, one stands up, 'We will not sit here to freeze to death!' With that he rallies the attackers and charges towards the castle.

[Narrator] Jayon stands up and spins round to see thousands running towards him, 'This is mutiny!' He cries while diving for his life.

Echnaton looks for more attackers behind the shelves in the library

Vaedron groans and says, "I doubt we can take them alone, we must get the others."

Tasselhof sees Kalypse, "Hi"

Echnaton manages to kill another attacker

Tasselhof says to Vaedron "We have to wait for the other here"

[Narrator] The troops smash through into the castle, ransacking and gathering wood for fire.

Varadrion looks at the troops, then Vaedron and says "Um.... time to leave

Echnaton looks for Tasselhof

Dytalorien turns and faces Enox, waving casually.

Vaedron nods to Varadrion and begins to run.

[Narrator] Several, uncountable amounts, of attackers swarm into the library.

Enox walks to Dytalorien, 'what’s going?'

Kalypse says 'Hi' to Tasselhof

Tasselhof says "Ok, Kalypse, come with us!"

Varadrion runs after Vaedron at a full sprint

Kamrock runs for the stairs

Echnaton goes back to library-entrance, looking whether attackers try to get in

Tasselhof throws some knives the arriving attackers

Vaedron makes his way through the rooms until he comes to the library.

Kalypse follow Tasselhof

Tasselhof shouts to Kalypse "Run!"

Kalypse runs

Dytalorien hears the roar of massive amounts of people, "Something's happening! We better leave"

Varadrion pulls a black vial and lobs it into the group of attackers, then turns to Vaedron and says "light them up"

Tasselhof draws his sword and charges the troops

Echnaton assists tasselhof with the attackers

Tasselhof dances around, sword flashing

[Narrator] The attackers begin tearing books of the bookcases

Enox says, 'Good point, better lets RUN'

Vaedron chants in elven causing a small fire ball to launch at the attackers, which lights them on fire.

Echnaton shoots his arrows from behind Tasselhof

Kamrock jumps out of a window, and lands heavily back in the courtyard

Faelnon arrives in the library.

Tasselhof slashes a attacker as an arrow whips by his head

Kalypse shouts to Tasselhof 'where are we going?'

Varadrion nods to Vaedron and then dives out the window after Kalypse, landing gracefully in the yard a few feet from her

Isondil rushes into the library

Faelnon looks at the group cursing himself, 'Get out of here!'

Echnaton mutters 'ups - almost'

Shandor arrives in the library with Mihwen, Dramicus and Jenn in tow.

Echnaton moves a bit more to the side

Dytalorien shouts, "We're moving, we're moving."

Shandor looks at Faelnon surprised, 'What is going on?'

Isondil turns and finds himself faced with attackers

Faelnon throws a book near Shandor, 'Run!'

Varadrion looks around the courtyard, and sees a few attackers running towards him and Kalypse

Tasselhof slashes another attacker

Dytalorien ducks a slash from an attacker before rushing past him.

Faelnon notices about ten attackers preparing to set fire to another set of books.

Faelnon dives the torch-lighting attacker and takes him to the ground.

Isondil takes out his axe and begins slashing at the attackers

Tasselhof steals another sword and fights double handed

[Narrator] The torch explodes into flames and strikes the pile of books and a book case, instantly it begins burning wildly.

Vaedron groans and says, "We can't take all of these attackers on."

Faelnon looks around to see Foilae waving his arms at the torch. Exasperated, he is knocked away from the attacker.

Tasselhof says "Wait for Shandor!"

Tasselhof cuts down two attackers at the same time

Isondil breaks through the wall of attackers and runs to the top of the steps

Echnaton sees the pressure at the entrance decrease a bit, as lots of dead attackers block the following ones' way

Faelnon rolls his eyes, 'Good tactic there Foilae, what were we aiming for, 'Highest Death Count'?'

Dytalorien curses as the library burns brightly.

Shandor runs from the library with said three with him.

Vaedron yells, "We have to get out of here this place is gonna burn to the ground."

Enox runs suddenly he runs into a attacker

[Narrator] 'Master Jayon! A fire! Fire in the library!' A loyal servant shouts outside. Jayon leaps to his feet, 'No! I will not let it be destroyed!' With this he charges into the ruins of the castle after the library.

Dytalorien sprints from the library, and follows the rest.

Tasselhof says "Follow Shandor"

Vaedron begins to run from the library and motions for the others to follow.

Faelnon tries to put the flames out, to no success.

Varadrion charges a small group of the attackers, sword drawn, and begins to fight a few of them

Isondil takes out his bow and begins firing at the attackers rushing at him

Tasselhof leaves the attackers, and runs after Shandor

Shandor flees down a series of seemingly random corridors.

Echnaton also follows Shandor

Varadrion dodges a swing by one of the attackers, the blade grazing across his right forearm, cutting him

Tasselhof barely keeps up with Shandor

Vaedron runs frantically trying to remember a way out of the castle but instead just follows Faelnon.

Isondil begins to surrender ground to the attackers

Kalypse doesn’t know what to do to help Varadrion and doesn’t know how to fight either so first thing she thinks of is to get her cooking pot and hit the attackers on their heads

Shandor ducks down a flight of stairs.

Tasselhof sees Isondil losing his fight, and runs to help him, double swords flashing

Kalypse knocks out one of them

Varadrion holds an attacker for Kalypse to hit, while fighting off another one

Echnaton wonders if anyone here got an idea which way might be the exit

Vaedron breaths heavily as he runs.

Dytalorien leaps down steps and runs for dear life.

Enox the attacker screams, and Enox runs away

Isondil takes out his axe and rushes at the attackers

Varadrion cuts the attackers throat and then drives his sword into the stomach of another

Faelnon yells to Foilae over the flame's noise, 'I will not leave this place until you give me a reason why you are destroying it.

Tasselhof shouts to Isondil "We have to flee!" and slashes another attacker

Shandor gets locked in a battle with a few attackers.

Isondil barges into the attacker and pushes him down the stairs

Vaedron yells back for Varadrion to follow but notices that he is not in sight.

[Narrator] Jayon thunders into the library and tackles Foilae and Faelnon to the ground, 'You! Tell me where it is or I will kill you now!'

Faelnon kicks up and pushes Jayon off him.

[Narrator] Jayon groans and leaps on one of the upright bookcases and begins tearing and books and climbing.

Echnaton shoots at an attacker besides Shandor, disabling him

[Narrator] Jayon screams, 'I will find it!'

Faelnon leaps onto the same bookcase, 'After Tarkna freezes over!..... well, for a second time!'

Varadrion wipes his own blood off his hand and kicks an attacker in the chest, before stabbing him

Enox runs and trips over a dead attacker and falls out of the window

Varadrion looks at Kalypse and yells "Run, I'll buy you some time"

Faelnon grabs Jayon by the leg, but cannot hurl him from the 'case.

Enox falls into the yard, luckily into some bushes

[Narrator] Jayon sees where Faelnon had hidden the book he has been searching for.

Kalypse asks 'where?' and hits one other guy

Faelnon dives for the book and grabs it. He continues up the 'case as quick as possible.

[Narrator] Jayon swings his sword for Faelnon, but misses.

Faelnon reaches the top of the 'case and shoves open the small access-way to the attic. He pulls himself up into it as Jayon pursues.

Vaedron slices Jayon in the arm but is quickly thrown back.

Varadrion yells back "find the others, they may still be in the library"

Faelnon breathes relief in the dark, narrow confines of the attic. A blade slams through the floor and catches a few strands of hair.

Dytalorien stumbles into several attackers and shouts a greeting, before back-pedalling and sprinting away.

Faelnon yelps in surprise and scrambles away from the blade. He is trapped as another blade rams through the floor. Both blades disappear as a figure's head appears at the access way

Varadrion draws a dagger and his long sword and faces a small group of attackers

Tasselhof groans from the floor

Enox is unconscious .

Kalypse frowns at Varadrion 'the library is burning! do you want me to get burned?'

Tasselhof fades back to consciousness

Vaedron tries to regain his footing.

[Narrator] Jayon climbs through into the attic, wielding his two swords.

Faelnon notices a draft of cold air hitting his neck. He looks up to see a hatch to the outside.

Varadrion yells "I don't know everything, just try to stay alive"

Faelnon slams the hatch open and finds himself on a sloping roof blanketed in snow. He clambers up as Jayon pursues.

Kalypse nods

Varadrion blocks a slash and spins, cutting down two attacks before jumping out of the way of another attack

Vaedron climbs after Jayon but is to far behind to make any difference.

Faelnon runs, as best he can, along the roof. Something strikes him across the leg, he growls in pain as the book goes from his hands into snow.

Tasselhof finally comes to and realizes he is alone in the room

Faelnon spins around and punches Jayon as powerfully as he can, in the jaw. One of Jayon's swords fly into the air. He grabs it by the hilt elegantly and swings it up at Jayon.

[Narrator] Jayon shouts in surprise, but parries the blow.

Faelnon launches into attack after attack.

Tasselhof looks around the empty room

Shandor tackles three attackers to the ground.

Tasselhof sees a scroll, and a small gem on the floor, and scoops them up

Vaedron decides that following Jayon is useless and climbs back down to help the rest of the group.

[Narrator] Jayon is on the defensive when he suddenly swings up with enough power to knock Faelnon off his feet.

Tasselhof starts to wander, trying to find someone, even a attacker

Faelnon goes flying backwards, landing on the sloped roof. He begins to slide down it, barely managing to catch onto the edge of the roof. His sword rattles down the roof, this part with a very light covering of snow, and falls off it, landing with a soft *thud* far, far below.

Vaedron runs searching for the rest of the group.

Tasselhof wanders around, and finds the front gate

Tasselhof walks outside

Varadrion runs to Kalypse and picks her up, and then begins sprinting towards the main gate

Echnaton tries to rejoin the group

Tasselhof says "Well, that was easy" to himself

Shandor looks at the attackers and yells, 'Charge into the valley of death and give good fight!' He notices some of the stares from both Attackers and his old group, (that he brought with him) 'Little… Tarkna speak… just go and fight them!'

Tasselhof sighs and runs back in, as he cannot leave his friends

Vaedron sees Varadrion and races after him.

Tasselhof runs back out, seeing tons of attackers

Echnaton almost runs into Tasselhof, as he changes the direction

Tasselhof decides to scale the castle wall

Kamrock staggers through the gate and collapses

Vaedron yells, "Varadrion wait!"

Echnaton also turns around "!!!"

Varadrion sprints out the main gate and continues running for another feet, before diving behind a snow bank

Tasselhof starts to climb the wall

Vaedron chases after Varadrion.

Dytalorien ducks and dodges the blows of the various attackers as he makes his way towards a gate leading out of the castle.

Varadrion looks up and sees Vaedron, he waves his hand so Vaedron can see where they are

Tasselhof skin is bitten by the wind

Enox wakes up and tries to find where he is

Tasselhof reaches the top of the castle and sees no one there either

[Narrator] Jayon walks shakily over to the book in the snow and picks it up with reverence. He crosses to the end of the roof. He lifts the book high in the air, opens it and begins chanting.

Vaedron ask Varadrion, "Is everyone ok?"

[Narrator] The sky darkens, if it is at all possible for it to get any darker, the snow quickly turns to a downpour of rain.

Faelnon 's hands begin to slip at the onslaught of rain.

Varadrion replies "I only know of the three of us right now"

Tasselhof sees Jayon, and realizes he is not alone

Tasselhof stand out in the open like a fool

Kalypse tells Vaedron 'yes, I am fine, how about you?

[Narrator] Five bolts of lighting strike together where Jayon stands. A small rip appears in the sky, not a portal, more like a viewing device..

Vaedron curses in elven and says, "So I take it the rest of the group is still in the castle?"

Kalypse nods sadly

Tasselhof watches the show curiously

Varadrion replies "I believe so, and the weather has suddenly changed... this is bad"

Enox remembered he fell out of the window so must be in the garden somewhere

Faelnon 's hand slips, leaving one gripping on in a matter of life and death. He may as well put his other hand to good use.

Echnaton finally reaches the top of the outer castle-wall

Shandor rams an attacker with a sword when he suddenly hears a voice, it was Faelnon. He looks around, no Faelnon in sight. He listens to the message, he is begins to listen to the repeating message.

Vaedron says to Kalypse and coughs out, "I'm fine."

Tasselhof taps his foot impatiently watching Jayon

Varadrion looks down at the blood running down his arm and jams it into the snow to stop the bleeding

Shandor leaves the battle and flees to the library. He leaps upon a bookcase, it, burning brightly, collapses before he can climb. He looked around, the other bookcases were too dangerous to climb. He ducked out of the library and began chanting.

Vaedron asks Varadrion, "How bad is that cut?"

Dytalorien curses as he parries a blow, only to dodge another.

Varadrion says "A scar, but nothing more"

Faelnon is suddenly lifted up into the air and placed on the roof. He nearly slips instantaneously, but manages to climb up behind Jayon.

Varadrion pulls his arm out and shows it to Vaedron, it is cut deeply, blood pouring out

Tasselhof sees Faelnon

Tasselhof wonders why he is just standing there]

Echnaton has to defend a attacker that appeared up the wall

[Narrator] Jayon and Faelnon watch the image in the viewing-portal. It is of a port city, a very large city. As the image begins to move closer to the buildings Faelnon recognises it as Tildruin. Jayon mutters, 'Tildruin…' in a mixture of success and annoyance.

Vaedron tears off a piece of his cloak and hands it to Varadrion, "Here wrap your arm in this."

Tasselhof looks at the portal

Enox runs back to inside and tries to find somebody

[Narrator] The image continues to go down until it is at the streets of Tildruin. It goes down further, into the rock and dirt beneath the city. For miles the image goes down until brick fills up the image. The brick disappears and it opens into a cavernous, and pitch black, place. Something moves in the shadows.

[Narrator] It comes towards the image and fills Faelnon with fear. Amber eyes, very dark greened skin. Elongated ears, rows of sharp teeth. Its face fills up the viewing-portal, but its body is countless times bigger.

Varadrion says "that will not stop the bleeding, can you make a small version of your fireball spell?"

[Narrator] Jayon bows before it and shouts over the howling wind that has picked up, 'I am your servant master. Many miles have we travelled to find you. Now, we shall release you so we can serve your every whim.'

Faelnon looks at Jayon before kicking him in the legs, bringing him to his knees, and then shoving him away. Faelnon stands before the beast which the group will have to face some day. 'Be gone from my sight, foul creature! You shall harm no-one and you will not make your pawns obey you. You were trapped there for good measure, and there you shall remain!'

[Narrator] The beast chuckles, vibrating the chamber it is in, shaking waves of dust from the walls, It shouts in a booming voice, each letter knocks Faelnon back, 'Haá~gaâ§ÀÅam*jasbeº¿ÆË Øüþdg! H˜Ðßÿò×faenly, æacëßOƒw! ŒtrOoLU˜T ‡‡l, €‰› ˜?ϱ¡ÇÐ. ×ýþôõH?OtT§¦ ¥¤¢¿

Faelnon stares at the shape in a mix of surprise and fear as it fades away. The rain comes to a halt and for the first time days everything is silent for Faelnon.

Faelnon breathes deeply and lets his breath form mist clouds. He closes his eyes for a second. Something knocks into him. His eyes snaps open. The roof disappears beneath his feet. He swings his arms wildly and hits into something.

[Narrator] Jayon falls through the air with Faelnon, 'Surprise.'

Varadrion grabs the cloth from Vaedron and wraps it around his arm, the bleeding slowing a bit

Dytalorien smashes the pommel of his saber on the head of an attacker, before gazing upward at the sound of a booming voice.

Faelnon flips around so he is facing the sky. 'Surprise the second.'

Faelnon kicks as hard as he can off Jayon and falls away from him. He lands with a *thud* onto the hard floor of the courtyard.

Faelnon rolls along the floor for a second before looking back towards the castle, and the spiked-perimeter.

Tasselhof starts to scale back down the wall, terrified of the viewing portal

[Narrator] Jayon yelps in terror and shock as a spike slices through his abdomen.

Faelnon cringes as he sees Jayon's demise.

Tasselhof reaches the bottom, sees Kalypse, and runs over to her

Tasselhof says "Are you injured?"

Vaedron looks to Tasselhof and asks him, "Are you ok?

Kalypse shakes her head 'no'

Shandor slams out of a second-story window onto a few attackers fleeing from the castle.

Shandor quickly kills them all.

Tasselhof says "I'm fine"

Dytalorien grins as he finally reaches the gate, and looks back before exiting.

Shandor gets up and wipes the blood from his sword, 'They are retreating!' He announces.

Tasselhof takes out a tinderbox, finds some wood, and lights a fire

Isondil takes out his bow and fires at a group of attackers fleeing south from the castle

Faelnon shouts to Shandor, 'You hope!'

Echnaton still watches the portal high above him

Kamrock wakes, staggering to his feet he looks about.

Shandor runs over to Faelnon, 'Are you well, old friend?'

Faelnon coughs loudly, 'Do I look it?'

Tasselhof offers Kalypse his cloak

Isondil fells two of the attackers and chases the other two

Kalypse states 'my head hurts and I hate fights!!! I’ll just wait outside with my horse till this ends... I need some fresh air'

Vaedron finally realizes that it is actually very cold out and begins to shiver.

Shandor shrugs, 'In my opinion, you are better than ever.'

Kalypse says 'thank you Tasselhof'

Varadrion watches as a few drops of his blood fall onto the blade of his sword, the sword begins glowing softly

Echnaton shakes off the impression and look show to get down the wall

Tasselhof gets the fire going to warm the four of them up

Vaedron tightens his cloak around him.

Tasselhof says "Sit down Vaedron"

Vaedron moves over by the fire and sits down reluctantly.

Tasselhof turns to Varadrion "You too"

Vaedron says, "I'm still worried about the rest of the group."

Varadrion picks up his sword and feels suddenly stronger, but then falls to his knees, weak from loss of blood

Isondil strikes down one of the attackers but fails to get the fourth and let's him run

Tasselhof makes Varadrion sit

Shandor turns to Faelnon and grins, 'You know, that's what I was thinking, it's like we can read each other's minds.'

Tasselhof adds to the fire

Vaedron says to the two, "Do you think everyone is alright in there?"

Shandor turns to the corpse of Jayon, 'Pleasant fellow, that one.'

Faelnon chuckles, 'Yes, nice armour too.’

Faelnon chuckles with Shandor at this seemingly 'in-joke' and approaches Jayon.

Tasselhof says "Sure"

Echnaton sneaks around a corner and sees his companions around a fire

Dytalorien evades the fleeing attackers, who seem too concerned with running away to bother with him.

Varadrion says weakly "no sure way to tell"

Faelnon states, 'I have missed times like this.'

Isondil looks at the third attacker to check if he's dead

Tasselhof pulls out the scroll he found and looks at it

Echnaton runs over to them

Shandor nods, 'I too have missed many of these times.'

Vaedron brushes his hair away from his face with his hand.

Tasselhof hands the scroll to Vaedron "Looks like magic"

Shandor pats his friend on the shoulder and says, 'We should get the armour we truly need and find our group.'

Varadrion looks down at the piece of cloak Vaedron gave him, it is now soaked in blood, and blood is flowing from under it

Isondil bends down and looks at the attackers face and stops

Vaedron takes the scroll from Tasselhof and begins to look at it.

Faelnon grins, 'I don't think we want the abdomen part of the armour.'

Shandor grins and takes a pauldron from Jayon.

Shandor states, 'Nice design.'

Tasselhof pulls out his new gem and ring and looks upon them

Vaedron sighs and says, "I will need some time to look this over, however, not now I am too worried."

Faelnon looks around, 'I wonder where our horses are...'

Isondil walk's away from the body in shock and stumbles towards the fire

Kamrock straps his axe back up.

Varadrion says weakly "If anyone knows how to stop this bleeding, I would be much obliged"

Tasselhof sees little value in the gem, and hands it to Vaedron, wondering if it goes with the scroll

Tasselhof places the ring on his finger

Faelnon looks around, 'Now where are the rest of them..?'

Faelnon hears voices, 'That sounds...'

Tasselhof hopes the light of the fire will draw his friends

Kamrock staggers weakly into the courtyard.

Vaedron stares at the fire as it crackles.

Isondil walks up to the fire and collapses

Shandor finishes Faelnon's sentence, 'Familiar.'

Shandor peaks round a corner into the main courtyard and spots the group.

Varadrion looks at the cut, and then at the fire, and pulls off the bandaging

Shandor waves to Faelnon to follow him.

Faelnon follows Shandor up to the warm fire.

Isondil looks pale and sits staring straight in front of himself

Varadrion put some cloth is his mouth to bite on and passes the cut closely over the fire, cauterizing the wound

Faelnon notices, through the fire's light that his arms are cut and bruised. 'Oh dear...now where are my healing supplies?'

Tasselhof looks to see Faelnon and Shandor coming

Tasselhof asks Shandor "Are we all here"

Faelnon looks at the rest of the group that look no better, 'We need to heal most of you..'

Vaedron looks at

Shandor smiles, 'And I'm meant to know this...... how? Ask your newest leader, Faelnon.'

Varadrion looks at Faelnon and says "If you can clear up this burn and cut, i'd be in your debt"

Vaedron looks at Shandor and bows, "It is good to have you back friend."

Isondil sits in his cloak and raises he hood of his face

Faelnon looks up at mention of his name, 'We are all here I believe.'

Echnaton starts to check whether all is still there where it belongs...

Shandor nods to Vaedron, 'It is good to be amongst you again.'

Faelnon states, 'We need to find our horses and my healing supplies.

Varadrion nods weakly to Shandor, obviously losing strength from the wound

Faelnon turns to Shandor, 'Stay and speak, I will find the horses.'

Vaedron smirks and says jokingly, "So....how was hell?"

Tasselhof says to Shandor "This ring seems to warm me up. Is it magical?" he hands the ring to Shandor

Isondil feel's something in his cloak and takes out a small ruby

Echnaton looks at Tasselhof and grins "behind your back is a rather save place."

[Narrator] Foilae emerges from the burning wreckage of his castle and sheds a tear.

Shandor turns to Vaedron, 'It was better than the last time, I might go there for holidays next year.'

Dytalorien sits down in the grass watching the castle and those exiting, awaiting his group.

Vaedron chuckles at Shandor.

Varadrion chuckles softly

Shandor picks up the ring and peers at it, 'Yes, a simple enchantment, useful in this frozen climate, put it on and keep it on.'

Shandor passes the ring back to Tasselhof.

Isondil stands up and walks back towards the felled attacker

Tasselhof takes the ring

Tasselhof grins, saying "Another keepsake of an adventure"

Faelnon returns with most of the horses, which, apart from being startled, look quite healthy.

Varadrion says to Shandor "do you have any bandaging?"

Faelnon takes a look at his horse and announces, 'Yes, he is okay and my supplies are all here.'

Tasselhof says "I've got some bandages"

Isondil reaches the attacker and takes out the small ruby once more and bends down to the attacker

Vaedron sighs at Varadrion, "Yes he got that at hells local shops."

Echnaton turns over to his horse and carefully examines him

Varadrion looks at Vaedron and smiles

Shandor rolls his eyes at Varadrion, 'No, I'm afraid I forgot bandages when I was being torn from hell.'

Tasselhof says "I have bandages!"

Varadrion holds his arm up to Tas to show him the wound, and deep cut bleeding a lot

Faelnon shouts to Tasselhof, 'I have bandages too, is this a competition?'

Faelnon takes out all his healing supplies and approaches the group, 'Now, all those injured line up.'

Tasselhof pulls some bandaging and begins work on Varadrion

Isondil places the ruby on the attacker's chest and say's in elven ~Sleep my friend~

Varadrion says weakly "As long as one of you fixes this before I pass out I’ll be happy"

Vaedron looks to Varadrion and says, "So my cloak wasn't good enough for you?"

Varadrion looks at Vaedron, smiles, and says "It was fine, but it could only soak up so much blood, I need a little more than that"

Faelnon calls to Isondil, ~I would not call him friend, you do not know who he is, and if you did, friend would be the last word to describe him.~

Tasselhof finishes Varadrions arm, and pulls his trench-coat about him

Isondil looks away and say's a small prayer in elven

Faelnon looks around, 'So, no-one is willing to be healed first? Fine, I'll just work on my own injuries.'

Tasselhof says "I think Varadrion was the only one with a serious injury"

Isondil stands up and walks slowly back towards the group tears rolling down his cheeks

Varadrion thanks Tasselhof

Faelnon takes out a few herbs and begins to grind them up with a mortar & pestle.

Tasselhof checks his inventory

Varadrion notices Isondil and looks at him, confused

Tasselhof lays two sword on the ground, and ten knives

Faelnon dips his finger in the 'mush-y' substance the herbs have been ground into.

Vaedron tries to warm himself by the fire.

Tasselhof lays a couple of maps, and two scrolls

Faelnon rubs it along his wounds, it stings immensely, but begins to heal his cuts.

Varadrion stands and walks over to Isondil "what is wrong friend"

Tasselhof satisfied, returns all his stuff back to the numerous pouches and pockets

Isondil rejoins the group and hides his face cursing himself in elven

Tasselhof says "I almost ran out of knives in there"

Tasselhof hands the two knives left from Varadrion back

Echnaton suddenly appears again and asks "What was so urgent in that library that it must be destroyed?"

Varadrion takes them and thanks Tasselhof again

Isondil looks at Varadrion and mutter's 'nothing friend thank you for your concern'

Faelnon turns to Foilae.

[Narrator] Foilae looks at Echnaton, 'A book that Faelnon foolishly protected.'

Tasselhof says to Varadrion, "Sorry I lost a couple"

Faelnon grins, 'Don't you love gratitude?'

Varadrion grins and says "I will get more later"

Vaedron remembers the runes that brought the group there in the first place and asks, "Whatever happened to the runes?"

Tasselhof shrugs

Faelnon takes out a charred piece of parchment, 'They are all here.'

Varadrion looks at the castle and says "What happened up there, I heard a lot of noise, but did not see anything"

Vaedron scratches his head and asks, "Have you decided what they are for yet?"

Isondil clears his throat and say's 'Why exactly were those attacker's laying siege to the castle in the first place?'

Gaenwelor walks through the snow towards the fire

Gaenwelor is immensely cold

Faelnon turns to Varadrion, 'You mean my scuffle with Jayon? Ah, that was... interesting.'

Varadrion says "I wish I had gotten to him earlier"

Faelnon looks at Gaenwelor and cocks an eyebrow, 'May we help you?'

Gaenwelor looks at Faelnon. "A fire would be nice"

Faelnon looks at Gaenwelor's clothing, it does not seem akin to that of the attackers, 'Then sit down beside it.'

Tasselhof says "A task is never completed without cleaning and sharpening tools, and with sharp and clean tools, who can resist the next task?"

Isondil looks at the newcomer

Vaedron looks at the newcomer.

Faelnon keeps an eye on Gaenwelor in case he is one of the attackers minus the armour.

Gaenwelor "Thanks". Walks to fire.

Shandor turns to Faelnon and whispers, 'I heard something from the you-know-what, what did it say?'

Faelnon replies in a language unknown to the group.

Echnaton looks for some woods suitable to make arrows from

Isondil shrugs and looks away in disinterest

Shandor nods and continues the banter in an unknown language, with Foilae joining in.

Varadrion says "I felt something when that battle was going on up there... something horrible was in that viewer, wasn't it"

Echnaton mutters "the gate..."

Vaedron listens to his stomach growl and asks, "Does anyone have something to eat?"

Isondil looks at Echnaton and say's 'Fear not I have an extra quiver I can give you'

Faelnon turns to Varadrion and nods slowly.

Faelnon turns to Vaedron, 'I have some fruits and salted meats, get them out of my pack on the horse.'

Echnaton looks at Isondil "thank you, but with some suited wood I can make new arrows

Varadrion stands up and walks away from the group a few paces

Vaedron looks to Faelnon and says, "Sure."

Vaedron goes off to get the food.

Echnaton "I only hope we have some rest now" and looks back to the battlefield with motionless face

Isondil look's at Echanton and nods and say's 'yes but wait until we get to some woods'

Varadrion looks to the castle silently

Vaedron comes back to the group with armfuls of food.

Gaenwelor "So what's this place?"

Isondil walk's over to his horse and whisper's something to it in elven

Shandor looks at Faelnon concernedly and says in very quite and deliberately accented Anicent Elven ~Shouldn't you tell them about it?~

Vaedron sits down and begins to eat like a pig.

Faelnon replies, ~And worry them meaninglessly?~

Shandor raises both eyebrows ~Meaninglessly?!~

Isondil takes out a small jade coloured dagger and hides it within his cloak

Vaedron tries to listen to Shandor’s and Faelnon’s conversation but can't make out any words.

Echnaton hears Shandor and Faelnon talking and looks over to them

Echnaton face is again completely motionless, so its impossible to say whether he can follow their words or not

Faelnon hushes Shandor down noticing the stares they are getting.

Vaedron continues eating, not sharing any of his food.

Faelnon tries to change the topic, 'Oy Vaedron, that's my food remember.'

Vaedron washes down the food with a gulp from his flask.

Isondil returns to the group and looks around unconcernedly

Shandor says in a language completely unknown to the group +- Tell them, or I will. -+

Vaedron tries to say something to Faelnon but too much food is stuck in his mouth.

Vaedron continues to take giant bites of food.

Faelnon turns to Shandor and sighs, he replies in common tongue, 'Fine.'

Varadrion returns and sits down near the fire

Faelnon begins to explain.

Faelnon says, 'The creature beyond the viewing portal was the one that we face, the one the Gifts are gathered to destroy.'

Isondil looks at Faelnon with mild interest

Faelnon says, 'I recognise the language, translated it....' He stops before sighing loudly.

Faelnon reports, 'It said "You wear that which was built to destroy me. It will not work. Nothing can harm me now. I have summoned *them*, bringers of doom, those born to destroy. Now you will falter and fall."'

Vaedron sits shocked with his jaw hanging down revealing a mouthful of chewed food.

Faelnon says, 'It knew about are attempts to rally the Gifts and the races.'

Varadrion says "That feeling"

Faelnon says sadly, 'And those troops we have fought all day were its minions, or rather, *her* minions.'

Varadrion looks down at his wound

Vaedron says with a mouthful of food, "How would it know we are gathering the Gifts?"

Faelnon states, 'She can summon thousands of them, they were a cult long ignored by the Elven Wise Lords.'

Faelnon states, 'Someone told her about the Gifts, it sent thousands of spies into the world to gather as much information. No-one found anything.'

Faelnon continues, 'But then it found Foilae's castle.'

Vaedron sighs and says, "Then more may be coming by the second and we still must find the Orc Gifts."

Isondil say's ' Until she calls them can they act normally?'

Faelnon continues, 'In it, it discovered that Foilae contained a book that would help her brake free.'

Faelnon says, 'That is why she summoned her forces.'

Faelnon sighs, 'And the forces we fought today were but a speck of dust compared to the forces she could summon.'

Faelnon turns to Isondil, 'In a manner, some of the are direct cultists, others not.'

Vaedron gulps.

Varadrion remarks "just great"

Isondil nods slowly

Faelnon states, 'Poor sheep... they had no idea what was going on.'

Vaedron tries to warm his hands by the fire.

Varadrion draws his sword and looks at it, it is still glowing softly

Varadrion feels stronger when holding the sword, but can't explain it

Faelnon rubs his hands together.

Isondil draws his dagger and spins it on his finger tip ignoring the blood seeping from his finger

Varadrion drops his cloak on the ground and walks away, sword in hand

Faelnon looks around, 'It looks like you've just be asked to fight the devil! Cheer up, there are worse things.'

Vaedron raises his cloak over his head.

Varadrion turns and says "In a sense, we are fighting the devil"

Varadrion removes his bandage and holds his sword over the wound

Isondil looks around and stands up and walks over to the castle door's remains

Faelnon chuckles, 'If you think that that is a devil of any kind, you are sorely mistaken.'

Varadrion looks and says "it is something very evil, and obviously very powerful"

Vaedron takes several sips of ale from his flask.

Faelnon says, 'Powerful, yes, evil, hardly. It does not compare to some evils.'

Varadrion says "then what does it want"

Echnaton watches Varadrion and especially his sword with interest

Faelnon says, 'Of course I could go to the old argument that it does not see itself as evil, but..'

Varadrion runs the blade of his sword over the wound softly, opening it just a bit, the sword glows deeper as the blood touches the blade"

Varadrion re-bandages the arm and walks back, sword in hand

Faelnon mumbles, to no-one, 'There are things far more evil...'

Faelnon lets his last phrase settle into his thoughts.

Varadrion notices Echnaton's glare and smiles softly, holding up the glowing sword

Gaenwelor stands up and says, "Well, men. Thank you for your fire. I must be off now. Our paths may cross again..."

Faelnon says, 'Its goals are quite clear Destruction. To everything and everyone, including her mis-guided followers. Yes, that seems evil in our eyes... but remember, our eyes are tainted with blood.'

Isondil returns to the group and looks at Gaenwelor

Faelnon looks at Gaenwelor, nods politely, but makes no motion to say good-bye

Gaenwelor walks off into the snow, becoming enveloped in white

Vaedron nods to Gaenwelor.

Faelnon says, 'Perhaps you should mention these arguements to this creature when we meet her, you never know, you may convert the devil, as you call her.'

Echnaton asks "what is beyond destruction? destruction is useless without a purpose.

Varadrion says "I do not wish to convert her" and walks a few paces away

Faelnon says, 'I do not know her 'higher purpose'.'

Isondil looks around and edges towards his horse and rides off in pursuit of the newcomer

Isondil rides up behind the newcomer and shout's 'I know who you are!'

Faelnon says, 'I do have an idea... I think.'

Varadrion says, back turned to the group "well what is it then"

Faelnon states, 'Many years ago Shandor encountered a Nanjarii, who left him a small orb, it does many things, but one of the things it can do, seemingly at random, would be to have glimpses of the future.'

Isondil rushes at the newcomer as he turns and jumps off his horse felling him

Faelnon says, 'Hopefully this.... premonition would warn us of the cultists.'

Varadrion says "oh"

Faelnon says, 'I will return to A'lure to get this orb.'

Shandor shakes his head, 'I will go, I wish to see Ariea again.'

Varadrion comes back and sits down near the fire, staring at his now deeply glowing red sword

Faelnon grins knowingly, 'Of course you do, Shandor.'

Isondil rolls along the snow with him and grabs something on his neck and rips it off

Varadrion looks at Echnaton and says "I had read that this sword was enchanted, but I’d never been able to figure out what it was"

Isondil looks at it and smiles and say's 'I knew you were an attacker no doubt a spy'

Isondil takes out his dagger and slits his throat

Echnaton looks at the blade your blood seems to affect it

Faelnon sighs and gazes into the fire.

Faelnon remembers something, 'Oh Shandor?'

Shandor turns to his friend, 'Yes Faelnon?'

Varadrion says "Apparently, my blood gives the sword power, a 'sacrifice' of sorts"

Faelnon says, 'Remember... a good seventy-five years ago when you passed through a halfling village?'

Isondil takes the symbol and remounts his horse riding back towards the group

Shandor looks at Faelnon curiously and nods.

Echnaton asks "your blood or any blood?"

Varadrion chuckles "which would have been a good fifty years before I was even born"

Isondil dismounts and walks towards the group

Varadrion says "It never turned this way when I have stabbed someone else, only when my blood dripped onto it from the cut on my arm"

Faelnon grins, 'I believe you met a man that gave you the completing part of the tri-blade and he asked you to give it to me.... why didn't I get it?'

Shandor flushes a deep red, 'I-I.... I- who told you?'

Faelnon grins, 'A large plump bird by the name of Thor.'

Isondil clears his throat and say's 'Friends I have some bad news'

Shandor growls jokingly, 'Then I shall hunt him down!'

Faelnon grins, 'And I will be right on your tail.'

Faelnon turns to Isondil.

Shandor looks at Isondil and says sarcastically, 'Oh goodie, we haven't had any bad news.'

Varadrion lifts the sword and looks at a rock sitting nearby

Isondil says, 'the man who was at our fire was none other than a spy for the enemy'

Shandor raises an eyebrow.

Faelnon stands up filled with anger, 'I knew it! I knew it!'

Varadrion stops for a second and watches the others

Isondil takes out the symbol and shows it to the group and say's 'I found this on him'

Shandor takes the more objective approach, 'Have you proof?'

Shandor looks at the symbol before passing it to Faelnon, 'I guess you do...'

Faelnon takes the symbol, 'Yes... this has the markings alright.'

Isondil 'No doubt he was heading to his comrades

Faelnon sighs, 'Good work Isondil, it just proves that you can't trust anyone.'

Isondil nods and say's 'I would have preferred not to'

Varadrion looks the rock, then his sword, and then the Echnaton, he smiles and says "Worth a try"

Faelnon says, 'Despite the bitter cold we must settle down to sleep.

Echnaton doesn't move but nevertheless does not take his eyes from Varadrion

Varadrion says "agreed Faelnon"

Faelnon yawns, 'The day has taken much energy from me.'

Isondil shakes himself and begins to feel the cold and mutters to himself compliaining about the cold

Shandor nods and smirks, 'I feel like I've been dragged through hell.'

Varadrion swings the sword down on the rock, bracing himself for a sore wrist, but instead, the sword passes through cleanly, sticking into the ground

Varadrion watches as the sword stops glowing

Isondil looks at Varadrion's sword in surprise

Faelnon goes to his horse and fetches some bedding and a spare set.

Varadrion looks at his own sword in surprise

Faelnon throws the spare set at Shandor before setting up his own bed.

Faelnon turns to the group, 'Someone needs to attacker us for the night.'

Echnaton 's hand starts to move to his backpack, but a moment later that movement stops.

Varadrion pipes up "I will"

Isondil turns and say's 'I will '

Varadrion pulls his sword out of the ground, and picks up his cloak

Echnaton looks to Vara "a powerful tool"

Faelnon smiles, 'Two people are safer than one, both of you may attacker.'

Varadrion says to Echnaton "apparently only good for one strong blow though, and at a cost of my own blood"

Faelnon announces, 'Now, I am going to sleep, and I don't care what you lot do.'

Shandor grins before settling down to sleep.

Isondil nods to Varadrion and say's 'good to have some company'

Varadrion looks at him and says "Indeed, two is better than one"

Faelnon begins to snore.

Varadrion looks at his sword one final time, before putting it away"

Echnaton states "a small amount of your blood might save all the rest of it..."

Shandor , awakened by the snoring, picks up a small stone and throws it at Faelnon's head.

Faelnon snaps awake from the hit, jumps to his feet yelling, 'What's going on?!'

Shandor chuckles and returns to his slumber.

Isondil looks at Shandor and grins saying 'None of that'

Shandor grins, 'But of course Isondil.'

Varadrion says "Indeed, but I’m not sure how much blood it takes to make it as powerful as it can go"

Isondil smirks

Varadrion says "Still... most armour wouldn't hold through that"

Isondil gazes out into the night thinking about what has happened

Echnaton whispers "I hope you never have to find it out...

Varadrion says "I hope so too"

Varadrion nods to Echnaton "You should sleep, could be a long day tomorrow"