An Enemy Takes Many Forms

Plot Summary
The group are tired and angered when sunset comes. Gaenwelor, a spy for the enemy, as reappeared, his scuffle with Isondil leaving him only half-dead. The group discuss for several minutes before agreeing to investigate the town for clues and information. Each house is destroyed and blood-filled. Shandor, Faelnon and Mihwen investigate an abandoned farm. Nothing. Mihwen hears something from the kitchen. She opens a door, a creature growls at her and disappears. Mihwen, startled, calls for help.

Meanwhile, Gaenwelor is determined to escape and breaks free of his bonds. Havoc ensues in the inn. Mihwen makes her way towards it. Gaenwelor escapes. He lets out a fearful cry as he collapses forward into the dirt, dead. Mihwen turns round the corner and discovers the corpse. Rue and the horses arrive along with Shandor's Jayle.

Confusion over Gaenwelor's death is not forefront on their minds, they don't have a spy to deal with anymore. Several more strange events happen as the night goes on. Echanton, tied up at the bar, is poisoned by an unseen force and barely saved by Faelnon. Lesharn's meal, too, was poisoned. Mihwen disappeared outside. Shandor spots Mihwen outside. They all go out to meet her. She hisses at them, her skin scaly, her eyes amber. Faelnon realises that she killed Gaenwelor, and poisoned Lesharn and Echanton. She lets out an inhuman wail. From out in the distance, swarms of the creatures the group encountered the night prior, are summoned. They glide over the ground like a silk blanket. Shandor and Mihwen engage in a skirmish as the others fight the invading creatures. Shandor suddenly stops fighting. Mihwen collapses. Shandor turns to Faelnon, his eye's flicker amber. Shandor stabs Faelnon and flees with the other creatures, disappearing. Mihwen appears normal again. The night drones on unpleasantly as the group try to sleep.

Full Log

[Narrator] Previously On the 'Quest'

[Narrator] Outside most of the horses lie on the ground, slain. A few of the reigns have snapped and the horses long since fled. Lestat the Jayle has taken off into the distance.

[Narrator] Several *pitter-patter*'s sound in unison. A door blocking the staircase disappears. Shandor's light-spell lights up a scaly face and amber eyes before Shandor is knocked backwards, the light-spell disappears.

[Narrator] Isondil shakes his head and says 'I don't know when the enemy possessed [Echanton] he may act normally, and when his master calls him, change' Faelnon puts a blade at Echnaton's throat. 'You are the one that flees after I am stabbed. The one that wasn't seen as we were attacked. The one who shot an arrow at Shandor. The one who did not come to our aid. The one that finds Shandor in the morning.

[Narrator] Faelnon says, 'Isondil, tie [Echanton] up.'

[Narrator] And Now, On The 'Quest'

[Narrator] The group are in the same small village. The inn has been heavily damaged, claw marks have ripped into whatever part wasn't struck by arrows. There has been no sign of life from the rest of the village. Echanton is still under suspicion of being possessed and is tied up in the inn.

[Narrator] The sun is nearing its fall, the sky is reddening. The horses of the group remain, slaughtered, outside. Isondil's horse, Sandilor, and Shandor's Jayle, Lestat, Kalypse's horse and Lesharn's mule, Appleseed, are still nowhere to be seen.

Faelnon rubs his hands together nervously.

Dytalorien furrows his brows as he gazes about.

Gaenwelor stares into space

Lesharn sniffs.

Faelnon picks up his crossbow again and keeps it trained on Echanton

Mihwen looks around

Isondil looks around slowly and has his bow at the ready

Gaenwelor looks at weapons and grins

Faelnon notices Gaenwelor and recalls the first encounter which left Gaenwelor heavily wounded and revealed to be an agent of the enemy.

Faelnon turns his crossbow towards Gaenwelor, 'And what business do you have here?'

Isondil aims his bow at the spy

Dytalorien arches an eyebrow.

Mihwen looks suspiciously at Gaenwelor

Isondil pulls back his bow string

Faelnon states, ‘Perhaps we should tie him up next to Echanton.'

Isondil nods and lowers his bow slightly

Lesharn peers out of the inn and shouts, 'Appleseed, come here... Appleseed.'

Mihwen looks at Lesharn

Dytalorien yawns and paces about study the village, whilst listening to the ongoing conversation.

Faelnon turns to Lesharn, 'I'm sure he will return.'

Mihwen says 'I bet he ran away and hid'

Faelnon says, 'I do hope Shandor's Jayle returns soon.'

Mihwen looks at Faelnon 'what shall we do with Gaenwelor?'

Faelnon says, 'Tie him up, if he moves, feel free to shoot him, we have plenty of work to do.'

Dytalorien grins and chuckles, "We're so friendly these days."

Mihwen says 'better be safe then sorry'

Faelnon does not return the grin, 'These are evil times, darkness roams everywhere.'

Dytalorien grins, "Or so we hope."

Gaenwelor becomes bored and looks around

Isondil nods and say's 'Someone tie him up I’ll keep my bow trained on him'

Faelnon approaches Gaenwelor and ties his hands together.

Lesharn scratches an itch.

Faelnon shoves him into a corner and ties him to a support column.

Gaenwelor says, "What's the matter? Don't trust me?"

Faelnon says, 'Should I answer that with a bolt in your eye?'

Dytalorien cringes, "Ow, that must hurt."

Gaenwelor thinks for a moment

Mihwen says 'we’ve got nothing against you Gaenwelor but we need to be sure'

Gaenwelor says "No thank you"

Lesharn says, 'surely Gaenwelor must be hungry'

Faelnon says, 'Do not feed him until he is at death's door, I'm sure his allies in evil will help him.'

Gaenwelor says to Lesharn, "Nice to know you care"

Lesharn gulps.

Faelnon turns away, 'Okay, we need to get back to more important matters.'

Mihwen looks at Faelnon, a little food wont hurt

Faelnon says, 'I want to know what those creatures were… and exactly where is the rest of this village?'

Isondil sits down and takes out a dagger

Lesharn says, 'More importantly where are our pets?'

Gaenwelor realizes he has none of his equipments

Faelnon rolls his eyes at Lesharn, 'Soon they will return, knowing Lestat he is probably rallying them together now.'

Gaenwelor says, "Where's my stuff?"

Dytalorien looks about saying "My pets are a home, with my mommy and daddy.." and grins.

Lesharn chuckles at Dytalorien.

Faelnon says, 'In a safe place.'

Faelnon smiles a half-smile at Dytalorien.

Isondil turns to him and say's 'Silence we ask the questions'

Gaenwelor says," Give me my stuff."

Dytalorien gives himself a pat on the back for bringing humour to his depressed fellows.

Faelnon grabs a sword and presses it against Gaenwelor's throat, 'You are in no position to order us around, spy.'

Mihwen looks at Gaenwelor 'you're not in a position to demand things'

Isondil crosses over to Gaenwelor and strikes him on the face and say's 'Maybe this will teach you some manners dog'

Gaenwelor says, "Truly you are right. It is best that I keep alive."

Dytalorien leans against a nearby wall as he becomes grim, and listens to the conversation.

Faelnon slowly moves the blade away from Gaenwelor.

Faelnon claps his hands loudly, 'Now, we really must be moving on.'

Lesharn gets a raspberry pie from his satchel and asks, 'Food anyone?'

Gaenwelor says to Isondil, "If it weren't for these ropes, I'd have killed you by now..."

Faelnon looks at Lesharn and realises that he is starving, 'May I have one?'

Dytalorien waves a dismissive hand towards Lesharn, "Not at the moment, thanks."

Lesharn passes the pie to Faelnon with a nod.

Faelnon thanks Lesharn before devouring it.

Lesharn says, 'I guess we travel by foot?'

Gaenwelor becomes agitated at the sight of food

Isondil grins and say's 'You weren't to strong when I left you for dead in the snow'

Mihwen says 'So what’s our plan?'

Faelnon says, 'There are many questions and no answers, so I advise we begin searching for some.'

Lesharn wrinkles his toes and complains about walking.

Faelnon says, 'I suggest we investigate this village for life and explanations.

Isondil nods

Faelnon continues, 'Also, we should endeavour to find our animals.'

Faelnon turns to Isondil, 'Ignore him, he is merely trying to annoy you.'

Isondil ignores Gaenwelor

Mihwen looks around 'and who will watch our prisoners?'

Faelnon says, 'Let's begin searching this village, turn it upside down if we must.'

Faelnon 'hmm's, 'Any volunteers?'

Gaenwelor says, "I can watch myself."

Dytalorien raises his hand, "Frankly, I'm too lazy to move about."

Lesharn gets a harp from his satchel and starts to sing a song about Appleseed.

Isondil I'll help to search

Faelnon nods and turns to Shandor, who has remained quite silent, 'Any thoughts, old friend?'

Mihwen says 'I can search the village, I need some fresh air'

Lesharn blushes, 'I'd rather stay here...'

Shandor says, 'I agree with your plans...'

Dytalorien grins at Lesharn, "You're lazy too, eh?"

Lesharn says, 'The latest turn of events have been too hectic for me'

Faelnon grins, 'Okay, Dytalorien and Lesharn stay here, me, Shandor and Mihwen will investigate.'

Lesharn finds a comfortable space and sits down.

Dytalorien grins and chuckles, "How fun, we can make a fire and be all comfy."

Faelnon states, 'Isondil, too.'

Lesharn waves.

Faelnon leaves the inn and steps into the slight sunlight.

Dytalorien rummages in his belongings for his flint and tinder.

Shandor follows Faelnon out.

Mihwen follows Faelnon and Shandor.

Isondil nods and walks out of the inn

Gaenwelor works at the ropes, hoping to find a weakness

Lesharn yawns and says, 'If you don't mind I'll take a nap'

Dytalorien muses to himself, "Hope I don't burn the inn down."

Faelnon nears a small house. He notes that the door is slightly ajar. He prods the door easily open and is assaulted with a vile smell.

Faelnon walks down the short, narrow hallway and goes through the door to his left. He is assaulted by a horrid sight, causing him to double-over in disgust.

Lesharn slumbers off.

[Narrator] The room as been destroyed, chairs ripped apart, a couch is scattered through the room, the wall is covered in a red liquid; blood. A small painting has a claw mark through its image of a small girl.

Faelnon heads upstairs, the rooms up there are in a similar to those downstairs.

Lesharn twitches in his sleep.

Gaenwelor begins working at the knot

Dytalorien whistles as attempts to light a fire, and succeeds after a couple of tries.

Mihwen takes a walk around the building

Faelnon crosses from his house along a small dirt path.

Faelnon calls to the group, 'There is a farm a few hundred metres up this way, Shandor, Mihwen and I will go up and investigate.'

Faelnon begins walking.

Faelnon arrives at the farm, noting the absence of any sign of life or light, he goes up to the door and forces it open.

Faelnon clambers into the house and takes a look around the hall, nothing, save a few muddy claw marks on the ground.

Dytalorien chuckles as he hears Gaenwelor and brings an arm about, sending a dagger near his head. He states, "Now, now, none of that. You stay here."

Faelnon turns to Shandor, 'Take upstairs, Mihwen, take the kitchen and I'll take the living room.' He looks around the hall and comments, 'Be careful, breathing to loudly looks as if it could topple this farm down.'

Isondil looks around the street and walks past houses looking in their windows

Mihwen goes into the kitchen and gazes about the small area. She rubs her finger along a table and 'tut's at the dust. She hears something from an adjoining door, a small rattle and scrape.

Gaenwelor pauses and glances at the dagger.

Isondil reaches the end of the street and let's out a low whistle

Dytalorien leans against a wall near the fire and yawns as he watches the door.

Mihwen approaches the door and pulls it open. Something growls at her and ducks through a window.

Isondil stands looking about

Mihwen calls for Shandor and Faelnon

Faelnon dashes over and catches a yellow-ish tint in Mihwen's eyes. He dismisses this as the sunlight reflecting of her and goes over to see why she called out.

Mihwen screams 'help'

Shandor rushes down the stairs when one of the steps snap. He falls through the stair-way banister and slams to the ground.

Shandor tries to get to his feet when he notices a chunk of wood protruding from his shoulder.

Mihwen says ‘I saw something.’

Faelnon says, 'What?'

Isondil smiles as he sees his horse trotting slowly up to him

Faelnon hears Shandor yelp in pain.

Gaenwelor begins to mumble something and his fingers wiggle in various designs

Lesharn wakes and exclaims, 'I heard a cry for help.'

Mihwen hurries out to Shandor

Faelnon goes out to find Shandor lying there, 'Mihwen, can you help him, I'll head up stairs.'

Dytalorien mumbles as he hears the mumblings of a spell, and looks toward Gaenwelor.

Isondil notices his horse is shivering

Gaenwelor looks at Dytalorien and, after grinning, continues to mumble

Mihwen walks up to Shandor and looks at him

Dytalorien frowns at Gaenwelor, "Really, this is quite irritating."

Isondil pats it and whispers to it and tells it to find the other's horses and it rides off.

Lesharn says, 'Dytalorien did you hear that scream?'

Gaenwelor watches as the dust on the floor begins to turn black

Dytalorien shakes his head towards Lesharn, "I've been concentrating on this guy."

Faelnon looks around upstairs.

Isondil turns round and begins walking back to the inn but stops as he hears something moving

Gaenwelor says a quick word and the dust explodes, turning the room black

Dytalorien curses and brings forth his saber. Moving swiftly he brings the pommel down on Gaenwelor's head, knocking him out.

Isondil takes out his bow and fits an arrow unto his bow

Mihwen tries to remove the wood but as she does that Shandor goes unconscious

Dytalorien gazes as the room is completely back, and says, "Lesharn, you hear me?"

Gaenwelor slips slowly from the ropes but is hit with the pommel and falls into unconsciousness

Isondil looks around nervously

Faelnon notices the commotion from the inn, 'Keep healing Shandor, Mihwen, I'll check the inn.'

Dytalorien curses as he moves about the darkness, "Maybe I should've joined the search instead."

Gaenwelor slowly regains consciousness

Lesharn stutters, 'D-Dytalorien?'

Isondil begins to make his way back to the inn stopping and looking around slowly

Faelnon begins running towards the inn.

Mihwen pulls Shandor towards the door and screams for help

Gaenwelor keeping quiet, attempts to slip away towards a door

Dytalorien states, "I'm here, do you have any idea how to undo this spell?"

Isondil finally shakes his head and walks back to the inn bow still at the ready

Lesharn grabs hold of someone and asks, 'Dytalorien is that you?'

Mihwen runs towards the inn

Faelnon aims his crossbow at the doorway of the inn.

Dytalorien moves in the general direction of the door and attempts to block it.

Dytalorien blinks, "I don't think so, Lesharn, I'm over here."

Gaenwelor has his hand grabbed and aims a kick at the head

Lesharn yells in pain.

Mihwen says 'anyone in there? I need some help Shandor is wounded'

Dytalorien curses as he hears Lesharn's yelp of pain.

Gaenwelor jumps up and runs to a window

Lesharn mutters and says, 'this is apes luck'

Isondil sees something's wrong and rushes to the back of the inn to make sure Gaenwelor doesn't escape

Dytalorien shouts, "Lesharn, you okay?"

Gaenwelor smashes the window and jumps out, finding himself in an alley

Lesharn says, 'oof yea, but where did our prisoner go?'

[Narrator] As Gaenwelor tries to run he falls to the ground with a scream.

Dytalorien hears the shattering of glass, "Out the window I'd guess."

Lesharn scrambles to his feet.

Mihwen walks up to Gaenwelor

Dytalorien mumbles, "No matter, he shant go far from that scream."

[Narrator] Gaenwelor slumps to the ground, stone cold dead.

Mihwen looks at him and returns to the inn

Faelnon runs around to find the corpse of Gaenwelor.

Isondil rushes to the sound of breaking glass

Faelnon shouts, 'What the Tarkna is going on?'

Shandor struggles down to the corpse, 'Ow, and ow, and what's going on?'

Mihwen looks at Faelnon 'he's dead'

Isondil looks at the corpse and say's 'how did this happen?'

Mihwen looks at Isondil 'I was coming here for help as I saw Gaenwelor fall to the ground'

Mihwen continues 'when I came up to him he was dead'

Isondil nods slowly

Dytalorien shouts loud, "Um..some help here guys, if you can hear me!"

Faelnon stands over the corpse of Gaenwelor for a second before going into the blackened inn.

Faelnon shouts, 'Cleanthium!' And the room clears.

Dytalorien gazes about as he can finally see within the room, "Finally, I was getting scared."

Faelnon says, 'Parlour trick...'

Isondil returns to the inn

Mihwen enters the in, shakes her head and looks at Dytalorien 'cant handle a single prisoner'

Faelnon turns towards Echanton and prods him gently, 'At least he didn't try something as foolish.'

Mihwen shakes her head 'This is going great'

Dytalorien sniffs at Mihwen's comment, "I tried."

Faelnon says, 'Okay then, now that is over, let's get back to the real mission at hand, let's search these houses and find those horses.'

Mihwen mumbles 'bet they're dead'

Faelnon says, 'It wasn't Dytalorien's fault, that fool had aid from evil magics.'

Faelnon says, 'I'm sure they are alive...'

Isondil say's 'Sandilor returned to me he was petrified but I sent him to look for the other horses'

Faelnon nods, 'Good.'

Shandor smiles and says, 'Perhaps I can be of help? I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier...'

Shandor takes a small, wooden, delicately carved whistle from a necklace around his neck, he blows on it and puts it back.

Mihwen asks 'I say we kill Echanton before he can escape and inform he's evil friends'

Shandor sits down confidently.

Faelnon turns to Mihwen, 'We have no true proof that he is evil.'

Mihwen looks at Isondil and Lesharn 'what do you say'

Isondil shakes his head and say's 'I agree with Faelnon'

Faelnon nods, 'Thanks, I like support.'

Mihwen looks around and says 'We're doomed if we don’t get out of here'

Faelnon nods, 'Perhaps, we should investigate those.... creatures more, however.'

Isondil nods and says 'but were can we go we're hunted everywhere we go'

Mihwen sigh 'we are as good as dead, we can't run, we can't hide'

Faelnon says, 'If we can't run, and can't hide, then we fight back to the source of this evil.'

Rue suddenly rides up on white horse, with a gathering of horses and other quadrupeds behind her. "Good… well, evening.’ She smiles.

Faelnon snaps around to see Rue.

Mihwen pulls up her dagger

Shandor stands up, 'Rue! Good to once more meet you.'

Rue raises an eyebrow. "Warm welcomes abound."

Mihwen says 'she might be one of them!'

Lesharn smiles at Rue.

Rue dismounts.

[Narrator] From the distance a small wolf-like creature appears and rides up to Shandor.

Lesharn says, 'Rue has a horse at least!'

Isondil looks around and smiles and say's 'Welcome Rue it's been awhile'

Mihwen looks around 'Who has got rope? Let’s tie her!'

Lesharn chuckles.

Shandor strokes Lestat’s fur, 'I thought that whistle wasn't working... I take it you brought Rue and the other horses here? And a mule...'

Lesharn bounces in excitement.

Rue smiles and nods.

Faelnon says, 'No Mihwen, if she was evil, why would she bring back our animals?'

Mihwen says 'she might have taken them last night'

Faelnon re-states, 'Then why would she bring them back?'

Isondil walks up and pat's his horse and whispers to it in elven and tries to reassure it

Faelnon says, 'And the evil would know that a Jayle is a very intelligent creature, they would have killed it if they had the chance.'

Mihwen looks at Faelnon 'and how come you know so much about THEM?'

Faelnon states, 'Well I have a Jayle and have looked after them for many years....... Of course, I just realise you were talking about the evil...'

Mihwen says 'wasn’t you out running last night when they attacked??'

Faelnon says, 'It wasn't me, that was Shandor.'

Faelnon rolls his eyes, 'I was stabbed, remember?'

Rue crosses her arms. "I've missed much in my absence, haven't I?" she mutters

Faelnon states, 'Shandor and myself have studied with the Wise Elves for years about this evil...'

Faelnon says, 'You have missed enough tales to fill many books, but there are many more to come.'

Isondil pat's his horse absentmindedly

Lesharn hugs Rue lightly and runs to see the condition of his mule.

Lesharn gets an apple from his satchel and feeds it to Appleseed.

Rue returns Lesharn's hug with a smile.

Faelnon states sadly, 'Unfortunately, you join in a dark time for us.'

Lesharn blushes.

Mihwen screams inside the inn

Rue strokes her horses neck and leans against it, listening.

Mihwen screeches 'Help!'

Faelnon dashes inside, 'What?!'

Rue 's eyes light up, and she draws her sword.

Lesharn s face flushes white.

Isondil looks into the inn and rushes inside

Mihwen shouts 'Echanton is coughing and spluttering'

Lesharn hurries into the inn.

Lesharn says, 'I thought you were the cleric!'

Faelnon runs over to Echanton, 'Spirits be blessed! He's been poisoned!'

Rue places her sword back into the sheath.

Faelnon unties the elf and lies him down.

Mihwen says 'yes but this looks like a poisoning'

Faelnon turns to Lesharn, 'Go upstairs and get my healing bag please.'

Lesharn runs up the stairs at once.

Mihwen says ' i got no antidote'

Isondil looks at Mihwen with mild suspicion

Lesharn gets a healing bag from under a pile of dirty clothes.

Rue follows the others and looks at the elf curiously.

Lesharn returns shortly and snaps his fingers, handing Faelnon his bag.

Faelnon says, 'I should be able to whip one up, please, give him room to breathe.'

Rue scoots back a step.

Faelnon thanks Lesharn before tearing several ingredients from it along with a mortar and pestle.

Lesharn bites his lip.

Isondil backs away slowly

Lesharn mutters something about a bad habit.

Faelnon says, 'Just how on Tarkna did he get poisoned here? Probably an after-bite of that fool Gaenwelor...'

Mihwen says 'search the inn'

Mihwen 'someone or something is still in here'

Faelnon , after several minutes, manages to make a potion, he pours it down Echanton's throat.

Faelnon says, 'That should be him.'

Lesharn says, 'I didn't see anyone upstairs...'

Faelnon stands up and tears out his sword, 'Check outside! Rue, tie up the horses, and mule.'

Lesharn gets a tuning fork from his satchel and clutches it for good luck.

Rue stares around uneasily.

Rue nods and follows directions.

Faelnon darts outside, but sees nothing.

Mihwen says 'I'll help rue'

Lesharn follows Rue to look after his mule.

Lesharn runs to catch up.

Rue begins tying up the horses one by one, soothing the ones whose nerves are on end.

Mihwen looks around

Lesharn leads Appleseed to a comfortable spot.

Isondil walks slowly upstairs bow at the ready

Shandor heads upstairs and sets up a watch-out at one of the windows.

Lesharn ties up Appleseed, whilst talking to him gently.

Lesharn mutters, 'all this excitement...'

Mihwen looks at Lesharn and shakes her head

Shandor whispers to Lestat, 'Go look for a blood trail.'

Rue nods quietly. "There's something in the air. Something's not right..."

Shandor smiles as Lestat bounds off down the stairs and outside.

Lesharn peers about uneasily, obviously distressed by Rues words.

Isondil enters a room and gazes around slowly and moves to the smashed window

Faelnon says, 'I do believe that is quite obvious Rue! Look at the inn, it's been torn apart.'

Rue smirks. "This is true."

Lesharn gets a pastry from his satchel and nibbles at its edges, then quickly putting it away.

Faelnon runs over to one of the houses and kicks the door open, he leaves it a few minutes later tutting, 'Nothing...'

Mihwen looks at rue 'we're doomed'

Lesharn pokes Mihwen in the ribs.

Rue shakes her head. "Never say that. We're not doomed in the least."

Faelnon says, 'The eternal pessimist, eh Mihwen? It's a new role at least...'

Lesharn says, 'Just close your eyes and picture yourself next to a warm fire and a warm pie in your lap....'

Isondil gazes out of the window and begins thinking to himself about Mihwen

Mihwen looks at Lesharn and smiles

Lesharn eyes dart left and right.

Faelnon says to Lesharn, 'Good advice little one, except for closing your eyes would let those..., those... pitter-patter creatures attack us.'

Mihwen says 'you're right little friend'

Rue rests her hands on her hips, tapping her fingers. "Pitter-patter creatures?"

Lesharn says, 'If they attacked me, I'd be dead. I doubt my Lyre could take another blow if you know what I mean'

Faelnon says, 'Yes, I don't know what else to call them, I don't really know what they look like, green scaly skin, amber eyes... but nothing other than that.'

Faelnon comments, 'Awful creatures...'

Mihwen looks at Faelnon 'now what?'

Lesharn says, 'sounds like Dramicus, but twisted and without fins...'

Lesharn giggles.

Shandor calls from upstairs, 'And we don't have the wood to barricade up the inn a second time.'

Rue shudders. "They sound...."

Mihwen says 'staying here all day waiting for our death?'

Rue raises an eyebrow curiously.

Rue nudges Mihwen. "We'll be fine."

Faelnon says, 'This isn't a laughing matter Lesharn, Shandor and myself nearly died at the hands of those creatures.'

Mihwen says 'I say we hunt them down now'

Faelnon says, 'Everyone, get inside.'

Rue continues. "We've got blades and majicks abound."

Faelnon turns to Mihwen, 'Great plan..... oh wait, we have no idea where to look for them!'

Lesharn says, 'Ah yes, but Shandor’s died before and Mihwen nearly resurrected me once as well...'

Isondil calls out 'dare we try to leave because our horses will be killed or flee again when they come to attack'

Mihwen says 'I'll check that they are ok' as she walks outside

Rue looks around before going inside. She mutters something and then enters the inn.

Shandor calls to Lesharn, 'Don't remind me about my many deaths, please.'

Lesharn nods and blushes, 'sorry'

Lesharn says, 'I get very talkative when I'm nervous...'

Shandor smiles, 'Quite alright.'

Mihwen walks up to each horse before she walks inside

Isondil gazes at Mihwen before looking around the other houses

Rue asks curiously. "Many deaths? As in...plural deaths?"

Lesharn says, 'Don't ask.

Lesharn winks.

Shandor nods, 'Only two so far, I'm aiming for a third any day now.'

Shandor chuckles.

Rue smirks. "Don't think I will."

Isondil grins at Mihwen from the upstairs window

Rue laughs.

Lesharn says, 'Don't if you're eating soon!'

Faelnon shouts, 'Could the chuckling-triplets please be a bit more serious!'

[Narrator] The sun has completely set.

Rue purses her lips. "Sorry."

Lesharn shivers.

Mihwen asks 'anyone hungry?'

[Narrator] The air is cold and bitter, chilling the group to the bone.

Lesharn says, 'looks like its dark'

Faelnon says, 'No thank you Mihwen.'

Lesharn says, 'I'm always hungry, do you have some of that dragon stew we made?'

Isondil walks out of the room and downstairs

Mihwen looks at Lesharn 'no but I can cook something very fast.'

Faelnon says, 'That was at least two weeks ago Lesharn, do you really think it kept?'

Lesharn says, 'Just trying to refresh pleasant memories'

Mihwen walks into the kitchen

Rue takes a seat by a window and stares outside with a sigh.

Lesharn says, 'Mihwen, recall the time you lit my apples?'

Lesharn walks into the warmth of the inn, finding the fire Dytalorien lit in ambers.

Shandor nods, 'I do, on the ship, correct?'

Isondil mutter's something about dragon stew and walks over to a corner and sits down

Lesharn says, 'Yea, would it work if need be?'

Mihwen enters the room with a soup and some old bread

Lesharn says, 'Recall that time we ate seasnake fillet?'

[Narrator] Lestat the Jayle notices something going on outside and keeps an eye trained, but thinks it is nothing.

Mihwen says 'soup anyone?'

Lesharn says, 'This inn is starting to feel cosy, don't you think?'

Faelnon says, 'No thank you Mihwen.'

Isondil gazes around the bar

Lesharn raises a hand.

Isondil shakes his head

Lesharn says, 'Mihwen can you light my apples if need be?'

Mihwen server Lesharn a big portion

Faelnon says, 'I do not think so, considering I was stabbed upstairs last night and stalked by little creatures for hours.

Lesharn licks his mouth with a smile.

Faelnon says, 'This is the inn-version of Tarkna...'

Lesharn says, 'Faelnon, I know what you mean, but the world outside makes this room seem like the last safe spot.’

Faelnon nods, 'True...'

Shandor grins, 'I don't know, Tarkna was brighter...'

Mihwen smiles 'Enjoy your last meal Lesharn, I don’t think we'll make the night.'

Rue shivers listening to the grim speech around her.

Lesharn smiles at the wisdom of his own words.

Faelnon turns to Mihwen and rolls his eyes, seemingly in unison with Shandor, 'Oh that's joyful.'

Rue takes a small pear from her pack and nibbles on it.

Mihwen looks at Faelnon 'our mighty leader Faelnon will be our death!'

Lesharn pokes the coal with his foot.

Faelnon grins, 'As ever.'

Lesharn says, 'Ouch!'

Shandor smirks, 'And the change would be where?'

Mihwen says 'staying another night in the inn of doom'

Lesharn says, 'More soup master cook please'

Faelnon says, 'Mayhap we should charge an entrance fee.'

Isondil takes out his pipe and a flint and lights it after a few strikes it lights

Mihwen serves Lesharn another portion, anyone else?'

Lesharn says, 'Mihwen, you're starting to sound as possessed about doom as Bolfur and the sinking coffin'

Lesharn snickers at Faelnon.

Faelnon raises an eyebrow, 'Possessed?'

Rue shakes her head with a grin. "Lesharn, that's a coal. It's known to become hot after being exposed to fire.

Lesharn says, 'Yea, like this mining pick I got here in my satchel, not to mention this locked box I found in that ghost spawned place'

Faelnon says, 'Let's rent this place out as an attraction, or murders or mutilations are free.'

Lesharn blushes at Rue, dreading his own stupidity.

Isondil begins blowing small circles from the smoke of his pipe

Mihwen walk out into the kitchen'

Lesharn says, 'I bet we could open a museum of artifices, with the right type of gossip we could the realms treasure hunters flocking the doors...'

Faelnon tastes the soup and immediately feels sick.

[Narrator] In fact, anyone who has tasted the soup begins to feel sick.

Isondil follows Mihwen until she passes out of view

Lesharn gags in disgust.

Rue is suddenly very happy that she wasn't hungry.

Faelnon turns to Lesharn, 'Are you alright?'

Faelnon turns to Mihwen, 'See why we don't let you cook?'

Lesharn groans in reply.

Rue stands curiously. "What was in that soup?"

Faelnon sits Lesharn down.

Isondil looks at the group in horror and say's 'what's going on?'

Faelnon dashes over to his medicine satchel and begins working on a potion.

Faelnon says jokingly, 'Mihwen is trying to poison everyone with her awful food.'

Lesharn s body jolts into a flat position as a helping is graciously spewed upon the floor.

Lesharn groans, 'Not exactly like the seasnake fillet, no...'

Faelnon cringes.

Rue 's eyebrow twitches, not quite repulsed, but not especially pleased either.

Faelnon passes Lesharn a potion, 'There, that should help.'

Isondil doesn't smile and say's 'were exactly is Mihwen?'

Faelnon turns to Isondil, 'Clean that mess up, would you?'

Lesharn moans, 'Sorry about that folks, seems dinner was spoiled...'

Lesharn gulps the potion and clambers to his knees.

Rue sniffs the soup. "It smells terrible..."

Shandor peers at Mihwen through an upstairs window.

Isondil nods and walks into the kitchen looking for a cloth

Faelnon nods to Shandor as he approaches, he whispers something to Faelnon, who nods a second time.

Lesharn ‘s eyes waver left and right, then left and right again.

Lesharn exclaims, 'Sheesh, what did you put in that potion?'

Faelnon says, 'Eel's bane and a few other things, you aren't allergic, are you?'

Lesharn opens his mouth gasping for air and says, 'Wow, that was hot stuff...'

Lesharn says, 'Water please, hurry!'

Rue looks at Faelnon curiously.

Lesharn panics.

Isondil reappears with a cloth and begins wiping up the soup with the cloth

Lesharn bangs his hand against his knees, trying to subside the pain throbbing through his body.

Lesharn pants, 'water, water, water'

Rue rushes to the kitchen and retrieves water.

Isondil throws the cloth back into the kitchen and returns silently to his viewpoint upstairs

Rue hurries back out and kneels next to Lesharn, handing him the glass.

Lesharn accepts the water and pours it down his mouth, half of it ending up on the floor.

Faelnon chuckles softly, 'Come, come Lesharn, it can't have been that bad?'

Lesharn whimpers and collapses to the ground.

Lesharn groans, 'Faelnon, you're not the one on the floor...'

Shandor watches Mihwen closely from his vigil at the upstairs window.

Isondil gazes out into the darkness looking for any figures in the dark

Shandor dashes down to Faelnon and whispers something in his ear.

Lesharn says, 'I'm not sure which was worse, the potion or the soup...'

Faelnon crosses to the entry-door. He yanks it open, light pouring onto Mihwen.

Mihwen hisses with a silted tongue, her eyes flash amber and a greenish tint takes over her skin.

Rue offers her hand to Lesharn.

Faelnon jumps back, drawing a sword.

Lesharn turns his head towards Rue and accepts her hand.

Isondil sees Mihwen and takes out his bow

Shandor is already aiming an arrow at Mihwen.

Faelnon says, 'What are you?'

Rue hears the his and peers into the kitchen.

Mihwen hisses a second time.

Rue pulls Lesharn up and yelps when she sees Mihwen.

Isondil fits an arrow onto his bow and takes aim

Lesharn exclaims, 'Mihwen! What is wrong with you?'

Rue draws her sword with a shaking hand, so different from the last time she encountered the group.

Lesharn hides behind Rue.

Faelnon says, 'Keep away from her!'

Mihwen lets out a inhuman squeal.

Faelnon says, 'You poisoned Echanton! And killed Gaenwelor! And Tried to poison Lesharn!'

Lesharn stutters, 'a n-night-mare, its-s-s all a night-mare'

Rue covers one ear, the screech stinging her ear.

Isondil yell's 'what do we do shoot her or capture her!?'

[Narrator] The squeal attracts many of the pitter-patter creatures from the distance, they charge towards the inn, like a sheet of silk over a rough surface.

Lesharn shakes his head in disbelief, 'Mihwen...'

Faelnon yells, 'Wait!'

Faelnon shouts at Mihwen, 'Who are you?'

Rue gasps as she sees the creatures.

Lesharn says nervously, 'Rue?'

Faelnon sees something in the distance, 'Trouble! Everyone get ready for a fight.'

Isondil recoils slightly at the sound of the creatures

Rue looks at Lesharn. "Yes?"

Lesharn says, 'I don't know how to fight...neither does Appleseed'

Shandor drops his bow and charges forward, tackling Mihwen to the ground.

Rue turns to Lesharn. "Go upstairs. I'll make sure Appleseed doesn't get hurt."

Faelnon grabs Shandor's discarded bow and shoots an inbound creature.

Rue continues. "I promise."

Faelnon shouts, 'Archers; upstairs and shoot from there!'

Lesharn bolts for the stairs, a head full of tears.

Isondil takes aim at the dark shadow's that are the creatures and fires at them

Shandor whacks Mihwen across the face.

Lesharn sobs, 'Mihwen, Mihwen, Mihwen...'

[Narrator] Lestat leaps from the shadows and bites into the throat of one of the creatures.

Isondil hears someone on the stairs and yells 'Come here friend or Foe!'

Rue tries to steady her hand before the creatures come any closer.

Shandor pulls some rope from his pocket.

Shandor wraps it tightly around Mihwen's hands.

Isondil looks around to see if anyone is there and fears the creatures have got inside

Faelnon continues shooting creatures with arrows.

Mihwen eyes flashing in the dark

Faelnon hits a creature with the bow.

Isondil looks around and sighs with relief to see it's only Lesharn and returns to his viewpoint

Shandor blinks in surprise as Mihwen goes limp.

Mihwen 's eyes close as she goes limb

Shandor unties her, 'She is... her again.'

Isondil takes aim and fires at the creatures

Faelnon turns to Shandor and shouts, 'How can you tell?'

Isondil jumps backwards as a creature dives into the room

Shandor smirks removing a dagger from its sheath, 'Because the evil went into me, you foolish whelp.' He rams the dagger into Faelnon's waist.

Faelnon lets up a cry of pain and falls for the ground

Lesharn shouts, 'Is it safe to come down the stairs?'

Rue stares at Shandor in horror.

Rue calls. "No! Stay upstairs!”

Isondil slashes the creature and retreats out of the room

Shandor barks something in a shrill and unfamiliar language. The creatures begin fleeing away.

Shandor notices a howling Lestat

Shandor approaches

Lesharn scuttles off to find a safe corner to hide in.

[Narrator] Lestat growls at Shandor and goes to bite him, but rips the wooden whistle from him and returns to Faelnon.

Shandor shrugs and sprints off into the darkness.

Rue watches Shandor go, wondering what to do.

Rue rushes outside and mounts her horse.

Faelnon groans in pain, 'Two nights, two stabbings, I'm on a roll.'

Isondil begins looking around upstairs waiting for creatures to appear but none appear

Rue follows Shandor into the distance, readying her bow.

Mihwen starts to regain her conscious on the ground

Isondil heads towards the staircase

Shandor disappears without a trace.

Faelnon claws at the dirt, wordlessly begging for help.

Rue s horse rears up as Rue searches for Shandor.

Rue mutters. "He's gone." and rides back to the inn.

Faelnon waves and groans, 'Help...'

Isondil notices something in the corner of the last room and takes out a dagger slowly

Rue puts her sword back in its sheath trudging back into the inn, although the scene there is just as dreary as the scene outside.

Mihwen gets up on her unsteady feet and tries to make her way to the inn

Rue rides back to the inn and dismounts quickly, kneeling beside Faelnon.

Isondil calls out ' anyone there?'

Mihwen answers 'yes I’m here'

Rue chews on her lip worriedly. "Are you ok?"

Rue shakes her head at the stupidity of her question.

Faelnon looks at Rue, 'I've got a dagger protruding from me, so I am going to dance the tango.... really, what do you expect?'

Isondil rushes into the room

Mihwen finds her way to the inn

Rue grins. "Stupid question. Hold still..."

Rue places one hand on Faelnon, and one hand on the dagger. "This won't hurt a bit..."

Faelnon says, 'What's wrong with Shandor? Is Mihwen okay? What about the others?'

Isondil sees something dash across the room and out of the window

Mihwen looks at Rue and Faelnon and says 'get my little leather bag on that table'

Faelnon says, 'I'm a Healer, I know what 'won't hurt a bit' really means you know!'

Rue smirks and pulls the dagger out with a stomach churning slurp.

Mihwen bends over Faelnon

Isondil shakes his head and walks downstairs slowly

Faelnon grits his teeth.

Rue winces at the noise and casts the dagger aside. "That wasn’t that bad was it?"

Mihwen says we need to stop the bleeding

Faelnon says, 'Stab that dagger in your waist, tear it out and answer yourself.'

Mihwen says 'get my bag'

Rue looks at Faelnon and bites her lip. "Mihwen is fine. She's right here. Isondil is upstairs with Lesharn, I believe, and..." She stops.

Rue nods and retrieves Mihwen's bag from inside.

Faelnon looks at Rue, 'And...? And...? And what?'

Isondil walks into the bar and looks around

Mihwen looks at the wound and picks up a needle

Rue hands Mihwen the bag and then kneels next to Faelnon again. "That's all."

Isondil rushes towards Faelnon and say's 'How why how?'

Faelnon says, 'Where's Shandor?'

Lesharn peers down the stairway.

Mihwen says 'deep wound got to sew'

Rue stands and goes back in the inn. "Lesharn?"

Lesharn says happily, 'Rue?'

Lesharn says, 'Does Appleseed live? Mihwen?'

Rue walks towards Lesharn's voice. "It's safe to come out. I think they're gone. And Appleseed is safe."

Mihwen sews a few stitches 'done'

Lesharn sighs in relief and walks down the stairs.

Rue nods. "Mihwen is fine too."

Faelnon nods, 'Thanks Mihwen, and good to see you in an un-evil mood.'

Faelnon stands up and stumbles into the inn.

Isondil moves to the door and gazes out and shivers

Faelnon slumps next to the fireplace.

Lesharn blushes, 'I'm not as brave as all of you...'

Mihwen looks down on the floor

Lesharn sparks up the fire with some fresh wood.

Faelnon says, 'I'm ready to collapse...'

Mihwen asks 'will they attack again?'

Faelnon slowly drifts to sleep by the fire. He mumbles, just before he goes to sleep, 'I don't know... what happened to Shandor....?'

Isondil shakes his head and say's 'Who knows?'

Mihwen sits by the fire and slowly falls to sleep

Lesharn finds a comfortable spot and sighs a yawn.