Echos2: Ghost Town 1

2:57:02 PM	Panther  The morning comes quickly, and the guildhouse is abuzz with activity. The woodwork groans under the excitement as everyone starts their day in their own ways. Grigor has assured you all that your first assignment is all but lined up, and after a hot meal he'll tell you what exactly you'll be doing. The gang is seated with their food in front of them when a knock comes at the door.
3:01:09 PM	Panther  Grigor Stone grumbles under his breath and lumbers to the front door. The one-armed half-orc swings the door open, nearly filling the frame. "Yeah, whoizzit?"
3:04:28 PM	Thia  An elf a little over five and a half feet tall stands in the door way with brown hair. A short sword hangs at her waist with a number of belt and shoulder slung pouches. A spear lies on her back with a straw hat.
3:05:11 PM	Thia  "Thia. I heard you were looking for able bodied men and women."
3:07:07 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar shuffles from the kitchen to the hallway, curious about the visitor. His dog follows closely behind with a chewed up bone in his mouth from the previous meal.
3:09:14 PM	Panther  He scratches his balding head, "Huh? Oh. Another one. Well we're glad to have ya. Well we're about to head out so you'd better grab some grub if you haven't eaten yet. My name's Grigor." He moves from the doorway and down the hall, to the dining room.
3:11:22 PM	Panther  He points at the human peeking down the hallway, "That one's Caesar."
3:11:24 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Ashier continues eating, but gives a wave to the small elf.
3:12:44 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Glad to see I'm not the only tiny person on this trip. I'm Davlan, but you can call me Slump. Nice to meet you"
3:13:07 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar steps forward at the mention of his name. "That's right. You said your name was Thia?" Caesar extends a hand for a handshake.
3:13:49 PM	 Thia looks at the mystery meat and decides against it. "Thank you for your hospitality." She gives another small nod to each of them before staring at Caesar. "What are you doing?"
3:14:00 PM	Panther  Ashier clearly dwarfs the other half-orc as Grigor sits down, "The hungry one with the tan is Ashier," he says, thumbing to him.
3:15:18 PM	 Barque drops the bone in his mouth and sniffs the air in front of him, finding a new smell to investigate.
3:18:35 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar retracts his hand and scratches the back of his head. "Oh, right. Shaking hands is a way of greeting people back where I'm from, I didn't realize..." Caesar trails off a bit. "Where are ya from anyways?"
3:18:37 PM	 Thia wrinkles her nose for a moment before giving a curt nod to the half orc as well.
3:18:44 PM	Panther  The young halfling with messy brown hair speaks up, "Hi. I'm Wellby."
3:19:12 PM	Panther  The blonde human girl with her hair in a bun gives a lazy wave and continues eating.
3:24:22 PM	Thia  "I come from the east, Aelania." She clears her throat. "Hello Wellby."
3:28:10 PM	Panther  Grigor harrumphs, his plate cleared, "Well finish up so we can get a move on." He stands up again.
3:31:17 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Thia, you haven't even touched your mystery meat yet. You need the energy." Davlan shoves a plate in her general direction
3:34:17 PM	Thia  Her pale face goes green. "I'm afraid I don't eat... that." She wrinkles her nose and takes a step back. "Thank you for your concern though."
3:35:27 PM	 Barque looks up at the plate on the table, his tail wagging back and forth.
3:35:31 PM	Panther  "Ok boys and girl, you're going to be investigating whatever's left of the town of Carsean." He pulls out and unfurls a map from his pocket and points to a settlement to the east. "Caught between the marauders and the bigger cities, it was quick to fall. The guards have been securing these roads leading out thataways, but they're so spread out besides that they haven't made it that far out yet."
3:36:38 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar leans in towards the map. "So which route will we be taking?"
3:38:41 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin kneels up on his chair to see the map "Anything in particular we are looking for?"
3:38:50 PM	Panther  Wellby clambers for a better look at the parchment map. Grigor continues, "The roads are still there connecting to it. The main road would be fastest, but most easily marked by anyone else."
3:39:07 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "We be killin' a few bandits den?" He says, in between tearing chunks out of the meat. "Ain't gotta fret 'bout hostages or some such that far out, eh?"
3:39:18 PM	Panther  "We need to know the condition it's left in, and if there's anything useful to salvage."
3:40:36 PM	Panther  "A bunch of farmers keep talking about the 'Black Collar Boys,' raiders it sounds like."
3:42:06 PM	Panther  "Looters, it sounds like." He says, instead of raiders. Raiders wasn't said. "Them and graverobbers have been plaguing the area."
3:42:31 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar shrugs. "Sounds like the main road should be taken care of regardless, and I'm up for taking care of a few bandits if the rest of you are."
3:43:20 PM	Thia  "That seems acceptable." She looks at the map with interest. "Do we have a map of the town itself?
3:43:57 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "So we're going in head on? Are you sure that's wise?"
3:44:00 PM	Panther  "And to top it all off, folks are telling me it's haunted." He throws his arm up in exasperation. "I don't know if I'd really take Farmer John's word for it, but there you go. Some exiles tried going back and something ~spooky~ stopped them," he twiddles his fingers.
3:46:09 PM	Panther  "Not a map, no, but Wellby wrote down the layout some of those exiles gave us. It's nothing too big." He turns to Davlan, "It's been months and no one's been in a hurry to head out there, so I doubt you'll find any highwaymen or their ilk."
3:46:22 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin looks at Grigor with a frown "You would be surprised what kind of "spooks" are out there, my big friend."
3:46:29 PM	 Thia sighs. "Very well then. It will have to do."
3:47:09 PM	 Thia takes the crudely drawn map as though it were a used tissue and examines it before scowling and folding it into one of her pouches.
3:47:39 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Ashier, finally done eating, hefts his massive frame out of his seat and rolls his shoulders. "Ya seen onna 'dem dirt farmer villages ya seen 'em all, ya? Go in buildin' by buildin' an' put dem brigands to da sword."
3:47:40 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar frowns. "Going in head on might not be the best option, but if we are able to secure the main road we will at least have a better time working around the area and getting back here."
3:51:46 PM	Panther  He looks down at Davlan, "No, probably not. Anyways. Wellby's coming along to write down anything interesting you find. Enough good supplies and it'll warrant a caravan or at least a few good men for collection." He puts his hand down on the halflings head and tossles his hair. Wellby looks distressed from the huge hand and sudden attention, "Fer the love of god keep him out of trouble. He can't fight to literally save his life." The boy speaks up, "But I can run! And climb trees to get away from, uh, whatever's out there."
3:52:38 PM	Panther  He can't fight to literally save his life." The boy speaks up, "But I can run! And climb trees to get away from, uh, whatever's out there."
3:53:50 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar straightens himself upright and nods. "What do the rest of us think? Which road are we taking?"
3:56:33 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "I don't care to be honest. Mainroad might give me more targets."
3:56:50 PM	Panther  Grigor again, "Yer other option would be taking the dirt sideroads as you get closer. It's a couple hours journey out, though, so it'd pay to make it quick." He shrugs.
3:57:00 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Fair enough. Thia, how about you?"
3:59:03 PM	Thia  "Both roads have their strengths. I believe that making the main road safer for travel has merit and it will give us the opportunity to get to the town significantly faster. Perhaps we could clear the side roads on our return."
3:59:58 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "My thoughts exactly. So main road it is then. Everyone ready to head out?"
4:04:23 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  Let's do this
4:05:30 PM	 Ashier_Khalid throws his bag over his shoulders and heads for the door.
4:10:02 PM	Panther  Grigor sets you each up with a day's worth of rations. He and Kethra see you off to the edge of town. The forestry is cleared out several yards to either side of the main road. As you all make your way down it the sounds of nature walk with you. Birds sing out at one another, branches snap in the distance as wildlife bolt to and fro in the woods, and the smell of the earth mixes with the flowers you pass by.
4:13:57 PM	 Thia reaches behind her ear and takes a half smoked dog end out, lighting it with a match while they walk.
4:14:02 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar takes a deep breath, unable to hide the wistful smile on his face.
4:16:34 PM	Panther  Hours pass, and sun hangs high in the sky, and according to the map you are very near to Carsean. Nothing but a stray deer has made itself known on the main road, and you pass the time are carefully or carelessly as you are wont to do. Finally, as you round over the top of a hill you see the village in the distance. A broken up palisade outlines what is left of the settlements. While several entire buildings still stand, the only evidence of others are the empty lots they'd occupied, or the stone framework that is all that still stands of them. You see no activity stirring, but you begin to hear a far-off sound that echoes throughout the world around Carsean.
4:19:02 PM	Panther  the only evidence of others are the empty lots they'd occupied, or the stone framework that is all that still stands of them. You see no activity stirring, but you begin to hear a far-off sound that echoes throughout the world around Carsean.
4:20:00 PM	Panther  The sound repeats in a semblance of rhythm.
4:21:53 PM	Panther  As you stop to listen, it seems to be hammering, though the sound is diluted by the distance and acoustics.
4:29:48 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Ashier's eyebrows quirk at the end. "Dat be smithin', ah know da sound well enough, though it sound like dey be usin' scraps or some such. Nothin' quality."
4:30:55 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Lil' odd for brigands, no?"
4:31:34 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Maybe some survivors trying to rebuild their home?"
4:32:04 PM	 Caesar_Galloway frowns, squinting his eyes to look off into the distance. "Might be looters trying to set themselves up against something. Maybe the guards that are investigating the area?"
4:35:26 PM	 Thia pinches out her roll up and sticks it behind her ear. "Improbable, and irrelevant. We should approach under stealth, determine their numbers and alignment, and then plan from there."
4:35:38 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Guards ain't makin' demselves new swords out heah, dat I promise." He grunts. "Les' just go see for ourselves, eh?"
4:45:20 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Whoever it is, we should try to find out what we're dealing with. If you'd like, I could sneak around the side with my wolf and see what's going on. Or if anyone else wants to come with me in place of Barque, that works too. Either way, shouldn't be any more than two people."
4:47:16 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "That seems like a good plan, let me lent you the Cat's Grace, Caesar, just in case."
4:47:18 PM	Thia  "That seems appropriate. We'll await your return." Thia relights her dog end and seats herself on the ground, laying her pack next to her.
4:48:35 PM	 Ashier_Khalid sighs and finds a seat. "If ye be caught an' dyin', jus yell."
4:50:28 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar nods. "Thanks Davlan. I'll be back later tonight, if y'all want to set up camp. And hopefully that won't be a problem, Ashier." Caesar says with a laugh.
4:52:52 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin waves Caesar closer "Bow down so I can touch your forehead, boy." He then reaches out to do so, closing his eyes. A blue flash of light jumps from the ground below him and runs along Davlan's body, right into Caesar's forehead.
4:55:27 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar stands up straight. "Thanks again. Be back soon," he says, turning around and walking into the wooded area next to the road.
5:09:04 PM	Panther  You maintain an excellent mental map of the village as you take it in. There are three major streets, and other buildings and roads fork off of it at random on the edges. What you note as a residential road is filled with wooden tenements, many of which are partially or wholly destroyed, leaving burnt plank skeletons.
5:11:43 PM	 Pantherphone joined the channel.
5:13:20 PM	Panther  The second street appears to be the more industrious one. Buildings with stone foundations and storefront signs that would tell you their function. Though many are left desecrated, you can make out a market and what appears, from the sign displaying a book, to be a library still intact. In the dead center of it, with windows boarded up by sheets of steel, is very clearly the smithy and source of the noise.
5:16:10 PM	Pantherphone  The third street belongs- belonged to those with money and power. Stone buildings still stand, though the windows and doors were destroyed. From the architecture you also identify what is likely the town hall.
5:18:23 PM	Pantherphone  Your eyes are drawn back to a building on the second street. With a large painted sign of a dartboard being pegged, in the center. The Lucky Shot is clearly the town pub.
5:19:30 PM	Pantherphone  No one appears to notice you. In fact, no one appears. You find no trace of life save the hammering within the smithy.
5:26:40 PM	Caesar_Galloway  The rustling of leaves by the road signals the return of Caesar, who steps out of the brush with his dog. Caesar relays to the group everything he saw.
5:29:06 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar emphasizes that he didn't get vision of anyone inside the town, and the noise that was coming from the sealed up smithy was the only sign of life.
5:29:38 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Did the hammering ever stop or was it a constant rythm?"
5:30:08 PM	Pantherphone  The hammering paused a few times, but always resumed.
5:31:33 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "It's been like this the whole time. Whatever is in there is trying hard to seal itself in."
5:33:00 PM	Thia  "Perhaps we shouldn't allow that to happen." Thia draws her spear. "If you saw no one else within the town, we should approach the black smith's and find out who or what is trying to seal themselves in."
5:34:15 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Agreed. We need to be careful, however. I didn't see anyone in the streets or destroyed buildings, but there still might be others within some of the intact buildings."
5:34:59 PM	Thia  "Very well then. Let's move."
5:35:37 PM	 Pantherphone has quit: Quit: Page closed.
5:44:11 PM	Panther  You move to the street of commerce, wary on your way to the smithy. The village is silent but for the smith's hammer, whose ringing chimes out louder and clearer as you draw ever nearer to the source.
5:45:12 PM	Panther  The dry dirt streets are stamped flat by the traffic of people and livestock, though there is no sign nor sound of either.
5:47:03 PM	Panther  Of the buildings still wholly intact, the inn is the one closest to you, then the smithy, and furthest down the lane is the library.
5:50:25 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar points to the inn. Quietly, he turns to the group. "We should check this before we go any further."
5:51:43 PM	Thia  "Why? Our objective is the smithy. What does the inn hold that is so important?
5:53:28 PM	 Thia shakes her head. "There's something in that bar trying to lure us in. We should avoid it for now. Perhaps later we can cleanse it."
5:54:48 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Reluctantly, Caesar backs away from the inn, the words of the elf ringing true.
5:54:58 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Ignoring his traveling companions chatter about...something or another, Ashier moves with purpose towards the bar. A happy grin on his face.
5:55:34 PM	 Thia takes a deep breath and heads towards the black smith's, her spear in hand.
5:57:32 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar shakes his head an enters the bar. "C'mon, what's a few drinks?" he says to the rest of the group.
5:58:00 PM	Thia  "Stop!" Thia grabs the others by the shoulders.
5:58:15 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Thia is right guys, these thoughts are not our own."
5:58:39 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Don't be fooled, this bar has been dry for a while."
6:00:56 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar grins. "What do you mean, Davlan? Can't you hear? I'll meet you inside." He follows the half-orc inside.
6:01:54 PM	 Barque follows his master inside the building, close behind.
6:01:58 PM	 Thia grabs Caesar bodily, stopping him from entering. "No."
6:02:56 PM	Panther  The doors to the establishment have been opened, and music without source begins spilling out of it.
6:03:21 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar attempts to push the elf off of him. "Thia, let me go! What has gotten into you?"
6:04:13 PM	 Barque growls at Thia.
6:04:14 PM	Thia  "This bar is not a bar you... you imbecile! Stop attempting to enter or I will be forced to stop you."
6:04:49 PM	Panther  You could not see it from without, but the tarvern is lit up, and two patrons are seated at the bar, served by a bartender.
6:06:08 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar scowls. "Oh, really? Then what do you call that?" He points at the seated patrons and bar.
6:06:34 PM	Panther  The gentleman seated at the far end is dressed up in a fur coat, and the other in a tailored black suit. They are served by a skinny old man who grins at the newcomers.
6:06:40 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Unaccosted by tiny elves, Ashier strides forward, feet almost at the door. "Who heah can out drink Khalid da Crusha?!"
6:08:32 PM	Thia  "It's a dire wolf and some looter being served by a skeleton! WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO ENTER SUCH A PLACE?" Thia begins violently shaking him. "Open your eyes!"
6:10:19 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Thia, shouting probably won't help, they seem to be under some kind of spell"
6:11:30 PM	Thia  "If words will not work, then perhaps my fists will."
6:11:40 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar attempts once again to get the yelling elf woman off of him. "My eyes are open, and all I see is an angry elf woman. Now if you'll excuse me."
6:12:56 PM	Barque  The wolf continues to stare Thia down, growling becoming more and more audible.
6:17:37 PM	Panther  "There's no need for such violence here!" The skeleton informs Thia. Caesar is the only one to hear it, as everyone else just sees a skeleton wordlessly clapping its jaw.
6:19:55 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin shoves his way through Caesar and Thia who are still fighting, looking around for anything more suspicious than a skeleton tending the bar. As soon as he lays his eyes on the bottle with the gem inside he thrusts out both hands, and another flash of blue light shoots up from the ground and through his body, forming a blue-white beam right at the lonely bottle
6:20:50 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Ashier shakes his head, and grimaces once he finally has his wits about. "Jus what da hells is goin' on?"
6:23:00 PM	Thia  "You were both fooled by a gem! Almost lured into an empty bar to drink air and waste away just as that wolf and that looter were." She spits. "You would be fooled by such a simple trick." She produces another half smoked roll up from somewhere on her person and lights it. "Come. We've already wasted enough time here. Our objective is the smithy."
6:23:10 PM	Panther  The glass shatters! The music stops as though someone had pulled the plug, whatever that means. The gem remains intact and falls to the floor with a tinkling sound. The skeleton falls to pieces over this affront to his establishment and lays there inanimate on the floor. The direwolf looks around, quite embarrassed with himself. He grabs the cup in his mouth and swiftly leaves out through a window.
6:25:11 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar looks behind him as the facade fades away. He curses to himself, getting another good look around at what was really going on.
6:25:20 PM	Panther  The ruffian in black looks around, scared and confused.
6:25:54 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin slowly approaches the gem and tries to examine it without touching it
6:26:36 PM	Panther  You hear Wellby walk up from wherever he was hiding before, "Is uh- is everything alright?"
6:27:16 PM	 Barque stops growling, looking confused.
6:28:53 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "An' whas dat suppose ta mean, elf?" He grunts, before realizing he has more pressing concerns and pointing at the ruffian. "You! Out heah, now!"
6:29:05 PM	Caesar_Galloway  After clearing his head, Caesar draws his bow. "Hold on, there's still someone here." He approaches the ruffian with his bow drawn. "Who are you?" he asks.
6:29:49 PM	Panther  He cowers from Caesar, offering both hands up, "Please, please! I dunno what's going on!"
6:30:31 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar keeps the bow drawn. "What's your name, and where are you from?"
6:31:01 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar asks without malice in his voice.
6:33:32 PM	Panther  "G-Gillard. Please, put that thing down! I'm from Watercreek." At least one of you knows that Watercreek is a village about an hours swift journey northwest of here.
6:34:52 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Watercreek, eh?" Caesar lowers the bow, but keeps it at his side. "How'd you end up in here?"
6:35:16 PM	 Thia puts her spear away, sitting down and meditating, her face a mask of frustration.
6:36:06 PM	Panther  "I was uh, I was scouting, see. Lots of looters about nowadays, so we was- my family and me- hoping to find er, family portraits our neighbor left behind here."
6:36:34 PM	Panther  "Then this alcoholic's flytrap got me."
6:39:24 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Guys, I'm going to do something very stupid, please knock me out in case I start levitating or glowing or something like that"
6:39:30 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin picks up the gem
6:40:53 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar sighs and shakes his head, about to say something to Gillard before the gnome grabs the gem from behind the counter. "Davlan, hold on!" he shouts instead, turning to face him.
6:46:13 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "I feel... good. This gem seems to contain the emotions of this place. It feels like... well, like a busy night in a pub. I want to dance, somehow."
6:49:50 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Davlan, do you remember what our mission was?"
6:51:16 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Yes, and I'd rather not discuss it in front of a stranger. But a gem filled with wild magick doesn't randomly appear in a dead end town in the middle of nowhere without a reason."
6:51:31 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin points at the hoodlum as he speaks
6:51:40 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Just making sure you're still there, friend."
6:52:25 PM	 Caesar_Galloway turns his attention back to Gillard. "Listen, did you see anything else in here before you got stuck?"
6:52:47 PM	Panther  "Uhh, I think this was my first stop." He brushes off his pants.
6:53:16 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Where's your family? You said you were here with them."
6:54:19 PM	Panther  "Wuh? No I didn't. I said I was getting them FOR my family." He scoffs.
6:55:27 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar sighs. "Then you better go back to Watercreek and tell them you're okay. I don't think I need to tell you how dangerous this place is."
6:55:48 PM	Panther  "R-right. I'll, uh, be going then."
6:56:25 PM	Panther  The young man in the black tunic makes to leave.
6:56:26 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Safe travels." Caesar turns around, exiting the bar and turning back towards the smithy.
6:56:47 PM	 Davlan_Arcanegrin looks at Gillard "Listen, if you don't answer us truthfully I'll let my big friend here" he points at Ash "ram the gem right down your throat, just to see how that affects you. For science of course."
6:58:28 PM	 Ashier_Khalid shrugs. Looking bored, "Les just tie 'em up and den check da smithy. Ya dun actually buhleive he's heah for his family, eh?"
6:58:40 PM	Panther  "Woah now, hold on! They'll sic the boys on you if you do anything to me!"
7:00:08 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Deah we go. Bandit, like the rest." He grunts, lifting his arms to his back to heft his massive sword out of it's sheath.
7:00:19 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar moves to get in front of him, the bow once again pointing at him. "Boys? Care to elaborate?"
7:00:49 PM	Panther  "Uhhhhhh," a river of sweat trickles down his brow, "NNnnnsssuuurreee."
7:01:29 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "You mean your good buddies that were looking for you, helping you out of this mess you were in?"
7:02:08 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but now I'm afraid that you're gonna have to be more truthful with me. You wouldn't want to anger my friend here, would you?" Caesar nods at Ashier.
7:02:41 PM	Panther  A dark stain spreads down his trousers as Ashier towers over him.
7:02:51 PM	Panther  "Puh-puh-pleEEASE don't!"
7:02:58 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Then speak."
7:03:18 PM	Panther  "The hells do you want from me?!" He doesn't take his eyes off the sword, lest he blink and miss his own death.
7:04:24 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Ya boys. What dey be doin' round dese parts an where are dey? An I dun suppose ya know what dat awful rhythm is all ahbout?"
7:04:58 PM	Panther  The hammering is as loud as it's ever been. In fact, it hasn't stopped once during the commotion.
7:05:23 PM	Panther  "Nuh-no! I don't! I don't know anything about this stupid hick town!"
7:05:48 PM	Panther  "The boys're laying low right now, but we never hurt nobody!"
7:06:06 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Where are they?"
7:07:52 PM	Panther  "I-I'll tell you if you let me go." His eyes dart between the party members, "And I'll wipe my hands of all of this. Even give back the stuff I did find!"
7:09:25 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "Then start talking."
7:12:07 PM	Panther  "They're holed up by the cemetery, the one near Watercreek. There's a house nearby it, they set up there."
7:17:55 PM	Panther  "So, uh, do I get to walk out now or what?"
7:18:25 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar lowers his bow once again. "I've got a few friends up in Watercreek. If I hear that you're hanging around with the thugs up there again, I'll come up there myself to have a chat with you. Don't be stupid kid." Caesar steps to the side, opening up the doorway. "Now get going."
7:20:07 PM	 Ashier_Khalid gives Caesar a look. "Are ya stupid or just blind, ya git? He's wearin' black, he's in da brotherhood an he's gonna warn da whole gang we're heah." His blade clears the sheath. "We eidda take 'em with us fah now or make it quick n' clean."
7:20:55 PM	Panther  His eyes widen in pure fear. Wellby gasps from the background, "You don't need to kill him do you?"
7:21:05 PM	 Thia stands, sighing. "No killing, especially someone unarmed. He comes with us.
7:21:12 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "No, we don't."
7:21:42 PM	 Thia points at him. "You. Here. Now." She takes a length of rope from her pack.
7:22:20 PM	Panther  "Aw, fer. Fine. If that's it then." He's clearly too afraid to resist.
7:22:35 PM	Caesar_Galloway  "I don't want him getting in the way, Thia. Are you going to manage him?" Caesar looks at the kid and back at Thia, skeptical.
7:23:43 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Dat be fine. Takin' em wit us be jus as well, iffin we can keep an eye an him." He shrugs. "Las' ting we need is ta let da whole gang know we're heah. Which, by da way, it be our job to kill 'em so good folk 'an actually settle in dere homes again, ain't it?"
7:24:13 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Whale, dat 'an figure out that magical nonsense."
7:24:22 PM	Panther  "Something like that, I think." Wellby offers.
7:25:18 PM	Thia  "If I must I will keep an eye on him." She ties his hands behind his back and ties another length around his waist, pulling him along with her. "Let's check the smithy then, and hopefully our distraction here doesn't cause us to be too late to stop something horrible from happening."
7:26:37 PM	Ashier_Khalid  "Dat jus' what I be tinkin', elf." Ashier, giant blade already in hand, lumbers towards the smithy, intending on kicking down the door.
7:27:17 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar nods his head. "By the way," he starts, addressing Thia and Davlan. "Thanks for helping me out back there. Sorry if I said anything too harsh. Didn't mean it." Caesar says, sounding sincere.
7:28:25 PM	 Thia sniffs. "Remember to repay the favor and we will be fine."
7:28:50 PM	Caesar_Galloway  Caesar smiles. "Will do."
7:31:42 PM	Panther  Now that you are in front of the smithy you see that Caesar wasn't exaggerating. The windows are sealed from within with improvised sheets of metal. On closer inspection it appears that some of them were once breastplates, hammered flat.
7:31:45 PM	Davlan_Arcanegrin  "Yeah, no problem."
7:53:19 PM	Panther  The original door must have been broken down. In its place is a quilt of brass and steel that makes up a door. For a door, however, it lacks a handle.
8:01:30 PM	Ashier_Khalid  Ashier grunts and groans as he slams against the door, after a few shoulder checks it falls down with a satisfying thud and Ashiers eye scans the room for threats as he quickly makes his way into the building.
8:10:36 PM	Panther  A wave of heat washes over your faces as it escapes the building. The room is dimly lit by the fire of the forge. Bent over it, hammering away is a tall figure clad in many layered armors. By the light you make out the shape of the helmet he wears. It is shaped exactly like an anvil, with two eyeholes through which a fiery light glows.