Hearing the rather distasteful responses, Adrian was a bit set off, but no worry. He wouldn't be the one trying to snoop around enemy territory.

"Very well. A 'backup' distraction you will have. Char, Dapple, should you see a strange creature or mist suddenly appear, take it as a sign you have been spotted.

What signal shall you give me if you request aid?"

Talas was quiet as he listened to Jal’s words on who he truly was and could not help but feel closer to the little mage then he had before. All of the others it seemed had secrets to keep, although he himself had none, he was as they knew him a slave turned Gladiator turned free man, but he could see the rest it seemed did. No matter, he thought to himself, as long as they were capable he had no worries as to their secrets.

As such he once again remained silent to the discussion of the others as to what to do next, when both Char brought up the question of Dapple and he conducting a recon he knew his bulk was unsuitable for such a task and so again said nothing. Then it was that Jal brought up the use of magic and clear it was that he too wanted to go with Char and Dapple, as Talas was about to enter the discussion in the negative of Jal’s wants, Char did speak up also in the negative saving Talas the trouble of speaking so once again the big man remained silent.

Then the ex-red spoke up and as if preordained his words were insulting of the need for caution and the art of deception. What was it about the Red, was he so foolhardy as to think of charging into the middle of the keep below. Did he think they had the numbers to succeed if so then they had a problem for sure. Once again Talas was ready to reply as such but was as before beaten to the punch by Arien and so yet again remained silent. But a small voice inside him wondered if Adrian was not a plant upon them and in reality sought their doom. But as quickly as that thought arose so did the revelation that if that was so, Granitecrusher would have known and killed the ex-red off.

Turning his gaze towards the keep below Talas felt the old anger rise within him. Below were members or ex members of the regime that had killed his family and made him a slave but though in all honesty he too would have liked nothing better then to charge down the hill and kill as many of them as he could, he knew doing so in the end would only lead to a meaningless death without the glory of a match won and as such he held his place upon the ledge waiting for the next steps to be taken.

If anything he would await the words of Arien as to what the rest of them would do as Dapple and Char with the help of Jal scouted below......

Char had said his piece and was more than ready to go on the hunt, but the others kept throwing out ideas and Dapple seemed more than ready to be turned invisible should Jal be capable of doing so. The ranger's skin tingled at the prospect of magic being used to hide him from existance. The very idea was more than alien to the man and he remained quiet while Jal admitted he'd the capability. Even as Valentine spit out his thoughts on the matter, Char was staring over his shoulder towards the cliff's edge, only paying half a mind to the finalization of the plan as far as magic was concerned. He didn't hold it against Dapple that she'd want to engage in the protection of magic, after all, she was used to the nuances of the city and the natural world was a bit different. Turning back to the party after eveyrone had said their piece, Char scratched at his beard.

"Aye den," Char slid his backpack from his shoulders and set it at his feet, reslinging his quiver in a fluid motion. "Da' Moon take da magic, an' I be fer passin' on da offa. Daylight be awaistin', so providin' we all be set proppa, we should be on da move."

Recon
Dapple and Char worked their way down the side of the cliff and towards the Keep. Dapple took the route northwards, while Char moved quickly and quietly to the south.

Dapple enjoyed the complete obscurity of the invisibility spell to get move around the walls of the Keep. They were in bad shape, many holes big enough to travel through, and easily climbed where no holes existed. She moved quietly through the brush, feeling as if every twig and branch conspired to crack and break under her feet.

Char’s movement was slower and more deliberate. His eyes scanned the leaves, trees and ground looking for signs of passage. The rain from yesterday had wiped out almost all traces of tracks from sight, but nature still held its secrets in places where only the Ranger would look. A boot print under the leaves of fern patch, A broken branch and shoulders height, a piece of string caught on a thorn – all these spoke to char telling him a story, if only a partial one. Soldiers had been chasing someone through here. He stopped to look at a portion of earth that someone slid through. Was that a Ladies’ boot? It was certainly smaller than most men.

Dapple ducked behind a tree as she felt, more than saw movement from the top of the north wall. Her elven eyes could see a soldier there, looking out over the field in her direction. Definitely a Green, she had seen the uniforms before. He stood watching for a moment, then looked off towards the Keep, as if something had caught his attention. Then he moved rapidly away from the parapet and disappeared from sight.

It wasn’t a glimpse of light, but rather the absence of it that drew Char to the side of an small bush. He moved the earth beneath with a gloved hand, and saw something black. A dagger, long and thin with a hilt shaped like a swan. Char had seen this before, he turned it over a few times before where dawned upon him Alloryn? She wore this in her hair. Said it was her mother’s – a gift. What is it doing here?
Darkness was soon approaching. Dapple made it to the sewer entrance that Gwanale and Dwan had mentioned. The grate was rusty and worn away – easily removed if this was the route they were to take. They would all fit, well Talas would be a tight fit. There was no smell from within, so whatever they were doing in the Keep, they hadn’t been here long of they weren’t using the built in facilities.

Back at Base, Rodent Eyes for the Mage Guy
Arien, Jal, Talas, and Kilgim set up a basic camp well away from where it could be seen. To keep hidden, meals would be cold for this evening, and sleeping would be in shifts if they slept at all. A night assault was on everyone’s mind though, move in quickly and get out fast.

Adrian removed himself away from the others for a time, and then took out his faithful companion Killer. He spoke to it through the link of a familiar and mage. Go to the Keep. Look around come back and tell me what you saw.
find nuts?
Later. Building. Inside. Tell me what you see
no nuts?
Nuts later. Look through building now
With that the rodent scampered off in what Adrian hoped would be a third eye reconnaissance mission, and not a tail of all the different nuts in the valley. Adrain returned to watching the Keep and Tower for any signs that the scouts might be in danger.

Wynter in the valley
Jal was sorting through his spell components when he heard her voice.

“Beloved?”

He turned to look around but couldn’t see her. “Wynter?”

“Jal. I can’t …”

“Wynter!” He looked around trying to find his ghostly companion.

“She comes, Jal. She comes. Darkness can’t last.” Wynter’s voice slowly fades away again, barely a whisper in his mind, “The light….”

As things were with Char and Dapple scouting and a rough yet functional camp prepared there was really nothing for the rest of them to do but wait.
If the 2 scouts could successfully find a way in then it only seemed natural that this night the 7 of them would attempt to enter said keep.
But as was the case at this time all Talas, Jal, Adrian, Kilgim and Arien could do was wait.....

Kilgim felt uncomfortable waiting silently in their hiding place while two of his old friends risked their lives sneaking around the Imperial camp. He knew it had to be done of course. It would be suicide going in without some reconnaissance completed beforehand, and none would be better suited to do it than the ranger and the lad. But knowing it all did nothing to ease the pain inside. Should the two be caught, the rest of them would be unable to help them quickly enough...

The bald dwarf walking along the outline of a small, invisible circle as the frustration was building up inside him. He kept well out of sight even though he would've really wanted to have his eyes on the target. But there could be no taking risks now - no jeopardizing the scouting mission. And his eyes were not the best suited for observation anyway. He'd need to leave that to the mages as well.

But Kilgim knew he'd be needed later on. In addition to the few potions of healing, he was the only one who could quickly stop bleeding and repair injury. Not that he was looking forward to it of course. He'd rather have a situation in which all the blood making the scene red was flowing from dead enemies. That's what his axes were for...

Char backed into the bush a little more and crouched on his haunches (OOC: hide) as he slowly turned the dagger in his gloved hands. He wasn’t looking at the small weapon, but instead his pale eyes scanned his surroundings while his mind worked to decipher the full complexity of what he’d just discovered. Alloryn had left to continue her studies and try to determine anything more about the dreams that haunted her, what was she doing here? Was she here? The ranger glanced down at the blade once more, twisting it about so that he could look it over with more acuity. He hadn’t much of an opportunity to study the weapon when it had been in Alloryn’s hands on their previous mission, but he was certain that it was hers. Suddenly he felt a little sick to his stomach. The poor girl was running, she was scared… there was no other explanation for the tracks he’d found, sparse though they were.

Char had never been one who thought very highly of the aristocracy, but he’d had time to get to know Alloryn and Arien; he counted them friends, and those were few and very far between for the ranger. As he looked up from the dagger and peered through the undergrowth surrounding him to make sure he was still alone, the sick fear in his gut turned to anger. His friend was in need and their mission was pending. The direction the tracks had gone deeply imbedded in his mind’s eye, Char slipped away from his hiding place, tucking the dagger in his belt underneath his cloak secure enough that it wouldn’t drop out, but wouldn’t be in the way when he and Dapple returned to the cliff.

When the two scouts had touched down on the spongy earth at the base of the cliff, Char had designated their rendezvous point as well as a determined time for return. They’d need light to scale the cliff face, but he didn’t want it bright enough to endanger someone in the tower of that crumbling artifact spotting them in their ascent. He was a bit early on the return, but he didn’t mind. It gave him more of an opportunity to figure out what he was going to report. It wasn’t that he was planning on keeping anything secret, but he knew Arien well enough to know that should the knight suspect his sister was in danger (as Char did) then he’d be shooting straight towards that keep with his sword out, armor clanking, and a battle roar on his tongue… at least he’d be less likely to consider tact; that was Alloryn’s specialty. Then again, hadn’t it been Arien who’d been the “voice” of reason earlier? Maybe the lad was maturing without Alloryn’s skirts to rustle and wake him.

Char sat quietly until Dapple made herself known, then he motioned for her to hold for a bit while he explained what he’d found.

“Der be soldiers ‘bout,” Char whispered, staring at where he assumed Dapple sat based on the imprints she left in the earth. “Foun’ some tracks lookin’ like dey be chasin’ afta some runnin’ prey.” Char shifted and retrieved the dagger. The look he gave from beneath his hood and through his tangled mass of mud brown hair was heavy with the unspoken story of their find. When he was sure Dapple had recognized the dagger, Char replaced it underneath his cloak. “Dey wen’ off in dat direction.”

(OOC: if there is any more conversation needed, I’ll back post).

Having shared so that they were on the same page (after all, Dapple didn’t like to draw attention to herself more than necessary and giving reports was inflicting a lot of face time on her, so it made sense that Char should have all of the information—OOC: assuming here, if Dapple doesn’t want to give up the spotlight, I’ll edit) Char led the way up the cliff face once more, rolling over the lip and crawling away from the edge before crouching and moving to where camp had been established. When Dapple had moved up next to him, Char pulled his cloak about him and eyed his friends and companions.

With the climb behind them dusk had settled wrapping Char’s features in shadow. Only his eyes stood out from beneath the mass of earth-colored darkness. He made the report simple, touching on what they were all expecting first.

“Da keep be occupied, fer certain,” he began in low tones, keeping his ears open for any unusual sounds. This close to the enemy’s camp one couldn’t be too careful. “Da’ Moon seen a Green on a wall for ‘e foun’ da sewer gra’e. Da’ Moon say it be proper fer an entry poin’.”

Char took a breath and reached behind him to wrap his fingers around the dagger. “Der be more,” he said as he pulled the dagger out, keeping it concealed along his forearm for the moment. “I foun’ tracks abou’ da keep groun’s. Dey were givin’ chase t’ someone… female…” The ranger slowly revealed the dagger, holding it up for everyone to see before offering it over to Arien.

Dapple watched her hand fade into nothingness as Jal’s spell took hold and felt the same giddy elation that had overtaken her before. (I’m free!) She twirled once with delight, a fey smile lighting up her hidden face, before she settled herself back to the task at hand. She tapped Char’s shoulder once to let him know she was ready to go, and they made their way down the cliff.

The little rogue moved cautiously, despite the spell, as she knew that a bush shaking without a breeze or grass bending against the wind would still draw unwanted eyes. She couldn’t count on the defectors abandoning their former discipline and keeping poor watches. She kept eyes and ears sharp, and that keen sense of danger stilled her movement even before she consciously noticed the guard on the wall. She froze in place until his attention returned to the Keep and he moved on.

No spell can replace your wits. Keep moving, though, they may have patrols!
The sewer grate was where the magical Sight had placed it, and Dapple checked it carefully for recent use, recent maintenance or any signs of traps. She measured carefully with hands and eyes, and fixed its dimensions firmly in her mind. She’d be able to find it and open it in the dark, if need be.

Darkness was growing, and she knew Char would need the light to scale the cliff. Her cursed birth may have left her deformed, but she always seemed able to see in the dark better than anyone she’d known.

Back at the foot of the cliff, Dapple related what she’d found to Char in hushed tones, her voice drifting no further than her shadow in the fading light. He’d know what to make of her findings, and would be the one to tell the others.

“Der be soldiers ‘bout,” Char whispered, staring at Dapple as if he saw her in plain sunshine, a fact that made her keenly uncomfortable. “Foun’ some tracks lookin’ like dey be chasin’ afta some runnin’ prey.” Char shifted and showed Dapple the dagger, which she’d recognized immediately. “Dey wen’ off in dat direction.”

“Alloryn!” breathed Dapple,” but why would she be…gods above and below, what’ll we tell Arien?” Dapple followed Char back to camp and listened quietly as he reported their findings. The game had just gotten more dangerous, and there were more chess pieces in peril than they’d guessed.

Beloved?
Her voice had surprised him for some reason and at the sound of it Jal had nearly fumbled the neat bundle of spider-legs he had sorted from his conglomeration of spell components; “Wynter?” He quickly poked the arachnid limbs into their pouch as his head swiveled in search of the girl but he couldn’t catch sight of her.

Jal, I can’t…
“Wynter!” He called a bit louder as he got to his feet and turned about, still trying to will her into sight.

She comes, Jal. She comes. Darkness can’t last. Wynter’s voice slowly fades away again, barely a whisper in his mind, The light…
The urchin-mage’s heart suddenly felt like it was made of stone. The distance of Wynter’s voice and the aggravated tone of it had turned the organ both cold and still. “She? Wynter?” Jal tentatively took a step in the direction he thought her voice had called from; “Who is she? What darkness, my love? What light?”

She’s gone, Jal realized after waiting for a moment that felt like a lifetime. He wanted to scream her name as loud as he could in hopes of calling her back but something told him that she wouldn’t answer. Besides, to do so now would be even more foolish than if Valentine had been allowed to conjure up his “distraction”… “Wynter, my love,” he whispered hopefully, “I hope you’re all right…”

He spent the next little while, worrying over the plight of his companion – what had she gotten into since he had scared her off? – trying to muddle through the cryptic bits of messages that she had been able to whisper to him – Who was “she”… what was this about darkness and light… why did Wynter seem so far away? – and keep himself busy tending to the bits and pieces of his gear that would, no doubt, become far more useful very soon. It wasn’t until Char and Dapple returned and related their findings that Jal realized that, perhaps, Wynter’s messages might actually make more sense to one of the others…

“I foun’ tracks abou’ da keep groun’s,” Char reported, sounding almost as if he was troubled by these last facts, “Dey were givin’ chase t’ someone… female…” The ranger slowly revealed the dagger, holding it up for everyone to see before offering it over to Arien.

Female? Jal mused, wondering at the pause and the half-shared glances amongst the “original” members of this troupe, She?
It was the demeanor of the ranger and the rogue, along with Arien’s reaction when the dagger was offered to him, that spurred Jal to share Wynter’s message.

“A female you say, Char,” the spellbinder asked, still regarding Arien rather curiously.

((OOC: Assuming an affirmative...))

“I do not know if it applies, my friends, but…” he glanced back at the spot where he had been sitting when he had heard the girl’s voice, “…Wynter tried to tell me something. She seemed very far away… very upset… but she metioned a female.

She comes, Wynter said,” Jal repeated Wynter’s words, his ice colored eyes nervously flitting from face to face, “ She comes and Darkness can’t last.

She also said something about the light,” he offered, realizing all of the sudden that to them this might sound like nothing more than his 'lunatic ramblings', “but…she… faded before I could hear any more.” His gaze lingered on the knight who still cradled the blade in his hand, then turned worriedly towards the keep… Please be safe, my dear girl…
“Does it mean anything to any of you?”

((OOC: Okay… might have made a few assumptions as to Arien’s reaction, etc, and that Jal isn't aware of who Alloryn is or what the dagger might actually mean, but can edit as necessary if it’s “off”. If asked any further, Jal will say that he’s worried about Wynter – something was “different” this time but he doesn’t know exactly what…))

Dapple had listened quietly as Char made his report to the others, slipping into a convenient shadow as the spell faded and she became visible again. Darkly mottled clothes, an indistinct outline and the gathering darkness all obscured her, but visible she was, and she hated it. If you didn’t insist on staying around people, they wouldn’t be there to stare at you…
Dapple ignored the deadness within to eye Arien and his reaction to the dagger. Despite his admiration for his sister, he had to be keenly worried for her, and there was no telling what the impetuous knight would do as a result. Dapple couldn’t understand love, but she’d witnessed its effects enough to recognize its danger. She drifted closer to Arien to breathe a few words of cold comfort.

“C’mon Arien, this is Alloryn we’re talking about. They may have grabbed her, but they’re no match for Alloryn. She’s probably got them all cleaning the place and running errands so the place will be all shiny when she hands the keys over to you. Then she’ll make a witty comment about how long you took to get here.”

Her words were soft and meant only for Arien’s ears, so when Jal spoke up, Dapple broke off and listened. She thought for a moment, trying to not shudder at Jal’s source of information, when a thought occurred to her. When no-one else seemed to come up with the same notion, she reluctantly spoke.

“I don’t think Wy-wynter meant Alloryn…the bugs mentioned a lady of some sort, that they were seeking. That compass thing points to the Keep, right? Things are coming together in a way I’m not liking.”

Adrian felt a wave of relief as Killer returned to the camp. Not that he wouldn’t have known if something had happened to the furry familiar, but the loss of his companion would have hurt him physically more than many would know.

The bond between familiar and mage was a special one. The ordinary woodland creature developed a far greater intelligence than its brethren, but also formed a telepathic communication between master and servant. But far greater intelligence for a rodent wasn’t saying much, and Killer did have a habit of getting distracted. The mage benefited from the bond as well, bettering his senses as per the servant’s strengths. To this day, Adrian could tell different kind of nuts by the mere smell of them.

To learn what Killer had seen, Adrian opened his mind to the chipmunk and saw what it saw, through its eyes. The perspective always took a moment to adjust to, but once done, Adrian could learn a bounty of information.

The walls of the Keep were crumbled and broken. Killer had run through these with ease. There were trees in the yard beyond the walls, but not the good ones that made nuts, although this one here was good for storing nuts and there was one over here that may have nuts, but not in season now, and wait a minute was that a nut, no it is a rock, and that is a nut, no it is a leaf.

Human! Scurry fast to a place to hide. Man with Blue mark on jacket, like a bird with a red mark on its wing but only the man doesn’t fly down and steal nuts. Big man. Scary man shouting. Another man with band of green comes running. Very scared. Green man comes too close, run to new hiding spot. Safe. Safe. No hunt. Men go inside.

Killer goes to the side way and climbs up the wall to a window. Looks in. More men. Lots of men in room. More than two. Sleeping. Hey, nuts! On the ledge. Killer moves to other side of ledge and eats the seedpods that had landed on the ledge. Mmmm seedpods…good day.

Scampering down to next window. There is a tree. Bad tree, no nuts. Up to window ledge, same men, no nuts. Around the bend and there is another window. Dirty, can’t see much.

Follow the walls. Warm here. Very warm. Door. No men. Another window. No men inside. Fire burns. Shiny things that men use to cook their nuts.

More trees! Good ones with many seedpods. Mmmmm Seedpods.
That was the total of Killer’s recon. The intrepid chipmunk managed to check out the west side of the two building before falling prey to the lure of delicious seedpods. But he had seen a Blue Guard. The Bodyguards of high ranking officials within the empire, Adrian knew that Blue guards were trained from a young age with a single weapon form of martial arts, and their motto was “We are the Shield”. Fanatically loyal, his presence meant someone within was a big shot within the empire.

DM’s note – Waiting for Arien’s reaction to the news before posting further

As Dapple and Char finally returned from their scouting mission each gave their account of what they had found below.
But then just as quickly the talk turned to someone called “Alloryn” and a dagger or knife of some sort was produced by Char and handed to Arien. It was clear to the big ex-gladiator that the name and the dagger/knife held some meaning for Char, Dapple, Kilgim and Arien, for all 4 of them had become as quiet as death warmed over, as if waiting for something profound to happen.

Talas could not help but wonder who this “Alloryn” was and why the 4 thought her so important. With a bit of a hooded glance Talas looked to Jal and with eyebrows raised, silently gave the little mage a “what do you make of this?" look
Hopefully the little mage would mayhap have some idea who this woman was....

“I don’t think Wy-wynter meant Alloryn,” Dapple said after a moment, “… the bugs mentioned a lady of some sort that they were seeking. That compass thing points to the Keep, right? Things are coming together in a way I’m not liking.”

Is that uncertainty in the lad’s voice? Jal wondered to himself as he regarded the rogue and absorbed his reply. It was then that the quirky little spellbinder caught that hooded, questioning glance from Talas…

“What do you make of this,” the big gladiator’s expression queried.

In reply, Jal offered a faint shrug to the man to say, “I believe I am as in the dark as you are, my friend.” His curiosity had been more than piqued, though, and if this Alloryn was as important as the others made her out to be, Jal doubted that the discovery of a blade belonging to the woman so close to their objective could be attributed to mere circumstance. He was sorely tempted to simply ask who Alloryn was and what she might mean to Arien, Char, Dapple, and Kilgrim, but, as the knight was still apparently lost in a dumbstruck study of the blade, Jal decided to hold his tongue for the moment… instead, he tried once more to reach out to Wynter…

Wynter? Are you there? Can you hear me? He sighed softly when her answer, if indeed she had tried to reply, didn’t immediately come… Alloryn, my love… Do you know of anyone named Alloryn? Is she here?
((OOC: Just posting to keep going and “entertain myself” until Olan gets himself “freed up”… If Wynter does happen to respond, I’d love to hear what she has to say… ))

Arien looked down at the dagger offered to him by Char. It was Alloryn’s dagger, of that he had no doubt. Their mother had given it to her as a going away present – to keep her safe.

But Alloryn is on her way home right now. With a Caravan of merchants she joined
There were times when as twins they were so very close. One would be hurt, and the other would feel pain. Yet Alloryn could blind him with a lie so completely that he didn’t know …

Until it was too late
She’d lie to him about going home. Those dreams she was having about a six fingered man, and a tower. Welcome to her nightmare
“Alloryn is my sister. Twin actually.” He said aloud with a voice cool and detached, “She is a powerful mage and isn’t supposed to be miles near this place. But if this dagger is here, then so is she. Now that I see this before me, I have no doubt she is being held within the Keep. What foul treachery has brought us to this?”

The knight takes the dagger from Char and nods a mute thanks to the Ranger. “I won’t lie to you. Every part of my body wants to charge down there right now and slay every foul creature that laid a hand upon her, until I set her free or avenge her …” He trailed off, unable to say the words. “But that will boon us not. You say the sewer grate is passable? Let us move as soon as cover of darkness falls. Adrian and Jal can create a distraction with their magic. Then we shall enter though the grates, gain entrance to the Keep. Alloryn will be in the closed off section of the tower, I know it in my soul. Any questions or counter strategies bring them forth now.”

(Assuming some conversation)

Arien motions to Char to step aside with him, “Char, I want you to lead the rest once we get in. My focus will be Alloryn and her rescue. If something happens to me, I want you to keep everyone together. Will you do that for me friend?”


Darkness Falls
It is dusk, and you prepare to strike out for the assault. Then something happens. It is hard to describe but to most of the party it is like a strong wind blowing across the land, but in a wave come from the tower, pushing away. Dapple feels it deep within her body, like a saw tearing through her flesh. A deep hatred of elves so strong.
For Kilgim it is like an ecstasy – as if for a brief moment he feels the hand of his god upon him, blessing him and giving him guidance.
But for Jal and Adrian, it is a rush like no other. Their Mana within swells, and they feel arcane power flow through them like never before. Unstoppable power courses through their bodies and souls like the waves of a waterfall. No magic is beyond their touch, no spell beyond their reach.

Then, within a moment it is gone. Everything goes back to the way it was, and it is like it never happened.

Char was impressed with Arien’s reserve. He’d known the knight long enough to recognize a good deal of growth within him and he respected him for it; listening to the plan of action with only a little trepidation. When Arien opened the air for suggestions, Char inserted his two bits as quickly as possible.

“Don’na see much use in da spellslingers makin’ wif da distractin’,” he tilted his head towards the direction of the two men. “Shouldn’ we make t’ sneak in unseen an’ unheard? A distractin’ migh’ jus’ aler’ da guards t’ be watchin’ fer us full now. I say’t be bedda t’ wait on’na distractin’ ‘till no choice we be ‘avin’ bu’ ta give up our position.”

(OOC: Later)

Having finished with the plan Char thought to find a little rest in preparation for the night’s events. Moving away from the rest the ranger found a cool, dark portion of the rock and began to unfold his bedroll when Arien caught his eye and motioned him over. They stood alone near the cliff face they had traversed to gain their perch, looking back over the path they had tread. Char scratched at his beard in silence, waiting for the knight to say what he had to say and unsure of how he could possibly be the one to console the man in his sister’s plight. Char wondered if perhaps he’d mistaken Arien’s motion and had somehow missed Kilgim standing behind him. Maybe Arien had been wanting to speak with the priest and due to Char’s misunderstanding the knight was now forced to find something polite to discuss in order not to make the ranger feel stupid.

“Char, I want you to lead the rest once we get in. My focus will be Alloryn and her rescue. If something happens to me, I want you to keep everyone together. Will you do that for me friend?”

The ranger’s gloved fingers stopped scratching at his beard and he turned his shaggy head slowly so that he could observe the knights noble face with open shock. This was not in the least bit what he’d thought would come up! Arien was a nobleman, a knight, and the obvious choice as a leader in this company of misadventurers. No one could deny that despite the youth and vigor those who had been with him on his last adventure had come to associate with him. But never in his born days had Char considered leading a group of adventurers on anything more than a game trail. Sure, he was adept at finding the path through the mountain passes, leading them across great expanses to water and the necessary lodgings, even tracking a trail through a rainy night, but actually lead them as one of those high-and-mighty commanders that had strutted about the camps Char had spent his youth in? Never in his born days… wouldn’t Kilgim be better suited for such a task? The dwarf was the cousin of Dwan, the leader of the Iron League, after all; and a spiritual leader, even though Char didn’t venerate the dwarven god, he sure could admit to the wisdom the small man had to offer. A hundred more thoughts quickly passed through the ranger’s shaggy head until he realized that he was standing in open awe and silence while Arien awaited an answer.

“Uh, sure,” he found himself saying. Then he blinked. What!? Shouldn’t there have been some question as to the sanity behind Arien focusing on Alloryn’s rescue when they hadn’t the foggiest where she was being held despite his certainty? Shouldn’t Char be the voice of reason and suggest that the wizardess could very well have escaped and the dagger had been written off as a casualty of the instance? Shouldn’t Char have suggested Kilgim to the post? Shouldn’t he have begged the knight not to let anything happen to him so that there wouldn’t be that necessity? Hey, look der, Char-lad. A cliff. Why no’ jus’ jump. Ya ‘ave da luck wit dat jus’ as well, no? Maybe ya’ll sprout wings’n fly ‘fore ya ‘it da groun’?
Still, all that was left hanging in the air was Char’s tentative, and somewhat surprised, assurance.

(OOC: Darkness Falls)

Char had overseen the descent into the valley below with a silence that hid the inner turmoil he still felt at Arien’s discussion with him as well as the excitement that rose within his chest at the arrival of their plan of action. Once they all stood at the base of the cliff, Char led the way as quickly and quietly as they could manage with their current assortment of armor and gear until he figured they were close enough that he ought to split apart and scout ahead. He could move quieter and quicker through these woods to make sure they weren’t being ambushed and return to the party to guide them without difficulty. Besides which, Da’ Moon knew the exact position of the grate better than he, so when it came right down to it, it would be she who was leading them the remainder of the way.

Focusing on the task at hand, Char suddenly felt something heavy pushing through the trees until he could of sworn he was being struck in the face by a strong wind. Blinking against the sensation, the ranger waited a moment, crouched, with bow in hand and arrow knocked, while his eyes danced about their surroundings in the hopes that he could determine any accompanying threat before the party was hit by it… then the sensation passed and the ranger glanced over his shoulder to where he could make out the silhouettes of those behind him.

Pressing his lips together, Char silently made his way back to the rest of them and crouched in front. In a voice that was so low as to barely be heard, Char focused his attention on the three spellcasters.

“Di’ja feel dat?” Having been a follower of many military camps growing up, Char knew that sometimes wizards controlled the weather to give their troops better odds and with the knowledge that there were wizards within the broken down keep, he wasn’t too concerned with being overly cautious.