Billy nodded as Alea spoke. He didn't really understand exactly how clerics conversed with their gods and if they ever got simple answers. But he trusted that they did and that was enough for him. "I hope you get an answer. Please don't let my opinion of mages influence you. I simply raised my concerns so others can use them in making a good decision. I am not so good at that. No matter what choice is made I will support it for we have to stick together. As for why teh gods chose us; they must have reasons. Perhaps those with greater power would be easy to identify and would have brought too much attention. Perhaps the gods worried that those with power would have made changes here that are not suitable; perhaps even trying to take control of this world themselves. I just want to finish this task and hopefully go home."

Location: Northpoint Road – Leeside Way Inn – Stabling yard
Date/Time: Day Three – Morning
As Billy was stating his opinion on the subjects of mages and gods and their reasons which were unknown to normal man; Alea caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head to look, she saw two figures near the back of the Inn, from this distance one looked like Alacran the mage and he had a shorter robed and hooded companion with him. The two walked around the back of the Inn and out of sight of her.

Thor came through the yard on his way to the stables and saw Alea and Billy standing over beneath a tree talking. He continued on to the stables to see to his horse Lightning. He was met by the stable master and directed to the stall where his horse was kept. Lightning seemed in fine spirits, well rested, feed and groomed it seemed as his coat shined in the morning light. Lightning was overjoyed to see him and rubbed his muzzle along Thor’s face in greeting. Seeing that he had his belongings with him the stable master asked Thor if he was ready to leave, if so he would offer to harness and saddle his mount for him if he waited.

After spending a few minutes with Lightning (or waiting while the stable man saddled his horse if he accepted the man’s offer), Thor thought he heard a sound, like foot steps, that drew his attention. He walked to the door of the stable and stood looking out at the stabling yard around the Inn. He saw two robed figures, one that looked like that mage they met earlier.. Ala… something or other, and another shorter figure completely concealed by a robe with a hood. He saw the two figures disappear around the back corner of the Inn.

Billy, since his back was mostly to the location of the two figures, was the only one outside that did not see the two before they walked behind the building.

Siliwen and Riddle did not see anything as they still sat at their breakfast table inside.

(OOC: Continue to post as you will, I will post observations as they become available.)

"Billy," Alea takes the young man by the shoulder, "I just saw Alacran and another smaller robed figure go in the back door of the inn."

And was she thought on it, it came to her that such an action was contrary to what should be happening. Why does a man leave opening and return surreptitiously.

"I find tha strange, come with me."

Alea head to the back of the inn, moving quickly but covertly, first going to the side of the inn and the peeking round the back to see if it is clear before going in.

Billy nodded in agreement at Alea's thoughts that the stranger reentering the inn secretly and through the back door was a bit strange. "OK, lets take a look." Billy followed Alea around the back of the inn. If anyone saw them it would likely have provided them a good laugh at a man of Billy's stature attempting to "sneak" anywhere.

Location: Northpoint Road – Leeside Way Inn – Stabling yard
Date/Time: Day Three – Morning
Thor watched as Alea and Billy ‘snuck’ after the two figures who went behind the Inn. It was a comical sight to him, the large warrior attempting to sneak up on anyone. He was left to ponder whether to follow them or not. (Since no post yet from Thor)

Alea leads Billy to the back corner of the Inn and stops to peer around the corner causing Billy to almost knock her over. Alea sees no one but the back door, servant’s entrance she guesses, just closed as she looked around the corner.

(Assuming they move up)

Moving to the door, they find it slightly ajar as if the person entering didn’t take the time to make sure the latch was hooked. Listening at the door, she hears some voices but they are too distant for her to make out any words clearly.

Inside the common room..
Riddle and Siliwen are still sitting at the table near the front window; Siliwen is slowly picking at her food and not really accomplishing anything other than being lost in her own thoughts. Riddle is the first to notice that the Karl and the other servants that had been coming and going bringing food and drinks to the patrons, of which there are the two of them and 4 others, have all gone back into the kitchen/servant’s area and have not been out in several minutes. Siliwen notices the calm of the room and looking about comes to the same deduction, something is out of place here.


(OOC: Hope I am not moving too fast for those who havent posted for awhile, but just trying to keep things moving when they are slow. If things come to a point where everyone must post then I will pause to make sure everyone gets a turn. If you have any complaints, please let me know. I am not afraid of constructive criticism )

Riddle sits at the table looking around the room as usual noting peoples actions and how strange they could be. Noting especially the missing servers he looks to Siliwen.

" Have you noticed that some of the servers are not yet back i find this kind of odd do you not."

Riddle was begining to feel more and more uneasy about the given situation it all just didnt add up something was missing. the tracks the missing servers the mage showing up at the givin time when they were most venerable. He just sits his hands on his blades, having already expressing his nerves about the situation and not wanting to bother Siliwen more

"Billy," she whispers, back me up and wait for my call, I want to get in there to see what is going on. That is in case, I can enter the back and not be seen."

"I think they are gouing to make a play for Siliwen, so we ha

Alea moves up and looks through the door. "Billy keep back and wait for my call, I will try to get in there if at all possible."

She looks to see if that can be done, "I think they might try to get Siliwen so if we can come in behind them we can catch them between the others and us."

Billy nods in agreement. He would wait for her signal or for a scream that sounded like someone in danger. Either of them would bring him at a full run.

Going out to see his horse Thor is meet by the stable boy and taken to Lighting. The horse looks real good and is in good spirts, Thor spends a couple of minuites rubing and talking to his horse. Then as he decedies to head back towards the inn he gets to the stable door just in time to see what looked like that mage they had just encountered inside along with another robed figure sneaking around the inn and towards the back door. Thor found this to be very suspusious for the man just made a big deal about leaving. As he is making up his mind what to do he then sees Alea followed by Billy move around to the side of the inn where the two had just went around they stop and look and then continue on.

Thor decedies to go over to where they are and find out what is going on so he runs up to the side of the inn moves to the cornor and himself peeks around to see what is happening. It looks like Alea is going to go in the back door so Thor quickly moves up to where she and Billy are standing and quitly makes his presence known Billy do you know what is going on here?

"Shhh" Billy motioned for Thor to keep quiet. In a whisper he explained, "Alea saw that stranger and someone else sneaking this way and she wanted to get a look. I am waiting here in case she gets in trouble." As he turned once more to the door he muttered, "trust him, hmmph".

Sword out and with a silent prayer to Corellon, Alea will try to sneak into the door if the coast is clear. Her heart is pounding and their is a set to her expression the denotes anger. Sha can not now believe that Alacran came sneaking back here for any purpose but to do wrong. Somehow the whole thing was staged to get their confidence and she had been sucked in by it. That had her blood boiling. Her body was tense with the thirst for a just retribution.

This Alacran would pay for his effrontry and duplicity, this because the man that was workking this evil could be disguised or shape changed and not the real Alacran.

Siliwen looks up and then around the room as Riddle wondered out loud why no one was coming out of the kitchen.

She focused her eyes and ears on the kitchen door trying to hear and see anything. after a moment more. She stood up. and looked about. She knows she is on edge and is trying not to overreact but already having so many uunusual events happening to them all she preps a spell (flare) and holds it ready.

"I don';t want to overreact Riddle but I don't like this at all. WHree are the others why aren't they back yet?. She cases a nervous glance around at the door. At least that was now unlocked. Riddle why don't we go outside and join the others. At least we will be altogether."

Siliwen starts for the inn door keeping a watchful wye at the kitchen door. HOping Karl or one of the other servers would exit but prepared for something worse. that is been her life of late. Jusut about what is the worse than can happen has. Siliwen bet the others felt the same way too. Perhaps not so much Billy her sort of took things in dtride right now she eenvied his placid acceptance and determination to see whatever it was through to the end.

Right now Siliwen wanted to run like crazy, ut she resisted the impulse and sidestepped her way to the door keeping a sharp vigilance about her.

Location: Northpoint Road – Leeside Way Inn
Date/Time: Day Three – Morning
Siliwen and Riddle (I am assuming he will stay with her) make their way to the front door which still stands open to the morning breeze. Stepping outside they look about the stabling yard and don’t see any of the rest of the party. They do see the stable man brushing down a mount just at the main door to the stable. Walking over there they ask him if he has seen their comrades.

“Sure nuff did,” he said with a smile, “they headed off real sneaky like towards the back of the Inn.” He pointed to around the side of the Inn towards the back of the building.

Alea pushed open the back door and saw before her a short hallway with five doors, two to each side and one at the opposite end. The door at the end was open and she could see the kitchen there but saw no sign of anyone inside. The doors to the sides were all closed except for the second door on the left. A strange light was emanating from this doorway and she could vaguely hear words which almost sounded familiar but were still too faint for her to understand.

Slipping inside the hallway, and moving towards the open door way, she left Billy outside to guard her back and provide backup if needed. Unknown to her Thor soon joined Billy and stood looking up the hallway and could see Alea as she snuck towards an open door.

Siliwen and Riddle come around the corner of the Inn and see Billy and Thor peering intently in the back door of the Inn. Walking up they ask them what they are doing there so secretly.

Alea could hear talking as she drew closer to the room and she heard a couple of gasps from inside. She could hear the words now that were being spoken, the voice was female and the words were Elvin though spoke with an accent she couldn’t recognize. The words were a prayer .. a prayer to Corellon in the Elvish tongue. The prayer faded as she reached the edge of the doorway and the glow faded with it.

“By the Gods!”, she heard a man gasp, it sounded like it could have been Karl.

Peering into the room around the doorframe, into was obviously a storeroom with crates and bags and barrels; she first saw Karl and the servants from the kitchen standing against a wall staring wide-eyed at the other side of the room. The object of their awe was Alacran and the hooded figure that stood with its back to the room of people watching as it stood over the body of the Bar keep.

Billy relates the story thus far to Siliwen and Riddle; that Alacran and a hooded figure entered the back of the Inn a few minutes ago and Alea is inside checking it out. They are all now standing outside the back door watching as Alea peers into a room two doors down on the left.

As Alea watches the barkeeps eyes opened and he looked around as if suddenly awakening from a deep sleep. Alacran reached out a hand and helped him up as the short hooded figure stepped back out of the way. His clothes were still covered in the blood and the sheet he had been covered with slide to the floor as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the crates upon which he had been laid.

“Easy there my friend,” Alacran said as he helped the man to sit up and kept him from falling, “you have had quite a shock.” Alacran looked up and his eyes fell upon Alea as she peered upon the scene, he frowned slightly then turned to the servants gathered there.

“Karl, take him to his room so he can rest,” Alacran said, then turned to a female kitchen helper, “you best go and prepare the mistress otherwise she might be a bit too shocked by the situation.” The girl nodded then turned and rushed out of the room almost bumping into Alea but not seeming to care that she was there watching. Karl came over to take care of the now revived bar keep who still seemed dazed though alive.

Alacran turned and talked to the hooded figure that stood in the corner trying to remain inconspicuous, he spoke briefly and the hooded figure turned its head slightly and gazed right at Alea then turned away. The face in the hood was not visible but Alea had a familiar comfortable feeling especially after she spotted the crescent moon symbol on the left breast of person’s hooded cloak.

While this happened, Karl and the other kitchen servant helped the barkeep up and half carried him out of the room and towards the kitchen where a private stairway went up to the owner’s private area. As Karl passed her he looked at her, his surprise still visible in his eyes, he said nothing to her and only nodded slightly as they passed.

Alacran turned from the figure and approached her as she stood alone at the doorway, he sighed.

“So I guess you saw me coming in the back way and came to see what I was up to,” he stated looking down at the naked sword in her hand, “hope you are convinced ‘that’ wont be necessary.”

Billy, Thor, Siliwen and Riddle saw a servant girl rush out and into the kitchen but there was still no sign of alarm. A half a minute later, they saw Karl and another servant come out and it looked as if they were holding the barkeeper up between them. The man looked very much alive though he seemed half asleep on his feet as they helped him into the kitchen.

Billy saw the three men come out of the inn and was sure the one being helped was the barkeep. "How, but he was dead." Billy did not wait to check but entered the inn to make sure nothing strange was going on inside.