And so what was left of the night passed away. For some sleep came easy in their ignorance to the loss and suffering that had occurred that night, and for others, it would hardly come at all. The morning came far too early for the adventurer’s liking. As a courtesy however, Angus didn’t have the serving staff come around for the typical check out and breakfast call, instead they knocked around 11:30, to announce the upcoming Highsun, and that lunch was being served in the common room, and that Bart and Elesia were awaiting them downstairs at their table.

Talus was awoken by a young freckled faced girl of no more than fifteen summers of age. Anna was her name, and she informed the stranger that he needed to vacate the room, as staff would be needing it for their own belongings and shift-work as they prepared for another busy evening at Castle’s Tethyr’s most prominent watering hole and inn.

~*~*~*

(Allowing for you guys to post coming down to the table, and interacting, I’m not moving anything forward for probably this week as I’m sure you all have so very much to discuss)

The whole world took on a sepia tint from the grimy window that Aelistae was looking through. She had been up for hours, and the covers of her bed had barely been disturbed. Instead she had chosen to sit upon a small stool and look out at the streets of Castle Tethyr as night gave way to day.

At first it had been quiet. There were only a few lone women in the streets below, discretely plying their trade. But as murky, distilled sunlight fell upon the narrow lanes of the town, its citizens awoke. Peddlers began touting their wares. Richer nobles or merchants began to appear in elaborate palanquins. And currently a herd of large four-legged beasts, that Aelistae did not recognize, meandered sullenly along the road.

Ordinarily Aelistae would have been fascinated to catch a glimpse of everyday human life, but her mind and her thoughts were elsewhere. And the reflective, yellowy tint that the window in the inn gave to the world suited her mood perfectly.

‘That look he gave me,’ she thought, her mind replaying the events of the previous night. ‘I know in my heart that he is not evil. That even when he was ‘the Cardinal’, the man I loved was still there, pleading with me to help him.’
‘But,’ she thought with a sigh, ‘what can I do against such evil? How do I fight what I can’t see or touch?’
She had no answer, even as the hours wore on and a knock on her door told her it was time to make her way downstairs.

---

In the common room of the inn, Aelistae appeared once more as she had upon the road. Her hair was tied back, and she wore the same form-fitting leathers and silk shirt. The only difference to how she had looked before was that she wore a fine coat of mithril over her clothing, that hugged her curves like a second skin.

“We have some stew, if you’d like some Miss.”

Aelistae lifted her eyes from the small tankard of water she had ordered, and towards the barmaid who had served her, before nodding her head quietly.

"Yes, thank you."

It had been some time since the duo paired together had worked alongside one another, but the company was refreshing and allowed for some catching up on the different roads they had traveled since parting ways many months ago when one took to the call of dungeon delving, and the other, a higher power. Silvara Fireheart had become quite the adventurer in her own right, hunting down relics and objects of interest that fed her ever insatiable hunger for knowledge, while Zorana Starhawke had entered the clergy of Tyr, to serve as the fist and arm of the Lord Justicar in quelling evil and wrongdoings, while upholding both the high standards placed upon her by her deity’s dogma, and her noble family name.

It had actually been coincidence that Silvara had been in Darromar at the same time Zorana was bestowed the quest to travel to a small shrine to retrieve a relic for the church. The item was called the Lantern of Truth, and it was supposed to have the power to unveil illusions and falsehoods of all caught within its light. The church was hoping to utilize the item in their hunt for the rogue knight known as The Cardinal. It is there belief that when caught in the light of the lantern, the true nature of the vigilante will be revealed, and he can then be better dealt with. It didn’t take any further convincing for Zorana to accept the task bequeathed her, and it was in the General Store, where she sought provisions for the journey, that she encountered Silvara, who was also stopping for a brief stint to resupply and gain her next assignment from one of any number of merchants, nobles, or collectors who were itching to have that next great find in their personal showcases.

A chance encounter turned into lunch, and lunch turned into talk over saddling their mount(s) or hoisting their belongings and setting off for the shrine, two day’s march north of Castle Tethyr. The shrine, as described by the bishop of the temple, was once dedicated to Deneir and Oghma, the Deities of knowledge and learning, but in the civil war, the shrine itself had been lost to the ravages of war, and never fully excavated since relative peacetime had been re-established.

The journey to the shrine had been blessedly uneventful. Aside from a single encounter with a stray band of highland kobold’s, the week’s travel had been peaceful, and as the sun shone brightly overhead on the final day of their travel, they came across the clearing they had been led to by some rather precise directions. The clearing itself was about forty feet across, with the remnants of stone slabs sitting in the overgrown grass. Even still, there is a portion of the clearing around a trio of large flagstones that only now was seeing new vegetation, the ground charred and ashen from some long distant explosion or fire. As the women approached the clearing, it was evident they were not alone. Sitting cross legged on two opposing slabs of stone, leaning on each other like thick concrete cards was a small creature, draped in an oversized cloak that hid much of his features.

As the ladies came closer still, he hopped down from the slab and hobbled forward on an apparently gimp leg. It was then that some of what was hidden by the flowing robes and oversize cowl of his hood covered could be seen, and the creature, Halfling in appearance was almost completely covered in dirty bandages wrapped tightly about his features. He had an ornate silver and ruby necklace about his neck which he thumbed constantly, and shifted the weight from one foot to another repeatedly, as though he was stricken with some muscle disorder. The creature looked upon the women with beady little eyes, and seemed to read their thoughts, what’s more, he seemed to speak to their thoughts, as his voice came not from his bound lips, but resonated within their minds.

“I am not a leper, and you need not fear me, but rather, you should relish the good fortune which has found you here before me this day yes yes! For you my beautiful ladies have the wonderful good luck to have found Firin Ranklefoot, procurer of oddities and antiquities, and general merchant extraordinaire! I’d bet what’s left o’ me face that if it can be gotten, den I can get it, and if you be wanting it, then we can be making a deal yes yes!”
(for the Record Firin does not detect as Evil just in case Zorana wishes to detect it)

Zora knew Sil's cautious nature would have her already prepares to go into action and was scanning the area for a possible trap. She now knew that the figure she first scanned for the touch of evil was not of that nature, though there was about him the air of one not governed by law as he partially revealed himself as a Halfing.

Laws were what Zora was brought up on, though some had other names like courtly etiquette, manners, noblesse oblige, duty, honor, tradition, and codes of combat. Such were the strictures of a daughter of a noble house in Cormyr, a house with a long tradition of service to Monarch and Country. It is noblesse oblige that promps her response the the Halfing.

"If you are injuried or in need, I would say that it was more your good luck to meet us. If you would wish, I would see what I could do to aid you, even to refreshing your bandages.

While facing him Zora swings her leg over the neck of the warhorse so the she stays faced at the Halfling all the time ans she slides off the right side of which left her sword arm free. She lightly touches the ground with bent knees.

test

The sun peeks its face through the window, with a few stray rays stroking Linnix's cheek. Linnix yawns, quietly though, careful not to disturb her still-sleeping companion Sheva. Linnix slowly gets to her feet and looks out the window. Oh, what a beautiful morning! The sun, already high in the sky, enlightens the few, sparse clouds as they trek across the blue expanse. When she was little, Linnix remembers, she would always try to think about what things the clouds made when they formed shapes. There are too few clouds in the sky to form any shapes for her to see, but maybe that was just as well; the sunlight made the city appear so much better than the bleak darkness that had enveloped the night before when they returned to the inn.

Her spirits soaring, Linnix quickly changes and gets ready for the day. Doubtless, they'd be returning to the road soon, so it'd be best to pack up. She could just imagine Caera calling after her to hurry up, since it is already quite late in the day. Tip toeing around the room almost like a toddler trying not to wake their sleeping parents, Linnix gathers her things, setting everything together, albiet in a rather untidy pile. She puts the dress away in its box, making a mental note to get it washed as soon as possible. Now about the armour... Linnix frowns thoughtfully. She had never actually worn armour before, so she wasn't sure how it's supposed to go, whether over or under clothing. Well, this is mithril, and it's light like clothing, so maybe it'd work under clothing...

Linnix looks at the result in the mirror. Well, her clothes are loose enough to hide the armour fairly well; it doesn't really look like she's wearing it at all. The few metallic clinks now and then when she moves though could still be a bit of a giveaway. Oh well, it'll have to do. Linnix doesn't want to fiddle with the armour all day! Stuffing everything else in either her backpack or her belt pouch carefully, Linnix finishes getting ready with a final placement of her scythe on her back.

Still trying not to awaken Sheva, Linnix leaves the room and heads downstairs. Seeing Aelistae already there, Linnix meanders over.

"You're lucky..." Linnix says, speaking her mind, "You don't have to sleep as much as we do, do you? Sometimes I feel like I miss so much because I sleep through it!"

Linnix chuckles, then murmurs pensively, "Hmm, I wonder what'll happen today..."

Silvara rode quietly beside Zaranna, on the trip north. Zoranna was on a quest from her church, to find the Lantern of Truth. From what Zoranna had mentioned it was an item of much usefulness to a church who valued the truth. Just the sort of thing she liked to discover more about. The only thing is that she would not get to keep it once it was found. That was okay with her she didn’t have to own all she found, the important part is what she learn about these items all of it was important to her. Perhaps one day she would take some time out to learn other magics to broaden her repertoire of spells, but not now. No she had other things that keep her moving all over Faerun, searching, sometimes finding. There was a thrill to the hunt as well as the kill.

Silvara had met up and traveled with Zoraanna before she was called as a Paladin to Tyr. They had traveled together for about six months. Zora always held herself to a high standard of behavior even as just a fighter. Silvara got along well with her despite one was humand and one elf. Silvara’s own life path was that of a duskblade. Silvara had studied long and hard in to the two disciplines it left her time for little else. Zora too was a dedicated fighter and she held herself to a code that was very paladin-like. So it was not much of a surprise when Zora had been touched by her God and called to his service.

Continuing on her own path of study, practice and bettering her skills Silvara had lost touch with Zora who had gone in for Paladin training. A rigorous calling to be sure and not one she would have contemplated but....

Silvara turned to look at her companion dressed in shiny armor shield polished and bright, tabard clean and well repair—actually it was quite new she suspected. And holy symbol proudly displayed.

Silvara’s own equipment ws the best she could afford, too. She had some lucky finds but a few items to improve her gear. Though it was gifts from her grandmother that had been the greatest of what she now possessed. The fine elven mithril chain shirt would not cause her any penalties when she cast and a sword. Her father had carried it when he was younger. He had put it aside for the blade that was a treasure of her House. The sword of Light, he had carried with him when he disappeared with his wife, Silvara’s mother. All Silvara had been able to uncover years later is that they had been following up a lead on an ancient elven relic somewhere on Faerun.

What the relic was or where they had traveled she did not know. Now she was hear armed and armored and ready to carry on part of what they were doing. But that was not all. She had a need to prove herself. And child half, Moon elf and half Sun elf, had things to prove. Her chosen field of study was one that few entered that of a duskblade. She would be one of the few. Long hard hours of study and practice to hone skills and become the best one could be. Thankfully, it left little time for one to socialize or make small talk something she was not very good at. It had swept her up and along as she endeavored to master her craft. Silvara knew she was a long way from mastery but she eventually needed to go out and challenge herself. Out in the world where she could make her mark.

The journey to the shrine had been blessedly uneventful. Zoranna was following specific instructions on how to get to the place where the Lantern was supposed to be. Silvara did not think it was just sitting around waiting for them to find. She anticipated that it would have been hidden by those who had to flee. The sun shone brightly overhead on the final day of their travel, they came across the small clearing with the remnants of stone slabs sitting in the overgrown grass.

What she had not anticipated was someone was there ahead of them--a shortish figure in a too large robe, with the hood up shadowing his features. “It” was brash as anything sitting cross legged on two opposing slabs of stone waiting for them it seemed. She did not like the unusual conicidence of his appearance her in this place that Zoranna said was their destination.

Zoranna rode forward. So did Silvara but she drew her sword and prepped at spel. He hopped down from his perch and limped over towards them. Silvara dismounted and she stepped slightly to the front of her horse to give herself a clear space.

At this level she could see some of what had been hidden by the flowing robes and oversize cowl of his hood covered could be seen, and the creature, Halfling in appearance was almost completely covered in dirty bandages wrapped tightly about his features. He had an ornate gold and ruby necklace about his neck which he thumbed constantly, and shifted the weight from one foot to another repeatedly, as though he was stricken with some muscle disorder. The creature looked upon the women with beady little eyes, and seemed to read their thoughts, what’s more, he seemed to speak to their thoughts, as his voice came not from his bound lips, but resonated within their minds.

“I am not a leper, and you need not fear me, but rather, you should relish the good fortune which has found you here before me this day yes, yes! For you my beautiful ladies have the wonderful good luck to have found Firin Ranklefoot, procurer of oddities and inequities, and general merchant extraordinaire! I’d bet what’s left o’ me face that if it can be gotten, den I can get it, and if you be wanting it, then we can be making a deal yes, yes!”
Silvara would let Zoranna do the talking, Silvara would remain ready. This was Zoranna quest, but she had questions, oh, yes she did, and would wait until they were answered.

She did not like the way he fingered that gold and ruby necklace, a strange item for a male to wear. it was as if he could not leave it alone. A magic item perhaps; they took many forms. Just as the Halfling before them, he could be what he seemed or something else.

She casts detect magic on the Halfling as she draws her sword. The shiny mithral longsword slips smoothly form the well oiled scabbard. It feels comfortable in her hand as she stand there. Forewarned is forearmed. Forearmed is..... everything.

"Oh, yeah, I'll get my things and... What?"
Talus stared bleary-eyed at the young girl in his room, trying to force his brain to wake up and process what she was asking him to do, if she was asking anything of him at all.

"Who are you? What time is it?" The fog of sleep was starting to wear away and he realized that she wasn't in his room, he was in her room. "Almost noon? Really? I'll get out of your way then. Give me... two minutes." And he began looking about the room trying to get a bearing on where he was.

---

Talus stumbled out of the room he'd been given for the night, backpack flung over one shoulder and carrying his cape and boots in his arms. Lazily making his way up to the bar he ordered a breakfast of "whatever's available" and collapsed onto a barstool.

"Barkeep, have you seen Artanis and Zori--" Talus paused for a half second then corrected himself, "Xaris. Artanis and Xaris, the two I came in with last night, have you seen them this morning? Which reminds me, how much do I owe you for a room? I know you said the room last night would be gratis, but I've got a few coins now and need to build up some karma while I can."
Talus pushed the same three gold coins onto the counter that the innkeeper had refused the night before, then turned and began fussing with the laces on his boots before the man could try to decline payment again.

"Give it to-- what was her name? Anna? --if you insist on not taking payment. She's going to grow up into a good hostess one day. Heh, very professional while she threw me out." He added from almost under the bar, he was bent over so far trying to get his foot into an uncooperative boot.

---

After nearly falling off his barstool twice, and eating most of the breakfast set before him, Talus was finally awake, or so he thought. He spun around in his chair to watch the morning routines of the Green Gryphon patrons and to keep an eye out of Artanis and her traveling compatriots. His eye was drawn to a table occupied by a pair of women, one of whom, his eyes kept trying to tell him, was a dark elf.

That can't be right. They're just siting there, chatting. Shouldn't they be fighting? Everyone should be trying to kill her.

I'm still asleep. This is a dream.
Talus rubbed his eyes, then looked back to the women.
Nope, still ebony. He focused for a moment, calling upon his innate ability to detect magical auras, and scanned his equipment, looking for anything new that might be causing these delusions. Nope, nothing new. So he turned his gaze back to the out-of-place woman. And tried to figure out if any of the aura's coming from her might be causing his faulty vision. Armor or maybe an undershirt... a belt... maybe something in a pocket, otherwise nothing screams 'illusion.'
Talus let his detection spell fade and spent the next several minutes watching the two woman talk, feeling that he'd missed something, and trying to figure out why no one was mobbing the apparent drow.

“Sometimes I think you’re the lucky one,” Aelistae replied thoughtfully, after Linnix had joined her at her table. “We’ve seen so much on this journey that I wish I could drift away into unconsciousness and forget it for a time. V’dri is more like a waking dream, where your mind replays events from your past even if you would avoid them. No, I don’t think you’d want to envy me for that.”

The drow priestess sighed before shaking her head apologetically. “I’m sorry Linnix, I’m not in the best of moods. I…”

Whatever she was about to say next was left unsaid. The barmaid returned with the stew Aelistae had requested, and her presence stilled her tongue. “Thank you,” she muttered to the woman, before prodding at the meal with a fork.

She had little intention, however, of tucking into the stew just yet. As the barmaid had sauntered away she had caught the unfriendly eyes of a human man upon her. He did not look as if he possessed a warrior’s physique, but, given what had happened the night before, Aelistae did not wish to take any chances.

“I don’t mean to alarm you, but there’s a male by the bar who hasn’t taken his eyes off of us,” she confided conspiratorially to Linnix.

A knock at the door jolted Artanis awake. She sat up straight in bed breathing heavily and looking around curiously. Within seconds her surroundings became familiar to her. Hand over her heart, she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. What a dream that was!” She said to the empty room.

She quickly washed up, using the water in the wash basin. She hoped she would have enough time for one more bath before they set out on the road. “Who knows when we’ll have another chance for a bath.” She thought aloud to herself.

Looking in the mirror she smiled a bit. Her hair was growing back evenly, “Thank the gods for that…” But it was still much too short for her liking. With a resigned sigh, she pulled her “beanie cap” (don’t know what else to call it) over her head, nodded at her reflection, and with her few meager items collected, she headed downstairs.


Turning the corner as she stepped off the last stair, Artanis’ hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to stifle a laugh. There at the bar sat Talus clumsily attempting to put his boots on. She cleared her throat and smiled as she made her way toward him.

“Goodmorning, Sir Talus. Did you sleep well?” She sat on a stool next to Talus and ordered a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes (if they had such things back then), and a large glass of OJ. She knew there was no telling when they would again eat quite so well. She also ordered some fruits and nuts, which she packed away in her bag for later.

Once her meal was ordered, she saw the empty plates on the bar where Talus sat. With a chuckle in her voice she said, “You must have been pretty hungry to have inhaled that fo…” Then she noticed Talus had a strange look on his face. She looked in the direction he was looking in, and grinned.

“I suppose you’re wondering how a Drow can be here without a fight.” She nodded in the direction of the dark-skinned one. “That’s Aelistae, and the woman with her is Linnix. They are two of our traveling companions. You’ll find that Aelistae, though Drow, is of no threat to anyone, save those who may try to harm her or her friends.” With that, Artanis clapped Talus on the back and stood.

She retrieved her bag, grabbed her plates from the bar. With a slight jerk of her head in her friends’ direction, she smiled at Talus. “Come, my friend. I’ll introduce you to them. You’ll see there is nothing to fear.” And so she made her way to the table where her friends sat.

“Good morning, Aelistae, Linnix.” (If he joined them) “This is Talus. He was of some assistance to us last night, while you two were sleeping." There was a hint of sadness, but also a note of teasing in her voice. Then she grew serious, "He has requested to join our group. Xaris and I agreed that would be fine, but told him we would ask you two first before making any final decisions on the matter. And before you say no, first hear how he was of assistance to us. I am certain you will agree to his joining us then.” She took a deep breath, sadness and pain clearly visible on her face. “Have you seen Xaris yet this morning? As soon as he joins us, we will tell you of last night’s events.”
Artanis dug into her food then, in an attempt to hide feeling of loss she was sure was written all over her face. Tilting her head further downward than necessary to hide the fact that she had to blink rapidly to hold back the tears that suddenly sprang forth.

(Just for the record, “dug in” doesn’t mean she’s eating like a barbarian. Just simply that she is eating with a healthy female gusto. )

Aelistae’s fork hovered nervously above her bowl of stew, until Artanis appeared and dispelled any thoughts of the man by the bar being dangerous. The fork finally slipped into the depths of the bowl, skewered a morsel of the meat that floated within it, and brought it to her mouth.

Aelistae screwed up her face as she quickly swallowed the mouthful. It was not that the food was bad, but for a drow palate most surface meals were bland and tasteless unless they were liberally sprinkled with salt or garnished with spices.

Most of the meal still lay uneaten by the time that Artanis and her human friend made their way over to the table she shared with Linnix. The warrior-women greeted them both warmly, but her voice cracked and betrayed the sadness and unease that afflicted her.

“Sadly, although we were asleep last night it was not by our design. But…well we can talk about that later. There’s something I need to tell all of you.”

Aelistae bowed her head slightly in the direction of the human Artanis had introduced as Talus. “It’s good to meet you. But before you ask Bart if you can join us, you should know of what it is we seek. Please, both of you, join us,” she added with a wave towards the empty chairs that surrounded the table. “And I don’t suppose either of you want a barely eaten bowl of stew?”

“I suppose you’re wondering how a Drow can be here without a fight.”

"So she is drow. Any you know her? What di... How does that even happen?

“Come, my friend. I’ll introduce you to them. You’ll see there is nothing to fear.”

Talus slipped off his barstool, scooped up his pack, and followed Artanis to the dark elf's table. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to waking up from this dream any second now or that the elf was going to remove her disguise as the small group had a big laugh at his expense.

"He has requested to join our group... told him we would ask you two first... And before you say no... I am certain you will agree to his joining us then.”

When the dream didn't end as he approached the table, when Artanis began making introductions instead of revealing the ruse, it finally registered to Talus that he was face to face with a real drow! He knew he was staring again and that it was quite rude, but he couldn't help himself. He hardly caught any of what Artanis was saying, so caught up was he in the strange combination of Aelistae's features and complexion and the stark contrast between her skin and hair.

It wasn't that he was especially attracted to her. It was that she was new. Everything since leaving his homeland had been variations of a theme, and this dark skinned elf sitting before him just shattered that routine. Both by simply being of the drow race, and by not being the stereotype: drow destroyer.

He finally pulled his eyes away and looked to Artanis, "I don't know that I did that much last night. Really, I just helped you get the rest of the way out after you did all the work of saving the baby."

Aelistae bowed her head slightly in the direction of the human Artanis had introduced as Talus. “It’s good to meet you.... And I don’t suppose either of you want a barely eaten bowl of stew?”

Talus pulled out one of the indicated chairs and settled into it. His eyes slowly went back to Aelistae, "I am sorry for being so impolite. You're very interesting to me. And I don't mean to make you sound like an object, it will just take some time for me to... well, to get used to you. In the mean time I'll try not to stare too much." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and glanced around trying to find something other than the woman to watch.

"I think I'll take the stew." He reached across the table and pulled the bowl over to himself. Now he had something to prevent his staring, and he made sure to eat slowly to maximize the length of the distraction.

Never have you seen someone so focused on a simple bowl of stew.

Bart lazily came down to the common room, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He was dressed for the road, pack hefted on broad shoulder's strengthened from years of manual labor, and a shiny new pitchfork strengthened with lines of steel along the half and a solid steel four prong tip at his side, instead of the customary rudimentary iron. “

“Good morning everyone”, he said with a smile, pulling up a chair and leaning his pitchfork against the wall as he took a seat. His dark brown eyes scanned over the assorted food and drink on the table, and he hollered out to Angus to bring a “little of everything.” It seemed a hearty sleep had brought with it a hearty appetite. As his eyes fell upon Talus, he quirked a brow before smiling as he saw the man sat next to Artanis.

“Good Morrow, I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Just then, Elesia parted the threshold letting in a golden stream of sunlight in her wake. As everyone else who had met her already knew, she was a vision of beauty through and through, as though there were something, supernatural about the grace of her step and the perfection of her appearance. At her side was an odd sight, Moonshadow, Loriel’s trusted Coo’shee wolf companion walked quietly beside her, his furred neck rubbing against the woman’s leg, once more dressed in a simple white dress of leather and linen, her vision of innocence enhanced by the all white ensemble. As Elesia approached the table, she sat quietly, a look of sadness across her normally every cheerful features. Even the slightest curl of her lips seemed like the heaven’s would weep with her, and the sorrow in her eyes were so evident it was as though the dam would burst soon enough to wash away all in her presence with her tears.

“A Morrow to you all, though sadly not a good one.” she said quietly. So distracted was she that the normally effervescent woman totally ignored or had failed to notice the new addition to the table. Moonshadow stood by her side, nuzzling his large head in her lap. The sight of the wolf sparked an inquiry from Bartholomew. “That’s right, where is Loriel, she’s usually one of the first one’s up.” At the simple comment Elesia had to bat her lashes as she looked away to keep the moisture in her eyes from spilling forth. “That is a tale not for me to tell, though the end of the story is clear to me.” As she scratched the back of the almost lamenting wolf’s head, her eyes fell on Artanis, undoubtedly putting her uncomfortably on the spot.

Xaris came down the stairs wearing very much the same clothes as last night. Although he did clean them and set them out to dry after he had taken his bath, so they were not dirty what so ever.

He took the steps slowly, and as he came into view of the party downstairs, he had seen just about everyone had gathered. He sighed and knew what was about to come was going to hurt, so before he headed over he went to a maid and ordered a lunch of bread, a salad with all sorts of vegetables and cheese, and a tall glass of milk.

After ordering he headed over, some people spotting him before others, his greyish green skin and short height making him slightly more easier to conceal around the furniture.

He stood next to Artanis, and gave her a worried glance. He wondered how the rest of them would react. He cleared his throat and looked slightly down.

" Hello everyone, I'm glad to see everyone awake, and safe. But as you all are wondering I'm sure a few of us are missing. I'm also sure that one thought may have crossed our minds, one you dare not believe in, but yes it's true." Xaris took a deep breathe and continued, looking to Artanis. He hoped she was ready to hear it as much as he hoped everyone else was. " Loriel and Kas will not be with us anymore. They died last night."

Xaris winced slightly at that last sentance, and held his tongue for any comment that might fly next. He hoped Artanis wouldn't be to mad at him for being blunt. But it was just how Xaris was. Being what he was death was just another part of the cycle in which he had always experienced. The only thing he wished could of been different was the circumstances that it all came under. He knew they deserved a better death.

“Sometimes I think you’re the lucky one,” Aelistae replied thoughtfully, after Linnix had joined her at her table. “We’ve seen so much on this journey that I wish I could drift away into unconsciousness and forget it for a time. V’dri is more like a waking dream, where your mind replays events from your past even if you would avoid them. No, I don’t think you’d want to envy me for that.”
"Oh..." Linnix murmurs in response, "So it'd be kind of like my nightmares sometimes."

Quite soon afterwards, it seems incredibly crowded, with almost everyone there, even a new person! Still, there are two people missing... and then the coin drops.

"Loriel and Kas will not be with us anymore. They died last night."
Linnix has no idea how to take this new development. Loss is sad, but still, deep inside, Linnix couldn't help but feel slightly relieved. In truth, she didn't really see eye to eye with either Loriel or Kas, so, if she is going to be honest with herself, Linnix would have to admit that she doesn't actually feel sad at their loss.

Linnix shrugs, "We all knew we'd face danger on this quest. That's something we all agreed to right? Otherwise we wouldn't have signed up. Loriel knew this, Kas also probably knew. Anyway, we shouldn't feel so disheartened. They died doing what they chose to do, and wouldn't want us to worry about them or the situation in which they died."