Linnix feels terrible. Of course, most of it is from the morning, but added on top of that is the guilt for driving Tock so hard just to keep up with the others. Maybe she should've left the cart behind and traveled light...

It is time to set up camp. Even Linnix's limbs are tired, and she was sitting in a cart! Time to sleep... and hope I don't blow tomorrow like I did today. Linnix solemnly thinks as she sets up her own tent and quietly takes a small portion of dinner. Afterwards, Linnix contemplates her surviving candle-orbs.

The howls at first are slightly unheeded by Linnix. It's just a pack of wolves out for their hunt... they shouldn't heed us at all. She thinks.

However, when the howls get closer, Linnix begins to wonder.

“Stay close to the fire!,” Aelistae shouted to the others. “The fire and our presence should scare them, unless… Stay close to the fire, and do not let the creatures bite you if you can help it!”
Linnix looks up, startled, "What's wrong? Why would they attack us?"

Her slowed mind barely registers the implication, and then suddenly it hits her. Werewolves?!
Linnix quickly puts the two orbs down, and grabs her crossbow and bolts. Looking into the darkness, Linnix sighs, I can barely see anything... I wish I could see in the dark... Her hands tremble slightly, and she slowly steadies them. She had to do her best, but what if it isn't enough?

“Zoranna, If anything happens to me but not you I would ask you to make sure my letter is given over to a reputable elf so that it can make it way back to my family in Evermeet. I would want my Grandmother to know what happened. If neither of us make it, I will asked Firin to send it on.” If anything happens to you I will do my best to get the Lantern back to your temple. And carry word to them also,

Silvara is a realist. These adventures might earn you fame, fortune or glory, or death. Not that she would let that stop her. She was not fool hardy, she saw things clearly and weigh the known factors when assess a new situation. Silvara thought that together they had a chance to accomplish Zora’s quest.

Silvara nods to Firin as they complete there deal, “ It is a deal, fairly made, and you have been generous. May that help you with. “If there are items we find, not part of what we seek we may well deal with you when we return. However, I have a favor of you. I want to leave a few things with you to keep for me. If we do not return they will be yours to sell. I only ask that if both of us do not return would you make sure that this letter will be given to an elf of good reputation to return to my people in Evermeet.” If Zoranna returns alone, give it to her.”

Silvara removes her pack and removes unnecessary items that would most likely not be needed in a dungeon adventure. All her ration except for three days, a bar of soap, Taken all her armor and weapons and magic items, antitoxins candles, chalk,candles, flint and steel and tinder, silk rope and new hemp rope a fist size hunk of soap, whetstone, water skin and three days of trail rations . She leaves behind her extra clothes, rations and bedroll, bread and cheese.

“I have been thinking about that riddle.” Silvara relates to Zoranna as she repacks her backpack. “I think we need night to see if it means anything out here. It might be that the silvery light pointed down these stairways but I do not think we should waste the day away waiting to see if it does. If we decide to come out of here at night to rest, we can check then. Before she finished packing she carefully studied the map of the first floor, looking for any notes or other writing or signs on the map When she was finished she passed it to Zora to study.

"Here, Zora, you go get a good look at this before we get started."

With The new gear split up between them and all of it stowed to her liking, Silvara waits until Zora is ready and thats her sword out of the scabbard sword and holds it at resy. Her dagger was in its sheath on her right hip,, her bow and quiver of arrows over her shoulders, the vials of antitoxin in her pouch with the flint, steel and tinder close to hand. they had bought. She makes her way to the leaning stones that form a leaning arch over the steps leading down into the darkness.

Silvara had her sword in her hand as she descended the stops into the darkness just at the edge she let her eyes adjust before moving on. If it is too dark to see with her low light vision, she will pull out a torch and light it.

"Just the woman I was hoping to see!"
Artanis looked up, slightly startled. She recognized the woman, and the child in her arms. Artanis smiled. She listened to the woman and nodded. "I am only happy your child is safe." she says quietly.

Almost before Artanis was finished with her sentence, the woman shoved the child into her arms, telling her to wait a moment. With a puzzled look on her face, Artanis looked down at Maribelle. She smiled softly at the child and cradled her, almost lovingly. She felt a pull at her heart, and suddenly found it difficult to breath. She looked up, ready to give the child back to her mother. It was almost too painful. She didn't see the woman, and looked back down into the child's face.

"How cruel fate is." she thought. "That they should take Dareus from me, only to have me save another woman's child from the same fate...." she could not finish the thought. Not even in her own head. Artanis was happy the child was safe, and she knew that is what mattered now. Still, the void inside her was ever present.

“Hey, get away from that, leave what’s not….”
Artanis' head snapped up. She saw the woman dragging what appeared to be some sort of trunk or chest over, and she turned to see who had spoken. Her pain and memories were once again supressed and locked away.

"Talus! It's ok, she's..." she just looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, and a slightly amused smile, as he stammered out that he had made a mistaken assumption.

The woman moved foward to take her baby back, and Artanis was presented with a large chest. She looked up at the woman curiously. "Wha...?"
"Go on, open it."
Artanis arched an eyebrow, not sure what to think. She reached forward and slowly lifted the lid of the trunk. The lid slipped from Artanis' hand and fell back, as she saw what lay within the box.

There in the chest, lay an exquisite set of weapons and armor. She looked up at the woman in surprise, almost hopeful, but not daring to ask. The woman spoke of her ex-husband having been a soldier, of the armor being that of a hero, and of her (Artanis) being deserving of such beautiful armor. Artanis knew all too well she was no hero. With her hand pressed over her heart, the other hand raised toward the woman, as if to fend her off, she began to protest. Before the first word could leave her lips, however, the woman's next words cut her off...

"..You would honor me by taking these as a token of my appreciation for all you have done for me and my daughter.”
Artanis looked from the woman, to Talus, then to the armor within the chest. She dropped her arms in resigned compliance. She nodded, a broken, "Thank you." upon her lips. She just sat and looked in awe at the items this woman had just given her. She felt so undeserving of such fine gifts. Yet she knew she would have given everything she had ever owned had the same been done for her the night her life had been changed forever. And she would not have taken "No" for an answer.

Artanis stood and hugged the woman close, but gently as she still held her child. She whispered softly in her ear, "Take care of your daughter. Cherish her. You have been given a second chance with your child, one that not everyone gets."
With that she released the woman and retrieved the items from the chest. She listened silently as Talus presented the woman with his gift to her. She was moved by his gesture, and smiled softly.

"It's always so amazing to see the kindness and generosity living beings can have for eachother in the face of tragedy." She thought before removing her old armor. She accepted any assistance Talus offered in donning the new armor.


((There will be a possible edit to this portion of my post once I receive a response from Kaelyn to a couple questions.))

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Too much of the morning having passed by the time the group got on the road, they road hard and fast stopping very sporattically along the way. Finally, Bart called the small onterauge of travelers to a halt, and decided they would make camp.

Artanis dismounted. She rubbed her backside in an attempt to restore feeling to that portion of her body. She then took great care in tending to her horse. She brushed it thuroughly, while it ate and drank. After her horse was properly tended, Artanis set about preparing for the night ahead.

Once she was finished, Artanis aproached Talus. She spoke softly, "I just wanted to let you know I think that was a very good thing you did back in town, giving that woman the money like you did. You're a good man, Talus."
Later, as they were preparing to bed down for the night, it seemed they were on sudden alert. A strange array of howls sounded for a moment, only to be sileneced by one dominant howl. The leader, perhaps, of what could only be assumed was a pack of ... what? Wolves?

Artanis moved to the center of the camp, near the fire, her new sword ready in one hand, her shield held before her in the other.She stood with her back to the fire, her eyes straining to see anything beyond the circle of the camp. Aelistae suddenly yelled for all to stay close to the fire and to avoid being bitten by these creatures.

Then suddenly all was earily silent. Like the calm before the storm that was to come. One thought flashed briefly in Artanis' mind.

"Bring it on."

As Zora looks at the things being laid out by Firin she speaks up. “We will not need your shovel and hammer as I have them packed on my mule. Zora then goes to the mule and pulls out her empty backpack and fills is with hammer, hemp rope, a short handled shovel-tied to the side, 3 flasks of oil, 3 days of rations, canvas bucket, healer’s kit, and water skin. She then takes up her composite longbow and quiver of arrows. She stings the bow and slings it over her left shoulder and quiver over her right shoulder. Zora then takes up her shield. (She is already wearing what is listed in worn items.)

She untacks her horse and mule and tied them to the side of the temple entrance, with enough rope to graze. “Firin, I have a feeling you will be staying here. I believe that the chance for fame and fortune coming from our success, would be of great benefit to you. I ask that you watch over my horse and mule and I do have 5 days of rations available for them in the mule’s packs. Tyr bless you for your generosity. May he keep us all safe during this endevor.

“Zorana, If anything happens to me but not you I would ask you to make sure my letter is given over to a reputable elf so that it can make it way back to my family in Evermeet. I would want my Grandmother to know what happened. If neither of us make it, I will asked Firin to send it on.” If anything happens to you I will do my best to get the Lantern back to your temple, and carry word to them also of what has happened to you.

Zora listens carefully to Sil’s words and preparations should something happen to one or both of them. The young Paladin of Tyr nods to her friend. "I will do as you ask." Then turning to the Halfling, "Firin, I would ask you, should I and Sil not return, to take my belongings and mount and mule to the Temple of Tyr, such an act may stand you in good stead with the temple."

Strange how Sil’s mention of not returning got her mind to remembering odd bits of memories the stuck some chord in her mind. Moment of great happiness, odd occurrences and such, just bits and snatches. Like the time when a number of cadets had gone to the local tavern for a mug of ale or whatever was their favorite. A group of local toughs got to razzing them and causing trouble. As one of the cadets, the youngest and a female, Zora bore the brunt of bad jokes and some downright insults. Well when one of the toughs made the comment “I here you are given riding lessons, is the girl your mount.” There were some lewd snickers at that. Do you think she will let us ride her too?”

Hard to say who started it, but soon Zora was in the thick of it. Though the cadets were out numbered, they worked as a cohesive whole. When the toughs started getting the worst of it, knives flashed out and Zora grabbed the first thing at hand to throw on the oncoming attackers. She threw it with all her might and though she wanted to hit one of them in the head, the small crockery bowl hit the lead tough in the chest and then it happened, the bowl was filled with ground pepper and it few up into the air, the toughs came through the cloud of fine pepper powder and they were completely disabled as their eyes teared and they sneezed uncontrollably.

They were crying out in pain from the burning sensation in their eyes and still coughing and sneezing. The town watch came and after hearing from the witnesses the cadets were sent back to the academy and the toughs were taken to jail.

An idea suddenly comes to her, “Firin, would you have a fair amount of pepper and some paper.” She also looks at what they bought to check to see if there were torches in the pile.

Silvara then discusses the riddle with Zora, “I have been thinking about that riddle.” to Zorana as she repacks her backpack. I think we need night to see if it means anything out here. It might be that the silvery light pointed down these stairways but I do not think we should waste the day away waiting to see if it does. If we decide to come out of here at night to rest, we can check then.”

A bit later SIlvara takes up the map and studies it after she is putt into her backpack those things she has decided to take with her. SHe passes it to Zora telling her to studied it well.

“Your are right, though one part makes it sound like the setting sun might show the way, that light would be red. Silver light sounds like the moon.

Zora Studies the map in detail, and contemplates what phase the moon was in. She also checks the position of the sun to determine how many hours till sunset.

“I am ready.”

Zora ket Sil go first as this is the Elf's area of expertise. She will follow about 5 feet behind Sil This way they can see to both sides and front to back.

Everything hurt. Talus hadn’t quite gotten comfortable atop Moon Dancer before Bart gave the order to head out of town. He spent most of the day gripping too tightly with his legs and trying to hold his arms rigidly in place rather than allowing the constant up-and-down forward-backward motion to just happen. Eventually, when his muscles simply gave out and he was forced to relax, he discovered the rhythm to it and began to feel safe knowing that he wouldn’t fall off as soon as he let go.

Once the worry subsided, his mind began to wander. "I just wanted to let you know I think that was a very good thing you did back in town, giving that woman the money like you did. You're a good man, Talus."
No one had called him a “good man” before. Ever. After the revelation about his family’s legacy the best he had ever hoped for was keeping himself from being grouped with “evil” men. A good man? I don’t know if that was good. It felt cheap, like the way the temple goers would deem themselves pure by throwing the most money into the collection box. I didn’t want to stay and help her rebuild her house; I wanted to leave on this quest with Artanis and her friends. From the sermons I’ve heard putting yourself before others is not the mark of a good man. Can these two views be reconciled, the preacher’s “good men” and Artanis’ proclamation?
Talus was snapped out of the recesses of his mind when Bart called for the group to make camp for the night. He slid down from Moon Dancer’s saddle and was rudely reminded of how poorly he had treated his arms and legs this day when he nearly collapsed the moment he touched the ground. He managed only a few wobbly steps and a surprised “whoa” before dropping to his knees, deciding that a semi-controlled descent would be better than waiting for his muscles to deposit him face first into the dirt. He lay there for a minute letting his legs adjust to the idea of walking again and fiddled with the straps of his pack, the extra weight certainly didn’t help matters.

Moon Dancer edged closer to her fallen rider and nuzzled his prone form. Seeming to know that lying still would only give his legs a chance to seize up she kept prodding him until at last he sat up. ”All right, all right. I’ll get you unsaddled and let you eat. You’ve got to be tired too.”
Movement was half muscle and half sheer force of will, but Talus managed to get Moon Dancer unbridled and tethered to the tree nearest the clearing with a decent lead for grazing. He shambled over to the fire pit where Bart was beginning to prepare some food and rolled out his bedding. Too tired to bother with removing his armor or clothing he crawled inside the magically softened bedroll and promptly fell asleep.

---

Talus stood at the mouth of a cave hidden deep in a vast forest. A strong wind blew through the trees and across the opening in the rock, causing a great wailing sound. Occasionally a tree somewhere in the distance, pushed too strongly by the gale, would snap and fall. Oddly, the splintering wood sounded much like the crackle of a campfire. The wailing sound coming from the cave increased its volume then fell deathly silent.
“Stay close to the fire!”

Aelistae’s voice cut through the haze of Talus’ dream. He poked his head out from under his blanket, wiping sleep from his eyes and trying to figure out where he was, to see the priestess drawing her blade. “Stay close to the fire, and do not let the creatures bite you if you can help it!”

Suddenly he was wide awake and scrambling to his feet. His legs were still sore but the little bit of walking he had done before passing out had helped and adrenaline was doing the rest. It was dark, and most everyone was starting to form a ring around the fire crackling in the center of the clearing, but Aelistae was a few feet closer to the darkness, peering into the black as if to discover its secrets. Glancing to the others he realized that most of the group would have a hard time fighting whatever was out there until it came within the light of the fire. Talus knew he could see into the Black just as well, if not better, than the drow if he so desired, but he feared what calling upon that dark power might mean for himself. What might it mean if I don’t use my power and one of them falls tonight?
Holding onto that thought Talus shut his eyes and placed a hand over his closed lids. He envisioned a vortex of energy forming in his body’s core, then rising up inside his head and finally attaching itself to the back of his eyes. He dropped his hand to his side and looked out at the trees surrounding the camp. The Black faded before his new sight, turning into shades of gray and divulging its secrets. Moving to a point near the horses and almost opposite Aelistae, Talus continued to search for what the Black was trying to conceal from his companions.

((standard to climb out of the Magic Bedroll; standard to cast See the Unseen; I’ve got at least two rounds worth of actions here. This being the first combat for me in this game, I wasn’t sure how much I could get in for prep so I stuck with Ginafae’s example. If I’ve got time for a 3rd round before lupine hits the fan, I’ll ready an eldritch blast at anything non-humanoid coming at the camp.))

Prepared for the quest, and having left Firin with some belongings and Zorana’s mount, They bid him wait for their return, though they did not specify just how long he was to wait. Hopefully they would not be gone long themselves, and he with their possessions would be safely awaiting their arrival. Weapons at the ready, secondary and alternates within easy reach, and spirits high, Zorana and Silvara began their decent into darkness. The pair theorized and conversed on the riddle Firin had given them, and Zorana guessed they had good five or six hours of daylight ahead of them.

As they descended, Silvara in the lead, Zorana a few paces behind, it became all too clear as they descended the long staircase at least forty feet below ground, that Zorana would need a torch or some form of light to aid her vision. While Silvara’s elven vision would allow her a bit more sight down the passageway as they reached the bottom of the stairs, proceeding further would require more for her as well.
What she could make out however was a desolated ruin of what once was probably a simple but elegant temple or monastery. The eye, book and candle symbols of Oghma and Deneir were faded but evident in numerous places on the walls. The entrance in which they stood is roughly twenty feet wide and sixty feet long with four wooden doors leading off from it, two on the left and two on the right. The map they had looked over showed that the right doors led down hallways to what once may have been living quarters, a handful of small rooms, and a few larger ones, most notably a mess hall, some prayer chambers and the faded map ends in a room with no finished walls and the letters “l”…”b”…””…”y” barely legible. To the left of the main chamber went passageways towards a gymnasium and training yard, and a large hall, possibly for sermons or mass. Between the two left passageways was a small connecting chamber near the end, with a symbol one could only presume meant a stairway leading down.

As the two women stood in the main hall, there was a howling that passed through the room, and a chill that swept across their frames. Perhaps it was a gust from above…

Xaris checked the empty fire pit that was in the center, and decided that it was not used in a while. He wondered why no one has used this fire pit in some time, and didn't let his mind wander to far to reasons why. He wiped off the black smear marks on his fingers and went to help setting up camp. As soon as everyone was set for the night, they sat around the fire and ate the meats that were cooked, and they talked. He thought about his own family that he used to have, and wondered what life would be like if that night never happened. If everything was left to be like it was for the past hundred years would he still be living with them all. He knew the answer, and it was yes. rarely did any forest gnome leave their home, but he had to. Those circumstances forced him to leave.

He looked about his companions and decided that even though they were always traveling, this right now was the closest thing to family that he has, and nothing would tear him away from them. Soon, sleep gripped all of them and it was time to go to bed. Xaris was climbing into his bed roll when out from the newly laid night came an ear piercing howl, followed by three others ,then one last one to shut out the others. Then as quickly as it started, it stopped, and now it was eerily quiet.

Xaris ran away from the center of camp, and put himself in between some trees and in front of some tents and his bed roll. He scanned the darkness, using his low light vision to its full effect hoping to catch any of these creatures before they attacked the group behind them. Nothing will get past Xaris without paying a heavy price. He gripped his great sword in his hands tightly, and awaited the inevitable.

The silence in the air was more unnerving than the howling that had preceded it. Without the wolf-calls to give away at least some sense of location, the adventurer’s would have to rely on their vision in hopes of spotting any danger before it got too close. Aelistae’s natural and Talus’ invocation enhanced darkvision were slowly taking effect, while Artanis and Xaris’ keener than human eyesight took advantage of the silver moonlight which filtered though the surrounding trees and brush. It was odd that while traveling across open plains for hours the ‘clearing’ would be in a copse of trees roughly circular in their growth pattern. Archeva however must have had an overwhelming day, what with last night’s events, because as the rest of the group stood on alert; she slept soundly tucked away in an extra room off the side of Barts tent. Aelistae cast a Cat’s Grace, her already lithe body becoming even more agile, while Talus readied his inherent Eldritch Blasts, for a quick response to any immediately apparent threat.

Xaris was the first to shift his head suddenly to the right, a glimpse of something catching his eyes. His footing shifted as he peered out into the night, his peripheral vision catching Aelistae’s own silver lined head twisting as she too spotted shapes moving in and out of sight as though they were but fleeting shadows in the night, merging and reemerging from the darkness cast from the trees and canopies above. Talus soon spotted what he thought was a pair of eyes watching them from behind the cluster of horses, who were stomping the ground in frightened irritation, struggling against their rope lines which had them tethered to the nearby trees. Their whinnies bothered Elesia, who slowly moved forward, trying to at least get to the ropes to free them to run if need be rather than be prisoners in this trunk lined cage.

As more people began spotting more eyes through the darkness, the shimmering red slanted orbs remained just outside the fire light, then as one to shatter the building tension, a cacophonous howl filled the night air reverberating through the leaves and branches completely surrounding the party. Talus thought he saw the outline of a canine face part the shadow’s and let fly his Eldritch Blast, the arcane infused ray splitting the air with a crackle of energy and flying out the extent of its range before dissipating having apparently missed its target.

In the next instant, through the trees strolled a half dozen wolves ranging in hues of white to black, fine thin hair to coarse rough bristles and everything in between. The wolves were all staring intently at those in the clearing, before letting out a low growl in unison, which ushered in the arrival of an even more impressive, if not potentially dangerous trio. Entering the clearing from the south, (the bottom of the map) stood a pair of larger wolves, each taller than Xaris by an entire arm’s length at least, and much more built than the other’s gathered. They both sat on hunched leg’s their dark grey fur a dull contrast to the orange, yellow and red glow of the fire burning in the center of the clearing. Both wolves bore small black cloaks which rests on their backs, and tied off around their thick necks. Anything emblazoned upon the cloaks was currently illegible. Between the pair of larger lupines, and slightly behind them stood a man; or at least a figure mostly a man. Garbed in a dark brown set of robes which hung open revealing thick black hide around his muscular frame and the glint of something shiny affixed to his belt made from strung squirrel tails stood a humanoid about six feet in height, but instead of a face of flesh and skin was a furred head lupine in appearance with dark eyes which shimmered with intelligence. In his right and he held a white staff of twisted wood, capped with a amber encased honeycomb. His eyes scanned the clearing and his nose twitched as though something unpleasant had wafted passed him.

“You have intruded upon our hunting grounds, and attacked my kin without provocation. Once more your arrogance will cost you your lives, and we will have our sacrifice for the glory of nightfall and mother.” The lupine hybrid scanned the area once more and a sneer revealed canine teeth as he seemed to revel in the horses torment as they struggled against their restraints. “You are fortunate however that we relish the hunt, and so lay your opportunity to perhaps keep your lives… for a little longer. Leave your four legged appetizers and scatter to the winds, for they will not satiate my kin long, and the hunt will then truly begin.” To accentuate his point, he tapped the staff on the earth before him, and the tree’s in the clearing all seemed to stretch and intertwine, forming a wooden barrier of branches and brambles surrounding the grove, except for a five foot gap just north of Xaris, the trees forming an archway roughly 8’ from the ground.

“You have sixty seconds to make your flight, or kiss your false god’s goodbye.” As he finished speaking, the wolves gathered all took a paced step forward in unison and growled once more.”

“Why do you mourn?”

Haunting, eyeless sockets emerged suddenly from the gloom. They seemed so impossibly dark even though they were surrounded by the lightless depths of the Underdark.

She faltered at the sight. She should have been used to them by now, but she wasn’t. Their sudden appearance caused her to stumble and graze her knee painfully upon a rocky out-crop.

“I asked you why you mourn?” the eyeless face repeated, as weathered hand fell upon her arm to help her to her feet.

“Because…because they were all I had. And they were murdered!”

“Yes,” the eyeless eyes continued. “They were victims, they were killed…but were they any different to those who had killed them? Did they not kill or murder in their own time? And you…would you refuse to kill them, if you had seen all they had done in the past and were witness to all they would do if they lived?”
“No,” she replied.

Aelistae stared defiantly at the half-man, half-wolf creature. She knew what he was. She even recognized what foul ‘Mistress’ he served and what purpose the ‘sacrifice’ he wished to hold had. But she would not run.

“I have a counter-offer. We will hunt the hunter, and spirit his mange-eaten soul to his Dark Goddess. And we will do so for all those he has killed, and because the Moon belongs to us.”

The drow priestess allowed one hand to fall from the hilt of her sword, and raised it to the brooch she wore above her breast. It began to glow with a silvery light as she tried to channel a portion of her deity’s power.

[OOC: Aelistae will move closer to the fire, and attempt to turn lycanthropes.]

Linnix heart races. Quiet. It is far too quiet!

Panic sets in, grasping her heart and making it pulse even faster. In the silence of the night, her heartbeat drowns out everything else. Linnix nearly bolts, only not doing so because she can think coherently enough to know that it'd be worse out of the light.

There they are. The hunters... Their growls nearly strum all of Linnix's tightened nerves. They all look somewhere behind where Linnix is looking. Dare she look? Too late.

A werewolf, perhaps three. These are clearly the leaders of this pack. Linnix fervently wishes she was not there.

“You have intruded upon our hunting grounds, and attacked my kin without provocation."
Linnix twitches. What?!
Incredulously she shouts, "Just what have you been eating? Toadstools that look like fairy heads? Or do you only think they look that way because your red eyes can't see straight? Sure, running around growling and snarling like... I don't know... like you're trying to woo a she-wolf isn't provocation at all. No of course not, how silly of us to mistake that as you threatening us."

Indignation in her eyes, Linnix crams a silver bolt in her crossbow and fires it, aiming at the leader's mouth, "Eat this."

The darkness grows the deeper they go, even Silvara’s enhanced vision fails her. She takes out a torch and got it lit before preceding.

The nimbus of torch light did not reach far, shadows still held sway beyond the glow of the flickering torch casting strange moving shadows. What she could make out however, was a desolate ruin of what once was probably a simple, but elegant temple or monastery. The eye, book, and candle symbols of Oghma and Deneir were faded but evident in numerous places on the walls. The entrance in which they stood is roughly twenty feet wide and sixty feet long with four wooden doors leading off from it, two on the left and two on the right. The map they had looked over showed that the right doors led down hallways to what once may have been living quarters, a handful of small rooms, and a few larger ones, most notably a mess hall, some prayer chambers and the faded map ends in a room with no finished walls and the letters “l”…”b”…””…”y” barely legible. However Silvara’s quick mind filled in the blanks,

“That could mostly likely be the library. Perhaps we can gain some information there.”

Silvara then continued to survey the rest of the area. To the left of the main chamber went passageways towards a gymnasium and training yard, and a large hall, possibly for sermons or mass. Between the two left passageways was a small connecting chamber near the end, with a symbol one could only presume meant a stairway leading down.

Still in the main chamber Silvara and Zoranna stood quietly, both thinking without speaking yet. Silvara was thinking about how to best tackle uncovering the whereabouts of the Lanthern of Truth and any other items to make this adventure worth while. She knew that there would be next to nothing for the Lantern itself and resigned herself to that fact before she agreed to come with Zara. While they were there a howling passed through the room, and a chill that swept across their frames. Perhaps it was a gust of errant wind from above…

Silvara was not sure of the origin of the chill, nor the howling, but she was not one for fanciful imaginings. It could have been just the wind through some crack that brought chill, but it could be something else. The flickering shadows, the howling and chill wind were what they were until proven differently.

“Time to move on and find this thing,” announces Silvara, in the now quiet depths of the temple. “I would like to check out the library first. There could be important information to discover in there.” Books held information and she yearned for knowledge.

Zora is happy for the light that Sil lit as she could barely see once into the deeper shadows of the holy place. She finally could make out a desolated ruin of what once was probably a simple, but elegant temple or monastery. The eye, book and candle symbols of Oghma and Deneir were faded but evident in numerous places on the walls.

Zorana turned and approached one of the symbols of Oghma and Deneir. Bowing in respect before one set of the symbols, Zorana speaks to the powers that were once worshipped in this place. “Oghma and Deneir, we have come her to recover the Lantern of Truth for the benefit of good people. I am a Paladin of Tyr and one of his domains is Knowledge, in that he is akin to you. Aid us in recovering it so that it can be used for good. Let not the gifts that were stored here be lost to folk who can use them to do good works. I promise to tithe to a portion to a temple of yours. Pleased protect us from the evil that may now dwell here and likewise I promise to destroy what I can to rid your once holy place of their presence.”

This she rejoins the Silvara and views the map. “That could mostly likely be the library. Perhaps we can gain some information there,” commented Sil.

“Library, or Laboratory,” replies Zora as Sil guesses at the broken word. "We can double check that and fill in the missing letters."

While they were there a howling passed through the room, and a chill that swept across their frames. Perhaps it was a gust of errant wind from above…

Zora cocked her head to listen more carefully, muck like a dog will do. Wolves or some canine hunter outside? Or maybe it was inside. She continues to zone in on the origin of the howling and the breeze that blue through. She looks at how far they are from the door and wonders if there could be an opening to the air somewhere else, that would allow for the movement of air.

“Time to move on and find this thing,” announces Silvara, in the now quiet depths of the temple. “I would like to check out the library first. There could be important information to discover in there.”

Zora draws her sword and lifts her shield, being prepared could be the difference between life and death.

Xaris eyes the two wolves that sit at either side of him in the trees. He listens to the wolf leader speak, and then watches the hedges and trees turn into walls, and in front of him a door way opens up. He grips his sword even tighter, and then stand his ground firmly as his companions make their actions. He hold his ground, watching the two wolves to his left and right, waiting for them to make their moves. He would try to intercept both at the same time, taking them both on while protecting the rear of the group while they make their move to attack the leader. Hopefully his actions will keep from unnecessary flanking.

He had the small group surrounded and sorely outnumbered. This was going to be an easy win and there would be a decent sized meal tonight thanks to the horses. He didn’t want to rush the kill, though, and so the cocky werewolf toyed with his prey. “You are fortunate however that we relish the hunt, and so lay your opportunity to perhaps keep your lives… for a little longer. Leave your four legged appetizers and scatter to the winds, for they will not satiate my kin long, and the hunt will then truly begin.” Accentuating his point, he tapped the staff on the earth before him and the tree’s in the clearing all seemed to stretch and intertwine, forming a wooden barrier of branches and brambles around the grove.

“You have sixty seconds to make your flight, or kiss your false god’s goodbye.” As he finished speaking, the wolves gathered all took a paced step forward in unison and growled once more.

“No,” Aelistae replied. “I have a counter-offer. We will hunt the hunter, and spirit his mange-eaten soul to his Dark Goddess. And we will do so for all those he has killed, and because the Moon belongs to us.”

Talus knew this group wouldn’t flee. Even before the drow priestess made her stand he could sense that the lycanthrope’s intimidation had failed and that this was going to escalate into full battle here on the ground preferred by the wolves. He began to backpedal, keeping his eyes on the hybrid leader for some clue about who his first target might be. Talus had fired the first shot, but both Xaris and Aelistae had weapons at the ready and he hoped that some of the better armed and armored members of their troupe would attract the most attention… at least until he got in a few good hits on the leader.

Talus closed his eyes just for the second it took to begin the manifestation of power within, and then locked his gaze on the pack leader. The building arcane energy rose up from his core and shot down his arm, causing a tingling sensation in his hand.

Any doubts about the use of his power were shoved away by the “chik-thoof” sound of a crossbow and Linnix’s voice coming from off to his side. Talus grinned as the power he’d summoned reached its zenith and wondered if this particular werewolf, even if he did win here tonight, would wish he had let this group camp peacefully. Still staring at the pack leader’s face he imagined the line from his hand to the wolf-thing's chest and pointed, all the while repeating Linnix’s battle cry in his head.

“Eat this.”
((Move back nearer to Elisa and cast another Eldritch blast))

Silvara and Zorana move down the first door on the right side of the entrance, noticing that the door itself had likely been blown from the hinges by some great amount of force as it hung limply from a single iron hinge, the thick metal bent and curled at an awkward angle as the door rested against the wall. They made their way down the corridor, noting the four pairs of doors they passed; all closed which their map indicated were small sleeping quarters perhaps. Passing them unopened, they proceeded down the 80’ passageway and rounded to the left. Along the right wall, was an open archway, scorched with blackened marks of some past explosion? As they neared, Silvara’s hands filled with sword and torch, Zorana’s steel and shield they could see into the large room, where long centralized tables were splintered and overturned, chairs and simple furniture was in a heaping wreck and the stench of long spoiled food wafted past their noses. In the middle of the room is a corpse of some poor sod. Half rotten and missing more than a few chunks of rotten flesh from teeth mark some as deep to the bone across his decaying body. The figure bears no identifying marks, only the remnants of a simple tattered ragged bunch of clothe that is hard to even determine as to the original outfit it was tailored to.

From behind the pile of rubble can be seen two small doors, one to the left of the 20’ long room and one along the back wall. Also, there is a distinct scratching sound, like claws on stone coming from behind the piles of rubble and refuse currently out of sight.