Sebastien was shocked! He had not met the Barkeep, and did not really care about his death, however he must honour the gods. He prayed quickly to Heironeous muttering his words in a slight stammer due to the shiver of fear rising up his spine, also sending Heironeous one for his own protection. Seb had to react quickly, he did not want to end up as the shrivelled corpse he saw lifeless, on the tavern floor. Seb cast his gaze around the room he could see little resources, obviously the spirit was attracted to the natural flame, he needed a candle or some other source of fire.

“Forgive me if I speak forwardly, but in the name of Heironeous this thing must be evil for it has killed. I am afraid I must not run, I must fight. These are the vows I have taken and I do not wish to desecrate them. Stand with me new friends and we shall not let this evil prosper.”

Sebastien didn't need to try to seem confident. It shone from him as if Heironeous himself were talking. He hoped they would stand with him as his righteous path would be made easier, but he would stay even if they decided to leave.

“I believe that the creature is attracted to natural light, we need a candle to attract it or another form of light and I nominate myself for the task of the bait. As surely who could harm someone of Heironeous's pleasing, and how can I please him more than to prove myself before him.”

Hoping he would be the bait, Sebastien watched the reactions of the adventurers. Silent for now.

“I believe that the creature is attracted to natural light, we need a candle to attract it or another form of light and I nominate myself for the task of the bait. As surely who could harm someone of Heironeous's pleasing, and how can I please him more than to prove myself before him.” The new comer said.
Mendez heard him but he also saw what it did to the inn keeper… he didn’t know the man other than meeting him briefly when he arrived earlier this night… but no man deserved to die that way… he heard what the newcomer said and he decided to act … rashly as he always did… a few quick gestures and a few mumbled words and he held forth his right hand and a blaze of fire sprang forth from it… it was only a short flame about half a foot long… but it lit the room brightly.

“NO!” He cried… “It is a shadow dread… I can not let more harm come to those here.” He seemed to know what this thing was … he said no more for the blackness seemed to sense the light and it pulsated and moved along the wall towards the stairwell upon which Mendez still stood… seeing it coming towards him he turned and ran up the stairs…

“I will lead it away…” he cried as he disappeared up the stairwell.. the shadowy thing starting to move towards him

The sound of the back door opening caught Irael's attention but he dared not look, trying to keep the darkness at bay with the floating lanterns he'd conjured. The following light however, changed everything. Irael could but trace the rush of black as it departed the corner and charged the innkeeper. His illumination had been useless, and the man's scream now echoed in his mind.

He watched is shock with the others as the form moved across to the opposite corner, and then as the husk of the innkeeper fell out of it. He cursed his inability to react faster.

He started to run through what arcane ability he could muster, looking for a solution - for a course of action. Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by the stranger offering to use himself as bait, which was immediately followed my Mendez' outburst.

“It is a shadow dread… I can not let more harm come to those here.” Those words struck Irael. He wracked his mind to recall such a creature, but again his thoughts were broken by Mendez' actions.

The sight of flame upon Mendez's fingertips told Irael exactly what his plan was, but it spurned him. He had vowed to protect his companions- they were his family- if only he could be the one to offer such a chance. However, he had no means to conjure fire. He glimpsed a look of heartfelt determination upon Mendez' face as the mage turned and dashed beyond his allies' reach.

Grimly advancing he stopped short of Danamar.

"Orders sir?"

Tad watched in horror as the thing engulfed the innkeeper and spat his remains as so much useless husk. Then from the stair can the voice the one that seemed such a trickster the last evening.

“NO!” Mendez cried… “It is a shadow dread… I cannot let more harm come to those here.”
He said no more for the blackness seemed to sense the light and it pulsated and moved along the wall towards the stairwell upon which Mendez still stood… seeing it coming towards him he turned and ran up the stairs…

“I will lead it away…” he cried as he disappeared up the stairwell.. the shadowy thing starting to move towards him.
Drawing his rapier in what he knew was just a useless show, he had realized this was not a living thing that could be sliced and cut. This would take more than his skills to stop.

“This does not act as a natural beast, could it be of the undead? It will take magic of faith to turn it, who among us can do this?”

Still standing at guard Tadirien scanned his companions.

A horrifying scream penetrated Siraya’s dreamless sleep; and she jumped to her feet, her sword in her hand at the ready; and the tent was filled with smoke. Realizing her convoy was under attack, and her home-on-the-road was on fire, Siraya dashed out of the tent she shared with her adopted parents, and ran right into a man just as he removed his blade from her father’s chest. She cried out her horror and cut the man down where he stood.

As the man fell, Siraya realized her mother wasn't there. “MOTHER!!” She frantically looked around trying to see her mother through the melee. “MOTHER, WHERE ARE YOU?!” Not able to see her, she began fighting her way through the chaos surrounding her until, finally, she found her mother. She knelt at her side the moment she reached her. She wanted to see her mother’s beloved face one last time, for Siraya knew her mother was dyeing. So, Siraya brushed the hair out of her mother’s face and a gasp of shock and horror was all she could utter, for all she could see was a dark void where her mother’s face should have been.

Siraya jumped to her feet and looked around and all the men who had attacked her convoy had been replaced by pulsating shadowy blobs, and they were all moving closer to her. She swung her blade and it passed right through the shadow, no harm having been done. The shadows were closing in, and there was nothing she could do about it, so she did the one thing she could do, and that was scream..

Siraya jerked upright in bed, reaching for her sword, gasping to catch her breath and looked around the darkened room. She heard some sort of commotion downstairs and quickly got out of bed and went to the door. She carefully cracked open the door and peered out. Just as she did so, a man came running up the stairs carrying some sort of light, and he yelled for her to get back inside her room.

She ducked back inside and quickly donned her armor and weapons before dashing out the door and into the hallway. She looked about to see what was going on …

((Ok, so right now Siraya is standing outside her room in the hallway. I don’t know what she encounters when she exits the room…. I sincerely apologize for the delay in submitting my post. But thank you, YeOlde for allowing me to do so. I didn’t expect you to wait for me, but I greatly appreciate that you did.))

Slow. Too slow. There was nothing Danamar could do to save Kendal from his grim fate. Perhaps if the newcomer hadn't charged in through the front door and caught his attention, there might have been a chance to help the poor innkeeper. But this was not the time or the place for 'if's' and 'why's' . No amount of blaming and pointing would bring the kind human back. The only thing the Warder could do now was to stop the malevolent being from hurting anyone else anymore. It had to be destroyed here and now.

The green eyes cast another quick glance at the empty husk of what once had been a friend and turned a fiery gaze towards the darkness in the corner. Daldren would be safe, Danamar knew. Therassor's might would protect the fighter from the evil entity's touch for now. But the cleric was not powerful enough to summon more of his god's energy to extend the cover to all of them. The rest of MV6 himself included had to find other means to avoid sharing Kendal's fate.

The sylvari cleric was about to summon forth more of his Lord's power when the stranger spoke. As it seemed the shadowy darkness was not attacking any of them right now, Danamar allowed himself a heartbeat's pause to hear the warrior out.


“Forgive me if I speak forwardly, but in the name of Heironeous this thing must be evil for it has killed. I am afraid I must not run, I must fight. These are the vows I have taken and I do not wish to desecrate them. Stand with me new friends and we shall not let this evil prosper.”

A knight? Perhaps he will prove to be useful. Keeping his eyes still on the darkness, Danamar swallowed the words he had been about to say as the man carried on:

“I believe that the creature is attracted to natural light, we need a candle to attract it or another form of light and I nominate myself for the task of the bait. As surely who could harm someone of Heironeous's pleasing, and how can I please him more than to prove myself before him.”

Again, the leader of MV6 was cut off before he had chance to speak. This time it was Mendez, rash to act as always. Danamar had often said the mage's impulsive behavior would get him killed one day. He could only hope today was not that day. The man muttered a couple of quick syllables and small flame appeared in his palm to light up the room. The syl had to blink a couple of times to see better due to the sudden appearance of a light source.

NO!” Mendez cried… “It is a shadow dread… I can not let more harm come to those here.” “I will lead it away…” he cried as he disappeared up the stairwell.. the shadowy thing starting to move towards him.

"Mendez! Don't lead it upstairs. There might be other innocent people there. We'll need to stop it from leaving this room." Danamar cried hastily. All of a sudden, a plan came to his mind. "More light!", the warden yelled and turned his gaze from the beguiler to the warriors. "Daldren, Irael, sir knight, we need multiple light sources to hopefully slow it down." The newcomer had mentioned natural light, but that was something the cleric didn't have at hand right now. He would have to do something else instead.

With eyes on the terrible shadow, the priest's free hand grabbed Therassor's holy disk from his chest and lifted it towards the abomination. But before he called once more on the powers of Nim'megil, he raised the beautiful slim long blade he was holding in his right hand and muttered weapon's ancient name: "Naaradkhelek". Immediately blueish white flames leaped up from the steel and danced around the blade adding a silvery tint to the yellow light of Mendez's spell. Danamar was no expert in battling the undead, but the ones he'd faced had not enjoyed the touch of the enchanted blade nor the frosty fire it carried. He was hoping this one was no different.

Determined to destroy the evil being, the cleric took a steady step towards it and called out to the Honored General: "Lord of the Battle, hear my plea! Cast your glorious light through your faithful servant and let me banish this creation of evil from the world in your name!"

Sebastien watched as Mendez took himself to be the bait, and anger rose within him as he was losing the prospect of gaining favour with Rydor. Yet maybe the mage deserved it, Seb had never like mages always reading and scurrying about, he disliked them as he saw their magic as evil and untrustworthy. His father always read him stories even at his frail old age and always there would be an evil mage who locked a beautiful princess or maiden up in his tower, their magic would trap any wannabe rescuers. After the stories happy ending, his father would always tell the three sons. “Beware of mages they have wronged me and i'm sure they will wrong you my sons.”

But here Sebastien saw honour, pride and valour. This mage was not like the ones in the stories he was courageous, the opposite if anything of the evil he saw in every mage, his opinion was changed if only a little.

Seb's next worry was the mage, he did not know his name, but so far he was leading the killer to innocent people and he wasn't sure what his plan was maybe the mage wouldn't change his opinion after all? Now he had to think, how can he protect these people? What can he do? He was desperately searching for a solution, nothing came so Seb just stared dumbly up the stairs watching the mage lead the shadow dread.

A scream chilled his bones, it came from upstairs. It was obviously a girl screaming as the voice was high pitched. He was in turmoil now he wanted to step up to the plate, be the hero, he was so desperate but something stopped him, he couldn't move now it wasn't fear of death that stopped him it was the fear of failure.

“NO!” Mendez cried… “It is a shadow dread… I can not let more harm come to those here.” He seemed to know what this thing was … he said no more for the blackness seemed to sense the light and it pulsated and moved along the wall towards the stairwell upon which Mendez still stood… seeing it coming towards him he turned and ran up the stairs…
As the shadowy creatures started to move up the wall towards where Mendez ran up the stairs the others conversed about what they could do…

“Orders Sir?” Irael asked Danamar…

“Mendez! Don't lead it upstairs. There might be other innocent people there. We'll need to stop it from leaving this room." Danamar cried hastily. All of a sudden, a plan came to his mind. "More light!", the warden yelled and turned his gaze from the beguiler to the warriors. "Daldren, Irael, sir knight, we need multiple light sources to hopefully slow it down." The newcomer had mentioned natural light, but that was something the cleric didn't have at hand right now. He would have to do something else instead.

With eyes on the terrible shadow, the priest's free hand grabbed Therassor's holy disk from his chest and lifted it towards the abomination. But before he called once more on the powers of Nim'megil, he raised the beautiful slim long blade he was holding in his right hand and muttered weapon's ancient name: "Naaradkhelek". Immediately blueish white flames leaped up from the steel and danced around the blade adding a silvery tint to the yellow light of Mendez's spell. Danamar was no expert in battling the undead, but the ones he'd faced had not enjoyed the touch of the enchanted blade nor the frosty fire it carried. He was hoping this one was no different.

Determined to destroy the evil being, the cleric took a steady step towards it and called out to the Honored General: "Lord of the Battle, hear my plea! Cast your glorious light through your faithful servant and let me banish this creation of evil from the world in your name!"
As the rest of the group contemplated what to do... Mendez and Danamar took action...Mendez tried to lead the thing away from downstairs... he rushed up the stairs seeing it coming for him... it moved towards him when the flame had sprung up... but when he went to run he saw the shadow spring towards the side of the stairwell.. towards him... fear crept into Mendez as he reached the top of the stairs.. he saw someone poke their head out a doorway... he yelled at them to get back inside and they did... he heard Danamar’s cry about innocent people up here and he paused... that was a mistake...

The shadow sprung up the side and a black tendril snaked out like lightning and struck Mendez in the left thigh... everyone in the inn heard the cry of pain and anguish that escaped Mendez’s throat...

Suddenly the blueish flame of Danamar’s blade sprang forth and as he brandished it towards the shadow he saw it recoil... the tendril it had lashed Mendez with withdrew... the shadow moved away from the stairwell and back into the corner... it was clearly afraid the light cast by his blade... it lashed out once in his direction in what seemed a half-hearted attempt... it never came close to him... then the shadow seeped into the corner like a liquid between the wooden boards and disappeared...

Siraya donned her armor and now fully equipped stepped back into the hallway ready now... peering out she saw the man who had yelled at her to get back inside... about 6 feet from her doorway right at the top of the landing by the steps... he was down on the floor... she didnt see any injuries but his face looked haggard and very pale... his eyes were open and staring blankly at nothing...

(Ok that is this weeks post... sorry I didnt post last night... got busy with some contractors doing work on my house... but a good thing since it gave Raven a chance to post ... ok next update next Sunday! )

The moment Siraya stepped back out into the hallway she looked around and saw the man who had warned her to get back in her room lying on the floor; unconscious? dead? She didn’t know which. She ran to him and knelt at his side. “This must be the man who uttered that horrible cry a moment ago.” she thought.

First she held her hand in front of his nose hoping his breath would touch her palm. As she did this she looked him over carefully, but briefly, to see what injury could have caused such a cry of pain. She could see none, and so she looked into his eyes, “Sir?” She lightly tapped his cheek as she called out to him again, “Sir? Can you hear me, sir?”

Ted had watch as the dark shadow figure moved toward the Mage when the flame appeared above his open hand.
The worlds to magic and faith were not Ted realm, the sword and bow served him. These were how he would defeat evil, but now magic and faith were the weapons needed. As if to answer this thought Danamar draw his sword and called to his deity. The sword blazed with a bluish glow and the shadow recoiled. The shadow had lashed out and struck the mage causing him scream in pain and then dropping to the floor, but now it retreated to the corner from which it had appeared and the disappeared through the wall.

Tad glanced back up the stairs to where the mage had fallen; an armored female was now looming over his disable companion. In a flash he was bounding back up the stairs, rapier in hand.

“You there, back away or prepare to defend yourself. “

"More light!", the warden yelled and turned his gaze from the beguiler to the warriors. "Daldren, Irael, sir knight, we need multiple light sources to hopefully slow it down."
Heeding the words of his superior Irael sought a means for further illumination. Still frustrated that he his arcane studies had failed him in such a dire time, he realized that the sunrods in his pack would likely have an effect similar to the orbs he had conjured before. A quick scan of the common room brought his eyes upon the kitchen, and a plan began to formulate.

Turning to the stranger, he nodded, "The windows Sir, we'll worry about getting fi..." he was cut off then by Mendez' shriek. "Quickly we've no time to spare!" The cry of anguish that carried from the floor above had snapped his focus back into place. He looked to Daldren and motioned to the kitchen.

With haste Irael made his way across the common room, hoping the man would follow. Once inside he set to work, sparing only a quick glance to note any other doors or windows. He sought to awaken the great oven at the heart of the inn and harness its flames. Perhaps he could draw the creature's attention as well...

Mendez had gone out of his sight now up the staircase and Seb was still in a state of turmoil. Slowly Sebastien crept toward the stairs, keeping in check with the others. What was happening? He came to this tavern hoping to slay a few bandits or thieves, now he was faced with, what was it... thats right a shadow dread. He had never even heard of one nor feared anything as much as he feared this abomination. His thoughts turned to anger for himself and his fearful actions and for the monstrous creature that was killing without a show of emotion or care. Next time he will do better, he told himself. With this he heard shouts for more light and someone moving towards the kitchen now was his chance. Sebmoved hastily and ungainly towards the kitchen following Irael.

While Daldren did not enjoy the thought of leaving Danamar upstairs with the injured mage and a bunch of civilians in the presence of the shadow dread. The battle cleric had given him a directive and he would seek to execute it to the best of his capabilities... After he tended to Mendez.

It was still hours from sunrise, but as Irael and the new knightly ally made their way downstairs for the kitchen, presumably to stoke the ovens-- that's what Daldren would have done-- the warrior took a different course of action.

Glancing once more at the corner where the fiendish entity had seeped through the cracks in the boards, Daldren flourished his cloak and knelt over Mendez obscuring both he and the mages' head / upper torso from view.

(As an assassin and having various means to paralyze opponents, Daldren is simply checking for breath/pulse to give an 'alive / dead' response and observing to see if he's under an effect similar to paralysis.)

If he is, Daldren will simply stand up and shake his head saying "Stiff as a board, but alive." Before heading downstairs to assist in procuring light . (Stoking ovens, lighting lanterns / candles etc)

(If he doesnt appear to be paralyzed) Daldren will slip his thumb over the hilt of his shadow dagger, sliding the cap from the hollowed hilt to the side, and let the contents of his potion of cure serious wounds drain into Mendez' mouth, coaxing it down his throat before resetting the cap.

The plan had formed into the syl's mind quickly. He had no idea if it would work or if they would have time to complete it. It was clear that the shadow dread was drawn towards sources of light. It's behavior proved it and it fit the description Danamar had read in a tome a long time ago back at home. The terrible creature fed on souls. It drained the life from a man's body so fast its victims seldom had any possibilities to run or defend themselves. The cleric had seen Mendez fall as a tendril of shadow touched him and he feared the worst. The mage barely got out a cry of pain before he slumped on the stairs, apparently lifeless.

To the fortune of everyone else, it seemed like Therassor's holy power was too much for the dread to handle and the formless creature escaped the divine force by disappearing right into the wall. But there was no time to celebrate, the threat was far from over. The writings in the holy book had said that it was almost impossible to kill a shadow dread for good. The monster was bound on this plane by some powerful magics and the only way to stop it from killing innocent people was to banish it back to its own plane of existence or perhaps kill the person or creature that had summoned it in the first place.

Now they had to move fast. But before taking care of (or trying to) the dread, there were more pressing needs at hand. Danamar had to make sure Mendez was really dead or if not, do his best to keep him amongst the living. While considering their options, the leader of MV6 had wasted valuable heartbeats, but fortunately Daldren - quite unlike his usual demeanor - had already moved to look after the fallen mage. The syl's sharp eyes caught the suspicious movement of the mercenary hiding Mendez's head from view, but he had no reason not to trust the man. They'd fought together before and he knew Daldren was an honorable man in his own personal way.

The black-clad priest sprang up the stairs and knelt beside the fallen form of a friend with a grim look on his face. He laid a hand on the human warrior's shoulder and offered the hilt of Naaradkhelek to Daldren. "Take my sword and keep our companions safe until I can join you in the kitchen. The flames from the hearth will summon the dread back and it will not spare any of us unless we manage to banish it somehow. The blade will obey it's name: Naaradkhelek." Knowing Daldren would comply without questions, Danamar turned his attention to Mendez's. There weren't any visible wounds on the poor man's still body, but he felt incredibly cold to the touch. Taking a deep breath, Danamar checked the sorcerer's pulse and eyes to see how he faired.

((OOC: If he's dead, then he is. There's always time for mourning later. If not and Daldren's potion (of which Danamar probably knows nothing) has started to take effect, Danamar will join the others in the kitchen. Should there be anything he feels he can do to help the poor man, he will do it.

Having done his best with Mendez as quickly as possible, the sylvari warrior-priest stood up and joined his companions in the kitchen. "Listen up. We cannot kill the shadow dread. It is beyond our power. But we might be able to banish it back to the hell's it escaped from. The flames will attract it and it will doubtlessly try to attack any or all of us too. But it is our task to rid this place of the baneful thing and we must save the others even if we could escape ourselves."

The syl's stern gaze passed over everyone in order to make sure they've understood what he is saying. Either they will drive the creature away in one way or the other, or they will die trying. "Daldren, you and I need to work together. It seems to fear the cold flames of my sword as well as the power of Nim'megil. As I call forth the power of Therassor once more, you need to make sure the dread will not escape again. Understood?" " The rest of you will need to keep your eyes open and try to divide its attention between you, so that it will hopefully hesitate long enough for me to banish it."

---

OOC: Not much of a plan, I know. But since we cannot kill it, we might try to banish it instead. Let's hope Danamar is not too weak to succeed. And I hope you guys have magical weapons or ways to defend yourselves. So sorry about this guys. Was nice knowing you.

As Danamar approached Daldren and Mendez, placing a hand on his shoulder the warrior turned to look upon his leader.

"Take my sword and keep our companions safe until I can join you in the kitchen. The flames from the hearth will summon the dread back and it will not spare any of us unless we manage to banish it somehow. The blade will obey it's name: Naaradkhelek."
Knowing there was nothing else he could hope to do here, he took the enchanted blade in his main hand, swapping his own ensorcelled shadow dagger to his off hand and nodded curtly before dashing downstairs to assist in defending those seeking to wake the great oven in the kitchen.

To be granted Danamar's beloved weapon was a great sign of trust and respect, and Daldren's heart lightened all but briefly at the honour of wielding it, though it sank to its heavy position soon after as the gravity of the situation settled in once more.

With two magical weapons in hand, Daldren removed his own magic rapier from its sheath and set it upon the counter top in the kitchen. As people arrived within he spoke. "Looks like we're going to have to pull out all the stops on this one my brethren. If anyone can wield my rapier by all means put her to good use, she's stronger than most, and sharper too." Beside it he set down a single vial of holy water. "I'm not much of a praying man, but I hear creatures of the damned aren't too fond of this stuff. Make use of it.

With that Daldren took position off to the side of the great stove, and prepared to strike the shadow dread as it entered.

(Full attempted sneak attack / flank since undead are typically immune to sneak attack activate Naaradkhelek with shadow dagger and go to town until I'm torn to shreds )