Chapter 3: The Enemy Within

[Marcy]

Jun 9, 2008 21:48:13 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"To the local lord," he says as he puts most of his attention on petting Tangat. "We can go. I can go. We can go."

Charis looks at Kal and Streko. "I don't see how we can, in good conscience, leave him here, even if we feed him and give him dry clothing first. Besides, if he's been to the 'local lord' before, he may know the way."

She squats down to Worm's level, though she knows he can't see her. "Do you know the way to the lord's house, little one?" she asks kindly.

[Ken]

Belarin listens to as much of the conversation as he can hear. After the boy talks about the "last of us" being taken, he leans against the wall of the building, looks casually toward the forest from which they came ... and sings softly and slowly:

I know a tale -- a lonely waif
Who stumbled 'pon a lair unsafe
But from the green came valiant friends
And 'pon their strength he may depend.

[Darren]

Kalarian moves forward and kneels silently behind Charis, scratching Tangat behind the ears but saying nothing else.

[mike]

Torhak slowly heads northeast, looking closely at the nearby buildings as he walks, watching for any signs of life or activity.

[Joe]

"He seems safe here...or at least as safe as he can be. Coming with us will put him in direct danger. Is that what we want?"

He turns to look at the boy. "Unless, of course, he wants to point us in the right direction. Perhaps that can be an acceptable compromise."

[Josh]

Grafth moves closer to the caged carts inspecting them and the area around them, looking especially for tracks or signs of life and movement.

[Darren]

A terrible though comes unbidden to Kal's mind. He stands, distracted, and moves to the door. With his back to the boy, he calls out to Goran. When the ranger meets him near the doorway, he says, "Goran, I wonder if you wouldn't unsheathing Skyfang for a moment? Out of sight of the boy....." Kal watches Skyfang intently, hoping his suspicious mind is just playing tricks on him.

[Jeff]

Grafth moves closer to the caged carts inspecting them and the area around them, looking especially for tracks or signs of life and movement.

At the center of an otherwise empty stretch of grass, clustered together as if they used to be a part of a caravan, are several more cages-on-wheels like the one Charis had been found in. These look rusted and discarded, as if it's been a least a few weeks—maybe months—since any of them have been used and the weather's overtaken them. Weeds have sprung up, hiding the wheels from view.

It's difficult to spot tracks here. The mud and very tall grass has concealed tracks, and still a light rain is falling.

[Ken]

Belarin says to those closer to the boy, "I suggest we be on our way soon, lord, lady, and respected others, and I suggest we take him with us. This is clearly not a place for an innocent to stay, and should we tarry much longer, you shall force me to sing another verse."

He looks up at the clouds. "And I'm having difficulty with a proper rhyme for 'damp.'"

[Jeff]

"Do you know the way to the lord's house, little one?" she asks kindly.

"I know the way, miss. Know it better than they do. Better, even, than I do."

Now that several of your group have been talking in front of Worm, he seems to have relaxed. He moves slowly over toward the door, one hand still on Tangat, and "looks" out. He smiles at Belarin's remark, and after a long pause, he says, "Lamp?"

[Ken]

"Ha!" says Belarin with a bark. "'Lamp' will do nicely, thank you. So, Young Master Lamplighter, please light our way." He crouches down for a better look, now seeing the boy's condition for the first time. The smile fades momentarily, but quickly returns as he says, "My name is Belarin. These are my new friends. They helped me quite a bit yesterday, and I'm sure they can do the same for you."

[Darren]

Kal moves Belarin, Charis and Streko a few steps away from the boy, leaving Tangat to play with him. "Listen," he says quietly. "I don't want this to be true, and I hate to even bring it up, but what if he didn't find us by accident? What if he was left here to lead us into a trap? I'm not saying he'd be doing it of his own will, but he's clearly been..." Kal's mouth twists with anger, "...manipulated. It seems like just the kind of thing Malov would do, to leave an innocent behind to lead us astray. Besides," he says, giving Belarin a meaningful look, "I didn't push the door open THAT hard. It seems like maybe there's more to this." Kal sighs heavily. "I hope to the gods I'm wrong, but I think we should be cautious about following this boy and about having him in our mists." Kal's voice drops even lower. "What if he's another of Malov's hosts?"

[Marcy]

Jun 10, 2008 20:15:03 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal moves Belarin, Charis and Streko a few steps away from the boy, leaving Tangat to play with him. "Listen," he says quietly. "I don't want this to be true, and I hate to even bring it up, but what if he didn't find us by accident? What if he was left here to lead us into a trap?"

"That's always a possibility, I suppose," Charis concedes. "But if our ranger-types can't find any tracks leading out of this accursed place, we may not have a choice in the matter."

Jun 10, 2008 20:15:03 GMT -4 Darren said:

Besides," he says, giving Belarin a meaningful look, "I didn't push the door open THAT hard."

Charis looks surprised at this. "Wasn't that the little dragon's doing? He used a similar trick to help me keep those zombies at bay until you arrived."

Jun 10, 2008 20:15:03 GMT -4 Darren said:

"It seems like maybe there's more to this." Kal sighs heavily. "I hope to the gods I'm wrong, but I think we should be cautious about following this boy and about having him in our mists." Kal's voice drops even lower. "What if he's another of Malov's hosts?"

"But this Malov has no idea where we are, correct? What reason would he have to leave the boy here, if he has no cause to suspect we would be coming this way? And of what use would a blind host be to him, anyway?" Charis shakes her head. "While your caution is no doubt warranted, Kal, I just can't see how this boy is anything other than what he seems -- a victim of unspeakable evils who needs our help."

[Darren]

"If Malov is in Shadowcrest Manor, then there's every reason to believe that he knows we're coming for him. And who's to say that his experiments on these people didn't involve turning them into his unwilling hosts? He may not have left the boy here for US, but he may have left him for anyone trying to find him." Kal looks momentarily exhausted. "You're right, Charis. I wish I could turn the suspicion off, but I would rather look foolish now than be the only one alive to say 'I told you so' later..."

[Ken]

Jun 10, 2008 20:15:03 GMT -4 Darren said:

Besides," he says, giving Belarin a meaningful look, "I didn't push the door open THAT hard. It seems like maybe there's more to this." Kal sighs heavily. "I hope to the gods I'm wrong, but I think we should be cautious about following this boy and about having him in our mists." Kal's voice drops even lower. "What if he's another of Malov's hosts?"

"I don't know enough about Malov's abilities to say for sure, Lord Kalarian," says Belarin softly, "but let me throw this idea at you: The boy is telling the truth. We know there have been disgusting experiments going on. Perhaps he did escape ... into the woods. And these Whisper Woods are well named, my friends. That gust of wind we felt ... I believe it was the inhabitants of these woods saying, 'Get this over with and take this child out of here.'" He spares a quick glance at the treeline before continuing.

"They've kept him alive, but now they want him gone. He doesn't belong here, and they're very particular about those mortals they invite into their company." He pauses. "Hmmm, similar to the nobility, now that I think about it.

"And I understand your embrace of paranoia, m'lord -- it's quite deliciously corrupting at times -- but if I were you, I'd be much more worried about Lady Charis or me being vessels of Malov. After all, you've already accepted us into your group with little knowledge. There! Haven't I just made your day a little brighter?"

[Jeremy]

Laughing a little at Belarin's shrewd comments, Goran walks in the room sniffing the air, and trying not to frighten the boy too much. He unsheathes the dagger, to see what it might show.

** Seriously guys, I'm having real trouble keeping up with this. Seems like I log on after 24 hours and I've missed about forty or fifty entries. It's hard to read all that and really absorb it. Just for the record. **

---

Can Goran have made out for certain what the tracks were? Anything telling about them? Any other tracks mixed in?

[Jeff]

When Goran slowly unsheathes Skyfang, the blade's slight glow doesn't brighten—nor does the boy react to its presence.

Goran hasn't been able to learn any more about the tracks, which all but disappeared when the group reached the hamlet. They were certainly made by human-sized boots, but beyond that there isn't anything more to learn.

[Josh]

Grafth heads back to the building his friends currently occupy, a somewhat listless look up on his face. As he approaches, he takes up his position on the east side of the structure, still looking towards the outlying area for signs of movement.

[Darren]

Kal looks visibly relieved when he sees no glow from the enchanted blade carried by the ranger. He looks to Belarin and Charis. "Okay. It doesn't seem like we have many other options, anyway. As Streko would say, perhaps Olladra led us to this village for a reason." Kalarian kneels in front of Worm. "Alright, lad, can you take us to them? And, what shall we call you? Worm was their name for you, and I do not think it suits you."

[Joe]

"Now that we know the boy is free from Malov's influence, we should get ourselves out of plain sight. If we keep standing around, we won't need Malov to alert the lords that we are here."

Streko nods to the boy. "We are in your debt, young man."

[mike]

Torhak continues his slow patrolling, circling more to the west now (by the buildings just north of the #2 on the map).

He moves close to the buildings, peering inside if possible, still looking for any other signs of life in the village.

[Jeff]

Torhak moves among the other buildings and neither hears nor sees anything that suggests a living presence. The village seems dead.

Worm cocks his head, listening in the direction from which Grafth is coming—from the cages. "Lord of the house, invites more. Brings them here, where they come and take things, things away from here. Not fair, not far."

When Grafth gets close, the boy listens intently and sniffs the air again, suddenly distracted from his previous train of thought. "Shiffy man has come to eat? Sistery of local lord scared of shiffy men. Makes funny."

[Jeremy]

Goran slowly puts the dagger back in its scabbard. Suddenly he perks up.

"I have a very strong feeling we shouldn't stay here much longer. As soon as possible, in fact."

Goran ducks outside, and scans the surrounding forest.

---

Jeff, Goran will use his prodigious skills here (hah) to see if can detect anything...incoming...or watching.

[Ken]

"Hmmm... someone has taken my coveted mantle as Most Confusing Speaker!" says Belarin. "Well done, good lad ... and no, the shiffy man has not come to eat. Here's here to help you. Why is the sister scared of shiffy men?

"We can walk as we talk unless you balk at the thought. Take my hand if you'd like." He guides Worm along if the boy allows it.

[Jeff]

"Take you to the local lords," Worm says, accepting Belarin's hand as he leads him away from the house. But he also wants to stay close to Tangat, who submits to it. Though, it's clear to Kal that Tangat would rather run free and sniff things—things that dogs like and things that one as smart as Tangat would be on the watch for.

Goran senses...sorrow here, but nothing else. If there is danger, it's hiding very well.

Worm faces due east and starts to lead Belarin along. "Sistery of lord is very afraid—a'frayed?—of shiffy men. Not seen many, not liked them when she did." Worm's blindness doesn't seem to be inhibiting him much around here.

[Darren]

Kal puts out a hand towards Tangat, indicating that the dog should stay with the boy. Then he drops back to speak with Amal, asking him to hang back a little ways from the group and watch their backs. Kal himself moves off to the left side of the group, walking within sight of them but seperated so that he, too, can watch the flanks. Before he does, he suggests to Grafth that the shifter do the same on the right side, allowing Torhak to stay within the group and defend them should trouble come.

________________
Er...to clarify, I'm hoping to set up a marching order of Goran out front, Kal off to one side, Grafth on the other side, Amal in the back, and everyone else clustered together in the center. Kind of a diamond, if you will.

[Josh]

As Grafth sees the others emerge, he goes to meet them. Hearing the tail end of the boy's statement, he raises an eyebrow, then merely nods at Kal's words and moves into position.

[Marcy]

Charis follows Belarin and the boy out of the house, taking up a position a few steps to the right and behind them, alert for any trouble.

[Joe]

Streko takes his place in the center of the diamond, behind the boy.

[Ken]

Belarin walks with Worm, letting himself be guided by the boy's sense of direction, no matter how sightless it may be. "Tangat is a good dog, isn't he?" he says politely. "I suppose you haven't seen too many dogs lately. I wonder ... does the lord of the house have any pets? I know some pets don't react well to strangers, so I certainly don't want to surprise them."

He offers his waterskin to him. "Would you like something to drink? Eat? Or did the forest people help you?"