Ratcliffe also said he had received complaints from Harling. Several rumors had spread claiming Captain Darius had taken over the Keep. Radcliffe had sent back word clarifying Darius was no longer even at the Keep, but the messages of warning still came. Also, replacements for Darius, Kayla, and Father Ben were being sent by order of Lady Margrave. The last message he had received placed the contingent from Harling currently in Hommlet; a day’s ride from the Keep.
“There was also a message about a wild, drunken dwarf running nude through the streets of Harling claiming to be the ‘Devious Darius’.” Ratcliffe said no one afforded the talk any credence. “Everyone knows a Dwarf cannot get drunk.”
Darius reported that their “Guardian” Cyrus had turned out to be a fool in disguise. He felt sure Cyrus was the source of the rumor. Radcliffe looked concerned. He asked for a description of Cyrus so a reward could be posted for his capture. “Well he’s a dwarf like me about this tall,” said Darius hold his hand up. “And he has a thick red beard.”
“Like yours?” asked Radcliffe.
“Yes…” He paused. “On second thought, let’s not send out any sketched posters of Cyrus.”
After they were satisfied with Lord Ratcliffe’s answers the group adjourned. They regrouped with Diedre, Rose, and Gil outside and headed over to the temple and the refugees within. There Dram’s father reunited with his fellows townsmen. “What about all the rest of you?” questioned Dalin. “We must have sent three times your number back here.” The refugees related the story of how they had run, and kept on running, all the way to Outpost Bayer. Some of the older men could not keep up, and not all of them had made it to the outpost by evening. During the night several others left of their own accord, while only a few of the stragglers turned up. No one could say what happened to everyone. When the eleven before them finally arrived at the keep the watchguard attempted to arrest them. They had to beg for sanctuary from Father Ben to escape the stockade. In payment, it came out that they believed the Father was forcing them to rebuild the temple and Inn.
Father Ben was shocked denied any such treachery. “I only politely asked them to help improve the town” he declared. “So much work was is still needed by any who can give it. And it gives them a chance to prove their loyalty, right?” The others seemed dismayed at his actions. “In retrospect, I must admit the men left their job posts whenever I wasn’t’ directly overseeing them” said Ben.
Darius put his arm on his shoulder. “Many thanks for giving these men asylum. I think we can take over from here on.” The team left Rose, Diedre, and Gil with the Hamfastites as before so they could plan in private their next steps. Father Ben led them to the newly refurbished Head Priest’s quarters. Outside, Ormand the Redd and Pax were stationed to keep guard.
Everyone related the events of their trip together, while Ben sat pondering many of their major discoveries. The rat he had believed to be Elion was actually something called a “shapechanger”. Upon hearing of its nature, he was glad the team had destroyed it. Furthermore, Goodman Barth was not only a master assassin, but was also suspected to be a shapechanger. The mark Barth had on his hand was of an assassin’s guild. “But who hired him?” questioned Ben.
“I believe he may be a creation from Zelligar’s workshop” revealed Kayla. Ben gasped. Kayla believed evidence pointed to the wizard somehow being still alive. She had also read in his books that Zelligar had worshiped strange gods, including one that was made of fire. When they fought the blob near Hommlet she had observed its elemental nature. “Perhaps, it was made out of fire?” she guessed. “Fire destroys, doesn’t it?” Then she went on to explain how her mentor Balorn had told her of the danger of handling the red poweder from Quesquaton. “The Godnail?” exclaimed Ben. Kayla nodded. She related how each and every one of them had scrubbed down in Harling with acid-water to remove the taint. “Igor even chose to shave off all his hair.”
Ben swooned in his chair. He excused himself from the others claming he needed to wash and rest. He was all of a sudden feeling very tired and was visibly shaking. As everyone else filed out of his new office, Kayla set down the acid Igor had given her next to Ben so he could bathe. The next three hours were sort of a controlled terror in Ben’s mind. He locked the door to his chambers and scrubbed his skin
raw. He also shaved every single hair from his body. His muscles were tense with exhaustion as he lied down to sleep for the night. The horror of infection still pervaded his mind. Sometime later during the dark hours of evening he finally dozed off. Nightmares filled his mind and his body shuddered. At one point he awoke panting. The nightmare had been too intense and he was soaked in sweat. He noticed he had pushed off his covers and was sleeping above them. Looking to his left he realized he was sleeping three feet above them.
Gamers Online Now: 950
