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[howandwhy99]

During the night Jakob finally recuperated from his injuries. Early in the morning the team gathered up all its members, followers, mercenaries, horses, and the wagon and left the city for Adlerweg. Using the shortcut again it took them two days to return to the campsite in the mountains. Darius was there waiting. Camp was made and they settled in around the fire. “Thor has given me another quest,” said Darius. “It is for a great weapon. One that belongs to the Dwarves.” His soul was now tied to the weapon and he could feel its distance. Conferring with Rose, she placed it near the Front close to where she had left. “There is something else,” said Darius. “After speaking with the Thanes I believe the Earl is not the original guardian of Keep Alderweg.” This was good news. The team believed they might be able to claim the Keep as their own, if they conquered it. Kayla related the rumor about the Earl’s army having left Kera. Rose called down a little bird to check on the castle. Fortunately, she remembered to bring seeds for the bird this time. It flew back and confirmed the presence of men. Then Rose told the rest of the team about her meeting with the Earl and about the strange men behind the pillars. Some were angered by her reporting on the team. She was told not to be as open with information in the future. The group resolved to approach Adlerweg carefully in the morning. Watch was set.

Shortly after falling asleep the first watch spotted four torches coming down from the mountain pass. The whole team was quickly woken and armored. Darius counted six horses with riders. “Hail!” he called out.
“Hail on the road. There is trouble ahead. The keep is taken!” shouted a voice.
“Who are you?”
“We are the Earl’s men!”
Darius saw the figures stop and take swords in hand. “Sheath your weapons,” he called back.
“No. You sheath yours! Who addresses us?”
“We are here to help the Earl,” shouted Dalin over by the fire.
“Good! Send some men forward.”

Darius walked forward and Rose followed him with a torch. The two stopped when they could see all six riders in the torchlight. Each carried a thin sword and wore leather armor. Rose recognized one from the Earl’s throne room. All six had similar pointed features like the Earl’s. “We’ve run into some trouble ahead,” said the lead rider. “Perytons.”
“You mean the deerbirds?” asked Rose.
“We’ve dispatched them. It should be safe for now. But the Keep holds many gnolls. And a giant troll. It is larger than any I have ever seen.”
“Uh oh” said Darius.
“We’re going back to Kera for more reinforcements.”
”Your eighteen are not enough?” exclaimed Rose.
“How did you know our number?” accused the man.
“I counted your hoofprints.”
”What about the secret entrance?” asked Darius.
“Guarded. No entrance lies unguarded. The gates are down. We attacked, but have lost many men.”
“We need the glove,” said another rider.

Rose looked around innocently. “We have brought the glove,” called out Darius. “We are the reinforcements.”
“Uh… Okay,” said the leader. “Perhaps… Let us go ahead and send for the Earl’s reply.” He called on a lieutenant to ride back to the Keep. The other five stayed.
“What’s your heritage?” asked Rose bluntly.
“Our family crest is Lycanthra,” said the leader. “We have a large family. The Lycanthra are widely known in Kera. Even the Earl belongs to Lycanthra. Tell me. How did you know about the gnolls?”
“We have encountered them before,” said Darius. “They over took Orlain. We learned they were paid to come down from this Keep and enslave the townsfolk there.” Darius pulled out the shield with the gnoll’s tankard emblem on it and showed it to the riders.
“This mercenary band will be added to the list.”
”Where are my manners? I am Rose and this is Darius the Dwarf. What are your names?”
“I am Sargath Lycanthra,” said the leader. “My lieutenant is Nupa.” The other four riders were left unnamed.

Darius and Rose invited the men to stay with them at the campsite until morning. Back at the fire, the rest of the team had overheard the conversation. There was little wind that evening. Going back to sleep the double watch was reset. This time they kept an eye on the soldiers more than anything the surrounding mountainside. The five riders sat around the fire and sharpened their swords. Not one rider slept the entire evening.