James Heard said:
"What say you? Do you cling to your blade for comfort or has someone skilled you in it? Do you heart enough to accompany us, or should I escort you back? I warn you though, depending on the moon I might be poor company under any circumstance."
Ireena snaps out of her reverie a moment, then pulls forth her weapon with a steady hand. Jarrith recalls the village people mentioning the Burgomaster's daughter's capable defense with some of the other mercenaries. While not the hardened warrior Khensu was, she seems to have familiarity with the blade.
"One must be prepared for the wolf, and Father made sure both Ismark and I were able to defend ourselves." After a moment of show, she puts the blade aside.
"I claim not to be a warrior, but if your fellows will be putting themselves at risk without guard, then it behooves us not to pay them ill by leaving them aside." The girl seems adamant about staying.
As the group ponders their next action, Tessa looks down the hallways, the light of her lamp unnaturally dim. At the ends of the shadows she sees the grand staircase near the entry and a smaller one down the hall Lord ir'Zarovich ventured down. Ashlyn, recalling Urik's words---
the Chapel be at the back of the keep, beyond no stairs---determines that the Chapel must be through the grand bronze doors in the entry.
After his magical senses saturated with the vile taint of the place, Jarrith shrugs and decides to follow Ashlyn's lead. The bronze doors open with a hollow thud, revealing a long, dusty hall leading into the dark heart of the Castle. The group moves among lifeless statues, their blank eyes seeming to watch as the explorers pass. Another set of bronze doors stand at the other end of the hall in silent vigil. Pushing through, Ashlyn gasps at the sight.
Broken stained glass windows send tiny shards of colored lights into the ruins of this chapel. Pews and benches lie about the floor in jumbled disarray, some shattered, all covered with centuries of dust. Beyond this debris, a round dais holds an ornate altar. A beautiful silver statue of a raven stands atop the altar, just beyond the grasp of a humanoid form sprawled over the top and front of the altar.
