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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 2359886" data-attributes="member: 3192">Ben’s bed was soft and welcoming at the temple. Fasting and praying the previous two weeks had really taken a toll on his body and he relished the chance to sleep in the next day before the ordination. Unfortunately, he slept for less than half an hour before he was shook awake. Surrounded by total darkness, fear welled up in his gut. Darius’s voice spoke. He was collecting the party again for an urgent meeting. Exasperated, Ben dressed and followed the dwarf to the barracks of the keep. The group had been given a room of bunks for their own use within. Everyone inside looked very tired. Then Ben noticed one new person, a rather strange woman who was dressed in animal skins and what looked like tree limbs. “This is Holly Greenwillow”, Darius said. “She has heard rumors of us from, uh… different sources. She sought us out to join in our fight. She wants to help us defeat the Giant and those at the caves.” Ben looked at Darius. “This is why you woke me up?” Darius grimaced. “No. Igor has learned something very important. We were waiting for you to arrive before beginning.” Ben sat down grumpily next to the others. Darius began telling the story of how the team had met and their adventures at Outpost Xavier. As Holly listened intently, Dram, Dalin, Mirel, and even Brother Ben took a part in explaining all of the details. Ben felt a little in awe of everything that had happened now the whole story was voiced at once. Afterwards, Holly related how she had learned of the party’s deeds and explained further about the carnage the Giant’s forces were inflicting on the surrounding wilderness. Listening to her Ben felt tired, but he could understand why the others had trusted her intentions.  Pointing to the barrack’s walls, Darius revealed how they were now paying for the privilege of staying within. He had found out earlier in the week from one of the sergeants that militia soldiers were to serve for only one month. Then they were free to return to their families and homes. Several groans were heard around the room. Ben rolled his eyes and Igor’s left eye began rolling in a completely different direction than his right. Darius went on about how essentially they were operating on their own. “We no longer hold any rank within the military of Margrave County. You will need to remember this when dealing with the soldiers here and if or when we appeal for aid with the Chaos Caves.” Darius nodded to Igor and the chef stood up. Holly was escorted out of the building for the time being as they felt she was still too unknown to them for what would be said. Igor began by telling them in his raspy, whispery voice that the message had to remain secret at all costs. “We ‘re bein’ ‘unted. And the Good Man Barth ‘s one o’ those ‘unting us.” He would not explain how he knew they were being hunted, but Kayla backed Igor’s assertion completely. A number of people were looking for the team. These hunters had two motives in mind. One was to find out what information the party knew. The other was to stop them from giving that information to anyone else. Kayla said if one of them were caught, he or she would be tortured and killed. Dram spoke up anger. “And we sat and discussed our own plans right in front of them!” Igor continued with another piece of news he believed was related. He had visited Mouse’s shop before calling the meeting. Only Mouse had not been there. In fact, Mouse had packed up and left the keep. “Only none o’ the watchguard saw ‘im leave”. His shop was locked and his supplies stored away. Igor explained how earlier in the morning he had learned some of the books from Quesquaton had been traced back to Mouse’s trading post. When Igor informed Mouse of the news, he acted strangely and kicked Igor out of the shop for the rest of the day. “I was tryin’ to get ‘em books back,” but Mouse must have started packing directly afterwards. “Well, what happened to the books then?” asked Brother Ben. “And how did he get them in the first place?” Igor would only say Mouse had sold them several weeks ago and the books were no longer in the Keep.  It was a lot of information to digest. It was agreed it would be better to discuss what they needed to do in the morning when everyone was more coherent. As they were finishing talking, Mirel hurried to her family’s house. Holly was brought back inside told to find a bed near the others. She explained she preferred the outdoors and would rest on the floor if necessary. Darius and Kayla kept watch and talked in hushed tones in the corner. It was only then Darius really hit on the reality of their situation. A much tighter security needed to be kept and it had to start immediately. Igor volunteered to keep watch and to fetch Mirel back to the barracks for safety. He pulled out a potion he had purchased from the alchemist shop. “NO SLEEP” Ben read on its label. Downing the mixture, Igor’s body tensed and his eyes began to water and spin like never before. Brother Ben wondered just what ingredients were in the elixir. Igor bounced up and ran out the door and into the street. For all the world, he looked like a madman on the loose.</blockquote>

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