FIELDHOUSE WEST
6 AM: Approaching the small greystone tower, the foursome remained cautious; eyes flickered around their dismal surroundings. Salimen, paired with Teflar in the lead, motioned them to halt once seeing the outline of the oval entrance.
Teflar, bow nocked and ready, anxiously glanced towards the town as if expecting straggling orcs to stumble upon them. Torynth rubbed his makeshift sling while Leah softly breathed beside him. Salimen backed a few steps from the door imploring " Could you please let us inside! It's rather dangerous here. We mean you no more harm than you mean us!"
Teflar's bow eased a bit while watching the bard plying his trademark diplomacy " My name is Salimen and I'm a wandering bard. My companions and I have been sent to retrieve some stolen things and got caught in this war somehow. We hoped to resupply and recover in this town, but then we saw the orcs and came in to help as long as it wouldn't be suicide."
" And who are you if I may ask?" pointed the bard zealously " Well, could we come inside first? I don't want to tell some orc scouts about either you nor us."
Torynth glanced at the billowing smoke as it flowed over the thatched roofs of the ruined village in rolling puffs. With a sigh, he followed his companions into the sanctity of the three-story fieldhouse.
" Let's be careful." warned the bard " We have no idea what's up there. That it hid from the orcs doesn't mean they will like us." He scanned the bleak window holes as inky blackness grew in contrast to the eastern light now being smoothed into the purple sky.
The bard combed his hair with nervous fingers " Let's stay in cover until we know what's in there."
Salimen whispered " Give me cover while I knock on the door and a warning if they start to pour oil down or do something else that might ruin my hair."
He shouldered his bow when the ranger nodded approval with a twisted smile. The melting darkness revealed nothing perilous and the bard jogged to the tower rapping a few times upon the oak door with apprehension. A muffled call was immediately heard from inside. While the quad inched their way towards the entrance, a shudder slid upon the doorface as someone within opted to check for visitors. The shutter returned quickly and more muffled calls were heard.
Immediately, the shutter slid open again to some harsh whisperings. As the team stood waiting tensely, the tower door swung outward revealing a group of six men huddled in a room extending from the doorframe. One armed with a greatsword grated " And who are you!?"
The guards glanced among themselves while the morning sun broke its' first light over the smoldering buildings within Airrdale.
The front man stepped forward " My name is Betteman. We were cornered in the tower after nightfall and fought until we could go no longer."
The others mumbled amongst themselves until the warrior waved 'Raven' past him.
" Go inside and tell us your story of these stolen valuables. We have business to take care of and must move on rather shortly."