Chapter 8: From the Docks!
The Ninth of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----"It was almost three weeks ago that the village of Gafa became more or less besieged," Ulow explains as he stands within the stables.
-----Romney stands poised near the stables door; the guard from Oakwood positioned with his back to the large closed portal. Garrison stands nearby a window facing the main road keeping a watch while occasionally turning to look at the sage as he speaks.
-----Mirian looks at the older man with her characteristic wide eyes. Frequently she glances around as if to watch for something lurking in the low lighting of the large building.
-----Sarah finds a seat on one of the ladder rungs that leads to the loft. Rinda simply crosses her arms as she observes the sage as he speaks. Raven paces slightly as Sol stands almost directly in front of Ulow.
-----"First," the sage continues, "it began with what was thought to be bandits moving through. Then people and entire families were lost. By the time I discovered the humanoids coming across the swamp at night, the road from the village was cut off by roving packs of ghouls."
-----"Occasionally, I would see small bands of woodsmen or elven warriors that would make it here into the village but usually they would be gone by the next night. Then, just within the last two days, there came a whole troop of men and elves who ventured on into the swamps and I have not heard from them since."
-----Sol just nods at the words spoken by Ulow. Once the old sage has finished, Sol replies in a business-like manner, "First things first, which direction did that troop head in? If they found that th' source o' th' troubles came from a certain way, they would've headed that way, an' we can follow them."
-----"As fer th' ghouls, sage, if they were th' undead we encountered last night on th' way in, they've been cut off from their unlife." Sol adds with satisfaction.
-----"They headed south into the swamps," the sage replies, before adding sternly. "I know exactly where they were going also."
-----Shifting his stance as he holds his walking stick in front of him, Ulow begins relating information as if the adventurers were students. "About three miles south in the swamps stands a large castle that was once used for the defense of Rushfen. It was abandoned when the swamps grew steadily from the river. At the southern end of Gafa, boat docks are located. The flatboats found there have been used over the years to transport goods from the boats that pass along the southern fork of the Altor River. Without a doubt, the troop used some of the boats to venture on to the south."
-----The sage taps his stick on the floor of the stables as he finishes with, "I believe there to be a humanoid host inhabiting the old castle."
-----Mirian suddenly shivers. A cloud covers the morning sun dimming the light outside. The dancer looks at Romney as if wishing to be comforted by him. The guard, however, maintains a concentrated expression on the older man.
-----"So th' storm gathers anew." Sol murmurs, a fair amount of conviction present in his voice. "We'll need t'see what has happened wi' th' troop a'fore we decide on any action, but before th' new day passes, we may have t'take another castle."
-----Sol looks sideways at Sarah and Raven and winks, a small smile playing on his lips despite the recent assassin attack, "It's getting t'be a nasty habit o' ours."
-----The Gorian lets that sink in first, before regarding the sage once more, "Ulow, how have ye managed t'keep yerself safe here, when it seems th' rest o' th' villagers have left or worse?"
-----"There are perhaps seventy of the villagers left," the sage says, sadness almost overcoming him. He closes his eyes as if to keep his emotions in check. His pause almost becomes too uncomfortable as he wavers on his feet, but then quickly steadies himself.
-----Gaining control of himself, he nods before saying, "When it gets dark, those of us who are left have learned to draw heavy curtains upon the windows and hide the best we can within our dwellings. The humanoids have been very clever to say the least as of late. It is without a doubt, that we have lost on the average fifteen households a night."
-----"Take heart, man," Lovan suddenly interrupts as the storm priest walks out of one of the shadowed corners. "You speak with those who not two days ago brought destruction down upon a huge dragon of the woods!"
-----Ulow suddenly looks strangely at Lovan, quietly observing the storm priest.
-----"True enough. I still think it's a shame that such beings are dominantly evil..." Sol shakes his head. Such thoughts were not for now. "Ulow, we came t'Gafa t'see if we could lend any help, so we'll see if we can bring about th' downfall o' this group o' humanoids." Sol looks around at the others to garner support.