-----"I say we storm the castle now!" Lovan says loudly, his eyes lighting with vigor. The storm priest's voice seems almost too uncomfortably loud given where they are.
-----"Wait a minute," Raven interjects, his voice low but with a firm tone, "if the humanoids are coming across the swamp into the village, maybe we can cut a few of their numbers down." Looking at Ulow, the hunter asks, "Are the humanoids traveling by boat to get here? And if they are, are they using the docks?"
-----"I cannot say for certain, but I suspect that is true," the sage replies nodding to the ranger.
-----Looking at Sol, Raven says, "It wouldn't hurt to look over the docks to see what we can see. If that's where they land, I can imagine us hiding along the docks at night and when they approach hit them while they're still in the water."
-----"Ooo, I've never gone hunting by the water!" Sarah chimes in with excitement in her voice.
-----Raven smiles and answers, "If you could throw one of those fireballs at a boatload and do as much damage as you did to those dead things last night, you'll make our hunt all the more easier."
-----Sarah's smile beams and she winks at Sol.
-----Sol shrugs, clearly unphased by the idea, "We have t'go t'th' docks anyway. We'll see... But you know me, I'm interested in heading straight t'th' source o' th' problems. Still, if we destroy a boatload or two, that would be a satisfactory sight to see....like lightning being drawn t'th' lone tree on th' plain."
-----"The main problem I see is how much water is there to travel on," Raven says, "If we go straight to this castle and it's overrun with orcs or ogres, we could be the easy targets if we're in boats. When we took Krondor's castle, we were lucky enough to sneak right up to the walls, but we were on land."
-----"Maybe. Depends on th' land around th' structure. If it's landbound enough, then we can ditch th' boats away from it, an' head in more safely on foot." Sol replies. "Either way, let's have a look at these boats..."
-----A few minutes later, everyone accompanies the sage back out onto the main road that leads through the middle of the village. To the south they stride where somewhere beyond the buildings lie the docks that lead to the swamps. The morning now turns a bit dimmer as clouds gather in the east covering the sun. A light breeze comes from down the road adding a bit of a chill to the air.
-----As they travel past two blocks of abandoned and dark dwellings, the party first sees signs of people who are revealing themselves to the day. The adventurers occasionally catch a glimpse of a person or two peering through the windows or perhaps through the crack of a door that quickly gets shut. Most appear to be common citizens of the village dressed in work clothes though their faces are gaunt and shadowed from what they have endured.
-----As the party passes by a building almost the size of a large barn, a person hastily comes out of the front door and approaches the sage. This person, a man of rotund size, appears to be young with light brown hair framing his chubby face. Ill-fitting leather covers his frame, which surprisingly is cloaked by the stormy dark blue surcoat of a worshipper of Strator.
-----"Sage Ulow," the man sternly calls though his demeanor strikes one as comical, "I fear I must protest before we allow any more strangers into our village."
-----As the young man sways before him, Ulow humors him saying, "Yes, yes good Quintus! All in good time! These people are here to help!"
-----"How can we be sure they are not dopplegangers?" the one called Quintus asks casting a suspicious glance about the visitors.
-----The sage looks at the adventurers and responds to the young man, "Why, because they look like no one else in the village and they have made no move to assault me."
-----Lovan interrupts the conversation with a sneering chuckle.
-----Sol eyed the new dark-surcoated fellow with a rather impatient look. Deciding it was best for all if he just concentrated on the sage, Sol asked curiously, "Sage Ulow, what manner o' things are these doppelgangers? Are they part of th' humanoids ye spoke of?"
-----"They are spirits!" the hefty young man excitedly and ominously blurts out, "Spooks who can appear as anyone they choose!"
-----"Now, Quintus," Ulow says calmly, taking a tone as if soothing a child, "let us be rational." Turning toward the adventurers, the sage explains, "I do not believe that they are . . . undead. They are beings who can unfortunately change their appearance."
-----Romney watches the exchange with a stern expression. Moving aside of Sol, the guard whispers to him, "The three you encountered last night. Could they have been . . . ?"
-----Just then Lovan addresses the young roly-poly man with a firm voice and a deepening frown. "Are you of the Rager?"
-----"That I am, sir," the one called Quintus responds, comically putting his fists on his hips.