Lanal 4-5, 652 DR: A pleasant stay at Bugaven’s Feast and Sleep turns into a bloody hell as the inn is swarmed by murderous thieves. By morning the inn yard is lined with the dead. Feyd’s thievery earns him a Dwürden’s wrath and escort to Ironhold. Jak delivers barbaric “justice” with Punishment’s gory blade.

Continued from A Day Away.

Amdor, 4 Lanal 652

The talk with Nirst continued well into the afternoon with only brief interruptions by a man and woman coming in out of the rain, and a loud-mouthed local named Allath who had a few drinks, a few stories to tell, and may have sat a little too close to Kaithah. After an early dinner and a pleasant impromptu performance by the bard, the group decided to weather the stormy night at Bugaven’s despite the steep common room rates of eight silver a person. As the lightning flashed and cracked outside, Feyd summoned all to the men’s common room and explained a plan to enter the keep of Endren through the northern mines. The plan met with mixed reaction. At this time Dammon announced his wishes to return to the Old Gate where he famously rode the Owler up and over the high stony walls. He explained that there was unfinished business in that place. The group retired for the night with these choices in their heads. Only Mishara, with his Eylfāe sight remained awake in the dark carefully crafting a new bow.

Wōdìndor, 5 Lanal 652

Around nightsdeep Mishara heard something landing on the windowsill outside and voices whispering in the rainy street below. He called for Jak as the shutters burst inward and figures leaped into the room from the stormy night. Elsewhere, Dammon, who had been sleeping alone, awoke to the sounds of a woman’s scream and a man’s pleas to save her. With uncommon lucidity the lone magician grabbed the mattresses and barricaded the windows and doors of his chamber, while hearing the sounds of footsteps racing throughout the inn, and the cries of the dying and injured. When Nirst’s door was opened there was a series of bone-shattering impacts in the front hallway as the nightshirt clad Dwürden smashed his way out from his bedroom. Jak killed one attacker and another closing on Feyd by planting his spear into the man’s skull and casting the dead aside. Alcèrra, awakened by the commotion, peered from their room to find an archer stepping into the hallway. She slammed the door closed to assemble her trident, but when Kaithah opened the door an arrow buried itself into the jamb a thumb’s width from her face. The bardess opened the door wider and finished the bowman with her Urdàri notched sword.

Mishara and Kaithah followed the sounds of the rampaging Dwürden into the front hallway and found the floor riddled with the smashed and mangled bodies of his foes. Mishara ran down the stairs, to find another ambusher waiting on the steps with a metal weapon in his hands. When the weapon fired the man’s face was enveloped in a fiery flash. Screaming, the gunman fell backward down the steps. Mishara and Kaithah closed in on the fallen man with their swords as Nirst interposed himself between the two and the figures lurking in the shadows of the main dining room. When Feyd arrived with bow in hand he spotted a man fleeing out toward the inn’s rear deck. He loosed an arrow at the fleeing figure but the man did not fall. Instead, a figure, brushing a night clad cloak aside swung a sword through the man before disappearing once more amid a storm of arrows.

Meanwhile, Jak found his way toward the man and woman’s room to find them both strangled to death. Their attackers engaged Jak but were soon numbers eleven and twelve on the tally. Dammon, peering out his window from behind a mattress heard something drop into the swamp and begin swimming away. Sighting the figure in a timely lightning flash he called upon the forces of his learning. The words came clearly and a wind howled softly through his skull. Arcane arrows lanced from his splayed fingers. The figure seized in pain, went rigid, and slowly sank beneath the dark waters. Dammon returned the room to its previous order, and after asking the innkeeper about the vapor pots retired once more for the night.

Alcèrra walked among the dead giving rites. Eventually she came upon one invader that was critically wounded by Nirst’s hammer, but not dying. After a small spell to ease his wounds he was bound and laid in a room for morning questions. While this was happening, a noxious green cloud exploded from the Dwürden’s room. Jak summoned Nirst who after a small wait entered and dragged out the green-tinted body of Feyd, who was limp with paralysis. Nirst explained that the thief had triggered a trap on his personal chest and though paralyzed was probably aware of his surroundings. Jak leaned Feyd against a window sill and with his eyes covered, threw his spear at the thief. The wound served was grave but not fatal. Nirst looked on at the barbaric “trial” with great concern, but decided not to intercede for the ways of the Yrūn for their ways were always a mystery. Feeling justice had been served, Jak proceeded to bind Feyd and place him near the injured ambusher, for morning questioning. The night’s activities closed, the group returned to their beds, with the exception of Jak who volunteered to hold vigil over the thieves.

Continued in Questions and Answers.

Characters

• Alcèrra Nàdrelan
• Dammon Shroudson
• Feyd
• Jak of Cænden
• Kaithah Argentale
• Mishara Mythdaras
• Allath Irkwolm
• Bugaven
• Crazy Argan: killed
• Ennde Dalata: killed
• Eeres Motherwhacker: killed
• Familiar
• Ilda Mirasa: killed
• Little Willy: killed
• Maldert Raper: killed
• Messad Dasham
• Neshbe Tarablou: killed
• Niformi Kulosus
• Nirst Ohlmdamnor
• Oblum Little
• Ortol Tarablou: killed
• Ozur Almper: killed
• Pedwurl the Big: killed
• Peraden Foulwart
• Slupsum: killed
• Snift
• Telsh Muukor: killed
• Thurk: killed
• Toad
• Willus Muugar: killed
• Zallal Meverkeb

Played: 25 Aug 1997