Again Bedlam's voice simply is, rather than is heard.

If Michael were to have a discipline, the Path of the Wizard would be it. Think of him as a novice wizard, still in training. The Disciplines as you know them are not taught where we are from.

Ralo looks at the tiny gargoyle. I don't like to hear your voice in my mind only. If you wanna talk to me, do it like everyone else here, please.

The gargoyle looks a bit cross. It begins speaking in a very firm voice, quite clearly in a language that Ralo does not understand.

After a moment, Morganna clears her throat. She looks a mix between holding in laughter and 'aghast'.

Bedlam.... Bedlam says that she can't speak your language . She's reading my mind to understand what you're saying, and telepathic communication is the only way she can communicate directly. She said ... well the rest doesn't really matter
*snicker*

Why didn't she explained it in the beginning? Might be possible that some people here had made bad experiences with... things... that communicate telephatically.

Morganna nods a couple of times.


Sorry, Ralo, I'll tranlsate for you, and Bedlam.

Bedlam says she's a bit frazzled right now, and hadn't really thought anything of it, jsut like you hadn't really thought anything of speaking on dwarven. That and she's pretty sure there's a large group of cadaver men probably not really far behind them, and that it might be a better odea if we let bygones be bygones and get moving.

Hope that helps some.

Morganna puts on her best winning smile that says *please don't fight with me in the middle* very well.

Agreed. Especially on the part with the cadavermen. How many are following you? Unsure who will answer his question, he's looking to Mich, the tiny gargoyle and Morgana.

Man their touchy here.... guess they don't have much contact with spirits.... well as Bedlam said the spirits sound like their in major risk here.... that and magic works differently then maybe no Mindlink spell.... and dragons being dragons probably little contact with no Dunklezahn around.... thankfully....

Yes, moving on would be good, as for number I haven't seen most of them but it certain sounded like a large number moving through the trees after us.

Shuddering slightly at the memory of the short fight and flight in the forest, he starts to move in the direction Morgana started in before the whole drawing contest started.

Shall we? I think this was the way you were going?

Excatly, that's the right way. Can you fight with a sword, dear Mich? Or do we have to take care of you during combat?

Blinking a little as he fits the words to the translation, Michael looks over to Ralo.

Sword training? No, I have had some training in open fist, not a lot though. It wasn't necessary, guess I'll have to remedy that.

You can pick another weapon, if you prefer.

Boy, that's good work; however, you are doing more than is needed. For art that's fine but for work, there is a point where too much is simply too much.

Morganna, do you think that the hounds will take after the cadavermen? I would prefer not to be forced to cut through the entire group if it isn't needed. Let's be going.

Right how do you explain self-defence training in combined martial arts in archaic Sprenthiel? Ah sod it

Well I was mostly trained in a defensive style, I was rarely in a position that I would have to attack.... never been comfortable with weapons though unwieldy mostly, for me anyway. I'm sure now that such a proficient warrior as yourselves are here everything will be fine until I understand how you use magic here.

Crap.... babbling.... no it's good don't think they minded.... and slipped at the end too, hope they don't question me too much on where I come from that has a different casting system.... or not needing the training in melee weapons.... oh bugger... ah well let's see how it goes.

Morgana almost giggles at Holder's babbling then answers Alexander.

The hounds under my command will do as I bid. I'm sure we can sic them on a bunch of undead. If we're lucky, maye the cadaver men will happen about the citadel and decide to investigate. Still plenty of hounds here to cause them trouble.

Agreed!

Morgana looks uncomfortable about something, taking a moment to choose her words carefully.

I do think, however, that Mr Holder's presence here demands a change in our plans. He's obviously in a vulnerable position, and in need of help. We can't bring him along ,as he would be defenseless. Nor can we simply leave him.

The Head has the ability to havemore than one thread woven to it. I can tell either of you it's required key knowledge so that you may weave a thread to it, and use it and the hounds abilities. But I believe that I should stay with Mister Holder, and at least teach him how to safely use a spell matrix. To do other wise would be to leave him to face a likely terrible fate.

She looks at her two companions, clearly pained by what she is saying, but apparently resolute.

Ralo needs an unsual long moment to give a reply. A wise decision; one that I understand perfectly. What sort of name-givers would let a helpless fellow suffer a terrible fate when they have the means to avoid it? I don't want the head. I still don't like the dogs.

Morgana, I do not have extensive training in weaving threads.

Morgana nods to both Ralo and Alexander. Ralo, thank you for understanding. I don't step aside from my word lightly, to you or to our employer. But Holder is in great need. Besides, we can always meet back up later she says with a grin.

Alexander, with the required key knowledge, weaving the threads only requires some skill and a lot of effort. I have no doubt that a smith has the proper strength of will.

She holds out the head.

Thread Weaving

Weaving the thread together in an intricate pattern, it takes quite an effort for Alexander, especially as it is his first time truly weaving a thread. until now, everything he has learned has been theory. Now he tests his mettle right at he forge. Finally, the threads lock in to place, forming the bond. The hounds raise their heads and regard Alexander with renewed interest.

Impressive boy! You managed to drink Tom under the table. You do realize that the hammer and anvil are going to hurt like hell ....

Yes Master, I know. This effort of magic will hurt as well.

Ok, let's go.

Oh, our employer. Nearly forgot him. Indeed, we should fullfill our duty together then, but it can wait 'til you finished your teaching and Alex and I whatever task awaits us.

He flies closer to Alex and observes him closely while the young human is weaving a thread to the Head. He grins.

Having little better place to go, Morgana leads Holder inside the fortress. Even in here, with the Gate Hounds, this place is safer, and more defensible against cadaver men than anywhere out side. Perhaps we can attract more here, and spare the town?

Ralo, Alexander, Mynbruje be with you. I fear it may be some time until we see each other again. But I will lend what help I can.

Leading the mysterious "michael holder" in through the crack in the Citadel walls, Morgana dissapears from site, followed by the human man, and the spirit.

Mater Ralo, we have Mynbruje's work to do. And some justice to deal out this evening. I would like to spare all those that we can ... they are my friends after all is said and done.

Listening to the turn the conversation was taking Michael almost spoke up to suggest they finish their mission first, but the other seemed to think do that would be unthinkable.

Seems people are friendlier here than I'd expect and more flexible on time scales.... strange.... but comforting....

Turning to follow Morgana he waves a farewell to the others I wish you the best of luck and I will try to impose on Morgana for as little time as possible. Bedlam I owe you my life, remember my promise and call on me whenever you wish.

And then he follows Morgana into the fortress keeping an eye out for more of those giant dogs.

It's a tense trip back to the village for Ralo and Alexander, not knowing what they'll find waiting for them. What they do find is the Elder Hommand and the guard Captain Bryce waiting for them upon their return with a small, and angry mob. A short battle ensues, viciously one sided with Alexander unwilling to hurt his neighbors, until Ralo spots the Shadows lurking in the shadows of the Elder and the guard captain. The Hounds are unleashed, and they tear into the shadows, somehow feeding off of their very essence until they are no more.

The Elder calls a stop to the battle, terrified and relieved at being released. He relays his story of being controlled by the demon lurking in his shadows, and reveals a few others within the Coel Council and guards. The Hounds make short work of the remaining Shadows. The Elder tells of the truth, of the boys Alexander is said to have killed as being raised as cadaver man. He says that the Shadow told him they targeted Alexander because of something he carried, the Emerald Eye of Truth. He also tells of a great danger, of an army of the undead marching on their village, coming to consume them all. They have only days to prepare or flee.

In the Hound's Gate Citadel, Morgana and Dr Holder talk much about the past/future and their roles in it. Holder learns much form the elf girl about how matrix works in the here and now, especially in the matter of spell matrices. As they talk, they wander the fortress, evading the few remaining honuds easily enough. Eventually, they stumble upon a hidden door, and a secret passage leading into the catacombs beneath the citadel it's self. A hidden sanctuary the creator of this place left long ago. Within it, they find a second defense, a massive crystal in the shape of a pyramid. It's mostly black like obsidian, with streaks of white and gold running through it. Working on studying the aura and pattern of the stone, they discover it's purpose. It absorbs ambient mana in a large area, rendering magical creatures, especially spirit based creatures, impotent. After a bad joke from Morgana about them not being able to reproduce anymore, they set out for the village of Coel to tell Ralo and Alexander of what they've found.

After conferring in Coel, Ralo, Morgana, Alexander, and Holder convince the Council of Elders to flee to the Hound's Gate Citadel, where they will have a better chance of defending the town's people. They can't withstand a long siege, but they'll have a better chance than standing their ground, or fleeing from an army that does not tire.

Inside the Hound's Gate, Morganna and Holder study the stone to learn it's pattern and how to master it. Ralo scouts the country side for signs of the approaching horde of undead, while Alexander sees to his people. It's toying with his emerald gemstone necklace, the only ting that could possibly be this "Emerald Eye of Truth" when he sees through a wall in the old Citadel Master's rooms. Inside, he finds a hidden text, trapped by wizard's spells and a riddle. Answering the riddle, he reads the book, and finds a codex on minor horrors and undead, as well as a large section in the second half of the book devising an adaptation of a Theran device called a "Locus Stone" to defend against these sorts of creatures. The wizard Athnen devised a lesser version that would serve the purposes he had, and created it from living crystal and orichalcum.

Taking the book to Morganna and Holder, they discover how to access and activate the Lesser Locus Stone, and now have a way to survive a horde of a few hundred undead. The battle it's self is still vicious and deadly, as the Locus stone is not fast to activate, or complete in it's power. The undead are slowly drained of their animating power, falling limp at the ground over the course of a few minutes. The few minor horrors and Shadows that attack are weakend as well. The gnashers still wreak havoc, tearing through the Citadel walls them selves in a few places, now that the wards are defunct. The battle takes a heavy toll in lives, but they survive.

A suprisingly weak wizard is found to be commanding the small horde. Ralo manages to wound him before he can escape, so that they can question him. From him, they learn that a man named Epsilon is controlling the shadows, using them to build his personal army. Holder knows the name, having heard it in the Cave. Epsilon, a member of Novatech's Black Omega, gone rogue in seeking the secrets of the cave that brought him here. Somehow, he apparently is doing this.

They travel to the northern villages, and find Epsilon in his own personal little wizard's tower, apparently newly, and badly constructed. He has a small horde of cadavermen with him still, making for a difficult battle. Making matters worst, Epsilon has no fear of casting raw magic, and uses t to powerful affect. Suprisingly, his greatest weakness is physical combat. Holder and Morganna engage him in a spell battle, enabling Ralo to pick his shots at him. Once the hounds and Alexander get through the pack of undead, the four make short work of the would be warlord. Once he falls, the remaining undead die as well.

Hovering in the air above the corpse of the Wizard, Ralo still holds his bow ready. What are we gonna do now to make sure this guy doesn't come back as the puppet of a Horror? Or, maybe equally bad, someone else using the knowledge hidden in this tower to create another army of undeads agains?

I would suggest decapitation and destruction of the body and head by fire, although I'm not certain whether that would stop a Horror from raising him.... Not certain anything could stop one, although my lore of Horrors and their powers is not very good so anyone know?

With that he looks around at the gathered adventurers to see if more information would be forthcoming about bodily destruction and then continues.

As for the tower, why don't Morganna and I have a search for anything useful from a wizardly point of view while you two search for anything else we can use and then we lock away anything harmful?

GM queries

So once we check the tower out do any of you have any plans for what to do next? Are you going to return to your village now it's free again Alexander?

Frag, I wonder if the 'runner came through time as well? If he did I really should try to find him, maybe he knows how to get back.... But how on Earth can I find one person in a medieval world?

Well.... Ralo begins, but instantly pauses after he has spoken his first word. The windling flies to a nearby table and sits down.
After a while, he looks at the others. Originally, I was hired by a t'skrang merchant to ah, visit a village. Wonder if this is still important.

Well, I guess I've delayed that mission, so I'll help if you'd like?