Subject: Telwyn?

Just waitin' on you, bud. Slash tells me that you're at Kama-con, which explains a bit.

Subject: Re: Flight into Darkness, and Telwyn's Revenge

Telwyn runs a hand over his face, surprised to find a sheen of sweat on his brow. His brush with death has set his nerves jangling, but at least his hands are still steady. He pauses a moment to stamp out the fallen raider's torch, then slings his bow. It will do him little good in these close quarters. He draws his short sword and signals Liwanu to heel as he enters the hallway. At his first step, a brief pain flares from the wound in his gut. He would wish for more backup, but hopefully Liwanu would be enough.

Subject: Fire, fire everywhere

Taking a moment to stamp out the torch, Telwyn draws his short sword and creeps down the hallway, not yet worrying about the fire just starting in the thatch above his head. At the end of the hall, he sees a shadow across the flickering light from the fire outside. Running with Liwanu down the corridor, he sees the raider fleeing into the night.

Without a torch.

Backtracking, he scans the rooms near the door to no avail, then sees an ember fall just outside the door. Running outside, he turns to see the torch resting on the roof, slowly spreading its flame outwards.

Meanwhile, Kayla grabbed the sudsy bucket and runs outside, coming around the corner of the inn to find a group of huddle men and women staying back from the fight. The innkeeper is there, and the chef, and several women who Kayla assumes are bar maids. There's an elderly man, and another handful of women she guesses are wives or sisters of the soldiers. Not a lot to work with, but they might be the inn's only hope.

She pulls herself up straight and bringing forth all the emotion and conviction a trained performer can put into words. "The Inn is burning! Act quickly wi' me to save it from these raiders' fire. If'n you have a plan, use it. There are buckets right inside. Les' show'm we won't let 'em destroy us." [Charisma check 15 v. DC 15]

As though woken from a trance, the innkeeper starts pushing the bar maids before him. "Get back in there, or yer all out of jobs! The raid is over! Save my inn, ye lazy wenches!" He follows them and Kayla around into the inn to grab buckets, stopping only momentarily to gape at the dead man on the floor.

***

Staggering around in the dark, Buchek races forward with all his speed, nearly bowling over Holn in the process, heading for the gate.

Elotai is suddenly able to see, as the darkness moves past him, and, looking around, sees that the raiders have been run off, save for the three unconscious at his feet. Three dead guards lay inert at his side, and two more dead raiders oozing blood onto the street. The rooftops of the buildings on all sides burn brightly in the night, sending billowing smoke up from the outpost that would be seen from Segreda if it were day.

Erk, still moving cautiously forward is shocked when the darkness lifts from his eyes, and races off ahead of him. Beside him are Elotai, Bermid, and four guardsmen, looking somewhat bewildered, and three unconscious raiders at his feet. Buchek is nowhere to be seen, and the dwarf assumes he is in the cloud rapidly moving toward the bridge leading to the Tall Grass. Cursing under his breath, he turns to see if there are any wounded.

One raider is bleeding badly from under his armor, and Erk moves to check his wounds. "Bermid, see to tying up those fallen barbarians - we will wish to speak with them when they come to their senses." Sure that the man is in no danger of dying, the dwarf checks for signs of life from the fallen guards, finding one who still has a faint pulse and shallow breathing.

Placing his hands gently on the man's chest, he closes his eyes and prays, "Clangeddin, let your grace aid this fallen warrior." [Cure Minor Wounds, 1 HP re gained]. With a shallow breath, the man opens one eye briefly, then moans in pain. He will live, but it will be a long road, and Erk cannot do more for him now. Checking the fallen barbarians, all are beyond help.

Bermid runs to the inn to find some rope, and Elotai leaves with him, sure to keep the young soldier close.

Buchek, running at full speed for the bridge toward the Tall Grass, runs half way out onto the wooden boards before putting a foot over the edge in the darkness. With a splash, he lands heavily in the water, pulled slowly downstream in the oppressive magical dark.

[ODM: Okay, the fight's over and the town is burning. Kayla was successful in rousin the townspeople from their fear, and they have set up a bucket brigade passing water from the river down a line of a dozen or more people to the inn. The soldiers involve themselves in this too, and the inn is put out without too much damage.

The buildings become the next step in the process, but at this point it is unlikely that many can be saved at all. Still, they are doused to stop the fire from spreading.

The unconscious barbarians will wake up and become coherent again in this time, as well.

Let me know what you all want to be doing for the rest of the night. This won't be turn based, so talk amongst yourselves and let me know what you'll be doing. I'll respond when I can to questions and the like, but I won't move on until everyone gives me an "okay, my character is going to sleep" email.

Jake, your rage ends, and you're tired and in the water. It's dark, and you're not quite sure how to get back to the opening in the gate. You have just under an hour left in total darkness, so you know.]

Subject: Re: Fire, fire everywhere

Erk smiles at the man Clangeddin saved. He would have a long road back to recovery, but at least his life was still his.

They boy Bermid moves quickly to tie up the three barbarian's and Erk assists when he can. He will also gather up at least two guardsmen and place them in charge of watching the raiders. "Do not let them move or speak," he will tell them. When it looks like no one will die or escape, he moves over to help those at the inn, but sees they have already stopped the fire there.

Turning to Bermid he says, "Where did *our* barbarian go?" Bermid shrugs. Then Erk remembers the rapidly moving cloud of darkness, and he heads over to the gate to try and find it.

OOC: if erk can find the darkness, he will yell to Buchek to remain still until the spell has passed. He will also ask him if he needs aid.