Sunset came soon after Jana regained consciousness and nearly left the group. "You welcome," replied the druid to Jana's thanks about the horse. The day faded to darkness as the group was faced with the decision of what to do now.
Arachne had spent the day healing and meditating. Her efforts left Etienne completely healed, as well as Falgout, although his eye and hand were still missing. Falgout had remained silent most of the day. He looked much better now that he had gotten cleaned up. He was still wearing only breeches, having come out of the keep with nothing but his pants and his longsword. Even his feet were bare. He had made a makeshift patch for his eye after washing away the filth of being held captive by the evil priest. He studied Heydrus carefully a couple of times, making the bandit boy shift uncomfortably under his gaze. Other than that, Falgout gave Rumer a number of worried looks, but he didn't bother the girl.
Heydrus had remained quiet most of the day as well, doing his best to stay out of sight and not cause any trouble. Now that everyone was awake and beginning to talk, he spoke up, "You won't find a trail for the orcs, I don't think. They didn't come in the gates, just like Ranchefus never goes out the gates when he takes prisoners to them. I think there must be some secret way to get to wherever they are. Sometimes, Ranchefus disappears for days and we never see him come or go. I bet he's gone now, since everyone else is dead." He looked at Rumer, "The fish smell, I'm not too sure about. Wilmors and Balrat smelled like that, but they didn't used to, before we met Ranchefus. I think it was those weird drinks he asked them to take. They couldn't sleep at first either," he added.
At this point, Falgout spoke up, "One of the men I was traveling with when I was captured had nightmares too. He developed an odd smell as well, but I can't say that wasn't because we were stuck in a disgusting cell. I know that they were sending all the spellcasters away and killing the others if we wouldn't join them. This Ranchefus is the most evil man I have ever come across." He glanced down at his stump of an arm and shook his head. "If you want to try to help me," he told Arachne, "I will not turn you away."
Arachne started concentrating on Falgout's missing hand but almost as soon as she began, she fell to the ground in shock. When she managed to gather herself together again, she looked almost as bad as some of the others had after the fight last night.
Falgout helped her up and frowned, or more accurately looked near to tears. "Tyr does not want me healed," he said in a quiet voice. "There is a desecrated shrine to Tyr in the keep. It is where Ranchefus performs his horrid rituals to raise the dead. That is where he took my hand and my eye." The man muttered something about a damnable mockery before continuing in a shaky voice, "I...I am afraid to return there. I do not wish to set foot in that place again, but I must." He ran his remaining hand through his hair and stared at the sky, looking confused and defeated.
"You and me both," Arachne whispered, still in shock. "I do _not_ like to be blocked like that..."
Aloysius seemed saddened by Falgout's demeanor. He listened thoughtfully as Falgout and Heydrus had explained what they knew. "Well, then," the mage finally said. "We have 2 goals. One would be to rescue Echo, and the other would be to destroy Ranchefus. As loathe as I am to say this, 'twould seem that we can only achieve these aims in one place - yon keep. Stargazer advocates for a return to that dread place, but on the 'morrow. Let us go again at peak strength and end this madness once and for all."
"I agree, tomorrow we shall return and clear out the keep once and for all. If Ranchefus has a secret meeting place with the orcs, likely we'll find a way to it behind that door he ran through." Blacky put in.
The ranger nodded his agreement. "If Echo not be in keep, maybe we find way Ranchefus go. It be good to be finish with this evil..."
When offered the choice between the potion and the magical ring, Lasiar shrugged. "I don't want to use either without knowing what they do, but if you want me to take one, I'll carry the ring." He waited for Arachne to respond.
Rennirolas rose from where he was seated. "If you would have me, I would help you," he said. "Though I must continue my search for my brother, for that is why I am traveling Faerun, bandits such as these must not be able to hunt the Tel'Qeussir, and even the N'Tel'Quess," Rennirolas added quickly, "without being paid in kind."
He paused to look at the longsword offered to him. "If you are all in agreement, I will accept this blade," he said seriously. "I do not feel I warrant such a gift as yet, but Corellon willing I shall aid you well enough to make that decision a good one."
As he spoke, Rennirolas moved amongst the group, until he reached Arachne's side. He smiled, knelt beside the gnome, and chanted softly.
"With a little time," Arachne asserted with some stubbornness, "I can take care of myself."
"Heh," Rennirolas chuckled. "As you wish good Arachne. I would not force my blessings upon anyone." He stood smoothly, tended to Jana with a pair of healing spells before doing the same for Kaileer.
"Feeling better," Rennirolas asked lightly. "Jana," the elf said with a slight bow as he turned to face her. "My name is Rennirolas Starchaser, recently captured by these bandits you do fight against. If you please, I shall offer my healing magics to you again this day."
That same familiar chant sounded from Rennirolas' lips, a combination of beseeching words in elvish and the strange tongue of magic. Beside Jana, the elf placed his hand on her shoulder as the healing spell began to focus.
"You need to be careful Kaileer," Rennirolas softly chided the ranger in elven, with a wide grin on his face that showed his remarks to be taken in jest. "There are so few of the People about we cannot afford to lose a one."
The ranger smiled sadly and nodded to Renn, "Yes, and the one eyed demon has so many children... Proudly would I wear these wounds had they been received in battle against orc spawn, but unlike some of my brethren I do not count humans as my enemy and it saddens me to fight them. But, if the protector has sent you to join our number, it must be a sign that our cause is just."
"I can wish it so," Rennirolas said as he finished his castings. "Would that our enemies were orc and their kin. Since that is not to be, I must take issue with this..man, who has proved he has no respect for the dead. Evil of that sort needs to be stopped, regardless of the source," Renn sighed.
"Ah, but I believe there are orcs, though we have come across but one party since we began searching for Jelenneth, the wizard Tauster's apprentice. Ranchefus apparently gave Echo, our companion, to the orcs, if he captured Jelenneth she may have suffered a similar fate."
Kaileer flexed his muscles and stretched out after Renn had finished with his healing, "My thanks, Rennirolas, I feel strong enough to take on the entire foul tribe myself, though I would not do something so foolish, mind you." he added quickly.
"Thanks," Jana said quietly, still appearing distressed. "I don't care about Ranchefus," she said to the group in general. "Not now, anyway. I just want to get to Echo before something worse happens." She looked over at Rumer who was staring at the ground and winced. "Does anyone know why orcs would want spellcasters? Fishy-smelling bandits and undead tried to kidnap Echo once before, remember, and she said it was because she could cast some spells."
Etienne sat quietly as people discussed treasure and what they planned to do next. He thanked the small gnome once her powers had taken care of his wounds. He checked on Oleanne occasionally and handed her the brown stone that she wanted.
After the decision to go back to the keep had been made he spoke, "Do we have a plan for our trip back to the keep? I know we have stated the objectives quite clearly. Take care of Ranchefus and find Echo. How are we to accomplish these tasks though. We've gone in twice without any planning and have not faired well at all. We have an evening and a night to think about what we're going to do. Let us take advantage of it. We know we'll face undead and possibly the dogs. We have the young boy here and Falgout to also worry about. I also don't want to be putting Oleanne at risk again. She's the protector of these woods, not our personal healer."
"I not stay here if I not want help," Oleanne inserted, looking slightly cross, which seemed to be her natural expression now that they had spent some time around the druid. "That place bad for woods."
"Well said, archer," Aloysius replied. "Falgout would seem to have a personal interest in yon keep, and perhaps he be well able to wield a blade." He looked at Heydrus. "As for the boy, he may well have information about the keep that we will need once we are inside. If he chooses not to return, mayhap Oleanne can watch him until we return."
He thought for a moment. "The boy didst say that Ranchefus used not the gates for ingress and egress. Therefore, there must be either a secret exit of some sort, or mayhap a tunnel. Kaileer didst say that he saw a trail on the east side of the keep when we first arrived. Mayhap that be connected with the secret exit. 'Twould seem that we could either check that first, or employ Arachne's talents once more for entry."
He looked at the small gnome. "There be more of us than afore. Canst thou effectuate entry for so many?"
"Rested, yes," Arachne said. "It would just mean holding the door open a little longer."
"Methinks is be safe to say that we can expect our foes to be undead, dogs, bandits, and Ranchefus himself. We need to occupy Ranchefus as soon as we encounter him so as to prevent him from employing his dark magic. Lasiar hath met with success in dealing with the undead, and mayhap Rennirolas can assist him with that. I have some magics set aside for the bandits, but hope to focus some of my arcane energies on Ranchefus himself." He shuddered slightly.
"With Fortune's blessing, we can all be fully healed afore we leave. I have spoken much, but said little. What do the rest of thee have to suggest?"
"Let us finalize our plan, then," the mage implored. "It seems we are intent upon returning once more to yon keep. Are we to enter via the gate, search for a new entrance, or shall we utilize Arachne's skills?"
"Do you have rope? I can climb the wall like I did before. It worked pretty good for me then." Rumer mentioned.
He assessed the party membership. "Let us at least establish a general order. Ranchefus and the bandits must have some source of light, so mayhap Janathell and Eric can go first, assuming Janathell is back to strength. Then, Etienne and Kaileer, followed by myself and the Silverstar. Lasiar can be responsible for bearing the torch if we need one as his primary goal will be to turn undead. Rennirolas, Rumer, Arachne and Falgout can compose the remainder of the formation. How does that sound?" He looked at Jana and Blacky for approval.
He then looked at the pile of weapons and remaining treasure. "We also need and be sure to get all of this divided afore we leave."
We could wrap them in a blanket and get them on the way back. I have enough weapons, you may want to carry any spare daggers we have. I believe you ran out in one of our last fights." Blacky said grinning at the mage as he gathered up the party treasure that Arachne had given him as well as the unclaimed valuables from the present trove. "I'll hold on to the rest of this until we can split it evenly. We should give the boy these coppers and a weapon for his journey."
"The pin is worth about 25 gold." replied Rumer, handing the pin and brooch back to Blacky. "I can't tell about the brooch. Maybe you should get Aloysius to check it out."
Sensing at least a general consensus on the next plan of action, Aloysius settled in next to the same tree he had slept by the night before. "I shall gladly participate in the morning watch, since I need to study spells again. Let us all get a good night's sleep so we can be fully prepared for tomorrow."
"I don't want to go back to the keep," Heydrus whined. "I'll draw you a map of what I know about the place if someone will tell me how I can get back to a town where I can get a job or something."
"Well, I don't think we can spare anyone to guide you," Arachne said. "Unless one of Oleanne's companions can take the time to show you the way. It would be well for the whole community if they knew what we'd found here...and they might find practical use for some of this spare weaponry that we're not going to use. Heydrus, if you could take some of that with you..."
"I don't want a guide...just point me in the right direction," Heydrus replied sullenly. "I'll take whatever you want me to, if I can carry it. Someone give me something to draw on, and I'll make you a map of the keep."
"You intend on travelling alone then?" asked Aloysius suspiciously. "Art thou aware that this wood abounds with orcs and 2 headed canines?"
He absent-mindedly frisked himself. "Stargazer hath naught for the lad to draw upon........I don't think..." As of an idea suddenly struck him, he started to eagerly root around in his pack.
If Aloysius found nothing in his pack, Rennirolas went to his own. He pulled out a bone tube with caps on either end and retrieved a sheet of paper from within. The elf then wordlessly gave it to Heydrus.
Heydrus shrugged at the mage and didn't reply. He took the paper and writing implement and began to make a rough sketch of the keep.
"Actually, I was thinking that one of Oleanne's friends might be the most knowledgeable escort," Arachne said wearily. She nodded at a wolf.
"No," inserted Oleanne rather forcefully. "Town not like wolf, wolf not like town. Belshar, Arlin stay with me."
"I didn't mean that they had to escort him _all_ the way into the town," Arachne sighed. "Just past the orcs and two-headed dogs and stuff."
After several minutes, Aloysius produced a small book with a flourish. "Ah-ha!" he exclaimed. His excitement was promptly squelched as he saw Rennirolas hand the paper to Heydrus. His shoulders slumped and his arms dropped to his sides. "Oh......." he muttered softly. "Guess do I that thou hast no need of....." His voice trailed off and it wasn't possible to hear the entirety of his sentence. The mage stuffed the book back into his pack and shuffled off towards the creek.
Shortly after Heydrus finished drawing the map and making his commentaries, Aloysius returned from the creek. He still seemed very somber and troubled. He looked down at the map the boy had drawn, glanced at the others, and then sat down on the ground without saying anything.
Aloysius sat on the ground for a moment, and then began to rock vigorously back and forth. A faint humming sound rose from his throat as he did this. Finally, he stopped and stood back up. His eyebrows twitched wildly.
"Hah!" he yipped. "Map." He once again looked down at Heydrus's map. "There!" he said, pointing to the area depicicting the secret door Ranchefus had escaped through. "'Tis where we must go first." He rose up on his tiptoes for a moment and then squatted down. "Ranchefus must we find quickly. We must avoid the upper level entirely. We must be as strong as possible when we face the dark priest. Arachne can take us."
He then started to crawl along the ground on all fours, stopping briefly to grin at Belshar and Arlin. As he did so, he muttered, "take...take...take.....must not forsake.....dark....dark....dark......"
Arachne watched the wizard unhappily. When he'd wound down at last, she said, quietly, "I hate being subjected to oracular pronouncements. Even more, I hate being the subject of oracular pronouncements.
Etienne looked over to Arachne, "Now you know how Oleanne felt when you tried to volunteer Arlin and Belshar earlier."
"Point noted," Arachne replied. "Point blunted by the number of anti-parallels in the two situations." She shrugged. "And does everything I say come out as oracular as that was?"
Rumer smiled suddenly, a trace of her old impishness, "I think he just compared you to an oracle."
Arachne continued, "If you wish, I can return you to the top of the stairs. I can't place you right at the place where Ranchefus disappeared because I wasn't there. I only got partway down the stairs before I decided to get out of everyone's way and retreated back up. I wouldn't've recommended popping in right in front of Ranchefus's secret door even if I could manage it, but I'm kind of cowardly that way.
"We'll be going through using that sequence that Aloysius suggested before, right?"
After he circled the camp area once, he returned to the tree he had slept by the night before, leaned against it, and stared blankly ahead. His mouth was open slightly and every minute or so he would inhale deeply through his nostrils.
Arachne drifted over to Lasiar. "If you'll only carry that ring and not wear it," she said, "then give it me. I'll wear it. Sometimes, it's needful to take some risk to find things out." She looked around. "Unless someone else...?"
"I'll take a middle of the night watch," Arachne announced. "I'll have some healing on myself to do then, anyway. Or try," she added ruefully. "Are we this time going to be assaulting the keep under daylight?"
"I will join you. If you see anything just tell me where to swing." Blacky said with a laugh "We should plan on getting there just before daybreak."
When Arachne asked Lasiar for the ring since he wasn't going to use it, he waited to see if someone would protest before handing it over to her. He picked up the potion vial, sniffing it and eventually tasting it. "I would guess it to be beneficial," he announced, "but I don't know what it is." He put the vial with the rest of his belongings.
Falgout tuned back in long enough to add, "I can barely wield a sword with my left hand, and I am not accustomed to fighting with compromised sight. I do not know how helpful I will be, but I will return to the keep so that Tyr's shrine can be cleansed. I expected to die there before. It will be nothing to me if it happens now." He glanced over at Rumer, something that he had been doing occasionally, but he still didn't say anything to the girl. He looked at least as miserable as she did.
"If you stay with us," Arachne suggested to Falgout, "and you and I both survive this, I still think I can help you restore your hand and recover your sight. It'll just take some work. All I'm asking," she concluded, "is that you be cagy with your life."
Rumer spoke, almost fiercely, "You're not going to die. I told you they'd get you out and take care of you and they did that, didn't they? So stop it. You're going to clean the altar and Tyr will be all happy."
Falgout gave Rumer a surprisingly angry look and sputtered a couple of times before he stood up. "Let me know when you want me to keep watch tonight," he managed to get out before he walked over to a tree by the stream and sat under it, away from everyone else.
Lasiar nodded when Aloysius mentioned the undead, "The undead that Ranchefus commands are strong. In his presence, they resist being turned."
"What spells were you planning to have ready?" Arachne asked Aloysius. "And Etienne, Lasiar and Starchaser, I guess the same goes for you: Will you have any miracles at hand besides the healing one? "(Did I miss anyone?) "I have my own modest healing capability and the portal trick. I can also make myself ghostly and get through walls that way. I can shapeshift, but it takes so long for me to effect that, that I don't consider that likely to be useful in the keep. I can also improve my senses -- wildly keen sight or hearing or sense of smell -- that's how I can manage to track things. That's pretty much it. Those are my bag of tricks and the catch is that they're all tiring. If I hold open the door for a long time early, I may make myself too tired to do anything else helpful later. But I'm telling you all this because, if we really want to plan something for our delightful host, then you need to know how I might help. For example, if we do want to look for that tunnel, I might be able to help Kaileer hunt for it."
"I intend to prepare a spell of magical sleep for any bandits we encounter, the energy spell that thou hast seen me employ afore, and....." the mage's voice trailed off a bit as his cheeks flushed slightly, ".....a spell of uncertain value that worked not well afore. Howe'er, 'tis better to have it ready than to have naught in its place."
He cleared his throat. "I would advocate for the use of Arachne's portal to take us directly to the area from whence Ranchefus did last make his escape. From there, perhaps we could venture through the hidden doorway and locate him once again."
"I think we should save Arachne's particular talents for leaving after we've found Echo and disposed of Ranchefus. Here is what I would advise. We let Rumer open the door if they locked it behind us again. Then we search the first level for clues, survivors, friendly or otherwise, and anything else that might help. Falgout, do you know about where that temple is? Then we move on to the lower level. That way we leave nothing to chance and no one behind us." Blacky paused "Let the boy draw his map and explain to us where everything is located, then maybe I can formulate a more complete course of action."
Seeing that none of the others were moving to take the bow, Kaileer picked it up, tested it's flexibility and nodded, apparently satisfied with it's condition. The ranger then removed the feathers from his old bow and attached them to the enchanted bow and placed the old weapon on the treasure pile.
Etienne nodded in agreement with Blacky, "I'll take whatever watch you want me too. I am not picky. Perhaps we should let the more severly wounded to go without a watch tonight. This would speed along their healing."
"I'll take whatever watch you want me to. I'm not going to get much sleep anyway." Rumer said softly.
Once watches were decided Etienne went over and sat with Oleanne.
"I for one, intend to have a pair of healing spells on hand as we venture into the keep. In addition to those two," Rennirolas continued, "I will have a true Blessing to cast, and possibly a spell to Entangle our opponents. Although I am unsure of that last, I should have to consider what shall be most important."
Rennirolas tapped a finger against his lips, "I have a spell of Sixth Sense granted me every day by the Protector, so I shall have that also."
"It has been said that the undead of the keep are stronger than those abominations normally encountered," Renn said as he looked about the group. "With that, I do not know how effective my attempts to turn them shall be. I *will* try however," Rennirolas said emphatically. "Creatures as those need to be destroyed."
Rumer tentatively spoke up, "Um, what is our plan? I was thinking if we had some sort of magic that might cause a distraction, use it and see if we can get Ranchefus to waste a spell or something on it while we go at him from behind. Or something like that. If I can hide and jump out at him or anyone, I'll do more damage that way." she added.
"I could make myself ghostly," Arachne offered. "I don't know how much a ghostly little gnome would distress an evil priest, but I might attract his ire -- at least his attention. Ghostliness is _very_ tiring, though. I'd only be able to manage it a few minutes, depending on what else I'd done already. Well, it was a thought. Do you think if I put up a portal at the edge of his vision it would worry him enough?"
"That gives me an idea. When we encounter Ranchefus again would you be able to duck out of site and create a portal somewhere behind him? I could focus his attention on me and Rumer could go through the portal to come up behind him, like she did before." Blacky asked
Aloysius looked at the pile of non-magical weapons, and then at the remaining gems and jewelry. "Need of we to decide what to do with these things. I have no need or desire for any more wealth, and it seems rather untidy to just leave these weapons in the midst of Oleanne's wood."
"Is it to be three watches then?" Rennirolas asked. "If so, I will stand the initial watch."
The elf paused and ran a hand through his hair. "With all the excitement so far, I have forgotten to ask you all a question I had intended to ask long ago. Where are we?" Rennirolas looked bemused as he asked.
"I was taken by the bandits in Haranshire, somewhere between the Reaching Wood and the Far Hills. I do know we traveled some distance, but not how far," Rennirolas offered in clarification.
"What watch do you want me to stand?" Jana said wearily to the group in general, looking back over her shoulder. She remained seated against the tree.
Rumer turned to Rennirolas. "Will you play your flute for us?" she asked winsomely. "Quietly, but maybe some music would be good."
"With pleasure," Rennirolas nodded. He rose quietly from the fire, and opened the case which contained his flute. It was nothing more than a plain wooden flute, but Renn handled it with care. Seated beside the fire again, the elf began to play a quiet tune. It were in no way a lively song, but neither was it morose. Instead, the soft tune evoked memories of quiet days, and the wind as it passed through the tall trees.
Rumer leaned back and listened, though she did not attempt to close her eyes.
Blacky joined in quietly with his smooth bass voice and began singing an almost forgotten song about when Toril was young.
