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The hours passed quietly and without incident, you can rest from the difficult night you had yesterday.
Later that night...
The tolling of the Night Bell announces dinner. (If you go to the frater)
A large, cold room stands before you. Evidently meant to accommodate far more people than currently sit within some of the dining room’s tables have obviously stood unused for years. At your arrival, Ruan, Malvenos, Thomas and a female acolyte sat at the far table turn to face you.
Ruan, a smile on his face, rises and gestures you forward.
Come, come join us, the food will come soon
"Good night, may Darlen bless us all."
Jal helps Tamarie sits first, and then sits down next to her.
Felixus studies the four. are there really only four and the guests for diner? he thinks to himself.
He sits a little awkwardly not sure if he should volunteer to read the writings of the saint of the season or if the practice of reading whilst eating has fallen out of fashion here like so many other things seem to have.
Achlys had woken upon the bell to find Gram still standing watch. She stretched and remedied her appearance as best as she could, and, with dagger still hidden in her boot, made her way down with Gram and the others to meet the curate and his people.
She encountered the faces of the four -- her eyes resting on the female acolyte whom Achlys had not met earlier. Resting a smile on her face she inclined her head and bid all a "Good Eve" before moving to the table and taking her place, knowing that Gram would occupy a chair on one side of her.
Achlys silently took in the surrounds and those present in the dining chamber, wondering if the sequestered female traveller would be joining them.
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Ach: what are you looking for? you sees nothing special or concealed, and there is no sign of the traveller.
The female acolyte don't look at you directly, Thomas is somewhat lost in his thoughts, Malvenos keep a watch at you all, and Raun seems happy to have your company.
Another man comes with the dinner; bread, cheese and a thick vegetable soup. He serves Ruan first, you next and lastly his partners.
A couple of minutes passes and the dinner is cheerless; the subdued clergy speak of little beyond the storm’s sudden onset. Some small heat comes from the frater’s fire, but the room is cold. As the wind rattles the building’s roof tiles
"Brothers, I hope you don't mind asking, but, are we few because of the season, or is the monastery always this empty?"
Some members abandoned us in autumn to join another congregation in the south, perhaps some others join us in springtime, but there is a real chance that the next year will be just us
I'm Afraid these are not Cymer's golden years
But those days will come back brother, Darlen will make sure they do
"Praise Darlen! Yes, he will see to his faithful. I am glad you didn't go south. We would have been in a big problem if you weren't here to save us and take us in."
"Indeed. Your health and praises to your lord," agreed Agramayne, lifting his glass. "But for the sound of your bell we should not be found until Spring."
"What news is there?" he continued. "Is there aught else that has happened here or that you have heard of?"
Nothing really, but unfortunately Darlen Faithfuls are not as numerous as before around here, they were needed somewhere else.
At least they avoid the freezing cold of this year - The half elf words almost Interrupt Ruan, but the priests silence show that they don't disagree with him.
Tamarie wakes, feeling much better after her nap and joins everyone for the meal so graciously provided by their hosts.
Tomas agree with a Nods at Ruan words - The ones that left prefered a more populated congregation, we stay due to our duty with Cymer.
They had their reasons, I don't blame then, Although their presence would have been if we take into accounts what have happened in the last days - With those words an uncomfortable silence falls on the other clerics.
"What happened if I might know?"
There have been a couple of unusual events in the last days, like some unusual lights in the forest, right Malvenos?
THe Half-elf sights and say
I saw the lights in the trees about a week ago.
Saw them twice, but couldn’t tell what they were. The lights
seem very dim and never left the trees so I didn’t investigate
further. Strange things dwell in the deeper parts of the
woods – goblins and worse – and I thought it could be a trap
The lights are nothing to worry about; perhaps a lost
hunter or some strange, but natural beast. Malvenos, you
worry too much.
"Yes, we were attacked by such creatures on our way here. I wouldn't pay too much attention to them, and as we dealt with them, I would expect the lights to be missing from now on."
I bet The lights were nothing but the doomed spirits of the savages who claimed these lands centuries ago. They worshipped false gods and eternal damnation is their fate!
The Half-elf doesn't seems convinced
Something is stirring; some doom is gathering about this sacred place. The forest is normally bustling with the sounds of woodland creatures preparing for winter, but not this year. Something has scared the creatures away, something unnatural has come to Cymer.
Don't be silly Malvenos, The Justicar would never allow anything bad approach to to this Holy place
Felixus's interest is raised, proof of the divine in some manner seems almost too good to be true. He will try to keep a steady face and eat in reverent silence at this stage.
Tamarie is persuaded by the collective agreement that the lights are no trouble to them or what is left of this small temple.
"Tell me more about these lights," said Agramayne, hoping for some adventure and agreeing with Malvenos that something evil stirred in or around the priory.
"Did they move? How many could you see at one time? Were they always in the same direction? Has this ever happened before?"
The light moved, I could not count how many of them were but they never left the trees, we searched at daybreak, no sign of what caused the lights
was found
But the lights have not been seen in several days - Ythel adds in a serious but dismissive way.
And the Track two days ago?
With a sing Ruan ask Malvenos to explain to you
The tracks were plentiful and were made by at least six creatures. I didn’t hear anything while they were made, so they must have been stealthy. They seemed to mill about the gate before returning down the trail. They could have been goblins
That was nothing more that peasant children from the nearby village here on a dare, perhaps to steal our treasure or play some pathetic joke. If I catch them, they'll get a sound thrashing!
"Or the goblinoids we killed before getting here."
Felixus is rather despondent this may not actually be a sign of the divine at all. He will try to keep these emotions from his face and eat in contemplative silence.
THe woman in there, that have not spoken a word so far, react to Jal words
It is true that you killed the creatures Malvenos is talking about? Are we...are we safe now?
Don't worry rosenn, no evil can reach us behind the priory's walls
"We didn't will all of them, but the cold finished the work. It almost got us, too."
He smiles at the woman.
"But you have nothing to worry about, as Brother Tomas says, we are safe within the priory. And better yet, protected from the cold and wind!"
"Assuming that the meager few we encountered were in fact all of them and not just one raiding party of many." Felixus mutters darkly as he continues to consume his fairly tasteless soup.
Achlys, who had remained silent during most of the exchange, turned her gaze to the fighter, Jal, "You have no true knowledge that the cold killed the remaining goblin creatures."
And then looking to Agramayne and Malvenos, with whom she had an accord on the matter at hand, she continued to all, "I would not explain the lights away as savages or peasant children. The latter especially would not make sense for it is far too cold for the children to wander and stray from their homes and warm hearths."
Achlys voice was not raised, but was still commanding in the dining hall. The inquisitor wondered at the naivety of some of the folk gathered around the table.
"To turn a blind eye to any sign of threat or unnatural behaviour is not prudent. And a wall can be breached by resourceful intruders - even a priory wall."
"Aye," agreed Agramayne. "And on the morrow I'm going to go out looking for what caused those lights. Anyone who wants can join me in the morning."
"You make a good point, Achyls. Anything that can survive in the cold that long could be a possible danger. Maybe after we've all rested and recovered, we should go investigate it with Agramayne."
Looking from Agramayne to Tamarie, she nodded at their accord,
"I will join you both on the morrow. Let us find explanation for these lights and silent woodland creatures to put the brothers' minds at ease."
Your offer to investigate the issue seems to content the old curate
I'm glad you will take action on the matter of the strange lights, but there is something else I would like to ask from you...over the last few months a half‐dozen gold and silver icons have gone missing from around the priory, the thief identity remains unknown.
With that words all an uncomfortable silence falls in the room that is only broke when Tomas speaks his mind