Ardor looks up at Koldur, "The halfling... he attacked me... a strange prescense was upon him but I had to defend myself. The darkness that was in him left him once I killed him but then the inky shadow left his body and came into mine. I... I... I don't know what to do?"
Phew Glad to hear Sable. We don't have to leave right away you know he says leaving him a bit by himself for some privacy as he walk over to Koldur.
What you were attacked ? Really he frown a little bit Mind taking us to the place it happened ? he says as he give a weird look to koldur as he nods toward him
"Yes, follow." She says simply, leading them to her room. The door nob has been taken off somehow. Inside the body has been covered by a blanket. Ardor stays outside in the hallway hugging herself. Blood still lies on the floor and one of the walls, a pool of blood has come out from under the blanket, soaking it as well.
Hearing that the halfling he had brought back was killed, Koldur is greatly saddened though he looks askance at Oscar's look, catching it for what it meant. Danger..
Leaving the horses saddled, he leaves to see the room.
So lets see someone has been able to get inside the "fort", enter his room and kill the poor fellow in his sleep without making a sound and got back outside ? First lets see if there are any obvious track by breaking and entering he says looking around the room for clues but really not paying full attention as he constantly eye Koldur
Ardor sobs then collects herself long enough to explain, "No, this is my room. He forced his way in there. I was luckily woken by his efforts."
She calms down from Sable's efforts.
"Please do." Koldur replies even as he examines the halfling.
so he came in, you didn't scream or raise some alarm, your weapon was near by and you killed him to défend your Life or your honor. And then some dark inky stuff left him for you ?
He says still looking around the room
She nods her head in confirmation.
Reknar takes in the scene, and pauses for a second next to the door - "The wood around where the door knob has been depressed as if by a tool or weapon, very little scuffing" - Reknar shrugs - "You say he forced his way in?" - he adds with a raised eyebrow.
Koldur thinks back to when he met Hundor or Welby when the officer of the church of Sarenae came to capture him. His words floating back to the back if this old dwarf.
"I was born sickly and my parents were not good people, they thought they could make the bad situation to their liking. They sold me for a devil contract. The Devil would make it so that I never died of sickness and my body would hold out from those weaknesses, in return my soul would be his once I died. What they did not know was that I hold a connection to the arcane as well. Some would call me a sorcerer but the more knowledgeable call me a witch. I have turned my abilities to help others but that still did little good with my parents always looking to make money. One night, the night in question I had enough. They beat me and I could do little but just take it. The devil or something took over me and began the fire. I woke up weak and sick like always but the lashes were gone. The caravan cart burnt and that is when the guards came. There was some laughing and I could not see where it came from. I was convicted since I was the only one there and conscious when the guards came."
"Where is Ardent?" he questions. "I thought she'd be keeping an eye on dis little one."
Koldur steps back towards the door but keeps a thumb on the haft of MoonShine.
Now suspicious, he proceeds to think back on Ardor's words once more.
once she has left the room
I actualy beleive her story to be true> Something fell wrong about it but considering that now she detects as Evil i can only say that i feel sorry for her. She would need a Dispel Evil or something very pozerfull in the way of divine magic to remove "it". Right now the only thing i can offer her is a quick death in order to force that thing out and be ready to fight it
A small blaze starts up where the halfling lies. The blood burns quickly as if it is fuel before your very eyes.
"What?" alarmed. Koldur has his axes in hand in a single blink of an eye.
So what now friends ? any idea on how to proceed with the evil inside the woman ?
Sable had taken Ardor/Ardent away from the scene a few minutes ago.
The halfling body is on fire, at least the blanket covering the body are on fire. The blood burns as if it was gasoline. The halfling body is in the room halfway in and against the wall.
The fire increases in volume and height as seconds pass. The room will likely be engulfed in flames in 3 rounds.
"We need to put this out! Feels like someone or something wants to burn the evidence!" - Reknar roars, reaching for a blanket from the bed, or the drapes, and trying to bat the fire away - "Get water!"
Oscar quick on his feet heads of of the room with the intent of getting buckets of water
Koldur rushes out as well, bellowing for water
"I need buckets of %^#E water for the fire." his tone barely disgusing his fury at seeing the halfling's body burning without rythme or reason.
The dwarves react quickly to the alarm but the water merely keeps the fire from leaving the room as it is engulfed in flames by the time they bring the water. Reknar tries to put out the flames but they spread quickly.
"Dang!" - the man roars - "Those are raging!"
Koldur rushes around and heads for the nearest water source, trying to rouse the others to action as well.
The dwarves arrives with pails of water and begin to douse the door. Soon enough the line of dwarves and allies get enough water to be able to open the door and begin to douse the room. Eventually the fires are out but the room is destroyed.
"Gods damn this" - Reknar complains - "Thanks for the help lads - this was getting out of hand" - Reknar nods to the dwarves.
Pushing the burnt down door open, if there is still one, he gets back inside - "How the heck did this happen?" - he wanders around the room, looking for any clues.
"No idea except its was sudden. Too sudden." Koldur grumbles covered with soot as he is.
How ?? i don't know either. But there is a certain matter of Evil inside a woman we must attend to right now. She needs to be detained and dealt with is no solution to the problem of having a demon inside her says a sweaty oscar after putting down the last bucket of water
"Well, the body is completely gone!" - the man grumbles exasperated - "So much for clues from that! You guys think you can give me a hand in going through this mess? Maybe there is something to be found - we need some sort of concrete evidence"
Sure Reknar, but we have to do it quickly because i don't want the Evil inside that woman to start anything else. It needs to be disposed he says rushing to start helping him
"If there's anything left, I suppose it would be under what remains of the bed." Koldur remarks even as he begins to make his way around the room sifting through the ashes and getting more soot in his beard.
"Once we are done, I'll join Oscar there in dealing with that woman. Something just ain't right here."
"Ok then" - Reknar moves to search under the bed, or whatever remains of it, carefully moving it aside if needed so as not to have it crumbling in his hands - "Yep, I wouldn't mind giving that girl some smacks myself" - he grumbles.
ok on 3 we push 3...2...1 he says putting his great strength into moving the bed
Koldur puts his own not so so considerable strength to the task of moving the bed.
The bed is lifted up on its side against the wall and revealed to all is a sooty halfling body. Upon closer inspection he is breathing, though his clothes are nearly all burnt away.
"How is this possible?" a obviously stunned Koldur exclaims even as he takes his own soot covered cloak to cover the halfling.
Doesn't really matter to me how i am happy he did. Now we really ought to go get the Evil inside that woman Pronto he says standing up heading for the door
"What?!" - Reknar stammers - "Are you ok?" - he stares incredulously - "How did you survive...?"
Doesn't really matter to me how i am happy he did. Now we really ought to go get the Evil inside that woman Pronto he says standing up heading for the door
"I guess you are right Oscar - we should go get her" - the man adds, still staring at the halfling.
The halfling is out cold but alive and breathing.
Koldur follows the others upon making sure the halling is in safe hands.
"Woman. Find. Go." his eyes are shaded and his mouth in a grim line as if anticipating something distastful.
The group begins to look, do you stay together?
If not, where do you look?
Koldur ventures a call to Sable.
"Sable, old friend is all well?"
Good night the fire has been put out and the hafling actually managed to live trough whatever append between him and her. Plus the evil that was inside him seems to have left from someone else.
It could have grown into a fire that would have destroyed the building, and it is in her he nods toward the woman
"Now that isn't a very comforting thought." Koldur looks at the sleeping woman then at Oscar.
"How do you propose we do this? I for one don't relish another fight with fire...."