Prologue: Paying Your Debts

With horns like that of a ram curving around his head, the silver eyed paladin looked more like a scoundrel planning to ambush an innocent passerby rather than the hunter of evil that he actually was. Kaiakas peered through the underbrush to the ruined tower that lay beyond the small clearing. The reports of howling and disappearances could be connected. He sneered as visions of evil swam through his mind. Whether it be beast or creatures more vile, Kaiakas had vowed to discover the source of these disturbances in order to return a semblance of peace to the area. The tiefling looked to the other members of his group, waiting for them to all be ready to move on the tower. As wary as he was of most people, he felt he could trust these individuals, for now.

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Perception check on clearing and tower. Is anything moving? Do I hear anything?

Corban looked on at the tower, cursing the pain in his head that the previous night's drink, or maybe the fighting, had caused. I suppose if all we have to do is bash some weird monster's head in, we should do alright. He glanced at the other members of the party, similarly crouched in the bushes, confirming his previous thought. This group will do some damage. I'm sure Zaris will have some tricks up his sleeve like he usually does, and as much as he might not agree with the Tiefling's beliefs, he was a terror when evil was involved.

He took a moment to make sure his sword was loose in its scabbard, and looked on to the tower, anxious to be done with this hiding in the bushes.

Soft footsteps into the earth could scarcely be heard as Reina Coldhearth strode to catch up with the group. A slight chill crawled up out from nowhere, creating a sense of unease in the barbarian's gut. Reina gripped her axe tightly, anticipating another mystery for her and her companions to explore, just as they had done many times in the past. The weathered warrior looked over to see both Kaiakas and Corban. Feirce warriors, the both of them. Reina called them "Friends." Kaiakas gave Reina a small sense of worry; the devil-child was very foreign to her, the clan had taught that such creatures were beings of evil. Kaiakas, strangely enough, always acted the opposite. Reina was much more partial to Corban, as she had fought with him on many occasions, but if Corban trusted Kaiakas then Reina would set her unease to rest.

"I don't think we were followed. Our tracks are light." Reina announced quietly to the party. She really didn't need to worry about their footsteps, they had followed a pre-worn path, but her reflex and instinct instructed her otherwise. There was no telling who might show up behind her, specifically, and Reina wouldn't risk the entire group for her carelessness. Today was a simple job, and Reina would ensure her might was enough to see it done.

Zaris shook his head to himself as he surveyed the scens. "This is not what I was expecting for the day," he thought to himself, making eye contact with Corban. He was indebted to the warrior and, in all actuality, had grown quite fond of him over the past months. His crude sense of humor kept Zaris from taking life too seriously. The elven wizard was still a bit unsure as to how the events of the past night unfolded. He was sitting quietly at the table reading as usual and the next thing he knew it had all come to blows. He did his best to help but someone (or something) got the drop on him and knocked him out cold. He awoke a few hours ago to the sound of an angry gnome talking about this tower.

"Who would bother to follow us out here anyway Reina?" he asked with a smile. He loosed the sword from his scabbard and then muttered a few words quietly to himself pointing the blade at the remains of the tower. "Eleth ander toolign!" A flash of red formed at the ground in front of tower door and the image of a small wolf appeared. Zaris hoped that it may draw out any would-be foes out of their hiding.

Rurik mutters curses on the heads of all Gnomish innkeepers, blinking gritty eyes against the bright sunshine. His emaciated form at odds with the lush verdant surroundings. "Sodding gnome, ye'd think he never saw carousing before." The words pass his lips wetly before pausing to spit something vile into the underbrush before continuing in a clearer voice, "Any of you know what's so sodding special about this sodding tower?" He waves a hand vaguely in the direction of the edifice, the tatters of his sleeve fluttering with the motion. Much like the rest of his appearance, his garb has seen better days, stained and stitched till it seems the patches are all that holds it together.

"I smell death. Keep alert everyone," Zaris said, keeping his blade held at the ready.

"ugh," Corban said, grimacing. "I hate dead things, why can't the spooky tower ever be full of drunken gnomes that need evicting?"

Zaris laughs. "If only Corban. If only.

"I can confirm Zaris' suspicions. I smell decaying flesh as well." Reina shriveled her nose in disgust, tightening her grip on her weapon. She looked around at the group, wondering why Corban wasn't taking charge as she pictured he would. It mattered not. The bold barbarian strode forward towards the tower, looking over her shoulder to her teammates, "You all coming?"

"I suppose the gnome wants the tower intact, else we could give the base a few sound thwacks, let it fall saving us th'time of clearing it a room a'time?" Rurik rumbles speculatively. He readies his war hammer all the same as he steps forward with the rest.

"I thought you'd never ask" Corban answered Reina with a sly grin. "And Rurik, as much as I like your out-of the box thinking, I'm not sure you brought a big enough hammer" Corban looks at the strange Dwarf and hesitates, as if uncomfortably unsure of how serious Rurik was being in the first place.

Standing, Corban drew his longsword and started toward Reina. On his way he turned toward Zaris "Best let us heavies spring the trap, Z, I'd hate for you to burn those pretty robes"

At the declarations of death and decay, Kaiakas steeled himself, sure of evil's touch on the tower ruins. He stood to join Reina, sword and shield in hand. He cocked an eyebrow at Rurik. Had anyone else mentioned something as ridiculous as knocking the tower over, the tiefling might have made some condescending remark. Rurik was a friend though. He saw the dwarf as cursed by the power he wielded, and had earned a measure of respect from the paladin. "Would you burn down a forest to stop rampaging beasts too?" He gave a small smile. "It is good you are so devoted to the cause."

"Thank you Corban," Zaris replied with a grin. "Although after that silly human threw up on them last night burning them seems the rational thing to do!" he added before dropping to the back of the party and giving a quick look over his shoulder to make sure no one was behind them.

Reina patiently waited for her party members to inspect the tower, circling it for information. She noticed Zaris was checking behind them, which made her a little angry considering she had been covering their tracks during the trek. It was insulting to think she couldn't handle such an easy task. She grunted and put the thought to the side. Her eye drifted toward the side of the tower, where it seemed like a short climb could easily have her inside the tower. Best she ask her party members for input before Reina scaled the thing. "I think I could enter through the window by climbing the wall," Reina said with a point, "Perhaps I will take that route, while Corban and Kaiakas take the front door?"

Zaris, satisfied that nothing was behind them, made his way closer to Corban with his sword drawn at ready. "Perhaps you'll be able to see something we can't,the elf said to Reina. He stuck his sword into the ground while he quickly retrieved a small piece of leather from his bag and waved his hand over it and whispered a few words over it. A glowing purple mist rose from the leather and spread itself over Zaris. He grabbed his sword back out of the ground and looked at the others Ready when you are," he said confidently.


OOC: Casting mage armor.

"Good plan, Reina. Just don't let yourself get too separated if there's a storey between us when you drop into the window. I'll do the honours once you start climbing." Corban approached the door carefully, and deliberately enough to let his party mates get into the position.

OOC: Once Reina starts climbing I'll crack the door. Moving slowly enough in case any one has any objections.