The Nightingale, Act II: A Village By Night

[kintire]

Caitlin moves around the common room, making sure the lanterns are burning brightly. She makes no move to retire to bed, eying the darkened stairs occasionally as if expecting something to burst down them.

"I'm sure the mayor will have everything under control. Does anyone wish to retire? I can give you lanterns... or would you prefer something to drink?"

[VAN]

Boiros turns to Caitlin unsure if she can understand him and says:

"I'm not from here and I don't know what customs you may have but I suggest we all get our stuff and sleep here tonight, we can have the ligts on and I'm sure everyone will feel safer among others than alone to his/her room."

[ewancummins]

Varian stands near a window, listening for sounds--any sounds.

Outside, silence.

It takes you some time until you realize that you're really not hearing anything from outside.

No wind, as all day, since the voice.
But also, no sounds from the stables.
From the other houses.
From the village militia.

Just nothing.

He mutters just loudly enough for the others to hear-
"Gods and Dead--- it's quiet out there."

He looks around the room. His eyes settle on Caitlin. Standing up a little taller, he makes his voice louder, saying-
"I'm going to check on the beasts in the stables."

[steveflam]

Xavril rises from his seat near the fire. "You aren't going alone, my young friend. I shall accompany you." Looking outside he too notices how quiet it is. How eerily quiet it is.

[kintire]

Caitlin looks uncertainly at Boiros, replying in fluent Mordentish;

"Customs can vary in a time of crisis... maybe you're right..."

She then looks even more uncertainly at Varian.

"I... I'm not sure that's... wise. I mean of course you are entitled to, but we don't know what's... uh, going on."

[ewancummins]

Xavril rises from his seat near the fire. "You aren't going alone, my young friend. I shall accompany you." Looking outside he too notices how quiet it is. How eerily quiet it is.

''Thanks, I'll be glad of the company."

She then looks even more uncertainly at Varian.

"I... I'm not sure that's... wise. I mean of course you are entitled to, but we don't know what's... uh, going on."

He turns to face Caitlin.
"You are welcome to come too. "

[VAN]

Boiros smiles at the woman that surprisingly understands him!

"Do you need help get everyone's stuff down here Caitlin? Better you don't go upstairs alone."

Turning to Varian says:

"If you give me a minute to help Caitling get everything down here I can come with you outside if you want."

[ewancummins]

In Mordentish, Varian tells the foriegn priest-
<"That is not necessary, thanks anyway. I prefer to sleep in my own room. Go on and fetch the baggage of the others if they consent. ">


In Darkonese, he tells the gnome,

"Let's go."

Varian leaves the common room in order to get ready to go to the stables.

[steveflam]

Xavril follows, Hammer in one hand leaning on his muscular shoulder.

[VAN]

Boiros just shruggs and turning to Caitlin says:

"Ready when you are."

[kintire]

Caitlin nods to Varian but says;

"I should stay in the inn."

She nods gratefully at Boiros and heads upstairs clutching the lantern closely. She will fetch her things and anyone else who wishes.

[VAN]

Boiros follows Caitlin trying to appear confident but at the same time looks around for everything out of the ordinary.

[Trike]

Walks Xavril and Varian to the door.

"Something unnatural is going on. If you come up against trouble, you might want to beat a retreat back to the inn so we can face it together. I want to stay and protect the people here. Good luck you two."

He looks down at the gnome, smiling reassuringly. "Nothing's going to be able to move as fast as you anyway."

When the daring pair leave, Nicodemus will return to help Boiros and Caitlin.

[Zilfer]

Ammanas decided to follow the two to the bar, a bit of divine protection just in case. He wasn't sure if the gods answered the call of the foreigner but he wouldn't be gone long if there was trouble. "I shall accompany you two, somethings not right with this silence..." said Ammanas in Darkonese before following the two with his scythe and gear in hand. He kept his holy symbol dangling outside of his shirt for now.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Manzan, Caitlin's uncle, and the innkeeper, takes his niece aside and quietly instructs her to tell her friends that leaving is forbidden by order of the mayor.

He will not let the group leave, and if they do, they will not find shelter under his roof any more.
Manzan looks at the priest of the Eternal Order with special disdain. Normally, disobeying the bidding of such a cleric
would mean certain death, but it seems Amanas' uncommon behavior has provoked the villagers' disrespect.



Those gawking outside of the door will notice that the night has grown chillfully cold.
Yet, the animals in the stables, from what you can overhear from your current position, are irritated and nervous.

But you don't hear the animals inside the stable snicker, or whine.
You just know they are there because the mules nervously smash their hooves against the stable's walls,
an unsteady rythm, yet not unlike the beating of a drum.


You can distinguish the noises so clearly, because the rest of the village remains dead silent.

Just this ghostly drum.

...And the sound of hooves hitting the ground, somewhere in the distance.

Have the messengers come back?