Mists over the Musarde, Chapter Five

[steveflam]

Wat's eyes grow wide at Dorgio's explanation-

''Oh! Well, what shall we do to stop it?''

Norzak looks at the man with a straight face "We kill the monster. Cut it's head off an burn tha body. Or stake it with a wooden stake then burn tha body. Either way we gots ta kill it."

[ewancummins]

Wat speaks-

''Uhhh...I don't understand, is this a wolf that drinks blood? A ghost that drinks blood? How do we track it? Do we follow those wolf-prints, or is that the wrong way? I've never before hunted a vampire!''

[Lord Skybolt]

"It is a thing that is one of the more powerful undead and needs to be killed just as Norzak says . " Alain replies to Wat in a whisper to him .

[ewancummins]

Wat responds to Alain-

''Oh, I see! So, this thing is solid? Would it have left a trail that hounds can follow? Footprints that we can see? ''

[Lord Skybolt]

"It has various powers depending on how long it has been around and what or who created .
Yes it is solid but can take a gaseous form for hunting escape . And other forms depending on how powerful it is ." Alain giving what info he has heard about vampires .

[JMaytr]

"I know all too well about Vampires. They are the foulest of the night things. I say if there is a vampire here we must all leave at once! It will stalk all of us until there is no one left!"

Jonathan stares hard at Cirdan as he speaks.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain is nodding at Jons words as he says them in complete agreement .

[Le Noir Faineant]

"I know all too well about Vampires. They are the foulest of the night things. I say if there is a vampire here we must all leave at once! It will stalk all of us until there is no one left!"

Jonathan stares hard at Cirdan as he speaks.

Cirdan remains staring at the boy for some time.

A strange, whistling sound can be heard from under the demon helmet the dark knight is wearing, and Cirdan's body seems to tremble...

Suddenly, the knight rises his huge sword...

To put it back in its sheath.

The ghastly, whistling sound grows louder until its very clear that the knight is desperately trying to surpress a fit of laughter.

He reaches for his backpack and pulls out the rusty sword he had taken in Wollutha's ruin and, still chuckling like a hen, offers it to John.

[Batman voice:]"If you behave like a real man, it's about time you get a real sword. - Mwahahahahaha..."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"I have heard that sometimes they can be taking the form of wolves, Wat. That may be explaining the tracks. Van Diecks could also transform. It is possible he has retained this power in undeath." As he says it, a cold feeling grips the pit of his stomach, but he cannot say why.

In response to Jon, Dorgio claps the young man on the shoulder. "Be bucking up! We slew Renault, did we not? And the Doctor was laid low once before, with the help of our late friend Buckman."

As soon as he says the dead man's name, he stops, blinks, then grows very still.

"Benn, can I be having a quick word?"

[Adam]

Benn looks skeptical. "Not that I doubt your experience with these creatures, Dorgio, your homeland certainly has a vile enough reputation for them. It should be noted that there are other possible explanations." He gestures. "Lack of blood can simply be a sign that this man was killed elsewhere and dumped here. And look," he gestures to the throat, "No indication of the tell-tale puncture wounds from fang marks. Admittedly, they could have been disguised or the creature could have drank from the gash in his throat, but still." He shrugs. "There is an expression in the medical profession: When one hears hoofbeats, one should first assume they come from horses, not zebras."

He indicates the retreating pack of hounds. "Let's walk and talk, Dorgio. I think the air will do much for my reasoning, and getting rid of this hangover."

[ewancummins]

Wat sits down on a fallen tree to wait while the experts debate. He tugs at Alain's sleeve.

''I think our hunt will be slow to start. The boke-men are talking. How should I explain all this to the hunters? They want to know what is going on, and I am unsure how to answer. ''

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"Perhaps you are correct," Dorgio tells Benn with a conciliatory tilt of the head. "I am knowing you had slain Renault, and he had come back as a sort of vampire, yes? I had been thinking that perhaps The Doctor had made a similar transformation. But yes, perhaps the body was moved, or the blood collected for another purpose."


With that, Dorgio motions Benn slightly away from the other party. "Are you remembering," he says in a whisper, "When we killed the Doctor, Buckman, he took the Doctors tools. But they were gone when we found Buckman's body. I am wondering if the scalpel used last night wasn't taken from the tools looted from Buckman. If so, then whoever the killer is may have been here for much longer than I was thinking. I am not sure what it is meaning yet, but something, it is not right."

[JMaytr]

Jonathan walks over to where Alain and Wat sit on the log.

"I must tell you Wat, if you have a vampire at work here the monster is not easily destroyed. Your hunters will need magic, spells and weapons. I fear it is my fault your friend is dead. Had i not killed Van Dieks, we could have brought him back alive to the gypsies. I told them all that failing the gypsies would cause them to curse this camp. I was right! Now a monster worse than Van Dieks haunts this whole moot.

"Where I am from, the country of Mordent, I worked with a man that hunted these creatures, vampires. The reason he dedicated his life to hunting these monsters down was because one such creature killed his son. But that was not the worst part! My friends son had been stolen by the gypsies and given as a gift to this monster! The gypsies are a dark and evil force in this land with extensive ties to vampires. You have known them as traders because they did not want something from you. Now that they desired the body of Van dieks and we were unable to deliver him, they have extracted a far fouler price. If we remain here the vampire will kill us all."

Jonathan puts a hand on Alains shoulder.

"Alain knows magics that could help us, but without his sight he will be at a disadvantage. We have to find healers that can mend his eyes! If your hunters go into the woods without the right tools, they will not return. If we would have any chance against this beast, we must leave this place, find Alain a healer, and equip ourselves against this threat!"

[ewancummins]

Wat replies to Jon-

''Ah, I have asked the wise ones about Alain's blindness, but none of our healers say that they can lift the Witch's curse with herbs. That is how we treat the sick, with plants from the forest or our gardens. This is a magic blindness, and it needs a magic cure. Maybe one who has travelled far would know of how to find a healer for Alain, but I have never seen the lands beyond the Wood.''

[JMaytr]

"It is time for us to look then Wat! These woods have held your people prisoner for too long. The witch no longer holds you here, but now this creature has you just as jailed. Let us travel beyond the woods. Lead your people to safety Wat! deliver them from this darkness!"