“I wouldn’t be surprised if this was something she said for her own purposes just to stir things up,” Tarhall said. “But it sounds like we need to make certain.”

Entering the temple during the day was much easier, as the front door was open. But as most people were working on the rebuilding of the city, they only rarely encountered people other than priests.

Moving through the public areas turned out to be just as easy, but to go to where Anvil had met them during the night, would require that they left the public area and traveled where only the priests of Reorx were allowed to go.

The door leading to where they were not allowed to go was closed and indicated by a red rope hanging between two golden pillars about one yard tall.

[OOC: Think of those things used in a museum to keep people away from the exhibits. I can’t think of what they’re called right now. Not in Swedish or English.]

Owain begins to look about for a member of the temple staff, a priest or whoever else looks like he belongs.

"I suppose we should just ask to see Anvil."

As they return to the temple of Reorx, Olven Wolf shivers.  That the cleric might be a vampire is bad enough, but the thought of their new companion giving up his life to become a werewolf hunter is more than Olven can stomach.

"Does his kind sleep during the day?" he asks quietly.

"I don't know anything about vampires outside what the legends tell us," Tarhall said.

Finding a priest to talk to was easy. But gaining an audience with Anvil wasn't as easy. "He is busy," was the short reply the heroes received when they asked about him.

Owain seems unsure about how to proceed, as the constant pulling on his chin seems to indicate.

"We have a mission to fulfill. As in any task there will be issues abundant to waylay us and threaten to alter our course. We should continue our preparations for the lycaeum and return later. Let us leave a message for Kar and hope that he seeks us out on his own before we are forced to leave without him."

"And the creature, Sir Owain?"  Olven Wolf looks unsure.  "I'm not convinced the authorities have it in hand.  If it could attack so viciously, three times in a night - "  Olven leaves the thought unfinished, and he shakes his head.  "As you say."

Beckoning one of the temple workers, Olven says, "Could you take a message to our comrade, a monk named Kar?  We've been tasked with an assignment from the king, and we'd like to take him with us when we leave the city."  Turning to the others, Olven says, "When are we leaving, anyway?  Today?  Frankly, I don't want to spend another night in Kalaman."

"What is his position in the temple," the temple worker asked.

Olven shakes his head.  "I don't think he has a position here," he says slowly, rubbing his chin.  "He was tasked by the king to join us on a mission, but we left him with Anvil Ironfist.  The impression I got was that our companion, Kar, was asking to be made some kind of apprentice."

"Of course," the temple worker said and bowed slightly. "What message can I bring to him?"

"Tell him that his companions leave tomorrow. He can find us at Olven's home before noon. That is all the time we can give him unless he finds us beforehand."

"I will pass the message along," the temple worker said. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Warn him that the creature has attacked again," Olven Wolf says.  "It nearly killed me last night, and it will undoubtedly strike again."  Reflexively, Olven reaches for his neck where the thing's brutal fangs had ripped into his neck.

"I will do that," the temple worker said.

As they were talking, Kar suddenly walked down the corridor towards them. He was wearing a heavy robe on top of his soft leathers and shoes rather than sandals. In one of his hands he was holding his staff and a wide brimmed hat. He nodded in greeting at the others.

A human woman accompanied him. She was obviously not one of the clerics.

"Kar!" Olven Wolf moves forward to greet their comrade.  "We were just leaving a message for you." When Olven reaches Kar, the mercenary lowers his voice and says, "What has happened?  We feared you might have bitten off more than you could chew." Wolf looks closely at Kar, as if to see any noticeable changes in their companion.

"I'm fine," Kar said and placed a glowed hand on Olven's shoulder. "I found out what I needed to know to fight this beast."

Owain smirks at Olven's little joke and tosses him an amused glance then rolls his eyes away. His eyes come to rest on the female figure arriving with Kar.

"Who is your friend?" Owain asks.

"Her name is Sarah Caladen," Kar said. "And she will be traveling with us to the Lyceum.”

As the female stepped forward to greet the others, they noted that this attractive blonde with baby blue eyes looked even younger than Olven and more than 10 years younger than Kar, who in his mid 30s was the oldest of the group.

She was slightly tanned and of slight built, a number of inches shorter than Kar and even slighter in build than Handar. Two of her together wouldn’t be as big as Owain, who was the biggest of them by far.

She wore a common dress and didn’t seem to be armed and her curls cascaded halfway down her back.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:53, Wed 26 May 2010.

Looking at the newest addition to their group, Olven makes a small bow.  Although the addition of another member to their group, one who hasn't been brought in by the king, should raise eyebrows, he says nothing to the contrary, accepting her inclusion as a matter of course.

"A pleasure, Sarah," Olven says.  "I'm Olven Wolf, and this is Sir Owain and Tarhall."  Looking at the others, he asks, "Shall we collect Handar and head out?  What of the werewolf?"

“Likewise,” Sarah said and returned the bow and made a similar bow to Tarhall. She curtsied at Sir Owain. “It’s nice to meet all of you.”

“Handar,” Sarah said. “The merchant?” And when the heroes confirmed that he was a merchant, she continued.

“I heard rumors last night that he had a document from the king that allowed him to do anything he wanted. There are many who would like to get their hands on such a document. And according to the latest rumors on the subject, Handar has vanished. I don’t know if that means he’s in hiding or if someone else has gotten their hands on that document.”

[OOC: As Handar’s player hasn’t been in contact for quite some time, I’m putting the character to the side for the moment. He may return or he may not. I realize that some of the heroes might want to come to his aid, but at this point you will not find him, nor be able to do anything to help him.]

"Do we have any leads on where we can find the werewolf," Kar asked.

Owain wags his head and clucks his tongue at the news concerning Handar. "I figured a merchant would show more restraint and maintain some sense of secrecy where the document was concerned. I should not have let it out of my possession so quickly but now it seems likely that we have lost them both. I will notify the garrison of his disappearance but im afraid we have lost enough time as it is without having to track him down."

"Leads concerning the werewolf. Perhaps, but we were hoping our werewolf slaying initiated would be able to assist on that front.  Tell us, what happened to you after we parted ways last night?"

Owain gazes curiously at the young woman standing with Kar.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:52, Thu 27 May 2010.

"I learned how to beat the werewolf," Kar said. "And I met Sarah."

Sarah smiled at this, but as she noted Owain looking at her, she averted her eyes demurely.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:25, Thu 27 May 2010.

The knight grimaces at the terse reply, obviously having wanted more of an explanation of Handar's doings.

"Secrets so soon. We are not completely unaware of the situation, Olven and I. You are not under my authority and men are free to keep what secrets they will, so I will not press the issue. I hope my concerns prove to be unfounded and that your secret does not put us at odds. I will be less forgiving later than if I were trusted now."

Owain talks in his much practiced authoritative tone, as if coaxing a confession out of a drunken soldier. He waits intently on Kar's reply with his arms crossed against his chest, as if expecting the monk to come clean.

“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell,” Kar said, winked, and slapped Owain on the arm in a spirit of camaraderie. And Sarah blushed.


“We won’t find the werewolf during the day,” Kar continued. “We might as well prepare for our trip while you tell me of these leads.”

Owain's eyes widen with surprise as he is so casually manhandled by Kar but then soften. A sheepish grin grows as the tension melts visibly from the knights face.

"Too right, a gentleman certainly does not." replies Owain with a teasing wink at the blushing maiden.

"Well then... I suppose preparations need to be made. I still want to speak with the temple expert on these elemental beasts encountered at the lycaeum. Perhaps you can use your new temple connections to assist this goal, Kar. Transportation arrangements need to be made which is no longer in the hands of our wayward merchant. Standard exploration gear needs to be acquired.  Anything else anyone wishes to add or do?"