Sister Aliana smiled at the silly little man as she moved away to wake up the next person.
"We're not sure, goofball.  There was a call for help, with some torchlight down the trail.  It is probably nothing Myarra and Byron can't handle, but we want to be safe."

Twiggy gave an over exaggerated frown "I thought you woke me up to cuddle."  The halfling then puts on his boots and chainshirt with a grin before hopping up "I will wait outside."  he then goes outside and eases into a shadow before listening carefully.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:19, Sun 11 June 2017.

Roen didn't think he could sleep so much after being in that mirror for so long. It did feel different to actually sleep for a change, but when Aliana woke him up, he was instantly up and on his feet, wondering what was happening. He just stood there and listened.

When Amara was roused from her reverie, she too had the adventurer instinct that something was wrong. She was quick to rise to her feet and move toward the path Nolan had been indicating someone should watch. Her night vision was superior to most in the party, and if this was a trick, that was where she would be of the most use.

In reply to Twiggy Flinch (msg # 11):

Aliana rolled her eyes, but with a friendly smile,  at Twiggy and his silliness.
She didn't pause in her duties, though

"This is such a silly trap," Myarra tells Byron as she comes to his side.

"When I was desperate, I knew you had to get up close.  You had to hold their hand and look them in the eye.  You had to make it personal.  That was the only way to get folks to help.  Running like this?  This is Willy-Whisp crap."

Whispering softly so only Myarra can hear me.

I absolutely agree with you Myarra.  This has all the appearance of a nasty trap.

In a much louder and commanding voice Byron says that even Lorrik and his friends, if they are alive, would recognize as a do as I'm told voice.

Show yourself and talk to us.  A minute or so to answer our questions won't hurt anyone.

Myarra and Byron wait where they are at as Byron calls out. Nothing shows itself, but the male voice calls out again,

"Please help. They are right up the path!"

==========
Everyone else in the building is either awake or in the process of doing so after all the movement in the building, plus the voice of Byron yelling. Precautions are taken by thinking this situation is a trap with members of the group looking up the other path to see if anything was coming. So far, nothing.

"Right, we should head back," Myarra tells Byron.  "These people may be incompetent when it comes to traps, but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.  And if by some strange quirk they are honest but incredibly stupid, they'll come to us."

She starts backing away, looking to either side as well as ahead as she does.   "Let's go.  I'll cover you, you cover me."

I do the same as Myarra.  Keeping my head on a swivel to look for any sign of an ambush.

I whisper to Myarra as we make our way back.

Notice how the voice changes between singular and plural?  It is a trap.

"I got eyes on a swivel up here." Nox replies to Nolan from above, keeping a slow pan of the surrounding terrain... randomly switching directions/speed so as to mitigate any obvious blind spots in his surveillance.

Twiggy stays hidden  debating if it is a good time to mess with Byron.

Not falling for a "trap", Myarra and Byron head on back to base, keeping an eye out for an ambush. Not that Byron could see much in the dark anyways. After about 100 feet, the light shows up again, calling out to the duo,

Please help us! Don't let my friends die!

"You're the one letting your friends die," Myarra calls back, even while she and Byron continue to move back towards the tower.  "If you want them to live, stop screwing around.  Show yourself.  Come here and talk to us.  That's the only way we're going to help you."

I continue to walk with Myarra.  Knowing that she has said what I would say and agreeing with her.

" I wonder what Byron was yelling at? Do you think he might need some help?" Roen asked the present company

In reply to Roenthelm (msg # 25):

As she woke everyone up, Aliana looked over at Roenthelm.
"If you want to stay at the edge of camp, in case they need help, that would be lovely.   But don't get closer unless they ask."

Byron and Myarra make it back to camp with no problems. The light calling for help returns to the same spot when it was first spotted and calls for help again. The group members looking down the other path still see nothing....

"Please help me. My friends are dying!"

"This is totally messed up," Myarra tells the others.  "Anyone that wanted our help would come forth and plead with us in person, not hide just out of sight.  And anyone that wanted to ambush us would give up after the lure so clearly failed.

Does anyone know of any creatures that mimic human voices?  Lorrik, just to be clear, do you recognize the voice?  Should we go forth in full strength and just put an end to this nonsense, or wait for morning?"

"In the unlikely chance that it is being truthful, we would all be very unhappy with ourselves in the morning." Amara said. She looked at Twiggy and asked quietly, "How are you in the dark?"

"Plenty of creatures do, and even with night-blessed eyes AND the High Ground... I see no indicators of anyone or anything truly in need of help." Nox provides from the roof. "Given that I can flit through the shadows at will though... I'd be more than happy to run a little subtle recon if you like. Hard to anticipate an angle of approach when it can be altered with a blink of my eyes..."

I agree Amara. However, dying in the middle of the night because we walked into the middle of an ambush is not how I intend to die. If he or they truly want our help they will make themselves known to us.

"No, I suppose not," Myarra replies to Amara.  "But Byron is right, walking into what is almost certainly an ambush would be stupid."

"Lennox, if you think you're good enough ... go ahead, let us know what you find.  And try not to get yourself killed in the process."

Kali, clearly exausted from her shift started rousing hearing the shouting of Byron and Myarra.  She simply nudges the panther at her side, who opened his eye once and looked at Kali.  With one. Look, the panther knew something was awry. Kali was also on alert, her eyes scannng the group in a questioning manner. "I sleep for a few hours and miss out on the excitement.  Typical."

Calling out to byron, she made sure her tone was mocking, but she knew he would know the reason she called out. "Byron, if you get hurt I'll reincarnate you as an rabbit for Raie to hunt you."

....he would know she was concerned for their safety.

Byron shakes his head at Kali's words.  Replying in his teasing tone to relieve some of the tension among the group.

Kali, I would expect nothing less from you.