As the group prepared for the council meeting, a messenger came and spoke to Felicia, talking in a hushed voice. Without comment, she hurried after the messenger. Not long after a priest from the church appeared and helped in the healing process.

Not needing healed, Vestan left the Inn, again saying little but muttering something about snakeskin.

Once again the council is in session as Elmo brings the party to the keep.  Accompanying them are the two recruits he had help him with the diversion at the moathouse, Rolf and Kalador. There is no sign of either Felicia or Vestan as the make there way across the village.  The locals seem more curious than hostile now but they are still wary of the fierce band of warriors.

As they descend to the basement of the keep the council table has been set up once again and the familiar figures are all present. Jaroo, Burne, Rufus, Rael and… Felicia!  Standing she said, "My friends, I regret to inform you that I can no longer travel with you.  I have been instructed to provide the spiritual needs of the village until the Canoness returns. I have already informed the council of much of what went on as has Jaroo from his talks with Elmo."

At that she sat back down and Rael the elder took the floor. "There has never been any question of your goals within the council and given the latest reports we can only offer our thanks for the service you have performed." He seemed about to go on when a militiaman came into the chamber looking agitated. Gesturing to Jaroo, he lead him to one side and held an animated though whispered conversation.

Jaroo with a face like thunder says to the assembly, "Excuse me, I must depart there is an issue in the village that needs immediate attention!  Please continue without me."

Somewhat perturbed, Rael watches the druid and the militiaman go before continuing, "We have convened the council to try determine the best way to proceed.  Now from what Elmo has said, it would appear the evil from the moathouse has been put to flight.  No doubt there are still dangers and horrors lurking in that fell place but any organised threat has been contained thank to your great efforts.  We are deeply in your debt.  The question is, do you wish to proceed?  If so do we remove the threat from the moathouse once and for all or do we face the greater evil and challenge of the temple itself?"

OOC:  Everyone at full hit points, all spell casters have learned their spells.
New recruits will get their start soon....

Tindoome sat some what uncomfortably, slightly fidgeting about to the opposite of her chosen profession long speeches were newer her strong side. Their might be some sages in the realm who could chew ones ear of with a prolonged conversation but she was not one of the kind.

"A job don is worth doing well, their have bin many cases in history ware an unfinished affair has come knocking when least expected. The moat house should be fully cleaned and then sealed or set on fire" Tindo started up without warning in a voice befitting somebody of larger stature and station but she fell quiet once she had spoken, equally without warning

[Private to GM: I shall add all pre cast spells to my character sheet so I don’t forget about it; I assume we had a day for me to do so]

Ronalt nodded, "Aye the place needs to be cleansed and destroyed once and for all times. The fact such mischief can keep returning is a irritant these good folk just don't need."

The big warrior banged the table and said "Ye've git em on tha' run naw! Ye shud hit em 'ard, naw dawddle aroon wi' a boonch ae zombies en tha' like!"

Felicia starts at the warrior a look of disdain on her face that says "Nonsense, evil should be put down where ever and what ever the form."

Arek had apparently fallen asleep as Rael spoke. His head nodded and the sound of snoring could be heard through his greyed beard.
At Rufus' sudden explosion, Arek's head snapped up. His gaze struck the fighter like a blow from his hammer.
"Would you have us expose our backs to danger?" his voice boomed without the usual drawl those who knew him had grown used to. "Surely you, of all those gathered in this chamber, know flanks and rear should be secured?"
The man had a reputaion as being a very capable leader, but his outburst made Arek question it.
"We will," he continued forcefully, casting his eyes across all those assembled.
"We will clear the moathouse. We will not, however, allow ourselves to be bogged down in the process!"
Something had changed in the old Dwarf. He'd grown stronger, more forceful in his "suggestions" or so it appeared. Had "The Father of Battle" himself spoken though his priest, or was it something more subtle...?

Rolf chimes in "Securing the moathouse seems the logical next step, although it likely holds nothing of value if it once did, and it's in such bad shape it may likely collapse before we plumb it's full depth."

The discussion continued and while Rufus and Burne thought pursuing the warrior the best course of action almost everyone else was convinced that finishing off the moathouse was the highest priority. Rael the elder clearly supported this though he had remained neutral during the discussion.

Discussions were winding down when Jaroo returned a look of thunder on his face. Moving next to Felicia he shouts "What in the name of the earth mother have you done!"

Felicia stood and faced down Jaroo answering "The church is not answerable to you druid. In hard times, hard measures are required. He will face the inquisitors in due course and can prove his innocence then."

Jaroo's fury was unabated as he turned to the party and struggling to hold his voice steady says "It would appear the church has arrested Vestan." His shoulders slumped a bit as he finished muttering to himself "...than Terjon.".

OOC: I like my Cuthberts' mean!

"Vestan arrested? How did they catch him? He must have been asleep or drunk."
"What have they charged him with? wearing untanned skins?" Ronalt inquired. ~not that he liked Vestan, he certainly had a flair about him.~

Jaroo turns back to the priestess and says, "Felicia, they need Vestan to return with them to the moathouse, please release him."

Felecia looks long at the druid, those that know her well do not expect any help and they are right "Justice must take it course. He will be released when his innocence is proven."

Tindoome glanced at Felecia and raised an eyebrow holding her taught for a moment "What exactly is he being accused of?" She contemplated for a moment wondering just how much this was her business.

"And by what right dos your church hold trial over him, as far as I know he was neither of your faith nor lands" She asked speaking slow and calmly, not wishing to sound as if accusing but she was newer to good at people, magic is easier

"Well not that we need to justify ourselves to you but.... Lets see... defiling the dead? Ring a bell? Hmmm... Involvement with rogue elements in the village? Oh and many others.  Suffice to say he is not available to join you at this point in time." said the council woman and priestess.

"This development may impact our ability to perform the tasks at hand with our previous level of efficiency.  More lives lost and such," the half-orc responds to Felicia.  "My associates and I must discuss how this will effect our strategies before we give any further information to the counsel on our recommendation for action."

Jaroo spoke up again, "We to must discus this further, let us reconvene in an hour to try to move things forward.".

The village elders rose and left the party to their own council. On their way out Jaroo smiled and said "I'm pleased to say that, unlike your last few visits, the village will welcome you. You are free to come and go as you please."

OOC: the party including Kalador and Rolf are now on their own so you can discus anything you want without fear it will get back to the council.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:57, Mon 08 Oct 2007.

Tindoome glances at the orc blood with a look as if she had just discovered a fly in her drink, but she straightens her face almost immediately “I believe we have newer properly met have we?” She raises an eyebrow before she turns back to the others

"When would we be ready to depart again?"

Ronalt now hale again, "the sooner the better. The longer we let them reorganise or flee the more trouble we will have in the coming days and weeks."