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It was another calm and peaceful winter day, though there was a touch of trepidation in the air as it seems like each year at just about this time, suddenly, inexplicably, bad things seem to happen, usually all in one day before finally returning to the peace that winter always seems to bring. And then, almost on cue, something bad did happen, though there was a sense that this...something would last longer than a day.

It began from the center of the keep, a spreading blackness that infected everything structural. There was nothing solid to the blackness, just seemingly a moving change of color, spreading in all direction and quickly across the floor and up the walls, across the ceiling and even the windows. Everything was black, almost as if it instantly decayed, rotted. Indeed, to stand on these floor or to press a hand against the walls, everything seemed unstable. But worse, everyone who remained within those walls began to feel deathly ill. Knowing inherently that time was of the essence, everyone (unless you were looking for a way to kill off your character) fled outside. Once there, the air, while better, still seemed sickly and it was quickly noticed that here too the ground was turning black as it spread across the courtyard and to the gate, turing it and the towers black as well. Somehow managing to make it past the gates, fear was quickly taking hold as it was unknown how far this blackness would spread. But perhaps as mysteriously as its appearance in the first place, this blackness, this decay for lack of a better word, stopped at the gate, and the moment everyone was outside, your lungs filled with the sweet air and the overwhelming sickness dissipated...

(more to come)

Dallid had been sitting on his mattress in the Keep, quietly meditating - about to start another round of dream-walking – when shouts from below roused him back to wakefulness. There was no need for an initial investigation of what was happening, the rapidly spreading blackness made its immediate nature known the moment it overtook him. A shout and a quick jossel got the afternoon nappers up and moving, then they were all rushing down the stairs. Brief words with those on the ground floor revealed all rooms and the basement had already been confirmed emptied, so Dallid grabbed up his shield and ran out the keep door with the last of those inside.

More quick coordination had some Havenites checking the already darkened towers for occupants while others attempted to bansh, dispel, cleanse, or otherwise shoot the darkness. Then all fled through the gates. There, the blackness had mercifully stopped, precluding the need to evacuate the town, itself. As Dallid passed through the gate, he scooped up a seemingly blackened and decayed weed.

As he hoped, he felt instantly better once beyond the walls. He looked down at the weed in his hands – had its essence been taken, or merely repressed?

Once outside the gate, the weed remains in its decayed state, looking neither better nor worse.

*Korrigan can be seen walking down the trail, heading in the general direction of the Tipsy Traveler. Seeing Dallid and the others outside he waves and takes a few more steps before he takes in the entire scene.*

"What in the sweet blue hell...?" he mutters as he walks over to the group.

"What happened here? Is everybody OK?"

“All sentients have made it out, seemingly unharmed. But as for the Keep and the land within…”

Dallid indicates the dead weed. “… They are lost. More than dead – decayed – utterly destroyed. It would appear that the Keep was targeted by some intelligence – not to kill its occupants, for the effect was too slow to claim anything mobile. But clearly we are now denied our best fortification.”

While talking, Dallid assesses himself, followed by the weed, for any lingering effects.

(sense magic on the weed)

"Well... shit. More magic buggery. Any chance of this spreading any further, or do you think they we're aiming for the keep?"

*Korrigan looks around at the now-homeless former inhabitants of the Keep. He appears to be counting, and as the number goes higher the scowl he is wearing grows deeper.*

"Dammit. We don't have enough beds. Dallid, let me know what you can figure out here, and I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to go get Quen started on some new accommodations for these folks."

:from the the edge of the forest rothek bounded, instantly relieved when he saw dallid but he would still look for the others, still on all fours he darted toward the healer:

"White man! what happen here!! where others!!"

A man clad in black plate and a white tabard strode up the road from the direction of Woodhaven, most likely a complete stranger to nearly everyone present save for Korrigan and Dallid. When the walls of the keep come into view, he stops cold at the sight of what's happening to the ancient and once-great holding.

He stares wide-eyed at the darkness spreading throughout the stone of the walls, and when his gaze settles on the people standing in a group outside the gates, he makes a bee-line run towards them.

"Korrigan, Dallid! What's happened here? I was meeting with Serith at Woodhaven, and he told me that I could find the leader of town inside Gravesbane so I could announce myself to her. Instead, I find...this.

He seems to catch a feeling of the darkness emanating from the castle, and wrinkles his nose and shies his head away as if smelling something horrid, though he extends a hand towards the stone wall nearest him as if to be sure.

"Paugh, that's vile! Even without any ability, I'll bet a blind and deaf man could sense such dark magic a mile away."

*he quickly looks back to the group*

"Has everyone made it out safely? Or will we need to go inside to retrieve anyone?"

Before anyone could reply to him, rothek bolted for the rotting keep. once inside he would begin to search for any and all that may still be inside.

Dallid shouts after the beastman.

"ALL ARE ACCOUNTED FOR, ROTHEK! ALL HAVE ESCAPED AND ARE SAFE! RETURN LEST YOU ARE DESTROYED AS WAS THE KEEP!"

He turns to Marcus. "A pleasure to see you here - as you can see, your assistance would be a boon. Gravesbane is no more - some entity has seen to that with finality. The rot began at its core, and spread to contain all its territory precisely - no more nor less."

Dallid considers the weed in his hand, then tosses it back through the deteriorating gate. "I sense no lingering effects from this black magic on that which has moved out of it, but there is no point moving more affected material out of there than necessary."

"It is the kind of magic I'd expect from the Red Tear, save far less leathal. Perhaps this was merely the best they could conjour."

"But guesswork gets us only so far. The true source of this decay must be discerned with all haste. I will see if the Spirit of the Wood has any insight to share."

Thanks Dallid. I felt it was far past high time that I came home to Haven, and unless this place is somehow different, another healer is always a good thing, and I can take care of myself well enough in a fight, too.

I've had no direct dealings with the Red Tear, but I know of them quite well from other people during my travels over the last couple of years. I'm sure they were pretty pissy about your defensible position confounding all their brute force attacks, and found something to do about it. Unless it's some other player on the field making their move against Haven, in which case we should be damn wary.

Lailah moved quietly through the crowd looking over everyone quickly, reassuring some with a bright smile. As soon as she was assured no one was injured in any way, she raised her voice.

"I will go and speak with Serith. Our home, Woodhaven, might be a good place to have people stay for now. The more concentrated we are during this time the better."

She gave a little wave and made her way after Korrigan to convey her thoughts, and then to find Serith.

sometime after dallid had yelled his warning to the beast. Rothek Emerged from the desolated keep, his movement was slow, tired. It was if something was draining the very life from him. after a few more labored steps back towards dallid, the beast shook and began to pant

"rothek hear korgan say bad magic make keep bad.......... Rothek try to save those that live in keep.... Try save tiny not-elf but not inside.

Where. Are. Others. White man?

:rothek was exhausted but it looked as though life was returning to him:

"Perhaps at the Tavern, or Woodhold, or visiting the villages. What is important now is that no one remains with the wasted Keep, and of that we are assured."

"So next we must see to housing, discover if this has occurred elsewhere, and begin unravelling this mystery and dealing with its cause. Thank you, Laylah - yes, we will require Serith's aid."

"Good luck to us all." Dallid begins moving east along the road.

:rothek shook again and it seemed that life had come back to him. whatever had stricken the keep was not an ailment or disease for had it been its effects would have done nothing to the beastman.

"rothek will help too, first go with laylah, then meet white man back at tippy traveler"

he brought his head up and sniffed the air before disappearing into the woods again: