Attack on Dar Havark [Those Who Stayed Behind]

[Lichen]

OOC: If your PC is too injured to go and fight, then you'd probably be put into the cellar. If your PC is a healer, or is otherwise fit enough to go but doesn't wish to, then they'd be hanging out either in the tavern itself, or hiding throughout the town. I'll let you decide as to where you belong.

Late Darkening, 2 hours after the fighters left, Kalendryas 25th
Era I of the Celestine Mandate
Era X of the Age of the Darkening, the Mageocracy of Julos the Mad
Paradigm: The Coronation of Queen Sharinya of the Fae

IC: After the scouts and the fighters had left, the inn was slightly less occupied. The drastically injured had been crowded into the cellar, for while they knew they'd killed most of the undead, it was without doubt that there were still more wandering around town. Should they find their way to the now dimly lit and rather subdued inn, the injured would be hidden well enough that they wouldn't have to fight. The celler was relatively quiet, the smell of dirt and blood filling the nostrils, and the sound of soft crying, snoring and the dripping of water filled the air. It was completely dark save for a few candles that were lit for those badly injured children that were frightened of the dark.

Those who had decided not to fight but were not so badly injured that they couldn't fight had chosen other hiding places or were sitting in the inn. The night was far quieter now... in the hours since the fighters and scouts had left the tavern, the fire outside had died down to a few flames, and those who'd been screaming and moaning in pain had either died or fallen unconscious. Now an uneasy silence fell over the tavern. Very few people here were sleeping, for it was difficult to sleep after such horrors. Many felt that the horrors were not yet over and held a vigil for those of their fellows who would return... hoping that they would return. The large torches of the tavern had been blown out, and the only light was due to a few candles lit by those who waited for their comrades to return, wondering how many pieces they'd be in when they did... if they did.

[Tellurion Tanendar]

OOC: I hope there's s till a functioning table around... mainly since Mila was standing on one... PM me if I'm bunnying and I'll edit the post

After a hectic evening of tended to the wounded, Tal flopped his close to exhausted carcass on a chair with a resounding thump and took out his water canteen, whose contents were rapidly emptied. He looked spitefully at a flickering candle set around the tavern, providing desultory light that seemed to make the shadows and light cast by the lingering flames outside streaming into the window even more demonic than before. People were illuminated in disturbing ways, shadow falling across their faces and obscuring their eyes. They seemed soulless, their spirits crushed. Tal was not a paranoid elf, but he kept his sword in its scabbard, within easy reach, on the table, far away from any windows. A few muttered sobs from the wounded and those having restless nightmares topped off the setting of complete and utter misery.

Tal hoped Huturo would find some time from the patients and join him in his vigil, for he was, even as the hellish images of the tavern and flames outside imprinted themselves into his brain, watching for anything violating the disturbing quiet, like something dead, or recently dead.

The candle flickered again, as if chiding him on the fragility of light against the encroaching darkness. Tal stared balefully at it.

[Huturo Lu' tiska]

Huturo wiped her hands on a rag, walking up the steps from the cellar. All the wounded were down there now and all she could help she did. Now she left the rest to the healers. As she stepped into the mostly quiet and dark tavern she shut the heavy door behind her, hearing the click of the deadbolt on the other side before barricading it. She hoped that the now dead quiet tavern wouldn't attract any undead.

Making sure none of the light was near the window she nodded to Tell before moving a chair into the shadows near a window. Propping her feet up on another chair she acted as lookout, the only sound the crackle of flame and the chirping of crickets. Man she needed a drink.

"So Tell," she said softly, still silently seething at the days events, "Have you ever seen it? Something like this?"

[Tellurion Tanendar]

Tal thought for a moment when Huturo spoke to him. He considered his answer carefully whilst the flames danced and spat sparks outside, lighting the tavern with an eerie, shifting, glow. He ran a finger contemplatively over his longsword's hilt as he stared at the candle burning fitfully in the centre of the table. He looked up at Huturo, and saw only the faint pinpricks of light that reflected her eyes, hidden within the shadows. On any other night, he would have considered it pretty, attractive even for a Vysstichi.

"Have I ever seen a village in flames?" he said softly, almost a question to himself. "No. Seen people with body parts missing, moaning from their pain, parched from the lack of water, desolate over the loss of all their worldly goods? I've seen them now, though. It's not pleasant."

He stopped, and thought for a while in companionable silence as moans of the pained filled the cramped confines of the tavern. "Although I had always known it would be so. War is never about glory. No one on a battlefield ever hurts as much in a war than those at home who have to live with its consequences. Perhaps the writings should talk more about the people, than events. It would make a worthy history, something for the Empire to remember this brave little town by."

He looked at Huturo. "I'll start with you, then," he said, with a slaight trace of the happy go lucky attitude he almost always had. "Just what DOES a Vystichi do to earn herself an elven travelling companion in a village which hates dark elves?" He smiled. It had a slight trace of bitterness, mostly directed at the candle that still mocked Tal's tenuous connection with life.

[Huturo Lu' tiska]

Hearing Tell's words Huturo couldn't help but remember what a dear friend had once told her adolesent self. "In war," he had said, "There is no right or wrong, only lesser degrees of evil." How true.

She was silent for a moment, before answering Tell. "Can't say I know, Tell. It seems to me I remember being wacked over the head and tied up in a sack." She grinned wirly. "Figuratively speaking."

Huturo stared out the window. "It's too damn quiet." she sighed as if frustrated. "They're out there, I know it. I just wish I could do something." Huturo couldn't handle it, this sitting here, waiting to be killed. She'd seen enough variations of death to know that she didn't want to join those laying on the ground outside the tavern. Her eyes fell on a girl, head and limbs twisted greusomly.

She got up, not wanting to look anymore. "Hey Tell," she wispered, moving towards him, "Has anyone looked at that shoulder?"

[Noll]

ooc: figured I'd giver my char some time to rest... I'll just sit for now not really moving.

ic: the halfling shifts his weight to get comfortable and listening a bit, having no clue as to why the two standing fellows were bickering when there was work to be done. the halfling looks for a sturdy chair leg that may have been broken off during the fight to use as a crutch for later when he may be needed after located (if actually in existance) he simply looks at the two trying to guage just what might be wrong.

[Huturo Lu' tiska]

Huturo snapped her head up as she heard a rustling in the corner. Her blades flashed out of her boots and she was tensed in battle position. She peered into the darkness, trying to make out if the hulking figure was an undead, poised to strike.

Huturo cursed herself for being so careless. How could someone get in here?! She thought she had sealed every possible point of entry! All this went through her mind as she stood stock still. "Tell," she wispered, "I need some light over there."

[Tellurion Tanendar]

Tal heard the rustling sounds in the corner, and figured it was far too small and deliberate to be Undead.

"Calm down, Ms. Lu'Tiska," he snapped irritably. "It's a halfer, and could you please, if you're watching out for Undead, please get into the light so the other people watching for them don't stab you accidentally?" Tal got up and offered to help the Halfling to the table, where he would offer him his chair.

His shoulder throbbed painfully, but managably, a pleasant reminder that one is still alive. "The shoulder's fine, Ms Lu'Tiska," he said, much more amiably. "I'll live." He turned to the newcomer. "If you don;t feel like talking, that's fine, but may I perhaps ask you who are and what got you into Acumin? I'm quite interested."

[Huturo Lu' tiska]

Huturo gave Tell an incredulious look behind his back, jaw uncharecteristicly unhinged and eyes wide. Could no one treat her with common courtesy today?! Could one blame her for being jumpy?! She snapped her jaw shut after a second of shock and narrowed her eyes. Ha. She'd let Tell take care of these dead souls.

Huturo stuffed her swords back in her boots before snatching up her coat and bow and arrows, which she had releived Kol of. "I'm sure you can manage," she seethed at Tell, scowling, "I'm going to take a look around," she said, before opening the tavern door and walking out (quite unwisely, as noted a part of her brain which was quickly beaten into submission by the rest) into the night.

She walked quickly away from the tavern and the fires into the heart of the city, where she knew some undead would probably lie. Around and over the carcasses of unfortunate souls she walked, suddenly hopeing she could find someone alive who hadn't made it to the tavern. Her grip tightened on her bow as the shadows crawled over her, chilling her.

[Noll]

ooc: wow whoda thunk that I'd be put from one table to the next

ic: "I got nabbed quite foully back in alleria and somehow wound up here after the people who bagged both me and the maiden they were originally going for. The cart seemed to be under attack by something, I didn't stay very long but the woman seemed to have wandered off on her own somewhere... seems everyone including diana has abandoned me today." the halfling said with a grim smile. "It seems your friend has a bit of a chip on her shoulder when she is proven wrong or frightened by the current activities. personally I am not afraid of what lies in the darkness because I have dealt with those demons in the past. What I truly fear is the loss of another like before." shaking off some of his wearyness the halfling looks towards his company. "Do you know what this is?" the halfling seems to be holding up a slightly cared for medal. "This is the anna's star, I got it from saving an emperor of olde times. In those days I took on a dread knight but now look at me. a wasted old halfling with little more left in him but the urge to keep going to try and find old companions."

"But enough of my sad tales of yesteryear what brings one such as yourself to this god forsaken place?"

[Tellurion Tanendar]

Tal looked at the halfling quite happily, for he found his attitude most refreshing, especially since Huturo had gone off to get herself killed. Which would present a problem to Tal's conscience, since he was not in the habit of letting his friends die for no reason.

"Look, Mr. Noll," Tal said quickly, "I have to find the Vystichi who just left, OK? Keep out fo the way if something hits the tavern, and try to get help if it does. Thanks."

Tal scooped up his sword and left the building, his eyes adjusting to the changed light conditions outside. Silhouetted in the flames was the dark, lithe figure, swords drawn, looking around warily. Shadows and light danced across her body as the flames crackled.

"Ms Lu' Tiska!" Tal shouted. He ran up to her. "I understand that perhaps you need to howl at the moon because of what you've been through," he said softly, "but we have to remain calm. It does no good to rage and die because you weren't careful. Now, it's silly running into the night with no one to back you up in a town full of undead, or people who are dead who could turn into them. And I've left an injured Halfling back at the tavern to guard everyone left. Please, let's get back to the tavern."

Tal placed a hand tentatively on Huturo's shoulder, hoping to soothe her spirit. "Please."

[Lichen]

The outside of the tavern was as quiet as the inside, though free from the low moans of the injured and the scuffling feet of the restless. The night air was colder now, the flames to the north having died down to a bare flicker of their former inferno. The smoke was begining to clear, and one could see the fuzzy points of light that were probably stars and the one large one that was the half-full moon. The air smelled like sulfer and burning flesh, for there had been living and non-living people who's corpses had served as fodder for the fire. The scent of their ashes filled the air, much as it had before when the fire had burned down both building and plague victem. If there were survivors of the fire to the north, they would be mentally warped beyond imagination by what they had lived through.

There were no natural noises in the air this darkening... no owl hoots nor cricket cheeps. The animals had fled as the battle had begun, and it would take much coaxing for them to return. As such, Tellurion's shout disrupted the desolate stillness of the night, nearly echoing in the empty air. If anything was around, it would have heard the elf... something that would no doubt result in more battle and heartache for the two of them.

Meanwhile, back at the tavern, Noll's efforts were successful. Much of the tavern's furniture had been reduced to scraps in the battly, and finding a chair leg was honestly not very difficult. His arm ached unbearably, the previously sharp pain fadig into a dull throb just barely dulled by whatever drug the villagers-come-healers had fed him... it hurt enough to be more than annoying, but was dulled enough to be ignorable should the need arise. So far, the need had not arisen. The night was as still and empty in the tavern as it was outside. There hadn't been any undead stragglers since the fighters had left, though there were most likely more still out there. It was hard to believe that they were all gone, and the eerily still night made it even more difficult to believe that this darkenings events were over.

[Noll]

in anxiety the halfling begins to collect wood and put it under windows and on the sides of the door so that it can be easily pushed in the way then begins to look for some lamp oil that might still be around. If none of that is found the halfling tries to find a whole or semi-whole tabletop that may or may not have legs that might fit some of the broken windows to kinda close up some of the gaps for when the next wave may hit constantly keeping in mind that his arm is wounded and he should only use his good arm for such activities.

[Tellurion Tanendar]

Something caught Tal's sensitive ears in the wind. It was... not natural. He unsheathed his sword with quick precision and looked around warily, motioning for Huturo to do so too. It was then that he heard the faint sounds of ... marching, with a slight hint of crackling torches and gutteral sounds. They were getting louder, as if they were approaching the city. But they were not what Tal first heard.

Tal's first thought was to wonder if he'd get out alive. "I heard something dead," he said to Huturo. "I think the best idea is to get back to the tavern and get as many out of this damned city as possible. There's something marching this way."

[Lichen]

OOC: ...marching? Did you read into my post somehow, or is Tellurion hearing things?

IC: The air was empty, despite Tellurion's decry... perhaps he was simply getting so nervous and jumpy as to leap at the sound of his own loud voice echoing in the night. But whatever had prompted his outburst was not real... or at least, not detectable by even elven ears. They were alone, and eerily so... the night's silence was not even broken by crickets or other night animals. It was simply... empty.

Meanwhile back at the tavern, Noll was busily piling sticks up around the door and the broken windows, avoiding stepping on the leftover glass. While he could find no lamp oil or broken table tops, there were several picnic-style tables that could be used to block the windows. Noll, however, would not be able to adjust them himself. Though his arm was bandaged and he had a crutch to support himself and take the weight off of his leg, he was by no means strong enough to lift a table himself... even if he had been healthy, it would have been a trial.