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-----A voice emerges out of the crowd of woodsmen. "Ok then Mister Champion. You know how to deal with this Darkness. The Elves have gone. We thank you for stopping any more of us getting hurt. Please tell us what you want us to do. We can but try and help you now."
-----The woodsmen look about confused as if looking for the speaker.
-----Sarah scowls at the departing elves. She curses, spitting at their departure. To the humans she says, "You say you've seen the elves raiding your lands? Huh. They don't really want to seem to talk about this. Maybe you're right. But please don't shed any more blood until our adventure into the darkness. If we never return," Sarah gulps, "Umm...we'll be back."
-----Sarah stares at the darkness. "When do you guys want to do this? This one looks bigger than the last one...or is it just me?"
-----Sarah shoots a dirty look in Seth’s direction. She turns around to face where he is still behind his horse. "And would you stop using that damn thing!" She yells.
-----Realizing that the time for having a fireside chat with the woodsmen is almost over and it is time to go into the dark horrible hole or whatever the darkness is, Seth squeezes his eyes shut. Anyone close enough to him might hear, "I think I can, I think I can..."
-----He then brushes down his clothes and stands upright behind Sol. He puts away his parchment carefully and checks his equipment.
-----"Sol, I am ready to go into the Darkness. But what do we do to fight it?"
-----Raven appears to want to follow the elves, but then stops and yells something at them. He seems to be speaking in elven. Raven’s tone is aggressive, but also pleading.
-----Again Sol twists in his saddle. One hand he holds palm forward to Seth, meaning 'hang on a minute'. His other hand has a finger pressed to his lips, with it's quite obvious meaning of 'shush', accompanied by a glare directed at Sarah.
-----Sol returns his attention to the woodsmen and replies, "The one thing you can do to help is return home. I mean that, and do so quickly for the night holds more than the usual amount of danger at the moment."
-----"And they say elves are wise and ancient," Kazel shrugs as she puts away her weapons. She leans on the tree, arms crossed and bemusedly watches the semi-farcical proceedings. After a while she walks over to the entangled Gimplefwick, then circles around him as if observing a strange animal. She then stops several feet in front of him and cups her chin, trying not to laugh. "Well howdy-doo there sailor," she says smiling as she ruffles his hair a bit.
-----The woodsmen look all around at each other and finally one of them faces Sol and shrugs. "I’m guessin’ yer right. ‘Tis better fer us to be getting’ back to home n’ family ‘fore somethin’ else happens." The men begin to pick up weapons off the ground and bind their wounds as they prepare to leave. They stare occasionally at the woods in the direction that Raven faces for any return or sign of their elven opponents. Alas, the woods now retain an uncanny silence perhaps borne about by the large area of Darkness.
-----Sarah seems to remember the existence of the little halfling and coaxes Marlexana in his direction. "Okay you little creep, can I let you out or are you gonna keep throwing knives all over?" She is clearly still angry at him.
-----Sol watches the woodsmen go, until they leave sight. Once they have gone, he rubs his head in relief. He then dismounts and as he strokes Thunder's nose he examines the Dark. Shortly after he calls out, "Does anyone have any more rope, other than what we tied the prisoners with?"
-----Seth still standing behind Sol raises his hand, "I have some rope, but it is in one piece, will that be all right?"
-----Sol turns and smiles grimly, "Yeah, that's preferred. Hang on to it for a sec. I don't actually want to use it, but I might have to." Sol walks over to where Sarah is conducting her questioning of Gimplefwick and asks her, "Sarah. Did your father give you information on ANY ways to deal with the Darkening Crystals? 'Cause if he didn't, and ye don't have one o' those magic scrolls..."
-----Raven turns away from the forest and joins Sol. "Damn those Elves are an odd bunch. At least there won't be anymore killings with them gone." Raven looks at the darkness then at Sol, "You're not thinking of walking in there without a charm on us are you?" Raven shivers, "I remember how weak the darkness makes you if you don't have a charm protecting you." Raven says to Sarah, "Please tell me you have one of those scrolls."
-----The Dread Pirate glares at Sarah, "Why, ye dyspeptic trollop, go stuff yerself. I have a hammer in me backpack, why don't ye go and get yerself a big pile of sand, borrow me hammer, and then go pound all that sand right up yer arse."
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