-----As if on cue, Albert lands on Seth's shoulder and, spreading its wings, caws. The crow's cry seems very loud as the sound of it carries down the mostly empty thoroughfare.
-----There between two empty buildings on the right, a small human child plays in the dirt. As the procession of rogues and mercenaries pass by, everyone can see the child is a girl no older than five years old with long black hair and wearing a dull gray common dress.
-----Looking up to watch the people pass by with large blue eyes, the girl reaches over and plucks a dandelion. She then jumps up and runs after them. Quickly she makes her way over to Kazel and tugs on her hand offering the yellow-topped weed to the half-elven girl. She looks up at Kazel with a blank emotionless stare and then runs off to play again in the patch of dirt.
-----Marast strides along not seeming to notice but frowning as he follows the others with their odd guide. Runik looks down at the dirt-covered boots he wears and the dusty street they walk on. The dwarf quietly grumbles curses under his breath. Brandel finds himself looking away from the child, an expression of pain evident on him. Krord momentarily pauses and stares after the child. For a small amount of time, the huge guard seems torn as if trying to make some decision. With a relenting look, he then continues to follow the others.
-----As everyone rounds the corner of the block and faces east, Abbar approaches the door of the first building on the right. The building itself is made of brick and appears to be an inn. Out front is a long horizontal post that the rogues and their bodyguards strap their horses to. Albert takes wing here perching atop the roof.
-----Upon entering the building, everyone first finds themselves in a large parlor room. The room is darkened by the closed shades and heavy drapes on the windows. What dim light filters in reveals wooden furniture and décor in fine condition. Dust seems to have begun to settle on everything and a musty smell prevails. Not a sound is heard in the place except for the sounds of the party's own footsteps and breathing.
-----"This way," Abbar whispers and ushers everyone up a small staircase. At the top, he leads them down a dark hallway with doors along the sides. Entering the second room on the right, Abbar pushes in and quickly lights a small oil lamp. Moving on across, the self-proclaimed caravan merchant opens some of the curtains allowing some of the overcast light from outside to illuminate the room.
-----In a whispering aside to the others before they move into the room, Kazel replies to Dread's concern. "I quite agree about the coincidence of all this. An undead potion dealer showing up when we are fighting undead just like a mineral expert showing up when we're fighting crystals. This just might be their usual way of tricking people. The smarter ones, at least."
-----Abbar's room appears to be a small suite with enough room for all to enter and sit down. A single bed is along one wall and two wardrobe cabinets are situated on opposite ends. A table large enough to seat a small party at a meal is toward the center of the room. A couple of large padded chairs looking oddly out of place are here also.
-----"Though the food supplies are meager, accommodations are sadly easy to find," Abbar says with an unsettling smile. He then moves over to the center table and sits down where the shadows seem to accentuate his gaunt features.
-----"Three places I have located where Alum may have found the evil that plagues this town," he begins. "There is a temple, abandoned when the priests perished from disease. There is another building that was used as a workhouse for one who works with metal. There is also a large building that stores carts and wagons for traders and caravans. It is this last building that I would like to search first."
-----Hardly moving his body in his seat, he continues, "I am expecting not to find any evil in the buildings but under them. Alum told me that this town was one that had sewers running underneath it due to the swamps in the area."
-----Turning his head to look at each of the rogues, Abbar says, "You mentioned you have had experience with the undead before. How shall we proceed?"
-----Seth makes himself comfortable and tries to think of something tricky and witty to say to trap Abbar into revealing his duplicity. The Dread Pirate's mistrust of their new friend has been infectious....
-----Seth stands and wanders the room to see if there is anything worth stealing. He imagines there are lots of recently deceased estates in town and if he could procure some wagons, he could transport the interiors of whole blocks back to Hearthorn to fill his shop.