-----"I am afraid there is little luxury here, my friend," the strange man says to Seth in an even low voice. "If you wish to save this young man's home, we must talk." He then looks at the streets around him with shifting eyes. "But not here. The dead and dying can listen."
-----Seth looks at the odd little man and then glances at Dread and Kazel. "Alright! Show us the way to a place where the dead and dying cannot listen!"
-----Kazel shrugs and begins to follow the strange man. Although she wonders aloud, "What's wrong with the dead and dying listening anyway? Unless they plan to come back that is."
-----"It is best not to say such things," the man says to Kazel as he begins looking around oddly. "I will ride with you," he then says to Brandel. The strange man climbs behind Brandel in the saddle. Krord looks across with an angry look as if he is ready to hammer the man with his fists at the first sign of trouble.
-----The man then ushers the riders across the market square to take a street leading directly from the town gate that they entered. Something irritating about the man is the lazy, slow way he moves and talks, although an alert fire seems to burn in his eyes. A moan escapes him every now and then as Brandel's horse trods along.
-----As they clear the edge of the market, the rogues' party with their newfound guide, turns west on the street. From their position, they can practically see clearly down the five blocks in front of them where at the end is the opposite side of the town wall. Although it is close to the noon hour, few people are out on the streets.
-----The gray sky and the still air do little to enhance the appearance of this town. On block after block, the rogues see mostly shops and homes much like those in Hearthorn but many are dark and a few have boarded up windows and doors. Human forms are seen here and there leaning against the buildings or lying in the street much like the beggars around the town gate. Oddly the only thing in the overcast sky is carrion birds slowly circling.
-----Finally at the end of the fifth block, they emerge out onto a cross street that runs parallel to the town wall. Down a block to their left is the town gate in the west town wall. The strange man directs them to their right and in a few moments, he stops them in front of a small tavern.
-----The outward appearance of the establishment shows proof of neglect. The sign over the door has long since fallen and little traces of it are seen except for the metal frame that it was once attached to. A small group of rodents gather and squeal over something to one side a few feet from the door.
-----Unaffected by the sights, the strange man dismounts and ushers everyone to follow him in. Inside the small room is smoky but unusually fragrant as if some kind of incense is used. Four patrons sit at different tables in the place, but they remain quiet as the rogues and mercenaries enter. The barkeep hardly acknowledges them.
-----"What kind o' flea-bitten, rat-infested place we gots here?" mumbles Runik.
-----"You buy me drink, maybe something to eat?" asks the strange man looking at Seth and Kazel.
-----The Dread Pirate looks increasingly exasperated at the strange man's actions, finally bursting out in typical Dread fashion, "Now hold on here! We don't even know who ye are or what yer about. Now ye want us to feed ye and coddle ye and give ye a ride across town. Ye could just be some sort o' scurvy freeloader. Ye have to sing fer yer supper, me friend. Til ye show yerself to be worth our while, ye don't get handouts from me. There aint no such thing as a free lunch."
-----The man digs in his tattered robes and quickly produces an odd looking vial of liquid with a milky-white nature. Looking at the Dread Pirate with his blazing eyes, he says in a whispering slow voice, "This is a potion to control the undead, though if we wait too long I fear it will be too late. Did you not see the army that waits to invade?"
-----"What army?" interjects Brandel showing his disgust with the man.
-----The man looks away staring into one of the corners of the room with a sudden fearful light. "The corpses that lay out on the street. First there was the curse that caused the plague. Now the dead wait to rise up. There are many more of their number that are in the buildings."
-----Turning back to the rogues, he says, "I am sorry for my selfishness, but I have not eaten for days. I will tell more."
-----The Dread Pirate, listening to the man, shudders at the thought of an army of the dead swarming over the countryside. He replies, "Aye, well, if'n what ye says is true, then I suppose we can afford a meal fer ye. But we still don't know yer name, now do we." The Dread Pirate signals to the barkeep for a meal for the stranger.