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-----Zan looks up at Raven and says with an air of majestic drama in his voice, "The fair maiden requires tending and rest in bed for at least two days. . ." The Justice Priest begins to add more when he is abruptly cut off by the sound of commotion outside the temple. One of the horses begins to neigh wildly and frantically.
-----Raven moves outside to see what is going on. The hunter is quickly followed by Sol.
-----Kazel purses her lips. "They know who we are and where we are, and expects us to come. We are the ones who are exposed. We'll be charging into a dark alley unless we know more and get a clue."
-----As the others go out to investigate the noises, she shrugs and bounces off the wall following suit.
-----"That’s my horse!" Sarah says, worried about Marlexana. "I have to go see what’s wrong!" Sarah tries to get up and follow the others. "Don't leave me here!" She yells after them.
-----Rinda quickly runs to her side. "Wait, Sarah . . ." Then seeing the determination in the mage’s eyes, the huntress relents, saying, "Are you sure you feel like standing?" Rinda then looks at Zan for additional guidance, but the priest suddenly tumbles over one of the chairs in the room. He lands on his back staring at the ceiling in a daze.
-----The huntress rolls her eyes and then helps lift Sarah to her feet.
-----Moving quickly out the front door, the first few adventurers see Sarah’s strange looking horse still tied to the temple’s hitching post. It stands there, its magnificent white coat glistening in the morning sun and its golden mane and tail catching the light breeze. The animal faces them and although the horse’s eyes now glow with its bluish hue more strongly, its demeanor reveals it remains in a trance-like state.
-----Seemingly staring through the adventurers, the horse raises its head and continues to neigh loudly. Surprisingly, it does not buck or try to move from its position. Thunder, the coal-black pony and the other horses nervously move as much as possible from Marlexana, some threatening to break the bridle straps securing them. Raven’s wolf barks at the horse, pausing long enough to look at its master with raised alert ears. Some of the citizens walking in the village look and stare in the direction of the commotion.
-----Raven motions for the wolf come to him. "Darkness has taken over her horse. Stay away from the poor creature, it might attack." Raven speaks to the horse, "Stop hiding behind this helpless horse. Come fight us face to face you cowards or is the light of justice too much for you?" Raven turns to Sol, "I can't believe I'm talking to a horse."
-----Seth walks outside behind the others. Making sure the others are between him and the glowing eyes, he casually places his hand near his pouch just in case.
-----"I do it all the time." Sol replies with a smirk. "Ye sure about the Darkness? I believe ye...it just seems like, ye know...a slight waste of power. 'Ha har, let us possess their horses!'" Comes Sol's lame joke.
-----He moves over to the other horses and attempts to calm them down, all the while keeping an eye on Marlexana.
-----The Dread Pirate, heretofore silent, eyes the entranced horse, "Arrr, maybe ye should cast yer magic dispelling spell on it, Seth."
-----As the group gazes at the animal and Sarah attempts to join them, the Dread Pirate states, "I don't think we should leave anybody behind. If worst comes to worst, we can always rig up a travois and drag Sarah behind a horse. We would be in trouble if we had to runs from something though. But I don't think we can just leave her here for monster bait. Especially if some bizarre force is tryin to control her."
-----At Kazel's words the Dread Pirate continues, "Shiver me timbers, ye have the right of it. We're reactin to everythin. We're bein led about by the nose and fallin into everything that’s set up fer us. And we're makin it too easy fer em as well by splittin up and goin off by ourselves. Sarah proved that fer us. We need to take some sort of decisive action afore we get led into some place we can't get out of."
-----Still trying to calm horses, Sol speaks up, "It's all well and good t'speak of decisive action and what other ways we should do things, but we still need to decide on what action we are actually going to take. Also, yer giving splitting up a bad wrap. Sometimes it's the only way things can be accomplished."
-----He huffs before continuing, "I doubt that yer goin' t'be able t'convince me that Sarah would be safer being dragged along with us, than in a holy temple with active protection. Considering where we may be going next." Sol looked like he was going to speak for longer but his eyes are still on Marlexana, "Um...yeah, Seth. If ye can do something about the horse's affliction, please do so."
-----Raven’s wolf comes over to him carefully eyeing the neighing horse. The other horses find it difficult to become settled and Sol finds he must untie a couple of them to lead them away from the commotion.
-----Rinda then appears at the door with Sarah who weakly looks out on the chaos.
-----Seth frowns. "Unfortunately the spell I know only confirms if there is magic present, not removes it. I wonder what a protection from magic spell would do on a creature with a magic spell on it. Would the spell be removed? Would the animal be flung forcibly out of the sphere? Or would nothing happen? Maybe Sarah could answer this question now she is awake as she is more practiced in the arts of magic than I am."
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