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-----Seth searches through his backpack looking for the scroll he found before. "I wonder if this scroll 'Protection from Lycanthrope' may be put to some use."
-----"I learned something else when I followed that merchant and the cloaked man." Kazel goes out of the room as she speaks, then comes back after a few moments holding a dimly lit candle and a pail of water with a cloth hanging on its side. She sets the candle on a nearby table and begins to clean the wounds on Gimplefwick's face. "They were hiring the blacksmith near the west gate to make the fake coins for them, and they got another shipment ready for tomorrow. Maybe we can 'talk' to the smith and find out more about the assassins, or tell Lotley to go check the shop out..."
-----Kazel then pauses and looks at Gimplefwick. "So what were you trying back at the inn? We all want to know, of course."
-----Gimplefwick winces as Kazel cleans his wounded face, "Argghh. Well, it was boring and cold up on that roof. It wasn't a fit night fer halfling nor beast. Then me parrot suggested that we should be insides somewhere. Anyways, the rope was there, so I thought I'd check out the assassin's room."
-----The Dread Pirate's eyes bug out at the memory of his encounter, "When I entered the room, that dead woman stood up and came at me. Yes, she was still dead, but that warn't stoppin her. So she and I tussled fer awhile and then her head fell off. At that point there was a guard yellin down on the street, so I tried to distract him. I yelled down at him that 'the counterfeiters had me', then I chucked the dead woman's head out the window at him. Then I thought it'd be a good dea to leave, and that's when Kazel spotted me."
-----Gimplefwick muses further, "Since the room belonged to those assassins, the innkeeper will doubtless be questioned by the guards as to their description and number. Especially, since there be a headless woman in their room who’s been dead fer a few days. With any luck, our 'friends' will soon be wanted fer questioning by every guard in town, who'll have a goodly description of 'em. That might not drive off those assassins, but it'll make life difficult for 'em. Oh, yar, I did manage to grab this on me way out." Gimplefwick then pulls out a black book and lays it on the floor.
-----Seth eyes the black book. "Dread Pirate, do you mind if I have a quick look at that book or would you prefer it if we got you back to the Guild now?"
-----Gimplefwick shrugs in reply to Seth's question, "Yar. Go ahead and take a look at it. Who’s to say but what it might be trapped though. If it be that valuable they probably wouldn't have left it out in the open like they did, unless it be trapped in some way. Though its guardian was plenty tough by herself."
-----Seth cautiously approaches the book. At first he sits down in front of it and looks at it. He looks to see if there is any writing on the cover on the front or the back. He does not touch the book. Next he looks to see if there is a latch or binding on the book to stop it from being opened. "Mmm, it's a book alright." There appears to be no writing on the book and no latch on it.
-----Kazel listens to Gimplefwick's story with a slightly dubious and amused look on her face. She finishes cleaning up the Dread Pirate's face, then grabs the book and starts to casually flip through it. "I hope that her head 'falling off' means that woman is finished this time. Since it looks like you're going to live, what say we head out and go find Books, or whoever at the guild we can actually find? The new batch of coins goes out in town tomorrow and I think those assassins'd be hopping mad by now."
-----Gimplefwick shakily clambers to his feet, "Shiver me timbers, I'll walk as far as I can, but you'll probably have to carry me if I relapse or somethin'. Maybe we'd best just play it safe and have one of ye carry me back the whole way. Since there be two of ye now, ye can switch off and take turns on who gets to carry me. I think that be a grand idea. What with me bein' all poorly and all." Gimplefwick puts the back of one hand to his forehead and looks as though he may swoon.
-----"Wait, don't swoon yet. You can rest a little more because I will now read you a story." Kazel sits down on a stool near the candlelight, and flips the book back to the beginning. In a quiet voice she begins to read out the pages...
-----Seth and the Dread Pirate see that the book resembles a journal or diary of some sort. On the first page of the book Kazel reads an inscription, "All hail the Dark Goddess! May all soon learn that true strength lies within the Black!"
-----Turning two pages, she finds the first handwritten entry. "1 Dawningtide – Arrived in Hearthorn. Underlings preceded me and assured me all is prepared. First coins have been delivered and will be readied in two days. The Dark Lady’s plans are proceeding. One knight killed by horse today.
-----On the next page is this, "2 Dawningtide – Coins are undergoing smelting. Fools in this town continue to celebrate. Sky has been clear. They shall soon know the true meaning of Darkness!"
-----The third page reads, "3 Dawningtide – Coins have been cooled and paint applied. Shall be ready in two days! Expect second shipment of coins tomorrow. Rumors of wild animal attacks.
-----The fourth page, "4 Dawningtide – First day the weather has been cloudy. A good Omen! Looked at coins. Blacksmith is pleased and results are adequate. Tomorrow underlings will spread the coinage in the market. Will notify D of results. Second shipment will be delivered tonight.
-----The fifth entry, "5 Dawningtide – Success and failure! Underlings spread coins in market. By afternoon, panic has ensued. Underlings discover wrong shipment is delivered. We received shipment of weapons. May send these south regardless. Underlings investigate and have leads.
-----The sixth entry, "6 Dawningtide – Prices have increased in town. 5% at least. Underlings successfully deliver coins to blacksmith themselves. May be enough even though one shipment was lost.
-----The seventh entry, "7 Dawningtide – Underlings seek three. Belong to thieves’ guild of this backwater town. One halfling and two elves or half-elves due back tomorrow. They are marked for death. Town business continues to slow.
-----The eighth entry, "8 Dawningtide – Woder and Everly laid a trap for the thieves’ guild with one of their beggars. They got away and the bitch Everly was killed. She has been raised and will guard me for her incompetence! The thieves will be suspected in the beggar’s death. They must die! After the second coins are introduced, I may kill Woder and leave.
-----The ninth entry has not been written yet.
-----Gimplefwick muses on the black book's passages, "Ummmm. We might be in for more than we bargained for. Apparently we haven't even seen this Nodeus yet. He must be their high priest or something if he has the power to raise the dead. I think we might want to consider alerting the town guard. That might be a decision best left to Wain though. Let's get back to the guild."
-----Seth shakes his head. "Rather than the town guard, would it not be better to alert someone like Lotley?"
-----"That cloaked man is probably Nodeus himself. I just wonder who D is?" Kazel adds.
-----Apparently alarmed by the entries in the book, the Dread Pirate seems to have forgotten his life-threatening injuries and gets up and peers out the window. Seeing that it’s somewhat safe outside, he scampers out and heads back to the guild.
-----Seth seems shocked at the reading of the diary. He was also hoping it may contain some arcane writings but alas it did not. He supports the Dread Pirate in case he needs help on their way back to the guild.
-----Kazel seems not too surprised at Gimplefwick’s miraculous recovery as she slaps the book shut and puts it in a bag. She checks the windows and doors once more, then blows out the candle and follows Gimplefwick and Seth out into the rain.
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