The wind toils with the soft snowfall just outside the tavern windows; the group has awoken on a rather calm morning and gathered around their breakfast table. The Innkeeper has served everyone with a hot fish dish; except for the stranger in the corner who seems to prefer ale.

 

Other than the munching of pancakes, the turning pages of Mina’s book, and the shuffling of feet on the floor above; the only sound to be heard is the crackling of the fireplace and soft whispers from the stranger’s corner.

 

Kansu munches on pancake shaped fish.

 

Lede enters the inn a moment later, a little soaked. "Stupid snowstorms. Stupid vacations."

 

Zidek walks down the stairs after his brief search for Lede, "Oh! There you are darling! ... how was your walk?"

 

Lede crosses her arms. "Swell. Did you get what I told you to?"

 

He glances towards the group; "Mmm, fish pancakes.-" he pauses and looks to Lede, pulling out a small bag, "The provisions? I am so glad you sent me for them! I stumbled across a small trade shop selling collectable King's Board pieces! Come take a look at all the characters I found."

 

<+Lede> "I...what?"

 

Kansu eyes Lede and Zidek.

 

Mina doesn't even seem to notice what’s going on as she blazes through the book

 

He pulls out a small piece from the bag; "I even found a sorcerer that slightly resembles you in your robes from Fate." he puppeteers the piece along the stair rail. "This is my square Mr.Knight, you are - destroyed!"

 

Lede stands there, speechless, for a few more seconds. "I...You do know we need to eat, correct?"

 

Kansu shrugs and runs his fingers over the table in boredom, tracing lines of ice along the surface in a seemingly random pattern.

 

Gorland raises a hand to the barkeep. "Keep..What do you know about the gentleman with the furs, if I may ask?" he asked quietly.

 

Zidek blinks; "Oh, err... I got the provisions. Don't worry; I just left them... outside; I'll go get them... back in a moment." he quickly heads for the door as he tucks the small bag away.

 

The Barkeep keeps his gaze lowered as he cleans the counter; "He likes ale."

 

Kansu watches Zidek retreat.

 

Mina puts the book down and returns to her tea "Well that’s the last of my books..."

 

<+Lede> "Uh...huh." Lede strolls over to Mina's table and drags out a chair, plopping down. "Weren't you all supposed to be busy finding someone?"

 

<+Kansu> "We found her."

 

Lede kicks her feet up onto the table. "You're still here, though. What's the problem?"

 

Gorland looks over towards the Stranger, pondering, stroking his own chin.

 

Kansu continues drawing idly on the table, "She wants to destroy the universe for some reason not-disclosed yet. Gorland wants to wait out the pitiful snowfall he calls a storm before following."

 

<+Gorland> "She does not want to do any such thing. That is why she left us with instructions to stop her," Gorland mumbled under his breath.

 

When Gorland looks to the stranger in the corner, he notices that a second figure has joined him; funny, you can’t seem to recall anyone else entering the inn. He stands facing the stranger with his back towards the group. He is dressed in black gear and a black cloak from which the hilt of two blades are visible. He is whispering to the stranger in muted tones.

 

Kansu shrugs, "She's currently trying to, so she obviously wants to."

 

Gorland blinks, and attempts to listen in, ignoring Kansu rather plainly.

 

Kansu gestures at the inscription he made on the table, which glows brightly a moment as a small creature made of ice rises from it. Existing only a moment before shattering.

 

Kansu mumbles something before making some changes to the inscription.

 

<+Lede> "Yeah, well, best of luck to you, kiddo. Not my problem today."

 

<+Kansu> "We'll need it with the subtlety skillsets of this group."

 

Goroh looks over at the two figures in the corner, shrugs, and goes back to reading a book.

 

The barkeep glances at the two figures for a moment; and then seems to busy himself even more behind the counter.

 

<+Lede> "No kidding."

 

Kansu looks up from his drawing, "If this is a matter of universal survival, why are we waiting?"

 

<+Mina> "I seccond that."

 

Lede shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine. If it was us, we'd already be well on our way."

 

Kansu looks to Gorland.

 

Gorland doesn't hear everything… but hears enough, leaning over to Kansu. "Kansu... Have you a spell that can listen in on that conversation or track the newcomer if he leaves?" Gorland asks quietly.

 

<+Kansu> "Yes and yes."

 

<+Gorland> "Fantastic. I have a pressing hunch."

 

Kansu gestures over at the two conversing, uttering slightly.

 

Kansu raises an eyebrow, "Gross..."

 

<+Gorland> "Hm?"

 

<+Mina> "eh?"

 

Kansu continues to whisper, "Let's just say he won't win any beauty contests."

 

<+Gorland> "Real pertinent."

 

<+Kansu> "If I am to believe descriptions of undead, I'd have to say he looks as close as I can picture it."

 

<+Kansu> "They say they have found something pertinent to the fall of Felten Tower."

 

Goroh gets out of his armchair and walks over to Kansu and Gorland.

 

<+Goroh> "Found anything out?"

 

<+Kansu> "Fur guy is similar to undead. Other guy, if I'm not mistaken, is a spirit folk."

 

<+Goroh> "Ah."

 

<+Lede> "Can you narrow it down at all?"

 

<+Gorland> "..I think this newcomer is the guy Lilith spoke of... The person forcing all of this to happen. They mentioned a stone earlier…They make any more mention of it?"

 

<+Kansu> "They know you and your husband."

 

Kansu nods at Lede.

 

<+Kansu> "They have some sort of pocket watch shaped object with multi-colored hair clipped to it... Looks almost like Lilith's."

 

<+Lede> "Uh huh." She looks to Kansu briefly. "You were saying about subtlety...want to throw that out the window?"

 

<+Gorland> "It must be a means of tracking or communication. Or a focus for any number of spells.."

 

<+Kansu> "It may be a good idea, Lede."

 

Lede frowns. "Wait until they leave. Pick up as much information as you can. Once they do, follow them. Reach a safe distance away and we go ahead."

 

<+Kansu> "They haven't noticed my sensor yet."

 

Kansu continues watching.

 

The man cloaked in heavy furs stands, grabbing and pocketing something from the table; he nods briefly towards his guest, and then heads toward the door leading outside.

 

<+Kansu> "He's the one trying to track."

 

<+Goroh> "I'm on it."

 

Goroh waits until the undead guy is outside to get up and head to the door, following him.

 

The second man stands still for a moment, shifting something around in his hand; suddenly he crouches close to the ground, and then leaps. He seems to vanish into the shadow spreading across the ceiling from the fireplace mantel.

 

<+Gorland> "..That explains how he came in so silently," Gorland mumbled.

 

Kansu blinks, "Locket?"

 

The undead man exits the door; he doesn't take a moment to close it against the wind as he steps out into the snow.

 

Lede narrows her eyes, starting at the shadows still. "Huh. Well, that's something."

 

Gorland blinks at Kansu. "Locket? What about a locket?"

 

<+Kansu> "He had a locket. I don't know what that means."

 

<+Gorland> "Can you describe what it looked like?"

 

Zidek almost bumps into the undead man as he tries to make his way into the inn holding two large bags stuffed with provisions; ‘Oh, Sorry. Sorry.’

 

<+Kansu> "Golden; heart shapes. Very fancy and expensive looking."

 

The undead man nods slightly and mumbles something before starting off down the street. Zidek takes two steps into the inn, and then glances back at the door.

 

Lede nods. "Alright, well, don't worry about that for the moment. Go check out the other man for now."

 

Goroh passes Zidek on the way out, following the undead man.

 

Kansu stands and hurries to follow Goroh out.

 

Gorland instead is still pondering the locket... But then transforms into a polar bear, walking over to where the two men were talking, picking out the scents.

 

<+Mina> "Anything?" *mina asks while standing up*

 

<+Lede> "I think all your friends are leaving. Might want to go keep up."

 

<+Mina> "mmm..." *Mina picks up the pace and begins following them*

 

<+Gorland> "..I believe I have a different Target to Track."

 

Gorland heads outside.

 

The undead man moves rather quickly through the snow towards the edge of town; you would almost expect him to move slower with that limp.

 

Gorland attempts to begin tracking the familiar scent.

 

Zidek moves towards the table, setting the bags down upon it; "Here we are dear; the provisions!"

 

Gorland growls when he cannot pick up the scent. "Blast!!"

 

Gorland takes off in a dead run to catch up with the others.

 

After trailing the undead man towards the town’s edge, they spot a Smilodon walking back and forth, as if prowling. The man seems to be heading right for it. For anyone unknowing of the beast, it appears as a large white saber-tooth tiger; easily large enough to be mounted.

 

Gorland blinks, tilting head, thinking to himself that he would have to try that form one day.

 

Kansu eyes the beast, "Is he going to ride that?"