Café de Nuit

Terik looks Fox surprised, was too bad that the man has no memories for so long time. As all Darkonese, Terik was familiar with the land's ability to alter the memories of those that weren't born there . But this wasn't the case, Fox didn't have his memories replaced by others, he didn't believe he was born and raised in Darkon, he has completely lost his memories for a month.

"I guess you have an amnesia, it's loss of memory and is used to caused when you bump your head. Maybe you slipped and fall or someone hit you. Anyway, your memories should return sooner or later but you don't need to worry about that. You are among friends now, even if this isn't the best place to be...You are a skilled wizard and when we have more time I would like to know more about you and maybe we can swap spells. Now, what is the last thing you remember before the ghouls attack? Even a detail might be important to find out where you come from and try to get you back when we are done from this place."

"Have you tried speaking to a priest of sufficient capabilities? Maybe they can restore your mind to what it once was. And as far as you accompanying us, I see your presence as a glory to behold, for you seem to attract undead for me!"

Placing his mighty greatsword upon his back once more, Tammerin actually hid his concern from the group, seeing that if those few ghouls were just the spawn of another, that spawn was already great in number. They should move on immediately.

"Let us make haste to this glorious town of Draken. Maybe the civilians can be saved from this corruptive caster that twists their thoughts into hatred towards those that do not deserve such treatment."

As you guys make your way to the city of Draken the walls rise high and the gates are shut. Mist clings to the ground obscuring it slightly as it seems to flow like torrents of mist rivers across the vast land. You find amongst the mist what looks like bodies of battle fought long ago, some perhaps more recently but all valuables seem to have been looted or scavenged only leaving behind rusted weapons, broken armors, and unusable leathers. The city stands in the distance its banners flying high in the wind, though from the outside the city might as well look death for there are no signs of life amongst the wall. As you approach the gate a guard from above yells down at your party.

"Halt or we will fire upon you! Have you been infected by the plague or ran into any of the living undead! Speak truthfully now, for we will know if you are lying!" comes the man's yell from above. It appears to be only one man with a crossbow aimed down at your party, a poor amount of men for defending a gate but you can't be sure that others aren't hiding nearby.

"Plague? Well this gets better and better... I hope I didn't get infect from that ghoul," said Dexter under his breath and then looked for the party. "So what do we do?"

"For that matter do we tell them the truth? I can't imagine they have a way to force us to tell the truth, and the man kind of seems on edge," said Lin looking up at the man who's crossbow was still aimed down at them.

"Do we want to chance lying to them? Might not be a good way to start off, though I'm open to suggestions, the wounds don't look that bad thanks to Angelo," said Dexter looking to Angelo who nodded in recognition.

Looking to the group, Tammerin spoke, "We must tell the truth. Man is often forgiving and willing to cure that which ails wounded. I have trusted in the wisdom of humanity, and I will trust in it now. If we are to tell the truth, let me speak so that my divinity may shine as a symbol of our honesty."

Terik looks at the man with the crossbow and then at Tammerin.

"I'm not so sure that he will believe us...but yes I think worths a try."

If you are gonna tell the truth, id tell only part of it.

Fox had his hands behind his head, and a very relaxed aura about him. His dark eyes kept glancing between the man bearing the crossbow at them, as well as the rest of this group. When he was speaking, his voice was low, and calm. He decided to talk to the large man who was talking all high and mighty.

Not all of man is as forgiving as you may think. If you say that we were attacked by ghouls, then whats to stop them from trying to kill us to rid this plague, and they may want to try to stop from coming in.

Fox then opened the topic to the rest of the group, putting in his thoughts.

Id say we were attacked, but id leave the undead part out of it. I'm sure you can convince them that your wound was a bite from a monster, Dex.

With that, Fox finished talking, and regained his quiet pose. His right wrist rested right next to his sword. He was ready for anything, at least mentally. Outwardly, he just seemed simply relaxed, without a care in the world.

Terik nods at Fox's words.

"I agree that we can try that angle even if they would probably figure out that were undead. Too bad Angelo insists to not talking our best bet to get inside is a cleric of Eternal Order actually order the guard to open the gate. They are highly respected and the authority. Anyway Tammerin might try to convince them preferably leaving out that he is a paladin."

"These people also worship a different deity than any of us, and would scourge and burn us for our false faith. We must take measures to protect ourselves if we are to ever survive in this city. Also, my capabilities of speech are not my forte. I'm of the battle kind, and taking a hint from you, Fox, I'm guessing it would be best if anyone but I spoke to the guards. That, and I have a glowing, flaming holy symbol that resembles anything but their god. I don't think I should be the one speaking to them, anymore."

Terik sighs and says:

"I'll try it, but better be warned I'm not that good to speaking to people..."

The evoker takes few steps forward and addresses the guard with the crossbow.

"Hello, my name is Terik Ablazer. Me and my friends come from the land of Darkon if you have heard it. We just got here through a door that opened out of nowhere on a bridge and we cross it in order to investigate it. We have no plague, we just need shelter for the night. If you have a cleric inside he can check us for diseases if you don't want to take my word for granted. Please sir you cannot leave us outside the gate when yourself said that are monsters that carry diseases...If you want tomorrow we will leave, but please just let us stay inside for the night."

"You've seen the black door! Open the gates!" yelled the man from above as he disappeared behind the wall. The door slowly moved open as two men were on the otherside. Down from a stone stairway came the third man slightly out of breathe when he reached the bottom. "You said you saw the Black Gate? Rose will want to know this. Quickly come on in, we don't want to let the dead in."

After the party enters the close the door latching it shut once more. Beyond the wall appears to be a sizeable town built of stone but in its streets it appears mostly empty the only living things you see are the three guards in front of you. "Rose is our Holy Seneschal, and she'll want to know that you've seen the gate."

"Whats the big deal with the gate? Do you know what it is?" asked Lin trying to get more information from the man, he didn't seem to want to disclose any information however. He reluctantly answered, "It only shows up when Tobi allows it. It means others like yourselves come from distant lands. It also means we might have a chance to leave, but enough of that. Come come, Rose will be able to explain more to you."

Terik looks the guards really surprised. Apparently they have heard of the door but they don't know where it leads and apparently they are a kind of prisoners which is totally unwanted right now.

"Yeah sure, we will come with you. But who is this Tobi? And why you cannot leave? There aren't any vistani tribes here that can guide you out of this land or mistways to Darkon for example or another land?

"Vist-- No don't ever mention them here, for your own sake. They are an evil and vile race of tricksters. They wear human skins and pretend to tell your future only to manipulate you into doing what they want. False prophets all," said the man with a certain hysteria in his eyes.

Dexter had let his hands come down to his blades but relaxed when the man let the subject drop without incident. "Yes, well I am curious about this Tobi person as well."

"All questions will be answered in time, come. Rose will answer all of your questions," said the man as he motioned for them to follow him. Angelo looked at the rest shrugged and then walked forward after them.

"Why do I get a bad feeling about this," grumbled Dexter as he set into motion clapping Terik on the shoulder as he moved past. "Keep an eye out for others in the streets. I'm not sure I trust this guy yet. Especially one that doesn't give their name."

There was something about these guys that really threw Fox off, and he didn't like it. They were talking about someone named Rose like they were some supreme being, and Fox wasn't one who normally went for someone like that. He let his hands slide off his head, passing down to his side, where they stayed. He trusted his reactions if a fight broke out, and he always had magic, which he would try and not use if a fight did break out.

When Terik mentioned a door, they were immediately let in, which also threw Fox off. The door must have been something crazy, and, by the conversation, only appeared when someone named Tobi willed it? Something about that didn't sit right. Man made up stories for events, and this just seemed like a simple event of magic to Fox. Perhaps that was just his lack of memories talking.

Still, like the merc he was, Fox went on in with his companions, but he kept his guard up, eyes open, and ears listening. Something made the pit of his stomach hard, and most of the time that wasn't a good thing. He didn't say anything right now, but he was being thrown off.

Terik nods to Dexter and keep following the guards but he darts side looks around. It was the first time some has let him in so easily without follow up questions. And they seem to have forgotten the plague and the undead as well, they were just curious about the door. The guard has also mentioned that now maybe the can leave, meaning before they couldn't so they were a kind of prisoners. Thinking more about the black door Terik remembers the undead, its clear that the door is in some way linked to undead or even the gray realm. Looking around Terik tries to see how other people in the town will react to them.

As the party goes through the streets of Draken it is oddly silent and seemingly deserted. You eventually come to an old cathedral. It has a similar look about it to the one that Lin and Tammerin had seen back in Karg. Figures are huddled outside the door most dressed in rags or leather cloths. Two knights seem to stand guard outside in full plate. Their plate does not even gleaming in the sunlight that occasionally escapes the clouds above.
One thing that sticks out immediately is that everyone seems to have a weapon on them whether it is a shortsword or a dagger. Most talking is in hushed whispers as you approach and are lead through to the knights in the front.

“These ones have seen the Black Gate, they need to speak with Rose,” said the man who had lead you here. The mention of the Black Gate draws some interest from the nearby crowd but they do not say anything and some loose interest right away.

“What makes you so sure? How do we know they aren’t spouting madness with disease? Did you even check them?” said one of the knights in a low gruff voice. The man seemed to shrink at little at that.

“Look how they are dressed; they are outsiders to this land. Do they look hurt to you?” asked the man looking back at the party.

The knight seemed to study them for a time, and then started to pull a small item out of a pouch. “Then they won’t mind a quick check for the plague,” said the Knight. Dexter swallowed hard hoping he hadn’t caught anything from those ghouls.

After a moment of holding up some sort of amulet the Knight let it drop. He looked to the other Knight for a long moment and then back to the man. “Barnaby, you can take them through. Just remember what happened to the last outsider that came here. You had let a man riddled with the plague step into this place. If we have cause to clean your mess up again, we’ll put you to the fire as well.” Angelo seems to take note of this mention.

The man apparently named Barnaby nods and walks on through. After the group is through the door Barnaby speaks again. “Sorry about that they aren’t in too pleasant of a mood these days,” after that quick mention, he proceeds through the church taking you all to a back room where a woman dressed in dark red appears to be kneeling on a pillow. She has a red shawl covering her face as you enter.

“Is that you Barnaby? Back so soon?” asks the woman. Then you all smell it. The scent of roses.

“Yes Rose, I brought more outsiders who have seen the Black Gates. I brought them straight to you like you said, and they checked. No disease.” Said Barnaby as he kneeled down to her level.

The shawl looks in the direction of the party and then she motions for him to leave. “Wait outside Barnaby, I have a few questions for these outsiders as they no doubt have a few questions for me,” Said Rose waving her hand which was gloved in red. After Barnaby exited the room she invited everyone to sit. Dexter and Lin take a seat but Angelo remains standing.

“First of all you must all have questions, let me answer those the best I can.”