A low rumble builds in the air. It is largely centered on the Jupani's stomach, but hunger pangs are also beginning to rouse the others as well.

The Eeee hisses on the stone and slowly sits up. He rubs over his eyes, trying to clear them. "Fah, I should have fed last night. Stupid food was too good to be true," he mutters. His eyes blink and clear. As the Eeee looks around, he comments, "And, so was the hotel it looks like. Gah, I feel like I'm back in Babel."

"Whoo," the Jupani mutters as he lifts a hand to his stomach, "that was some dream." His nose twitches in a sniff. "I'm hungry. Ranaeh, beer, fish an' … I think we need to dust more."

Tulani stirs slightly in her sleep, opening her eyes blearily and sitting up, stretching quietly and mumbling happily, "What a lovely dream… " Glancing around at where she is she suddenly wraps her wings about herself, shuddering a bit and suppressing the urge to leave as quickly as possible, glancing at the others.

Arkold's eyes pop open and he glances around briefly before sitting up. "Oh. One of those dreams, eh? The one where you wake up in a tomb, and, eh … " He runs a hand through his blonde mane and shrugs before hopping down. "I love this country."

"Mmm, the morning after is always like this," Ravenia notes, after sitting up and yawning. "I keep forgetting that though. I'm sure Gray has something ready for breakfast however." She swings her legs over the side of the slab, and pats the dust from her clothes.

Alptraum glances towards Ravenia. He grins and comments, "So, I suppose it was all a dream, eh?" He shakes his head and pops his neck, commenting, "I thought I was through with all the strange dreams involving my relatives."

The sight of the tomb not enough to really dampen her strangely buoyed spirits, Tulani closes her eyes, thinking back on her 'dream' as it fades… "If it was a dream, It was certainly a … lovely one… "

"Well, I don't know for sure if it is all a dream or an illusion, or a combination of both," the human responds, before daintily blowing her nose into a zolk handkerchief. "I'm not even certain how many of the guests one meets are really real or just memories used to keep the illusion of immortality going for the others."

"I'll take your relatives if you don't want 'em, bats." Like Ravenia, Arkold busies himself with a bit of dusting.

Alptraum flicks his wings, clearing the dust from himself. He snaps them around his form like a cloak and nods. "Well, it's not like I can choose my relatives, you know," he comments, then glances toward Ravenia. "What I want to know is did we even 'dream' the same thing?" he asks with a grin.

Tulani blushes suddenly inside her ears as she thinks for no apparent reason… Standing up and using the edges of her soft feather wings as a duster to sweep herself, looking up as she does so and saying with a bit of a grin, "Anyone need a duster?"

"Oh, I wouldn't know, unless you want to compare notes?" Ravenia asks, sounding genuinely innocent. "All I do know for certain is that the grand mausoleum is the only safe one for mortals to visit. The others play host to more dangerous fantasies, I'm told. Not all undead are satisfied with feasts and socializing," she explains, and starts for the hallway.

Arkold follows after Ravenia. "They're not so different from the living then, eh," he remarks with a chuckle.

"Oh, we can compare notes in the wagon," Alptraum comments, looking terribly amused. He then shrugs and walks on after Ravenia; at least he's rather used to sleeping in grand graveyards and creepy places.

Combing the gathered dust out of her wings with her fingers, Tulani quickly follows Ravenia as well, becoming rather anxious to be outside the tomb.

The path through the mausoleum is half-familiar from the night before. The heavy layer of dust helps to dim the echoes of the bare stone corridors, and the grand ballroom is now a silent cathedral, its wooden pews and icons moldered by time and rot. From the entry, though, the smell of fat Sylvanian sausages cooking hints that a better world awaits outside.

Alptraum looks a bit … nonplussed at the scent. "Ah, why don't you folks eat? I'm going to scout the area and find a place to bathe," he comments. "I'm not as hungry as I thought."

In the courtyard, Gray is indeed preparing a breakfast. Around a small cookfire he's managed to set a meal of fried bread, roast sausages and tea.

Tulani looks curiously at Alptraum as he declines to eat, but shrugs, making her way over to FOOD! Glorious, glorious FOOD! She perks up at the tasty smells.

"There should be some springs in the woods nearby," Ravenia tells Alptraum, her eyes fixed on the food.

"I'll scout the sausage, Tulani you scout the bread," Arkold comments as he gives Alptraum a half-hearted salute. "Tell me if you discover any bacon, bats. In fact report immediately."

Alptraum cants his head briefly. "I think I hear water in the distance," he comments. With a grin toward Arkold, Alptraum snaps his wings out and takes to the skies.

"So, did you both enjoy your night?" Ravenia asks conversationally, as she serves herself some bread and meat.

Nodding happily to Arkold, Tulani swiftly picks up two pieces of bread, handing a piece to Arkold, looking up at Alptraum as he takes off.

Arkold nods. "Absolutely. I learned a lot. A whole lot. Very educational. Pass the sausage." He drops down to sit and accepts the bread before gnawing on it. "Thanks."

Gray silently serves the food and drink, while Ravenia casually says, "In my dream, you had some sort of special map you were following."

Tulani doesn't reply immediately to Ravenia's first question, blushing once again inside her ears for no apparent reason, before saying in a quiet voice, "Except for the waking up in a tomb, it was a… great experience." She rolls a sausage in her piece of bread and begins to eat hungrily.

"How interesting," the wolf remarks vaguely between bites.

Tulani doesn't seem to hear Ravenia's second question, her eyes looking off in thought as she eats.

"So, did you have different dreams then?" Raven asks, dabbing some crumbs and grease from her lips with her kerchief.

"I think we were all together," the wolf answers carefully, "but I wasn't much paying attention to more than I was doing."

"And there was a dance," Raven prompts, smiling. "Quite the dance, I recall!"

Nodding in agreement with Arkold, Tulani concurs, "Same here." thinking back on the memory of the red-furred, antlered Lapi and smiling to herself. Blinking at Raven's statement about the dance, she replies vaguely, "I think I remember something like that… " before trailing off.

"I shall have to make a note of this," Ravenia says. "I've never been here with a group before, so it could be important to know how the environment responds." She motions to Grey, who goes to retrieve a quill, ink and a notebook from the carriage.

The wolf chuckles lightly. "I used be be quite the dancer back when. Quite the dancer, but there are better still. Quite better. Versatile race, the Eeee. Very versatile." He sips his tea and grins at his own memories.

Tulani resists the urge to look over Raven's shoulder as she writes, instead pausing to wonder where Alptraum had gotten off too. She sits quietly, having finished off her breakfast.

After writing her notes Ravenia hands the implements back to Grey, and looks at the sky. "I think that if we leave soon, we can get to my estate by nightfall, and well out of danger from bandits."

"Good, good. Too many bandits an' I'm not as young as I used to be," says Arkold. He wipes his mouth with a kerchief and eyes the remaining sausage, adding, "Bats should be back soon. If not he won' have any trouble finding us."

Nodding her agreement with Raven, Tulani stands as quietly as she sat, watching the sky for signs of Alptraum. Passing the remaining sausage to Arkold she asks him, "Should I go take a look for him?"

"I suppose we should prepare to leave then," Ravenia says, standing up. This appears to be the signal for Grey to actually do all the work of clearing away the cooking and putting out the fire. "Would you, Tulani? He really shouldn't be out by himself."

The wolf shakes his head. "He'll be back in his own time. 'Sides he might be taking a bath an' he's prolly shy, heh."

Grinning at Arkold, Tulani says, "I think he'll forgive me, but I'll give him five more minutes."

"Oh, I don't think he has anything to be shy about, Mr. Arkold," Ravenia quips, giving one of her enigmatic smiles.

Arkold grins right back. "Don' say I didn't warn you," he says with a shrug.

Tulani taps one foot lightly against the ground as she waits, wanting to be off.

The carriage is repacked, and the Dromodons led from the stable to be hitched up. Ravenia puts her obscuring veiled hat on once more, becoming Lady Veil again.

Carriage ready and time up, Tulani moves off to the side a bit so as not to hit anyone with her wings, spreading them with a loud 'Fwapp' and quickly taking to the air, calling out as she goes, "Be right back!"

Arkold nods.

The woods around Worms are thick, typical for Sylvania, but lack the giant chestnut and other types of forest giant. As Alptraum hunts, his ears pick up the sounds of water and what might be singing off to the south.

Alptraum's ears flick. "Surely that can't be singing?" he thinks and wings his way southward. He moves slowly, though, more intend on finding himself some breakfast he can consume that won't revisit itself a few minutes later.

The singing becomes clearer, enough so that the Eeee can be certain it belongs to a human female, probably still in mid to late adolescence. There are also the sounds of wildlife in the same vicinity, and glimpses of water through the trees ahead.

"Figures, people would be near where food is as well," Alptraum mutters. He wings downward and lands in the forest. His ears tilt and swivel, trying to locate something edible and keeping an ear on the location of the human.

There are the sounds of 'deer', the odd quadrupedal and non-sapient version of Cervani, as well as those of other smaller creatures. The trees give way to reveal a sizeable spring pool, where the animals have come to drink, and the human has apparently come to bathe. Scene from the back, and even at a distance, her veins and arteries seem amazingly evident through pale skin.

"Heh, at least the dream had anatomy right," Alptraum comments, amused. "Uhm, excuse me," he calls out after backing into the woods. "I heard singing and I don't want to stumble upon anyone who isn't decent. I'm just out here scouting. I'm no threat to you."

The woman turns and begins to scream… only to stop and stare for a moment at Alptraum. "Oh, you aren't a monster," she says, and immediately begins to fade away into mist.

"Woah, wait," Alptraum calls out and steps into the clearing. "What are you?"

"Bait," comes a whisper from the dispersing mist.

"For… ?" Alptraum starts to ask, then his eyes narrow. His wings snap and he goes up quickly. "I hate traps," he things grimly. "No hunting here."

A doe looks up at Alptraum from across the pool, dips her head down for a final drink, then turns and trots back into the woods. The grunting warning call of a six-legged bladger can be heard making its way towards the pool as well.

Alptraum arcs away from the clearing and lands in the woods again some distance away. His ears flick and he kneels down, listening for prey – preferably small prey. "That pool reminds me of old stories about women who lure people to their doom," he thinks grimly.

A rabbit can be heard nearby, methodically plucking the leaves from a root-hugging vine. Under the soil, burrowing creatures dig away and lead their lightless lives, and deeper still… perhaps it is the Eeee's imagination, but it could have been someone singing, 'Hi ho, Hi ho.'

Alptraum makes a face. "Maybe you were hit on the head and have lost it, yow," he thinks. With a shrug, he starts stalking the rabbit, moving in a low crouch towards it. His eyes narrow, and he darts out towards the rabbit, prepared to grab.

The fat Lapine doesn't have time to react, since it was stretched out with its forepaws against the trunk of a tree to get to some slightly higher leaves. It doesn't even let out a squeal.

Alptraum blinks and eyes the creature. "Uh, you do realize you're in danger, yes?" he asks it, dumbfounded.

The rabbit stares in wide-eyed terror at the Eeee, and struggles a bit before its heart gives out. It doesn't look like anyone really hunts the animals in this forest, so they aren't used to it.

Alptraum blinks again. His brow furrows, concerned about the oddity of this place … but he has to eat. He bares his fangs and makes a quick snap, sinking them into the form of the rabbit. He consumes as quickly as he can, the forest making him nervous.

There certainly isn't anything unusual about the rabbit's blood, however odd its owner may have acted. The Eeee can drink his fill.

Alptraum does so. He then sets the rabbit down gently and pats it. "Sorry, but thank you," he tells it, feeling a twinge of guilt. He glances back towards the direction of water and flicks his ears. "I better get slightly wet or they'll question." He heads back towards it, walking this time and listening for anything unusual.

Tulani scans the ground as she glides along, keeping an eye out for Alptraum.

The tranquility of the pool has been broken by the time Alptraum returns. The bladger – a notoriously cantankerous burrowing creature – is splashing through the water and churning up mud for its own bizarre purposes, and snorting and grunting up a storm to let the world know about it.

Alptraum keeps an eye on the strange creature. He moves as far away from the creature as he can and kneels down beside the pool. "Don't you give me any trouble," he tells it, then quickly dips his head into the water to rinse his hair.

True to its nature, the bladger stares at Alptraum, and begins hissing, belching and bobbing up and down on its legs in challenge.

Hearing a loud ruckus somewhere nearby, Tulani swoops in, spotting the strange creature and the pool from between two trees, and Alptraum as well. Gliding lower, getting closer.

Alptraum shakes out his head and backs away from the pool. "I'm not here on a territory fight," he says. "I'm just cleaning my hair," he adds, slicking it back and out of the way. "I'll be leaving."

Just to make sure, the bladger lunges forward a foot, its squat body shivering in rage and its hackles raising up.

Turning herself through an arc in the air as the creature charges, Tulani calls out quickly to Alptraum, "Hey! Need a Hand?"

Alptraum almost bares his fangs and hisses at the creature. Instead, he just backs to the treeline and tries to wring his hair out a bit more and calls to Tulani, "No, it's just grumpy. I'm done here anyway. Why are you out here?"

Smiling a bit to herself, Tulani replies, "Oh, alright then. The carriage is ready to leave!" She chuckles to herself before continuing, "Arkold wanted to leave you behind, but I thought I'd come tell you anyway."

Alptraum huffs and snaps his wings wide. Once airborne, he comments, "He would. Not like I couldn't find you anyway. I can hear him belching from a mile away."

After a few minutes of waiting, Arkold spots the two flyers returning.

"There they are, heh." Arkold lifts a hand to point to the incoming fliers. "Guess we ought to clean up. Grey, I'll help. Faster we're done the faster we can be on our way."

Tulani glides back to where the carriage was waiting to leave, following closely behind Alptraum, landing with a soft thud and folding her wings down against her back.

Alptraum wings his way down. "You are so asking to have your butt kicked, old man," Alptraum comments with a grin towards Arkold. "Leave me, indeed! You'd be lost."

The poodle nods silently, and helps to finish packing away the last of the cooking equipment and dowsing the coals of the fire.

Thumping both Arkold and Alptraum good-naturedly on their shoulders, Tulani chimes in, "Of course! What would we do without Alptraum?"

"I don't recall you saying just where you were all headed, other than 'East'," Ravenia comments from the carriage, her face once more hidden by her veil.

Arkold holds one hand up defensively as he helps stow the cooking supplies with his free hand. "'Course. Lost. Your turn to drive, bats!"

Alptraum smirks, heading over to the wagon and doing some inspections of the axles and reins. "Yes, we're headed east. We're on a grand quest to save Sylvania! Or rather, to see if old legends and odd clues amount to anything, really. It's not that interesting," he says.

The Jupani climbs in next to Alptraum and adjusts his sword. "Not interestin' at all," he adds cheerily.

Tulani pauses to stroke the necks of the Dromodons hitched to the carriage, whispering to them, "Be good for Alptraum, ok?" before climbing into the carriage herself.

Everything is in order, and the Dromodons even seem a bit anxious to leave. The cobbled avenues are less pristine in the daylight, without the glamour of illusion – dirt and wind-blown detritus has filled in the dimples to make the surface nearly smooth, providing a more comfortable ride as the carriage leaves Worms behind.

"It can hardly be a dull reason, to risk traveling through such dangerous lands," Lady Veil comments. The woods begin to thin as they approach the main road once again.

"And really, I'm just along to find my family. Well, adopted family anyway. My real family aren't that fun to be around," Alptraum comments as he settles down onto the seat. With practiced movements, he retrieved the reins with his feet and then takes them into his hands. "Onward!" he declares in a rather melodramatic tone, as the wagon moves on.

It doesn't take long before the carriage has returned to the main east-west road. The light is still murky where eastern overcast blocks the rising sun, making for a cool morning and lingering night mists along the embankments. For now, mundane forest lines both the north and south sides of the road, with little of note to draw the eye. Inside the carriage, the women have put up the privacy panel between the coachmen's bench and the cabin, although it does little to block sound. Atop the luggage rack, facing backwards, Lady Veil's poodle servant sits quietly.

Alptraum is currently reclining back, half-listening to the surroundings, half-watching. He's even currently gripping the reins with his feet, as the Dromodons plod forward. "Ahhh, I hope it'll be an uneventful day," he comments, "No more naked spirits, undead, or huge rabbits."

Arkold nods slowly. "No more undead, huge rabbits or … " He pauses to glance at Alptraum, eyebrow raised. "Naked spirits? Eh? You mean more?"

"Naked bait spirits in bodies of water," Alptraum mutters. "Humans look very strange naked."

From inside the carriage, Ravenia's warm voice says, "I can't help but notice your glances of interest, Tulani. Would you like to have a closer look at them?"

The Jupani rubs his muzzle. "You're gunna have to point out these dange-" Again the wolf pauses to glance at Alptraum and this time he nudges the other man.

In an astonished tone, Tulani seems to reply to Raven, "Really?? Of course! They certainly are beautiful!"

Alptraum glances over at Arkold. "What? Those two? I'm trying to ignore them. They're just trying to mess with us, you realize," he comments. "Women are like that."

There follows the sounds of clothes rustling, buckles unbuckling and a distinct unzipping. "Ahh, I'm glad it's just us girls. I'd never get away with airing these out with a man in the cabin," Ravenia says, nearly giggling.

"Happen to have any ear plugs? For my heart," Arkold mutters as he rubs his head distractedly.

A sound of amazement can be heard, apparently coming from Tulani as she replies, "Wow! They feel wonderful! So firm. But how do you keep them so soft and supple at the same time?"

Alptraum's ears flick. He 'accidentally' elbows the wagon. "Hey you two, you're going to give Arkold a heart attack. I really don't want to clean up that mess. You break him, you get to move him," he says loudly.

"I rub in some oil every few days," Ravenia replies. "Although occasionally a good kneading is in order. What are they babbling about up there?"

"Ever wunner why I drink a lot? Women." The wolf nods. "Definitely women."

"I have no idea," the Sphynx innocently shoots back.

"Quite right, women are the true evil in the world," Alptraum says and nods sagely.

"I imagine being able to fly puts different stresses on your own," Ravenia says to Tulani. "May I feel them?"

Tulani raps the backboard lightly, momentarily commenting, "Oh be quiet already!" There's a slight tint of humor in her voice.

There is the sound of more shifting cloth, and laces, as Tulani replies to Raven, "Why, of course!

Alptraum glances over at Arkold and comments, "I lived with a cabal of death dealing women and was chased by a disease priestess. I'm amazed I don't drink more. Hateful, all of them."

After a moment of silence, Ravenia says, "My… they're certainly harder than I imagined. That can't be comfortable… maybe you should let me oil them for you? I think I have the bottle here in my bag… "

"OH! That would be wonderful! I certainly need to soften them up more" Tulani replies, excitedly adding, "It would definitely make them easier to deal with."

Arkold nods slowly. "You might just be right. Somethin' about entertainment, evils, and women. Somethin' witty. That'd be great now, were I a scholar."

Alptraum grins and elbows the panel. "Maybe they wouldn't be so hard if you would quit sweating all over them, eh?" he comments, amused.

After a bit of relative silence, Ravenia says, "I think I've strained my fingers. We may need one of the men to lend a hand. Arkold probably knows about this stuff. I can't imagine Alptraum having any experience with the problem though, being an Eeee."

A light Tsk Tsk can be heard from inside the carriage followed, by a "Here, let me have a look at that," from Tulani. "See, you need to rub firmly, but gently… "

"Oh!" Ravenia gasps. "Did you learn this from working on airships? It feels wonderful."

The older man coughs a chuckle, then gives Alptraum a distinctly pitying look. "You'll learn, son."

"Oh sure, insult the Eeee. Everyone insults us," Alptraum comments, curling a rein around a toetip. He flicks his ears forward and listens, trying to ignore those behind him.

Outside, the scenery rolls by without being particularly scenic.

"Right now, a zombie horde would be a nice distraction," Alptraum mutters.

Tulani replies cheerfully to Ravenia's query, "Of course! You have to learn how to loosen these up properly, or you never get anything done… "

Arkold rubs his chin. "Reminds me of my days on ship. Those were the days, eh?"

"I can see… mmmm… " Ravenia says, practically purring. "Arkold, can you hear me out there? Tulani needs a favor… "

"Heh, my only days on a ship were with some of the unpleasant women," Alptraum remarks.

"Always happy to help ma'am," the Jupani calls back on to the carriage. "Somethin' you need? A rubbing perhaps?"

Tulani pipes up excitedly, "Really? Thanks Arkold!" The backboard of the carriage abruptly pops open, and a pair of stiff leather boots and a bottle of oil are passed out to the wolf. The Sphynx continues, "Could you rub some oil into these for me?"

"Oh." The wolf looks at the boots. "Boots. Right. Rubbing. Eh, on it. Happy to 'blige." He picks up the boots and the oil and hands them to Alptraum. "They said you needed to learn so, eh, it's teaching time."

Alptraum smirks, but doesn't say anything or accept the boots and oil. Instead, he leans down and retrieves the reins from his feet. He shakes his head and says to Arkold, "No, no, they asked you." He winks and grins. "How long have you lived out here, Veil?" he asks a few moments later, trying to change the topic.

"All of my life, of course," Ravenia answers. "I was born on the estate."

Arkold grumbles and begins working on the boots. It's strange but you wouldn't think there'd be that much twisting and grabbing with the fingers. That sort of work is more akin to strangling.

Inside the coach Tulani smiles brightly at Ravenia, flicking an ear towards her saying, "You must have some interesting stories about the area here?"

"Well, yes. But I was wondering how long? I'm curious how much information you may know about the area or have experienced," Alptraum replies.

"Also, I grew up in Sylvania with a travelling group. Maybe we met before and don't remember, eh?" Alptraum adds and shrugs slightly.

"Oh… well, it has changed so much recently," Ravenia says. Appropriately, the scenery begins to change along the road. To the north, the familiar vista of abandoned farmlands begins to appear, while the forests to the south take on a darker air.

"I remember things being better, and stories about fairies living in the woods and magical springs, but that seems like another lifetime now," Ravenia relates. "The wars and… other things… have ruined the land."

Tulani glances occasionally out the window at the changing scenery, but keeps the focus of her attention on Raven, trying not to interrupt her. She has a distinct Go on, and then what? expression on her face.

"Well, there are still magical springs," Alptraum comments and glances back. "I found one in the woods this morning. But … what other things?"

"It's all changed since the sorcerer came," Raven whispers. "Father has been fighting him for over a year, but the Dark One always manages to escape or fool his pursuit. His followers are fanatics."

"Magical whatnots all over the place. I doubt the Collegia has half of them recorded too. Or could do it even if they had the manpower. It's a real variety show of dangerous magical disasters out here." The wolf puts one boot down and grabs the other. "But that's what makes it exciting. Cutpurses get old after a while, eh. Heh heh."

"Sorcerer? What sorcerer? Is there anything we can do to help?" Alptraum inquires, ears flicking.

Tulani turns her head slightly, curiously following Alptraum's leading thought, "Yes, what about this Sorcerer?"

"I dare not speak his name, or that of his dark god," Raven says, and shudders. "He is… horrible. He wants to drive us out for some reason. He sends terrible monsters against the townspeople."

"What kind of monsters?" Alptraum inquires next. "I've dealt with several rather nasty kinds."

"Demons made of blood, and shrieking phantoms, and madness itself," Ravenia says, getting up to sit next to Tulani for comfort.

"Uh, with all due respect ma'am but uh … why would a terribly powerful sorcerer want to drive out anyone in Sylvania? I mean there are better estates, and better places. More profitable. You aren't, ah, hiding anything are you?" the wolf inquires carefully.

Tulani gently puts an arm and part of one of her soft wings around Raven's shoulders as she sits, smiling gently to her.

Alptraum bolts upright. "Wait. Demons made of blood? Great spidery looking things? Do they all have medallions around their necks?" Alptraum asks.

"We don't know what he seeks!" the human blurts out. "But father fights back, so perhaps the beast seeks revenge. I have not seen the demons, but they have been said to resemble spiders and to drain their victims of blood."

Alptraum starts laughing in a low, dark, tone. "Who would have thought," he says slowly.

"You… you know this monster?" Ravenia asks, sounding more cautious than hopeful.

Whispering softly half to herself Tulani comments, "That's horrible… " She gives Raven a light hug with the arm around her shoulder, likewise looking up, curious at Alptraum's statement.

"Alptraum knows all the colorful sorts it seems," Arkold muses as he eyes the bat consideringly.

"If it's who I think it is, in a sense I do. Several years ago, an older Khatta raided the town we were camped at and stole a necklace through a misguided Savanite. He injured her later, and I saved her life. We went after him. He sent zombies against us, that preyed on the minds of those he sought to kill, with illusions to entice. A young Yodhsunala, an incarnation of Sunala, broke the illusion for me through a dream appearance. We barely escaped, but the experience severely hurt my friend emotionally. Later, one of his followers changed into a spidery blood beast. I stayed behind and helped kill that thing, but lost the necromancer's trail," Alptraum relates and shrugs. "That creature … killed a lot of people. If I hadn't detoured to Babel, I might have caught up with him in time."

"Then it is fate that you travel this road," Ravenia declares. "Will you come to my estate then and help us? We should reach the crossroads by late afternoon, and I must turn south there."

"The blood spiders are not that bad to fight, if you know their weakness," Alptraum says and glances toward Arkold. "Well, I suppose I could, but these two may wish to follow a different path."

Tulani blinks rapidly for a moment at Alptraum's explanation, looking over at Raven seriously, nodding her head, and saying in a quiet tone, "Yes, I'd like to help as well." And mumbling almost silently, just to herself, "Never leave a friend in trouble… "

Arkold tosses his shoulders in a shrug. "Have to keep in shape somehow," he offers vaguely, and grins. "What do you say Tulani? Blood spiders? Sounds good, eh? I'm in. Gives me more to write about when I retire."

Tulani chuckles lightly, trying to inject a little humor by commenting back to Arkold, "Your book is going to be the size of an encyclopedia, isn't it Arkold?"

Wiping away a tear from her cheek, Ravenia says, "Father will be so glad. I was afraid that I had failed him by returning home empty-handed, but now… " She smiles again.

Alptraum chuckles. "Well, I can't promise miracles, or even if it's the same person. But, the actions sound the same. The two that traveled with him were utterly devoted to him. Even the one I pantsed at one point, heh," he comments.

Tulani is unable to hold back her laughter at the thought of pantsing a sorcerer's follower, and it rolls forth brightly and happily.