The day starts early in the secret temple of the shrine-maidens. Widgery comes in the wee hours of the morning to fetch Tulani for her healing rituals, before the Sphynx can even have any breakfast. The rituals last the entire morning, and call upon Arcadia, Ashtoreth and even Abaddon, since Tulani was wounded in battle. They also involve lots of incense and burning herbs that make the Sphynx lightheaded and woozy, but in the end the soreness and swelling she'd been suffering from is gone, and she's assured she'll be able to fly again in less than ten days, if she doesn't strain herself.

Ravenia keeps to the dormitory for the most part, sorting through the freely available clothing to assemble a suitable new wardrobe for Tulani, as well as supplementing her own. The pointy-eared human even passes up a chance to see more Trapper training.

Lilith joins up with Nicora after breakfast. Luckily, there are live animals kept on hand for feeding the various training monsters, so the vampire Eeee don't go hungry. She lets Nicora know that she's filled in the other acolytes of Barada about the sorcerer and general situation to the west.

News of the necromancer is also eagerly heard by the Slayer trainees in the dormitory of Abbadon, where Cari has been staying (and checking over their armory). Hilda, the Amazonian Lapi and chief trainer, laments at how boring things are at the temple, where there are no slaves, sex, large beds or challenging battles. Her two disciples are identical twin Rhians named Mimi and Twiglet who are very fond of their blessed war maces, which they keep under their pillows at night. They openly discuss sending out an 'armed reconnaissance' expedition to check things out.

By early afternoon, the various members of the group have joined up again in the dormitory of Sunala, to plan their next move.

"Well, it looks as if we can move on, then. Tulani's wound will recover, though I am concerned as to why to took so much effort to get to heal properly," Nicora notes and paces impatiently. "We've lost a day, though hopefully it will not be too much of an impact."

Arkold scratches his chest after plopping down on a bed. He eyes the door to make sure the coast is clear, then complains, "I've been dying to do that. Dagh's nose, this place drives me crazy."

"I'm not particularly enjoying acting like a woman," Nicora/Alptraum remarks dryly. "But, it could be worse."

"You probably shouldn't say that," Ravenia warns Alptraum. "The gods could be listening."

Sitting on another bed looking over the clothing Ravenia had pieced together, Tulani looks up, still smelling heavily of incense, and comments, "Well, you're doing a good job of it at least… and it really could be worse."

Nicora chuckles at that and shrugs slightly. "In any event, we should get moving, I think. If we push long today, we can probably make up time," she notes.

"I've taken a look at the armament available here an' I'd say these women probably represent one of the strongest elite forces I've seen in Sylvania. Heh, well the only elite forces I've seen in Sylvania. 'Course they'd be difficult to get to help us directly. Anyway, I'm ready to be out of here. That woman talked about sex ALL night, rrrgh," says the wolf.

Nicora smirks. "I would have loved to watch you squirm," she teases.

Tulani resists laughing in order to give the wolf a pat on the shoulder.

After taking a sip of tea, Lilith says, "I've gotten some information on the area to the east, along our path. There's a small village called Scabies we could probably reach by nightfall if we hurry. Too bad there aren't enough Slayers here to make an effective force."

Nicora nods to Lilith. "Awful name, but we're pretty pathetic. I'll take what we can find. Towns are the safest places to stay, period. Otherwise we're one big wandering target in the wilderness," she notes.

Arkold hrrmps, which makes him look pouty – a look that quickly seems to annoy him, and which he almost as quickly corrects. "The Slayers'd be best to use against a small target, like a monster, but not an army of the undead. Not sure we should risk them considerin' what we need and how we need to do it," he says.

"There's only one really trained armed force I know of in Sylvania, but they're pretty far away, and from what I hear… rather nasty," Lilith says, finishing her tea and checking over her travel-pack. "But we should probably get going."

Nicora nods to the wolf. "Agreed on that point. They're alerted to the presence of Dack, so hopefully they'll thin any wandering monsters he has," she says and actually starts packing the few belongings they have together. "And which force is that, Lilith?"

Tulani likewise looks over at Lilith curiously as she also begins to help pack things away.

Arkold raises an eyebrow and looks at Lilith, which only helps to further put her on the spot.

"A group from this little swampside town called Stonebarrow," the genuinely female Eeee says. "They supposedly hire out as mercenaries during the official wars, and are said to be incredibly vicious."

"Stonebarrow? You can't be serious. We've been there. They're like three feet tall and … dorky," Nicora says, looking dubious.

Lilith just shrugs. "I guess it makes them harder to hit, and puts them at just the right height for biting Gallahs."

The wolf rubs his chin. "Stonebarrow, eh. I was expecting Butchery, or maybe Warfare. Still it sounds better than … Oh wait, we have been there. The Lapi women? Yeah I remember now. Uh, I don't think they'll be much use. I think I remember them being ruled by a Gallee," he says.

"They are enthusiastic, though. That one … ah, Amelia Blacktail, sure chased that frog thing around," Nicora notes and suppresses a laugh at the memory.

"I heard they have engineers too, huh. That could be useful," Arkold adds.

The Sphynx snorts slightly at the mental image that Lilith's comment conjures to her mind: Gallahs with bitten ankles and fighting Kadies. "Yeah, I remember that, she did give him a good whack."

"A Gallee?" Lilith asks, looking surprised. "Well, I think they also have a reputation for killing off their landlords every so often too. They're one of those 'best leave them alone' provinces, like Blackshire and Draco." She slings her pack, and grins. "Are we ready to move out? Scabies isn't much of a town, but they should have an inn."

"As long as the temple doesn't have any jobs for us, yes. And we should go before they find some, or ask me to stay as the new Sunala trainer, or something," Nicora notes and lifts her pack as well.

"An inn! Which means liquor. After this I could use getting roaring drunk. An' a few waitresses wouldn't hurt, either. Let's go." Arkold hops up, adjusts his chest, then gives everyone an "if you laugh I'll whack YOU" sort of glare.

"Yes, I'd rather not remain here any longer than we have to either," the Sphynx notes, blinking at Arkold's comment. She doesn't laugh, but smiles, and then abruptly gives him a gentle smack to the back of the head.

"Maybe you shouldn't be around any more women … perhaps this has traumatized you away from them… " Nicora suggests … from the other side of the room.

On the way out, the group is met by the head priestess, who insists on giving them a quick blessing, although she has trouble remembering all the words. Then there's another slight wait until Hilda arrives to escort them out through the maze, talking excitedly about the upcoming expedition to the west and how she hopes there'll be plenty of people to kill. And if they're evil, that would be a bonus too.

Nicora remains silent through much of the blessings, talking, and leading. She's content to just stand there, be scary, and look … frustrated.

Arkold does a lot of arm folding and grumpy looking through the long wait to leave, which, like Nicora's reaction, at least seems appropriate for a large warrioress.

Tulani looks happy as well to listen with half an ear to the blessing and Hilda's mostly one-sided commentary about the expedition, smiling politely and nodding on occasion.

Within an hour, the group is back on the little-used road, and far enough from the temple to safely change out of costume. Ravenia wastes no time restoring her former hairstyle.

Alptraum changes quickly too. He even pauses with just his shorts on to run around and shout, "I'm free!" And as abruptly as he runs around, he stops and puts on his old clothing. "I have no idea how you stand wearing those things," he tells Ravenia and motions towards the bra.

Because Arkold's outfit has been somewhat modified, he grabs Ravenia after she changes and more of less conscripts her to the quick task of undoing what she has done. Meanwhile he almost violent unbraids his hair, and for extra manliness spits.

The Sphynx watches amusedly as the men rapidly move to change their clothes. At Alptraum's comment she quips back, "Well, you don't need the support for anything."

"And rather glad, too!" Alptraum remarks back to Tulani and grins. He stretches, rolls his head, and spreads his wings. "Ahhh, it feels much better to be back like this."

"I'm sure there is a male equivalent," Ravenia notes, clucking as she gets Arkold back to his normal, grungy self.

"And if any of you ever mention this to anyone, we well have to kill you. Right, Arkold?" Alptraum says.

When the male bat runs by Arkold gives him a high-five. "Correct," he answers.

"It isn't like you had to wear dresses or skirts," Lilith comments, waving off the men's' complaints. "I'd have thought you'd welcome the chance to get into a woman's underwear anyway," she adds with a sly grin, and quickly heads down the road out of striking range.

And Alptraum runs after Lilith. "You did not just say that," he growls playfully. "You are going to get it, you little sneak."

Rolling her shoulders and neck slowly, Tulani smirks and chuckles before commenting happily, "They certainly did a good job on my shoulder too." She rolls it again, saying, "That feels so much better."

"And they said you'll be able to fly again before we reach the tomb," Ravenia notes just as happily.

The Sphynx smiles brightly back to Raven. "Ah yes, it will be wonderful to be able to fly again. I've really missed it."

Once back to normal Arkold makes for the road, and he's a bit too late to chase Lilith. He looks like he wants to though. "I usually prefer the woman's underwear to be on, then off, the woman – don't hit me Tulani, it's the plain and simple truth! An' poor Raven was barely wearin' anythin'. Poor, poor Raven." He then whispers, "Best part of the trip," towards Alptraum and his bat ears.

"I heard that," Ravenia says, glad to be back in more modest – and protective – clothing.

Alptraum lets out a snort from where he's chasing Lilith. "Yeah, you better run," he says, grinning.

Arching an eyebrow, Tulani replies slowly back to the wolf in a humorous, innocent voice, "Now why would I ever want to hit you Arkold?"

"To touch upon my incredible physique 'course," Arkold replies, then flexes obnoxiously.

By nightfall, they reach the wood-post wall of Scabies, and knock on the gate. A tiny window slides open and an incredibly hairy human peers out at them. "Eh, whatcher bidness?" he barks.

Alptraum takes a step back. "We're travelers. We're looking for a place to stay for the night. And, oh, maybe some ale. Wine, grog, gruel, anything, really," he replies, then looks to the others.

"Alegroggruel sounds fine to me," Arkold agrees.

Tulani shakes her head in mock exasperation, rolling her eyes at Arkold's comment in a why me gesture.

"We have money," Lilith says to the gatekeeper.

The man in the window gives the group the hairy eyeball treatment for a bit longer, then asks, "Be ya bloodsuckers?"

"No, we are not the undead," Alptraum remarks, then glances at Lilith.

"Who ever heard of a Jupani vampire?" Arkold answers question for question.

"A jump-whatsit?" the man asks, looking more critically at Arkold now.

"He means a dog," Alptraum says, trying to make this simple. "Some of us are vampiric Eeee, yes. But we are not undead, nor do we bite people."

"Jupani? People like me? Shorter, more elegant, more cultured, handsomer versions of Titanians," the wolf explains. He gives Alptraum a glare too. "Not dog! Dogs are Gallee, there's a huge difference."

"Dog," Alptraum insists.

"Huh, okay, you dun look like you're too much trouble," the gatekeeper concedes, and closes the window. With the sound of wooden bolts being slid back, a small door in the gate opens up.

Alptraum slips through the open doorway. "Thank you," he remarks.

Arkold heads on inside as well, eyeing the hairy human right back.

Once through the door, the buildings of Scabies seem to loom over the narrow streets. Windows are shuttered against the encroaching night, and very few of the houses reveal the flickering of candlelight. The sky above is nearly choked off by the rooftops. The gatekeeper leads through the winding alleys to the one building that seems well lit. The inn's sign is faded, but can be made out as 'The Dainty Toadstool'. Inside, the haze of smoke dims things somewhat, which is probably for the best. Silent men and women hunker over their drinks or meals, and cast suspicious glances at the visitors. The patrons seem to be mostly middle-aged humans and Khattas.

"This town is a bit creepy," Alptraum notes to the others, then glances around warily. "Everyone seems rather distrusting, it looks like." He then walks forward, bows, and says, "Good evening." Might as well give them a reason if people are going to tare.

"This town is a bit creepy," Arkold mimics, grinning at Alptraum. "What town isn't a bit creepy anymore? Maybe you should sing or dance or somethin', y'know, cheer them up an' earn me a free drink."

"Or I could auction you off as a slave," Alptraum counter-suggests. He grins and shrugs, and adds, "Lilith said we still had some money, so we shouldn't have to perform."

A few of the men let their gaze linger for a bit on Ravenia, then go back to contemplating their food and drink. There aren't many women about, and those that are tend to towards the older, plumper end of the scale. The bar is manned by an ancient Khatta, who actually seems to be going bald on top. "Gunna order?" he asks.

"I'm too old, you wouldn't get much. 'Sides I can mash you, so it'd be a negative return," the wolf insists. His interest is then stolen away by the prospect of food. "You got it, wha'cha got?"

"What happened to this place?" Alptraum asks the bartender after Arkold asks for a menu or whatnot. "I haven't seen anyone who isn't, well, old."

"Got twice-stewed stew, with beans," the proprietor says. "And grog or small beer. Black bread is extree. Rooms is two-shekels a head." Turning to Alptraum, the Khatta says, "Course we're all old. Younguns had the sense to move on to greener pastures."

Alptraum nods at this. "Ah, good. I was concerned the town was cursed, or something. That's been our luck of late, to find places in trouble," he notes. The Eeee then sighs at the menu listed and says, "I'll just have a small beer."

"I'll have the stew, bread, and a grog. Or two," Arkold orders. He grabs a seat and leans forward. "Yeah my friend's right. If a town's not cursed, it's invaded, or magical, or dead."

"And on really bad days, they're invaded, dead, and cursed all at once," Alptraum notes.

Lilith pays for the food and arranges for two rooms, as the group settles down to Arkold's table. The small beer is a bit watery, but then that's why it's called small beer in the first place. Another sign of the aging population is the excessive use of salt in the stew, but the bread is refreshingly free of hallucinogenic mushrooms or other contaminants.

Alptraum leans over and whispers to Arkold, "Ech, I've seen happier people in a graveyard. But, what can we do? It's a bed."

The wolf leans back, "At least they seem healthy and alive, s'more than some towns are gettin' right now."

"For old people, they still look awfully 'hard'," Ravenia whispers over her bowl of stew. "I'm kind of glad there aren't any younger men around… not that I don't think you two couldn't protect me or anything, but all the same… "

"I think I'm also getting paranoid. I keep expecting something to happen, y'know?" Alptraum then nods to Ravenia. "And yeah, the place feels off to me, old or no. It seems an extreme."

"Come to think of it they don't have a lot women here, an' the buildin's are a bit claustrophobic. But yeah bats, Sylvania seems to breed a sense of doom," Arkold remarks, then he "dooms" a slice of bread by dipping it in the stew and then eating it.

Alptraum flicks his ears back and listens to the room, trying to make out any conversations that might be interesting.

The room is surprisingly silent, with only the sounds of sipping and the occasional scrape of a wooden spoon against a wooden bowl. Perhaps the locals have simply exhausted all topics of discussion by now.

Alptraum's ears flick back forward. "This is very creepy," he whispers, "They aren't even talking at all." So, the Eeee turns his chair around and asks, "We're new in this area of Sylvania. Can you tell us what's around, and what to look out for?"

Tulani listens quietly to the conversation going on at the group's table, her ears flicking occasionally as she too finds the atmosphere dark and rather oppressive. Looking around but keeping to herself, the mood of the place is starting to affect her a bit. The Sphynx spends most of her attention on devouring her own bowl of stew, lowering the saltiness by eating it with a piece of bread as Arkold is.

"At least they have food. I forgive almost any people if they feed me," Arkold insists. More bread is doomed, as is stew.

A toothless woman smoking a pipe at the next table half-turns to look at Alptraum. "T'aint nothing out here but trees and the old mine," she says, gumming the stem of her pipe. "I reckon you should look out fer ghosts, either meetin' them or becoming them."

"Old mine, eh? Is there anything to be concerned about with that? Or is it just an old abandoned mine?" Alptraum inquires, his attention turning to the old woman.

"It's played out, and prolly half-caved-in by now," the woman says. "Iron ran in this town's blood for a time from that mine. But if there's any left now, it ain't worth gettin' no more."

Finishing her bowl of stew, Tulani sits back a bit. Turning to look towards the old woman as well, her ears train the old woman's answer while she glances once more around the silent room.

"Mmm," Alptraum considers, then nods. "That's a pity, really. Sylvania could do with some decent industry, like iron mining."

"You'd think if you could avoid some of these disasters there's bound to be somethin' worth industrializing out here," remarks Arkold.

Alptraum finishes off his single small beer and reclines slightly in the chair. "So, what is the main trades here now that the mine is gone?" he asks.

"T'aint no trade," the old woman says. "Nobody to trade with, 'cept mercenaries what got no money anyway, or lost soldiers. Why, you got sumthin to trade?"

"No. I'm just wondering how you folks survive out here. I don't mean to offend, but this town just seems a bit odd to me," Alptraum remarks.

"Hmph," the woman grunts. "We ain't the undead here, just the near dead, hehehe. Be a ghost town soon enough."

"Odd question for you… what year is it?" Alptraum asks suddenly.

Arkold stirs around the tail end of a slice of bread, watching his stew turn slowly. "Too many towns like this, y'know? Wish we could do somethin'," he mumbles.

The woman's face goes blank, and she nudges the man beside her. "What year is it, Abner," she asks. The old man just shrugs, and says, "Do it matter?"

"It kind of does," Alptraum notes. "How long as this place been like this? How many days?"

Arkold looks up. "An' you seem a bit different from the humans I've met. Regional difference, eh?"

Tulani looks rather surprised at neither the old woman nor the man knowing the year.

The woman shrugs again. "Can't rightly remember. One day is the same as the next… it blurs t'gether. Years though, I'm sure. Years and years."

"Doesn't that strike you as odd? Okay, simpler question … what did you do yesterday, around 2pm?" Alptraum asks.

"I think we was burying old Tom, weren't we Abner?" the woman asks her partner. The man rubs his mug, and seems lost in thought. "That was winter, Ma. It's spring now."

"There is definitely something wrong here," Alptraum whispers to the others. "Can't you see it? Can't you feel it? This isn't right."

"It just seems depressing," Lilith remarks.

"I know it's depressing me," Arkold agrees.

"And that doesn't strike you as odd?" Alptraum inquires, "That you can't remember what you did yesterday?"

The Sphynx nods slowly in agreement… the atmosphere of the place feels almost like a weight, pushing down on everything… Making her feel a bit like shrinking in on herself… and it's not just because of the closeness and tallness of the buildings.

"Say, are there any places in this town that no one goes anymore?" Alptraum asks next.

"This town seems like a place no one goes anymore," Arkold remarks. He tries to grin but ends up with a lukewarm wry expression at best.

"Well, yesterday then… I think I did the wash," the woman mutters. "Had to muck out the well." "Oh aye," Abner agrees. "Well needed mucking out, rightly so."

Alptraum pushes the mug he had to the center of the table and stands. "I'm going to take a short walk around town if nobody minds, " he says. "Just to satisfy my own curiosity."

"I'll come with you." Tulani immediately volunteers.

"In the dark?" Ravenia asks, looking not very fond of the idea.

"Yes, in the dark. I have good hearing, and I'm used to the dark," Alptraum remarks and shrugs. "You all can stay here, you know."

Lilith seems uncertain, and looks to Arkold to see what he'll do.

"Oh what the hell," says Arkold. He lifts up the bowl, downs his stew, then does the same with his grog before standing.

The Sphynx is already in the process of standing, as she had already volunteered to go with the Eeee and wasn't about to change her mind unless someone convinces her otherwise.

"We'd better go with them, Raven," Lilith says to the other woman. "I don't want to sit here and wait for them with this crowd," she adds in a whisper. The white-haired human nods in agreement, and gets up as well.

Alptraum just stands and heads towards the door. "We'll be back in a bit to retire to our rooms. Thank you for the conversation," he says, then waves his hand slightly.

The innkeeper nods and grunts, while the old woman seems to have already forgotten about the travelers.

And out the door Alptraum goes.

Arkold follows along, stretching.

Tulani waits for Lilith and Raven, holding the door for them and following out behind.

The Procession outlines the looming buildings, their shuttered windows and closed doors nonetheless seem to be watching the strangers that walk the streets tonight. Nothing stirs in Scabies, not even vermites or other scavengers. Everywhere is smothering stillness.

"Sorry, this place is bothering me. I have to figure out if something is really up here," Alptraum notes to the others as they come out. He then simply turns and starts walking down the dark streets, ears flicking and listening. The Eeee tries to guess, and head towards the town center.

Arkold nods sympathetically. "I guess it'll be a change: us findin' it first, rather than it findin' us," he says. As he walks he eyes the buildings critically.

The alleyways twist and turn seemingly at random, but eventually empty into a central square. The remains of a community fountain dominate the center, and closed up storefronts crowd close together at the edges for company.

Alptraum goes right up to the fountain and peers into it. As he goes, he says, "Ravenia, look at the ground. Describe the earth as you see it. What do you see as footprints? Tulani, you're a scout, yes? Treat this as if you're tracking something. See if you can find a live trail on the ground here."

Tulani eyes the streets as they walk, looking curiously into the remains of the square. Looking over the fountain, she quickly breaks away, her ears flicking as she slowly and carefully circles the edge of the square, examining the ground, as well as the buildings crowded around, working her way in a spiral towards the fountain.

Ravenia looks down at the worn cobbles of the street. "I don't see any foot- wait," she says, screwing up her face in concentration. "Shouldn't there be… dirt or something? Those old people can't be sweeping all this clean every day."

"I'll, uh … y'know," Arkold says. He folds his arms and looks, well, like Arkold.

Lilith also looks at the ground, then fountain, and turns her head to look around at the entire square… then freezes, and starts turning her head back and forth as if trying to see something out of the corner or her eye.

"What is it, Lilith?" Alptraum asks as he sees her acting oddly.

"Everything looks okay to me," Arkold says.

Tulani is busily examining the ground, not finding anything at all that looks to indicate something, then looks up as Alptraum sends a query to Lilith. "Do you see something Lilith?" she asks the woman.

"I just… I thought I saw a flash of something," the Eeee replies, squinting now as she turns her head very, very slowly. "Like seeing through a slit curtain… right about here." The Eeee extends a finger along her line of sight, and mimes tugging at something.

The square suddenly comes alive…

Daylight pours down, the fountain gurgles and hosts a dozen laughing, splashing children while their mothers sit on the edges and gossip. People move to and fro, all busy. A crowd surrounds the smithy, and the sound of metal striking metal rings out. Bakeries and vegetable stands have their own throngs, and men covered in dust and grime knock mugs together as they walk past, heavy pickaxes slung across their shoulders. Nobody seems to notice the strangers though.

"Okay … " Alptraum says slowly. "So, this is either a past reflection, a dream, or a town in an alternate time, or something that's just weird." He shakes his head and starts walking around a bit. He shouts out a hello to one of the people, just to see if they respond.

Arkold's ears suddenly shoot straight up. "Wut? Oh, ehhhhhh … huh." He blinks, then slowly turns around to look at the square. "Never normal, is it Bats?"

"I vote for just plain weird if not strange and creepy as well," Tulani agrees, looking a little disoriented by the sudden change to daylight.

"And you were the one insisting nothing was odd," Alptraum shouts back at Arkold.

The townsfolk ignore Alptraum and the others completely. Two teenaged girls in bright dresses and wearing flowers in their hair dance right through Arkold, even.

"Is it all some sort of illusion, like in Worms?" Ravenia asks, skipping about to avoid coming into contact with any of the phantoms.

Arkold at first held his arms out for the girls, then looked disappointed when they went right through him. After the illusion vanishes he looks even more disappointed. "Worms. Yeah, this reminds me of Worms. Makes me wonder if what we're lookin' at is real either, an' if a ghost just took our money," he says.

Seeing the townsfolk dance through Arkold, Alptraum reaches out and tries to touch one of them, wondering if he'll feel anything from it, or not.

With the sudden change of scenery, Tulani walks once more cautiously around the square looking for… well… she's not sure what.

There is the slightest of tingles in the dark Eeee's fingertips as he brushes a passerby, and then the entire scene vanishes as suddenly as it appeared, returning them to the dark, empty square once more.

Alptraum stares at his hand after the scene abruptly changes. "I think I broke it. It tingled," he admits. "Lilith, try to pull the curtain again?"

"But what was it?" Lilith asks, clutching her finger to her chest with her other hand. A creaking sound can be heard now, as a few of the window shutters swing open on nearby buildings, even though there is no wind to move them.

"Don't think about what you may have just eaten, too," Alptraum points out. "As for what it is, I have no idea. Did you feel anything when they walked through you Arkold?"

"Sadly, not a thing," answers the wolf.

"Lovely. The amazing and handsome Alptraum breaks a town. What a way to spend a day," Alptraum mutters. He tries to go to the spot he saw Lilith pull the curtain and starts looking around.

The Sphynx looks slightly startled at the switchback, but shrugs to herself, and looks around once more.

A few more shutters creak open on their own, and even some doors become ajar. More than ever, the looming buildings look like elongated faces.

"Actually, I think Lilith broke the town. You just, uh, broke it back Bats." Arkold tries to look upbeat about it, smiling, then he eyes an opening door and his smile falters. "Ever see a buildin' eat someone?"

As Alptraum looks, he says, "Lilith, sound out the area. What do your ears tell you about shapes?"

Lilith swallows and closes her eyes before emitting a series of ultrasonic squeaks. "I… it's just us and the buildings. And… listen to the creaks," she whispers.

Alptraum snaps his fingers. "I wonder if the town has a protective charm on it. Maybe it's supposed to look bad, to keep out those who would hurt it," he suggests. "And no, I haven't seen a building eat someone, why?" He then just goes still and starts listening to the creaking.

The creaking sounds are nearly constant now, but never come from more than one location at a time, as if the buildings are taking turns at creaking.

At the mention of a building eating someone, the Sphynx steps away from the door nearest her that had creaked open, and movs back towards the fountain. "I haven't and I hope I never do… though I don't think buildings have stomachs."

"Well, how about we split up and each check a building?" Alptraum suggests. "This is odd."

"They're talking to each other," Ravenia says, and scoots in closer to Tulani.

"The buildings are alive?" Alptraum says, looking dubious. He walks closer to one of them and says, "Er, we come in peace?"

Tulani blinks and looks quickly at Ravenia as she moves over. "Talking to each other? The buildings you mean?" she asks Raven.

"Jus' wonderin'," Arkold answers. He rests his hand on his sword, but he doesn't look comforted by the presence of steel. Maybe he's wondering just what, if anything, a sword could do to a hungry building. "Can you understand them Ravenia?"

There is a flicker, and the image of a person on the steps of the building says, "… yes… " before vanishing. They weren't addressing Alptraum though, and seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with someone else unseen.

Tulani walks over to the steps where the person had appeared briefly, walking around the spot where they seemed to stand.

Alptraum walks right up to the steps too, then up them. And possibly suffering from a bout of insanity, or stupidity, he reaches out and touches the building.

Like the rest of the town, the steps of the building are old and worn, but still in surprisingly good condition. Sylvanian seasons tend to demand constant maintenance on structures, and this one shows the signs of being kept in shape.

The building creaks and shudders, bits of paint and plaster shedding from its exterior. A child flashes past, going "Wheee!" and is followed by two men caught in mid-stride, laughing, as one says, "Remember… " before they too vanish.

Alptraum keeps his hand on the building as it shudders. "This goes from weird, to interesting, to annoying," he mutters. "Remember what?"

"So y'think the place is haunted? Makes me wonder if the people we met in the inn are real or not. Either the last survivors or the ghosts of the last survivors," Arkold comments. He watches the ghosts race by Alptraum and scratches his head. "Maybe there's somethin' in there, that ones seems active."

"Everyone," says a young Khatta boy that appears briefly behind Tulani. More people flash in and out, each just long enough to utter a single word taken out of some other context. "We. Remember. Everyone. We. Go. On. We. Care. For. Them."

"Or the real people are somewhere else, and the people in the Inn are the illusions," Alptraum suggests. "Let's go in this one, Arkold may … " he adds, then stops. "Wait, you, the buildings. You care for those who are left? You are providing them comfort? They cared for you, and now you for them?"

As the building shudders Tulani tries to peer in the cracked door, startled by the apparition behind her. She pauses to listen, then asks, "What happened to them?"

"Yes. We. Survive. Together. We. Are. The. Town. We. Remember," relays another montage of past residents.

"Maybe they care for their memory," Arkold suggests, eyeing a building. "Kind of nice that the town cares back." He adds, "in a creepy way," to Ravenia in a side whisper.

"You can't have undead buildings," Lilith hisses.

Tulani blinks and asks a question of the building, "How did you become like this?"

"Maybe if you put enough life into a place, some of it sticks," Ravenia replies to Arkold.

"I don't think they're undead. I think they've absorbed the happiness of what this place once was. The spirit of those who loved them, and are simply reflecting it back now, protecting what is left," Alptraum remarks, then nods towards Ravenia.

"Metal. Nails. The. Mine," stutters out the reply to Tulani's question.

Alptraum snaps his fingers. "I think I have it. The land. The magic that seeps into the land. It infected the metal," Alptraum says and looks back towards the others. "Like how the shadow corrupted, maybe we're seeing the remnants of the Light of Nala?"

"You mean, it leaks into the land too, now that we're getting closer?" Lilith asks Alptraum.

Alptraum nods to Lilith, "And why wouldn't it, if it's the opposing force to the shadow?"

"That makes some sense, as to why the memories we saw seemed brighter, happier." Tulani says quietly.

"Something sure got into this place. I'm not sure caring is enough, 'course I'm no expert in these sorts of things. We'd need, ah, a mage I guess," says the wolf. Curious, he steps towards a building and examines its structure, then peers inside for signs of metal.

Inside the house are the remains of some furniture that was abandoned with it, but little else. Whoever lived there last took their possessions with them. Including the door latch.

"You do not mean us any harm if we mean you none, right?" Alptraum asks out loud and puts his hand back on the building.

"No. Harm," replies the image of a woman, shown at two different ages.

"Hey, uh, … structure … did these people leave? Looks like the place was cleaned out, an' that means the population probably left. So, where'd they go," the wolf asks as he ducks back out of the building.

As the building seems alive, Tulani decides to ask permission before venturing into its interior; "Would you mind if I look inside?"

"Went. To. City. Don't. Mind."

Once she has permission the Sphynx nods, and opens the front door further before stepping into the house and searching around.

"My, ah, presence doesn't disturb you, does it?" Alptraum asks, looking momentarily worried.

The house isn't particularly large, with a narrow staircase and small rooms. There are places where holes have rotted through the walls and floors, and parts of the roof are also missing.

Arkold seems to decide he's had enough walking for the moment, because he takes a seat on the steps of the building he just entered. "You mean the big city north or some other city? Not that there are a lot of cities around here."

"Have. To. Live. Faster. To. Talk."

"Live faster? Are you decaying faster by talking to us?" Alptraum asks, looking worried now.

"Yes. We. Spend. Life. Slow. Keep. People. Alive. Past. Hundred. Years."

"Right, then you should stop. We are sorry for hurting you. All right, folks, we'd better leave the buildings be," Alptraum says and steps away from it.

Arkold props his head on a hand, leaning against the building. "You've been keepin' those people back in the inn alive with your power, all this time then?" he asks.

Tulani examines all the rooms, heading up the narrow staircase but watching her steps carefully. She takes another look around before preparing to walk back down.

The stairs creak under Arkold in reply.

"Oh, right, well, nice meetin' you an' all. Ah. Guess I'll be goin' then." The wolf stands up again and steps down on to the street. "Think we should leave it at that," he asks the others.

Alptraum nods, "Unless we want to kill the town, yes."

The Sphynx quickly exits the building, heading down the steps after Arkold. Looking back briefly she says, "Thank you for talking to us."

"I think I've heard all I care to," Ravenia says. "All those people flashing around was giving me a headache."

Lilith seems quiet and contemplative, and finally says, "I really hope the old castle isn't… gossiping about us now."

"I guess it'll probably die eventually anyway, at least it seems that way if no one else cares about the town. Well, s'nice town. I guess that if we ever find any refugees we can always send 'em here. At least we know the town will care about them," the wolf suggests as he starts walking slowly back to the inn.

"Heh. Well, stay around me long enough and you'll get used to this sort of thing," Alptraum tells Lilith and Ravenia. "It's sad, really. This must have been a beautiful place once."

Alptraum says, "Or, if we send people… perhaps they can renew its life?"

Arkold nods. "We're bound to find someone. There's been a lot of towns destroyed in the past few years. For now though we better get goin', or else there'll be a lot more destroyed if we can't stop that madman," he says.

Somewhere in the distance, a shutter creaks, and the echoes through the narrow alleys are distorted until they sound like the laughing of children at play.