A hasty check by Alptraum and Lilith confirm the existence of hidden storerooms near Vorgulremik's chosen lair, all filled with smoked meat (although some of it was obviously from animals known for talking, wearing clothes and living in houses). With the map still fresh in his mind, Alptraum located the side passage with the false cave-in at the end, and a bit of searching uncovered a loose stone that caused a section of the wall to swing free when depressed, leading to a natural cave.

"Lilith, there's one thing we should decide on before we get back to the others. I know you wanted to stay up with Tulani and relieve Ravenia for a bit. So, you've got to be our watch-guard for a bit as well," Alptraum says as he leans against the wall near the secret door. "You'll need to keep your attentions focused on the sounds of the castle and check our fortifications now and then."

"That shouldn't be hard," Lilith says. "Most of the place has been blocked off, and I know all the shortcuts." She peers into the hidden passage, ears perked for any odd noises. "It's awfully quiet in there."

Alptraum nods. "I figured you can take care of yourself, or I'd be more worried about just leaving you up there," he says and rubs his muzzle. "Are there any shortcuts to the passages that lead down here? I'll need you to leave us some sort of warning sign in case problems do come up and you can't warn us directly."

"There's only the main hall down to here," Lilith assures. "If you see anything in it, take that as a warning. We should probably head back to the main hall and get rid of that woman, and let Arkold and the others know what we found."

Alptraum pushes himself off the wall with his wings. "Agreed," he says, then smiles and suddenly hugs Lilith lightly, then quickly heads back up towards the castle proper. "That was for keeping an eye on me while I dealt with the dagger," he says.

A short time later, the two Eeee arrive back in the Great Hall, where Ravenia has finished cleaning up Meg's bruises while Arkold stands guard. Tulani has already retired to her bed to rest and continue recovering from her wounds.

Arkold seems to be spending his time adjusting his gear. He tucks his pants in to his boots, checks the candles and lantern, and otherwise reviews the assembled gear for anything the small party may be missing. "Beer, check," he tells Alptraum as he arrives, laughing. "Jus' kiddin'. We're ready 'ere."

"That's seriously all we have in the castle?" Alptraum asks Arkold, looking a bit surprised. "As well, it'll have to do. We'll manage on that, somehow." He tilts his head towards Meg and says, "All right, I guess there's nothing more keeping you here. I'll escort you out."

The human woman stands, and thanks Ravenia for her efforts. "When you're ready to leave, the offer of safe passage still stands," she says to the group, and waits for Alptraum to escort her out.

"While I know you are earnest in the offer, I do not expect your employer to be. So, sorry, we cannot accept it," Alptraum says to the woman, then motions towards the entrance hallway. "After you."

Meg goes to the small door inset into the larger, barricaded ones, and doesn't look back after exiting.

The wolf stretches his back as he watches Alptraum lead the "captive" out. "Say hi to Mr. Necromancer for me," he requests half-heartedly, and half-jokingly.

"Should I see the souls of your sons in the plains of the afterlife, I will pass on your love for them, and that you miss them. I wish you peace," Alptraum says out the door, then closes it and secures the bar.

At the table, Lilith is smiling. Once Meg is out of the castle, she says, "We found something."

Arkold turns from the door and raises an eyebrow. "Eh? You found somethin'?"

"Well, Alptraum did really," the white Eeee admits. "I just tagged along."

"Only some storerooms with supplies and a secret passage out. And oh, yeah, that there's an earth magic trap on the passage down to the lair that if set off will seal it off," Alptraum remarks as he returns to the room. He then smiles towards Lilith and says, "You were indispensable."

"You found food?" Raven asks, just to be sure.

"Zat so, huh? That's a breather. We can use all of it. I'll just rearrange some of these supplies here – made a show of it really, heh, we have more than this I didn't bring out 'ere – and get ready for some tunnelin'." The wolf picks up two empty lanterns in one hand, hoists an empty sack over his other shoulder, and exits.

"Yes. We'll have to do some sorting, as some of it … well. Some of it is smoked people. I don't think we'll use that," Alptraum remarks grimly. With a glance toward Lilith, he adds, "And well, food for you folks, anyway. Lilith and I are still in a bit of trouble."

Alptraum then watches Arkold leave. "Well, he's in a hurry," he says dryly.

"If there's a secret passage out, you can probably hunt then," Raven says, standing up. "I could use a change of scene, too. Being cooped up in this castle is starting to get to me."

"Good. I needed to talk to you anyway. There is something I may need you to do," Alptraum says with a nod to Ravenia. "All right, Lilith, we're off to see where the tunnel goes. Be safe."

"I will," Lilith says. "I'll check on Tulani and play lookout, and maybe alter up some clothes for her too."

"See what you can find for myself and Arkold too, if you have time. Mine are a bit nasty after the dragon fight," Alptraum remarks as he heads toward the tunnel and looks towards Ravenia.

Arkold returns with a full sack and the two lanterns holding new candles. "This ought to do it fer a trip down below – not the first time I've done this, eh." He pats the sack as he walks in. "Bein' inside too long and jus' sittin' here is drivin' me up a wall, an' we need to find that sword-whatsit."

"Sword?" Ravenia asks, as she joins the men at the mouth of the dark passage that leads into the bowels of the keep. "What did you need to talk to me about, Alptraum?" she also asks.

Alptraum looks away at that question. "Well, I don't like having to ask you this, Raven," he says, starting slow. "But, we need the services of an earth mage to trip the trap and seal off the tomb. I have access to one; one that Vorg had killed." He sighs and looks at Ravenia, then finally says, "But, we need someone to host him while he triggers it. According to Kaira, you're the most compatible to be the host. It would be brief … but I hate the thought of doing that to you. Not after what you've been through."

"Uh, y'know, sword-whatsits. Fightin' thing. Wouldn't understand. Uh, eh. Heh Heh." Arkold shrugs, then puts his sack down and begins rummaging through it.

Ravenia is silent for a moment, then looks into Alptraum's eyes and says, "I trust you, and you're asking me permission… so I'll do it. I want to put this place behind me as soon as possible."

Alptraum nods his head. "I will be at your side the entire time. I will do everything I can to make sure you're safe and it's as short as possible. I also got a little information about you. It's not much, though. Vorg found you in this castle when he found it," he says.

"I still want to leave it," Raven says. "Whatever was here for me before… it's gone now. What do we have to do to… do this transfer thing?"

Arkold's head pops up out of the sack. "He did bats? Really? I guess this castle has more secrets than, uh, we do," he remarks.

"Well, it should just be a prick on your fingertip with the dagger. I'll handle it from there," Alptraum says, then smiles weakly. "It's hard to explain it. It's done by sensation and feel. It's like, well, learning how to raise your arm. You just do it." He then looks at Arkold, and the Ravenia. "And since we're on the topic. After we leave here … what do you want to do? I figure we'll likely take Lilith towards her homelands. Will you want to stay with her, or do you want to come with us? You're more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you like. I think the others would agree with me."

Raven holds out her right hand, and says, "I don't know… that's too far ahead for me to think about right now."

Alptraum shakes his head. "We won't trigger it now. We need to see where the passage out leads, and to give Tulani some recovering time. We'll trigger it on the way out and seal it behind us," he says.

The dark woman nods. "Alright, show us the secret passage then. I don't need a lantern of my own."

"I don't either, really," Alptraum remarks and nods towards Arkold. "It's this way," he says as he descends down into the ex-dragon's lair.

"Sure," the wolf agrees, "but I've got to warn ya we're in for a heap of trouble for a bit longer still. If you're tired of the conflict might want to part with us – if jus' for a little while. Hell, you could go keep Raneah company up north."

Arkold stands up and grabs the things he's gathered. He offers a lantern to both bat and woman until he realizes they don't need any, so he just leaves the spare behind.

Past the warped section of the passage, and down a few flights of stairs is a hallway branching off to the east. Alptraum leads them down it to where it's been blocked by a cave-in, and presses the loose stone to unlock a section of wall. The wall is mounted on a central pivot, and when one side is pushed it reveals a rough-hewn, natural-looking tunnel.

Alptraum flicks his ears forward, then bursts several pulses down the passage, trying to make out the direction and rough structure.

"I'd say this looks a little creepy but, eh, creepy's old here," Arkold comments in a blasé tone.

The narrow tunnel goes on in a more-or-less southeastern direction for at least a hundred paces, from what Alptraum can tell. The rough nature of the walls makes it difficult to pick up any specific details though.

"This isn't creepy. I've been in much worse places," Alptraum comments. "How about I take front and track via sound. Ravenia in the center, and you behind us, Arkold? Or would you prefer front?" the Eeee asks.

"Well you're the tough guy here so go ahead," Arkold replies as he pushes Alptraum. "I'll cover the rear."

"Tough? You must be joking," Alptraum remarks and takes a step forward. "That all right with you, Raven?"

"But you've been to such scary places," the wolf replies, winking at Raven. "Alptraum will protect us."

"My rear, you mean?" Ravenia asks Arkold, grinning slyly. "I'm okay with it. I'd have trouble seeing around Arkold if he was in front."

Alptraum shakes his head. "Well, at least you seem to be feeling better, Raven. Remind me to tell you about the time I visited the temple of Gorphat in Babel. That was much creepier than this. Though … I did almost get the priestesses there to jog around the city… " he comments as he slips into the tunnel.

Ravenia follows, keeping between Alptraum and Arkold.

Arkold salutes. "Always happy to cover your rear, Raven. Keep your mind at ease," he says before heading after the others.

"She does have a nice rear," Alptraum remarks idly, keeping his ears forward and mapping via sonar every few moments.

The tunnel goes on for quite a bit more than a hundred paces. Occasionally it widens or narrows, turns slightly or slopes up and down. It is nearly an hour before the spelunkers come to a large cavern with a high ceiling, and can hear the dripping of water and the occasional skittering of something with multiple legs.

Alptraum immediately looks upward and sounds out the ceiling.

The ping causes more scuttling noises, and returns an image of a spiky roof several body-lengths above.

"I wonder how far down the taint of Sylvania really goes," remarks Arkold wonderingly as he eyes a wall. "Come to think of, eh, I remember mages sayin' magic is easier on the surface, heh, so is it easier under the surface … "

"Folks, we may not be alone in here. Raven, look up. Tell me what you see. There's something moving around in there. The ceiling is spiky, and every time I sound it, something moves," Alptraum says quietly.

Raven looks up, and around. "I see them. Cave lizards, about as long as my arm. They won't come near the lantern light, but they can hear well and track us by body heat."

Arkold looks up too, though it's clear by the way he strains he can't see a thing. "Could be worse," he says quite seriously.

Alptraum nods. "All right. Well … there's Lilith and my dinner while we're staying in the castle, I think," Alptraum says and makes a face. "Ah well," he remarks then goes about probing for passages out.

There are a few holes scattered around the cavern, but none that anything larger than a lizard could get through. A large flat space at the far end of the long cavern is probably a pool of water.

Alptraum heads for the pool of water slowly. "Gah, I hope the way out isn't though the water," he mutters. "You see anything of note, Raven?" Alptraum asks.

"It's a good thing Vorg was such a paranoid bastard, I'm surprised he didn't have three more escape tunnels ready jus' – woah, watch the holes!" The wolf stumbles a bit. "-like this one," says Arkold as the party heads on.

Near the edge of the pool, Ravenia stoops down to poke at something. "A half-eaten fish. We interrupted a lizard's dinner I think. But… it's not a cave-fish."

Alptraum glares at the water, knowing he can't sound through it. "So, that means there has to be a way out to a main waterway somewhere. Hopefully one we can fit through," he says.

"Might be best if one of us goes first, eh? To see if we can make the swim. Otherwise we all crowd in there an', heh, if we can't make it and can't get the rear people movin' fast enough we could drown," Arkold suggests.

"Wings are … not fun to swim with," Alptraum notes grimly. He kneels down and dips a finger in the water quickly to see how cold it is.

"Douse your lantern, and I'll go," Ravenia volunteers. "I'm a very good swimmer, and can hold my breath for a few minutes at a time. Plus, I can see better."

The water isn't exactly freezing, but it's chilly.

"Did you bring a rope with you, Arkold? I'd like Raven to tie an end around her waist, just in case," Alptraum notes.

Arkold thinks about that a moment before nodding. "I spent a good lot of time on a ship, but eh, I can't argue the sight advantage. I'd be blind down there. Here," the wolf digs in to the sack and pulls out a length of rope, "bring this with you an' tug if there's a problem."

The wolf gives the bat a big grin. "Haha, I'm not so old you see? I don't forget these things."

Alptraum smirks. "Well, you remember these things because we're out of beer," Alptraum teases and moves over to Arkold. "While the lamp is out, I'll have to be your eyes."

Arkold looks solemn. "Ain't it the truth. I think I'd fight that necromancer jus' for a beer."

Ravenia lifts the rope to see how heavy it is. "It'll weigh me down a bit in the water, so you'll have to play it out from here," she notes, and then sits down to take off her boots, and casts a meaningful glance at Arkold's lantern.

"Don't try anythin' funny," Arkold adds, grinning.

With a click, creek, and a sizzle Arkold opens the lantern and douses the flame with his fingers.

"Wouldn't think of it. The only cute rear is leaving us," Alptraum remarks with a straight face. He then looks to Raven and says, "Don't try anything too risky, all right?"

In the darkness, Ravenia finishes removing her clothes and wraps one end of the rope around her waist. "Risky? Wouldn't dream of it," she notes, and starts to wade out into the cold water.

In the darkness, Alptraum is suddenly very thankful he can see by sound, even if it's not as distinct as by regular sight. Poor Arkold. He's missing out.

There's a wet 'plop' sound as the woman submerges, and the rope begins to slowly slip into the pool. Some of the scuttling comes closer, as cave lizards creep forward to investigate the warm bodies (and possibly retrieve the fish dinner).

Alptraum crouches down and readies his claws. Lilith and he need dinner, after all. "I'm going to grab a few lizards if I can," he whispers to Arkold.

"Hey, won't the lizards be a probl- hey!" Arkold kicks a foot in the dark while he unwinds the rope. "Yeah you do that. These little biters are gettin' to be a pain, an' I need to focus here."

The lizards are cautious, and keep their distance from Alptraum… until the Eeee tries to stun one with an ultrasonic pulse, causing the lizard to become disoriented and practically run into the bat's waiting grasp.

Alptraum hehs and holds on tightly with one claw near the head. The other he uses to grasp near the rear legs. "You don't talk or anything, do you?" he asks it. (You never know).

The lizards six legs and tail flail about, but it doesn't make anything more than a soft hissing sound as it's held.

"Yes and I will avenge my deaaaaath," Arkold says in a high pitched voice he throws badly.

Alptraum realizes he may as well eat here, but grimaces at the thought none the less. "Fine, you get to be Lilith's dinner tonight, wolf," Alptraum remarks, then bites into the lizard with a quick snap of his jaws.

"Oh, horrible," Arkold remarks in a tone that doesn't make it sound very horrible at all. He continues unwinding rope. "Long tunnel."

The creatures thin bones crunch and it goes limp. The skin has a slightly slimy feel to it as well, and the lukewarm blood tastes a bit thin… but it's nourishment.

The rope pauses for a moment in Arkold's hands, then starts moving again. Ravenia has been gone for nearly six minutes now.

Alptraum shudders and winces in the darkness. Nasty, but it'll do, he figures. After he finishes dining, he sets the body down. "Guh, that was … nasty," he comments and winces. "Blech."

"Uh, Raven's sure got some lung capacity," says the wolf worriedly. "She is movin' though, so, yeah, I guess she's still goin'. No violent tugs or anythin'."

"Or something is slowly eating her," Alptraum remarks grimly. "I'm getting worried."

"There's that," Arkold says with a grimace Alptraum can sound out. "Not much we can do except yank her back, an' that could cause her some serious injury what with the walls an' her bein' naked."

The thin rope is played out nearly to the 80-foot mark when it goes slack again. This time it stays slack though.

Alptraum nods. "Let's give her a few more minutes, then one of us go in after her," he says.

Arkold nods slowly. "Rope's almost gone, but, eh, it's not movin' anymore. Hey, bats? I think I'll head in, I've got the experience in this one an' s'not like you can see any more than I can. Here." He hands Alptraum the rope.

"Give her a minute or two more, then yeah, I agree. We're both blind in the water anyway. You can use the rope to follow her. Feel along the ceiling for air pockets, too," Alptraum says and puts his hand on Arkold's shoulder to keep him from going just yet.

Alptraum can feel Arkold shrug his jacket off anyway. "Yeah, yeah. I'll wait. I hate waitin'," he complains glumly.

A few minutes later, just as Arkold is about to lose patience, something surfaces in the middle of the pool. "Brrr! I'd hoped you'd have a fire g-g-going," Ravenia says, teeth chattering as she swims for shore.

Alptraum makes his way towards the shore Ravenia heads to and says, "No, we don't. Light your lamp and see if you can get a fire going. I'll try to use my wings to warm her. And, well, preserve her modesty," he says.

Arkold drops his coat on Ravenia when he's able to find her, then starts collecting the rope. "Well, y'know, wouldn't have been, uh, hey bats why didn't you start a fire?"

Ravenia huddles down in the oversized coat. "Thanks… I'd have crawled into your trousers otherwise," she says, shivering. "There's a big lake outside… didn't see anything I recognized though, so it isn't near the castle. There are four places where the ceiling dips down below the water, but there's enough space and air otherwise to breathe and avoid banging your head," she reports.

"All right," the Eeee says. Alptraum echo-finds the lamp and lights it. The bat then looks around the cavern for any sort of debris he can use to start a fire.

The only materials at hand are rocks, a dead fish and lizard, and whatever Arkold might have in his sack.

The wolf clears his throat. "Glad to help," he mumbles. "We'll warm up a bit here then head in, an' we'll probably be doin' it dressed. Sadly." Alptraum gets handed what looks like half-rotted blank parchment. "Best we could get for tinder."

"Not much to burn, sorry," Alptraum reports and sighs, looking at the parchment. "We're out of luck. Arkold, sit on one side of her. I'll take the other. We can try to use body heat to warm her," he says.

"Great idea," says Arkold as he walks over to take a side.

Alptraum settles down on the other side and extends the wing on that side to drape around her some. His other he curls around himself and then over her like a blanket. "Best we have," he says, looking a bit embarrassed. "Wasn't expecting to have to swim."

After a bit, Ravenia stops shivering and warms up enough to start wringing out her hair, trying not to get the men snuggled around her too wet. "I tied the other end of the rope to a sunken log, so you can follow it without getting lost," she notes.

"Good idea," Alptraum remarks and stretches out his leg, trying to fetch some of her clothes with his foot so she doesn't have to uncover to get dressed. "I suspect we'll have to stay in the castle a week or so, to give Tulani time to recover enough that she can swim out too."

Raven nods in the darkness, and grabs up the passed clothing. "I think I'm up to heading back now. Lilith is probably worried sick that we've been gone so long."

"Great, well, we ought to see where we're out to. Then we can make plans, eh? A lot to do, an' not much time to do it in," Arkold says. "Don't think we'll keep the man at the door believing this ruse forever."

"If he shows his face, we shoot him," Alptraum replies flatly and starts retracting his wings after Ravenia is dressed. "Hm. So, are you saying we should go swimming and see where we come out, Ark? And let Raven head back alone?"

"It's an idea. Sooner or later we're goin' to have to make our move, an' I don't think time's on our side. The guy's a necromancer. Give him time an' suspicion an' he may have an army to break our doors down. Right now he seems content to wait, eh?" suggests Arkold.

"All right. Then we go into the water. You'll be fine heading back on your own, right, Raven?" Alptraum asks and looks at the elf.

"One of us can always escort you while the other waits 'ere," Arkold adds.

"I'll be fine," Ravenia says. "I do well in caves. I'll take a lizard to Lilith, and hurry back with some blankets and wood so you can dry off."

Alptraum nods and smiles to the elf. "All right. Watch the lair passage on the way back in. If there's anything sitting in it, Lilith may have encountered trouble," he says.

"Alright," Ravenia says, and starts for the other side of the cavern, pausing only to grab a lizard by the tail when it's busy trying to drag off the corpse of the one Alptraum caught.

Arkold smiles at Ravenia. "Take care, eh? Sorry to leave you be but it's for all our good if we're fast here," he apologizes, then turns to the rope and gives it a little tug. "Been a while since I hit the water. Ah, brings me memories of Ashtoreth."

Alptraum gets to his feet and takes off his shirt and belt sash. "I don't know about you, Arkold, but I think I'll leave most of my clothing here like she did. I don't want to ruin the few clothes I have. Though, I think I'll keep my underwear," he remarks.

The rope goes taut, and doesn't come loose from its anchor some eighty feet away. It shouldn't be too hard to swim that far in the dark.

"Good call, eh. Well, rather not ruin what I have either. It's a real hassle to find anythin' that fits out this way," says the Jupani. He begins to disrobe then and there, but seems intent on keeping his pants and sword at least.

Alptraum is down to some basic shorts-like underwear and the dagger tied around his waist. The rest he's folded neatly near the side of the pool. "I'm going to put out the lamp too, just in case. Unless you think we should leave it?" he asks.

"Eh, leave it. It'll keep the lizards from chewin' on our leather boots," Arkold answers without hesitation. "Jus' make sure it can't fall over – not like there's anythin' to burn here."

Alptraum nods, "Good point." He grabs a few rocks to anchor the lamp upright and then wades out into the water. "Gah, cold," he grumbles.

"Eh this is nothin'," the wolf says as he steps in the water. "Why Ashtoreth's sea is colder, an' that's just the surface, why … " Also lucky for Alptraum is that Arkold's story is cut off when his head goes beneath the water. Could have been a long one.

Alptraum sinks into the water, thankful for small blessings that it shut the wolf up. He takes hold of the rope and follows it into the tunnel and beyond…

Like Alptraum Arkold grabs the rope and heads towards the lake.

There were a few details Ravenia left out of her report, which become apparent by touch as the men make their way through the submerged tunnel. The floor is littered with rocky debris and the stone sports deep gouges where the passage was deliberately widened or deepened by dragon claws. Keeping to the rope, though, Alptraum and Arkold come out into sunlit water at the base of a short cliff. The lake is large… nearly a mile across, and the forest edges right up against the shores.

Alptraum spits out some water. "Gah, I hate swimming," he mutters. "Wings are like dead weight in water," the Eeee adds as he heads towards the shore. "I wonder where we are?"

Arkold breaks in to a steady swim after he hits the surface and begins towards the nearest shoreline. "Can't be too far, we were only under a short period an' the tunnel was only an hour walk," he replies.

The shore is crowded by brush, with the trees of the forest practically overhanging the water. The lake may be a former crater, since the walls of the shore are still fairly steep, making it necessary to use the brush to pull oneself out of the water.

Alptraum heaves himself out of the water. Once on shore, he flicks his wings repeatedly, shaking off the water. The bat then wrings out his long hair, grumbling. He looks fairly thin, really, when he's all wet. His ears flick around as he tries to remove excess water, listening for movement in the forest.

"Wish I had brought my gloves, goin' to be washin' out greenery with a pumice stone," Arkold grumbles as he hauls himself up. "We might want to be quiet too, never know where ol' black an' spooky parked his army."

"I don't have an army," Alptraum replies jokingly, knowing full well who Arkold meant. Still, he does grow quieter, just listening to the surroundings.

The forest is fairly active, from the sound of it. Critters chatter and rustle, leaves whisper in the breeze, and the bush that Arkold used to haul himself up complains, "Lose some weight, you great bag of fertilizer. You nearly uprooted me."

Alptraum blinkblinkblinks at that. "The bush talked," he says, stepping away from said bush.

"Err," is Arkold's response to the comment from the bush. He prods it testingly.

"That's silly," says a birch tree behind Alptraum. "Everyone knows bushes can't talk. You must be crazy."

Alptraum squeaks and jumps away from the tree. "Okay, this isn't funny. What are you?" he asks the surrounding foliage.

"Crazy and stupid," notes a different tree. "Can't even recognize a tree."

"Well they're obviously trees, Alp," the wolf remarks distractedly. "Maybe who is the question, eh? Who are you?"

Alptraum growls. "Normal trees do not talk. Therefore, they are not just trees," he points out.

Arkold glances at Alptraum. "I've seen fish talk," he begins counting on one hand, "metal talk, the dead talk, an' lets see … oh yeah incorporeal entities talk. Why not trees?"

"We are the mighty gods of the forest," proclaims an oak, while the shrubs struggling in its shade remark, "No you aren't. You're a lot of bloody light-hogs. I hope they're here to chop you down."

"Actually, we just want to know where we are in relation to the castle of this area. And if there is anyone else close," Alptraum says, having a hard time accepting he's talking to a tree.

Arkold pats Alptraum on the shoulder. "What happened to Mr. "I've seen weirder than this" eh? You're young, you need to relax," he advises.

"Such is life. You sprout, you grow, and then you're furniture," laments a morose willow overhanging the water. "I don't know about any castle… don't get around much."

"No, I said I've seen creepier than this. This is just weird," Alptraum corrects Arkold.

"Nobody comes around here," comments a moss-covered boulder. "Not for long, anyway."

"Bah, I'll take friendly trees to unfriendly dark caves any day." The wolf shifts to lean against one of said trees. "So tell me, eh? Seen anything, ah, two legged like us around? Maybe shambling? Kind of dead looking? Er, if you can see eh? Maybe you, um, what do trees do to see, Bats?"

"Let me guess. You say hello and they run screaming?" Alptraum suggests. He then shrugs at Arkold and says, "How would I know? I'm an Eeee, not a tree."

"Just a few letters away in some languages," Arkold quips back. Then his ears perk and he frowns. "Just to be cautious: people who come here don' turn in to trees right?"

"Not since the dragon that one time," remarks Arkold's tree. "Say, would you be a pal and slit your throat for me? And then sort of, you know, decompose for a bit? Right here by my roots would be fine."

Alptraum looks at his dagger, then the tree, wondering if it could absorb them. He coughs, then looks at Arkold, then the tree. "There will be no decomposing by us today, thanks," he says.

"There was one drunken guy that turned into a tree," comments a sapling. "SMACK! Broke his nose and everything, hahahah!"

"Y'know I get I get that a lot from my friends," Arkold tells the tree conversationally. "Can't do, be dead soon enough, jus' goin' to have to wait for it like everyone else I guess. Say, how about this: we killed that ol' dragon." He pointedly tries to ignore the joke.

"Well, if you have to relieve yourself or anything like that, keep me in mind okay?" asks Arkold's tree. "Killed the dragon you say? Well, that sucks. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Might as well slit your throats and lie down for a bit, to ponder your sins."

Alptraum experimentally puts his hand on one of the trees … just to see if he can feel anything other than, well, tree.

"Trees are really grim. Poetry proves to be a lie yet again," Arkold sighs.

The tree feels like… a tree. Nothing unusual about it at all, and no obvious spot for its 'voice' to be coming from either.

"You must not have found the 'poplar', Arkold," Alptraum jokes.

Alptraum pokes the tree with a claw. "Hmm," he mutters.

"Slitting my throat is lookin' might good right now, can't be worse than these jokes," Arkold comments dryly. "Well if they don't know we probably ought to look aroun'. A forest of talkin' trees should ring a bell with the others too."

"You guys are morons for talking to trees," notes a frog perched on a rock.

"It just struck me: we're in the Forest of Insult," the wolf says with a tone of mock-revelation.

Alptraum grimaces. "Awww … " he starts to say, then sighs. "I just realized if all the crap around here talks I won't be able to hunt. It sucks being a vampire, literally."

"That's a real shame fella," the oak commiserates. "Maybe you should just give up now, and slit your throat. Or slit your friend's throat, he's bigger."

"How about I carve my name into your trunk to note we've been here?" Alptraum suggests to the tree.

"Lets, uh, get out of here bats," Arkold says as he begins walking away.

A bunny is disturbed by Arkold's retreat, and dashes off deeper into the woods… making a raspberry sound in the process.

"Yeah. These people are even more annoying than you are. And you know, you stink when wet," Alptraum comments to Arkold as he follows after him.

As he walks Arkold jerks to pick up a certain talking frog – then promptly throws it far off towards the water before walking on.

"That was buggin' me," Arkold explains to Alptraum a moment later.

Alptraum smirks and pushes Arkold's shoulder lightly. "C'mon hero, let's go," he says.

The frog goes 'plop' without uttering a word. Every few paces on their journey deeper into the woods, the men are met by another rude comment or complaint from the flora and fauna, including a brief encounter with a 'deer' doe that says, "Eat me!" before dashing off into the brush.

"Maybe there is somethin' worse than the undead," Arkold says as he trudges along. "Maybe forest fires are nature's good work too. Hm."

"This is really annoying," Alptraum grumbles. He sighs and shakes his head and just goes about looking for any buildings, roads, anything to denote getting out of this annoying place. "I swear I'm going to start stabbing trees… "

Eventually, the pair reaches a small clearing, with a pile of stones arranged in a pyramidal cairn in the center, rising about two feet.

As Arkold steps in to the clearing he stops and lays a hand on his sword. "Let me guess: someone decided to slit their throat after all and they built the mulch a monument," he remarks.

"Very funny," comments the cairn.

"Then who are you? And yes, we know you're a cairn," Alptraum says as he enters the clearing as well. "And why is it you can talk?"

"I know a few nobles who would kill – and I'm serious there – for a talkin' gravestone or tomb," the wolf says thoughtfully.

"Don't be stupid, trees and rocks and animals don't talk," the pile of stones asserts. It then makes a throat-clearing sound, and says, "And welcome to the Disenchanted Forest. Now go home."

"My adventures have hit a new low," Arkold sighs.

Alptraum walks towards the cairn. "I am home. I grew up in Sylvania," he comments, then puts his hand on the cairn. "I suspect a wizard with a stupid sense of humor made this place and is buried here."

"I'd say to look on the bright side, wolf, but I'm too disenchanted about things to suggest it," the rocks reply. "Why not dig a hole and find out, big-ears?" it asks Alptraum. "Then when you're done, you can climb in and drop dead."

"So, uh, what happened to the "enchanting" around here eh? Dragon steal it?" the wolf asks.

"Where's the point in that? I'm the child of the Goddess of death, already," Alptraum points out.

"Your father must been have been really drunk then," the cairn jabs. "Shouldn't you be moving along now? Don't you have places to go, people to kill, and so on and so forth?"

"Usually yes," says Arkold, "but right now we're interested in here. What's nearby? Where are we in relation to other locations? Is there a disenchanted castle?"

"My father is a sick bastard," Alptraum remarks and shrugs. "You think you're upsetting me? Boy, that's pathetic," he says with a grin. "As Arkold says, if you want us gone, you'd be best achieving that by telling us where to go, eh?"

"There's a nice lake to the south," the rocks say. "You could go jump into it. And I'm the closest thing to a castle you'll find in these woods. We don't want visitors. They ruin the mood. There's an old road to the north a bit, towards the villages. Which are thankfully empty now."

Alptraum tries to lift up a stone as an experiment.

"Careful, you may become … disenchanted," Arkold warns with mock-ominousness.

The rocks are just loosely piled, and quite ordinary looking.

"You realize, Arkold, I blame you for all of this," Alptraum comments. He looks skyward and says, "Think it's too dangerous for me to risk a scout flight? I'm worried I'd be spotted."

"I'm worried you'd be booed out of the sky," Arkold says, pointedly ignoring the blame. "Can't imagine even a necromancer could stand this place. I say it's safe."

"You two are pathetic," the rocks comment. "Even morons think to bring maps when they go wandering off. Sure you don't want to do your part for the cause of global intelligence levels and dig some holes to drop dead in?"

Alptraum drops the stone back on the pile. "All right. I'll be fast, though, just in case. I want to see the surroundings," he says and snaps his wings wide. A short run, and the Eeee takes to the air.

The forest spreads out under Alptraum as he climbs. He can see a road running east to west a bit to the north, which may be the border of the forest. Beyond it are some ruined fields, and the remains of a small village. Higher up, he can just make out the remaining tower of the castle to the northwest.

"I'll be having fun here, don' worry about me. Ahem." The wolf clears his throat and pats his chest. "I think what this forest needs is a rousing and cheery round of sea shanties. Ohhhh-" Alptraum can just hear the wolf break in to what sounds like a upbeat and off-key melody about a farmer's daughter and a fisherman.

Alptraum does a slow circle, scouting, then folds his wings in slightly and descends back to the clearing. "I see the village. We can probably use it. Unless perhaps the necromancer is already. Want me to check it out?" he asks as he gets lower.

"Be sure to tell your friend how silly he looks flying around in his undershorts," the cairn says to the singing wolf.

Arkold abruptly stops and scratches his head. "I guess nothing bugs the Disenchanted Forest."

"Your presence is bad enough, how can it get any worse?" the rocks complain.

Arkold waves Alptraum to head on. "Go on, I'll cheer myself up with rocks for brains here," he calls back.

Alptraum lands and promptly walks up to the rocks and hugs them. "Awww, but we're here because we wuv you so, coochie, coochie," he says to the pile. He grins at Arkold and says, "Show em some love, I'll be back." Into the air the Eeee goes again.

"Whatever gets your rocks off, freako," the cairn mutters.

Arkold blinks at the sight of Alptraum in his underwear hugging rocks and talking baby talk to them. He can't quite seem to say anything until after the bat is gone. "So, uh, who's buried there, eh? Bet it's a depressin' story, why don't you disenchant me with it," Arkold inquires later.

The Eeee does a low flight over the forest and heads towards the village. His ears focus forward, listening for movement from the town.

"A bandit king and his mounds of treasure," the rocks claim. "You start digging, and I'll keep watch. Better be safe and kill your friend when he gets back. Can't trust those Eeees, you know."

"Sounds like a fine idea," says Arkold as he steps forward. He pushes a few rocks over and begins searching for some sort of identifier on the rocks or surrounding area.

Closer in to the village, Alptraum can see some movement in the ruined buildings… and a pile of bodies near the edge. The ones that haven't been stripped bare yet are wearing the same mismatched armor and uniforms that Vorgulremik's guards did.

"Aw, hell. Not good," Alptraum mutters and veers away and wings it hard back towards the clearing. "Yeah, safe passage, indeed," he mutters.

None of the rocks have marks on them, and taking apart the cairn doesn't seem to bother the voice. "Try swallowing them and going for a swim, builds character," it suggests.

"I have plenty of character as it is. Maybe you could use some character yourself, eh? Be a man of substance – oh right, no substance. Tsk." The wolf continues looking around until at last he gives up – then he looks for a viable shovel.

Alptraum is gliding back down into the clearing. "We have trouble. I think I know where our merry Necromancer is. And he's building a new undead army," Alptraum says.

"I see where his insanity started," Arkold calls back to Alptraum. "This place would make anyone evil."

Alptraum motions in the direction of the village. "Come. I'll show you. Let's see what we're up against," he says. "Keep low and quiet."

"Yeah, yeah, y'know I used to steal things. I know, surprising, but true," the wolf says and he slinks after the bat.

"Nice meeting you," the stones say. "Don't come back."

Alptraum makes a rude gesture towards the rocks, then heads off.

The journey to the edge of the Disenchanted Forest is much like that to its center – filled with unwelcome comments. They chatter stops once they reach the road though. The ruined fields of the village are choked with weeds, but an overgrown drainage ditch looks like it will provide cover up to the village itself.

Arkold keeps down behind as much cover as possible with his sword drawn but down – a metal blade held aloft reflects too much light. "I guess we know where the deserters went after Vorg died," he whispers.

Alptraum keeps his hand on the dagger at his side. "Yes," he whispers to the wolf. "Safe passage, indeed." His hears focus forward, listening for voices.

As the two creep closer to the village, they can easily make out the sounds of activity and voices. But the voices are speaking Gallisian, not Standard or Sylvanian. They also sound weary.

"I … I don't know this language," Alptraum admits in whisper to Arkold.

"Wasn't expectin' Gallisians," Arkold whispers to Alptraum. "It's Gallisian – you hear it on occasion in noble circles when poodles are aroun'. Don't know it any more than you do, but I know what language it is. Maybe he conscripted some of the invaders, or maybe they've got at deal."

"Maybe," Alptraum remarks, trying to determine how many voices are in there.

There are perhaps a dozen people moving about, but few of them say much. Until a somewhat familiar voice barks out in clipped Sylvanian, "You there, Rhian. Help move the bodies to the pyre if you want to eat. I want them burning before night falls."

"Eh? Maybe not his troops at all. Can't place the voice but it sounds familiar don't it?" The wolf's ears swivel forward.

"Ah, it's part of a Gallee army, maybe," Alptraum whispers to Arkold. "They're going to burn those bodies. Well, at least it means they won't be zombies. We should head back and know to move quietly through this area." His ears focus and he listens, trying to place the voice.

"Maybe we ought an' drop them a hint the necromancer is here, eh? Get the two armies to fight each other, an' that's a few less of both we have to worry abou'," the wolf suggests without turning his head.

The person barks out more orders, switching from Gallisian to Sylvanian depending on whom he is addressing. Something about the depth and timbre of the voice is naggingly familiar, but doesn't conjure up any faces.

Alptraum nods. "Not a bad idea, but how? Use some of the necromancer trinkets at the castle? Drop them near the house at night?" he suggests.

Arkold rubs his chin. "There's the question. We could flat out tell them – rub up their egos some, tell them about big treasure, fortune, whatever, and mention the horrible necromancer. Then again we could pose as the necromancer's troops – if we had a bow an' some arrows, and a bit of parchment. Eh, hm."

"Doubt they'd care about treasure," Alptraum points out. "No use for it out here."

"They're Gallisans," the wolf points out as if that explained everything.

"And so? Out here it's survival," Alptraum counters.

"Ehhh … you obviously didn't live among nobles long enough," the wolf says. "Anyway, I'm not so sure who we're dealin' with. I swear I've heard that voice before, though."

Alptraum cranes his head, still listening. "We should head back. We don't want to be found. Those people didn't die on their own," Alptraum whispers.

"Good 'nuff for me, let's go," replies Arkold. He thumbs the way back and begins to withdraw.

Alptraum nods his head and heads backward for a short bit, then turns to slink back into the woods. "Good idea on trying to use them, though," Alptraum whispers. "We should try to work out how to do that."

"Wish we knew who they were exactly. You can't tell? You hear better than I do," the wolf asks as he makes his way towards the forest.

"Like you said, it's familiar, but I can't place it," Alptraum grumbles and shrugs. "It's not like I've met many, either."

As they make their way back down the ditch, Alptraum and Arkold can hear the not-quite-familiar voice curse, "I hate bloody Sylvania," in standard, then bark out, "Watch shift! I don't want you tired if that dragon tries to find us."

"It's not whats-his-face, servant of Ravenia, an' it's not … uh … hm. Who else did we meet? Not many speak Gallisians this way, an' very few sound that martial unless they're on the other end of a sword from us," the wolf says. He rolls his shoulders in a shrug and slinks in to the cover of … the not so silent insulting woods.

"Ever feel like doom is wrapping slowly around your neck? I sure do. We have a necromancer on one side, and a bloodthirsty Gallee on the other," Alptraum remarks. "The only other Gallee I've met is the one from years ago and … Oh bloody hell! Think this guy might be the father of that Erik fellow back in Stonebarrow? Maybe that's why he sounds familiar."