<div></div><br> <br>A posting at the freeswords offers any Freesword looking to make a few extra coin on the side and possible more respect amoung the community to the Ironsoul defenders base. After getting processed in the group is lead to a large table where a large badger wearing armor look back to the group, "Welcome everyone I see we have a few new faces around, I am Kilsa Ironsoul, leader of the Ironsoul defenders and master blacksmith. We will be leading an expediton to a castle named Shadow Bane. Which Ironically was one of the first few places to fall to shadow attacks. Now that they aren't around due to some miner taking over the place we have our chance to move in. I have a cart waiting outside, We suspect the miners are of Kindcraft origin which means that we should be on our guard as much as possible. Any questions?"<br> <br>A leather clad hand shoots up, and a throat is cleared as a Grey Kitsune dressed in black leathers speaks up. "Any idea on the size of the group, any possible nasty traps that we should look for?" Angus stated as he adjusted the strap of his musket under his cloak. "I'm all up for the usual, barge in there and kick in the teeth of anything that moves...but I'm a little worried about the new faces." He commented, giving a slight shrug and hopping he didn't offend them to much.<br> <br>Rogna shakes his head. "Then we will do our best to protect those of concern, Miss Ironsoul is a strong warrior in her own right, and you are not bad Angus." he says, the last portion sounds like a half compliment. "My only question my friend, is how soon we can begin." The hippo adjusts his cape and laughs to himself.<br> <br>Mitchell looks up at Kilsa and bows his head towards her, "Pleasure to be here, ma'am."  he smiles and tries to not look so much like a country bumpkin, looking to the side at Astrid and feeling a little more comfortable with her near.  He looks back to Kilsa, "Just let me know however I can help.  I'm eager to make m'name here.  Ah, that name bein' Mitchell."<br> <br>Astrid pokes at Mitchell's arm lightly, leaning in to tell him in a hushed voice, "First posting you drag me to is fighting Shadows and Kindcraft? Next time, I'm picking one at random." The smilodon runs her fingers over the links in her chain shirt, making sure that it's secure around her middle. Her amber eyes glance over towards Angus when he references new faces. But she has no questions, no concerns, and says nothing to the table.<br> <br>"Traps are expected but nothing since Kindcraft isn't known for building much on any place they want to conquer. If any they might be of the math type. We will be moving in the cover of darkness to attempt to avoid the gaze of the miners. From the information of the blackback we will want to get inside before we start too much trouble since they have a dragon on their side and I don't mean a common bone dragon, They have a full of scales and hate dragon." She chuckled at Rogna, "We will be leaving now so walk and talk, Freeswords." She begins walking and give Mitchell hand a hardy shake, "A pleasure but please don't call me Ma'am or Miss Ironsoul or Creator Forbid, any noble sounding title or I'll charge you double for anything I make you." She leads the group out to a cart with black covering to keep out the elements, a kangaroo is at the lead of the cart. "This is Bela the best I could find." She gives a few crown to the roo and smiles before hopping in. "Now lets go." The roo waits till everyone has jumped in and begins to travel without making a single ound.<br> <br>Kilsa spends 100 Crown for RP reasons.<br> <br>Angus barely notices Astrid, but does feel her gaze on him for a second. "..Thank's for the Complement Rogna." At Kilsa's words he nods, remembering the last time he had tussled with a bone dragon and now he's being told they actually have a real one just waiting to tear into them. Turning to follow the others as they near the cart he walks up to Astrid and Mitchell and smiles. "My apologizes about my comment back there, I meant no offense by what I said. I'm sure you both can take care of yourselves."<br> <br>Rogna laughs and whispers something to Angus as he boards the cart, before inspecting his swords and saying "Miss Ironsoul, Kilsa, it doesn't matter what I call you because whatever the price you set, is worth every penny. You do amazing work, and should be making far more than you do off me." with a smile. "You all should go to Kilsa when you need new equipment, it will serve you well." <br> <br>Mitchell grins and shakes paws with Kilsa, looking up at the taller lady. "Ah, I'll try t'hold back," he responds with a goofy goat grin. He tries not to look too nervous at the rather dire description of the situation -- a real live dragon?  Jeez.  This sounds like a really bad idea for someone just off the mountain, but ... oh well.  He's not going to turn back now.  He leans to Astrid and ahs, "Yeah, you're pickin' next time," he agrees, before climbing up into the cart.  He looks to Rogna, "Yeah... maybe someday I can afford somethin' fine like that."<br> <br>Astrid laughs and jostles the goat. "Already in trouble! Tonight does not start well for you." She claps a hand on his shoulder as she walks out to the cart. When Angus addresses her, she flashes another toothy grin. "Is good! We can take care of ourselves plenty. We will take care of each other too." Maybe not fighting-a-dragon take care of, but she sure did whomp those squirrel things at the farm earlier! She climbs into the cart, looking only slightly more optimistic than Mitchell.<br> <br>Kilsa cleans her knuckles and smiles at the group, "Keep it down. We don't want to get ambushed. Heh but as far as my weapon are concerned I have really good prices for high quality weapons. I have given Angus here a few for free." She whispers as the cart ride continues. The cart come to a slow stop, "That seems pretty fast but the ride was so quiet I can't tell how fast we were going." Kilsa jumps out of the cart and look around noticing that they are very far from the Castle and it can be seen looming in the distance. <br> <br>"Kilsa here makes the best weapons around in my opinion...and yes she did give me a few for free, but the most prominent one was stolen by bandits not to long ago." Angus comments, as he draws his hood up. When the cart stops he tenses, hearing something that didn't sit well with him.  Stepping out of the cart he draws a slender looking tanto from his cloak, and the sharp click of a muskets hammer can be heard as he snarls soflty. "Trouble."<br> <br>Rogna smiles to Mitchell and Astrid, handing them large bags of crowns. "You now have that kind of money, get yourselves something nice." As the cart stops and Angus speaks out, Rogna draws both of his swords and readys himself to retaliate.<br> <br>Mitchell blinks as he is given some money, and looks to Rogna wide-eyed, "Really?  You don't want something for--"  He's probably told to hush, as it's supposed to be a silent trip.  So he's otherwise silent for the trip.  He looks around a bit, sort of looking at the other adventurers in the group, and trying to be as quiet as he can.  He's a big white fluffy thing so he still kind of sticks out, not exactly stealthy in any particular capacity.  When the cart stops and Kilsa gets out, he starts to climb out as well.  At Angus' words, he blinks, and reaches for his sword, looking around.<br> <br>Astrid takes the money, blinking, twisting her muzzle slightly. She's wordless for a few moments as she hefts the fat sack of money. "Thanks," she says finally. She doesn't look like she's heard anything when Angus and Kilsa react, her eyes searching blindly around inside the cart. But she trusts the words of her companion and sets a hand on her own weapon, an abused and scarred war hammer, and makes her way out of the cart behind the others. She leaves the money in the cart. It's hard to fight looking like Scrooge McDuck ready to refill his pool.<br> <br>The front of the cart is a gruesome sight as the group walks around it and notices that the driver is missing except for a single leg. The cart beasts are both skewered on large spike made of solid dirt. "By the creators." Kilsa says slently as the sound of crunching can be heard coming from the west. "May the creators rest her body." She hears a loud roar and growls, "Let us not let her scarifice be in vain. We should press north and be very carful." Kilsa unsheathes her war hammer and starts walking slowly to the north keeping her eyes peeled for traps as she waits for the group to catch up. A loud flapping of wings reaches everyone ears as a dragon with bright red scales flies over head but doesn't notice them as it head to the castle again. "Everyone stick close to the trees and keep you eyes peeled for traps and that." She points at the retreating dragon as a leg from the roo hit the road ahead with a loud thud.<br> <br>Rogna blinks. "Hardly a trap, more of a brutal slaughter." he says as he holds his swords at ready. He proceeds north, taking the lead only if Kilsa does not, and tris to be alert. He's not great at detecting things, but he's great at reacting to threats. "If you hear anything let the others know."<br> <br>the gruesome scene is met with a hard gaze, emerald eyes flashing with anger and a promise of revenge as the Dragon flys by. "Blasted crowbegotten Dragon." He grumbles, placing his Tanto back in it's scabbard as his hand twitched near his musket. When the Dragon finally moves out of sight he sighs, before he turns, proceeding north and takes the lead in front of Rogna. scanning the tree line for any possible traps or ambushes as he trys to blend in with the shadows.<br> <br>Mitchell blinks and looks slack-jawed at the carnage from the person driving the cart.  Wow...  Okay!  Look out for traps.  He's got that lesson learned, and he tries to keep his eyes sharp whilst gripping his sword hilt tighter.  He's not much experience with sophisticated traps, but as a hunter and trapper himself he's got an eye for them.<br> <br>Astrid grimaces when she sees a single bloody stump of a kangaroo leg in the driver's seat of their cart. "Well." Keeping some treetops between her and the dragon seems like the order of the day, and she's not one to snub advice from someone who's clearly more experienced. She trundles off the path as quickly as she can, looking to follow Kilsa. It's good to have someone go ahead of you when there might be traps about!<br> <br>The group is lead by Angus who is backed up by Rogna and Kilsa as the new face keep to the tree and everyone makes it to the treeline near the Castle. The group is hidden as the look over the castle and notice two hooded figure standing at the main door. The bottom of the dried up moat seem to have a drainage pipe that lead to the castle, a back door is covered in rubble that would lead to the walls if the group decides to climb but would leave them exposed. "Well I can see three ways in and I doubt charging them would be smart." She looks to the group for input. "Any ideal on how you want to proceed?"<br> <br>Angus gives the gate and the back door a quick glance, but the drainage pipe is given a more curious look. "I'd say we sneak in through the drainage, but you never know. This place was once infested with shadows...and if I was a shadow I'd definitly hide in a place like that." His gaze then swings back to the gate and the two hooded guards, judging the distance between them. <br> <br>Rogna shakes his head. "The drainage could prove hazardous for.... heavy beings, and it could get cramped and hard to proe effective fighters in such a local. I elect any earth magic weilders or those with the strength to do so, move the rubble. A dragon is just that, a dragon, while it's dangerous, it cannot fly for extended periods of time. It is a large creature with of great girth. If it was flying overhead when it took the driver it is likely to be resting a while as it digests. Let us use this time to prove effective."<br> <br>Mitchell looks over at the castle and considers the situation thoughtfully, sort of eyeing the routes in.  He looks to the rest of the group a moment.  He, personally, thinks he can scramble up the wall much faster than he can get into a drainage pipe.  He's not sure anyone else would make it, though, except maybe the fox fellow, so he remains quiet.<br> <br>Astrid has successfully crept along with the rest of the group without getting killed, which is quite an accomplishment in the smilodon's eyes, seeing what happened to the 'roo! She glances over at Mitchell to make sure he hasn't been reduced to a single leg. "Maybe something so we don't get eaten," she suggests in her low voice. She peers at the drainage pipe. How big is that thing, anyways? Castle building code regulations should definitely mandate smilodon-sized drain pipes. She nods at Rogna. "If someone watches, can help clear rubble. Otherwise, in the pipe?"<br> <br>"Alright lets do this quietly." Kilsa walks up to the rubble and begins to preform some complex math while being aided by Mitchell, Angus, and Astrid. The rubble quietly turns into dust and fades into the air. "Alright lets go." Kilsa says sa they inter into the back courtyard. A rotten smell greets there noses as a dragon is sleeping on a mound of corpses and many of them reek of dark math to the point that even non math users can feel the perversion. Kilsa places a finger to her muzzle the point to a door past the dragon that leads into the castle proper. The group slips by the dragon without incident but the moment they enter the door several miner notice them and raise various weapons before charging.<br> <br>The battle is quick and gruesome the Miners don't stand a chance as each of the group slays them without allow anyone to raise an alarm. The last one toss a blade at Angus but Rogna catches the weapon mind flight while Mitchell and Astrid cooperation leaves thier opponent with nothing but a swift death to remember them by. Angus lands a decives blow through the foreman chest and out the back before a bolt of energy explode his chest open. The group takes look at thier surrounding and notices a set of stair leading down  another set leading to another room marked powder room. "Well That was quick." Kilsa says putting away her hammer and putting on her gaunlets, voices can be heard coming form the powder room but no one has come to check on the dead miners or even moved from the sounds of laughing and joking from the powder room.<br> <br>Angus resheaths his dagger before he kneels over the body of the foreman. "They were unprepared, and by the sounds coming from the powder room I'm guessing they didn't expect anyone to actually attack. 100 crowns says that the laughter is from a few guards who managed to find some wine....now, lets see if mister no lungs here has a key or not."<br> <br>Rogna readies his weaponry and waits for the group to proceed forward, looking around for anyones approach and listening to the laughter trying to figure out what he can about it.<br> <br>Mitchell pants after the fight, having stuck with Astrid whom he's used to fighting alongside and trying to contribute, in modest ways, mostly by patching things up on the go or using a recovery spell here or there.  He looks around; that seems to be it; he wipes his sword off on one of the dead miners and gets ready to move on with the group.<br> <br>Astrid silently marvels how many people a gang of adventurers can kill without anyone coming to investigate! She smiles when she sees everyone still alive and intact. "Better than squirrels," she offers to Mitchell, clapping a large hand on his shoulder. She stows her hammer for now, looking ahead to her group leader to see what the plan is. Hopefully the badger has a plan.<br> <br>The badger leans against the wall and thinks for a moment. "Alright. Astrid and Mitchell, I have an ideal.... A powder room on a ship means explosive. I want you both to wait here and make sure no one tails us now if they come after us I want you to use this." She passes them a crumple bit of parchment. "Crumple it and toss it into the room Then run like hell for the treeline and make it back to the firament. Here is both of your payment incase we don't see you on the way out. If an hour passes leave this spread out on the floor and let them kill themselves." She give a feral grin before looking at Rogna and Angus, "Let head down the stairs and hope we come across the lunar crystals. If things go south we can dig our way out." She nods to the group and beings to decends the stairs.<br> <br>Angus glares at the item he managed to find, a strange looking sigil, and almost drops it on the spot as he senses the dark magic coming off it. "Dark magic." He grumbles, wrapping it up in some cloth that he took from a body before placing it in his pocket. "Good luck you two, and it was nice meeting you." Turning back to the stairs he draws his dagger and follows Kilsa close behind.<br> <br>Rogna looks over the sigil and attempts to understand it while he can before iit's put awy, and heads down the staris with the others, his swords at ready. <br> <br>Mitchell grins to Astrid and nods, "Much better than squirrels."  But all the same, he looks a little relieved to not go on.  HE nods to Kilsa, "Will do."  He says his farewells to the rest of the group, grateful for their help.  He takes his share, and with Astrid hides away someplace as best he can to follow directions while not being caught unawares.  He'll wait with Astrid until the appointed time, and follow the directions reliably before fleeing off and heading back to town :D<br> <br>Astrid lets Mitchell handle this explodey thing that the badger is tossing around like it's a piece of lint. He's got nimble fingers, after all! "Be safe, see you back outside, alive and with all your arms and legs," she says to Kilsa. She nods to Angus and Rogna, extending her valediction to them as well. With her trademark toothy grin, she says to Mitchell, "Goat, looks like we hold down the fort here for now."<br> <br>The stairs lead into the basement of the castle where a large bear is chained to the walls his body looks very badly damaged but he still clings to life and looks at the group. "Grrrrrr..." He growls as shadows surround him before they vanish again, "You aren't of ... them." He looks over the group as his only good eye blinks and his other hands from an eyes socket.<br> <br>Angus stops in his tracks halfway on the stairs, and stares at the bear. "No we aren't of them, and I'm guessing your not either." Putting his dagger away he starts walking up to the bear, but stops right out of arms reach as he notices the shadows vanish. <br> <br>Rogna keeps one sword drawn, watching everything carefully as he approaches the bear, and gently moves his eye back into his socket. He never drops his sword, almost prepped to thrust it forward if needed. "How long have you been here?"<br> <br>The bear looks at Angus as Kilsa stands close with her knuckles ready, "I am.... not." He grunts slightly at Angus approach. "Come to... save enemy?" He asked before coughing up a small bit of black ichor. "We weren't sent to see you but your not normal are you." The bear smiles weakly revealing that all his teeth have been filed down to stumps. "I'm...shadow...you call us..." He says before weakly pulling at chains, "We and I....hurt." He grunts as his other eyes is place back inside of the socket. "Thank you..." He says with a soft moan of pain.<br> <br>Angus watched the bear warily, and then nearly jumps as he feels something quivering at his belt. Glancing down he reaches into his pouch, and pulls back out the sigil, which was now quivering in the presence of the bear. "Rogna....." He exclaimed, feeling that there was something off about this. "Your saying your a shadow? Then why are they holding you prisoner?"<br> <br>Rogna eyes the bears body and frowns. "Be careful with that." he says to angus before returning his gaze to the bear. "You... appear to have quite a lot of dark magicial... spots. Allow me." he says, using his gift as a priest as he applys unrestricited vision to the bear, casting aside ailments and weakening illusions of the mind. Rogna never drops his sword, ready to shove it at the bear in due time.<br> <br>Kilsa looks at the bear and her breaks a little, "I want to help him but I'm not sure if we should." She begins to look around, "I would expect that the crystals would be near maybe the blackbacks were wrong." She groans as the bear looks at her, "Won't...hurt..." He holds his head down and begins speaking in shadow language before a black wave covers him and is gone just as fast. "None will.." He whimpers as his body hurts more.<br> <br>Angus is rather confused by whats going and pockets the symbol once more. "....I could unlock those chains...if we really wanted to free him, but I don't know...I still have no idea of what is going on." He grumbles, taking a step closer to the bear, and flinching a little as he can still feel the sigil quivering in his pouch.<br> <br>Rogna sighs. "I am at a loss of what to do. That sigil is linked to something here, in the basement. Most presemably, this being. His chains withhold his power, and great that power is. He has all of the lunar energy crystals, lodged in his body. He is dangerously powerful, if he got loose we could not stop him. It was likely the sigil holders job to keep him imprisoned. We have many options, and for once my morals conflict with my sense of duty. We do not know if he is lying, if he will strike us down upon being freed, and even if he does not the power he holds, if this were to reach the shadow who intend us harm we would be in grave danger. We can cut them all out, he is bound by the chains, and would weaken with their removal. We could free him, take him at his word and allow him to leave with the crystals, and hope that he does not harm us... our options here are moral quandrys, the safest thing is not the most just."<br> <br>Kilsa look at Rogna and her mouth opens, "This is a bad thing, a very bad thing." She shakes her head and looks at the bear, "We are hear for the crystals could you give them to use in exchange for freedom." The bear looks at Kilsa then to Rogna, "Hurt....Don't want.." He looks pleadingly at Kilsa and Angus, "Want join....others...away." He says the words crudely barely speaking the proper tongue of promise. "I'm at a loss, I don't want to cut up a creature for the crystals but I also don't want to endanger all of promise with a powerful shadow on the loose." She moves closer to the bear and sighs. "I can't kill a bound and weakened creature, that isn't in me on any level." A look of relief crosses the scarred face of the bear. Angus sigil is shaking enough to make soft clinking noises. "Alright I'm going to leave this in both of your hands, I don't want to fail Promise but I am not a murderer either." The bear look to Angus, "Mercy?"<br> <br>Angus looks between Kilsa and Rogna at a lose as well. Turning back to the bear he scowls, here was there enemy, one of the creatures that threatened to destroy all of promises...and it's life was in his hands. The clicking noise does not go unheard as he removes the sigil once again and stares at it in his hand, turning back to the bear his scowl softens as he notices the look of relief in the bears feature..and he makes his decision. "...Shadow or not, I can't stand idly by as another being suffers...you will have your mercy, but if I find your lying and this is all a desperate ruse to gain your freedom and try and kill us. I will not hesitate to use this on you, are we clear?"<br> <br>Rogna moves between Angus and the creature. "I'm sorry. I cannot allow you to free him on this assumption. When he's free his power will return to him, great destructive power far greater than the three of us combined, perhaps strong enough to lay waste to us, the two upstairs, the dragon, and any remaining guards in one or two blows. Freeing him is not wise, no matter how moral. My heart aches as I know what I must do. We cannot leave them here, they will be mined for their crystals and used up, left to decay from torture. I fear I must end him..." he says looking very sadly to the shadow. "I'm sorry... I fear you greater than an army, your sheer power would smite us. Do you have any words that might convince me to spare you, for our worlds sake. Your kind are not purely our enemy, but our allies as well. Your kind are divided in their efforts, brutality and kindness. Even if I were to free you, you may fall prey to your other faction and be stripped of your power, and then we would all be in danger. Are there any words you can offer me that would sway my need to protect sweetwater?"<br> <br>"Give...crystal." Sheer terror is in the bears good eye, "Don't want....die." He shivers and scoots against the wall and whimpers, "Been here.....so long....years." He whimpers, "Screams...over..and... over." He look at himself, "Can't hear...the rest...only...screams." He sniffles as Kilsa looks at Rogna and the bear, "Sir Rogna. Do you find his death the only option." Kilsa bite her lip. "If so, I would rather kill him than any of you. I did lead us into this rather than allow anyone else to do the hard bit I'll do it." Kilsa looks very unhappy but part of her agrees with Rogna's point and the other part doesn't want to kill someone even a shadow that can't fight back. "Don't want...die....Don't." He covers his face in terror, "So long...wait for other...none come...."<br> <br>Angus looks between the two once again, and he sighs. Rolling the sigil between his finger he looks up at the bear, and finally notices just how far gone he is. "Kilsa...there's no point, even if we free him we can't save him. He's to long gone. He will probably hurt himself more then anything." Stepping up to the bear he shakes his head. "No Kilsa, this is not your act. You did lead us into this, but didn't we choose to follow? Rogna...if you don't want to do this I can." He says grimly, turning to look at Rogna as he draws his dagger.<br> <br>Rogna sighs and pushes Angus back, giving the bear an appologetic look before he slices at the skin just enough to reach a crystal. After ensuring they are indeed crystals and that his skills did not fail them he proceeds to remove them from areas that have a chance to heal without a crippling effect. He seems to be struggling with himself, almost growling at his soul gems. <br> <br>"Why pain....Sorry.." The bear moans weakly unable to even stop Rogna, "Sorry..Sorry..." He grunts until the gem is out and Kilsa steps forward, "Do you intend to do this for all the crystals, Sir Rogna." The badger looks like she is going to be sick as the crystals shimmers differently as it falls near Angus and turns from a solid black to a softer Purple and the sigil glow bright enough for all three to notice it.