[center][h3]INTO THE STORM[/h3][b]Deep Rudines[/b][/center] Day breaks over the mountains, with beams of light breaking through the overcast mountain skies. Since the Jet Hound’s attack, no Darkling had fortunately been drawn towards them in the night. Raditsch was the first to stir from slumber in the cave’s seclusion, and as he emerged into the light of day, a bird flew over, loosening a blob of its feces that landed stark on his head… invoked by the unholy and cruel powers of the curse. Raditschs grumbles. [i]‘’Forgot mine hat in the grotto.’’[/i] He was about to retreat back into cover, when he spotted on a distant sky the gathering of dark clouds, many of them, hanging over some unseen dale beyond the far mountain tops. It is a great and heavy tempest, another anomaly of these sinister lands. The cursed wanderer looks upon them, and a glimmer of hopeful anticipation reflects in his eyes. [i]‘’The day of reckoning has comen…’’[/i] He murmurs under his breath. Einhard having been roused by the cursed man’s wakening followed his lead out of the cave, being met with the very same view. For the Paladin the dark clouds had the opposite effect, filling him with doubt and pondering on their meaning. [i]“How many men has your King doomed to wander these mountains?”[/i] Einhard asks Raditischs somberly. But Raditsch speaks to him reassuringly, making erratic hand gestures and motioning towards the clouds as if they are a good omen. [i]‘’That is where the Horn is… and the lair of the Huntsman’s beast. That is where you must go, Paladin.’’[/i] This he says, but not without his usual layering of foreboding. Einhard nods his head at Raditsch’s statement, [i]“If that is what you state, I don’t believe I will ever understand these cursed mountains.”[/i] For the better part of the day onward, the three moved towards their destination, treading cautiously, moving through narrow passes and treacherously steep trails. All the while Einhard never lost sight of those looming dark clouds beckoning him from afar… Is the Millennium Horn really there? How will he recognise it? Hours follow, and having come close, the tempest now nearly engulfs them. The sound of the wind seems to speak to the three through ominous howling. Distant and unrecognisable sounds are carried on them, yet none in the company can surmise from what they are. But regardless of from where they’ve come, the three are very close to its source… Marozia had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the whole day. But now she pipes up nervously to Einhard, [i]“Uh… Master Einhard, I think I hear something through the wind.”[/i] Einhard continues to forge ahead as he takes in the sound of the wind. After a long quiet he answers; [i]“Aye little one. It must be the sound of that demonic creature… And something else...”[/i] Indeed, carried on the wind are yells, screams, the fierce clank of iron and the dull chop of wood being cut and splintered. [i]‘’Lamperts.’’[/i] Their objective is past them, and Einhard, bound by oath to his King, will kill as many of them as is necessary to see his mission done. The sound of men seems to be coming from down ahead. When he observes a cliff leading down into a clearing, the Paladin pauses, and looks behind towards his Shieldbearer, and then to Raditsch. He raises a hand and says: [i]“I will take a look. Stand back.”[/i] They nod. Einhard proceeds to climb the slope in front of them to peer down the edge of the cliff. His intuition proved correct: as the Paladin looked, he observes a great Lampert encampment, perhaps more like a makeshift fort, protected by battlements, rock formations and palisade walls. He sees armed and mustached men moving all over the place, carrying felled game, recuperating and patrolling. Einhard goes on to analyse if indeed the Horn is there.. or the Demon Hound… Or anything. But what he sees is none of the things he came looking for, but something entirely different that catches the Paladin completely off guard. [i]“Autchar…!”[/i] he hisses under his breath. Against a pole in the centre of the encampment is a gagged and bonded Autchar -- he has been captured by the Lamperts! And standing opposite of him is a tremendous presence, clearly distinguished from the other Lamperts by his stature and armor and iron crown. The pinnacle of Lampertei’s host. [i]‘’The God-hating Lampert King himself? Now? Here of all places?!’’[/i] Einhard curses inwardly at this turn of events. With Dalgiserius’ presence here, it explains the unnatural clouds looming over this place. The paladin returns to brief his two traveling companions, with a hush filling them in on what he surveyed... [i]‘’King Dalgiserius is here? What terrible luck!”[/i] Marozia splutters. Einhard grimly looks to Raditsch, and sensing what he is thinking, Raditsch is filled with shame. [i]“I fear it is mine curse at work again to be so afflicted.”[/i] But before Einhard can start to reconsider the wisdom in having brought the cursed man along, Raditsch continues: [i]“All is not lost on this day of reckoning. For I ken the lore of shapeshifting. With a brew of Rudine fauna growing near here, I can create you a concoction which allowaz you assume different form. Thereby you can enter the camp, and liberate your swordbrother.”[/i] Einhard sarcastically mutters to himself, almost loud enough for Raditsch to hear. [i]“Perhaps you could turn me into a dragon, so I can turn the lot of them to ashes...”[/i] Einhard does not know whether to take the man’s word seriously, but speaks louder this time, [i]“Go do what you will, I will search for a way into the encampment.’’[/i] As the Paladin left to see to his work, the cursed wanderer turned to the shield bearer. [i]‘’Marozia, was that your name? So you are of Lampert stock, as much as I.’’[/i] Marozia turns to the cursed man with a half smile, [i]“Ah yes, my parents were originally from the Lampert side of the mountains.’’[/i] [i]‘’I need you to leave.’’ ‘’What?’’ ‘’In the dale we had passed in our coming here, I observed there grew special Rudine fauna in its blossoming. With the Purper flower there, I can create mine shape-shifting concoction. You must go, Marozia, and reap it.’’[/i] [i]“Uhhh… why do I have to go and get the flowers, you are the one who knows these damned passes!”[/i] [i]‘’With mine old eyes, I ken not to differentiate between the purple and the blue. And we need purper flowers specifically.’’[/i] Marozia sighs and heads off to find the flowers. Making sure to wait till she is out of view, Raditsch then approaches Einhard who is keeping vigil into the enemy encampment, and frowning deeply by what he sees. [i]“The odds are stacked against us…’’[/i] Einhard grimly proclaims, sensing Raditschs’ approach, and gestures towards the rigid Lampert defenses. [i]‘’So they are. I never doubted your good will when you vowed to lift my curse, Paladin. Though I am long beyond reproach, I beg your forgiveness.’’[/i] Einhard turns his head sideways, not sure what the rambling man is on about this time, when he is suddenly pushed, forcefully cast down the rocks and into the clearing below. [i]‘’There -- There he is!’’[/i] A Lampert man with a missing eye snarls at the fallen Paladin, and immediately an assortment of armed watchmen carrying halberds encircle the dumbstruck Chlotar. He is betrayed.