A new day had dawned. The moon waved goodbye to the nightfolk and sunk beneath the horizon as the sun slowly peeked out in the distance. The ground was still wet and soggy, and the gleaming sun in the sky created rainbows across the morning dawn. If Night-Raven Inn was a living entity it would have exhaled in great relief and relaxed its rafters as it welcomed an easier day.

Within the inn heroes and adventurers of all stripes and colors began to awake. It was a number of interesting people, all seeking something in the keep that still sit ominously in the distance. It was about a fifty-minute walk from the inn to the keep, which some had figured was much to close. Still, you had to appreciate the founder of the inn who obviously built it to exploit the heroes seeking their glory within the keep. In its time the inn had accumulated a hefty profit, and it was enough to renovate it - if only the greedy innkeepers who worked it would hire someone to do it.

In one of the top rooms Joric quickly awoke and grabbed his greatsword that sit beside his bed. He could hear shouting outside and approached the door. As he peeked out he could see that someone had accidentally ignited something in the inn. Rolling his eyes, Joric, with his hand still on the greatsword, whispered something to himself. A few barhands had tossed a bit of water on the fire, but a magical brisk air rushed through an open window and helped cool the flames. Within a few moments it had extinguished. Joric closed his eyes and gripped his greatsword even tighter. Was this a thing of miracle, or something of a curse?

Joric re-wrapped his greatsword and strapped it on his back before heading back downstairs. The damage was minimal, but it had scorched one of the rooms and damaged the roof; nothing the innkeeper couldn't afford to fix. As he entered the great room at the bottom of the stairs he took in the patrons. Making sure no one noticed, Joric reached up and grabbed the hilt of the blade, making sure to keep it hidden from view. [i]Mind filling me in,[/i] Joric thought.

[b][i]"The priest over there, he's Dale Gade."[/b][/i] Joric eyed a man who was pondering the fire that had just been extinguished. [b][i]"He picked a bad place to spread his message. Then there's the elf, Ireth, over there, the one who looks like the wind would blow her over."[/b][/i] Joric's gaze was directed at a thin elf with purple hair. [b][i]"And then there's Aveline, the naive young woman who thinks she's a swordsman. Then there's Athinar - the old bag in the robes, the fool who caused the fire. Then there's the thief - the type your kind like to humiliate back home - she's Dasmira. Ah, here's one you'll like: the great big burly man wielding the axe - a Varan like yourself; it'll be a shame to see him burn. You have the half-breed, the mercenary - Serkan Stahlwurm. And finally, Leon Thorne, the young fool who wants to walk into danger."[/b][/i]

Joric scanned the room and observed the eight strangers. Satisfied he nodded his head to the voice within his head and replied: [i]I'll handle it from here.[/i] Joric approached the center of the room and clasped his hands together, preparing to speak.

"Quiet... quiet everyone... I've something to say." Everyone in the inn stopped and turned their attention to the warrior. Joric looked them in the eyes, reluctant to tell them the lies that would spill into their ears. "The earthquake is no mere rumor. Something dark and forbidden sits in that fortress... something that can't get out... I don't know what it is, and I alone do not possess the skills to do it by myself. You have all answered your own call: whether it be for love, for glory, or for riches. If you truly wish to dare the dangers of the keep, no one here will stop you. But you can't do it alone... if you do it... you gotta stick together." Joric looked down, trying to hold back his guilt. "That is all I have to say," he said, unable to lie to these people any more. He nodded his head and turned to walk out of the inn. A few patrons watched him as he left the building.

The doors closed as Joric hopped up on his mount and turned to head east...