[IC] To The Edge of the World...

[Fubsy]

Wimena barely complained as the Half-Orc moved her back. Her hand quickly went to the pouch on her side, settling onto a small dagger. 'Dagger' being used generously. It was a simple, rusted blade, more suited to chopping carrots than hellhounds, but it was the only weapon the halfling thought to bring along. That and her small, quick feet, of course. A battle song filled the air, filling Wimena with a sense of readiness as she stared at the thundering door.

[Kelewen]

As Tarquin moved throughout the hall, even the residents of Avery's Isle seemed to take heart. And as he searched for weaknesses in the building, he would notice a child kneeling in a shadowed spot with her face against the wall as if she were peering through a hole.

Outside, the beast seemed to be slowly circling the building. Sniffing, then growling, sometimes hitting a door or wall as if testing.

[Wick]

Eve rose up from her knees and sat back on the bench. She watched as the building held and the morale of the patrons inside seemed to be lifting. She drank from her cup and pulled her hair back inside her cloak and she kept her eyes downcast as not to draw too much attention to herself. Eve was hoping to regain some strength before she was needed again. She was sure the building would hold but if the wolf was godly or magical she couldn't be certain her magic was strong enough.

She looked at Cedric who was watching everything intently like her. She closed her eyes and listened to the flute that Tarquin was playing. It was relaxing to her. Rockmar was closest to the front door and he seemed ready to fight. She prayed that it wouldn't be necessary for any of them.

[Garth]

Rockmar stood by the door but he watched the walls as the beast circled the building outside. His eyes tracking where the beast was. He hit the ground with the staff of his waraxe in time with Tarquin's song.

It was then he noticed Wimena's tiny dagger. He reached behind himself and pulled out a dagger and sheath. It was just a dagger, but in Wimena's hand it would look like a short sword. "Here, Wimena take this. Only use it if you have to. Tomorrow, I'll teach you how to use it better. But for now, stay back and use it only of needed."

[Fubsy]

Wimena gave Rockmar's a grateful nod and took the blade. It's weight felt heavy and awkward in her inexperienced grip, yet she held onto it like her life depended on it. Probably because it did.
Her eyes scanned the walls nervously before flickering towards the Constable. "How long will this last?" she asked in a hushed tone.

[Marcus XVI]

Tarquin stopped playing the song for a moment, dropped on one knee next to the child and very gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Li'll miss, I'm sure there will be no trouble, but I'd rather you'd be closer to the table." He managed a very kind and warm tone - almost surprisingly so for an elf. "Staying close to one another may sound a bit dumb at a time like this, but it's actually a bit more difficult to follow where everyone is if a little scuffle is going to break out." He glanced at the constable "Is there a larder or other such... reasonably safe and hopefully large space for the non-combatants to gather in?"

[Kelewen]

"A few hours," the Constable answered Wimena. "Before he tires of this and goes off to kill livestock. Sometimes he returns during the night to try again."

"But I was watching him," the little girl said, seeming slightly reluctant to leave her spot. "And getting ready to slay him!" she proclaimed without an ounce of fear, showing Tarquin her knife, a small hunting dagger. "My papa made it for me." But then she nodded and moved closer to the center where the residents were huddled.

"Unfortunately not," Leofwine turned toward the elf, "at least not within this building." He gestured toward the little girl, managing a small smile. "If only we all could find her bravery. Her father leaves her here at night while he and her older brothers protect their sheep."

[Wick]

Eve heard what the constable said about the little girl's father and brothers being outside and it made her extremely nervous. She tried to use this time to rest up in case she was needed. The little girl came over by the table and Eve held out her arms to her and the little girl climbed up and sat with her. Eve looked up at Tarquin and nodded. She knew he would understand that she would keep the child back.

Eve engaged the children in one of many games that they could play to keep them occupied. She gathered the towns women to help in this matter just in case the others needed her skills.

[Garth]

Rockmar growled when the battle music stopped. He looked at the bard. But he heard the little girl's words. Rockmar walked over towards the pair. He asked Tarquin, "You, ask little girl if her father knows how to fight the beast, if she knows trick to kill it. Then you play battle music more. yes yes.. more music."

Rockmar has been raised by humans and never been to an orc encampment, but still, preparing for battle causes his orc blood to boil. He hears the orc blood pumping through his veins and pounding in he head.

[Marcus XVI]

Tarquin smiled quite haughtily at Rockmar and shook his head slightly. "The latter I can do, but not the former." He nudged his head a bit towards Eve and the child "The li'll miss is rather busy at the moment and I'd hate to bother her." Very calmly the elf began examining the corner the girl was looking out from.

[Kelewen]

Tarquin smiled quite haughtily at Rockmar and shook his head slightly. "The latter I can do, but not the former." He nudged his head a bit towards Eve and the child "The li'll miss is rather busy at the moment and I'd hate to bother her." Very calmly the elf began examining the corner the girl was looking out from.

@Marcus XVI

Seen through the peep hole

Cedric paced a bit, then sat down on a bench, then paced again. It was frustrating just sitting here like chickens on the roost while the fox tries to find his way into the henhouse.

"What if tomorrow we check the locations of the murders? See if we can learn anything helpful?" he said to the group.

[Wick]

Eve spoke up "I think that is an excellent suggestion!"

She watched him pace the floor and like everyone else worried about whether or not the doors would hold. "I am pretty certain that the doors will hold without any problems."

[Marcus XVI]

Tarquin took a deep breath and very cautiously got back on his feet. "Well, looks some kind of a demonic beast to me." He gritted his teeth and shook his head slightly. "I just hope it can not get through the walls that easily..." The tall elf took a cautious step back and again lifted the flute to his lips. He again began playing a tune, concentrating the magical energy towards the direction of the monster, with luck he'd be able to make it fall asleep for the duration of his playing.

[Garth]

Rockmar was beginning to calm down. His orc blood wasn't stirring him up so much. Now that he knows the beast isn't busting through the doors at any minute. He smiled when he heard the bard's music. But it wasn't battle music. No, it was sleepy time music. Maybe that too is what helped Rockmar relax and not fly into a battle rage. Still, he was restless and couldn't down. He would pace the room, then stop, then pace. He stood next to Eve. "You did good with your charms. Sea wr...I mean, Miss. I also saw you playing with the children. You're very nice."

[Wick]

Eve looked up at Rockmar and smiled. "Why thank you sir. I have a few talents that come in handy at times." She looked at the children, many of whom were already falling asleep. "I love children and I hate to see them suffering. We need to find out what that thing is and how to kill it if we can."

She thought about what Tarquin had said. "How do we kill a demonic beast?" She was talking to him as well as herself. She could enchant their weapons, make them tougher and do more damage but demons came from hell. It would be a huge challenge no matter what they did.

[Kelewen]

The beast flung itself at the hall at the location where the little girl had been spying on it. The wall shook slightly but the hall was of sturdy construction and held strong. Then, perhaps soothed by Tarquin's flute or simply frustrated by its inability to breech the hall, the hound abandoned its attempts and moved away from the building.

[Marcus XVI]

Tarquin took a hasty step back as the creature flung itself at the wall. Amazingly he did not immediately stop playing his song. After a brief while he lowered the flute and smiled faintly. "I think it's gone for now." The tall elf took a small obsidian spider pendant from under his surcoat and mumbled something.

[Fubsy]

It wasn't until the beast was gone did Wimenda realize she was holding her breath. With a shaky sigh, she lowered her blade and allowed a a hint of relief. It was barely one night, yet Winena felt like her heart was close to exploding. It was hard to imagine an entire three weeks of this.
Glancing around, Wimena noticed the elf from before holding a strange black object. "What's that?" she asked as her fear gradually ebbed away.

[Marcus XVI]

The tall elf flinched at the sudden question from the halfling and forced a quick, in a way melancholic smile to his lips. "Oh, it's just a souvenir from back home that's all." Tarquin hastily moved the pendant back under his surcoat and hung his flute from his belt while turning towards Eve. "I can assure you beasts from hell are not the worse beings in this damn world. Not even hardest to kill." He shook his head slightly and glanced at the ceiling. "If we had some of that nifty powder the dr- dwarves use in their explosives and fireworks..."

[Wick]

Eve looked towards Tarquin and replied, "Do you have experience with demonic beings? I will gladly help with whatever I can." Eve looked at the orc, the elf and the human and thought to herself that she was glad there were at least a few who would not run scared. Eve looked over and saw Wimena and smiled reassuringly at the halfling, she looked very nervous still.

"I think whilst the beast is gone we should get some sleep so we can do what is necessary in the morn." She walked over to the pile of furs that had been brought in for sleeping handed one to Wimena and took one herself. She lay it down near the children and covered herself up.