And so it begins...

JP between Cindy and Winteroak

Ostiarium

The mood in the Keep changed very little in the days after the public execution. In fact it seemed the guards and the soldiers on duty got busier and busier. Spurred by the spectacle and by fear dozens upon dozens of anonymous tips reached the Keep pointing at this or that individual as a member of the Creed. Most of these however turned out to be overzealous citizens or people with grudges trying to incriminate those they had problems with.

The bodies of the five criminals still hung from the tall walls of Stoneshade Keep. And would be on display for another week or so as a reminder to all of the price sedition and heresy.

Islana was glad it was winter and still quite cold. She imaged that such display would smell horribly of the weather was hotter. She wondered how long those people would be denied their last rites.

The noon bell rang across the Keep. She looked up at the winter sky. Not long now until the last full moon of winter. Islana had managed a few days of actual sleep with the medicine given to her. So, she was feeling a little better, in that regard at least.

Currently, she was making use of the practice field and the archery target, in lieu of anything else for her to do at the moment.

Islana became aware of a soldier approaching her from behind, who stopped a few paces from her left.
"You the huntress they call Islana, are you not?" He asked.

"Yes," she responded. Wondering what the solider wanted but not thinking it unusual.

"Alexis Greyriver called for you. She's at a warehouse two doors down from the Drunken Hare." He told her as a matter of fact. "Do you know where the Hare is?"

"Yes, I'm familiar with where it is. Thank you." Islana responded. Once the solider left, the young woman put her arrows back in her quiver and headed towards the gate to meet with Alexis.

Sargeant Carver was coming up the road to the Keep when she saw the young woman.
"Where you off to lass?" She asked seeing that Islana had been at the Keep since the day of the executions. She made a warding sign as she passed under the hanging bodies of the criminals, as the two women crossed paths near the gate.

"Alexis sent for me to meet her in Lowood, near the Drunken Hare." Islana responded.

"Alright." The older woman didn't think much of it. "You stay sharp lass." And she went about her own business.

"I will, thank you. " giving a polite nod to the Sargent. Islana crossed under the bodies, adding her own sign, slightly different than the one the Sargent had given, and saying a silent prayer that the souls get their rest soon. With that the redhead set off for Lowood to meet with Alexis.

As Islana took on the narrow and muddy alleyways of Lowood she quickly make her way to her familiar haunting of the Drunken Hare.

Turning around a bend not far from her destination she almost barraged into a cart oddly position across the way.

A man with a cloak was on the other side trying to shift it. Or so it seemed. Before Islana could speak and offer to help the man turned to her. He grinned.

Islana went cold not knowing why. It was one of the men she had stopped a few weeks ago from beating the beggar. The same man she had observed from the trees in Saliam farm. Too late she realised something was wrong. She sensed movement from behind her. She reached for her bow.

Darkness came crashing down...