The first 48 hours are a bit of a scramble. The castle is letting in refugees but is also under siege by undead. Prince Raffolk has been slain by six unlikely heroes, or maybe villains. Prince Oron and Princess Breschka are now trying to take hold of the castle and its staff, all the while save the citizens of Dravens (and foreign nationals) who happened to be in Dravens’ Port for the event. Suffice to say things are chaotic. While the heavy rain has stopped, a light rainfall continues through the night and into the morning. Most people have little time to rest or sleep. Much of the castle is abandoned and hasn’t been used in decades. In some rooms, critters or even squatters have taken up residence. Events begin after a discussion with Oron and Breschka in their new den. The party then goes back to the study to finish divvying up the loot and getting things in order. After finishing, they all trickle out of the study one by one to begin their individual activities. The party splits up over the next few days, but they all see each other on a regular basis. While they all step into different niches in the castle, the ongoing investigation about the undead, the dark goblin, the scrolls, and the mystery of the gargoyle continues. As the investigation continues, so does the rain and armies of undead. They say things get worst before they get better, and the next 48 hours are particularly terrible for guards, soldiers and defenders. The undead assault the city, the people, and the castle 24 hours a day. Meanwhile, scouts, priests, and militia members continue to bring refugees into the castle regularly. While the castle was nearly abandoned when they first arrived, now new areas are starting to be opened up and used as the main areas begin filling up with too many refugees. Rurrick [Patrick] Rurrik will find a corner near the stable where he can set up a stove, purchasing a brewer's kit and starting a distillery. He'll be fueling his stove with the leftover manure, so expect an increase in his stench. He'll sleep nearby on a crude pallet. Rurrik wakes with the sun high in the sky. He spends a couple of hours foraging for supplies and food, mooching what he can but never stealing. After the Dwarven Nard has taken in a meal, he sits down near his stove and works. Rurrik makes pouches to hold the smoking mixtures he creates, as well as wineskins to hold the liquor. He tends to his still, and reads any books or scrolls he's borrowed. As the sun lowers in the sky, Rurrik packs up some of the finished pouches and skins and sets off to mingle amongst the castle folk. For talk or trade he'll give his wares, listening carefully for folks conversing about the new monarchs or the undead menace, as well as any other choice information. He samples many of his wares himself, and may turn a few noses up as he wanders around smoking and belching. As the night begins, the Druid goes down into the sewers. More often than not, he'll take the form of a giant spider, but may do otherwise depending on who comes with him. Rurrik scouts out the area, observing the creatures who dwell in the sewer as well as tracking the undead. He may converse with the Ratfolk, bribing them with his wares and food. He helps refugees when he can, avoiding fighting whenever possible. After midnight, Rurrik heads back up to his nest behind the stable. Snoring fitfully, he sleeps until well into the next day, starting his routine anew. [/Patrick] A Friend Returns As he toils and sets his routine, Rurrick notices a familiar figure going in and out of the gates. Well, he recognizes a few. Over the period of 48 hours, more and more Nards are coming out of the sewers and fighting above ground. He also recognizes the grizzled old orc, Feng. When Rurrick goes to bed at night Feng is out in the streets fighting with his maul. When he wakes up in the late morning Feng is sitting at his side drinking some brew, with gold in Rurrick’s hand. Without a word, Feng is back at the front lines, fighting again. Over a few days Rurrick doesn’t notice Feng rest once. He just seems to fight, drink, and fight again. The other person he notices is a youngling. Maybe 10-11 (human age, probably 20), the young elf comes over. He hears from the locals she was with her parents were diplomats from an elven realm far away. They were killed in the battle. For whatever reason, Rurrick’s smell, herbs, and “way” seem to attract her. She is as timid as she is stealthy. While asleep in the dawn hours of the morning she cleans his equipment and steals a bite to eat and then runs away when he awakes. On his swollen stomach he finds thank you notes written in elvish. She is not from Thrinegrove, she is from an elven realm not of Shrave. One of her notes asks him not to sell her into slavery. Rurrick befriends a snake in the sewers, and after 2-3 days it is friends with him. He introduces the snake to the girl and calls her "Plot." As Rurrick continues his routine, he notices Cassius is also burning the midnight oil. Cassius is becoming more and more exhausted as he spends all his time on the battlefield. Looking at that versus the stark contrast of Feng never losing an ounce of “pep in his step” is peculiar. After a couple of days in the courtyard watching every person to leave the castle, Cassius is #2, and Feng is #1. By this point, Cassius is commanding a contingent of men. While exhausted and weary from battle, he is still the most competent person for the job. Meanwhile, Feng ignores gratification and fakes stumbling off drunk if people try to congratulate him. He routinely goes off into combat wearing different types of armor to throw people off. Curious. Other members of the party are active. Ailekk has set up shop in the northeast tower in an old alchemical lab. Swell has set up a gambling parlor in the northwest tower on one of the lower floors. Urd has been running around talking and making connections, including with the soldiers. Roach spends most of his time with the wounded, as does Gurgle, although he visits the gambling parlor occasionally. Breschka and Oron seem to be assembling a government team, as it were. Rurrick smokes his pipe, tastes his latest brew and reflects on that. Nards start coming to the surface more and more often. They are covered in tattoos, are quite pale (probably not enough sunlight), and heavily armored. The locals, seem to pay them no mind at first. But as people start getting food, rest, and medicine, begin treating them shittier and shittier. He looks at them, those Nards were him 50 some odd years ago. Young, orphans, and nowhere to go. It just now occurs to him how many there must have been. In just a few days in the castle, out of 2 to 3000 people mashed up in the castle (with many more outside in fortified positions), he notices hundreds and hundreds of them coming and going. They represent a reasonable portion of Dravens’ Port. More Nards than bears most likely. At night, Rurrick goes into the sewers. By the third day, even the sewers have become overrun with undead. Then Rurrick explorers the darker parts of the castle and the catacombs beneath, as well as making it over the walls into the streets where they are becoming safe. In the sewers, and even in the lower depths of the castle, Rurrick finds many creatures great and small. Rurrick spends his days, quietly in the light rain with the sounds of battle close at hand at all hours of the day and nights. Next to a building with his make-shift tent and brewery, he seems to be making out just fine, although he is becoming increasingly covered in mud. Friends and Activities Rurrick spends the first few nights scouting the sewers, watching various creatures, and interacting with the local wildlife even in the castle. After three nights, a small poisonous snake begins hanging around his still, or on his person, occasionally sticking its head out and flicking its tongue at random people. "Plot", the skinny elf girl hanging around his brewery becomes less shy around him. He notices that she seems particularly wary of elves. One evening some Diplomats from Corrive come over to speak with him for a bit, and he notices she stays in hiding for longer than normal even once they leave. He does manage to get some words out of her, she speaks in a rather strange form of elvish. It occurs to him a little bit later she is speaking with a Corrive accent.