He knew why he was here and that it was a good reason, but still the sight of the old manor was an uneasy one. To get here Auron Lightbringer had had to defeat many bandits and many more could be heard around the area. They had to have a camp near the manor. But they were not the reason for the restlessness that Auron felt gripping his heart, a cold grip that was getting tighter by each step as he got closer to the manor. The cause of it was something else, something supernatural rather than the bandits. Carefully he opened he manor door and walked in, his sword ready to strike, his shield ready to protect and his divine prayers ready to bless. It seemed that nobody was home, but something was not right inside. He continued his way downstairs and heard something move in the next room. He slowly walked to the door and was about to look inside when the first zombie attacked him. It grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into the room with dozens of other zombies.

"Foul undead... so the rumours were true." He thought to himself just as he pushed the first zombie back with his shield and then struck the abomination down with a clean strike to the head.

He looked around and saw the other zombies coming toward him. There were too many for him to destroy with his blade... with his plain blade.

"May you rest in peace and may the Gods of Light have mercy on your eternal souls!" He shouted and raised his sword up in the air as he called his divine might that flows from the Gods of Light to strike down these abominations of nature. Most of the undead fell down as the lifeless bodies they should be, but some were powerful enough to resist and those continued forward with the intent of ripping Auron in pieces.

The squire looked around the room quickly counting the enemies he would have to face. Nine left. Nine he could defeat.

He closed his eyes and silently blessed his blade. When he opened his eyes the blade shined like the sun in the dark room. One by one the undead fell as the blessed blade cut them down.

One hour later Auron returned upstairs. There were too many of them downstairs. Something powerful had created those legions of the damned. He had to go and rest for awhile, and pray for new divine powers from his Gods which to use in the battle againt the darkness. He had cleansed three rooms, but there were many more each filled with the undead.

Just then he heard sounds of battle from the hall. He ran as fast as he could and saw a woman fighting several bandits. Auron attacked one of the bandits and struck him down quickly, and then striking at the next one. His second swing missed as all the bandits were down already. Without any weapons the woman had dealt with all the other bandits in the same time as Auron had taken down one.

"Impressive." He thought quietly as he looked at the woman and the bandits lying around her.

The two talked and introduced themselves, her name was Navyali. She seemed righteous and wise. She told him that a witch had appeared to her when she was in the manor's grounds earlier and had told her that the manor was property of the witch. Unfortunately the discussion about the witch was cut short as the door to the lower levels slowly opened and the sounds of the unholy undead filled the hall.

"Something is making them more aggressive... something is happening." He thought and looked at Navyali.

"My divine powers are exhausted, we must get out of here." He said and struck down the first of the zombies that got too close.

They fought the first waves of zombies, but as the foul undead continued to appear from the lower levels they decided to retreat. As they got near the outside door they heard horrible screams outside. Auron glanced outside and saw huge bats attacking the bandits all around the manor, biting their necks and ripping them apart.

"We have to run." Auron said and glanced at Navyali who nodded in agreement.

Both of them ran as fast as they could, Auron shielding himself with his shield from the attacking bats and Navyali using her agility to avoid them. Auron looked in disgust as the bandits were helpless against the animals, and could only scream for help or try to run to safety, but there was none for them.

Navyali and Auron ran to a cave nearby, one which Auron had found while trying to avoid the bandits and trying to gain entrance to the manor itself. One bandit had followed them and tried to run to the cave, but in the last moment a bat attacked him ripping him into a bloody pulp. Auron sighed and looked at Navyali.

"I have to rest so I can pray to my Gods and if I am worthy, receive something to battle the unholy forces of Chemosh." He said. "Can you guard the entrance to the cave?"

Navyali nodded and so he made the preparations to rest. After a few hours, he was ready. He was ready to fight nd felt that the Gods of Light were with him.

"Those are not normal bats..." Auron said as he looked outside and saw the ground full of dead bandits and up in the air dozens of bats flying around as if searching for more victims.

A glance at the facial expression of Navyali told Auron that he had just stated a self-evident fact.

Auron was not sure of his theory, but he felt that it could not be a coincidence that there were undead presence in the manor and some unnatural bats guarding it outside. He took a deep breath in and stepped outside. The bats up in the sky noticed him and quickly descended upon him, just as he finished his silent prayer - similar to the one which had turned the undead beings in the lower levels of the manor. The bats turned around and flee'd.

"They were vampires?" Navyali asked behind him as the bats had disappeared into the forest.

"I believe that is the case." He answered and observed the surroundings to make sure none of the bats remained. "I'm just not sure why they attacked the bandits now.. there must be something important in the manor they are protecting."

"Or maybe they are trying to create more undead...?" Navyali suggested.

Auron turned around to look at Navyali, she was correct. The bodies needed to be burnt, just in case.

He blessed his blade with a holy fire and went through the bodies burning all he could find. The smell was unbearable, but he knew it had to be done. The air was filled of the ashes flying from the fires. When all the bodies that he had found were on fire his gaze turned towards the manor. "There's something going on in there. We need to find out what."

Just then they heard sounds of battle... or actually Navyali heard and told him. Soon a man appeared from the forest, and was soon followed by a woman. They had been alerted to the manor by the smoke rising from the burning bodies. Both of them were servants of the Gods of Light and so their help was welcomed. Now they could enter the manor and find out what was going inside.

Once again like every day before that one the sun descended from the sky to hide itself on the other side of Krynn for the nigh. The gentle wind in the trees was whispering of its wonders as the three moons appeared to the sky with millions of stars with them. All seems peaceful and for almost a moment you could believe that there is nothing wrong with the world… Oh, how wrong you are.

In the shadows of the night a restless journey begins as the vampire lords lead their undead hordes out of the protecting arms of Solace graveyard and crypts where they have been hiding for years and years before this night. With one of the highest noblemen of the vampires walks delicately out of a tomb holding a young woman’s hand softly as they creed the night that embraces them. Woman’s hair twirls in the wind as she looks at the stars and giggles softly, revealing her neck filled with painful looking bite marks.

The woman remains there for a moment, looking at the sight of undead starting to march towards their new home. Her home, the place for them to protect for her. Most of the vampires turn into bats as they lead the marching horde and it doesn’t take long for them to get the first glance of the old Eld’s Manor. Vampires have already done good work and most of the bandits have fleet the Manor ground and those that are left get to be a part of the future that is far worse for them than death.

As the vampires order their undead to spread all around the forests and fields of the nearby area, the young woman from Solace graveyard almost seems to step out of a shadow itself, giving it a wink with the same maniac giggle that escaped from her lips earlier. She looks around her home with pride in her eyes and whole posture as undead turn to salute her.
Everything has went just as planed…

The undead have ventured further out from the manor they call home though they seem restless, there is no fight in them. Them seem rather nervous. Something else is lurking in the dark misty forests. Slowly making her way to the manor grounds watchful of the skeletal warriors, Alex comes up short as a blasting roar is heard. An undead dragon lands on the manor grounds. Quickly she hides in the shadows of some trees behind an abandoned wagon. A dark figure slides from the beasts back to agilely land on his feet, an unholy aura ensconcing the area around him. As he steps away the dracolich takes flight, Alex mumbles a quick prayer and steps out of the shadows to greet him. He looks around at the unfortunate remains of those who did wish to fight this night as Alex had dispensed with them quickly.

"Do you know who's land you are on, how you disturb the children of the night?" He turned his glowing red gaze on her and stepped closer.

Alex shivered from the biting cold that seemed to come from him and silently called to the Gods to give her the will to remain strong and keep her senses about her. Waivering a bit she looks around as a female figure walks up out of the shadows calling her a fool. Alex thinks to herself that she has seen this one before but keeps her attention on the darkened Solamnic Armor.

"Why have you returned? What do you want here?" She asks in the boldest voice she can muster.

"Rest. Peace. Release me from these bonds your Gods have put upon me." He answers with palpable hate.

The woman steps closer to him, not seeming to have any fear what so ever, almost as if she endears him. Glancing at her again Alex narrows her eyes now sure that something is not right with this one. This is not the same person she had met before. There is something more unholy going on here besides the return of the legendary knight and his minions. From the other side of the trail away from the house comes a magical light surrounding a mage walking the path.

"Well what do we have here?" asks the red robed male walking up. Alex attempts to warn him with her eyes but apparently he does not see or does not heed the warning. Alex tells him to stay out of it and he finally halts his movement and remains quietly standing and watching after Soth turned his gaze on him before looking back to the woman at his side.

"Ah, Lady Karyn Eld." he says. Alex does not move only looks between them both, careful not to show any emotion at this revelation. "The mistress of the house. The dead, mistress of the house." she thinks to herself. Using Soth she has somehow possessed this poor woman.

Focusing her gaze back on Soth she steps forward hesitantly. "You have been banished for so long, why do you return now?"

"Why don't you ask your God's why I am here. You believe them on your side but you do not question the fact that they are what keeps me here. Why?"

She blinks a moment trying to keep her faith strong against his persuasive tongue. "Your demise is the fault of your own for turning your back on your duties. I need not test my faith. I am here, defending it.

The woman, Lady Eld, laughs maniacally at this for some reason.

"Foolish mortal, be gone from this place, I have things to discuss with the Lady here." He turns offering his arm to the woman.

"I will go this night but when I next return I will not be alone and you will get your wish." Alex says to the man's back as they walk away towards the manor.

Turning back she once again spies the mage standing so quietly, seeming to barely breathe. "Who are you and what do you want here."

"I am here for Soth." he says as they leave the area. Coming across another mage, one dressed in black robes, they halt a moment. "What business do you have on these grounds?" Alex asks for fear of some innocent being harmed unwittingly.

"My business is my own, unless you choose to make it yours." the black robe retorts. The mages speak a moment as Alex waits to leave. "Soth" the black robe says nodding, "well that explains it then."

Alex sighs and begins to walk away, "Stay if you wish, but if you are with him when I return, you will join him in death."

After leaving the black robe behind she finally asks the red robed mage his name. "Beau'loregan" he replies simply.

Alex introduces herself and lets him know where she can be contacted if he gets any more information on the goings on in this area. As they are continuing on there way they encounter yet another person. Someone hiding in the shadows, obviously able to hide well enough in plain view. Eventually he comes forth and asks where Soth is. His master seeks him. Alex refuses to answer then but tells him she will meet with his master at the temple if they wish to know more. He declines and fades away once more. She and the mage bid farewell and as he is leaving a voice is heard. "Yes leave her here without the sight."

Hearing the taunt Alex looks about as the mage continues on without her. "I may not be able to see you but I can still hear you." As she is turning she finally spies him in a spot she had just looked at. He now stands with red glowing blades drawn. She eyes them warily. "What do you want?"

"Where is Soth?" he asks in a menacingly quiet voice.

"Until I know more of your purpose I shall reveal nothing if not for your own good." she replies growing bored of all the questioning.

"You could be cold on the ground several times over by now. You have no information for me then. I will see you again, but I fear you will not see me until it is too late." He states evenly as he once again fades into the trees.

Alex nods with a resigned sigh, "I will keep that in mind."

Finally returning to Good Bay she makes her way to the docks and boards bound for Portsmith and the Temple.

Spotting the strange happenings in the night the Magus Beau'loregan enacts a spell of swift traveling, even having come up with his own way to extend, and even empower the spell, he comes upon the Manor grounds within five minutes all the way from the mountains near Solace.

Having made his way near the main area of the Manor Grounds he halts, and begins recalling the words of magic and releasing them, hand motions finding their way through the spell as he begins warding himself against the undeath.

Entering the grounds he comes on a woman clad in blue, another in red, and a knight wearing some kind of Solamnic Armor, though blackened, and soon finding them to be Alexy, a Priestess of the Blue Phoenix, Lady Eld, though she looked to be a woman he had seen at a previous time in Zaradene, and the Death Knight Soth.

At first swarmed with a large sense of fear, he grips his staff and does the one thing he knows how, calms himself, and recalls his magic. This must have helped because soon he overcame the fear altogether.

Taking a short breath, he glanced around and then watched the two adversaries, keeping wary eyes on what Soth was doing, to quickly cast a spell, and throw Soth off and escape with this priestess who was on the verge of getting herself killed. Though without coincidence they had left. On the way down the road they encounter another mage clothed in black, but it wasn't Gilfaen, and the magic within this mage was as powerful, maybe stronger, it was hard to tell with how much potential swirled within him.

Briefly speaking with the priestess, he seemed a little uninterested until he glanced up the hill, and spotted the last person unsual for that day, the assassin he had captured in response to an attack on the Captain of the Good Bay militia guard. His eyes having gleamed blue with seeing magic, had easily spotted the man relying on shadow alone to mask his disappearance. It seemed to work against the priestess, but against the illusionist it was not going to work. He departed after revealing him to the priestess.

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Upon his arrival at the tower, he ascended the center of magic, and coming to the labs of the Red Robed Magi he went to a room where three globes sat, constantly shifting in magic, and choosing one of them he set upon a spell it a spell of scrying, and soon came the image of Sarosh, and having enacted no spells to protect against his spell being found, as he had hoped, Sarosh caught it, warded against it and soon tracked down his watcher.

"Why do you spy on me Red?" He questioned as he appeared.

"To summon you," He spoke calmly, grabbing his staff after waiting for him to appear. "I needed a word with you."

"Speak then, I do not have much time." He said impatiently.

"It seems Soth has returned, if you know of who I speak, and I had a run in with him," He waited a moment. "At Eld Manor."

"Eld Manor!?" his eyes shot wide, not having expected that.

"Yes, it seems he has a consort there, Lady Eld." He explained.

"Lady Eld? She is dead, she has been that way for a few hundred years. It is said she had gone mad and killed herself after killing her husband."

"Then it seems something sustained her and has kept her hidden, or that she had been brought back." he ceases that suspicion with the explanation. "And it also seems Soth is rather bent on killing us all."

"I see, I must make preparations, farewell Magus."

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With Sarosh vanished now to make his preparations. Beau turned to another one of the globes and sighed.

"What lies within this evil, Lunitari?"