Wallowdale Ball
As the Black Moon Commander's words echoed up the stairway, you realised that things were not over - there were still others out there to deal with. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour for the moment, you settled down in the brightly lit room to take a well earned rest, patching up gashes in armour and robe and tending to wounds. During this time, no-one thought to tend to the wounds of the unconcious swordsmen and they succumbed to their wounds. Instead, Atticus attempted to nuture the start of a relationship with the heavily wounded wolf, and though initially success was met, the wolf quickly turned on the party, resulting in a swift blow to drop the wolf to the ground. Settling down into a rest himself, Atticus drifted off for a short nap and woke fitfully 30 minutes or so later.
With spirits high, the group collected together their things and began to ascend the previously hidden staircase. After a minute or so of climbing, the rest of the group realised that Paul Potts wasn't with them, and had snuck off in another direction. Unsure of the meaning of this, the group decided to carry on and came across a small chamber that was pitch black. Discovering a large pile of clothes in various states of disrepair, the group were startled by a groan and turned to find a dwarven male being suspended from the group in a pair of manacles clearly designed to hold someone much larger. Covered in bruises and healed cuts, the dwarf had clearly been through an ordeal and was slow to wake. However, once he had done so, it quickly became obvious that this dwarf had even more of a reason to hate and take out the Black Moon than the party did. Handing him his equipment which had bene found nearby, the group continued up the stairs.
As they reached the top of the stairway, it continued into the ceiling, almost as though the designer had forgotten to stop building. However, with some investigation work, the group discovered that the ceiling was in fact a hidden doorway built into the floor of somewhere where quiet music could be heard through. After several failed attempts to get through the door subtly, the group's new ally braced his stocky frame underneath the door and put his broad shoulder's to work. With a sound of grinding gears and a sudden and violent sound of crunching stone, the door flew open and slammed into the ground. As light and dust flooded the tunnel, it took the group a moment to allow their senses to take into scene around them.
Of course, the sound of screaming and the screeching halt of music helped, but sight returned to the group quickly enough for them to realise that they had emerged directly into the Earl's Great Hall, in the midst of the Wallowdale Ball. Seemingly shocked into silence and inaction, the guests and dignitaries were stupefied as your group moved to the centre of the room, while some of you partook of the excellent food on offer. As you attempted to explain the situation, the Earl's tongue came back to him and he demanded you be detained and taken away. In all the confusion, the guests began to flee out of the doors in a dignified, if hurried, exit from the room. As Smitty continued to try and calm things, he explained that he could demonstrate that there was a beast amongst them, and took a dagger to the thumb of the Cavalier, who had stepped forward to attempt to assuage the situation.
Meanwhile, Squire Stives had stepped up to the group, clearly in a panic over the group having barged into the ball, despite having been given instructions to try and keep things quiet. As Amia turned to address the Earl and explain that things were under control, despite the visual and audible rage in the Earl's voice. As the Earl's guards begin to drag Smitty away, one of the group got a sudden and terrible feeling and jammed an unsilvered dagger into Squire Stive's back.
His demenour immediately changed on feeling the blade push against, but not pierce, his back. He knows that his secret is exposed. Stives pulled away from the group and, determined to not let word get out of what has happened, begins to shift and change, his skin sprouting fur and this flesh and bones reshaping themselves into an enormous wolf. You knew two things immediately - this could only be the Alpha of the Black Moon, and you were in deep trouble.