Shaking herself from a rather pleasant dream about sitting in a bubbling hot-tub while doing romantic things with Rose, Laska slowly opened her eyes dreamily. The room was well-lit and, glancing to the window, the tattooed elf noticed the sun was well up, though also still mostly blocked out by the closed curtains. Her two roomies were apparently still asleep, judging from the rhythm of their breath.

Vowing to buy and have a magical hot-tub installed as soon as she got home, Laska yawned for a bit after lazing about and stepped out of bed. After entering the small bathroom and brushing her teeth, Laska stopped in front of the six foot long mirror to admire her tattoos. She was not a particularly vain person, with the exception of the aforementioned tattoos, of which she was very, very proud.

Without hesitation, Laska picked up a large bucket filled with cold water in the corner and poured it over her head. "Brrrr," she shivered, "that'll wake ya up..."

Pleasantness made way for annoyance after Laska had wrapped a towel around her long dark and now wet hair. The towel happened to be only one in the room. Instead, a wet elf stepped from the bathroom, drips of water running down her naked body as she decided to open the curtains and to let the sun do the hard work for her.

Laska closed her eyes as she threw open the curtain and smiled as the rays of the sun warmed her cold, wet body. Opening her eyes, she noticed, however, that the current view from the room was not on the forest alone, but also on a very busy marketplace.

"Eep," the naked elf said as she suddenly found herself to be the unwanted center of attention and quickly closed the curtains.

"Wha..." Viconia groaned as she put her pillow over her head. "Who's opened the damn curtains?"

"Sorry, that was me!" Laska chuckled as she used her sheets to dry herself.

"Whattimeissit?" Dynaheir muttered from her own bunk.

"Oh, about quarter past nine," Laska replied.

"Wilt thou stop being so damn cheerful?" Dynaheir groaned.

"Quarter past nine!" Viconia said, shooting from her bunk. "By Shar, I overslept!"

"Well, you were very tired," Laska chuckled.

"Stop being so damn cheerful!" Viconia snarled and headed towards the bathroom.

Calmly, Laska slid into her tiny underpants and put her casual clothes in her bag of holding, intending to dress in her battle-gear, and thus, first donning the leather under-armor of her chainmail.

"Alright!" Viconia shouted angrily from the bathroom as Laska put on her pants and Dynaheir rolled around in her bed. "Which one of you two used up all the water?!!"

Laska whistled innocently, when she tied the leather straps of her leather under-bodice and prepared to don her chainmail.

As the party left the inn, and left to meet with the mayor of the town on the other side of the street, the elf leading her party passed many an inhabitant of the town of Imnesvale. Many males were directing very appraising looks at Laska, while many females were regarding the elf with narrowed eyes.

"Hey," a young half-elf smiled at Laska, "nice tattoos, beautiful..."

"Thank you," Laska nodded, beaming inwardly. So far, it was the least suggestive pick-up line the Imnesvale bachelors had directed at her, and, of course, she was vain about her tattoos.

After running the gauntlet of wolf-whistles, poorly disguised suggestive comments and angry scowls as wives slapped their husband on the head, they finally arrived at the mayor's mansion. It was a quaint little cabin, filled with all kind of rural knickknacks and memorabilia. The cabin's two inhabitants, a portly couple of humans, immediately headed towards the assorted adventurers.

"Ah," the mayor said, his eyes bulging as soon as he saw the busty elf he had seen from the marketplace leading her party.

"Ahum," his wife scowled, tipping on the mayor's shoulder with a huge dough-pin.

"I, errr," the mayor spoke, "I've never seen you before... you must be new to Imnesvale. Is there something I can, errr, help a pretty elf like you with?"

"Husband..." the wife threatened. "These are obviously adventurers. Bunch of crazies starved for attention. Their leader certainly is!"

"Excuse me!" Laska snarled while there were chuckles from Viconia and Korgan.

"No morals at all!" the woman huffed.

"I've a lovely pair of morals, thank you very much!" Laska crossed her arms in dismay, to which the woman simply started blankly. "Errr," Laska muttered as she noticed the woman's confusion, "that wasn't a euphemism just now, was it?"

"Shall we get to the matter at hand?" Keldorn broke in.

"Thou canst exchange innuendo later," Dynaheir nodded.

"We come because the little boy, Delon, said that there was evil here in need of a butt-kicking!" Minsc announced to the world. "And good for us that we have our boots on, yes sir!"

"You did?" the mayor's pig-like eyes actually moved up to meet Laska's eyes and shone with hope. "Then the boy did get to the city after all. Ah, I am pleased to hear it! You...you have come to our aid, then, yes?"

"The boy is fine, thanks for asking," Viconia muttered sarcastically. "Don't you want to know he's well-fed, healthy and taken care of?"

"Well," the mayor blushed, "errr, we..."

"He is fine and will stay at the temple of Lathander until sister Lara will bring him back here after the troubles here are taken care off," Keldorn broke in. "Now, for the task at hand..."

"It's a gruesome business. I'm sure that little Delon told you some of the story, but I should elaborate on it for your benefit," the mayor sighed. "People murdered in their beds... their bodies disappearing... bodies found with the skins inside out... Normally we would turn to our local ranger-protector to aid us in a time like this, but our ranger, the noble half-elf Merella, has vanished without a trace. Several men went to her cabin southwest of the village... and they found no sign of her. It is not like her to be absent for so long. I... I fear the worst."

"Ach," Korgan chuckled. "Ye should never have a half-elf to do a dwarf's job! HAR!"

"Are you offering to protect our village?" the wife asked.

"Nay, nay, I be offerin' to become yer local village-tyrant! Ye knew, a few selective slaughterin's and some killin's 'ere an' there... Offerin's o' gold, food and maiden ta appease me... Would be a lovely life, nay?" Korgan chuckled.

"Korgan?" Keldorn said.

"Aye, long-limb?"

"Please be quiet," the paladin sighed.

"Yes," Jan chuckled. "Please shut your noise-hole, Korgan..."

"Soon after," the mayor continued, "shepherds and farmers from the outlying holds began disappearing. People heard strange noises at night... and we have no ranger to turn to!"

"Boo says, 'ahum'," Minsc scowled.

"Everyone's frightened... but they're scared to leave, as well, lest they get caught out in the wilderness by whatever has been doing the killing. There are all kinds of theories floating about."

"It's the ogres, my husband...you know it is," the wife broke in.

"The ogres?" Jan said. "Oh, sure, blame the big guys. Last time, my aunt Tilly accused her ogre-neighbor of eating all her turnips. So biased was she, that she didn't even noticed Uncle Bob lying in the corner, round as ball and drooling turnip-juice. And ogres don't like to be accused of stuff they didn't do, let me tell you. The ogre did like to eat shark, not turnips, and the next time she went shark-fishing, she used my aunt for bait, and caught herself a fine meal of Razor-Beaked Griffinshark."

"Um, errr, yes...many people think it's that group of ogres who moved into the area just before the killings began. Likely is, too. 'Course, others think it's a pack of very large wolves that's been ranging the hills for some years. And still others claim Umar, herself...the great witch of the hills...has returned. Legend has it she was responsible for deaths much like these ones."

"This is a waste of time," Viconia snorted. "This is nothing but speculation and hearsay!"

"When none of the victims survive," Dynaheir told the Drow, "who can give an accurate account?"

"Whooo... all this talk of Umar brings back memories, let me tell you," Jan chuckled. "My great-great-cousin One-knee was one of the adventurers that hunted the Great Witch of the Hills a long time ago. Said she had a fondness for little children and that her house was made out of chocolate candy, of all things. Personally, a house made of turnips sounds much more appealing, but One-knee stated decisively that the house was delicious, nevertheless. According to his stories, the witch was dead... something about getting shoved in an oven... but then grammy Jansen said that One-Knee was pretty delusional, so who knows?"

"Do not disparage this story too quickly," Keldorn said. "I have read an account given to me by the innkeep only yesterday. There are interesting parallels to be noticed."

"Yes...true. I suppose I should warn you... I've already hired the famous knight, Mazzy Fentan, and her troupe...but they haven't been back," the mayor sighed.

"Who?" Laska asked.

"Mazzy Fentan? The halfling knight?"

"Never heard of her."

"Halfling knight?" Viconia chuckled. "Of course... I gather you must be mad from fear to make a strange jest like that."

"No, no, no, there really is a halfling knight!" the mayor said.

"Are you making fun of us?" Laska said dead seriously.

"Err, no, no..."

"Well," Keldorn said, "I have heard tales of..."

"Oh, most glorious day!" Minsc shouted. "One step closer we come to being true heroes, yes indeedy! Even little Boo's fur stands on end from his anticipation! We will do this for you, honorable mayor! We shall kick evil butts till they cannot sit anymore! Yessir!"

"In other words," the elf smiled, "we'll take the job, and no more stupid jokes about halfling knights..."

*'You know,'* Ipsiya started when Laska tried to sneak out of town by avoiding open spaces and sliding behind cabins, *'I really could use a nice polish'*

"Not now, Ip," Laska muttered back. "I'm too busy avoiding lusty men..."

*'You promised me!'* Ipsiya said, and if she had a face, she would surely be pouting. *'Come on! It's good for your spirit not to break promises and I'll look pretty again!'*

"Ip," Laska sighed. "Please, I'm trying to..."

"HI!" sounded from the distance. Laska cursed under her breath. Ipsiya had been nagging at her so much she did not notice someone sneaking up on her. Luckily, it was only a little girl. A blonde little human girl. However, her eyes and her tiny slightly tipped ears betrayed some elven blood in her family.

"Hello there," Laska smile friendly and bent to one knee.

"Are you the naked lady?" the girl giggled. "You are wearing clothes now..."

"Errr, yes, that would be me," the elf chuckled.

"Please to meet you! Hi!" the girl said and extended her little hand. Laska shook her head and gave the little girl a warrior's handclasp. "I'm Kaatje."

"Laska," the elf spoke.

"Errr, I was wondering if you could find my half-sis for me," the girl asked hopefully. "I'd look for her myself, but me ma an' da won't let me leave the village."

"Sure, I'll look for her," Laska smiled. "What's her name?"

"Her name's Merella, and she's a really good ranger!" Kaatje smiled. "She's really brave, and tosses giants around and gouges out Slaadi eyes and bites orc's heads off with her teeth and kills evil by simply tossing her red hair in their faces!"

"Well, I was going to anyway," Laska smiled and tousled the little girl's hair.

"Thank you!" the girl smiled. "I'm gonna be a strong adventurer when I grow up. My half-sis was gonna teach me to fight. Please bring her back, I love her very much..."

"It's a promise," Laska smiled.

"Is it safe?" the elf asked as she emerged from the bushes.

"No flirty males here," Viconia chuckled as she summoned her faithful spider friend Khittix.

"No flirty girls either," Jan snickered, "Rose has nothing to fear yet."

"There's a twig sticking out of thy left ear," Dynaheir chuckled.

Laska shrugged and removed the offending obstacle before stepping out into the open. They were a reasonable distance from the village now, standing on a hilly area leading upwards. The shrubbery was getting thick already.

Khittix appeared in front of the party, saluted Viconia and was ready for anything.

"Any ogres in the area?" Viconia asked. Immediately, Khittix started skittering about in circles, sniffing the air. Suddenly, the spider turned about, stood completely still and pointed one foreleg in the direction where the ogres were located.

"Never fails," Viconia smiled and petted Khittix briefly.

"He's good, isn't he, Boo?" Minsc smiled. "Our good eight-legged comrade in the fight against EVVIILLLL!"

"Oh, shut yet trap," Korgan grumbled.

The party made their way though the hills, but after walking for a few minutes, Viconia whispered in a tone that only elves could hear. "You DO know we are being followed, don't you?"

"Don't worry," Laska whispered back. "It's just a friend of mine..."

"Stand and deliver, foul creatures!" Keldorn shouted as he drew Carsomyr and pointed it directly at the startled monsters, who had been engrossed in a game of poker just seconds before.

"Stop being so boring, Keldorn," Laska said and put her hand on the aged inquisitor's shoulders.

"What? Boring?!" the paladin retorted.

"Yes, put your little thing away, suliss," Viconia chuckled.

"Boo says there is no evil here, Keldorn," Minsc said, putting Keldorn at ease.

"I be Madulf!" an ogre mage stood up. "I be leader of these pack..."

"Please to meet you, Madulf," the elf spoke with a grin. "Either you talk to me peacefully, or you'll ruin my Moonblade's day when I'm forced to ram her through your chest."

"Five monsters playing poker," Dynaheir said as she regarded the two ogres, a minotaur, a gnoll and an orc, "it could have been a painting."

"Me Madulf...lead fellows from great army of Sythsill in the south. No want to kill races no more. Lead fellows in desertion. We just wants be left alone," the ogre sighed. "But is very hard. Humans hates us, and we just wants to be left alone. Some humans call knights, who chase us...not bad, here, but Madulf thinks village will call knights soon. Humans very mad."

"I do not think these creatures are responsible for the attacks," Viconia said. "They could never have created the dark shadows Laska and I saw stalking through the forest yesterday."

"Madulf and fellows like here," the ogre-mage spoke. "But something bad killing fellows. Lose one, two maybe, at a time. Disappear, bodies too. Very bad...Madulf very worried."

"So, we're back to square one, it seems," Keldorn muttered.

"Madulf no want death...Madulf no want fight. Just want peace. You tell villagers, maybe, that Madulf and fellows will protect village...protect from orcs in mountains, yes?" the ogre asked hopefully, and even Keldorn could see that his wish was more than sincere.

"That might be difficult," Keldorn said, "though I commend you forsaking your evil ways."

"Keldorn," Jan snickered, "Laska told you not to be so boring and I'm yawning majorly now. I'm not kidding, when I yawn, I can store a whale in my mouth! The problem starts, however, when I close my mouth when I stop yawning. Them, there's no other recourse but to swallow the whale. Last time that happened, I didn't have to eat for five years..."

"Actually, I think you can get your message over a lot better," Laska grinned and turned her back to the ogre. "KAATJE!" she called out. "You can come out now!"

The bushes started to rustle and out stepped a pouting little girl. "How'd you know I was here? I was being really quiet!"

"Here," Laska said, picked up the little girl and put her on Madulf's shoulders. The puzzled ogre directed her gaze at this strange elf. "Now, you two just walk into town, say you found this lost little girl and came to return her to her parents. Then, you'll get to see the mayor and make your offer."

"Ah, thank yous," the ogre said.

"Wow, I'm very high from the ground!" Kaatje raved.

"And if anyone starts to make trouble, just say that the 'nude elf' sent you," Laska chuckled. "That would shut them up."

"Nude elf?"

"Long story..."

The ranger cabin of Merella was found quickly after that. Hoping to find some clues, they investigated the cabin. Laska was the first to notice a trace of negative energy, signifying undead had been in the vicinity. Unfortunately, the cabin was locked, and just as Jan was about to pick the lock, Laska brushed him aside, and treated the offending door to a swift kick. Immediately, elf and gnome were overcome with the sickeningly sweet smell of rotting flesh.

After a short debate, it was Dynaheir who entered the cabin and returned after a few minutes carrying a book with her.

"I am quite used to the stench of death," Dynaheir muttered.

"The source?" Keldorn asked.

"A wolf," Dynaheir said. "The poor creature has been dead for at least a tenday. No doubt the wolf was the ranger's animal companion." At this point, Minsc decided to cuddle Boo possessively.

"I'm relieved," the elf sighed. "I wouldn't want tell poor Kaatje if her sister had been slaughtered."

"There were signs of a struggle, and then I found this," she said, giving Laska a bloodstained journal.

Flipping open the book, they revealed the words of a ranger who was slowly going mad from fear.

Dark creatures roam the forests. Several townspeople have been murdered and everyone seems to have their own opinion of what is doing the killing. The strangest thing is that the bodies disappear in the morning. This leaves me baffled, for most signs point to a pack of wolves that have been in the area for a long time. Wolves don't steal bodies.

Another entry read:

At night while I've been patrolling I've often caught shadowy glimpses of these 'wolves' running alongside me. I've tried to attract their attention but they ignore me. Not even Grimfang was able to get a reaction out of them. Years ago I spoke with the pack leaders and they were cordial. Now they either flee from me, or, and I fear to say this, they stalk me. I can feel their eyes on me in the dark...

A third entry read:

It is near noon and still the wood outside my cabin seems full of shadows. I've been hard pressed to hear birds and most of the larger animals have long fled. And there is something else, a whispering in my mind. It is faint now, in the waking hours, but while I sleep I dream only of this voice and the dead face behind it. I suspect by the time that the sun sets tonight I'll have answers to my questions.

The final entry was the most terrible to read. I... I can hear them stalking around my cabin. They came as night fell. I can hear them howl and scratch at the barricaded doors, windows and even the walls. Wolves and... others, whispering in the darkness. Grimfang is constantly growling now, and the wolves and... others, are circling the cabin... They want in... They want me for some reason.

I cannot get out...

I cannot escape...

"Poor woman," Keldorn said as he finished reading the final entry out loud.

"Poor Kaatje," Laska sighed, knowing she would probably not be able to fulfill her promise of bringing the girl's sister back alive.

"Hmm, Boo doesn't see any wolf-tracks," Minsc said.

"I take it Khittix already knows the way where the wolves came from?" Jan chuckled.

Indeed, the spider was already pointing to the north-east.

Standing on a high hill looking over a valley filled with lush green forest, the party gazed upon their destination. The trip had only taken two hours, but the trip down from the ravine which they were standing at now would take another hour at the very least.

"That ain't right," Laska shook her head as she regarded their destination.

"Is that your professional opinion?" Jan chuckled.

"Undoubtedly the cause of the trouble in this area," Keldorn said.

"It does stand out," Dynaheir said. "Perhaps no one had simply dared to speak of it."

"In any case, it is where we have to go," Viconia muttered.

"Let us leave and storm the bastions of darkness!" Minsc grinned.

And indeed, though the sun was bearing down on the forest, one small part of was shrouded in the darkest of darkness. A ball of dark matter hung unmoving over the forest, and to the observant elven viewers which Laska and Viconia were, the ball of darkness was ever so slowly expanding.

With grim determination, the party left for their destination.