"Why do they make everything so far part on the surface?" Oghren grumbled.
"Are you small legs getting tired my dwarven friend?" Zevran answered already knowing the answer since Oghren had been steadily complaining for most of the day. "You know, if you trimmed that beard of yours, it would lessen your weight by a stone at least."
"You're just jealous." Oghren said between huffs.
"Of the mass of hair stuck to your face? Yes, insanely. I cry myself to sleep because I do not have a similar one. Alas!"
"I'm just saying, we've been walking for days now?" Then he stopped and looked to the warden "Wait, are you lost? We aren't walking around in circles, are we?"
"Can't be." Kathryn Cousland answered. "We've been following this road in the same direction. It has to go someplace."
"I don't know. The deep roads in the days of the old empire were complicated. Story that someone sent their spouse to another thaig and told them to just keep turning left. Finally he ran out of supplies and died out there." Oghren looked up to see that most of the party had stopped walking and were looking at him with disbelief. "Well, he wasn't exactly a paragon of intelligence."
Kathryn shook her head and looked up to the sky. Mostly bright and clear but could see clouds, dark and thick, approaching and the wind was picking up. Looked like it might be bad. "Next town or tavern, we'll stop get some supplies and make camp." she said.
"Finally, someone sees reason." Oghren said, greatly relieved.
"Well," Morrigan said "It is so very hard to see from your point of view since it is so close to the ground."
"Is that supposed to be an insult? In case you haven't noticed, I'm a dwarf. Pretty much immune to 'short' jokes. Besides who cares how tall you are. The only size that matters is the size of your..."
"Oh look!" Lelianan said very loudly, "...a village up ahead."
"None too soon." Alistair said low enough for only the warden to hear.
As they looked out from the high vantage point of the highway, they could see the layout of the village. It looked to be fairly large. A tavern was just off the highway, chantry far off to the right, market square in the center of town, off the square was what appeared to be a general store and just past that the blacksmith. In the distance on the hill there seemed to be the remnants of an old watchtower.
"Hmmm..." Alistair had stopped on the highway and was looking curiously at the village. Kathryn said,
"What is it?"
"No smoke... with as cold as it is, should be fires, well... everywhere. At the very least from the tavern and blacksmith." They looked at each other with a bit of concern and then followed the rest into the square. All was still except for the rising wind.
"How odd?" Morrigan mused.
"You are no doubt referring to the apparently lack of... anything going on?" Zevran said.
"No people, no animals, no activity, no smoke, no noise, no... nothing." Wynne muttered to herself but loud enough to be heard.
"Could the place be abandoned?" Leliana said.
"Maybe," Kathryn said. "But I wonder why?"
"No sign of any attack, no bodies or weapons or any of the normal damage you would expect to see." Alistair said.
"Well, we still need supplies, hopefully they left something useful behind. Alistair, Leliana, Wynne, Oghren, check out the tavern but be quick. I don't think we should stay here any longer than we have to." As they walked out of earshot, Morrigan said.
"Do you really think it wise to send Oghren to a tavern?"
Kathryn smiled and replied "If there is anything worth finding there, he'll find it."
"Fair point."
"Come, let's take a look in the store and the blacksmith's shop."
Alistair pushed on the door to the tavern. It wasn't locked and opened a crack. He pushed it with force and the door gently swung open. "Hello!?" He called out to the darkened room.
"Do you think it is a good idea to announce our presence? Leliana asked in little more than a whisper. "If something hostile is in there, we just let it know we are here."
"Don't want to sneak up on someone. We aren't bandits." Alistair responded in a likewise low voice.
"Oh, no? We are just planning on stealing anything of use without the owners permission. Huge difference."
"No, not stealing..." as he peered into the dark "...simply taking forced contributions for ending the blight. No doubt the owners would find that a worthy goal."
"What I can't figure..." Oghren said loudly "...is why you yell into the room and then whisper to each other talking about the fact that you already yelled. Believe me as much as you two yap, if anyone is inside they know we are here and if they don't they will by the time we ransack the place."
"Please, don't let me get in between you and a potential supply of ale." Alistair said with a smile. Oghren started to say something and then stepped inside. The rest followed. As they looked around could see that while everything seemed in order it seemed deserted and had been so for a while. Wynne ran her fingers along the bar and examined the collection of dust on her fingertips.
"No one has been here for a while, or else they are not paying their housekeeper enough."
"Or too much." Leliana quipped.
"Whoever it was didn't leave in a hurry. Look all glasses put away. Looked like the place was closed for the night and never reopened. We should check out the upstairs rooms."
"I'll go." Leliana said.
"I'll check out the bar." said Oghren.
"Big surprise there." Alistair said to himself. Wynne smiled to herself and said.
"We'll check out the bar and kitchen, but honestly it doesn't look like much is left."
"There isn't much left, at least not anything of any use." Morrigan said as she looked through the shelves inside the general store. The place was intact but empty.
"Not so fast, my dear." Zevran called out from the back room. "I seem to have hit the jackpot, as it were." The others found him on the floor with a couple of the floor boards removed and reaching through the hole. Within moments and with difficulty, he pulled out a strongbox. "Either it is full or the owner has an impressive rock collection." He examined the lock, pulled out a pick and within moments had the lock sprung. He opened the chest to reveal several stacks of gold coins, a few gems and various pieces of jewelry."
"Lovely." Morrigan said as she fingered over several of the nicer pieces.
"Now, why would the owner not take this with them?" Zevern wondered as he counted the coins.
"Not have time to collect, but it doesn't look like the place was left in a hurry. Planning on coming back for it?" Kathryn mused. "Perhaps not going anyplace they would need it? Very odd."
"Even more odd," Zevran said as he looked up from the coins "...any bandit worth his wage would have found this, with the place empty as long as it must have been, I have to wonder why they did not."
Alistair pushed open the door on the last of the tavern rooms. Leliana had her bow drawn but it was like the rest of the rooms, neat but empty. After they went through the drawers Alistair nervously turned to Leliana.
"You and her weren't really talking about my... you know... performance, were you? You were just kidding me, right? I'm getting used to it... but if you were... actually talking about that... I mean, she didn't really say anything... giggle-worthy, did she? If she did, you'd tell me, right?"
Leliana took a moment so as to not laugh, when she was sure she was composed, she looked towards him "I..."
"Not that I'm worried... really..." Alistair said. "...just if she did say something... I'd want to know... I think, I would." He looked away and then back to Leliana "I just want her to be... happy with... me."
Leliana smiled and thanked the Maker that she could tell him the truth. "She 'is' very happy with you, especially that part."
"Oh, good... not that I was worried or anything... we should get downstairs." He started to walk out of the room and then stopped. "And if she asks... I... so much more than I ever thought... I..."
Leliana smiled and touched his arm, and thought a little lie won't hurt. "That's what I told her."
"The forge is out." Zevran pointed to the forge. "A blacksmith never lets the forge go out, not a good sign."
"Not that we've seen any of those." Morrigan said. Sten looked over the armory.
"No useable weapons or armor."
"Forge burnt itself out, ash is even cold. That takes a long time." Kathryn nervously paced along the floor.
"Nothing here. Let's go." They stepped outside and started towards the square. Morrigan looked around when something caught her eye. She stopped.
"Curious." Morrigan mumbled.
"Do tell?" Kathryn said as she looked in the direction of Morrigan's attention.
"I know that at some point I shall regret mentioning this but, it appears that there are lights in the chantry." They all looked in that direction and she was right. Small points of lights could be seen through the chantry windows.
"If candles then must have been lit after the rest of the village was abandoned." Kathryn said.
"I think I was mistaken."
"I shall alert the town crier, figuratively speaking, of course." Zevran said. Morrigan decided not to respond and continued.
"I already regret saying anything."
Oghren finished going through the bar, nothing there. He looked up as Wynne came back from the kitchen. "Anything? Really hoping for a spit roasted nug with hot sauce or at least ten kegs of ale."
"No such luck. Pots and pans but no food at all. The cellar door is locked however, so not all hope is lost."
"If locked, must be a reason, anything good will be there."
"Yes, have to wait for Leliana to return to unlock the door. They have been gone a while."
"Yeah, if it was anyone else I'd figure up there bucking the bronto, but not the boy, he's... a good one... figures don't it."
"What does?" Wynne said.
"The one he claims does little more than get himself killed while the one he won't have anything to do with is helping save the whole sodding country... the whole sodding world. He's the type to be proud of. If I had a..."
"Nothing up there." Alistair said as he bounded down the stairs. "Neat and empty, not even blankets on the beds. They took everything."
"Do you think they might have abandoned the village because of the blight?" Wynne asked.
"Possible, but this is much farther north than the horde is even now, much less when they left." Alistair said considering.
"Fear does make people do stupid things." Oghren mumbled. Wynne looked at Oghren for a moment and then back to the other two.
"Kitchen is empty too but there is a locked cellar, if anything is here, figure that is where it would be."
"That's me!" Leliana said with fake cheeriness and proceeded to the back. The rest followed. She looked at the lock, took out a pick and started to work.
Alistair looked around and then stopped and tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes. Wynne took a concerned look and then gently asked,
"What is it?" He looked back to her.
"Nothing... but... do you... hear that?
"Damn! Almost got it." Leliana took out a different pick.
"What?" Wynne said.
"Got it!" There was a loud click. Leliana stood in triumph and with effort opened the door. There was a rush of humid, musty air.
"It sounds..." Alistair said. "...almost like... singing."
The great chantry doors opened. The group stood and looked into the main hall of the chantry. The place was quiet and still, except for the dozens of candles in the front of the hall that fluttered slightly in the rising wind whipping in from outside. They walked inside, peering into the shadows and looking into each side room and corner but the place was empty. The walked up the stairs and examined the candles. "These will burn for a day at most." Morrigan said. "They must have been lit earlier today or yesterday at earliest."
"Whoever it was not interested in coin." Zevran appeared standing outside what appeared to be a study. "The chantry treasure is untouched. No one has even tried to open it. Still coins in donation box. Now the strongbox in the store might have been overlooked but all know about this."
"So," Kathryn said "Either we have religious bandits or no one interesting in coin has been here. But why didn't the priest take it when they left? Unless... they didn't leave."
Alistair picked up the lantern hanging by the cellar door, checked and it still have some oil in it. He looked around searching for a way to light it. "Here, let me, dear." Wynne said and flicked her finger and the lantern came to life. He adjusted the flame and stepped down to the first stair. The creak it gave echoed, then they all did hear something. Leliana drew her bow and notched an arrow. Alistair looked suspiciously at her.
"Careful with that, its close in here. Just don't shoot me, okay."
"I'll try not to."
"I do hear something," Wynne said. "A hum?"
"Probably just rats." Oghren said but seemed uncomfortable.
"Rats?" Alistair said.
"Not afraid of rats are you, son?"
"No, I had a rat for a pet once. He could do this trick... not my point. Point is rats don't hum. It isn't a rat or even a lot of rats, its something else." He slowly made his way down the stairs. The cellar was about the same size as the main floor of the tavern. There were rows of shelves and racks along each side of the main room. They peered down each aisle.
"Now, I hear humming." Leliana said. They made there way to the end of the room and nothing. The room was empty. Leliana put the bow down. "It seems rather anti-climactic, doesn't it?"
"Climactic, huh?" Oghren said. Alistair looked around.
"I still hear humming. Its coming from over there." He started walking to the far corner, as he approached the corner stayed dark. He stopped. "Doorway. There is another room on the other side." Alistair, unshealthed his sword. Leliana drew her bow. Alistair took a step and then with the lantern leading the way turned the corner. "Maker's Blood!"