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[Bailos]

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A quiet evening at Hanse's Hostel was wrapping up. The Barkeep, a barmaid, the Innkeeper and only a patron or two remained as the barmaid swept the floors and put the chairs up dimming the candles as she went. Twas an odd night. It was warm and humid, but a biting wind refused to relent sweeping in from the north and bringing with it a sense of uncertainty and volatility in the air as if a storm were brewing.

As the crew was nearly finished cleaning, the last patron made his way for the door with his hat in his hand. Reaching for the door handle he was met with surprise when the heavy wood flung open and a pale man with heavy, sunken eyes, lurched threw the door. The man stumbled slightly with a hunched over posture and braced his hand on the doorframe. Pausing but a moment he continued forward and nearly collapsed onto a table having to use both hands to brace himself. The last patron took but one step closer and remained speechless. The rest of the crew stood still but the Innkeeper called, from a reasonably safe distance, "Are you ok partner?".

The strange man's chest was heaving as an odd mix of sweat and rain dripped off of his face and onto the floor, his robe lightly dusted with the downpour which had just begun.

After giving himself a moment the man looked up and with what could almost be construed as surprise, he finally realized where he was. Taken aback by this discovery he wrenched himself away from the table and took to his heels backing up against the wall and his look of quiet thought had become a scowl.

"Back! Back all of you! This night is His dawn! Stay away!" shouted the stranger.

"We're here to help, fella. We don't want no trouble. Just lay down and ya'll take a breather", spoke up the last patron.

An awkward silence...

"Beware His coming! Heed the call of The Soulflayer! I have felt his terrible gaze. The Dread Shadow of Old looms closer! Save me!!! He once haunted this land but now he comes! He comes again! But now he comes for me!".

The Stranger slinked against the wall and began to cry...slowly slouching to the ground he neared a full sobbing. One by one the remaining persons in the Hostel began to come nearer with a mix of concern and apprehension for this peculiar guest.

Just as they drew close, the stranger stopped crying and shot to his feet and thrust his hands around his head, clutching it in pain! Shrill screams of agony bellowed out from the man, coming from his very soul. It chilled the staff and patrons in a manner most normal men shouldn't feel. The struggling stranger clenched his teeth in pain and began to rip his robe, from the top down until his chest was open and exposed.

Falling to his knees, he screamed his final words, "Save your souls! The Shadow has...come..."

With not a word or even the slightest movement from anyone else, the stranger's eyes glazed over in both horror and pain as he began to writh and slouch over on his back. His palor growing ever more pale, his breath became short and the sounds of a loud heartbeat filled the room. The methodical thumping became louder as a terrible blackness welled up inside the visitor. Bones cracked, ribs split, and the man gasped his final breath. A fine grey mist began to pour from the deceased's nose, eyes and mouth, float upwards, then disappate. The beating heart subsided. The stranger's body was left contorted and quite dead. The only visible sign of his identity twas a small black tattoo, burned into the skin above his left wrist. A fist with an open eye.

So Heralds the coming of The Soulflayer