A paladin in plain clothes speaks to the guards (ironhouse halls)

Elric accompanied by Milo Roston enter the hall and speak to the nearest guard.

"I am Elric Lightsmane. Paladin of the Morninglord. Friend of the Ironhouse... i had done helped thine clan in the battle for this hall. i beseech thine help."

he shows a bastard sword in his scabbard

"Tis a blade most foul that i had pulled from a stone. T'was since then that the blade had drained my health and compelled me to keep it."

he coughs and resumes

"Hither in thine field of no magic it is powerless. please hold it in thine keep for one day. others had been notified from the goodly churches and will cometh tomorrow."

He leaves with milo only to return alone

"Alas the wicked thing compels me once again as i leave thine blessed hall. I beseech thine kin for sanctuary until tomorrow."

he coughs more violently and puts a hand on a nearby pillar to steady himself.

Bryanna is waiting for them by the barracks.

"That sword was more than it seemed?"

After the debacle in the underdark , Elektra would seek after Elric to help save his hard crestfallen self image. Entering the IronHouse Halls, she would seek either Valtore, or Elric , as she would have business with either.
If she found Elric and heard that the sword was draining his life, she would stomp her foot saying ." I feared Such !. Did i not warn of this very thing. . .i feared a dark strategy could have been what brought the blade and stone. . . . and now. . . a powerful leader stricken by wicked trickery was my highest fears. And we are certain of it?"

If she found Valtore, she would ask to speak in private.

Valtore wonders down from his tower, looking well rested and in a rather pleasent mood. He heads directly to..the kitchen to make some sandwiches. Being informed of the situation with the cursed sword he agrees to Mineva's offer of help and smirked about another person being cursed as of late. He then posts some notes about vampire covens he received from Shadowdale and heads back towards his tower with two large sandwiches and requests someone bring a keg of hard cider if they have the time.

Bryanna intervenes on the keg of cider, sending up a jug of fermented brew instead.

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(( Continuation today. ))

Elric would be sleeping soundly in his bunk in the barracks as if he had not a real rest in days.

Elektra sits at the bar where she spoke to Milo , and orders a drink, yet, does not even touch it. Fingernails rap on the bar as she just gazes at the glass, lost in thought.
To any who might share a moment in chat, she would speak of the dracolich, how it laughed at the folks of the Dales, regarding us all as fools and all we do to fight as a joke... And this stone that fell from the skies and the celestial writing, the holy blade... May have indeed played us , as the trick she had feared... Did we become as the fools the dracolich spoke of.
And this Coven... the letter that she read at the pile if bodies at the ill fated Underdark expedition... It too derided us as weaklings against grand powers.
She would ask whomever for ideas and thoughts how we might turn this all around...

Valtore, having returned for his keg of cider ("don't worry lad, tis not fur drinkin!" *winks*) is waiting not far from, Elektra's musing.
"Lass, did I not tell ye weeks ago. Runnin off ta fight without a soild plan was foolish? All I have heard is how this person planned ta attack the undead in Free Haven or that group of adventures planned on attacking tha keep in Daggerhills. Yet no one is searchin fur tha hidin places of tha soul gems. Me Clan is buildin walls and plannin defenses. We got mocked by tha Archdruid, yet sure as dung tha undead attacked Rimwood with in tha month of us startin. Without a soild plan ta destroy them souls anythin ye be tryin will fail in tha end. Wipe out a hundred skeletons and tha liches will just raise more. Grand attacks or chases intake tha underdark is just a waste of lives. Ye should Thai ye Gods above ye ain't a zombie now Lass." He nods to the brewmaster as his keg of cider is handed over. "Now if ye exscuse me I have a Lass ta see 'bout a warm bath."

"And you also said .. Or maybe I did... Well , anyway.. That getting any solid plan together that depends on gathering Dalanders together as a force ... is less likely to work than stopping the wind by pee'in at it... Ah... Not likely me that said it... Hmm... " ( trying to visualize it )
   She trails off as she watches Valtore walk away.. .

"Aye pissin in tha wind. Ye need ta get folk who can work tagether ta gather other forces. Like rings holdin rings. Think of a chain shirt. One ring isn't connected ta every ring. Bits and bits lass. Ye have ta trust in others." He continues on carrying the keg and whisked a silly tune he learnt from a hin friend long ago.

Silphie would be down from the tower in the evening for a brief visit; peeking into the barracks quietly to check on Elric's well being.

He would be sitting on his bed at the time and gesture silphie in for a visit

"Here i am before thee a man with a portion of his soul stolen.."

She'd smile and step inside; the bottom hem of her white dress gently brushing across the floor as she moved to sit on the bunk facing his.
"You look all in one peice to me... How are you feeling?"

"Tired and ashamed... So certain i was that this was a boon from the heavens. A salvation that this land needs from the predations of the undead that i had drawn it without hestitation.
So gloriously did it cut through the undead! but it had perverted mine mind , sapped mine body and was stealing portions of mine soul with each dawn."

He smiles at her a weary smile

"Hither... it is powerless and it's call to me is no more but a portion of my being still lingers in that wretched sword. Dawnlord Cleophus seeks to meet with the Thane to deal with this.. heinous thing."

He looks at himself and asks

"What am i? what can be said about an Aasimar or nay any man with less of his soul?"

*Kali Wyrmbreaker, the Faenor of Berronar Truesilver that has been staying in the halls for some time, recently returns from Shadowdale after helping the elves with their dead movement. When hearing the paladin with the sword that had taken part of the battle is in the halls, she asks whomever is with the sword if she can inspect it. She heard the tale of its arrival and wants to see if its cursed.*

Bryanna stands in the doorway, arms folded with a very crossed expression as she stares down Valtore and his Keg.

Silphie would move to sit beside Elric, giving him a soft comforting pat on his shoulder.
"Your just a person who made a mistake and now you are figuring things out. You have plenty of people to help and support you in your time of need... Everything will be okay."
She smiles slightly, nudging Elrics shoulder.
"Why don't you head up to the tavern and get some dinner; it won't do you any good to starve."
Silphie would stand after her last comment, smoothing her  dress neatly.

Since a few players can not make it in game for awhile.

how about continuing the sword rp in here and the destruction of the sword, so all involved get to rp and this story reaches its climax?

He nods to siliphie with smile and rises from the bed

"If it please thee m'lady" He shrugs to himself and follows her

She'd head into the main hall, leading Elric up the spiral stairs. Upon reaching the tavern she'd dissapear briefly to fetch a portion of pork roast from the kitchen along with some ale and sweets for Elrics dinner.
"I had dinner already - some of the dwarves here are amazing cooks."
Silphie would smile once more - placing down the meal on one of the big tables and inviting Elric to sit.

Valtore looks Bryanna up and down. "What is it Lass? Tis not fur drinkin. I use tha Cider fur cookin and other thins. Donna worry I know well enough not ta drink it. Why don't ye be a good Knight a fetch tha sword "Sir Pulls-out-to-Soon" left so we can try and destroy it in tha forge? I'll just put this in me tower then start up tha forge." He try's to walk past her at this point.

The mute monk, knows mostly as Spirit by the Ironhouse, shows up eventually. Nothing really unusual about her as she goes about her daily things, and when done with those, she eventually ends up in the tavern to finds herself something to eat, even if what she takes is, by normal standards, a very small portion.

Bryanna sidesteps to block Valtore. "Thane, you know what the priestess said. And you hardly need this much for cooking."