We probably made it a little more than halfway to Luskan, and since Ykril and Sanise were itching for a proper bed, we stopped in a small town named Culfield. An ordinary agricultural settlement with, at least from the outside, a cozy-looking inn. Inside, however, the mob seemed to be gathered.
While Miara seemed to brawl with some boozers in the tavern, Ykril and I wandered through the village. People didn't seem to care about us, and many just went about their business as if we weren't present. It was delightful to be able to walk through a marketplace without feeling observed. We could buy fresh fruits and vegetables without being disturbed and stroll snuggled up over the place.

We entered a small rummage store where I found a large basket of fabric. Immersed in some beautiful fabrics, I was shortly startled when I was tapped on the shoulder and, after turning around, I looked into a horrible wooden mask shaped like an Alhoon, which Ykril had put on for fun and was grunting.
»Ha ha« I said slightly snidely
»I'm sorry, I wasn't able to find a troll mask« he laughed muffledly behind the mask as he tried to take it off
"Um...babe? I think I have a little problem here." it came a little later from him, slightly frustrated
However, my attempts to help him seemed to pull the skin off his face rather than the mask dropping off. The store owner said that he had never seen the mask before and therefore could not help us or answer any questions about it.
Annoyed, I dragged Ykril through the tavern, where I picked up Miara from a scuffle between the smell of flat ale and sweat, suppressing the impulse to vomit, to our room.

While he sat calmly on the bed, Miara and I scrutinized the mask. It seemed to be fused with his skin. Whenever we pulled and tugged on it, he cried out as if we were about to skin him alive. As Miara and I leaned down to examine the mask more closely, I noticed a red flash in his eyes. It seemed that something was going on inside him.
Suddenly, his eyes fully glowed red before he jumped up with a rumble, knocked Miara down, and, grabbing me by my throat, pressed me against the wall, lifting me that my feet no longer reached the floor and stared deeply into my eyes. Although it should have bothered me, I was somewhat aroused by his dominance. Answering his gaze, I looked into those red glowing eyes, in which hardly anything of Ykril seemed to be left. But deep in his eyes, I could still see him. His inner fight against what was trying to change him. Just as his expression darkened further, he smashed me brutally against Miara, who had just managed to get to her feet again, and ran out the door.

»Where did he get that strength suddenly?« Miara gasped as she rubbed her cheek
»That doesn't matter now. We have to follow!«

As we followed him out of the tavern, that ghoul stood in front of us again. »Crane« I grumbled. In her human form, with this leathery cloak and stone-cold stare, she actually looked quite respectable.
»You're going to die now!« she growled angrily.
»I don't have time for that now. Maybe later.« I mumbled annoyed, rushing past her, jumping on Arishonna's back and headed off, following Ykril's footsteps.