"Hmm. Sentient nightmares... While that is a rather... different, issue than most I've heard of..." That was putting it mildly. Nevin wasn't about to dismiss the claim out of hand though - considering that he had been a victim of a massive cult worshiping blood or an entity of blood, there was no reason to disbelieve that somewhere out in the wilds of the world there were such creatures, or something that used such creatures to attack others. He frowned and rubbed his chin, running the problem over in his mind. From what he was saying, the creatures invaded when he was already asleep, in the dreaming state. Nevin nodded - he might be able to help, but the problem was it might take some observation to see if it was possible. He had an idea of a solution, but making it work would require his concept of when and how the nightmares attacked the story-teller to be correct.

The issue was shelved in the back of the alchemist's mind to percolate when they arrived to the tavern. The hyper-active Elf had apparently been waiting for them to arrive, as he hadn't even taken a seat before Nevin and Sketch walked in. He cheerily waved them over, and the two men joined him. They had been quietly sipping their drinks - Nevin had once again chosen his preferred honey mead - for roughly a quarter of an hour before the oddity arrived - Ezra that is, whom Nevin still was feeling weird about. Not physically attracted to her weird, but that there was something distinctly off about the woman that he still could not place. It was more than the fact that her features seemed too perfect, almost designed, and the fact that someone had placed runes on her eyes was just adding to the mystery. Still, that was neither here nor there - the others were ordering their food and having small talk, Nevin content to just sip his mead, when the door to the place flew open.

Elthas had rushed over to them immediately, and it took Nevin until after the Elf had reached the new arrivals to realize that it was one of the local guards, and he had a long, deep gash in his side that was oozing red and a strange black ichor. Nevin pushed the singing of his magic away as he stood up and moved quickly over to them, bending down and pushing a curious patron out of the way. He cursed inwardly as Elthas was telling the group they needed to help - this town was not prepared for what was happening. He recognized the metallic tang of the black goop that lined the edge of the guard's wound - a poison that mountain goblinoid clans favored. It was rare to see outside of the mountainous regions of the world, and Nevin only knew it from...before he was Nevin. He stood up and stared into Elthas' face, his lips a grim line as he spoke.

"There's outside goblins at work here, not just the normal island clan. I need to go back to my shop and start working on medicine - I recognize this poison, but the medical facility here in town won't have the ingredients to handle it.
It's best that I not go into the forest as it is, I cannot fight well, and would just weigh any group down that's in the woods. I'd be a liability." And, what he wouldn't admit - Nevin was not a hero. He had been a wanderer, avoiding death by avoiding danger in general, until he got captured by the cult which he felt he couldn't be ashamed of considering it had been an entire town. But since then, danger had seemed to start gravitating towards him on a regular basis. The alchemist bit his lip hard - it looked like he would have to work on picking up a means of actually defending himself. His side still was damaged from the blasted lizard he had met, a potent reminder that a fighter he was not. No, making sure that the town guards had the medicine they needed - and after that, getting some of that medicine to the others after treating the wounded here - that would be where he would do the most good.