Sladan adds:
"Something tells me that the others are not in a better condition...
Kormek, give me a hand and let's give him the ceremonial he would deserve."
Earlier inside the inn Well i guess that you will know soon enought is you stick until the fight he replied to Kormek
----
Outside
Sumuck Are you in anyway responsible for the way this man looks ? he ask
first lets worry about the living before we worry about the undead he says to no one in particular
Saya looks at him with the grin.
"You can blame me,
that you can see it."
She points on devastated face of the poor man.
"There was powerful illusion magic places on him,
to hide his true state.
We are up against to someone who knows what he is doing.
I don't think your sword will be of any help this time.
On other hand,
there will be a time for you,
to use different type of tactic."
She gives him a big smile thinking.
-Posted with Wayfinder
As all the other religions it and its followers are frequently checked for any signs of magic using.
You don't know much about the symbol, but what you do know is that this one is often used written on paper or piece of skin as a part of some sort of ritual, where during the ritual this paper is destroyed in some fashion.(Submerged in acid,... etc.)
So you may be technically looking at a unfinished ritual.
Yeah well first we have to survive the impending combat. But i think it if safe to assume that he isn't getting up no more. One of my great great uncle always said that necromancer like their things to instill horrors upon those their creations visited. So an illusion would point to some unfinished business like a cover up wouldn't you say?
Sniffing to body Wouf ! Wouf !
Fred will get closer to the body and smell him
"Definitely.
I would go with the reasoning,
he didn't want us to know about him borrowing someone else face.
But why he would do that??"
She looks around to see others.
"Any ideas?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Amdoran looks around at the assembled lot and states;
"Are there any leaders of this group that you would recognise by face? It is sometimes easier to mask the face physically than through magical means. Anyway, we'll need to watch anyone trying to enter very carefully, anyone could be wearing this man's face. Perhaps we should gather up everyone in the city, to make sure there is not already an imposter among us?"
I believe that this little town doesn't hold that many citizen am i wrong ?
Saya looks at Tarius thinking.
Sladan assures the guys:
"Nobody came in since we've been here, and there were no signs that the gate was used for some days before we arrived. At least they did not use the main gate. Anyway, I don't think somebody infiltrated while we were here..."
Sumak
You look at Tarius as he answers "No one went in or out... we had someone guarding the entrance at all the times. Durring the day it was Bardo and Toby the halfling brothers and during the night it was the young boy Maximus."
The wolf does not feel anyone apart from Tarius Gnaus and Sladan
After Amdoran stops talking Kormek bends down and covers the dead man, then he picks up the body by its legs.
"Something is fishy here. Since the sun rise they should be long here.
On the other hand, even with the ladders they where making in the woods, it would be difficult to storm the palisade if enough people would be defending it... which now it definitely is. That leaves only one option left.
As our furry friend just stated, an impostor who strikes at the right moment... Maybe killing us in sleep. But how would he get here? he looks at Saya "Are you able to identify the possible intruder, girl?"
Kormek looks at the body he is holding by its legs. "Lets get this corpse to the fire." he asks.
Tarius looks disturbed. "I ... I will assemble the village people."
"Uhm,
I suppose I could do."
Saya tries to concentrate as she gets too excited.
Her hands shaking but her mind focusing strongly at the given task.
She is getting ready.
Waiting for all the people to assembly she is deep in thoughts.
is there someone with decent stealth skill able to head out and see what is taking so long for the attack to actualy happen he says to all those assembled.
"I can sneak out if it's really needed. That's if Saya helps..."
Saya without thinking twice,
comes to Sladan and touches him with her fingertips.
(casting Invisible spell)
Spirits of air
Listen to my pray
May your powers
hide him well in your veil.
Upon releasing her hand, she whispers to him.
"Let Gozreh stay with you, my dear friend."
well then that answers that.
good luck on your hunt
Soon as Sladan disappears, he whispers in elvish, as he and Saya learned in their spiritual training.
"Neither the sheep, neither the Sheppard can't hide by the sun.
Neither the wolf, neither this fox can't disappear from this sight.
Why do you so earnestly seek the truth in distant places?
Look for delusion and truth in the bottom of your fellow's heart.
After all, true seeing is within."
As Sladan exits the town it takes him only a few minutes to spot the small army of red eyed soldiers hiding down the road, in the treeline some distance away from the palisade. They are perfectly, almost unnaturally, still.
Tarius is nearly finished with the assembly. Only few of the townspeople are left and even those are hurrying to the assembly point in front of the fort.
You notice that the face of Tarius who happens to be looking is rather disgusted one, but that is not surprising to you.
You can hear what Sladan says but cannot understand what he meant by that. Looks to you like a passage from a book or a religious text.
Before leaving the town Sladan called his loyal companion to assist him.
Come DC 15
When Sladan approaches a safe distance he asks HawkEye to move into the designed area and to look around for anything that is obviously alive or animate.
Seek DC 15
HawkEye understands what his master asked of him and follows the received order.
After he checks the surroundings he reports back to his master.
Saya answers Sladan before he goes with the same singing voice.
( in Elvish)
"Let the Goddess's hand guide me through the light,
Let the sun touches my heart and see the path right.
But now my friend, bear in your mind, hold this same prayer, hold it tight."
The towns people are assembled now. As far as you see the town was actually full of old people women and children.
As Sladan returns he avoids the traps and closes the main gate behind him. He is surprised to see everybody in front of the fort waiting for Tarius's orders.
Sladan sneaks behind Kormek and lands a slap on his back. In that very second he becomes visible again. Kormek can feel and see Sladan leaning on his shoulder. It's intended as a joke.
"So, I did my job, there are around 30 people down the road, not more than a few minutes away. They seem weirdly motionless. As for the back slap, consider us even now. That's your wake up call. How are you doing here?"
He asks the last question looking around at all the people and Saya.
"Alright.
Everyone is here. I guess."
Saya sights with relief,
seeing Sladan in good condition,
than she closes her eyes.
(Casting Detect Magic)
Kormek jumps and grabs his sword but releases it again as he notices Sladan "Consider us even now?" Kormek asks confused.
To Sayas surprise between her,the townspeople, Gnaus, Tarius, the halflings and her party she does not feel anything unnatural or new.
"Yes, even. You were being a ..how can I say it without offending you... a lady before and you weren't listening to me, or even caring about the ones around you. I'm glad that something changed.. "Wake up call"? " Sladan smiles.
Sladan wonders.
He has a weird look on his face while being lost in the thoughts.
Saya looks on everyone confused.
"There is nothing similar to that evil illusion here.
I am sure of it."
Her eyes are moving from face to face.
She looks immediately at Sladan.
(in elvish)
"Only boy could be potential threat!
Lets check it when he is still sleeping now."
She turns to Kormek and other.
"Relax.
It's neither of us.
We still need to prepare for what is awaiting us outside of gates."
She nods Tarius that she finished and slowly walks with Sladan side by side.
For moment she looks at Kormek, Sumak, Amdoran.
"Maybe you could join us too?"
They are probably waiting for night time when they get some initiative advantage ? If you say that there are 30 of them were are the missing 10 ?
Tarius looks around the gathering of scared townspeople who just watched Saya casting a spell on them.
"That is it? No one?"
He turns to the people and sends them home.
"This was a waste of time. I am going to burn the body."
He walks toward the fireplace now burning bright enough, with both halflings and Gnaus
having looked around the town a little bit and the fact that there is the party + 4/5 fighting men I actually wounder if it wouldn't be better to attack first then letting them have the initiative. Outside we would enjoy better mobility and if their line is a bit stretched we could attack on one side for a few moments then use our superior mobility to return to the town and if they pursue we can use then the wall and make them spring our traps. In the end we would have them reacting to our tempo and not the other way around. They are currently waiting for something my instincts tell me. I would rather deny them that advantage
Amdoran answers Saya;
"Yes, I will join you in a second. But I need to do my own scan of the townspeople first, and then I'll be with you."
Before the crowd departs Amdoran stops them, asking;
"May I have one more moment of your time please?"
Amdoran then casts detect evil and walks through the crowd , scanning to try and find anyone who may be using non-magical means to hide their face.
If no one is detected as being evil he will follow Saya.
"Interesting thought,
but before we continue with this kind of conversation,
would you like to go with us to see one more person,
who could be potential threat?"
Saya explains him about the boy who wasn't here when she tried to find potential danger.
"If he is alright,
than we can think about making a move."
(in case both agree to follow her)
She shows them the way.
Sladan starts speaking elvish, addressing Saya :
“we are not going to do what that guy said. I won't let you go out in the open just to surprise them. And where is his idea coming from anyway? He talks about moving fast when he is barely walking with that limp of a foot? I know he's all a warrior ready to take some hits on the shield, but you aren't. And about the fast escape, if his wolf won't carry him, every foe is going to outrun him...
Anyway, for you it's out of the question. I can go with Kormek and the other guys if everyone decides on that, but I won't let you join us! Understood?!"
Amdoran does not feel anything noteworthy.
Saya leads you to the boy's room in the fort
Passing the already burning body of the dead soldier,
you enter the room only to find out its empty.
After a moment of confusion you hear one of the halfling brothers scream "THEY ARE COMING!"
Realizing how far away they have been in hiding you got 10-15 minutes before they will reach the palisade.
"Look for that boy!"
She shouts.
"If he manages to get to the gate,
he can easily open it for them.
Damn it.
We have to get ready too!"
She runs from the fort straight to palisade looking around.
(casting Detect magic)
When hearing the halfling brother Sladan rushes for the palisade to look what is happening and to take a better view of the battlefield.
he shouts at himself.
Seeing he has few minutes until they reach the town, Sladan will check the water they wanted to use for throwing on them.
Before you run out of the fort you hear Kormek saying "Why now ... something has changed."
You feel weak magic around the fire.
Weak enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]
Sladan sees a small army of men moving about slowly reaching the town.
He notices the water tub next to the fire as Tarius used the fireplace as bonfire for the body.
wahooooouh
we are going to check the pallisade just in case there is a surprise attack coming from an other direction. Someone try to see if you can spot their leader.
"I dont like it.
Better to get rid of it fast."
Saya whispers while feeling strange aura,
trying to get closer.
She spread her hands saying.
"Powers of Mankind,
Powers of World.
Dismiss this aura,
devour it all."
(Casting Dispel Magic)
There is nothing for me to do until we get into hand to hand combat so i am going to check the perimeter he says riding quickly away
Sladan immediately calls HawkEye and puts him to defend Saya.
DEFEND DC 20
After that he takes a look at the approaching guys to see if he can spot anyone.