Huh. ...Well, that was a little better, although she was still uncertain about their use of a crescent moon. Solar symbols were far more optimistic, especially for those who wanted to head down the roads. (...It was possible that she was enormously biased on that point, though, so it was probably best to avoid placing too much weight on her opinion.)
On the other hand... that did sound like the sort of organization worth supporting, especially because she was fond of travelers. Perhaps she could convince them to serve as an escort if she offered them a few stories of her own travels. Goodness knew she had plenty of those to go around... with that, she aimed to figure out where they were staying so she could meet up with them that evening.
The pair is staying at the "Wizard and Pipe," a medium-quality inn located near the Merchants' District. It's known for exotically-spiced meats and its large smoking parlour.
Iris wrinkled her nose slightly at the comments on smoking, but at least that wasn't going to be a personal bother for her. Among her staff's many powers was a little charm to provide her with constant fresh air - so she wouldn't have to worry no matter how bad the smoke got.
After finding a sunny and open spot to work, Iris calmly sat down and began to focus on coaxing some more of her staff's power forth. It was still far from its former glory, but it was getting closer. All of the other tools and trinkets she'd picked up were just things to her - useful objects and nothing more. Her Staff, though... in a way, it was truly part of her, and with this new ritual she'd been able to restore some of its ability to affect the spheres. She wasn't going to be satisfied until its power had been fully restored, but this was a good start - especially because she'd gotten enough of its power back to start banishing certain figures.
Afterwards, as day turned to evening, she headed to the inn in question and smiled as she sat down across from them. "Good evening." she said. "My name is Iris, and I'm looking for passage to Andoran. I don't suppose the two of you could help?"
The man gives yu a friendly smile. "It's nice to meet you, Iris. I'm Altel - ", the woman interjects. "- and I'm Kitel." It's pretty obvious that they share a family connection. Probably siblings. "If you're heading to Andoran, you've come to the right people!" Altel takes over. "We're heading that way, ourselves and would be glad for the company. You're that singer, right?"
"I have sung in this city, so... probably." It was a likely scenario - she was trying to get attention when she sung, and the fact that word of her spread afterwards wasn't surprising in the slightest... but 'probably' was all she could say without actually knowing what they were thinking. (She could get weird when honesty was involved.) "May I ask when you were planning to leave? I'm in no particular hurry myself, but it would be rather rude of me to be late since I decided to come to you."
"We were planning to spend tomorrow finishing up some shopping before leaving at first light the next day."
"A good time to leave. Very well, I shall meet you by the gates then. I'll have my own supplies, so don't worry about getting anything for me. It's been a pleasure meeting you, and I look forward to getting to know both of you better." Admittedly, the food she could create with her staff was a little bland... but food in general was an indulgence she didn't particularly care for most of the time. With that, she nodded politely to both of them and waited for a moment to see if they had any questions (which she'd probably answer), then headed for the door.
You find Altel and Kitel at the city gate at the appointed time. "Ready to get going?"
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The pair seem to appreciate the company as you travel. They're fond of songs, stories, and small talk. They also set a surprisingly fast pace - at least for mortals who haven't been gifted with your speed.
Iris deliberately slowed her pace to match that of Altel and Kitel, seeing no particular reason to rush them along. She had no timetable here, and she was quite happy to move at their pace. The dawn decided to act in its own time, after all, and arrived when it meant to. She was quite willing to chat during the day, and had no hesitation when it came to singing as they relaxed at night - it was good practice, and gave her the opportunity to sing different things on a regular basis... an activity she quite enjoyed.
Your journey is relatively peaceful, although you're interrupted by a few groups of Goblin raiders. They bear no real threat to you, and your companions prove to be equally capable warriors as they use teamwork and rapid short-range teleportation to dispatch their opponents.
You're staying at a tavern about a day's walk from the Andoran border (apparently the Wayward Path has a friendly relationship with the proprietor) when a haggard man crashes through the door. He looks as if he's been running for hours. "Stillwater ... Darkening ..." he gasps before collapsing into unconsciousness.
Well... neither of those words was particularly good. "Do either of those words mean anything to you?" she asked her traveling companions as she knelt over the unconscious man and put a hand on his back. A pulse of curing magic surged into him a moment later as she focused on the energies inside of her. It took a few moments to recharge it now, but she could heal people pretty much all day... and she was never shy about using her powers to help people in need.
"Stillwater's a hamlet a few hours from here. They're a delivery site for those gnomish quartz miners in Thistlehill. No idea about 'darkening,' though." Hearing your question, the innkeeper pipes up. "He probably means that thing that's been going on in the forest. The river turned dark about a week ago, and people've been talking about some kind of shadow sickness killing animals. Some druid who was passing through a couple days ago said she'd check it out, but she hasn't come back yet."
Your magic heals the man's minor cuts and scrapes, but he doesn't wake up. He's probably just reached the limits of his endurance and needs to rest.
She had... reflexive instincts where sudden sources of darkness were concerned. A bit apologetically, she looked back towards Altel and Kitel. "This sounds like an issue that needs some attention. If you two would like to proceed without me, that's fine - I'll probably be able to catch up to you before too long." Her normal pace was more than twice that of most people, and she could cover some serious terrain when she really wanted to. Of course, if they wanted to help, she saw no reason to refute that - by and large, mortals didn't need to be coddled... and for good or for ill, they deserved to make their own decisions about what to do. The gods provided guidance far more than strict commands.
The pair glanced at each other and shrugged. "Suit yourself. We're headed to the Grand Library, if you want to find us when you're done. If you haven't turned up in a week, we'll come looking for you."
Iris' mouth twitched in a slight smile. She had the habit of being found when people truly wanted to find her - it was a deific thing. (As many things related to her were, really.) "I don't plan to be that long... but I appreciate the thought. THank you." she said. With that, she got directions from the Innkeeper and set out for Stillwater. Another darkened forest, was it? Well, she knew what to do about that.
You follow the indicated path for almost an hour. At first, it's rather pleasant as you walk on the banks of a river, but you begin to notice the water darkening as you get closer to the forest. Before long, the sound of screams rings out. Up ahead, a small boat packed with bags, tools, and similar goods rests on the shore among reeds and mud. A body lies sprawled beside the boat, looking curiously drained and ashen. A human male dressed in homespun clothing stands over the body swinging a wood axe wildly. Looming over the panicked man is a patch of deep darkness that possesses a vaguely humanoid shape.
Iris picked up the pace, energy swirling around her staff as she approached. "Enough from you!" she snapped, sending a trio of lights spiraling through the air and towards the dark creature. As they hit the ground, they erupted into a spiraling cage around the creature, built to contain it for a little while and allow the man a chance to break free.
You identify the animate darkness as a shadow, although it seems significantly more powerful than what you've seen thus far.
The shadow turns and begins to slowly fly toward you, dragging your cage of light with it.
"Take your friend and get away." Iris directed as she raised her staff and pointed it at the undead. Light glimmered on the end of it, then erupted out in a cascade of holy power as she put a bit of serious effort into the blast. Incorporeal undead were fairly nasty foes, and she didn't really feel like allowing it to exist any longer than necessary. She rather despised such creatures - unfortunately, she couldn't simply move out of its range at long as the mortal was here, since the beast might well turn on them.
for
Your blast of light hits the shadow squarely its chest? mass, but it keeps advancing toward you. The good news: you've completely caught its attention; the bad news: it's much more durable than the other shadows you've encountered since your time as a mortal began.
Iris focused for a moment, and a surge of electricity ran down her staff even as she charged it with energy. One thing beasts such as this often didn't realize was how many attacks she could make. Her feet weren't the only speedy things about her.
for
...A detail that helped when it was being evasive enough to avoid most of her strikes. That said, the one blow that seemed accurate enough had hit hard - so there was that, at least.
Only your last strike hits the shadow, dispersing a bit of the darkness. It's still up, however, and reaches out with an inky appendage in an attempt to drain your vitality.
Iris ducked to the side as the creature lashed out at her, avoiding its reach by a few hairs. That had been close - although not as close as it could have been, given her robust defenses. A full attack, for her, wasn't just an assault.
Another burst of energy infused her staff a moment later, and once more she whirled out with it in a dizzying series of blows. She truly didn't like creatures of darkness... and after all that time on the Shadow Plane, this was honestly rather therapeutic for her. "Begone, shade - your place is not in this world, and you will trouble these people no more." she said quietly, but firmly.
for
for
Your first strike disperses the shadow, leaving the area just a little brighter. The man you rescued gasps his thanks. He seems quite shaken.
"Are you all right? Did that creature touch you?" Iris asked, moving over to him and kneeling down by the body to check it over and see if the poor fellow was still alive. If so, she knew exactly what to do... and if they were too far gone, well, at least she could give them some rites. Resurrection was, alas, a little beyond her at the moment.
"Not me, ma'am, but it did somethin' to poor Willem. Can you fix him?"
Willem's body is pale and ashen, as if all the strength in it had been drained away. Without resurrection magic, his spirit will begin the long journey to Pharasma's judgement. Of more pressing concern, however, is the fact that shadows have the nasty tendency of creating more of themselves whenever they slay someone.
Sadly, the magic of the Spheres had limited options for that. On the bright side, that wasn't her only option... but simply blessing the body was rarely enough for those killed by Shadows. You had to be a bit... firmer... about it.
The man's body glowed with a holy light for a moment. It was highly unlikely that it would be rising again.
Iris smiled slightly as the radiant light flowed out and purified the area. It was always comforting to be in a place she'd blessed - it felt like home to her. "It is too late for your friend, I'm afraid." she said gently. "Do not weep for him - the Lady of Graves is fair, and will send him wherever he most deserves to be. Death is more of a beginning than an end. Come - let us bury him properly while this place remains blessed - I stopped that Shadow from turning him into one of its spawn, but it's best to promptly inter him." With that, she knelt down by the body and closed its eyes with her fingers. "Gone now is your mortal sight, but still the light remains before you. May your body rest eternal as your soul moves onward to its rightful place. Do not look back or fear for those you left behind, for it will be but a blink of time before they join you." She gently kissed Willem's forehead. "Farewell."
The man bows his head for a few minutes before retrieving a shovel from his beached vessel and beginning to dig. "I appreciate the kind words, ma'am. You didn't have to do that - especially after savin' my life and all. I'm in your debt. If there's ever anything humble Rolf Burton can do for you, all ya gotta do is ask."
Calmly, Iris joined him in the digging, using her staff to loosen the ground and make it easier for the grave to be dug. (She liked her tool, but in the end, it was a tool - and she wasn't the kind of goddess who'd say that people should hold back from helping others just because an object would get dirty. Rather, she'd have been quite displeased if any of her clergy had lost their senses that way...)
"As a matter of fact... I would appreciate if if you could tell me about what's going on in these woods." she said as they worked. "I heard a rumor - something about some sort of darkening near Stillwater, affecting the water and animals. I came here to look into this, and help resolve it if I can."
Sometimes mortals asked 'why' about things like this, but for her, that was an odd question. It was like asking why mountains were tall. They just were. Being tall was an intrinsic part of mountain-ness, and bringing light when there was unnatural darkness was an intrinsic part of Iris-ness.
"Gladly, ma'am. It started about a week ago, the darkening. The shadows been spreading like a sickness, and it's been makin' folks weak and sick. A lot o' them ended up fadin' away like ghosts, but they're the lucky ones. The ones who been touched by one o' the shadows ... changed. Skin turned to ash, and they got strange powers of darkness. Pure evil. Once we saw what was happening, poor Willem and I tried to get away, but the creepin' shadows been spreading as fast as we travel. Stillwater's probably been consumed by now, and I don't know what's happened to the gnomes at Thistlehill. I hope they're okay."
"I see." Iris answered grimly. "That certainly sounds like a problem for this region - one that needs to be eradicated." Undead were a blight on the universe to begin with, doubly so when paired with unnatural sources of darkness. "By all means, then, continue moving - you're about two hours from a major road right now. Just point me in the direction of Stillwater, though, and I'll be on my way. And you needn't worry for my safety." she gave him a sunny smile. "Walking into the darkness to bring the light is what I do best."
After once again thanking you profusely, Rolf gives you directions. It's a simple two-mile walk to the edge of the Namjan Forest. There, the branches above form a tunnel of leaves that hang motionless in the still air. It feels as if something inexplicable is missing from the forest.
The forest is much quieter than you'd expect. The air is still and unmoving, there's barely any animal noises, and you constantly feel like you're being watched from the ever-present shadows. Draperies of gloom dangle like hanging moss from tree limbs, and darkness collects like fallen snow beneath the canopy.
You've been walking along the trail for slightly over 20min before you come to a 100ft-long wooden bridge crossing the inky waters of the river. Fashioned from rough timbers lashed and nailed together, the bridge is wide enough to allow wagons to cross. A pair of thin-looking railings run along the edges of the span, providing some protection against falling into the river below. If your directions were accurate, Stillwater's a few hundred feet on the other side.
Iris knelt down by the end of the bridge to examine it. When darkness enveloped a land, it often did... negative things... to the local environment. A lot of that was an attempt to inflict fear upon people, and weakening structures like bridges was a popular technique. It was always a good idea to check your path instead of moving blindly forward...
Your hunch was correct: the bridge supports have definitely been weakened. While they can still support the weight of travelers, there's no guarantee how much longer it will stay that way.
On the other side of the bridge, a cluster of small cottages stands along the western shore of the dark river. These rude huts appear dim and indistinct, their edges blurred by shadows. The structures almost seem as if they are fashioned from gossamer scraps of gloom rather than wood and plaster. The air surrounding the hamlet is also dim and heavy with darkness as if a cloud of soot and ash clings to the village with an unrelenting grip. You detect no signs of life.
Iris spun her staff around once. As she did so, a shimmer appeared in the air around her - light for her own eyes and those close to her, but that wouldn't be seen by anybody who was more than sixty feet or so away. She was a bit fond of this little trick, since it let her have the light she wanted without necessarily revealing her to others... which she planned to do when she was good and ready to.
First, though, she needed to investigate this town a little more closely... were there any signs of what had happened to the people? And perhaps just as interestingly, what was going to happen when she brought in a bit more light? Shadowy things often reacted... poorly... to illumination.
As you explore the town, you're assaulted by multiple shadows, but they're weak and easily defeated
The cottages and everything in them are insubstantial. Solid objects pass through them, and even your magic has no more effect than slicing a shadow with a knife. It's clear, though, that this Darkening overcame Stillwater very quickly. Half-eaten, shadowy meals sit atop gossamer tables, and chores appear to have stopped mid-task.
After some analysis, you do discover a piece of useful information. The occupants of buildings on the southeast end of the village appear to have had some warning before being overcome. Chairs have been overturned, doors hang open, and the footprints reveal several individuals were 'vanished' mid-flight. Therefore, it's safe to assume that the encroachment came from the north or west.