She smiles in thought, Well no light source. Darkness is my friend. This is going to be interesting traveling with them. Better not interfere with my skills.
"I am more than ready to tackle some undead, I have only done a few missions with the Knights of Ozem but I am itching to get back at practicing with destroying some undead. I will have to make a stop by the mages guild and the church to gather some other gear for this mission."
Ynthar pats his horn and adjusts the banner on his back.
Hmm. I Suppose I have a spell to aid me in the dark tunnels. I doubt my friend frost will enjoy it though. Not much flying room. We should take care not to traverse too deeply, should we enter the underdark there are things much worse than orcs. at Ilthiens suggestion on spell books Valoren speaks up.
Yes, That may be for the best. Though my arcane knowledge is less than some. I also will need to procure a few items before our journey.
Ahmose nods at Ynthar.
Agreed. I will need to pick up a few items prior to leaving.
"Sounds delightful." Kardav says as he sits up, adjusting his clothes before rising. "My preparations are few, I'll be waiting at the bar until you need me."
As he leaves he gives Harika a charming smile. "Feel free to come find me anytime before then."
Harika nods at the men as they ready themselves to make their preparations. "I am prepared to go whenever you gentlemen are ready."
As he leaves he gives Harika a charming smile. "Feel free to come find me anytime before then."
The beautiful Garundi woman chuckles, arching an eyebrow at Kardav. "Is that right? Well, I never turn down a free drink." She stands, her cloak concealing her from her shoulders to the floor. Her hand- slim fingers and delicate wrist- emerges for a moment as she gestures at the bar. "Shall we?"
Zoren confers with his fellow Arcane spellcasters exchanging powers and abilities to aid the overall cause.
"Thank you my new friends".
Merius claps his hands in front of him, rubbing them vigorously together in eager anticipation. "Why delay? Let's depart immediately! We have undead and orcs to roast!"
"So it's settled. A ship has been prepared that will take you as far as the camp (the name of a staging area for knight of Ozrem patrols near the edge of the waste). It's a two day sail to get there. From there you can make final preparations and split up. Captain Menass Neverion and Bartileus Ren will accompany you while the rest of us return to our homes to make preparations for the worst should it come to that." says Keyron Saiville
Excellent. With proper quarters we can do our scribing aboard ship. I have the required inks and am ready to depart.
"I am likewise ready. Perhaps those in my group would care to dine together this evening and go over our strengths and weaknesses?"
Kardav smiles, striding over to the bar. "I suspect we'll be shipping off in the morning so let's make this night last while we can." He says in a low voice as a he leans close to her to speak, pouring a pair of drinks. "Even if our more eager companions would have us leave this moment I feel we can make a small amount of time while they busy themselves with their books to have a drink?"
You rest for the night and the next morning you board the ship.
The trip upriver is calm and you make what preparations you can on the way. Twp days quickly pass and you reach the camp a gathering of tents and small structures with about 350 inhabitants. Mostly knights of Ozrem and their allies.
On group is to head east from here to the cave entrance while the other group will proceed north into the desolation land.
Bug will see if anyone has a map of the area. It's never a good idea to get lost on a mission of this import. Then he will stock on up rations for the journey.
Valoren will spend time with the other arcane users and trade spells. He often is outside conversing with a large white owl that often rests on his shoulder. After the ship arrives he looks around.
Well then, let us be on our way. Time is of the essence I fear.
Kardav has a map of Ustalav.
The trip from the camp to the city is a little over 50 miles but the terrain is rugged and full of hazards. Beyond the undead there are also severe storms with bolts of negative energy falling from the sky and acid rain (the acid isn't severe a tent is enough to protect you but it will likely be destroyed after one or two such rains) and Bonestorms (basically a sandstorm but powdered bone instead of sand).
"Bug has been to bad places before, but this new level of bad. This make me long for manna wastes. "
Ynthar will attempt to keep people spirits up prior to going, he will tell tales of his homeland in the far frozen north. How they would go out in blinding snow storms just to feed the village. How his people were once known as the more feared raiders in the Inner Sea region and how they broke a Chelixian blockade once.
Having made final preparations you take off into the wasteland. You travel about three hours encountering nothing but dead trees and white duty hills when you encounter something strange.
You finds two corpses lying on the ground. Both are recently dead (this is a bit hard to tell since they don't decompose but you can guess as much from the state they are in since they haven't been buried or eaten) with the blood on their clothing and armour mostly dry and a light layer of the white dust (the ground everywhere here is mostly just white dust) stuck to the tacky ooze. They are a chainmail-clad dwarf and a leatherclad human. Both obviously died in battle from the wounds they bear.
You notice that the wounds on their bodies match the weapons they hold in their own hands. The human bears many thin stab wounds and still clutches a bloody rapier. The dwarf has vicious, deep cuts and gouges and still clutches the broken haft of a battleaxe. Rolling the body over
reveals the blade of the axe sunk deep into the calf of his right
leg, seemingly self-inflicted.
These two weren't alone you notice the printer of several other humanoids and paw prints from dogs. The rest apparently scattered in different directions.
Merius frowns as he looks closer at the wounds and weapons upon the fallen pair. He rolls the dwarf over to confirm his suspicions. "These men killed themselves with their own weapons. What would cause them to do such a thing? Also, they were not alone; look at all these tracks leading off in different directions." He quickly stands. "Check them more thoroughly. I am going to go up higher for a better look at the area!"
Suddenly flames sprout from his shoulders in the vague shape of swings and Merius shoots straight up into the air! Once high enough to have a good vantage look at the surroundings, he stops and surveys the land about to see if he can spot anything moving...
Yes, The air is foul with death... and worse. I feel the evil here, I can only imagine what a more religious man would sense. Frost keeps a snug perch on Val's shoulder and ruffles his feathers.
I don't think I'll be eating any of the local wildlife on our trip... if their is any of it left. Oh, dead people. The owl thinks to Val.
Val gives the bodies a quick glance over. Well,I agree that from what I can tell they weren't alone. I hadn't noticed their wounds however. Perhaps then, we should be expecting trouble nearby.
As Merius shoots up on wings a fire Val nods in approval.
I'll have to have you teach me that trick one day friend.
Valoren will take out his blade and use it to prod both the bodies a couple times before reaching down to search them more thoroughly at Merius's behest.
the tracks are from wolves between 6 to 9 of them.
Kardav frowns as he notices the tracks in the dirt.
"They scattered randomly. Perhaps they were confused by Magic?"
"Maybe they tired of scenery. Very bad place. "
As Ynthar looks around he scans the horizon to make sure that nothing is going to be coming at them from afar or that someone has not spotted them. "Most creatures will shy away from us but the undead are not so smart."
He will look up at Merius, "See anything interesting up there?"
With that he will adjust the banner on his back, tightening the leather strap that holds it erect, he will draw his Glaive the 3 rainbow coloured scarves dancing in the wind.
Harika was accompanied by a pair of enormous, armored figures swathed in black cloaks like hers. One of them wore plate and carried a tower shield as tall as a house and the other carried a greataxe nearly as tall and was armored in chain. They never spoke or moved without Harika's say-so and never lifted the visors of their full-face helms.
On board the ship she revealed herself to be a pleasant, gregarious person who was friendly to the ship's crew and genuinely fun to be around. She was miles from the dour image many might have in their head of a necromancer.
She looks up at Merius along with Ynthar. "Impressive wings. But I thought we were supposed to be trying to escape notice?"
On the first day of the ship's sailing Ilithial speaks with his fellow recruits explaining that Shimmer, his tiny angelic friend will use her ability to commune with Desna or her designee to gain some information about the coming challenge. This is Shimmer. the tiny Azata curtsies to those gathered. I encourage you to recommend questions. he says. Shimmer speaks to the gathered group as well advising The questions should be answerable by yes or no. The results are better if we keep it simple so there is not more than one way to take the results. Her speech is somehow relaxing. Each of you hear it in your native tongue, whatever that may be.
Merius can see several wolves roaming the area they are currently laying low and taking position around the group to surround them while staying behind hills. The wolves appear sickly and have patches of missing flesh Merius suspects they have been killed and reanimated.
Merius spots the wolves stalking his companions and immediately dismisses the fire wings. He quickly plummets towards the ground, however, once he is about 15' from an impact he quickly activates his power once more and hovers above the party. "Prepares yourselves! There are several undead wolves preparing to attack. I will provide support from the air! Perhaps I can eliminate some of them before they reach you."
"Well Lads and Lassess? Lassies? Ladies, prepare yourselves for some fun."
Ynthars hair appears even more wild as he turns and brings his Glaive to bear the 3 rainbow scarves moving with the motion. Scanning for the wolves that Merius warned them of, Ynthar begins to hum a bit of a tune.
"I needed some exercise after that long boat ride."
Like a flash Kardav's hands flick to his sides, drawing the starknives from his hips and twirling them around. "This should be to hard, feel like limbering up after being cooped up in that boat anyway."
"Undead wolves not sound so scary. " he says as he looks around for the impending threat.
Valoren draws Legacy and focuses his arcane energy into his blade, its edge glimmers before a burst of flame coats the length of the black blade.
He then weaves a bit of arcane magic and casts long arm on himself, causing his arms to grow almost half their length longer.
You know, I've never quite gotten used to this feeling. As effective as it can be. At kardav's and bugeater's remarks he grins.
Likely so, but care to not take any enemy lightly, remember where we are after all.
he sends Frost into the air to keep eyes out for any other threats and to stay out of the fight.
Sensing they have been noticed the wolves move to attack.
All wolves are around 60 feet away all around the group.
Roll and assuming you beat their init which you probably do go ahead and post your action.
Valoren moves 30ft towards the largest concentration of wolves before stopping to face the wolves near him, bringing his blade up into a defensive stance.
Come on then you mangy flea bones, whose first?
Kardav holds his action till a wolf gets close enough to attack.
0-
Detect Magic
Create Water
Guidance
Read Magic
Mending
1-
Hide from Undead
Know the Enemy
Pro, Evil
Divine Favor
Rite of Bodily Purity -cast at start of day-
Read Weather -cast at start of day-
2-
Inflict Moderate Wounds (2)
Ironskin
Weapon of Awe
Returning Weapon
3-
Invisibility Purge
Searing Light (3)
4-
Divine Power
Harika pulls the skeleton mask down onto her face as she orders her thralls for battle. "Weapons out! Axe, charge!" The mail-clad giant unlimbers his greataxe and charges at the nearest concentration of wolves.
"Shield, there. Ready attack." She points at a spot in between her and the closest undead wolf and the heavily armored knight dutifully moves into position, slamming his tower shield to the ground with a definitive thunk. He gripped his enormous mace ready in his other hand.
Bug starts to throw his starknife at the closest wolf
rapid shot, clustered shots