Merge gives a soft sigh when they get out the door. He looks back at the two woman chatting on the way out the door, as the group heads to the supply dept. Merge stops and looks at them with sad, far away eyes.
"yea know we're goin out there te look for a corpse right... If she's alive with all that happened... Well amazed would be putin it lightly."
He looks down at his feet as if ashamed of his outburst.
Making your way to the trading post shows that you're able to find the tent and trail rations you're interested in purchasing, and that cold weather clothes are available for just about everybody in the party. Lyda has declined buying cold weather gear, but to anybody else interested in buying, there are outfits available. You do notice that your shoes might be ill-equiped for heavy snowfall, but nobody selling goods has anything better than what's already equipped.
Merge will buy some rope and if available some wooden rings. Big enough for a foot to fit through. He will cut notches into the rings about the size of the rope. He then pulls the rope taught around the rings then ties a two loops to fit your foot through. He repeats this process 10 times until the whole group has makeshift snow shoes.
Merge manages to craft everybody boot rings that can help in traversing through the snowy woods. Although they appear shoddy and may break under harsh use.
Lyda takes the bag of gold with a nod. Honestly, finding the woman alive had not crossed her mind. It was a possibility though. So she heads to the general store once again that day. A tent to keep the noble out of the weather if it turned bad and a place to treat wounds out of the elements. An extra set of clothing. Some food. And a blanket. She had the supplies for treating wounds and surviving and Cassandra had magical healing. That should be all. Lyda hands the armload of stuff to Cassandra, confident the surprisingly beefy cat could handle it. "We go?" she asks.
"Oh good. I have some of those."
Cassandra pats her backpack
"Although we probably don't want to wear them until it's actually snowing? I tried, and it didn't go well."
Merge looks the cat right in the eye before bursting into laughter.
"HA-HA-Ha-ha. You really do remind me of Usha... Bout te go do something what could get us all killed an yea still manage te make me smile!"
Merge wipes a tear from his eye, pats the cat woman on the head, and starts walking twords where the attack occurred.
Cassandra stops herself from purring automatically.
"What did I say? They really are awkward and don't let you walk on mud like I thought they would at all."
Quietly she continues.
"I had mud in my fur for days."
Merge busts out in laughter halfway down the trail.
Aiden buys a set of cold weather clothing and begins to put it on, becoming less and less happy the more he wears. "Junūn! How can this be worn?! It is hot and heavy and restrictive! You would surely pass out from exhaustion before making twenty miles."
Merge shakes his head at the southerner.
"well by all means, Go without it. We'll see who gets there first."
After everybody gathers up their gear, and purchases provisions from the trading post, you head off in the directions that Yuln provides you from the recollection of his attack. As you approach the Border Woods, you feel noticeable differences in temperature. Light dustings of snow have covered the ground, and just at the fringe of the Border Woods you see the remains from the attack on the carriage of Lady Argentea that Yuln and others were charged with protecting.
Near the forest, the temperature grows noticeably colder. The road ahead is littered with debris and the corpses of slain humans and horses. A carriage stands in the roadway, its team of horses missing or cut free, while another overturned carriage lies sprawled and broken next to the tree line. To the south, more bodies have fallen around what appears to be a statue of ice. A snowy trail leads deeper into the forest.
Aiden kicks at some of the white stuff on the ground. "What is this? It seems fine, like sand but I've never seen sand so white." If nothing untoward happens when the group reaches the site, Aiden pokes curiously at the ice.
Mikhail looks at the snow, then at the bodies, and then finally gives Aiden an odd look, "Friend, we may need to speak at length about your priorities and the order they are arranged in."
Bundled up in his drab olive coat and a misshapen, mistreated, and generally unfortunate looking knitted scarf, Mikhail looked entirely at home in the cold and snow. Adjusting his ugly scarf up higher on his face, he drew his sword gracefully. The gently curved single-bladed weapon did have some similarities to the famous Aldori blades, but the cross guard was shallower and the pommel hooked forward. On closer inspection, this pommel was carved into the stylized visage of an owl.
He sauntered forward into the scene of death and destruction, seemingly unconcerned by the ruin about him. Either he really was that confident in his sword skills or he simply was not worried about the consequences of bodily harm.
Sandy loosens her sword from her back as the man does, and follows him into the battlefield. Swinging it lightly up and across her shoulders. She looks practically at ease, although her steps are deliberate as she approaches the first of the bodies.
"Hrm. A puzzle in corpses, carriages, and crystallized ice."
"Well... When all this is done we should come back an bury 'em... It ain right leavin 'em here for te wolves."
Surveying the scene yields interesting results. Cassandra is not accustomed to this sort of weather so early in the year, and as such her scent has not had enough time to adjust to the surroundings.
Mikhail saunters through the scene in almost a homely fashion. His movements through the snow are fluid and graceful in an otherwise odd place to this stranger.
Aiden remains poking around at the environment, checking the ice.
Merge appears to be checking the tracks in the snow to determine what happened in the attack.
Lyda wrinkles her nose as the reach the scene of the crime. For some reason, dead people always smelled worse than dead animals. With a whistle, Ghost flies to a nearby tree or the highest point in the area. To Shadow she says, "Gardien." The wolf sticks close eyes scanning for trouble.
While they keep watch, Lyda searches the area to try and figure out what happened.
You're all suddenly alerted by the cawing and barking of Lyda's companions.
Merge rips his hammer from the holster on his back and spins to view the goings on.
"Well, she's not dead and this was not bandits," Mikhail said before the snarling wolf caught his attention. If the Lady were merely a target of violence, no doubt her corpse would be there beside her handmaidens. Instead of moving toward the threat, Mikhail hung back slightly, shifting his sword to his off-hand and pulling a thin metal vial from inside his coat.
Aiden wished to investigate more, but for now, whatever the animals were indicating was more urgent. Unlimbering his shield and easing his scimitar from its sheath, he moved towards them and the carriage. "What is it?"
At Ghost's warning hoot, Lyda turns to the Owl to confirm location then to Cassandra approaching a wagon. Cassandra's purposeful stride prevents her from shouting a warning. Her friend seemed to know something was up. She reaches down and touches Shadow in a certain way on his back. The once lovably, adorable pup was now a hunter, eyes intent, and ears flat. She also transfers a bit of power into him. As for herself, she draws her bow and levels an arrow at the wagon, waiting.
Cassandra stalks towards the carriage, her stance clearly ready for trouble, and grasps the door tightly, she then leaps backwards holding the door yelling.
"In the name of the three, and the light, and the gift of my birth, what evil hides here?"
Cassandra swings with the door, having no idea that it would be hinged to open to the side instead of down, coming to a rest with the door open, and her back against the carriage side. All things said, not her finest moment.
"I can't see anything. Someone, anyone, tell me what's happening!"
The doors of the carriage are barred with a broken spear. As Cassandra rips the door open the splintered weapon shatters, and two twisted corpses shamble forth from the carriage, moving straight towards the group.
Aiden seemed to throw a punch with his shield hand and a gout of fire erupted from his fist, flying towards the nearest zombie. Raising his sword high, Aiden ran behind the roiling fire, closing with the zombies.
,
On merges turn he will charge the closest zombelman. 40ft charge plus a reach weapon should be enough right?
And if I can cleave in that position
If I can cleave
"Attaque," Lyda says quietly. As soon as the word is uttered, she let's loose to arrows. One is from her bow, the other is from her side as Shadow charges one of the zombies.
"Woah, those things are evil. Why didn't the linnorn man tell us she kept necromatic handmaidens in her carriage? That seems pertinent!"
Cassandra seems incredibly irritated with the linnorn.
Aidens fire approaches the first zombie and blasts the corpse, charring skin and clothes. The creature staggers as it is hit, clearly wounded from the attack. The second zombie attacked by Lyda is hit by her arrow, and assulted by Shadow. The wolf and arrow greatly cripple the charging corpse.
The first zombie moves within attack range of Aiden, attempting a Slam attack on the southerner. ,
The second zombie preoccupied with Shadow aims its slam attack at the wolf. Swinging wildly and missing.
Mikhail moved with care, stepping with a dancer's grace but none of the beauty. He had long since learned the value of a carefully chosen strike. Sweeping around to the opposite side of the creature savaging Aiden. He struck with his blade.
Mikhail moves to flank the zombie engaged with Aiden, slicing his curved blade through the monster and cleaving it in two. The lifeless body falls to the ground and stops moving. Merge rushes the second zombie in battle with Shadow, and swings his hammer down. The skull of the zombie crunches as it falls to the ground in a crumpled heap. Cassandra moves into range of her channel energy, healing Aiden and incinerating what's left of the corpses. That concludes round 1, and combat.
With the commotion died down you're free to inspect the rest of the site, and plan your next move.
Mikhail whips his blade about expertly, shucking half-frozen gore into the snow. Humming merrily, he begins gathering up the valuable looking pieces about the scene while the others collect themselves. Compunctions against looting are all well and good, but practicality won you a warm meal at the end of the day.
Lyda lowers her bow after making sure nothing sure nothing else is coming out of the wagon. Shadow continues to gnaw on his prize until Lyda commands him to heel, "Talon." He attempts to drag the carcass but with another command he lets go and saunters over as if he alone finished off both. Ghost merely preens a bit and goes back to swiveling, looking for threats.
Lyda commands Shadow back to guard duty while she retrieves the single arrow she fired. Or she tried. It was snapped in half as the zombie fell from Merge's last hit. She tosses the shaft aside but keeps the metal tip. Just in case.
She then rounds on Aiden, giving him a once over. Obviously not finding what she wanted, she approaches and grasps the hand the launched the fire bolt earlier. She could do something similar but not nearly as powerful. She turns his hand over and inspects it, even going so far as to check his sleeve for some contraption. "Fire?" she queries.
Merge looks worriedly down at the body's of the creatures, he sniffs brings his hands to his mouth and makes a bird sharp long bird call. "Signs ain good when the dead be up an walking... Necromancy like this shouldn be sumtin yea just... Throw round."
After Merge finishes talking a bird about as big as his torso lands on his shoulder. He nuzzels it and whispers "Stay close Chisha... Strange things afoot."
He looks back at the crew and grins "Aye mate's! Good te know I ain traveling wit no twinkley eyed sissy's from the south." He smacks Aiden on the back and grins. Nice trick mate! Yea should join me in me outins from now on... Never buying fire wood again!
"No reason to waste the fletching Lyda, or leave it for the people to make mischief with."
Ugh, zombies. Why would the people have zombies? Maybe the zombies were with the lady? The lady!
Sandy darts to the door and looks into the carriage curiously. Then falls backward and rubs her nose.
"Someone else look, I can't stand the smell"
"Bad magic is bad magic," Mikhail said, chipping ice away from the standing corpse's torso with the hilt of his sword until he could unlaced the breastplate and pull it free. Clearly the armor was of fine make but still too restrictive for his tastes. He grunted and set it aside before working on the dead man's sword hand.
"Not bandits and not foolish beasts. I'd wager the lady is alive. She was taken for a purpose.
Aiden flashes a quick grin at Merge before turning back to Lyda. "Fire." he agreed, sheathing his scimitar. "I serve the Dawnflower; those that can not be redeemed will be purified by flame or blade." Hearing Cassandrra's complaint, Aiden moves past Lyda towards the carriage. "I will look for you, qitt."
Mikhail continues to loot the objects around the battlefield, and gather any valuables you can find. After gathering all you can, the trail leading into the forest is pointed out to the group by Merge. Large hoofprints and footprints are clearly visible heading along the trail.
Not seeing much else to do here, Lyda sends Shadow ahead to follow the tracks while she follows him. She whistles again, this time a different tune, that sends Ghost into the air with an acknowledging hoot. He flies beneath the canopy, from branch to branch, keeping ahead of Shadow and looking to threats. She keeps her head to the ground, trusting he flying and walking friends to keep her out of trouble.
"They'll need burying, luckily the town has a priest. We can tell him when we get back that he'll need to make room for some, um, bodies. No sign of our missing noblewoman though, so let's get to it! It's not going to get any warmer, which might be a good thing. Those bodies won't rot or stink this way! Always find the bright spot in a storm, the silver lining in the darkness. Something. Anyways back to following the best puppy and smartest bird. Right shadowed, ghost?"
She turns to look, then sees Chisa.
"I had no idea you had a falcon Merge. Doesn't she object to living underground? It is very nice to meet you mistress cave falcon."
Cassandra bows elaborately, twirling her wrist and holding her tail out to the side, then claps excitedly.
"Ghost and you can play! Well, after we get done finding this missing person and back to town, er, woods."
She looks hopefully about, then wanders towards the tracks. Stopping at the snow, she pulls her snowshoes on, then looks at the mess glumly.
"I'm going to get snow in my fur, aren't I?"
"Yes," Lyda says from the forest, waving for them to come on.
Merge begins on his way with Lyda, he coo's at Chisha then turns his head to Cassandra and says "Nay lass, Chisha an me meant 30 odd years ago. Biggest bird I ever saw! Fits me just fine I'd say, taken a liken to 'er." He blushes a bit, scratches the bird under the wing and adds "She um... Don like many people other than me... No idea why though."
Aiden brings up the rear, pausing now and then to scoop up more of the white substance and examine it closely.
Mikhail has to jog to catch up with the others as he hurriedly stuffs the jewelry into a pocket. Even split amongst the party, this was a tidy profit.
"Whatever happened to keeping dogs?" He asked idly, "A good hound is a stalwart companion and less likely to incite a panic if found wandering through town."