Leta and Nadiya lead the way into the open archives, finding that they have to brave nothing more dangerous than dust and cobwebs as they step inside. The forechamber hosts a desk for the archivist and a long table with stone chairs that once served as a reading area for visitors. A handful of sturdy texts - tablets of clay and stone - still sit upon the table where they were left ages ago.
An ornately carved stone door suggests access to the stacks in the full archives beyond. You spot evidence that the metal-consuming creatures never managed to breach this door, so texts such as those etched upon sheet of hammered metal may yet await rediscovery.
To Bashuk, it looks like a moving cloud of smoke or shadow in the vague approximation of a stout humanoid, and it seems to have taken an interest in Valeska, slowly and silently sliding towards her.
"Countess," Bashuk says in her best attempt at a conversational tone as she points at one of the carved facades on a nearby wall. "Zoh awkah i mer hlah, asinain na kehlei kam lamkam ah thil pakhatkhat a um. Meikhu in sermi a si, asiloah thlalang, tiah ka ruah. Hrial awkah timhcia tein um, na sinah a rat ahcun ka puah lai."
"Countess, don't turn to look, but there's something in the alleyway on your left. It's like a person made of smoke, or shadow, I think. Be ready to dodge, if it comes at you I'll blast it."
Nadiya turns to Leta at the entrance to the larger archive. "We should go get Vreya, I think she will want to see this." If Leta agrees, she heads back out to tell the dwarf of their findings.
Valeska understands Bashuk and now Sasha is aware the warning as well. The Countess remains calm, continuing to look around.
Sasha also stays calm, as is requested.
Leta follows Nadiya back out.
Vreya acquiesces, at first unaware of the danger. As she becomes cognizant of it, though, she struggles to suppress her rising fear. Despite her tenure as scout and sentry for the lost dwarf hold, it's clear that being confronted with real danger and adventure is still a new experience for the young dwarf.
Nirdosh, meanwhile, readies himself for fell combat.
"You do not see the whole scene," he cautions softly. "There are three of them watching us. Shadows of the long-dead dwarves, angry and vengeful, jealously guarding that which no longer belongs to them."
Your orc guide is correct. You soon become aware of three such shadow creatures skulking about, stalking you among the alleys of the old scholars' neighborhood.
Bashuk grunts in acknowledgement of Nirdosh's information. "So we're fighting then? Just say the word, Countess."
Nadiya's face flickers from excitement to concern, as she stands at the edge of the doorway. She sees Nirdosh warning of something, and Bashuk tensing... and something chilling at the edges of the streets. She gestures to Vreya to stick close to her and Leta, and whispers via her message spell to Leta that something is wrong.
Anyone know what's... effective? I don't.
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Bashuk shrugs. "Everything burns, Countess. Just got to get the fire hot enough."
Perhaps from time spent with the Burning Suns, fighting to secure Valorforge, Bashuk knows all too well the danger of the undead creatures known colloquially as shadows. These could be the remnants of either ancient dwarves of Koldukar or adventurous orcs from Urgir who, trapped down here, wasted away to nothing but darkness.
Leta nods. Sensing they were preparing for a fight, the Bard of the Woods cast Bear's Endurance on herself, bolstering her stamina for battle.
"Nirdosh is right, they're shades. Don't let them get close to you, their touch will drain your strength and you life. Then you come back as one of them."
"Nirdosh is right, they're shades. Don't let them get close to you, their touch will drain your strength and you life. Then you come back as one of them."
Since Valeska appears to be most in the open, Nadiya casts bear's endurance and scritches Mishka behind the ears, transferring the spell to her. "Bring this boon to Valeska, then return to me immediately." She whispers to Valeska via message: "Mishka is bringing you a fortifying spell."
The cat bounds out of the basket on Nadiya's hip and runs toward Valeska to rub against the countess's legs in order to transfer the spell.
Nadiya also takes a potion of bear's endurance out of her haversack and prepares to quaff it.
Still with her back turned from the shadows, Bashuk clasps her hands in front of her and begins gathering her elemental power, sparks shedding from her eyes and hair as a white-hot orb of fire concentrates between her palms. The half-orc turns to face the dwarven shadows, eyes glowing golden as she draws back her fist to hurl burning destruction!
Leta holds her sword at the ready and keeps her eyes open.
Nirdosh draws a skin flask from his belt and applies the oil within to his warhammer, preparing for a fight with these undead.
Leta will move 10' and cast "ear piercing scream" down the narrow hallway at the shadow in question.
Nadiya quaffs her potion and moves back toward territory where she can use her magics more safely. Mishka, having delivered the spell to Valeska, trots alongside Nadiya, staying close to her feet.
Kain slides out from the archive and positions himself in the street, between the party and one of the shadows - but still giving Bashuk a clear avenue of fire. He issues a challenge to the undead, trying to draw its focus.
The challenged shadow takes the bait, and it glides forward and delivers a swipe that introduces Kain to a chill that he has never before felt. Much of his strength leaves him beneath the undead's foul touch.
Another one of the shadows comes slithering down a narrow alley betwixt the archive and one of the massive columns holding up the ceiling. It comes around the curve and moves to accost Bashuk from the flank.
Stepping back from the onrushing shadow with a curse, Bashuk thrusts her hands forward to strike the undead thing with a scattershot spray of white-hot firebolts!
As Bashuk steps back, Valeska steps to where she can reach the shadow... with her gleaming starknife, she strikes.
Seeing the other shadow draw upon Kain, Sasha rushes to help the knight.
Bashuk and Valeska's attacks boil away the bulk of the one flanking shadow's dark essence, and when Miruna runs to the other side of the street to unleash a burst of radiance behind the undead, that puts an end to its wicked existence.
Another shadow slides down the opposite alley and attempts to grab at Miruna, but she evades its touch.
Vreya shoots a bolt harmlessly at one of the shadows.
Nadiya keeps Mishka close now that she's delivered the spell to Valeska. To Kain, closest to one of the shadows, she also offers protection, this time calling upon the enduring spirits of her ancestors to ward him from harm.
She also pulls out a bottle of alchemist's fire.
Leta will take a 5' step backward and begin singing an inspiring song, +2 to Hit and Weapon Damage for allies.
Nirdosh forces his way past Miruna and swings his warhammer at the shadow still at the mouth of the alley. Despite whatever magic oil he applied to his weapon, the undead still twitches and avoids the attack.
For Kain, the loss of strength drives home the severity of the situation. He draws forth Raven's Head, having brought the legendary weapon with him from Ravengro, and seeks to unleash its might against the undead again after uncounted centuries.
Even with a significant portion of his strength sapped away, Kain delivers a powerful pair of blows that extinguishes the undead shadow from existence in a flash.
As the first shadows melt away, Bashuk turns to the ones that remain--the nice thing about giving off some much light is that supernatural shadows become easy to spot, she muses. Shaping the flames into a discus, she winds back and flings it at the undead horror.
Bashuk's aim is true, and her fiery blast weaves safely between her allies to boil away almost half of the shadow's dark mass.
Miruna's aim is almost as good, but she only manages to clip the shadow with her divine power.
Valeska hangs back and keeps vigilant for any other shadows emerging from the darkness.
The last remaining shadow lunges for Nirdosh and drains a significant amount of vitality from your orcish guide.
Leta continues singing inspirationally.
With only one shadow remaining--so far--Bashuk doesn't hold back, quickly gathering another searing spike of fire and hurling it at the undead horror's center...well, not mass, but center of being.
Kain moves to aid Nirdosh, swinging the mace with what strength he has remaining.
Bashuk and Kain's combined might is enough to finally put down this last shadow, sparing you any more blight from the undead, at least for the time being. For now, you have a moment to catch your breath, recover your strength, and resume searching the archives and other neighboring buildings.
"Ugh, well at least they die easily enough. I bet that's not the last we've seen of unquiet spirits--ancient cities conquered violently seem like the perfect place for undead to rise. Nobody go off on your own, okay?"
As the search resumes Bashuk maintains her role as lookout, trying as best she can to watch both her allies and the surrounding buildings.
"Who is hurt?"
Vreya eagerly leads the exploration of the archives. A stone door with a non-metallic latch has thus far kept the rust monsters from breaching the sanctum of knowledge within.
Your dwarven scout reins in her enthusiasm, however, as she alerts you to some kind of time-withered but no-less-active trap laid upon the door to protect the archives' contents.
Nadiya holds out her potion of lesser restoration to Kain, presuming it will help him feel better after the attacks. "I only have one of these. But I can try to treat other wounds if needed." She looks pointedly at Nirdosh, but waits for him to speak up if he needs attention.
Once she has tended to wounds, she rejoins Vreya and Leta and goes down to the archives. "Well-spotted," she says to Vreya when she notices the trap.