Xenarchy looks at Isaak expectantly.
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"This seems far too simple," says Xenarchy, looking at the inscriptions on the statues. "A few words are emphasised. 'Bless', 'Aid' and 'Guide'."
Xenarchy gives a brief look of disdain to the two statues and folds her arms. "Should we expect these statues to hold hidden clues or triggers?"
"Since most of us cannot see in darkness, I suggest we go in after Roh-Kai," says Xenarchy, "We can follow after he has scouted the shadows."
Seeing Roh-Kai holding that axe, Xenarchy backs away from the column.
The sorceress spends a while that morning examining the detailed pillar. After a while, she steps closer and touches the carvings. "Here, this artwork depicts mundane creatures and plants throughout, yet if you look at the forms amongst them, you can see an image of a dragon. What could that mean?" She continues the exploration of the column, tapping on it here and there and then steps back. "Huh. It's hollow."
Xenarchy looks upon the ruins but is careful not to approach too close. "Before we do decide to camp here, we should be careful of unstable ground or structures, and there may still be some traps here to dissuade tomb robbers. I do not want to lay my bedroll down on a hidden pit trap filled with spikes."
Xenarchy subdues a satisfied smirk. "The fey have no care for the gods? Somehow, that seems entirely appropriate. Nevertheless, this restless spirit needs to be given peace. It may not matter what rite we use, so long as one is given with a modicum of respect. I suggest cremation. Let these bones be given to ash and smoke that they not dwell forever in this sodden earth.
Xenarchy stands back from the grisly scene and crosses her arms. She remains silent for a time, just frowning and thinking. "If the head is required to finish laying this one to rest, I cannot say where we might find it." While Garesh casts a spell to examine any lingering magic on the corpse, she does the same but projects her magical senses out across the marsh in hopes another aura might be found there.
With a waft of one hand, Xenarchy cleans herself off, then crouches by the side of the water as it clears. She frowns and cannot help but shudder. "Pull it out. It's not dangerous, but I cannot say it will be a pleasant sight."
The dark sorceress is not perturbed by the monstrosity. Startled, certainly, but something so horrifying should have greater effect. Her steady, displeased expression suggests she has weathered things far more frightening before. "This is not what I saw in my vision." Once Vuk is upon the creature, she follows, adjusting the glove of her right hand. Her motion is not that of a warrior, but nonetheless precise and measured in other ways. She moves like a spellcaster, intuitively somatic as she delivers a two-finger prod to the thing's side.
Xenarchy wrinkles her nose and stops, raising a hand in warning. "Hold. I see something in the water. It may be dangerous, so be ready to defend against it." She looks around and frowns. "Roh-Kai, you are the hardiest of us. Keep ahead of us and watch for hostiles. Vuk, we may be walking into an ambush; I want you to watch our surroundings, especially to the rear and sides. Garesh, stay with me and be ready to move to aid in whichever direction the attack comes from." The sorceress waits a moment, thinking, and narrows her eyes at the priest. She gives him no directions and turns back to the task at hand, moving forward.
Xenarchy pauses again and emits a queit hiss of displeasure. "This way. If we do not end this now, it may follow us forever." She indicates toward the marsh west of the blood-stained stump.
Xenarchy stops and frowns. "Alright." She turns to Garesh. "You seem to know what this thing is. How do we put an end to it?"
"Hrm. What a waste. At least for the next hour or so, if the need arises, I can compel myself to do something I wouldn't ordinarily do."
Xenarchy remains alert and agitated. "I cannot see the origin of the intrusion."
Xenarchy blinks and grits her teeth. Immediately, she is up and alert. "Draw your weapons and watch out. Something just tried to seize control of my mind!" She adjusts the glove on her right hand and moves her fingers in arcane paths through the air, incanting a spell upon herself.
The sorceress gains a strange, puzzled expression. Suddenly, she likes herself a lot more than usual but the makeshift barrier against mental intrusion is better than nothing.
Xenarchy sweeps a fallen log with a wave of cleaning magic and sits down on it. "I have no special ability to see in the dark and I am not used to guard duty. In my life before this adventure, I worked as something of a town mystic. Keeping an eye out for ambush was not something I ever expected I'd have to do."
Xenarchy shoots Isaak a glare and sighs exasperatedly, throwing up her arms. "Or perhaps it's the mysterious art of wizardry at work. If we spent some time studying the rates of prophecy amongst women and that amongst those that wield cosmic forces, which group do you think would show the greatest propensity?" She crosses her arms and turns away, changing the topic, "I cannot say, depending on the age of the tomb and how much wear this region has suffered from natural erosion. However, a grand tomb would have required quarrying and a large amount of labour if not made solely by magic. If we can find the surface evidence of earthworks and masonry, we may be able to follow the ancient trails to the tomb itself. I would think that the quarrying and transport of massive stone blocks would leave enough evidence to last the ages."
"I do not know where, but it may be a warning. Be on the lookout for little wild men. They are spriggans, vile, sadistic creatures."
"I had... a premonition. Something. I am not sure." Xenarchy takes a few breaths and calms. The quick succession of painful visions and ambush by spiders was unpleasant. She steps back and looks around at the forest, frowning. "I cannot say if it is something that happened, is happening or will happen, but I saw a fey creature being held down and tortured, in this very forest. I do not like uncertainty and oracular vagueness but this seemed clear. Do any of you know how to find where this might be occurring?" The concern in her voice is quite uncharacteristic. Something about this has unveiled formerly quelled emotions.
"Be glad I have even less chance of hitting either of you than I do this verminous filth.
Even before Vuk stumbles into the spiderweb, Xenarchy tenses and tilts forward. She issues a pained hiss and places a hand on her chest. Quivering, she almost falls to her knees but steadies herself in time to see the spider descend.
Xenarchy scoffs, "We are hardly beasts, for we possess the power to defy nature. They are bound by it."
Xenarchy flicks a few lingering threads of mind-searing light from her fingertips. She approaches the corpses with an easy confidence. "I have suffered nothing save the indignity of having expended energy on mere animals. Nevertheless, it has been some time since I have had a satisfying meal of wild boar. Shall we?"
Xenarchy flexes her gloved hands, strolling casually along the path toward the others. She stops a short distance from the boars and watches them, holding the fingers of her right hand in the first somatic position of a spell.
The sorceress quirks her lips and flexes a free hand. "Agreed. Now that we are aware of them, we can respond appropriately should they assail us but there's no need to expend ourselves on them."
Xenarchy waits and listens as the priest translates. Once he has finsihed, she turns aside and looks out toward the tracks. "Do you believe you are sufficiently capable to deal with an unruly bear? If so, we might be able to follow its path. Hunters in the area will more likely avoid the bear and go after the deer. Do you wish to deal with people or predators?"
Knowledge (nature): Xenarchy watches the shape of the river as the party travels. She pauses in contemplation upon reaching the ruins. "Hmm. I know modern elvish. While I'm not particularly familiar with the ancient language, perhaps I can help Isaak in his translations. At the very least, we may take less time if we work together."
Xenarchy makes a small display of distress when the lookout is killed. She is not used to the idea of killing people. She says nothing of it.
Strength:
Perception:
Xenarchy rests as low as she can in the canoe. "Where?" she whispers in reply, "I can't see him. Besides, I have no long range spells. If anything, I could persuade them we're too dangerous to attack if they get close." She shivers a bit in discomfort when Father Isaac casts his spell.
Xenarchy rolls her eyes. "I'm supposed to approach a fort full of bandits or worse from the forest and ask them nicely? We could just cut a new oar from a good piece of wood." She gestures at the forest. "I do not believe we will want for materials."
Xenarchy frowns and leans back, looking out toward the water. She seems to recognise at least a few of the words the priest speaks to Roh-Kai but makes no sign she comprehended all of what he said to the orc. With a sigh, she turns to Garesh again. "What about you? I know you have some skill at spellcasting, albeit numinous in source. What powers of magic are yours to command?"
Xenarchy gives Isaac a death-glare when he mentions how terrible it would be for her to have gone. "Do you think I got these scars in a kitchen accident, old man?" she says, lowering her hood. Still slightly upset, she answers Garesh's query, "If you must know, I can make people stop in their tracks and gaze vacantly, even while in the heat of combat. If not pressed by hostility, I can cloud the mind to make any mortal believe I am their most trusted friend. This is less reliable with the distraction of open battle. And although the range is short, I can issue forth a spray of light that sears the mind and can blind or incapacitate." Xenarchy shrugs. "And you've already seen me perform some lesser cantrips. Cleaning, warming or chilling food, and so forth. But do not take me to be some housemaid."
Xenarchy looks glum. "Well, that is disappointing."
Xenarchy gives Garesh the glance back. "Are you suggesting it is merely my fantastic bosom that beguiles the unwitting? I am a woman but my skills are my own. I earned them regardless of what organs my conception blessed me with. If you keep thinking women alone are the masters of the tongue, you will be deceived by men. Do not underestimate either sex." She throws this hazardous glance around and catches Father Isaak with it. "And while I am a poor example, do not think all women weak and unskilled at arms. I am sure Roh-Kai could tell you many frightening things about the women of his clan." "Judge each man, woman and whatever else there is by their individual merits and flaws." The sorceress straightens her clothes and tidies her hair once her minor rant is complete. "Hrmph. Now, let's see about these boats. Vuk, you look an able scout. Do you feel you could sneak up and take a count of their numbers and approximate capabilities, then return here undetected?"
Strength:
Xenarchy is okay at the oar, although she'd rather not be doing what she considers arduous work. Her ability with the boat's handling is... below average. What she does do usefully is use her eyes. The witch peers at the distance and raise a hand to shield her eyes. "There, I see something. It looks like a dock and a pair of ships. I can't tell their size but they are definitely larger than ours. If we keep this course, we'll meet them in less than an hour. Should we take to the shore and go over land instead?"
Strength:
Xenarchy is at first reluctant to get into the boat, but does after a bit of preparatory spellcasting, evoking a cantrip to keep her things clean and dry.
Once she's in the boat with Vuk, she is initially uncomfortable with the idea of rowing but eventually manages an even stroke. "I will be glad to be on my own legs again. I always feel strange being moved by something else, even horses and carts. Though this craft is under our control, I feel a prisoner to it." Xenarchy shudders. "Never mind. Shall we continue?" Upon reaching the camping site, a small miracle occurs: Xenarchy actually keeps an eye out. About the same time Vuk speaks, she says "The left - yes, that would be best. The conditions on the right look suitable to support at least one large predator. While we should not have to worry about especially large fish, I fear there may be other things in the water. To the left we go."
The sorceress frowns and holds her chin, speaking to Father Isaak without looking at him, "Do they speak our language?"
Xenarchy shakes her head. "Do not be concerned. The common bandit does not likely understand magic, either. A few harmless tricks might convince them that doom has come upon them. If their hostility is too persistent to be intimidated, we have other tricks. It is not as if all our chances lie with this silly thing," she says, gesturing with the unloaded crossbow.
Xenarchy returns with an actual weapon! It looks like she spent a bit of extra gold getting an artist to add embellishments to it to match her aesthetic. None of this looks like it would make the weapon function any better than a common crossbow. "I do not take joy in swimming, so let's make sure we stay on the boat, shall we? River pirates, we can deal with in a number of ways. While I know I am no marksman," she says, looking over the crossbow, "The pirates are not privy to that knowledge."
Xenarchy spends a while considering this amount of coin given and her first thoughts are of finery. Since this is an expedition into places where garb of the noble courts might not be so useful, she just frowns and sets those plans aside for another time. Xenarchy purchases:
Total spent: 57 gp
Xenarchy presents Roh-Kai with an unfazed grin. "Oh no, I have no plan of speaking to them myself; I do not know the tongue. If you are an examplar of orckind, then it is only right that you be the one to greet them. If need be, make them afraid of you."
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