Thinking it might just be an animal, Ash searches the ground for any tracks. While doing so, and sword in hand, he picks up a sizable rock, looks back at the others, and motions to indicate he's going to throw it.
Crisk whispers as low as he can, "Light spell... stone??"
Vykral
Crisk- you could, but it is late afternoon, not going to do much other than give away your position with the casting. Your call.
Ash- Do you let him Light it? Or just chuck it?
Muscles tensing, I quietly take a pair of shuriken into hand ready to back Ash's play. Since everyone's attention is focused at the front of the group, I am going to take a moment to check to the sides and the back of the group just to make sure we are not all about to be ambushed.
Ash gives Crisk another shrug, as if to say, "Eh," and pitches the stone toward the center of the perceived clearing.
The stone flies true, landing inside the disturbed area with a loud "THONNNNG!!!' as if it hit something metallic. Birds in nearby trees take flight, as do a pair of buzzards and a handful of crows that apparently were on the ground near the point of impact.
Ash turns and looks at the group behind him, a bewildered expression on his face. The lack of any movement, other than the birds, puts him somewhat at ease, and he walks toward the sound.
As Ash' line of sight clears the grass, he is treated to a grisly spectacle: the remains of 5 persons, probably common Rakshasas. They are all dressed alike in a peaked bronze helm, bronze scale vest, and shirts and trousers of flowing purple and orange material. Each bore a bronze faced shield, with an onyx paw print in the center, thrusting spears, and short swords at their waists. All are dead, as evidenced by their lack of eyeballs due to the birds handiwork. They appear to have been ambushed and slain very quickly, as their packs are still on their backs. The bodies are beginning to putrefy in the hot jungle sun....
"Ugh. Take a look," Ash calls out as he waves the others over.
"Careful Ash, I say still keeping a distance between the bodies and myself, "if these Rakshasas were slain by the same manner of creature that spawned the one we faced back in the village, their stillness may be a ruse."
@ Daiwik
Crisk
"It doesn't look like any undead dead this unless they are using swords and spears, I think we should search them, they look fully geared...."
"These were Pacha Bosh's soliders," I say softly, "Mahuman, did you have knowledge that his soliders were dispatched to this area?"
"We should bury them," I say with quiet reverence as I begin to say last rites over the bodies to usher them behind the veil into the court of The Unbeheld.
Dram wades in and starts checking over the bodies for any useful information or equipment.
@ Daiwik
@ Crisk
A thorough search of the bodies turns up:
5 lg bronze shields
5 scale mail vests (treat as chain shirt) and helms
4 Spears
4 Short swords
4 curved daggers
5 backpacks, each containing
-5 days rations (mostly dried meat)
-5 waterskins
-5 bedrolls
-5 50' ropes
-2 hand axes
-1 shovel
-1 bronze pot
-3 friction fire starters (look like small bows)
-2 mirrors
the odd man out was equipped differently. Same armor and shield, mostly same pack contents, but:
Silver Spear
Scimitar
Curved dagger, MW
Map case
5 vials of a silvery fluid in a special felt carrying case.
The map case contains a map of the local area and written orders. Anyone speak Infernal?
Ash gives a look around, trying to find a sign of what might have happened here, hopefully before everyone else contaminates the scene.
@ Dram
"Follow river southward to mines. Establish base camp and patrol for Revenants. If encountered, do not engage, but follow back to point of origin. Use of boats during raids argues for offshore site, but could also be using boats as a diversion. Use Silversheen ONLY to escape capture to return with information.
Captain Yrell"
Ash
Dram quickly relates the entire contents of the orders. "I think we just found what we have been looking for. I strongley suggust we return to the village and wait for our back up, while protecting the village."
Crisk mumbles a few words over the equipment
@ Crisk
"I agree with Dram, and I'm happy to report that a short term solution to our undead problem is at hand... these vials are SilverSheen we can coat our weapons with these and they will harm the undead like they are silver... they dont last long though... I suggest those of you that favor weapons instead of force of mind to take one just in case..."
Getting up from a crouch, Ash informs the group that it looks like the soldiers were ambushed, but it's difficult to tell more that that. Accepting the Silversheen, he continues, "Should we continue on to the mine first? Regardless, I agree that we should set up camp and hold position until we figure out a little more about what's going on here. The Pascha sent troops to deal with the undead, and the boats refer to our landing, but what about the raiders we're here to counter?"
"I would prefer not to camp here amongst the dead."
After interring the bodies, the party resumes it's trek. The sun is getting lower in the western sky, casting a golden light across the jungle. A subtle change occurs in the brush, as daytime creatures seek shelters, and night time ones stretch and shake off the drowsy day.
Mahuman has sent a couple of his guards ahead to notify the mine over seers of your impending arrival, and they are awaiting you as you come into a clearing by the river. The dense undergrowth has been hacked and burnt back, leaving only a few tall trees standing in front of a steep hill. A gaping black maw mars the side of the hill, and a trail of rock shards forms a path to the rivers bank. Several simple shelters (raised bamboo platforms with thatched roofs and woven grass walls) stand next to a group of multi-carrier baskets. They each have a roughly oval wooden frame with rope wrapped handles projecting off either end, and a basket woven from sturdy grasses hanging beneath. They appear to hold about 100-150 pounds of stones each, making them a reasonable, if not comfortable, carry for 2. They are stacked high with amethyst, in chunks and geodes. Approximately 3-4 dozen Naga laborers are milling about, shutting down the days operations.
After the party sets down it's packs and has a chance to get some water, etc, Mahuman motions to Dram to join him out of the earshot of the others....
Dram follows Mahuman. "Sorry about being a little less than tactful earlier."
Mahuman leans in to Dram and speaks in a low voice
As the tropical night begins to fall, full throated bird calls resound through the forest. A light mist rises from the cool waters of the river, and the moon less night lies ahead.
Most of the workers depart the mine, using the same path the party traveled. There is a fire pit, with a pot of guinea pig and yam stew bubbling away. As you all settle around the fire, Mahuman asks "How will you face these demons? What plans will you make?"
Feeling a sense of ease from the calls of the birds and trusting their senses to alert me, I turn my focus inward and engage my mind to the prospect of an attack. Surveying the clearing that encompasses the camp, my posture shrinks a bit as I realize how vulnerable this position is.
"Should they come upon us now with sufficient numbers, we are at a great disadvantage," I say in a barely audible voice, "however, one can gain insight from studying battles of the past. I recall tale of the exploits of a small group of dedicated warriors who held off a superior force through use of the land. Applying that to our situation, I see few advantageous positions; however, the entrance to the mine appears to be an exception. Should they come at us in numbers, we can retreat there to limit the advantage their numbers provide."
Musing on the nature of these creatures, I say, "I am an initiated in the mysteries of The Ninefold Veil which obscure the face of The Unbeheld from the sight of the world. It is the revelation of The First Veil that illuminates to us the flow of energy in all living things... their animus. Priests who pierce the first veil learn to channel that vital force and that was one of the first lessons that I learned as a youth. Perhaps, we can call upon that to suppress the unnatural force that drives these creatures causing their ne-animus - their, anti life, if you will - to behave erratically or perhaps even sever the flow of ."
Dram goes from companion to companion whispering his new found knowledge.
In a whisper that's almost a hiss I say to Dram, "You work for such a man?? Collecting myself a bit and in a much more controlled tone, "Do we have a way of verifying his story? Are there any people that can be trusted in this army of yours?"
In a whisper that's almost a hiss I say to Dram, "You work for such a man?? Collecting myself a bit and in a much more controlled tone, "Do we have a way of verifying his story? Are there any people that can be trusted in this army of yours?"
As the evening draws close around the camp fire, Vykral sings small songs of bravery in the face of certain death. After she finishes one shanty, Mahuman asks "So, what will you do? The creatures will most likely come again tonight. If the stones are stolen again, I fear for the safety of my village."
"If we are certain they are going to come, I for one would like to be in a more defensible position..." "What do you guys think of setting up in the cave, that way we only have to defend 2 directions?"
"Sounds like a good idea to me. Has the undead ever been known to go into the caves or come from the caves?"