The Light is Fading IC

[Athaleon]

"I'll take the last watch," Damiel volunteered. "Who's with me?" Even as he asked, he was already rolling out his bedroll and gnawing on a strip of dried meat.

[dancrilis]

Svisyrra

With night set and the village scouted every way that had easilly presented itself to her - albeith slower than had she encountered helpful insects earlier - she was about ready to roost for the night when she got the smell of horse, tiredness fought with pragmatism for a bit but in the end pragmatism won out and she flew high out of spell range to confirm a rider - a lone horse without a horseman might be worth talking to the following day, but a horseman would be better dealt with by the others.

Letting her Roc know it would be better flying high and sleeping in the air she than, considering her options own options and decided her flight was done so she went to the door of the shelter reverted to human form and knocked to get in - her nights activities hopefully done.

Spoiler

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Stealth: (1d20+10)[26] (including small size and dex bonus for vulture)

[DaOldeWolf]

With the inn at least partially fortified, Isabella pulls Amanaki aside and says,
"You seemed versed in the... arcane arts. I gathered some flesh from the troll, as well as some of the food from barrels and some odd gems from the trolls stomach. I wanted to investigate them, and though I understand divine magic, I imagine you know more about the arcane than I do. Will you help me?"

"I would love assist in the research of such objects. As a matter of fact, I was also hoping for the same. I found some flasks containing some kind of substance. I believe that if we take half and half of the flasks, we might be able to cover all the basis in the research of such objects." Amanaki suggests to Isabella.

[HerbertWest]

Lapis is quite for a time, but despite the stares her reaction (or her ears) got her, she gets to work helping fortify the place, making special sur eher mare is tended to for the evening, only looking relaxed once things have died down.

Without eavesdropping, she watches Robert speak with the caravan master and in a few moments following the end of the discussion, she is by his side once more, looking up at him evenly.

"Humor me, sir paladin: what's the next step come the morrow?:

After guiding Reis off into the fortified building, Robert turns his attention to Lapis. He looks down at her, and if he has any reaction to her appearance, it doesn't show outwardly on his face. Instead, his brow arches in surprise at her question, before his brow becomes knit with concern as he ponders a response to her question. He speaks quietly, not trying to alert the caravan travelers or "staff" to his line of thought.

"Well, it appears we have a few options, all with their own merit and flaw. Firstly, we could continue on to Kison. That would allow the rider and his minions ample time to escape, but it would not leave the caravan unguarded. Our second option would be to let the caravan travel to Kison on its own, and those who wish to stay behind can try to track down the mystery, and the culprit, behind Lerest's assault. Personally, I believe the second option to be best, but I have reservations about leaving these people to their own defenses with such formidable foes on the loose in the area."

Almost as an afterthought, the adherent of Solarion adds on, "But of course, everyone here is free to do as they please. I am not in command of anyone here."

"I'll take the last watch," Damiel volunteered. "Who's with me?" Even as he asked, he was already rolling out his bedroll and gnawing on a strip of dried meat.

As Damiel asks about the watches, Robert responds to him, turning his gaze away from their smaller companion.

"I have already volunteered to stay up for the first watch, myself. I don't believe I could sleep at the moment, as it were."

[Bryconium]

Thank you Amanaki. Those flasks also sound interesting. We should see what we can glean before we sleep."
Turning to the rest of the group, she says,
I agree that we can't let our culprit escape. It seems to me that despite his bravado he seemed at best unsure about our appearance. I'll take one of the middle watches, as I don't need a full eight hours."

[tonberryking]

Lapis rubs the bottom of her chin, pondering Robert's words.

"Unless that rider was headed for Kison." she says in a low voice only he can hear.

"I don't like the idea of heading off into the unknown wild looking for him, and not because I'm worried about my 'sterling' reputation. We have an obligation to see these folks to their destination, unless they start entertaining the notion we're going to turn on them.. and even then..."

She spends a moment thinking. "I still want to know what happened to the townsfolk. Maybe the morning will shed some light, but even the entire village up and leaving would leave a trail, and I don't think they could get very far. Do you think Reis would be willing to stay here an extra day? We could possibly search the local area for a trace of them and if we find something, we deal with it, and if not.. we move on."

[Henry the 57th]

As Svisyrra flies south, towards Kison, she holds high in the air, allowing the still-present mist to do some of the work in concealing her. Following the scent of horse, it doesn't take her long to realize that the direction it takes is roughly straight along the road. Keeping a sharp eye out and following her enhanced nose, she flies south for perhaps half an hour before she finally spots something. Far below her, trotting down the dirt road a moderate pace, are three horses bearing riders bedecked in full plate armor. At this close range she can smell the faint tinge of worn steel and fresh blood on their persons, though no scent of decay. The riders are due north, towards Lerest, in no apparent hurry.

_________________

"I'll accompany the good sir Robert on first watch," Giron says, a little bit forcefully. "My brother here," he indicates the other sellsword, "will be on the middle one. That leaves just one more on early morning watch. So who wants to get up early?" He squints, looking around a bit. "And does anyone know where the damned druid wandered off to?"

[dancrilis]

Svisyrra

She considered engaging them but she was alone, suspected they were not truely hostile, not best at handling diplomacy, and most importantly tired - had they been clearly hostile she might have done differently but she was not really one for introspection.

Wheeling about she returned to the village and landed near the shelter the others were at, knocking her spear against the door to alert them to her presence - many were likely asleep by now and she intended to also be shortly.

[DaOldeWolf]

"I need to sleep at least 8 hours to fully recover my energies to cast plus one more hour of preparation." Amanaki replies knowing he needed the sleep and he wasn't the best guard. He also wanted to rest to start analyzing the new items that Isabella gave him. He then went to sleep.

[Bryconium]

Isabella prepares herself to rest, sliding her cot in a corner to have a good view of everyone in the room, especially the caravan guards. As she curls up under her coat, she holds an arrow tightly, wanting to keep a weapon close at hand should anything start up.

[tonberryking]

"I'll just take second watch, then." lapis calls out to the others, amid a pause in her conversation with Robert.

[Athaleon]

Damiel didn't wait to hear who was on last watch, as he was already stretched out on his bedroll and dozing. His sword lay by his side in its scabbard, and his head was propped up on one of his satchels as a makeshift pillow.

[Henry the 57th]

Everyone settles slowly in for the night, mentally and physically drained after a long day filled with travel and trauma. As far as deserted inns in a sacked village go, this one isn't so bad. It was clearly meant to hold at least a decent number of guests, a rarity in these times, and that means beds with actual mattresses made of straw, a firepit for cooking, and even a pair of rare wooden tubs with now-lukewarm water for cleansing oneself in. A few of the caravaneers choose to avail themselves of the latter but most, already quite weary, instead simply flop down on their bedrolls or some of the inn's own bedding and quickly fall asleep.

Outside, as Robert and Giron keep a careful watch, the fog enshrouding silent Lerest slowly but surely begins to lift as the wind arrives from the west, pushing it away. Finally, a few of the brighter stars overhead are visible in addition to the twin moons. It is hard to describe a village that has just seen its entire population apparently spirited away by the undead as peaceful, but those two on first watch could be tempted to do exactly that. Beyond the faint chirping of mating insects, the night is quiet and still, with no further monsters coming forth to do battle. For a time, the watch is ordinary, almost boring, to the point where the less disciplined or paranoid would be tempted to nod off themselves.

However, perhaps an hour into first watch, when all save Robert and Giron themselves have faded away into slumber, the peaceful night is disturbed by the clopping sound of horse hooves coming from the south, down the central road straight through the village. As the two of you hurry to get an angle to watch, the noise gets closer, and you can hear the faint sound of voices, three of them, speaking to one another in a high, melodious language that seems to soothe the ears. It doesn't take long before three horsemen are visible through the mist, each an armored humanoid riding a powerful-looking destrier.

Spoiler: Robert

Show

They're a little far away, but you recognize the language the three are speaking as Celestial.

[dancrilis]

Svisyrra

It was late when she arrived and she was tired from scouting and flying for a lot of the night, she broadly ignored the mercenary but looked at the paladin for a glance - "I'm tired so sleeping now, don't bother me. Information - I have scouted this area, there were around four times the amount of the undead including another troll - they came from the north - as did we, and went northeast towards the Wyrmspine Mountains with carts" she took a slight breath, "this town is empty no one is hidden away but is - very confident on that". Focusing on him more so so that he would pay attention "three armed and armoured horsemen are on the way from the south, not undead, have recently been in combat - fresh blood on them".

Walking off with barely a look back "sleeping now, don't bother me" she repeated, she found a room and slept almost immediately curled up like a hamster on the bed.

[HerbertWest]

Everyone settles slowly in for the night, mentally and physically drained after a long day filled with travel and trauma. As far as deserted inns in a sacked village go, this one isn't so bad. It was clearly meant to hold at least a decent number of guests, a rarity in these times, and that means beds with actual mattresses made of straw, a firepit for cooking, and even a pair of rare wooden tubs with now-lukewarm water for cleansing oneself in. A few of the caravaneers choose to avail themselves of the latter but most, already quite weary, instead simply flop down on their bedrolls or some of the inn's own bedding and quickly fall asleep.

Outside, as Robert and Giron keep a careful watch, the fog enshrouding silent Lerest slowly but surely begins to lift as the wind arrives from the west, pushing it away. Finally, a few of the brighter stars overhead are visible in addition to the twin moons. It is hard to describe a village that has just seen its entire population apparently spirited away by the undead as peaceful, but those two on first watch could be tempted to do exactly that. Beyond the faint chirping of mating insects, the night is quiet and still, with no further monsters coming forth to do battle. For a time, the watch is ordinary, almost boring, to the point where the less disciplined or paranoid would be tempted to nod off themselves.

However, perhaps an hour into first watch, when all save Robert and Giron themselves have faded away into slumber, the peaceful night is disturbed by the clopping sound of horse hooves coming from the south, down the central road straight through the village. As the two of you hurry to get an angle to watch, the noise gets closer, and you can hear the faint sound of voices, three of them, speaking to one another in a high, melodious language that seems to soothe the ears. It doesn't take long before three horsemen are visible through the mist, each an armored humanoid riding a powerful-looking destrier.

Spoiler: Robert

Show

They're a little far away, but you recognize the language the three are speaking as Celestial.

Robert had not spoken much to his watch companion, not out of a dislike for Giron, but to concentrate on the events of the day. The paladin reflected upon the events that had transpired upon their arrival to Lerest, trying to piece together what glimpses of the common threads he could. Mostly, his thoughts went to the appearance of the undead, and the look upon Reis' face upon learning the fate of Lerest. The sorrowful events replayed in his mind over and over, before the sound of hooves broke the man from his spell. Those thoughts fled from his active consciousness, sinking down to the catacombs of his mind with the rest of the traumatic events he had witnessed in his time.

Robert stood up straighter, pushing off of the wall of the inn he had been leaning against. His left hand went to the hilt of his great sword, expecting another fight on his hands. Looking over at Giron, Robert spoke with insistence, "Go wake the others! More riders approach!" Hearing the language they conversed in piqued his curiosity further. Typically, scoundrels and devotees of wicked powers could not stand the feel of Heaven's speech upon their tongues, which alleviated his suspicions to a degree, while confusing him even further. Robert raises his right hand in the form of a hail, anxiously awaiting what would come next.

[Bryconium]

Isabella quickly springs to her feet, prepared for trouble. As she wakes up she sees Robert standing openly, seeing to be hailing something. She grabs her bow and slides into the darkness, keeping her eyes and ears open for what Robert noticed.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth:(1d20+13)[16] Perception:(1d20+11)[17]

[Henry the 57th]

Giron nods quickly at Robert's request, slipping away with an obviously practiced soundlessness. He moves quickly from bed to bedroll and back again, starting with his brother, then the fighters proven against the undead, then Reis, then those caravaneers who might plausibly take up arms. He gives nothing in the way of explanation, simply pointing to the side where Robert and Isabella are standing with a finger held over his lips for silence.

Meanwhile, outside the three horsemen pause some distance from the fortified inn. Their voices drop slightly and there is a brief conversation in that same melodious language, and some brief harsher inflections suggesting some kind of argument. At last, one of the three draws a langsword from its scabbard and holds it high. At some muttered command it begins to shine gold and white, with all the force of a torch in the dark. The eyes of everyone looking are briefly stung, taking a moment to adjust to the sudden illumination. That horseman rides forward, alone, with the other two seeming to fade back into the darkness behind the shining blade.

The horseman halts at least a hundred feet from the inn, longsword still held high, and calls out in a steady and obviously male voice.

"I come on behalf of Kison seeking the people of Lerest and instead I find this. Who yet lives and what has become of this place? Answer at once, for many lives may yet be at stake."

Spoiler: Robert

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Make a Knowledge (Religion) check.

Spoiler: Isabella

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Make a Knowledge (Local or Religion) check. Your choice.

[Bryconium]

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20+8)[23] +3 if this qualifies for monster lore, which it probably doesn't.

[Henry the 57th]

Spoiler: Isabella

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You recognize the language that they're speaking in as Celestial, and recall that that tongue is frequently used as a code by paladin orders based in Kison, of which there are several. Also, you can make out a half-radiance engraved into the pommel of the man's sword, which is a popular symbol for worshipers of Solarion.

Also, you recall that the city does like to send paladins around to farming communities it trades with every so often to check up on them and keep the roads clear. It does need the food. It's not uncommon for them to be worshipers of different gods, to promote camaraderie between former mortal enemies.

[HerbertWest]

"I come on behalf of Kison seeking the people of Lerest and instead I find this. Who yet lives and what has become of this place? Answer at once, for many lives may yet be at stake."

Spoiler: Robert

Show

Make a Knowledge (Religion) check.

Spoiler: Isabella

Show

Make a Knowledge (Local or Religion) check. Your choice.

Robert squints his eyes at the sudden brightness of the blade, taking his hand slowly off of the hilt of his great sword as the rider seems interested in parley instead of violence, at least for now. Looking up to the rider, he responds with the haste befitting the situation.

"No inhabitants of Lerest still remain. We are a group of travelers headed for Kison come the dawn, and we arrived to a dark rider and his undead host occupying the village. We destroyed his minions, but the rider escaped."

Spoiler: Rolls

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Knowledge: Religion: (1d20+6)[11]

[Bryconium]

Relief floods Isabella as she recognizes the riders from Kison. She almost steps out to greet them, but refrains, remaining hidden in the shadows. Many of her fellows had died at the hands of enemies posing as friends, and she wasn't going to become another statistic. Better to let the paladin handle them for now, as they are supposedly of the same order.

[tonberryking]

Upon being roused, an unarmored Lapis kicks the Inn's door open, brandishing her two swords again. She had just gotten to sleep and was obviously expecting someone more sinister calling so late in the night. She's still on her guard, however...

"It's as the paladin said; we came upon an empty village save for undead intruders and an unknown horseman leading them. Who are you, from Kison, to arrive so illustriously?

[Henry the 57th]

The horseman listens to Robert and Lapis in silence, his face-covering helm obscuring any reactions he might be having. He continues to hold his sword aloft like a torch the entire, showing no difficulty in keeping the heavy weapon raised while encased in plate armor.

"A necromancer? Striking at Kison's very front gate? Dire news indeed." He pauses, seeming to mull. "But under the circumstances you'll forgive me if I don't just take your word for it. Come out where I can see you and tell me all that you know of what happened here. Perhaps it is not too late to mount a pursuit."

Spoiler: Robert

Show

You recognize the symbol of a half-radiance engraved on this man's sword pommel, a popular symbol with the followers of Solarion.

[HerbertWest]

The horseman listens to Robert and Lapis in silence, his face-covering helm obscuring any reactions he might be having. He continues to hold his sword aloft like a torch the entire, showing no difficulty in keeping the heavy weapon raised while encased in plate armor.

"A necromancer? Striking at Kison's very front gate? Dire news indeed." He pauses, seeming to mull. "But under the circumstances you'll forgive me if I don't just take your word for it. Come out where I can see you and tell me all that you know of what happened here. Perhaps it is not too late to mount a pursuit."

Spoiler: Robert

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You recognize the symbol of a half-radiance engraved on this man's sword pommel, a popular symbol with the followers of Solarion.

Robert approaches without reservation or delay; the nobleman almost offended by the rider's distrust of his word. The paladin stops at the right side of the rider's horse, showing that he is willing to bear an attack by the other knights to prove his own honor in this situation. He holds his hands before him in a parade rest position upon his belt; his left hand over his right, hands folded over his belt buckle. Looking up to the horseman, Robert's eyes finally adjust to the light of the man's longsword. He speaks to the man with honest purpose, his figure and visage revealed within the light of the blinding sword, in an attempt to move his suspicions from their honest group to the dark rider's host and motivations.

"I stand before you in the full light of our Lord Solarion, willing to receive both your judgment and his. May the Father of Justice guide our paths this night."

Spoiler: Rolls

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Diplomacy: (1d20+11)[28]

[dancrilis]

Svisyrra

She cracked an eye when someone entered to let her know the horsemen had arrived but didn't move - she needed her sleep and if a conflict broke out she would likely hear it and could act than.

[Bryconium]

Isabella will hold her position, it's the safer course of action.

[Henry the 57th]

The horseman's helmeted head tracks Robert carefully as he approaches, the shining sword in his hands never wavering an inch. When the paladin gets close, he stares directly down at him, listening intently to his words. Again, his helm makes it very difficult to tell how exactly the man is reacting, but he seems to be subtly nodding along to Robert's words. When he finishes, the horseman takes a few seconds to mull it over in silence, the only motion a few errant moths fluttering about his blade. Finally, he nods and sheathes his sword, the glow fading away even as he does.

"May He indeed, brother." The horseman sighs a little wearily. "Do you have any civilians in there? Are there any injured in need of aid? Do you believe your band can make it safely to the city yourselves? The road between here and there has just been cleared. If so, then tell me at once which way this horseman departed. A pursuit must be mounted before the trail goes cold."

[Athaleon]

Damiel woke with a start as Lapis kicked the door open, and went for his sword before he realized they weren't under attack. He listened to the proceedings with relief as he realized aid had arrived.

[DaOldeWolf]

Spoiler

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Going to keep Amanaki sleeping. The guy would be pretty useless if he isnt capable of casting.

[HerbertWest]

"May He indeed, brother." The horseman sighs a little wearily. "Do you have any civilians in there? Are there any injured in need of aid? Do you believe your band can make it safely to the city yourselves? The road between here and there has just been cleared. If so, then tell me at once which way this horseman departed. A pursuit must be mounted before the trail goes cold."

"We do have civilians, and can make it Kison from here on our own. Not all of us have mounts, and thus could not assist in the pursuit. What can we do to aid you, other than protecting these civilians on their way on to Kison? The rider rode off between those two buildings there, and we have not seen him since."

Robert gestures between the two buildings that the rider rode off through, his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness once again now that the other paladin's sword was sheathed.