Spirit of the Season
Log Info
- Title: Spirit of the Season
- GM: Subduction
- Place: Alexandros
The air is still as death as the adventurers trek their way towards a tollhouse not far from where these bodies have been showing up. Scant information is available to them- besides the terror writ on the victims faces, and the fact that no soul was able or willing to answer when clerics attempted to speak with them. Fog as thick as soup clings to the road and even the ever-burning lanterns every hundred feet or so have a hard time burning back the cloying damp. Sounds are muted by the fog, and the silhouettes of trees beginning to shed their leaves for the autumn make strange, crooked shapes.
The tollhouse looms large, at a fork in the road, well lit with lanterns, windows glowing with the warm light of fireplaces. An inviting sight standing defiant of the dreary weather.
Waiting for the party is a patrol captain, one of Alexandria's finest charged with keeping the trade routes safe from brigands and beasts. She's an ursine woman, broad and square-jawed, Jotun stock by her impressive height. Dark hair worn in an array of braids which spill from her pot helmet, well maintained but well used chainmail adorning her, and a bec-de-corbin tucked under one arm, propping her up as she leans in the entryway of the tollhouse. She raises a hand in silent greeting as the adventurers draw near.
GAME: Harkashan casts Light. Caster Level: 11 DC: 17 GAME: Harkashan casts Magic Vestment. Caster Level: 11 DC: 20 GAME: Eztli casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 9 DC: 16
Harkashan's expression is firm and steeled as the group steps through the area. The still air scraping past his scales as each step has his tail sway ever so slightly. The jingle of the jewel between his horns is sharp against the quiet and fog of this place - lit by the power of simple cleric magic. His heavy armor clings to him as they approach the tollhouse, while Harkashan glances at the trees leaning in towards them, as if their branches wished to aid the eeriness of this situation.
Getting closer, Harkashan lifts his hand as well.
"Peace upon your nest. The Fog is heavy today. Is it always this bad in this region?" Harkashan inquires, being used to foggy days within the Am'shere jungles. But since in some places, it is considered an omen, he believes it wise to ask.
"I am Deathsinger Harkashan." He then rumbles an introduction. "We were asked for."
Andelena Donnelly, dressed in her Sunguard gear and her white cloak of Daeus about her, gives a friendly wave to the patrol captain as she goes with the group. The Sunguard's keeping a careful eye on her surroundings, wary as always of everyone and anyone that might approach them.
"Dead ain't even willing to speak when clerics talk," she murmurs. "I don't like the sound of that horseshit one bit. Really fuckin' don't."
She looks over her shoulder at the rest of her adventuring party. "Let's get some justice for the dead, yeah?" she asks, particularly giving a nod to Harkashan. It must be even more disturbing for a Vardaman to be here in this situation.
Well, suddenly dead travellers was more than a bit concerning to say the very least. And an important job to see to, so the small makari was wandering along with the rest of them." I hope this doesn't have anything to do with that wyvern-knight ghost we found in the felwood, but that seemed more self contained." They sigh. "You're right, if they aren't talking to clerics, I don't like that one bit. Might mean their souls aren't where they should be, and that's nasty business."
Where matters of strange deaths and lost souls make themselves known, it is not uncommon for Vardamites to follow. And where Harkashan goes, often times Rune is somewhere in the cleric's wake. However, it seems like the prospect of the particular issue they are facing may have the rogue more than a little unsettled.
The half-sil walks a few steps behind, her hood up, her body posture tense, and her expression more than a little wary as her blue eyes look in all directions, already looking for signs of trouble.
"Sounds like the sort of bullshit that comes from someone fucking with the dead. Necromancers, liches, who knows what other kind of weird magical fuckery." She and Andelena seem to be of the same mind, there. Folding her arms over her chest, she quiets, leaving the others to the more vocal role with their contact, at least for the time being.
"And upon yours." The captain answers Harkashan. "At this time of year? It is not uncommon, no." she says then. "But I do not like it one bit. Hard to see what is coming, on days like this." she stands up straighter at the introduction. "Captain Bahar." she introduces her own self in turn. "My charge is from this toll house to the next, on the border." she explains. "And it is here that the bodies have been turning up." she adds, with a bitter grimace. Plain to see she's rankled by what she sees as her failing.
"We have been patrolling the road by night, but whatever is doing this has evaded us. No sign of it remains when we find the bodies. No tracks, no blood, no broken branches or torn brush. It is something evil, this much I know. What manner of evil, I do not." she explains. "Three of my men were killed by it most recently. One disguised as a traveller, and the others following in secret. They were trained fighters, all, and yet they never even had a chance to draw their blades."
A gauntletted hand moves to rub the side of her face, slipping under the helm a moment, and then she heaves a sigh. "I do not like being outmatched, but I would be a fool to think I am not. Whatever this thing is, it hunts a crossroads, marked by the Watchman- a great standing stone- a bit more than a mile north of here." she explains.
There's this deep rumble of Harkashan's voice when Andelena mentions the situation the victims are in. Justice for the dead has him lower his head in this heavy and meaningful motion.
"No broken branches, no torn bush, no blood... that suggest something that can fly or hover." Harkashan rumbles. "But I agree that whatever this is, it is some manner of evil." He huffs and touches his hands to his hips for a moment. Talk of the men not even having seen what was coming has him looking to Rune. "We'll need to be extra perceptive then." He notes, before looking back to the Captain and he touches a hand to her shoulder after approaching.
"My condolences for your loss, Captain Bahar. We'll take it from here. Can you tell us anything about events leading up to this? Or did it just start out of the blue? Anything you know about the victims -- or any damage to the standing stone?"
GAME: Harkashan rolls Diplomacy: (3)+18: 21
"Death from above," Andelena mutters, not liking it at all. "Gods damn it. I'll have to figure out a way to fly one way or another, huh." That's a terrifying thought. Flying Sunguards.
At least it's not bacon grease and naked men.
She sighs, running a hand through her somewhat messy waves of red hair. "Well, no use crying over that. I'm with Hark here. Any information you can give us at all will be helpful in a major way."
The description of just how the bodies were found has Rune pressing her lips together tightly, likely trying to determine what they might be missing. "We were told that there were no obvious injuries, either. I imagine a creature making off with someone into the air would have left some kind of marks."
Brows furrowed, she briefly looks to Harkashan and Andelena, knowing that their roles to their respective gods makes them mor elikely to have some idea of just what might be out there in the night. "Maybe something with a gaze ability? Though I've never heard of anything that can kill someone that quickly without them even being able to draw a weapon."
Rune will not have that problem. Her hand reaches back for one of her blades. You know, just to be on the safe side.
Eztli sighs, and the small makari shakes her head a few times. "Could be some manner of spirit, or something. Guess it's up to us to make sure no one else is dying to this, though. If it's undead, I'd like it gone."
"I've got a spell that I could use in case they're invisible, should cover things for a bit over an hour, if we need. But it can't cover everyone, and maybe I should use it on someone that can see a bit better."
The woman clasps her hand over the reassuring pat on the shoulder and gives a nod of her head in gratitude for the condolences. "It started suddenly, we found the first body a bit less than a week ago. Since then, four more, not including my men." she says. "Each of them was the same- their faces twisted into... horror, is the only way I can describe it. And dead without a struggle. It is as though they were simply scared to death. We brought a cleric in to speak with them, but no soul answered the call." she thinks on the standing stone for a moment, and then shakes her head. "It is ancient, covered in moss and crumbling, but it has been just as ancient since long before I was born." she offers.
The woman adds, after a moment, "Whatever is doing this, it only does this by night. None have gone missing during the day."
GAME: Andelena rolls Knowledge/Religion: (9)+10: 19 GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Religion+2: (2)+16+2: 20 GAME: Eztli rolls knowledge/arcana: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (18)+5: 23
"So far, we do not have a lot to go by. This seems Necromantic in nature, and incorporeal. This could be very dangerous for us." He expresses to the group, crossing his arms for a moment with a concerned look. He glances towards Rune in that moment, considering her especially. To resist spells of this nature is difficult.
"We may wish to investigate the stone during the day, instead of going at this during the night. Get an idea of the area, and ensure we have the right spells going into this. Because if we are dealing with something that can slay and possess people, this is going to be exceptionally difficult to deal with. Especially if we do not have weapons and spells prepared to deal with the incorporeal and the invisible."
He looks to Eztli. She had mentioned having ways to see the invisible. But will that be enough?
Worry is clearly written all over his face.
"Incorporeal shit. Nice." Andelena scratches at the side of her face. "Invisible is even harder. Well, fuck me sideways..."
She seems to consider things for a moment. And then she shrugs. "Well. They never said anything worth doing would be easy, and we gotta put those threatening the innocent down to rest so the innocent can't be troubled no more. I'll do what I can. But I ain't a miracle worker. Yet."
She looks around. "I can bring out daylight if needed, but just once," she says in response to Harkashan's plan.
A slight shiver runs up Rune's spine at the idea of a death in which a soul can no longer answer. She rubs some of the goosebumps on her forearms away on her leathers and tries to shake off the worst of the sensation by shifting from foot to foot. However, she catches Harkashan's look and quickly stills. Maybe, just mabye, she doesn't like feeling like the weak link.
However, there are certain things that she has to admit as soon as talk of invisible or incorporeal creatures is mentioned. "I'll throw it out there. I don't have any methods of dealing with either invisible or incorporeal."
"I don't know how we're going to deal with it, honestly." Eztli admits. "Investigating the place when it's day might be a good start, so we can figure out what we're actually dealing with, and maybe make a plan."
"Really wishing I had something to deal with ghosts and things like that better though, they don't burn particularly well." The small makari sighs. "You've got magic daggers, you can probably still stab them, if it comes to it."
The woman nods her head once more, "For the time being, we have given instructions here and at the border gatehouse to warn travellers against making the journey by night." she tells the party. "Hopefully, it will be enough. If you wish to investigate the marker, it is hard to miss. But if you have a map, I can mark it for you." she offers. She'll do as she offers for anyone who proffers a map, before continuing.
"You are welcome to stay here at the toll house while you work on this. There are bunks upstairs, and simple fare to eat, but little in the way of luxury I am afraid." she offers. "I will be here for now, in the morning I will walk the road to the northern toll house, but I will be returning here the day after."
Harkashan explains, "I have a spell that can make them at least semi-corporeal. Making them be fully targettable by people wielding magic and magical weapons. But I would need to meditate on the Death Singing Dragon." He explains. "I also have ways to make the Invisible Visible in an area. But again, I do not have that gift today."
He indeed has a map on him, so he offers it to the guard captain. Offering his appreciation for her assistance. He then nods to the rest of the group. "Let us make better preparations. Perhaps a quick teleportation to Alexandria to pick up some Deathward potions from the Deathsingers' church." He looks to Eztli. "I am willing to foot that bill if needed."
He then lets out a sigh. "For now, let's investigate the stone. See what we can figure out. If it attacks, we can run. But there's various things I can do if the stone is at the center of this."
"Yeah, I'm not prepared today, either--I'd have to ask it of the Knight with the dawn's prayers," Andelena says. But she gives Harkashan a motion like 'don't worry about me'. "I can prepare my own death ward casting with the dawn's prayers too."
She nods heavily at the notion of investigating the stone. "Let's go fuck around with a rock, yeah?" she asks the group. "If it bites us, then I'll fuck it up."
At the very least, Rune doesn't feel entirely alone in her lack of having something that directly works against those sort of enemies. Her lip does manage to quirk slightly, though, nodding to Eztli, "Anything is stabbable if you try hard enough." This may very well be the rogue mantra.
Then, with it obvious that the magic users might also have trouble with their current god-granted magic, Rune takes a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh. "Looks like we may very well need to spend a couple of days here, then."
Then, with a nod, the rogue seems to agree with investigating the stone as a starting place. "Yeah. Let's check it out. Worst case, I imagine it wouldn't be too bad to hole up for a night and let you all do your magic requesting with your gods."
"I think we may need the time to prepare, unfortunately. I just hope people will be heeding the necessary warnings in that time." Eztli sighs. "But at the same time, I couldn't bear to think of getting any of my friends killed because I was impatient to get this done, either."
"Just make sure your patrols account for any potential delays, too. We're going to get this done miss, so don't get yourself hurt before then. But you have to be cautious dealing with anything like this."
Night passes without issue at the Tollhouse, the men stationed here are rather grim but there are ill things afoot- at least it makes for a peaceful night. Supper is taken in the common room, and the adventurers are shown to bunks- basic, threadbare affairs in a long single room, but servicable enough. There's even a small shrine appointed, though not dedicated to any one deity, and some of the guardsmen are pious enough to offer evening and morning prayers.
During the night, a small band arrives- a merchant and two hired swords. They heed the warnings, and make camp under the protection of the tollhouse. In the pre-dawn gloam, the tollhouse stirs into activity. The day's patrol preparing taking their breakfast, preparing their gear. Horses fed and watered and set for the road, and the Captain and her group make way at first light. The Merchant and his men join them, glad for the additional company on the road.
With their morning preparations complete, the Adventurers are not far behind. The morning is brisk, but a light breeze has picked up and the fog is thinner and less cloying today, and the journey to the crossroads marked on Harkashan's map is uneventful, taking the better part of an hour, the path meanders following the lay of the land and does not take them directly north, but soon enough they are upon the crossroads- and the great standing stone that marks it. It's easily fifteen feet high, pale stone is streaked with moss and stained with rain and time.
GAME: Harkashan casts Magic Vestment. Caster Level: 11 DC: 20 GAME: Eztli casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 9 DC: 16
Upon arrival, Harkashan lets out a bit of a sigh. Hands at his hips, looking at the stone now that they're close. During the day, it's said, everything is fine. But this place is still concerning. If something undue shows up... this could be very dangerous. "I've got some spells and materials on me to try and at least consecrate this place. But that might just draw the ire of whatever is near here. So I will take your thoughts and guidance on this." Harkashan indicates as he moves towards the stone at a more casual pace. He has his shield out, but his blade remains in its scabbard.
"Let's keep our eyes peeled though." He rumbles.
GAME: Rune rolls perception: (2)+23: 25
Andelena looks a little more confident in her steps and stance for having done her morning prayers, if not exactly chipper. After all... The situation is not really the cheeriest one.
Here's hoping the spooky rock is just a spooky rock.
She keeps her eyes peeled, surveying the area. "I think you should, Hark," she says. "Be happy to act as backup if you need it. Sometimes we just gotta get the bad out."
The Sunguard looks at her allies. "Anyone see anything so far?"
GAME: Andelena rolls Perception: (11)+14: 25 GAME: Eztli casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 9 DC: 15 GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/History: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Geography: (8)+5: 13
Sleeping in close proximity to other people is always a gamble for Rune. Some nights are worse than others. Thankfully, Harkashan is used to this by now and knows when to pre-emptively wake her to avoid the worst of outbursts that might rouse the others. Though it is obvious, at first light, that she has slept rough, dark circles beneath her eyes.
Even so, she still travels along with the others, but her eyes remain wary. In fact, she has both her usual weapons strapped across her back, but also two additional ones at her sides. It is as much 'preparation' as she can bring to a potentially dangerous situation.
However, it is obvious that she is still a bit on edge. Enough so that her usual attentiveness is replaced with quick flicks of her eyes until they land on something in one of the nearby bushes. "Shit..." Her eyes look over to Andelena, then back again, motioning her head. "Got something in the bushes."
Heading towards it, it becomes clear what they've found relatively quickly, "Uh... got a body over here." Alive or dead? Rune doesn't say. It's quite possible that she doesn't know.
Eztli keeps up with the rest of the group, which takes some effort, but the small makari is able to remain close as they arrive at the scene of where everything seemed to be happening. "I don't know what that stone means, but it could be related to what's going on, especially if this is all happening in close proximity." She considers, holding one hand and weaving a few runes. "Weave of magic, reveal yourself!" They growl, the sorceress' eyes glowing for a moment before returning to their normal hue. She freezes, and turns in the direction mentioned. "Shit, if they're alive, we need to help them now." They state, already moving to push the plants out of the way.
Az Eztli clears the brush from around the body, it soon becomes apparent they are dead- and have been for a little while. They are stone cold, not moving or breathing. It takes only a few moments to untangle them from the brush. They are wearing travellers clothes, hard wearing and hard worn. Also tangled in the brush is a leather backpack, its contents- travelling supplies, books, parchments, quills, a half-drawn map- scattered nearby. The body is rigid as though with rigor mortis.
GAME: Andelena rolls Heal: (20)+17: 37
There are a small handfull of visible wounds on the body, but Andelena is able to determine that these were caused post mortem. Given the position of the body and these wounds, she can tell that the victim was running when they were struck down, falling into the brush as rigid as they are now. Whatever killed her left no mark itself, but the face- the youthful features of a half-elven woman is twisted into a malignant mask of abject terror. Mouth agape, eyes milky with decay already wide and bulging. And despite her apparent youth, streaks of white run through her otherwise dark hair, symptoms of extreme shock and fear.
Andelena inspects the body of the woman and she says a soft prayer for her, simply out of habit, even though the Vardaman better suited for the task isn't terribly far away. "Knight's justice will be had for your passing, unmet stranger," Andelena murmurs gently, before she looks back up at Rune with somber steel-gray eyes.
"This looks like a killing by a necromantic spell. Something ripped the fucking soul out of her body." The way that Andelena says it says she's not exaggerating. "She was running to try and escape. She didn't. And now... we're here."
Harkashan rumbles, touching his claw to the bottom of his maw, considering the stone. "It's definitely been worked in the past. But I do not know a lot about this region to really make heads or tails of this." He admits. Then, shaking his head, he looks to the rest of them. "How're you feeling?" He asks Rune, yet unaware of what is going on until Rune calls it out.
"A body?" He then asks, looking towards where she is pointing. Only for Eztli to call out something else.
At Andelena working with the others to investigate, Harkashan walks over with the others. "Can you tell how long ago this was?"
"A couple of days ago," Andelena says, but her expression is pursed in a way that says she really doesn't like what she's about to say. "But if that's the case--rigor mortis should have gone away by now."
GAME: Rune rolls survival: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)
As the others move in to investigate, Rune steps back, crossing her arms over her chest. She has a distinct discomfort with dead bodies, likely due to her own experiences and a few too many run ins with necromancers as of late. However, Andelena seems to confirm that they may very well be dealing with a similar problem.
Cursing under her breath, Rune shakes her head, "So not something driven by looking at it, at least." Which is some small blessing. However, the fact that it seems to fast acting and deadly has her biting at her lower lip. "Like, what the hell is the fucking point? They aren't taking the bodies, they aren't harvesting anything, it's just... killing for the sake of killing."
Maybe all creatures with these sort of powers, be they humanoid or not, are just a little bit mad. Trying to make sense of it may be a lost cause.
Turning, Rune takes a moment to try to figure out where the woman had been running from, but her expression just shows a bit of uncertainty. "Not confident on where she might have been running from and looks like it's been long enough that there aren't any recent tracks..."
Eztli was quick to move the shrubbery out of the way, but it was a good thing that Andelena was there as well, since the small makari was half frozen unhelpfully where she finished.
"Y-yeah, it's a body." She answers unhelpfully, finally able to tear herself away from the sight and taking a few steps back to look around, as many other ways she could. "Do you think it was a spell, or some other sort of necromantic energy?" She asks the large rock nearby. "I don't see any other magic around here, just the lanterns that are set up here, but that doesn't seem relevant."
GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/arcana: (17)+5: 22
"The one doing this likely wants the soul. Either because it's valuable to it as a payment method, or because it grows in strength, or even because it is its sustenance." Harkashan moves his claw a bit as he explains this. "There's such things as 'Soul Eaters' that are from a different plane, for instance. Though they use their claws." He crinkles his nose at this.
He then looks to Eztli. "If the rock is significant, your ability to see magic is blocked by stone. It could also be beneath the ground... or even well above us." Harkashan offers to her.
Rumbling, he then motions. "There's other signs of decay going on. This likely was a casting of Finger of Death or other such spell... could be a Necromancer or a powerful enough Ghost. And with our findings so far, the latter seems likely."
Andelena blinks more than a few times at what Harkashan has to offer in terms of information. Then her expression sours. "Soul eaters on a different plane... Yeah. That's fucked from here to Eliday."
She sighs deeply before she looks at Harkashan. "I think you better start by consecrating the ground we're standing on. At the very least it'll give us a fighting chance. Or it'll just piss off the soul eaters and force 'em to reveal themselves. Either one."
It takes a moment before she looks at the rest of the group. "What do you and Eztli think, Rune?" she asks.
The prospect that something might be either gathering souls for some nefarious purpose, or that it might be feeding upon them, has Rune closing her eyes and taking another of those deep breaths. "Right. That is exactly the sort of evil fuckery that means someone needs the shit stabbed out of them until they think better of their bad life choices."
However, as there is a possibility of it being a supernatural being, maybe 'life' choices is not the only possibility.
At the question of her thoughts, Rune looks up, obviously still uncertain and unsettled. "One way or the other, we'll likely have to lure out whatever it is. And at that point, we're running the risk of falling prey to it, ourselves." She pauses, looking between them, "From what we know, whatever the source is, they have at least three shots at whatever this spell is on a single night. That's makes them very, very dangerous."
After that, she lifts her shoulders in a shrug.
Harkashan moves towards the stone they have, so far, assumed to be at the center of all of this. He then kneels down in front of it, and takes out his bag and begins to painstakingly put out items. Candles set to burn. Dragon bones representing the Death Singing Dragon. He doesn't hew into the stone. Instead using a small slab of stone he carries with him to lay out a 'base' after digging up a small area with his claws.
He takes his time, sprinkling holy water on the site, as a subtle 'pulse' of pale red begins to ripple out from him. Sigils appearing on the ground around him, extending further and further. Rune has seen him cast this spell before, not even a year ago. And it has gotten a lot stronger, it would seem. Or at least, it seems to reach wider, further than before.
GAME: Harkashan casts Consecrate. Caster Level: 11 DC: 19
Harkashan's rituals and setting up of the shrine continue apace- nothing nefarious creeps out of the woods to interfere. BY the time he is done, the fog has all but cleared, all that's left of it is a thin mist drifting around the ankles. The spell joins Eztli's kaleidoscope magical vision, an aura of dull silver radiance covering the crossroads.
"I'm not ruling anything out, no, I'm just, trying to see what actually brings them to this place, I guess, but I really don't know. Don't care really either, beyond making sure it doesn't kill anyone else."
"That's, well, I don't like it if that's what we're dealing with." Eztli admits at the question. "We just have to do what we can, and I'll get us out of here if things go really bad."
"Looks like whatever you just did was effective at least, Hark." They note, breathing a sigh of relief. "Just,nothing happened. I guess we have to come out here at night to actually get to the bottom of this."
"We could also stay out here," Andelena offers as a suggestion, admiring the ritual that Harkashan's put together and its after-effects. "We all stay on watch and try to get the jump on when fucky shit happens, y'know?"
She looks at Rune. "And if they have three shots on that particular spell--I'd rather be one ot the targets with a fighting chance against it, compared to someone who can't. That's just me, though."
Rune quiets as Harkashan begins his ritual, standing back a short ways as to not interfere. However, her hand is wrapped around her necklace, thumbing along the edge of it as if the presence of it brings her comfort despite the tense situation.
"I'm in agreement that we might as well stay. Sooner or later, whatever it is will make itself known." Then, as that look is cast her way, there is a slight, sheepish droop to her ears. "I'm... likely the most vulnerable to those sorts of magic. Hark usually has some spells that help, though."
It is likely that this worry is why she's been quite so 'off' since their arrival. Staring death in the face, especially for those who have died before, is never easy.
Harkashan nods in agreement, as he slowly rises from the altar. "Indeed. We will stay here for the night. We do not know at what time it may show, so this will be risky either way. And my ability to see or remove invisibility does not last long enough to be relevant in the period we'd have to wait. So... we will be at risk either way." He grimaces a bit.
"But let's at least move a hundred-or-so feet away from this stone. In the hopes that we're at least out of range of it noticing us immediately - or that spell - if it awakens and appears." He expresses.
GAME: Andelena rolls Survival: (10)+3: 13 GAME: Eztli rolls survival: (15)+1: 16 GAME: Rune rolls survival: (12)+12: 24 GAME: Harkashan rolls Survival: (18)+13: 31
One of the least glamorous aspects of the adventuring life. The waiting game. Hours pass, tension drawing out the perception of them. Waterskins empty, bladders fill. The sun makes its slow passage across the sky.
Though thinned, the fog never really fades away. The road is usually well travelled, but with the unpleasant weather and ill rumours, it is less so than usual- but periodically groups pass through, a cart here, a few riders there. Some of them notice the adventurers, fearing bandit attack until explanations are given, most simply pass on by.
The sun mostly disappears behind the trees, a few minutes before its descent beyond the distant Horizon. Harkashan takes that as his queue, warning the others to make ready as the day's light fades.
Harkashan rumbles; "It'll be very soon." As he remains partially ducked down, leaning his arm on one leg. He then leans to Eztli and touches her shoulder, casting a spell upon her as well. "We do not know if it'll come out at nightfall exactly..." Giving it another minute or two. "But we'll be wise to be on guard."
He then looks to Rune, whispering; "Do you see anything?"
GAME: Harkashan casts Bear's Endurance. Caster Level: 11 DC: 19
As daylight fades, Andelena murmurs a prayer to the Knight for strength. It's a prayer that He grants, the holy magic of Daeus infusing her and making her more aware of the power in her form. It's a comfort to her, even if these soul eaters don't come out right away and her ability to use this boon will fade before they appear.
Once she's done calling on the prayer, she draws Deliverance. Keeping her eyes on the horizon. "I'll be ready," she promises. Herself, her party, her blade.
"I know you will be," Deliverance responds in that maternal voice of hers.
The Sunguard hopes ready will be enough.
GAME: Andelena casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15 GAME: Rune rolls perception: (6)+23: 29 GAME: Rune rolls stealth+4+2: (14)+19+4+2: 39
Eztli needed that nudge from Harkashan, as hours being on edge left the small makari uncertain of just how late it had been getting. "Hm? Oh, yeah, you're right." They note, raising one hand and gesturing until their eyes glowed again, and vanished just as quickly. "Not sure if it will help, but better safe than sorry. And I want to be as safe as possible about this."
"Hopefully they'll come around sooner rather than later."
After a certain point, it's almost impossible to really know where Rune is at. As the sun moves closer to the horizon and the shadows grow longer from the trees, she nearly vanishes completely, swallowed up by the shadows.
However, that doesn't mean she isn't being watchful. So, as the sun sets, her ears twitch. One toward Harkashan and the others, and one towards the road from the northwest.
When she finally speaks, it seems to come out of nowhere, "Hooves." She speaks first. "Northwest. It's a coach of some sort and... it's glowing green." With that, her weapons are drawn out, staying in the shadows as she crouches, watching the approach.
GAME: Eztli casts See Invisibility. Caster Level: 9 DC: 17
After Rune has pointed it out, the rest of the party spot the faint green glow. A pair of horses with coats white as ivory draw the black coach behind it, making its stately progress through the forest. The coach is black, a lantern hanging over the rider's head filled with silent green fire. Curtains are drawn over its windows, but flickers of that same unnatural light flit from behind them. The rider is tall and thin, a pale face, and cloaked in voluminous black robes. Skeletal hands hold the reigns of the horses.
As it nears trees and brush, the coach, its horses and its rider simply pass through them as though they were not even there. And though the hooves of the horses clip-clop as though striking cobbles, the whole assembly floats a couple of feet off the ground.
GAME: Andelena rolls Knowledge/Religion: (6)+10: 16 GAME: Harkashan rolls Knowledge/Religion+7+2: (10)+16+7+2: 35
Harkashan whispers; "A death coach..." He grimaces a bit, looking to both Rune and Eztli. Then rumbles; "Shit." Before looking back. "They hunt people like Rune and Eztli. Their very touch acts as a Finger of Death spell - and cause an aura of fear. This is going to be... not fun.