The Wraiths of Ilien

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

"This... feels wrong." Patriarch Baeraelan states, turning to Kaven.
"While the local Veil is weak in places we are moving away from the real source of the problem; It is not here it origins, but rather back towards the way we came, and down. Towards hill upon which sits the Citadel, noble quarter and temple district."

Kaven peers into the darkness for a second, trying to pierce it with his eyes alone, assessing the next route of attack while nodding slowly.
"Yes, these attacks could very well be an attempt to lure us away from the real threat. The evil fears us, and wishes us gone or dead, either which could very well happen, should we continue this war of attrition against these abbominations.
We must turn back!" he says, looking at the regents and those around.
"But we are too big a group, to walk undetected. Either, someone is spying on our movements by foul means, or there are creatures directing the undead from the back of their ranks. Whatever the reason, you can be sure, that we will be harrassed when we do. And even more fiercely than before. What is the fastest and easiest route towards the sewers beneath the noble quarters and temple district? Is it above or below ground?" He asks the man holding the map.
"For that is the way we go, and fast!"

[X-DM Jon]

Amidst the drip of water and the eerie echoes cast by your heavily armed posse, watching every wall and every shadow, lit torches going to and fro, lighting the ancient arches for a moment and casting them into shadow again.
 In the middle of your huddle the guide ponders intently over the map.

"The fastest route Is certainly below ground yer Holiness."

He points to the map and draws a line along one of the main arteries of the sewer system.

"This 'ere's the old grandway 'o shit, if'n we can reach that, we're 'alfway there. It's up this way and to the left, then straight until we reach the grandway."

 He points back the way you came.


 And as on que, a scream rolls up from below, from where you were headed. Someone howling for help deep down in the dank darkness.

 Heeeeelp! Anyboodyyy!? Pleeease!

 You are left in a deep silence, shivers running down your backs. The knights move closer together, muttering amongst each others.

 The darkness grows thicker.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Wallac Isilviere pause a second then look to the Patriarch.

“You may have a point Your Holiness. I think now is the time to increase our pace once more and aim for the dark heart of evil”

However if we are but almost halfway we cannot hope to make it. My good man are you sure?

Regardless we will need to increase the speed wether going forward or not

With that he calls to Archbishop Bellamie.

“We need the assistance of the All Father. On my command Invoke the prayer for unseen living. That will give us some time to proceed without the constant harassment.”

The two senior IHH clerics each start praying [OOC. Cast level 1 “Hide from undead” 1+ hour for what I believe is left of our men. Else we cast another one.]

“As long as we refrain attacking them they cannot harm us. Those undead that may not be affected by the blessing need to be dealt with but mind you only these”

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Bellamie points back the way the group came, determinedly ignoring the screams.  "It is the source that we must strike at - if the Patriarch can guide us there, we should hasten as- DOWN!"  Bellamie suddenly lunges forward, shouldering aside Prefect Isilviere and lashing out with his sword, blessed by the clerics.  His first strike lashes lightly across the face of the wraith that had begun to thrust out of the wall, causing it to pull back in, its surprise lost.  Bellamie, though, clutches at his reliquary with one hand and lunges forward again, crying "Hold, beast!" 

His sword thrusts straight through the creature, embedding its tip in the rotting masonry of the wall, and the wraith shrieks, seemingly pinned - it continues to pull away from the blade, but only slowly, trapped in clear view for the first time.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

A handful of bluish motes of energy zips past Bellamie, earning an otherworldly shriek from a Wraith moving through the wall behind him. 

Like the other's, the Sword Mage appears a little winded. Her robes and mask is covered in ichor from dead wights and other fleshy undead, though it to slowly sinking into her magical robes and disappearing. Before it's all gone, she is covered again.

Throwing a glance at the trapped undead, she shrugs and turns to Wallac.
"Remember that magic will not affect all of them, some strong-willed or powerful undead can see through it. Let's hurry forward."

She keeps going forward through the muck.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Seeing the pinned Wraith Wallac Isilviere exclaims a prayer to the All Father and attack with his mighty mace. As the hit strike true, the prayers to Haelyn inscribed on the mace give of a powerfull white light. The Wraith shrieks as if in panic relentlessly trying to get off Baron Bellamies blade.

“In the name of the All Father thou shall be no more. Blessed Haelyn help us”

Archbishop Bellamie seems bewildered [OOC the “Hide from Undead” spell did apparently not work on this wraith having saved or such]

“It seems this one resisted the invocation but the rest of them ignore us”

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

After two blazing blows from the Prefect's mace, the wraith suddenly wrenches its way free and flees, wailing, into the stone.  Bellamie jerks his blade from the wall and steps back, sweating.  "That is one that will trouble us no more for a time.  Perhaps the others will find caution in its scars.  Good sers, we must move quickly.  Your Holiness, goodman" he addresses the Patriarch and the guide, "can you then guide us to the true weakness that gives these creatures entry?"  Another scream echoes up.  He shudders, but does not look back.  "Before these trickeries erode our nerve any further, please."

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Upon Baron Bellamie’s bold intervention the men’s spirit raise again.

Wallac Isilviere sighs and looks to the remaining bodyguards.

"Blessed Haelyn but for Baron Bellamie I would have been in dire troubles now. Take consolation we have braves among us and know our brothers have not fallen in vain. Theirs was the greater sacrifice though rejoice as their immortal souls now rest with the All Father"

Turning to Tristan Bellamie he continues.

"My friend that was a close one. You have my gratitude. Now let’s see where the Patriarch will lead us to"

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

Looking in the directions of the screams, Kavens grips his sword tightly.
"I will have retribution for the souls of those that have been lost."

His jaw firmly set, Kaven studies the guides map, then lightly clasps his shoulder with a mailed fist.
"Your services are valued comrade. Now, please stop me, if I head in the wrong direction, but stay behind me... All of you, gather up and follow. We will find the source of this before long!" With those words, the Baron of Medoere takes point, and heads in the direction stated by the guide, back the way they came, peering into the darkness and offering up a prayer for the souls of the lost.The rest of the RCS men follow closely after their leader, emboldened by his apparent aura of determination

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

[OOC With the use of Hide from Undead spell we try to gain a little less exposure to the undead]

The Clerics invoke Divine Haelyn to help hiding the men from the Undead.

“Now keep together lads and let’s get some distance between us and the undead. We will focus on the center of the shadow. His Holiness Patriarch Baeralen can help us find it.”

The party move on with great resolve and filled with the holy purpose of finding the source of the evil. After a long march with no apparent signs of the undead but their sounds behind, the Patriarch comes to a halt seemingly in trance. Slowly, as if hesitating, he points down the tunnel.

“Down there we must go. There we can hide no more. The time of reckoning has come. If we go down there no turning back will be possible; either we fail and succumb to the hordes or we succeed and crush the black heart of shadow”

Moving forward ever so cautiously the group continues

[DM B]

You make better progress now - it seems that either your magic is working, or you've somehow scared the wraiths of. You make good speed through the main sewers, and finally leave them to descend into one of the oldest parts of this subterranean world - caves that had been dug beneath the citadel hill even when humans first came here 2000 years ago.

You feel that you are nearing your destination. The RCS clergy, however, point out that there is a strong shadow current coming from the direction of the sea harbor. So now you have to decide what you want to take a look at - wraiths lair or the waterfront.

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

"To the river, I should say," advises Bellamie.  "Even if it is not the source of their entry into Ilien, that current could well be a source of strength for them.  If we can sever it, our battle with the Wraiths would be eased - and I have no taste for dividing our forces in the face of such evil."

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Wallac Isilviere nod to Baron Bellamie

"Yes Patriarch Baeralen knows what’s he is doing lead on Your Holiness, we can deal with the Wraiths lair afterwards"

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

"We agree then? We will most likely have to rest, if we battle too much more, but as Lord Tristant said, servering such a current could ease our passage later. Brace yourself for the unknown, and stay together." With that he takes point once more, putting himself in harms way, and pressing for the waterfront before evening falls.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

“The Swordmage have benignly agreed to assist me in this and go where I go. Now let those that accuse her of old crimes take her place or be silent. We go to the sea harbor”

For an instant the Swordmage seems surprised by the kind words of the High Prefect then quickly resume her aloof look.

"Aye to the sea habor we must go"

Not wanting to be outdone by the Patriarch the High Prefect increases his pace until he goes side by side with the Patriarch realizing they can hardly afford to lose him.

“Your Holiness two better fend than one”