The Wraiths of Ilien

[DM B]

The dice is cast so to speak - you have no hope of checking both sites before night comes; that is the real dilemma. Or you could divide up (normally not a very wise choice, so perhaps not).

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

[OOC: please delete when moving forwards; I believe we have chosen the sea habor and if we fail to make it to their lair this night we must do comming day preferable after some rest. Splitting up is never a wise choise and I object to that]

[DM B]

Reaching the harbor quarter takes quite some time, the guide gets lost a couple of time and you have to backtrack. The good thing is that there are no more undead attacks - morale has improved somewhat, and the losses you have taken suddenly feels less daunting.

As you draw closer to the waterfront you run into the big underground sewer tunnels that drain away all the waste and excess rainwater from the city and empty it into the sea. Going is easier here - conditions are less cramped and not as oppressive.

A major problem appears - if there is anything down here, it is currently biding its time on the other side of the Veil. A few of those most closely attuned to the Shadow can feel that something is lurking just out of sight, but you do not have the means to reach it.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

The Sword Mage stands on a ledge above the flow of waste, her head cocked. It is difficult to read her, her face being covered by her mask, but she appears to be listening to something none of the others can hear.

"It is close here. There is... something on the other side of the veil here. Even I can feel that."

The atmosphere here is oppressive, there is a feeling of being watched and queer anticipation hanging in the air.

She turns towards the others. "We have two options, either wait for nightfall and let whatever it is come and face us then, or try to breach the veil and either face it on the other side or make it come over."

She indicates Isilviere and Kaven. "You are our experts on matters of the shadow and the veil, what say you?"

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

"So we can either wait for it to pop through or find a mean to reach it. I may know someone that can help us in this regard. He lives in Ilien"

[OOC I assume Lannelah Lachlan knows of traveling through the veil ? He could possible advise us. Bjørn please let me know if I am completely out of my legeau and possible how long we have before night falls - how long do I estimate it would take to get the help of Lannelah Lachlan? Anyway I must admit I am a little out of ideas. If RCS know something we dont now would be a good time to spell out the beans.

Can my bodyguards get reinforcements here? If so that would be nice]

"In the mean time I suggest we wait here and prepare for the worst"

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

"I'd rather not have to fight my way down here again today, so I suggest we stay. There are quite a few ways of luring creatures of the shadow into our world, especially when the veil is this thin. For one, the spilling of blood draws them in like moths to a flame."

There is a note of amusement in her voice as she adds.

"And before any of you assume it, let me say that I do not mean we should kill one of our number to draw it forth. Pain and blood is enough, there is no need for a life to be ended here."

[OOC Making a few leaps of reasoning here, I might be wrong, but the idea of spilling blood to attract a shadow creature sounds cool in my book ]

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

"I believe enough blood have been spilled allready. I'll not ask anyone to offer their blood nor do I offer my own"

"We could send someone for reinforcements and with a letter to that certain someone I have in mind"

"Regardless I think it or they will cross the Veil with the comming of night"

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

Kaven sends the swordmage a short stern look, then looks from her towards Patriarch Baeralen.
"Could you locate the weakest place in the veil. The location, where something would most likely appear from? Perhaps we can for once prepare our battlefield at least. And if we could get someone topside, to indicate to us, when the sun was setting, we would most likely have time to rest a bit."

He seems to think for a while.
"If we can scout out the ground in advance, we may be able to use that to our benefit, by encircling it in adequate light. If it comes as far as that, I will gladly spill my own blood to lure a creature through at that excact spot."
The Baron turns to the swordmage again.
"Your Grace, I have heard the scholars speak of certain spells that prevent creatures targeted from escaping back across the veil. Would you by any chance be able to use such a formular? To anchor them in our realm, untill we can dispose of it propperly?"

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

Tristan has begun surveying the environment with an eye towards a coming battle.  "Perhaps the greatest danger, sers and lady, would be for us to become pinned between two enemies.  Should the Wraiths advance upon us, striking from within the stone as we seek battle with this creature, we would be hard-pressed indeed.  If there be any way to seal them without, or to prevent them from moving so easily through the stone around us, that might be of vital use."

He grimaces.  "My advice was perhaps not the best, I fear.  Whatever this beast may be, it could well be of no immediate threat, making the wraiths a better choice to strike at first.  Still, we have made our choice." 

"Patriarch, if you will - your skills are perhaps our greatest asset at this moment.  I would not have you, of us all, weakened in luring our foe forth.  I would suggest that one of our knights, sturdy and brave, might act in your place, but lacking the force of divine power in their blood, they might serve less well.  Permit me to act in your place in this; I have neither the knowledge and divine favor of the priestly among us, nor the magical strength of the Swordmage.  If one of us must take a wound before battle, better it be I.  Either way, I would suggest we move quickly, now.  If we can meet this creature before full darkness falls, it would be to our advantage."

OOC: Aside from this, Tristan will set the various guards and followers into teams of three or more, instructed to watch one another's backs.  This wouldn't have worked well in the cramped quarters earlier, but now each team can work together to prevent wraiths or other insubstantial foes from surprising one another.

[DM B]

Patriarch Baeralen finally manages to locate a spot that is weak enough to allow you to pass the Veil - he's not too keen on doing this, since he job really is to strengthen such places, not weaken them by forcing passage. But since his lord and master thinks it is necessary - who is he to argue?

Nothing much happens once you pass the Veil - you are still in the sewers, and on the surface of things nothing has changed. From the sounds of activity down on the harbor, this is where you should be going - not underground anymore, but towards the sea.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

"Lord Wallac, think for a moment. We fought for our lives on the way down here, and now you want to send a messenger with a letter through the tunnels up again. Are any of your men so eager to join their Lord in Heaven that they wish to go alone or in a small group? We move in force, or we do not move at all."

The Sword Mage hestitates a moment and seeks to soften her somewhat commanding tone.
"That is how I see it at least, maybe you have means I do not know of, but I think we should stay together."

To Kaven's question, she responds curtly:
"Yes, that is within my abilities."

[DM B]

On the streets things are quite different - the first things that strike you is how silent it is. There are no people on the streets of Shadow Ilien, and without people the endless noise of the city is gone.

Most of the smells are gone too - Ilien has a well-functioning sewer system, built during the Imperial days, but a city of almost a hundred thousand people do smell - why else do you think the upper class lives on the hill? At least there is some escape from the odors of the city up there. The shadowy version of Ilien just smells old - mold, rotten timber, dust, that sort of thing.

Ilien does look a lot like Ilien, the little you can see anyway, but not everything is identical. If anything everything is just...old...like a collection of all the ruined building that once made up the city but have been destroyed or dismantled over the years.

A faint moon shines down on the harbor, partially obscured by clouds, but giving enough light to see by - most of the time. Other than that there are no light sources. No start, no lamps, no torches.

Well, come to think of it you're not completely alone. You can hear one or more small boats being rowed towards the shore, and you can see the faint shine of hooded lanterns. It looks like a shore party is coming to visit...

[DM B]

OOC: You need not have move topside in force, but you have at least looked the scene over and picked up the boats approaching the harbor. What to do now I leave to you - but be quick about it.

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

"Hush!" Kaven orders, sinking in to a crouch, as he moves forward.
"Let's move closer, but try not to give away our presence, untill we know our foe. If we can take them, before they land propperly on the beach, then we could push them into the waves... or shadows of waves... before they get into coherency!"

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

“The noise from moving in armor may give our position away”

Gesturing to the Sword Mage Wallac Isilviere whispers

“The realm of Shadow can be manipulated – can you perhaps mask the sounds we make?”