The latest assignment has a small group of the Regiment assigned to act as scouts and, if necessary, as the vanguard of a strike force. It's a dark job, the kind that most soldiers would hesitate to do. There's a reason it got sent to the damned.

The town of Washaway, in Lastwall, sits on a small river. The river is why it was founded - there's enough of a current to turn a mill, and the ground around it is fertile enough to gather a harvest. For Lastwall, that's high praise. And so Washaway was founded, a long time ago, as a small farming community. It's grown a little since then. Not much.

And now it's silent. Conflicting reports come out of the place, suggesting everything from an invasion of monsters all the way to treachery and betrayal by the villagers. One thing everyone agrees on is that something bad has happened there, something very bad indeed. And so, the Forsaken got called in. The orders are simple: find out what happened, and do the needful thing.

A small group. Some new, the broken-sun tattoo on their faces still fresh; others worn-in veterans who have been in the Regiment for a while now. It hardly matters. There's a camaraderie among the dead, regardless of their time in that position.

Gabriel and Gaius had stayed ahead of the group for most of the trip, senses sharp for any hints of imminent ambush, eyes peeled for signs of a trail headed towards or away from their destination.

As they neared Washaway, a hand to the base of the neck had Gaius sitting, waiting for his master's return. Gabriel himself stole close to the outer edge, perhaps twenty or so yards from the outskirts of the village, scanning for any signs of movement or activity before returning to the others.

23:49, Yesterday: Gabriel rolled 21 using 1d20+11.  perception to spot movement in the village(+2 if applies to humans, +4 if undead).

23:48, Yesterday: Gabriel rolled 25 using 1d20+14.  Stealth.

23:46, Yesterday: Gabriel rolled 32 using 1d20+16.  Survival to keep an eye out for trails/ambush(+2 if applies to humans, +4 if undead).

Teves hung back with the main force as they get nearer to their objective.

He did go over to march near Fenix, before they reached the village. Teves pulled out a piece of carved bone about 14" long, tipped with a roughly-cut agate. "If you wouldn't mind holding on to this. I picked this up in my last campaign. It makes people larger. I obviously can't make it work, but, er, was wondering if you could use it on me if we're faced by a horde. And of course, on any of the others if the time seems right."

He handed it over gingerly to the wizard, if Fenix accepted it. "Oh, apparently the word to activate it is 'Exun'daecta'."

Then Teves lapsed into silence, switching his polearm from his shoulder to both hands as they got closer, so that it did not jut up into the sky.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:47, Tue 30 Mar 2021.

When Sedril saw Treves holding his weapon at the ready, the young suli man drew his own weapon as well. A large adamantine scythe. "You see trouble?" he asked. "Or just preparing in case Gabriel returns with something hot on his tail?" He was expecting the latter, but was almost hoping for the former. The trip here hadn't been all that exciting as far as Sedril was concerned. Perhaps an encounter with a pack of feral dogs, or a rabid bear, might liven things up a bit. Although the chances of that happening seemed rather slim.

And so Sedril resigned himself to idle chatter in the meantime (although he still held his weapon ready). "How long do you think we should wait before we go investigate? What is the time difference between 'Gabriel is captured' and 'Gabriel is dead?' You know, dead dead." He still hadn't gotten used to living in a post-funeral world just yet. His fingers absentmindedly brushed against the Forsaken Regiment's tattoo on his face. His upbeat attitude dimmed slightly, but he tried not to let it show.

Fenix grimaced as he looked out on the countryside horizon. After days of travel the party was now surrounded by farmland as far as the eye could see and he hated it. 'I'll have to reconsider wearing robes next time I leave, the damn thing gets caught on even the smallest twig' he thought as he readjusted the heavy robes he usually wore. The realization that someone had addressed him tore the wizard from his inner thoughts. He turned to face the man who showed him with what appeared to be a wand. "Oh. Yes, I see. It looks like it could be a serviceable item, the aesthetic is very interesting. I will make sure to use it if the need arise", Fenix said with a thin smile as he accepted the gift. Once Teves had turned away the wizard made sure to wipe the bone off with his cloak.

After the exchange Fenix joined the others in waiting for the scout to report back. "Does that happen often, getting captured I mean? I didn't think to place tracking spells on all of you", the wizard said half-sarcastically. After a pause though he continued with a more serious tone. "So what is the plan? Gabriel reports the monster and then the rest of us charge in with very large weapons?"

Ashell hung towards the back of the group as they journeyed. Despite the appearance of being slow and unobservant, the piercing eyes behind his mask saw much. He hadn't spoken much since they were given their assignment - though he had given his name. Having to rely on "Hey, you!" in combat situations was dangerous.

As they got closer to the town of Washaway - a peculiar name for a town if he ever heard one - he slowed and got quieter. He drew his shortbow for the moment and pulled out an arrow as well, getting it ready but not tightening yet. His eyes began to slowly look around to see if there was an ambush waiting for them...or any dead bodies.

He glanced at his talking companions. "Do you plan to draw any enemies out with your talking?" There was a hint of dry amusement in the question.

He stepped forward, making little noise, as he scanned the area.

23:23, Today: Ashell Rookwood rolled 29,6 using d20+12,d6. Perception (total 35).

23:25, Today: Ashell Rookwood rolled 25 using 1d20+12.  Stealth (if needed).

"Does it much matter if we do? We are the dead who's hearts still beat." Rasiel's reply is soft, as most of his speech as been the entire trip. He casts his eyes towards the town ahead, then murmurs a quiet prayer under his breath as he draws his battle axe and readies himself for a potential combat. "Your plan seems as good as any, Fenix."

Gabriel goes and looks at the town more closely, spying for movement. What he finds is...concerning.

After observing for a few minutes, Gabriel slowly slunk away from the town and back towards his companions. Picking up Gaius along the way, he emerged from a bush some ten feet from the rest of the group. "It's just us, stay calm," he said as he and Gaius rejoined everyone else. "I have observed the town, and from my preliminary observations, it would seem our superiors were right to send us. Everyone I was able to see seems to have been bewitched by something fairly powerful, they're all staggering about like charmed puppets."

Teves approached the scout and asked in a hushed voice, "Are they congregated in any one area? Can you show us a path of approach that is out of sight of most of them?"

The aging soldier had no desire to have to fight those who were being used against their will.

Hushing his voice like Teves did, Sedril moved closer to add his own (uneducated) perspective to the strategy conversation. "Can we snap them out of their daze? Maybe slap 'em on the cheek or something? Or does 'bewitched' mean we gotta kill a witch that is controlling them? 'Cause I've never reaped a witch soul before." Sedril ran a hand along his scythe, almost eagerly. "First time for everything though..."

Sedril wasn't very smart when it came to, well, most things, but he still knew enough to look toward their resident wizard for options on what to do about puppet-people.