“It burns a little at first, but it’s harmless. Really the heat just lets me know it’s working.” With their torches lit the two would travel for a bit longer, going down the river until they reached a shallow end they could walk across. Pylia continued to clear away at the underbrush with her knife when you asking your question. “Well, usually during the day worse things around are beasts. Wolves and such, hungry for meals and easy prey. A lone traveler is certainly appealing to a wolf pack. But at night even the beasts seek shelter as the undead rise.”

Many more minutes would pass before finally, they would reach a dirt road. There didn’t seem to be anyone else here as Pylia started walking down the road. “Zombies, skeletons, and even spirits. The souls of the damned who dies ages ago, who are forced to relive their tragedy at night. This only happens in places where great suffering occurred, and frankly the world has always suffered from one thing or another. Even worse when necromancer are enslaving the dead to do their bidding.”

Further down the road and Pylia stops. She gets down onto one knee as lowers her torch, listening carefully. “Wait. Do you hear that?”

Sylvia listened quietly to Pylia's answer. So normal animals like wolves were here too...But the mention of the undead did make Sylvia feel a little uneasy. She had seen enough horror movies regarding the undead to put her on edge. She just hoped her martial arts would be up to snuff against the undead.

And there were necromancers too?

When Pylia stopped, so did Sylvia. At the question, the otherworlder stopped, and looked around, trying to pick up on the sound that Pylia mentioned. She didn't dare to answer Pylia this time. She was bracing herself for whatever may be nearby.

Then she hears it!

She looks towards the road. She whispers to Pylia, "I do. It's coming from further down the road. But I can't make out anything else,"

“Let’s be careful then. Could be anything-“ And just as she says this, storming out from the darkness and right towards the two women, a ghastly sight to behold: a skeletal warrior mounted upon an equally undead skeletal warhorse! He came quickly with precious few seconds to spare for the two traveling women, his gruesome spear lowered and poised to impale one of the two and make them join him in undeath.

Roll for Initiative!

Sylvia didn't listen to Pylia's words. Her focus was on the sound. It was coming closer and it sounded like...galloping! Her eyes widened when she realized that they were going to be trampled, and she swore "Oh crap!" No sooner did she say that, did the skeleton on a skeletal warhorse appear. Sylvia dropped the torch at the sight.

Seeing the spear on its hand pointed towards them, Sylvia immediately shoved Pylia out of the way, calling "Pylia! MOVE!"

She shoved the woman so as to make sure that she didn't get impaled by the spear. Then she moved herself in the opposite direction and called to the skeleton "Over here ugly!"

In a flash you moved Pylia out of the way, who was surprised you wasted your time saving her instead of going after the skeleton. But the plan worked, and Pylia was pushed into the thick brush while the skeleton started galloping towards you! Despite being undead both rider and mount worked in skilled tandem. The warrior’s spear thrusts forward, slicing deep into your shoulder. If this creature still had muscles, it could have put more weight behind the blow. And before you could even retaliate, the horse reared it’s legs up and disengaged, taking itself and the rider safely away.

Pylia, who had been caught off guard by your actions, got out from the brush and snarled. “Don’t waste time with me! Kill that dastard!” Pointing her torch at the skeleton Pylia began to speak another incantation, this time however her words and tone sounded much different than when she usually casted spells. ^Summon Holy Fire!^ At these words Pylia summoned forth a white divine flame that pierced through the night like a bolt of lightning, however the Skelton and it’s horse managed to narrowly avoid getting struck. “Dammit!” Pylia moves through the brush with some difficulty since she isn’t hacking away at it, but at least knew to use the woods for cover.

Sylvia let out a shout and a curse at the pain of being hit with the spear. She gritted her teeth, and she felt sweat bead on her forehead. This might be easier said than done! Especially since that horse just moved itself and the rider away from her for safety!

Sylvia decided to move forwards and try to attack the skeleton and the warhorse. First she struck the warhorse's leg(s) with her quarterstaff, before aiming a punch right for the rider's skull.

The horse buckled and bones broke as your staff crushed its legs, causing the beast to lurch forward as one of its legs snapped clean off. Against a living beast this would have been a death blow, but such things aren’t as critical for the undead. Still it was a considerable amount of damage. Not only that but right after the blow, your strike failed to connect with the rider’s skull, but at the same time the rider’s own attempt to stab at you also fails as it had to both defend itself from your attack as well as try to balance itself from the horse’s injury.

Meanwhile Pylia bursted forth from the brush, having gotten to a somewhat more advantageous position to flank the skeletal monster with you. She had her shield raised in a defensive position in order to better defend herself as she distracted the skeleton for you. “Quick Sylvia, finish him off while his attention is on me!”

Sylvia called in response "Right!" and she let out a battle cry as she once more struck the rider with the quarterstaff. The quarterstaff made contact with the skeleton, creating a loud crack that echoed throughout the night. The quarterstaff sent the skull flying off of the body and onto the ground. Sylvia didn't stop, knowing that the warhorse was still a threat.

She proceeded to use an axe kick down on the warhorse's head, causing the skull to fracture at the very least if not completely break from the attack.

She then stumbled backwards, keeping her eyes on the skeletons in case they decided reanimate. She breathed quickly and heavily, the adrenaline still pumping through her body from the fight. She then felt the pain in her shoulder again from the strike she received earlier.

Both horse and rider were decapitated from your attack, their magically animated remains clattered to dust on the ground. Even the skull you had smashed off vaporized before it hit the ground. The only thing left behind was the skeletons equipment, which wasn’t much. The tattered remains of its chainlink armor, it’s spear, and a shortsword it had on its hip.

Pylia ignored these things and went over to you, digging through her bag before taking out a small white berry. “Hear, eat this and hold still.” She took out a satchel from her bad containing some basic first aid equipment, bandages and such. “Let’s be quick take off your top, or at least the part where you got stabbed. I don’t trust that spear wasn’t soiled in some poison or carrying disease.”

Sylvia watched as the skeletons vaporized and left only the armor and weapons behind. She turned her attention back to Pylia, and she nodded answering "Alright. Thank you," She popped the berry into her mouth, before lowering the sleeve of the shirt down onto her arm so that she could show the wound without having to actually take off the shirt, for Pylia to see. The wound still stung and it was clear that the sleeve of her shirt was stained with her blood.

When you ate the berry, the pain you felt in your shoulder suddenly vanished, and you felt oddly refreshed and even full. Regardless Pylia continued to patch up your shoulder, her eyes glancing around for more trouble. Just as she finished up she seemed to pause before quickly putting your bloodied clothes back on. “Undead are about. We can either try sneaking pass them, even if we have to go slow or around them, or we could just make a break for it. We can out run most of the undead, but the ones on horses like the one we fought would catch us easily. Thoughts?”

Sylvia thought about the options presented as she moved the shoulder part of her shirt back up to cover the bandages. She answered Pylia in a whisper, "I think we should try sneaking past them. I don't know if I can handle any more of the horse-back undead. If we get caught, then we run like hell,"

She had a feeling that even with the bandages and the berry, she might not be able to take another attack like she did earlier. She had a feeling that she got lucky during that last battle, and sooner or later, her luck will run out.

Nodding Pylia takes out a few more berries. “Here, take these. They’ll help deal with the pain. Alright, let’s move.” Pylia goes off the road to use the trees and brush as cover, carefully sneaking alongside you.

Sylvia nodded and accepted the berries from Pylia with another thanks. This time, she stashed the berries in her backpack so that she could eat them later should the pain come back. For now, with that first berry she ate, she was okay, and didn't really feel inclined to eat another one right now.

She moved through the forest as quietly as possible, following Pylia's lead and using the trees and brush as cover. She made sure she had her quarterstaff with her, but left the torch behind in order to not draw attention to themselves.

While Pylia took the lead, you managed to avoid nearly all of the undead en route to Cassari.you could certainly hear them stomping around in the darkness, with the cries of various unfortunate forest creatures ringing out as those monsters got their hands on them, but otherwise it took you and Pylia two hours to reach Cassari.

Cassari appeared to be a fishing village, with very little militia presence beyond a sentry posted up in the Tower upon a stone wall. The wall itself seemed sturdy enough, with a large wooden gate blocking the entrance. Once they arrived Pylia sighed a breath of relief. “About time. I swear some of those wolves were u dead too. If they had gotten our scent the entire forest would’ve hounded us. In any case it’s too late right now to buy supplies, so I guess you should head to the inn. It’s not too far just look for the sign with the sea shell. You know what that looks like right?”

Pylia approaches the gate, the sentry called out to her. “Oi! It’s Pylia! My house was attacked by skeletons, in here to stay for the night. My friend here helped me out.” She spoke loud and confidently. Soon the gates opened, with only one young man with a spear there to make sure they were legit. Seeing that it really was Pylia he opened the gate further. “Right then, in ya go.”

Cassari was a quiet seafaring town. The common area had a strong stench of fish and the sea breeze, and nearby was a stable though it currently o lay housed oxen. Not too far away from the gate was a sigh with a sea shell, and underneath it carved into the wood were the words “Seashell”. Presumably this was the inn Pylia mentioned. The woman herself disappeared quickly soon after entering the town, not even saying goodbye to you. After you enter the gates shut and the young man simple sits on a stool near a brazier, waiting for his shift to end.

You’re in town now. Though you could feel that your wound somewhat hurts, it wasn’t painful anymore and despite the dangers you surprising not hungry. It’s too late to do any business but the sound from the inn at least showed it was still active. Perhaps there’s other things to do around town at night. What do you do?

As Sylvia quietly made her way through the forest with Pylia, it felt almost as though she was holding her breath. She winced when she heard the cries of animals falling victim to the undead that lurked in the darkness. Just what kind of situation did she find herself in?

Soon they seemed to reach Cassari, and Sylvia let out a breath in relief. She listened as Pylia spoke, and she nodded 'yes' in response to her question regarding the sea shell. She watched as Pylia called for the guard and told him what happened. Thankfully, the guard let the both of them. Sylvia nodded to the guard and quietly thanked him as she made her way inside and past the gates.

After making it into the town, Sylvia took a moment to look around and take in the small seafaring town, and the smell of the ocean. After looking around from where she stood, she started to speak, "So, Pylia-" however she stopped when she looked to where Pylia once stood, and found that she had disappeared.

She whispered to herself "She's gone..."

Where did Pylia go?

Well, considering the time and that most businesses are probably closed, Sylvia figured that it might be a good idea to just go to the inn and get herself a room so she can rest for the night. Even if she did wake up only a couple of hours ago, it was still a good idea to rest at night so that she can acclimate to the time zone here.

She headed for the inn, hoping the five gold coins she found in the cave would help her pay for a room for the night.

An old man sat behind a chest high counter, nodding as you entered. “Hello stranger. Rather late to be out and about, innit? If you’re looking for a room, it’ll be a silver for tonight. If you want something to eat, afraid all the soup is gone but we got some bread and left over baked fish for just another silver.” Not too far from him, there was a notice board with various signs and postage’s nailed in. Bounties and such, but also requests. They were written in English albeit a rather messy English, not nearly as grammatically correct as you’re used to.

Sylvia greeted the man behind the counter politely, "Good evening. Yes, it is quite late out," She was just glad that she got to Cassari in one piece, and thanks to Pylia. She listened to the man as he told her the price and the food. She answered him as she pulled out the pouch and fished for one of the gold coins, "I just need a room for the night, thank you," She then pulled out a gold coin and put it on the counter, "Will this be enough?"

She caught sight of the posters, for bounties and requests. She made a mental note of them as she dealt with getting a room for the night. She had noted the English was quite different than what she was used to.

“Ayup, just lemme grab my silver.” The man took your gold coin, dropping it into a pile beneath the counter as he handed you back eight silver pieces. “See ya eyeing the bounty board. Cassari’s a small enough place, not a whole lotta dangers. Mostly stuff about hunting rats or collecting flowers. Real problems we try to deal with ourselves. If it’ll interest ya, I got some real work if you’re up to it.” The old man then handed you a large key with a wooden tag attached to it. The tag had the number five, presumably the room number.

Sylvia accepted the silver and placed them in the same pouch that held the four gold pieces. She accepted the key with a polite Thank You. She blinked at the mention that she had been looking at the bounties. Doing something to get a little bit more money in order to travel in this world wouldn't be such a bad idea...

She answered him, "Well, you have my interest now. What exactly is this job?"