[h2][color=af9d80][b]Roger Falkner[/b][/color][/h2]

Delving into the ruin meant that Roger would have to dismount and leave his griffin behind.  This was something that he knew would happen occasionally- griffins didn't always fit in the places where the Lions must tread.  Fortunately, Roger was no slouch in combat even on foot- his mother ensured that he'd still have the martial skills expected of a knight even when not astride a griffin.  Still, he much preferred to face danger alongside his stalwart companion.  Fortunately, he would not be doing this alone- the other Lions were all themselves stalwart companions, although he was a little surprised that the Nem merchant had accompanied Velvetica and the others into this tomb.  Perhaps she just didn't want to be alone with Shortclaw.

It was clear that someone had already been here.  The corpses of the cultists and necromancers were fresh, and killed with precise blows without the telltale signs of having managed to struggle or fight back.  Who could have done this?  And where were the hostages?

The answer was at the bottom of the tomb.  Two strangers awaited them.  The first was a bizarre creature, limbs stained with blood.  Obviously this one had played a role in executing the cultists.  The other one, was much more interesting, and much more dire.  A girl, with unnaturally white skin and a brimmed, pointed hat upon her head, and with jointed, prosthetic-looking fingers.

The effortless slaughter of the cultists.  The monstrosity that stood alongside her.  The brimmed hat and strange appearance.  All of these pointed to a certain conclusion- this was a Witch, a practitioner of the terrible Witch-Queen's form of strange magic.

The others made their statements and remarks, all quite diplomatic as to account for the very real possibility that this witch could kill them all without breaking a sweat.  For Roger, there wasn't much else he could chime in, except for one matter that had not been brought up yet.

[color=af9d80]"Commander, what of the captives?"[/color] he asked Velvetica, not wanting to address the witch directly.  [color=af9d80]"The cultists may have been stopped, but these bodies don't account for everyone that they took."[/color]

[@VitaVitaAR]