DM issued a new mission. Help?

[SangoProduction]

Skeletons in the Closet: The Bhushk, a nomadic clan of lizard folk who make their homes in the "Badlands," to the South West, have asked us to resolve an issue. In a swamp not far from their prey's usual yearly route, skeletons and zombies have started to rise in abnormal numbers. They fear this might drive off their food source. Destroy the undead, and return it to normal levels. A bonus is offered if you find and resolve the source of the issue.

So, this setting is one of magic run wild. However, the implication here is that this has a "source" (read: necromancer). So, where and how might one find this "source" without divination magic? I'd assume it's within the swamp somewhere, but who knows how large it is. You think tracks would be easy to find in a swamp? Trace one of the creatures to its source?

[Inevitability]

Without divinations, magical tracking seems to be the best option, yes. Alternatively, if you have some kind of flight available you may be able to survey the swamp by air and try to find a clear source.

What level are you, and what races/classes does your party consist of?

[Deeds]

This is gonna depend on your DM's play style. He may have a tailored reason for the source such as, "a former lizardfolk shaman now turned ghost necromancer seeks revenge. He's set up shop 12.5 kilometers away from the hunting grounds on 112 Elm Street, Apt B-9." However, your DM might be winging it and seeing if the players create a nice solution. Track zombie footprints? Knowledge: Religion for information on undead habits? Search for burnt up spell components?

Openly brainstorm with your fellow players and the NPCs. Ideally, your DM then starts leaking information from his NPCS (Shaman: Undead are appearing near the hunting grounds.)

Ask the DM what your character knows about undead and how they are created (Roll Knowledge Religion.)

[Lazymancer]

Command Undead on zombies. Create an army and get started with the world domina Tell zombies to "go back" or "go home".

[SangoProduction]

What level are you, and what races/classes does your party consist of?

Level 3. A Beguiler, a dungeon crasher, potentially a healer, a Psion with all combat spells, (a....I dunno. Thrower?), an archivist who makes scrolls.

[Inevitability]

Level 3. A Beguiler, a dungeon crasher, potentially a healer, a Psion with all combat spells, (a....I dunno. Thrower?), an archivist who makes scrolls.

Why can't the archivist cast some divinations? Even something as simple as Augury would be helpful.

[Quertus]

Seems like the easy answer is to just clear out the undead, and don't worry about the source. It's more lucrative to treat the symptoms than to cure the disease, after all.

[Ellrin]

Seems like the easy answer is to just clear out the undead, and don't worry about the source. It's more lucrative to treat the symptoms than to cure the disease, after all.

Only if you stay in contact with your clients; if you move out of easy contact/visitation range (as many low-level adventuring parties tend to), you want to squeeze them for everything you can within a limited time frame.

[Vizzerdrix]

You could strt by finding out who is buying that many spell components, or look for records on graveyards. Swamps are rough on corpses so a fresh supply would be needed.

[Gildedragon]

Survival plus a map to plot out sightings and deduce a center point for the base