War of Shadows: Chapter 2

[sarlon]

You each wake up feeling like you've just gotten over a really bad case of the flu. You find yourself in a soft bed and early morning light is just beginning to filter in through several windows.

Each of you are wearing a light sleeping gown/shirt, and feel as weak as a kitten, as if you'd been asleep for several days. None of you are restrained, and a light blanket covers your form.

[DeTess]

Elva slowly got up, looking a round, trying to get her bearings. She didn't remember anything after... whatever it was that had gone wrong with the teleport spell, but whatever had happened, they had ended up with friendly folks. "Hello, anyone there?" She called out, while looking around to see if she saw her equipment anywhere.

[sarlon]

Elva:

You don't see your equipment immediately around you, and your voice comes out rough and scratchy, your throat dry and sore, but a door opens a few beds down from you, and a elf walks into the room, looks around for a moment before walking quickly to your side. She is wearing the garb of a healer of a church of Kol'nari, she not necessarily a cleric, but wearing the garb of a healer. she smiles down at you, helps you sit up a little more comfortably, propping some pillows behind you, and offers you some cool liquid to drink (plain water), helping you drink it slowly.

"oh good you're awake! You gave us a bit of a scare there, but your fever seems to have broken finally. Are you hungry?" Her voice sounds odd to your ear. Elves tend to have their own accents, but this one sounds so foreign to your ear that it actually takes you a few moments to comprehend what shes saying, though it was spoken in perfect common.

[DeTess]

"Ah..." Elva took a moment to consider her question. Was she hungry? She certainly felt hungry, but at the same time a faint nausea lingered, and she doubted she could eat anything big right now. "Some soup or fruit would be nice, if you have it. Eh, and could you help me fill in some gaps in my memory? Last thing I knew my companion was teleporting us back to the capital. What happened, and where are we?"

[sarlon]

The woman pats her blanket covered leg gently, leaving the mug of water nearby, then stands and returns a few minutes later with a bowl of warm broth (no meat or veggies in it but flavorful), and sliced fruit that elva hasn't seen before. She checks on a few other beds while elva eats then brings a chair over to her bedside and sits down, hands folded in her lap.

"3 days ago, you and your 2 friends?" she glaces at nuka and Josiah before continuing, "were found on the coast, filled with fever and suffering from some rather deep wounds. At first we feared the plague had come back, but it seems it was just wound fever thankfully. We had healer Kiloni check you over last night, and he thought you might wake this evening. To answer your question, you're in the human settlement of Ecato'lisha."

[Deadcanons]

From under the covers of Nuka's bed comes an abrupt cough, followed by a loud, throaty groan. He sits up on one elbow, his thin braided hair disheveled. There is a moment of silence as he looks between Elva and the elf, one eye still closed in a portrait of sleep. "Where'zza toilet?" he says finally.

[sarlon]

another healer, larger than the elf that sits beside Elva's bed, enters the room. A large bulky elf with strange features, he glances at the other elf, who just nods her head once and then inclines her head. This big elf, with surprisingly gentle hands, helps Nuka to sit up, giving him a moment in case of dizziness then helps him walk to a curtained off area, both disappearing behind it.

from the other bed, Joshiah is heard mumbling as well something about not drinking again, before saying in a little stronger voice "what....where.....?"

[DeTess]

The names the healer mentioned didn't mean anything to Elva, but she hadn't been out much to this part of the world. "Wait, you only found the three of us?" she looked around again. "There were more people with us, an elf and a half-orc." she wasn't entirely sure about the half part actually, but decided not to complicate matters. "Oh, and a tiny little water-elemental." she gestured to indicate the essence's size. "Did you see any of them?"

[sarlon]

the elf frowns very slightly, before shaking her head. "Orcs are very uncommon in this area, as for a spirit of water on this land, we haven't seen anything. Another elf traveled with you?" VERY quietly she mumbles something. "You're things are safe have no worries, we had to remove them to treat your injuries, and other than a light cleaning off of blood they have been untouched."

She stands and walks over to josiah's bed to check on him (1 bed away, shes still in comfortable talking distance.)

[DeTess]

Elva quietly continued eating the food she had been brought, while processing the information she had just been given. The essence and two of her companions had gone missing. She could only hope that they had been spared from whatever happened to them. Right now there wasn't much else she could do beside recovering her strength. Once she could move around again she could go looking for them.

[Deadcanons]

Nuka is brought back into the room by the elf, who supports him with one hand on either side of his body. He pulls away, trying to stand of his own authority, but the elf gently guides him back into his clutches. Nuka is too weakened to resist.

The elf sits Nuka down on his bed again. Looking around blearily, his eyes land on Elva. He stares at her, blinking slowly.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah is simply sitting up, his left hand held to one temple. He groaned, then asked in a half-whine, "Why do I feel like I got run over by a caravan of dwarven brewery trolleys? Ugh. Where am I?"

[sarlon]

the elf pours more water into clean mugs and encourages all of you to drink (it really is plain water, but clean and fresh and cool). She then pulls her chair in such a way to be facing your beds directly, "my name is healer Solina, you are in a temple of Kol'nari (no checks here, its a hospital effectively....like a doctor for more "common" aliments that don't need magical intervention). You are in the human settlement of Ecato'lisha, near the southern forests of Tol'raki. I do not know how you ended up on the coast, but you three were brought here on the verge of death suffering from grievous injuries. you have been sleeping for the past 3 days under our care."

She pauses awaiting any further questions, her hands folded primly in her lap.

[DeTess]

"I'm sorry, but my geography knowledge is coming up a bit short." Elva shook her head. "How far are we from Lotipac?"

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah growled as he rubbed his temple, "If the water thing or the orc has anything to do with how trashed I feel, I'll kill them until they die from it, then kill them some more. This is why we do not interact with strange objects without finding out what they are or are about...!"

[sarlon]

the elf does look slightly offended at josiahs words, but then turns to elva, "Lotipac? you could easily get there in a few days if you travel but boat up river."

[DeTess]

Elva ignored Josiah's grumbling, and adresses the healer instead "Thank you. Once we have recovered we should head there. Would there be a way to send a message before then? We where on an important mission and should send some kind of report back."

[Deadcanons]

Nuka looks at Josiah. " Yeah, I was going to ask. I take it this isn't the way that teleport spell was meant to work?" He grimaces. "And here I thought we were off to redeem the temple's honor. Stupid of me, really. I can only blame myself."

He returns his attention to the priest. "Any idea of what caused our injuries?"

[sarlon]

she reaches for the end of elvas bed and taps something a couple of times, to your amazement, an image projects a perfect image of Elva eyes closed floating a few inches above the end of the bed. She points to various places (elva as she points it out and explains your injuries your various aches begin to make more sense), there was damage from prolonged water exposure, deep cuts, a cracked rib, and minor head damage.

[DeTess]

Elva grimaced at the damage shown. It mostly lined up with the aches she felt. "It'll be a while before I'll be able to leave then." She considered for a moment. "Are the others in as bad a shape? We really need to get a message to the capital as soon as possible."

[Deadcanons]

Nuka watches in silence, eyes flicking between Elva and the magic diagram.

[Tyg3rW01f]

When the healer brought up the image, Josiah asked "What in the name of Brothers Muh'Ali Lightfoot and M'Tyson Furious-Fist could DO damage like that?!

Wanting a closer look, Josiah tried to lean over -- a very painful mistake. The young human nearly retched at the pain in his ribs. He rolled to his back, whimpering; his ribs, his jaw, his left forearm and elbow, his shins, entire right arm, both shoulders and his fists all hurt. It was as if he had gone into his Brotherhood Test, only to find it was a Shi-han Test, and he had not only lost, but failed.

[sarlon]

The nurse shakes her head sadly at Josiah, before turning back to Elva, "Will you promise to rest some more if I secure you....forgive me....do you know how to write?" her tone is VERY apologetic, you can tell she deals more with illiterate people more commonly.

"I will bring you writing implements and a wax seal, and have it to be sent to a person or location of your choice...the contents will never be seen by anyone not told whom to give it to."

She stands and leaves the room for several long minutes, while each of you waits, another nurse (also an elf) enters and gives Josiah a steaming beverage and encourages him to drink it all down (its bitter as hell, and tastes like bad mint tea). Each of you is given a similar beverage and told to try and rest.

almost 10 minutes later the first elf comes back with pen, paper, ink, wax, an unlit candle, and a small desk that will fit on your lap and provide a stable writing surface. She politely excuses herself but says to ask for her when you're ready to send the message. She pulls a curtain around your 3 beds and you begin to hear other voices attending (presumably) to the other patients that are in the room but further down. you can't make out distinct words.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah recoils at the flavor profile, and shotguns the rest of his dose of the tea. He makes a brief retching sound then proclaims, "By the Order of the Open Palm, blahhghk!! I've drunk peyote that tasted better!!"

[Deadcanons]

For his own part, Nuka tips the mug back and downs the tea in two thick gulps. He lets out a half-satisfied breath as he looks at Josiah. "Don't complain. Mint and waterwort. Just what we need."

As the writing implements come out, Nuka falls silent and leans back on the bed, waiting to see who the others propose to contact.

[DeTess]

Elva immediately started writing a report, addressing it to Almira's assistant, Illidari. She described the state they found the water temple in, including the odd illusions, before describing what happened when they tried to teleport. She then started to describe their current situation and whereabouts, but that left her with a problem.

"Ehm, do either of you two know how to write 'Ecato'lisha'?" she asked her companions.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah considered a moment then guessed, "E-c-a-t-o-hyphen-l-i-s-h-a-accent thingy? I dunno; just taking a wild swing in the dark there."

[DeTess]

"Eh, let's go with that then." Elva finished writing her report, then asked a nurse to give her the black signet stone that identified her as a member of the adventurer's guild. She would sue that for the seal, then have the letter send off while they recuperated.

[sarlon]

the nurse rings the stone in question and then patiently waits for you to seal the letter, she listens carefully to whom to give it to and where it is to be sent to, before nodding her head and leaving the curtained area with the letter with assurances it would be delivered within the next few days.

Each of you begins to feel very drowsy and feel yourselves falling back into slumber, perhaps there had been something in the drink...

**********************************

When you open your eyes, everything is different again. You have no aches or pains as if the past few hours hadn't happened at all. You find yourself blinking in bright midafternoon sunshine outside of Loti'pac. The elf, the other orc (tordic), are with you looking mildly amused, and the water elemental is still wrapped around Elva's wrist.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah woke and looked around. "Okay! That TEARS it!!! I am getting TIRED of this magic bull-BLEEP!!! Am I gonna go to sleep tonight in an inn and wake the BLEEP up in a ship's bilge in a week?! This BLEEP has GOT to BLEEP-ing STOP!"

[DeTess]

Elva ignored Josiah's tirade. She was bothered by whatever was going on, sure, but this wasn't the time to lose her cool. "Tordic, Alyndra, can either of you fill me in on what you think just happened?"

[sarlon]

they both shake their heads, obvious confusion on their faces as to what you're talking about. Nuka excuses himself as you guys enter the city mumbling something about seeing a man about a horse. (sadly this player has to drop out for now and I don't want to kill off their character).

The 4 of you (Tordic, Alyndra, Elva, and Josiah) head into the city proper, the water elemental dancing around Elva's wrist making happy squeaks and you get the impression its actively looking at everything you pass. You're escorted into the audience chamber where you are able to give over the elemental an give your full report, the frown lines on Almira's face deepening with worry. She extends a hand out to the tiny elemental who hesitates for only the briefest of moments before bouncing over, splashing Elva lightly with water. You each are thanked for your service and a promise of your pay tomorrow.

********************************

2 Weeks have passed (yes you were each paid 2000 gold for your services), and fall is finally starting to come into full swing. Almost daily rain has made the weather start to cool down finally, and excitement all over is growing in anticipation of the harvest festivals (doesn't matter if you stayed in the city or left for any reason, enough time has passed.)

Sadly jobs have been few and far between until one day...


a young human male comes running up to you, he is wearing the garb of a runner (basically the post service for "common" folk), he bows politely and firsts confirms your name before handing you a sealed scroll. The insignia on the scroll of paper looks completely foreign to you and you don't recognize it at all.




a young elf man runs up to you, wearing the garb of a runner (basically the post service for "common" folk), he bows politely and hands you a scroll of tightly rolled parchment bearing an unfamiliar seal.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah takes the scroll and gives the runner a gold coin. Thank you. For your troubles." The young monk hoped a single gold wasn't an insult, nor an exorbitantly high amount to give a courier.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Heading back into the main hall of the monastery of the Brotherhood of the Open Palm, Josiah idly wondered what everyone else was doing. After the 10th day of no work, he'd returned to his studies with the Masters. He could still vividly recalled how ashamed he'd felt at not having done more, learned more, been more useful; maybe the Masters thought he'd done well, but Josiah couldn't face the sunrise without regretful wishes of having been more on his abbreviated quest.
Sighing as he looked back over his shoulder out through the gate, Josiah broke the seal on the missive and read,
"Greetings Master Josiah of the Brotherhood of the Open Palm,

I hope this missive finds you in good health after your most recent travels. A few weeks ago you and a party of adventures stayed overnight in my clans encampment. There has been some trouble since you have left and i have requested your presence to handle this delicate situation.

Please present yourself to the docks in the city of Cali'nast and present this letter to the captain of the ship the Wave Runner, to secure prepaid passage back into our desert lands. We will discuss more upon arrival.

Regards,
Chieftan Tolira of the bronze dunes Clan"

Josiah muttered, "I'm not a mast-- Oh! Doofus! Chieftain Tolira is using it in the Dwarven way: 'Master' in this context is the same as 'Mister'. Wonder what manner of circumstances...?"

The young monk packed his needed gear and was on the road within an hour of showing his superiors the letter.

[DeTess]

Elva thanked the courier, then looked over the scroll.



Greetings Lady Elva,

I hope this missive finds you in good health after your most recent travels. A few weeks ago you and a party of adventures stayed overnight in my clans encampment. There has been some trouble since you have left and i have requested your presence to handle this delicate situation.

Please present yourself to the docks in the city of Cali'nast and present this letter to the captain of the ship the Wave Runner, to secure prepaid passage back into our desert lands. We will discuss more upon arrival.

Regards,
Chieftan Tolira of the bronze dunes Clan


She frowned. Could this have something to do with the mysterious stairs she'd found before? Either way, it was very much worth checking out. She spend a day getting her gear in order and refreshing her supplies, and then headed off, following the instructions in the letter.

[sarlon]

The port city of Cali'nast is a good sized fishing port. All sorts of ships sit at anchor and there's a strange ship up in an obvious dry dock.....its made entirely of metal parts (unheard of this kind of style) with dwarves and gnomes (gnomes also being a scarce sight outside of elven settlements, and this is primarily a human settlement). The city is bustling with trade and while the city is tense its more an excitement of waiting for something big to happen.

The Captain of the Wind Runner is a burly old orc with a gruff voice and thinning grey hair, though his clothing is well-made and well-kept. He eyes both of you suspiciously as he inspects your letters, then grunts a greeting. "We'll sail with the tide, it seems its just the two of you (this is not a question)." he barks out someones name and a young man runs up and offers to carry any gear before leading you below decks.

The ship is good sized, 2 tall masts, and plenty of cargo space (you get the impression this is more cargo ship then fishing vessel). Your quarters are little more then a curtained off area near the captains quarters, but judging by the number of hammocks hanging below curtains were added as a courtesy. the boy offers to secure your gear in the captains quarters and advises you to stay out of the engine room. A loud clanging bell almost overhead is heard shortly after, and he bows quickly begging your pardon before scampering up topside.

you both feel a very slight lurch as the ship beings moving.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah looked about and scoffed a bit. "Well, t'would seem we alone travel together again; eh, Elva?"
The young monk stretched out into his hammock and murmured,
"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say."

[DeTess]

"It would seem so!" Elva replied cheerfully to Josiah. "What brings you out this way?"

[Tyg3rW01f]

"Oh, this letter from the Chieftain of that desert tribe we visited. I'm guessing you got a similar missive?"

Josiah sat up. ""Oh! need to do something! Be right back!"
With that, Josiah made his way to the ship's bow where he took a water lily out of his pouch. Making a hand gesture of Peace, the young monk then tossed the flower to the waves with the whispered tune,
"Ancestors, to whom we pray,
Watch as we traverse the waves,
Please bid the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep,
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea!"


((This hand signal, btw...))
https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-8f4e3f5bdf09fe0fd60b497eab5c31bc
((yes, edited this so the conversation could flow better.))

[sarlon]

the boat trip south is fairly uneventful (3-day trip), day two in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight, the captain seems nervous and is checking charts and talking with the weirdest-looking elf either of you have ever seen. Faintly tinged green skin, long leaf green fair, wears little more than a pair of swim pants and his hands are "weird", they have "fins" between the fingers which don't seem to inhibit his usage of his hands and make no effort to hide them. He is a member of the crew and well-liked, and at night he's often heard telling stories which both of you are invited to listen to of course.

After a long discussion, the elf comes toward the two of you, "begging your pardons fair travelers, but a storm has popped up in the middle of our intended course. Likely little more than a hurricane, but we will be delayed a further day to avoid sailing into the storm. You're still welcome to stay topside, but if the weather turns foul you land livers might be safer down below decks."

[DeTess]

"Thank you for the warning." Elva looked around, to see if she could see the storm coming. "I'll follow your advice once the weather turns."

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah lifted an eyebrow. He'd heard tales of the storms called the "Kami-Kaze" or "Divine Wind" by his Mentor, "hurricanes" by Brother Muh'Ali Lightfoot, and a bard who spoke of the "Gales of November". The young monk didn't really want to be on a ship in such lethal weather.
"I presume this ship has survived many of these hurricanes?"

[sarlon]

"we....generally try and avoid them....this one is strange and we're marking it since look...." he points one long finger in the direction of the dark swirling clouds to the south east.....but the clouds aren't churning the waters underneath them.

"I offered to swim over and check it out but the captain wants me to stay on board in case we catch any of it and someone might get swept overboard.... Do you have any wet weather gear?"

[Tyg3rW01f]

"I have only an oilskin cloak for the rain; nothing of what a sailor might require," Josiah admitted. "I'll stay below as you recommend, but if you need me, I will be available."

[sarlon]

despite the ship working its way around the storm, the winds quickly pick up and rain begins falling in earnest. the ship gets thrown around the waters and the crew is heard shouting orders to each other. The Captain is in the middle of things roaring orders and shoves the two of you out of the way to help another crewmate. what seems like 3 days have passed before the worst of the storm turns out to have been only a few hours.

The ship is in poor repair, 2 of the main masts have snapped completely off and the main deck is littered with debris. The elf is seen climbing back on board multiple times murmuring with the captain and first mate, shaking his head, and pointing at something at a sea chart.

[DeTess]

Once the storm had passed, Elva hurried around, helping where she could. Unfortunately, as far as ship repair or seafaring was considered, she was merely a pair of unskilled hands.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah was slightly more help than Elva, but only by degrees. True, he had a bit of strength and endurance on her, but he was just as unskilled at repairs.

[Tyg3rW01f]

To see if he can be helpful retrieving stuff IN wreckage... [roll0]

[sarlon]

The Crew welcome your help and teach you just enough to be helpful in regards to minor repairs. one of the more agile crew members shouts from above "Land ho!"

mummers of confusion are heard throughout, as they mostly crowd to what remains of the railing to see if they can spot it. FAR distant you can see the faint outline of something starting to rise above the waves as you draw towards it.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah strains to see the land, hoping the lookout isn't mistaking a very low bank of clouds for land.


[roll0]

[DeTess]

"If they're surprised, it must mean we're really off course." Elva murmured softly to herself before joining everyone else in trying to make out the object in the distance.


[roll0]

[sarlon]

the ship changes direction to point to what quickly appears to be a sandy beach, ending at a thick forest with trees tall and well-established.

Some of the crew are mumbling about a "misty" island, and a few of the older crew look a little afraid.

The captain comes up behind you taking out his telescope and looking in that direction before grunting. "I know I need to get the two of you to port, but we may not make it with the damage we took in that storm. I see good hardwoods that would make good repairs least till we can get to a proper dry dock...." he offers the telescope so you can see too, confirming what he's saying, "can't say I like it though.....this island isn't on any maps I've got and I've been sailing this route for near 30 years." he crosses his arms over his broad chest and frowns in thought.

[DeTess]

"I think this is where I come in." Elva gestured at herself, a note if pride in her voice. "I'm an adventurer, and scouting out a situation like this is exactly what I'm good at. I can check out the island while you keep your distance untill I give the all clear.

[Tyg3rW01f]

"I believe what Elva, my fellow adventurer, meant to say is WE are adventurers and that is what we are good at..." Josiah smiled.

[sarlon]

the ship can get fairly close to the shoreline, the elf dives into the water ahead of the ship and a small boat is made ready for the two of you to get into. The elf swims alongside the small boat pulling it along. the water is almost smooth as glass with how calm it is, almost like bath water. the wake from the small boat makes barely a ripple in the water.

The elf pulls the boat up onto the shore and shakes himself like a dog, before looking around the shore up and down. The island is eerily quiet, no bird or animal noises are heard, and even the water barely whispers as it presses against the shore. "We'll need a few hours minimum for repairs, maybe see if anyone lives on this island? see if we could trade for fresh food and maybe offer to trade or pay for the timber we need..."

he squats down in the sand as you see movement on the ship of the crew starting to work on it.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah looked around, noting the silence.

Perception [roll0]
Wisdom to know if this bodes ill [roll1]


"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

[DeTess]

"Because if no animals live here, it means they can't. And we're probably going to find out why." Elva replied, quietly. "Let's do a circuit around the beach hete first."


[roll0]

[sarlon]

Within a few minutes of walking the beach you notice a definite break in the tree line and what appears to be a walking path. following it leads through the dense woods, and it soon becomes obvious this is not a natural path, someone definitely made it (trees trimmed back, some attempts at a cobble stone path, mostly level except where it starts to climb up a hill). You continue walking for at least 10 minutes before the path begins to widen and you begin to glimpse what appears to be a house on the right side of the clearing.

the house is a small one...maybe 2 room hut with a thatched roof. The door and windows are shuttered tightly shut. The yard area in front of the small building is tidy and swept clean, and a low rock wall (maybe knee high), shows a small tidy vegetable garden in the late stages of growth (matches well with back home since the growing season is nearing an end). The whole place has the air of a lively home, but is uterly silent.

[DeTess]

"Well, that's not ominous at all." Elva muttered as she slowly approached the building, keeping to the tree cover. As she did she attuned her eyes to the flow of magic to see if she could determine what magic was in play here.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah looked around.

[roll0]

[Tyg3rW01f]

"I've got a bad feeling about this. Everything about this place feels wrong."

[DeTess]

"And yet there doesn't seem to be any magic in play." Elva looked around, the hurried down the path past the house. "Let's keep going."

[sarlon]

The path soon begins turning into more of a road, and you pass by more houses in pretty much the same state, about 10 more minutes, you guys see a large wooden wall that stretches in both directions for quite a distance, though you are seeing a large gate standing wide open, but askew, half hanging off its hinges.

Guard towers flank the gate, but if you approach no one calls out to halt your progress, infact there's no sounds coming from anywhere still.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah rolled his right shoulder, the tiger tattoo there still somewhat raw. "There may not be magic in play, but this entire situation reminds me of that fourth temple. Especially cuz of that gate."

[DeTess]

Elva approached the damaged gate, studying it carefully. "This is the first sign of things not being quite as they should... apart form the complete lack of any people or animals, of course."

[sarlon]

hard to tell exactly what damaged the gate, which itself looks sturdy and sound (and too heavy for either of you to lift without considerable help, but you can easily climb over it or crawl under it). Glancing into the town proper, you guys see with astounding clarity where any people might be. There are hundreds of skeletons scattered in various locations, some sprawled in front of the gate, some huddled in what might have been fear, clothing is of little help, most of the fabric clothing people might have been wearing has rotted beyond recognition. even the armor of those sprawled near the gate is rusty and falling apart.

a FAINT FAINT hint of magic is drawing your eye further inside the town, its not a large or powerful item, but its the only thing remotely putting off magic, though you can't see what it is just from the gate area.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Josiah looked around in horror. "By the Ancestors! What happened here?!"
After several moments of looking about, Josiah said, "Elva, whatever else needs doing, you and I must leave this place. Undisturbed... Now."

[DeTess]

Elva took a step back, but was not as overcome as Josiah seemed to be. Whatever happened here was bad, but the state of the corpse also insulated her from the true horror. Skeletons were something she was somewhat used to. She was therefore surprised ar Josiah's insistence they leave. "Are you seeing something I'm not?" she asked. "Sure, what happened here was a tragedy but I'm not sending anything suggesting we're in accute danger."

[Tyg3rW01f]

"Elva, I have heard terrifying stories from many bards about such scenarios. This doesn't end well if the adventurers disturb anything in these situations."

[DeTess]

"It's also our job to keep the sailors safe, so we need to know a little more about what happened here " Elva countered. "I'm going to take a little look around in there. Don't worry, I won't touch the bodies." Elva made for the gate, intend on tracking down the faint magical trace she'd found.