Caravan

[*Selebius]

Emila feels almost refreshed, the cold and lack of air not bothering her and the negative energy even empowering her undead body while the mortal travellers feel less welcome, despite their protections.

There is almost no air to fill the lungs with, there is rime that soon covers clothes and equipment and skin and hair and then there is the ongoing sensation of invisible worms trying to dig into the skin to devour the very essence that keeps then alive- an unsettling experience, hinting on what happens to the clueless.

The Caravan moves along the tight streets, the heavy wheels of the wagons grinding brittle bones into the sands. There might be cobblestones hidden somewhere and indeed sometimes traces of an old road can be seen- pale, glasslike stone which endures even the harsh conditions of this place.
Looking too close sometimes reveals a screaming face in this stones- but quickly it is gone again, leaving behind a strange sensation of loss.

Soon they notice some light coming from a building to their left- the decrepit walls reinforced with what seems to be the bones of some giant animal (or demon?) some fires, somehow appearing pale and faint in this surroundings burning in braziers on the flat roof and in front of the door.

They are watched- two robed figures standing close to the brazier on the roof nearby a pole on which a banner showing the dustman crest dances in the wind.

In front of them the buildings get scarce, the road swallowed by the desolate landscape of the Plains of Hunger.

[*Darkrob]

Charles looks to Emila and waits for her to lead the way. His job is to negotiate terms for the Consortium... and gauge the worth of the potential route.

It was she who would have to lead the way as it was her who knew this place best.

He ensured his guards were close by as he followed in behind her... always watching his surroundings keenly.

[*LiquidDreamer]

Vara makes sure that she is alert to her surroundings as they travel as well as staying near the center. For some strange reason, this plane stirs some distant memories. She shakes her head to clear the cobwebs and hopes up on the wagon so she can ride.

"Ha! No way these pretty feet of mine are going to get sore." She then takes out a slender spell tomb from her personal bag and also takes a small swig from her bottle stash. She checks her spells to make sure she is ready for anything .

[*Midnight]

Once they are all through the portal Emila looks at her traveling companions and their hired help.

"There are two wagons if any of you want to hitch a ride in either. Its a long walk to the first sight, and I do not plan on stopping before we get there."

She sets Xifan at the front of the line of march whilst she climbs into the saddle of the undead wyvern the beast taking rather clumsily to the air to allow her to act as look out for the group. The skeletons formed up into neat rank and file would begin a relentless march.

[*Selebius]

The caravan crawls slowly through the cold plains but the undead need no rest, they need no food and driven by their mistress will they pull the wagons towards their destination.

Xifan, the babau, is scouting ahead, sometimes walking, sometimes disappearing in one shadow to only reappear from somewhere else.

It is hard to say how much time has passed or how many miles they have travelled as the everchanging moon and strangely constant landscape makes both measuring time and distance very difficult.

Then, after what seemed to be an eternity the babau stops on a small hill, pointing into a shallow valley.

"Here we are. Digging Site II."

Down below, nestled against a few rocks are some improvised buildings, surrounded by a hastily erected fence made of what appears to be fossilized wood and bones. The whole settlement has the size of a small village and looks rather busy, people moving between the buildings and to the actual digging site, a deep pit buried into the frozen ground.

Yet there is something else- a few wagons, abandoned, the beasts of burdens slain as are (probably) the owners of this caravan.
A number of gaunt, somehow twisted creatures pick through the chests and bundles, screeching at each other in crude abyssal.
On a wagon nearby perches a large, vulturelike demon, ripping big chunks of meat from a still moving victim.

[*Selebius]

Xavara hops from the wagon she rode in, remaining in the low crouch she landed in.

"Only one Vrock." She looks at the drow. "Hardly worth it. The others, the Rutterkin are just trash."

She runs her hand over the rough, frozen ground, awaiting Ra'zeth's command.

The Babau stays close to the wagons and larvae, the gaunt demon obviously not in mood for a fight and hoping to just get ignored- but he is listening curiously to the conversation between the vampire and Vara.

The Hobgoblin Vampire bellows a few commands, trying to keep her voice down as she forms up the skeletons in a defensive formation, surrounding the wagons.

[*LiquidDreamer]

"So, uh.. What're we doin here again?" Asks Vara as she looks around taking in the scenery.

[*Midnight]

As she sees the wrecked caravan and the demonic scavengers picking it clean she wheels the wyvern around and lands the undead creature clumsily as she dismounts and hearing Vara's question.

"We are here to establish a trade route between here and Sigil. Here in particular because it is bereft of anything living. The necromancers at the dig site we are about to visit are particuarly in need of a regular supply of food water and livestock so I imagine you and Charles could charge what you like for them. There is of course one rather imediate problem we must overcome."

[*LiquidDreamer]

"And that is?" She asks, wearing a wide grin.

[*Midnight]

Emila looks back with her usual dry calm composure.

"The band of demons picking through the remains of a caravan much like this one, between here and we need to be. We will need to either go around them or drive them off I think."