The Branchalites go East

Chapter 22: Problems at Purstal.

"Depends," Fandy said with a sad smile. "Acquired items from city or others who came plunder and killed by skeletons. Must be many instances over years."

"How do you suppose the aghar survived?"

"Smell like city. Don't steal. Stay in city. Skeletons may only attack strangers come to steal." Fandy looked toward Gilleana and added, "Others hear of Purstal wealth. Come out of greed. Pay for it with life."

Gilleana nodded. "The Mayor raised them to strike back at the legions of Istar. That purpose, to expel non-citizens, may not apply to creatures that have made Purstal their home. Especially if they don't appear to be plundering. So try to not take anything from the ruins. Even the gear on the undead. It might give us the element of surprise. And yes, Fandy., if we find your brethen, we can trade. It'll be nice to head for the City of Morning Dew with a lighter load."

Further conversation on the topic was interrupted by the arrival of a large squad of those skeletons. Human in shape and size, their bones were yellowed with age, but they could still move and fight as if they were alive. They were armed with scimitars, carried a shield and didn't hesitate but headed straight toward the group. "So much for leaving us alone if we don't steal," Mark said with a grin, but recalling what Gilleana had suggested, no-one used spells. Weapons came out and battle was joined. Fandy used her warhammer and after a minute or so of fighting put it away. About twenty of the monsters had shown up in this initial foray, and they were all dispatched by the team. The two scratches suffered from strikes by the creatures were soon put straight (Stura used her own healing wand so that Gilleana's could be preserved), and they paused to examine the creature's gear.

"Rusted and pitted. These weapons and shields have been neglected. I guess the undead weren't compelled to care for their equipment." Sedgwick's tone was disapproving. He turned his regard toward Gilleana. "Where to next?"

The first morning in Purstal the team spent on the outskirts. They fought squads of skeletons every ten minutes, or so it seemed to Fandy, and she began to wonder if there was an end to their numbers. She asked Gilleana about it, after they had paused for a midday snack of trail rations.

"No, they have a limit. Every time one of these creatures is raised, it takes money and life from the one that does the raising. Purstal's fabled wealth has been turned into its unliving protection. We'll likely be here a couple of days yet – these outer skirmishes are the least powerful of the defenders. We learn nothing here, and yet need to eliminate them all the same."

"Gone round city," Stura said, pointing to the point where they entered the ruins. The group had circled the outer portion of Purstal.

"Yes," Gilleana said, her expression turning more somber. "We must proceed further within. We should also attempt to locate the aghar clan – it may be safest to spend the night in one of their safe spots in the city."

The team moved further into the city then, still circling but planning to spend some time within seeking more of the undead to eliminate. Evidence of robbers became clear, their bodies left in the streets where they fell, many of them skeletons themselves, bones bleached white in the sun, not yet yellowed with age like the defenders', and scoured by occasional sand storms. Something had taken their possessions, and Fandy assumed it was the aghar. Invaders wouldn't be protected by the undead force. That afternoon, the group battled some much larger skeletons (ogres), ghouls (undead that still had their flesh, smelled bad, and could paralyze with their touch), and a few ghasts (similar to ghouls yet more dangerous), but nothing that needed more than a few blasts from Stura's wand to resolve after the fact. The team fell into a routine of wander, investigate, discover the monsters, attack them, destroy them, repeat. The sun was sinking toward the horizon and they still hadn't seen any evidence of the aghar. However, they'd gone in another complete, albeit tighter, circuit. Gilleana called for a halt.