The Sundered Way

[thinkslogically]

She Messages Randy, then Holger then Coljin:
"You're getting her hopes up about something. Be careful."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy slowly answers. "I think it's a grave...it's where she's buried. She looks to be a restless spirit. She wants something from us. Something so she can move on....? " He looks a question at the woman/spirit.

[spiderwrangler]

She doesn't seem violent or aggressive, at least not yet... But Coljin can't pin her down to any specific type of undead, if indeed that is what she is.

((Nature probably wouldn't help much more on that.))

She pauses in her dancing and nods solemnly at Randy, waiting and watching him.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy applies a little insight to the issue:
Insight: 1d20+5 = [17] = 22

[spiderwrangler]

► Show Spoiler

Randy?

► Show Spoiler

Her expression is one of deep sadness, loss, and regret, but buoyed by the hope that you and the others represent. You get no sense of ill will from her.

[NotStickFigures]

"Can you speak and explain what it is you need from us?" Coljin asks the woman.
He is concerned about other undead or whatever might have killed her lurking in the sand, so he does ready his shield at this point.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy looks at her. " Are you asking us to return you to your family?"

[spiderwrangler]

She gives you a sad smile and points to the same spot again before beginning to slowly dance and twirl.

You notice, as a bit of breeze picks up, that the wind doesn't shift her scarves or skirt, they only flow in response to her movement.

She moves, circling the spear of stone, and as she passes behind it... doesn't emerge on the other side.

[NotStickFigures]

"Should we get a few others over here to help with this?" Coljin asks. "Something caused her death, and I'm afraid this won't be as easy as just picking up her remains or doing a quick burial."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy sighs. "No it won't. What do you want to bet that there will be nothing to tell us who her people are? We may wind up playing pantomime with her ghost to find out where she belongs. And I'm REALLY hoping she wasn't murdered or abandoned to die here." He looks at the rock. " And I'm really hoping the rock is just a rock. Better let me go first. I'm more...expendable." He advances slowly and cautiously, probing the ground ahead with his sword.

[spiderwrangler]

The sand shifts a bit, exposing more of the protruding bone, along with a bit of frayed cloth. It looks similar to the fabric of her skirt.

[NotStickFigures]

"You are no more expendable than anyone else here, Randerwaith." he states sternly to the strange comment from the ranger. He also will not let him move ahead alone. He will ignore the corpse for now and follow after Randy. (Who else is nearby from the group?) He will motion to Dornikal to come nearer.

[spiderwrangler]

((Holger, and I suppose if you wanted Zephyr or any of the NPCs, you could have them too.))

[thinkslogically]

Nem will switch out of Ily and approach the group and the bones. She'll dig carefully around them in the sand to expose anything that might identify who this woman was. If she was a dancer in life, maybe there's something here Nem would recognise...

Investigation: 1D20+2 = [3]+2 = 5


Good to see her investigative skills are as solid as ever!

[spiderwrangler]

((You're on your way over there, but if Randy and company want to try something first, they can.))

[Arch Lich Burns]

Maji is concerned that most of crew went out to check the trap, but he knows he cannot abandon the wagon he was tethered to, and he couldn't abandon the other wagons either so he waits for them to call out or come back.

[Rodgeir]

Dornikal sees the waving and hesitates but signals the caravan that things are okay and he is going to check out something.

((Okay gesture with hands, look at something gesture))

When he gets to the bones he will pause and look around for the woman.

"Where'd she go?"

He'll peer at the bones too. ((Rolled a 7 on investigation))

"Who's bones...?"

[M0rtimer]

Ulmwin's also walking over at this point- Whenever he arrives, he thinks.

"Is it to bring her bones back to her people..? If her spirit manifests like this there's obviously something wrong, but it could be more benign in nature... She might as well just desire a proper burial? We'd ought to examine the body to try and figure out..."

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

" I didn't sense any ill will on her part. Just a sense of sadness...and hope. We'll see what we find. Hopefully, we can find a clue to who she was. If not, I've got some ideas that may help if she manifests again." He mutters to himself, "I hope she can read."
He continues to gently uncover the remains. "Can someone go back to the wagons and get a blanket to wrap her in?"

[spiderwrangler]

It takes a while (with a couple of investigation rolls < 10, but aided by Holger's directions), but what you eventually unearth after a half hour of everyone sifting sand is a set of human remains, mostly just bone at this point. The fabric scraps and other ornamentation seem to correspond to what the woman was wearing.

There are a pair of metal bands that have a chain motif inscribed around their circumference, and they seem to be joined on one side (like this oo ), though there doesn't appear to be any weld, bolt or other joining. You also find a ring with a similar design.

There is a necklace of linked discs or medallions, the top, widest row that would fall nearest the neck seeming quite old and worn, each of the rows getting newer as they decrease in number to the point. It gives off a pleasant jingle when handled.

You also find a pair of bolts, one snapped off halfway down its shaft.

((I'll take a Medicine check from someone proficient in it.))

► Show Spoiler

Holger?

► Show Spoiler

The metal bands and ring are enchantment magic, and the necklace is transmutation.

[thinkslogically]

Nem shivers involuntarily at the motif on the metal bands. ((Does she recognise it specifically?))

[spiderwrangler]

► Show Spoiler

You a tiefling in disguise?

► Show Spoiler

Are you really?

► Show Spoiler

Nemeia does. For a time, she wore something similar, until she showed that she was "trustworthy" enough not to try to escape. Give me a straight Intelligence check, with advantage.

[thinkslogically]

Int check: 1D20+2 = [19]+2 = 21

[Theis2]

Holger will tell the others what he senses.

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Medicine: 1d20+3 = [19] = 22