"Runara, I..." Tomas winces as he starts to rise without thinking, and relaxes back onto the bed. "If I may ask, is there a threat to you or to this place? Something we could give aid with? I confess I didn't perform well in my first attempt against them, though I think I could do better. Is there a reason why they attack this place of peace?"

Glancing over at Keeliel, he says "My...friend," there's a hint of an amused grin, just a hint "is right of course; I would gladly stay here but if you have need of the bed, is there somewhere else I could rest and recover?"

Keeliel snorts. “Has shaking hands with the undead usually worked for you?”

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Keeliel frowns again at Runara, but approaches her and Kilnip. "Where are we able to rest? Tomas here could surely use more private accomodations. And I suppose we will need food." She puts a hand to her coin purse, as if to weigh it unconsciously. "We will pay for both, of course."

“I believe the first room as you come up the path from the beach is available. But it is rather small for four. You are welcome to rest here in the temple of course.”

Seeing you hefting a coin purse adds, “There is no need for payment. You are all welcome to stay as long as you wish. I believe dinner will be ready soon and you are welcome to join us, or not as you would prefer.”

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"Runara, I..." Tomas winces as he starts to rise without thinking, and relaxes back onto the bed. "If I may ask, is there a threat to you or to this place? Something we could give aid with? I confess I didn't perform well in my first attempt against them, though I think I could do better. Is there a reason why they attack this place of peace?"

Glancing over at Keeliel, he says "My...friend," there's a hint of an amused grin, just a hint "is right of course; I would gladly stay here but if you have need of the bed, is there somewhere else I could rest and recover?"

 
“There’s not much in the way of threats to us here.” She pauses briefly before continuing, “There was a shipwreck some time ago. Must have been some forty odd years ago when zombies first appeared here. Prior to that I had never noticed any here. But after they were dispatched there weren’t any seen until the last few weeks or so. Usually after a ship crashes along the shore near the northern part of the island.”

She waits a moment to let the information sink in and then continues, “So far, no zombies have been able to make it up the path. So I do not think it’s specifically an attack against the temple. Though I would appreciate it if you could determine the source of the zombies and put a stop to it.”

Keeliel slips effortlessly (maybe even eagerly) into puzzle solving researcher. "Excuse me, did you say that zombies appear whenever a ship sinks to the northern side of the island? Have there been shipwrecks on the south that have not been followed by zombies? Do you suspect there is something that... turns the drowned dead into zombies? That would be very interesting, a sort of region, or a cursed area, that creates revenant dead... how do we reach the northern side? When was the last wreck? How many in the crew? Why were they sailing near the island? Were there any survivors? Um, non-dead survivors?"

“A region… or a monster. You know, one that can do creepy magic,” Pilo says, wiggling his fingers and crooking an eyebrow.

Keeliel scoffs. "A monster that has just, what, hung around for forty years, basking in the occasional shipwreck? Don't be ridiculous. It is much more likely to be some sort of planar rift, or an artifact lost in some progenitor shipwreck."

Keeliel dreams big for a neophyte adventurer.

Tomas grins as Keeliel switches into investigation-mode, and relaxes back quietly, letting his companions take the lead in the questioning while he focuses on not moving at all.

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Keeliel slips effortlessly (maybe even eagerly) into puzzle solving researcher. "Excuse me, did you say that zombies appear whenever a ship sinks to the northern side of the island? Have there been shipwrecks on the south that have not been followed by zombies? Do you suspect there is something that... turns the drowned dead into zombies? That would be very interesting, a sort of region, or a cursed area, that creates revenant dead... how do we reach the northern side? When was the last wreck? How many in the crew? Why were they sailing near the island? Were there any survivors? Um, non-dead survivors?"

“Yes. That is correct. Here recently there have been more shipwrecks on the northern part of the island and shortly after one more zombies are on the island.” replies Runara. “The wrecks primarily occur on the north side of the island. I presumed because that’s where it is rockiest and they can be hard to spot depending on the tide and weather. But it could be other factors I suppose.”

”It could be something that turns them into zombies, it could be something in the water, or I suppose it could also be someone… I really couldn’t say.”

”If you are eager to reach the north side of the island and the area where the wrecks have been happening lately you can either get there traveling over land. It’s a fairly easy trek, or you may use the boat tied up down by the dock.” Runara smiles, “Though do your best to bring it back Tarak is rather attached to it for some reason I’ve yet to figure out.”

”The most recent wreck was a little over a week ago. I have no idea how many were part of the crew or why they were near the island or or any survived.”

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Keeliel scoffs. "A monster that has just, what, hung around for forty years, basking in the occasional shipwreck? Don't be ridiculous. It is much more likely to be some sort of planar rift, or an artifact lost in some progenitor shipwreck."

Keeliel dreams big for a neophyte adventurer.

 
“That might be something worth considering. I believe the name of the first wrecked ship was ‘The Compass Rose’. Might be a good place to begin, or perhaps checking one of the more recent ones?” Runara proffers, though she doesn’t seem to think that one is better than the other. 

I would be glad to take on this quest, Tomas says firmly. What about you all? I don't know what reasons you all came to this place, but this undertaking certainly doesn't conflict with any of my plans. Any chance to be of service to Bahamut is very welcome. He even sounds a little excited at the prospect.

Keeliel seems to catch herself in her enthusiasm. "Well. Yes, that would be fine. I am curious, after all, what sort of metaphysical process might be involved in the creation of these undead."

I suppose I'm more interested in the physical process involved their destruction, Tomas adds with a grin. But sure, why not investigate both at the same time. It will be good to keep travelling together. And I reckon Pilo is up for it, eh?

Pilo listens, seated and taking good care of his bow and fixing the fletching on the arrow he got back. He's a quiet elf. He nods at Tomas after his name is mentioned, after a look down at his sword. "I will help with this, as long as you promise not to try to make friends with every monster you see, Tomas," he says with a faint grin. "Runara's going to run out of bandages. I came here, well, let's just say I'm tired of being a disappointment, and I don't really have better options back on the mainland. Is anyone hungry?"

It would be beneficial I believe for all of us who have come here to take a look around the island Merric interjects Who knows what we'll find but Im sure its better than no lead at all.

Keeliel just blinks at the others, and finally throws up her hands. "Yes, fine. Food, a nice bed, perhaps a hot bath with oils and nibbling fish? Mayhaps a massage?" She turns and stalks out of the temple, asking anyone nearby where the guest rooms are.

She's pretty impatient for an elf.

I am... surprisingly hungry, Tomas says as he watches Keeliel go. Not hungry enough to move, at the moment. I think I need a proper rest.

DM, what time of day is it roughly?

(It is maybe an hour or so from sunset and the residents of dragons rest will be having their evening meal soon)

Pilo is game for dinner and a rest - he needs a short one but will take a long for Tomas’ sake. He spends some time sitting with Tomas to keep him company. He asks anyone around either for sole extra arrows or some materials with which he could make some himself.

Hopefully someone will bring some food for Tomas. He's glad of the company, and will ask for detail about the fight with the zombies and how it played out. Poor creatures. It is a kindness to end their existence, I think. I wonder if they are being directed by someone, or something. I suppose we'll find out. He laughs softly. My plan was to come here and... reconnect with Bahamut. I have been finding it harder to hear his voice in the noise of the city. I was expecting quiet contemplation and prayer, not an undead attack. But here at least my enemy and my purpose seem clear. Perhaps that is His gift to me.