If Cutting Word has no insight to provide into the lively undead then perhaps they carried something on them that would. Mulligan takes the time to slowly and carefully search the corpses, specially that of the spell caster, as well as the general area. He’s looking for anything that may provide information about where they came from or why they are here… (Investigation 25)
Fast like the wind, Ash didn’t take long to but him no further than a hundred twenty feet from the enemies. Better yet, Ninlil answered his question showing that the undead were not that far from one another. Perfectly in range, the wizard thought as a smile took hold of his now invisible lips. The eye of his mind focus in a single point between the two opponents, willing arcane energy to move into there. In principle it was not too dissimilar from Fire Bolt, but the level of energy could not be compared.
“Arde.” Karuk almost whispered, extending his arms and clasping his hands. As he separated his palms a spark appeared halfway through the enemies. In a fraction of second it expanded into a roaring inferno, engulfing both the riders and their mounts.
First time I can hit more than one of them and it is with fire. The same element the half-orc had used to target the exanimate individually. Maybe that was a revelation and he should become an elemental adept. From far away I must look like quite the pyromaniac. He was fast to get hold of the reins and tried to keep pace with whatever decomposing mount were still trying to escape. If things continued like that, Ash would feast like a king.
Notes: Ash will use his full 120ft movement and Karuk will spend his action to cast Fireball. The riders and their horses have to do a Dex Save DC 17+2 (from the Fragment [didn't manage to make the +2 appear on the sheet]) or take 19 fire damage (half as much on a success).
By the time he arrives at Timris, Rowan has put all outward worry behind him, with a façade of joy and peace on his face. He eats a bit, but refrains from drinking much, preferring to keep his wits about him in case of another attack. He is more than happy to tell a story if asked. He picks things that have happened over the last 8 years while he has been a defender, but doesn't mention anything about the attack today.
Rowan
The folks of Timris listen with rapt attention to any anecdote that you share with them, but they are considerate enough to give you your leave and allow you a night of rest in the town's lone inn.
After a hearty breakfast provided by the innkeeper, you set out for Talisten, knowing that you'll briefly be delayed in Bowsprit, where it seems every boat in Syndaris has been built. The road between Bowsprit and Talisten has many travelers upon it, all of them headed to the Festival, of course. The weather turns a bit sour as you face the final hour or so of your journey, and you enter the capital city chilled and wet. You are, however, greeted warmly by the members of the city guard as you enter the capital city's South Gate.
You make your way straight to the Dwarven Stout, the inn operated by the former Defender, Kempis the Ironfisted. The old dwarf, in his understated and quiet way, leads you to your room after informing you that you're the first Defender to arrive for the Festival.
"The others'll be along in the morning, I assume. Say the word, and we'll bring food and drink as you'd like," he explains before leaving you to warm yourself by the fire.
If Cutting Word has no insight to provide into the lively undead then perhaps they carried something on them that would. Mulligan takes the time to slowly and carefully search the corpses, specially that of the spell caster, as well as the general area. He’s looking for anything that may provide information about where they came from or why they are here… (Investigation 25)
Mulligan
Your search is careful and thorough but turns up nothing of use. The spellcaster carries nothing, and the other two wights have only their longbows, arrows, and swords. What purpose brought them to this place--and why you were the target of their malice--is a mystery for now.
The landscape ahead of you momentarily illuminates in a flash of fire, in the midst of which are both riders and their steeds. All of them are wounded by the spell, some worse than others.
One of the wights, severely wounded, continues its flight. The second rider, however, brings his skeleton horse to halt, turns and fires two arrows. It seeks to maim Ash and prevent you from pursuing...
Mulligan drags the three corpses into the same spot and uses one of the wight's own swords to decapitate the three bodies, making a small pile of the heads next to the bodies. The weapons are all gathered and rolled in a blanket before being packed onto the back of Hoarse. They're likely of little value but that doesn't mean they should be left laying around for any to stumble over. If nothing else a blacksmith can use the swords for scrap and burn the bows if they're not worth using. With the area cleaned the best he can, Mulligan spends ten minutes to ritually cast Magic Mouth upon one of the skulls in the pile...
Necromancers arts, a sword's decree, Dark powers wielded, no mercy for thee. Soul's trespass met with justice's sword, Beware the path where shadows are stored.
The enchantment will intone the words whenever a being of any kind comes within ten feet of the unholy corpses. It'll surely do nothing to dissuade whatever foul forces send these three into his path but it pleased Mulligan to put the little effort in anyway... Besides, it is good for the average folk to find reminders that light dispels the darkness once in a while. With no other leads to follow, Mulligan climbs into Hoarse's saddle and turns towards Timris.
When the undead rider emerged from the cloud of flames and pointed its bow on his direction, Karuk prepared to use the Shield spell. Instead, the arrow found its target by Ash’s neck. Because of either adrenaline or sheer strength, the stallion did not complain, but the half-orc could see blood coming from the wound. He won’t endure another attack, but I cannot stop now.
Frustrated, the wizard spurred his mount, closing the distance to the attacking enemy. Ten feet or so away from it, the protector raised his hand. His mind bent and molded the weave, focused it, pressured it, forced into combustion.
“Ignis!” He shouted channeling his irritation and hurling the mote of flame on the farthest creature, sure to hit, sure to kill.
Soon after the rudimentary spell Karuk entered melee with the remaining undead. His hope was this way the exanimate would have more difficulty aiming for the horse. Maybe it would even target him, after all, invisible as he was, there was just so much space in a saddle.
“Try hitting the horse again.” He provoked the enemy. “You won’t get away from my range and I will stop you either way.”
That much was only true if the creature didn’t try to dash away. Damn smart undead.
Notes: Ash will use 110ft movement and Karuk will spend his action to cast [Tooltip Not Found] (30 to hit, 20 damage) against the rider furthest away. Ash will then use his remaining 10ft of movement to get in melee range with the enemy and I will regret not noticing better options before.
You complete your enchantment over the remains of the undead and continue onward to Jast, which lies a mere thirty minutes to the south. As you fully anticipated, you are received warmly; the townspeople, however, respect your position and privacy as they allow you to settle in, undisturbed, at the Slanted Roof for the night. You don't detect that anyone is aware of what transpired between you and your attackers. It seems, for now, the undead only desired to trouble you, not the common people of the land.
The next morning, you begin the final leg of your annual trek to Talisten for the Festival of Syndaris. Watchful and wary as you go, you neither see nor hear any signs of trouble along the way. You pass hundreds of Syndarans who are making their way to the Festival, and all of them seem lighthearted and eager for the revelry that lies ahead.
As evening falls, Hoarse trods through the North Gate and almost instinctively leads you through Talisten to the Dwarven Stout, where Kempis, without ceremony and much talk, makes sure your horse is boarded properly and leads you to your room.
"Rowan has arrived a few hours ago," he explains. "I'll see you at breakfast then, if you'll not be needing anything. Happy Festival to you."
The old dwarf then trods away heavily to continue overseeing his bustling inn.
Angered by the cowardly assault on Ash, you retaliate with force. The distant rider and horse fall, overwhelmed by your attack. Only one wight remains; it drops its longbow onto the rocky ground, dismounts its skeletal steed, and draws its blade.
"You will surely die, Wielder of Aeris," it hisses. "If not this night, then soon."
(Karuk may act; the last wight is within melee range)
"Rowan's arrived, eh? Where is he?" Mulligan asks but has no other needs for the dwarf.
After throwing his gear in the corner of the room and double checking that the bedding was clean (he trusted Kempis but who knows what his staff is like this year?) Mulligan heads out of his room to find Rowan and discuss the undead mischief he encountered on the road. As he is stepping out the door he pauses to think a moment and then indeed remembers what he had forgotten. Reaching to his left, Mulligan pulls a deck of cards out of the pouch on his hip and fans them briefly before selecting his card. Setting the card down besides the door face up, Mulligan then steps out, locks the door, and goes to find his fellow Guardian.
((The card is the 2 of Clubs. It is enchanted with a Magic Mouth to scream "Thief!A thief has entered this room!!” repeatedly if any creature bigger than a rat, other than Mulligan, enters the room whenever it is places on the floor face up.))
Rowan spends some time warming and drying by the fire. As he gets dry, he decides to order some food. Upon hearing a knock at his door, he opens it ready for his food, instead finding Mulligan. "Welcome. I was expecting the rest of you to make it tomorrow morning. You will never guess what happened to me on the way here."
So the ambush strategy was their order, not their nature. Karuk concluded as undead spoke. Unfazed by the threats, he wizard tapped Ash in a command for the stallion to disengage and get as far away as possible. Before the horse move, the wizard pulled the Weave with his mind and covered himself in it. Arcane energy bent to his will and became silvery mist as his thoughts centered ten feet away from the enemy.
“Et alibi.” The words were almost a murmur. The feeling of movement followed them almost instantly and when his argent cover subsided, he stood ten feet from the undead. “Of course I will. I am mortal and conscious of the implications of such condition since I was eight. But enough about me. Let’s talk about you master. The list of undead capable to command your kind is rather short.”
He had hopes to make the enemy think he knew the identity of the mastermind when he was merely guessing. The creature and whoever sent it were targeting the bearer of the fragment. They should know the consequence of acquiring it through force or deceit. Something that could be avoided by an immortal or by someone already dead. Whatever the case, Karuk decided, I have to end you here. He raised the right hand and once again centered mystic energy on it.
“Ignis!” He shouted throwing the mote of flame on the rider.
Notes: Ash will use his action to disengage then move as far away as possible (thank you for sparing the horse, DM). Karuk will spend his bonus action to cast Misty Step, teleporting to 10ft away from the enemy, then spend his action to cast Fire Bolt (30 to hit, 18 damage) against the undead. Karuk will then use his speed (30ft) to get further away.
Mulligan raises an eyebrow when Rowan teases an adventure on the road. "Don't tell me you got married... again?" Mulligan teases dryly and steps into the room, quickly glancing about the place to note any windows or other doors. "But I had a bit of an adventure myself on the journey. Several corpses attempted to waylay me in a quiet stretch of the road. Wights, I believe, though the foul undead are not my specialty. One a spellcaster. They weren't very talkative but it did seem I was targeted rather than just passing by at the wrong time..."
"So tell me, Rowan," Mulligan says as he takes a seat and turns his attention to the other Guardian, "What kind of shenanigans did you get up to?"
Your fire bolt strikes the wight squarely in its chest, causing the creature to be wreathed in flame briefly. It then staggers forward with sword in hand, ready to engage you in melee...
Contrary to the Fire Bolt, his provocations seemed to have no effect upon the undead. At first he imagined that either the creature was bound by magic to reveal anything about its master or it was intelligent enough to avoid doing so but soon other possibilities took hold of his mind – the creature could not know its master or be to hurt by the flames to even think about words. Whatever case Karuk had to be right, not many spellcasters should be able to make or control that kind of undead. Information brokers and dealers of magic items were likely to know a name or two who fitted the criteria. Maybe passing by someone interested to hire exanimate assassins he could get to the mastermind behind the attack.
The others! He realized. The enemy had called him Wielder of Aeris. Not defender, not wizard or half-orc. The criteria of the attack was the fragment and so it was extremely likely the others were attacked too. For once the time of the Festival was the one moment were their movements would be easy to track. I need to end this fast, meet them, he decided focusing arcane energy on his palm.
“Ignis!” He shouted hurling the flames. They didn’t see to be enough. “Come on, just die already.”
Notes: Ash will keep moving further away as far away and Karuk will spend his action to cast Fire Bolt (27 to hit, 15 damage) against the undead. Karuk will then use his speed (30ft) to get further away.
Your skirmish with the wights comes to an end at last. The last of the three falters momentarily and collapses onto the rocky ground, its garments smouldering from the magical fire. The Westhills around you seem eerily silent, and the fog continues to thicken.
(Combat has ended; there are two warhorse skeletons remaining nearby. Neither of them are making any sort of movement now that their riders have perished)
It was not often that things happened the way Karuk wanted on the moment that he wanted, but gods did he enjoy when the Fire Bolt finished the last undead. His feeling of victory was short lived though, for soon the half-orc remembered that he still had three entire undead horses to burn. Tell me if anything approaches, he commanded Ninlil whistling for Ash to approach.
The stallion took but a few seconds to approach and under the keen eyes of his familiar the wizard sat on the ground and opened his grimoire. He whispered arcane words, quickly and rhythmically, for no less than ten minutes. His mind was focused in nothing beyond book and its words. From afar the incantations could be easily taken for a pray, to the ears of a practitioner of the Art their purpose was easy to discern – Detect Magic.
With the ritual finished, Karuk would look in the direction of the piles of bone that not so long ago were enemies and mounts, individually. Should he notice the presence of any magic in any of them he would stop and identify its school. Should no magic be present, he would investigate each of the remains in search of anything peculiar – from its possessions to their form.
Notes: Karuk will call Ash back, ask Ninlil to keep watch from the sky then ritual cast Detect Magic. If there is any sign of magic on the bones he will identify the school, otherwise he will investigate each skeleton (horses included) and its belongings (or what remained after the burning). Let me know how many skill checks must be rolled.
Your investigation reveals nothing new. Other than than the coarse dark garments each wight was wearing, there are only the two longswords and longbows. The spellcasting wight doesn't even possess a focus. There is no indication of anything magical among what remains.
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Mulligan
The wight falls, never to trouble you again, and leaving you to continue the conversation with The Cutting Word...
(Combat has ended)
Mulligan
If Cutting Word has no insight to provide into the lively undead then perhaps they carried something on them that would. Mulligan takes the time to slowly and carefully search the corpses, specially that of the spell caster, as well as the general area. He’s looking for anything that may provide information about where they came from or why they are here… (Investigation 25)
Fast like the wind, Ash didn’t take long to but him no further than a hundred twenty feet from the enemies. Better yet, Ninlil answered his question showing that the undead were not that far from one another. Perfectly in range, the wizard thought as a smile took hold of his now invisible lips. The eye of his mind focus in a single point between the two opponents, willing arcane energy to move into there. In principle it was not too dissimilar from Fire Bolt, but the level of energy could not be compared.
“Arde.” Karuk almost whispered, extending his arms and clasping his hands. As he separated his palms a spark appeared halfway through the enemies. In a fraction of second it expanded into a roaring inferno, engulfing both the riders and their mounts.
First time I can hit more than one of them and it is with fire. The same element the half-orc had used to target the exanimate individually. Maybe that was a revelation and he should become an elemental adept. From far away I must look like quite the pyromaniac. He was fast to get hold of the reins and tried to keep pace with whatever decomposing mount were still trying to escape. If things continued like that, Ash would feast like a king.
Notes: Ash will use his full 120ft movement and Karuk will spend his action to cast Fireball. The riders and their horses have to do a Dex Save DC 17+2 (from the Fragment [didn't manage to make the +2 appear on the sheet]) or take 19 fire damage (half as much on a success).
Rowan
The folks of Timris listen with rapt attention to any anecdote that you share with them, but they are considerate enough to give you your leave and allow you a night of rest in the town's lone inn.
After a hearty breakfast provided by the innkeeper, you set out for Talisten, knowing that you'll briefly be delayed in Bowsprit, where it seems every boat in Syndaris has been built. The road between Bowsprit and Talisten has many travelers upon it, all of them headed to the Festival, of course. The weather turns a bit sour as you face the final hour or so of your journey, and you enter the capital city chilled and wet. You are, however, greeted warmly by the members of the city guard as you enter the capital city's South Gate.
You make your way straight to the Dwarven Stout, the inn operated by the former Defender, Kempis the Ironfisted. The old dwarf, in his understated and quiet way, leads you to your room after informing you that you're the first Defender to arrive for the Festival.
"The others'll be along in the morning, I assume. Say the word, and we'll bring food and drink as you'd like," he explains before leaving you to warm yourself by the fire.
Mulligan
Your search is careful and thorough but turns up nothing of use. The spellcaster carries nothing, and the other two wights have only their longbows, arrows, and swords. What purpose brought them to this place--and why you were the target of their malice--is a mystery for now.
Saving throws versus [spell]Fireball[/spell}
Karuk
The landscape ahead of you momentarily illuminates in a flash of fire, in the midst of which are both riders and their steeds. All of them are wounded by the spell, some worse than others.
One of the wights, severely wounded, continues its flight. The second rider, however, brings his skeleton horse to halt, turns and fires two arrows. It seeks to maim Ash and prevent you from pursuing...
(Karuk may act. One rider has raced ahead and is now over 200' distant; the other wight stands still, facing you, approximately 120' away)
Mulligan
Mulligan drags the three corpses into the same spot and uses one of the wight's own swords to decapitate the three bodies, making a small pile of the heads next to the bodies. The weapons are all gathered and rolled in a blanket before being packed onto the back of Hoarse. They're likely of little value but that doesn't mean they should be left laying around for any to stumble over. If nothing else a blacksmith can use the swords for scrap and burn the bows if they're not worth using. With the area cleaned the best he can, Mulligan spends ten minutes to ritually cast Magic Mouth upon one of the skulls in the pile...
Necromancers arts, a sword's decree,
Dark powers wielded, no mercy for thee.
Soul's trespass met with justice's sword,
Beware the path where shadows are stored.
The enchantment will intone the words whenever a being of any kind comes within ten feet of the unholy corpses. It'll surely do nothing to dissuade whatever foul forces send these three into his path but it pleased Mulligan to put the little effort in anyway... Besides, it is good for the average folk to find reminders that light dispels the darkness once in a while. With no other leads to follow, Mulligan climbs into Hoarse's saddle and turns towards Timris.
When the undead rider emerged from the cloud of flames and pointed its bow on his direction, Karuk prepared to use the Shield spell. Instead, the arrow found its target by Ash’s neck. Because of either adrenaline or sheer strength, the stallion did not complain, but the half-orc could see blood coming from the wound. He won’t endure another attack, but I cannot stop now.
Frustrated, the wizard spurred his mount, closing the distance to the attacking enemy. Ten feet or so away from it, the protector raised his hand. His mind bent and molded the weave, focused it, pressured it, forced into combustion.
“Ignis!” He shouted channeling his irritation and hurling the mote of flame on the farthest creature, sure to hit, sure to kill.
Soon after the rudimentary spell Karuk entered melee with the remaining undead. His hope was this way the exanimate would have more difficulty aiming for the horse. Maybe it would even target him, after all, invisible as he was, there was just so much space in a saddle.
“Try hitting the horse again.” He provoked the enemy. “You won’t get away from my range and I will stop you either way.”
That much was only true if the creature didn’t try to dash away. Damn smart undead.
Notes: Ash will use 110ft movement and Karuk will spend his action to cast [Tooltip Not Found] (30 to hit, 20 damage) against the rider furthest away. Ash will then use his remaining 10ft of movement to get in melee range with the enemy
and I will regret not noticing better options before.Mulligan
You complete your enchantment over the remains of the undead and continue onward to Jast, which lies a mere thirty minutes to the south. As you fully anticipated, you are received warmly; the townspeople, however, respect your position and privacy as they allow you to settle in, undisturbed, at the Slanted Roof for the night. You don't detect that anyone is aware of what transpired between you and your attackers. It seems, for now, the undead only desired to trouble you, not the common people of the land.
The next morning, you begin the final leg of your annual trek to Talisten for the Festival of Syndaris. Watchful and wary as you go, you neither see nor hear any signs of trouble along the way. You pass hundreds of Syndarans who are making their way to the Festival, and all of them seem lighthearted and eager for the revelry that lies ahead.
As evening falls, Hoarse trods through the North Gate and almost instinctively leads you through Talisten to the Dwarven Stout, where Kempis, without ceremony and much talk, makes sure your horse is boarded properly and leads you to your room.
"Rowan has arrived a few hours ago," he explains. "I'll see you at breakfast then, if you'll not be needing anything. Happy Festival to you."
The old dwarf then trods away heavily to continue overseeing his bustling inn.
Karuk
Angered by the cowardly assault on Ash, you retaliate with force. The distant rider and horse fall, overwhelmed by your attack. Only one wight remains; it drops its longbow onto the rocky ground, dismounts its skeletal steed, and draws its blade.
"You will surely die, Wielder of Aeris," it hisses. "If not this night, then soon."
(Karuk may act; the last wight is within melee range)
"Rowan's arrived, eh? Where is he?" Mulligan asks but has no other needs for the dwarf.
After throwing his gear in the corner of the room and double checking that the bedding was clean (he trusted Kempis but who knows what his staff is like this year?) Mulligan heads out of his room to find Rowan and discuss the undead mischief he encountered on the road. As he is stepping out the door he pauses to think a moment and then indeed remembers what he had forgotten. Reaching to his left, Mulligan pulls a deck of cards out of the pouch on his hip and fans them briefly before selecting his card. Setting the card down besides the door face up, Mulligan then steps out, locks the door, and goes to find his fellow Guardian.
((The card is the 2 of Clubs. It is enchanted with a Magic Mouth to scream "Thief! A thief has entered this room!!” repeatedly if any creature bigger than a rat, other than Mulligan, enters the room whenever it is places on the floor face up.))
Rowan spends some time warming and drying by the fire. As he gets dry, he decides to order some food. Upon hearing a knock at his door, he opens it ready for his food, instead finding Mulligan. "Welcome. I was expecting the rest of you to make it tomorrow morning. You will never guess what happened to me on the way here."
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
So the ambush strategy was their order, not their nature. Karuk concluded as undead spoke. Unfazed by the threats, he wizard tapped Ash in a command for the stallion to disengage and get as far away as possible. Before the horse move, the wizard pulled the Weave with his mind and covered himself in it. Arcane energy bent to his will and became silvery mist as his thoughts centered ten feet away from the enemy.
“Et alibi.” The words were almost a murmur. The feeling of movement followed them almost instantly and when his argent cover subsided, he stood ten feet from the undead. “Of course I will. I am mortal and conscious of the implications of such condition since I was eight. But enough about me. Let’s talk about you master. The list of undead capable to command your kind is rather short.”
He had hopes to make the enemy think he knew the identity of the mastermind when he was merely guessing. The creature and whoever sent it were targeting the bearer of the fragment. They should know the consequence of acquiring it through force or deceit. Something that could be avoided by an immortal or by someone already dead. Whatever the case, Karuk decided, I have to end you here. He raised the right hand and once again centered mystic energy on it.
“Ignis!” He shouted throwing the mote of flame on the rider.
Notes: Ash will use his action to disengage then move as far away as possible (thank you for sparing the horse, DM). Karuk will spend his bonus action to cast Misty Step, teleporting to 10ft away from the enemy, then spend his action to cast Fire Bolt (30 to hit, 18 damage) against the undead. Karuk will then use his speed (30ft) to get further away.
Mulligan raises an eyebrow when Rowan teases an adventure on the road. "Don't tell me you got married... again?" Mulligan teases dryly and steps into the room, quickly glancing about the place to note any windows or other doors. "But I had a bit of an adventure myself on the journey. Several corpses attempted to waylay me in a quiet stretch of the road. Wights, I believe, though the foul undead are not my specialty. One a spellcaster. They weren't very talkative but it did seem I was targeted rather than just passing by at the wrong time..."
"So tell me, Rowan," Mulligan says as he takes a seat and turns his attention to the other Guardian, "What kind of shenanigans did you get up to?"
Karuk
Your fire bolt strikes the wight squarely in its chest, causing the creature to be wreathed in flame briefly. It then staggers forward with sword in hand, ready to engage you in melee...
Karuk may act; the wight stands 10' away
Contrary to the Fire Bolt, his provocations seemed to have no effect upon the undead. At first he imagined that either the creature was bound by magic to reveal anything about its master or it was intelligent enough to avoid doing so but soon other possibilities took hold of his mind – the creature could not know its master or be to hurt by the flames to even think about words. Whatever case Karuk had to be right, not many spellcasters should be able to make or control that kind of undead. Information brokers and dealers of magic items were likely to know a name or two who fitted the criteria. Maybe passing by someone interested to hire exanimate assassins he could get to the mastermind behind the attack.
The others! He realized. The enemy had called him Wielder of Aeris. Not defender, not wizard or half-orc. The criteria of the attack was the fragment and so it was extremely likely the others were attacked too. For once the time of the Festival was the one moment were their movements would be easy to track. I need to end this fast, meet them, he decided focusing arcane energy on his palm.
“Ignis!” He shouted hurling the flames. They didn’t see to be enough. “Come on, just die already.”
Notes: Ash will keep moving further away as far away and Karuk will spend his action to cast Fire Bolt (27 to hit, 15 damage) against the undead. Karuk will then use his speed (30ft) to get further away.
Karuk
Your skirmish with the wights comes to an end at last. The last of the three falters momentarily and collapses onto the rocky ground, its garments smouldering from the magical fire. The Westhills around you seem eerily silent, and the fog continues to thicken.
(Combat has ended; there are two warhorse skeletons remaining nearby. Neither of them are making any sort of movement now that their riders have perished)
It was not often that things happened the way Karuk wanted on the moment that he wanted, but gods did he enjoy when the Fire Bolt finished the last undead. His feeling of victory was short lived though, for soon the half-orc remembered that he still had three entire undead horses to burn. Tell me if anything approaches, he commanded Ninlil whistling for Ash to approach.
The stallion took but a few seconds to approach and under the keen eyes of his familiar the wizard sat on the ground and opened his grimoire. He whispered arcane words, quickly and rhythmically, for no less than ten minutes. His mind was focused in nothing beyond book and its words. From afar the incantations could be easily taken for a pray, to the ears of a practitioner of the Art their purpose was easy to discern – Detect Magic.
With the ritual finished, Karuk would look in the direction of the piles of bone that not so long ago were enemies and mounts, individually. Should he notice the presence of any magic in any of them he would stop and identify its school. Should no magic be present, he would investigate each of the remains in search of anything peculiar – from its possessions to their form.
Notes: Karuk will call Ash back, ask Ninlil to keep watch from the sky then ritual cast Detect Magic. If there is any sign of magic on the bones he will identify the school, otherwise he will investigate each skeleton (horses included) and its belongings (or what remained after the burning). Let me know how many skill checks must be rolled.
Karuk
Your investigation reveals nothing new. Other than than the coarse dark garments each wight was wearing, there are only the two longswords and longbows. The spellcasting wight doesn't even possess a focus. There is no indication of anything magical among what remains.