All Adventures are Local - Chapter 1

Sister Eloise glances at father Mikhael, nods and heads up the stairs to prepare three beds for their guests. Father Mikhael shakes his head as he pushes through the door into a small room stocked with all kinds of stuff meant for sermons; his personal stole, shields with masks on them, candles, several boxes of incense and a big burner, stacks of books, a wooden pentagram, strings of beads, crystals, a praying wheel, a stack of face down cards, rabbits' feet and cabinets full of items hidden from sight. He walks up to a cabinet, pulls one door open to reveal dozens of vials with various coloured liquids and a large crystal stoppered carafe filled with a clear fluid that he takes out and places on the large table in the middle of the room. He looks up at Roddric.
What reason could the necromancer have? It's a good question. The traders route is the life vein of Bromwich, so attacking the traders there is a direct assault on the town, without actually attacking it. It wouldn't surprise me if they're not working alone, maybe someone is giving them orders. Of course I'm just speculating, maybe it is just wanton destruction they're after, they wouldn't be the first to get lost in the power of necromancy. Raising someone from the dead isn't something you learn on your first day of necromancy and dealing with the ability to control life and death like that can be hard on the mind and conscience.
The way I see it nobody is purely "good" or purely "evil". Everyone is doing what they feel is the right thing to do, wether it's for personal gain or to improve the world. Like I said, I feel that raising the dead is against Ilyra's wishes for our world, but I understand there are people that feel differently. Any form of power that gives people the ability to control other people can be used for "good" or "bad" and it's just a matter of perspective to find an act fitting in either category. I do strongly feel this necromancer should be stopped, but I cannot judge their actions without hearing their motivation to act in this manner.
Father Mikhael smiles apologetically, knowing he easily falls into one of his monologues when dealing with complex situations as this one and also realising his previous words were tainted by personal views, rather than the objectiveness he usually desires to advocate. So he quickly focuses the attention on the carafe in front of them. This is the holy water, I will give each of you two vials. I haven't had the need to use it on an undead myself, but I've been told you need to hit them with the water. I personally wish the undead are returned to their rightful state, but be careful, to some necromancers the undead are like children. I also need to say that I don't know IF the necromancer will come tonight. The visits to the graveyard have been fairly regular, but not every night in a row. If you can manage to bring the necromancer into the church, alone, I would like to speak to them and maybe provide help if they're being forced from upper hand. But please, above anything, be careful.
At that moment sister Eloise enters the room to tell two rooms have been readied for guests. Behind her sister Bellaen and brother Duergan peek around the door, curious about the three guests.

Mandrake looks up as sister Eloise enters the room, having been lost in thought through some of father Mikhael's explanations. His eyes move to the window on the other side of the room, judging the time of day. I'm very sorry Nàdair and Roddric, but I have to ask you two to stay here without me tonight. I don't want to wait until tomorrow to have a chance to confer with the druids about the things happening around us. I gave it some thought and it seems foolish to wait another day to get help from them. I'll be going there now, alone so I'm faster, ask them what they know and tell them what we know. I will join you at the meeting with the mayor in the morning. Without wasting another second he turns, gently moving past the clergy and swiftly leaving the Wayward Saint.
Before everyone is fully recovered a voice comes from down by the door, wondering what's up with the graveyard looking all overthrown. When you all move back into the temple's main area you see a massive man, looking ready to chop off some undead heads. Father Mikhael's face lights up, relieved he probably won't have to volunteer joining Nàdair and Roddric on the graveyard. He quickly welcomes the new guest, explaining the issue of the necromancer stealing bodies and asking him if he could possibly make time to help them this night. The man laughs a deep heavy laugh, leaning on his greataxe as he extends a hand towards father Mikhael, introducing himself as Mönkhbat.
Sister Bellaen leads the guests to the kitchen, sitting them down and giving them some bowls of stew with a side of leaf muffins, while father Mikhael prepares the vials. Over dinner stories are exchanged about who is who and where everyone came from. It's quickly decided tomorrow Mönkhbat will join the others at the meeting, for he would absolutely be a good addition to the very thinned out group. Afterwards, once father Mikhael joins them and hands them the vials, they have a short discussion of tactics, where they would hide and wait for the necromancer and at what hour they'd go back inside to sleep. A few songs of Nàdair later the sun is set completely and armed with the vials (and other weapons and tricks) they head outside, hiding at three places around the graveyard, but able to keep contact with each other. They sit and wait, even staying a bit longer than the agreed upon, but nothing appears on the graveyard. The group gathers, making their way back to the temple. Inside they find all four of the abbey's inhabitants to sit closely together, waiting restlessly for your return. Upon hearing nothing showed itself a mix of relied and disappointment shows upon father Mikhael's face as he tells everyone to quickly go to bed, knowing the leaf muffins will help somewhat with the exhaustion, but won't make them able to complete forget resting.

A few short hours later sister Bellaen brings muffins to your bed, waking you up gently yet urgently to get you on your way to Bromwich in time for the meeting. Eating definitely helps push back the heavy feeling in your bodies and soon you find yourselves outside, breathing in the crisp air of the very early morning, only the smallest hints of light on the horizon. You make your way to the town's edge without anything out of the ordinary happening; you see and hear how the forest is waking up, a few deer having breakfast just outside the forest's edge, a cacophony of bird songs loud in your ears.
When you reach Bromwich the gate is still closed. The guard opening it for you is clearly not a morning person, grumpily wishing you welcome to Bromwich and to enjoy the spring festival. The town is unusually busy with people finalising the preparations, building up stalls for food and drink and putting a finishing touch on the decorations of the stage outside the mayor's house.

Walking through town you see a young dwarven woman headed in the same direction as yourselves, determination clear on her face and in her gait. She pauses just outside the door, there's no guard outside and she seems unsure if she should just enter. Nàdair, a bit disappointed Piet is not waiting for them, doesn't hesitate and while saying good morning to the woman she opens the door, allowing her to step in first. Inside you find two more figures that are known to at least one of you: leaning against the wall, arms crossed, is Alata, a druid man Nàdair has met before. And on the other side is a beautiful half-orc woman, Rose, holding a large bottle with a dainty little bow from the local brewery she's known to work for by those familiar with the town, besides that Mönkhbat knows her from their youth in the Mistspire Mountains. Through one of the doors you can hear the mayor's voice.

Nàdair walks to the "meeting room", mindlessly playing around with her lute. She will take the longest way just to see if anyone interesting is in the mansion ;)