Chapter 1: A Cold Wind Blowing

"We certainly can," Nerea agrees. She laughs slightly, the sound forced, and gently nudges Ikkri onto one of her fingers. With her other hand, she plucks the slimy silver piece out of her hair and drops it beside her pack. "Though I do rather hate leaving things unfinished."

After a moment, she lightly runs a finger over the top of Ikkri's head, imitating the way she's seen Avis touch him. "I know," she croons at him, smiling when he preens. "It's not your fault your master bumbles through all manner of social graces."

Lifting him up into the air, she allows him to flutter back to his perch on Avis's shoulder.

"In my experience, unfinished generally equates to unpaid. I don't take jobs that I don't think I can finish." Kardalis stands up and casts his gaze about the party and about the camp. "This is one of only three jobs I have ever taken that weren't solo. The first two were forced on me, but this one....this was my choice."
Clapping his hands together abruptly he speaks uncomfortably loud for the late hour "Well! Looks like time to rest, and if none of you object, I will take first watch."

Staring into the speckled darkness of the night sky, Kardalis is lost in thought, mental acuity and a close acquaintance with darkness have made him who he is.
However, a particularly large crack from the fire breaks him out of his reverie, and he grudgingly tears his eyes from the infinity above and sees the glowing embers of a near-extinguished flame.
Grumbling something about the necessity of fire, or lack thereof, Kardalis walks over to where the others are sleeping.
Unfortunately they didn't decide who was the one he was supposed to wake up.
Not in the mood for grumbling or sarcasm, he quietly pads past the sleeping aasimar, and gently shakes the shoulders of Nerea, bracing himself for the inevitable tide of cheerfulness and conversation.
"No emergency, just need more firewood, can you take up watch while I fetch some?"

Blinking blearily into the light, Nerea stifles a yawn. Silently, she rises, taking up position near the remnants of a wall. Her bow clutched tightly in one hand, she holds her blanket tightly around her shoulders with the other as she takes up a good position. "I'm ready," she says simply. "Good luck out there. Oh, and do call if you need help."

Kardalis is momentarily startled, expecting something to be there in part, but knowing that it shouldn't be.
He stares at the creature, waiting for a response, wondering if it will say anything, and mentally preparing himself for any forthcoming attack, mental or physical.
He purposely tries to show no fear, not backing down but letting the creature know that he is obviously aware of it's presence and not going to run away screaming.

Kardalis replies in undercommon, "Even if I turn out this one, the great light comes in but a few hours. Why do you need to be by their light?"
To himself, Kardalis wonders, 'could it be one of those? why would it be here, they don't belong on the surface!'

The more they speak of their intent, the more Kardalis begins to think he knows just what these...things.... are.
"If we put out the light, you will leave? No stealing, no killing. Otherwise..." Kardalis smiles widely, "We kill you, all of you, we will bring the light early, cause the skyfire to shine on you"

Kardalis picks his way carefully back to camp making sure that they don't flank him on the way, and trying to make sure that they keep their distance.
When he gets close enough to be heard he says first in undercommon, "I will tell my companion to move out and extinguish the flame"
He then hollers in Elven, so as to be heard by as many as possible, "We will be having some company, if you have a way to make it bright, do so as soon as you see me. Wake the others"

Making eye contact with Imarra, who looks confused, sleepy, and somewhat alarmed, Nerea makes her way towards her pack, letting the blanket pool across it. She looks to Avis's still-prone form as she draws an arrow from her quiver.

"Get up, Strangelight," she says quietly. "We've got company. If any of you have a way to make it bright, let loose as soon as Kardalis steps into view. Based on his tone, this might get nasty."

Grumbling, Avis begins to rise. "Company?" she mutters. "I haven't even made myself pretty, yet."

"Make it bright," Ikkri whispers, mimicking Nerea's voice.

"Bright, hm? I might have something for that. But first..." She reaches into her component pouch and touches a scrap of cured leather, focusing her magic. With her other hand, she places her palm over her heart and begins to cast Mage Armor.

Feeling like she just fell asleep in her bedroll, Imarra blinks and looks around confused at Nerea, her eyes widen when she notices her picking up an arrow and Avisis casting a spell. A spell Imarra knows herself, Mage Armor. Not signs that hint towards pleasant company.

Imarra slips out of her bedding and fumbles for her spellpouch with the little knick-knacks needed for some spells and picks out her own piece of cured leather to follow suit, casting Mage Armor on herself and sharing it with her cat at her feet.

Kardalis replies before drawing his blade, "The dawn shall come early and you shall all burn"

Despite the warning they received Imarra is not fully prepared for the encounter, many of her tings still on the ground next to her backpack. But seeing the silhouettes of several creatures moving around Amra and Kardalis is a clear notion that she won't have the time to strap on her equipment.

Fingers digging into her spellpouch again Imarra ran forwards and spoke the incantation while moving her hand with a couple pinches of sand in front of her. Taking a position somewhat behind and to the side of Amra she released a colorful cone of magical sand between Amra and Kardalis, hoping to target one of the enemies targeting Amra and two around Kardalis.

(Color Spray Enemies need to make a DC 13 Willpower save)

Grimacing in pain from the two wounds created by the creepers, Kardalis warily backs away from his assailants, using his weapon to keep them at bay and as soon as he seems to be safely out of their reach he runs towards the others yelling "Light! We need light!"

"I heard you the first time!" Avis retorts.

She backs away such that only the nearest foe(s) can reach her. She draws her sickle and touches a hand to it. Uttering a few words, she feels energy—her own divine energy, this time—trickle through her fingertips. The sickle begins to shine bright as day as she casts Daylight. She brandishes the weapon towards the dark figures, now awash in light.

(Light as bright as full daylight shines in a 60-foot radius, and dim light shines for an additional 60 feet beyond that. Creatures that take penalties in bright light also take them while within the radius of this magical light.)

"Kardalis!" Nerea calls, her heart racing. She moves past him to stand at the entrance, the buckler strapped to her arm brandished to hold foes at bay. As she speaks, the symbol of the longbow etched upon its surface begins to emit a faint glow. "There are curatives in my pack!"

Her muscles tense, she takes a breath and utters a brief, nigh unintelligible prayer to Solonor Thelandira: Watch over me, great protector; guide my arm, that I may choose my targets with care and wisdom. Her arm extended, she draws from the well of divine energy sitting warm within her breast and, with a smile, casts Summon Monster II. At her command, there is a pulse of silvery light, fine like mist--and three badgers emerge from its depths, poised to strike the nearest dark one.

Under her direction, one of them attempts to flank.