Between an elbow turn to its north and a natural arch opening in its south wall, this large chamber is just feeling the shade of the setting sun. Several tents, all practical and camouflaged, are scattered among supply barrels and crates. The parabolic awnings of a couple of tents flap in the prairie wind. The firepit contains old wood, charred at the center, but in an arrangement demonstrating skillful survival craft. Though many Night Riders move amongst the camp, it is completely silent, only the wind can be heard.
The knuckle bones hit the table with more weight than they should and they roll well—too well. Your eyes narrow as the opponent quietly scoops up their winnings as their partner gestures for them to roll again. A suspicious thud precedes another winning roll. Not even Undeath or Time cures a prior rogue from living habits.
The Night Riders hoist a cask onto a table. One draws three concentric circles in black chalk. They choose spearheads—with shafts about four inches long—from the broken weapons collected after battle. The first throws, hard. The spearhead clanks off the cask and falls. Another sticks the metal point just inside the second ring. It is comforting to hear only the thunk of the point in wood.
Riding back into this vanguard camp from your forays out past the Landrise and into The Shaar, Ogden Hardrider stands silently, the grass dying around him and covered in frost, his Gaunt beside him with ravens sitting on its boney head. The misshapen mountains of the Toadsquats behind him. A sense of foreboding tinks down each vertebrae of your spinal column. He never receives reports out in the open.
Ogden the Hardrider
A rich baritone man's voice, what he must have sounded like centuries ago when he was alive, sounds in your psyche and he strides to meet you and walks silently between your wolf Gaunts taking your reports in his gloved hand, "Halt Weird Ones, head to the resupply tent and prepare to foray again. This next mission comes from our Deathbringer, the Voice of Myrkul himself.
Our new allies will need help putting together your mission kit, meet with Song of Cegilune Cadenza for preparations. Bey Alrion will be leading this mission - the Sharawood is more treacherous than any forest you've scouted before and resists our Gaunts from entering. Ensure he does not get lost because our new Durthan allies insist the woods are alive and that the Dark Powers of the Domains of Dread have taken a keen interest in them.
I also have a mission of personal interest for you...