Choosing where to head after the Worldwound was not an uncertain question. There were primarily two options available to her, given the distances involved.

Lastwall, where she could continue her education. Perhaps become an officer eventually, or finally settle for trying for Paladin-hood.

Ustalav, where the dead roamed. It was always in need of help, but it ran risks far higher than typical of her soul getting trapped. The undead were a different threat than Chaos spawn — but it was not as if there were other (notable) locations to consistently fight Demons other than the Worldwound.

Razmiran was barely even considered.

Further paths could lead her to the River Kingdoms, but the tumultuous nature and distance would be hardly worth the cost. It would be better to travel towards Lastwall and then go through to Andoran or Taldor.

The advice had of course been to return to Lastwall, or perhaps head to Mendev. She took that into account and then completely dismissed Mendev from her mind. She wanted a land that was less of the onslaught of demons, even if it meant an onslaught of other creatures.

Thus she chose Ustalav.

"Twenty silver for a spot on the carts, lass." The gruff man said as a handful of Ustalav adventurers climbed onto the back. Many of them had visible scars, the telltale sign of a healing applied a bit too late or just barely in the margin of bringing back to health. The returning fighters, having made wealth at the forefront of demons, heading back home to safer lands and whatever families they might have.

"Twenty —" she uttered in astonishment. Then paused, sighed, and paid.

Getting to the Worldwound was cheap when countries were happy to bring volunteers to fight for their lives. Leaving left one open to the actual prices for traveling great distances to dangerous lands. These were still cheaper than typical due to the sheer number being transported back at this regular ending of contracted deployment. 

Securing her spot at the cart right before last, she secured her belongings. Nothing stolen. There was always room for pickpockets, even among those fighting at the Worldwound. Taking from those leaving was considered by some, especially the people who were here to serve as penance, to be what they 'deserved'. However foolish it was to send prisoners to fight enemies which would love to turn them, it happened. 

A thin holy book of Iomedae's stared up at her from the depths of the pack, with right under it a copy of The History and Future of Humanity. Further down was her spellbook plain and simple in binding. Carrying three books within had always bothered her, the edges always being the worst part, but she would have gone mad from isolation without them. Talking with the Paladins, Iomedean, and others, held interest but they felt shallower than the words upon the page at times. She dreaded to think what Ustalav would be like, but she went where she was needed.

Did she really go where she was needed, though?

It always needled at her, whether not directly operating under Lastwall was truly the most Good she could do.

But the story of her life had started long ago, an orphan carefully learning her letters after breaking into the Priest of Erastil's room. (She had apologized early in her teens, but by then the Priest had grown far too fond to particularly care)
The Church of Iomedae had incited her focus in what understanding was like, the draw towards a blessing burnt far beyond her own. Other Churches disappointed her. Speaking of helping where one could, in one's local lives. Why help your neighbor, compared to those far away? Especially when she understood that she could help far more away from her home.

Her understanding was more nuanced these days, but it had also geared a part of her. 

Lastwall, in its centrality of a truly Lawful Good country, had streaks of notes about where they could best deploy their limited Paladins, Inquisitors, general followers, or even their bureaucratic scrutiny. But the costs of travel were still an issue. Adventurers performed the most protection of civilians through their very direct combat-oriented means. They were simply more local.
But this locality was not the important part. The important part was finding an edge. An edge that Lastwall could not reach due to distance, knowledge, and more.

She had formed an edge already. One born of weakness and strength, that she had only told a Priest of Lastwall so that they could know it about her.

Yet, part of this whole question was an uncertain lie. Why was she heading to Ustalav, rather than where Lastwall could direct her? Because she hoped to find a place where she could be significant cause change. She knew this motivation of herself and considered it to be disgusting inadequate. But there was trouble tearing it from the motivation to find an edge, where her works would benefit the world more than they could have under another's command. She believed in her ability to do so, but that certainty was tainted by such desires.

Ustalav was chill this time of year. Far more chill than Taldor got in the middle of Cassomir even during winter.

She hated it. And she enjoyed it. The sharp chill forced her focus in a way that was hard to evoke naturally, but she knew it weakened her sword arm and threw her off the intricacies needed for spell-work. A danger in a land as fraught as this.

The carts had arrived into town easily enough. The guard and the danger of having more than two dozen fighters on carts — though they lost them as different groups split up for different towns and cities — easily scared off any natural banditry. The remainder had been mere horrors, of travelers killed off the side of the road returned as the dead.

She performed what limited burial rites she knew. To the people of Ustalav, this was almost what one would expect.

The taverns, however, are just like every other minor city's taverns. Warm, full of chatter, drink, food, and a robed man in the corner.

Rather than hiding out under a hood, the practically elderly man stood at the window with his eyes peering into the cold fog and the sunlight that reflected off of it. He appeared wealthier than many of the others, but his tools give the impression of an artisan or perhaps an alchemist.

The table nearest him, where a heavy pack lies, has the typical signature of an Adventurer seeking company. A wooden triangle with a sword, indicating he was in need of a fighter.

Delphine is in fact not quite prepared mentally for fighting. Travel left her sore, and soreness made reaction times slower. Combined with the cold, it would surely degrade her performance even if she did not notice.

Still. Questioning the man would be worthwhile. She had coin, but she was not here primarily to earn coin, but rather to grow skillful and strong.

"Delphine." She spoke swiftly as she walked up. "Slayer, though geared towards more standard fighting, with some first circle Wizard spells. I just came in off the Worldwound after two years." Even saying that made her mind twitch a bit. Only two years? It weighed on her bones for what felt like far longer. Constant study and training interspersed by battles to the death.

"Good to meet you." His voice was jovial, and an eyebrow raised at the mention of her knowing Wizardry. "That should be enough. I am Kato, a Wizard by training but the art of potions has always grabbed me," He raises a mortar that had been in his hands, a fine green powder smeared across it. "The job is for me, the organizing Inquisitor of Pharasma, and you — if you so choose — to investigate an old Necromancer's hideout and then anything related to it. They should be long gone, killed off in some foolish attack on the local Church of Pharasma, but some of their unholy creations may remain."

"Right." An Inquisitor. Those were oft bad news.... but it was probably fine. Delphine wasn't undead, and was most certainly not on any undead's side, while also not being in a position to be confused for a collaborator or spy (especially since she was adventuring with them). That was probably just her paranoia speaking. You heard stories of Inquisitors, but Taldor was a place where you heard of the worst rather than the best.  
Admittedly, Iomedae had carefully designed her Inquisition to avoid common failures of existing institutions! Still. It was likely safe.

"That sounds like it would be reasonable. I do need to have some rest, but I should be ready tomorrow morning whenever needed. If that is possible." It would also give her a slight bit more room for if there were any obvious 'the local Inquisitor is evil' rumors. She didn't believe she would hear any, but might as well cover the gap. "Are there specific threats expected?" Not that it would likely change the spells she prepared.

"Undead, with the deaths of the caster the traps have been certainly defanged." Kato said. "Zombies are typical, at most a handful. Fire, positive energy, and simple direct damage will do you well. The duo delivered the majority of their 'brood' onto the blades of the Inquisitors."
"As for tomorrow, that will work fine for me and the Inquisitor. He is currently poking around this part of the city itself, for he rarely passes through." He gave a small smile and leaned a bit closer. "Don't tell anyone I said that."

She smiled back, taking it as a joke even if it unsettled part of her for him to reveal any amount of secrets. Possibly part of that was going from Lastwall immediately to the Worldwound, where careful acknowledgment and deliberate unacknowledgment of secrets was expected. "I won't."

Acquiring a room was easy. Being earlier in the day meant she didn't have to worry about an influx of people early in the morning taking her place. Wandering around the streets of Ustalav when it was late out seemed unhealthy. Though, she mentally reminded herself, she didn't truly have much sense for how dangerous any individual part of Ustalav was. Hearing stories of the creatures lurking made her paranoid, and while it surely held far more danger than Oppara... it still existed as multiple cities. 

Mendev still existed, in spite of the Demons, yes, but that ignored the many cities destroyed. 

Much of the rest of the day was spent acclimating herself to the chill and poking around for possible jobs as a lone adventurer. Unfortunately, since she wasn't going to be here for most tomorrow, she wasn't doing her initial plan of offering her services for casting first-circle spells in more than one location. 

By the time she got back to the tavern, the sky was dimming. Curling up in bed was far more attractive than conversing with anyone downstairs, so she did so while reading through a particular section of The History and Future of Humanity about the care needed to observe Law. 

Delphine feels better after a night's rest. The lack of sores now gives her a certain restlessness.
Stepping outside into the misty morning fog revealed that, no, she was not acclimated to the cold.
The warmth of the fire, even from the first floor, had helped guard against the chill too well, so she had not grown at least marginally more used to it during the night. 
Unfortunate, but she would be fine.

The small city itself was burgeoning. It felt nice to be within civilization once more, after much of her time spent in a Worldwound fort with limited room for notes much less more exotic pieces of human advancement. 

Like warm tavern breakfasts. She took that meal up to her room after a bath — Prestidigitation could only go so far — winced at the cost, and then ignored it in favor of luxuriating to a degree she had not felt since the months in Lastwall.

With her breakfast finished, she settled into preparing her spells for the day. Disrupt Undead, was obvious; Message would help just in case; Dancing Lights, and Detect Magic. Past the cantrips, she was a bit more uncertain. It always bit against her to be restricted in the way she cast spells. Detect Undead and True Strike were essential. She wavered for a moment of whether to choose Endure Elements or another True Strike.

She settled on the Endure and cast it immediately. A slight warmth spread through her, letting her sigh with contentment.

"Ah, Miss Delphine you are awake," Kato spoke with an already familiar grin. "Let me introduce you to Valerian Morwen, Inquisitor of Pharasma." He gestures to the tall red-haired man. 

Valerian specifically looks less like one might expect an Inquisitor to look. No dashing leather or imposing armor adorned his frame; instead, he wore a simple, unornamented garb. His eyes scanned over her swiftly, evaluative, betraying a moment of cold, clinical assessment before settling into a polite smile. "Delphine, I was told about you." He offered a hand to shake, showing the thick gloves he wore. "Kato here informed me he hired another Wizard, which, did not seem like an ideal composition, but hearing that you're a Fighter? Slayer, specifically? That would be quite welcome. Have you any experience with the undead?"

She shook his hand with an empty polite smile right back. "Yes, a Slayer. They're quite often focused on subtlety, but I am more of using such as an introduction to the fight rather than my only means. A blade from behind, and then a blade upfront works best against many foes."

"I've little true experience with undead, beyond a halfway relevant case a year back. But, I have prepared Disrupt and Detect Undead as a minor direct help in the Spellcasting category of things." She explained.

"Fire?"

At the shake of her head, he shrugged though seemed a tad disappointed. "Very well. The three of us should be more than enough. As the representative of the Church of Pharasma offering this job, I should best explain what the details specifically are, yes?"

"I have a handful of fire-related spells if it is needed, but I have some doubts as to the advisability of a number of them if the lair is narrow."

"Yes, yes." He waves it off.

"The local Church of Pharasma in the easternmost part of this here city was attacked one week ago by two Necromancers. Behind them, they trailed a surprising number of undead, more than their level should have allowed. They may have a compatriot remaining."

"How did you get the location?" Delphine asked. Also, she noticed that was different from what Kato had told her.

"The Church had sent for an adventurer party a month previous after they had gained the location, but, simply put, nobody bothered checking in on it." His voice was scornful.

"The location is in the woods though not far from the path, possibly was once an old cave." Implicit was that this would let them avoid walking through the woods by themselves for long. "I have the directions memorized, but also a map of the local area that should be enough if we get lost."

"As the representative of those giving the quest, accepting the quest gives me the right to decide how undead or materials used for creating undead are dealt with. Most likely we'll burn the lot."

Kato frowned.

"That works for me." If the Church of Pharasma wanted to burn books on necromancy on a mission they funded, that was their prerogative. "On that note, how much are we paid?" Or more specifically her. If Valerian was doing this as part of his standard job as an Inquisitor and Kato was doing it for sheer fun, then whatever, but she was here for three things: leveling, gold, and fighting the undead. Not necessarily in that ordered list of priorities, but if this wasn't actually paying then there would be better ways of helping for free and for money. 

"Decent rates.*" He explained. 

* Blah blah, money stuff, I'm not tracking the economy in any manner.

"That works." Would be enough to cover her inn. If she got consistent enough wealth then perhaps she could (finally) save up for a Ring of Sustenance.. or she could continue to save for a deluge of second circle spells (once she reached it, soon! Hopefully!).

And so the trio set off down past the currently unnamed city. Delphine with her sword at her hip, Valerian with a crossbow and a really rather sharp knife, and Kato with a stick and perhaps a few spells. 

The general tales that one heard about Ustalav draw it as a land crawling with undead, with a necromancer hiding out as every fifth neighbor, half the nobles being secret vampires and the other half being Dominated by inside and outside interests. That the forests would be rare to walk out from, by the clawing hands of a restless spirit or of beings that shift and shudder.

That may raise the question as to why anyone lives here.

For the most part, the answer is that it simply isn't that bad much of the time. If one spends a decade farming and hears of the occasional undead being dealt with by brave adventurers, then it feels like quite the imposition if some traveler were to suggest moving. Compared to other dangerous lands, there are in fact fewer monsters of variety. In Ustalav there may be more, but they are simpler and direct.

Don't walk outside at night, for necromancers may lurk. Walk carefully in the woods, never close to the cemeteries, but ideally never go into them at all; the animal life is scarcer and at times rotting as well. Carry a flame if needed, a torch to stub out on the flesh of a foe.

One does not meet quite the same level of differences in such a land. There will be no Manticore one month and then a pack of demons the next.

This too, may give an inaccurate picture. Ustalav is a land of strongholds, for the most part. Walled cities built to protect against dread hordes meant that most fared nary a risk, it was more a worry to have one's purse cut in a back alley than to be attacked by a rotting corpse.

But there were towns out there in the forest, some old and some new, all so far surviving any passing interest of friend or foe. 

That's why, when they enter a small hamlet on the road through the forest to the necromancer's lair, Valerian is not surprised about any of the specifics. They are obvious to him as solutions.

The deep winding hole around the edge of the village, almost a moat, surprised her. Peeking over the edge she saw it was filled with spikes. 

"The zombies are oft not smart enough by themselves to climb over," Kato says, noticing her confusion. 

Delphine nodded. It was obvious after a moments thought, or being told of it. They were waiting right at the entrance to the village, a wide plank was on the other side. She could have made that jump with ease, though Kato would struggle. 

A man walked up from the other side and squinted at each of their faces in turn. As he saw the amulet of Pharasma on Valerian's chest his suspicion turned to a smile. "Ah, a Cleric of the Lady?" He asked, already sliding the board into place. 

Valerian shook his head. "An Inquisitor of Pharasma, but we are merely passing through to a deeper part of the forest." 

The man paused for a short breath, out of fear or from having jogged over. "Are you wanting passage through Murkvale?" 

"Yes. We are currently passing through. We may return tonight or on the morrow. Are there any rumors of creatures?"