[h3][color=thistle]Io[/color] at the Isolated House[/h3]
[@PaulHaynek]

Before she checked on the house, Io mulled over the corpses of the fallen. Io selected two fallen Varjan bodies, marking them with necromantic power from a touch and a briefly whispered spell. The spell was a simple reanimation spell, limited in power but quick to form and cast. These undead would only obey simple commands from her and would likely be more of a nuisance than a threat to a warrior; Io instructed them to remain on the ground until they were called by her, or a living person came near them.

It was a simple insurance policy that Io adopted often when possible. While she was perfectly capable of holding her own in a fight, setting up contingencies was almost a second nature to her. While lacking in the artistry that Io would have liked for her necromancy, it was quick, which was unfortunately important when dealing with the affairs of the living.

Io discovered survivors in the nearby house; they were alert enough to find her. There were several unknowns with these survivors, but Io surmised that they were a bit too spent to want to fight her immediately. The thing that concerned Io most was if they were bandits, or honest villagers caught up in the fight - though, something they said about an iron mark also piqued her curiosity.

Io drifted around the house to the entrance, activating one of her tattood spells along the way. It would disguise the pallor of her skin as well as the magical runes on her scrolls, making her appear as a normal (though perhaps oddly dressed) human girl. It was worth a try to not immediately escalate things given the attitude towards monsters. Plus, the appearance of an ordinary human girl had the chance of revealing their true nature. Io considered it just another contingency; the spell to disguise her was simple and easily maintained so it was worth trying.

She warily scanned the entrance as she entered, and softly spoke up as entered the same room as the survivors. "[b][color=thistle]What's going on? Are you all okay?[/color][/b]" She feigned a tinge of concern in her voice. "[b][color=thistle]Did the Varjans attack your village too? Should I send for help?[/color][/b]"

It was a simple loaded question - if the bandits were likely to be known by locals as bandits, it's likely they would refuse her offer to get help. Not foolproof in telling if they were bandits, but a reasonable question for her to ask in the situation... As far as Io could tell, at least.