Aeotha was not all together comfortable leading a group of Priestesses in an investigation, especially one so serious as this. The village was gone as far as the eye could tell and no one that entered had ever returned. People expected answers and expected them quickly. When she was summoned she would of course answer the call, of course she'd met the summons before she'd been summoned. Flummoxed through some were by that Aeotha kept very good tabs on everything that she could. The smallest corners of the map were those she was most concerned with. One traveller's story of a darkness turned into this, this was more than she had ever expected. She had not thought of asking other Priestesses along until she was handled a gaggle of them and told that they would follow where she lead them. They were under her command.
It was uncomfortable. She was no leader. Aeotha didn't even belong to a proper temple anymore, she was a Priestess but that of wandering aide. She went where she was needed. These girls, skilled though they might have been, were just that, girls. Had they ever faced down something they could not explain? She was suppose to be the expert at these kinds of things but what she thought of first when faced with this was of the other people she knew who were experts in madness. The first name on the tip of her tongue had been his. Differences they may have had were forgotten. Arguments were left to the wind. She needed him.
She knew of a darkness, of a power that choked the light from the world, but it couldn't have been as simple as the magic of Lloth. If drow were involved they were being exceedingly quiet about it. It didn't seem like drow at all. And it didn't appear to be orcish or even human. That's another reason why she'd thought of him first. The impossibilities were possible with Skandra Tyullis. And then those thoughts led to the other immortal at his side. The one which didn't scowl as much as he smiled. Aeotha greeted the both of them with a smile though it was strained.
"Shantar." She dropped into a curtsy which was echoed along the line of Priestesses behind her. "It has been too long. I wish this was a more pleasant meeting." She turned to Skandra and the smile didn't falter. "I'm glad you came, Skandra. I'm very sorry about.." She wasn't sorry about nearly ruining his bounty. It had been important. This was important. A Village and all of the people within it were either dead, dying, or in danger. She was looking over the edge now and down.
"You were the first person I thought of when I heard. You understand why now. Look at it. I've never seen anything quite like it."