How can a Necromancer transport dozens of corpses?

[Solan]

One of my ideas of the Ravenloft campaign I might be about to run was to let my heroes eventually track down the villain through his supply lines of things he needs, one of which is lots and lots of corpses for special, custom animation. I'd originally planned to have his lieutenant driving a cart pulled by four black horses with a tarp over the top concealing the mound of bodies in the cart (though not the smell). The cart is enchanted to float an inch off the ground and the horses are shod with magical horseshoes of pass without a trace, but at some point one of the horses was going to throw a shoe and the driver would not realize it.

The big problem l've run into concerns travel between the master's lair and the extensive graveyards of eastern Mordent. For a couple of reasons, I figure the best location for the enemy's home base is in the House of Sages in Richemulot. Unfortunately, there appears to be no road between the two! I thought perhaps the lieutenant could at one point switch to using a flying carpet, but even the largest carpet only has room for four people, not dozens of bodies. No obvious solution comes to mind, so does anyone have any ideas for how the intervening terrain can be traversed WITH the corpses?

[Rock of the Fraternity]

How about animating them on the spot and ordering them to walk to where they're going?

[Solan]

The problem with that is that his master is making some very special Undead (Dragon magazine has come out with some great ones!), and so I imagine he needs to work from non-animated bodies. Then, too, skeletons marching through Ravenloft are begging to be destroyed by any who encounter them, no mention there are few things slower than Zombies.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Fair.

Let's see... He could engage the services of ruthless smugglers like the Red Vardo Traders, or 'resurrectionists' such as those who provide universities with cadavers.
Those people have experience in this sort of thing, the contacts to bribe for unobstructed shipping, and the means to move resources in bulk.

[Five]

Barrels by wagon. Bodies might or might not be pickled too.

Travelling under the guise of merchant with a cargo of wine, only two casks are real, and they're "specially treated" to cause red-nosed snoops to fall into a quick and deep slumber. Memories are blurred just like a real binge, prompting others to be dismissive with a chuckle and eyeroll, even if memory returns (descriptions, names, sights even) and words blurt out.

Botchgonberry wine.

What? The necromancer has a weird sense of humour...

[Rock of the Fraternity]

'Red-nosed' snoops?

[Five]

Drunks. Who can't mind their own business

[Five]

As for a road or trail, just cut one. Literally.

Animated dead chopped it down over a period of time and at night, and enchanted waymarker stones (of some sort) that cast the illusion of an unfelled forest, whathaveyou, are cleverly-hidden along the length of the trail.

Another clue for the PCs to find...

Rivers can be crossed by a barge constructed from the cut timber, and dragged across by being tethered to the undead, who walk along the riverbed. Maybe they get weighed down to do so. Once across they clamber back into their pickle barrels and the necromancer continues along.

[Solan]

The Red Vardo traders could do such a job, but there's still the difficulty of transportation. Pickling the bodies in barrels is a rather novel idea (would that affect the animation process except making the zombie smell of pickles?), as is having two decoy barrels filled with drugged wine.

Further examination of the map shows that the branch of Arden River flowing from Richemulot is perhaps the best way to travel between the two domains, assuming one can sail or row against the current when necessary. Then, if you land right before the river emerges from Verbrek, you have the minimum amount of forest possible to make your way through before reaching the Road of Whispers, about ten miles as the crow flies. That's a long way to clear through a forest, but it does indeed seem possible if both undead labor and powerful magic is employed, and illusion spells to cover it is an excellent idea.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

However, the more magic you use, the greater the chance someone unpleasant will pick up on what you're doing.
Even if local evils (like the Darklords) don't care about grave robbery, they might see the corpses as meals on wheels or else try to extort hush money or try to muscle in on the operation.

[DustBunny]

However, the more magic you use, the greater the chance someone unpleasant will pick up on what you're doing.

Well, it depends on what sort of magic you use. Assuming no 'TARDIS tech' - teleporting, bags of holding, 'bigger on the inside stuff', etc....

Englarge/Reduce spell - Stuff the 'materials' in a crate and reduce it. Exactly how small the crate will be depends on edition as does the duration. This could be bypassed to a degree by crafting a special wand or something.

Item - Exactly the same thing. Into a box. 'Item' the box. And into the pocket it goes. Just don't bump against something hard...

But stealing from Dr Who, give the 'BBEG' a Tissue Compression Eliminator. - Provides new materials and packaging for easy movement. Would also make the PC's a little bit nervous about that nasty black wand BBEG is pointing at them.

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

"Weekend at Bernie's" anyone?

In seriousness, you could use the Musarde river. Travel by road up into Dementlieu, then load them up on a barge that can pole upriver through Falkovnia, into Richemulot.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

"Weekend at Bernie's" anyone?

In seriousness, you could use the Musarde river. Travel by road up into Dementlieu, then load them up on a barge that can pole upriver through Falkovnia, into Richemulot.

Though Falkovnian's will not have a problem with "dead bodies inside crates" (as they constantly see dead bodies constantly dangling from poles) there is the problem of having the appropriate papers for moving them through the domain, especially from crates coming from Dementlieu. The same applies for Richemulot, smuggling crates from Falkovnia sounds like a dangerous occupation. Except from the Red Vardo Traders the Necromancer could employ the slavers of Nova Vaasa rumoured to operate a smuggling ring in Richemulot, though by some DM accounts/campaigns this is just a rumour to explain sudden disappearances in the local population.
Well the necromancer could have created some zombies to dig the earth and crete tunnels beneath domain borders so that he can easily smuggle corpses through domains, don't forget that zombies can constantly and tirelessly dig these tunnels.

I believe the shortest way is the best way and avoiding any thing that needs paperwork, unless if the necromancer is rich enough to bribe port officials etc. which can give an interesting trail for the PC's to follow (these strange crates filled with dirt, reminiscent of Bram Stoker's Dracula or the Alchemist's crates in House of Gryphon Hill).

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Another possibility just occurred to me.
The Dark Delvers have access to caves and tunnels most inhabitants of the Demiplane don't even know exist, and can navigate them with varying levels of ease.

If the necromancer cuts a deal with the Dark Delvers -- and they do occasionally make deals, when doing so benefits them -- he could move his corpses beneath the surface, bypassing checkpoints, border patrols and the whole shebang.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

The Dark Delvers have access to caves and tunnels most inhabitants of the Demiplane don't even know exist, and can navigate them with varying levels of ease.

The Necromancer wants to transport bodies from Mordent to the House of Sages in Richemulot. The Dark Delvers are not active there as they gather in mountainous domains such as Arak (pre-GC), Darkon (Mountains of Misery), Keening etc.