"Are we expected to help the pact masters after we find the gem or are we going to disappear? I just don't want to leave them hanging if they need us. Also do any of us speak gnoll. I'd hate for this to turn out like the tower."
"Gnolls are creatures of great evil who worship the Demon prince of beasts. They are likely involved in this desert conspiracy."
Wearing an old, white, tattered tabard over his armor, Daubeny shakes his armored head. I wonder how an undead dragon arranges any of this. He surely can't just meet at the market. At the mention of the pact masters, Daubeny holds up a gauntlet. "Let us wait to see what sort of people we're aiding before promising to their cause."
Turning to the servant, the knight cocks his head. "Will any of them know oue true purpose?"
"The Pactmasters took over the city of Katapesh almost a thousand years ago. Their sudden appearance is widely speculated upon. Some say the Pactmasters marched into the city by night, at the head of an army of soldiers, and crushed the leaders of the various bandit gangs occupying the city. Others say they arrived in airships that terrified the bandits such that they fled into the desert. Strangely, there is no record of this event. Using ruthless tactics over a one-hundred year period, Pactmasters molded Katapesh into a large market country. Profit and trade are their only real concern."
"No one will know your real goal. The master has agents all over the world and through them he has arranged the beginning of your journey."
"The village of Kelmarane was once a crossroad of two traderoutes. There were also a large pesh plantations in the region. Almah is from a large merchant family who have had a bad run of investments. To help regain prominence Almah has perposed retaking the village and returning it back to what it once was."
"Rumors on what happened in Kelmarane to cause those who lived there to abandon it are countless. Inventigating the town is the only way you will be able to determine what happened. Milign infulence take many forms but I am sure that the master would not send you there if he did not think you could handle it."
"Rest tonight. You will be leaving in the morning after breakfast."
Lysander nods in interest. "Very well! I will make a variety of preparations of various means, not the least of which will be sufficient restorative cycles of unconscious brain activity!" He nods at his comrades. "Should we, perhaps, plan our tactics somewhat before retiring for the evening? It seems a reasonable activity given our acquisition of three new tactical units." He nods respectfully toward Raikdar, Kol-Relden, and Nippy.
Standing somewhat off to the side, Kol-Relden is currently wearing only his normal clothing, but has strapped a scimitar to his belt. As the group is told of their upcoming mission, he leans down to rub his hand along Nippy's spine.
Once they are dismissed, he will begin heading back towards his chambers. However, when Lysander brings up the idea of discussing group tactics, he will turn back and put forth what he knows. "Well, Nippy and I are both melee combatants, he fighting with tooth while I make use of sword and sheild. I rely mostly upon my armor and sheild to avoid being hit by enemy attacks, and can take a reasonable amount of punishment. Nippy here is quite difficult to hit, due to a combination of his naturally thick scales, reflexes, and their barding, and can take even more of a beating than I. As for how this will best mesh with the tactics that you have employed at this point, I am unsure, as I do not know how each of you fights."
Lysander nods in interest. I am new to fighting myself but I generally react quickly and launch an improvised alchemical explosive into clustered enemies before they are able to react. I believe I have recently devised a manner to also apply adhesives to these enemies and make it more difficult for them to fight back. These bombs have a limited range so I prefer to be near the enemies but not so near as to allow them to strike me while I'm throwing. Sir Daubeny and Amelia tend to also strike from the fore while Iraonar tends to be toward the rear with myself aiding us with his... musical assistance... Lysander gives a confused and slightly annoyed look as he generally doesn't like music but can't help finding Iraonar's music helpful, even when it still annoys him.
"Also, I am capable of casting a selection of spells drawn from the power of nature. Typically, unless I have a particular reason to do otherwise, I will prepare a couple of healing spells each morning, as well as one to make Nippy's bite strike with magical force and precision."
Having little to add to a discussion on fighting Iraonar stays silent as he listens. He is clearly hurt at Lysanders annoyance toward his music though, and is happy at hearing of yet another healer.
"I like to soften them up with my bow first. I'm not without skill with the sword. My magic can strike through my blade too. For when I really need to end a fight." Raikdar shrugs. "Fights never go the way you planned them. You have to think on your feet and adapt to the situation as it happens. Or better yet, anticipate the situation before it happens."
Gripping the new handle on his poleaxe, Daubeny stares at the newcomers through the slits in his helm. "Good. I'd prefer not to have more soft bodies about. We can see how your addition changes tactics, my best guess is forming a barrier between our less durable members. Or perhaps a more traditional vanguard with us shattering the enemy so that they cannot regroup. A proper archer is excellent for harassment and combined with the reach of my Orchid, we may be able to hold them outside our defensive line. How are you with the bow in a melee?" The sheer amount of words spoken is staggering for Daubeny, and it seems the discussion of tactics has opened a floodgate.
Nodding at the idea of additional magic, Daubeny points to the group musician. "That's something best sorted out with Amelia and Iraonar. I have never led those capable of magic, so I leave it to the experts."
"Not great. The bow is for softening them up before we close."
"I am a priestess of Justice, and I am not afraid of going toe-to-toe with the enemies of Justice! Like all priests, I have the ability to lead others and call down the energy from the positive planes to heal wounds and soothe aches. I can also empower my allies to fight for Justice as well!"
Lysander nods in comprehension. "Yes it does seem our tactical abilities will prove significantly synergistic. I look forward to pursuing action together. Shall we depart? The young alchemist is ready to go but wouldn't mind more discussion of logistics either if that's what his companions think would be useful.
"It will be nice not to be so cold anymore. Mountains are beautiful but how does anyone live in this oppressive chill?"
"You get used to it." Raikdar tells Iraonar. "And dress appropriately." He yawns. "Best to be well rested for tomorrow's festivities. I think I'll turn in."
The magus turns to seek out his chambers, and bed.
Watching the magus walk away, Daubeny dips his head. "I should retire as well."
Amelia bowed towards those remaining in the room as well and then returned to her quarters.
You get up in the morning and begin your preparations. Breakfast is brougth to your rooms and it is suggested that you wear warm weather gear and to stow your armor.
When you arrive at the dinning hall the tables have been pushed back and a large circle has been drawn on the floor. You are told to stand inside the circle with your gear.
You feel the effects of the teleportation spell begin. The next thing you feel is the opressive heat of the desert. The sun is amost painfully bright and the smell of the stockyard around you aweful.
A man standing there gives you a puzzled look but does not seem alarmed at your sudden appearence. After looking over you as if to see if you are the right group he says, "I was told you meet you here but I was not expecting you to arrive in such a manner. My name is Garavel. I am the major domo for the Merchent Princess Almah. She is your new employer. Please load up your gear and mount up so that we can get going."
He points behind you and you turn to see a row of camels and two wagons. A group of men is tending to them and they help load your gear (and Nippy) into the wagons and give you the basics on how to ride a camel.
Lysander shows up to the teleportation circle wearing clothing more suited to the warm climate of their destination. When they are teleported, he nods and thinks silently for a little bit. He replies to Garaval "Greetings and salutations, Garavel. I am Lysander and I look forward to meeting the challenge of successfully traversing this terrain with you."
He moves toward the baggage and ensures his alchemical items are loaded properly to avoid explosions. He turns to the rest of his comrades "May I assist any of you in loading up? My accoutrements are prepared to travel."
In the morning, Amelia will prepare Endure Elements in place of one of her normal Bless spells and then cast it, so that she can function comfortably in her armor in desert environs.
Iraonar is wearing a white silk tunic with sheet music in spun gold as trim. He holds his panpipes in one hand and his parasol in the other.
After teleporting he sums up his assessment of his new environment in a single word,"AAAHG!" He then swiftly starts to play a tune and a thick smell of hyacinth fills the air.
Iraonar is child like in his delight as he rides the camel. Whilst the concept of mounts is not foreign to the young prince, the practice clearly is.
Raikdar arrives in his normal black clothes, and in his mail shirt. All his gear fits in his magic haversack, including the extra water he packed.
"Pleased to meet you Garavel. I'm Raikdar." The magus eyes the camels with distrust. He listens to the riding instructions, then climbs aboard the odd looking beast.
Devoid of his trademark armor, Daubeny radiates distates for the heavy robes covering his large frame. Dressed closer to a desert trader than a knight, only the cestus covering his tattoo and his poleaxe mark him as a member of the party. At the teleportation, the warrior gazes at Garavel with apathy.
Close enough to a horse. With minor difficulty, Daubeny is in the saddle of his camel.
Having taken the advice to not wear his armor through the teleportation, Kol-Relden is dressed in a loose, pale-green linen robe and a loose head covering colored white. He is still wearing his normal pants and boots. His shield is stowed along his back, and his scimitar is along his side.
Appearing in the stockyard, he will give a small bow to the major domo as he introduces himself. "Greetings, Garavel. My name is Kol-Relden." He then begins stowing his equipment in one of the wagons, taking special care to ensure that Nippy has a comfortable location to rest in one of them. Finishing this, he turns and mounts up on one of the camels.
After a couple of hours you suddenly see a pillar of smoke coming from over the next rise. Garavel says to stay with him as he hurries his camel along.
Coming over the hill you see a large tree in the middle of a circle of wagons. One of the wagons is on fire. People screaming and shouting trying to put out the flames, pull other wagons away from the fire, tending to burn victims, and gather up animals that are running around.
You stop and dismount in front of a large ornate tent just as a beautiful women emerge with two bodyguards. "Douse those flames!" she commands to the camp in general. Her guards stay by her side.
"Ah, Garavel!" she says, "And just a moment later then the nick of time, as usual."
Looking past him at your group and commands, "Find something useful to do!"
Lysander attempts to determine what portion of the fire is the most critical to put out to minimize its spread and damage.
He then pulls out his full waterskins and begins chucking them at critical portions of the fire so that they burst open and splash water.
"Please direct your efforts to these specific points of critical flammability!!!"
Moving off towards the blazing wagon, Kol-Relden begins casting a spell. Approaching to within 20 feet of the blaze, he begins tracing a simple glowing pattern in the air in front of him. Muttering in a primordial language at the same time, he then quickly thrusts his hand through the symbol, which quickly fades into nothingness. At the same moment, several gallons of water appear in the air above the brightest portion of the fire, promptly falling down onto the flames.
Amelia calls on the Justice of people having homes to create water and douse the flames.
Raikdar looks around, out into the countryside for enemies. Surely the fire didn't combust spontaneously.
At the sight of injured people Iraonar breaks off from the group and has the camel gallop toward them. As he gets close he dismounts and plays a healing song.
Kol-Amelia, Amelia, and Lysander aid in putting out the fire. Their effort shows some signs of success but the full engulfed wagon still burns. People are running back and forth with buckets of water from another wagon. Others are still trying to push the wagons parked next to the burning one away so they do not get caught up in the conflagration.
Iraonar heals one of of the burn victims. He seems to be some sort of guard or mercenery but the look of his garb.
Daubeny and Raikdar scan the area for threats but see none.
Animals are still running around in a panic.
Terrible at helping with panicking animals, Lysander calls out "Perhaps some of us more zoologically inclined than myself could help with the frightened pack animals!"
Lysander rushes toward the wagon and begins throwing sand or dirt on it with his bare hands as fast as he can. Though this will probably only have a mild effect, he can't think of something else. He calls out to those nearby
"Are there any occupants remaining inside this rapidly oxidizing vehicle?!"
"And please help with those non-load bearing animals that produce edible products as well!"
Seeing what little effect his created water had on the flaming wagon, Kol-Relden will take Lysander's advice and go to attempt to help with the panicking animals.
If there are still wounded Iraonar will continue to lace healing magic into his song, Otherwise he starts to lace a bit of luck into it (and thus cast lucky break).
Daubeny was thankful he had gone with a turban, for the shawl of cloth did wonders hiding his desire to knock the woman's teeth clean from her jaw. She reeks of nobility, and there are few things I hate more than those who think themselves above it all.
Moving quickly, the knight steps up next to Lysander, taking a moment to look at the cart to see if there was any way to remove some of the more flammable elements. "Just a siege in reverse."
"If the fire is out, the animals will be easier to calm." Raikdar makes his way to where Kol-Relden is trying to wrangle the animals. "Your water spell was having some effect on the fire; maybe you should keep at it."
Round 2 of the fire
After bring the first burn victim back from the brink of death, Iraonar continues using his healing magic on the second victim.
A red-headed halfling cleric looks up from his patient and says, "Thanks you for that. I would not have had time to save both of them. I think I can handle it from here. Go help the others."
Lysander, Daubeny, and Amelia continue in their effort to put out the fire.
Princess Almah arrives with Garavel and her 4 bodyguards. They move to a wagon about 20 feet away. "Grab buckets and start dousing those flames.", she commands. From a large barrel of water in the back of the wagon she dips a bucket and heads towards the burning wagon. Garavel and the guards do the same.
Kol-Reldon manages to get to the animals and finds an elderly couple trying to round up the pigs, chickens, and goats. His first attemt a calming a goat does not go well and it runs off behind a tent. The man says, "The fire has them really wound up. Help us get them back into the pen and they might calm down."
Several men are still trying to push the wagons on either side of the fire out of the way. "We could use some more muscle over here!" one of them yells out to the camp in general.
Lacking the muscular tissues to shove large vehicles, Lysander aids with the water buckets. The hot climate is uncomfortable enough without exertion and fire increasing the thermal load of my homeostatic systems!
Well, there's something I'm more qualified to do. Moving to the aid of the wagon movers, Daubeny places his poleaxe in a cloth sling on his back. Stomping to give himself a solid footing, the knight shoves himself against the wagon, putting his entire body into moving the vehicle.
Iraonar at this point laces his music with luck.
Raikdar was going to go help move the wagon; he sees the large framed Daubeny headed that way. Instead he grabs a bucket and joins in the effort to douse the flames.
Amelia again calls down water on the fire.