During his watch, Halistar will slowly patrol around the camp, generally keeping his eyes away from the fire.
He will activate his Wand of Endure Elements on himself at the start of his watch.
Rameth and Shine huddle together, talking in low voices as the heat held in by the sand slowly dissipates, a chill breeze seeming to blow right through them all. Towards the end of their watch Illec stirs and rises from his bedding clear eyes and rested, rousing the other guard who is to serve watch with him, who seems more reluctant to be woken.
After they're relieved Shine falls straight to sleep, but Rameth finds it more elusive; every time he starts to nods off a breeze seems to ruffle his blankets, chilling him and startling him awake. He finally manages to drift off but his sleep remains fitful.
-=-=-=-=-=-
Halistar's sleep is likewise troubled, the chill of the desert penetrating his blankets, and he finds himself waking amidst the last half of the third shift, unable to get back to sleep. When he finally climbs from his blankets his eyes feel full of sand, and his joints achey.
He has no more information, but remains awake despite his watches having finished, and as the sun starts to rise above the horizon he ranges out from the camp a short ways, returning after some time, remainig silent.
"We were visited by something during the night. We heard it's wings, and there are tracks of the creature on nearby dunes... Large, four legs, I believe it came from the south." he informs everyone after they awake
Rameth rises groggily from his blanket and calls the tattoo back to his head.
He waits expectantly for Shine to rise and cure him of his maddening poison.
"That was very discomfiting," Zanos said when he heard about their nocturnal visitors.
He cast endure elements on himself and readied his gear for the day.
"What's the plan?"
Shine, as is her custom is up to greet the rising sun. Already in her armor, she sits in a meditative pose on a near dune facing the sun. Her mediation takes the better part of an hour, but when she rises and rejoins the others she has a radiance about her, a warm smile, and a kind word for all. She is not overly concerned about the reports of something visiting them, and seeing Rameth anxious and waiting for her she shoots him a bright smile.
You look like you slept on the wrong side of the sand Rameth. But do not despair as the Dawnflower has not forsaken you. She reaches out and lays her palm onto the wound from the crossbow bolt and incants a mantra to her deity. At first the pressure is uncomfortable but then a warm feeling of wholesomeness spreads from the touch growing almost hot before it ends. And she immediately repeats the same mystic phrases again restoring more strength to her friend. Rameth feels refreshed, stronger, and no longer fatigued.
Better?
She will also offer her blessing to Zanos casting a single Lesser Restoration.
And finally she turns to Halistar. You too did not sleep well last night. Let the touch of the Dawnflower refresh you. She will cast her last Lesser Restoration on Halistar removing his fatigued condition.
"Thanks, Shine! While I still feel weak, that's much better!" Zanos said to the gnome.
Good as new!
Rameth stretches and limbers up.
Well not perfect but close!
Shall we head out folks?
"Time to press onwards, but be wary people. If something was wandering around the camp last night, it could be following us today."
hmm. I wounder if it could be responsible for the two of you not getting a good night sleep. Tell me of your dreams, both of you.
Not much in the way of dreams shine. I swear every time I almost was asleep, my foot would pop out from my blanket, or a slight gust of wind blew sand in my face, or I was sure a scorpion was crawling on me. Let that be a lesson in bravery for you all that I did not scream like a halfling who has dropped his cake!
Laughing, Zanos said, "I slept fine! Of course, when you grow up moving from one excavation to another, you tend to get used to the desert!"
Turning more somber, he added, "Of course, the fact that we were watched doesn't bode well."
As he inexpertly climbed atop his camel, Zanos said, "Lead on, Illec!"
Shine turn her eyes towards Halistar, waiting to hear his explanation of his poor night's sleep.
"I have been concerned about our opponents capabilities, and I could not stop running simulations through my head last night. Plus, for some reason I was feeling unnaturally cold last night, when normally I hardly feel it at all."
The camp has a cold breakfast--the campfire bead having extinguished itself in the early hours of the morning--and makes ready to leave, loading their equipment onto their camels and mounting up again.
After an hour of travel through the warming morning the great desert waves of the underdunes begin to rise above the caravan, providing relief from the sun as the group pushes onward.
Illec pushes the group deeper into the dunes as the sun rises high into the sky. When it nears it's zenith he calls another halt, dismounting to scout ahead, returning a short time later as he has throughout the morning.
"The way ahead appears unstable. We'll have to climb one of the dunes..."
On or off camel?
"We can ride the camels up part of the way, but will have to dismount before the peak and lead them down."
Rameth takes the time to change into his hot weather clothing
Halistar will dismount when he needs to, and lead his camel over the dune.
Zanos, with his spell of endure elements active, felt none of the heat. Due to his use of prestidigitation, even his clothes were crisp and clean.
"I'm not about to endanger this fine camel--or myself--by trying any fancy riding," Zanos said as he dismounted from his camel.
He led the animal the entire way up the dune in order to more safely navigate the hazard.
Shine dismounts when advised to do so and leads her mount. She seems completely unphased by the heat.
"I have been concerned about our opponents capabilities, and I could not stop running simulations through my head last night. Plus, for some reason I was feeling unnaturally cold last night, when normally I hardly feel it at all."
The cleric nods.I believe something came and disturbed your sleep last night. she says, talking to both Rameth and Hallistar. We should try to be more watchful tonight. I have some ideas.
Shine you are a lady and a scholar!
Rameth smiles so wide it seems his face might split.
While the members of the Pathfinder expedition take the mid-day heat easily, Illec and his men do not fare so well. Even without their armor the rank and file soldiers stumble and slide as the caravan crests the hill and starts down the other side, Illec not faring much better in his breastplate.
Rameth smiles comfortingly at the sweating men. Then gets back to the task at hand.
Halistar, as the party is descending the distant side of the dune notices a small slide of sand from above, and other soft noises from above. When he looks back he spots a large, winged creature just over the crest of the dune, it's wings spreading wide.
Initiative, Surprise round: Illec, Halistar, Zanos, Rameth, Keten Hamu, Soldiers, Shine.
Halistar will also cast Ear Piercing Scream. Fortitude save DC16 or take damage and be dazed for 1 round. succesful save halves the damage and negates the daze effect
Halistar is able to identify the creature as some sort of Magical Beast, a Large winged quadruped with a falcon's head and a leonine body; beyond that he's unable to recall anything about this creature.
The beast hardly seems to flinch as Halistar's spell hits it. It unfurls it's wings fully and starts to beat them rapidly, sending stinging sand down the dune at the caravan. After a moment it lets out a shriek and charges into and through the top of the dune into the air, setting off a large fall of sand as it does so, which quickly gathers more beneath it, until soon half the dune begins rushing towards the caravan in a growing, sibilant roar.
Illec turns at Halistar's spell, and the shriek that rapidly follows it. With a glance he takes in the oncoming wall of sand and waves his arm, calling over the top of the growing noise. "This way! We have to clear the slide area!" he yells, picking up his pace on the sandy dune.
Initiative, Round 1: Illec, Halistar, Zanos, Rameth, Bearers, Keten Hamu, Soldiers, Shine
Hope luck is with me today...
Rameth whips out his sling and as soon as the beast is within 50 feet he lets fly
[ooc]Sling for
Halistar follows Illec, also leading his camel in a double move.
Though clumsy fliers they are nevertheless adept at attacking from the air with deadly results.
It is a Hieracosphinx!
To his companions If we can't trick it off, a show of force can scare it away.
Then shouting
[bigger] Hieracosphinx! Three quarters of a mile to the there is a Gynosphinx and it's wounded mate! Wouldn't you rather kill it and claim her!
Bluff
"Everyone move!" Zanos cried as he led his camel off to the side.
Shine looks up and screams as the sand approaches, somehow frozen with fear.
Halistar, Zanos and Rameth leg it after Illec, Rameth calling out the creature's name, but more of what he says is lost amidst the noise of the sand bearing down on the caravan. The Bearers hurry to follow as well, the wall of sand chasing on their heels.
The soldiers are not so fortunate, the rear two being engulfed before they can react to Illec's command and are engulfed along with their camels.
Willem and the other solider further down the dune are more fortunate, the two hurrying after Illec and the others, though as the Heiracosphinx comes rapidly screeching down the dune, diving towards the caravan--though maintaining a 50 foot height above the wave of sand--Willem stops and draws his bow, braving the oncoming edge of the slide to take aim at the creature, his arrow falling a foot too low.
Map
Initiative, Round 1: Shine
Illec curses as he glances back at Willem, and hurries up the dune towards him, drawing his own shortbow as he does so. His own shot going completely wide.
Initiative, Round 2: Illec, Halistar, Zanos, Rameth, Bearers, Keten Hamu, Soldiers, Shine
Shine, happy to not yet be caught up in the moving mountain moves her full move to L14 leading her camel.
Rameth moves 30 feet to S9, sling in hand.
Then he reaches into his pouch pulling a small bit of glittery rock brings it to his lips and blows it in the direction of the beast, if flutters off his hands and expands then rockets towards the beast exploding on it, covering it in glitter and possibly getting in it's eyes.
Zanos led his camel to where Illec left his steed while trying to recall what he knew about the sphinx.
Once there, he turned to face the beast and cast a spell to make him less vulnerable.
Zanos led his camel to where Illec left his steed while trying to recall what he knew about the sphinx.
Once there, he turned to face the beast and cast a spell to make him less vulnerable.