Lysander nods enthusiastically at Raikdar's suggestion. "Indeed! Simultaneous sequential transfer of flame-retardant liquids will more efficiently decrease the rate of combustion!" Following the plan, Lysander gets into the bucket line and heaves his buckets along with the rest.
Round 3 of the fire
Four guards are trying to push the wagon but even with Daubeny's help they fail to get it moving. "Maybe we should all push at the same time." on of them says.
Lysander and Raikdar convince the group to form a bucket line. Ahlma takes the position of throwing the water on the fire.
Amelia and Iraonar continue to help.
Kol-Relden will attempt to shoe several of the animals in the direction of the holding pen.
With the help of an middle aged camel driver and his wife, Kol-Relden manages to get some of the animals back in the pen.
Raikdar continues to pass buckets; full toward the fire, empty back toward the water barrel. He does worry about using the presumably precious water to save something is insignificant as a wagon. Perhaps there is an oasis nearby, so it is not a issue here.
Lysander looks at the wagon with interest as he continues passing buckets along. A large and ornate vehicle. Perhaps it contains unique items of significant value, either fiscal or sentimental. He looks over at Amelia calling down water onto the fire. Unable to stop himself, he inquires
"For what duration can you maintain that production of liquid?" His face in a frown of puzzlement about what is, in his mind, a physics question, he continues passing buckets along the line.
Alright then. Time to work together. The large man nods. "Then on the count of three then?
If the guards agree, Daubeny lines up like before and heaves against the wagon on the count of three, slightly out of breath from tying to push the wagon all on his lonesome.
Even with another guard joining in but they still cannot get the heavly laden wagon to move. The flames from the fire are beginning to lick at its side.
Amelia continues calling for water from the Heavens.
Iraonar stops his playing,though the song lingers on, to run over and help with pushing the wagon.
Seeing the situation with the wagon escalating, and knowing that he has helped put at least some of the animals back into, Kol-Relden will work his way bay towards the blazing wagon. Seeing Daubeny and Iraonar, as well as five other guards, working on moving away the second wagon, he will turn back to the burning one. Calling upon the powers of nature, he once again summons several gallons of water above the flames. He tries to drop it on the side nearer to the adjacent wagon, in an attempt to prevent the flames from spreading.
Kol-Reldon's effort to keep the adjacent wagon from bursting into flames buys some time for the valiant people trying to push it out of the way.
Daubeny, Iraonar, and the soldiers move the wagon slightly but not out of harms way yet.
It looks like the fire is starting to get under control but the wagon is a complete lose.
Lacking good options, Lysander continues helping with the bucket brigade. If a preventative burn were in order, then I would be much more helpful. As it is, my alchemical devices would only exacerbate the conflagration.
Raikdar continues with the fire fighting; passing buckets back and forth.
Amelia will continue to channel water into being, this time switching to having it summon through one of the open windows on the wagon.
Iraonar continues to aid Daubeny and the guards.
Strange... it seems our singing companion is possessed of more impressive musculature than his appearance implies...
Feeling the heat sapping his strength, Daubeny pushes again.
Seeing the situation another person joins in with the wagon but it still will not budge.
Iraonar refuses to give up on the cart.
Seeing the possibility of fire spreading, Lysander runs over to the cart and adds his feeble strength in an attempt to make it move.
Completely out of his element, the alchemist doesn't brace his feet against the ground properly and immediately slips and falls to the ground.
Kol-Relden will continue to drop water upon the flaming wagon, but moves to where he can attempt to help move the other wagon if it is needed.
Raikdar keeps his place in the bucket line, fighting the fire.
Finally everyone gets on the same page and the wagon begins to roll to safety.
With the fire now under control everyone stands around and catches their breath. Almah gives a few commands and then heads back to her tent with her guards.
As you stand there, a breeze picks up and blow some debris around the still smoldering wagon. A partially burnt card flyes up and sticks to Raikdar's chest.
Lysander picks up the tattered remains of his waterskins and asks around to buy replacements.
"Well, that was a...less than auspicious start. Do we know what started the fire?"
"An excellent question. One hopes the entropy production of this reaction has not obscured all clues as to it's orgins."
The young alchemist-prince, something of a pyromaniac himself, examines what is left of the fire.
Glaring at the cart, the knight snorts. "That's one way of putting it."
Iraonar walks up to the beautiful woman with the commanding voice and introduces himself, "Hello I am prince Iraonar Dynisius. May I ask what happened?"
"Not your usual playing card..." Raikdar shows the cyclone card to Amelia. And anyone else who shows an interest. "Most gamblers don't use these kind of cards for their games. Strange it should show up here.
Raikdar grows quiet, thinking about what he knows about the magic tradition behind the Harrowing.
"Odd, I've never seen the like before. We don't have many games of chance in Selruun. You might try asking either Iroanar or Lysander."
Lysander walks over to the conversation between Raikdar and Amelia. He looks at the card thoughtfully.
"Allow me to consider what I recall on the subject. In the meantime, I have an uneasy intuition regarding the object in question."
Lysander looks into the wagon and finds a burnt body.
Almah stops when she hear Iranor. Turning around she says, "I am not concered with who you are. I saw you arrive I want you to find out how that fire started. You arrived with Garval so I assume you work for me now. What I want you to do now is find out how that fire started. You were not here when it started so I don't think you or any of your troup started it."
With that she turns and heads back to here tent.
"WAIT!, as you say we where not here. What did YOU see and hear when the fire started."Iraonar asks Almah and her entourage.
"Now I remember. The Cyclone can represent unstoppable, destructive force, unleashed by scheming minds." Raikdar looks at the destruction surrounding them. "Seems to fit the current situation well enough."
Raikdar pauses to consider the conversation between Almah and Iraonar. His employment by the bony dragon was not entirely his choice. Now this woman is assuming that he is her underling. Raikdar is pretty sure his station is well above hers. Of course, she probably has more clout than he; with lackeys to command, and unguessed personal power. At any rate, his obligation to the dragon demands co-operation with Almah. Raikdar shrugs. It's not like he wasn't living like a commoner before.
Raikdar heads over to see what Lysander has found in the charred wagon.
"Ahh, in investigation! Excellent. Let us look for clues." Amelia moves to the burned tent and begins looking for the source of the fire.
Lysander acknowledges Raikdar's and Amelia's approach with a nod. "It appears this incident produced at least one fatality..."
Lysander attempts to determine why the person was unable to leave the wagon. Did it have heavy doors that got jammed? Was the person restrained by anything?
He whispers to his nearby companions "We may have become involuntarily embroiled in a complex and deadly game. Do you have may suspicions?"
"Unfortunately, it appears the evidence was burned away." whispers Amelia conspiratorially.
Raikdar turns away from the wagon, striding over to where Almah is. "There's a burnt corpse in the wagon, there. You might want to do a head count to see who's missing." He suggests.
Almah, accompanied by Garavel, continues on into her tent without looking back. Two of her guards take up position outside the entrance. After a few minutes one of her body guards comes back over to the wagon and takes up position next to it. "Princess Almah has ordered that no on go near this wagon. Garavel has asked me to inform you that you many set up your tents on the far side of the camp and that he will join you soon."
You find a spot and set up camp. After a couple of hours Garavel comes out of Almah's tent and approaches you.
"There has been a great tragedy here. The fire has killed Almah personal fortune teller, Eloais. She was fond of him for his abilty to forcast upcoming events. He had fortold good result on the upcoming expedition and was looking forward to the trip."
"Almah is not sure what the cause of fire was but would like your help in seeing if it was an act of sabotage by someone in the camp. You may speak to anyone here about the incident. I suggest that you start with the wagon and look for clues about the fires origin. Report back to me when you are done."
"Do you have any questions?"
Lysander nods gravely, appreciating the situation in which they've found themselves. He examines the wagon for signs of how the fire began.
He turns to his comrades. "I think we should investigate this wagon thoroughly then ask around the camp."
To the guard, he asks
"Might I inquire as to whether or not Eloais possessed any adversaries or rivals?"
"Do you know if Eloais had a Harrow deck?" Raikdar asks Garavel. Harrow is a popular method of fortune telling, but certainly not the only one. If Eloais didn't have a Harrow deck, the Cyclone card would have a lot more meaning than if he did.
Did you see anything odd around the beginning of the fire,Do you know who was working in the area at the time, what was the source of Eloais power, and what are the local bandits and monsters like?"Iraonar adds to the list of questions his group presents.
Garavel raises an eyebrow at Iraonar, "I believe I was with you when the fire started."
Turning to Raidkar he says, "Eloais was from Varisia. I believe the Harrow Deck is very popular there and I think he used it often when Almah visited. Typical fortune telling stuff. She had questions and he would attempt to find answers in the cards. I don't believe in that sort of thing but I was surprised that most of his perdictions seem to be correct."
Garavel says that the guard at the wagon will allow you access to the wagon at this time.
Lysander emphasizes to the guard "Any information you can give us makes your association safer!"
The guard stares at you for a full minute. You can feel his reluctance to say anything but he finally says, "Dashki.". He then turn is back on you and walks to the other side of the wagon.
He ignores any other attempt to talk to you.
Lysander turns to his comrades. "I believe we should converse with Dashki when we finiah investigating the wagon."
He looks around the wagon for any more clues.
Iraonar asks around the camp to see what people might know and what was going on just before and at the time of the fire.