Caffeine_Addict's Legacy of Fire (Inactive)

Game Master Andrew Van Werkhoven

Bahram heads towards the wagon that was indicated and looks for this "gnoll hunter".

Dhakir listens to the mercenaries' recount their version of events and then turns to Mirah, "Yes, Father Zastoran would be the next logical person to make inquires to."

Addressing Dullen he says, "Thank you for your assistance. Would you be so kind as to tell us where we might find Father Zastoran?"

Aisha slowly approaches Cahal and whispers

"Please pardon my abruptness, but I believe it'd be proper to inform you we are being watched. There is a man hiding in the shadow of the wagon behind us. His abearance is most peculiar..."

She quickly glances in Dashki's direction, then back at Cahal

"I think it would be wise to interrogate him about the tragic occurrence we are investigating about. Would you come with me?"

"I'll squeeze him my lady. Lead the way!" Cahal twists his hands and removes some of the sweat from his brow. The heat was getting to him. "Let me wrap up my kit first. Do you know of alchemy?"

Aisha seems a little taken aback, then quickly stutters

"I-I'm afraid my knowledge of the subject is superficial at best, my apologies"

She casts her eyes down as if ashamed, then clearing her throat she adds

"We should hurry, or that man could get away"

To clarify a bit why she acts like that: she grew up with just her sister caring for her, and being the "younger and weaker one" a way to feel useful has always been to prove herself knowledgeable on as many topics as possible.

So basically, everytime she can help others with what she knows (or just show she knows more than them really) she feels happy and proud, otherwise she usually feels slightly ashamed (and a little offended). Yep, I'm afraid she is a bit vain like that!

Cahal grumbles a bit: "Go ahead then, I'll be right behind."

He tries to hurry, but still makes sure his precious equipment is properly packed, then runs after Aisha.

The mercenaries point you (Mirah and Dhakir) to were Zastoran is tending for their companions, as you head there you meet up with Bahram, who is just on his way to Dashki's wagon.

Seeing Mirah and Dhakir coming towards him, Bahram walks over to them.
"Goddess protect you! I was just heading over to yonder waggon to speak to a fellow who has taken a rather unhealthy interest in the Lady Almah. Would you care to join me?

"Of course."

Aisha follows Dashki to his wagon, but she is reluctant to approach him untill there is at least one other person with her.

So, if Cahal is with her and he is willing to interrogate Dashki, or Bahram and Mirah are already there when she arrives, she joins with them; otherwise she waits patiently for one of the others to show up.

In any case, as soon as she meets with the others, she tells them about what happened at the burnt wagon.

Mahmoud thanks the couple, bows, and starts making his way back to the others.

Bahram approches the wagon. He looks around to see if the fellow is there, and if he is, moves towards him in an open and friendly manner.

Aisha follows Dashki and stands a little aways from his wagon until joined by Cahal. As they are about to approach his wagon they are joined by Bahram, Mirah and Dhakir.

When you decide to approach him he looks up nervously and limps forward. Propping himself up with a gnarled wooden staff, he introduces himself as Dashki. You can't help but notice that this man has a very loose relationship with hygene...

Cahal, a bit out of his league when it comes to dealing with people without the social lubricant provided by lethal weapons, shies a bit and let the others do the talking, ready to smack sense back in the conversation as needed.

"Ah, Dashki. Goddesses blessing on you my good fellow. We are trying to follow up on the terrible fire that took the life of one of your caravans’' members. What can you tell us about it??"

Mahmoud slides in with the others, trying his best to judge the man's response.

'I know nothing about it,' Dashki mutters sullenly, 'I was finishing dinner around the campfire when the fire broke out, and I had nothing to do with it, if that's what you're suggesting.'

Bahram crosses his arms over his chest and looks at the smelly man, then at the others gathered around. "What do you think, my friends, could he be telling the truth?"

Cahal simply shrugs at the question: "Who cares! Why he spying on us?!"

"Easy, Cahal," Mahmoud says, as he moves up to stand before Dashki, a calming smile on his face. He leans in close, ignoring the dishevled man's stench, and gently places his hand on his shoulder. With his free hand he motions for the others to take a few steps back. He doesn't want to frighten the fellow.

"Why so nervous my friend?" He asks quietly. "You are amongst friends. We mean you no ill will. We are just looking into the fire. You see, we were not here when it started and your compatriots said that if anyone might have seen something it would be you. They say you are a man of incredible insight and no detail passes you unnoticed. We are hoping that you could perhaps help us with our task." Again, that smile.

Your calming smile seems to work, as he relaxes somewhat, 'Look, I don't know how the fire started, that idiot burned a hundred candles in his wagon, perhaps he just got unlucky. We're in gnoll country, it was probably pugwampis'

Pugwampis?

Cahal hesitates a moment...

"What's a pugwampis?"

As Dashki mentions pugwampis, Aisha's face grows thoughtful, the strange name apparently unknown to her.

Concentrating, she tries to remember if there was any mention about such a creature in her readings about desert ecology and wildlife.

Dashki appears glad at the direction the conversation is heading. 'Terrible critters what crawled up from the Darklands below the earth. "Jackal rats," some folks call 'em, on account of their pointed little heads. They worship gnolls as gods and infest their communities like rats. Wherever pugwampis go, bad luck is sure to follow. The gnolls hate pugwampis because of it, and try to kill them all the time. But they always come back. Perhaps their bad luck caused the fortune-man's candles to start a fire? Yes, pugwampis. I am certain it was pugwampis.'

"That is, ummm, very interesting, but I wish to also know why you are following the princess around? Perhaps you know nothing about this fire, but many people have seen you skulking about Lady Almah."

Cahal shrugs and walks back to the burned wagon, hoping to see something that would corroborate Dashki's accusations.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Dashki breaks in a sweat, even in the cold night air, 'Look, I'll admit, perhaps I like the princess a bit too much, is that a crime? If you're done interogating me I'm through with this conversation.' He turns and limps back into his wagon.

Cahal has a huge grin across his face as he walks back to the group. He winks at Dashki as he walks away: "Hey slow down just now! We're not done!" He turns to the others: "Looks like he may be right... I found a set of small prints walking away from the wagon. Could be a pum... a pugwmp... well you know!"

Bahram smiles and gently slaps Dashki on the back. "There ya go boy. You have given us a great deal of help, and we will be making sure the Princess knows who set us upon this path!" He heads over with Cahal to look at these prints, and gently herds Dashki along with him.

Dhakir, more accustomed to being interrogated than doing the interrogating, listens with mild interest to the conversation. At Cahal's mention of tracks, however, he seems to perk up and follows after Bahram and Dashki when Cahal leads them towards his discovery.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Dhakir squats down next to the prints, giving them his own study. As he looks off into the distance he voices a thought that has formed in his mind, "It is dark. Would it be wise to pursue these tracks into unfamiliar territory now?"

Mahmoud follows the others to the wagon. He continues to smile at Dashki and pat him on the shoulder.

Aisha glances over the distant dunes, a look of concern on her face.

"If I may, I belive Dhakir's objection is worth considering. The desert is not an easy place to navigate, especially at dusk."

She pauses for a second, as if considering her options...

"In any event," she continues, "it would be proper to inform lady Almah of our findings... And Dashki's claims"

Dashki follows you unwillingly, herded along by Bahram, when he gets to the tracks he leans down to inspect them, 'Yeah, they look like they were made by one of the little buggers'.

He stands up and listens to Aisha as she suggests reporting to lady Almah, then jumps as Garaval, seemingly from out of no-where lays a hand on his shoulder, 'Indeed it would be proper, I was just coming to see if you had anything to report and it seems my timing is good, if you would follow me and report to the princess what you have found'.

So saying, he turns and marches to Almah's tent, expecting you to follow...

Cahal scoffs to himself, but knows better than to question his masters. If it were him, he would just get the best tracker and get to the bottom of this. Now!

Mirah proceeds to follow, out of habit for the most part.

Mahmoud moves into line with the others.

*coughs* "And reports to the Princess what you have found...."

You make it into the Princesses tent, where she asks you to report what you've found.

Mahmoud bows before the princess. "Salaam. Our dear friend Dashki said that he believes the fire was the work of pugwampis.

Almah looks thoughtful, 'I have never heard of a pugwampis before, what are they, and what evidence do you have that they were responsible?'

Dashki keeps his eyes firmly on the ground and mutters something about little humanoid rats that bring bad luck.

When the man finishes his mutterings, Dhakir speaks up, "Whether or not these pugwampis exist, there are tracks at the fringes of the camp. Creatures smaller than any of us."

Cahal rolls his eyes: Oh great! Even she doesn't have a clue what they are! How are we supposed to find them? ... Wait...

Are we supposed to find them? Nobody knows what they are...

Almah addresses Dashki, 'Are we likely to find these pugwampis in the surrounding hills?'.

Dashki looks up finally, 'Yes, there should be a fair number of them out there my lady.'.

'Then I want you to go and find me one, I don't care if it's dead or alive. Now go wait outside the tent.'

Dashki excuses himself and limps out.

'I can't just send him alone into the hills, if these so called pugwampis don't exist, then I want someone to keep an eye on him. So grab some torches, head out and get me some answers.

Bahram bows and leaves the tent heading towards Dashki. "Well I guess we will see if your theory is correct. Can you tell us any more about these beasts?"

Aisha bows silently and follows the others outside the tent. When outside, she looks around for an unused torch to take with her.

Since Almah gave her permission, if there is a torch nearby nobody seems to be needing she takes it, then quickly rejoins with the others.

Dhakir bows his head and follows the others out of the tent. Once clear of the canvas, he detaches himself from the party and makes his way back to his camel. With haste, he pulls his pack and few other necessities from the beast's back. When he finally joins back up with the his companions, he is clutching his dwaven-style axe in one hand with his buckler strapped to the other.

Cahal bows deeply: "Very well." and heads out. He quickly prepares his kit, pretty sure that things are not going to go as planned. He spends a few minutes to repack his alchemy kit, just to be sure it doesn't get damaged during travel.

"Let's head out. Who's heading our posse? I'm good with the axe. Just let me know where you want me." Cahal will then take the position assigned and start looking out for the pugwampis or for other threats.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

As the group nears the tracks. "I am afraid I do not have a torch, but..." Mirah pulls a coin from her pouch and casts Light on it. She also keeps her crossbow ready in case of ambush.

Mahmoud quickly gathers his pack and straps on his sword. He is content to stand back and let the others make plans, for now.

"Let us take this moment to call upon the blessing of the Dawnflower. May she shine her light on our search, and keep us free from harm. Now lets get out there and get us one of those little critters!"

You leave the camp heading northwards, the light from your torches casting uneven shadows in the underbrush, phantom creatures lurk just outside of view, only to be nocturnal birds or rodents upon closer inspection. Dashki tells you you are looking for a little humanoid creature that's much smaller than a halfing, with light fur, dirty claws, and a tiny jackal head.