Zuhra silently stands a step behind Gran as she speaks to Kallien and Zastoran. The woman's expression is impassive (hard even) as if she was trying to dissuade anyone from getting too close to the old halfling. However, her expression is mostly a façade, for she is paying close attention to the people, trying to discern the presence of lies.
Horum
The Pactmaster soldiers seem friendly towards you (thanks to your assistance with the bucket brigade) and you can tell they are honest and sincere in their report, holding nothing back, nor lying to cover anything up.
Gran and Zuhra
The wounded mercenary, Kallien, speaks, but her voice is soft and quavering, taking some effort to hear her. "We was partyin' a bit 'round the feast fire, having a few belts o' whiskey. I went to go relieve meself and was right next ta that pansy Eloias' wagon when it went up. Gonna have some burns and scars, but I'll live thanks to you, Grannny. Now I need to sleep, I am so tired." she looks at you with tears in her eyes. She seems sincerely grateful and does not appear to be hiding anything.
When the ladies move off to question the cleric of Nethys he says: "I was reading a book by the fire-pit. Those twice-accursed mercenaries where being so loud, I had just gotten up to return to my tent when the fire started. If you suspect the mercs, I can tell you that all were near the fire-pit when the wagon went up. The poor girl had just gotten up to relieve herself. Now that Dashki, the feral one, he was not with us near the fire. He strikes me as unsettling and quite obsessed with our Princess Almah, I might add. He might be one to consider suspicious."
"I am sad to see Eloais pass on. He was a charlatan, and Almah, is certainly better off with him in the ground instead of advising her, but not one of these others can discuss the poetry of Bellianais or the music of far-off Absalom. He may have been a fake, but he was well-traveled and intelligent. I will miss him."
Zastoran also seems to have given testimony you both believe to be true and accurate.
Hearing about Dashki, Zuhra nods and leaves the cleric of Nethys and Gran alone. She walks around the camp until she sees the feral man. Once she does, her attitude relaxes a bit, as if becoming less guarded. When the man sees her, she lifts her waterskin, clearly meaning that she is ready to share it.
Come, I know life can be hard. Murdering can be forgiven, but must not continue. She thinks as she tries to approach Dashki.
Hormun nods to the soldiers, "Your candor is appreciated, I'll leave you to your fire.. He rises smoothly from his crouch, then pauses "I've not seen Dashki, have you seen him recently?"
Horum
The soldiers point out the place where Dashki usually keeps camp, a mangy and soiled tent near the edge of the camp. "If he's not there, he's likely out spying on our Princess, as is his way." Horum sees the camp and his ally Zuhra approaching carefully.
Zuhra
As Zuhra approaches the man, he nods indicating he'll at least be approached. He eyes her warily as she comes forward, a low growl emanating from his throat. He looks at her suspiciously. "Why woman come to Dashki's tent to share water? Woman never come to speak Dashki before?" his eyes narrow as he looks Zuhra over waiting for the reply.
Keeping her less guarded attitude, Zuhra answers to the savage man.
"Me and a few others have been asked to find who or what started the fire. We have already asked most of the people of the camp. Now, it is time to ask you. Did you see anything suspicious around the caravan that caught fire? Did you see if anyone was near it? Do you know who did it?"
The woman waits for an answer.
Horum watches as Zuhra approaches the odd gnoll-man, then engage him in conversation. He observes for a moment before making his way through the camp until he stands before Almah's tent.
"Mistress, I would speak with you." he calls into the interior of the tent.
Following the other Keleshite woman, Haddiyah stands by as Zuhra questions Dashki. Leaning on her quarterstaff, she measures the "man's" responses.
Zuhra and Hadiyah
Dashki sniffs and stirs agitated as you continue to meet with him. "Dashki not start fire. Dashki eats by campfire, not burn oracle wagon. DASHKI INNOCENT!" he literally shouts these last words throwing his blanket and bedroll and kicking over his camp chair in frustration.
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Horum
As the feral gnoll-expert throws his tantrum, Horum hears the soft answer from the Merchant Princess.
"You may enter!" the voice cries, and the Pactmaster soldier guarding the tent stands down, even giving you a friendly nod as you enter.
The interior of the tent is sumptuous indeed. With soft chairs and cushions, and a wide expansive bed, the Merchant Princess travels in luxury. Currently she is dining on a bowl of rice and goat milk, but she looks up from her repast, expectantly.
"Horum, is it? You are one of the newcomers brought by Garavel. What can I do for you?"
"Dashki, please be calm, I believe that you did not start this fire. I want to trust you, but you must trust me also. If there is something that you know that could help our investigation, it is better that you tell us now. I will see to it that you are rewarded for your help."
Walking calmly into the well appointed tent, Horum bows to Almah. "I am indeed Horum. You tasked us with discovering the perpertartor of the fire in the mystics wagon. I would be remiss in my duties if I did not question everyone. What did you see?" he asks
Zuhra stands impassive as Dashki becomes violent and starts thrashing his camp. As she prepares an answer, she is surprised to be beaten to it by Hadiyah, whow she hadn't noticed. She listens to the woman and adds a few more words to try and calm the savage man a bit.
"Speak. We are not here to accuse you, but to get more informations. Some may think it suspicious if you only say that it is not you." she says, her tone suggesting that she is stating a fact rather than accusing the man.
If he is not lying, then all the guards are.. that would not make sense. Zuhra thinks.
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"Of course, I want you to be thorough, but I'm not convinced the fire was arson. Of course if it was, I want the guilty part found out quickly. I just don't know why someone would want to kill poor Eloais? Though he was from far Varisia, when I found him in Solku reading the Harrow, it just felt right to me. I am half-Varisian myself, and the contact with that mystical side of my ancestry is important to me." She looks at you, making sure you understand her. "He was a confidant, and I followed the portents of his readings carefully, even though these last few days they had grown increasingly grim..."
"I was inside the tent when the fire started, and didn't see anything. I wish I could be of more help." she adds quickly, perhaps a bit embarrassed at sharing so much and letting her guard down.
The wildling turns to Zuhra, his eyes insolent. "No! DAshki not do fire! How you know fire set? That seer-man burned many candles in his wagon. Maybe he just unlucky? This gnoll country, maybe pugwumpi get him?"
The man thinks about that for a moment, his mouth agape and eyes fixed at some point on the horizon.
Sense Motive
As with the soldiers, Horum observed Almah carefully for sign of falsehood.
"These portents from Eloais' readings, perhaps they were discovered by someone else? Someone who was threatened by them? Would you reveal them to me?" Horum asked.
Diplomacy
"What is this Pugwumpi that you speak of Dashki? And why do you think they might have 'gotten him'?"
Haddiyah watches the wild man's response carefully.
While Dashki gazes at the horizon, a small hint of curiosity appears on Zuhra faces: shes almost imperceptibly squints. She then waits to see what the gnoll expert will answer to Hadiyah.
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Horum
Almah considers your request for a few moments. "Most of what Eloais told me is private. It is not a threat to anyone, and I will not reveal it to, let alone to a commoner like you."
She reflects for a moment, hesitates then speaks. "Still, you showed your worth in battling the fire that threatened us all, and perhaps there is more to you than there appears. I will share the the results of our last reading, but ask you to keep them secret as they are troubling."
She steps forward, close enough for you to smell the jasmine scent of her hair, and whispers in a confidential (and not unpleasant) tone: "The last reading centered on an auspisicious card, The Cyclone. Eloais said it portended death by fire and schemes of powerful evil. I asked him if that indicated a problem at our destination, Kelmarane and he said 'Yes, but the village is only part of something much larger'. Something he called 'The Legacy of Fire'...."
She steps back, shaking her head to clear the memory. "I have no idea what that means, The Legacy of Fire, do you?"
Zuhra and Hadiyah
Seeming grateful for the change of subject, Dashki bares his teeth talking about pugwampis, as if he had something distasteful in his mouth.
"They terrible critters crawled up from Darklands beneath ground. 'Jackal rats' they called for pointed little heads like dogs. They think gnolls like gods and infest gnoll tribes as rats, wanting favor. Pugwampis bring bad luck to all. Gnolls hate pugwampis for bringing bad luck and kill them when they can. But always they come back, like sickness."
"Dashki think pugwampis' bad luck cause fortune-man's candles to burn wagon. No man burn it, but bad luck come. Yes, pugwampis. I am sure it was them. I tell true. You see..."
He looks at you earnestly, hoping you will believe his story about these jackal headed bad luck charms that none of you have heard of before.
Horum shifts uncomfortably at Almah's proximity, but distracts himself in trying to recollect any mention of "The Legacy of Fire" in his lectures
Knowledge (religion)
Unfortunately, you have never heard of such a thing in any form of study.
"Thank you Dashki for telling us this. We will need to investigate further of course."
Turning to Zuhra, Haddiyah looks puzzled, "I have no recollection of these Pugwumpi, but I believe Dashki when he says he wasn't responsible. What do you think we should do?"
Haddiyah brushes some dust absent-mindedly from her thigh while waiting for Zuhra's response.
"I do not now what that may be, mistress. With your permission I will share this with the others, they may be more learned than I." Horum says humbly.
Zuhra shakes her head, clearly having nothing to add about the Pugwumpi since she does not know anything about them. Then, she leaves her waterskin to Dashki has she had promised before walking away with Hadiyah. Zuhra wait until they are out of sight from Dashki to answer the woman.
"He might be speaking the truth, but I am not so sure. He appears suspicious. We should speak with the others to see what they have found."
Dashki watches the women go with a shake of his head. "Pugwumpi! Dashki know! Dashki know how to hunt pugwumpi too! You see!"
"As you will, Horum. If you can shed any light on the meaning, I would appreciate knowing about it at once." she says airily. "Is there anything else?"
"No, Mistress. I will return should anything be discovered." Horum says, bowing to the merchant.
He leaves the tent, the pauses, looking about the camp , trying to see any of the others.
Perception
Horum walkes up to the others as they walk through the camp. "I have found information, but it does not seem to implicate any particular culprit. What say you ?"
"The man Dashki, seems to believe that it may be the work of 'Pugwumpi', as for Dashki himself, I believe we can rule him out."
"What information did you find?"
"Almah shared with me evil tidings brought forth by a divination performed by Elois, with his cards. A card, The Cyclone, portended death by fire and evil schemes... the village being only part of something larger, called 'The Legacy of Fire'" Horum recites, then cocks his head in interest "Is this something you have heard of , Hadiyah?"
"Let me think...."