GM Rat Sass's Legacy of Fire (Inactive)

Game Master GM Rat Sass

Aldebert Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Gretiem Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Aldebert is clearly having too much fun chatting with his brother, and he is neglecting his duties...

Mahdi makes some strong points about having a fire. Unless the guards strenuously disagree, I'm betting we have one. Plus, hot food!

The guards watch on curiously as the group starts a fire. Garavel waves them on once they look toward him, though he stays where he was some distance from the group.

Whose up next for watch? Roll perception once you are able.

Second watch.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Once woken for his turn on watch, Otah rolls out of his blankets and finds a log to sit on.

Once the halflings are back to bed and look comfortably asleep, the dwarf moves to the gnome's side. "Ever finish your ballad?"

Second Watch

Perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29

"Ever finish your ballad?"

The gnome pulls out a grooming brush, and starts to work over the side of the camel shared by the dwarf. "Ballad? Ah, well it was more like a rudimentary sonnet, repetitive in nature with very little changes from line to line, as it were." He cleans off the brush of several coarse camel hairs, examining the brush closely. He drags it through his own beard several times, then returns to grooming the animal.

"Yeah, no. The poetry has come to an end, when there's no need of it any longer. I'll have to find something new, I suppose. With all our time on the road, and with our destination bringing all untold things that may inspire, it should only be a matter of time for a smatter of rhyme." Pent nods assuredly.

"You ever finish your journal? Or does that roll as long as you can scroll your writing on the page?"

Pent wanders not too far, keeping his ears pricked in order to hear things yet unseen.

it should only be a matter of time for a smatter of rhyme

Otah's eyes roll in exaggerated discontent. "Well done Pent."

"The journal is more of a... manual. For now it's just for myself until I feel I've mastered the qualities of my weapon against foes known and strange. If it's ever finished, I might publish it."

Ami sleeps, dreams of riding Yeen in the sun, a horde of gnolls fleeing before them.

"Did I wake you? Is there something out there?"

Pent looks at the stranger, annoyed. "With you making all your blasted noise, I can only say that you were out there. Unless you've never held your mast and marbles to free the stream, how can you gripe of darkness when you gotta go? I always close my eyes when I dump my wineskin." The gnome looks over at the dwarf.

"Can you believe this one, Odie?"

The man looks dumfounded, Well.. I.. I usually want to keep a look out. Who knows what you might have jump at you."

....

Morning comes without incident. Though a fewnof the guards are slow to rise they are ready to travel in a timely manner.

On the road again...

Marching order?

Aldebert will ride ahead a little from the wagon (10yds or so?). Not far, but far enough to keep Yeen and his brother in sight - sometimes a difficult task.

As they get closer and the tension mounts, he draws his sword so as to have it in hand, and tries to pressure his brother to stay closer to the group, "We'll need to meet them together brother, not all spread out. So don't range so far for a bit..."

He fully expects his brother to wander anyway, and a part of him smiles at the freedom his brother has.

Ami and Yeenoghu rise and eat quickly, anxious to meet the rising the sun. They know there will be blood today, and Yeen is anxious to sink his teeth into the necks of the evil gnolls.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 Survival
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Scent - Yeen

Ami picks up the tracks of the gnolls.

"Brother! Gnolls were here in the night! I see their tracks!" Ami alerts his brother, pointing out the tracks. "They probably saw you and Yeen and fled back to their hovels. They are probably scared and awaiting us."

"Good job Ami. Good job." he grins. "Well then we know each other - it'll be a fair fight."

He turns to the men in the wagon, "Be ready."

He rides ahead, as previously described.

Mahdi sleeps through the night without waking despite the incidents that plague the others. In the morning, he yawns and grumbles, dragging himself onto his horse in poor spirits. He is not a morning person.

"Just point me at them," he mumbles, blearily awake. "I can burn 'em good..."

(Mahdi near the back. He will cast mage armor on himself, and on the two mounts, using the Pearl of Powers. Pearls of Power. That.)

The morning passes without incident. As the morning calm gives way to unrelenting heat, the guards in the wagon make clear their intention to keep moving. If they must, they will stop.

"At least we have a breeze in this heat if the wagon keeps moving. We can eat and drink a bit while we travel. Unless the lot of you wish to stop?"

(I recall endure element precautions for the heat?)

"Can you believe this one, Odie?"

"Perhaps he wanted to make sure he wasn't pissing uphill."

Otah prepares for travel as the party begins to stir. Not surprised by the discovery of nearby gnolls in the night, he is ready to go with the halflings and engage them.

"Perhaps he wanted to make sure he wasn't pissing uphill."

Pent snorts, picturing a piddleriver chasing a man with his shorts down. "...pissing uphill... hehehe, that's a good one..."

Pent makes sure to call for Sarah's protection against the coming heat. He maintains an extra helping of protection, should anyone require it. He appreciates his camel all the more for its lack of need.

Ah, yes; Mahdi will use his communal endure elements on the group members who aren't already covered by it, at the hottest part of the day, or the first time someone seems to be suffering overtly from the heat. His own fire resistance should mean no personal need for it. Sorry, just realized I haven't actually posted Mahdi's 7th level sheet. I'll get on that.

Ami will cast his own Endure Elements on he and Yeen on the days when they need it, leaving Mahdi to protect the others unless his brother needs (or wants) more.

Ami continues to scout, range, and return to the party; he's not really an order person.

As everyone save Madhi seemed to pass on the question, let it be: Aldebert/Get'him, Oootah, Pent, & Madhi, then the wagons, with Ami 2d10*5' away in d8 random direction.

Aldebert is fine sharing an Endure Elements for the heat of the day. Don't think Gretiem needs one though as he's a lizard. Thanks Mahdi!

As for marching order, I mentioned earlier that I'd be ~10yds in front of the wagon, more or less, when mounted and moving.

(Forgot my other daily buff now that I have it: casting false life on self)

Temp HP: 1d10 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

As the guards direct the wagon onward, one of them takes a moment to clarify with the group the route that is being taken.

"So the trade route to Katapesh from Kelmarane follows this route, as our friends here have seen, the land is barren and inhospitable. He gestures at Adir and Yfid. "The round we are on follows a series of oases that we plan to use as campsites, if that is ok with all of you?"

"Oases sounds good - the gnolls would need access to water to camp. We might route out more that way. Your plan is excellent!"

Aldebert agrees to the plan and leads as directed.

Ami stares at his brother, returning from his ranging.

"Why have we changed course, brother? I am tracking them this way! We should be doing this way, yes? We go to kill gnolls..." Ami asks, his head swinging to Pent and Mahdi, then to Otah.

"I think there will be gnolls both ways brother. We need to find their root - where they camp. I think they'll camp near water so that's where we'll find them."

"Still, my brother has a point. He has gnoll tracks here, we could follow them - they'll probably meet. What do you think?" he looks to the party for suggestions.

"If we go to the water and the base camp is there, the scouting party will eventually return to it." He turns to Amiamble, "It could be a two-for-one."

Otah accepts Mahdi's EE if/when offered

Correct me if I'm wrong, but we're traveling to the mine, right? Before the city of Katapesh directly? If so, does one route over the other go to the mine (i.e., would we be going out of our way to go to the mine)? Also... why on earth is the main trade route not built along the oases to begin with? It seems illogical that the primary trade route would go through such barren, inhospitable territory as Garavel mentions.

Mahdi frowns. "We can magically conjure water if needed," he points out. "Well, some of us can. We have no need to go to oases for water, even for our beasts. But why is the traditional trade route not passing by these oases? Most caravans will not have our advantages."

Sense motive on Garavel, is there any other reason he wants to switch course?: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Kn Geography if that explains the illogic of 'the trade route and the oases don't match': 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

The route is the same. With the environment as mentioned the trade route is planned around the oases. The mine is roughly half way to Katapesh (another days travel).

"The trade route does pass by the oases. We've just gotten off track tracking gnolls and finding these fellows." The guard gestures again toward Adir and Yfid.

Ami listens, but he only wants to track and kill the gnolls.

"Oootah, which way would you go?"

"Oootah, which way would you go?"

Otah considers for a moment, spinning his beard with a stubby finger. "Getting to Katapesh doesn't matter if no one there will come to Kelmerane. We need to clear the roads, and that means going after gnolls where we find them."

"If the oases are safe from gnoll incursions for the time, we should head on with the tracks we found."

Okay, apparently I misunderstood what Garavel was saying, as it sounded like he was saying the trade route and the oasis-route were two different roads.

Mahdi considers options with a frown. "Our overall goal is to secure the region for trade and travelers. That means hunting down gnolls and seeing to it that every last one of the beasts is either slain or driven far from this region, never to return. If Ami has found a fresh trail for them, it should be pursued. We will not run out of water, if the servant of 'Sarah' wishes to keep us in drink, so I see no reason to break from our tracking of the jackal-men. How shall we answer Almah, if we are to say we ran across two travelers from our own Kelmarene, beset on by gnolls, and we merely let the gnolls go on their merry way without pursuing them?"

The confused Aldebert is quickly swayed with the excellent arguments into agreement.

"OK then, let us pursue the gnolls we have found. Ami, lead on and we shall follow."

Pent watches and listens, unaware that his carrot-chewing has fallen into the same biorhythm with the camel's. He takes turns biting off a piece, then sharing it with his animal. He only yelps once, as the camel tries for more than taproot.

"We settled? Sounds like we're settled." The gnome waits for the train of the caravan to ignite another train of thought.

Afternoon leads thankfully into the cooling evening. The guards have brought enough water for the mount, but insist that in the next day or two they must return to the trade route so that the precious liquids can be replenished at an oasis. Sand and hills look much the same. Garavel looks to you with a pointed question, "Your search for gnolls has taken us from the safest path. Where would you have us wait out the coming night?"

General description of terrain features you all might be looking for / avoiding? Knowledge (nature) and / or Knowledge (geography) rolls are welcomed.

Pent has Create Water as a zero-level cantrip, meaning he can create an unlimited supply of clean, potable water. Hence Mahdi's repeated statements that water is not an issue for the group.

Mahdi rolls his eyes at Garavel's pointed words. "You sound like old women, seeking the safest path to market. I thought Lady Almah loaned us warriors. Let us make for high ground, to have a good view of the landscape. Even gnolls must enjoy the benefits of a fire during the cold desert nights; keep an eye out for smoke that might lead us to their camp, everybody. High ground will suit us for defense as well as visibility. I suggest we again build a fire-- the sooner the gnolls attempt to ambush us, the sooner we can destroy them, and the sooner we can return to the 'safe' route you all crave so much. With dawn's fresh light, we can pursue the tracks that Ami has found."

Mahdi surveys the landscape, judging the nearest hills and bluffs, seeking a point with some altitude to it, but not so rugged that they would have trouble getting their mounts up to it.

Kn Nature: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Kn Geo: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Yes, let's mistake the guard's ignorance for me not reading. It's just so much fun.

"And you sound like a petulant child. It is clear now why Almah sent us along. Not because you cannot fight off enemies, but because that tongue of yours will simply make foes of friends. Your analysis of the terrain is quite astute all the same. Summon me in the morning unless you have more pleasantries that I can ignore." Garavel moves off while the guards stifle their laughter. They watch Pent attentively, waiting to see how he is going to make water appear.

Otah pulls out a mug that's been gathering dust in his pack. As he puts it to his lips, it generates water from which he drinks.

When he's done, he pours a small amount into a cupped hand and leans over his mount to let it drink.

"High ground would be good for all the reasons you mention, but should we not find someplace we can run to for cover, in case perhaps we see another one of those giant birds?"

"It is clear now why Almah sent us along. Not because you cannot fight off enemies, but because that tongue of yours will simply make foes of friends."

Otah bends his head down so that his beard might hide the uncontrollable grin forming.

One of the guards notices Otah watering his mount. "Where'd you get that water master dwarf?"

Perception:
Mahdi: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 (normal)
Aldebert: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Pent: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 (low-light)
Amiamble: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 (normal)
Yeenoghu: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 (low-light)
Otah: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 (darkvision)

As everyone else gets the lay of the surroundings, Ami and Yeen seem to notice something in the distance.

"Where'd you get that water master dwarf?"

Otah moves his mount over alongside the guard and hands him the cup. "Try a sip. It was a payment from one of my former employers. I know there are those who are blessed to make water as a gift from their gods, but I found this particular mug a boon in my travels here."

"It only makes a few wineskins full each sunrise, but it's more than I need to get through the day, with some to share. Besides, We've got the gnome here to pass wind and fluids in our general direction."

The guard looks curiously at the mug, but does not touch it. He then glances at Pent, "Do you mean he ah, makes ah, water by ah, reliving himself? "

Pent realizes the guards require Sarah's services. He doesn't delay in summoning water, real water, that hopefully continues until the guards fend him off from further production. "Water you doing? Water you thinking? Water you expecting?...." This goes on for some time...

...

Pent enjoys looking over the dwarf's mug. "Thaaaaat's handy. Surprised we haven't seen it before. You got any piggy banks like that? Now that would be a daily boon. You got any bread boxes like that? That would also be a daily boon. You got any baby cribs like that? That would be more like a problem..." The gnome considers other options, but finds himself at a loss for words at present.

Mahdi rolls his eyes at Garavel's pointed words. "You sound like old women, seeking the safest path to market. I thought Lady Almah loaned us warriors."

Amiamble snickers from under his facial scarf, noting one in the ledger for his admiration of Mahdi.

He is pleased that the party has agreed with him to hunt gnolls, not travel the safe roads.

* * *

As everyone else gets the lay of the surroundings, Ami and Yeen seem to notice something in the distance.

"Mahdi, Brother...even Gnome, look! There!" Ami rushes to mount Yeen, not to gallop off, but so that he might get higher in the not-saddle and see further.

"I saw a flash atop a dune nearly a mile to the east, as if the last rays of the setting sun had just reflected off of something metallic!"

Ami readies his cat and sling for battle.

"Shall we ride, brother? Or wait for them to come to us?"

As Ami readies Yeen the sand itself begins to shift revealing what appears to be a huge muscular and scaly form emerging from the nearby sand.

Won't likely have a chance to work up a tactical map until tomorrow. The form is roughly 60 feet from the hill the the PCs are situating themselves on.

Round One: All PCs acting (accept Pent)

Initiative
Mahdi: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Aldebert: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Pent: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Amiamble: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 (with Yeenoghu)
Otah: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Mahdi briefly considers lighting Garavel's backside on fire with a very short fire jet, before he sulkily acknowledges to himself that doing so would probably reinforce the 'petulant child' thing. The moment passes in the revelation of Otah's cup, and Pent's display of his water-creating prowess... the clear water, not the yellow kind. Mahdi huffs to himself and rides for the hilltop he spotted.

***

When the sand erupts sixty feet away, Mahdi's eyes widen. "What in the name of the City of Brass is that?" he hisses.

Knowledge arcana, you say?: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

But he can recall no such creature from his apprentice study of bestiaries, alas. Well, when in doubt, Mahdi resorts to his default: fire.

He jams a hand into his spell component pouch, snatching out a little chunk of sulfur and some bat guano. Mahdi shouts words in Ignan and gestures with his free hand. Fire erupts in the desert twilight-- a circular bloom of it, flashing outwards in the wink of an eye dead-centered on the creature.

When in doubt, fireball! Reflex save DC 20 for half damage: 7d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 4, 3, 2, 6, 4) = 27

"Garavel, see that the merchants and the guards get back a safe distance!" Mahdi shouts.

(I'll reserve the right to use a move action, possibly in following the NPCs, once we have the tactical map up.)

Round 1, Init 10

Ami and Yeen move 30' to the right/left (depending on map) and Ami prepares Yeen for a mighty charge. Cast Divine Favor on Yeen.

"Do you mean he ah, makes ah, water by ah, reliving himself?"

Otah laughs as the guard speaks. "Don't we all? He certainly likes to bring attention to it, but that's not how he gifts us with Sarah's blessing."

"Just the one boon Pent. The old boss was rather a cheap fellow."

Round 1, Init 21

"What in the gods is that thing?" he exclaims, even as he moves his mount to attempt another pincer maneuver with Ami and Yeen.

Round: 1, Initiative: 21

As it’s the end of the day, I’m going to assume the Mage Armor on Gretiem has worn off by now.

Aldebert rides up 40’ to get into position and draws his greatsword. He relishes his first ever opportunity to use it against this enormous foe. He rides right up the middle trying to draw the beast to him.

Hrm. Can I draw my sword while Gretiem moves as a free action? I think not by the mounted combat rules. I think I have to wait for Gretiem to move, then I get a standard action at the end. Might need to look into quick draw…

Map is up on Roll20. Still working on adding guards. May use markers as image search seems slow. Anyhow, feel free to reposition yourselves. I've marked the 'creature with a dot as it hasn't fully emerged from the sand. The portion that is showing is larger than the dot. Only PCs and wagon are even close to scale.

Ami moves into charging position.

I moved Aldebert on the map. Ready to be swallowed whole! hehehe