GM Rat Sass's Legacy of Fire (Inactive)

Game Master GM Rat Sass

Once the dwarf finishes kicking weapons clear from the surrendered and their less fortunate allies, he squats down a few yards from where the captured are being held.

After the short ones speak their piece, the dwarf contemplates the words of the raider.

"Truth is, raider, that these folk can't stand gnolls. That you have chosen to try and get your bread and lodging from a poor employer will not sway them."

The dwarf lets the statement sink in for a moment before continuing.

"If you do want to live to eat again, I suggest you honestly answer their questions, and lose the wayward tone. Perhaps then. If you're lucky..." the dwarf turns to Ami as he speaks "they'll believe you and let you loose to find more suitable employment."

He turns back, "I hear the city we came from is looking for able bodied defenders and road protection. Perhaps you might try turning your group to legitimate use there."

Untrained diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Though the raider seems slightly more willing to listen to Otah, his ire returns as the line of questioning remains the same.

"If I were lucky my village wouldn't have been ransacked by gnolls. I'd have some other choice than slavery or working for this lot. Don't talk to me about luck dwarf. You may be able to dig up riches from the deep, but I have to fight for even scraps. Quit your talk and kill me if you don't believe what i've said. The raider tosses a handful of gold coins to the ground. We were paid to attack travelers. That's the truth. Those are the coins. Little good they'll do me after your friends are done with me."

Pent listens, rocking right and left to watch the raider appear on each side of the camel hump, forced perspective and all. When the raider drops his loot, the gnome perks up.

"Alright you. Promise Sarah, the beautiful Goddess of the Sun, that you will cease senseless slaughter for filling your coffers, and we'll not kill you this day. Accept Her Redemption, here and now. Forget the gnolls, give your soul to my Goddess, and we'll not end your mortal existence here and now. Here and now, ex-raider, here and now."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Aldebert purses his lips, unhappy with the way this is unfolding, but like watching a heavy cart slowly flipping over, all he can do is watch.

I hope they take Pent's offer. It would be a shame to kill them here in the desert, so far from civilization. Better they have a second chance I think. If they'll just reach out and grasp it!

"You should listen to this man. He's trying to save your lives."

Diplomacy, aid another to Pent: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Ami and Yeen await the repentant words to come out of the men's mouths.

"If what the dwarf says is true.. The man looks off into the distance, as if recalling something. I'm not sure who this Sarah is, but I've pled my case to many a god. You'll understand if I have my doubts. He empties his pockets and kneels, slowly pulling a crude dagger from his boot, laying it slowly on the ground. I have little need for my soul, especially with the loud growl of my stomach. His jest doesn't seem to be taken well by the other raider, who at this point is nearly in tears. With the pause for forced laughter from his fellow he bursts forth with words.

"Please. Anything. I don't want to die. Not like the others. At least leave something for my family to find. I promised them.. that I'd bring food. We're so hungry. The sun. It can bring crops. Does your goddess grow the grain? At this point the raider is practically slobbering at Pent's feet.

I'm going to spoiler this next bit to address Mahdi's questions. I'd much prefer to let things unfold as they will so for those that wish to be surprised please feel free to ignore the spoiler. It is tagged for Ami / Yeen also because they'd be involved in discovering the clues.

I can't kill these men.

"Look, you can clearly work, you're not feeble. So work, don't thieve! Go to Kelmarane. It's a booming village now and they're in dire need of labor for a variety of tasks, both skilled and unskilled."

"You can find work there, make your fortunes, and do it honestly. You may even find work as guards, or in the military."

He gathers their belongings, and puts their coin back in their pockets. He stands them up, and points toward Kelmarane.

"Go."

Mahdi swears nastily in Ignan. "Alright, he's back again, invisible, and he's trying to convince me to leave the scroll out one night for him to come quietly collect it," he sneers. "Yes, because I'm going to deal with someone who's tried to make our lives hells thrice over. Probably he'll just plane shift away again once I do this, so save your steel, but--"

He casts a spell, and bolts of energy tear from his hand and fly towards the unseen figure.

I still don't know where this person is despite repeatedly asking for this information. Otherwise I'd tell you all.

Magic Missile: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 1) + 4 = 13

And then Mahdi seems to suffer an early-life coronary, as his anger and temper get the better of him and cause him to drop gasping to the sands.

Per OOC, I'm withdrawing from the game. Kill Mahdi off, or GMPC him, I don't care.

The groveling raider cries and shout for joy while stumbling away with joyful thanks. The other raider looks over the group. "My thanks. I will do my best to do as you suggest. Though I'll need to be pointed in the right direction so as to make sure my friend there doesn't die of thirst amidst his joy. And perhaps, if it isn't to much to ask, some spare water if you have it?"

We'll resume action as you all wish. I'll GMPC Mahdi as needed. If a pause is useful please let me know.

Kindly consider my previous action and statements retconned. At this point, all Mahdi has done is look suspiciously over his shoulder.

Mahdi glances around a few more seconds, his brows furrowed, and then rubs at his chin in brooding thoughtfulness. He looks furtively to left and to right, then gives a tiny nod.

Rollin': 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

"I think I should probably take the scroll for sake-keeping," Mahdi says brusquely to Ami. "Clearly it's not safe with you."

"My thanks. I will do my best to do as you suggest. Though I'll need to be pointed in the right direction so as to make sure my friend there doesn't die of thirst amidst his joy. And perhaps, if it isn't to much to ask, some spare water if you have it?"

Pent scowls.

"Say the words. Accept Sara... Sarenrae, into your hearts, and say the words truthfully. The words, then the water. It matters, the words. You need to speak them."

""I think I should probably take the scroll for sake-keeping. Clearly it's not safe with you."

Pent looks wordlessly between the fire mage, half, and other half. Oh, now. This may prove interesting.

"Clearly it's not safe with you."

Ami doesn't even flinch. He hands the scroll to Aldebert.

Mahdi quirks a brow at Ami, but doesn't argue the point... for now.

Aldebert reflexively takes the scroll from his brother, but then he hesitates.

"Brother, I don't know..."

He none the less takes the scroll and tucks it deep inside his armor. He looks around nervously for invisible opponents. He'll cast Detect Evil in each of the cardinal directions while he waits for the bandits to save their own lives.

The groveling raider repeats the words exactly as Pent has spoken them. His fellow is slower to oblige.

"I can't imagine you really believe its as simple as that, I mean. Those are words... Looking after his friend, glancing quickly to the horizon and then ahead, where he presumes the promise of honest work to be, he speaks slowly. Sarenrae, I thank you for your servant's faith. I hope in time my heart might be filled likewise. Until then, may my feeble belief be enough."

Aldebert grabs a pack from a nearby raider. He checks it's contents and fills it with assorted food and water, along with a few basic necessities for desert travel. So mostly water. :)

He hands it to the men and guides them toward home. "... so once you're on the trail it's easy. Just follow it all the way into town. May the gods shine their faces down upon you. Go in peace."

He feels as though he's done a good deed today, though in the back of his head he worries what the men will do unattended. Still, he has larger problems than that surely.

Sigh.

"Well, let's search the bodies and see what we can find, shall we?"

Aldebert searches the dead for valuables.

Ami and Yeen prowl around Aldebert as if any to try to take what he has entrusted with his brother.

"Yes, brother, let us see what these raiders have that might be useful against the servants of the Rough Beast. Some might be feigning death as well..."

Ami sets Yeen to ripping out the necks of the fallen while Ami opts not to collect too many ears and focuses on keeping his brother safe.

"I can't imagine you really believe it's as simple as that, I mean. Those are words... Sarenrae, I thank you for your servant's faith. I hope in time my heart might be filled likewise. Until then, may my feeble belief be enough."

Pent tilts his head, his lips pursing at an odd angle. "It's never simple, now, is it? You're not here simply because you chose to, right? Your circumstances carried you through life to this very place, same as us. You made a choice just now to say words that saved your very life, by Sarah Herself. If you tripped across lesser folk, you wouldn't have been given a choice, you would have been cut up and fed to the dogs."

The gnome joins in putting together a survival kit of sorts with Aldebert, then returns to talk to the raiders again. "You came across Aldebert the Noble, Ami the Fierce, Mahdi, Friend of Fire, Otah Horsechopper. My name's Pent. Of the Silent Poot. You carry our names back to Kelmarane, and you're likelier to find work. Before you go, you should leave us your names. Should our paths ever cross again, we don't want to start with 'Hey, you'."

When he's done, Pent steers his camel back to the caravan, nodding to Garavel and others to continue their trek to Katapesh.

Mahdi couldn't care less about the redemption of the brigands, but he at least keeps his mouth shut as Pent and the others say their pretty words (silence is often the closest to tact Mahdi gets).

He examines his fingernails, picks out a little desert grit from beneath one, and finds his horse again.

"I trust you and your men weren't injured?" he says casually to Garavel. "We apparently attracted attention from disreputable sorts. Still, I suppose today reduced the numbers of gnollish and human bandits running around, at least." He looks with some satisfaction on the oasis itself, where his starting fireball dropped nine. Ah, good times.

"Let's see if these bandits have any ill-gotten gains that would be better put to use in the hands of our noble guardsmen."

Mahdi will help search the bodies. At this point, he's not particularly bothered about things like mundane gear/weapons; he'll do detect magics to see if there's anything worth keeping for the party itself, but otherwise he'd be willing to let our guard escort have any mundane goods as a 'bonus' for the dangerous trip so far. For as long as his see invisibility stays up (a total of 30 minutes) Mahdi will keep a surreptitious eye out for the janni's return.

"My fellow there goes by Creat, though I can't say if that's his proper name. I'm Gawl. Checking his wounds, which seem to have mystically improved in condition. It's seems your.. It seems Sarah has shown me favor. I should be fine after a few days rest once we get to where were going. Creat there seem to have been in shock there for a bit, I mean he wasn't even moving. Seems fine now."

With that Gawl gives the group a wave, gathers what water he can, and follows after Creat.

Among the gnolls (11 total) each has leather armor, heavy wooden shield, battleaxe, and longbow with 12 arrows. The raiders (8 total) each wear a chain shirt, heavy steel shield, scimitar, and longbow with 12 arrows.

Garavel nods. "If we continue on we can camp and arrive at our destination by night fall on the morrow."

Unless others object the guards gather what they can from among the fallen raiders. They seem mostly interested in replenishing their arrows.

Travel will continue unhampered. Feel free to role play what you like. Otherwise let me know when we're ready to settle for the evening.

”I could use a pass or two of the wand if it’s handy.”

CLW: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (8, 5, 2) + 3 = 18

”That should set me up for now, thanks.”

Aldebert, conscious of the burden he carries in his armor, is a bit skittish. By the end of the day his nerves are quite rattled, and he’s doing what he can to relax. He casts detect evil a lot…

”Mahdi, is there anything we can do to this foe who can phase in and out of our reality at will, pose as anyone we encounter, and even come at us invisibly? I’m at a loss here but I’m eager to help in any way I can…”

Ami and Yeen follow along protecting Aldebert. Now that had the thief's scent, Yeen would know it if it came close, Ami reasons.

"Do not worry, brother! Yeen has marked the thief now. It will not succeed again while we are around," Ami comforts his brother.

"Mahdi! Mahdi! Maybe you will find a way to obscure the magics on the scroll, hiding it from some magics? Can you? Won't you? There is nothing more important than that gift from Sarenrae."

"Sarenrae, I thank you for your servant's faith. I hope in time my heart might be filled likewise. Until then, may my feeble belief be enough."

Relieved from having to spill blood from captives, the dwarf smiles as he watches the gnome's makeshift religious ceremony.

On Gawl's exit, the dwarf offers additional advice, "Once you're established, or if you're still seeking work, find our estate in town and leave a way to contact you. We'll find something for you."

The dwarf assists in gathering and transporting what gear is taken to the caravan and tosses it into a cart.

"So what did you all run off and do? It sounds like our friend tried to steal the scroll, failed and then *poofed* into thin air again?"

The dwarf ponders for a while and turns to Mahdi, "Is there not magics to help us know if someone comes nearby? I was once stationed on a guard duty with some high-and-mighty gnome who warded an area with such magic. He fell asleep during his watch, secure in his expertise. Woke up with all kinds of ink drawings on his face." the dwarf grins, "seems some of my squad weren't too keen on how he decided to handle his watch."

Mahdi rummages through the more valuable gear with casual interest, glancing at this or that shiny, succinctly identifying the enchantments on it, then handing it off to others. "Pent, this is some sort of god....thing. You can look at it."

(Aldebert, as our dutiful and loyal loot tracker, you can check out the spoiler to Mahdi above, as Mahdi would share and explain what everything is. The ring of protection should go to one of our front-liners, if any of y'all still don't have one.)

He agrees to Garavel's words, and mounts his horse, shaking out his hands from all that exhilarating spell-casting. "You all did see when I destroyed nine of them at once?" he asks brightly of the others, and buffs his nails on his robe. "And it should be LORD of fire, not mere FRIEND, Pent."

***

Through the journey, Mahdi watches with idle amusement at Aldebert's ongoing jumpiness. When Aldebert, and Otah, actually asks their question, Mahdi briefly gazes up at the darkening sky.

"We have options. Pent and myself might have stopped him today, if..." Mahdi's face twists with a grudging admission that his performance was not, perhaps, tactically flawless, "...if we had coordinated a bit better. Pent had the spell to block his escape, but not to see him; I had spells to see him and to make him seen, but I used them in the wrong order, and caught the wrong fish in the net. The issue is that if we spend all of our prayers and spells in preparing for him, then we are under-prepared for other threats we may face. Still. I intend to be ready for his next move."

Mahdi paces a little, gazing out over the desert. His spell to see the unseen is no longer active, and hasn't been for hours; he can't escape the paranoid thought that the janni might be hovering right nearby, eavesdropping. Well, so what if he is, Mahdi thinks irritably. Trickery and deceit is not really his preferred methodology: he likes burning the complex down to ashes.

"Our friend thinks he can persuade me to give up the scroll to him, in exchange for knowledge," Mahdi yawns. "Amusingly enough, I might have actually heard him out had it not come when I already want to burn his bones to cinders. He might make a play for it tonight, but I cannot say for certain. He is clearly more desperate than sensible over it, I think."

Mahdi unfastens the new belt pouch he purchased back in Kelmarene before they set out. "Let's see if it fits in this."

I couldn't remember a given size for the Scroll of Doom, and didn't see one when I looked back through, but would it fit, size-wise, in an average belt pouch?

As Mahdi moves things out of the pouch in order to make room for Aldebert to try and fit in the scroll, he finds a different scroll, and stares at it a moment before his face first pales, beneath his desert-born complexion, and then turns a bright, angry red. Madhi sputters to himself, sounding a lot like a tea-kettle, and then he furiously thrusts the pouch at Aldebert to try it because he needs to stomp about forty feet away and burn some innocent desert scrub to cinders.

Mahdi does this, hands blazing fire down at a little bit of dry twiggy brush, until nothing but ashes and smoking earth remain. Occasionally, scraps of very foul Ignan curses can be heard during his temper tantrum.

After he's calmed down a bit, Mahdi stalks back to the campsite being set up, snatches his pack up, and goes to sit grumpily by the fire, where he starts reading with more fury than is usually given to the task.

Gonna prep some different spells than my usual, as follows:

"Pent, this is some sort of god....thing. You can look at it."

Pent bites the holy symbol, more intent on understanding its metal than its mettle. "Obsidian. Very nice. Rovagug, not so nice. Best serve this up to a jeweler, cut it down to size, and have yourself a nice belly button piercing." He considers handing it back, but briskly tucks it into his belt pouch and out of sight.

"I was once stationed on a guard duty with some high-and-mighty gnome who warded an area with such magic. He fell asleep during his watch, secure in his expertise. Woke up with all kinds of ink drawings on his face. Seems some of my squad weren't too keen on how he decided to handle his watch."

The gnome gives the dwarf the squint-eye. "'Some of my squad', my third foot. Remind me not to fall asleep with you creeping about. What did you draw with? Wait, wait, don't tell me, don't wanna know."

"And it should be LORD of fire, not mere FRIEND, Pent."

For a moment, Pent can swear he's actually looking directly at his very own brain matter, his eyes roll so hard in their sockets. He shoots his hands out to steady himself, and wait for the world to come back into focus.

"We have options. Pent and myself might have stopped him today, if... if we had coordinated a bit better. Pent had the spell to block his escape, but not to see him; I had spells to see him and to make him seen, but I used them in the wrong order, and caught the wrong fish in the net. The issue is that if we spend all of our prayers and spells in preparing for him, then we are under-prepared for other threats we may face. Still. I intend to be ready for his next move."

Pent nods along with Mahdi's explanation of events, his vision starting to clear up. "That janni's got a lot of explaining to do. About why he's such an ass, first. Why he wants the scroll, second."

"He might make a play for it tonight, but I cannot say for certain. He is clearly more desperate than sensible over it, I think."

When Pent understands where the Scroll currently is, he offers a suggestion. "Well, so we can all sleep better tonight, why don't we just bury Aldi up to the neck in sand, so anything trying to get to the Scroll has to dig him up first. Should give us plenty of time."

Mahdi unfastens the new belt pouch he purchased back in Kelmarene before they set out. "Let's see if it fits in this."

Aldebert brightens, "Oh, Mahdi, I knew you'd have something in mind. Excellent! One thing though, do you mind if I continue to carry it, but in that? I don't want to make you a target for our Janni friend. I should bear that burden."

He turns to Pent, smiling, "I don't think I need to be buried, but I will sleep light if I can."

"he gnome gives the dwarf the squint-eye. "'Some of my squad', my third foot. Remind me not to fall asleep with you creeping about. What did you draw with? Wait, wait, don't tell me, don't wanna know."

Otah gives a smirking smile. "Just don't fall asleep on your watch, and you have nothing to worry about."

"Should we set the scroll in some sort of trap, should the Janni try again tonight?"

Pent bites the holy symbol, more intent on understanding its metal than its mettle. "Obsidian. Very nice. Rovagug, not so nice. Best serve this up to a jeweler, cut it down to size, and have yourself a nice belly button piercing."

Ami's ears perk up when Pent mentions 'Rovagug', rising from his scritching of Yeen's ears.

"We should destroy that and destroy it now. We must not let the symbols of the Fell Beast linger, lest its unholy scent infect others," Ami snaps angrily grabbing his 'staff.

"Put it on a rock, Gnome, and I shall smash it out of form. By the Light that Lights the World, it is what we must do."

Ami waits with smashing staff ready to smash the object of evil.

* * *

"Oh, Mahdi, I knew you'd have something in mind. Excellent! One thing though, do you mind if I continue to carry it, but in that? I don't want to make you a target for our Janni friend. I should bear that burden."

Ami watches the exchange with concerned eyes. He seems very intensely focused on where the scroll ends up and will take the scroll back if his brother or he (or maybe the Gnome) does not carry it.

"Yes, let my brother carry it. It must be protected by faith since it is a holy relic."

The wagon moves a bit slowly at first as gathered items from the gnolls and raiders clatter about. Soon they are properly stowed with several bits left behind with a few curses. The cool of twilight is welcome to all after the heat of the afternoon. There is something about cooling sand that brings calm even with the protections of magic to deaden the heat of the day. Each guard assumes a watch, Garavel joining whatever watch seems short on members.

Please list the watches for the night. If you end up in the first watch ignore the rolls that follow.

Perception:
Mahdi: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 (normal)
Aldebert: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Pent: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34 (low-light)
Amiamble: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 (normal)
Yeenoghu: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 (low-light)
Otah: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 (darkvision)

"We should destroy that and destroy it now. We must not let the symbols of the Fell Beast linger, lest its unholy scent infect others. Put it on a rock, Gnome, and I shall smash it out of form. By the Light that Lights the World, it is what we must do."

Pent looks up for having already tucked the obsidian away. Seeing the half looking harsh, he pulls it out again. "Did you just say 'lest'? Are we speaking that way now?" The gnome looks at the others, then back at Ami. "Alright then, let's 'lest'."

"Oh, Obsidian, considerin' someone whiddled in the symbolism of insidiousness, rovagugness, ugliugness... you have been sentenced to shatter, accused of mattering because you are used by blasphemous nattering gnoll casters. In and of yourself, you are merely stone, but honed eerily. We'll fracture you, lest you're recaptured by snatchers, lest you fall into fell backer's hands. We don't have the best of records of safekeeping, so to be safe we'll be cracking thee but good."

The gnome sets the obsidian down, and steps back. "Lest thou miss, thou canst tryst againist." He nods in encouragement.

...

First Watch - Aldebert and Ami
Second Watch - Otah and Pent
Third Watch - Mahdi and Guard(Red Shirt)

That watch order is fine for me!

Mahdi waves a hand in dismissive agreement to Aldebert's plan to keep the scroll himself. "Do that. I wanted it to try and lure the bastard closer, but the chance for that subterfuge is past, I think. But we should be very ready, tonight, in case he does try. Sleep in the center of us all, and let's put, I don't know, a string with bells all over you. That's as close as we might manage to the trap Otah wishes." He doesn't have bells, alas, but possibly they can improvise something.

"Unfortunately, if he comes among us unseen before I've gotten to rest, I won't be able to make him seen again. That would be annoying-- him, invisible, in the dark. Should that happen I suggest we try and throw, I don't know, blankets over him or something."

Lareg, does the scroll fit inside the Pathfinder's Pouch mentioned above?

Mahdi glances over idly at the ruination of the obsidian token, but resumes his grim, foul-tempered spell study by the campfire's light. He consoles himself with the thought of burning the janni one inch at a time.

Scroll fits.

Aldebert nudges Amiamble, "Wake the others, and quickly."

He mounts Gretiem and rides out a little to meet the figure. Not far, just 15 or 20 feet or so away from the group to give them time and space to awaken.

He calls out, "Greetings stranger. How is it you're traveling alone in such treacherous territory? You must be powerful indeed." he thinks a moment and decides to be friendly, "How may we help you in your journey?"

He has no weapons out, and his hand is raised in greeting, not threat.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Aldebert nudges Amiamble, "Wake the others, and quickly."

Ami moves to respond to quickly obey his brother's command. He leaps atop Yeen and joins with the cat in a long and loud series of hisses, growls, and catcalls that make LOTS of noise.

He loads his slingstaff with a stone while ululating with vigor.

My camel!! Pent takes the rising noise to indicate a general threat from which camels require distance or protection. He scrambles to his feet, and picks up his crossbow, and circles his camel, expecting hyenas, thieves, or even sandstorm.

When his eyes settle on Aldebert at a distance, he looks past the half, trying to gauge what's to come.

"ZZzzzz....." some drool leaks from the dwarf's mouth, causing a small section of his beard to shine in the starlight.

At the halfling's beckon, he rolls onto his back, grabs his horsechopper, and wearily struggles to his feet.

A sandy forearm leaves grit in his beard as he wipes away the wetness in his beard. "What's going on..., who is that?"

"Until proven otherwise, it's our janni, again. He's like a case of saddle rash on a month's journey. Just can't shake him."

Mahdi groggily wakes up and stares at the sky overhead, lingering grumpiness still fueling him. Whyyyy is there so much noise. Whyyyy.

He centers in miserably on the source of it, only to realize it's Ami. Mahdi takes some perverse satisfaction from the sight of Otah looking as miserable as he is.

The wizard gets to his feet, grabbing his spell component pouch from among his things and squinting over towards the figure that Aldebert is addressing.

The figure seems to be responding to Aldebert by the time everyone is up and alert. Whatever the figure was carrying is put down before Aldebert quite carefully. Something about the silhouette seems familiar. Garavel kicks several of the guards into motion. They grimace, but then realize the possible urgency of the motion and snap into action.

He turns to the slowly awakening party and calls out, "It's Gawl!"

The gnome breathes easier, newly aware that the threat is minimal. He approaches Aldebert's side, and tries to understand why Gawl has the gall to still lurk around. The body serves as explanation enough.

Looking from halfling to human, Pent moves over to the body, and examines it.

Heal: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

If he thinks there's anything to do about it, he claps a hand, and tries to discourage the grave. Can provide Rebuke Death, 1d4 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8, should Creat be below 0, but not, you know, food for flies...

Though Aldebert and Pent are likely the only ones close enough to hear Gawl speak, I've included it here for ease of sharing.

Gawl looks up to Aldebert, a knowing but disappointed look crosses his face. "I was afraid of as much. We.. we were walking. The sand had picked up a bit, nothing I hadn't seen before. But it was strange. When I head Creat yell I looked and it seemed the sand was hovering close to the ground. I've never seen anything like that before. The sound of tumbling rocks soon followed so I got on my hands and knees and moved forward slowly. I found the rocks, they went down into a ditch or valley of sorts. Soon enough the wind shifted and I could see much better. He lay at the bottom gasping for air. I tried to calm him and soon enough he.. he slept.. or at least that was what I hoped had happened. I had to take a longer way out of the rocks. I could see the wagon still in the distance, but it took me so long to catch up."

Ami and Yeen lower the volume, but not the intensity of their alerting snarling and ululating. They circle the guards, keeping an eye on them until his noble and smart brother indicates otherwise.

Mahdi grumpily extracts himself from his bedroll and wanders over. He offers no words of greeting, or consolation for the dead man lying at Gawl's feet. Instead he announces to the others in the party:

"I'm checking him for magic."

Casting detect magic, aiming it to get Gawl alone in the cone, and then concentrate for three rounds.