The party easily pushes past the mingling mercenaries and head into the cloister, where the sounds of yapping seems to come from.
The pugwampi attempts to lose his pursuers in the thick weeds, but gets stuck!
Round 2
24. . . Amiamble
16. . . Mahdi
15. . . Pugwampi
12. . . Aldebert
7. . . Pent
Round 2, Init 15
The pugwampi attempts to push through the brush, hearing the big folk close in!
And succeeds! The pugwampi clears the weeds and rushes towards the shrine dedicated to Vardishal.
Round 2, Init 24
Ami and Yeen scramble to the Cloister walk, the big cat clearly enjoying the hunt.
"Let's get him, Yeen!"
Yeen gives a rawr as Ami guides him through the herd of loose animals.
Survival (vs. DC 12)
Ami and Yeen paw at the Pug.
vs. DC 10 to aid Yeen's attack
vs. DC 10 to aid Yeen's attack
to hit; (bite)
damage.
Round 2, Init 16
Mahdi tries again to get around the animals! They're only dumb beasts, it shouldn't be too hard to predict their movements...
Much better. His ego in his own intelligence restored, Mahdi makes it to the courtyard in time to take a swing with his staff at the little fleeing brute.
Unfortunately, the ill aura of the pugwampi is at work again...
Round 2, Initiative 12
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 0/1 (+2 attack, +2 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 0/3 (1d6 healing)
Aldebert watches the patterns of the animals for a split second before leaping into the fray and trying to maneuver his way by them.
Survival: 1d20 + 0 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 0 - 2 = 18 vs DC 12
vs DC 12
Aldebert watches hopefully as the others get within striking range. He shakes his head sadly at the unlucky aura of the little pug!
Round 2, Init 7
Grubby Hands...
Pent keeps his eyes on Aldebert, trusting the halfling to make a path worthy of following. He is massively betrayed when a cow tail smacks him square in the face, causing him to pinball from animal to animal.
"Sarah!! So sorry!!! I tried to follow the chubby legged one through the masses, when yours is the only backside I should be following!! Forgive me, Light of my life!!" Pent drops his crossbow to grab for the cow tail, seeking to use it as reprimanding stick against the offending offal-in-waiting.
Succeeding or not to have the tail in hand, Pent proceeds to reprimand. "You've got a lot of nerve throwing this up in my face! I've got Almah's work to do here, and your obstruction of justice won't go unpunished, I'll have you know. Had this up in my face enough for me to recognize it the next time I come looking for it, and I'll have reinforcements with me, so don't even think about wandering off!"
The pugwampi finally breaks free from the courtyard and dashes towards the open shrine of Saint Vardishal.
The party continues to give chase, following the creature into the cloister courtyard. Unfortunately, Pent starts to fall behind due to behind.
Round 3
24. . . Amiamble
16. . . Mahdi
15. . . Pugwampi
12. . . Aldebert
7. . . Pent
Round 3, Init 15
Seeing as the statue blocking the secret door has been pushed back to its original location by Dashki, the pugwampi attempts to squeeze behind it to flee into the lower levels.
But gets stuck again!
Round 3, Init 7
Fixing to hold court right here, right now.
"What?! Nothing to say for yourself?? You at least owe me an apology, wouldn't you agree?? No one deserves that kind of disrespect! I may be small and easy to trod under hoof, but Sarah sees all, and it's no wonder you're fated to the slaughter, the way you assault her followers!!" Pent doesn't let go, and starts circling the distressed cow as it tries to free its tail.
Round 3, Init 24
Ami and Yeen scramble to the courtyard, the big cat clearly enjoying the hunt.
"Let's get him, Yeen!"
Yeen gives a rawr as Ami guides him through the thorns.
Reflex Saves (vs. DC 13) (Ami)
Reflex Saves (vs. DC 13) (Yeen)
Ami and Yeen paw at the Pug.
vs. DC 10 to aid Yeen's attack
vs. DC 10 to aid Yeen's attack
to hit; (bite)
damage.
Yeen chomps towards the gremlin, trying to kill it before it flees. The bite succeeds but the pugwampi still attempts to run away!
Round 3, Initiative 12
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 0/1 (+2 attack, +2 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 0/3 (1d6 healing)
Aldebert, trying to keep pace with the leaders, tries to dodge the thorns in the garden. No need to do extra damage to this hallowed place. Amiamble would be upset.
vs DC 13.
Finally unable to keep up, Aldebert gets caught up in the underbrush. He watches as the others press on ahead.
"Go get him you two. You can do it!"
Round 3, Init 16
Mahdi grits his teeth against yet more thorns as he pushes past them. They've already shredded his robes once.
As long as the pug isn't near him, he's sort of lucky! "Ha!" he cries as he makes it near the statue of Vardishal, and once again within striking distance of the pug.
As the pugwampi fails to keep its distance, Amiambme and Mahdi close in on the gremlin.
Round 4
24. . . Amiamble
16. . . Mahdi
15. . . Pugwampi
12. . . Aldebert
7. . . Pent
Round 4, Init 24
Ami and Yeen scramble through the thorns, enjoying the little game of cat and pug.
"Let's get him, Yeen!"
Ami and Yeen paw at the Pug.
vs. DC 10 to aid Yeen's attack
vs. DC 10 to aid Yeen's attack
to hit; (bite)
damage.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
Yeen bites again, this time the pugwampi looking very woozy and weak.
Round 4, Initiative 12
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 0/1 (+2 attack, +2 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 0/3 (1d6 healing)
"Go Amiamble go! You got it on the ropes! Mahdi finish it off!"
Meanwhile Aldebert again tries to get past the thorny barrier.
vs DC 13.
Within reach of the ugly critter at last!
Round 3 Attack of Opportunity
Round 4, Init 16
Mahdi blinks as he realizes he actually hit! He swings again with his staff.
Alas, the ill luck of the pugwampi foils this blow.
Mahdi swooshes his quarterstaff, all of the bad luck in the world attempting to conspire against him. The wizard doesn't care, though. All he wants his to turn this pugwampi into a smear on the wall. The agonizing luck the creatures bring has been more than enough for the Keleshite to handle, and in this moment, he has had enough. The staff connects with a thud against the tiny gremlin, sending it flying across the room into an unconcious heap on the floor, all of the bits of food it had stolen spilling about.
"Haha!" Mahdi can't help but say, holding up his staff and dancing a bit in triumph. "It's like playing whack-a-weasel in the bazaar! Did you all see that?"
Aldebert catches up and congratulates Mahdi on the blow, "Nice shot Mahdi! Well planted."
Ami and (moreso) Yeenoghu do not stop the hunt as Yeenoghu runs after the batted pug, playfully air whipping it and batting it around in his paws while Ami cheers and thanks Yeenoghu for being a good boy.
They finally settle down with Yeen prancing around with the pug ragdolled in his mouth.
They gleefully go lay the kill at the feet of Almah, the cat spitting out the prey, then nosing the corpse closer to Almah's feet. Ami sits proudly upon his mighty steed, still very proud of his friend.
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Round 4, Init 7
At an impasse..
"...No really, I should have been the bigger person, and recognized how reckless it was to try and bully through what was obviously your domain. You forgive me, don't you? I meant no harm, and I only... seem... to have a couple of hairs from your tail on my palm, so..." Pent pulls his hat off, plucks several of his own, places them in the palm of his hairy hand, and brushes both hands off until no hair remains. "See? Now we're even. Bump for bump, hair for hair. What's fairer than that? Alrighty, be well, until we eat again."
Pent catches up with the others, tries to understand how the pug ended up pugiled, and lags behind as Ami and Yeen return to Almah. No credit for the hunt for me, and I got a nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something again...
Almah smiles at the sight of Yeen and its prey.
"Well done! I was afraid that foul wretch was going to wreak havoc on our food pantry. Your group continues to impress." Even Garavel seems pleased behind his emotionless exterior.
The mercenaries shoot nasty looks at the party as they retire to their chamber.
After your days debriefing with Almah, she dismisses you all to do whatever you wish. The day is late in the afternoon still, but the pains of battle earlier in the day cause weariness in the muscles and bones.
Given the free evening, Ami knows exactly what he must do. Ami puts his gear down and gives Yeen free time to sunbathe and relax. He takes his slingstaff and goes to hunt...for Mahdi.
*pad* *pad* *pad*
Stealth
Ami peeks around to see if Mahdi is alone, slipping away when the man is busy or occupied.
* * *1/2 hour later...* * *
*pad* *pad* *pad*
Stealth
Ami peeks around to see if Mahdi is alone, slipping away when the man is busy or occupied.
* * *1/2 hour later...* * *
*pad* *pad* *pad*
Stealth
Ami peeks around to see if Mahdi is alone, slipping away when the man is busy or occupied.
I must speak to him alone.
Mahdi seeks out Father Zastoran at the first chance he gets, eager to tell the priest all about the temple, and to show off the mask they had found; the wand as well, that he had not been able to identify. The fight with the statues is also described, albeit in terms that downplay his own failure to solve the riddle, and instead emphasize his ability to incinerate wood.
At length, and after checking on his brother (Hazim is still muttering about a trap), Mahdi fetches some food from the communal stores and settles out in the courtyard for the fresh air, in the shade of the wall. He offers choice morsels of dried meat to Sa'amm, and is thus occupied when Ami comes looking.
Aldebert practices with his guisarme briefly, and not too intently, then he takes a little longer to pray - largely giving thanks to Abadar that they got out of the underground lair safely.
He then heads to the main temple area when he continues the cleanup he and Amiamble started the day before. I expect there is plenty to do, so he takes off his armor and really digs into the work - growing more sweaty as the day rolls on despite the Endure Elements.
As the sun sets he takes time off to enjoy the moment and cool off, then re-armors himself and goes looking for the rest of the party to join them for supper.
Ami continues his stalking of Mahdi, finally pouncing when the man is 'alone' with his pet.
*pad* *pad* *pad*
Stealth
Ami approaches slowly and quietly, like Yeen might while hunting jackhare or timbersquid.
Ami standing tall (so his face is about equivalent with the sitting Mahdi) and face covered, Ami looks into Mahdi's eyes with fevered pleading.
"I need your help. You must tell me again. I need to know all of it again," Ami says. "You said it before, but I need to know more. You know things. Will you come?"
Ami holds his hand out to lead the man *someplace* important.
Pent takes a new tact, given free time while others are occupied. The monastery finally gets his attention, as a worship hall to Sarenrae, and he strolls through the halls and rooms, taking it all in.
He mentally tethers himself to Almah. Every half hour or so, he checks back in with her, hat in hand.
"Are you needing anything done, mistress Almah? The smallest nag at the back of your head, I can try and unsnaggle it. Just say the word. No errand too small."
He wanders again, this time finding a, his, crossbow.
"Aldebert seems to be hard at work with his cleaning, Mahdi was last seen in the courtyard, and heck if I can't find Ami anywhere. And I am here, a course, and at your service, should you need anything. You need anything should need doing right now? If you can't think of anything right now, I can come back. Even if you can't think of anything, I'll be back, maybe to help you think of something you hadn't considered doing but might get done, and done well enough you wouldn't have to worry about it."
When Mahdi arrives in the fume-choked lab that Zastoran has taken over, the halfling becomes quite excited. Upon hearing of the ancient shrine and the magic within, he can barely contain himself.
"My, I didn't think you all would stumble upon something so extraordinary, and so quickly! It's too bad that foul beasts have inhabited the area, I would love to go see it myself. There are some old legends regarding the Refuge of the All-Seeing Eye that I'd love to verify. My favorite is that Nethys' very own breath was said to linger in the halls, filling the minds of his disciples with visions and wonders. Sounds lovely, no?" he says with a smile, obviously daydreaming of spending his days relaxing on a big comfy chair while enjoying this "Breath of Nethys."
He looks over the wand carefully, casting an Identify spell and looking it over carefully.
"Ah, very handy this is! It's a wand containing the spell Endure Elements, very useful to avoid the deadly heat. It looks fairly used, though." Father Zastoran swishes it around a bit before carefully running his fingers along the wand. "I'd say you have about ten more uses of it before it's all fizzled up. Still, not too shabby!"
He also gladly takes the potions that you found and carefully adds a small amount of water to them, slowly restoring them to their proper hue. He offers them back to you, claiming that your group can obviously benefit from them far more than he could.
@Pent: No mysterious voice or image appears to you, though the halls themselves offer a simple peace and warmth that you're certain extends to fellow followers of the Sun. As you see Aldebert and Ami clean a bit later in the day, you do feel a slight nag or pull, as if what they're doing is clearly being noticed by something, or someone.
@Aldebert: The cleaning of the chapel is long and arduous, but you and your brother make significant progress towards restoring it to a proper site of worship. As your muscles ache from the day's labors, a warmth slowly washes over you while you clean. While Abadar must surely approve of such actions, this sensation feels a bit... different. It is a pleasant feeling though, and by the end of your work, you feel as if all the weariness you felt before has lifted away.
The nag is enough to keep the gnome hovering around the cleaners and the cleaned. He doesn't assist in the cleaning unless asked to contribute. He doesn't talk as much, either, as the pull distracts him, as he tries to 'look' for the source.
"So, Aldebert. Your brother has quite the fascination with Sarah. Do you hold her dear too? I've seen you touch yourself, so I know that you have the touch yourself. Glad you do." Pent's cheeks almost touch his eyebrows at the corners.
Aldebert wipes some sweat from his eyes and straightens to speak to Pent.
"I do honor Sarenrae, but Abadar is the god I follow and who gives me power. I like civilization, order, and honor. Compassion and peace are sometimes hard to come by - and peace is often used by tyrants to corrupt society."
He shrugs, "But Sarenrae is very nice." He grins and continues to work under Pent's watchful eye.
"Oh, very nice..." Pent continues to look around, then back at Aldebert. "Very nice, indeed. Nothing against Abadar at all from my end. He's welcome to travel with us on this winding road. Hard to come by civilization out in this neck of the sands." Pent starts to look out windows, and he looks up quite frequently.
"I don't think you're talking peace, like I know it. Tyrants aren't peaceful people. They'd rather smoke you into stupor with offers of dumbdown drugs, 'cept it's not drugs, but promises and distractions to cloud your eyes from their true intents. Gotta be careful about the order they promise to use to keep you peaceful." Pent looks back.
"Uh, you missed a spot over there. No worries, I can point it out again, when your attention returns to that side of the room."
Mahdi thanks Zastoran sincerely for his assistance, and tucks the wand away into his pack, pleased. That will free up his mind to memorize some other things! He offers Zastoran the mask, if he would like it, and tells him that he will write down anything of interest they find in the temple.
***
"Oh--! Amiamble. I didn't see you," Mahdi says with a little start when the halfling appears more or less in front of him. His expression fades to bemusement when the halfling begins to speak, his dark brows drawing together.
"...tell you... tell you what?" he echoes, looking quizzically at the smaller man. He accepts 'you know things' as a compliment: it's true, he does know lots of things, and it's nice to have his genius recognized, but all the same...
"Can you, perhaps, be a bit more specific as to what it is you want me to tell you? Where is it you wish to go?"
He cannot see much of the halfling's face, behind his signature scarf, but he peers curiously at him all the same. "And are you feeling altogether well?"
(If allowed), Ami takes Mahdi's hand and leads him to A4. If anyone is about, he urges Mahdi to bend down so that he might whisper.
"You must tell me again what these mean. I need to know of Vardishal. Won't you tell me again, please?" Ami looks up at Mahdi with a pleading look in his eyes.
"I would hear about Vardishal again. Everything."
Amiamble asks/whispers a few more questions about the 5 figures, trying to make sense of the history behind Vardishal and the rest. He questions this and that.
When they finish discussing A4, Ami begs Mahdi to come explain A5, listening to every word and asking questions about how Mahdi knows that to be true.
When finished with A5, Ami will repeat the scene with A6, hinging every question on Vardishal and his relationship to Sarenrae.
Finally, Ami will walk to A12, and ensure that the statue is that of Vardishal.
Ami, if Mahdi does all this, will thank the man with a hug, then run back to tell his brother what he learned.
Ami crestfalls, a very sad look on his eyes.
I failed to make a friend who would help me.
"Okay, thank you." Ami slips away before Mahdi can see him cry.
When finished, he will also help his brother clean and repair the chapel.
Still looking somewhere between amused and concerned over the halfling's sudden interest in what is, to Mahdi, merely an obscure saint of Saranrae, Mahdi suffers himself to be tugged along back through the monastery, with Sa'amm picking a spot on the top of his keffiyeh in order to observe the world in whatever fashion scorpions do.
"As you will..."
Back before the carvings of the Five Templars, he nods. Feeling rather like a student called on by the teacher, he repeats what he knows: powerful jann warriors, considered benevolent to travelers, who hundreds of years ago defeated a great evil near the Pale Mountain. The murals they have seen have depicted the one jann, Vardishal, seeming to stand guard while his fellows go off to their own business. Vardishal, instructing the first pilgrims to the temple, and then leaders of the temple, down through the era to thirty years ago, at which point the carvings cease.
"Why the sudden curiosity?" Mahdi asks Amiamble at length when they have finished their refresher tour. His brows are arched, and the scorpion atop his head empathetically imitates his master's inquisitive pose by raising its tail and claws.
"Why the sudden curiosity?"
Ami's eyes sparkle with mirth, looking in Mahdi's eyes with a strange fervor.
"Vardishal lives," are Ami's only reply as he spins and runs giggling to find his brother.
* * *
After explaining what happened with Mahdi, Ami will work a bit in the chapel before lazing off to sleep in Yeenoghu's fur.
As the sun sets and night descends upon the warm desert, the various inhabitants of the caravan begin to turn in for the evening. The desert is calm and peaceful, and the stars shine with brilliant light over the sky above.
@Aldebert & Mahdi: While you sit for the first watch, very little happens that is noteworthy. An ocassional animal from the caravan's pen cries, but quickly quiets with Hadrod comes out and calms his herd.
At one point in the night, the two of you think you hear some movement in the sand around the monastery. A search of the perimeter reveals nothing though, and no tracks are found.
@Pent: As you awake for your shift, Hazim joins you so that you are not alone. However, he is very quiet and doesn't respond to any of your questions. He seems very lost in his thoughts and distant.
Shortly after midnight, the same howl that you heard the night before comes from Kelmarane, followed a minute later by a distant response coming from the Pale Mountain. It seems the Howl of the Carrion King is a nightly occurrence.
@Amiamble: The final watch is fairly uneventful as well. You patrol the perimeter with Yeenoghu, following up on your brother's remark about noises in the night. Despite your best efforts, no tracks are ever found, leaving you to wonder if they were just imagining things. In the hour before the dawn breaks, Yeen's nose seems to catch something in the air. However, just like before, nothing turns up and no tracks of anything are found.
Throughout the watch, Vardishal asks many questions about you and your companions, seeming very interested in everyone (but not in a threatened manner.) Unfortunately, he is still unable to remember anything more about himself than before.
Wealday, 5 Sarenith, 4713 AR.
The morning comes and the members of the caravan begin to wake and emerge from their domains within the monastery. As Ami's watch comes to a close, the quiet of the morning is broken by a scream of intense agony in the distance, coming from the direction of Kelmarane. The voice sounds male, and wails with intense pain.
Most of the caravan rushes outside of the monastery on the edge of the hill looking out towards Kelmarane, trying to gauge what is happening from the battle market village.
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = None yet
Smite Evil = 1/1 (+2 attack, +2 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 3/3 (1d6 healing)
Aldebert joins the others looking out to Kelmarane. He leans on his guisarme a bit.
"That sounds like a soul in torment - or more likely a body being tormented. Time to see what we can find in Kelmarane I think."
Aldebert will gather his armor and put it on. He eagerly waits for an Endure Elements from his brother as he begins to sweat in the early morning sun under all his armor.
Then, getting together with the party, "I think we should approach from this side of the river today using the pesh fields as cover. How does that sound? Or do we want to go the same way we did yesterday?"
Ami chitters quietly at his brother between castings of Mending about what he learned from Mahdi and of Vardishal while working in the chapel.
"...so he's really quite the hero...probably sent by Sarenrae herself to help us here. She probably hates gnolls too, don't you think Aldebert?" Ami looks at his brother with serious eyes.
"But anyway, Mahdi was really nice and helpful. He told me all about Vardishal. It was nice."
* * *
Ami not only answers Vardishal's questions, but also tells him of his past life (what he learned from Mahdi) in hopes of sparking more of his memories. He's happy to chat with the 'man' who was likely directly sent by Sarenrae to help slay gnolls. Definitely, uh huh, here to help them kill gnolls.
* * *
Ami nods at his brother, clearly believing in whatever his brother says. He leans over to whisper and agree with him.
"Yes, brother, through the Pesh fields so we can get close enough to scout Kelmarane. That is a good plan...and maybe we can give some gnolls the whatfor." Ami smashes his tiny fist into his tiny hand to demonstrate what the 'whatfor' meant in case his brother was confused.
"I will follow you, brother."
As Mahdi joins the others at the sound of the screaming, he nods soberly. He would love to return to the ruins of the temple, but for now, perhaps, Kelmarene is the more urgent.
"By-the-by, Father Zastoran has identified that wand for us: it is a wand of protection from the blasted heat. I will be using it for myself today; if others need its blessing, you have but to speak."
Almah stares out over the pesh cacti field towards Kelmarane, a burning glare in her eyes as she observes the town.
"Hold on," she says to the Piddlespots and others as they prepare to set out. "It seems our residents have found some prey. I have no idea who they could be, as I'm not aware of others that were headed towards Kelmarane when we left. Regardless, by the sounds of our friend out there, it's too late for him."
Dashki snickers quietly before chiming in. "Likely, they've pulled out his intenstines and left him to bake out in the sun. Common for Kullid gnolls."
Hadrah, the gossipy wife of the camel driver, shows signs of queasiness at Dashki's comment and retreats back into the monastery.
Almah shakes her head with a frustrated expression. "Let's observe a bit and see what happens next. Again, we have the element of surprise in our favor, remember? No need to waste it by acting chivalrous. Great opportunities don't present themselves often."
Mahdi bows to Almah, as he does every time he sees her.
"I see it less as an act of chivalry, than as an opportunity, my lady. We are likely far too late to help that poor wretch, but... if the gnolls are busy with their savage game, it might mean they are not watching approaches so closely. We mean to scout, not charge to the rescue."
Well, at least he does, anyway.
He favors Dashki with an arch of his brow for his altogether-too-amused response to the sounds of screaming. "Did you tire of our gift to you, good Dashki?" he asks with a nod of his chin at Dashki's staff.
Almah sighs, but then turns to Mahdi and smiles sincerely.
"You have a point, Mahdi. And so far, the lot of you have shown yourselves to be my most valuable assets in this expedition. I will trust your initiative with this situation and hope for your safety. You face true monsters, and I do not wish that man's fate upon any of you. Good luck." She turns and takes her leave back into the monastery. Garavel follows, nodding in reassurance to your party.
In response to your comment, Dashki looks down at his staff, then back to Mahdi with a grin. "I grew tired of the ugly thing and threw it into a fire," he says before briskly limping back into the confines of the monastery.
he sees nuffffink
Mahdi inclines his head towards Almah as she takes her leave, then settles his staff on his shoulders.
His brother is staying behind to help provide security to those in the monastery; Mahdi has reassured him several times over that he will be just fine. It feels exciting, to think he is going out into possible danger without his older brother there to nursemaid him.
You can't be there forever, Hazim, he thinks to himself.
Aldebert quickly gathers his things and stands sweating outside the monastery waiting for the others, peering into the distance plotting the days course.
"Hey, Mahdi, do you see that? Looks like a few gnolls, three I think, dragging a fourth, a human maybe, into the pesh fields. I think, if we hurry, we might be able to meet them in battle. It may be that person isn't dead yet!"
He looks for the others urging them to hurry.