That said Yazi, your profile does say 57 hp ;)
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Hajar hustles over to Yazi All the gods in the heavens! he exclaims
and removes Yazi's fatigue
and then Hajar gathers his friends and heals them all and Channel
I have words for the traitorous scum Radi. He will face an executioners blade for his treachery. Hajar stomps off to catch the rogue and wake him from his unconsciousness.
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[dice=LoH] 1d6 and removes Yazi's fatigue
Yazi spasms and coughs as life is breathed back into her. "Never fear! Glorious Sekhmet has not wholly taken me into her bosom yet!"
Blinking as her eyes readjust to the very bright land of the living she smiles dumbly at those around her. "Always nice when Sunshine cops a feel," she chuckles weakly before resting her eyes on the shapely newcomer, her smile losing some of its dumbness. "So what did such a pleasant oasis come out here for then?"
Then her look turns slightly concerned. "This isn't about the divan is it? I promised I'd pay ya back!"
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Nasir smiles in relief as she sees that Yazi is alright. "That was quite easily replaced, and honestly more than worth the cost." she replies with a lurid grin as she flashes back on the encounter in question. "Finding you here is actually a very pleasant surprise. I came to find those carrying something of great importance and danger."
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Giving a silent sigh of relief, that is interrupted once she remembers back as well and giggles getting lost, before bringing herself back to the present conversation. "As much as I'd like to get rid of that idiot attractor poor Fluffies I rather not give you that burden. Do those Finders-Keepers guys you work for want it?"
What is it you speak of Lucky Dancer? Khayal asks while trying to follow the conversation. Believing, at least for the moment that she poses no threat. Knowing how Yazi makes friends, not every friend of Yazi's is to be immediately trusted. (Gnolls, harpies, ect...)
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Smiling at Yazi's response, Nasir turns to the muscled warrior. "There is in fact an artifact you carry that has made your group a target. My Venture Captain carried out a number of diviniations, all ending in disaster, some ending in Katapash destroyed by fire, unless I, and I alone, came to find you. I'm under orders to get you all safely either to whomever you intended to take the Nexian Artifact to, or to Venture-Captain Aurora Steelbloom if you ca't find that person. I've never heard even the slightest trace of fear in that woman's voice until she told me what was forseen about all this." she says solemnly.
Finally!
Hajar, going around the still-present fog cloud , finds no trace of the merchant-turned-raider. The fog cloud hid a lot of the battle from this side.
There is a lot of blood in one spot, and the tracks of something heavy landing here, feet being dragged to it, then nothing. The tracks indicate something flying, but not an animal you're familiar with.
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"Yep, definetly should have shoved the stupid thing up her ass," she grouches as she wobbly gets to her feet.
"Well, whatever the circumstances it's always a good time when you're around Rose, I'll have to think that Finders-Keepers of your's. Speaking of, wait till you meet Dealer, he's-" her face falls flat as she looks over to the stupefied Harrower's body, "-a friggin moron. But he's sweet. And he has a few nice tricks up his sleeve. Quite a few indeed."
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"Well in that case far be it from me to get in the way of you being touched the way you like." Nasir says with a grin. [smaller]"Though this would be the first time you ever turned down putting something of mine in your mouth."[/spoiler] she whispers with a wink.
"Shall I introduce myself to the rest of your group?"
Hajar is several dozens of yards away from the sphinx in the sands, while everyone else is gathered around the stone structure.
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Yes Mistress? Hajar says somewhat distractly, he is focused on the missing Radi Radi was taken by something...but I cannot puzzle out what it could have been
Hajar bows low It is a great honor to meet you Mistress Shahaadi, may the sun ever shine upon your face. raising himself Hajar asks What brings you to these desolate sands? We were expecting no aid from these unrelenting attacks.
Khayal watches Hajar closely. Khayal has always looked to his "older brother" in situations like this. Not quite sure what to make of all this.
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"An honor to meet you all and work with you as well. I wish it were under different circumstances." Nasir says with a smile. "It appears that an item you carry has drawn a large amount of attention. In fact all indications are that this.." she says waving to the carnage all around them. ".....is only the beginning."
Pausing to let her words sink in she looks each of the group in the eye for a moment. "My Venture Captain carried our a few in depth prophecies. Apparently any course of action other than sending me to aid your return, would end in the destruction of all of Katapesh by flame."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Over the course of the next several hours, the party from Kelmarane, plus one, settles in for the night. The Lieutenant thanked Abbot-Protector nar Jundi for his healing, then set about his men to clean up the battlefield. The Pactmaster Guards also set up camp at the stone Sphinx, rearranging the carts and horses.
only two horses recovered?
8 common longbows
8 common quivers with arrows each
8 common scimitars
8 common leather armor
2 light horses with bit and bridle
2 waterskins
+ 32cp
These were not gnolls, but humans! Most looked malnourished and underfed, however. Desperate men.
8 common longbows
8 common quivers with arrows each
8 common scimitars
8 common leather armor
4 leather barding for hyenas or larger dogs
4 waterskins
+ 56cp
gp worth
These looked more like "city gnolls", with small trinkets like earrings, bracelets, etc on their bodies.
Two of the gnolls have a cloth patch sewn into their clothing. It is an overly large painted red "1" on a green background.
8 MW +2 STR longbows
8 common quivers with arrows each
8 common scimitars
8 common leather armor
1 waterskin
+ 12cp
These were definitely "Carrion King" gnolls.
2 common iron flails
1 Large common leather armor
4 common javelins
a bag of dried cactus fruit
3 common longbows
3 common quivers with arrows each
3 common scimitars
4 common leather armor
4 waterskins
+1 studded leather armor
MW shortspear
MW light crossbow
cloak with Rovagug symbols woven into it (magical)
ring, gold (magical)
finely-worked obsidian unholy symbol of Rovagug, worth something
45 gp
+ 18cp
One female and the rest Brazen Peak gnolls.
The guards dig shallow graves for the bandits, before the sun sets, well away from the precious water source. The Pactmaster Lieutenant that night posts double guards, and even climbs to the top of the stone Sphinx to keep a watch over the sands near the oasis. But the night passes uneventfully.
Bartan the card-player can move his eyes and blink, it turns out, and spends several minutes with "Blink once for yes, two for no!" games with the party members. But it is not until after midnight that Bartan finally breaks free of the paralysis that had gripped him from the tiny magical object he had used.
The attackers get buried naked. Khayal gathers their belongings and places them in the cart. We will have to wait till Bartan is doing better to get this gear looked at. Most of it is probably rubbish but that is why we brought two wagons.
The guards who lost their horses are welcome to hitch a ride in the second wagon.
Bartan finally comes out of his paralysis. "I apologize, friends. Obviously my research has not yet given me enough guarantee of success using my mistress's gift. I will try harder."
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As the group works to clear the aftermath of the pitched battle, Nasir assists, taking the opportunity to look over the gear retrieved from the bodies. Looking at the odd cloak and ring, the dancer whispers an arcane phrase, her body shimmying subtly as she calls the magic to her, perceiving the items' secrets.
cloak of resistance +1
ring of protection +1
The Katapesh (plus one) group continues their caravan the next day. The day after that, the fatigue of the journey seems to have caught up with the Lieutenant, as his trail among the sands and rocks gets slowed down, the wagons needing several efforts to pull free of hazards and continue in the soft sand. But on the third day since the Sphinx's Oasis, or the 16th day since leaving Katapesh, you finally see the walls and spires of the city on the coast!
The city of Katapesh is the second largest in the Inner Sea region, a sprawling, bustling port that forms the central hub of all trade for the nation. Governed by a mysterious group known as the Pactmasters, the markets of Katapesh are notorious for their eclectic contents and almost anarchic organization. If it can be bought or sold, it can be had in Katapesh.
It sure is quite a sight. Khayal says as the city begins to come into view. Imagine how different life is there from the desert.
Having woken up refreshed from his paralysis, Bartan besides to be useful and tells the guards exactly what they want to hear. "These are not the adventurer's you're looking for..."
Hajar, having grown up in Katapesh, raises his hands in greeting to the guards.
Blessings of sunlight upon you brothers. he calls out to them
You manage to pay the correct toll, or fee, for entering the city without the long lines that newcomers typically experience. As well as not being semi-assaulted by every two-bit seller of trinkets and worthless garbage at the gates. Having the Pactmaster Guards around you helps, of course. But Katapesh is no respecter of persons - only money.
You do catch sight of a street urchin looking around, catching sight of your wagons and Pactmaster Guards, then running behind one of the seller's stalls and out of range. So it's impossible to be inconspicuous.
Hajar gets the standard greeting back from one guard. Nasir and Khayal, tired from the journey, seem preoccupied while looking at the stalls outside the gates. Both Bartan and the Lieutenant handle telling the Katapesh guards their caravan's business inside the city.
Going through the Dawn Gate, the Lieutenant pulls out a scrap of parchment. "The scholar Rayhan's house is on the other side of the city." he announced to the others, studying Princess Almah's instructions.
So you go through the big city of Katapesh, heading for the Docks, followed by the Lower City, heading south-southeast. Katapesh's bustle and mayhem is apparent even outside the city gates - merchants yelling the quality of their wares, people walking or running past, hawkers selling cheap trinkets hanging off of their arms. If it was not for the Pactmaster Guards surrounding the Protectors of Kelmerane, they would be swept away by the human, gnoll, elven, and even dwarven tide.
It actually takes you over an hour, closer to two, to curve around the seaside edge of Katapesh, and it is nearly time for sunset when you arrive at Rayhan's house. As it happens, Rayhan’s villa is not actually located within the city walls itself, but in a well-to-do section of the city just to the southeast. This area, dominated by Castle Clarion (home to a relatively infamous family that has made its fortune in the slave trade, the Lieutenant tells everyone), is popular among several of Katapesh’s more successful merchants who enjoy the convenience of the city but not the heyday of actual city living.
Rayhan’s villa is a modest three-story structure built from heavy clay bricks perched on a cliff overlooking the Obari Ocean. The villa is certainly not the extravagant affair one might expect such a successful merchant to own. The villa itself consists of the main house, a few outbuildings, and a well-kept garden. Grass grows thick on the villa grounds. A gated brick wall surrounds the entire cluster of buildings.
Eager to get to their barracks, along with the promise of back pay and the opportunity to spend it among the night-life of the city, the Lieutenant and the Pactmaster Guards take their leave, their assignment complete, going back into Katapesh.
A single raven caws on the villa's rooftop as you are left on Rayhan's doorstep.
Bartan thanks the guards as they accept his toll. As they are moving through the city, he remarks on the street urchin who hid from them. "That child looks like he might steal from us. Keep a wary eye."
After finding Rayhan's home. "That took longer than I would have expected."
No matter Friend Bartan. We are here, and that is what counts. Let us see what Rayhan wants with the Scroll. and Hajar will knock three times on the door.