Good sir he addresses Garavel How did you come to obtain a favor as the one you have in you're neck? He continues to search the cart while he listens to the response
Looking through the debris is not giving you any more clues as to what happened. Garavel comes over to you.
"If you've finished looking at the burned out wagon, I suggest you interview the various people in the camp.
You can interview them in any order you wish, but besides Almah and myself there are Dashki, our expert on gnolls, Father Zastoran, our cleric, Almah's personal caravan guards, some mercenaries, and Hadrod and Hadrah, our camel drivers."
Belros confers with the groub I don't have as much of a way with words as some of you do, so I'll let you handle the talking but I suggest starting to the guards first, find out if there's anyway someone or something could have slipped past them.
Morrigan replies grimly, "I too am not skilled with interrogation...unless torture is involved, in which case, I am very skilled. However, if I am not mistaken, that would be inappropriate at this time. I shall follow someone else's lead."
Morrigan absentmindedly starts petting Bacon while she waits to assist the others.
"Belros, is it? It is from the Pactmasters. It make me more... adept at what I do."
Noonan finishes his ineffective search and helps get livestock rustled and thing spicked up.
Brushing the ash off his cloths, Boramyr rejoins the group. Well, I could not find anything. Nor am I going to be the best one for asking questions.
"Well it seems we are all equally poor at speaking with people. I shall give it a try. I'll start with Hadrod and Hadrah. I helped wrangle their animals so they may be willing to talk to me. Plus I have Bacon. Everyone seems to be a little friendlier when I have my small pig with me."
Morrigan picks up Bacon and heads off towards the animal pens doing her best to put on a friendly smile.
Hearing the chatter in the background, Anaara walks over to join the group. "If you would like the help, good lady , I can lend my ears to your voice. The speaking is not my strong suit, but I am quite accustomed to listening."
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Kat smiles at Anaara:
Thank you.
She then points at the gnoll expert, Dashki.
Him we talk to last.
Motioning to the two animal experts that Morrigan is heading off to.
We start with them. Maybe we learn about others.
With that, Kat heads toward Hadrod and Hadrah. When she gets to them, assuming that Anaara is with her, and Morrigan arrived a moment or two earlier, she walks up and offers them a normal Katapeshi greeting.
I hope your animals all are good. She says with her hands empty in a friendly manner. If you have moment, we would like to talk about the fire. Did any of your animals get hurt?
Diplomacy: <-- perhaps people feel sorry for her disability, and really want to help her
Anaara stands deferentially behind Katenui, listening intently to the conversation as Katenui, Morrigan, and the animal keepers speak together. She attempts to get a sense of whether the animal keepers are being honest, and listens carefully for any details that may escape Katenui's notice.
Kevi's ears perk up as well - it almost seems as if the fox is listening to the conversation, and what's more, understanding the discussion.
Morrigan seems glad that others came with her. She can't think of any time anyone helped her with anything in the past. She tries to aid in the discussion without scaring anyone.
"I hope my spell earlier did not frighten you or your animals too much. I usually wouldn't use something so flashy in front of animals but the situation seemed to call for an expeditious solution. I want you to know I would never harm an innocent animal intentionally. Bacon can attest to that. Whoever started this fire on the otherhand..."
Morrigan shouts an awful curse in Abyssal, @#$%!
"There I go again. I'm sorry. Yes anyway, like Kate said, we'd like to learn more about what you know of the fire."
Boramyr ambles over when Anaara and Katenui along with Morrigan head over to talk to the animal handlers.
He then continues to listen in on the discussion.
as many of the others begin to interrogate the guards and what-not, Bahram had noticed something, or rather someone, else that might be of assistance.
after first seeing to Kat's matters in hand with the others, Bahram slips away toward Almah's tent.
listening from the outside first, he ponders the best way to enter. and what to say as well.
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Once he realizes it is the safest point to enter, he peers inside, ahhh, excuse me, Princess Almah? I apologize for the interuption. Perhaps we could chat for a bit, you know to discuss things about the fire?
He smiles his usual rogueish grin.
While searching Eloais' burnt out wagon both of you notice the gnoll expert Dashki lurking a short distance away, watching you from behind the corner of a wagon.
Hadrod and his wife Hadrah are a pleasant, middle-aged couple. They tend to finish each other's sentences.
Hadrah takes Katenui's hand and speaks slowly, "I want to thank you all for saving so many of our animals. Where are you all from?"
Hadrod speaks a little faster, "I've counted all our animals, and we recovered them all but... I can't find Rombard.
"Certainly. Sit down. What was your name again?"
As the others head off in there own directions Belros continues to wonder if the guards had seen anything. Not being skilled with his words he attempts to find out information anyway. He walks to one of the guards. Hi Friend, My name is Belros. Did you guys happen to notice any thing suspicious before the fire broke out?
Morrigan's eyes widen. "Who is Rombard? An animal or a person? Either way, I will find it for you."
Solemnly, "I can't bear to see anyone suffer anymore..."
"Bacon has a great sense of scent. Perhaps he can track this Rombard down for you. Was Rombard with you before the fire broke out?"
Morrigan silently hopes she is not getting too off task, but the couple's sadness has moved her.
Bahram bows to the princess, I am Bahram. and Thank you for the chance to see you.
He takes the offered seat. {b]please forgive my bluntness, but you should smile more, it suits you.[/b] he opens with a hopefully well received compliment and a friendly smile.
after a chance for her to respond, he cuts to the chase, You do believe the fire to be arson. but the questions is, do you have suspicions of your own? your time among your people, have any expressed discontent?
Anaara takes mental note of Dashki's unusual position, but moves along to help Katenui speak with the animal handlers. She does mention the man briefly to Boramyr as Katenui speaks, seeing that he is not engaged deeply in conversation with Hadrod and Hadrah. Perhaps he will be able to confront the man; I'm not well suited for it. Assisting the deaf one is more what I'm accustomed to.
Answering quietly to Anaara We will get to him soon, but I will go keep an eye out on him.
With that, Boramyr goes to keep an eye out on Dashki, but will not confront him yet.
Noonan is with Belros, wincing at his brusque manner and hopes it will not start a brawl.
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Hadrod and his wife Hadrah are a pleasant, middle-aged couple. They tend to finish each other's sentences.
Hadrah takes Katenui's hand and speaks slowly, "I want to thank you all for saving so many of our animals. Where are you all from?"
Hadrod speaks a little faster, "I've counted all our animals, and we recovered them all but... I can't find Rombard.
Not seeing Morrigan, who is behind her, speak, Kat repeats some of it.
Wom - bar? Who is Wom - bar? What is Wom - bar? Where did you lose Wom - bar?
Noonan tries to head off any unpleasantness.Um..Indeed, Almah asked us to make sure no bandits or creatures snuck into camp and set fire the the wagon.
Bahram bows to the princess, I am Bahram. and Thank you for the chance to see you.
He takes the offered seat. please forgive my bluntness, but you should smile more, it suits you. he opens with a hopefully well received compliment and a friendly smile.
after a chance for her to respond, he cuts to the chase, You do believe the fire to be arson. but the questions is, do you have suspicions of your own? your time among your people, have any expressed discontent?
Almah ignores Bahram's crude attempts at flattery and replies, "I am not entirely convinced it is arson. Perhaps it is, but it could be happenstance. Eloais' harrowings of late have been gloomy and filled with doom."
As the others head off in there own directions Belros continues to wonder if the guards had seen anything. Not being skilled with his words he attempts to find out information anyway. He walks to one of the guards. Hi Friend, My name is Belros. Did you guys happen to notice any thing suspicious before the fire broke out?
"Suspicious? No. Wait a moment... I did catch a glimpse of Dashki trying to hide behind a tree nearby. It was clear that he was trying to get a look into Almah's tent. That boy is obsessed with her."
This places Dashki quite some distance from the wagon when the fire started.
Morrigan's eyes widen. "Who is Rombard? An animal or a person? Either way, I will find it for you."
Solemnly, "I can't bear to see anyone suffer anymore..."
"Bacon has a great sense of scent. Perhaps he can track this Rombard down for you. Was Rombard with you before the fire broke out?"Morrigan silently hopes she is not getting too off task, but the couple's sadness has moved her.
Hadrod replies, "Rombard is my goat. All my goats are special, but Rombard is just so much more. He's like a child to us."
"Belros should have some skill in tracking; let us go ask him." Anaara turns and walks toward Belros, Noonan, and the guards after ensuring that Katenui and Morrigan understand her statement.
After speaking with Annara he starts looking around for the tracks of the lost goat.
However before he started looking, he explained to Annara that Dashki was pretty far away from the fire, which could indicate he knew it was going to happen. You should speak with Dashki while I search for the goat, His distance from the incident seems suspicious.
Anaara nods at Belros' statement, then turns to Katenui. "Yes, my lady, let us go talk to the gnoll hunter, if it please you. Your skill with words is the greater, but I will lend my ears and wits as we need."
"Never fear Hadrod. We will find Rombard and return him to you."
Morrigan turns to Belros as he begins searching for tracks, "Bacon can also track by scent."
Morrigan and Bacon walk over to the pen where Rombard was last seen.
She calls back to the group, "I think he might have something!"
"Good boy!" Morrigan wrestles with Bacon playfully for a moment.
Seeing the others coming towards Dashki, Boramyr steps forward to stop him.
Hey Dashki, we need to talk to you for a minute.
Noonan nurses a black-eye after one of the guards punched him after unknowingly insultong him.Find a goat? What is next, hunting down rats?
"Well, Belros, it seems most of the party has gone to speak with this gnoll expert, Dashki. In the meantime, how about you and I go track down this goat together? I doubt we need to involve everyone in this task. The two of us can probably handle finding a simple goat, right? What with you being skilled at tracking, and me being skilled at...other things. Besides, I noticed that we are of similar age. I wonder what else we might have in common." Morrigan manages an awkward smile.
Acknowledging Morrigan Sure it would be great to work with you he blushes slightly I seem to be stumbling while trying to track the darn thing.. All I can seem to find are my own shoe prints. However I can't help but wonder why you would name the pig bacon? Don't you think he would be offended? ...if he were to find out that is. He continues searching for goat tracks
Smiling to Belros, "I think Bacon is a cute name. When I rescued him, he was about to be sacrificed on an altar to Zon-Kuthon and his heart eaten raw. It's an inside joke between the two of us that if I were to eat him, I'd at least cook him first."
Almah ignores Bahram's crude attempts at flattery and replies, "I am not entirely convinced it is arson. Perhaps it is, but it could be happenstance. Eloais' harrowings of late have been gloomy and filled with doom."Bahram bows to the princess, I am Bahram. and Thank you for the chance to see you.
He takes the offered seat. please forgive my bluntness, but you should smile more, it suits you. he opens with a hopefully well received compliment and a friendly smile.
after a chance for her to respond, he cuts to the chase, You do believe the fire to be arson. but the questions is, do you have suspicions of your own? your time among your people, have any expressed discontent?
Bahram tries to maintain some semblance of decorum. realizing that he may have gotten off on the wrong foot, he continues, well then, you did request that we look into the fire, so, possibly, you do sense that something just might not be right.
He does his best to get a feel for Almah's feelings on the matter, as well as possible thoughts she may have about him.
Bahram is trying to get her to open up some. he believes there is more going on. and besides he can also find out if she has any close male (or female) "acquaintances" or admirers.
Morrigan continues to talk to Belros as she follows wherever Bacon is leading. "I'm surprised you are even talking to me at all. Since coming to the surface, I've discovered that pretty much everybody despises half-orcs, which is to say, it's no better or worse than how I was treated previously at the temple either. Sure Garavel hired me, but I get the feeling he is used to hiring undesirables as mercenaries anyway. I often feel that I am no better than a pig myself. I suppose that's why Bacon and I get along so well." She laughs awkwardly.
Anaara stands behind Katenui, watching as she speaks with Dashki. She remains aware, looking and listening for nuances of dishonesty or ulterior motives from the gnoll hunter. Kevi, curled up in Anaara's arms, pokes her head up and listens to the conversation as well.
Belros listens as Morrigan regales the story of her pig named bacon. As the conversation switches to a slight surprise from Morrigan of their budding friendship, Belros can't help but respond. Why wouldn't I talk to you. You have done nothing to offend me or do me wrong. I come from a family in which I too was an outcast. My family has always been blacksmiths, however that is not the direction in which I wanted to lead my life. So I spent most of the time in the woods practicing hunting and tracking, two activities I loved. My Father was always upset with me for not joining the family trade and my brothers and sisters never let me live it down. As such I choose to see people as they are no matter where they come from Belros continues searching for tracks
While following Bacon's lead Belros manages to find something, he calls out Morrigan! Bacon and I may have found a trail
It is already dark when you find the trail of a single goat leaving the camp. Once its tracks leave the Sultan's Claw, you find it surrounded by dozens of small footprints. You deduce by the tread of the camel driver's missing goat that Rombard appears to have been pulled away against its will to the northwest.
"Well then, you did request that we look into the fire, so, possibly, you do sense that something just might not be right."
Almah replies, "Not right? It is possible. I've put everything into this excursion, and I'm possibly too close to it to give events their proper scrutiny. That's why I've had Garavel ask you lot to investigate."
Your first impressions of Dashki are not good ones. First off, his powerful body odor betrays a man with a very loose relationship with hygiene. He dresses in filthy rags and walks with slight limp.
"I don't know anything about the fire. The camel drivers are the ones who saw it first. You should talk to them."
Morrigan whispers to Belros, "This doesn't bode well. I hope Rombard is okay. I also hope we don't get in over our heads. Let's find out what we're dealing with and if it looks too dangerous, we should get the others to come help."
Boramyr continues to listen to what Dashki has to say.