Rab-rab nods. ”Yeah. Do they have any pets? And there’s a harpy. What do you know about her?”
Felliped's words bring out a strange sound from Layaali's throat. Was that... a snarl?
Her eyes widen, almost in shock, then she clamps her lips shut. She clears her throat a few times then falls silent. Throughout the rest of the journey she's quiet, looking both uneasy and contemplative...
"Anything you can remember could be useful, Felliped." Razif says.
As they travel, he notices Layaali's silence. After contemplating it a bit, he approaches her and asks, "Are you alright? The past few days must have been very taxing on you."
Min holds up a finger to his lips. "Shhhh!"
"We don't want the gnolls to hear us..."
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Felliped nods at Min's caution as the gang continue their hurried exit south out of sight of Kelmarane's walls.
"It was a patrol of gnolls that found us as we prepared to enter the ruined Sarenrite church in the northwest corner of the town. Kinaul had led us to that point without detection, or so we all thought. He was the first struck down - an arrow to the throat as he was dutifully checking the front door for traps. Poor half-elf..." Felliped's thoughts are cut off as the nightly howl blasts from the walls of the city, amplified by the natural basin through which you all speed.
"Blast it, I hate that sound. That's Kardswann communicating with the Temple of the Beast deep in the Pale Mountain. Calling for reinforcements, indicating progress, or just bragging about who he's killed. The cult of Rovagug cares not for much but blood and wanton destruction."
With a shake of his head, Felliped continues. "It was Haleen's betrayal that sealed our fate, I think. I didn't see it coming - and I'm usually aces at reading people. One minute she's fighting along side us, and the next she's sapping Oxvard in the back of the head and forcing Andrus and I to lay down our weapons. I ran - I'm not ashamed to admit it. I dropped my rapier and made to go to my knees like she told us to do and then I bolted. I remember Andrus cheering me on before the gnolls laid into him. I heard what they did to him later. I didn't see it, but I didn't need to. It was like it was everywhere, his screams, all throughout the city, and I heard some of the mercs laughing about it one of the nights I was folded up in the old stable waiting to be found and gutted. And that's where you found me."
Felliped grows quiet for a long count to thirty as the gang press on under the waning moon.
"She deserves worse than he got, Haleen does. I don't know about any harpy. I've heard tell that there's a wild boar kept somewhere in the city, but I don't know where. And that's all I know, on my oaths as a Pathfinder."
After Felliped is done telling his tale, Drael interjects with a new line of questioning. So Haleen, is she still with the gnolls? Why would she betray you?
"Yeah. What's up with that?"
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”To my knowledge, she is still there in Kelmarane. And as far as I why she would betray us, I would guess that she has a better-paying master. I did not know her well. She joined up with the Lions in Katapesh. Andrus brought her on after Kinaul suggested that we needed another sword-arm; I don’t know where he found her.”
The crew cross the pesh fields without incident. The old monastery looms into view, dark as pitch. Arriving much earlier in the middle of the night than normal, the crew pass the sentries on watch (Kallien and Brotis), but find no other members of the party awake.
Felliped looks around in wonder at the monastery. ”Did you say that Oxvard survived?”
"Yes. This way."
Layaali leads Felliped to Oxvard's chambers.
Razif follows Layaali to see the two Lions reunite, and maybe hear some more from the two of them. He's still rather keen on finding out anything they've heard about the crypt, suspecting they'll be delving down there sooner or later...
During further downtime, Razif decides to spend some time with Kallien and Brotis, asking them if there have been any goings-on of note in the monastery during the party's slightly longer-than-usual absence.
Rab-rab snoops around until she finds some food. She tries not to wake everyone up.
Min nods. ”Yes, Layaali is correct. I will — Hey! Where are you going, Rab-rab?”
Min follows his sister.
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"Oxvard?" Felliped asks as he wakes the recuperating cleric within the dormitory. "It's Felliped!"
The two former Lions embrace, desperation flooding from them as they spy a familiar and friendly face. Oxvard steps out from the dormitory to avoid disturbing the others sleeping, and the reunion shifts into the dining hall where the two adventurers slump onto benches and recount their harrowing experiences. Oxvard scowls at the news of Haleen's betrayal.
"I did not discern her deception, by Abadar's will, though I knew her aims were not communal to our band. She was mercenary through and through. I wonder, had she known what was to befall us in the gnolls' hands, if that would have made her choice different."
"She BETRAYED us, Oxvard," Felliped says with exasperation. "She clubbed you into unconsciousness and forced Andrus and I to drop our weapons as Kinaul bled out on the steps of the church!"
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Oxvard and Felliped continue to fill each other and the rest of the gang in on their experiences.
"We really had no clue that Kelmarane was martially occupied," Oxvard explained. "Our main goal was to delve the depths of the catacombs under the Sarenrite church. It was the belief of our venture-captain that the fall of Kelmarane was due to the folly of man as misled by a demonic influence, and that that influence remains imprisoned within the catacombs."
"We were prepped for battle with outsiders, not an army of gnolls," scoffs Felliped.
"Kinaul, Andrus, and the two of us are all members of the Pathfinder Society," explains Oxvard further, "and we seek out knowledge most highly amongst all treasure. We were charged with cataloguing the contents of that church and either defeating the horrors beneath the church or providing reconnaissance for those that would be able to do so."
"Then your venture-captain is a fool," Almah says from the doorway to the mess hall where she stands. "And you have reaped the harvest of their poor decision." The merchant-princess walks slowly into the mess hall as the gnome siblings scamper around her, plates of cold leftovers from the evening-previous' dinner in their hands. Almah smiles at Min and Rab-rab as she approaches the Pathfinders, then sits down near Oxvard and addresses you all with a grave look.
"About twenty years ago, Kelmarane’s priests of Sarenrae fell under the sway of something foul from the Great Beyond. The creature took control of the high priest of the temple and eventually turned the people of Kelmarane to madness. Soldiers of the Pactmasters pacified the town and left it in ruin, but they were never able to root out the evil, and instead locked it in the crypt of the village church. We are here to right that wrong, but first we must deal with the evils that plague Kelmarane above ground."
Razif silently nods, letting the Pathfinders tell their story, and reacts surprised, though quietly, to Princess Almah's entrance and her part of the tale. He would have liked to hear these details earlier, but he raises no objection. He considers secrets to simply be part of the merchant's craft, and can imagine a reason or two as to why she kept it hidden until now. Rather, he considers her sharing this story now as a show of trust. He simply nods.
"Sarenrae weeps for this region, and her faithfuls that suffer for it."
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For reasons that Layaali can't place these tales of old make her uneasy...
Or did it...?
Was this feeling she had -- this unease that settled deep in her soul -- truly hers? Or was it the vestiges of a vision... [I]the vision.... granted to her by Vildeis when she had teetered on the brink of death...?[/i]
Did it have something to do with [I]him?[/i]
...Did it matter?
Death changes everyone. Everything.
Her first death had changed her. Altered the course of her entire life...
How had her second?
...
...
Layaali el-Batar was dead. Layaali Twice-Born was dead.
...Who was Layaali Thrice-Born?
---
Layaali stands in contemplative silence, seemingly lost in thought...
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The remains of the Lions of Senara seem cowled by Almah's words. Making apologies for their fatigue, both Oxvard and Felliped head back into the dormitory to seek solace under their pillows. After they leave, Princess Almah turns to you all with a sigh.
"I am too harsh at times, it would seem. We all have had harrowing experiences out here within Sarenrae's former bosom. What of you, trusted agents? What knowledge do you have to share? What of the harpy?"
"Hmmm..?" Layaali replies absently. "Apologies, I am not myself tonight." Layaali sits near the princess and explains, "Uzma is dead. I died, for a time. The others, nearly so. If not for the gnomes you would not be speaking with any of us... Now or ever."
She loses herself in thought for a moment. "The harpy helped us. And another... A powerful being that gave us shelter and healing. He is gone now, though, and only fate knows if we will meet him again..."
She mutters something under her breath, then falls silent, leaving the rest for the others to tell.
Drael nods, I was unconscious for quite some time after we fought some demonic creature, one of the gnomes might be best suited to telling you fully what happened. After we recovered, we explored more of Kelmarane until we met that Pathfinder and brought him back here.
Razif nods as well and haphazardly adds some details. "The demonic beast was a... what did Undrella call it... A schir, apparently sent by the House of the Beast.
A shedu named Alaf-laha offered us shelter and told us about this region's history... He seemed to hold us in some regard as... champions of destiny? Rather odd, now that I think about it, but without his support, we would be in much worse shape."
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Rab-rab sits down at the table with her left overs. King Jack-jack hops up into a chair beside her. As she eats her food, Jack-jack nibbles some, too. Then he tries to use a fork with his paws. It doesn't work well. He just sort of pokes things and makes a mess.
"Well first we fought some gnolls, and then that demon came. And everyone was dying. And then Min was dying, and I killed the demon and saved everyone's life. That's not the first time, you know. I may be small, but I'm pretty good at saving people."
She nods and eats some more.
" And then I only had enough healing stuff to get Razif up. So Razif and I had to carry Min and Drael back to the shedu's magic house, but we couldn't! And we couldn't just leave Drael behind! That's like, mean. Well, I would have done it if I had to. If I could only carry one person I would bring my brother, Min, of course!" she smiles. "No offence everyone! But, Razif decided to ask Undrella for help, and she helped, so we didn't have to leave Drael behind to die."
"Oh! And also, Layaali got up after that fight, but before we left. She was dead, but she was walking around anyway. I thought she was a zombie. And her eyes were weird. Well, not weird. They were normal. Which is weird! And she gave us all a creepy vibe. Anyway, she was totally dead and she talked funny."
"Hmmm... So we healed some people and got everyone back to the sheds's magic house. He had a chocolate fountain, which was AMAZING." she nods. "He said a bunch of stuff, but I wasn't really listening. It was boring and I was tired. And we rested and stuff, and his house disappeared, and then her left us there and we said goodbye. And we went back to Kelmarane and did some spying and stuff and then we found that guy! Felliped! And he mind-controlled Drael or something -- I think you might be way too easy to mind-control, Drael. You should maybe work on that. Stick cotton in your ears or something. And we saved him and brought him here. Oh! And something about Undrella wants to marry Drael. He should maybe do that. She saved his life."
Rab-rab goes back to eating. "So.... Your welcome to saving you all!"
"Zombie? ...Interesting. I have no memory of this." She thinks for a moment then smiles and ruffles the hair of the little pink gnome. "Thank you for your aid, my friend." She turns her smile to the others. "All of you."
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Min nods. "I helped! Oh, yeah! And Layaali, I used up all your holy water helping to fight that demon."
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Princess Almah's expression turns from amusement at Rab-rab's antics to shock and dismay as she mentions the shedu.
"A shedu? Head of a man, body of a bull? You saw one? They are creatures of legend, powerful healers, sages beyond measure..."
She composes herself, the veil of cool authority replaced again. She then regards Layaali critically.
Almah's slender fingers seemingly-absently manipulate a few of the trinkets hanging from around her neck in a regular pattern.
"What happened to you out there in the sands, Twice-Born?"
Min looks at Almah with a look of shock, then looks at Layaali.
He doesn't say anything...
Rab-rab leans over and whispers loudly to Min. "What's happening?"
"Death, Princess, as I said. The demon killed me. But I've died before." She thinks a moment. "I don't remember my first death, so I have nothing to compare this second one to... There was a vision, given unto me by Vildeis. ...I was a man... There was a woman, part clouds... The man... He, too, had died more than once... And lived a thousand years..." She seems to be thinking... "When I came to, Razif told the gnomes I had been possessed by Vardishal, but I know nothing of that."
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"I don't like talking about death. Can we have a little talk about tweetle beetles?"
"Alaf-laha greeted you as Saint Vardishal. I'm sorry we neglected to let you know, Layaali."
He turns to Almah. "It's been... a taxing few nights, Princess. Regardless, somehow, we've made it all out in one piece, miraculously, and I've chosen to see that as a blessing from the Dawnflower."
He sighs, clearly weary from Kelmarane's ordeals.
"And, Layaali? Please don't push yourself too much. By the sound of it, you've gone through more harrowing experiences than anyone should face."
Layaali grows pensive at the news, then seems to be lost in thought. "Hmmm...? Oh, yes I..." She trails off, then smiles gently. "Thank you for your concern, but I will hold true to my goddess' tenants, whatever the trials I have faced. I doubt I will have time to rest much. There is much evil here, and it must be confronted."
Min adjusts his glasses when Razif says the Dawnflower is what saved them. "Actually, it was the Bunnisbeldar Duo."
Suddenly he and his sister jump up onto the table and strike a dramatic pose!
They look very heroic.
"YEAH!"
Rab-rab poses too! And so does King Jack-jack!
Layaali looks at the trio as they pose... suddenly she laughs.
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"Thank you for your concern, but I will hold true to my goddess' tenants, whatever the trials I have faced. I doubt I will have time to rest much. There is much evil here, and it must be confronted."
Princess Almah sighs and lets go of the handful of trinkets from around her neck. She looks down at the table with a saddened look on her face. "Then our colleague Uzma Mahdi al Kalid is well and truly gone."
She raises her glance at Layaali, a trace of worry on her face. "We will not fail you again, oh North Wind, lest we lose ourselves in the process to the Rough Beast."
At that point, the gnomes spring into antic action, triggering guffaws from most of the group. Princess Almah looks shocked at first, then relieved at the levity.
"It's the most impressive thing how you got your jackrabbit to pose like that, dear Rab-rab." She stands from the table and bows her head slightly. "Thank you for your service and your information. Once the city of Kelmarane is ours, then and only then will I risk unlocking the horrors entombed underneath the church. Please return to us safely and we will handle it together."
With those words, the merchant-princess departs.
Drael holds back a smirk at the gnomes' pose, I suppose we should rest before heading back out, although I'm eager to return to Kelmarane before they fortify it further against us.
Min yawns and goes to bed. "Come on, Rab-rab."
"Okay!"
Layaali prays for a while before heading to bed.
Having stayed in the mess hall for longer than expected, Razif decides not to meet up with the guards as planned and just goes to sleep.
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The gang awake gradually during the evening of the 23rd of Abadius, a full fortnight after their initial foray into the old monastery. It feels strange that the monastery, previously infested with pugwampi, now feels safe and somewhat like shelter within this vicious land. The gang make their way to the mess hall to sample their first meal of the day - dinner for the remainder of the agents of the Pactmasters.
At the mess hall, the stern major-domo Garavel approaches the gathered adventurers, standing stiffly at the table's edge as he bluntly addresses the party.
"I see that you're headed back out," he begins. "When are we to expect that you will have some intel for us on this so-called battle market?"
"We already have some information. Drael knows it. He could see in the dark. Go on, Drael. Tell him what we know so far."
While Rab-rab eats she only partly pays attention. Mostly she feeds King Jack-jack.
Drael shrugs, We don't know much of use yet. We know that they patrol the market even at night, I think there was only group making a full circle around the market, which would give us plenty of time to sneak in around them, but it was hard to tell from that far away.
Razif just quietly continues eating, figuring he'd best stay quiet before he gets into another argument with the major-domo. He simply nods along with the rest.
"I'm afraid observation is not my strong suit," Layaali replies dryly. "We did our best. We'll try to get more information this time." After a moment she smiles kindly at Garavel and adds. "Our pace may be less than desirable, but we are making progress."