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29 Calistril 4719 Oathday, evening
The moon of Golarion has passed through its four faces once since the liberation of New Kelmarane, marking the passage of a month since the gang of heroes - now Knight-Protectors of New Kelmarane - wrested the subjugated city from the clutches of the daemon Xulthos and its enslaved thrall, the jann Kardswann, not to mention the Kulldis tribe of gnolls. The city has grown to a size such that not every fellow citizen seen in town is immediately recognised. Trappings of society, such as the establishment of proper inns and taverns, shops and stables, militia and town watch rolls, begin cropping up, all seen over by the governing body headed by Princess Almah Roveshki. City councillors argue vehemently about how to best establish this newly-born community, vying with each other for political standing as they push their agendas in city forum debates. The people of Kelmarane actively participate in these open meetings as spectators, the mood optimistic and enthusiastic as they watch their society form around them. The wheel of ambition turns swiftly.
Just outside of the reinforced walls of Kelmarane, activity within the Uwaga hinterlands hints at a lack of stabilisation to the region as city militia encounter growing packs of defiant hyenas, small squads of gnoll scouts, and occasional sightings of larger flying beasts. The nightly midnight howling continues - now displaced from the restored cathedral to the Brazen Peaks to somewhere to the northwest - but not nearly as remote as would be expected. At times, the howling seems to be closer than ever to the city walls, but despite the frightful intensity, no assault manifests over the month to coincide with the noise.
The adventurers' home - the Wharfmaster's Harbor - has proven to be a fine place to rest, rejuvenate, and rediscover themselves after the strain of the onerous campaign put forth to them by Princess Almah and her Pactmaster superiors. In some ways, the well-preserved and central house overseeing the Pale River and Kelmarane's docks, has been perfect, or at least, it was perfect before Rab-rab's leporine breeding business took over the ground floor of the mansion. Encouraged by Hadrod and Hadrah, the elderly animal husbandry experts (and now stablemasters of Kelmarane) from Princess Almah's retinue, the excitable pink-haired gnome has stuffed every wooden nook and cranny on the entrance floor to the mansion with rabbit breeding warrens and kit boxes designed to sell the best-bred hare to the people of Kelmarane with one caveat: they will not be eaten.
The essential aim of the business has maintained this compassion, but business rarely feels compassion, and as such, there have been some challenges, most of which have been met by Rab-rab with steely resolve and stubborn insistence on her charter. Sales have not met estimated pre-conception levels due to the lack of edible product on hand for the public, and since many more in Kelmarane equal many more mouths to feed in Kelmarane, deviations from the Coney Island charter post-sale have plagued the business. A rapid rise in the Kellid dish known as 'hasenpfeffer' on the menu of more than one new restaurant in Kelmarane has particularly troubled Rab-rab.
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In addition to the pungent smell of rabbit breeding, the ground floor of the mansion has also been occupied by Rab-rab's brother Min's new budding business: Min's Magnificent Masterium. The indigo-haired gnome's aims for his business have been multiple - bookkeeping firm, early childhood education, faith-based community organisation, and magic shoppe. Min's success with the first of these aims has far outpaced any of the other outlets for the store, but his idealistic hopes have not lessened at all over the month as he pulls 18 hour-long days working to create his business empire.
Not surprisingly, the other three members of the party have been seen less and less at the mansion, though they keep their rooms on the second and third floors of the building. Layaali has established a small temple to Vildeis in lower New Kelmarane, just around the corner on Lower Rise from the mansion. Her new companion in faith Torre-telis, a lizardman from Katapesh, has arrived in the past fortnight, doubling her much-needed work staff at the temple, as many of New Kelmarane's Sarenrae faithful have been too busy in scouring the cathedral to the Dawnflower back into a state worthy of re-consecration to attend to the health needs of the general populace. Both Layaali and Oxvard (and his nascent temple to Abadar) have worked long hours in picking up the slack.
Razif has been out of town and back on patrol in the hinterlands where he feels most at home. The dunewalker engineered a memorial service for Uzma, their fallen colleague, but this marked the only time the ranger has spent two consecutive nights in town.
And then there's Drael. Abandoned by his half-sister, rejected by Undrella (he's OK with that), and ignored by the Pathfinder Society, the suli has sunken into a habit of drowning out his antipathy to the progress at hand in the city with ale. A lack of shortage of people wishing to buy him drinks to thank him for his service has only engendered the feeling that Drael is owed this reward, and the less-impressive bloodrager has sunken as near to a state of self-loathing as he's ever experienced.
This is where we find our team, on the evening of a waxing moon, all joined up again within the mansion.
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As soon as Razif arrives back in Kelmarane, he makes a beeline for the Wharfmaster's Harbor. The things he saw at the waterfalls should ideally be reported right away, but he figured he didn't want to risk one of Garavel's 'moods'. He wouldn't put it past the man to figure out some excuse that Razif was insulting his authority by returning from a patrol looking like a mess. So, he figured, a quick change of clothes, then meet up with Brotis again and report to his dignified superior.
He sighs.
These things were a lot more simple when the gang reported directly to Almah.
Razif reached the manor and opened the front door in dramatic fashion, before being harshly reminded why it typically remained closed as he was assaulted with the scent of Rabbit. Well, too late to take the alternate way now. He closed the door behind him and headed to his room, greeting any of the other inhabitants he walks past, but not immediately inclined to stay for a chat.
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With a quick word of greeting, the itinerant ranger heads to his room on the second floor of the mansion. Throwing down his dusty pack, Razif looks out of his bedroom window to the northwest over the Pale River and the foothills of the Brazen Peaks, dramatically lit up via the proud sunset as Sarenrae bids adieu to another day. He sighs and smiles to himself, shaking his head in gentle regret at the stirrings of wanderlust calling to him, five minutes after he has returned to his home base.
And now their mill was aflame. Razif grabbed his pack.
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Drael opens the door to the mansion a little after dark, paying no mind to whoever, or whatever, may be home at the time. He immediately kicks a rabbit as he steps over the threshold, and, cursing quietly, moves inside while walking with the exaggerated care of someone struggling to maintain an air of normalcy.
He lets out a slight groan as he begins to walk up the stairs, and immediately plops down onto his bed before even taking off his armor, now covered less in the dust of dungeons than various dark stains. In minutes, he's out like a light.
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Layaali sat on the lower levels, three rabbits on her lap, trying to convince Rab-rab to perhaps add some gates or other barriers to the lower level. Having rabbits underfoot could be dangerous to—
The door slams, and Layaali can smell its Drael returning—the stench of booze, sweat, and worse was unmistakable. There's the squeal of a poor bunny, stomped or kicked, and the thud of his feet upstairs. Layaali shakes her head sadly that her companion had so quickly illustrated her point.
"I'll handle it, Rab-rab. But, truly—think of some extra gates." Layaali slips over to the door, inspects the little wounded rabbit and tends it as best as she can.
Then she ascends the stairs to check on Drael. His door's open, but he's already asleep. She watches him for a moment, then sighs. Looks like offering her friend guidance would have to wait for another day—again.
Hearing a sound down the hall, Layaali wanders over to Razif's roof. "You came in quieter than expected. Welcome home. Have you news?"
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Rab-rab gasps in absolute panic. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT HOPPER?! OH, NO!" she wails. She hurries over to the her poor, wounded Hopper and scoops him up in her arms. "Who did this to you!?" she exclaims.
As Layaali heals her rabbit's wounds she thanks Layaali and then cuddles the bunny some more and moves it over to someplace safe. "Here, you stay little cutie pie. I'll get some more gates to keep you safe soon."
She quickly starts trying to make some temporary gates so her bunnies can't get near the door and get stepped on!
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Min sits in a chair in his 'office,' carefully examining a map he was very interested in. At the commotion he looks up and shakes his head. "Really? Have you bathed this week? Must you drink so much?" Realized Drael's too tired to even notice him, Min sighs.
As his sister wails, he points up the stairs. "Drael did it."
He settles back down in his chair and goes back to examining his map.
...If only he could find a way past that trap door...
Layaali's appearance startles him in his rush. "Layaali! Yes, bad news, but it'll have to wait. Look out the window, the Cheswick mill is on fire! I'm going there to see if I can help."
Razif rushes out his room, but then pauses, realising who he was talking to. This was his friend, everyone in the building was his friend. And if he knew these friends even a little bit, he knew they'd want to help as well. He called out to the gnomes. "There's a fire in the mill! I'm heading out, are you guys with me?"
He then turns back to Layaali. "Where's Drael?"
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In the dream, Drael hears his father calling out his name. The boy knows his father carries the leather belt; he always has the leather belt. The red currants only appeared one week each year. Drael was helpless to resist the sweet berries, cradled tightly in his stained hand. He had made his choice. He would face the punishment. His father called his name again, closer to the boy's hiding spot in the large cupboard....
The suli awakes, his hand stained red, but not from currants. He must have caught his flesh on something sharp before stumbling into bed.
A familiar voice calls out.
Drael wakes with a start, using one hand to push himself into a standing position before realizing that his other hand is slightly bleeding. He ignore it for now, calling out What? What's going on?
"Fine in the mill?!" Rab-rab exclaims. "Weee-ooo, weee-oooo! Let's go! Come on, Min, let's go!"
She points at King Jack-jack. "King Jack-jack! You're in charge while I'm gone! Take care of your many rabbit friends!"
King Jack-jack stands on his hind legs and puts a paw to his forehead in a salute. He twitches his nose back and forth and nods his head. Then he goes back on all fours and waves his ears around as the other people rush out of the building.
"Right! I'm trusting you!" She grabs Min by the hand and drags him out of the building and down the road. "Let's hurry!"
"GAH!" Min exclaims as Rab-rab yanks him to his feet. His map falls to the ground and he quickly scoops it up and stuffs it in his pocket. "Stop yelling in my ear!" he scolds his sister as he follows her out the door.
A moment later and she's yelling even louder.
Uhh, he sighs. Sisters...
Drael gingerly places the coin on a nearby table and follows the sound of yelling gnomes as he walks down the stairs and out into the street.
Layaali glances at the window reflexively, despite knowing she won't be able to see the distant mill from here. "I'll take your word for it. I'll get Drael. You hurry off with the gnomes."
Layaali sweeps into Drael's room and helps him up. "Razif says the mill's on fire. Are you coming? Helping would do you some good."
When Layaali responds to him, Razif remembers about her eyesight for the umpteenth time. "Ah, right. Sorry." He leaves Drael in her care and follows the sound of the shouting gnomes that have already moved into the streets.
Drael nods, already in the middle of getting to his feet as she comes in. Yeah, I'm coming. Hopefully everyone's alright.
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The alerted team scampers out of the front door of the mansion and across the bridge to the site of the Cheswick Mill. Black clouds of billowing smoke can be seen going up behind the mill, back-lit by the setting sun. The two buildings on the other side of the river immediately north of town - Undrella's old den and the mill - seem eerily quiet.
The door to the mill hangs open, a slight haze of smoke seeping out and up. You can feel the air warm as you draw close.
Drael, still a bit groggy, takes his customary place at the front of the group, pushing the door fully open and stepping into the mill.
Min decides to ready a ray of frost. Just in case. "Watch out Rab rab its probably Dangerous." Min walks in to the mill.
Rab-rab looks around for a bucket or something and hurries to the river to fill it with water!
Razif calls out towards the mill. "HEY! Is anybody in there? We're here to help!" He then follows the others into the mill.
Drael moves carefully into the middle of the mill, doing his best to peer through the smoke as he calls out, Is anyone in here? Call out if you need help.
Razif follows along with Drael, loudly coughing to try and get the soot out of its mouth, calling out. "Anyone?" he turns to Drael. "This mill is being used by a family of seven, where are they?"
Min spots some fire and double moves toward it!
Layaali keeps hauling buckets and tossing the water on the flames!
Rab-rab also keeps filling buckets with water and throwing them at the fire.
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Razif and Drael move about the room with heads low, avoiding most of the smoke, though their vision reveals little through the growing haze. Both they and Min don't seem to have been seriously affected by the heat as of yet, though they most definitely feel it.
The gnome sorcerer makes his way towards the eastern wall of the mill as his sister and Layaali deliver buckets of water in a bucket brigade-style system.
Drael gestures to the fallen form further inside the mill, moving as quickly as he can through the smoke. I think that might be one of them, let's try to help.
As he approaches the figure he reaches down, trying to awaken them or see if he can drag them back towards the door.
Razif follows Drael, ready to help move the body outside if need be.
Min looks at the super suspicious door that's chained shut. He wonders if the people who live here are weirdos, or perhaps if the door is a mimic.
He decides the fire is more important—for now. He moves a little closer rubs his hands together. "Nindralius boing-boing!" He shoves his hands out and fires an blast of icy snow and ice all over the fire!
Rab-rab keeps throwing buckets of water at the fire!
...And so does Layaali!
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The gnomes, aided by the oracle, score some success in quelling parts of the mill on fire, but the building itself appears to be doing worse, as the fire in the northwestern quarter of the structure rages!
Drael and Razif somehow withstand the heat and smoke so near to the fire, but Min and even Layaali by the open front door are temporarily overcome!
Drael moves away from the corpse on the floor, gesturing to Razif to follow him. I think I hear someone, this way!
Razif nods and follows. "Let's go!"
Having no way to know if the knocking is one of her friends in the mill or someone else in need, Layaali calls out "Who's there?" She listens for a response or the sound of more beating, then stumbles toward the sound.