Vedic didn't sleep much. He was one of those sorts of people that seemed to possess a practically endless supply of manic energy. It wasn't that he was twitchy, or talked fast, or was unable to focus. It was more like he simply didn't pay much attention to what his body was telling him. He would often forget to eat or drink, and he would stay awake until he practically fell asleep mid sentence. What ever was going on in his head must have been far more important to him than small things like hunger or fatigue.
He ended his days the same way he began them, with a book in his hands, muttering incomprehensible and seemingly unrelated things to himself.
A number of people in the caravan had already decided he was crazed and a bad omen, but he was uncommonly good with maps and languages and had helped them find their way a week ago when they they could not see the sky to navigate because of a few days of bad haze, so the caravan head tolerated the pale elf's strange behavior.
That day was no different than any other. As soon as he'd laid out his bed roll, the book was open and he was drawing in the sand with a stick, trying to work out some kind of mathematical sequence.
Grune helps to unload the caravan before trying to find a piece of shade to doze away the day. He keeps his weapon unsheathed an near at hand It's been years since he's been away from the bustle of the city and the empty expanse of the desert makes him uneasy.
Ymril gazed out over the sands, his scabbard held loosely in his left hand. Blue eyes played out over through a loose veil worn to keep grit out of his face. He walked most of the way, alongside the caravan rather than apart of it. He helped with the camels for a time before the sun became to oppressive. After he was done he took his blanket, and making a shallow hole large enough to bring his body to the cooler sands under the surface, covered himself. As he engaged in his reverie the sand would slowly cover him so that when he finished and emerged to travel again he would appear as if from the sands themselves.
Sarianne has spent the majority of the journey hiding amidst the supplies to avoid walking and the relentless sun, and she certainly hasn't been a bit of help with lifting or caring for the camels. In her mind she has made a sterling contribution by not robbing everybody in the caravan blind, thank you very much. Of course she also uses her create water cantrip a great deal to keep the travelers and animals from bleating too much, but thats just common sense.
When it comes time to bed down she settles for a spot under the shade of the caravan, shaking her head as she watches Vedic being mad with his books, Grune sleeping next to a naked greatsword, and Ymril playing in the sand. Well I suppose somebody needs to look after these rubes while we find Haleen, and there's only muggins about, honestly its a wonder they can dress themselves.
Vedic wakes wide eyed, and immediately grabs something to write with and begins frantically writing.
Ymril's eyes snapped open. He lay still in the darkness, the cool earth about him. Twisting, he rolls to his stomach and draws his feet under him and slowly rises. He sees the light of the desert peak into his resting place as he pushes the blanket up and feels its heat make pinpricks of sweat on his face. His eyes sweep the outside to check its clear before standing. Reaching down he gathers his weapons and gear, shaking the blanket off and moves to a dune, his eyes scanning the horizon. His mouth is tight, the lips looking like a razor cut across his face. He stands there, still for a time, before returning to the wagons and resting in the shade. He sits with a blade across his lap while he meditates, a frown on his face.
Vedic stood, spend a few moments magically cleansing himself of dust and grime, and went to wait for the caravan to start moving.
Sarianne rises bothers Vedic for a presitidigitation, and at the first opportunity flits into the wagons to find a nice secluded hiding place to avoid the sun and any work that might come her way.
Grune get up and dusting himself off, get ready to continue the journey.
Ymril stands and shakes some of the sand from his clothes. He looks out across the starlit dunes as the caravan prepares to move, picking at a pack of rations as he does so. After a short time he moves down to take his customary place walking alongside the caravan.
Whale cleaning his newly met Halfling "sister", Vedic looked around to the rest of his adopted family. "Quite the interesting assortment of children Haleen raised..." he mused.
Ymril rushes toward the flame, pulling a cloth across his face as he does so. He grabs a bucket and immediately moves to douse the fire.
Grune charges down to the caravan, his adrenalin pumping, , and grabbing a wagon he begins to drag it away from the flames.
Sarianne mutters darkly to herself as she strides forward and snaps,
"Nugretaw!" Gesturing dismissively, as two gallons of water pours down upon the fire. She stands there doing this repeatedly until the flames abate.
Vedic's eyebrows raise and he moves toward the flames with Sarianne, holding a hand aloft. A bolt of what looks like a Ray of Frost leaps out and snaps in the air above the wagon. Clouds began rolling out from that point, dumping heavy raindrops in a surprising deluge.
"Sarianne, put your waters where the flames are thickest. I will handle the rest."
"Sure I can," says Sarianne winking at the child even as she dumps two gallons of water over him, "I am an oracle of Sarenrae afterall."
Turning to the big man she shrugs and makes to follow in his wake.
Ymril follows after Sarianne, moving just behind her like a protective pack animal.
Grune follows along, somewhat disappointed by the under-appreciation of his feat of strength
Vedic chuckles and Prestidigitates the child dry again as he begins to follow the big guard.
Sarianne gives Vedic a level look as she intones with mock piety,
"I must show the world Sarenrae's bounty, must I not?"
Looking up into the bright sunlit sky, Vedic gives his adopted sister an amused look. "In a desert? I suspect these people know much of Sarenrae's bounty. She is most generous with it here."
"Busy body goddess, gets everywhere, I ask you Vedic, what good is it for a cat burglar to be an oracle of the goddess of sunlight and honesty? I keep telling you I'm not reforming!" Sarianne moans, directing the last plaintively to the heavens.
"Any information on who the corpse belonged to before I go check it over?"
Sarianne nods wearing a sour expression, and after Ymril's question has been answered addresses the group with her usual exasperated tones,
"Well lucky us, hey? Lets take a look at this mess first before conducting any interviews, perhaps we can find something that will help us trip the culprit up."
Heading over to the wagon once their conversation with Almah Roveshki is concluded she examines the wagon in exhaustive detail, looking in particular for the cause of the fire.
After her mundane search she casts detect magic and scans the wagon for any signs of magical activity.