Legacy of Fire

Game Master Megan Robertson

"This one who has died, I will say words for him." Pashaj turns to Calain. "But first, perhaps, the Pathfinders should look over the remains of his wagon. These baubles are unknown to me, but to travelers such as them...? It is worth asking, and so I will." The priest walks away, paying little heed to the tracks leading off into the darkness.

Pashaj will seek out either Raulzig or Samuel, whichever he finds first. I'm guessing it will be the former, as he is unlikely to reenter Almah's tent without an invitation.

"I am sure we will get to the bottom of this before the night is over. How well did Elois get along with the others in camp? Is there anyone who may have had the motivation to burn his wagon down deliberately?"

Lots a tracks, but nothing suspiscous to me...
Calain wanders over to join the Mercs.

Hot work flippin that wagon and I've had my fill of water. Whose got a REAL drink?

Raulzig will jump at the opportunity to inspect the items found by Pashaj in the burned wagon. He'll try to determine if they were genuine before the burning, whether they bear any sort of damage other than the fire, and if anything is still usable. He will rely on Archaeologist's Luck while doing so. He will also check their auras with Detect Magic
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Bardic knowledge: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
He will also use Detect Magic on the burned wagon remains.

Finally, Raulzig is still intrigued by the unknown word 'Pugwampi', so he'll try to find the scruffy-looking fellow and ask about it.

Urdaan: Dashki snarls " Well, I had nothing to do with the fire! How do we even know the fire was set? That idiot burned a hundred candles in his wagon. Perhaps he just got unlucky. We're in gnoll country. It was probably pugwampis."

He seems quite relieved when you change the subject and want to talk about gnolls.

"I know all about gnolls," he says. "Almah hired me about a month ago to tell her all about the gnolls living in these hills. Gnolls killed my mother and grandfather when I was a boy. They put fire to our village and slew hundreds. Somehow I escaped with my father to the town of Solku, not far from here. It was a long time ago, I've forgotten most of what I saw. Terrible things. But I find it's the sounds that stay with me. The shrill howls and barks — hundreds of them at once — that sounded deliriously close to an audience. Laughing at us.

"Father raised me to know everything about the gnolls, their customs, their language. So as better to track them down and wipe them out. All of them. Together we scouted out their lairs, studied their tribes, listened to them speak until we could understand what they were saying. They're not dumb animals, you know. Not like you might think. In some ways they're even smarter than us.

"Dad didn't survive our first raid on a gnoll camp of the Three Jaws tribe. I saw them fall on him like hyenas on an abandoned kill, lathering themselves in his blood and innards. I can still hear the tear of his scalp and the sound of his bones against frenzied teeth. Against this scene I was forgotten. Ignored.

"I escaped, and I carry on the work of my father."

Raulzig: As you are talking to Father Zastoran, Hav'k walks up and says "I will do what I can to assist you. Hopefully giant scorpions are enough to make sure nobody takes any unreasonable actions."

Father Zastoran raises his eyebrows in surprise, and looks around as if expecting to find such a beast looming over him. Then Pashaj comes over and you all go to look at the remains of the burned out wagon: sooty ashes, a few broken bottles or potion vials, a cracked nonmagical crystal ball, and several pools of melted wax where candles must once have stood, and the charred skeletal remains of what must have been Eloais. Oh, and a few handfuls of blackened gold coins... and Harrow cards scattered around, mostly singed if not outright burned. You don't find any traces of magic.

Do you know about Harrow cards? Your Bardic Knowledge roll would tell you about their uses in divination, and even what the major cards signify...

Calain: I am sure you will be delighted to discover that the mercenaries have several flagons of ale and are willing to share :)

Samuel: The Lady Almah says that she is not even certain whether or not the fire was set deliberately, but doesn't think that anyone would have wanted to harm Eloais. While she didn't have a romantic relationship with him, she did spend a lot of time with the Varisian.

By this time, Raulzig finds Dashki telling his life story to Urdaan and can ask about Pugwampi.

Dashki says "Terrible critters what crawled up from the Darklands below the earth. 'Jackal rats,' some folks call 'em, on account of their pointed little heads. They worship gnolls as gods and infest their communities like rats. Wherever pugwampis go, bad luck is sure to follow. The gnolls hate pugwampis because of it, and try to kill them all the time. But they always come back. Perhaps their bad luck caused the fortune-man's candles to start a fire? Yes, pugwampis. I am certain it was pugwampis!"

He gets louder and more emphatic, by the last sentence everyone outside can hear him shout that 'it was pugwampis!' - even the mercenaries stop drinking momentarily to listen.

"I am unfamiliar with this creature." Pashaj turns to Raulzig. "Pug-wamp-i. Do you know this word?"

"I thank your for your patience to my questions, milady. I will go see what else I can find out and hopefully we can all rest easy before we have to go to sleep. Perhaps your hunter is right, and it is these pugwampis that are responsible, whatever those may be." Samuel gets up, bows, and goes over to the burnt wagon to join his fellow pathfinder, having no better place to start. He will cast detect magic and examine anything of interest he may find. "So, Raulzig, solve the mystery yet?"

untrained Knowledge on pugwampis 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
untrained Knowledge on harrow and its cares 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Hey there! Pass the drink then and tell a tale. There's been too few of both on this trip

"Well, at least there is no trace of any evil magic at work. I would concur that Eloais was harmless, in both that he wouldn't intentionally burn the camp and the arson was hardly directed against him.
These Harrow cards he had lying around - I've read that it is a Varisian tradition to use them for divination purposes, and they claim it really works for them. Such semi-magical customs always seem to work only for those who believe in them, though."
If there are any specific cards standing out as neatly arranged or having escaped the fire by luck, Raulzig will explain their alleged meaning to the group.
Raulzig confesses that he's never heard about the Pugwampis before, and listens to the tale with great interest.
"What kind of a wretched creature would worship gnolls, even though detested by them? Sounds like personified misery to me, I must confess I even feel pity for the poor things. If they really visited this camp, then they could have caused the fire, but how can we prove it? Shouldn't they have left any tracks around the burned wagon? We must search carefully for any unusual small tracks in between the human ones. Calain, you sure the tracks you saw were just human ones? Urdaan, can you find anything?"

Calain pulls away the flagon, which he'd been downing so fast some was dribbling down his cheek.
Tracks? Well, sure heaps of small ones around the wagon and tree, going off into the night. I was gonna ask Urdaan about them.

"So this Dashki has romantic feelings for Lady Almah...interesting. And you suspect lady Almah had something going on with the fortune teller that died. Well I'll look into it. Thanks for the information and if you don't mind me asking do you know where I can find this Dashki?"

Tired after a long week: will post in the morning!

knowledge nature if appropriate to Pugwampis :1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

While he is walking around with Raulzig he looks for any hints:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

"There were tracks, yes. I saw them as well." Pashaj turns back towards the Sultan's Claw. "And I sense that we must follow them. Before the light of dawn comes."

knowledge nature if appropriate to Pugwampis :1d20+6

While he is walking around with Raulzig he looks for any hints:1d20+7

That was a perception check for the second roll.

Trying to post condolences to Brydar in ooc thread. Can't for some reason.
Hope it works out for her and you. Amen.

"Dashki is always skulking around in the shadows. Probably trying to get a glimpse of mi'Lady Almah, like," says one of the mercenaries, trying to grab the flagon back before Calain drains it completely.

"Oh - can't you hear him? Shouting about some kind of pest he calls a pugwampi. Something he made up if you ask me. He's always on about them, apparently they're responsible for all the world's ills, never mind every piece of misfortune that befalls you!"

H'vok, you have never heard of a 'pugwampi' despite considerable knowledge of local wildlife! You can see tracks, though, small footprints made by bare feet...

Dashki wanders over and points at the small tracks.

"Them's pugwampi, mark my words. Expect misfortune to follow wherever they go!" He looks like he wants to chase off after them and wring their necks.

H'vok points the tracks out, and says "We should go this way."
survival: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

"I am with you, in voice, in step, and in palm." Pashaj falls in behind H'vok and follows the hobgoblin.

Well don't think I'll be letting.you run into tje night to kill things without me
Calain hands back the drink and jogs to catch up, pulling his Nodachi on the way.

What, aren't we even stopping to rest? Eh, I love you guys.
Raulzig tugs the wand and the crossbow and follows H'vok and the rest into the wilderness.

I forgot it was the same day, and I am out of spells.

Samuel just shakes his head as he sees the others head off, sighing quietly, before following. It was becoming quite clear that if nothing else, this would certainly be an eventful and exciting trip.

Setting out into the scrubland hills north of the Sultan's Claw, you all search about in darkness for signs of the pugwampis. The hills are rugged hills with rocky terrain and many painful cacti and scrubby undergrowth, and it's dark. Very dark.

H'vok is first to spot the tracks, dozens of small footprints leading to and from the camp at the Sultan's Claw, finally retreating into the darkness of hill country. You also see the tracks of a goat, hesitant tracks which appear that is has been pulled away against its will to the northwest.

The night is quiet, save for your own breathing and heartbeat, and the sounds of your companions, and rustlings in the scrubby bushes through which you are pushing your way.

After following the trail for several hundred feet, you feel an inexplicable rise in the natural tension of the environment, as if something terrible is about to happen even though nothing about the terrain has changed as far as you can tell...

What if any light sources do you have? And who's relying on natural low light vision?

Pashaj's standard tactic is to keep a lightnspell active on Calains Armor. Makes him a better Target. Urdaan goes first, then Calain, then Pashaj.

Agree with Calain. I'll be going with low-light for as long as it will hold.

Urdaan lays a hand to the handle of his waraxe, as much to ready it as for self-assurance. Calling for a brief halt with hand-signals, he takes a moment to study the surroundings, hoping to clear his sense of foreboding.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Pashaj will continue with his practice of refreshing light on Calain's armor.

Pashaj breathes deeply and closes his eyes, relying on hearing instead of sight.

Perception - 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Ha.

Calain is glad for the light as always and does his best to see and especially hear what he can.
Perception1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Bradar over hears the plans of his companions to leave and excuses himself from the mercenaries and rushes to catch up.

I will start off with my sling in hand

I will start off with my sling in hand

Good call. I'm not sure I specified to Megan, but unless asked not to, Pashaj will walk with his longspear drawn. He uses it almost as a walking stick.

Samuel will have his crossbow loaded and ready, staying near one of the others with the light source, and using his low light vision to help himself as well.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Raulzig will rely on his low-light vision and keep his crossbow drawn.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

You are all soon floundering around in knee-high prickly bushes!

Will everyone please make TWO Reflex saves...

A sound not unlike the brief cry of a human child comes out of the darkness ahead!

REF
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

PERC
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Reflex save 1 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Reflex save 2 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Reflex Saves: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Urdaan pulls himself out of the bushes and tries to pinpoint the sound. "Does anyone have eyes on that?!

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

H'vok
Reflex 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Reflex 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Scorpion:

Reflex 1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Reflex 2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Reflex Save 1 - 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Reflex Save 2 - 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Perception - 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Calain is the only person to avoid a painful tumble into prickly bushes! Everyone else takes one point of damage. Unlucky!

Still, as you make slow progress toward the sound - which you soon realise is a goat, either terrified, in pain or both - the local cacti grow more and more intense, until you find yourselves at the edge of a dense thicket of the prickly plants. The sound of the bleating goat is now obvious to everyone — and it seems to be coming from somewhere deep within the cacti. The cactus forest, though very wide, is not so terribly deep. Only 25 feet separate you from the trapped goat... and as you peer into the darkness you can spot Rombard the goat, tethered to a scrub bush by a hairy, knotted length of rope. At your approach the goat's tiny bleats erupt into full-fledged brays of fear as it tugs in vain at the rope around its neck.

What will you do now?

Wild Empathy to calm the goat:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Perception check to see if anyone or anything is nearby: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Samuel looks around as he pops a guidance spell on himself, still holding his crossbow ready.

Perception 1 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Perception 2 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Did we really come all the way out here for a goat?

Calain ROARS a challenge to the night
COME OUT AND HAVE AT IT!

"Isn't it the same goat which has allegedly been stolen from the camp by the pugwampi? We'd better be on our toes."
Raulzig slowly approaches the goat and tries to untie the rope from the bush.
Disable Device: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Pashaj begins a hum and lowers his spear as he puts his back to his companions.

As Raulzig works to loosen the ropes, Urdaan attempts to calm the goat down, taking glances at the surrounding area in between to try and locate what has the animal so riled.

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

The goat begins to calm, although it's still rolling its eyes. Calain's yelling doesn't seem to be helping.

Raulzig and Urdaan, could you make me TWO Acrobatics checks, please, as you attempt to navigate the thorn bushes towards Rombard.

Samuel and H'vok strain their eyes, staring into the darkness.

I have darkvision, unless that was flavor text. :)

Acrobatics
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24