After nearly a weeks journey from the city of Solku garavel informs you that you will be reaching your destination shortly "Mistress Almah and her company are waiting for us at the Sultan's Claw." When asked about the Sultan's Claw, Garavel says that you'll see soon enough.
Shortly after the sun has passed its zenith you find yourself entering a series of hills, the mountains of the Brazen Peak stretch across the horizon in the distance, like a series of jagged tombstones.
After another hour of travel you see a column of black smoke rising into the air from behind the next hillock. A look of worry crosses Garavel's face as he spurs his camel into a gallop.
As you crest the hill you find a scene of chaos as six wagons and a large pavilion are clustered around a huge five limbed, barren tree stretching into the sky like a skeletal talon. A pack of camels prance around nervously, a wooden pen the only thing keeping them from bolting into the afternoon sun. Meanwhile a herd of goats and other livestock confusedly mill about the campground. Eyes sweeping around the campsite you notice the cause of the smoke. One of the wagons is ablaze.
About a dozen men and women rush about the camp. Some chasing down the loose livestock while other rush from a wagon near the center of the camp carrying a bucket of water in each hand.
Red and orange flames almost completely engulf an oddly decorated wagon. Peeling painted stars and moons decorate the sides of the burning wagon and smoke billows from an open door in the rear.
As you approach the campsite a dust devil disturbs a scattering of brightly decorated cards lifting them into the air. One of the cards strikes Alem square in the chest before the others settle back to the ground.
The wizard looks down at the card plastered to his chest only to find that it is the Cyclone, one of the cards from a fortune telling or, Harrow deck.
The Cyclone signifies a destructive force controlled by an intelligent being. It portends an ill wind that brings Arson, Destruction, and War.
As you watch, sparks fly from the wagon to land on the old tree causing the Sultan's Claw to erupt in flame. Just then a regal looking woman emerges from the central pavilion "Douse those flames" she shouts at a group of men dressed in the red chitin armor of the Packmaster's Guard.
Turning away she seems to notice you for the first time. A weary smile creases her face as she addresses Garavel "Ah, Garavel. And just a moment later than the nick of time, as usual." The caravan master bows low, silent as ever. Turning to you she shouts, in a voice used to command "Don’t just stand there! Find some way to help!" before she too turns towards the water wagon and grabs a bucket to join the others trying to douse the flaming wagon.
Almah, Garavel, and the four Packmaster's guardsmen are shuttling buckets of water between the burning wagon and another wagon 20 feet away . This other wagon has a large barrel filled with water, five extra buckets sit unused on the wagon's floorboards. You figure at the present rate it will take the six of them almost one minute to douse the flames. By assisting in this task you feel you can reduce the amount of time significantly.
Nearby, four other guardsmen, dressed in rough leather armor, struggle trying to move another nearby wagon away from the conflagration before it too can catch fire . You can help these men move the endangered wagon to a safe distance before it's too late.
Away from the blaze a lone gray haired human kneels beside two badly burned men tending their wounds . unfortunately with all his attention focused on one of the wounded men, the other is slowly dying. You could assist the healer and rescue the dying man.
A male and female human dart back and forth trying to bring the frightened animals under control and keep them from getting underfoot and hampering the firefighting efforts . You could assist these two and save the poor animals from themselves and the flames.
Kallit slips nimbly off of his camel and for a moment stares wide eyed at the chaos around him. He starts towards the fires, then stops to assist with the animals as a goat bleats and scurries past him, only to be distracted yet again as a wounded woman cries out in pain.
Having made little headway in any direction he shouts out to regal looking woman, "How am I supposed to be helping!
Hearing no response from the woman, he seems to settle on a direction and darts after her towards the buckets and the water wagon.
Dropping from his mounted position with a solid thump, Ashad was moving before he even realised where he should be moving to. His hand instinctively wavering over his sword hilt, the paladin rushed into the camp headlong. Only when he reached the inferno did he give pause to consider what he should even be doing.
"By the most radiant Saerene, my sword is worthless here. What should I..." And then he saw it. The four guardsmen, struggling to move a nearby wagon away from the flames. Ashad may not have been able to use his skills for combat, but he could at least put his swordarm to use in another way. With what seemed like a single fluid motion, he slammed his shoulder into the side of the wagon and began heaving with all his might to aid the guardsmen in moving the wagon to safety.
Rashid knew immediately where he would be most useful. He turned to Pateba. "Guard," he ordered, knowing that his camel wouldn't dare move under the watchful eye of one of the great lizards of Mwangi. He rushes to the wounded men in Area C. Before he even gets close, he flings his arms out wide releasing a gout of magic, pure white entwined with green and blue. The wounded men (and anyone else within 30') feel cool waves and warm breezes against their skin as their wounds close
Edit: And seeing how little he was able to accomplish so far from his adopted home, he tries again. Putting more effort into the magic he cries out, "Shimye-Magalla, surely your wind, water, and life can reach even this place!"
As his companions rushed to heed the command of the woman, Hurom reined up cautiously. Fire is a weapon of the gnolls, he thought. Could this be a distraction? An attack? He scanned the horizon for a moment, keen eyes flitting about.
Perception roll
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, not hearing the sharp yips and barks of the gnollish tongue over the camp's uproar, Hurom slides off of his camel and runs to aid the man and woman struggling with the camp's animals. He knew from long experience that nothing can turn a camp's disorder into catastrophe faster than panicked beasts of burden...
Buffeted by the breeze, Alem smoothed his ruffled robes. Brushing himself off, his hand finds a card stuck to his chest. Examining it, he sees that the card is the Cyclone from a Harrow deck.
In amused confusion, he displays the card for Kaspar. "What do you make of this, Kaspar?" he asks with a smile. Kaspar shrieks and points at the great tree as it erupts into flame! Even from a good way off, Alem can feel the heat wash over him. Slipping the card into his robe, he awkwardly climbs down from his camel and rushes to the fire. Kaspar hisses as the heat singes his fur, scampering back to watch the events from the camel's hump. "Stand back!" Alem calls to the men trying to douse the fire. He begins gesturing, shaping arcane energies in his hands. As he mumbles an incantation, he reaches out toward the limbs of the tree, and the swirling energies discharge as a blast of frigid air howls toward the tree. Ice crystals form in its wake, only to be melted into water droplets by the waves of heat.
At present, it will take the six NPCs 10 rounds to quench the fire using the pail-by-pail method. I'm going to say that Alem's trick with the Ray of Frost reduced that further by one round. There are more buckets to be grabbed by the player characters, and each PC assisting in this manner reduces the number of rounds it takes to put out the fire by 1.
A DC 20 Strength check allows a character to carry the entire water barrel over to douse the fire, which puts it out in a single round. Although you think no one will greatly thank you for destroying their water supply.
It will take a DC: 26 Strength check to move the wagon out of harm's way. Each mercenary will do an Aid Another check to help move the wagon.
Mercenary #1 :
Mercenary #2 :
Mercenary #3 :
Mercenary #4 :
Granting you a +4 bonus to your check.
The old man looks up as the healing waves of energy wash over him. The man he was tending to eyes flutter open as he rolls onto his side and begins coughing great wracking coughs. The other person, who you now see is a woman, begins to breathe a little easier as some of her burns begin to heal although she is still unconscious. The old man looks up at you and smile gratefully "I was afraid I was going to lose her. I was woefully unprepared for this and didn't have enough healing draughts available for use." he extends his hand and says "I'm Zastoran, and you...?"
As you approach the pen you see a human man and woman scurrying around picking up various live stock and returning them to the pen. As of yet there are two pigs, two sheep, and a goat which must be rounded up and returned to the pen. It will require a DC:20 Handle Animal or Wild Empathy check to calm the remaining animals enough to get them back into the pen.
Hadrod Handle Animal check:
Hadrah Handle Animal check:
Darting to the water barrel, Kallit scoops up two of the buckets, plunges each into the barrel and then races headlong towards the fires, water sloshing and splashing from each of the buckets as he does so. When he reaches the fires, he throws the water wildly towards them, before scurrying back to refill his buckets.
Hurom jogged up to the pen. Several animals were on the loose, and a harried-looking man and woman ran about, unsuccessfully trying to corner panicked livestock.
If these were camels, I would not doubt my touch could still their fear. But livestock.... Hurom had not worked a farm in many years. He was more skilled with slaughtering and cooking such beasts than husbanding them. He lunged at one of the pigs, which squealed and wriggled away from his grasp.
Dusting himself off, he eyed the woman, struggling to pull the goat back into the pen. Let's get that one put away first. He ran to help...
With an acknowledging nod to the guardsmen, Ashad began to push with all his might. Through grinding teeth, he muttered a small prayer to his goddess as he gave it everything he had.
"Oh most radiant and thrice-blessed Saerene, share with me your unyielding strength..."
Rashid clasps the old man's hand almost without looking. "It was my pleasure to help, Zastoran. I am Rashid Ibn'Hazid. What were you unprepared for, Zastoran? I do not get the impression this was an accident."
Confident that the wounded will survive at least a while without further attention, Rashid scans the area around the camp for signs of further danger.
The searing heat takes its toll on Alem and he steps back for a brief reprieve from the heat rolling off the orange flames lapping at the tree. As the men throw more water on the fire, Alem again casts his spell, this time aiming at the steam above the tree.
I'm assuming concentration isn't required in the circumstances. Please correct me otherwise.
Once more, the frigid air gusts forth, condensing the steam back into water, falling back onto the flames with a loud hiss as it turns to steam again. "Keep it up," he shouts. "We shall defeat it yet!"
Ashad and the group of mercenaries attempt to push their wagon to safety but despite all their efforts are unable to push the wagon out of the rut it has made for itself.
Aid another rolls:
Only a +2 to your roll if you want to try again.
Zastoran shakes Rashid's hand before saying No, no I don't think that at all. It's just that we've been here for a week now and nothing untoward has happened. I let myself get lax and let my supply of healing potions get low and something like this happens out of the blue." He shakes his head in disbelief "Anyway, I thank you for your timely assistance."
Despite Hurom's best efforts the panicked animals continue to scurry around the campsite although thankfully they do not get in anyone's way.
Hadrah Handle Animal:
Hadrod Handle Animal:
"A moment, please." Rashid steps away briefly to retrieve his camel and Pateba. The lizard is well trained but he is uncomfortable leaving it alone unnecessarily in a strange place with all that is happening. "So what started these fires, then? This is a pretty terrible accident, if accident it was."
Hurom grabs at the goat, which bucks away from Hadrah and canters away.
"Sorry..." he mutters at her accusatory glare. He sees Rashid back at his camel, minding his strange lizard. "Priest! A hand here?" he shouts.
He turns to approach the other pig. Calm, friend...calm....
Having seen little in the way of magic while growing up on streets, Kallit briefly gapes at the energies swirling out from Alem, and their effect on the fires.
Jostled by the others fighting the fires, he snaps out of his brief reverie and returns to his efforts in putting out the fires through more mundane methods.
Rashid hurries over at Hurom's call. A little distance away he orders Pateba to stay and guard. Pateba's strange smell might just panic the animal's even more. Besides, he is hardly a sheepdog.
Rashid uses the butt of his spear and the commanding voice he uses for Pateba to try and gather the animals together.
Seeing the struggling mercenaries, Ashad does the only thing he can do. With a commanding shout he booms throughout the camp, "Help here! We need all the bodies we can muster!"
With that, he tries once again to lead the effort to move this thrice-damned wagon.
Now that the burning tree has been brought under control, Alem turns his attention toward the blazing wagon. Taking a deep breath, he quickly takes in the situation. Amid the din, he can make out the grunts and frustrated cries of the men. Through the smoke he sees that they are struggling to move another wagon away from the flames, but they are having little luck. Seeing that it is at risk for catching fire as well, he hurries to put out the wagon.
He shouts a word of warning to those near the burning wagon and once more his hands move in concert, tracing strange patterns, and the air shimmers and warps as the arcane energies begin to take shape. With a final invocation, Alem sends forth the freezing wind to abate the conflagration.
At Ashad's booming command everybody quickly looks to him but just as quickly continue what they were doing. The four warriors feeling the heat at their back dig in once more and shove with all their might.
Aid Another:
Giving you a +8 to your roll.
As Almah, Garavel, Kallit, and the others continue dumping bucket after bucket on the wagon Alem's arcane bolt causes a rime of frost to cover the wagon extinguishing most of the flames as it melts, leaving all but a few flickers of flame still visible.
Confirming critical damage (you only needed to hit AC:5):
While Hurom attempts to calm the livestock with a soothing voice and calm tone, the panicked animals pay him no heed. Rashid joins the husband and wife duo as he attempts to grab a small piglet as it races by to no avail as at the last second the little pig makes a break to the left avoiding the Cleric's diving grab. Meanwhile the two drovers manage to grab hold of an escaped animal apiece, a kid and a ewe respectively, before dumping them back in the pen and turning around to grab more.
Hadrah's Handle Animal:
Hadrod's Handle Animal:
Rashid growls in frustration. "This is ridiculous. I am a shaman of Shimye-Magalla, not a shepherd!" So saying, He thuds the butt of his spear into the earth and green light spreads in jagged lines from the point of impact. The grasses near him suddenly grow and wrap themselves around the feet of the animals and people.
As Hurom eyes his porcine adversary warily, lining up his next grab, a shoot of the clearing's sparse crab grass comes alive, rearing up attempting to wrap itself about his knees and ankles.
With a grunt, Hurom leaps free of the threatened area, standing clear while the entangling grasses twist about the panicked livestock.
Seeing the flames have been dealt with, Ashad considers stopping to see what might have caused all this madness. Then he noticed the mercenaries were still intent to move the wagon away from the final embers of the fire. While not completely convinced of the use, he put his aching shoulder against the wagon one last time, giving all of what strength remained in a final attempt.
"Heave fellows, HEAVE!"
The fires all but extinguished, Alem heaves a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow as he approaches the wagon to see what may yet remain inside.
Seeing Alem approach the wagon as the flames start to die, Kallit sets down his bucket and slips in behind the caster. He looks around to see whether or not their actions are being noted by anyone else.
There must be something valuable in the wagon to get that fancy lady down here slinging buckets with the grunts, he thinks to himself.
Ashad and the mercenaries finally manage to overcome the inertia of the wagon and begin to haul it away from the burning wagon. After moving it a short distance to safety, the warriors (two men and two women) clap Ashad on the back, congratulating him on helping them save their wagon.
Alem and Kallit step back as the rest of the firefighting team manages to extinguish the last of the flames. Looking over the wagon Alem determines that the remains of the wagon are a lost cause as all that remains is a burnt out hulk. Kallit meanwhile scans the camp in time to see the grass and scrub near the animal pen erupt with life.
You also notices a Human male lurking behind a corner of the wagon nearest the animal pen, watching the firefighting efforts. As you watch he limps off, with the use of a crutch, into the nearby tent.
Hadrah:
Hadrod:
Sow:
Piglet:
Lamb:
Hurom manages to nimbly dance out of the affected area, as does Hadrod, as the grass and scrub spring into action entwining themselves around everyone in the area. His wifes Hadrah's screams for help are mingled with the bleating and squealing of the entangled animals. Only the mother pig is able to dodge nimbly enough to avoid the grasping plants as she bolts into the clearing away from the grasping mass.
"There, you see? Problem solved. Except for the one pig. We will get it later. Woman, please stop your screaming. It is just grass. It will not hurt you and it will be gone in a minute."
Rashid walks away, checks on Pateba, and then goes to the men who had been fighting the fire or pulling the wagon to see if any require healing.
Hurom wades in to the entangling mess, pausing to gather up the squealing piglet.
Unable to pull the poor animal free, he kneels down with a sigh and waits for the grass to release, resting a calm but firm hand on the creature and prepares to return it to its pen.
Calling to Hadrod, he says "I've seen this magic before. Your wife will be free in a moment. Mind the lamb. The sow can wait...."
"What're you up to?" Kallit mumbles to himself under his breath. He watches the tent for a moment, then realizing the fire has sprung up again near the animal pens he shouts out, pointing in their direction, Fire! There's fire near the pens!
Kallit will wait for a moment while the others take heed of his words and scramble to put out the new fire. When the attention seems squarely on the fires, he'll attempt to slip towards the tent unnoticed and invistigate a little further on his own.
Rather ignorant of the goings on of the camp around him, Ashad turns cheerfully to the mercenaries as they clapped his back. Greeting them with a warm, if weary, smile Ashad nods. "Good job fellows. I'd honestly thought there for a moment, that infernal wagon was tethered directly to the ground!"
With a further smile, his attempts to shake hands with each warrior in turn, "Ashad al'Ahir. Well met."
Completely ignorant of the goings on of the camp around him, Ashad turned to the other mercenaries with a warm smile. For a moment there, I thought this infernal wagon was actually tethered to the ground!.
Extending his hand to the mercenaries in greeting, "Ashad al'Ahir. Well met."
A cursory examination of the wagon reveals that there's nothing worth salvaging from the charred remains of the wagon. Alem sighs and shakes his head. Slowly returning to Kaspar and his camel, he hears Kallit's warning and turns to see the fire near the pens. Something about the spontaneous eruption of flame near an otherwise untouched area gives Alem pause for thought, and he draws out the Harrow card from his sleeve. This is an ill omen, far more serious than mere coincidence. Alem closes his eyes, concentrating as he mumbles an incantation, his right hand tracing a pattern with his middle and index fingers.
With the crisis immediately passed, Almah summons Garavel to her and the pair make their way to Almah's pavilion. As they enter the red armored guards take up position around the tent to keep unwanted ears from approaching too close.
Despite the guards precaution a muffled exchange can be heard between the caravan leader and her caravan master. although the words cannot be made out, the testy tone of the conversation is unmistakable. A few short minutes later Garavel emerges from the tent, bowing low as he exits.
Looking around the campsite Garavel motions for the five of you to join him. As you gather around Garavel begins to explain "The wagon that was destroyed belonged to Mistress Almah's personal soothsayer, Eloais. He was inside the wagon when it burst into flames. He did not escape. As we were not here when the wagon erupted My Lady has asked me, and I am asking you, to investigate the circumstances of the fire. Take your time and talk to those present to find out what they know or may have seen. You have the Lady's permission to speak to anyone you want, herself included. If anyone refuses to speak to you inform me and I will inform Mistress Almah. When you have finished report back to me."
Hurom eyed his traveling companions. As a group, they had been relatively taciturn during the travel out to the Sultan's Claw, and in the brief interactions around each night's fire he had learned only a little about each. Perhaps tonight, after all this is settled, we can take each other's measure. I have a feeling this will be a long assignment...
He spoke up quickly, eager to be about a task more suitable to his skills, after his struggles catching animals. "I'll be about the wagon, then walking the perimeter. I have some skill with tracking..." And he set off before the others could respond....
"Hm. This is not something with which I have experience. With whom should we start? Has anyone with the caravan expressed any dislike or distrust towards the soothsayer?"
After hearing Garavel's words, and watching Hurom walk away from the group, Ashad could only frown. "Through my devotion to Saerene, I can sense the depravity of someone's heart. I suggest that we question everyone together, that I may use this gift unhindered."
With that, Ashad stands silently by the group awaiting their decision.
Alem steps forward, producing the Harrow card from his sleeve. "I found this card clinging to my robes at the beginning of the commotion," he says, displaying the card for all to see. "For those unfamiliar with the Harrow deck, this card is known as the Cyclone. It represents the unbridled forces of nature's fury, harnessed and sent by another to bring wanton destruction. Friends, you may think it nothing but mere superstition, but I fear that it is an ill omen."
The paladin eyes the card curiously for a long moment, searching the strange drawing on it's face. "Do you believe this has something to do with our current situation?"
"In the Expanse, we use other methods than a deck of cards but I will not dismiss the telling of fortunes by any method lightly. If the card suggests an evil hand at work, we must pay heed."
Kallit joins the others, listening to them speak, as he scans the camp to see if anyone is paying any particular attention to their group. As the others begin offering suggestions as to how to go about questioning the caravan followers he pipes up, "So let me get this straight, one of you's going to follow some scuffs in the dirt," he says motioning to the now departing Hurom. "And we have some magic cards and a divine gift." The sarcasm is heavy in his voice. Whaddya got jungle boy? Maybe some mystically rain stick? Have any of you ever though of just talking to some people? I saw a shifty looking cripple hanging around after the fire went out. Seemed up to no good, and I didn't need some god's blessing to tell me so. I think I might go have a chat with him."
Rashid thwacks Kallit lightly on the head with the shaft of his spear. "I'll mystical rain stick you," he says good naturedly, smiling broadly. "I will talk to this man with you, if you like. Pateba makes people want to tell the truth. Especially if he's eating while they talk."
Ashad sighs slightly at Kallit's comment. This would be a long task indeed. "Speak to whomever you like. And I will provide insight into things your eyes cannot precieve."
To Ashad, Alem nods his head. "I do feel that the appearance of the card was a portent of disaster, though much more I cannot say. If the fire was magical in nature, it is likely that most of the residual arcane energies have dissipated beyond my ability to sense, though I may be able to detect energy radiating from the person with the capability to cast such a spell. If anything, that person would likely have some magical devices that I could detect. The fire could just as easily be mundane as magical, though I doubt that the perpetrator will be able to avoid capture between the five of us. If he has fled, Hurom will find his tracks. If he yet remains, the four of us should be more than capable of uncovering the truth." Kaspar shrieks in agreement from his perch on Alem's shoulder and grabs the card from his hand, studying it carefully. His face contorting with displeasure, he stuffs it into the folds of Alem's turban with a few grunts for added measure.
Ignoring his familiar's antics, Alem turns to Kallit. "If you believe you have a likely suspect, it would be wise of us to begin our investigation at once. Where is this disreputable parapalegic you speak of?"
Kallit shoots Rashid a glare and steps out of reach from his spear, rubbing his head as he does so. He turns to Alem as he speaks, "Huh? You mean the guy with the crutches? I saw him lurking all nefarious-like around the animal pens when the fire was put out. He slipped into that tent over there after I spotted him. Kallit motions to the tent which he saw the man slip inside.
He looks back to Rashid somewhat warily, I suppose Chomper can come along Jungleman, he looks like he might be good for a little...intimidation if need be."
Glancing back and forth between the three as they bickered, Ashad could only smirk as Kallit finished. "I do not think intimidation will be nessacery my friend", he spoke as he passed Kallit, moving towards the crippled man's tent. "We should begin before our suspects have time to prepare a story."
As Hurom searches around the wagon for tracks he finds himself disappointed as the whole area has been trampled upon in the efforts to bring the fire under control. As he searches Garavel walks up and shouts at the mercenaries gathered near their wagon "Why don't you lot get the body out and take it over to Zastoran so he can look it over." He then points at Hurom "Since you seem so keen on looking around, why don'y try looking inside the wagon and tell me what you find, eh."
As you approach the tent by the animal pens a disheveled, unkempt looking man sits on a rock outside the tent sharpening a wicked looking scimitar, a wooden crutch leans against the tent nearby. He looks up from his work and runs a finger along the blade as you near "What'cha want from me?" he asks, hostility dripping from his words.