The sun shines down on the town square. People bustles hurriedly around, from shop to shop. Rumors are flying about all the bad stuff.
As the characters meet up at the fountain, Katelin walks up to you and says Good to see that someone is willing to do something to save our town.
Dot.
Sulan takes a long drink of water from the fountain. He then stands up straight and wipes his mouth with his sleeve. He looks around at those gathered. He then looks back at Katelin.
"You put up a lot a' money. Funny there ain't more people here, seein' how big the reward is."
"So... what exactly you want us to do?"
Well, these people are too scared. I figured the money would get them to think strait, but clearly I was wrong.
As of today, we are running uncomfortably low on food. The caravans that usually came to supply us are having trouble getting into the city because of that.
Naerah smiles as she gazes up at the blazing midday sun. She feels it's light heat her blood and quicken her heart. She takes a moment to simply enjoy the burning heat, and to exalt in the greatest fire that has ever, and will ever burn. Eventually she turns her orange-brown gaze down to the square; down to the stinging golden sand, the people who rush about, and the message calling for aid flown on high. She notes several of the people as they rush by who she has attended to before. A young boy whose broken leg she set, a mother who she nursed through a fever. I wish these townsfolk could take better care of themselves she thinks, but shakes her head - her braid moving side to side - to clear her head of these thoughts.
She finally lowers her gaze to the group that is supposed to be assembling her in defense of Desertsands. The half-orc stands out immediately, his enormous height making sure of that. One of the only people around here taller than me I'd warrant she notes. Her eyes - well trained with both fire and healing - easily spot the burn marks on his body. Naerah wonders if he is a magic user like herself, or if he simply had fire used against him in the past. Either way, she supposes that he will understand it's power.
Of course Katelin is a familiar face, it's difficult to live around here without getting to know her. Naerah nods as Katelin and the half-orc talk but before they continue she speaks in a bold, attention-grabbing tone:
"Come now" she says. We have all read the call for aid, there is no need to jump to specifics immediately. The sun is warm and there is no danger threatening for the moment, let us get to know each other". She pauses, surveying the group before saying "I am Naerah al Bashae, some of you may know me as the town's healer, but I will have you know that I know far greater applications for magic than base medicine."
She smiles after saying this, and looks around, waiting to see who next will introduce themselves, somewhat hoping that someone will ask what other powers she has.
Anton, somehow managing to loiter without *looking* like he's loitering, just appears the concerned citizen until Katelin arrives. "Ah you know me, gov. My business is suffer'n almost as much as our stomach's are. Figured that lending a hand here would make sure that we all can get back to business."
He glances at Naerah and chuckles. "Aye, nice to see you again." he says amusedly. "For the rest of you, I'm Anton. I run a pawn shop here... well, I used to. Had to shut her down since I ran out money. Everyone'd sold me their valuables to buy food and now no one's coming to buy anything."
"Sulan," the half-orc grunts. "I'm Sulan."
He hefts his large axe and holds it in two hands, looking at it.
"If there's a fight, I can use this," he says. "But I also know the magic of beasts and giants."
"I grew up in the high desert," he continues. "But my tribe... held no more interest to me. So I set off on my own to find my totem. Perhaps I will find it here."
"Sun's been pretty hot today, isn't it?" Anton says to Sulan with a wink and a grin.
"Do not indulge Naerah's leading questions," Khazima mutters, removing her spectacles and polishing them on a soft white scarf. The loops and strings of beads wrapped around her wrists click softly as she does so, sending scattered reflections of blue and green across the cloth. "She wants to tell you all about how she wields the great destructive power of Nethys, the desert heat, and many more such brutish things." From her tone and the slight wrinkling of her nose, it's apparent she's unimpressed with such things, the heavy tome peeking out of her satchel offering some insight as to why. "Oh, I'm Khazima." She looks around at the others for some sign of recognition, hopefully adding, "The glass-blower?" After a moment of awkward silence, she sighs, adjusting the hood that sits over her limp, dark hair, and says, "Well, no matter. Do you have any idea what we could be doing to help?"
"Sun's been pretty hot today, isn't it?" Anton says to Sulan with a wink and a grin.
The half-orc looks down at the halfling and blinks. For a moment he is not sure what the halfling is getting at.
Then he shrugs. "As hot as any other. If you wish to live out here you must learn to endure. Or hide in a hole until nightfall."
"Oh, I'm Khazima." She looks around at the others for some sign of recognition, hopefully adding, "The glass-blower?"
Sulan snorts.
"Glass blower, eh? I can see how that trade would prepare you for a grand quest."
He looks back at Anton. "Do you think that is more valuable or less than a pawnbroker? I am not sure. Are there many battles in your pawnshop?"
We're missing Ael, although he posted in the recruitment thread yesterday, after I revealed the players, that he was excited to play this campaign. Maybe he's just biding his time.
Ael approaches nonchalantly, whistling an old song he learned in one village or another...
"Oh... It seems I was the last one to arrive." he exclaims. " I guess that makes me the grand finale!" the half-elf jokes.
"So who would you be? The fisherman? Har har harr," the half-orc chuckles.
He points at the half-elf's Fauchard. "Can you use that at least?"
"Would you like to find out?" replies Ael, with a sly smile on his face as he grips his weapon.
Despite his bantering, the half-elf has no real intention of starting a fight... So he turns to Katelin and speaks:
"Greetings, governor. I'm Ael Sunspear. Travelling emissary and scholar." he says, politely. "It's been a while since I've last stayed in this brave city, but I was always treated kindly and fairly... So it's fitting that I help its people in their time of need. As such, I'm here to offer my aid."
"Would you like to find out?" replies Ael, with a sly smile on his face as he grips his weapon.
"HAH!" the half-orc gives a big belly laugh. "Finally someone with balls!"
"Greetings Anton" Naerah says cautiously, she has never trusted the short, crafty man, though she knows that he is clever.
"And greetings to you Khazima. I am glad you remember my mastery of fire" she adds, narrowing her eyes. She considers ribbing her long time rival but decides against it. Their feud is between themselves, and no one else here would be likely to understand the nuances of their magical philosophy.
"Simmer down you two" she says, looking at Ael and Sulan. I am glad that you two get along, but remember that violence is only useful when directed. Then she turns her eyes back to Katelin and says "Yes Katelin, you have called us here, so tell us what you would have us do."
"Technically... A spear directed at his heart is still directed." Ael laughs. "In any case... I'm here to help."
Katelin looks a little less exasperated. With that out of the way,
can we forget our feuds and save this city? Food supplies are running low because the darn bandits on our gates. My scribes estimate we only have days left.
"Technically... A spear directed at his heart is still directed." Ael laughs. "In any case... I'm here to help."
"Yeah!" the half-orc agrees heartily. "And besides, who says violence has to be 'useful?' Singing isn't useful. Jewelry isn't useful. Bowing and curtsying isn't useful. People do useless stuff all the time!"
Katelin looks a little less exasperated. With that out of the way,
can we forget our feuds and save this city? Food supplies are running low because the darn bandits on our gates. My scribes estimate we only have days left.
"Yeah, yeah," Sulan says resignedly. "So what do you want us to do, steal the food back from the bandits? How much food we talkin' about here? Or are we just supposed to kill them all? There's a lot of bandits out there."
Katelin looks slightly appalled as Sulan describes slaughtering the bandits. Just... do whatever you can to get us our steady food source. While you're doing that, I will set up an emergency headquarters for our operation in that building. she points to the top floor of a nearby inn if the rumors are true about the Sandfort, then the city is not safe. Meet me there when you are done.
"Do you think the bandits have taken over the Sandfort and are using it as a base?"
Sulan looks around at the others.
"I don't know anything about this fort, but it has the one advantage that it's not very far if we want to check it out."
"Any suggestion about how we should start?"
As if on que , a messenger runs into the square. Bandits! He yells between hard breaths. North Gate!
Everyone in the square turns and looks at you. Well? Katelin asks, What are you waiting for! I'll be in the HQ. And with that, she points towards the North Gate.
"Sarenrae provides..." smiles Ael. "What are you guys waiting for? We have evil-doers to stop and innocents to protect!"
Ael grips his fauchards with enthusiasm and rushes through the door and towards the north gate.
Sulan rolls his eyes. "Is the gate unguarded?"
Sulan splashes himself once more from the fountain before turning and heading for the gate at a run.
Anton watched the exchange with some amusement, already disappearing into the social backdrop. When bandits attacked the gate, he will follow, hanging to one side where he can more easily find cover to hide behind.
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Flustered and frustrated, Khazima struggles to think of a retort to Sulan, but finds none. She fiddles with an earring, then polishes her spectacles again as the others speak, turning her brainpower to questions for Katelin. When the guard comes running from the gate, she gasps, caught mostly unprepared; she hadn't even cast her protective spell yet! But the others were already going, and she couldn't appear the coward in front of Naerah. So, with a whispering of robes and a clicking of beads, she follows.
Naerah nods along with the debates and questions. She chuckles at Aels comment about direction, she has always liked a sense of humour. The rest seem to have the questioning under control so she spends her time looking around at her companions.
I hope they are strong she thinks. She knows that Khazima can hold her own despite being entirely wrong-minded about how magic should be used. The half orc certainly looks strong, but she hopes he has the wits to back up his muscles. She's always suspected that Anton has posses some hidden skills, but she does not know how useful they will be in a fight, and the half-elf she knows next to nothing about at all.
She is about to complain about this process taking too long when the cry comes up from the messenger.
About time! she declares as she turns to run toward the gate. Nethys bless me in destroying my foes! As she runs she draws both her heavy wooden shield and her scimitar which she always keeps honed to a razors edge. The sun glints off of it's polished blade, and it almost glows in the desert heat. She grins as she runs. A chance to fight, to use fire, to show up Khazmia!
What a lovely day! she thinks.
You can find the battle map on the second half of my tagline. You are the colored dots on the bottom of the screen. Go with first letter of first name. Anton Vale is V, Ael is grey A.
The bandits are B, the gaurds are G.
The city wall is the red rectangle.
The stairs up to the top are the blue rectangle.
The gate (black line) is open, and 4 guards are holding a defensive position just through it.
Two guards armed with bows are standing on the wall.
Can I get everyone to roll initiative?
Sorry about that guys. My schedule went all wonky and I was not able to finish the battle map. I should have that out by tonight. Oh wait! It is tonight! Should have it out by late night. Plan on 8pm Pacific Standard Time (I used to use EST, but with Paizo based in Seattle I feel like PST is a little more relevant.)
Uploading the new map to my profile really soon. I rolled initiative for those who had not rolled yet.
With a whisper of boots on the sand and a clicking of beads, Khazima rushes forward, skidding to a halt just behind Sulan and Naerah. She raises her hands to the sun before twisting them in an elegant series of motions, and the air in front of two of the bandits seems to distort. Within a second, a flurry of feathers appears, unfolding wings against the sun as a mighty desert raptor appears, tearing into the men with a piercing shriek.
You can find the battle map on the second half of my tagline. You are the colored dots on the bottom of the screen. Go with first letter of first name. Anton Vale is V, Ael is grey A.
The bandits are B, the gaurds are G.
The city wall is the red rectangle.
The stairs up to the top are the blue rectangle.
The gate (black line) is open, and 4 guards are holding a defensive position just through it.
Two guards armed with bows are standing on the wall.
Can I get everyone to roll initiative?
@Sulan That was an old version, I made edits - they involved removing the gaurds from this battle. The gaurds are off dealing with something else that we will get to later.
@Anton Adjusted Initiative order
@Khazima noted. The orange bandit takes 3 damage from the bite; the other two attacks miss.
Purple Bandit runs up to the open gate.
Ael is up.
The gate is open, meaning that you can move through it and shoot through it, etc. You can also shoot from the top of the wall.
@Sulan That was an old version, I made edits - they involved removing the gaurds from this battle. The gaurds are off dealing with something else that we will get to later.
Ael moves and attacks the nearest bandit.
"Oops... I might have hit him too hard..." exclaims Ael, before looking at the other bandits. Hopefully, you'll learn from his misfortune and surrender before the same happens to you." he adds, speaking with genuine concern for their well-being.
The bandit drops easily.
The orange bandit attacks the eagle with his rapier. He barely manages to hit the feathers, however deals a good 5 damage.
Blue bandit runs towards the gate.
Naerah is up.
Sulan rushes towards the bandit, axe cutting a wide arc through the air.
"Hah! Who else wants some?!"
Naerah scoffs as Khazima uses what she calls magic. Oh the eagle seemed to do it's job alright, but having another being deal your damage for you is hardly the same thing at all. She is more impressed at Ael's powerful attack, but finds herself scoffing again at the concern in his voice. She steps forward and breaths deeply of the scorching air.
"Don't surrender yet" Naerah growls, "The sun is still high"
As she says this she draws heat from the core of her being and the burning sun above, launching it at a bandit with a sharp, dismissive motion like a back-handed slap.
Naerah grins feeling the power of her destructive magic.
The bandit jumps to the side, but the fire singes his side. He grunts at the pain.
The red bandit runs towards Ael, swinging his rapier. His attack falls just short.
Anton Vale is up, then Sulan, the Khazima, and then Ael again.