Azulth bursts out laughing again, wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. "Oh... oh, wow..."
Antonius, you would need to grapple the goat before it bolts. Touch attack and CMB check.
It looks pretty hurt, from all the cactus needles in its hide.
Touch Attack
Grapple
Antonius has secured the goat in his arms.
The evil looking mangy bipedal small creature is not dead. At least you don't think. No not dead. The aura is not as prevalent, but you can all still feel it.
As you pick up the disgusting thing you can feel some strange shapes in its rags. With a quick search you find 10 arrows, a dozen singed harrow cards, a few gems and three copper pieces.
Arasmes easily climbs out of the gap with the cacti at the base of it.
Back at the Sultan’s Claw, Almah awaits word from the your group. Bringing back the corpse of the pugwampi Almah thanks you for proof of these little threats.
Under no circumstances does Almah allow a living pugwampi to survive in her camp. After studying such a creature for a few minutes, she orders Garavel to put it out of its misery.
Dashki lays claim to the pugwampi corpse and fashions a tiny noose for it to hang from the end of his staff.
Almah muses that there must be more of the creatures living nearby, and comments that the Sultan’s Claw is obviously too exposed a location. She knows that a monastery to Sarenrae stood near the village of Kelmarane, and that the ruined building would make a much better base of operations for the coming battle for the gnoll-held village—yet chances are good that the monastery is far from abandoned.
Almah is open to discussing the terms of the PC's employment. She offers them 400 gp each, a wand of lessor vigor with 15 charges, and a wand of cure light wounds 10 charges to help them on their mission. Also the camp will be at their disposal to assist them in any manner. The caravan will even take the loot and take it to sell in friendly cities.
For finding the true cause of the fire, the pugwampi, you all gain 150 xp. Almah is friendly to you all.
For finding and retrieving the goat, you all gain 100 xp.
The Camel drivers are friendly to you all.
About a mile from the Sultan’s Claw stands the abandoned Monastery of St. Vardishal, a forlorn edifice once holy to the faith of Sarenrae, goddess of redemption and the sun.
In the 2 decades since a mad cult from Kelmarane invaded and put its monks to death, the place has stood as an empty ruin, a reminder of a brief era in which civilization tamed the Uwaga Highlands.
Your group's mission is to find the monastery, explore every room of the place and rid it of the fell creatures that currently call it home.
Alton will try to ask if he can interrogate the beast before they kill it, but if not allowed will accept if they don't allow it.
They are fine with you interrogating it... Almah just wants it gone. Garavel will escort you outside of the camp to observe and finish it off if no one else is willing.
Alton binds the creature's arms an legs thoroughly together then wakes it with a casting of cure light, and a statement of "good morning, welcome to the land of the living, I have a few simple questions for you, they can be answered easily, or I can give you a rolling death experience the likes of which would haunt your nightmares for the rest of your life Alton repeats his statement in under common, celestial, sylvan and infernal first what language do you prefer I speek, second what is your name "
The little thing giggles and speaks in gnoll.
Dashki interprets... "It wants that, it thinks it will be... 'fun'. Its name is Daagle."
Alton curses in his head he is capable I understanding me then, yes? Very well then please ask it which language I had spoken it is most familiar with I speak not the barking tongue it possesses, perhaps I should learn it hmm.. A thought for another day
If the others are willing, I will work for the safety of this camp. he says with a slightly worried glance at the horizon...
"Thank you, lady Almah, for your generosity in helping us, but might I request... yes, I'm getting there.... hehe, no, that's a bit much... Ahem. Might I request that my confederates and I receive slightly higher payment, perhaps 500 gold apiece? This will allow us to purchase goods from the caravan, from Kelmarane once it's free, purchase goods to allow us to fight threats more easily... protect your beauty. Er. Your beautiful image. For the city." He gives a little grin.
After that, Azulth wanders around the camp, wondering if there's anything worth buying.
Arasmes allows the silver-tongued Azulth to do the talking. Arasmes was often a bit forthright for people's tastes.
Arasmes will look at the harrow cards that the little pugwampi had, to see if any pattern can be drawn from what cards it had, what cards it was missing, etc.
Azulth stops by Arasmes as he exits the tent, looking over his shoulder. "What've you got there, more of those cards? Neat-o."
Dashki says, "It seems to understand some common, though nothing else."
__________________
Almah agrees to Azulth's proposal and suggestions. She offers the wands to the group and will get you your gold once the mission is accomplished.
Arasmes looks at the cards and does not make much use of them. The thing was stripped of its possessions either by the group or Garavel, either way you have the loot now.
"very well, next question, what was the purpose of your attack"
Azulth shrugs at the cards and pulls out the wands. "Not sure what this one is, but here's another healstick. You want it? I've already got one, you see." He snickers after a moment and holds the wands out.
"Couldn't hurt."
Dashki responds to Alton on behalf of the giggling fool, "For fun." He sneers at the little creature.
Alton frowns, are there more of you, if so where,
he puts on a pair of silk gloves, to an observant eye there is a glint of metal in them, these gloves clearly have a purpose
"All over, but a good bunch are nearby in the ruins, under the rock ledges, and the... The... Death skull." Dashki says visibly shaken.
why did you take the cards
"He thinks they were pretty or colorful, colorful would be a better word, no real word in gnoll is pretty or beautiful." Dashki relay and comments on the language as he scrunches up his nose in understanding and a bit of confusion.
hmm fair enough, we are nearing the end of this interrogation, he seems to possess little, useful information, just as soon as you give me more detailed directions to the ledges you speak of and the ruins and the Death Skull, what is the Death Skull
Antonius retreats into his tent, before dawn touches the horizon... fearing the light of the sun....
"Its directions are spotty at best. They wander more than anything. The Death Skull is a temple to an evil diety about 4 miles to the East. The closest ruins would be the ruins of the monastery about a mile to the North West. And the ledges.. hmmm... could be to the North." Daskit theorizes and extrapolates from what he hears.
_______________________________
Soon enough the night wanes and the day begins to come forth. Most everyone is doing chores and getting ready for bed, most of the mercenaries are taking naps right now.
very well, it cooperated, and as such it will not be tortured to death, but will be given an honorable death he pulls out his katana, and cuts the head of the creature
he then turns to the interpreter and cleans off his weapon on a cloth from his pocket now then, should we continue on to our destination and take care to avoid these places or clear them out of these locations, what do you think
Dashki looks at the elf with a smirk, almost an unspoken thanks, "It would be good to end their miserable existances but they multiply like rats. If you are going to stay in a location to make sure they don't grow there that would make most sense, so, to our destination. If you will have me I can accompany you."
I would be glad to have your help, well then shall we return to the camp and tell the others what we have learned, such as it is
Dashki nods to Alton, collecting the body of the pugwampi.
Alton you may post what information you gathered or it will be assumed you told them on the way to the temple.
Do you wish to shop for any items?
Almah tells you about the monastery:
In the 2 decades since a mad cult from Kelmarane invaded and put its monks to death, the place has stood as an empty ruin, a reminder of a brief era in which civilization tamed the Uwaga Highlands.
Your group's mission is to find the monastery, explore every room of the place and rid it of the fell creatures that currently call it home.
As you travel with the new night and the moon greeting you:
About a mile from the Sultan’s Claw stands the abandoned Monastery of St. Vardishal, a forlorn edifice once holy to the faith of Sarenrae, goddess of redemption and the sun.
Alton tells the others what he has learned, and complains of the stupidity of the creatures.
"Yeah, no kidding. Dumb enough to kill itself. All I had to do was cut its bow in half." Azulth laughs, remembering how easy the fight was.
"Yes it should be interesting to see how they live before we exterminate them. Shall we get this over with?" Jellisa offers.
Arasmes dismounts the camel and awaits the others who are more stealth-minded.
Alton also dismounts and nods to Arasmes pulling out his weapon.
Azulth creeps up to the nearest entrance, moving just slower than normal, his footsteps silent, his form crouched, his shortbow in hand.
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Scrub brush and a light, patchy carpet of weeds invade the monastery through two huge fallen sections of the western wall. The exposed nave beyond is a huge hallway littered with bits of debris ranging from tiny rocks to enormous sections of collapsed masonry. Most of the roof above the long promenade is gone, but several jagged pillars remain.
"Do you want me to stay with the horses for now?" She asks Alton, though you can tell the question was for anyone that would answer it.
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horrified.
A crude stone stele that seems to have been erected more recently than the abandonment of the monastery stands here as well. Its graven inscription reads: “A ghost of unholy mien was purged from this place by Theodephus Estrovan, servant of Aroden, 4691 ar.”
A short set of wide ceremonial steps leads down to a cavernous chapel in which the congregants would gather for sermons in happier times. The vibrant orange and red starburst of Sarenrae still stands behind a film of rusted rainwater and dirt along the north wall overlooking the collapsed altar. Between the stairs and the altar stand dozens of old marble benches, many overturned and even more broken into two or more pieces. A wide walkway bisects the pews, leading directly to the raised altar. Here and there a few clumps of the original red carpet along this thoroughfare hang on against rot and neglect.
Above the center of the chapel, dangling about ten feet from the floor, hangs a cluster of gnoll skulls in various stages of decay. Strung together like a ghoulish candelabra of twine and bone, the boulder-sized ornament hangs from the wooden rafters about twenty feet above the ground.
Antonius walks cautiously up to the front door....
he puts his hand inside carefully... ready to jump back if some holy effect takes place.
"You never know what traps could possibly be on old places like this
"Do you want me to stay with the horses for now?" She asks Alton, though you can tell the question was for anyone that would answer it.
"that would probably be for the best for someone to watch them, if you feel you should, then by all means do so"when he gets to the statue "hmm this appears to be one of Sarenrae's saints, but for the life of me I can not remember which one"
Arasmes moves up to get the info on the situation from Azulth
(When applicable)
Azulth you don't see any movement and you don't think you were seen.
"Looks abandoned, Razzy. There's some statue of a beardy guy near the Pale Mountain, you know that place? Creepy as Hells... I'm gonna check it out." Azulth slips inside, moving through the ruined room and the chapel, being very careful not to step on squeaky floorboards, and keeping an eye open for any movement."[/b]
Antonius uses his strong fingers to grip the rock, scaling the stone with barely a sound (spider climb) to cover the his ally's entrance.
He disappears up into the rafters like a squirrel up a tree. watching everything with the slight feeling that he will all of a sudden die unexpectedly...Again.