Ajaline finds no other entrance other than the front door, despite his thorough investigation of the house's exterior.
Erlathan isn't having particular success either.
What Ajaline does notice, as does Selethe, is that there is a number of footsteps leading from the door and, by the looks of it, suggests at least 4 people headed away in the same direction, and they must have walked in close proximity of one another.
Ajaline tries a feel at the door, and notices it's not locked, merely pulled to appear closed. Inside, there is no trace of either the priest nor the body of the late Venture Captain.
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Jula fumes as she fears that her worst suspicions have indeed been confirmed. Grumbling under her breath with obvious irritation, she hurls her pack to the ground, pulls out a torch, then flint and steel to light it.
Assuming she gets the torch lit without incident, she crouches low over the footprints outside the door and begins to seek for tracks to follow. She grabs up her backpack before she goes.
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"Well, there are no other entrances into this house. What kind of person builds a house without any windows? No elf would ever do this." He looks around inside the dwelling and comes back out. "Ok. The body is gone." He spots the footprints leaving the house and points them out to the others. "This is suspicious."
"Jula, it looks like the tracks are heading that way." Ajaline points along the trail.
With some combined effort, you follow the tracks through several alleys, until you hear the sound of a small swearing, after the sound of someone hitting something with a foot.
Coming around the corner, you are faced with a 10 feet wide alley, which widens further ahead into 15 feet. A wooden plank with something in the shape of a body, lies ahead. Near it stands a figure in robes, and another in rags, holding a lantern.
Stealth party.
Perception shady bunch
Despite effort, your approach had not gone unnoticed.
As you come closer, two figures in filthy wrappings take a swing at the frontliners from the side.
"You people. You don't know when to quit, do you.", says the man in the jackal mask.
==============
==============
Red takes another swing at Selethe.
, but utterly falls short to score a hit.
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Ajaline & Jula
Erlathan (go post ahead)
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Green
-------
Yanda
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Ben-Garri
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Selethe
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Blue
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At the sign of aggression Ajaline takes a quick step forward then lashes out with a long, green vine that streaks out from his hand. His Tanglevine is directed towards the wrapped figure on the left. He directs the vine around the figure's feet in order to trip him. Showing an impressive amount of dexterity, Ajaline uses his other hand to unsling his shortbow.
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Jula draws her greatsword, eager for the fight. "You'll pay for this treachery, Ben-Garri!" she snarls. "You dishonor a Pathfinder, and the Society will not let it stand!"
Although all her attention appears focused on the priest, Jula steps up to swing at the nearest leper in passing, hoping to cut him down in a single swing.
Ajaline grows a vine to trip green with, but going around both Jula and a sharp corner, proves too tricky to hit the leper.*
Jula takes a swing with her sword at the same target after that, but the sight of rotten flesh and boils might have been recoiling her.
Erlathan
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Green steps 5 feet to block the way, and swings his diseased fist at Jula.
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Yanda preps an action to make a bomb and toss it.
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Ben-Garri: "Pah, you sheep follow your superiors blindly."
He starts casting.
, he touches the shoulder of the other leper, whose muscles slightly bulge.
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Selethe
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Blue
Erlathan was busy casting magic missile against Ben-Garri, but he's hesitating, and refrains himself from the actual attack.
You feel can't attack Ben-Garri for another round.
Selethe whacks the leper over the head, and he falls down.
--------------
Blue now moves towards the vacant spot.
His pus and wart ridden fist hits her in the jaw.
================
Ajaline & Jula
Erlathan (can post ahead)
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Green
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Yanda
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Ben-Garri
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Selethe
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Blue
The effect was already active at round 1.
Green goes down as well, and Jula heads over to Ben-Garri.
However, blue takes a quick swing.
It misses her as she goes by, and now Ben-Garri is faced with an angry ranger.
Ajaline
Erlathan will MM blue, probably...
Yanda
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Ben-Garri
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Selethe
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Blue
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Same plan as list time. Yanda will be readying an action to bomb Ben-Garri if and when he takes a standard action. She will exclude any allies from the splash zone. Point blank and long range penalties apply. If he steps back she gets -1/-1. No precise shot so a -4 to the attack.
+1 freebooter's bane (assuming it is still active)
+1 point blank
-4 in combat
-2 range
+1 freebooter's bane (assuming it is still active)
+1 point blank
Ajaline tackles the leper, who lands on his backside with a short *OOF*
Erlathan then sends an arcane projectile into his chest, leaving him groaning angrily, but still conscious.
Yanda preps another bomb.
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Ben-Garri draws a kukri, and bombs away!
*Cue slow motion orb of destruction*....KA-FWOOSHHH
(-21), he then slices at Jula.
Jula ducks aside, and Ben-Garri slices through air.
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Selethe
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Blue (-4, prone)
Blue was feeling hurt before, but a morningstar to the head seals the deal, he's not going to be trouble anymore.
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Blue
====================
Ajaline & Jula
Erlathan
Yanda
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Ben-Garri (-21)
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Selethe
Ajaline doesn't manage to trip Ben-Garri, but Jula makes one of the most brutal moves that day.
She sweeps her foot against his, making him drop to a knee, back towards her. Her greatsword enters his back, and exits his chest.
Surprised at this turn of event, the sword goes up swiftly, splitting his torso in two upwards.
Combat over!!
---------------
Loot: Mwk kukri, heavy steel shield, an iron (un)holy symbol of Lamashtu, and a particularly fine quality ceremonial mask. To a right buyer, it should fetch some coin.
The body is otherwise unharmed, and Yanda removes the mask from Ben-Garri's corpse to examine it, turning it around, inspecting its details carefully.
Her eye is very keen, and notices some fine features in its carving.
A ceremonial mask, it doesn't though hamper freedom of speech, and can be seen through without blocking the corners of the eyes' sight.
Can i get a fort roll please.
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Jula takes grim satisfaction in wiping the blood off her blade by sweeping it across the ragged robes of the slain priest, though she seems to recoil slightly from the carved mask Yanda removes to inspect.
Upon discovering that Min-Katheer's body appears unharmed, aside from being dead of course, she allows herself a brief moment to revel in their victory. Then, the moment is over....
"We need to get Min-Katheer back to his house for the night," she states. "Then we're going to need to find a means for long-term transport before the caravan leaves tomorrow morning."
Jula looks to see how the priest and his men had carried the body this far. Stretcher, perhaps?
The plank was indeed intended as a makeshift stretcher, given two long thin poles had been tied to it at the bottom.
No loot is on the lepers, and (unless there's specific plans) the team heads to the inn for the night.
======================
The night is peaceful, and you awake rested.
When you have readied yourselves for the new day, you'll notice it getting busy, as a few armed men buy a few extra rations for the trip ahead.
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Erlathan stretches his arms out and bends his back after he awakens, not unlike a cat. "Ah, another day, another shred of regrowth..." He examines his bald head and sprouting hairs in the reflection of Yanda's chain shirt. "I suppose we should be off, but not without a tent. I dare not sleep in the middle of a desert without something to block out the sand... and heat. Ugh."
The funny thing is, you'd not notice your contracted illness' symptoms until many many weeks after.
Outside, you are greeted by a runner, who turns out to be an agent of the society.
"A number of camels has been procured for your travels, along with rations and waterskins in its bags. These are domesticated animals, unfit for fighting, though.
Be prepared for it to be jumpy if you try to fight on its back regardless."
He looks over his shoulder.
"And you might want to hurry up, the separate caravans are saddling up. The local lodge has made an agreement with one of them. The one in charge is a Qadiri noblewoman of the deep desert tribes, named Jamila al-Shafah. Can't miss her rather...striking, hehe, appearance.
You'll know her when you see her."
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One reason Jula's made her living as a sellsword is that she just doesn't have much of a mind for business -- not even the most mundane of purchases. Isn't that what a decent ship's quartermaster is for? So she leaves the gathering of supplies to the others, willingly contributing her coin to the task as needed.
Instead, her preparations involve securing her armor -- no longer worn -- to her chosen camel and trying to figure out how to befriend the huge ungainly beast.
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Ajaline approaches Erlathan while everyone is starting to get ready. "You think we need some of these antiplague vials? I guess I will get one."
Ajaline finishes collecting his gear and also takes the time to purchase two vials of antiplague. He also purchases a one man tent for the journey. After completing these purchases he joins back up with the group. "Ok. I'm ready to go. I think we need to head out soon."
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Erlathan will throw on his hot weather outfit. "Hah, armor. Who needs it when you've got magic on your side?"
Before departing, he will quaff a potion of mage armor and an antiplague. Finally, he'll hold his hands over Jula and weave a spell. "Hold still there, Miss. You'll probably need this in the sweltering desert environment."
He'll then clumsily hop on to a camel, hoping not to startle it with his .. appearance. "Now, now, beast of burden, you know what you were born to do, so onwards!"
After your purchases, you arrive at the square from where different caravans will depart.
Erlathan is higher up than he's ever been, and Jula tries to figure out what some body language of a camel means what. Being a domesticated animal, it obeys her basic commands though.
*Chattering*, *Sound of camels grunting*
A camel spits back water in the face of a stable-hand, who was trying to push it aside forcefully.
The runner wasn't kidding, up ahead among the many apparent caravan leaders, there is one strikingly beautiful woman. She airs confidence and elegance.
She is a dark-skinned beauty with henna-streaked hair and green eyes highlighted with kohl. She dresses in traditional desert rider garb, although the luxurious fabrics and cosmopolitan cuts display her wealth
and success as a trader of silks and precious stones of the desert.
While talking, she enters a caravanserai. Following her in when you get there, you find her seated at a table with a large Taldan man in battered but serviceable half-plate armor, a shorter Qadiri man in a city-dweller’s vest and fez, and an Osirian trader in white robes with an elaborate gem studded pectoral.