Noticing the smoke at the same time Trathling did, and having found him in the dark, Felitica followed him closely as the dark man made his way towards the cavern the smoke came from. While he peered around the corner Felitcia kept watch behind him for anything that might be hiding in the cave and seaking up on them from behind.
Hektor follows the scouts, weapon and shield at the ready.
The party finds no monsters, no fiends, no ghouls, not a soul, living or undead, of any kind in the caverns. Instead, they find two additional chambers.
There are large beds of straw here as well as the dismembered remains and bones of dozens of corpses, both human and animal. Spoor on the floor suggests this was once home to the giant (giant) scorpion. Buried among the remains, Hektor finds a tattered cloth bag which contains a ceramic jar of the sort used by the apothecary. Inside are five healing pills (each is the equivalent of a cure light wounds potion) as well as 120 dinars.
This cavern is the source of the smoke and the cause becomes evident quickly. Once this was obviously someone's quarters. The burning remains of a bed, a workbench, chests, and various other furnishings can be made out through the smoke... which is multiple colors, suggesting the items burning aren't just wood. Already, the fire is beginning to die out fuel is consumed and the flames find no purchase in the rock.
Again, Hektor's eyes prove sharp as he pushes aside the smoldering remains of the goosedown mattress and finds a wand seemingly carved from ivory and adorned with arrows, each painted a different color.
Felitica, meanwhile, explores the remnants of the workbench. Whomever lived in this case was certainly an expert in some arcane art or another. An alchemist, perhaps, or a wizard. She discovers a fragment of paper upon which is written a number of symbols she doesn't recognize as well as a metal box. Inside the metal box are cuttings from the same mushroom which seemed to have infected the giant scorpion.
"It looks like the creature preyed on a number of unfortunate travelers." Rhiastra says solemnly
"How can you tell anything in this mess", questions the silmarian male. "Any evidence pointing to the mastermind is destroyed."
Jenrick begins to look around the destroyed room for any signs of an exit from the would-be arsonist.
Trathing will take the time to walk the caverns one more time with detect magic cast.
So... we seem to have tracked the beast to it's layer and have evidence to tell us about whom ever was controlling the creature.
Trathing indicates the destroyed Apothecary, and magical equipment, the fungal clippings as well as the scrolls with the strange markings.
At least we can report the passing of the scorpion and have some clues to ask the experts back in town about. I only wish we had found evidence of where the scorpions controller went.
The half-fae kicks a small pile of burnt feathers from the goose down mattress sending the chard pieces of down in all directions.
So do we spend the night here and head back at sun up?
Jenrick pointed out the discovery of the ruined scroll rack to the others.
So do we spend the night here and head back at sun up?
"Good question", spoke Jenrick. "It will be a cooler journey, but we might run into night predators." Shrugging, the silmarian continues, "I bow to the decision of the group."
Rhiastra considers what she knows of the desert environment and the area in general, considering the benefits of travelling during cooler hours versus the hazards the would face both nocturnally and diurnally.
After exploring the cavern Felitcia was about to give up on finding anything of use until she stumbled on the mushrooms. Carefully she gathered them into a pouch and then returned to the others as she said, "I found more of those mushrooms over there." She pointed behind her to the table, "There wasn't anything else useful but I did gather the things up for the apothecary, maybe she can tell us more about them and I'd but she will pay well for such a rare ingredient."
As the discussion turned to their immenent return to the city Felitcia considered things and then said, "I think traveling in the morning around dawn and stopping before noon to raise tents through midday if needed would be best, we avoid the worst of the sun that way."
"Yes, that would be the best course of action. Additionally, the cold at night in the dessert would actually be harmful, few of us are prepared to be exposed to it, the darkness is filled with hazards, and most importantly ghouls roam the sands at night." Rhiastra says solemnly. "If we start at dawn we should make it back before noon, beating the worst of the sun."
"Sounds like a good plan to me. An early morning stroll through the sands, a bit of a snooze in the bigtime heat, then off to town for profit, dinner and wine! What more could a person ask for?"
Hektor begins removing his armor and setting up his bed roll in the chamber.
Jenrick takes one final search of the cavern chambers to make sure they look secure. Returning to the party, the silmarian states, "I'll take first watch." Jenrick then sets himself up at the mouth of the cavern.
When Trathing is finished looking over the tunnels he makes sure to mention to his allies what he has found.
There is evidence of someone teleporting away from here. Who ever we are dealing with has a fairly strong command of the magical arts.
"Grand idea, Jenrick. I'll kip for now, wake me when its my turn."
Hektor settles in to sack out, asleep in moments with the skill of a lifelong soldier.
Settling in, Rhiastra takes out her trail rations. "I'll take the last watch. If they person responsible for this can in fact command such magic, there's probably a lot more going on that what we've seen so far."
Nodding to both the nova roman and the centaur, Jenrick focuses his ioun torch out the cavern entrance and into the darkening desert landscape.
"Actually, I think it would be better to take first watch as well. That way I can rest straight through and better focus to replenish my magic tomorrow." Rhiastra says after a few moments. Leaving the majority of her gear with the others, she moves to the cave entrance to join Jenrick.
"If you're sure..", questions Jenrick. The silmaran moves over to make more room for the centaur.
"Unless you'd rather the time to yourself." Rhiastra asks.
"No, it's not that. I just know that you divine casters need adequate time to pray for your spells. I just want to make sure you have that time to pray", nods Jenrick.
"For me it is a little different, but Kajika and I commune with the natural world, usually at the beginning of the day, so waking at the end of the third watch would be fine." Rhiastra says with a smile. "You seem rather familiar with the ways of divine magic for a warrior."
Jenrick smiled. "You and Trathing are not the first divine spellcasters I've met, but most of that have been clerics, and one paladin of Athena."
Looking to the fading plant-like hoof prints Rhiastra leaves in her wake. "I've met a couple adherents of Demeter, but none seem to have a strong connect to the natural world as you do."
"Rather than a formal cleric or adherent, my connection to the natural world, while divinely drawn is a bit more....natural, less structured you could say." Rhiastra explains. "While I do venerate Demeter, and Atremis as well, much of my power is drawn from Gaia herself. I suppose that would account for the strength of my connection."
"So, are you able to commune with Gaia? How is she doing?"
"She perseveres. Our lives are like fleeting moments, but the natural world will always continue. Cities crumble, overgrown by plants, fall victim to erosion by wind and rain, eventually inhabited by animals. The natural world has a habit of finding the harmony, even when we go out of our way to disrupt it." she says quietly, her eyes alight with the passion of her convictions.
"Back when we fought the scorpion, how did you manage to overcome the poison the way you did, there was a kind of raw power there."
Jenrick smiled, not a smile of joy, but of resignation.
No more dodging the issue, I suppose. I imagine if there's anyone who would believe me, it's her.
"You are very, very perceptive, Rhiastra", spoke Jenrick with a chagrin. "What I'm about to tell you, using elicits one of two reactions: I'm either chased out of town for being a heretic, or people swamp me with favors to ask the Gods."
The silmarian sighed, and continued. "The reason I was able to shake off the poison, the reason I don't make tracks in the sand, the reason I'm a lot healthier than I should be, is because my mother was a mortal woman, and my father sits upon his throne on Mt. Olympus as King of the Gods. I'm the son of Zeus."
Rhiastra is silent for a few moments, amber eyes studying the man...no...demigod before her. "In that case I'm just a little more honored to be working alongside you than I already was." she says with a warm, genuine smile.
"So a future legendary demigod is it? Before the tales and pomp." she continues with a grin, a bit of playfulness in her tone.
Jenrick laughed, more out of relief than anything.
"Yes, the muses will chronicle these years as "the time before the legends, where he met the centaur hero, Rhiastra, in the mouth of a giant scorpion's nest".
Trathing listens to the conversation between Rhiastra and Jenrick, but not wanting to have anyone ask him about his own story he feigns sleep.
Felitcia nodded in agreement with the plan to travel in the morning and as watches were divvied up said, "Wake me for the middle watch, I see far better than the rest of you in the darkness," she looked to Trathling, "except for maybe you." With that she ate a light supper and then curled up in her bedroll and listened a short time to Rhiastra and Jenrick's stories before drifting off into a deep sleep until her turn to watch came.
Hoping to steer the conversation away from himself, Jenrick asked the centaur, "So, Rhiastra, how was life on your island home? Did you live with other centaurs?"
"Yes though not a very large tribe. While many of my kind live among others in cities, those I grew up among have chosen to maintain a closer connection to the natural world." Rhiastra responds.
The silmarian thinks, then asks, "Meet any interesting creatures, like nymphs or satyrs, out in the wild?"
At his question, the centaur smiles fondly. ”Yes actually. I have known quite a few of the fey, and been especially close with a dryad I met when two worthless wretches tried to take advantage of her and cut down her tree out of spite. Evvie.”
"Well, I hope they felt the Wraith of Nemesis", said Jenrick with a grim finality.
"That they did." Rhiastra replies with a soft chuckle.
"It's a real shame we didn't find the proclaimation..or the mastermind", chagrined the godling. "I guess, for now, we have stopped the immediate threat to Rasier. That has to count for something."
Morning arrives and the sun wavers and shines as it rises above the Shaperian desert. The giant (giant!) scorpion has been vanquished but it is clear it was under someone's control. The Sultan's proclamation was not found.
Following the cliffs, the party reaches the gates of Rasier with little trouble. Stopping briefly to quench their first from the cool, fresh waters of the central fountain they continue on until they reach the Adventurer's Guild where Nawar awaits.
"My heroes have returned!" Nawar says. She is wearing no less cloth than she did yesterday but, somehow, her outfit seems even more revealing. "In triumph, I hope. I blush with excitement knowing what dangers you may have faced."
The beast has been found and defeated. It will cause no more problems. We followed its tracks back to its den and found evidence Ithat there was someone controlling the creature. Whoever it was seemed to flee at our arrival . They left some evidence as to who they were... The proclamation, unfortunately, has not yet been recovered.
Rhiastra nods, casting a sidelong glance atwhile Felicita, whom she wassure would be receiving quite a bit of......adulation...from Nawar based onfor their earlier interaction.
Having helped Hektor transport the giant stinger back to Rasier, Jenrick helps set the stinger outside the Adventurer's Guild, and guards it while the others talk with Nawar.
Relieved at their safe return to the town Felitcia enjoyed the cool water before returning to their employer. Once she entered the building the woman reached up and touched her sleeves causing her outfit to ripple and change. The black cloth that had once covered her whole body turned to a dark purple sheer silk skirt that reached her calves and had not material on the sides all the way up to where it attached to a gold chain about her waist. The material was just thick enough around her hips to hide what lie beneath. He chest was covered with similar purple silk that wrapped around her breasts, cupping and lifting them, before crossing behind her back and coming up over her shoulders to wrap around her neck. She had a purple veil that covered her lower face starting just below her nose that attached to a fine golden chain that wrapped around her head and over her ears. Her boots disappeared entirely leaving her feet bare. As they reported to the guild mistress Felitcia sat on the floor across from her and added to Trathling's report, "We did recover a mushroom that was on the scorpion's body that may have been used to control it. There were other samples in the cavern where it had it's lair. We brought them back to take to the alchemist in hopes she can tell us more."
"The Emir (may she always shine with the intensity of the sun) and I had speculated as much when last we enjoyed each other's company." Nawar begins pouring tea for those present. She kisses each cup before setting them before the gathered adventurers.
"Check with the alchemist. Pursue what you find. Return to me in all your glory with details. The proclamation can be rewritten if needed but if there is someone out there capable of controlling giant scorpions that is a danger to all of Shapeir. Only so much trading can be done by flying carpet. We need our caravans to be safe."
She draws out a bag from... somewhere on her person and works it open. Six bright yellow stones, perfectly cut, are removed. She kisses and places them, one by one, upon the table.
"Your payment for deeds the poets will write verse about and I will sigh over." Nawar insists. "There will be further payment and my eternal admiration and gratitude for your aid to our city and our sultanate of course."
"A fine and hearty adventure we had, Lady Nawar. One I was glad to be a part of, indeed. My only hope is that the next tast be somewhere a bit less...warm? These fine spellcasters can bring forth water in a glorious and fantastic manner, but that desert is quite the cruel mistress."
Hektor grins widely and enjoys the tea. And the sights.
"I thank you for this reward, and I yearn for further tasks to complete."
Jenrick sees a young man, not much older than he was when he first began adventuring, approach the Guild. He eyes the son of Zeus, and the stinger nearly as large as he is, cautiously and then steps past. Inside, the young man looks around with large eyes and then quickly hurries over to the Adventurer's Log to sign his name.
"Return to me soon, my heroes." Nawar says with a wink before she rises and spreads her arms.
"Welcome, adventurer! By signing the log you have taken your first step into a greater world. Come, let me show you the quest board where you can find a task suitable for your first adventure. I do believe the Astronomer is seeking someone to recover sand for him from a specific site in the desert..."
The tea is left behind to be finished and your quest continues.
Jenrick begins to wonder what's keeping the others, feeling the hot desert sun radiate down on the silmarian.
Hektor heads over to sign in and check for work.
"Some guy calls himself 'The Astronomer'? That doesn't sound ominous at all."
