Have any of the others been acting strangely? Or have any Gnolls been seen close by to the camp in recent days?"
Ayish's booted feet skip nimbly across the sands of the camp-site as she hurries to catch up with her companions who have entered the large tent of their over all employer.
As she comes up to the guards standing at focused attention about the perimeter and door flap, she slows and composes herself. Lowering her eyes and stopping at a respectful distance from the two guards.
"Um, my companions have entered here. May I do so as well?" She asks in a quiet voice, taking pains to be polite and 'formal' as she gives a small bow, her simple silks moving with her motions and the nights air.
Markhet uses Animal Empathy to try to calm some of them down. Then she uses her natural speak with animals racial ability to question them.Animal Empathy: 1d20+3
Still doing this. The check was a 15 BTW
Folks inside the tent
"No, no one acting odd, and I have seen no gnolls thankfully. That is why I hired Dashki to look for signs of such beasts and to help safe keep the camp"
Ayish
Markhet
Sorry totally over looked that, what are you asking them? [/ooc]
Ayish blushes slightly as she bows,
"Forgive me, in the excitement I had forgotten my placing of this about my hips." So saying she unwinds her whip, coiling the simple leather implement and placing it in a tidy bundle with the other equipment of the party.
Nodding she steps past the guards, proceeding to walk softy and demurely around behind the party and the tents wall to formally kneel and bow in Almah's direction and presence. She keeps her head bowed as she calmly and patiently awaits to be addressed.
"Thank you besides your guards I think we are almost done"
Celena begins to move towards the ten flap
seeker:
"Master Dashki mentioned that he had seen no sign of gnolls recently, and even if he had, the fire doesn't seem like their handiwork."
"Dashki? Who is Dashki? How does he know who started fire?" asks Vrealk. His eyes go a little big, remembering Celena's request to let her do the talking. "Oops, me sorry, friend Celena."
Markhet
Markhet
** spoiler omitted **
animal empathy:
"Any strange smells before the fire?" Markhet asks the beasts
Once more at the word fire the animals seem to panic
"smell, fire. fire, fire, smoke, not good , fire, smoke, man-things make smoke, fire, no like , fire"
"Dashki? Who is Dashki? How does he know who started fire?" asks Vrealk. His eyes go a little big, remembering Celena's request to let her do the talking. "Oops, me sorry, friend Celena."
N'Djamena looks at the monster in obvious distaste. "Dashki is a tracker who is looking for signs of gnolls. He hasn't seen any."
Xerxzayas bows and turns to leave just as his sister comes in. As she respectfully waits, he introduces her, "lady almah, may i introduce my sister, ayishidaj-bintel-quivarashidj? ayshi, you stand in the presence of lady almah."
Ayish keeps her head bowed, a slight blush to her cheeks as she curtsies at Xerxzayas introduction to the Lady Almah. At N'Djamena's actions/reaction to the Goblin within their group, however, a slight frown clouds her features but she holds her thoughts as she stands humbly in the tent.
N'Djamena looks at the monster in obvious distaste. "Dashki is a tracker who is looking for signs of gnolls. He hasn't seen any."
"Gnolls? Why he look for gnolls? Me wouldn't think they set the fire. Even goblins wouldn't just set one fire and leave with no loot. Gnolls would set MANY fires, then attack, me think." Vrealk has a sudden thought, and dares to ask Almah, "Lady Almah, did man who died have enemies? Somebody not like him?"
Lady Almah nods at Ayish's introduction but says nothing. Until Vrealk speaks. She seems to have a rather distasteful look on her face, she quickly hides before answering "If he had enemy I do not know of any. He was not well liked by the mercenary, but few like them. The farther though he was a fake, but they seemed to get along well enough
"Markhet wants to know if you smelled anything strange today?" the gnome prompts the animals, thinking that a stranger could be responsible for the fire.
Markhet
"Strange, fire, fire strange, smoke strange, three leg man-thing stalk like cat strange, not dog thing took lead goat strange." with that the magic fades
Markhet giggles as she solves the mystery of the missing goat.
"Markhet wonders if that could also be the one who started the fire Larrs?" the gnome says to her lion, "we'd better go tell the master, although Markhet is still unsure which one that is, but either one will want to hear about this."
Markhet rides Larrs towards Almah's tent.
"Master, master," Markhet calls at the top of her lungs, perhaps subconsciously hoping that one will identify themselves as her master, "Your cleaver gnome has discovered something!"
Markhet brings the lion to a stop near the tent when she spies the serious looking guards.
"Hello," Markhet says, making herself appear as small as possible, "this one is called Markhet and she belongs to one inside this tent. Markhet thinks they will want to hear what their gnome has discovered. Markhet thinks you should let her by or else summon the master here."
The guards give Markhet a harsh look. And rolls his eyes "Well of coarse, that" he points at Larrs"Stays well away from anyone in the camp, and at lest 20 feet from the princess at all times on pain of death. with that he opens the tent flap and motions her in
The guards give Markhet a harsh look. And rolls his eyes "Well of coarse, that" he points at Larrs"Stays well away from anyone in the camp, and at lest 20 feet from the princess at all times on pain of death. with that he opens the tent flap and motions her in
"But . . . but Larrs is only dangerous when Markhet isn't here," the gnome seems shocked at their suggestion that she would want to do harm to someone, "and when Markhet orders him. But Markhet and Larrs are very well behaved when we are together! Markhet would never dream of making him hurt someone in camp . . . even if the master ordered Markhet punished or something."
Markhet looks up at their steely gazes and realizes that they're not going to be swayed. Markhet reluctantly climbs down from the lion.
"Markhet wants Larrs to go find Markhet's bed roll and lie there," Markhet says looking the lion in the eyes, "go lie down Larrs. No Hunting. No attacking. Larrs is going to be a good cat."
The lion reluctantly plods off leaving Markhet behind. The gnome watches him leave before stepping into the tent.
"Hello Master," the gnome says bowing low and trying not to look directly at Almah or Garvel as she is still unsure which one she is addressing. She also has difficulty keeping the disappointment out of her voice, she wanted to bring her lion to meet the master, "your loyal slave Markhet has solved one mystery, perhaps she has solved another. This one asks for permission to speak."
Almah gives a quizzical look to the gnome before arching an eyebrow at Garavel. Who then motions for Markhet to speak"Lets here what you have found then.
"Thank you," Markhet says, "the master is probably already aware of this but Markhet will repeat the news as there are some in this tent who are not as well informed or as wise, but as well as a fire one of the goats has gone missing. Wait, Markhet realizes she must correct herself, not just a goat: one of the prized goats! Anyways Markhet helped to gather the other animals and she foolishly thought that the goat had merely run off, Markhet knows the animals fear the fire, but Markhet is a diligent little slave and she calmed the animals and tended their hurts, and she quietly asked them about the fire."
The gnome pauses here to see if she has everyone's interest.
"Markhet discovered that the goat was stolen by a dog like creature, which means, if Markhet is not mistaken, there was something in the camp. Markhet wonders if that was something that could have started the fire?"
"Eh? Goats?" N'Djamena looks puzzled.
"Markhet can track," the gnome says turning to the man with the difficult name to pronounce, "Markhet has also trained Larrs Catington to track as well."
"Isn't that Dashki fellow a tracker?"
"Isn't that Dashki fellow a tracker?"
"Markhet can track!" the smaller gnome almost sequels.
"Isn't that Dashki fellow a tracker?""Markhet can track!" the smaller gnome almost sequels.
"True but wouldn't two trackers be better than one?"
"Larrs can track!" the Gnome cries. She is clearly on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum.
"Well then three trackers would be better than two right" Celena seems to be enjoying getting Markhet worked up somewhat
Markhet throws herself to the ground and starts kicking and screaming.
The amused look leaves Celena's face as she begins to realise she may have pushed Markhet a little to far. Also it begins to occur to her that having this happen in front of her new emplyer probably is not the best way to make a good impression.
"Markhet is not useless!" the gnome cries as she kicks and punches the ground, "she is not! She is a hard worker! She is smart! Markhet is a good slave!"
"Erm I never said you weren't" Celena clearly trying to dig her way out of the hole she has created responds
Markhet curls up into a ball and starts sobbing. She seems to be winding down but it's clear the tiny gnome isn't used to much humanoid interaction.
Sense motive DC 15:
Almah says something under her breath and Garvel stands and walks over to the group"That is quite enough of that. This is not how you behave! Take this outside and once you have reached an understanding of this you may come back and explain to Lady Almah what you think happened. Now finish you investigation.
The tent flap seems to open almost like a silent command and two of the guards move inside and stay there, weapons close at hand till you file out of the tent
"But . . . Markhet is a good slave," she pleads first to Garvel and then the stern faces guards, but when she is expelled from the tent she runs away crying towards her lion.
"Laaaaarrrrrrsssss," she cries. Markhet completely forgets about her weapons.
Ayish kneels quietly through out the encounter, though her features cloud at the interaction between the pair of Gnomes. It is when Markhet runs sobbing from the tent, however, that Ayish's face grows truly dark. At being summarily dismissed, something within Ayish snaps. She stands and glares directly at Almah.
"The investigation is over. One of those whom you entrusted to do the searching has revealed the information, only to be sent scolded and wretched from your presence." She turns to look at Celena, "I would have expected more companionship and understanding for some one of the same background, but you..." She returns her ire back to Almah,
" I, whom you have hired for their knowledge and skills, give you these freely, oh Noble born Lady of this small patch of sand. Something stole into your camp under the notice of your Mercenaries, who seem to do little for their pay, while your guards remove those things that are easily seen but can offer you no real protection themselves while they remain safely outside your tent walls." So saying Ayish steps forward, just a step, and raises her arms in a gesture that takes on a far more threatening aspect as razor sharp ice sheathes her flesh and lances from her fingers as piercing claws.
"I am Ayishidaj-bintel-Quivarashidj and the power of the elements flows through my veins!" Even as the ice sublimates into nothingness Ayish's eyes retain their glow of elemental power for a few seconds longer. "Who has given their allegiance to you freely, send you warning that all advice you receive from those who have honestly sworn their themselves to you, should be listen too and heeded, no matter the size nor state of the package delivering it!"
Edit: Ayish stands calm and unrepentant even under Gavel's quickly drawn sword point, her chin still held high./Edit
Almah sits though Ayish drama, but as she steps forward and the ice coats her skin Garvel is at her throat, his scimitar right below Ayish's neck, at the door, both guards blades are out before Ayish finishes he sentences and calls from the outside let the unarmed party know the others are coming.
Gravel looks at Ayish with cold eyes his blade on the skin of her neck "You forget yourself, I asked you to behave yourself and not act like spoiled children.' His voice is calm , near emotion less showing no signs of anger "Raise your hand to the princess again and you will no longer have it."
By this time all four read plated guards now hold the group at sword point, with looks upon their face saying in no uncertain terms they will cut the party down at the slightest movement
Behind the group Almah raises her hand "Enough Gravel,I understand you have had a long journey so I am willing to over look your outburst. This evening has been trying And Garavl sometimes gets a bit to caught up in courtly manners." Leaning forward she taps her fingers together as if in though. Gravel lowers his weapon and returns to Almah's side, the guards however do not 'If your investigation is over what caused the fire?
"Well....." Celena begins trying her best to ignore the numerous swords pointed in her general direction "After interviewing most of the people at the camp and despite the fact they all seem to have a certain amount of....... Doubts about Mr Dashki I don't think that anyone in the camp was responsible. After checking the aura's of everyone here none of them have the kind that I would expect to get from someone who would intentionally set a wagon on fire and kill someone. Therefore the only two possibilities left are either it was a simple accident or an outside force was involved and from what Markhet recently mentioned I strongly believe It was the latter." Celena then awaits Almah's reply
Almah looks at Celena as if she is sizing her up.'So, as of yet you do not know if it was an outside force or not? If there is a threat to this expedition I want it found. Gravel has selected you. Even if some of you are rash I trust his judgment. She looks to Gravel and it seems as if something unspoken passes between them, before she catches Celena's eyes once more."What do you think you need to find out if this "dog man" is real. It after all is only known from animals." She looks over you to one of the guards "Bring Dashki here. He knows the area he may know of such a thing"
Celena simply nods whilst awaiting Dashki.
|
Xerxzayas is not surprised by his sisters outburst and, due to the link shared with Mamood, is prepared when the guards burst into the tent. He seems unfazed by having the weapons leveled at him and the group. "your highness, you are as beneficent as you are beautiful. i must apologize because it seems my words inadvertently began that unfortunate scene. we are grateful for your leniency on this matter." That last part was spoken to Ayish and the rest of the group as well as Lady Almah and Garavel. "unfortunately, you are correct and the mystery of who began the fire is yet unsolved. however, like celena, i fervently believe that the high strung gnome, i believe she called herself markhet, is on the correct path to discovering who the culprit is. if i may suggest, while we wait for dashki to be retrieved, celena and i could go to apologize to her, bring her back to lead us to the missing animal, and, hopefully, to the arsonist as well."
At Xerxzayas' words to her, Ayish glances towards him and as Gavel's sword lowers she steps up beside her brother, quickly clasping her hand within his. She continues to watch Almah and Gavel unrepentantly, not even seeming to care about the guards still threatening.