Garavel and Almah are waiting at the Lady's tent for the group's report, and when they learn that the party is ready to present it, they summon as much of the expedition as is able to gather around and listen. Most of the group waits quietly to hear how and why their associate died, but one of the two animal handlers - the husband, named Hadrod - continually breaks the silence with quiet and sporadic sobs for his favored goat, who seems to have gone missing, despite the efforts of his wife Hadrah to both console and shush him.
After we report our findings I'll go over to Hadrod. "We'll find your goat. He can't have gone far."
Ata looks to the others, "You guys up for a quick trip into the sands?"
Slapping a solid hand on Hadrod's back, Auric says, "I'll find that goat for you. It's my fault for losing it, so I'll get it back."
Walking over to Ata, Auric nods. "I will venture forth with you."
"If it will help to quiet him, I will also go to retrieve this wayward animal."
"I'm not sure about what everyone else found, but Unfailing Stone tells me that the fire started from within Eloais' wagon, and that Trevvis and Yesper entered in order to rescue him. Other than that, I don't know much.
As to our animals, other than Hadrod's lost goat, all the pack animals seem to be accounted for, Lady."
"So the wagon caught fire when the pugwampis stole the goat. Their fae curse caused one of his candles to begin the blaze. Eloise probably fell and injured himself as he woke up and wasn't able to get out before..."
Crux sighs
"Hopefully, he died before the fire got him. In any case, I think we now have something to take to Lady Almah."
Basically, this.
"According to Axe, Eloias was outside when the fire started. There are also a few interesting rumors that wouldn't be polite to tell with our present company." Unfettered stops to glance at Dashki before continuing. "Rumors involving you, if you want to be specific."
"Well, what I've heard is really more about Dashki than you. According to one of my men, he's been watching you an unhealthy amount. That, plus your visits to Eloias' wagon in the middle of the night... Well, just remember a man can tip over a candle too." With that, he walks out into the night.
Axe looks confused. "Uh, boss?" he says quietly. "Eloias was in the wagon. I just meant that all us mercs were outside."
Almah does step aside to listen to Unfettered's comment, and she seems genuinely surprised by the mention of both Dashki's obsession and the implication that she was involved with Eloias. "My visits to Eloias' wagon were strictly astrological in nature," she says slowly, "but I suppose I could see that others might have gotten the wrong idea." She looks across the fire pit at Dashki, frowning slightly, but shakes her head. "I also had not seen any sign of Dashki's interest, I confess. Truth be told, however, it would not be the first time a man has lost his head for me and I did not pick up on it. I tend to focus more on business than on matters of romance."
Meanwhile, the rest of the group is listening with some incredulity to Crux's explanation of pugwampis and fae curses. "I have never heard of such a thing," Father Zastoran says in a voice of frank disbelief. He turns a narrow-eyed glare on Dashki and adds, "It seems more likely that someone might create such a story to cover their own involvement."
"Really? What do you know?" Unfettered shakes his head, smiling, and lowers the brim of his hat.
"I'm sure that a woman of your beauty and poise has many many suitors and would be suitors ,my lady. It must me an impossible task for you to know of them all." He gives Unfettered a disbelieving sideways glance.
"To the subject at hand, though. I base my theory on personal knowledge of pugwampis and the physical evidence I was able to unearth. I fully expect that when we locate Hadrod's wayward goat we will also locate the fae that caused such a disaster. It is possible for someone to have created 'such a story to cover their own involvement', but at this time, I find it unlikely."
Perception, -2 for untrained: ; except I didn't botch.
As strange as it seems, to both Crux's and Unfettered's eyes, Almah appears to be perfectly serious - she really didn't realize how things would look between her and Eloias, nor that Dashki is interested in her.
Almah returns to the larger group, looking around. She nods in agreement with Crux's words, and then raises her voice to make a pronouncement. "I think your suggestion has merit, master Crux. While there might be some suspicion of those within our group, the question is easily answered: by finding out what happened to Hadrod's goat, we should also learn for certain what befell Eloias. Crux, Unfettered Silhouette, Ata, and Auric: I ask that you undertake this search, to resolve the matter as best you can. If possible, bring back some evidence to support the existence and involvement of these... pugwampis... if you can - a body or head would be best. If you can find such a thing, we shall consider the matter ended. Since master Dashki has been implicated" - and Dashki here sits up with an expression of fury - "I think it is only fair that he should have the opportunity to help defend himself. He shall accompany you as well. In the meantime, the rest of us will begin sorting out what is left of our camp and beginning the preparations for Eloias' funeral. Are we agreed?"
"I will gather my things and be ready to leave in a minute."
Ata wonders what these little creatures look like and what is the 'bad luck' they have around them.
"I'm as ready to go as I'll ever be."
Knocking his hat against his knee to dust it off, Auric places it firmly atop his head. Smiling, he says, "We'll have the goat back in no time at all, Hadrod." Turning to Lady Almah, his face turns more serious: "We shall discover what is behind this incident, Lady. You have my word."
Crux bows to the lady and before leaving to prepare for the search.
Dashki snorts something under his breath as he returns Zastoran's glare with equal violence, but he nods vigorously enough when Almah suggests he go. "We don't want the damn things hanging around us, that's for sure," he grunts, and disappears into a tent for a moment before coming back with a small traveling pack on his back. "Let's do this," he says, heading back toward the trail of footprints.
Ata's sharp eyes have little difficulty following the trail down the far side of the hill and along the slope of the ridgeline beyond. In the distance, Pale Mountain looms over the entire area, but as the Sun make his way toward the Elemental Pole of Water, shadows begin to creep along the ground, and Pale Mountain's own shadow is the longest of all. Slowly, twilight and then full night fall across the Brazen Peaks, and Dashki lights a torch to continue the hunt into the darkness.
Even in the darkness, however, the trail is not difficult to follow, and perhaps half an hour after the coming of night, each member of the group suddenly feels an inexplicable rise in the tension in the air, as though each were suddenly waiting for something bad to happen. Nothing seems to have changed, however, and though it is clear that everyone feels it, after a moment of hesitation, Dashki begins pushing on again. Almost immediately, however, there is a sharp cry from somewhere ahead, a cry that sounds like a baby's wail.
Per + Survival
Ata and Auric easily recognize the sound as a goat's cry, with the timber and pitch that indicate pain as well as fear.
The sound is coming from directly along the path of the tracks, and as the group forges ahead, the scattered patches of tall cacti grow thicker together, until they form a tangled forest of thick green rind and sharp, inch-long needles. The tracks and sound of the bleating goat both lead directly into the cactus thicket.
"Well, at least we know where the goat is. I'll lead the way." Unfettered then begins to carefully pick his way through the cacti.
"I'll wait here for your return. Don't tarry too long."
Crux won't go into the cactus field unless he has to.
"This place is strange. Every instinct I possess is telling me that something is wrong here. Unfortunate luck, that we must trek into this place."
Shrugging his shoulders for lack of any other way in, Auric moves forward through the mess that is the cacti forest.
Though things seem to be actively trying to conspire against him - the laces of his boots come untied once, and a small rock that seemed perfectly steady suddenly skids out from beneath his feet - Unfettered makes his way through the cactus forest without major incident. On the other side, he steps out onto a ledge over a ravine, with a clear space free of cacti about 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep along the ravine's edge. Looking down into the ravine, he sees a massive, tangled old cactus directly beneath the open spot, its arms reaching out as though waiting to catch him if he falls.
Right on the edge of the ravine is a small cresote bush, and tied to it is a small, bleating and terrified goat. Even in the flickering light of his torch, Unfettered can make out smears of blood on the poor creature's hide, and long cactus spines sticking out from his fur.
Behind him, Auric makes his way through the cacti as well, and similar mishaps befall him also: one of the straps of his pack loosens suddenly, shifting his weight dangerously, and a small but intense cramp in one leg pitches him into one of the spine-laden cactus arms . Nevertheless, he does manage to squeeze out onto the ledge next to Unfettered as well.
Ata makes sure everything is tightened down and follows Auric. Holding his breath as he goes.
Unfettered kneels down to retie his boot and draws a knife. "Poor little guy. Going to be a pain getting him back out though."
Tightening his pack again, Auric massages out the minor cramp in his leg as he pauses to breath at the ravine edge. Wiping his brow after he finishes, Auric looks to the goat.
"There the little scamp is." Walking up to it, Auric crouches down by it. "Quite a little run you've given us, for such a small size."
Ata looks around to see how the goat got here in the first place. Also keeping the others in sight while he looks around.
Ata's progress is beset by sudden swirls of dust, treacherous stretches of seemingly-stable sand, and just before he reaches the ledge, an "attack" by one of the cactus arms, previously pinned back by another cactus and now suddenly snapping free to smack him in the face.
Dashki is in no better shape to progress through the thicket than Crux is, and therefore no more willing to attempt it.
With an angry, snarling shout, like an offended lapdog, a figure no taller than Unfettered's knee leaps out of hiding behind another nearby bush and fires a tiny arrow at him. The figure looks roughly like a human, except for its head, with is that of a tiny bulldog. The thing's skin is a mottled red and grey, heavily wrinkled and thoroughly disgusting. The arrow skids off of Unfettered's leather armor, skipping up to catch him across the cheek. A long line of red appears behind it.
What did you do? Run over the dice's dog or something?
When I hear the sounds of battle, I'll draw my sword and stand ready.
Join Battle: I'll assume a 6 (with your permission DM Shisumo)and stay on guard until something happens.
Standing forth, Auric says to the creature, "Be ready, strange creature, for your death is at hand!" Moving with the speed of a sidewinder, Auric draws his hunting knife as he closes the gap between them, striking with the fury of a diving bird of prey as he nears the beast.
Auric's slash, though intimidating, is easily dodged by the tiny creature, which gabbles and snarls at him unintelligibly.
Ata runs, keeping on Auric's right side, grabs a javeline in his off hand and flips it to his right hand. When he stops he thinks to himself, "I wonder if these are good eating?" He focuses on the little creature and throws.