.
Ata's javelin pierces through the pugwampi, sending strange, multicolored ichor flying about, and it collapses, twitching. After a moment, its large, dog-like eyes stare unseeing at the sky.
Int + Occult=
This is assuming I get a roll even though I did not go into the cactus patch.
Unfettered reaches for his sword, only for the thing to be dead by the time he finally drew it. "Well, that was over fast. Let's grab the goat and get out of here before another one shows up."
Cutting the goat free, Auric exclaims as he does so, "An excellent throw, Ata! I become more and more glad to have others with such skills as my companions."
The goat squeals in pain as it is cut free, Auric being unable to avoid touching the many cactus needles still buried in its hide.
"I thank you for the compliment Unfettered. I think surprise was on our side and maybe the Unconquered Sun winked our way too." Ata retrieves his javeline flicking it clean.
"Auric, would you like some a hand with the goat?"
Ata looks around while speaking looking for other little creatures or threats, another javeline in hand.
Cooing softly to the creature, Auric does his best to pick the goat up without aggravating its wounds. "This little fellow looks to be in need of some medical attention. We'd best get back to the camp."
"Woah little one. Easy there... We're here to help you out and get you home. Let Auric carry you home. I'll help him and stay with you."
Ata wraps a tunic around the goat and places him gently in Auric's arms again.
Though Auric's indelicate handling of the goat very nearly sends it screaming to its death, Ata quickly steps in and manages to soothe the animal, allowing it to be wrapped up with only frequent but fairly quiet bleats of pain. Once prepared, and without the odds-twisting effects of the pugwampi, the trip back through the cactus tangle is unpleasant but not truly dangerous.
Dashki grunts at the sight of the goat, and says, "Found the little s@$* then, did ya? Good. And the pugwampi too, yeh?"
In the full dark, the desert warmth is soaked away quickly, and the group wraps their cloaks around themselves as they make their way back through the night toward the camp. Occasional sounds of animal life drift in from beyond the range of their torches, but they encounter nothing, and in less time than they might have expected, they return to the circle of tents and wagons.
Lady Almah has had the guards and mercenaries working hard in the group's absence; the remnants of Eloias' wagon have been pulled aside and what was salvagable has been reclaimed. Beneath the reaching branches of the Wood Dragon's Claw, a pile of stones - what must be Eloias' cairn - is surrounded by incense, smoking softly and filling the area with a gentle, spicy scent.
Almah greets the returning group, but before she can say more than a couple of words, Hadrad hurtles out of the darkness, shouting, "Oh, Rombard! Great Dragons, thank you for saving him!" He scoops the animal out of Auric's arms, hissing at the sight of his wounds, but immediately begins crooning a gentle hum and whispering that "it will be all right," as he carries the animal back to the wagon he shares with his wife.
Almah watches him go with a slight smile on her face, but then turns back to the group with a more serious expression. "Well done, all of you," she says. "The matter of Eloias' death has been laid to rest." She does not look directly at Dashki, but she somehow still seems to radiate a coldness deeper than that of the desert night toward him. "We all need rest after tonight, but tomorrow, I believe we need to change our base of operations. Clearly, this hill is too exposed." She looks out into the darkness toward the northeast, into the mountains beyond where the group rescued the goat. "There is an old, abandoned temple to the Immaculate Dragons in these mountains, left behind when Kelmarane was evacuated twenty years ago. In the desert, I would expect it to be largely intact, and it would serve nicely as a new 'headquarters' until we can reclaim the town itself. Given what you've accomplished so far, I think you four are the ones to send to make certain it is safe for the rest of us and do what is needed if it is not."
She smiles again, looking satisfied. "That is for tomorrow, however. For tonight, take your rests. You have done well, my friends. The Dragons smiled on me when I hired you."
"Thank you Lady. Have a good evening."
Ata looks for a spot to rest for the night.
"Of course, my lady, some rest would be most welcome right now. Before I go, however, I brought a gift for you. Unfortunately this is my first opportunity to present it to you."
Crux produces a simple clay jar. He will give it to the lady personally, if allowed. He'll lean in to whisper to her. If he is required to hand it off to someone else, that is ok too.
"It is an oil that will aid in maintaining your skin's youthful appearance."
Sighing in relief, Auric stretches out his arms in front of him. "My thanks for the compliment upon our skills, Lady. I bid you good night."
As he sets up his evening spot, Auric reflects upon the day. If I had been curious about this job before, now I'm certain that there is something more to this. This is going to be something amazing. Something to put into a tale of heroes. I can feel it.
Almah smiles graciously as she takes the pot of ointment from Crux. "That is very generous of you," she nods, looking the jar over in the firelight. "I look forward to trying it out." Off to one side, Crux notices Father Zastoran frowning slightly as he watches the exchange - and Garavel, on the other side of the fire, doing the same.
The following morning, Almah meets with her new heroes outside her tent just as the Unconquered Sun begins making his way across the heavens. "The monastery is about a mile from here," she says, producing a vellum map of the area. On it, the group sees the area around Kelmarane laid out in detail more artistic than accurate, but it nevertheless clearly notes the location of the Dragon's Claw relative to both the town of Kelmarane and the monastery. Kelmarane looks to be in the center of a valley formed by the foothills of the Brazen Peaks, a three-quarter circle of stony crags and low mountains who entrance points to the southeast. At the southern tip of that circle, in a good position to control most of the easy acccess into and out of the valley, is where the monastery waits. "You should be able to find it quite easily by following the hills northeast, and you are free to take this map if it would help," Almah adds.
"I know where it is," Dashki grunts.
Almah nods. "Quite so," she replies, "and I think the time has come for you to do what I have hired you for, Master Dashki." She still doesn't seem to be meeting his eyes, instead looking at a point just over his left shoulder. "You will accompany these others. I assume you will wish some of the mercenaries to join you as well?" she asks, turning back to the group.
"I've asked Unfailing Stone to accompany us. I am less willing to bring Trevvin and Yesper, due to their injuries sustained earlier, but they will most likely accompany us as well despite what I think. Captain Rishka has drilled us too well to let injury stop us."
"Perhaps I could have a look at them before we leave. I will not have them with us if their wounds would cause them to be a hindrance to our task. And I may be able to aid in their recovery."
Per + Medicine to determine how bad off they are
Trevvin
Yesper
If I recall I aided in giving them medical attention when we first arrived, so there's probably not much more I can do for them right now, but just in case.
Int + Medicine
Trevvin
Yesper
"You know, that reminds me..." Unfettered walks over to one of the tents and opens the flap. "Hey, Axe! Dirk! Get out here, we've got a temple to explore." As the two guards scramble out, he waves at one of the other guards. "Adz, you too! Get over here!" As he walks back to the group, Unfettered smiles at Auric. "Hey, couldn't let your men have all the fun."
Stone walks up behind Auric and tosses a quick salute. "Wouldn't miss it, sir," he says with a grin.
Crux's examination of the awake-but-pained Trevvin and still-unconscious Yesper reveal basically the same thing: neither one of them has any business on their feet any time soon. Yesper might not even wake up for several more hours, and Trevvin - though far less hurt than Yesper - will probably need a week off his feet to be back to normal. Fortunately, neither one is showing any signs of infection, and Crux is hopeful (though mostly just guessing) that Yesper's injuries won't even cause her permanent harm.
Adz, Axe and Dirk form up behind Unfettered, and though they can't quite manage Unfailing Stone's military precision, they do a decent job of looking dangerous enough. Dashki runs his eyes over them and offers a sour grunt, but Almah nods. "Excellent," she says. "My guards and Garavel should be adequate for our protection until you return; with the Dragons' favor, it will not be long. Go, and come back quickly and safely."
With the group assembled, Dashki takes the lead, moving quickly over the rough terrain along the foothills away from the camp beneath the Dragon's Claw. Despite his pace, it is slow going - the land is uneven and rocky, and all are constantly on alert for signs of ambush from the hyenamen said to lurk in these hills. Even so, however, it is perhaps only half an hour later that the heroes and their allies arrive at the base of a tall hill, overlooking the desert plain in all directions, atop which sits a large, squarish looking yellow-stone building. "That's it," Dashki grunts sourly. He pulls out his swords, looking around uneasily, before starting the last climb up to the monastery.
As the group mounts the hill, there is a sudden swirl of wind, and a tall, thin figure in long robes abruptly appears out of the blowing dust. He is pale, with hair arranged in a peculiar, upward-pointing style, and his manner is grave as he bows to the group. "Sand Chaser," he intones, "once again Destiny blows you into my path." He tilts his head slightly as he studies the rest of the group, and his eyes fall heavily on Auric, Unfettered and Crux. "And new breezes appear, to strengthen the flames," he goes on, bowing once more. "I am Sandflakes in Shadow," he says, "and I am honored to meet you all."
Per + Occult =
Unfettered also draws his sword once the temple is within sight, only to to find himself pointing it at the man who suddenly appeared. Once he realizes the man isn't attacking them, he lowers his blade and doffs his hat for the man. "A pleasure to meet you, Sandflakes. I'm Unfettered Silhouette, and these three fools are Adz, Axe and Dirk.", he says, pointing at his men.
"Adz, put the spear down already. If he was going to attack us, he'd of done it already."
Crux recalls the last time he had dealings with a spirit and begins to feel anxious. He takes an involuntary step back.
As they climb towards the temple, Auric readies his bow and his arrows, also prepping his flamepiece. Bow in hand, he stops as the 'person' appears. Swifter than most eyes can see, Auric has a broadhead nocked. Seeing that this person knows a member of their group, Auric drops his aim, but leaves the arrow nocked. He motions to Unfailing Stone to go to standby.
"Do you know this person, Ata?"
Ata steps towards Sandflakes in Shadow and bows. "It is good to see you my friend."
"These are my friends and their companions," Ata gestures to everyone else. "This is Crux, Unfettered Silhoutte, Auric Desertwalker, Dashki, Adz, Axe, Dirk, and Unfailing Stone."
"What brings you out to this fine sandy mesa?"
"Auric, I do indeed know him," Ata says with a big smile on his face.
Sandflakes nods, seemingly at nothing, before replying to Ata, "The tempest brews, and I am here to ride the winds, as is my purpose." He looks up the hill, toward the monastery. "You travel to the ruins? There are dangers within, and not all of you may return."
"That may be true but I need to go anyways. My duty lies up there, making sure it is safe for the rest of the caravan."
"We go where our lady commands, spirit. 'Twas the purpose we were hired for, and I for one intend to see it done, regardless of personal danger. Call me foolheaded if it pleases you, but step aside all the same."
"Auric, Sandflakes in Shadow is not blocking our way. I do believe he is here to help. I don't think I'd say 'foolheaded' either.
Am I right my friend?"
"I... remember your strength of will, Sand Chaser. No, I do not oppose you. But help you...? That ties me to your path far more surely than I have been so far." The spirit studies the group again, then nods, slowly. "But yes," he says in his slow, grave tones, "I will help you." With a flicker, the tall, thin man is gone, and a massive bear, eight feet high at the shoulder, with fur the exact solor of the red desert sands, stands in his place.
The bear's large amber eyes hold the same heavy weight as did the spirit's a moment before, but it is still strange when it opens its mouth and speaks, its voice unchanged: "The ruins were once a holy place of the Immaculate Order, but the Manse they built has been destroyed in the years since they left. Now a tribe of Fair Folk pests inhabits it, along with other dangers I do not know. What is out of the wind is beyond my purview, but what I do know is enough to concern me."
"Spirits are dangerous even as allies. I'm not sure how wise it would be to have him with us. How well can you control him, Ata?" Crux makes a symbol of warding as he speaks.
Ata laughs.
"Crux, my friend, I can not control Sandflakes in Shadow, nor would I want to. He is my friend." Ata rubs the big bear's shoulder. "He has also been a guide and storyteller."
"I trust him with my water, my food, and my health."
Ata says to Sandflakes in Shadow, "I welcome any aid you would offer. We've shared water before and I'm sure we will do so many more times, as the Fates will allow."
The large amber eyes turn back toward Crux, and the bear lets its mouth hang open slightly. After a moment, Crux realizes that the bear is grinning at him. "You speak like a savant," it says gravely. "We are dangerous." And with that, Sandflakes begins making his way up the hill.
"Well, we can't let the magic desert bear clear out the entire temple by himself. Come on." Unfettered follows the bear up the stairs, Adz, Axe and Dirk following close behind.
"If you trust him that far, Ata, then I shall endeavor to do likewise. I will not be undone by lack of caution, however." With that, Auric will follow the spirit up the hillside, bow at the ready still.
"Fine" Crux steps into line.
The monastery sits atop the hill, overlooking the plains below, its sandstone walls almost fading into the hills and rocks behind it as the group approaches. It is broadly rectangular, about 130 feet across east-west and 160 feet north-south, with a rounded dome extending partially out of the north side, near the northwest corner, and a short wing extending out to the west, just south of the dome. A short, octangular tower, no more than thirty feet high, is built into the northeast corner, overlooking the rest of the one-story structure (except the dome, which just about matches the tower's height at its tallest point). Two broad archways lead into the monastery on the west side, each more than 20 feet across, but from where the group stands, the interior is shadowed by the bright desert Sun.
"Let us scout around to see who or what is inside.
Should we stick together? Have the scouts near the top of the hill with the others keeping down the hill but in sight of the scouts?
I'd much rather find out what we can before storming in there..."
"Why don't we all explore the domed area first. Perhaps we can use it as a base from which we can explore the rest of the monastery. We could send out smaller groups and have a rallying point."
"Well, we're going to have to clear out whatever is in the main dome eventually anyway, might as well head there first." Unfettered continues into the building, assuming no-one stops him.