As the caravan slowly rolls away from Jace's Stanchion, the caravan guards look back one last time. What would become of the residents? Is this the end of House Duarran? What of the green slime? Questions left unanswered, the group once more turns their sight to the open road ahead.
As the caravan passes the spot of their ambush by the hansohfyr a few days ago, the guards are on alert but pass the area safely. Finally on the open road again, their cares fall away as the dust rises.
The journey to Abril is a lengthy one, but not by caravan standards. At night Simon, Morris, Syonne, and Bertrand try to banish the thoughts of the horrors of Jace's Stanchion. Keeping mostly to themselves, they are warm to the other caravan guards, but not overtly friendly.
Dot
For the first 2-3 days of travel people may notice Christaph keeps adjusting his new cloak until he gets it to where he is finally comfortable with it. At some point or other everyone will see a crystal about the size of a palm that has ectoplasmic legs walking around on Christaph's form, usually going from the belt pouch up to a shoulder. If they pay attention they will realize that even though it has no facial features features it will seem to turn and face them and/or 'react' to them. It may even talk with them in common, though they have no idea how it has a voice, since it has no mouth. If someone should try to reach out to pick it up, they will be surprised at how quickly it dodges out of the way and they will get a stern warning from Christaph not to do so.
At night, when Christaph goes into a meditative trance for only 4 hours, the psicrystal (whose name is Jim or Jimmy by the way - get it? a crystal named Jim? hahaha!) will sit out on top of his body so it can keep a lookout.
"Christaph? This seems to be a mighty interesting & unusual group were teaming up with! A difference after all that time on the road where it was just the two of us."
Kazushi appears to be a small, attractive woman of Asian appearance. However, she reveals her true form, the anthropomorphic fox Kitsune, fairly quickly.
Kazushi is friendly and talkative, prone to expansive gestures and speech.
She is obviously injured when she joins the caravan, trying to avoid fast movements or anything that will aggravate the injury.
Neils is a hero. He does heroic things, the kind of things that heros are do. Of course, if one were ever to question what exactly those things may be he's happy to deliver a lecture. The only members of the caravan he's particularly familiar with are Squirm and Christaph, but he treats everyone with equal warmth. Aidan he greets immediately with a strong embrace and questions of how he's been. He also offers to help Kazushi with her wounds, should she like.
"Delighted to meet you Neils. But please no hugs, I am rather fragile at present. I experimented with the strategy of blocking a warhammer with my ribs. It... wasn't my best idea. And if you have healing skills or powers I would be most grateful. My associates and I are skilled at creating wounds, but regrettably know little about healing them. Something of a defect in an adventuring band I must agree, and one it seems your presence will correct."
"I'm sure I can help, I just need to put my mind to it!"
"Many thanks Neils.
Aidan is a cool headed person. Usually. Lately he probably made a couple of decisions that weren't thought over but that's life.
Young man greets the others, but welcomes Neils especially warm, although not missing an opportunity to boast about a couple of new tricks he learned.
"I hope you did learn your lesson, you reckless fox," Aidan grins as he watches Neils treating kitsune's wounds. "That warhammer was a scary thing."
The small insectoid that has spent most of the trip thus far perched on one or other of the wagons has dark skin and black carapace where it shows. It covers itself meticulously in a woolen travelers cloak though courteous and friendly to any it meets has a somewhat distant demeanor, its thoughts are elsewhere.
It has spoken to most of you, asking of your travels and particularly of your homes.
------------------------------------------------
Watching intently as Neils helps Kazushi
"Your better at that than you were at our last stop Mr Neils, too much practice recently I guess"
"Miss Kazishi, it is a defect I fear we all share. Mr Neils here has some talent for mending by cutting - a strange paradox I'm sure - but as we travel without foes to be cut I'm afraid it seems we must rely on what the land provides... the land and our coin of course."
As it says the last the Dromite shakes a pouch, the clinking of bottles can be clearly heard within.
"Are you in immediate danger Miss Kazishi? Or will rest bring you what you need?"
Kazushi, not used to Dromites, listens closely, then replies:-
"I think I will be fine. Rest is needed, and perhaps a little discretion. And what is your name my insectoid friend?"
The caravan rolls into the market district of the city of Arbil on a morning in late spring in the month of Spalis. The sun is shining and the crowd is jubilant, for there has been rising prices over the recent lack of iron and stone, and everyone is excited over the influx of goods.
The good mood of the day is broken when a commotion begins at the northern side of the market, and the crowd grows quiet as they watch one of the city’s most respected and aged seers, Zorotaer, push violently through the market.
The old ophiduan pushes his way from one crowd of people to the next, clinging to the hems of robes and the shoulders of children as he staggers unsteadily across the square.
In the center, he nearly topples over as he stops, and begins to shout “” each accusation is punctuated by a sudden point of his finger, one of them at you. You do not have time to process what he means before he adds, “Cut the strings...”
With the final enigmatic statement, Zorotaer collapses as a rag doll tossed aside, and though people rush to help him, all eyes are on you; prophesized to save a city of prophecy. The crowd gathers around him and many falls to their knees in hysterics.
Moments later the ringing of glass rises above the idle noise of the market, soon joined by the clattering of clay, wood and stone. The rumbling of the ground violently throws
people to the ground, and the market becomes a floor of people, covering their heads as stalls and shelves collapse, sending their contents everywhere. It is over in less than
a minute, and though the market has nearly collapsed in the commotion, the remainder of the city seems to have survived the earthquake in mostly one piece.
Before the fear can escalate into panic, the booming voice of the city’s overseer, Mosephi, echoes through the mind of everyone present,
Mosephi strides into the center of the square and looks at you carefully for a moment before speaking. "I would like to talk with you this afternoon in my villa. But first I need to see to Zorotaer." Turning to his guards, "Pick up Zorotaer, carefully mind you." The small party exits the plaza.
A woman's cry can be heard from a villa just north of the plaza.
Kazushi appears surprised and thoughtful at Zorotaer's prophecy, especially when she and her companions are singled out.
When the earthquake hits, she looks around quickly for threats or clues as to what the disruption is. Then in response to the overseer's summons says:-
"We will be there, sir."
Then hearing the woman's cry, she starts moving north, towards the distressed woman, saying:-
Somebody is in trouble, I am going to see if I can help. Do any of you know what that prophecy portends? I am afraid I am mystified."
Neils had begun that morning as he had begun many other mornings: by commenting on the lovely day they could look forward too. Even the people of Arbil where welcoming the caravan.
Then, at a sudden turn of events on the part of an old man, Neils only had time and the presence of mind to stammer "W-what?" as he looked to the gathering crowd for explanation.
Instead, the ground begins to shake and throw violently beneath his feet, prompting a louder "What!?' as he struggles to keep his footing in the upheaval.
The earthquake subsides just as a party of more townsfolk appear, and immediately ask to interview the caravan guards sometime later at the mans villa, causing Neils (who was still processing the two previous events), to give a third, even more flustered "WHAT!?" even as the party was turning to leave.
Of course, when he hears the cries of someone in distress he is immediately drawn out of his stupor. "I am heading to that villa on the north end of the plaza." he announces "Duty calls."
As Kazushi and Neils move towards the sound the others follow.
As they reach the house they see Not unlike other houses in the district, this building has suffered damage in the quake. Its door is ajar, the frame having completely shattered.
Kazushi runs up tp the entrance of the house, stops and carefully opens the door. She looks around for anyone in trouble inside, also trying to figure out how unstable the dwelling is. She calls out:-
"Is there anyone in trouble in there?"
Neils summoms his astral suit and weapon and rushes inside immediately.
Scuttling after Neils as fast as its malformed leg will carry it, Squirm halts outside the villa. It looks for any sign of where the cry may have come from in the windows of the upper floors
"So keen Mr Neils. So keen."
After a moment Squirm limps after his heroic friend.
Christaph also rushes up to the entrance to the house.
Sorry, real busy these days with some other things going on. I will keep us as best as possible.
As the heroic caravan guards cluster in front of the broken door, Kazushi's call is met with silence. Neils rushes him shortly after summoning his astral suit.
Inside, Neils see a ransacked household. All the furniture is tipped or broken and the contents of the many storage containers are spilled on the floor.
There is another broken door with stair leading down just beyond the threshold.
Neils will rush down the stairs shouting "Hello? Is there anyone here?"
Christaph will step on in & look around.
"Anyone need help here?"
"We should probably head downstairs. Don't worry Aidan, I am not going to lead the way."
Still wondering how things escalated so quickly, Aidan nods.
"That's smart," he smiles. "Neils, don't rush off like that!"
He follows Neils down the stairs.
Kazushi follows the brothers downstairs.
Christaph will take up the rear and go down as well.
As the guards make their way down, The basement is a 15 foot wide by 20 foot deep space, with no distinguishing features. The caravan guards try to pierce the darkness but only see a woman on the ground in a small pool of blood.
In areas of darkness, creatures without darkvision are effectively blinded. In addition to the obvious effects, a blinded creature has a 50% miss chance in combat (all opponents have total concealment), loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and takes a –4 penalty on Perception checks that rely on sight and most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks. Areas of darkness include an unlit dungeon chamber, most caverns, and outside on a cloudy, moonless night.
Kazushi removes her flint and steel and a torch from her backpack and lights the torch, saying softly:-
"Caution gentlemen. I will light a torch."
"Thanks."
Aidan comes up to the woman to check if she's alive.
Last into the room, Squirm's nostrils ripple as the unmistakable smell of blood wafts. Squirm rummages for a second in its cloak before drawing out a glowing stone. Offering up the stone reverently, it begins to slowly orbit its head, shedding light into the room beyond. Suspecting that the others will focus on the body Squirm investigates the rest of the room...
Neils rushes to the woman alongside Aidan, already ready to draw one of his potions for her.
With lighted torches, and glowing stones, the caravan guards move towards the downed figure. With their better lighting sources, the guards can clearly see that a middle aged woman is unconscious on the ground. Being the hardened adventures that they are, they can quickly surmise that the wound is a scalp wound, which tends to bleed profusely and be superficial in nature.
Before anyone can act, a monstrous figure appears. Tan in color, the monster resembles an emaciated, quadruped, lizard.
Etheral Jaunt (Su) Creature can shift from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane as part of any move action, and then shift back again as a free action. The ability is otherwise identical to the psionic ethereal jaunt power.
Fully materialized, it punches out at Neils.
Though Neils is physically unharmed by the creatures attack, he can feel his mental energies drain.
The monster once again punches Neils.
Before disappearing from sight.
Kazushi readies her wand of infernal healing and uses it on the woman before her, saying:-
"Try and ambush the thing, wait till it strikes then hit it before it disappears."
What the tactical suggestion is supposed to mean is reserve and action to hit the thing when it appears.
"Be careful! If it touches you it can drain Powers from you!"
That's Scary! I don't want this thing draining my powers! I better protect myself.
Christaph manifests Force screen.
Neils is overcome with a draining sensation as the lizard thing attacks him followed by a splitting headache.
"It's a-! It's a something! Ow, my head hurts" and he grips his temple, trying to shake away the pain. "Somebody grab that woman and get her out of here!"
"Mr Christaph, Miss Kazishi, I believe Mr Neils is being a hero. We should get out of here while we can."
Squirm stands over the body and tries to shield her and whoever tries to move her from any teleporting lizards.
"Squirm is right," Aidan grabs the woman and gets ready to run upstairs. "We should leave right now."
"I agree! Let's get her & ourselves out of here if we can!"
"Squirm is right," Aidan grabs the woman and runs upstairs. "We should leave right now."
As the caravan guards beat a hasty retreat from the basement, only Neils stands his ground, waiting for the thought eater to reappear. After a few moments, it becomes apparent to the young man that the thought eater is not coming back to this spot.
Neils rejoins his friends as they triage the woman. Slowly regaining consciousness, the woman looks around not comprehending her current surroundings. "What .. what happened?"
A guard in the livery of Arbil rushes up to the group. "I heard a scream, what is going on here?"
Kazushi replies while looking somewhat nervously at the damaged dwelling they are in:-
We heard the scream too. We found this lady badly hurt in the basement. We were looking to see if we could help her when we were attacked by ... some sort of giant lizard that vanished after it attacked. We brought her up here. Neils are you alright?
"The Lady Kazushi speaks truthfully, but perhaps we should get out of this ... failed structure? ... before it collapses on us?"
Christaph will start to head out, waiting for the others to follow.
Neils comes out last.
"No, I've got an absolutely SPLITTING headache and I haven't got the faintest idea where the lizard thing went."
"Well she looks like she is on the mend. Thank you all for your assistance. It seems that some .... undesirables took the opportunity to encroach into the city during the earthquake. Keep your eyes open." The Arbil guard takes his leave as the woman sits up.
"I cannot thank you enough. That thing came out of nowhere and if it wasn't for you all, I am sure that I'd be dead. Can't say that I've seen you all before. To whom do I owe my thanks?" then woman looks expectantly at you.