Before the sun begins to rise, the slave masters enter the camp and start barking orders. They are ordering all of the female slaves to head to the dig site.
Ixius rises with the rest of the slaves, waiting for orders form the male slaves and keeping his eyes and ears open, especially trying to locate the Mithril Scarab.
From the quietly grumbling voices around you, you know that this comes as a surprise to most.
The Mithral Scarab catches your eye before heading off with the female slaves. She looks worried and shrugs.
Sykala, Some slaves drag the barrels of water toward the path to the dig siteand allow the slaves walking past to sip from ladles.
Sykala is also concerned with the "female only" policy and follows by hitching a ride on The Mithral Scarab if she'll allow it. She stays hidden in the folds of her clothing.
Sykala is also concerned with the "female only" policy and follows by hitching a ride on The Mithral Scarab if she'll allow it. She stays hidden in the folds of her clothing.
Sykala watches the procession and endless sand through a thin crack in the folds of The Mithral Scarab's clothing...
Ixius grumbles along with the rest of the slaves, not liking being separated form the Mithril Scarab.
Ovirid just grumbles.
Perception
"That's not normal is it?" Refina asks as she watches from where she and the others not in the camp are hiding.
A concerned frown on his face Korian replies "No, I do not think it is."
Squinting his eyes against the sun's glare the young mage tries his best to determine exactly what is going on.
Perception:
Untyped Knowledge Check: (+??)
However the glare off the sand almost blinds him and he can hardly make out any specific details at all. Concerned for his comrades Korian performs a brief ritual and shortly after a glowing ball of light appears near his head.
He then tells the lantern archon to teleport itself over to the camp, placing itself in front of the sun and remaining high enough in the air to avoid detection, spend a few moments scouting out exactly what the situation is and then reporting back to him. He also gives descriptions of his companions telling the friendly outsider to keep a specific eye out for them.
He then impatiently waits for it's return and comments to Refina
"I have a feeling we might be needing to get ready for some trouble."
OOC:Casts Summon Monster III, Duration 9 rounds, Archon INT 6
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 8
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A series of small glowing orbs -- at least a dozen of them -- begin to weave in and out among the gathered male slaves. They stop in front of each one, circle around, and move on. The slaves find this very disconcerting.
Ovirid hears something happening on the road. The female slaves departing the camp are agitated.
The lantern archon easily slips into place. Anyone who sees it mistakes it for another ball of light.
Watching the golem pass Sykala begins to suspect that maybe it isn't the women who are in danger...
Ovirid tries to determine what's going on on the road. He does not do anything to draw attention to himself, but he does have "all his worldly possessions" - the light pick and the dirty old bag - with him.
Ixius also awaits further developments.
"I think he might know we're here." he whispers to Ovirid.
The orbs bob and weave there way down the line, circle around Ovirid and Ixius in turn, and then eventually float to the front of the gathered slaves.
A clay golem carrying a palanquin stops in front of the gathered slaves and even more slave masters disperse through the camp.
The glowing orbs make their way up to the palanquin entering one at a time.
The Lantern Archon takes this chance to break away from the hiding place and return to Korian and Refina relating this tale.
'What the hell are they up to??' worries the young mage. In a rare moment of being unsure of himself, Korian is paralyzed by indecision. Should he and Refina act now to aid his allies yet risk tipping their hand and revealing their presence? Or should he wait, keeping their presence a secret as long as possible yet risk being to late to help?
Turning to his remaining companion he asks "Refina, what do you think we should do? Do your Gods have aught to say to aid us?"
"Depends do you have anything that would be able to hide our presance and let us get closer? I'm begining to think they know something is up at least with there male slaves."
Doing a quick mental inventory of his items and abilities Korian with growing concern Korian shakes his head "No, other than the ability to turn one of us invisible for a short time, there is little I can think of that we can do without making the situation worse..."
"Perhaps a distraction to draw there attention and give the others a chance to sneak away?"
"Yes! That may do it!" exclaims the excited young mage. In his sudden relief he grabs her face and kisses her, only to just as quickly back away, his eyes bulging in shock and embarrassment. "Ah...that is, I mean, my apologies! I..."
Turning red, a task not easy for one of his dark complexion, and not knowing what else to say, he turns around and focuses on the task at hand "I just wish I was better prepared" Refina can hear him mumble to himself.
Again, mentally cataloging everything possible to him he sighs, shrugs his shoulders and says over his shoulder "We better stay out of sight. I sure hope this works...wish me luck!" "And so much for being subtle..."[b] as he mumbles once again.
Knowing he only has moments before the Archon disappears he gives it it's last command. [b]"If you can, try and find my friends and warn them I'll be providing a distraction for them to flee if they wish, or if they can." Watching it disappear, not knowing if the celestial will even be able to find his friends or not, he puts it from is mind and concentrates on doing what he can.
First lying down on a dune, with just his the top of his sand colored turbaned head sticking over, he conjures an illusionary sand storm, placing it in-between the slaves and the palanquin. Being a child of the desert, he is able to craft the image to perfection, from the slow sudden build to something bigger and fiercer. Yet unfortunately, he does not have the more powerful version of the spell available, so this one is visual only. Still it is only meant as distraction for his next move, which is to create an open pit, directly underneath the golem. Finally, keeping firmly in mind the the slave masters are his enemy, he summons several giant worker ants, placing them as close to his targets as he can. He then crosses his fingers.
-Presdigitation to change colour of turban
-Cast Silent Image DC16
-Cast Create Pit DC17
-Cast Summon Monster III x2, Worker Ants
"Oh uh well your welcome" Refina responds somehow managing to remain (mostly) unflusterd. She remains back as Korian gets to work.
The commotion begins almost at once. The slaves are stumbling back and the guards are focused on the pit. This would certainly be the moment to get away.
Ixius sees the commotion and figures Korian is creating a diversion. "We better get out of here." he says to Ovirid.
If he is not being observed, Ixius changes his disguise to look like a guard and tries to sneak away with Ovirid (if he follows), staying opposite Korian's illusion from the palanquin, hoping to get behind some dunes and loop back to rejoin Korian and Refina.
*grumble*
Ovirid will try to sneak through the crowd of slaves. He will try to go a different route than Ixius, but in the same general direction, so they aren't caught together if one of them is observed.
The clay golem steps back away from the pit fast enough to avoid falling into it. The palanquin is jostled and rocked enough to annoy the occupant who nearly comes flying out of it.
The ants move toward the slave masters as the slaves retreat, but the slave masters seem ready for this.
The man Sykala described as the Sand Sage hangs onto the side of the palanquin with the skinny but strong arms of someone who spends half his life in the library and the other half digging for artifacts of ancient Osirion.
The Sand Sage is beginning to bellow but it is hard to hear over the noise of panicked slaves and guards shouting orders to each other as the face down the giant ants.
Giant Ant Worker (x4)
(Augments Included)
Medium Size celestial/fiendish vermin
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +5
DEFENSE: AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15; (+5 natural)
hp 22 [2d8+13]
Fort +8, Ref +0, Will +1
Immune mind-affecting effects
SR 5
Celestial - Resist Acid, Cold, and Electricity 5
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +5 [1d6+4]
Special Attack Smite evil/good
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 10, Con, 21, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +5 (+9 grapple);
CMD 15 (23 vs. trip)
Feats ToughnessB
Skills Climb +12, Perception +5, Survival +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Smite evil/good 1/day as a swift action (adds CHA bonus (0) to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD (+2) against evil/good foes; smite persists until target is dead or the celestial/fiendish creature rests)
To further throw off pursuit Korian creates another silent illusion, this time a small cloud of dust, as if from a few riders, moving off at speed in a 60 degree angle from where he and Refina hide. (eg if they are South, the cloud is moving NE or NW.)
Above the sound of the noise of panicked slaves and battle you hear the Sand Sage bellow, "We should talk, Sykala. You will not beat us."
The Sand Sage is standing on a platform (the clay golem) and bellowing repeatedly at the top of his lungs, so I'll say everyone hears.
The little lizard scampers underneath The Mithral Scarab's clothing until she reaches her neck and pops her head out to look and see what is happening. Not thinking it wise to approach the Sand Sage she stays hidden just watching to see what happens.
The little lizard scampers underneath The Mithral Scarab's clothing until she reaches her neck and pops her head out to look and see what is happening. Not thinking it wise to approach the Sand Sage she stays hidden just watching to see what happens.
The Mithral Scarab was heading away from the Sand Sage, travelling with the other female slaves.
It sounds like Sykala continues to move away from the chaos with the Mithral Scarab.
The Scarab complains to her, "This ... is ... NOT ... subtle."
Ixius and Ovirid are able to escape. For that matter, so do several slaves. The ants are a disruption, but they are brought forced back into the pit and eventually the combat ends.
Ovirid and Ixius make it out of the camp and are able to rejoin Korian and Refina having accomplished little for their troubles.
The little lizard hisses its agreement.
As Ovirid works on getting himself into his gear, "'at was a waste o' time. N' what?"
The stealthy little lizard finds the main water supply is back in the more established, well guarded, and far more lavish encampment of the nobles. The oasis around which it is based refills barrels of water.
The oasis consists of low grasses around a small pool. In the centre of the pool are the crumbling remains of a what may have been a stone fountain or bathing area. Whatever mortar held these stones in place has long been worn away, leaving only a pile of stones. The water could come from a spring or may be drawn up from an underground aquifer.
The master camp is much more lavish than the slave camp or the dig site and more heavily guarded too. While Sykala is there, she sees another palanquin golem lurch forward and begin to move toward the path to the dig site.
She will return to Korian and the others and tell them all she has found.
She'll explain to whoever wants to know that her intention is to lower the water and then seal off the oasis with stone shapes. She will do it in earth elemental form so she can do it a ways underground where people can't get to it. They can't survive out here without water.