'Hey! Something behind that rock! Little help!?'
Desperate to see the likely foe, Faysal tosses his walking stick/club towards the shadow
Haldo loads his crossbow, then scans around the cacti thicket, ready to skewer whatever that looks threatening.
Makin has the goat firmly grappled but it is still tied off to a trunk. Makin is currently out of the patch on a thin strip of land with a 15' wide ravine running down the opposite side from the cactus patch. Rombard is howling and covered in cactus quills and struggling furiously making it difficult to keep both of you from rolling off the edge of the ravine.
As Faysal throws his staff at the rock it traces a light through the sky and lands against the rock stopping for just a second to illuminate the area then sliding down into a bush blocking nearly all the light, how unlucky.
At that moment a short 2 foot tall bipedal creature jumps from behind the rock with a scream. Covered in tattered rags and with the face of an ugly dog with mangy fur it fires and arrow from its tiny bow at Makin while laughing and jumping around.
Faysal charges the pugwampi, and attempts to tackle it to the ground before it can fire again.
Cactus checks
Touch attack to grapple
CMB Check
"Makin!!! Just let the goat go!!!"
'I'm not going to be the one who lost that old man's goat!'
Makin continues to hold the goat while pulling his short sword and cutting the rope around its neck.
Faysal charges though the cacti somehow just making through without getting caught. He shouts "Makin!! Just let the Goat go!!!" Which is answered by "I'm not going to be the one who lost that old man's goat!". Faysal then attempts to grab the bouncing, giggling pugwampi only to miss and nearly fall off the cliff.
The pugwampi fires his bow again at Makin but drops the arrow when he dodges Faysal's attack.
Makin subdues the goat, Grapple check to do non-lethal damage.
If he succeeds he puts Rombard down and moves over to the pugawampi to stop it from shooting arrows.
Faysal steadies himself and again tries to disarm the pugwampi.
"I'm not trying to hurt ye, ye daft critter, just give me the bow!!!"
Touch attack
CMB to grapple
Faysal steadies himself and again tries to disarm the pugwampi.
"I'm not trying to hurt ye, ye daft critter, just give me the bow!!!"
Touch attack
1d20+1
1d20+1CMB to grapple
1d20
1d20
Did I get him?
Did I get him?
Faysal looks around, and realizes he is alone in the darkness. The Sorceror and old man have deserted him, Makin is apparently involved romantically with the live stock, and Haldo has apparently fallen in battle with rat beings from the depths of the desert. Unless things turn around soon, he will be forced to abandon his quest, or trudge on alone....
As Makin cuts the rope the goat goes limp, unconscious. Faysal lunges again for the little rodent but misses garnering an evil giggle from the beast who drops his little bow and then stabs Faysal with his rusty dagger.
Out of nowhere comes an arrow that flies straight through the puwampi's head nearly sending it tumbling off the cliff. You turn to see Dashki appear from the cactus to the right with a smirk on his face, "Dashki hates those foul beasts."
Haldo whistles, clearly impressed by the shot.
"Dashki knows how to use a bow and arrow."
'Dashki sure took his sweet time,' Makin mutters under his breath. He carries the goat in his arms, looking to make his way slowly back through the cactus field.
'Looks like the pugawampi was real, and your thus nicely off the hook!' He turns to Dashki with a not-quite-smile.
Dashki grabs the lifeless body of the pugwampi, crafts a noose out of twine and hangs the body from the end of his staff like a macabre trinket. the party successfully makes it back to the encampment where the grateful drover sheds a tear at the return of his goat Rombard. He thanks you over and over and brings you food and water to satiate your desires.
When Almah sees the body of the deceased pugwampi, she says "Well I guess Dashki is off the hook for the fire now." She then faces a quiet man with black hair and olive skin sitting in the corner of her tent, "Tell me what you know of these rodents, any of you."
To Numair:
Numair gets up from seat, and walks over to look at the dead creature dangling from Dashki's staff. "Unfortunately, I know very little of these things. I can most assuredly tell you they are NOT any sort of being from the Great Beyond, nor are they of arcane creation. If I were to guess, I would say a goblinoid ... perhaps a fey. However, I suspect that doesn't help much."
Finishing his investigation, he looks at the others. "I am sorry, where are my manners? I am Numair Alazario."
Haldo looks at Numair cautiously for a long while. He finally nods his head in silent acknowledgment.
'Numair huh? I'm sure we'll get nice and acquainted later, a pleasure and all! But first, I have a goat to deliver!'
Makin goes to find the drover and return Rombard.
"Welcome friend Numair. So my lady, are we expecting more of these pug-a-whatsits?"
"Welcome friend Numair. So my lady, are we expecting more of these pug-a-whatsits?"
"My thanks; can I ask your name? And I don't mean to interrupt the lady, but even with the little I know about these, I would assume we should expect more of these. Did you just encounter the one here?"
Thinking a bit more, Numair adds, "Rarely do creatures so small and weak travel alone; look at goblins or kobolds, for instance. And would only one be able to cause such havoc as starting a fire and stealing a beast as large (to it) as a goat? Maybe, but I doubt it."
"My Name is Faysal Ibn Ahmad Ibn Aziz, and I am an itinerant worshiper of Iomedae, sometime fighter, and constant companion."
"I agree, there are likely more out there," muses Almah. "This camp is too exposed. I know of an long abandoned monastery to Sarenrae that stands near the town that would make a much better base of operations. Tomorrow we will travel there and see if it is still abandoned. Garavel, let the caravan know we move at first light. As for you, my new mercenaries, it appears that Garavel chose you well. For your part in the upcoming journey to clear Kelmarane and return it to it's former glory I will pay you 200 gold each."
"I agree, there are likely more out there," muses Almah. "This camp is too exposed. I know of an long abandoned monastery to Sarenrae that stands near the town that would make a much better base of operations. Tomorrow we will travel there and see if it is still abandoned. Garavel, let the caravan know we move at first light. As for you, my new mercenaries, it appears that Garavel chose you well. For your part in the upcoming journey to clear Kelmarane and return it to it's former glory I will pay you 200 gold each."
Numair bows to Almah and says, "My thanks, milady." Turning to the others, he adds, "Assuming, of course, you gentlemen do not mind my accompanying you?"
Makin returns just in time to hear about the reward, at which he grins widely.
He comes to stand with the others.
'Not at all,' He says to Numair. 'In fact we still have that treasure we found in the storm to divide up.'
'I assume we're all okay with Faysal getting the healing wand and I'd like the armor. So we can divide up the money between you two?'
Makin goes to his haunches and roots through the sack. Pulling out the gems and coin found in the Ankheg's lair, as well as some blackened gold. Counting quickly, he says, 'that'll be about 85 gold pieces worth each in gem and coin? Sound fair to everyone?'
"Mayhaps we should keep a small pool of funds, in case the wand needs to be recharged, or we encounter other needs?"
'Okay, so what was going to be Numair's bit can be the group fund, so I get the armor, Faysal the wand, Haldo gets all the gold and the everburning torch, and the gems will be the party fund?'
Makin offers everyone their part of the fund, and stuffs the gems back in the sack.
'Is that okay?'
After dividing up the spoils of war, Makin goes to Father zastoran and asks to purchase the tarnished rapier, reintroducing himself properly without the hubub of fire or investigation at his heels.
Haldo grins.
"Oh, I'll have no problem keeping all the gold. No problem at all."
After dividing up the spoils of war, Makin goes to Father zastoran and asks to purchase the tarnished rapier, reintroducing himself properly without the hubub of fire or investigation at his heels.
After dividing up the spoils of war, Makin goes to Father zastoran and asks to purchase the tarnished rapier, reintroducing himself properly without the hubub of fire or investigation at his heels.
'Okay, so should we get some rest, seems like this monastery tomorrow will involve some fighting, and I've taken a bit of a scratching today!'
Faysal tends to Makin's wounds
Cast CLW
'Okay, so should we get some rest, seems like this monastery tomorrow will involve some fighting, and I've taken a bit of a scratching today!'
Numair turns to Almah and asks, "Do we know what may be in the monestary presently? Would you expect gnolls, or something even more unsavory?"
He turns to the others and inquires "You'll excuse me, as I'm unaware of what everyone's ... specialty is. Is anyone here capable of scouting the place when we get closer? It would be good, I think, to be certain of what (if any) foes we may have to face."
'Thank you Father Ibn Aziz,' Makin says graciously, his cuts and bruises healed good as new.
'I can be a sneaky devil when I want, that said Faysal is very light on his feet, and if Haldo was willing to wear my, now spare studded leather armor, you two would be silent enough to be close if we get in trouble. What do you think Haldo, Faysal?'
"Haldo, did ye also feel the sting of those wee critters? Friend Makin, if we can accomplish our goals through stealth and guile, rather than violence, it will be all the better."
'Indeed, we must leanr more of the place from Almah in the morning.'
"That's not a bad idea, Makin. Hand me that armor and I'll put it on."
"Excellant. Always better to understand your foes before launching yourself into battle, I believe."
Makin gives Haldo his studded leather armor.
'Okay so we talk to ALmah in the morning then scout out the monastery? Sounds like a plan! Shall we set up our tents, and rise early?'
"Morning is fine. I'm to bed then."
Dawn breaks early over the sultan's claw. You awake to the sounds of camp being broken down around you. Garavel appears at the door to your tent and says, "If you are going to scout the temple now it the time. Head north about a mile and you will see it nestled along the mountains. The rest of the caravan will follow along later in the day. Any questions?"