Yasmeena nods. "Agreed. We shouldn't go back until we know more."
It still is far from night. And being in the hills doesn't offer itself for observation. You can get high enogh to look over the pesh cacti easily, but it's hard to hide there, and the view into the villaga is very limited. Kelmarene has a high point at the temple and the lowest point at the river where the bridge stands. Combined with the rampart on this side of town, there is almost nothing to see, but the skyline of the village.
"We should hide ourselves now, then, until it's dark" Tariq thinks aloud, "though I'm not sure if the Gnolls' vision is better than ours during the night."
“It’s early still,” Aithaloessa considers. “Perhaps we could even think about taking a closer look again in a few hours, and then returning to the caravan, but that might be risky, given our condition.”
She slips into a more formal tone as it becomes clear that things are calming down, as if the words themselves can help establish more than linguistic control over the situation. Given that poor Tariq and Antarah still look rather like a dog’s boar’s breakfast, she lets the pros and cons of trying to heal everyone up now vs. later, this close to Kelmarane, hang unspoken in the air.
“I wonder if there’s any foraging to be done?” she muses, her gaze sweeping back to the pesh fields, trying to see if there’s any sign of more interesting vegetation or anything else.
You don't see much from your hiding position during the day. Just one thing. As the sun goes down, you see something with feathery wings rise from Kelmarane and fly away.
"No, no idea" Tariq answers, "and yes, I think it's worth the try getting a bit closer. If we get caught we'll try to give ground."
Aithaloessa's glance flickers over to Yasmeena. Between the two of them, they're able to confirm their suspicions, and the guardswoman says grimly, "It's not a bird, exactly."
"Let's try to get back to that overgrowth closer to the walls, see what regular movements there might be." Accepting the risks, she gets ready to slink through the evening to watch, adding, "If we get attacked by flying things or they start shooting at us, I'll use my last spell on a bit of healing."
As you sneak up to the town by night, you find only a few places lit by fires. The entrances to the battle market have watchfires and close to the guard tower another fire burns. Most of the windows of the battle market are also lit.
You're hearing some noises carried over by the wind, that suggests there is quite some life in the battle market.
Not much else is to be seen. Nothing moves around in the light. But your heart almost stops, as the goat creature comes into view on a patrol round through the dark. Holding your breath you watch as it passes no 50 feet away from you.
Tariq only nods, not wanting to make any sound. He stays as immobile as possible, waiting for the goat to pass.
Having seen the goat, and following carefully with your eyes you notice, that it wanders through all of the town. The night is clear, without a moon, but as you have an idea now where it is walking you get a glimpse, here and there when the fire throws it's light on it.
What you also notice after a while, when the creature is in safe distance again, that noone else is moving around.
Yasmeena nods grimly. "It is a creature known as a harpy, a monstrous winged woman with the power to captivate humans with her song before she devours them." She stares into the darkening sky.
"Well, we've learned that, yes" Tariq shrugs. "Now we know the place is to be taken seriously, and maybe we can gather some useful potions at Zastorian's to help us scout better. Perhaps even prepare different prayers." All in all, he tries to make clear that a retreat on time is a future victory.
Aithaloessa wonders how far she can speculate at all safely, and tentatively airs a few theories, only now realizing that she’s been biting her lip since the unearthly creature stalked past them. “And they seem to be fairly comfortable holed up in the central market, patrol in groups of four, report to Mr. Goat…”
“It will take a hard push to dislodge them, but it will help if they’ve not filled the outlying buildings to the brim, and if we can get a bit of support from Almah’s mercenaries.” It’s obviously a show of bravado, but Aithaloessa clearly thinks everyone could use a bit of encouragement right now, and her teeth flash in a quick sharp grin before she immerses herself in tactical considerations, wondering what Garavel will ask for next. If we can take the other side of the river...
As you reach the monastery everyone is asleep already, but the watch. At least you don't see anyone wandering about. The watch consists of two mercenaries standing at the open side of the nave and two guards who stand watch before Almah's quarters.
It is a nice guarded sleep in the monastery. The next morning a guard comes to wake you and request that you come to meet Garavel and Almah to report what you have found.
Aithaloessa goes over the same spells she had prepared the previous morning before turning in, since she’s not sure any others in her repertoire are likely to be more useful in the immediate future. Upon being woken, she carefully polishes her armour before joining the others to report. Given the slight complications of the reconnaissance mission, she is all the more meticulous in putting herself together: every little bit to reassure Garavel and Almah will help.
With a respectful nod, she tries to make her contribution as precisely as she holds her parade-ground stance, explaining her best estimates as to the gnolls’ patrol habits, the monsters she and the others saw, and then, taking a breath she tries to make imperceptible, addresses the elephant(s) in the room. “We started a dire boar when we got close enough to get a better look, since the gnolls didn’t seem to be particularly active or visible. On the one hand, that’s ominous, on the other hand, if they didn’t deal with it themselves… We don’t know what the goat thing was, other than likely of planar origins, and the most inquisitive of the inmates we saw. That said, they do seem largely content to confine themselves to the battle market itself, apart from a few guards posted in a watchtower. The outlying buildings may not be full of gnolls, at least.”
She tries to end on a marginally optimistic note. She steps back to let the others comment, “I think the village itself might provide some interesting possibilities, but some of the others would have a better idea about the overall terrain.”
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As he is woken up, Antarah quickly prepares his daily spells, then tries to look presentable for his report to the princess. He decides to eat before the report, in case he is asked to do something immediately after.
Once in front of his bosses, he hesitates to speak, but Aithaloessa speaks first, leaving him at ease. As she finishes speaking, he decides to describe the creature's they've seen in detail, in case it helps.
"It seem this startling of a giant warthog cost you the opportunity to find out what normally is going on in Kelmarane."
"But anyway. This works too. The goal is to get intel on their numbers and weaken them, before we go for the decisive strike. Continue the work and report on the progress."
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Antarah wants to protest and say that the day to day routine of gnolls cannot be interesting to anyone, but he bites his tongue to stay quiet. He turns around as they are dismissed and comments to the others, once outside "I suppose we have to watch the town from a distance for a while. At least Garavel's assignments are easy, aren't they?"
Tariq heals anyone in need before going to bed.
Next morning, after talking to Garavel, he concedes that they've lost the surprise strike. "Now I think our best plan is to start picking down patrols, weakening their forces, and retreating to the monastery if we're pursued." Of course, he doesn't mention what would happen if all the Gnolls decide to pursue them up to the monastery and launch a massive attack.
Yasmeena shrugs. "I'm not over-anxious to face that harpy. Those creatures are nasty!" Her normally cheerful voice goes flat at the thought.
For a change the party takes the path along the river. But there is one downside to that. To not walk into town, but still get a good view from a distance the river has to be crossed. It is too deep to walk to the other side and there is no ford found all the way to Kelmarane. But it is flowing slowly and it has no crocodiles.
Finally all make it across. In the rising heat of the desert sun the clothes dry quickly and you find a nice elevated spot with some cover to watch over Kelmarane.
Once across the river, Aithaloessa settles herself gingerly in her damp leathers with the resignation of a woman long used to the tedium of the struggle to keep desert dust from mussing her uniform too badly, day in and day out. Immersion doesn’t usually make that more difficult, but today’s her lucky day, it seems. Garavel’s latest orders still echo in her thoughts as she stares down towards Kelmarane. ‘This works too,’ he says. ‘Weaken them.’ I suppose it was too much to hope for support this early. Leave it to the specialists to wear down the opposition some first.
Even though her bow lies propped on a nearby convenient rock, Aithaloessa cradles her mysterious new pistol in her hands, double-checking to make sure that the kit she uses to keep her guns and powder secure in all conditions hasn’t let her down. She thinks over the adventurers’ various options out loud, “Start with watching, and then sow some chaos, per his nibs? Preferably while the light doesn’t set us at a disadvantage, so either today or just after dawn tomorrow?”
Away from direct supervision, Aithaloessa is a bit less fussy about rank: if Almah is a sort of princess, that makes Garavel… Obviously, his comment on how the first day of scouting went still rankles. The moldy growth that runs up her arm as she turns her weapon over in her hands only heightens her attitude of discomfort. Nonetheless, she tries to recall how well gnolls can see in the dark.
From a safe distance an set on not intruding on Kelmarane's daily routine yet, the group watches what's going on. Which isn't that much. But the goat figure is wandering through the streets every now and then.
You see the gnoll guards in the watchtower having an eye out too. They check on the Goat thing and also look over the city. Compared to yesterday they are much more attentive.
About every hour four gnolls come out of the battle market and do a patrol through the city too. You notice, that when they come towards the ruined building with the warthog in, the one in front would take the turn to avoid the road before that, but the leader pushes to go on. Hyena like laughter rises and making fun of that one ensues as they pass the now empty building. They walk in circles through town looking here and there and finally disappear into the battle market again.
Another group of four gnolls comes around noon with a fat goat towards the river. They enter the old mill and a few minutes later they come out again without the goat. They return to the battel market directly.
All in all the impression is the same as yesterday: Not much is going on outside the battle market.
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Antarah watches the movement and comments "Looks like the gnolls feared that hog themselves." Afterwards, he wonders for a while and says "There might not be much more to gain from watching their routine, but then again, if anything worthwhile happens, I think we'll want to see it. I suggest watching for another day before trying anything."
As the wind turns a 'interesting' smell is blown over. Depending on how hungry you are, and how tolerant you're towards ingredients of questionable origin and freshness it causes you to salivate, or the feeling that you might have to throw up.
Later a group of six gnolls leads a human prisoner from the battle market to the open place east of the battle market. There, they stake the man to the ground and start making fun of him. One gnoll throws some wood on the fireplace next to the battlemarket and puts the head of some metal tools into the flaming up fire.
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Antarah nibs at some trail rations after the questionable food's smell is past. He doesn't want to be hungry in case anything happens. He was glad he had an empty stomach when the smell came, however. It was disgusting.
Later, he tells the group "We should help that person! They're about to torture them!"
** spoiler for Aith omitted **
The stake-out is about as exciting as these things usually are, though happily informative. Aithaloessa wonders about the old mill, too: when the goat doesn’t come back out, she wonders if the gnolls are feeding something in there. It’s an unpleasant thought, but not nearly as unpleasant as the nauseating smell that the wind carries over sometime later. She stares across the river as if to distract herself by the force of her concentrated gaze.
Her heart sinks when another group of gnolls drags out their prisoner, and she has to agree with Antarah’s assessment, though she’s just cautious, or tactical, enough to worry about the risk of traps and everything that may lie between the group and their target. She curses fervently in Elven as she springs to her feet and snatches up her bow.
Indicating the building directly between them on the line to the view of the impending atrocity, she says, “I could provide some fireworks from there, but it won’t be fast, and it’s too far for an easy bowshot.”
“There’s also whatever might be on the way,” she acknowledges grimly. “We’ll have to strike hard, fast, and cunning.”
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Antarah, thinking a little more strategically after Aithaloessa's words, looks at the buildings near the prisoner's upcoming torture , to see if they lack a ceiling too or if they're remarkable in any way. He says "If they mean to torture him, at least there is some noise expected and we shouldn't draw that much attention. Still, we should plan for a quick escape."
Yasmeena frowns. "They know we are out here, so this could be a trap. They may be trying to lure us out with atrocities." She sighs. "It would be wise of us to keep mindful of our mission, and rescue everyone once we have the rest of our company with us." She looks around. "Yet I admit, it is hard to just stand by. Is it worth the risk?"
Tariq sighs. "This is going to end awfully bad" he comments, "though we must rescue him. It's the only ethical thing to do. Plus, he might have some precious Intel...
After a few moments more thought, Aithaloessa concludes with what she hopes is an encouraging thought, “Sorry, I’m overthinking this. They know we’re here, but precisely? Or why just now?”
What she doesn’t say is, And whatever the Hell that goat thing is, boar or no boar, a half-dozen gnolls behind it would tilt the odds in its favour. A bit.
She gives a ferociously sharp grin that briefly suggests a work of Calistrian devotional art as she wickedly quotes Garavel’s orders, her fingers curling in mock count-off, “As you say, ‘The goal is to get intel on their numbers and weaken them.’ We’ve done a bit more of the first, so…”
“Unless they’re inclined to take hostages or it out on their prisoners, I doubt we’ll make it worse for them even if we’re forced to fall back before ... Which I think should be either at speed down the south road through the ruins , or back over the bridge and on the far side of the river, depending on how fast the gnolls recover to counterattack.”
The gnolls kick and tease their prisoner, having their wicked kind of fun with him.
Meanwhile Aithaloessa sneaks down the ledge and approaches the bridge in the cover of that distraction. But not all are distracted. As Aithaloessa comes close to the mill the door flies open as a terrifying creature bolts out. A menagerie of bestial features combine to form this vicious creature. From the body and forelegs of a powerful stag issue sharpened hooves, powerful black wings, and the taloned haunches of a gigantic bird of prey. Its head combines the features of deer and wolf, a set of sharp horns arching over bloodstained jaws. Most unnerving is its shadow, though, which spills forth in the shape of a human figure.
And it has shadow mark. The peryton's shadow looks like the person it has a shadow mark on. Attacks and damage on that person are at +2.
Yasmeena sighs and nods, closely following Aithaloessa. When Antarah announces that the creature cannot be harmed except with magic, she smirks at the elven woman and says, "It sounds like we must try to help Antarah get within reach. We might be able to lure it closer, even if we can't hurt it?" She attempts to gauge the distance and readies her bow.
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Antarah sighs and says "All right, let's get that thing! Just be careful. If its shadow looks like you, you probably don't want to stand near it!" He draws his blade as he moves towards the creature. At a command word and his blade glows with arcane magic. He swings it at the creature with all his strength using two hands.
Unfortunately, all his strength means he failed to swing his sword even at the general vicinity of the creature, making it look like he closed his eyes to attack.
Yasmeena dances a step closer to Antarah and casts a spell on his weapon. Then she waves her arms to attract the peryton's notice and shoots an arrow at it.
For all that she’s an aspiring mage, Aithaloessa goggles at Antarah’s warning the way only someone who grew up in a dead-magic zone can.
“Right,” she nods to him and Yasmeena. I hate being right, sometimes, she thinks, concluding that this thing out of the darkest fairy tales she remembers from childhood must be what happened to the gnolls’ quadrupedal goat from midday.
Magic! Magicmagicmagic! Oh! She’s about to whip off an arrow, before she remembers herself, and with a gesture and a hurried incantation, launches an implausible ray of frost at the peryton through the desert afternoon.
Hopefully that got its attention, and she retreats, er, advances forward in the direction of the bridge, hoping to draw the monster past Antarah and Tariq, to give them an opening. She feels a strange urge to draw her pistol, but is wary of how far the sound might carry, and decides to hold off for another few seconds.