Ohrmizd leaves one of the unconscious gnolls on the floor while the group searches around the hut "It is very strange she did not left anything of value here. We should make sure to register everything. Some of those unguents and oils must serve something"
Before the group heals up Ohrmizd bonds the unconscious gnoll "Could you include him in the healing? We need to discover what is going on in that central building before we head in"
"That halberd seems something nice, perhaps you shall give a look at it Heshan"
Disappointed that there is nothing to be found Ohrmizd stirs in the cauldron with the ladle. As he lifts it to smell the "potion" he finds that he picked up two keys from the bottom of the cauldron.
|
Manuun is having a closer look at the halberd, trying to remember what he knows about these runes.
"Good idea about asking the Gnolls. Lets do that."
Manuun wakes up the gnoll and asks him in Gnoll "Hvað eru margir Gnolls í varðturninum? Og hversu margir á bardaga markaðnum?"
"How many Gnolls are in the watchtower? And how many in the Battle market?"
Roryx does a quick search of the harpy's lair for eventual components for his arcane spells, but then leaves it to the others, and keeps watch at the entrance - "It is strange they simply stopped attacking us - there are bound to be more, no?" - he asked his companions - "Had you already encountered that demonic creature before?"
"I will have to agree with Omari with this one. I can only throw out bolts now and am no more useful than that. The best we can do is try and track down the harpy."
"So, have you found any magical auras on those unguents? Also, perhaps it is better that you watch through the windows inside the hut. We do not want to call unwanted attention" Ohrmizd comments to Omari's and Roryx conversation.
The Sarenrae faithful is well surprised when he raises the cauldron to find the keys the harpy was talking about when he was near to stop looking for. Raising them in the air with a wide smile he shows them to everyone "Look at what I found! One of these must be the keys to gain the entrance into the central building, perhaps through a backdoor"
As for the gnoll interrogation, once Omari has channeled waking up the gnoll in the process, Ohrmizd stares stern at him with his inquisitive look and asks after Manuun in Gnoll language "What's inside the central building. Answer"
"I will get back to you on that."
With that, Heshan worked his magic on the items.
After Ohrmizd has threatened and harassed the gnoll for a minute the gnoll surrenders and tells. "It's the battel market. It has a stage, the spectator's benches, the market stalls, a bar, the prison cells, the watch rooms and Kardswann's private rooms."
"Spectator benches? What do they do there? Is this some kind of fighting plaza? You get money from that?" Ohrmizd stretches his eyes and goes a bit more serious about forcing the gnoll to answer the following questions "How many gnolls life there? You also better tell me about how Kardswann protects himself."
"There are still a dozen gnolls inside the battle market. And Kardswann doesn't need any protection. He'd rip you apart with his bare hands!"
"With his bare hands? You mean he is a wizard and kills with his magic?" Ohrmizd raises an eyebrow trying to find out if the gnoll is being honest.
"You heard the Erastil's faithful. What's at the watchtower? How the guard turns work?" Ohrmizd makes the translation to gnoll in case someone does not understand.
After the gnoll responds, Ohrmizd adds another question of his own "How do you access the battle market? Do you need any keys or password? Undrella told us about the backdoor. Where is it? Don't try to keep information gnoll, the Inquisition will take everything from you. Make this something faster"
"No, literally. He did that to our last chief and you will fare no better." the gnoll replies.
The gnoll is probaly exaggerating.
"Guard turns? What's that. There is no one left in the watch tower."
"The battle market, I enter through the door? It's open during day time."
"Good gnoll, you earned some mercy" catching the gnoll is not going to answer more, Ohrmizd hits it with the plain side of his scimitar knocking him unconscious.
"Shall we have a last check of how things are going before we fall back to rest?" the Kellid checks the mood of the party.
Once ready he crosses the bridge and starts to check in rapid succession on the buildings where they found Rahav.
Roryx moves after Ohrmizd, following up with the exploration - "Had you heard about this Kardswann before?"
"Yes, Undrella told us he is her lover, the current Kulldis chieftain after he slew the old chief about 2 months ago. Apparently Kardswann is a genie that walked through the magic-sealed door leading to the ruined church crypt, after which the harpy states he was clearly under the control of some evil entity." Ohrmizd is blown up by the remembering of the harpy's words "Undrella wants him killed because he is cruel to her. What kind of lover is that?"
Then playing with the harpy's keys while they explore the buildings, he pads them on his hand and saves them into a pouch "Two keys... the gnoll told us the doors are just open to enter the Battle Market during the day... so, what these two keys might serve for?"
This handsome, three-story mansion has a splendid view of Kelmarane’s dock and the tannery and mill across the river.
These intact stables are connected via a short hallway to the Common House at area.
This largely intact building once served as an inn for visitors to Kelmarane who were unable to afford the plush accommodations of the upgrade hostels next to the battle market.
As Ohrmizd nears the last building in the row he hears some suspicious noises, that indicate that the building isn't empty.
"I think we can risk another fight with gnolls, but no more - if the noise is another demon we would be done for... If we have to run, we run that away", Omari points , " and then back to the monastery."
"Caution... I hear someone is inside the last building..." Ohrmizd approaches to have a look through one of the building windows or crevices.
It no window or crevice, he will have this look through the door.
The southern wall of the building is missing, allowing an easy peek inside. Unfortunately two large eyes of a large beast look back. Ohrmizd finds himself eye to eye with an angry warthog. Tusks like sabres growing out of its mouth.
"It is just a warthog. I propose to leave him be, unless you want to bring tonight's dinner to Garavel and the Princess" Ohrmizd says while he prepares himself for the beast's attack by attacking himself first.
If the party agrees to leave it, then Ohrmizd just walks back to the party and leaves the warthog at the building.
"I don't see any harm in letting him go," he agreed with a shrug.
Like Manuun, Omari is at a half-draw with his longbow, ready to shoot if the beast attacks.
"Back off if you can Ohrmzid, we can't carry that much meat, never mind eat it... Not to mention that it's big enough to eat you, and me besides..."
+3 dex +1 bab +1 PBS; Also Omari ignores 1 person's worth of soft cover due to deadeye bowman
+1 PBS
The warthog roars and runs out of the building, taking a turn towards Ohrmizd. The ground trembles under the stomping of the beast. Two arrows sink into the flesh of the beast, and Ohrmizd's blade, before the tusk reaches the Keleshite.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Stepping forward, Roryx joins the fray - "Have ALL the animals in the area been driven mad?"
Heshan too shoots the beast as it comes out of its lair. Or he tries to.
All of that is not enough to stop the beast and so Ohrmizd gets sliced open from his hip to his neck.
On his attempt to strike down the boar, Ohrmizd is taken in a bad position by the creature's charge. The blood is everywhere as the tusks open up Ohrmizd.
Clumsily the man stumbles back, out of the animal's reach, and looks desperately for his holy symbol. While praying, the blood spurts from his mouth "Saargengae, gjij me a llast changje of ya'rgj soothing hgjandj"
Using his last prayers for the day, the skin close up quickly, fixing the worst wounds.
Omari's yes widen at the strike Orhmzid has taken. He steps sideways for a better line of sight, and locks into focus, his hands blurring on his bow... A pair of arrows launch at the boar.
+3 dex +1 bab +1 PBS-2 rapid shot; Also Omari ignores 1 person's worth of soft cover due to deadeye bowman
+1 PBS
"It seems they are all indeed mad" - Roryx swings again - "Stay fast Ohrmizd!"
"Well, it was nice knowing you anyways." Heshan adjusts his aim with the hope that it will be true this time around.
Omari shoots the boar. Manoon also sticks another arrow in the beast. Not as effective as the last, but still. Roryx doesn't wound the beast with his morningstar, but he holds the line for the others to be safe from the beast. Heshan sends some lightning into the beast to fry it.
The beast is dying, but in its ferocious rage it keeps attacking. This time Roryx.
"Manuun, that would have gutted you like a fish! Let Roryx handle the front line!" Omari tries to keep the party organized as he shoots more arrows at the beast:
+3 dex +1 bab +1 PBS-2 rapid shot; Also Omari ignores 1 person's worth of soft cover due to deadeye bowman
+1 PBS
Edit :
Omari makes Old Deadeye proud as he sends an arrow straight through the beasts heart, ending it immediately. The warthog drops and then rolls to the side. An overly large future roast.
A quick check in the ruined building shows nothing of interest. Just a pigsty.
As the beast ceases to budge Ohrmizd looks back at Roryx trying to make sure what they just went through was real "Are you ok?"
Breathing deeply, the man looks at the fallen boar and smiles "Wow, those were a couple of exceptional shots Manuun and Omari. It seems you definitely got our supper. And by the size of it all of the mercenaries too"
If the group cannot pick up the whole of it, Ohrmizd will use his scimitar to butcher the best parts.
"Time to head back and rest" he nods reassuring "Tomorrow, the battle market"
"That was ... exciting" comments Omari and then he asks Ohrmzid: Let me look at you, do you need the last of Erastil's healing for the day?"
He also collects the arrows he shot, broken or not - he can repair then with mending tonight...
"I think I am good enough. Save it just in case. If needed I can have it at night" Ohrmizd answers back.
"I fared much better this time around, but I appreciate the concern," Heshan nodded. "I hope we are as lucky with the harpy's voice the next time we meet her."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
While praying, the blood spurts from his mouth "Saargengae, gjij me a llast changje of ya'rgj soothing hgjandj"
"It was well fought once more" - Roryx nods at the others, spending a few moments observing the beast they have just defeated.
|
|
Manuun does not really seem to care for Omaris command to retreat, only stepping away from Ohrmizd once the Warthog is down. afterwards he is clearly shooting worried glances at Ohrmizd, not sure if he should trust the optimistic answers of the blood-covered Sarenraen.
Anyway his appetit for boarmeat is clearly gone hand he follows the group rather silently on the way back.
Not waiting for someone else to show up, the special ops team leaves for the monastery. The mood is a lot better this time. Several battles that ended in victory in one day.
The hour long walk flies by and the common sight of the guards in front of the building comes up again.
"Ah! Another day of adventure resolved!" Ohrmizd looks at the sight of the guards, then at the still open wounds on his torso. The Keleshite waves his hand greeting them.
First things first, he comes by the Library to explain the state of the matters to Garavel "We cleaned the place except for the battle market and the church basement. Undrella managed to escape, but she probably will not come back. I don't think the harpy will risk another encounter with us after the last one"
Second things next, he crashes by Hadrod and Hadrah "Here you have, boar meet just hunted. This shall make for a good side dish to your soup!"
Hadrah looks suspiciously at the piece of meat. "That's not boar. Did yoo hund an elephant?" she inquires with the keen eye of a cook who has cooked pieces of meat from boars dozens of times.