Looking around, Saylarya can't find it. "Where has it gone!?"
Uthe blinks in surprise and then looks back down at her wand, shaking it as if there's a possibility that something's loose.
Unable to see where the creature went, she sends a magical bolt careening into one of the crates.
"Come back you flying coward! We are not finished with you yet!" she yells out. A yawling, spitting string of phrases that are most likely not compliments in Amurrun follow from her lips.
Zathra holds her staff at the ready for the creature’s return.
"You can't sneak up on us, we'll see right through that trick" Voshi states with confidence, secretly hoping that she can't see through the man anytime soon.
{Bon Mot}
Voshi makes a good quip which fills her with confidence, even if it has little other immediate effect.
This time it's Uthe who is targeted, with a blow to the back of the head that sends the sorceror reeling. She has the last laugh though when one of her energy bolts comes plummeting from the sky and unerringly strikes the creature before it can dodge.
In a swirl of dust the creature is gone again.
Voshi swaps her longbow for her Kukri and stands ready to strike back if it nears.
Unable to find their target, Saylara also readies an attack should it return.
Zathra moves to patch up Uthe’s injuries, but the chaos of battle distracts her.
Uthe shakes her head as she recovers from the blow. The sticky feeling of blood running down the back of her neck only seems to incense her further. Looking around she doesn't see the enemy at all and she sends another arcane blast into one of the barrels as a focus for her anger. She backs up against one of the walls so the elusive foe can't hit her from behind again.
Voshi gets swatted around the head by the invisible force and strikes back with some vigor. The creature passes in a whisper of breeze and then...
Nothing.
After about two minutes of keeping up the angry stances and snarling face the glaring of catfolk begin to feel like they might really be on their own once more.
The expedition gear in the yard contains dried food, casks of water and ale, rope, shovels, tools, insect-repelling herbs, and other mundane equipment to supply a journey of several weeks through the Mwangi Expanse. It is worth 25 gp in total and weighs 20 Bulk.
"Now that was the definition of nefarious." She says in frustration, the tip of her tail twitching.
"Let's carry on when Uthe feels a bit better."
Saylarya repeats Voshi, nodding her head. "Nefariousness."
She looks through the expedition gear asking "Does anyone need any of this?"
Zathra lays hands on Uthe and spends a few minutes with more traditional healing techniques to mend her wounds,
Exploring to the east reveals two wagon stalls. One is dominated by a huge yellow-ish puddle which, upon cautious closer inspection, is revealed to be sunflower oil. The second (A9) is locked, but tields to Matala's key and then a considerable amount of brute force. It proves to hold a wagon which holds an overturned teak box with a few dark red gemstones scattered around it.
The box is clearly marked as a shipment from Oenopion in Nex to Tomil Jabrin at the Khalibi Caravan House in Kibwe. The box also contains a note on folded parchment, which reads: “Beware, Tomil. As the stones steep in their brew during the long trip to Kibwe, they gain power. How much power, I do not know; the curse might intensify enough that it is not limited to those who contact the stones, but could perhaps become
transmittable by touch or even proximity.”
As the stones are disturbed two oozes emerge from under the cart and are destroyed after a swift but unpleasant battle.
Large doors to the east lead back out onto the street, it appears much of the caravan house has now been investigated and the origin of the Slithering confirmed! Who 'Tomil' is, on the other hand, remains a mystery.
Zathra takes some time to heal herself and her sister. ”We’ll done, kittens. The ancestors are pleased. Let us try to find this Tomil person.”
Uthe purrs under Zathra's ministrations, her eyes closed and her tail moving languidly. "You have a pleasant touch," she says when the oracle is finished.
~~~~
Uthe takes care to examine the stones in more detail. She never touches them directly, but using magic she looks over their aura carefully with an eye for a cure.
”You have a sensual aura,” Zathra remarks, nuzzling Uthe’s cheek. ”Full of vivaciousness. I like it.”
”You have a sensual aura,” Zathra remarks, nuzzling Uthe’s cheek. ”Full of vivaciousness. I like it.”
Uthe narrows her eyes at Saylarya, fully expecting the monk to glom onto the word and begin using it at every opportunity.
"Our last mate said we were whiny and needy. Stupid mate. He left us for a pointy-eared elf. Hope he's happy with leaves and grass for dinner."
”Your last mate sounds like a fool,” Zathra proclaims.
"He was handsome, though," Uthe says. One hand reaches out and idly traces some of Zathra's stripes. "His fur wasn't quite so soft, but it was like this. Gold with spots." She rolls her eyes. "But all he seemed to want to do was mount us. Maybe he'll be happier with the point-ear." She leans in and giggles. "We hear that they're ... like huge caves. He won't have any fun with that." She covers her mouth as she laughs. "Serves him right."
She metaphorically brushes off her ex and looks to the others. "So shall we try to find out who Tomil is?"
After Zathra remarks on Uthe's aura, the monk turns towards the sorceress and says. ". Vivaciousness. Vivaciousness" Saylarya says, repeating the word over and over.
When she remarks on her ex, she says "I bet they were missing vivaciousness."
Investigating back out of the main square leads to the double doors to the north, which yield to Matala's key. Draperies of fine cloth, large teak chests bursting with clothing, and fine furniture are all stored in this vault. Empty manacles bolted to the north wall indicate that this chamber might have also had other, more brutal uses.
Crit Success only.
"Vivacity Saylarya, Vivacity."
Voshi, feeling a slight breeze, closes her eyes and tries to pinpoint where its from, eventually settling with one of the walls.
"Theres another entrance over here, I don't think we were supposed to find it. Let's take this one - it sounds intriguing!"
This office is elegantly appointed, with a large rosewood desk and a leather chair. A strange, greasy fog surrounds the desk in thin wisps. A wide bookshelf stands against the far wall, next to the room’s only door. Having entered by the secret door the desk and its strange miasma is only a few feet in front of Voshi.
"I fear there is something nefarious in here too. Zathra, come look!"
Zathra peers at the fog suspiciously. ”I know not what it is, but it certainly seems nefarious. Stand back.”
The oracle attempts to blast the fog with a divine lance from a safe distance.
Zathra's beam shoots through the fog without effect but a rising tide of greyish sludge surges from under the desk.
"More slimy things! We are getting very tired of this!" Uthe declares as she summons a ball of fire in her hand and flings it at the sludge.
Saylarya growls, a sound vibration that rumbles deep in her throat before she lashes out at the surging sludge.
Voshi decides yet again to not draw her weapons but follows Saylarya's example, albeit less effectively.
The ooze surges fowards into a hail of blows from the Glaring. The stinking cloud comes with it, leaves all the catfolk hacking like they have bad furballs.
The creature, now concealed in the haze, lashes out at Zathra, grabbing her in its burning embrace, even as the rest of the group hammers it. Uthe's fire achieves nothing but both Voshi and Saylarya fight through the fog to land blows.
Zathra cries out in pain as the ooze grabs her and sets her aflame. She lays hands on herself, channeling the magic into her staff before whomping the ooze!
Voshi's stomach does somersaults from the toxious fumes and she starts retching.
Recovering slightly, she turns to the ooze and wallops it, trying to get its attention, if it has any, away from her sister.
Unable to recovery from the disgusting cloud, her hair burning from the fire. She hacks and coughs while swinging her fists about in the hopes of ending this ooze quickly.
While hacking and coughing, Uthe still manages the words to another spell. She steps around Saylarya and reaches out to touch the horrible, icky, slimy thing.
The glaring assails the ooze, shocking, punching and thwacking it thoroughly. Unfortunately this is one determined ooze! It squeezes Zathra before lashing out at Saylarya, who dodges just in time!
Zathra lays on hands and smashes the ooze some more!
Voshi continues to pummel the ooze with all her might, trying to hold her breath in the meanwhile.
Between Zathra and Voshi the ooze is finally dispersed into a bad smell and sludge and the office is free for you to investigate.
Inside the desk drawer you find a strange book, held shut by a strange clasp with a single serrated blade protruding from it. Further examination reveals the clasp to be magical.
A lower drawer contains a map which seems to show an overland route between Kibwe and another city, Holy Xatrambra, some 140 miles east of Kibwe. The map has been annotated and seems to have possible camp sites marked. There are also two bronze badges twisted into the symbol of the Apsis Consortium. Members of the Consortium wear these badges to show their membership, although bronze represents a lowly rank indeed.
The badges are worth a silver piece or so for their workmanship, but an enemy of the Consortium might pay considerably more.
With that the exploration of the caravan house is complete. Whatever further information there is to find must be within the book.
Zathra tries to puzzle out the clasp.
And fails.
"How about we press ... here, and twist ... this?" Uthe mutters to herself as she examines the book.
"Don't forget to prod that bit Uthe." Voshi adds, distracting Uthe in the process.
Uthe frowns slightly. "We don't like prodding bits," she says, pulling her finger back.
"May I?" Saylarya asks, taking a turn with it. Flipping it over several times she says, "It's right here, do you see? This is what you need to open it with..."
Unfortunately for Uthe she catches one furred finger on the protruding blade, which immediately slices deep. As the catfolk hisses in pain several drops of blood fall on the book. The demon-headed clasp moves slightly, as though drinking the precious fluid in, and springs open!
Inside is a scroll, a bankers draft for 250gp payable to the bearer and a lot of personal notes. A swift skim read shows that the ooze you just fought was in fact Tomil Jabrin, the Apsis Consortium representative in Kibwe. The Slithering is his doing - he ordered the stones from Nex with the hope of using them on his enemies but the shipment was delayed. It seems clear that, as the note you found warns, the stones grew in power the longer they were in their amplifying liquid and unleashed an uncontrollable curse rather than a pinpoint weapon.
The most interesting bit of information comes at the end of what appears to be a target list, featuring most of Kibwe's Representative Council. It simply says 'Cursebreaker could be a problem'.
The Khalibi Caravan House is now fully explored...
"Nefariousness in BOOKS!?" Saylarya shouts in astonishment, ready to punch the book if need be.
After skimming the notes, she asks "Who is Cursebreaker and why are they a problem?"
"Well at least he got a taste of his own medicine." Voshi says, still frustrated with the oozes.
"Hmm.... cursebreaker, I might know something."
Cursebreaker, Voshi knows, is one of the Pillar-Watchers that guards the city. Oddly, Cursebreaker is the only one not mounted on the wall itself and, as with most Pillar-Watchers its name suggests its function.
"Let us return this information to Abayone. She will know what to do with it," Zathra asserts. She takes Uthe's hand and gently licks her finger to stop the bleeding.