Search Posts
Horum Almah considers your request for a few moments. "Most of what Eloais told me is private. It is not a threat to anyone, and I will not reveal it to, let alone to a commoner like you." She reflects for a moment, hesitates then speaks. "Still, you showed your worth in battling the fire that threatened us all, and perhaps there is more to you than there appears. I will share the the results of our last reading, but ask you to keep them secret as they are troubling." She steps forward, close enough for you to smell the jasmine scent of her hair, and whispers in a confidential (and not unpleasant) tone: "The last reading centered on an auspisicious card, The Cyclone. Eloais said it portended death by fire and schemes of powerful evil. I asked him if that indicated a problem at our destination, Kelmarane and he said 'Yes, but the village is only part of something much larger'. Something he called 'The Legacy of Fire'...." She steps back, shaking her head to clear the memory. "I have no idea what that means, The Legacy of Fire, do you?"
"Of course, I want you to be thorough, but I'm not convinced the fire was arson. Of course if it was, I want the guilty part found out quickly. I just don't know why someone would want to kill poor Eloais? Though he was from far Varisia, when I found him in Solku reading the Harrow, it just felt right to me. I am half-Varisian myself, and the contact with that mystical side of my ancestry is important to me." She looks at you, making sure you understand her. "He was a confidant, and I followed the portents of his readings carefully, even though these last few days they had grown increasingly grim..." Sense Motive DC 12:
You can tell the death of her fortune teller has made the merchant princess somewhat distraught but there is perhaps more that she would say about the readings if pressed. Try a Diplomacy check... "I was inside the tent when the fire started, and didn't see anything. I wish I could be of more help." she adds quickly, perhaps a bit embarrassed at sharing so much and letting her guard down.
Horum As the feral gnoll-expert throws his tantrum, Horum hears the soft answer from the Merchant Princess. "You may enter!" the voice cries, and the Pactmaster soldier guarding the tent stands down, even giving you a friendly nod as you enter. The interior of the tent is sumptuous indeed. With soft chairs and cushions, and a wide expansive bed, the Merchant Princess travels in luxury. Currently she is dining on a bowl of rice and goat milk, but she looks up from her repast, expectantly. "Horum, is it? You are one of the newcomers brought by Garavel. What can I do for you?"
Kicking a smoldering piece of charcoal, Almah appears downcast. "It appears the danger is past. We lost the astrologer in the flames, and his divinations will be hard to replace, but while a few others are hurt, none appear very serious." Her eyes turn to her major domo, Garavel, her voice lowering to little more than a whisper, in which you, the PC's are included. "See if you can determine if someone in our camp set the fire. Let these others," here she indicates you with a sweep of her hand, "aid you. Since they were not here when the fire began, they are not arson suspects. If there is a mystery here, solve it and report to me the guilty party if any." With a rustle of fabric, Almah gets up and stalks off to her tent, pulling the flap closed behind her.
The central flap of the elaborate tent flies open and a regal woman steps out into the fire-lit night. "Douse that flame!" she shouts to the men surrounding the wagon before turning in your direction. "Ah, Garavel!" she says "And just a moment later than the nick of time, as usual." Looking specifically past her major domo and right at the party, Almah barks out a simple order before running off toward the fire: "Find some way to help!"
|
