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Whilst the heroes and their gigantic guest discussed the ifs-and-ares of the Carrion King's plots, Amir's face visibly soured as soon as the topic came into play. Though he hadn't mentioned it to anyone so as to not cause undue panic, it seemed the rumors were true: a gnoll had mustered the forces of the numerous tribes and now had Kelmarane -- and possibly beyond! -- in-sight. Momentarily oblivious to both Paige's inquiry and Yazi's subtle innuendo, the bard was oddly silent, quipless and lost in his own thoughts, at least for the time being. This was serious; arguably more so than Yazi and the some of the others seemed to give credit. Though he had had little experience with gnolls first-hand, Amir knew all too well that the beasts were a bickering bunch. For a leader to not only rise out of their ranks but manage to amass the dog-faced curs into a formidable force as not only awe-inspiring, but utterly terrifying... and it showed. Katapesh was Amir's home, distant though he felt here; to see it in peril more than ruffled a few of his feathers, whilst the haunting allure of unseen danger weighed heavily on his own heart. Blinking hard, Amir returned to his senses, an almost palpable air of gloom and concern shedding from his facial expression as he returned his attention to the druidess. "What? Oh. Right. Yeah. Fussy'll come along. Might need her..." Amir trailed off for a moment, before turning a stern gaze to the bejeweled traveler of Serenrae. He had only one question on his mind... "How long ago did you have this dream, Father? How long has it been since you've heard any news of the Carrion King's movements?" inquired the Pathfinder. It wasn't just a question of curiosity, but of uttermost need, shedding that air of aloofness in favor of a tone of complete seriousness.
Speaking of, just a preemptive holiday heads-up. I work retail for a living currently, and with Christmas right around the corner, I've gotten a glimpse at my work schedule for the next few weeks. Suffice it to say it doesn't look good. This doesn't mean I won't be posting; I can still totally squeeze out at least one-a-day, maybe two, but it'll probably be super-late in the evening if that. Don't expect too much; I'm guessing after a twelve hour shift my brain's gonna be kinda bleh when I finally sit down in front of my keyboard :p
Infuriated that his scouting had turned up fruitless, he felt as though he'd turned the whole town upside-down in his search for the missing lovebirds, only to come back empty-handed. Defeated and sour-faced, his visage melted into one of sudden relief as he returned to the Battle Market and the town's newest (and arguably tallest) arrival only to find that Bartan and Yazi had already been procured! "There you are," mock-griped the Pathfinder, hands-on-his-hips and brow furled into an ensemble that looked more as if it belonged to an angry mother than a some surly explorer. "I've been looking all over the place for you guys! Where've you-- y'know what? It's probably better I don't know." Finally, Amir'd get to hear what all the hub-bub was about!
"That's him," indicated Amir with a whisper to Garavel, pointing out the towering figure conversing with the Abbot-Protector and their resident druidess. "Talk about breaking the mold, am I right?" The fellow seemed to know quite a bit about Kelmarane's heroes; enough, in fact, that the importance Amir had sussed out beforehand now seemed meager in comparison now. Whatever the absurdly tall man had to say, he wasn't going to say it to Amir; he needed to find the others. "Keep an eye on tall, dark, and gaudy. I'll see about finding Yazi and Bartan." From Pathfinder to glorified messenger, the bardic explorer trekked out from the battle market at a brisk pace, scouring the growing hub of activity for his erstwhile protagonists.
The morning, as so many often are these days for Amir, had been one of frantic activity on behalf of the bardic Pathfinder. Ever since his arrival, he'd been hard at work piecing together the tale of events that had led up to this point, documenting the rise and continual successes of the heroes who'd put it all on the line for Kelmarane. In a highly similar vein, the young chronicler was struggling to find a suitable means by which to relay the much needed news to Grand Lodge. Though the letter was set, the problem was that it was such a costly thing. But fate once again favored him when news reached Amir's ears of the arrival of the newest caravan. Talk about being lucky! "Hey! You. Yeah, you. I need you to do something for me," insisted Amir as he reached the caravan, sealed envelope in-hand and no small measure of pep in his step, passing by Paige as she tended to the weary beasts of burden. "When you guys leave, I need you to deliver this message for me. There's a trading post in town; ask for Vennic, and pass this on to him," explained the Pathfinder, passing the wax-sealed letter into the fellow's hands, along with two platinum pieces. "One of those is payment. The other's so you don't take a peek. It's very important that you neither open it nor anyone else knows you're carrying it, okay? It's for the good of Kelmarane, so I'm trusting you." With his missive delivered, Amir was feeling pretty good about his day so far. Things were coming together splendidly, and with surprising serendipity. But then something peculiar happened. A man, garbed and glamoured in brass jewelry, had apparently come with these fine purveyors of goods, demanding an audience with those who ruled Kelmarane. For a moment the Pathfinder almost felt the urge to run off and find the other heroes, but his drive was cut short; first by Hajar, whom he'd practically missed amidst the throng of merchants, as he followed after the odd -- and armed -- man into the nearby tavern. Soon followed by Paige, it looked like the man was getting exactly what he wanted; obviously this was substantial importance. Turning on his heel and his face locked into a facade of bewilderment and curiosity, Amir felt confident that Hajar and Paige could at least satiate the fellow's curiosity; but if it was serious, then Almah needed to know. Action Summary: Amir'll go ahead and send that letter, yesh! Hopefully that 20gp'll help his letter remain unopened along its journey :p
While Hajar and Paige do their thing, Amir'll instead go find Almah, since this is kind of her shindig and this guy's looking for people in-charge.
Relieved that the whole temple fiasco had ended somewhat in his favor, the Pathfinder noticeably relaxed, letting his shoulders slump slightly even amidst the presence of the Merchant Princess Almah and her guest. At the prospect of a reward, Amir simply raised his hand in denial, shaking his head slowly to commiserate his point. "If you're going to give me a share, I'd rather you put it towards the guardsman's family. Times are tough; probably even tougher for his wife and kids. It might not ease his passing, but maybe it'll help them get by," encourage the bard, waggling his brow thoughtfully before adding, "And if he didn't have one, then split it between your men. Tell em' they have my condolences." With the assembly on the move to disperse, Amir gave one final, slight bow to Almah and her compatriot before turning on his heel and leaving their chambers. With the temple dealt with and contact made with those who revived the fallen vista, Amir now had his work cut out for him, bearing both much to chronicle and leads to follow. Doomed to be busy for the foreseeable future, the Pathfinder thought it more prudent to get a jump on the job now. For the next few days, the Pathfinder is both strangely scarce and yet everywhere at once. A blur of (albeit sometimes inebriated) activity, his time was quickly sundered between filing his own chronicles, getting up-to-speed with the goings-on themselves in Kelmarane, and preparing for his inevitably prolonged stay in the rekindled battle-market... at least until he was satisfied with the sanctity of Kelmarane as a whole. Excerpt from Amir's Pathfinder Journal, Entry #37:
... I'm uncertain as to whether my arrival was fortuitous happenstance or some strange twist of fate, for no sooner had I arrived in Kelmarane, a city so recently re-minted into service through the will of Katapesh's Pactmasters and the exploits of those who liberated it, that I met them face-to-face, as well as their benefactor. Journeyed with them when they were asked to investigate the ruins of the All-Seeing Eye amidst the Brazen Peaks, where we encountered both mind-altering mists in the lower section of the temple and a wereleopard who had been driven mad and identified himself as Haidar, the Falcon Emir of Ipeq. Fierce battle. Heavy injuries sustained, but no fatalities. The Emir was slain in the fracas, and a magical punching dagger was found on his person.
Petitioned Almah, Merchant Princess and Emissary of the Pactmasters, to relinquish control of the ruined site to the faithful of Nethys to help bolster Kelmarane's presence in lieu of having it torn down. Should the clergy choose not to reclaim it, will send word to the lodge in Osirion to have members of the Society sent to scour it clean before the temples' destruction or reclamation by nature. I admit, my initial impression of these heroes wasn't what I was expecting. Then again, there was little information to go on regarding the individuals themselves before my arrival, so I suppose that was a given. Initial thoughts: Merchant Princess. Agent of the Pactmasters. Employer to the Heroes of Kelmarane and undoubtedly the biggest power player here. Almah's easy on the eyes, level-headed, and a sharp dresser. Good taste in picking associates; it's no wonder she was chosen to lead the foray in reclaiming Kelmarane. Seems to keep to herself for the most part, but clearly seeks counsel with her former employees; good sense, that. Knows how to manage people, and understands their worth.
It isn't often I meet Varisians this far south; doubly so for someone like Bartan. Gifted with arcane talents. Quick-witted. Ladykiller. Deadly with a deck of cards. Either a faithful or fanatic of Irez; seems obsessed with fate and fortune. Backed my ploy to see the remains of the temple put back in the hands of Nethys' clergy. Nice enough guy.
The only man who seems like he belongs here, Hajar nar Jundi is a faithful of the Dawnflower and defacto spiritual leader of the clergy, it would seem. Competent combatant with his falchion, equally capable field medic with his divine talents. Led the charge against Haidar, and intervened to save the lives of Yazi, Bartan, and Khayal. Good leader, but a bit uptight. Found the venture into the ruins a waste of time, even though we dealt with the wereleopard encroaching on the roads.
Stern. Quiet. Deadly with those kukri of his. Khayal seems to be as much an extension of Almah's influence as he is a protector, appointed to keeping the roads clear of gnolls and other such things. Married, it would seem, but to whom I'm not sure. Poor sap. Still, wouldn't want to cross blades against him. Nearly felled by the rogue Emir amidst the ruins while protecting the others, but was quickly saved through curative magics by Hajar.
If Hajar is the pinnacle of rigidness, Yazi is the Anti-Hajar. Bloodthirsty, ungodly strong, wildly promiscuous, gives Almah a run for her money in the looks department. Outspoken and bold; draws eyes faster than men and women draw breath. Unsure of personal interests in Kelmarane's liberation; suspect there's more to her than she lets on. Nearly met an untimely end when the wereleopard ambushed her in the caves below the temple amidst the eerie smoke, but was saved through Hajar's prayers.
A druid who has history with the Heroes of Kelmarane that joined them in their search for the wereleopard terrorizing the roads between Osirion and Katapesh. Is an odd fish; don't mind watching her work though. Potent summoner and spellcaster, she conjured a horde of bats during the group's encounter with chokers deeper in the temple ruins, and parted the mists during the brawl with the Falcon Emir. Didn't seem particularly enthused to partake in celebrations after the heroes cleared the temple, nor pleased when I voiced my interest in letting Nethys' clergy retake the ruins. Feel like she means well, but doesn't seem interested in socializing outside of her saviors, nor in Nethys' magic.
Action Summary: Okay, so. Stuff.
Firstly, Amir'll forgo his portion of the reward for dealing with the wereleopard. If my math's right, that's 150gp. He'll either give it to the family of the guard who died, or donate it to the men he served with so they can drown their sorrows. Shopping! Taking your advice, Amir'll pick up a Wand of Identify if he can for 750gp (leaving him with 1132.88gp). He'll also pick up a Courtier's Outfit and the requisite jewelry for 80gp so he's not so ragamuffinish (knocking him down monetarily to 1052.88gp).
Furious Focus is pretty boss, and I sometimes struggle not giving it to a character who uses a two-handed weapon. Getting +6 Damage with a +4 BAB without even taking a hit to your Attack Rolls is terrifying for anyone on the receiving end! O_O As an aside, Amir'll be branching out and picking up other things now that his Knowledges are fairly well covered in the skills department. As far as buffs go, there aren't too many worth grabbing for Bards at 2nd Level unfortunately... but they are coming! Buffs are really the only thing he'd be good for anyway, as his Save DCs for offensive spells would be miserable :p As far as the "fighter-y" side of things, you're definitely right; though a Bard, I suspect Amir'll eventually pick up at least a level in Rogue and/or Fighter/Ranger somewhere along the line, if only to broaden his combat options and harp up the whole "worldly explorer" niche he's cultivating for himself. But, hey, that's a long way off, and I don't like putting all my eggs in one basket! Really, he's just here to 1) do his part to make sure the Heroes of Kelmarane succeed in their goal of keeping the battle market in one piece, 2) do his part in chronicling their shenanigans for the Society, and 3) maybe write a really sweet book about em'. Making them awesome (or at least seem awesome) is his job! :D
Hrm... @Hajar: Weapon Focus is a nice choice, and leads to lots of options -- Dazzling Display comes to mind since Hajar's got a beefy Charisma, if he's into that sorta thing. Can't go wrong with Extra Lay on Hands, but my own personal suggestion would be Furious Focus if you're planning on going the two-handed route and stabbing enemies all day: all of the umph of Power Attack, none of the drawbacks... at least not on the first attack! Beyond that, if you really want Hajar to exemplify the whole "Abbot Protector" bit, there's always Protector's Strike -- Smite something, give someone else the sweet Charisma-based AC Bonus against the Smite-ee till' it's over! @Khayal: You're kind of in a "fighter slump" there. You don't quite have enough to pick up the sweet stuff like Improved TWF or Improved Critical, but basically have everything else you already need to maximize your damage. Could take Two-Weapon Defense, maybe, or Toughness to make you even moar tankalicious.
Post forthcoming, but quick breakdown of level advancement in the meantime: Amir picks up another level in Bard. -- he now has 36 HP. Gains the Improved Initiative feat, for a total of +6 on Initiative. Vroom! Gains 10 Skill Points, six of which go into various Knowledge skills, which puts them all at an amicable +10 Modifier each. The remaining 4 Skill Points go into Perception, Perform (Oratory), Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device respectively. More importantly, he picks up +2 Rounds of Bardic Performance, Inspire Courage increases from +1 to +2, can cast an extra 1st- and 2nd Level Bard Spell per day, learns Allegro as his 2nd Level Spell to improve his viability in combat, and grabs the ever-useful Lore Master ability -- suck it, Knowledge Checks!
You're the bestest Yazi. I'mma find a way to make that up to you. Would that I could send you some sweet, succulent digital booze, I would, but I'm sure I'll find something worth sending your way :D Blah. Was wondering why I couldn't post yesterday. Missed my window, so it won't be till' tonight that I can post. I'm so sorry ;_;
After sobering up to a mild degree and getting himself properly clothed, the Pathfinder arrived -- albeit somewhat late -- to the aforementioned meeting. Perfectly content to let the Abbot Protector explain the situation, it wasn't until Paige pitched the idea of tearing down the undeniably dangerous -- but also significantly valuable -- All-Seeing Temple. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on now! Let's not do anything hasty," interrupted the Pathfinder, literally stepping between the druidess and the Princess as if to plead his own case. "Yeah, okay, sure, it's a dangerous plcae; that mist in the lower levels was driving us all a little crazy, our dead friend included. It's full of spiders. It's got a choker problem. Don't even get me started on the magical snakes! But it's still historically important. Just hear me out: there're things in that temple that could be wildly invaluable not just for Kelmarane, but for Nethys' faithful or, if you're willing, the Society." He paused momentarily, switching his focus between the assembled heroes and the ever-appealing Princess Almah, now addressing the patrons therein as a whole. "If you destroy that temple, you run the risk of losing hundreds if not thousands of years of history, not to mention missing out on an opportunity to draw some valuable assets to the battle market. If we could somehow clear it out and convince some of the clergy of Nethys to return and reestablish it properly -- and keep an eye on the holy smoke below ground -- they'll need to visit Kelmarane to stock up and resupply, not to mention bring in some commodities of their own to barter with... say, something like magical trinkets. That's gold in your pockets and the pockets of the Pactmasters! If you think that's still too risky, then at least let an outside source have a look at it; let me call in the Pathfinders. The Society can root through it first, collect what they can, ship it back to the Grand Lodge in Absalom, lock it up tight in their massive vaults, then burn the site to the ground. Everyone gets what they want, and you don't even have to get your hands dirty."
Some say partying is like making a deal with a devil, exchanging a great deal of pleasure now for a world of grief later. If ever there was a living embodiment of such a tenant to such a concept, Amir was proving it by serving as its avatar. Eyes bloodshot, head pounding, and bearing the brunt of soreness in muscles the Pathfinder hadn't even been aware of, the trials of his highly unprofessional nightlife shenanigans were coming back to bite him now in force. As he hobbled his way into the common room of the Lucky Cup shoeless and disheveled, the explorer couldn't help but feel a little on edge, eyes twitching ever-so-slightly at the slightest sound of pots, pans, and mugs of the morning crew, now magnified to absurd levels in his ears; everything seemed so focused and intent on doing the man indirect harm, it may as well have been orchestrated! But it was totally worth it. Sliding up to the bar, Amir rapped his knuckles against the counter top, quietly motioning for some form of ale, coffee, greasy food... anything to help stem the tide of dizziness and discomfort taking up residence in his noggin. "Any word from Princess Almah for the Heroes of Kelmarane?" moaned the bard to the barkeep, his voice a hushed whisper amidst a din of goings-on as he fought a war on two fronts; one to keep from vomiting all over the establishment, the other in a vain struggle to sober up.
With a sigh, Amir -- now literally saddled with the deceased wereleopard -- just runs a hand through his hair sheepishly at the idea of leaving the man-beast with the guards. Something about dumping a corpse on in someone's arms just rubbed him the wrong way; doubly so for ruining some Average Joe's night shift. Dumping it in the butcher's basement was an even worse prospect though, given the potential mutilation of their proof of success all for the chance to make a few quick coins. "Nah. Khayal's right. 'Sides, this way means I won't get stuck dragging his carcass back to the Princess in the morning," mused the Pathfinder, still astride his faithful (albeit unruly) camel. "Go ahead and get started ordering those drinks. I'll catch up once I've dropped off our Osirian friend here." And with that, Amir set off along the streets of Kelmarane, intent on finding someone trustworthy enough to deposit this corpse on for safekeeping. As almost an afterthought, the travel-weary man yells back as he began to saunter off, "And whores! Get some whores!" Shameless in his decree, Amir was determined that if this was destined to turn into some sort of drunken debacle, he might as well make it the most absurd debacle he could muster. Not like he was getting any younger anyway.
Letting his eyes roll again at Yazi's comment regarding her rear end, the Pathfinder contentedly followed along, perfectly fine with the current arrangement as it was. With Haidar slung over his still-snoozy camel's back and his hand firmly on the reins, Amir just shakes his head coyly, catching a glimpse of the pair beckoning for the girl's attention amidst their trek through the twilight dunes. "No, I've got this. Go on. I think Bartan and Yazi want a word with you," smiled the genie-blooded bard warmly, waving his hand for her to get going.
Groaning as he dragged the Falcon Emir's lifeless corpse across the stony tiles of the decrepit temple, he couldn't help but smirk and roll his eyes at Yazi and Bartan. Sure, the scholarly card-chucker gets the girl, and Amir got saddled with toting a now-dead wereleopard up a flight of stairs! "A little help here would be nice," bemoaned the explorer wearily under the weight of the bloodied brute, wiping his brow as he closed in on the stairwell leading back to the surface -- and the sandstorm he hoped had now passed.
"We did, and I'm sure she's fine. She's a surly old broad," bemused the Pathfinder, finally putting away his arms and allowing himself a momentarily reprieve. "She came all this way with me on her back. Doubt a little sand'll make her more unhappy than she is on any other given day. Probably just as likely to spit on my boots." Panning between the heroes assembled, the exhausted explorer smiled softly, obviously eager to put this ordeal -- at least for the time being -- behind him. "Let's go collect our friend from Ipeq and get outta here. I'm not about to waste a chance for free drinks!"
"Unless we've completely overlooked something, I think it's safe to say we've gotten to the bottom of this. No more lycanthropes, and -- unfortunately -- surviving scrolls," huffed Amir, brow furled in obvious dismay at the ransacked site. Sighing, the man almost seems to regain his composure quickly, running his free hand through his hair again as if in defeat. "Oh well. Y'win some, y'lose some. At least the roads are safe now. And who knows? If this place is completely cleared out, maybe someone'll finally get a chance to really investigate the temple more thoroughly. Hells, maybe even get it back in working order if they can figure out something with the mists."
Reslinging his bow and collecting his gear, Amir nodded in concurrence with Bartan's thoughts. "Mmhmm. Y'never know what's worth its weight in gold in a place like this; it's positively seeping with history. Chokers and giant spiders, too." Pausing, the Pathfinder surveyed the path southward, the weary explorer waggled his brow and pursed his lips in thought. "It's that or back the way we came. So forward it is! Just keep your peepers open for more of those little blighters; heroic sagas and reports to the Society aren't in much demand for endings wherein the heroes are all strangled to death."
Knocking another arrow, Amir poised himself, ready to take another shot against the choker still holding Khayal in a death grip... then stopped as Yazi moved in to assist. He couldn't hold on to that shot forever; instead, Amir steadied his hands, a bead of sweat dripping down his brow as he held the string taught and watched the ensuing struggle. It was getting a little too crowded for his tastes; there was no way he could comfortably make that shot. Instead, the bard swiveled his arm and eyes along the ceiling towards the other Choker traipsing about, using Bartan's light to guide the way as he fired again!
Action Summary: Standard Action: Attack with Composite Short Bow +2 at the other remaining Choker not grappling Khayal.
"Ugh. Chokers. Wriggly little bastards," groaned the Pathfinder again, now getting a good look at the unruly beasties. Up on the ceiling, a sword was hardly going to get the job done; doubly so with one of the monsters' hands wrapped around Khayal's throat. Dropping both his sword and shield in a clatter, Amir instead reached for the only implement he had that could aid this situation: his trusty short bow. With surprising rapidity, the bardic explorer knocked an arrow and let loose against the insufferable cretin trying to wring Khayal's neck, desperate to force it to loosen its grip.
Action Summary: Free Action: Drop Longsword and Heavy Wooden Shield.
Move Action: Draw Composite Shortbow +2. Standard Action: Attack Choker that's choking Khayal.
Jumping nearly clear out of his skin as the eerie creature took him by surprise, Amir whirled to meet his attacker: an inky beast with arms nearly as long as its own physique! "Great. As if we didn't have enough problems," groaned the Pathfinder, hand afire with newly conjured magic. With a few murmured words ushered out in an airy tongue, Amir reached out and gave Yazi a quick touch on the shoulder, letting the arcane energies course through and bolster her abilities. Once his task was done, the explorer reached down and drew steel in preparation of the ensuing melee. Action Summary: Standard Action: Cast Heroism on Yazi. +2 on Attack, Saves, and Skill Checks!
Move Action: Draw Longsword.
Following suit, Amir stepped beyond the illusory wall after Yazi and the others. Taking in the various jars, vases, and the moldering scent emanating from a pile of withered papyrus and other broken tidbits, the Pathfinder stood speechless for a moment. "And I thought it smelled bad in the other room," groaned the explorer, waving his hand at his nose in an ineffectual attempt to ward away the stench. Shifting his focus, he turned his gaze to the shelves lined with various pots, bowls, and urns whilst the others continued their investigation of the room. Amir's own curiosity had been piqued; maybe, just maybe, if these containers were used to hold something then that something might still be in-tact!
"If I can find time," cedes Amir, momentarily transfixed on the katar itself before returning his focus to the group at-large. "I've only just arrived, and now that I've seen the Heroes of Kelmarane in action first-hand, I've something to write about. Between that and my own personal investigations, it'll be a stretch... but I'll see what I can do."
"How was I supposed to know?!" he barked back, not quite defensive about the whole thing, but more so in a distinctive told-ya-so manner. "This is why we don't go around using magical doo-dads without knowing what they do first." Sauntering over, Amir moves beside Yazi to investigate her newly- and strangely-procured injuries. Taking her arm, the Pathfinder looked the wounds over, eyeing them as an archaeologist might examine an ancient relief. "It doesn't look so bad; guessing it does this every time someone uses it. Kind of makes you wonder how desperate the were-leopard had to be to keep using it..."
"Classy," Amir said with no small measure of sarcasm, rolling his eyes at the multiple what-ifs the katar might do; doubly so for the last bit. With each passing moment, what he was expecting of the Heroes of Kelmarane and how they really were was beginning to paint a wholly different picture. "But yeah, I figured. I mean, maybe we should find the other side of the door or wherever it leads to, if we can. Call me crazy, but I don't think this Emir went running towards a dead end. That door lets out somewhere; my hunch is that's where we'll find out if there're more of his ilk running around or not."
"Fine, fine. Just be careful with it. We still don't know what it does, or even if it does anything at all besides radiate magic," insisted the Pathfinder, fishing out his waterskin and taking a sip whilst the gaggle of would-be heroes fiddled with their new prizes. Hopefully the stupid katar wasn't cursed or some such. "Whadya say we get back to business, hmm? Should probably get back to figuring out where our no-longer-furry friend was headed, and what lies beyond. Sooner the better; I'm not looking forward to sleeping in some spider-infested, magically booby-trapped temple."
Watching the lot of them flail in discerning the properties of the punching dagger, Amir can't help but let out a small laugh at the thought of tossing the one-of-a-kind, three-century old antique. "Yeah, let's not. Even if we can't figure out what it does, it's still a significant trinket based on age and craftsmanship alone. I say if you want nothing to do with it, then at least put it to good use: donate it to a museum."
"Whelp, I can you this much: the Emir had good taste in armor. Yazi's hunch was right: it's been infused with an abjuration to improve its protection," explained the Pathfinder, rising from his kneeling position beside poor Haidar. "The dagger though... I don't know. It's old; maybe two, three centuries. Exquisite craftsmanship. There's definitely some magic in this thing, but it's not any I'm intimately familiar with. I'd need time to research it in order to unlock the secrets it's keeping, or you'd need to find someone with more experience in this sort of thing."
Studying the items intently, it was clear there was something more to them than just the quality of their craftsmanship. Their secrets, whether arcane or divine in nature, still eluded the Pathfinder though. Once more he began to murmur words of arcane secrecy, his voice an airy whisper of power as he renewed his study of the magically-endowed arms and armor. Action Summary: Cast Detect Magic this time, because I'll forget to list it again if I don't :p
For a moment, Amir almost seemed to find a good reason not to follow up on Yazi's thoughts, but quickly quiets himself. Saying the woman was determined hardly did her justice. "Fine, fine. You're right," he conceded, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment to recollect himself before moving on to the properties had procured. "Let's have a look and see what the Emir was packin'." Mustering a bit more from his meager magical reservoirs, the Pathfinder took to examining the items in question: the oddly oversized punching dagger, and the accompanying chainshirt the Emir from Ipeq bore.
Giving Khayal an affirmative nod before rolling his own eyes at Yazi's quip, Amir moved over to examine Haidar's lifeless corpse. He hadn't gotten a good look at the man after he'd fallen, but now he saw him for what he was: a blood-spattered vagrant, now devoid of any signs of feral kittyism. Boy, was this gonna be awkward to explain to Almah and Al-Hazeed... "Must have been important, or he was really desperate to get away," hummed the Pathfinder, exhaustion beginning to become more prevalent in his voice as the affair began to drag on. Scratching his chin in thought as if weighing the situation, the explorer pondered for a moment before saying, "I'm all for rooting through this place, but it's not like it's going anywhere. I say we take what we've got, pack up and head back to Kelmarane. The princess'll probably wanna hear that you've dealt with the wereleopard. Doesn't help that we're all in pretty strung out shape, and it's not like these ruins are going anywhere."
With a gasp, Amir fills his lungs with stagnant, but at least non-magical, air, wheezing slightly as he catches himself. "Geez... are you really so hard up to see what's on that barge?" the Pathfinder huffed, still breathing the heady freshness in. "You're making me look bad here." Sliding over and following Hajar's lead, Amir moved astride his fellows in order to lend his own meager healing talents to the mix. First came the words, airy and distant, yet undeniably arcane in their origin, before the bardic explorer reached out and touched his compatriots where they were injured most. Bartan came first, having so recently been savaged...
... then Khayal, whom the late Haidar had thrashed...
... and, finally, Yazi, despite the fact she'd so recently threatened him at swordpoint!
With another exasperated sigh, the Pathfinder relaxed. Casting spells clearly took its toll on the young man, sweat trickling from his brow and gloved hands shaking slightly from the rippling expression of magical pulchritude. "There. Right as rain." Turning back towards the cavern where the barge remained stationed, Amir grimaced at the thought of going back... and the idea that it the mists could be stopped. "No. No, I don't think we can stop it. Not permanently, anyway, unless we can find the source," hummed Amir thoughtfully, running a hand through his hair as he contemplated. "Can't say for sure what happened, but my gold and my gut's on that they beat feet outta here when folks started getting twitchy and they realized what was up. I mean, if the 'holy smoke' could have been turned off, this place probably wouldn't have been abandoned; assuming that's even why they left in the first place." Pausing for a moment, the Pathfinder then adds, "That spell you did earlier was really handy though, Paige! If you guys are so set on seeing what's inside that ship, might as well just use that if we can. Maybe you're right, too, and we'll get lucky and find some way to stop the mist. Besides that, we'll need to go back anyway; we've still gotta get the body of the, uh, wereleopard or whatever he was. The Princess and her merchant buddy'll probably want proof instead of, y'know, a pelt." Action Summary: Cast Cure Light Wounds three times. 1/4 1st Level Spells Remaining.
Bartan regains 8 HP. Khayal regains 6 HP. Yazi regains 11 HP.
Redoubling his efforts to get the heck outta the super-creepy mind-altering cavern, Amir maneuvers himself behind Bartan and Yazi, helping to move the injured harrower through the mists and back to safety. The sooner they were safely out, the sooner the Pathfinder could breath easy and doll out some much needed healing to the gravely wounded arcanist!
Tardy on the climax, Amir sauntered up alongside the rest of the growing gaggle overseeing the now-deceased lycanthrope, its lifeless corpse both a testament to a job well done and any attempts at diplomacy having either failed or been ignored. The beast was slain, and Amir at least had that to write about the Heroes of Kelmarane. But they weren't out of danger just yet; the mists still proved an unreasonable problem. Still holding his breath -- and beginning to turn quite red in the cheeks -- the Pathfinder gave Yazi a firm, almost authoritative tug to get her attention. It was quite the spectacle, watching him pantomime their need for escape by pointing first to Yazi and Bartan, then briskly back towards the barge and the way they'd come, eyes darting to and fro between the eerily mystic shapes writhing throughout the vapors of the cavern.
Lips contorting into another grimace at the spectacle of hazy-minded women, dog brutality, and the endeavors to put a stop to such travesties, the Pathfinder couldn't help but a feel a bit overwhelmed. This fiasco needed to be ended; the sooner the better. The longer they stayed in these vapors, the more apt they were to turn on each other! With silent, almost grim determination, Amir rapped Khayal again on the shoulder with his curative wand, letting the magic surge through his wounds like water through a ravine. It would, likely, be the last time he'd have an opportunity to do so as he struggled to hold his breath.
His task done, the Pathfinder redoubled his efforts; two of Kelmarane's best warriors weren't looking so good, and that meant it fell to the rest of the party to finish what they'd started. Following the light afire on Hajar's Tempest, the impromptu warrior maneuvered forward, endeavoring to throw himself into the fracas if only to help put an end to this mess. Action Summary: Free Action: Maintain Inspire Courage +1. 8 Rounds Remaining.
Standard Action: Use Wand of Cure Light Wounds on Khayal to heal 7 HP. 46 Charges Remaining. Move Action: Move 20' and next to Hajar. Map Updated! Hold Breath Duration: 19 Rounds Remaining.
Relieved that Khayal's wounds had been staunched in such a timely manner between himself and Hajar, the Pathfinder breathed easy for a moment -- figuratively speaking, anyway. The semi-renowned warrior was hardly in any fighting condition, but he was doing much better back on his feet than bleeding out on the cold, unforgiving ground. Haidar was proving himself to be annoyingly dangerous; the uncomfortable knot of fear rife in Amir's gut reminded him of that. Though he yearned to apply more potent magical healing to his colleagues, the Pathfinder was still fearful of the smoke, its effects still rife on his mind. He couldn't risk chanting anything in Auran, not even to cast a spell, lest he potentially fall prey to the dubious mind-altering substance again. Instead, he continued on in his role, delivering another swift tap to Khayal to patch him up as best he could, doing his part in the fight to protect the roads against the vicious man-cat still raging through the underground cavern.
Action Summary: Free Action: Maintain Inspire Courage +1. 9 Rounds Remaining.
Standard Action: Use Wand of Cure Light Wounds on Khayal to heal 9 HP. 47 Charges Remaining.
Well, so much for patching up Yazi! The woman was hot-headed and reckless -- an admirable trait in the right situation, but this was hardly it. Crumpling his face into an inaudible form of surrender, the Pathfinder was left with little other alternative: if he was going to keep these heroes up and running, he'd have to run to keep up! Following Yazi's lead with a silent huff and a deep breath, Amir charged into the darkness beyond the dilapidated barge, using Tempest's light as a guide. What he saw upon his arrival was less than uplifting: not only had poor Yazi been mauled by the man-beast turned murderer, but now, too, was Khayal! Wand still in-hand, the dusky-hued traveler tapped the tip of the spindly curative against the kukri-wielding warrior, again letting its mystical properties work its staunching magic.
Action Summary: Free Action: Maintain Inspire Courage +1. 10 Rounds Remaining.
Move Action: Move 25' next to Khayal. Map updated! Standard Action: Use Wand of Cure Light Wounds on Khayal to heal 2 HP (lulz). 48 Charges Remaining. Hold Breath Remaining: 22 Rounds.
As the wall of wind was on the verge if dissipation and the announcement that Haidar was in fact lycanthropic, Amir let loose a sigh of contemptuous annoyance. As if things weren't bad enough already! "And me without my fancy silverware," quipped the roguish scholar, fishing forth a wand from his pouch as he saddled up alongside an injured Yazi. With a swift rap-a-tap against the warrior woman's body, Amir let the wand work its wondrously restorative magics, binding her still-serious injuries in the wake of Hajar's timely saving grace.
It wasn't a perfect solution, but something was better than nothing. "Guessing you're not gonna sit here forever and let me play doctor, huh?" hummed Amir, suspecting the gnoll-slayer was more apt to join the fray sooner rather than later, wounds or not. "I know it sucks and I'm sure you wanna get back in there, but just sit tight for a minute, okay? That lycan-whatever did a real number on you; lucky Hajar's got that divine mojo. We'll see if I can make you a little less bleedy before you go running back in for round two." Action Summary: Free Action: Maintain Inspire Courage +1. 11 Rounds Remaining.
Move Action: Draw Wand of Cure Light Wounds. Standard Action: Use Wand of Cure Light Wounds to heal Yazi for 7 HP (now at 8 HP). 49 Charges Remaining.
There'll sadly be no posties from me till' way later tonight since I got saddled with a double. In the spirit of moving things along, you totes have the floor if you wanna have Amir do something; healing Yazi with his wand might be a good investment, as would keeping Inspire Courage up a la a Free Action :) Promise I'll have something up come this evening.
Faster than he could have expected -- and much faster than he thought a creature that size could move! -- the situation quickly shifted from curiously grim to just plain grim. With thunderous speed and power, Amir watched in shock as Haidar showed his true colors; he was more beast than man now, and eager to taste blood... Yazi's blood! "Hang on!" barked the bardic wanderer as he plowed past his comrades, forgoing his sword in favor of whipping his shield from across his shoulder and onto his forearm. Khayal had the right idea; Yazi was gravely injured, and she needed help against the man from Ipeq whom was clearly mad! Adrenaline overrode the fear of the eerie shapes in the mist, Amir's blood was boiling now; it was them or the beast, and he was adamant that everyone was getting out of this mess alive. "Heroes of Kelmarane!" cried the impassioned Pathfinder, rushing to the front lines as he went. "This thing is no longer a man! It thinks it can run roughshod and get away with it, terrorizing the people of Katapesh and Osirion; waylaying honest men and hurting your friend! All without repercussion?! I say if it wants a fight, we give it one! I'm not about to die here, and damn sure I won't let it claim one more life. Now let's get in there and save Yazi, skin that cat, and get the Hells outta here!" Action Breakdown: Move Action: Move 20' and draw shield as part of that action from high BAB. Map updated!
Standard Action: Inspire, Inspire, Inspire the Party to be Stabbity!~ Everyone picks up a +1 Competence Bonus to Attack and Damage Rolls.
With his mind clear and sanity (for the most part) restored, the Pathfinder blinks as the deific visage fades to reveal nothing more than a dusty traveler, a supposed Emir of Ipeq. The galleon, once a magnificent mirage hoisted by the clouds themselves, no stood as nothing but an old and worn curio; worth investigating, certainly, but much less impressive when not totally tripping out on the holy smoke of Nethys' shrine. Quietly, Amir hissed fussily at Paige as if she were some nosy child fiddling with something she ought not to be. "Haidar, you, uh, you keep mentioning 'the beast' and that it was 'outside.' Do you mean the Katapeshi leopard? Did you see it attack the caravan guard?" inquired the Pathfinder, clearly hot on the trail but oblivious to both the oddly punch-centric accessory at the Emir's side or the blood splattered all over his clothing. Strangeness at finding what had to be the hermit who'd taken up residence in the ruins aside, something wasn't quite right here; something about his desire not to go outside just struck the Pathfinder as peculiar. True, being in the smoke certainly made one a bit off, as Amir had experienced firsthand only moments before Paige's timely intervention, but still, something had to have driven this so-called well-to-do military man into hiding out here. The 'Accursed' bit certainly raised a few hackles in the explorer's mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it; things just weren't adding up...
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