Bringing back the feral halfling!
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"What do you think spend the night here and head out in the morning? We could help them with any of their problems, after all they are letting us come to their homes and give us a meal. You never know what good will might shine on us." He directs to the group mostly and then to Minerva once the group agrees.
"What are the Five Winds? If you believe and trust them, then that is good enough for me..." He winks at Minerva and stows his monstrous blade back into the folds of his robe. He follows the dogs with his hands at his sides at ease.
"Minerva what did you say? What did the dog say?" He asks with expectancy holding his greatsword in both hands the blade straight into the air.
Round 1 Baris moves keeping his allies to his back and watches for a threat. Pulling his greatsword from his heavy cloak, almost out of an invisible extra dimensional pocket.
He does not notice them until they are upon him.
Baris yawns before pulling out his scroll case and then the map, the sleepily says, "I don't see any water sources for days, nothing is marked. We should begin looking for one before setting out." After packing up all the gear into his small bag that is kept under his cloak he begins looking for signs of water.
He finds several cacti and after cutting them open and pouring some of the liquid in his waterskin he offers it to Minerva. Then cutting the other in half he takes a few gulps before offering the two halves to Sir Drystan and Grayson.
The next morning Baris slowly stretches and breaks camp as Minerva prepares her spells. With four shifts not everyone has been getting their 8 hours of needed sleep and it is evident Baris has been letting the others sleep during Minerva's preparations for the coming day. He continues to keep a look out as he strokes the strings on his soft brown lute.
Soon after eating several large slices of meat with a hard tack biscuit he yawns. With a smile he plays on his lute for a while settling himself. He soon dozes off and sleeps while the others keep watch. He wakes up slowly when Grayson shakes him awake for his shift. He quietly plays a nice lullaby on his lute during his watch.
Overall both performances are quite good.
Baris sets up camp bringing rocks together for the fire. He then sets up his sleeping bag. He then pulls out several sticks the size of his arm and lays them over the rocks, tinder placed under, he then grabs some extra sage brush and puts it on top, finally he hits the flint and steel together to get the fire started. He will pull out a cooking kit and pulls out the other items from the pan before putting it on the fire. Pulling out a sack from his backpack, then from the sack some of the cut meat from the lions. He begins to re heat the meat. Looking at the rest of you he asks, "I am almost out of water, how about you?"
"That is the question isn't it, Grayson. I hope he says something before they think him a meal." He jokes as they wait for something to happen.
Baris stops and readies his guisarme as he whispers, "So what should we do? Any suggestions? Should we stop, take cover, obviously not attack, look at that 30 foot wingspan!"
"We could try to smoke some of the meat and put the rest in leather bags to store but that might take longer than we want... what do you think?" Baris asks apparently not trying to be wasteful. Also in the down time he can play on his lute.
Baris shrugs and begins to get to work. With no rush he takes his time on the cutting and bleeding out of the animals, After he gets it started he says, "Well we should stick around here for at least a few hours. Anyone want to track down some water and the rest should set up camp."
"Who thinks they have the best skills to do such a task? I know my way around surviving and scrounging up." He asks as he pulls out a mithril dagger that looks very thin.
He quickly states, "Anyone have problems if we kill a lion?" He takes a pensive stance holding his guisarme above his head like a crane. Reach/Trip
"It is settled then we travel to the South and once we travel through the desert to see the Pale Mountain we travel North." The halfling assesses.
With a hearty hot breakfast served with eggs, ham, bacon, scones, and fruit, everyone digs in and there is still plenty of food on the table once you had your fill. Baris nods and says, "Don't worry the extra will be eaten one way or another. Shall we?" He then gets up and walks the three of you out of his mansion and onto the path ahead. The other halflings wave their goodbyes at the front of the mansion. Baris pulls out a map as you begin to head out of Kelmanare and he asks, "Which route do you think would be best? I know little more than the names of locations on the map do you know anything?" "It seems we could go up the river but that will be lots of mountains to cross. We could stick to the desert either to the North or South. Or try to encounter what we can along the way that is marked and see what kind of evil we can destroy along the way."
When you enter in the room he happily greets you, "Good morning! Food shall be ready soon, then we will be off. How was your stay in the town?"
"You can't miss it, head out the way you came in, take a right and it will be the only building with the flags of the pactmasters." Baris snips out with a wink.
"If you want you could stay in one of my many rooms, I hold residence in one of the mansions that look over the city." Baris offers winking at Haleen, "I don't have more than three servants so the accommodations won't be the best, definitely better than camping in town."
"Yes Grayson, I will let my second take you there if you don't mind. Haleen, take him to the Cauldron, Undrella should know her place is under new ownership." He says looking at Grayson if he shows some kind of emotion from Baris' actions. Haleen appears to be a swordswoman, with rapier and buckler. She has fierce blue grey eyes and her dirty blonde hair is in a pony tail to keep it out of her eyes.
"That be settled then, is there anything else you need? Jelessa I will leave you in charge of the guardians while I am away with these evil fighters. My guardians are too weak to help up there, but with the defensible battle market and Jelessa with her guards, they should be just fine. I have a few things to collect. Come with me if you are ready now, or meet me on the North road out of town tomorrow morning. Which will it be?" Baris asks as it is nearly dark now.
"Ah... hmmm... yes, yes, I was getting to that. If you would like to join me in hunting down some gnolls and securing the area around Kelmanare, you would be paid handsomely." He says a bit stammered at first from Jelissa's statement of him but then catches up to himself and puts the general proposal on the table. Assuming you accept provisionally, he then introduces Zayifid.
Zayifid's message:
The mysterious priest bows deeply and graciously, the sun tattoo on his brow almost seeming to glow. He introduces himself, "I am a traveler of the sand and scrub, a student of all things Sarenrae sees fit to shine upon, and an unwilling bearer of bad news. “I do not belong to a single church. I do not mock those priests who choose to remain in one location and tend to one building— not at all, for they provide a needed service. But I am not at ease if I stay in one location. I am a traveler, as I have said, and have walked the billowing sands of Osirion, the westernmost veldt of Nex, and much of our own beloved Katapesh in between. I have seen much in my travels, and have brought the word and redemption of the Dawnflower to many. Yet also have I seen much in the way of cruelty and war in those travels, and it is a warning of such I bring to you today. “You have distinguished yourselves by defeating the Kulldis. You know that word of the liberation of Kelmarane has reached all the way to the coast by now, and you are enjoying the fruits of that success even as we speak in the form of trade and tax. Yet word spreads not only to friends, but also to enemies. The Carrion King knows of what you’ve done to the Kulldis, and though he did not reply in kind at once, I have heard dire rumors in my travels. Rumors of gnoll tribes gathering on the far slopes of Pale Mountain, tribes united under one banner— the sign of the Carrion King! “My path is not one of war. Sarenrae teaches redemption and forgiveness, but I know well that many do not seek these ends, and that war is often inevitable. Yet sometimes, there are other ways. The gnolls are ever a bickering lot, and if the Carrion King has managed to unite these tribes, then his word is mighty indeed. And although I despair to think on the death of any living creature, if the Carrion King’s death would mean that the gnoll tribes would stand down—a war could be averted. “And so I bring this news to you. I shall not stay long, for I have no desire to be caught up in the folly of battle. But you would do well, heroes, to take my warning to heart. Seek out the Carrion King and bring him low before he raises high the flags of war. You will find him in the House of the Beast, the rumors say, an ancient temple upon the far side of Pale Mountain from which he has long ruled. May your efforts be swift and just, that needless suffering be averted." Proof?:
PCs ask for proof, he merely shrugs and asks them what proof would they seek? Increased attacks on Kelmarane by gnolls? A signed document from the Carrion King himself declaring his intent? Zayifid tells the PCs to look to Pale Mountain, to watch for war fires and listen for the Carrion King’s howl upon the midnight wind. Carrion King dwells?:
If the PCs ask him how he knows that the Carrion King dwells in the House of the Beast, or even that he’s sure the ruins stand upon the far side of Pale Mountain at all, he simply shrugs and says that it is not his place to question what dreams the Dawnflower places in his sleeping mind as visions. Perception DC 33:
Did you get the check?
Sense Motive DC 31: Did you get the check?
"I was a drifter like so many, but when asked what is my purpose I tried my best to save those I could here. I found I liked it. I dispatched the gnolls, their allies, and destroyed the evil that poisoned this town before. There were others with me before but some died and others moved on since when they came to the town to see what they could do, I had already single handedly taken care of the surface gnoll problem. It seems Jelissa enlisted great help. I do not know of dragons or trolls being around here, but your help will be welcome." He uses a lot of emotion in his vague telling of his greatness.
With the mention of Jelissa, he throws back his hood and you see a halfling with a great large smile, he jubilantly yells, "Jelissa is back! That is wonderful. Hold on one moment!" The halfling then leaves this polearm above as he slips over the railing and quickly descends down the walls. Soon he jumps the last 20 feet and quickly jogs up to your group. He warmly says, "Welcome to Kelmanare! I am Baris and you may know me as the champion of Kelmanare. Come, come tell me your names as we walk to wet our whistles." He leads your group out of the arena the way you entered. Along the merchants and their stalls. Leading you up to the third floor of the battle market with a bar and a gangly old gnoll running it. With drinks offered freely Baris asks each of you to explain why you are here, other than being a guard for the caravan.
The hooded individual in the black robe asks, "What brings you to Kelmanare? Fame, fortune, or a little sport?" notes: He jumps down from that height and quickly lands on his feet. He cracks his neck and walks forward. A halfling looking rather deadly towards your group, stopping half way.
He gives up on the two of you who just stand there with your mouths open. He takes the stakes and then goes into the abandoned builiding.
He grabs the body and puts it into one of the abandoned buildings, he then returns with his left hand extended and simply says, "Stakes!"
Round 1 With grace and a few somersaults Baris gets around the goat demon and slices his guisarme up at the creature while focusing on staying defensive.
Round 2 attack
Baris leaps down from his lofty rail landing beside Alton. "Stay here and protect each other in case the goat comes back here. I will put it down again with the help of those who released it." He says loudly for those in the areana to hear. He then winks at Alton and says, "Shall we..." He will then run after the trio after the goat demon, quickly catching up in a few short rounds. |