Anyo? Anyo!? Anyo's the NPC who gets remembered?
I'll remember this.
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“You need to wake up!” (Is that. . .?)
Misunderstood desert druid seeks party who will appreciate her talents for intricate deception and setting things on fire. I’m the reason they put a comeliness score in Unearthed Arcana so if you are not wealthy or hunky, you need not apply. Absolutely no dwarves!!!
Read only if Gandel, Breach, or Hal watches Thalia and succeeds on both a DC 14 Perception check and a DC 16 Sense Motive check: When you observe Thalia in the pit below, for the briefest of moments you catch her eye contact. Although she looks away to try to hide it, you know what you saw: she has seen you. At least now you know the jig is up. All she needs to do now is say the word and the guards will be upon you - an awful lot of them. But she hasn’t and you don’t know why. She hasn’t lifted a finger. Instead, she seems to be making a deliberate effort try to look away.
Behind Enemy Lines: “You saved me!” Thalia wraps her arms around the bodyguard. “It’s all right –you’re safe now,” the muscular man responded, holding her steady. Thalia shuddered wordlessly in his arms, adding a dash of tears for full effect. This shouldn’t be too hard, she thought. At the end of the day it’s just another pack of men. It’s the Exemplar who she would have to handle carefully. She would need to be careful, but she was already forming what her next move would be.
With her release, Thalia sports a sly look of smugness and perhaps even an infuriatingly casual laugh, but she is careful to ensure her new protectors do not see or hear it.
Thalia worms one of her hands up to her infamous necklace. The center orb begins to glow a cherry red, but then Thalia seems to think better of it. She suddenly reverses her motion and tries to wriggle out of the dwarf's bear-like grasp instead. ("fails!") She gets nowhere, the angry dwarf's grip is solid. "Please - help me!"
Whatever 'elf witch's' responses is, it is muffled by the dwarf's thick stubby hand. Thalia struggles briefly, but quickly realizes the futility. She is no match for Karek. She wriggles a hand up to her necklace, as though contemplating. . . something, but she then stops herself. Instead, Thalia goes limp, using her body language as far as she can to convey that she is an innocent victim trapped underneath a violent dwarf. Surely there is a soldier nearby who will rescue a damsel in distress.
"MMmmmm Mmmm MMMMM!!!!!" Those who speak Mmmmm only: You do not speak Mmmmm.
I hope it doesn't come to a battle. We will die fighting but we will die all the same way too many foes outside of this area for us to handle and no easy way to get out. :-( You could always be level-headed and surrender. I could ask the Exemplar to be merciful. Just because the half-orc has a death wish, doesn't mean you all have to.
Well, Team Cool-Minus-Thalia the Traitor, what shall we do? I suggest you surrender while you still can. Also, for team name, I submit: "Thalia's Dupes".
Thalia continues. “. . . What the so-called Potentate neglected to say, is that he is lying and that he and his goons are in truth a band of treasure-hunters who have come to raid and pillage Ahn’Selota!!!” A gasp runs through the crowd – and possibly a few PCs. “You must arrest them - seize them right now Exemplar! They are dangerous and powerful. As a patriot of Osirion, I warn you to see through their lies and . . !”
Donkor will shuffle out of the tent with the others, continuing his obsequious behavior. Donkor almost succeeds in leading the charge out the door, when he hears a voice from behind: "Most gracious Exemplar, if I may, I believe the Potentate, has one more important thing to relay. . ." Suddenly all eyes are on Thalia and Moonpate - we'll most eyes - there's an awful lot of eyes here. Her voice trails off and for a moment you could hear a pin drop.
"Send me back out into the desert? No, I've got something a little different in mind." Thalia has a bit of a wicked smile about her.
Looking even more unamused, "Whether or not we are worthy of a mote of the Examplar's time, I doubt that She-Who-Rises-Above will be pleased at the insolence shown to guests by one of her servants to one of his betters. My master, the greatest daivrat amongst the enlightened kingdoms once said, "Arrogance born from envy grows like a foul weed on a dunghill." My friend and bodyguard, the ever-smiling Hurgah here, is quite the amazing gardener. In spite of his gentle nature, he really detests weeds. Now, if you will excuse me, I will ensure the security of our belongings whilst my friend Hurgah inspects for weeds." "Trust me," adds Thalia, "You so do not want him to get going on about his Master." She arches her back in a supple stretch as she lies on the couch, the endless wait starting to grate on her.
"Also, and I take it this goes without saying, no weapons may be brought within 100 feet of an Exemplar." "Well I don't carry any weapons. . ." lies Thalia sweetly. Thalia watches the slaves exit and with their departure her last hope for a piece of civilization in the desert. She claims a couch with fluffy pillows and flops upon it with a sulking look.
"Oh relax Shattershield," rebukes Thalia, "It's quite customary. There's no need to insult the Exemplar's hospitality.
With her enhanced senses, Thalia is quick to catch Gandel’s omission and like Karek, assumes it is intentional. She makes a note of it in her increasing list of slights. Thalia gives a plastic smile, “I imagine I should have let you mislead them all blindly into the desert to rot.”
While you wait, Xian'an works on chatting up some of the guards and overtime they appear to relax considerably. It appears that pacifying large groups of bored men is another item on her rather considerable list of skills. At one point, one of them offers to bring her up on to the palanquin golem for a ride. However a sharp look from the commander puts an end to that idea rather quickly. More time ticks by. . .
“You know, I really haven’t noticed any signs of storm activity. This is some of the best weather we’ve seen in many weeks. . .” Thalia flashes the commander her warmest smile and joins the conversation: Osiriani:
“That is funny sir, for I said almost the exact same thing earlier today while I was speaking with Ovaron, the senior caravan leader we travelled with on our way in. He said in his experience out here that a stillness can usually be the most ominous of signs – you know, the calm before the storm. I suppose I should defer to his significant expertise, but I’m with you on this - doesn't look like much. I mean, how fast can things change in the desert?"
Gradually several of the guards start looking around, peering at the horizon with nervous apprehension. Nobody likes a sandstorm; especially guards who don’t carry sand goggles.
Once Ovaron has departed, Thalia spins her camel, Scimitar, around. She rides back a dozen feet or so towards the rear guard in order to get their attention. With a quick whistle and a wave she signals for them to join up.
. . . Old woman guide whose name I can never recall? If you two would be so kind as to accompany me? Thalia falls in behind muttering to herself. "Oh, you'd better enjoy this Moonpate, because you will pay for it later."
"So what the hell happened?" Thalia attempts to translate: "Moonpate offered to ride with them. Gandel suggested lunch." "Their leader - he calls himself Ovaron. He says Moonpate can come with him, if he wants, but the warriors are to remain behind." After a brief pause she adds, "He doesn't trust us. I think he's acting tough, but is actually quite scared."
Thalia suppresses a cough as she witnesses what she perceives to be the young priest’s mismanagement of a rather delicate situation. Still pouting with her minor role she hesitates, debating whether to bother to assist. A moment passes and she decides to nudge Scimitar forward: “Ca’Untaru An’ anubai Du hai hai – cest wan Ghiheru Du hai hai – Mojineska Jiparu anuwesh Du hai hai” Osiriani translated:
Xian’an briefly recites an ancient adage of desert travelers, setting out the timeless laws of no harm. Ovaron recognizes the words and appears to appreciate them.
Using the magic of her armor, Thalia ditches her Risen Guard rider's outfit. Determined to try something completely different, she goes for a simple but revealing white frock, a look that seems to suggest she is a lowly slave or perhaps a servant girl. Then she pulls out a mirror to examine her work. Once she does so, she shakes her head and decides to go a new direction entirely. A moment later she adds a wide jewled belt, complete with a hook to hang a slaver's whip, and a pair of tall intimidating boots. She then creates a rather ornate headdress and a series of metallic bracelets until she thinks she has completed the look of a ‘slave master’. While the party discusses its plans, she thinks better of it and magically changes outfits yet again, several times actually, until she finally settles on an elaborate finery suitable for the role of a spoiled young aristocrat, complete with a Keleshite veil.
"Oh for the love of Rovagug!" says Thalia as she shoots Karek a look, convinced that this is somehow his fault. "The guide!?" Xian'an reluctantly changes her outfit a final time, this time into a dusty set of androgeous desert wear, worn leather riding boots, and a sun-bleached shawl. She reaches into her pack and pulls out her sand goggles for good measure, placing them on her forehead, just above her eyes. "I think we can all agree no one will notice me," she pouts.
Perhaps she notices. "Will somebody please cast comprehend languages when the Linnorm-King dwarf speaks. Honestly!" She then spurs her camel.
Approximately over a half hour later, Thalia and Scimitar suddenly ride back from their forward position and circle around the group summoning the party’s attention. “Heads-up everyone, we’ve got a complication. . .”
Following Karek’s initiative, the party mounts up and heads north; looking to close the distance on the transport caravan they spied upon the previous evening. Some are still tired from their evening run (and limited sleep from the snores of Hurgah); others are invigorated at the prospect that if all goes well they will at last arrive at the dig site. Taking the lead as before, Thalia rides her loyal camel, Scimitar. When you look at her, you see she has somehow changed her clothing, yet again. This time, her outfit is that of one of Sothis’ famed Risen Guards, one of the Ruby Prince’s camel riders to be precise, complete with a rider’s leather and distinctive red-plumed helm. Occasionally Xian’an darts slightly ahead of the party, riding to higher ground to search the horizon for indication of the transport caravan. She also scans the desert sands, searching for any signs of the familiar claw-marks of the splicer beast, or other such predators.
Hal and the Sexy Scouts: The scouting party quickly winds its way back through the moonlight, headed for their camp. Once they put a quarter-mile behind them, Thalia increases the pace, periodically breaking out into a light jog. Occasionally she surfaces atop a larger dune to check to see if there are any signs that they are being followed. Satisfied, she heads back to low ground, relying more on her ears than her eyes.
Hal and the Sexy Scouts: "I have an idea. What if we summon a creature to attack the supply caravan and then "rescue" the caravan and offer to escort them to their final destination? It would be a reasonable way into the dig site. They may not necessarily be going to the dig but it seems likely that they are. It may be better to do so in the morning when we have the full use of our allies and their abilities. I am thinking large desert scorpions would be believable. Thoughts?" Thalia smiles, "A ruse then - I didn't know you had it in you dwarf." Then the half-elf glances at the moon's position in the sky. "If we're to make our two hour deadline, we need to be away from here soon - or at least send someone back to update the others."
Hal and the Sexy Scouts/Spies: "Well done Gandel," admits Thalia. "Might be a good idea to follow them tomorrow if they seem to be headed in the same direction as us." "That many camels should be easy to track."
Hal and the Sexy Scouts: Spoiler: "I would not think the Thunderstone to be a good idea Gandel, then they will know we are here I think it is best to stay quiet. Thalia if Gandel turned you invisible do you think you could move fast enough to scout the area and get back quickly before the power wears off?" Thalia responds to Hal with a nod, but then she adds, “I’ll handle it if you want, but if Gandel goes, he could always re-cast his spell if need be.” She turns to the halfling and whispers into his ear: “You up for it Pathfinder?”
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