Savrah keeps trying to get all the animals safe and not panicing 7+4=11
Once the wagon that was stuck is moved, Thor then begins to look where he is needed. Seeing the other wagon on fire still, the dwarf comes over and steps into the bucket line and helps with the bucket brigade
Lucius is out of folks to heal and isn't about to throw his strength penalty into the bucket brigade, so he's going to sit tight for a moment until the fire is extinguished and he can sift through the wagon remains.
The fire continues burning fiercely but with Thor and Anala adding their efforts to the bucket brigade it is eventually brought under control.
In the mean time Savrah and the camel drivers manage to get the animals under control.
As the sun sets in the west Eloais' wagon is little more than smoldering ruin. Steam and smoke sputters from the remains of the wagon but there are no open flames and few hot spots.
After some private discussions with Garavel and Zastoran, Garavel calls you over to where he sits with Almah.
"Almah would like to know what caused this fire. It is possible it was an accident but she is concerned there might have been foul play. Since we were not here when the fire started we are the only ones who are beyond suspicion. Thus it is our burden to discover the cause of the blaze. See what you can discover about the blaze and report back to me.
"If anyone needs treatment you can speak with Zastoran and he has been instructed to assist you."
As the sun sets the temperature drops noticeably. It's still pretty light out but natural light is fading quickly. Once the fire was out the members of the caravan break up into their natural components.
Zastoran (halfling cleric) sits near a wagon reading a text quietly using a magical light source. A small group of professional looking guards stay fairly close to Almah with at least 2 stationed very near her at all times. A larger group of rougher looking mercenaries gather in a loose nit group near the cook fire laughing and sharing a bit of ale. The camel drivers, a married couple, are tending to the animals and ensuring the camel pen is secure. There is one other member of the party who tends to drift around the camp quite a bit, Dashki, a desert drifter hired by Almah for his expertise in dealing with Gnolls.
Under the soothing cool of night (even though his heatstroke still fatigues him), Lucius is going to pick through the remains of the wagon.
Anala joins Lucius in examining the wagon for anything of interest.
Perception Check. (1d20+6=17)
Now savrah says as she turns to the camel driver Let's find this goat of yours
Under the soothing cool of night (even though his heatstroke still fatigues him), Lucius is going to pick through the remains of the wagon.
Lucius's Perception is a whopping +0, so I'm going to roll Appraise instead, to figure out the most valuable item in it.
1d20 + 6 = 19
Thor wonders around a bit on the perimiter checking for any tracks or clue as to who or how the fires got started
Perception (1d20=4)
Once the fire is put out Ugh unstraps his armor and throws it to the ground "Errgh! Why Ugh wear armor on hot day?!" he asks himself, he then finds some shade to rest in.
When the group is called aside Ugh says "What that wagon for? Magic? It have stars and moons on it. Maybe magic accident cause fire?"
Ugh offers to assist someone with investigative skills (Axia maybe?) as a bodyguard. He keeps a sharp eye out for anything he can see that might aid the investigation.
1d20+4=6 Perception
With the fire put out, Aixa takes time for her evening devotions, dancing to clear her mind and thank Sarenrae for the beautiful day just passed, and for the Dawnflower's aid in healing the wounded mercenaries. When the sun has set below the horizon, Aixa slowly comes to a stop and sheathes her scimitar, before joining the others at the burnt wagon.
"I will go check on my patients and see if they know anything," she tells the others as they investigate the wagon. "Once you're done here, perhaps we can question some of the others as to what they saw. Does anyone wish to accompany me?" She specifically does not look at Lucius as she asks the last question.
Aixa approaches the mercenaries at the fire. "How are you feeling?" she asks the wounded ones. "Is there anything else I can do?" She also introduces herself to other mercenaries: "I am Aixa bint'Al Majid, a dervish of the Dawnflower. What happened here today? How did the wagon catch on fire? Was anyone inside?"
If Anala finds nothing of interest in the wagon, she will follow Aixa to gather information.
She will pay close attention to the different people that make up the caravan, looking for anyone who might look out of place or worried.
Perception Check. (1d20+6=11)
Sense Motive Check. (1d20+2=7)
"I will go check on my patients and see if they know anything," she tells the others as they investigate the wagon. "Once you're done here, perhaps we can question some of the others as to what they saw. Does anyone wish to accompany me?" She specifically does not look at Lucius as she asks the last question.
"Yes. Your patients." Lucius just grins. He keeps sifting through the ruin of the wagon.
Almah looks at Almah and says "If I am needed for anything or can help answer any questions I'll be in my tent." then she walks to her tent. Two of the more professional looking guards follow her and stay near the entrance to her tent.
Ugh: Garavel gestures towards the burned out wagon. "That wagon was home of Eloais, a seer and fortune teller who Almah employed for advice. What sort of magic he might have used I'm not certain, I didn't know him well. I have never seen him using overt magic beyond the card reading."
Lucius and Anala: You sift through the ashes and debris from the wagon and discover an assortment of melted candleholders, some broken vials, a crystal ball which has cracked from the heat, an assortment of clay shards. In the center of the debris is the burned skeletal remains of a body you assume was Eloais but is currently unidentifiable.
Lucius:
Aixa: As you do your devotions you attract a small amount of attention and hear what might even be a catcall from near the campfire. After you speak to Anala and Lucius at the wagon, you wander over to the guards at the camp fire. These mercenaries are not nearly as professional as Almah's personal guards, their armor is rusted in places and their clothing dirty. Most of the guards look at you fairly dismissively, one openly leers at you.
Kallien, the guard you helped heal, looks at you with appreciation. She looks nearly fully recovered now though there will be some significant scarring. "After the fire I remember waking up and feeling you healing touch. I appreciate what you did for me."
At this comment the guard who was leering at you scoffs and whispers an obviously crass comment to the guard nearest him and the two share a crude laugh.
Trevvis, who appears to be the leader ignores the comment and speaks to you. "Though it felt odd and somehow unclean... that robed man healed me well."
"We were just finishing dinner up when we heard Hadrah exclaim and point at the seer's wagon. Flames were coming from inside the wagon and we heard some screams. Kallien and I went over tried to pull the seer out but when we got into the wagon I tripped on a carpet in the threshold and hit my head. As it was Kallien was barely able to get me out."
Kallien confirms his story and adds "When I moved in to get Trevvis out my armor got caught on a hook in the wall. Just dumb luck. We should have been able to get him out of there."
Thor: You walk the perimeter of the camp and don't notice much of anything.
Savrah: When you get over Hadrod and Hadrah the camel herders are talking quietly near the livestock. Hadrod is openly upset and when you ask about the goat he starts to pull on his hair.
Hadrah answers you first though, she talks rapidly and it's a bit hard to understand. "Was just finishing up serving dinner to them mercenaries when I saw the fire and "
Hadrod interrupts "She says 'FIRE, the faker's wagon is burning. Them guards got up in a hurry"
Hadrah continues "Trevvis got up and he took one of the women guards over with them but the animals..."
"...they went crazy with the smoke, never seen them panic like that. One second they was calm then they went haywire..." Hadrod just talks over Hadrah.
"We started getting them together then Hadrod noticed Rombard..."
Hadrod pulls his haird and exclaims "OOOooo, Rombard. I know I tied him secure..."
Hadrah holds her husbands hand but looks at you "My husband raised him from the bottle, he's a prize goat that one..."
"I know he would come back, I called him and called him. He thinks I'm his momma..."
Hadrah pats her husbands hand "We keep him a bit apart from the rest of the animals so we didn't notice he was missing at first."
When Hadrah points to where the goat was kept you go and look.
Savrah:
Dm
When Ugh notices the men leering and laughing crudely at Axia, he goes to stand behind her and whispers to her "You not be afraid, you ask your questions. Ugh not let nasty men bother you." He then crosses his arms and glares at anyone disrespecting her.
Savrah:
You see some scuffled tracks leading away from camp.
Dm
Thor returns from his search of the perimiter and sees the barbarian and cleric standing near a group of men. Thor heads over and follows the barbarian' s lead in backing Axia up and draws his axe put lets it rest against his shoulder in an intimidating manner and glares at the group before him Intimidate (1d20+3=22)
Thor, Ugh, Aixa:
Savrah:
Dm
Finding nothing of real interest, Anala leaves Lucius to deal with the body and it's identification. She wanders around the camp watching people for any signs of guilt or worry.
Aixa focuses on Kallien, leaving the other mercenaries to Thor and Ugh. "Do you have any idea how the fire started? Did the seer have any enemies?"
Lucius kicks through the ash and char a bit, not really finding anything of note. The fire destroyed everything. He leaves behind the few scraps of once-molten precious metals to be picked over by scavengers from the camp or, perhaps, reclaimed by the seer's next-of-kin.
He does pick up one of the clay shards to examine.
After Axia leaves us, Ugh turns to Thor "Good job getting wagon away from fire before it catch fire too. Ugh want to help find out what cause fire but not sure what to do. You have idea?" he asks the dwarf.
"Alas none from what I can tell" Thor says then looking over to the other mercenaries gets a glimmer in his eye and points to one of them with his axe and barks" You! What happened here? How did the fire start? If you dont say I will find a way to make you spill your secrets or your blood, your choice"Intimidate (1d20+3=21)
Kallien blushes a little at an overheard comment from one of the other guards and perhaps misinterpreting the attentions Aixa is paying her.
"Umm... I really don't know. The camel herder spotted the blaze, we were all over here at the fire. We didn't see anyone over by the wagon when we went to get the fortune teller out."
Thor/ Ugh/ Aixa:
Trevvis, the senior mercenary steps between you and the mercenary you are threatening. "What the hell is wrong with you? You think this is some savage tribal camp where you can bully everyone around you? These two were sitting at the fire with us when the blaze started. I'm going to talk to Almah about what kind of trash Garavel hauled in."
Savarah:
You hear raised loud voices from camp but they sound strangely distant and deadened making you feel isolated and maybe vulnerable.
Dm
Anala makes her circuit of checking out the people around the camp and arrives back at Aixa in time to catch Thordin's outburst. She shakes her head at the Dwarf's uncouth behaviour and waits back a little until Aixa moves away from the guards, to give her the thoughts and impressions she picked up from watching the camp's inhabitants.
Savrah:
You hear something small moving quietly in the large cactus patch ahead of you then a muted cry, perhaps a small child? or maybe the plaintive bleat of a goat?
DM
Savrah:
(FWIW: it is so thick it will require a balance check to proceed)
"Bah, well... ummm. look Im sorry. Ehh, umm between the heat and tring to get the wagon moved just tired and a bit grumpy" This next said with a very slight hint of a smile "besides Im not the most likeable dwarf by far. Lets just drop it ehh? I was just trying to get answers as to what happened here" Thor says to Trevvis. From the expression on his face you can tell that the dwarf is not used to giving apologies and it seems to give him trouble as he tries to find the right words almost stumbling on them
DM
Balance20
She carefully navigates through he cactus's looking for the goat
Savrah:
If your animal companion is coming you need a balance check for it also (+5 for 4 leggers). You also have another balance check to proceed.
Ugh places a firm but comforting hand on Thor's shoulder. "Ugh about to explode from heat too. Glad it was you and not Ugh. You a likeable enough dwarf." Ugh says trying to diffuse the situation.
"Right well uhm.. err.. ehh." Thor sputters and finally says "lets continue on." With that the dwarf takes his leave and heads Anala to see what she has learned
As you leave the fire Garavel approaches (I guess everyone is more or less together again except for Savarah?)
"Have you guys interviewed everyone yet? What are your conclusions?"
dm
"Ugh find dat owner of wagon was mage, yes. But his magic was with cards and not flashy so he not likely cause fire. Da mercenary's, while not very nice to Axia, were at campfire when blaze started and so did not do it. Why mercenary's at fire on such hot day Ugh not know." Ugh then looks at the ground ashamed "Ugh still not know who, or what cause fire."
Unless something interesting was on that clay shard, Lucius has nothing.
Thor while looking down at the ground mutters and grumbles into his beard again. The words for the most part are unaduible but you can make out the words found out nothing and something about it being too hot and everyones tempers matching.
Garavel "Have you spoken with Almah's personal guards or Dashki? Perhaps they have seen something."
Anala:
You notice the gnoll expert Dashki lurking by the tree, watching you, or perhaps Almah's tent.
Savrah:
Just bad luck I guess.
"Gnoll expert eh?" Ugh says his interest piqued.
Ugh approaches Dashki and says "Ugh hear you a gnoll expert. Gnolls once capture Ugh and sell Ugh into slavery. Ugh not like gnolls at all." he pauses remembering it was from Kelmerane that he was kidnapped by the gnolls. "You see anything about wagon fire? Why it start?"
Before joining the others with Dashki, Aixa pays a visit to Almah's personal guards . She introduces herself and enquires if any of them were wounded while fighting the fire and offers healing before questioning them.
"The mercenaries said they were at the fire when it started, but didn't see how it began. Your mistress asked us to investigate the blaze, so I'll ask you the same questions: Where were you when the fire started? Did you see anyone near the seer's wagon, or do you have any idea how the fire started? Did the seer have any enemies, or can you think of anyone who had reason to sabotage the caravan?"
After hearing what the guards have to say, Aixa will rejoin the others.
Anala watches Ugh march over to Dashki and her eyes narrow. After her circuit of the camp, that one was the only person who seemed like he didn't really belong. He was watching things a little too closely.
She whispers quietly to the others before Aixa move towards Almah's Guards. "That one over there bears some watching. He seems the most out of place here and he has been paying a little too much attention to both my wanderings and Almah's Tent."
Torn between following Aixa and joining Ugh, she finally just stays and watches Ugh's interactions with Dashki, waiting for Aixa to return so the y can all confront him together.
Anyone else with Ugh or Aixa???
ugh:
If Ugh has a casual relationship with personal hygeine Dashki hasn't even been introduced. He openly scratches at something under his armor as you approach then pulls it out and looks at it closely and sniffs it before flicking it away. His body odor is staggering, almost a physical presence.
Dashki glances at Ugh and then away dismissively. He spits into the desert, perhaps as a sign of disrespect to Ugh, or maybe disgust at the subject matter.
"The fortune teller was an idiot and a fool, and Almah a bigger fool for hiring him.", Dashki is obviously disgusted by the Eloais.
Glancing again at Ugh. "You are lucky they sold you into slavery. Sometimes they keep the ones they capture as playthings. Sort of like having a larder that grooms you and cleans your chamber pot until you get hungry."
"I was with the guards at the cookfire when the wagon burned."
Aixa
Fixx, a clean cut guard of few words talks to you. "We stay near Almah always. The four of us were here when the fire started. We thought the smoke was from a camp stove until the camel herder started shouting. We didn't see anyone near the Seer's wagon. That Dashki was creeping around by the tree though. He's always trying to get a peek at Almah. He has an unhealthy interest in his betters."
Anala:
As you stay back you notice some subtle signs from Dashki. He is not being entirely truthful with Ugh.