The Caravanserai

[tpj]

Khalid

"I would be happy to join you all until we get our bearings."

"Decadent pleasures of palate, flesh and purse in strange surroundings always require a degree of caution. Such rewards can carry a steep price."

[hedgeknight]

Kainaxarthos catches Caena's eye and flashes a winning smile at her. "And if you're interested, I would love to accompany you to dinner while the others enjoy pomegranate wine and whores. Unless, of course, you find that preferable to dinner."

"A girl like me can always eat. And if you're paying...I'm in. Oh, and the team up thing," Ceana says while waving repaired arrow in the air, "that's a good idea too."

[OGRE MAGE]

The Visitor
Midnight

Kain catches the unnamed Ixian looking longingly at Ceana a few times while that pair flirts with each other over the conversation.

Maxon remains fairly vague with his answers while Khalid offers some sound yet chilling advice to the group.

Biblo inquires about the Astrologers Tower he seeks, soliciting an unfriendly grunt from the grizzled laborer. "I know it's filled with rich, fat scholar types who've never worked a day in their privileged lives. They sit around drinking wine and talking about how much better they are than the rest of the population. It is said that they track the night skies and record astrological events at the top of the thing, but I wouldn't know anything about such matters myself."

A second stranger stands up suddenly, grabs a firebrand, and heads in the direction of the resting animals. "Did you hear that growling?" All you hear is the whistling winds outside your tent. Before he gets too far away, the sounds of barking from the caravan guard dogs can suddenly be heard in the distance. Each of you have been ordered to respond to any barking from the dogs, which causes the Ixian and any others to jump up next to follow the first man.

Actions?

[Urson]

Maxon
Maxon is idly studying Ceana, working out the shape of the woman under her clothing and armor, when the dogs start their noise. He rolls to his feet in one motion, grabs his scimitar, and trots toward the disturbance.

[Grognardsw]

"It seems we'll have to continue our conversations later," said Biblo.

He scooped up his weapons and joined the others in investigating the noise.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

Still smiling at the conversation with Kain, the druidess rolls to her feet, arrow in hand. She unslings her bow, nocks the arrow, and follows the others outside. "Maybe it's just someone else joining the caravan," she says, her eyes adjusting to the shadows and torch light.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain responds to Ceana (oh lord, I've spelled her name wrong so many times. I'm sure that says more about me than him) "I'm looking forward to it."

As the guard reminds him of why he's really here, he notes Maxon's smooth actions and nods approvingly. "I like your optimism, Ceana. But let's keep an eye out just in case."

He unhooks his morning star and puts the fire at his back, moving to the resting animals. Always on the lookout for betrayal, he does his best to determine where the other guards have gone to.

[OGRE MAGE]

I will NPC Khalid this round so the rest of you don't need to keep waiting.

The Visitor
Midnight

Along with the other caravan guards, the group in the tent quickly hustles out into the dark desert night to learn what has spooked their guard dogs so badly. Along the way outside, another man grabs Khalid by the arm, whispering to him in Moorish as they exit together. "I have been to Xambaala many times, friend. What kind of contacts are you looking for?"

As they let their eyes adjust to the darkness, they all make their way towards the noise of the dogs. Everyone except for Kain, who looks around, wisely anticipating more than just a simple attack in the night.

Everyone grabs a torch as the run so more light can illuminate the fight. When they arrive in front of the makeshift animal pen, (nothing more than carts and wagons basically blocking them in against the side of an earthen rise) Everyone notices what the dogs are barking at. A rather large, 8 foot long lizard has made its way towards the closest of the animals. It hisses at the oncoming firebrands, but keeps its distance from any shimmering steel for now.

lizard.jpg (90.89 KiB) Viewed 1082 times

Looking around for something more, Kain spots movement coming down the earthen embankment where the animals are housed. Holding his torch aloft in that direction reveals a second huge desert lizard, this one bypassing the wagons to come in from above, about 20 feet away, and 15 feet or so up the side of the dirt ridge.

Actions?

[Urson]

Maxon
Maxon shouts at the lizard in the corral, intending to draw its attention away from the livestock. He'll stay out of easy arm's reach for the moment.

[Grognardsw]

Biblo, knowing the importance of livestock for transport, quickly knocks an arrow to Seeker and fires the shaft at the second lizard. It flies short and lands in the sand before the lizard. Biblo just shakes his head.

Arrow at lizard [1d20+3]=3+3=6, dam [1d6]=5

[tpj]

Khalid

(before the current situation)
Khalid whispers back to the man in Moorish, "I seek a guide, particularly anyone familiar with the outskirts of Xambaala, around the tombs."

(presently)
Khalid draws his scimitar and keeps it ready should the lizards move closer. He makes a note of how many torches are nearby and how close to the lizards.

"It may help to get the torches between the livestock and these beasts. I can work with the fire."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain calls out the position of the second sneaky lizard and moves to enter the pen, hoping to keep the lizard at bay with his torch. "Khalid! Here." He tosses the torch in front of the descending lizard, aiming for partway up the embankment.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

Hearing Kain's call about a second beast, the Keltic druid wheels and fires at the lizard, driving an arrow into its thorny hide.
Shortbow: [1d20+1]=19+1=20 [1d6]=2
"Put some arrows in 'em! We need to drive 'em off quickly!" Ceana calls out, pulling two more arrows from her quiver.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ugly Visitors
Midnight

A dozen men rush at the lizard on the ground, shouting and waving their swords enough to chase the beast away towards easier prey. None of them have seen the second lizard yet however, so they continue their chase, hoping to make a strong impression on the hungry tuatara to keep away for good.

Once Kainaxarthos points out the real threat, the new companions fly into action. The Cleric hops over a cart and tosses his torch in the direction of the spiked beast climbing down the ridge. He calls out for Khalid, hoping to get the fire masters attention. Maxon shouts from the safe side of the makeshift corral, trying to keep the threat away from the animals as best he can.

Biblo fires into the monster from a distance, displaying another reason for his love of ancient tomes and books. Ceana has much better luck, plunking an arrow directly into the front shank of the oncoming threat. Hearing an unpleasant hiss from it, she calls out for the others to join her as she prepares to fire again.

As Khalid steps forward, ready to show what he can do with the torch burning near the beast about 20 feet away, he suddenly spots the same creepy man from the tent still standing directly at his side. "The Old City? But nothing lives there save the undead and the stinking slaves." He stares at his fellow Moor, awaiting what the Pyromancer has in mind for the lizard who continues creeping towards the closest horse.

Actions?

[Grognardsw]

Stay calm. Biblo breathed deep and thought back to chapter six of Robin’s Manual of Archery Adeptness. He remembered to raise his sight line slightly, then let fly two arrows at the miniature dragon.



Rnd 2 Arrows +3 [_2d20]=(13+15)=28 dam [_2d6]=(6+2)=8 Modified 16 and 18.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

Arrows fly in as her companions respond to the lizard threat. She quickly draws and fires...and misses by several feet. After a string of curses that would peel bark off a tree, Ceana slows her breathing...and fires again!

Shortbow: [1d20+1]=6+1=7 [1d6]=3
Shortbow: [1d20+1]=16+1=17 [1d6]=1

[Urson]

Maxon
Maxon fires a shot at the creature.
[1d20]=14 (crossbow) [1d6+1]=3+1=4 He calmly, but quickly, reloads.

[OGRE MAGE]

Khalid?

Kain?

[tpj]

Khalid

Drawing a deep breath, Khalid focuses on the flames from the torch near the giant lizard coming down the rock. He spreads his fingers wide and fans out his arms to make the torch fire grow greater in size, in hopes that it will deter or at least slow the lizard's approach.

Casting Influence Normal Fire, duration 1 round.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain pulls his weapon and moves to shield a nearby animal from the lizard. He only strikes if threatened.

[1d20]=4