It's What's for Dinner
The adventurer's guild hadn't explained a lot about the mission. They got a request, and passed it on to you without doing much more research into the matter. The mission at hand it seemed, was that a farmer was having some problems with a chicken. Why this was a matter for the adventure's guild was anyone's guess, but here you are dutifully checking in on the matter anyways.
The farmer in question is a woman in her fifties. Hair gray and puffy, her blue eyes sharp and wise with the passage of years. "My rooster has been acting oddly of late. Biting me when I get close to the hens and stuff like that." She patted her leg. "My leg's gone totally stiff from all the times he's attacked me! And if that were not bad enough he's clear gone missing now! Woke up yesterday and he was just gone. I found a few footprints - human footprints - near the edge of my land and called the adventurer's guild."
She looks at the lot of you expectantly. "That's where you come in. I want you to track the rooster-thief down and give him what's-for for me. Then bring my baby back to me."
Rocky is just going to go ahead and assume it's not a normal rooster, but a cockatrice or something. But the core mission remains the same, so the greyscale nods politely, and turns his focus to the others. "This One can track, but not well. Others better suited to follow footprints?"
Smuldur was sold as soon as the explanation got to 'chicken.' Mmm. Chicken. Roast 'em, fry 'em, stick 'em in a stew! He already has his trusty sidekick Torchie in hand, and lit! He doesn't need the light, but you never know when FIRE! might come in handy. Like for cooking chickens! And anything else! He nods to the farmer, then skitters closer to hold out a hand. "Give what-for, will deliver!"
Chicken wrangling. Aryia was hired to do... chicken wrangling? She shrugs. Beats literally everything else she's been on.
The scarred mul'neissa, on the way over there, shows a page to everyone that she does not know a worn page written in barely legible Tradespeak that reads:
"I am Aryia. I can't talk. I'll do my best."
She gives a thumbs up. Not looking like much but those metal cold iron plates on her knuckles look well used. Once they get there, she lets the others ask questions. Though she shrugs and shakes her head at Rocky's question.
Kaz? He doesn't exactly seem like adventure material. He's dressed in a spider silk shirt and waistcoat, trimmed in the fur of some cave moth, instead of in leather and steel, he smells of perfume instead of weapon oil, and his nails are manicured into small points. But he's here anyway. In response to the page he's been shown, he introduces himself as, "I'm Kaz. I'm afraid I don't track so much as...soundtrack." There -is- a small, portable spinet harpsichord on his back, held by a strap, presumably for that purpose.
It seemed like a simple job, but still, it needed to be handled properly. And so the cleric decided to take up the request, and found herself in a surprisingly sizeable group for such a job. She'd turn down whatever reward was posted in that case if others were taking part in something such as this.
"I understand, madam." She says with a bow of her head. "If you would like, I could see if I could tend to your leg before we depart, and mend any injuries you may have sustained."
Maybe the drink has gone off? Jinks maintains his look of mild incredulity at the old farmer woman as he has a long sniff and then a cautious sip from the bottle of amber liquor he's brought as a traveling companion today. Then another longer pull just to be sure. He makes a point to stand apart from the rest of the adventurers responding to the Call; mul, and lizards, and gobbers. Oh my. "Are we sure we've enough for the task?" He wonders dryly.
The woman stares at Smuldur's hand for a moment and then curls hers into a fist. "By what-for I mean when you see whoever stole my rooster I want you to punch them in the head!" She swung her fist for good measure, and almost unbalanced herself. It seemed that her leg really wasn't fairing well. So when the cleric offered to heal it she flushed and gratefully sat down to roll up her pant leg. "Why thank you miss. I'd appreciate that."
The leg was clearly discolored. Sort of... lifeless looking really with several deep gouges where (presumably) the rooster had attacked her. They aren't bleeding, but they're not scabbed over either. Rather they're empty holes in her leg that look rather terrible to behold.
Jinks gives a little cough and lowers the bottle when the wounds are revealed. "And there you have it," he remarks from behind a loose, tiny fist.
Rocky is no healer, but knows that's not good. While other focus on helping directly, the armored Sith heads over to try and pick up the trail, find a direction to at least start in. Hopefully the footprints aren't too faint, he's really not that good at this.
Smuldur's eyes widen at the explanation, as does his grin. He nods three times, now. "Will deliver!" He holds up a fist (that's holding the torch) for good measure... and excitement. Her leg is looked at for a long moment, but then he turns around suddenly to look for chicken-napper prints. Or the one who said he could help find them. Or both.
Kaz doesn't take a step forward to help, but one back, because that did -not- look healthy. To Jinks' question, he responds, "The more the merrier, of course!" Whatever the woman's got, he doesn't seem to want to catch it, so he starts after Rocky, at a carefree stroll, a little excited like a kid on the way to the candy shop.
Aryia seems to crinkle her nose at the scent of perfume off of Kaz, even going as far as taking a step away when he leans in to read. She eyes his gaudy attire, it vastly different than her simple workman's clothes.
She decides to stick with Rocky, keeping an eye on them while they worked.
GAME: Seyardu rolls 2d6: (8): 8 GAME: Rocky rolls survival: (9)+6: 15
The the cleric kneels down beside the woman as the wounds are exposed, and she takes a long look at the wounds.
"These do not look quite right, but I will at least do what I can to heal them. Though afterwards, I would suggest you stop by the temple of Althea in Alexandria when you are able, and they can see to your leg more thoroughly. I can arrange for transport, if necessary."
They place one hand to their collarbone, and a short prayer is offered, radiating a brief pulse of energy around the area. Mending any wounds of others if they still had any, and hopefully and most importantly, the leg in front of her.
The wounds on the woman's legs close, but they do so slowly and incompletely in a way that they ought not. The woman looks at her leg in concern but nods before lowering her pant leg and standing again. "I'll do as you say. Thank you again for looking after me miss. I can make it on my own though, you be on your way and find my rooster!"
The rest of the group that went to check out the footprints find a collection of them that is quite obvious beside the chicken coop. The chickens coo quietly as you follow the tracks into the woods a ways. As everyone reconvenes it's easy enough to make your way through the forest and to where the tracks lead. Rocky seems to be able to follow the tracks even when they seem to disappear for a moment here and there.
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (18)+3: 21 GAME: Kaz rolls perception: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (3)+12: 15 GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Rocky rolls perception: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Smuldur rolls perception: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
Aryia freezes, then makes a few gestures with her hands. "I hear people," <Handspeech>
"Peace on your nest, I think that they will be able to help further. We will do what we can to help with this task though for now." She says before they continue off down the road. She too stops when Aryia, and she takes a moment to read the handsigns before she nods. "Yes, there are voices. too far to make out, yet."
Rocky chuffs softly as voices sound ahead, then continues forward. He's a quarter ton of armored lizard, stealth isn't an option, but distraction might be.
Kaz is entranced by the remaining hens. He looks at them like they're some sort of exotic species he's only seeing for the first time, makes a small coo sound back, because perhaps that will please them. Then he's looking up as the other mul gestures, at the cleric for translation. His pointed ears twitch, but he can't quite pick anything up, so he lights up instead, fishing a cigarette from a metal case in the inner pocket of his waistcoat. Onward.
"If the woman's blighted wounds are any indication the thieves might be happy for us to relieve them of the infernal, disease-laden cock." Jinks responds mildly, his voice low. He sniffs and cranes his head a bit, narrowing his black eyes to try and pierce the distance. He gives a stifled hic from where he trails behind the tallfolk.
Smuldur doesn't hear people, dead or otherwise. Neither does he hear Ariya, because he's too busy looking for chicken prints. Or was it chicken-napper prints? Napping chicken prints?
As the group of you break into the clearing you find yourselves facing a group of gray and black-clad individuals. They're wearing dark cowls and have some sort of design in spots of white on their clothes. The rooster is in a box between them clucking angrily, but in one move one of the black-clad individuals opens the box and the rooster struts out slowly. It's the ugliest looking bird you've ever seen.
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Religion: (12)+7: 19 GAME: Seyardu rolls Knowledge/Religion: (17)+5: 22 GAME: Rocky rolls knowledge/religion: (20)+2: 22 GAME: Kaz rolls knowledge/religion: (3)+6: 9 GAME: Rocky rolls 1d6: (6): 6
The silverscale raised a hand herself, looking around at the people there. "They're followers of one of the darker gods. I believe they would refer to them as 'Taara', most likely."
Rocky was killed by Charnish slavers. There's not much that really gets him riled, but signs of the Dark Goddess is one of them. Drawing his large blade, the grey scale roars a challenge, gobs of acidic spittle flying over a large area to sizzle where they land.
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+5: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Smuldur RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 6 temporary HP GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+9: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d4-2: (2)+-2: 0 GAME: Smuldur rolls fort: (16)+6: 22 GAME: Smuldur rolls melee+2+1: (14)+6+2+1: 23 GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d2+strength+2+1 fire: (1)+2+2+1 fire: 6
Smuldur sees the chicken. They released it, but that doesn't free them from the designated delivery. He scampers at the one that opened the box, not expecting to get pecked on the way by. Slavering, he conks the cultist with Torchie. Probably not on the head (since he can't reach that high), but still. "What for!" There. Delivered.
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Dungeoneering: (2)+7: 9 GAME: Jinks casts Grease. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20: (14): 14 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon4: (12)+10: 22 GAME: Rocky rolls damage4: aliased to 1d10+4: (4)+4: 8
Jinks groans and drops the mostly-empty bottle to the ground when battle breaks out. He makes a point to remember that this particular grey sith can vomit acid when the inevitable lizard insurrection begins. (They're everywhere!) He clears his throat and issues a sliding, wordless melody as one hand plucks at the empty air in front of him. Reality distorts as silvery threads are pulled from the Hymn and twisted between his nimble fingers. A quick flick of the wrist and the ground beneath a pair of cultists is quite suddenly slick with an oily sheen. Both tumble even as the little gnome looses the bow from the harness on his back.
Rocky rushes forward to attack with his large sword. Not entirely clear what's up with the chicken, but it seems Evil, and that's reason enough for a sword thwacking.
GAME: Aryia spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST. GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0: (20)+8: 28 (THREAT) GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0: (18)+8: 26 GAME: Aryia rolls damage0+damage0: aliased to 1d8+2+1d8+2: (5)+2+(8)+2: 17 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+5: (8)+5: 13 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+9: (19)+9: 28
Aryia was a bit perplexed by the sudden aggression from her party member, Rocky. Her milky eyes follow the acid stream, and they land on the black clothing. She blinks. Blinks again. And just as quick as Rocky got angry, her face flicks into a seething hatred.
The scarred mul woman rockets forward, sprinting at one of the cultists. She leaps into the air, tucks her feet, and explodes both heels outwards at their face. There's a loud CRACK, the hood on the Taara cultist oddly misshapen as if their head slid back a full few inches.
She lands on her feet, and they land face first in the dirt. Aryia spits on them and turns to the next one, fire in her eyes as her fists are raised while she bounces on the balls of her feet.
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d4-2: (2)+-2: 0 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7
The cultists are in disarray with half their number on the ground. The rooster angrily pecks at Rocky to no avail while the cultist who was nearly set on fire tries to get some vengeance on Smuldur - also to no avail.
GAME: Seyardu casts Bless. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14 GAME: Smuldur rolls melee+2+1: (17)+6+2+1: 26 GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d2+strength+2+1 fire: (1)+2+2+1 fire: 6
"Why for?!" Smuldur delivered one, but obviously more are required. So he bonks the cultist again!
Before she could say anything further, Rocky was roaring out a challenge at the group, and Aryia was sprinting at the group, knocking one to the ground. She had little time to even process it, but they were attacking back. So she put a hand to her collar again, offering a prayer before she charges the nearest cultist she can reach.
GAME: Jinks rolls weapon1+1+1+1: (14)+7+1+1+1: 24 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3: (1)+3: 4 GAME: Rocky rolls weapon4: (4)+10: 14 GAME: Rocky rolls damage4: aliased to 1d10+4: (1)+4: 5
Jinks' onyx-black eyes glint in the ambient light of the forest as he scans the ongoing battle. The fancy-Mul is lifting half the gnome's usual load so he takes a quick dash around the edge of the battle, kneeling down and drawing back on his recurve. He issues a low whistle that's joined in harmony with the quick, higher-pitch of a needle-like arrow flying through the air to pierce the foul fowl.
Rocky swings again his cold iron bastard, the mighty blade just barely catching the edge of the bird, but the raw power behind it enough to tear off a chunk of flesh. A small would, but on top of everything else, enough to turn a threat into lunch.
GAME: Aryia rolls CMB+2: (1)+6+2: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
Still fuming, Aryia stomps over towards one of them and reaches down to pick them up by the robe. Slip! She huffs, and reaches down with both hands. Slip! Again. Slip! Slip! Slip!
"F-ck-g s-sly?" she hisses out, frustrated.
GAME: Aryia spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST. GAME: Aryia uses an AoO! 4 remaining. GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+1+1: (17)+8+1+1: 27 GAME: Aryia rolls damage0+1: aliased to 1d8+2+1: (3)+2+1: 6 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4
The two greased cultists try to crawl away, but one gets brained by Aryia before he can get far. The second flees into the forest however. Meanwhile the last fighting cultist manages to stab Smuldur with his knife though it's a grazing wound.
GAME: Seyardu rolls weapon18: (18)+5: 23 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d6+2: (2)+2: 4
The cultists were starting to get away, but they had no chance to assess the situation. So she drops her weapon, pulling out a sap instead to strike the nearest cultist in the side of the head.
Rocky charges off after the fleeing cultist, but manages to wedge himself between a pair of trees, accomplishing little more than terrifying wildlife and accidentally blocking those better suited for the chase.
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20: (13): 13 GAME: Aryia rolls acrobatics+4: (12)+11+4: 27
The mul blasts off towards the fleeing cultist, gaining on Rocky. But soon the sith-makar becomes stuck in front of her, the mountain between two towering trees. She doesn't slow down, instead going faster and jumping up. The elf lands on his shoulders, then jumps off of that as well before tumbling to the ground, popping up, and tearing after the one that is getting away.
She blitzes past them, stick an elbow out, and clotheslines them in the back of the dome to knock them out.
Which leaves the group with two unconscious cultists to deal with, two corpses, and a dead rooster.
With the last cultist on the ground, and one fleeing, Seyardu needed to stay around in case the one on the ground woke up. She sighs a bit, looking around the scene for a moment before she finds Rocky stuck between some trees. With a glance back to the cultist, she walks over carefully, before helping to pull the sith out of his predicament.
"That was, sudden. Are you alright?" She asks.
Jinks just stands and watches as one of the cultists sprints off into the darkness between the trees; he's not being paid by the ear. And then a vaguely mul-shaped blur speeds past. "I play cards with one of Mulria's lot," he muses as he begins to walk between the fallen cultists, pulling at hoods with the top of bow to reveal and inspect faces. "Awful gambler. I really hope he's not one of these deadmen. I feast for days off of his losses."
Rocky chuffs quietly, taking a few moments to wiggle himself back out of his predicament, nodding to the silver-scale. "This One is fine, thank you."
As the light began to set in, the dark woods had a vague shape emerging with a body slumped over one shoulder. Aryia steps out, her face affixed in a scowl as the cultist in over her shoulder had a gnarly knot growing on the top of their head.
"I didn't kill them," she gestures to Seyardu before unceremoniously dumping them next to the other ones. She strips them of their weapons and belongings aside from their clothes and holds a hand up behind her. Aryia twists her fingers and makes a spiraling motion. "Rope, please." <Handspeech>
-End