Weakened by the flame, Joren's mass splinters the door with ease. Though he and Ashley cannot hear each other, the results of their time spent traveling and fighting together is evident in their deft teamwork as Joren flickers over to the helpless halfling while Ashley clears a path through the flame. Joren grabs the halfling by the lapel and hoists the hapless fellow over his shoulder as he turns and makes his exit. If the halfling protests, Joren does not hear it.
As he bursts back through the flaming doorway, the halfling lets out a gasp of relief, and sound rushes back into Malachi and Joren's ears. "By the gods above, thank you stranger," He says, relieved. "Though would you mind setting me down now?"
The halfling seems relatively unharmed, though he coughs a bit from minor smoke inhalation. "No, it was just me. And I was sitting down to practice my flute playing, but when I tried playing the first note, no sound came out. And then there was no sound at all." He holds up a flute that was tucked into his back pocket as he looks at the street and building around him. "Then someone shouted and there was a tremor. That's what started the fire. What exactly is going on?"
“What indeed is going on?” Malachi scratches his chin, pulling on his short goatee as he looks at the others “Do you think whatever we destroyed in Andra’s office released the magical energy that did this? If so, how do we stop it?” He looks around the street for any other signs of unrest. “Maybe we should continue on and investigate the flooding. We can’t be everywhere. Focus on the bigger problems first?”
"Well, its a direction that's for sure. Yeah, I think we continue that way, help those we can as we go. I sure hope we didn't cause all of this..." Ashley starts heading off until the next issue arises.
The group continues on toward the market, putting out small fires and pointing people in safer directions as they continue. In front of one house, they see potted plants that have become overgrown with thorns. Down an alley, lights can be seen dancing through the air.
Finally, turning a corner, they see the market square. The ground is flooded in several inches of water, and several people stand by scratching their heads. "It's not from MY shop," a bearded orc says. "No way you could fit that much water in my whole building."
"I didn't say I thought it was your fault," a lean, balding orc next to him says. "If anything, I'd say it's maybe a sewer leak?"
"Oh gods, I hope not," says the third, panicking. "My books are all going to be ruined!"
As they head towards the market, doing what they can, Ashley tries her best to understand the situation. "I think we or the cult clearly has done something. Magic just isn't prevalent like this. In the Smoking Sands, magic is extremely rare, one of the reasons I..."she trails off a bit, not realizing where her thoughts were taking her. The gaining resolute, "And from what I've seen since crossing the Shield Pass, other than the cultists, magic appeared pretty rare on this side as well. That has all gone by the wayside."
Once they turn the corner to the market, Ashley runs forward to the group discussing the water. "Hello, we're here to try and help. Any clue on which direction the water came from?"
The bearded orc scratches his head and says, "Huh, new task force or something? Um... As far as I can tell, it started pooling up around that block there, which includes our shops," he gestures to the other 2 with him, "and 2 others. A tea shop, and a curio collector."
Samir listens to his friends' discussion as they move on, stopping to assist where they might. It feels as though everything has been thrown into chaos. Chaos that would make the town a ripe target, indeed.
"I may have some theories on where this all came from... It would help to know more about the thing in Andra's office, certainly. But one thing we do know, is that magic did not originate with mortals but was givn by the Blue Lady. Perhaps another like her, who wished to sow chaos and anarchy, could do something similar but with far less care as to the results?"
He quiets as they near the flooded shops, looking around for the source of the water but finding his own glasses have fogged up something terrible from the exertion and the moisture in the air. He removes them and tried to clean them on his shirt as the others speak.
Growling and cursing in his native tongue, he tries to wipe the worst of it off and completely misses anything that is going on around him. At this point, all he knows for sure is that there is water and mud here, much of it on him.
“A sewer leak? I pray you are wrong gentlemen.”Malachi looks distastefully at the muddy water pooling around his boots, then smirks at Joren as he falls “Having fun? Really, do try to not roll in the mud, Joren. No telling what is in the stuff”with a small wave of his hand he cleans away most of the muck and grime covering Joren, then turns back to the shopkeepers.
“Let’s see what we can find out here. A tea shop and a curio shop are flooded as well? And what kind of shops do you gentlemen own?”He splashes through the water, looking for a source of the flooding, and anything in the shops that catch his eye. Surely their civic actions would deserve a reward of some kind? Something for the effort? He thinks to himself.
The second orc says, "Well I'm a baker, and these two sell books and shoes respectively." As they talk, Malachi picks up something with the corner of his eye. There are subtle ripples giving away the movement of the water, and it seems to be flowing from the curio shop, which is in about half a foot of water, positioned by a dip in the street.
“Shoes, eh? A good shoe store may come in handy after this”Malachi replies, looking down again at the water covering his boots, before splashing off toward the curio shop. He points out the ripples to the others “It seems to be coming from the curio shop. What’s in a curio shop anyway?"He gently pushes the shop door open and peeks inside, unsure of what to expect.
Ashley follows Malachi into the curio shop, also curious as to what treasures it holds. But keeping her mind on the situation at hand, she tries to follow the ripples and see what is going on.
Trying to focus on the problem at hand, Samir moves along carefully in the direction of where the ripples seem to be originating, assuming that would logically be a source of the incoming water.
Joren mumbles thanks to Malachi, ignoring the half-elf's teasing, and continues growling in anger (at himself) as he follows the others.
Soon after, he pipes up: "Perhaps we can be holding a single rope together so if one of us is falling into some sinkhole or underground chasm that is the source of all the water, they are still having a chance to catch themselves first? I know not everyone takes spills as I was just doing, but..." he trails off.
Joren holds one end of his rope and offers the rest to everyone else. He brings up the rear while his echo takes the lead 30' ahead.
The inside of the shop has eclectic mix of trinkets, art, tools, weapons and more, many seemingly imported from other countries and regions. Joren recognizes a funeral mask from the Khorinian goliaths to the north, and a dagger with the emblem of a lesser house from his own homeland. Ashley sees something labeled "Genasi Talisman of Wealth," but it just looks to her like the dolls she and the other kids in the burning sands had played with growing up. A variety of gizmos, some functioning and some not, line an upper shelf on one wall. On other shelves there are taxidermized animals, pickled eyes in jars, and religious charms of dubious authenticity.
As the group makes their way through the water, the ground sags but holds under their feet. Still, the holding the rope provides a welcome reassurance. From somewhere in the back, there is a sound of running water.
As Ashley enters the shop she is drawn to the dolls that remind her of when she grew up. She heads over to them, but as she is just about to pick them up she remembers why they are there and she hears the running water. She regrips the end of the rope and heads towards the direction of the running water. She looks around for the proprietor as she does..
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Weakened by the flame, Joren's mass splinters the door with ease. Though he and Ashley cannot hear each other, the results of their time spent traveling and fighting together is evident in their deft teamwork as Joren flickers over to the helpless halfling while Ashley clears a path through the flame. Joren grabs the halfling by the lapel and hoists the hapless fellow over his shoulder as he turns and makes his exit. If the halfling protests, Joren does not hear it.
As he bursts back through the flaming doorway, the halfling lets out a gasp of relief, and sound rushes back into Malachi and Joren's ears. "By the gods above, thank you stranger," He says, relieved. "Though would you mind setting me down now?"
"Are you alright?" Samir gives the man a quick once over, looking for obvious injuries that may need dealing with. "What happened?"
Joren sets the halfling down, checking him for burns or wounds as well out of habit.
"Did you intend to cast magical silence as I think you did? Guessing not. Anyone else in the house?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
The halfling seems relatively unharmed, though he coughs a bit from minor smoke inhalation. "No, it was just me. And I was sitting down to practice my flute playing, but when I tried playing the first note, no sound came out. And then there was no sound at all." He holds up a flute that was tucked into his back pocket as he looks at the street and building around him. "Then someone shouted and there was a tremor. That's what started the fire. What exactly is going on?"
“What indeed is going on?” Malachi scratches his chin, pulling on his short goatee as he looks at the others “Do you think whatever we destroyed in Andra’s office released the magical energy that did this? If so, how do we stop it?” He looks around the street for any other signs of unrest. “Maybe we should continue on and investigate the flooding. We can’t be everywhere. Focus on the bigger problems first?”
"Well, its a direction that's for sure. Yeah, I think we continue that way, help those we can as we go. I sure hope we didn't cause all of this..." Ashley starts heading off until the next issue arises.
"I am hoping not too, but suspecting it was that strange thing in Andra's room. Apologies sir halfling, we are having no time to put out the fire."
He re-summons his echo, yells to any passers-by to help put out the flames, and sets of at a trot towards the flooding.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
The group continues on toward the market, putting out small fires and pointing people in safer directions as they continue. In front of one house, they see potted plants that have become overgrown with thorns. Down an alley, lights can be seen dancing through the air.
Finally, turning a corner, they see the market square. The ground is flooded in several inches of water, and several people stand by scratching their heads. "It's not from MY shop," a bearded orc says. "No way you could fit that much water in my whole building."
"I didn't say I thought it was your fault," a lean, balding orc next to him says. "If anything, I'd say it's maybe a sewer leak?"
"Oh gods, I hope not," says the third, panicking. "My books are all going to be ruined!"
As they head towards the market, doing what they can, Ashley tries her best to understand the situation. "I think we or the cult clearly has done something. Magic just isn't prevalent like this. In the Smoking Sands, magic is extremely rare, one of the reasons I..." she trails off a bit, not realizing where her thoughts were taking her. The gaining resolute, "And from what I've seen since crossing the Shield Pass, other than the cultists, magic appeared pretty rare on this side as well. That has all gone by the wayside."
Once they turn the corner to the market, Ashley runs forward to the group discussing the water. "Hello, we're here to try and help. Any clue on which direction the water came from?"
The bearded orc scratches his head and says, "Huh, new task force or something? Um... As far as I can tell, it started pooling up around that block there, which includes our shops," he gestures to the other 2 with him, "and 2 others. A tea shop, and a curio collector."
(You can make a perception check)
Samir listens to his friends' discussion as they move on, stopping to assist where they might. It feels as though everything has been thrown into chaos. Chaos that would make the town a ripe target, indeed.
"I may have some theories on where this all came from... It would help to know more about the thing in Andra's office, certainly. But one thing we do know, is that magic did not originate with mortals but was givn by the Blue Lady. Perhaps another like her, who wished to sow chaos and anarchy, could do something similar but with far less care as to the results?"
He quiets as they near the flooded shops, looking around for the source of the water but finding his own glasses have fogged up something terrible from the exertion and the moisture in the air. He removes them and tried to clean them on his shirt as the others speak.
Joren stumbles and falls face first into the mud.
Growling and cursing in his native tongue, he tries to wipe the worst of it off and completely misses anything that is going on around him. At this point, all he knows for sure is that there is water and mud here, much of it on him.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
“A sewer leak? I pray you are wrong gentlemen.” Malachi looks distastefully at the muddy water pooling around his boots, then smirks at Joren as he falls “Having fun? Really, do try to not roll in the mud, Joren. No telling what is in the stuff” with a small wave of his hand he cleans away most of the muck and grime covering Joren, then turns back to the shopkeepers.
“Let’s see what we can find out here. A tea shop and a curio shop are flooded as well? And what kind of shops do you gentlemen own?” He splashes through the water, looking for a source of the flooding, and anything in the shops that catch his eye. Surely their civic actions would deserve a reward of some kind? Something for the effort? He thinks to himself.
The second orc says, "Well I'm a baker, and these two sell books and shoes respectively." As they talk, Malachi picks up something with the corner of his eye. There are subtle ripples giving away the movement of the water, and it seems to be flowing from the curio shop, which is in about half a foot of water, positioned by a dip in the street.
“Shoes, eh? A good shoe store may come in handy after this” Malachi replies, looking down again at the water covering his boots, before splashing off toward the curio shop. He points out the ripples to the others “It seems to be coming from the curio shop. What’s in a curio shop anyway?" He gently pushes the shop door open and peeks inside, unsure of what to expect.
Ashley follows Malachi into the curio shop, also curious as to what treasures it holds. But keeping her mind on the situation at hand, she tries to follow the ripples and see what is going on.
Trying to focus on the problem at hand, Samir moves along carefully in the direction of where the ripples seem to be originating, assuming that would logically be a source of the incoming water.
Joren mumbles thanks to Malachi, ignoring the half-elf's teasing, and continues growling in anger (at himself) as he follows the others.
Soon after, he pipes up: "Perhaps we can be holding a single rope together so if one of us is falling into some sinkhole or underground chasm that is the source of all the water, they are still having a chance to catch themselves first? I know not everyone takes spills as I was just doing, but..." he trails off.
Joren holds one end of his rope and offers the rest to everyone else. He brings up the rear while his echo takes the lead 30' ahead.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
The inside of the shop has eclectic mix of trinkets, art, tools, weapons and more, many seemingly imported from other countries and regions. Joren recognizes a funeral mask from the Khorinian goliaths to the north, and a dagger with the emblem of a lesser house from his own homeland. Ashley sees something labeled "Genasi Talisman of Wealth," but it just looks to her like the dolls she and the other kids in the burning sands had played with growing up. A variety of gizmos, some functioning and some not, line an upper shelf on one wall. On other shelves there are taxidermized animals, pickled eyes in jars, and religious charms of dubious authenticity.
As the group makes their way through the water, the ground sags but holds under their feet. Still, the holding the rope provides a welcome reassurance. From somewhere in the back, there is a sound of running water.
As Ashley enters the shop she is drawn to the dolls that remind her of when she grew up. She heads over to them, but as she is just about to pick them up she remembers why they are there and she hears the running water. She regrips the end of the rope and heads towards the direction of the running water. She looks around for the proprietor as she does..