"No, I don't think we're the specific target. After the ambush I thought it was just a group of gnolls that had managed to think a bit more than normal, but now I think something is maybe controlling things; although I have no idea what their aim is."

He stops for a moment. "Didn't Chakka say there were other things in this area? Maybe they can tell us more."

“Let me get that soup ready.” The drow spoke with a gentle smile upon his lips, rising to his feet after Nodjeim mentioned, and rightly so, that it was best to let her rest. The warlock noticed that much like Vassil, he could not put a name on the creatures. One thing was for sure, they brought nothing good for their group. “Agreed.” He told after Olan, while taking out the cooking utensils. “And it may be time to discuss again if we should keep to the road. If things are as bad as we imagine then not only travelling will be harder but anywhere around here will need to be informed about the gnolls.”

The earlier the matter was dealt with, the better. Besides and hopefully the closest city will pay well for help dealing with them. What is even the closest city at this point? Veldruk could not help but ask while grabbing some vegetables and salt. He liked it with some pepper, but maybe the survivor didn’t. Besides, that particular seasoning could upset the stomach of the starving survivor.

“Evenly, would happen to be familiar with something like the spellcraft of the raid leaders?” He asked putting some water to boil. If someone there had any chance of knowing, it was her.  

Evelyn shuddered at the thought of something leading the gnolls, something with more intelligence and guile, a humanoid with obvious ambitions and desire for power if the crown was anything to go by. The wizard touched the strange amulet that had been recovered from the gnolls. What was going on here? The idea of something, someone, leading the beasts to attack entire villages was disturbing indeed.

Vassil described the terrible things that had been unleashed on her village, and Evelyn tried to think of any monsters that would fit the description. Perhaps she had come across something like that in her studies.

History - 10

Evelyn looked toward Veldruk and again racked her brain to see if she recognized the magic of the raid leaders.

Arcana - 25

Red and black and awful all over? To Evelyn, that reads as one thing only: demons. Her studies have not focused on gnollish culture, since they do not often (or ever) build lasting dwellings that might be of archaeological import, but anyone who lives in the South knows that gnolls and demons are as thick as thieves.

As for the magic… Evelyn has no clue about the pack leader she’s yet to encounter, since she’s never seen it in action, but the gnoll who bore the necklace…a hide impervious to non-magical weaponry, features much more akin to that of a hyena than an ordinary gnoll, claws and teeth… one thing comes to mind. Lycanthropy.

Evelyn turned to Veldruk again after thinking for a few moments. "The big gnoll that transformed...the only thing I can think of is lycanthropy. He was a...were-gnoll." The idea of it makes her shudder. As if regular gnolls weren't bad enough.

"The monsters Vassil described sound to me like...demons," she says next, reluctant to voice this information but knowing it's important. "I'm afraid I don't know much about them except that they are awful and very dangerous."

Olan announces that he is going to sleep.

"But wake me well before we depart. There is something I must do before I scout ahead."

If everyone has no more to do and goes to sleep, we can move on to the next day! Vassil eats what she can, though Veldruk is careful with what he gives her so as to not make her condition worse after several days of not eating.

Marpenoth 5, 1489 DR

Everyone wakes, as the sun peeks over the Landrise, though Olan wakes somewhat before. (We can resolve stuff non-linearly to save time.) As preparations are made to depart, Fefir comes forward, a frown on his face.

"I'm afraid that I cannot come along. I speak for Kirna and Thomir as well when I say that as much as it pains me, I do not wish to risk my life for a stranger, so soon after disaster has befallen us. We have the caravan to think of, and the supplies that remain. They cannot come along into the hills, and we would not leave them unsupervised. We can meet with you in New Shaarmid."

Noticeably unmentioned, Chakka stands apart from the caravan, idly sharpening a chatkcha. They look up. "tttk... I will travel with you. The wagon... rrt... was Thunxadridir's, not mine. My time with the caravan is... kkkzh... over."

IGNORE ALL OF THIS!!! THE DM IS HIGHLY PRONE TO MISINTERPRETATION!!!

Gender roll: 20

Before they head out, Threl approaches Evelyn, clearly trying and failing to hide his concern. he has approached, seeing as she seems to be the most knowledgeable of the surface dwellers. Then again, he thinks to himself, it is a possibility demons could invade and as long as they didn't go in the library she wouldn't notice.

"Should we be worried by the presence of increasingly bold gnoll-raids and demons in the area? In the underdark demons are everywhere, but I haven't encountered any here on the surface. Is this normal for the surface to experience these kinds of threats often

 Before setting of to scout ahead, Olan pulls a deck of cards from his pocket and draws a card at random.

8

 There is a ripple in the air and where Olan had stood, there is now a member of one of the bedine tribes, clothed in loose fitting robes and a hooded cloak which blend perfectly with the scrubland. He stows the deck in a pocket and looks around.

"Well, I figured if I was going to scout ahead I'd best make an effort to blend in."

Pulling the cloak a little higher to mask his face he sets out ahead of the group, scanning the area as he walks.

Passive perception 14.

Evelyn shakes her head and bites at her nail. "No, I don't think so," she says. "It worries me. I thought it would be relatively safe to explore the Shaar. Not totally safe of course...there's always going to be some beasts and the occasional gnoll to deal with, but this all seems too organized for my liking."

Evelyn decides to check on Vassil and see how she is doing this morning. "How are you feeling?"

She takes a while to respond. "...Better. And worse. I am alive, at least. The more alive I am, though, the clearer my understanding becomes, that my friends and family are not. My heart tells me that I am the only survivor, if I am not a ghost already."

She sniffs, shakes her head. "I am sorry, I should not burden you with this. You have saved me already, I should not repay your kindness with grief."

     Nodjeim takes everything else but mostly sits apart.  He is not one to worry overly about what is inevitable, such as what monsters may or may not be ahead, nor to tend to their new companion, he's very much not the comforting sort.  Instead Nodjeim goes about silently doing what needs to be done in order to get the caravan back moving again - breaking down camp and checking that everything is securely strapped down and the like.  As they do get underway Nodjeim will position himself to sit atop some of the higher cargo and facing the back, playing lookout in case anything tries to approach from the rear.

“A ghost does not eat” Veldruk said nodding in approval to the now disguised Olan. The elf thought the right way. “And you have the right to grief.” He continued, under a mask of kindness.  “If sense duty tells you otherwise just think that you paid for the help with information. I won’t be bothered if you express what you feel.”

In fact, he didn’t care for her emotions. Showing otherwise would simply make it easier to get answers later. He would like very much to have a better description of the possible demons. Maybe Evelyn could identify the specific type and it never hurt to know more about potential enemies. 

“I think you are right on the short-time.” The warlock told the wizard, putting a hand over his chin. “The gnolls are raiding caravans and small settlements, but curses and abyssal summons are both too complex to be used for just that. If we are right and they are connected, then someone is gathering bands. Give it enough time and there’ll be a horde capable of threatening big cities.” The prizes he would go after if we were the one gathering troops. “We should say as much to the closest garrison and be ready to be conscripted to fight the hyenas with them.”

Wordlessly, Vassil nods, and eats her breakfast. She does not express any more emotion despite Veldruk's expression of nonjudgment, and does not meet the drow's eye.

Just before he sets out Olan stops and looks to the others. "Just to make sure; we are heading for the village, right?"

Evelyn squeezes Vassil's hand. "You are entitled to your grief," she says. "No one would blame you! You've just lost your entire village."

"Yes, I think we should investigate the village," Evelyn says to Olan. She looks at Veldruk as she says this. "Maybe we can find out more information on whoever may be leading these gnoll raiding parties. However, I know it may be dangerous. Although perhaps the gnolls have moved on. There would not be much point to lingering in a place they've razed already."

"Then let's get moving. If these gnolls are a threat, then the less time we waste the better!" Threl says.

If everything is packed up, Threl starts getting people into their carts. If anything needs to be loaded, Threl puts it in a cart.

     "You may be going to the village," Nodjeim notes, "But they may not be..." His vague head-jerk seems to indicate the wagons.  

     "I do not know if they are interested at all in trying to solve a mystery or do anything but get to someplace safe.  In many ways they are as much a victim as Vassil here.  Who themself may not wish to return there..." Nodjeim continues.  "I have no binds to the caravan, we were just traveling in the same direction for a while, perhaps. I will go to the village to investigate but I will not blame any who wish instead to try for a safer route..."

     That said, Nodjeim is still adamant about helping the caravan ready itself to continue on wherever it wishes to continue on to, helping load the load and strap down the goods.  Though he is not without ulterior motives. As he packs up and secures each of the three wagons he takes a quick look at the contents and considers if any of them may be helpful, without their missing harming those who move on too much.  In particular he is looking to purloin a couple potions of healing, if he sees the opportunity to do it unseen...