Hastos intentionally hangs back. The last thing he wants is attention. He knows that he would be hard pressed not to publicly antagonize Tekel if given the chance.

Merkas and Barkly were really being quite the crowd pleasers. The odd comment of fear was expected.

His smile widend slightly as he heard Tekel acknowledge Sera. She didn't look at all amused by Tekels boast, but she radiated a calm confidence that just added to his attraction to her. He chuckled as Tekels clumsy attempt at flattery fell flat. 

Sharn gritted his teeth, fists clenched, while every vein in his reddened face popped at the same time. He wanted to lie and say that the caverns were painted red with kobold blood to dissuade the crowd, to appease and quell the masses, but he couldn't. Not only would they see through the lies, he would also sour the mood. Tekel had the people eating form his palm, with his shinning armor and charisma, and his sword ... No, that was the other one, it was funny that he would connect the two in that moment. Yet, the bloodthirster's words were not meant for him, perhaps for the better. He glanced at Sera with pleading eyes. He couldn't hide the look from anyone. That she better take care of the ruffian, or Sharn would show him the wisdom of age in mind and body.

Tekel’s booming proclamation of her name and the way all eyes suddenly turned her way made Sera hiss under her breath, “So much for avoiding attention…”

The man’s loud, bitter rant followed—the kind that could sour milk. He asked if any kobolds were left for him to kill, going on about how they all should die. She could see Kasi next to him, jaw clenched like he was fighting the urge to gag or maybe gag him.

And the crowd cheered.

Sera understood—desperate people needed someone to blame, to vent their fears and frustrations. But she also knew the truth: the true betrayers still walked among them, cloaked in lies, stirring division.

“Paladine help me…” she murmured. ( casting guidance )

As if sensing her resolve, the crowd parted slightly, letting her through. She walked forward slowly, choosing her words carefully. This mob wasn’t ready for a lecture on racism and fear. But maybe… just maybe… they were ready for something better.

“They’re gone, Tekel,” she said evenly. “I’m sure you’ll find other, more challenging adversaries soon.”

Her eyes briefly met Kasi’s, both knowing they had to keep the truth about the kobolds to themselves for now.

She turned to the crowd, raising her voice not in anger, but in hope. “Now, good people of Santech—better times are coming. We will plant new crops. We’ll have enough water. We will grow strong, and we will do it together."

A pause. Her voice softened, but the words struck deeper. "The gods are watching us. They offer their favor. But only if we leave hate behind—” a pointed glance at Tekel “—and focus on making this a kinder, better place.”

And then, to show them—not just tell—Sera knelt, scooping a handful of dry sand and adding a few drops of water to her palm. She said loud a prayer, “Paladine, great Platinum Dragon… give us relief.”

She clapped her hands together. Blue sparks flared and spiraled into the sky—and then the first raindrops began to fall. A murmur of gasps, laughter, even tears spread across the square. From drizzle to downpour, the warm rain washed over the crowd, cooling anger, cleaning dust and grime from tired faces.

( casting create water 2nd level. 2 times to cover 40x80 squares)

When it faded, Sera raised her hands and called out, “Now go! The one set to lead will handle the distribution—for the good of us all.”

She hoped they listen

( persuasion 15 with guidance)

The crowd cheers for Sera the Rainmaker, and almost palpably, the mood shifts from vengeance and desperation to hope and cheer. Even Tekel manages an audible gasp of amazement and awe. He looks at his rival, Sera, with unhidden respect, in spite of the fact that he lost the spotlight yet again to Dawnbound. Rain from a drop of water... to the people of this town, it was a miracle.

Buckeran waves his little arms to get the crowds attention. "At dusk, when the sky cools, there will be a celebration in honor of Dawnbound at The Laughing Dwarf Dance Hall. By then, you should all have rations of water to drink and wash up, so put on your finest trappings and hoist a glass to the heroes of the day!" He waves the crowd away, and even though their questions remain largely unanswered, they return to their tasks without complaint, delighted to be dripping with freshly fallen rain instead of dust-caked sweat instead.

Looking back, Rhyanna hasn't stopped running the inventory for a moment. The pressure is on her and her team to finish the work quickly, and they haven't wasted a second. They seem to be almost halfway through the crates, and have found the first storage containers of cured meats and pickled vegetables: a feast compared to the withered old grains the people of Santekh were previously living off. She gives some orders and one of the Hachakee runs off and grabs a chest. He returns to it, and it's filled with sacks. It seems she plans to prioritize emergency ration distribution to the people.

Back at Headquarters Buckeran's grin is ear to ear. Verhanna's smile is more strained. She leans over and whispers something that seems like a stern chiding. Buckeran shrugs. "I had to give them some hope. I'm sure Rhyanna's team will at least have food and water for the citizens in time." He looks back and points a stub of a finger at the Hachakee. "See? They've already begun rationing! Ha-HA!" He laughs triuphantly and pats Verhanna on the shoulder encouragingly. Verhanna's face is stiff, with that strained smile still etched onto her lips as she looks at Rhyanna's team scurrying to sort the food rations.

After the crowd disperses, Tekel begins a slow clap as he struts towards Sera, his shiny boots making diminutive splashes in the newly formed mud puddles. "Well done... Rainmaker." He says with emphases over the word as if he wished to say something more offensive.  "I've heard of such miracles performed as to bring rain where no clouds form, but I admit I've never seen it before today. Tell me. If you could've done that all along, why not send rains over our dying crops since the beginning? It seems you've been holding out on us." His scythe, strapped to his back, gleams over his shoulder. It seems to have shortened to match his kender stature, but it's unmistakably the same scythe that nearly split Glynnis's bar in half.

The cheers of the dispersing crowd still echoed faintly when Sera’s eyes caught Tekel again—standing tall, smug, and now unmistakably wielding that scythe. Her breath caught in her throat.

He had it all along? Holding back?

She repeated his words in disbelief under her breath. Her hands clenched at her sides. She should slap him. Lecture him. Maybe even kick him right between his self-righteous legs. She could try to be clever, try to win this with wisdom or scorn—but would it matter? Would it change anything? Or just feed the thing that weapon wanted—more conflict, more heat, more hate?

Because that scythe… it wanted something. She could feel it in the air, humming like tension before a storm.

“The problem with using a weapon known to have a will of its own,” she said aloud, voice clear and cold as river ice, “is that it's hard to know who we’re really speaking to anymore.”

Tekel just stared, but she didn’t flinch.

“You were always insulting. Always assuming the worst in others. Now you're just... amplified. Empowered by something that feeds on conflict.” Her gaze was heavy with sadness more than anger. “But that path leads nowhere good.”

Then, her voice rose—not loud, but firm, so the lingering townsfolk could hear. “For those listening... know this. We don’t demand miracles from the gods. We earn them. When mortals try to command divinity, it ends in ruin.”

She paused, her eyes sweeping the edges of the quieting crowd. “The High Priest of Isthar once raised his arms and demanded divine power.” Her fingers gently rested on Tekel’s shoulder as her tone dropped into something heavier. “We all know how that ended...the gods made the burning mountain fall from the sky...”

A silence hung in the air. Then, softer—intimate, almost like a plea: “Aim your anger where it belongs, Tekel. At true enemies. Not allies. Or better yet—learn when not to speak.”

She stepped back, letting her hand fall away. She didn’t wait for a reply.

Instead, she turned and made her way to the crates, standing guard beside them. She cast a quiet smile toward Sharn, Merkas, and Hastos—her friends. Her real strength. The ones she’d trust to face the storm with.

As Tekel approached Sera, Hastos followed, keeping his distance, but ensuring that if he tried anything Hastos would be able to split him down the middle. His hand where he could get to the scimitar at a moments notice.

He heard Sera’s inspired speech, and her warning to Tekel. He had to force himself to keep his eyes trained on Tekel, but he just wanted to gaze on her in this moment. This moment where she had opened the heavens and brought a deluge of rain down on a broken people. Crates of rations could cure their hunger, but not their spirit. She had brought more than rain, she had brought them hope. And maybe in the process had brought him a little hope as well.

Tekels talk of routing the kobolds, the glance at Kasi, his disdainful words to Sera, all of this tweaks at Merkas, his happy-go-lucky demeanour shifting to contemplation. He has Barkly step back with Sharn as Hastos and Sera come to join them. 
“The rain was a really good choice Sera, we gotta be careful to not give Tekel more ammo against us though. I think he’s gonna be telling people that we’ve been holding back from now on, maybe even try to blame us for the crates and all.” Watching the pleased looks on the faces of the settlement he smiles again. “Well we brought a bit of the dawns light here either way”

Tekel stands shocked after Sera's admonishment. For several moments he remains flustered as he tries to think of a comeback. Finally, while the party is still in earshot he proclaims with wounded pride, "I know whom I serve! This town would've collapsed long ago without the strong arms of my mercenaries. I've even slain my own men to protect this town, and I will continue to preserve Tianaran's will until every. last. chormatic dragon, dragonkind, and even Takhisis herself is naught more than a hide on the walls of my guild hall!" He places a hand over his heart as if giving a pledge. "This is my destiny, and my calling." He glares at Sera. "You, cleric, should aspire to be a paladin as well. You certainly have the knack for passing judgment on others, already."

Buckeran finally notices the tension, and butts in. "It's true," he says, sloshing through the mud to speak to Dawnbound in kinder tones. "One of his own men attacked me in my sleep. Thrashed me pretty good," he says, showing his broken arm. "He came for the scythe, even though I had its magic aura concealed, and locked tightly in an extra-dimensional portal. He stole the scythe and ran out. Tekel, himself, killed the theif. But when he claimed the scythe to return it, he was unable to do so. But he has only used it to slay those who mean harm to our cause: dragon army soldiers and such. You two may be rival guilds, but you each serve good causes." He looks at Tekel, who has a raised eyebrow and a smile tugging at his lips.

"There'd be more heads to sever, if I were free to go on raids. But the town has us under contract to keep the peace until Santekh is stabilized and has finished training their guards." Tekel says with a hint of remorse. "But soon," he says freeing his scythe and spinning it dramatically. "This weapon you so carelessly discarded will be the last thing my foes see. and Tianaran's Revenge will become renown throughout all of Khur..." his voice drips with venom and desire. A true candidate for such a weapon; he craves glorious combat.

He returns his scythe to its place on his back and waves at you as he walks away. "Go and tend to the grunt work. My men will see to the matters of keeping Santekh safe and orderly."

When he walks away, Buckeran slumps. "Tekel is... an acquired taste. But he serves the town dutifully. His soldiers are barely better than the thugs they protect the people from, but for now, it's the best we can do. The Hachakee are busy routing the dragon army patrols throughout the mountains, so until Tianaran's Revenge finishes training our guards, they're all we have."

“I’d wager he doesn’t have a choice but to protect this town.” Hastos says coldly and to where Tekel can’t hear.. “His phrasing suggests something more than just a simple contract.”

Buckeran shrugs. "It's possible. High stakes missions, like ones that can make or break Santekh, are often written with the gaes ink. If Tekel was to use his power, influence, and soldiers, he could rout Santekh in a day, if he were so inclined. I don't handle the contracts, and Verhanna protects her books jealously. But Tekel may have said something to his sister about the nature of his mission. Have you met Amber? She's a gem cutter, and her shop just recently opened up. It's called... Amber's Gallery, I believe, and you can find it in the Merchant District when her shop is open, which is usually in the late hours, when it's cooler. She spends most of her time with Glynnis and the Hachakee tribe out in the wilderness. Amber and Tekel used to be inseperable. Tekel always protected Amber, to the point of being overbaring. But they had a parting of ways a week or so after arriving here. I don't know much of the gossip about it, but Amber won't have anything to do with Tekel anymore, and he's too busy managing his guild to bother with it anyway."

Buckeran's eyes pop wide in excitement, "Also, I'm sure Merkas has told you, but I have a business proposition for Dawnbound that you'll find quite beneficial, if you're interested. Please come to my office to discuss it when you're ready."

It takes a moment. Enough time time for thoughts to just begin to wander.

”Why didn’t they kill you, Buckeran?” Hastos just drops the question.

”I mean, they clearly had the drop on you. If they knew how to get around your safeguards, they had to know you were a formidable magic wielder. It would have made more sense to just kill you outright. No witnesses and no chance you’d hunt them down afterwards.”

Merkas has been staring down Tekel during these exchanges, watching for any hints to his true intentions.(Insight-15) “Who’s Tianaran?” (History-20) He asks his companions after Tekel walks off “We may not be as many, but Santkh has Dawnbound now. Oh, Bucky, meet Barkly. Our Barking Chicken. She’s been pretty good though I think Tekel would make a good snack for her” Merkas demeanour cheers up at the introduction “I also found some of that strange water, wasn’t easy either, but we’ll bring it by later. Once these crates are tallied we gotta go see Verhana. Got to report to her about the mission I guess before we share to much with everyone else. Amber is a gem cutter you say, that’s cool, I found some of that in the caves, maybe she can help Gramma set one in my sisters dagger, always thought it needed some sparkle, she never let me paint it” 

Quote from MrUncleTio >>

It takes a moment. Enough time time for thoughts to just begin to wander.

”Why didn’t they kill you, Buckeran?” Hastos just drops the question.

”I mean, they clearly had the drop on you. If they knew how to get around your safeguards, they had to know you were a formidable magic wielder. It would have made more sense to just kill you outright. No witnesses and no chance you’d hunt them down afterwards.”

 Buckeran looks wounded by the initial question, but your clarification made it make more sense. "Ah... I may not be much of a fighter, but I've survived worse scrapes than this..." He rubs the knot on his head. "It wasn't for lack of trying. Lethal attacks don't work in my office. You could cut someone in half and the wound would stitch itself together as the sword passed through. It doesn't work as well against non-lethal attacks though. Damage reduction from various protections on my person and in the room kept me going long enough to get to my safe room, where I finally lost consciousness. One must have a trick for every trick," He says as if reciting some mantra.

Quote from Hrothbert_Neruca >>

Merkas has been staring down Tekel during these exchanges, watching for any hints to his true intentions.(Insight-15) “Who’s Tianaran?” (History-20) He asks his companions after Tekel walks off “We may not be as many, but Santkh has Dawnbound now. Oh, Bucky, meet Barkly. Our Barking Chicken. She’s been pretty good though I think Tekel would make a good snack for her” Merkas demeanour cheers up at the introduction “I also found some of that strange water, wasn’t easy either, but we’ll bring it by later. Once these crates are tallied we gotta go see Verhana. Got to report to her about the mission I guess before we share to much with everyone else. Amber is a gem cutter you say, that’s cool, I found some of that in the caves, maybe she can help Gramma set one in my sisters dagger, always thought it needed some sparkle, she never let me paint it” 

 Buckeran laughs. "Barking chicken, you say? I hope she doesn't know that you call her that. Fascinating creatures, Giant Striders. They're from the Elemental Plane of Fire, and are rarely seen in our world. When they do cross over to Krynn, they often take dens near fire-breathing dragons to nest and breed. A Giant Strider's egg would be worth a kingdom. Firenewts raise them and care for them the way we do with horses, and they make loyal companions." He looks at the saddle and the comfortable way Barkly wears it. "I presume it's former owner no longer lives. A Giant Strider would never willingly leave its caregiver's side." He reaches out a hand to stroke Barkly's neck, and quickly rethink's the plan as Barkly eyes him dangerously. Buckeran has already lost enough fingers.

Sera didn’t quite buy the idea of Tekel being the miraculous savior. Her brows furrowed as she watched him and his little gang of self-righteous toughs strut about.

“Tekel and his crew of thugs…” she muttered, voice low enough for just her companions, “they feel like a disaster waiting to happen. We’d better keep our eyes open.”

Her gaze shifted to Hastos, then Sharn and Merkas, grounding herself in the presence of those she actually trusted. “Shall we settle in? Get our payment from Verhenna, find a safe place for that Strider of yours, and maybe—finally—some rest?”

She gave a small sigh, brushing a loose strand of hair back from her face.

“I hear there’s supposed to be some sort of celebration. Of course. More fuss.” She grimaced slightly. “I’d rather just vanish into a bed for two days.”

But she squared her shoulders anyway. They’d done good. Even if the loudest ones in the square weren’t the ones who deserved the credit.

Sharn took a deep sigh of relief. 

"Thank you Sera. The evil that is taking root in Tekel's heart is all too familiar to me." He looked down as Buckeran explained the purpose of Tekel and his group. "Unfortunately, evil likes to appear when it is necessary. When people would rather accept it over accepting annihilation. I hope I am mistaken, but something tells me that the celebrations tonight won't only be about merriment and joy. We should relax, yes, but I think our presence will be important."

Sera looks at Sharn..."so no evening gown but wearing chain mail.again?" Sera make a sigh. Good thing Hastos seemed attracted to warrior types..

Buckeran excuses himself, and retires back to his office.

With the tension broken, Sharn smiled. "I think a gown will be lovely for the evening. Simply keep your wits about you. We are different from how we were only a few days ago. We went from being pristine to nice and covered in dust."

“I suppose.” Hastos says reluctantly. He was grateful that his teammates seemed equally loathsome of the evenings events. But he also understood the importance of the celebration, and their presence.

His face flashed a grin as he pondered the thought of Sera in an evening gown, but vanished as he remembered that the night was long form over.

”Well, let’s get the business over with.” He agrees with a sigh.

"Wait, There's a Party? Wow this towns mood changes faster than the flight of a bee! They go from all sad and miserable, to angry and fighting, to cheering some high on himself lunatic, to throwing a party all in a few seconds, Geez that's a lot all at once"
He sits on Barkly thinking for a moment "Hey Haz, Maybe you can get out of your shell, that armour of yours and your head a bit tonight."

Watching the crowds disperse and cast looks over at their group he shifts on his seat to look over at Kasi "Hey Gramma, hop up, you're with us and you need to get the credit for the work you did as well. We're going to see Verhana at he office and make sure you get the protection of the council and if they don't give it to you we will make sure you get it ourselves. Also I need to return a flask to Bucky that I borrowed" Soon as Kasi is aboard Merkas moves over to where Verhana is "My Lady Verhana, We have business to finish, and I have a few other items of import that needs to be shared with you and the council"