The Shackled City - Golarion Prelude

Svexyn calls out to the hillfolk girl, asking, "That noise. The one that caused all those animals to run across the trade road. Is that normal around here?"

He awaits her answer, keeping an eye on the direction of the noise.

[sblock=For DM]Wondering if I got this right. Noise is coming from across the road. Then, a stampede of animals erupted and crossed. Are THEY the source of the noise, OR, is the noise from the direction they ran FROM, and they seemed to be running AWAY fromt he direction of the noise?[/sblock]

Nia glanced up from her meal at Marcus' question and looks around. At the sight of the people's reactions, she frowns in dubious confusion. Rather than waste time speculating though, she simply calls to the nearest person who seems to be acting strangely.

"You dere. What is de matter? You look like you hearin' spirits or someting."

Svexyn

The girl pauses and listens, as if hearing the noise for the first time. She shakes her head in the negative.

De jungle be full of life. I'm sure its just some night insects, wakin' up from a long nap


The Lucky Monkey

The grey haired human from the earlier arguement motions for Shayuri to come to the window and take a listen.

[sblock="Nai Only"]
You recognize the insect song immediately. It is from a particularly voracious breed of fire beetle. Typically, they roam in small numbers are are fairly harmless. However, if their nests are disturbed, usually by colonial farmers or miners, the resulting swarms have been known to lay waste to vast swaths of wilderness....including any wildlife unfortunate to get caught in its path.

Great Succes
The juevenille form are sometimes referred to as "ember" beetles, and the adult form "fire" beetles. Warriors have been encountered that can spit small balls of fire.
[/sblock]

As Nia listens, her eyes widen, and her knuckles whiten where she grips the windowframe. She takes a deep breath to steady herself, then says to everyone in the inn, "Death is coming. We must all leave right now. Bring only what you have witchoo, for it may already be too late."

In the stunned silence that follows, she repeats, louder, "Go! Everyone out of here and flee up the road to de lake city! Dey are loud, and if dey not already here, dey are many to be so loud! Dey will burn and eat anyting in dere way!"

And now she was backing towards the door, imploring everyone else to follow...but clearly about to give up and make a run for it by herself.

Marcus looks a bit confused, but obeys. Taking orders that made sense was never a problem, after all. He grabs his near-at-hand pack and swings it up over his shoulder as he stands.

"You heard the lady!" he barks. "Everyone get your things and get your asses out the door!"

He goes to Nia and whispers, "Can you elaborate on just what has you so scared? Is there any way for some of us to slow them down while everyone else runs, if need be?"

Caytis Maggerin, half-elf magus

Caytis, on the verge of moving off to sleep for the night as he relaxed, stood upright with a start as Nia warned of impending death. He glanced to Wilbur, wondering if this was part of whatever force the hill woman claimed protected him, but said nothing.

He moved instead to try to help herd the folk of the inn outside, where they could retreat to safety. He worked his way through the crowd to Marcus and Nia as he did so. His hand hovered over the odd, four-bladed dagger he carried, but he kept it sheathed for the moment.

"What the hells is going on?" he asked, shaken that the previously-confident hill woman seemed now ready to bolt in fear.

[sblock=mini-stats] HP: 10/10 AC: 15 AC(T): 12 AC(FF): 13 Init: +02
BAB: 00 CMB/CMD: 00/12 ACP: -1 ASF: 00 Spot: +05

Saving Throw Total Base Mod Misc Special
Fort: 03 2 +1
Ref: 01 0 +2 -1*
Will: 03 2 +1

* -1 Reflex (Wyrm Blooded trait)
** Conditional: Immune sleep, +2 vs enchantments, +4 vs acid

Weapon Attack Damage Critical Special
Quadrens +2 1d6 19-20/x2 1 pt bleed on crit
Quadrens, Spell Combat +0 1d6 19-20/x2 1 pt bleed on crit
Composite Shortbow +2 1d6 20/x3 Range 70 ft.

* Conditional: +1 attack with Arcane Pool enhancement.

Arcane Pool: 5/5 remaining

Spells Prepared:
* 0 Level (3): Prestidigitation, Detect Magic, Light
* 1st Level (2, DC 15): Shield, Shield[/sblock]

Svexyn does not like the answer. She was useless. Something scared the whole forest into running away. He doesn't like the idea of finding out just what would do such a thing. He calls out, "Everyone! Somethings coming this way, and it's got the whole forest running away. You feel like finding out just what that is that glows in the distance and causes everything to run for cover?"

He always carried only what he could, as he moves to the door of the tavern to warn the others. As he opens it, he notes the mood has changed. "We've got something glowing coming this way. Scared the whole of the forest into running for cover. I don't want to find out what it is..."

"You would call dem 'fire beetles,'" Nia said. "But you do not know dem. You only see de scouts, out foraging and easily keeled. Dis be a swarm. A whole hive boilin' out of de ground like a river of flame. Layin' waste to all before dem."

She shook her head. "If de glow ken be seen, time be far too short. We must run, run fast, and run now!"

Marcus nods and turns back to the people still inside. "Everybody out!" he veritably roars. "And anyone with some weapon skill, hang in the back with me. We'll handle rear-guard, try to put down any of these things that get too close to everyone else."

The young man steps outside and picks up his guisarme. He waits at the ready for everyone else to get out the door and on the move.