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Company of Chaos - All Around Golarion
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<blockquote data-quote="Lwaxy" data-source="post: 5766385" data-attributes="member: 53286"><p>The alarm in the temple set everyone running to see what was going on, including the acolytes. Hest was among the first to rush out of the basement, fearing that his partner had been discovered but relaxing slightly when he noticed the commotion came from upstairs. Teltz was, to his knowledge, just exploring in the basement and could probably use the distraction to reappear. </p><p></p><p>"What's going on?" he asked one of the older members, running past him while donning a sword belt. </p><p></p><p>"Something knocked out one oft the priests, with magic or something. Supposedly invisible." With that, the man ran on, followed by a woman holding a rapier. "We're blocking the exits," she took a second to explain. </p><p></p><p>Krant, the acolyte master, came limping past with a grim expression. "Don't stand there selling pocket monkeys, take this axe and go stand in the main gates with me."</p><p></p><p>Slightly confused, the halfling did as told. All he wanted was to check upstairs but he had no way of getting there. "I'm no good with big weapons," he dared to comment. </p><p></p><p>"Yeah, I noticed, that, but you'll look at least slightly threatening to an invisible intruder, I hope." Krant joined a few others blocking the temple gates, everyone looking confused but determined. "There is a full search on the way," a voice Edawon recognized as that of Egarthis shouted. "Everyone not in it, stay in position." </p><p></p><p>There was little to do about it. Edawon tried to look more determined and less worried. The commotion in the temple became worse in the next few minutes, as it became clear that this was not a simple apprehend-the-intruder operation. The theft in the treasury was quickly discovered, and now there was talk of several intruders, as it was seen as about impossible for anyone of less than orc size to carry so much and make so little noise. Edawon was not so sure of that, but he was not about to say so. </p><p></p><p>"Head count," someone called out. "Let's see who is here, and who should be here. The thieves must have come from our midst." </p><p></p><p>Once more, the halfling had no idea why they would assume this; an invisible intruder could have passed through the gates at any time. But then the mentioning of a plundered treasury made him realize they suspected their high ranks. While that was a relief, he had no idea how to explain the absence of the bard and hoped the human would show up quickly. </p><p></p><p>It was Krant who remembered that Edawon usually was around Teltz. "Your friend, where'd he go?" the acolyte master asked with an angry grin. "Trying to avoid work, as always?"</p><p></p><p>"He's not really my friend," Hest replied, maybe a bit too quickly. "Just the one I know best in here. And last I heard he was having some issues with the food of this morning."</p><p></p><p>Krant, who usually did the tasteless cooking for the acolytes, thought about this for a moment. It wasn't the first time someone reported someone else having issues with the food, although the affected acolytes hardly complained themselves, lest they ran afoul of Krant's temper. "So you telling me all the time he was just too sissy to admit he has a weak stomach? And rather get punished for being lazy?" A laugh started in the man's belly, and a moment later he could not contain it any longer, bellowing and howling in the most unpleasant way. It drew the attention of the priests quickly. </p><p></p><p>"What's so funny?" Egarthis snapped as he came to the gates, obviously on his way to meet the small group from the city guard assembled outside. "Do you think someone stealing from our temple so amusing, Krant?" </p><p></p><p>Krant's noise immediately ceased. "Nah, it is just..."</p><p></p><p>"Whatever it is, get the acolytes to their quarters and stay there. Everyone back to where they belong, and then we'll see who was where when this all went down. Someone must have let the thieves in." </p><p></p><p>Relaxing slightly, Hest followed Krant and the other acolytes down. At the time of the alarm and a good time before, he had been in the kitchen, talking to the other present acolytes. No one could put any blame of him that he could find. But it seemed he was locked in the temple now, even more than before. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>"Something is going on at the temple." Zaza interrupted her attempts to get more out of the kobold - who kept saying he didn't like repeating himself and would only explain more when the rest of the group would be there - and pointed to the Razmiran house, where all windows were suddenly alight, and people were swarming the garden. "It is good we kept watch!"</p><p></p><p>"How is it helpful, when you have no way of knowing what is going on inside, nor are you all here. And if you were all here, you would still be too few to deal with those thugs-gone-religious. Even with that wolf of yours." The kobold's intelligent eyes distracted the two others from the commotion across the street. "How do you plan to get your comrades here? They are half across the city."</p><p></p><p>Indeed, the inn was quite some distance away. Because of it being free save for food and drink – thanks to the paladin – they had not dared to relocate closer to the temple, as their funds were, after all, still limited. It seemed a big mistake now. Samin could alert his hawk back at the inn thanks to the familiar bond and lots of practice, and someone – likely Cajun – would be close to Wilbur to catch when that happened. But for some reason, no one had thought about how long it would take those at the inn to get here. It was not like they had anyone who could teleport. </p><p></p><p>Samin was already concentrating to shake the rest of the team into action. Zaza sighed and looked back at Kronk. "So, what do you purpose? Just wait and do nothing?"</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Cajun was indeed sitting in the quiet common area upstairs next to the guestrooms, reading a book about alchemy he had borrowed from another guest. He was completely absorbed in the matter and tired from a day's work in the smithy, so it took him a moment to notice Wilbur hammering his beak at the window, sitting on the flag pole just outside. Just then, the door to the girls' room at the end of the corridor opened, and Mook emerged, her eyes wide with excitement. "Da-da-dadawin is upset, I think w-we n-need to g-go..." Then she noticed Wilbur and nodded. "So s-s-something is ha-ha-happening." </p><p></p><p>The half-orc was already knocking at the dwarf's door. Bjön's head poked out and he blinked, being half asleep. But when he saw their expressions, he awoke quickly. "I'll be right down," he said and went about retrieving his armor. </p><p></p><p>When Cajun returned the borrowed book to their rooms so no one else would take it, he noticed the door was ajar. A few days ago, he would not have wondered about it. The fighter they had shared the room with for the first days was always forgetting to close the door when he had been to the bathroom. But he was gone now, and there had no one been up or down the stairs for a while. Carefully, the boy took a peek inside. The bed of Samin's father was occupied, wet boots and a heap of clothes in front of it and a partly open bag seemed to be under the bed with some of the clothes. Trying to make no noise, Cajun came closer. The mouth fell open. He had expected some late guest having taken the wrong bed due to too much drink, but this was indeed Teltz. If he had gone from the temple, maybe that was the reason for the sudden alarm. Carefully, he tried to shake the bard awake, but all he got was a heavy snore. The man looked pale and exhausted and was sweating a little, much as if he had some kind of fever. Why had he not told them he was back? "Everyone," Cajun called. "Come in here, you won't believe this!"</p><p></p><p>A moment later, Mook and the now fully equipped paladin stared at the sleeping man as dumbfounded as Cajun. Both tried to wake him as well, with no success. "He is feverish but his temperature seems fine," Bjön noticed. Mook nodded to that. Her grandmother had taught her some healing, and she was sure the sweat must have different reasons and she said as much. "L-looks l-like some s-sort of shock," she guessed. </p><p></p><p>The sound of Wilbur hacking at the window glass could be heard again. "W-what now?" Mook said, sounding helpless. "W-e are expected to c-come a-and yet s-someone s-should stay here."</p><p></p><p>"I will stay," Cajun heard himself say. "I know you may need a fighter extra, but Mook has to make sure Dadawin doesn't flip out, and a paladin who knows how this city works and the streets in the temple area might be a big help if you have to follow someone. And my arms are tired from a day's work anyway." </p><p></p><p>The dwarf looked at him thoughtfully, then nodded. "Let's hurry, then, we can get horses in the stable – you can ride, can't you?"</p><p></p><p>"Of c-course," Mook confirmed. "I w-wasn't exactly b-born on horseback b-but if it isn't a w-wild stallion, I c-can ride."</p><p></p><p>As they left, Cajun closed the door behind them. His main reason for volunteering was not his tiredness, or any of the other reasons he had given. When Samin and him had been a lot younger, Samin had told him a little of how they had come to Kassen. Teltz featured a weird part in it all. At the end of the story, Samin made Cajun promise that, if his father would do something strange, or appear sick and confused and Samin was not around, Cajun would have to watch over him and protect him if he could. </p><p></p><p>A promise was a promise. Teltz would definitely need the help once he woke up. Until then... Cajun's thoughts went to the bag under the bed. No one else seemed to have noticed it in the confusion. After their adventure in the crypt, the half-orc knew what a bag of holding looked like, especially when it was half open and looked like someone – likely the bard – had tried to remove something from it before collapsing on the bed. </p><p></p><p>As the young man pulled at the bag, he noticed how heavy it was. He would not be able to carry it far, and not for the first time he wished he would be as strong as a regular half-orc. But it was not his to have. Teltz would let them know what was going on early enough. Cajun just hoped the human would wake up before the others returned.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lwaxy, post: 5766385, member: 53286"] The alarm in the temple set everyone running to see what was going on, including the acolytes. Hest was among the first to rush out of the basement, fearing that his partner had been discovered but relaxing slightly when he noticed the commotion came from upstairs. Teltz was, to his knowledge, just exploring in the basement and could probably use the distraction to reappear. "What's going on?" he asked one of the older members, running past him while donning a sword belt. "Something knocked out one oft the priests, with magic or something. Supposedly invisible." With that, the man ran on, followed by a woman holding a rapier. "We're blocking the exits," she took a second to explain. Krant, the acolyte master, came limping past with a grim expression. "Don't stand there selling pocket monkeys, take this axe and go stand in the main gates with me." Slightly confused, the halfling did as told. All he wanted was to check upstairs but he had no way of getting there. "I'm no good with big weapons," he dared to comment. "Yeah, I noticed, that, but you'll look at least slightly threatening to an invisible intruder, I hope." Krant joined a few others blocking the temple gates, everyone looking confused but determined. "There is a full search on the way," a voice Edawon recognized as that of Egarthis shouted. "Everyone not in it, stay in position." There was little to do about it. Edawon tried to look more determined and less worried. The commotion in the temple became worse in the next few minutes, as it became clear that this was not a simple apprehend-the-intruder operation. The theft in the treasury was quickly discovered, and now there was talk of several intruders, as it was seen as about impossible for anyone of less than orc size to carry so much and make so little noise. Edawon was not so sure of that, but he was not about to say so. "Head count," someone called out. "Let's see who is here, and who should be here. The thieves must have come from our midst." Once more, the halfling had no idea why they would assume this; an invisible intruder could have passed through the gates at any time. But then the mentioning of a plundered treasury made him realize they suspected their high ranks. While that was a relief, he had no idea how to explain the absence of the bard and hoped the human would show up quickly. It was Krant who remembered that Edawon usually was around Teltz. "Your friend, where'd he go?" the acolyte master asked with an angry grin. "Trying to avoid work, as always?" "He's not really my friend," Hest replied, maybe a bit too quickly. "Just the one I know best in here. And last I heard he was having some issues with the food of this morning." Krant, who usually did the tasteless cooking for the acolytes, thought about this for a moment. It wasn't the first time someone reported someone else having issues with the food, although the affected acolytes hardly complained themselves, lest they ran afoul of Krant's temper. "So you telling me all the time he was just too sissy to admit he has a weak stomach? And rather get punished for being lazy?" A laugh started in the man's belly, and a moment later he could not contain it any longer, bellowing and howling in the most unpleasant way. It drew the attention of the priests quickly. "What's so funny?" Egarthis snapped as he came to the gates, obviously on his way to meet the small group from the city guard assembled outside. "Do you think someone stealing from our temple so amusing, Krant?" Krant's noise immediately ceased. "Nah, it is just..." "Whatever it is, get the acolytes to their quarters and stay there. Everyone back to where they belong, and then we'll see who was where when this all went down. Someone must have let the thieves in." Relaxing slightly, Hest followed Krant and the other acolytes down. At the time of the alarm and a good time before, he had been in the kitchen, talking to the other present acolytes. No one could put any blame of him that he could find. But it seemed he was locked in the temple now, even more than before. "Something is going on at the temple." Zaza interrupted her attempts to get more out of the kobold - who kept saying he didn't like repeating himself and would only explain more when the rest of the group would be there - and pointed to the Razmiran house, where all windows were suddenly alight, and people were swarming the garden. "It is good we kept watch!" "How is it helpful, when you have no way of knowing what is going on inside, nor are you all here. And if you were all here, you would still be too few to deal with those thugs-gone-religious. Even with that wolf of yours." The kobold's intelligent eyes distracted the two others from the commotion across the street. "How do you plan to get your comrades here? They are half across the city." Indeed, the inn was quite some distance away. Because of it being free save for food and drink – thanks to the paladin – they had not dared to relocate closer to the temple, as their funds were, after all, still limited. It seemed a big mistake now. Samin could alert his hawk back at the inn thanks to the familiar bond and lots of practice, and someone – likely Cajun – would be close to Wilbur to catch when that happened. But for some reason, no one had thought about how long it would take those at the inn to get here. It was not like they had anyone who could teleport. Samin was already concentrating to shake the rest of the team into action. Zaza sighed and looked back at Kronk. "So, what do you purpose? Just wait and do nothing?" Cajun was indeed sitting in the quiet common area upstairs next to the guestrooms, reading a book about alchemy he had borrowed from another guest. He was completely absorbed in the matter and tired from a day's work in the smithy, so it took him a moment to notice Wilbur hammering his beak at the window, sitting on the flag pole just outside. Just then, the door to the girls' room at the end of the corridor opened, and Mook emerged, her eyes wide with excitement. "Da-da-dadawin is upset, I think w-we n-need to g-go..." Then she noticed Wilbur and nodded. "So s-s-something is ha-ha-happening." The half-orc was already knocking at the dwarf's door. Bjön's head poked out and he blinked, being half asleep. But when he saw their expressions, he awoke quickly. "I'll be right down," he said and went about retrieving his armor. When Cajun returned the borrowed book to their rooms so no one else would take it, he noticed the door was ajar. A few days ago, he would not have wondered about it. The fighter they had shared the room with for the first days was always forgetting to close the door when he had been to the bathroom. But he was gone now, and there had no one been up or down the stairs for a while. Carefully, the boy took a peek inside. The bed of Samin's father was occupied, wet boots and a heap of clothes in front of it and a partly open bag seemed to be under the bed with some of the clothes. Trying to make no noise, Cajun came closer. The mouth fell open. He had expected some late guest having taken the wrong bed due to too much drink, but this was indeed Teltz. If he had gone from the temple, maybe that was the reason for the sudden alarm. Carefully, he tried to shake the bard awake, but all he got was a heavy snore. The man looked pale and exhausted and was sweating a little, much as if he had some kind of fever. Why had he not told them he was back? "Everyone," Cajun called. "Come in here, you won't believe this!" A moment later, Mook and the now fully equipped paladin stared at the sleeping man as dumbfounded as Cajun. Both tried to wake him as well, with no success. "He is feverish but his temperature seems fine," Bjön noticed. Mook nodded to that. Her grandmother had taught her some healing, and she was sure the sweat must have different reasons and she said as much. "L-looks l-like some s-sort of shock," she guessed. The sound of Wilbur hacking at the window glass could be heard again. "W-what now?" Mook said, sounding helpless. "W-e are expected to c-come a-and yet s-someone s-should stay here." "I will stay," Cajun heard himself say. "I know you may need a fighter extra, but Mook has to make sure Dadawin doesn't flip out, and a paladin who knows how this city works and the streets in the temple area might be a big help if you have to follow someone. And my arms are tired from a day's work anyway." The dwarf looked at him thoughtfully, then nodded. "Let's hurry, then, we can get horses in the stable – you can ride, can't you?" "Of c-course," Mook confirmed. "I w-wasn't exactly b-born on horseback b-but if it isn't a w-wild stallion, I c-can ride." As they left, Cajun closed the door behind them. His main reason for volunteering was not his tiredness, or any of the other reasons he had given. When Samin and him had been a lot younger, Samin had told him a little of how they had come to Kassen. Teltz featured a weird part in it all. At the end of the story, Samin made Cajun promise that, if his father would do something strange, or appear sick and confused and Samin was not around, Cajun would have to watch over him and protect him if he could. A promise was a promise. Teltz would definitely need the help once he woke up. Until then... Cajun's thoughts went to the bag under the bed. No one else seemed to have noticed it in the confusion. After their adventure in the crypt, the half-orc knew what a bag of holding looked like, especially when it was half open and looked like someone – likely the bard – had tried to remove something from it before collapsing on the bed. As the young man pulled at the bag, he noticed how heavy it was. He would not be able to carry it far, and not for the first time he wished he would be as strong as a regular half-orc. But it was not his to have. Teltz would let them know what was going on early enough. Cajun just hoped the human would wake up before the others returned. [/QUOTE]
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