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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mikeawmids" data-source="post: 7925978" data-attributes="member: 6776411">Chapter Six: A Prelude to WarAfter the deafeat of Chief Ugruk, the surviving members of the Kullid tribe slink away, tails tucked between their legs. Fuk clambers onto the roof of the Battle Market and flourishes a colourful rag to signal the all clear. Almah and her retinue abandon the old monastery and head into town. Almah claims the suite of rooms overlooking the Battle Market, which she renames the Victory Market. Garavel, Zastoran and Dashki are assigned quarters nearby. The merchant princess grants the party the deed to a large (albeit ruined) mansion near the waterfront.A large, powerfully built man is found sleeping within a locked storeroom. The party assume this is Kardswann, former Templar of the Five Winds and more recently, usurped leader of the Kullid tribe. Misfar and Father Zastoran both examine the sleeper, but nothing they attempt will rouse the slumbering janni. Misfar has Kardswann moved to the party's new headquarters, where he poses less of an immediate threat to the merchant princess.As word spreads that Kelmarane has been made safe, travellers begin trickling into the town. These travellers bring coin and their coin attracts merchants. Soon, the Victory Market is flourishing and the road to Kelmarane is thick with caravans, carrying goods to and from the town.Once their wounds have healed, the heroes have the opportunity to enjoy some downtime and pursue their own personal goals.Nadiyya is driven to learn about her ifreeti heritage. Every day, she visits Kardswann's room, in the hope that the comatose templar has woken up. Every day, she is disappointed. Instead, she pores over the party's copy of Courts of Stone and Flame and visits the market to look for rare book vendors recently arrived in Kelmarane.Meanwhile, Misfar fills his hours with painstaking research into other ruins swallowed by the desert. He uncovers references to a lost temple called Marudshar, located somewhere to the north. Could this be the site he's been looking for? He scribbles frantically in his journal.The death of Oxvard weighs heavily on Zane's conscience. He returns to the old monastery to meditate on his failure to save the warrior. He receives a vision from the goddess, showing how the Lions of Senara looted a shrine to Sarenrae and disturbed the bodies of the priests interred therein. Zain approaches Fel, demanding the location of the desecrated shrine and that they travel there together to lay the dead to rest. Zain asks Fuk to come along, knowing the goblin's survival skills will make it easier to locate the shrine. Fuk is just happy to be included!(This side-quest was treated as a Quick Encounter.) Between Felliped's recollections and Fuk's desert lore, the trio find their way back to the ruined temple. Skeletons of the restless dead wander the darkened halls. Zain brandishes his holy symbol and compels the old bones return to their graves. This is enough to lift the curse on Felliped and restore Zain's faith in Sarenrae.Meanwhile, a travelling priest comes to Kelmarane, looking for the heroes. He is tall, bald and gaunt, dressed in colourful robes that do little to soften his grim demeanour. He sits cross-legged on what used to be the battle stage and waits for the heroes to come to him. Almah, Garavel, Nadiyya and Misfar approach. Who is this mysterious holy man and what does he want?Q: "Who are you and what do you want?"A: "I am Zayifid the Wanderer. I heard tales of the mighty heroes who reclaimed Kelmarane for the Pactmasters of Katapesh and wanted to see them for myself."However, as I walked in the shadow of Pale Mountain, I noticed a great gathering of the other gnoll tribes. The Al'Chorhaiv, the Broken Jaw, the Wormhollow clan -  those and many more. All have answered the call of the Carrion King and gathered in the House of the Beast."It is my fear that word of your victory has reached Ghartok's ear. Now he gathers an army to retake Kelmarane with an overwhelming show of force - and slay the heroes who dared to oppose his will."Q: "Hold on. Zayifid? As in Zayifid-Templar-of-the-Five-Winds-Zayifid?"A: "Er... no. I don't know who that is."Nadiyya is convinced, but Misfar is not so easily swayed from his suspicions.Q: "Are you sure you're not THAT Zayifid? I mean, it seems unlikely that another, totally different Zayifid would turn up in the story at this moment."A: "I'm not THAT Zayifid!! Can we get back to the gnoll army, please?""For now...." Misfar mutters.Q: "So who is this Carrion King?"A: "Ghartok. A monstrous gnoll pledged to Rovagug, god of destruction. He commands all the other tribes in the Pale Mountain region. He lairs in the House of the Beast, a huge temple complex built long ago by evil priests, as a place to conduct their wicked rituals."Q: "And you want us to kill him?"A: "It is in your own interests to bring the King low, before his army descends from the mountain to wipe your town from the map. I only bring you this warning as a courtesy, for I abhor death and bloodshed and would not see the people of Kelmarane suffer needlessly. What you do with this information is now up to you."Having delivered his warning, Not-THAT-Zayifid vanishes in a puff of smoke."Yeah, that was totally THAT Zayifid." Misfar says, "But why would he lie about his identity?  Can we believe anything else that he said?""It would be foolish to disregard his warning." Garavel says, "Perhaps when your companions return, the four of you could search for this House of the Beast. If the holy man spoke true and there is an army of gnolls gathering there, it should not be too hard to find.""I will instruct Dashki to accompany you," Almah adds, "He thinks like a gnoll and could be of use to you.""... smells like a gnoll too. ..." Garavel mutters, but he is glad to have Dashki out of town and away from the princess.TBC</blockquote>

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