It took the adventurers longer than expected to return to the Refuge of Nethys given the situation they found themselves in. They fled away from the hidden shrine to escape Kelmarane, pursued by a group of gnolls. It was only when Melkia started to rapidly fire off arrows towarding the gnolls that the enemy gave up the chase and retreated to Kelmarane. Zalerian was relieved that they didn't have to fight, noting the injuries that Belash and Melkia had sustained fighting at the gatehouse. Teshak led the way over a sand dune for cover while Arguk hastily worked to cover up their tracks. Emra expended her magic to heal Belash's leg so he could walk on his own and the adventurers made their way toward the Shrine of Nethys once Arguk rejoined them.
The adventurers carefully circled their way around Kelmarane, and from a distance, could tell that the gnolls were on high alert after the alarm went out. They had done well in their previous fights, and while the battle at the gatehouse wasn't too dangerous, Zalerian thought that further attacks on Kelmarane would be more difficult. He believed that it was getting close to time to finally attack the battle market. Kardswann may be a powerful foe but the adventurers had taken down many of his gnoll followers. It would be a tough battle, but after everything he and his new friends have been through, Zalerian was confident that they could defeat Kardswann and take the battle market for Almah.
When the group finally made it to the Refuge of Nethys, the sun was high in the sky and the adventurers were exhausted and covered in sweat. Teshak conjured water over the adventurers, washing them clean, while Arguk expended his healing magic to tend to any other injuries. The adventurers took turns taking cover over what little cover they had from the sun and staying outside, both to dry off and to keep an eye out for any potential gnolls that were able to track them down. Zalerian volunteered to stand guard for the first shift, not as exhausted as the others and didn't have any injuries to worry about.
It was early in his shift that Zalerian spotted a figure approaching the Refuge of Nethys, riding a camel. It was the camel that stood out to the monk at first, who hadn't seen any that the gnolls of Kelmarane had. At the very least, it meant that whoever was approaching wasn't likely an enemy. Zalerian focused on the figure as they rode closer to the hidden shrine and sighed in relief when he recognized the rider as Garavel. It was good to know that someone they could trust was coming rather than a stranger. However, he also knew that if Almah's majordomo was visiting the adventurers, it must have been for a reason. Garavel wasn't the type of man to check up on the group just to see how they were doing.
"Hail!" Zalerian called out a greeting then turned his head back to where he saw his companions. "Everyone! Garavel is here!"
By the time Garavel dismounted from his camel, the rest of the adventurers had stepped out to meet him. The majordomo bowed his head respectfully toward the group before speaking.
"A large vulture has been threatening our guards back at the monastery. It would appear that it made its nest within the building and is quite territorial. Lady Almah has requested your help in driving it away."
"A vulture, you say?" Melkia asked with a frown. "And you need our help."
"The beast has proven to be more dangerous than we anticipated," Garavel said.
"It would be best to deal with the bird so that the monastery is secured," Teshak said, tapping his chin in thought. "However, we all can't leave the Refuge of Nethys. If any gnolls come across it, we'll need defenders to hold the line."
"Trax and I will go," Arguk stepped up as he volunteered. "Belash, you should join us as well if you're feeling up to it."
"I guess that my leg's feeling better after Emra healed me," Belash said quietly. "I'll come."
"Melkia, you should go with them," Teshak suggested calmly, speaking before she could protest. "Out of all of us, you are best suited to fight a beast that can fly."
"I suppose you have a point," Melkia sighed. "Fine. I'll go."
"Then the rest of us can stay here," Zalerian clapped his hands together. "Half of us deal with the vulture and the other half defend the Refuge of Nethys."
"You'll have to come with us, Zalerian," Garavel said without emotion. "Lady Almah has requested to meet with you specifically."
"She has?" Emra questioned, crossing her arms. "What could this be about?"
"I'm unaware as to what Lady Almah has in mind, only that she has requested to meet with Zalerian."
"Then I guess I'll have to go," Zalerian said with a shrug. "I'm sorry that I couldn't stay."
"It's alright," Emra assured Zalerian with a smile. "It's best that you meet with Lady Almah."
"Emra and I should be able to hold out by ourselves," Teshak said. "If it comes down to it, we can always try hiding. Just try not to stay away for too long in case we're trapped."
"We'll be back before the day ends," Arguk said, gesturing toward himself and his companions. "Let's get going. I would like to come back while there's still daylight."
Garavel moved to get back on top of his camel to ride along with the adventurers back to the Monastery of Saint Vardishal. Arguk, Belash, and Trax led the way along with Garavel while Zalerian stayed toward the back along with Melkia. He looked over his shoulder back at the Refuge of Nethys, and while Teshak had gone back into shelter, Emra had stayed out long enough to wave goodbye. Zalerian returned the wave with one of his own and turned back around. The journey back to the monastery wouldn't take too long and he hoped that between dealing with the vulture and handling Almah's private request, he would make it back to the Refuge of Nethys before nightfall.
The journey back to the Monastery of Saint Vardishal went by without incident and Arguk smiled to see that he and his companions made it back without running into any hostile gnolls. Even though Kelmarane had been under attack for days, their enemy was focused on defending their territory rather than sending scouts to find those responsible. Garavel nodded toward the guards, who saluted and let him and the adventurers step into the monastery. Having traveled during the afternoon, the group left Garavel to head to their old assigned room, where they rested. Belash, Melkia, and Zalerian wiped their skin off the sweat and had plenty of water to drink. As for Arguk and Trax, they could deal with the heat but the gnoll made sure they stayed hydrated as well.
After a quick rest, Arguk followed the adventurers out of their room and toward the open courtyard where the territorial vulture supposedly made its nest. Given that it was likely the vulture would attack them as soon as they saw them step into the courtyard, Melkia came up with a battle plan that she explained quickly. She would lure the vulture out by shooting at it with her bow, and when it flew down to attack her, the others would ambush the beast when it was low to the ground. It was a sound plan given that most of the group didn't carry bows of their own. Arguk never considered the need for one before since he found his scimitars to be reliable enough in a fight. The gnoll would have to consider finding a bow to use when they drove the hostile gnolls out of Kelmarane.
When the adventurers stepped into the courtyard, they found that most of the overgrown weeds surrounding were cleared away, likely by the others at the monastery. Arguk looked up at the wall across from him and spotted the bird Garavel warned them out on a roost in its nest, although the gnoll was quick to note that their prey wasn't a vulture but rather a geier. Native to Katapesh, geiers were larger and more vicious than typical vultures. Arguk kept quiet about what the bird actually was, figuring that the difference wouldn't matter to his companions or the plan Melkia had.
From its nest, the geier noticed the adventurers with ease, and as it screeched out in warning, Melkia fired two arrows at the bird. One arrow went above the geier but the other one glanced off its side. The geier took flight, diving down at the adventurers, who were more than prepared for the fight. Arguk slashed out with his scimitars as Trax lunged at the geier's neck. Belash slammed his greataxe down on the geier's neck while Zalerian kicked the bird in the head, breaking its skull. The geier collapsed down to the ground, dead before it had a chance to rake its talons across its enemies.
"That wasn't so difficult," Zalerian said with a smile. "That was a good plan you came up with, Melkia."
"Thanks," Melkia said, looking up from the dead geier. "We shouldn't stay at the monastery any longer than necessary. Zalerian, you take care of whatever Almah needs you for. I'll take care of refilling our waterskins for the journey back."
"Of course," Zalerian nodded and made his way out of the courtyard.
"What can Belash and I do?" Arguk asked.
Melkia shrugged. "Take care of the bird if you want. Otherwise, just try not to get in anyone's way."
Arguk nodded, watching Melkia make her way out of the courtyard. Belash stepped forward to grab the geier and drag it away from the courtyard. For his part, Arguk looked up to where the bird had made its nest and beckoned for Trax to follow him with a wave of his hand. It wasn't easy to climb up even with some jagged stones sticking out from the wall but the gnoll was able to make it to peek inside the nest, where he saw three large eggs. With a grin, Arguk carefully took the eggs and climbed back down. Although the geier was dead, he knew what he could do to make sure the eggs hatch, and from there, he was confident that he could tame the hatchlings.
There was plenty that Arguk could do with tamed birds of prey. They could make for excellent messengers, able to endure long distances across the skies of Katapesh despite the heat. He could train them to hunt as well, ensuring that he would never have to worry about food as long as the young geiers lived. Of course, this was assuming that Arguk would be able to keep the eggs. As a slave, he wasn't allowed to have property of his own, and while there were loopholes that allowed him to have Trax and his own equipment, he didn't think Almah or Garavel would let him keep the eggs. It was only when Belash returned, his hands bloodied from the geier's corpse, that an idea came to Arguk's mind.
"Belash, might I ask a favor from you?"
"Sure," Belash nodded. "What is it?"
"Could you claim ownership of these eggs until I am no longer a slave? I can't say I own them myself…"
"As a former slave, I understand," Belash said. "Those eggs are mine then as far as anyone is concerned. I never thought that you would be interested in birds when you have Trax at your side."
"You can never have too many beasts to rely on," Arguk shrugged. "Perhaps I'll be able to do something with them once we free Kelmarane. Have you thought about your ambitions since our last conversation?"
"Not really," Belash admitted with a sigh. "All I'm good for is fighting, Arguk. I don't have good ideas like you and Teshak or anyone else."
"And that's alright," Arguk assured his friend, stepping forward while holding onto the three eggs. "Once we free Kelmarane, there'll be plenty of need for guards. There'll be tribes of gnolls that will attack when the time comes."
"But eventually, Kelmarane will be firmly secured, and what then? I don't think I can live my entire life patrolling the streets or outskirts of Kelmarane."
"That's understandable," Arguk said with a nod. "You want excitement with your life. Perhaps there will be an opportunity for that as well."
"Maybe…" Belash said, not sounding convinced.
Arguk took a few seconds to think before bringing up a new idea. "Of course, there may be a reason why you would want to stay in Kelmarane. You could always settle down with someone and start a family of your own."
"What?" Belash gasped, surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation.
"You heard me," Arguk chuckled, laughing like a hyena. "I was just thinking about how, of all people, it's very possible for me. If everything works out, I'll pursue a relationship with Undrella…"
"You're actually serious about that. You do remember she's a harpy, right?"
"It's not like I have any other prospects for romance as a civilized gnoll," Arguk explained matter-of-factly. "As for you, once you're recognized as a hero, you'll be sought out by all kinds of potential partners."
"Maybe," Belash rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I don't know. I'm not that interested in Melkia or Emra, and well, it just seems strange to think about falling for someone I've never met."
"What about Lady Almah?" Arguk suggested.
This time, Belash looked away from Arguk. "Well, maybe, but she's a merchant princess."
"And you'll be a hero soon enough," Arguk pointed out. "Just think about it whenever you want. Now, I should make sure I can get these eggs back to the Refuge of Nethys safely."
Arguk stepped past Belash with Trax following behind him. When the gnoll teased Belash about his love life, it wasn't because he was trying to be mean. Rather, Arguk was still trying to push his friend out of the depression he fell in after his brief reunion with Haleen. Belash had been so lively before he had to leave Haleen behind in the battle market and Arguk was doing everything he could to get his friend thinking about something else. At the very least, thinking about matters of the heart would help distract Belash until they could take Kelmarane back, and from there, Arguk was sure his friend would be in high spirits once again.
For now, all Arguk could do was prepare to return back to the Refuge of Nethys by making sure his newfound eggs could make the journey back without breaking.
With the hostile vulture dealt with, Zalerian made his way to the monastery's library, recalling that was the room Almah and Garavel claimed for themselves. He found Garavel standing outside and the majordomo nodded to him, giving the monk permission to step inside. Whatever reason Almah had for calling him back specifically, it was something that she didn't want Garavel involved with if he was to be outside the room during the meeting. Zalerian was curious as to what the merchant princess had in mind. He certainly couldn't think of anything that would single him out among the rest of the group. Quietly, Zalerian opened the door to the library, stepped inside, and closed the door behind him.
The library had been cleaned up since Zalerian's last visit but there was only so much that could be done after how many years passed by. The odor of parchment was fainter than before as there were candles lit on small tables. Another table, brought to the center of the room, only had a small deck of cards on it. Almah stood at the corner of the room, browsing the bookshelves, when she heard the door open. With a smile, she made her way over to the table, gesturing for Zalerian to join her. Clasping his hands behind his back, Zalerian made his way to the table and stood across from Almah.
"Lady Almah," Zalerian bowed his head. "How may I be of service to you?"
"I was hoping you could take over Eloais' work, at least for tonight," Almah explained, gesturing towards the cards. "I salvaged as many of his Harrow cards as I could."
"You want me to perform a Harrow reading for you?" Zalerian asked, frowning in confusion.
"I am worried about the future, Zalerian," Almah admitted, looking down at the ground. "You and your companions have done so much already, but if you aren't able to free Kelmarane, that could mean my future is at risk. I would hope that a Harrow reading would show that there is nothing to fear and I thought that you would know how to conduct a reading given that you're from Varisia."
Zalerian nodded along with the explanation although he felt like there wasn't much he could do to help Almah. Although he was a native of Varisia, the truth was that he wasn't trained to conduct a harrowing himself. He had seen harrowings before during his travels across Varisia and knew the meanings of some of the cards after receiving readings for himself but he wasn't a trained seer. If he attempted to perform a reading with the Harrow cards, he would only see what the cards are rather than the future that Almah was looking for.
Then again, Zalerian wondered if he didn't need to see the future to help Almah. If she truly was worried about her future, the harrowing could be enough to soothe her fears. Even if he didn't have any skill with using a Harrow deck, he could do enough to reassure Almah. He certainly felt that there was little that could stop him and his companions from freeing Kelmarane but he wasn't sure how he could best explain that. Finally, Almah was his employer, and he didn't want to disappoint her by telling that he couldn't conduct a harrowing.
"I can give it a try, I suppose," Zalerian said. "It's been a while since I've seen a Harrow deck but I'll do my best."
"Thank you, Zalerian," Almah said with a smile. "What does my future hold for me?"
Zalerian carefully took the Harrow deck off the table and started to shuffle through the cards. Many of the cards were singed around the edges and there weren't a lot of cards to work with to begin with. Zalerian recalled what he could about harrow readings and pulled three cards from the deck face up. The first card depicted a cricket-like humanoid, the second card showed a castle held up on metal legs, and the final card was an angelic being holding a trumpet in its hands. Zalerian quickly thought about what each card was while Almah frowned, tapping her chin in thought.
"When Eloais performed a harrowing, he showed nine cards," Almah pointed out.
"He had a whole deck to work with," Zalerian quickly explained as he set the deck down on the corner of the table. "The other six cards focus on the past and present. It's the future you're worried about, right?"
"It is," Almah nodded, relaxing. "I'm sorry for judging you. Please, continue."
"The first card is the Cricket, and if I remember correctly, it stands for a speedy journey," Zalerian explained. "I would think this means that Kelmarane would be freed sooner than you think, which is something I think is very much possible. I'm certain my friends and I are ready to attack the battle market itself."
"And you're sure that it doesn't mean a quick defeat?" Almah asked.
"Not with the Keep," Zalerian gestured to the second card with a reassuring smile. "That means we are unshakable to threats, no matter how powerful they may be, and of course, there's the Trumpet, which is a sign of a dedication of power, like what you'll come to once Kelmarane is freed."
"That's wonderful to hear," Almah sighed in relief. "I'm glad to see that the future looks bright. If you're confident in both yourself and the harrowing that you can liberate the battle market by tomorrow, then I'll put my faith in your group. I originally promised two hundred gold per adventurer for freeing Kelmarane but you can let the others know that you can expect five hundred gold instead."
Zalerian held back his excitement but smiled widely. "Thank you, Lady Almah. You're too kind. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"I've kept you long enough as is," Almah told Zalerian, shaking her head. "You're free to return to your work."
Zalerian bowed his head once more before turning around to make his way out of the library. It was only when he was outside of the room and out of sight and earshot from Garavel that he jumped up and let out a quiet cheer. His efforts to ensure Almah that a great future awaited for her paid off for him and the rest of the adventurers. Once they finished taking Kelmarane back from Kardswann and the gnolls he commanded, they would be paid significantly more for their work. While it was the thrill of the adventure that Zalerian enjoyed the most, having more gold to spend would give him more opportunities in the future.
It didn't take too long for Zalerian to find the rest of the adventurers, standing outside the monastery's exit. He was quick to note that Arguk's backpack seemed more stuffed than before with straw poking out. The monk wasn't surprised to find that Melkia was in a heated discussion with the gnoll, who remained calm, while Belash and Trax watched from the sidelines. As Zalerian grew closer to the group, he was able to make out the details of the conversation.
"...is up to something," Melkia said harshly, crossing her arms. "We would have seen him if he was just out on patrol."
"It could be that he decided to scout away from Kelmarane to ensure that there weren't any threats coming from somewhere else," Arguk suggested. "Have faith, Melkia. Dashki is a part of the expedition for a reason."
"Dashki?" Zalerian questioned. "Is something wrong?"
"After I refilled our waterskins, I found out that Dashki isn't at the monastery," Melkia turned to Zalerian, frowning. "Supposedly, he's gone out on patrol, but something doesn't sit right with me about that."
"It makes sense to me," Arguk said with Belash nodding in agreement. "Dashki is doing what he can to ensure that the monastery is kept safe."
"You trust too easily," Melkia told Arguk. "I'm suspicious enough of Dashki already and he's been out on patrol for several hours already when the sun is fully out."
"I feel Dashki doesn't enjoy being around people," Zalerian suggested. "He could have wanted to get out to be on his own for a little while and went to patrol the outskirts."
"Even if he is plotting against us, what could he do?" Belash asked with a shrug. "He's one man."
"And it takes one arrow to claim a life," Melkia said sharply.
"At the very least, there isn't much we can do about it," Arguk told Melkia firmly. "We have our job. We should get back to the Refuge of Nethys in case Emra and Teshak need our help."
"I do not look forward to traveling in this heat again…" Belash groaned.
With a grimace, Melkia turned away from her companions to make her way back to the Refuge of Nethys. Arguk and Trax followed her quietly, and as Zalerian passed Belash, he patted the half-orc on the back encouragingly. As much as he wanted to share the good news, he felt now wouldn't be a good time. Melkia wasn't interested in talking after everyone was against her suspicions and he thought it would be best for everyone in the group to be around when he does so. For now, Zalerian focused on getting back to the Refuge of Nethys. The journey would be rough given the sun's heat but he looked forward to resting for the night once they made it back to their destination.
A/N: A little bit of a delay getting this next chapter up, but at this point, we're getting close to the climax of Howl of the Carrion King. I look forward to seeing the action that comes up moving forward.
If you haven't already, be sure to check out TheRoadfinder's novelization of Rise of the Runelords. I've read the first two chapters for myself and it's a good story. I'm glad to see more people writing Pathfinder fanfic and I intend to get back on finishing the next chapter for The Skinsaw Murders next so be on the lookout for that.
Until next time.