Gameplay - The Dragon Who Asked Too Much

Aye Hehsh. We should chip, but ah’ll tek dip when us get there.

Hasan will start coughing as he stows his scimitar. "Ohh, I haven't had to do that. In a while" he says catching his breath. "That sand. Didn't help either."

"I agree we should check to see if any of the yolkels need assistance!"

"Lets go!" Ruby's body language has relaxed slightly, but she still looks ready to fight. "They aren't so tough, just gotta hit em'!

The locals come out and you hear calls for lost ones. Some are returns, but not all. A runner from the mercenary band shines to check on you, and tells you that one squad was badly wounded, but they all managed to survive, and drive off what devils appeared near them.

"The storms are rare, but when they do some, dozens of people can be carried off. A bounty exists for slaying the creatures, and we should drag this back to the Open Fist." He underdogs some twine and helps you secure the devil's legs for dragging.

Hehsh follows to open fist. On the way back he asks, "A bounty you say? How much for one?" After a few moments thought he follows up with "Do you know where they take the abductees?" Growing up with druids, he never saw treasure, as druids are a frugal bunch. It wasn't until joining the adventurers that he first encountered gold. He very quickly developed a fondness for it. Perhaps there is more fortune here? And maybe these captured villagers could be rescued too? Everyone wins.

Mavis nods at Hehsh word's. She interprets them as full of nobility - Hehsh's desire to save the innocents that were taken - rather than those of a mercenary greedy for gold.

She jogs along at the rear of the party. Her little legs double-timing to keep up with the mobile halfling and larger party members.

Hasan accompanies "Looks like everyone faired well this time. How many were taken if any?"

"And these sandstorms, do they happen often? I'd hate to think of how many were kidnapped..." Ruby is starting to have unsettling thoughts given the last search and rescue.

Unfortunately, you learn that the abductees are consumed, their bodies are sometimes found, desiccated and broken from being dropped. Fortunately, the storms are rare only once or twice a year, and occur around the same time each year.

one of those creatures gave us quite a fight, but someday I would like to get a powerful team together and get to the root of this storms.

Hehsh looks at the sky in the direction the dust storm came from.

Dragging the body back to the inn, the mercenaries tell you that the bounty is 300 gp and is paid by the merchants guild. They also brought into a few from their squads, so will be loading a cart to collect those funds, but they will advance you the bounty now if you want to head out.

As to the source of the devilry, they kindly suggest that stronger teams than yours have attempted to put an end to it.

Not one to be intimidated, Ruby will insist they offer any information regarding their whereabouts. She also will suggest to combine forces to make a bigger team, which shall avenge the fallen.

The man smiles toothily and claps the sturdy halfling hard on her shoulder, and laughs in surprise when she doesn't stumble under the jovial blow. "Maybe you have the stones to survive the mountain."

He kneels down and speaks softly, eye to eye with Ruby. "There is a tale of the Devils Mountain. Pay a jongleur in the square to hear it proper. Then go to the Merchants Guild and apply for a bounty on the Devils. If you are going to do this foolish thing at least you should be paid well!" He laughs standing up. "If you survive!" He laughs more and more, holding his belly as he walks to his men.

As much as I would like to stomp out this nest of evil, we have been assigned a very important task already. Maybe we can swing by this way when we have finished the quest we are on.

"Let's not be hasty." Hehsh says after counting out his bag of gold meticulously. "I for one am interested to hear what the merchant guild has to say." And how much they are offering.

Hehsh will follow the mercenaries advice and listen to a "joubler" (jester?) talk about the dust devils before going to see the merchant's guild.

"But Garth, he said I've got stones! I didn't even know that!" Ruby says, rather proudly in fact. "But... I suppose it can wait, I just feel bad about all these people. I should've been an adventurer a long time ago."