The Dauntless

As the fire spreads and panic rises Antoinette has to take a moment to steady herself. In the heat and stress her teeth begin sharpening and scales start to show on her neck. Fighting to keep calm, Antoinette begins breathing steadily, then begins coughing from the smoke. Finally she manages to steady herself and begins helping people in the room.

The fire continues to spread into the building, with the northern door exploding open and more fire pouring in from there. In addition, one of the benches on the western side of the building spontaneously catches fire, burning two women who had been sitting next to it. Those women, as well as a few other civilians, are quickly helped up and ushered out by the councilors.

Shortly after, once almost all of the civilians are successfully escorted from the burning building, Luna makes her way out to find the crowd in a panic in the Monument Circle. She lets out a shrill whistle to get the crowd's attention. "Everyone just calm down! Did anyone see what started the fire?" She calls into the crowd.

Fighting through the flames and smoke Antoinette manages to rescue the last person on her side of the building and escape the rapidly burning building. As she gets out she begins to take stock of her surroundings and try to figure out what’s going on.

Django and Dorrak both manage to get out as well, Django gathering the injured to heal them as the fire continues to blaze. Greta Gardania looks around, hugging some of the townspeople next to her as she confirms everyone is out safely while others wearily clap her on the back in thanks for their lives. "What manner of madness just happened? This can be no accident! Did anyone see what happened?"

One of the guards who was stationed outside before the fire began raises his hand, then his voice. "Aye,” says the wearied, uniformed man. “The clerks saw everything—it was Calmont, that cad of a bookseller’s apprentice. He lit the fires in the halls next to the chamber. He also set some kind of fire monster loose on the crowd!”

The second guard shouts in assent. “Indeed!” says the grave but steely woman. “And witnesses outside the building saw him run toward Hellknight Hill!”

A surprised and worried wave ripples through the crowd at this information, including Warbal’s distinct voice: “The citadel! My Bumblebrashers!”

Greta raises her hand authoritatively, and the crowd begins to calm. “Friends, we’ll get to the bottom of this,” she assures them. “But we can’t do it alone. Who are the heroes in attendance today? Heroes, are you willing to investigate Hellknight Hill?”

"Don't know about hero," Dorrak grumbles as he steps forwards. "But I can't let him get away with this."

Antoinette steps forward. "Such a brazen act of arson should not go unpunished. I will help find the monster who did this."

"You best believe I'll help out. Anyone who would be so brazen as to attack a Call For Heroes is well deserving of swift retribution," Luna says, her black eyes burning with motivation.

With a sad look at the still-burning hall, Django nods. ”I’m certainly not about to let this happen again. I’m in.”

Greta nods, clapping Luna-the nearest person-on the shoulder. "I noticed the four of you acting with courage in there, helping the townspeople to escape. I think I speak for the full council when I say we are eternally grateful for your actions, and for stepping up to aid us. I formally authorize two quests for you: one on behalf of Warbal, our goblin ambassador, to head to Hellknight Hill and check on her tribe and aid them if they are in danger, and one on behalf of the town guard, to track down Calmont and whoever else may have been involved in this fire and bring them in, alive."

As she gives them this mission two guards, who had gone into the building after everyone was out and safe but before the fire had engulfed the entire place, come back out, dragging a small, winged humanoid figure whose body is on fire out behind them.

Dorrak gives a short nod then looks over to the flaming winged creature. "Very well. Can we question that before we leave? It could give us useful warning."

"You have leave to do whatever you need to to accomplish your missions, so long as you don't break the law," Greta says. "Go right ahead, the guards will cooperate with anything you need."

"I already try to avoid doing that, ma'am," Dorrak offers a small smile in return.

Antoinette looks toward the mephit, sizing it up for a moment. ”We’re gonna have a hard time keeping that thing restrained. Django, you have a spell for this?”

”Not currently, no,” Django shakes his head. ”If they’re susceptible at all to positive energy, I could try and shock them into talking, but somehow I don’t think either the goddess or our big green friend here would be amenable to torture,” he says, cracking a grin to Dorrak.

"Not as long as I hold to my code," Dorrak replies seriously. "Do any of you know what that creature is?"

"It's a Mephit," Antoinette says. "They're mischievous little bastards from the plane of fire. They aren't evil per se, but they are a bit sadistic and quick to anger."

"Alright, my hotheaded friend," Django says, walking over and crouching in front of the creature the two guards are still struggling with. Smiling warmly at the fidgety little monster, he asks "Can you tell me who told you to do this and why?"

[Diplomacy: 7+4=11]

The creature stops struggling and levels a stare at Django. "The dumbass little mortal. Didn't give me his name or a reason, he just used a scroll to call me here and told me to light shit on fire. And, y'know, it's not like I'm gonna _turn down_ someone asking me to light shit on fire."

Frowning, Django looks back at the crew. "They may be a little, um, uncouth, but they don't seem to have any reason to lie about it. Sounds like this guy Calmont really did just want to light the place up and called in an all-too-willing accomplice."

Dorrak growls at the mephit and fixes it with a hard, furious stare, letting his mask crack for a second. "Next time, you'll think twice about a request like that, if you're lucky. Be glad it's not my choice, because if it were up to me you wouldn't get a next time."

"I suppose if anyone knows how to nonlethally send them back where they came from, that could be helpful," Django says with a shrug.

The creature yelps. "Yeesh, okay, okay, no more setting fire to shit if I don't know why. Jeez."

"Just leave it to the council to figure out what to do with it. Personally I don't just think sending it home is enough punishment for what it did, but the town's the wronged party and so justice belongs in their hands," Dorrak replies to Django. "Not our call."

"Agreed," Luna says. "Besides, Calmont has enough of a head start as it is, and he's the threat that's still at large."