THE WATERHOLE

Elric sits under one of the small trees surrounding the waterhole. Taking a small sip of the warm water from his waterskin, Elric prepares himself for some much-needed rest. Thankfully Gaigin has acknowledged his extreme wounds and has not asked him to do any extra work. Thinking back on the last few days Elric smiles briefly, he has learned much from his new companions, "young of the Tigone indeed". Though it had cost him many aches and pains, he was still alive and that was something, all
things considered.

Preparing for the task at hand Elric calms his mind into a shallow meditative trance. Feeling the flow of his inner energy, Elric reaches for his nexus. Opening his inner eyes, Elric steps into the Mindscape.

A soft glow gains form on the Mindscape as Elric’s Will is brought forth. The figure that is Elric’s psychic form begins to mend and repair the barriers surrounding itself. The huge slashes caused by the mammoth roc’s talons are slowly closed and healed. Once the barrier is again whole the figure stands motionless as a soft glow spreads into the barrier, strengthening and reinforcing it. Task complete, the figure's features ebb into a soft golden glow.

Elric awakens from his meditation, trembling from the effort it has taken to close the breach in his mind's defenses. Calling to the others softly, "It seems the best thing for me now will be a solid sleep. If there is no objection I would be to bed even at this early hour. I do not wish to slow us further on the morrow and the only way I can insure that is with a full nights sleep."

Gaigin nods his agreement to the drowsy warlock. "Aye, sleep's the thing for you now."

Turning back, Gaigin concentrates on the tasks at hand, sharpening and polishing his axe, going over his spear-head with a rag, checking and double-checking the straps on his armor, cleaning a few bits of gore off his precious mask... and trying to clean and patch his loose gray robe. When all is done, he retrieves his obsidian razor and goes through the ritual of shaving his head bare of the day's stubble, being careful not to nick himself. The companions go about trying to stay out of the harsh sun and resting as backpacks are left on the grass and armor is loosened. Tak and Chit make plans for the afternoon hunt and both come alive at the prospect of dancing the age-old ritual.

AFTERNOON HUNT

With less brains than hope for a sorcerer king's enemy, erdlus were easy prey. Chit-Zik knew they couldn't see well, and Tak knew their sense of smell more than made up for it, the two devised a plan.

The hunters patiently waited and, sure enough, when the crimson sun finally gave everyone a break, the erdlu herd went to the muddy water hole for their daily fill. A young male ventured a bit too far from the herd.

Tak took position downwind of the creature as it approached the more lush vegetation growing near the oasis. Chit-Zik went along its flank and readied all four chatkchas. When Tak was ready with his spear, He fired two of the throwing wedges into the creature, then leapt upwind of it, directly in front.

The chatkchas sped home as both of them buried themselves into the featherless body. The first one went in deep into its body and the second one went high into its leg. Its high pitched screech alerted the rest of the herd that promptly fled. The stampeding herd of 7-foot tall birds was enough to raise a large cloud of dust that mixed freely with the screams. The wounded animal tried to make it to the safety of its herd but a large insectoid lay in its path.

After landing, the 'kreen spreads his claws out, trying to seem wider and more difficult to get past to the creature. The tall brid, of course, turns and runs, going straight into Tak who was ready with his spear. The halfling hunter crossed the erdlu's way and brought forth his bone tipped spear. The hunter braced himself for the crash and set his weapon on the ground. His low height actually helped him as his spear pierced the featherless bird right about where his heart should be. The halfling ducked low as the beast trampled over him but never made it very far. The bird carried over from his shear speed and momentum but his long legs failed him. Tak quickly overtook him and put the bird out of misery swiftly with his sloth tooth dagger. The kreen reached both of them and Tak swore that his mandibles drew smile although most of his companions back at the camp laughed when he told them. Both hunters went back to camp with prey that would feed them tonight and a few more days to come…

BACK AT CAMP

The featherless bird was deftly cut to pieces and a couple of sharp stick served as an impromptu grill while the bird is cooked everyone huddles over the fire. Gaigin settles down around the fire, pulling his cloak close round him to keep out the chilling cold of night.

"Well, our first night out and little distance made, though I suppose we did as well as could be expected considering that ambush. It is about that ambush that we should speak now...I have my suspicions. The day before we left, while I was inquiring after that Elf, I found that the Merchant Caravan I arrived with and was subsequently fired from left town early. It's unheard of for a Caravan to quit town without a cargo, and without an extra compliment of guards, unless of course there's a war on, but this Caravan did anyways. House Stel, it is, an Urikite Trading House. As Koreth will agree, it's a mighty coincidence that the elf had Urikite silver in his pouch when we searched him. Tomorrow, afore we set off, I'd like to take a look around, with Tak and Zik, to see if we can find any caravan tracks leading off in some unlikely direction. Shouldn't take more than an hour, and it'll give Aryus a chance to heal some of Elric's wounds, we can't have our only Map-Maker unfit for travel..."

Gaigin sits back and waits for opinions on the matter.

Tak nods to the leader and adds, "I will be honored to be of service to the tribe. There will be no hunt for a couple of days so we will have plenty of time for tracking. We should set off early before dawn so that we may be back soon, we need to make up for today in travel." The wind mage acknowledges Gaigin's request, "Aye, I will do what is my power. Perhaps since I am surrounded by strong warriors I should pay a bit more attention to the healing arts of the gentle wind and leave the strong gusts of violence for others such as you and Koreth."

The pterran calmly munches on piece of erdlu, his sharp claws seemed to be made for cutting strips from the bone. He listens intently to Gaigin and adds, "I understand that you were ambushed but do you think that this was done by another merchant house? Excuse my wonderment but we, in Lost Scale, are not the only pterran village, there is another village close by and they also do trading." The trader opens his large snout and picks the bone clean; his forked tongue following up licking his thin lips.

"And while we do try and make business for ourselves, we do not go into war with one another. The Earth Mother would not approve of such things as really when it comes down to it, we do not own anything, we just borrow it from time to time. No, I do not think this is a merchant war at all; merchants just aren't that way. It must be a vendetta on one of you, have any of you offended their families or dishonored them in any way?"

The pterran reaches over and cuts himself another strip of meat from the pit. With his lizak hide armor off, the saurian looks fit enough to be a warrior, his slightly scaled skin glinting off the firelight reminded Gaigin of his armor. He turns to Elric, "From what I have heard about the battle from Ayrus, the elf had a keen interest in you. You must have dishonored him somehow. I do not think that some of that colored pottery, while pretty indeed, is enough for someone to want to kill you....?"

Elric rolls to face the fire at the mention of his name, in sleepy words he replies "Yes, there was bad blood between the Elf and myself. Though it only came about after the rogue cheated in the trails. Of which he had bribed his way into the group who competed against us." Elric groans softly as he moves into a sitting position. Checking his wounds to be sure he doesn't need to change any of his bandages, Elric nods in satisfaction that he is healing well. "Though your villages would not kill over the colored pottery, rest assured that Tyr and Urik would go to war over such."

Koreth sits next to the fire, the large chunk of erdlu vanishing quickly as his companions speak of the elf. He takes a long pull from his skin, the warm water washing the dust of the road from his throat. "What is it that your village produces that they wish to trade with Tyr, Ptellac? When merchant houses fight, they do so over a source of goods. Know what they fight over, and it is easier to know their reasons."

The pterran´s eyes lit up at the prospect of making a deal. "Well, we have very talented artist in our village. They work the leather in many fashions and make very useful utensils from the hide of lizaks like the armor I wear." The pterran then looks at the Gaigin's spear and explains, "While this is very hard material, I see that it must be sharpened often or its point will go dull. Our special weapons need caring as well but will never be eaten away by whetstones and such utensils. You should see our weapon smithies and see their weapons when we get to the village." The trader scratches his back with his clawed hand and you "hear" that his hide is probably not much softer than his hide armor. "We also grow grains and hunt game. We treat our meats with spices that will surely last the trip over. But you mustn't forget that our villages number only in the few thousands and are smaller from Tyr alone and I have been told that many more villages exist in the drylands. We also train animals as guards and scouts for our villages."

Koreth looks into the mouth of his skin, the warm water inside quenched his thirst but little else. 'I should have brought a skin of ale, or even wine. This will be a dry journey indeed.' he thinks sadly to himself.

Chit-Zik watches the others intently as they talk, still trying to understand this culture. Finally, unable to comprehend it, he speaks privately to Gaigin.

"I do not understand why your races do the things they do. I do not understand why we hunted men in the great unmoving pack, or why we were hunted by when easier prey was to be found. I do not understand the games we were in, nor why we are traveling so far and not hunting long when we get there. All this I can live with. I will just follow with the pack and serve, as I'm needed. But... there is one thing." His large eyes dart to a bedroll. "Why do you lie around much of the day when we could be traveling?"

Gaigin looks confused for a second, then understanding suddenly dawns on his face. "I forgot, 'Kreens don't need to sleep. It's a human thing, after we spend a certain amount of time active, we need rest in order to restore ourselves. Think of it this way, if you go a certain amount of time without eating, You become hungry, yes? You need to eat, or you will become sluggish and slow, and eventually you won't be able to go on, see... humans have to eat, and drink, and we have to sleep too, usually at least once a day for several hours. You probably have to rest after a certain length of time, but we have to rest more often. It's hard to explain..."

Gaigin tapers off, realizing he's babbling... "I'd try asking Tak' if you want a decent explanation, the Halfling folk are always more in tune with nature, and better able to explain it." Tak's ears perk up at the thought but the halfling excuses himself politely, "I will explain as best I can the customs but not today, I have other things on my mind…"

The campfire slowly dies down as no one adds any more wood to it. Tak finally winds down from an exciting day. He had hunted and his hunt was able to feed his tribe for today and a few days to come. He had a chance to look over the strange dagger over and over. Many thoughts danced in his mind as he tried to recall the old tales told to him by one of the village elders, wild stories about a long gone past. Perhaps he would speak to his new friends about what he thought of it, maybe tomorrow was a good day for that. Tak went about checking his arrow wound that had already started to heal. He called forth his now replenished Will and set it about mending his torn skin. After this was done, the hunter offered his skill to Gaigin and Koreth but warned them that he would only help and not heal them completely. His Will was depleted once again as every bit of energy before he retired to a night's sleep under Athas twin moons.

Expedition Day 2 - Year of the Desert's Fury of the 190th King's Age (Free Year 11)

A Waterhole, a few hours West of Tyr

Chit could not wait any longer to go hunting again even if it was only a mock hunt. No catching of prey would be done, only the stalking part that was the next best thing. He had looked over the pack's well being for the whole night while praying to the spirit of the land and replenished his healing capabilities. It was time he awoke the other hunters, the sun would be up shortly and Gaigin had said that this was a night stalking.

Both human warrior and halfling hunter were up in a blink of an eye and ready to go. All three went back to the main road that led to the mountains and searched for any fresh tracks. Tak was lucky enough to have discovered just what they were looking for. He fathomed that the tracks were human sized and seemed to be carrying heavy loads; Tak compared the tracks to those noble Koreth was leaving. The tracks were at least a day old and at least 6 different tracks could be made out distinctively. There were none barefoot, most seemed clad with either boots like Koreth's or sandals not unlike the ones Gaigin was wearing. The three companions went back to camp and readied for the long trip ahead.

When they made it back to camp, they found that pit had hot embers on it once again. They were surprised that Elric was up and about feeling much better thanks to Ayrus's healing. The air cleric was also much better and looked completely healed from yesterday's ordeal. The only sign of violence on his body was his now bloodstained cerulean cloak that still fluttered about. The cloak did not look to provide much warmth but its light material picked up with any breeze making the air cleric seem like a winged predator.

Chit also performed his healing arts and the fortunate recipients were the group's map maker, and himself. Everyone was as fit as they were to be for the trip; the only companions that showed any wound albeit slight were Gaigin who's thigh puncture wound hadn't healed completely, Chit who's chitin still showed some slight cracks and Elric who's shoulder wound still hadn't completely closed. Gaigin assessed the warlock's wound and playfully tossed him his backpack, "Aye, warlock, ye carry yer own weight today…"

It was with this sort of relaxed mood that the companions took off. Chit was carrying the leftover erdlu roast and although it would probably feed them two more days, the kreen warned them that they would have to finish it off tonight or it would spoil under the heat. The kreen was about to cut some off and leave it for the scavengers when Ptellac interrupted, "By the end of the day we should be camping at the foothills already somewhat high in the mountains. The air is cold up there and it would preserve our food well, I think it is best that we took it along but let me help you and I will share your burden." The seven mismatched travelers were off again…

The first rays of the blazing sun set the horizon on fire as the companions travel through the outlying farms toward the foothills of the Ringing Mountains. In the distance, a sound like the building roar of an angry mekillot rumbles, growing in intensity as it echoes across the nearby washes of sand that mark the start of the foothills. A cloud of dust rolls out carried along the wave of sound.

Louder now, the wave of sound washes over the heroes, reaching you before the cloud of dust clears the horizon. When it does rise above the edge of the land, you see the source of the sound. Rushing toward the seven travelers at break neck speed is a horde of people and a herd of animals. Kanks and crodlus, carrus and inixes, and the wild herd of erdlus, as well, stampeding across the verdant belt can be seen in the distance. Their mixed screeching and bellowing make for a loud cacophony of sounds. Only you and your companions stand in the way of this unlikely horde and its destination.

Your actions…

OUT OF CHARACTER

HEALTH STATUS

Remember the scale:

Healthy (H) 100% hitpoints remaining

Slightly Wounded (SiW) 75% to 100% hitpoints remaining

Wounded (W) 50% to 75% hitpoints remaining

Seriously Wounded (SeW) 25% to 50% hitpoints remaining

Mortally Wounded (MW) 0% to 25% hitpoints remaining

Gaigin (SiW)

Koreth (H)

Chit (SiW)

Elric (SiW)

Tak (H)

Ayrus (H)

Ayrus is being played as an NPC for 3 weeks by me so don't expect a post from him.

I need to know immediate actions before the stampede of animals is upon you and actions after the animals pass by and you meet the running humans and humanoids.

Questions, comments, and suggestions please.

L8r,

Fabian