AFTER THE SANDHOWLERS

"I told you I'd have your tusks didn't I!" Koreth says as he grins down upon the dead carcass of the Sandhowler he slew. He pulls out his spear from the slain beast and wipes it off with his torn shirt. "Ahh, it'll soon be nothing but a rag," he says as he surveys his ruined shirt "Tak, would you mind if I borrowed one of your daggers?"

Koreth smiles at the feral halfling, "One of these tusks might make a good weapon or a trophy at least, don't you think?" He laughs, and then immediately clutches his wounded side in pain. "Ahh, he sure did leave his mark."

Elric slumps down to his knees. Reaching for his bag, he pulls free his bandages and begins the all too familiar task of bandaging himself up. At hearing Koreth's words, Elric grins "So indeed you have your tusk. I would like a tusk as well, I am sure it would make a formidable dagger. Also, I would like to gather a few of the eyes for future study. If they have the ability to paralyze in life, I would study the properties of such things."

Elric goes about the grisly task of collecting sandhowler's eyes and tusk with the efficiency learned of the desert. Keeping one tusk for himself and the eyes, he lays the remaining tusks before the group. "Take from the extras as you wish. I have a some research to do!" Elric hurries to the camp site and begins to spread out various scrolls and manuals.

Koreth laughs at Elric's comment and pries out one of the horns of the howler he slew. "I guess I won't need that knife anyways Tak," he smiles, holding the horn up with both hands.

"All you need now noble-Koreth is a cabinet to place your trophy in," Tak’ looks amused at the prospect of the party members extracting trinkets from the corpses of the sandhowlers, but says little else. "Koreth, the halflings show their valor and victory through deed, and body," Holding up one of his tattoo-emblazoned arms, Tak’ gestures to the images generally, "here the story of Tak’Nak’Raq is told for all who wish to read."

Bowing slightly to Koreth Tak’ asks simply and politely, "If you wish to partake in this small part of halfling culture, I would be honored to chart the tale of noble-Koreth this morn’."

"I am afraid I must decline," Koreth apologizes "I do appreciate the honor, but.... It would be hard to explain." He smiles at Tak, bowing in return. He looks at the Sandhowlers, "Anyone ever ate one of these before?"

Chit-Zik looks in disgust as the party carves up the sandhowlers. Despite this, he remains quiet still watching the others butcher, prize, prepare, wield, and even study the beasts. After a few minutes he retrieves his weapons and waits for the others to leave the corpses alone. "Can we prepare these to be eaten, or do you want to take more of their bodies?"

"I don't know if you can eat a Sandhowler," Koreth laughs and waves to the slain corpses "but if it's stomachable, by all means friend, take what you like."

"Chit-Zik, these beasts were strong and forceful. I shall help you prepare the meal, according to custom. We shall have our bellied full, and absorb the strength of our foes." Pulling out his newfound dagger, and offering an unintelligible prayer in his native tongue, Tak’ slowly and methodically starts to prepare one of the large Sandhowlers, taking care to set aside several symbolically important pieces for special preparation.

After that is resolved, Chit heals Koreth, Elric, and Tak once each. He then prepares to cast aid on anyone else in dire need.

The air cleric surveys his handiwork as he approaches the fallen sandhowler. He does not look directly at it for fear of its terrible power but loosens up a bit when he sees that almost all of his face was blown off. He then assesses the party's wounds. He nears the wounded companions and raises his arms up in the air. He heals Chit, Koreth and Elric thanking the winds for their kindness.

Koreth takes a good deep breath, gently touching his side. "Thank you friend," he says to Chit "thank you very much. Ahh, perhaps we can get some dinner on the spit eh?" The noble warrior also bows to Ayrus and pledges his sword to his defense.

CAMP AT NIGHT

Koreth sits down close by Elric grimacing as he does, pulling off his pack and laying it down. Koreth takes a mouthful of water from one of his skins, "I'll take the last watch if that's okay." he says "I need the sleep...."

The day closes to an end as the group gathers around a small fire to fight off the chill of the night. Chit-Zik has prepared the hind quarter of a sandhowler over the small fire and it does indeed smell edible. Everyone around the camp is preparing the equipment and weapons for travel on the morrow. Elric is buried under a large number of scrolls, lost in study.

Tak’, practicing the mental exercises of his mind-teacher slowly works through building and deploying constructs, changing in the mindscape from a breath of wind, to a large spider; a craggy peak; a verdant rainforest; a flash flood; a forest fire; a noble Kirre. Mentally refreshed, Tak’ stands, and shakes his body, drained and sore as it is from the days battle and afternoon’s exercises.

Idly looking at the inside of his left wrist, Tak’ admired the new tattoo he had crafted not an hour ago. Distinct and squat, the stylized Sandhowler portrayed a ferocious beast, with long tusks, and multi-colored spiral eyes. It was a fine work, one which would earn him praise at home.

In the distant night sky a soft shriek can be heard. The sound grows slowly louder until a dark shape can be seen in the night sky. As the form comes closer you can make out the detail of a large bird of pray. Hovering over the group for an instant the Roc shrieks it's challenge then dive withterrifying speed directly toward Elric, whom is lost in his studies. A quick glance at Elric shows he is staring up into the night sky his face a mask of concentration. He is frozen in his seat as the Roc dives at him.

Ptellac, who is licking his lips at the thought of digging his fangs into the sandhowler, becomes visibly worried as the dark shape appears. As the beast slowly hovers the camp, he yells out to Elric, "Get away, move." When the warlock does not react to his frantic screams, the pterran starts a mad scramble across the pit, knocking the roast over into the dirt. He pushes Elric out of the way just as the giant bird dives in for the kill.

At Ptellac's words, Tak’ spins into action, his eyes scanning above trying to locate the source of danger expressed so urgently in the Pterran's words. Sighting the hurtling bird only a few moments before it would descend to earth, Tak’ picked up a burning branch from the fire, and ran towards Elric, waving it madly, and uttering a sharp, high-pitched cry. While the intention was fine, onlookers were sure to take Tak’ for a fool. The bird, many times the halflings size would not be frightened off by a small amount of fire… or would it?

MINDSCAPE:

Tak’ had been taught that the most effective way to confuse your prey is to attack from two directions at once. While this situation was not what his teachers had in mind, the lesson still applied. Summoning his Will for one desperate action, Tak’ formed a forest fire, raging out of control, crackling a searing all in it’s path. Rushing forward, the towering wall of flames approached the giant bird.

While the flames were in a sense not real, the torch being waved by the halflings’ physical body surely was. Tak’ was placing hope that the predatory avian would not want to find out the difference. The halfling master senses that something is wrong when he does not see the bird's aura in his mindscape. He suspends his attack and looks again at the giant bird.

As Ptellac slams into Elric they tumble out of the Roc's path. Elric face is lit up as he jumps to his feet, "What's going on here?! Why are you throwing me around?"

Ptellac quickly turns to survey the sky, "The Roc is gone! There was a Roc diving to attack you. You just sat there so I had to get you out of the way. That is why I am throwing you around. Though the Roc is nowhere to be seen now."

Elric begins to dance around the camp fire, " You mean you saw it, really!? What about the shriek did you hear it? Did it sound real? I didn't think I could get it loud enough so I made it shriek in the distance. But you heard it? How 'bout the others? Did you hear and see it?? I can't believe it worked!! I have been trying that for some time now, ever since the attack by the rogue elf in the mind scape he attacked me with a roc just like that one. I could picture it in my mind and focus my mage strength but it never, until now been visible to others. You really saw it right, you'r not fooling? No you wouldn't be fooling not likely now so you must have and the others too, 'cause they reacted as well. So it must have worked!"

Elric stands still looking around the camp fire "What?" Slowly Elric's expression turns somber. "Wait, I didn't mean to get everybody worked up and I am truly grateful that you would come to my defense. As I said I didn't think it would work I was just testing the image out. I guess things finally just fell into place and the image was visible."

"Blood and ashes Elric!" Koreth swears "you could at least warn the rest of us when you're playing around like that!" He shakes his head, and walks back to the fire, "Just look what you did to dinner!" he says, shaking his head sadly as he sweeps his hand above the dirt stained haunch of meat.

Tak slowly smiles at Elric's prowess. Everyone exhales a sigh of relief and tries to resume their chores. The pterran trader picks up the dirtied roast and chuckles over to Elric, "You will get a dusty dinner, warlock."

After everyone has settled about, the halfling master goes about mending bone and torn flesh in his body. Gaigin also received the halfling's healing to ease his ripped side.

Expedition Day 3 - Year of the Desert's Fury of the 190th King's Age (Free Year 11)

Rocky Badlands - Somewhere between Tyr and the Ringing Mountains

BREAKING CAMP

The cerulean rays of the sun greeted Koreth as he sat the last watch alone. The first rays of the sun streamed across the walls of the canyon in a display of color that he never grew tired of watching. In the savage desert it was one of the few beauties that was not deadly. But like all things it had an edge to it. The sun of the morning is beautiful, while the sun of midday is deadly. His thoughts returned to the camp. His companions still slumbered as the morning steadily approaches, but he would let them sleep a while longer. Stirring the coals of the fire, Koreth tosses a few extra twigs onto it. The day would be hot, no breeze stirred the morning air. Already the creatures of the night sought the shelter of their burrows, scampering away before the sun's fury was full in the sky. The wounds of the previous day still ached, as he arranged his clothing to protect him from the sun's heat. He took a sip of lukewarm water from his skin and brought a wrapped package from his pack. He unwrapped it slowly and began to eat as his companions began to rise.

The pterran trader slowly stirred, he stretched his arms and lazily scratched his bald pate. He looked towards the noble warrior and asked, "Everything alright...", his voice deeper in the early morning seemed to scratch his throat. The saurian stands up and examines his bone sword and a frown appears on his face. "This sword won't last much longer, I am afraid it cracked partially." He looks over to Chit and asks, "How 'bout you lend me your whetstone and I will sharpen my tusk. Perhaps, I can attach it to the end of a stick and wield it as a pole arm." Chit Zik hands the whetstone slowly to the pterran trader and looks curiously about as everyone stirs awake.

Rubbing sleep from his eyes, Tak’ started to run through some arcane unarmed combat moves, to ease the tiredness from his bones. Approaching the campfire and the chatting Koreth and Ptellac, Tak’ held his small hands to the fire, enjoying its warmth this morning. No doubt in the afternoon, with the hot sun, he would be remembering this cold morning with fondness.

"Ptellac, the crafting of a weapon is a complex task, performed by those trained from birth, and perfected over countless generations. The tusk you have now is the start of a long process, with ritual blessing, drying, and shaping it will be a weapon of honor. To attach it to a stick now would be to do that potential an injustice."

Taking on a much more serious tone, Tak’ continues, "The times we face are perilous, but those we walk with are honorable. Ptellac, until you find a weapon which speaks of your name, I would be honored if you carried and used my spear." Cradling the five foot long carved spear carefully, Tak’ offers the weapon to the to the Pterran, a look of sincere solemnity in the halfling’s eyes.

The pterran trader is speechless as he looks upon the fine weapon offered by the halfling. His rasping voice stutters a few words, "I...am... honored." The pterran bows much the same way that Tak showed back in the council hall. "But... I could not take so magnificent a weapon. I am not a warrior but I have pledged my life to so fine a group." Tak interrupts, "An offer of assistance from a villager to the village is one that I would make without question."

Ptellac's clawed hand reaches to his belt and his bone sword suddenly appears on his hand. " My sword is still good for a few more swings." The saurian then looks puzzled at Tak, "Why was I told that your people would kill over a few ceramic pieces and you so honorably offer your weapon to me." he grins his toothy smile at the hunter and adds, "Why, you barely know me. Would you so readily fight over a few ceramic pieces?"

Tak' spits to the side, "We know of no 'ceramic' pieces. If halflings were to make war over such petty things we would be rubbing ash into the eyes of our ancestors and their way of life. To work, live and die for mere material things is ..." Tak' struggles for the word in the common tongue, "..simple uncivilized."

Tak' stands, and walks a short way, his face a mix of emotions as her tries putting into words what he lives for and was born into. " We know of no 'fights' as you put it Ptellac. We are a peaceful people," Tak' looks at the incredulous stares of his companions as they recall the tales of halfling cannibals told from the Ringing Mountains to the Silt Sea, "We hunt for food, and we defend our communities. When the halflings battle, it is for the community at large, not for personal gain."

"You see, life as a halfling is a reward in itself, to live among your people, to be part of a vibrant culture, to contribute to your community is the most noble and honorable pursuit any can aspire to." Tak’ turn back to Ptellac, "This is much the same way I offer my spear for your use, I gain when you receive honor using it, and you gain a fine weapon, a weapon of honor, and the community gains another arm to defend itself."

Tak’ turns to the rest of the group, trying to sum up his impression of Tyr, "Compare this way of life to that of the city, where all work for the self. Really, all work for money, and you all try and extract it from one another. All compete and work against each other." The memories of the squalor of Little Kirre, and the crime in the warrens brings a haunted look to Tak's childlike face.

"There is no murder among the halflings, for murder is dishonorable, and a crime against the community as a whole. Yet the streets of Tyr run red with the blood and lifeforce of countless children, servants and slaves."

Finishing his spoken piece, Tak' returns to the campfire, and sits before it cross-legged, "So," he says with a smile, "Where does civilization lie?"

"I might not fight for ceramics," Koreth answers "but I would fight to defend the lives and honor of my...family" There is a slight hesitation as he speaks the last word, a touch of bitterness to his voice but not in his eye. He turns to the fire, staring into its depths. He lets out a barely audible sigh as he takes a swallow from one of his skins. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, and stoppers the flask. He lays his bastard sword across his lap and begins to attend to it with his whetstone.

The pterran opens his eyes wide and sits down next to his two unlikely companions. Saurian, human and halfling apparently share more than this trip in common. Ptellac accompanies Koreth´s "swissh-swassh" by sharpening his own sword with Chit's whetstone. "So not everyone will fight for ceramic pieces. I am glad to hear that our future trading partners do have honor among them."

He looks over at both his companions and states, "I am here to practice my trade and find new trading partners. Our village Triumvirate has decided to stop its isolationist policy. The Earth Mother has shown its discontent. You can all hear the continuing rumbling and the great earthquake is not the last we have heard. We must mend our ways and spread the word." He then gathers up some courage and asks them, "What were you doing in Tyr-village and why are you here?"

Koreth is slow with his answer, as if asking himself the same questions "I was in Tyr because it is the city of my birth and home to my family. I was visiting my mother...." he paused for several moments before answering the second part of the Ptellac's question, his hand ceasing it's movements "Why am I here? That is a question that even the best philosophers falter when they answer.... I am here for honor, that is the only easy explanation I can offer you."

He returns to sharpening his blade, the movements and the gentle noise they make seeming to soothe the warrior in some strange way. He smiles as the edge returns to his blade, and laughs at some unspoken jest.

Chit-Zik slowly shoulders in amongst the group as they continue talking. As little as a thri-kreen would have to say about civilization, he speaks up. "Isn't the pack like you just explained?" He looks around the party members. He starts to speak more slowly, always thinking carefully to what words convey his point.

"Although we don't live in one place, we live, we hunt, and we die together. We do not exclude anyone, we do not hurt each other, and we work for the pack, which really just helps us all." He looks back around at the faces of the party staring back at him. "Well, at least that's what I think."

Ayrus comes back from his morning rituals while Gaigin and Elric slowly join the companions as they grab some leftover sandhowler from the pit. The wind cleric addresses the party, "I may as well heal some of you now since I do not know if I can later. I rather have strong healthy companions to accompany on my journey." The air cleric heals both human warriors and the party's primary healer as well, Chit-Zik.

MIDMORNING

The companions gathered their gear and set out again deeper into the mountains. The rocky canyons were becoming narrower as the steep walls became more dangerous. The crimson sun was about halfway through its path to the zenith and the air was stifling hot. Their steps raised small cloud of dust and Tak had to be real careful not to step on the small pebbles that threatened to incrust themselves into the hunter's bare soles. The path they followed was pretty much dictated by the winding canyon that meandered through the great peaks.

Elric stopped every few minutes and drew lines on the roll of paper while he scribbled some notes on the side. Everyone kept a general western direction as the mountains grew steadily near. It starts as a barely perceptible shake, a small rumbling in the ground that gets louder and stronger with each passing second. Suddenly, the earth starts buckling like a wild crodlu trying to toss a rider off its back. Rock and stone slide apart and crunch together and loose debris falls from the peaks above you.

Everyone made a mad rush for safety as the rocks fell on the canyon and threatened to bury everyone alive. The heroes were instantly split as Chit, Gaigin and Tak who were in front merely rushed forward trying to avoid the stones from above while the others backed away towards the entrance of this rocky maze.

GROUP 1 Elric, Koreth, Ayrus, and Ptellac

The rest of the companions scrambled back led by Koreth and Elric. This last group escaped most damage but were shocked as they witnessed the two hunters and Gaigin disappear under the rubble and debris. The dust finally settled and the companions found themselves behind a 20 foot high pile of rocks and sharp stones of all shapes and sizes.

GROUP 2: Gaigin, Chit and Tak

The stones and rocks hit you hard and you are all bleeding and hurt to some extent. Chit seemed no worse for the wear since his hard chitin alleviated most of the damage. Tak had a cut on his forehead that was bleeding quite extensively. The halfling hunter had sought shelter next to the canyon wall and his "shelter" was closed off by rocks all around him. The hunter could see sunlight filter through the cracks left by the loose stones that served to show him which way was up. Gaigin was also bruised but his most pressing concern was the fact that he was buried up to his waist in the stones and loose rocks.

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

Koreth (H)

Elric (SiW)

Ayrus (H)

Ayrus is being played as an NPC until the end of this week by me so don't expect a post from him.

Chit (W)

Tak (W)

Gaigin (SiW)

Ptellac (SiW)

I would like to congratulate all of you for the great roleplaying. We will continue doing this but will keep it to non-combat turns and only one situation will be presented by a player plus my own situation. I think John was right and things did get a little confusing.

All I want from you this time are posts trying to get out of this situation. It should be a short turn but hopefully we can have the whole group together next week.

Questions, comments, and suggestions please.

L8r,

Fabian