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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spatula" data-source="post: 1632394" data-attributes="member: 2198">Session 1, Chapter 2: Good OmenShortly before dusk came to end the first day of the caravan’s travels, a ragged shout went up from one of the guards.  “<a href="http://members.cox.net/~srshupe/DarkSun/StoryHour/silk_wyrm.jpg" target="_blank">Silk wyrm</a> to the north!”  Everyone turned to look in the direction pointed out by the one who called out, and sure enough, a silvery ribbon could be seen flying through the air, several hundred feet away.  It seemed to be heading towards the wagons in a lazy, aimless fashion.  The assembled guards stopped to gawk at the sight, some turning to Laalresh for leadership.The caravan master stood up from his seat at the front of one of the wagons and gazed at the distant snake-like monster with a scowl.  “Hmmm, so it is.  And it’s coming this way, I think.  How unfortunate.  What do you suggest, Gravik?”The dwarf had already unslung his heavy crossbow and was busy cranking it.  “Get out our bows and crossbows and shoot it until it dies!  Damn beasties, killed my parents they did…”The thri-kreen jogged over to Laalresh and spoke in its dry, raspy voice.  “Many pardon, hoz, but I am familiar with creature like this.  Difficult to fight without losing one or many tekmma’ak.  Suggest we keep low and do not move, in hope that creature does not see tek.”*“Hmmm, that sounds like a good idea, I suppose.  Stay your hand, Gravik.  Everyone else, get down and stay still.  Perhaps it won’t bother us.”  Laalresh followed his own advice by climbing into the wagon bed and hiding himself under the safety of its covering.With some grumbling (the vast majority of it coming from the dwarf), the caravan guards and handlers did as they were ordered.  The wyrm continued its slow flight towards the party.  By the time it had closed half of the distance, its form could be seen much more clearly.  Its body was roughly 40 feet long, covered in lumpy-looking chitin and capped by a wedge-shaped head that featured an extremely wide mouth.“First it ate my family, now it’s back to finish the job!” groaned the dwarf.  “We need attack before it’s on us!”Still almost 200 feet away, the silk wyrm swiveled to look at something below it.  Like a striking snake, its head reared back for an instant.  It then dived down and out of sight, apparently attacking some unseen creature on the ground.  The group remained where they were, anxiously watching the last visible spot the wyrm occupied.  In short order the monster resurfaced, carrying a giant lizard in its massive jaws, and started moving away from the caravan.  With sighs of relief, the guards stood up, dusted themselves off, and after Laalresh emerged from his hiding spot they resumed their journey.When camp had been made that night, the men and women of the caravan sat around their campfires, gambled with their yet-to-earned wages, and spoke of the silk wyrm.  “To see a wyrm on the first day, have it approach, but not attack?  That’s a sign.  It’s a good omen, it is,” said one of the men.  “I’m thinking this trip is going to be the easiest money I’ve ever earned.”But unbeknownst to the guards, a hunched over humanoid figure looked on the camp from far beyond the light of its fires.  After a time, it turned around and ran off into the night.* hoz = leader; tek = pack; tekmma’ak = packmate.</blockquote>

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