[IC] Evilhalfling's Dark Sun

[Evilhalfling]

Endings, exhaustion, and dust.

Cal reaches the body of the fallen wizard. You eye his pouches greedily – he is likely carrying spell components and if you are lucky a spellbook of some kind.

Chtckh Chtckh reaches an elven archer and tears into him. Seeing his great speed the elf stays to fight dropping his bow and draws a rod made of 4 identical bones lashed together- striking the thri-kreen with great fineness.“We can finish this dance here, or you can turn back and we shadows will be gone”

The archer Blaze is eyeing continues to run.
Plool finds water, 10 ceramic coins and an obsidian dagger amongst the dead.

The mage flicks a hand in annoyance and Dukkoti’s arrow falls out of the air. One of the caravan archers turns to shoot the elven defiler as well, standing next to Dukkoti. His arrow suffers a similar fate.

Of the six elite guards that went after the Matriarch four turn and charge back at the defiler, weapons raised to attack their clan member. Two of the guards begin wrestling, One trying to prevent the other from joining his fellows. The defiler shouts orders at them, but they reply "Sorry Ma'am we have to kill you". The heavily cloaked elf casts quickly and vanishes.
One of the elite elven guard yells ”She may have gone to the camp! lets go get her” and they race off into the desert, weapons still drawn.

The Matriarch moves towards the archers fleeing in a group. And raises one hand to her temple. There is a buzzing sound in your heads and half a dozen archers collapse. whatever psionic power she is using clearly does not have the range of fireball. In the next moment, the crodulu calvary smashes into the remaining archers.

The adrenaline fades, and you are again conscious of the sun beating down on you, your own exhaustion, and the growing buzzing of flies.

The rest of the battle becomes mopping up. Elves flee into the desert, the caravan hurriedly reassembles. As the cloud of dust begins to close in on the caravan from behind, too late to effect the outcome. A member of the calvary is sent to scout who approaches.

The Matriarch and the other trader begin organizing the guards to pack up the weapons wagon with items salvaged from the first wagon.

The Mul Captain shouts “Listen up Maggots and Ex-Maggots. All of you slaves who fought assemble here!”

Varsk finds bone and wood thieves picks on the body, and 6 ceramic coins, along with the obsidian knife.

Call finds a pair of scrolls, and spell components on the lesser elf wizard, but lacks the time to peruse the delicate papyrus. The scrolls probably designed for memorizing from (ie spellbook), rather than casting.

GM: We are moving out of rounds at this point, if Fritz wants to keep fighting the elf, each will get another attack, before others arrive from the caravan to finish him off. (if necessary) Shields can be scavenged, armor will take more time but there is lots of leather. Everyone make a Con saves vs heat/exhaustion: DC 8 or disadvantage on all ability checks (stage 1). Blaze is immune. Character sheets should be updated with whatever you recovered. And damage, as you don't have a short rest yet. [RG] Evilhalfling's Dark Sun Please post your characters here: www.enworld.org quabone vs Chtckh : 1D20+4 = [11]+4 = 15 Chtckh Chtckh takes 6 damage. (a Quabone is a martial weapon, 1d8 bludgeon, with finesse.)

 

[tglassy]

Cal scrounges everything he can, hiding them in his cloak, before going to line up like he was told. He was excited! New spells! It might take some time to decipher them, but any new Spell was a step to more power!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Chtckh'Chtckh made a clicking noise and clearly indicated to the elf that he only wanted the longbow and would be happy to let the elf join his group if he would only leave the bow and his quiver.

When he returned to the assembly point, he tried to tuck the pendant out of sight, though he expected that he would be asked to return it.

OOC: Con Save: 1D20+5 = [14]+5 = 19

 

[Leatherhead]

The battle seems over, as does any immediate possibility of fleeing.

Plool takes his scavenged collection looks it over. Water is always invaluable, coins not so much. The dagger however, offers the halfing some pause. He stops over Graakk's still body and slices off one of dwarf's ears. "Listening was always your best feature” he reminisces, before shoving the bloody ear in his mouth and walking to the muster.

OOC: CON save VS DC8: 1D20+2 = [10]+2 = 12

 

[JustinCase]

Blaze runs a few more feet before realizing he'll never catch up to the swift elf, and he slows down to a trod and then stops, hands in his side. The rush of battle subsides as the genasi looks around to see that the fight is all but over.

For a moment, the slave considers moving onwards, to freedom. Will he make a chance, out in the hostile desert sands?

In his mind's eye, Blaze sees himself walking on, unbothered by the scorching heat but alone, without food or water, and many many dangers ahead...

He sighs, and turns back towards the caravan. He holds on to his club, and gives any guard who dares challenge him on that an angry glare. He also nods at the Mul.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Varsk pockets the items and slips out from beneath the wagon. He looks around prepared to slipoff during the chaos but notices the battle is wrapping up and the Mul captain is calling them to form up. He sighs and moves to join the others. As he passes a fallen raider who he estimates is about his size Varsk pauses. He crouches down and strips the dead mans armor off. He throws it over his shoulder and continues to walk towards the line of former slaves.

OOC: Con save: 1d20+2 18. Also when you say I get an obsidian dagger is that in addition to the one I got from the cart at the beginning of the fight?

 

[Salthorae]

Dukkoti returned to the two bodies of the elven archers, where he'd originally gotten his bow and collected all their water, coins, and quivers. He started to work to strip the armor off of one when the Mul called out for them to assemble. With a sigh and the heat of the sun beating down, he sighed and made for where the Mul pointed while taking a drink of water.

OOC: 1d20+2 = [8]+2 = 10 exhaustion save. Whew barely made that!

 

[tglassy]

Cal Con Save: 1D20+2 = [5]+2 = 7


Meh

 

[Evilhalfling]

Aftermath:

The Mul captain speaks: "You are all promoted to guards, as promised, but you are still indentured to the house. If any of you leave you will be reported as escaped slaves. Otherwise you will get food and board equal to that provided to the infantry of House Klethira."

He points at the PCs – “You all did well! you are now alpha squad.” Pointing at the other surviving armed slaves “you maggots tried. Your Beta squad, and need additional training.” He gestures at those who were cowering – you didn’t fight you stay slaves. Any Questions?”

….

All the looting after the battle is under supervison. Bows and weapons gathered from corpses after the battle are dumped in the weapons wagon.

You have time to put on the leather armor that was collected. Chtckh Chtckh ends up with the last elf’s bow and quiver. Dukkoti come up with 7 coins, and Varsh with the second obsidian dagger.

The younger master trader and two guards approach Chtckh – “Give me the pendant you recovered. “

GM: more events to follow, probably within 24hrs.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Chtckh had been a slave long enough to know not to try anything stupid here. He handed the pendant over with a flourish, as if he had just been holding it to keep it safe.

 

[JustinCase]

Blaze grins. Alpha squad, that sounds about right for an experienced warrior such as himself!

The fire genasi helps gathering the stuff from the fallen, and declines the use of armor himself. He keeps his club close; he's a guard now, after all. The flames that previously covered his body are now gone, except from those on his head forming a sort of living hair.

Trying not to draw too much attention, Blaze moves about in such a way that there are plenty of opportunities to talk with Dukkoti and the other Alpha squad members without any of the old guards overhearing.

"Do you think we can take over when the time comes?" he asks them while dumping another load of loot on the wagon.

 

[Salthorae]

Dukkoti quickly put on the armor of the elf he'd killed and secured the man's desert clothing as well to keep the sun off himself. He tied up the quivers and unstrung the bow, readied to move quickly at need.

Though he just supervised those who were still slaves as they dumped equipment into the weapons wagon. No need to continue to exert himself.

When he was approached by Blaze he shrugged. "Take over what? Better to win favor and then get free to roam the sands at will than to be shackled to a city and a house, even as guards."

 

[Evilhalfling]

The caravan guards do not really see your squad as equals, whatever the Mul says, and you are all put to work anyway (as are most of them)

Shortly after the caravan is moving again …
the scout returns “Merchant House Stel approaches, in force!” he yells.
House Stel is the largest and most militant merchant house in Urik, you have all heard of it.
They are more like a private army of violent thugs that sells goods. Their leaders have enough pull to hire elven mercenaries to soften and delay a big target. - Or they were both hired by a third party-
It appears the elves were only half the problem.

Shortly new orders come down from the traders in the War Wagon: A mile passed the brackish river, the caravan turns off the road to the south, making for a line of hills a few miles away.

The matriarch emerges on a shooting gallery clutching a familiar piece of shiny jewelry.
Behind the wagon a dust devil forms, and then expands – A large creature of Elemental Air pulls itself together from Wind and Sand. The elemental spins up a tornado and passes back and forth covering the tracks of the caravan. The matriarch watching it carefully.

A single elf prisoner is dumped in the middle of the road, he stands staring blankly at nothing.

The near-score of cavalry continue riding up the road, making short dashes back and forth and raising a lot of dust. Clearly laying a false trail on the road.

GM: narrate your contribution to the escape/misdirection Helping either of the Wagons get unstuck, blasting or moving heavy objects out of the way, encouraging others to do the work, convincing the Mellikots to move a little faster, making intelligent suggestions or helping to disguise the Wagons… Without some help, House Stel scouts will see through the deception. No rolling is necessary for this scene

 

[tglassy]

Cal briefly thought about using his Illusion magic to disguise a wagon...but he didn't want to reveal that about himself. Not yet. Not before he knew he wouldn't get lynched.

However, he had other ways he could contribute. Being a stable boy, he goes to the Mellikots and leads them, coaxing them to move quicker.

 

[Leatherhead]

Plool nods his head in agreement with Dukkoti. "I have no intention of staying here forever, there are still places I need to see and people I need to find." He pauses after hearing the scout return. " But right now the alpha squad is a better place than being captured by House Stel."

Plool doesn't have the raw muscle of others, but he is handy with tools. With a few adjustments he alters the rollers of the wagons. Partly to give them better traction after their battle-damage, but also reworking their groove to throw off any trackers who might be following the caravan that way.

 

[JustinCase]

"Might be a better position with them," Blaze remarks bluntly, apparently viewing a guard position at House Stel as a reasonable prospect. However, fighting against them probably diminishes his chances...

The genasi looks around with hesitation. He's a good warrior, but that is pretty much all he has done in his life. So what should he do?

Watching Cal move up to the Mellikots, Blaze decides he can help out with moving the caravan.

OOC: Proficiency with Vehicles (land) comes in handy after all.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Chtckh'Chtckh ran ahead of the War Wagon, checking the path forward for obstacles that might impede its progress. While he was at it, he tested the limits of his new freedom by occasionally increasing the distance between himself and the other guards, and testing the amount of time he could be out of sight before someone noticed and called him back. He always returned, and he kept up the appearance of obedience.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Chtckh Chtckh is called back the first time but the second time he goes out of view there is only a caution to stay closer when he returns. He gets the feeling If he disappeared out into the wastes the merchants, lacking cavalry, would just write him off. But then he would be packless and solos rarely survive long.

The Mellikots protest about pulling the heavy wagons off-road, but with your help, the wagons get behind a hill before the scouts of House Stel get close. The oldest slave Sysra walks well behind the wagon, accompanied by a guard, he spends a lot of time staring at the top of the wagon, which changes appearance – sometimes a cloud, part of a hill or some scrubby bushes.

Crossing the wastes to Raam is long and exhausting. The whole next day is spent forcing the wagons across sand scrubland and bare rock. The local Wildlife gives you lots of room. There is no sign of other people until you get close to the city. Nearer the city the caravan struggles back onto a road, having to stop several times and pay bribes to small armed groups from nearby compounds

Finally, the caravan moves into a walled caravansary on the outskirts of the city. The city appears to be a massive collection of 2-3 story mud-covered brick buildings. Most of the roads curve in circles around the center. The streets that go straight in do not appear to go very far before ending at junctions. There are few templars in evidence, but you can tell the wealthier citizens wear silk or clothes that mimic silk, while guards, laborers and slaves wear very simple garb.

That night you are given spare uniforms, although Plool's is a different style, but similar in color. The Mul captain gives a short combat drill - drilling Alpha and Beta squads separately.
Work together you brainless belogoi! You’re a team now, stop running in different directions like headless Erdu! Your survival may depend on the group!


Afterward You have more time around a table to eat (simple fare) and talk among yourselves
After a night in the barracks, it really feels like you have left slavery behind ... A new chapter begins.

GM: Advance your PC to level 3 take average hp + long rest. It is hard to find enough alone time to learn the scrolls but you can make out that the spells include sleep, magic missile, shield, invisibility and web.

 

[Leatherhead]

"What is this style of cloth is supposed to mean?" Plool wondered out loud after being handed his uniform.

Plool spent most of his free time fetching arrows. Speed was great for fighting in his jungle-home, however the recent battles had convinced him that range was his primary weakness in these wide open sands. Fortunately, the house caravan had picked up a few extra bows from the fallen elf raiders, so they were not in short supply.

Finding a proper axe was a bit more difficult. Most of the guards were a bit leery of Plool after his post-fight display, and especially so the one who had an axe. He had to be convinced Plool wasn't going to turn around and butcher him like an aprig with it. “Don't worry, I only eat quality meats.” Plool snidely contended before he left with the weapon.

At dinner that night, between stuffing his craw with food, Plool asked the other members of the Alpha Squad “So, you lot are a bit tight-lipped, what's your stories?”

 

[tglassy]

Cal sat at dinner, his hands blistered. He was used to hard work, but not with a spear. It worked different parts of the hand.

He was a little worried that he wouldn't be able to cast his spells. He looked around to Alpha Squad, sizing them up. Could he trust these people? If he didn't trust someone, he was likely to get himself killed. But the last person who knew...

"I grew up in a rich house," he said hunkering down. "My dad did something bad when I was a kid and I got sold. Mom, too. Dad didn't make it. Mom died a few years later. I've been working with the animals ever since."

He held up a hand, and a small flame sprouted from one hand, glowing a soft blue. "And I may have picked up a few things along the way..."

(Minor Illusion to make flames appear, complete with crackling sounds, thanks to Improved Minor Illusion. He makes sure only Alpha actually sees it.)