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<blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 2332019" data-attributes="member: 5203"><p><strong>Wolves in the Desert</strong></p><p></p><p>After their harrowing night at sea, the rest of the voyage was relatively uneventful. The damage to the ship was reparable, and after making some emergency patches and giving the navigator a day to get their bearings, the <em>Maiden, Mother and Crone</em> was soon back on course. For the next three weeks the party went about their normal business on board. Lanara was somewhat upset when she was told that they would be reaching their destination on the day after Skyfest, but was assuaged somewhat when the captain told her that they would try and make some sort of observance on board (sailors, for the most part, being more than happy not only to honor the wind, but to have an excuse to drink and dance). Osborn was also somewhat dejected at being away from family for another festival, but cheered up when Kyle presented him with a unique item that he and Kavan had crafted for him; a small pig carved of pink quartz, that would produce a pound of bacon when its belly was rubbed.</p><p></p><p> Kyle, in fact, had been spending more time than usual around Kavan. The two of them were seen quietly talking on deck frequently. Two weeks after their strange dream-encounter with the Carnival King, Arrie and Lanara were walking out of the hold toward the stairs as Kyle was walking by. Lanara put out a hand to stop him just as he was going past.</p><p></p><p> “Hold it there, big guy.” Lanara’s fingers snaked underneath the neck of his tunic, and she pulled out a simple silver chain adorned with a small icon of a raven in flight. “You should know better than to think you can walk by two women without talking about your new jewelry.” Lanara looked at the small symbol before letting it fall back to his chest. “Didn’t that used to be a deer?*”</p><p></p><p> “It was,” Kyle said, tucking the tiny religious symbol away. “But Kavan gave me this one to replace it. I’ve decided that Erito’s probably… more appropriate for me as a patron.” He nodded his farewell to the two women as he went on his way.</p><p></p><p> “Good eye,” said Arrie, as they kept going up the stairs.</p><p></p><p> “Actually, I noticed it a couple of days ago, and haven’t had a chance to ask about it. I’m guessing Kavan gave it to him on his birthday.”</p><p></p><p> Arrie stopped Lanara mid-climb. “Kyle had a birthday?”</p><p></p><p> “Yeah, on the twenty-sixth. Didn’t you know?”</p><p></p><p> “No idea,” Arrie admitted. “Autumn’s usually better at remembering things like that than I am. She never mentioned it.”</p><p></p><p> The <em>Maiden, Mother and Crone</em> slid into port at the Kruga River on the fourth of Ophos. The party unloaded their gear (and their two horses, who looked at once thrilled to be back on dry land and annoyed that they’d had to step onto the boat in the first place) onto flat-bottomed riverboats that were poled into the harbor. As the party waved their goodbyes to Captain Mohan and his crew, they turned and began preparing themselves for the Haran Desert.</p><p></p><p> It took most of the day to pole their way to the trading city attached to the harbor. As the party was separated onto several boats, they were unable to discuss their plan of action until that evening when they arrived. The nameless settlement was little more than a collection of tents. The party located the area where visitors could set up their own tents, and did some asking around as to the location of markets, horse traders, and other important resources before settling down for the night.</p><p></p><p> It was Kavan who first brought the subject up as the group sat around the campfire, warding off the chill of the desert night. “So, what are we doing now that we’re here, Tolly?”</p><p></p><p> “It is not entirely clear to me,” Tolly admitted. “When Archprelate Jerome commanded me to come to the desert to seek diamonds to replace the ones he used to return me to the world of the living, he did not provide further details. I have just spent some time in communion with Ardara – as you know, Kavan, the gods do not see fit to reveal too much of the future to their faithful. In addition, it is difficult for me to attain the proper connection to Ardara while on the deck of a ship, so my attempts at divination had to wait until we were on dry land.”</p><p></p><p> “So, what did Our Lady of the Granite Bosom have to tell you?” asked Lanara.</p><p></p><p> “Her message to me was not clear,” Tolly replied, ignoring the sacrilege. “But that is the way of such things. It is not given to mortals to know the minds of the gods. However, the message I received was ‘The alpha wolf in the desert will lead you to triumph’.”</p><p></p><p> Osborn sighed. “Remember the good old days, when the gods would just tell you what you needed to do?”</p><p></p><p> “So, it sounds like we have some questions to ask,” said Arrie. “We need to see if we can identify this ‘alpha wolf’. That sounds like something Lanara can do.”</p><p></p><p> “We’ll also need supplies,” added Autumn. “Most of us need new horses, and we need desert clothing to protect us from the heat.”</p><p></p><p> “Actually, the heat doesn’t bother me,” said Lanara. “It’s the cold at night that’ll be a problem.”</p><p></p><p> “I have enough raw material left over to make one more wand,” Kyle offered. “I could throw together an <em>endure elements </em> wand in a day, for emergencies.”</p><p></p><p> “Something to help us navigate if we’re in the deep desert would help, too,” said Arrie.</p><p></p><p> They spent another hour working out details, then turned in. The next day they separated in order to get everything done. Lanara and Tolly went off to investigate the ‘alpha wolf’, Osborn and Xu went to buy clothing, Autumn went to get horses and maps, and Arrie took care of food and other supplies. Kyle remained at the tents working on his wand, with Kavan keeping him company and watching over their belongings.</p><p></p><p>That evening they all came back with their wares. They had managed to find a few enchanted items to ward off the heat, and between those and their own resources figured they were well-equipped to handle the desert. Autumn, however, had come back empty-handed.</p><p></p><p> “I don’t understand it,” she said. “It’s as if people were going out of their way not to help me. Why would that be, Tolly?”</p><p></p><p> “Well, in this region your heritage may be working against you,” Tolly observed. “What the rest of us find pleasing about you, the locals may not care for.”</p><p></p><p> “What do you mean?” Autumn asked.</p><p></p><p> “You’re an aasimar, Autumn,” Arrie said. “Haven’t you noticed there are a lot of tieflings around here? Not to mention the fire-touched, and of course the orcs? You’re not exactly popular among these folk.”</p><p></p><p> “We can go out tomorrow for horses,” said Tolly. “The orcs are well known as horse traders, so that should present no problem.”</p><p></p><p> “Hey, Autumn,” said Kyle, “I’ll go with you tomorrow if you want.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn glanced over at him “No, that’s okay, Kyle. I think someone else should go get horses.”</p><p></p><p> “We did get a lead on this ‘alpha wolf’, said Lanara, changing the subject. “There isn’t anyone known by that name specifically, or a variation of it, but there’s news of two orc brothers that control rival tribes. Apparently the leader of one of the tribes, Keth, is unusual because he actually attempts to use discipline and structure – leads with an iron fist, is what they said specifically. One of the orcs I spoke to even described them as a ‘wolf pack’.”</p><p></p><p> “When we heard these descriptions of this orc’s leadership style, it reminded us that the totem animal of Estranë is the wolf,” added Tolly. “This Keth could be a follower, or even a member of Estranë’s clergy.”</p><p></p><p> “So we get to look forward to Tolly’s diplomatic skills with the Estranëans,” Lanara said.</p><p></p><p> “Sounds as good a lead as any,” said Osborn. “Where is this orc?”</p><p></p><p> “His tribe’s territory is not far,” said Lanara. “Two days following the river, then three days south.”</p><p></p><p> Arrie piped up. “Okay, then, let’s get our horses tomorrow and we can head out the next morning.”</p><p></p><p> The party followed Arrie’s plan to the letter the next day. With five new horses (as Arrie and Autumn had brought their own, and Osborn still had Rupert), the party set out along the southern bank of the Kruga River. Having been given advice on desert travel by the residents of the tent city, they stopped in the afternoon and rested, avoiding the worst heat of the day. Knowing that none of them had training in survival or navigation, they had managed to find a wand that would allow Lanara to keep their bearings. Autumn packed away her heavy armor for the journey, but Tolly insisted on keeping his on, using his clerical magic to keep the worst of the heat at bay. Lanara had tried to buy a map of local oases and watering holes, but she was told by an orcish trader that these oases were considered property of the tribes, and their locations not only closely guarded secrets, but also the site of frequent territorial battles.</p><p></p><p> As expected, their journey over the next five days was uneventful, as there was little sign of life in the desert other than the party themselves. Once they left the riverbank, the party’s lack of training in survival began to show as disagreements over the proper course of travel surfaced. Fortunately, Lanara’s wand kept them on track. The other problem they noticed was that as soon as they entered the deep desert, the clerical magic they were relying on to provide water diminished in power, providing mere pints instead of gallons. Thus both Kavan and Tolly had to dedicate far more of their power that expected to making enough water to survive.</p><p></p><p> On the morning of the sixth day, the party spotted a lone rider on the crest of a distant dune. The spear-wielding rider quickly turned and vanished over the horizon.</p><p></p><p> “I think we can expect company soon,” Osborn said.</p><p></p><p> The party prepared themselves to meet the tribe. Autumn strapped on her armor, and they moved to a defensive position at the top of a dune.</p><p></p><p> “Remember what I told you about dealing with orcs,” said Osborn. “Show enough strength that they know we can defend ourselves, but don’t make them think we’re here to take territory.”</p><p></p><p> A half-hour passed before they heard the low rumble that signaled the approach of riders. Soon they saw the telltale dust cloud, and a moment later about twenty orcish riders came over the horizon from the direction the sentry had come, the sunlight glinting off the tips of their spears.</p><p></p><p> “Um, guys?” Lanara said, looking nervous. “Do we have any tactical options?”</p><p></p><p> “We’ll be fine, Lanara,” said Arrie.</p><p></p><p> “Autumn, perhaps you should lower your visor,” advised Tolly.</p><p></p><p> “Why?”</p><p></p><p> “So the orcs can’t see your face. They might not react well to seeing an aasimar.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn reluctantly lowered her visor as the riders approached at an easy, but determined pace, and quickly encircled the party, lowering their spears to point at them while still maintaining a cautious distance. Those unable to position themselves in the front row had put away their spears and strung short bows, laying them across their laps in the saddle.</p><p></p><p> One of them spurred his horse a few paces forward. “Who are you, and why do you come to the lands of Clan Hulg?” he demanded in the human tongue.</p><p></p><p> Arrie stepped forward. “We come here searching for something,” she said. “We are adventurers from the east. We have not named our group, so I have no one name to give you.”</p><p></p><p> “I will name you trespasser unless you speak quickly,” the orc snarled. “Why are you here?”</p><p></p><p> “Can you help us find the alpha wolf?” Lanara asked.</p><p></p><p> “Why do you seek him?”</p><p></p><p> “It’s part of our quest.”</p><p></p><p> “Who has given you this quest?”</p><p></p><p> “The gods,” Tolly said, interrupting the conversation.</p><p></p><p> “Which one? There are many.”</p><p></p><p> “Ardara,” Tolly replied.</p><p></p><p> After a momentary pause, the orcs raised their spears. “Keth has told us that Ardara is to be respected, if not worshipped, within his lands,” the lead orc stated. “However, we demand a test of strength from all potential guests. Will one of you meet us in unhorsed combat?”</p><p></p><p> The party looked at each other before Xu stepped forward. “Unarmed?”</p><p></p><p> “If you wish,” the orc said, a sardonic smile on his lips. “Our tribesman will choose to keep his weapons.”</p><p></p><p> “I accept,” she said.</p><p></p><p> A few of the horses broke away, galloping down the side of the dune. Once they reached the base where it leveled out, they began to circle, marking out a rough circle in the sand with their hooves. As Xu descended the slope, one of the riders dismounted and stood in the center of the circle, having traded his long horseman’s spear for a scimitar. The party and the rest of the tribesmen watched from the top of the dune.</p><p></p><p> “What are the terms?” Arrie asked.</p><p></p><p> “Until surrender,” the orc spokesman said. “If your woman and our tribesman are stubborn, then it is to the death.”</p><p></p><p> “Could it be to first blood?” Lanara asked.</p><p></p><p> “No,” the orc said flatly. “This is a contest of strength, not a game to determine a winner or loser and award them some shiny trinket.”</p><p></p><p> It was a long battle under the oppressive glare of Karakor between Xu and the chosen orc warrior. The monk was able to land a few good blows, but the orc proved a fierce opponent, and Xu was unaccustomed to fighting in the sand. Finally, she had to raise her arms in surrender before her opponent felled her.</p><p></p><p> The party looked at each other uncertainly. Did this mean they would be chased off Clan Krug’s lands? Would they be seen as weak and attacked?</p><p></p><p> The orc facing Xu looked at her sternly. “You fight well for one with no weapons,” he said at last. “It is a style I have not frequently seen here in the desert.” He looked up the dune’s face, and waved a hand-signal at his leader, the orc who had spoken to them throughout their encounter.</p><p></p><p> The leader nodded, and turned to address Arrie. “You are welcome within our lands,” he said. “Come, we shall ride to our camp.”</p><p></p><p> The party mounted up as the orcs began to fan out and ride off, following the line of the dunes. Each of them held the same unspoken question in their minds; what lay in store for them in the lair of the desert wolf?</p><p></p><p></p><p>----------------------------</p><p></p><p>* The deer is the totem animal of Bles, goddess of agriculture and fertility.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Delemental, post: 2332019, member: 5203"] [b]Wolves in the Desert[/b] After their harrowing night at sea, the rest of the voyage was relatively uneventful. The damage to the ship was reparable, and after making some emergency patches and giving the navigator a day to get their bearings, the [I]Maiden, Mother and Crone[/I] was soon back on course. For the next three weeks the party went about their normal business on board. Lanara was somewhat upset when she was told that they would be reaching their destination on the day after Skyfest, but was assuaged somewhat when the captain told her that they would try and make some sort of observance on board (sailors, for the most part, being more than happy not only to honor the wind, but to have an excuse to drink and dance). Osborn was also somewhat dejected at being away from family for another festival, but cheered up when Kyle presented him with a unique item that he and Kavan had crafted for him; a small pig carved of pink quartz, that would produce a pound of bacon when its belly was rubbed. Kyle, in fact, had been spending more time than usual around Kavan. The two of them were seen quietly talking on deck frequently. Two weeks after their strange dream-encounter with the Carnival King, Arrie and Lanara were walking out of the hold toward the stairs as Kyle was walking by. Lanara put out a hand to stop him just as he was going past. “Hold it there, big guy.” Lanara’s fingers snaked underneath the neck of his tunic, and she pulled out a simple silver chain adorned with a small icon of a raven in flight. “You should know better than to think you can walk by two women without talking about your new jewelry.” Lanara looked at the small symbol before letting it fall back to his chest. “Didn’t that used to be a deer?*” “It was,” Kyle said, tucking the tiny religious symbol away. “But Kavan gave me this one to replace it. I’ve decided that Erito’s probably… more appropriate for me as a patron.” He nodded his farewell to the two women as he went on his way. “Good eye,” said Arrie, as they kept going up the stairs. “Actually, I noticed it a couple of days ago, and haven’t had a chance to ask about it. I’m guessing Kavan gave it to him on his birthday.” Arrie stopped Lanara mid-climb. “Kyle had a birthday?” “Yeah, on the twenty-sixth. Didn’t you know?” “No idea,” Arrie admitted. “Autumn’s usually better at remembering things like that than I am. She never mentioned it.” The [I]Maiden, Mother and Crone[/I] slid into port at the Kruga River on the fourth of Ophos. The party unloaded their gear (and their two horses, who looked at once thrilled to be back on dry land and annoyed that they’d had to step onto the boat in the first place) onto flat-bottomed riverboats that were poled into the harbor. As the party waved their goodbyes to Captain Mohan and his crew, they turned and began preparing themselves for the Haran Desert. It took most of the day to pole their way to the trading city attached to the harbor. As the party was separated onto several boats, they were unable to discuss their plan of action until that evening when they arrived. The nameless settlement was little more than a collection of tents. The party located the area where visitors could set up their own tents, and did some asking around as to the location of markets, horse traders, and other important resources before settling down for the night. It was Kavan who first brought the subject up as the group sat around the campfire, warding off the chill of the desert night. “So, what are we doing now that we’re here, Tolly?” “It is not entirely clear to me,” Tolly admitted. “When Archprelate Jerome commanded me to come to the desert to seek diamonds to replace the ones he used to return me to the world of the living, he did not provide further details. I have just spent some time in communion with Ardara – as you know, Kavan, the gods do not see fit to reveal too much of the future to their faithful. In addition, it is difficult for me to attain the proper connection to Ardara while on the deck of a ship, so my attempts at divination had to wait until we were on dry land.” “So, what did Our Lady of the Granite Bosom have to tell you?” asked Lanara. “Her message to me was not clear,” Tolly replied, ignoring the sacrilege. “But that is the way of such things. It is not given to mortals to know the minds of the gods. However, the message I received was ‘The alpha wolf in the desert will lead you to triumph’.” Osborn sighed. “Remember the good old days, when the gods would just tell you what you needed to do?” “So, it sounds like we have some questions to ask,” said Arrie. “We need to see if we can identify this ‘alpha wolf’. That sounds like something Lanara can do.” “We’ll also need supplies,” added Autumn. “Most of us need new horses, and we need desert clothing to protect us from the heat.” “Actually, the heat doesn’t bother me,” said Lanara. “It’s the cold at night that’ll be a problem.” “I have enough raw material left over to make one more wand,” Kyle offered. “I could throw together an [I]endure elements [/I] wand in a day, for emergencies.” “Something to help us navigate if we’re in the deep desert would help, too,” said Arrie. They spent another hour working out details, then turned in. The next day they separated in order to get everything done. Lanara and Tolly went off to investigate the ‘alpha wolf’, Osborn and Xu went to buy clothing, Autumn went to get horses and maps, and Arrie took care of food and other supplies. Kyle remained at the tents working on his wand, with Kavan keeping him company and watching over their belongings. That evening they all came back with their wares. They had managed to find a few enchanted items to ward off the heat, and between those and their own resources figured they were well-equipped to handle the desert. Autumn, however, had come back empty-handed. “I don’t understand it,” she said. “It’s as if people were going out of their way not to help me. Why would that be, Tolly?” “Well, in this region your heritage may be working against you,” Tolly observed. “What the rest of us find pleasing about you, the locals may not care for.” “What do you mean?” Autumn asked. “You’re an aasimar, Autumn,” Arrie said. “Haven’t you noticed there are a lot of tieflings around here? Not to mention the fire-touched, and of course the orcs? You’re not exactly popular among these folk.” “We can go out tomorrow for horses,” said Tolly. “The orcs are well known as horse traders, so that should present no problem.” “Hey, Autumn,” said Kyle, “I’ll go with you tomorrow if you want.” Autumn glanced over at him “No, that’s okay, Kyle. I think someone else should go get horses.” “We did get a lead on this ‘alpha wolf’, said Lanara, changing the subject. “There isn’t anyone known by that name specifically, or a variation of it, but there’s news of two orc brothers that control rival tribes. Apparently the leader of one of the tribes, Keth, is unusual because he actually attempts to use discipline and structure – leads with an iron fist, is what they said specifically. One of the orcs I spoke to even described them as a ‘wolf pack’.” “When we heard these descriptions of this orc’s leadership style, it reminded us that the totem animal of Estranë is the wolf,” added Tolly. “This Keth could be a follower, or even a member of Estranë’s clergy.” “So we get to look forward to Tolly’s diplomatic skills with the Estranëans,” Lanara said. “Sounds as good a lead as any,” said Osborn. “Where is this orc?” “His tribe’s territory is not far,” said Lanara. “Two days following the river, then three days south.” Arrie piped up. “Okay, then, let’s get our horses tomorrow and we can head out the next morning.” The party followed Arrie’s plan to the letter the next day. With five new horses (as Arrie and Autumn had brought their own, and Osborn still had Rupert), the party set out along the southern bank of the Kruga River. Having been given advice on desert travel by the residents of the tent city, they stopped in the afternoon and rested, avoiding the worst heat of the day. Knowing that none of them had training in survival or navigation, they had managed to find a wand that would allow Lanara to keep their bearings. Autumn packed away her heavy armor for the journey, but Tolly insisted on keeping his on, using his clerical magic to keep the worst of the heat at bay. Lanara had tried to buy a map of local oases and watering holes, but she was told by an orcish trader that these oases were considered property of the tribes, and their locations not only closely guarded secrets, but also the site of frequent territorial battles. As expected, their journey over the next five days was uneventful, as there was little sign of life in the desert other than the party themselves. Once they left the riverbank, the party’s lack of training in survival began to show as disagreements over the proper course of travel surfaced. Fortunately, Lanara’s wand kept them on track. The other problem they noticed was that as soon as they entered the deep desert, the clerical magic they were relying on to provide water diminished in power, providing mere pints instead of gallons. Thus both Kavan and Tolly had to dedicate far more of their power that expected to making enough water to survive. On the morning of the sixth day, the party spotted a lone rider on the crest of a distant dune. The spear-wielding rider quickly turned and vanished over the horizon. “I think we can expect company soon,” Osborn said. The party prepared themselves to meet the tribe. Autumn strapped on her armor, and they moved to a defensive position at the top of a dune. “Remember what I told you about dealing with orcs,” said Osborn. “Show enough strength that they know we can defend ourselves, but don’t make them think we’re here to take territory.” A half-hour passed before they heard the low rumble that signaled the approach of riders. Soon they saw the telltale dust cloud, and a moment later about twenty orcish riders came over the horizon from the direction the sentry had come, the sunlight glinting off the tips of their spears. “Um, guys?” Lanara said, looking nervous. “Do we have any tactical options?” “We’ll be fine, Lanara,” said Arrie. “Autumn, perhaps you should lower your visor,” advised Tolly. “Why?” “So the orcs can’t see your face. They might not react well to seeing an aasimar.” Autumn reluctantly lowered her visor as the riders approached at an easy, but determined pace, and quickly encircled the party, lowering their spears to point at them while still maintaining a cautious distance. Those unable to position themselves in the front row had put away their spears and strung short bows, laying them across their laps in the saddle. One of them spurred his horse a few paces forward. “Who are you, and why do you come to the lands of Clan Hulg?” he demanded in the human tongue. Arrie stepped forward. “We come here searching for something,” she said. “We are adventurers from the east. We have not named our group, so I have no one name to give you.” “I will name you trespasser unless you speak quickly,” the orc snarled. “Why are you here?” “Can you help us find the alpha wolf?” Lanara asked. “Why do you seek him?” “It’s part of our quest.” “Who has given you this quest?” “The gods,” Tolly said, interrupting the conversation. “Which one? There are many.” “Ardara,” Tolly replied. After a momentary pause, the orcs raised their spears. “Keth has told us that Ardara is to be respected, if not worshipped, within his lands,” the lead orc stated. “However, we demand a test of strength from all potential guests. Will one of you meet us in unhorsed combat?” The party looked at each other before Xu stepped forward. “Unarmed?” “If you wish,” the orc said, a sardonic smile on his lips. “Our tribesman will choose to keep his weapons.” “I accept,” she said. A few of the horses broke away, galloping down the side of the dune. Once they reached the base where it leveled out, they began to circle, marking out a rough circle in the sand with their hooves. As Xu descended the slope, one of the riders dismounted and stood in the center of the circle, having traded his long horseman’s spear for a scimitar. The party and the rest of the tribesmen watched from the top of the dune. “What are the terms?” Arrie asked. “Until surrender,” the orc spokesman said. “If your woman and our tribesman are stubborn, then it is to the death.” “Could it be to first blood?” Lanara asked. “No,” the orc said flatly. “This is a contest of strength, not a game to determine a winner or loser and award them some shiny trinket.” It was a long battle under the oppressive glare of Karakor between Xu and the chosen orc warrior. The monk was able to land a few good blows, but the orc proved a fierce opponent, and Xu was unaccustomed to fighting in the sand. Finally, she had to raise her arms in surrender before her opponent felled her. The party looked at each other uncertainly. Did this mean they would be chased off Clan Krug’s lands? Would they be seen as weak and attacked? The orc facing Xu looked at her sternly. “You fight well for one with no weapons,” he said at last. “It is a style I have not frequently seen here in the desert.” He looked up the dune’s face, and waved a hand-signal at his leader, the orc who had spoken to them throughout their encounter. The leader nodded, and turned to address Arrie. “You are welcome within our lands,” he said. “Come, we shall ride to our camp.” The party mounted up as the orcs began to fan out and ride off, following the line of the dunes. Each of them held the same unspoken question in their minds; what lay in store for them in the lair of the desert wolf? ---------------------------- * The deer is the totem animal of Bles, goddess of agriculture and fertility. [/QUOTE]
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