Merin frowns, "I do not like the way they send their youngest to die first. These youths are the future of their tribe. They should be protected. How do such savage cultures continue to thrive, while using such tactics?"
In a moment of supreme irony, Merin reaches down to the two youths that he drained, and quickly snaps their necks, granting them mercy, rather than allowing them to linger an hour or more.
Merin will then help search the bodies of all of the fallen, confiscating anything that looks like a talisman; stones, feathers, bones, etc. He won't take the time to check for proclivities just yet, until the urgency of a new threat is ascertained. Although the group doubts that the young adults will return any time soon, Merin is not convinced that one or more elders won't come to investigate.
Sheldon joins the others, running his left hand through his hair, pulling it back from his face. "Our philosophies are based upon a more civilized society, but debating it will not change them."
He pauses momentarily waiting on Matumbo to join them after attempting to recover his arrows. "If I remember correctly, the Deviard sent more capable opponents after us and did not use fodder. I am sure Matumbo can confirm this. In my mind this makes the Da'Roneh less of a people, another reason to eliminate this continual threat to the southern trade route."
Matumbo is only able to recover one of his most recently fired harnin arrows, giving him a total of 16.
Perusing the bodies of the fallen youths, the Seekers find a myriad of trinkets and talismans, but all of them are the same or even less value than what is already possessed, including the ones carried by the young adult. The frequency of them is such to indicate that the more elder Da'Roneh might actually have acquired some worth examining.
While they work and afterward, the Seekers discuss the possibilities of what might happen next and what strategies should be considered. Nothing at all happens for another whole day; after which, the Seekers run a skirmish on the southern lookouts to prod the enemy to come to them.
The next day, early, the peace of the morning is broken with the sound of drums, lots of drums of various pitch. The Da'Roneh, it seems, have a talent for it. Matumbo explains that the drums indicate that the Da'Roneh are going to war. He thinks it is some sort of a scare tactic. Of course, this means that the Deviard will be readying for war expecting to be the target. Matumbo explains that in the past, the drums were only sounded before more formidable Da'Roneh entered the battlefield, not for mass fodder. He laughs, having used the Deviard word for "naughty word" instead of fodder. It seemed appropriate to him.
Sheldon listens, intently. "If they attack the Deviard, that is good for us and bad for both sides, but I think they will now come looking for us. Whether they think the Deviard hired us or not, we have left enough evidence that we are moving in from the southern pass. Thoughts?"
In a moment of supreme irony, Merin reaches down to the two youths that he drained, and quickly snaps their necks, granting them mercy, rather than allowing them to linger an hour or more.
Merin could no more break the neck of another person than could any other member of the party. It is nearly impossible to break the neck of anything with an internal skeleton, but kudos for role-play.
Hidden Valley in the Western Jungle
Secluded Lake in Western Jungle with Mysterious Island
OOC:
Each character receives 2 DP.
OOC:
NOTE: Matumbo: Persona should be 10. Psyche should be 1/2. Will should be 10. Discipline should be 1/2. Health should be 10. Fortitude should be 1/3. Motility and Strength should be 10. Flexibility and Might should be 1/2.
Merindell: Adhesion should be 10. Invocation should be 1/3. Evocation should be 1/2. Wisdom should be 1. Persona and Will should be 10. Psyche and Discipline should be 1/2.
Matumbo says in Ansylin, "Since I am with Seekers, Da'Roneh most likely believe we work with other Deviard. If come after us, leave village vulnerable. This might be good time to attack Deviard and bring them out to fight. If they have big battle, we should ambush winner."
Merin nods, "Agreed. Attacking the Deviard village is a good plan. Matumbo is correct, they will probably assume we are with the other Deviard. Now, we just need to convince the Deviard that the Da'Roneh are behind the attack that we will soon initiate; we should sew as much chaos as possible, and turn both sides against one another. This will serve to thin out the herd, and make our task that much easier. What say you, Sheldon?"
Sheldon merely nods, vigorously, and starts walking toward the Deviards' side of the lake. Vadin shrugs and follows quickly along.
The four men move quickly and quietly, westward, while the drums yet play, diverting from the path at a suitable location where the Deviard and Da'Roneh usually meet in battle. On the way, Matumbo mentions that it has been several years since the Da'Roneh have launched an attack. He thinks that the only reason the the Deviard have not wiped out the Faethrins is because there are many more of them. The Deviards show more skill in battle.
After what seems an inordinate amount of time with nothing happening, the sound of the drumming ceases. It is decided to move closer to the Deviard settlement to see if anyone is approaching. Quite unexpectedly a single youth comes jogging down the path toward the Seekers. Matumbo says that he is a runner, a scout. The boy will likely have seen the men. Instinctively Sheldon blurs his image and moves to the side. Merindell hides his life force. Vadin stands calmly beside Matumbo, resting his hands on his sword and knife.
The young Deviard defers to Matumbo without approaching too closely. He salutes as if facing a superior and asks if the party has been attacking the Da'Roneh. Matumbo, speaking in Deviard, answers that they have and have killed several of them. The youth responds and departs back the way he had come.
Matumbo then explains to the others, using both Ansylin and Deviard where the lesser known language fails him, that the boy thought he was an Echo returning to the valley to wreak havoc upon the Da'Roneh. He considered Vadin a befriended sword and Sheldon to be another Echo, since his image was blurred. Merin was not noticed. Over the years a few Echoes and Sorcerers had departed the valley, with a few Echoes occasionally returning to visit and offer news.
Apparently no battle is forthcoming. Matumbo then explains that something was bothering him about the drums. The rhythm was a bit different than he remembered. Perhaps they meant something else.
Making haste, the group returns to the Da'Roneh side, finding that the corpses from the last fight have been removed. Following inward and circling to go unnoticed, it appears that a procession of Da'Roneh has been assembled, led by a feather adorned female, and are heading through Fat Man's Misery, out into the desert scrub, carrying the dead.
The Da'Roneh pay no attention to the path that leads to the lookout and the Seekers are able to use it to their advantage to observe the operation of the procession. The Da'Roneh have arranged the bodies in a pattern out in the scrub and begin drumming a very low pitched rhythm. The drumming ceases as night falls and small fires are lit. The members of the procession stay in the desert all night.
In the morning, the decorative female dances a ritual in the center of the pattern of bodies and resinous wet herbs are added to the fires to produce black smoke. The woman looks like a prancing vulture as she moves. Eerily, once the black smoke fades, real vultures are seen circling in the sky. Turkey vultures appear first, followed by black vultures. The woman moves out of the circle and all the other Da'Roneh kneel upon both knees. The vultures descend upon the corpses and devour them.
The vultures grunt and bicker and fight among themselves until the black vultures push the turkey vultures aside. Once the turkey vultures leave, desert vultures, which are much larger and light gray in color, fly in and push out the black vultures.
After the black vultures leaves, the Da'Roneh move in toward the desert vultures, who seem unaffected by the closeness of people. The Da'Roneh begin to gather the feathers that have been shed.
Hidden Valley in the Western Jungle
Secluded Lake in Western Jungle with Mysterious Island
OOC:
Each character receives 2 DP. Matumbo improves his proficiency in Ansylin by 5%. All others improve in Deviard by 2%. During down time, Sheldon and Vadin, who both speak Centrin as a first language, begin to converse in their native tongue. Merin and Matumbo increase in the use of Centrin by 2%.
Merin says to the group, in a hushed tone, "This is the perfect opportunity for us. We can ambush these fools while they're out here, cut off from the rest of their tribe, dancing around like idiots. We can also relieve them of their newly-collected trinkets while we're at it. But if we're going to strike, now is the time. We won't get a better opportunity than right now. What say all of you?"
... a reminder of the general appearance of the scrub that is north of the Ansylin desert, south of the Piney Wood, and east of the Western Jungle's mountain range. This image would be indicative of facing south. The party and the Da'Roneh would be far to the right of the captured view.
Merin's eyebrows furrow in deep thought; then he says: "I agree, and I will tell you why; I have been observing their ritual most carefully; they seem to be offering the bodies of their fallen to the vultures. It's almost as if they worship the foul creatures. Look at how they carefully lay out the bodies. As if serving them, on a platter. And look how the female is dressed; she is dressed like a vulture. Does she drive the vultures away? No. She allows the vultures to devour the bodies. And then what do she and the others do? Carefully collect the feathers from the feasting birds, being careful not to disturb them. See how the vultures do not fret at their presence? They are used to them. They have probably done this many times before. Therefore, we should put an end to this barbarism. I move that we spill more Da'Roneh blood, here and now, and the vultures too, for good measure. What is happening here is an abomination. Therefore, once the blood has been spilled, the whole site should be cleansed with fire."
Sheldon laughs quietly and raises his right hand. "All in favor. Aye. Aye."
Vadin raises his hand, as well, in honor of the mock vote.
There are 15 Da'Roneh in the funeral procession. The woman, who is dressed like a giant black vulture, appears to be in charge. She was occasionally assisted by two men who are also wearing feathered garments, but not so intricate or complete as the woman's. There are four drummers, two of whom are female and two of whom are male. There are eight, plain-looking soldiers carrying reed javelins. Four of the regulars are male, and four are female.
The Seekers quickly move from the lookout, which the Da'Roneh call the Vultures' Nest, through Fat Man's Misery and out into the scrub. The Da'Roneh will likely be near finished collecting their feathers by the time the party can reach them. It is not very probable to reach the Da'Roneh without being seen. The eight regulars are all facing outward from the ceremony, wary.
OOC:
STATE STRATEGY OR INTENTIONS AND PROVIDE THREE RANDOM ROLLS. All characters not fluent in Deviard, Ansylin, or Centrin increase proficiency in each by 1%. All characters receive 3 DP.
