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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 7613588" data-attributes="member: 9255">DARKSUN: THE ELEMENTS OF EVILSEGMENT 012“BLACK SAND RAIDERS”05/17/19SEASON: FRIEND’S VENGEANCE  YEAR 24MONTH: THE SUNDAY: 28KA: 190The noon time sun is brutal.   If there was any shade, Yaesha would have considered pausing and taking a break.  Instead, it is 125 degrees and a brutally dry wind does little to relieve the heat.  At first they think it is a mirage in the desert as they see something coming at them.  A lot of something and its moving quickly.Everyone sees them but only Yaesha knows who they are.  “Raiders!  Black Sand Raiders!”  He grabs his quiver and bow.  “Shoot to kill.”Having a few moments to prepare, they move the cart and animals into a defensive position and ready themselves for when the raiders get into position.  Choro suggests he has something he wants to try (leveled up- got new powers).  Yaesha answers by firing arrows once they are within range.Seven riders on kanks waving weapons and celebrating as if they have already won charge.  Suddenly fire washes over them-  Several kanks drop and tumble throwing the riders to the course sand.  The apparent leader drives forward.Koe leaps forward and takes advantage of fallen riders while Drak attacks kanks to halt the charge.  Another raider is on one knee when a dagger pierces his throat.  Olan then moves forward with his scimitar readied.With a mix of raiders and his caravan mates, Choro now switches to a power that allows precise strikes.  Bursts of flames drop biting kanks and cursing human barbarians.Koe leaves one alive.   The human crawls on his knees and begs for mercy…. And his life.  “Please do not kill me!  I am only 94!  Please!  Koe and Olan look at each other.  They remove the raider’s helmet.  He is a young man…maybe 17 or 18….. not 94.  Poe grumbles how pathetic this boy is but even as he begins to ask what to do with the raider, Yaesha savagely fires an arrow into his chest.  The young not-yet-a man human is dead.As they collect kank honey and search the bodies. Olan notices they have green fungi on their skin.  It appears to be the same fungi as the skeletons.  Drak decides he can skip this meat.DAY 1 of The Elements-They are nearing Alturak.  A small but still steep mountains are to their right and open land with silt lays to their left.   The King’s Road splits here.  It curves to the west to Alturak and to the South East towards Grak’s Pool and the City-state of Balic.Everyone sees what comes stumbling out from the silt- a Giant!It waves to them in a goofy gesture to suggest it means no harm and wants to talk.  Koe notes it has a sack in its hand.“What should we do?!?   It’s a damned giant!” calls out Olan both amazed and intimidated.“It can outrun the Inix and the Crodlu with the wagon.  We humor it but be ready.” Yaesha turns to the thri-kreen.  “Be ready but don’t attack unless it attacks.”The giant sits down on the road and begins to open its sack.  It has large misshapen ears and a large warty nose.   It is bald and has very long chin hair (nearly 8ft) which is bundled together with the chitin of a boney serpent-like creature.  It growls, grunts and comments in a deep voice. Koe, Choro and Drak stand before it trying to understand it.   No one here speaks giant.The giant looks up and suddenly realizes no one can understand him.  His voice changes completely as he begins to speak in very broken elven.  Olan translates.“His mother has sent him here to get ten silvers.  If he doesn’t return with ten silvers… she will…. She will beat him.”“The world has family issues.” Sighs the monk.Bones, recently slain silt serpent, giant rat skulls and a smelly bag with brown and yellow stains are presents.  The giants pleads again and again Olan translates.  “He wants to sell this…. Stuff for silver.  If he doesn’t-“ A chorus of “His mother will beat him.”Olan raises an eyebrow as Choro steps up.  In elven he says- “I have something worth more than ten silvers…. I have a gold.”  The giant’s eyebrows raise with amazement.  “Gold?  But momma said silver.”Koe can not help himself.  He wants to know what is in the bag.  He risks being hit and begins to untie the bag.  It is crap.  Bat and rat crap.  Some very old and dry and some still fresh.  Koe regrets his curiosity and reties the bag and looks for somewhere to clean his hands.“Gold….. and you can keep your…. Goods.  I just have questions.” Continues the half-giant.“Keep?  And get better than ten silver?   Okay little man.”“Have you seen Black Sand raiders near here?  Do they have a camp nearby?”“Can you ask the giant about the raiders?” asks Yaesha.“It is what he is doing.” Answers the rogue in common.“North of here.”“Where north?”“North.”“and the undead?  The bone men?”“North.  Momma says to stay away.”“Your mom is a wise woman.”“Momma says stay away or will beat me.”Choro rolls his eyes.   Not a good mother.  “Have you seen other half-giants like me?”“Not half.  You smaller than half.”“It’s a name.   Have you?”The giant closes his eyes and concentrates.   “No.”“Are you sure?   There is one I seek named Goro.”“Momma would beat me for talking to a half-giant stranger.”“ I am a half-giant stranger.  My name is Choro.”“Momma beat me!”“I gave you my name.  I am no longer a stranger to you.”“Momma-““Here is your gold.   Collect your goods and maybe you can sell them to someone else.”The giant gathers his goods and lumbers towards the silt.Within two hours they will be in Alturak.</blockquote>

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