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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 7631318" data-attributes="member: 9255">DARKSUN: THE ELEMENTS OF EVILSEGMENT 029“TROUBLE IS BREWING”07/02/19SEASON: FRIEND’S VENGEANCE  YEAR 24MONTH: THE NOMADDAY: 18KA: 190The four of them are sitting in the Kes’trel’s Roost. Olan and Drak were enjoying their drinks and spiced bread (a rare treat).  Koe had his water and Choro had a full cup of water just sitting there- untouched.  “Training” sucks.Some activity outside got their attention.  A carriage has come into the Tsalaxa Compound in Draj.  Turning their seats, they look out into the courtyard to watch.  Yaesha Tsalaxa comes out of the storage warehouse to greet the woman that is now stepping out of the carriage.   Olan gets up and just happens to need to rest while leaning against the wall, unseen outside, near the open door.  He can’t hear what is happening outside about 30 feet away.The woman is older, about 60 years old.  She is human and dressed in fine clothes.  Her carriage has the Tsalaxa markings on it.   Could this be the Matriarch?  Could this be Yadda Tsalaxa?Yaesha and the woman turn and slowly walk towards the Tsalaxa building.  The tavern is the ground level but there are offices on the second level.  It seems they are going here.  Olan moves back to his seat with Koe eyeing his entire motion.   Koe can not help but judge the actions of his co-workers.   They step into the Tavern and introductions are made in part.The woman pauses as she looks at the four of them.  “I have heard about you four.   You have done a great good for the house.   I thank you.”“You honor us Madame.” Answers Koe with a subtle bow and wave of his hand.“Master Yadda Tsalaxa…. This is Koe, Olan, Drak and Choro.   They have done us a great service over the past few months.”The two continue on and climb the stairs to the offices above.   Neither of the four caravaners move nor wish to.  They try to listen but hear nothing from above.  Over twenty minutes go by before they hear something.  Yaesha comes down the stairs by himself.   He looks up at the group with a slight smile and look on his face they try to determine.   Thoughts are a mix of pride, fear and determination.“Tomorrow we have a special delivery we need to do.    After that we have a long caravan trip to complete.  We leave at day break.”   And with that Yaesha turns and goes out the door to the storage building.   Two hours later and Yadda still has not come down.  Koe shifts his weight to stand up.   “We should prepare for tomorrow and finish our lose ends.”MONTH OF THE NOMAD,,,,DAY 19As normal, as the caravan leaves, they are stopped by templars at the gates.  Koe notes a certain sense of trepidation by the templars.   Something is going on or happening out there beyond the city of Draj.  Something potentially dangerous. That night they make camp half-way between Draj and Raam.  There seems to be fewer caravans and farmer activity than with past trips.  Olan asks Koe about it and Koe feels Olan is reading into nothing.   That said, he thinks deeply about it even after the tiefling walks away to talk to Choro.Yaesha asks to speak with Drak in private.  Koe watches as they move away placing the wagon between them and the others.“Drak, I would like you to take a break tonight from guard duty.  You have done it so much and always for the entire night.”“Clutch leader doesn’t….klik….. trust me?”“Nothing like that.  We very much trust you.  You have done an excellent job of it.   As a reward…. I thought I would give you a few hours off….. say about mid-night.”  Offers the caravan leader.“What would Drak do?   Drak always watch over and protect Clutch.”“Go for a walk….. I know!   You can hunt.   You can find us fresh food for breakfast.”“Drak can do that.   Drak would like to make fresh breakfast for….klik-klik…. Clutch.” The thri-kreen’s antennae are straight and high from excitement.Yaesha wakes up close to the middle of the night.  Everyone is asleep except for Drak whom is working on repairs with his weapons.  “Clutch Leader!   Klick-klack  “You are awake!”“Shhhhhh   Yes please don’t wake the others.  Go and hunt.”Drak scampers off into the desert and Yaesha, with a stern look of seriousness,  checks his boots for scorpions and beetles before getting up and looking about.  Satisfied everything is in good order, he sets off in a different direction.  Choro opens an eye and watches.  He snorts and goes back to sleep assuming Yaesha has a mid-night calling by mother-nature.Yaesha climbs over two sand dunes still just in view of the camp.  He looks over his shoulder.  The camp is quiet and Drak is no where to be seen.  “Yadda.”Wisps of sand and silt swirl and collect forming a tall column that then takes on the form of a woman.  Details begin to form from the eyes and out.  Yadda Tsalaxa stands before him with a bundle at her side.“As discussed, the templars of Draj would detect this artifact.   The Urikitte templar, if you go at sundown, has been paid off already.  Raam is uncertain as the two cities are in conflict over the plague.”Yadda holds out the heavy bundle.  “The Fire Drake Heart will fit perfectly in the crate marked with a blue paint scuff mark.”Yaesha holds it.  “It is warm…..and moving.”“Pumping….. and of a powerful Fire creature.   Bring it to Urik.   As I have already said, the guard has been paid ahead of time.  She will escort you and your team to Lord Elabon Escrissar’s estate.   Do NOT cross him.   He is a powerful state defiler and a templar of Hamanu.   More important, he is a chosen of Hamanu’s.    He has a lot of power officially and other.”“Anything else?” asks the caravan leader slightly repulsed by the slow beating of the supernatural heart.“Escissar is known for his….. being eccentric and indulging in odd and fearsome behaviors.  Also be sure to control that group of four.   I do not like tieflings and your Mul has a look of borderline to rebellion. ”“Koe is loyal to the end.  I trust him completely.”“Very well.  I trust you.”“And I of you.”  Yaesha turns carrying the heavy 10 inch around thing wrapped in a clean warm temperature resistant blanket.   Drak spots them talking and stops removing the fur from his prairie dog.   One figure, Yaesha is carrying a bundle.  The other seems to turn to dust and blow away in the gentle cool night wind.  Drak hurries down with his breakfast.“I have breakfast for the clutch.  It is not much.  I had to dig this one out.”  The Thri-kreen explains with great energy.“Shhhhh….. you will awaken the others.” States Yaesha as he tries to determine how he will place the Drake Heart Artifact into the crate unseen.“Do you have the salt and pepper Choro enjoys?  I would season it for him.  Koe works him so…klik…hard.”“I need a moment to find them- if we have them even.”The kreen freezes in motion and stares in anticipation. Yaesha looks back.    Damned kreen is not understanding Yaesha and his stare back.  “Are there more?”“Yes but below ground.” The kreen states without moving anything besides his mouth.“Then try.” Yaesha nearly growls in frustration.“Klik-klick….. two hunts in one night! Klick-klik…… I go.”Yaesha smiles after the kreen turns and moves away quickly.  He heaves up the artifact and slides the cover over the crate and hears “What is going on?”Olan is awake.For how long?</blockquote>

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