Under A Darksun Part II New Allies
megamania
Hero
UNDER A DARKSUN
“GITH IN THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS“
SEGMENT 166
WINDS DAY 28
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
Mania and Cosa have arrived at the beginning of the Badlands that shelter the Black Spine Mountains.
“So…. How are we going to find Belinda now that we are here?”
“I have no idea. Maybe ask around?” offers Mania looking at the sharply rising rock formations before him.
The Rocky Badlands are like a natural maze of rock. Walls rise anywhere from a foot or two to over thirty feet in height. Most of the walls are sharp rises that are nearly completely vertical. They can be climbed but are very difficult to. Dutch, Mania’s tutor in ways of survival in the desert, once suggested these were formed by a mix of magic and uncontrollable rivers and waterways that literally carved out the alley-ways. Seems doubtful but he has seen crazier things.
“Ask who? I have heard there areas at as a shelter for any number of people or creatures that would kill us and take our equipment vs helping us.”
“What equipment? We lost most of our goods. I have my leather and clubs. You kept your bag but it is running low on goods. Eh- I heard slave tribes take refuge here also. I am hoping for that type of encounter.”
“I’m sure you are.” Smirks Cosa. He is so smart yet so dumb at the same time. Maybe that is why she has come to love him so much in such a short time. Maybe its just because life tends to be so short for anyone defying the Sorcerer-Kings.
“Do you have any magic that can help us?”
Cosa begins to look into her bag to see what she has when suddenly a dozen gith leap out from either side of them. Both she and Mania are half-clubbed / half-stabbed by their crude weapons. [DM Note- back to back nat 20’s on the charge- daaaaamn!] Mania rolls forward nearly being stabbed again and comes up reaching for his weapons. Cosa steps back and pulls out a piece of Sulphur and calls on the spell it is used for. A violent fireball erupts from the backside of one group. The flames wash over that group and strikes half of the other group just missing Mania. Eight Gith drop in flames and roll about until becoming still. The remainder look at them and flee.
“Cosa!” calls out Mania as he spots blood coming out from between her fingers on her side. She drops to a knee and nods. Obviously lying to him.
Not far away, a lone figure is moving from corner to corner trying not to be seen by any one. He hears a call and turns and then spots a plume of fire and shrieks of pain. Trouble.
Basik points his trident in that general direction and moves slowly to it. Anything wielding magic like that should be avoided but maybe they need help ….and can help him. He is lost within these damned canyons.
He hears something scurrying towards him so he dunks down behind a large boulder. Several gith, one smoking, “runs” by him. Gith are bad. Maybe the mage is good. Basik then rethinks this a bit. A Templar would attack gith for sport. He stays hidden but sees nothing chasing the fleeing gith. “Now what” he wonders.
Mania finds what he was looking for- a hard to get at space that would be easy to defend. He strongly suspects the gith will be back and in greater numbers. He aids Cosa to get there. Checks on her briefly then goes and does his best to remove tracks and dripped blood. He hopes he they don’t have a good sense of smell.
“It’s a bleeder. Not deep but it struck just right…. I think.” Offers Cosa as Mania returns to her.
“We make a great pair.” Comments Mania as he looks at the gouge again.
“We do?”
“Yeah. Seems we take turns being immobilized.”
“Immobilized? Such a big word.” Smirks Cosa.
“Heh. Yeah. I picked it from someone at some point.”
“I miss Belinda.” Mania adds as an afterthought.
“So do I. That’s why we are going to find her and help her.”
“That too.”
“Funny boy.”
“No- not like that. I miss her healing ability.”
Cosa and Mania remain hidden and eat next to the last of the food given to them by the Fey lady. Not far away, a lone man sits behind a rock wondering what will become of him. His food supply is low and he has no idea how to get out of here.
“GITH IN THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS“
SEGMENT 166
WINDS DAY 28
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
Mania and Cosa have arrived at the beginning of the Badlands that shelter the Black Spine Mountains.
“So…. How are we going to find Belinda now that we are here?”
“I have no idea. Maybe ask around?” offers Mania looking at the sharply rising rock formations before him.
The Rocky Badlands are like a natural maze of rock. Walls rise anywhere from a foot or two to over thirty feet in height. Most of the walls are sharp rises that are nearly completely vertical. They can be climbed but are very difficult to. Dutch, Mania’s tutor in ways of survival in the desert, once suggested these were formed by a mix of magic and uncontrollable rivers and waterways that literally carved out the alley-ways. Seems doubtful but he has seen crazier things.
“Ask who? I have heard there areas at as a shelter for any number of people or creatures that would kill us and take our equipment vs helping us.”
“What equipment? We lost most of our goods. I have my leather and clubs. You kept your bag but it is running low on goods. Eh- I heard slave tribes take refuge here also. I am hoping for that type of encounter.”
“I’m sure you are.” Smirks Cosa. He is so smart yet so dumb at the same time. Maybe that is why she has come to love him so much in such a short time. Maybe its just because life tends to be so short for anyone defying the Sorcerer-Kings.
“Do you have any magic that can help us?”
Cosa begins to look into her bag to see what she has when suddenly a dozen gith leap out from either side of them. Both she and Mania are half-clubbed / half-stabbed by their crude weapons. [DM Note- back to back nat 20’s on the charge- daaaaamn!] Mania rolls forward nearly being stabbed again and comes up reaching for his weapons. Cosa steps back and pulls out a piece of Sulphur and calls on the spell it is used for. A violent fireball erupts from the backside of one group. The flames wash over that group and strikes half of the other group just missing Mania. Eight Gith drop in flames and roll about until becoming still. The remainder look at them and flee.
“Cosa!” calls out Mania as he spots blood coming out from between her fingers on her side. She drops to a knee and nods. Obviously lying to him.
Not far away, a lone figure is moving from corner to corner trying not to be seen by any one. He hears a call and turns and then spots a plume of fire and shrieks of pain. Trouble.
Basik points his trident in that general direction and moves slowly to it. Anything wielding magic like that should be avoided but maybe they need help ….and can help him. He is lost within these damned canyons.
He hears something scurrying towards him so he dunks down behind a large boulder. Several gith, one smoking, “runs” by him. Gith are bad. Maybe the mage is good. Basik then rethinks this a bit. A Templar would attack gith for sport. He stays hidden but sees nothing chasing the fleeing gith. “Now what” he wonders.
Mania finds what he was looking for- a hard to get at space that would be easy to defend. He strongly suspects the gith will be back and in greater numbers. He aids Cosa to get there. Checks on her briefly then goes and does his best to remove tracks and dripped blood. He hopes he they don’t have a good sense of smell.
“It’s a bleeder. Not deep but it struck just right…. I think.” Offers Cosa as Mania returns to her.
“We make a great pair.” Comments Mania as he looks at the gouge again.
“We do?”
“Yeah. Seems we take turns being immobilized.”
“Immobilized? Such a big word.” Smirks Cosa.
“Heh. Yeah. I picked it from someone at some point.”
“I miss Belinda.” Mania adds as an afterthought.
“So do I. That’s why we are going to find her and help her.”
“That too.”
“Funny boy.”
“No- not like that. I miss her healing ability.”
Cosa and Mania remain hidden and eat next to the last of the food given to them by the Fey lady. Not far away, a lone man sits behind a rock wondering what will become of him. His food supply is low and he has no idea how to get out of here.
megamania
Hero
UNDER A DARKSUN
“GITH IN THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS“
SEGMENT 167
STORM DAY 01
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
Basik awakens and in a panicked scrabble- backs further into the corner. He fell asleep behind his boulder! Seeing he is safe and in the clear, he crawls out from the boulder and checks for Gith. There are none.
Safe.
He stands up and looks about. Nothing. He begins to step forward when someone grabs him by the chest and places something at his throat.
“Don’t move.”
“Not moving. See me not moving.” Says Basik. Of all the rotten things….. “Can I help you?”
“Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“Basik. And I’m Lost. I can go somewhere else if you wish.”
“Lost? Great.” And the person pushes the fighter forward a few steps.
“I’m turning now and….. ah.” Basik turns and sees a man in black with a black mask on. He has a small club or stick in his hand. “I am Basik.”
Mania looks him over. “I was hoping you may know the way around here. How long have you been here?”
“Couple of days. The Gith are everywhere. Couple of other creatures here I have only heard of within the gladiatorial pens.” He says while visibly relaxing.
Mania debates what to do. This guy is either a very clever survivor or very lucky. This level of gullibility would get most people killed already. “Perhaps…. Perhaps we can help each other.”
Now it is Basik’s turn to suspicious. “How?”
“I am lost also. But it is very important I find someone that is also here- most likely against her will. Together, maybe we can find her and find a way out.”
“I…. I would like that very much.” And he holds out his hand in agreement.
Still cautious, Mania leads him along. He is talking the whole time and about the TWO of them. Mania ducks into a hidden passage and Basik follows then learns why the mystery man was speaking so loud. He was alerting someone else of his presence.
Cosa, when she first heard him called on her Inborn power to detect ill thoughts and held onto a spell component…. Because Mania can be gullible and wanting to help people he shouldn’t.”
“If I knew you were bringing company I would have prepared a snack. Who are you?”
“Basik. I am from- your Hurt!”
“You noticed.” Her vision blurs some then she snaps back. “Go on before I accidently fireball you.”
“That was you? I saw the gith fleeing. They will be back.”
“Thus, in part why we need help.”
“GITH IN THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS“
SEGMENT 167
STORM DAY 01
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
Basik awakens and in a panicked scrabble- backs further into the corner. He fell asleep behind his boulder! Seeing he is safe and in the clear, he crawls out from the boulder and checks for Gith. There are none.
Safe.
He stands up and looks about. Nothing. He begins to step forward when someone grabs him by the chest and places something at his throat.
“Don’t move.”
“Not moving. See me not moving.” Says Basik. Of all the rotten things….. “Can I help you?”
“Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“Basik. And I’m Lost. I can go somewhere else if you wish.”
“Lost? Great.” And the person pushes the fighter forward a few steps.
“I’m turning now and….. ah.” Basik turns and sees a man in black with a black mask on. He has a small club or stick in his hand. “I am Basik.”
Mania looks him over. “I was hoping you may know the way around here. How long have you been here?”
“Couple of days. The Gith are everywhere. Couple of other creatures here I have only heard of within the gladiatorial pens.” He says while visibly relaxing.
Mania debates what to do. This guy is either a very clever survivor or very lucky. This level of gullibility would get most people killed already. “Perhaps…. Perhaps we can help each other.”
Now it is Basik’s turn to suspicious. “How?”
“I am lost also. But it is very important I find someone that is also here- most likely against her will. Together, maybe we can find her and find a way out.”
“I…. I would like that very much.” And he holds out his hand in agreement.
Still cautious, Mania leads him along. He is talking the whole time and about the TWO of them. Mania ducks into a hidden passage and Basik follows then learns why the mystery man was speaking so loud. He was alerting someone else of his presence.
Cosa, when she first heard him called on her Inborn power to detect ill thoughts and held onto a spell component…. Because Mania can be gullible and wanting to help people he shouldn’t.”
“If I knew you were bringing company I would have prepared a snack. Who are you?”
“Basik. I am from- your Hurt!”
“You noticed.” Her vision blurs some then she snaps back. “Go on before I accidently fireball you.”
“That was you? I saw the gith fleeing. They will be back.”
“Thus, in part why we need help.”
megamania
Hero
UNDER A DARKSUN
“AND ONE MORE JOINS THE GROUP“
SEGMENT 168
STORM DAY 02
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
“Jaque and Chill went up the hill with a bucket and a song.” Sings the Cleric of Earth also known as the Sand Jozal. “Mama and Papa wondered why they were taking so long.”
He is dressed in brown but under his tattered cape and cowl is a clean and neat leather armor with studs made of a mix of stone, crystal, obsidian and even a few pieces of metal. He pauses and now whistles his tune as he crouches down and looks at the ground.
He picks at a few pebbles there while studying the ground. He whistles softer now as he pauses. “Powers of Earth and Stone give me the power and the power to these small but important messengers of faith.” Then whistling again he flicks one pebble ahead while holding onto three more.
Suddenly he turns and throws a pebble directly behind him. A gith stalker squeals and falls to the ground. The explosive pebble has gutted him. Two other gith charge and leap over the dropped clan member. The screaming one takes a mouthful and half of his throat blows out covering the third one. This pebble hits also but he limps rapidly away.
“I do hate interruptions during my songs.” Artuuk comments with a small hint of a smirk on his shadowed face. He holds onto his necklace made of leather and a worked stone and waits and listens. He backs up into the rocks and whispers something that sounds more like rocks grinding together than words and he takes another step into the rock wall behind him.
Many Gith hop to where he was. They check on the two downed members. Not for their well being but for anything of use or value. Another gith, one with a fresh and bleeding wound on his leg speaks to the others. They move on hoping to find this one and kill him along with the others.
Several minutes go by before the cleric steps back out of the rock formation. “Others?” He adjusts his gear, including a large empty sack he has folded and lashed to his back under the cape. “Now that may offer some opportunities for me.” And he begins to walk in the direction of the Gith.
“Thus in part why we need help.” Comments Mania as he moves to Cosa.
“I’m not sure but maybe I can make a gurney and we can leave that way.” Offers Basik.
“One- it’ll leave tracks too hard to hide. Two- and most important- we are here find a friend. Her name is Belinda. She is with her Uncle… we think. Everything we have learned was second or third hand from various taverns, caravans and if you trust them- elves.”
“Oh well then-“ Basik begins but is interrupted.
“Someone is hunting us…. And nearby. I can pick up their thoughts.”
Even as the three turn to the entrance to their sheltered area a shadow hops into view. Gith!
“Told you!” and Basik charges out with his trident before him.
“Are you up for this?”
“Do I have a choice?” answers Cosa.
Near by, having used magic to quietly rise and run along the top of the rock ridges, Artuuk spots what the Gith are after. Careful to not make a sound or kick stones off the ridge, he crouches down and watches.
He sees a man wielding a trident rush out. He takes a defensive stance at the entrance to a small dead end area. Another man, dressed in black rushes out wielding two small clubs in each hand. Who … or what are they protecting he wonders. A bead of green energy streaks out between the warriors into the midst of the Gith. They were trying to spread out. This will hurt. Suddenly a fireball blast erupts and ten gith drop. Most dead before even hitting the ground.
More gith charge in. The cleric guessed two dozen. Close. 26 total. Some are charging. “I’m out of Sulphur and the such. I’ll do something.” Calls out a woman from within the space. Frowning, the cleric pauses and watches the thin moss growing nearby. He sees no signs of defilement. That much at least is good.
A huge number of centipedes swrm from cracks and holes in the stone. A centipede swarm rushes into the center of the attacking gith. It stops their onward progression. Too late for one whom is covered by the venomous vermin. It screams and thrashes about. Worse- it drops into the swarm.
Oh- the leader is after the man in black. “Powers of Earth and Stone give me the power and the power to these small but important messengers of faith.”
“Aunt Lizzy came into town one day. The mayor dressed in goose down stopped her …..” Using a sling a powered stone strikes and caves in a head. The gith falls into the swarming vermin without crying out.
Between the four of them and the swarm, the battle goes quick. The last four gith flee.
Mania whirls to the far wall where he had seen a shadow up high. “Who are you?!?”
“AND ONE MORE JOINS THE GROUP“
SEGMENT 168
STORM DAY 02
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
“Jaque and Chill went up the hill with a bucket and a song.” Sings the Cleric of Earth also known as the Sand Jozal. “Mama and Papa wondered why they were taking so long.”
He is dressed in brown but under his tattered cape and cowl is a clean and neat leather armor with studs made of a mix of stone, crystal, obsidian and even a few pieces of metal. He pauses and now whistles his tune as he crouches down and looks at the ground.
He picks at a few pebbles there while studying the ground. He whistles softer now as he pauses. “Powers of Earth and Stone give me the power and the power to these small but important messengers of faith.” Then whistling again he flicks one pebble ahead while holding onto three more.
Suddenly he turns and throws a pebble directly behind him. A gith stalker squeals and falls to the ground. The explosive pebble has gutted him. Two other gith charge and leap over the dropped clan member. The screaming one takes a mouthful and half of his throat blows out covering the third one. This pebble hits also but he limps rapidly away.
“I do hate interruptions during my songs.” Artuuk comments with a small hint of a smirk on his shadowed face. He holds onto his necklace made of leather and a worked stone and waits and listens. He backs up into the rocks and whispers something that sounds more like rocks grinding together than words and he takes another step into the rock wall behind him.
Many Gith hop to where he was. They check on the two downed members. Not for their well being but for anything of use or value. Another gith, one with a fresh and bleeding wound on his leg speaks to the others. They move on hoping to find this one and kill him along with the others.
Several minutes go by before the cleric steps back out of the rock formation. “Others?” He adjusts his gear, including a large empty sack he has folded and lashed to his back under the cape. “Now that may offer some opportunities for me.” And he begins to walk in the direction of the Gith.
“Thus in part why we need help.” Comments Mania as he moves to Cosa.
“I’m not sure but maybe I can make a gurney and we can leave that way.” Offers Basik.
“One- it’ll leave tracks too hard to hide. Two- and most important- we are here find a friend. Her name is Belinda. She is with her Uncle… we think. Everything we have learned was second or third hand from various taverns, caravans and if you trust them- elves.”
“Oh well then-“ Basik begins but is interrupted.
“Someone is hunting us…. And nearby. I can pick up their thoughts.”
Even as the three turn to the entrance to their sheltered area a shadow hops into view. Gith!
“Told you!” and Basik charges out with his trident before him.
“Are you up for this?”
“Do I have a choice?” answers Cosa.
Near by, having used magic to quietly rise and run along the top of the rock ridges, Artuuk spots what the Gith are after. Careful to not make a sound or kick stones off the ridge, he crouches down and watches.
He sees a man wielding a trident rush out. He takes a defensive stance at the entrance to a small dead end area. Another man, dressed in black rushes out wielding two small clubs in each hand. Who … or what are they protecting he wonders. A bead of green energy streaks out between the warriors into the midst of the Gith. They were trying to spread out. This will hurt. Suddenly a fireball blast erupts and ten gith drop. Most dead before even hitting the ground.
More gith charge in. The cleric guessed two dozen. Close. 26 total. Some are charging. “I’m out of Sulphur and the such. I’ll do something.” Calls out a woman from within the space. Frowning, the cleric pauses and watches the thin moss growing nearby. He sees no signs of defilement. That much at least is good.
A huge number of centipedes swrm from cracks and holes in the stone. A centipede swarm rushes into the center of the attacking gith. It stops their onward progression. Too late for one whom is covered by the venomous vermin. It screams and thrashes about. Worse- it drops into the swarm.
Oh- the leader is after the man in black. “Powers of Earth and Stone give me the power and the power to these small but important messengers of faith.”
“Aunt Lizzy came into town one day. The mayor dressed in goose down stopped her …..” Using a sling a powered stone strikes and caves in a head. The gith falls into the swarming vermin without crying out.
Between the four of them and the swarm, the battle goes quick. The last four gith flee.
Mania whirls to the far wall where he had seen a shadow up high. “Who are you?!?”
megamania
Hero
UNDER A DARKSUN
“SEEKING BELINDA“
SEGMENT 169
STORM DAY 02
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
“Yes. My patron can heal her.” Artuuk agrees.
Everyone stands there….. waiting.
“Will you heal her? Please?”
“I work in trade. What do you have to offer me? I am flexable.”
Dead Cold Silence
“You helped us against the gith but you won’t help us recover?”
“I hate Gith.”
“Well I guess that makes everything all hunky-dory here.” Mania begins to get up to try to force the cleric to heal Cosa. She grabs his hand to stop him.
“Don’t”
“You reopened the wound. How can you be so okay with this while you could be dead tomorrow?!?”
“Flexible. Define flexible.” Cosa weakly asks the wandering cleric.
“I am a collector. I like things to remember people by. He pinches his chin into his chest and begins to point at the various items woven into his armor. “This- this piece of black obsidian I got for my services when I aided a caravan near Urik. This stone- see how it was carefully painted-“
“Looks like a child did it” grumbles Mania.
“A child that poured her heart into it after I saved her pet Z’tal.”
“See…. He is reasonable. Offer him something.” The Cleric waits.
Balik offers him something. “I have this dagger I kinda found……”
“No. I don’t want your dagger. I want something unique. Something special.”
“It talks to me and says strange things in a strange language.”
The cleric ignores him.
“We escaped capture several times. Each time we would lose more equipment. We have only what you see.”
“A promise.” This piques his interest.
“What kind of promise?”
“That we will -together- create and offer a gift worthy.”
He thinks about this and shrugs. “Okay.”
Picking up sand and grit, the cleric kneels before Cosa.
“Powers of Earth and Stone please honor us both with the power of healing so that we can further your cause.” He holds the handful of dirt in his hands above his head and slowly lowers them to her exposed wound. He dripples the dirt onto her. More grit and stone pours from his hands than should have been there. She winces under the pressure as the dirt lands on her wound. The salt hurts but she goes on. She has learned that as nonlogical as it is to use dirt to heal an open wound, it is what an earth cleric does. The dirt continues to tumbles over her side where the crude spear had struck her. The dirt piles up along her side and covers the wound up. She shifts to get up but he stops her. “Give it a moment.”
Satisfied, he leans back. And smiles. “Now you may sit up.”
She shifts getting her elbows under her weight then pushes up with a grunt. The dirt pile slides off of her and only a scar remains.
“And you Basik…. What have you to offer?”
“A saying?” he offers.
Artuuk thinks this over. “Is this something you have heard or from your dagger?”
“The dagger.”
“Agreed.”
The rest of the day is spent resting and sharing stories. Holding the dagger, Artuuk learns how to sing a song about a drunken inventor and his would be wife. It is spoken in a strange language called Gnome. It was once spoken by a dead race thousands of years ago.
Artuuk agrees to help the three find Belinda. A water cleric – barbarian would most certainly have a means to pay him back.
“I know of several inhabited areas by a single human here. Do you know anything else about him?” asks the cleric as they walk along in the Badlands.
“I think he is a psion…. But I’m really sure. The elf I spoke to seemed nervous talking about him.” Offers Cosa.
“Could be one of two persons I know of- Javidius or Simmonson. Neither are friendly and tend to keep to themselves. Simmonson is from Balic so if I had to guess it would be Javidius.”
“You this area well.” Offers Mania. He has tried to be friendly ever since the healing. He understands he came across as a jerk but he doesn’t mean anything by it. It wasn’t personal. Cosa was seriously injured and he was possibly the only means to live.
“I have been here for a nearly a year now. I was wanted in Gulg and figured I needed to lay low for a while. Black Spine was as good a place as any. It may be time to move on however. The gith and I are not getting along at this point.”
“Where will you go once you find your friend?”
“Not sure really.” Admits Cosa.
A loud carried on snarl is heard. The canyons make it near impossible to pinpoint the point or even direction of origin.
“What was that?!?” exclaims Basik.
“Three Toe.” Answers the cleric shifting into a defensive stance.
“What is a “Three Toe?” says Mania looking around for any threats.
“Mean blooded Tembo.” The cleric moves to the stone wall- better to take cover than remain in the open. He mumbles then steps into the wall- disappearing.
“Bastard!” curses Mania.
“Yes. He and I arrrrrrrrrgh!” and rocks shift nearby them. Suddenly Mania is bowled over and the outline of a large reptilian bulldog-like creature appears. Long teeth and claws go to work. Mania screams as the creature bites his arm over and over and it rakes him with all limbs tearing into his leather.
Mania calls on his psychic ability to telekinetically slam or “Hammer” at a foe with a touch. The creatures grunts and begins to snarl once more. Basik tries to stab at it with his trident. The first strike is true, the second strike hits a boney plate on it’s back doing no damage. Cosa calls on magic and four small streaking beams of light strike it. It howls as it discovers it has a mage among its targets. Artuuk steps out of the stone work and flanks the creature.
Concentrating, the psionic tembo calls on another power and begins to disappear. Mania rolls free of it checking to his torn armor. Basik misses and Cosa tries to use Magic Missile on it. The four missiles shot out at the ectoplasmic form but the missiles circle and swerve then stop and burst into harmless light.
“Coward!” calls out Artuuk.
The ectoplasmic form of Three Toes floats up and away snarling insults.
“Damned thing nearly had me.” Grumbles Mania as he closes his eyes and wills the deep cuts and slashes on his chest and legs to go away.
“Allow me.” As Artuuk sees Mania’s attempts to self heal are limited.
As he murmurs his prayer Mania asks why the “freebie”.
“Ask me why he is named Three-Toe” He pours dirt onto the man’s chest. “He and I have had several encounters. One of which I hacked off a toe. He attacked you to hurt me and remove any allies I may have made.”
“So….time to move on eh.”
“Yes. Yes to moving on I’m afraid.”
“SEEKING BELINDA“
SEGMENT 169
STORM DAY 02
YEAR 23
RAL CONTEMPLATION KING’S AGE 190
BAD LANDS SOUTH-WEST OF THE BLACK SPINE MOUNTAINS
“Yes. My patron can heal her.” Artuuk agrees.
Everyone stands there….. waiting.
“Will you heal her? Please?”
“I work in trade. What do you have to offer me? I am flexable.”
Dead Cold Silence
“You helped us against the gith but you won’t help us recover?”
“I hate Gith.”
“Well I guess that makes everything all hunky-dory here.” Mania begins to get up to try to force the cleric to heal Cosa. She grabs his hand to stop him.
“Don’t”
“You reopened the wound. How can you be so okay with this while you could be dead tomorrow?!?”
“Flexible. Define flexible.” Cosa weakly asks the wandering cleric.
“I am a collector. I like things to remember people by. He pinches his chin into his chest and begins to point at the various items woven into his armor. “This- this piece of black obsidian I got for my services when I aided a caravan near Urik. This stone- see how it was carefully painted-“
“Looks like a child did it” grumbles Mania.
“A child that poured her heart into it after I saved her pet Z’tal.”
“See…. He is reasonable. Offer him something.” The Cleric waits.
Balik offers him something. “I have this dagger I kinda found……”
“No. I don’t want your dagger. I want something unique. Something special.”
“It talks to me and says strange things in a strange language.”
The cleric ignores him.
“We escaped capture several times. Each time we would lose more equipment. We have only what you see.”
“A promise.” This piques his interest.
“What kind of promise?”
“That we will -together- create and offer a gift worthy.”
He thinks about this and shrugs. “Okay.”
Picking up sand and grit, the cleric kneels before Cosa.
“Powers of Earth and Stone please honor us both with the power of healing so that we can further your cause.” He holds the handful of dirt in his hands above his head and slowly lowers them to her exposed wound. He dripples the dirt onto her. More grit and stone pours from his hands than should have been there. She winces under the pressure as the dirt lands on her wound. The salt hurts but she goes on. She has learned that as nonlogical as it is to use dirt to heal an open wound, it is what an earth cleric does. The dirt continues to tumbles over her side where the crude spear had struck her. The dirt piles up along her side and covers the wound up. She shifts to get up but he stops her. “Give it a moment.”
Satisfied, he leans back. And smiles. “Now you may sit up.”
She shifts getting her elbows under her weight then pushes up with a grunt. The dirt pile slides off of her and only a scar remains.
“And you Basik…. What have you to offer?”
“A saying?” he offers.
Artuuk thinks this over. “Is this something you have heard or from your dagger?”
“The dagger.”
“Agreed.”
The rest of the day is spent resting and sharing stories. Holding the dagger, Artuuk learns how to sing a song about a drunken inventor and his would be wife. It is spoken in a strange language called Gnome. It was once spoken by a dead race thousands of years ago.
Artuuk agrees to help the three find Belinda. A water cleric – barbarian would most certainly have a means to pay him back.
“I know of several inhabited areas by a single human here. Do you know anything else about him?” asks the cleric as they walk along in the Badlands.
“I think he is a psion…. But I’m really sure. The elf I spoke to seemed nervous talking about him.” Offers Cosa.
“Could be one of two persons I know of- Javidius or Simmonson. Neither are friendly and tend to keep to themselves. Simmonson is from Balic so if I had to guess it would be Javidius.”
“You this area well.” Offers Mania. He has tried to be friendly ever since the healing. He understands he came across as a jerk but he doesn’t mean anything by it. It wasn’t personal. Cosa was seriously injured and he was possibly the only means to live.
“I have been here for a nearly a year now. I was wanted in Gulg and figured I needed to lay low for a while. Black Spine was as good a place as any. It may be time to move on however. The gith and I are not getting along at this point.”
“Where will you go once you find your friend?”
“Not sure really.” Admits Cosa.
A loud carried on snarl is heard. The canyons make it near impossible to pinpoint the point or even direction of origin.
“What was that?!?” exclaims Basik.
“Three Toe.” Answers the cleric shifting into a defensive stance.
“What is a “Three Toe?” says Mania looking around for any threats.
“Mean blooded Tembo.” The cleric moves to the stone wall- better to take cover than remain in the open. He mumbles then steps into the wall- disappearing.
“Bastard!” curses Mania.
“Yes. He and I arrrrrrrrrgh!” and rocks shift nearby them. Suddenly Mania is bowled over and the outline of a large reptilian bulldog-like creature appears. Long teeth and claws go to work. Mania screams as the creature bites his arm over and over and it rakes him with all limbs tearing into his leather.
Mania calls on his psychic ability to telekinetically slam or “Hammer” at a foe with a touch. The creatures grunts and begins to snarl once more. Basik tries to stab at it with his trident. The first strike is true, the second strike hits a boney plate on it’s back doing no damage. Cosa calls on magic and four small streaking beams of light strike it. It howls as it discovers it has a mage among its targets. Artuuk steps out of the stone work and flanks the creature.
Concentrating, the psionic tembo calls on another power and begins to disappear. Mania rolls free of it checking to his torn armor. Basik misses and Cosa tries to use Magic Missile on it. The four missiles shot out at the ectoplasmic form but the missiles circle and swerve then stop and burst into harmless light.
“Coward!” calls out Artuuk.
The ectoplasmic form of Three Toes floats up and away snarling insults.
“Damned thing nearly had me.” Grumbles Mania as he closes his eyes and wills the deep cuts and slashes on his chest and legs to go away.
“Allow me.” As Artuuk sees Mania’s attempts to self heal are limited.
As he murmurs his prayer Mania asks why the “freebie”.
“Ask me why he is named Three-Toe” He pours dirt onto the man’s chest. “He and I have had several encounters. One of which I hacked off a toe. He attacked you to hurt me and remove any allies I may have made.”
“So….time to move on eh.”
“Yes. Yes to moving on I’m afraid.”
