X4: Master of the Desert Nomads - IC
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Rhun
First Post
Aram accepts the bowl of sheep stew with a nod of thanks as he sits down around the campfire with the desert dwellers. As he eats, he begin telling them of his travels and experiences. "The lands outside of the desert are strange indeed. I've already told you of my meeting with the savage dwarves that live on the borders of these lands...but they are only the beginning of the many things I have seen." The dervish finishes his stew and sets the bowl aside.
"When I first left the desert, I traveled eastward through Nagpuri, across the border in Darokin, eventually reaching the shores of Lake Amsorak. Azure waters as far as the eye can see, like nothing to be found in the desert. And when the sun would shine just right, the deep blue of the waters would burn like liquid gold. Most impress, though I tell you that Darokin itself is a weak land...their mercantile ways breed no true warriors. They are more concerned with profit than arms; they are intolerant of those who are not like them. Indeed, it was in Darokin that I met Rajah." Aran nods at the necromancer. "You see Rajah wields great power over death. He can see and speak with those in the spirit worlds, and the dead themselves serve him. These circumstances led to a misunderstanding in a small village, where the people had come to the conclusion that he was a grave robber. They were in the process of stoning him for these alleged crimes, but my timely arrival ruined their plans. Needless to say, the people of Darokin are our enemy, and we have slain many. When I heard that the Master was forging our people into a hammer with which to smash the Republic, I knew I must return and offer my services, and the services of those who follow me. When they are conquered, this world will be a better place, and we will all be rich from the plunder!"
"When I first left the desert, I traveled eastward through Nagpuri, across the border in Darokin, eventually reaching the shores of Lake Amsorak. Azure waters as far as the eye can see, like nothing to be found in the desert. And when the sun would shine just right, the deep blue of the waters would burn like liquid gold. Most impress, though I tell you that Darokin itself is a weak land...their mercantile ways breed no true warriors. They are more concerned with profit than arms; they are intolerant of those who are not like them. Indeed, it was in Darokin that I met Rajah." Aran nods at the necromancer. "You see Rajah wields great power over death. He can see and speak with those in the spirit worlds, and the dead themselves serve him. These circumstances led to a misunderstanding in a small village, where the people had come to the conclusion that he was a grave robber. They were in the process of stoning him for these alleged crimes, but my timely arrival ruined their plans. Needless to say, the people of Darokin are our enemy, and we have slain many. When I heard that the Master was forging our people into a hammer with which to smash the Republic, I knew I must return and offer my services, and the services of those who follow me. When they are conquered, this world will be a better place, and we will all be rich from the plunder!"
In the humans' camp, the men listen attentively to Aram's tale, lapping it up. "Let it be so!" one of the men cheers.
Captain Warren tells his guests "Yes, the Master unites us all. Just think of it, because of him we fight alongside the orcs rather than against them. Rajah, you will fit right in here.
You should know that the Master's plans are said to be even grander than that. I know little of the ways of holy men, but the land of Hule beyond the western mountains is said to be ruled by them, and none is holier than the Master. Some day he will be Immortal himself. In the afterlife he will reward those who helped him gain power, such as our desert tribes. It is said that those men who are martyred in his service can expect eternal rewards in the afterlife, so don't be afraid to go all out and fight to the death in the name of the Master if you have to.
"I think that the army commanders could use your information about Darokin as soon as possible. It is probably best if in the morning you continue upriver. You will have to cross the swamp on your boat and make you way into the desert. There is said to be an infidel army on its way to invade the desert, but I have no doubt the forces of the desert will smash it. You should find our army, it is large and hard to miss."
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Across the river, the three men eye Nargon, Bevin, and Ripclaw.
"Nothing more to know? Clearly you don't trust us yet" one of them says "and since we just met I don't blame you." As he speaks, you notice that his teeth seem unusually long and sharp.
"In time you will learn to serve the Master properly. For now you can rest and eat. We will not eat with you, as we prefer somewhat different fare." He chuckles again. "Perhaps if we show you who we are, you will accept it as a token of trust."
The three men shift and change, growing yellow and black fur as their faces and bodies change to resemble humanoid tigers with sharp claws and ferocious teeth. The three weretigers then walk back into their tent and pull the flap closed.
A couple of orcs bring bowls of sheep stew and a pitcher of ale and leave it for you.
Captain Warren tells his guests "Yes, the Master unites us all. Just think of it, because of him we fight alongside the orcs rather than against them. Rajah, you will fit right in here.
You should know that the Master's plans are said to be even grander than that. I know little of the ways of holy men, but the land of Hule beyond the western mountains is said to be ruled by them, and none is holier than the Master. Some day he will be Immortal himself. In the afterlife he will reward those who helped him gain power, such as our desert tribes. It is said that those men who are martyred in his service can expect eternal rewards in the afterlife, so don't be afraid to go all out and fight to the death in the name of the Master if you have to.
"I think that the army commanders could use your information about Darokin as soon as possible. It is probably best if in the morning you continue upriver. You will have to cross the swamp on your boat and make you way into the desert. There is said to be an infidel army on its way to invade the desert, but I have no doubt the forces of the desert will smash it. You should find our army, it is large and hard to miss."
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Across the river, the three men eye Nargon, Bevin, and Ripclaw.
"Nothing more to know? Clearly you don't trust us yet" one of them says "and since we just met I don't blame you." As he speaks, you notice that his teeth seem unusually long and sharp.
"In time you will learn to serve the Master properly. For now you can rest and eat. We will not eat with you, as we prefer somewhat different fare." He chuckles again. "Perhaps if we show you who we are, you will accept it as a token of trust."
The three men shift and change, growing yellow and black fur as their faces and bodies change to resemble humanoid tigers with sharp claws and ferocious teeth. The three weretigers then walk back into their tent and pull the flap closed.
A couple of orcs bring bowls of sheep stew and a pitcher of ale and leave it for you.
Aram continues to spin stories for a long time, but finally it is time to 'sleep'.
The night is tense as you take turns on watch. In the human camp, several soldiers patrol with torches. On the other side of the river, orcs and bugbears patrol in darkness.
A sudden attack by your hosts is not far from you minds, but in the end the night proves uneventful.
In the morning you are reunited in the human's camp.
Captain Warren tells Aram "I can tell you want to meet the Master. I myself have not. Your best course is to continue past the swamp in your boat. If you keep heading west you will of course reach the western mountains beyond the Plain of Fire. Beyond Great Pass, is the land of Hule where the Master rules from. I will write a note vouching for you but in truth it will mean little. Just tell your story, and tell the commanders you meet all that you know of the cursed Darokins."
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The party gets underway again, heading upriver. The rest of the day proves uneventful. You set your usual watches for the night, but the night proves uneventful.
The next day you continue on. The shallow river grows wider and slower, and you soon find yourself in the swamp itself.
There are some areas of large muddy flats, encrusted with salt, where nothing grows. The rest of the swamp is covered with thick reeds that grow up to 8’ in height. These reeds are very dry and brittle and clatter constantly in the wind. There are no trails through this swamp; travel through it clearly must be by boat. The boat is your island now. The movement of the raft through the reeds sounds like the wind.
You are forced to spend the night on the raft. You use the poles to try to anchor the raft in place for the night, but it's not very secure. Girgal can tell that the water is foul here, and you depend on the food and water you have brought with you.
[sblock=Walking Dad]Girgal has disturbing dreams that night. He does not have a clear memory of their details, but in the morning he feels that he had very clear and very evil dreams. He remembers a few incidents in his past as part of the dreams, such as the days before he converted to the service of Ka, when he committed some evil acts he now regrets. He remembers also the battle against the wyvern and its rider and the trolls, in which he was nearly killed. In his dream these scenes somehow felt “wrong,” as if things happened differently in the dreams than they did in life. There also seemed to be someone watching, feeding, guiding, laughing at him.[/sblock]
In the morning you resume the journey across the swamp.
As you move slowly through a reedy section of the swamp, only the sounds of normal wildlife reach you above the snapping and cracking of the reeds. The air is hazy with heat and the work of poling the raft is tiring and sweaty. Slowly the surroundings begin to change. The reeds become thicker. Large tumors grow on some of the stalks. Large patches of green-brown algae spread before you. Fish, doughy white and gray, swim just below the surface. Slowly the sun sets under a gray sky.
As you travel, the landscape becomes more and more blighted. The reeds become twisted with strange growths, algae cling to the raft, and you spot fish with strange deformities.
The swamp grows quieter. In the evening, you notice a small hut, raised on stilts just above the level of the swamp. It looks to be an old building, worn and stained.
The night is tense as you take turns on watch. In the human camp, several soldiers patrol with torches. On the other side of the river, orcs and bugbears patrol in darkness.
A sudden attack by your hosts is not far from you minds, but in the end the night proves uneventful.
In the morning you are reunited in the human's camp.
Captain Warren tells Aram "I can tell you want to meet the Master. I myself have not. Your best course is to continue past the swamp in your boat. If you keep heading west you will of course reach the western mountains beyond the Plain of Fire. Beyond Great Pass, is the land of Hule where the Master rules from. I will write a note vouching for you but in truth it will mean little. Just tell your story, and tell the commanders you meet all that you know of the cursed Darokins."
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The party gets underway again, heading upriver. The rest of the day proves uneventful. You set your usual watches for the night, but the night proves uneventful.
The next day you continue on. The shallow river grows wider and slower, and you soon find yourself in the swamp itself.
There are some areas of large muddy flats, encrusted with salt, where nothing grows. The rest of the swamp is covered with thick reeds that grow up to 8’ in height. These reeds are very dry and brittle and clatter constantly in the wind. There are no trails through this swamp; travel through it clearly must be by boat. The boat is your island now. The movement of the raft through the reeds sounds like the wind.
You are forced to spend the night on the raft. You use the poles to try to anchor the raft in place for the night, but it's not very secure. Girgal can tell that the water is foul here, and you depend on the food and water you have brought with you.
[sblock=Walking Dad]Girgal has disturbing dreams that night. He does not have a clear memory of their details, but in the morning he feels that he had very clear and very evil dreams. He remembers a few incidents in his past as part of the dreams, such as the days before he converted to the service of Ka, when he committed some evil acts he now regrets. He remembers also the battle against the wyvern and its rider and the trolls, in which he was nearly killed. In his dream these scenes somehow felt “wrong,” as if things happened differently in the dreams than they did in life. There also seemed to be someone watching, feeding, guiding, laughing at him.[/sblock]
In the morning you resume the journey across the swamp.
As you move slowly through a reedy section of the swamp, only the sounds of normal wildlife reach you above the snapping and cracking of the reeds. The air is hazy with heat and the work of poling the raft is tiring and sweaty. Slowly the surroundings begin to change. The reeds become thicker. Large tumors grow on some of the stalks. Large patches of green-brown algae spread before you. Fish, doughy white and gray, swim just below the surface. Slowly the sun sets under a gray sky.
As you travel, the landscape becomes more and more blighted. The reeds become twisted with strange growths, algae cling to the raft, and you spot fish with strange deformities.
The swamp grows quieter. In the evening, you notice a small hut, raised on stilts just above the level of the swamp. It looks to be an old building, worn and stained.
Leif
Adventurer
Bevin Rockhammer Dwarf Rogue2/Enchanter6, AC20FF17T15, HP44/44, F+4R+6W+5
OOC: Before we get very far on our journey, but well after we left the enemy camp, Bevin is careful to tell the ones who spent the evening among the humans about the weretigers. "I had hoped that our enemies were nothing more fierce than orcs, but, alas, our luck is not to be so!"
OOC: Before we get very far on our journey, but well after we left the enemy camp, Bevin is careful to tell the ones who spent the evening among the humans about the weretigers. "I had hoped that our enemies were nothing more fierce than orcs, but, alas, our luck is not to be so!"
Walking Dad
First Post
Girgal
"I don't like the environment. It is diseased. And my bad dreams seem highly unnatural. Let's explore the hut... I have a bad feeling about ignoring it." Girgal explains his companions, looking somewhat tired.
"I don't like the environment. It is diseased. And my bad dreams seem highly unnatural. Let's explore the hut... I have a bad feeling about ignoring it." Girgal explains his companions, looking somewhat tired.
Leif
Adventurer
Bevin Rockhammer Dwarf Rogue2/Enchanter6, AC20FF17T15, HP44/44, F+4R+6W+5
OOC: This hut reminds me of Baba Yaga the witch....
"We need to inspect the hut from all sides before we enter, for sure. Maybe there is a window somewhere in the hut, through which we can see the interior?"
OOC: This hut reminds me of Baba Yaga the witch....
"We need to inspect the hut from all sides before we enter, for sure. Maybe there is a window somewhere in the hut, through which we can see the interior?"
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