Blood on the Sands - IC

Over the edge of the dune crests two men, each with a long pike and riding a crodlu.

Apollon and Lokee were in a prime position to launch a preemptive strike. They dont see you yet, and begin to whisper, which you were close enough to hear.

"You see? I told you I saw people up here."

"I dont need any I told you so's from you. What do you think we should do?"

"Should we attack? They can't be out here for anything good."

"Do you think they're spying on us?"

Lokee suddenly stands up.

“Hihi. We no bad people. But big big friend hurt. And...”

He seems to scuff his foot a little.

“...and Lokee not good earth talker. No can find way. You help lokee and bigs ?”

Apollon wanted to face plant his face into the sand when Lokee blew his cover. No going back now.

He stood up slowly and kept his daggers hidden behind his back just in case.

"What the little one says is true. We have a Mul friend in desperate need of help." Apollon said validating Lokee's words.

Something struck Apollon. These two on Crodlu's with their weaponry and demeanor. Were they outriders for a caravan?

"Say, you two don't happen to be outriders? If so... for what house?"

The crodlu rears back and raises its claws, nearly toppling the rider.
"Whoa whoa! Hold!"

The Crodlu returns to its stance before the other member cries out.
"Is that a halfling savage!?" he says raising his pike but not attacking.

The other one raises his pike as well, but they dont seem eager to attack.

The second one, speaks, it was safe to assume he had the more authority of the two.
"We are. I would know of your business with the houses before I tell you my allegiance."

"Savage? He hasn't eaten me and my compatriots while we've slept so he's good. Just don't get on his bad side." Apollon said trying to inject some humor into the situation.

Apollon then choose his next set of words carefully. He didn't know which house these riders belonged to. It was no guaranty they were from House Wavir.

"I've worked as a house agent. House Wavir in particular." He waited to see how the outriders reacted to that before continuing.

Igto was slow to react to the riders, but he stayed the course, not provoking them. The others were the real talkers, so the big man stood back with his arms crossed. Throd was in a sorry state and likely they'd be there soon too. What a world to live in.

He doesnt see the humor in the situation.

But on the mention of house wavir,he looks to his companion. They both raise thier pikes in a more relaxed position.

"I find a band of strangers out in the middle of the dune seea and they claim allegiance to Wavir? What proof have you?"

Apollon let out a little sigh and tucked his daggers into the rear of his waistband. Seemed these guys were from House Wavir... possibly even the caravan they were supposed to catch up to.

Apollon produced the letter the old man gave back to them at Nibenay and presented it to one of the outriders.

"Not so much strangers but allies. I think we found what we came out here for."

Lokee watched and listened.

"No eat bigs! Bigs friends! "

He grinned at the outriders, not sure how else to react or what to do in this situation.

He took the parchment and unraveled it, he held it close to his face.

"Its too dark to read this, but it has the seal of the house. From Nibenay?"

"The old man?"

He nods.


He turns it over in his head for a few seconds, before answering you.
"Do you have any crodlu? Can you keep up?"

"There was a situation in Nibenay. A revolt sparked by the one that took place in Tyre. I'll explain everything about that later. The old man didn't have an crodlu or kanks for us. We have two erdlu for our supplies but only Lokee here can ride them." Apollon said explaining the groups situation when it came to mounts.

"Ok," the leader says, trying to figure out how to improve the speed of the group. In the end he couldnt figure anything out.
"I guess you'll have to hoof it then. even if we were able to double up, we'd still be short. I dont even know if a half giant can ride a crod' safely. Gather your things, we should go."

Lokee bounced from foot to foot.

"Go go! "

He scuttled back down the dune to the others hooting and yelling as he went.

"Go! Go! We go!"

"Can I suggest that Throd, the Mul, ride with one of you. He's not in good enough shape to make the trek." Apollon said trying to show some apathy for Throd. He wasn't all that heartless.

"Lokee get the erdlu's. Igto, keep doing what you're doing." Apollon said as he went to collect his things and move out.

He starting plucking at his lute and a song was on his tongue. He swore he heard it somewhere before but couldn't remember where exactly.

Outriders on the sand
Outriders on the sand
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a jhakarr without a bone
A bard out on loan
Outriders on the sand

There's an assassin on the road
His brain is squirmin like a silk worm
Take a long holiday
Let your young ones play
If you give this man a ride
Sweet family will die
Assassin on the road, yeah

Girl, you gotta love your man
Girl. you gotta love your man
Take him by the hand
Make him understand
The world on you depends
Our life will never end
Gotta love your man, yeah

Outriders on the sand
Outriders on the sand
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a jhakarr without a bone
A bard out on loan
Outriders on the sand

Outriders on the sand
Outriders on the sand
Outriders on the sand
Outriders on the sand
Outriders on the sand

He shrugs and lets you suport Throd as he half stumbles to the mount.

"You look like the sun got to you friend." he says with no shortage of seriousness.
With the gear collected and stowed on your erdlu, Lokee and Throd mounted up,  you trek off in the cool night.

"Thats some voice you got there" they say to Apollon, where'd you come from? Been working for the house long?"

***

It was slow going, obviously slower than the scouts expect as they keep talking about being late.

Shortly before daybreak you see what appears to be a village, only one small area was lit by torches and fires. It was centered around what was clearly the melikot of a trade caravan.


It was camped there in the dark village for some reason.

Lokee looked around as they entered the village.

"Dark? No bigs? Big home home. No bigs?"

"I come from Balic. That's where I did a few odd jobs for House Wavir. A little bit of this and a little bit of that." Apollon responded to the outriders.

The dark village set Apollon on edge. What could of happened here? Raiders? Creatures from the salt plains? Or maybe the people abandoned it in search of better land. He hoped it was that last option.

However, the sight of the caravan put him at ease. They would have a nice place to stay and have some support for once.

"We got caught in a savage haboob 3 days ago. The next day we came across this. I swear it was like the haboob moved a whole dune and brought this ancient village from its depths. The master decided that exploring this was in the best interest of the house so we stopped."

It was this time that you reach the edge of the torchlight, met by several guards of the house. Longspears and pikes surround you.
"Stop!" came the order from the leader of the guards and one of them steps forwards, he had a blue turban on his head and also carried a pike.
"Well isn't this a surprise? what did you find out there? Some spies maybe?"
It was then he takes a close look at the others,
"By the sorcerers! Is that a halfling!?"

Ah, so it wasn't a foolhardy venture like Apollon thought before. It was something more. Maybe the master had the right idea. There was possibly something in the ancient village worth scavenging...

Apollon forced himself to not roll his eyes when everyone spotted the halfling. It seemed his presence was always going to cause some kind of ruckus.

"It is, he's very hungry, and he will be a guard for House Wavir sent here by the old man back in Nibenay." Apollon motions to one of the outriders to show the guard the note.

Then Apollon played another card in his hand. This caravan had been out here for 3 days now. They would be lacking in news. The party sure had some news for them. Not everyday that Tyre's Sorcerer King is killed and a revolt is sparked in Nibenay.

"Speaking of Nibenay we bring news from there as well as Tyre. You're going to want to here it." Apollon said with a smile.

He reads the note, but looks at Apollon with a wary eye.

"Tyre? No good news ever comes from Tyre."

The guard sums up the note as best he could, "It says that they are now in the employ of the house."

"Fine fine. Ill hear more of this in the protection of the camp. Come, your friend looks like he is in need of rest, as do you all."

He bids you join him and he moves towards the center of the caravan.

"Well it's good news for some and bad news if your the Sorcerer King of Tyr. He's dead." Apollon let that hang in the air for a few seconds. "A revolt kicked up in Nibenay. It didn't succeed but it did help me and my traveling partners escape from slavery."

Apollon launched into telling their tale. The fight in the arena, they're escape, battling in the streets, being so close to getting out of the city only to be stopped by an old foe, and finally meeting the old man from House Wavir.

The master of the watch stops in his tracks,
"What? King Tyr is dead? When and how? This cant be real news can it?"

He looks at the entourage of guards that have been following you.
"Anyone else heard this?" he asks, though he already knew the answer.
NO one answers, because the caravan left before the news hit Nibenay.
"No one will, understood?" he says.

Nervously, the guards agree, but it was easy to see they would whisper among themselves about it later on.

Knowing this, the master of the watch, sighs and bid you to keep following him.

He takes you to an area designated for sleeping, the wall was lined with wooden bunks.
"This is where the hired guards sleep. We will speak more in the morning, your friend looks like he could use a good nights rest."

Lokee had grinned at the sight of others. It may have seemed feral but he was in a good mood.

He had followed the others, looking around wide eyed, until they were shown the area with the bunks. He had quickly scrambled up to the top of one of the bunks and paced around briefly like a cat before settling down.

"More good bigs! This good! Lokee happy!"

Apollon repressed his smile. The news had been delivered and thoughts ran rampant no matter how hard the caravan master tried to censor them.

He welcomed the bunk below Lokee. It's warm embrace was like that of a inn wench with nothing better to do with her time...

"Yes, more good bigs. It is good. Now to go to sleep." Apollon muttered to Lokee.

Before he feel completely asleep the rogue looked over at Throd to make sure he was settled and comfortable as he possibly could be. He seemed fine for the time. Hopefully sleep in a proper bed and within relative safety he would recuperate. He was sure he would... Muls were strong and hardy. They didn't break easily.

Then Apollon slipped off into the realm of darkness and dreams.

You sleep through the rest of the night in safety for the first time since you set out of nibenay.

There were fires and shelter to keep the cold night air from your skin. There was water aplenty, and food in reasonable amounts, though it was expected that you couldn't be seen wasting any of it. You would be expected to earn your keep as caravan guards like the old man had said.

Sleep takes you and it was a much needed reprieve.

You awake in the early morning hours as the sun crests a massive dune. Crodlu beast could be heard squawking in the distance. A man comes to your bunk and wakes you without any remourse.
"Hey newcomers! Were having a meeting in from of the entrance. Attendance is mandatory."

He leaves, leaving you to figure your way there, but it wouldn't be hard.

Lokee had scrambled off the bunk before dawn and gone outside and away from the others. Taking a moment he steadied himself and faced back to the lands he was bound to. As his consciousness reached out and reestablished that link, he felt refreshed and regrounded.

With that done and moved to where he could see the sun and waited for the sun to rise.

Apollon halted himself from shanking the man that rudely awakened him. Would be a bad first impression on the job.

Apollon grumbled and got ready. He notices Lokee is gone. He thought he might of run off but that wouldn't be like him. He seemed to like the "bigs". Would probably show up at the entrance meeting.

The bard checks his gear, tunes up his lute, grabs a few pieces of fruit, and heads off to the meeting. Time to get to work and when the time was right get back to Nibenay and deliver justice to those that wronged him.

You find your way to the impromptu meeting. There were five men clustered around a dying campfire.
One was the guard captain from last night. There was an old egghead dwarf who had a wooden peg for a left leg. Another was a ruddy skinned female with recently bandaged injuries, Te fourth was some half child assistant carrying an assortment of scrolls for the dwarf, and the last was an elf who seemed to prefer the shadows.

"Welcome" The guard captain bids you.
He then begins to speak to the others, "These are men sent by Eolas from Nibenay to catch up with us before we reached the outpost. These timely reinforcements are pure chance as the old man couldnt know our current predicament. And for you,...."
he says speaking to you again.

"We chanced upon this 2 days ago after a particularly bad sandstorm. The chance for ancient ruins and ancient treasure demanded we at least map the position and give a quick search. Unfortunatly, the caravan master and house agent, Hakarr, for some reason wandard off while he was supposed to be here supervising. He took all of the caravans most important documents, including trade agreements, manifests, and who knows what else."
The dwarf begins to speak, he was old, even for a dwarf, his wrinkly skin and white beard revealed his years were nearing an end. He must've been older than the old man in Nibenay by far and a member of the house even longer than that.
"Trade manifesto's, lists of house agents in other city states, some we would prefer other houses and governing bodies to not know about, lists of-"
The guard captain cuts him off, "Yes yes, important stuff. Like I was saying. We cant proceed with out those documents, and preferably the caravan master himself. He looks at the huamn female. She was breathing heavily under linen rags, and he breath was wet, punctuated by hacking coughs. Otherwise, she looked fit and trim for a brawler.
She looks at you," Ive been trying to find the master, leading scout parties into these ruins day and night to find him. This village is cursed and should have remained buried." she says before hacking up a wad of red phlegm. "Im no longer able to do that. We need you to, otherwise we cant guard our shipment and search at the same time."

Apollon kept tuning up his lute as he listened to the guard captain and sighed once they mentioned the lost caravan master. Guess the one they talked to last night was the guard captain and no the caravan master. Interesting.

The tuning abruptly stopped at the mention of the village being cursed because of course it was. Instead he drew out one of his obsidian swords to check its edge.

He drew some blood from his finger and looked back at the rag tag guard group. "Well, we're also down a companion. If we are going into the ruins I'd be more comfortable with four of us." He looked over to the shadows where the Elf lingered. "Hey, you good with a blade as you are at hiding from the sun?"

Lokee had wandered back and skittered towards the sound of voices.

Eventually he had found himself next to Apollon.

" Tui, where go now?"

The first word out of his mouth flowed like honey as opposed to the normal common that seemed to crash out like boulders in a landslide.

"No where good." Apollon responded to Lokee.

"Tui? What's tui?" He asked over the foreign word that he was probably butchering in pronunciation.

Lokee nodded, probably not completely understanding.

"You are Tui. Good mouth sound. Bird from home!"

Apollon let out a small laugh and smiled. "Not the worst thing someone's called me before."

The Elf sat at the dying campfire, gently blowing at the ashes, even as the sands already started to reclaim the coals. For any who watch him, it becomes apparent that it wasn't the shadows he was hiding in, but that your eyes struggle to find where he ends and the earth begins; not only as if his skin tone were the same, perfect shade as the dunes themselves, but his clothing and equipment seemed to mimic the space around him as well.

Makuuri kept to himself for most of the conversation, weighing his options. He had been hired to smooth over relations with the other elven tribes and raiding parties in the area. He didn't carry a weapon and had no reason to risk himself for this caravan. Still, if the caravan found something meaningful in these ruins, it could be worth his time.

He turned to face the bard, patting down his sides like he was looking for his weapon. When he spoke, it was a quick staccato of syllables with rough consonants, he spoke with a practiced gravity, as if every phrase was pure truth. "A blade? Can't say I've never used one, but I don't remember the last time I owned a weapon I wasn't trying to get rid of. Still, I have some skills that may be of use. I am a proficient scout and am well versed on the strange. I can, in a pinch, defend myself with a weapon. If you've got a spare, I enjoy lighter blades myself."

At that, he looked over the "reinforcements" who had rolled in last night. They appeared fairly capable, with only one member of particular interest to him. He looked the halfling up and down, trying to size him up for worth and trust.

Private to Lokee:

"Ah, the shadow speaks."

Apollon questioned the choice of the Elf being defenseless. Athas didn't take kindly to those that didn't fight back. Either this Elf was lying or he had another trick up his sleeve. However, Apollon took the benefit of the doubt. He already had to many weapons on him but he wasn't going to give to him. Nothing was free... at least to those he didn't know.

"Good thing I keep a spare on me." He tapped his second shortsword. "Yours if you have the coin for it, dune runner." He said in perfect Elvish.

Speaking in Elvish was more of a showoff that Apollon couldn't help. Maybe it would impress him like some of his other brethren that it has worked on before to sweeten a deal.

The elf smirks at his new compatriot. He speaks back in the rapidity characteristic of his people. "A man after my own heart. I don't see it getting much use, and I know what a quality weapon looks like... not to mention its already seen enough use itself. Three, take it or leave it." He leans back and props himself up with one hand, the other slips a couple fingers into a pouch and rummages out a few coins. He holds them out to the man with a trader's practiced flat affect.

The rogue unsheathed the second sword. The obsidian was good. No cracks or faults along it. The handle was little worn but nothing a few leather strips couldn't fix. A few chips along the edges but nothing major. A perfectly fine sword. Something that should fetch at least 6 coins easily. Just under a standard city market price for something similar.

"I hope you're good with your hands then or find something along the way." Apollon replied switching back into common and returned the shortsword into its sheath with some flair.

Makuuri shrugged, though he struggled to keep a smile from peeking through. It's true, the man could easily get more for the blade, but Makuuri wouldn't budge. He said the following in common, so everyone knew the deal went south. "Fine, I'll go in unarmed. If I don't get into any fighting, I don't have to worry about dying anyways." He tucks the coins into his fist, but doesn't put them away.

Igto readied himself for the trek into the ruins. He was eager to get to something he might be able to slice into. The half-giant cracked his head from side to side and looked over at the elf.

"If you fight, you need weapon. Take one of my axes."

He offers out one of his hand-axes.

"I want that back. With blood on it."

The big man smiles eerily and widens his eyes.

Lokee had stared at the elf as his words filled his mind.

He had then, in a way he thought was right, tried to think loudly as if maybe that would help him be heard?

Thinking back to the Elf:

A frown appears on Makuuri's face, for only a split second, but his easy con had fallen through. He reaches out with a smile and takes the axe with both hands. It was oversized for any other race, but especially so on his smaller frame.

He gives a nod to the half giant, "Thank you. It is clear you have our best interests at heart." His smile turned into a slight wince for a moment, then returned. He cast a glance at the halfling and nodded.

"You done?" the injured woman asks.

"We need to find Hakaar, or at least all those important documents he had when he ran off. I cant do anything like this and Tordos doesn't have the manpower to guard our goods and look for him. You gotta find him or we will not be in good graces."

"The CP we will lose in lose trade agreements and treaties....the caravan could not recover from that without the house's help, and why would they help this crew?" The dwarf asks.

The guard captain asks, "You got weapons? Axe yeah? What else do you need?"

Makuuri looks over with feigned embarrassment at the woman. "Yeah Vesa, Gram. don't worry. We'll find the documents and report in on Hakaar. Hold the fort until we get back, who knows, maybe this place has something good?" He says, before Tordos got him back to business. he flips the axe around in the air and gets a feel for the balance. "I'm good with this. How're the conscripted forces?" He says, shooting a glance at the newcomers.

Apollon gave Igto a side eyed look when he tossed the elf an axe.

"I need to teach you about market practices and the laws of economics, Igto."

Apollon was ready to move and didn't need anything else. "The volunteers," he looked at the elf, "Are good to go, dune runner."

"If I wasn't injured, I kick your ass myself" Vesa says back.

Tordos then spoke, "So you've got your gear and your orders. What else?"

With nothing else to do but venture out, you gather your things and apply your armor.
Throd, however, was pretty sun sick, he needed rest and would hardly help you out in his current condition. It was decided he would stay here and perhaps he would be in a more suitable shape later tonight or in the morning.

You approach the same doors to exit the melikot caravan that you had entered the night before.
In the light you can see the village much better.



Sand was still piled into the crevasses and corners, the whole village having only erupted from the sands in the last day or two. It was eerie to see such a city devoid of life. The only sound you can hear is the harsh winds as it blows between the buildings and whistles in your direction. The village stretches into the distance where it eventually was reclaimed by the dunes. That left several square acres of empty houses, markets, and streets.

The most direct path into the area was clearly visible, having just been explored the day before by Vesa and her bunch, now dead.

Behind you, Tordos provides a word of encouragement, "Dont die. We have no one else to replace you."

He then shuts the door and proceeds to watch you from the caravan wall.

***

You move along for roughly 10 minutes before you come across the scene of Vesa's last fight. Her warriors, about 7 of them, lay scattered around an ancient marketplace. Two of them have been decapitated and the rest were simply cut down. Their coagulated life blood paints the area dark red, but you see no tracks of anything else......

Lokee had shuffled up and looked at the carnage.

"Much much blood!"

He turns and looks at the others.

"Where go??"

Apollon covered his nose to try and block out the smell of decaying bodies. The dead bodies didn't bother him but he never got over the smell of death.

Something had cut through them with ease and left no trace. That slightly unnerved Apollon. Something this powerful must of left something behind.

"Dune runner, you said you have experience with the strange? Any ideas on what could of done this?" Apollon asked the most qualified expert among them.

Apollon turned to Lokee. "Where go? How about up." Apollon pointed to the sky. "Some eyes in the sky might give us a better idea of where Hakaar might of ran off to."

Igto scratched his head a bit at Apollon's words about economics or whatever it was he said. He shrugs his shoulders and heads out with the others.

+++++

He sees the blood and it lights a small fire inside of him. It'd been too long. He needed to get some blood on his weapons and the way they were going looked like the best way to do so. He walks over to the corpses, inspecting them for anything worthwhile. He takes a bit of the blood onto his finger and rolls it around, not trying to gauge anything from it, but liking the feeling of it on his fingers.

He waited for information from the dune runner.

Lokee shock his head.

"No up up..."

He squats down for a moment, resting his hand on the sand and thinking.

After a moment his head pops up and he grins.

A green glow engulfs him and his form starts to shift into that of a Jhakar.

Once transformed he starts to sniff and search around the area looking for tracks.