Blood on the Sands - IC

Igto felt much better almost instantly. He heard the words from this newcomer and grunted in his direction. He had to keep the bloodlust going. He had to attack his next target and end this fight as quickly as possible. He finds the closest guard and charges forward, swinging the bloody maul down hard yet again.
Whereas the first guard was unaware of a half giant's strength, this one was. He takes the overhead blow on a raised shield. His arm buckles under the force, but holds.

Apollon moved out from around Igto and went after the guard on his right. He held his sword low and perpendicular to the ground. Like a coiled snake his arm springs forth thrusting the blade at his opponent.
The guard had kept his attention on Igto, and didnt pay attention to the rebel weasel who had manouvered behind him. Too late did he realize his mistake as the obsidian short sword slid between his ribs.
"Gah!" he screams in pain. Apollonyanks out the blade and the guard's body spits blood like a geyser for a brief moment, Apollon hit something vital.
The guard had bled out before he hit the ground.

The guard nearest to Apollon shrieks as he suddenly find himself outnumbered and outflanked. With wild abandon, he swings the weapon at Igto, hitting him in the upper thigh again. While none of the blows did a lot of damage, he swings recklessly and repeatedly, trying to down the biggest threat so that he could retreat forward. Igto feels more and more pain in his legs with each hit.

Throd was to engrossed in the melee to initially notice the halfling pop his head up. He only turned in alarm as Igto was lit up in a green glow emanating the halflings hand, the giant seemed to benefit from the magic so Throd decided to kill the halfling last… if he was a mage.
Throd parried blows with his shield and made thundering blows with his hammer when the opportunity presented itself.
The guard blocks Throd's attack and prepared his own counter.

Lokee pops up again and throws a glowing stone, that seems to hit with a lot more impact then it should on the guard.
The rock hits him in the back of the helmet. The guard elicits a cry of surprise and pain, raising his shoulders to block more rocks but keeping his front to Igto-the real threat....

The Nibenay home guard attacks Throd from behind his battered shield. Throd saw the wicked swing incoming and taps into his psionic prowess. The carrikal stopped a hair's breadth away from Throd and repelled back as if parried.
"You scum!" The home guard snarls in defiance.


Initiative:
Igto - 20 - 9/15
Apollon - 19
G1 - 11
G2 - 11 - DEAD
G3 - 9 - DEAD
Throd - 7
Lokee - 5
G4 - 3

Igto roared with rage at having taken more damage from the pitiful little insects before him. The guards were strong, but he needed to be stronger. He stares daggers at the one that damaged him, swinging his maul down hard to crack open the puny figure's skull. It splits like a ripe melon, the brains oozing out and nearly hitting the ground before the body.
The body looses functions and falls to the ground slowly, first to its knees then to its right side.

Apollon watched Igto crush the last guard around them. It wasn't over though as he could still here a fight going on to his right. Throd was engaging the last guard who just took a rock to the back of the helmet.
That's the first time Apollon saw the Halfing a few rows above them. As long as the rocks were going to the guards Apollon was happy.
Apollon sprinted down his row and draws one of his daggers. When he felt his was within comfortable range he lets it fly.
The dagger lodges itself in the home guard's shoulder. A grunt of pain escapes the guards mouth as he prepares for the Mul's counter.

Throd pulls his hammer back and then begins his swing to strike, however he hesitates hoping to throw his target before bringing its heavy head down on his foes shoulder. The feint works, the guard brings his shield to block an attack that never came. The blow struck from an angle he neither saw, nor expected. With a cry of pain, he collapses to the ground.

Combat Over

Looking back, a full blown riot had engulfed the arena floor. In the night sky, the orange glow of fires could be seen in many directions. Was the whole city in revolt?

The most important thing now was to get away from here. Just to the north was the Academy of fierce purpose, the Templar school would be disgorging its cohort of women sorcerers to assist the guard in quelling the violence. If the riots could not be quelled soon, perhaps even Nibenay himself would emerge from the Naggaramakam-that prospect was terrifying in the extreme.

Another thing to consider was the diminutive little savage that had just bailed you out of pain, Igto especially. Could he be trusted not to knife you then eat your organs? Or was he willing to ally out of convenience?
.....Could he even speak common?


Initiative:
Igto - 20 - 9/15
Apollon - 19
G1 - 11 - DEAD
G2 - 11 - DEAD
G3 - 9 - DEAD
Throd - 7
Lokee - 5
G4 - 3

With the last guard dead at his feet Throd's stomach grumbles. They had been fed poorly while jailed. "We should make for the city proper, get food and supplies in case we have to push into the desert."

Throd then rounds on the halfling and eyes him suspiciously, he had used some kind of magic that much was obvious.

"Speak now little one. Are ye a magi?" the Muls grip on his hammer shaft tightens, his knuckles whiten.

Lokee stood up and brought himself to his full 3 feet. He spat at the ground.

"Me land talker! Not land spolier! Spoiler no can green spark! Only land talker!"

He gestures to the dead guards.

"Bad men take Lokee away from home."

He spits at the body again, before looking suspiciously back up at Throd.

"...you bad man?"

Apollon retrieved his dagger from the dead guard as Throd and the Halfling squared up to one another.

"So you're a druid, eh? Thanks for the assistance. Throd here hasn't been a bad man to us." He looks at the guard he pummeled, "To others he might be but that's beyond the point."

Apollon looked around. Chaos started to grip the city. A beautiful sight of anarchy and rebellion. He'd be singing about this day for years.

Throds look of suspicion passes "I be a 'bad man' to those you despoil the earth and those who shackle me." he grumbles at the halfling.

He then looks around wondering and hoping now might be a good time to don his armour, felt naked without it "If we're to fight any more guards I'd prefer to do so encased in my armour, let us find a quite spot."

Lokee looks around and picks up a couple more rocks and stuffs them in a pouch, looking like he stopped listening after confirming he wasnt a bad man.

"Fast fast! Put shell on! More bad men come soon! Fast fast we go!"

You exit the arena and all of its problems without a second thought.

Into the night you go, heading east towards the town interior. This was a middle income housing district, though it was not safe haven from rioting either....

Roving bands of looters and city guard play a game of cat and mouse among the tightly packed streets and back alleys. Businesses open at this time, such as inn's and taverns, have guards barring entry to anyone who gets too close.

Its not too hard to duck into an alley, shadowed by the nights fires to gain a brief respite and let Throd equip his wooden armor.

The armor was thin strips of Edaloo lashed together with leather cords like wicker. It was durable and tough, if not heavy. Throd's heritage made it nothing to wear it though.

Now was the time to plan your next move. Further south and east, you would find the high road which could then take you south towards the city reservoir and its marshy exit, or north towards the Naggarakam, which loomed ahead currently-too close. North from your position is the academy of fice purpose, the templar schools, not a good idea either.

Back west, on the other side of the arena was the temple of the sun, a clerical convent who practice priestly magic of the fire element. It was likely they had taken to the streets near the temple in thier own order to quell the rioting.
South of that was the exalted faith monastery, whose practitioners of the way would be enforcing their own agenda on those unfortunate enough to stray too close with ill intent.

There was always housing districts to the south, but with the looters and city guards......

Besides the current dilema, where would you go after? Would you part ways or find camaraderie in the harsh sun?

Apollon weighed his options as Throd equipped himself.

All exit options weren't great but they were better then nothing. The west gate was technically the closest. It would allow them to either make of the crescent forest or the great ivory plain. Neither was ideal but the city in rebellion and them being escaped slaves meant staying wasn't really an option.

The crescent forest was foreign to Apollon. He'd seen it for afar and heard stories about the Lostspears and the Witchgrove but that was it. He did know that Gulg was further west on the other end of it.

The great ivory plain on the other hand he had some experience with. Especially the Mekillot Mountains where he did some work for the House Wavir of Balic at Outpost 19 and the nearby village Salt View. House Wavir was opposed to slavery and Salt View was made up of ex or escaped slaves. So their markings wouldn't stand out or matter.

"Alright, listen up, to get out of Nibenay I suggest we head back west and make for the west gate. For their we make a break to the crescent forest or the great ivory plain. Our halfling friend here might know something about the crescent forest but I know the great ivory plain. In the Mekillot Mountains is Outpost 19 which is ran by House Wavir which I did some work for. They won't care much about our slave marks nor will all the ex or escaped slaves at nearby Salt View. Those would be the best places to lay low and recuperate. Beats trying to survive out in the desert or the crescent forest."

Igto stood watch near the entrance to the alleyway, but remained within earshot so he could go on a moments notice. He listened to Apollon, the one with the good ideas. Igto wasn't much for thinking. No, not even a little bit. He'd rather have something to smash or hit in front of him. He licked his lips, tasting the blood around his mouth from the spray of his opponents. The blood lust had calmed, but it would return.

"Sound good. We go to this Outpost. See what we can get there."

Lokee had followed the others creeping and being particularly stealthy.

He paused as the big ones spoke.

"Hmmm. Forest bad for bigs. Forest bad for Lokee now now. Lokee follow big big and little bigs! Lokee green spark help!"

Lokee nodded sagely after his declaration of following the group.

Throd listens to Apollon and gives a nod in agreement "That seems wise, I would be away from here."

At that moment Throd's stomach growls angrily in hunger, he looks down at it "We'll need supplies. Food and water certainly." patting his belly he looks back up at Apollon. "These mountains will be cold, aye?"  

Under Apollon's direction, you find an alley and lay in wait for a group to ambush.

It wasn't long, 5 minutes or so before a group of ruffians turn down the dark alley. They were swollen with pilfered good an no doubt not expecting to be attacked.
You move forward towards them in the alley, the low light would be a hassle, but it would also give you a chance to move unnoticed towards them.

Until Apollon knocks over some debris he had not seen.

"What was that?" one of them asks.

"Shhhh." the one in the back goads, before seeing figures in the dark ahead of him, "Someone's trying to get the drop on us, up there!" he warns the others. But it was too late, you had already started your attack.

**Low Light Conditions**

Lokee squints briefly before muttering a few words and a sudden green glow fills the area where the ruffians are stand, all the items and things around them lighting up.
"No more strong green spark! Kill! Lokee help from here. Go!"
He readies the rocks in his hand, as he says this.
The looters are ringed by a fictional fire fueled by primal magic.
They moan/scream in shock, until they realize that the flames do not hurt them.
"Its the way!" one says, referring to psionic abilities almost everyone on Athas had.

Shield and hammer in hand Throd starts to run at the enemy. While he appeared to move slowly and somewhat plodding he had a long stride so he quickly ate up the ground between. This was about survival now, he did not hate them like he did the arena guards, they just had something he needed. He would make it quick and as painless as possible.

Igto followed in the footsteps of his new companion, Throd. The man was quite a beast. He could take a walloping and then some and for that alone Igto respected the hell out of him. He should lose the shield though, Igto thought, smiling with all his pearly whites. The little magic man was proving useful, but it was time for some head bashing.




Lokee popped out and moved a little closer before hurling the enchanted stone. He cheers as it hits and then dashes back into cover. The seemingly normal stone whizzes through the air like a bullet, smacking the nearest looter in the chest with a hard 'thud'.
"Ugh! What the-" he grunts in surprise as the wind is knocked from his lungs.

When he got there he'd hit like a run away wagon, it just took some time. Throd raises his hammer ready to split a skull as soon as he got close.

The closest looter catches his breath and with anger in his eyes, rushes headlong at Throd. He swings at Throd with a large bone pierced through with cactar spikes. The looter was obviously not a man of war, or violent talent, such as Throd was. The swing misses by a wide margin.

"Not like that you fool!" The leader says. He moves to where he could flank Throd and attacks with a obsidian shard.
"Like this!" he says as he cuts a gouge in the Mul's back.

One would of thought it was the rogue that should of been light footed. For Apollon tonight that wasn't the case. Instead the chaos of the city had caught his attention more than trying to blend into the darkness or being quiet.
Everyone took off towards the looters before Apollon even saw them. He just cracked a smile and followed behind the two brutes. An inspired song skips off from his lips.

In the shadows of the alleys,
With the city burning,
The wretched come out to play.
Blades flashed,
Blood spilled,
Bodies broken.
The desperate plead.
Ask for forgiveness.
For tonight there is no forgiveness.
In the shadows of the alleys,
With the city burning,
The wretched come out to play.
Blades flashed,
Blood spilled,
Bodies broken.
The slaves howled.
For the blood of the freeman spilled into the streets.
Tonight all the blood flowed into the streets.

Igto continued to lumber forward, catching up to Throd in a few sweeping movements. He swung down hard with his maul, hoping to hear a satisfying crunch.
The looter captain takes the maul hit in stride. He was made of sterner stuff as he seems to brush off the hit.

"They got a dam half giant!" the rear one says in alarm. He raises a shortbow and fires at Igto. The arrow buries itself into Igto's left shoulder.

"you take him, Ill get the other!" the last one says as he rushed forward and tries to down Throd. The shoddy spear pikes at the air uselessly instead of Mul flesh.


Lokee pulls back his arm and throws with a tiny grunt, and the glowing green stone flies towards the nearest looter. The rock hits him in the back with a thud. It doesn't seem to bother his fiery form as he concentrates on Igto and Throd before him.

Throd was all about a solid defence with his shield and armour and less about foot work, which while was there was more economical than those more fleet of foot. His shield and hammer worked in concert to pummel down the thug that opposed him, there was no satisfaction in the kill. The looter had stuff Throd and this unlikely band needed and the only transaction given was blood. A fair trade.

The ringleader grits his teeth and his eyes widen in anger as he sees Throd strike down his minion.
"You bald bastard! Ill kill you!" he taunts as he smashed his obsidian blade into Throd's left shoulder, drawing a ragged gash across his tanned skin.
He laughs in triumph, "hahahahaha. Didn't like that did you?"

Apollon continues to sing out his song as he sprint down the alley pulling a bone dagger from his waistband. He spots a looter digging into Throd and smiles as he lets the dagger join in chorus with its own 'deadly' touch.
The dagger flies true and finds the ringleader's shoulder, glancing off of it from the awkward angle it hits at.
The blade draws a jagged line of blood, clearly visible from the faerie fire illuminating his form.

Igto frowned a bit at the lack of death before him. He was confused because usually when he hit this hard the thing before him died a bloody mess. He shrugs his shoulders and comes down hard again with his maul, eager to end this and hopefully still be standing at the end of it.

The rear guard had knocked another short-shafted arrow and pulled the thinly strung gut-strings back. The taut bow bent with the effort. He release the arrow, that sailed in the air right towards Throd. It passed him by and buried itself into the 2nd story of an adobe wall structure somewhere behind him. He hisses through gritted teeth at the bad aim.

The looter flanking Throd adds his weight to the spear thrust as Throd was distracted. It grazes a wooden strip on his armor which diverts it up into the dark night.


Lokee is distracted by something on the ground as he throws again.
The rock flies way off course and bounces off a far off wall with a stony sound.

The insult was minor and Throd was slow to anger. By the time he grew angry the man he fought would be dead. Throds gaze turns to the ring leader "I do not think it is my day to die." he replies.
The Mul pumps out his hammer at his opponent a few times, more as a distraction, trying to unbalance the man before bring his hammer swinging around from below trying to take out a knee, or if he was lucky he'd crush his groin area.
The heavy maul scores a glancing blow on his crotch area, but he seems to notice little. He smiles at the Mul, hes teeth starkly bright against his suntanned skin.
"You were born sterile, they took it from me!"

Though he did not suffer as a normal man would, he was still clearly in pain. He reacts with the black glassy sword. The sword scours a deep gouge in Throd's shield.
"This one is mine" he says to his compatriots, ordering them to concentrate their efforts elsewhere.

He watched as his dagger did ineffective damage. It invoked an uncharacteristic snarl from the thief bard.
It was time to enter the fray once again as Apollon unsheathes his bone and obsidian blades in tandem. His target was that mouthy ringleader. He lets Throd grab his attention before he makes a short run to his exposed flank and lashed out with his two shortswords.
The ringleader avoided the first swing from the serrated beetle blade, but he was too slow to avoid the damage from the second attack, which caught him completely off guard. Blood dribbles from a new slice across his torso.

Igto was frustrated at himself. How could this puny little man be besting him in melee combat? He was a half-giant and this tiny little human was making him look a fool. He grits his teeth and readies for his next swing of the giant weapon. He could clearly make out where his next hit would land. It was like slow-motion. So long as he placed the swing just right, it would be enough to smash into their little leader. He waited for the exact moment. And then swung with all his might.
The maul connects square in the ringleader's chest. Igto feels a crunch through the ineffectual armor.
The looter staggers back, a sucking,wheezing sound coming from every rasping breath. He losses his strength and takes a knee, looking at Igto and Throd with a resigned smile on his face.
"If things were different, you would have been on my side." he says, hacking out a wad of bloody phlegm.

The one in the back, the one with the arrows and shortbow, pauses. He was clearly considering running but somehow decides to stick it out.
"You overgrown bastard!" he yells as he lets loose another arrow at Igto. The missile flies off into the darkness without any fanfare.

Throd's attention was on the captain, now would be a good chance to take him out.
The last rioting looter lunges out with his spear at Throd's backside. The pointy stick was deflected by Throd's heavy wooden armor.


Lokee looks back at the fight and realizes they wernt dead yet.
"What? No dead? DIE DIE!!!"
He throws one of his magic rocks again
The magic rock flies through the air. It seemed to move slow as it brains the ringleader, knocking the sense and life from his bruised body.
He slowly and dramatically falls to the ground, dead and without life.

The surviving rioters panic at seeing their boss dead. They turn tail and run, You dont give them a chance. You fall upon the scurrying rats and end their miserable lives then and there. When thier bodies would be discovered, there would be no witnesses to report your selfish heroics as you strip the rioting looters for all they're worth.

COMBAT OVER

Initiative:
Lokee - 19
Throd - 18 - 8/12
Looter 1 - 16 - DEAD
Ringleader - 11 - DEAD
Apollon - 9
Igto - 7 - 4/15
Looter 2 - 5
Looter 3 - 6 - Farie fire

Igto looked down at the puny human who turned out to be quite a bit stronger than he'd first thought. A testament to the rough nature of their surroundings. Anyone not tough would surely die a horrible death. And even if you were, you still might.

"He was strong. A worthy opponent. Nicely done, magic...," he stumbled on what to call Lokee exactly, "halfie."

He turns the leader over with his maul, checking at what he had on him. None of it would work for him of course, but money always did wonders.

"We splitting this up or what? I can't use most of it."

Apollon flicks the blood off his blades after he downs the last of the group. Apollon felt no remorse for what he did... maybe these men had families they were trying to support or maybe they were absolute scum. Athas was brutal and she didn't care what you were or who you were doing it for. One day Apollon would probably come to his own grizzly end but that wasn't today.

"Strip them of anything worthwhile. Even their armor will be useful to barter with. We'll worry about group percentages later." Apollon says to the group as he picks up his thrown dagger.

Apollon steps over to the leaders body. Studded leather... nice. Another dagger... could never have enough of those. An obsidian blade... if he was a thri-kreen then it would of been useful but it would be good for bartering with. A hefty pouch of ceramic pieces... excellent.

The rogue happily liberated the leader of his armor, his dagger, his shortsword, and his pouch of money. He then spotted another dagger on one of the dead looters... he took it cause he couldn't help himself.

"Let's make this snappy. We have a west gate to get to and a long trip after that." Apollon said reminding the group they had somewhere to be.

Throd sets about removing armour and gathering weapons, Apollon was right they'd need to scavenge as much as they could. They were not yet ready to head to the west gate.

"We have coin now, so water and food should be brought or taken before we venture in to the desert." Throd was a Mul and they had legendary endurance but even he knew of the deserts danger "We should also rest first before heading beyound the walls."

The was little to no suggestion that Throds suggestion was optional.

Igto picked up any of the gear that might be too much for the others to carry or was left behind due to no one wanting it. He'd use it to trade and barter with and hopefully it would prove useful. His body ached a bit from the constant fighting. He was surely in need of a rest.

"I am with Throd here, let's rest."

He reached down to his injuries, wiping some of the blood away.

"We need to be prepared."

Apollon was ready to retort that rest was for the weak and they should take advantage of the chaos until he saw the wounds on Throd and Igto. They both took the brunt of the fight leaving Apollon and the halfling injury free.

"Alright, we can recuperate and strike out tomorrow. I might know of a few places where we can lay low." Apollon said.

Apollon leads you along fire lit alleys. The night was alive with rioting and looting, but avoiding it would be best as that would attract city guards, and you had no desire to tangle with all of them.

You en up in a beggars alley. Hooded and robed figures crouch on the ground along the bases of buildings, trying to keep way in the cold night.

Moaning from injured and sick beggars could be heard somewhere in the din. As you enter, those close you you raise their heads in alarm. There were always those ready to extort easy money, even from the poor. You didnt look poor, but seeing that you werent going to shake them down for a few pieces of cp the lower their heads and try to sleep some more.

You find an open spot along the side of a boarded up skeletal building to sit next to.

Throd was not fussy, a place to sleep was a place to sleep. He'd never slept on an actually bed with a mattress before anyway. The best he'd had was a raised wooden plinth with a blanket beneath.

He takes a position against a wall "I need much sleep if I am to call the earth again, I can take the a few hours watch now or towards the end of the night." he says matter of factually.

Igto didn't mind as long as the place could keep him. He wasn't concerned with their safety so much as getting as much rest as possible. Still, better to get in good with the group than to distance oneself from them.

"I too can watch now or later, but I need my rest. And soon."

Lokee had poked and sniffed around the bodies, quickly finding the leg of meat and holding it close with 2 arms.

"Good good fight! Big strong mans! Rest we must!"

He had followed the group after they left, eyeing everybody suspiciously as if they were going to try steal the meat.

Once they had found the place they would rest he had sit down and started eating.

"Bigs sleep. Lokee eat and watch. Nobody take meat or hurt lokee friends."

The night was as errie as any you can remember. There was a glow of fire over the squat buildings and structures as rioting and looting continued.

Those sounds wafted on smoke filled air to the beggars alley. There were dozens, no hundreds, of minor skirmishes throughout the city. The city guard would be out in force tonight.

Ironically, that was a good thing for you. The beggars would typically be under threat of racketeers and thugs who wanted whatever alms they would acquire throughout the day. On a night like this they had more on their mind than scamming the poor dispossessed.
This is the scene that lingers in your mind as you finally close your eyes and get some much needed sleep.

In the morning, the beggars are already filtering out of the alley towards whatever hovels the would beg on. The morning air was cool still, the twin suns had not had a chance to scorch the earth yet but they would very soon.
The air was thick with smoke. It appeared from this position that fires were still smoldering themselves out, but of sounds of fighting, there were none.

Apollon took in a deep breath in the morning and quickly regretted it as he had a coughing fit from the smoke. The calmness of the city dulled his creative side so he settled for waking anyone in the party who wasn't awake yet with a slight kick.

The city still wasn't a safe place to be for escaped slaves which they all were. They needed to get to the West Gate and procure some supplies and maybe a Kank or two... hopefully.

"Up and at 'em! We have places to be and things to trade and buy at the West Gate. Then to everyone's favorite place... the desert."

Lokee had slept well after his watch and dinner.

He had awoke with the others with a fresh mind and a new power flowing inside him.

"Yes yes! Leave city! Be free!"

Igto's snoring was interrupted abruptly from the kick that Apollon gave. He nearly went into a rage at the interruption, but calmed himself as he saw who it was that was doing the kicking. Gotta keep friends around, wouldn't do to be alone.

"Okay, okay. Can we get food first?"

Thrud roused with Apollon's 'prodding', he'd been awake for a little while anyway but he was trying to get as much rest as he could. He was well aware of the dangers of the desert and he'd conserved as much of his energy as he could.

His stomach rubbled at the mention of food "They'll be food at the markets, if indeed they're open" he replies to Igto. "I'm ready to be off."

You proceed west towards the west gate, northwest from your current position.

On the way you pass scenes of bodies piles in smoldering heaps. The presence of city guard was heavy and they were not in groups of less then 10 men. They were forcing locals to gather the dead. You can see from blocks away that there was column of heavy smoke from the arena as you pass within a few city blocks of it.

No one reacts to Igto, Throd or Apollon, Humans, Muls and Half giants were a common enough scene in the tablelands. Lokee however.....THAT was unusual.
Nearing the gate the guard presence gets heavier. You are soon stopped by a group of city guard,
"Halt fast. What are you doing with the cannibal-savage in the city?"
Looking around, you see the watchful eyes of the urbanites, Hands resting on sheathed weapons.

Apollon smiled at the guards. "He's part of my traveling troupe." He motioned to Throd and Igto, "Picked our little guy up over in Gulg. Fantastic cook."

Lokee grins up at the guard.

"Bigs and big big are friend!"

The guard looks quizzically from Lokee to Apollon and back again.

"Gulg?" he says with a rankled look on his face.
"What are you doing here? Are you spies of the 'forest goddess'?" he tone increases as the possibility of spies during this upheaval angers him.

The guards ready weapons, but they seemed to be waiting on the command from the captain.

Igto laughs, the huge bellowing sound coming out of his mouth quickly. He looks around at everyone, doing his best to stifle his laughter.

"If you think I am a spy, then you must be blind."

He eyes Apollon with suspicion, "Are you a merchant? you certainly dont look like entertainers. Not in the somewhat odd fitting armor." he says towards Igto.

Tunring his attention back to Apollon, he continues "As you can see, the city is in uproar over frivolous rumors. Orders are orders."

"I didn't say they were the entertainers." Apollon said taking off his pack. "They're the help. I'm the entertainment."

Performance:

Rumors to rumors,
What are thee?
Nothing but words on the wind,
Coated with sand and salt,
Entering into the minds of all,
No matter if they are true or not,
For all want to believe in something.
Rumors to rumors,
What are thee?
Truth?
Lies?
Deception?
Insurrection?
Rumors to rumors,
What are thee?
A spark that burns the city down,
A sword that lays low the great general,
A poison that kills the king.
Rumors to rumors,
Why are thee this way?

The guard has a confused look as Apollon (recites a poem/breaks into song?)
When Apollon was done, he shakes his head, "Whatever, just keep out of trouble. Theres enough of tht around here. And keep that from eating any citizens" he says motioning towards Lokee with his bone-spear.

He waves you pass him by, and on your way to the market.

The market was busy, but there was an abundance of guards patrolling. There was a palpable tension in the air, along with the acrid smell of burnt flesh.

A raggedly looking man approaches you first, "Sirs! Im so glad your here. This fruit is from far off-a mysterious island in the silt sea. Besides a sweet taste, it beats off sun sickness" he says as he shoves some sort of fruit to your face, enticing you to take a smell.

[Apollon mostly sings but singing is just poetry with some added inflections and changes in tone and pitch. He does do some killer slam poetry though.]

Apollon smiled and nodded to the guard as he picked up his pack and lead the party to the market.

Now this was Apollon's battlefield of choose. Where words were weapons, deals were battles, and contracts were war.

Apollon's instinct made him move the fruit away from his face. It wasn't that he didn't want to smell the strange fruit but he knew better than to smell strange things from strange people. The world of Athas had many strange things in it and not all of them were kind and rewarding.

"Beats off sun sickness?" Apollon questioned the pushy merchant. "Throd, what do you think? Being the desert expert and all."

Throd looms in and takes the offered smell of the fruit, he also took the opportunity to examine it. It certainly wasn't from these parts, it was from another city-state in fact and a normal fruit as far as he was concerned. He not heard of such a type of fruit having such properties.

He leans back and crosses his thick and muscled arms and looks down on the merchant scowling "I say it has no such abilities, its a simple fruit."

"What we do need is; water as much as we can reasonably carry. Hard tack and dried meat. Finally we all need something to keep the sun off our heads."

Apollon looked at the merchant with a frown after Throd identified the fake. "And we expect a discount." He taps the fruit. "Or their might be some rumors going around about some swindler in the market that says his fruit beats off sun sickness when it really doesn't."

He smiles nervously through a black tooth grin.
"Hey, c'mon. Im just trying to make a living. All I got is fruit. You want some fruit?"

He shakes a pointed finger excitedly.
"Yes! Yes! I know exactly who-who-who" he slows down as he starts to wonder.
"Just what is it you are trying to buy?"

Igto wasn't much for speaking between all the smaller ones. He didn't do it often and so wasn't terribly good at this type of diplomacy. Of course, if they were needing to scare someone, he might be able to do the trick. He listens as they talk to the odd fruit salesman, giving him a raised eyebrow from time to time.

"Throd is right. Lots of water. And I can carry a lot."

He adds this to the conversation because he knew his silence was noticed. Not that it was anything impressive to add. Sometimes even half-giants had to talk.

HE shrugs and grins, "eh-heh, Of course Throd said that."

He leads you through the crowded streets made rows upon row of cart-stalls and the merchants attending them. Over and over again the merchants hassle you with wares that are described in a manner that makes them too good to be true.

He ends in one of the few actual buildings that comprise the marketplace, the sign said "Silt wares"

Compared to the rest of the market, this one seemed empty.

"Here you go." the fruit vendor says with no small amount of pride.

The inside of the shop was hot and dusty, but at least it provided more shade than the ragged, skin covered stalls that covered most of the marketplace.
There were shelves of stuff men might find useful: bottled elixers and tonics, wines and spirits, smoked meats, dried fruits, a few weapons of low quality, bundles of wood, skins, twine, Apollon even finds a Lute. What draws your attention, however was a noise near the back, making your way, you find a wooden picketed fence near a large back door with a ragged canvas flap.
On the other side was an insectiod cross between an ant and a beetle, a kank. Surely this would make traveling the sands a little easier?

***

Leaving the store with plenty of water, drawn by your new kank. You feel prepared to leave nibenay, perhaps forever.

You move through the town, noticing how the citizens are on edge. The city-wide riots had the city guard ready to spring on any strange behavior. Many a loyal citizen had found themselves on the wrong end of ill conceived suspicions. Approaching the west gate was like stepping into the arena stands during a display. The many caravans were being held up while excessive stringent security measures were being implemented. You weasel your way forwards through the throngs of traders, merchants, bodyguards and refugees towards the front of the line. There were dozens of city guard squads checking everythng and asking pertinent questions of the one trying to leave. Overseeing them was a templar-wife of the god king, Nibenay.

Less than 10 feet away was the freedom of the Athasian sands, and only that many men and a defiler witch stands between you. Taking a closer look, you recognize the sorceress.....


It was the same one who had killed the one in the slave dens under the arena, sapping his life force away like a well aged wine.

You try and trun away, acting casual to approach the problem from a different angle, but it was too late. She had seen you from the corner of her eye. Was it the lumbering half Giant Igto? was it the clearly out of place halfling Lokee? Or could it be the king of the ring who roused the crowds to higher displays of blood frenzy, Apollon? It was not clear.
She raises a finger, pointing straight towards you,
"Escaped slaves! Seize them!"

The guard turn immediately, trying to spot you out of the crowd in the large body of people. You would only have but a few seconds before they were on you in numbers you would not be able to handle......

Thrud looked about, they could not make the gate he surmised. There was only one option "Back, into the city" he demands of his fellows. There would be other ways out of the city. At the ready, he draws his weapons so he can defend himself and looks to his companions to ensure they were following his lead.

Apollon leaps into action, knocking merchant wares off of their perches and trying to distract the guards by placing them in a ruckus.
"Go around! Half in front, half behind!" The templar wife barks at the soldiers. Serveral move around the Crodlu-drawn carts on both sides to flank you.
A smug smile crosses her face.....

Lokee calls out to the others
"Scatter! Hide! Meet at sleep place!"

As he says this, his body is covered in a glow, and morphs into a black chitinous insect, a scrab.

With a flash a haze envelops one of the approaching guards.

With that done he borrows down into the ground and disappears from sight


Nearby merchants and their body guards back away as the savage halfling turns into a large insect and burrows itself into the sand. Some of them lack knowledge of the druids and the druidic nature of halflings, yelling "Defiler!" at the priestly magic displayed.

Either way, Lokee was safe for now.