3. The Caravan Track

[spanningtree]

So, Khalid, this was a random attack, your group was not given direction to attack us?

[tumblingdice]

"No," Khalid replies. "We took orders from no one, except for
Nehmet. And now he has fallen. I would gladly take orders from one as lovely as you, though. Pray, tell me your name, fair one!"

"Be silent, you fool!" hisses Muktar through the web. "Can't you see she has bewitched you? If your insolence doesn't get us both killed, her fey magic will. Can't you see she is one of the elves? Do not her ears give her away? She is from the forest realms of the east. Where tall, twisted trees claw at the heavens, blocking out the sun. Where the horizon is always hidden. Where beasts out of nightmares lurk in the brush, tearing out your throat before you can even set eyes upon them."

What next?

[tumblingdice]

As you proceed with the interrogation, the caravan guards, under orders not to torture and murder your captives, begin looting and savaging the corpses of your fallen enemies. Ahmed Khel, captain of the guard, orders some of his more restrained soldiers to round up the bodies of their comrades.

Surna Lamshar surveys the damage to his wares, along with some of his fellow merchants who lie slain. His grief and agitation are palpable. With a curse, he storms across the sand, up to Muktar, then, with a ferocity that takes you off guard, kicks the bandit squarely in the face. Muktar groans, then goes limp. Unfortunately, Surna's boot sticks to the strands of Tasrem's enchanted web, and the corpulent merchant falls flat on his backside. Jeers and cruel laughter erupt from the nearby guards.

Actions?

[spanningtree]

Taranna

Get up Khalid... other than this caravan what did your group of bandits encounter or hear of lately?

[tumblingdice]

Khalid thinks for a moment. Not as much as we used to. The caravan trade has nearly dried up in the last few months, due to the war. We've seen large armies on the move. They greatly outnumbered us, though, so we didn't dare attack them. Some of them were beastmen from the West. Others were desert tribesman, pressed into service somehow.

One of the guards approaches Ahmed Khel, Captain of the Guard. Sir, Sergeant Zeid has been killed, along with 20 of our guards. The bandits have also slain nearly half of the merchants (5) and eight of our camels. We were able to salvage five of the bandits' horses, for our own use.

Ahmed Khel nods, then turns to you. We should move out of here, and quickly. The midday sun will roast alive those of us who were lucky enough to survive this raid. We should find shelter, and rest. He turns to Taranna. Your captive is yours to do with as you please. But he shall eat none of our food and drink none of our water. You are to provide for him. Finally, he addresses Tasrem. How soon before this cursed web of yours dissolves back into the hell from which you conjured it? I have special travel arrangements for your prisoner, old man.

Those of you traveling on foot, he announces, it is time to make haste. Find a spare horse, and let's get moving!

Any other questions or actions before we move along?

[connivingsumo]

Roikos: Cleric

Roikos begins ceremonies for the dead, all the dead.


========================
Available Spells
Level 1:
Cure Light Wounds (d6+1)
Cure Light Wounds (d6+1)
Cure Light Wounds (d6+1)
Cure Light Wounds (d6+1)
Detect Magic
Sanctuary

Level 2:
Bless
Bless
Find Traps
Hold Person
Silence 15'R
Speak with Animals

Level 3:
Dispel Magic
Dispel Magic
Striking

Level 4:
Cure Serious Wounds (2d6+2)
Cure Serious Wounds (2d6+2)

Level 5:
Flame Strike

[kwll]

Finally, he addresses Tasrem. How soon before this cursed web of yours dissolves back into the hell from which you conjured it? I have special travel arrangements for your prisoner, old man.

"My, it might yet take a few hours... We would be better off hacking him free from the web if you are in a hurry." answers Tasrem pensively.

[greyarea]

We could always burn it off, suggests Zelaz.

[Zhym]

Diego gathers his horse and makes ready for the group's departure. "The brigand is nothing," he says. "I would not even dirty my blade with his blood. Leave him to the sun and the sand."

[tumblingdice]

Diego gathers his horse and makes ready for the group's departure. "The brigand is nothing," he says. "I would not even dirty my blade with his blood. Leave him to the sun and the sand."

I think Ahmed is planning the Dothraki treatment for poor old Muktar. We won't know until it happens, though. I am merely the recorder of events here...

[tumblingdice]

Roikos recites his prayers and incantations as the group prepares to leave. Within minutes Tasrem's web dissolves into the ether. Surna Lamshar, the caravan master--whom I've incorrectly called Lamashar a couple times and need to go back and fix that--gets to his feet, brushing off his trousers in attempt to regain some semblance of dignity.

Be careful, he warns the cleric. We care not who a man is or what his beliefs are, only whether a man will do his work. Many are the gods, and they prepare for war, just as men do. Pray yours is on the right side, my friend. After scowling one more time at Muktar's unconscious form, he wanders off to talk with the surviving merchants.

Ahmed Khel, captain of the guard, rouses Muktar with a kick to the ribs. Up you go! he commands. Producing a long rope, he begins to tie prisoner's wrists as Muktar struggles to his feet, wincing. He then ties the other end of the rope to his horse's saddle. You'll be traveling on foot, he says with a grin. Do try to keep up. The other caravan guards begin to laugh as Muktar swallows hard. He looks pleadingly at Khalid, who seems as confused as Muktar is terrified.

Ahmed turns to your group. We'll stop and make camp as soon as we're rid of him, he announces, nodding in the direction of Muktar. He tests the rough gravel and small jagged rocks of the desert sands beneath his boots, then nods his head. It shouldn't take long.

Actions?

[greyarea]

Zelaz has little care of what they do with Muktar. Just make it quick, he says of the matter.

To the others in the party he says, How long do we stay with this group? Yes, I know they travel in the same direction we do, but, as we just discovered, this large a group of wares attracts brigands. Risking ourselves for their commodities seems like unnecessary risk considering our mission.

[Zhym]

Diego furrows his brow at Muktar's punishment, but he says nothing. The bandit's the fate is what happens to ne'er-do-wells that cross the desert tribes.

"Mission?" he asks Zelaz, intrigued. "What is this mission of which you speak?"

[tumblingdice]

Sir Joffrey (NPCd) stops to consider Zelaz's point. True. But had we been on our own, the bandits might have slaughtered us in seconds.

The knight turns his attention to the doomed Muktar. In a low voice he'll confide to Aristide. These men we travel with call themselves civilized. They are as savage as the savages they guard against.

Sir Joffrey scowls. Surveying the strength and number of the caravan, he appears to be wrestling with a decision, weighing his options...

What next?

[greyarea]

Zelaz suggests we follow these merchants until we need to split off.

[spanningtree]

Taranna agrees with Zelaz: Khalid, equip yourself from those that lead you astray... you can travel with until we come across the next settlement.

[kwll]

Tasrem appears to be uninterested by the discussion, while preparing himself to depart.

[badams30]

Aristide - Nervous Rogue

Aristide does his best to stay composed, but those we travel with make him antsy. As Sir Joffrey confides in him, he slowly nods and says quietly "Something about this lot makes me really uneasy. I'll be glad when we can go our separate ways." Seeing Joffrey in thought he adds "Do you know something I don't know about these guys?"

OOC: Aristide will follow along, but keeping a wary eye on the higher ups of the caravan, and for those who seem unusually preoccupied with our party's actions.

[tumblingdice]

Sir Joffrey shakes his head in reply to Aristide's question. No, and at this point, the less I know, the better.

Khalid, at Tarrana's orders, gingerly makes his way through his fallen comrades, arming himself as best he can.

After Roikos intones the final chants of the last rites, you're up and on your way! Tasrem and his new mount look as though they might take some time getting used to each other.

Muktar received a merciful death after all, despite the caravan guard's sadism. Ahmed Khel, Captain of the guard, did a sloppy job binding Muktar's hands, and the bandit slipped his bonds several hundred yards into the journey. Sergeant Dakhail, weary, hungry and eager to be on with it already, immediately put Muktar to the sword in frustration. Ahmed Khel exploded with rage, and very nearly tied up the sergeant in place of Muktar, until Shurna Lamsar, the caravan master intervened. We've lost enough men for one day, the pudgy merchant pleaded. The sergeant got off with a bloody nose and the scorn of his fellow guards.

You travel for several more days with little to interrupt the grinding drudgery of the desert. The cactus grove provided some diversion, especially when Zelaz's poor choice of seating landed several nasty-looking needles into his Glantrian backside, or postérieur. Diego was quick to find a soothing, aloe-like substance within the very cactus responsible for the injury, but vehemently insisted that the good mage apply it himself. As for fauna, (DM rolls for random encounters) you see a few desert rodents here and there, and the occasional lizard, but no men or monsters besides yourselves.

The guards and the merchants, many of them exhausted and badly hurt from the bandit attack, appear to have traded their quick tempers for sullen silences. You're not sure which is worse...

Day 45, Sind Desert, Caravan track, mid morning

After a particularly bad night's sleep, and equally unpleasant breakfast, you find yourself back on the move. While Surna has been kind enough to let you ride ahead of the main group on most days, today--at Ahmed Khel's request--he's given the honor to a particular troublesome handful of guards he'd rather not deal with this early in the day.

You see the vanguard pause several hundred yards ahead of you, then veer southward off the trail and disappear among a series of large boulders. A few minutes later they emerge, quickening their pace as they trot back toward you and the rest of the caravan.

The oasis! one of them declares. The lost oasis! It's here! We found it!

Merchants and guards alike begin buzzing with joy and anticipation, and the mood of the caravan instantly changes for the better. Even Max seems excited!

Actions?

[badams30]

Aristide - Rogue

Aristide perks up at the mention of an oasis. "Ah, finally." He rubs the head of old Max and says "Looks like you get some R&R, my old friend. We'll see if there are any lady camels for you to talk to..."

Aristide spurs Max to a spirited trot, telling the guards who reported the oasis "Let's go then! We've an oasis to conquer!" And he'll joyfully sprint ahead to the oasis, oblivious to any potential danger...