Book 1 Chapter 1: The Third Moon Rising

[Valdus]

The thing appeared rivaling the setting sun in the west. At first but a hump that shadowed the sunset among the dunes. Soft mountains of sand rolling between its borders- a long orb rising.

It was the merchants, with their caravans between Ackum and Stargia that first reported what they called "the second second rising in the desert. It was in those fabled streets in Ackum where sages wondered if could be the remains of the Observatory of the Great One.

Nonetheless, the second and third caravan between the two cities declared that the orb had grown a hat, a long obelisk that began pointing to the sky. Some even said the obelisk pointed in different directions at night. At times observing Ishta, the lesser moon or Barroco, the greater moon. Throughout all the reports the dome always rose, like the birth of a third moon.

No one suspected treachery but the Obar of Ackum, with more riches than suspicions, decided it needed to be investigated. For the tales of Great One were many.

Some say the Great One was a man of power, a man of unquenchable conquest. But the old men on Sav-iya Alley suspected that all the Great One did was preserve knowledge. And it was knowledge the that the Obar wanted more than anything else.

Immediately the name of the Troll Company came to Ishba, the Obar's soothsayer, alchemist, advisor, astrologer, and Lord of the Stool (it was he in fact that lead the city in times of great upheaval). But apparently all that was left of a legion of men guarding a bridge from a city underground, were five or six adventurers who had won membership in the Company for various reason- to cover a debt, forgive an insult, or win in a tavern bet.

Nonetheless it was these band of 'trolls' that headed toward that Observatory, given precise data of where the site lay- within the abandoned luxury of Azur Oasis, a once lavish lagoon of sweet water and palms that had replenished adventurers for centuries.

There the company moved, perhaps a half day's ride from the Azur, hoping it still had water to quench desperate throats and shade to rest precious limbs under.

But there was always the question, why hadn't the caravans stopped at the Azur?

OOC: To fill this long ride, do tell your companions of how your character came to join the Troll Company. And remember- have fun with it.

[tibbius]

Yobble the Dorf, mighty thewed and thighed below his tight-rolled tunic sleeves and hem, armed only with a steel cap, a shield, and a spear, tried to swallow spit but came up dry. His head throbbed and swirled under the hot cap in the desert sun.

"... so anyway, I said to Thoggart, 'I'm skint - but I'm all in, if you'll lend me the money.' An' Thoggart said, 'You can play for a dare. If you'll turn into a troll for a year, I will stand you the coin.' Well, I won the cast, but Thoggart wouldn't take the money back. He wanted to bed Sweetbeard Ylene, an' he knew she was sweeter on me than 'im. So I was bound by gambler's debt to be a troll. Six years back they married, six months after I left, and I had no reason anymore to return. So here I am. And what about you? Damn, where's the oasis?"

You've heard the same story dozens of times, he dimly tells it whenever he's bored.

[Leitz]

Arlen pulled off his "never been hit" leather helm, wiped the sweat off his brow, and looked at the dwarf. It was obvious that all Arlen's gear, except for his sling, was new. He shifted his armor, breathed a little easier, and then put his helmet back on.

"Yeah...uh huh." Arlen nodded, and shrugged. Yobble liked to talk, and Arlen really didn't have any stories to add. Even for a human, he was young. He couldn't get more than a few wispy hairs growing off his chin. "Think it's much longer?"

[Starbeard]

Flambo, pocked vicenarian from the arid herd-lands at the rim of Ackum, fights with his aged mount. With but a shepherd's knife and a dented hat found against a rock where a battlefield was fought years earlier, his appearance might lack every basic feature of the adventurer, except for the cold look in his eye, of a man who has murdered and taken money for it; or in this case, killed through drunken negligence and arrested while peeking into the dead man's purse during a poorly chosen moment of curiosity.

His joints still bruised from sitting in the stocks, he wonders silently whether it was indeed wiser to accept this job than to suffer having his hand removed.

[NJWilliam]

Ulrich feigned interest in whatever it was the dwarf was retelling, he was sure he had heard it before, just hadn’t been able to pay attention much then either. He absentmindedly tried to bend his staff different ways as if he could determine if it was going to explode on him at first use.

Two dwarfs, two humans, and an elf enter an observatory, he thought. I hope I’m not the punchline. What was I thinking joining up with this lot to impress a girl?

[Valdus]

The desert peoples would call it, a strange wind picking up, an odd thickness to the air. A haunting shrill whistle, almost imperceptible in the heat of the day. The foliage tips of the Azur Oasis disappear with the coming of that wind. Turning in circles some even begin to twirl into dust devils, then dust demons as the air picks up even moreso.

In this strange air is not a good air for travle and the conditions warn of setting up camp. But in this air, there is something more, something bigger. And perhaps, just perhaps, something aware.

[tibbius]

Yobble licks cracked lips with chapped tongue, touches fingers to cap to adjust it and yanks down his hand, grimacing. "What hellish wind is this?" he asks anyone. He grounds his spear leaning against his chest, and shifts his shield from back to forearm.

[Starbeard]

Flambo wraps his thin shawl tightly around his face and warns against going any further. Shepherds would be racing to manger their flocks in weather like this, and travelers would be wise to do the same. He immediately begins to look about, searching for any slopes or crannies that might shelter a camp from the wind.

[Leitz]

Arlen licked his chapped lips. The others seemed a might edgy, he glanced over his shoulder more'n once. "We camping here? Or pressing on?"

[NJWilliam]

Ulrich

Uncertain about camping here, before the oasis, but just as uncertain about continuing on, Ulrich pulls his cloak to cover his nose and mouth from the wind and sand, the only thing he is certain about. Feeling something he can’t place, his gaze follows the dust devils and demons in turn.

[tibbius]

"Best we continue to the oasis, there's huts and other shelters there - or should be," answered Yobble.

[Starbeard]

Flambo shrugs and acquiesces. "You are right, the oasis should make for good enough shelter. The question is whether we will make it in time before we are blown away or caught in the night. Let's make haste and find out."

[Khaboom]

OOC - I can see there are 2 games that happened at the same time and I thought there was just the one! I am happy to join in if you would like me to

[Valdus]

The adventurers worried of the strange air blowing them away. Or worse, sand in their arm-pits, grinding and grinding in the sun. But in actuality it was far worse than a matter of ruining a campfire. The winds and sand carrying them condensed, becoming tighter and tighter around a central glowing singularity of rock or dust. Lightning burst from the singularity and coalesced the scattered forms into a giant humanoid form, both solid and unsolid. With no head to be seen but a giant torso it lashed out at the companions, going from a tight storm to solid fists and arms of solid course sand.

It seems the lovely sanctum of cool palms and sweet water, had powerful guards.



OOC: This one should be fun, before rolling an attack roll SRL1 vs. DEX to avoid being grappled.

[_5d6+20] = (2+1+6+6+6)=21+20 = 41 Mr. Sandmen!

[Leitz]

Arlen

Sand shifting under his feet and some creature coming at him from nowhere sends Arlen screaming in fear. Sadly for him, the creature grabs him.

STL1 (20-16 Luck) [_1d6] = (3)=3[_1d6] = (4)=4
I misread: This is Vs Dex so Arlen failed.

[tibbius]

Yobble scrambled for a better position to ? thrust his spear ? at the strange golem confronting us.

SRL1-DX: 20-11 = 9 vs. [_2d6] = (6+1)=7 kinda annoyed that it's a DX SR, I made LK a high one for a reason
SRL1-LK: 20-17 = 5 vs. [_2d6] = (1+1)=2 ... see, with 17 LK Yobble would succeed on any L1 SR bc doubles roll again!

Just in case he gets to attack:
attacks the sand-golem [_3d6+18] = (1+4+2)=7+18 = 25

[Valdus]

OOC: Alas level 1 DEX, Level 2 Luck- if you wish roll again!

And, please pray tell, what did you attack with?

[NJWilliam]

Ulrich

SRL1 Dex (20-18): [_2d6] = (4+3)=7

Ulrich manages to avoid something in the sand, raises his staff and exclaims Oh go away!

Casting Oh-Go-Away through his makeshift staff.

[tibbius]

OOC: Alas level 1 DEX, Level 2 Luck- if you wish roll again!

And, please pray tell, what did you attack with?

It's moot since he failed his save, but Yobble had hoped to attack with his Spear (3+1, +17 PA).

[Starbeard]

Flambo just manages to slip between the queer creature's sandy fingers, driving his paltry dirk into its thigh.


DX SL1 vs 20: DX Save (13): [_2d6] = (1+6)=7 (total 20)

Combat: Dirk 2+1: [_2d6] = (2+3)=5 (Total 6)