Tracks In The Desert

[shaidar]

Xenos

"Nor I to you. My life is no concern of yours, but you still ask. I trust these people, but I do not trust you. For all we know you betrayed your people to your master to get your freedom."

[silifi]

Sik is enraged by this accusation, and draws his axe. "SIK," he bellows. "Has no master. SIK, submits to none. For when the Ixian rat sought to master Sik, I mastered him instead."

Sik raises his axe, blade facing sideways, pantomiming his axe "slaying" his own left hand, to give a colorful impression of how he earned his freedom.

[shaidar]

Xenos

"So you killed your master? That can't make you popular in certain circles. Are they not hunting you for such an act?"

[The_Wanderer]

Sik
"You, Cyril, was it? Do you trust the Ixian? Is this companion of yours a man of his word?"

Xenos

"So you killed your master? That can't make you popular in certain circles. Are they not hunting you for such an act?"

Cyril
"Unless of course Sik snipped the last thread of his former masters. That may be the only way to claim the kind of freedom he has.
Back to your question though, I do indeed trust these men, though I have not known them long. I trust them more than I trust myself at times. Certainly more than I trust my patron. It so happens we were just talking of the need for another strong arm to accompany us. It would be strictly voluntary of course."

[silifi]

Sik lowers his voice. "The one who called himself my master was indeed the last of his line - he had no family that I know of." He looks over his shoulder briefly. "But killing a master is not something overlooked by others... I do risk my life coming back here in daylight to seek you out, though I believe the hunt for me has long since ended, since this was many moons ago."

Sik puts his axe away, and ponders how much to tell them, looking into each of their eyes in an attempt to discern intent.

"I followed you back to town because I wanted to find out your purpose. There are many reasons to fight the True Allattaasitoqaq. With an Ixian with you, I thought that you may have been slavers seeking to return my brethren to captivity. And Sik cannot allow that. But Sik trusts Cyril. And the warrior, whose name I know not. And if they trust this Ixian," he hesitates for a moment, visibly swallowing his pride. "Then I will trust their judgment. For now."

Don't take Sik's singling out of Xenos personally He just has some deep distrust of anyone of Ixian heritage for obvious reasons.

[shaidar]

Xenos

"We have more in common than you realise, Sik. But I will not speak of that here and now. I am known as Xenos. We were heading to an inn for food, will you join us?"

No offence taken. It's all good.

[silifi]

Unless there's somewhere specific in mind, Sik would be wary of going to a public inn, unless there's maybe a specific 'safe house' location where there are unlikely to encounter any soldiers or slave catchers? Perhaps Sik knows of such a location, being very familiar with Xambaala

[OGRE MAGE]

Sik and Xenos would both know that the Docks District is a place where heads can be turned in another direction for the right price.

In other words, with all the coming and going of the multitudes of different peoples via the sea, the Satrap sort of lets the people and businesses there police themselves, so to speak.

The Last Plank is probably as safe a house as someone like Sik could find in Xambaala.

Though there may be patrols on foot between here and there.

[shaidar]

Xenos notes the hesitation

"It's The Last Plank at the docks, you should be safe enough there."

[Rex]

Drest

Drest watches and listens.

[silifi]

Sik nods his head. "Yes. I will come with you there, and we can talk more."

He pulls up his hooded cloak and follows Xenos to the inn.

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will follow at a discrete distance.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"Akhilleus is my name. We're not seeing to make slaves. If anything we have helped freeing people from a cannibalistic cult.

I'm glad your differences have been put aside. Let's go to the tavern then."

[shaidar]

Xenos makes sure his chèche is sufficiently covering his face before they leave the ally.

[OGRE MAGE]

After coming to an agreement that Xenos is not a slaver, and that this group of men was hard enough to take down a good portion of a dangerous cult, it is decided that this new impressive desert barbarian could be a great boon for the group. Introductions are made, and a destination is chosen, though some secrets remain untold on both sides.

Sik sniffs the air again, certain he can smell the intense body odor of an ugly Pict from somewhere nearby, but Drest decides to keep himself hidden, trailing the group from behind after they cover themselves and leave the dusty back-alley street.

Before we head to the tavern thread, was there anyone who wanted to interact with the other group for any reason? I thought I remembered something like that, and this might be a good time for a meet-up.

[shaidar]

Xenos remembers Ceana saying something about her goddess sending her dreams of snake-men, so he would want to talk to her.

[Rex]

Drest

Drest would like to see if any of them would want to join them in defeating the snake-men.

[The_Wanderer]

Assuming we're still keeping the groups mostly separate, I'm do not need to check in with them.

[Karaunios]

Same as Rex.

[OGRE MAGE]

In that case, I will try to steer everyone in the same direction again for a short while so ideas can be discussed among the entire group.

With the Pict trailing behind the others, the group makes their way through the remainder of town and finally reaches the Docks District without any problems. The others can easily tell that both Xenos and Sik are concerned for their well being, as they look around constantly and keep most of their heads and faces covered, despite the intense desert heat.

Drest watches as the foursome enters the tavern without being accosted in the streets in any way.

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