Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[OGRE MAGE]

Xambaala
Early Morning
The Zakath Desert

Akhilleus allows himself a moment to bask in the glowing orange rays of a rising Helios. The light from the dying Hyperborean sun is not as bright as it once was, and the heat it gives off remains minimal, but that doesn’t stop the brave swordsman from murmuring a few words of prayer towards the celestial body.

As the party makes their way through the streets of the Inner City, they avoid any of the Satraps guard patrols they spot along the way, for obvious reasons. At the outskirts of town, there is a small group of people gathered, doing their morning chores. You can overhear a discussion about how the city streets seem to have been mysteriously cleansed of the horrible undead at night, prompting a belief that the curfew could soon be lifted. Kain winces at the thought of missed opportunity, wondering if they are doing the same again today.

Drest and Xenos show the others the trail they initially followed that will bring them to the camp where they witnessed signs of cannibalism last time. They urge anyone with a better route in mind to speak their peace before they get any further away from civilization.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC7 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9

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[Rex]

Drest

Drest continues to lead the way if no one speaks up.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus feels curious about the discussion they overhear and asks the new companions if they know what might be the reason for the disappearance of the undead at night.

[silifi]

Sik follows the group, not revealing any alternate route. The earlier discussion of working with the Satrap has made him wary of revealing too much.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He chuckles wryly as Akhilleus asks about the undead. "Funny story, I guess not ha ha funny since we lost an ally. Anyway. The Mausoleum that we found and cleared out was apparently the home of a zombie cult thing, and ever since we put them to rest, the undead snatchings at night have stopped. The funny part is that the Satrap had a large bounty out for putting an end to the kidnappings, but we weren't aware of it."

Kain shakes his head in remorse. "Apparently a very large bounty. Which brings me back to this morning. I don't know if I could do that again, miss out on a large payout."

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril

"Having allies with deep pockets is a good thing. Especially if the Satrap is the only power in the area. I support working with him in the future as long as we can protect our allies who are a bit more suspicious or have a tenuous personal situation with the powers that be."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"I'm hoping this trip will get me enough money to leave, so that will be one less complication for you."

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

"Money and Power are two things to beware, particularly those wielding both. Life and Death are tangible and are enough."

[OGRE MAGE]

Xambaala
Morning
The Zakath Desert
The Anthropophagi Camp

Great wisdoms are shared among the nine desert explorers as the group decides to take the same foot print path they found leading out of Xambaala last time. After walking a good distance, the crew eventually crest a sandy dune to find the same trampled clearing sprawled out in front of them.

There is no sign of life at the camp at this hour, and no indication of movement in the distance. The only structures to be seen are the three charred wooden posts jutting up out of the dry ground like huge rotting tusks. The slightest scent of burnt flesh can be detected on the wind, though that might only be in the heads of anyone who saw this horror up close and personal last visit.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC7 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 12/12

[Rex]

Drest

Drest keeps moving, wary of an ambush. "Eyes and hears alert everyone."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus nods and gets ready to unsheathe his sword of need be. He leaves the conversation for later.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid is quiet for the journey, preferring to listen to her new companions. Looking upon the carnage in the village, she just shakes her head and wrinkles her nose at the smell of burned flesh. She readies an arrow in case this is a trap.

[shaidar]

Xenos takes in the scene.

He continues on cautiously, his hand on his sword.

"If we do get attacked by a group let them come to us, rather than charging. I have a new spell that should slow them down."

[The_Wanderer]

Xenos takes in the scene.
"If we do get attacked by a group let them come to us, rather than charging. I have a new spell that should slow them down."

Cyril
"That sounds interesting. I hope we do not have the chance yet I look forward to seeing it in action."

[Rex]

Drest

"Soon enough I suspect."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain moves to the center pole, examining it. "What happened here? When did this burn?"

[Rex]

Drest

"Last time we came by they were having a cannibal feast, roasting people alive, chanting, dancing. That sort of thing."

[Belkregos]

During the journey, Belloc maintained a reserved demeanor, his attention fixed on his companions' conversations. Yet beneath his silence, his mind churned with contemplation over the implications of the Snake men's sudden appearance. Could this group be the harbingers of a larger resurrection, an ominous precursor to a perilous revival? The very thought sent shivers down his spine. His archeological expertise offered him inklings of their civilization's existence, once thought extinct. Their enigmatic philosophies diverged vastly from his own, and the fragments of information at his disposal were like scattered pieces of a puzzle, insufficient for grasping their complete worldview and their arcane methodologies.

As the group deliberated anxiously about a potential ambush, Belloc's voice broke through the air, carrying an air of measured assurance.
"Crestos may be of assistance."
With those words, his owl companion, Crestos, glided down to rest upon his outstretched forearm. Belloc exchanged quiet words with the owl, a silent bond between kindred spirits. As he released Crestos into the skies, the silent bird soared with purpose, scanning the surroundings for any telltale signs that might warrant concern.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xambaala
Morning
The Zakath Desert
The Anthropophagi Camp

Sik looks so distraught after seeing this dreaded camp with his own eyes, he doesn’t even speak.

Moving forward towards the burnt poles, no signs of ambush can be seen. The place is indeed empty, save for the incessant stench of burnt flesh.

Unsure exactly what to do here, Belloc is the only member of the group seriously pondering the ramifications of a snake-man resurgence so close to a civilized settlement. He knows this won’t bode well with the authorities, and might even be worse than any of them have yet reckoned.

The wise young mage decides to have his owl Crestos make a few aerial laps above the dunes to look for trouble. The lookout doesn’t spot any immediate danger lurking nearby, but there is a cloud of dust far off in the distance, and it appears to be headed in this direction. Looking over this vision carefully, Crestos believes it to be a group of men on horseback, galloping through the desert sands. If this area is truly their destination, they will arrive in here in mere minutes.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 32/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC7 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 12/12

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He recieves the news and ponders. "Horses mean wealth. Possibly the Satraps men. Or well-off bandits. If it is the authorities, play nice. Our tracks have given us away, no point in hiding."

Kain does look around for more advantageous positions, though. He settles on a higher dune, just on the other side of the rise.