Qadesh Conspiracy Reboot.

[WarTraveller]

"Uh, we were kind of going to ask the same," Mujha replied, shocked to her core at the sight of this survivor, but nevertheless stoic in the face of it. She helped the poor woman to her feet and escorted her over to a nearby flat rock about the height of a common chair. She set the woman down, grabbing her arm gently, "I see that you have sustained some burn damage. Do not worry, I can use my breath to at least alleviate some of the pain. Tell me, what is your name? What has happened here?"

[TheRedStranger]

  Whilst Mujha consoled, Karden merely ignored the woman, stench, and words behind him and wordlessly peaked beyond the embankment to see a piece off colored and cleanly hewed rectangular stone sticking out haphazardly amongst the craggy sandstone. It was the size of a man and seemed to glitter faintly like quartz in the sunlight. With that sound came a grunt of pain which was suddenly stifled.

{Would like to investsge further, Karden?}

[Caleb and Mujha have one more turn to find water or they will have roll a con-saving throw with disadvantage... Mujha it will take a medicine check to perform this task. If you choose it then you will have to roll the Con-save with a negative -2 penalty for having expended water via your breath. Choice is yours.]

 

[Mike Arcade]

[Perception Check: 13]

"Henneth, can you tell what's going on over there?" Azrael squinted his eyes to see if he could make anything out through coming sandstorm.

[Wulfsbane]

[As I'm guarding the cart, I'm gonna roll a perception check to view the surroundings]

[WarTraveller]

[Probably won't risk it, then. I want to ensure Mujha is kept in tip-top condition. After all...I feel an ambush coming up. Also, I'm just going to go ahead and roll for Perception, just in case = 20!]

[WarTraveller]

As Mujha examined the woman's sun-blistered and rashed skin, a thick wave of stink blew on the wind from the caravan. Then her long ear twitched reflexively as she heard a dry gasping sound almost imperceptibly mixing with the arid canyon winds. Then, subtly almost surreptitiously, the carriage gave a slight shake...

"The burns will h-heal in time, creature." She coughed slightly as if to mask the sound of the rattling inside the caravan.

"Oh?" Mujha asked, head tilted to the side, "Then what are these sights and sounds?"

[TheRedStranger]

 Vurtiz gave a nervous snort shaking his large head as Karden called out ahead of them. Adelia stroked behind his twitching ear as he stared up at the vulture above them, hovering over the peak of the rocky hill. 

"Vurtiz is spooked about something...That ain't like him." She mumbled absently. She took off and wiped her thick glass-caped and leather goggles. "I think he senses a storm coming folks... or somethin' worse..."

Around and up the bend of the hill Azreal and Hennethwhen craned their heads back to see I small figure running up to them in the dusty distance. It's gait was lurching, it's breath heavy.

[ILOVEVHS]

Caleb was quite desperate to find anything at this point, searching every corner of the spot that they investigate. He barely heard what was going on, snapping out of it when asked. "H-huh? Forgive me...having to search is really getting to my head. What do I make of what?" He ran over to him, peering down at the same stone. "...quite out of place, isn't it?"

[Mike Arcade]

[Perception Check: 18]

"Halt, who goes there!" Azrael tensed up, almost ready to strike yet the figure looked exasperated with thirst. The red haired paladin cursed himself as he's practiced his stance and swordplay since his youth, yet still he hesitated with shaken hands as it approached the trio.

[TheRedStranger]

{Okay you Caleb, you are oblivious to the blood as you walk up to the canyon. Perhaps you even accidentally step in it. But you do see what your brother is pointing to. It's long, hewn rectangular shape, smooth and silvery pale unlike the rest of the sandstone. It glimmers with crystalline twinkle like quartz in the sun and what seems to be marking on it's front surface.}

 [Okay. Caleb can investigate this many ways. He could examine the runes and make a history check or even a nature check if he has that skill to determine where the stone is from. He can even try to see if it is magic with an arcana check. The way you perform your investigation will determine if you roll with advantage, disadvantage, etc.]

___

 The cry of the vulture boomed from atop the valley with unnatural tenacity, sounding like a clap of thunder. Even to the pointed and sensitive ears of the three adventurer's below there was no hint of Azreal's distant shout. The party was now truly separated from shared ear and eye alike by the bend of a hill and a simple sound.

[Hennethwhen is there anything you would like to add? Do you want simply guard the cart? Look behind you?]

 

[Wulfsbane]

[Yeah I will patrol the cart. Basically acting as a sentry looking for any trouble afoot]

[ILOVEVHS]

[History Check. 12 + 5 = 17.]

Caleb was immediately drawn to the stone, and slowly moveddown towards it, until he was within arm's reach, examining the runes written on it. "Interesting...but why would something like this be erected in the middle of nowhere?" He spoke to himself mainly as he attempted to interpret the runes.

[TheRedStranger]

 

{Okay. You stumble down the rocks to reach the sarcophagus and instantly spy a etched rune as you close in on what seems to be a sarcophagus of an unnatural sparkling granite. Its center glows slightly. All studied wizards know it as the Vex of The Sunbane. It's a stylized skull with a burning sun behind it. Instantly as a person with magic in his blood you feel both a paradoxical pull and push towards and from the stony coffin, a warning and an invitation. }

 The rune central rune caught Caleb's eye and transfixed him. So much so Karden had watched as his brother hurried recklessly down the enbankment, abandoning his post near the fly-swarmed wreckage without as much a second to protest. Rocks tumbled underneath his boots as he slid down and caught his feet against the dusty valley bellow the hill. 

In detail he studied that center rune. A grimey silver skull with a screaming and fanged maw with blood-colored rubies for eyes all set against a sun of tarnished gold with radial rays bent and gnarled like thorny vines. 

 It was the Vex of The Subbane... no doubt to it. One of the oldest runic curses in known existence. Years of pondering through codex of ancient lore and arcana had suddenly brought forth fruit. To all others in the party this would be but ominous art yet he understood what this rune meant as clear as Common. It was a ward of tsudering, the symbol of an age where the arcane all but abandoned the world. A symbol the magically inclined races learned to fear as a symbol of plague, infirmity, and a slow death.... It would have to be decactivated lest it drain magic and perhaps even the very vitality from people around it. 

Underneath this ghastly site he noticed two curved swords pincered together as if to scissor away some invisible neck. As he walked closer the hieroglyph of a pale hand with shriveled fingers to fade into view between the serpentine blades....

  A Hex of Rending...If well performed, possibly of killing. Yet with a rune such as the Sunbane, which fed on magic the below curse would be confined to the touch. But even this could be deactivated. No rune, like a lock is perfect. Even they can be broken open. 

Above Caleb the bruised tradeswoman, in a surge of unexpected strength, lept to her feet. Yet her voice croaked and cracked as she cried: "What is that mutt fool doing! Tell him to come back..." She stammered, hazel eyes bloodshot and buldging. "There...there are beasts beyond the road side you know! T-terrible beasts... In...in fact if you do not have water to spare for me l-leave u...I mean myself be...yes? Carry on your travels before the sun falls."

  The vulture above cawed shrill and loud, again masking even her shouts, drowning out her echo. Yet Karden heard something else beyond that painful cry. A small nigh imperceptible sob of a woman seemingly beneath his feet. 

{Mujha did not hear this. Karden did. But Mujha isn't a chump. She knows something is off.}

 Back beyond the bend of the hill, Hennethwhen winced at the shrill cry of the vulture. She pulled at her white mare's reigns and the both of them began to circle Adelia's caravan, her bright eyes shifting left and right, ever vigilant. Something malevolent hung faintly in the air, it was faint yet she could sense it like the odor of a distant carcass. She quickly circled to the back of the caravan to see the source of Azreal's concern. 

 From plume of wind-tossed dust about the road came a sunburnt and bandaged child. Human and swarthy-skinned is clothes were ragged and torn, one sandal missing from clunsily lurching foot. The boy hobbled towards them, a few sparse tears cutting grooves in the grime that caked his sun-chapped face. He tripped over a stone and crashed face-first into the stony path, wailing. The wail was shouted down by the scavenging bird above, who took sudden interest in his stumbling...

 

 

 

 

 

[Wulfsbane]

Hennethwen was generally concerned about the child, but she was also concerned not only about a potential ambush but the buzzard looking to attack the poor child. "Azreal, do you have any medical bandages in your pack? This child needs help."

[Investigation for the child, perception on the area around the caravan]

[Mike Arcade]

Azrael saw the battered child, he turned toward Hennethwen "I've only got a few wrappings on me, Adelia do you have anything on you for the child?" He grabbed his waterskin to give water to the boy, yet also looked around to see where the buzzard was coming from. Walking toward Hennethwen, he handed her the waterskin and prepaired his sword.

[Perception Roll: 14]

[WarTraveller]

On 6/6/2017 at 6:45 PM, TheRedStranger said:

{Mujha did not hear this. Karden did. But Mujha isn't a chump. She knows something is off.}

[She certainly is not. The guy playing her, on the other hand, IS.]

Mujha grew impatient at this woman and her cryptic clues. Icy frost blew from her flared nostrils as she grew increasingly angry with this woman, "Uh, hey? We are trying to save you and your craft, here. I find it most annoying that you refuse to divulge these details! Is something amiss?" Mujha grew sly, "Something you are not telling us, perhaps?"

Finding no ground in the woman's ramblings, she turned to look at the caravan that she had crawled from. She turned fully and stomped towards it, her boots clomping on the sand and stones fully signifying her frustration with these events, "Alright then. Your carriage. Perhaps you ARE hiding something from us!" Avoiding her breath as to not parch herself further, she grasped at the boards of the caravan and yanked them free, splintering wood everywhere, "Alright, let us see what you are hiding...oh." 

[TheRedStranger]

"Blast Caleb!" grumbled Ironshot, largely to himself, "Have you gone mad in the heat?"

He threw a sideways glance at the tradeswoman, "If you wish to be left to the fates, I have no inclination to stop you.  But I ask, why someone who was nearly mauled to death would wish to be left alone?  Specifically if those around her are well armed and such terrible beasts dwell nearby."  With that, the half-elf followed his brother down, intent on finding the source of the whimper.  True some terrible beasts may use such sounds as bait, but he couldn't just leave Caleb to such a fate. Faintly he could hear the woman force out a defiant, yet wheezy whisper. "I have my reasons, half-breed..." 

 

 As Caleb rushed down the hillside Mujha grew impatient at this woman and her cryptic ramblings. Icy frost blew from her flared nostrils as she grew increasingly angry with this woman. "Uh, hey? We are trying to save you and your craft, here. I find it most annoying that you refuse to divulge these details! Is something amiss?" Mujha grew sly, "Something you are not telling us, perhaps?"

 

The woman gripped protectively at her dusty robes, stammering through chapped lips. "The truth is bare as my fortunes, creature. Give water or just...l-leave me be...please. There is nothing here for adventures. I...wait for someone...yes, yes. I cannot leave, that's it. Someone..." She coughed and wheezed before frantically breathing. "Family. They know I would wait here at this pass if something were to happen. There is nothing in the carriage."

 Finding no ground in the woman's ramblings, she turned to look at the caravan from which she had crawled . She turned fully and stomped towards it, her boots clomping on the sand and stones fully signifying her frustration with these events. "Alright then. Your carriage. Perhaps you are hiding something from us!" Avoiding frosting her breath as to not parch herself further, she grasped at the boards of the caravan and yanked them free, splintering wood everywhere, "Alright, let us see what you are hiding...oh..."

 

 The screech of the vulture rang once more, muffling Caleb's perilous descent and Mujha's sudden cry of disgusted surprised. 

 

 Up the road, concern over the child threatens to overtake Hennethwen about the child, yet caution overran instinct. The fear of a potential ambush and the fear buzzard above would soon prey the poor child steadied her nerves and drilled her muscles. "Azreal," she whispered softly, "do you have anything that can bind wounds in your pack? This child needs help."

 

 Azrael turned toward Hennethwen, yet kept the battered child in the corner of his eye. "I've only got a few wrappings on me, Adelia do you have anything on you for the child?" 

 

 Adelia shook her head like one pulling out of a stooper. She was having difficulty calming an increasingly ancy Vurtiz, his tail whipping around nervously. the sound of the boy made the age-lines crease upon face. . "I call this place home, I need less water because of such. Take my water-skin. The boy needs it."

 

  He grabbed the waterskin to give water to the boy, yet his eyes remained fixed on the buzzard. Walking toward Hennethwen, he handed her the waterskin and readied his sword. The alleged vulture was all the while rocked back and forth like a pendulum in the dessert sky, catching wind currents in a double loop on its wings. 

 

 As he dismounted  his horse stroking it's arburn mane to keep the creature clam, his voice spat towards Hennethwen.

"Damn it Henneth, are you just gonna stand there and let a thirsting child die out there or are you gonna help out and do something?" The horse galloped toward the small boy, the boy's lips parched while the vulture above circled around, Azrael handed him the waterskin "My lad are you alright, what brings you out here?"

 "Sh-shrukhá..." The child, gaunt and dust-caked, coughed on his knees. He reached out and snatched one of the water skins, and began guzzling it. He spluttered then gasped in relief. " 'Aná al atakalam Kómoûn... Sa'adinnii. I...needing...altibu liwadidí." He lifted his shaking hands to guzzle down the whole waterskin, only to vomit the liquid up in a splutter, wasting some of the precious liquid onto the sandy worn stone. 

 

Adelia scowled back the two. "Fool child...Azriel don't let him guzzle it. His guts are so dry he'll puke them right up. Sip! Sip slowly! We have no water to waste, boy....or we will all be like him if we somehow get turned around. "

Down the bend at the edge of the gully, Karden remained oblivious of Mujha's cry of disgust as the vulture loudly crowed once again, so kid his pointed ears pounded with the sound. Caleb stood in front of the haphazard monolith, somewhat dazed, his head slightly tilted. Karden could swear, despite the bloody light of the evening sun falling upon them, that the strange hewn granite lodged amongst the sandstone was now faintly glowing...faintly hissing... But underneath the tone of that hiss came a quite click, a click Karden had heard a countless times before in his bellicose travels as a mercenary...

 

The readying of a crossbow...

 

 Above, Mujha above gagged in disgust as a wave of death-stink spewed from the opening of the cabin, burning her nostrils, tearing up her eyes, turning her stomach. Inside the dank and dim carriage lay a shivering, emaciated person, covered in bandages and a wet blanket. Clutched inside their blistered and gnarled hand was a shimmering necklace with scarab of shining red stone with golden spider-like legs. Behind him were tosseled and overturned sarcophagi, thick with dust and dirt... She suddenly realized though that the death smell was not coming from them, but the rocking and shivering huddled mass. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WarTraveller]

On 6/17/2017 at 4:13 PM, TheRedStranger said:

Above, Mujha above gagged in disgust as a wave of death-stink spewed from the opening of the cabin, burning her nostrils, tearing up her eyes, turning her stomach. Inside the dank and dim carriage lay a shivering, emaciated person, covered in bandages and a wet blanket. Clutched inside their blistered and gnarled hand was a shimmering necklace with scarab of shining red stone with golden spider-like legs. Behind him were tosseled and overturned sarcophagi, thick with dust and dirt... She suddenly realized though that the death smell was not coming from them, but the rocking and shivering huddled mass.       

4

"What the..." Mujha gasped with horror. What was this man, who was he? And why was he in this dreadful state? He looked like a man who had been raised from the dead only mere hours ago, so pale and zombie-like was his shrivelled husk of a body. Taking care to avoid gagging with all of her might, Mujha reached in and took the shivering man, removing him from the wreck and laying him down by the rocks nearby. She spoke, her voice a soft whisper, "H-Hello? Can you hear me? What is your name? Tell me your name..."

[TheRedStranger]

"Blast Caleb!" grumbled Ironshot, largely to himself, "Have you gone mad in the heat?"

 

He threw a sideways glance at the tradeswoman, "If you wish to be left to the fates, I have no inclination to stop you.  But I ask, why someone who was nearly mauled to death would wish to be left alone?  Specifically if those around her are well armed and such terrible beasts dwell nearby."  With that, the half-elf followed his brother down, intent on finding the source of the whimper.  True some terrible beasts may use such sounds as bait, but he couldn't just leave Caleb to such a fate. Faintly he could hear the woman force out a defiant, yet wheezy whisper. "I have my reasons, half-breed..." 

 

 As Caleb rushed down the hillside Mujha grew impatient at this woman and her cryptic ramblings. Icy frost blew from her flared nostrils as she grew increasingly angry with this woman. "Uh, hey? We are trying to save you and your craft, here. I find it most annoying that you refuse to divulge these details! Is something amiss?" Mujha grew sly, "Something you are not telling us, perhaps?"

 

The woman gripped protectively at her dusty robes, stammering through chapped lips. "The truth is bare as my fortunes, creature. Give water or just...l-leave me be...please. There is nothing here for adventures. I...wait for someone...yes, yes. I cannot leave, that's it. Someone..." She coughed and wheezed before frantically breathing. "Family. They know I would wait here at this pass if something were to happen. There...there is nothing in the carriage."

 

 Finding no ground in the woman's ramblings, she turned to look at the caravan from which she had crawled. She turned fully and stomped towards it, her boots clomping on the sand and stones fully signifying her frustration with these events. "Alright then. Your carriage. Perhaps you are hiding something from us!" Avoiding frosting her breath as to not parch herself further, she grasped at the boards of the caravan and yanked them free, splintering wood everywhere, "Alright, let us see what you are hiding...oh..."

 

 The screech of the vulture rang once more, muffling Caleb's perilous descent and Mujha's sudden cry of disgusted surprised. 

 

 Up the road, concern over the child threatens to overtake Hennethwen about the child, yet caution overran instinct. The fear of a potential ambush and the fear buzzard above would soon prey the poor child steadied her nerves and drilled her muscles. "Azreal," she whispered softly, "do you have anything that can bind wounds in your pack? This child needs help."

 

 Azrael turned toward Hennethwen, yet kept the battered child in the corner of his eye. "I've only got a few wrappings on me, Adelia do you have anything on you for the child?" 

 

 Adelia shook her head like one pulling out of a stooper. She was having difficulty calming an increasingly ancy Vurtiz, his tail whipping around nervously. the sound of the boy made the age-lines crease upon face.  "I call this place home, I need less water because of such. Take my water-skin. The boy needs it."

 

  Azrael grabbed the waterskin to give water to the boy, yet his eyes remained fixed on the buzzard. Walking toward Hennethwen, he handed her the waterskin and readied his sword. The uncannily large vulture was all the while rocked back and forth like a pendulum in the dessert sky, catching wind currents in a double loop on its wings. 

 

As the paladin dismounted his horse,  stroking it's arburn mane to keep the creature clam, his voice spat towards Hennethwen.

 

"Damn it Henneth, are you just gonna stand there and let a thirsting child die out there or are you gonna help out and do something?" The horse galloped toward the small boy, the boy's lips parched while the vulture above circled around, Azrael handed him the waterskin "My lad are you alright, what brings you out here?"

 

 "Sh-shrukhá..." The child, gaunt and dust-caked, coughed on his knees. He reached out and snatched one of the water skins, and began guzzling it. He spluttered then gasped in relief. " 'Aná al atakalam Kómoûn... Sa'adinnii. I...needing...altibu liwadidí." He lifted his shaking hands to guzzle down the whole waterskin, only to vomit the liquid up in a splutter, wasting some of the precious liquid onto the sandy worn stone. 

 

Adelia scowled back the two. "Fool child...Azriel don't let him guzzle it. His guts are so dry he'll puke them right up. Sip! Sip slowly! We have no water to waste, boy....or we will all be like him if we somehow get turned around. "

Down the bend at the edge of the gully, Karden remained oblivious of Mujha's cry of disgust as the vulture loudly crowed once again, so kid his pointed ears pounded with the sound. Caleb stood in front of the haphazard monolith, somewhat dazed, his head slightly tilted. Karden could swear, despite the bloody light of the evening sun falling upon them, that the strange hewn granite lodged amongst the sandstone was now faintly glowing...faintly hissing... But underneath the tone of that hiss came a quite click, a click Karden had heard countless times before in his bellicose travels as a mercenary...

 

The readying of a crossbow...

 

 Above, Mujha above gagged in disgust as a wave of death-stink spewed from the opening of the cabin, burning her nostrils, tearing up her eyes, turning her stomach. Inside the dank and dim carriage lay a shivering, emaciated person, covered in bandages and a wet blanket. Clutched inside their blistered and gnarled hand was a shimmering necklace with scarab of shining red stone with golden spider-like legs. Behind him were tosseled and overturned sarcophagi, thick with dust and dirt... She suddenly realized though that the death smell was not coming from them, but the rocking and shivering huddled mass. 

 

What the..." Mujha gasped with horror. What was this man, who was he? And why was he in this dreadful state? He looked like a man  raised from the dead, pale and disease was his shrivelled husk of a body. Taking care to avoid gagging, repressing the urge to puke with all of her might, Mujha reached in and took the shivering man, removing him from the wreck and laying him down by the rocks nearby. She spoke, her voice a soft whisper, "H-Hello? Can you hear me? What is your name? Tell me your name..."

 

[Mike Skype me your reaction to edit in.]

 

[Ben - the same]

 

[Mujha make a strength saving throw with disadvantage.]

 

[Ironshot - you hear a crossbow readying from you from behind  what do you do?] 

 

[Everyone - roll initiative. D20+Dex]

 

[Caleb you are just barely able to pull your gaze away from the strange monolith. You also hear the readying of the crossbow behind you...]

 

[Sorry for the late reply - was waiting for other people to react and had to edit and render our interview with Sonic Revolution.]

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WarTraveller]

1 hour ago, TheRedStranger said:

[Mujha make a strength saving throw with disadvantage.]

[So that's roll twice and pick the lowest, right? Okay...]

[I rolled two sixes...sigh. Then plus 4 from the Saving Throw...and plus another 2 from my natural Strength advantage...that makes 12[

[ILOVEVHS]

Karden's voice was enough to snap Caleb out of his frankly disturbing trance of staring at the monolithic structure. Just barely registering Karden's words, and the armed weapon behind him, he immediately ducked to the ground. Whatever froze him in place earlier needs to wait now.

[16 + 1 = 3]

[TheRedStranger]

[Still need everyone to roll their Initiative]

 

[TheRedStranger]

"Blast Caleb!" grumbled Ironshot, largely to himself, "Have you gone mad in the heat?"

 

He threw a sideways glance at the tradeswoman, "If you wish to be left to the fates, I have no inclination to stop you.  But I ask, why someone who was nearly mauled to death would wish to be left alone?  Specifically if those around her are well armed and such terrible beasts dwell nearby."  With that, the half-elf followed his brother down, intent on finding the source of the whimper.  True some terrible beasts may use such sounds as bait, but he couldn't just leave Caleb to such a fate. Faintly he could hear the woman force out a defiant, yet wheezy whisper. "I have my reasons, half-breed..." 

 

 As Caleb rushed down the hillside Mujha grew impatient at this woman and her cryptic ramblings. Icy frost blew from her flared nostrils as she grew increasingly angry with this woman. "Uh, hey? We are trying to save you and your craft, here. I find it most annoying that you refuse to divulge these details! Is something amiss?" Mujha grew sly, "Something you are not telling us, perhaps?"

 

The woman gripped protectively at her dusty robes, stammering through chapped lips. "The truth is bare as my fortunes, creature. Give water or just...l-leave me be...please. There is nothing here for adventures. I...wait for someone...yes, yes. I cannot leave, that's it. Someone..." She coughed and wheezed before frantically breathing. "Family. They know I would wait here at this pass if something were to happen. There...there is nothing in the carriage."

 

 Finding no ground in the woman's ramblings, she turned to look at the caravan from which she had crawled. She turned fully and stomped towards it, her boots clomping on the sand and stones fully signifying her frustration with these events. "Alright then. Your carriage. Perhaps you are hiding something from us!" Avoiding frosting her breath as to not parch herself further, she grasped at the boards of the caravan and yanked them free, splintering wood everywhere, "Alright, let us see what you are hiding...oh..."

 

 The screech of the vulture rang once more, muffling Caleb's perilous descent and Mujha's sudden cry of disgusted surprised. 

 

 Up the road, concern over the child threatens to overtake Hennethwen about the child, yet caution overran instinct. The fear of a potential ambush and the fear buzzard above would soon prey the poor child steadied her nerves and drilled her muscles. "Azreal," she whispered softly, "do you have anything that can bind wounds in your pack? This child needs help."

 

 Azrael turned toward Hennethwen, yet kept the battered child in the corner of his eye. "I've only got a few wrappings on me, Adelia do you have anything on you for the child?" 

 

 Adelia shook her head like one pulling out of a stooper. She was having difficulty calming an increasingly ancy Vurtiz, his tail whipping around nervously. the sound of the boy made the age-lines crease upon face.  "I call this place home, I need less water because of such. Take my water-skin. The boy needs it."

 

  Azrael grabbed the waterskin to give water to the boy, yet his eyes remained fixed on the buzzard. Walking toward Hennethwen, he handed her the waterskin and readied his sword. The uncannily large vulture was all the while rocked back and forth like a pendulum in the dessert sky, catching wind currents in a double loop on its wings. 

 

As the paladin dismounted his horse,  stroking it's arburn mane to keep the creature clam, his voice spat towards Hennethwen.

 

"Damn it Henneth, are you just gonna stand there and let a thirsting child die out there or are you gonna help out and do something?" The horse galloped toward the small boy, the boy's lips parched while the vulture above circled around, Azrael handed him the waterskin "My lad are you alright, what brings you out here?"

 

 "Sh-shrukhá..." The child, gaunt and dust-caked, coughed on his knees. He reached out and snatched one of the water skins, and began guzzling it. He spluttered then gasped in relief. " 'Aná al atakalam Kómoûn... Sa'adinnii. I...needing...altibu liwadidí." He lifted his shaking hands to guzzle down the whole waterskin, only to vomit the liquid up in a splutter, wasting some of the precious liquid onto the sandy worn stone. 

 

Adelia scowled back the two. "Fool child...Azriel don't let him guzzle it. His guts are so dry he'll puke them right up. Sip! Sip slowly! We have no water to waste, boy....or we will all be like him if we somehow get turned around. "

 

"Easy there child, we need to conserve for everyone." Azrael eased the waterskin slowly away from the boy to let him catch his breath."

 

The boy reached out wildly in protest, hopping feebly up and down on ragged sandals to reach the flagons of precious  clear water hung high above his head. He was weak of knee that he could not even reach the tall warrior's chest let alone his desired prize. 

 

Hennethwen stooped down to one knee and unlatched her waterskin. “Here, you are gonna drink this slowly. Doing so, you will not throw up the water.” She soothingly whispered to the child.

 

He clutched the skin with greed bright in his hazel eyes. Yet putting a hand to his stomach and focusing on the elven maiden's calm tone, he clutched his stomach and frowned. He uncapped the skin slowly and sipped, and sipped, and then sighed. He rubbed sand from his grimy face and peered up at the man towering over him with a new sense of focus. 

 

 ""Ami-mi ..." the child wheezed, "'akhadhaha alrajul mae alnusur..."

 

 Asriel cheek twitched as he somehow, someway made out the words in language he never recollected studying in his whole young and rather sheltered life. 

 

The Paladin quickly relayed the child's words to his allies, yet remained rather perplexed on how he managed to translate for the boy. For some reason he felt the hairs on the back his neck stand on end uncomfortably, as if some part of him was unsettled by something he believe was nothing more than a fluke. "He says this Man of Eagles took his mother, what could that mean?"

 

Down the bend at the edge of the gully, Karden remained oblivious of Mujha's cry of disgust as the vulture loudly crowed once again, so kid his pointed ears pounded with the sound. Caleb stood in front of the haphazard monolith, somewhat dazed, his head slightly tilted. Karden could swear, despite the bloody light of the evening sun falling upon them, that the strange hewn granite lodged amongst the sandstone was now faintly glowing...faintly hissing... But underneath the tone of that hiss came a quite click, a click Karden had heard countless times before in his bellicose travels as a mercenary...

 

The readying of a crossbow...

 

 Meanwhile above, Mujha above gagged in disgust as a wave of death-stink spewed from the opening of the cabin, burning her nostrils, tearing up her eyes, turning her stomach. Inside the dank and dim carriage lay a shivering, emaciated person, covered in bandages and a wet blanket. Clutched inside their blistered and gnarled hand was a shimmering necklace with scarab of shining red stone with golden spider-like legs. Behind him were tosseled and overturned sarcophagi, thick with dust and dirt... She suddenly realized though that the death smell was not coming from them, but the rocking and shivering huddled mass. 

 

What the..." Mujha gasped with horror. What was this man, who was he? And why was he in this dreadful state? He looked like a man  raised from the dead, pale and disease was his shrivelled husk of a body. Taking care to avoid gagging, repressing the urge to puke with all of her might, Mujha reached in and took the shivering man, removing him from the wreck and laying him down by the rocks nearby. She spoke, her voice a soft whisper, "H-Hello? Can you hear me? What is your name? Tell me your name..."

 

There was a dry raspy groan that peeled from the man's throat. He lurched and heaved suddenly, and though he looked so dry, his chapped skin like weathered parchment, he heaved a huge splash of thick mucousy blood-streaked and mustard-colored puss atop the cobble. Before Mujha could even react in disgust the man suddenly gripped her, his hood low, a grin suddenly stretched the skin thin across his already gaunt face and spoke in an unearthly voice, a deranged diet of voices one male, weak, and raspy, and one deep, commanding, and feminine. "Mha'veth..." 

 

 Mujha's screams were quickly drowned out by the caw of the vulture above and the shouting of the mercenary below her. 

 

"CALEB!  GET DOWN YOU MORON!" Karden had barked at the sound of the readying bolt. Years of training instinctively uncoiled into action as he shoved his brother out of the way of any potential attack. 

Karden's voice and push was enough to snap Caleb out of his frankly disturbing trance over the monolithic structure. Just barely registering Karden's words, and the armed weapon behind him, he immediately ducked to the ground and helped break his brother's own fall with a swift roll to their sides, pulling them into the scant cover of a small sandstone boulder. Whatever force froze him in place earlier had to wait; the urge to fight for survival took a strong an sudden precedence in his mind, overcoming even his aloofness and abstract curiosity with sudden visceral immediacy. 

All the while the bolt flew and struck the monolith, cracking the stone about one of the many runes. Suddenly Caleb and Karden's ears throbbed painfully as the monolith seemed to scream with a building ethereal cry. One of the runes had been activated, long ago a spell was set like a bread trap and the bolt just set off its springs... Dust began to whirl around them wildly. 

Dust kicking up even above the gulley, Mujha found herself wincing whilst sand began to pelt her face and as this man, this creature, leaped atop her, wrapping his bony knees hard against her ribs, squeezing her lungs, resisting any and all expansion for life giving air. With one skeletal hand he clawed at her throat in a death grip, with the other he frantically pawed her body like a frantically lusting letch. His withered fingers found her belt and began to unsheathed her sword...

[The party away from all this must roll now with what I call half-disadvantage to hear all this below (D20-D6). And then a wisdom saving throw  with no disadvantages.]

[Everyone stuck in the mess below - roll Initiative. And God speed... And thanks for falling into my traps so easily.]

 

[WarTraveller]

[Right, I rolled a 20 elsewhere for this, so I can move first]

On 8/6/2017 at 5:37 AM, TheRedStranger said:

Dust kicking up even above the gulley, Mujha found herself wincing whilst sand began to pelt her face and as this man, this creature, leaped atop her, wrapping his bony knees hard against her ribs, squeezing her lungs, resisting any and all expansion for life giving air. With one skeletal hand he clawed at her throat in a death grip, with the other he frantically pawed her body like a frantically lusting letch. His withered fingers found her belt and began to unsheathed her sword...

But Mujha was to have none of this. Through her choking and her wheezing, her brain rushed while starved of oxygen for a plan. Nearly without thinking,  she jerked her right leg up, kneeing her attacker in the back. He grunted in pain, letting go of Mujha's throat as his bony hands tried to claw at the bruise on his back. Mujha took this time to break a sharp intake of oxygen, quickly inhaling with a strange sort of relief as the balance of the man shifted, throwing him off of her chest, allowing her to breathe. But she knew this reprieve would be short lived. Already, the attacker had stopped trying to pet the bruise and started to reach straight for Mujha again. But this time, she was prepared.

Against her better judgement given the environment, she reared her head back and blew a large gust of freezing cold breath towards the target. He yelped with the bitter sting of the frost breath, small strings of frost forming on his exposed and already damaged hands, reeling him back further and eventually off of Mujha's body entirely. Wasting no time she dashed to her feet, shoving the attacker onto his back in the process, while she reached for her sword and aimed it in the attacker's general direction.

[WarTraveller]

[A bit more, after further talks with @TheRedStranger . Can't remember the damage value, though...wait, found it]

The stick-thin man growled like a wild beast as he clutched his head in pain. The cold, the numbing cold from Mujha's breath attack had damaged him greatly, numbing his already dulled mind and causing him extreme migraines. His limbs creaked and stiffened from the cold, causing agony to shoot through his entire body, causing him to yell and scream. Soon, however, his rage blanked out the pain and he jolted up to stare at Mujha, a harsh growl escaping his throat. 

"Do not..." Mujha challenged, "This is no time to-"

Mujha could not continue her speech, as the man had thrown himself into a full scream and rushing towards Mujha again, hands bared and aimed at her neck once more. Mujha had no time to swing her sword, with all her synapses running like mad trying to find a faster way. Finally, acting on impulse, Mujha grunted and rushed forward herself, going to push the man with all of her might.

 The man, colliding with the stout and strong ice dragon, had no chance in this fight. Thrown into the air like a leaf carried by the wind, he was catapulted down the cliffside where this entire fight had taken place. For the full 30 feet of cliff, Mujha could only hear as the man screamed as he tumbled down the rocky cliff face, getting cut up by the jagged sandstone and crashing into boulders before finally landing with an unearthly thud on the ground below.  The pustules on his skin popped like bubbles, leaving a sick grease-slicked line of yellow puss.

[TheRedStranger]

[I am giving you minor inspiration for that great description. New Inspiration Rules Minor Inspiration equals 1d4 to add to you rolls. Perry has a previous D20 for a reroll and a D4 to add to a bad roll. Good work.]

[Does anyone else need to go - or shall I continue on?]

[Wulfsbane]

"I'm sorry but who is the Man of Eagles? Is that some sort of local legend?" Henneth asked as she tended to the child