[Tarlith]-Seven Suns

1. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #121

   Ss'kerswihpp's arrow caught the jackal by surprise. The arrow drove straight into the jackal's belly. It gave out a yelp of pain and pulled back. It moved warily, as if trying to get away from the chance of death.

2. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #122

   "Rhen, today will not be your last!" Xanathur roared. He tossed his bow onto the ground while simultaneously drawing his sword. He charged towards the beast with his glinting blade up high, hoping to catch the creatures attention.

3. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #123

   Lem cursed under his breath at his miss and swung again at the enormous creature.

4. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #124

   Dropping his off-hand sword, Rhen clamped the hand on his neck, trying to stem the flow of his life blood. The ranger held his gem-studded blade before him, backing away from the dangerous beast and ready to counter an attack.
   
   20 ft step backward, full defense.

5. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #125

   The jackal shied away from Xanathur's charge, but not enough to avoid Lem's blow. The halfling's war axe cleft into the beast's shoulder, almost severing its foreleg. The jackal whimpered once and fell in a heap on the ground, bleeding freely.
   
   Rhen's blood seemed to grow sluggish as he kept pressure on his wound, but his head was still dull and fuzzy through the pain. Everything seemed quiet in the absence of threat.

6. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #126

   "Huzzah, it's dead! But some one must help the ranger there, I have no experience in such skills." Lem then began to wipe the blood off of his axe and into the sand.

7. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #127

   "We should...," Rhen grimaced," ... check the surrounding area... for other beasts lying in wait." Gods, his necked burned! The blood had slowed, but the ranger knew he was still in danger.
   
   "I must return to the caravan; the merchant will have bandages." Hastily wiping his blade down, he sheathed his sword, and retrieved his other blade. The ranger ambled across the dune to the wagons, vowing to have a conversation with his companions about future patrols.

8. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #128

   Xanathur sighed and the grin left his face. The beast was defeated and he no longer had a chance to slay the beast. "Next time, the very next time we meet any beast I shall not miss so easily. Now Rhen we must get you help, that sincerely doesn't look good. We'll get you bandaged up and then scout 'round the area for more lurking animals." With that, Xanathur took off at a trot to help Rhen back to camp he picked up his wayward bow along the way.

9. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

   #129

   Ss'kerswihpp watched his companions fell the beast from his perch atop the dune. Once the jackal has fallen over, he ran down to Rhen.
   
   "Oh, nonononono. Do not bleed so much. Here," He started to grab hand-fulls of sand and try to apply them to Rhen's neck. "The sand will slow the blood, form a clot, old Bhuka remedy. It is the best I can do."

10. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #130

    The ranger firmly defended his neck from the bhuka's sandy claws with his free hand. Was Ss'k trying to kill him? Sand was perhaps the worst material to introduce to a wound. He'd cut his foot once, running from a desert serpent, and didn't immediately clean the gash. The wound turned green after two days, and a young Rhen had to cut out the dying flesh from his foot. He had no intention of repeating that situation. He turned to the bhuka.
    
    "Ss'k, if you want to help, gather some torches from the caravan. We need to collect or destroy the carcess of that animal before predators or scavengers pick up the scent of our kill."
    
    

11. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #131

    "No! Oh, nonononono." He said again, furiously shaking his head. "We cannot burn it! The animals from miles around will smell the delicious burning meat and come to see it, for sure! We must move on, leave the carcass behind us. Less animals to bother us ahead, that way. Yes."

12. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #132

    "Well, then you must convince Amn-Alrhed to continue to a new site. If he decides to remain, a charred carcess is less likely to attract scavengers than a fresh one. Or we could bury it. Besides, meat is meat; it's bad luck to waste in a desert."

13. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #133

    As they talked, two of the suns hit the horizon and sank beneath. The small group made their way back to the caravan, which was already hunkered down into the side of the dune. Bandages were quickly gathered and Rhen's wounds tended by skilled hands.
    Amn-Alrhed came up to them, "Good job. You've already started to earn your keep. I think you will probably need some food before tomorrow. We will be making the worst part of the journey, and you will all need to be on your toes, in case of trouble."
    He called over a servant and sent him to fetch food. Then the fat merchant took his leave and returned to his wagon.

14. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #134

    "Well I suppose we should be glad that this is the only creature we encountered. The merchant seems to be satisfied with our security. I suppose that we might as well catch some shut-eye, we will have to head out early to beat the morning suns. Where is that servant with the food he sent for?" With that Xanathur took off searching for the meal he was promised. At the very least he could find the merchant and see what was going on.

15. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #135

    "Aye, food and rest till tomorrow. If you do not have strength to swing your blade or cannot keep your eyes open long enough to see your foe, how shall you strike it?" With that Lem headed off in search of food, and perhaps some drink before he laid his axe to the ground.

16. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #136

    The food was easy to find and tasted good. The night came on quickly while they were eating and sleep seemed like a wonderful idea.
    
    The next morning dawned earlier than usual, if such things can be done, and the caravan was soon up and on it's way across the desert. A few times Amn-Alrhed could be overheard telling this person or the other that they would be heading to the Kashmeer Oasis.
    The caravan turned Northward and rumbled slowly forward for hours.

17. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #137

    Rhen sat at the rear of the caravan, content to nurse his wounds.

18. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #138

    Xanathur wandered about near the caravan, sometimes up front and othertimes drifting to the back to check on Rhen. Every few miles or so he would climb to the tallest dunes around and try to see if they were nearing their destination. Always he kept his bow and sword at the ready, knowing that being caught unawares in a desert could mean the difference between survival and death.

19. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #139

    The first three suns had set by the time the caravan arrived at it's destination. The Kashmeer Oasis was lush and grown with tall trees and thick underbrush. There were several ponds connected by streams that made a meandering watercourse for some several hundred feet.
    There was another caravan resting for the night near the far end of the oasis. It wasn't as large as Anm-Alrhed's, but there seemed to be a respectable amount of wagons drawn up beside the water.
    
    Amn-Alrhed approached the hired guards after the caravans had been pulled to a stop and while the horses were being watered.
    "Those are the trading wagons of a good friend of mine. He is most likely coming from our destination, and going to our starting point. You may go and mingle with his guards if you wish, they are usually jovial fellows. Be warned, though, that they will try to gamble you out of the clothes on your back if you aren't careful."

20. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #140

    "My clothes aren't worth so much that they would even try" Xanathur commented. He then set off at an easy pace towards the other caravanners. Perhaps they have useful insight into troubles that lay ahead or tips to make the journey that much easier. He beckoned for the others to follow. A group will get more out of conversation than a lone man.

21. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #141

    Ss'kerswihpp passed Xanathur on his way to greet the other caravan guards, his broad feet, with splayed toes, making sand-travel much easier than it was for most folks. He waved jauntily in their direction, then turned back to see who was following him.
    
    "Hurry! Hurry!" He called to those behind him. "We must mingle, yes, yes, to please Master Amn-Alrhed. We will make him very happy, you see! Yes, yes!"

22. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #142

    Rhen hopped off the wagon and followed Ss'k toward the other guards.

23. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #143

    With Ss'k in the lead, the three of them moved toward the wagons of the other caravan. As they got closer, they could see a handful of men in thick leather with swords belted at theirs sides gathered 'round a fireside. There were five of them, all told, and they looked to be grizzled veterans of the desert with swarthy skin and heads muffled in dark turbans.
    One looked up and noticed the three of them, "Welcome, sojourners. We have fire to share if that's what you seek. Whence come you? From the caravan there?" He gestured at Amn-Alrhed's wagons with one hand.

24. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #144

    "Ah, the glory of a blaze on a bone-chilling desert night. I thank you for that. I am a sword for hire, with my luck I met these two who agreed to sign on to protect the caravan you are pointing out. I do not only seek warmth and company, I understand you come from the lands we are traveling to. I would very much like to hear your words of wisdom, so long as they deal with surviving the desert.

25. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #145

    Lem leaned against a nearby palm tree, watching the others from a safe distance.

26. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #146

    The same guard that had spoken replied, "Well met. Our journey has been long and hard. But that's the way of the desert, as you well know. We're weeks along the way already, but we'll get back to civilization soon. As to how to survive, I can only caution you against taking shelter in any... buildings that you may come across. We made that mistake at the beginning of our journey, and were very nearly stopped from going any farther.
    Now, who of you would like to relax by our fire. Perhaps the short one by the tree there? We have some wine that we will share and some dice if you fancy to test your skill or you luck. What say you?"

27. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #147

    Ss'ker squeaked with delight, a loud, shrill proclamation of glee.
    
    "Yes, yes! Wine will be fun, and the dice and the fire, yes. I am Ss'kerswihpp, ready to drink your wine, yes, yes. And we begin soon, yes? Let us dice and wine!"
    
    He began to hurry to the fire by the tree, looking very excited.

28. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #148

    "Your friend seems eager, how about you three?"

29. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #149

    The ranger tightened his collar high on his neck before settling in amongst the seated men.
    
    "Your hospitality is as warm as the suns," he said, and gestured toward the wine bottle. "How many crossings of this desert have you seen?"

30. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #150

    The wine was pushed toward him, "Most of us have been running one way or the other across this desert for the better part of four years. Makes about twelve crossings each, I guess. Mostly we always take the same route, so it's become famiiliar over the years. What about you?"

31. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #151

    Now that he was invited Lem moved into the circle of them and sat down, enjoying the warmth of the fire rather than the cold air of the desert night. "Myself I have only travelled a few times, though never this route. My name is Lem, and what about yours?"

32. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #152

    "Heh, my luck never seems to show when I need it most. On the subject of wine, I must partake. It has been many a year since I have had good wine and good company to drink it with. I have spent the past few years, wandering the wastes and doing odd jobs. Mainly mercenary work, high risk stuff. Caravans need guarding and the oases around here always want protection. I am not too bad with a blade. Xanathur, of the wastes at your service gentleman.

33. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #153

    "Yes, yes, here we all are. Shall we begin with the dice and wine? Oh, yes, I am Ss'kerswihpp. And I enjoy dice and wine, yes, yes!" The bhuka eyed the bottle of wine with intensity.

34. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #154

    The guard gave a look of surprise to Lem, and then stumbled an apology, "Pardon, sirs! I have been lax in my manners. This harsh desert does things to your memories of common courtesy. My name is Barakhim", he bows low in greeting, "Now, let us get to the wine. Who will test the dice this night?"

35. Re: [Tarlith]-Seven Suns

    #155

    "Dice" Xanathur replied grinning. "I don't have much to offer in the way of coin, but for fun I would join you. I might have more gold after we accomplish our journey and the merchant gives us our payment." Xanathur shrugged, risks were his kind of business but this time he had little to risk with. Better just to wait and have a reasonable wager on the dice when gold was not so hard to come by.

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