Morthak tries to twist away from the bandit's spear, then uses the momentum to carry his hammer into a powerful blow, augmenting it with shimmering force energy.
and
Concerned that this fight is going on so long, and considering using his dagger, Jareen attempts to again cover his majic use, and goes for the closest bandit.
Th'Kal tries to tear a hole into the prone Mekillot. He then turns, ignoring the nearby archer, and throws himself across the battlefield to try and stop the driver from having free rein to throw spells at the group...
Th'Kal stands over the striken mekillot and hacks at it with his axe. But he is defeated by its thick skin and failes to draw blood. But with the restless killing rage upon him, he barely pauses as he rushes at the beast's driver, drawing attacks from the behemoth and the remaining archer.
As Th'Kal's axe swoops towards the driver's head, there is a sudden psionic burst of kinetic force and Th'Kal is propelled from his saddle. The same power lifts the driver away, placing him further from harm's way.
Piedro punished the mekillot for taking its attention away from him, pounding it on the skull with his hammer.
Arakan is lost in the tumult of activity happening all around, and ends up losing sight of his favorite protector. With Th'Kal not nearby, Arakan worries about the big dumb animal, the mekillot not the Kreen, and decides that he should try to get away from it. He tries to step back away from the big thing and befuddle the raider nearby with a few choice words, and a touch of the arcane.
Arakan's mockery is so vicious the archer promptly has a seizure, induced by outrage, and expires on the spot.
Determined to protect the caravan from the raging beast, Piedro attempts to crush the mekillot's thick hide:
Still collapsed on the ground, the mekillot snaps irritably at Piedro.
The driver shoots one last time at Th'Kal with his wand, then beats a retreat.
As the kanks scatter, the remaining bandit gets up from where he fell and runs to grab the harness of the nearest beast.
Double Move to AB5-AC6
Minor: Healing Spirit on ThKal (ThKal can spend a surge and gain that value in HP, and Piedro gains plus 5 Temp HP in addition.
Morthak circles the massive reptile while searching out a soft point. He raps its shell with his warhammer, trying to draw its ire.
Jareen again attempts to cover his use of magic with incoherent shouts, and casts Phantom Bolt at B4 as he runs away.
Morthak grabs the attention of the mekillot away from Piedro.
Jareen bolt hits the fleeing bandit. He slumps against the side of the kank but doesn't quite fall.
Th'Kal struggles with letting the driver run off, but redirects his rage at the mekillot. Th'Kal stalks a circular path behind Cahel and then throws himself ax-first, screaming, into the beast.
The mekillot lows plaintively as Th'Kal's axe bites into its side. Blood flows freely from its wounds.
Arakan decides to try and help get rid of the big beast, not trying to hare off away from his companions after any running bandits. He hopes that he can get through the tough hide better than he did last time, meaning not at all.
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Arakan cuts into the beast, finding a soft spot under its belly. Hot blood courses over his hand and the mekillot's legs finally give way and slumps over on its side with a loud thud.
The bandit swiftly mounts the spare kank and scuttles away as fast as its six legg will carry him.
Looking around, the fighting has largely died down - either the bandits have taken what they wanted or have been driven off. Tawfik thunders down on the back of his mekillot. He gives the scene a quick once over, yells, "Everything alright?" and before waiting for a reply add, "You held the line well. Get everyone together, we're getting out of here before they come back with reinforcements!" He wheels his giant mount and thuds off to check the rest of the caravan.
Meanwhile, away to one side, someone is howling pitiably. The templar from Draj stands by the wreckage of his wagon. The two guards lie dead in the sand along with his young acolyte. The bars of the cage are smashed open and the occupants are gone. He spots the adventurers.
"You! Yes, you! Come here!"
Cahel regards the templar with a blank expression. The half-giant had nothing to say, but most typically assumed he just didn't comprehend the situation.
Morthak ignores the templar, and instead begins a thorough search of the raiders' bodies and mekillot.
Searching the bandits' bodies, the victors find supplies for the desert and some healing fruits, plus some money.
The caravan, somewhat ragged at the edges now, reforms. Tawfik leads it in a dash for Silver Spring, the next oasis half a days march away.
The group pay little attention to the wailing templar, and the merchants reform their lines to plod along the road. At the front, where the adventurers were fighting, the damage and deathtoll is not too bad. Further along, the carnage was worse and many of the beasts and their masters are left behind to be picked over by scavengers. But there is little time to waste, in case the bandits should return.
Tawfik drives the caravan onwards, yelling and cursing at stragglers from his howdah. The surviving guards (including the adventurers) ride on the flanks to warn of any approaching marauders. The desert merchants are a tough lot. They trudge on with their cargoes, bearing their wounds and losses stoically.
After a couple of hours, the shape of a large fortified settlement shimmers into view through the heat haze. At the sight of sanctuary, the caravan picks up the pace. Soon they are staggering into the safety of Silver Spring, watched over by hard-faced elven guards.
Jareen keeps his head down to the Templar's shouts, hoping that they haven't realised what he was doing during that fight.
As the next oasis comes into view Jareen has a thought. "Perhaps our Druid is here, and we were simply hasty at the last settlement. Any ideas how we would find them without causing trouble this time?
Jareen has no *plans*, so get a decent place for us to settle and our stuff stowed, and then probably hunt out food and water.
Cahel, dull and ponderous creature that he is, has no plans, and only follows others into action. His being hasty (hasty for a half-giant, anyway) nearly got them killed in the valley, so it was best to remain calm and pursue vengeance when he had learned to better attune himself with the spirits.
Arakan collects himself, and finds his staunch defenders, as they collect some spoils from the fallen enemy. He rolls his eyes in typical fashion as he is given the command to gather up and head out, like that isn't the obvious.
As the Templar wails at him, Arakan looks at him with feigned surprise before shaking his head and offering weakly, "Oh, I'm so sorry, but the last time we spoke you threatened me for being too close. So I would hate to make that mistake again." He points to the caravan master, and the others gathering around, "I'm just a guard, so I should do what he says and get back to looking out as we move forward." He hurries off, before the man can snap back, and avoids him as much as he can during the ride.
As they enter Silver Spring, Arakan actually tries to cover up his elven heritage a bit, knowing how that side of his heritage feels about him. Generally it's much worse than the humans treat him for it.
Morthak will stay with the caravan as it continues on, silently brooding.
"...you all fought well," grumbles Piedro. His voice quiet and harsh. He says this long after the battle ended. He's not much for conversation.
Arakan just lifts his eyebrows with a hint of surprise, adding, "Yeah we did." sarcastically.
When they arrive at the city, Arakan approaches the odd-looking dwarf, "I don't remember you from the caravan guard. When did you join us? I don't think we left the last town with you in tow." He leaves the question fairly open-ended to see what the man says.
Cahel regards the rocky man silently, listening to the conversation between him and the leader, intrigued by another close to the elements.
Morthak shakes his head to Arakan's query. "Ah came in during the raiders' attack... desert side. Ah've been tracking them for... weeks, months?" He seems confused for a moment, but his eyes then burn with an inner fire and his face hardens. "Was good ta seem them die."
"Why were you tracking them? What do you plan to do now?