Cahel's eyes light up. "The head-taker..."
His grip tightens around the totem he carries.
"What?"
"Head-taker takes heads, wears them. Killed many of my clan."
"Sounds bad..." Morthak says, taking up a defensive stance, warhammer in hand.
The calls die away into the night.
"Right, let's send out the scout, but be careful, be away of the head-taker."
"Head-taker hunts alone. The others... prey, but they don't know their friend is head-taker."
"Are they prey, or are we? I'm not so sure. It seems to like to draw out stragglers with the voices and then attack."
"It sees all as prey. It is evil, a mockery of flesh."
"Do you think it attacked the raider camp?" Morthak asks, nodding towards the distant fire.
Arakan scowls and sighs, "Well, head-taker or raiders, we're here and need to get them before they get us. So, the scouts should indeed head out and let the rest of us know what's going on." He slinks further to the back of the group, slowly placing himself away from view for those looking to who will be the scout.
"I think head-taker is attacking now. Slow. Maybe cut heads during sleep."
"Hrmph... we should get in there then! I don't want some thing stealing my due vengeance." Morthak starts toward the camp in a not-very-stealthy fashion.
"Do you think it attacked the raider camp?" Morthak asks, nodding towards the distant fire.
"I expect it would be using a different voice if it had attacked anything since our last encounter with it."
Morthak marches steadily towards the camp.
Cahel looks at Morthak, unsure, then starts to follow him at a distance. There was a time for following, and a time for revenge.
Arakan, now fully at the back of the group, nods, "Yes, that works as well. We could just move in together as a force. Catch them off guard before they could spot any scouts we may have sent." He follows, but making sure he moves to where he has a little more protection all around him.
With Morthak striding ahead, the group straggle ahead. They can see the glow of the camp ahead. A rough wall of piled rock protects a roughly semi-circular space about fifty feet at the base of a low cliff. A gap in the wall is filled with what looks like felled spiny brushwood to form a crude but effective barricade or gate. As Morthak approaches a gruff voice calls out, "Who are you? Stay back, you are not welcome here!"
Morthak skids to a halt and grunts in surprise. "Err, who goes there? I go where I please."
Arakan calls out soothingly toward Morthak, hoping to turn the tables of the conversation, "Now, now, let us not be outright hostile towards one another. We do not know if anyone lays claim to this particular piece of desert." Louder, he calls to the speaker, "Sorry for the intrusion, we were merely working on mapping the region to sell to merchants and travelers. Since this area had very little known maps, we were hoping to rake in from this region. I'm sorry if my guide was a bit brusque."
Jareen leaves the talking to Arakan, but he's fingering his orb while he waits.
Arakan manages to sound convincing, if not exactly charming. His attempt at smarm cuts little ice. "This is our territory, you are not welcome! Stay away!"
dot
Morthak grunts suspiciously, looking around the area.
"These aren't raiders. Its probably a slave tribe."
Morthak puts away his warhammer and holds up his empty hands. "Do not fear us!"
"Go away! We cannot spare water or food! We have many warriors here - do not anger us!"
Morthak grunts, "We are after Black Sand Raiders. They came this way. Where is their camp?"
The figure at the top of the wall begins to confer with someone below. Their words cannot be made out but from the man's body language the discussion is quite heated. Finally a decision is made.
Someone pulls aside the thornbushes blocking the entrance to reveal a walled enclosure. A fire burns in the middle, lighting up a few mean-looking huts with its red glow. At the back is a cliff with some cave entrances. Figures can be seen in the firelight, silhouettes with spears casting long shadows facing towards the newcomers.
"Alright, you can come in. Hands where we can see them."
Morthak moves forward cautiously.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"I will come too."
She grabs the spear lying beside her, stands, and shakes a layer of furs from her, leaving just the ones that serve as clothing. She throws a crude leather satchel over one shoulder and stares about, thinking. Then she leaves her other goods lying on the floor and follows the two men out.
The human man asks, "You've seen the raiders, then?"
"What's your interest in the raiders, outlander?" asks Hedla, the headwoman, in a firm voice. She stands by the entrance to her hut, her long grey hair loose about her tanned and wrinkled face.