I am just arrived here this very day. I come from an oasis further in the desert where I have lived for a couple years. I left to try to find more legends and stories of a temple lost in the shifting desert sands.
Those canine tracks are of the jackel. They are most abundant in the desert.
As you all stand waiting outside the oasis brush you hear little more than the rustling leaves and grass, the sigh of shifting sand in the brush, and the fidgeting of Turins fingers on his sword hilt. The sun is slowly easing down toward the horizon.
As you all stand waiting outside the oasis brush you hear little more than the rustling leaves and grass, the sigh of shifting sand in the brush, and the fidgeting of Turins fingers on his sword hilt. The sun is slowly easing down toward the horizon.
"I say we move in, I want to get out of the sun."
Patting his armor clad chest with his steel gauntlets he adds: "Besides, I'm not really afraid of coyotes. I'm protected by the grace of Iomedae and good hard steel."
With that Bohdan starts moving towards the beckoning shade.
You enter the brush around the oasis from the south where you found the tracks where you find some small ‘back doors’ to the Oasis proper. You wade through deep grasses and shrubs over a rise and begin to move around two decaying stone structures.
Bohdan, Cordoba and Truing catch the shimmer of clean, cool water and spot some jackals drinking down in the depression. The jackals look up at the three of you, glance toward the sounds of the others, and begin to back away to the north. There don’t seem to be very many of them.
You slowly step forward from the positions indicated on the map above. The children follow behind at a distance. Movement is easy here but visibility is difficult both because of the grasses all around you and the dense proliferations of trees and brush. Bright yellow flowers are in full bloom all around the water.
Trying to keep an eye on the jackals, Bohdan trudges heavily through the dense growth of the oasis. But more time seems to be spent swatting the low hanging branches and leaves out of his face.
The Deceiver enters the oasis with his sword drawn. He thinks it better to be prepared for anything.
1d20 4=12 Perception, 1d20 9=16 Nature, 1d20 4=8 Local, 1d20 2=14 Fortitude.
Be wary, the humanoid tracks.....Bhuka. They walk in a single line to hide their numbers.
Fort save 1d20+4=9
1d20 4=12 Perception, 1d20 9=16 Nature
Aref calls out and warns everyone to stay away from the yellow flowers, they are Desert Lotus and their sweet smelling vapors are highly narcotic, he says.
Everyone has gathered near the water, cautiously avoiding the yellow flowers. By staying on the north east side of the oasis everyone can stay clear of the flowers; the west wind keeps the odors blwing away from you.
Perception (1d20+6=26)
Fortitute save (1d20+6=17)
Jon paying attention to any foes around and ready to fight.
Once everyone is on the north east side of the oasis, Ryor, Jon, and Pulsifer begin pointing out silhouettes in the brush. You are being watched by small humanoids, Bhukas hiding in the brush.
Pulsifer: Perception, fortitude: (1d20 3=21, 1d20-1=17)
Ryor and Syd:
The Deceiver notices the humanoids hiding in the bushes for the first time. "Make no sudden threatening movements."
Round 1 - Roll Initiative... or do something.
22 The Deceiver: Init +7 (DEX 16)
19 Ryor Saar'Narlok: Init +4 (DEX 18)
18 Aref Sami Sharokh: Init +3 (DEX 16)
17 Sydley Hentooth: Init +2 (DEX 14)
17 "Three Fingers" Turin: Init +2 (DEX 14)
16 Rackham Pulsifer: Init +1 (DEX 13)
16 Bhukas
16 Jon Qiang: Init +1 (DEX 12)
15 Bohdan: Init +0 (DEX 10)
15 The Kids: Init +0 (DEX 10)
"We come in peace! We just need some water! We'll be on our way then!"
You hear some chattering in the bush. Another Bhuka who you didn't see before makes himself visible and walks out into the open (to I7).
"Big-bigs no weapons with Bhuka leader talk"
The Deceiver sheathes his sword and he holds up his hands to show that they are empty. "Greetings, effendi. You may call me Cordoba. What may I call you?"
"Me name..."
There is a long pause while he thinks about this.
"Eastwind Wetsands Leads Hunting Group."
"Greetings Cordoba Leads Big-bigs Travel Desert."
"Me name..."
There is a long pause while he thinks about this.
"Eastwind Wetsands Leads Hunting Group."
"Greetings Cordoba Leads Big-bigs Travel Desert."
"Honor to you and your tribe, Eastwind Wetsands Leads Hunting Group."
"Welcome Southwalls Goodwater. Bhuka's beware Bigbigs. Years gone many kills between tribes."
He chatters back at the bushes.
"Eastwind Wetsands ask no kills at this Goodwater. Both tribes many. After red sands tribes hungry."
"You have my word that no one from my group will start any bloodshed. Any who violates my oath shall die by my hand."
"Who died an' made 'im king?" Syd mutters to Bohdan, "An' dun them lil fellars jabber a queer lingo. Make's a fellar's bonce turn? Know wot i mean?"
To Syd and Bohdan: "Is he serious? He's a psycho... These bastards don't act like regular gobbos."
"Who died an' made 'im king?" Syd mutters to Bohdan, "An' dun them lil fellars jabber a queer lingo. Make's a fellar's bonce turn? Know wot i mean?"
To Syd and Bohdan: "Is he serious? He's a psycho... These bastards don't act like regular gobbos."
The possibility of bloodshed is pretty low now - I think everyone can start moving around now.
"Let the women and the children have some water."
The Deceiver nods at the bhuka. "We shall have peace."
"Bhuka make fire roundhouse. Calebra and changelings not see. Cook meat. Swim water. Agree?"
"Bhuka make fire roundhouse. Calebra and changelings not see. Cook meat. Swim water. Agree?"
"So long as we are not the meat... agreed."
To Syd and Bohdan: "Is he serious? He's a psycho... These bastards don't act like regular gobbos."
"Yep, he's got a screw loose I reckon. Acts like he's got y'know that fing, the wotsit, divinin' right, yeah?"
He cackles like a Varisian goblin then chatters at the Bhukas behind him. You hear a lot of laughter and some of it is coming from behind you.
"Cordoba Leads Bigbigs make funny."
Jon goes straight to drive water.
"By the way, Eastwind, did you see any other group of bigbig pass by here in the past few days?"
"No bigbigs here longtime. Watch robed and camel walk from east only."
"What sort of meat will you be cooking?"
He points at Drasheer. "Cook longlegs."
He pulls a huge roasted beetle out his pouch: "...and sandbiters."
"What you got?"
For Pharasma
"Interesting."
Several of the Bhukas you can see have steel blades, but all of them carry bows or javelins with stone arrowheads.
Wetsands has two small steel axes on his hip and 3 javelins in a leather tube on his back.
"We got cheese! it's all good"
The Deceiver continues observing the Bhukas.
"We got cheese! it's all good"
Cheese and beetles... what a revolting development. The Deceiver can only sigh imagining the culinary possibilities.
Katella steps forward and drops a heavy bag of pork that she butchered at the beach.
"And pig."
She smiles at the little man.
Sniffs the pork and the cheese. Chatters into the bushes.
He looks up at Cordoba then Ryor: "Big party?"
Sniffs the pork and the cheese. Chatters into the bushes.
He looks up at Cordoba: "Big party?"
"Just surviving."