"I'd advise going around. I've heard of things worse than landsharks in those sands. Worms like buildings, and sand that lives."
Aref, to everyone: "Then it vill be south. To River Shat-al-Qadr. Let us go."
To Drasheer: "Drasheer, maris aktab al Bareed!"
"You better not go queer there, Jon, me ol' son."
Ready my companions? We ride de desert winds!
"I'd advise going around. I've heard of things worse than landsharks in those sands. Worms like buildings, and sand that lives."
After a short while marching south the terrain flattens out into a rocky and sandy plain elevated a little higher than the mesa flats you left behind. Patches of dune blow across it in areas and tangles of low growth shrubs and cacti dominate in others.
You find the head of a gully around noon and take three hours to rest under the shade of water carved pillars. They are sculpted, Aref explains, by the flash floods that overcome these plains only on the rarest of occasions. Aref tells of weather that can become very unpredictable during planetary alignments and chats for a while about the floods that wash away the port in Katheer during cataclysmic rains. The city, he tells you, is built on the walls of a canyon and on the plain above.
After your rest Drasheer and Aref follow the eastern edge of the gully toward the river Qadr.
Aref:
Perception
DC 5
DC 10
DC 15
The air is a little more humid here, and cooler.
DC 20
The air is a little more humid here, and cooler.
You cross some tracks in the scrub.
DC25
The air is a little more humid here, and cooler.
You cross some tracks in the scrub. There look to be about 6 or seven people. One of them is a very large person.
The Deceiver draws his dagger and motions for the others to keep silent. He points at the tracks.
Human tracks belonging to 6 or 7, crossing your path, moving east. You are still following the gully south to the river Qadr.
The Deceiver draws his dagger...
A spark flies off the blade of Cordoba's dagger as he draws it.
"You better not go queer there, Jon, me ol' son."
"I'm certainly not. The sequela of Vass's controlling. Damned."
Jon unsheathes his greatsword and studies the tracks.
"Yeah... sequela... well, I don't like none of them foreign drinks."
"Yeah... sequela... well, I don't like none of them foreign drinks."
Rackham keeps his laughter under control, but only barely.
Aref pulls out his sling and palms a bullet and in a whisper says "Are you seeing something? Is there something that draws your attention?".
The footprints trail off to the east, toward Katheer.
Aref explains that it's common to find pirates in the canyon of the River Qadr, and although they don't usually come up onto the plain, caution is advisable.
Although this would also be the rough area that someone might march from the coast to Katheer, Aref tells you there is a well serviced trail at the edge of the canyon. Perhaps these are people who don't want to take that trail.
Other than the birds snacking in bushes nearby, the gully leading to the Qadr, and the footprints leading to the west, there's nothing much going on.
The footprints lead off toward a line of dunes that have blown onto the scrub from the sands to the north east.
The Deceiver whispers, "Some of us should follow the tracks, while another group should go to the flank. That way if there is an ambush we also have a trump."
The Deceiver whispers, "Some of us should follow the tracks, while another group should go to the flank. That way if there is an ambush we also have a trump."
Everyone nods.
Jon follows the tracks with Cordoba and Syd taking the rear -- Aref and Pulsifer move south to where the dunes die off.
Drasheer hauls Ryor and follows Aref, Ryor leaving a trail of drool.
You travel east in two groups within sight of each other.
Jon takes the lead or the northern group, following the tracks toward the dunes. He holds up his hand and shows four fingers, then signals everyone to be quiet.
Both groups scale the first dune. Jon drops down at its peak and uses another hand signal indicating everyone should stay low.
Aref and Pulsifer are farther south on the dune, they also see the peaple you've been tracking and keep low.
They don't seem to have noticed you.
It seems you have not been noticed.
Two swordsmen and a robed man with thinning hair stand facing each other quarreling in loud voices... you either can't make out their words or don't speak the language.
One of them gestures behind him at an enormous, horned, red-skinned humanoid in tarnished bronze chainmail and carrying a six foot scimitar. It's other hand rests on the flanks of a dead warrior which it carries slung over its shoulder.
After a little spying on them you notice the swordsmen bear the gashes and bandages you might expect of mercenaries who have just survived a difficult battle.
The Efreeti is picking at a hangnail on a thumbnail the size of a dagger.
The Efreeti is picking at a hangnail on a thumbnail the size of a dagger.
"Hmmm..."
Rackham frowns, contemplating this particular logistics problem.
"Efreeti... just our luck."
Perhaps ve should hail dem. Maybe they are not inclined to attack and vill just want to be talking.
The Efreeti looks down at its chest and flexes its pectoral muscles in a rapture of self-admiration.
Its mail hauberk jingles...
"Ere, 'e looks a bit of a tough nut."
Perhaps ve should hail dem. Maybe they are not inclined to attack and vill just want to be talking.
"Something tells me that doing so would be a horribly bad idea."
The Efreeti snaps out his his self-absorption and looks around at the dunes, almost right at both groups.
Your heads are low and wrapped in rough, sand colored scarves that you scavenged at the temple, so perhaps he has not spotted you.
The Efreeti walks toward the little circle and joins in the conversation.
He's now facing Jon's position.
"what to do ? " Jon asks Syd quitely.