How many more days are we away from the city we are headed to?
"This beast has cooperated with us out of fear. If released he will do what he needs to survive. For him this will be killing and preying on anyone weeker then he. I can not in good concious release him back unto the world, but I can not be his exicutioner either."
Gabriel walks to his horse and draws the draconians sword. He throws it on the ground at the beast feet.
"Take up your blade fowl thing. If you best me then you are free. The rest here will let you go." He looks to all the other. "Is this understood?"
He draws his own blade.
"Now live the last few moments of your life with some honor."
Alathea shrugs, "Do I have to heal Velzoth first to keep your honor intact Sir Knight? I agree with your conclusion and have little problem with your method though it seems we have been deceitful to this creature. I would rather take it under my wing to give it a chance to live in the light and see if Velzoth is truly unredeemably evil but I cannot oppose the will of the rest of the group".
"I made no such promises to this creature. I made it clear he was a prisoner, but if it is the will of the group then he may go. May it be in all of your thoughts those he kills or does harm too from this point. It seems you have made friends here beast. Take your blade and go now. If we cross paths again you will see my mercy in the form of a quick death. Treasure this gift of life with new purpose."
Gabriel sheathes his blade and climbs back upon his mount.
"Let us be on our way then."
How honorable to attack a creature that has been hurt by another. says the wizard as they plod along.
"Who cares. It's a Draconian. I guarantee that someone is going to regret this mercy."
Seeing the eagles coming down to attack the baaz, she quickly dismounts to other side of her pony. She watchers the scene play out before her hoping the eagles not attack them.
She breathes a sign of relief once the eagles leave with the eggs.
To the draconian she speaks, "You been given a chance to live. Make good of it to return home, and not attack innocent travellers. If we hear you did not make good of this chance, you will be put to death when we come across you again."
"I have seen enough action today, I rather we continue our journey.""
Velzoth takes his sword, looks at it and gives a nod, "Velzoth keep word and go from here, going back to homeland. Maybe find work there. Velzoth thanks you for his life."
He takes his sword, puts it back into his scabbard and then makes himself scarce out of there as fast as possible through the desert.
Random Encounter Check (Day 2)
The party continues their journey through the desert for the rest of the day without any other meaningful encounters and in the evening make camp at a secure location in the desert
Random Encounter Check (Night 2)
That evening is uneventful although once again the sky is missing the Horned Skull. Looks like Chemosh is still active somewhere in the world.
The next day you awaken and continue your journey moving through the desert and moving around rock formations. Other than the occasional desert lizard you encounter nothing of note during your journey throughout the day.
Random Encounter Check (Day 3)
Into the late afternoon however you arrive at an Oasis in the desert. A welcoming sight to say the least with palm trees and a sizeable pool of water. However you also notice that this watering hole is not unoccupied. From a distance it looks like people on horses but moving closer you easily notice that these people are not on a horse but have human torsos and their lower half portions are horses. These are Centaurs!
You see what looks like a number of young centaurs probably in their early teens sprinting around laughing and playing. Watching them is a tough looking bearded centaur man with a large hunting spear and an athletic looking a brown haired Centaur female with a longbow on her back. What does your party do?
Riding along Alathea Jor is mostly chatting away his own things until seeing Centaurs. Looking at the Centaurs and then at his party "Well, seems like Centaurs having fun. Should we make a short stop in the Oasis to fill our water and rest a bit before continueing our journey? Might as well ask same time for any news or happenings around here"
Be careful with centaurs, they are not always the most stable of creatures, being created by the Greygem Gargath. he says as he dismounts and sits in the shade to study his spellbook.
"I will make sure it is alright to share the oasis with them. Alathea would you like to ride up with me?"
Gabriel rides forward with Alathea if she chooses to come.
"Hail to you Centaurs. I am Gabriel knight of the crown. We would like to share in the oasis with you and water our horses and rest a bit. Will you allow this?"
As you approach the playful young centaurs turn to you and start yelling. "Coop! Coop! Counting Coop!"
And start riding at you at full speed but with no weapons out. Go to the Desert Oasis map. And make me a Sense Motive check as well as an initiative check.
Young Centaur Initiative Checks
Sense Motive
Iniative check
Terevalis, you recognise that these centaurs are not being aggressive. Instead they see you all as formidable warriors and want to test their bravery against through playing with you.
The elf will communicate this to the group.
Athola looking at the centaurs enjoying the pleasantness of the oasis, speaks softly, "Would be nice to share the oasis for the night. Safer in numbers."
She definitely will remain back while negotiations take place. Remaining on her pony.
Hearing the intentions, she unhooks her sap to use if needed, "Well this should only result in some bruises."
"A game it is then."
Gabriel spurs his mount forward to engage and play with centaurs.
Gabriel is caught very much by surprise but still engages them.
Anyway Terevalis goes first. Cole says, "Well I don't want to be hit by no brutish centaurs, we should find some cover and let the others play this game."
I will not engage in such antics. turning a page in his spellbook.
Ok so Terevalis and Cole abstain from the conflict moving into cover and away from the "Game".
Next up is Centaur number 2
He rides full gallop at Jor and along the way tries to slap him with his outstreched hand as he goes by.
Unfortunately for him he totally wiffs the attempt and all Jor feels is a brush of wind as he rushes by.
Next to react is Young Centaur 4, he tries to do the same to Mithas.
And he succeeds at his attempt. Mithas make me an opposed strength check to avoid getting unseated from your horse. Add a +2 to this because you're mounted. He however gets a +4 racial bonus to this check for being a centaur.
Either way he continues to ride by and yells out "COOP!" excitely when he is able to touch Mithas on his ride by attempt.
Seeing his friend do a successful Coup, Centaur 3 tries to match if not exceed Centaur 4's Coup by rushing at Althea and attempting to hit her with his open hand as he rides by.
And does so successfully. Likewise Althea will need to give me a Strength check with a +2 bonus to resist getting unseated from her horse.
Or not, Natural 1, its only a light tap on the arm. Still he yells out "COOP!" as he did succeed in touching his target.
The first Centaur seeing Gabriel and his flashy armor decides he'll prove himself the bravest of them all by Couping him. So he rushes forward and....
And he does so barely. Now Gabriel as he has a heavy war horse as well as a full military saddle gets a +6 on his strength check to resist being dismounted.
He yells with pride "COOP!" looking confident that he had cooped the most dangerous person in the entire party due to Gabriel's armor and weapons.
The wizard will engage Cole in a discussion of magical theory related to the school of abjuration.
Cole will mention he prefers Evocation as his training involved wielding fire as a weapon and he's gained the liking of it.
Athola remains on her pony a fair distance back to watch the game playing out before her.
yes but now you have the capability to learn any spell and put it within your spellbook. Abjuration takes the premises and energy of magic itself and can dispel it or turn it against itself. Wizardry gains a breadth of magical capability not possible with ambient magic
Laughing at the attempt of young centaur Jor turns his horse and rides after the centaurs, only to slap them in the rear and chuckling as he mimics the centaurs "COOP"
Gabriel takes the hit, he reers his horse and rides down attempting to slap the centaur that hit him.
Assuming a hit.
Gabriel yells out "COOP!" as well as he rides by slapping the boy on the chest.
He turns and looks at the boy.
"Well struck. You no dobt will make a fine warrior and make your father proud." He extends a hand offering it in friendship.
"I am called Gabriel."
Strength
Alathea manages to withstand the slap though she does not return one in kind as this is not her sort of game.
She does give an awkward grin though and addresses the Centaur youth, "Greetings youngling. Do you hail from this area?"
Jor responds quickly and is able to counter rush the Centaur that tried to touch him. He hits with such precision that the Centaur is staggered by the hit.
Gabriel likewise is able to counter-coup back at his target.
The Young Centaur takes Gabriel's hand and shakes it and says, "Thy thanks are welcome good warrior. I am Melanodes and I have indeed proved my bravery. For if I were using a spear I would been able to drive you through. I thank thee for the chance to Coup."
After the initial conflict the two older centaurs approach. The female Centaur claps her hands and yells, "Calm down Fouls, you have harassed these men and women enough enough."
She then looks to the group and says, "It is a pleasure to meet you riders of the desert. I am Isphiria and these are my sons and nephews."
The bearded male centaur with the large impressive spear says, "And I am Gildedmane. I bid thee welcome to this Oasis and welcome you to share our camp for the evening. Thy skill at the Coup is impressive and I thank thee for indulging my kin in the game."
"Truely Melanodes. Your prowess with a spear would be a fearsom sight."
"Well met to you Isphiria and Gildedmane. I am Gabriel Barca, Knight of the Crown. These our my friends. Alathea, Jor, Terevalis, Mithas, and Alotha. We would be honored to share your camp and stories. The desert heat has made us weary and thirsty."
"Ah, a bit rest would be all good and nice. Need to just relax a bit and stretch my body. I will just get a bit water to wash the sweat off" Jor speaks as he slowly approaches oasis to wash himself a bit
The elf will continue his lesson on magic with Cole. Abjuration is a school of magic that deals in protective spells and the suppression of other's magic. Magic of this school creates physical or magical barriers, negates magical or physical abilities, harms trespassers, or even banishes the target of the spell to another plane of existence. While evocation has its uses and indeed is a great and powerful school of magic it still can be dispelled or counter-spelled by abjuration magic. A fireball or lightening bolt does no one any good if it is unraveled before it can do its damage.
Alathea asks Gildedmane, "Have you noticed a rise in the activities of the Dark Knights along the route to Pashin or are the dangers of this route more due to unaffiliated bands".
That night as the festivities and pleasentries the wizard will approach the tent of the night. Gabriel Barca, am I disturbing you? he asks in Solamnic.
'Idiotic..." Mithas mutters to himself at the display of machismo, but can't complain with how it all worked out.
He is quiet, but watchful as night closes in.
"No, I'm awake still what is it?"
Ok Cole says in response to Terevalis, "I suppose Abjuration has its uses. A good defense against spells seems like a valuable thing to know. I will definitely look into spells like that. When I was in the college I also considered studying Conjuration as well. Summoning and binding creatures seemed pretty interesting but in the end I chose Pyromancy as my specialty."
As for the Centaurs, Isphiria gives a respectful bow to Gabriel and says, "Well met sir Knight. I have heard tales of thy Knighthood from stories but I have never met one of your order. The Knights that frequent these lands tend to be those warriors of the Legion of Steel."
Gildedmane says in response to Althea, "Ah the Dark Knights, they be a foul breed of man. Have not seen too many around recently though although a sizable number did pass through the desert a few months ago. No, the more recent threats are those Bull-Men I see stalking out from the Silvanesti forest. I suspect they are scouts of some kind of a much larger force. Indeed, these bull men offend Chislev for they do not live in harmony with the wild. They have prevented my tribe from hunting in the forests, leaving us a shortage of game. I have heard rumors however that the Forestmaster has returned and perhaps with her aid we may one day drive these beasts away from our hunting grounds."
The elf will begin, We are not what we would be considered friends but I need to inquire if you can do something for me? As you know I am soon to take my Test of High Sorcery. If I am able to pass the Test I join the ranks of the Towers Wizards. The penalty is death. I need to set up an executor, if you will, for my possessions, if that is the case. I ask you, swearing upon the Oath and the Measure, if I do not pass the Test and join the progression of souls that you take my possessions, especially what ever money I may have as well as my spellbooks back to the elven enclave in Pashin.
"I will pray to Zivilyn for such a result. Th Minotaur have no right to upset the natural order of things though with so many problems in the world it is a wonder we are not all swallowed up the darkness".
Alathea approaches Athola, "Greetings, with the hecticness of the past few days we have had little chance to speak. I am Alathea servant of Zivilyn".
As for the Oasis itself, the waters look pure and although warm the water is refreshing. You all get a chance to clean off some of the built up sand on your face and hands and refresh yourself in the shade of the palm trees.
Athola rehooks her sap, then makes her way down to the gathering group. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Athola. Thank you for offering us to share the night with you here."
Once done with the greetings she heads off to the water to refilled her containers.
"Ah that explains the healing I receive. Glad to have you around. So where are you travelling to?"
Alathea smiles, "Yes, Zivilyn's blessings are a benefit to all who may call me companion. We travel to Ak Khurman, will your travels also take you that way?"
Refreshed and feeling now a bit clean after getting rid of sand for a while, Jor sits near water and watches the young centaurs frolicking. Might as well take everything out of this pause as he drinks some water and listens to the conversation between kender and Alathea
"Well I have no destination in particular.", looking up at the night sky, "Though currently was travelling to Ak Khurman, from there I see where I decide to go next."
@Ishpiria: "The legion are good men as well. We work closely with them from time to time. The Dark Knights and Bull Men are a problem for all at this time."
@Terevalis "If you do not pass, yes I will care for your possessions and return them to the enclave."
Gildedmane says to Althea, "We among the Centaurs try to avoid human cities. Thy humans tend to treat us poorly there and the buildings are often not built to accommodate our lower half. We have been forced to trade more with the Khur due to the problems of attaining game after the Bull men came. Still the desert wanderers treat us with respect and we do the same. And yes Zivlyn, the Great Tree, we among the Centaurs respect him for he is the husband to Chislev, goddess of nature. It is good to meet one who draws upon his strength."
Ishpira says to Gabriel, "That is good to hear Gabriel of the Solamanic Knights. The legionaries do good deeds here in Khur so they have the respect of the Centaurs. Indeed the Dark Knights have slain my kin in the past and the Bull men would do the same if we lingered in the forest for long. The desert is home for now but I do miss the trees and forests to the south."
Pipping up about the minotaur The cows must be pushed back to their islands or even better wiped off the face of Krynn. They do too much damage to the natural world as well as the elven people.
The elf will thank the knight.