I think we should probably keep travelling at night. Might as well do our best to not need another rescue if we can.
"I agree, lets travel by night"
"Night works for me though I cannot see as well as some of you when it is dark."
"Guujaaw or I can provide light if the stars prove insufficient.
"I recon we'll leave at sundown." Nodding his head in agreement, Angus heads out of the cave and curries down Marion, checking the geldings hoofs. Then resting until sundown.
As the sun sets west of the dunes, and dusk allows the stars of the vast galaxy to be seen, Angus gathers his gear and heads to speak to their host. "we will head to the 'cliff people' are they friends of yours? Do you mind if we tell them you sent us?"
He reaches his hand out to shake Tourok's then looks at it and shrugs. "I wanted to say thank you again. Is there anything we can do to help you, here in your desert?"
"You may, but they are not an unfriendly people." He looks down and Angus' hand and says, "I know this gesture of yours, pursuing it further would not be wise. I need no help in this place. It is my home, I know it well."
For those who come after us, is there a certain territory that you and your people claim that should be reserved for your exclusive use? Our work here is largely to clear the way for them, and I wouldn't want any settlers to come into conflict with your people inadvertently. If you claim certain lands, we can mark them on the map.
"Well said, Zaranna. Although, if you just want privacy, perhaps it would be best if we just marked the area as "inhospitable and deadly. No water. Uninhabited. Avoid"
Tuorok smiles and shakes his head before he says, ”We are not numerous my people, nor do we need great tracts of land like you unrooted do. If you wish to help, simply tell those who will come that a moving cactus is not to be feared.”
'That's simple enough.' Smiling as he retracts his hand, Angus gives a polite bow, "We will tell them. Again Thanks for your help, it was fortuitous."
He then saddles Marion, checks to make sure his gear is secure, Looking at the stars and then the Dwarf. "Kuruk, my friend would you lead us west please."
Zaranna nods at Tuolok and thanks him as well, and follows Angus' lead in packing up and getting ready. she slips the magic arrow into a loop on her bandolier, wishing to keep it close, and she pets Vala affectionately, who has had to fend for herself for a while.
After getting everything packed, she mounts up and falls in with her companions.
The group is able to find a large river after travelling a few days to the north. Travelling along it for a while, they find themselves in a large canyon. Somewhere off in the distance, a roar can be heard. Zaranna recognizes this instantly as the roar of a drake, the exact type she doesn't know.
"So thats what a drake sounds like. I am guessing they fly right?"
John Thomas grabs the pistol he found in his right hand and his shillelagh in his left. He looks at the pistol but shows no confidence.
It's a drake! says Zaranna in shock. They had been so wrapped up in other things she had almost forgotten to be searching for them. She kicks her horse forward, moving towards the sound as fast as the horse can safely go, and sending Vala ahead to see if she can spot it (without getting too close).
'Well this will be fun to watch.' Hearing the noise as well, Angus draws his musket from it's saddle scabbard, turning Marion to follow Zaranna, he trots after the hunter, keeping a keen eye out as well.
Zaranna does not see anything. However, she hears something like skittering along the canyon walls, coming from two directions. Vala does not see anything either.
Guujaaw follows as quickly as he can.
Zaranna calls Vala back and dismounts, leaving the bird with the horse. Then she creeps up to the edge of the canyon and looks in.
'I've never hunted drakes before, I wonder if these things are really as smart as Zaranna says.' Following Zaranna's example, Angus dismounts quietly, patting Marion on the neck, "Stay here boy, were going to find this drake." smiling to himself, his rifle at the ready, he follows along, keeping a keen eye out.
Dismounting John Thomas holds back a bit as the others move. He is neither sneaky or particularly good at fighting things that fly.
Best see how this plays out, not so confident in my ability with this pistol.
Kuruk smiles for the first time in some time.
She has a proper bloodlust for these creatures, this should be fun to watch.
Kuruk follows along at a pace grinning.
"Careful Zaranna, I've been told drakes are clever and like to ambush folk.
Zaranna speaks softly but emphatically to Kuruk:
That's exactly how my parents died, Kuruk. Believe me, I am aware. That's why all drakes should be exterminated.
The party continues creeping forward through the canyon when all of a sudden two drakes, scales a banded reddish brown, shoot out from two canyon passages. One lands on the canyon wall next to the party. The other lands in front of John Thomas, scoring a vicious bite on him.
Moving closer to maximize her attack, Zaranna shoots at the drake to the south.
"Drakes. Interesting. I wonder what they can do?"
Interested in knowing any DR, how they will try to kill us, and any special abilities above that.
Guujaw quickly throws a glitterdust spell, affecting BOTH Drakes.
Will Saves DC 17 or they're blinded. At any rate, they're now prettier :-)
"well, that is one ugly critter." Studying the drake for a moment he steps forward bringing his rifle to his shoulder, sighting the one on the canyon wall, he exhales slowly and squeezes the trigger.
Kuruk casts Savage Maw on Huera
Huera charges the Southern Drake (looks like it landed? If it didn't my actions would change.)
"Why you big..."
Not happy to be bit John Thomas wants to strike back but before he can the buffalo steps into his best position. With a shrugs he moves to the northern drake and tries out his new shillelagh.
Zaranna's arrow strikes the drake, and Huera's horns rip into the drake. However, it is a resilient beast, and does not fall. Angus' bullet hits the drake but does not phase it. Guujaw's spell ends up only giving the drake a new paintjob. The drake on the outcropping rumbles before vomiting a large shard of molten glass at Zaranna. It hits the elven woman, slicing across her shoulder. The drake in front of Huera steps back and tries to bite at her, missing, and then taking flight and landing on a canyon wall.
Zaranna tries to shake off her wound, moving forward to shoot at the Drake that harmed her.
"Blast, these things must have tough hides, I expected that bullet to do more damage." Steping forward, he tells the magical bandolier "Load" Re-sighting the rifle, he exhales slowly, firing at the same drake again.
Seeing both drakes out of reach John Thomas shrugs and switches to his pistol, getting ready to shoot.
Guujaw advances slightly and throws the Evil Eye hex onto the green drake.
Will save DC 17
"The drake in front of Huera steps back and tries to bite at her, missing, and then taking flight and landing on a canyon wall." Since the drake attacked and is retreating froma threatened aquare that provokes an attack of opportunity unless it manages an Acrobaticsroll higher than Huera's CMB
Casting Aspect of the Falcon on myself.
Zaranna's arrow hits the drake in the gut as Angus' bullet hits it in the shoulder. The beast takes flight and lands on the other canyon wall. It seems unaffected by Guujaw's hex. The drake on the far wall tries to launch a shard of glass at Guujaw. It misses, however, the glass shatters on the ground, a few large shards digging into John Thomas.
Zaranna moves and shoots at the same one again.
'Well that shoot was useless.' Watching the beast take off and land again, Angus breathes a sigh, "What does it take to kill these things?" he tells the magical bandolier "Load" Re-sighting the rifle, he exhales slowly, firing at the same drake again.
John Thomas steadies his pistol with both hands and attempts to aim at the same drake Angus just fired at. He squeezes the trigger and at the last second closes his eyes, looking like a big kid shooting the pistol.
vs touch
As the hammer strikes the bullet he mumbles. "Blasted guns."
[b]"haaaa haaaa haaaa hahaaa"{/b]
Guujaw cackles madly
He then casts
glitterdust on the Red Drake (Will save, DC 17)
Anyone looking at Kuruk will see his eyes have widened and he has feathers coming out of his face and neck but also orange and black stripes up and down his arms.
Swift Action: Tiger Aspect for +4 to Dex
Move action 5 ft step
Attacks on Green Bordered Drake
Zaranna's arrow hits the drake in the eye. It gives a pained yelp before it collapses to the ground. The cloud of glittering dust blinds the drake. It begins to thrash wildly trying to get the sparkles out of it's eyes.