The man nods to Raine, "I can show you. When you are ready you can come with us and we will give you shelter. Come with us." They wait for you to dress and join them. The begin to lead you.
The area you are in at the moment has rock formations and elevations on the one side and vast desert on the other side. From where you are you cannot see anything impressive.
Hadule chuckles at the calls for hunger. "We have plenty of food."
You all follow them up a trail that actually reveals the rest of the land. It is a vast oasis, the largest you have ever seen. It is still riddled with desert but there are a lot patches of plains and desert jungle. It is beautiful sight, unlike any other land around the desert you have ever seen.
You are brought to a village where all the houses are made of stone. Palm trees are present and a good number of various desert vegetation. There is a lake just outside the village and many irrigation streams leading to the farms. The town is nice and there is a river leading from the lake towards this massive cylindrical mountain off in the distance.
As you wander into town you see people are very lightly dressed. You yourselves feel warm in your heavy desert clothes. The town looks like it is excellent condition.
Hadule looks at you as you walk along. "The genies used to lead this town. Now they have locked themselves in Aridia and abandoned us to the Anubites. We are luckier than other villages since we still have a Shaitan whom has stayed behind to train and lead us. Without him we would have been destroyed by the Anubites a long time ago. We have trained and fought them off ever since. Still, for every person that is captured is one more Anubite on the enemies side."
Raine eyes Tolus to be sure he doesn't collapse onto the sand. She supposes Simoom can carry him, if necessary....
"Tolus. Do you require riding?" she asks, while already turning for Mia. The little girl cannot be expected to walk a long distance, not after the knock on the head she took. Simoom can take two without being at all bothered, especially as light as these two would be.
"Child, I will lift you onto the camel. Do not fear. She will not bite you," Raine informs Mia in the tone of an adult who has spent little time around children, and who thinks that they simply go along with orders, when those orders are given. (She will be quite surprised if Mia refuses, for that matter.)
****
They make their way along the trail, and Raine openly gawks when they come in view of the oasis. Her own tribe knows of oases, of course-- sacred knowledge, as it means life in the desert-- but not of one such as this. It is enormous. It is a paradise.
She shakes her head, wondering, as they go closer and see the well-built stone houses, the irrigation canals. This is no nomadic settlement. It still baffles her mind that such could exist at the heart of the desert that her people had spoken of as cursed.
She listens intently to Hadule speak. "A Shaitan. That is a spirit of the earth. Does he also make your fields so prosperous and green?"
She will pepper Hadule with questions about this Shaitan on the way in, as well as the Anubites.
Tolus readily accepts his place on the camel with weak thanks. He is barely making it as it is, and walking wouldn't have helped. His mind is foggy and slow. Things seem to pass quickly and slowly at the same time. One statement does stick, however.
Wait, captured ssoldierss Become Anubitess? Sso they cannot breed on their own?
His voice has lost much of it's practiced, smoothness and has taken on an odd accent that actually hisses as a snake would at times.
Lilith sits back quietly and watches as everything transpires between her apparently new comrades and the people whose lives they just saved. Lilith hid her face and skin, ever aware of how... Abnormal they look for the moment and will look for the next quarter hour or so. When the time came to leave via the trail, she kept up her silence and simply followed along from behind.
Mia looks up at Raine as she tells her to take her hand to get on. She seems a little hesitant.
The only one who can speak to me like that is mother. But she seems not a bad person at heart, and i can't keep up otherwise.
She pets the camel as the head comes down to look at her. Mia breaks off a small part of a ration to give to the camel. She then extends her hand to Raine to get on. Sitting at such heights sure is different. Unaware of showing slight signs of it, she seems a bit curious about the height and the camel itself.
"Didn't the elf mention dogmen being magically crafted? Wouldn't that mean somebody is in the desert is doing some dark stuff?
(Simoom sez HAI, little one.)
The camel's breath ruffles Mia's hair as the camel noms down the little morsel of food. As Simoom is seven feet tall at the shoulder, Mia definitely has an advantage of height from the camel's back that she doesn't normally.
Raine walks on, leading Simoom as the camel plods placidly along with Mia and Tolus on her back.
While she shows it less, perhaps, than Tolus, the weeks of exhaustion and low rations are catching up with Raine. She focuses on keeping her spine straight and chin lifted, and not stumbling on the path as they follow Hadule. Much as she tries to focus on the conversation, she increasingly finds her thoughts turning to water, as they get closer and closer to the glittering oasis ahead.
The little kobold is amazed by the scenery and happy that the villagers are friendly, he doesn't know what he would have done, hadn't Hadule offered food. Blood and flesh are tasty … His thoughts wander: Strange land, strange people … Humans and genies … What was the name of the elve's friend? We must search … Water, water … A river! A lake! So beautiful. But isn't the flow reversed? Rivers come from mountains … What!? No, no you're dizzy Draahzin, stop thinking.
Hadule looks at Raine. "Azamad does not keep our fields. That is thanks to Daiga who created the water. He does look out for us though."
At the talk about Anubites. "Anubis. A demon from the past created the first Anubites using a power called alchemy. They need a host to mutate so they capture people to transform. Anubis was slain centuries ago by Daiga in a great battle. However, the Anubites survived and have mastered the art of their own creation. Now they capture anyone they can and turn them into mad monsters. We have killed dozens of our own."
You arrive at a nice looking Inn. Hadule turns to his men. "Head on over to the barracks and get some food."
He then turns to the rest of you. "This is Yaline's inn. She is the best innkeeper in town. Maybe all of Aradina. Good food, and if you have the need, good company." He winks, "Yaline is also the most knowledgeable person in town so if you need information, she can help you."
He moves to lead you into the place. He then turns back. "I will ask her to give you dinner and a night for free. You'll need to pay for your own company though."
You enter a very nice looking tavern, nicer than any you've been to even outside of the desert. Pretty lights, great decor, great music, beautiful dancers, both men and women, and the smell of food is impressive too.
Hadule sets you up with seats. Any RP before I move on?
Raine stares around at the inn. Her own people are nomads; the Cold Moonshine tavern is her only prior experience of common meeting-houses like this. This is... nothing like that.
The smell of food makes her stomach give a disquieting lurch. With Simoom tethered outside, she can see to her belly at long last.
"...thank you," she says finally, overcome with gratitude at the hospitality being shown them. It's all catching up at once, the days of deprivation, the attack, and now... this. Food and allies.
"I must ask... a few more questions. Have your people seen any sign of our original caravan? There was an elf leader who would be hard to miss. One eye was replaced by stone. But also, there was a human man-- this girl-child's father. For her sake, perhaps you can... at least tell us if any... bodies have been found."
Raine does not consider herself remotely maternal, but if the human is dead, then his child is now their responsibility. She will not shy from it.
"Also, we were all struck in the battle-- bruises only, thank the gods-- but the child was hit hard in the head. Does your community have any healers?"
For now, Raine will mull over this news of Daiga, and keep her thoughts to herself.
As he enters the Inn Tolus finally gets a glimpse of something he is familiar with: Civilization. The smells, the dancers, the general atmosphere is something that never changes in spite of everything. If this was what Aradina had to offer, maybe he wouldn't be so far outside his comfort zone as he thought. Compared to the houses of his former Masters this place was... quaint... but right now it was everything he needed it to be, and it was glorious.
He slides off the camel and walks smoothly up to the bar. The atmosphere seems to have invigorated him. He orders a light bit of food and water. Life has taught him that starving men must start again slowly, or they risk death from too much food.
Draahzin bows before Hadule: 'I humbly thank you Hadule. If one day you are in need of blades, I will gladly repay my debt.'
Raine is taking care of Mia, no need to bother myself.
After tethering his pony outside he enters the inn, as the music and smells wash against him his tail begin to swing. Aaah the delights of civilization! Music, dances and food!
He tails Tolus, ordering food and drink at the same time, so he can be remarked from underneath the bar. He sit across him and starts to eat ravenously. After emptying a plate, he pauses: 'Glad we're safe. Becoming an Anubite doesn't suit me, too hairy. Those villagers are kind and the town seems to be peaceful, I suggest we take some rest to rebuild our forces then start to search for Yalandere and his friend.'
Mia put the last litlle piece of ration in her mouth. (Little kids need far less food than grownups, how convenient.)
After the arrival she gets down from the camel with help from Raine. She pets the tall animal again before walking along with Raine.
As Mia walks into the inn, she takes a moment to take in the sight...as far as possible with her small size. It is so different from the previous inn.
As she sees the maid coming with the plates of food for the table, she quickly gets down from her seat and heads towards her. Slightly drawing the attention by pulling a small piece of the woman's skirt;
"Pardon, something fell from your pocket.", she points at a coin that fell. The maid thanks her and puts the plates aside for a few seconds, just enough for Mia to reach into her pockets for something.
This'll fasten the recovery of the bruises. If we are to sort things out, we can't really keep on waiting till they are gone."
She takes out a small herb, quickly shreds it, then puts he flakes into the food coming to the table Raine and she are sitting at.
Plus it'll taste more refined...
Tolus hears the kobold, but he's not quite done chewing. He nods and holds up a finger. He takes two more luxurious chews and slowly swallows.
I agree. I have no doubt Yalandee ssurvived, and I wouldn't be ssurprised if the good Massster did asss well.
Apparently he isn't quite on guard enough to control his accent quite yet.
Draahzin drinks slowly his beverage, eyes closed, savoring the feeling of pleasure. He cracks his eyelids and answers: 'Barune? Yes he must be alive too. He was a tough man.'
Tolus nods. It seemed to me that we weren't kept very well. Almost as an afterthought. The ropess were weak, the knotss were ssimple, the guardss were inadequate. I wonder. It is posssible that we were not the targetss, merely more bodies. If we had not esscaped, we would probably be Anubitess by now.
What do human children eat? Good question. Raine ponders this for a little while before deciding if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for the child. She orders simple stew, with plenty of meat and vegetables. (It's probably over-seasoned to her tastes when she gets it-- spices were very hard to come by, in her tribe, and her palate is easily overwhelmed by the rich flavors of 'civilized' food.
That's not to say she won't wolf it down, though.
With the first bites down and the edge taken off her hunger, Raine says to the girl, stiffly and awkwardly, "It is probable that your father is dead. Death is a part of the cycles of nature. Grieve, but embrace life. Now you will have to learn quickly and grow strong."
(The award for empathetic comforter of the year does not go to Raine a'Thiel.)
She listens to Draahzin and Tolus, and nods slowly as she chews a piece of meat in her stew. Lowering her voice, Raine says to them, "You heard Hadule say that they credit Daiga for the water... perhaps they worship him. The elf said Daiga had abandoned Aridia... but it is possible not the greater Aradina."
At the question about the caravan Hadule shakes his head. I have not seen any. We found just you and your gear. We do have some clerics of Daiga who can heal your wounds though. They are down in the local church. Yaline and some of her courtesans also have some healing magic."[/b]
You are all served excellent food. The likes of which is rare. It has been grown from particularly fertile lands and seems to have beyond natural addatives that make it very warm and comforting.
A dancer comes by and begins to dance for you spreading an essence of calm and relaxation over you. I is clear she is an accomplished bard. Hadule seems to be enjoying himself quite a bit. He does not pay any attention to your conversation.
A tall attractive, "Egyptian" female comes to your table and greats you. "Greetings I am Yaline, proprietor of this inn. If there is anything I can do for you, all you have to do is ask." She waits around for any favors.
If there are no questions she will bid you enjoy your stay and move over to the counter allowing you to continue talking amongst yourselves.
Mia looks up at Raine during her talk. If any grieving was on her mind, it wouldn't show. A thought thought did pass her mind.
Lady, you mean well, but i've known that for a long time.
Draahzin responds to Tolus: I believe so too.
He listens to Raine: 'Interesting theory, but hasn't the elve said something about Daiga being banned?'
When the proprietor comes: 'Yaline your hospitality is a wonder. I'm Draahzin. Me and my companions are searching for a seer named Umadi … something, do you know about him?
As Draahzin spoke about Raine's theory, Mia thought about it.
"Think of the theory this way, just because some kids say i can't join a game anymore, doesn't mean i should quit the game in general. I would go on playing the game with another group, even if i had to explain the game. Because i love the game as a whole."
With that said, she takes a few gulps from her mug.
Mia listens to the response of Yaline as she finishes eating her food.
She looks up at Yaline;
"Thank you lady. It was good."
Due to my herbs ofcourse...haha.
Mia gets down from her seat and goes for a walk, looking at the many patrons that are present.
Yaline nods at Draahzin. "Yes we have heard of the Prophet of Daiga Umadi. He is suppose to be very powerful. As to where he is located, I do not know. You might want to travel to Umbab. It is a week and a halfs journey from here towards Aridia. It is the largest city in the Shaitan Kingdom of Aradina. They have many scholars and well traveled folks including a church of Daiga that was recently refurbished."
Yaline smiles at Mia. "Thank you dear. Our herbalists procured the finest herbs Aradina has to offer and used a few tricks to enhance their properties. The food is not only good for nourishment but it helps to reveal any ailments you may have."
Prior to the walk around the inn:
When Mia heard Yaline mention herbalists, an interest had been ignited.
"Is it possible to visit the herbalists? I grew up in an apothecary shop. I'd like to learn more about the herbs here."
Yaline smiles. "Of course child. You may drop by after hours and you can meet them."
Yaline's comment sparks Draahzin's interest: 'A Shaitan Kingdom? How many of them are still outside Aridia?
Yaline shakes her head. "No, this kingdom was once ruled by the Shaitan but they all went to Aridia to fight their war. They have left us to fend for ourselves. If it weren't for the Shaitan who stayed to defend this town, we would have been wiped out by the Anubites like all the other towns in this area."
How many towns have survives the abandonment of their protectors? It doesn't seem as if the whole of your society has collapsed, so there must be at least a few other towns in the area.
Raine listens in silence to all the discussion, her brows furrowed. It may be her innate distrust of all outsiders, but the more she listens, the more uneasy she feels. The people are generous and kind, prosperous and helpful. The food is rich. The decor is stunning (to her simple worldview, at least).
Yalandere... his words of prophecy, so very convenient-- that they are propesied heroes! --ha. And then what are the odds that out of all the caravan, the five of them should be taken alive, together? She does not trust the stone-eyed elf and his words of destiny, and she finds herself becoming leery of all this generosity, the free answers to the questions they are asking. The stew sits heavy in her belly.
Perhaps she is only paranoid. Raine rubs at her forehead, wishing for sleep, somewhere.
"I must see to my camel," she says abruptly, standing from the table. "Already I neglect her by feeding myself first."
She looks to the other three (sorry, Mia, at the moment she does not consider you an equal decision-maker in the group). "Our caravan is no more. The purpose for which we were brought together in the first place is debatable: we no longer answer to any employer, we no longer receive any pay, unless we find Yalandere or Barune. I bear neither of them great love, but I will search for their bodies, at least, because I accepted a contract.
"If others wish to walk with me to do that, I accept your company but I do not ask it. What are your intentions? Do you believe the words of the one who hired us?"
Yaline sighs. "We are the only town left this side of the great ravine. Lucky for everyone else left, the Anubites have difficulty crossing the ravine."
Mia returns to the table and gets back to her seat.
Knowledge on new herbs. This could be interesting. I'll have to visit them later today. But someone would have to come along.
She looks at Lilith;
"I'd like to visit the herbalists later on. Would you come with me? I'm sure it wouldn't take long."
Turning her head back towards Yaline;
"You said after hours, does that mean the herbalists visit the inn later in the evening? Or is there a special shop?"
Lilith, who was always one to keep to herself as much as possible, has been doing just that. As she listened to the conversations, she took in as much of the information as possible (which is pretty much all of it considering her eidetic memory).
Finally one of the party members speaks up to her. It was the "child". She had grown amused by her insistence that she was a human and was more than happy to go along with the rouse. If anything ever went wrong with these strangers, it would be nice to have an ally as calloused as the halfling.
"Sure, I'll escort you. I'm sure my prior knowledge on herbs could, at the very least, be useful to us."
She nodded her head and gave a probably obviously half-hearted smile to accompany her words.
Tolus is bothered by the story that this town is the only bastion of civilization left in the region. There has to be more to it.
How have you managed to stem the tide so effectively? Without outside resources and trade, a city if this size should be a little worse off than yours seems to be.
Yaline smiles at Mia. "He works for me little one. After hours he will be off duty."
To Tolus she responds. "Not quite as effective as you may assume. We are not sure we can hold if the Anubites ever launched a full attack. Amad, the Shaitan who remained here, has been more than instrumental in our survival. Trade is unnecessary for most of the civilizations across Aradina. The land has everything we need. Plenty of rock and earth for housing, fields and water for food and nourishment. Places to raise livestock for extra food and clothing. The only resources we are shy on are mostly luxuries, but those are not worth the effort. We are also low on weapons too. Thankfully, our raiders have been consistently successful and taking those from the Anubites. Anything else we need is provided by magic. This town's only weakness is a solid wall. I only hope we can get one up before the Anubites try a full attack. Still, for the time being, we endure, though I don't doubt we must move someday."
'Don't you know a mean to annihilate the Anubites? Or to simply repulse them? They seems to be mad creatures just craving to grow more numerous.'
Hadule speaks up at this question. "Not really. The only thing we know is that they are dumb unless directed by a leader. You take out the leader and the rest become nothing more than senseless animals and lose all sense of coordination. The group we fought had a tough leader and once he went down, the rest were easy to deal with. We do not have the manpower to attack their home directly. If we did we could hit them where they create themselves and that might destroy them."
Well, I doubt I would be of much use taking out a nest of those things. I say we take a breath and go look for this prophet guy. More likely than not that's where our illustrious leader will go. Our chances of catching either him or his trial there are good.
'I suggest we take a few days to recuperate, reequip and then we go to Umbab.'
Raine looks from face to face, but none of the others offer any suggestion as to whether they believe this nonsense about the prophecy... except they are are willing to seek the supposed prophet. So surely they must, to a degree.
She sinks back into her seat, resigned. There is an orphaned child to see to, and the other elf has said she will accompany the child to the herbalists, at least. The serpent-man and the kobold.... well.
"I have said I will seek out the place of our ambush and hunt for signs of what happened to Yalandere and Barune. If no-one else believes this useful, then I will go myself. Hadule, do you know what paths the caravans take? You have seen no signs of ambushed wagons or battles?"
Tolus looks over to Raine and says, My dear, our paths need not diverge. Finding the oracle is but a suggested path to both our common goal. We both want to find our employer, and I judge your route better. I will accompany you.
Hadule looks at Raine confused. "Seldom do caravans come this far. Only from The central city before the Aridia war. Hasn't been a caravan in over twenty years. Also, where we found you, no caravans ever come and go from that way. If you not from Aradina or Aridia, I do not even know where to begin looking for where you were ambushed. The Anubites we slew appear to have come from west. That is the Sarengave. Nothing exists out there but sand. Sorry for your loss."
"Thank you," Raine says after a moment's hesitation, to Tolus. Though it seemed a long time ago now, their discussion back at the tavern still gnawed at her mind; the odd questions and way of thinking he had, so foreign to her own. She wasn't sure if she welcomed, or not, the idea of a ride out in the desert with more of his twisting, clever words.
On the other hand, she doubted she truly saw eye-to-eye with any of the others.
Further plans for the reconnaissance were disrupted, though, at Hadule's answer. The elf stares blankly back at their savior, and for the first time since setting out on the trip, she feels genuinely at a loss-- defeated in a way she had not, even when Anubites had captured them.
"But... our caravan did come that way," she protests. "From the rest of the world. Beyond the Sarengave. My people-- they live out in the Sarengave, weeks travel from here, but--"
If this man knows nothing of caravan routes-- if no caravan routes exist-- then by what magic did Yalandere lead them so deep? And by what magic can she ever return home to her people, if the route back is as impassable as Hadule believes?
Raine silences herself and stares into her stew bowl for several moments.
"I see," she says at last to Hadule. "Perhaps our only choice after all is this... seer. I must still see to my camel. Excuse me."
Draahzin nods: 'Moreover we were in a sandstorm, if they are frequent there is no way we will find something from our caravan.'
Tolus looks puzzled at the innkeeper's statement. There is much beyond the Sarengrave, good Hostess, but the desert nearly killed us before the Anubitess attacked. I would not be surprised if you had never heard if it. It is a land of both evil and splendor not very much different from yours, save that we have different sorts of creatures than Anubitess to haunt our dreams.
Tolus suddenly lapses into a great yawn. Is anyone else exhausted? I either need to set out and get walking or go find a place to pass out.
Tolus looks puzzled at the innkeeper's statement. There is much beyond the Sarengrave, good Hostess, but the desert nearly killed us before the Anubitess attacked. I would not be surprised if you had never heard if it. It is a land of both evil and splendor not very much different from yours, save that we have different sorts of creatures than Anubitess to haunt our dreams.
Tolus suddenly lapses into a great yawn. Is anyone else exhausted? I either need to set out and get walking or go find a place to pass out.
It was Hadule talking not Yaline.
Hadule sits back. "Interesting. No one has ever ventured to the Sarengave and returned. Though few ever really find the desire to try. Strange creatures lay beyond it seems. I will pick up the tab and see to my men in the barracks. Enjoy your stay in our town."
"Thank you," Raine says woodenly to Hadule.
She sits in silence a few seconds after the man leaves.
"Are we agreed to seek out this seer, then? I too would rest tonight, then set out in the morning. Perhaps things will be clearer thin," she says half-heartedly.
"And Lilith can accompany the girl to these herbalists for this afternoon. The child needs something to think of other than her father."
Agreed. Our ordeal this morning is more than enough excitement for one day. I think I'll try to make myself familiar with this town before we leave it again. We may be back, and I have a feeling this town is all there is going to be to come back to for us for the forseeable future.
Once this tavern pow-wow is done Tolus will wander the town for the afternoon in an attempt to get to know the town itself and her people just a little.
Mia looks at her companions. Then raises a perhaps unusual question.
"The man said the anubites are not much without a leader. But if the big guy Anubis was lost to them, somebody would have had to organize them again for them to be effective for such a long time. Anubite band leaders also need to learn from someone at some point right? So has somebody taken control of the once scattered anubite forces?"
Well, well. Clever girl. I'm not sure I would have ever thought on that.
Draahzin nods when Raine speaks: 'I approve.'
He listens to Mia and answers: 'You are probably right, but what to do about that? Hunt him? For now, I believe we don't know enough about this land to take care of that task.'
After the meeting he will go to his room and sleeps like a dead man.