As the party rushes to aid the caravan, another sand worm explodes from the ground writhing and makes haste towards the caravan to enjoy the feast.
Khartelosch uses the time Thaane is readying himself to heal him from the wand one more time.
He seems ambivalent about the battle happening a quarter mile away, but once the others rush off, he calls Malek back. When the third worm appears, he mounts his camel and rides into the fray.
Khartelosch pulls a thick leather belt carefully stitched with platinum threading and a large platinum buckle to keep it secured. Again the item is unusually clean for being inside of a beast. He also notices the heavy adamantine chest that was too heavy for Thaane to move.
The group approaches the melee and sees the remains of several caravan guards as well as many of the horses missing. The captain is dismounted and fighting the first worm with a broadsword.
The second sand worm turns back to face you as you approach it, sensing that you are here to interrupt its meal.
Round 1
Khartelosch
Thaane
Sand worm
Silvash
Ibrah
Verrin Kord
Khartelosch dismounts to hex 146, slaps Malek to run away and limps wordlessly straight to hex 99 with his lucerne hammer at the ready, his rage just below the surface and ready to be called upon.
Thaane stops about 50 feet from the worm and raises his pistol bracing it on his left forearm while his left hand grasps the spear. He takes a breath and steadies himself before letting both barrels loose again upon another worm.
Two bullets pierce the hide of the desert terror as Thaane now grabs it's attention. Despite the slaughter, Thaane makes note of the 19 bullets that he has left in his bandolier.
The sand worm eyes Khartelosch and attempts to bite him with his massive tooth-filled orifice.
The raging half-orc is bitten and the worm swallows him whole.
The sound of the double hackbut firing is followed by a screeching of pain as the caravan takes their worm into it's final throes before lifelessness.
GET HIM OUT!
Verrin wavers on his feat but leaps to the worms midsection(7.5) to try and cut a hole to its gullet.
Verrin's sincere attempt is unsuccessful in rescuing his comrade.
Ibrah drops his longbow, draws his temple sword and steps next to the worm, swinging his blade and cutting into its side.
The worm screeches in pain as Ibrah's sword rings true and cuts deeply into the worm.
Silvash shoots at the worm and then moves to hex 109.
Silvash's arrow sails over the top of the worm.
On his turn, Khartelosch begins raging. He strikes at the creature from within, using power attack.
Thaane stretches his hand out towards the worm when all of a sudden, a blade appears from inside of the beast critically cutting it open as Khartelosch falls out of the side and onto the ground. Thaane mutters something as usual and a quick flash hits the worm, drawing his attention.
The worm suddenly forgets about the party members and tears off to confront the other wormclose to death.
One worm delivers the final blow to its cohort before it realizes what it has done.
Several shots are fired from the remaining riflemen and the last worm is finished as the bloodied captain finds his horse to survey the damage.
Thaane runs over to Khartelosch to pour his two healing elixirs into the mouth of the barely conscious warrior.
There are about 25 men left unscathed as the captain makes his way towards the conscripts.
Why is the Mwangi woman shackled?
Khartelosch moans in pain. His eyes glaze as he tries to call on his oracle healing but is unable to because of the rage. Thaane's elixirs are like the first drink of spring water after a week's trek in the wastes. His sigh is nearly erotic.
Thank you he mutters, clearly embarrassed to be in this position. The worm was faster than I anticipated. Then his attention seems drawn to something unseen in his vicinity.
Unable to answer the captain's question, Khartelosch instead chooses to heal himself for his two rounds of fatigue.
She tried to kill me. Thaane replies. Staring at the sickly woman in chains.
Who are you?
A friend of the caravan.
Noticing the woman too sick to speak at this point, the captain asks the others.
Can anyone confirm this? You were scouting ahead. What happened?
He asks the conscripts.
This is one of the men that helped us against the orc. When we set out this morning we found him being accosted by her and Silas. They were arguing over something called a wayfinder. They began shooting at each other. That may be what called the worms to us. Silas is dead, killed by the first worm.
Now Verrin gathers some acid in the potion vial and begins burial.
Anyone else care to verify this as well?
Yes, that is what happened.
Besides you.
He remarks to Thaane.
Captain, as we rode out we came upon the three of the arguing. Silas demanded the wayfinder back, Thaane said it was his and was inscribed to prove it, that they buried him alive and that Silas was under a spell commanding him to get it. Silas then threatened to shoot Thaane and Thaane then fired on him. At this point we were close enough to intervene and stop them from killing each other. Unfortunately the first worm showed up then and killed Silas, Tress and Lillyanna. We then headed off to kill the third worm that showed up. I think moving across this desert is going to involve killing the worms as I think our walking is attracting them. Though with these dead we may have killed all in range.
Okay. The Mwangi will remain in custody for now. Everyone tend to your wounds collect what is salvageable and let us proceed east. We should be close to the outpost on my map and barring any further incidents, we should make it before dark. We are low on manpower and we lost about one-third of the horses are gone as well. Let's not scout too far ahead. Keep your weapons at the ready. We will proceed shortly.
Don't tell the captain about the chest or the glowing objects. Thaane whispers to Khartelosch .
When no one else is looking, Thaane examines the ring he found in the guts of the worm.
He shrugs and places it on his finger hoping it will reveal itself in that manner.
With the dead buried and the wounded bandaged, Verrin examines the glowing red bag that he recovered from the first worms.
Khartelosch nods in agreement to the captain and summons back his mount. Once mounted, he examines the condition of his allies, ready to offer healing to any in need. Sylvash, Ibrah, Thaane and Verrin all look better of than he does, so he heals himself once more.
He consults the spirits around him and then chooses to keep the items recovered from the worm stowed away until the group can examine them at their leisure.
Verrin discovers that when he puts his hand in the pouch 3 smooth stones appear, glowing and slightly warm.
Will a few hundred yards be close enough Captain? We'll double check the worms and make sure there's no one left alive and nothing hiding then take our point position
Silvash then checks the corpses on the way out, using detect magic and picks up what he finds.
As he gets up to Khartelosch and Thaane I can check that box and open it when we get time.
Thaane whispers, Great idea Silvash! I'm anxious to see what is in the chest.
Khartelosch casts detect magic on the box and the belt, concentrates for a few rounds and hands the box to Silvash, telling him what he discovers.
I don't have to remind you it might be trapped?
Silvash detects an ovular thin metal object that appears to fit on the temple of a humanoid.
Silvash concludes his search by finding a belt that looks exactly like the belt that Khartelosch found.
Silvash picks up the items and will identify them when he gets a chance and puts them in his haversack.
Silvash smiles at Khartelosch No, you don't. I've run into them a few times in my past in my... ah.. travels. I'll check for those first before trying to open it. Thank you for the reminder though, it is appreciated
When we are blocked by the bulk of a creature he will examine the other objects found as Silvash is busy handling the chest.