Looking around at the horses, tack and other equipment. Wulgar asks the man. "We were brought here by a contingency of twenty four cavalrymen, where are their barracks?"
The wounded and subdued constable answers in Arabic: Their barracks are within the palace...
Mwikali walks over towards the weapons and hands what she can to ths ladies in the harem. Looking at them she speaks. " Let these be the beginning spoils to our journey. For when we return we shall have more money and weapons in our hands. They shall fear us. We the deadly Nightshades of Africa. Come fo not be afraid for soon we will become strong and prosper" she tells them in arabic as she strips whatever weapons she can from the food and the prisoner. She hands them to the closest women and moves on past seeking to see if her own appearance can make this lowly guard turn on his master.
"If he does not, I can always bind him down and let my claws sink slowly into his flesh carving sigils in him. Letting spell after spell entwin him to my every whim, his soul bound to me and the masters I serve. That is if he does not wish to yeild his secrets"
Mwikali walks over towards the weapons and hands what she can to ths ladies in the harem. Looking at them she speaks. " Let these be the beginning spoils to our journey. For when we return we shall have more money and weapons in our hands. They shall fear us. We the deadly Nightshades of Africa. Come fo not be afraid for soon we will become strong and prosper" she tells them in arabic as she strips whatever weapons she can from the food and the prisoner. She hands them to the closest women and moves on past seeking to see if her own appearance can make this lowly guard turn on his master.
"If he does not, I can always bind him down and let my claws sink slowly into his flesh carving sigils in him. Letting spell after spell entwin him to my every whim, his soul bound to me and the masters I serve. That is if he does not wish to yeild his secrets" [dice=intimidate]1d20+7
The constable, stablehands, and wounded guard quake at the black witch's menacing words...
Please! Please, Dark Lady of Africa! Spare us! We will do whatever you ask of us! Just don't hex us or claw us with those devil claws! pleads a stablehand!
Scary.....
"Wulfgar, everyone, we need some sort of plan. We have quite a bit of people to leave quietly, so a major commotion might be a good idea. I don't see lots of guards, so I think the battles are still going on." Sweat beading on his forehead, and face flush, he smiles a bit. "At least the winds told me how to do a new trick. Just hurts a bit when I do!"
'We need a plan.' Going to the doors of the barn, Wulfgar looks toward the gates of the palace.
The gates to the Kasbah are about thirty feet away, and the gate the party entered the city by is just about 160 feet away from the outer palace gate, across the Kasbah...
"I think we need to get back to the ship before our favorite Captain manages to reclaim the ship we took from him. Plus it would allow the women to get their bearings as what they want to do, while we can figure out a plan as how to take out the Emir. I want to know how they knew we were coming, and where to set up."
*SNIFF!* Smells good in here... Like live food! I’m full from that guy I just ate, though...
"I think we need to get back to the ship before our favorite Captain manages to reclaim the ship we took from him. Plus it would allow the women to get their bearings as what they want to do, while we can figure out a plan as how to take out the Emir. I want to know how they knew we were coming, and where to set up."
Do you mean Captain Barak of the Alanqilis? I have a keen sense of smell, and I smelt the captain and his Tengu first mate leave here on camels about half an hour ago...
The gladiators start saddling warhorses and loading water skins filled at a pump well in the stable onto the camels...
The harem girls massage the adventurers’ shoulders and backs as they make their plan...
Ooh! So tense! And so muscular...
And brave! And handsome!
Don’t forget clever, and dashing!
And Lady Mwikali and Lady Giovanna are so beautiful and heroic!
About a league (three miles) west of Marrakech by now, Captain Barak, mounted on a camel laden with water skins, turns to his first mate, Toruko, and says, in Arabic: I can’t wait to see our ship again, old friend! Let us make haste to Safi and claim her back!
Toruko, also mounted on a camel laden with water skins, looks back over his shoulder toward the twinkling lights of Marrakech behind them...
I got a strange feeling in my craw...
The ninja returns from her scouting mission and reports to Wulfgar in English: Gate guarded by two men... I put them to sleep with poison shuriken! Gate now open, Honorable Wulfgar-San!
She bows to Wulfgar, her dark eyes smiling over her black scarf...
Looking to the outer gate, Wulfgar sees that Achiko spoke true! Two guards with metal stars stuck in their necks lie drugged before the opened outer gate to the Kasbah...
Once all the mounts are saddled, and the beasts of burden burdened, and the tiger fodder herded ahead, the rebels ride out of the palace grounds into the Kasbah, and from there, storm the city gate, trampling the guards there with a stampede of camels, horses, and mules, and pouring through the arched gateway into the desert, under a waxing half moon and countless glittering stars...
'Now there is a woman who knows what she is doing.' Smiling Wulfgar bows back to the woman in black, "Thank you, that is very effective. Oh, and would you prefer to ride a horse or a camel?"
Turning to the Halfling, "It would be nice to have those guards uniforms as costumes, could you gather a couple of our companions to fetch them?"
He turns to the prisoners, "Strip! all of you!"
The guards quickly strip...
Load P spotted the smoke, you could not miss it,
"Well now that could be bad news or good news, lets have a look see"
and with that he takes to the air and heads to the place his friends here incarcerated.
Mwikali laughed as she walked over grabbed an used saddle blanket and snapped her fingers on it frayed edge. With a spark the blanket ignited lighting up brightly in the stable. With some delicate touch she used her spear to throw it into a stall and stir it up causing the urine soaked stalls to ignite. Mwikali pulled her scarf about her face and after a good minute exits not looking behing her as she smiled. "Now which of you fine warriors would care to give me a ride.Theg journey is long and my strides are no match for these fine steeds?"
Once the fire begins to build up a bit, Volreg calls forth more of his power over the winds, blowing the smoke and fire towards other flammable objects for a few moments. Coming out of the smoke with a slight frown on his face, he makes his way back to a camel that has been readied for travel, offering his hand to Mwikali.
"It'll be a pleasure to ride with you again! Though, it would be preferred that the desert natives would stay away this time!"
"You are too kind Volreg.I will have to make it up to you with some clothes.You may be a farmer but it foesnt mean you still have to dress like one." she says taking the offer.
" You are gonna have to show me how you do that sometime. Your magic is quite astonding!"
The stable fire is soon blazing, providing an effective distraction for the rebels to make their escape from Marrakech...
Load P comes diving out the sky slowing at the last moment and landing next to Volreg.
"Well now, what have you all been doing while I was planning your escape"
She chuckles as he says the last part.
Smiles
"Oo how could any fey resits such fun to be had. Point the way and I shall pay them a visit"
Once shown he will fly after them.
" You do great work Lord" she says with a wink from behind Volreg, blowing the fey lord a kiss.
He catches the blown kiss in his hand and spins in the air, hugging it to his chest then speeds off.
He seeks them here he seeks them there
He seeks them here he seeks them there
Lord Perpireen finds the two travelers about two leagues (6 miles) outside of Marrakech, mounted on camels laden with water skins...
"Tis true, Wulfgar I see them to have potential. Such that will benefit us and them. Think about them welding blades and spells. I suspect some may have an affinity for the ways of song magic, others, as you say, may have spiritual and mystical aptitude. We shall try and determine what aptitude they have and give a sample of all that we can teach them. Those that find a particular area fascinating or seem to have a grasp on we will nurture it. I mean who knows these women could truly turn out to be quite the fiercest group to have risen from the bonds of oppression!" She says with a smile as she looks back at some.
"They may even decide to stay for other reasons. I can't help but notice their eyes lingering on a few of the others we travel with. You included." She says looking back at some of the women and giving a wink to a couple that were staring at her.
"But it is our responsibility as liberators. In fact, if we do change Sefi for the better, we may have to do the same there. To end the oppression and the bondage we may have to build something to better not only the oppressed but the oppressors!" She stated, turning back to Wulfgar with her face blushing a bit before she composed herself.
Whistling as Lord P flies off, Volreg addresses the others, " after our business with him and our boat, though I do like the idea as to figuring out how the women Mwikali saved would fare with us. If we do manage this, I believe that a free city could be in the horizon, but there has been one teaching that I have never forgotten. One may plan for a grand harvest, until a storm carries away your crop!" Grimacing a bit as he faces the northman, the farmer continues to speak, "Though, it seems to always been storms that has brought my family luck and fortune!" Silent for a few moment, Volreg bursts out laughing. "Cheer up! I'm sure you can held your promise of a free city, and a free people. Then we can move on to the next city, and the next! Maybe we'll become as famous as that one king of Macedon from legends past!"
A free city sounds grand, but who would keep others from fighting? People need to stop worrying about their differences, and learn how to help each other. Mwikali has smarts, and can find a way to help with that, but I have no idea. Shaking his head, the farmer focuses on driving his camel with the others, back to the Captain or Safi, whichever came first, though his face grew hot as he finally realized that the witch was riding with him.
" SOmething was told to me in Europe. a saying what was it..." She trailed off as she touched the side of her temple with two fingers. she rubbed it for a little bit before she pulled them away with a snap."That Rome wasn't built in a day!"
"I figured this applies here. I mean I know I seek to build a kingdom for my people. A strong one without the strife caused by the current infighting. I mean they fight for supremacy to be a puppet of the Arabs. Think of what we can do here. We can change the face of Africa. We can make this the land free of slavery and home to all races creeds and colors. Well, at least most races. I doubt some of the races like Gnolls and Trolls would live among us in peace. THough I can be wrong. Still, we should try maybe after we slay the Emir to free Sefi. Or if not we could try another city? I bet our Portuguese friends may be able to help us if we did that?" She says looking at the sky. He face smiling relishing the air of her homeland.
"Mother Africa has brought us together to free it from the clutches of outsiders. Though even she sees that it may be the very outsiders to liberate her peoples and build an Empire that will protect its people and beasts."
Altin smiles at Wulfgar's words. Such an impulsive warrior, but the man holds high ideals. Who knows, maybe it's possible... But people will disappoint you, given the chance. They've little chance of changing a place like Safi. This brutal land will resist such efforts. But I'll do my best to help them... and be there to cheer them up when we fail.
"A bold plan, and an admirable one" he says to Wulfgar and Mwikali. "If there's such good to happen in Africa, I'm sure you will be the two to bring it about. And we'll be right behind you. Won't we Volreg?" He slaps the little farmer on the back, then drops his horse back a bit to prevent his companions from seeing the cynicism that he struggles to keep from showing on his face.
He finds himself riding next to Achiko and Plad. Turning from one to the other, he starts up some conversation. "So, how did you two end up in the Emir's cells?"
Yes...it took much longer to build Roma....but it did not take long for the festering evil to almist tear it asunder. After we retake Safi, we nust make sure our new "troops" are able to take care of themselves. Most of us are capable with weapons of one sort or another. We can start there. I too have an odd upbrining, Wulfgar. My great grandmother got involved with a being of a celestial origins. My father sent me away to France to protect me from any religious zealots. Luckily, I had a good time in France...
"Oh what did you do in France?" Mwikali asked intrigued by Vannas' story. she paused and smiled at Altin.
"I would say trying to save my people by stabilizing the region with a successful conquest."
I kept myself busy...learning the wine business from my host Jean-Francois...such a nice fellow. I went to a lot of parties, balls and soirees. Some were insanely drole, whereas others were the epitome if debauchety. I am not the most virtuous woman in the world, but the Bacchanalian activities at some were unbelievable. I also learned the way of the blade there from that Ramirez chap. Very eccentric...I think he might be mad. Ah, I miss the food and wine, but not the constant snickering and backstabbing. I decided to strike out on my own...my father knew I would eventually do so and he gave his approval.
"I have been to a couple of those drole parties. I was granted access due to my skills in the art of tailoring. The dresses I made were exquisite and the ladies were lining up to get a custom job made. Some of the nobles were adventurous as the rendezvous after words were quite interesting. A Cardinal and a Nun I met in Italy was well let's say something I do not expect when dealing with Members of the Christian Holy Orders!" She said with a laugh before she spoke agian.
"Maybe some of these ladies could benefit from your training, I have seen you fight and it is almost like an elaborate dance. I know they can Dance what harem girl is not trained in the art of seduction and pleasure. They might become quite deadly indeed."
Comes in low and fast after the two.
Then with his tiny dagger he pricks each water skin so that they start to leak, The flies away again if he can. heading back to the others.
Comes in low and fast after the two.
Then with his tiny dagger he pricks each water skin so that they start to leak, The flies away again if he can. heading back to the others.
The two slavers have no chance of noticing the invisible Fey Lord as he dives among their camels and pricks their water skins...
Within hours, they will find themselves out of water in the middle of the Moroccan desert...
Letting his horse drop back near Altin's, he smiles and asks Achiko of The Yellow Reed, "Yes, how is it you find yourself here in Morocco?"
I came from my homeland in Japan, very Far East, Wulfgar-San... Six years ago... I was sent on a mission to track down a renegade, a traitor of the Koga clan who stole a sacred sword and fled to Europe... He was my brother, Hattori Hisao... He betrayed our family! But he met a fitting end: he was eaten by a great sea monster during a naval skirmish when the ship we chartered caught up to his ship... He had fallen in league with a band of mercenaries called the Lucky Fools... We boarded their ship, the Hippocampus, and fought a bloody battle! Sharks and the sea monster were drawn to our ships by the blood in the water... Sea monster snatched my treacherous brother off the deck of Hippocampus and swallow him whole! My fellow ninja and I jump overboard when we see our mission complete, and swim to Lisbon in Portugal... We try to charter ship back to Japan, but were tricked by dishonorable pirates, who sell us to Arabs...