"At any rate," Neolandus says, trying to steer the conversation back on topic, "I'm sure you're aware that the Shoanti do not have a kind opinion regarding most Korvosans. But the Skoan-Quah, the Tribe of the Skull, has been the most open to talks of peace with Korvosa, and I recall one old shaman in particular as being level-headed and friendly, a man named Thousand Bones. One of the last things I tried before the Arkonas got hold of me was to arrange a midnight meeting with the old shaman, but by that time Thousand Bones had abandoned Korvosa and returned to the Cinderlands, to a place known as the Kallow Mounds. You should seek him first and learn from him what Midnight's Teeth actually were--and see if the Shoanti know how to fight against a power that grants Queen Ileosa the ability to survive a mortal wound."
***
Once the meeting is concluded and you are alone again, Nicoleta feels an urge coming from Zellara's spirit. It's time to perform another harrowing.
The dhampir frowns and draws Zellara's deck from her bag. She grabs a small table and throws a threadbare blanket over it.
"Uh, ladies? This may be important," she says as she pauses and waits for something to speak to her regarding what layout to use. After a moment she shuffles the cards carefully and begins a reading.
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The cards of the Harrow deck seem to almost shuffle themselves as Nicoleta holds them out for the choosing. The suit of hammers is dominant, embodying strength. Aurelia chooses The Beating. This card represents an assault from all quarters, or the mental dissolution of the self. The mesmerist will need to stand firm when the time is right. Nicoleta chooses The Paladin. It represents standing resolutely against trouble, without backing down. Rozalia chooses The Uprising. It represents overwhelming strength that catches the subject up in something much more powerful. Vox chooses The Big Sky. It represents momentous change, as when all the slaves of a nation are emancipated.
Nicoleta shuffles the cards again and lays them out for the reading. The first row, representing the past, includes The Winged Serpent, The Beating, and The Marriage. The cards speak of the noble history of the Shoanti people, of how their ancestral homelands were taken over by the Chelaxians invaders and their ancient ways were disrupted. A union of peoples and ideas was not to be as the colonists chose to fight and kill rather than to try to understand.
The second row, representing the present, includes The Dance, The Hidden Truth, and The Teamster. Now, disparate peoples will have to cooperate t oavoid collapse. The pressing weight of all that transpires in Korvosa drives you on in search of the truth, making you fugitives just as the Shoanti became fugitives to their own lands and fled to the Cinderlands. Now, you follow in their footsteps.
The third row, representing the future, includes The Brass Dwarf, The Forge, and The Cricket. There will be many trials ahead--tests of strength and powerful creatures that may seem at first invulnerable. But through the strength of your diverse abilities united, you will overcome the trials, and at last reach the reward at the end of the journey.
You trust that Zellara's power will grant you strength in the chalenges to come.
"Now this is the kind of reading that I like," Nicoleta says with a grin as she gathers the cards back up. "A reading that says that you can accomplish stuff by punching shit."
She cracks her knuckles and then directs her partner to where they plan to sleep for the night. And by her expression, sleep is the last thing on her mind.
Just after midnight, Aurelia receives a telepathic message--a sending spell from the nosferatu, Ramoska Arkminos. "I have not forgotten. There may be a cure. Seek the spirit anchors of Scarwall. Absorb their necromantic power to purge your soul's corruption."
***
The next morning, you prepare to leave Blackbird Ranch. Vencarlo and Neolandus see you off, wishing you luck and praying for you safety. Jasan can provide you with a few weeks’ worth of trail rations and enough light warhorses for you all (including a few pack horses if you need them) if you wish to ride.
Trinia shoulders her pack and looks at you eagerly, waiting for your decision on whether she can come along or not.
Nicoleta pops her head up from where she was focused on her task. "Hello? Do I need to be doing something different?" she asks petulantly. "Because clearly your mind is somewhere else."
~~~~~
The dhampir looks at the hope on the girl's face and then at the others that seem to be avoiding her gaze, not wanting to tell her 'No'. "Fine, you can come," she says after a moment of indecision. "But don't expect us to play babysitter."
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself," Trinia asserts, flashing an eager grin. "This is so exciting! Let's go!"
Declining the offer of horses, you trek north across the lowlands of Varisa towards the distant Storval Rise. After a week of walking, you arrive at the city of Kaer Maga, the easiest way to ascend to the top of the towering cliffs that separate Varisia from the Cinderlands. The anarchic City of Strangers is an excellent place to sell magic items, buy gear, and otherwise resupply and prepare!
Aurelia sighs, blowing out an exasperated breath. "Sorry. Can't seem to get past our new traveling companion. I can't believe you told her she can come with us tomorrow. It's bad enough I had to put together that bullshit apology, but now I have to go out of my way to keep doing it? I swear to the Gods, if she pisses me off I'm charming her ass and telling her she is marching straight back here."
Changing the subject she says "I want to feed again. Yes I know we did it earlier, but I want it again."
----
While they travel, Aurelia tries to keep as much distance between Trinia and herself. She slides her mask over her face and generally keeps to herself, wishing they had horses.
"You need to feed again or you want to feed again?" Nicoleta asks with narrowed eyes. "Nevermind." She crawls up from between the mesmerist's legs and draws her into an embrace, presenting her neck.
She winces at the first bite and remains tense throughout, never giving herself over entirely to the sensation in case she has to pull the woman back from going too far.
~~~~~
Noting her girlfriend's broody nature as they travel, Nicoleta makes her way to walk next to Iolaire. "So, haven't seen your other half in a while. She take a vacation?" she asks in an attempt at a joke.
"Vox isn't needed, so she isn't here." Iolaire replies with a shrug. "We've... mended fences a bit, but fundamentally she doesn't like the mundane bits of life so, now that I've promised not to fight her when needed, she just... leaves. I know if something happened she'd be back though."
She looks over at their companion and then lowers her voice, "So what on earth is going on between you, Aurelia and Trinia? There's'something going on but..." She trails off. "I'm not so good at this stuff.
Nicoleta glaces back at her girlfriend.
"Who knows. I gave her shit for messing in the girl's head and she didn't like that. And I think she's a little jealous because the girl's cute. She's too innocent for my taste, though. And this whole turning into a vampire thing has really got her panties in a bunch."
She shrugs.
"I tell you that sometimes ... sometimes women are more trouble then they're worth."
"I tell you that sometimes ... sometimes women are more trouble then they're worth."
"You're telling me!" Iolaire replies with a smile. "I'm worried about my kids though, I never got a chance to say goodbye and now we're just vanishing like this..."
"Kids are tough; They'll survive. ... or they won't, in which case, it's best that's discovered now before someone is depending on them and they ..." She shrugs.
"You're going to be a great mother one day..." Iolaire replies, completely deadpan.
The dhampir frowns. "I wouldn't know how to be a mother," she says with a shake of her head. "Let's start with no real example to follow and instincts that ... let's just say they leave a little to be desired as far as maternality is concerned." She reaches up to scratch her neck. "No. I won't be having any children." It's a simple statement, but there's a note of finality to it.
Iolaire has enough tact to not pursue the conversation and simply nods her recognition of Nicoleta's position.
"Well, I guess we should head into the city and do some shopping right?" She asks. "Vox wants me to get some sort of invisibility magic."
The bazaars of Kaer Maga are truly bizarre, with a diverse array of dangerous denizens rubbing shoulders. House Ardoc mages ply their wares protected by hulking golem bodyguards. Necromancers ride carts pulled by their undead thralls. Men in exotic armor and robes are chained together by the leg to represent their bonds. Troll augurs tear out their own entrails to perform divinations before stuffing them back inside their bodies as their wounds regenerate.
You could easily spend months or years here and not see everything the City of Strangers have to offer.
But of course, you have a task to perform, so after just one day in Kaer Maga, you venture into the Cinderlands. By far the least hospitable landscape in Varisia, the Cinderlands have been written off as worthless by most of the region’s residents—fit only for the crazed Shoanti barbarians displaced over the centuries by immigration from Cheliax. Yet such views are shortsighted, for within the Cinderlands’ borders lurks a surprising display of life and geologic diversity.
These badlands are rugged, inhospitable terrain formed by long periods of drought and heavy wind erosion. Odd rock formations, canyons, gullies, and hoodoos fill the landscape, separated by twisting valleys and crags. Deep gorges create natural wind tunnels; the sound of the wind howling through them can carry for miles. Many of the rock formations have alternating tiers of sandstone and ash rock, creating a stark, contrasting ambience of red and black layers. The wind’s effect is everywhere—the geological formations are smooth and curving, mimicking the sand dunes of a desert. Large areas are solid rock, but other areas have stretches of leached soil and silt. Short, weedy scrub grows in patches throughout the badlands, interspersed with succulent plants.
You head east towards the Kallow Mounds, where the Skoan-Quah dwell. The Skoan-Quah mark their territories with large rock cairns topped with animal skulls—markers that serve as both signposts and warnings to deter strangers. As you get closer to the Kallow Mounds, these cairns appear more frequently.
On the third day of your journey, as you get within half a mile of the Kallow Mounds, you are intercepted by a group of four Shoanti warriors with faces painted to resemble skulls. "You are far from your homes, tshamek. Why do you approach the campsite of the Skoan-Quah?" one demands. She is firm, but not completely rude or hostile.
"We are here to see Shaman Thousand-Bones." Iolaire offers. "We know him from his time in Korvosa."
The mention of the shaman's name puts the warriors at ease. "Ah, you must be the women who helped recover Gaekhen's body. Thousand Bones has spoken highly of you. We will escort you into the quah's camp."
The Kallow Mounds are a collection of hundreds of cairns, the burial sites for all three Cinderlands Shoanti tribes for the past 300 years. The Skoan-Quah are the cairns’ caretakers, and typically camp at a small dale on the westernmost edge of the mounds. At any one time, approximately 75 Skoan-Quah dwell in this camp, with a constant influx of new nomads maintaining this level as others move on.
The other Shoanti eye you warily as you enter the camp, but soon enough, Thousand Bones emerges from his tent. "Friends! It has been some time since we last met. You are welcome in our camp," the old shaman says. His ready smile and welcoming calls do much to set the other Shoanti at ease, and their initial hostility gives way to curiosity, as many of the Skoan-Quah have never actually seen an honest-to-goodness tshamek before.
"To what do we owe the honor of your visit?" Thousand Bones asks.
"We'd best go inside." Iolaire suggest and, once they have privacy she gives a very factual account of Queen Ileosa's powers and their suspected source. "We were hoping you might have more information..." She finishes hopefully, trusting that by saying no more than is necessary she can't have screwed up too badly...
"You are far from your homes, tshamek. Why do you approach the campsite of the Skoan-Quah?" one demands. She is firm, but not completely rude or hostile.
The response of "No shit we're far from home!" is on her lips, but Iolaire is quicker with a much more diplomatic response.
The dhampir just rolls her eyes and checks the ties on her new robe again. The stupid thing didn't want to stay tied. Combined with the fact that Every. Single. Story. she'd heard about them said they were brown and she was sure she'd been scammed. Granted, she loved the color, but who ever heard of the famed monk's robes being crimson?
Trinia looks around in wonder at the Shoanti, bowing respectfully to them. Roz sticks close to Iolaire, holding down her skirts as the faeries do their best to flash her undergarments at the gawking crowd.
When Iolaire begins to tell her story, Thousand Bones shakes his head. "I have similar worries of my own, but such a discussion should be held at the proper time and location--this evening's Bone Council Fire."
Thousand Bones arranges for a guest yurt for you to rest in. He has plenty of food and water delivered to the tent and even visits with you for some time, as he is eager to hear about your adventures since you recovered Gaekhen’s body. When he learns that Rolth Lamm has been killed, he nods in appreciation of the justice.
As evening approaches, another group of visitors arrive at the Kallow Mounds. A half-dozen warriors from the Sklar-Quah, the Clan of the Sun, arrive bearing the body of one of their fallen comrades. The Skoan-Quah silently accept the warrior's body and begin preparing it for interment.
However, the leader of the Sklar-Quah delegation notices your presence and sneers. He is a tall, burly warrior named Krojun-Eats-What-He-Kills. He spends a few moments sizing you up before turning to the chief of the Skoan-Quah, Chief One-Life.
Krojun asks Chief One-Life, “Why do the Skoan-Quah harbor tshamek trespassers?”
As Chief One-Life struggles to find an explanation that won’t further enrage the towering visitor, Thousand Bones inclines his head as though considering Krojun’s words carefully, but then responds sharply. “Tell me, Krojun, when did the Sklar-Quah become judges of who trespasses upon the Kallow Mounds where the ashes of our fathers lie?”
“Your words change the question, Thousand Bones,” answers the Shoanti hero with a snort. “These ones bring trouble to the Cinderlands, and you know it. The coming days shall reveal to us all who is right about them.”
“Perhaps,” says Thousand Bones. “But not today, and not here. Would you have word that Berak’s burial was tainted by bloodshed get back to your Sun Shaman?”
Krojun pauses, the cords in his neck straining, but then he exhales and grins. “You misunderstand me, Thousand Bones. My grief has wounded my words. But see to it that no tshamek defiles our memories here.” His smile broadens as he pulls a thin leather loop from one of his packs. “Certainly, though, guests of the Skoan-Quah must be brave to come this far. You wouldn’t mind if I tested the courage and strength of your guests, would you?”
Roz leans in and whispers to you, "That's a prop for a Shoanti game called sredna. Think tug-of-war, but you wrap it around your head and crawl backwards. I hear it's quite painful."
When the game begins, each contestant stares his opponent in the eye while slowly attempting to crawl backwards. The resulting tug-of-war results in extreme pain as the leather digs into the soft part of the back of the neck and skull. At some point, one of the competitors relents, acknowledging defeat by bowing his head, causing the strap to roll over the top.
Games of sredna typically last for mere seconds, but two evenly matched opponents might duel much longer. In such cases, standoffs occur frequently. When a sredna match begins, each contestant must spend three “breaths” (3 rounds) staring into the other’s eyes before attempting to pull. Pulling before the 4th round is an immediate disqualification. Intimidation and patience are almost as important tools to win sredna matches as is strength.
During these initial 3 rounds, the contestants attempt opposed Intimidate checks by growling, gnashing teeth, and spitting insults. Each time a contestant wins one of these checks, he gains 2 points. In the case of a tied Intimidate check, both players gain 1 point.
On the 4th round, each character rolls an initiative check to determine when he moves. On his turn, a character can opt to tug or dig in.
Tug: The characters attempt opposed Strength checks. A defending character who dug in on his previous turn receives a +4 bonus on this check. If the tugging character wins the check, he gains 2 points. If he fails (or if the results are tied), his opponent gains 2 points.
Dig In: The character strengthens his stance and gains a +4 bonus on his next Strength check to resist a tug.
At the end of each round after the 4th round, total up each contestant’s points. Each contestant must attempt a Fortitude save to continue the match, with the DC being equal to his opposition’s current point total. A contestant who fails this save collapses and loses the match. If both contestants fail their saving throw, the match is declared a draw. If both contestants succeed at their saving throws, the game proceeds into another round. A character who has the Endurance feat gains a +4 bonus on this Fortitude saving throw.
Nicoleta sneers at the large man. "You can test me all you want, Dick-For-Brains," she says, rolling her shoulders (and hoping that the robe doesn't pick that moment to come untied). "You'll come up short in every way that counts," she adds, pointedly looking at the man's groin.
"I always thought the hammers were compensating for something." A familiar voice whispers in Nicoleta's ear.
A moment later Iolaire wanders back into sight from a nearby tent looking curiously at whatever is going on.
Krojun laughs heartily. ”Ha! The pallid woman has spunk! Let us see what you are made of, tshamek!”
The other Shoanti gather around to cheer on the contest as Krojun and Nicoleta get down on their hands and knees and the leather band is looped around their heads. Krojun bellows and curses in the Shoanti tongue as he prepares to face off!
"Now don't you be staring at my arse," she says to Aurelia before dropping down to her hands and knees.
Her countenance grows more bestial, deciding that this is an appropriate time to let the 'Beast' have a little more freedom.
"So this is how you like it? Down on your hands and knees so your horse can mount you more easily?" she snarls at the man. She bares her fangs and grips the ground.
Aurelia shouts "Give it to him, Peaches! Don't take that shit!"
She leans in and whispers to Io and Roz, "He has no idea what he's gotten himself into."
Krojun gigs against Nicoleta, but the dhampir has dug in, and the big Shoanti grits his teeth as he strains against the cord.
"What the f@%+ was that?" Nicoleta snarls at the grunting man. "That was pathetic! My girlfriend pulls harder than that!" As if to demonstrate, she begins pulling back, but her hold on the ground isn't as strong as she'd like.
Despite the relatively weak attempt, Krojun struggles against Nicoleta’s might. The warrior growls and digs in for the next attempt.
Feeling the man digging in, Nicoleta laughs and after just a token pull, gets a grip on the ground herself.
"What's the matter? Afraid to be beaten by a little girl?," she goads.
This time, Krojun gains the advantage, pulling the cord into Nicoleta’s head.
Frustrated that the contest is still ongoing, the Shoanti warrior becomes enraged!
"Gods! Please don't tell me that you're the best that your clan has to offer?!" Nicoleta questions before giving a hard pull.
With his rage comes a surge of strength, and Krojun’s muscles bulge as he tugs the cord with all his might. Both he and Nicoleta groan with pain, but it is Krojun who finally reaches the end of his endurance, slipping the cord off of his head! He topples to the ground with a roar of rage and rolls about in the dust for a moment. By the time the barbarian has regained his feet, his roar has turned to laughter. “You pull like an aurochs dam in heat, little tshamek. Well done!” He finishes his compliment with a quick nod and another grin before rejoining his brothers.
Nicoleta turns to her companions with a look of confusion on her face. "Was that a compliment or an insult?" she asks, honestly not sure.
Deciding that for the good of their mission, mending fences is the best alternative, she decides to take it in a positive fashion. "Damn right I do!" she shouts, pumping her fist in the air. With a glance back at the others again she shrugs.
Krojun and the Sklar-Quah bow their heads respectfully as the Skoan-Quah inter their fallen warrior and perform funeral rites. Then, with a last nod in your direction, they depart.
As night falls, Thousand Bones invites you to join him at the center of the camp. The majority of the other Skoan-Quah retire early to their tents out of respect for the Bone Council Fire—the only people present are Thousand Bones, the quiet and gaunt Chief One-Life, an elderly woman named Ash Dancer, and the five of you. During the council, both One-Life and Ash Dancer remain quiet, letting Thousand Bones do all the talking. As Thousand Bones speaks, Ash Dancer sprinkles the fire with a greenish-brown herbal dust from a weathered pouch. A few moments later, the fumes encapsulate anyone who remains by the fire; the effects cause a slight blurring of the vision and a feeling of ease.
“You have already done my people a great favor by returning the body of one of our warriors. I sense now you come to me to ask something in return, yet know that by asking for this, you are helping us all. The Skoan-Quah are a peaceful people, yet we are also all but shunned by our kin. Our willingness to mix with tshamek shames many of my brothers and sisters in the other quahs. Only their respect for our tradition of guarding and protecting the dead of all Shoanti keeps them from open hostility against us. My words do not reach their ears when I warn them of Queen Ileosa and her rise in power. They hear tales of the city in flames, of its king dead, of disease ravaging its people, and they see this as a just punishment for a hated enemy. My people do not see that a greater threat is growing in this turmoil. And now, you come to me with concerns, seeking the aid of my people. Speak of what you wish of the Shoanti, and perhaps we may find our needs are the same.”
Now Iolaire recounts the story of Ileosa's new found power. Thousand Bones listens quietly and somberly, but grows visibly distraught when he hears of the queen's apparent invulnerability, and in particular a description of her new crown. The shaman's brow furrows for a moment before he answers again.
“My people dwelt where your people live now, not so long ago. We remained there for many, many generations, but across the centuries my people have always kept the lore of our ancestors in mind, passing knowledge to the new generations. Yet when Cheliax came to us with war and drove us to the Cinderlands so many years ago, we fought. And died. And many of those who died took this lore to their graves. The name ‘Midnight’s Teeth’ is unfamiliar to me, but the name ‘Kazavon’ is not entirely so—it is a name associated with a great and ancient evil, and many Shoanti believe to repeat such a name aloud is to preserve the evil. This, coupled with the deaths of so many lore keepers, has sequestered the knowledge I suspect you seek in the minds of a rare few: the Sun Shamans of the Sklar-Quah. They alone preserve the history of the Shoanti time in the lands you now call Korvosa, but they do not readily share this with tshamek... or fellow Shoanti, for that matter. Yet if you were to build your names among my people, to earn proper respect, even the eldest of the Sun Shamans would agree to provide the knowledge you desire.”
Thousand Bones inclines his head to Nicoleta. "You comported yourself well with Krojun and the game of sredna. Such actions have already planted the seeds of respect among the Shoanti. Yet you have much work to do if you hope to convince a Sun Shaman of the Sklar-Quah to reveal what he may know of Kazavon and his fangs. There is no one way to earn respect, but it would be for the best if you can earn that respect quickly. Defeating enemies of the Shoanti and spending time among them learning their ways would eventually work, but not swiftly enough. Instead, there may be some less time-intensive tasks you can attempt."
The shaman outlines the following possiblities:
Become an Enemy’s Nalharest: It is one thing to defeat an enemy in battle, but another to earn that enemy’s respect. Thousand Bones notes that the PCs may have already made an enemy, through no fault of their own, in Krojun. If they can convince Krojun to proclaim even one of the PCs as his nalharest—his honorary sibling—the Sun Shaman will be forced to admit that the PCs are people to be trusted.
Recreate a Legendary Hero’s Accomplishment: If the PCs can duplicate a legendary Shoanti hero’s storied accomplishment in front of a Shoanti witness, they can earn respect. One potential stunt that comes to Thousand Bones’ mind is the story of Skurak:
Cindermaw still lives, and if the PCs were to travel to the great worm’s killing grounds and replicate Skurak’s deed, their legend will only grow.
Secure a Truthspeaker’s Endorsement: Truthspeakers are born, not made, and sometimes generations pass without the Shoanti counting a truthspeaker among them. A truthspeaker, Thousand Bones explains, is “one who has lived many lives without lie, and who achieves the gift of speaking only truth after decades spent in chastity, self-control, and introspection.” Thousand Bones knows of only one living truthspeaker in the Cinderlands today, a man named Akram who lives among the Lyrune-Quah, the Clan of the Moon. He knows not if Akram still lives or if he would agree to endorse the PCs; however, if they can go before the Sklar-Quah Sun Shaman with a truthspeaker at their side, the shaman would know that the PCs are earnest and true.
Seek the Thrallkeeper’s Mark: In ancient times, a caste of spellcasters the Shoanti remember as the “Thrallkeepers” kept them as slaves. The Thrallkeepers are now gone, but some of their buildings remain. One such building may be found in the Cinderlands, a dangerous acropolis many Shoanti voyage to, seeking to earn the Thrallkeeper’s Mark as a way to prove their bravery. Some never return. Those who do earn the Thrallkeeper’s Mark are known to be powerful, lucky, or both. Thousand Bones can tell the PCs where the Acropolis of the Thrallkeepers is, but has never dared enter the ruin himself. If asked about the mark, he describes it as a seven-pointed star that allows the one who caries it the ability to wield strange magical powers.
Survive the Trial of the Totem: Finally, if the PCs can earn permission from the Sklar-Quah to take the Trial of the Totem and survive it, even the most intolerant Shoanti of that tribe will be forced to admit that the PCs deserve respect.
"Do you have any questions?"
"What is the Trial of the Totem?" Iolaire asks cautiously.
"The Trial of the Totem is an initiation ritual of the Sklar-Quah. It involves carrying totems to the top of Bolt Rock and ensuring they remain upright for two full days, despite any inclement weather or hostile creatures. It is not an easy task in the slightest, and not for the faint of heart."
Aurelia rushes out to give the dhampir a huge hug after her win. She squeezes her tightly and says "Well done, love, I knew you were going to kick that guys ass!"
Later, after the trial is explained to them, the mesmerist scoffs "No problem. Have you seen Peaches in action? She's like an aurochs dam in heat, nothing can stop her when she gets her mind set!"
Nuddging her with her elbow, she looks over and says "Right?"
"You know, I really don't see how calling me a big, stupid cow is considered a compliment," the dhampir says with a shake of her head.
She considers the options presented. "I guess I would have to be the one to talk to Krojun, huh? But I don't see how talking to him is going to help. How would I earn his respect? What does this guy respect in the first place?"
"Krojun is a symbol and hero of the Sklar-Quah," Thousand Bones says. "As a young warrior, Krojun sought the means to enact revenge upon an orc champion named Kyrust Chiefkiller, a Rotten Tongue marauder from Urglin who had long organized brutal raids upon Krojun’s tribe. Desperate, Krojun sought the aid of a reclusive Shoanti sorcerer who lived alone deep in the Mindspin Mountains. The hermit put Krojun through several punishing trials, promising him that if he succeeded, he would earn the power he needed to defeat Kyrust. The tests were harrowing indeed, designed in part to train Krojun in the ways of the Thunder and Fang fighting style, and it took Krojun many months to complete them. In the end, he stood before the sorcerer in triumph. When Krojun demanded his reward, however, the sorcerer responded that he had no reward to give and vanished. Krojun’s rage was great, and when he returned to his people empty-handed, he found that his entire tribe had been enslaved by Kyrust. Krojun tracked the slave caravan for days, finally catching up to it a few miles from Urglin’s gates. In a fantastic display of rage and power, he single-handedly defeated the orcs and their leader Kyrust. Only as Krojun claimed the orc’s head as both a trophy and a symbol of the Sklar-Quah’s power over their enemies did he finally realize the truth: that strange old sorcerer had indeed given him a gift. Without the skills and strength Krojun honed in completing the tasks the sorcerer had set him to, he would surely have fallen in combat against the orcs.
"Today, Krojun is at the forefront of the Sun Clan’s efforts to strike back at the orcs and tshamek who have hammered away at the Shoanti for centuries. He respects bravery, tenacity, and strength. He is certain to test you further the next time you meet to see if you are worthy of respect."
"Thank you for your help Thousand-Bones." Iolaire says politely and slips away from the fire, which is rapidly making her feel sick.
The next morning Iolaire has already put in an hour with the shoanti craftsmen, helping to fix a number of their weapons when the others rise. "I've got some directions." She says, "Most of what we need to find is to the north or west. So where do we want to go first?"
"Let's find Akram, that Truthspeaker guy. We'll convince him that we really need this dragon information and then everything else should be easier, right?"
Nicoleta looks around at the others hopefully.
"So wait. This guy that single-handedly defeated all of these orcs and is a great warrior. This is the same guy that my aurochs dam in heat just wiped the floor with?"
"You know, I really don't see how calling me a big, stupid cow is considered a compliment," the dhampir says with a shake of her head.
She reaches out and pinches Peaches cheek and says "Yes, but you're my big, beautiful, smart cow."
She then agrees with Nicoleta, "Sounds like a plan. I like have all the information possible before we continue forward."
She reaches out and pinches Peaches cheek and says "Yes, but you're my big, beautiful, smart cow."
Nicoleta glowers and then leans over to whisper in the mesmerist's ear.
Roz laughs heartily, happy that the fat jokes are directed at somebody else for a change.
Trinia just watches the whole exchange with bemusement, the artist still attempting to find her place in the group dynamics.
Aurelia looks over at Nicoleta and teases "Promises, promises.", but begins to scoot away from her just in case she actually intends to follow through with her threat.
Iolaire sighs and consults her map before walking out of the camp, pointedly not getting involved with any of the horseplay going on behind her.
Watching Iolaire walk off, Aurelia nudges Roz "I don't think she's getting enough sex. Look at how grumpy she is all of the time. I mean, just look at how happy Peaches and I are all of the time!"
She turns and blows Nicoleta a kiss before sticking her tongue out at her.