[Game Thread] Chapter 1: Blood on the Sand

[Eviltedzies]

The battles edge had worn down Kethyr's mental and physical status. The ride back from his failed attempt at stopping the sand skimmer seemed to last longer than he would have liked. "Darn it... I miscalculated my jump. If I had just been able to puncture their sails we might have been able to save more innocent townsfolk." As the children whooped with joy at riding Ama, Kethyr's worry was eased for the time being. Kethyr could sense Ama understood his frustration, but her low cry reminded him "Every little bit helps doesn't it girl." By the time Kethyr had returned to their lodging his mind had had time to pull itself back together. "We won't stop until all the villagers are returned safetly." Kethyr decided that for tonight, his usual attitude would not be very appropriate. "I'll let the night soothe the memories of the day."

Kethyr's sleep was restful if not brief. Even upon awakening, his body still ached slightly from the previous days trials. Not wanting to be caught unprepared, after washing his face with a damp clothe Kethyr slowly donned his armor. "I wonder why it is easy to don armor when you have no need of it and yet difficult when the need is at hand?" Eventually Kethyr made his way out into the den room as he heard the sounds of his companions discussion. Stepping with his usual grace, Kethyr noted Cheveyo's tone as he spoke his mind. "If we leave now we may be able to enjoy the dawn before the heat of the high sun takes its place. If we wait until dusk we risk the frigid desert nights. I for one say we leave now. If the bandits attacked during the morning with such light supplies they must not be more than a day or two out at most."

[Avelestar]

Emotionally, physically and mentally drained the party gets what little sleep they can, before setting out a few hours prior to dawn with the promise they'll return the kidnapped townsfolk. Most the tracks have disappeared by now, sand not being the best terrain for holding footprints, but between Emeria, Wind and their animal companions and the obvious placement of the raider base it doesn't take long to reach the base. By now the sun is just starting to come up over the sand dunes, already a harsh hot glow ready to burn the unprepared to cinders. The rocky outcrop is only a few hundred meters away now, but all the detail is obscured by a couple of large sand dunes, and you will need to go closer to see anything worthwhile.

OOC: Are you sending forwards any scouts? If so I'll need whatever checks you think are needed, spot, listen, move silently etc. Feel free to discuss any battle plans you might have...but for now you're running into this completely blind other than knowing there's at least 2 boats worth of raiders and a pair of wind druids up there somewhere.

[chaosaccountant]

Riding a thermal high above the hunters on the ground, wind flexed his black-feathered wings and focused his keen sight at the ground far below. He tried to pick out the wooded abominations that had slid back here, and determine how many the foul pack might be.
Below, on the ground, the lynx paced the others, keeping mostly out of sight but visible occasionally to the sharp-eyed as it broke from one cover to the next.

ooc Taking the form of a dire-vulture (the only other large flyer I can manage). Perception check is 19. I'm not bothering with stealth, on the basis that I'm a great, big, black bird in the open sky.

[tilbert]

Still in Rosemont Baseth hisses at Cheveyo, as he receives Taharqua's emotions upon the stonemason's remark "Don't take your temper out on me, when you feel like you failed on the people of Rosemont, stonemason. We are a help to nobody, if we rush and arrive, being not at full strength. If you want to leave without me, go ahead. With a mind clouded by vindictiveness the desert will devour you within hours." which would be quite a loss, as your heart seems to be at the right place he snorts as he curls into his blanket, ending up facing the wall and slightly smiling as his mind fades into a dream of sand and wind.

Once more the Sahitep's present, the nondescript bronze ring, had proven its worth. Even after the short rest after the nightly attack, Taharqua feels refreshed.

While wandering through the twilight of the desert, Taharqua tries to stay close to Emeria. Though she had revealed a cunning and violent trait, that irritated him, during the fight, she seemed to bear a bit chaos in her heart, just like he did. Upon getting closer to the dwelling of the raiders, he slows down "I could reconnoiter their dwelling, find out where they hold captives and where the leaders sleep. Maybe Ama could join me as a back up"

[Avelestar]

Wind would see half a dozen sandskimmers hidden from ground view by rocks and sand dunes, as well as a couple of bhuka very slowly and carefully moving supplies over the rocky, uneven ground to the skimmers. The rocky outcrop was some thirty to forty feet high at its peak, jagged and worn randomly from the ever changing desert winds. A few pitch black entrances led into the rock, probably into some natural cavern where the prisoners are being held.

OOC: So you've got some annoying terrain to cross (the skimmers are on a sandy bit, 60ft away from the entrances) which would stop Ama from entering, and anyone charging or otherwise moving further than their base landspeed per round must make an athletics check to stop from slipping.

[chaosaccountant]

ooc Just how closely are the skimmers grouped?