"No, let us ride on...and lay an ambush. The hoard can be the lure, and if a few stay with it the rest can spring the trap. We have a bunch of capable warriors here, and the advantage of surprise may well sway the odds in our favour.

How does that sound to you, Long Cast?"

Plans, what are our plans? We are being hunted by lizards. Lizards! Ohanzee considers and then beginings of an idea come to him "Salen, did you ever go visit Oglod to get his thanks for sorting out the Grandmother Spider thing?"

"Oglod gave me a gift and also told me that none of his children would attack in the Wastes unless they were attacked first. If we can reach a place where there is only one entrance then we can corral our beasts within and you and I can block the entrance."

"I did not, now that you mention it, Ohanzee. But that is an excellent plan. Perhaps Hoskar and I can hang back a little at first, though, see if we can get a better look at what tails us? We have the spells to do so. At least that way we can determine if it is simply lizards - or if it is something worse."

Salen is specifically thinking of employing Farsee spells to get a better look. Of course, if it's hostile people that is something else altogether.

I agree - let's scout. Maybe we can sharpen our appetites and go quietly too if Melock will give us a go of his bracelet charm. Can't hurt to see what we're getting into.

He turns to Iye and Maska. I didn't give you those knives to get yourselves killed with - you get to go on with the others, including Ram and the cat, and keep out of the way of trouble.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:55, Wed 20 Aug 2014.

The older warrior listens to the discussion and nods "Well we'll not outrun them. Only trouble I see with your plan is that we may force them to attack us all instead of waiting their chance to take on one of us that gets separated."

One of his men, Bamled,  has already cast a charm, his eyes large like a hawk "The Mesas up ahead looks as if they'll do, probably a fair few ways in. I'll take Yado with me and will go check it out whilst the rest of you follow."

The two braves cast charms that see their Bisons charge off at a huge rate of knots.

As the rest of the party moves on towards the Mesas, Salen and Hoskar find themselves at the rear, their Bison and Rhino magically silent and their eyes similar to Bamled's.

They both catch fleeting glimpses of their pursuers and sure enough they are Pack Lizards. Hard to tell how many, but obviously enough not to be scarred of such a large group of warriors.

Those going forward hear the remainder of Long Cast's men talking about how they plan to ride the Lizards down and kill them with their Lances and Bison. They don't look fazed and seem actually quite happy about the prospect.

Urging Wihakayda onwards towards the Mesa following Bamled and calls to his sept "Follow Bamled quick and get the beasts onto the mesa." and to Long Cast he calls "I will hold one of the ways on, do not worry about me, worry about the remaining ways!"

As he nears the mesa his form turns indistinct and begins to shimmer as though he is covered in black feathers that blow and ruffle in the wind.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:36, Wed 20 Aug 2014.

"Ach we're going to fight them in the open ground. They'll be drawn to where you corral the mounts and we'll hit them when they don't expect it."

Bamled returns to describe that the collection of Mesas can be entered through one of several easier slopes and that there is a good space within; it's approaches easily defendable.

Long Cast nods, barks a string of commands to his men and they wheel off and Gallop South, passing on the Western side of the raised ground with the intention of wheeling around it's Southern end.
This message was last updated by the player at 10:47, Thu 21 Aug 2014.

The pack rhinos are soon pushed and cajoled up the gentle slope and in to the shadowy spaces between the tall imposing rock formations. It's cool here and away from the biting wind.

The small herd is just getting in amongst the rocks, with those riding admiring the steep sides with some trepidation, when there is a the start of some bother with the foremost animals.

Those with them see, once their eyes grow accustomed to the gloom, that the central area is covered in the bones of many herd beasts, some even recognisable as humanoid. All of them have been chewed on and in most cases split open to get at the marrow inside.

At the sight before them Salen almost audibly rolls his eyes. He turns to the others quickly.

"This is their lair, and we've stumbled right into it! Ohanzee and I can block two of the entrances, they should not attack us - and if they do then we have the right to retaliate, so be ready."

With that he turned Kohana and went to block the north entrance, calling on Oglod as he did.

Javelins at the ready Haratt moves to the North Western entrance, after successfully helping to get some of the Rhinos into the central spot.

Once there he readies his magic, positioning himself so that he can charge anything that either comes over the steep incline or up the easier slope they had come up.

His two javelins are readied and once he gets a clear target he plans to cast his fire magic on one of them, throw the second after it and then engage with his lance just like Waha would want him to.

Melock climbs up one of the mesa's and gets his sling out ready to strike. more lizard skin armour, I cant wait

Amara was going to climb up a mesa and fire javelins herself, but the fact the Black shields wanted to charge changed her mind. It seemed like she was always having to go a different way because those around her picked the most obvious way to do things, despite the risk.

Amara put on her Yelmalion scale, preparing javelins to throw as they closed and her lance. She cast the charms she knew knowing Thunderfoot would not falter. This was not going to be pleasant.

Checking his weapons are loosened and ready, lance unpacked from his goods and actually close by on Kor, Hoskar hefts his sling; hoping he can do some damage before anything gets too close if the lizards attack. He glances to Salen, with whom he's been riding.
Do you reckon Oglod will keep them back? Don't want to take avoidable risks with so many lives at stake here.
Anyway, shall I take an entrance with you?

Everyone gets to where they're meant to be, it's a hectic and seemingly long ten minutes of frantic pushing, shoving, kicking and sometimes just yelling to sort it out, but eventually the calm before the storm arrives.

There's an occasional Bison bellow, a Rhino fart and Mordy barking for the pure joy of it and then nothing.

Well almost nothing.

There's the huffing and puffing of Melock as he hauls himself up on to the South Easterly Mesa. Then even he goes quiet.

Outside the wind blows.

There's a muffled shout seemingly quite far away.

Now and again the wind stops, only to start again from an entirely different direction, howling in it's ferocity and making all those near the entrances jump from the surprise.

It's worse inside, where the wind moans and whistles.

In reply to GM (msg # 39):

He swallows hard and scans the sky, while shouting to the others, "IT'S NOT A PACK LIZARD NEST, AND I THINK WHATEVER IT IS, FLIES AND IS BIG." If he cant see anything flying towards him, he'll grab an egg and throw it down to the others, then, while glancing skyward quite frequently, he dons his gloves and has a quick look though the remains. If at any point he see anything big flying towards him, he'll run to the edge of the mesa furthest away from it and climb down.

"What?"

Melock's shout comes during one of the very quiet moments and it's followed moments later by a large spherical object that lands on top of one of the pack Rhinos, exploding and covering the immediate area with yolk.

Something dark and twitching falls to the ground between the animals, causing the Rhinos to begin stamping and kicking.

Just then Long Cast rides up with two of his men, pulling up before Hoskar and Salen, close enough for Amara and Haratt to hear what he has to say.

"The Pack Lizards have moved off for some reason. We killed one and reckon there's nearly a dozen all up. A big pack truth be told. What's going on here?"

In reply to GM (msg # 42):

"SORRY, DIDN'T CHECK BELOW BEFORE THROWING"

Weayaya, Talutah and Kimimela get the Rhinos under control due to years experience and a good dose of luck.


Ohanzee and Zonta, who has uncovered her shield and fields what looks like a well used bronze javelin are approached by Attox three fingers and Neferty sable bane. The warriors ride up the slope, dragging behind them the corpse of a large Pack Lizard.

Pulling up Attox waves, a big smile on his face.

"They've moved off. For some reason they didn't want to come this way." He peers over Ohanzee's shoulder at the commotion coming from the pack Rhinos

"Trouble?"

Riding up Haratt answers the Black Shield warrior

"Not sure, Melock is up there" and he points to one of the rock spires "He shouted something about a nest?"

Haratt looks relieved that the Pack Lizards have retreated, but concerned with the new turn of events.

Something about a nest, Haratt? That mess looks like it was an egg too...but at that size? Surely not.

He takes a very deep breath indeed, looking nervously upwards before answering the Black Shields' leader.

I never asked why they call you Long Cast, but I hope it means you're good with a javelin. I've a bad feeling we've either ruined a giant's breakfast or there will be a flying thing the size of a hill along soon to ask about her baby. Either way, this could be an interesting night.

Thinking there's enough people around keeping an eye out for lizards, he carries on scanning the skies with his enhanced vision; his sling still ready for action .

In reply to GM (msg # 45):

"ITS A WYVERN NEST" he holds up a shiny scale between his 2 hands, its almost as wide as his head. He stashes the scale and his old boots, then climbs down to the others. "there are 3 more eggs up there, and what looks like a lot of coins in between the branches."

Melock finds Weayaya, Talutah and Kimimela in amongst the now subdued Rhinos, examining something on the ground.

It's a very trampled dead young reptile.

No one present seems to have any idea what it is

"Is it a Dragon?" asks Kimimela horrified as she stares up at the sky.