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A Journey Through the Dusts.

Posted by GamemasterFor group 0
Gamemaster
GM, 56 posts
Thu 12 Jul 2012
at 21:18
  • msg #1

A Journey Through the Dusts

(OOC: This thread is for Sir David's and Shikaalgargund's narratives.)
Sir David Juandaastas
player, 17 posts
Human Juandaastas Noble
Knight
Thu 12 Jul 2012
at 21:26
  • msg #2

Re: A Journey Through the Dusts

Sir David Juandaastas sat in the air-cooled tent next to an al-Malik youth on his path of the First Mountain. David thought this must be the 'rich sheik' portion of that path. For the last two weeks, he had been out at this camp playing the respectful and dutiful noble to the youth because the boy's father was an al-Malik count on whose good will a Juandaastas manor house depended. So always keeping proper etiquette, he sat there and kept up a debate on some piece of lore or another.

He was not really paying attention to the conversation so was easily distracted by the rustle of the tent flap. Entering was a messenger from the Juandaastas regiment on Istakhr. Hoping that it was his recall orders so he could again command his troops, David stood up and accepted the messenger's letter, then after making sure the seal had not been broken, began to open it. Feeling expectant eyes on him, he dismissed the man to wait outside. He proceeded to open the letter and started reading:

"To Lieutenant David Juandaastas,

It is fortunate that I find that you are in the Gharbsahar desert. One of the House’s exquisite diplomatic householders has made remarkable progress in expanding our holdings on this world. Unfortunately, the people with whom he was negotiating require something other than firebirds. They have requested that we deliver 50 of those smelly gedamals to his people in the Ramal desert. Given that you are the closest person to carry out this mission, you have been selected to gather the gedamals and then escort them via an overland route.

We have sent along 36 soldiers from our garrison, which our experts say is more than you will need to carry out this mission. However, as your company is currently busy and it would take time to pull in replacements for them, we decided to redirect one squad worth of recruits fresh from Ravenna and add in two squads of Muster mercenaries, including that Vorox sergeant who is currently having minor problems in the Market.

I know you will use your troops well. Once you make it to Mostabul with the gedamals, a guide will be waiting for you who will be able to lead you right to their new owners.

Justice to the Aliens,
Colonel Magnus Juandaastas, Baron of the Juandaastas Estate, Samarkand."

David just managed not to curse at the thought of only having recruits and Muster mercenaries of unknown quality to make the trip across the desert. He turned to the al-Malik youth and informed him, "My House has a duty that they feel I would be best suited for. Therefore, in all sadness, I must beg your leave." The youth nodded his head and wished that their trip could have continued for a while longer but he understood the needs of a House.

David made his way across the tent and exited. He saw the soldiers assigned to him unloading themselves from the hopper. After a few moments to size them up, he could only come up with,
'Oh boy'. He turned and asked the messenger, "Why transport the gedamals overland instead of via that hopper?" The reply he received was, "The tribe said that the creatures' feet cannot leave the glorious sands of Istakhr or they become unholy. Or something like that." Accepting this, David thanked the messenger and wished him safe travels back to Samarkand.

He was about to walk over to the soldiers when he nearly ran into the giant wall of muscle that made up Sergeant Shikaalgargund, who stood out like a sore thumb in the desert environment. He took a few steps back to give him room and looked directly up at the towering Vorox. Noticing first the gray muzzle, then the eyes before the rest of the face, he gulped. It was only once he took in the whole face that he recognized it was Shikaalgargund and greeted him, "Sergeant Shikaalgargund, it is good to see you again. I did not know it was you that the letter wrote about. Did you enjoy the flight out here on the hopper?"

This message was last edited by the player at 21:54, Thu 09 Aug 2012.
Sergeant Shikaalgargund
player, 20 posts
Thu 12 Jul 2012
at 23:20
  • msg #3

Re: A Journey Through the Dusts

Shikaalgargund snorted, looking back over his shoulder for a moment. "What is not to enjoy, Lieutenant?" he asked in a precise Li Halan accent. "A nice jarring bounce through the atmosphere with a group of ill-trained cheedba, in a filthy, smoking piece of technology that should have been retired before my Grandfather undertook his kabajal. Glorious!" He stopped for a moment to wipe something semi-solid and greenish off the front of his uniform. Snarling, he finished with, "Several of the cheedba have never been in a hopper before. More than one of them lost his meal. At least the Muster men are a known quantity."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:40, Fri 13 July 2012.
Sir David Juandaastas
player, 18 posts
Human Juandaastas Noble
Knight
Fri 13 Jul 2012
at 00:02
  • msg #4

Re: A Journey Through the Dusts

David laughed softly for a moment as he imagined the sight of twelve fresh-faced recruits having to deal with both a temperamental piece of technology and an annoyed Vorox. He bet at least one had had his life flash before his eyes when he had emptied his stomach on Shikaalgargund. He turned back to the present and resumed his walk towards the soldiers to inspect them close up. He expected the Vorox to fall into step with him so he said to the sergeant, "You said Muster men are a known quantity. I am sorry to say that has never been the case with the ones I've met. Muster men are human so they run the extremes just as much as the next freeman."

He paused for a moment before asking, "Can you tell me as, I am assuming, their leader, have they been trained for desert environments? Are there any I need to keep an eye out for?" He watched the men unloading for a second before continuing, "What type of experience do they have? Are they reserve troopers, front-line, or new recruits fresh from a Muster culling?"

He looked over the recruits. He already knew they were fresh-faced. It appeared that their noble patron had not withheld too much from their equipment. Plastic studded leather for armor, and the weapons the Juandaastas recruits were unloading for themselves - crossbows, a few carried shields and swords, but no guns. He believed as long as they didn't run into anything too dangerous that this was just the mission to get these troops acclimated to Istakhr.

This message was last edited by the GM at 01:15, Fri 13 July 2012.
Sergeant Shikaalgargund
player, 21 posts
Fri 13 Jul 2012
at 01:33
  • msg #5

Re: A Journey Through the Dusts

Shik walked along behind the human officer, reared up on his hind legs so that he towered over him and the troops they were inspecting. Stopping for a moment, he glowered at one of the young house troopers, whose uniform was fairly covered with vomit. While the young trooper quivered in fear, he answered, "It is true that the Muster is full of individuals of varying levels of training, Sir."

Moving on to the next trooper, he watched the young man try not to jerk away when he reached out with one huge hand to adjust the trooper's webgear. "The mercs I brought with me are men I know and have fought with before. Privates Herodates and Caigan will be of great use on this trek. Both are trained trackers, nearly as good as I am. Fullman has a knack with beasts and the rest have experience in this environment."

He favored the Lieutenant with a toothy grin and added, "I think you will get your money's worth from us."

This message was last edited by the player at 11:39, Fri 13 July 2012.
Sir David Juandaastas
player, 19 posts
Human Juandaastas Noble
Knight
Fri 13 Jul 2012
at 02:10
  • msg #6

Re: A Journey Through the Dusts

Upon hearing the fact that three of the Muster mercenaries were near vital to the mission, David said to the Vorox, "Given the troops you brought along, I take it you know what our mission is in full and I don't have to pass along any special instructions. Also, as a side note, I never doubt I get my money's worth from hiring Muster soldiery. It's the possibility of the citizens, or 'little people' as one mercenary called them, getting hurt that prevents me from hiring them more regularly."

He spotted the Corporal who seemed to be in command of the House guards. Turning to Shikaalgargund, he said, "I'll leave you to finish getting your men unloaded and prepared to go gedamal hunting. I'm going to go gather some information from the camp's guide before we head out. Two hours before we head off seem good to you or do you think it would be better to wait until dusk and travel at night?"

He waited for the Sergeant's answer before heading off to talk to the Corporal so he could make sure she had a handle on what was planned for the future and to get a run down of the troops' readiness, which also included how many supplies the troops had available. He headed off to negotiate information as to where the best or nearest non-claimed gedamal gathering areas were from the local guide who had been leading the camp from watering hole to watering hole.

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:11, Fri 13 July 2012.
Sergeant Shikaalgargund
player, 22 posts
Fri 13 Jul 2012
at 02:31
  • msg #7

Re: A Journey Through the Dusts

Shikaalgargund's huge fists clenched suddenly and his whole body tensed up at the Lieutenant's mention of civilians getting hurt. The spasm passed quickly and he gruffly answered, "Of course, Sir. We can be ready in two hours, easily, but I would suggest traveling at night. Less chance of the men coming down with sun sickness."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:17, Fri 13 July 2012.
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