"I like your bluntness. You have a gold, engraved disc. You can have him for that."

Ohanzee feels both irony in the asking price being the disk that was lost and that the Yelmalions well not get what they want, and disappointment that the Rangers do not poss the asking price.

His feeling is so acute that he blurts out "That'll be the one taken by the cannibals in the bleak hills!"

In reply Ohanzee gets cuffed across the side of the head by the Khan sending him sprawling to the ground. "You speak out of turn again and you will never be freed."

He lands next to one of the blond haired foreigners, who fixes the Raven brave with a look of contempt.

Tarnessh shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid that I do not possess it now. Surely there must be something else you would be interested in? Raven followers are troublesome slaves, after all."

The khan leans closer to Tarnessh whilst the pipe is passed along the line of Rangers

"See these fellas behind me. They like you have spirit filled hawks, one of which saw you pass a disc to one of your companions."

After looking down the line of those that are here he continues "One who is not here."

"The foreigners want it. They have asked my to intervene and in my clan's interest I have decided to do so. They just want us to kill you all, which as pleasant an idea that it is, I won't do. So either you pay the price for your friend or you leave him as a slave. I don't care which. If you don't, I think the foreigners will want him...You know to take their frustrations out on. Then they'll probably wait for you to leave. A light Lord, a Light son and a bunch of templars with their Agimori allies. Plus they got that whole clan of impalas helping 'em.

I know what I'd do."

Tarnessh shrugged. "You can't blame me for trying. I will, of course, need an oath both from you and from your...guests, that this bargain will be honoured." Tarnessh said.

"Of course" replies the Khan, though for the briefest of moments he looks disappointed in the brave

"You have my word that you shall gain your companion in exchange for the Golden disc"

He binds the oath in an appropriate way that is truthful and without any sign of deceit.

This is repeated by one of the Sun Domers, a priest by the looks of it, being marked with both the Runes of Light and Truth. Tarnessh knows that it is impossible for this man to make an oath and break it without facing dire outcomes.

The foreigners say that the Rangers will be left alone once the Disc is in their possession and as long as they stay away from interfering in their affairs.

All eyes are now on Tarnessh as they wait for the disc...

"I will need to await my compatriot Melock, who is currently in the temple grounds, who is not present, as you have already said."

Emesh-Ga watches over the proceedings, his presence lending to the Rangers an addition of much needed respect.

Every now and again both Khan and shaman would flick their gaze at the obviously powerful guardian spirit, whom when at his home exuded great power.

Thanks to the helmet on his head Kobal positively shines, drawing many admiring looks from the crowd, as do all the Rangers present. Despite their youth the stories of their adventures have obviously been shared since arriving at the oasis, helped no doubt by having Nixa and Sand Fox as members of the band.

"Perhaps someone should go get him?"

"I will alert him" replies the Earth Knight.

Ohanzee, having picked himself up ignores the stinging of the fresh bruise added to his purple patched face. He slowly shakes his head at the deal struck but remains quiet.

*Dig*

*Dig*

*Tunnel, tunnel*

*Dig*

Ohanzee waits unable to do anything else, but as he does so he looks at Tarnessh and then when he catches the Sun Hawk's eye he glances down at himself standing with nothing but his trews and the ornate kumis skin in his hands.

Suddenly the shaman stands up, a shout rising from his throat, the start of a ripple that surges out amongst the people packed under the tent, as allied and bound spirits give warning of the approaching Gnome.

It's too late for anyone to do anything though, and despite each Ranger present getting fair warning, they only have time to dive out of the way as the earth suddenly gives out beneath Ohanzee, swallowing him whole and sending a cloud of dust up in to the air.

The ground shudders and then goes still, the silence suddenly filled with coughing and angry, clamouring voices.

As the preverbal dust settles a loud laugh echoes about the tent, simultaneous with the sound of drawn swords coming from several of the startled foreigners.

The laugh comes from the Khan, who is holding his sides, tears streaming down his now dust covered face.

"Ha, ha...Now that's what I call balls...Ha ha...." he begins to slap his thighs, which is soon joined by his supporters in the tent.

The Shaman and foreigners on the other hand look livid.

"Put your weapons away" says the Khan "This is a parley and there will be no bloodshed.

"It looks like our bargaining chip has been stolen by the Earth..."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:24, Sun 31 May 2015.

Amara started sniggering, then chuckling before she started laughing loudly too. "This is what happen when Ravens conspire, Khan. I'm sorry, I truly am."

Tarnessh's expression of shock was quickly mastered and he merely scratched his head in puzzlement. "That's...unexpected." He said. "I honestly had no idea that was going to happen. Buuuut it seems that we have nothing further to speak about."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Sun 31 May 2015.

Whilst the other Rangers were aware of something about to happen, Ohanzee crippled spiritually by the bindings of the slave bracelets is taken totally by surprise by the look on his face as he vanishes below the surface. The feeling though as he vanishes into the earth to be taken on a journey through the element is all too familiar and he does his best to hold his breath.

Having dived out of the way at the last moment, like everyone else, Salen can only watch as the earth swallows up Ohanzee, who disappears a moment later. There is an instant of concern but it disappears as quickly as it came, with the knowledge that this was deliberate.

Neatly done.

He resumes his previous position, his expression unchanged, neutral. Condor cared not how the deed was done, nor how the agreement would be sealed. It was done, that was enough.

Kobal fights to maintain an impassive face and unaffected pose as Ohanzee is swallowed up.  Apart from introducing himself at the beginning of the parley, he's kept silent during the discussions to date, as things took unexpected turns with talk of marriage and a trade of the sun disk for Ohanzee.  In any event, the disk was Tarnessh's, not Kobal's to deal with.

With the taking of Ohanzee, various thoughts rush through his mind.
Will Ohanzee be able to breathe in the Earth?
How will the Red Thorns view Emesh-Ga now that his consort has taken their slave?
Kelab Besi said the Yelmalions wanted us dead.  What will they do now that they won't be getting their sun disk?  And once we walk out of this parley?
And what is this sun disk?  It is not of Waha and the gods of Prax, nor of the Earth.  Yet the first group of Agimori told Tarnessh he should have it.

All he does for now, though, is turn to address Kelab Besi.  "The Earth has taken on its own, Khan."

"That it has Kobal" replies the Khan his laughter beginning to subside at long last.  The shaman hisses, gathers his cloak and storms from the tent, followed by his gang of loyal braves.

The foreigners look confused and somewhat angry, unsure of exactly what has just transpired. One of them begins to clap his hands slowly, a thin smile upon his lips. His golden chest armour bright even in the shade of the tent.

"Bravo. It seems that we have wasted our time here. No matter. I shall petition the Earth Priestess as husband protector of the Earth."

Standing he bows to the Khan and then ignoring the Rangers leaves the tent, his entourage following in his wake. He's heading for the Earth Complex...

Standing nonplussed, Hoskar is at first relieved at the khan's laughter then perturbed by the shaman's visceral anger, radiating from him as he storms out. That one's not nice: a humourless trickster with no appreciation of tricks can be a twisted thing indeed. I wonder how close he was to...to that other shaman we met here.

Blinking round at the release of tension after the departures of men, he looks embarrasedly about, remarking to whoever might be paying attention I think we might still have a little business here, you know. It looked like Ohanzee had some quite valuable Red Thorn property on him when he...ah...left so suddenly. He grins disarmingly and without a word of thanks for food and hospitality too. I must have a chat with him about good manners sometime.

The crowd eventually settles, though the drama of Ohanzee's rescue passes out into the camp beyond, drawing more Red Thorns to come and observe the procedures.

Kelab Besi settles down, accepting the pipe back from Salen, who receives a quizzical  look for hogging it for so long.

"Well I must say that I am impressed by your methods, something I'd have been proud of myself. I'm not one for dealing with foreigners, though my Shaman advised me on accepting their pleas. You've cost me a fair price in Bronze weapons and support, but for that I'm waging a marriage between our families will be worth more than that.

You killed an outlaw bastard from our clan and I'm happy that smear on our honour is gone. Now you've shown me the lengths you'll go to save one of your own.

So is the marriage to take place?"

"That would be Kobal's decision." Tarnessh said, then turned to look at his brother.