Dawn, Freezeday, Stasis week, Earth Season.

It's cold and everyone is sluggish, finding it hard to move. Not an auspicious day to travel at all. Only Ohanzee and Dark Claw seem to be happy to be up and about. The sky is overcast and what rays of light that break through are weak and barely warm.

As she packs the remains of her breakfast away Amara holds her hand up to examine it. All she's missing now are the last sections of her fingers and thumb, which should fully grow by the end of the week. Time had flown since the deals and promises made within the foreign temple, when moon magic had washed over her savaged stump....

Whispers had already departed last night with Greeshar as her bodyguard. Oaths had been made by the shaman Broken Claw, saying that he would not let her come to harm whilst as his guest.

The party had enough water to get them to the mountains where there should be water flowing in one of the permanent serpents that filled the massive gorge that split the Sandstorm Hills in two.

Now all that was left was to sort out the order of riding and begin the dangerous quest to rid the area of the diseased Harpies...
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:03, Tue 11 Aug 2015.

"I suggest we hit the uplands as soon as possible" growls Dark Claw, already armed and armoured. He points some five kilometres to the East where the land rises in a vast plateau, at who's heart stands the imposing Hills.

At it's southern tip can be seen the massive lone outcrop, all that remains of an ancient chaos beast killed by Storm Bull and turned into stone.

"I actually agree. The longer we wait, the higher the chance that the harpies can spot us. This is their territory, after all." Tarnessh said.

Eschewing metal body armour for the moment, clad in wyvern hauberk that'll give the Morokanth something to think about - us wyvern-killing, Hoskar has spent his usual time fussing sround Ram; checking his feet and hide for injury and ensuring arms, weapons and that disease cure are ready to hand.

As he presses his forehead to the rhino's horn before mounting, smiling at the apparently-sleeping Four Paws already installed in the comfiest spot to be found for riding, he murmurs his usual litanies to his father and his god: where once there was a garden, we ride to restoration. Issaries watch our path this day for harmony over chaos.

Not yet atop the rhino, he nods agreement to Dark Claw. Works for me: rhinos don't climb well, so the easier the way up the better.

Kobal finishes his breakfast, checks that all the bindings on Black Hoof are secure, and that Haaro is well nestled on the animal's back.

He ties a knotted rope around Black Hoof's black hoof.  "Great Khan guide the Beasts, Great Khan inform the Men, Great Khan ward off Death".

Waiting until the others are ready, he sets off towards the direction Dark Claw pointed.  "I hope you can keep up," he says, face impassive, as he rides past the morokanth.

Shivering from the chill on thr air, he gets himself ready and, after checking and readying Carross, he gets a bit of meat and gives it to the bad tempered, gray cat that he's decided to call Hisser. He follows Kobal, "I'll take the opposite side to you as we travel."

About to mount, Hoskar takes a step back...then turns to the Morokanth. I usually go up front to scout: position of danger and so on. Fancy being the first to kill some chaos today with me?

Whatever the answer, he mounts up to get to the fore and scan ahead; muttering a cantrip for vision.

"Mountains. I like the mountains."

Without so much as even a leer at Dark Claw the Condor brave Salen moves out in front, but some distance from Hoskar, the two forming the 'scouting horns' of the Wandering Rangers. He too powered up his Farsee, and scanned the horizon and skies for trouble.

Urging his rhino forward Ohanzee rides out to the left of the group with no more words to say.

It's not long before the Rangers have reached the start of the uplands, a steep but gradual rise through dangerous looking piles of boulders and steep sided ravines. It's as they search for a route up that Hoskar and Salen cry out a warning that nomads are approaching about a kilometre away, appearing out of the rough boulder filled ground.

Impalas and a fair sized group.

With the use of their improved vision the Condor braves see three riders break off and head in the direction of the Rangers.

Three Rhino Riders!

"Rhino riders heading this way," shouts Salen, giving the rest of the Rangers notice. "Looks like some of them and a host of Impalas. Those people seem to get everywhere, almost like they were scattered to the Four Corners of the World, eh Hoskar?"

Amara nudged Thunderfoot, urging her mount to head back towards the front of the main body of the group. She was curious to see which tribe it might be.

On hearing that Rhino Riders are on their way Ohanzee urges his mount on along with Amara tosee what tribe and clan they might be.

When he hears the call about Rhino riders and sees Amara and Ohanzee head towards them, Tarosh stays where he is and keeps a look out for anything that wants to attack them.

Henal has taken up his usual place on the right of the group riding and keeping lookout for that direction, though he looks skywards more often now.

At the cry of Rhino riders he stays in place and looks around to cover for those moving forward to see the clan.

Kobal urges Black Hoof towards the rhino riders who have turned towards them, reducing his distance on the right flank, but still keeping an eye out for danger from the right, such as Impala who might try to outflank them.

Do you sense anything? he asks Haaro, as they ride towards the rhinos.

Eyes brightening in anticipation and hope; yet not without a tinge of caution hope it's not Krakka and company: we'd not need that distraction today, Hoskar manages a grin. We paid the price for opposing the blind eye; but it was probably worth it. Good source of news if nothing else he winks.

Well, let's see who they are. Cautiously, of course.

Shield firmly in hand, lance balanced on Ram's broad back and right hand held up in tentative greeting, he moves forward to meet - or at lest see more of - the newcomers.

Peaceful passage riding thick-skin. Gentle mount but not for others. Snooze in scent of faithful friend.

Ho! What's this?

Feline forms should not meet foemen. Caution's for a cat like me. Slip down softly, crouch in cover. Move in later if they're friends.

The Three riders approach within hailing distance, a strong wind heralding their arrival with eerie shrieks

Screaming Wind Clan, riding their one horned war Rhinos.

Unafraid and bristling with bravado their leader shouts out

"You must keep away as we pass. Try and raid those that hired us and we will fight you!"

All three braves are adorned in Runes of Air, Mastery and Death and those with familiars detect several bound spirits with them.

In reply to GM (msg # 19):

"Who are the ones who hired you, then?" Tarnessh asked.

Squinting with the aid of a charm the diminutive Impala rider answers Tarnessh instead

"Fact they got Rhino riders means this mob are special, bit hard to tell but I'd bet that it's the Flint Rain Clan. Khan is one N'run Longarrow. Be best we don't mess with them unless you want to leak every time you drink..."

The now silent Rhino riders stay where they are.

Pulling up Ram's advance, hand still raised empty to betoken a lack of hostile intent, Hoskar is drawing breath to reply as Tarnessh asks his question.

He glances in surprise at his comrade, eyebrows shooting up under the rim of his helmet, then speaks quickly towards the newcomers before the Screaming Wind warrior can reply. Easy there. First things first. We're not raiding - we're chaos hunting. Unless your employers mean us ill, you'll not need to shed blood to protect them this time, friend.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:48, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

The leader of the trio answers

"What chaos do you hunt?"

At least we're talking. Didn't fancy a charge and countercharge here.

Still smiling reservedly, Hoskar's manner relaxes somewhat, staring hard at the warrior hoping to pick out some hint of his intent from his face.

Good question, there. Think I'd like to know your intentions before going into detail, though we're all enemies of the one enemy here. Short answer: the sort that flies, kills the tribes' beasts, and spreads disease.

He thinks a moment.

If you'd like our bands to share information with one another, let's talk. If we worry you...or your employers...we can all go our own ways I reckon.

"Harpies yeah?....We ran in to some yesterday, fighting amongst themselves."

Ohanzee looks strangely at Hoskar then plants his lance into the ground "Greetings Rarn Wall Shaker of the Screaming Wind Clan, and to his sons Rern and Vern I am Ohanzee Shappa of the Sky Watchers, this Amara Brightsky and my talkative friend Hoskar Feather of the same clan. Excuse my friends manners, he has been too long with those who live in the stone tents."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:45, Wed 12 Aug 2015.

Rarn Wall Shaker, resplendent in his Rhino head helm and Ostrich feather plumage, studies Ohanzee but seems not to recognise him and ignores the thrust lance.

"Sky Watchers by your gear, but names I don not recognise. I thought you were all dead."

He then looks at the uplands where the Rangers are obviously intending to go

"You plan to find the Harpies' nest?"

Ohanzee frowns at the lance still in the ground and sits straighter "Most are, save my mother Talutah I am the last of my family, my father Taima and my brother Shappa having fallen at Moonbroth. It is up to me to keep our name going" there is a pause and a glance at the lance again before looking at the obviously powerful warrior "and our traditions alive."

Kobal rides up to where the Sky Watcher and Screaming Wind riders are talking, though he stops his mount slightly behind and beside the Sky Watchers, to show that he is one of the same party.  Seeing as the two sides are talking and not fighting, he remains silent and just observes, unless the Screaming Wind riders turn their attention to him.  His lance is at rest, pointing up to the sky, showing no hostile intent.

As they talk the Impalas are passing by in the distance.

"Now there's a name I won't forget. Taima was a good man, and I met your brother too. Strong warriors both."

Despite the recognition there is little warmth in his speech and his two sons haven't stopped scowling...

The young Raven brave glances at the single horned rhinos War beasts and rare ones at that "Strong warriors indeed. They taught me their ways but Dowenhowee taught me more, my path lies with the spirits great and small." he raises his left hand to bat away an annoying fly satisfied as his blue hand hits it from the air is it attracted by the buzzing coming from the Malia protection fetish?

He gives up on the challenge, obviously this warrior cares only to delay them until the sept passes "We will find the nest and deal with the problem, our duty to the Earth as Wandering Rangers."

As the Rhino people talk Salen watches with only passing interest, then turns and directs his gaze back up to the plateau, to see if anything is developing up there.

Tarnessh kept his eyes on the Impala folk. Not making any attempt to seem threatening, but keeping an eye on them nonetheless if they decided that the Rangers looked like easy pickings.

The Condor brave's study of the approaches to the plateau turns up what looks like a way up for both nomads and their mounts.

From far above comes word from Tulox that the way is clear of obvious danger...

The Rhino rider has had one eye on the Impala folk passing and once he's happy with where they've got to, he turns his mount and begins riding off to join them once more.

"Good luck with your hunt. You'll need it. There was strange goings on when we saw them..." Then as he draws level with Ohanzee he adds in a far less hostile voice

"I'll take up your challenge next time son of Taima. No time for niceties around here....You watch out for yourself now...."

Then with a dig to his Rhino's armoured flank, he and his sons trot off.

Ohanzee simply nods his response, then drawing the lance from the earth again he watches the three ride off.

"Looks clear for now."

With the riders having moved on it seems to Salen that the Rangers should do likewise. He nods to Hoskar and then heads out in front again.

Henal seeing Salen's signal waits for the others to get to positions as he starts Whiteblaze slowly moving forward, still keeping scanning for trouble from the right and above.

As Henal urges his mount upwards he sees a dark shape dropping out of the clouds about a kilometre distant towards the West.

At the same time Tulox drops shrieking to the presumed safety of Tarnessh's shoulder.

What ever it is it's huge and will pass over the group...

"Big Flying Lizard!"

As the meeting breaks up and the Screaming Wind riders depart, Kobal turns around and starts to head back towards the right flank.

With Tulox's sudden appearance, the brave looks at the shape in the sky.  It looks far off, but yet very large.

Quickly, he rides towards the nearest boulder, still keeping an eye on the approaching shape, and stops Black Hoof next to it.  His shield is ready on his left arm, ready to raise to defend from any attack from the air.  I hope the wyvern skin shield doesn't provoke it...  He dips his lance so that the tip rests on the ground, so as not to draw attention.  But ready to raise it again, should the shape make its way towards him.

When he hears Tulox's call, he takes a deep breath and then quickly guides Carross to some scrub even though he knows there is very little in the way of cover that can hide a High Llama. He gets his throwing axes out and brings the words of his charm to mind, ready to say them at a moments notice and create multiple magical axes, though he doubts it will come close enough for him to use them.

Oh horn and hide. Plus I'm wearing its relative.

Casting around for cover, but seeing nothing that would conceal a rhino and its rider, Hoskar heads closer towards the group of Rangers; hoping to bunch together for mutual protection; taking up his sling to let fly should the flying danger swoop and preparing his magics.

From where he's hiding under a bush with his Impala, Leaper laughs nervously

"Now there's something we need on our side! Don't tell me that you lot actually killed one of them?"

Henal shouts and points up at the huge flyer, then seeks any cover he can find to make Whiteblaze look inconspicuous.

"Have to hope its not looking for food" he mutters.

The Wyvern has dropped so that it's flying only several spear lengths above the ground, aiming straight at where the Rangers are attempting to hide.

To the relief of those watching they can see that it is in fact focused on something else in the distance and it's only at the last moment that it veers off suddenly in surprise as it spots Tarosh's High Llama.

Brilliant. Any time I give the all-clear something appears out of nowhere and tries to kill us!

Without pause Salen urged Kohana over to a large rock and threw his blanket over the top of the two of them, while urging Mordy to duck down behind. It was a crude attempt at cover, but it was effective.

Which was all well and good, but if the dratted Wyvern decided Tarosh's Llama looked like a welcome snack then it would be time to break cover and fight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:44, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

From his position behind the boulder, Kobal peers at the wyvern.  From where he is on the right flank, he's one of the furthest from the creature.  Hopefully it won't see us, or maybe spot those impala instead...

Then he sees it wheel towards Tarosh.  If it swoops on him, I'll charge it.  But we'll have to cover a lot of ground to get there...

Perhaps because he can't take his eyes from the approaching beast Ohanzee makes a right mess of trying to manoeuvre his rhino so that it is hidden from the beast's view. He sees the animal heading in for swooping strike on Tarosh by the looks of it, but then when it veers away after obviously seeing the High Llama rider Ohanzee gets a puzzled look. "Not us" he mutters and then looks back in the direction that the lizard was flying in before veering away "Then what was it hunting?"

He scans for movement from that way in case something on the ground trying to ambush the Rangers was spotted by the thing, standing atop the rhino for a better look if need be.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:53, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

After pulling away violently the Wyvern continues on it's way.

Those following it's direction of travel can see that it's aiming for the Impala Riders who are now several kilometres distant.

As it gets closer, Tarosh's grip on his axe gets firmer. He's just about to mutter a charm and throw the axe, when it changes direction, he briefly thinks about still attacking it, but then he realizes just how big it is and that, if it wanted to, it could easily pluck him from Carross's back and carry him away and considering how small his throwing axe is, it would more than likely bounce off of its hide. So instead he just watch's it to make sure it doesn't double back.

Ohanzee considers ways in which he might pass a warning to the Screaming Wind braves, but can think of none over this distance. Besides, they'll already be scanning the skies knowing there's Harpies about.

With the immediate danger passed he makes a calming clicking of his tongue against the roof of his mouth he urges Wihakayda on again speaking quietly to the beast "I'll be busy when we get back to the clan boy, busy with the duties of an apprentice to Feather Wait again. I'll find someone to keep you exercised though, maybe even teach you to fight better! You'd like that wouldn't you boy?"

With the wyvern flying off, Kobal moves Black Hoof out from behind the boulder.  Looking around to check that all the party are ready, he kicks the bison forward to continue their journey.

It's not long before the scouts find tracks of Broo crisscrossing the trail, some weeks old others mere days. There's not much evidence of game, almost as if they've been frightened off or killed of all together...

Examining the Broo prints the Morokanth spits on the ground and casts a detection spell just to be safe. He'd not hidden from the Wyvern, instead standing out in full view of the creature as it had flown past.

"Reckon we can look forward to an ambush sometime today" and after cricking his neck he sets off towards the Northern end of the Hills.

"Could do with a scrap."

Every now and again Glama and Peat stand on their saddles to afford an even better view of the badlands that they now travelled through.

Shadows amongst the rocks are extra dark and far larger than normal thanks to the day's runic associations, thus affording any ambushers ample places to hide.

In reply to Dark Claw (msg # 56):

Having something to live up to in the Morokanth's attitude to danger, Hoskar sets off again as swiftly as Dark Claw, keen that the Rangers not look weak in this new companion's eyes. However, he's probably more wary than the Zorak Zorani, still looking everywhere for trouble and straining his senses to the full.

I hear you: no point us getting sidetrackled back there, but a nice little fight might be fun. By the way, I'm quite handy with the healing if anything goes wrong so I'd best ask: do you go into battle rage? Don't want to find myself minus a head by accident if I'm ever fixing you up in a hurry.

"My god has seen fit to give me the gift of rage yes" comes back the gruff reply "You got anything to drink...Something with a bit of hoof if you know what I mean."

In reply to Dark Claw (msg # 59):

Have to be kumiss when we're not so much on the alert: don't want our reflexes too blunted. Think I can rustle something up later on though. Do you do tobakeh too? Got some of that about for now. He winks. Got some stronger stuff too, but that's really not for dangerous places unless you can frighten off an enemy by giggling.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:01, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

In reply to Hoskar Feather (msg # 60):

"Take a swig of this then. Good stuff made by those Oasis idiots. Bout all they is good for....That and eating."

The Morokanth takes a deep swig from a skin, which he then throws up to Hoskar. It's as black as night and cold to the touch, the air frosting about it's surface.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:43, Thu 13 Aug 2015.

Amara sighed as the wyvern passed on "The wyvern we last fought was a tough foe...but it would have been useful to get more skin to make shields with as we add to our numbers." she said almost regretting the fact the wyvern had passed them all. "Still it is to the Screaming Wind and the Impalas to slay it and wrong of us to take it from them."

Back out ranging on the left with Amara and Tarosh again Ohanzee smiles at the redhead's comment "If we restrict ourselves to Wyvern skin shields we'll never have enough."

He looks up at the form of Tarosh riding above on his elevated beast and falls silent again as he has bee most of the time around the High Llama riders, perhaps because of the little misunderstanding on the way to the Giants' Finger Holes.

Then looking at Amara again he asks did you want to have a spirit bound into your cat before we face the Harpies?"</blue> and glances again towards Tarosh's mount, but this time at the cat riding on it.

Amara raised an eyebrow "Of course we would. All we'd need to do is to kill the Lunar interlopers that ride them when they scout out the wastes."

She looked suspiciously at Ohanzee as he made his suggestion. "You can do that already? I thought you'd only begun to walk the path of shaman. I thank you for your offer, but I think I'd prefer to be back at the Giants Finger Holes. Out here we might attract chaos spirits."

In reply to Dark Claw (msg # 61):

Ahh, why not? Just a nip to keep me going. He raises the skin to his mouth expansively, but only appears to drink deeply; his tongue stopping up much - but by no means all - of the flow.
As the flavour hits him, his eyes widen. Now I'll have to pay you back sometime with some of the good stuff: that's amazing he smiles. Later, though: not getting drunk on point duty. That'd be a great story, wouldn't it? The scout who stumbled into a broos' nest?

Passing the skin back, the realisation of what he's drunk suddenly arrives; leading him to add unless it's a secret, how in all the plaines do you keep it so cold?

To her first response he snorts "And you've actually witnessed how many Wyverns being ridden, not the un-ridden couple of wild ones of which that one was likely the survivor?"

When she mentions asks about his budding abilities he waves a hand dismissively "Of course I can. As for out here, it'll be safe enough, Whispers was going to do it anyway, we talked about it. Of course it's easier where there's a place that the two worlds touch anyway, like back at the Earth Temple, but still quite possible."

"I'm not very strong spiritually. I might need help to persuade the spirit to enter my Manul....but if you're willing, then it would certainly help us with our fight against the Harpies I'm sure." Amara's face brightened, pleased at the thought of having a familiar again.

For those looking behind it is soon obvious that the Wyvern was in fact attacking the Impala folk and their Rhino rider mercenaries and those with magical vision are able to relay the fight as it happens....

The Rhino riders try and head the beast off, but are easily avoided, and it's not long before the Wyvern is flying off into the clouds several Impalas clutched in it's claws a flurry of arrows sailing up after it.

It's whilst this is going on and the nomads continue their gradual ascent that Tarosh stumbles across a dead harpy. It's caught in the upper reaches of a lone scraggly Tamarisk tree that the brave's mount had headed towards to feed on.

Anyone intent on examining the only partially visible creature would need to climb up through the centre of the tree.

Ohanzee had been riding with a smile on his face after the brief conversation with Amara and it is not removed by the news that the impala have been taken, after all they are just a few beasts and the rhino riders were not reported hurt.

His thoughts are then brought back to the present at the news of the fallen Harpie. "The Screaming Winds fellows said they witnessed the Harpies fighting one-another. I wonder..."

Then he halts the rhino and hops off heading for the trunk to start climbing.

"The only good Harpy is a dead Harpy? Whatever killed it, who cares...one less for us to worry about."

It is after he says this that Salen thinks to himself, Only an idiot would climb up there for a closer look. And Ohanzee does just that!

"Watch yourself, dude. No saying what filth might be scattered up there."

The Condor brave keeps himself and his mount (and dog) a comfortable distance from the Tamarisk.

Kobal rides over from the side of the party to see what has stopped the group.

He's about to suggest climbing up there, but Ohanzee beats him to it.  "Dislodge the thing, then we should burn it," he calls out to the Raven brave.  "We shouldn't let it spread any disease."

Eventually the dead Harpy lands on the ground by the base of the tree, joined by a shower of broken branches.

It's been dead for several weeks and is quite dry and desiccated already.

But of more import is the fact that this creature is relatively clean, white feathered and with almost pretty human features.

As for cause of death? Her throat has been ripped out.

With the Harpy down, Ohanzee descends to the ground and says "I had a feeling about this. Remember what the priestess said back at the temple, the Harpies were brought into existence by the Earth as defenders, avengers of the Earth. Maybe these ones have not forgotten this. Maybe there is a war between the broo born ones and the pure bloods going on right now." he says voicing the idea he had when he chose to climb.

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 73):

"Just because its pretty doesn't mean its not chaos, just as if something is ugly it doesn't mean its chaos." he looks at Ohanzee and grins, "Isn't that right raven?" he laughs loudly.

"So you think she's pretty and you aren't Chaos?" Ohanzee says with a grin
"Well I believe you on the second part, Emesh-Ga wouldn't have let you join us, but on the first part I'll have to put that down to your own tastes."

"Pureblood Harpies? Interesting..."

Apparently this is something Salen had not considered before, and in a moment he is lost in thought.

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 75):

Tarosh shrugs, "I was comparing it to the other ones we killed." He looks nonplussed, "If there are such things as non chaotic harpies, we're going to miss not have Greeshar with us."

"My thoughts exactly, Tarosh. Looks like we'll have to do some," and he winks at Tarosh. "Thinking."

He knelt down and looked at it. "Still, I would err on the side of destroying them. Chaos is deceptive."

What Ohanzee and Tarosh have said makes sense.  Kobal nods as they speak.

"I think we should burn this body.  To be sure.  We do not dishonour the body by cremation in any event.  But if there are harpies who may aid us against Chaotic harpies, this would be a great boon."

"I certainly agree there Tarnessh. Though should the chance arise do you think you could tell if one lies if responding to a question like 'are you Chaos or a Chaos follower'?"

"I don't believe it disease or even Chaotic. I'll bury it, let the Earth take it back rather than raise a plume of smoke and the smell of burning flesh and feather to attract enemies."

With that he begins digging a shallow pit into which he intends to roll the body and then cover it with the spoils before topping it with rocks.

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 80):

Tarnessh nodded at Ohanzee. "Sure. I don't see any reason why it would work any differently. The only problem could be if they don't know that they are of Chaos. But remember, it's better that they die then Chaos be allowed to live."

As Ohanzee began digging he asked him if he was sure he wouldn't rather just let Tarnessh burn the body. It would be much quicker.

"No thanks Tarnessh. She doesn't need burying deep. I wonder whether there's a spell for digging graves."

Amara agreed with Ohanzee, helping him to bury the body of the harpy.

Henal briefly rides over to see what Ohanzee had knocked out of the tree.

"Certainly looks like that harpy wasn't afflicted by chaos though we are less sure without Greeshar. I'll let you deal with the body"

He rides away keeping watch around them, particularly in the air in case the harpies or wyvern come into sight.

In reply to Tarnessh Listens-To-Silence (msg # 78):

"If thinking is required then, from what I've seen so far, I think we're all in a lot of trouble." He watches Ohanzee dig the grave from atop Carross but doesn't offer to help, instead he lets Carross browse the Tamarisk tree.

With the harpy buried the Rangers can move off once more.

There's a tense moment when Mordy drops to the ground growling but it turns out to be nothing more than a large snake which Henal skewers on his lance.

Lunch.

After studying the lay of the land Hoskar and Salen determine that they can either head due East and hit the Hills proper by nightfall and then follow them until the nest is found, perhaps in a day or two, or camp on the plateaux and follow the hills North at a distance of several kilometres, using the boulders, gullies and scrub as shelter from both the elements and watching eyes from up high.

"Through the Plateau" grunts Dark Claw, who sitting on the ground for a rest sends his two Gerns to footage amongst some nearby scrub, that after a detection charm was deemed safe.

Glama high up on his mount agrees, though he gives no sign of hearing the Morokanth speak first

"I think the plateaux is better, I have a good vantage point up here and room to manoeuvre."

In reply to Glama Golden (msg # 89):

"Spoken truly" adds his clansman, a worried looking Peat Bog, who is showing his years with constant shifting in his seat as he tries to keep everywhere in view all at once.

"Plateaux sounds good to me, though at some point we're going to need to leave the mounts and climb." the Raven brave suggests.

"The only problem with the plateaux is that they'll see us coming, but I suppose if we're lucky that'll just make them attack us and we can kill them in small groups instead of having to deal with them as one big group. We're going to have to find somewhere safe to leave our mounts when we start climbing, hopefully we'll find a big cave or a sheltered gully."

Having risen high above the Wastes the Rangers can now see the stinking mass of the Krjalki Bog stretching out for scores of miles to the North West of where they are, and thanks to the chill of the day, visible without the normal haze of heat and fug of swamp is the near fabled Erno Arkozal Grasslands.

A vast expanse of grass, second only in quality to the Paps, nestled deep within the surrounding mires and chaos filled swamps. None of the young braves had seen it until now, only hearing of the place from venerable elders who had once, when young, grazed their herds there.

And underneath it? The fabled throne and palace of Genert.

To the North, far above the Wastes is the Raging Storm, it's clouds dark and foreboding, ranging in colour from purple to black, crisscrossed with arcs of bright lightning.

Storm Bulls home, from which he keeps chaos in check, blowing the poisoned winds far out across the land.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:35, Sat 15 Aug 2015.

Starting off as a barely discernible glimmer and then growing stronger as he speaks, the Earth Knight stops to stare

"This was the heart of the Garden, where Genert himself resided. Trees filled the sky with their leaves and below them the earth was filled with abundance of animals living in harmony. And now it is reduced to this...My heart breaks to see it so..."

As he grieves a deep rumble is heard, coming from somewhere in the distant bog...

At the appearance of Emesh-Ga the newest Rangers bow to their guardian with looks of awe, listening to his words with wonder.

As they look down on the panorama before them, Kobal tries to picture the Earth as it once was, as Emesh-Ga describes.

"Lord Captain, we will strain every sinew, bend all our energies, to make this true once again."

"I believe you Kobal. I truly do.

That last Harpy you found. It was pure. Or as pure as a creature can get in this modern world.It had seen the Green and remembered what it once was."

Kobal marveled at these words.  He knew some things on or under the Earth were very old and may remember the Green, but he didn't think harpies would be so ancient.  No did it seem like the Copper man was suggesting that the harpy had merely seen a vision of the Green, as opposed to having lived during that period.

He turns to the others.  "If these pure harpies remember the Green, they may well help us Wandering Rangers in our mission."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:57, Sat 15 Aug 2015.

"No they were not alive then as I was, but either it or another more powerful had crossed over to the time that was. A cleansing took place...A search perhaps? I do not know, I am clutching at the few strands of magic that was still around the body."

In reply to Emesh-Ga (msg # 99):

"Could we go to the Other Side and perhaps bring some back? I know this is very powerful magic, but if we cannot do it now, perhaps even decades later it might be worth an attempt." Tarnessh ventured.

Looking at the Krjalki Bog with undisguised loathing and hatred, "Bringing back the grasslands is one thing, but how can we possibly clear that" he gestures towards the bog, "of chaos?" He listens to Emesh-Ga talking about the pure harpy, "My Lord, will you be able to tell if other harpies that we meet are pure or not?"

"I do not know the answer to that Tarnessh Listens-To-Silence."



"Yes I think so...It would be obvious to you to, the one you found was clean of filth and white of feather."

In reply to Tarnessh Listens-To-Silence (msg # 100):

Ohanzee nods at Tarnessh's words "Ofcourse we could Tarnessh, I dare say now, but certainly in a year or five. Decades are for those afraid to try sooner." and he grins fromear to earn.

His mood is good, much improved by the vindication if it were needed of his previous actions by Emesh-Ga's words regarding the white Harpy. "So other white feathered pure faced Harpies may still wait ahead. Unless the broo born or shaman's cronies have finished them off by the timewe get there."

"And we should protect the pure harpies from the shamans lackeys." Amara said, though she felt it didn't need to be said. "Clearing the bog from all the chaos that infests it is part of what we are meant to do... the restoration of the garden isn't something that will happen in the span of a season. It will be a whole series of things we do which will being it back little by little. Clearing the giants finger holes were one thing. Perhaps helping the pure harpies will be another."

"It would be nice to have a situation where we are sure we are doing the right thing." Tarnessh agreed.

After deciding to stick to the fairly open ground of the plateau the Rangers are soon on their way once more, looking to travel as far as possible, avoid ambushes, and find a secure place to camp.

As the party continues its trek north, Kobal scans the hills carefully - on the right flank he and Henal will be the first to be attacked if there's any ambush from the hills.

Nor does it help that he's right-handed.  With his lance in his right hand, his shield is on the wrong side of Black Hoof.  He tries to keep his shield close to his body, ready to swing over to the right in case there's any attack from the hills.  Next time, maybe I should take the left flank...

Waha, guide us safely, he silently prays.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:45, Sun 16 Aug 2015.

Tarnessh kept a cautious eye in the sky, with his hands on his sling and a stone. The cowpeckers continued to hop around Grumpfy's back around him, sometimes moving over Tarnessh's legs as if he wasn't even there. He hoped that they would sound the alarm if there was an ambush as well.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:30, Sun 16 Aug 2015.

Henal scans the hills as they ride, watching to see if any of the undulation contains tracks or signs of enemies even if no ambush emerges.

"There is plenty still to do for the greening of the land when you see those swamps full of chaos. Hopefully we can clear out any chaotic harpies and leave that cleansed to start here".

Those searching for tracks find nothing fresh, there's no sign of game as if the whole area has been stripped of life. The same goes for the sky, for even out here there are normally birds.

As they hit the inclines of the plateau and are funnelled into gullies and ravines, and the outriders forced closer Ohanzee turns his attention more to the terrain ahead and around than to the skies above confident that the others would spot any Harpies.

As the day wears on he takes the most unusual act, for a Nomad, of dismounting and walking alongside Dark Claw leading his rhino "Have you ever met trolls?" he asks at one point.

Walking so close to the Morokanth, Ohanzee can't help being slightly intimidated by the bulk of the creature. He'd weigh the same as Akala for sure.

Dark Claw doesn't bother making eye contact when he replies

"Yes, ran with a few of them a couple of years back in the Rubble, when I joined my cult. Good gang they were."

He walks on silently for a while before continuing "How did you find them, I mean how come they ran with you instead of rejecting you, or for that matter eating you. Not that you couldn't have stopped that if they tied I should think!" it was like walking next to an awakened rhino who could stand up and pulp you with a club or rip you open with claws.

"Same cult...Same respect. We killed chaos. Worked for the same priestess" comes back the answer, which is surprisingly neutral in tone.

Ohanzee can smell date wine.

The throne and palace of Genert...here...

When Emesh-Ga speaks, and with such obvious emotion, Salen is immediately drawn to turn and look at him, for what seems a long time. The weight of those words was tremendous, and it touched the Condor brave deeply. Thanks to Ohanzee's daring they now knew of the pure Harpies, warriors of the Earth, and potential allies. It was all almost too much for one even as laid back as Salen.

"I need a smoke..."

He took out his pipe and fired up, though he kept watch as vigilantly as ever.

Dark Claw passes a black skin to Ohanzee, which is surprisingly cold to the touch, and the date wine within almost freezing. The Morokanth then explains to the brave as he had already done to Hoskar earlier that the skin was magical and contained a darkness spirit.

At the head of the group the two Condor Braves, Dark Claw and now Ohanzee find that increasingly that they are forced to take deep sided ravines, which curl this way and that through the rocky badlands.

After several hours, where no game is spotted, they arrive in a wide open space, dotted with large piles of earth and gravel towering above them to a height of 3-4 metres.

About four bow shots away is what looks like a possible campsite, a cave perhaps, or at least an easily defendable spot to see out the night.

Pulling up with the others as they join the scouts the Blue Llama brave points at the cave

"Whatcha reckon?"

"I'm beat and need to sleep" adds a very tired looking Nixa, who is lying flat on his mount's back.

"Hey Amara fancy a race to the cave?" shouts the Red Thorn brave as he pulls up next to the Thunderbird brave.

Leaper had ridden his Impala up a steep sided boulder so as to get a better vantage point

"Mmmm I don't know..."

He unslings his bow and attaches the bowstring to each end.

Having been silent since the viewing the chaos filled bog because he had been keeping an eye to the sky, Tarosh tuts at Leapers comment, "Well spit it out. Is it a good campsite or not?" but as a precaution he gets a throwing axe ready.

"No idea until we check it out" he says as he gets his mount Flash to jump nimbly down.

"Coming?"

"Let's check out the cave," Kobal says in reply to Peat Bog's question, "but let's be careful.  We're in Chaos blighted lands."

He makes no move to race to the cave, but rather continues along carefully, ready to defend himself against any ambush.

Leaving scouting to Salen, Hoskar's been a little further back with Peat; the scroll he sold to Angelika having given him the skills to become alert to the younger man's nerves.
No nedd to look everywhere all the time: look to see where others are looking, find where they missed, then keep watch there. That way, everyone's covering something. It'll get easier with practice. See anything suspicious, just let me know: I can magically check for enemies.

Making a wry face at people about to charge into an unknown cave, he dismounts; shield and sling in hand, having remembered to loosen his father's sword in its sheath in case of need.
Aye, Kobal: caution it is. Best see if it's alright. Something definitely does not feel right here. He strains his senses towards the opening, muttering his charm to seek out any enemies in range as he joins a cautious approach.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:07, Mon 17 Aug 2015.

"It's Darkness, let's check it out for those who prefer the light Dark Claw." he says as he moves forward checking for tracks as he nears it, sword and shield held ready.

Dark Claw declines the invitation, staying at the back of the group, his snout sniffing the air suspiciously.

As the rest of the Rangers begin to ride towards the cave, several of them spot odd tracks criss crossing the ground, unlike anything they've ever seen before.

"I've not seen anything like this." Ohanzee says wondering if he can recall tales of the type.

"Be careful, something with many legs has been moving around from those mounds. Doesn't look anything like what I've seen before and round here could easily be chaos".

Henal keeps scanning the area for any signs of threats.

"Even if there is something not active now, then it could be a night beast".

It's as the group reaches half way that Ohanzee puts realises what they look like.

Ant tracks.

Really big ones.

With Hoskar now taking his turn on point Salen can hang back, and watch from a distance. The cave or overhang looks welcoming, but something just doesn't sit well with the Condor brave - or braves, for that matter, for Hoskar obviously senses something amiss also. He hefts a javelin and calls a warning.

"Something definitely not right here. Shields up, weapons ready."

That's both of us sensing something amiss. Right.

Unless anyone here can remember all the Condors being very wrong at once, it's time to be really careful, people. Think I'll chuck a stone in there first - see if it stirs up any nasties before we go in...and while we still have chance to leg it.

Any objections?

"Go for it Hoskar, I'll hit anything that comes out." While keeping a throwing axe in his hand, he makes sure that his big axe is within easy reach, in case something big appears.

Tarnessh kept an eye on the group from a distance. He would have called out to them, but didn't want to give away their position to any potential enemies.

"No!" says Kobal sharply, raising a hand.  Then "no, don't do it".

"Something big and with many feet crosses this way.  We have enough on our hands trying to catch up to the Red Thorns while avoiding ambushes, then finding the harpies and defeating them.  Let's not court more trouble.  Let's be on our way.  And quickly.  I don't think this would be a safe place to camp.  We can find somewhere else."

In reply to Kobal (msg # 135):

Stone ready, Hoskar relaxes in relief as Kobal counsels caution. Didn't want to be the one to say it first, but you're probably right. Tucking his stone back away, he looks cautiously around; planning to retreat as his companions do likewise.

"Ants! Very big ants."

"Are you sure it isn't small scorpion men?" he ask Ohanzee, then, as he's looking round, it clicks as to what those mounds are, "Oh crap, time to go." Glancing behind them and then back to in front of them, "Which way, forwards or back the way we came?"

Henal looks around.

"Probably better to go back, we don't know if any of the other exits will still be in the ant's domain. Keep your weapons ready in case something comes out of the mounds".
This message was last edited by the player at 15:52, Mon 17 Aug 2015.

"Are there any other ways around that are passable to both us and our mounts?" Amara asked. "If we want to arrive before the shamans cohorts, perhaps we should just charge through."

Looking around Ohanzee realises they are already way into the ant domain "We're too far, turn back now and we risk waking them,  especially if we charge!"

"It's the vibrations, keep it slow and quiet and should be ok, at least till dark. There might be a way through"

He moves forward slowly.

"That's a terrible idea! If there are ants living in there, there will be hundreds of them, any one of them probably capable of killing any one of us, and they'll be able to travel around the caves much better then we can. We should walk through the canyon, not enter the caves!" Tarnessh said.

Messages fly up and down the length of the Rangers, carried by familiars and spirits.

At least for the moment all is quite within the mounds.

"If we push through then we need to try and take an exit, not go into the cave. Maybe there is a way that doesn't have any tracks going to it over there".

"I'd rather cross this as quickly as possible, regardless of the noise. it'll take the ants time to rouse and come out of their nests, by which time we will be long gone." Amara suggested.

Tarnessh agreed with Amara. "Yes. Even if it takes a little longer, the unknown is better then definitely walking into danger." He said as he pointed out some trails to the sides of the cave.

"Well then, lets not stay here any longer than we need to." He rides slowly forward to start with, ready to break into a gallop if he see's any big ants. He heads to the right of the cave, where he can see a route out which splits in two.

Ants!  I thought it'd be some sort of giant centipede, but ants makes sense.

As the others discuss what to do, Kobal continues forward on Black Hoof, not changing the pace of the bison.  He and the rest of the forward party were already more than half way across the clearing.  Seeing Tarosh veer towards the right of the cave, he tugs on his reins to turn Black Hoof the same direction.  As they continue forward, he's continually looking around, both to check that the party is okay (and that the whole party is moving forward rather than turning back), and that there's no sign of any ants.

He looks back.  His half-brother is at the rear party.  Haaro, ants don't like fire, I think.  Let Tulox know that Tarnessh should have his fire spells ready.

Moving with great care and keeping noise to the bare minimum the Wandering Rangers manage to traverse the mound filled space with success, traipsing one by one in to the ravine first entered by Tarosh.

When he gets to the entrance of the ravine, Tarosh takes the left hand fork, which they follow for about half an hour as it twists and turns before opening out in a bowl shape, the upper edges smooth as if carved by water a long time ago. Along the southern edge, in the shade of the cliffs which are a spear length in height, grow some grasses, barely enough to feed the mounts. Opposite where they came in there is and exit that heads slowly back up to open ground. "This looks like its easy enough to defend and at least there's something for the mounts to eat. I suggest we camp here."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:08, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

Kobal looks at the bowl before them.  It looks as good a place as any other to camp, but "Are you sure we're far enough from those giant ants?  I don't want them to overrun our camp at night."

He looks up the cliffs to either side, watching for any signs of creatures, giant or not.

"On the plus side we're not likely to be attacked by anything else coming that way!" Ohanzee adds with a smile.

"So I'll take the mid watch again." Ohanzee says discounting again and seeing the well-being of his mount.

It takes a while but finally he's done and he takes the tied sack from his gear "I need to see to these too, they'll be getting hungry."

Watches are set and food made, for both humans and others. It's still cold, but that would change on the morrow as Kobal well knew.

As well as grass there's Tamarisk for the high Llamas, there being one almost 12 metres tall, surrounded by a small grove of it's younger descendants. There's sign of Jerboa, which after the dearth of animals is a nice surprise. Manul cats scatter into the sparse bush and rocks, instantly on the hunt, oblivious to Akala's demands that they decease.

"Likely get close to where we're heading late tomorrow" says the Morokanth as he eases himself onto the ground "Odd that we saw no Harpies today.

And what about these other Bison Riders you have mentioned where are they?"

Ohanzee pauses at Dark Claw's words, about to walk away a little from the camp "Don't know. Maybe they went the other way and have fallen prey to the Harpies already. With so many fresh mates and food that'd keep the Harpies from needing fly perhaps. Or maybe they've already killed all the Harpies and our trip is wasted. Guess we'll know tomorrow."

"We lighting a fire?" asks Glama as he scans the area nervously.

Glances up at big man's pouch, sniffing scents from on the breezes. I'd stay hidden, little Bouncer - hie we hunting in the gloaming. Don't want errors causing sadness: friend and food should stay asunder.

Whisks off wary, into darkness.

During the evening Amara finds herself being watched by Dark Claw. When ever she looks across at the Morokanth the creature is studying her, his gaze unwavering even when discovered.

The camp is easily defended and first watch is taken by Glama, Leaper and Peat Bog, once their mounts have been fed.

Nixa and Sand Fox decide to scout the immediate area before it gets dark, just in case anything might be lurking. They take a horn with them and promise not to stray far.

"Worried we might have been followed."

Seeing two of the newer Rangers about to go off scouting, Salen decides on the spur of the moment to join them.

"Wait up! I'll go with you, strength in numbers and all that."

"I'll take the watch before dawn," says Kobal, as he unpacks gear from his bison.  Haaro as usual takes care of itself, stalking amongst the tamarisk trees.



"Most like there were strong winds at play north of us today, so maybe the harpies were in no mood to fly."  He combs Black Hoof's sides, as his speaks, not looking at the morokanth.  "Tomorrow, may be bit a warmer, but also a bit windier where we are now, as the spirits move south."  He'd noticed a change in the air towards the end of their ride after the ant mounds.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:34, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

Wind, you say, Kobal? Could do with some wind in my hair for a change; and I'd like some practice with those nets in the breeze too. I'll join you in the dawn watch if that's okay.

Casting worried looks in the direction where Nixa and Sand Fox are headed, the word "horn" brings him alert again and runnaging among his belongings; from which he pulls a now very dry, old sable horn. As he settles in, he starts cleaning it and trying the edge of his sword cautiously against its tip.

"Aye," says Kobal to Hoskar, "now that you mention it, strong winds may be a boon for us against the harpies."  Then again, he'd had ideas about using his newly acquired pipe to blow a toxic gas into the harpies' den.  Strong winds might foil that plan...

Then he remembers the morokanth asking about other bison riders.  "Dark Claw," he says, addressing the berserker for the first time.  "Those other bison riders are a band of cursed Red Thorns who went one or two days ahead of us.  Broken Claw told us that they were seen riding hard, around the oasis a few days ago.  The Wise One sensed strong magic, and said that they were accompanied overhead by a spirit."  Just talking about them makes him angry.  "I hope we show up those shits.  Just so you know - they're not to be trusted."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:11, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

Amara glared back at the Morokanth "What's the matter, Dark claw? Do I pique your curiosity? Afraid of me?" she asked unsure as to what had made her the focus of Dark Claws attention.

"And you lot are?"




"I wonder about the Moon's glow that comes from you. Your hand is like a beacon, though I detect nothing chaotic about you."

He takes a swig from his skin before continuing "Are you a spy for the Red Moon? Tada's bloody eye?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:24, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

"I am nothing of the sort. I paid a high price to have my hand restored. It was a Lunar priestess that cured it. That my hand has some taint of the Lunar magic within it does not surprise me, but it should be fully restored soon and then the magic will be gone and so will the glow." Amara replied. "I'll be glad when it's fully grown and all this distrust and suspicion of me is gone."

Dark Claw looks to Tarnessh

"Does she speak the truth?"

Amara rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she guided her mount away from the morokanth.

Ohanzee is about to wander off with his sack when Nixa, Sand Fox and Salen depart heading back down the gully to check for any tails. He frowns and looks about with indecision.

He then climbs the wall on the left side of their camp and takes a look about before walking cautiously away.

Once he has check Carross over and groomed him, he leaves him eating the Tamarisk trees. He listens to what Kobal says about the weather and smiles at the thought of the harpies struggling to fly in strong winds. When he hears who healed Amara's hand, he can't help but interrupt, "I've got to say, I think I'd rather not have a hand than ask the Lunars for help."

Amara glared at Tarosh "I let myself be persuaded by others that the best thing for all was for my hand to be regrown. Given all the grief and suspicion and doubt that it has thrown in my direction, despite all of my actions to the contrary, I regret it every day."

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 172):

He takes a step back, "I wasn't having a go at you, I was just saying what I would have done. I'm surprised the others managed to change your mind though, as you strike me as someone who once you've made your mind up, you very rarely change it." He shrugs, "but then again, I hardly know you."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Tue 18 Aug 2015.

Tarnessh nodded. "What Amara said to you is the truth." He confirmed.

The Morokanth looks surprised at this, but doesn't contest the point.

"So anyone going to light a fire?"

Tarnessh smirked at Dark Claw. "I thought you'd never ask" He said. He (tried) to help to gather what tinder they could find for the fire and after having it set up, lit it with a spell.

"We walk the walk, and talk the talk.  Let me put it this way - if we have a problem with you, you'll know it.  Whereas others would rather sell you out, then slit your throat."



Kobal looks from Tarnessh to Dark Claw.  "Are you sure you trust what Tarnessh says?"  He smiles.



"Well, I was one who urged you to re-grow your hand, Amara.  For your own sake," says Kobal looking to her, though he speaks for Tarosh's benefit as well.  "And I would again."

News of a Moon glow is surprising, though.  But he keeps that to himself.  Then again, it probably makes sense, given that the hand is still healing.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:52, Wed 19 Aug 2015.

It's not long before Salen and the two Red Thorn brothers are back, carrying between them the corpse of one of the red skinned braves that made up the Red Thorn Shaman's war band.

"His name was Radu, a cousin of ours" says Nixa as they place him gently on the ground.

The dead brave is missing the lower part of his right arm and looks to have bled out.

At the news from the scouts, Kobal instinctively looks around again, searching for possible threats.

He looks too at Salen, Sand Fox and Nixa, for signs whether they've been in any fight themselves.  "What happened?  What did you find?" he asks.  He looks at the injury.  Was it a clear cut, perhaps as the result of the mandibles of a giant ant?

He walks over and looks at the body, "How far away did you find him? It looks like they're not even helping each other stay alive." He looks around, "Has anyone seen Ohanzee recently?"

"Found him in a gully not far from here, looks like he came from where the mounds of earth were. Maybe. No weapons or gear on him and no other tracks."

Looking up from the horn he's working on, Hoskar ambles sadly over; shaking his head. That's a shame. Maybe one day we'll have the tribes working together and this sort of needless death won't happen.

He sighs heavily.

So what sort of people will he have been travelling with? Animals don't often loot the dead and if there's no tracks, that leaves cleaned out by his companions or dropped by a harpy.

"He wandered off that way" shouts down paper from where he is keeping watch, pointing in a certain direction. "I can see the glow of a torch."

Henal seeing the dead brave carried back by the Red Thorn braves looks worried.

"We'd better keep a good watch. Did the others leave him or were they dead too and unable to do anything?"

He looks at the wounds to see if he can recognise their cause, then speaks again "Let's give him a proper burial at least. We are all still peoples of the plains even if they were serving our opponent".

"Radu was definitely killed by giant ants, judging by his wounds. He must have staggered to where he collapsed and died. Damned things stripped him bare. Dead a day or two, I'd say."

Salen speaks without emotion, stating the facts as he saw them.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:59, Wed 19 Aug 2015.

"Nixa, Sand Fox, I'm sorry for your loss.  As Henal says, we should give your cousin a proper sending off to the afterlife.  But a cremation in these hills may attract much attention.  If we build a pyre for him, perhaps it would be best to do it at day break, just before we leave.  Otherwise, we can bury Radu."

Kobal looks at the brothers to see what funeral rites they want for the Red Thorn.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:49, Wed 19 Aug 2015.

"Could you keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't get snatched again?" He shouts back.

He turns to the others, "Giant rats," he shakes his head, "Great, not only are there giant ants nearby but now we have to worry about giant rats as well, you'd have thought that all the chaotic creatures round here would have killed them long ago. Lets hope they're not bold enough to attack a group as large as ours."
He turns to Kobal, "I think that would be the best way to do it. We might see which way the harpies come from if the decide to investigate the smoke, that way it'll be easier to work out where they are based."

"Giant ants" corrects Nixa. "You heard wrong."

"We can burn our cousin in the morning like you said."

In reply to Nixa (msg # 188):

He sticks his fingers in his ears and ruffly cleans them, "I think the my ears are full of dust." he smiles weakly, "Its a relief we only have to deal with one type of giant animal."

"At least you can deal with giant rats. Giant ants don't care who or what you are." Tarnessh added.

"No matter whether it is ants or rats, the fact is Ohanzee will be kidnapped by them....or lose another limb." Amara said as she stood up from the fire "I'll go make sure he is safe."

Amara left the warmth of the fire, walking slowly towards where Ohanzee had chosen to remain, staying at enough of a distance to give him privacy, but be close enough in case he got into trouble.

"Aye no problems."




"He's over there."

Amara soon finds the source of the light, which is coming from what looks like a wide mouthed burrow of some sort.

8pm

Back at the camp, food is ready: meat taken from the slain herd beast back at the Giant Finger Holes and some of the precious water that must be rationed carefully.

The mounts seem content and for the moment the surrounding area seems to be quiet.

"I'm going to take another scout around. Anyone coming?"

Salen looks to Sand Fox and Nixa to see if they are interested, but anyone is welcome.

"It's quiet...perhaps too quiet. Flying creatures and ants don't make a lot of noise, I just want to...see."

Tarnessh looked around, and noticing that the coast seemed clear, spoke to those around the fire. "Anyone want to tell any stories? Songs? stuff like that?"

Amara's nose twitched in the air as she caught the whiff of something she faintly remembered. Her eyes flashed in alarm as she recognised the scent. Leaping bear. Amara sprinted back to wanr the others that Ohanzee has decided to go exploring a leaping bear cave

Tarosh points towards the hills, "It looks like someone is up in the hills, I can see, what I guess, is a camp fire."

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 196):

"Tell Ohanzee not to go in there then!" Tarnessh hissed to Amara as he got up to go after the Raven.

Amara looked at Tarnessh with a "do you really think if he was outside the cave I wouldn't have warned him look" before she picked up the rest of her weapons, moving back to the cave as quickly as she could.

Kobal remains where he is, chewing on a tough slice of meat.  "Be careful, Salen.  This place is more dangerous than most.  Don't go too far."  He peers at the pinpoint of light in the heights that Tarosh has pointed out.

He hears Tarnessh's suggestions of stories and songs, but is not in the mood.  Not when they sit camped in Chaos hills.

At Amara's hurried return though, he leaps to his feet.  With sword already at his waist and shield next to him, he grabs a few javelins before heading off after Brightsky.  Then stops, heads back to the camp, picks up flaming piece of tamarisk wood from the campfire and runs off again.  Having almost lost a leg to a leaping bear, he knows the danger they pose.  And he's a big man, whereas Ohanzee is one of the smallest among them.  Damn that reckless Raven!  If Ohanzee still had his familiar, he would've told Haaro to pass a message to his spirit.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:56, Thu 20 Aug 2015.

Kobal, Amara and Tarnessh head off to find Ohanzee and save him from what ever  bit of trouble he's in this time. Soon enough they're approaching the lip of an almost vertical tunnel. Streaming from the entrance is a bright shaft of light, more than likely seen for miles around.

Just like the fire back at the campsite.

Meanwhile some thirty metres to the South Salen hears a noise. Something scrabbling on rock.

Back at the camp Peat calls down to those in the camp

"Another fire has appeared" and there a hand's span in distance from the other dot of light can be seen one more...

"Hard for me to tell but looks to be high up."

As good a time as any, I suppose. Was going to wait for Melock, but that'll be a while. Smiling shyly, Hoskar remarks Well I've got that story I promised straight in my head at last. Why not.

I recall that we had lost our way, but not where we were going. The guides were embarrassed and casting around for anything they might recognise in the unfamiliar twilight...

...but he gets no further than this as the alarm is raised and action seems needed. Horn and hide. Maybe another night. Right. We could get caught between two stones here. Someone help me smother that fire or we'll not be able to see what's coming at us. Or anything that's out there. Dark Claw? You got any magic that'll put it out in a hurry?

Concerned to defend the mounts as well as for his missing comrade, Hoskar begins casting about for anything that would help extinguish the fire while murmuring a hopefully-reassuring magic to tell whether anything hostile is nearby.

"A fire high up, that could be something to do with the harpies then". Henal replies to Peat.

"Now I'm wondering if a fire was a good idea, but better use it if we have it going, only trouble is if we can see those then somebody else can see us and know that a group is coming even if they don't know who".

As Kobal, Amara and Tarnessh move closer to the hole, Amara dislodges a small rock and the light is extinguished moments later, just like the fire is by Dark Claw back at the main camp, the Morokanth using one of his charms.

As the Gods would have it, there was something out there. Salen had to listen very carefully but there was a definite sound - something scrabbling over rocks. Even in the darkness he could see shapes moving, approaching the camp and obviously out for trouble, but he...

Uh-oh.

Jack o Bears.

Hoskar's charm comes back in the positive, lighting up three large shapes to the south of the camp site, at the edge of the spell's range...

Ohshit.

Three big buggers heading our way. Get that fire out or we'll be sitting durulz, Hoskar observes; trying not to shout. Dumping earth on the fire with eyes half shut so he won't be light-blind when he faces a foe, he mutters his first defensive magics.

"Ohanzee! Get your ass out of there. What the hell were you doing?!" He hissed into the cave, trying to somehow shout quietly.

After he had pointed out the first fire and Peat had pointed out the second, Tarosh had stayed near Pear and was waiting to see if any more appeared, while waiting he collects a few rocks and puts them in a line that points towards the fire, so that when daylight comes he has a better idea of where the fires were. When Hoskar's warning comes, he turns and readies his axe but as the fire goes out he can't see a thing.

Henal hearing the warning shouts starts casting his defensive spells and looking to get his night vision back to throw a javelin.

"What is it coming?"

Tarosh decides that its better to attack from a distance first. So, hoping that he'll be able to see whatever is about to attack them before they get too close, he pulls out his throwing axes and cast a charm to magically multiply them both. "Someone might as well get the fire going again, since they know we're here."

There is a pause

Then the Raven's voice comes back "Damn it, can't a bloke get a moment's peace! It's never going to work now. Such interruptions! It's far too much to think it'd work, interruptions are no good at all!"

This is followed by the sounds of someone climbing closer to the surface.

Scrambling back to the camp as quickly - and quietly - as he can, Salen knows he has to warn the others. Resisting the urge to shout he instead mentally calls Mordy to alert the other spirits, while he whispers strongly his dire warning.

"Jack O Bears! Three, heading this way."

"That's a Leaping Bear den, you jackass!" He added as he reached out a hand to help Ohanzee out of the cave. "It's dangerous enough here without you looking for it."

Kobal cocks his head to one side for one moment, as he hears the relayed message from Haaro.  "Jack bears!  Three of them!  Heading for the camp!" he hisses to Amara and Ohanzee.  What the hells are jack bears?!

Salen's warning passes around the campsite, arriving just before the condor braves skids down the steep sides of the wide bowl shaped gully. It's still pitch black...

Over by the Leaping Bear burrow the four braves there also receive the warning of what is hunting them, and it's not good news at all.

Jack O Bears, chaos creatures of nightmare, rarely seen and often a quite fatal meeting for those concerned.

All of the Rangers had heard the stories of bear like creatures, tall and rangy, their hairless leathery heads parodying the wild pumpkins found at some of the Western Oasis. But these creatures were far removed from being objects of comedy, for they supposedly had the power to freeze a brave warrior in their tracks, to be eaten later at leisure.

To had to the sudden horror of their predicament a long drawn out howl fills he air, coming from the South...One almost immediately answered by another from the West.

"There's no leaping bear in here. I was fine till you lot..." He cuts off at the news of Jack O Bears "what?! Wait, did you say bears, more than one, three!? But..." again he is cut off, this time by the howls.

"Leaping bears?" He asks the three as they seem to know all about them.

Wha?

Struggling for night vision and not getting any, Hoskar is simply bemused. Why's it so damn dark? Don't remember it being this dark. Still, something big and bad is out there. Horn and hide. At least I've relieved myself recently this time.
I might have been wrong about that fire, people. Anyone got light?

Four paws? Can you guide me to Ram? Might as well charge down whatever-it-is.

Henal looks to see what he can in the dark.

"Rikki, maybe time to help me with this. Get me back to Whiteblaze as at least if we charge the things the bison will probably run straight over them. I wonder if my spell of confusion will affect them and stop them holding us?".
This message was lightly edited by the player at 10:52, Fri 21 Aug 2015.

Those howls don't sound like leaping bears...

Kobal returns to the cliff in front of the camp and looks down, peering into the darkness for any enemies, either from the south, or the west, that he can launch one of his javelins at, from his higher ground.  He has a quick look around to the east and north as well, just in case there's an attack from the other approaches.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:30, Fri 21 Aug 2015.

Rangers are running this way and that, stumbling in the darkness either preparing to fight, jumping on mounts or casting spells. All to soon comes the first scream...Long and blood curdling until it's cut off with an audible crunch.

Peat Bog!

Kobal arrives, firebrand in hand, standing on the North Western lip of the bowl, and with his attention drawn to where Peat had been standing guard on the far southern lip, the Thunderbird brave catches  a glimpse of something on the edge of his vision melting back into the darkness. Of Peat there is no sign.

Perhaps about to say something Kobal's head is suddenly engulfed in a flash of pale blue light and he drops the burning Tamarisk branch to the ground where it goes out.


With his attention on helping his companion up from the burrow Tarnessh misses the creature creeping up on them, as does Amara her attention perhaps on the departing Kobal. A flash of blue light causes the red haired brave to go slack jawed as a magical force takes control of her mind, causing her javelin to slip from her grip to land on the rock with a clatter...

Two more flashes in quick succession follow, but neither the Sun Hawk brave nor the Raven are captured.


There's a whoompf from the fire place as Glama ignites the combustibles lying there and immediately the camp site is visible, aided by him casting a charm on his shield that causes it to glow as bright as a lantern...
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:15, Fri 21 Aug 2015.

Peat? No!

Kobal! Anyone! Form up at them!

As the light flares back, Hoskar looks desperately round, seeking anyone he could protect with a slingshot or run to the aid of.

Salen will form up with whoever he can, Speedart a javelin at the first foe he sees then settle down for combat with sword and shield.

Pulling his companion out of the burrow Tarnessh checks his surroundings. It's pitch black now that Kobal has gone the twenty metres or so back to the edge of camp and it looks as if his torch has gone out.

There's the sound of movement close by and as weapons are readied the darkness is pushed back by the sudden relighting of the camp fire. As its in a geographical bowl most of it's light is trapped by it's steep sides and dampened by the night's magical force. Despite those hindrances both braves see two large shapes melting back into the shadows...

The Rangers mount up, all that is except for Tarosh who finds that he is joined by Dark Claw, the Morokanth beaming with happiness at the prospect of a fight

"Chaos, Tarosh blue arse, chaos!...You want to kill something you come with me..." and the creature drops to all fours and scampers off up the North Western exit and in to the darkness.

Meanwhile those on mounts form up.

From the darkness comes loud growls, grunts and groans, with it sounding like the bowl is surrounded by a pack of hungry creatures.

On the North Eastern lip stands Kobal, his arms hanging loosely at his sides as he stares slack jawed down at his friends.

"Where's Tarnessh?" calls Glama as he manoeuvres his High Llama towards where Kobal is standing. Thanks to the height of his mount the brave has a good vantage point to look out over the gully walls.

In reply to GM (msg # 226):

At the camp

He calls out to Glama, "Glama, chuck me a stone with light on it." Once he's got a light, he follows Dark Claw, Lets hope his hatred of chaos is greater than his need to even the score with me. as he runs after him, he casts a charm to strength his armour and tucks his throwing axes back in their holsters and readies his big axe to hit anything that attacks him.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:16, Fri 21 Aug 2015.

"Back to the camp! Hurry!" Tarnessh shouted, seeing the quick and jerky movements in the distance that often meant trouble. When he got close, he waved a hand and formed a light-wall to make it easier for them to see and hopefully blinding their enemies.

Tarnessh runs the twenty metres back to camp, arriving at the lip of the steep gully, exactly where his brother stands motionless. Immediately in front of him is Glama sat on his High Llama, his head level with Tarnessh's waist.

Below a long line of  light curls around the assembled Rangers, it's brightness accentuated by the pure gold figuring held in his hands. It's beautifully bright, illuminating the shocked look on Glama's face as the Blue Llama brave looks behind Tarnessh in horror...

Those below see Tarnessh's head engulfed in a blue flash of light.

"Behind you!" shouts Glama, hurling a badly aimed javelin out in to the darkness.


Meanwhile Ohanzee finds himself all alone in the dark with a very still and quiet Amara for company. Well not total darkness for twenty metres away it looks like daylight shining up from the gully silhouetting Tarnessh and Kobal from behind, and between them and the Raven brave a large, ferocious and feral smelling creature, whom luckily is focused on Tarnessh by the looks of it.

Plus Amara's normally red head is now glowing a lovely shade of blue, some sort of magical mist encompassing her head. Two bright blue eyes stare out at Ohanzee, seeing nothing or perhaps everything....

Tarosh follows the sound of Dark Claw running, his lit shield lighting up the narrow gully, throwing shadows this way and that. He's conscious that it won't last long and was just wandering what to do when he realised he couldn't hear the Morokanth anymore...

That's when the Jack O Bear landed on him, sending both it and the Blue Llama flying, luckily for Tarosh his axe shaft catching a badly aimed blow at his head at the last second.

He's on his feet in an instant and has an impression of a lean, hungry fur covered frame...Claws...and an insane looking head, all sinew, taught skin and mesmerising eyes.

There's a blue flash then it's on him, claws raking his arm before he has a chance to dodge or parry.

Suddenly a Leaping Bear burrow seems like a relatively safe place even though he now knows what kind of burrow it is and as this realisation comes to him he apologises to his clanswoman "Sorry Amara but at least you'll be out of the way! "

He gently pushes the strangely silent That's the worst part of it, her silence! girl feet first down into the den so that her fall will be broken by her feet and not her neck!

Then grabbing his gourd of boiled Goyo root he begins to apply it to his blade before trying to get the drop on the big critter.

Tarnessh jumped onto Glama's llama and took out his sling, then tried to shoot one off at the Jack O'Bear's head. He then realized that Amara and Ohanzee weren't following behind him as he had hoped, and it struck him that they were probably in great danger. It would be better to keep the Chaos thing focused on him and Glama then!

Tarnessh leaps on to the back of Glama's High Llama and as he pulls out his sling and begins to swing he sees his brother getting yanked back into the darkness, his body shielding the creature behind...

Those on their mounts see little apart from the sudden disappearance of their friend, too quick to fire missiles or charms.





In the darkness of the burrow Ohanzee attempts to coat his blade with the Goyo root venom.

Positioning himself in front so anything will have go through him to get her the Raven brave works at applying the venom, a foolish move for anyone not at home in the Darkness.

As he's finishing applying the venom Ohanzee hears what can only be what is attacking the Rangers moving past the burrow, dragging something along the ground.

Up the Northern line...

As the Jack O Bear rakes Tarosh's arm, he reels back, trying to keep away from its claws. Was that blue flash it trying to control me? It tries to slash him again, but he blocks it with a downward parry, which he extends in to a devastating attack on its left leg, severing it just above the knee cap. As the Jack O Bear collapses to the floor, it's claws manage to find their way through Tarosh's defence, only to be deflected by the armour on his left arm, leaving 3 parallel lines scored in to its surface. While its trying to attack from the ground, Tarosh sees an opening and with a mighty swing sends his axe in to the gap, splitting the Jack O Bear's head diagonally across its right eye.
He steps back panting and looking around for more of them, "Dark Claw..." the darkness rushes in as the light charm ends, "Oh shit.." Gripping his axe firmly, he stands still, listening for approaching enemies, while hoping for his eyes to adjust to the dark before he is attacked again.

"Aye I'm here" comes back the impressed sounding reply "Looks like you didn't need me there."

Taros gets the feeling that the Morokanth had used him as bait...

Tarosh can barely make out the Morokanth even though he's close enough to touch. Somewhere by their feet lies the hacked carcass of a creature until now Tarosh had only thought of as myth or embellished tall tale told to scare children by their mothers.

Behind them some forty metres along the twisting gully is the well lit campsite, and between that and them two or perhaps more of the chaos creatures...

At least no one is shooting at them and it seems that the Rangers are out of range of whatever magic had caused Kobal to stop moving. Stories told of the Jack O'Bears being able to Harmonise their prey, preventing them from doing anything except wait to be eaten...

Up the Northern line...

He jumps at the closeness of Dark Claws voice, "Good job I didn't need your help. Lets hope your more helpful when we find the harpies." He turns back towards the faint glow of the campsite, "Can you see if there are any of" he swings his axe round to point at the corpse, knowing Dark Claw will be able to avoid the axe if it gets too close, "his mates heading this way" He sighs, "Would you tell me if there are is the more important question." He slowly heads back to the camp, feeling the way ahead with his feet, all the time listening out for enemies. "So, that's one kill for me, none for you" he says to the darkness. "That thing was weird, have you ever encountered anything like that before?" He does his best to control his voice so it doesn't betray how much it scared him.

Ignoring the first questions the Morokanth laughs "In the Rubble...Once. It didn't end well, for us or it...Never seen a group of them though. Thought they were loners."

"Let's see how the other are faring" and he falls in next to Tarosh.

In reply to Dark Claw (msg # 242):

Up the Northern line...

"Well, that one did seem to be scrawny, maybe they group together when they are hungry?" He pauses to try and hear anything that maybe near them, "Lets hope the others have done as well as I did."

From the South West comes an odd barking cough, answered from the North West several moments later.

Several Detection spells turn up a lone attacker moving from the South West towards the West, somewhere out past the tall Tamarisk tree.

Of the other two there is no sign, so likely they are beyond the range of the charms.

In The Burrow

Ohanzee hears the creature first and concentrating on the area the noise is eminating from he manages to see the outline against the black star splashed rather than starlit sky.

He tries to move quietly, to take it by surprise but it is so difficult with virtually no vision.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 17:23, Sat 22 Aug 2015.

Amara took a deep breath as she discovered she could move her fingers and toes. As her strength regrew she looked around. A futile attempt to see anything as she was in patch blackness. IT was times like this she wished grimalkin was back or that her new cat had already found a spirit. Amara tried edging her way towards the entrance, using her axe to try to feel the way in front of her.

As soon as he realises he's lost any hope of surprise he calls for LIGHT

Sticking her head cautiously out of the hole Amara is suddenly blinded by the appearance of a wall of light that stretches from the edge of the camp right to the burrow. The charm struggles against the night's intense darkness, but helped by Tarnessh's strength of mind and golden High Llama statue it prevails.

Likewise it lights up the nearby Ohanzee, just in time for him to dodge, more by instinct than anything else, the clawed hand that appeared from nowhere.  By the time he's regained his sight the creature is gone, melding back into the darkness beyond the magical wall of light...

First a blue light engulfs Tarosh's head, then Dark Claw's. Both warriors stopping still, eyes blank....

Eyes still hurting from the light Ohanzee nor Amara can see no sign of Kobal. It's Amara who sees the fresh scuff marks heading South East from where they are. Scuff marks made from dragging something.

Uncertain about what to do next Ohanzee looks back at the burrow to see Amara appearing, thankfully without the strange blue glow "Thank Raven you're back!" he says to her.

"I think it's taken Kobal!"

"Follow the lightwall to get back to the camp!" Tarnessh called out. He then turned to Glama. "Okay, we need to figure out whether we go back to help Amara and Ohanzee, or go to the camp! You're the one steering this huge beast!"

Guessing that the lightwall came from Tarnessh somewhere he calls back "Can you cast your light beyond where they are so that they cannot run from it into the darkness?"

Then with no way of even seeing where the abominations are he heads for camp at a run "Come on Amara!"

Well I can see now, but I'm not sure that helps a lot. What in all the hells is going on?

Cat? Anything in your range from up here? If you can tell where any familiars are, now's a good time to pass it on. And if they head for us, maybe Ram and I can protect them too.

He looks desperately around for something hostile to hit or charge down; acutely aware the party had been left in the dark thanks to his own foolish panic. Oh what the heck? My fault: draw the danger to me, I guess. To me, anyone who's still free! Form up if you can!

Henal curses that so many Rangers are without animal companions now as it means having to rely on shouting in the darkness.

Rikki, can Haaro sense where Kobal is now?

He dismounts seeing how little chance there is of riding the jack o'bears down and to get the earth under his feet. Drawing his sword he looks out into the darkness to see what he can, but struggles with the darkness.

The manul cat speaks to its fellow familiars.

"Kobal was dragged away.  I can sense where he is, of course.  But he couldn't see what his surroundings are like, because it was dark.  He felt like he was being put down some hole, though.  There's something under him.  Perhaps another body.  That body doesn't seem to be moving - probably isn't alive anymore.  Sounds like meat storage."

Tarnessh attempted to do as Ohanzee suggested with the lightwall, gritting his teeth as sweat beaded on his forehead even in the chill of the desert night. He had not extended himself like this with his magic before.

Salen remains where he is, at the camp, with the few others gathered there.

"Let's stick together until hopefully some of the others show. Mordy, you detect any of our fellows out there? We can't go out after them, we'll be picked off one by one..."

Ohanzee and presumably Amara land amongst their companions as Tarnessh sends out another Lightwall charm some twenty metres out past where they'd just been. Tarnessh spots one of the Jack O'Bears running to the South West, on the very edge of the Lightwall's range, in all fifty five metres away.

From where Haaro is standing on the lip of the gully the Manul cat growls "Thats where Kobal is! Somewhere there where that creature is running too!"

The Rangers are quick to realise that Tarosh and Dark Claw have not come back from the North West Gully....

"If Glama and the camp fire can make enough light here can some of us go with a lot of light to find Tarosh and Dark Claw? It will need to be a few of us so hopefully those beasts can not freeze all of them before we slay them, or do we go to find Kobal first then seek those two?".

Henal looks around the other Rangers and goes to take a brand from the fire.

Amara nodded heading towards Haaro. Kobal would not be amongst the lost, though it sounded like Tarosh and Dark Claw might be. She thought she'd seen some muddied tracks heading in this direction, so the news from the Manul corroborated with what she'd thought she'd seen.

"Glama, come on! We can't leave my brother!" Tarnessh said.

Ohanzee grabs a torch and heads back off in the direction the creature vanished along with Tarnessh and the others staying on foot.

Using his high llama to gain access to the top of the gully Glama is soon heading off with Amara, Tarnessh, Orhanzee and Salen as they try to find Kobal.

Like wise Henal, Hoskar and Akala head off up the North Western Gully to try and locate Tarosh and Dark Claw, though unlike the others they remain on their mounts.

With the help of Tarnessh and Glama's various magical charms the first group soon finds another burrow in the ground, inside is Kobal, crouched over and going through the motions of eating something.

The burrow is empty, though the ground is dark with fresh blood, a trail of which heads off into the darkness to the East.

The second group find Tarosh crouched in the darkness mimicking eating something, tearing at it with his teeth. Nearby is a patch of blood soaked ground.

Of Dark Claw there is no sign...

"Come on, we need to get the one that has Kobal enchanted whilst it is eating. Not only because it is Chaos, but because we need to free him from it's control." and he begins following the bloody trail East.

Henal casts his magic to detect living creatures to see if anything is lurking close by.

"Do you have any magic to detect enemies to see where this creature that Tarosh mimicks is close by?"

"Rikki, do you see anything moving out there in the darkness?"

"Nothing master" comes back the reply, negative just like the charm cast by Henal. The Thunderbird brave does spot a trail of blood that goes up the side of the ravine to the West, meaning that to follow the three Rangers would need to dismount, or try and find a way through somewhere else.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:36, Tue 25 Aug 2015.

Kobal crouches in the dark burrow, hands braced like claws in front of his face, lips drawn back, teeth bared (including the gap in his teeth), his jaw moving up and down, throat swallowing from time to time.  His back feels damp, and there's the metallic smell of blood in his nose, though he can't turn his head or move his arms to feel his back.

He senses Haaro nearby.  Can someone help me?
This message was last edited by the player at 10:15, Tue 25 Aug 2015.

Haaro pads its way between the humans who have found Kobal.  Looking at its master devouring some unseen thing, the cat hisses once, but otherwise doesn't seem too anxious at the situation.

Amara tried to help Kobal to his feet. "What are you eating, Kobal? I thought the Jack O bears were of chaos? Why would you eat this?"

Kobal, unable to answer and obviously under some magical curse, continues tearing at imaginary food, every now and again straightening up to look all around.

Ohanzee pauses and looks back at the others responding to Amara's words "There's nothing there, he's under the control of one of the creatures, mimicing it's actions. We need to release him by destroying the thing, come on!"

North West Gully

As Tarosh mimics rending flesh and eating it. Flash, a spirit bound into a crystal, speaks, "Help Tarosh, he can't stop what he's doing." Tarosh briefly stops eating to scratch his nose, then carries on.

It's unnerving being in control of your mind, but not your body.  Kobal continues to gorge hungrily on something unseen, his mind trying to stop, but not a single muscle responds to the thought impulses.  A prisoner in his own body.

Henal looks at Tarosh "Anyone able to break this enchantment?"

"Lets dismount and follow that blood trail as it will lead us to Dark Claw and the jack o'bear"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:38, Wed 26 Aug 2015.

Hoskar tries a weak charm of dispelling that he has but it does nothing to free their friend. Akala on the other hand finds a way up for their mounts and says he is unwilling to leave his Rhino when he can ride.

Soon the three braves find themselves scouring the ground for the blood trail which after a few halts leads them to a patch of boulders, where after the customary detection spells are cast comes back clear of foes.

Behind it they find what's left of Dark Claw, the Morokanth's body having been torn limb from limb. All that remains is an eviscerated torso, his backpack, weapons and magical waterskin.

Leading from the body are two faint trails, mere spots of blood and gore, both heading off into the Wastes to the West and South West.

The skin has been torn open and it's contents drank, whatever magic powering it now gone like the wine. There's a heavy lead maul, with a magical matrix of bludgeoning carved on it's head. The pack holds a few personal items, a small lead idol, a leather pouch, a bone knife, a carved bowl made from a gourd, binding rope and two stoppered gourds. The few bits of hide armour he possessed are ruined and lie scattered about the ground.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:56, Wed 26 Aug 2015.

"Two trails of blood means its likely to be two of the creatures still out here. I'd not want to go following them with only 3 of us here. Let's take up Dark Claw's magic and try and lead Tarosh back to the camp so we can regroup and try and start killing the Jack O'Bears before they come for more of us".

Henal quickly gathers Dark Claw's equipment and remounts to head back to camp.

When the three braves get back they find that Tarosh is gone.

As everyone decides what to do, the first of the Lightwalls goes off, leaving the campsite lit by the fire, which is still being tended by Nixa and Sand Fox.

Glama, on foot, his High Llama back where he left it at the camp, casts a light spell on his shield "I will guard Kobal"

Mordy reappears from the darkness "There's three of them and one dead. One's a big one, scary big, others are smaller and running around the camp, this way and that.

Big one's eating Peat Bog, over there. She's watching you all from up high."

"Up high? Where?"

Salen can't really grasp all that his familiar is telling him. There is just too much confusion at the moment...
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:11, Wed 26 Aug 2015.

Henal looks to see if he can see any tracks left by Tarosh and the direction that he was heading.

"Maybe he headed the way that those creatures did to the west"

"If they are enchanted to act the way the creatures are acting, then we should be able to tell if they are moving and in which direction. Maybe that could help us." Tarnessh pointed out.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:10, Wed 26 Aug 2015.

Mordy barks once and replies "The ground rises to the North. She's sat on top of the rise, eating and watching us."

In good hunting form the dog points out into the darkness with it's body.

From out of the darkness comes the sound of the odd grunting noises made by the Jack O'Bears as they charge about the darkness.

In the North Western Gully Henal soon finds signs of where Tarosh has clambered up, this time heading towards the North East.

Frustrated that the others are not following Ohanzee waits a few paces away along the blood trail and it is from here that he hears the spirit in Mordy speaking through Eyota after hearing Tarnessh's suggestion.

To Tarnessh he answers "We should be able to determine what the one controlling him is doing, but not where. If it was looking at him and he at it when it took control then it walking forward would bring them together, but anything other orientation and it would be quite different."

And then at Mordy's words he carefully places his sword on the floor so as not to rub the venom off and takes up his crossbow "This is strange, so many together and a bigger one. I think she's commanding the lesser ones. Tarness, can you cast light over there? Not till we are ready."

"Amara put venom and enchantments on your javelin and anyone else with cutting missiles."

"I can cast a light-WALL. Not Light. I could also make a fire if we had kindling over there." Tarnessh explained. "Still, a light-wall could help."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:17, Wed 26 Aug 2015.

"Do we keep following Tarosh in case he leads us to a Jack O'Bear? I think that might be best"


"Rikki, tell the others that we have found Tarosh, but he moved from where we found him mimicing the Jack O'Bear. We want to find them first to kill them if we can avoid the others being eaten. Tell them Dark Claw has been eaten now".

Soon word is passed around and both groups know where they are in relation to each other. In answer to Henal, both Hoskar and Akala agree that they should follow Tarosh's tracks. Thanks to Tarnessh's lightwall they are able to locate their companions quickly and join forces once more.

By the sounds of it the younger Jack O'Bears are circling the camp, keeping on the move and rounding up Harmonised victims. The mother, if that is what she is, seems to be over seeing the whole proceedings from a distant vantage point. Of Tarosh there is no sign, his tracks leading straight towards where Mordy says the high ground is...

Now to make some plans.

"We should stay near our Harmonized brothers. The Bears will go after them, and they have the advantage in the darkness. If we hold to a couple positions and keep our surroundings lit up, we might have a chance." Tarnessh suggested.

"If we kill enough of her young, the mother will be angry and come of her perch and then die at or hands" said Amara as she prepared her javelins.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:39, Thu 27 Aug 2015.

Simultaneously Kobal and Tarosh suddenly find themselves released from their mental bindings. Both braves fall to their knees gagging at the memories of eating human flesh...

Kobal in the burrow, it's entrance surrounded by his friends, whilst Tarosh finds himself somewhere out in the darkness.

Alone in the dark

As he gags, Tarosh stuffs his fingers in his mouth to reassure himself that there isn't anything nasty in his mouth. He slowly regains his sense of self and stands up. Looking round to get his bearings, he see's roughly where the others ate and is just about to call out to them when he thinks better of it as the only weapons he has on him are his throwing axes, so instead he slowly amd carefully makes his way towards them.

"Or if she has the intelligence that she seems to have she'll decide that this is too dangerous and call her children back to here as she vanishes into the night."

"No, we should kill here from here, with missiles and they'll be leaderless."

Henal takes up a javelin and applied goyo root poison to it.

"Now we just have to find the creatures before we can fight them".

Kobal gasps and spits a few times.  His mouth doesn't taste of flesh, or blood, only dirt - but you can never be too sure.

He staggers to his feet, feeling a bit weary after that fixed crouching position and ravenous eating.

He turns to make his way out of the burrow.  "My shield!  My javelins!  This Chaos spawn must die!"  He turns to look at the others for a moment, and says between gasps, "The leader - it was camped on a mound near here.  It started to come down from the mound, then I could move again.  I think it was heading down further, under the ground."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:51, Thu 27 Aug 2015.

Tarnessh ran over and embraced his brother. "Thank Waha and Storm Bull you are alright. Don't you worry, we'll have vengeance on all of these fucking beasts for what they did to you and Peat Bog." He paused for a moment. "And yeah, I guess Dark Claw. He was an arsehole, but still."

He thought of what Kobal said. "I think we should wait for daylight to go into the burrow. Maybe we could start a fire in the entrance and smoke them out!" He suggested.