"We should press on, no telling how long, if at all they'll wait before killing our braves. Whether Melock was allowed to mount or he was in no state to walk and was put on a mount or carried makes no difference."

All present now spy a hawk hovering out of bowshot range to the North, in the direction of the Village.

Examining the ground the braves can't find anything that might show what happened to Melock as the ground is scuffed by many feet. One fact is clear and that is that his prints can't be found anywhere in the vicinity after a certain point.

Ohanzee holds up the clay disk with the face directed towards the hawk and then presses on.

In reply to Kobal (msg # 22):

Hoskar nods again. Again, you're right. Mostly. Adopting an overplayed mournful expression complete with hand held to forehead, he continues it's my destiny to fit nowhere. In the city, I'm too nomad, here I'm too long away, hard and cruel fate that it is...

...unable to keep it up, he chuckles ...but mostly, it's just Issaries Goodword in me. That and Condor. Fit in the cracks, look for the deal. Some of it's just show, you know: if people think they're dealing with an over-friendly fool, you can get more past them sometimes. Take those baboons back there - they might recall an idiot who gave them baccy for nothing or they might recall a friend. The first way, they'll be easier for me to negotiate with when they underestimate me, the other way, they might help me back one day.

And I do plan to treat the Sun Worshipers respectfully and friendly-like. Sounds like there's more of them than I fancy fighting.

The Rangers continue on, passing beneath the steep cliffs of the dried river valley they now find themselves in. At last turning a bend they spy the settlement ahead, it's 3m high walls catching the late afternoon's sun.

It sits on the river bank, the walls protecting a score or so adobe flat roofed houses within. Spread along the valley are fields filled with the remains of harvested barley, grapes and still occupied vegetable plots and date plantations. The now somewhat traversable valley sides hold more grapes, a large beast fold and nine windowless towers on their summit, varying in height from 9- 12 metres.

If the settlement has a gate it must be on the other side to where the Rangers approach from.

On the journey, Hoskar has been busy; divesting himself of heavy armour and replacing it with his best Pavic clothing. As the walls of the settlement come into view, he dismounts and walks beside Ram, having pressed his forehead once again to the beast's horn murmuring easy now - treat them like children.

So. We play this as friends I assume. Or good nomad bad nomad? Or I put the armour back on?

"Sky Bone Blue used to say that they were a proud lot, the Sun folk," Temush Recalls" most apt to get peeved if young braves rode up their lanes as if they ran the place. I think we should leave the mounts with a guard and just take two or three of us in to show the pass and ask for our friends back.

It would do no harm if we had a gift of some sort to put to the 'host cost' Melock and Amara. I don't think I have such a thing, but I'll check my gear.

You know I'm not going to lie, so if you choose to, don't make it a thing that they can ask me to tell them is true or false, eh?"

In reply to Temush Blinking-cloud (msg # 29):

Host cost? Oh actually I think I get it - the price of holding them captive like food plus wear and tear on uniforms and such. With a resigned look, Hoskar fishes out a few gold coins from an obscure pouch about his person.

Think a few of these might suffice? Melock's paid for his part of them already, and I'll trust to Amara's credit. My share of the profit on the tea might just have gone up.

Any tips on how we do this? I was thinking dismounted slightly dim trade negotiator whose friends went missing.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:31, Mon 27 Feb 2017.

"We walk in?" asks Kobal.  "I could understand that for Corflu.  We were there for a while, and I wouldn't have trusted anyone there with my bison anyway.  But this is a smaller place and we're just going in to get Amara and Melock, then leaving.  Sure, I won't act proud or cause any fight, but they'd be used to people riding in now and then, right?  If we walk in out of the Wastes, that's going to seem even more odd, isn't it?  Plus, if things don't go well, we might have to leave in a hurry.  But you seem to know these people best, Temush.  We'll be guided by what you say."

Ohanzee looks strangely at Hoskar and Temush. He keeps his voice down as he says "Have you two been touched by too much Bright Treasure?!"

"The disc is from their khan of khans saying whoever has it can pass unhindered. You don't have to be rude, but if you start even thinking that that is not enough to get the others back then they'll start thinking we don't have the right to hold the disc."

"Start offering gifts for their trouble in taking the others then they'll know we don't!"

"Yes, but Melock and Amara had no disc disk when they were found," Temush sighs " we want them to stretch the bounds of who the disc means a bit. And don't hint at doubts on our right to have it in front of me."

Several heads can be seen popping up from behind the wall, settlers observing the Praxians for sure.

Henal looks at them "I've no love for these settled folk, but it may be wise to take something as a trade gift even with the disk".

"No we don't. They are with us. we have the disc "so they are covered. Or way is to have scouts and these yellow hairs know that. You want to show weakness because you are not initiated." He looks at Hoskar "and not are you. Neither are good choices to represent us here."

He looks at the others pointing out those who are initiated into Waha "Should be one who is initiated."

Noting the heads Ohanzee growls quietly and then hold the disc up for them to look at and moves off to find the gate.

As he does so he calls out in Praxian then trade tongue "We have the right to be here by birth and by your Khan."

Temush checks that the mounts are not going to be nibbling the grape vines and then sits down to watch. "Fine, do it your way" he grumbles at Ohanzee's back "I'll mind the beasts."

Several helmeted men stands up on the wall, Amara in amongst them. One, perhaps an officer calls out in good Praxian

"I will not deal with one who worships Darkness. Your words mean less than the Rhino you ride's shit."

"I think Temush is saying we should have a backup plan, not ride in and offer them gold immediately," says Kobal.



"And neither are you a good choice, because you are a Raven."




"I think Temush should-" Kobal starts, but too late, Blue Arm rides off and shouts out to the settlement.  He shakes his head.



"Come on," says Kobal, "they've already seen us, so no point staying here."  He rides off after Ohanzee.



Catching up to Ohanzee, Kobal calls up to the one who spoke.  "Will you deal with one who follows Bright Treasure?"  He beckons to Temush.

Then, he looks to Amara.  "How are you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:45, Tue 28 Feb 2017.

"Stay there, come here..." the pygmy mutters making his way over to Kobal "keep quiet, speak up, bulls! what a life..."

Reaching the others he looks up at the wall touching his head cloth "Good day to you Khan" he says to the officer "I follow Sun Hawk, My name is Temush Blinking Cloud, of the Ostrich Folk"

"Hail Temush Blinking-Cloud. Have you come to raid my settlement? You are dressed for war and one of you" here he points to Kobal "Is wearing the armour of my people."

As the man speaks a small forest of long spears rise into the air behind him. Forty in all.

That's all you know Hoskar mutters, but it seems too softly for Ohanzee to notice.

As the Raven brave goes ahead, he offers his usual prayer Issaries grant us the good word in this meeting making the God's rune with his hands and offering of his spirit

Following on foot and leading Ram, he's not at the forefront of the meeting, but visibly holds wide his hands, empty of offensive weapons. With his arms apart, his shield no longer covers his body so all can see the garb of a city boy and trader, not the armour of a raider.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:10, Tue 28 Feb 2017.

"Ha,ha," Temush attempts a chuckle at what he takes to be the commander's joke, but it comes out a little forced. "No, we have not come to raid you Khan, we have made no raids of late. Kobal here has just come to find out why two of our braves did not come back. I trust they have done no harm and had none done them"

"Your Raven has taken a beating or two, but it was well deserved and he is now locked up so he can not cause any trouble. Your companions, just like you, are trespassing on our lands and shall be dealt with under our law."

Temush glances at Kobal to see if he wants to add to the conversation while replying "I hope we will not take up so much of your time, Khan. We have a pass here from Quintas Pelorias that gives us leave to cross these lands with no tax or stop put on us."