'Ot Po'Tato takes in the other Rangers and after sending a large smoke ring in Kobal's direction asks "This your lot, don't recognise any of them. Dey Okay?"

"Looks like we'll not be squishing these ones." Ohanzee says to Feldspar as he guides him forward.

He looks down at the monkeys from the Granite Rhino "The Walkabout Troop hey. Any of the We Seen The Sea Troop manage to hook up with you after the bloody Basmoli ripped them up?"

Henal rides forward to join Kobal and Ohanzee.
"Hail the Walkabout troop. We managed to avoid fighting a bunch of Ogres we heard had been raiding down here, they must have been the ones that had been burning the farms down here and killing the yellow hairs".

"Bags I not tell the Snowspear her girl has been caught" Temush says nervously, "but we might need Avalarn to set things straight with the Sun folk. They grow many spears in this country" 

"Nope, we'll just flash that clay disk with the writing on it and they'll have to let them go."

"Golden beards, huh, Wise One?  I've no love for them.  Though we're riding with some sun worshippers at the moment.  I'm sorry, we can't stay for the last rites for Hash Fa'Kash.  We're in a hurry.  Which way did the golden beards head?  How many were there?  Many spirits with them?"



Kobal looks back.  "Oh, I thought you might have known one or two of them, but you're right, I don't think you've met these before.  Maybe Hoskar here...?  Anyway, they're good people.  Some of our band have taken their Last Ride to the Happy Hunting Grounds, but Greeshar is still around, riding with other of our growing band of Rangers."  He introduces each of the Rangers to 'Ot Po'Tato, and the old shaman to the Rangers.  "The Walkabout Troop are friends of the Rangers, and a good mob."  He turns back to the shaman.  "Unfortunately, Melock and Amara, whom you've met before were the ones taken - if you got close enough to recognise them.  Amara's red hair would have stood out at least."



"I think we'd best try to rescue Amara and Melock without going back first.  It'll only darken Angelika's mood - and hurt Amara's standing among the Vingans, I think."



Kobal looks at Ohanzee.  "Uh, wasn't it Melock who had the clay disk...?  Doesn't seem to have helped him."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:21, Sat 25 Feb 2017.

"Was he? Well that was a waste then, can kiss that goodbye then and we were offered good trading for it too."

He looks back at the baboon "Nice meeting you, but we need to go fetch those two. They think they're in trouble now, wait till they get back to our queen!"

The shaman belches out some acrid smoke and nods his head in the Baboon negative



"Ah, we saw a group of outlanders a week or so back, must have been them. They had prisoners."



"Three hands or more, one had a powerful spirit in a Hawk. They went back the way you have just come, maybe a bit to the left when you came from the right. We didn't dare leave in case they were waiting for us."

Ohanzee eases his mount close to Hoskar's and unseen slips a hand into his pack. "Here is!"

'Ot Po'Tato points a gnarly arm northwards "They went that way, best be quick."

"Right Feldspar, let's go save them!"

"Come on Rangers!"

"Thank you again, Wise One," Kobal bows to the shaman.  "I'm sorry we must leave without time to spend together.  The gods and spirits smooth your path, and bring Hash Fa'Kash swiftly to the Happy Hunting Grounds."



"Wait, Ohanzee," calls Kobal, riding up beside the rhino brave.  "Time is short, and this seems like a large party of sun worshippers, so it looks like we'd best try that clay tablet.  But be careful.  It might not work as easily as we hope.  This rhino you ride will certainly attract interest.  I am not of the rhino tribe, but even I can tell it is a glorious beast.  If these sun worshippers see it, they might try to bargain for it as ransom for Amara and Melock..."

Hoskar has been busy with tobakeh and the barest hints of dreamweed and kafl, producing something mellow. Winking at the Wise One, he finally remarks We're good. You're good. Respect. A mellow smoke, this. My own brew and yours for free. If you ever need work from an Issaries, tell them you get the Pointy when they take the piss. Then act mysterious He winks.

Never met a Baboon I didn't like. Assume you know these excellent ones from before. Glad of their acquaintance he murmurs loudly to Kobal, before adding more generally, glancing at their Baboon hosts, Three hands of experienced Sunny Boys might be a bit much even for us. Think we could maybe handle three each, but on those odds might need diplomacy. We might need our rescued friend in this negotiation , even though anger blister our faces when we return.

"This'll work" he says holding the pass up like a talisman "if you believe in it and they do. it's all about how you present it too I reckon. As for Feldspar, he was sent by Great Rhino, he waiting for me and he recognised me. I wouldn't like to be anyone but me who tried to lay claim to him!"

Henal looks around the others "no time to lose then lets get after them."

Kobal nods, both at Ohanzee and Henal, and rides off in the direction that 'Ot Po'tato had indicated.

Hoskar shrugs.

Fair enough, Kobal. Hope I do better with the talking this time than back at the Finger Holes with the Red Thorns.

In honesty, I didn't much fancy seeing the lady Angelika two Rangers short in the caravan.

He nudges Ram on to follow in Kobal's dust; calling sorry we can't stay to share that smoke. Enjoy! back toward the Baboons.

Kobal reins in Black Hoof a moment.  "Sorry, Hoskar, I owed you a reply.  You can go back and fetch the girl, if you want.  We're outnumbered and I think one less in our number until you catch up won't change things much.  But I think we might risk more if we all go back for the girl than just losing time, and Angelika's anger: if this tablet doesn't work and we need to rely on the girl, there's no guarantee what she'll say.  Will she help us, or simply rush back to her own people?  Will she tell them about a rune priestess travelling on the outskirts of their land with some merchants?  Angelika was eager to pass through these lands untroubled."

He pauses just a moment for any response before kicking his bison ahead again.

It's not long before the Rangers have picked up the trail of the Sun County Militia. Amongst their tracks are those of Amara, Melock and their two mounts.

Though Melock's suddenly vanish as hey reach the dried river bed. The rest of the tracks continue down the riverbed, towards where the Sun County village spied by Temush must be.

Here also is where Hoskar must leave if returning to the caravan.

Thinking deeply, Hoskar offers no immediate reply to Kobal other than a nod of thanks; but when the point of no return is reached, he squares his shoulders and continues with the others.

You're right, Kobal he remarks. You've thought of a lot more angles than I had. I might be a decent talker sometimes, but this is why I'm no leader.

"I'm not certain I'm right," laughs Kobal, scouring the area for any signs for why Melock might suddenly have to be carried on a mount.  Was there a scuffle?  Did he fall to the ground?  Is there any blood?

"But," he continues, "I don't seem to trust the girl as much as the rest of you do.  (And I don't know why you all trust her, haha.)  You, Hoskar, seem to take more of a view that each stranger you meet is a friend until proven otherwise.  I'm not quite so sure.  (I think you spent too much time away from we Dedra and our ways.)"  He pauses a moment is his speech, then turns to the look more squarely at the brave.  "You know what is strange?  That Amara decided to continue down here even though even the girl didn't want to come down.  Firstly, what was the point of it for Amara?  Secondly, why didn't the girl want to come here?  Afraid whoever attacked might still be around?  Or was there some other reason...?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:29, Mon 27 Feb 2017.