Coloring slightly, Judoc nods his head at Rondald's suggestion.  "Regrettably, my repertoire is focused more on battlefield combat and less on logistic support.  I agree, though, a mage with the power to create water would be an asset in this case."  The young mage makes a mental note to spend some time when he returns to Azer in learning a few spells in the Food and Water colleges.

Magnus nodded and gave something of an "Ah" sound when Odelia produced the lantern. He was in truth a little surprised that she had carried such weight with her on the road, given her small frame, but he reminded himself not to underestimate the woman. She was far from her native land, had presumably been alone and hired on as a mercenary of all things...a mystery to be sure.




Magnus pushed his chair back a few inches and stared in stunned silence, his mouth slightly open as the balls of light drifted about. He knew that magic existed of coarse, had heard the word Templar and Necromancer thrown about, but it had always been in a far off sense...he had not expected to see it thrown about so casually. And this was magic, not the parlor tricks or clever fingers of some street entertainer.

He looked about the room, and when no one else reacted he felt just a little embarrassed, but could not help but stare at the lights, his mind trying to make sense of a world that seemed to be growing stranger and more dangerous by the day.

"Ah."  The captain says, rummaging around a stack of charts that litters the corners of the office desk.  "Here."  He unrolls a somewhat smallish scroll on the table, laying it out in view for everyone to see.

The chart displays the country of Al-Wazif, mostly diamond shaped with each of its borders depicted in bold.  "Here."  Brashear repeats again, pointing towards the three way intersection between Megalos, Cardiel, and Al-Wazif.  "Is roughly where the fort is.  Most of Al-Wazif to the south all the way to the mountains is plains or badlands.  To our southwest are the Pillars of Heaven, to our southeast is little but a few small villages."  Brashear points at a pen mark just east of the fort.  "This is our estimation of where Tabuk is, a little village with which Giles has become acquainted.  Our guess is that the Necromancer lives some thirty miles east of there, just at the base of the mountains."  Brashear points again at the map, towards the northwestern edge of the mountains.  "Essentially, you should expect the mountains to the south, the River Mackarem a day or so ride to the north and mostly plains and badlands to the east or west."

OOC:  I've attacked the map of Al-Wazif in the Maps thread at the bottom which is linked below.  Tabuk is essentially just above the western most peak of the unnamed mountain range (not on top of it but north).  Brashear is guessing that the Necromancer's village is just north of the second peak from the west.

link to a message in this game

Giles had stood, listening to each of the people in the room speak and offer their suggestions, they were all good - even if it did wrinkle him that they thought Cutlass could be used as a mere pack animal.

He ignored the lights, having seen plenty of examples of such things in his own training, instead just grinned "Tabuk might be helpful and give us some opportunity to get information or resupply should we have means to pay for it. Their leader seems to be reasonably well tempered and pragmatic enough to trade with a bunch of Megalan people. But I would not expect welcome, or even rely upon it too heavily.

he said, thinking, and itching the talon scars across his face. "As long as we have food, fire and water, we'll be fine on the plains. The key is finding the necromancer's place... another pause.

"The bird, I think, if it can signal the location would be a great asset to our mission


OOC:

Sorry about the slowness, I'm pretty beat up atm and really just wanting to sleep.

Magnus stood from his seat and leaned in slightly over the table to get a look at the map. With one shaggy hand on the table his large dark eyes roved over the parchment, taking in the strange names and the general references to the few things he recognized on the western border.

"Looks like horse country..." he said softly, almost to himself. His head was filled with visions of men with bows, on fine horses and he suddenly wished that he had brought a shield, or perhaps a polearm with which to defend himself.

In reply to Raddek (msg # 16):

Rondald was familiar with maps, at least for the ocean, so he came to study this one in depth. The plains suited him to some degree, much better than a desert, at any rate, but the distance into the foreign nation did concern him. He measures a few details on the map before asking for clarification.

"So how far is the village from Quazr-as-Sawh? It is in that direction, right? On the map, from the description you have given, Quazr is another 70 miles. Is that about right?"

When the captain unrolls the map, Judoc gesture with a hand toward his hawk.    Then he turns his attention to the map, doing his best to commit the details to memory.  Mountains to the south, the river to the north, and plains and badlands on either side.  Finding the necromancer should be a cinch, and with Giles already having an in with one of the local villages, supplies should be a non-issue.

"Her name is Aiah," Judoc says, grinning.  "She's at least as smart as half the new students at the Battle College.  And, well, you know what hawk eyes are like."  As much as the mage looks down his nose at women as being somehow less capable than men, he takes special pride in his new companion.  Yes, this mission is as good as completed.

   Odelia, when the Horned One indicated that he understood what she meant, replaced the lantern back into the pack and secured it. Green eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the mage create a small ball of light without much thought. So easy ...

   She watched as the Megalosian Captain unfurled a scroll that showed a rough outline of Al-Wazif. Her eyes first darted to the right side of the map where the more populous settlements and cities lay. Emerald orbs walked from the capital, Azraq, to each of the major cities - Hadaton, Shanyibad, as-Suiassi &, Qasr-as-Sawh - before her gaze met the Captain's finger where the finger indicated where they currently were. She noted the mountains on the map, unmarked as they were by Megalosian scholars. She tried to remember the name of them; she'd been told when she was younger about them, but the name escaped her at the moment. Most likely, she'd remember sometime later and before she could inform anyone.

   Listening to the banter of the men about the area where the Necromancer lived while she stood off to the side, the young woman took stock of the others.  The man who made the light was confident, almost overly so as he spoke with a smile. It remained to be seen as to how quickly and easily they might find this mage and deal with him. Inshallah, she silently hoped, Our journey will be swift ...

   The young redheaded mage sounded more grounded than his friend to her. As long as they were well supplied, the trek into al-Wazif would proceed smoothly. The Wazifi patrols, if they came upon any, might be another problem. She was the only one who looked and dressed like she belonged in the country, the others were decidedly paler than the majority of the population. It was good that the young mage understood her language - any guards would dismiss him quickly, but speaking the Tongue of the Prophet as well as having a bit of magic might make them reconsider his importance.
Whether that was a good omen or a bad one, only God would know.

   The well-dressed member of their group seemed quiet enough and had only asked one question, so it was difficult to read him, outside of the confident and devil-may-care attitude. If all mages are this confident, the Necromancer might either be as easily dealt with as the overconfident One believes... or he might be their worst nightmare ... and death at his hands would only be the beginning.

   But something else bothered her ... She brought up a hand and extended a finger to tap on the veil where her lips were and rested her elbow in the palm of her other hand, the arm resting just under the curve of her bustline. Her brow crinkled slightly in thought as she looked towards the map.

Finn relaxes in his seat with his legs straight out in front of him crossed at the ankles and his arms bent at the elbows with his hands behind his head.  He sits leisurely having taken his turn at asking questions, now he observes as the queries continue from his new comrades. He assesses them as in turn they make their inquiries.  What a strange lot they are.  But as always Finn is optimistic and he is happy with the ideas and suggestions being bandied about.

He sits with his new friend making small comments under his breath as the meeting ebbs and flows.  Though he is suspicious of the minotaur his mood does not appear mean spirited.  Just then Judoc offers that he is more of a battle mage.  Finn laughs out loud and lightly smacks his friend on the shoulder.  "Well ain't we a fine pair!  I fancy myself, I guess more a squire than a knight when it comes to my book."  Finn looks around the room at large to gauge the reactions of his new comrades and then offers them a smug wink.  "I mean my book is more for helping than fighting.  But don't you worry none.  My magic's plenty powerful."  Then almost as an after thought when the issue of coalescing the fabric of space and time into drinkable water comes up Finn smiles which fades into a non-chalant shrug.  "Yes sir.  That is a mighty useful spell.  I have it all down.  Finger movements are perfect.  There's this little trick with bending the middle finger just so and wrapping it around your index finger.  Trips most folks up but not me."  Finn frowns.  "But the damned teacher wouldn't show me the right words.  A-hole."


OOC:
I the player am a little confused as to the route we're taking to get to Tabuk.  I don't need to know it but out of curiosity how long is it by foot?  And then the Necromancers lair is an additional 30 miles beyond that?

Finn is done asking questions and making suggestions, but he is curious to know what Giles has in mind as a grand plan.  Are we going in by force?  Bullying our way all the way?  Or sneaking through the countryside till we get there?  Or trying to make friends along the way?  Or something else?

Giles looked around and then added "We made a couple of nights camp before we came across Tabuk, we were not directly headed for it though and mostly searching around the countryside for signs of a potential enemy force but a more direct path would be perhaps a day ride.

Having said that, and as you all may have expected during this original mission all members of my team were mounted and riding horse. If we'll be heading that way on foot I expect the way to the village will be few days... he said then glancing to each member and assessing their ability to hike distances ... assuming we make way at a comfortable pace.

He sat down as if to take a more casual position within the mixed group and then continued "While I haven't personally seen the location where the necromancer is reputed to be, I expect it to be an additional day of travel. With the help of Judoc's bird, I'm sure we'll have no problems finding it.

As for the plan, well this depends entirely upon what we find on arrival. From what I understand of necromancers, and I would defer to our magic users here, there is the strong possibility of it having support from non-living things and judging by intelligence we have gathered so far, I would expect there to be some level of fortification, albeit relatively mobile.

Our goal is simply to eliminate the necromancer and so precision, stealth and surprise are our strongest weapons

Then, glancing to Finn, the man cocked one side of his mouth in a half-grin and offered we'll be sure to take plenty of water too





OOC:

I basically winged all of the times for travel based on what I assume GIles' knowledge to be. If i'm wrong, please do correct me GM (and assume that GIles told it correctly).



if i missed anything out do let me know OOC and i'll amend my post - concentration is a little off atm due to some rather damaged ribs.

Brashear follows along with the conversation, looking from Giles to Rondald as the small group converses back and forth.  "No, I don't believe so."  He glances back towards the map, attempting to gain a distance between his estimate of the Necromancer's village and Quazr as-Sawh.  "Just eyeballing it I'd say Quazr is another two hundred miles easily to the east, but I'm not sure how accurate the distances on this map are.  I could easily be wrong."

The captain waits for Giles to speak, then nods along in agreement.  "I think that's all reasonable.  Maybe fifty miles to Tabuk due east and another thirty to the necromancer?  Sounds reasonable to hike in two or three days if you are moving quickly.

OOC:  Sorry for the lame post, but I wanted to get something up. It sounds like we are mostly trying to iron out small details at this point so when ever you guys are ready, I'm ready to move on.  It sounds like the things that you all want to take from the fort are:

Horses (not confirmed yet, needs a fast talk roll)
Crossbow ammo
Food

I think that was it after lights were taken care of.  Let me know if there is anything else needed on an individual or group basis.

Also, Finn, for the directions, we are working fairly small distances on the map.  Essentially, the fort you are in now is at the middle of the 'M' in R. Makarem.  if you follow the 'm' in Makarem directly south to where it touches the mountains, that's about where Tabuk is, and about thirty miles east of there (about a third of the way along the mountain ridge going northeast) is where the necromancer is estimated to be.

If you guys are ready to move on let me know and I'll cut to the next branch in your decision tree.

Giles nodded I dont think it would be a quick trek, the terrain is harsher than we're used to. I'll talk with the quartermaster to see if he has any extra things available that aren't essential. he said, inwardly grimacing at the thought of hiking across that land that he'd travelled months ago.

The prospect of being hunted by a lion did not sit too well with him, or by men for that matter, so he would see if they could get more horses - doubtful enough for everyone but something, at least.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:10, Sat 03 Mar 2018.

Rondald waited until Giles was finished before approaching him.

"Tools to repair or make bolts and arrows may be very useful as well, and a small wagon to carry injured and our equipment might do even in place of horses in a pinch. Good luck with the quartermaster. Let me know if I can help..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:10, Sat 03 Mar 2018.

Finn walks about the room casually soaking in the details of the mission as they fall into place something like sands through an hourglass. He also soaks in his feelings of these people that he will work with. It feels like a good group and that comforts him. There is wisdom here, a quiet strength and a good skill set. As always he is happy to be working and happy to be here. And that he is paired with someone from the Templars boosts his already happy-go-lucky mood.

And as the discussion ebbs and flows the assembled team seems to focus on two heavy issues. The strategy of accomplishing their mission and their lack of supplies. It is to this latter point that Finn directs his attention. He finds laying about a piece of parchment and a chalk pencil and scribbles a few lines of needed materials, then makes his way to the front of the room. He clears his throat to get the attention of the captain. Finn smiles a friendly smile and holds out the piece of parchment before him.

"S'cuse me Cap.  I've noticed that the team has pointed out a few things missing that would help us greatly. If you could do anything about this I'm sure we'd all be mighty grateful."


OOC:
On the list is horses, a small wagon or cart, a Fletching kit and food.

This message was last edited by the player at 19:39, Wed 07 Mar 2018.

Brashear listens intently as the conversation continues with one after another of the group asking for item after item.  Brashear is at first surprised, but attempts to mount a reasonable refusal to Giles when he asks for a whole host of horses.  Just as quickly however, he is cut off by Rondald asking for armory kits and Finn asking for a cart with which to pull all their supplies.  Despite his good nature, it is easy to tell that Brashear is getting flustered.  His jawbones clench slightly as his eyes bulge darting from person to person, unsure of who to answer first.

However, it is Terri who takes the moment to speak next, her voice soft as she looks directly to the Captain.  "Please sir, we want this mission to be as successful as you do.  We are just trying to think of things that might be helpful.  We know we are all at the end of the whip here but if we don't ask for help then it is our own fault if we don't get it..."  Terri smiles softly and the anger in Brashear's face melts away in a moment.

"You are right of course."  The captain sighs.  "I wish I could give you much more, I really do but I have my own men to think about as well.  I'll let you take another horse from the stables for your supplies, and I'll talk to Rudyard, perhaps I can buy his cart outright before he leaves - he won't need to be taking anything back anyway.  As for the fletching kit, I'm afraid I have no room to budge.  Our armory has only a single set of equipment and it is imperative that we keep our own capability."

Brashear looks across the small group and smiles.  "The best of luck to all of you, really.  I will keep petitioning for more leeway in this issue and send assistance if I can do so.  But as for now I, and the rest of Megalos, are counting on you."

---

The group does not tarry overlong.  It takes some hour or so for Brashear to negotiate with Rudyard to procure his cart, for the group to check out a fortnight's worth of rations from the stocks along with a small quantity of firewood (for Tmentions how meager the flora is on the plains) and a fifty pound bag of grain for the horses before they start to actually make their way from the fort.  From the stables, the group checks out both Cutlass and another horse, Firebrand, this one a roan quarter horse with a three inch blaze running straight down his face.  There is little ceremony as the small group departs, two columns followed by the small cart driven by Finn, who seems to be the only one with much experience working with animals apart from sitting atop them.  Magnus is happy to find that the horses do not too much mind his scent, though firebrand snorts grumpily when he approaches too closely.

The thin, rolling hills of the plains are not overly difficult for the cart, though the group finds that their progress is significantly slower than the prepared surface of the path and the five miles southeast to the river passes in a painfully slow two and a half hours.

The Makarem sprawls out in front of them, its waters deceptively calm as little more than the pull of the water along the banks is visible to our adventurers.  Giles is quick to mention that though the waters are not turbulent, the current is swift, and on the two occasions he has made to cross it, the waters have been between chest deep to well over his head.

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing I've spent so much time on a ship!"  Terri interjects pleasantly.  "This shouldn't be too hard to swim across, though I wonder how well the cart is going to do..."

OOC:  It is 1400 on the 18th of March.  I have put together a thread for group loot so I can just copy and paste things there rather and try and backtrack after the fact when things are getting split up.  If any of you guys want to have some of your equipment on the cart than let me know and I will remove it from your character sheet and put it in the group loot thread.  I'm going to put some house rules together for traveling and other odds and ends that should be posted in the near future.  As it has been over a month since I looked at any of this, please QA that all of the equipment is correct.  If I have missed any equipment you guys were hoping on taking, please let me know asap so I can add it.  I won't add things once we are in the thick of the adventure.  Thanks again everyone for the patience.

One would think, given his appearance, that Magnus would possess all the robustness and stamina that one associates with big, fur clad animals...but it seemed that this was not the case.

The truth was that although he seemed healthy enough, Magnus had come of age following trundling caravans, on maintained roads over mostly level ground. Girded as he was now, with chail mail from neck to knee, an Iberian style mace and a newly acquired round shield from the fort, he moved with a lumbering stride as they plodded towards the shores of the The Makarem.

He had let the horses be, although he had at first eyed their hooves with an almost sympathetic expression, and instead walked along ahead of them, mostly silent, but at times sonorously hummed little rythmic snatches of tune to himself.

The beast man had slept fitfully after their encounter with the bandits, and although he had not spoken of it to the others he had been profoundly effected by the experience...the rest at the fort had been well received, and although he thought of it often, he had grown less anxious about it as the days had passed.

Now as he stared out across the river, he considered how bet to surmount it, and was already fetching some a spool of cord out of his satchel to secure some of the looser items to his person, and to ensure that his bag stayed tightly closed during the crossing.

"Anybody a really good swimmer?" He asked, as if wondering aloud who might go first.

Good Idea Magnus  Gustav also carefully ties his things down where they won't be washed away, using two pieces of string on the things on the cart to ensure they remain attached.

I never saw the need to swim... guess that was a poor choice on my part.

In reply to Gustav Du Meseries (msg # 31):

Rondald  was getting used to this hiking thing, and as ever, his wife proving better at diplomacy. He made a point of thanking her, in private, with affection that no others had any business seeing.(And no, for you dirty minds, they do not need to get a room for that!)

Gathering what they can, he pulls the cord out of his pack and ties it to that cart, and ties his waterskin to it as well.

The hike to the river is quiet, and he takes time to listen to conversations more than talk. Upon reaching the river he asks about a ford. failing that, he looks around for trees to make a raft. Not so much for himself...he and Terri can swim...but the cart probably does not float!

During the hike, Judoc travels along beside the cart, in high spirits of the certain success to come. He looks up as Aiah flies above them.  A smile breaks across his face. She is a magnificent creature, and he longs to take to the air himself, to feel the wind rush across his face as he flies along under magical power. How grand it must be to not need even magic to fly, to simply spread your wings and soar above the green earth.

When the party reaches the river, Judoc looks out across the water, judging the distance. "The horses can swim, and I can fly across. I can carry some of your gear if you need me to. But the cart presents a problem."

Turning, he examines the vehicle to see if it is seaworthy."Hm. How much would you say this cart weighs?" Judoc sets his staff down and tries a test lift. Frowning, he says, "Giles, remember that ritual magic we performed with Loke? If you, Finn, and I work together, we just might be able to move the cart across the river without it even getting wet. Let's see, at one yard a second . . ."

Of course, there is always the chance of summoning a rogue demon or something. Judoc grimaces, and then his expression becomes more considering. He had always thought Elliot had been the weak link in their magical circle, but what if Loke had been attempting to summon demons, and Elliot just took the fall to cover Loke's own necromancy? Or had Loke already been replaced by Agares at that point?

OOC: How heavy is the cart, and how wide across is the river?

Is there a better crossing place?

The conversation rambles on as the group makes a small impromptu break while they assess their situation.  The Makarem here is some 100 to 150 yards wide, it's waters surging and swelled from the last time that Giles crossed due to the heavy rains of the season.

Giles mentions that there are no fords that cross here, there is simply not enough traffic nor trade nor indeed much civilization at all on either side of the river.  There are bridges that span farther to the east, however the closest is over 100 miles away and would likely put them two weeks behind their schedule.  Likewise, building a raft or ferry from local materials seemed an impossible cause.  The scrub brush around is blooming and green but even the largest of the bushes only have limbs wrist-thick at best with most being no thicker than a thumb.  To make matters worse, the scrub limbs bend and weave like they had been snapped and grown back together, making them impossible to lay together.

Aiah, Judoc's red-tailed hawk alights on a corner of the cart, a shaggy and dirt ridden ground squirrel clutched in one talon as she preens her feathers with her beak. 

OOC:  Sorry, I think I got most of the details you guys were asking for here, but feel free to ask more questions if needed.

Large wads of Grass wrapped in water proof skins would do it, except I think I have the only water proof skin here ... and one will not do it... do we have a long rope?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:38, Fri 13 Apr 2018.

Finn Razzel thoroughly enjoys his time riding with his new found friends.  And what a motley crew they are.  A minotaur, a woman from far away lands and a varied assortment of locals.  Surely their talents are as varied as their backgrounds and that is a good thing.  Were they a band of soldiers they would lack magic, probably be shy of competent social skills and more.  Finn drinks up their personalities like a good wine as they travel.

As the miles pass behind them Finn focuses his attention on Judoc who he finds an instant connection with thanks to their being members of the Templars.  It is the common language they speak that puts them in a class by themselves.  Razzel flexes his curiosity by diving into stories.  ”So Judoc.  I bet you seen some real shit, huh?  What's your funniest story?  I remember this one time I was on a job.  And this lanky stupid fucker, Purvis I think was his name.  He got the incantation all wrong and instead of summoning food he turned himself into a woman”.    Finn tilts his head back and laughs heartily.

Some time later the merry group arrives at the relatively calm but powerful and wide river.  Finn stands up in the carts diving seat and rubs his chin thoughtfully.  He chances a glance back the gear stowed behind him, then at the horses and then at his comrades.    He begins expounding his thoughts on the matter.


OOC:
Due to time constraints I'll say my thoughts here instead of in the narrative.

Judoc, my story was for flavor more than anything.  I was trying to give a sense that Finn and Judoc are bonding.  No need to tell stories unless you want to.

Finn isn't sure if the cart can be moved by magic but he is willing to try if success is reasonable.  He does know some of the basics in Movement.

Finn sees the cart and horses as the greatest obstacle.  The horses in order to cross will need a good handler and it sounds like Finn is the man for the job.  But the cart is more troublesome.  If it goes through the water, being a box means it is going to trap the force of the current and need a strong force to pull it.  Finn worries about the horses being pulled under if they are tied to the cart.

His best idea is, if can manage 100 yards of rope, to get us all on one side with the cart on the far side.  We use the horses on the far side with our help to pull the cart through the water.  But as a group do we have 100+ yards of rope?  Finn has only a lousy 20 feet.

Gustav Shrugs, palms up

   The woman had spent some of her time when she wasn't attending to things like rations and replenishing her supplies for the coming journey, learning how to load and fire the crossbow she'd been given and using the targets that were provided in the small archer's pavilion. She practised usually when there were few guards about so the chance to embarrass herself was minimal. Most of the problem dealt with the fact that she simply wasn't strong enough to pull the bolt back as quickly as she'd seen some of the other crossbowmen do, and her determination to try had left her with sore fingers and a small blister on her left hand.

   Once they'd found what they needed and were ready to resume their trek into al-Wazif, she followed along behind the others, occasionally walking with the rest, while occasionally resting in the cart when her feet grew sore. She'd placed the small 1-person tent as well as a blanket into the cart to alleviate the weight of what she was carrying, and it gave the young woman a lighter spring in her step when she walked.

   As might be expected, she largely kept to herself and listened in on the conversations. Despite her feelings with regards to mages, she kept her distance from the three sorcerous members of the party. It was enough to hear their tales, either on the road or over the evening's fire. Practising, either with the crossbow or her preferred daggers, was done in the half-shadows of the evening. She also practised other talents, such as moving as quietly as possible through the grass and twirling her knives dextrously in order to keep her fingers nimble.

   When they came to the fast-flowing river, she quickly surveyed the situation. With little more than scrub and not a single tree in sight, getting across the river was going to be next to impossible. She didn't know if any of the others could swim, but it wasn't a skill one needed in the Capital of the Empire. Part of her had wondered why they hadn't traversed at a bridge earlier ... unless there was a magical way to get across, they didn't have the rope or much else to make their way over the fast-flowing water. She began to pace back and forth while she crossed her arms under her breasts and tried to think of another way to get across ...