Aelynia made her way over to Joseph much more quickly than people could normally move.  By the time she arrived he had already used his wand, but still she knelt beside him, already praying that Ilmater would would take his suffering.  How she wished now more than ever that she had some talent or magic to heal.  At the end of her prayer she opened her eyes and looked Joseph over from head to toe and quietly asked, "My friend, are you all right?  What can we do for the poison?"

"I...  I don't know...  I could have asked a spell of Mielikki, one that would slow it's course, but it is too late now, I fear.  I...  I just have to fight it, I suppose," Joseph whispered up at Aelynia, his eyes trying to look into hers, but he found it hard to concentrate on anything now.  "Just... hold me," he quietly whispered, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Doing as Joseph asked, Aelynia sat on the ground and placed his head on her lap, hoping he would regain his strength enough to fight the poison so that he would be able to be moved soon.  She was strong but she did not know if she could help him sit on his camel with him this week.  Absently stroking his hair in comfort Aelynia looked around at the others and quietly-as if she were afraid she would interrupt Joseph's rest-said, "Until he can be moved or is sufficiently recovered, which I pray will be any moment now, is anyone in need of assistance?  I am afraid I cannot really heal, but I have some herbs which can sometimes help stop wounds."

Under Aelynia's care, Joseph fought back against the poison, her touch having been just what he needed, it seemed.  He managed to keep his eyes open now, watching Aelynia with a tiny smile present on his face.

As the lizard died on the hot desert sands, Lysande practically ran to Tuar, checking how bad he had been hurt. "Tuar! Let me see how bad it is." Quickly she realized he was doing better than Joseph but the ranger had been healing himself already, so no help from her side was necessary. "Let me help you." she said, whipping out her healing wand, touching the youth's wounds briefly and sending healing energy through him. Her worried looks lingered on the healed-over skin and her silky fingers ran over it gently as if she had to touch him in order to be sure the wounds were gone.

Lysande caught herself then looked up at the wild half-elf and flashed him a brief, slightly confused, smile "There, all good now."

The sun elf almost slapped her head noticing Rend had taken some pretty serious wounds too, but she realized her reflex before her hand could finish the all-too-human move. "I have been together with humans for far too long." she thought while she walked over to the dwarf.

"Rend! I am no healer, but have something that will help. May I take a look at your injuries?"

"I'll excuse myself."  Alister turned his attention to Rend.

"Here Lynsande I'll help you with Rend."  Alister prayed for the divine powers of his god to heal the wounds of his comrade.  "That looks nasty."

---
Lay on Hands to Rend: 8pts of HP healed.

"Are you feeling better yet?" Aelynia asked Joseph after seeing the small smile on his face.  Since the others were helping Tuar and Rend she focused her attention solely on Joseph, continuing to silently offer prayers for his recovery.

"I think so...  A little, at least...  Thank you, Aelynia," Joseph whispered, and smiled again, all his worries gone now that she was holding him.

Tuar is slightly put off guard as Lysande runs toward him, checking his wounds with her expert touch.  "It's fine, Lys.  As long as you weren't hurt, my wounds will heal."  As she gives him her brief smile, the half-elf returns the smile.  Yeah, it's all better.  Thanks, Lys.

Red-eyed and raving in his own lunacy, Rend did not hear his compatriots worrying over him and continued to chop at the beast for almost an entire minute before suddenly falling on his bum to the ground in sheer exhaustion.  After a deep breath, he fell back and looked up at the sky until the red haze cleared from his mind's eye.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Mon 28 Aug 2006.

 OOC: Joseph, please make a Fort save to avoid secondary poison damage - Aelynia, you can make a Heal check to try and help prevent any effects, if you wish

OOC:  I already did, it's a couple of posts up from here.  I got a 24.

Lysande looked at Rend's wounds, luckily nothing mortal and Alister had assisted already. Nodding grimly to the human the sun elf proceded to activate the healing energy from the wand in her hand. Bluish light lit up on the tip reflected in the dwarf's face and soaked into the rakes the lizard had left in the dark flesh.

One application nearly closed them all, what remained would close after a good night's rest. "That is much better. We cannot have you fall apart after our first confrontation, can we?" she said with a wink directed at Tuar.

As Ha'laam mentioned relocating the camp Lys nodded "A good idea, it will also attract other predators we do not want to meet." she said with a look into the sky. Her eyes started tearing up from the bright light and she blinked them away. "Oh father, let me guide them right and true!"

Rend stared at Lysande with an expression of surprise, "No we can't can we?"   He stood up and cleaned himself off as best as he could before kicking the chopped up corpse of the lizard one more time and heading back to Beauty.

On the way to the new camp Rend drew his camel up to Lysande and briefly spoke to her in a near whisper, "I knows that I owes ya, have'n no fear tha yull receive yer doo."  That said he pulled back to the front of the caravan.

Getting to his feet, Joseph could soon let his camel take over most of the weight of his gear.  He placed an arm around Aelynia as they rode together, but he didn't speak much, remaining silent.

Alister countinue to ride towards the next camp.  This time however he decide to survey the place before looking for a place to settle down.

A confused face appears as Lysande winks at him, but Tuar shrugs it off without much thought.  He carefully looks around the desert, trying to see if there were any more likely enemies before he came back to the giant bird.  With a few moments of petting the bird to calm it down, the half-elf climbed up in his traditional riding position and moved it toward Lysande.  "Whenever you're ready, Lys.  I'll be here."

25 Elient, 1375, evening after dark

You manage to find another campsite, one less sheltered, but free of stink and the gathering horde of vultures.  this time, however, you scout the area thouroughly before setting up the tents. The day's afternoon to eveining travel is uneventful, though the sun takes its due, and you are glad of the night's rest.  For the entire day, and the one that follows, your Zhentarim observers say nothing to you, although they occasionally speak to each other in low voices.

A dark raggedy line along the southern horizon grows larger with each passing hour, and you recognize the northern reaches steep mountain range known as the Wall of Fallen Djinn. As you stop for the night, two days travel from the Black Road, Glim tells the group, "We should be in sight of the great rock by the dry streambed by tomorrow evening, or at latest, the following morning. I suggest we approach cautiously."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:59, Sat 02 Sept 2006.

When the group came to a stop for the night, Joseph quickly set up his own tent again, and after he had quietly told the group 'good night', he went to lie down, needing some rest now.  His sleep didn't come easy, though, and while it wasn't visible for those outside his tent, any who would catch a glance inside would see him sweating, even though most of his clothes had been discarded with.  Not only that, though, he shivered, and he didn't appear to be sleeping well at all.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:09, Sat 02 Sept 2006.

Making the rounds to see if anyone needed any help  Aelynia told everyone that she would take watch until the wee hours of the morning when she would need to enter her trance.  She asked if anyone would like to be awakened then to keep a watch over the campsite, and then she spent some time praying as darkness fell.

After waking Rend to take over for her, Aelynia went into Joseph's tent and saw him struggling with the effects of the poison.  Using just a bit of the leftover water she attempted to cool him with a water-soaked rag on his forehead.  She did not enter her trance until she saw him resting comfortably.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:47, Sat 02 Sept 2006.

Rend performed his nightly ablutions and took his watch as requested.

Tuar left the group as he had the night before, going into the wastes of the Anauroch.  He disappeared behind a dune only to appear over two hours later, completely soaked with sweat.  He moved into the camp, and without a word, collapsed into sleep.

Lysande made it a habit to send out Aluvendar as their eye in the sky to make sure there were no more nasty surprises hidden in the vicinity. Her attention then focussed on her equipment making sure everything was in good order.

Eventually she watched Tuar leave and followed the young man at a respectful distance. Watching over him when he performed his evening ritual the wizardess wondered about his thoughts and his past. Just as he finished she made her way back to the camp, trying to stay out of sight, not wanting him to feel observed or embarrassed.

28 Elient, 1375, Mid-morning

The next two days and nights are typical of Anauroch desert travel, although Aluvendar warns you of a group of oversized jackals feeding on the carcass of another giant lizard.  Travel late on the second day slows down as a strong wind begins blowing from the south.  Ha'laam provides a warning, "We must be watchful - a wind such as thees can portend the rih'ya mot, the death storm.".

The next morning you travel several hours toward the mountains, and by mid-morning, Glim brings you to to a halt at the top of a large dune. He points toward your goal almost a league distant - a giant boulder standing slightly apart from the mountain with a gnarled dead tree clutching the top of the great rock.

Though you are releived that your destination is in sight, you hear a shout from Ha'laam, and he points toward the south.  On the horizon, you see a roiling cloud of blackness...The wind blowing toward you seems seems to gather strength as you watch...