Rend shouted to Ha'laam over the blowing winds, "Any chance we kin make tha boulder 'fore the storm hits?"

Over the last days, Joseph and Aelynia seemed to get closer and closer to each other, and when the group made camp for the night, they always spent it together in his tent.  And, when they rode, they were almost constantly whispering things to each other.

"Or find any other kind of shelter?" Joseph added to Rend's words, concerned about the storm, and what would happen should Aelynia (and the others, too, he supposed) be caught in it.

Lysande peered around looking for a solution to their problem.

"We better ride thru the dry riverbed.  Ahead of it there is rock formation ahead that could protect us from the storm.  Where a devil had been slain, if we are lucky we might find a cave there.  If not, another desert devil is waiting for our return."  Alister spoke as he spurs his horse towards the rock formation where he fought against the said foe.

---
OOC:  I think we're there, but if not disregard my post.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Wed 13 Sept 2006.

Tuar looks around and move his hand down to the cool hilt of his blade, a solution to most problems he faces.  Not all, certainly not all, but most of the problems can certainly be killed with a swift slash across the neck.  It's too early to determine if this could be one of them, but the cold steel, the only remnant of his father, gives him comfort as he looks onward, powerless for the moment.

Seated behind Joseph, Aelynia doesn't have as good a view as the others, but still she looks at the growing storm with dread.  With a slight shudder of her slender body she closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around Joseph and dropping her forehead to his back to steady herself while she focused on praying instead of staying upright on the camel's back.

Glim nods in agreement with the young paladin.  "You are right Alister, but we should be careful of any new guards that may be observing the ravine.  And my guess is we have a half an hour before the storm is upon us." The half-drow spurs his own horse to follow while motioning the others to do the same. Glim asks Lysande, "Can Aluvendar help us?  I am still training my owl, Rhest, and he is not the best scout in full daylight."

This message was last edited by the GM at 23:23, Thu 14 Sept 2006.

As Aelynia wrapped her arms around Joseph, she could feel how his strength was returning, though it would be some more days before he was as good as new again.

"_{Our Lady of the Forest, while I am far from your domain now, I beseech thee - aid your humble servant, and the one who have become so dear to me from this storm,}" Joseph whispered as he instructed his camel to increase her speed, wanting to hurry up and find cover so that Aelynia wouldn't be harmed - that was the most important thing to him, now.

Lysande raised an eyebrow thinking "Is this the Glim that we know? Did they exchange or brainwash him secretly?" surprise was written on her face as the ranger asked her -of all the people- for HELP. She bit her tongue and held back a remark, this was not the time.

"Of course." and with that she sent her familiar up into the sky to scout the vicinity and not farther than a mile. The bird was restless and agitated, he felt the danger in his bones moreso than the two-leggeds. There were a few words of protest before he took off but the raven understood the importance and he knew his mistress would make it up to him.

Tuar kept his sword out, just in case any of the black riders came upon the group.  He would have to be ready to protect the group.  That was what he was being paid for, was it not.  Tuar urged the giant bird forward, staying close to Lysande as the mounts followed Glim.  They would not want to be there when the storm hit, and Dom was already beginning to grow restless.

The Zhentarim are quick to follow Glim.  The smaller man's face is twisted in fear at the sight of the encroaching sand storm, and he yells "Wait for me!"

It looks like you will make the shelter of the rocks before the storm hits, but by the time you are about a mile from the tree-topped rock, Aluvendar returns from his scouting mission with an urgent message for Lysande...

Lysande's features changed to worried upon Aluvendar's message "There are three humanoids waiting in the shadow of the rock. They must be Black Scorpions searching for protection from the storm too. There is not enough time to turn back and look for another protective spot, but I am hesitant to confront them, too. They are only three, which is not typical and I am worried they could be more dangerous than they appear at first sight." The sun elf looked in the round "Oppinions?"

Rend tried to keep his voice loud enough to be heard over the winds, but not loud enough to carry to the Black Scorpions, "We 'ave no choice lass, that storm will rip us up far worse 'an any three buggers could!"

"Yeah, three guys are better than drowning in a sea of sand."  Alister rides forward mindful of the danger ahead.

"It's your choice, Lys."  Tuar moved his hands toward the huge blade at his belt.  With slight hesitation, the half-elf drew his blade and a brief light appeared in his eyes as he looked around.  His brown eyes seemed to glow as he wielded his father's blade.  "We can see what we can do.  You and Aelynia should stay back, for a few minutes at least."  Tuar looks down at the huge bird beneath him, mindful of its mounting anxiety concerning the storm.

"Very well, everyone prepare to attack, we need to make this a surprising strike, so bows will be our weapon of choice for now. I will indicate our joint target when we are in range, if we are lucky we can take one out before they know what is happening to them. Agreed?" the sun elf said and looked in the round, eyeing Glim especially since he had been the one longest in the group. "I wonder what other idea he will come up with. Upto now he always had something else in mind." the wizardess thought as she helped Aluvendar hide in his compartment in her backpack again.

"Aelynia, stay close to me when we attack - I won't let any harm come to you," Joseph whispered at the monk seated in front of him.

"I shall do my best with my bow, Lady Lysande, but it is of composite make, and while I am recovering, the poison which ravaged me still renders me too weak to employ it as efficiently as I used to, I'm afraid," he said next, before pulling the bow from his back, and found an arrow in his quiver.

Aelynia nodded.  She had nothing with which to attack from a distance and knew she would be more of a hindrance than a help in this case.  Of course, she had no intention of letting Joseph put himself in danger to protect her but she didn't say that aloud.

Glim nods in agreement with Lysande.  He raises his voice to speak over the rush of rising winds and hoofbeats."Yes, speed is most important.  We strike hard and fast.  The storm gives us little time. Those of us on horseback with bows should ride ahead."  He spurs his mount to a full gallop, heading directly for the rock and at the same time readies his longbow for action.

The Zhentarims' camels cannot match the speed of the horses, and the skinny one screams, "Wait! Do not leave us behind!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:20, Thu 05 Oct 2006.

As those with horses increased their speed, Joseph sighed, realizing that his camel would not be able to keep up.  Well, if they wanted to go on ahead, he would let them, of course - so, he waited for the Zhents behind them, keeping at the front of that group instead.

Lysande encourages Mourn's to a gallop directed at the rock formation. Some 150ft distant from the raider hiding in the rock, the wizardess unleashes a spell. Four missiles of bluish light speed towards the cowering target and hit unerringly...


ooc: I hate the dice roller (1-1-1-3 for 4d4+4) *grumble)
13:34, Today: Lysande rolled 10 using 4d4+4. MM damage.

Rend yelped and kicked Beauty into her best approximation of a gallop, "Yah mule!  Yah!"  He knew that he would be paying for that comment later on.

Tuar urged Dom onward, following Lysande and hopefully managing to keep a good pase with the rest of the group.  His sword unsheathed, Tuar rode ready for attack whenever he got close enough.

Alister draws his long bow as he rides his mounts towards the rock formation.

The black-robed man on the rock cries out in suprise as he is struck by Lysande's arcane bolts. He slides down the north side of the boulder, half out of control as he turns his attention from the storm to the direction of his attacker.  He begins to ready his bow to return fire, and you see two other men in black appear from a path between the rocks, also with bows. You do not see any horses.



OOC:  The red squares are the three men you can see.  Those of you on horse or bird-back are approximately 120 ft almost directly north of the big rock. Those on camels are about 60 feet behind them.  Please roll initiative and post your actions.  The two men by the rocks have cover.  For those who have not been here before, you are headed toward steep hills laced with various cracks and openings.  The rock with the tree is on the edge of a dried-out streambed.




The hill terrain looks a bit like this, although there are high mountains beyond the hills...


This message was last edited by the GM at 01:44, Thu 12 Oct 2006.