Set Piece: Hot sun setting over desert. A Phoenix Vulture sits on a cactus, its wings aflame in the sun. A Hellvalina approaches, eyes the same flame as the wings of the scavenger. The Cactus fires several quills as a warning. The Hellvalina wanders off, seeking less protected prey. The vulture watches as shadows lengthen, then wavering heat shimmer resolves into our heroes, hot, tired, and dusty already. It will soon be time to decide if you should push on through the night with the dangers of the wasteland that shun the burning day or find a place to make camp and travel in the... actually.., not all that punishing heat.

As the darkness grows, the massive fires of the Burning Plain begin to light, as The Pharaohs have commanded every night for centuries. The drums of their rituals can be heard echoing across the sands, no more than an hour away.

[OOC: PM Sent to Emme and Maggs who know something of what is ahead.)

Maggs pauses for a moment, scanning the horizon...before her eyes settle on the Phoenix Vulture. She pulls down the cotton scarf that covers most of her face, revealing the hint of a smile.

It is good to be out in the wastes again, despite the dangers, she thinks. She always felt too confined in settlements...trapped, even. Out here she was free.

She turns to look at the others a little way behind her.

This time was different, though, she thinks. She wasn't used to travelling with a tribe....even if she was scouting ahead of them most of the time.

And she could see some of them were drawn to the fires and the beats of the Burning Plain. She had always avoided the wild groups of dancing figures...though she had often observed them from afar. The people of the wastes were often dangerous. And she didn't like crowds.

As the darkness deepens, the others finally reach her.

She points towards a rocky outcrop that looks to offer some protection from prying eyes and wasteland creatures. "Camp?" she asks, her voice barely more than a rasping whisper.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:55, Sat 20 Mar 2021.

"Sometimes animals aren't friends!" Buddy Bear burbled, "I will help make sure our camp is safe. Is anybody hungry? Camping is more fun when everyone has food!"

And with that, Buddy Bear stared walking around the camp in a widening spiral, either shooing away or foraging anything that might provide an unpleasant surprise.

Arska walks ahead at her usual quick pace, the soft fur of her boots keeping time with the little thuds of her spear on the rocky ground. She's at home in the wilds, although she is from far to the north-east and doesn't know this particular county much. The day was OK warm for her, but she can't understand why on earth the others would want to wear so many clothes. Only the boom-witch's outfit looks vaguely adequate.

She surveys the camp spot suggested by Maggs and nods. She takes out her waterskin and takes a swig from it.

"This place will do. Do we all have rations, or do I hunt something? Don't stray far, fluffy one, you're too small to scare off predators."

As they begin to make camp, Maggs finds a good vantage point on the rocky outcrop from which she can keep a look-out...where there's one Hellvalina there may be more.