With Kulo, retrieved from the clutches of the demon drink in Silver Springs oasis by his son, the group was together once more. The addled brain of the goliath warrior was confused and puzzled by the fact that Mavar was still with the group and they seemed to be transporting a caravan of slaves toward Tyr. Adding to the confusion was the fact that Kulo, was inside the caravan too! After sorting things out, as Kuroar! explained things slowly to his father and the rest of the group keeping a comfortable distance, they travelled on to Tyr and avoided the potentially awkward discussion with the gate guards as to why they had a slave caravan by letting Mavar do the talking and using his influence as a templar.
Bringing the slaves into the city, the group organises with the templars to remove their slave markings and introduces them to their assistant and erstwhile retainer, Bundaberg, still keeping an eye on the buildings that used to be the headquarters of House Shom.
With various longing looks from the group at the ziggurat that dominates the centre of the city, the group follows up on the Urikite spy contact known only as "Minder". They are given the location of Sculptor's Square at midnight and with a wisdom uncommon to the group they scout out the area first, asking questions of the merchants around the Artisan district and coming across a local personality known as Xalos the Stonecutter as he wanders around nearby his own stonemasonry shop. He is a friendly Mul of middle age and quite a jovial fellow.
The witching hour comes around and the local traffic slowly reduces to just a few hurrying figures through the square as the group lay in wait, until two cloaked figures meet in front of one of the many crumbling mansions that line the square. From their observation points, none can hear any exchange of words before they head inside the building. The group then approach the door and using Gretchan's mental eye, they can see signs of the meeting towards the back of the building where a flicker of candlelight is visible. Eschewing the chance to check around the property, the group heads in. Their stealth, or lack of, alerts the two figures and the candlelight is doused and the larger of the two figures heads for the exit, while the other remains.
"How do you know about this meeting? What are you doing here?!" hisses the figure loudly at the group. Their response, while deceptive in nature, fails to have the desired effect and the cloaked man unsheathes an obsidian sword and it was Kuroar! who broke the stare off by charging in, with the others a step behind.
At the sounds of the scuffle, 3 spies, dressed and armed similarly to those the group fought outside Nibenay almost 2 weeks ago, rush down the stairs and the battle take sup in earnest. Kulo, tries to pin down and shackle the spies and their leader, but their ability to disappear into shadow and appear from another direction confounded the group, particularly Beren. Garidias, however, kept the group on track, encouraging the group's warriors to hit harder and more accurately despite the enemies trickery. The eladrin was surprised to then see the ghosts of eladrin past rise up out of the floor to slash ghostly blades at Gretchan and Kuroar! Their attacks were not as formidable as those of their corporeal allies, their scream ad they were vanquished unnerved all nearby
The spies eventually began to fall and finally, so did the leader as he was caught in the middle of the room and then the last of the eladrin ghosts was given eternal rests. The group searched the bodies, finding on the leader a small purse of 100 ceramic pieces and a small, battered notebook. Careful examination of the book revealed that it was a careful ledger of monetary transactions between "Minder" and the unknown figure that escaped the attack. Regular payments of 100 ceramic occur every 2 weeks over the past several months, dating back to just before the fall of Kalak.
The other item of note recorded in the book was that of a single mention of something called the "Orb of Dust". Confirmation with Mavar sometime later revealed this to be the name of an artifact rumoured to be in the possession of Kalak, but upon his death, no sign of such an item was found in the palace. Great power is attributed to the orb to command a great storm of dust on a grand scale that could encompass an entire city. Perhaps this is what the spies are looking for?
Mavar suggests that if Kalak did possess this orb, the only place it could still be was the enormous ziggurat, into which a wounded Kalak was seen entering, presumably to die. Garidias raised the question of gaining entrance to the ziggurat, and Mavar promised to do what he could to persuade the Council of Templars to allow the group inside. He expressed his desire to not only confirm the location of the orb, but also to verify the death of the Sorcerer-King for certain. Only one group has entered and returned from the ziggurat and they failed to find the body. A second group has entered more recently, headed by a mercenary dray (dragonborn) but nothing has been heard of them since.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Dark Sun Marauders - Episode 13
Following Kulo,'s swift departure from the group, the remainder decided to head off towards Nibenay with the grateful Mavar cracking the whips on the purloined kank caravan. The approach to Nibenay was breathtaking indeed, the city towering above them, the walls covered in stone carvings, pillars and columns decorating the towers alongside the Mekillot Gate. The city sat alongside a vast forest, certainly a greater amount of trees than any of the group had ever seen in one place before. The forest ran along a mountain range that disappeared into the distance away to the south.
The group headed into the city, whose noise and activity, even in the evening made Tyr look small and rustic. It was clear that Nibenay was older than Tyr, and far larger. Gretchan recalled that the city was one of the original city states and contained a large and decadent noble caste that supported the sorcerer-king. With Mavar guiding them, they were easily able to locate the House Shom trading building that the meeting between Ulruun and the mysterious Urikite delegation that Mavar had mentioned during the interrogation.
Upon arrival, arguing is heard from a small back street down the side of the House Shom building and careful examination reveals a couple of armoured figures, a noble of some sort and 4 clad in slave rags. Having identified the Urikite delegation by their square beards, the group found out that the noble, Maetan Lubar, was understandably annoyed at Ulruun himself having carelessly let himself be killed. Despite this initial setback, the group agreed with Maetan that they would organise a slave caravan to hide the spies (the 4 clad in rags) within for transportation to Tyr, as this is presumably what had been agreed with Ulruun.
A rather uncomfortable trip to the slave markets for the former slaves took place, with Beren heading off to find a templar on the trail of his master's son, Flame. He was able to deduce that Flame himself had contacted the Shadow Brides (Nibenay's templars - all of which are female) to relay a message to Beren that Flame's father and head of the House had been kidnapped and Flame was trying to find him! <insert jarring piano chords> Although, Beren couldn't work out how this all came about, the situation remained.
The rest of the group sold 2 of their crodlu to pay for the slaves to go in the caravan and met back up with Beren before heading outside the city gates next morning to meet with Maetan and his group. The meeting went well, but as the conversation went along, Maetan became more suspicious of Mavar and the others. Relations degraded to such a point that Mavar lost his cool and took a shot at Maetan, which kicked off a nasty scuffle.
Maetan weighed in heavily at the start, but soon his cronies were handling the fight against the group well enough, and stood to the back. Slowly but surely the group began to gain the upper hand in the fight, despite Mavar unleashing his defiling power upon all around him. Eventually the battle-weary group dispatched the cronies (and took one minor templar captive) and took a half-hearted swipe at Maetan but his power was too great and the group cut their losses, letting Maetan leave, heading into the forest not far from the main road.
With a caravan full of slaves and a captive, they learned that this operation had been going on for some time and his information corroroborated with Mavar's tale of a potential Urikite invasion of Tyr, predominantly for the Iron Mines that Tyr possessed. Now with this information and Mavar being ever so slightly more trusted the decision was made to head back towards Tyr and potentially free the slaves and they might even find Kulo, on the way back...
The group headed into the city, whose noise and activity, even in the evening made Tyr look small and rustic. It was clear that Nibenay was older than Tyr, and far larger. Gretchan recalled that the city was one of the original city states and contained a large and decadent noble caste that supported the sorcerer-king. With Mavar guiding them, they were easily able to locate the House Shom trading building that the meeting between Ulruun and the mysterious Urikite delegation that Mavar had mentioned during the interrogation.
Upon arrival, arguing is heard from a small back street down the side of the House Shom building and careful examination reveals a couple of armoured figures, a noble of some sort and 4 clad in slave rags. Having identified the Urikite delegation by their square beards, the group found out that the noble, Maetan Lubar, was understandably annoyed at Ulruun himself having carelessly let himself be killed. Despite this initial setback, the group agreed with Maetan that they would organise a slave caravan to hide the spies (the 4 clad in rags) within for transportation to Tyr, as this is presumably what had been agreed with Ulruun.
A rather uncomfortable trip to the slave markets for the former slaves took place, with Beren heading off to find a templar on the trail of his master's son, Flame. He was able to deduce that Flame himself had contacted the Shadow Brides (Nibenay's templars - all of which are female) to relay a message to Beren that Flame's father and head of the House had been kidnapped and Flame was trying to find him! <insert jarring piano chords> Although, Beren couldn't work out how this all came about, the situation remained.
The rest of the group sold 2 of their crodlu to pay for the slaves to go in the caravan and met back up with Beren before heading outside the city gates next morning to meet with Maetan and his group. The meeting went well, but as the conversation went along, Maetan became more suspicious of Mavar and the others. Relations degraded to such a point that Mavar lost his cool and took a shot at Maetan, which kicked off a nasty scuffle.
Maetan weighed in heavily at the start, but soon his cronies were handling the fight against the group well enough, and stood to the back. Slowly but surely the group began to gain the upper hand in the fight, despite Mavar unleashing his defiling power upon all around him. Eventually the battle-weary group dispatched the cronies (and took one minor templar captive) and took a half-hearted swipe at Maetan but his power was too great and the group cut their losses, letting Maetan leave, heading into the forest not far from the main road.
With a caravan full of slaves and a captive, they learned that this operation had been going on for some time and his information corroroborated with Mavar's tale of a potential Urikite invasion of Tyr, predominantly for the Iron Mines that Tyr possessed. Now with this information and Mavar being ever so slightly more trusted the decision was made to head back towards Tyr and potentially free the slaves and they might even find Kulo, on the way back...
Dark Sun Marauders - Episode 12
The group, mounted upon their war crodlu made good time as they caught the slower moving caravan train of Ulruun and his guards. As they approached a bend in the track as it rounded a large, rocky outcrop, Gretchan's eagle eye spotted 3 archers lurking across the dunes, their weapons drawn. Ulruun's caravan headed around the corner as Beren approached the rock formations and was able to identify the creatures as gnolls.
The Mul decided direct action was required and charged off across the sand towards the gnolls and found himself at the bottom of a 30ft deep pit with his crodlu scrambling to get out. The others came to his aid, Kuroar! in particularly getting right in among the gnolls. As they did so a group of men, dressed as caravan guards appeared from behind the large rocky outcropping and began to assail Gretchan and Kulo, the latter found this terribly annoying and spurred his crodlu amid the guards and laid into them with his chain, bringing them down.
Throughout the pitched battle a desperate cry had entered the minds of all who neared the large outcropping, though it was largely ignored. It stopped suddenly and from the sandy ground emerged a grotesque montrous creature, identified as a Gaj Mindhunter, whose feathery modus operandi caused much consternation among the companions. It clamped its jaws around Garidias, but the eladrin escaped via fey means of transport, which gave it little option but to use its mind prode against the mostly granite brain of Beren. However, the companions rallied despite the threat of being swamped by a rogue sand dune and the final beast was felled. There was barely time to gather themselves and their crodlu to round the rocky outcropping and face Ulruun, whose caravan had pulled off the track some way further down the hill.
As they rounded the rock, they could see Ulruun's guards and slaves arrayed before them with the dwarf himself at the centre near the caravans, flanked by two huge guards, a Mul and a Goliath. Kulo's rage could be held back no more as he charged in among the guards, drawing Ulruun to him. The slaves had strange blue glow to their eyes and attacked using their minds and after a while the group realised a mental link existed between the slaves and the guards.
Kuroar came barrelling in after his father with the eladrin Garidias close behind guiding their actions and exhorting the two to heights of skill while directing their war crodlu. Beren took on some guards and slaves alone as Gretchan provided long range support from the back.
The concentrated force of both goliaths and Garidias made relatively quick work of Ulruun, but his cronies fought on. The Mul and Goliath guards absorbing tremendous punishment while dishing out tremendous blows of their own. It was as the battle was coming to a close that a familiar figure emerged from the caravans. It was Mavar, the templar from Tyr who had released the group from their bonds of slavery!
He launched into a few attacks on the group, mainly hindering them as they attempted to close, before he took to the air in an attempt to escape them, but the crodlu proved swift and soon caught up to the templar fleeing across the sands. Surrounded and knowing he was outmatched, Mavar screamed in frustration, "You fools! You don't know what you are getting involved in. Let me go and your life will be far better than it will if you capture or kill me. That is a promise!". He stands defiantly as the battle-weary group move in on their crodlu mounts, his eyes moving from one to the next wondering which will respond.
The Mul decided direct action was required and charged off across the sand towards the gnolls and found himself at the bottom of a 30ft deep pit with his crodlu scrambling to get out. The others came to his aid, Kuroar! in particularly getting right in among the gnolls. As they did so a group of men, dressed as caravan guards appeared from behind the large rocky outcropping and began to assail Gretchan and Kulo, the latter found this terribly annoying and spurred his crodlu amid the guards and laid into them with his chain, bringing them down.
Throughout the pitched battle a desperate cry had entered the minds of all who neared the large outcropping, though it was largely ignored. It stopped suddenly and from the sandy ground emerged a grotesque montrous creature, identified as a Gaj Mindhunter, whose feathery modus operandi caused much consternation among the companions. It clamped its jaws around Garidias, but the eladrin escaped via fey means of transport, which gave it little option but to use its mind prode against the mostly granite brain of Beren. However, the companions rallied despite the threat of being swamped by a rogue sand dune and the final beast was felled. There was barely time to gather themselves and their crodlu to round the rocky outcropping and face Ulruun, whose caravan had pulled off the track some way further down the hill.
As they rounded the rock, they could see Ulruun's guards and slaves arrayed before them with the dwarf himself at the centre near the caravans, flanked by two huge guards, a Mul and a Goliath. Kulo's rage could be held back no more as he charged in among the guards, drawing Ulruun to him. The slaves had strange blue glow to their eyes and attacked using their minds and after a while the group realised a mental link existed between the slaves and the guards.
Kuroar came barrelling in after his father with the eladrin Garidias close behind guiding their actions and exhorting the two to heights of skill while directing their war crodlu. Beren took on some guards and slaves alone as Gretchan provided long range support from the back.
The concentrated force of both goliaths and Garidias made relatively quick work of Ulruun, but his cronies fought on. The Mul and Goliath guards absorbing tremendous punishment while dishing out tremendous blows of their own. It was as the battle was coming to a close that a familiar figure emerged from the caravans. It was Mavar, the templar from Tyr who had released the group from their bonds of slavery!
He launched into a few attacks on the group, mainly hindering them as they attempted to close, before he took to the air in an attempt to escape them, but the crodlu proved swift and soon caught up to the templar fleeing across the sands. Surrounded and knowing he was outmatched, Mavar screamed in frustration, "You fools! You don't know what you are getting involved in. Let me go and your life will be far better than it will if you capture or kill me. That is a promise!". He stands defiantly as the battle-weary group move in on their crodlu mounts, his eyes moving from one to the next wondering which will respond.
Dark Sun Marauders - Episode 11
The group recovered from their brush with the burrowing Anakores and headed back to the road toward Silver Springs Oasis, a further 2 days journey. The sun beat down on them as they plodded along, chatting to passing caravan merchants and plying them for information about Ulruun's House Shom carriages, but none were able to provide any new information.
Just before dawn on the final day before Silver Springs, Gretchan's keen ears detected the jingling of bells from out in the sand dunes to the north of the road. Though faint, the noise was familiar to Gretchan and she recalled it was a signature call from a group of evil fey, known as Belgoi. They roam the desert sands in nomadic groups preying on lone travellers and poorly defended caravans. It is rumoured that they even eat the bodies of their kills! Fortunately no sign of the creatures emerged and the eerie jingling died away.
The group made it into Silver Springs Oasis without any further interruption and upon arrival set about divining information from the locals and other travellers throughout the encampment. The sheer lack of any kind of tact, knowledge or diplomacy evidenced by the group failed to provide any information about Ulruun until Gretchan again, probably as a rare, educated female, was able to prise the knowledge that Ulruun had left at dusk the previous day and headed north from the encampment. This reinforced the group that they were on the right track.
Just as they were discussing the information, they were approcahed by a sly, suspicious and greasy looking fellow approached the group, appealing to their good-natured side to convince them to fight in a mini pit fight staged by the encampment's chief. He confidently reassured all of you that you would be well compensated with money & even some crodlu! Slowly they managed to also determine that there had recently been captured a creature of gigantic size that was to be the pinnacle of the fight, and should they defeat that, then the Chief himself would personally donate two items of great power for the spectacle.
The group agreed to fight, hoping that the crodlu mounts would give them an advantage in catching up with Ulruun. They entered the arean and climbed atop several 20ft high columns with bridges strewn between them. An opposing team of 2 tough looking Mul's and 3 savage halflings from the forest beyond the mountains took their place and the fight began. Through the goliath's charging and leaping between columsn and Gretchan's ranged mental bombardment, the halflings were quickly taken down, but the Muls proved tougher, their hammers taking great toll on both Kulo & Beren before they too fell into unconsciousness, giving the win to the group.
The arena was then cleared and two human soldiers with spears acted as handlers for a giant elephantine creature, warped by the desert. The creature was unnaturally fast and loped into the Beren, driving him off his feet as the handlers rushed to catch up. The group began to surround the creature as Kulo saw to the handlers and Gretchan sent the massive brute flying across the arena, scaring the front rows of the crude stands that had been erected. Though Beren and Kulo again took the brunt of the creature's attacks, it allowed Gretchan and Kuroar! the freedom to attack and will and despite the creature growing to a collossal size as its wounds mounted, it was eventually felled, to the adulation of the crowd.
The battered winners were given time to recuperate a little before the elven Chief came good on his promise and presented Gretchan with a bundle of cloth, that on closer inspection turned out to be a robe of intricate make wrapped around a belt that is styled like a wretling champions belt, wide and made of sturdy leather and bone decoration. The group were also awarded a cash prize of 100 ceramic pieces each and of course the crodlu.
Climbing on board their new mounts, the group set off north in hot pursuit of Ulruun. The road took the deeper into the sandy wastelands than any had been, then up into a range of mountains at the southern end of the Dragon's Bowl before spotting a caravan ahead on the road from a vantage point on the downslope from the hills.....Ulruun was in sight...
Just before dawn on the final day before Silver Springs, Gretchan's keen ears detected the jingling of bells from out in the sand dunes to the north of the road. Though faint, the noise was familiar to Gretchan and she recalled it was a signature call from a group of evil fey, known as Belgoi. They roam the desert sands in nomadic groups preying on lone travellers and poorly defended caravans. It is rumoured that they even eat the bodies of their kills! Fortunately no sign of the creatures emerged and the eerie jingling died away.
The group made it into Silver Springs Oasis without any further interruption and upon arrival set about divining information from the locals and other travellers throughout the encampment. The sheer lack of any kind of tact, knowledge or diplomacy evidenced by the group failed to provide any information about Ulruun until Gretchan again, probably as a rare, educated female, was able to prise the knowledge that Ulruun had left at dusk the previous day and headed north from the encampment. This reinforced the group that they were on the right track.
Just as they were discussing the information, they were approcahed by a sly, suspicious and greasy looking fellow approached the group, appealing to their good-natured side to convince them to fight in a mini pit fight staged by the encampment's chief. He confidently reassured all of you that you would be well compensated with money & even some crodlu! Slowly they managed to also determine that there had recently been captured a creature of gigantic size that was to be the pinnacle of the fight, and should they defeat that, then the Chief himself would personally donate two items of great power for the spectacle.
The group agreed to fight, hoping that the crodlu mounts would give them an advantage in catching up with Ulruun. They entered the arean and climbed atop several 20ft high columns with bridges strewn between them. An opposing team of 2 tough looking Mul's and 3 savage halflings from the forest beyond the mountains took their place and the fight began. Through the goliath's charging and leaping between columsn and Gretchan's ranged mental bombardment, the halflings were quickly taken down, but the Muls proved tougher, their hammers taking great toll on both Kulo & Beren before they too fell into unconsciousness, giving the win to the group.
The arena was then cleared and two human soldiers with spears acted as handlers for a giant elephantine creature, warped by the desert. The creature was unnaturally fast and loped into the Beren, driving him off his feet as the handlers rushed to catch up. The group began to surround the creature as Kulo saw to the handlers and Gretchan sent the massive brute flying across the arena, scaring the front rows of the crude stands that had been erected. Though Beren and Kulo again took the brunt of the creature's attacks, it allowed Gretchan and Kuroar! the freedom to attack and will and despite the creature growing to a collossal size as its wounds mounted, it was eventually felled, to the adulation of the crowd.
The battered winners were given time to recuperate a little before the elven Chief came good on his promise and presented Gretchan with a bundle of cloth, that on closer inspection turned out to be a robe of intricate make wrapped around a belt that is styled like a wretling champions belt, wide and made of sturdy leather and bone decoration. The group were also awarded a cash prize of 100 ceramic pieces each and of course the crodlu.
Climbing on board their new mounts, the group set off north in hot pursuit of Ulruun. The road took the deeper into the sandy wastelands than any had been, then up into a range of mountains at the southern end of the Dragon's Bowl before spotting a caravan ahead on the road from a vantage point on the downslope from the hills.....Ulruun was in sight...
Dark Sun Marauders - Episode 10
The group briefly discussed future options among each other at the tavern overnight and the overwhelming theme was to pursue Ulruun after his disappearance the previous day from the area near the Slave Pits. Resolving on this course of action, they attempted various sorts of diplomacy and all-round streetwisery to recruit some assistance in finding the dwarf. There were varying degrees of success, Kulo, was able to identify some likely former slaves and Kuroar! was able to convince a fellow by the name of Bundaberg, after some rather horrendous efforts by Beren to rally the ex-slaves into an anti-Ulruun crusade.
With Bundaberg being dispatched to see what he could find, the group itself decided to take to some investigating of its own. Garidias decided to have a chat to the guards on the main merchant gate and through various charms, he worked his magic and the guards revealed that a caravan bearing the markings of House Shom, who Ulruun works for, left hastily in the previous day or so. Armed with this information, the group decided to head for the buildings that House Shom use in Tyr. They were able to locate an office-like building attached to a carriage-house that belonged to the slave trading house. With the rest of the group watching from a safe distance, Beren decided to destroy the lock on the gates to the office building and then began to lay into the doors, but was duly rebuffed by the tough wood. A back entrance was found and the place searched from top to bottom, but it was almost entirely empty, save for a few boxes of provisions (from which the group added to their Survival days - now 15) and a single slave cart. They headed back to the tavern where they met Bundaberg who had some information confirming the disappearance of Ulruun and had heard rumours they were headed toward Silver Springs, possibly on their way to Nibenay (some 350 miles away) where House Shom was based.
With belongings gathered up and Bundaberg presented with a new temporary house, the group headed out along the road toward Silver Springs, along which they had so recently raced. The first couple of days were uneventful, passing a selection of merchant caravans heading to and from Tyr. The third day brought a different sight, that of a small hamlet just off the main road. The group recalled it was populated on their way past recently, so to find it devoid of all life was slightly disturbing. The group approached with caution, Kulo,'s call yielding no reply, but as they entered the collection of huts, they all spotted movement among the far huts. Edging closer they could see that the movement was made by a gang of Ssurrans, who attacked the group, but found themselves overmatched, the dune mystic going down under the onslaught from Gretchan and Beren. Just as they finished off one of the last Ssurrans, a final one appeared around a corner but immediately and without any apparent cause, died. Beren checked out the suspicious death, but only brings down an horrible creature known as a Tembo upon himself. The creature was lurking invisible and the mul could feel a dangerous, malicious aura of death emanating from it. The group came to the fighter's aid and Kuroar!'s powerful charges combined with Kulo,'s chains dealt significant wounds to the beast, but its claws and bite took a terrible toll to all who drew near. Garidias lent his considerable tactical knowledge to the fight along with Gretchan's long range assault, wounding it still further. However, it was a nimble creature and shifted this way and that, bringing its dangerous aura to bear on already wounded companions. One by one they succumbed to it, even the healing granted by Garidias' inspirational words seemed to diminish in the presence of this dread creature. After all the others lay bleeding on the ground among the rude huts, it was left to one final last-gasp charge by Kuroar!, a powerful war cry upon his lips as he brought his enormous blade down one final time, carving the creature's head from its torso and it collapsed to the ground leaving little but silence.
Through sheer desperation over medical knowledge, the goliath was able to rouse Kulo, who in turn roused Gretchan. Between them they were able to stabilise the others and take stock of the surroundings.
While the huts were of not great quality, they provided good enough shelter for the night. It seemed the Ssurran group had stumbled across a population already thinned by the aura of the Tembo and decided to take advantage of it, until the party came along. The Tembo then returned to devastating effect...
Early in the morning, the group rose before dawn to continue their journey but as they set foot upon the sands several creatures burst forth and grabbed the group. However, despite the advantage of surprised, the Anakores were quickly dispatched. Gretchan and Garidias transporting through space to escape the grasping claws of the creatures, while Kulo, & Beren set about coralling the ambushers and taking them down quickly.
The group then rejoined the road to Silver Springs, with another 2 days to go until reaching the oasis.
With Bundaberg being dispatched to see what he could find, the group itself decided to take to some investigating of its own. Garidias decided to have a chat to the guards on the main merchant gate and through various charms, he worked his magic and the guards revealed that a caravan bearing the markings of House Shom, who Ulruun works for, left hastily in the previous day or so. Armed with this information, the group decided to head for the buildings that House Shom use in Tyr. They were able to locate an office-like building attached to a carriage-house that belonged to the slave trading house. With the rest of the group watching from a safe distance, Beren decided to destroy the lock on the gates to the office building and then began to lay into the doors, but was duly rebuffed by the tough wood. A back entrance was found and the place searched from top to bottom, but it was almost entirely empty, save for a few boxes of provisions (from which the group added to their Survival days - now 15) and a single slave cart. They headed back to the tavern where they met Bundaberg who had some information confirming the disappearance of Ulruun and had heard rumours they were headed toward Silver Springs, possibly on their way to Nibenay (some 350 miles away) where House Shom was based.
With belongings gathered up and Bundaberg presented with a new temporary house, the group headed out along the road toward Silver Springs, along which they had so recently raced. The first couple of days were uneventful, passing a selection of merchant caravans heading to and from Tyr. The third day brought a different sight, that of a small hamlet just off the main road. The group recalled it was populated on their way past recently, so to find it devoid of all life was slightly disturbing. The group approached with caution, Kulo,'s call yielding no reply, but as they entered the collection of huts, they all spotted movement among the far huts. Edging closer they could see that the movement was made by a gang of Ssurrans, who attacked the group, but found themselves overmatched, the dune mystic going down under the onslaught from Gretchan and Beren. Just as they finished off one of the last Ssurrans, a final one appeared around a corner but immediately and without any apparent cause, died. Beren checked out the suspicious death, but only brings down an horrible creature known as a Tembo upon himself. The creature was lurking invisible and the mul could feel a dangerous, malicious aura of death emanating from it. The group came to the fighter's aid and Kuroar!'s powerful charges combined with Kulo,'s chains dealt significant wounds to the beast, but its claws and bite took a terrible toll to all who drew near. Garidias lent his considerable tactical knowledge to the fight along with Gretchan's long range assault, wounding it still further. However, it was a nimble creature and shifted this way and that, bringing its dangerous aura to bear on already wounded companions. One by one they succumbed to it, even the healing granted by Garidias' inspirational words seemed to diminish in the presence of this dread creature. After all the others lay bleeding on the ground among the rude huts, it was left to one final last-gasp charge by Kuroar!, a powerful war cry upon his lips as he brought his enormous blade down one final time, carving the creature's head from its torso and it collapsed to the ground leaving little but silence.
Through sheer desperation over medical knowledge, the goliath was able to rouse Kulo, who in turn roused Gretchan. Between them they were able to stabilise the others and take stock of the surroundings.
While the huts were of not great quality, they provided good enough shelter for the night. It seemed the Ssurran group had stumbled across a population already thinned by the aura of the Tembo and decided to take advantage of it, until the party came along. The Tembo then returned to devastating effect...
Early in the morning, the group rose before dawn to continue their journey but as they set foot upon the sands several creatures burst forth and grabbed the group. However, despite the advantage of surprised, the Anakores were quickly dispatched. Gretchan and Garidias transporting through space to escape the grasping claws of the creatures, while Kulo, & Beren set about coralling the ambushers and taking them down quickly.
The group then rejoined the road to Silver Springs, with another 2 days to go until reaching the oasis.
Dark Sun Marauders - Episode 9
And so begins my part of the campaign with Episode 9!
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As Kulo, begins to get acquainted with the group in general, except perhaps Beren, they muse on some possible courses of action. Finally they set upon an idea formed from Tak-tha's intelligence gathering before he left. The sighting of Ulruun's slave caravans getting ready to depart Tyr sparked the group into action and they managed to slip in through the Market gate. Beren had a clandestine meeting with a message courier in the Merchant district which revealed his master was getting impatient with Beren's apparent lack of progress in his mission.
As they made their way from the Merchant's district, they were diverted by a struggling armed guard controlling some kind of anti-slavery demonstration. The soldiery were hard pressed to keep them back and as Gretchan tried to get near, they waved her back and gave instruction to go around by a different route.
As they made their way down a narrower side street, strewn with small market stalls, piled boxes of provisions, from the shadows of the alleys to either side stepped a gang of dwarven toughs and their leader. He intimated that they had been sent by Ulruun to treat you to a roughing up on his behalf. It was clear that these fellows were spoiling for a fight and they closed in, wielding gouges and greatclubs to decent effect at times. With Kulo, locking down a couple of goons with his chains and Kuroar! charging about, his fullblade carving chunks from the enemy while Gretchan stepped through space to appear on a nearby rooftop and Beren & Garidias teamed up to take on the chief. All were subdued, quickly and their bodies hidden before the group made a getaway down the street toward the slave markets.
Reaching the large, open-air area around the slave markets, which brings back some memories for those who spent time here before, Gretchan spots 4 caravans that seem to be marked with House Shom, whom Ulruun works for. Just as they head towards it, the kanks begin to move and the convoy gathers speed. It is clear that they are on their way out. Just as that happens a small boy raced past shouting, "They are free!! We are all free!!!!" as a roar, similar to that made by lots of people, erupts from the Slave Pits.
Fortunately, the only way back out toward the Merchant gate means the convoy has to come right by the group's position. Hoping to derail Ulruun's plans and possibly the dwarf himself, the group position themselves into an ambush position on the road, ready to attack the caravan as it flies by.
As the first two caravans approach, Beren & Kulo, leap into action followed swiftly by the others, blocking the roadway and dealing with the caravan drivers in various nasty ways, including being teleported into the slave caravan and being torn apart by desperate slaves. The rearmost caravans were forced to divert around the others and generally got in each other's way.
The fight dragged on a little, the kanks not giving up easily and the source of the earlier roar was now clearly a swarming tide of released slaves, some jubilant, some exuberant, but all heading right towards the group. With the caravan's neutralised, the group got out of there in a hurry, the two goliaths making good use of their innate knowledge of just how boxes can be strewn behind to slow down a pursuing enemy to create some distance between them and the mob.
They finally were able to lose the mob and catch their collective breath in a side-street. They were promptly approached by a detachment of the city guard and asked to accompany them to the Templar district. Despite some general nervousness about being escorted, the group followed orders and the patrol sergeant explained that they were gathering up the freed slaves to remove the markings of their former masters. Along the way, they gather other former slaves and are made to wait in a long queue to be processed.
Each of the group are then attended by a young Templar by the name of Mavar who will be performing the removal of the slave markers. Kulo, insisted on standing guard over some of the group while theirs were performed, which Mavar had no particular objection to. The procedure was quite quick, but painful, but the ministrations of the Templars are such that no ill effects are suffered by the group.
As you are all escorted from the Templar district, you make your way back towards the Merchant district looking for a place to stay for the night, the streets are quieter and on one of the more deserted ones, you are again ambushed, but this time by 3 centipede-like creatures, two of which had been waiting on rooftops and slithered down the walls with great speed and agility. The group defended itself against the attack, but without Beren, Gretchan was left exposed and the creature's pincers and antennae proved too deadly. Vicious wounds were dealt out on both sides, but the valiant work of Kurorar! enabled Garidias and Kulo, to get back into the fight, rescuing Gretchan. Inspection of the dead bodies reveals them to be species of cilops. Garidias' knowledge of these things indicates that they can be trained to track and kill for their owners. He says he has heard of Templars doing just such a thing.
Following their close call, the group calls it a night and heads for the tavern that Beren had earlier met his messenger in and settle down to their first night of freedom for many years, if ever...
Dark Sun Marauders - Episode 8
The dust cloud approached too quickly. Knowing they were unable to escape their pursuers, the group turned and prepared to meet them. There were three assassins, armed with long knives and crossbows, the leader of which had ample poison spread over his bolts, which Garidias seemed to take a liking to. They all rode Crodlu, each bearing down upon their foes with a thirst for blood.
Kuoroar! and Tak-tha charged in, with Garidias close behind, and as they moved between the enemies, Gretchan teleported two of the riders off of their mounts. Even though they were still strong and dangerous, without their mobility, the tables turned in favour of the caravan.
Thanks to his resilient skin and the uplifting words of the eladrin warlord, the barbarian shrugged off three mortal blows, and kept harassing the would-be assassins, and by the time Gretchan picked up one of the beasts and used it to club the leader to death, the remaining Crodlu's realised their problem, and turned to flee.
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The skirmish had been hard on everyone, even (somehow) the caravan drivers, but Rhotan Vol did not want to pull over just yet. The assassins, clearly part of the Tsalaxa household, were most likely scouts - when they did not report back, Ulrunn would definitely assume the caravan was the cause.
After some deals were made for what little water was left, the decision to move at a forced march towards Tyr was agreed upon, the group made their last decent rest, and then charged, head first, into the harshest five days of their lives. By the end, the Kanks were barely able to pull the caravan, and one driver had not woken since the previous night. All but for Garidias had succumbed to the Sun Sickness, and many were ready to collapse from exhaustion.
Tak-tha, being the only one without a slave marking, entered Tyr with Rhotan; the caravan leader promised rewards, if the party would come and visit him in a few days time. Until then, the thri-kreen purchased much needed supplies, and returned to the others...whilst being trailed by someone short, and fat. He thought.
The shadows turned out to be elves (at least he managed to get the "someone" part right), and they turned out to be more scouts for Ulruun. Hiding behind a crop of rocks, the exhausted party waited to see what would happen, the psion's invisible eye allowing them to watch without being seen.
Soon enough, Ulruun arrived, bringing with him two slave-gladiator-bodyguards and another axe-crazy dwarf. The fighting was vicious and one-sided, so much so that Ulruun watched from a rock. Until, that is, Kuoroar! convinced one of his slaves to turn against him, and join their rebellion.
His remaining men quickly dispatched, the dwarf ran for his life away from the battle, being trailed only by Tak-tha. At first, he tried to keep the monk at bay by tripping him up with his cane; when that didn't work, Ulruun fell back to more basic methods: a dagger deep into Tak-tha's side. By the time the others caught up with the badly-bleeding Kreen, Ulruun was long gone.
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The slave, who was still wearing his helmet (made to obscure their identity, prevent them from talking, and make it a whole lot harder to run away), was eventually freed, even though Gretchan burnt a sizeable chunk of skin off of his neck as she broke apart the magical lock. It was then that Kuoroar! could finally get a glimpse of the face that surrounded those familiar eyes. In a raspy voice, Kulo, looked at him and said "Kuoroar!! I am your father!", before embracing his shortly-lost son.
Kulo, went on to explain how his manifested psionic ability had allowed him to fake death long enough for the gladiatorial 'execution' to have passed, and how his craftiness had caught Ulruun's attention. Having lost his prized gladiator, Ulruun thought it humorous to keep his father, and force him to do what he had planned for the son. In truth, he had not expected Kulo, to make it this far, but the half-giant had proven his worth, once the desire to reunite with his son and see Ulruun defeated was there to fuel his training. "Together, we will take him down, Kuoroar!, and we will put an end to his torment!"
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