Chapter one-desert

[kabukiman]

Hurry up, your worms!- exclaimed Nub- the enemy won't be waiting for us!
You have been walking since yesterday in the desert. The heat is terrible, with a sun unforgiving; but in the night you feel a frozen cold.
The group is all traveling on foot, including Oz Khan, who walks with his horse at his side.
After some time, you see a men in the sand.

[Mr. Handy]

Milosh points at the man. "We should take a closer look at him," he suggests. "If he's still alive, he may have seen our quarry. And if he's not, he may have something useful on him."

[Dave Syrinx]

Öz whispers in his beasts ear, inaudible to his companions. He lets go of the tuzzle hanging from a colourfully embroided saddle. With long, fleeting strides he is upon the man in the sand.
"What tales do you carry, dog?" He more hisses than whispers the question. Quite loud for everyone to notice.
A tight grip he keeps at the back of the neck of the man. In his free hand he holds a curved, black dagger.

[Mr. Handy]

"Careful with that blade," says Milosh. "Dead men tell no tales."

[kabukiman]

You all see that it's a stygian, probably a member of the army of the loyalists. He only says:
-Water, I need water!
-Just kill him, we don't need to waste any time- says Nub.

[Priest]

ÆLIANUS:

ÆLIANUS steps forward, brow sweating from the merciless desert sun, and looks down at the figure in the sand, "Hmm, we could kill him but...He might carry information that may be of use"
He bends closer to the man, "Now friend, what do you know that might be worth a mouthful of water?"

[kabukiman]

The men seem to think the harder he can.
- We have the general with us. We are about ten men, but our group is very weak with the sun, we were trying to get to an Oasis near this place. We have only daggers, we droped all other weapons to travell faster. If you take me, I'l be a faithful servant- he says with hope.

[Priest]

ÆLIANUS:
smiles, turning his head to one side so thet the man might not see it. "I see...So this oasis do you know where it is?"

Ælianus pulls his leather water bottle from his belt, slowly pulling the stopper. For a moment it looks like he is about to offer the man a drink, but then he holds the bottle high above his face and allows a stream of the contents to fall towards his mouth. The meaning is quite obvious...

[Dave Syrinx]

"The dog has shown his worth..." Öz releases his grip from the near dead man and lets the black dagger open his throat, nudging him closer to Styx. The walk in the desert has lent him sweaty palms and he drops the dagger in the sand. "Bloody hells of nine! Dis walking is a joke." Knowing he can lose face with his sloppy behaviour he mutters at the soon-to-be-dead man. "See that blade, dog? It´s your chance to finish yourself off. Else, Ælianus draught throat is willing to send you to the afterlife."

[Mr. Handy]

"Let's not kill him just yet," says Milosh. "He may know more than he's said." I don't trust this Stygian, he thinks. He has already betrayed his general. He'll betray us too given the opportunity.

[kabukiman]

-So you may watch me die in agony after I tell everything? I prefer death!- he says with a thankfull look to Oz.
He mumbles a quick prayer to Seth and cut his throat.
Nub and the other stygians didn't bother to stop.

[Priest]

ÆLIANUS:

"Oh well" mutters Ælianus straightening up and moving swiftly to one side to avoid the arterial spray of blood, "Would have been nice to know where this damned oasis is that he was on about. Still Mitra gives and Mitra takes".

He looks to where Nub and the Stygians plod onwards and shouts after them, "Any one know of an Oasis near here?"
Wherever here is? he adds under his breath.

[Dave Syrinx]

Öz retrieves his dagger and swipes it clean from most of the grime on the dog´s clothing. He pats the corpse for loot. Checking the surrounding sand dunes and vegetation he recollects tactical maps from his father´s library. If he isn´t all wrong, there should be a substantial oasis due north of this locale.



"The sands tell there´s water...there." Öz points north. He smiles at Aelenius.

Priest,Congrats!

[Mr. Handy]

"Then that is the way we must go," says Milosh. "Find anything interesting on him? A map, a waterskin, gold? Right now, I'd rather have the first two."

[kabukiman]

OOC: You find some copper pieces and an amulet from Seth.

[Dave Syrinx]

Öz puts the handful of coppers in a purse at his belt and releases the amulet of Seth from the corpse and proffers it to Milosh and Aelenius. "Something for either of you?" He studies the corpse, the sun and the landscape. "Companions, we could honour Elrik and burn our foe. The pyre could get the soldiers to backtrack and investigate, If nothing else, I could use the rest for my weary legs. Shara needs rest too she said. The pyre will keep us warm for some hours as well." He looks after their commander Nub. While doing so he drags some dry wood to pile on top of the corpse. "We´re of no use tired and weary."

[kabukiman]

OOC: You are in a desert. There are ocasional bushes, but it will take about an hour to find enouth wood to make a pyre.

Your captain is already a bit distant. He looks at you and screams:
- What are you doing? Let him die!

He didn't notice that the soldier commited suicide

[Dave Syrinx]

"Hmm let him catch the first arrow, that will shut him up..." Öz thinks as he abandons his foraging for wood. Sand and more sand. Öz hurries slowly after the fore runners. "You all will meet your maker soon enough...", he mutters.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, but I will pass on the amulet," says Milosh as he heads out with the others. "I do not worship Set. We can rest when we reach the oasis, after we slay the enemy. The buzzards will be happy too, as they shall have a feast."

[kabukiman]

You all resume the walk. After some hours, the sun is starting to feel less opressive. And after passing a dune, you see finally your prey! They are more than 500 meters. Away from them, a Oasis. And a city. But no city you ever saw (and not Stygian). This city is... green. Like if it was made with emeralds (or something similar). This is not the oasis they were looking for. It has a big wall. Your enemies seem puzzled by the city but suddenly they see you and start running to it.