The Master Of Zooz

[Malchik]

Your leader takes you into the small town. The only accommodation is very basic compared with what you have seen up to now. The bedrooms are individual but everything else is shared and some of the guests are clearly less concerned with health and hygiene than you. Still the meal is fine and the wine/beer acceptable. Nothing in the city is of interest. If you speak to the inhabitants they refer you to the caves. No one knows anything about any isolated farm.

[phawk69]

(ooc2) I also thought that the horses had been left back in Golconar, but if we are to assume they are with us, Kyah can take two people. Bil may be able to take one, but he is no Red Rum, and it would be no quicker than wallking.)

ooc> Oops, my bad :blush: I guess I missed that.

 

ic> T'skar looks at the accommodations and sniffs, “This is little better than nothing, and perhaps nothing would be better. It is too bad that beggars can’t be choosers. It is interesting that no one seems to know of the house we have seen. I wonder if the locals ever go to the caves?” Finishing her meal, she listens to the bar chatter for a while and then heads to her room for a good night's rest, she hopes.

[tiaxanderson]

Tiax stops to eat his meal for a moment.

"It is indeed strange that nobody seems to know about that house. Perhaps they don't want to know."

Tiax takes another bite and waits a few seconds.

"As for the caves.... Well if the locals won't even tell us about the house perhaps we have more luck asking the youth of this town."

Tiax finishes his meal and asks the barman for some boiling water. Tiax puts a leaf of Rancer in it (20 left) and drinks it. He waits a while at the table till the eating and conversations of the group are done.

[Malchik]

It becomes obvious to you that it is not that the town dwellers are being evasive about the farm, they simply do not notice it. This suggests an enchantment of some kind but one that has not worked on you.

 

The townsfolk are not given to visiting the caves except when they are young as a dare - and to add to the grafitti. There is some talk of dead men walking there in the past. No one believes this but the superstition remains. Your own exploration has told you the caves are not inhabited or infested by anything now.

 

You pass a perfectly peaceful night disturbed only by the noise of people in the street early in the morning off to catch the first train to Golconar.

 

Having shopped in Golconar you are not in need of anything in particular. Malibar is a typical and rather dull small town. It has two temples of no great size dedicated to the Elephant God of Luck and Karait, Goddess of pain. There are two schools. The children go to school in two shifts; the first for children under twelve between 6 am and twelve. Older childen to the age of 16 attend between two pm and eight. Entertainment is provided by itinerant acts in the town square, currently jugglers, snake charmers and a dancing bear. The 'tourist office' holds little information beyond a map and train timetable plus a rather romanticised description of the caves. It has some information on other parts of Bashkher.

[tiaxanderson]

OOC -> The map from the "tourist office" also doesn't show the farm I suppose? (I just want to know, in relation of what kind of spell it might be.)

[Malchik]

The map from the tourist office is only of the town with a sign pointing towards the station and the caves. The isolated dwelling (I shouldn't have called it a farm as you haven't got close enough to tell what it is yet) is too far away to feature on the map anyway.

[phawk69]

"Well, it looks like a nice day for a walk, anyway," T'skar murmers, "Although I never really have liked walking. I hope Zarim is worth the trouble." She bightens "Hey, we get to approach him in the day light!"

[Baba-John]

As I understand it it’s now early morning and we’re heading for the homestead with all our provisions.

 

As soon as we’re out of sight, I put my bow together on the outlook for something worthwhile, to hunt for lunch.

 

Yes, we should arrive early morning, at the house. ;)

[Malchik]

The walk up the hill is tiresome but at that hour of the day it is not too hot for comfort. The usual wildlife, snakes, small rodents, foxes and birds are still about. The vegetation is sparce and of a kind found in arid regions - cactus of varying degrees of viciousness being the most commonplace. The air smells faintly of herbs.

 

The walk down the hill is easier.

 

As you approach the isolated dwelling you see it is completely circular in shape. It has a conical roof. A white fence surrounds it enclosing an area in which various plants are growing. The fence is made up of bleached bones.

 

There are no windows only a closed wooden door. The gate in the fence is of bone too.

[karkarinus]

"The place looks quite forboding." Says Kalmer. "Perhaps one or two of us should conceal ourselves and scout around a little first, before making our presence known. Look through windows, check for signs of life and so forth."