Tales of Faerun

[josh900]

Blackrazor crawled back into Tannin's cabin and was met with a wide, knowing grin from the Rogue who's head was still buried in an old tome. "That didn't go the way you hoped did it?" He asked with a chuckle and not an ounce of his usual posh accent, taking a rough common one..

 

The spider-shaped blade crawled underneath one of the bunks and stayed there. Seeming to ignore Tannin's words.

 

"You're not gonna win you know. They don't know you, they don't like you, and like always... You can't stop me, I've got you beat here, so best for you to get used to that little fact." said Tannin, looking over his shoulder at the bunk the blade scurried under.

 

A moment later Tannin let out a laugh. "Yeah... You keep telling yourself that." He said turning his attention back to the tome.

[AurianaValoria1]

Not long afterward, Rhaine - clad in the outfit Tannin himself had made for her - kicked in the half-drow's cabin door; it squeaked and then hit the wall with a resounding bang. Her eyes flashed with anger, and she appeared ready to tear out his throat with her bare hands. However, her voice was oddly calm.

 

"I suppose you, in your infinite wisdom, know all about what your foul blade just did?" her words were dripping with caustic sarcasm.

[josh900]

Tannin turned to look at Rhaine with an arched brow. "Something that angered you I imagine." He said as he leaned back in his chair as he looked at her.

[AurianaValoria1]

"Spare me the feigned ignorance," Rhaine snapped sharply, "You know everything about that monstrosity, and I doubt you don't know what it aimed to do when it came crawling out of your cabin...and you cannot say you didn't notice it leaving, either."

 

The Doomguide ran her hand through her thick, loosened hair, "It just came to me begging for its own salvation. And it told me a bit about what you eventually plan to do. Or what it thinks you plan to do. Whatever you're looking through those tomes for," she forcefully pointed to the pile near him, "It's making it rather nervous. Which I can't say is unwelcome, because that means it fears for its existence...so perhaps you're on the right path to getting rid of it permanently. But if what it says is true about you aiming to kill gods..." she trailed and met his eyes, "I can only pray that you fail. I would ask you if what it said was true, but since I can't trust that I'll get a straight and honest answer out of you, I'll spare us both the breath and hope for the best."

 

She turned to leave, glancing over her shoulder and adding, "Just keep that abomination away from me."

 

With that, she departed and slammed the door behind her, returning to her own cabin and remaining there for the rest of the night.

[josh900]

Watching Rhaine leave, Tannin turned back to the bunk that his sword was laying under. "Well I'd say that went over well, you made quite the impression." He chuckled before looking back to the tome.

 

A few moments of silence fell around the room before Tannin spoke again. "That would not be your wisest of decisions. You get too many people involved in this, it'll only make things worse off for you. Now then, do be a good little abomination aaaand shut up." He said as though he were chastising a child.

[AurianaValoria1]

The next morning, the party set out early, just after dawn. They began to turn northwards to follow the River Angol, eventually making their way out of the tall Shaaran grasslands and into an even flatter landscape of dusty dirt and sparse vegetation. Not a single landmark seemed visible for miles...just the meandering river to the west. An occasional pocket of unmarked settlements would crop up behind a knoll here and there - sometimes no more than three single-room huts lumped together - and if any residents were out and about, they would squint and stare at the group until it passed them by. The air was drier the farther they went, but it was still uncomfortably hot, and Rhaine found herself unable to wear her armor as they rode along. Conall and Zorica were of the same mind; all three kept their gear in their packs on the backs of their mules.

 

The mules themselves made good time in this environment, despite the heat, and they were only a day's ride away from the Road of Dust when the sun began to descend in the sky. Just as Rhaine was about to instruct the party to make camp again, a single figure appeared on the horizon, slowly making its way towards them. The figure shimmered like gold in the visible, flickering waves of heat, and Argyros - who had landed to walk some of the way - remarked with a rumble of curiosity, "I wonder who that is."

 

"Odd place for anyone to be out by themselves," Conall commented.

[Deleted6317247User]

After Nawen left Hazel in Arva's and Ianthe's cabin, she went back to her little spot by the large tree and spent the rest of the next there. Before they left, Nawen changed back into her old armor which was more suitable for traveling in a warm climate, but sadly it was too warm to wear a cloak, and while they didn't meet anyone on the road she still felt anxious about not wearing it in case they will meet someone.

 

Even if Shalena had changed to a more appropriate as well as tad more revealing attire, the piratess didn't stop complaining about the heat throughout most of their journey. When they were about to camp, they saw someone walking towards them. "Whoever that is, I hope they know a shortcut." The half-elf mumbled.

 

"Shortcut to where?" Nawen asked as she watched the figure on the horizon.

 

"Somewhere cooler." Shalena replied.

[Llhunara]

Wiping sweat from her brow Llhunarra lets out a defeated sigh. This was most definitely not the right way and the small shrub to her left seemed sickeningly familiar. With the sun beating down on her she had some time ago ditched her cloak along with the armor she normally wore over her torso. Still wearing her leather from the waist down, her top half was left only in the thin cloth she wore under the armor, even that seeming like too much. As the day wore on she knew darkness would eventually find her and although that would save her from the sun’s rays it would make it even harder to navigate. While her father had been a sailor she had never taken well to reading the stars so the night was only going to blend her surroundings even more.

 

Feeling the weight of the full flask strapped to her waist she was ever tempted to drink from it, but such a concoction would do her no good in this sort of climate. Letting her head droop some she watches each step she takes, boots slapping down on the dry dirt as she does. The small dust clouds that rose with each footfall provided a good distraction for a short while. By the time she looks back up, unsure of how far she had travelled, the half-elf finds herself blinking.

 

Multiple figures dotted the horizon…or at least what looked like multiple figures, it was impossible to get an accurate count through the wavering air between them. Most appeared to be roughly human size while one was definitely larger. Unsure if the heat was getting to her more than she realized the female only hesitates a minute before continuing towards them. Unsure of what, or who they were she found herself curious. Besides, if she had seen them it was likely they had noticed her as well. Not having run across anyone in the past day she was willing to risk it, perhaps they knew the way to the closest village or town, Llhunarra needed to get out of this cursed heat.

 

Straightening some she felt revitalized, the hopes of figuring out where exactly she was brightening her mood considerably. Please don’t let this be a mirage, she thought.

[AurianaValoria1]

"Look, there's another one," Zorica pointed. Indeed, on the opposite side of the horizon, another lone figure was coming towards them - it did not shine like the other, and seemed a bit smaller in size. It appeared to sight them and then pick up speed, and Rhaine held up her hand to halt the party's advance. She did not think that either one of these loners would be a threat to them, but she was still wary, the other hand resting on her sword hilt.

 

Conall squinted, "That one seems to be...a woman? The one in gold I don't know."

 

"Half-elf female," Argyros replied, "The one in gold is a Mulan man."

 

"A local and a non-local," Rhaine remarked.

[josh900]

The heat of their current location was currently making Tannin rather irritable. "I'm not designed for this type of weather." He moaned as they went.

 

Azuris couldn't help but chuckle. "This ain't so bad Tannin. We had worse summers back home."

 

"Yeah just because I've had worse too doesn't mean I won't pass through without complaint." Tannin retorted. "I much prefer the cold, would rather risk frostbite than a heatstroke."

 

Lucas meanwhile seemed to be suffering in silence, though from a much different effect of the warmth. With the absence of armor on many of the woman, the young squire spent much of the journey with his head down, desperately trying to keep his gaze off of the women.

--------------

 

At the response to the approach of the two figures in the distance, Hexol leaped up and off of his saddle. "MAYBE THEY'RE FRIENDLY!" He shouted before running off towards one of them as fast as his little legs could take him. "HELLO NEW PEOPLES!!! WE'RE FRIENDLY!! UNLESS YOU'RE NOT THEN WE'LL KILL YOU DEAD! SO BE FRIENDLY OKAY?" He yelled as he ran.