Underfed (part 11)

Camped out in the desert, in danger yet again, on the trail of an even more dangerous mummy with a still yet more dangerous Kulthian invention with Mantis Men who may or may not work for a 'Diamond Emperor' wandering nearby to say nothing of a dragon...

Just another day in the life of an Alexandrian adventure, right?

The day passed and you did at least get some rest, of a little anxiously staring pretty much any sound in the distance...

Rest is good, and Asmli was in dire need of it after the forced march, his stubby little elgs working double-time to keep up with his bigger companions. He stumped along grumpily, but when they reached safety, he barely managed to remove breastplate and weapon belt before flopping into the sand, wrapped in his cloak. Staring anxiously at sounds in the distance happened later, after he'd gotten a couple of hours of rest.

Nasrin is settling in for the evening, her drum out as she stares off across the encampment and prepares to sing a few songs. She does this pretty much any time they stop, and often during marches, so by now it's probably become part of the backdrop. Though some of the music is... Questionable. Depending on how one feels about bawdy drinking songs, at least, with such gems as Seven Drunken Nights in Alexandria. At least her spirits are high.

Victor spends the first hour of the night reviewing his little book - a spellbook for those who would recognize it. He takes his turn at watch and also spends some time speaking with Knapp, trying to learn more about the desert and what they might expect yesterday. Even though Victor has been having his doubts about the guide's ability to get them through this, he still feels it best to take advantage of any experience and knowledge the Egalrin might have.

The small Gnomish knight sleeps on his back on the ground. Or at least he seems to do, he's almost completely covered by the hairy mass of Corgi above him. The dog for it's part, has it's head leaning back at an agonizing angle and it's tongue loling out as it sleeps as well. A mixture of Gnomish snores and doggo 'snarrgghaarrggt' their only contribution to the evening. The occasional leg twitch from the Corgi as it hunts wild salami sticks and the formidable bacon-beast in it's dreams.

Nasrin thwaps Whirl. Hiya!

K'nap lets out a whistling sigh and then rises up from the dirt and sand. HE runs a hand over his injured wing and grumps, "Better, I s'pose. All right. Let's get moving. We have a lot of ground to make up if we're going to catch th caravan. If we're lucky, they've been slowed down."

And so you get a move on. Rations are still good, at least, amongst other things and K'nap is still an excellent guide. at least there aren't any more signs of mantis men, dragons, or anything else.

In fact, you do seem to be seeing, in the distance, a winding-sand-and-grime half-covered, paved road through the desert. Signs of civilization.

"Soooo," he says.

"We're getting near something I need to explain."

"Speak," Asmli says, grinning as they finally reach signs of civilization. Sand. It can die in a fire as far as he is concerned, and while he waits for the response, he removes one of his boots, turning it over to empty the sand from it.

The littlest Knight stirs to wakefulness. "Off." He starts, then continues to be trapped. "Off Mal!" To no avail. Waving his hands vainly he eventually gets a hold of the reigns and starts to haul himself out from beneath of Corgi. "Mal! MAL!" Finally the dog jolts awake, springing to it's feet and hauling the little Gnome aloft. With practiced care Soup scrambles onto the dog's back and settles into his saddle. "There we go."

Victor begins what has become a daily ritual of casting spells to protect the party from the heat. Once he's made his rounds he looks at Knapp expectantly.

GAME: Nasrin refreshes spells.

GAME: Nasrin casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14

GAME: Nasrin casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14

GAME: Victor refreshes spells.

GAME: Victor casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16

GAME: Victor casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16

GAME: Victor casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16

GAME: Victor casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16

By this point Nasrin has her armour on and she's staring at the Egalrin as she adjusts her gauntlets. She rests her battle axe against her shoulder, preferring- as always- to carry it in hand rather than slung. The redhead watches intently, waiting for K'nap to speak.

"So... these deserts are sorta... full of old ruins and things and what not. That's where the baddie you're chasing drew up the target from," explains K'nap. He clears his throat.

"Unfortunately for us, I've been doing the math on time it's going to take to catch up. The best way along is going to involve cutting through some ruins."

A beat.

"Legendarily, some haunted ruins. Now, /I've/ never seen anything, but it's liable thatwe will, since it's, you know... night time If we cut through the wreckage, we stand a good chance of getting to our target by the end of the night."

A pause again. "Buuut... you know. Ruins."

Victor nods thoughtfully. He looks at the rest of the party. "I will abide by whatever the group decides, of course." He looks at the guide. "My own opinion is that it is a risk, but with all of the delays we have suffered, one I fear we have no choice but to take."

"I don't see a problem here," Nasrin opines with a faint shrug tht causes her crimson armour to rattle somewhat menacingly. She gives Victor a nod. "Our job is going to dangerous places. What's the difference? Maybe we'llfind something interesting."

"Haunted? Like ... ghosts?" Asmli sucks a breath in, but after that, nods. "Yeah. If it's the only to catch up ... might be worth it."

Edinaz has arrived.

"Ghosts? Spirits?" The little Knight queries. "Not good tales, no trophies either. It's easy to say you did something dashing, daring and disarming to a nebulous spirit. Of course all you've got to show for it is a bit of an odor." Soup reaches down and scratches the neck of his mount. "Well I still think we could turn and destroy the enemy persuing us. They may aslo be edible." There's a rumble from his mount's belly at that statement.

"I'm afraid so," says K'nap.

"These lands are filled with the past, and it isn't even fully past, you know?" He squawks, then adds, "There's a reason that the one sent to claim this supposed agony engine was himself undead, so as to be immune to some of the dangers of the darkest corners of the deserts, where death has long claaimed the empires and cities that once stood."

He lets out a whistling sigh, fluffs his wings, "Right, then. I've been through before, not from this angle. Truth be told, I've never seen anything, but it's perfectly possile that this time will be different."

GAME: Victor rolls perception: (7)+7: 14

GAME: Soup rolls perception: (15)+10: 25

GAME: Edinaz rolls perception: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)

Edinaz nods from the back, where he's been lurking. "If we have to go through ruins, then we have to go through ruins. So be it."

"Right. There's not a whole lot left uncovered by the sand. Depends on the wind, you know. You'll see some, though." And with that, he sets off.

The night darkens, deepens, and soon enough you are indeed passing into the outskirts of a ruin. You can see the slightly visible remnants of buildings, stone foundations and little more, that look torn down, cracked and haphzard. You have to watch your step. Soon, you're moving deeper into them, passing into something reconigzably street like.

'It was called Nuriam," says K'nap.

"It was founded after the Sundering because it still had a working water system of some kind. No one knows the details /now/."

Lance held aloft, Soup peers around. Letting the Corgi make it's way over the ruined street. "Nuriam? Interesting." The Gnome murmurs. Peering about he blinks a few times and then whistles lightly. "Twas in the moonlight their feet did find, the road of ancient Nuriam. The lost and gone, the forgetten and faded." There's a pause as he whistles a few more light notes. "Could be a good tune, I will need to sit down with it."

Victor has been looking around at the stone visible through he sand as he passes by. "A water system in terrain like this sounds like the source may have been a spring or a wall of some kind." He pauses and then adds, "Of course any number of spells or elemental beings might also explain it..."

Edinaz nods slowly as he goes, not really paying attention. "Is there water? Something broken and left behind?" He pause as he considers. "If that's true, something or things probably lingers close because of it."

"What is it Mal?" The Corgi dances from one foot to the other. Soup raises up in his saddle and stratches the animal's neck as it's nose points towards the air, nostils flexing. Peering around into the gloom the little Knight cautions. "He's ill at ease, either there is a bath near by or something unusual." Easing his lance into the guide on his saddle the small Knight reaches up and slides his dog-faced mask into place.

It's clear that this city was the site of something cataclysmic at some point. NO building stands fully erect, as you pass deeper within. It's evident, if the fire marks are anything to go by, that it was razed. You can see the corch marks on the wreckage of what psased for its streets.

It is colder here, yes, colder than it /shoul/d feel even for the desert's night air.

"I don't dare take us to the heart of the city. WE stay on the outskirts."

Indeed, the heart4 of the city seems even more blasted than its outskirts. Whatever cataclysm over took it started /there/.

The wind picks up and, for just a second, you could swear you could hear a voice on it.

Must be your imagination.

Edinaz nods. "Then let us skirt it." He places a hand on one of his sword-hilts. You know, just in case.

"That seems wise," Victor murmurs in agreement. "I wonder what could have caused this?" He glances back roughly in the direction they travelled from. "The dragon?" He turns to Knap. "How long ago did this Nuriam fall into ruin?"