A treak through the Desert in search of the Tribe of Rehsed.

#1

(Along for the ride is Daemonsbane Khered and Yohai. Along with them may be Grim, Glog of Or’Lur and one representative of Ol Lur if they choose to attend)

Every day they had treaked across the desert and every night Rogarth had fled back to the Batavian Bat using the linked shadow artifact tent to work his shift as a bouncer.

Sleep led to dreams and dreams led to his own monster.

So he did not sleep.

He walked during the day and paced the bar at night never telling his comrades why he "slept
" so deeply each night.

During their treak across the desert they had faced mighty yadols and ontor packs.

Rogarth stared out at the deep desert being unable to think straight due to lack of sleep.

#2

Yohai was used to quiet companions. The Baribur named Khered he preferred quiet, lest he make some snivelling remark about Uthvelor. The cambion was strangely quiet, not speaking unless spoken to or barking commands to the group as they destroyed enemies. Yohai was impressed. He was reluctant to use his favored sword, dosojin, around present company so the Yaldols weren’t as easy as they could have been to defeat. However, he was agile enough to climb up the Yaldol’s back and stab them in their eyes. Only once did he resort to using his gravedust pistol. It was years since he had last used the thing, and it wasn’t as disagreeable as he remembered. The ontors, thankfully, were easier to dispatch.

Yohai wondered what became of his former companions… it had been much time since he last saw them. Sera, the strange Earther monk from the Eastern Earther colonies, who had saved his life more than on one occasion… Lord Roan, the destructive force that stood beside him as they battled General Tharr and the Armies of Warmonger… the scion of Uth, Karrah Vargas and her husband Killion, the Morgothian who had become First Knight of Morgoth. And there was Raven, the bearer of Daemonsbane. He thought of his closest companions, and looked out to those who accompanied him now. Ever since he was given his task to bear the sword and seek its companion, his life had taken such a strange turn of events. In the last few years he had gone from a dutiful soldier among the ranks of the Akalus to a perpetual rogue and wanderer. Neither Zaodonai Dokos or Zaodonai Uth Celyse gave much thought to him. His current mission seemed more of an afterthought than an actual priority. Strange his life had become… strange indeed.

He looked over at the cambion, who seemed to be as pensive as he. But he also looked tired. Yohai said to the cambion, “You look tired… are you ok?”

#3

Grim popped out of a nearby shadow. Quickly looking around, he saw the trio from the bar. Walking over he nodded to each in turn. “well, you kids seem to making good time. Any thing interesting happen while I was running late. Sorry I can’t stick around too much. Got a couple of other people trying to keep me busy. So I will probably have to pop back out soon. but at least you are easy to follow, what with the trail of boddies you guys are leaving.”

#4

“I feel tired,” replied Rogarth, "It’s just me. By myself, facing the entire universe. Every friend I had, every person I loved , everyone who I thought who would standing at my side is gone.
And there are no open doors to one such as me.
A lifetime of wandering or living in poison squalor.
A lifetime upon lifetime of failure and sadness and disappointment with myself .
And memories of a man who isnt me a memories of a man who don’t want to become.
And you little Uth?"asked Rogarth as he rose to his full ten foot tall height.

Then Grim popped out and Rogarth beamed with joy, smiling for the first time in days,“Grim of the tunnels, it has been too long, its always too long.
How goes your trainees?
Another brilliant generation of bastards taught by the best?”

Rogarth paused to sniff the air, " Khered take to the air I smell something on the wind"

“. Fellows prepare for something wicked this way comes.”

#5

Khered looked upon his “companions” this was certainly the most odd group he had ever been among. A half kias, an cursed Uth, and a Bastard…god he hated Bastards…the rest were cursed by their bloodline, but those…things were just foul. Always causing trouble and chaos. Sigh, what would Half Ear think of this.

Rogarth wanted him to scout in the air, well, at least the wind might make him feel less hot, damn, it was hot down here. Khered spread his wings and took to the sky, look around from above, hoping to spy whatever was making Rogarth uneasy.

#6

As Khered made flight, Yohai looked at the cambion. If he weren’t Uth, he would have laughed at the cambion’s quip. Only a cambion could call him little without necessarily being derogatory. Besides, Yohai agreed, he was rather little compared to the giant cambion.

With Rogarth’s request, the Bastard was unable to respond to the cambion’s warm greeting. As such, Yohai continued, “responsibility weighs heavily upon us all. My kind has no room in our lives for sentiment. There is only duty… to the Zaodonai Uth, to Lord Azreal, and against the evils of Warmonger and the Quall N’drone. I will not compare my burdens to yours, but I understand what it means to be bound by duty to be alone, apart from your kind. But let it be known that the cambions are no longer hunted upon death across the seven shores. Stay clear of S’vanna, just in case… but you may peace in the North. There are rumors of cambion settlements, but I cannot be sure where.”

Yohai waited as Khered circled, pointedly aware of his surroundings but not allowing his vigilance to break his thought. Spending a multitude of years training allowed him to appear casual, despite being quite alert. He had ignored the Bastard on principle, even though he was quite sure the Bastard was familiar to him. He had several bad experiences with a certain Bastard, for which there were apparently thousands of, attempting to kill an old travelling companion of his. No matter how many thousands he slayed, there always seemed to be more. The whole ordeal left a sour taste in Yohai’s mouth, which unfortunately meant endeavoring to avoid contact and conversation, lest he on muscle memory alone slay the poor creature.

#7

A metal armored chariot roared towards them, being pulled by a pair of Mak Hablok.

Khered was the first to see it and the large Rehsedian Olgog who carried a bandolier of razorsharp metal throwing blades. A smaller Rehsedian charioteer steered the large beasts straight towards them.

Its blade hurler roared at them, “The Uthvelor come this way. Uth raiders riding ontop of Falsewyrms. Beware.”

They flew past with only that warning as a flock of falsewyrms descended towards then.

At their lead was an Uth raider with pale sapphire eyes and a bald head tattooed in the Olgog style.

He was the only to land near them. He called out, “Subcreatures, in the name of the Mind Spike tribe, you are claimed as chattle. That is unless another Uth tribe has laid claim to you. I am Captain Caotain Otain and you are my slaves.”

This fool Caotain Otain had apparently not yet spotted Yohai.

#8

“Captain Caotain Otain, I greet you. My name is Grim the Bastard. Perhaps you have heard of me.” Pausing to puff on a cigar while he adjusted a pin on his beret, he continued “Now I feel that you are a smart Uth, so why don’t you get back on your little falsewyrm and fly away?”

Stretching and cracking his neck, Grim glanced at the flock overhead. “Your Boys up there won’t be able to help you in time, if you continue to press the matter.” Pointing to the pin on his hat, “Do you know how someone earns one of these?”

#9

Yohai appreciated the Bastard’s straight-forward response. He also sensed that if given the opportunity, the answer would be something that would antagonize Otain. It was not necessary, and Yohai would rather not have to kill his own kind. He had no love for Mind Spikes, but neither Zoadonai Uth or Dokos would appreciate him slaughtering his own without making himself known first.

Yohai spoke to the captain, feigning to speak to Grim: “Grim, the Captain’s bravado isn’t matched by keen vision. He hasn’t even bothered surveying the chattel he is claiming as his own, so he will most definitely not bother to look at a pin on the hat of a Nameless One.”

Yohai weighed several options in his mind. The easiest option would be to claim the group as his slaves. Otain would bumble like the fool he was and the Slavers would move on. He did not, however, trust that his travelling party would appreciate being called slaves. Besides, he was there when Zaodonai Uth declared slaves illegal among his kind. Despite the Zaodonai Uth being largely absent from her ruling duties, he respected her leadership and would not disobey an order, even if he was merely lying about it. He disqualified that course of action on principal alone. The exact opposite reaction would be to declare this raiding party to be in violation of Uth law and kill them all. However, for the same reason he interrupted Grim’s parlay he didn’t pursue that option.

“Grim, let’s not presume he knows what a pin means. And before we antagonize the Captain and start a bloodbath, let’s show him a symbol that I know for a fact he understands.” Yohai made his way towards the Captain, making sure the crossed scythes on his chest plate marking him as a member of the Akalus Legion were readily visible. “Care to readjust your declaration, Coatain Otain? Because I have some questions that I need answering.”

#10

Chuckling to himself, Grim looked Yohai straight in the eye. “If his tribe promoted him to the rank of captain and never warned him what happens to those who try to take someone who has earned the Order of the Icepick, then i would be doing your whole species a favor. If I wasn’t trying to give him a chance to live thru this encounter, as soon as he called me a ‘sub-creature’ and said the word ‘slave’ i would have step behind him and removed his head from his shoulders and stuffed it down the throat of his pitiful mount. I am still giving him time to get back on it and leave. Trust me your Zaodonai would understand and not be too upset with me. I have known her for a good while now.”

#11

A golden Ontor with feathers the color of platinum roared in the distance and then dived down grabbing a Ravenous Kolgul in its jaws before flying off with it.

Never before would Caotain Otain have seen such a beautiful creature.

#12

Khered was furious at this Uth…this Creature could dare to try to enslave him! This cursed being believing that it was some kind of superior life form, some how entitled to enslave him! Sure these other creatures he traveled with are tainted in someway or another, but to be enslaved? No not even they deserved that fate, slavers needed to be stomped down into the dirt. The Uth he traveled with seemed to want to talk this insolent vermin down. He would give him his chance while Khered got into position to exterminate this worm if it came to that.

#13

Caotain Otain seemed distracted by the golden ontor.

The Uth captain gave another glance down at Yohai.

“Akalus i will leave these…creatures in your care. I have more important prey to capture.”

On an afterthought he stopped and finally gave an honoriffic greeting to the Ha’ku of Akalus saying, “what questions did the agent of the Zaodonai require?”

#14

Yohai purposely ignored the backhanded nature of Otain’s greeting. He was used to it. Besides, it was not worth the effort. Not yet, at least.

“First questions: Who do you report to and/or on whose orders did you go seeking quarry?”

#15

“I am here on the orders of Warchief Dyrisha Nial, i seek her kin Moli Nial who was in this region dealing with the subcreatures who call themselves the Rehsedians. Our last shipment of…workers from the south was misplaced and someone needs to be held accountable.
I think Moli is hiding with the charioteers but I have not yet found their base of operations.” Said Otain still partially distracted by the golden ontor. He couldnt seem to get the wings out of his mind.

#16

Yohai deliberated for a moment before continuing. “Lost workers, eh? Let me ponder on that for a moment.” He purposely looked thoughtful by raising his gauntlet-laden hand to his face. In the meantime, however, Yohai used the ancient Akalus technique of Fallen Commander. This technique allowed him to utilize the Uthvelor’s and Pelebor’s intrinsic connection to the Stream of Consciousness to send messages telepathically to others. Of course, only Akalus Legionnaires were used taught it’s skills, but Yohai’s ability to communicate to others wasn’t limited to anyone.

Without moving his lips he said to Otain, “These events are worrisome. However, I am on a mission of urgency from the Zaodonai. I cannot allow you to interfere. I will seek the kin of Warchief Dyrisha Nial, Moli. My current travelling group allows for it. If I find the kin of your warchief, they will be returned. Any retribution, however, will be as I alone see fit. Say yes to my next question if you understand.”

Yohai then said, aloud, “The events are indeed disturbing. Will you be heading back East before looping around, to get a batter vantage point?”

#17

Grim looked at the uths conversing, and walked over to Daemonsbane. “if you would excuse me for a bit, i have some other people i need to see.” After which, he turned and started to walk away, vanishing in 3 steps.

#18

The Uth were still talking, this was getting infuriating. if it went on much longer that flying fool was going to lose his head. Khered found himself pondering that when he got back home, maybe he should try to experiment on how to sterilize the Uth without harming Kiorn. Might make a fun pet project.

#19

Otain blinked a few times seemed to hold back his curse and said, “I will be off to check out that ontor. That would make a fine steed once it has been mind spiked. A slight change of perspective benefits most subcreatures.
Akalus if you find Moli Nial during your travels I hope you will return him to us. If not Dyrisha Nial can be a profound enemy. One even an Akalus does not want. Not a threat Akalus a warning one Uthvelor to another.”

The Uthvelor flew off leaving the group near the tracks from the charioteers. That tracks led east towards the mountains.

#20

Yohai nodded in perfect understanding, without malice, irony, or other emotion and intention.

Once the Uthvelor raiders moved on, he turned to the rest of his travelling party and began speaking rather loudly. “They will not be troubling us further. They have given up their hunt and will bother the Olgog around here no more. There is no further immediate threat.”