You move on... Harran rides on the lizard behind Myra.

You don't see anything unusual until you come to a large (25 or 30 feet, or somewhere in-between) wicker effigy of a horse.

"Slow down, slow down," says Harran. "Just a moment, this is important..."

Myra looks at the wicker horse with suspicion.

"Are there people inside? I heard a story once about how an army tricked a city by gifting them a huge horse with people inside..."

"People, inside that ? Nah that's crazy."

Evan looks to Myra.

"No no-- this was made in the past... or by people who've come here from the past... but it would be empty.

The nomad tribes around here-- in the present, I mean-- don't make such things... this was made by followers of one of the ancient gods... Rashida, the Eternal, goddess of silence. See that turquoise dye around the hooves? Rashida was honored by meditating at the front feet of such horses. I... would like to try it. 20 minutes should be enough to appease... anyone... watching. I'm not saying I believe Rashida is watching... but I wonder if the people who made this horse might be nearby, observing..." Harran eyes the foothills around you. You don't see anyone... but maybe that's because they don't want to be seen...?

Joins Harran in his harmless activity.

In reply to The Sage Harran (msg # 52):

Myra nods, and begins looking around the area carefully.

"Ok, you all do that, and I'll keep an eye out. And when you're done, maybe I'll go next, and you all can watch over me. You know, just in case."

"You got it Myra." Evan gives her a thumbs up.

Harran goes and sits at the foot of the horse... he sort of sways back and forth...

This goes on for ten minutes... fifteen... tw--

Uh-oh.

A hawk suddenly flies down from the sky, diving straight for Harran.

Except this is no ordinary hawk-- this one is made of brass. It's some sort of magical creation.

Well, for now, the point is, it has sharp claws, and it's about to attack Harran...

(Either of you can run over and get there in time, if you wish. Or for all I remember you have missile weapons or magic that you could maybe use. Whatever!)

Evan was right there with Harran so he wants to use a burst of lightning on the brass falcon to knock it away.


14:26, Today: Evan rolled 3 using 2d4 with rolls of 1,2.  Lightning Zap.

This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Tue 10 Jan 2023.

Evan zaps the hawk strongly... but it crashes into Evan.

Evan's bracers magically protect Evan... BUT... Evan is traumatized... Evan starts having flashbacks of one of the scariest moments of the ship graveyard... (Which moment, Evan?)


(GM rolls die: Evan's Charming stat is reduced to 1 for now...)

(Also: Later, Evan finds that the magical Healing Pill is now lost...)

At least Harran is safe and the brass hawk is defeated...?

That shark seal thing he was pretty scared of that so flash backs of what could have happened with that. The Hawks talons like the sharks teeth mix in his mind.

He stays where he is arms above him trembling forgetting to ask if Harran is ok.

In reply to Evan (msg # 59):

Myra had not been paying much attention after so much time had passed in such a boring manner, so she's caught by surprise when the bird appears out of nowhere. It takes her a moment to dismount from the lizard, and by the time she's down it's all over. She rushes over to check on the duo.

"Are you ok? What happened?" She looks back and forth between Evan and Harran in surprise and worry.... especially since Evan does not seem to be responding. She notices him trembling in fear, and wraps an arm around him. "It's gone, you're safe, it's ok...." she whispers to him. "It's broken; it can't hurt you anymore... you're safe."


OOC: Attempting to Console Evan by being Insightful.
19:34, Today: Myra rolled 6 using 2d4 ((3,3)).

Ooof. So... let's get rid of the Trauma penalty, but deal with an attack!

(Evan's trauma is fixed!

That's the good news!)

"Look out!" says Harran, pointing behind you (as he backs up even farther away from what's behind you).

(GM rolls dice on his secret list of encounters...)

A thing like a jellyfish-- two-foot pink semi-transparent glob, four-foot trailing tentacles-- is floating in the air near you. It's silent, so it snuck up on you...

The tentacles reach out for you...

(Time for more violence!)

"Huh what ? Yeah yeah thanks Myra." Shakes his head.

"What is THAT."

Looks at the jellyfish.

Evan tries to make up for zoning out and tries to slash at it with his scimitar.


19:24, Today: Evan rolled 7 using 2d4 with rolls of 4,3.  Forceful attacks on Jelly.

OOC: Not sure if this is separate or an assist, but here goes!

At Harran's warning, Myra springs to her feet, and her eyes grow wide at the sudden appearance of the creature that almost snuck up on them.

"Nevermore!" she says as she draws her rapier, and with it she executes three quick thrusts into the creature's center of mass.

OOC:
Get Violent (Agile):
23:29, Today: Myra rolled 5 using 2d6 ((4,1)).

(Evan went first, and got a 4, so Evan got it.

In future, though, Myra-- it's d4s, not d6s. But no harm no foul this time!

Anyway, Evan:

--On a roll of 4, you defeat the enemy. Narrate how this happens!)

The jelly fish thing keeps getting closer and closer and Evan keeps chopping each slice reducing the Jelly by bits till the dry sand is covered in shiney quivering bits of jelly and things that had been floating in the creature's tummy.

(Well-done! You may now Loot The Area if you like... also, Harran has a special thing to point out (when you're ready, just let me know).)

In reply to The GM (msg # 64):

DOH! Sorry about that!

Loot the area: 23:52, Today: Myra rolled 5 using 2d4 ((2,3)).


Myra, finding that Evan has successfully chopped the creature to bits, looks over the mess... then heads back to examine the body of the metal thing that crashed into Evan earlier.

"What is this?" she asks Harran.

Myra finds what Harran tells her is "royal sand ginger." "Normal sand ginger is a peppery and slightly-sweet root used in many nomad dishes and dyes. Royal sand ginger is the same, but sweeter, and makes for better dyes. Any of the nomad tribes around here... normally, I mean-- would pay you well for this. Probably nomad tribes that are from the ancient past, would, too."

(The royal sand ginger root is worth 2 Loot.)




"A steam hawk. Created by the clerics of Laresh, the Shining, ancient god of the sun. He had a vendetta against the goddess of silence... among others. Ah well... but look what else showed up!"

Harran points. There is a... what is that thing? It looks like a huge snail with a dark purple shell that spirals to a point in back. It's big enough to ride on-- indeed, it comes with a saddle... "It's a land whelk! This particular subspecies is extinct, now! And it's fast enough to keep up with your lizards! I can ride it! Isn't it great?!"

In reply to The Sage Harran (msg # 68):

Myra hands the spice to Evan, then goes over to examine the land whelk.

"But whose is it?" she asks. "Won't someone be upset if you take their ride?" She looks at the horse again. "So, in doing your thing with the horse, did we make enemies of the sun god and his followers?"

Evan takes the spices and secures them to the saddle of his lizard.

"Ahhh there we go." He shakes away the last lingering shadows of the sharkseal from his mind.

"It is a cool snail, maybe that is where the hawk came from too, Myra is right might be someone else out here."

"Or maybe the hawk and jellyfish got to them before we got here."

"No... whelks are completely silent, you see. I think it was either sent by the goddess of silence... or else it's just luck. Either way, I don't think anyone will object."




"In my opinion, no. More likely the brass hawk was just enchanted to attack people sitting at the foot of such horses. Also, Laresh (the Shining) wasn't supposed to be an evil god as such... Although I suppose only time will tell..."

In reply to The Sage Harran (msg # 71):

Myra looks somewhat skeptical at Harran's explanation, but she nods.

"Ok, then I guess we can head out whenever you two are done with the horse? I think I'll pass on taking a turn, though." She looks at the sky carefully, searching for more attack hawks.

"I am more then ready to move on."

He mounts up.