[IC] ꇙ ꒤ ꋊ ꋪ ꒤ ꋊ ꋊ ꏂ ꋪ ꇙ

[LordOfTheNight]

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C a n y o n
E v e n i n g

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Hawke spoke with some of the newer Runners concerning certain items that would help them survive in the desert on assignment. Obviously, a sword or bow was very important to combat living threats but the real threats were the environment. Water was the biggest one. Without it, a Runner was doomed a very short life. That was why many Runners were given a supply of Aquamarine Tears, mysterious gems that when sucked on produced a fair amount of water. Not much mind you but enough to ensure you wouldn't die. They were a must for Runners but proper water was also welcome as well.

Hawke sighed as he tended to his boga and inspected the cargo as it was loaded aboard the schooner. Black Powder, Dried Food, Aquamarine Tears, men and women to aid the dig as well as man the schooner. It was quite a bit. It was a prize for any bandit or raider who spotted it. No wonder they had such a detail. Thankfully though, the schooner was armed. Torvin was making sure of that as the half-fae inspected the merchandise.

Torvin made his way aboard the schooner and inspected the defenses. Black Powder Grenades, Repeating Ballista, Dragon's Breath for spewing fire on those who came to close. Not bad at all. Torvin especially smiled when he examined the grenades. His weapon of choice every time. Blades and bow were good, sure but why not send your enemy off with a nice loud BANG! The dwarf glanced back to the Zitan as it signed to him. Torvin frowned a bit as he took a moment to decipher what was being said. He noticed the pointing and looked to see the tattoo. Torvin grunted. He understood.

"It's the mark of a member of the Iron Army. I was a member of the Iron Army's engineer corp but I decided to go off and see the world. I wasn't born to live a small life. It's much better to die a large death if you ask me..." he grunted as he took a swig of his flask. Some would probably criticize Torvin for drinking while working but Torvin wasn't drinking alcohol, rather he was drinking water. True he enjoyed a good brew but he wasn't going to dull his senses when he needed to be sharp like a knife.

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Torvin was barking orders to the crew of the schooner, moving men to positions and assigning them jobs much to the captain's dismay. Torvin however had told the balding human that if he wanted to live to see Ruk, he'd listen to the dwarf or be put under with a good knock on the head. The dwarf got things done, one couldn't fault him for that.

Hawke mounted his boga and did a final run down of his gear. He was fully equipped and prepared to fight. Prepared to survive as well. Hawke looked around him at the others. They seemed ready and raring to go.

"Alright, everyone ready?" he asked. With the confirmation of others, Hawke put a whistle to his lips and blew loudly. The gates began to creak open to reveal the canyon path that lead down to the bottom of the canyon. Hawke pulled up his shemagh and snapped the reins as his boga took off through the gates and down the sandy path towards the ground below. The schooner followed behind as a mage aboard summoned a gust of wind to get the sail moving as they followed in kind. The night was cool, bright thanks to the presence of the Twins above them. The sky shades of deep blues and purples. It was always a beautiful sight for Hawke. One he'd never tire of so long as he lived.

The city of Ruk laid directly ahead of them, the city of Nekar and Sando behind them. On either side, the canyon walls stretched at least a quarter mile up. The air blasted through the canyon and kept things cool but sand shifted constantly and created dust storms. Hawke rode hard and kept his eyes out, eyeing above them as they rode. The first night was rather uneventful to say the least. Or it would have been had the wind not begun to pick up as the sun was starting to rise, casting crimson light over everything.

"Shit. Sandstorm! We need to find shelter for us and the schooner or we're gonna be shredded apart!" the veteran called over the winds. Hawke began looking around. There was a cave they could hunker down in not far from her that could shelter them and most of the schooner. So long as the sails were kept down and everyone pulled, they could position the schooner perfectly. Hawke jumped off his mount and motioned to the group. "Everyone! Grab a rope and start pulling the schooner towards the mouth of the cave! Use the boga if you have to" he yelled. Hawke looked to Torvin. "How long we got?"

The dwarf eyed the sky and judged the wind as his dwarven mind processed the information.

"1 hour at best!" he yelled. Hawke cursed as did most of the crew as they began to scramble. Torvin gave the Zitan a pat. "Time to prove yourself. Make sure everything loose is strapped down and once that is done, grab a rope and start tugging. Our lives depend on it" he told the insectoid.

Hawke looked to Karissa and called out over the wind.

"Karissa, do you think you can buy us time?" he called out.

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<sup>H e a l t h :
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100%

E f f e c t s :
Panicked & Determined

W i t h :
Karissa, Asante, Iyana, Skahn, Torvin, August

N o t e s :
None

M e n t i o n s :
@stone
@Araby264
@6slyboy6
@Yankee
@Andreyich</sup>

[Araby264]

Skahn Dra

C a n y o n
E v e n i n g

Skahn was enjoying the work, it had been too long since Skahn had felt useful or done work as a group. The Torvin was an efficient work master and Skahn followed The Torvin's orders well. Between moving from one task to the next Skahn removed the cloak keeping Skahn's mid-arms hidden and began to use all four, increasing the speed and efficiency with witch the tasks were done. Throughout the process Skahn was silent, not signing or speaking unless necessary for the job being done. Skahn had found a nice rhythm periodically checking the Schooner's rigging and being sure that the cargo was secured as well as the weapons, when the small hairs on Skahn's antennae began to catch a breeze.

Skahn's plates began to itch. A storm was coming, Skahn could feel it in the air. Just as Skahn was coming to this realization The Hawk began to warn the others and shout for all of them to begin Towing the Schooner to safety. Torvin gave Skahn final instructions before Moving on to help the Others. Skahn gave a thumbs up and went around the Schooner double checking everything to ensure that it was still secure. Once that was done Skahn grabbed a coil of rope and began to move to the forecastle of the schooner. As Skahn was walking Skahn tied the rope in an 'X' across Skahn's chest and made a harness with a length of rope tied off to the schooner's Guy lines. This left all of Skahn's limbs free.

Skahn jumped down to the ground below, landing with a burst of sand. Skahn lowered their body so that all six of their limbs were on the ground, then Skahn began to pull with all the strength a seven foot tall Worker Zitan could muster. The rope pulled taught and began to stretch as the knots Skahn had tied began to set and the rope began to twist and the fibers settled into their pattern. Skahn could not help but let out a few hisses and clicks in effort as they pulled on the schooner, bringing it closer to the cave that had been pointed out by The Hawk.

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<sup>H e a l t h :
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100%

E f f e c t s :
Sandy

W i t h : All

N o t e s :</sup>

[Andreyich]

C a n y o n
E v e n i n g

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The Knight really didn’t have a great many things to do. Considering the route they were going to take his horse would not be debilitated by the inability to go up and so it was clear he would ride vanguard rather than staying on the schooner with the bug and the Dwarf. August made sure that Bobby was well fed, watered, and clean, and then rode out to the rendezvous. Waiting for the rest of the party he finished the meal from the tavern, before moving on to prayer for the rest of the time that he was waiting. Though for many two hours would be far too much time with no activity, August found he rather enjoyed the short break. It let him once more clear his mind and find some peace between the bouts of violence that more or less defined a Paladin’s life. Just like that, the time passed very handily for August with much introspection done, the time both feeling as if slowed down for more work to be done and yet also having passed so comfortably fast. It took him a moment to snap out of his daydreaming as one by one the Sunrunners showed up with their boga, and he made sure to acknowledge them with but the slightest movement of the neck that could pass for a solemn nod.

Keeping quiet while Hawke did a quick check before the group left, he once more only nodded to affirm that he and his mount were good to go. Seeing the fellow wrap his face up, August was reminded to do likewise and a few moments later wrapped an orle around his helmet just above the horns, letting the long white cloth flutter in the wind.

The ride was calm and restful, almost surprisingly so; were Sunrunners really needed for this? Of course August wouldn’t complain that he could have a relaxing journey, but at the same time his fate was in the way of the blade, and to deny it was almost a bad omen; fate punished those that didn’t obey, and all who fought against it were hopeless rebels. Removing his sword from its sheathe, August looked at the thing thoughtfully. To pass the time he considered maintaining it, but the thing was already razor sharp, well oiled, and with nowt in the way of blemishes. It shined even, quiet beautifully so even if the reflectiveness of the weapon was at time a hazard given it alerted people quite far away to his presence. But that was why he kept it in the scabbard upon his belt, and so it went back to from where it came.

All of this thinking was quite quickly interrupted however when looking up it was clear a sandstorm was gathering. Lying down in a shallow trench he could dig in moments and covering his visor he knew he could weather it, but he was not alone and hence such a selfish train of thought could not be allowed to continue. It was a good thing then that a cave was spotted by Hawke, though the Dwarf’s meteorological analysis gave them only an hour or so to get to safety.

The leadership of the team ordered the group to haul the schooner to safety, but insofar as August could see this was a great risk even if the mage girl managed to divert the sandstorm for an hour or so. “No time.” August announced, looking back and forth between the cave and the sandstorm. “We ought to leave the schooner here, secure it in place with harpoons and anchor. Any potential raiders will have to likewise seek shelter, so we have no fear of somebody robbing the vessel while we wait out the storm. I say we simply get the crew on our mounts and carry them as fast as possible to the cave, not risk any lives and resources unnecessarily.” Of course, it was only a suggestion and August would follow any orders to contrary to anything short of his own death.

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<sup>H e a l t h :
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100%

E f f e c t s :
None (?)

W i t h :
Sunrunner party

N o t e s :
None</sup>

[6slyboy6]

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Location: Canyon
Time: Evening

It had been a rather relaxing ride with the sunrunners so far. She managed to get onto a Boga in the end, and she spent most of the journey lazily laying down against her mount and scratching it's gills as they traveled. It reminded her of the old times, the better times. When she still had people to be around and spend time with. When her life wasn't a constant mess of contracts and running away into further and further lands to get away from everyone.

Inside, she already hated this. Once she remained distant from other because she couldn't deal with her grief, but nowadays it was just a habit that she got into. But deep inside she yearned for people to call a family and friends. Letting out a small huff the girl closed her eyes, letting the Boga's movements consume her thoughts for the moment. This always calmed her down whenever the demons of her past came to haunt her.

Then she heard her name and she groggily peeked p from the saddle, facing down a large wall of sand that was headed straight for them. Next time, don't mention warding off sandstorms. It's just asking for a trouble.

With a long sigh she grabbed the reins of her boga and quickly sped up to enter next to the schooner and look up at Hawke. For a moment she held her gaze, a neutral expression on her face as she contemplated what to say. After a long second she eased up and pouted as her face turned over towards the storm. "I wish it was only the schooner, I could protect it all night long. But here... I can buy you an extra 5, maybe 10 minutes." Karissa explained, her head tilting to the side a bit as she took in the sight of the storm. With a deep breath, she took in the air around them, feeling around for what she was dealing with here. Her amulet lit up with a dim light for a moment before she looked up at Hawke. "I'll go forward and meet our guest. I hope this Boga is as fast as the stablehand said it was. Once the wind wall falls, this storm is going to come here mighty fast. If you're not done by then, you better haul ass to safety."

With that she pulled on the reigns before she used her feet to signal the boga to ride forward. "Hekte!" With that she darted off on her Boga, putting a good hundred meters between herself and the others before she finally came to a halt. Quickly hopping off her boga, she took a stance besides the beast and closed her eyes, her hands reaching out towards the storm as the amulet on her neck began to glow brightly.

Slowly, a shimmering wall of whirling winds began to emerge from the ground up, some of the sand from the approaching storm already getting caught on it. It stopped after it grew about 8 meters in diameter, and Karissa let out a little huff as she opened her eyes again. "Alright, easy peasy girl. Just be sure to leave some juice for when the storm arrives..." She muttered to herself as her eyes stared at the incoming storm for a few seconds. This is certainly not how she imagined this trip to go.

[Yankee]

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^{Canyon: Evening}

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Asante moved with the rest of the group at the veteran Runner’s signal. He might have urged his mount a little too quickly at first, her claws flinging sand up behind her as she scrambled forward towards the front of the caravan, but soon enough she calmed and the boy riding atop the boga relaxed a little. He was wrapped up in an oversized scarf of deep purple, the top tied around his head and face while the rest was draped over his shoulders. As he’d thought earlier, it was a lovely night - the sands stayed warm for a while, and the duo of moons were bright overhead. At several points in the early part of their journey, Asante found himself trusting the reptile below him and fixing his gaze skyward.

The ride felt different with such a large group of traveling companions. Not just the company of course, naturally anyone would feel differently when they were more used to solo rides through the dunes. This ride however imparted some measure of responsibility to the Sunrunners that were a part of it, and Asante was no exception. Although he could often be seen looking up at the Twins and the stars, it was never for too long. He kept his attention sharp, did his part. Eventually the moonlight bled into dawn, and the first real test of the mission came upon them - and quickly.

A sandstorm was an aggressive adversary like any force of nature, but that was all it was. They could have run into any number of people more vicious than a storm. From the sounds of it the sandstorm wasn’t far off, so Asante didn’t waste any time. With a harsh flick of the reins he directed the boga back toward the schooner as quickly as it would take him there. Now the young man’s strong suit was dexterity, he wasn’t exactly built for strength. If he needed to use the boga to pull he would, but in the middle of his considering a better course of action for himself the armored man, August, made a sound suggestion. Asante’s eyes flickered to the man still astride his horse and gave him a pointed look.

The next moment the purple maned boga leapt aboard the schooner. The young Runner looked between many of the faces on the deck, some startled by the creature's sudden appearance. After barely a moment's hesitation Asante dismounted and helped two of the crew into the space he'd just vacated. "There," he said to the boga, pointing out the cave Hawke has spotted, "then back to me." He'd chosen this boga specifically for her intelligence, and he was confident she'd do a fine job ferrying people off of the schooner. As soon as she was gone, scrambling over the sand and stone of the canyon's base, Asante turned a dark gaze on the men still on the vessel.

"You heard them, right?" he questioned, "Ready the harpoons or get off the ship and pull." If the sandstorm wasn't so close, the sight of the young man giving out orders when the more veteran Runners were right there would be comically. As it were, most scurried off with Asante's words and the boy himself moved to the bow to lend any hands he could.

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^{H e a l t h ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ 100%
E f f e c t s : None
W i t h : Everyone
N o t e s : None}