[IC] The Sands of Blood (Dead)

[Fatal Error 1337]

Bjoric pulled a rag from his pack once he saw all the gnolls were dead or fleeing, using it to clean some of the gore from his hammer. Picking out piece charged flesh from the rune on the hammers face, he approached the drow.

"Do ye really think stay'n here's a good plan? The one that got away will likely be back with more mongrels. And I doubt we'll get away with so few wounds then." he added gravely.

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh smiled with Sana at her commentary. Once she mentioned that they needed to get rid of the bodies he volunteered, "I'll help take care of it after I get a shirt." He said.

Hugh was seated on Sana's order and tried to take up a more relaxed position as she cleaned his wounds. He chuckled at her flat response to his chiding her to be gentle. He felt himself wince for a second and then relax as Sana touched the cloth to his wounds. He felt a warm and fuzzy sensation coursing through him, as Sana touched her hand to his back and continued working on his wounds. Regardless of how relaxed he tried to make himself look, he was feeling a little nervous and his heart seemed to be pumping harder.

He was starting to feel a little light headed, and his theory was that it was from the blood loss, or at least that's what he told himself. He definitely felt his heart beat a little harder when she got closer to work on him. She had finally finished after running her fingers over his once wounded skin, and wringing out the bloody rag. "Um, uh..." He stumbled over his words for a few seconds, "Excuse me, thank you." Came the words he finally got out, thanking Sana.

Hugh headed over to his horse and pulled a shirt from one of the saddle bags, striding back over while pulling it on as he listened to what the newcomer had to say. What the newcomer said put Hugh a little on edge. "How did you know my name?" He was a little wary now. "And why did you call me by 'sir'?" He looked at Artos rather inquisitively. "But, I would rather not spar with you over a cleaned bedroll, how about some tobacco instead?." Hugh wasn't too keen on getting into random sparring matches with people who seemed to know more about him when all he knew was the other man's name.

"If you know of my name, you probably know of my past, and I would like to inquire upon you, how do you know of me what else is there to your knowledge?" Hugh said, turning to face Artos. Hugh hadn't made much of an effort to hide his past, as he kept his name, but merely going by the name Hugh and rarely, if ever, using his full name. He hadn't used the title of "sir" in a very long time.

[EWillden]

Vivian rather likely Varis's company dispite him being a bit difficult. She was about to answer him when the magus had asked her if he could be debriefed and if he could keep any tomes they found. She shrugged, "Don't see why not,..." She then looked to Varis. "You can continue the watch with me if you like, but we best move first. That Gnoll that escaped might be back, and with more. Besides,.. these things sting more dead then they do alive." She said. She rose up and placed a hand on Varis's shoulder.

"You were wrong, looks like I have found a friend in the least places I would expect. Don't know if he has figured it out yet though." She said referencing him. She did not know why she said that of all things but she oddly felt she could trust him. Besides, his attitude was tolerable, compared to the new comer. Sounded like racism was strong in him and a hatred for elves filled his blood. Varis a mild compared to this guy, he almost called her elf woman again. She sighed and looked about. "Forget the bed rolls,... we will find replacements some other time. Once your ready Hugh, lets fasten Rodger to the wagon. We will take turns riding in the wagon while the others walk." She looked to the two support units who mainly focus on ranged and support magic. " Sana and Ellyn, you two can ride in the wagon first if you would like." She then moved over to the one with the greatsword, he looked like leader sense his armor was shaped differently. She crouched down searching its body and found a rather good sized coin purse. sixty gold coins in total as well as a few silver pieces. She tossed the coin purse to Varis seeing as he was to one who killed it in the first place. His kill, his treasure, it only seemed fair. She kept looking for clues for their attack, making sure it was just a simple regular raid.

When she found nothing she felt a bit of relief in it. She will always be suspicious with the idea that her kin could have made it to the surface to hunt her down. They could have easily talked a bunch of Gnoll bandits to assault any party that might have a dark skinned elf in it. She rose back up and decided to move to the wagon and unhook the dead camel her hand on its lifeless corpse. She silently apologized to the creature as she removed all the straps and tried her best to pull the wagon away from it. She then moved to Rodger and was going to move him up front ,but figured she would leave that to Hugh, the horse would be more comfortable with him anyways.

Vivian moved up ahead walking up the slope as she spotted the plateau from where she was at. It would not belong before they reached it and she only hoped that the gnolls wouldn't be on their ass the whole way through.

[Afina]

Sana rose from her place on blended knee as Hugh did, perking a brow slightly at his loss for words, he had seemed so composed but a few minutes before and now he was having difficulty forming a simple thank you. She rested her hand lightly on his arm, concerned that something was wrong. As he got the words out she nodded slowly. "Of course," she whispered, her fingers trailing off his arm as he walked away.

Looking over at Bjoric she nodded. "Right, we should get the hell out of here," she said before walking back over to the gnoll she killed and pulled her arrows out of it. Both were destroyed, there was no saving them. "Well that sucks," she muttered as she threw them into the sand and knelt down.

Rummaging through the corpse she couldn't find anything of worth at first, a few fingers hung around its neck and caused her grimace. "Monsters," she whispered before she noticed a simple banned ring of silver on one of the fingers. Pulling it off she cleaned it off with the damp rag, it had a small red stone of good quality on it. Holding it up to the moon light she smirked before pocketing it. "But not totally worthless."

Rising and hearing Vivian she nodded quickly, grabbing her stuff that she had set up away from the wagon earlier. Glad she had since it wasn't damaged in the fight. Gathering her things quickly she made her way back to the group. As she walked over to the wagon, placing her hand on the side and leaping up and into the back gracefully. It was a lot less crowded since people had used its contents makeshift projectiles. Dropping her things on the floor she pushed them out of the way.

"I got a few hours of sleep, I'll stay up. I really don't want to be falling asleep if they trail us," she said as she took position, her bow in hand, at the rear. She figured they had the front.

[Ryu]

"I wouldn't exactly call the newcomer a friend," Varis began as he walked over to the back of the wagon, throwing the purse of coins into the back before taking a look at the small little "battlefield" that was absolutely littered with gruesomely dead gnolls, his eyes darting from dead gnoll to dead gnoll before setting his sights on a gnoll with his arm ripped off.

"... Well," Varis began to mutter under his breath as he slowly walked off to follow the drow. "Could be worse..." Varis tried to recollect his memory, trying to remember the book he had read just before going on this small little adventure -- which he slightly regretted now. The book he had read was some sort of book detailing the adventure of some type of fictional race. He could remember distinctly the mad man who had sold it to him. Varis slowly placed his finger to his chin, tapping it every so often as he tried to remember what the book was about until finally nodding to himself, satisfied with himself and his ability to recollect his memory. "... At least we're not in More-door."

Varis quickly walked over to the drow, his eyes scanning the surrounding area.

[Inertia]

The leader of the band, the female elf named Vivian agreed to his terms, and not forgetting his manners, he bowed and managed to slur out an unintentionally gurgled "T-Thank you."

After his deal was so eloquently declined, he just shrugs it off as tobacco was mentioned. "I'd pass on the tobacco, would just slur my reading." he mentioned, though noting the jest "What's with the distrust, Sir Hugh?"

"I understand the wariness, great paladin of old." he says, "I've read all about the rise and fall of the great paladin order of eons long past." he continued while casting spell outloud, "Terra." the spell had sprouted a small scale of the the order's main building, as best as his memory served. "Little rough, excuse the crudeness and roughness of it, as I based it off of memory." carrying on, "I've read it through an ancient tome, it detailed the most prominent knights, including you Sir Hugh. Though I have come to that conclusion based on that faded design on your armor, even though it's faded it's still there. I have trekked to the city of old, the city was in ruins but I managed to find some insignias and broken armor containing the same emblem."

"Ah, I might've revealed too much." he said as he finally shut his mouth from his tangent, not dispelling the roused Earth. Noticing the other elf woman who was flirting with Hugh began talking to him, he tried his utter best to smile back at the elf person who smiled at him, though it distorted between a grimace and a smile, "I didn't quite catch your name, El- Lady." he managed to stutter out.

The wariness of the other male elf didn't really perturb him, all he noticed was that his ears were pointier than the rest. "Pointier ears than the females? Strange." he whispered to himself, before walking off to his decapitated Gnoll. Arriving at the half charred and headless Gnoll, he swiftly rummaged through his pockets and found a sack of coins, that contained about 7 pieces of gold and one half bitten gold coin. He pockets the coins, and began searching to find nothing but a silver ring that he also pocketed. After uttering a small prayer in another language. He then whispers, "Cipiet Ignis" as the body was cast aflame, Artos picked up the head and threw it in the flaming pile of fur and death.

[Salrynn]

Ellyn saw what was going on and the fight was soon over, the moment she sighed and started to think she was surprised by everybody's fighting techniques and wished she would know more songs... hopefully she will find a book for something to be able to since she wanted to learn... badly... Mainly there was a little spell she wanted to learn where she will make everybody dance regardless. She needed to learn that spell in-case anybody wanted to try and kill her off as she assumed some would still think she is useless.

She looked to the newcomer, Artos and then spotted the wagon and entered into the wagon to go back to see her poems are gone, Ellyn clearly got upset by this 'no! NO!!! MY SONGS!!! NOOOOO MY MY POEMS I MADE!!!' She was clearly angry and sighed 'Now I got to make new poems... not fair...'

She picked up her bedroll and walked outside the wagon to place her bedroll down, laying down quickly on top of her bedroll in a little huff to herself to try get to sleep

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh was taken aback by the newcomers knowledge. It was apparent he had no ill intentions towards Hugh, but rather just so studious. Hugh faltered, "I... I don't know what to say." He said looking at the image Artos had created of the old building. "It looks just like it." He said, with a little bit of remorse in his voice. His emotions began to well up inside of him, as he got a little choked up. "You've seen my old city... in ruins?" He sighed. It was not so surprising, but he had thought those that took it would have taken it over, not burned it and leave it to rot.

"I suppose it is best it be left untouched." Hugh muttered. He trailed off for a little. He was happy to know that his kind had not been totally forgotten, but Hugh was no longer a Paladin. He had left that long ago, choosing instead to just be a skilled fighter for hire.

Hugh went over and prepared his horse, removing the saddle with all its accouterments and plopping it on the wagon. He then guided Rodger over to the front of the wagon, leaving him bare backed. He left the harness on his head, and tied his reins to the front. Then he put the wagon hauling harness on him and left it at that. "We'll hook him up when we get started. I'd rather not leave him to hold something when we're not moving." He always made sure to take good care of his horse.

Afterwards, Hugh went around, picking up his armor items and wiping down his falchion, sheathing it after it was satisfactorily cleaned. He then picked it all up and walked over to Sana's guard position. "I can pull shifts with you. You seem so keen on taking it first, I'll wait." He said, only thinking that he was probably not going to fall asleep after all, as he felt restless and had taken a few hours of sleep before the fighting. "If you hear anything, be sure to wake me. Better grumpy than dead." He said with a little bit of a smirk.

[Afina]

Sana rose to her feet and glanced around, this entire attack had left her on edge. This was one of the very reasons she hated traveling at night, attacks came swiftly and without warning. Shaking her head she perked a brow as she watched Ellyn hopped out of the wagon and set up to do what seemed like sleep for the evening. Leaping down from her post she walked over to her and rested her hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I am sure you will write so many more songs, all of them magical," she said before glancing down at the bed roll. "Girl, you need to bundle that up and get back to the wagon. We aren't staying here. Too dangerous. We're moving out. I really don't want to leave behind the only one that can get these folk to shut up and get along for five minutes," she stated quickly before walking back over to the wagon and returning to her post.

Pulling her dagger out and the rag, she cleaned it up and then tucked the dagger back away before tossing the rag into the sand. She wasn't going to carry it anymore, it was too far gone at this point. It hadn't been much to start with. As Hugh came over to her she looked at him, he seemed in better spirits and conversation than when he had walked away from her earlier but she was still worried. "You okay?" she asked as she stood along the back of the wagon, holding on to a rail to keep her balance. It was odd, looking at Hugh on a more even level instead of standing a foot below him. "You were a little," she began but paused as she considered her next words, "tongue tied earlier." Tilting her head to the side in concern as she moved closer to him, bending her knees slightly into a crouch and swinging out from the wagon a bit, still holding to the rail with on hand; like a child would when playing in the trees.

"Yes, grumpy is better than dead," she said as she continued to look over him. He seemed no worse for wear right now but he had lost blood in the fight and even though healed, still held bruises. She figured he could survive a lot worse than that but it didn't mean he was at the top of his game right now either. Her eyes finally found his, soft and warm like worn leather with flakes of amber that seemed to sparkle slightly. "But you were injured," she said followed up with as she pointed to his shoulder before breaking eye contact and swinging back and righting herself.

[Salrynn]

Ellyn turned around to see Sana and sighed

'So we aren't sleeping!?' she projected out her voice so it could reach Sana, sitting up and rolling up her bedroll, her smile was showing though due to the compliment she received from the marksman. Getting up slowly so she doesn't get any bloodrush she picked up her bedroll and threw it onto the wagon, standing beside it and sighing deeply to herself.

'magical...' she reminded herself of these words in her head...

[EWillden]

Once everything with the wagon was situated and everyone was ready to move on. She returned to the wagon. She finished hooking up the horse Rodger and then climbed up to take a seat in the front. She lightly flicked the reins yo get the wagon moving. She figured once they were far enough from this spot they would try to sleep again. If it was for the wagon being so small and we only having one animal pull it. She would set the pace of the horse to a faster one. Not a lot of the party members were happy but they had to leave their spot because that one Gnoll who escaped would return.

She had to laugh as she thought of Varis's words from earlier. He had a point though. It could be worse. They could be traveling through the underdark. That would be even more dangerous.

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh put on his chainmail and threw the rest of his gear in the cart. He simply had his falchion, his tomahawk, and his chainmail shirt. "Yes, I'm alright. I guess I was just feeling a little bit of the blood loss getting to me." He said, responding to Sana's concerns. He looked her right in the eyes when she swung around on the wagon, speaking to him, and pointing to where he had been injured. He looked to his shoulder, and said, "Oh, yes, I was." He said it as if he had forgotten the injury.

Sana quickly swung back around the wagon to her original position. "You seem to be alright, if I'm not wrong." He said to her, starting the slow walk behind the wagon, his hand resting on his sheathed blade. He looked up at her, a very blissful smile on his face as he slogged along through the sand after the cart. It wasn't going very fast, so he was walking at a rather leisurely pace. He was hopeful that Rodger was doing alright, as the cart was not as loaded down. Hugh hadn't used him for pulling carts as much as he had just free riding. Rodger and Hugh had been a pair of heroes, rescuing those in need against nature and creatures. The perfect horse for a skilled warrior.

[Ryu]

As the wagon was moving, Varis slowly kept pace with the wagon by walking parallel to it, drawing his weapons as his eyes scanned the surveying area for the gnoll that had took off. He was rather ticked off now, having just felt some sort of weird "sensation" that he'd never felt in such a long time. That sensation being his ears twitching.

His ears would only usually twitch when someone made mention of it, whether it be a thought that someone had or when someone talked about Varis' ears out loud.

They're only slightly pointy! Varis stated in his head as his squinted, trying to find the gnoll, thinking it was the damned thing that had run off talking about his ears.

Varis didn't exactly like his ears, how slightly pointy they were. They would often be a cause for remarks by travelers or merchants, at one point, even one of his assassination targets talked about just how pointy they were before dying shortly after to Varis' steel blade. He can just remember his words now before Varis slunk his dagger into his heart with a maddening rage.

"What's with those pointy ears?"

Varis grumbled as he kept his eyes out for the gnoll.

[Salrynn]

The wagon started moving and Ellyn sighed. Walking beside the wagon seemed to be much more fun as she was actually doing something, she then yawned as she grabbed whatever she could of the wagon to keep up. Being too tired to even want to keep up. The only thing that kept Ellyn awake was the hope that she could possibly find one of her poems, JUST ONE. If she found more then that would be a bonus in her eyes.

'one poem...' she thought to herself 'only one poem...'

[Afina]

Sana glanced over to Hugh out of the corner of her eyes for a brief second before turning her attention to the lands around them, a small grin tugging at the corner of her lip. "Yeah I'm fine," she said reassuringly as she kept look out for anything that could be out there. The last thing they needed was another surprise attack but at least now it seemed like everyone was awake.

As the wagon pulled forward, Sana rocked slightly on her heels. She had remained standing off the back side of the wagon. One hand on the rail, one on her bow. Both eyes focusing on the distance. She may have been no elf but she was Gypsy, born for the night and on an evening as clear and crisp as this one it was easy to adjust.

"So.." she began as the wagon pulled forward, not looking over to Hugh as she spoke but directing her voice in his direction. "From the scars, I take it you have seen your fair share of fights," she said as her eyes darted about looking off into the distance. "Anything else I should know about you? Like are you on a wanted poster for cruelty to bed rolls?" she teased lightly but she was interested to know more about those she was traveling with.

[Inertia]

After Hugh left Artos to his own devices, the horse that he owned Roger, was it? he thought to himself before rustling through his small pouch and finding a small tome. The tome lightly hummed with power and was slightly illuminating in contrast to the dark so that Artos could read it with no strain. He was following the slow Wagon pulled by the rather aged Horse. Looking at each individual, the male elf with the pointy ears looked vexed and annoyed. Hugh and the lady were flirting yet again. Another female elf looked worried and exasperated for losing something in the earlier attack.

His deep scarlet eyes snapping back to the humming book, he began reading vigorously and wouldn't be able to snap out of his trance unless something large happens, Artos slowly walks behind the wagon in automatic mode.

[Horrid]

Drizzak

---

The small dragon-ogre thing hobbled on its elongated arms, sort of swinging its stunted legs forward, much like a gorilla or ape would. Drizzak chose to follow the wagon, but on foot this time. He wanted to be right there if any action kicked off, right in the thick of it. He was still salivating with excitement, skin smoldering slightly as his Fire Shield formula waned to almost inactivity. As the other gathered their bedrolls and huddled back toward the wagon, he had still been salvaging from the Gnoll's body. He salvaged everything he could use, as he was taught. He didn't have nearly enough time to take its hide or its teeth for jewelery, but he did have enough time to pick up what remained of its head. The blackened canine skull sat atop his head, fixed with more of that same dirty string and a strap of leather, becoming a makeshift helmet. The jaw was fixed below that, to his own jaw. Another measure to keep it from shifting.

"Drizzak loved fight. We do more. Yes. Yes yes yes."

His voice was deeper, more a growl than the nasal shriek it was before. He tumbled into a roll as he moved closer to the magic blade man, Artos. This man was a bit more his speed, not quite as brutal or vicious as he liked, but the magic was a welcome change to the exclusively martial practices of the others. Well, save for the holyman, but Drizzak's opinions were not friendly enough after being called a small-scale. He decided to nudge the withdrawn bookworm, not one to wait for an audience with a mere warmblood. The craggy, scaly texture of his hand scraped against the Magus' lovely armor with a rasping grind.

"You. Tall warmblood. Why you book? Why? There is fights soon! Book get messed!"

[EWillden]

As the wagon pulled forward, getting ever closer to their destination. Suddenly a large green orb flew up to it. It floated there and seemed to dance in the air. Then after a few seconds if took off again. It stopped once more hovering over the bodies of the gnolls. It then began to suck the bodies into its round body absorbing them. Once all the bodies were gone and inside it. The object flew back, flying past them. The object seemed to fly towards their destination.

Vivian was a little curious about the object and also a little concerned. Why did it take the corpses? What was it going to do with them? She couldn't figure it out and a part of her didn't want to.

[Warrior in the Shadows]

Hugh snickered, "The bedrolls just had it coming!" His smile as charismatic as usual. "But yes, I have seen a good share of fighting. Not all with bedrolls." He grinned. Hugh wasn't too keen on making the conversation about him. His story spanned an era of war and hell. He had been a fugitive from a destructive force once. He made it, but his colleagues were not so lucky. He never knew if anyone else made it. Perhaps this newcomer, Artos, knew of others.

"I used to live with a barbarian tribe a long time ago and we fought other tribes together. They took me in and made me one of their warriors." That was as far as he was going into his past for the moment. He wasn't too keen on dumping his life story on anyone. "What about you? Been slaying gnolls your whole life? That was some pretty skilled marksmanship." He said, with a smile.

Hugh was enjoying the group, he hoped they would travel far together. The dwarf made good company and would probably be an excellent drinking buddy. The elf bard made the mood always enjoyable with her music. The halfling was great company and could come in very handy as a burglar. The goblin's skill was very different and very useful. The young elf seemed to be going through some kind of angst rebellious teenager stage, but was nonetheless skilled. The drow was all too mysterious, but still a good leader at the head. The newcomer, Artos, seemed very skilled as a magus and knowledgeable on Hugh's past. Then there was Sana the archer, someone Hugh appeared to be taking a liking to.

Just then, he caught sight of the orb pass overhead, taking away the corpses of their foes, and disappearing just as quick. "That can't be good." He said, not completely sure of the orb's origin or being, but he had a very bad feeling about it.

[Afina]

Sana listened intently to what Hugh had to say, chuckling lightly at his comment about the bedrolls. "That they did," she said lightheartedly as she kept her eyes focused on their surroundings; hoping that the gnolls thought better of attacking them again. As he spoke of the tribe that took him in she perked a brow and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Though she had seen him fight and what he did to that poor stool at the tavern she didn't see him as barbaric. Far from it. She wondered what brought him to that point but felt it wasn't a time to pry.

Then it was her turn apparently, quid pro quo was it were, when he asked about her and complimented her marksmanship. She wasn't flattered but rather impressed he had been able to know what she was up to in the middle of his own fight. "No," she said quietly. She didn't exactly know how to put her life. "I'm a...." she trailed off. Her kind wasn't exactly the most respected in general, even less so in an adventuring community. Being regarded as harlets, scammers and thieves. Not exactly a history to inspire trust among the ranks.

Finally she took a deep breath and continued. "A Gypsy. Raised to sing and dance,"she said as she looked over to him for a moment, biting her bottom lip slightly before looking back out slightly hoping for a distraction and it came in the form of a glowing orb above them. Within the beat of a heart, she had grabbed the railing and lept up onto the top edge of the wagon, an arrow drawn from her quiver and it knocked into her bow, the string drawn back taunt. Her footing as stable as she had been on land.

Sana watched it carefully, holding her position to see what it would do. It did nothing but seem to hover over them before it flew off. "What in the...." she said slightly surprised as her bow lowered slowly and the tauntness was released on the string. Her eyes widening as it seemed to eat the bodies they had left behind, including the skull on their wannabe Dragon. "Hell was that?!" she finally was able to finish up as she jumped off the wagon into the sand next to Hugh, mouth agape as she slowly looked over to him before watching it fly off in the direction they were traveling.

"Any one know what that was?" she asked to anyone there as she placed her arrow back in its quiver.