Uktar 10, 1357 DR I have been hired to join a group headed for the Spine of the World Mts. despite the late season. Already snow has blanketed the ground for some time and few ships roam yet someone wishes us to go north is these cold times. This is a great opportunity. I have headed to the foothills of the mountains north of Waterdeep where the band is supposed to be assembling. A dark man in cream colored tunic, braies, and baladrana rides up to the camp on a well groomed horse leading a pack mule and dismounts. His close-cropped beard and stubble hair are as out of place as his skin tone and he carries an iron tipped quarterstaff. He speaks gently to the horse in low tones before tying the reins to a low tree branch. His pony is still tied to the horse and follows along. He draws an apple from a saddlebag and feeds it in pieces to both animals before joining you at the fire. He lays his staff at his side and rubs his gloved hands together in an attempt to warm them by the fire while quickly surveying his companions. "Well met. Quite a collection I see. I am Unar, a servant of beneficient Thoth and compiler of information." Though his accent is strange he speaks common well. "This should be quite an adventure. I will observe all that you do to further my knowledge. I am quite anxious to be started." His smile is warm and friendly. "All of you are quite obviously experienced adventurers, please, tell me some of what you have seen." As he finishes he request he removes his pack from beneath his baladrana and pulls out a book that he flips the latch on and opens. Then he fishes through a belt pouch for a quill pen and bottle of ink. Already at the fire are several figures: a dwarf in fine plate armor, a centaur, a human male, and a human female of distinctive appearance. Calelaya el Lichta d'Artender of the Noble Hand in Wheloon is a centaur fighter (and part time scribe). He wears no apparent clothing except a leather belt strapped around his hip were a longsword in a scabbard is dangling. He carries saddlebags, a longbow and a quiver filled with arrows. For somebody who is familiar with centaurs he seems to be just the average specimen of his race. Perhaps a little stronger than most, but with his brown fur and green dreamy eyes, he seems to be nothing out of the ordinary. For a mere human his height of over eight and a half feet, which comes with corresponding body weight, might seem impressive, but for a centaur its only standard. He makes a rather young expression and cannot be much older than eighteen years as men and also centaurs count them. A rider approaches on a chestnut gelding with an unfortunate white marking around one eye. As they near the group, the small woman calls out in a clear, pleasant tone: "Are you folks for the Spine of the World?" Unar answers in a friendly tone, "Yes. We were just about to discuss past adventures, please tell us your stories." Upon receiving an affirmative, she dismounts, and smiles in a friendly fashion at those already gathered. "I'm to join you, then. Well met! I am usually called Kammi Peddler, though I expect little enough occasion to practice my trade on this trip." Her pointy-chinned, light brown face is dominated by clear amber eyes and a wide mouth, now twisted wryly at some inner amusement. Fine, sharply arched brows accent eyes that are darkly circled, as from exhaustion. Her shoulder-length dark hair, thick and slightly frizzy, is held back from her face by a yellow band. She wears a dark brown tunic belted over paler breeches. The tunic is of rough-woven wool, and is trimmed in some very poorly embroidered yellow design. It is open at the throat to show the white chemise beneath. She wears a small canvass pack on her back and a knife at her waist, and two other hilts protrude from the tops of her tall, sturdy boots. "I am Unar, servant of Thoth." Kammi grins merrily at the dark man and the centaur. "It seems I worried overmuch that I would not find enough to read on our travels." She shakes her head. "Well, I'll just settle Patch here," she says, stroking the neck of the chestnut, "and then we can get acquainted." She tethers her mount not far from Unar's horses, loosens his girth, and dips into a saddle-bag to retrieve a rough wooden cup. Brows raised in question, she addresses the Dwarf, "If I might prevail upon you for some of that tea?" Within minutes a dwarven male joins the fireside, he brings a trio of freshly killed rabbits. "Me names' Connell, I heard you need a few stout lads to travel with to the Spine of the World." Connell stands among the tall of his folk. His short cropped black hair stands like brissels under a Tamashanta (a cap, like English drivers use), while his beard also black is neatly trimmed, braided and a snoot covers the tip so it doesn't get dirty or caught in things. Deep brown eyes assess you carefully while a pipe recently lit, lets a small puff of fragrant smoke out. He is clad in home spun woolen clothes currently, but looks to be more comfortable in splint mail. Either way his boots are of superior make and fit. On his hip is a well worn scabbard with a silver shortsword, sitting upon the stump next to him is an exquisitely manufactured crossbow. Its dark stained timber is inlaid with mother of pearl and Turquoise stones, it forms a pattern and when closely examined shows Dethek runes. Uncommon for a crossbow is the large metal spike protruding from its end. Later you are told its used for close encounters only. Connell looks to the other dwarf and is somewhat taken back by the possibility of the effeminate stature and the highly decorative plate armour of obviously Royal Design with exquisite catches to enable quick release..... The dwarf serving the tea is overcome by the number of arrivals and becomes obviously flustered by the number of people and another dwarf and spills the tea (slightly minted). "Well said, Connell. It's nice to meet you. Would you like some Tea?" Bhenky says as he gives the Dwarf by the fire a wink. "It's very nice tasting, with a tint of mint." Bhenky settles back down and yawns. Then as total darkness descends, a sharp pitched yell stops all conversation. A noise in the yellowing bushes from east side of the fire diverts all attention as another, more guttural voice drifts from that same direction. The fire startles all as a knot bursts, throwing sparks in all directions. Then there is only silence... Connell asks, "Have you all decided upon watch shifts this fine night? cause I get the feeling we will have company this night in a few hours time." Connell pulls a knife from his belt, then skins and guts the rabbits with a hand of a professional. From his pack he pulls out 3 sturdy metal rods about 2 feet long and skewers each rabbit and props it over the fire to cook. You notice his crossbow is sitting upon his pack in easy reach. Unar looks around at his companions, quill pen suddenly ready to make his first journal entry. "I am most anxious to see how experienced adventurers handle this. Is it another companion who has tripped or someone attacked by a fell beast? Please pay attention to your actions and why you did what so I can record everything correctly afterward." He beams a large smile, evidently waiting for everyone else to react. Deciding to play along, Bhenky claps the man on the back heartily and says with enthusiasm " We always welcome more into our ranks. Maybe when the trouble hits you could even write about yourself doing a heroic deed!" Unar looks aghast at Bhenky's suggestion, "Oh, no, certainly not. It would be entirely not appropriate to lie anything. That would...make the information useless." Covering a smile, Bhenky stated "Well, maybe if you do the heroic deeds they won't have to be lies." As he finishes he winks at the others, not letting Unar see. At the same time Calelaya has risen circumstantially and faces the bushes where he heard the noises just moments before. Then he picks up his longbow, attaches a sinew and inserts an arrow. Cautiously he takes a couple of strides in the direction of the bushes only to finally cease his approach and to start listening intently. He tries to penetrate the oppressive darkness with his eyesight. A few seconds later he turns his head slightly to the right and asks: "Can somebody fetch some light, please. After looking into the fire I just can't see anything in this darkness." Then he tries to focus his eyes again and continues to watch the bushes. After some more seconds have passed he shouts: "Who's sneaking there? Come forward and show your face! We don't like to be spied upon." At the centaur's yell a dark figure wearing a long leather cloak comes from the side opposite to the yellowing bushes the yell is come from. A figure - a young black-haired half-elven woman with a short bow in her hands - says to Calelaya: "I heard a yell... What's happening? The only thing I want this night is to find a safe place to make a camp. I heard some of your talks this evening and decided that I can trust you and your friends... Can you trust me?... I hope you can... So, what's happening?" "Ahh, are you going to join us? We are going to the Spine of the World. If so I will need your name so I can properly document our travels." Unar prepares to copy while continuing, "In fact I still do not know several of your names. A precise record will be not possible if I lack your names." Unar smiles and waits for the requested information despite the excitement going on around him. With the centaur's request for light the young woman wearing the eastern robes stepped up to the fire and took a burning brand from it. With a swift overarm motion she threw the burning brand high in the air over Calelaya’s head. Sparks flew in pinwheel spirals as the stick spun over head. The watches heard her cry out something in a language which they could not catch and suddenly the area was a bright as day. The burning brand had turned into a brilliant lantern as it fell, illuminating the bushes for yards around. Badiat Al-Badia resumed her place by the fire and continued to stare into the flames as if nothing had happened. Moving quickly, Kammi slips a simple torch from one of her saddle bags and thrusts the working end into the flames. As soon as it has caught, she holds it aloft and moves to join Calelaya and the Half-Elf, drawing her dagger with her right hand. She stands on the opposite side of the Centaur from the dark woman, and holds the torch aloft and slightly behind the field of vision of all three. She scans the foliage for any sign of movement. "Yes... You are so kind... Thank you... It will be better for me to join to somebody - alas, traveling alone is still too dangerous for me... You says, the party is going to the Spine of the World? Well. I've never seen this lands, so I'll join you. My name is Alina Talasse. I'm a tracker - enough skilled to be helpful... Enough? I hope, enough... But what about a yell?" Alina is a young half-elven woman with long black hair. She looks almost like a moon-elf. She is not beautiful but pretty. She wears studded leather armor and a worn long leather cloak above it. She has a small backpack and some weapon - two short swords and short bow with a pack of arrows. All equipment is not in a very good condition - it's clearly that she has not enough money to buy something more qualitative but the bow and arrows looks well made. Alina looks tired and afraid because of her travels alone in wild and dangerous places and it's clear that during her life she speaks with animals more often than with people. Bhenky eyes Alina, sizing her up, and finally says. "I trust you, but will you tell us more about you?" Unar looks surprised at the magical display and then suddenly eager he turns to the silent woman as she sits and immediately asks, "What spell is that? Where did you learn it? Can you tell me some of its specifics, like casting time, components, order of power?" "Yes, of course. But... Sorry... I'm too tired now. And this yell... I think, it will be better to speak tomorrow... No, I'm not a bandit, not an assassin, not a thief, I'm only a r-r-ranger..." Badiat Al Badia's light enhanced brand casts a eerie light on the forest surrounding the small camp. Another grunt is heard in time with the light as a lone figure emerges from the winter-dead undergrowth. Falling at Kammi, Alina and the young centaur's feet is a young man dressed richly in the king's colors who carries a blood drenched rapier which falls to the ground next to him. As Kammi's torch light falls upon the young man, you notice several dark broken arrows protruding from his ribs and chest. As well several deep gashes adorn his body. Aside from a small tube tucked into his belt, the man has no other belongings. A gasp, between mouthfuls of blood, which gurgle up past his red lips and spill over his cheeks, then, rasping the young man speaks...faintly,"....for the Company of...Light, you....I pray I have found....Light," the man's words are slurred and mixed as his lungs start to fill with his life blood, looking up at the three faces, the last faces he will ever see again in life, the man speaks again,"....orcs...to many...ambushed us....Krozak the evil doer....all is lost...Company of Light....go to the Spine.....seek Algr...." the man dies in a gush of blood that sprays the three closest to him. As silent as death itself is the clearing, then a snap of twigs can be heard off in the distance, in the now dark forest, further in the distance eastward a wolf howls, a lone howl of hunger which echoes off the hills like a lost soul. Calelaya faces Alina and tells her: "I heard something and believed it might be somebody doing some sneaking on us. The yell was a demand to state his business. But obviously you were the sneaking person or I heard noises made by this poor fellow lying dead at our hooves. My name is Calelaya el Lichta d'Artender and I'm honored to make your acquaintance." While speaking the last sentence Calelaya makes a bow in the direction of Alina. Alina makes a bow to Calelaya and says with a kind smile: "Alina. I'm glad to see you. Let the grass will be always green under your hooves!" Unar looks on sadly. "No, oh, no. No. No. No. That simply won't do. He never told me his name or his mission..." He trails off and seems to consider a moment before heaving a deep sigh and turning back to the eastern...mage? "I'm sorry, you were about to tell me your name, profession, and about that most unique spell you cast. Please continue quickly. It seems I may have to chronicle others events soon." Bhenky looks away from the young man, starring into the night sky. He's not crying... In fact he shows no sign of emotion at all. Then he looks back at the group. And they all see the pain in his eyes. Bhenky weakly attempts to smile at them, a comforting reassurance. Then says quietly. "I'll keep first watch tonight." As he climbs up onto the boulder he was on and stares into the blackness surrounding camp. I'll wake up you, Unar, if you don't mind to take second?" Unar is concentrating on the mystical easterner and only vaguely replies "Hmmm, oh, yes, whatever. That should be fine." Alina sadly looks on the dead body that lies on the ground near her feet. "Orcs... Orcs - again and again... It looks like they are the worst creatures in our world. Dragons and trolls are more dangerous, but they aren't so numerous... I can't understand why the orcs can't live like normal people... If I could fight with them... No, if I could... pray the gods to bring kindness in their evil and cruel souls... But the gods has they own plans about good and evil creatures... A wolf kills when he is hungry, an orc kills when he is angry. "When he is angry" means "every day of his life". If there is a good and kind orc somewhere - I'm ready to make a long journey to change my opinion about their race. But now I prefer to deal with wolves... A terrible death - terrible and usual... Is there any safe place in this world?... We must bury him. Can one of the priests make a prayer about his soul?" Connell continues to turn the skewered rabbits and nods his head to Alina. "Only good orc is a dead or dying orc." he causally mentions then returns to silence. With a slightly irritated look to Unar, Calelaya unstrings his bow and places it on the ground besides him. Deep in thought he remains standing near the dead stranger for a short while, until finally he picks up his bow again and puts it back to his other belongings. He rummages through his saddle- bags until he finally seems to have found what he was looking for. Returning to the dead stranger he opens the book he took out of his bags and starts to read out a prayer for the dead. A couple of minutes later when he has finished his lecture, he carefully closes the book and puts it back again where he has fetched it. Returning to the dead man again he searches him and takes the small tube tucked into his belt. The he turns toward the group and asks: "Has somebody a shovel ? My father told me something like this happens all the time when you are adventuring, but I haven't headed his words and bought one." Apparently realizing the ground is too hard to dig in even with a shovel he starts to search the area for stones to pile over the body. As the centaur begins to inter the dead Unar says, "I would like to examine him to make an accurate record. Please wait until I can do so. And bring the tube here, I need to examine it also." Badiat describes herself to Unar: Bdiat Al-Badia is a tall, oriental looking woman. She wears a full length black garment which does little to disguise her shape. It is the djellaba of a desert nomad. On her head she wears a steel cap round which is wound a black turban. A black veil hangs loose to one side of her neck. On closer examination she is far too tall to be truly eastern and her skin is paler than it ought to be for a desert wanderer. Her horse is a fine black stallion, perhaps sixteen hands. It carries large saddle bags and is well cared for. She touches her heart. lips and forehead in the traditional desert fashion and speaks. "Es salam alekum, My Lord Unar. You wish to know my story. "I must begin by telling you that I do not know my true name; that I do not know who my parents were, that I do not know where and when I was born. I will continue by telling you what I do know. "As you can see, by looking at the shape of my eyes, I carry some eastern blood. This is emphasized by the raven blackness of my hair. But you will see from my pale skin and from my height, I am almost six feet tall, that there is blood from some other race flowing in my veins. I am told I am exceedingly beautiful but I care little for such compliments. From the people who raised me, the Al-Badia of Zakhara, I have learned that the values of life do not begin and end with the beauty or otherwise of a woman’s outward appearance. Again as you see, I wear the djellaba of my people and frequently go veiled as any respectable woman of Al-Badia ought. "I know I am more than twenty years old because for the last twenty years I have lived with the Al-Badia as a nomad. I believe I must be about twenty eight. One of the wise women of the tribe once looked at my teeth. Apparently she could tell from them how old I was. I celebrate my birth on the day next after Green grass in Tarsakh of the Storms, that being the day I was found. "With the Al-Badia I have learned all the skills of riding, and of horse handling. Indeed, there is little I cannot do with a horse and much I can do with a camel, spiteful beasts that they are. I learned how to travel the trackless desert using only the stars. I can find water where there is none and I can hunt and kill any desert creature. In addition I was found to have some talent for trading and have become reasonably adept at that also. "I am told that I was found by the nomads when I was a child. I was waiting beside the a dying woman whom they took to be my mother and whom I scarcely remember. What I know of my early life is only what I have been told. They took me into their tribe and raised me as their own, hence my name. "I grew strong with them and, as I have said, learned the art of horsemanship from them. Eventually I began to ask where I had come from, because there were vague memories running round in my brain of a time before the desert. I half thought I could remember the sea. This is what they told me. "Far, far to the east, somewhere near, or maybe beyond, the Eastern Sea, lies the realm of a powerful Caliph. This Caliph, it is said, had within the ranks of his large army, a regiment formed solely of women. It was from this regiment that the Caliph selected his wives and concubines and the women soldiers were expected to keep themselves pure, reserving their bodies for the use of the Caliph until he tired of them and gave them their freedom. It is said he was very generous to them and none left his service at any disadvantage. Indeed, it is said they were sought after as wives, being blessed, as it were, by the attentions of the Caliph. Of course, the penalty for betraying the Caliph was severe. If the woman was caught in the act, she was subject to immediate and summary execution. If she became pregnant before she was caught, she would be cared for until her child was born and then executed. The child would become a palace servant. "I believe my mother was one of these soldiers. She fell in love with a stranger from another land and became pregnant by him. Rather than face execution for herself and slavery for her child she fled the country. "How she survived I do not know. How she came to be in the deserts of Zakhara where she died, I do not know. All I have left of her is this amulet, of which I must say more, this steel cap which I wear and a short sword which I carry in my saddle bags. I know nothing of its use. The weapons of the Desert Riders are lance and scimitar. I have a little knowledge of the lance, it is part of horsemans training, but I was never trained as a Rider so know nothing of the scimitar either. "I know many of the songs of the nomads and much of their philosophy. The wise men and women of the tribe spent much time in conversation with me. Indeed, they seemed to consider me something of a thinker. Now about the amulet. "It was found round my mother’s neck and I believe it is a token from her beloved, my father. I have carried it with me always, trying to discover its meaning. One day I showed it to a trader from the Heartlands. He said it seemed familiar, but he was not sure. He suggested I go to Waterdeep or Shadowdale. he thought it came from those parts, something about the style and the metal he said. "I spoke again with the tribe wise ones. They discussed my discovery at length before deciding it was a sign from Haku of the Desert Winds, their God. (In spite of my twenty years with them, or perhaps because of my talks with the tribe’s wise ones, I do not actively follow any of the desert religions. Nature is all to me.) It was a Kisma placed upon me and I must follow it for, as they said, ‘Every child should know its own parent.’ They agreed I must leave the tribe and follow my Kisma. "As a token from the tribe they gave me the fine horse which I had been riding. It is called Efreet for his eyes blaze like a fire genie. "So much of myself I know, and now you also know. But you say I have worked a spell. What do you mean by a spell? Surely not the making of light? "I see by your nod that you do. It is a simple chant that most of the Al-Badia know. By tossing the burning brand into the air and speaking the words of Haku, light comes forth. We use the light to hunt at night. Is this not the power of any hunter? If we have no burning brand we can sometimes use plain wood, or any other material, but the light is not so bright and sometimes the words do not work. If I change the words slightly I can light fires which is another hunter’s trick. By using other words I can read the mystical books of Haku although I do not understand what they mean. It is the only reading I have. Perhaps you, as a scribe can help me? "As for my profession, well, the only skill I truly have is a skill with animals. I am a master of horse, I can hunt, and I can survive in desert wastes. You tell me what profession I have wise scribe!" "It is quite obvious you are a wizard. Your training is unusual but that is to be expected when Lord Thoth's influence is not present. On our journey I will teach you of Lord Thoth and he will help guide you. Your knowledge will grow with his guidance along with your ability to control higher order teachings. I am knowledgeable in the use of both my Lord's teachings and his direct blessings. I can use these to help you learn some of what you seek and to tell you about the items you carry. We will have much to seek on this quest." Unar's eagerness is obvious. Apparently the adventures he's used to involve searching for information. "Can I help you?" - Alina asks Calelaya even as she begins to aid him in intering the body. Calelaya looks down at Alina and smiles. "Thanks for your help. You speak of priests, are there any around. I haven't seen any symbols on the humans and of dwarven heraldry I know only little." Unar replies, "I am a servant of Thoth. Do you require my lord's blessing?" Shaking her head sadly, Kammi extinguishes her torch against the earth. After waiting respectfully through Calelaya's prayer, she takes the tube from him and approaches Unar. "I shall want to look at this later," she says, handing it to him. "Try not to stay up too long at your work." Kammi smiles, and tilts her head in emphasis. "While I applaud your enthusiasm for acquiring every last detail, there will be little left to record if we are all murdered in our blankets because you fell asleep on watch." "In fact," she says, sweeping the company with her gaze, "we've numbers enough that we might double up on that duty. I'll take a turn myself, later tonight. I'll be happy to take third or fourth shift." With that, she turns to help gather stones for the young man's cairn. "Mmm, thank you." Unar takes the scroll tube. He examines the body before it is buried in stones, including the rapier. He apparently says several prayers of different sorts over it while doing so though all are low and in a very strange language. He then opens the scroll tube and examines the contents. The dwarf in armour wanders over and examines the contents of the tubes also. In side the tube is a scroll sealed with wax. The wax has been marked with the symbol of the City of Waterdeep. Unar looks over the scroll after pulling it out and says, "This scroll is sealed with the same symbol Waterdeep flies on its flag. I'm unsure how adventurers deal with this situation. Normally a sealed message should be delivered to the one it was sent to, seal unbroken. However I can see no way to determine who this was meant for without breaking the seal. What do adventurers do in such instances?" Kammi pauses, stone in hand. "I suggest that you open it. No doubt, we are this 'Company of Light' that he sought, as it's scarce likely there are two such groups camped in these hills, awaiting instructions to take them to the Spine. If you read aloud, much time will be saved." Unar looks at the scroll in his hands and says, "There is enough light to read it, the fire gives us that. But I am not sure of any danger. It does not seem to have any magic. Is time a problem or should I wait?" Bhenky pipes up, "Don't worry about anything Unar, just read it now so we can end the suspense." He waits impatiently with a wide smile plastered across his face. Connell speaks up suddenly before Unar can make a decision, "We should have someone on each shift with good night vision. I'll take first shift with shift with Bhenky which means we need someone to join Unar on 2nd shift and someone to join Kammi on third shift. Fourth shift is still open." Badia speaks up as the discussion of guard shifts begins, "Kammi, I will take my watch with you, if there is no objection." "Certainly, Badia, and welcome." Kammi stretches her small frame, then looks around the campsite. "If this is agreeable to all? It seems sensible to spread out those of us with better night sight." Calelay turns around and mumbles: "I'll take the shift with Unar, if there are no objections against it. I believe we both haven't got a good nightsight, but it'll do." Then with a yawn Calelaya mumbles: "Simply wake me up when it's my turn, I'm tired. The scroll can wait till the sun rises again. It might even be dangerous to open it and all the more if you do it during the night. It's to dark here." Then he tries to get some sleep, before his shift starts. While the party's attention returns to the scroll, Connell picks up his crossbow, loads it and disappears into the darkness...