Session 6 - Kohuru

After we finished scavenging the remains of the norakan and tucked the ayal's heart safely away, we took our bearings and decided to cut as straight a course as we could back to Densem. With Malak leading the way, we made good time and found a nice hill to rest for the night. Everyone but Dabar and I were too tired from the forced march to continue the next day, so we took it easy. Arina found some more herbs and I wandered around, looking for any evidence of the civilization my people left behind. Other than a few scraps that might have been something once, I didn't find anything.

The second night also passed uneventfully, and the next day Malak led us unerringly to the banks of the Wuma Amwa. Dabar was familiar enough with the surrounding area to know that Densem was just a ways on the other side. We found a long-abandoned raft, but not quite trusting it, everyone but Toara got into the water and tried to wade across. The current was stronger than we had anticipated though, and we all lost our footing. Other than getting wet, no harm was done, and we finally made it to the other side and then on to Densem.

The sights and sounds of an event being prepared assaulted our senses, and Dabar told us that the Festival of First Planting was only a few days away. Gann and Zakar spotted us as we entered the town and gave us their greeting and congratulations on our success. Before leaving us, Zakar told us about a Ger trader that had passed through on his way. He then gave Arina a missive to deliver to Sameel upon our return to Sentem.

Gann pulled me aside and asked if I had found anything in the woods. I suspect he was looking for more electrum, but he wasn't explicit about it. I showed him the two rings I had found but he wasn't very interested in them. We spent the night at his place again, and I was able to regale him with the tale of our slaying the tiger beetles. I might have embellished the truth a bit, but he was certainly entertained. He and I had a good chat later that evening after the others fell asleep. He seems like a good fellow, though lonely. I wish there was more I could do for him, though I think simply being friendly might be helping in some small way.

Ari met us the next morning with horses and told us to make for Sentem as fast as we could. She bade Dabar return soon and asked us to take word to Sameel that she doesn't think Densem could wait much longer for aid against the takan that have taken residence in Ba'tak Kentak.

We had an enjoyable ride North and came across the Ger peddler Zakar had told us about. He introduced himself as Ashoar, and he was very keen on the various pieces of jewelry we had found in the woods. He promised to buy them once he set up his stand in Sentem for 1100 gold! I had no idea that what we had found would be worth that much!

Riding ahead, we found Arashad as quickly as we could, who rejoiced at our success. We have just one more element to recover, and she'll be able to complete her ritual. And on that note, she had heard rumor of a piece of an old Hann road had been discovered in the mountains to the East.

I think we'll probably head there next, but before we can resupply and depart, Sameel has requested us to join him for dinner.

Session 5 - Kohuru

After returning to Dabar and the others, we fashioned a travois from the Tiger Beetle carapaces and decided to press on a bit further before night descended, hoping that we'd find a more defensible location to set up camp. We followed the ayal tracks to the southeast until we happened upon an old ruin. It appeared to be a long-abandoned outpost of some sort, so we commandeered it. Just as we were settling down, Malak let out a terrifying roar. He said it was to warn his foes of his presence and call his friends to him. I don't know about that, but the trees above him did fill up with all sorts of night fowl. He's a strange one.

~~~~~

The night passed uneventfully, and Dabar ate a hearty breakfast. I think he's feeling better, but we knew we'd be there another day. We all made the best of it though. Arina had found some acacia trees the previous night and after searching around the tower, found some wild thyme to compliment it. I had found some writing on the tower, and Toara helped interpret it. It seems that this was one of three 'shields' securing the 'vault of the exiled.' The other two had fallen, and a dire warning had been added to the inscription that it was only a matter of time before they come. I don't know who 'they' are, but by the looks of the tower, the warning had probably been fulfilled. Malak also dug around in the tower and found an old backpack with some gold and such in it. I walked around the tower a bit and found takan tracks headed in the same direction as the ayal. We debated about pressing on toward them without Dabar, but in the end made the decision to wait till morning and try to catch up then.

~~~~~

When dawn broke, Dabar was in much better spirits and devoured everything we put in front of him, including some boiled tiger beetle juice. Malak had been munching away at the remains he brought with him and assured us that it was tasty, but based on the reaction Dabar had, I'm fine letting Malak eat the rest.

We pushed hard after the takan. The going was much easier with the takan tracks being considerably more obvious than the ayal, and by the end of the day, we could hear the norakan's raucous cries. We surprised them with our attack, and working together, we slew them all and emerged mostly unscathed.

The norakan's frenzy we had heard was because they had cornered the ayal we had been tracking and had been taunting and perhaps even torturing it. The poor thing looked absolutely terrified, but as soon as Arina released it from the net it was trapped in, it lay its head down on her lap. She spoke to it, explaining our need for its heart, and it bared its chest to her. The dagger's work was swift, and when the ayal's lifeblood poured out, I was almost knocked over by a sudden, fierce wind. It briefly swept away the smell of the battle and left us with a moment of profound peace.

I don't know exactly what I witnessed in that moment, but both the self-sacrifice of the ayal and that wind-blown moment of peace weighed heavily on my mind as we scavenging the norakan's bodies. We found quite a few valuable items, including a ring of invisibility, though we'll have to wait till we return to Densem or Sentem to determine their actual worth. Malak sampled some liquid in a vial we found and fell to the ground convulsing. I thought for sure the poison would take his life, but he climbed back to his feet seemingly none the worse for wear. He's made of hardier stuff than I am!

We're all pretty worn out from double-marching all day, so I think we'll make camp here and head back to town in a couple of days.

The Takan of the Zaharets

Takan (l) ­­– Takan is the Luathi term for all of the degenerate beastmen which the Priest-Kings of Muadah bred during the darkness which came before the current age. Although the takan take many forms and shapes, the Luathi classify the most common of the beastmen based off the roles they observed during their enslavement by the Kingdom of Sin.

• Atakan – It is said that all takan possess a rapacious desire, but the atakan’s lust for flesh is legendary. The atakan stand nearly as tall as the giants, and they crave the flesh of men and hann alike. Strong enough to rip a horse apart, they are frequently found among the other takan, being used as enforcers.
• Gadakan – Muadah bred these beasts first, as creatures of burden and labor. Their dim minds were soon kindled with hate, and they were released into the wild. The gadakan possess strong regenerative properties, only able to be stopped by Alwain’s light, that of the sun or fire.
• Mavakan – These were the foot soldiers of the Barak Barad and therefore the most prevalent. Their simian-like forms provide them with greater strength than the average man, and their cunning is no less fierce.
• Norakan – These are the runts of the takan bloodline. Small and foul, they multiply even quicker than the rest of the takan. They live much of their lives underground, digging tunnels beneath the earth for the rest of the takan to use.
• Oritakan – These were the rulers of Barak Barad. Muadah filled the hearts of these takan with a dark and terrible will for domination, and they were the orchestrators of the Kingdom of Sin. All Luathi live in fear of the Oritakan, who brutally dominate the memory and history of the men of bronze.
• Retakan – Massive compared to the oritakan and the mavakan, the retakan are terrors in the dark. They are patient, stealthy, and sly moments before they burst forth into an explosion of carnage. Many a caravan has fallen to the predations of the retakan.
• Tsutakan – The Luathi refer to these beasts as hunters of men. For every ten men who escaped the lash of Barak Barad, the tsutakan returned with the bones of nine of them. Tsutakan still roam the plains around settlements of men, seeking small groups to carry off into the night.