Seventh Session - The Path Upon Which They Travel

Cast
Julius: Human male psychokinetic. Played by Dave. Speaks Balician and Tyrian.
Alaxander: Human male psychokinetic. Played by Ben. Speaks Balician and Elf.
Kalino: Human male fighter/preserver. Played by DM. Speaks Rammin, Tyrian, and Balican.
Vashti: Human female clairsentient/water cleric. Played by my wife. Speaks Nibnese, Gith, and Balician.
Grak (aka Guacamole): Pterran male ranger. Played by Clyde. Speaks Pterran and Giant.
Demetrius: Human male. 25 years old. Shepherd. NPC. Speaks Nibnese.
Salvador: Human male. 41 years old. Mason. NPC. Speaks Nibnese.

Note: For those unfamiliar with Dark Sun, psionics are called the Will for wild talents and the Way for trained psionicists.

Travel with the wagons over the stony barrens was painstakingly slow. To prevent the wheels from being destroyed by the rocks, they took few chances. Alaxander would guide the kanks over flat areas, but he would have to wake up Grak to carry the wagon over the gaps in the rocks. After a couple hours of this slow travel, they stumbled upon hundreds of jankx. The group discussed if they should kill some for food, but they were afraid of starting a stampede. Ultimately, the group decided they had enough food and went around the herd.

Hours later, the group finally returned to the road. Just in time for high sun. Everyone gathered in the shade of the wagons. Vashti thought she found a good place to stay, but was sitting in the sun. Everyone ate and drank, except Grak, who meditated. Vashti preached a sermon on the benefits of water. Vashti then used her magic to heal Grak and Alaxander. When high sun had passed, the group continued down the wide trade road.


An armored caravan passed an hour after high sun and the group moved to the side of the road to let it pass.  Then a couple of hours later, a group of kank pulled wagons passed. The flag on the wagons had a symbol that none of the characters recognized. Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the air began to turn cold, the group stopped.
Julius crawled into the back of the clothes wagon, exhausted, and collapsed into a deep sleep. Alaxander joined him a few minutes later. Vashti kept the first watch and was able to talk with Atkil about Tyr. Kalino kept the second watch and Grak took the third. Aside from a few small lizards and mice, the group was not disturbed. They appreciated the calm night, as everyone was still healing from the damage they took fighting the bandits.

Day 13, Week 1, Dominary, Friend's Vengeance, 190th King's Age, High Sun 

Everyone began searching for water. Grak was very successful and found a small cistern with four gallons of water. Kalino found a puddle, but it was so disgusting that even the small taste Kalino took caused him to feel ill and nearly empty his stomach. No one else was successful. They continued down the road, going west, toward Magosa and Altaruk.
An hour before high sun the group saw a single wagon coming toward them. The wagon was loaded down with goods of all kinds and was being pulled by fifteen baazrags.With the wagon were twelve strange purple humanoids. They had no hair on their heads and scales covering them from head to toe. Grak recognized them from his home village and began speaking to them, hoping that they spoke his language.

You want to make a deal?

One of them did recognize the Pterran's words and began speaking with him. Grak traded his chitin and purchased an obsidian trikal. Julius, Kalino, and Vashti began speaking to them as well. They traded the bone daggers, bone darts, and some of the clothing they had acquired from the bandits. They purchased some water, food, milk, a spear for Kalino, and fifty yards of burlap. Julius asked if they would help them communicate with Grak, but when they asked for payment, Julius withdrew his request.
The group did, however, learn that Grak's name was Grak and that he was from a place beyond the mountains. The traders had an earth cleric with them and Grak paid fifty ceramic pieces for a couple of healing spells.  After the group looked through their goods and turned down a few offers, they bid the strangers farewell. The groups watched each other closely as they parted ways.
High sun passed without event and the group consumed water and food. They were happy that they had sacks of clothes to sit on, so their backsides would not get burned by the hot stones and dirt. After high sun, the group continued down the road.
An hour later, Kalino was surprised when a group of half-giant sized cyclopes began throwing large rocks at the group. No one else was surprised, but tried to give the creatures a moment to explain themselves. Vashti was struck by two rocks and was knocked unconscious. Salvador and Demetrius rushed out of the wagon to grab her. A rock hit one of the kanks, which caused it to start running down the road. Another rock hit one of the wagons, which cause the other kank to start running.

Cyclopes = Plural of Cyclops

Kalino grew in height, but it was clear that it was magical and not psionic. Everyone was momentarily confused, because no plants died with his magic. There was no time to ponder, however, because the cyclopes were charging them with large spears. Alaxanader used the Way to phase and allowed their weapons to pass right through him. Julius used the Way and began cooking one of the beasts. Kalino stabbed at the one Julius was cooking and Grak began mocking the brutes in the giant language.
Even while two of the cyclopes stabbed at Grak with their spears, Grak dodged around them and taunted them. The monsters were big and obviously strong, but were unable to strike the players, beyond their initial attacks. Julius and Kalino damaged one of the cyclopes badly enough to cause it to flee. Alaxander frightened one away with his inability to be injured, control of light, ballistic attacks, and his ability to intimidate. Grak and his eagle were soon joined by the rest of the group. Salvador was able to halt Vashti's bleeding with a liberal application of fabric.
Grak used his trikal efficiently, tripping the giants and allowing his companions to stab the brutes. The enraged cyclopes kept trying to stab Grak, but they proved clumsy and awkward. They were not a match for the group, even with the temporary loss of their water cleric, and were killed. The group gathered the large stone spears, as Alaxander ran to gather the kanks. The cyclopes had no other valuables.
The group walked for a couple more hours, the sun dipping below the horizon. They decided to press on, as they knew Magosa would be near. They crossed a slope and saw Magosa just a few hundred yards away. They were shocked to see that it was aflame.

Come back in only one week for another exciting episode of Adventures under the Dark Sun.