Fourth Adventure 07: Fort in Ashes, & An Unexpected Visitor

"one man levels a military fort?!"

"Er, Burun?" Snarg cocks his head sidesays, "Ya sayin' he be gettin' 'way an' blastin' it? That ain't makin' no sense. Ya sure it's bein' the same? How's ya levelin' a fort all by yaself?"

Zeiss reflects on his colleague's words.

"Then this part of our orders is now accomplished. Let's head to Al-Jalima."

Still tired, he continues in his horse. They would have to let some people sleep in the wagon while in route to their destination.

"If I knew I would tell you!" Hanuel snaps at Snarg, exhaustion plain on their features.

*turns to gwydo*

"I've had very little sleep. If you would not mind, may I ride in the wagon with Rory?"

still in shock

"the mage was able to overpower his guards and level the base, if he was able to do that to them them why not us?

ok we head east of here to the town just south of Al-Jalima its a little out of the way but we need rest and supplier's"

"Because whoever is supporting them out of the Dires wants to implicate the Sho."

"They wanted us to do this job and fail. One way or the other. It was important enough for them to show their hand like this if it came to it. The question is why."

*kez leaves the speculation to the more coherent of the group and climbs into the wagon to sleep.*

"Don't sleep without me." Hanuel crawls in after kez, curling up to take up as little space as possible.

"Easy," Snarg's brow furrows, "why don't ya get some sleep if ya gonna be doin' that." he thumbs over to the wagon.

"That's bein' past Far Reach, but if ya wantin't to be takin' rails, that's gooda place to go as any."

Spoiler:

Tab looks at Higs
"i think them are Questions to a test we havent even gotten yet lets leave it for later"

Snarg:
You are aware that the area is not that wild, mostly dotted with dozens upon dozens of mines and accompanying thorpes and lonely inns serving ale and food to miners.

"It ain't bein' bad if ya likin' miner food an' drink," he motions to those sleeping in the wagon and grins, "I ain't thinkin' gonna be bad."

"Which town ya thinkin'?" he asks in Tabran's direction.

tab shows Snarg the map

Spoiler:

"it looks like even with the detour it is about half way between here and the city"

Upon hearing the news from the fort, Ashakel enraged takes a little rock from the ground and tosses it as far as he can: "Ghaaaaaaarrhgg! They are playing with us... Using as toys!"

Snarg studies the cloth map, "'guess ya gotta be crossin' somewhere," he grunts, "bein' good as any, yep, yep."

As those in the party who are awake continue their trek eastwards towards Al-Zavros to rest finally and prepare for the trip to Al-Jalima, several of you notice something odd and look up. Several familiar shapes are making their way across the dark night sky, running on silent mode again, but this time it's not three airships. It's more like thirteen.

Z stares up at them and announces, almost morosely, "I recognize those." Z sighs faintly as the implications cross their mind. "Those are Sho warships. Frigates, their big guns. And they're in a hurry."

"sho you say we saw 3 ships that look just like them 2 weeks back now near Al-Erat"

"Let's be movin' quick-like then, ain't wantin' to be 'round ."

Spoiler:

The warships are traveling in a northwestern direction.

"isnt that the direction of the Temple of Water? they wouldn't attack a temple, Right?"

tab says with alarm in his voice

Snarg shrugs, "I ain't knowin' why ya'd wantin' to be attackin' a temple. Don't think ya even can be doin' it. Ya don't be attackin' one o' 'em wit' no good reasonin' - even wit' good I'm thinkin'."

Z scowls. "Attacking a Temple would be political, cultural, and possibly literal suicide. No I think it's far more likely they're moving to hit the less defended northwest quadrant, the Zaikhal state. Standard tactics if they could pull it off, why bother attacking your enemy where they're strong when you can hit them where they're weak?"

Zeiss is sleeping silently in the wagon.