[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVII - On The Border Of Doom

[Aaron Clausen]

> > [Alister]
> > Alister looks up from his food.  "Say, maybe you can help us.  We have
> > an injured Cyberknight.  Do you know anything of healing."
> > [/Alister]

[Amanda]
Amanda nods in agreement.  "Yes, none of us are doctors.  Maybe you can
do something."
[/Amanda]

> > [GM]
> > Om looks over at the Cyberknight, walks over and looks over him.  "He is old and
> > has been injured, but his coma, I do not know."  He looks to the company.  "May
> > I take a closer look?"
> > [/GM]

> [Ted]
> "Be our guest," Ted replies. He watches the tree-man closely. He still had not tried
> any of the food, but felt more each moment that they could trust this mysterious
> stranger.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Om bends with some difficulty over the still form of Osiris.  He
begins to sing a song
in an odd, ponderous language.  Again the air seems to sparkle with
green light, and
the smell of spring seems to permeate the air.  Osiris does not
awaken, though his
face relaxes slightly.

"His hurts are deep." Om says after a moment.  "But they are of the
mind, and not the
body.  I dare not awaken him, for that might cause much more harm.  I
have put a spell
of deep sleep upon him, so that mind and body may, in their time,
reawaken.  Still,
there is some deeper shadow on him, and I hear another voice in there.
 Perhaps, if you
go into such danger, you would want to leave him here?  He is old, and
recently injured.
But it is up to you."
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> "An army of twenty thousand is much more than our small group could ever hope
> to defeat on our own," he said to Om. "Are there others in your acquaintance
> willing to assist us?"
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Om nods, "I have acquaintances, though they have neither weapons or
armor.  Still,
I shall alert the birds and beasts and trees and all growing things
that you seek
a land to the south, and where they can, they shall hide you, and feed
you.  When
you leave, I shall give each of you a special talisman."
[/GM]

> [Koba]
> "Thank you for the meal Om. I am thankful you chose to help us avoid those
> actively chasing us. Your knowledge of the area will be a big help. Have you
> or your people fought the K'murd-faka before? What can you tell us of a
> battle between them? Also 20,000 men is too many for such a small company to
> fight our way through. Do you know of the best time to avoid them and
> possibly sneak past the majority of those guards?"
> [/Koba]

[GM]
"I have fought this K'murd-faka and his brethren on many occasions.  They are
black sorcerers, as I'm sure your Demon Queller can tell you.  This K'murd-faka,
whom we called Thez, that is in your language 'Nine' (for if they have
other names,
they were not discovered by us), was the commander of many legions from Hades
and even darker places.  They can be defeated, but Thez was always the
cleverest,
and a master of shadows and phantasms.  I faced him only once, and it
was a battle
I should not soon wish to repeat."

"As to his army, I say keep to the east end of this valley, where the
trees grow tall
and the forest floor thick.  It will make slow going, but not even the
K'murd-faka could
hope to march an army there, and with the talismans and my messages, your way
may be easier than the demon's scouts'."

"But come," Om says, "finish your meals.  You all need rest, that is clear to me
at least.  Tomorrow, when you are refreshed, I will set you on the safest course
I know.  Tonight, have no cares or fears, for if the enemy approaches,
I can assure
you that I will know in advance, and this old dwarf warren has a few
secrets that I
think even a sorcerer might find hard to learn."

Unless there are no other questions, Om allows the company to finish their meals
and then shows them to some very comfortable looking beds with wide pillows and
soft mattresses.  Om wishes them a good night, and the company sees him return
to Osiris.
[/GM]

[Alister]
Alister does not go to sleep immediately but spends some time
tinkering around with
a number of devices.
[/Alister]

[Night passes...]

[GM]
Everyone has dreamless, trouble-free sleeps.  When they awaken, they
find the table
set with fresh fruits (some familiar, some very strange), tall jugs of
a very delightfully
scented that smelled of honey.  They note that Osiris is nowhere to be
found, and
that Om can only be heard by the clattering.  At each seat is a small wooden box
with a carving of a flower on it.

Om suddenly appears out of a room.  "You've slept long, my friends.
It's nearly noon.
I do not wish to hurry you, but I was forced to, for several of the
demon's scouts came
very near indeed, one almost stumbling on your vehicles.  I think you
must eat quickly,
and then you must be on your way.  Hurry hurry!  Any final questions
must come now."
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com