Here There Be Dragons - RPG

[piosenniel]

Mithadan's Post

Mithadan was taken aback by Ráma's reserved, almost cold reception. He exchanged a quick glance with Airefalas before responding. "Thank you," he began. "Thank you for your advice, your aid, for everything. We are deeply in your debt. Because of you, at least our ship and our crew are underway and will hopefully reach Gondor."

Ráma grunted as she hastily began to pack her belongings in her saddlebags. She looked up several times, as if watching for unwelcome company. Observing this, Airefalas stood tall and began to scan the horizon. But he could see little but a few birds in the sky. He turned back as Ráma spoke briefly again. "Get ready," she said. "We're leaving."

"Wait," cried Mithadan. "We left Umbar in...a bit of disarray, shall we say. In order to secure the departure of our vessel, a portion of the docks were...well, burned."

Ráma's eyebrows rose at this. A shadow of a smile crept over her face. "Burned?" she asked. "You set fire to the docks?"

"Well, my crew did," replied Mithadan. "It was part of our plan. The docks and the corsairs were to be set ablaze..."

"The corsairs as well?" she cried. She could no longer conceal her glee at the thought of the embarassment Falasmir had suffered. "Perhaps I underestimated you two." She lifted the saddlebags to the back of her horse. "Well, let's go."

"You do not understand," cried Airefalas. "While we took great care in fleeing Umbar, it is possible that Falasmir will seek us out on land as well as pursuing the Star on the seas."

Mithadan nodded. "We evaded our guards in the market," he added. "Then we encountered some bandits. By the time we dispatched them, the docks were burning. While I do not think we were seen leaving Umbar, it will be known that we had little time to reach the docks before our ship sailed. It might be best if we avoided the roads north for a time, particularly in the company of a caravan. Perhaps we could accompany you back to your home? Then we could leave later when we are certain that any search will have ceased. It would also give me time to inquire about my friend Bird..."

If he hoped that the mention of that shapechanger might again ignite the sympathy Ráma had shown before, he was disappointed. "I am sorry, she answered. "You seek your missing friend, and I would help you if I could. But in times like these, my clan wants no outsiders. You will be safer in the north." With that, she had cantered ahead, keeping a good distance between herself and the Gondorians in hopes of forestalling further discussion.

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Pio's post - Mu'sad and Nizar

Mus’ad’s hold on the crumbly rock was precarious at best. And when he craned his neck far over the thin sandstone ledge to better see the scene below it vanished altogether. The small light brown lizard scrambled for purchase on the sandy scree along the lip of the shelf without luck and fell silently over the edge. Mid fall he spied Tinar lurking behind a rock, his eyes fixed on the two men on camels.

‘Sand and sun!’ the lizard thought wildly as he plummeted toward the men. ‘Don’t let me fall in the path of the camels; I’ll be crushed!’

Some desert spirit or perhaps fate itself was kindly disposed to his plea. The camels moved forward, and with a plop, Mus’ad fell onto the lacings of a pack. Head swimming from the dizzying fall, he hastened up the leathery side and scrambled into the dark interior, his head just peeking over the top to get his bearings.

As the men and camels moved away from the caves, he could see the small sparrow as it took wing to follow them.

~*~

The dun colored pigeon hopped back and forth nervously on the limb of the scrubby tree. Mus’ad had been gone too long to Nizar’s liking. He heard the soft clop of camel’s feet moving away from the caves. And then came the quick flight of a small brown bird climbing high and peering below to watch something that moved along the ground.

Nizar’s head bobbed back and forth wondering what he should do. Follow Tinar! he could hear Herself growling at him. With a determined leap, the little pigeon launched himself into the air and flapped mightily after the sparrow . . .