Open Chronicles Flight of the Alsanunu

[White Swallow]

Swallow; A small migratory bird that stays year round in arid climates.
It's low flight is a harbringer of bad weather.

The day prior
As Nineban's shadow loomed over the deep gorge, It's bulk obscured by its rosy walls. It's presence imposing on the lone rider beneath.

Muffled were the beats of horse hooves against the rocky ground. A nearby rapid's rushing water deafened all, seldom giving peace to ears between itself and the life of As Nineban.
The rider made his way through narrow, meandering paths, some closer to the water than he would've considered safe. Careful treading began when the distance between the rapids and safe ground only grew in height until only a steep drop separated the horse between the water.
A misplaced step sent a small burst of rocks sliding down the side, gently splashing and getting lost in the waters beneath. The rider turned to gaze behind his back. Death awaited many, who knew not how to step in As Nineban's shadow.
The path behind was long and far, the point where the stone kissed the ground long unseen, and the shadow seemed only longer.
He set his eyes back on the path that ever grew shorter, and a few paces further ahead, behind an inconspicuous looking stone, the rider clad in dark robes finally dismounted.

To a secret door, he trod.

Knock knock.
Knock.

A small hatch opned. »Alsanunu. You're early, what news do you bring.«
»I have a message for Hakim Amandim Al-Nartarpur.«
»Peh, that Vedargasian...«
»From the Sayyiduna.«
»Come...come.«

The door opened halfway to let the rider and horse through. There was not much space in the alley, and the dark-robed one soon left the other man long behind.
The hallway was twisting and forking in many directions, but those who knew where to step would never get lost.
The beating of hammers and the bellowing of oxen gave way to the last door of the tunnel which opened up into an expansive yard, filled to the brim with soldiers drilling and masons chiselling.
Not much time was left to observe, quickly intercepted by a soldier of high stature. »Alsanunu, what brings you to As Nineban? where are your soldiers.«
»I have a message for Hakim Amandim Al-Nartarpur. From the Sayyiduna, where is he?«
»Praying in the chambers. I would dare not disturb him.«
»Then, I will wait.« ... »Do you not all pray at these hours?«

»Only the most devoted.«

»They say the soul is equal to bodily might. If an imbalance exists between the two, then man is incomplete.«

»So they say. Tell me, Alsanunu. Have you seen the Sayyiduna.« Issa slowly led the man to more secluded archways, right under simple yet ornate muqarnas vaults. Even if As Nineban was a fortress of bland shape on the outside, it's insides still held beauty that was simple yet deep to behold.
»I've only been here half a year,« he softly smiled with his eyes. »The Sayyiduna doesn't show himself to anyone, not even to the highest of generals.«

»And yet words spread that speak highly of you,« Issa patted him on the shoulder. »Come, now, I have a small task for you while you remain here.« -> »Do you know the location of...Al Mirabet..? «

Today, Al Mirabet

Al Mirabet was bustling in life. Children were running through the streets, chasing balls, thwacking sticks at the ground, chased by kittens that gleefully ran along. Black camels by the through dark their fills, others were chewing away their worries under the shade of tall palms.
Pots clang together, and people chatted away their morning before the afternoon heat would call for a rest.

Al Mirabet was a village near an oasis which was created by man. Where life was brought to a desolate place and flourished on hard-working farmers. Little did things go wrong here, but even a place as idyllic as this tended to get its fair share of trouble.

 

[general la'ue]

The way was far this watering hole in the middle of hot sand and skin biting winds better be worth it. me and my two remaining men enter the village tired and hungry, the humans were startled by pure blood presence.

"my lord we must find nourishment" my second huffs

"we must secure the stone" my medic says quietly.

"we eat first"

we begin making our way towards and eatery

 

[White Swallow]

The children were most curious, wanting to aproach the lionlike people. Some adults would err on caution, dragging the children away.

Seeing how not much animosity was dispalyed from the pale lions, some of the male farmers came and offered them goat milk in good will.

 

[Lieutenant Shko]

i take the skin filled with goat milk and take a gulp. the warm milk reminded me of mothers when i was a cub.

"pay him" i say to my second who places one gold coin in the farmers hand.
i pass the milk to my men and they lap it up like new born cubs.

"this milk of goat will do, retrieve me and my men your finest veggies and fruits and we will reward you handsomely" i say to the feeble looking farmer.

me and my men huddle together in a corner not trying to greet nor interact with the locals. we begin speaking in ancient speak as we talk about the location of the stone we came to find.

 

[White Swallow]

The farmers appeared rather surprised if not pleased. »Of course sir, we grow many things here.«
Not long after they brought sacks of dates, an extremely sweet fruit, as well as apricots, olives and millet to trade with the pure bloods.
The mothers that held their children back relented now seeing the foreigners meant no harm. The kittens however preffered to stay back as the children aproached to inspect the pure bloods, asking all sorts of questions, among them; who they are and where they come from.

~*~

From the distant outrcop a dark brown horse reared as it nervously stepped around. The figure clad in dark briefly gazed past the land, taking in Al Mirabet before setting off towards it in a trot.

 

[Lieutenant Shko]

my medic began to engage with the children answering questions my second in command began delving out gold pieces for the food that was deliverer to us i sat taking in my surroundings.

scanning the village with disdain. it wasn't the people they seemed to be friendly folk it was the fact that this place resided somewhere far hotter than the dry cold caves ive grown up in

"we come from a deep dark cave on an island, we come to spread the word of our gods"

my medic said to the most bravest child to volley the first question it was not the complete truth but the gods do encourage us to spread the word to all those that will listen.

i turn and spot a masked man he rather stood out among the other humans weather he was human or not that remained to be seen.

i shuffle over to him leaving my men to conduct business.

"your presence speaks of a leader, we are new to these lands perhaps you know a place we can camp." i chuckle. "i fear my second will spend all of our gold on food. besides i much prefer the open to camp in more secluded yet open to the world and its beauty no walls to trap the soul"

im facing my men as the stranger is to my left, simple talking to him without meeting eyes.

my medic begins horse play with the children chasing them on all fores no doubt he misses his own cubs though they are not cubs now no doubt warriors long dead for the kings honor.

my second seems to have finished buying our wares. he sits with a few adults who are showing him how to eat their fruits

 

[White Swallow]

»Apologies, sir, but I am only on my way from As Nineban on official business.« The man dismounted from his now still horse, keeping the reins in loose hands.
»I suppose you are strangers to these lands and would not know if this is Al Mirabet.«
One of the farmers overheard them, nodding his yead. »This is Al Mirabet, are you truly from As Nineban? We have a terrible problem.« Though the man's face seemed grim. »They only sent you?« His eyes then switched to the party of pure bloods. »Would you be able to help us as in out trouble?«

 

[Lieutenant Shko]

i didnt really intend to be spending my time helping odd humans however there was an urgency to his plead.

"keia'kle rock'heam!" i bark an order to my men to stop playing and come here. in our native tongue. it wasn't quite time for our journey to find the stone however maybe the humans can help.

"we will do what the gods allow us to,all can benefit from the glory of the gods darkness" i say matter of factly

 

[White Swallow]

»This is al-Mirabet then...« The Swallow quietly murmurred. He wasn't precisely told what he had to come for, only that it was an urgent matter by Issa's own word.

»Bless your people, our camels are threathned at night by a sand wyrm. So far it has stolen none, did claw one across it's side, but it grows braver each night.«

 

[Lieutenant Shko]

i look to my men who are standing near us now my second carries two bags of food and a goat skin filled with milk.

"we have heard about those sand demons however we have not yet run into any our self's." i say as i begin to feel un easy. no matter what a predator like that would be watching the whole town from far away only to sneak close at night. i place my hand on my sword nervously,

"perhaps we should move to more private places to talk, the book of the gods says 'be careful for even the air has ears'"

my second says matter of factually noticing my un easiness.

my medic pulls out his notes and begins reciting dampening spells so that voice could not fly on the wind. he finishes and rebinds his book.

"my medic has made the air hear as if it were an elder, but i do have to agree that any talk of this should be moved indoors, your sand demon could have friends. 'even low level demons have thoughts to conquer the masses' "

 

[White Swallow]

The swallow's heart sunk a little deeper. So, this is the 'minor' task to attend to.
He kept up a relatively stiff posture, unhnged in the proposal to hunt and slay a sand wyrm. It was not one of Amol-Kalit's worst beasts, but it certianly was among them.

The town elder seemed a bit confused by the request for privacy, but bid them to some open tent that could hold quite few of the lionmen but not the whole party. »I suppose we could, but...Sand wyrms are not particularly smart beings.«

 

[Mahat]

If this was the land of her ancestors, they could keep it.


Heat and sand and wind she knew of and knew well, but the featureless dunes gave her no nostalgia or heart ache for a home her people had long abandoned. Perhaps this great desert was as great as they say, but to the Anaphite Priestess it paled in comparison to the lands of Nubydos. There she could behold great monuments of her people, carved into the landscape and built upon sweat and blood. Magic flowed there, both of life and death. Here all she could sense was dry dust. Perhaps the desert mages in the region preferred it as such, but for Mahat, it failed to impress.


Travel was slower across such dunes. She'd opted long before to leave her chariot behind for it did not favor the landscape well. Instead she'd relied on her own feet and perhaps a smidgen of magic here and there to make speed. Portal stones aided her trek, but there was little to slow a sprinting Anaphite. At least, until she hit dunes. Massive and shifting dunes that pulled at her feet and made leaping treacherous at best. Her brother had once told her how to use magic to help such things, but that had been decades ago when she'd been barely a pup.


Grumbling and silently huffing to herself, the robed and hooded woman made her way down to the village ahead, quietly hoping that at least this one wouldn't gawk at her tall, lanky, and obviously not-human form for once.

White Swallow Lieutenant Shko

 

[White Swallow]

Mahat Lieutenant Shko

Perhaps the lions already sealed the deal with how high the bar would be on surprises this day. Most villagers wouldn't even bat an aye as another beast on two legs aproached.

Aside from trading with lions, most activity seemed to have moved to the tents.

The swallow eased his mind for a moment. »And this wyrm. How large is it? «

 

[Mahat]

Sore legs and sandy fur urged her further into the city. The residents of the little village seemed to ignore her, which was a relief. The past few towns and villages either flocked with curiosity or ran in terror whenever she passed through. Honestly, she didn't care either way, but it did make things harder to buy supplies or rent a bed.


She began wandering the tents and hovels in search of food and rest. Mahat focused outward, feeling for the souls around her. Sensing a small cluster of unique souls compared to the mass of weaker, mundane life essences, she made her way to find them.


Where there were unique souls there was bound to be an inn of some kind. Or, at least, directions to one.

White Swallow