Private The Lost Sands of Volenfell

[Writes-Many-Posts]

Leepdroon yawned was they kept walking on the soft, boiling sands of Hammerfell. When his fellow argonian asked for a sip of the ale, he replied. "Just take a bottle, marsh companion." He reached his satchel for a flask of argonian ale and tossed it to Nagisus, who caught it in the air. The bosmer, whose name he figured out that was Lena, through eavesdropping, didn't agree in his compulsive drinking and threw the bottle away. "Fine by me. The alcohol wasn't mine anymore anyway..."


The exhaustion was becoming less bearable every second and the feeling of being watched didn't disappear. In fact, it increased. After the first hour, Leepdroon finally snapped and looked back indiscreetly and yelled. "Who is there?!" With no reply, he looked foolish in front of the group and he smiled and tried to come out with an excuse. "Uhm... The heat is making me hear things..." He kept walking still looking behind his shoulder from time to time.

 

[Boudica]

"Uhm...The heat is making me hear things..."

No, Uglúk felt it too yet remained silent as he walked; small grains of sand infiltrating the leather strappings on his shins.
There were eyes on them, he felt it upon his thick hide and deep into his bones; watchful eyes...unfriendly eyes...

He did not eavesdrop on the pair behind him, yet that dd not mean he didn't hear them. No, instead the words slurred into an incomprehen sible buzz of noise and, (when Uglúk was trying to listen to small disturbances), it was an annoyance; like flies around hs ears.
Licking one large lower canine inside his mouth, he pondered the origin of those hostile eyes and kept his own as alert and vigilant as ever...

 

[UnLonged]

Larguz paid deep attention towards his surroundings - keeping a close eye on any and all possible hazards - and his comrades - not fully a leader as more of a guide, yet finding points in them that would mean working better with them in the future. As he walked and guide the lizard through the sands, a faint feeling of observation strikes him with each step. He just kept quiet as the others seem to get that feeling as well, more so with Leepdroon - yelling and becoming on edge. He looked upon Uglúk for a moment and turning his attention back to the seemingly endless horizon, as if making him aware that the possibility of them being followed is high.

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The group marched for hours along the unwelcoming, road-less sand of Alik'r, staying true without exactly knowing where it would lead; only taking the signs of any rare life as their guideposts towards far civilization, the sun shining still above them all. The weather is far from being cooperative and giving a helping hand as signs of sandstorms appear beyond the waving heat projected by the dunes. Travel towards the direction of the first target or anywhere else is very dangerous as unknown threats could be lying in wait; though it is still possible, the fruits that it bear may be far from reach. However, the watchful eyes of individuals are ever present; observing the group's movement from the adjusting of their gear every time it falls out of comfort against the body that carry them, to the brows that furrow every time the heat becomes unbearable. What is known of them is that from the looks of their eyes that watch the incoming storm and the limited protection against it, they could stay in it shortly but could not continue traveling within it for a long span of time.​

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Larguz looked over the horizon, taking a chug of water in his canteen and wiping off some sweat on his forehead as he did so. A large cloud of sand forms a few miles towards the direction they are heading; its sheer size does not logically go well with the speed it's traveling. The hostile feeling is still there despite the fact that they have traveled far and long. First challenge. He looked upon his comrades and pointed out to the great sandstorm. "The sandstorm is far off the distance but it will hit us in a matter of minutes. We could go through it, but traveling would be hard. Or we could stay here and wait it out, but..." He inquired with the group as to what their next action is, standing close to the packlizard and keeping an eye on the surroundings as he spoke his last phrase.​

 

[Writes-Many-Posts]

"But...?" Leepdroon didn't like either of the options, and his uncomfort about the situation was very noticeable. On one hand, the sandstorm was enormous and it would be nearly impossible to see where they were going. On the other side, staying there would expose them to whatever was spying them, if not another mirage. He lazed and yawned due to the heat, despite the fact that he wasn't calm at all.

"This environment is so harsh... I wish I was more apt physically to do this. If only I worked out more often..." It was true. Since he found out he could kill nearly anything through magic, Leepdroon had never lifted steel again. Nor even conjured swords. The heaviest thing he carried around was the Spriggan Blade, itself almost as light as wind. As he stretched, his spine cracked, without pain or relief. "I just... don't like it here... If we have to risk our lives, let it be in the sandstorm, at least that way if I die, I die in the hands of nature and not in the paws of some Talos-forsaken being." When he finished the sentence, he sweeped the dust out of his hood and robes, that was increasing their height for too long.

 

[death raider]

Lena refused to make contact with Nagisus, or the others, she didn't like the thought of being watched, nor did she like having to travel on bare foot. When the leader, what ever his name was told them a sandstorm was up ahead Lena thought the leaders first idea was better and Lena agreed with what the werecrocidile said. Lena looked out into the distance, the sandstorm growing ever closer, with each second that passes, Lena imagined home, jumping from tree to tree, with no worry in the worls, but now her life was shrouded in death and never ending obsticles.

Lena turned her gaze to the leader and then walked to him.
" I agree with the werecrocidile, I think we should travel through the sandstorm and that way if someone is following us we would lose them in the storm and any way a sandstom can't last forever... can it?" Lena said the last bit with a bit of a tremble, imagining walking through the storm for days on end and watching her comrades die around her, from dehidration and starvatin.

 

[Boudica]

Uglúk watched each of them, measured their opinion and found each agreement of walking through the sandstorm - wanting.
"A sandstorm like that..." he looked at the incoming torrent of earthly and aerial hatred, "...I have seen rip the flesh from the bones of men...if we walk through we will be forced to stop inside of it regardless; it appears too strong to continue through it."

He rolled his shoulders and cracked the bones in his back with a satisfied smile as that strong back arched slightly to gain relief from stationary muscles and bones.
"I believe it would be wiser to stop and take shelter somehow, rather than walk like children into the heart of a storm...if it is that strong it will help shield us from any hostiles instead of hinder ourselves...we want to be strong when we desire to continue."

There, he had said his peace...and from then on, he was silent and reflective.

 

[Writes-Many-Posts]

Leepdroon grabbed the hilt of his blade and realized that the group could never be unanimous about their decision. "Next-Chieftain, I believe you should decide. It will not only be a good way to practice for your future as leader of the stronghold but also a way to avoid a nowhere-leading arguement." He began walking in circles in the sand waiting for the answer always looking at their footprints that leaded back to the starting spot. "Could it be that I am not insane and meant to do unspeakable things to corpses like Cicero? Am I actually right? This feels weird... If only a khajiit with good ears was among us to hear whoever is with us or figuring out what in name of Oblivion is wrong with my head..."


The Guardian stopped walking and sat on the sand waiting for the chieftain's decision. Suddenly, he looked behind quickly. Nothing could be seen still. "Damn it... I look like a fool always rattling about the same madness." He got up disappointed and wiped off some dust of his shoulders.

 

[Captain Nagisus]

Nagisus grunted slightly. Not only was Lena angry with him, but people were disagreeing.
"Listen here, land-striders - and of course, the marsh-friend and the swamp-lotus - I don't know about all of you inferior scum-swallowing limpets on underside of the louse-infested rock that is non-Argonian Tamriel, but me and...whatshisname, my egg-brother, have transparent eyelids. So I don't care what happens, I'm going through that sandstorm. Who's with me?"

 

[Boudica]

"You will have no eyelids if you attempt to compete with nature you prideful fool...nor will you have any scales left on your meatsack of a body." Uglúk was never one who was good at persuading in gentle, diplomatic tones...but in his own way, he was expressing how he didn't want the argonian to risk getting his hide ripped from his frame as if it were a mere fleshy cloak containing a complex machine of bones, muscles, organs and blood.
"Nature cares not for the races of mortal men, we are all the same in her eyes...if we were but insects it would make no difference."

 

[UnLonged]

Majority of the group wanted to continue on despite the foreboding sandstorm. Larguz couldn't agree more as he fears that whoever or whatever it is that is stalking them possess more experience in fighting in the harsh terrain they are in. He almost smirked as Leepdroon called him "Next-Chieftain", though the right to rule falls on anyone who can succeed the present one, he feels that he is more than capable of being one. He decided to speak up and test his mettle. On the ripe time too, as tension is about to rise from the half-blood's remarks. "Stop your pacing, argonian. You'll need all of what remains of your strength." He released his grip on the reins of the packlizard and "Listen up! We'll brave through this sandstorm as, believe or not, I have seen worse. Uglúk, you'll be rear guard. Lena, Leepdroon stick with the packlizard. Nagisus, stick with them and keep a look out on our surroundings. I'll guard the front. We move out, now!" Larguz formed the group up as he deemed fit and urged them to move forward.

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Voices of differing emotions and insights allowed themselves to be heard. Anxiety. Caution. Strength. Eagerness. A strong, volatile mix of emotions that if not handled carefully would blow up. Larguz rallied them and gave out orders to move. The sandstorm struck them after just a few steps. Before vision is fully obscured by the blinding sands, the stalkers emerged from the dunes where they are hiding. Their numbers are far too great to be just that of a group of vagabonds. Far too great to be handled by just a handful of adventurers. They may take them down fast and remove the threat of being overwhelmed, but the price of victory over such shady adversities would be great. The worries of the half-blood was partly true, partly false. True that if you venture into the raging sands, you risk having your flesh torn off your bones. False as it is not the sands itself that does the tearing. After long, clueless strides inside the storms, bloody growls can be heard far off. Large quadrupedal shadows appeared in the wall of sand, their thirst for blood and hunger for flesh is evident as they slowly peel off individually and started to circle around the group. Their forms are not that of the typical canine that are being kept as companions. Jackals.​

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Larguz hailed for the group to stop their march, the sounds of desert beasts is what mainly urged him. "Nagisus, can you see past the sands?"​

 

[death raider]

Lena listened closely to what was being said and she was beginning to think the werecrocidile was a tad psychotic and a bit crazy in the dead, but the harsh desert plain was boiling and Lena's strength was draining from her body, and into the world around her. Lena was then told to stand near the bloody giant lizard, with none else than the crazy werecrocidile, and with Nagisus standing nearby. It was not what Lena wanted, but it was her orders and she had to respect that.

They began to tread through the desert when the sandstorm hit them, like it was controlled by some UN-none force to attack them. Lena hated when she couldn't see around her, especially when some creatures began to surround them from all angles, rendering them trapped in a wall of sand, making them easy targets. Lena took out her bow and loaded it with an arrow and pointed it where she could hear the creatures circling, she was not going to give up so easily and in truth she didn't want any of her companions to die... except maybe the werecrocidile, but still there was no need for the adventures to die so early on, and the werecrocidile could proof useful in the future.

 

[Writes-Many-Posts]

Leepdroon covered his eyes with his wrist as the group walked through the sand whirlwind. The noises were getting more noticeable and it looked like all the group was already noticing them. Canine-like figures came out of nowhere. Actually, in the middle of the sandstorm, everything was nowhere! The packlizard was frightened but Leepdroon pat it in the back and did his best to calm it down.
He prepared to conjure a familiar. "I can't attack nature without it taking her bite first. But my spectral hound, that's a different story..." The argonian also unsheathed the Spriggan Blade and let the glow identify the beings that were trying to make preys of them: Jackals.

Despite not liking the idea of working with the bosmer, Leepdroon told her. "Whenever you are ready..." As he began charging the spell to conjure the familiar.

 

[death raider]

Lena noticed Leepdroon getting his blade out and then he turned to Lena and said whenever she was ready. Lena didn't know why he was going to what for her word even though they didn't particularly like each other. Lena looked at Leepdroon, and she then turned to the creatures which were now more visual, but Lena didn't know what they were. Lena gave the others a look and waited for their word, before she would release an arrow.

 

[Captain Nagisus]

Nagisus stared into the seemingly endless flurry of sand that stood before him.
"No. No, I can't see through it, but I am confident I can make it through. If I have survived a voriplasm attack, I can survive a sandstorm...Ugh, did that wound it made before I made it implode take a long time to heal..." He smiled very slightly to himself, and continued, "I have no way of knowing what is on the other side. We simply keep walking, and after a certain point, Sithis will take his mercy. He has always shown his mercy to me on unending journeys, now cease your fretting and walk."

It was then that Nagisus, too, heard the creatures, running about in the sand. "Ah, but we are visited?" He held up his hand. On the way to Hammerfell, he and Lena had visited a rather odd merchant - an Altmer fellow claiming he was a Dwemer, and that his name was Herrim Uclerry, from a strange dwarven city called Dohnnuldhsunns-De'ree. They had stopped to buy some supplies, and one or two interesting wares. One of these interesting wares was a crossbow, attached to a vambrace, so you could fire from your hand, whilst holding a weapon. Nagisus loaded a bolt to the strange dwarven glove, and drew his sword.

Spoiler

(( That Herrim Uclerry from Dohnnuldhsunns-De'ree was a very stupid obscure joke about this -

a childhood book of mine, and I have permission from Oval, as does death raider, to have one piece of awesome stuff. For being helpful in the making of this RP. Don't worry, you guys might get one each later on, if you're good and cool and awesome and stuff :U ))

 

[Writes-Many-Posts]

They were nearly surrounded by the jackals, but they kept walking to the only spot where the path wasn't blocked. As the canines became more visible, Leepdroon noticed they were looking at the weakest prey, the packlizard. It had no steel or magic to defend itself. The only problem: there was a bosmer and two argonians guarding it. "What are they waiting for?!" Leepdroon thought while he patted again the reptilian to calm it down. He then began swinging his sword in thin air, in order to scare the animals away, but it had almost no success. The beasts either were starving and weren't leaving unless dead or satisified, or they had been striked by some powerful illusion magic. Something that overcame fear and evaluation of their foes...

 

[Bloodhawk71]

Lost in the sandstorm with his partner, Ogar happened upon some kind of canines. After killing a couple with his war hammer. They continued on through the storm, until they could see more of those canine beast except they had a different target. Ogar being the bullhead he is, trudged through the beast killing any that came close. By the time he made it through, he realized the beasts target was some kind of caravan. He turned around and realized that his partner was not behind him.

He knew she would be ok, so he turned back the the group. He raised his hands, his hammer still in them, to show he meant no harm. He walked a little farther while still watching the beast. He waiting there allowing the caravan to make a call. He lowered his hammer and put it back onto his back. His hands rested at his waist, where several blacksmith like hammers where sheathed.

He yelled out above the storm. " I mean no harm please don't attack. There is also a mage out here somewhere please don't attack her either. " He had came from the direction the group was heading. His eyes squinted trying see through the sand. A couple of explosions appear behind him, on the caravan's right and his left.

 

[Falaember]

Jazlyn sighs, starting to get a little annoyed with the sandstorm. "Leave it to Ogar to get us lost in a freaking sandstorm." She thinks, squinting slightly. She looks up again, only to notice Ogar was out of sight. Groaning, she looks around to try to figure out where he had gone.

Once she figures out the general direction, due to the dead canine bodies, she notices more canines. She manages to catch a sight of Ogar moving, and begins to make her way to him. As she moves a little bit closer,she notices a small group of people. Wondering where it is that they are headed, she continues cautiously. Not far from Ogar are a couple of the canines and she smirks.

Fire appears in her hands as she gets ready to blow the canines to pieces. A fireball is released from her hand which causes the canines to drop on the spot, right behind Ogar. Curious of the other wanderers, she slowly makes her way to them. "What is he trying to get us into this time?" She thinks stopping behind Ogar to the left.

 

[Writes-Many-Posts]

No sign came from Lena and Leepdroon's anxiety grew too deep. He conjured the familiar as promissed and one of the figures jumped over him and made him drop his beloved spriggan blade. "No! My beloved green whirlwind-like, sword!" He struggled to avoid being devoured by the canine and avoided being bitten in the skull by it. Pushing the jackal to the side, the argonian got up and wandered around the sands searching for the sword to wield it once again. The beast began running towards him and, upon noticing so, Leepdroon threw a hand full of sand to its eyes.

Finally, the argonian stumbled on something. "My blade's hilt!" He grabbed the sharp piece of metal and eviscerated the jackal before it killed him with a rampage attack jump. He took a glance around. "Where is that orc that just asked for peace? And the packlizard? And the chieftain-to-be and the rest of the group?" A small figure could be seen a little far from there and it could be the only possible chance of being his group, or the wizard the orc was talking about.