Epic - Journey to Marûn

Escape from the Kharash

Two horsemen on path up ahead. Early spring so cold but new life blooming across steppe. Crystal clear vision. Late morning.

High mountain range is to the east (our right). Vast steppe to our left. High but below snow line. Frostfall behind us. Need to find clothes or shelter to survive!

Thin tall, sharp featured, and pointed ears - green/yellow skin, single braid of russet hair down back, dressed in brown linen moving slowly towards river.

Wolf man (Hengeyokai?) loping towards first figure at pace. No clothes but furred, but wearing a small leather backpack that looks out of place.

I am focused on Kharash but do notice strange yellow person to the left of the path. I tried to get his attention but shimmers and seems to be there and then not there intermittently. Weird to see. Crouching.

Close with horsemen, gesturing at yellow man to attack them. They are well armed and armoured with multiple weapons arranged around saddles in a complex arrangement. Black horses, slightly bigger than riding horse.

I leap onto horse and throw rider aside, knocking him out as he lands, taking control of the horse.

Others speed their approach towards us while I have his attention.

Wolf man hits him at a leap, but gets body blocked and slid off to ground as horse steps to the side.

Yellow man does the same as wolfie - both slipped off.

Manage to behead other rider with halberd from saddle.

Really hard to control horse so dismount.

Establish that Hengeyokai also follows Shang-Ti (set him on right path). Other thing not the same as Githyanki (he calls them) - they used to be slavers of his people.

[Chih-Chiang Fyu-Ya is God of Kharash]

Wolfie excited that sign from Shang-Ti guides us north - spirits warn of more Kharash approaching.

I grab unconscious Kharash and run to get out of sight up behind Wolfie.

Follow him up riverlet on mountain side, gets very steep so work hard to try and keep up with body.

Caravan with more prisoners approaching, two outriders ahead drawing close.

Hide in rocks to sides of old riverlet path. Body below me.

Outriders stop, one with bow and one dismounts. Looks closely at floor, looking for tracks perhaps?

Baboon wolf above us - tell Fulgar that he is their meat, will die, alone and vulnerable. Others answering call around and above us.

Lots of barking and howling between Fulgar and the new arrival, ready for combat.

Arrow flies up with a humming and flash of small explosion.

A dozen creatures appear above us then leap down charging to engage us. Explosion of rock spikes up and out providing cover around us. Fulgar hears "flee" in his tongue!

I hack at body, easily killing it. Then sprint after Fulgar to south.

Rocks seem to move to make our path easier as we run, but have to slow slightly to allow Fulgar to keep up.

Keep going to Frostfall, seeing waterfall ahead as source of river. Hengeoyokai in water, half fish with legs looking into pool with trident.

Stop about fifty yards short - must follow Shang-Ti... that is way.

Ghostly shape of human woman's torso - Hengeyokai do not come here. They attacked because they are linked to Kharash. Do not attack others of your folk - you are not like them.

Shim-Ti will help. Thing ahead looks around and looks worried, putting trident behind back and looking non-threatening.

Fulgar speaks with thing, but not in a way we understand. Followed by baboon things, he offers to hide us as we cannot swim.

Follow through what looks like rock into cave that hides five of his kind. One transforms into human and speaks in a language we can understand. Naked.

Most welcoming - sympathy for our loss.

Talk of Oracal - only place where we know they meet. Volcanic - place of power. Must leave and soon as we bring danger here. Drink vial and follow Frostfall.

Turn into carp fishes and plunge down river until we reach a pool near ford as horsemen cross near us. Just cross next dip and then return to normal form.

Fulgar warns of convoy being near, and to use river to hide scent. I say convoy is opportunity to stow abord ship that disappears. Strange look from Fulgar.

Speak of wisdom of waiting for strike on weak or understanding of ways of enemy. Outriders ahead, warrior and driver on each wagon, warriors to side. Group of warriors to fore. Weaker behind. Cages with Batuhan people, elves behind, hengeyokai cats, Bandalok (baboon creatures), half sized humanoids, one humanoid like an nomad with wrappings but something other than human.

Fulgar warns of strength of spirit and warns that they are powerful so should not challenge them.

Follow at a distance. Leader throws down something and ship appears as before. Two riders coming back towards Fulgar and also two Kharash and two Githyanki moving away.

Fulgar gets noticed but leaps at nearest, knocking him off horse and completely out of it (dead)? Other one swings halberd, but just missed him by an inch.

Garuk shovelling sand in pouch. Weird. Whisper about strength and need to get aboard. Not now because too dangerous.

Fulgar throws rider to floor and cracks head on floor. Beat them both. Eats organs.

Separate party of 4 - Kharash wheel to engage us as we are noticed, but Githyanki keep going.

They charge at us, meeting Garuk first. I set halberd and connect solidly, lifting opponent out of saddle and dumping him behind me, dead.

Second rider turned and charged at me. Lance struck me and broke, stuck in me, but halberd takes rider out of saddle at same time, and lands dead at my feet.

Boat has disappeared.

Garuk takes one of their shield.

Fulgar respects fight. Offers Shang-Ti blessing as I am injured and miraculously my wounds knit and splinters of lance pushed out.

Follow Githyanki to the south/southwest for a couple of hours.

Fulgar sees some things flying towards us so advises us to hide in shelter of rocks until we understood the threat - agreed. The trail would be easy to follow afterwards.

Three half eagle half land animal creatures, converse with riders but then continue towards us.

Hunker down and Garuk sheds armour whilst we stay behind rocks.

Centre one spots us and calls out, then all dive towards us. Garuk throws handful of sand into air that turns into fan of colours as he shouted a word we didn't understand. Creature piles into earth as scream ends quickly. Garuk stepped out of the way at last moment.

One grabs me but my halberd cleaves through it and it fell into two pieces taking me backwards but not into the air.

Other one failed to grab Garuk.

Continue to follow until late afternoon when grass starts to get more arid and patchy. The ones we pursue stopped so we cautiously approached to a point that we could observe them clearly.

Night about to fall so needed to be aware of temperature.

Wait until just about dark. Brilliant starry night. Lose sight of them as the light fades.

They move off when night falls. We continue for as long as we can in the cold night, sandy underfoot. They are moving more slowly. They make a fire.

We stop and huddle together with bedrolls covering most of us. Fulgar watching enemy as we cover ourselves with waxed cover and sleep.

Fulgar meditating and notices in early morning that galloping horse is coming from behind us, foe still in camp ahead.

Fulgar wakes us up - Garuk panics slightly but Fulgar muffles noise with hand over mouth.

I scrabble for halberd - horseman without armour on horse with lantern. Making a noise to alert those ahead but doesn't seem to have noticed us.

Flatten to floor and let him pass. Listen as they ask what he wants. He stands up on saddle then leaps from horse, runs into camp and goes down on one knee.

You are off they have moved. One runs to satchel and rolls it out. Stoke fire and look at parchment. Some kind of shift. Look up at stars, then says "here then", making notes.

Urged to hurry and makes notes. Rider returns. Others mount up ready to move.

Visions in night - wake with a start "the bitch!" Start working through exercises. Fulgar wants us to move quickly as the scent grows fainter. Getting quickly warmer as the sun rises.

Move as fast as we can, running intermittently to keep our speed up.

After a couple of hours the terrain became more difficult and we were hopping across fissures and boulders, climbing at times.

Hop up and find a large black snake in front of us! Fifteen foot long head rearing up. Black with purple underside.

Body lifts up and tries to wrap around Fulgar, doesn't quite do that but felt power of blow as it struck him.

Fulgar leapt forward and smacked it in the face and it slumped in a daze, rolling into hole.

Concerned about gaze of snake, and Fulgar asked if anyone else felt the effect and laid his hand on Garuk's shoulder calling on Shang Ti to purge him of illness. Fulgar seemed drained by it, but insisted that it was worth it.

Carry on for another hour then Fulgar drops and we try to find cover. Scent had become strong so they must be close. Hear a horse.

Fulgar stalks forwards quietly, sees the two horses in a bowl of rock. Water at the bottom they drink from. Couple of cacti on far side.

Streaks of light flash into back of Garuk, causing him pain! Armoured Githyanki leapt from rock beside me, flaming sword swinging. I tried to dodge but caught my side and set my backpack on fire!

I drop halberd and draw Khopesh as Fulgar rushed in and punched foe in its back, looked painful! Followed up with a flurry of blows and it fell dead.

Chanting behind us, and bolt of electric discharge leaps into Fulgar who crumples and smells of burnt fur.

I leap down on mage and bash with shield, putting weight behind it and knocked him to floor unconsious.

Garuk put sword to its neck. Fulgar howls with victory - now we feast!

I stamp fire out on backpack, but not much left. Garuk searches mage (I had killed him it seems).

Try to catch horses as one has bags - Garuk spooks them so we sprint before they get away down gully. Fulgar grabs bags as I leap onto one.

Rest and train because the directions Garuk found depend on travelling at night.

Need to move at night but as swiftly as we can to match the pace of the Gith before us.

Bushes start moving as something approaches, all around us. Four large beetles with glowing red chest area and orange glowing rears. Have seen stars and following the right direction.

One of them collapses to left of Garuk. I take opportunity to jump over it and run forward, urging others to do the same. Nasty shit belches out near Garuk, but he avoids it. The others are engaged so when I see that I stop and turn.

One buzzes into air and follows me, the others attacked on the ground.

Fulgar kills one with two punches to its head. Glob of stuff landed near me from flying one.

Another beetle collapsed near Garuk.

Garuk leapt up and pushed it away, but it stays in the air. It bit me and I collapsed unconscious. Fulgar leapt into air and smashed it down, killing it.

Garuk finishes off beetles as Fulgar picks me up, meaning to get away but struggling with weight.

How is our friend? Heavy! Garuk takes my body as Fulgar keeps saddle bags to share load.

Then realise they don't have anything to run from and stop. Check me out but have no way to help us.

Thankfully I come round and regain my strength, if not my health. Interrupt debate about whether to rest with me or press on carrying me. Need to continue so set off south again.

Eventually get exhausted and set tent, eat and rest. Fulgar meditates and wakes us up - we are late because the sun rises.

Pray to Shang Ti and feel somewhat better in the morning. After a couple more hours the gorse thins out but there are more cacti, looking for pattern of three. See a Kharash warrior ahead. Also see three very large and distinctive cacti near him.

Fulgar runs forward, but ducks behind cacti to let horse pass then chases it. It lowers lance at Garuk but he misses. Passes then rears and turns tightly to charge back.

Charges back at Garuk, striking this time and leaving a deep wound. Fulgar heads to three cacti as Kharash draws bow and circles around. Garuk charges at him and tries to grapple him off horse but can't keep hold.

Arrow pings off my armour. Garuk struck down by another arrow.

I see him looking the other way and sprint for him, catching hold of his arm and managing to hold on despite horse and rider's efforts.

Fulgar jogs over to Garuk and calls on Shang Ti to aid him and arrow pops out. He jerks to life. Grasps him on arm and thanks him, using his aid to get up. Pats him and thanks for aid again.

I manage to lunge and grab him again, better this time.

Fulgar finds a dull yellow metal symbol on the side of a rock to the west of the cacti. Vibrates with power as he picks it up.

Garuk runs up to help, trying to hit the horse but its moving too much.

Manage to drag rider to floor whilst Garuk entertains the horse by waving a sword around.

Fulgar finds that centre of decorated part of item could be depressed, but wary of pressing it. Runs back towards us.

Shows us his find and we move towards the small rocks where he found it.

Garuk eventually arrives - torn between attacking and joining us. Fulgar wraps arms around us and presses button and we are suddenly transported to a temple.

Three paths lead to entrance, three circles on the path we stood on, water between the paths. Evening, so time has changed. Cacti flanking entrance.

Rock wall just behind us, vertical. Through the entranceway we could just make out a statue beyond and a tall door beyond that.

Fulgar runs forward urging us to seek cover, but I call to be wary and stay together before we enter. Garuk warns to stay out of circles and walks forward warily.

Have to run behind as he doesn't slow down. I reach the entranceway and hear a bird cry from ahead beyond the doors. Statue is rough boulders with square plinth atop and then aztec style eagles head at the very top.

The doors do not open as they did for Fulgar. Large metal rings set into ears of skulls along the ring, does not pull open, and door does not shift when I put weight on it to push.

Garuk realises you have to turn the handles and starts to open so I lend my strength to him to push them open. Really difficult.

Enter a room and find Fulgar in centre of room, looking healthy and angry facing us. Three winged females with skulls strapped around waist flying at back of room.

Ceiling arched with pillars in relief down sides. Four in centre making a pagoda below the ceiling. Fulgar is standing in font of water with rim almost touching the pillars around him. Ankle deep.

Depictions of various birds of prey that vary in type - 3 on each pillar facing diagonally out. 12 in total.

Females fly up to ceiling as we enter. Garuk moves up to side of pagoda. Fulgar attacks! Only Garuk's armour saves him.

One of the winged females falls out of sky to the floor, landing heavily in a cloud of feathers dead.

I try to restrain Fulgar and manage to pin one arm. Fall backwards trying to take him with me but lose the grip and fall into the water.

I try throwing lighted lantern at flying thing but hits wall instead - burning oil running down.

Curse and grab at Fulgar and manage to get one arm again. Another thing falls to the ground and dies in a puff of feathers.

Still can't get Fulgar down. Last thing falls to floor and dies with a particularly bloody impact.

Now see the room full of bones with no decoration that is the reality. Women are actually hideous ugly beasts.

Fulgar drops to knees and offers neck to Garuk saying that he has shamed himself. Garuk pulls him to feet saying that there is no shame - they controlled your mind I have seen this before.

Search floor and find coins and ivory tube. Garuk finds dagger. Swap - he is very interested in case and scrolls, throws leather case away.

Gets suddenly darker. Look up and see panels opening showing night sky. I ask Garuk if any of these look like star we need to follow - are they showing us the way?

Find 12 darts wrapped in leather so take them - portentious number. Suddenly Fulgar disappears with a yelp. I rush over, looking to see what happened but also disappear down chute landing in chest high water. Garuk lands on us shortly afterwards, which was painful.

An opening in far side, but dark so I cannot see... others kind. Tie rope to Fulgar and boost him up. Narrow so cannot turn. Slippery and sloping up.

He finds something he didn't like, so starts to back up and finds a sharp catch on side, so examines it.

Manipulates it and opens in and up. Calls to us and we climb into tube with him. Pass torch forward with difficulty and he drops it - quickly hears it hit. Carefully moves into space and guides me out. Tight but opens one way so I shuffle down as he helps Garuk.

Try to light torch but splutters and cannot catch. Very enclosed.

Have to go dark - Fulgar leading an we follow. 20 mins in this fashion until reach opening suddenly. Another torch drop - a little longer falling so Fulgar carefully climbs down. Shaft above, with bats? maybe into another tube.

Fulgar lights lantern briefly and see exit to right. Go that way and it slopes down. Air changes into cooler fresher to breathe. Wet as well.

Slow pace to avoid slipping.

Fulgar sees creature ahead, warns us and calls forward that we seek passage but not a fight and will take no prey.

It jumps and barks something then runs away. We continue for 20 mins or so again. Head appears - bad ambush, but something projectile wise came towards us.

Back off, head back to shaft after heated discussion over options. Climbing only option. Use spikes and rope to minimise risk, and Fulgar changes into human form. Quickly move back as being attacked again! Grants Fulgar ability to see in the dark as a human.

Reaches passageway using three spikes and sees three winged creatures asleep on roof. Wakes them with banging, two fly off and one lunges at him but then flies past and up.

Fulgar holds rope and pulls me up and I climb as things start pinging off walls around me. Still can't see! Get up to shaft with arrows pinging around me. Cheer from below as I disappear out of sight.

Fulgar notices air change so Garuk lights and passes lantern forward. Shaft rises vertically with side passages but then roof about 30' up.

Water below us about 20 feet. Fulgar ropes up and manages to reach nearest shaft. Explores without rope but finds vertical shaft filled by a heat source so not keen of going that way.

Fulgar climbs to next one and barely makes it, clinging to tube at the last moment as he slips.

Starts to climb out as he hears water and then torrent of water spits bat thing out at Garuk's feet. Fulgar asks us to keep it for a snack. Garuk sticks sword through it.

Fulgar reached highest tube but nowhere to brace for us to follow. We let him take the rope so he could explore futher.

I start doing some exercises in the confined space - press ups, sit ups... then hear some movements below - mechanical. Water lowers and disappears from shaft. Creature below us fills shaft - big mouth with tentacles around it.

Beast starts climbing up the walls with tentacles we back up down shaft some way. Thin tentacles reach in to shaft and grab at Garuk.

Tentacle grabs Garuk's sword - maw of beast right at end of shaft now. Garuk lets go of sword to get back and away. Move back out of reach.

Garuk reads a scroll, creating an electrical charge around his hands which he concentrates to build up a charge which he releases after a few minutes in a massive discharge with fluttering tentacles that sent it scuttling back down hole.

Fulgar exploring more tunnels alone, gets to a slightly larger one and some kind of open space (still dark). Finds a trapdoor in floor of area, checks for any mechanisms and finds ring, opens it and finds iron ladder going down, which he descends.

Follows a corridor leading to another room with a trapdoor... lightning as he opens it (Garuk) so closes again and finds another passage to follow. Leads to stairs spiralling in a square up.

Eventually leads to a door but when he tried to open it a portcullis dropped in front of him and whirring mechanism continues. Backs into stairs and floor falls away to spiked pit in front of him.

Finds a movable stone, braces himself and presses it. Seems to reset so portcullis rises and new floor lowers, door closes.

This time smashes into door a couple of times and rips hinges off. Force side of door back to make an opening. Stairs going up beyond.

Once Garuk has finished showing off, return to edge of shaft. Starting to fill up with water again, pattern of discharge seems to be that there is a five or six minute pause and then water discharge one after the other for the three tubes into shaft.

No option but to wait for Fulgar. Set alarms and rest because exhausted.

Fulgar ascends stairs and finds stone door to side at a dead end. Light behind it! Also music. Confidently opens door, but completely naked... lots of people (humans) around. Canyon with buildings in walls and pathway around edge that he has walked out onto.

Backs in and closes door to put some clothes on - humans can be funny about that. Robe thrown over him. Arse flapping though because of tail slit.

Turns to right and climbs stairs. Warm, especially in sun so removes cloak just leaving robe. Meets someone who agrees with him that his smell is offensive and he needs a bath. Also it would be good to cover his arse. Shows him way to bathhouse and market, as well as guard post (Harung).

Far to south - he mentioned Minnerwe and that is far to north apparently.

Takes a bath, eats, buys some clothes. Basically having a better time than us!

Eventually climbs to guard house, passing camel train. Great plain of rocky desert around the canyon.

Harung have red obi and grey sashes, sickle swords and metal rod. Metal helmet and cheek guards. Spiked buckler. Metal reinforced boots with spikes. Coins being passed.

Guards laugh at his story and Fulgar thinks they are a bit crazy.

Finds lodgings - running water! Equipment replen. One old person knows legend of Siren Hall to north of town, some kind of religious cult. No one has been that way since the great wars.

Sees large wall to north of town, guarded.

We do the swinging pots guy ropes featherfall plan. Manage to pull halberd up too pan in face.

Low crawl space that ends in narrow shaft. Do a weird balancing act standing on Garuk's hands and use halberd to pull myself up. Then lower guys ropes knotted together to pull Garuk up to join me.

Hear Fulgar calling and respond. He is in a shaft to our right but above us. Drops us on first attempt but then uses spikes and we pull ourselves up.

Garuk hands dead bat thing to him for snack. He shares water with us.

Takes us back to door to city. Fulgar will remain while we explore so that he can change back to wolf form.

Leave weapons with Fulgar. Head for bathhouse.

Marun (accent over u) is the name of the place.