2. The Asanda River

[tumblingdice]

Taking your positions, you wait for the boat to come closer. The craft is a wretched little boat. It appears to be crewed by four very small people. Suddenly, a child's voice cries "Yield!" as an arrow plops harmlessly into the water.

"You missed again, you idiot!" one says.
"I did the best I could," another says defensively.
"Shut up, both of you," a third voice says, this one female. One of them stands up, holding aloft a short sword. "Surrender!" she shouts to you. She looks to be no more than ten.

Actions?

[greyarea]

Zelaz stands on his mighty, watery, pincered steed which he commands to swim apart from the raft which carries the others.

You wish to surrender to us? he says with a grin. We accept.

[Spanningtree]

Taranna steps out from behind the supplies after seeing the arrow plop into the water: How do they manage to survive.... she will say to no one in particular.

[connivingsumo]

ROIKOS: Cleric
Looks at the pole-pilot of his raft, "Move to intercept them, or at least slow them down."

He keeps his shield on the floor of the raft, but ready to heft it up should another arrow 'plop' more closely to his chest. He says sternly, but not villainous, "We are not aggressive to you, lest you be of evil. Stop your assaults at once."

Roikos looks even closer, more intently, now that he has heard the voices of children. He wants to be sure they're cared for - at least fed - or "set straight" should they be choosing a shady path for their young lives.

[badams30]

Aristide - Thieft

Aristide shakes his head mumbling "I got awakened for THIS?" He curses and shouts "Zelaz, feed them to the crab and let's get moving!"

Aristide keeps an eye to the shoreline, just in case this is an ambush or some shenanigans.

[saalaria]

Joffrey

"Well bless my soul, not what I was expecting to see today! Do you want some food children? We have some to spare."

Joffrey sheathes his sword but like Roikos holds his shield aloft until the bowman has desisted.

[kwll]

Adding another diverging voice to the ensemble, Tasrem says: "Surrender? Surrender to whom?"

[tumblingdice]

The girls turns to Zelaz. "Silence, eunuch!" she commands. "As to you," she sneers at Roikos, "we will stop our assault when I say we do. I take orders from no one. I am Tania. Tania the tyrant. You--"

One of the two boys pushes past the girl. "You have food?" he asks in response to Joffrey. Without another word, he jumps out of the boat, then swims toward you in hunger and desperation. The sudden motion knocks the girl and remaining boy off their feet, on to the deck. "Dahn, come back here, you idiot!" she snarls.

Dahn pulls himself up on to the raft, no easy feat at his size. "Please," he begs. "We haven't eaten in three days. The desert devils destroyed our village. They killed everyone. They killed my mom and dad." His shoulders slump, then he begins to sob.

At that, Tania's and the other boy's defenses go down. You're in the presence of three blubbering, starving children.

Actions?

OC: Sorry to have been awol. In addition to getting ready to re-open our branch library after a flood last year, the main library's phone system gave up the ghost this week. It's been a big scramble to get the new phones set up, record all the menus and greetings, and play grief counselor to all my colleagues who fear change.

[kwll]

"My, my, come here my boy. Of course we have food, there it is." answers Tasrem, sorry to hear what he heard. He will wait for the children to be fed before he asks questions about what happened.

[greyarea]

Zelaz raises an eyebrow and cracks a smile upon Tania's insult. They are no threat and I doubt have worthwhile information. Feed them and let them go. I only wish we could guarantee their safety.