Tales from The Legion of the All-Consuming Flame 1 [March 30, 2018]

With the fire of Vimúhla in their hearts, and in their feet, Su’umél Lo’darth hiDavíd and Kuruthúni Zavuco hiZwicker run from the colossal sand worm, drawing it away. Allowing Tirrikamu (sergeant) Nikolai Abrosus hiNiko, the leader of the battle magic contingent to prepare to fire down Fist of Vimúhla. Raining down molten fire upon the colossal creature as it rampages forward. The contingent swings around as soldiers move into position to provide the powers to shape into destructive force, as well as to meet the onslaught of the Giant Sand Worm.

The battle magic contingent was less effective than expected. But the losses against the colossal creature were far less than anyone expected. The tail of their victory will pass throughout the region and the Karéng (company) of Heréksa Shekkára will become known as The Torchbearers of The Legion of the All-Consuming Flame.

In Thri’íl, they discovered that their band, down to eighty soldiers, must transport forty chlén carts fully loaded with supplies for Sunáya.  Having been watched the entire way to Thri’íl the likelihood of them being ambushed and slaughtered is overly likely.

Through business deals with Red Flower Clan, a close working partner with Red Sword Clan, the party was able to arrange for the precious resources they acquired (steel) to discreetly be shipped to their clan in Hekéllu.

Su’umél Lo’darth hiDavíd takes some of his plunder from Sunáya to the Temple of Vemúhla,  to make a donation and perform the appropriate sacrifices. He chummed up with his superiors, made donations to their favourite charities (themselves), and asked to feverishly serve. After demonstrating his devotion to the Lord of Flame, he is raised to Shárto (Priest) of the 4th Circle, and gets new ritual clothing to show his new status.

The Red Flower Clan invites everyone to a party, to enjoy a nice evening with Lord Srúka hiTánkolel of the Great Stone Clan, a Tugrúnmokoi (Supervisor) at the Palace of the Realm in Thri’íl. He has a reputation for elaborate, and extravagant events with many devotes of Dlamélish in attendance. The heréksa enjoys some leisure with a gladiator lover, who made a better showing in the area then the heréksa’s bedroom.

Shárto Lo’darth hiDavíd is questioned by a priest of Sárku, by the look of his vestments, about some individuals at the party but Lo’darth quickly excuses himself in search of his companions. The worm kissers can ask someone more interested.

Tirrikamu’s (Sergeant’s) hiMorgan and Nikolai Abrosus hiNiko made connections with two mercenary companies at the party. A legion of two hundred shén, and a legion of three hundred human mercs. After meeting with both groups, the shén have been contracted for a month – paid in advance. That should make the trip back to Sunáya less difficult.

The last day before heading out, the party finalized the mercinary contract with the shén and go shopping for appropriate gifts for the kási (captain) and Kérdu (general) of the Legion of the All-Consuming Flame. Some show of admiration, and to grease the wheels for any further promotion’s, in the hopes that the hiring of the shén is taken as an investment, and also that they are reimbursed.

The trip back to Sunáya is easy compared to the eventful trip to Thri’íl. The party is watched again the first few days, and an area is found with multiple camps. The caravan surely would have been assaulted if not for the show of additional forces, and shén at that. This has made the Milumanayá nomads wary of attacking the caravan that is now heavily guarded.

Shén or not, the weather does not care, and a sandstorm threatened to take everyone out. Kuruthúni Zavuco hiZwicker noticed the change in weather and alerted the others quickly. The Shén merc’s immediately covered themselves, while the army tried to cover the Chlén and carts. With the ample warning, the keréng (company) survives with only 3 carts worth of supplies lost and 8 men perished from the stinging sand. The storm has passed but the area is completely different now.

Coming back upon the putrefying body of the sand worm the keréng defeated on the way to Thri’íl, the scouts discover there is another sand worm in the area. Luckily moving in the opposite direction, but it makes everyone wary. An aerial scout is used to keep track of its location, and doesn’t head in the keréng direction until a sand dune blocks the Sakbe road, forcing the army into the sand to traverse around the dune.

This time things are very different. Ample time to setup the battle magic contingent and blast away at the sand worm well before it starts eating away at the ranks of the soldiers. A section of sakbe road is coated in glass because of there destructive magics.

Images

Main Image by Brett Slocum. 2014. “Unknown manuscript from period of the Fishermen Kings, depicting either an ancient aspect of Lord Ksárul or Hó Etéhltu, the son of Gámulu”.