Anauroch - The Great Desert - at some other place [Aria, Felgryn]

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

Felgryn nodded.  "So long as you think you may do so and remain undetected..." he replied.

[Xanzibard]

"Ha, I don't think that will be a problem. Sprout, Wing, come." The floating saddle quickly bobbed its way towards Aria while the small owl flew down from its perch to land on the saddle. Aria floated down and briefly touched them. Her wings suddenly began to sprout downy white feathers. Shortly after, Aria began fading into the air, while the beast under the saddle slowly materialized, revealing a fairly large, mossy monster with large teeth. "Look after my companions for me while I'm gone. Don't worry, he's nicer than he looks."
Then there was silence, leaving Magnar and Felgryn alone with the pair of animals. A short while later the mossy beast faded to it's previous state.

the owl's feathers give me +14 to move silently which is replacing the DR it took from felgryn earlier
greater invs is replacing charm

Aria has 180ft movement if she triple moves. She goes that fast towards the disturbance until she is 200ft away then closes at half speed until she gets in range of her blind sight (100ft) or she stops if she starts losing sight of the tree by the oasis.

hide (16) +30+20 = 66
move s (14) +22+14 = 50
spot (16) -1 = 15

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

"Well she seems like she can handle herself..." Felgryn said as he sauntered over to pet Sprout on his mossy invisible head.

"Aye, she's quite resourceful lass," agreed Magnar.  "I do have a bad feeling about this...whatever it is out there, it's not natural."

Felgryn said nothing but nodded.  Perhaps blood would stain the sand this day...

[Brainpiercing]

The disturbance, when watched from a distance, was quite a sight to behold: It was a demon strike force, made up of approximately thirty demons of various types. Some seemed insanely powerful, including those iconic demons who brandished a flaming sword and whip, while others seemed less so.
They were herding, for want of a better word, several obviously mutated creatures - some of them demons themselves, but also a troll and what looked like a type of desert predator, a sand hunter. All of these creatures had five heads - two of them draconic, to goat heads, and their original head. They seemed to be coming along peacefully, and they were not bound, but in spite of this they were bullied and tortured by the accompanying demons.

The force and their prisoners moved at sort of skipping run, where every now and then they would fly short stretches. They did not seem worried about discovery at all - which was small wander, given their obvious fighting power - and kept neither formation nor order, nor did they seem to scout ahead or even keep a lookout.

Auras, if you want them, range from 11 to 25 (x1), I'm too lazy to do them all.

[Xanzibard]

Aria remained calm in the face of what she saw; the hoard was probably completely unaware of her presence and even if they were, they likely wouldn't care. She briefly took another look to try to determine who leader or leaders were and a second look at the prisoners before quickly heading back to the oasis.

A short while later, Aria appeared next to her new companions "Bad news," she said quietly, "It's demons." She then described was she saw as best she could.

Aria is interested in the description of anyone whose aura is significantly stronger than the rest. She would also like a body count on the prisoners along with their auras. Aria also really, really wants to know if the demonhoard is headed directly at them of not.

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

"And a right lot of them!" replied Magnar.  "Not the kind of fight to go around picking." he added, noticing the hard look in Felrgyn's eyes.

"We can take them, with your help..." the warrior replied.  


"And if ye, can't? There are many, and some can likely summon reinforcements. Maybe if we could control the terrain, but out here, it's open ground.  They'd surround us in a heartbeat. Some might even be able to disrupt me...oh, sure I'd be find, but by the time I made it back here in a month all that would be left of you is rubble." the bard shot back. "Illumiel's counting on ye to protect her sisters.  We'd do go ta just let 'em pass.  Besides, ye don't want to go leaving our new friend here alone, do you?"

Felgryn said nothing, but stood there scowling.  The haunting Skald was right...

[Brainpiercing]

The demons' route would take them about a hundred yards past Aria, Felgryn and Magnar's position. At present, they were still a good way off.

The leader is (with a bit of Know(the planes) or Know(religion)) a Balor with an Aura of 25. One of the prisoners, a skinny bird demon with five heads, has an aura of 17, the five-headed Troll has an aura of 14.

[Xanzibard]

KnowPlanes, 17+2= 19 not likely enough

Aria nodded, "Magnar is right, there is no way we could fight and survive, especially with that great horned demon around; he could likely kill all of us by himself. However it is incredibly likely that these are the villains you are looking for. We should at least find out where they are going."

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

"Perhaps," Magnar mused. "Though perhaps not.  Sounds to me like they are slave-driving Chimera across the desert...Uthgar knows what they might be up to.  Still...it might behoove us to find out where they are headed...it's unlike demons to involve themselves en masse of affairs here on the Prime, what with their ancient war..."

"We still need to find and warn Melaniel!" Felgryn protested. "We should just let the pass none the wiser for our presence..."

[Xanzibard]

"Ooh! I know of a great place to hide." Aria suddenly burst out, "I can take you to the ether, they'll never spot us there." Aria looked over towards Magnar, "Although you can probably get there by yourself, correct?"

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

"Aye, tis be true...sounds like a...er...solid plan..."

Felgryn nods his assent as well.

[Brainpiercing]

Is anyone of you invisible at this time? It would be nice if you put this kind of info in a spoiler box ahead of your posts, because otherwise I'll be prone to forget, and that often causes inconsistencies....

As they were debating, a small bird approached from the directions the demons were coming from. It circled them and then landed in front of [whoever is not invisible].

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

We were about to go ethereal but hadn't yet. Magnar is materialized. Felgryn doesn't have the ability to be invisible on his own.

"Oi! Hello there..." Felgryn addressed the bird.

"He's a fearless one..." Magnar commented.

[Xanzibard]

Aria had missed the bird landing as she was digging through her saddle bags. When she was done, her feathery wing had returned to violet petals. "I'm ready when you are!" she said as she flew back to her new companions. She then spotted the small bird on the ground, "Oh! You found a new friend."

Aria is visible at the moment
[owl wings --> scarab planar rip]

[mthor]

The bird cocked his head and lifted its wings in a pose that was obviously as show of dominance it then turned its head, its neck twisting an unnatural amount to accomidate its contortions, and looked over twords a dune. After a moment a man on horseback emerged from over it going at what looked like a break neck pace. Within a minute the man had reached them and pulled to a halt 20 ft away. " Who goes there and be they friend or foe.  Be warned I shall not tolerate Darkfriends in my presence". The man bore no visible weapons but it was obvious from the confidence that he projected that he felt he would have no troubles were he confronted without one.

discription of his apperance is in at the bottom of this with two diffrences. A thick fog surrounds his legs and lower body and his mouth is dark black.

[Thistledown Thurbertaut]

As the strange rider approached, Felgryn tightened his fists, in the process making a creaking grinding sound. The air was tense and heavy. 

"Who goes there? You've a lot of nerve galloping in to our oasis and demanding to see our traveling papers.  We might ask ye the same thing..."

The man who was speaking was...well not a man, or at least not a living one. The old weather-beaten barbarian, with his horned helm and rich furs was pale and translucent, the very image of a ghost, although his face bore none of the menace such tormented creatures were known for.  Perched upon his shoulder was a mighty gilded greataxe, equally transparent.  Next to him, gazing with a fierce intensity at Thor was an onyx man, marbled with ribbons and veins of gold, and the metal obs that bore into him seemed to barely contain a righteous fury, ready to pounce at the slightest sign of violence.  When he spoke, teeth of gold were made visible and his voice was like the deep rumbling of the earth.

"You had better keep your voice down...unless you want the small army of demons on the other side of those dunes to hear you..."