Dragon Warriors

"Ngela I am glad to see you are well. I am here with a message from my companions and your husband - now is the time for action, to oust the usurper and return Kgosi Olmar to his rightful place"

Mthunzi will make a plea to Ngela for her help. "My lady, listen well to this plan, for if you are unable to bring your part to bear I fear we will all be doomed. Tonight when you hear the sound of the Barking Owl have the villagers gather in silence in the square, everyone who can put up a fight both men and women. They should be armed with any weapon, a knife, shovel, hoe, club, whatever they can bring with them. Then have them march to the hall where Malim Oche and his men will be celebrating."

"Leave the rest to us. Can you do this?"

Kgosigadi Ngela nodded with concern for both her people and her husband evident in her eyes.

" If Olmar believes this is the wisest course then I will do as you ask."

She thinks to herself, " Yes, I will ask the older men and women to lead the group and the younger to stand behind them....there will be less chance then of an....incident....I will have the children brought here to be cared for by shangazi.".

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

_________________
Speech!





And so the show begins!!!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dwp ... ssages/640

OOC - The rest prepares to stealth attack. Upon the signal, take out the sentries and other groups of Malim's men, then go straight to where the celebration is to confront Malim.

Ak'kulula approaches Prince Kubluu and Kgosi Olmar to request for 1 personal artifact each from the 2 men - unique items recognizable by people around them.

Next, with Pulgil and Ammu to help him, he moves further away from the village to a more secluded spot. There the trio gets to work making the boy look like he had just escaped from the jaws of death. Ak'kulula runs around through the undergrowth, working up a temperature and a sweat, while getting himself dirty with mud. He then has Pulgil help to inflict a small but real injury on himself (-2hp). The resulting blood they splatter on the personal artifacts, as well as over the boy, trying their best to create a bloodied desperate look.

Returning to the rest of the Company, Ak'kulula empties his pack except for his waterskin and firemaking stuff. He carefully places the 2 tokens inside. Everything else, together with his weapons, he hands over to Chiemeka with a nod. "Keep them safe Esteemed One Chiemeka. I shall have need of them when the confrontation happens." Turning back to Kubluu, he bows. "My lord. I shall go now. I will approach the village from the North, taking the bridge path over the river." Nodding at the rest of the Companions, Ak'kulula turns away and slinks into the undergrowth.

Moving quickly and stealthily, he approaches the Village bridge entrance. As the sentries come into view, Ak'kulula squeezes his eyes shut and whispers a short prayer to the Great Spirit. Then pushing through the huge fronds of the undergrowth noisily, he staggers into view of the guards. He takes a few steps towards them, stretching out a bloodied hand as if begging for their help, then collapses to the ground, gasping for breath.

OOC: Don't think the javelin or spear is particularly distinctive. The shield maybe, but that belongs to Chiemieka

_________________
Speech!





And so the show begins!!!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dwp ... ssages/640

" Huh? Whats that?"

The two sentrys approached the fallen boy warily, " Don't know him. Do you?"

" Nah, not from here. He's got a shield and a knobkerrie......lets bring him to Malim, let him sort it out."

The two men roughly seized Aku'lulu and his possessions and dragged him through the gate, calling over a roving patrol to take up their positions at the entrance.

The dragged him through the town to curious stares from windows and doorways, by the look of some of the folks they obviously recognised the carved ebony knobkerrie and a number seemed to recall the shield as well.....

Aku'lulu was dropped on the ground out the front of the longhouse and two men came out and conferred with the gate guards, the boy did not know the language they used this time but he was soon grasped by all four limbs and carried inside.

He was carried through the ground floor with its many columns of wooden struts, past frightened and somewhat shellshocked looking servants......



and then to the chocked ramp that lead up to the second floor.


A group of some half dozen men lounged about in the Kgosis quarters and looked up as Aku was brought in.

One stepped forward putting down his bowl of food, " What have you brought me?"



" We are not sure, Kgosi Malim. He stumbled out of the jungle."

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

"Kgosi Olmar...Prince Kubluu...dead." As if overcome with grief and exhaustion, the boy's slight frame is wracked with heart-breaking sobs for a few moments. He looks up and lifts his bloodied hand towards Malim's man who gave the reply. "Kgosigadi Ngela...tell her...tell her...they died brave..." With weak trembling hands, he grasps the blood splattered tokens - Kubluu's shield and Olmar's knobkerrie - closer to his thin chest.

A sudden look of stark horror passes over his features as his body freezes for a moment. Eyes wild with terror, he continues in a strangled quavering voice. "Mother of Moons...powerful! ...terrible!" Pushing at the hands restraining him, Ak'kulula half crawls half scrambles to the nearest corner of the hut where he tries to make himself as small as possible. Facing the corner, he will whimper and sob. His arms are wrapped around his body and his knees drawn up under his chin as he curls up into a blubbering ball of terror and misery.

Malim looked slightly shocked for a moment then recovered, " Olmar is dead?"

His eyes brightened, " Yes, Kgosi Olmar has died. And if the stories about Mother of Moons are true then his heir is also dead....or perhaps Mother of Moons took his life in lieu of the childs."

He smiled crookedly, " Yes....and obviously I had no choice but to wearily take up the burden of being Kgosi as Ngela was too inconsolable to lead her people and the child too young...if it lives."

" And this Prince Kuublu? Who the hell is prince Kuublu?", he said looking around at his men with a glowering expression.

His men had made various warding signs when Mother of Moons had been mentioned but he waved them off, " Do not fear the old spirit, she takes only one life and she has done so for this time....though as the far patrol has not returned perhaps she got greedy this time...."

" Who is this child?", threw a piece of fruit at Aku. " Who are you? Who was this Kuublu?"

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

"Don't hurt Ak'kulula! Ak'kulula good boy! Ak'kulula listen and obey! Yes yes! Don't hurt Ak'kulula!"

The boy's face and skin are streaked with dirt. His arms, legs and body are covered in a disgusting mix of mud and blood, with twigs and leaves stuck to him everywhere. His hair, very short and curly like everyone else who lives in this area who isn't a chieftain or nobility, is a crusty mess of hair, dried mud and blood. Curled up into a whimpering and blubbering ball, the boy looks more beast than man.

Amid various items thrown at him - half-eaten fruit, crockery, and other much less pleasant things, amid kicks, jeers, and ridiculing laughter from his captors, the boy turns to look at Malim in wide-eyed terror.

"Don't hurt Ak'kulula! Poor Ak'kulula tell all, show all! Ak'kulula good boy! No give trouble!"

The terrified lad scrambles out of his corner to hide under a table. "Great Prince Kubluu...*unintelligible mumbling*...from great powerful kingdom! *more unintelligible mumbling*...Kgosi Olmar...cousin with!"

He stares into space, as if reliving the recent horrific scenes again. "Brave fight...Mother of Moons...kill Kgosi! Prince protect body...Prince killed too!"

He breaks down into a fit of sobbing before continuing. "I Ak'kulula. Follow Great Prince Kubluu. I try help..."

"Ak'kulula run...and run...and run! Bring Prince last message to Kgosigadi..."

Crawling out, he makes a quick grab for the ebony knobkerrie and shield. He quickly lays it at Malim's feet, nodding and gesturing for the Chieftain to see for himself. "Kgosi knife ...Prince shield... Ak'kulula bring to Kgosigadi...Ak'kulula good boy...yes..."

Finished, Ak'kulula quickly withdraws back under the table, seemingly terrified of Malim and his men. Beneath all the foolery however, the young Mystic calmly observes the men and their leader Malim Oche. He counts their number, noting those who looked particularly alert and serious. He takes quick glances at the moot hall discreetly, noting any weapons and armament.