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19 Heatblight: During her watch, Ruqayyah thought she saw a shadow moving outside the camp. She woke the dragon, then went to investigate in cat form. After much circling, she caught a glimpse of something, then it vanished. She had the impression of many legs, but no more.
When she told Al-Zaki about this, he created an illusion of something like her description. He said that it was probably a "dream-eater." They rarely come this far from the Haunted Rift, but if there was only one, it posed minimal danger now that it had been detected.
20 Heatblight: In the morning, Al-Zaki told the others more about the dream-eaters: They look like the shadows of man-sized spiders. They feed on dreams, and he thought they had the power to lull potential victims to sleep. Light hurts them; he wasn't sure about fire. Laylah recalled that Rashira is a goddess of light, so hoped she could pray for Her help.
As they continued their journey, Al-Zaki told them about his friend in the Rift. Yantos had once been a priest among the Ranae, but had lost that status because of an encounter with a necromancer. (He dislikes talking about the event, so Al-Zaki knew no details.) Yantos is now safe from the dream-eaters, because he no longer sleeps or dreams, and they avoid his cave. He is aware that Al-Zaki is a dragon. In return for his hospitality, he would probably ask the party to spend some time helping him tend the plants and animals of the Rift before they leave.
If the necromancer Taroq had passed through the Rift, Yantos would probably know about it. Also, he might know something about the badlands to the east of the Ranae lands. (Darra's tracking arrow seems to pointing that way.)
Al-Zaki continued giving the party lessons in the Ranae language (which he had started once they left Farvale), which included his name among them ("Glaxis") and several polite phrases for greeting and thanking people. Because he stayed in dragon form for this part of the journey, the party saw few animals (a herd of antelope, and later a wolf pack), and those only at a distance. As the party grew closer to the Rift, the ground became more rocky and broken.
They found shelter from the wind between a few tall rocks. These also made good lookout points. Al-Zaki pointed out the Rift: a jagged scar in higher land to the south. He warned that dream-eaters could be a problem this close, though they usually stayed in the Rift.
Laylah meditated atop of one of the larger rocks. She asked Rashira about her gifts, and whether they included the power to manifest the goddess's light to fend off these creatures. She was told, "I can help you help My children." To call on Her, "Think of Me with all your heart." Laylah was grateful for that news.
When it grew dark, Al-Zaki showed the others an illusion of a dream-eater. He warned that there was no real way to tell if they were attacking a victim before the victim awoke, which would be too late. (Laylah in particular was paranoid about having her dreams stolen--they were her connection to her divine gifts.)
Darra woke abruptly during Ruqayyah's watch. She drew her sword and began sneaking outside the campsite. She collapsed, and Ruqayyah woke the others with loud caterwauling. (The noise also helped Darra begin to come too again.) As soon as Laylah awoke, she began praying for the goddess to give them light to reveal and repel their enemies. A star in the sky grew brighter, and shone a shaft of light upon Laylah, which soon spread to cover the campsite. Shadowy things beyond this circle were thrown into sharp relief, and promptly recoiled and scuttled away. Eerily, they made no noise at any time. After a moment, the light faded to a dull glow. Laylah took a few minutes to pray her thanks and ponder the experience. She noticed the dragon staring at her in wonder, then very quietly looking about the area. The glow soon faded away entirely, and the party did their best to return to sleep as Ruqayyah continued her watch.
21 Heatblight: This morning's sunrise was especially dramatic due to spotty clouds. Laylah made even more elaborate sun salutations than usual.
As they broke camp, Al-Zaki asked her whether the light was a new gift. She explained her prayer, and said she hadn't done anything like that before. They were both very curious about what the goddess would use her for next.
After spending some time in deep thought, the dragon reminded her that she had asked what it was like to fly. He offered to take her for a short flight, which she eagerly agreed to. The dragon flew enough ahead to give her a better idea of where the Rift was, and how desolate the rocky areas to each side of it looked. After they landed, she thanked him, hugged his neck, and kissed his snout--which seemed to surprise him. Laylah was rather hyper for a while afterwards--she had always dreamed about flying, and now she had.
As they continued onward, Al-Zaki noticed that Ruqayyah was watching him carefully. He asked her (in lizard man, for privacy's sake) if she wanted to fly, too. She did, but didn't feel as if she deserved it. He offered, but she declined. [Ruqayyah wants to be able to fly, but wants to be able to do it under her own power, by a spell or similar means.]
After a couple of hours' travel, they reached the entrance to the Rift. The rock here tended to dark grays, with several cave openings on the cliff faces. (Al-Zaki warned them to avoid these.) Plant life was sparse, as was animal life (small snakes and rodents, occasional scorpions, etc.). All was still and quiet.
Late in the afternoon, they saw a man sitting upon a rock ahead. This was Yantos, an old Ranae man with long hair and beard, who dressed in a simple brown robe and went barefoot. Al-Zaki greeted him and made introductions. The hermit showed them to his cave, which consisted of a curved tunnel, a large chamber (where the party bedded down), and a smaller room beyond (his own). Laylah was uncomfortable without the sky visible, so Al-Zaki created an illusion of a hole in the ceiling until she fell asleep.
The party was told that they would be safe from the dream-eaters anywhere inside Yantos's cave. They decided to keep watches in case of more mundane threats. The night was uneventful except for occasional glimpses of dream-eaters lurking outside, but even they disappeared well before morning.
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This page last revised 6/8/2000. | © 2000 Timothy E. Emrick. | time@neu.edu