Sam Tarkus
Sam Tarkus
Leaving the monistary I took to the roads in search of adventure and knowledge. I had out grown my brothers and my desire to explore overtook me. I saw many things and many wonders and horrors left by the Maelstrom's rath.
Long did I travel and I came upon an old wizened man named Kevnar,or more like he came upon me mortally wounded and bleeding out after an ambush that had taken it's toll on me. I watched in amazement as he healed my wounds with a glowing power that seemed much like my master's ki , surging out and reparing my wounds effortlessly.
I traveled for many months with Kevnar and learned of his faith to the god Xavien. I became his student and opened my heart and mind to the ways of light, wisdom, and healing. When we parted ways I was left with a gift of faith and hope for the future of our world.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Muscular build tall and lean.
Think Adam Baldwin (circa Firefly Jayne Cobb.) Short cut light brown hair with a goatee. Hard symetrical features. Dressed in light tan sleaveless loose fit tunic tucked into baggy travel pants of dark brown with a white sash around the waste.
View Character Profile
Alignment
LN
Age
26
Date of Birth
3rd of Dominor (Winter) starsign Citadel 2nd birth: 1st of Fortuna
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Hazel
Hair
Brown
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned
Height
6'0"
Weight
210
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A long chase, a rock and a hard place, a Lilly falls, and the death of a Snake.
2nd of Fortuna 6:38am
As it turned out the object dropped was a bit of a bargaining chip from our pursuers. The lady lilly was offering us the key to a treasure chest we had already opened so unknown to them it was not as enticing as they must have thought. In exchange for this "offering" we were expected to produce the girl to them and run off into the sands as cowards. We decided to press on and try and find a way through this hell blasted land and a way to obscure our passage from the bastard vulture riders above us.
At some point we begin to see dust trails on our heels. They had found us and were taking pursuit down the washed out riverbed of death. The chase begins we start moving down the The bone springs canyon at speed, our plan is to move 5hrs normal and hustle 3hrs then heal the horses to maximize our pace.
At some point during this drag out chase, Revan thinks to explode the canyon walls with thunderpowder. It might have bought us some time but not a lot. The pursuers keep on our heels.
A sand storm approaches us from the south heading north we spot a pillar of solid ground with a short figure next to a cart camped, it waved at us so we headed towards it to try and reach the area before being overcome by the storm. our pursuers keep on our heels 4 wargs and 3 horses, as we are consumed by the storm and something else instectoid and chitineous becomes a threat and we are embroiled in a fight for our lives. After defeating the sand worm creatures in the midst of a sand storm we find the mysterious stranger whose name is Gus Craghyde. He seems to have lost his horses and not a few of his marbles; and his wagon is disabled. We speak for a few moments then agree to take him with us but the arrangement was tenous at best. Revan had a very uneasy feeling about this fellow.
At some point, Revan and Gus were riding together he then jumped off after Revan stabbed him! Revan claimed he was an enemy an warned us not to stop for him, willowwick not knowing any better just kept going and dodged his path.
Kai threw him a water skin, I watched on in confusion. Later I had words with Revan about what happened to spur him to stab the stranger and then want Willowick to run the man down in the dirt? Revan wasn't making much sense, claiming that the man might be a spy for the lady lilly even though there's no possible way they would have known he would be there or that a sand storm would have come through. How could she have signaled to this assassin if the sand obscured such things? Well there was nothing to be done about it, we had to keep moving but it boils my hide that Revan took it upon him self to make a choice for the whole lot of us without even talking about it. I would not claim to be the leader of our rabble but I sure wouldn't call Revan such. He seems more concerned with his own fortune than that of his fellow group mates.
After finally making it to the old road we cam across an ambush massacre. A caravan of pilgrims for some such, had been waylaid by gnolls on the road the violence and gore was horrific and merciless. None looked to have survived. Noticing the scene and thinking to our selves we decided to try and stage an ambush here. As a group we decide to stand our ground and fight the pursuers. We hid a few thunder powder barrels in strategic locations under cover of night and waited for the approach.
That was a bad idea.
We barely escaped with our lives now we are again in a rock and hard place situation. Apparently the snake man who ended my mortal coil not days ago, is also explosion and fire resistant. As Revan told it, he withstood a nearly direct blast from one of the thunder powders and was hardly phased by it. The Lady Lilly kept at a distance as we fought some of the worg riders and the Snake man. The gods were not on our side, we sustained heavy damage. I was able to end the long sighted sharpshooter bugbear's filthy life though, one down i guess. His mount found a new home in my hands as we made haste to gain ground from the ever pursuing Snake and Lilly. To our benefit, the explosions had scared their mounts away buying us more time.
We moved on down the road towards fort Alzacan. Our ever present aerial spies, that we could do nothing about, over our heads day and night. We came upon an arch spanning the road on a small ruins of what could have been a gated wall. Gnolls! We decide to make a mad dash to overrun the ambush and speed by as fast as possible. Things did not go as planned.
The Gnoll's had a shaman/witch leader and two small children as hostages. The thing we didn't account for was the pit trap they had fashioned in front of the gate. It's one purpose to slow down or stop carts, floating or otherwise. They succeeded in doing so but contrary to their victorious glee, they sealed their own deaths. We confronted the witch and I tried to bargain for the lives of the children but unknown to me, the Ninja had another type of diplomacy in mind. Out of nothing a puff of smoke erupted near the witch and before anyone could so much as take a breath. Kenichi's blade sung through the dry air and liberated her head from her body. Negotiations were done.
Tired of running and out of ideas on how to rid ourselves of the spies in the skies we again decide to make this ancient ruined wall our final final stand. The old dwarf Gus had warned us Fort Alzacan was under siege so chances are, we were doomed no matter what. At least this way, we go out on our terms in the glory of combat. Through our combined efforts, with the aid of Revan and Corrin's darkness, we managed to camouflage the cart against the western side of the wall. We then sent the sky spies on a wild goose chase after a decoy west, further down the road. Willowick helped me stretch a length of rope from arch to arch to form a clothes line and then he cast Invisibility upon the rope, we dug in and waited for our fate to arrive. Our hope was that the ruse would hold, and they would be dismounted by the rope. We had a bead of force in hand and our plan was to trap the Snake in the bubble and remove him from the fight long enough to kill Lady lilly and her worg riders. This time we knew what we had to do.
The execution was messy but the plan held and though we sustained grevious wounds and some of us passed beyond the veil more than once, we were in the end victorious.
The force bead hit the Snake and trapped him just as we had planned, the rest of us set to killing the worgs and riders. This task proved harder than we had anticipated. Kenichi took off after Lady lilly keeping the pressure on her. At some point there were goblin flyers dropping alchemist fire on our heads and I saw like a nightmare scene, our shadow warrior streaking through the night on fire! Things were starting to look really bleak. Then suddenly things turned and when Kenichi returned with the beaten and bloodied body of Lady Lilly incapacitated we set to the next task. The Snake man, cold as ice, seemed unperturbed at the lifeless body of his mistress.
Willowick saving his magic for this moment cast the spell of enlargement upon Kai but before he could get it on Kenichi the battle was again rejoined as the bead of force dropped and the Snake was upon us. His blows were furious and unrelenting and more than once Kai was brought down. He was even fast enough to disarm the Ninja at one point. Revan tried to bargain with the life of the Lilly but the Snake man either didn't understand she was still alive or didn't much care. He called Revan's perceived bluff. It wasn't a bluff, to my horror Revan slit her throat then and there, she bled out before I could make it to her body. Enraged the Snake fought on. Willowick was able to get enlarge cast on Kenichi. With the combined force of Kai and Kenichi's gigantic new strength, the Snake at long last, met his end as well.
Without much time to waste we collected our spoils from the fight. The lady lilly bore no spell book but she did have a curious book of some unknown nature. After consulting with the mysterious girl we discovered that it was a communication device from the old world. It was Lilly's direct line of communication to Baribus and it is also used to send one way messages. After reading some in the contents we were shocked to see the book animate to life. A brilliant light imminated from it and it flew open to the latest entry there we saw the hand writing of what could only be Baribus, come into being upon the page. As a group we discuss what to say in return to gain as much time and intel as possible. Revan's talent for deception paid off as he was the most well equipped forger amongst us.
Willowick being the newest member of the group and a touch of an outcast, was given the gruesome task of taking the heads of Baribus's gang. A terrible act no doubt but we will need the reward money when we get to Alzacan if it still stands. He loaded the heads into one of the empty water barrels and we sealed it up as best we could and put it on the cart. The two children, brother and sister, were named Cassian and Ruth. They had been forced off of their farm and east away from the rampage of the 5 tribes their parents had been killed along the road in an ambush and they were taken as hostages. We settled them inside the carriage with the mystery lady and set off on our way. The Ninja, Kenichi, ever full of tricks, suggested we use his ability to summon elementals. We summoned air elementals and used them to cover our tracks as we ventured off the road south west.
Moving south west off the road we came upon a lone stranger ahead of us, he was dressed in unfamiliar garb and carried a scimitar and a polearm. His name was _____ and he told us his tale of woe and his exodus away from Alzacan. This was beginning to look bleaker by the moment. Once he figured us not to be bandits, he motioned to the bushes and a second traveler emerged. She was a young woman who looked a little banged up. I approached and offered to heal and treat her wounds as best I could. She did not seem afraid of the man or in any kind of distress. Kenichi vouched for his story and recalled these warriors of another land as being very noble and reliable. The stranger offered to take the children with him on this journey to ultimately Ironhoof in the east. After some dubious debate we agreed to let him chaperon Cassian and Ruth in the hopes that they would be safer farther from the conflict ahead.
Before departing, to each Cassian and Ruth, I gave a sheet of the book and showed them how it works. Instructing them to let me know when they arrive safe at their location or to let us know if they come to dire straits. Parting with some bitter sweet moments we moved on our way.
We are lost, the gods are crazy and this land can really make that evident. We traveled in circles for what felt like hours until we came upon the ruins of an ancient tower, all around it remained the blasted ruins of it and the surrounding terrain. The wild magic here from the Maelstrom had left rocks and debri floating around in a shocking mind bending scene of wonder. Arcs of still active energy flashing here and there as the air was filled with a static charge of energies unknown to us. We made note of this ancient place on the map, in the hopes of one day maybe returning to delve into it's depths. We continued on through the night until dawn. Hopefully we are not lost again.
A New Dawn, A New Day
2nd of Fortuna
I awoke feeling refreshed and rested. The mysterious lady also seemed to have fully recovered in her slumber, for she was able to finish the mending job she had began the day before and replenished my physicality to full.
Apparently, unbeknownst to Willowick and myself, that coward Jigglebones had attempted to escape sometime in the night and was subdued by Kinichi and Kai. after a short while, I set to the task of praying for my daily spells from Xavian. Finding a quiet patch of dirt just outside of camp I spread out my prayer rug and began my meditations for the day. I began as I always had before, the process was ritualistic and comforting, like putting on a familiar pair of slippers only this time there was something a little different. Something felt worn and tattered, perhaps not as vibrant in some ways diminished but never-the-less I felt the power course through me, my connection was legitimate once again.
We rig up the horses and set out into the Bone Springs Canyon a curious location for sure. While there were lots of sources of "water" in the canyon, very little vegitation could be credited to that end. As a matter of fact the only thing growing in abundance here is bones. Many sets of bones litter the springs areas. A clear indication that nothing should be consumed in this deadly place.
As we traveled on, some hours later, Revan began to signal to us that trouble was ahead or something? Just then we saw a large vulture rising back up into the sky that had dropped a rock in front of Revan's path. The abnormally large bird rejoined a small flock in the sky. Revan, extremely cautiously approached the object. From our vantage point it appeared to be something he was reading or otherwise inspecting.
Late to the Party
1st of Fortuna
The mysterious lady has been acting shifty, we are not sure what she is exactly or who she is, but she is not being 100% truthful and Revan and I are both distrustful of her ultimate motive in this game.
We reached the base camp and stumbled upon a murder scene most foul. Dead bodies littered the area most of the dead seem to have been heavily intoxicated before they were cut down. While we were investigating the scene Willowick had headed south to ready a group of horses for our departure and make sure that was secured in case we had to beat a hasty retreat out of the disastrous base camp scene.
Through the deepening night air we hear Willowick scream out in pain and alarm "I've been shot!!..please help!!" his voice coming from somewhere near the horses in the south of camp.
We start moving in haste to investigate when suddenly Kinichi lurches with a sudden start and gurgles as an arrow strikes his throat in a gruesome hit. I look past his grevious wound and trace the line to a shadowy shooter on the corner of one of the southern most tents, I head that direction without pause. Knowing my heal spells are currently out of reach until I get some much needed rest and prayer time, I'm of more help to Kinichi if I can subdue our would be assassin.
We cornered the assassin in the sleeping tent but some how they slipped past us as we were distracted by an odd fellow by the name of Jigglebones, the orc. Old and braggadocious, he fumbled around the tent and tried to escape, we gathered from his presence here that he must have been part of Barabus's crew, in league with the would be assassin no doubt. As we pondered what to do with him we heard on the night wind a sinister howl of some unholy nature. Such was it's chill that Jigglebones began to panic. Night Jackals!
We defeated the unholy midnight jackals and vanquished the undead ghouls. Kinichi and I basically single handedly accomplished this feat ( side note Revan was doing his own thing off to the north end of the camp that involved gnomish thunderpowder, a very loud explosion, and some elaborately unnecessary scheme no doubt, but we had no knowledge of that). Kinichi was bitten by one of the ghoulish creations and fell paralyzed by the result!
Sam tarkus felled a jackal with several well placed punches and kicks and then caved the skull in of one of the ghouls feeling it's sickly infirm bones crunch under his force of will and training. The jackals however were a little more challenging for Sam. Kinichi suddenly fell prone and unmoving to my left in mid combat, this was alarming to me. I called upon the Arkynian girl to inspect his vitals so we might know his state to confirm life.
As the battle progressed i took some damaging attacks from the jackals but was able to break them under my fist with the help of Kinichi, after he was able to over come his paralyzed state. The stranger Corrin truly proved his worth by delivering some rather skilled blows to the jackals that proved to be decisive in our victory. The braggart Jigglebones tried to run and feebly stumbled and fell in the dark, such a sad display of cowardice. Perhaps we can help this poor soul find some modicum of dignity in his twilight years.
Willowick and I tried our best to rig up the horses that remained, two strong draft steeds, a black well groomed stallion and a normal mare of brown fur. Revan took to trying to manage the loading of the strange cart vehicle with sails with gnomish thunder!!! to which we all took issue with! That stuff is volatile and unsafe at best only the craziest of gnomes would even dare to travel with it. Yet, Revan seems obsessed with bringing it along. I chose to reason that we would need water and food rations over this crazy gnomish thunder nonsense. However, after some reflection and after water was loaded and food and some other basic must have supplies for the journey, I pondered the safety of purhaps stowing some of the crazy thunderpowder in my bag of holding. A choice I hope I don't live to regret.
The mysterious nameless woman was able to work some kind of ancient Arkynian magic and mend my broken, less than alive body. The effort seemed to drain her though and she nearly collapsed. I had to carry her to the cart and lay her upon a bed roll to rest while the group continued to load the cart with haste. We didn't know how much time we had left but it was pressing heavily upon all our minds like a massive anvil of dread. The Assassin escaped and most likely to bring ill tidings our way.
After discovering poor Professor Theodard's cruel fate, I paid my respects and covered his body with a rug and gathered up his collection of books, the one's Kinichi had not already taken. For in this world not much bares more value than the pages of a printed book. I sometimes reflect on my ability to journal and the value my books might someday hold...but that is folly. Walking back to the cart I spied Willowick excitedly exploring the front driver seat of the strange cart with Sails. He began jumping with joy upon working the command to lift the cart in the air just enough to levitate with ease.
We secured Jigglebones's bonds and placed him in the cart's interior cabin with the Mysterious lady. Then took to the task of deciding our route back to Fort Alzacan. Revan advised we needed to be as deceptive and evasive as possible and pushed for us to leave to the south and curve our path through the rougher terrain and re-connect with the main road later in the night. As I had not a better idea, and no one else spoke up, it was decided and we boarded our strange new vessel.
With a high pitched voice and no small amount of glee, Willowick bellowed, "I christen thee Land Shark!!" and shattered a bottle of wine on the side of our fortuitus vessel. And we were off!
The trek through and around was mostly uneventful Revan took point and led a path around covering our tracks at the end as well as leaving a "fake" campfire to perhaps fool any would be pursuers. We connected with the main trail with ease and began to pick up speed. The non casters of our group took sleeping spaces in the cart while Willowick, Revan, and myself drove on into early morning to make as much time as possible before we camped. All was going smoothly until we hit the switchback trail that zig zagged down into the Bone Springs Canyon precariously. Willowick was doing well until we hit some loose soil and the horses began to slide down against their efforts to maintain ground! Willowick quickly used his newfound animal handling skill set to calm the beasts and lowered the cart down to anchor them in place until their tenuous footing could be re-established.
We moved on slowly after that, apprehensive in the deeping night, at what pitfalls lay before us. We had little choice though, there was no going back now. Later on after turning a bend lower down, almost a little more than half way down, we heard a great calamity coming from above and behind us. It became alarmingly apparent that our passage had loosened some debris that was now raining down on our heads! With some quick thinking and assistance from Revan and myself, Willowick was able to maneuver the cart and steady the horses in time to avoid a collision that would have no doubt ended our maiden voyage with a rather unpleasant bang.
We reached the base of the trail and traveled on for about an hour until we found a suitable set of boulders to duck the cart behind and make a very light camp. Willowick and I saw to the horses needs and then took our leave for the night. Sleep came quickly, as our bodies were weary from the stress and trauma of the herculean day we had just survived. In my twilight moments before slumber, I recall trying to remember if we had checked Jigglebones's bonds before bed, but alas the thoughts were overcome by my fatigue and lost to dreams.
Born again...
1st of Fortuna
Flashes of memory, dreams broken, and adrift in nothingness. I awoke with a start, clouded in some haze of reality. What had led me to this dismal existence..oh right yeah. Sam Tarkus, me... no I, was killed by the grey robed lizard man wielding a spear. Impaled through the heart defending my fellows in mortal combat. And what in Xavian's name is this now? I reach out to my god for aid and comfort and it's as if nothing is there or my connection is blocked somehow.
I exist, kind of. The world is grey, colorless, and washed out. My friends look like ghostly shades of themselves.
up ahead i see a statue that is giving off a yellowish light I move towards some kind of fold in dimensions. Some kind of pocket in time.
In the pocket there was a large palace carved out of white marble an old man sat out front. I introduced myself and met Nebaniza. He seemed disoriented but told me that the huntsman was on my trail and would catch me eventually. He told me he was waiting on his love, but could not recall her visage or her name.
I was drawn out of the realm like a child on his mother's apron strings, back on the path with my ghostly comrades. They were moving on and taking me with them against my displaced will. Time dragged and was unrecognizable but eventually we stopped and I noticed one of the newer members of our party pulling something large out of my old bag of holding. as I moved closer I realized in abject horror that it was me, or my body at least, now a lifeless husk.
The newer addition to our ranks, the young mysterious lady, took some interest in my corpse and began examining me in some rite or ritualistic way. Suddenly my attention was snatched away by the howling of dogs, the dogs from beyond, here to drag me out of the land of the living entirely. Coming down the path towards me, rode a dark figure atop a unholy steed of midnight horror, flanked on either side of him were two massive hellish hounds. As if sensing the passage of time and the increase in intensity they horseman lurched forward weapon drawn ready to drag me with him! Just then a bright flash of brilliant yellow light enveloped my world and I was yanked back into something or someplace that felt familiar.
I opened my eyes, back in the land of the living, and temporarily safe from the huntsman and his hounds but my time is borrowed and this second life is not without some rather ghastly drawbacks.
The mysterious lady explained that she had risen me as a positive energy zombie she didn't reveal her name but says that Nebaniza was a friend of her fathers. As well as telling me that her spell had bought me maybe 3 or 4 days extra before the Huntsman would come to call again...We have got to move!
Mother and Father
My memories drift back to my mother. In her middle years she had been a bar wench in a town in lands not unlike this harsh place. She had fought hard to earn respect from the bar patrons and is a strong willed Battle axe in her own beautiful way. She had met my father on a battlefield fighting side by side againts many foes. Their love was fierce and enduring. It endures still to this day but not in the mortal realm. Fate took my father from us when I was just a boy. After fathers death, mother carved out a home for us and eventually came to own the bar as her own. Those were memories I hold most dear.
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