Lizardmen RPG - Accepting new players

Seeing the skink in his arms gritting his teeth in pain, Tezka reached over to Texcoco’s saddle and pulled out a leaf blanket used for sheltering under harsh rain, then gently, Tezka covered the skink’s eyes in an attempted to help shield him from the sunlight. As the group exited the tunnels and camp became visible, Tezka took extra care to ensure that the skink was safe in his grasp. Then, entering the camp, Tezka turned to tik for further instructions on what to do with his charge.

as he did so Texcoco hurriedly followed his companion, making sure that he was close enough to be protected by his saurian friend

 

Emerging from the tunnels, Tik walked to where the others had gathered before quickly leading the way to the healer's area. "Zuztle!" he called out as they approached, "we need your help out here!"

The aged healer stepped outside, a curious look on his scaley face. As Tiqxoltiq guided the others to set Xlauax and Xolek down, the old healer came over to inspect them. His breath hissed through his fangs as he inhaled sharply. This was something the old healer had seen before, but not recently. Guiding Tik to make sure they were given water and broth, he turned his attention to Hakal next.

"Oh Hakal," Zuztle muttered sadly, "you have h-had a b-busy day!" Checking the kroxigor over for injuries, Zuztle waved a finger in front of each of the gigantic lizard's eyes and frowned. "Y-yes, you are slightly c-c-conc-cussed. I want you t-to go take a d-dip in the pool to cool yourself d-down, then find a place t-to lie d-d-down nearby. I w-will check on y-you in an hour." He moved on to each in turn, finally finishing with Tik. Clicking his tongue to scold the priest, Zuztle grabbed his injured arm and began unwrapping the bandage. "You have n-not been k-keeping this at r-r-rest, T-tik. I know I t-taught y-you better than t-this." Quickly cleaning the wound with some fresh pulque, making Tik gasp in pain from the raw alcohol splashing into his reopened wound, Zuztle re-wrapped his arm and ordered Tik to rest.

"What? But I need to check in with the Starseer!"

"You n-need do n-nothing of the sort!" the healer shot back. "I am s-s-sure he knows all ab-b-bout your discovery b-by now! You have to rest!" he snapped out, somehow getting those last words out without his stutter getting in the way. Resigned to this fate, Tiqxoltiq let himself be guided to the nearest seat and half-sat, half-collapsed into it. Soon he was fast asleep as Zuztle went back to checking on Xolek and Xlauax...

 

Xolek oddly felt cold as the sunlight hit him, or was he burning? He couldnt decided he only knew that he was in pain. As if an answer to prayers what felt like a large leaf covered his eyes and face from the sun. He could feel the sure footsteps under him carrying him, though he wasnt sure where, for a moment he forgot where he even was, and then it came back to him.

In that moment his eyes go ablaze with a silvery blue, a sight others have seen before, as if this magic had always coursed through him but this time it was much brighter even piercing through the blanket. With a large gasping breath Xolek feels new life even as pain radiates throughout his body, he begins convulsing, even with his strength Tezka struggles to keep the Oracle still.

Xiuhcoatl stays close, sensing something wrong she risks going close and passes the young Carnosaur right up to the side of the Oldblood and looks up and chirps widly, corrosive saliva escaping from her mouth dripping into small flames that hit the ground. She then looks back at Tik as if asking what is wrong, if Salamandera could have a worried look this was as close to that one could witness. The link between her and Xolek was strong, she could sense something happening, even if unsure as to what.

Finally Xolek goes still and limp, with very shallow breathing. If not for the toughness of Tezka's scaled skin the heat of Xolek's body would have been unbearable as it began to rival that of Xiuhcoatl's own heat of her sails.

 

‘This Dusk Sky is nought but dying stars last whispers..’ An ancient voice echoes in Xolek and Xlauax’s ears simultaneously, the words were slow and hard to recognise as if they were a replication of the noise a serpent would make upon slithering across bones or tied in with the still roaring wind…

Upon now having left the subterranean tunnels of darknesses domain Xlauax’s shadow now seemed to move more slowly before fading, its essence which took the form of a thin black mist carried away on the breeze or dissolved by the fade before seeping away in a thin black mist carried away by the breeze or dissolved in the fleeting rays of sunlight. It was almost as if the shadow had been fed by the underlying reservoirs of magic suspended amongst the chambers and tunnels, and now with that gone, it could simply no longer sustain itself. Though all went unnoticed and unrecognised by the kroxigor who carried the chameleon forward at an ever-faster pace despite Xlauax's twitches and groans.

A heaviness in the air thick clouds of ash still clung to the sky as if they were trying to savour every last second and revel in the destruction they had caused, a destruction all the more evident when on the ground…

With his calls for Zuztle’s help still echoing far behind in clammy, hot air Tik already knew word would be spread around the camp like the raging fire leaping from building to building in a hunger driven frenzy, this time however the fire was words of worry, words of ill oracle and new chameleon leaping from skink to skink.

----

After what seemed to be an eternity of being forced to endure and remember the devastation which had been brought upon the camp the group finally waded through the last of worried yet curious looks and inquisitions. Most of which were centred around the two skinks conditions but others had been directed toward the now trembling seemingly wild salamander which followed behind the group… Xiuhcoatl could not be kept here, not in this state, not in the state of both the camp and Xolek… Someone, anyone had to alert the beast handlers or quickly divert her anxious gaze, a gaze met only with bizarre stares from skink and Kroxi, stares that would no doubt provoke a violent response if left to continue.

Passing the constant rumble of the camp behind Tik lead the group downward toward the evacuation subterranean chambers in which Zuztle had set up shop, his hut being amongst the many other victims claimed by the fires. To be underground again in the cool, damp air was nothing less than a relief to both skink and kroxigor who had got used to the conditions within the caves.

Upon hearing Tik’s voice call out Zuztle hastily scurried over after having set aside his many other burnt patients still in recovery. As Zuztle’s wrinkled facial expression, deflated crest and cataract ridden eyes came into closer view it was almost as if the healer had aged by at least another five years, That, however, was understandable...

Among these times of strife and injury, he was the always the one who the camp relied on most to both heal the sick and harmed but to also give counsel to those in need. A role that Tik was now also forced to perform with the amounts of stress and tension rising ever higher among the camps force. It was now in these tough times that council could no longer be provided by Izqux resulting in Tik having to consult worried skink after worried skink in recent times. The priest was long overdue a break, and Zuztle out of all people could recognise that…

However, it was not just skinks the camp relied on but also the strength and usefulness of kroxigor’s combined with the stern emotionless action and weapon-wielding saurians… and due to that Zuztle did his best bow of respect to the trio of Quas, Tezka and Hakal.

Secretly it was these lizardmen the healer prefered treating most. Comforting a whole camp’s worth of worried kroxigors or treating a scale absorbed wound was so much more simple than having to deal with a singular skink, let alone the fact the Kroxi rarely ever came to him, their injuries just shrugged off as a minor scratch or inconvenience rather than the dire, World Ending, life-destroying bruise many an emotion-driven skink had to be seen for.

Furthermore, as a skink of simplicity and efficiency, it was almost certain that Zuztle would favour treating the saurus above their smaller, weaker brethren, for they too are beasts of swift effectiveness. A saurus could endure the pain of several severed limbs and snapped bones without a single blink or stand motionless and unresponsive allowing the healer to work with each patient for minutes rather than the hours or sometimes days it took for each individual skink.

It goes without saying that skinks lead themselves to believe that the lizardmen empire is the result of their own work above the other species… How wrong they are.

These grand temples and Altars claimed as their own work would be nothing but mounds of dirt and loose stones if not for the might of Kroxigor’s muscle and untiring ability to continue working for solid hours without feeling the need for a small ‘Break’ or ‘Snack’. Despite what skinks say and try to deny it is indeed the kroxigor who hold up the immense weight of these cities upon their backs and strive to state the unquenchable thirst for raw labour lizardman society yearns for.

Similarly, every last inch of land the skinks call their own would have been overrun and taken long ago if it wasn't for the unparalleled combat knowledge and unfeeling tactics the saurian’s wielded within their palm. All stone would have crumbled to dust and all civilisation desecrated to rubble if the saurus were removed for even but a day.

----

Shaking his head and flicking his tongue Zuztle drags his mind away from the long tangent before quickly guiding the group toward a series of freshly set up tables and gently speaking toward Hakal...

In an instant the two skinks were lain down and put into a recovery position, the cold stone and incense filled air strategically placed around them working to help cool down their soaring temperatures, temperatures that would no doubt soon begin to overrun both skinks… skinks which frothed at the mouth and bled from the lightest scratch whilst breathing out in the form of strange, chilling whispers as if their bodies were possessed.

 

Xiuhcoatl was getting increasing nervous, surrounded by all of these strangers. Unable to get to Xolek, due to all the strangers surrounding him, the salamander waddled over to where Tik lay sleeping. Thinking for a moment, the salamander considered its options, before curling around the skink priest protectively and falling asleep as well.

 

Returning to camp presented a new set of problems for Tezka. The Oldblood knew very little in terms of healing, and he knew even less on being “social” or “talkative”. His solution to this was to climb a large tree, one that could support both him and his carnosaur. There they sat for many days, simply gazing at the sky in contemplation, only to descend once every few days for food

 

Whether it was the fact Xiuhcoatl’s mind had been subdued by the many overpowering incenses and fumes flowing forth from hanging braziers or the fact Xolek’s bond with the beast still held its grip tight the salamander was almost forced into a state of suspension. Standing still the salamander continued to blink in a rhythmic like trance as it stood nearby to Tik who was now verging on the edge of light sleep.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Xiuhcoatl’s sticky saliva continued to flow down from the beasts slack mouth to further form a growing puddle of the corrosive liquid.

Sizzling with a violent reaction the liquid cursed at the stone making it further apparent it was only a matter of time before a problem would soon rise, rise like the thin mist of acidic, noxious fumes produced from the liquid which caused groups of nearby skinks to cough and splutter.

As the vapour rose upwards towards the ceiling of the chamber it passed by a huge hanging brazier which housed bundles of incense and wax that too released a steady stream of ashen vapour. Amongst this vapour was a singular spark…

A spark that began to slowly drift down where it would flutter tauntingly toward the flammable liquid to which it would touch and create a blazing inferno…

----

*Cough*

Tik wrenched his whole body forward, his whole throat tingling with a burning, acidic sensation as the corrosive vapour slowly wormed its way up his nostrils…

*Cough*

Tik’s brain lurched into full awakeness… Alert the priest scanned the room. Within an instant the skink’s eyes locked onto the looming salamander. Motion. The spark.

In a surge of speed Tiqxoltiq forced his numb, exhausted body forward. In a sprawl of propelled limbs the priest barely manages to drag his hand over the spark instantly forcing it to fizzle out and obey.

Landing with a slam the priest collapses into the salamander causing the beast to rear back before darting. Bolting forward Xiuhcoatl’s harsh, rapid breaths echo back at her as she charges past fleeing skinks and shoves through a maze of slabs and tables before bounding out of the chamber’s exit in a flash…

 

Shaking away his drowsiness, Tik glanced around to make sure Zuztle wasn't looking, then got up and jogged off after the fleeing salamander. He paused at the kitchens just long enough to grab a couple of hunks of meat before resuming his pursuit.

 

The large Kroxigor felt a sense of pride that he was not the one to be treated today as he entered Zuztle's cave. He was the one in fact to bring this help to other. A couple of moments after, when the healer took over treating Xlauax, unburdened Quas strode to his cooking spot. Mixing spices to prepare food of various sorts he greeted with a curious look a Salamander rushing over the camp like a demon and Tik stopping over to grab some meat he hastily handed over to him. The Kroxigor made sure the slabs of meat are conserved with his special mix of spices to stay a couple of hours before cooking as this made his food to be more delicate and available before giving out to his curiosity and following the Skink's footsteps... with a large cleaver in his hand.

 

Grumbling under his breath, Tik considered the direction the salamander was running and wondered if there was a chance he could cut her off. After a moment's thought, he shook his head and tried to run faster. "C-can someone s-s-slow down that s-s-salamander? Preferably without hurting her?!?" He waved the chunks of meat and called to the errant creature. "Come back! I have food for you!"

 

Tezka looked down from his tree, and saw Xolex’s salamander bolting from the camp, as well as the skink Tik hurriedly running behind her. He was shouting and appeared to be trying to catch the runaway salamander. Looking down Tezka estimated the drop was 30, maybe 40 feet. He would probably be able to do it, and following his instincts lept from the tree to block the salamander. His way down wasn’t to difficult, but when he made impact on the ground he heard a sickening crack, and to his surprise saw his star blood splattered all across the forest floor. However now was not the time to worry about injuries and he attempted to corral the salamander (-1 beast handling) and as he tried to lead it back to camp, he started coughing, spraying a shower of bright blood

 

Tik had to leap sideways suddenly in shock as Tezka dropped down from seemingly nowhere about fifteen feet in front of him! There was a horrifying crunch as the saurus landed, and the priest was sure the oldblood had hurt himself, possibly badly! But true to his species, Tezka lurched forward and tried to herd the fleeing salamander. He was partly successful, and Xiuhcoatl darted off to the left, towards one of the ruined walls. "Yes! Let's see if we can herd her into a corner! She'll be panicked, but the food should calm her down!"

 

The Saurus falling from the sky was the sign to sprint forward as that always ends ugly. Such thought briefly crossed the earth-paced mind of a giant Kroxigor. "Firefood... stop... or chop... loq-loq!" - roared enraged Quas heading to Tezka as fast as his ground-trembling feet could push him forward in attempt it to save the lizard friend from the embrace of acidic death, preferably straight to Zuztle's arms.

 

Turning briefly, Tiqxoltiq's jaw gaped at the sight of the hulking kroxigor weilding his massive cleaver! "N-no, stop Quas! Put the cleaver down or she'll burn us all!" Swearing, the exhausted skink saw an opening and darted towards it, heading off the fleeing salamander. She backed away, hissing at him, under her back ended up against a wall. Panting from his exertion, Tik held out a piece of meat to her and rasped out, "c-calm, fiery one, calm! I bring you food! It is good, everything is okay!"

 

Not entirely ignoring the Skink's words, Quas was already found picking the unwilling Old Blood, his giant cleaver strapped safely. Blood was once again spoiling the Kroxigor's scales as he tried to calm down the Saurus however he could while loping back to Zuztle's place.

 

Tezka struggled to keep following his allies, only to find that he couldn’t walk that well, and was forced to crawl on his knees and hands to move anywhere. He grunted from the effort of crawling around, and tried to pursue the fleeing salamander while shouting back at the kroxigor
“I’m okay, I don’t need help” every motion caused more of his star blood to splatter the jungle floor, but he didn’t mind. Unfortunately the kroxigor scooped him up on its colossal arms and began carrying the Oldblood

Texcoco on the other hand saw his master injured, and hurriedly began climbing down the tree to aid the injured saurus

 

Glancing off to the side, Tik sighed with relief as Quas took the injured Oldblood and headed back towards the healer's tent. "Well, that's one less thing to worry about, I suppose," he muttered. "Niiiiiice salamander," he said in a louder tone. "Got a nice piece of..." curious, he sniffed the slab of meat and almost gagged. "Okay, maybe not so nice. Hyena meat, I guess?" Gently, he tossed the first piece towards the salamander, watching her twitch and hiss as it landed near her head. She sniffed it cautiously, hissed again, opened her mouth, and spat a jet of fire in Tik's direction! Eyes wide, he dove to one side, praying to Sotek that he could dodge the flames! Somehow, he managed to tuck and roll without hurting himself, but in the process he dropped the other slab of meat and fetched up against a rock with his injured arm. Whimpering in pain, Tik got to his feet and looked over to see what Xiuhcoatl was doing. To his relief, she had turned her attention back to the slab of meat and was, somewhat more calmly, eating it.

 

To a saurus injuries were nothing than a mere inconvenience or a reminder to the role in lizardmen society which they played… Raising his hand Tezka’s normally emotionless eyes burn and flicker with a fire of influence. An influence that reached out and clasped down upon Xiuhcoatl’s wild mind. Standing tall the saurus speaks out in animalistic tongue, One that could barely be deciphered due to its guttural, raw nature… Its meaning, however, was well understood from tone and pitch alone. A meaning Xiuhcoatl obeyed.

Lowering its body to the ground the salamander almost slithers backwards its expansive frills and crests having shrunk as a sign of defeat. In itself it was rare a furious beast such as a salamander would show weakness and fear so quickly… This however was the only option as a ton of reptilian muscle and scale armour stood in opposition until this opposition was suddenly lifted off the ground in one swift motion by the nearby kroxigor causing the intimidation to became dispelled and replaced by the even larger crocodilian figure in front.

Risking it, Xiuhcoatl lays low before slowly dragging her body forward to quickly nip and move the chunk of meat further away from the prone and dazed competitor. Though as Tezka’s eyes burn through her soul with an even greater intensity the salamander quickly withdraws leaving the meat in a scramble and kick up dust.

Able to brush off a good portion of the dried mud and sand which gathered on his scales Tik was relieved as his quick, agile muscles and even quicker mind had thrown him away from the salamander’s flame but also because the salamander had been successfully driven away from the camp and its inhabitants, even if the process wasn’t as smooth as it could have been…

Watching Xiuhcoatl shivered backwards afraid Quas could barely restrain himself from snatching away the blood saturated meat which lay coated in a film of dust, if it wasn't for him taking his fill of Skaven hours before there would have been no doubt the kroxigor would have taken the chance.

----

Meanwhile, Xolek’s exhausted body’s attempts to get to sleep were fought off by a quick, irregular heartbeat and shivering pulses. Numb limbs that settled into place constantly disturbed making the skinks attempts harder, that was until Zuztle gently poured a warm, steaming liquid down the oracles throat. As the thick liquid slipped down his throat Xolek began to feel a sense of clarity provoked by both the concoction which Zuztle had given him but also the fact the now rising moon’s light almost searched out the oracle's, Now made herald's body. Its silver rays slithering down into the healer's chamber to numb the skink's mind and soften his thoughts whilst also clearing the haze which fogged his vision.

 

"Well, so much for catching her," Tik muttered with a sigh. Turning to Tezka, he winced at the sight of the saurus' leg. "Quas, please take Tezka to the healer's tent. That needs to be set and bound as soon as possible. I'd better go talk to the Beast Masters," he added with another sigh. Clutching his injured arm to his chest, he got his bearings before staggering off in that direction.

 

Motioning for the kroxigor to take the injured saurus away Tik glanced back at Xiuhcoatl who now stood corned at the base of a tree every once again releasing a strained hissing as she breathed in and out exhausted breaths. She needed rest. And so did Tik.

Steps slow and weak the priest made his way toward the Beasthandlers, He knew that the salamander wouldn't venture far from this spot if at all due to the burden of fatigue it carried. Both physically and mentally drained it was no wonder the salamander was tied from a plethora of sources. For a body built to live in water walking on land all day was no easy feat, Xiuhcoatl was strong, evident in the fact she had sent a handful of Skaven back to the abyss mere hours before. Furthermore, the beast had a filled stomach of ratman flesh to digest whilst also having to endure her mind being placed into a constant struggle and her instinct guided so intensely by others.

----

Whilst the sky darkened above Tik’s entire body longed for rest, rest he could not give it, not yet.

Arriving at the beast handlers, or what were the beast handlers, now made a dilapidated depressing scene of ashen woodpiles and rubble. The Oloq had really taken its toll on the camp and its inhabitants… Choteq’s rage invoked was not to be messed with.

As if the atmosphere around the beast handlers, and camp was not enough, tik began to feel the light drizzle of rain upon his dirty, filth encrusted scales… Warm fires and torches set up to produce a faint glow of hope soon fizzled out as thunder rumbled in the far far distance.

Next to one of these sizzling, hissing fires was a group of handlers talking in quiet voices, their crests and head angled down and damp from the water which now cascaded off what was once the beast hall’s roof in a mocking manner.



Camp morale was down and made worse when the saurus returned in the background, They had lost good men that day and so too would the skinks and Kroxi if not for Zuztle’s unending hospitality… Most skinks were now beginning to call it a day even if the sky had barely been scratched by night and her forces, Rest was needed by all. It would be best to start fresh the next day rather than work in these damp and gloomy stretches of evening.

The night sky, however, was not just doom and darkness for a singular white orb stood at its brightest in a gap between clouds shining down upon the camp with watchful, ancient eyes...