D & D - Red Sands by Tonya R. Carter & Paul B. Thompson

Author:Tonya R. Carter & Paul B. Thompson [Carter, Tonya R. & Thompson, Paul B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, General, Fantasy, Fiction, Role Playing & Fantasy, Games
ISBN: 9780880385916
Google: yttBGwAACAAJ
Amazon: 088038591X
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Published: 1988-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Sacred Chimneys

The village quieted just before dawn. The humans, having been awake most of the night, settled down as the 'strelli crawled into their high homes and drew dark curtains over their doors. Because the murky clouds threatened rain, Jadira and Nabul stretched a rope between the bases of two towers and made a tent out of their blankets. There they rested until almost midday.

Awaking thirsty, Jadira decided to look for water. She wandered among the forest of rock flues, winding in and out of the jagged lava crusts at their bases. An admirable defense, these formations. One would have to fly to get to the door of a 'strelli house.

She turned a corner and stumbled onto a garden. The heavy volcanic soil had been lightened with sand and loam, and lush plants grew in the midst of the desolation. Blossoms perfumed the air, and fruit hung heavy on several types of plants Jadira did not recognize. She sniffed a large, bright globe of fruit. It smelled sharp and tangy. She twisted it off a woody stem.

Before biting the fruit, she had a thought: poison? All of the food they'd had last night had been excellent, though most was strange to her. She hadn't seen any fruit like this. With a philosophical shrug, she bit through the tough skin and was rewarded with a gush of sweet, tart juice. Sucking greedily, Jadira soon reduced the fruit to a handful of rind and pulp. She picked another, and drained it dry, too.

She filled her robe with the bright orange fruit and carried them back to her friends. Rousing Marix, she shoved one in his hand and told him to bite it. He opened one sleepy eye and peered at the fruit.

"What's this?" he asked.

"'Strelli food. Eat it, it's good."

He tried to bite it, but his teeth slid off the thick skin. He tried it twice more and couldn't get a firm bite. Jadira watched with amusement as he next tried to split the fruit with his thumbs. The skin resisted, resisted— then gave, sending a squirt of juice into Marix's face.

"Oh, you think that's funny, eh?" he said. Jadira tried to stifle her laughter but failed.

"What's all the row?" said Nabul. He didn't bother to sit up.

"Food," Marix whispered.

The thief was on his knees in the wink of an eye. "Food?" Jadira gave him one of the orange globes. The smell of ripe fruit and the smacking of lips woke Tamakh and Uramettu. Soon they all gorged, and their hands and faces were sticky with spilled juice. Nabul lay back and belched.

"This won't do," said Tamakh. "Surely these creatures have water somewhere. I must wash!"

"Come along, Holy One; we'll search for some," said Uramettu. She asked Jadira for directions to the garden and received them. "There will be water nearby," Ura-mettu said. "Our winged friends are not the sort to haul heavy buckets."

The priest and the Fedushite woman set off on the prescribed path and reached the garden without incident. As

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