Desert Night.
Shadya realized that if her group uses camels, the bandits will know it is us and they know how many of us there are. We need to convince them that we have others hiding back in the desert dunes. So... she considers proposing and old-fashioned Bedu raid: on the bandit's tethered horses. If we can sneak up and detatch at least two horses without the guard noticing -- or after quietly killing the horse guard -- then the flaming arrow people (who are to provide distractions at other parts of the camp) could be seen to be riding horses. That might give the illusion that there are more of us than the bandits expect. And that gives us mounts that can (if Shadya is riding it; she has animal handling) charge through the fire and to the middle tent.
Shadya presents her plan to execute a Bedu horse raid upon the encamped bandits. Fiamma suggests that she try her "charm person" spell on the horse guard; if it works we need not kill even him and certainly won't run as big a risk of his alerting the other bandits. If it does not work, we are still set up to take him out with arrows. Orlando decides that such a deception is acceptable given how outnumbered we are militarily. The prince then suggests that we should scout first to determine whether there are one or two horse guards. Fiamma's skill at seeing in the dark is thought to be of most use at such tasks so she is sent, with Shadya (bow drawn) as backup. Orlando positions himself atop a nearby dune to provide yet more backup. Shadya gives the half-elf her aba so that she can conceal herself in the darkness if she chooses. Besides, it suits the desert warrior's sense of propriety; two basically uncovered women in the Party seem more than the Bedu woman can handle.
Fiamma sidles towards the camp. She spots but one guard and so casts her spell at a distance. As she sidles closer he spots her and says, "Hi there." The half-elf puts a finger to her lips and motions him towards her. Snared by the spell, the guard follows Fiamma back to where the others wait to gag and truss him. He is put into one of the camel saddle baskets (as Nasir had been earlier, although the captive is bound), and Fahd sets off with the non-combatants on the trail back to the village of Shamar. At the very least, they will be safe and we will have rescued one of those we set out for.
Seeing Fiamma's seeming success, Shadya meanwhile moves in amongst the bandits' horses. She chooses three as per plan - noticing that at least one of those was Temple-of-Tears trained - and then, seeing that the majority of the beasts seem remarkably docile and friendly, resolves to continue loosening their hobbles and collecting their lead reins until one becomes unruly and risky. There are 15 horses.
Shortly thereafter the Party hears the sand-muffled sound of walking horses and ascertains the success of the desert warrior's raid: she has made off with all 15 horses! Orlando asks with some irony whether or not the desert peoples are taught to count: "We agreed on three. What part three did you not understand?" Someone else mutters, "One, two, many." Shadya answers with elaborate courtesy, "I seem to have missed that number by twelve, your lordship." Orlando grins at the warrior and she hands over the mount chosen for him. A quick discussion ensues between Orlando, Fiamma and Shadya as to what to do with the extra horses, none of them being skilled at moving from horse to horse - even if that were useful or necessary. Hastily they decide to ride after the camel party and let them take the extras out of reach.
That done, the three return to execute the rescue of Jafar, if possible. Shadya, riding the Temple horse, elects the task of actually storming the camp while Orlando and Fiamma provide distraction at the edge of the camp opposite from where the horses were tethered. Having borrowed from Fahd his black turban, Shadya insists on outfitting Fiamma thusly so that all three, in the dark, are hidden in black and relatively indistinguishable. The three take their positions and loose a couple flights of flaming arrows.
That accomplished, Shadya moves off, intending to circle and enter the camp from a side position. The sounds of the camp grow more confused as the bandits (we assume) find their horses missing. Orlando proceeds to taunt them in his native tongue, pretending to be a conversation in himself. One of the bandits has the steadiness of mind to string a bow and, apparently, has good hearing: an arrow whizzes by our prince, startling him slightly. Fiamma casts her "blinding light" spell at the face of the bowman and then she and Orlando continue to send arrows of flame into the camp.
In the light of the burning tents (and the wafting stink of flaming goat hair), they spot Al Arah emerging from his tent. Orlando manages to place several arrows in him while Fiamma pierces a couple more of the bandits. Orlando mutters something about aiming for his other eye. Unfortunately one of the bandit's return arrows wings the half-elf but she scoffs at the wound and continues with her barrage.
As the bandit leader tries to summon his scattered troops and deal with the arrow sprouting from his anatomy, Shadya spots him. Realizing that engaging with any of the bandits in combat would imperil her mission, the desert warrior slips down off her horse. She leaves it and creeps up to the central tent. A slash of her saif and the tent has a new doorway; Shadya slips inside. 'Tis a small tent and, by feel, the warrior locates the captive she was told would be there. Muttering a quiet reassurance in his ear, she cuts the ropes binding his legs. Then, knowing that his circulation would yet be bad and not knowing whether or no he is drugged, she simply hefts him up and carries him out of the tent.
As Shadya emerges she sees that one of the bandits is now between her and her horse. She puts the captive down and strides up behind the bandit. He feels a tap on one shoulder and, as he turns to look at her, Shadya's fist crashes into his jaw and sends him down into another tent. In haste, the desert warrior gathers up her prize and leads the horse back out of camp.
As soon as she is again mounted, Shadya cries out in Fiamma's tongue, trying to signal the need to rejoin the others on the trail to Shamar. Al Arah, having managed to reassert his authority, has, by this time, organized some of his men. So an arrow finds its way into Shadya's shoulder as she rides away. Fiamma spots Shadya leaving the camp and, signaling in turn to Orlando, they too ride off - leaving the bandits to flames in the night.
Town of Shamar.
Midmorning finds the entire Party entering Shamar where the muzzim greets the now-found Arzum pair with much warmth. Akbar proceeds to tend Sahdya''s wound while Nasir assists Fiamma. Then tales are told and various decisions are reached.
Fahd and his sister will continue on to Al Mazur where they and Jafar will consult the College of Wizards concerning the fact that their whereabouts is now known and vulnerable to dragon-hunters, and to turn over to the College the one captive bandit we came away with. Shadya returns the borrowed camels and clothes to the muzzim; she gifts the village with 3 of the horses in thanks for their assistance. Then, as Amina informs her that beasts will be needed to transport household goods, Shadya barters three more horses for the necessary riding and packsaddles for the continually expanding Party. (Akbar names his horse "Agony.") Shadya promises that she will ask the College to send back protection for the village as, even un-horsed, the bandits are not that far away. Hopefully the wizards will deal with those wizard-snatchers before they try the dragon's back door.
Fiamma returns Ookie's ring to Jafar. Jafar does not describe exactly what information the bandits tortured out of him.
City of Al Mazur.
Back in Al Mazur, the College seems a bit nonplussed that the Party has managed to rescue and return with Jafar. The old mage seems to take that reaction a bit personally. He also does not choose to take much impertinence from his heroic apprentices, but, nonetheless, agrees to continue their education. Akbar attains 3rd level; Fiamma will get the spell allocated for the 3rd level she has already reached.
Shadya solicits rapier instruction from Orlando and discovers that the outer robes of a desert costume are not convenient for this sort of combat. Luckily stripping down to undertunic and trousers (the turban and veil do not seem to be a problem) seems to suffice. But it does rather explain the prince's native (and skimpy, from a desert point of view) costume.
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