Evacuation of the Hins

"In every journey provisions are needed; indeed in the journey of a mortal life to eternity let the An'Quda be your guidance. Lest you fall astray from the path by the hands of the misguided."

The dawn had come for the Halflings that wanted to leave to make their last preperations. At the road that would lead them to their destination, Myth Drannor as requested, Noya al-Halshi stood there waiting. She stood tall and silent. Like a Guardian of her race, a sentinel assigned to this group she would lead them. The task of the save arrival of these few Halflings may not be much news in the light of what was happening in Shadowdale. Likely, few would even notice this event.

Yet, regardless of this Noya was a perculiar pressence. Dressed in her typical Yellow robe, and holding a Golden staff before her she was no ordinairy Halfling. And for a journey like this..even one as ordinairy as an evacuation to Myth Drannor It may be suppricing Noya carred no backpack, nor any kind of provisions as one would expect. Perhaps one of the Halflings or anyone near her would ask.

And Noya Would simply answer:

"In the Journey of life to eternity, the al-Halshi only need the An'Quda. All other provisions are for those we protect during this journey."

And at the moment all Halflings were gathered, Noya raises her hand for a moment of Silence, and prayer to Yondalla. The An'Quda is opened, and Two verses were quietly spoken as a prayer by Noya. Her voice sounding slow yet pleading to the Goddess of the Halflings.

~

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Show mercy upon the misguided in your tribe and make them close ranks under Yon'dah'lah's light. Provide them with the best of care, food in plenty and a shelter among the ranks of the faithfull. Ours is an embrace of protection to all things of the Halfling. That what he brings and that what is given to him. Yet What is brought shall not be payment of status; what is owned is not part of the Halfling. That what is owned will shatter or disapear at one given day.

٤

There are many among you who have less than you yet go through more than you. Reflect on this and demand no more than you would hope to receive in their place. For Yon'dah'lah has created all Halflings out of her own image with a promise of protection to all who embrace the call. Her light of guidance is unwavering and free of selection between the priveledged and the undesired.

(An'Quda (2:3, 2:4)

~

The Blook is closed. Attached to a red belt and now sits firmly On Noya's Left hip. For one last time she looks over shoulder, to see if any other Halflngs may join the evacuation.

Zazieri is nowhere to be found; Jack Asher outright avoids any gathered crowd.

If the Hins were to travel to the crossroads they would possibly meet Valtore, Thane of the local dwarf clan out on his lonely patrols. He would nod to them and offer to escort them to Myth Drannor if they so wish. "Children of tha Stone and all" He would say with a gruff smile and walk with them. Asking often to hear of Noya al-Halshi's homeland.

Wu Ling would approach the group and give his customary hand in fist bow to the group. He would tell Noya that he would help escort the others to the City of the Elves, though he was probably going to return to Shadowdale soon after they arrive.

The Kara-Turian Hin, though mostly dubious to Noya and her goals, would show a sympathetic loyalty to kin.

A small gathering of hins come up to Noya. They look a mix between afraid and shifty, ready to leave the place that almost became their grave- or worse. Seeing no pack, one hin does certainly ask why she doesn't have it. Her answer makes the small gathering smile and seem a bit relieved at the prospect of their long journey to the City of Song.

What makes it better, however, is Noya's prayer. The hins all bow their heads and a few of them take each other's hands, standing strong despite such hard times. They remain silent and when she is finished, they raise their heads with more confidence in what they are doing.

With Wu coming with them, they look to Noya, ready for her to lead the way when she is ready. To them, she is their beacon and leader during this journey.

"Tribe that wanders the desert dunes. There shall be hardship ahead and of that is surely no doubt."

- An'Quda (2:5)

Noya gives a reasuring nod to all the Hin present. And the Sign is given to start the journey. The Golden staff was raised up and held firmly by Noya. And so the group of Halflings finally make their sad goodbye to Shadowdale and they slowly walk to the first stop, the crossroads.

Was this day different than other refugees going to a saver place? Not really.
Were these Halflings the first ones to leave because of the troubles in Shadowdale. No, they were not.

Yet, by the grace of Yon'dah'lah who is most Protective and Most Providing, this was the first time a group of halflings was guided under the symbol and banner of the Al-Halshi Desert Halflings. Not to the destination that was promised to be in the An'Quda but the city of Myth Drannor; Noya didnt mind. Because this event was enough to make the tribe believe.

The Prophecy had begun. The Al-Halshi would come and unite the Halflings under one banner and one faith.

((Music cue))

Spoiler:

~

The first part of the Journey, perhaps in sadness for the Halflings. They would see their home fade away behind them in the mists of the evening. Noya Made sure All would get their share of the provisions that was prepaired. Yet oddly, Noya herself refused to take any. If anyone would ask, she would Answer.

"Indeed it was revealed to Hamza, our elder by Yon'dah'lah herself, The guardians of the caravan (during a journey) Shall vast while those they guard will have plenty. This is to show Dicipline, and restraint and especially to give focus to the Guardians of the Caravan."

Before nightfall the Caravan of the Halfling refugees manages to reach the crossroads, and there they come in contact with Thane Valtore. Still holding the Golden staff Noya steps foreward, and greets him with Kindness in her voice.


"Salaam Aleykum Thane. We are honored to see you here. We seek help to get to Myth Drannor at the request of the Refugess."

Valtore nods respectfully to the hin. "Of course, I would be honored ta offer me aid ta ye. Long have tha Children of Stone remembered our common bonds. Let me offer me shield ta ye and yurs as ye travel ta safer lands." He then smiles politely to the rest of the group that has arrived. He watches them prospectively and trays to reassure them that while the road maybe long it is safer then where they have come from. He treats Noya with the utmost honor and respect. He speaks of how he has a very close hin friend name Alfie whom he considers a brother. He traveled home to take over his father's farm after an accident. But Valtore sparks of him with a smile and a genuine sense of affection.

Wu Ling watches the exchange from the back, smoking his pipe.

((I would like to do this in game. The three of you please send me a PM as to the best times for you to be online and we can get this scheduled ))

((Edit: due to a Nvidia graphics card driver issue the game runs not very smoothly. May make an event but forum rp is preffered until a better driver is being released

((Alright we'll keep this in the thread then since you're the one that organized this and are having computer issues ))

The travel to the Crossroads was uninterrupted thus far. As predicted, the halfling do indeed look a bit sad as their heads looked back to the home they once had. Morale seems to be low and the gathering is rather quiet for now.

Night begins to fall as Noya and the Thane speak of memories and stories together. It is wise to make camp rather than travel at night, and this is exactly what is done. Some of the halflings roll out their bedrolls onto the area on the hill where there is already a fire and setting for people to sit. Since it is higher ground, the ground doesn't seem as wet as the mud and dirt they were trekking through on their way.

A few of the halflings lay right down and think about having to leave their home behind them for now. The others gather around the fire and speak amongst each other, having no qualms with anyone that may join them. It is an open gathering for the traveling group.

Leaving the leadership to their talking, Wu Ling wanders the camp for a bit and tries to get some of the more capable looking kin together and organize a night watch.  He has them fetch metal objects that can make loud noise so that they may wake up the sleeping ones if danger arrives.  He also urges the ones setting up for sleep to stay towards the center of the camp, or by the fires.  This Hin seems rather jaded due to the recent events, perhaps even a bit paranoid.

Wu Ling himself would either remain awake the rest either talking to others or meditating.

Valtore begins to make a hearty rabbit stew for those interested. As he prepares he asks Noya to tell a story, perhaps to lift the spirits of the group.

"With Hamza al-Halshi came the change from obscurity to purpose. No man in our tribe greater than Hamza. Let he who spoke to Yon'dah'lah and revealed the An'Quda to us be our example."

With genuine interest does Noya listnen about the Halfling friend of the Thane. There was some relief in Noya's heart to hear of a Halfling hero in these lands, as what she gathered before was that of scattered Halfling Adventurers but no true names that rests on the tongues of the other races.

As they walk the caravan foreward, Noya speaks with a fondness of her Tribe's origins to Thane Valtore. She knew all to well her skincolor and culture was not something well known in the Dales.

"To know where we are from is to know the one Elder of our tribe that caused the second Migration. It is him on which we owe our new purpose. He made us stop wandering aimlessly from Oasis to Oasis in the Calim Desert. Yes it was the one Elder of our tribe that heared the voice of the Goddess that made the Halfling in her own image. And it was he who united the tribe firmly under one Purpose, one guidance, and one faith.. that of Yon'dah'lah.

His name was Hamza al-Halshi"

The caravan had stopped, Now night had fallen. Which gave Noya time to talk to Valtore some more after she had made sure all Halflings were save, and well fed for the night.

(( This is at the same time of Saphhire's quote: ))

Quote :

Some of the halflings roll out their bedrolls onto the area on the hill where there is already a fire and setting for people to sit. Since it is higher ground, the ground doesn't seem as wet as the mud and dirt they were trekking through on their way.

Overseeing the caravan from the Hill, Noya resumes her story about Hamza al-Halshi.

"Ever since the first migration that brought the tribe to the North east part of the Calim Desert, we were an obscure Tribe of Desert Nomads. Often referred too by travelling merchants as 'The Tribe that wanders'. We lived without purpose other than to survive, and be left in peace. The desert was our home and shelter. Away from any city.

Then a day came, and our Elder Hamza wandered too far from the camp and a Sandstorm engulved the area. Oh how the tribe searched for him. But nowhere was he seen. One week and a day. That is the time he was not found until one evening, under the pale blue light of the moon there he appeared from the Dunes. His eyes shining like stars in the sky.

But he did not speak."

Noya Pauses for a moment in her story. Just like that day of Hamza's return so now there was just the moonlight that was shining on them. Then Noya takes her An'Quda and opens it on the first verse of the first chapter. The one sentence where it all began. The first Sentence Hamza was able to say after being missing for so many days.

"In name of Yon'dah'lah, Most Protective and Most Providing.." began Noya, reading the words from the book, even though she must have said this line so many times without the aid of the An'Quda.

"But these were the first words Hamza wrote on a stone tablet at the center of the Tribe's camp. He still didn't speak. Instead, he started to write this one chapter, called Light. The other Elders read what he had written. For the following weeks and months the Elders, all eight of them including Hamza locked themselfs away in their Tent. They spoke quietly, and Hamza would just pray and Dance a Meditation like dance, it was the first Deverish the tribe would see. And by Hamza's example, many others would follow in his wake.

Hamza would speak to the other elders, and explained of his encounter with Yondalla. What was spoken, how he listnened and how what he heared would be the guidance to the tribe to a higher purpose.

Gone were the days of endless wandering.

Gone was the division between the famillies and their elders.

Gone were the struggles between the different faiths. There was only one Goddess to follow.

The Tribe that Wanders was now called The Guardians of the Caravan or said in the Dialect of the Tribe: Al-Halshi."

After a brief silence Noya offers a warm smile to Valtore.

"The Tribe that wandered without a name, the tribe that were the invisables; were given purpose, and a name. We are the Al-Halshi Desert Hallings. That what is revealed to Hamza, was ..." Noya pauses for a brief moment, reasons unknown. But quickly she resumes her story. "..is being written down. As a Guidance to the tribe, and all who follow in our wake, all who hear our call to unite the Halflings in the Dales."

For several minutes there is a silence what Noya uses to observe the caravan of Halflings camped out. A genuine sadness about their fate comes into Noya's eyes.

"It pains me.. to not being able to bring them to follow me to this higher purpose and form our own Village around the Mosque of the Al-Halshi tribe. Such is what we are tasked to do..Instead, they seek refuge in a Large city of Tallfolk Elvenkind. Where their famillies are, I understand.

Yet still, the An'Quda teaches us this.. There is no way but the one way. Yon'dah'lah guide us to the straight path.." And Noya follows these words with a soft prayer in her Calishite Dialect.
Then she turns to Valtore with a broad smile and lifts a finger.

"The camp needs more firewood!"


And with these words Noya darts away, and with the help with those who want to help her, she gathers firewood from Dead bushes that lie scattered around the hills. In accordance with the Guidance of the An'Quda, the revelation of Yondalla's will to the Al-Halshi Desert Halflings, Noya would not order others to do such work and then stand on a pedestial while others work for her. No, The guardians of the Caravan would always roll up their sleeves if they ask labour to be done. An Al-Halshi Halfling would be there in the Mudd with those they ask to work.

For Yon'dah'lah is most Providing to her Children.

The mentioning of something loud to alert the others spurs an idea in one of the halflings. He begins digging into his traveling pack and pulls out a cooking spoon paired with what looks like a cast-iron pan. Banged together, this would surely make much noise. He keeps the items in an accessible place, well seen by any of the halflings in case they spot danger.

The smell of the rabbit stew begins to stir some of the halflings who sit by the fire, their stomachs growling in anticipation. The only thing they can do to distract themselves from attempting to sneak a spoonful is to listen to Noya's story. They listen with interest, but a few seem to shake their heads at the thought of only following one Goddess rather than their own. It's a thought that they don't argue, however, as they know everyone has their own beliefs.

Once Noya goes to gather wood, she'd find two other halflings doing the same. They greet her with a smile and show her what they've gathered thus far. It doesn't seem like much, but at least they've tried.

Valtore soon begins to offer bowls of soup to all that wish some, serving himself last if any is left. He tries to make sure all get a fair amount of the stew. He listens to the conversations and watches the interaction of the refugees. He has helped many people flee from Shadowdale in the past. He begins to map out the safest and quickest route to safety in his mind that he can. The group likely would not last long against a strong undead attack.

With the group eating and gathering wood the veteran Thane does a perimeter check to see how the little camps defenses are.

Valtore would eventually run into Wu Ling on his check, as he is sitting on a nearby rock and watching outwards. He would mention his appreciation to the dwarf of his help, but has a somewhat apprehensive stance towards him. He would tell Valtore that he has worked with Ironhouse kin before and remind him that these are not Dwarves, and that fleeing would be the best option if trouble arises.

DM_Sapphire wrote:

Once Noya goes to gather wood, she'd find two other halflings doing the same. They greet her with a smile and show her what they've gathered thus far. It doesn't seem like much, but at least they've tried.

Being greatefull some came to aid her, Noya reasures the two other Halflings all small bits are as welcome as larger parts. She explains it with some wisdom from the book of Guidance of her tribe.

"There are many among you who have less than you yet go through more than you. Reflect on this and demand no more than you would hope to receive in their place."

They would not remain here long and what was gathered would keep the fires burning for most of the night.

Returning to the camp with the two other Halflings, Noya would make sure they get their fair share of the Soup and even though it smells quite lovely indeed, Noya returns to her place on a small hill under a tree and maintains her vasting as it was instructed in the An'Quda.

It was a comforting sight almost. A caravan of Halflings staring their journey under the guarding symbol of the Al-Halshi. Though Noya was more than relieved of Valtore being there to aid the Guardians of the Caravan. For the Al-Halshi Tribe was still far away and could not aid her in this evacuation.


Eventually all became quiet in the camp. Tomorrow would be a long journey. Resting was of the essence. On the hill under that one tree, there stood Noya for many hours. Still awake and guarding.
Leaning on her Golden staff with the Symbol of the Al-Halshi tribe, it shined in the moonlight as a beacon.

Almost whispering Noya recited a song in the Dialect of her tribe, just before she would fall asleep.


And far away from the crossroads, a similar song resounded. Many red boots marched though the Calim desert and holding golden staffs just like Noya did.

Valtore would nod knowingly. "Aye if we find trouble I expect ye all ta flee. Yur safety be the first concern. Speed and avoiding trouble be tha goal. Tis how we moved folk outta harm's way before."

Wu Ling would give Valtore a nod, seemingly slightly at ease at the words. He would go back to watching for danger.

The soup seems to be a hit and the little halflings go through it quite quickly. However, there is also kindness in them as well and they leave enough for the two halflings gathering wood, as well as the Thane, Wu, and Noya. They are hungry creatures, but they are also not so selfish so as to leave the others hungry.

Noya's words get through to the two hins. They look between each other, then go back to picking up wood. It's clear that their minds are abuzz with thoughts surrounding what she said, and will last a lifetime.

The moon rises higher into the sky and the camp is lit by both the light of the moon and the soft flicker of flames from the campfire. The sounds of soft discussions between the halflings are heard for a time before it goes quiet, signifying that many of them have fallen asleep. Some, however, likely are unable to sleep due to their thoughts about leaving, and so the look to the stars above them and simply relax.

The night passes and the most Wu, Valtore, and Noya would notice is the general travelers on the Crossroads at night. The travelers wouldn't bother the group of refugees, and throughout the night there would be no dangers. Soon, night turns to day as the sun rises slowly into the sky, giving a beautiful horizon to look at as the group awakes.

Valtore approaches Noya. "Lass, I suggest we use tha wagon and travel with all speed ta tha Northride, once there we can safely reach Rimwood and tha boat ta Myth Drannor. That would be most likely tha safest and fastest route. Or we could try ta buy passage on a boat travelin along tha river. Perhaps one from tha Dancin Moon or Chuch of Sune? If we move on foot there be danger of bandits, drow, and tha Undead. Not ta say trolls or anything else roaming tha forest. It cost be yur concern donna worry I will cover it. Th a safety of yourself and yur people be more valuable." He awaits he answer.

Wu Ling was rather immobile on the rock until sunrise, sitting in his meditative position. It would be hard to tell if he actually stayed awake or had fallen asleep on the job. Once the sun starts to creep over the horizon he would become much more active suddenly, getting up and stretching. He would be eating some bread as he walks about telling people to get ready and poking them with his staff if they are sleeping.

While the Halflings were likely waking up in the morning, Noya grabs her golden staff and walks down the small hill towards Valtore and answers his question in a kind voice.

"There shall be trust in your best judgement on knowing the savest possible journey for the Halfling refugees, who we both pledge to defend, and guide to their save haven in Myth Drannor. Be our caravan of wisdom on finding the right track, I have trust in you."

Having spoken these words, Noya gathers the Halfling refugees and makes sure the caravan is ready for departure.

Valtore goes to the human caravan to see about booking passage for th group to the Northride. Hoping she has a large enough wagon for all.