"Sorry, I was kind of distracted, I'm pretty strong, but I'm not much of
a weapon maker."

Cargo seems to accept this answer. "OK, then iff yoor any good wid dat ax, help me find some good straight trees for speer poles. Also, iff yoo see any long vines, wee can use dose too."
While he leads you out of the camp area (yet remaining in the immediate vicinity), you see a couple more riven, and are introduced to them.

Miss Bones, who seems to be a walking skeleton, until you get very close and can make out whitish skin stretched tight over immaciated organs and muscles.
and
Tusk, who looks normal except for huge tusks emerging from an oversize mouth.
These two are both working on knotting vines into crude nets.

Tusk is marginally friendlier than the others, though all are rather rough. Some of them used to be soldiers. Surely they couldn't all have been bloodthirsty killers before their reavings?

EDITED to correct formatting problem.

[EDITED on Tue January 21, 2003 @11:03 PM (PST)]

OOC: Rath assumes that this group is going to attack at nightfall, so
about how long do I have until nightfall? My plan is to either get Houma
alone and make him think there is going to be a coup, or if I don't get
this chance before nightfall as we leave I will put my Ax into his back,
and get that out of combat damage . If I have some time I start
looking for vines and talking.

"Tusk is it? How long you been with this band?"

"Two, free dayth, maybe. I wath a thergeant before that." His tusks make an almost comic lisp. "Then the reaverth came and now thith ith where I belong. You weren't riven by the thame oneth, were you?"

"No I wasn't changed by the same reavers. Houma can control the screamers? How does that work?"

"Wurk now, you axe questions of MISTER Houma, later."
Sure enough, after a while, Houma does return. He scoots out of the underbrush on all fours (no extra limbs), like his archetype. Long antenna twitch in your direction, then curle back behind his head. His carapace clicks slightly as he approaches.
"Has our new recruit given us any problems, Crago?"
"No, Mister Houma."
"Good, good k-k-k. Alright, lad. You're probably curious what we're up to. Well, I'll fill you in, at least a bit." His voice raises slightly, so the others can hear. "We, my brothers and sister are the beginning. The vanguard of a new era. Those who stand against us will fall, only to rise as our k-k-k comrades. We cannot be stopped. We cannot be resisted. With the screamers on our side, we will be a new power. The Purists will k-k-k quail and flee at our approach. We will k-k-k cast down the city of Tallon and raise a new Archon, a Master of the Riven, and we shall be his Twisted Legion!"
There is much enthusiasm at this point, and the riven are all clapping each others backs, hooting and making killing motions against imaginary foes. They seem quite sincere and zealous.
How do you react?

I look at Houma suspiciously, when the cheering dies down some. "Who is
this 'Master of the Riven'? If I am to fight for him, and maybe die for
him, I should know who he is. We all should know."

.oO(Please don't be Master Ash, please don't be Master Ash)

Houma looks at you and you have the sudden suspicion he was waiting for you to ask this question.
"Oh no, lad. It's not that easy. You want to be in the show, you got to pay the price of admission. That price is played in blood and steel. Tonight, after victory, if you have proven yourself in k-k-k-combat, then you'll know. Not before.
"You hear that, you lot? No one tells Rath the name of the Master till after we reave the whole lot of those bastards. The whole lot!"

"Well who says you get to be leader? From what those guards said you've failed a lot of attacks already. Maybe it's time for someone else to lead this bunch."

Houma considers your threat for a moment. Then he snaps his fingers with a raspy little click.
"Cargo. Hurt him."
The big riven moves with that surprising speed to swat you with one of his massive claws. He is huge and tough-looking (over nine feet tall and thickly muscled). He is unarmed, but his four-fingered hands end in respectable claws. Currently his hand is closed into a fist, but it could easily open depending on your reaction.
Let me know your immediate reactions and contingencies (fight/flight/parley, etc.).
To give you an idea, Houma is a half-move away and looks ready for an attack he has a sword, but it is sheathed. The other riven are all within a half-move of you, several have weapons out. I am assuming you would not say something like that without your weapon already in hand.

OOC: Good Luck!

"Listen up everyone, Master Ash and Horn have sent me to check on you and to
determine if Houma is fit to lead. From what I have seen he is not fit. Those
who stand against me stand against Master Ash and Horn."

.oO(I hope I'm not wrong about all this, or this is gonna get ugly)

Frst things first. Good soliloquy, but Cargo is already striking. Here is his PER roll to hear before his blow lands:
(PER 11-, 5, 4, 2 STUN: 11 BODY: 3, whew!)
Now for your PRE attack. (Base 3d6 +2d6 Good soliloquy) +1d6 (you are also riven), -2d6 (for not getting it quite right) = 4d6 ( 4, 6, 6, 3 STUN: 19 BODY: 4, good roll; that exceeds Cargo's PRE by 1)

Cargo checks his blow at the last second, his basketball-sized fist snatches back. In confusion he looks at Houma.
Houma stops short. "Master Ash and Horn, eh? Very interesting. If this is true, why the story? Also, what makes a barbarian like you think I'm not fit to lead? You've talked to me for five minutes total. I think you're bluffing."

Please try to answer without considering your response too long beforehand. Houma's putting you on the spot and putting pressure on you to think fast!

I just read this, and am replying right away

"I'm bluffing? Then how did I know about your Riven Master? Just some
lucky guess huh? Barbarian? You know less about me then you claim I know
about you. I was in town, I have heard first hand of your failures. I
see how ill prepared this group is. You have no idea what sort of
defenses the fort has in place. Did you know whatever Master Ash did to
the new Adept wore off, he's back to supporting the walls against the
screamers. .oO(Gods I didn't just blow it) You'd know that if you spent
some time with scouting."

There is some shuffling amongst the riven, but nobody looks ready to turn on Houma yet.
"Well, you obviously know a little. But you're lying about the Master sending you. I just received word and he said nothing about sending a new commander. I think you came in with the caravan yesterday. You're a clever bluffer Rath, but you destroyed any k-k-k- credibility you might have had when you mentioned Horn. Horn is a brok-k-ken fool and has nothing to do with the plan.
"Now who really sent you? Master Nuyok? Your life, or at least the length of it depends on the answer."

"Horn a broken fool? You are out of the loop my friend. You have no idea
what you have gotten yourself mixed up in do you? I almost feel sorry
for you. Oh, and I am not to be a new commander, I am only here to
evaluate you and, if I deem it necessary put someone in charge who can
do the job. Unfortunately for you I had already made my decision by
interrogating the towns folk. You are a not fit to lead. You were given
more than ample forces and you failed to get the job done. You couldn't
even kill the head guardsman Mako when you had him at your mercy and
without him the whole town would have fallen...Did I come on the
caravan, your stupidity is showing, how many Riven you know fall in with
rich merchants? The more we talk the more convinced I am that you should
be relieved of command."

"To begin with, It is a 'fort', not a town, Mako is a 'Commander' not a guardsman and Horn is still a broken idiot. I have confirmation from Ash when I communicated with him while you were helping us. Finally, Master Ash gave express orders NOT to kill Mako."
Although you cannot read his alien face, you get the distinct impression that Houma is smiling a clever, sadistic smile.
"Oh my little friend in a big savage world, if you do come from Master Ash, you would know how he communicates with us. He would surely tell a trusted lieutenant...?"
You can see him raise his hand toward Cargo. You do not need to be told what will happen when that hand falls; Cargo's face is all too readable.

I give a little half smile and look him right in the eyes like I have him, and
then do my best to plant my Ax in his chest. My plan is to swing once at Houma
and try to take him out of the next fight and then run as fast as my little
riven legs will carry me (9" running so 18" NCM). Hopefully using some jungle
survival (12- roll) to help me get away. I'm also hoping that it is dusk and
the low light will also help.

Rath, you bring your axe around in a lightning stroke, aimed right at Houma's thorax. However, the nasty little roach is ready for this reaction and ducks, bending backward at the knee, while shouting "Cargo, Kill him!"
The huge riven pounces, his massive claw which had earlier been curled into a fist, now open and trying to rip your head off at the throat.
If you had a beard he would have shaved you clean; that's how close it is as you barely twist out of the way in time.
The rest of the riven close in, their attention focussed solely on you. There is murder in their eyes and a host of weapons in their hands. You are outnumbered at least six to one...

Please play this sound and then proceed to "TWARMS"