Khan of the Steppes

Hmm, do I need to tell you that?

What I will tell you is that I'll let you have varying levels of success on the scrying, and how that will work: It will be a pretty low DC to get some faded reflections on the water that will require a Perception check to make out details, and as your number goes up the image will be clearer, and at some point you can make out other details like sound or smell and such. Your arcana roll will also determine how much you can manipulate the view: low you'll be confined to one or two viewing points, restricted to reflective objects like shiny things or other areas of water, and with higher rolls you can move your view about and be less restricted from points of view. I presume you'd be using it to view somewhere in the camp or nearby area?

I'll remember to add in your Heart of Courage if it could be used to bump you up to a category with DC 30 or above

Attempting to view the activities of Silver Steele and what all is around her.

Arcana Check:
1D20 ( 11 ) + Knowledge ( 8 ) + Tribal Tatoos ( 5 ) = 24
Not bad. Now to see what I can actually see...

Perception Check:
1D20 ( 19 ) + Horse-Sense ( 8 ) + Training ( 3 ) = 30
Whoohoo!

Oops, you're right! Got a bit confused there- was responding because you asked that here. Put an OOC spoiler bracket around that so it doesn't take up space at least.

Cau'rha manages to find the sort of spirit he's looking for, and his reflection disappears from the pool as the water goes dark. a speck of faint light (more like less darkness) appears and grows larger, until the range of vision suddenly expands and Cau'rha can see the camp. The image is still not as clear as it would be in person, but Cau'rha can see clearly enough. He even spots Silver Steele sneaking around, taking a look at the camp and a couple of the bags. He sees what she sees- the campfire, the simple tents, the camels talking and arguing, the bags and their contents, and the chests (one of which seems to be the starting point for this vision, from the shape of the keyhole). The scrying pool is fairly stable, and will continue showing Cau'rah this view unless disturbed.

Not sure which it is? Doesn't matter, you see.

Result:
1D20 ( 2 )

Deeeerp.

I mean Perception! 'cause Insight and Perception are the same thing, right?

To try and determine if and how dangerous they might prove to be, and therefore how soon Cau'rha the party would have to speed down to help.

Result:
1D20 ( 11 ) + Goat Sense ( 8 ) + Training ( 3 ) = 22

Caden2112: Oh oops, didn't notice you said Steele was going back to the others after checking the bags... and here I was waiting for you to post something else! Unless you are sticking around the camp.

One With The Spirits (Magical Tricks) – At Will
Preparation Time: 6 Seconds
You perform a minor magical trick, such as one of the following effects. The Perception DC to see through any of the alterations is 20 + Your Level. Magical Tricks cannot duplicate the effects of any other utility talent.

5) You conjure a common mundane item with volume no greater than one cubic foot - such as a lock pick or hand mirror. It seems artificial and crude, but is still serviceable.

What's the proper protocol here? I, not being either a pony or a traveler on the steppes, am not sure and would like Zane to act in the correct manner.
More specifically, how do 2 traveling groups typically interact when they meet on the steppes? Do we set up camp near them? Or is that a social faux pas, and we should give them some space? Are we supposed to return their generosity somehow, maybe with some trading or something?
I'd like to burn a Bridle Gossip on this, if the rhymes are okay. I don't foresee any up and coming necessary rolls that I'll need to burn before it refills. 3/6 uses remain for the day.
Streetwise, if necessary: 1d20 + 12 + 1 = 28
10 5 15 + 12 + 1
If the rhyme's not relevant enough, that's just a 23 then. (10 was the first roll)

What are Bactria and the Caliphate like? What sorts of attitudes might they hold for strange travelers? Book Smart has possibly heard stories of these lands, so let's find out:
History: d20 + 20 + 1 = 19 + 20 + 1 = 40
...wow! Well, not sure how important it is, but he's probably heard something about them. So close to a critical, too...

Your Bridle Gossip use is definitely fine, though personally I'm not a huge fan of near rhymes.
You're always rhyming in character even when not using it, so you can generally assume you can.

Protocol when two groups meet is generally for one to offer the other their camp space, and some food or beverages (as the camels have done, since you're all the ones who wandered into their camp). At this point it is expected to stay, talk, and accept any food or gift offered. It would not be rude to offer such in return- talk of trade would normally be rude to other steppe groups without first spending at least one night first, but as these are foreign merchants they would probably be perfectly happy with this.

It is considered unforgivable to attack or harm (through poison or other means) one's host or guests, allowing strangers to feel comfortable with proximity to each other without fearing a sneak attack from within one's own camp. It is not unheard of for such things to happen, but usually warriors or even the spirits themselves will track down and punish any who break this unwritten law.

You can tell that the merchants are familiar with these practices from their travels through the area, and are trying very hard to follow them in order to follow local custom.

... That's a big number. I'll put some info here, If it's relevant later and I come up with more things you should know I'll try to remember your check here. If you had any specific questions, I might be able to answer them too. Here we go... time for infodump of dubious importance, enjoy!

Bactria is a small kingdom to the southeast, across the desert and between the steppe and the great "Middle Empire", as they call themselves. Merchants come from Bactria with goods from there, or more often the Middle Empire, the most significant export being fine silks. Bactrians are the foreigners most familiar to the steppe peoples, and are the basis for what knowledge there is about those with a sedentary lifestyle. The Bactrians grow food in great fields along rivers, construct buildings of stone and are known to have walls around their largest couple cities, and are the source of the more peculiar manufactured goods in the form of fine tools or weapons that make their way to the steppe. Occasional raids have brought back great spoils, but at great risk- the military tactics of the foreigners are completely alien to those of the steppes, and not every band of warriors seeking glory by attacking the foreigners has returned. A khan once led a very mighty clan to the very walls of the Bactrian capitol, before a compliment of a million soldiers from the Middle Empire came and destroyed him, his clan, and even their names (causing him to become known only as "the forgotten Khan"). It is an old tale, and thus of uncertain accuracy, but is an excellent cautionary tale to overeager warriors. The Bactrians themselves, and even the Middle Kingdom have never sent military expeditions across the desert.

The caliphate is less well known on the steppe, as it is a more distant land in the west. There are a large number of small kingdoms along the way, whose culture bridges the gap between Steppe and Foreigners to different degrees- semi-permanent settlements dot the oases along the desert trade routes, with some wandering to allow pastures and water sources to replenish. The Caliphate is supposedly a very holy place, and its leader the Caliph presides not only over the nation but over the spiritual affairs of the Tawhid religion as a whole- which is apparently followed by many, including a very few on the steppe, and more and more as one travels east. Strange spices are the most common good from the Caliphate, although very occasionally metals of the highest quality make their way to the steppe. Swords from the Caliphate are considered indestructible, and capable of ridiculous feats of fine cutting, such as splitting a hair. While this is almost certainly hyperbole they are definitely finer than any other blades on the steppe. The only sword known to currently exist on the steppe is in the possession of Shale Khan, the Shaman Khan of Sunstone, and is said to shine in the sun, with ripples through it as though it were molten metal given shape. It is only used for ceremonial purposes and is said to have never shed blood.

As we have discussed before, spirits like circle-shapes. Now, a small circle is mostly just flavor... but a circle this big is gonna mean something, namely that spiritualizing (Arcana checks, mine or anyone else's) within or near it is easier than normal. And therefore requires a Magecraft check.

Result:
1D20 ( 14 ) + Knowledge ( 8 ) + Tribal Tattoos ( 5 ) + Heart Of Courage? ( 5 ) = 27/32

May the Mother Spirit protect us, may the Mother Spirit grant us wisdom.

Thank you Mother Spirit.

(Note: Translation is approximate, not literal.)