Day One
Hearing the announcement for roll call, you gratefully leave the Cold Moonshine and join the assembly of expedition hopefuls. Barune stands on a podium and opens a piece of paper. He gaze at the near one hundred applicants with a rather unpleasant scowl.
He clears his throat and speaks as loud as he can. ”Alright listen up. I already had an elite team of explorers put together for this expedition already and I wasn’t personally looking for any additional hands. So consider yourselves lucky my employer insisted on five more. Now, step forward as I call your names.” Barune proceeds to rattle off a list of names, none of which are yours. He continues. ”Alright I have who I want, the rest of you go home.”
As the crowd begins to disperse and the five men, reasonable looking recruits, make their way to the caravan, you hear a booming voice announce. ”Barune you did not select the applicants I wanted!” From one of the wagons steps a tall elf who has a weathered and wise appearance of someone who has been on in his years.
The elf has shots of grey in his beard and his hair but his complexion is still remarkably fair. The most unique feature of this elf is the strange red stone that fills out his entire right eye socket. A most disturbing sight. He carries himself with an equally disturbing heir as he strides to the podium. He almost seems to be floating. His very appearance emanates power.
He confronts Barune. ”I said I wanted specific people for this role.”
Barune coughs and does his best to explain. ”Sir you put me in charge of this caravan and it is my job to ensure that we have the right men for the job. You are already putting me at five over capacity for a journey of this caliber and I need to think of our survival. We will run out of food before we ever reach Aridia.”
The elf leans in and stares hard at Barune with his stone eye. ”Of the two of us, who has been to Aridia?” He says in a barely audible menacing voice. Barune lowers his head and steps back. The elf steps up and speaks. ”It looks like I will do the choosing here as these are people I am specifically requesting go along.”
He looks over the gathered people. ”I am Yalandere and I am looking for specific people to go to Aridia.” He steps down from the podium and out among those gathered,
As he does he comes up to each of you specifically and states. ”I have need of you, pack your things, we leave soon.”
When he is finished he begins to return to the caravan, the five men who were chosen originally step in his path. The gruffest of these announces. ”Hey big shot! We were chosen! What’s wrong with taking us along!”
Yalander gazes at the man and simply responds. ”I have no need of you. Now out of my way.”
The men persist in blocking his path. ”I came a long way to simply just be turned down. Your taking me with you!”
Suddenly the stone eye of Yalandere glows and suddenly all five men pass out where they stand. You are unsure as to what spell was cast but it was powerful. Yalandere merely floats past the unconscious men to his wagon saying nothing more.
You retrieve your things and join the caravan.
-Week One-
The caravan set out without a problem and the journey to the desert had begun. During this week things are pretty standard. Barune has his people hunt, collect water, and other resources as often as possible to try and expand their food supply.
The caravan is run very well and Barune himself is not as inept as you may have thought. His people are efficient and some even better than some of you at doing things. During this whole time however, Yalandere does not make another appearance. Even at feeding times he stays locked in his wagon and does not come out once.
-Week Two-
Two weeks at the desert and you just keep going. It is rough and some of you have never been this far into the Sarengave. The stories were true, the further in you go, the scarcer the resources. Still, Barune is more than prepared for this and he and his people do there best to ration what food they have to ensure that you are always fed.
The Summons
Halfway into week three Barune meets with each of you. ”I was told to send you to Yalandere’s tent. He wants to speak with you about something.” As he wanders off you hear him mumble something along the line of “whats so special about them anyways”
The five of you are let into Yalandere’s wagon. There is room enough for the five of you to sit and for Yalandere to sit at the end of the wagon where he can address all of you. He looks to each of you. ”No doubt you have questions. Feel free to ask and I will answer as I chose.”
Lilith steps forward, hood covering her face. Her voice low and her words short.
"I overheard you tell Barune that you've been to Aridia. Start by telling us what sort of place you're bringing us to explore."
Yalandere gazes with his stone eye at Lilith. In a low voice he says. "A land of magic and mystery. Lost to the desert centuries ago and is now home to the elemental genies of the world. It is a place with vast wealth and riches. It is the land of Aridia. It is one I cannot fully describe for you in a way that you could comprehend. It is the sort of thing you must see with your own eye to truly understand what it is."
Draahzin examines Yalandere, the powerful elf is very peculiar. He listens with interest to the questions and answers. Gathering his courage he demands: 'First I humbly thank you for choosing us. What could you say about the dangers of this expedition? What can we expect to encounter? The stories of Aridia speak of insanity … how can we avert a similar fate?'
Yalandere smiles. "Very wise question. Aridia, as per the stories, is hidden by a powerful aura and people get lost without ever being able to find it. There are of course, a good few who do. Those that do don't know how to survive in the land and cope with all it's enchantments. The major difference between them and you is that you were actually chosen to go there. As for the dangers, well, Aridia isn't exactly a tame land. It is as deadly as it is beautiful and it houses man and beast with intentions to kill. It even houses combinations of the two. You should watch out for those. They are the nastiest. Still, no one ever said obtaining great wealth would be without it's challenges. You knew the dangers coming out here. The survival rate. And even the conditions of those who have returned. Yet still, you came, and here you are now on the most perilous journey of your very life. I won't try and deceive you. Where we are going, there will be much danger. But if we succeed, the reward will be much more."
Raine listens to the questions and answers in silence, her hands clasped before her, eyes fixed on Yalandere.
There are so many questions that could be asked. Are her people's legends true? Was Aridia once an elven land? Is Yalandere all he claims to be?
Ultimately, though, she has only one question she feels burning at the tip of her tongue, what with his repeated references to being chosen. She stares steadily into the old elf's face and says only two words:
"Why us?"
Yalandere looks to Raine and grins. "The question I was expecting." He touches his stone eye. "Visions my friends. Through the great seer Turval Umadi I was given a vision of the champions needed to reach Aridia and return. You five were there specifically and it is the destiny of you five to go to Aridia and conquer it's perils and claim it's rewards. Aridia is no place you can simply walk into. No. First when we arrive we must seek out Umadi. Only he can tell us how to reenter the land of Aridia. He is the one who saw you and he is the one who will guide us to the vast wealth of Aridia. He is a very old and dear friend of mine and I trust him with my life. You are to become the champions of Aridia and he AND I will help you accomplish that title. No pressure."
Mia takes to the steps. As her little figure gets in, she has some quick looks at it's modest but fair interior.
Quite a practical means of travel.
Since not everybody spoke elven, she decided to just make the "thank you" in such and speak just common for the rest of her questions.
Looking up with curious eyes at the tall elf, she makes a greeting nod before speaking.
"Thánk yoµ for the honor.", she switches back to common.
"You mentioned there were mixes of beast and people, not just people or beast. Are they created, or did they become scary people because of enchantments? Are we at risk of becoming like that too?"
Tolus sits quietly in a deferent pose, head slightly bowed. He can't help it. Slavery never really leaves a person. He listens to the others and watches as all his questions are answered. As the elf speaks he notices something curious about how it was said.
You carefully emphasized that this Oracle AND yourself would be helping. Is there anything going on between you we should know about?
To Mia Yalandere nods. "Anubites. The scourge of the outland of Aridia. These creatures are a menace created by an old pupil of mine named Anubis. It was his attempt to control Aridia by fusing Jackal to man to create a horrible monster. Anubis was slain many centuries ago but his creations endured and now they act as brigands and bandits preying on the lands that surround Aridia and causing all sorts of trouble. These Anubites look similar to Gnolls but they are part man part Jackal. They also burrow in the sand and are capable of climbing and leaping great distances. Of all the dangers of Aridia, those you must be most wary of."
Yalandere then turns to Tolus. "Umadi and I are associates. We have worked together for many centuries. Without his insight and gifts I would never have survived as long as I did. He is a good friend of mine and the key to surviving in Aridia. Be sure and remember that."
Yalandere looks to each of you. "Any more questions?"
Mia raises her hand.
"Would the people there have distrust towards outsiders like us?"
It's not that i really care much, but it would make social dealings less simple."
Draahzin waits until Mia has spoken then he asks: 'To complete the question of the young lady, are there any cities in Aridia? Or just untamed wilderness and places where those genies dwell?'
Hearing both Mia and Draahzin's questions, Yalandere takes a breath. "Very well. Aridia is surrounded by a habital landscape known as Aradina. It is a vast Savannah land with a good number of human settlements and cities. The dominant breeds in this land are human and half genies. They are scattered across Aradina. Only the most able are invited by the genies to live among them in Aridia. These people are civilized enough to welcome outsiders and use common currency to trade. They do have a fascination with races other than human or geniekind as they have never seen their likes before. That's really all there is to tell about the people surrounding Aridia."
'What a strange and marvelous world. I'm very grateful to be able to accompany you.'
Mia nods.
'Thank you."
Lilith continues keeping her face hidden beneath her cloak, she speaks up once more.
"So this place is akin to a small isolated kingdom of sorts. Am I correct in assuming that, beyond lost treasures, there are also lost libraries and secrets to be discovered? A place cut off from the world for that long..." Her voice was beginning to rise in what could be considered the closest to excited Lilith ever really behaved, but only to stop herself.
Knowledge (Arcana): +18
Knowledge (Geography): +14
Knowledge (History: +14
Knowledge (Local): +14
Knowledge (Religion):+14
Knowledge (Nature): +14
All others: +10
Mia notices the edge of Tolus's mouth creep up at the explanation of how new races are treated.
He waits until Lilith's question is answered before asking, Are there many strong martial traditions among these inhabitants, or is their culture focused on magical aptitude?
Draahzin is difficult to read, his traits are really non-human, but he does seem excited and his tail his slowly swinging.
Yalandere looks to Lilith. "They do have librarys but the knowledge isn't so much lost as it is unique to their land and culture. It has been separated into four kingdoms over 700 years ago. This is after the land was sealed by the genies. It is their land and ruled by them. Their knowledge is what you will find most of."
Yalandere then turns to the tolus. "The people of Aradina have only the talents and traditions of entertainment and survival. Those of Aridia focus more on the arcane arts or furthering Daiga's will. Well the Daiga thing doesn't happen anymore. Recently the genies put a ban on Daiga worship. They don't like the guy. Other than that martial is something the people of the whole land are learning now."
Tolus seems very interested in the banning of Diaga. Do you know why they would ban Diaga worship other than a simple dislike?
Raine listens with the frown line between her eyebrows becoming more pronounced. At the revelation they were all part of some 'vision' her skepticism is nearly tangible.
All of them? Prophesied heroes? The kobold? The bland human man with the-- no, she discovered as she looked around that the man wasn't even in the wagon, as she had assumed. The child was here on her own. The child was prophesied? And herself, even when her tribe had greater to offer?
It defied belief, and logic. Raine remained silent as more questions were asked. At length she stirred again.
"What is our purpose? You recruited for a trade caravan. Now you say we are destined. Destined for what? Champions of-- wealth? Of looting the treasures of Aridia from the genies who have sealed the land?"
Raine cared nothing for wealth-- her people had given her a task, and she would fulfill it.
She shook herself. "I know nothing of this Daiga other than rumors on the wind. Why do the genies not like him?"
Yaladere leans forward. "It is time to explain fully. Daiga is the original architect of Aridia. He summoned the genies to help him create it nearly 800 years ago. He was the lord of Aridia for that time. Then it happened just a couple of decades ago, the genies grew fed up with Daiga and dethroned him. Now the genies are warring amongst themselves to see who will sit upon the empty throne. Daiga has not been heard from since. With the war in Aridia in full stride, the genies have completely abandoned Aradina and have sealed the entrance to Aridia. I need to get back there to retieve something I lost and Umadi said no one in Aradina had the skill I needed. Instead I was to seek aid beyond the desert and he gave me a vision of whom I was to find. That is how I came to recruit you. The thing I wish to retrieve is of a personal matter and all you need to know is that you will be more than compensated for your time and effort. That is all there is to this journey. We are to see Umadi when we arrive so we can know the next step."
Tolus gives the slightest of hints that he is a bit doubtful of the story, but hides it well. He would never disrespect his host by letting his feelings show. Instead, he gathers himself after a moment's pause and says, I apologize my lord, but your servant must have heard incorrectly. There is an item that neither you, genie kind, or any half genies you have under your vast influence, can recover, and yet you trust us, who have barely known each other a week, to succeed?
Yalandere raises his eyebrow on his right. "Correction, I don't trust you I trust Umadi's prediction. He said that with my help you will in fact succeed. You are "The Champion's of Aridia" as to how we open Aridia, that is something Umadi will explain. I have told you all I can. You all wanted to go to Aridia return, I can do that for you. I ask this one favor in return. I promise we will all be able to leave Aridia and return from the Sarengave the same as when we left. Only you will be much wealthier. You are welcome to head back but I nor Barune would allow you to take any provisions with you. You would be on your own at that point. So, do you all want to go to Aridia or not?"
Sensing that he had offended, Tolus immidiately bows low in a graceful apology in spite of being seated. Forgive your servant, my lord, I meant no offense. A thousand pardons for haveing misheard. Your servant will of course abide by the terms of the contract and accompany you as you lead.
Raine watches Tolus's bows and apologies wordlessly. In the week on the trail since the inn, she feels no closer to understanding how the self-styled servant speaks. He is like the creature he resembles-- he leaves a twisting, winding path in the sand and trying to predict where he is headed is folly.
She returns her gaze to Yalandere, with a curt nod. "I will go."
She honors her commitments, for one thing, and she wishes to see if anything he has said is truth. If Aridia is a genie-ruled land... and if it poses any danger to her people.
"I am only interested in what I can learn there. No force can stop me from continuing. I think I've asked from you everything that I need."
Lilith backed into the shadows of the other adventurers. She would continue to listen, but she had nothing more to say to the elf.
Yalandere lowers his head. "You know what I want from you and what to expect. Either way I have told you all I can. Be ready for when you arrive. Aradina is also known as the proving grounds and it is given that name for a reason. None yet have proven themselves but you will be the first I am sure."
With that Yalandere dismisses you and you return to your duties with the caravan.
Week Three-
This week is particularly hard. Food is scarce and you are now tapping the caravan's rations considerably. Most nights the hunters return with no food. On the nights they do it is nothing more than large insects or desert snakes.
The people are beginning to murmur. Most turn back after this distance but Yalandere assures Barune the course is good and they are making progress.
Week Four-
Food is dwindling. None is collected anymore. Barune tries desperately to ration resources. The rests of the workers are growing delusional from the heat and lack of nutrition, Barune rotates shifts frequently so people can sleep to reserve their energy and keep their sanity. Most don't sleep well and simply stare at the ceilings of the caravans
You fair only so well yourselves. The heat is getting to most of you. The lack of food and water is becoming more and more hard to manage. You hear people dreading the possibility of never returning and toying with the idea of forcing Barune to turn back.
Week Five-
The point of no return. Once this point is reached and crossed, there is no going back. Expeditions that have come this far won't have enough food stored to return. It is impossible to keep food and water beyond this point.
Barune stops the caravan. He addresses Yalandere, you can hear the argument from outside Yalandere's wagon.
"Hey you pointy eared witch! We are at the point of no return and are stores are already dwindling thanks to your five additional mouths! The caravan was not big enough to accommodate such strain. No food we'd have would last that long!" Barune shouts.
Yalandere calmly responds. "Mister Bandelvis I have preserved your food well it won't go bad on it's own. The problem is you are not watching your men and there are several among them sneaking extra helpings."
You hear Barune snarl. "WHAT!?!" Suddenly the door to Yalandere's wagon opens and Barune storms out. He tracks down one of the men working with one of the draft animals. "You! I thought I thought someone was sneaking rations. Since the last time I caught you."
The man pleads. "No it wasn't me! Not this time. It was Gazeed! He took the food."
Suddenly another man appears shouting. "How dare you blame me you thief!"
Before you know it a ruckus is breaking out and now the two men are armed with daggers. Their fighting has drawn another two men into the fray also armed with daggers.
Barune is desperately trying to break up the fight but another man stabs him in the process. He recoils and looks at you. "Hey! Subdue them! I don't care how just take them out however you chose!" Barune has clearly been hurt badly.
How do you wish to handle this situation. There are five men fighting in all. Two on two and the fifth man seems to be looking for a place to get in. They are all wearing leather armor and armed with daggers.
Your turns
"Halt, lest you invoke our wrath! Weaken us before the monstrous desert? Mydreraty tyyzira yhu Un ziunchch gounchch anyon lianmyichw!"
Lilith consumes her mutagen in case the fight continued despite her threats. Her skin grew tougher, but it would be difficult to tell much of a difference from beneath her cloak. Lilith draws her rapier and moves tactically among the men. If they keep fighting, she was going to make sure she could stop them by force.
-----
During the journey, Raine has spent a good deal of time away from the caravan possible-- appointing herself among the hunters, who go out seeking food each day. As the weeks have gone by, she has watched without surprise as the outlanders squabble over food and water, all of them used to as much as their bellies will hold.
She is unsurprised when the bickering and tensions turn violent.
Simoom is tethered with the other mounts. She has more confidence in the animals' ability to stay calm than she does the humans and the others.
Wordlessly, Raine walks into the 'battle', if it can be deemed such.
She strikes out with the butt of her spear at the skull of one of the men armed with a dagger, adopting a defensive posture as she does so.
The strike swings wide. Raine decides to pretend it was a warning strike.
"Control yourselves. Act like animals, and you will spook ours," she says flatly.
Draahzin draws his flail and fasten his shield, he hastens the pace of his mount to come close to the fight. Then he makes Rossinante rear up and speaks as the pony glares evily on the men.
'Drop your weapons and we shall discuss this matter between civilized people! If you do surrender we'll find a peaceful solution, you'll live, else we'll need to subdue you by force, risking to injure you greatly or to kill you.'
Mia, looks at the closest man.
Mia looks up at the man she just hit and calmly speaks says:
"Meanie, and this is just "me and my doll.", accenting the others having actual lethal weapons at the ready.
Edit: These intimidates! We're a scary group, friends.
Tolus is from the desert, but not in the way most would think. He was born in the desert region surrounding Kataphesh, and spent most of his life serving there. The heat is no issue to him. His Master's kitchens regularly got as hot on a summer feast day. The lack of food was less than pleasant.
As was said, Tolus grew up in the houses of the wealthy and privileged. This had the fortunate effect of him never being truly without. Hungry, yes, but this was a whole different level.
Tolus earned himself a place with the caravan scouts. He tended to range far ahead of the main body, at Yalandere's direction. He was as hungry as the others when a fight broke out after five weeks of hard travel. He was much more clear headed, apparently.
Tolus appears behind one of the men, opposite Lilith and flanking. He just popps out of thin air, mid strike. He brings the blade to rest at the throat of his target, within a hair's breadth of death.
Through your intimidation, and the fact that the smallest of you, a child, nailed a guy in the man spot without any of the rest of you really attacking, the men stand down.
Barune thanks you. "This is all well and good that they lived but desert justice must be done." After some investigating, Barune found it to have been Harud sneaking food, the man he accused in the first place.
Harud was detained and put on display for all workers to see. Barune approaches the man carrying a Falchion. "The desert is like the ocean. Stealing food is a crime punishable by death. If we are to survive to reach our destination, such order must be kept. This is just an example that I intend to keep order." With that Barune executes the man in front of everyone.
The caravan moves on.
Week Six-
During this trek, is the hardest leg so far. Food sources are scarce. Even the desert itself provides nothing but sand. Not even a single insect can be found. Even the create water spell is taking longer to work than normal.
Then, the unthinkable happens. You wake up one day to find half of the Caravan gone. Half of the men have deserted you. Barune is mad. "Those bastards took the last of the food! They left us to starve!"
Yalandere calmly approaches the man. "we are at the threshold of Aridia my friend. We will make it."
With only half a caravan and no food, you trek on. The next few days were unbareable. Yalandere orders that the wagons be abandoned and the remaining draft animals be eaten. Of course not any of your animal companions.
With that done, the rest of this weary journey is strictly on foot.
The Attack
Yalandere insists the trek is near an end but hunger is hard to battle. All you see before you is sand, miles and miles of sand. Soon, you begin to notice the sand off in the distance beginning to rise. It is heading in your direction.
"Sandstorm!" Barune shouts. As you all begin to take cover, something strange happens. The sand around you is lumping and moving around.
More and more small mounds of sand appear and move towards the party. Suddenly, bursting forth from these piles are savage gnoll-like creatures wearing strange armor and carrying clubs. These must be the Anubites Yalandere spoke of.
The sandstorms closes in fast even as the Anubites themselves attack. There are more than a dozen of them and your group is still tired and hungry.
You resist but they keep coming. Soon, the storm is upon you and it washes over you. Now blinded by the storm, the fight has become even more difficult. What's worse, the Anubites don't seem bothered at all. If their advantage wasn't great before, it is now.
Try as you may, you are no match for these creatures. Soon, one by one, you are all subdued and the world goes black around you.
If your name is not on the spoiler, then your still unconscious
You wince as you begin to wake. You wince and cannot tell what hurts more, your head, or you empty stomach. As you start to come fully too, you realize your hands and feet are tied to a ten foot pole and not only that but your are completely bare skin naked.
As you look around you see the rest of the five of you also tied up a to poles and stripped clean. There is no sign of Yalandere or Barune or anyone else from the caravan, just you five.
You notice you are in a shallow cave. The sun shining brightly through the entrance. Just a few feet off you see two of those Anubite monsters. They stand their staring out of the cave. Because of the angle you cannot see what lies beyond the cave entrance.
Suddenly you hear shouting and battle cries from outside the cave. The two Anubites seems anxious but do not abandon their posts. Instead they stand there looking out at whatever is happening on the outside.
You definitely hear the sounds of battle going on outside. Something must be attacking your captors, or so you hope. Now is as good a time as any to escape.
The ropes you are bound with are weak and feel a bit brittle. Also, the knots are not very well tied and may be a bit loose.
You have three tries to break free. You can attempt to wake the others, but that will also take a round by itself.
The checks you may chose from are
Strength Check to break the ropes DC 10
Escape Artist to unravel the knots. DC 10
Your turns
Draahzin wakes up, the world is agony, he is hurting on the outside and the inside. He observes the scene, everybody is naked, no trace of Barune or Yalandere, only two of those monstous jackal-headed things. They are vigilant, that's troublesome. He notices Raine and Tolus being awake too.
As battle erupts somewhere, he nods to them, trying to make them understand that it's time to act. Then he tries to break his bonds.
And succeed! He goes to where Mia is — mostly because she is at his height — and pinch her to wake her up, whispering:'It's time to wake up, child.'
Then he starts breaking the ropes around her.
Draahzin is free at first attempt.
You can perform two actions before combat begins
Tolus examines the knots through a pounding head and a pain in his gut that was beyond description.
He instantly recognizes the knot used and is out in seconds. He proceeds to sneak his way around the pillar, using it as cover, to wake the others.
Okay,
Draahzin wakes Mia
Tolus wakes Lilith
Everyone is awake.
Tolus and Draahzin you have actions enough to unbind everyone.
Combat Begins! Round 1
The two Anubites notice your escape. You are all free and able to stand. You are all 15 feet from the Anubites. You all have the initiative.
Your turns.
The kobold looks around searching for something to use as a weapon. Realising there is nothing but rocks here, with a calm he is far to feel he takes one, walks to the pole and takes a piece of string swiftly making an improvised sling. Then he glares menacingly at the two Anubites.
'We're five and you only two, you are badly outnumbered and your friends will not come to save you, if you let us go we'll spare you. Else …'
Edit: I did a sling.
Oh I forgot to mention, as a standard, you can break off a piece of the poles you were tied to and it will count as a club for your size.
Alternatively, as a standard you can take the rope and improvise a sling and use rocks on the cave floor as pellets
You only take a -1 penalty to atk and dam from these weapons due to their condition
Tolus follows the Kobold's example and quickly has a sling of his own. He stands at the ready and actually Hisses at his attackers, hoping to tap into any primal fears they might have.
The brittle, dessicated ropes fall apart. Raine wordlessly rolls into a crouch, tawny eyes darting around to take stock of the situation. The others are waking and freed.
Raine brings the pole over her knee and snaps the dry wood, taking the pieces into her hands. Her lips draw back from her white teeth in a soundless snarl as she studies the jackal men. She moves in front of the others (but still within the cave) and stands ready, wiry muscle standing out on her unclothed form.
Let them come to her. She won't go fight unclothed in the sun's eye. It's only a quicker way to die of thirst.