Session 4 into session 5
When last we met – Ophi’s Bodyguards were catching their breath, after finishing off a small scouting party of desert dwelling beast creatures, known as Saber Cats.
The battle was relatively easy, and working as a team the party were able to overcome their foes.
A quick search of the area, and they were soon off once more, heading along the dry and dusty brickwork, which made up the road which they traveled upon… Soon, as to expected, they encountered yet more Saber Cats, with Spear Cats in tow.
This battle was different, and some heavy damage was suffered by a few of the party members, but in the end they banded together and took down this new group of enemies.
After the battle, a quick look around revealed a chest which was spotted over to one side of the valley, near to the edge of a small oasis area, found in the western section within the rocky wastes.
Rhyker, being the loot goblin he is, decided he would go and investigate it, cleverly using one of their remaining keys, he opened the chest to find a few items of use, one of which being a short staff which had the ability to hurt any demons struck by it -far greater than other weapons it seemed.
Moving on a little more, and the journey is broken up once again, as Morie is set upon by mutated rat like creatures, the size of small wild dogs… they were very fast, very small, and very VERY aggressive.
Four of these creatures had leapt out from the dry brush, just off to one side of the road, where they promptly headed towards Morie, ready to pounce at her with sharpened claws.
Having never encountered such beasts, the party were unsure what to do at first, but soon devised a plan, which could eradicate the vermin.
Morie used her own pets to great effect, both her spirit wolves Snow and White, were able to protect Morie from most of the attacks, and dish out some heavy damage in return.
Whilst the battle was enough to put them all out of their comfort zones a little, it soon ended, with the party taking a few big hits, but the enemy overall being wiped out entirely.
However, it wasn’t all good news… Ophi ended up failing to cast a spell, and it backfired upon her instead, causing a blinding flash which left her unable to see her surroundings for a long period of time.
Zrin was a little shaken up during the fight at one point too, which made things for him difficult indeed.
After this battle was done with, the party made a quick search again, only this time found minimal loot of any use, and so decided to leave the area, follow the map they had been given, and head towards an area known as the Dry Hills… Only, things didn’t go too well with that…
In his shaken state, Zrin was unable to read the map properly, and found himself veering off the road and into the sandy dunes, which spread for miles in many directions around them… eventually rejoining a path that was leading them away from their chosen destination.
Not aware that this was the case though, Zrin lead the party on, as the wind picked up rather quickly, causing a full on sandstorm in the area they were in now.
Pressing forwards was an option, and one the party took… and so they braved the full sand-swept area, losing sight of the road in the process as it was now heavily obscured with sand piles.
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At this point, they had to make a choice, go back, or go forward, but there were two ways to do this… either go through the centre of the storm itself, OR, take a less dangerous but much longer route, and head around the side of the area.
They were still going to be hit by the edge of the storm, but it was far better than just diving through the middle of it.
Rhyker took point and lead the party around the tall sand dunes, in a bid to get around the side of the main storm, but things never went great… As it came down to the group being able together to find their way through, and they soon became lost… whilst still being battered by the elements.
Not sure of their direction, and only roughly guessing at this point, their hopes were a little dashed as some of the party began to feel despair setting in, that they may actually get lost and die out in the dunes, with nobody around to save them.
Pressing on, the party gained sight of a road, at this point, they had to try for it, but with Ophi being blind, and Zrin still shaken up, the entire party started to feel the exhaustion of the long way round, kicking in.
Things were not as simple as one might expect, and the situation was about to get a whole lot worse.
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Very soon, the sand around the party became deadly itself, and snared them.
The sand around them formed a liquid-like texture on it’s surface, seemingly moving of its own free will against the will of the storm, and soon the party ended up stepping into this new sand, sliding down its banks, along the way hitting various jagged rocks that jutted out and divided the sand into further directions.
It was at this point, Morie and Zrin were knocked unconscious and continued to roll down the sand banks into the crater below, Scarlett was at death’s door, bleeding profusely everywhere as a result of slicing herself on the rocks, as the others had also done, and it was here, as everyone clambered out onto more solid ground, that Morie and Zrin weren’t moving anymore.
Rhyker immediately jumped into action, giving Morie some healing from his lay-on-hands, which was enough to get her stable again, her wolves had already faded to nothingness, meanwhile, Ophi looking very badly hurt, also looked for her companion, Nix… only to see her turning to ashes as she sat on the floor looking up with a sad expression on her ashen face.
This however, was NOT the only problem, whilst the party were trying to help and heal each other, there was a huge rumbling, coming from a rocky area within the middle of this large crater, and within moment, the ground around the party began shaking… as they stood wondering what was going on, a HUGE Sand Worm, known as as the Legendary Sand Beast, burst forth from its underground nest… Once asleep, but now very much awakened.
In its full height, it looms above the party a good 30-40ft in the air, and is close to as wide.
As it’s focus lands on the party, the feeling of absolute dread grips them all, and just as the party are about to become engaged in combat, Rhyker uses his only town portal rapidly from his belt, and gets everyone to the safety of Lut Gholein.
A close call indeed, but once back in the city, the party waste no time in heading to Atma’s – they literally throw money at her for a room, and retire to their rented abodes, where they are able to get some much needed respite.
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Six hours pass by, and shaking off the exhaustion, the pain, the wounds, and the humility, the party awaken from their rooms, refreshed and ready for whatever comes next.
Heading downstairs in the very early hours of the next morning, they all meet up inside the tavern and sit in a side booth, only to see that Atma has approached them at their table, with a dour look on her face…. ready to share with them some very bad news.
And so – it’s here where we pick up today’s session.