Chapter 43: Crossing the Sands
General Summary
Date: 28th of Marpenoth to 1st of Uktar, 1491 DR
In the heart of Citadel Adbar, the heroes bided their time while waiting for the king to procure his promised rewards. With each passing day, they stocked up on provisions and supplies, ensuring a well-prepared journey for their forthcoming expedition to the Anauroch desert. During this time, Ranvas was approached by the mysterious fey. Satisfied that Ranvas had completed the first favor, the fey offered him another: To capture him a heart of stone, given or stolen, from a fey. Ranvas traded an additional clue by placing a rock to the Central Road (which indirectly caused the untimely demise of Hjolmund).
After this encounter,
Wiri Fleagol met with Ranvas. She offered him the newly-enchanted pistol, but Ranvas soon discovered that the gnome had no knowledge of crafting firearms. Despite this, Ranvas was still interested in keeping the partnership, combining both of their strengths together. She would return to Phandalin and begin her tutelage under Ranvas.
At the end of the week the day of depature had come. Summoned by the king, the party gathered in the Royal District for their informal sendoff. As a token of friendship and gratitude, King Harnoth bestowed each member a custom-crafted mithral medal, along with a signed letter of recommendation. He also rewarded each member with an magic item of their choosing and introduced the party to their new guide. Before leaving, Nomime teleported Wiri to Neverwinter.
The party departed from Citadel Adbar through the underground tunnel network towards their destination. Led by Eladrin Stonebeard, a seasoned dwarf guide, they ventured through the labyrinthine passages and underground tunnels, caves and lakes. As their journeyed deeper, they were suddenly set upon by monstrous creatures resembling landsharks.
Burrowing through the ground, the two Bulettes broke off the support beams of the cavern, forcing the ceiling to begin collapsing. The party fought against the monstrosities and fled quickly as the chamber caved in, leaving the last remaining Bulette in the hands of Nomime's Earth Elemental.
The last few days of the journey were more peaceful. During one of their rests, Belros spotted a granite wall filled with hundreds of palm prints by the many travelers that used the trail they were on. The party decided to leave their own marks upon the wall before continuing their journey.
After three days of arduous travel through the underground passageways, the party finally emerged to the expanse of Anauroch Desert. The searing sun rose high upon the zenith as the ruined city of Ascore lied ahead. The heroes bid farewells to Eladrin and trecked through sand towards the city. Their first steps led them to a striking discovery - a vivid, lifelike statue partually buried in the sand. Nomime deduced it was created by magic and the party advised caution.
As they continued forward, the heroes found themselves compelled to hide as a massive dragon soared above Ascore. Lightning crackled and danced over the decaying building, as the dragon made its way east of the city. Trying to remain unseen, the Good Fellas investigated the city, finding remnants of buildings as well as a discarded shed skin of a huge mysterious monster. The true challenges of Ascore were becoming increasingly apparent.
Arriving at a plaza within the city, Bene stopped to pick up a scorpion to extract its poison. He noticed the disturbed sand around the party but was too late to warn everyone as the sand around them burst violently. The party had entered to the hunting ground of a Desert Wyrm. The monster attacked the unsuspecting party and burrowed beneath the sands, making the battlefield more chaotic. The burrowing caused the sands to shift and the battlefield became more difficult to traverse. As the party climbed up to the plaza platform, the Wyrm summoned a sand vortex on top of them.
Amidst the fierce battle and sturggle, tragedy struck as Nomime was caught within the Drake's relentless jaws. She fell to the ground only to be clawed by the monster, losing her life in the battle. In a desperate bid to alter their grim fate, Bene pulled a card that held the power to reverse time. He was transported back to the moment before the deadly confrontation and stopped the party. After revealing what awaited them, the heroes decided to circle around the plaza, avoiding the creature that lurked within the sands.
Their exploration continued until the party's attention was captured by a strange desert bird. It quickly became filled with a mysterious and unsettling presence that voiced not one, but three distinct voices. The voices revealed to have watched the party and were intrigued by their capabilities. They wanted to make a deal.
Has the party found allies in the unlikely place of Ascore? Will they recover the missing blade for Bene and the heart of fey for Ranvas. Or are they out of depth facing against the formidable dragons, possessing crones and a lich? Will they rise up victorious or will the sands become their tombs?
Rewards Granted
- Mark of Prestige (Mithral Medal of Citadel Adbar)
- Letter of Recommendation by King Harnoth
- Dwarven Plate
- Hunter's Cloak
- Sending Stones
- Mute Switch (pistol)
- Ring of Spell Storing
Character(s) interacted with
