Across the Wastes

With the Hermit defeated, the party headed for the wastes beyond the woods. It took nearly a week's travel to reach the tree line, where they were met with a sheer cliff looking out over a dry, barren landscape dominated by canyons. It would take at least a month to reach the way station of Ym Phae. The road was in disrepair, but the way forward was clear nonetheless.
 
Three days into the journey, Eren and Pella heard a rattling noise while on watch just before the party were attacked by an enormous snake. Kyllikki was able to free Pella from the crushing grip of the creature's coils, only able to come down from her rage once certain that her friend was safe. The party departed again immediately to avoid further dangers.
 
On the winter solstice, the party spotted a large group of travelers with carts approaching them from the road ahead. Eren and Chiron rode ahead to meet them. The caravan consisted of Duyen bandits, from a sect called the Trung. Somehow, Eren convinced their leader to hand over a coin that signaled membership in the sect, before letting them continue on their way. The party passed other groups of Trung along the road, but were given little trouble. No one was sure what was hidden in the covered wagons and carts that the Trung guarded so closely.
 
Just before the turn of the year, the party made camp near a plateau top and heard the sound of hooves galloping from behind them. A crest sewn into the leather armor of the six horsemen revealed them to be members of the Mao sect. They advised the party to turn around. Eren cut their saddle bands and the party captured five of the bandits. A quick search through their pockets revealed many polished rocks, scrolls, and a map of the sect territories. Chiron gave Kyllikki a piece of obsidian, while the rest of the stones were put away to be sold later.
 
The party found a safer place to camp between two cliffs. Pella, Samorn, and Kyllikki interrogated one of the younger bandits, Chati, and learned that probably wouldn't be safe to travel to Ym Phae. He claimed that they were a group of smugglers, but revealed that the Trung traded in people. The Trung leader's name was Huye, and he kept two ogres, among other demons as pets. The bandit begged for the chance to escape with his brother Gamon, a simple man easily taken advantage of by the other Mao. The women agreed to let them take a horse and go, but Eren caught Samorn and Pella as they tried to get the horse. He searched the brothers more thoroughly for weapons and killed Gamon's pet mouse before tying them up.
 
Kyllikki carved a sandstone mouse for Gamon while Sah-Ghan explained to the party about the box from the woods. It was one of eight keys to a locked door somewhere in the North, likely where Empress Nikoleta sealed the Carkwhal. When Kyllikki went to give the sandstone mouse to Gamon, she found both brothers dead. Reminded of the loss of her own clan, she took the loss hard and buried the pair, leaving the sandstone mouse as a marker. Eren and Mollye revealed new marks on the arms, indicating that one of the brothers was a member of the suite of Cups.
 
The party resumed their trek through the wastes with their remaining captives in tow, heading for the Mao stronghold.