Session II: Guardians of Serpent's Blood

General Summary

Meeting with the Guardian

When they reached Zira and Shadow Haven's Pub, they waited for their meeting with ,,the Guardian". After a while they lost their will to wait and started to explore. They found a room where innkeeper and employees sleep and they showed them where they can sleep overnight. In the morning, they met Draxus Vulondruin, who came to them to escort them to new meeting location - Zira's prison. They've walked deep into the underground to find prison full of roots and flowers and - ,,the Guardian" who introduces himself as Rashid Al-Najjar. He offered them a partnership - they can help Guardians of Serpent's Blood in exchange for access to ,,special markets", political ally, gold and housing in Zira - if they kill Alistair Thorne. However his request was that this decision must be unanimous.
Dorn, Gimmun voted for accepting. Amelia, Darian and Kai voted against joining.
After this discussion, the meeting was over.

Dry Valley

After their meeting, they decided to get some gold and go on expedition for Alistair - explore Dry Valley and find clues if Dry Curse could spread from it to Zira. They've also experience first time surviving in the desert unprepared, which turned out to be quite complication. However, they've decided to take the shortest path and jump straight down into the valley, using magic to save themself from certain death. Then they travelled through flying sand followed by cursed voices and also one ambush of monsterous creatures from sand. Adventurers were in tight spot when the sand started to fall and they started to fall one by one into the dark pits, however they managed to survive thanks to rope they've used to not get lost. After several hours of travelling they found mysterious cave hidden behind illusion where some undead creature lives. It asked for questions and if answered correctly, it will give answer to any question it knows answer to.
One question Kai asked was about her kingdom and found out about some monster which origin dates millennia ago. It name changes a lot during the times, but the most common names for it are ,,Maw of Doom" and ,,Unstoppable Juggernaut". It seems her artifact isn't something that is important only for her people.
When they get their answers, they had a choice - go to Underdark or returned back through Dry Valley. After few heated conversations, they decided to go back through valley. They met nomads, which helped them travel through the Dry Valley way more efficient and dodge any dangers that were lurking in the sands.

Amir's Azraq Infernal Secret

When they get back to Zira, they went to Sandy Oasis inn. They tried to get their best sleep, which Darian highly approved. However when accommodating, they found out that Amir Azraq has permanently reserved room in this inn, even he claimed that he can't ever leave his castle. They've stealthed into his room using picklocks that Gimmun crafted earlier and found out small chest, that contained black cube with infernal symbols on it. They stole the cube and put everything back to its original state.
However, Dorn explored scroll he found earlier in the catacombs and summoned three undeads, which destroyed rooms and many items in the inn. This caused them from being banished from the Sandy Oasis and innkeeper will have to contact Amir to check if everything is okey with his room.

Kesseth

After their time in Sandy Oasis, they decided they need more gold and want to leave Zira, but first they want to finish all their business here. They travelled to Ruins of Kesseth - where everything began. Isabella traveled with them as she had her own task of finding Crown Jewel - the same one that Alistair wanted. Group decided that they will let Isabella have it as they don't care about Alistair that much. They travelled together and the road was safe. In Kesseth they found that smith had secret room in his house, hiding many parchments and some weapons. When they finish this part, they decided to go to the cementary. They spoke with the undead hunter in Sandy Oasis, who seemed as someone else than he presented himself and he offered them 200 gold for killing one woman in the graveyard.
They went to cementery and found out that the "woman" is actually a banshee and she nearly killed Gimmun and Amelia. However they were able to weaken her enough so she was forced to escape - for now at least. They also found some magical sphere in the tomb, which were of necromancy origin created by Morvok. Darian remembered that he already saw some of such items and even heard the name of this family - Anue. They found that she was transported here from Su'Tyl in year 283.
As they tried to destroy this necromantic item, they released its full power and it created energy that summoned few dozen of undeads from the entire graveyard. They had to escape as this was above their powers.

Unexpected Reunion

On their travels back to Zira, they encountered small camp of deserters, where one of them was Dorn's missing brother. Dorn found out that he had to escape because of something he found out in their city, something he will tell him the next day. His brother also told him that he joined the army and his unit was slaughtered by White Tiefling so he and his few friends escaped to the deserts. Isabella proposed that he can join the Guardians and Dorn recommended him such choice - leading to Karion joining in.

Emir's Favor

When they returned to Zira, they had one more meeting with Rashid. He met them again in Zira's prison and thanked them for their help in tasks of others from his order. He answered each member of the group one question if he knew the answer and then split their ways once more.

Rewards Granted

Money

• 100 gold pieces found in Kesseth Ruins in smith's secret room
• 400 gold pieces from Isabella Stormcloak for helping her receive Crown Jewel
• 200 gold pieces from Alistair Thorne for their attempt to figure out if Dry Curse in Dry Valley can be issue for Zira.
• 400 gold pieces from Guardians of Serpent's Blood for bringing them Serpent's Eye.

Weapons

• Shortsword, Longbow, Greaxee and Silvered Greatsword from smith's stash in Kesseth.

Missions/Quests Completed

• Dry Valley - explore if Dry Curse can leave it and potentionally spread it.

Notes

Start: 5th of Sydesar 315 SE
End: 11th of Sydesar 315 SE

Campaign

Rising from the Sand

Protagonists

Zhaun'dra Dorn'usin

Kailani Cordelia Izumi

Amelia

Darian Thenerese

Borygen Thul

Report Date

14 Oct 2023

Primary Location

Zira

Secondary Location

Dry Valley

Related Characters

• Rashid Al-Najjar