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Dunmari Frontier - Session 25

Desert Pursuits: in which the party evades orcs and shadows

Featuring: Kenzo, Wellby, Delwath, Seeker
In Taelgar: May 13, 1748 DR to May 23, 1748 DR
On Earth: Monday May 17, 2021
From Kharsan to Karawa via Pava and Avaras’ House

The Dunmar Fellowship escapes orcs, battles night shadows, consults allies, and safely returns to Karawa.

Session Info

Summary

  • The Dunmar Fellowship, spotted by orcs, flees across the desert to Havdar’s camp.
  • The party evades the orc pursuers but are attacked by shadowy figures at night.
  • Seeker’s magical flare and sunlight from two driftglobes help the party survive the ambush, though two horses perish.
  • The party finds Havdar’s camp deserted, but are able to restock on water, and then seek counsel at Pava and Avaras’ House
  • They discuss the Heart of Shakunand events at the monastery with Pava and Avaras before returning to Karawa.

Timeline

  • May 13, 1748 DR, noon: Spotted by orcs while trying to sneak back to shelter of the Samraat Tombs canyon. Orcs give chase. Ride fast for Havdar’s camp.
  • May 14, 1748 DR: Travel all day towards Havdar’s camp.
  • May 14, 1748 DR, night: Attacked by shadow trackers, presumably sent by Grash.
  • May 15, 1748 DR: Travel towards Havdar’s camp
  • May 15, 1748 DR, evening: Arrive at Havdar’s camp, find it empty. Resupply and spend the night.
  • May 16, 1748 DR: Travel from Havdar’s camp towards Pava and Avaras’ House
  • May 17, 1748 DR: Travel towards Pava and Avaras’ House
  • May 17, 1748 DR, evening: Arrive at Pava and Avaras’ House. Spend night with Pava, Avaras, and Amil
  • May 18, 1748 DR, morning: Depart Pava and Avaras’ House, heading for Karawa.
  • May 19, 1748 DR - May 23, 1748 DR: Travel towards Karawa.

Narrative

We begin outside Kharsan, just before noon, as the party is huddled beneath the arches of an old Dunmari bridge over the now-dry Kharja river, Delwath having just returned from scouting invisibly in Kharsan. Pinned down a hundred yards from the shelter of the cliffs on the west side of the riverbank, Delwath turns himself and Seeker invisible, while Kenzo and Wellby attempt to dash, but the orcs are alerted during the attempt, and horns go up from the Orcs fort just south of Kharsan. With horns blowing and an orc party leaving to investigate, the party forgoes stealth and dashes for their horses, riding hard to put as much ground between them and the following orcs as possible. 

Pushing hard and fast across the desert, and heading directly for Havdar’s camp to restock their water supplies, the party outdistances the orcs. Taking precautions at night to have light available – more worried about the shadows Grash sent than the orcs – the party makes it a day, a night and another day across the desert without incident. 

The second night in the desert out from Kharsan, the party is ambushed in the night by shadowy figures, humanoid shadows, with a pack of shadowy dogs following them. While the shadows seem to drain the very strength from the body when they hit, they are hindered by daylight, and with the use of the driftglobes combined by Seeker’s magically created magnesium flare, the party is able to dispatch the threat, although not before the shadow dogs manage to kill two of the horses. 

In the morning, the party presses on for Havdar’s camp, arriving in the evening as the sun is setting. Havdar has left – the camp empty and packed up – but the spring in the canyon provides welcome clean water and a sheltered place to rest. Turning southwest, the party heads for the stone house of Avaras and Pava. At Pava and Avaras’ House, Kenzo discusses his initiation into the Order of the Awakened Soul. Over dinner, the party summarizes the events at the monastery of Bhishma, discussing Heart of Shakun and Bhishma’s message. Pava and Avaras know little of the temple of Shakun, but agree that if such an artifact were lost it could explain much about the events of the past year. 

The next morning, taking their leave of Pava and Avaras, the party heads across the desert, passing the ruins of Bas Udda and returning to Karawa on May 23rd, nearly a month after leaving with Havdar to scout the desert.