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Dunmari Frontier - Session 4

Shakun’s Wane: in which the party uncovers dire truths

Featuring: Kenzo, Wellby, Delwath, Seeker
In Taelgar: Mar 26, 1748 DR to Mar 29, 1748 DR
On Earth: Thursday Jul 09, 2020
Karawa

The Dunmar Fellowship arrives in Karawa and discovers that the magical protections of Shakun are failing, leading to increased dangers and a plea for their aid.

Session Info

The party takes treasure from the fort: Aagir’s Everlight, a Black Iron Staff, a Floating Disc Coin, and a Horn of Silent Alarm; they also return recovered temple goods to Suma in Karawa in exchange for a scroll of Cure Wounds

Summary

Timeline

  • Mar 26, 1748 DR, morning: Wake in temple at the Dunmari fort, set out west for Karawa
  • Mar 26, 1748 DR, afternoon: Travel west across the Daraar Canyon, heading for Karawa
  • Mar 27, 1748 DR: Travel west towards Karawa
  • Mar 28, 1748 DR: Travel west towards Karawa
  • Mar 29, 1748 DR, early afternoon: Arrive in Karawa. Speak with Elder Kisa, who tells them about the Summer of Red Storms. Meet Ikram, who tells them about Arcus. Meet the smith, Jasu. Meet the Charmhearts.
  • Mar 29, 1748 DR, evening: Speak with Candrosa, who is nervous and seems to be hiding something. Learn about Shakun’s Protection from Candrosa. Learn rumors of permanent lightning storm on the plains, and half-human, half-hyena beasts known as gnolls raiding.

Narrative

The session began with the party waking up in the intact temple of the ruined fort, a sense of calm and peace permeating the area after the defeat of the zombie hobgoblin and the destruction of the cursed obsidian focus. After a little while spent in further exploration, as well as sketching the face of the petrified explorer and briefly debating heading back in the tunnels to try to tame a cockatrice, the party set off for Karawa. Before leaving, Seeker studies the tunnel a bit and learns that it is relatively old, at least a few months and maybe more, and created by a creature. Taking the relics found in the temple (including the small spearpoint statue enchanted with continual light), the Black Iron Staff inscribed with the words: “I bind you to the black wind, I bind you to my flame, I bind you in my power until the sun fails and the moon is dead” in Draconic, what looks like a holy symbol relating to Cha’mutte (made of black pearl and polished silver in a twisted flame design), as well as the golden floating coin and a horn engraved with a running horse design, the party leaves. 

Traveling back to Karawa took about 3 days at a fast, but not exhausting, pace. Arriving in the early afternoon on March 29th, the town has changed. Lots of people – not just Dunmari – have arrived for the Festival, and the markets and games that accompany it, and a large tent city has grown up on the outskirts of town. The caravanserai is bustling, and there is more activity and trade happening in Karawa than any of you had seen since arriving in what was a sleepy town. 

RIght away, the party finds Elder Kisa, and reports to her that they seem to have destroyed the source of the disturbances. Kisa has been quite worried, as news of several more attacks have come into town with travelers returning for the festival. Kisa is not able to tell them much about the staff, and seems taken aback by the Draconic writing on it, directing them to Candrosa. She does, however, talk about the Summer of Red Storms, a time about 40 years ago when some half-human, half-hyena creatures rampaged across the border for two months before they were stopped. She also tells them the sketch of the petrified explorer is not someone from Karawa, and directs them to Ikram to learn more about him. As they leave, she tells them that the town will pay for their stay at Ikram’s while they are here, in thanks for the aid they provided the town.

Heading to the caravanserai, the party meets Ikram, who is eager to sit and talk and share stories and meet new people. Ikram tells them a bit about the petrified explorer. His name was Arcus, and he passed through town maybe a month ago. Kept to himself, and didn’t stay long (and wasn’t the first stranger to come through over the winter; several other quiet, silent types had passed through). Ikram recalls that Arcus spoke with a foreign accent, and paid with unusual coin that Kenzo recognized from the description as Chardonian. Arcus was interested in artifacts and was asking who might be able to identify them, and was directed to Jasu, the smith. From Ikram, they also learned that Alesh is considered the local expert in Dunmari history and especially artifacts people turn up on the road, and they heard more news of people who were attacked by beasts. Akan, who the party met at the Gomat oasis, made it safely to town with his surviving family. Another herder, Devana and his family, were attacked by axebeaks and lost several family members.

After a bit more conversation with Ikram about lighter subjects, including the upcoming axebeak riding competition before the Festival of Rebirth, the party headed for Jasu’s shop, to ask about Arcus. Ending up back at Ikram’s with Jasu, the party talks about Arcus. Jasu tells them Arcus was asking about artifacts, especially things dating from the Great War. He left a couple of spear points with Jasu, silvered, and asked if he would haft them to wooden shafts so they could be used. It sounded like Arcus expected to be back in town in a few weeks at most, and Jasu thought it strange he had not returned. The silvered spearpoints were odd, too – hard to work with and resistant to forging. 

Leaving Jasu to his dinner, they head to say hello to a group of halflings – marked by their colorful wagons – in town for the Festival and markets. The matriarch of the group introduces herself as Bree Charmheart, and welcomes the party to sit and chat for a bit. After some small talk with Wellby, reflected on their shared Sembaran origins, she seems to get increasingly chilly and unwelcoming. Wellby asks her about her sick companion, and she acts like they have overstayed their welcome in a short time. Just before the party leaves, a disheveled, unkempt halfling staggers out of one of the wagons, looking around dazed and confused but with an incongruous look of joy on his face. As the party hurries away, Wellby tells them that this disheveled halfling was talking to him, talking about the master, saying “The master is waiting. You’ll find joy with the master, the master wants you to come and join us. Over and over and over asked him to name the master and he said the master is my master, Master will consume the world and bring us joy.”

At this point, the party splits up before bed. Delwath, Seeker, and Wellby head to the oasis to meditate and try to get insight from Shakun, while Kenzo continues to talk and drink with Ikram. About 10:30 or 11 at night, Candrosa walks out of the temple of Shakun, sees most of the party, and sends Wellby to get Kenzo at the inn, where Wellby proceeds to attempt an ancient halfling trick to sober you up quick involving three eggs and a stick.

Eventually the party gathered at the oasis and the temple, seeing a man on a horse in warrior gear ride past leaving the temple as they are assembling (this is Havdar, a warrior who reported the rumors of hyena-humanoids attacking to the south to Candrosa). Candrosa ushered them into a small room to the side of the entryway of the Temple of Shakun. As the party began to talk with Candrosa, it became clear he was nervous and hiding something. When asked directly, he seemed almost relieved, but also uncertain as to whether he could trust the party, and almost struggling with himself as to how much to reveal. After hearing the stories of why the party is there, and casting Zone of Truth and asking them if they are here to aid or hinder Karawa, he begins to talk, telling the party about the magic of Shakun that protects the borders of Dunmar, creating illusions and misdirection preventing enemies from finding their way in the desert. He talks about how this magic has kept Dunmar safe for many generations, and then about how Shakun seems to have abandoned the Dunmari. He is terrified and asks for their aid, saying “If Shakun cannot protect us, we will have to rely on more mundane forces.” During the conversation, he also passes along two additional rumors, one about a never-ending lightning storm, and one about rampaging hyena-humanoids, but says there will be time to talk more in the morning.