Fifty-Ninth Session - Leaving Azkaresh

Session resumes with an overview of the next couple days spent sorting out Azkaresh’s future. The new Governors are installed without incident, and Raashid heads off to retirement accompanied by Hepatian and Celus.

Raul brings news that Sol will arrive in an hour or so. The party discusses their situation as convicts who are supposedly still bound by the anklets. Going East without a mission is illegal, they’ll need to forge something to grant them passage. This leads to discussion about whether they should fake their own deaths to be free of the Crown, fake Raul's death for the same reason, and whether Raul will die on their journey. This devolves into story time about Max's past and also Celia's love life.

After eventually reconnecting with Raul, the party (badly) lay out the fake-death plan, and find out he's already been planning it as an option since releasing them from their anklets. Raul says that being a Crownsguard is him living his Best Life, which everyone agrees is very sad. He is 'casteless' under Dwarven society, which means he doesn't have much of a future in Dwarven culture. Raith offered him a better path. Max tries to convince him that better doesn't mean best, it's worth taking risks to try and get more, and has he considered mercenary work?

Ishaq meanwhile has stormed off to yell at a shrine to the Lord of Lost Causes, who has given Raul the opposite of hope in exchange for his devotion:

*Hey Lord of Lost Causes,*

*Preaching hopelessness to your earnest, sincere followers seems cruel. I know a great man who thinks he has no future, it’s truly heartbreaking. Be less horrible to your followers before I take them all.*

*Awaiting your reply,*

*Ishaq Duvainor*

Meanwhile Celia gets smoothies, puts a dead rat in Sol's drink. The party then goes shopping!

Max knows that as they head East, they can expect encounters with Sandworms, and then across the mountains they'll see jungles with poisonous creatures. He also warns that Cyrus and whatever crew he has will be tough, smart fighters. He recommends tools to detect traps and tricks and ambushes are helpful.

Celia sells Ayleen's magic rapier for 30 000 gold pieces!!! Ishaq rolls a 21 investigation check for all the stuff they want, so there’s no trouble finding items. He also persuades the shopowner to grant a discount. They get:

* Ishaq buys a Potion of Poison Resistance
* Celia gets a Bag of Tricks, bag of holding, potion of poison resistance, and luckstone
* Max gets a potion of Poison resistance, a potion of Hill Giant Strength, and a +1 Shield
* Markoris gets a potion of Psychic resistance

Back at the barracks, Sol has arrived. Max and Ishaq think Sol looks gaunt and drained, deeply concerned about something. Celia asks if Talith is dead. Sol says she's all right but won't be rejoining the group - she has been sent West.

Sol tells the party in confidence that Raith has been invaded from the West across the landbridge that joins Raith to the country of Xiàngoú. Border posts have been overrun and regiments wiped out, Raith’s military has been mobilized.

Max is familiar with this foe from his military service. He knows they're an alliance of different races, including elves, dragonborn - not organized around a racial hierarchy like Raith. The country’s name literally translates to ‘country of law.’ This kind of invasion hasn’t happened in Max’s lifetime, but it’s not historically unprecedented.

Sol shares that about a third of the Keep's guards \*and prisoners\* have been sent out west to aid in the fight. Including Ayleen Tua. Markoris suggests Ayleen will just desert, but Sol says they all have the same kill anklets the Keepers once did. Max is worried she'll leverage this opportunity to start rising to power again.

Ishaq asks Celia to send a message to Ayleen:

*Hey Ayleen, Heard you chose a cold death instead of an executioner’s blade. That sucks, terrible choice. I’m somewhere warm. Die alone and sad thanks.*

All he hears back is chuckling, followed by '*I'll send you a postcard, love*.'

Markoris bids farwell to the Bishop, and then the party departs Azkaresh. Markoris is in lead, rolls high on Perception, sees a smudge on the horizon - growing and getting closer. Max recognizes it's a sandstorm, and vividly recalls the guy they found who was buried alive in it. Ishaq recalls lore about how dangerous Sandsea sandstorms can be

Markoris spots a man in red riding fast on a camel, heading West. He diverts toward the party. Max’s perception check reveals he is lightly armed but appears non-hostile. Ishaq Messages him, asks if he wants shelter. The traveler tells them of an oasis nearby.

Meanwhile Max messages the Warden via Nose Stone, asks if there's a path underground they can shelter in. He hears that the nearest one is an hour away, while the oasis is ten minutes away. Ishaq knows of spots like this: protected shrines where travelers shelter from the storms. The traveler passes Max's Insight check, so it’s decided they will run to the oasis as fast as they can. This forces a CON save, and Max, Sol, and Celia all take a point of Exhaustion from their sprint, imposing disadvantage on ability checks.

They reach the oasis in a hurry. It’s a beautiful environment as though crafted by a very talented artist, with a small shrine on an island in the water. Markoris and Celia hear the rumble of thunder in addition to the rising wind of the sandstorm. Others are sheltering in the oasis - the party has to scramble to get in the Shrine before they invoke the magical ward that will protect them from the storm.

Max, Markoris and Ishaq help everyone pack up their tents and stuff before the storm hits. Everyone heads into the Shrine before the full storm begins. It’s very crowded. A fifty foot magic bubble pops up to protect the Shrine.

Max recognizes that they're in a shrine to the Sun Goddess - She of the Shining Light. Max points it out to Ishaq, who does an Arcana check to recognize there's also a secret symbol to Sarashim. The party waits out the sandstorm for two hours, before Markoris peeks out and sees the storm is over.

It’s late now: 2 AM. Fireflies are out. Celia eats one. The party sets up camp for the night, while the other civilians move on with their travels. The party starts a Long Rest. Ishaq and Celia take first watch, which passes quietly. Then Max and Markoris start second watch, and they hear weird clattering sounds approaching the camp, like bone against bone. At the same time, Ishaq dreams of Ayleen telling him: “Have a present.”

The watch rouse the party. By now, it’s clear they are surrounded by enemies on all sides. Max tries to get everyone to fall back to the shrine, but then a form rises from the bridge itself - a ghost.

ROLL INITIATIVE

ROUND ONE

1. Ghost - Horrifying Visage - WIS save - Raul fails and is frightened - Ghost moves into melee with hands outstretched

2. Markoris - Holds action to shoot at whatever is approaching from the west

3. Max - attacks for 16 magical slashing damage, disengages

4. SKELETON ARMY crests the dunes - Markoris' bowshot does 10 damage to one - it closes to melee and attacks Markoris, misses - others close in all around

5. Celia - Misty Steps away from ghost

5. Sol - Magic Missile at lvl 3 on the ghost - 13 damage

6. Ishaq - casts Daylight on the Driftglobe + Greater Invisibility on Celia

7. Raul - flanks and attacks skeleton assailing Markoris - skeleton is destroyed

8. ?? - a low groaning sound comes over the dune, accompanied by a hissing - a a large humanoid creature with an exposed ribcage attacks - uses Soul Rend, forces a CON save in a 20 ft radius - 44 necrotic damage to Markoris, Raul, and Alana, 22 damage to Sol

9. Alana - END OF SESSION