Fury of the Wastewalker Journal - Session One (1-1)

Jarvix, a tiefling psion, Barcan, a human sorcerer, and Phye, a human fighter and older sister of Barcan, start the adventure in the merchant village of Altaruk. Jarvix and Barcan are members of the Veiled Alliance, a secret society dedicated to protecting Athas from defilers – those who destroy the land in the process of using arcane magical powers. Jarvix and Barcan receive a message from the Alliance requesting them to travel to Tyr. Apparently the sorcerer king of Tyr has been killed, and the Alliance wants a report detailing the situation there.

Jarvix, Barcan, and Phye understand that the only safe way to get from Altaruk to Tyr is by caravan. The harsh desert would surely kill any adventurer foolish enough to try to cross the desert alone. The three approach Duicann, the caravan leader, and learn that a caravan for Tyr leaves the next morning. Phye offers to pay Duicann for passage with some “arrangements” but Duicann insists on monetary payment. Jarvix, Barcan, and Phye hand over letters of credit from the Alliance as payment for the caravan journey.

The caravan departs early the next morning. In the caravan are several carts, merchants, guards, slaves, and the adventurers. When the caravan stops for the first night, Barcan observes the night sky and has a prediction of terrible events about to occur. He wakes Jarvix and Phye, alerting them of his premonitions. Barcan makes sure that Duicann has set up guards protecting the camp for the duration of the night.

The next morning the caravan again sets off across the desert. At about midday, a terrible sand storm travels across the desert. The adventurers and three slaves take cover by jumping into one of the covered carts. The storm gets worse, and obsidian stone chips start raining down on the caravan. The sharp stones tear into the beast of burden towing the cart, and the beast takes off running madly across the desert with the cart in tow. As the storm settles down, the adventurers and three slaves exit the cart to inventory the situation. The beast pulling the cart is dead after being sliced to pieces by the obsidian storm and the rest of the caravan could be miles away.

The three slaves whose fates seem to now join the adventurers are Shikirr, a thri-kreen battlemind, Yuka, a mul fighter, and Castri, an elf ranger. Shikirr actually claims to be a slave by choice, but it seems like a tenuous declaration. As the six stranded travelers take stock of the situation, they find the cart is full of supplies, food, water, and some magical healing fruit in a chest.
Suddenly, a group of six or seven silt runners approaches the caravan. Silt runners are reptile like creatures, probably scavengers there to plunder the resources of the cart. The silt runners are armed with blowguns and various weapons made of bone. Even worse, off in the distance, dozens and dozens of additional silt runners are moving toward the group.

Battle breaks out with the nearby silt runners! The creatures deal a nasty amount of damage as the adventurers fight for their lives. As the battle progresses, some of the adventurers try to grab food and supplies from the cart, knowing that they’ve got just a few precious seconds before the silt runner forces arrive en masse. Jarvix manages to grab several packets of food from the cart. He seems to have more foresight than the rest. Barcan can’t seem to hit any enemies after his first attack – he must still be troubled with his fatalistic visions. Phye unleashes several deadly psionic attacks on the vicious foes. The slaves prove to be very worthy combatants as well. Castri deals damage with his daggers. Shikirr is quick to deal blows with his stone trikal. And the very large Yuka swings mightily with his bone alhulak.

As the battle carries on, the obsidian stones continue to fall, tearing into the skin of all those outside of the cart. At one point things get so desperate that Shikirr and Castri are brought down by the wicked silt runner attacks. Fortunately they are revived by their allies. Then just before the rest of the silt runners arrive, the party finishes off the first round of enemies. After grabbing what they can, the adventurers flee the coming waves of silt runners. After running for three hours, they have finally escaped the pursuing creatures. Now the adventurers are alone in the middle of the desert, injured from battle, and have precious little food and water.