Character insight for this chapter: Yuka
The party travels through the dark night, the storm continuing to push them north. It’s too dark to know if any ssuran continue to pursue. Once again the brave warriors are challenged by the harsh desert conditions. Although the sun has set and temperatures drop to a more survivable level, the darkness makes travel more challenging. Using skills of endurance, nature knowledge, and other abilities, the adventurers manage to travel through the night without spending too many precious resources.
As the group approaches the Table Mountains the sun rises again, casting it’s burning heat on the party. Then a lone figure appears in the distance. As the group approaches, they see it is a dwarf, dressed from head to toe in protective layers. The dwarf tells the group his name is Ralo, and he waves the approaching party to him. Jarvix and Barcan notice that Ralo displays the secret signal of the Veiled Alliance. The Veiled Alliance is dedicated to practicing arcane magic while preserving nature. The Alliance is opposed to defilers - those who destroy the environment while practicing arcane magic. Jarvix and Barcan respond by acknowledging their membership in the Alliance, and Ralo breaths a sigh of relief, knowing he has found friends.
Ralo tells the group that a ssuran shaman known as the Wastewalker is hunting arcane spell casters. The Wastewalker can be identified by his scars and disfigured features. Ralo sees the group has few supplies, and he offers bread and magical healing fruit to the party. Grateful for any assistance, the group accepts the gifts. Ralo also has a special gift for Barcan. Ralo reads from an ancient piece of parchment, and gives Barcan the ability to turn invisible after casting an arcane spell. Though the power can only be used once per day, Barcan realizes the value of such a gift.
As the adventurers talk to Ralo about where to travel next, the party is suddenly attacked. Two rock creatures known as obsidian dervishes, two sand creatures called dust devils, and an evil looking ssuran surprise the unaware party. As the ssuran screams out “KILL THE DEFILER” he and his allies attack the party, focusing on Ralo and Barcan. Although Barcan yells “WE‘RE NOT DEFILERS” the ssuran is unconvinced. The ssuran shouts back “ALL THOSE WHO PRACTICE ARCANE MAGIC ARE DEFILERS.”
The battle rages and Ralo is quickly killed. The rest of the party is brought to the brink of death as the ssuran unleashes a series of poisonous attacks. The dervishes and dust devils have lethal attack abilities as well, and Castri is knocked unconscious. At one point Yuka manages to grab a dust devil and hold it in place while Shikirr readies an attack. Yuka, enraged after taking several punishing attacks, chants “it’s dead, it’s dead” as Shikirr’s blade swings at the dust devil. Yuka is battling so fiercely, he believes he can will death to his enemies.
Eventually the tide of battle turns and the party manages to damage and kill the enemies one by one. When only the ssuran remains standing, Phy blasts the beast with an energizing strike, and it falls to the desert floor never to rise again.
After gathering themselves up and pausing a moment to heal wounds, the party looks down sadly at Ralo’s corpse. They knew Ralo only briefly, and his death serves as a reminder of the extreme danger they face. Resolved to destroy the Wastewalker, the party again travels north as the storm continues its relentless pursuit.
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