Id: 45fa2bb8-7736-48c9-aafa-17b12bd0b61f
SessionDate: 2024-11-17
GameDate:
{
	Day: 13
	Month: Istenarum
	Year: 3322
}
Author: Logan
Title: A City in the Sands
Text: "The party (consisting of Xedran, Dheir, Cassian, and Saxon+their Menagerie) traveled the day, the endless blackened sand broken up only by the occasional bit of gray rock. Dheir would check each passed for potential aether ore, but that was the only stops they made as they traversed the dunes. Eventually they began to smell sage, choosing to follow the scent as best they could, leading them all to a dehydrated body partially buried by sand and a camp at the bottom of the sand dune. Cassian used the Thorn Whip spell to pull the body from the sand, Dheir then searched it finding a coin, magical salve, dagger, a map showing a path to an important looking building. Cassian's best guess about what happened to the person was that they were a Deathling, likely exiled from their home, but succumbed to the heat and lack of water trying to cross the Ember Sands. They searched the camp but found nothing of value. The party continued to walk to the west, soon they came across an area with some plant life and relatively flat. 

They made camp for the night, while most had a peaceful night and uneventful watch, Cassian fell asleep during his watch, dreaming of the Void, a section of the night sky typically empty of Stars, slowly filling with new stars, a stark contrast to the prior dreams of a sky with no stars at all. Dheir woke him up on the morning of the 12th of Istenarum irritated, chastising him for falling asleep on watch. She told him they could all be captured or dead due to anyone being able to sneak up on them, though Cass assured her he would do better in the future, he still joked about there not being any enemies around so it was fine this time, not knowing that a pair of desert-lizard-men stood on a dune on the horizon watching them. The duo came and greeted the party after they all used various arm movements to acknowledge each group was peacefully. Xedran used his bardic magics to translate as the two desert-lizard-men (a species of people known of the group had seen before) set up a blanket with pieces of jewelry. The groups did some bartering of items between them while also talking of the area. They told the party of a city in the same general direction the party was traveling in, the city was the home to a short, dark-skinned people, a different people than the Dwarves, Boggans, or Deathlings. They finished their business and the party thanked them for the information before resuming their travels, adjusting their path based on the directions given to them. 

The travel was uneventful, occasional rock formations broke the monotony of the sea of black sand, the hours passed, the party went up and down dunes, the mountain range that is their destination still out of sight. The day become evening and the party finally was able to see a city resting on a mesa above the sands, lights could be seen within it but the party decided the remaining distance and climbing the winding road up to the top of the rock would be better tackled in the morning. They set up camp and watch order, Dheir made sure to remind Cassian not to fall asleep. The night passed without incident, though on Cass's watch he noticed an amulet with a jewel in the sand. He used a Detect Magic spell on it, finding it lacked any magical aura, he put it on, sliding it under his armor to keep it hidden for now, as he was going into an unfamiliar city and it could be a symbol for something within it. 

The dawn of the 13^th^ of Istenarum came, the party packed their camp and began the next leg of their journey, traveling a few more hours across the sands and up the winding road to the city gates. Xedran again used his magic to translate as the guards at the gate began speaking in a language none of the party knew. They explained the city was named Darseem, they must turn in their weapons, and no magic is allowed within the city except by the clerics of the Waterbringer. They seemed to have no name for their species when asked for one. The party turned in their weapons and began looking around, seeing many people and buildings lining the streets. In the distance, they could see a few large circular buildings rising above the rest. Dheir knew what she wanted to do immediately, find an arena and take on a fight against a local. 

It took some time, but they came to one of the large buildings, learning it was known as the Ivy Arena, Dheir signed up immediately while the rest of the party found seats in the stands amongst the locals, all shorter than the three of them (especially Saxon). Many of them cheered as the local fighter came out, Xedran caught a few mentioning Dheir had no chance as she came out to face her opponent. The fight started, Dheir and the Waterkeeper (a nickname for the locals Cass decided to use until they learn of a more appropriate name) went at each other, but it was clear within moments who the winner would be as Dheir put her best effort forward but the Waterkeeper enhanced their punches and kicks with elemental forces, taking Dheir down in seconds. The crowd cheered as their fighter was announced victorious and Dheir was moved out of the fighting ring to the medical tent. The party met her there to see how she was doing and determine next steps within Darseem, unsure of what might await them within the thick city walls."