Editing Burning Sands (section)

==Intro==
The introductory phase of this adventure is detailed in the {{pdf|Burningsands intro.pdf|Intro flowchart}}. It takes place about four weeks after the events of the [[Wreck of the Venerable Drake]].
===Auction===
It started off with an auction, at which was rumored to be sold some gear belonging to the [[Blood Fists]], whom the party believed responsible for an attack on them during the affair of the [[Wreck of the Venerable Drake]]. The Companions purchased a set of tack, which was marked with the logo of the Carriage House, a Velora stable and outfitters. The saddlebags contained, among other things, two books - a copy of ''[[Red Day Dawning]]'', and the ''[[Librera]]''. It had belonged to Salah Abdul Rashid, the sorcerer of the [[Blood Fists]] that attacked the Companions.
===Books===
Folded inside ''Red Day Dawning'' was a {{pdf|Thurbold letter.pdf|letter}}, which described the Companions and their next mission in great detail, and also instructed the bearer to retrieve the [[Breath of the Four Winds]] and the [[Heart of the Endless Sea]] by whatever means required.

Tucked inside the ''Librera'' was {{pdf|Bloodfistorg.pdf|a chart}}, which appeared to detail someone's attempts to figure out the composition and organization of the [[Blood Fists]]. The chart was, however, damaged, and much appeared to be in code. However, one name was given in the notes. 

Finally, scrawled inside the cover of the ''Librera'' was a prayer of some sort, titled the {{pdf|Bloodfistlitany players.pdf|Litany of the Blood Fists}}.

Combined, these items seemed to indicate that one [[Thurbold Vec]], in [[Velora]], was worth investigating.
===Velora===
Traveling to their hometown, Velora, the Companions discovered that Vec had purchased the Carriage House. The Companions were attacked nearly as soon as they arrived, by some thugs hired apparently for that purpose. Vec's office had been abandoned, but left with traps for the Companions. Once the traps had been disabled, they discovered {{pdf|Thrubold2.pdf|a second letter}}, this one signed by Thurbold's hand and instructing the bearer to eliminate the Companions and retrieve the Breath, and then meet Thurbold in [[Hotempa]].

The Companions naturally decided to proceed to Hotempa, in hopes of finding out just why they kept being attacked, and what was so important about the [[Amulets of the Elements|amulets]] they carried.
===Desert Roads===
Venturing into the desert was a first for all the Companions. Though most of the journey was uneventful, they did have one memorable encounter with the [[Lonely Roads Band]] - a group of traveling undead bards, which nearly ensnared them with their mystical music and drained them of all life.