Burning Sands

A multi-session and complicated adventure that started in Velora, moved to Hotempa and culminated in the Temple of Eternal Stars, this was one of the touchstone adventures of the campaign, and introduced Baelwren SummerStorm to the Companions of the Rising Sun.

Intro

The introductory phase of this adventure is detailed in the 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 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 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 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 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 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.

Hotempa

Hotempa

Hotempa is a largish city in the desert, last true civilized location before the empty waste. It is full of rumors, lies, backstabbing, and innuendo - a web of cross-information and complexity. Who knew what, and what they would tell the party is detailed in the Information Web and the Information Key , which are themselves keyed to the Hotempa Map (see the Hotempa page for more detail).

Most importantly, the party learned that there was a chance - though slim - that Vec was not what he appeared, but was instead a member of the Order of the Holy Compass - the Mage Hunters - and was using the Blood Fists as a front or as muscle in some covert operation.

Preparations

After learning that two groups of people - one of which was led by Thurbold Vec - had recently headed out to the Eastern Desert, the Companions began to prepare for an excursion into the desert themselves. They replaced Nigel's armor with a custom-made ceramic breastplate, and hired a guide: Baelwren SummerStorm, who, in the initial interview, drank Jericho under the table.

Desert Excursion

After suitable preparations were made, the party ventured out into the desert, following Baelwren's guidance. The soon encountered Thurbold Vec himself, dying in the wasteland. Obviously the victim of an ambush, he confirmed that he was a member of the Holy Compass, and told the party that he was murdered by his own daughter, Carriyn bint Vec. She intended to claim the amulets for herself, and continued on to the Temple of Eternal Stars. He then died.

Temple of Eternal Stars

The entrance to the Temple of Eternal Stars stands some 70 feet off the floor of the desert. By the time the Companions caught up, Carriyn and her retainers were already in the Temple. Forced to climb, the Companions had a near escape with disaster when Jericho slipped and fell, nearly dying from a grave concussion. Fortunately, Nigel's ability to lay on hands cured the most grievous of his wounds, allowing him to heal himself the rest of the way.

We Are Not Alone

Upon ascending to the entrance, the party found the Temple to be occupied by more than just Carriyn's group. A team of scholars calling themselves The Archeologists was in residence, doing research on the old temple and attempting to figure out how to open the doors to the lower level.

Though disparing of the odds, Carriyn's group attacked the Archeologists, and both they and the Companions discover how disturbingly deadly a mid/high level fighter and rogue working together can be. Carriyn's retainers were sliced to ribbons in mere moments, and Carriyn herself surrendered. She was captured, bound, and locked into a room in the Temple the Archeologists called the Chamber of Solace, a magically dark, silent room with a strong lock.

She later escaped, of course.

The Archeologists

See the Archeologists page for more details on these unique adventurers.

Level 1

The first level of the temple consists of 8 locations.

Archeologists quarters

Once a common room, this is the room that the Archeologists have chosen as their bunk/mess hall.

Library/Workroom

A room full of ancient

Level 2

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Cold and dark, this hallowed tomb Shall remain, drained of her beauty. Until once more I look Upon dawn’s gilded face

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This was a large complex, filled with traps, encounters, and information. WORK IN PROGRESS