Seven-Sided Sand Souls – Session 4

The party mingled in the fancy establishment. Mixed in amongst the sheiks, entertainers, and servers, the party also saw what appeared to be other groups of adventurers. When they asked around, they learned that many groups of adventurers were gathered here, waiting for the Queen’s Lottery to select teams to enter the Great Hunt. They also learned that one team in particular, the Sand Scorpions, was the only team rumored to have actually succeeded in a prior Hunt for another ruler.

As the party approached Lady Farsight, who was holding court with a small audience and telling them about the virtues of the party, and that they had saved her 3 times on her trip, a lovely cat folk female quietly called Karwl over for a private conversation.

She offered 500 gold per party member if they would chase down the thief, who had fled into the Perfume district. When asked why she couldn’t just go herself, she explained that there were those in the Perfume district that would do her harm, and also that there was only one of her.

Karwl drunkenly stumbled off, mumbling something about asking the other party members.

Zephyr noticed a richly-adorned and quite overweight gnoll, who skillfully was watching and eavesdropping. Aswan and Zephyr approached this gnoll, who was constantly eating.

He said that Hjenna was a known thief and that she was only trying to get the item to sell it. He, on the other hand, was a respected business owner who sought the Eye to protect the city from nefarious characters that might do harm with it. He told them that they could meet him at his estate, which was close by, to discuss the details of their service to him. He then left.

As this was going on, Zithgar, Karwl, and Belladonna met with the Sand Scorpions, a group that included Cable Clayborn (a minotaur), Frydor (a lion), and Dulvana and Rolland (both Dragonborn). After some banter, Zithgar and Cable came to an accord. The Party learned that the minotaur had once had a thriving kingdom that had been destroyed from both within and from external enemies, and that Cable was seeking to restore the minotaur race back to glory. Frydor had a similar story for the lion peoples of the Deep South. They had formed a group as adventurers and to gain power and fame so that they might be able to achieve their quests.

Cable then told the party how the Hunt worked. It would not start until 48 hours after the Queen Reborn announced a parade, and if their group was commissioned, they would be provisioned and sent into the dangerous desert to try to find lost artifacts. If the artifacts were returned, there would be great rewards. He also explained other adventurers commissioned for the hunt would be competition, but not necessarily enemies.

Belladonna returned to Hjenna, who said that she wanted the party to leave immediately to pursue the thief or she would hire another party. When pressed, she disclosed that Hakaan al-Khareem Zmirr Nill Mo Chatooor had proposed to her many times but she had always said no, and that if he gain possession of the gem he would use it to force her to marry him! When asked about the allegations of being a thief, she flippantly said, “Yeah, of course he would say that, he writes in his love letters to me that I have stolen his heart!” Hjenna also told Belladonna that Hakaan was a crime lord and had scores of thugs working for him, and she pointed out two in the Shivering Mirage. Exasperated, she then said that Hakaan probably already had his crews moving through the Perfume district looking for the thief at that very moment, and if the party delayed any longer, he would find the gem first!

The session ended with the party picking a name — “Wgasa” which means “who gives a s@$# anyway.”