Company+of+the+Phoenix+Session+16

**12-9-2016** **Into the Desert with the Caravan and Assault of the Mysterious Sand People**

Charlemagne, Karlissa, Alix, and Anuul finished up in Arabel and left on horses to catch up to the others. With little trouble, they made it to the edge of the mountains where they heard large wings flapping in the area. The following day they arrived at Tilverton, a fort trading city surrounded by a large wooden palisade.

The group of four stabled their horses and made their way over the dirt covered ground to The Crossroads, the local tavern. It was a diverse crowd inside. A couple of dwarves, a couple of halflings, an elf... then they recognized the blue haired elven woman as their companion, Tiri, who was at a table surrounded by Alaric, Nalen, and Rhain. The two groups quickly converged, dragging two tables together and catching up. Alaric informed the group of the plan to escort Marco's caravan into the west, "I hope you're ready to quench your flaming blade in some orcs, cousin!" Charlemagne nodded, tapping his scabbard, "Sounds like a good time." Anuul was antsy at the table, "So what are we doing? What's going on? What's there to do here?" "It's a little boring actually," Tiri patted her. "Not with you guys! I know better!" the kitsune countered, still bouncing in her seat, "What about you, Goldy?" "I'm planning on a nice dinner, relaxing, and sitting around enjoying a fire," Alaric replied. "You're going wenching again?!" Anuul sighed with exasperation. Tiri laughed beside her.

Charlemagne heard rumor that there was a traveling mage trading in town, "I'm going to go check it out. Anyone else want to come?" Tiri nodded, "I'd love to go!" "Great! You like magic stuff right? You can help me out because I don't know much about it," Charlemagne beamed at her, standing up from the table. Alaric scowled, seeing himself as the magic expert that his own cousin didn't even acknowledge. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tiri turned back to the golden haired sorcerer, "Did you want to come?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Sure! If Tiri is going, I will go," Alaric nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Of course he is," Charlemagne sighed, encouraging Tiri's laughter.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The group reached the wagon where they met Morgan, the magic peddler. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"What sort of mystical wares do you have with you today, sir?" the strong warrior nodded to him in greeting. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"What are you looking for, sir? Potions?" Morgan opened the curtain on his wagon, showing several colored bottles on shelves. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Anything for someone of my expertise?" Charlemagne asked, flexing his shield arm and pulling his blade, "I bash things, and I bash them hard!" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The mage nodded, pondering, "How about some healing potions? I could whip you up some of those." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlemagne nodded, "That sounds good. I'll take 3. Do you have any rings or something for defense?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Morgan held up a fine amulet on a chain, "For the low price of 2000 gold." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The brunette nobleman paid the man his gold and put the potions away in his pack and donned the amulet around his neck.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Alix looked over the wares, picking out a cloak of elvenkind. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"2500 gold," Morgan nodded, showing off the camouflage effects that aided his stealth. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I'm a little short..." the young slayer looked forlornly into his bag of gold. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"I can help you out, cousin," Charlemagne offered Alix 500 gold. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The young buzzed hair nobleman accepted the offer happily and bought the cloak. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Thank you, Morgan," Charlemagne nodded, "Are you just passing through?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Yes," the mage nodded, "I'll be leaving with Marco's caravan in the morning. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Excellent! So are we," Charlemagne nodded, "So we'll be seeing more of each other." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Perhaps you'll have the chance to see your gear in action," Alaric nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"That would be nice to see my merchandise in action," Morgan agreed.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlemagne ordered a bath at the inn and the water was heated with fresh pots of boiling water. He soaked comfortably until he watched another person get into a bath that was just used... and then another... only freshened with boiling water... and then horrified, it occurred to him that he was not the first in the tub. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He then proceeded to stroll through the lobby in his towel.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The following day, the companions joined the caravan in the morning helping what little they could to prep for leaving. The horses were a little stand-offish to the strangers. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Marco came to the group, "I have 6 other security people lined up. How would you like to handle security? Two per wagon? I have about 8 wagons going." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlemagne answered, "We should have 2 in the front, 2 in the back, and the others can float among the wagons. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Charlemagne and Karlissa rode horses, leading the caravan from the front. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Alix and Nalen took horses to follow the caravan, protecting their back. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The others moved along near the wagons.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> It was cold in the morning as they left the outpost. They rode with a swift pace, heading west into the foothills. The trip went fairly uneventful for the first day. Circling the wagons, they made camp for the night. Some of the caravaneers cooked food over the fire, bringing it to the others. The night was cool, but uneventful.

The second day they could see a smoldering fire in the distance... As they crested over a hill, there was a circle of ransacked wagons smoldered with smoke. Several dead bodies were scattered around them. The companions went to investigate, halting the caravan to wait with the other security people.

There was a strange feeling of being watched and booted tracks led away from the battle. It appeared they sat in a half moon shape on top of the next hill where they rained down range weapons and magic on the unsuspecting citizens. The companions gathered the bodies. Nalen and Tiri buried them all, saying prayers over the dead. The others kept watch, letting the cleric and paladin work with focus. Tiri found a woman clenching her holy symbol to Gwaeron Windstalker in her hand. The elven woman carefully buried her with it. Alaric stared at a rock, unable to shake the feeling of being watched. Detecting magic in the area, he could tell that someone had been there... but nothing was there now.

That night the group circled the wagons again, keeping bigger watches. Tiri and Nalen took the first watch, dividing up the 6 security people among the other 3 watches with the other companions. The cleric kept feeling watched, "Nalen... I think I should walk the perimeter to check on things." "How about if I go walk the perimeter instead," he argued, frowning at her. She shook her head, "I see in the dark better than you do." "I'm wearing better armor," he countered, "You're practically in pajamas." "Which means that I'll be quieter than you," she smiled innocently. The two of them finally compromised on walking the perimeter together, but found nothing.

The two woke Alaric and Rhain for the second watch with 2 of the other security members. Looking over everything slowly while searching for any magic presence, Alaric eventually seen a strange looking silhouette of a man that took off when it realized Alaric seen it! The charismatic sorcerer sent Rhain to wake the cleric while he sent magic missiles from his finger tips into the shadow. Having scared it off, Alaric informed a sleepy Tiri of the presence of the undead creature and sent her back to sleep.

Alaric settled in near Tiri to sleep after waking Alix and Anuul to take the third watch, with 2 different security members. Anuul was very excited as they kept watch, "Have you ever seen undead? I've never seen one! I bet it's exciting!" Their watch was pretty quiet other than the young kitsune consistently chattering away.

Alix woke Charlemagne and Karlissa and the last two security members for the last watch. As the two warriors walked the area with Charlemagne complaining about the lack of a bathtub. Karlissa laid her hand on his chest, stopping him in his tracks, and causing him to look up. There in front of them were about 30 sand people dressed in uniforms and accompanied by a strange mage. "Good morning, good sirs, are you here for your morning ass whipping?" Charlemagne greeted them cheerfully. "Good morning... I appreciate the bravado," one of them stepped forward, "I will give you this one chance. Take your people. Leave that sword," he pointed at Charlemagne's flaming blade he had been using for light during their watch before, and then gestured toward the sleeping elven priestess, "And we want the key around her neck. Agree, and all of you can live." "I will have to talk it over with my compatriots," Charlemagne looked at him skeptically, "You'll have to give me a moment." The lead uniformed man pulled a small gear driven clock from his pocket, glanced at it and nodded to the warrior, "Okay. You're free to go and talk to your people."

Charlemagne glanced behind him as he strode back into the camp with Karlissa. The two woke everyone else, "We have company... about 30 sand people... and they want our stuff." "What?" Tiri rubbed her sleepy eyes, "They made demands? What did they say they wanted?" She sat up. "They said if you give them your key, they'll let us go," Charlemagne gestured at the blue haired elven woman. "What key?" Alaric turned to look at Tiri to see the chain around her neck where the key they had discovered in the dwarven dungeon hung. Tiri touched the key that laid over her chest, "That's the key to the door that holds secrets of the universe... And all they want is the key? Does that mean that they have the other two?"

"Where are these people?" Alaric stood up, "Weren't you on watch? How did 30 men sneak up on us?" Charlemagne sighed, "See these are all interesting questions that you're proposing... but you are not addressing the situation at hand. It's more relevant that they are here... and they want our stuff." "But all they want is the key?" Tiri touched the strange shaped key inscribed with initials, thinking that it certainly wasn't worth the lives of all of the people they were traveling with to challenge the demand. "And they said something about having our pussy mage come out for a chat," Charlemagne gestured nonchalantly. "What?!" Tiri stood up, "You tell them to leave Morgan alone. He makes fine magical goods." "Maybe it was something about a poor excuse of a fire mage... and something about your mother," the brunette warrior shrugged.

"Well I say we draw the wagons together and kill them all," Alaric spoke with purpose. "Kill them all... What exactly would you like me to tell them?" Charlemagne asked. "I'm sure once they see us pushing the wagons together that they'll understand our position," Alaric assured him, "I wouldn't send you out there alone... though I'm fully confident you can take all 30 of them... it would be impolite to not save some of them for us." "I'll be sure to save some just for you, cousin," Charlemagne nodded to him. Tiri still stood frozen, once more touching the key, "But if all they want is this key..." "And my sword," Charlemagne nodded to her, "And everything in the wagon... and then they'll probably kill us afterward much like they did to the last group we seen on the way." "Oh!" the young priestess blinked her blue eyes in surprise, "In that case..." She nodded, drawing her longsword for defense. "Do you have an answer?" the sandman's voice carried down to the group. Alaric had Marco hide the civilians behind the wagons and to prepare for a fight.

Tiri began weaving her magic to look for any undead in case that shadow was among them, but found nothing. The mage among the sandpeople was pale and surrounded in shadow. Alaric began weaving defensive magic around himself and directing the civilians to hide behind the wagons. They could hear a loud command come from up the hill, "Kill them. Bring me everything. A week's wages and a day in the tower for the man who brings me the key."

Arrows came over the wagons and a group flanked around, heading for the civilians! Another group went wide, heading for the companions. A group of four went around the other way, sending arrows between the wagons that pierced deeply into Nalen! One of the larger warriors clashed against Charlemagne who was just outside of the wagons, striking through his armor to pierce his shoulder! The shadowy mage began weaving magic.

Tiri washed out divine magic that healed some of the wounds of her companions. Nalen charged out past the wagons to engage the group of four heading for them, valiantly declaring oaths to Kelemvor the whole way. Charlemagne mounted one of the horses of the caravan and charged straight through the sandpeople archers, swiftly arriving next to the mage! Karlissa moved out to strike her blade into one of the archers. Alix and Anuul stood together, launching arrows back at the sand people archers.

Alaric instructed Rhain and Tiri to stay behind the wagons with him, "Make them come to us!" He wove more of his magic defenses. The shadowy mage touched Charlemagne leaving a fading glowing green handmark on his shiny armor, but nothing seemed to happen. Four of the uniformed sand people moved around one of the wagons, two of them clashing into Rhain while the other two surrounded Tiri. Two more moved around a different wagon toward the slayer and kitsune. Four continued to battle the red-haired warrioress. Five collapsed back to defend their mage, surrounding Charlemagne! Four of them overtook Nalen, dropping him in an unconscious bloody heap! The priestess's voice could be heard calling out to the paladin, but he could no longer hear her.

Charlemagne struck out with his flaming elven sword catching the mage and one of the military sand people in one great cleaving strike! Alix launched a double shot of arrows, piercing both into one of the sand people charging toward him, dropping him to the ground! Anuul fired her bow, piercing an arrow into the other charging for them. Alaric stepped between Rhain and Tiri, sending fire from his hands to wash over the four figures attacking the women next to him. Two of them dropped in a smoldering heap, but the other two screamed from their burns as they continued to stand. Rhain went after one of the burned soldiers, dropping him with her two blades.

The unchecked group of 8 sand soldiers finished taking down the 6 security members and began killing civilians! Karlissa continued to hold off the four sand people surrounding her, taking several wounds. The shadowy mage stepped back as the five soldiers surrounded Charlemagne, striking into him with their blades again and again! The four soldiers who managed to drop the paladin moved around the wagon, heading for Alaric and the women. The shadowy figure crept out from underneath the wagon and clutched the key, breaking the chain around her neck! She quickly called out, "He has the key!" One of the soldiers with Anuul's arrow sticking out of him struck his sword into Alix! The remaining burned soldier pierced his sword into Tiri!

Seeing a severely wounded Charlemagne heavily outnumbered across the battlefield, Tiri bolted out around sand people, her elven feet skimming over the ground to get close to him. One of the soldiers managed to strike his sword across her back as she passed through. Charlemagne managed to bloody two of the soldiers around him with his searing elven sword! Karlissa continued to parry what she could, holding back the four around her, but she couldn't seem to manage a hit.

Alix stepped back and sent another double shot of arrows into one of the soldiers as Anuul followed his lead, piercing another couple of arrows into the same guy! Alaric sent another wave of fire over the next wave of 4 soldiers coming toward them, but the shadow carrying the key slipped back under the wagon! The four, some of them already wounded from the paladin, dropped into burned and ashen bodies!

The shadow figure swiftly returned to it's mage master, passing the key to him before the mage vanished with him. Four of the soldiers faded away into sand behind him. The companions managed to take down the rest of the soldiers, but nearly half of the caravaneers had been killed. The young cleric healed as many as she could, including reviving their paladin of Kelemvor. They buried those who she couldn't save. The soldiers bore several symbols of Shar heraldry.

A small number of tracks headed up the hills in the sand... no more than those who had escaped. Marco and Morgan were among the survivors. Alaric sent them with the caravan back to Tilverton, preparing the Company of the Phoenix to chase the others up the hill after they recovered. They couldn't allow them to get into that dwarven hold with whatever secrets it held. Marco left them with enough food to survive the trip.