They Met at a Tavern 36: Fellow Travelers and Walking Trees

"I've never had better tree." - Drom, desert rider. 

Tonight: 

• Dan: Kiara, Elf Ras Godai
• Seana: Zanegar, 1/2 orc Sea Wolf
• Chris: Thorn, Dwarf Wizard
• Gordon: Gnashkrud, Half-orc Priest
• Roger: Drom, Dwarf Desert Rider 
• Angie: Glo: Dwarf Priest

Departing the Drow-occupied fort, the party continued on its tracking of the old road ruins and hopeful connection to other landmarks.

Losing the track, they traversed a dune field. Drom (and Trixie) sensed something amiss, as a pair of whirlpools opened up in sand, threatening to cause them to reenact a 70's movie quicksand scene.

Avoiding this curious hazard, the party moved on. 

Their dawdling had, of course, drawn the attention of predators.

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Damnit. The lizards attacked the camel, injuring her before one being slain and the second fleeing. Gnashkrud played veterinarian and healed the camel.

Around their lunch break, Kiara noticed that the sky had turned a sickly pink. Probably nothing to worry about out here...

Travel continued, with bits a pieces of road and dune-wandering. As evening approached, Trixie, ever diligent, gave a significant snort, indicating to Drom that she sensed water. As water skins were empty, he gave the camel her head, and she beelined to an oasis. 

Fronds of a pair of massive palm trees were glimpsed over the sand as they neared the water, standing out over the normal stunted growth of the Cold Desert. The party found this odd, but approached cautiously. 

The Spider-Oasi

The party approached the oasis, its fresh water sniffed out miles away by Trixie, Drom the desert rider's camel.

Fronds of a pair of massive palm trees were glimpsed over the sand as they neared the water, standing out over the normal stunted growth of the Cold Desert. The party found this odd, but approached cautiously, as their waterskins were empty. 

Drom scouted ahead. He spotted a few corpses. Humanoid, animal. Not unusual for a remote oasis to be bait for ambush predators. As he neared, he saw that the bodies were shriveled and desiccated, almost as if they have been sucked dry. He reined in Trixie.

As he pondered, the "palm trees" shuddered and arose, walking on knobby, twisted legs, predator heads with sucking mouth parts swinging to target the new intruders...

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The Spider-Oasi ("Walking Palm")

Not-quite-right massive “palm trees” at oases, appearing to have thick trunks and spreading, twisted roots. Ambush predators that arise from the sand to reveal spider-like bodies, grasping limbs, and sucking mouth-parts. Telegraph by husk-corpses.

AC 14, HP30, ATK 2 claw/stomp +5 (1d10), MV Close, S+4, D+1, C+3, I-1, W+2, Ch+1, AL N, LV6; Grab: If two successful hits, target is held. DC15 STR to escape. Ongoing 1d6 dmg/round as it feeds, sucking the victim dry. May continue to attack while feeding.

***

The party was able to best the pair that they encountered. Drom lured one away (although not without damage to himself and Zanegar), and the second was felled by a fortunate web spell and fire. Need to have more at the next oasis....

They Met in a Tavern 35: New Players Enter the Game

No, not necessarily at the table. Tonight: 

• Dan: Kiara, elf Ras Godai
• Rick: Bjorr, 1/2 orc Paladin
• Seana: Zanegar, 1/2 orc Sea Wolf
• Dave: Darkmist, elf Thief
• Andrea: Gabor, goblin Priest
• Chris: Thorn, Dwarf Wizard
• Gordon: Gnashkrud, Half-orc Priest 

Gordon's been at the table before, but has been running and playing in other campaigns that conflicted with stopping by lately. So again, not the player I'm referring too... 

Anyhow. The party spent the night at Saint Gyles' pyramid. Being good houseguests, they helped with a little light housekeeping (disposing of serpent-folk bodies) prior to departing. They rode eastward, to the sound of grinding stones, as the ghost resealed his crypt.

The party rode on, discovering a cairn carved with old runes and a depiction of a deity - a woman with raven feathers, geometric symbols, and a measuring staff. Zet peered at it and declared her to be Gyslana, an old goddess associated with portals and gates. Sometimes travelers and road-builders also prayed to her.

The meditations on the goddess were abruptly ruined by a pair of ghasts and several ghouls. Most of the party fought off the choking stench, and Gnashkrud effected a turn undead. Most undead fled, a couple rolled Nat 1s and exploded, and one very angry ghast remained to proceed to take revenge on the priest. Ghast-stomping happened. With the presence of the Gyslana shrine, the party theorized the undead to be a party of unlucky surveyors.

Did they come from a grave or barrow? Can we raid it? Well, of course you can. This is why I always keep a few extra barrows on hand. 

Light was cast, and down they went. Darkmist checked a door - no traps. No, trapped. A burning hands rune singed off their eyebrows. Some minor grave goods, a healing potion, and a piece of meteor were found. A second door was not trapped, but the chamber had already been cleared but for some pocket change. The main chamber of the barrow appeared to be where the original foes hung out. A final door at the end of the chamber was cracked open, revealing a grumpy Wight. 

rawr

Bjorr charged it and... got his sword stuck in the door. The wight attacked back, causing harm and drain to the paladin. Thorn webbed up both of them, allowing the party to dispatch the wight without any more bad touch. 

More loot (primarily decorative weapons and armor) were claimed, and on they went.