Episode 1, "Oasis of the Damned"
Campaign Date: Year Of The Vulture, Month of Monodrum, Days 1-16
GM: Dave "Dr. Skull" Nelson
Characters:
Conrad, Hyperborean, Soldier, level 1 (Joe Fryer)
Grimjob the Eunuch, Shemite, Soldier, level 1 (Andrew Smith)
Vegeta, Southern Islander, Barbarian, level 1 (Marlon Kirton)

Prologue:
“It seemed like a good idea at the time. We joined Captain Galerius’ mercenary band when he was recruiting every cutthroat, exile, and dog-thief he could get his hands to take part in a joint expedition of Shushan and Nippr. It was a grand scheme; the two cities would drive the Turanians out of the Eastern Desert oases, and maybe even seize Zamboula. Captain Galerius, our fearless leader, was a penniless Nemedian from a noble house who dreamed of riding this victory to wealth, glory and power. You see, he was the favorite of the young queen of Shushan, and had hitched his wagon to her star. Alas, little did or captain and the Queen of Shushan know that the entire expedition was a trap. The king of Nippr and the Turanians were in secret league to destroy the Shushanians and seize their city. Once the army of Shushan was deep into the Eastern Desert, the Turanians attacked, and the Nipprites joined them, taking the Queen’s army from the rear…”

Log:
Eastern Desert, the Grand Caravan Road, Day 1
When Queen Jumila of Shushan saw the Nipprites betray her army, she asked the Virgin Oracle to send one of her guards to summon Captain Galerius’ mercenary heavy horse. They chose Grimjob Al-Habak to send the news. Grimjob rode off towards Galerius’ banner, and killed 2 Nipprite horsemen on the way, although he himself was wounded.

Meanwhile, Conrad and Vegeta were on guard over a train of water-camels, along with their squad-mates the Zingarans Tito, Vizzarro and Hernando. They witnessed Galerius and his men ambushed by Nippr’s Zuagir Nomad allies, and saw Galerius and many of his men destroyed by some foul sorcery. Just then, Galerius’ banner-bearer broke from the press and dashed toward Conrad and Vegeta’s position, chased by 8 Zuagirs on foot. The standard bearer was shot to death and his brains were splattered all over Conrad. Then Vegeta, Conrad and the three Zingarans moved forward to exchange missile fire with the Zuagir ambushers. Conrad and Vegeta soon closed to melee combat, but the three Zingarans slipped away and made off into the deep desert with the camels and all the carried food and water. The Zuagirs were soon supported by 4 more of the clan on horseback, but Grimjob chose this moment to appear and support the 2 mercenaries in the fight. Soon all 12 Zuagirs were killed. Vegeta had suffered a serious scimitar wound, and Grimjob was still hurting from the Nipprite arrows.

As Grimjob, Conrad and Vegeta surveyed the scene from a small hill, they saw the Queen’s position overrun by the Turanians and the entire Shushan army disintegrate into a panicked mob. They three warriors were left with a difficult decision, but they figured that their best chance was to track down the 3 treacherous Zingarans, take the food and water supplies, and seek safety across the deep desert.

Vegeta was able to follow the trail of the Zingarans. About nightfall, they heard a woman screaming up ahead. Vegeta charged forward to find Tito and Vizzarro pawing over a woman at their makeshift camp. He arrived among them but was brutally stabbed by Tito, grievously hurting him. Soon Conrad and Grimjob arrived in support and killed both Zingarans. The woman, a fellow refugee from the army, was named Drusilla and said that when she was taken by the Zingarans, Hernando made off with most of the camels, as Tito and Vizzarro had been distracted with her. There was enough food and water left in Tito and Vizzarro’s kit to last the party about 3 days.

Vegeta and Grimjob were still suffering from their wounds, but they attempted to track Hernando anyway. Vegeta, however, lost the trail in the darkness.

Day 2, Eastern Desert
They are unable to catch up with Hernando.

Day 3, Eastern Desert
They find clear sign of Hernando’s progress and track him to the edge of a creepy purple and orange oasis. Conrad is overcome with a deep uneasiness at the sight of the place.

Day 4, Oasis of the Damned
The party sets up a camp at a sand dune and rests the entire day, in order to allow Vegeta and Grimjob time to recover from injuries and exertion.

Day 5, Oasis of the Damned
Their supplies gone, Vegeta, Grimjob and Conrad enter the oasis, leaving their horses and camels with Drusilla. After an hour of searching around, Conrad was becoming more and more obsessed with running back out of the oasis and being with Drusilla. Vegeta was beginning to think that Conrad was meaning to stab him in the back. Grimjob kept hearing a strange chant that no one else heard.

Then, a swarm of 6 orange-eyed, purple bats swooped down upon them. Their hideous, otherworldly appearance made both Vegeta and Grimjob swoon in terror. Conrad fought a long, battled with them but then collapsed in exhaustion from a multitude of small wounds. Destiny stepped in, and a handful of water trapped in a leaf was shaken loose and fell full upon Grimjob’s face, awakening him from his swoon. He leaped up and did battle with the 4 hell bats that Conrad had not slain, and swoon slew them all. He ministered to Conrad and Vegeta, and in a few minutes, they were all ready to go forward.

Within the next half hour, Vegeta finally led them to Hernando, who was stone dead with a huge gaping wound in his chest. As Vegeta and Grimjob searched the gear, Conrad moved back into the bushes to be on guard. However, he only attracted the notice of the Nameless Horror of the Oasis of the Damned, a hideous, ape-like creature with no head, but with a huge shark-like mouth in the midst of its chest. The creature charged Conrad, who swooned in terror. It moved onward and failed to grab hold of Grimjob. Vegeta then speared the monster in the back, causing it to turn on him and seize hold. The monster pulled Vegeta to his horrible mouth and began to gnaw on him; Meanwhile, Grimjob jammed his sword into the back of the creature, all the way to the hilt. As the sword continued to inflict damage on the beast, Grimjob shot its back full of arrows until it died. After reviving Conrad and bandaging up Vegeta’s sucking chest wound, they hauled all the food and water out of the oasis.

Day 6, Oasis of the Damned
They rest to recover from their harrowing ordeal.

Day 7-9 Eastern Desert
Vegeta, Conrad, Grimjob and Drusilla travel northeast across the desert toward the town of Akhlat.

Day 10 Eastern Desert
The adventurers are intercepted by a man of the Red Falcon clan of Zuagirs, the men of Sheik Abu. A messenger demands tribute of them, but they refuse. Later, Vegeta notices that about 25 of the Zuagirs have gathered nearby. The adventurers decide to attack them in their camp at night. They sneak up and see that 10 of the nomads are on guard, and an additional 14 are asleep in their tents. The three warriors manage to kill 8 of the guards silently with arrow fire, and then kill 6 more asleep in their tents. But, they kill the 9th, guard, but the last raises the alarm. Both Grimjob and Conrad are wounded seriously, but Vegeta goes on a rampage, killing the remaining nomads. They gather up the Zuagirs’ camels, and some other loot, and move forward. (Vegeta gets a nice gold helmet, Conrad a ruby necklace, and Grimjob a golden ring).

Day 11 Eastern Desert
The party rests to recover from their injuries.

Day 12-15 Eastern Desert
They ride to Akhlat

Day 16 Akhlat
They arrive at Akhlat and sell off their Zuagir camels.