Howl of Oblivion - The Bandit Plague [Part 2]

** Howl of Oblivion Campaign Page **

After receiving the Amir's orders, Jaan Dhar meets with his new companions in his yurt.  Borz Lockwarden, Khaine Son-of-Man and Iris the Elfmaiden join his warband to track down the dirty dogs despoiling the Tevarsi territory.  Jaan Dhar is a fine hunter among his people and all these outlanders are mercenary types, so the amir is fine putting setting them to such dangerous tasks.

Taking a scrawled map from Lopollah's acolytes showing where a set of tracks that do not belong to the Tevarsi were recently found, the party easily tracks them to Hanasib's camp.  There, the brigands mistake them for recruits and the party begins to hang around and get to know their quarry.  Everything seems off, from the way the men talk of conquest to the way the aarakocra circle in the sky some distance away.

It soon becomes apparent that Hanasib was buying what El-Bakir was selling.  In fact, so do all the assembled nomads at the camp.  Many are intent on conquest, but more disturbing is the idea of a restored Baklunish Empire that seems to be floating around.

The party pretends to help the bandits ready to move their camp, but lures Hanasib aside.  They fail their planned ambush but capture Hanasib uninjured after the bandits prove themselves a rather bumbling lot. 

"Yeah, he's hogtied now - but did you see that other guy fall and crack his skull open?!"

As they begin to return to the Tevarsi Encampment, the aarakocra they saw in the distance earlier begin to circle and signal their intent to land.  After a short trade with the birdmen, the party obtains a slab of meat prepared by what happens to be the best birdmen cooks in over a hundred miles.  The party is the first humanoid encounter with birdmen in the area for a long, long time - a noteworthy accomplishment on it's own.

When the party arrives at the Shrine of Istus, Xers Dai slaps his son Hanasib right in the face with nary a word exchanged.  Dinner is prepared from the Birdman's Beef for the Amir and the party, along with the Xers and Hanasib Dai.  It is a huge hit with everyone and the party is able to talk about how they were the first people to trade with Birdmen in over a century...AND that they had eaten the exotically spiced delicacy AUTHENTICALLY PREPARED by ACTUAL BIRDMEN.

It seems that a contrite and repentant Hanasib wishes to regain his father's favor and also not be executed by Amir Beif.  Considering such, he has agreed to show Amir Iruz's warriors where exactly on Mt. Vesir that Tep El-Bakir intended to meet with his new recruits after they were gathered from across nomad lands.  If the party wishes, he will even guide them personally. 

The party carefully begins to consider how exactly to proceed, and whether or not they can trust Hanasib Dai.