Ambushed by Desert Cannibals
On your travels back to Strea-Tarl, you ran across another group of people who seem equally surprised to see you as you crossed over the rocky bluff. Three men (whose name you eventually learn to be Terrgyn, Brasheen, and Malazeth) were finishing burying a large nasty creature (beholder-kin) that they obviously had difficulty in slaying. Two women (Josinda, Pienta) had started a fire and spit with large hunks of meat for the evening. Outfitted primarily in leather and hide armor, this group obviously had hard times and hailed you in friendly fashion. You also saw two others dead, and another lady (Delayna) sprawled out on a pile of clothes, clutching a blood soaked cloth to her ribs. Speaking primarily in the trader tongue you quickly learn that Josinda is a priestess following Belenus of the Light, and Leena quickly befriends her and assists in the healing of the grievously wounded Delayna. Some of the rest of you assist with the burying of the beholder-kin and their comrades. Valeska, Leena and Josinda all held a final resting service for this group’s lost friends. They then invited you to all collectively gather and share in their fine steak meal. Over the evening meal you learn their tale of the sudden attack of the several beholder-kin, some dying a ways away already buried, and others fleeing once it seemed this party had the edge. With that threat still apparently around, you agreed to camp for the night as a group.
Suddenly in the middle of the night, you were ambushed by this same group. With several of you being held by a spell, it didn’t look good for PC’s. Findel’s sphere of darkness caused some chaos, and then the rout was on. Eventually everybody in the other party (The Exilers) were eliminated except for Delayna, who sobbingly asked for mercy, and to her credit, did very little in the fight. Leena, sensing the goodness in her, refused to let any of the rest punish her as well. Delayna was aggrieved enough at seeing fireballs and lightning bolts being reigned down by a flying Yanni onto her long-time friends. Wondering what the deal was, you all interrogated her until the truth came out. They had recently escaped the Desert of Exile, as it was decreed that the magical border was to come down, and they were near the border of it at the right place at the right time. They did what they did to survive she claimed, and she’s sorry that they drugged you with their wine and human steak. HUMAN STEAK?!?! Valeska went bonkers at this and was enraged for days to come. Nonetheless, the group was rather injured, and now one larger; much to your unhappiness, as most of you would have rather left her for dead.