Chapter 1: Shunet El Zebib

Jana shapeshifts into a hawk and takes to the air. Her wings are strong, but there's something wrong with her vision -- it's as if she is seeing through her halfling eyes rather than her hawk eyes! What could be wrong? Could it have anything to do with losing the precious water that is her connection to her home oasis?

Akh sends his invisible servant across the field as a distraction, while he and his companions attempt the crossing. It's a clever ploy -- there are suble shifts in the bottoms of the pits as their denizens react to the potential meal.

Both Akh and the Swordsman quickly master the irregular gait that Soro teaches them. Ironically, it is Soro himself who missteps, sending a pebble skittering down one of the funnels. Immediately, an insectoid creature, as large as a horse, bursts from the sand, mandibles seeking. The ground disturbed, its neighbors emerge in turn. It seems these myrmeleons suffer from limited vision, relying instead on vibrations in the ground to "see." They know you're nearby, but unless you fall in their traps, you're probably safe.



The going is painstakingly slow, but you're doing it -- you can get past this! You're about halfway across when you notice the jackals are back. Light on their paws, they navigate the field much more quickly than you. They are gaining on you.

What do you do?

Soro, your bowshot is dead on, and the lead jackal goes down with a whimper. But then...

Akh and Soro both go tumbling down one of the deadly traps!

The Swordsman reacts quickly, and Akh is able to grab hold of the bow. But he's still on the slippery slope, scrabbling for a foothold!

There's no help for Soro -- he's slipping and sliding. The monster below, already wounded by Akh's arcane bolts, isn't taking any chances -- it digs at the sandy slope, collapsing it further, drawing its meal closer.

What do you do?

The Swordsman effortlessly hauls Akh out of immediate danger. Now Soro is down there alone, face to face with the monster! Jei'nine barks frantically at the creature, and seems about to charge down the slope to Soro's aid.

Jana's landing is rough. Prepared to shoot an arrow at the myrmeleon, she instead has to focus her attention on not tumbling into the pit! Her arrow flies -- and buries itself in the back of Soro's knee! (Soro takes 2 damage - armor is ignored)

As Akh flings his magics, a cold dread grips his heart. Something old and dangerous -- a presence he has felt in the back of his mind since the day his search for lost knowledge unlocked his first spell -- that presence reached out. He can only shudder at the thought of what it would be like if that presence actually touched him.

Once more, Akh's spell slams into the monster in the pit. Wounded, the creature flails angrily, unable to see its attacker. But its meal is now within reach of its hungry maw! What do you do, Soro?

The jackals, eight in number, draw nearer. You can now see the whites of their eyes, and their slavering jaws.

What do you do?