SoS: Enter Scorch (short)

When we last left our heroes, they saddled up their 7 horses and one cart and disembarked north into the scorched unknown. The southern Long Stride is a gentle escarpment rising to the much more arid savannah bordering the desert. This part of the stride seemed drier now and the shields came upon the old river source that once fed Sentynel. While the fort town was growing lush, it was not due to this pond which seemed murky with scorch sand. Aesyn purified some water so their horses could drink. The party happened upon a vulturine demon, a vrock, feasting on a dead dwarf. The fight was swift but costly: Hope was temporarily poisoned and one of their horses was eviscerated by the demon. Salvaging only the horses flank, the party regrouped and headed for an rocky outcrop about a days travel away.   Approaching at twilight, the party sneaked up into the camp while Aesyn created a diversion to draw them out. Riding hard into the cave, he discovered a band of yuan-ti feasting on a trio of goblins. Before to committing to drawing blood, he discovered they were wearing infernal torcs. Perplexed, the party thought quick on their feet…