Session 10

After witnessing the fortune teller disappear before their eyes, the party is left in the empty tent with only the tarot card they had each been given. Leaving the tent, they briefly meet to discuss their best path forward given the information provided previously by Halbrand. Deciding that the path of least resistance (or least potential for violence) would be trying to convince the Fey of Orpheus to free them, they are now due north east for Mastodon Ridge to seek the wisdom of the hermit there for how to contact the Fey. As they begin to exit the Oasis, Thane stops to briefly speak with the Borg artificer when suddenly a new caravan enters the compound, carrying captured prisoners in cages. The prisoners are a mix of Indents and Imperial Legion, some of whom appear to be badly injured or even scalped. The caravan is lead by a muscular man with heavily modified cybernetic fists, known as Rodman.

After eavesdropping on Rodman's conversation with the Borg, the party learns that these prisoner's were "liberated" from a Menasari Nomad prison camp. Rodman captured them for his own gain, transporting them to the Oasis for routine organ harvest - he gets paid and the bodies are parted out to be sold on the black market by the Borg. After a brief interaction, its clear that these prisoners are not for sale and are instead intended for darker means. As they continue out of the Oasis and down the mesa, the emergency transponder being carried by Thane picks up a frequency nearby - it would seem the party is about half a day's journey from the emergency location. Camping at the bottom of the mesa overnight, the party sets off at dawn in the autocarriage for the Crimson Flats of the Wildlands before pursuing their other objectives. After an uneventful journey they arrive by mid-day to a sandy part of the flats, where an encroaching sand dune has overtaken the entrance to some sort of fortified underground structure - a heavy blast door stands guard, a panel at its side. Signs of forced entry are evident, though none appear to have been successful over the years.

Approaching the door, the panel does not respond to any conventional commands. Thane tries to use the Imperial ID card found in Brimstone Hollow previously, but strangely there is no response - this technology is seemingly non-imperial despite coming from a supposed imperial transponder. When Thane takes the transponder out of his bag, it suddenly magnetizes to the panel, opening the sliding blast door. Inside reveals an abandoned hangar which houses a frigate class Sandskimmer, which seems to be in good condition despite being exceedingly old. Upon boarding the vessel, they soon discover that there are the remains of an old droid in the cockpit who has hooked up their own circuitry to the Aetherium Power Core of the ship. The power core has been depleted long ago, seemingly in service of extending this droids life, though clearly hundreds if not thousands of years have passed since then. Thane deduces that the sand skimmer should work just fine provided they can replace the power cores - it takes two power cores to fully power the vessel to its normal capabilities, but it can function on one core (half speed). Boost examines the droid and notices an Access Point on its chassis, though decides its probably not the safest to connect to right now. Searching the cargo hold of the vessel, they also find a magical shield which is given to Boost. With nothing more they can do at the moment, the party then decides to move on.

Locking the hangar door behind them, the party marks the location on their map and sets off back toward their goal of meeting the hermit at Mastodon Ridge. Due northeast toward the Cantha Rail Line, their good fortune yields a safe journey through the night and into the early morning the next day, when they come across a small encampment of caravaneers. Frostwarden, Kell and Boost remain hidden while Thane and Alucard try to cautiously approach in a non-threatening manner. After exchanging introductions, the party is invited to join them by their fire - it would seem they've encountered a wandering band of desert nomads, fragment generations of nomads who live on the fringes of society avoiding Imperials and Raiders alike. Alucard barters with them for some protective gear for Sandstorms. Meanwhile, Thane learned from their leader that the hermit they seek is reclusive and eccentric, though generally non-violent and a protector of nature. After resting until morning with these kind travelers, the party bids them farewell, and continues on their journey to Mastodon Ridge to finally be freed of their Shackles once and for all...