While in the area around the Standing Bear tavern, the party meets with three Diviners of Southrun (see "Diviner" in Priest section). The Diviners say that they are looking for traveling companions who will serve as guides and possibly bodyguards as they make their way into danger area of Menea. They have been beset by brigands and theieves intent on the gifts they bear. They are bearing gifts they say, to present to a ruler whom the stars have foretold will be born. The party agrees on the condition that the Diviners give them each a reading, at journey's end, to determine their future.
Before leaving the Standing Bear, the party takes on a local man who says he has walked to and fro in Menea for many years. He knows its wilderness like the back of his hand. He is skilled in the science of survival and in the art of finding his way. Not having another Ranger with them, the party agrees to bring him along.
It is soon apparent to even the least skilled outdoorsman that the Ranger has no idea where he is, or what direction he is traveling. Despite the clues given from the rising sun, the Ranger is unable to seperate East from West. His incompetence laid bare, they soon part company with him. They also discover that the Diviners are carrying three different types of gifts from Southrun: Gold, Frankinscense and Myrrh.
During that first day of travel, the party is assaulted by 5 man-sized salamanders capable of breathing fire. Though they are quickly dispatched, questions remain. Those in the party who have been to Southrun and in the Khard specifically, identify the creatures as Fire Newts. All party members can tell by their appearance that they are definitely not indigenous to Westrun.
Upon questioning the Diviners, the party obtains admissions from the three that they have been doggedly pursued by the Fire Newts since arriving in Westrun. These are the brigands and thieves that they alluded to earlier. Despite the coincidence of their origin in the lands they call home, the Diviners insist they have no reason to believe that the Fire Newts have anything to do with them or their plans, specifically. They blame the Newts presence on the general inhospitable nature of Westrun.
Using his holy faculties, Patrick the Priest is able to inform the party that there are more fire newts in the area. The Diviners then ask the party if they would like to turn back as the previous company had. This would be a shame, they say, because they took this party for a more experienced, and more powerful group. The party relunctantly continues with the Diviners. Though grumbling is heard from some quarters.
On day 2 of the Journey the party is surprised by 10 Fire Newts which are somewhat less easily dispatched. The battle ends when 4 of them are put to flight and 6 are killed.
For their part, the Diviners can only grin sheepishly and shrug. The party decides to question the three more closely about their objectives, as well as about the group that previously protected them.
The Diviners relate that the previous company was a true company, in other words, 100 armed men, who were put to flight by these self-same Fire Newt brigands and theives. They insist that their intentions are only to honor the newborn king.
When pressed they admit that they were poor men in Southrun and resorted to stealing the gifts they intend to give the king from some old building they found in the desert -- quite abandoned. They later admit that the building was a former temple of sorts to some petty god among the 10,000 Southrun gods (see Southrun Pagan Deities under religions) -- a red lizard fellow wreathed in flame.
The party passes the night ill at ease and wondering how quickly they will be able to push the 2 week long journey into Menea.
*edited to replace Samantha with Patrick 2/18
*edited to replace Sabertooth with Sabretooth 2/27
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