Nefret, Chapter 11: Interlude at Oasis

You seek out the nearest village to rest, recuperate, and recharge--and also to wait for Cecil, in case he may return.  Though the aptly named Oasis is a small village, it [remarkably] has what you have been looking for.  Though short on some basic supplies, the town does have a ready supply of the exotic metal adamantite.  This offers Jaeth and Aloysa a chance to equip the party with better gear.

Important Locations

Parched Dunes

The parched dunes are a region of the great desert beyond Tem-Akh--a mix of flowing sand, badlands, craggy rock, and hills.  Here, there are many natural dangers, some ruins, and even fewer settlements.

Oasis (or Wahe) is a small village in the midst of the parched dunes built between a watering hole and an adamantite mine.  The inhabitants remain so far removed from current events that they are virtually unaware of the religious movements in the major cities; they know the name of the current Pharaoh, but do not seem to care who this Aten is that he worships.  Total population of the settlement (upon arrival of the party) is about 500 people.

Important People

Esphe was a votary at the Great Temple of the Sun in Peraten, and a frequent visitor of the quarry shrines there. She had originally made contact with Kiji during the party's early adventures.  Changes in Peraten since the party left have caused her to leave the city and seek out Kiji once more.  Upon learning that he was building a temple in the Parched Dunes, Esphe has come to Oasis.

Neskef is an earth elemental who shares his name with every other earth elemental (as well as the elemental plane of earth itself).  This Neskef was sent to Jaeth as an emissary of the plane, and as a companion in the warrior's quest to help destroy the Aten.  He was called to Jaeth's side after the dogfolk forged a khopesh of adamantite--thereby proving his devotion to the path set out before him.

Session 11.0

After a couple weeks, it becomes clear that Cecil will not be returning to the party any time soon. In that time, the party began major projects that took several more weeks to complete:  forging weapons, brewing potions, building more wagons for their caravan, as well as compiling and cross-referencing notes gathered from several ruins.  As this is the first time since Peraten that the party has stayed in one place for any great length of time, they have begun to attract the attention of like-minded individuals in the relative safety of the desert.  Dozens of followers have flocked to their side and pledged their allegiance to the party.

In three months, the village of Oasis is transformed by the party's presence.  As the incoming population crests the settlement into "town" status, it has even changed its name to Hut-Ra-Neskef, "House of Ra of the Earth"