The Drow War Book Two. The Dying Of - RoseRed

This is the Sun King (Ftr 10/Clr 5/Sor 5), who his people
believe to be a god in the flesh. The ten trumpeters on
the balcony above are not only musicians but highly
trained warrior-priests (Clr 8/War 8) with bows at their
feet, ready to grab them and fill any would-be assassin
full of arrows.
The Sun King does not actually expect the Player
Characters to have brought gifts, and Ata Huara has
not advised them that this is necessary, so unless they
thought to do so themselves, they are forced to improvise
on the spot. The Sun King is only doing this to test their
reactions to the unexpected. So long as they respond
intelligently, he is pleased. An especially clever or
witty response brings a slight appreciative smile, which
is as close as the king usually comes to laughter.
The Sun King presents each Player Character with one
of the tetzillim or Destriers of Heaven, his best horses
(see sidebar), and proceeds to explain why he has need
of them.
The Sun King’s Story: ‘Like you, I yearn to strike
down the dark ones and cast their souls into eternal
torment. My army stands ready to bring the vengeance
of Heaven down upon them. An army must eat and
drink, however; and if we are to cross the desert to
reach Jehannum, we must keep our mounts and our men
well watered.
‘It seems the dark ones know this and seek to thwart us
by rendering the desert impassable. Word has reached
me that two of the oases, the Oasis of Sleeping Stars
and the Oasis of Pashtar, are burned to the ground, their
waters all but dried up and stinking like a dead thing.
‘We cannot cross the desert without the oases. I call
upon you, my allies, to go into the desert, find what is
doing this and put an end to it. I cannot send my own
men, for I believe that the evil has come forth from the
Plateau of Skulls, where none of my people may tread.
My father the Sun has forbidden it. You are not of the
faith, so you may go. When this is done, we shall take
the fight to our enemies, and spill our blood together
as brethren.’
The Player Characters may now ask questions. Some
likely ones are given below:
Why not just load the legions onto ships and sail
them up to Jehannum? Why go through the desert?
‘We are a desert people. It is what we know. My people
are not sailors; if they were to be attacked on board
ship, they would have no experience of the proper way
Ibon Presno Gonzalez (order #73006) 8
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