A short session today with fewer players resulted in story building and momentum. Last time Eira was making her way through the forest heading for Fallcrest in order to reunite with her companions. She had enough time to discover the papers she scooped up from nearby the body of her employer all related to The Fractured Lands, generally myth and conjecture about who lived there and how and what happened. One document discussed " conduits" There was one letter from an agent named Brannis that stated he "had a lead on them. Heat made from heat....makes sense they'd be in that blasted wasteland...." Eira does not know what this means. She is able to find her party members still recuperating in the den of the wyrmling they killed. Miriam has been having nightmares and is increasingly restless. Seether is coming for her, she is sure of it. Eira reports to Miriam of her fathers death. Already on edge she slips into shock. A short argument ensues about next steps. With Lord Highdrake dead are they free from their duties or are they beholden to Miriam, his daughter? She is the heir to his estate. Eira cannot return to the militia, she is presumed to have killed her patron. The others are assumed to have fled custody and are also fugitives. After a time Miriam speaks up sounding on the edge of shattering. She will speak for you and pardon you but she wishes to discover the reasons for her fathers murder and hold the killer accountable. She chooses to follow up on the lead regarding Brannis and the Hot Irons. Jean believes the note refers to the Salt Flats southeast of the Duchies. It is a desert of unfathomable heat and is often referred to as a "wasteland". As a bonus the route there will take them near to the Archives, a repository of knowledge unmatched elsewhere in the One World. Perhaps they could find more information there regarding the Fractured Lands or these "conduits" her father was researching. The party books passage to Tynker a port town renowned for it's machinists and from there travels across the plains towards Silver City. Also called Silver Cross, Silver City is a trade town located somewhat central to the plains. Jean is from near here and not looking forward to returning. Unhappy memories are waiting for him but he is best suited to guide them through the plains towards the Archives and the Salt Flats and his honor would not let him abandon Miriam now. Two days ride out from Tynker the party comes across a ruined caravan on the road. The citizens have been slaughtered. From what the party can tell it happened less than a day ago and no goods have been taken. The bodies have been expertly cut not mutilated or mauled by monsters and each body has had symbol or rune carved into it. a cross with a circle on top and a crescent protruding from the top. Miriam faints at the sight and cannot be roused. The party continues, carrying Miriam on her horse. They encounter another caravan heading the same direction as them two days later and approach them asking to camp together for the night. They are welcomed in by Goeff the merchant in charge. During evening conversation over the fire Jeans wolf Ouzel hears something and Tronc notices an unhealthy scent in the air... Geoff turns and looks out into the darkness beyond only to have an arrow thump into his chest. Gnolls!