The party walked back through town towards the Rusty Flagon. The party was dodging vendors hawking their wares with the bustling market now in full swing. Rory, who was leading the way, pushed open the door to the tavern and held it open for the rest of the party. The barkeep turned around from washing some glasses and waved at the party with a nod of acknowledgement. The party grab their now normal booth in the back corner of the almost deserted tavern.

“Okay let’s see what we have here.” Lucian said.

Lucian spread the map Elara had provided on a worn table. The mountains to the west loomed large, their peaks appearing jagged and treacherous even on paper. The dotted line leading to the Sunken Temple meandered across a vast expanse of blank space labeled simply "The Desolation."

Kainith leaned in to get a closer look at the map, his keen eyes scanning the parchment. "There might be something here," he announced, pointing to a series of faint markings near the supposed location of the temple. "Looks like ancient symbols, possibly wards or protective enchantments."

Lucian leaned closer. "Perhaps remnants of the magic that guards the temple?"

A glint of excitement sparked in Rance's eyes. "More magic means more loot, right?" he quipped, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Lucian ignored him, his mind already formulating a plan. "We need supplies," he declared. "Water, food, anything that can help us survive the harsh desert environment."

Rory readily agreed, nodding in with an almost comical frown on his face. "I hate the heat. What are the chances it’s a cold desert?"

“Finally!” Kainith remarked “We get to go to the market!”

Rance groaned. “Can we just hurry it up? I want to get to the temple.” Rance then taps his pouch. “We are running out of funds so we need to find something worthwhile in this temple.”

“Let’s go get some supplies. Rance, we will hurry but we are going to stay here tonight anyways. It’s already mid-day and I don’t know about you but I’m trying to avoid trekking in the dark as much as possible.” Rory reprimanded Rance.

Lucian rolled up the map and shoved it back in his pack. The party departed the tavern and headed back towards the market. As they were walking down the winding cobblestone street they came across a stall with racks of drying meat and fruits along with camping supplies. The party walked up to the stall knowing this would be a good place to start.

“Good afternoon sir!” Kainith said as he approached the man behind the counter.

The proprietor, a wiry man named Jebediah with a perpetually dusty beard, looked at them with suspicion when they walked up.

"Adventurers, eh?" Jebediah rasped, his voice like sandpaper on stone. "What brings you to my humble establishment on this fine mornin'?"

“That obvious huh?” Kainith mused.

The merchant cackled. “Look at you. Dirty and ripped up clothes. You've seen some action.”

Lucian stepped forward, his voice firm yet polite. "We require supplies for a journey into the Desolation, good sir. Provisions fit to withstand the harsh desert sun.

Jebediah's eyes narrowed. "The Desolation, huh? That's a harsh mistress. Few return from a trip like that. The merchants guild just goes around. What could you possibly want from there?"

Rance now stepped forward. “Just a temple that needs to be raided.” 

Jebediah grunted, a flicker of something akin to respect entering his gaze. He gestured towards a cluttered rack overflowing with dusty canisters and leather pouches. "Alright then, let's see what you need. Water's the first priority out there. How many waterskins are we talkin'?"

A lively debate ensued. 

“I mean we need at least fifteen of them. I don't want to be thirsty.” Rory stated.

As the merchant turned around to grab the skins Kainith spoke up. “Hold on. We need a lighter load. I'm thinking like four max. That’s just one extra for each of us on top of the water skins we already have.”

Rory grumbled. “But what if we go through all of the water before we even hit the desert.”

“Rory, we have made every other adventure with just one waterskin each. There is a river right outside the desert at the base of the mountains. We can just refill both skins before we hit the desert.” Kainith argued.

Lucian cleared his throat. “What if we just met in the middle. We get eight skins. This means Rory you will get 3 water skins to yourself and it’s not quite as ridiculous as trying to carry fifteen of them.” 

Kainith looked at Rory. “Fine with me.”

Rory looked back. “If I run out I’m drinking your extra!”

The merchant grabbed eight water skins and laid them on the counter in front of the party. “Okay, anything else. How about some food? Do you have enough food?”

Jebediah turned around showing off a selection that could turn even the bravest stomach: dried meat that resembled jerky gone wrong, hardtack that could shatter teeth, and a suspicious-looking stew mix that promised "hearty flavor and minimal spoilage."

Rance haggled for a better deal, his eyes gleaming as he scrutinized the dubious stew mix. "This looks like it could choke a sandworm! Surely you have something a bit more… palatable?" he bartered.

Jebediah chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Alright, alright. There's some dried fruit back there, a little more expensive but guaranteed not to turn your insides into stone." With surprising agility for a man his age, he retrieved a sack of wrinkled apples and apricots.

While Rory stocked up on dried fruit (and a questionable amount of the stew mix), Kainith focused on practicalities. He purchased sturdy bedrolls for the inevitable cold desert nights, thick bandages for any unforeseen injuries, and a sturdy sun compass to navigate by the stars.

“Do you know anyone that might sell more educational stuff like scrolls or books?” Lucian questioned.

Jebediah turned and pointed at a small dwarf. “Him. I’ve seen him carrying around scroll cases.”

Lucian followed the merchant's finger with his eyes and laid eyes on a stout dwarf with a black beard wearing a pith helmet and an explorer's garb. 

“Thank you for everything, have a great day.” Lucian said as he walked towards the man with the books and scrolls. Rance stayed behind to pay the merchant.

“You know you’ll have more repeat business if you sell good food and not something that will poison your clientele.” Rance mused as he walked away. 

“Hello sir.” Lucian said as he made it to the dwarf.

“Well hello! What brings you to me? What can I help you find?” The dwarf said.

“I’m looking for stars. I mean you know maps of stars” Lucian stammered. 

The dwarf picked up a box teaming with scrolls. “These are all the scrolls that show pictures of stars. Go ahead. Dig through it let me know if you need anything or if you want to purchase any of them.” 

Lucian moved to the side of the booth with the box and looked through all of the scrolls in the box. Most of them were artistic renditions of stars in the night sky or stars in other planes. Then finally he found what he was looking for. He emerged triumphant with a weathered scroll depicting constellations rarely seen outside the desert, a potential aid in their nighttime navigation. Lucian finalized the sale as his party was approaching the booth. 

Rance couldn't resist one last attempt at enrichment. He eyed a dusty amulet hanging precariously from a peg in the corner. "What about that little trinket there? Looks like it might hold some magical power…"

The dwarfs face hardened. "That ain't for sale, friend. Keeps the nasties away from this shop. You wouldn't want to upset the balance, now would you?"

Rance wisely decided not to push his luck. With their packs laden and purses lighter, they thanked the dwarf. The party pushed their way back through the crowd towards the tavern. As the party got to the tavern they pushed open the door only to see a busy main room with a bard playing a raucous tune on the stage in the corner. Kainith walked over to the barkeep and asked if the party could have their same rooms. The barkeep shook his head yes and Kainith flipped him a gold for the two rooms. The party walked up to their rooms as the orange setting sun lit the horizon on fire. The party in agreement got an early start on sleep so they could leave at dawn.

The next morning the party headed to the town's front gate looking out to the west at the plains stretched before them and the Dragon’s Spine mountains in the distance. The log-framed buildings of Riven dwindled behind them, their sturdy silhouettes shrinking into a mirage under the whipping winds of the prairie. The prairie slowly started sloping downwards towards a river. The party refilled their waterskins before crossing a rickety bridge leading to the barren scree of the dragons spine mountain range. As the party climbed the mountains nighttime started descending on the party and they set up camp. After soaking the hardtack in some boiled water the party feasted. Nothing eventful happened, not even the sound of a creature. It seemed as if the mountains were completely desolate.

The next morning the party set out and by mid day they were descending the mountains on the other side into a vast desert. The air, thick with the scent of sun-baked pine and the acrid tang of sweat clinging to their worn leathers, hung heavy in their lungs. Sweat trickled down their faces, leaving salty trails that evaporated before they could even brush them away.

Lucian paused at the crest of a low rise, his boots crunching on the parched earth. He turned, taking in the sight that stretched before them: a seemingly endless sea of sand dunes, their ochre and rust-colored peaks rippling in the distance like the waves of a churning ocean. The merciless sun beat down, turning the already shimmering landscape into a distorted mirage. The sky, a canvas of bleached turquoise, stretched on forever, devoid of clouds or any hint of life. Silence was a living entity, broken only by the mournful cry of a distant scavenger and the mournful sigh of the ever-present wind.

“Sorry Rory. Looks like it's a hot desert,’ Kainith joked.

A collective intake of breath filled the air, a mix of awe and trepidation lacing their features. This wasn't just sand; it was a vast, unforgiving expanse, a place where the sun ruled with an iron fist and the wind whispered tales of lost travelers and forgotten civilizations. It was a stark contrast to the comforting warmth of Riven's log fires and the camaraderie of the bustling tavern, a harsh mistress cloaked in an unnatural beauty.

Rory, his usual boisterous grin replaced by a thoughtful frown, hefted his great axe onto his back. "Well, that's… somethin' I hate this," he muttered, his voice laced with a hint of disgust. Despite his bravado, the vastness of the desert seemed to have taken the wind out of his sails.

Kainith pulled his weathered cloak tighter around his lean frame, the midday sun glinting off the polished metal of his lute. His gaze scanned the horizon, his sharp eyes searching for any landmark that might match the cryptic markings on Elara's map.

Lucian, shouldered his pack and tightening the straps. A spark of determination flickered in his steely blue eyes. "Alright then," he said, his voice firm yet laced with a hint of apprehension. "We have a long road ahead. Let's keep going."

With a shared nod, they stepped forward, their boots leaving a trail of fleeting footprints in the ever-shifting sand. The journey into the heart of the Desolation had begun.