Desert Wanderers
In some ways, deserts are easy on a GM. If the party wants to know what there is around them, no one’s surprised if there isn’t much. “Sand, sand, and more sand,” might be one response, or, if you’re feeling more generous, you might describe the bright blue sky above, the beating heat from a malevolent sun, the slight breeze that brings no relief, for it is somehow even hotter than the still air. However, eventually the PCs have to find something… or someone. Today’s Top Ten is a collection of desert wanderers.
1. Amira Shazi, Hermit in Training. This young woman is currently in the desert undergoing a religious trial, or similar, in which she must survive on her own in the desert for a year and a day, in emulation of a particular saint, or the founding member of a mystic school she wishes to join, or something similar. She is eager for company, and happy to trade tales and information, but has no supplies to give, and is honor-bound to refuse any that the PCs might offer.
2. Yasir Hadir, Befuddled Merchant. This man is the owner of a merchant caravan, made up of brightly-colored wagons and pulled by mules. A merchant who excels at ensuring that his customers’ buying experience is as much a show as it is a deal, Yasir dresses and acts flamboyantly. He is currently on his way to a prominent desert city, and, much to the consternation of those in his caravan, is completely lost, and refuses to admit it. The caravan has been wandering in the desert for weeks, and is beginning to grow low on supplies, making tensions high in the camp.
3. Hanifa Malika, Cursed Warlord. This ancient warrior still appears to be in the prime of her youth, although there is a subtle sense of weariness about her that is difficult to place at first. Once a powerful warlord, she was cursed centuries ago to wander this desert eternally, forever patrolling the lands that she conquered, even though they are now blasted and desolate. Talking is difficult for her, and her ancient dialect makes her even harder to understand, but she is peaceable enough, as long as the PCs don’t lay claim to her section of desert, or anything in it.
4. Anwar El-Amin, Destined Mentor. Whether he is the recipient of prophetic visions, as he claims, or simply suffering from heat stroke, this middle-aged man of unimpressive stature is convinced that one (or more) of the PCs are the reason that he is in the desert. Fashioning himself as a mentor of heroes, he set out into the desert in search of one that he was destined to train. He is insistent on following the party and providing his wisdom, although frankly he isn’t very good as a mentor, raising the question of whether this may just be an elaborate ruse to follow the PCs out of the desert.
5. Zakkiyah Siddeh, Belligerent Scholar. A devoted archaeologist, she remained at the ancient ruin she is studying long after her guide and the rest of her party abandoned her, due to what she describes as “infantile superstitions.” She is wary of the PCs, assuming that they are there to loot the ruins or otherwise interfere with her research. If the PCs can prove their good intentions, however, she opens up to them… at least a little bit. While happy to show them around, she is harshly critical and dismissive, especially if the PCs conclude that the strange happenings that keep occurring throughout the ruin are the result of a haunting or burial curse.
6. Salil Faruq, Magical Mirage. Appearing as a handsome man with a well-trimmed goatee and resplendent robes, Salil is actually a permanent image that has, over the centuries, developed sentience and a will of its own. He wanders the desert, knowing deep down that he is not real, but unable to truly come to grips with that fact. When he encounters the PCs, he does his best to hide his illusory nature, and attempts to join up with them, explaining that he can provide his own supplies, and is “just in search of company.”
7. Lamya Hosni, Charming Bandit. Referred to affectionately as “the lamia” by the bandits under her command, the beautiful and deadly Lamya Hosni ambushes travelers making their way along trade routes through the desert. While she is certainly in it for the money, those who can give her a good story or other pleasant experience, or who match her wit and charm in flirting, can expect to get away at the cost of only a few trinkets and baubles, whereas those who insist on “doing things the hard way” will find themselves buried to their necks with no supplies at all.
8. Ebrahim Anjahd, Father in Need. This swarthy man is at home in the desert, and it shows, from his gear and attire to the effortless way he travels across the dunes. However, when the PCs encounter him, he is bedraggled and out of sorts, for his son, Rahat, wandered off into the desert on his own, and Ebrahim fears the worst. He promises that anyone who helps him find his son will be greatly rewarded, and while he has little in the way of wealth, his skill and knowledge of the desert are nothing to sneeze at.
9. Parvana Zaman, Polymorphed Cactus. This cactus calls out to any who pass by, crying desperately for aid. Unable to move, and without so much as a mouth, it’s unclear how the plant sees, hears, or speaks, but it clearly does so all the same. She claims to have once been a woman named Parvana Zaman, who was cursed into this form by a cruel and capricious wizard when she spurned his advances, and begs for aid in being restored to her form. Of course, while her claims might be true, she could just as easily have done something to earn her unusual imprisonment, or she could even be an awakened cactus with delusions.
10. Baqir, Runaway Slave. This haggard-looking man was clearly a slave, as evidenced by the manacles that still adorn his wrists and ankles, although the chains connecting them have been severed. He has difficulty communicating, for his tongue has been severed, and he never learned to read or write. Initially mistrustful of the PCs, assuming they have come to bring him back to slavery, he hides, and even attacks if found, screaming incoherently. If spared, and a means of communication is established, however, Baqir can provide useful information about the manor from which he escaped, and how to access its treasures, or he may have witnessed something in the desert that is of import to the PCs.