style="color: rgb(154, 185, 124);">The Desert Caravan

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By Darkgolem

Notes

The desert caravan is the initial quest of Module 3: The Demon Sands.
There are two ways to access the desert sands. One is to use an airship
(speak to Zerechi Spirekeeper, at the Airship Tower) for a fee of 2000
platinum each time. The other means is to successfully complete the
Desert Caravan quest. If you succeed in the quest, you (can speak to
Iosynne D’Phiarlan, who is found both at the refuge and House Phiarlan,
whenever you want to travel to and from the desert for free. To do
this, go to Iosynne and say you wish to “ride in the wagons.”

General Strategies

The Desert Caravan quest’s objectives are to have at least 2 wagons of
a 6 wagon caravan survive travel from Stormreach to Zawabi’s refuge. If
you are able to keep the 2 wagons intact for 20 minutes, thae you have
succeeded in this quest. If you keep 4 wagons intact, you get two
chests, if you keep 6 wagons intact, you get 3 chests.



This quest is short, fun and intense. I do not recommend doing it on
hard or elite unless you have a party of 12th level players, and even
then you very well may wipe. It is also a quest where spellcasters can
shine:

Place hypnotic patterns outside the ring of wagons, to the north
and south. This will slow opponents so melee members can deal with
fewer opponents at a time. Place Cloudkill, Solid Fog, Acid fog inside the wagons. This will
slowly kill opponents, make them more vulnerable to damage from the
melee types in your party, and control their movement. Be aware that
spellcasters draw quite a bit of aggression from Acid Fog and Cloudkill. Control aggression by using damage spells to draw attacks (eg.,
placing Firewall in the center of the wagons), then use Stoneskin with
Jump and Haste to kite opponents while your party melee types kill
them. Note this can be VERY dangerous but because opponents are so slow
due to the Solid Fog, it is very effective. Place a Hypnotic Pattern on Rest Shrines before using them. If
possible, have your party cleric guard you while you rest. Pay attention to mobs standing outside the ring of wagons and
attacking the wagons. Concentrate on spell casters first, since they can cast Blade
Barrier and Flame Strike. Poisonous creatures abound in this quest. It is best if party
members have Neutralize Poison potions available (since the cleric will
need his or her spell points for healing and raising). The hyenas can Hamstring. It is wise to have Haste potions
available.

Dealing with the Scorrow

The Scorrow casters use Blade Barrier, which can quickly butcher a
party—especially because you cannot see well in the fogs the casters
need to use. Break Enchantment is the best method to use to remove
these, but beware that party members who are in the area of the
enchantment will be stripped of defenses.



The Scorrow also cast web. Either Fireball the Web, rely on high saves,
or use Fire Shield to ignore it. If you are caught in the Web you are
vulnerable to attacks by the many opponents who will be around you.
Finally, the Scorrow casters cast Flame Strike. Kill them first, and
use Resist Fire.

Useful Spells

Cloudkill: A critical spell for this quest. Affects all opponents. Hypnotic Pattern: While not the longest lasting spell, this spell
has the benefit of stopping hyenas and scorrow as they approach the
caravans, slowing the waves of opponents, allowing your melee types to
deal with opponents without as much difficulty. Break Enchantment: This is useful for removing blade barriers.
Note it removes other spells to, so players and friendly spells caught
in it will be debuffed. Jump: Very useful for casters to avoid being cornered by foes
that are mad at them. Neutralize Poison: The cleric will have a hard to keeping you
safe from poison, and a potion of neutralize poison in your tool bar
will be much more effective. Resist Fire: Scorrow casters use flame strike. Blade Barrier: This spell is fine to use in the center of the
wagons, but only if you have a second cleric who is not casting this
spell. You do not want your clerics taking aggression from opponents
here; they have enough to worry about raising and healing party members. Fire Shield: This is a fairly short lasting spell, but is useful
in keeping opponents from webbing you in place.

cellspacing="2">
style="font-weight: bold;">Starting NPC: Iosynne D’Phiarlan
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; width: 20%; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Quest Zone:
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);">House
Phiarlan
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; width: 20%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Related Zones:
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Zawabi’s
Refuge; Desert of Menechtarun (Demon Sands)
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; width: 20%; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Level:
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);">11
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; width: 20%; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Monsters:
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Scorrow
Raider, Menechtarun Scorpion, Menechtarun Hyena, Scorrow Savant
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; width: 20%; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Named/Boss Monsters:
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);">Doomstalker,
Ga’khat, Sekkekh
style="font-weight: bold;">Bonus Objectives:
Slay Doomstalker

Slay Ga’khat

Slay Sekkekh
style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left; width: 20%; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);"> style="font-weight: bold;">Possible Reward Items:
style="vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(219, 201, 125);">Free
access to Zawabi’s Refuge

3 Chests (level 11)

End reward from quest NPC
style="font-weight: bold;">Walk-through:
style="font-weight: bold;">Beginning: After getting the quest
from Iosynne D’Phiarlan, the party should enter the quest all at the
same time by clicking on the wagon behind her.



Once you enter the quest, you find yourself near 6 wagons in a canyon;
routes traverse the canyon to the north and south, and two Rest Shrines
on the east and west sides of the wagons—at the walls of the canyon.



Middle: 30 seconds after
appearing, a group of mixed scorrow, scorpions, and hyenas will appear
and attack. Their aggression will initially be on the wagons.



For the remainder of the quest, a twenty-minute period, more waves of
mixed scorrow, scorpions, and hyenas will appear. At three times during
the quest, named opponents will appear.



End: After 20 minutes
have passed, the monsters will stop appearing, and once you have
finished off the remaining monsters, you have finished. Only talk to
Iosynne D’Phiarlan (who is standing to the side by one of the Rest
Shrines) AFTER you have looted all of the chests you earned. You will
then depart the caravan quest.