We rejoin the heroes in a perilous situation high on the lip of the Potsherd Crater. On a treacherous pathway up a porcelain ridge, Sage and Azure do deadly battle with a nomad leader. A dizzying 50 feet above, Laurel faces down two nomads, whilst Mint clings desperately to the cliff face half way between the two. Midori, guarding the caravan, provides fire support.
How did it come to this?
Nine days earlier, the heroes had been carousing at the tavern Your Life Burns Faster In This House. Having been declared "his kind of crazy" by the manager and potentially retired freebooter Syruss Sensible, and "pseudo-dwarves" by the red district radicals hiding out in the backroom. 2400gp on the bar tab, a deal to fence their illegal sunscreen, and Groat the goat on stage providing vocals, life was looking pretty sweet.
Then the heroes heeded the call of adventure. Jonky Bonko - porcelain prince go between and furniture fighter - told them that Satrasco - Yellow Lily Consortium merchant and subject of Mint's quest - had built an oldtech pleasure estate out in the Potsherd Crater before going missing and probably being killed. Whether it was the prospect of delivering Mint's letter or the prospect of some easy loot, the heroes formed up their caravan and headed for the crater.
At the foot of the crater, the heroes befriended a wretched quarterling hermit Indigo Cerulean. Whilst Indigo attempted to convince them the world was a simulation Sage traded hard drugs for hard information. In addition to the precise location of the pleasure estate, they learned of a waterlogged quarry with edible long-grass, a mysterious chromium dome, and a mad autofarm that might of interest to explorers.
Finally, on the slippery porcelain lip of the crater, the heroes were confronted by a group of nomads that claimed the crater for themselves. Unmoved by Azure's tales of alliance with the lime, lemon and tangerine tribes, the nomads opened fire with bows, arrows, and a giant porcelain boulder, and here we are.
Now the thrilling end to the encounter!