3E478/03/19 - Ranaji Jai Kawar Sahib is trying to build the Ammba-Kasaaq locomotive railline, but has been running into a lot of issues due to the Sand Chasers preventing the construction of the train tracks. There’s a particularly deadly encounter between the dwarven artificers and the Sand Chasers.

3E478/03/21 - Ranaji hires four people to deal with this, including his chief arcane advisor, Ishmirith. He explains the situation to him and Mala, Dravin, Mahar, and Mir, the Ranaji getting heated up about the orc issue in his empty throne room. He promises them a thousand gold each, but Mir only demands 250 and something from his treasury. Inspector Raktii leads the party to the Chattan Market train station, where they meet some dwarven artificers who tell them the situation and give them goggles to withstand the sandstorms. The party heads out into the desert following the rail line. Eventually, they see a few cactus plants with fruits, only for Mir to get attacked by the cactids. Quickly taking care of the plants, they feast on cactus fruits as they travel onwards and reach the site of the battle. Heading into a nearby sandstorm, they are ambushed by a party of Sand Chasers. Ishmirith blows up one of the chasers in a fireball, but the rest of them only get knocked out at best. In the midst of the fight, Mir and Ishmirith intimidate and convince the Sand Chaser Captain to stand down and let them diplomatically talk to their leader. They are led to the Orc tribe, in which they learn about their issues and ways of life. Mir offers the captain some grapes as a sign of good will. They meet the leader of the dune orcs here, Khatun Zashi, a barbarian chief who seems to be blessed by Magrath. She refuses to give up her power and raiding culture, despite at least half of her people just wanting some water and food. Eventually, it just comes down to leaving it up to the gods, as she starts to attack the party despite all their logical arguments seemingly winning most of the crowd over. Dravin even calls her a ‘Saali Gawaar’. The Captain isn’t convinced to stand aside, helping Zashi in the fight. However, the party manages to barely survive the Khatun’s onslaught, Dravin finally cutting her down to size. The Captain stands down, and accepts their offer of diplomacy and turning this settlement into an actual supported village with a well and everything. He even takes one of Mir’s grapes as a sign of goodwill. 

3E478/03/22 - The party heads back to Ammba, and explains to Ranaji and his advisors what they finally accomplished. Ranaji was expecting or hoping for a violent end to this, but agrees to help the Orcs out now that the railway can finally resume construction.