Across Raanin's Iron Age Wastelands

The desert wastes of Raanin were a cesspool of banditry and extortion. The Baron of the Dregs, as he was known, ruled this region with an iron fist which had been forged in the fires of hell itself.

The Baron had terrorized the locals for years, but now he had turned his sights on me, Captain Katka. I was a space traveler who had arrived via her starship on Raanin's ancient ruins. It was there that I found myself stranded after my ship broke down.

I gawked at the wasteland surrounding me while wandering through the strange temple like ruins. The crystalline structure vibrated as if it were alive.

"I know where you can find a functional ship," said a voice behind me. I spun around to see two hooded figures standing before me. "At the Dregs."

"That would be lovely," I replied with a smile, "but I have no money with which to purchase one."

"We could get you one free of charge," said the second hooded figure. "But in order to do that, you need to deliver something for us."

I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what was sure to be another bout of misadventure.

"Alright then, just tell me what you want me to do," I replied with a grin.

The journey to the Baron's fortress was long and treacherous. I had expected nothing less from a bandit lord who made his home in such an inhospitable place. The Baron's fortress loomed over the horizon like an eye that never closed and watched my every move as I made my way toward it. It was an imposing structure that resembled more of a giant tower than an actual fortress; it almost seemed out of place among the rocky cliffs and deserts that surrounded it.