Episode 2, Part 1: The Caravan to Ein Arris

The team - Dee, Alex, Bob, and Asharra - joins a caravan leaving from the southern city of Khedris, the most influential port city of Lantara (the best access for Lantara is through the South Sea). The caravan will take a two month journey traversing from one end of Lantara to the other carrying a bride for a powerful noble family in Mashanda. a notable kingdom on Lantara. The bride is the daughter of Halmaro the Red, head of the Lantara Merchant's Guild, and arguably one of the most powerful men in Lantara.

Dee and Alex sign on as guards, Bob joins as a cook, and Asharra as an entertainer.

Into the Desert

Our guards, Dee and Alex, rescue a young girl from what may have been a team of kidnappers. This causes them to stumble upon what seems to be the inside men of a team or group of potential caravan raiders - a group calling themselves No Quiero Taco Bell. Their diligence earns them a place on the Caravan's advance group which has to go to Tatsori, ahead of the rest of the caravan to prepare. Ostensibly, the team is led by Farvaro, a deadbeat weasel of a gambler if there ever was one. He insists on taking Bob along to help with negotiations (but he has his own plan...) 

Dee was separated from the group in a sand storm and he is attacked by Sandsharks. Reunited with the group, another sandstorm unearths some ruins. The ruins are home to rare treasures, particularly some crystal spheres of varying colors, some of which the team members take with them.

Dee and Alex provides come upon intel which is crucial in stopping what could have been a costly raid on the caravan. Halmaro the Red hires a few extra guards and sent sorties into the desert south. The three gangs that were working together decide the heat is way too high and leave town. Scouts find signs of a stronghold to the southwest and Halmaro is considering performing a raid on it. Alex has been promoted to Sergeant. You both spend a couple of days riding back and forth from the town to the desert, keeping your eyes out in the town as well. You're pretty tired. 

Bob wins what turned out to be an epic cooking challenge which lasted two days, which was initially set up by Farvaro (as a rigged event to make some money) - he know that Fat Eddie HATES to cook and LOVES to cook. Thanks to Dee's info, Halmaro told Bob to go all out and he would take care of Fat Eddie (he was trying to blackmail Bob). The food Bob put out was unusual and phenomenal, and tales of Bob's culinary prowess will be told for years around campfires. He even created a new recipe or two - simple, tasty, effective.

Because of all of your activities, you've all gained Ephemera.

• Dee, your character has gained an Ephemera: Good [+2] Reputation - Warrior of Note (Uber-Bad News With Sword and Knives). 
• Alex, because of the Book of Shadows, you've also gained an Ephemera: Good [+2] Control with Chronos Gift.
• Patrick, Bob has gained an Ephemera: Good [+2] Reputation - Iron Chef, Lantara edition. Your reputation includes Good Wealth, as many bets were made and some small fortunes amassed in your favor. 

No one has found out who the double agent is. Yet. Gang No Quiero Taco Bell was escorted back to the desert, but decided to play it cool and did not head towards whatever stronghold existed in the south.

At the insistence of Fat Eddie, the caravan stays an extra day (it was scheduled to stay 4, it is now staying 5). On day 3, Asharra manages to locate the stronghold with 40 to 60 people about 2.5 days to the southwest, 3 days if stealth is used to approach the area. Depending on how long the Recon Force takes, with horses they could easily catch up with the Caravan within 7 days.