This had led to widespread suspicion, rendering the oasis quite politically volatile. Khalitharius had sought the cult's help in kidnapping the bride of the sheik's son, and the cult in turn had sought the slavers' help to carry out the kidnapping in the night when they decided to try, the efreet decided to do the deed himself, never bothering to inform the cultists. Those slavers had attempted to join forces with a local dervish cult to the old gods, proscribed by the Durpari worshipers of Anu that were in control of the Oasis. Recently, a slaver ring had infiltrated the Sandvoyagers Guild, using them to mask their activities. The oasis was ruled by the Sheik Kassim Arslan, who had held the position for more than 20 years. The Oasis of the White Palm became the only remaining stronghold left in the area that hadn't yet fallen before his power and his minions. In the year 1356 DR, the efreeti Pasha, Khalitharius, was released.

In order to ensure that the djinni was released in time, the wizard granted the Durpari rulers of the Oasis an enchanted mark, which would appear on the hand of the woman whom Fate chose to marry the Sheik, and two amulets, one for the sheik and one for his heir, with the power to cause great pain to Khalitharius. The oasis had existed since at least the 4 th century DR, when the wizard Martek sealed away the efreet Khalitharius and the djinni Aeraldoth. The oasis was about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) across, with dense growth at the center, and more scattered trees and shrubs at the edges.

Hand of fate desert cult