The Danger Gang sit and shiver

Shortly after midnight, a man approaches the campfire to warm himself. He introduces himself as Chopan, a Khazar, and engages the group in some idle chit-chat. He explains that Isaac, the Exilarch of Babylon, passed through the area around 200 years prior and was then followed by Serach some time after that. He also tells the Gang about the origin of the Karaite Jews (apparently there was a dispute over who got to be exilarch in 8th century Babylon, this dude Anan (who the Jews wanted) and this other dude Joseph (who the Caliph wanted) -- to thwart the opposition, Anan extolled a weird version of Judaism and claimed it was, in essence, a different religion).

The night passes without incident and in the morning Chopan suggests the party seek out Rabbi Otomesh in Sarkel if they are interested in such matters of Jewish learning, but warns them to be careful because after the fall of Khazaria to the Rus he has become quite, quite mad.