Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Eosin the Red" data-source="post: 3446954" data-attributes="member: 168">YEAR FOURSpring of IC 1079, the campaign resumes.Jayme looked across the table and smiled incredulously at his father. “You want us to take command of a hostile city filled with 70,000 people. Just the five of us?” Prince Andris nodded as if the matter were already settled. “Cousin, there are already factions and struggles within the city that threaten to tear her apart. All that you need to do is make the right allies to remove this dagger from our breast.” Hearing this the swordsman, Arron, walked away from the table, “I am not a diplomat.” He thumbed the pommel of his blade to remind everyone exactly what he was…  “No, you are a soldier and this is a war for Ro’s sake and sometimes soldiers have to fight with tools other than swords. I am a soldier as well but imagine the disaster that would befall us if I confined my efforts to simply spilling blood. We don’t get to choose all of our battles and heaven help us if we lose this one.” Prince Andris had stood during his tirade, more than a little put off by the young knights attitude. His goblet came to hand allowing him a moment to settle his frustrations. The current impasse in the war efforts only played to Rafn’s advantage."Look, let's start small. The Duchess recieved a letter asking for assistance a few weeks ago. An old servant of hers works for one of the noble families in Tharad. It would seem the family has fallen on hard times. The heads of house both perished on a shipboard fire 2 months ago and the heir is missing. In the interum his sister, Lidia Vanderboren has assumed the duties. I am not sure what the nature of the problem could be but it offers us a chance to forge a hidden alliance at the least and may offer us insights into what is happening in the city." The Duke took the pause as an opprotunity to move the discussion to a sitting room. His relaxed mantle of leadership helped keep all heads directed and level.At the door to the sitting room the duke looked on his two sons and his grandson - who would claim the throne of Middea as his own -  they were so different. Before anyone else could speak the duke poured some wine and lifted it to all, "Here is to small steps and great deeds. No war is ever won by a single event. Go to Tharad and see what there is to see. Rumors are wild since the Night of Fire. The city is divided. The night is dangerous and given to those who rule through fear and foul deeds. If we can stop this - if you can stop this - I know you will."The wine flowed freely deep into the cool spring night while strategy and operations were discussed. Here in the private dining room of Cabryn Fortress there was no ceremony and no one question went unanswered, save for the most important question of all — could five men neutralize the gaping tactical hole in Andris Ragnerik’s campaign to remove his step brother from the throne?  DM Note One: Andris and Duke Wingate gave the players each 50 gold coins ($5,000 USD) to start them on their campaign. I purchased nearly five hundred play coins from “Dead Man’s Chest” and gave these out as real coins that they will spend during the adventure. The props went over well and add a “cool” flavor to the city where money talks. DM Note 2: The other prop is the massive vinyl map of Ptolus. It is a great visual and was the main selling point of buying the book for me. I picked the thing up at Gencon 2006.TharadThe wait to enter the city took most of the morning. Refugees and those who feared that they would soon enter that status crushed together in the mud and rain waiting to pay the “gate toll” in the hopes of finding sanctuary behind the impressive walls. The curtain wall encircling Tharad was massive and daunting but then all walls appear that way until an army stands before them.Arron and Tara entered the city first. The young urchin was saved from slavery years ago by Arron and had lived under his protection since, first in Highvale and then in Northrun. Arron considered leaving her in Northrun but her knowledge of the city and her determination to help her foster father won her a place in the mission. Ducked through the gate taking a little traveled side street leading Arron to a quiet hostel where the pair were greeted as old friends.Torean, Isolde, Shir (the nanny), and the twin girls crossed the massive gates later in the day. A day spent wandering the city convinced Torean that he could best leverage his talents from Emerald Hill in Midtown among the Erenn. The neighborhood has a dangerous reputation but Torean has past dealings with the Erenn, enough that he feels his family will be safe.Freya and Jayme (known as “Kaid” the minor nobleman from Envernes) entered Tharad shortly before nightfall. The two quickly parted ways.Day 2:Arron walked the cobbled streets of the Guildsmen District searching for the House of Iron where all manner of metal workers meet to discuss guild business and life in general. The smoky haze of industry stung the country boys throat and eyes.The cold stares of the meeting hall were no more than he expected. Like steel, those who work metal must prove their temper. After producing a letter of introduction and proving his status as a journeyman weaponsmith a small mousey man assigned him to report to a foundry for a few days work to see if his skills could earn him a place at a masters forge.Toren wandered the city save for those areas where it was obvious that he would not be welcome. Inns, watering holes, and dens of inequity were too many to keep track of but a few places stood out where a man like himself could get some work. The evening was spent in the Gatehouse Pub in the company of a guardsmen deep in his cup over a woman. The conversation was gently steered towards those who might broker information within the city. In truth the poor fellow didn’t know much other than the unofficial word among the guard that included several citizens who were “off limits” unless you were feeling particularly stupid. Two names came out of the exchange: Echaebin, a secretive informant who could get nearly any answer for a price and Kirow, one of the Arimite “merchants” who lived in the closed neighborhood called the Kaarie.Day 3:Arron bustled among the clerks and minor bureaucrats of Oldtown, shuffling from line to line in an effort to establish himself (read get a license and guild approval) to perform ad hoc work as a scribe. Freya applied himself at the Foundry (Rolled a 3 on his Weaponsmith check). His work so impressed the master smith that an offer to work as a journeyman was immediately extended to him. Isolde secured a house in Emerald Hill for the family. Torean didn’t press for details. While he had been carousing for the last few days, it was obvious that his wife was meeting with the strange women who sometimes came to visit her in Northrun. He was startled to see her get results so quickly and without needing any money.Early morning in Dalenguard Jayme/Kaid applied to have the Baron recognize his patent of nobility. His father’s men had prepared the patent ensuring that it would pass any scrutiny. Unfortunately, the various fees amounted to a large amount of gold in part because Jayme has neglected his administrative skills in favor of his study of magic.As he settled in for the evening, Jayme was surprised to find a well appointed carriage waiting for him at the inn. Soon, he was wished towards Dalenguard and beyond into the Nobles District. The Vladaam Estate overlooks the cliffs of Dalenguard but location is the least opulent aspect of this magnificent estate. Dinner with Navanna and Godfried Vladaam proved more than Kaid could manage. The canny Navanna implied, coerced, twisted, and cornered Kaid several times in the after dinner pleasantries. By the time she had dismissed him, Kaid had accepted an offer to reside at the Rosewood Estate in return for future considerations to her family. Kaid was ill prepared for this style of confrontation and kicked himself during the carriage ride for his lack of understanding who or what just occurred.Day 4Meeting Lidia Vanderboren and uncovering her problems...</blockquote>

Verification