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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Eosin the Red" data-source="post: 1436798" data-attributes="member: 168">Torean Norhill's Account of EventsOne of the players is a bard and has decided that he will keep a personal journal of events in addition to the DM's version so here we go with a nice double dipping story hour.  Eosin  Lago’s Folly   I awoke on Arbor Day in Orenstone. The Earl of Northrun, and I have been staying here these past few weeks. On this day, we were summoned to a meeting with Duke Rhys Wingate. Jayme, with whom I have been traveling, was ordered by the Duke to make the journey to Highvale in order to meet with Lady Brennica. He had some hopes that the lady would provide some aid to his military campaigns in the upcoming summer. I was asked by Duke Wingate to accompany his son on this trip, he felt that I might be able to get some useful information about the Academy, to which he provided generous financial support. The Duke received frequent reports but as most men of his station, he often liked to obtain his own information unpolished. Our trip was not pleasant, the spring rains and winter thaws made mud our constant companion. We encounted burned out freesteads that seemed to be the work of raiders. Perhaps it is the work of Vendel raiders, but they rarely kill and destroy, they merely steal. After several wet days on the muddy roads we arrived at the town of Redgorge to find that all was not well. We noted an unusual number of people seemed to be leaving the town as we arrived. We headed to the local Inn, the Wanderer’s Rest, to see about gaining lodgings for the night and to try and find out what was afoot. The two of us began questioning the locals about recent events in an effort to determine what was happening. Why were people leaving town? Where were all the town guardsmen? The tidings we received were ill indeed. Yesterday the Captain Commander of the town guard, Sir Goran Toras, was apparently murdered. Lago, a lieutenant of the Earl of Hailen, Kerwin Riddik, had dragged his body though the streets of Redgorge. He unceremoniously dropped the body off in front of the fortress of Countess Drayson. When his entreaties went unanswered, several locals overheard him making a declaration about returning two days hence. Many of the town guards and the local citizenry are now in flight from the town for fear of what the morrow may bring. The Countess Drayson is a widower with a son who has yet to reach his majority. Such is the hazard of such an unwed noble woman. A new marriage and the tragic loss of the rightful heir and the lands would fall to the new husband, however unwanted he might be. It is thus that Lago’s master seeks to expand his own holdings. A terrible injustice looms nigh. Lago is also known as the Skindancer due to his unsavory practice of skinning his enemies. He is a harsh villain, one who blurs the distinction between civilized man and the monstrous trollkin. From the tales I have heard his mannerisms are more in keeping with the latter. Lago’s master, Earl Riddik, is not a well-liked man. The aged Earl Riddik is a bitter man who desires to expand his holdings and with age his ruthlessness, and lack of tact, has increased. The innkeeper recognized me soon after we arrived, I get that a lot, and the usual offer of free food and lodging for an evening’s performance soon followed. I consented to play but a few songs for the crowd, I could tell they sorely needed what cheer I could grant them. I was unable to accept the Innkeepers offer since Jayme had resolved that we must make for the fortress to talk with the Countess Drayson.   We arrived at the fortress to find the gate open and the guards missing. Within we found the door to the great hall was standing open and we feared the worst. Fortunately we soon found the Countess Drayson and her 16-year old son Bren in discussion with others who would aid the noble Countess. The other men who had come to the Countess’s aid were; Nagus Pantojan, a Paladin of the god Bryn, Arron Termen who appears to be a worthy warrior, and Frya a mage. This bodes well I thought, for Earl Jayme is also a mage. Mages are very rare people and having two in the small town of Redgorge was so unlikely as to be preposterous. Our council lasted only a scant hour before it was decided that we must escort the Countess and the heir to safety. We chose to use the manner’s escape tunnel into the mountains since the roads of the town would surely be watched. Once away we would flee toward the Eastern March and thence to Brayport. In Brayport we could find a safe route to Orenstone and the protection of Duke Rhys Wingate, Margrave of the Eastern March, Marshall-General of Middea, and the father of Earl Jayme. A trek through the Eastern March was a risky course but also much less likely to be watched. We were barely to emerge from the escape tunnel before we had our first encounter with Lago’s men. We emerged to discover the weather had again turned and rain was falling steadily. Wooded mountains in the dark in the rain are one of the chief reasons I prefer Inns. Arron scouted the immediate area and soon found very fresh signs of a horseman in the area. We could not turn back now so we began to venture out. Alas we were almost immediately challenged by a group of 4 footmen. These turned out to be some of Lago’s men who were scouting the area and happened upon us by chance. Arron and Nagus valiantly met these enemies and though out numbered two to one, they made quick, and bloody work of the overmatched soldiers. As the battle ended a lone horseman appeared at the edge of the clearing. We knew that we could allow no fugitives for the escapee would surely bring the balance of Lago’s men upon us. Frya the Storm Mage mumbled under his breath some arcane words and coursed through the very air at the incredulous horseman. The horseman’s amazement soon turned to horror as with another spell the breath escaped from his body with a wisp of vapor from his gaping mouth. The horseman fell gasping to the ground and the Storm Mage landed and cracked his head with flat of his blade. We soon revived the felled horseman, the only survivor of our enemy. From him we learned who they were. Another spell from the Storm Mage ensured that the scout would sleep for many hours so we hid him in some nearby brush. The bodies of the footmen were tossed off the side of the mountain to allay any clue from whence they had fallen. The rain was our ally in covering our tracks. I know not what became of the horseman’s mount.   The climb back down the mountain was exhausting and harrowing but we made it without mishap. The boy Bren had a near fall but was saved from a plunge due the quick and strong hand of the Paladin Nagus. We managed to traverse the valley and reach the mountain pass to the Eastern March by the next evening.   As we made camp we were one again unfortunate enough to encounter a contingent of Lago’s men. There were nearly a dozen of them and Lago was with this party. We resolved that this could be a very dangerous fight and so I volunteered to try and bluff our way past the patrol. I have always been skilled and thinking on my feet and fortunately that skill served me once again. While the Countess Drayson and Bren hid under covers in our makeshift shelter I, Nagus and Arron greeted the patrol. I explained that we were seeking Vendel Raiders due to the bounty that had been placed upon them by the Earl of Terse, a man well known for his unending hatred of the Vendel. They bought it. Since I was recognized I said that I was accompanying these hunters in order to write a sonnet about the great Vendel hunt. Lago’s spokesman, for he would not talk with us directly, told that they were hunting outlaws, a woman and a boy who claimed to be the Countess Drayson and her son. I offered to accompany them on their hunt since that sort of intrigue sounded much more worth of a story. They then hastened to leave since they sought no notoriety in their real endeavors. The next day we encountered some miners in the pass who warned us of a pair of trolls in the vicinity. Fortune shined upon us in the planes of the Eastern March. We soon encountered a century of troops belonging to Duke Wingate. Earl Jayme ordered them to accompany us to Brayport and thus the rest of our trip was very safe and uneventful.   The town of Brayport is where I grew up and my stepfather Roth, is the owner and Innkeeper of the Lucky Monkey. It is one of the finest Inns in all of Middea and we soon found warm greetings, good food, and friendly people. We soon resolved that we had to send word of the happenings to Highvale of what had transpired in Redgorge. Fortunately I was acquainted with Tael Noried a female guilder who often had goods running between Brayport and Highvale. For the price of an evening’s entertainment for her and her party she was glad to arrange covert delivery of our message to Highvale. The next day we, with an escort of a dozen of the Duke’s troops, set out for Orenstone, the capital of the Duchy of Wingate. We encountered Lago and some of his men at one of the towns we stopped at overnight. But now we were on the Duke’s land. We had the Captain of the troops inform Lago that he and his men were not welcome here. Heavily outnumbered they peacefully left. We are now in Orenstone and the Duke is happy with our actions. The Countess Drayson and her Son are safely under the Duke’s protection and two centuries of his troops are now marching to Redgorge to expel Lago’s scum and Earl Riddik’s men. On the morrow we will bid the Countess and Bren our farewells and resume our journey to Highvale.</blockquote>

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