The Fall of Clan Dourstone

General Summary

Flamerule 13th - Year of Rogue Dragons

The fight with the derro took a lot out of the party, so they decided to focus on securing Dourstone Hall and waiting for reinforcements. Spiking the secret door to the derro warren closed, Ulfgar returns to Hammerfall Hall, leaving his companions to keep Dourstone Hall under wraps. On return to his home, he finds Kurtho, the barkeep of the Copper Stein and Degenmar Gundarsun, a Captain of the Stone Guard.     Kurtho lets Ulfgar and Kirin know that someone's been sniffing around the Trade Center looking for Ulfgar and his friends, and any information on their plans. Kirin tells Kurtho that he will be purchasing a LARGE quantity of Boar's Blood ale for Ulfgar's return home party if Kurtho can keep it a secret. Kirin also adds that the roles of Ulfgar's companions in Hammerfall Hall will be revealed, but not until the party (and again, only if it can be kept quiet).     Once Kurtho is gone, the conversation turns more serious. Ulfgar fills Captain Degenmar in on the findings from Dourstone Hall. Degenmar sends a trusted aid (and clan-dwarf) to get a contingent to replace the gate guards at Dourstone Hall. The official story will be that Heart of the Clan Madrissa Dourstone has passed, and that Thane Crale is so distraught that he has sealed his hall, even from family. Black mourning cloth will be draped over the entry, and the Gundarsun guards posing as Dourstone Guards will wear Dourstone funerary masks.     When told about the derro, Gundarsun ups the contingent of guards he sends to take care of the menace. Eventually the companions meet up with the Gundarsuns and turn Dourstone Hall over to them, heading back to Hammerfall Hall for some recuperation.    

Flamerule 14th - Year of Rogue Dragons

The next morning, the party is ushered into a meeting at Hammerfall Hall with Kirin, Borl Hedelstone, chief of Clan Hedelstone and Baulind Dolvak, representative of Iron Lord Murnaros and the Clan Dolvak. Due to the seriousness of the charges against the Dourstones, and the overwhelming evidence against them, the Iron Lord has no choice but to declare the clan traitors under the mountain.     Because of the ongoing investigation, the ruse of Madrissa's mourning will be continued to give the agents of the crown (Ulfgar and his companions) a head start to reach the Dourstone Mines and deal with Ragnolin Dourstone on behalf of Ironspur. At that time, Clan Dourstone will be publicly declared traitors.     One-tenth of Dourstone's holdings will go to the Mountain and the Iron Lord, to prepare defenses against any evils that Dourstone has unleashed. Two-thirds of the remaining holdings will go to Clan Hedelstone, which has suffered significant losses at the hands of Dourstone. Further, Clan Hedelstone will resume its seat on the Council of Thanes.     Clan Hammerfall's actions in protecting Ironspur from this hidden threat deserve a great reward, and Clan Hammerfall is to receive the remaining third of Dourstone's holdings. Clan Chiefs Borl Hedelstone and Kirin Hammerfall may meet to jointly decide how to divide the holdings up in these proportions. Should a seat open up on the Council of Thanes, Clan Hammerfall should be considered a contender for the Council.     At that point, Captain Degenmar and Baulind agree that the party should be escorted out one of the secret escape routes to Vaasa. There they can proceed to The Vaasan Gate and Virdin. When the group reveals that they are well-known at "The Gate", Degenmar lets them know that they can meet an operative from Clan Orothiar at Darmshall, who should be able to get them through the gate without question.     After the meeting, Kirin sends his people out to make purchases on the companions behalf, to exchange coin and gems, and to help the party prepare for the next leg of their journey.    

Flamerule 15th - Year of Rogue Dragons

The following day, the party is escorted, heavily cloaked, to one of the many passages the Ironspur dwarves use to enter Vaasa. It takes two days on the dark roads to finally emerge west of the Vaasan Dark Mere. All in all, Ulfgar lets them know that they've traveled almost 30 miles underground.    

Flamerule 17th - Year of Rogue Dragons

One day's travel due west brings the party to the well-worn trail between the Vaasan Gate and Palischuk. Following the trail, it takes four days to begin approaching the Gate, a distance of a little over 60 miles. Once they reach the Gate, Magus Tai chooses to leave the group and retire to his studies for the Magician's Guild. He steals off, invisibly, to travel back to Bloodstone City and Heidmarch Manor, where he should be able to use a teleportation circle to return to Heliogabalus.    

Flamerule 21st - Year of Rogue Dragons

The four remaining companions, travel another 40 miles to Darmshall , where the rent rooms at Silverhand's Inn and begin drinking at the One-Eyed Cat. There they are approached by a female dwarf who introduces herself as Maginwal Orothiar. Maginwal's companion is a large red-bearded man who introduces himself as Nicolas Carpenter. After a night of festivities, the party heads back to their rooms.    

Flamerule 22nd - Year of Rogue Dragons

The next morning, Maginwal wakes up well before dawn, rousing the slumbering and somewhat hung-over group to her cart. It takes a day and a half until they reach the Gate. Without Magus Tai and his incredible tiny hut, the party finds themselves having to set watches again.     All the time since leaving Ironspur, the remaining companions discussed their band's name, no longer The Magnificent Seven, they felt the time had come to choose anew. An idea was floated that they now each had a signet ring of the Knights of Virdin, but they chose not to take on that roll - yet. Eventually, by the time they reached the Gate, Iluminus was born.    

Flamerule 23rd - Year of Rogue Dragons

The morning of the 23rd brought Iluminus to The Gate. Maginwal has to cajole guards to let her through, captain clears the way. It seems that Clan Orothiar has a writ allowing them passage into and out of Bloodstone Valley without oversight or inspection. One of the newer guards was unaware of this fact until a senior captain corrected him. An hour or so past the gate, Maginwal bid the party good luck and leaves, but her bodyguard Nicholas chooses to stay with the group. Iluminus makes its way the rest of the 12 miles to Virdin by mid-afternoon.     They check into The Snoring Giant, realizing they need to decide their next moves.