Campaign 3 - Session 1 - The Proving

The Princess Jazel Umber, of the noble Mountain Clan, had come of age, having just celebrated her thirteenth birthday. It was time for her to participate in the Proving, a deadly competition where highborn bloodlines sent their daughters to compete for a chance to become Valkyrie, the elite warriors of the clan.
This was a tradition that had been carried out every five winters, and only half of the girls who entered the Proving emerged victorious. It was said that this culling of the weak from the bloodlines was necessary to maintain the clan's strength. Winning the Proving was the highest honor a family could bring upon themselves.
But these were dark times for the Mountain Clan, as they were embroiled in a multifront war. The Merfolk were attacking from the north, the Jungle Clan was attacking from the south, and the Sky Clan was attacking from the west. Outsiders saw the clan's decision to hold the Proving during this time of war as madness, a waste of valuable lives. But the clan held onto their ancient traditions, no matter the cost.

Princess Jazel was accompanied by the captain of the Valkyrie, Gud'rune, the greatest warrior of the clan who is tasked with not only protecting the princess, but to teach her the art of battle. Atoone the Wise, is a tortle shaman who has served the Umber Royal Family for 300 years as their royal advisor and speaker of the spirits. Atoone is tasked with teaching the princess history, diplomacy, and how to commune with the spirit world. Jazel's best friend and servant, Choppa, always wearing a hood over her face to conceal her uncanny resemblance to the Princess. Choppa acts as the princess’s body double when traveling putting on a performance where the two girls swap places and Jazel gets to pretend to be a serving girl. years ago Choppa was a thief who was captured by the city guard and mistaken as Princess jazel and sent to the palace. This is when Atoone the wise who suggested to keep Choppa as the Princess's body double and Gud'rune agreed and the two girls have been best friends since then.
The group had been traveling for two weeks with another tortle advisor, Jarsifina the Cautious. the whole trip the party had to listen as Atoone and Jarsifna argued and debated the risks of Jazel participating in the Proving, knowing that her death would lead the clan into a civil war.
making their way from the Mountain Clan's green capital of Bulwark in Bear Valley to the frozen mountains of the Iron Spine. They approached the settlement of Serenity, a soothing hot spring in the center of these frozen lands. However, a looming bright blood moon cast an eerie light on the town below, setting an ominous tone for what lay ahead.
As they got closer to the gates of Serenity The sound of laughter and music fills the air as the noble daughters of the mountain clans come together to celebrate the impending proving. The town is lit with lanterns, casting a warm glow over the festivities.
They were welcomed to Serenity by Matriarch Ichorstone and Gud'rune's husband Magnus who brought not only a large squad of Aegis Family soldiers to defend the proving with the mountain clan's army's being spread so thin for the war effort. He explained *drunkly* how his family ruled Thunderhead that was lost to the mechanical monstrosity known as "The Invincible" and now his tribe are refugees and the least they can do is offer their services so not to be a burden for the clan.
He also brought a giant keg of Thunderheads famous "Thunder Brew" for the townspeople to enjoy for the festivities.
Matriarch Ichorstone invited the group to explore the town and enjoy themselves but pulled Atoone the wise to the side to explain a situation going on in Serenity. The hot spring in town is blessed by a strong healing spirit, a spectral Elk with wind chimes and bells dangling from its antlers, this spirit is what gives the hot spring its magical healing properties. Due to the Blood Moon's influence, a few spirits bound to the elk's wind chimes have broken free and are causing mischief in town. Atoone is the one who bound them to the hot spring 200 years ago and thus the Matriarch asks her to help bind them again to restore order.

The item shop had a wind spirit that kept blowing out the torch lights.
The tavern had an earth spirit that was drinking all the thunder brew.
The ice fishing spot had a water spirit that was tying fishlines together.
Over the course of the evening, Atoone and Princess Jazel stopped the spirits' mischief and order was restored. Jazel even convinced Atoone to bind the water spirit to a drinking mug so Jazel could keep it as a pet, I mean, spiritual guide.

Not just spirits were up to mischief this evening, Choppa was robbed by a child thief named Bug who turned out to be member of the Sons of Shadow that were taking the opportunity to steal from all the nobles that had gathered in Serenity for the proving. The leader of the operation was none other than Choppa's old mentor Little foot, a half Orc/Gerblin with massive arms and tiny little feet that dangled in the air as he walked on his massive knuckles. Little foot apologized for Bug's thievery and returned Choppa's belongings.
Gud'rune in her pursuit of Choppa's thief got lost in the underwater tunnels and accidentally stumbled upon her husband Magnus in the throws with another woman. Their secret love nest. Outraged Gud'rune challenged the woman to a duel for disgracing her family's honor and made quick work of the woman as she was no match for the captain of the Valkyrie.
The husband and wife exchange words but reveal they are in a loveless marriage, and there is some serious tension between Gud'rune, Magnus and Magnus' dead sister Sigarda.
When Gud'rune was young she was best friend's with Magnus' twin sister Sigarda. The family were so close that their parents matched Gud'rune and Magnus to wed to strengthen the family bonds. Unfortunately Sigarda and Gud'rune got paired up against each other in the proving when they were 14 years old and Sigarda was slain at Gud'rune's hand. Magnus never forgave her for taking his twin sister from him, but their parents still forced the marriage as it was not an act of hate, but of duty.
The next morning the group traveled to the Ichor Pools where 50 teenage girls competed in four competitions.
First was an obstacle course in a test of speed.
Second was a trial of strength where the girls had to carry a heavy object to the finish line.
Third was a trial of constitution, the girls had to run through the ichor pools.
Jazel finished in the upper half of the 50 girls and was first to choose her opponent to the fourth and final competition. A fight to the death.

Jazel chose Eva Mythril of the Mythril Bloodline from the Jungle Forge. A girl who wielded a massive great sword as if it weighed 5 pounds.
As the girls began their fight, Choppa noticed Bug the little thief boy from the night before explaining that his friend Little Foot was in trouble and to follow him quickly. Atoon noticed Choppa sneaking off with Bug and sensed ill magics coming from the small boy and decided to follow after them.

Jazel's fight was intense and she quickly learned that her opponent wielded mastery over the wind as she conjured up a powerful tornado that flew around the battlefield. But something was wrong, Jazel felt a crippling weight on her muscles making it difficult for her to perform in the match.
Gud'rune, with her years of experience, noticed Jazel being cursed and began to immediately search the crowd for the person trying to get Jazel killed in her match. She seeked the aid of Domina Ichorstone, the drill master of the Valkerie whose Raven was able to pin point the saboteur as none other than Jarsifina! But why?! Jarsifina was a trusted advisor to the Umber Queen! Gud'rune leaped into action (litterly) to stop this treachery! She leaped from her perch high above Jarsifina and slammed down into the old turtle woman. Gud'rune explained to Matriach Ichorstone that she caught Jarsifina interfering with the princess' duel and the matriarch gave the order for Gud'rune to execute the traitorous Jarsifina.

Deep underground Choppa and Bug stop to catch their breath and as Choppa asked the boy where her friend Little foot was bug threw a dose of sleeping powder in Choppa's face. Choppa miraculously exhaled the powder back into Bug's face causing the boy to fall backwards into a deep sleep as his body shape-shifted into an older man. Is this Bug? Or someone trying to pretend to be Bug? What is going on?
Atoone witnessed the exchange between Choppa and the now unconscious man. They loot the sleeping man and find more sleep powder and an encrypted journal. Together they bring the man to the surface and have him shackled in chains to be questioned when he awakens.
Atoone is shocked to learn that Jarsifina had turned traitor and was executed.
Just then the match between Jazel and Eva Mythril reached its climatic finish as Eva flew into the sky like a bird and dropped down towards a Jazel. The princess deftly parried the attack and Eva's great sword became stuck in the wood of the platform. Jazel took advantage of this opportunity and with a great roar cleaved her axe into Eva's collarbone freezing the girl with ice. The battle was over, Princess Jazel Umber arose victorious despite the interference from Jarsifina.
The crowd went wild and began chanting UMBER! UMBER! UMBER!

Gud'rune's husband Magnus brings another Keg of Thunder Brew for everyone to toast in celebration. Each person held their mugs up high and shouted SKOL! and downed their drink.
One by one, people began spitting up blood for their drinks had been laced with poison.
Everyone at the proving during the toast lied dead including Matriarch Ichorstone, the Ichorstone guards, and the noble daughters who attended the proving.
The only survivors were Magnus, a troop of Aegis Soldiers, Magnus's little sister Astrid (who was in the proving), and our 4 heroes.
Magnus ordered the Aegis guard to slay the survivors for this was vengeance for his home of Thunderhead falling. He claimed the Aegis family will take the crown of the mountain clan, for the Umber leadership is weak and can't protect the people from invaders.
As the guards set in to finish off the survivors Princess Jazel slid down an ice slide of her making and planted her axe in Magnus' skull, freezing his head and then shattering it into a million pieces.
Battle breaks out as the party fought to survive the troop of Aegis soldiers.
During the struggle the mysterious man that was Choppa put to sleep woke up and began helping the heroes fight off the Aegis guard, strangling them with his metal shackles.
Astrid, Magnus' younger sister (Gud'rune's sister in law) is confused on what what just happened. Why did her family just murder all these people. Is she a traitor now? Will the queen order her death because of what her family did? Which side is she on? At this time Gud'run calms the trouble girl and assures her she did nothing wrong, that her family is guilty and that she will make sure to clear her name with everyone. Astrid having known Gud'rune her whole life as a woman of honor and justice took her hand.
The party managed to subdue the remaining soldiers and the mysterious man shouted for them to run as more are on the way and he'll do what he can to slow them down.
The party, confused, looked at each other and Gud'rune took charge and led the party to a monument in front of the proving grounds her ancestors built, for Gud'rune comes from a bloodline of masons. She manipulates some hidden levers on the monument and the stone moved to reveal a hidden passage underground. Gud'rune and Atoone hurry the children into the passage and then both of them take one last look at the carnage that just took place. They knew they must protect the girls and get them back to the safety of the capitol with great haste.