Session 01

General Summary

Returning to the surface triumphant the party reported their success to High Priestess Jenya. She was very pleased that the group had survived intact and that a serious blow had been dealt to the Cagewrights and hopefully to their immediate plans. However she pointed out that the city lay in turmoil. The mayor was still missing presumed dead. His replacement had turned out to be a beholder. One of the other major figures of the ruling council had turned out to be a cultist working to evil means. It was time to get a hold on the city and bring order back from the chaos. Jenya proposed a meeting of all the senior people of the city to try and sort out the mess. She said that as the defacto saviours of the city to date Magma Force should all be there. She was going to invite all the heads of the noble families. She was going to invite the leaders of the main churches. She was going to invite the merchant leaders too for they should have a voice in the running of their city. Messages were sent out and a date agreed.   Over the next few days it became apparent that Lord Terseon Skelerang had hanged himself - perhaps due to some guilt at his connection with Vhalantru and his manipulation of the city? Sergeant Skylar Krewis was promoted to the position of Captain Commander and in keeping with the traditions of the city he was given the title of Lord and made a noble for at least the time of his office.   The date for the council meeting finally arrived. Magma Force arrived at the town hall in full adventuring regalia to make it clear that their position in the city was significant and not to be underestimated, and also to place a show of force behind Jenya and her desires for the city to be ruled by council and not by dictator. All the heads of the noble houses came as did Asfelkir of Kord and Maavu Arlintal and Skie Andersun for the merchants. The cathedral of Wee Jas was not represented, and in fact word had reached Jenya that the High Priest in Sasserine was shutting the cathedral down until the matter of Embril's treachary could be fully investigated.   For hours the council debated. In the end it was agreed that the new council would comprise of 11 members: the heads of the 3 remaining founding families; the heads of the 3 other minor noble houses; Lord Skylar Krewis as Captain of the Guard; the 2 leaders of the main 2 churches, and 2 representatives of the local merchants. 11 members would sit on the council, each with an equal vote. However the leader of the council would not vote, accept in the case of a tie. In this case they would have the casting vote. The leader of the council would always be one of the heads of the three remaining founding families and they would rotate this position yearly, in alphabetical order. the position of Lord Mayor would be scrapped.   As the meeting went on the council members were alarmed to feel the occasional tremor in the earth. This was not uncommon in Cauldron of course, but these tremors were more frequent than might be considered normal. Much more frequent in fact. And as the meeting progressed the skies outside darkened like a storm was coming. But looking out of the windows the skies were an unearthly dark purple and looked almost to be building up to a slow boil. Almost exactly as the council finalised its decision to elect 11 members but before they had time to make their first new law chaos erupted in the council chambers.   With a flash of eldritch light a group of half a dozen or more long haired dwarves instantly arrived inside the chamber! These were hill dwarves of the same stock as Gotrek and they were fierce and wild. They were led by a crazed looking dwarf sorcerer of some description who cackled and laughed as his followers attacked. High Priestess Jenya and Captain Skylar reacted quickly, sheparding the nobility to safety out through the front door and into the storm. Meanwhile High Priest Asfelkir roared in defiance and hefted his mace, wading into the fray. Magma Force drew weapons and joined him. The battle was ferocious and swift. The dwarven sorceror cackled and laughed insanely throughout the whole fight, mentioning in bursts the Fiery Sanctum and his Cagewright masters, so it was clear where his allegience lay. However he mutter somethings about they would be pleased with him when they found out he had stopped this meeting so it was obvious that the Cagewrights hadn't sanctioned this attack directly. Seconds later a hald dozen dwarves lay dead around the town hall.   Heading out into the streets it was clear something serious was going on. The roads were crowded with people coming out to see for themselves. The skies by now were roiling purple and black with arcs of yellow and green lightning streaking across the skies and occasionally lashing down into the lake. The tremors were growing more and more frequent. Gotrek and Camero consulted with one another quickly and Gotrek said that in his opinion the tremors were a sure sign that the volcano was beginning to stir and might be on the verge of erupting. As far as Magma Force knew the volcano was extinct, but what they had read of the Cagewrights plans had lead them to believe that the Cagewrights were planning on using the power of the erupting volcano to power a ritual to open a rift to the prison plane of Carceri. And Camero recognised the purple clouds and green lightning as signatures of the prison plane. It seemed that the Cagewrights had started the ritual of the Planar Junction and were starting to open the rift!   Rushing to the Church of St. Cuthbert the group found High Priestess Jenya. She had just escorted the nobles to the relative safety of the barracks and left them in the care of Captain Krewis. She was on the streets looking at the skies and looking worried at the increasing panic on the faces of the citizens as they saw what was unfolding. She ushered the group inside so they could talk privately. It was quickly agreed that Gotrek's and Camero's assertions were probably correct. But with more discussion it was decided a ritual of this magnitude would take many hours to complete. However the city was very quickly becoming a lethal place to live. As much as Magma Force dearly wished to teleport right into the heart of the mountain and take the fight directly to the Cagewrights in their base, the Fiery Sanctum, it was agreed the safety of the city was a more urgent matter. They would go onto the streets and help evacuate the city. Word was sent to the barracks and Captain Krewis urging him to get the soldiers on the streets and start evacuating the city. There was no time for a council meeting to decide what to do. Buildings were beginning to topple as the tremors increased.   Magma Force rushed onto the streets of the beloved city of Cauldron, determined once again to save as many lives as they could before the city was shaken apart under their noses.
Report Date
11 Apr 2024
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