Session 8: Should I Stay or Should I go? Report
General Summary
Upon the evening return to Daggerford Beaufort De Montague demanded that the party immediately confer with Pwyll Daggerford, the Duke, about recent events. At a hastily arranged conference with the Duke, Gwydion (the court wizard), and Lewellyn Longhand (master at arms), Beaufort and the party relayed events of the last tenday, including the routing of the Drow Tree Fortress and a nearby supply station, the death of Melandrach (Wood Elf king) and his replacement by a Doppleganger. They noted with sadness the departure of Qually as he returned to the Wood Elves of the Misty Forest.
Various pieces of correspondence and information were unearthed in the Drow Fortress as well: a note in common (Meronal's note in Common) seemingly not written by Drow as it mentions their subterfuge, a figure named Ryngoth and Darnarest's Tower; also a note that only Gywdion could read, Meronal's Note. Although difficult to make out, the note, in Undercommon, stated that others were vying for power on the Sword Coast, the Dragon Cultists, the forces of Elemental Evil, including perhaps Tharizdun or his proxies.
Enemies, Drow and Bandits, seemed unconcerned as their lives were cut short by The Reborn. The dying enemies spoke of powerful evil near Secomber and cultists based at Darnarest's Tower. Even the Barbarians of the High Moor were implicated, but it's hard to recognize the truth in a man's last utterings.
The Duke and his advisors asked about the drawing of Bronwyn Daggerford and the Duke, but no further information had been obtained. Most members of The Reborn suspect some plot to infiltrate the royal household. Hopefully, this has been foiled by the defeat of the Drow in the Misty Forest.
For their services the Duke made each a member of The Order of Daggerford which gives them the rights of militia members (use of the armoury, stables) and a retainer of 50 gp per month.
After their audience with the Duke, celebrations were in order and the party, minus Khusrov who struck out (figuratively, not literally, ask the goat) on his own, put back pints of ale at the Lady Luck and were entertained by Owenden and the musical stylings of Emmanuel Woodsmoke. Two events transpired at the Lady (as the pub is known to locals): Beaufort was led to a secret meeting with a mysterious benefactor who offered him the rank of "Watcher" in The Harpers and charged him with a mission to Secomber to meet the head of the militia Elmo Gildas, also a Harper. The Harpers believe that evil is once again rising in Secomber, a village and region blighted by Elemental Evil over a decade ago (see Destruction of the Temple of Elemental Evil). Perhaps this is related to the recent scourge of Bugbears, Drow, Lizardmen, and bandits (not to mention Necromancers, i.e., Kelthas the Dread ) in the Delimbiyr Valley, perhaps not.
A second event concerns Emmanuel. A patron of the Lady Luck conversed with him about old friends. It's up to Em to reveal, or not, what was said.
The next day The Reborn set out for Secomber with new purpose and, in more than one case, a splitting headache. On their fresh horses (Brian, Roach, Celestia, Queezy, and Sir Toad) they made Julkhoun by the early evening and settled in to The Dragon's Breath Tavern, from all appearances a surprisingly well-kept pub in an otherwise down-on-its-heels village. The proprietor made an appearance. He was a well dressed suave sort referred to as The Baron. After roasted meat, bottomless pints, rousing jigs from the house band, and a round or two of demon dice, the staff began to lock the front door. A drunken dwarf (is there any other kind?), in a rage (ditto), punched one of the servers who took the shot amazingly well. The server then transformed into a werewolf and, along with two other werewolf staff, began to attack the patrons. The band continued with a down-tempo rendition of "That's not a halfling in my bed".
Without silvered weapons, the battle was difficult, but multiple spells and grapples from Khusrov finally killed the lycanthropes. To the party's surprise the band (all humans) were mortified. The Baron and his werewolves are holding their families hostage in the dungeons beneath the tavern and they will now surely be killed.
Will The Reborn turn a blind eye and continue through the night to Secomber or will they investigate?
Rewards Granted
1,000 XP for each PC
Character(s) interacted with
The Reborn interacted with: Pwyll Daggerford , Bronwyn Daggerford , Gwyidion pen Dafyd, Sir Lewellyn Longhand, Owenden , Shelene Spearslayer and others...
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