Session 34: Tidings Of War

General Summary

Making their way back to Eleth Telnara, the party was set upon by four centaurs, each with a longbow and a pike with a small purple banner near the point, bearing a silver lightning bolt. Hearing them in the distance, Shadow, Eirame, and Alden advanced stealthily, though Alden and Eirame made enough noise that a pair of centaurs heard them anyway. The other pair caught Rome and Rabanath unaware. Upon spying Rome, one centaur immediately sent the other off to warn the Lord of Storms about a red-skinned female tiefling who sang well. The remaining three centaurs engaged in combat, with two being driven off and the last being knocked unconscious. Rome cut off the unconscious female centaur's long braid, and Shadow revived her. She told the party that they were scouts for the Lord of Storms, that he was massing an army in his fortress to take back the forest from the elves, and that the Moonguard (the Regency of Telnara's military and guards) had a camp near his fortress, two days southwest of Eleth Telnara. The centaurs had been asked to report back if they saw a female tiefling; they didn't know why. The centaur matriarch had pledged the centaurs' allegiance to the Lord of Storms, uniting the centaur clans.   The rest of the journey to Eleth Telnara passed without incident. Arriving in the late evening, Rabanath offered a reward - Rome wished for a mahogany chest for her scarves, so he arranged to barter some of his wood to a craftsman in exchange for the chest, and would have that ready the following morning. The party decided to find Meloranath, the Vigilance contact in the city. They looked in the Silver Oaks Inn, but were directed to the Root and Tap in the Boughs district instead. Making their way there at twilight, Rome quickly spotted Maskir listening to Chaos Acoustica play. The party found Meloranath, asking her about Vigilance as she waited tables in the inn. She denied knowing Vigilance, but as the party sat down with Maskir and she brought them a round of drinks, she slipped Eirame a note saying not to mention Vigilance out loud in a crowded inn and to meet her after her shift ended at 2 AM.   The party talked with Maskir, and, seated at a nearby table, other new Delirium Travelling Troupe members: Poppy Snootbooper, a gnome animal trainer, Harvey, a half-human, half-aarakocra musician who also revealed his power of flight as part of the troupe's act, and Hilga Jawsnap, a female goliath with a beard who acted as a strongwoman in the act and helped with some of the more physical maintenance. While Rome stepped away to use the bathroom and read Meloranath's note, Maskir had sent Poppy out to find Edrin. Later, Edrin burst into the inn, both overjoyed and confused to see Rome. He'd checked in on Thefir and Morran in Eld Tereth on the troupe's return to Eleth Telnara a few days prior, and they'd left, having received a note that Rome had escaped Balo Blackiron and awaited them in Dun Girimbor.

Notes

Takes place on YA 2269, The Panther, day 31