Session 1: The War in the South Report

Not surprisingly, the war that was raging in the southern reaches of the Empire was an obvious scene of conflict that would require the Inquisition's assistance. The Keepers of Lornesse, being a new Inquisitorial company, were one of the only companies not already deployed on some sort of mission. This made them the perfect choice for Lord Inquisitor Emmerich to give a particularly important assignment. Their assignment is to go to the city of Drakar, whose 10,000 defenders are valiantly holding off an Elven host of over 40,000, and to uncover what it is that the Elven desire in that city. For this mission, Tristifer organized a party of around 12 agents to move south to Drakar. Along the way they encountered a company of the shattered Iron Circle host. Thanks to good strategy and skilled force of arms, over 15 deserters were slain at the loss of only a single man.   Following that battle, the company was approached by a soldier of the Iron Circle who was seeking aid for his wounded comrades in their camp. Leading Tristifer and a few others back to his camp, it was learned that one of the Iron Circle's commanders, Graven, had survived and was leading the shamble of an army. After a short parlay, it was learned that not all the Iron Circle knights had deserted, but that Graven's second in command had gone rogue, and that the company had killed him. In return for that service, Graven offered up the belongings of the rogue knight to the party, which yielded decent loot for the company. Tristifer acquired a Hammer of Corgastor and a writing kit to send much needed dispatches. Feeling generous, the company offered up some medical supplies and horses to the remaining Iron Circle troops before moving on toward Drakar.   Traveling down the southern road toward Drakar, the company came upon a most terrible sight. Before them lay the remains of thousands of dead soldiers, both men and elves, from the battle outside Drakar a week before. Unfortunately, there was little that the company could do by that point, and had no choice but to skirt around and carry on.   Coming within five hours ride from Drakar, the company ran into a boundary line set up by the Elves. Going beyond it would result in being pelted by arrows, and an almost certain death. Unable to go forward, the company searched for an alternate path into Drakar, and were lucky enough to find an underground passageway atop a hill that was being disguised by illusion magic. Inside the path trailed on for hours, until the company reached a large open chamber. Within it was nothing but a innocuous pile of rocks, which turned out to be the guise for a stone golem. It furiously attacked the party and slew one of their number instantly. Tristifer called a retreat to save the party from an untimely demise and create a plan. The plan that was formed was for Ser Arthur to use one of the nails from the Gates of Death to impale and instantly kill the golem. Thankfully, it worked according to plan and the golem crumbled. Moving forward hence, the party arrived inside of Drakar only a few hours later.   Once in Drakar, the party set about creating a plan to identify and seek out the artifact the elves have launched a war to obtain. They had mistakenly assumed that things would be stable enough within the city to allow for the investigation to go smoothly, but that was certainly not the case. The entire city was enveloped by chaos as a revolt tore through the lower portions of the city. The Ducal Guard of Drakar had only just barely managed to contain the violence. The fifth circle and above of the Guild tower remained secure, the second and beyond of Corgastor's Spire, and the Eighth and above of the Ducal spire remained in government control. This caused a severe problem, as it became evident after limited investigation that there was more to this revolt than dissatisfaction and disloyalty by the embattled citizenry of Drakar. A greater evil was at hand, perhaps related to the statue of a long forgotten "Lord of Pain" whose alter the party discovered far below the city in the tunnels leading to the Guild Spire.   Captain Tristain, First of Duchess Ezra's Guard, regrettably informed the party that only limited help could be given by the city's government, even if the party was with the Inquisition. All that could be offered were words of warning of the immense dangers below at the hands of ferocious resistance by the apparently infuriated peasantry. To attempt to move unseen, the party covered themselves in rough clothes like commoners to better disguise themselves, and descended toward the city below.