a bit rocky and rushed, especially at the end, but certainly a fun fight it seemed, players advised the pacing is alright overall, but would like to spend more time on things they enjoy rather than things they dont, good luck figuring that out
the party started back a bit, Adamah flirted with the Kaiser, did pretty good, he seems to like her, Raime hung out with Loreili, its unknown how that went, somebody should ask him about his new redhead genocidal gf, Squire climbed up a mountain to where lightning had struck and found a sparking pendant in a crater, surely a sign of favor and a gift from her god Zyraxus, Kaden sniffed out a dragon, spending his time finding her, she was a plain woman with silver hair sitting alone, very worried that Kaden would tell "The Bloody One" about her (meaning Garruck), to which he agreed as long as she stayed out of sight, she agreed and soon fled the party. Khasari spoke with Erin Rommel some more and Ariange got strange looks the whole night as he hung out with Consular Isla
The fey came in, Squire snatched a pixie and we are back to where we left off, combat began with the Duke of Autumn unleashing swarms of bugs alongside the pixies and fey to attack the guests after Selena attacked him in what he thinks is an ambush. Ariange managed to convince him he wasnt an enemy and so the bugs backed off from him and focused on other characters and the undead. Selena did a rather good job leading and controlling the undead until the Duke hit her and broke her concentration, at which point most undead, including an allip, lept to kill Raime, thankfully Ariange threw Belial into position to defend the wizard as he picked off swarms one by one. Adamah used hypnotic pattern to stun a bunch, Squire unleashed powerful bolts of lightning on the Duke, Khasari and Erin fought off swarms, Isla healed the room and saved anyone in danger as well as unleashed a salvo of scorching rays, the Kaiser was pulled to safety by his bodyguards and Kaden pushed through the fray to help Selena regain control over her undead army.
The fey were defeated and retretead, with Raime killing the Duke of Autumn, Selena decreed the war was of importance to the Raven Queen, that any attempt to stop it would earn her ire, and those who reveled in death during it would earn her favor, she then departed with her army, her job done
The Kaiser and Isla were able to turn the event into a bonding moment of sorts between nations as everyone cleaned up and rested for a day before the ceremony and discussion began tomorrow. The Kaiser signed over conquered land back to Rommaco and Rommaco gave gifts of gold and magic items to Saxony, the nations grew a great deal closer, but still differed when it came to the question of the war in the Caliphate.
The Kaiser wants to go to war so that Saxony will be seen as heroes by the rest of Europa, sweeping in to save their weaker Polanian neighbor from a foreign threat. He has tasked Erin Rommel with this to ensure the Saxony soldiers do not rape, pillage or plunder and render aid whenever possible to all affected by this war... even as they plan to defeat the Caliphate on the battlefield.
Isla on the other hand was in the same party as the Sultana and refuses to sell her out. She chose to make a formal decree that Rommaco will not allow any ships, mercs, soldiers or supplies for this war to pass her borders. Rommaco has grown fat off of peace and now when she has to demand a new military tax to make a modern military and navy, its causing many cities to want independence instead, this move however will anger many in Europa and in Rommaco, though the blow was lessened by Ariange's skilled words as he spoke to some of the senators there. Isla asked for Adamah's opinion on what to do and was met with a solid political non-answer, even as Subren of the Black Hand informed Adamah that Isla siding with the Sultana is a good way of finally bringing her popularity down enough for her seat to be challenged, perhaps by Adamah herself.
The players exitted the meeting, talking briefly with the Kaiser who gave them a spell scroll of teleport to use to get to Angrose quickly so they can finally take on the cultists at the Dread Harbor. They arrived in the ruins surrounding the no-mans land battlefield and observed the imposing tower with its swarms of cultists and undead repairing it and the harbor full of sunken ships. They were surrounded by the White Guard and taken back to an Angrose camp where House Wolfkind is running the "siege" of the Dread Harbor. Mannerheim took some shots at Kaden but eventually explained the situation
Each member of house Wolfkind is busy doing something, the cultists arent nearly as strong as they used to be but the siege is getting very little support from inside Angrose or the rest of Europa so they cant even stop them or really do anything. Arenkina Petravitch, Raime's sister is here with at least some supplies from Rusonia, a group of odd devils are in the camp as well. Angrosians are either fleeing to settle Briarland, the dwarves are fleeing back into their ancient holds to some protector of sorts or they are all joining the "Last March of the Giants", which is apparently where Garruk is instead of leading his people. Mannerhiem asked them to help him break inside to see how strong the cultists really are and so now they are all planning on doing that. If you want inspiration for next time, you just have to tell me a dream your character once had, that was lost somehow, something they grew up wanting to do or something they never got to see, etc etc
