Session 7: Tales From Friends
General Summary
22nd - 29th Sharali 234 4E Next on the party's list was Grissel Pans, the old widow whose family owned many of the farmers surrounding the village. They had previously learnt that the captain of the bandits they had ambushed and killed had been the one who killed her son when Hrefna first arrived. Following a brief misreading of sounds coming from Grissel's house and a subsequently breaking in to only find the lady asleep and safe, the party talked to Grissel and presented her with the head of her son's killer. Options and terms were passed back and forth, but finally Grissel promised her support in return for making sure Turoc was removed from the bailiff's office once all was over. One more supporter in the bag, the party had enough support to settle any uncertainties Fallili had and so she sent two riders off to Saelford to fetch the rest of her hired swords. The party settled down for the night in the new house Odhran had found. Come the morning, they headed for Hilda's house for a meeting with her arranged by her brother Herrig. On the way Meridas spotted Gwann leaving Hilda's, looking nervous, and picked up the pace to catch up with him. While shifty, he didn't seem to know anything about their plans so Meridas' worries were relaxed. Hilda, hearing the plan and support already gathered, quickly gave her support as well and even offered to cook up a draught to help their efforts. Over the next three days, the party rested and prepared. Odhran assisted Herrig in his smithy, repurposing the bandits' tools into crude weaponry and crafting a great grappling hook that could be used to pull down a section of the camp's palisade. Willum and Hilda spent the days gathering various herbs and brewing draughts, managing to craft a healing elixir and a cordial that will assist in resisting poison. Noticing that they hadn't seen Gwann since running into him outside Hilda's, and worried by that fact, Meridas and Willum went to check in on him while Tawny went to Hilda to ask her about his troubles they had heard about. They found him holed up in his house, numb and slow from narcotics, the events having cracked and broken him. As Tawny found out from Hilda, this was not the first pain like this that the man had endured and it seemingly was too much to feel. Meridas opened up to him, talking of their past and their Oberon, and managed to bring the man back up to the surface. It would take some time, but the fire was back in his eyes. Meanwhile Avina and Odhran went back to Ganor's house, to try again to persuade him to their side. They found the building bare and abandoned, the trapper long gone. Where to, who knows. Two days later, a couple of hours after dusk, Falilli's hired swords arrived at the village. They had been waylaid by the weather, but had pushed through to make it on time. With their arrival, all was ready. The following morning, as the sun broke the horizon, the party marched into the village center, signalling their supporters as they went. By the time the stood in front of the bailiff's house, most of the village stood behind them. Caught by surprise and with this great show thrust in front of him, Turoc panicked and darted back into his house, bolting the door behind him. It seems the old warrior would not be fighting beside them, which was sure to help with fulfilling their promise to Grissel. But even without the bailiff's support, the party spoke out to the crowd and with their supporters' help, swayed two dozen of the villagers to take up arms and join them. After a couple of hours for farewells and final preparations, the makeshift army set out south towards Telan's Pass and Hrefna's camp.
Session Log - Willum
We spent most of the day talking with the important people in the village, and we managed to convince most of them to help us fight Hrefna in her stronghold. I think it will be good for the people of this village to fight these people themselves and free their own children. It is like back home when we would all band together to drive away the creatures of the rifts. But more importantly one of my friends, “Stars hidden by clouds” (Meridas), told a story of her past and I think it is the first time I have heard anything about it, though I guess I am also not the best at sharing. I could clearly feel the feelings of loss and missing even though I still find it difficult to fully understand the words which are spoken. I would like to understand better and ask her if she wants to share more of the emotional burden I could feel, but I am afraid that I still do not know the words to do so. I still hope that I can soon return home for just a bit, once this is all over. May these words be carried to my kin on the northward winds…
