Session 08 and 09 - Arresting the Baron
General Summary
Player-Characters
Crystal - Oswyn the Arcanum Fixer [Human Wizard, Bluffside]
Jayden - Morrus, Agent of the Throne [Human Ranger, Free Realms]
Mitch - Elendros the Druid of Dreams [Elven Wizard, Wilderlands]
Sarah - Brongar the Prize Fighting Champion [Half-Orc Fighter, Borderlands]
Non-Player Characters
Cypress Hall, Keep and Seat of the Tannith Vale County
- The Countess of Tannith Vale, Lady Beryl Oakhart
- The Baby, Master Henrik the Half-Elven
- The Baroness of Roanberg Castle, Lady Lovisa Daradana [Human, Balduvian]
- Lady Tania Daradana, Roanberg's Staid Strategic Advisor
- Lady Radha Daradana, Roanberg's Cavalier Field Commander
- Sir Torra Hirna Brigidsdottur, Roanberg's Special Envoy to the Countess
- Barrinor Lada, Beleaguered Arcanum Tower Chief in Tannith Vale
- Erinna of Abenton, Reluctant Arcanum Battlemage in Tannith Vale
- Naranek the Greymind, Druid of the Grey
- Karina Whitewind, Storm Seer Druid
-
The Count of Tanberg, Lord Ustwin Bronzehelm [Chapter Master of the Order]
- Sir Konrad of Vendham, Decorated Knightly Champion of the Tournament of Flowers
- Lord Connan Hendrikson, former Steward of Cypress Hall
- Lord Gerrig Morsill, former Captain of the Cypress Hall Guard
- Lord-Commander Odric of the Royal Host
- Urik of Tor Mara, Agent the Throne
- Ansa Greycloud, Arcanum Inquisitor
- Calder Fordham, Arcanum Executor
- Upon returning to Tannith Vale, the PCs discover that the Baron of Tanberg and his followers are present in the city as an act of defiance against the Countess. They returned to the fortified manor of the Baron the very evening that the PCs left the city. They have been meeting with sympathetic aristocrats and those in the merchant class who hold to the Divine King, and they have been visibly attending every single minor and major observance put on by the Church of the Divine King.
- Among them is a famous knight, Sir Konrad of Vendham, who won several events at the last and largest major chivalric tournament in the kingdom -- the Tournament of Flowers. His presence has sparked a furor of speculation in regards to a fight between he and Brongar, the heathen pit fighter from Brigden Ford.
- The leaders of a Church of the Divine King are called Farrells, there are junior ones and senior ones. The Senior Farrell has called together the congregation to witness an event on the front steps of the grand Church. The Baron of Tanberg, Sir Konrad the Knightly Champion, and several other notables are being invested into the Holy Order of St. Agall -- this is seen as a political play as Holy Orders may act outside of the decrees of all save the Throne itself as long as they act in accordance with the tenets of the order.
- Erinna the Battlemage hints that she's getting tired of these politics, and might very much like to take on a long-term contract with the Baroness, or someone who will let her be the adventurer and warrior she's wanted to be. The party has noted that she's been much less unhappy heading out with you rather than staying inside the tower. This may be directly related to the traumas of what happened in the Tower after the trauma of what happened in Cypress Hall during the Midnight Massacre.
- The Countess is persuaded to forego any demands of the Royal Host's Lord-Commander, and to go with the idea of waiting and seeing what happens. She's keen on an active alliance with the Baroness, but does not want to cast the first spear in this matter. She occupies the Seat of the Count, and the Barons are the ones who need to make the first (fatal) move.
- The Player-Characters travel to meet with Odric, the Lord-Commander of the Royal Host army sent to Tannith Vale. Before they arrive, they are met by Urik of Tor Mara who is another Agent of the Throne in the same manner as Morrus. Before they meet with the Lord-Commander, they meet with representatives of the Arcanum in a different tent. There, they learn that the Arcanum is working with the Throne on handling this delicate situation in order to maintain a measure of order and control in the Kingdom's most vulnerable territory.
- Sneaking around, the PCs learn that the Arcanum was well-aware of the Midnight Massacre a full two days before the King was informed of it. They had dispatched their own investigator -- an inquisitor of high rank and capability -- to find out what really happened and whether the Arcanum was at fault for what had occurred and cover it up if need be. The answer was complicated and frustrating, but it seems as though the Arcanum's reputation is relatively unharmed and they have maintained their relationship with the Throne.
- In addition, it becomes apparent that the Arcanum is going to act to neutralize the threat that Barrinor Lada (and ostensibly Erinna) pose to the organization. It seems as though Barrinor may be the father of the Countess' infant son and that alone threatens the position of the Arcanum in the Kingdom. There exists large concern that the Arcanum may act to kill Barrinor and perhaps Erinna.
- The meeting with Lord-Commander Odric goes well, he is convinced to hold off on moving against anyone immediately. He does plan on moving on Tanberg and his immediate allies and believes he can do so without the immediate aid of the Countess or Baroness. Morrus and his people are ordered to return to Tannith Vale and take the Baron into custody to be returned to the Lord-Commander. In the event of failure, the Lord-Commander will broach active military coordination with the Countess and the Baroness.
- The player-characters agree to split their attentions between the Baron using the prospective rivalry between Sir Konrad and Brongar, and attempting to save Barrinor from the plotting of the Arcanum.
- In the morning to midday, Oswyn and Brongar seek out Sir Konrad at the Church of the Divine King. They are able to covertly meet with him in a secluded spot of the city. They discuss the nature of what's happening in Tannith Vale -- starting with the detailed account of what happened during the Midnight Massacre. This goes a very long way in changing Konrad's views on the matter, and he makes known his familiarity with the rituals being performed.
- Sir Konrad of Vendham is an avowed paladin of the Divine King. In his youth as an adventuring Knight-Errant, he came across similar cult conspiracies and dark rituals in the storied city of Istvan's Reach. His generally calm demeanour turns serious and intense as he recounts those experiences and imparts his belief that this cult is connected to the dark god Seedrik and the creation of a "Bridge from Below." This alone changes his entire outlook on what's occuring and he agrees to help the player-characters end this unnecessary politicking by aiding a covert infiltration of the Baron's manor.
- Elendros agrees to attempt to speak to Barrinor and turns into a bird that can check both the Arcanum Tower and the Countess' castle complex known as Cypress Hall. Elendros confronts the wizard on the parapets of the castle, who was spending some time with the child in an out-of-sight area. He confirms that the child is likely his, and that he plans on staying to protect his son from any threats that may exist. The interaction is frustrating, all around, and remains largely unresolved.
- It appears as though Errina the Battlemage has already left the city for Roanberg Castle to offer a contract to the Baroness with the blessing of Barrinor as one of his last official acts as Tower Chief. Her things are absent from her room in the tower, so it's likely that she's already left.
- ... to be continued
- The player-characters gather around the manor of the Baron of Tanberg. The plan is (now) for Sir Konrad to quietly let an incognito Morrus inside the manor while Elendros infenestrates himself as a bird. Oswyn and Brongar are sitting on deck of a local eating and drinking establishment, conspicuous enough to raise eyebrows and alert folks within the manor house that Brongar appears to be taunting the knightly champion.
- Inside the manor, they are getting ready to perform a ritual observance in the large banquet hall in the center of the house. Morrus is able to find his way upstairs as Sir Konrad shows him where the Baron is located -- in his chambers getting ready.
- Not knowing what the plan is on Morrus' side, Sir Konrad takes an entire bottle of wine and downs it in one go. He dons his enchanted armour, grabs his shield and leaves out the front door, bellowing Brongar's name and calling her out on the street between the eatery and the manor. After a brief exchange once the melee begins, Konrad asks Brongar to let him win.
- Brongar does not. Once defeated, Konrad yields and Elendros "miraculously" heals him of all damage (I think to make it seem like he yielded without really putting up a fight).
- The Senior Farrell of the Church quickly approaches him and shows that the Divine King must have healed his wounds as a show of love and support for his devout servant. The crowd responds positively, given that the Senior Farrell has very good charismatic acumen.
- Having been turned into a large-ish snail by Elendros, the Baron is smuggled out of the Manor and the City without incident.
- They are met outside the city by a wagon loaded with Royal Host soldiers guarding a prisoner cage and led by Urik of Tor Mara who is suitably critical of/threatened by Morrus' success in capturing the Baron.
- The party travels back to the Royal Host encampment where they are congratulated by the Lord-Commander and given a large sum of money in reward. The Lord-Commander takes pains to mention to Oswyn that there is always a contract directly with the Throne on offer from here on in, and specifically mentions to Morrus that potential for greater things now exist for Morrus and his way of solving delicate and serious situations.
Report Date
21 Apr 2021
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