Session 34

KARA
I could never had led my people, Politics brings me to much Fury.
I feel compelled to write about the attack on Caer Callidyr castle after our return from the Dernal Forest. It was the day we were to report back to the steward after talking to Lady verna and doing our best to convey the events that happened a week prior. The Steward summoned us to his court after a good day of rest and merriment within the group. I finally got the nerve to show Gwenda my idea for the Ring of The frost giant and we laid out many plans as a group to craft items to assist us in our missions. We discussed in length the best course of action moving forward to save Caer Callidyr and the moonshae from the tainted Northmen. I discovered the potions that we discovered in Dernal forest probably couldn’t imbue with the strength of the wolf but for a limited time… I am grateful for such powerful drinks but I must confess some disappointment, I found myself hoping for something more permanent I suppose. We were summoned by Steward Linwood by way of Lady Verna to the court and arrived with her shortly thereafter, Just in time to catch the Steward denying Lord Arandeers Proposal for aid to Baldurs gate. Not unexpected with how things are but… It still hurt my heart, the city was good to me and he seems an honest man. I wished to help him in our conversation with the steward but things turned sour quickly during our talks. The Steward and verna discovered that we had kept much from them including the waystones that the archmage's apprentice had asked about days ago. Our deception had concerned me but I allayed my own judgement in the face of the parties, like with the bannerless. The steward lost all interest in talks with us at that point and I’m sure lady Verna felt betrayed. In escorting us out she felt the need to vocalize these concerns in the form of calling us spies and Traitors. It's rare I feel such a rage come over me. It slipped down my back like the splitting cold and I almost stepped forward to strike her down then but I managed but stopped myself and settled for a promise. As we began to argue a mighty blast Rocked the great hall and several more followed it. Fear grabbed me because I knew the cause. The bannerless had used trade to smuggle in their Gunpowder and attack the castle, as I had said they would 20 times! It was an attempt on the stewards life and we had to stop it or else be branded as traitors. All of us sprang quickly into action. A pillar blocked lady verna as I was unable to stop it from fully collapsing. Another failure. They seem to lurk around every corner these days. Without pause we rushed forward to the stewards aid to find two intruders about to strike the blow to end linwood. We dispatched them quickly only to find that Wurton was there to see to it personally. I had very nearly crippled him in the fighting and killed his guard. Things became complex from here. Cormag discovered a writ of some kind taking power from the queen and giving it to the steward and he’d had enough of the cloak and dagger politics. By this time verna had made it to tend to the steward. He sealed the only exit trapping verna inside with the steward who was badly wounded. Verna Immediately drew on us and demanded to know the reason. The steward could barely talk but weakly said it was the queen's own idea to give him power. Verna would give nothing up or die trying, not even allowing us to fully heal the steward. We all argued to an impasse and I know Cormag and knew he would not give in. We stood a great chance of completely destroying all alliance with the steward so I caved and demolished the wall allowing them to escape. Cormag is… Like a brother to me but his timing could not have been worse. I Had no idea how things would go, Verna took the steward and left us alone unchained to tend to him and Cormag secreted away the writ that they had drafted. I worry for our fate and the cities now… I do not know if I can salvage relations with them. I’m sure Verna hates us now. I don't know if we can stop the northmen without them on our side, But I could never abandon cormag if it came to a choice. I have no idea what to do now.