KwN.1.2 Behind Enemy Lines

Session Preface

Following several days of welcome rest and recuperation after your retrieval of the orc's supplies and defeat of their reinforcements, Gauntlet Safir summons you into his makeshift office.
Little more than a generously sized storage chamber, the room fits the three of you shoulder to shoulder, but not without feeling cramped and closed-in. Two candles flicker atop a large, rectangular chest that serves as the Gauntlet's desk with a myriad of scrolls and documents stacked haphazardly atop. The strong musk of wet earth wafts through the room.
Even so, Gauntlet Safir stands from his chair, rising with a confidence and self-assurance befitting his newfound position as well as the dutiful weight of those responsibilities.
"A day of reckoning and retribution draws near for Hartusk and his garrison. As you've already heard, we'll be marching out tomorrow for our reclamation of the city. We will strike in coordination with the Knights in Silver, the Spellguard, and those able to fight from the Undercity. But there is work to be done in anticipation of the main column's approach. This is where the three of you come in.
Scouting reports place a unit of ballista and siege weaponry in one of the few still standing watch towers beyond the walls. Your assignment is to infiltrate said structure and dismantle or otherwise sabotage the devices. Hartusk has made this position a priority, sending his second-in-command to oversee it. If you can manage to remove him from the equation, do not hesitate. If you must retreat, there is no shame in doing so. But make sure those damned weapons are inoperable. We can't be marching into certain death before we breach the walls.
Following the completion of this task, you will meet myself and a few others in the hills to the south of the city, near the Tormite burial site. With the Triad's favor, we'll sneak into the city while the main column engages the garrison and we'll take out their leadership and break morale from the inside out.
Any questions, Knights?"

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Session Summary

With a day to make necessary preparations before setting out, Pax, Aethuriel, and Tristain first set their sights on the Shining Scroll to acquire healing potions for the arduous task ahead. Upon stepping into the shop, they are greeting by empty shelves and a watchful raven. Once notified of their presence, Xara Tantlor, the owner discusses with the party her lack of inventory out of precautions given the string of thefts taking place throughout the city. Even so, she is able to provide them a pair of the desired potions and sets to making more to have available upon their eventual return. When asked about a blacksmith, Xara points the Knights towards Optym's Blade.
Here, the party meets Heliosturr Optym who not only agrees to repair Aethuriel's greatsword, but also complains vocally about his missing lucky dagger, conveniently stolen with only weeks to go before the Deadeye Contest - an annual dagger throwing competition in which he placed second last year. When questioned about the details of the matter, Optym assures the party it was a rival contestant - Val Calthor - who stole the dagger, as he was in the shop not a few days before and hinted at how it would be a shame if it were to not turn up one day. Heliosturr informs the party that while Val wanders the day in search of stories for the Broadsheet Guild, he can often be found at their guildhall in the evenings writing and laying out their sheets.
With an hour to kill in the city while waiting on Aethuriel's blade to be finished, the party go about their own business around the city. Tristain, first looking to discover more about their lead regarding Val and the stolen dagger, seeks out a broadsheet crier, a young boy by the name of Tovir. After learning a bit about the organization, Tristain agrees to be interviewed by the enthusiastic young man early the next morning. Then, hoping to learn more about his contract for the tiefling thief Arkmenos, seeks out Gunner Grapeshot, captain of the Silver Watch. As Tristain begins asking questions, the captain requests to see his contract and upon discovering it has not been filled out by the High Mage's office, instructs the Knight to seek out a signature from the High Palace so that he and the Silver Watch can work together in an official capacity. With this red tape in mind, Tristain makes his way through the market and to the administrative desk of the High Mage Hornblade's office where a desk clerk takes his contract ensuring it will be signed upon his return.
Meanwhile, Pax runs into a familiar face while listening for rumors in the busy Market. Veron, a bounty hunter originally from Waterdeep, shares a smoke with Pax while discussing the ongoing matters of the city. Veron shares the details regarding the string of thefts, remarking about a pair of wizards both accusing one another of stealing their respective magical artifacts and that he sent someone after the task, but never heard any conclusion to the business. He also discusses an open investigation searching for one Bild "Bone Fist" Windergard, wanted for killing two citizens in a tavern brawl. Finally, Veron comments on the increased activity of the Zhentarim and their newest recruit, a female goliath who has been making a name for herself - the Masterbreaker. Uponl earning of Pax's assignment to return to Sundabar as a conscripted Knight, he shares a tip for easy work delivering a letter for a dwarf looking to learn more of his clan's current status.
Making their way to the Map House, the party are introduced to Threnden Burrowstone, a citizen of Sundabar who escaped the collapse of the city thanks to being in Silverymoon giving a series of lectures regarding topological cartography. Threnden scratches out a quick letter to his family and asks the party to return it to a member of the Burrowstone clan should they meet any dwarves on their venture.
Towards the end of the day, the party introduces themselves to Val amidst a flurry of activity in the Broadsheet Guildhall. Pestered by their presence disrupting his work, Val tersely answers a handful of questions. Per his side of the story, he visited Optym's Blades to have his daggers sharpened, but the end result was quite poor and so as a result he wrote an honest review of the establishment in the broadsheet. He insisted knowing nothing about Optym's missing dagger, but also expressed his pleasure with the turn of events as it was an obvious advantage to him. When pressed for further information, the editor returned to his work and offered to speak with the party further on a different evening.
Finally, the party completes their respective evening rituals once more under the lofty ceilings of the House Invincible before setting off with the main column of Knights and Silverymoon's defenses to retake what remains of the city. Riding ahead on horseback, the party are disheartened to discover Sundabar's still smouldering city is a farcry from even the remains they had hoped to find. Undeterred, the party approaches the target keep under the cover of night. Counting some dozen or more orcs and several pieces of artillery to be dismantled, the party splits up with Tristain and Pax causing a distraction with Aethuriel sneaks behind to start destroying the war machines. While the distraction is effective and draws the second in command's attention to the front of the tower, Aethuriel soon finds himself overwhelmed as the ballista he sought to destroy are instead aimed against him, nearly killing him during the endeavor. Despite reinforcements, the party manages to defeat the small garrison maintaining the artillery and dismantle all of the machines, ensuring a safe approach for the rest of the Knights and allied forces.
With this task complete, the party ventures southward to reconvene with Gauntlet Safir and the others who will breach the wall amidst the chaos of the ensuing battle.

Session Overview

Date Played:
October 21, 2020
Party:

• Aethuriel
• Pax
• Tristain

Time Passed:
Elesias 5, 1493 - Elesias 9, 1493
(attack the artillery on the evening of the 9th)
NPCs:

• Gauntlet Safir
• Xara Tantlor, Proprietor of The Shining Scroll
• Heliosturr Optym, Proprietor of Optym's Blade
• Torvir, Broadsheet Crier
• Val Calthor, Broadsheet Editor
• Veron Angalen, Bounty Hunter Liason

Loot:

• 2 Potions of Healing
• 83g, 51s, 44c
• Ilneval's Brutal Blade (+1d6 slashing damage against non-orc targets)