KWN.1.3 The Reclamation of Ruins

Session Preface

The first rays of sunlight cascade over the jagged horizon of distant hills. Where once rooster’s crowed from humble farms, a stubborn silence creeps through the ruined city outskirts. To the north, the walls of Sundabar stand in a state of dilapidation and shades of ruin. Partolling orcish guards atop cast elongated shadows over the moat below as they walk between sections of crumbled wall. Casting a similar shadow along the dirt path ahead, Gauntlet Safir turns as you approach, his clean shaven face and bald scalp only further highlighting his thick, furrowed brows and the darkened bags beneath his eyes.
Scattered around the hilltop, the others stand waiting and making final preparations. To Safir’s right, Hammer Villiera smiles warmly to each of you in turn while the slightly disheveled Shield standing next to her simply smirks with his eyes fixed on Aethuriel as he finishes sharpening his massive great sword.
Opposite them, Hammer Ephen’s gaze lingers on the devastation of the city ahead, uncharacteristically solemn. Shield Avri tugs on the straps of her armor, checking and rechecking each piece meticulously. Standing off from the rest, Gauntlet Rosewillow silently watches your approach with an air of indifference.
“Gather round, Knights.”
Safir’s words cut through the crisp pre-dawn air with a decisiveness compensating for exhaustion. The others draw their attention to the Gauntlet, forming a semi-circle around him with the backdrop of the smoldering Sundabar adding a poignant weight to his next words.
“A red sun rises. And so too shall these fields run crimson once more. But where we failed once, we shall not fall short a second time. Though there is little to reclaim, we shan’t let these monsters maintain this position of strength. While the main column engages the garrison head on, the nine of us will see to crucially important matters within the walls. Once we break through the initial defenses, we’ll set off to our own responsibilities before regrouping.”
Safir pauses for a moment, seeming to take stock of the present Knights.
“Ephen, Avri, and Fausta, you will retake the eastern chambers, securing the libraries and quarters of the High Council. Gather whatever remaining manuscripts and documents of value you find. Tristain, Aethuriel, and Pax, you will descend into the catacombs and destroy the demonic monstrosity they are keeping leashed down there. Under no circumstances shall it escape and bring destruction upon our main forces. Villiera, Ellisar, and I will be going to subdue Hartusk. Meet us there when you’re done with your respective tasks.
We have a few moments still until the rest of the forces are in place. Take what time you need to pray and make final preparations. Soon, we strike.”

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Session Summary

Following the Gauntlet's speech, the gathered Knights have a few moments to catch up before proceeding into the city. Relieved to see his fellow Shield, Aethuriel learns that Ellisar has spent the last tenday providing intel and scouting reports to the Knights after returning from his mission. The two share a moment of loss over the lingering lack of news about the Shieldmaster save for her presumed death in the destruction. Pax questions Safir as to the extent of his assignment, learning that his position as a conscript Knight would last "as long as he is willing to serve." Pressing further, Pax asks the Gauntlet, "why these two? Aethuriel and Tristain?" Safir simply responds "The three of you are more alike than you might initially appear. The Triad must have their reasons," before he is pulled away to another conversation. Finally, Tristain approaches Aethuriel and tries to provide a sense of comfort and resolve following a string of close calls in combat. The two bond for a moment over their service and look forward to learning more about one another following their upcoming task, should they survive it.
Once the full force of the remaining Knights, Silverymoon forces, and Undercity defenders gather, the nine Knights fight their way to the Halls' grand entrance, which they find overrun by guards and reinforcements. Despite the presence of a pair of hulking orogs, the Knights overwhelm the defensive forces and press onward to their separate tasks.
Descending into the depths of the undercroft of the cathedral, the party finds a trio of orc sorcerors maintaining magical reinforcements tenuously restraining a ten foot tall demonic monstrosity. A pair of guards charge the party, buying time for their arcane counterparts to conjure magical weapons to subdue the assailants. As the skirmish unfolds, the tanarukk manages to break loose of its restraints. Thanks to a combination of powerful wards, Tristain stands his ground against the lumbering creature as he and his allies finally defeat the monster as well as his would-be guardians. After quickly harvesting the rare creature's valuable components, the party rushes to the central hall to join the others in facing Hartusk.
Arriving around the same time as the third trio, the party discovers Safir, Ellisar, and Villiera to be surrounded by orcs and slowly pushing their way through additional forces. At the opposite end of the sprawling halls, the garrison leader, Hartusk, commands his units with a relentless and reckless abandon, watching it unfold through gritted teeth. Eventually, as the fray becomes increasingly frantic, Hartusk himself pushes forth and tries to overtake the Knights. When the tide turns against him, Hartusk uses his own guards and trusted soldiers to block the Knight's strikes intended for him. Eventually out of reinforcements and support, Hartusk falls to the invading Knights as an arrow from Pax meets the orc's one good eye.
After a moment to catch their breath, the party marches forth to meet the main column, defeating the last remaining garrison forces along the way. With the assault concluded, the Knights regather their remaining forces within the crumbling Halls of Everlasting Justice and the decimated ruins of the city of Sundabar, where Gauntlet Safir makes a crucial declaration on behalf of the acting High Council.

The Final Proclamation

"Well met, my fellow Knights of Holy Judgement. Alongside our allies from Silverymoon and those who still claim the Undercity as home, we have prevented the Kingdom of Many Arrows from gaining a foothold through which their destruction would have spilled over into the west.

Yet, this victory does not bring back the lives of those we lost nor restore the Halls of Everlasting Justice. With nowhere to call home and no funds with which to rebuild, we have no option but to follow the example set before us by those Wandering Knights of ages past. As such, all Knights, regardless of rank, shall become members of a triad as in the days of old.

We shall disperse across the Sword Coast and Silver March seeking honest work and raising funds, spending only what we must, and saving the rest for the eventual rebuilding of a new stronghold where the Triad leads us.

In fact, the recent weeks have been a test of sorts to this very end. In your various assignments, you've each been matched with Knights who we believed would make for fitting members of a triad. As the last official decree of the Acting High Council, we hereby make these assignments official and binding.

Though titles and hierarchy will remain intact, let each triad decide equally among themselves how to best follow the will of their gods and to bring forth glory and honor to the Triad. We will show to the world that though we may have failed Sundabar, the Knights of Holy Judgement will rise once again to proclaim the justice our gods seek for this world even now and forevermore.

Despite our diverging paths in the months to come, we shall all meet eventually to the south in Elturel, Triad willing, when our collective work is complete. This, of course, will mean different paces and seasons for each of us, and that is to be encouraged. It is our sincere belief that the unique journey before each of us shall be far more valuable than the funds we will have collected by the time we meet once again in celebration beneath the Companion.

Finally, a word of encouragement, if I may. We have lived through days few Knights could fathom and even fewer would envy. Even so, we are not forgotten. We are not forsaken. No, we are blessed to have one another, a union no army can tear asunder. We are blessed, for the Triad, in all their wisdom, still look down upon us with favor and grant us their strength in this time of great need. We are blessed, for we are called worthy to be the answer to the prophetic question uttered on these very same hallowed grounds.

And if we should live a day in which we suffer defeat,
These Halls crushed to rubble, our strongholds crumbling,
When all we have left is faith and our creeds,
Will we ride once more as the Knights with Nothing?

Now, go forth and make your gods proud, Knights.

Session Overview

Date Played:
November 2, 2020
Party:

• Aethuriel
• Pax
• Tristain

Time Passed:
Elesias 10, 1493
NPCs:

• Hammer Villiera
• Gauntlet Safir
• Shield Ellisar
• Hammer Ephen
• Gauntlet Rosewillow
• Shield Avri

Loot:

• 3 Vials of Tanarukk Blood
• 1 Tanarukk Horn
• 1 Tanarukk Adrenal Gland