Session 33 – Showing the Flag at Talon’s Gate

Written by KoshcheiBessmertnyi

General Summary

After returning to the Brotherhood’s encampment, the Company prepares for the next foray. The plan is to sail the Salamander upriver to the Owlbear Goblin village of Talon’s Gate, in order to find more allies for the Brotherhood’s cause. In the meantime, party members must stay with the Salamander to avoid another surprise attack from Claymore. There are also chores to do: the Salamander must be fixed up in the wake of the last attack, and decisions must be made about the loot and the crew. Glitterstem wants to bury most of the silver under the river pirate-style, and will undertake the project in aquatic form, along with Theobald. Miletus is skeptical the party will be able to retrieve the treasure; and, there are, according to Enkidu, various underwater dangers – giant beavers, giant pikes, and the odd aquatic bulette. Glitterstem also divines three magical auras among the loot – in the flagon (evocation), the monkey (conjuration), and something apparently sealed inside the sheets of the map (transmutation). The monkey seems to have no powers outside of the Mage Hand cantrip, and attempts to unglue the map sheets prove futile. Finally, it is agreed that an attempt to deposit most of the coins will be made later, when the Salamander has left for its mission, and is away from prying eyes. As for the tasloi oarsmen, they are difficult to communicate with outside basic commands, and have little in the way of a comprehensible identity (according to Captain Martijn Reekers, at any rate). The good captain has been taking the brunt of orcish abuse with the rest of the surviving crew, so perhaps his prejudice is excusable, though Enkidu finds the notion ludicrous. Reekers also finds the idea of releasing the rowers for some rest and relaxation inadvisable. At best, they will be subjected to the standard orcish treatment, at worst they will get eaten, or escape, only to perish in the bush. They are not native to the New World of Gethen, but come from Nibiru in the Old World. So the tasloi receive brief shore leave, still bound and under close supervision, and during the day, when the orcs are mostly asleep.
Having sent messenger gulls to Balint (answering Bester’s concerns with claims that the Company is keeping the orcs away from Claymore), and Kasmyr (updating him on life with orcs, and informing him of places to burrow beneath the apothecary shop should it become necessary), Glitterstem, Theobald and Miletus briefly go ashore to consult with their allies. A private conference with Enkidu (staying with family at the farmhouse) yields a decision: Enkidu should lead the mission to Talon’s Gate to raise his profile with the orcs. Dafna and Agni want him to stay until his arm has healed. But the ranger confides in them on the way to the Salamander that he believes his companions to be unreasonably obsessed with removing Humbaba from power, since there is no need: Lhingril’s magic is no longer compelling anyone to act, and Humbaba is doing a fine job leading the Brotherhood, and needs no replacement. He wants to get out of camp to keep them from doing anything crazy. This the family understands, and relents in its attempts to keep Enkidu away from further danger. Both say they will accompany their son and brother, and Dafna proceeds to help fixing the sails. Glitterstem also receives a messenger gull from Balint: a barrier is being built (using the Company’s nails!) on the Neverwinter River between the encampment and Claymore. The sounds of hammering nearby seem to confirm that this is so.
The Company wants to leave soon, at least to begin to learn the ropes on the Salamander. But the weather does not cooperate – winds one day, rain the next. Captain Reekers advises to wait out the weather and not take chances with an inexperienced crew, and Glitterstem convinces the others of the captain’s wisdom in this matter. In the meantime, Theobald and Miletus pay a visit to Amando, who begins to give them instruction in White Hand meditation techniques. He again explicates his belief in the White Hand as a defender of holistic civilization, and seeker of knowledge and beauty in the light of the gods. Opponents like the Zhentarim and the Harpers stand for individualism and chaos: monetary gain, or apocalyptic zealotry. For his part, he makes few decisions, and pursued the conversion of the party to the cause because his higher ups directed it so. Perhaps their diviners saw something in them, just like his own recruiters during his university days in Ulthos saw something in him. He doesn’t say much more about the organization, other than to reveal that he has met Esteleth (but not Dhellart Nightblade). His main task is keeping and increasing the size of the Brotherhood as an effective fighting force. He recommends meditation and exercises as the best way to learn about the White Hand: the tough discipline they teach helps focus the mind on that which is most important. Theobald’s request to have Amando help him read Lhingril’s mystery scroll ends in failure: the apothecary cannot decipher its magical code either.
Glitterstem and Theobald meet with Enmul, who is pondering five uprooted mushrooms in the farmyard. The shaman confirms their originally pentagonal pattern, but does not know the cause of its replication, though he has seen it on occasion before. In response to Glitterstem’s request to help him identify one of Lhingril’s mushrooms, he recommends that the gnome try a piece, which leads to the growth of his forearm - it seems to be a Mushroom of Growth. He also recapitulates the story of summoning the Thunderbird – it required the sacrifice of willing members of the Brotherhood on Baghtru’s Day in late spring. This is not something that can be repeated until next year at best, and, although the sacrifice proved worthwhile for Baghtru’s cause, the orcs need to be self-reliant, and to show the requisite strength to claim their land back. Being pressed to acknowledge the dark elves’ claims to the land, Enmul simply says they lie, and that anything that happened before the orcs’ emergence from underground in the new age is moot: the old age is long over, and gone forever. As creatures of the earth, the orcs legitimately claim the land, if they can take it. Humans come from beyond the Big Water, so that is their domain. Curiously, Baghtru’s Father Gruumsh, who willed the orcs to Baghtru’s charge, will some day return from beyond the water also. Asked for more information about Gruumsh, Enmul refers Glitterstem to Enkidu: the two are kindred spirits, since they sacrificed parts of themselves for wisdom and liberation.
Finally the weather improves, and the Company, along with Enkidu’s family, Captain Reekers, and Hursag’s team of three, row off upstream toward Neverwinter Wood. The orc commander agreed to the request to come along: she wants more glory, and in any event seems to want to work closely with Theobald. It’s tough going at first – though the weather is calm, there is no pressure, and Reekers’ direction is a great help, learning to handle the galley still presents a steep learning curve. After approaching the village in the mid-afternoon, the Salamander is greeted with arrows. The ship reverses course, while Theobald swims in aquatic form toward the village on the northern side of the river. Though his attempt to sneak up on the village undetected is unsuccessful, and he is greeted with more arrows for his troubles, he manages to put several defenders, including reinforcements, who have joined the day watchmen, to sleep. From the deck, Miletus manages to take down one more, while Glitterstem makes the sails project the broken bone of the Brotherhood. As he is rushed by a trio of hobgoblin spearmen that has come out from the long wigwams, the sorcerer makes himself invisible, and swims toward the Salamander. From the deck, Enkidu parlays with the defenders, and tells them in Common they are merely passing by and sailing further upstream. One of the defenders responds that they will not let anyone pass, as this is the Owlbears’ land. Enkidu then inquires whether the Owlbears have heard of the Brotherhood’s great victory, and whether they want to join with it in a fight for their freedom. He offers to send three negotiators. The hobgoblin responds that they will allow three to approach, but any further encroachment by the Salamander will be met with missile fire. As the parlay concludes, Enkidu, with Glitterstem and Hursag, embark toward Talon’s Gate in the sloop.

Report Date

01 Jul 2016