Session 2: Prisoner's Dilemma Report

General Summary

Upon their return to Ashtop Nienna, Tyr and Madea found their beds in the middle of the night and passed out after an exhausting evening. They awoke to the smell of fresh food in the morning to see Lillian busy cooking breakfast for the imperial soldiers. They sat opposite of Captain Melan and after they ate their food began to tell him of their manhunt for the prisoners. Tyr explained that they hunted him down the prisoners to an old goblin cave in the woods not too far from camp. They explained that they almost had them but they overwhelmed them and then they fled. Melan looked at him, appraising him with his eyes testing his story with only a gaze that a man his age had gained from years of combat. Medea sense that they might be discovered threw in the description of the elf using her magic to create illusions and the numbers that they had to face. Melan relaxed a little and asked them (more of a command) to show him where this cave is. They nervously got up and prepared for the day to take him. They walked ahead talking among themselves to see what the note Nienna had received from the elf. the note itself had written in elvish " If you truly believe in our cause, come seek us out in the dusk marsh in Maralars." They agreed to keep it among themselves and continued to lead Melan to the cave. Once they arrived he had them wait outside as he and his soldiers went below to confirm their story. Minutes later they remerged from the cave and he agreed that they were probably there. He stated that he was impressed with what they were able to accomplish and offered them more work. After they returned back to the town, and manor Melan wrote for them a letter of introduction to get them into Fort Verdan where his commander would offer them work. He then took his troops and continued his manhunt for the prisoners. The three of them gathered supplies and said their goodbyes to the village of Ashtop. They traveled by foot for a week across the dirt road along the lazy flowing Verda River. It was a hot trek but safe along the Imperial protected road. They saw in the distance a thin blue line in the far southern distance from which the wide river of Verda was flowing from. Spanning the river was a thick stone bridge that leads to a stone wall surrounding a large central keep with three spiraling towers rising up out of it. They came up to the iron-banded oak gate where many other people clothed in outfits that did not match regular imperial garb. Amarians, Dragonborn, Humans, and Halflings could be found all around waiting to get into the keep. They showed their letter and were shown to the gate of the inner keep to meet the commander of Fort Verdan. As they waited in the lobby they met a scarred gnome lady who introduced herself as Kaithia. After short introductions, they were lead into a grand hall with long tables resting in-between large arches that supported the roof. They were lead to the end of the hall where a red Dragonborn sat on a slightly raised dais on a simple wooden chair. He took out the letter from Melan, read it, and acknowledge that his subordinate typically has a good judge of character and offers them some work as his forces are stretched at the moment allowing other problems to arise. He speaks that the various Orc tribes of the Frozen Plains have started to make camps along the plains and he fears that they may be planning a raid. He tasked them to go and bring back their necklaces as proof that they had been killed. In return, he would write them a letter of introduction that would let them go through the other imperial cities unmolested and to take care of the supplies such as horses and food to work as escorts for Kaithia who was seeking information at the Chroma Arcanum. They agreed to this arrangement and began to prepare for the trip to the plains. They met a Black Dragonborn Blacksmith whom they showed their materials collected from the black dragon they had slain. He warned them that wearing or using this kinda gear out in public would prove to be problematic within the empire. He agreed to work on them if he would be allowed to keep the leftover materials and not report them to the empire for dragon slaying. They readily agreed and gave them their orders and went to the nearby provision store for winter gear for the colder environment. After a good night's rest, they trekked to the Frozen plains taking them most of the day before arriving at a towering wall of ice before them. It stands close to 100 ft. tall and is littered with old rope, pitons, and skeletons hanging in harnesses. They found some steps carved into the ice wall that was well worn from use. Tyr took an arrow and tied it off with some rope, holding it in his hand as he leads the group up the stairs in a single file line. As they neared the top they could see into the ice and a huge, long shadows passed nearby traveling through the ice. As it passed the ground began to shake throwing most of them off balance. Tyr began to fall but quickly stabbed his arrow into the ice, Madea almost joined him as she hung precarelessly over the edge but Kaithia reached out and pulled her back. Nienna meanwhile had taken out her dagger and stabbed the ice wall as she held on for dear life. Tyr lifted himself back up on the steps and they continued up reaching the Frozen Plains. Overlooking it they saw snow-capped the ice and dunes in a desert the snow was shaped into hills across the vast plains. The Twilight Range stood before them in the fading sunlight as sentinels over this cold land that was populated with crystal trees bearing gold, silver, and blue leaves. There were pockets of grass as well all over popping out of the snow with the same colors. It was a breathtaking sight to behold but they regained their senses and began to hunt for the Orcs in the area. Kaithia and Nienna worked together to find tracks that did not belong to any animals and lead the group to a nearby hill rising 20 feet high. They approached closer to see tents setup around a blazing fire to see the Orcs, covered in furs, and their grey skins looking almost white in the fire dancing and celebrating some unknown reason. An Orc saw something and began to approach the group and as another soon join him they both tripped falling down the hill and taking a part of the snow hill with them. They lay trapped as Tyr, and Madea worked quickly to silence their voices, and remove their heads from their bodies. Nienna and Kaithia began to move away to hide and take on the remaining Orcs when Nienna tripped over a rock covered by the snow. The collapsing of the Hill and the sudden load noise from Nienna's fall took the remaining Orcs out of their celebration and saw Tyr and Madea standing just a few feet from them. The Orcs rushed them surrounding Tyr with one going after Madea and one going for Kaithia. Tyr held out blocking and dodging the Orcs great axes. A few times the Orcs overwhelmed him and got a few hits in but they could not compare to the discipline of Tyr. Madea used her rapier trying to keep her distance from the Orcs as their deadly axes. She was unable to dodge one and it cut across her arm; grazing it but still burning like fire. She threw her magically laced words and began to tear down the Orcs. Kaithia worked to get in a position to fire her crossbow but the Orc above made it difficult for her to fire a good shot. She stabbed the Orc in his foot and began to run to give her enough distance to fire. She turned to the Orcs still in front of Tyr and with her newly acquired finely crafted crossbow bolt fired, she saw as it flew and felt like it was just a little short but then saw the bolt accelerate by the magic imbued within it and pierced her target. Nienna summoned her Flaming Sphere behind the Orcs that were rushing Tyr and started to burn them with the miniature sun. She kept her mental command of it rammed it into one of the Orc's back burning him badly. The Orc who was focused on Kaithia shifted his attention to Nienna and her wizard powers and brought his great ax down on her giving her a near mortal wound on her chest. She lost concentration in keeping the Sphere maintained as her mind became overwhelmed by the pain. She recited the magic she had prepared and weaved her hand with necrotic energy. She reached out and touched the Orc, as she made contact red electric lines ran up his entire body wreathing in pain. His body began to wither away as he could no longer handle the pain and fell over dead. Tyr cut the other Orcs down with his flaming greatsword; leaving the last one to run away. Nienna took careful aim with her longbow, and let loose an arrow that buried itself in the base of her neck. They took a breather and took the necklaces of the fallen Orcs, eight in total, and began to search the camp. They found several magical items that Nienna was able to identify and they took the Orcs camp for their own and found rest for the evening.

Rewards Granted

Spell Scroll of Warding Bond, Potion of Greater Healing, Spell Scroll of Cure Wounds, Potion of Growth, Cap of Water Breathing, Dust of Disappearance, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Instrument of Bards (Doss Pipes), Adamantine Armor (Chain Shirt) 700 experience points

Character(s) interacted with

Ver'Koz Commander of Fort Verdan Captain Melan Redflame Black Dragonborn Blacksmith Kaithia

Notes

2 weeks of time. Dragon Skull Helm Black Dragon Bow 1 set of Dragon Teeth (1d6) x20 arrowheads x20 Acidic Arrows per item x3 Dagger x14 scales - 1 suit of armor and shield