Session 18 - Preparing For the Raid on Zarubets
General Summary
In the village of Perevolok near the battlefield where the party toiled on mass burials, Hrefna writes a letter to the Raven Tsar, with assistance from Vladimir, who has ink and birchbark paper. The party does some shopping and rests overnight. The next day, they head back to Rurik's camp.
After making preparations, Vladimir and Vasilii shapeshift and scout inside Zarubets - the city under siege by Rurik’s troops. Vladimir has a bad landing from a jump and inadvertently shifts back into human form on the roof of a likely heathen temple. He is not detected, and Vladimir and Vasilii make it back to camp to report in to Rurik on their scouting.
Closer to dawn, Vadim and his wolverine also scout the circumference of the city walls. Their overall impression is similar to that of Vasilii and Vladimir: the city is overcrowded and sanitation is poor. It probably won’t be long before starvation and disease breaks out.
Upon return, Vasilii reports on his reconnaissance to Rurik: “The city is packed up like a tinderbox”, meaning tents upon tents packed together within the city walls. Based on overheard conversations, he believes the Prince of Ladan' is being held within the temple of Dazhbog, the sun god. The siege is wearing them thin; some within the walls would like to negotiate with Rurik. Vasilii describes who they are.
Iziaslav Igorevich - the princeling who rules the city would like to negotiate, but that is not Yaropolk Rostislavovich, son of the Prince of Luzhinsk, and commander of his army.
Rurik says: “We could offer 200 rubles for our prince. We could also offer some amount for the locals X to hand over Yaropolk, dead or alive.
Vasilii also reports that there is a sorcerer within the city, "the Witch" , the dragon serpent woman. She is in the temple of the sun god, which is a god associated with dragons/serpents, and has its own heroic honor guard - the Sons of Dazhbog.
Hrefna chats up a couple men-at-arms in Rurik’s camp and finds out that there are a few captives; Hrefna mentions that they could be questioned.
Vasilii sends a mental message to the person in town who said they wanted to talk to Rurik: Rurik will pay 200 rubes for Yaropolk, preferably alive. Bring him outside of bowshot from the main gate. Let’s end this and make peace.
Report Date
30 Mar 2025
Secondary Location
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