Cradle – Chapter 6

“Autumn of 68, Second Age. Fort Yarakir.
Huh. Fair enough.
Me, I found Basilisk’s reasoning persuasive. Times like these, you gotta look to the contract, to the precedent. Yet, if the Commander says it’ll save the unit and we need the unit, suppose she knows best. Wonder how the rank-and-file’ll take that.
Makes you think, though. Got so caught up in pirates and ghost forts and murder that you can almost forget we’ve got a contract waiting for us across the world. We’d best make tracks if we wanna arrive in time to save the cradle from becoming a crater.
Unless we’re already too late, that is. Who knows how much more time we’ll lose sailing and marching and climbing into those forbidding mountains. I made that march before – many times – and it ain’t as easy as it looks.
Especially if you’re marching through enemy territory.”
 – Beholder's Log, 56th of Gnoson, Year 68 of Ondûn's Second Age

Their business concluded on Fort Yarakir, Zelene Silvers offered to ferry the Menagerie to Harashta – for a price. Faced with a difficult choice, Umber was forced to either cost the company a small fortune or share a bed with the pirate queen for one night. He brought this question before his current lover, Dûnya Dragonbane, she gave her consent but it was clear to everyone involved that their relationship would not survive the experience. Nonetheless, Umber took Zelene up on her offer and saved the company the expense of their voyage.
This accomplished, the Silver Saber sailed north from Fort Yarakir, crossing the Draconic Ocean to reach Harashta and the true beginning of the Cradle contract. While en route, Unicorn finally reconnected with Willow, Remorhaz shared private words with Displacer while Umber consulted Chimera both about Dûnya and what awaited them in Throka's Cradle.
Arriving in Sundaport, the company attempted to take the lay of the land. While Unicorn charmed the contract commissioner into looking the other way on their conscription and Umber schmoozed several merchants in the city's grand bazaar, the task fell to Remorhaz to learn what he could of the city's military strength and capacity for making war. Chatting with rank and file of the visiting mercenaries, Remorhaz learned of the city's vast wealth, scanty motivation and three mercenary companies in the city – the Fortunate Fellows, the She-Serpents and, of course, a chapter of the Iron Word – not led by Yorgos of Nyre but instead by a reckless dragonborn warlord known only as Thunderbolt.
It was Unicorn, however, who would first run afoul of these troops. While the siege engineers relaxed outside one of Legionary Point's many cafés, the charming paladin attempted to comfort the bewildered Khosava Bracebow, still caught in the whirlwind of the past few weeks. No sooner had he done so, however, than a sudden ambush – Iron Word soldiers, appearing from everywhere – attacked the hapless siege engineers, unprepared for a fight. With his companions blocks distant, Unicorn himself stepped up to fight.

Campaign: The Menagerie
Game Date: Gnoson 56 – Visson 14, 68 2A
Starting Point: Fort Yarakir
Characters Present:

• Remorhaz 
• Umber 
• Unicorn