Session 31

=February 28th, 2019 - Report to the Council Quiet=

Report to the Council Quiet
The session began after the party had stepped through the teleportation circle portal opened by Lady Silverhand, and returned to the coastal city of Ironbay. As it was late, the group was exhausted from their journey, and thus they retired for the night at Silverhand Estate. The Lady was arranging a meeting of her advisers near mid-day, which gave the party the morning to spend in the city. Most took the time to stock up on rations, sell the loot and gems they had obtained (including Rhogar’s unneeded possessions). Lachlan and Cadmus went back to check in on the plate armor set they had ordered at The Champion’s Armory.

The armorer had completed Cadmus’ set to his measurements, and he would still honor the twenty five percent discount on House Silverhand. From the loot they had sold, and Lachlan giving Cadmus most of his extra funds, the half-orc was able to finally obtain his custom set of plate. At around noon the party gathered back at Lady Silverhand’s estate, and met again in her large circular meeting room. Guards already stood around the circular room, and the monk Leosin of the Dominion was already present. So too was Onthar Frume, the dwarven paladin of the Order of the Sword, and he was talking to a burly female dwarf the group had not seen before.

Lady Silverhand then entered the room with her half-elf companion, Elia, and the meeting began. Rachen gave his debrief of all that had happened since they left for Triboar two months past: the fire giant attack, their journey to Cresthill and Khaz Thorum, the dark elf incursion, and the quest from the giant oracle. The group definitely agreed that pursuing the oracle’s demands was a good idea. If that could help lead them to allying the giants with them against the Cult of the Dragon’s efforts, it was worthwhile. However, it would take the group some time to find a means of transportation to take them far north to the Narrow Sea, especially since Harshnag wanted to join the party. Lachlan also gave the lady Rhogar's book of shadows for safe keeping.

The lady then introduced the new dwarf, Ashley Foehammer. She is the grand-daughter of Ghelryn Foehammer, the same dwarf the party helped save in Triboar. Lady Silverhand had been magically contacted by the Duchess of Khaz Thorum, that they wanted to play a more active role in pursuing the fire giants. Their interrogation of the dark elf prisoners at the Khaz had not been fruitful, and Ashley wanted to get revenge directly on those monsters while also helping to keep her home safe. She was already known as a champion warrior among the mountain dwarves, and was eager to help. The party welcomed her with open arms, and the discussions then moved to what to do next.

While a means of travel was obtained to the Far North, the group would be teleported by the lady to Jemna Gleamsilver’s camp in the Dethmere swamp. She and her agents had followed the cult treasure caravan to a remote castle deep in the swamp, where crates of treasure were seen being taken in and empty crates came out. The Brotherhood agents have been scouting the area for a month, and needed the strength of the party to infiltrate or storm the castle. The reason they could not do so themselves was that the castle was surrounded by hundreds of monsters, mostly lizardfolk and bullywugs. It appeared as if they all were working for or serving the cultists in the castle, but the two groups also seemed at odds with one another.

Snapjaw and the Strongfolk
With the meeting concluded and the party done with the city for now, they gathered around the Lady Silverhand, touched each other, and the lady teleported them directly to Jemna’s camp in the swamp. The Brotherhood agents were surprised when the group, including the giant Harshnag, popped into existence in their cave. The cave camp was warm and dry thanks to a roaring fire, but there was also an unexpected guest - a tied up lizardfolk by the fire. The frost giant had to stay sitting and crawl on the ground, but the party got a more detailed debrief by Jemna. The agents had not yet questioned the lizardman, but had captured him from a patrol as they observed he was one of the more ‘intelligent’ lizardfolk.

The party was welcomed to help question the lizardman, and they found it was eager to help them. Or more specifically, it was enamored with how ‘strong’ the party looked, and was certain they could help liberate his people from the oppressive bullywugs - or frogmen as he called them. The lizardman said his name was Snapjaw, and told how the frogmen had killed their leader and basically enslaved them. However, they were continuing to work for the dragon cult and their frogmen because the ruler of the swamp, the black dragon Voraghamanthar, or Vorag, had promised them rewards for doing so. Snapjaw couldn’t understand why the dragon, whom the lizardfolk worshipped, would not help them expel the evil frogmen.

Snapjaw continued to call the party strongfolk, and they collectively discussed plans to attack the castle while causing a massive distraction. They intended to help Snapjaw start an uprising of his lizardfolk against the bullywugs, but there was one thing they wanted to make sure of first. They wanted to ensure this black dragon would not be a problem. Jemna asked the lizardman where the lair of this dragon was, and if he could show them. The group discussed if some should go try to investigate the dragon, perhaps try to parley with it, as it clearly did not want to oppose the cult.

When the session ended, the rough plan was some would go with Jemna, her agents, and Snapjaw to check out the dragon, and then at dawn they would attack the castle. Ideally, Snapjaw would make it back, and Harshnag would help him and his lizardfolk battle the bullywugs in front of the castle. This should be a sufficient distraction drawing enough guards from the only side entrance for the rest of the parties assault. It sounded easy.

It was the afternoon of the one hundred and forty fourth day since the raid on Greenest.

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