Events+of+Zarantyr+14,+998+YK

=Events of 14 Zarantyr, 998 YK=

Meet Cute
Stend Bakker stayed the night at the Sovereign Host Temple in New Cyre, in order to make sure the fallen Brelish soldiers and Corwin Benbow (a Breland veteran) received proper honors. There, he was introduced to a rising star in the Church of Boldrei, Dashiell Kaplan. Kaplan is something of a celebrity, both as the sole Human bearer of the Mark of Healing and for having retrieved two historically-significant Host artifacts to the Church in Sharn in 997.

A Cyran orphan raised by House Jorasco until he went to seminary to be a priest of Boldrei, Kaplan had recently been in Sharn overseeing the rebuilding of a Temple in the Fallen District (a site he'd had a hand in liberating), when several powerful dreams compelled him to come to New Cyre in hopes of catching the Slayer of Cyre's Children.

//In spite of Dashiell's celebrity, I found him to be stiff, and to cling to his mantle of priesthood. For one intimate with Boldrei, I've yet to see him especially devoted to civics. However, if I suspect correctly that he's after the Slayer, his motives may indeed be true. Men who claim to hear the voices of gods must be watched for, there are unspeakable powers that whisper, after all--Demons, Dreams, and Madness...//

Their tasks completed, Stend and Dashiell proceeded to the Gem to meet the rest of the party.

News from Wroat
The Public Postings Kiosk in front of the House Sivis enclave had the latest dispatches from Breland's capital. Basically, King Boranel's illness continues, he has delegated day-to-day authority to his younger brother (now acting Regent), and the acting Regent has summoned Parliament into special session on the 20th. Rumors and speculation are rampant as to what this all means. In particular, many fear that, should Boranel die, his successor may rescind the invitation and drive the Cyran survivors out...or worse, that the Cyrans may end up pawns in a Brelish civil war.

Seeing the Prince
By mid-morning, word was spreading that Prince Oargev had ordered a Muster of all able-bodied Cyran veterans, in response to the Brelish Army detachment's call for reinforcements to finish off the Goblinoids. The Prince also summoned the party for a briefing. Dashiell joined them. At the entrance to his audience chamber (//doubles as a banquet hall -- for rentals, see the Prince's Seneschal//), they saw the Prince talking earnestly with Ambassador Ka'vanau of Darguun. Ka'vanau soon left, and his bodyguards exchanged glares with Draco, Colden and NoName.

After greeting Dashiell by name (both for his reputation, Cyran heritage and prior visit) and hearing their report on stopping Kostas Knyarri, rescuing Plow and bringing back a captive, The Prince revealed that the leader of the Goblinoids (presumably Diizina) had sent a message (per the spell) that they had Tanar'aashta, Captain Narcy Kemble and another soldier, and were willing to trade them for safe passage to the Darguun border. He repeated Ka'vanau's denial that these invaders had any connection to the Lhesh Haruuc or any official in Darguun, and added that House Tharashk was pressuring him to accept their terms to get their man Tanar back.

The party asked only that the exact route the Goblinoids would be allowed to take be somehow leaked to them, and they'd take care of the rest. Draco, for his part, volunteered to be part of the Muster, an offered gratefully accepted by the Prince.

From there, the Prince sought their counsel on his Grand Plan, the reason for negotiating with Ka'vanau (among other things): He is seeking the repatriation of some 40,000 ethnic Cyrans living in Darguun as slaves. The complicated deal is described elsewhere.

Flea Market and Meet Cute #2
With time on their hands, the party moved to sell the many items they'd picked up in recent days. Local weapon and armor merchants, who had balked at buying any more Goblinoid equipment, were suddenly asking for more and willing to pay top galifar. One armorsmith commented that the tribal and unit insignias on the items he'd recently purchased indicated that the Goblins and Hobgoblins in Breland had come from a variety of tribes, with the recurring symbol of a black hand possibly denoting their "new" tribal affiliation. The complicated mechanical needle trap was clearly the work of a master artificer, yet the total lack of ornamentation showed it wasn't made by House Cannith or the Dwarves of House Kundarak.

About this time, Colden overheard guards from the jail, off to tell the Prince that the Goblin captive, Maglu, had been killed in his cell with no sign of how the killer got in or out. Looking around, he suddenly norticed NoName was gone.

For the items they couldn't sell to local merchants, they set up an impromptu booth at the edge of the town square, where the Muster was about to take place. Cyran veterans -- old and middle-aged mostly, wearing various armors that are too often straining to contain ample midsections -- were standing in small groups around the square, waiting to be called to formation. Somehow, most everything they wanted to sell was sold (perhaps the Cyrans are stocking up in case they're caught up in Breland's internal problems?). While there, they were reacquainted with Kebbo Manistee, the Artificer who'd been part of their caravan from Sterngate. Kebbo attempted to Identify some of the magic items the party was keeping, but soon someone else came up and offered her services.

Faye Dwarfhammer.

Overjoyed at her return, the party quickly filled her in on recent events, and introduced her to Dashiell. She finished identifying things, and had conversations with Kebbo as well as Plow, who came up to the group demanding to be part of whatever vengeance the party was about to deliver to the Goblinoids (something about pretending to be the Order of the Emerald Claw and ambushing them in the foothills near the Darguun border). Conversational nuggets included:

on. How bout you fellas take a break, I'll buy a round at the Gem and you can tell me how that idiot Tanar d'Tharashk got captured by goblins." to use his fancy 'Mark to see if this mine you and your friends uncovered still had any Dragonshards. Tanar rode off with those Brel troopers. Prob'ly went into the mine with the missing Captain, and got caught." So you guys are having a flea market to raise ransom money?" can't liquidate his goods with any expeditiousness. Besides, I've had the opportunity to bless some weapons that we've given away to some of the mustering soldiers. "As to a need for cash, I'd rather donate all this glory to the church, but I can't really be sure that we'll see blessings in equal measure back to us. "As for this Tanar fellow, and the Prince, It's interesting to hear that the prince sent him shard-sniffing in the mines; I'd thought that both of their motives were more altruistic, or at least, I'd thought that the Prince hired Tanar for the purpose of finding the Slayer. "In any case, It already sounds to me that you're of a more principled sort than this Tanar fellow." Dragonshards. No one here knew there was a mine, so naturally the Prince wants to see if it can be reopened once the Goblins go. New Cyre ain't gonna grow on salt and small farms. Compared to that, this so-called Slayer can wait." least I don't recall any 'walking mines of Breland' when I studied history at Morgrave. I bet digging those shards would get harder as one by one the population dwindles. Whether they dwindle because they're killed or because they want to hide from the fact that they once lived in Cyre so as not to draw the killers attention. "As for my principles, let's just say I learned them the hard way and that I won't stray from them because of greed." greed, it means jobs and revenue for New Cyre. We're here on the raggedy edge, solely by invitation of a King who might be dying as we speak. Slayer or no, we Cyrans need to get past being refugees and show we can contribute to society. Prove that Boranel's act was more than charity. We fail at that, Slayer might as well kill the lot of us." you so unafraid?" with the usual rumors. Right now the Gobbos are the real threat...they killed, what, eight or nine Cyrans just since the year began, and now they've killed Breland soldiers and taken hostages." that sort of idea over, if you'd care to join us at the Gem we can work things out further." Starts walking off for the Gem, "You guys coming or what?" after the Last War suits me fine. You guys have fought Goblins, what, six times already? Nuh uh, not for me. I got a family to think about. Good luck. My storefront should be open by month's end." other female, the quiet one with no name?" pick up some tramp from the Gem or something?" killing that Goblin captive?" sleeve that will probably help you out a lot and if you're gonna tag along, I should invest in a repair kit for you." again, turn my strength towards peace. But the family I joined is dead, I've nearly been destroyed several times, they took me captive and...gave me to that Duergar. I want these Goblins out of Breland." daughter of a noble who's in Parliament. I think she hoped that would convince their leader not to kill them outright. Must have worked."
 * Faye**: "So, it's good to see you guys again. Nice flea market you have going
 * Kebbo**: "Word is, Prince wanted his new hired boy Tanar
 * Faye**: "That's what he gets. All 'whoo I got a fancy tattoo' and no brains.
 * Stend**: "No, We're having a flea market because unlike Wroat or Sharn, one
 * Kebbo**: "I dunno. House Tharashk earned its rep finding
 * Faye**: "Yes, but unlike the slayer, that mine isn't going anywhere. At
 * Kebbo**: "You forget where you are, Brelander. Reopening a lost mine ain't
 * Faye**: "So you're a Cyran too? What do you know about the Slayer that makes
 * Kebbo**: "Only what you said on the road from Sterngate, mixed
 * Plow**: "If you're planning to hit the Goblins, I'm in."
 * Faye**: "Hello Plow, it's nice to see you again. Um, we were just talking
 * Kebbo**: "I join the Muster, I probably won't see real action -- which
 * Plow**: "You repaired me. I owe you that much. What happened to the
 * Faye**: "Female with no name?? What are you talking about? Did those guys
 * Draco**: "She was just here. Maybe she had something to do with
 * Faye**: "Plow, you know I've got some new tricks up my
 * Plow**: "I appreciate the help...Mistress. I swore I'd not take up arms
 * Draco**: "Anything else you can tell us about being held captive?"
 * Plow**: "While we were together, the Captain mentioned that she was

The Muster
Even as the Prince's Seneschal -- a taller, older man named Essyn Cadrel -- called the Muster to attention, the crowd stirred at the sight of an elderly man, with a shock of white hair and a trimmed white beard framing a weatherbeaten face the color of old leather, riding slowly into the square, his heavy magebred warhorse barely controlled, even with two attendants holding the reins. This was none other than [|Hallorek the Black], last of the Cyran Sorceror-Generals.

Prince Oargev emerged, mounted his own horse and went to meet the old hero.

"My Prince, General Hallorek answers the call in the Cyran people's hour of need."

"General, you honor me with your presence. I am deeply grateful for your support, and the Host's blessings be on you for your continued service to Cyre's past and future. Your presence today is an inspiration to every man and woman here."

"My Prince, it's the least I can do. We owe these Goblins for taking part of your kingdom, and now they're here, killing Cyrans again? This cannot...stand." The General sags in his horse, clearly exhausted. After a few more whispered words, Hallorek nods, straightens up and waves to the crowd. He then is led back the way he came, to the thunderous cheers of the Mustered troops, many of whom served under him in Karrnath. That bit of theatre resolved, the Muster quickly formed into a force of 50 or so soldiers, those in the best shape with the best equipment. Draco fell in with them, horses were secured, and the Muster rode to the logical staging area. The Murnie Homestead.

While this was happening, the party split up further. Faye took all the clues and went to see Professor Wunsin, while Dashiell, Colden and Stend tried to plan an ambush for the soon-to-be retreating Darguuls. Plow, intent on joining them, went off on his own to get equipment. Needing another strong sword, Stend suggested a visit to the Church of the Silver Flame -- after all, the supposed leader of the invaders is a shapeshifter who takes on a wolf form. Diizina's practically a lycanthrope, and is certainly an evil outsider -- both well within the Church's mandate.

Armed with that reasoning, they went to the local Temple, met with the Warforged Priest called Argent, who introduced them to Thurm, a stern, well-armed, well-equipped Dwarf Paladin of the Flame. Despite the differences between the Host priests and the Flame warrior, common ground was found and Thurm agreed to take part. Rejoined by Plow, the five linked up with the traveling Muster and traveled with them to the Homestead. There, they secured fresh horses, Plow recovered his non-lethal damage, and the five continued on until nightfall, camping in the foothills near where they'd fought Aunk, the Bladebearer and the Blue.