The Journey to Silverwell

The group finishes out their nightly rest. The remainder of the night passes without incident.

Rondax awakes to a badger sniffing him. The rest of the group awakens to find Rondax feeding the badger.

The party packs up camp and resumes travelling north towards Silverwell. The current area has not seen much travel recently. The road is decently maintained, even this far out into the wilderness. After a couple of hours on the road, the group spots a watchtower to the east. It is flying two penants (Silverwell below Gagneria). As we get closer, we notice a single individual standing atop the tower with a crossbow.

JL decides to send Herman forward to speak with whoever is manning the tower. Herman returns after speaking with the garrison. The group is approaching Alvar's Reach, a small town outside of Silverwell. There's another half-day ride to reach Silverwell itself. Herman informs the group he told the garrison about the dead rider and the creatures we killed on the road.

Alvar's Reach is a more agrarian community. Most of the community is above ground. It is clearly producing farm goods for Silverwell. No signs of the orcish occupation (no orcs / no Gagnarian banners). The community is clearly not accustomed to visitors from other areas / races.

JL attempts to see if there are any signs of the Gagnerian occupation. He notices that many of the dwarves keep glancing towards a building at the end of the merchant square, a three story stone building with limited windows.

Merchant Square
2 Inns
Appears to be frequent travel between AR and Silverwell.
One shop with a silver coat of arms

Bono and The Silver Shop

Bono slips off to investigate the shop. Bono steps down into the shop. No real wares on display. A table sits in the middle of the room with chairs around it. On the wall is a curved sword, a battle axe, and a shield with the same coat. A female dwarf greats him. Bono sits down at the table, and notices a thieves sign from her inquiring as to his business.

She flips the sign in the door to show the shop is unavailable, then turns the shield 90 degrees which activates some mechanism.
She inquires as to whether Bono has any news from the Thieves guild for her. She is expecting a parsel from Ghantra, slightly disappointed that Bono doesn't have it. She reveals there is a Thieves Guild contact in the Silverwell (blue stoned shop on the third tier). Kilver runs the shop and can connect to other resources from the Thieves' Guild. Gagnerians are cracking down on crime, so she warns Bono to tread lightly.

She continues that these are dangerous times in Silverwell. A number of factions vying for favor, government described as a nest of worms. Be on the look for anyone flashing a plain black ring. They are a faction (Onyx Brotherhood) looking to undermine the orcs. They are dangerous, break alot of taboos that dwarves hold. They make most other dwarves uncomfortable.

The Thane is still there, holds a seat in the Lord Regeant's council. Viewed by some as looking out for the city's interest. Others view him as a traitor since he surrendered without a fight.
City is divided in regards to his future.

There are some dwarves who are working with the Gagnerians.

She goes into the back and returns with a dagger, traced with silver, more of a show piece than a dagger accustomed to battle.

Bono shares some information from our visit to the Whitelands. Bono pays 100 gold for the dagger and the information.

The Journey Continues

As the group is leaving the town, JL realizes that Bono is no longer with the group. No real concern since it's typical Bono. About an hour out of town, JL asks if anyone has seen him. No one can remember seeing him. Bono pokes his head out of a wagon.

Bono tells Sol of what he learned in town concerning the Onyx Brotherhood.

Hours of travel go by without incident. Multiple side roads off the main road...all are well marked. The group passes more farming towns. The terrain slopes significantly upward. The group looks down on Silverwell. The east gate is standing open. The citadel at the top of the city is flying the Gagnerian banner. Three bridges provide transport over the river into the city proper.

Into Silverwell

( A Better description of Silverwell should be put somewhere )

The group approaches the southern bridge. The bridge is garrisoned by both orcs and dwarves. As the party approaches, 3 orcs and a dwarf approach. Brother Gerard (Monk) steps forward to the guards and speaks with the dwarf (Captain Spearbreak). The guards lead the group across the border. One of the orcs nudges Bono and expresses that Rondax needs a handler despite being an ambassador from the Beastlands. All animals in the city need to be accompanied by a handler.

City is tiered up the mountain. Each road is the roof of level below. There is a Ghantran consulate in Silverwell. It has not been manned by Ghantrans in a long time. Those in the diplomatic procession will be taken to the Lord Regeant.

Moving up tiers in the city definitely improves the living conditions and cost of living. Third tier of the city, the group is lead down the road. The guards point out sights, including the other consulates ( Estivinia and New Bragney on Third Tier and diplomats in the city ), chapels, good restaraunts, etc.

The Ghantran consoluate looks a cross between Ghantran and dwarven architecture. Approximately a small manor house, three stories. There is a dwarven guard at the gate, wearing a Ghantran crest. He is Ghantran born and loyal to the crown. This is the one and only Normand Delirent from Steepleton. He has been in service since Baron Randolph took power. Normand's grandfather, Flint Steepleton, is known by
Bono knows from growing up in Steepleton. He is considered a master smith in the area.

One of the orcs will remain at the consulate.

Staff:
3 dwarves, 4 Ghantran humans. (this may not be accurate)
3 Guards, 1 cook, 2 housekeepers, 1 stabelboy

The group and entourage are shown to their rooms.

Normand speaks to JL quietly. Says the city is a nest of vipers. Silverwell let the Gagnarians into the city. The ambassador left shortly after. The Gagnerians then inspected the consulate grounds (one was a War Priest). JL has Tyke look over the property.

• Aura of Divination over Receiving Parlor - Identify, listening charm that routes all discussions here to somewhere else. Anchored to a holy symbol of Plon...moved to the outhouse.
• Aura of Divination Bed Chamber - listening charm, anchored to a bed knob.
• Aura of Illusion on a library shelf. Tyke starts playing with books on the shelf. Appears to be merchant records from the city of Sicara. His hand passes through them disguising a document box. It's blue enameled, gold hinged, and locked. Bono opens it. A sheaf of documents, 3 keys, and a wax seal.

• Documents
• Describes keys
• Covert operations with Calandians (meeting with Tarskan seperatists to attack locations that helped Ghantra)
• Smuggling items out of Silverwell.
• People - movers & shakers, motives, contacts, and leverage

• Keys
• Treasury
• Secret Tunnel
• Calandian Consulate service door

Receiving Parlor gets another once over from Tyke and Bono.
They find an Aura of Evocation hidden under a floorboard. They discover a orb with sparkling red light inside of it. Tyke takes the orb outside before identifying that the orb is a bomb (Delayed Blast Fireball). Which goes off due to the Identify. Tyke realizes that the spell is going to go off, and attempts to sculpt the spell. Rondax and Tyke both fail to get out of the way in time and both get seriously burned from the Fireball. Many of the group pours out of the house to determine what happened. Those that come out put out the fires that were started. Herman starts healing both Tyke and Rondax.

Sol takes a look around the manor for any unusual stone work. Finds a tunnel behind a wine rack in the cellar.
One fireplace was bricked up.

JL gathers the staff for introductions and informs them of Tyke's findings. Lets the staff know that if they feel under compensated or in danger, they can take a leave of absence while JL is in Silverwell. The cooks argue over who will run the kitchen, JL hands it over to the monk to resolve.

Off to see The Lord Regeant

NPC's making the trip: Herman, Monk, Scribe (Lars)

The new entourage makes its way through Silverwell, led by the orc guard. Not all of the orcs in Silverwell are soldiers...starting to see orc's setting up businesses. Most of the patrols are primarily orcs with up to a few dwarves.

Up to the fifth tier of the city, which holds a large staircase that leads up to the citadel. The citadel is its own walled fortress within the city. After the guard that led the entourage speaks with the guards at the gate. The 25' doors of the gate are opened. Inside the walls is a forge, a stable, practice grounds, carpenter shop...basically a city within a city. Everyone in the city is liveried. Many of the dwarves are wearing Gagnarian badges. There are more orcs in the upper city than the lower levels. The entourage is greeted by a new guard (Captain Heartrender) who says he will lead them to Lord Regeant.

The main hall is cut into stone with silver veins. Last time Sol was in Silverwell's Hall, it was lined with dwarven standards and crests. Most of those have been replaced by the war banners of the Gagnarian forces. There remains a few dwarven crests that remain.

He asks for the letter of introduction before taking the entourage into the receiving chamber. The table in the receiving chamber is made from a single slab of green crystal streaked with silver veins, worked just enough to make it into a table.

Two guards just inside the door, chainmail with shield, armed with pole-arms and long-swords. 2 more stand besides the dias. The thane's chair is no longer on the dais. It was replaced with a set of 3 seats (1 large cental, 1 smaller on each side). The central one is occupied by a large orc (approximately 7'), unarmored, but large sword leaning agains the chair back. To his left is the former Thane Silverward of Silverwell. To his right is a War Priest, older, heavily scarred.

Kalos Helmcleaver, Lord Regeant of Silverwell.

He invites us to sit.

Dinner and a Conversation

Kalos speaks to each member of the entourage.

Kalos offers refreshments / sustenance. He brings out Skarsak, a black curant liquor. Dessert consists of slab cakes.

Once dinner is complete, he asks JL about the Ghantran war with Kalidian. Then asks about the trouble surrounding Steepleton (Britigin uprising). Bono claims that it has been handled and peace has been achieved. Kalos then asks Prentis how his people feel about it. Prentis speaks about the yoke of oppression and how Britigines do not care for it. Kalos claims that Silverwell is a diocese of Gagnaria. The dwarves like order and stability.
The thane agrees that Gagnaria has been a stabilizing force in Silverwell. He claims that in time, those that resist the Gagnarian rule will see that it is for the benefit of Silverwell.
Rondax - New Bragney slave trade of Wemics. Wemics not usually interested in outside diplomacy. Not many wemics in the dwarf lands or Gagneria.

JL decides the purpose of the mission is an exploratory examination of Silverwell / Gagnaria relations.

Kalos is probing at Sol's story / history. JL senses this with his insight. Bono helps cover Sol's short comings with his deception as President of Trade for Steepleton.

Bono and Sol look at the Thane to get an idea of how he feels about Kalos' stories. He avoids saying much, quickly agrees to any questions from Kalos. He has a slight twitch when Kalos refers to Silverwell as part of Gagnaria. He is conflicted...like he has betrayed his honor and is looking for a way to justify it.

Many stories told about various conquests. War Priest spins a tale of fighting a frost serpant in the far north of Gagneria. Kalos' sword is named Ro'gosh (splitter of worlds).

The Thane speaks up for his tale. In Silverwell, one must claim the title of Thane. When he was younger, he took the field often, fighting back the denizens of the area. He gained his title defending the best silver mine in Silverwell. A countryman was kidnapped by an orcish warlord in the hopes of obtaining that mine. The mine is only accessible to those pure of heart. Silverward expected the purpose, so he waited in the mine for the warlord. He defeated the warlord in hand-to-hand combat. The mine has yet to be breached by those unworthy. The story irked Kalos to a degree (insight Bono).

We prepare to part for the evening.

Kalos will send a courier on the morrow to set the next meeting.
Kalos and the War Priest leave, allowing the Thane to remain.

The thane uses an old proverb from Nox Geldar - "If you remember the valor, you keep it".

Back at the Consulate

There was a bit of discussion concerning the groups purpose in Silverwell. Openly killing the orcish command would put Ghantra in diplomatic mess and create problems regarding their war over Tarsk.

There is some question concerning the hidden silver mine. It appears the orcs have been unable to gain access to the mine. The group wonders what may be hidden in the mine. They believe that Silverwell's Father of An took up refuge in the mine.

Notes

The Group's Purpose

Why is everyone in Silverwell:
JL - Establish Diplomatic relations
Tyke - Lord Mage
Rondax - Ambassador from Beastlands
Sol (Veit) - Trade negotians for Dwarven enclave
Bono - Economic negotations if needed
Prentice - Religious
Herman - Religious

Current Important NPCs

Kalos Helmcleaver - Lord Regeant of Silverwell.
? - Warpriest
Thane Silverward - Thane of Silverwell
Kilver - Thieve's Guild Contact in Silverwell, blue stoned shop on the third tier
Captain Spearbreak - Dwarven captain at the first bridge into Silverwell
Normand Delirent - Guard at Ghantran Embassy, from Steepleton
Lars - JL's Scribe
Brother Gerard - Monk

The Onyx Brotherhood

The Onyx Brotherhood hopes to return Dwarves to former glory. Resurrect lost City-States.
Restore old dynasties.
Willing to undermine existing Thanes.
Willing to work with Onyx.
Willing to deal with necromatic magic.
Onyx Thanes - A fossilized dwarven thane (turns to onyx).

Reminders

The Baron believes that the High Priest of An from Silverwell is alive. If the Gagenerian Influence can be lifted, the High Priest would be capable of reinstating the Clerics of An, as well as performing succession rights for any dwarves ready to lead their city-state.

2019-04-05
Silverwell is discussed at great length. If the Whitelands are slipping, we may be able to use Silverwell to unbalance the orcs. It requires a formal diplomatic mission to negotiate with Silverwell and investigate their position. The Baron would like the group to put a wedge into any cracks we find to fracture the support Silverwell supplies to Gagneria. Sol will be provided an assumed identity accompanied by a magical disguise. The Baron has heard of Dwarven Forgelighters, but his knowledge is limited. JL may be able to scare orcs if he uses his Paladinic powers disguised as a dwarf. In addition, Sol's true identity may be useful at times. The Baron will supply a diplomatic entourage and put as close as he can with a teleportation spell. Additionally, he offers both Tyke and Bono access to new spells.

Anjani, a genie, offered to provide one service. The group decided to see if she could locate a relic to allow Sol to communicate with his god.