Session 4 Recap

At Stonehome

The session opened with a quick recap of the last session and a quick dive into some dwarf politics. The heroes felt they needed to be at the Private Council of the Dwarfs and made quick work toward getting an invitation. They met first with Drusilla Fireaxe. She agreed to be one of their sponsors into the Council, expecting them to side with her clan and help shield her from any trouble arising out of Kharas and Tallos's actions. She advised them they would need an invitation from the King or from two Councilors to get into the Council. She agreed to approach Wilhelm Bronzekettle on their behalf to get a second for the invitation.

Back at their quarters they received a message from Jodie Giantslayer, another Councilor who wanted to talk with them. They chose to delay answering the request and made way to meet with King Arnulf Blademeister.

King Arnulf received the heroes and quickly cut to the heart of the matter. The problems with kobolds and a potential dragon menace should be addressed forcefully. The king agreed to sponsor them into the Council. Having personally fought at the battle against Gafir 100 years ago, King Arnulf has no desire to see this dragon threaten the lands again.

The next morning a representative of Jodie Giantslayer, Twilingar "friends call me Twig" Giantslayer, came to them. He obliquely offered money if they would meet with "my friend Jodie." The heroes politely demurred, and said they would see him after the Council.

Grim managed to track down a shady member of his clan, his cousin Gormac Harmon, to get information about Tallos Fireaxe. For a sum of 250 gold, Gormac pointed the heroes in the direction of the Border Watch keep where Tallos has contacts among the Blue River Thieving Guild.

The Council

At the Council Drusilla Fireaxe announced the "unauthorized treasure hunting" on the part of her clan mates. She allowed that their activities may have stirred up the kobolds in the area and suggested they be tried for "financing an unlawful expedition into the mountains" for which they should be fined. She also advised that the dwarfs of Stonehome should send some troops to help protect Fallcrest against the kobolds and another force to hunt down and destroy the annoying "rat men". She carefully avoided any mention of Gafir.

Malcolm Twoaxe, the king's war advisor, leaped into the discussion and bellowed about the dangers brought to the dwarfs by the Fireaxe clan. Malcolm has spent a great deal of time interrogating the kobold captive, Xaxgal, that the heroes brought to Stonehome. This kobold mutters the name of Gafir, calls down curses on the dwarfs and pronounces that one day "the kobolds of the Razorclaw tribe will rule this land again for the glory of Gafir!" Malcolm opposes sending dwarfs to "defend the humans; let them fend for themselves. We have to protect Stonehome."

A long debate ensues. The Fireaxe and Bronzekettle Councilors attempt to deflect damage from the Fireaxe clan while supporting efforts to help their human allies. Malcolm calls for a strong defense of Stonehome. Jodie Giantslayer calls on the King to send troops to Fallcrest, and suggests that the Fireaxe clan should bear the expense. Elisa Drumbottle, the last of the Councilors, quietly takes it all in and appears to be swayed by the most recent argument at any given time. Finally, after the heroes have had their say, the King makes his pronouncements: the dwarfs of Stonehome will honor their treaty with the Principality of Edmund. If a formal request for aid comes from Prince Jorum then Stonehome will answer. The Fireaxe clan will be made to foot the bill for the troops. In the meantime, the dwarf traitors, Kharas and Tallos Fireaxe, will be caught and tried. Should the rumors of a dragon be proved, these two will be executed. Otherwise they will be fined and imprisoned for their unwise actions.

King Arnulf also lays a command on Grimold Ironforge and Torvidicus Harmon to take what forces they can gather and to recapture the Border Watch keep on the Chisel Path. This place will make a good base of operations against the kobolds, and gods forbid Gafir, should it become necessary. The people of Stonehome will step up their patrols on the western end of the Chisel Trail.

Later that night the heroes meet briefly with Jodie Giantslayer. He wants their aid in bringing down the Fireaxe clan. The election for the Council seat held by the Fireaxe clan will occur in two years. "It is time to start gathering dir, erm, um, information to prepare for the election." The heroes are noncommittal about their allegiance.

On the Chisel Path

The Silver Elites make their way down the Chisel Path towards the Border Watch keep. They encounter a pair of kobolds on the road. The kobolds attempt to hide from the heroes, but the dwarfs and Kalim easily spot them and attack. The kobolds use various rat swarms and allies in a losing battle. Eventually the kobolds flee the field of battle, leaving their rat friends behind. The heroes catch up to one of the kobolds along the road some time later. It is dying from its wounds. They bandage the creature and question it. The kobold is of the Ratkin tribe of kobolds. The Ratkins have been decimated by the Razorclaw kobolds and most of their kin have been taken as slaves. Those that have avoided capture are fleeing from the mountains. The heroes let the kobold leave.

Later that evening a trio of goblin scouts and their wolf companions attack the party while they rest. In a fairly quick and one-sided battle the heroes bring the goblins down. They capture the goblin witch doctor who says they are members of the Bloodbane tribe who rule this part of the mountains. They were here on a simple errand of banditry. The heroes loot the goblins and come up with a bit of cash, an Orb of Sanguinary Repercussions +1, and an augmenting whetstone (level 6). The heroes camp for the night, planning to assault the bandits at Border Watch on the morrow.