Ginkwrench awakens from a brush with illness in his stone home, to the sound of shouts and cries that resonate through the streets of Vettlar. He soon smells a draft of acrid smoke, so gears up and leaps outside, where a pair of his neighbors is pointing out at an air raid of crows dropping incendiary alchemical elixirs on the capital, without a great deal of accuracy. Perplexed, he leaps up the nearest wall to inquire what is going on with the local soldiers, who inform him that another pair of Vandrakki berserker tribes have arrived and a preliminary assault has started. The gnome is unaware of the fate of his companions at the Skrath Cairn, and takes a look for himself through an officer's spyglass, where he glimpses the newly arrived Low Crows and Saw-Teeth in conference with the other tribes. Grimly, he heads out to find Commander Estelbard, who is near the South gate, making preparations for its potential fall. Surprised that Ginkwrench is still within the city, he honors the gnome's offer for help and asks him to man a wall and turn away anyone attempting to scale it. Ginkwrench complies, and then begins to Tweet his online friends about the REAL inevitable apocalypse...of Vettlar.
Meanwhile, the survivors of the Cairn have teleported into the Armory square in Floivin Keep, where they are surrounded by anguished shouts of Last Eidolorn soldiers shocked at the presence of a bugbear in their midst (understandably so, some would say). By restraining him and Gruulsh himself claiming to be a prisoner, a violent confrontation is avoided, but upon meeting with Captain Lesper, the bugbear is ordered directly to the brig until further notice. A young recruit, Private Jexsin Rumpridge, takes notice of these individuals, and begins to follow them, not trusting their actions. At the prison, there is some confusion by the guards, but Gruulsh is admitted to a cell and fed. Luz leaves to speak with Commander Hoary, Baro's unconscious body slung over his shoulder. Mudgol and Rumpridge remain behind, the former getting into some trouble as he goes down to the kitchen to procure extra food for Gruulsh in his captivity. There he meets with Chef Gusta, the ogress who once worked the hydra hatchery in Tooth Marsh, and has been detained since the War for Floivin Province. Mudgol slips her a dagger and promises her he'll petition for her freedom, and she offers him mashed potatoes for the new inmate. Rumpridge looks on with great disdain...and later sneaks the weapon back from the prisoner. Mudgol is eventually kicked out of the Floivin prison, just like any other place he frequents.
Back on the walls of Vettlar, the attack begins. The Low Crows' pets intensity their 'bombardment', and Devil Paw firepot-hurlers join in the fray, dodging back under cover when the Fifth Eidolorn archers retaliate. Skull-Singer bone abominations and Long Elk mounts begin ramming the South Gate, while a few brave Devil Paws and Saw-Teeth begin to scale the walls elsewhere across the city. Preparing to turn them back, Ginkwrench is interrupted by Teven the Worm, who makes a proposition to get the gnome out of the city if he offers to help carry his valuables. Ginkwrench refuses, but Teven presses the issue, and the barbarian gets rowdy. Unfortunately, he's not quick enough, and Teven casts and alteration which transforms Ginkwrench into a dumb white stoat! Angered, the now incredibly moronic animal begins to trail the cackling magician, hoping to score some bites at this abuser. He follows off quietly in his new form through the snowy city streets, while the cries of the Wintersbreath civilians and soldiers escalate...
In Floivin Keep, Luz meets up with Commander Hoary, who he interrupts shaving and grooming himself. After a few minutes to don his uniform, he calls the half-orc and unconscious Baro into his office. Privates are sent to fetch Conniff, who shows up to heal Baro a bit, and then Hoary takes the initial report, grim at the news of Captain Langston's presumed demise and the looming assault on Vettlar (based on Baro's sighting of the approaching smoke trails that morning. He informs the PCs that he's going to once again alter the chain of command for Lt. Banghorn's former unit, and to fetch Mudgol. Rumpridge decides to tag along and 'listen in' on the ensuing meeting, since he still heavily suspects these heroes of suspicious deeds. While Luz goes to grab his fellow half-orc, Hoary manages to recruit Baro into the Last Eidolorn full-time, awarding him the rank of Sergeant. Much to his dismay, he also bestows this honor upon Mudgol due to the diviner's vast experience in the Floivin events, and decides that the squad will be led on a 2 for 3 vote of the three, instead of elevating one above the rest. Thus, the new hierarchy of command becomes:
Regent Velvedine > Gen. Morrow > Cmd. Hoary > Maj. Grizzlebeard > Sgts. Baro, Luz and Mudgol
Hearing the conversation, Private Rumpridge realizes that these suspicious soldiers actually belong to the unit of his uncle, Lt. Banghorn, who has been missing for some time. In fact, they even mention the poor fellow by name, as Mudgol presents his amputated member (used to scry the soldier) to Hoary, who immediately becomes disgusted and driven to drink, one again regretting the decision. Rumpridge speaks with Hoary after the PCs depart, and requests a transfer into their unit, which Hoary obliges while getting stupid drunk after the promotion of Mudgol. The private then chases the group down, Luz dismissively accepting him into the ranks to work under the diviner. The group then goes with a writ to the prison, to release Gruulsh, who is by this time getting on quite well with the guards, and is even granted audience with Zinsk...fielding his potential romantic interest in the ogress prisoner. Zinsk even assigns a rat to the bugbear.
Up North, furry-Ginkwrench tracks Teven back to his shop of curiosities, which the deformed dwarf has decided to abandon with his valuables. He gives up trying to acquire some muscle, and just finishes packing bags, one of which the stoat sneaks into to possibly get a better bite angle. The magician decides just to teleport all he can (including the hidden stowaway) to a nearby safe zone, and then hire help there to move the stuff to safety. After poofing into existence in this warmer, friendlier clime, the stoat races off to a nearby alley. He smells lots of good, dirty smells in this new, wrecked city, and scares off some rats down an alley, before consuming all the offal and leavings he can find there.
The PCs decide to use Royal Leathers as their official headquarters in Floivin Keep, designated such by Hoary, who will later assign them some staff based on their needs. Before retiring for the evening, Mudgol and Rumpridge go off to 'rent' or 'borrow' an expensive mirror, since the half-orc's is now sitting in the recently acquired home of Gruulsh in besieged Vettlar. They end up outside House Bader, which is still quite intact from the War, and a servant ushers Rumpridge (and not the vile, offensive Mudgol) inside, where Lady Bader flirts with the young man and is all too happy to lend him her most expensive viewing mirror. The two then carry the thing off to Royal Leathers, but not before passing a stoat in the alley. After seeing itself in the shiny surface, the creature becomes entranced, and sneaks off after the duo, even into the back door of their new headquarters. On a whim, Luz dickedly orders Rumpridge to scout out the Gnarlbottom Manor, which the young man does hesitantly. The rest of the PCs retire for the evening, including the stoat in a little niche in the wall. Eventually, the private returns, picks a lock upstairs, and retires in a room by himself.
Essel, Martenin 9th, 838 ID
The party awakens, and much to Mudgol's surprise, Ginkwrench is jumping up and down on Mudgol's sleeping cot, with hideously reeking breath. The half-orc goes to make some coffee for the gnome, hoping to fight this wretched halitosis, and Ginkwrench explains to the PCs that he had a very strange night which somehow led to his return to the Keep. After a quick evaluation of the Royal Leather's building and the lift down into the sewers, they determine their next move. Hoary had asked earlier that they return, since assignments are stacking up and he's not sure how effective the PCs can be right now returning to Vettlar. Mudgol decides to scry the fate of Captain Langston and possibly the archmage Spurr the Meticulous, whose fate is unknown. He discovers that Langston has been slain and devoured...and the party mourns, but there is no response in his attempt to discern the whereabouts of his former headmaster.
And so, the PCs meet up with the Commander for assignments, three of which are to be taken up in two days' time, after a more immediate mission he is preparing with Blake Bauerkroft. Luz is sent off to speak with Commander Vhelok, who is looking for a pair of heroes to accompany himself and Prelate Akstra on a mission to do away with some well-dressed, pistol wielding bandits that have been harrying supply lines between Toul Tabor and Floivin Province. Baro goes to speak with Monch Gnarlbottom, who is finally planning an expedition into the Sunken Forge on Greataxe Isle to hopefully acquire the 'haft' of the legendary relic used to slay the death titan Ulan Vhor in ages past. He is sending his own son, Ymurf, along with a dungeon delving expert and clergyman Conniff, who is quite interested in helping retrieve the weapon in case it's needed to defend the Empire.
Lastly, Mudgol is sent to find Flabbergast Manor and speak with Schnoo the Sorcerous, who has now decided to 'call in the favor' for his help in hooking the PCs up with magic enhancements on short notice. The half-orc fails to find the shifting magic academy of his own accord, but ends up speaking with Zinsk in the prison, who reveals to him its present location on the Eastern banks of the Well. Mudgol and Ginkwrench head out to speak with Schnoo and Mistlethroe, and the usual awkwardness ensues (though the chancellor is happy to meet another of his kind in the barbarian). Mistlethroe and several 'bodyguards' will be attempting to breach the githyanki citadel on the Astral plane where the missing magic tutors are being enslaved, and he needs two to join the stealth mission.
The PCs next meet to decide who will pursue which task (all of which begin two days' hence after some final preparations), and after careful consideration: Luz and Ginkwrench will help Vhelok deal with the flashy gunmen East of Floivin Province; Baro and Gruulsh will join Ymurf Gnarlbottom in cracking the Sunken Forge; and Mudgol and the bewildered Rumpridge will accompany Mistlethroe to the Astral Plane. But first, Hoary reveals a more immediate mission, the final liberation of Tarndim! The group is to join mayor Blake Bauerkroft and Strenne Knelrave (with her remaining Third Eidolorn peasant soldiers) in driving away the Blood Eagles, forever.
PCs: Baro, Ginkwrench, Gruulsh, Jexsin, Luz, Mudgol
