The session began with the group restocking and preparing to escort Lady Talbusk and her father's body to the Paladin's sanctuary at Castle Whiterock. As part of their preparations they consulted with the Patriarch who had recovered from his attack. He told them that the attack had solidified his support but the Grand Count Ismae was still working to take over the council, if he could. During the month The Strangers were in town, there were no Truemen attacks and there had been fewer attacks on the refugees in the Warrens. The refugees that were settling at The Keep had helped in reducing the pressure and the rogues guild were also taking part in keeping the peace. However, Count Ismae was still obsessed with the safety of his daughter and only heir left alive. It was rumored that she was preparing to leave town and the Patriarch was concerned about what the Count might do if she left.
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In the meantime, the Patriarch asked The Strangers to continue helping to keep the peace while also keeping a lower profile in town. If the group was involved in an incident in town the disaffected nobles could use it to vote out the Patriarch and vote the Count in as Mayor of Cillamar. If the Count was in charge of Cillamar, the Patriarch feared he would use his power and the Nobles troops to hunt out and imprison or kill dissenters. The Patriarchs assistant and protector, the Lady Paendrogch, reported that magic might be in use to twist the count and push him to the extreme actions he was taking. The family had been a noble and respected family for many years in Cillamar which is why he still had support from the older families. There were also families which supported them in order to improve their families fortunes no matter what might happen to Cillamar. If the situation was not handled well then Cillamar could explode in a civil war.
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It was also reported that the Pack of the Night Wolf had been dealt a serious blow and they were now laying low and rebuilding their strength. There had been on new iformation from the prisoners who were kept in protected cells at the Gaol and guarded by Magn'Gard that were trusted by the Patriarch. His commander of the Magn'gard, Lord Warrick was the only one who knew of the importance of the prisoners and the need to protect them.
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After visiting with the Patriarch, the group went to the Slumbering Drake in order to ask Lady Chauntess what she might know of Castle Whiterock. She agreed to meet with them and asked them to join her in a private meeting room away from the crowd of the tavern. She told the group about her husband who had been put to sleep by the dragon Benthorusa. Benthorusa lived in the bottom levels below Castle Whiterock and somehow he had imprisoned her husbands soul in his lair. He was still alive but was in a sleep he would not wake from. Lady Chauntess had spent many years trying to track down the location of his trapped soul but could never get close enough, even though she is a high level adventurer. Benthorusa was an old red dragon who is thought to be dead. Lady Chauntess thinks he is still alive and hiding in his lair at the bottom of the mountain, keeping her husband's soul trapped in some magical container. She asked the group to not share her story but to watch and see if they can help her to restore her husband. The group agreed to watch and keep her up to date on anything they might find.
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When exiting the Slumbering Drake, the group went to the Gaol in order to check on the prisoners. While traveling there they were ambushed by four brigands. Kaylord and Coravel quickly moved into position while Quis'Ari prepared to back them up. Aramil started flying and trapped two of the brigands in a magical pit. Meanwhile, Kaylord and Coravel had knocked one down and started searching for others. They then found there was a fifth unknown attacker who killed one of the brigands who was on the ground. Quis'Ari quickly went to drag one of the bodies out in order to make sure one was saved for questioning. Kaylord and Coravel started searching for the unseen attacker while Aramil kept an eye on the brigands in the pit. Suddenly a monk appeared in the pit and attacked the brigands. Aramil let Kaylord and Coravel know about the attacker's location while he tried to prevent another brigand being killed. Kaylord and Coravel quickly moved over to the pit but before anyone could get to him, the unseen attacker disappeared after attacking the two brigands.
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One of the brigands was saved and Quis'Ari healed him enough for questioning. The town guard had been called at the beginning of the attack and they acknowledge The Strangers actions. The prisoner was escorted to the Gaol where he was questioned. He did not know who the monk was and he had been working for the Impresario. The four had been hired to take out the Strangers or they would be sent to the Bleak Theater if they failed. After some questioning, they found that the Bleak Theater was a gladiator pit that had been stocked with slaves for fights for the Duergar kingdom. The Strangers had disrupted the slave trade and there was now a search to take them out as revenge for their actions.
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After this action, the rest of the month was quiet for The Strangers and they finished their preparations to go back to Castle Whiterock. The Lady Talbusk had an honor escort for her father's body and agreed to leave four paladins in the sanctuary as backup. There were guards at the top of the Castle who were keeping on eye on anyone that would try to sneak in to the old Castle and the lower layers. While meeting with the Lady and preparing for the trip, she talked with Quis'Ari about the strange earthquakes that occurred their first week in town. The earthquakes occurred each day at sunset and seemed to center at the old castle. After seven days, they had not occurred again. It was something else that the Strangers could watch for when they went back to the castle
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On the day of heir departure, the paladins were lined up by the cart which carried Lord Talbusk's body. The honor guard escorted him as they made their way to the castle. The Strangers stayed on watch and respectful as they went on their journey. After a days journey, they made it to the Castle and then down to the level of the Paladin Sanctuary. Lady Talbusk and the paladins made their way and easily found the entrance. After entering, and placing her father's body in the wall niche, everyone could feel the rightness of that act. The statue of Iomedae had altered and seemed to show satisfaction that her paladin had found his way home.
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Once the four paladins were set up in the sanctuary, The Strangers bid good bye to Lady Talbusk and the paladin guards who would go back to Cillamar. The group headed down the river to the beach and the steps down to the large cavern below. On their way there they noticed the cavern they had dreamed about had been blasted open from the inside. As they searched the area for tracks they could see new tracks, human looking, that had walked down the stairs. Apparently the undead creature had escaped.
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On alert, the group walked down the stairs to the large cavern. They could not clearly see the other side but it was dimly lit with a bluish light from moss on the walls. They noticed an opening in the wall to their right and decided to check it before following the tracks that went on a path in the center. When the got to the opening, they could hear movement inside. Coravel and Kaylord carefully made their way in the tunnel and could see several trolls wandering around in a trash infested cavern. Kaylord and Coravel went in to keep them busy while Aramil used a fireball to soften them up. Quis'Ari helped in taking out the trolls and they were quickly taken out.
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While exploring the cavern for items, Kaylord heard a noise from an opening on the other side. When he went to check, he spotted another troll. The troll went back the other way, yelling out a warning. The group moved together and started moving down the hall. Kaylord could see other trolls in another cavern. The session ended here.
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