IN OUR LAST SESSION…
…our heroes decided to split up. Tia and Dain headed east to meet the rumored “new” sage at the War Wizards tower. Tovlakov and Norm remained in Rankford Mitte to keep an eye on things.
Tia and Dain, passing the newly-erected Wolf Fence at the Collective decided to drop by. Making their way through the gate, the met up with Carly. She is still walking with the assistance of a cane, but otherwise seemed to have emerged from her exploits with Greater Apparatus of Kwalish and Marver’s forces intact. She shared that there had been reports of a band of individuals (adventurers? brigands?) seemingly encamped further east, past the tower.
Norm received a cagey invitation from Marg that Captain Teena and a never-specifically-identified guest wanted to speak to the militia. Tovlakov was located by Norm and the two proceed to the Grey Wolf Inn to meet with these two worthies.
Arriving at the War Wizards Tower, Dain and Tia were greeted by a mephit, who allowed them to enter. They were introduced to the new Sage, a young human man named Kashuo. Kashuo seemed inexperienced, but polite. He seemed to know some of what had occurred with the old Warden and Sheriff, and knew that his predecessor had been “reassigned” to Immersea. He revealed that portals all over the kingdom had failed, perhaps due to sabotage. He agreed to take on some research on behalf of the heroes. He also revealed that the Tower, the Warden’s Office, and the Watchtower all contained magical communication devices that allowed any location to locate with any location. Also, each location, by triggering a “button” visibile only to the duly appointed individual(s), could listen in to ambient noise from the other locations. Once they had the opportunity, Dain and Tia made for the Warden’s Office and tried this technology out for themselves. They also searched the Map Room for incriminating information related to Marver/Eeger/Lord Segur’s activities, but did not find anything of import.
While speaking with Kashuo, Dain felt that the new Sage was generally sincere in his pronouncements, but seemed to be carefully tracking what the heroes said for future inclusion in reports to… someone.
At the Grey Wolf, the heroes were lead to the Fireside Room where the Purple Dragons Captain and… Lord Segur waited. Clearly, the Count had set up this meeting. He refused to state clearly whether his satyr minion was nearby.
Segur claimed that he was interested in having the heroes assist with an issue related to the lost dwarven mine and village of Dol Seguria. He claimed that Marver, with Eeger’s assistance, had been kidnapping individuals, mostly innocents passing through Rankford, and enslaved them in the recently-discovered lost mine. Segur said that his interest was in seeing these slaves freed. If the heroes would commit to this task, he said that he would provide a map that might be of assistance. Norm an Tovlakov seemed dubious but said they would consider it.
Dain and Tia returned to Mitte and shared what they had learned. Tia showed Norm how the communication between the three key sites worked and they tested it out. There was discussion about what to do next. Investigate the brigands? Commit, at least in word, to Lord Segur’s request?