Session 1

Session 1 -- July 1, 2011
The Death of the King

4 Garnalm (Early Summer) - Danberg (Pineborough, Canton)
- Norvaan Longard, Oona Stoneforge, Saxon Harrold, Dondarrion Mithalmar, and Adran the Insel Elf were engaged to act as guards and labor under the command of Sir Bendroden Lightbringer for Duke Eric Carver's caravan. The journey was a two week journey to the capitol city of Canton for a Ducal Council on the crown succession after the death of King James Smythe.
  - The caravan consisted of two wagons and the Ducal carriage as well as appropriate draft and riding animals. Duke Carver traveled with his daughter, 15-year-old Lady Krysta Carver, along with Sir Bendroden Lightbringer and four White Roses of the Duke's personal guard. In addition were a cook, a butler, and six teamsters.
- The journey was mostly uneventful, with only a few animal predators needing to be scared off on occasion.
  - Sir Bendroden chastised the cook for racial insults directed at Adran.
  - Duke Carver had a brief private audience with Dondarrion regarding the loss of the mage's father during the Siege of the Blackguard.

16 Garnalm - Canton City, Canton
- Duke Carver's caravan arrives safely in Canton City.
- Duke Carver, Sir Bendroden, and the Duke's butler went to the Ducal Council.
- The rest of the caravan members were billeted in a barrack.
  - Oona, Adran, and Norvaan went to the training arena and practiced.
  - Saxon and Darry went to the libraries and, errr ... researched female anatomical illustrations.
- The Ducal Meeting ended in an impasse.
- The group was informed they were to take a turn guarding the Cantonian Crown Jewels the following night. (17 Garnalm)

17 Garnalm (morning)- Canton City, Canton
- Duke Carver's butler became suddenly ill and the Duke asked Adran to accompany he him and Sir Bendroden to the second day of the Ducal Council.
- Upon arriving at the Meeting Hall, it was discovered that Duke Ferdinand de Agueda's men, tasked to guard the jewels that night, had been slain and the crown jewels missing.
  - Adran noticed the wounds were by knife and bludgeon. (??? not sure)
- The Ducal Meeting was cancelled. Sir Bendroden tasked Adran to have the group meet him at the White Crown Inn in an hour.

17 Garnalm (late morning) - Canton City, Canton (White Crown Inn)
- Sir Bendroden arrives several hours later to the Inn and informs the group he wishes them to investigate the apparent theft of the Cantonian Crown Jewels.
  - The inquiry was to be discreet as Duke Carver had made it known he did not want Sir Bendroden taking action.
  - The group was chosen because they were the only Duke's men available in Canton that would not be directly and easily traced back to the Duke or Sir Bendroden. But, if anything were to happen, Sir Bendroden would take full responsibility for sending the group to investigate.
- After a brief period of questions to Sir Bendroden, the group fell to debating their course of action. Sir Bendroden took this time to quietly leave the Inn.
  - The group decided that quietly investigating the Meeting Hall for clues was their best option, but the bright light of the midday sun was not suited for this. It was felt checking around the seedier side of Canton City would be a good way to pursue the investigation while awaiting nightfall.
- The group made their way to the Docks District and asked around for a sawbones, working under the assumption that whoever slew de Agueda's men likely took injuries as well. Eventually the group located a sawbone by the name of Stinky.
  - Stinky revealed that a wounded man and his friends came to his door in the still dark hours of that morning but were turned away. The sawbone mentioned the Shrine to Hydria down the street when asked about temples in the area.
- The group next went down the street to a small shrine dedicated to the goddess of Water, Hydria.
  - A young, beautiful priestess was there and quite distraught. She told us the Shrine had been broken into and the healing kit and coin offerings had been stolen. Further prompting revealed a potion of healing had also been in the Shrine and was missing. The potion had been given to her within the last month by a cloaked, hooded man. Saxon determined the lock had been forced open no more than a few hours earlier.
  - Darry gave placed 5 sp in the offering bowl and Saxon repaired the broken lock.
- The group went to a tavern on the same street as the shrine and sawbones. (Not sure if we got a tavern name)
  - The barkeep recalled a group of rowdy men with more than usual coin in the place early that morning. He identified them as Marrak and some of his thugs. They were ruffians who did shake downs on the ships, crew, and workers along the docks proper.
- At the docks proper, Oona Stoneforge interrupted the dice game of some disreputable looking fellows, kicking their dice away and demanding to know where to find Marrak. The dockhands only laughed and asked why the dwarf wanted the half-orc. Oona told him Marrak owed money the people behind him. The bemused dockhands pointed to a shack a few slips down and went back to gaming.
- At the shack, Oona called out for Marrak. Discussion was not to be had and either those inside saw through the dwarf's ruse or did not care. Shouted commands sent thugs out the back door and a mind mage assaulted Adran from inside the shack.
  - Combat ensued against Marrak, his brother Karrak, a mind mage, two ruffians, and several thugs. The battlefield was split for a brief moment, but Marrak and several thugs went down quickly. He was soon followed by the rest of the thugs and his brother, Karrak. The ruffians and mind mage did not have time to think and they followed suit soon enough. Adran took several heavy hits as he valiantly positioned himself during the battle. Oona took minor damage as he held the line. Saxon flew across the battlefield like a dervish, as Darry hampered the dockthugs perceptions, and Norvaan directed the group with well timed words of advice and encouragement (and a few arrows).
- The dock ruffians were tied up and brought inside the shack. Adran's sharp eyes noticed a hidden compartment under the stone fireplace. Saxon used his skills to open the hiding hole. Inside were found the missing Crown Jewels. The thugs also had 800 gp in various gems upon their person; a sizable amount for common dock thugs.
  - Adran, being the fastest of the group, was sent to find Sir Bendroden and alert him to the completion of their task. While the Insel elf was gone, the rest tried to get information from the captured thugs. Oona's unique method of interrogation gained them information that the thugs were hired to steal the Crown Jewels and hold them at this location until someone came to pick them up and pay their other half of the bounty. They did not know who hired them, or who was to retrieve the jewels.
- An hour later, Adran arrived with Sir Bendroden. A cart was secured to transport the Crown Jewels and the thugs left tied up for guards to deal with. On the way back to the Meeting Hall, Sir Bendroden stopped a group of de Agueda's men and told them Duke Carver's men had located the jewels and where to find the thieves.
- Once the Crown Jewels were returned, de Agueda seemed unhappy about it, though he thanked Duke Carver. The Duke was unhappy with Sir Bendroden for going against his orders. The party was sent back to the barracks.
- Later that evening, Sir Bendroden came to thank them again, and give each group member a 40 gp red garnet gem.