Prisoners

December 5, 2018

Arakus couldn't think.  He couldn't.  Nothing was clear.  He hadn't been drinking, he knew that.  He had tried it once, long ago, in his father's household.  Arakus had watched his parents drink and wanted to be like them!  So strong in magic, and strong in other ways, he hadn't understood at the time.  They could find out secrets, secrets that many would pay to keep buried.  With a few words, his mother had allowed trade into the area, exclusive to one merchant.  It had been given to another, who protested, but a glare from his mother and the protests died on the scorned merchant's lips.  Arakus knew that glare all too well!  That brought a smile to his face and for a moment, he saw his mother's face clearly, in a way he hadn't for years.  He had forgotten about the scar and the yellow slitted eye.  About the torn lip that had never completely healed.  Arakus reached out and could almost feel her dry skin under his fingers.  

Arakus' parents were hosting a party.  Much of Thay was there.  Szass had declined but Arakus understood that his parents were happy with that.  There was a lot of talking and his memories shed no light on what they spoke about.  Arakus could guess it was about trade, magic, or both.  Many components were needed for his parents' experiments, and other Red Wizards, and there was demand for all sorts of unusual items.  Again, Arakus couldn't recall any specifics on the trade talks or bargains that happened but he remembered that at one point, his parents had passed out a drink to all.  Arakus so wanted to drink.  He wanted to join his parents in something as an adult and show them he was ready.  Arakus didn't ask.  He had already procured a wine glass and told the servant to give him some.  The servant looked scared at the order but Arakus repeated it and got his glass.  As everyone else drank, so did he.  

Arakus looked at his parents as he did so, challenging them to deny him this.  His father smirked?  That was not what Arakus expected.  Even his mother smiled in her cup as she saw him drink heavily.  The wine burned in heat and alcohol as it went down his throat.  Arakus learned later it was a type of mulled wine, served hot, and his parents served it hotter than needed.  Arakus didn't know what happened but it was as if cotton had been jammed into his head.  His tongue felt too big for his mouth.  His stomach twisted in knots and wanted to expel it but Arakus wouldn't let it, out of sheer will or stubbornness.  He heard a ringing and a heartbeat going fast.  He awoke on his bed, covered in sweat and smelling sick.  Or smelling of it.  The memory wasn't clear.  His parents were there and said they were happy with his initiative and that was enough for Arakus.  

Arakus felt that way now, cotton in his head, smelling sick, and hearing shouts from time to time.  The dank cell had no light, and only a sliver of moonlight came into it.  Standing caused dizzy spells but sitting or laying caused nausea.  Arakus knew he had messed up in court, at least he thought it had been a court, with two people on higher chairs, and the susurration of voices all around him.  Nothing cleared up or revealed any meaning though, as he struggled to find a way to sit or lay that didn't cause pain.  

Arakus grasped at the Weave but after only a trickle of energy, Arakus couldn't hold it and it slipped through his hands like water.  Sweat broke on his brow and things went dark.  

***

The group finished resting on the porch as they had been asked.  Well, commanded, and they knew better than to push it.  Daniel and the others guards were nice but when Tyrel said that they weren't relief and indeed were heading back yet today, the guards' mood fouled and most stopped talking to them.  They grunted a few times as Tyrel tried to cheer them up or sing a song but nothing more.  Hang asked if Daniel knew a way to strap her onto her horse and Daniel agreed to come look at it.  They all went to the stables and Daniel saw that the saddle and stirrup hadn't been properly adjusted for her height.  Daniel worked to adjust it and show Hang how to set it up properly.  The party mused on the Baroness and the dragon and what she wanted.  Daniel told them to be quiet!  He looked around, quite nervous, and in a hushed whisper explained.  

"Look, I don't know for sure, but I'm glad she got rid of it, whatever it means," he started, speaking fast and low.  "The dragon arrived and they spoke for a bit before she had me to fetch something in the house.  I had to go into a dungeon area, more like crypts, to retrieve it.  I had no idea the crypts existed!  I didn't have to go very far but could tell it went further.  Shoved into an alcove, was a glass chest.  Some sort of dull metal sealed it up and there were clouds and twisters carved into the glass itself.  I think there was something in it but the glass was milky and tough to see inside."  Daniel glances around again before continuing, his hands adjusting the saddle automatically.  "I brought it back up, it wasn't heavier than some grain sacks and gave it to the Baroness.  She took it and continued speaking to the dragon.  Minutes later, she gave the chest to the dragon, the dragon flew off, and then not much later, the lizardfolk attacked and you know the rest."  Daniel still looked nervous and checked again as he finished that no one was around.  

The glass box

The group asked a few questions but all heard the Baroness when she approached and turned to her.  

"What are your orders in this matter?" she asked, briskly.  "What is your mandate?"  

Dorn struggled to answer and she interrupted him with more questions.  "Are you staying here attached to me?"  

"No, we head back tonight," Dorn finally managed to sputter out.  

"Very well.  I have prisoners for you to take back.  Durenn will prepare them for you and bring them out."  With that, she turned gracefully and headed back to the manor.  Durenn, who had been next to her, nodded and then turned toward the manor as well.  

The group turned to Daniel and he nodded.  "Yeah, we caught some bandits who were attacking travelers on the road.  Not too bright, as they attacked us well armed and armored guards.  Killed two, captured these two, and the rest ran off."  

Durenn brought out two humans in loose fitting clothes, with no belts or weapons and only sandals.  Rope tied their hands and had extra, which Durenn handed to Dorn.  Durenn grabbed a scroll case at his belt and handed that over as well.  "The charges," he explained as he then turned and walked away.  

The group thanked Daniel for his help and after getting the bandits names and checking the charges, headed back to town.  The bandits begged a bit for their lives but the group didn't respond, so they went silent.  Not for long.  The first hour the bandits whined, pleaded, begged, and cursed the party, their own luck, and the gods.  Three hours into the road and the bandits' friends attacked.  Hang spun and shot one of the prisoners with her crossbow, straight through the head, dropping him instantly.  The other went limp and eagerly got on the horse when they decided to make a break for it.  The other bandits approached on foot and would be easily left behind on horseback.  The arrows the bandits shot came close but after five minutes of riding hard, Dorn having pulled the body onto the horse, the bandits fell behind.  

They arrived back at Daggerford and Dorn convinced Giles, the guard at the gate, to let him keep his horse to drop off the body but the rest had to return theirs to the stable.  Getting to the jail, Sami was not happy to see the dead one as that meant more work for her and she let Dorn have an earful about it!  Dorn told her he owed her a drink and that quelled her anger.  She took the papers.  Dorn returned the horse and they headed back to Commander Miller's place.  Hang wondered if a rebuke was coming for her kill but all understood.  

Hang inquired from the Commander about work and she said that she could use them.  The Red Wizard's hanging had been moved up to tomorrow.  When harungued with questions about why, she could only shrug and say she didn't know.  But due to it, was short-handed and if they would help, she could pay.  They agreed.  After a good meal with Miller, telling her about the incident at Cromm's Hold, they arranged to guard the gallows.  They went back to the Lady Luck tavern to find another bard playing!  Owenden shrugged at Tyrel, as if to say he didn't know when or if Tyrel would return, so Tyrel enjoyed the drink.  Jinn played darts and then they went to bed.  

The five am wake up call came fast to Tyrel.  He may have gotten the normal amount of sleep but getting up to read, study, and play in time to be at the gallows was brutal.  After a decent breakfast, slices of ham, eggs, and bread, they went to the gallows.  Commander Miller was there with tabards containing the Daggerford coat of arms for each of them, sized to fit.  They were put around the gallows to make sure no one messed with it.  

The group caught the mood of the crowd that started to gather before eight.  Dark and ugly and expecting to see something.  Murmurs of curses or daring escapes kept passing through the crowd, creating fear and anger.  The group looked at each other, unsure if they would have to do something about it.  Hang, Jinn, and Tyrel had coordinated with spells ready for crowd control, having been admonished many times not to hurt anyone.  At one point, as the crowd pressed closer, Tyrel jumped up to sing a song and help the mood.  It failed and the crowd's mood got darker and they pushed closer until Hang roared at them, causing the crowd to step back.  It took twenty minutes, with more murmurs of curses, before the crowd recovered from the intimidation and returned to their starting places.  This time, Tyrel tried a few jokes and that lightened the mood.  The pent-up energy everyone felt died down.  

When other guards came to Dorn and told him they would arrive soon, the crowd demanded answers.  Dorn said soon and the excitement and fear surged again through the crowd.  It surged again when Lady Marwen herself, along with Commander Miller and Darfen Yelloknife, arrived with the prisoner.  Arakus moved jerkily, a marionette on strings.  His eyes darted all around but his body moved slowly, in time to the drum that played.  The Commander, Lady Marwen, and Yellowknife took places on the gallows.  Lady Marwen made a quick speech about the charges and the decision, then put the noose onto him.  The energy in the air hummed.  The people of Daggerford waited with bated breath for something to happen.  They expected Arakus to summon lightning and fire and jump to freedom.  Several glanced around, wondering if Arakus had allies in the crowd that would enact a rescue.  

The drums rolled their ominous final song.  

Commander Miller pulled the lever, releasing Arakus to gravity.  

Arakus fell; his neck snapped at the end of it.  

Nothing else happened.  

Lady Marwen waited a minutes, two mintues, three before checking Arakus and pronouncing him dead.  Guard came forward, cut him down, put him on a cart to be wheeled away.  The crowd waited for something, anything, else to happen but nothing did.  Several grumbled, expecting magic, not the same thing that would happen if one of them had been hung.  Then dispersed.  

Ten minutes later, Commander Miller thanked the group and paid them.  Hang again asked about a job, or said she could go work for Derval for the rest of the day.  Commander Miller looked thoughtfully at them and said she did have a favor to ask of them, paid of course as she anticipated Hang's question.  "I haven't heard from Orlbach at his tower in some time.  Usually, he's here every few days but it's been nearly a week.  Go up to his tower and look into it?"  The group agrees and she marks his tower on their map.  

As it's still early, they get supplies and head out after again procuring horses.  The road's travelers greet them warmly and they share conditions in their respective directions.  At one point, two travelers ask them where they were headed and when they say a nearby tower, one looks surprised.  

"You don't mean Black Helm Tower, do you?  How do you know of it?"  

The group exchanges looks and replies that they know it as Orlbach's tower and are headed there as a favor to check up on it.  This traveler, who introduces himself as Jander, says he would like to go with them.  When his armored companion introduces herself as Brianna, they are surprised as it didn't look feminine but now they can see it.  The group discusses it after Jander and Brianna go a distance away for their own conversation.  Hang asks what Jander knows of the tower.  Hang is quite disappointed to get a history lesson as apparently Jander knows a lot.  It's part of the Herald's, a genealogical organization spread across the Realms, keeping family lines, and insights into family lines.  Hang does not understand that.  How do humans lose track of their ancestors?  The group eventually agrees to it and all are headed toward the tower.  

Jander and Jinn are able to discuss magic and get caught up in the discussion.  Meanwhile, Brianna takes the lead on the road as they head north.  Jander and Brianna show their ease with horses and being on the road, something Tyrel envies.  Tyrel studies them, trying to learn all he can from them by watching.  The group didn't realize how many times they had paused or how long this ride would be, and hours later, are ready to stop.  

Brianna makes camp quite naturally.  Coming back with firewood, Jander starts a fire in the fire pit and Brianna leaves again.  Jander starts a broth going, still talking about the history of the Heralds.  After an hour, Brianna's hunting yielded several rabbits and they gladly take up the cooking for the group.  It's obvious they have done this before and Tyrel keeps watching them.  First watch hadn't yet started before the orcs attack!  

Seven orcs tried to sneak up on the group and got closer than many would prefer.  The crowd control spells prepared came in handy as Tyrel is able to send several orcs to sleep as the orcs throw javelins.  Tyrel does extend himself too far and several blows from weapons knock him to the ground.  Jinn and Jander use spells to take down several while Brianna, Dorn, and Hang use weapons to teach the orcs a lesson.  They revive Tyrel with a potion and now have several sleeping orcs to deal with.  

150 xp  (Between this and RP xp given out, they all advanced to level two)  

GM Notes

• I completely forgot music and effects!  So mad at myself for that.  
• A lot happened this time.  More than I initially thought.  Quite happy with how it went. 
• Cromm's Hold
• Daniel was nervous speaking of the Baroness but the group kept pushing, not trusting her.  Especially after she made a deal with a dragon.  I liked how that worked.  
• The guards were turned off as they were hoping some could leave as it's not a great posting but you do see action and learn a lot.   
• The execution went well.  Not for Arakus but otherwise, it went well.
• I hope the players were nervous as the crowd got unruly.  I wanted the energy of the crowd to feel palpable. 
• I wanted the players to wonder if Arakus had a trick up his sleeve but think the mundane hanging worked well.   
• They were suspicious of Jander and Brianna wanting to tag along.  It's not a bad reaction, to be cautious, and I think it played out well. 
• Really enjoying slowing things down, instead of rushing, for more description.   It's a work in progress as it's a lot to remember but it's working well.  

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