Sovereign's Rage

"*Sovereign's Rage*" (*1x09*) is the ninth session of the **Campaign of the Black Knights** and the ninth session of **Chapter 1 - The Rise**. After rushing back to Aestinvale, the group arrived back at Aestinvale with intel on Sovereign's army. With Sovereign's army on the approach, they needed to prepare for the upcoming siege.

## Synopsis

**Session 9 – Summary**

Date: **11th August 342 Third Age, 6:00 PM – Sovereign Gate, Aestinvale**

The group arrived at Sovereign Gate and promptly were told by the city guards to meet the Lords at Aestin Citadel. As they rode through the city, they noticed how empty it was and how much more fortified it was. They rode past an outpost in Cumulo Square and then rode in Aestin Citadel.

Date: **11th August 342 Third Age, 7:00 PM – Aestin Citadel, Aestinvale**

After arriving at the Citadel, the group were greeted by Heor Lou and promptly were pulled into a war meeting with the brass. They gave the intel to the brass and were then complimented for their good work. After the meeting, Heor thanked them and sent them off to a room in the Citadel itself, courtesy of the Duchess. They went into their room and rested. Later, servants brought trays of food, which the group gladly ate. During this, servants also brought a chest containing an official contract for their boons and also a large pouch of 300 gold each. Eventually the group decided to rest. Both Jin-san and Lux decided to take the time to mend their weapons whilst Ivy went with a servant to take a bath. After this, the group went to sleep except for Lux who stayed up.

Date: **12th August 342 Third Age, 7:30 AM – Aestin Citadel, Aestinvale**

In the morning, the group were taken by servants to the bathing room, where they bathed and were given fancy clothes to wear. Following this, the group were taken to the Great Hall, where they shared a meal with the Duchess and Heor Lou. They were told that they were going to fight with Whitehill Guild led by Heor Lou himself. After this, the group had the day to themselves.

Date: **12th August 342 Third Age, 9:00 AM – Aestin Citadel, Aestinvale**

**Ivy Hellfire**

* Ivy asked during the breakfast on a certain sigil and if the Duchess recognised it. The Duchess identified the sigil as belonging to King Aethelwulf of Madrias. She also revealed the Sovereignty’s enmity towards the Triarchy.
* After breakfast, she left the Citadel to explore a little but was stopped by soldiers, who informed her of an imposed curfew and limitations as a result of the military lockdown. Left with no choice, she went back to Aestin Citadel.

**Sdoria Lux**

Sdoria went to the Citadel’s messenger room and wrote a letter to someone called Rayne, telling Rayne that she loved them and that if anything happened to her, that Rayne was to be brave always.

**Jin-san**

* Jin-san took the time to relax for once, doing very little otherwise.

At the end of the day, the group rested.

There is a time skip of two days. Over two days, most of the city is evacuated. By the end of the 14th of August, the only civilians left are elderly and very young children who would not be able to survive the trek to Maelbar. The group watched as these civilians were marched onto Cloudfall. At the end of the day, the group rested.

Date: **15th August 342 Third Age, 3:00 AM – Aestin Citadel, Aestinvale**

The group were awoken late at night by the sounds of explosions and screams. They hurriedly put on their wargear and marched down to the bottom floor. They met Heor Lou there, who was already in full gear. He told them that they were to reinforce the troops at Cumulo Square. He led them outside, where the Duchess and the full force of Whitehill Guild was waiting for them. The Duchess gave them orders to retake Cumulo Square and then proceed to Duskway to secure the Sovereign Gate. With this, the Duchess left and Heor led the charge into Cumulo Square. They found only bodies there and the group were promptly ambushed by Fallen Sovereignty forces.

Date: **15th August 342 Third Age, 3:30 AM – Cumulo Sqaure, Aestinvale**

At the outpost, the group were attacked by a werelion called Keor and a werewolf named Frederick, alongside a handful of ice monsters. The fighting was fierce. Both sides fought ferociously. Ivy unleashed eldritch blasts on her enemies, Lux transformed into a werebear, taunting her enemies, whilst Jin-san charged ahead, engaging the werelion in combat. During the fight, both Ivy and Lux were knocked out and nearly killed. Lux was knocked out first. She was flanked by the werewolf and some ice monsters. She taunted the werewolf but paid dearly for it as the werewolf, enraged by her taunts, unleashed a flurry of claw strikes that overwhelmed Lux. She was knocked out by the final strike and left unconscious on the ground. Distracted by the sight of Lux’s uncscious body, Ivy never saw the punch from a flanking ice monster coming. She took the full brunt of the punch and left unconscious next to Lux. Jin-san was left to contend with the full patrol by himself. Thanks to his heavy armour, the enemy were unable to hurt him seriously and in a scintillating display of swordsmanship, he was able to knock the werelion out and skewer the werewolf, seemingly killing them. Oddly enough, one of the ice creatures enveloped both the werelion and werewolf, raising them back up. They were back in human form but left incredibly weakened. With the werewolf weakened, he was easy pickings and Jin-san decapitated him. From sheer willpower, both Lux and Ivy were able to regain consciousness. Ivy raised herself to shaky legs and then sent an eldritch blast directly at the recovering werelion, who only saw the blast as it reached his face. The resulting blast seared his face, killing him instantly. Lux pulled herself back up and killed an ice creature. With that, the group were victorious and took the time to quickly heal. They then re-joined Heor and the Guild.

Date: **15th August 342 Third Age, 4:30 AM – Sovereign Gate, Aestinvale**

They marched out and travelled to Sovereign Gate, where despite taking casualties, still stood. Heor ordered the gate to be closed and reinforced whilst the medics in the Guild tended to the wounded. A loud roar echoed from the south and the group rushed to the battlements. To their horror, they saw a huge horde of Fallen Sovereignty headed straight for Aestinvale, with massive ice boulders being launched at the walls. Heor shouted for the gates to be closed immediately.