Spies, Supplies and Lovely Pies

**Spies, Supplies and Lovely Pies** is the Ninth Episode of the Where Shades Rule campaign's Second Season. This episode featured some lore dumps regarding the history of Arleans' relationship with the Empire Below and the introduction of the only known survivor of the Battle of Grille.

## Recap

After the Six depart from Valour Haven, the party traverses the dangerous countryside of Arleans as they must cross the Three Rivers. These rivers held dangerous Drowned Foes who were afflicted with Bluerot which stood to turn the Six into Drowned Dead just like their attackers. Vanquishing their enemies they manage to forge onto the Monastery of the Nameless where they find rest and the company of mysterious ghostly monks.

## Summary

The Six depart from the Monastery of the Nameless after Deagon received a gift from the Nameless monks of a fresh baked pie. They enter the Jagged Lands that is the last pass they must go through before reaching Fort Jerosant. It takes them a couple of days to pass through the Jagged Lands and they are forced to camp in the labyrinthine rocky lands.

Whilst on watch, Tore notices something odd up the path. A figure of unknown description appeared to be moving between the rocks out of sight but the sounds and unsettling of stones made it clear they were not alone. The remainder of the party were fortunately very safe within the Tiny Hut that Vandor had erected for them whilst their carriage and horses remained outside.

This figure, Dagmar Woodfang, is a survivor of the ill-fated Battle of Grille where she served under the command of Warlord Halassey. She had been travelling for weeks on end trying to find safe refuge and a source of untainted sustenance in these dead lands. She spies a carriage up ahead with horses still mounted to the carriage. She is however perplexed by the presence of an opaque bubble making up the Tiny Hut that the Six were inside. Seeing no obvious presence and having been the victim of many traps the Undead had left for the Halassey Legion she was not very willing to be too trusting. Dagmar sneaks and climbs around the perimeter to reach the carriage.

Having noticed that something else was present, within the Hut Tore wakes the Six and informs them of what she has seen. Davion and Tully exit the bubble as Tully uses her magic to speak with the Horses to see what they may be able to tell them. The two carriage horses are however too spooked to be of too much help and seem panicked which causes Tully to calm them. She also inquires of Han, Davion's Horse who is far more brave but seems to speak in a valorous manner befitting a knight. Eventually, Dagmar reaches 30ft of the carriage and casts Create Bonfire on the other side of the carriage successfully distracting the group as she darts for the carriage's rear entry.

However, Dagmar's swift attempt to enter the carriage creates noise causing the now mounted Sir Davion to round the carriage and confront their thief with Tore in tow. They manage to capture Dagmar as she attempts to flee and as they restrain her they hear the sound of a large number of creatures nearby growling and rushing in their direction. Realising that Dagmar had alerted the nearby Dead due to her Bonfire they command her to snuff, which she does but by now it is too late as about 20 zombies come charging down the alley. By this time, the Six and Dagmar were able to hide themselves in the rocks and the Hut hoping the Dead will just pass through. But the presence of horses draws the Undead that move to devour them and unwilling to lose their horses the Six intervene starting a skirmish.

The combined might of the group successfully trounces the group of Dead and for the moment their cover is maintained with no further hostilities. The Six interrogate Dagmar and learn of her identity as a survivor of Halassey Legion's defeat. The party agrees to take her with them to Fort Jerosant as her insider knowledge of the Legion may be of key assistance.

As the party finally does arrive at the Fort entryway, it is built into the side of a Large Stoney hill. In the mouth of the cave is forged the likeness of one of Arleans' past kings, that of Jerosant I. Deagon is convinced to go scouting inside first as he shapeshifts into a rat and finds a flood chamber with three entryways. One for a Sluice Gate, one for a Drainage Chamber and another for a submerged Stairway. The whole areas seems to have suffered the effects of recent flooding with slain Undead floating in the waters. The party investigates the Drainage room to find a mechanism on a dial mounted to the wall that bears four symbols: King, Dwarf, Knight and Consul. Their were in fact symbols of the Knight on the Stairway and symbols of the Dwarf on the Sluice Gate. Working together, the party shift the mechanism to rest on Consul which begans to drain the room and the stairway heading below. Vandor clears the room of the slain Dead by pushing them into the Drainage Hole as they delve deeper in the Fort...

## Featured Characters

### The Six

* Sir Davion Phylund
* Deagon Sunseeker
* Tore Wolfram
* Tully Tanglefoot
* Vandor Tah

### New Characters

* Dagmar Woodfang
* Balthazar the Horse
* Sebastian the Horse
* Han the Horse