The Finest Soup of Pontoporea

The Silver Knight

The Finest Soup of Pontoporea is the seventh session of Campaign 1. This session marks the shift from full day sessions every now and again to weekly 4 hour sessions. In the session, Arine of Riveryew, Lord Darcy Hall, and Orion Brightward have arrived in Pontoporea, exploring Brannagh's Town.

The following contains spoilers for the Tale of Locksmith's Bane.

## Plot

Gold Day 15 Chauntoro 1021 TE

The adventurers hop out of the carriage, casting their eyes on Pontoporea for the first time, viewing Silverhall Castle, The Cathedral of Sune, and the city just beyond the Porea River. Returning to the carriage, they head down the hill into the outer-wall town of Eldton, through the East Gate, and into Brannagh's Town Square, where they stop at The Windy Way (Inn). The adventurers, travelling with Miriam, Stefan, Helena, and Céline, pay for seven nights in two rooms.

As Stefan secures Clop safely in the stables, the others find a booth in the tavern, listening to lovely violin music by an Elven woman. Orion offers a meat sandwich to Céline, which she scoffs down before collapsing to the table asleep. Helena brings her upstairs. As Stefan returns they all decide to have some soup and steak for their tea. So, Darcy waits at the busy bar for Wolandar, the tavern-owner. She unfortunately informs him that the Inn isn't currently serving food. As Darcy questions why, she reveals that her 17 year-old son, Esrafin, refuses to cook after she forbid him from joining The Tournament of the Silver Knight and becoming a skilled adventurer. Darcy offers to help convince the boy, and Wolandar says she'll get him and his companions free food if they get it back on the menu. Darcy gives the booth a wink as he heads into the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Orion and Miriam head to the local armoury in the town square, Lude's Armoury, to get Miriam an axe, passing multiple guildhalls. After a heightist encounter with the owner, Lude, they are told that the axe would be 30 gold. Unpleased, Orion resorts to intimidating the shop-keeper, but his efforts are in vain. Miriam and Orion leave the shop empty-handed, with Miriam suggesting they come back and rob the place. Orion is rather shocked.

Confused with Darcy's kitchen antics, Arine speaks with Wolandar. Inside, the kitchen is a mess, with Esrafin sitting in the corner, sipping a bottle of beer. He assumes that Darcy is the new chef, but hands his bottle to him after realising his mistake. Darcy questions him further, and Esrafin explains his want for women, respect, honour, glory, money, and women, by competing in, and winning, the tournament with his butcher-knife-sword and saucepan-shield. Darcy asks if the tournament is dangerous, he responds that it isn't, although someone did die last year, so now his mum won't let him compete. Tired of these responses, Darcy casts 'command' on Esrafin, forcing him to start cooking. As he does so, Arine walks into the kitchen, watching as Esrafin lights the stove, grabs his wooden spoon and starts stirring frantically.

Darcy explains the situation to Arine as Esrafin calls to him for oregano. Darcy passes him thyme, and the chef is not pleased. Arine fetches the oregano, and describes the limited nature of Darcy's solution. Darcy declares himself King of Temporary Solutions. Asking for paprika, Arine prevents Darcy from passing cinnamon. Esrafin begins to realise the trick, and slowly gains the will back to stop cooking. Arine tells him that they are adventurers themselves. Esrafin asks what adventuring party they're with, and she tries to convince him that they are members of The Heavy Packages, a well-known adventuring team, but her plan fails when he questions why they are not giants. She then suggests that he starts his own restaurant in the city. Darcy agrees, and they convince the chef that this would bring him fame, fortune, and women, annoying his mother at the same time. In excitement, he orders Arine to pop on another batch of soup, handing her the recipe. Darcy takes the finished pot to the bar, declaring that there is soup for everyone. Wolandar offers two bowls of soup for those who ordered steak...

As Miriam and Orion enter the tavern, they find Darcy serving guests soup at the bar. Although confused, Miriam doesn't question the action and takes her bowl. Orion makes fun of Darcy, but takes soup anyway. With their soup, the group drink more whiskey and mead, ultimately forcing drunk Stefan and Miriam to stumble to their room. Darcy informs Orion that he never learnt how to swim and would love to go to the sea tomorrow. Orion agrees to teach him. Locksmith's Bane leave the Windy Way and head into Brannagh's Town Square in search of an adventurer's guild. They pass the Merchant's and Fisherman's guildhalls, before giving up. Asking a local wool merchant what there is to do for fun in this town, the adventurers are split between Arine's interest in going to a museum, Orion's church, and Darcy's music hall. They decide the music hall is the most appropirate choice and head to the Brannagh Theatre, where they secure standing tickets for a rendition of the opera of Witteger, a composer who had perished 10 years prior. The opera is conducted by Soregn, a famed figure in Pontoporea, cheered on by the crowds. As the music swells, the adventurers see Sir Cygnus, the Enduring sobbing in the front of the stalls. They wave to their paladin friend, and he greets the trio with open arms. After a beautiful 2 hour show, heard intermittently through the cries of Cygnus, the adventurers bring Cygnus back to the Windy Way for some more drinks.

Asking of his quest to inform Lord Rosen of the coming war, Cygnus explains to the group what he had seen in the paper: Lord Rosen will not be at the Tournament of the Silver Knight, the knighting ceremony will be performed in private to due his ill health. The only way to speak with Lord Rosen is to win the tournament. Arine is interested in joining as there are puzzles to solve, but Darcy comes up with a plan, scared for his life in the competition. He will disguise himself as Lord Jack Dennison, go to the gates of Silverhall and demand to see his son, Sir Edwin Dennison. Cygnus and Orion agree with the plan. Although Cygnus is staying in Upper Porea, they offer him space in one of their beds, flipping coins to see who sleeps together. Arine takes her bedroll as usual, Orion gets a double bed to himself, and a reluctant Darcy shares with Cygnus.

Pray Day 16 Chauntoro 1021 TE

As Arine quietly completes her morning routine, studying as dawn breaks, Darcy wakes, and forces Orion to do the same, reminding him of his promise to go early-morning swimming. As they leave Cygnus, Arine follows the boys out of the Tavern, towards the giant pillars of Brannagh's Bridge, and down the river to Brannagh's Port. On the way the trio decide to jog. Arine stops, however, when she spots a nice bookshop, but Orion drags her away. By the first pier, Darcy removes his clothes, ready to step down the stone steps into the cold water. He awkwardly removes his shirt to reveal a black ink-like mark on his left shoulderblade. Orion and Arine remain silent on the matter as Orion follows his lead. Darcy dips a toe in the water and Orion gracefully dives in. Encouraging Darcy to enter the sea, Orion starts to show him the basic moves and procedures to stay afloat, to much success. Unfortunately, a pier-manager arrives and asks Arine to get them out, to allow for a ship to dock on the pier from Duirith.

Getting out of the water, Orion grabs their dry clothes, and attempts to lift Darcy and run back to Brannagh's Town. Darcy flails in his arms, and pushes him away. Orion remains embarrassed on their walk back to the Windy Way. Back in the tavern, they have some breakfast, meet up with Cygnus and head to The Castle's Keep. Cygnus informs the group that the gates into the Castle's Keep are guarded to make sure no suspicious characters enter the inner walls. As Arine dons her ball gown and the paladins wear their fancy armour, Darcy transforms into Lord Dennison to ensure that they all stroll through undetected. At the gates of Silverhall, Cygnus warns that this gate will be closed and heavily guarded, Darcy will have to convince the city guard to let them in. Arriving at the gates, Darcy informs the guard, as Lord Dennison, that he wishes to see his son, Sir Edwin, as a matter of urgency. The guard states that he will have to check with Sir Edwin, and leaves them to seek a response. The guard takes his time. Fearing the spell will ware off, Arine attempts to make a loud crash across the street to distract the guards. The crash is not loud enough, but a moo works... This grants the paladins enough time to shield Darcy as he transforms in and out of Lord Dennison's form.

The guard returns with bad news. Sir Edwin does not wish to speak with his father. Darcy convinces the guard to let him write a note to Sir Edwin, to explain the situation: "Come right now to see me or I disown you. It's urgent. It's about your sister." After much time passes. Sir Edwin arrives at the gate. Asking why his father would come to him and speak of his sister. Darcy informs him of Tasha's death. Edwin isn't shocked, reacting in anger as opposed to sadness. He blames his father for his sister's fate, for not aiding her in her troubles for all these years. He wishes never to speak with him again. Before Edwin leaves, Cygnus speaks up with the news of the coming war. Although he swore to secrecy, too much is at stake to not tell him. He asks Sir Edwin to tell Lord Rosen. Sir Edwin refuses, in disbelief, and walks back through the gates of Silverhall. The session ends there.