Session 2

The Consequences

**Learning the name of their newly-rescued ally, the Party head off to try and discover the fate of his caravan. Coming across a grim scene, and a reveal of stolen cargo, he swears his need for vengeance and implores the Party to help. Promised a reward, the group agrees. Spending the next day preparing, they meet the colourful denizens of Halamshiral, before making their way towards the Capital, eventually arriving at the Sun Gate...**

## Session

### Knowing Your Enemy

After briefly
discussing matters with the Dwarf, whom they learned was called Kynedrin, to
ensure he was alright, and "Ranger" discovering a hastily scrawled letter nearby,
the group headed back towards the tavern for a few hours rest. Kynedrin
unveiled his story to them as they did so. Part of a larger trade caravan that
had camped outside of the city walls, he was supposed to be on guard duty while
the others slept, but instead made haste to meet a contact within the city for
their goods. On his way back, he was jumped by the gang that the group fought,
believing them to have assaulted him for ransom or for the goods on the
caravan. It was for this reason he urged them to make haste towards his caravan
after a short rest, not wanting to risk losing his brothers to another attack.
During this time, Saidra and Balbus introduced themselves and cleared the tense
air that had surrounded their interactions up until this point. Seemingly
caring not for his apostate nature, Saidra declared no intent to turn him in,
and the two showed signs of budding friendship.

The group slept for
two hours in the Downward Swan, Saidra paying for everybody’s stay, although
Balbus didn't hear as such and so passed out in the back of the bar. Her and
"Ranger"also asked after goods stores in the vicinity, and learned that there was
more to Kytha'las than meets the eye when he suspected they had already dealt
with a purveyor of lyrium in the city. "Ranger" sought to pay back the kindness
with coin, but it was refused, and he instead slept before rising early to
check in on Kynedrin’s room. Making sure he was ready the group descended, waking
Balbus up with slight glee via a water bucket, and made their way outside of
the walls. As they did so, "Ranger" shared the letter he had discovered with
Saidra, which suggested the gang had taken Kynedrin hostage out of some belief
the gang were being cut out of a deal by a person named Blaen.

### The Camp

As darkness began to
fall, the group came upon the camp, seemingly undisturbed but with no movement
present. Looking around, Saidra noted that there were non-Dwarven tracks going
both in and out of the camp, seemingly fresher than the rest of the prints. A
wagon and horse were all that stirred, and while Kynedrin quickly strode towards
a particular tent, the others took position, "Ranger" sticking to the woods.
Spending little time in the tent, Kynedrin immediately exited with a stern look
and defeat on his face, as he revealed his brothers had been slain while he was
away. Checking the other tents and the circumstances of their death, it was
learned that all ten of the Dwarves in the caravan, including two brothers
(Oswulf and Vergest) of Kynedrin, had their throats cut with ruthless precision
with signs of a struggle. Kynedrin made for the wagon, checking the goods and
then pulling open a hidden compartment and grunting in frustration before
returning to the tent.

Saidra kept pace with
him, and tried to figure out what happened. He revealed that he and his group
were indeed independent traders, albeit with Carta ties, often getting hired to
deliver anything and everything. Their current goods, while otherwise nothing
special, included a shipment of lyrium to a man named Blaen in Val Royeaux. His
group had tried to take initiative and make the delivery themselves, and
Kynedrin believes this is why his group was killed. He revealed that little was
known of Blaen, but that he was a man of great power and held deep connections
with the Carta, hence his access to such a hidden and dangerous trade. Knowing
he needed to avenge the death of his brothers, he offered to join the group if
they would have him, and warned them that there is no such thing as a gentle
person in Val Royeaux. Asking for quickness of routes to the city, and urging
from Kynedrin to once more make haste due to the nature of their assailants,
they learned the fastest route would be by horse, as travelling by boat needed
permission to enter the Val Royeaux harbour, and the sea being dangerous at
night. After Saidra relayed this to the rest of the group, and Kynedrin lay his
fellows to rest on a rocky outcropping, they headed back to town, stabling the
horse and wagon for the night.

Returning to the
Downward Swan, Saidra shared a drink with Kynedrin in honour of his brothers before
he disappeared into his state of mind. Balbus inquired about bathing
facilities, with the tavern keep, Kytha'las, lived there as well and so offered
his own bath tub, if only to rid the old mage of his present smell. Taking note
of how he seemed to have tinkered with ‘tapping’ his beverages outside of
regular keg access, apparently due to having so much free time and boredom in
such a dreary area, Balbus notes to himself about possibly investing in the
tavern. Saidra then inquired to him about stories of the Fifth Blight, and the
impacts on Orlais, but he stated there was little heard on this side of the
border. There had been attacks and appearance of Darkspawn in the Frostbacks,
one of which nearly claimed his brother Bretha'las’ life, but he dismissed
everything else as mere tales – stating that there were reports of werewolves,
elves, old mages and Templars all teaming up to fight the so-called
‘Archdemon’. He equated this to stories of the Witches of the Wilds that were
so often commonly shared in his tavern, and warned Saidra as such. She then
asks after information on Orlais itself and its politics, and learns only that
what he can glean is there is heightened activity for some reason. She then
bids him goodnight and sleeps, with Balbus bathing well and resting as well.

### Shopping Spree

They then wake up in
the morning and, after sharing their first meal together, go on shopping trips,
discovering that Halamshiral is far brighter and eccentric during the daytime
than they had previously thought. "Ranger" enters a smithy, greeted by its Elven
owner Lithrun, and sells off his newly acquired crossbows and bolts for a
healthy profit. He then trades in his old sword for something cleaner and
hardier, before making his way to a general goods store. As this is happening,
Saidra and Balbus made their way to the High Quarter, noticing that the
liveliness of the area increased tenfold as brightly coloured and masked
individuals moved about with smiles and frivolity, extravagantly dressed and
plumed. Saidra personally notes how the Elven majority shrinks the further they
proceed. Inquiring to a youngster as to where the best mask shop would be, they
head to a shop called Merevander’s. Although elsewhere this would be easy to
find, the high street in this city held dozens of masks and millinery shops,
each grander than the last. Finally finding it, they enter and meet an
eternally perky and smiling young man by the name of Merevander, who almost
disappears between the sheer volume of goods he has on show. The designs all
make suggestions to a code of some sort, with Balbus purchasing a prototype
mask that bore only the simplest parts of a lion design. Saidra asks if he had
anything Elven, particularly of a Raven design, but he says he does not due to
the lack of requests. He seems genuinely intrigued though, and offers to do
custom work if they were so willing. Sadly turning him down due to the rush of
the morning, and needing to be in Val Royeaux within days, he adds that he does
travel to such places, and hopes to meet them at some point in the future.
Saidra again inquires after news of the court, with Merevander mentioning again
that there was increased activity, with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess
particularly making moves so it seems, but then lapses into memories of parties
and missing the whole experience.

Their day thoroughly
brightened by this encounter, the two meet back with "Ranger" by the general goods
store, and sell off most of their acquired goods to the stout and quirky
Dwarven owner Tyrol Stonehatch. Picking up a few knickknacks, Balbus a fishing
rod and tackles, the rest of the group two lyrium and healing potions and
arrows for their resident archer, they part ways. Still possessing the mail
gauntlets of the fallen Lendrid, and the sword taken from the body of the Elven
leader of the gang they fought, "Ranger" leads them to Lithrun to sell the goods
before returning to the tavern and Kynedrin. Bidding farewell to Kytha'las,
they recover the horse and wagon and begin their travel to Val Royeaux, Saidra filling
in Balbus on basic knowledge he’d need to know if he encountered any
inquisitive Templars while there.

Meeting no ill will
over the next two days of travel, they come upon the gates of the Orlesian
capital…