August 7th:9th, 428

## August 7th: The Siege of Hope's Port

### Blackened Walls

The Black Company surged over the walls of the city of Hope's Port in the culmination of a siege that gripped the city for over a year. The battle raged across the city, but only four members of the Company were involved a pivotal conflict with the Commander of the city's walls. Dhelmes Ramasath, Dr. Charles Vogel, Gorrok Blackbanner, and Nisha traded blow for blow against the Commander and his Forces. Although Ramasath and Vogel were pushed to the edge of death, Nisha's flames reduced the Commander's guards (and nearly Dr. Vogel) to ashes clearing the way for Gorrok to land the killing blow on the Commander of the walls. This battle lead to these four members of the Black being regarded as heroes among the Company.

Without a leader, the walls of Hope's Port were overwhelmed and the Black Company flooded the streets of the city, killing the remaining starved defenders. The Company was not without heavily loses of their own—a thousand strong reduced to six hundred in one night.

### Black Smoke and Fire Bright

Following swiftly in the shadow of the company, Yuan-ti aggressors lead by S'zzet took torches to the city and soon the cries of cites inhabitants were drowned out by the crackling flame, smothered by the thick smoke. Included in the fires of the Yuan-ti was the great library of Hope's Port from which little was recovered. The city was looted, anything of value being taken by members of the Black Company, beyond the eyes of the Commander of the Company.

### Fresh Blood for the Black

Beneath the smoke, the Commander of the Company approved the emergency recruitment of new members. Taking this opportunity, Dhelmes, challenged a captured prisoner Lumlum Deathgloom to a duel for his freedom or his service. Drawing upon the holy power of his rad abs[Citation needed] Dhelmes defeated Lumum in single combat, securing his service to the company.

A young halfing named John, both impressed by the prowess of the Company, and fearful of Yuan-Ti rule sought to join the Company. Perhaps because a history of abuse, or perhaps in spite of it, John was convinced to execute a dying member of Company by Dr. Vogel, which served as his initiation into the Company and as the squire of Dhelmes.

### Blackly Bound For the Sea

With the knowledge of the approaching Cynghrair army weighing heavy on the mind of the Commander of the Black Company's mind, she revealed that the Company was to be soon leaving the city of Hope's Port. The very night that the Company entered the city of Hope's Port, half of the Company, including the Commander left aboard the first wave of ships bound to cross the Sea of Wolodhen.

## August 8th: The Journey Across Wolodhen

### A Black Wave of Anticipation

Following in the wake of the first wave of ships that carried the Commander of the Black Company across the sea, the second half, 300 strong, packed in for a journey to the village of Argynvost where they would rejoin the rest of the Company and take Argynvostholt, a small fortress overlooking the sea, as a new base of operations.

Throughout this journey across the sea, a palpable sense of anticipation overtook the Company, as if they were waiting for something to happen during the trip. Despite this clear sense, the only thing of note that happened during the trip was a shouting match between Gorrok, Nisha and Dr. Vogel about whether or not lighting fellow members of the Company on fire was appropriate battlefield decorum.

### Black Shore on the Horizon

After a day at sea, the Barrelmen called out: the eastern shore was near. The Company's ships headed to dock at the small port of Argynvost, under the stone gaze of Argynvosthold.

## August 9th: An Unwelcome Arrival

### No Sign of the Black

The Black Company arrived in the small port of Argynvost to discover that they were the first ships to arrive. Despite the Commander leaving half a day ahead of them, there was no sign of her, nor any Black Company presence anywhere on the docks. With no sign of ill-weather on their journey, and no signs of wreckage on the shore, the Company headed into the village to look for signs of the Commander.

### Blackening Intent

The heroes of the Company headed into the local inn, to query the Bartender for information on the missing ships. The bartender did not recognize the symbol of the company, nor did he have any news of ships arriving or wrecked. When questioned about Argynvosthold, the nearby bandit stronghold, the Bartender claimed to have no knowledge of any bandit activity. Gorrok and Dr. Vogel deiced that a barkeep could not be so oblivious (and must, therefore be in league with the bandits), decided to take action by rendering him unconscious while they would go scout the fortress for signs of the Commander. Dhelmes' squire was assigned to guard the barkeep at knife-point and upon his awakening, give a gold for his troubles if he was truly innocent.

## August 9th: The Taking of Argynvostholt

### Advanced Black Company Scouting Tactics

The heroes of the Company set out to scout and clear the fortress of Argynvosthold. After a drawn out conversation about the best possible tactics for achieving this goal, the heroes decided to not split up and headed to the fortress, stealthily along the main road. Despite the advanced scouting tactics of the Company, the heroes realized that they would surely have been spotted. Dhelmes, confident in his abilities, strode up to the fortress and announced the presence of the Company.

### The Blackbody Ogre

Diplomacy swiftly fell into conflict, and the heroes were drawn into a battle with the bandits and their pet ogre. Dhelmes summoned a great fog to confuse and split the bandits from one another. Using the fog as cover, the heroes made short work of the bandits crack archers, until only the ogre and a slaughter priest were left, separated from the rest of bandits by a fog impermeable to both sight and reason.

The ogre and priest fought to the last, hoping against hope that they could overcome the unyielding steel of the Company. When the fog lifted and the sight of the fallen priest and their monstrous pet resolved in thier eyes, the remain bandits attempted to flee. One was stopped by a flying scalpel sent soaring by Dr. Vogel. The other, pinned in by Gorrok and Dhelmes, surrendered.

### Blackmail

The surviving bandit, Villain, negotiated hard for his life. Villain, for his part, held nothing back, and gave details about the workings of the bandit's raids, and revealed that they knew nothing of a barkeep in Argynvost. Dr. Vogel infected Villain with a plague concoction, with the goal to release him back into the world to spread word that the Black Company had arrived and was ready for hire. Vogel was to withhold the cure for the virulent disease until Villain returned. However, the other heroes decided to keep the now infected Villian on as a servant to the Company.

With the fortress now clear, and no signs of the Commander to be found, the heroes headed back to Argynvost.

### Black Council

With the return of the Heroes the news that the fortress was now clear of bandits as well as devoid of signs of the Commander reached the rest of the Company. Hearing this and realizing that it may be some time before they learned what became of her, Chronicler announced that in the morning the Company would leave for Argynvostholt. To build it as a new base of operations in this region, and convene a council to lead the Company.