The Western Kingdoms Campaign setting

## **Secure Escort**

The Nailo family consisted of three elves, all of which shared in common an interest in the outside world. Varacor, A skilled Rogue, Milo, a ranger of the woods and Paim, the youngest who also specialized in being a Ranger. Along their journey westward they stumbled across an orc who'd run a fowl of the many clans. From near death they rescued him and learned his name was Gorgoroth. Strangely he didn't hold any ill will or aggression, so the siblings decided to keep him as their companion.

At the divergence of the Amunsoth road the party joined a Caravan, run by a man named Tim Obrien. They relished the opportunity to travel without having to pain the souls of their feet for a time. It was here they met Jarrah. A strange and slightly confused man. Set upon by cloaked thieves the majority of valuables and coin was stolen from everyone within the Caravan. Varacor and Paim managed to hide some coin while Gorgoroth also managed to hide... a single coin... a coin which after the fact he dare not spend.

On 06/06/200/6A, Now mostly poor the siblings bonded with Jarrah and together went in search of wealth to the White Donkey Tavern. It was there they were lead into the back and introduced to a man named Elliot Xander. Varacor had previously met this man and done some clandestine quests by his side. And was easy to trust that Elliot had a well paying job for him. Elliot only gave him the full details but to the rest of the groups knowledge they were transporting a pregnant women named Ainsley from the town they were in to the city of Thrivilian Orthrond. Milo having thieving tenancies much like her brother stole a book from Elliot's Shelf while he discussed these things, the book was a psychology book strictly talking about the art of intimidation.

Elliot paid the party 20 gold upfront and informed Varacor there would be 200 Platinum to be rewarded after the missions success. Varacor only offered the rest of the party a small portion of this larger sum as they were not aware of the full pay. After sleeping in the Inn for a night the party set off the next evening under cover of darkness. Ainsley was given a Cart to ride in, which a young chipper halfling named Thomas steered. They crossed the river by ferry and travelled for a night before their first challenge, the bridge to Boardertown.

The party had been made aware that the women they were transporting was being sought out by the Knights and soldiers of Lugreich, the Kingdom they were in. The bridge just so happened to be manned by a small contingent of soldiers. With a small deal of trickery and charisma though, the party did manage to pass by without much trouble. Milo had attempted to sneak behind the guards-at the ready for a fight, but when she was spotted played it off appearing as a frail confused elf. One of the soldiers escorted her into boarder town and set her up with a room for the night, where the inn keeper made sure to make her feel very uncomfortable, with an attempt to marry her off to her son, a man with a particular interest in elvish women.

The rest of the party arrived and tried to hire themselves some rooms but the Women whom owned the Inn would not suffer an Orc inside her establishment, she allowed them to sleep outside. In an act of good faith Gorgoroth collected the Inn some firewood, hoping to better the opinions of himself and possibly his race, while Varacor infiltrated the Inn and shared the room with his sister for the sake of comfort. Milo was startled at first but quickly realised it was her brother sneaking in.

The party continued the next day after yet more attempts for the women to Marry off her son to an elf. This time against both of the Nailo Siblings, her not realising Varacor was in-fact a male. They made good time but when evening fell they were attacked by a group of vicious ambush drakes. The fight was vicious but the group managed to find their way unscathed. It was during this fight though, that Jarrah displayed strange and concerning abilities He could send fourth blasts of energy that would deal a good deal of damage to whatever they struck, and he could even more disturbingly release almost ethereal tendrils from within him which tore the drakes surrounding him to shreds. Milo was horrified by this ability and Jarrah seemed to have very little understanding of it himself.

They pushed forward a little more before they made camp again to rest and lick their wounds. Gorgoroth took first watch, and whilst he did noticed shifty figures traversing the roads. He decided it was something worth checking out and ran after them. This revealed 2 orcs slightly smaller than himself clad in full cloaks. He smashed one with ease and captured the other. Jarrah awoke and agreed to help Gorgoroth question the orc as it was apparent that Orcs in these parts was a rather strange affair. Through some fairly effective intimidation and torture the orc revealed the name of his leader... Drolk, and that they had a secret conclave within the city. A feat that should almost be impossible for a race hated as much as orcs in this kingdom. Now finished with the petty whelp Jarrah ended his life swiftly with a bolt of eldtridge energy.

The next day game and the party continued forward, Gorgoroth now clad in the cloak the orc once wore. As they approached the first guarded barrier, a wall that helped regulate who enters and leaves the city from the Southwest, the idea to disguise Gorgoroth as a slave for his own safety became preferred. they roped him up and proceeded forward.

The wall was tall and intimidating, guarded by archers on battlements and footmen at the gate, though the footmen seemed to be mostly busy with a game of cards. A head guard did approach to ask them questions about their orc and their purpose. Warning them that orcs were illegal within the city, the guard seemed amicable however... it was not he whom the party found issue with, it was a man clad in beautifully adorned armour, which bore the sigil of a Lugreich Knight. They were known as the Mighty Dragon's, and his questions lied in whom hid inside the cart.

It was clear that he recognised the Ainsley immediately calling her Princess Lothadaneth Drachenblut and demanding that she return with him. Jarrah knew how sour this situation could turn and agreed that if she wanted to leave she could, but if not it was their paid duty to protect her. Ainsley pleaded with the party not to allow the Knight to take her, and things were about to boil over. Thinking quickly Varacor used magic to make it look like playing cards were falling from the knights armour and Gorgoroth shouted "CHEAT!" through his binds. A stroke of luck in the parties favour when the guards believed the trick and insisted that the knight pay for his swindling tactics.

At first the guard was confused by the entire situation. But silently a young man stepped forward from his ranks and whispered something in his ear after making eye contact with Varacor and the guard shrugged it off and muttered something about his low wages. The party proceeded through the gates with one final warning to be careful with that orc. Varacor flung a rude gesture towards the knight in the form of his mage hand as they dipped out of his sight. The Knight was clearly enraged but there was not much he could do.

And so they began the final leg of their journey. Night fell with the city-a shining jewel within their reach. They decided to sleep on the road one final time however, as they were all tired. In a small patch of flat next to some farm fences they made camp and listened to Ainsley explain why she was on the run, being pregnant with King Jerimir's child, though she didn't explain to much in great detail it could be surmised that she was coming from an abusive parentage. Making the party feel all the more noble for their task.

Embers dimmed as Jarrah sat awake, in silent contemplation, on the brink of sleep. There was an extra chill in the air tonight, a cold temperature that was unusual for a spring night like this one, Jarrah thought nothing of it at first... but his story was not an average one. Having fought in a battle over 20 years ago and died there, Jarrah remembered feeling a cold grip and seeing the shadows of a man before he awoke surrounded by his companions and enemies in a mass grave covered in a thick dark fluid. He had stumbled fourth into the world having no idea what was going on.

Many month's he had spent seeking answers, and always that looming shadow seemed to follow him in his peripheral gaze. When slept he had such strange dreams of a realm that seemed to shift and writhe like thousands of worms crawling over each other.

Suddenly there was screaming-screaming that was cut shallow and then short. Everyone in the camp was now awake and alert as the first rays of light were starting to peek. The screams came from within the cart and when Jarrah opened the door he found Ainsley within very confused as where Paim had been Meditating there was now only a small patch of black viscous fluid.

Milo's emotions were that of panic, anger and paranoia as she looked to Jarrah for answers. He had none. There were no tracks, where the young elf had sat there was simply nothing... nothing except the black gunk that Jarrah Recognised only because he'd once been covered in it. He knew this was the work of the shadow that loomed over him. The thing that gave him these strange powers, the thing that gave him life.

Though tensions were high and emotions were charged Varacor managed to maintain a sense of calm and insisted that the best option would be for them to continue to the city and seek answers after Ainsley had been delivered. Though Milo was now not very Trusting of Jarrah, Varacor felt that there would be no point simply blaming Jarrah and killing him there and then... he might be their only hope at getting their sister back.

So 11/06/200/6A Ainsley was delivered within the city walls to a contact in the White Maul Tavern. Eliot met the party and promised them their payment would be made soon, stating that their had been complications involving the bank the money had been stored in. He did however ascertain a temporary kings pardon for Gorgoroth to allow the orc to move through the city unharmed by the guards.

## **Thrivilian Orthrond**

The individuals within the party spent many days within the city of Thrivilian and during this time allot happened. (To be continued)