Thorns & Thrones (Ep. 3)

### **Introduction**

"After being given titles and responsibilities for the village of Eveningstar our party of heroes have arrived only to discover it has been ransacked and traumatized by a mysterious and well-armed gang of thugs, led by a figure called the Thornhand. After meeting with their local seneschal, a tiefling called Dusk, and few other locals. The party have attempted to ambush some of the bandits and gain some information. This plan was successful despite a near disaster with a rickety bridge and a broken wagon. The party and a few potential entry points into Starwatch Keep, the former garrison for Eveningstar and the new lair of the Thornhand. Tarkhal persuaded a few of the thugs to make a better life for themselves and has had them escorted back to Eveningstar by Lady Elissa, your half-orc knight commander. Whilst you guys all snuck up on the keep sneaking past a few of the posted sentries. Azara, the war wizard magister, polymorphed herself into a bird looking around the keep. Scouting it out and discovered a mysterious woman in green in one of the keeps towers who seemed to notice Azara and her eyes flickered an emerald green glow."

### **Summary**

The party, from the base of the south east corner of the keep begin the assault. Tarkhal scales up the eastern wall of the keep, keeping low he makes his way north, on top of the wall, toward the first sentry, from him a flash of silver in the night and the guards is dead. Along the southern wall a second sentry begins to turn in his direction, Marcel misty steps behind him covers his mouth and plunges his short sword into his back killing him. Azara and Agnis see a lantern light travel through the tower towards the courtyard. As the light enters the courtyard Azara can see it is held by the **Sorceress**. The Sorceress whispers to the fighters around the fire before making her way to the main building of the keep. Azara passes this information to Tarkhal and Marcel. Agnis joins Tarkhal on the wall, less gracefully. Azara runs along the base of the wall until she is below a third guard then lightning lures him off the top of the wall to his death, outside of the keep. Tarkhal takes care of a fourth guard on the opposite side of the main gate with a thrown of his knife, the Kiss of Silver.

The group make their way along the to of wall until they come to the a locked door on the eastern side of the keep. As the group is deliberating on a plan Marcel travels back to the south side and uses his magic sword to jam the doors of the barracks closed. Tarkhal boosts Azara who uses her mage hand to remove the bar blocking the door. The party make their way cautiously through the keep. When the group descends the stairs they find a figure matching the description of the **Thornhand**. When Tarkhal attempts to catch him by surprise his throwing knife passes through the illusory figure alerting the real Thornhand to their presence.

The team engage the Thornhand and the Sorceress. During the fight the Sorceress seems unbothered by damage to her body, a body seemingly made of dirt and plant matter. Shortly after the beginning of the fight she takes her leave, her physical body disintegrating into a noxious cloud of dirt and moss, much to the Thornhand's frustration. The party continues the fight, defeating the Thornhand as his elite troops enter the keep, their tattoos presently evaporating. With Marcel dragging the body of the Thornhand up the stairs Azara confronts the troops. Their moral breaks as the Cormyrian Knights begin to breach the walls and the Bandits run.

The Crownsilver and company look over their new keep. Illessa offers her opinions on urgent matters that are needed to secure their holdings. Azara attempts to research the strange mage they encountered. Tarkhal and Marcel find space they are comfortable with to go to ground. Azara stays up later, while scouring the books finds a magical fey runed device with a green crystal and a letter form 'M' to one 'Lady Shadowbriar.' She throws a fur out the window to Marcel before retiring herself, saying he should 'not catch a cold.'