Session 303

# February 23rd, 2023 - The Red Meeting

## Not So Stealthy

The session began after the party spent the afternoon and part of the night resting and mending their wounds. As they planned, they set off down the path and traveled all night in an attempt to reach the rebel camp under the cover of night. Lord Joffrey had an idea of where the camp would be from the description, nestled in the foothills southeast of the guard tower in a clearing along the path they were traversing. When they believed they were getting close, Watch and Raven went ahead and off the path to scout ahead of the main group. Raven shapeshifted into a wolf to be less conspicuous, and Watch led the way quietly through the woods.

Although, he was not quiet enough. As they moved through the bushes Watch stopped suddenly, hearing something nearby, as a dragonborn scout in studded leather rose from the bush almost directly in front of him, lowering his crossbow at Watch. Raven at this time avoided the dragonborn and went back through the underbrush back towards the group, as Watch conversed with the scouts telling who he was escorting. The warlock asked to be taken to the camp ahead of time, to ensure the safety of Lord Joffrey, and the scout obliged (Watch didn’t have a choice). Other scouts dropped from trees around and Watch found himself escorted by four into the rebel camp.

The camp was made up of five tents, with a number of campfires between them. The light of dawn was just starting to peak over the horizon, and the rebel camp was beginning to come to life. Watch saw dragonborn of all colors, most notably both chromatic and metallics, although some were more common than others. There were a small number that were donning splint mail, but most of the warriors seemed to be wearing chainmail and leathers - aside from the scouts. He was escorted into the slightly larger central tent and met with what appeared to be the two leaders - both wearing platemail with their helmets off.

Scanning the command tent, there were two bedrolls, a small table, and Watch eyed a small footlocker. A few other dragonborn entered the tent - these wearing splint mail, which Watch attributed to being veterans - and they had a brief discussion, ensuring Lord Joffrey would be safe. The warlock tried to impress upon the dragonborn their custom of gift exchange upon meeting envoys - hoping somehow he could get them to turn over the footlocker to Lord Joffrey in exchange for the supplies. The rest of the party had waited along the path for a brief time after wolf-Raven returned and was motioning ahead in panic, then they continued along. They came upon the camp as Watch and the scouts were starting to head back to meet them, and they rolled their armor and weapon-laden cart into the camp.

## The Red Meeting

Watch quietly conversed with Lord Joffrey about his gift exchange idea, and he escorted the lord along with Carlton to the commander’s tent. The rest of the group mingled with the rebels, helped unload the cart, and Orsais sat upon one of the campfire logs and started playing his lute to a small crowd. Among the various emblems on display on banners around the camp Fax noticed one that looked similar to his clans, but slightly different. He went over to that tent and nearby campfire to see what he could learn. Meanwhile, Daelain saw the only other silver dragonborn among the camp and went to converse.

Wolf-form Raven and Carlton waited outside the command tent while Watch escorted Lord Joffrey inside, as there was not much space and the rebels would only allow one escort. Lord Joffrey tried the gift exchange, giving the rebel knight his scarf, but naturally they would not give up their footlocker - presumably what wealth they took from the enemy. The group conversed about the contents of the cart, the plan and deal this was all contingent upon. Watch didn’t even see the knife that Lord Joffrey pulled, as it happened so fast. In a moment, Lord Joffrey had plunged the blade into the knight’s exposed throat, blood sprayed and one of the veterans lunged at Watch, knocking them both into one of the tent poles.

When the command tent crumpled down, and Lord Joffrey was rushed out the back by the remaining knight and a number of others, the camp erupted into chaos. Soldiers were eating and clapping to Orsais’s music when some soldiers started killing others. The party found themselves also the target of a number of rebel soldiers, and it was incredibly confusing who was friendly or not. Watch tried to stop the rebels from fleeing with Lord Joffrey by molding the earth beneath him, causing him to fall into a small dirt pit. But Watch was occupied with other soldiers attacking him, and could not stop the rebels from digging and pulling Joffrey out of the earth.

The party was effectively split up around the camp, and most found themselves trying to survive alone. Some of the rebels appeared to be helping the party, only to then turn on them as well. Fax and Orsais were cut down, and among the chaos it looked as though the group would meet their demise. Carlton was able to heal Orsais, who in turn was able to sprint away and save Fax from death. A number of the rebels had fled the camp with Lord Joffrey and the surviving knight, northwest towards the direction of the captured guard tower. It was not clear whether he was going willingly or was being taken. After a few minutes of intense fighting, the party found themselves battling remaining rebels, with all the apparent friendly rebels having been killed.

In the end, as the morning sun bathed the camp awash in blood, the party stood with one surviving but wounded dragonborn veteran, who realized he could not win on his own. The party proclaimed him as their captive, and said if he wished to survive he would stop fighting and explain what was going on, although they had their suspicions. Clearly, not all the rebels were rebels, and those loyal to the dragonborn empire were able to murder those against them. What was not clear, was if Lord Joffrey was taken prisoner or went willingly.

That is where the session ended, on the morning of the ninth day after leaving Black Landing.

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