FROM THE JOURNAL OF MAGNUS SEDRIG (Session 5)
Moonday the 1st of Redfall 890 TA - Even Even Later
I write this entry from the Dragon Hall. The great feast and meeting between the Houses of Dorn and the Sarcosan Host is about to begin, the next few hours may determine the fate of the mannish race, perhaps ALL races.
After the revelation about Wyrmclaw, we quickly came to the conclusion that Vijur and this heir to the Dayne bloodline where the same person. Fergus had obtained information that Vijur was associated with a tavern called the “Pig and Whistle” and he had sent Redgard troops to surveil the premises. Arik loudly declared his intention to slay his brother’s would-be assassin and Fergus didn’t seem particularly opposed to this short-sighted course of action. I tried to talk some sense into the pair, and there was a brief “discussion” about how to proceed: If it gets out that there is still a living heir to house Dayne, and that a Sarcosan had already killed him… that would mean war. My people aren’t known for calmness or rationality, Vijur MUST NOT come to serious harm before we’ve had a chance to sort this whole mess out. Eventually I think I got through to Arik, Fergus seemed less convinced though in hindsight maybe he just sees Vijur as a threat to the Redgard power-play (more on this later).
Arik and I set off for the Pig and Whistle, outside the city gates. As we approached the tavern some shifty looking Dorns, Fergus’ troops, beckoned us into an alleyway and filled us in on the situation. They hadn’t seen Vijur come or go from the tavern but they did have a spy inside right now, he might have known more. Deciding we had no time to waste, I cast a Glamour on Arik to conceal his clearly Sarcosan appearance and we entered the tavern INCOGNITO.
Side Note: Arik is a bit of an odd one, when I first suggested we sneak into the tavern he laughed at the idea, mocked me in front of our shady friends. As soon as we had a private moment though he immediately apologised, admitting that he was just trying to seem “in command” in front of the men. Unusual to see such self-awareness in a human...
Anyway, we entered the tavern and sat down across from this spy fellow. Long story short, Vijur hadn’t been seen entering or leaving the tavern despite stabbing a man a few hours ago, so he probably wasn’t on the premises. Apparently, The Tavern is a front for House Esben’s spy network or some such skullduggery… I don’t know if that ties into the rest of this mess but there’s no time to investigate further right now. Also, apparently I’m not cut out for spycraft, I don’t know what I did exactly but the spy informed me I’d blown his cover.
Frustrated that we’d hit another dead end, Arik and I were riding back into the city when a guard informed us that the city gates were being sealed and we needed to choose: “In or Out”. It seems news about our Rogue Dayne has spread, and the craven Duke is panicking. Arik needed to be near his brother, I needed to report our findings back to Fergus and wanted to continue the search for Vijur so we parted ways.
I found Fergus in the Dragon Hall and filled him in on our (lack of) progress. I proposed in lieu of the ability to track Vijur down, we stick to the Sharif and wait for him Vijur to make a move. Unfortunately it turns out my earlier “complication” with the Duke has resulted in Fergus being stripped of his position as Lord Constable and he no longer has the authority to make that happen. During our conversation Fergus kept hinting that SOMETHING would happen at the feast, and when I questioned him he out-right stated that he planned on challenging the Duke’s leadership at the feast tonight.
I saw an opportunity here, and agreed to convince my Father to support the Redgard challenge. The Duke is not well liked and can’t maintain control over the Dorn for much longer, especially with a surviving DAYNE heir on the loose, and he’s already shown he has no interest in taking the threat of Izrador seriously. Unlike Fergus. Maybe it’s improper for an envoy to takes sides like this, but my task is to ensure mankind is prepared for the Shadow’s return and that can’t happen if they’re embroiled in civil war for who-knows how many years. Better the Duke is removed now while we have a chance to avoid open war.
UNFORTUNATELY, my father didn’t see things that way. He wants to sit on his hands and WAIT to see how events unfold with this Dayne business. Never would take a risk, that man. So now I find myself unsure of what to do, my family name has earned me a place at the feast but the course of action that ensures peace isn’t at all clear. Do I throw in my lot with House Redgard and hope for the best, or should I wait and see how events unfold? If Vijur makes himself known, should I be backing him or Fergus? Do I take this opportunity to deliver my message to as many Earls as possible, or is that just going to get me locked up again?
[Will continue from here after session 6]
No comments:
Post a Comment