Recap
The session started with the party gathered around the wagon that they had stolen from the Polonian caravan and hidden in the woods. Martin Shimlock and two Resistance associates had traveled from the Green Barn where the hand-off was supposed to have taken place and made their way to this location in order to collect the remaining caravan contents. Ser Shadow and Bakdor Hammerwang decided to provide assistance to the Resistance members as they moved the wagon via hidden trails towards a secret base outside of Highbridge. The remaining members of the party chose to the follow the Trade Road back towards Highbridge in an attempt to track down Percy du Ramshead and his mounted group of Southern Mercantile Company guards.
/wiki/spaces/CAM/pages/74285137, Rhagal, and Dawngreeter Yornan Hawklight followed the Trade Road east through the afternoon and - as dusk fell - decided to continue through the night in hopes of finding some trace of the Company guards. As midnight approached, the group noticed a large bonfire burning at the top of knoll approximately one mile off the road. Moving stealthily uphill through the brush, it became apparent that the bonfire was raging inside an ancient, decrepit fort positioned strategically to overlook the valley below. From this closer vantage point, screams of agony became audible, emanating from within the fort.
Noting a single guard atop the walls, Rhagal stealthed forward, reaching the barred, wooden gates that appeared to be the primary entrance into the fort. An attempt to set the gates on fire provided troublesome, but the kindle and tinder quickly created enough smoke to draw the attention of the guard. Rhagal slipped back into the night, using his Minor Ring of Voice Throwing to divert the attention of the guard after the sound of a few misplaced steps threatened to disclose his position. Additional noises in the darkness drew out a half-orc guard who was quickly dispatched by a blow from behind as he stumbled past Gronth in the darkness.
The screams of the first guard drew two more figures out through the main gate to investigate. This time, another half-orc guard, wearing the same type of sword and armor, was accompanied by a half-elf in a dark robe. Once again, the party planned to let two figures pass by and then assault them from behind. The plan was foiled when the slighter, elven figure cast a light spell, illuminating the general area.
Faced with imminent detection, Yornan and Gronth immediately charged, directly engaging the enemy, while Rhagal slipped in from the shadows and stabbed at them furtively. The half-elf revealed himself as a cleric by casting Guiding Bolt on Gronth, dealing significant damage and proving himself to be a formidable threat. Nonetheless, both attackers were slain by the party and their corpses were plundered.
Surprised at the lack of additional response from within the fort, the party crept up to the now opened, main gate. Peeking within, it became obviously that some sort of sacrificial ritual was taking place in open courtyard within the walls of the fort. Three more guards were maintaining watch over a few, bedraggled, local villagers while one of the prisoners was led up a long ramp towards a large, metal hoop was suspended in the air over the heart of the raging bonfire. Charred bodies in the fire provided evidence that the prisoners were being pushed through the hoop to their death. Another brown-robed cleric was concentrating intently on the ritual while a taller, broad-shouldered figure held aloft a intricately carved staff and shouted the words of a ceremonial rite. A fist-sized ruby hung on a chain within the fire, pulsing in time with the cadence of the occultist's voice.
Upon seeing the face of the celebrant, Rhagal and Yornan were taken aback because this figure exhibited the features of an actual pure-blood orc, perhaps the first that they had ever seen. Gronth, however, showed no hesitation and immediately charged into the courtyard, intent on engaging with the orc immediately. A battle ensued and while neither the guards nor the orc appeared to be a substantial threat, the dark-robed cleric again proved to be a dangerous foe. Early in the battle, Rhagal was knocked unconscious, only to quickly be revived by a healing spell from Yornan.
The battle turned when the enemy cleric got his first good look at Yornan and appeared to recognize him. Shifting his focus to Yornan, the enemy cleric lashed out with his warhammer and drove Yornan to the ground, on the verge of ending Yornan's life if he could land one more blow to his unconscious form. All seemed lost, but the dexterous Rhagal adroitly slipped a healing potion from Yornan's belt and poured into into his companion's mouth, reviving the comatose cleric. At that moment, Gronth shifted his focus from the orc to the dark-robed, enemy cleric and the entire party bore down, quickly killing him, then the orc, and then the remainder of the guards.
The looted bodies contained more holy symbols of the god Amaunator, only each was a version slightly altered from the type typically seen in The Riding. It prominently depicted the god's visage as a brightly burning sun. The orc himself wore a holy symbol of Krokus and additional relics, including a small statue of the Orcish deity, were found in the personal belongings strewn throughout the fort. Additional items were found, including a series of books on the powers of the four elements, the holy rites of Amaunator, and histories referencing the fort in which they were standing. All of the bodies and all of the items found, with the exception of the gold coins and holy amulets, were tossed in the bonfire and burned.
After a short sleep in the fort as the party waited for dawn, the fire had grown cool enough for Gronth to reach in and grab the ruby. After examining the flickering light seemingly filling a small portion of the interior of the gem, Gronth dropped it on the ground and crushed it with his weapon. The ruby exploded with a loud cracking noise, but the blast wasn't sufficient to cause any damage.
The party left the fort shortly after dawn, reaching Highbridge around noon. Forgoing a trip to Wauver's Wagonworks to meet Martin Shimlock, the party instead headed out in search of a place to drink. They crossed the bridge that gives the city of Highbridge its name and wandered into Overtown, a ramshackle suburb at the foot of the far side of the bridge. Entering the The Rusty Spigot, they talked briefly to the bartender Grenn and mentioned their association with Martin Shimlock. Upon hearing this, Grenn loudly and prominently mentioned his lack of regard for Martin and then suggested that the party visit The Last Chance, a shop across the street, to satisfy their desire to buy or sell goods. Drinks in hand, all paid for grudgingly by Gronth, the party debated their next move.