16 Pelorus, 4520: Ruins Field

Arkomir writes...   We were up before sunrise, the air still cool with the last of the night. After a quick breakfast—fresh bread, still warm—we packed away what we didn’t eat for the journey ahead. Sigismund and Taryn arrived shortly after, and together we made our way to the marshalling point. At the marshalling grounds, Garven Shturm and the priest of Bane from the previous briefing were already present. The moon was still high, casting pale light across the cobbles as we gathered. Then came the sound of hooves—horses approaching at a measured pace. The group parted to allow a contingent of Elector Guard through, accompanying none other than the Elector himself. At his side rode a wizard of some description.   Shturm greeted the Lord Commander, who addressed us all with a calm authority. He bid us good hunting and a swift return. I gave a loud, confident “For Steinwark!”—and to my surprise, the Lord Commander smiled and echoed the call. Dharra took the opportunity to mention Isadora’s arrival in town and her desire for a meeting. Her charm was not lost on him—he said he’d keep an eye out for the request. Formalities complete, we set off.   Further along the wall, we reached a secured door and were guided inside. Through a long passage and up a stairwell, we came to another doorway that opened onto a narrow bridge spanning the moat. Beyond lay the outer section of the city wall—formidable, but cleverly designed. The bridge segments could be dropped if needed, cutting off the path entirely. We moved through the outer wall structure. It became clear we had descended several levels beneath the street. Eventually, we reached the final inner checkpoint. Here, Shturm bade us farewell, wishing us a swift and safe return. I followed the priest of Bane up a final ladder and through a trapdoor. We emerged in a ditch running along the base of the city’s outer wall. Dharra took note of the spot for our return. From there, we pressed onward toward a collapsed section of stone in the near distance.   Moving cautiously, we made our way toward the ruin—eight minutes or so of stealthy progress—until we reached the outcropping. There, scout Rylan Swiftfoot spotted us and waved us over. Under the partial cover of crumbled wall, he pointed out our objective and recommended the best route up the bluff. With a rough plan in place, we set off again, slowly climbing the terrain. The approach was slow but steady. We did our best to stay quiet in the narrow ravine.   Without warning, the ground rumbled and Dharra was ambushed by a Bulette—a massive, beast that lunged from beneath the earth and clamped down hard before leaping away. We struck at it as it retreated, landing a few solid hits. Sigismund tried his crossbow, but the creature’s hide deflected the bolt. Dharra retaliated with magic, and we began to wear it down. Psychic spells hit hard, and the Bulette eventually burrowed away to regroup. We positioned ourselves, bracing for its return. Instead, three serpentine creatures—Burrowfangs—surfaced and struck fast. A brutal skirmish followed. The ground gave us no favors, and it was hard going. But between steel and spell, we managed to bring them all down. The Bulette and the Burrowfangs were finally dealt with.   Battered but alive, we regrouped. The path ahead is still long, but we press on.   After descending once more to the base of the ravine, we took a moment to breathe and assess our next steps. The fight with the Bulette and Burrowfangs had left us shaken and wounded, especially Taryn. We found a modest rock outcropping and decided to take a short rest to recover our strength and take stock of our condition and supplies. While we rested, Taryn was looked over for injuries. She bore several scrapes and punctures, but nothing immediately life-threatening. Dharra raised the question of how common these kinds of attacks were. Taryn explained that Burrowfangs are attracted to the scent of blood—any fresh blood—and that the Bulette’s violent emergence likely drew them in. She noted that while Bulettes aren’t unknown in these parts, they’re drawn primarily to vibration and movement, anything that signals prey. Most attacks occur when groups are smaller; in her previous travels, she usually moved with groups of ten to twelve, a deterrent to predators like these.   We discussed our route forward. Taryn estimated we had about thirty minutes of travel remaining to reach the next outcropping. The ravine offered some cover from above, but as we neared the end, it would open up. She suggested we stick to the shadows along one side to minimize the chance of being spotted. Two ascent paths awaited us: a shallow incline if we veered right, or a steeper climb near the ravine's far end. Once at the ravine’s end, I cast Pass Without Trace to aid our stealthy approach. As long as we remained close, we should stay relatively unseen. Meanwhile, Dharra took a moment to sketch the outer stone wall of the city in her journal—specifically near the trapdoor where we’d exited earlier. She planned to use Transport via Stone if a fast escape became necessary. The structure’s large, historic stonework made it ideal for anchoring the spell. Her escape route would lead us to the ditch just outside the outer wall: a safer zone for evacuation and one that wouldn’t risk drawing enemies into the city. With our plans finalized, we set out through the ravine toward the outcropping.   As we neared the outcropping, we found natural boulders that provided cover roughly 120 feet from a ruined tower. From this vantage point, we spotted between twelve and fifteen enemies: bugbears and hobgoblins, some armed with magical implements or ranged weapons. Two hobgoblins stood out as officers; likely commanders. Dharra proposed opening with Fireball. She was within range and could strike a cluster of enemies at the tower’s summit. Her 20-foot radius blast would cover several foes. I planned to follow with Moonbeam, targeting a single strong enemy. Though its radius was narrower, I could reposition it as needed. Taryn readied her longbow to pick off stragglers, while Sigismund prepared to fire his heavy crossbow at foes not covered by our spells. With our battle plan clear, we readied our spells and weapons.   The first volley was devastating. Dharra moved into position and cast Fireball, striking the top of the ruin and annihilating several enemies instantly. I followed with Moonbeam, which hit a Hobgoblin who resisted its full effect but still took radiant damage. I then charged forward, wielding Katya’s longbow and hitting a wounded enemy with two well-placed shots. Then, from within the ruins, a black-scaled Dragonborn emerged. He ducked behind the crumbling tower and returned fire. Hobgoblins repositioned and began shooting at me and Sigismund. Sigismund sprinted forward, loosing bolts, missing once but striking true with the second. He shouted a rallying cry in Dwarvish to bolster us. Hobgoblin reinforcements arrived, summoned by shouted orders from their captains. Dharra launched a second Fireball, and placed to catch enemies behind cover. Even those who saved were scorched; several were incinerated. I invoked Divine Favor to enhance my attacks with radiant power, and Taryn, despite her wounds, dashed forward and slashed at a bugbear, striking once.   As the battle raged, we saw significant progress. Dharra’s Fireballs left the field littered with charred bodies. I held the melee line with Corellon's Whisper in hand, Taryn joined the fray, and Sigismund clashed with the Dragonborn commander. Taryn was hit by a bugbear but retaliated, using her Second Wind to regain strength. Dharra summoned her dragon spirit, Ramona, who attacked with breath and claw. I marked a strong enemy with Hunter’s Mark, my first strike missed even with Dharra’s Bardic Inspiration, but the second landed, wounding him badly. The Dragonborn, now bloodied, charged me. Dharra tried to thwart him with Silvery Barbs, but he still struck hard. I stayed upright, though barely. Sigismund used Action Surge and took down a hobgoblin and a captain in rapid succession. Dharra followed up with Chromatic Orb, which jumped between two enemies and burned them both. We pressed the attack. I regained strength through Second Wind and downed another foe. The Dragonborn returned his fury to me, one strike landed, the second missed, again thanks to Dharra’s magic.   Sigismund pressed on, striking with his enchanted axe. Hobgoblin attacks came for him and Taryn, but fortune was with us, many blows missed. Taryn, badly wounded, struck down the final captain before taking a savage slash from a bugbear. She staggered but stood. Then came the turning point.   Taryn, agile even while injured, ducked a sweeping tail from the Dragonborn and drove her rapier beneath his chainmail at the thigh. He fell, viscera trailing behind him. She pivoted immediately, facing the next threat. Dharra, with fire burning in her hands, nodded toward me, then to Sigismund, and launched another Chromatic Orb. The orb struck the Dragonborn’s skull and melted him from crown to heel in molten flame. But our victory was short-lived.   Far to the east, Dharra spotted movement; a massive enemy camp had stirred. Horns blared. Worgs were mounted. A second wave was coming. “Time to leave,” Dharra shouted. She touched a massive flagstone, and a glowing portal shimmered to life. We raced through it, dragon spirit included.   We emerged near the trapdoor at Steinwark’s outer wall. A second battle was already underway. Allied Sentinels clashed with hobgoblin raiders. A female Goliath held the front line; a golden Dragonborn led a charge, radiant in the morning sun. Dharra cast Fly on me and activated her enchanted boots. Taryn shouted encouragement while Sigismund signaled for backup. We rushed into the fray, magic and arrows at the ready. Dharra unleashed fire from the sky, while I flew above, loosing arrows to support the Sentinels. The golden Dragonborn commander caught sight of Dharra’s magic and raised his sword in acknowledgment. Morale lifted as our support thinned the enemy ranks.   But the third camp; a force of worg-mounted hobgoblins was closing in. Dharra warned the Dragonborn via Message. He replied: “We’ve received the scout’s signal. We rally and move.” We covered the retreat. The Goliath and Dragonborn formed a strong rearguard. The enemy gave chase but lost cohesion, hesitating before the looming defenses of Steinwark. The tide had been turned.   We moved alongside the retreating Sentinels under the shadow of Steinwark’s towering walls. The gates opened. We crossed the wide bridge and entered the inner city. Relief swept through the wounded. Some fell to their knees. Others embraced in quiet joy. Dharra received a message from Brother Keldin that Taryn and Sigismund had made it back safely. We reported to command that the threat is seems larger than initially believed. Soldiers were gathered; wounded, checking gear, and visibly relieved but not celebrating. It was still morning, only hours since our dawn assault. Shturm was already present, speaking with a senior officer about the mission’s outcome. They briefly glanced our way, but I couldn’t read their thoughts—perhaps due to exhaustion or nerves. Losses had clearly occurred.   At the southern gate, we saw the familiar figures of Sigismund and Brother Keldin. Sigismund was injured, and I quickly offered healing magic. When I asked about Taryn, he explained she had re-entered the city before him and left on her own after a brief farewell. Dharra contacted her magically, but her response was vague—she told us to go ahead and visit the quartermaster without her and said she might see us later. Dharra noted that her tone was flat, perhaps from fatigue or detachment. Sigismund agreed to join us for the formal debrief and payment. As we prepared to leave, Garven Shturm and Brother Keldin approached us. Shturm praised our efforts, noting the mission had seemed more difficult than expected. We confirmed that the enemy’s strength was greater than anticipated but mentioned we’d managed to rescue several allies. Shturm invited us to the barracks for a full report.   The Lord Commander arrived, offering brief words of encouragement to the troops. His presence clearly uplifted morale. He commended us all for defending Steinvark and Kurabil, and the Sentinels cheered. Afterwards, soldiers dispersed—some taking horses to stables, others heading to the barracks. We walked together through Steinvark, passing through Vanguard Square, and arriving at the Sentinel barracks. Inside, we were led to a smaller chamber—Shturm’s office—for the debrief. He invited us to recount our account despite already having spoken with Brother Keldin. I led the report. I laid out all that had occurred during the battle and Shturm acknowledged our timing and quick action had been fortunate. I asked whether they knew of the third encampment. He admitted they hadn’t. Their intelligence had identified two camps, but the third had been hidden and too far from the wall for proper scouting. It wasn’t the first time the enemy had exploited gaps in their surveillance.   When asked whether such numbers and coordination were unusual, Shturm agreed. While hobgoblins are naturally disciplined, this level of organization—especially with multiple spellcasters and a dragonborn leader—was rare. We asked about any symbols or markings linking these forces to others we’d seen in the west. We had seen nothing familiar during the battle. We then shared our broader theory: of a powerful force potentially uniting and empowering these goblinoid troops, offering dark gifts for loyalty. We mentioned Aldrich, a halfling driven mad by contact with this power, who had drawn strange sigils later found on corrupted hobgoblins elsewhere. We provided Shturm with a sketch of the symbols we have encountered thus far. He hadn’t seen anything like it but agreed to monitor for similar signs in future encounters.   We spoke further with Shturm about a halfling named Aldrich, whom Dharra and I encountered some time ago. By the time we met him, he had clearly descended into madness. He was drawing sigils on everything and behaving erratically. From diary entries we discovered, it seems his condition began after some kind of encounter in or near this region, around the time of the last green moon. Something changed in him, and from there, his descent was rapid. By the time Aldrich traveled west, nearing Belhaim and Confluence, he had entirely succumbed to whatever was influencing him. We was connected to an elusive organization known as The Quiet Hand, and we asked Shturm if he had ever heard of them. He admitted he had not heard of Aldrich himself, but he did acknowledge that the Quiet Hand likely moves through the city under false pretenses, hiding their presence behind other identities or purposes. He noted that identifying them outright would be difficult. We warned him again about the sigils Aldrich was drawing, explaining that the people we’ve encountered using them have proven both dangerous and unstable. Shturm agreed this was troubling—especially in conjunction with the Quiet Hand—and promised to keep watch.   We asked if there was anyone who might help us learn more about that sort of pursuit and Shturm mentioned there might be some useful information in the library within the Steinschloss, though he admitted he doesn’t know much about its contents. Dharra asked about old histories, and Shturm suggested a local woman who writes historical records—we told him we had already met her. Because the Steinschloss is under the Warkley family's domain, not Shturm’s, he couldn’t give us access but said he would inquire on our behalf. He would need to lodge a formal request to the Lord Commander Brek Warkley to see if we could be granted access. He asked how long we would be in town, and Dharra said we planned to stay for a while, though not indefinitely. Part of our reason for being here was to investigate Aldrich, the sigils, and the possible organization of hobgoblins to the west. Shturm said it might take a day or two to follow up, and suggested we also visit Mage's Armoury: the Arcane Emporium, in the south of the city, which deals in magical knowledge and might be able to assist us.   Dharra then brought up another mystery—black shards embedded in the sand east of the wall. Shturm recalled hearing tales from expeditions into The Unclaimed Lands. Sometimes, adventurers returned with stories of black, pointed shards, as well as towering structures. He mentioned a rumored city called Zephyr, deep in the desert. Supposedly, it's a civilized but dangerous metropolis, where distrust and violence underpin its order. Shturm admitted he’d never been there himself but said it’s possible some of the people we fought earlier had a presence in that place. Dharra expressed interest in visiting Zephyr, and I agreed that it sounded fascinating, though perilous. Shturm warned us to stay cautious if we ever journey there. As our conversation concluded, Shturm offered to take us to the quartermaster. Dharra lingered behind briefly and nudged me to suggest we make ourselves available for further work. I agreed as we were to be here for a few days and it makes sense to offer our help again, especially if further expeditions beyond the wall are planned. Dharra mentioned this to Shturm, also thanking him and speaking highly of Sigismund, whose local knowledge had been invaluable. I added that Taryn had also proven herself—though in a very different way. Dharra praised her skill in battle. Shturm acknowledged both of them, then escorted us to the quartermaster.   We were met by a gnome named Bryndinvellis Halduchevra, though he told us to call him Bryn. He confirmed our identities and handed each of us a pouch with 200 gold as payment. Then, surprisingly, Bryn informed us that Taryn had filed an extraordinary distribution of wages, assigning half of her payment to Sigismund. Sigismund was visibly shocked, unsure if it was real. Bryn confirmed it and remarked that Taryn does this occasionally, using the system to move coin where she sees fit. He didn’t seem annoyed—just resigned to her eccentric methods. As he finished the paperwork and prepared to deliver the rest of the gold, Bryn asked if we needed anything else. I said no—he’d paid us, and we had already offered our services for future work. He thanked us and said he hoped our next job together would be just as successful. Dharra thanked him, and he offered to walk us out. As we left, he wished us a quieter and safer rest of our day. Dharra replied kindly and wished him luck with the rest of his deliveries.   After discussing where to go next, Dharra and I decide to check the Serpent and Barrel tavern later in the evening, where Taryn might be. For now, we head back to the Officer’s Mess for a short rest and then plan to visit the Mage’s Armory in the Enclave district. As we arrive at the Mess, we notice Bryn speaking to a barmaid—interestingly, the same woman Taryn had previously been flirtatiously involved with. Bryn nods to us as he departs. We grab drinks and brunch, taking the chance to rest and talk with Sigismund, who expresses gratitude for our help earlier and asks us to pass along a message of thanks to Taryn. We invite him to join us at the Serpent and Barrel later, and he accepts. Sigismund hints that he may return home soon for his daughter’s wedding and even extends a warm invitation to attend if we’re nearby.   Next, we head to the Arcane Emporium (Mage’s Armory)—a beautiful, arcane-decorated building in the Enclave district. Inside, the shop is busy, full of enchanted weapons, magical items, and rare spell components. We're greeted by a purple-robed tiefling named Blake Asmodon, who identifies us as adventurers with magical experience. Dharra presents two freshly harvested burrowfang heads, and Blake—intrigued—offers to trade for them, valuing them at 25 gold each. Dharra negotiates skillfully, realizing he’s open to further trade and more generous than he first lets on. Dharra asks about historical knowledge, particularly regarding The Cleansing Wave and Blake retrieves two books: a dwarven engineer’s diary involved in Steinwark’s first defenses and a collection of stories and poems by an elven artist who admired Bella of the Cleansing Wave.   We also ask about Fey sigils and wizard marks. Blake confirms that registered wizard marks are stored in the academy at Port Zaram, but he knows little of Fey sigils. However, he shares that Zula of the Vanguard—a green tiefling—may have gained her color through Fey connections. We discuss the Cleansing Wave’s diminished legacy compared to the Vanguard and share insights, including details about Bella’s tomb in Belhaim, which deeply interests Blake. We purchase the two books, a compiled folio of writings about the Unclaimed Lands, and a set of sending stones—trading the burrowfang heads and paying an additional 100 gold. Dharra also offers Blake copies of songs written by Melody of the Cleansing Wave, further solidifying our relationship as trusted allies and sources.   After finishing our business, I visit a temple of Corellon nearby. The sacred space is peaceful, designed with tree-shaped columns forming secluded nooks. I offer thanks to Corellon for guidance beyond the wall and reaffirm my dedication to representing Corellon's ideals through my martial path. In meditative prayer, I feel a moment of divine warmth—possibly even hearing the word “Fortitude” whispered in my ear. It feels like an affirmation and quiet blessing. My sword, Corellon's Whisper, glows faintly in response.   When I rejoin Dharra outside the temple, we're met by Isadora Giordano and Antonio of Mirellion. Isadora is heading to the Mage’s Armory and asks for a discount tip—we recommend Blake and mention his interest in Cleansing Wave stories. She tells us she’ll be leaving for the Verdant Isle but leaves Antonio in the city. It’s clear Antonio is fond of her, perhaps more than just professionally, though she keeps her demeanor composed. We offer to take Antonio with us if we eventually travel back to the Isle. Afterward, we stroll through Vanguard Square to examine statues of the Cleansing Wave and eventually explore the walls of Steinwark, where Dharra explains their subtle design details. I find it meaningful, reinforcing my spiritual connection to Corellon and to our shared mission. Toward evening, we follow Sigismund’s directions and our own instincts to the Serpent and Barrel, a lively, ramshackle inn near the harbor made of weathered ship timbers. Inside, we pass under the gaze of two assessing orcs and into a maze of alcoves and ambient music. Somewhere within, we think we hear the familiar laughter of Taryn.