Session Date: 11/5/2023
Cruelwind Prison is the only prison that matches the description of a prison up north, according to Soldos. He explains that he’s not sure what we’ll have to deal with but once we get to the last station we will have to travel the rest of the way to the country, then trek further north to get to the prison. There are places we will need to be very wary of due to danger, such as ice trolls. Once we get there he isn’t sure if we’ll be able to be there as guests or if we will have to break in and enter. He explains that the warden, General Chase, is an old ally and that we likely will not be going there as guests.
Dia asks who the warden works under and Soldos explains that on paper, he works for the ruling council of Reclesau. However, he is left alone to his devices in the prison. The prisoners come from several countries at it is a bit of a business. Soldos has heard a rumor that if you pay well enough you can have someone imprisoned there, though he hasn’t confirmed it. Soldos explains that he once knew the warden as an honorable man, but that information seems to be outdated as he has changed since the war has ended, and he’s not sure why.
Dia asks him if he’s looking for someone and he says no, not in this particular life, but scars still remain.
We offer more help and he says if we help any more than we already have, he would have to induct us into the Bloodsoaked Banner.
We enter the common room area and find Mordaine, who waves us over as he’s saved some things for us. We sit around and eat and chat. He mentions Amoth Bridge, and Amoth is a god of justice and mercy. He is dead, slain centuries ago by several demon lords during a particular battle that involved multiple planes. He warns us to be careful as that is likely on the way to where we’re headed, and it may be particularly dangerous.
Arythas hasn’t heard of this thing, but he realizes that it is weird: Soldos was there at a battle in that area in the last war. He has heard about most if not all of the important people and battles of the last war. He’s never heard of the battle of Amoth Bridge.
Rohan asks why we should be so wary around that area because the war was so many years ago, and he explains that he doesn’t know what actually happened in that area, he just knows it’s significant to Soldos and Soldos doesn’t talk about it.
Dia writes a copy of the recipe for Phoebe’s soup down and adds it to their recipe book.
We all head to bed. Iskra has a dream as he sleeps, recalling his brother, as he’s made friends with bees, which he’s very excited about. It stops becoming a memory and turns into a dream because in the dream he creates the flowers the bees want and they grow and grow and grow past the horizon. He wakes pretty abruptly after, but it was pleasant, and he now recalls his youngest brother and Iskra also knows now he’s the oldest sibling.
Soldos rouses us and takes us to the train. On the way, Iskra asks why Amoth Bridge is significant, and Soldos stops and asks where we heard the name. Iskra says Mordaine. Soldos says the doesn’t like to talk about this and Iskra says we don’t have to then and walks ahead to the train station. We make it and it’s essentially a party train: Professor Profundo’s Railroad Circus & Casino. There are fireworks, loud noises, the whole works.
Rohan and Inky notice a gnome man named Ronald Rasmussen Rasmussen struggling with a heavy bag that is carrying an important package. Rohan can tell that the object inside is made mostly of metal, but it is definitely not a bomb or mechanism. On the way back there is a gnome man who has a huge gnarly beard and MUST be wearing clothes underneath, and he just drinks out of a bucket of beer like a feral dog, and the crowd cheers and chants the name Stinky.
Rohan and Inky go to try to figure out what Ronald has in his bag, and they find him playing slots. He is sitting at the penny slots and the bag is next to him on the ground. Rohan approaches and starts talking to this guy and lying about some trick to get the machine to jackpot, and Inky approaches the bag and looks inside. Inky can tell it’s a vicious hook weapon that is called an Ogre Hook — it is a curved blade made of wrought iron, used specifically by ogres and are large in size.
Dia is watching Inky and a southern voice speaks up addressing Dia. It’s Ace Freeman, the bounty hunter that’s trying to get Dia. He says it’s time and Ace, Stinky, and Ronald attacks us. Dia goes down almost immediately when Ace corners her and Inky pushes Ace off the train with his kinetic ram. We get Dia healed up and treated and Professor Profundo comes up to us and gives us poker chips and offers every accommodation he can.
Off screen, Ace gets out of the river and his lackeys show up. They get to a room to plan and Ace lays down on the couch and says this couldn’t have been more of a disaster. He has nobody to blame but himself. He’s not going to blame the others because they did their best, but they’ll have to find a fifth member of their little band. Ace says to a new fifth person and thanks them for their magic and their help in the endeavor.
Sitting at the table in half darkness is a young harengon with a horn, a bit shorter than Iskra would have, and he can’t be older than 16. He looks at Ace and beams, a few bees sitting on his shoulders, and he says, “Of course Mr. Freeman! Anything to help a friend! It’s exactly what my brother would do!”