Session Date: 4/14/2024
This session is a little different because Rohan’s player is in the hospital (he’s okay!!), so we are playing some side characters that are in prison with Bertram.
Nakha is our character that’s been in the longest. They killed their father in cold blood and then was shipped off to a local prison. They were passed around the prisons until they got to Cruelwind Prison, located in the frigid north that was an old stronghold built into a prison. They have been put into general population but they have never spoken to the leader or the major or anything. Their behavior seems to be rather erratic, sometimes answering questions or talking to people, sometimes not.
It is cold here, and there is not enough space for everyone here. Everyone fights for resources and warmth, and people often die of exposure to the cold. They do not have friends, they do not have allies, but they do not bother anyone so they exist.
Nakha also works and does okay.
Khar’rik is the next to arrive to Cruelwind. He is a deep dwarf and has emerged into the frigid north. There was misunderstanding that led to more understanding which snowballed (ha) into him existing here in the prison. He has to live in his suit so it’s easier for him to deal with the temperatures of the north, though this comes with other difficulties such as food.
He is the only dwarf here at this time. People more or less leave him alone unless he goes out of his way to make friends, so people just ignore him.
Khar’rik is very quiet, does what he’s told to do and then moves on, etc.
Wilhelm is next to arrive. He happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time: a group of ne’er do wells were arrested and he got grabbed with them. There is a human that is from the Bloodsoaked Banner named Corwin Sorensen. He is looking for a way out and is going to take Wilhelm with him. Wilhelm is friendly enough with him, though isn’t willing to put all of his eggs in that basket.
Wilhelm does make friends with the people who committed petty crimes or are in on accident. He also works as much as possible.
Emily shows up next. She was out hunting and then was arrested for poaching, even though she was definitely not poaching. She has bright clothes and a dark cloak with the marker of the Blood-Soaked Banner. Corwin zones in on this and immediately pulls her into a conversation, and it is clear she doesn’t know what the Blood-Soaked Banner is, just that her dad had this cloak.
Corwin drags her along to meet Nakha, Wilhelm, and Khar’rik. Corwin leaves and goes to see someone about some drugs, and then Wilhelm shows Emily around.
Over the course of the week, Emily is making smart friends. She only eats half the food given and uses the rest as bargaining or to support an ally. She also sleeps weird, like a climber: they find a nook just big enough to fit and sleep like that.
Emily also makes it a point to try to befriend Nakha and eventually realizes that there are two people in one body.
There is a contingent of hobgoblins that are being led by a lady named Jomesh. They are planning something but are otherwise setting up for something.
The leader of one of the gangs - Sarud - leads the Gruumsh gang leader. The man wears orcish clothing and tries to have prison scarification, basically close to green face. This is a dangerous group that is very feverish in their devotion to Gruumsh, and they are into the older Gruumsh that is a warmongering conqueror.
Bertram gets thrown into the prison and he sees Emily right before blacking out, asking if it’s Emlyn. Emily gets Wilhelm to move him to the side so that he’s out of the way, which he does, and then Bertram starts awake and asks what is going on. She gives him an apple from lunch and she explains that he’s in Cruelwind Prison, then she gives him a full run down of what’s going on here.
Bertram pretty quickly gets to where he’s trying to organize people. Bertram gets into so many fights and Emily eventually turns to Wilhelm and mentions that he’s trouble, and she likes that about him. The guards get involved in one fight because Bertram manages to rile up the prisoners enough to almost storm the guards, so the guards beat the shit out of him and at the end, Sarud stabs him a few times with a shiv.
Wilhelm actually drags Sarud off of Bertram and he and Nakha give Sarud the what for.
The jawless Crimson Legion guy goes with Emily to help Bertram. The jawless guy is focusing on Bertram and channeling something to help him, and Khar’rik also comes over to help heal Bertram. It brings Bertram back to consciousness and Emily chews him out for acting stupid.
Bertram mentions that Barrakas - the Crimson Legion guy with no jaw, a single horn on his forehead, and striped markings - was helping him, then asks if we knew what his name was. None of us knew that was his name. Barrakas explains that he has old magic (thanks to writing in the snow). Bertram also mentions he has a friend in his head, for some reason? He’s not sure.
We hear the sound of children’s laughter on the edges of the prison, and Bertram is volunteered for missions on the outside. There’s a lot of rules around who can go on these outside missions. At the start it’s just Bertram and Barrakas.
Time passes, and one last significant prisoner shows up: a golden dragonborn. His hands are still chained because he’s yelling to let him out as he does not recognize their authority, he’ll eat everyone here. Emily tries to calm him down and explains being calm and being smart is how to survive here. He looks at Emily and picks up the chains and bites through them, then huffs and says okay.
Emily introduces herself to him and reaches into the pocket of her cloak and offers an apple to the stranger. He eats the entire apple in one bite and is glad she recognizes who the boss is going to be around here. He goes up to Sarud and throws the man, announcing his name as Thenxel Narinn, and that he is now the king here. He is a follower of Leander.
Nakha sneaks up to Thenxel and stabs him. His eyes open and there is fire in his eyes as smoke bellows out of his mouth and the shivs start to melt as Nakha’s hands burn. He sits up and says you have to try more as his god, faith, and fervor protects him.
Bertram comes up to us and says that he needs help and he would like to have us there. He and Wilhelm talk through it until Emily chimes in and is glad to join in on this. Bertram mentions having a Geas on him and he can talk about the Geas but nothing more other than that. Emily and Wilhelm agree to go, and Bertram goes to recruit Khar’rik and Nakha, who agree to join.
The Major finally reveals himself to us. He notices Emily’s stone and points at it. Emily goes from a “what, it bothers you?” vibe, to a “bitch, fucking try” personality. The Major starts to move, and Bertram gets between them and says not to worry about it, and asks Emily to leave the rock. She drops it. Corwin also gets black powder to Wilhelm as well right before they leave.
We are taken to the castle to be vetted. We see a portrait of a woman with sharp eyes that Emily and Nakha are aware of as the Mad Mage Ominn. Emily is aware that it’s strange to have a portrait of her in here, but sure. The guards are escorting us and the Major is elsewhere at this time.
We make it to the office. It’s opulent in a sense that people are watching, but it a guest office rather than the main office here - there is not much in the way of personal affects. The Warden, General Chase, is here, still wearing the old uniform, including the cap. He’s standing in front of the window with his back turned to us. He’s a human with a salt and pepper beard, older but still handsome. We enter and the guards close the door behind us so it’s only us and him.
The Warden greets Bertram, confirming we are the group he decided on. He looks us over and decides we are a rather eclectic group, then asks why we should be let out. Bertram speaks up and says that the job needed to be done and he was thinking that we would be a good group. Emily speaks up and speaks that we are very efficient at what we do and we do not wish to cause any trouble. The Warden says it’s a bit late for that, but he can get some our sentences shortened. We need to go, do what Bertram says, and at least one of us needs to come back alive with the object he needs retrieved.
Khar’rik leans forward and says he can get what he needs done and asks if that is not enough. The Warden says that is enough and we all pass.
We are given gear and then head out.