DM Don - December 09 - 2015

Connections - The Vanguard of Argus

 

 

In his eternally curious manner, Erik Drarr had decided to spend a few weeks travelling around the Moonsea region.  In fairness, he had heard about some interesting goings-on and was looking for a somewhere other than Cormyr to hang his lute for a few weeks.  This may have been for the change of scenery he espoused to his regular patrons, but a few jealous men-of-means may have influenced the decision more than Erikk was willing to admit.

 

Spending a couple weeks in Hillsfar gave him some flavour for the region.  He had quickly become a hit at a few excellent establishments that bid against each other for his services.  The paranoia around Hillsfar was rampant and even members of the Red Plumes seemed to be treading lightly to avoid attention from the mage Maalthiir.  Everyone knows that great wizards walk the line between omnipotence and insanity, but whispers around the city belied a deep concern as Hillsfar's fortunes are inextricably linked to its arch-wizard.  Although Erik was enjoying the fact that his skills were greatly appreciated by the locals, incidents of public torture and a handful of executions was wearing on him.  Confident that if he stayed much longer he was going to say or do something that would lead to serious trouble he decided to move along to Zhentil Keep.

 

Only hindsight would tell Erik that he had thrown himself out of the proverbial frying pan.  Zhentil Keep was undergoing its second major purge of Banites in as many years.   Apparently Cyric felt like it was past time for them to fall in line.  Also concerning was the disappearances of followers of numerous goodly religions, from all over the Keep.  Rumour had it that it was a dangerous time to be anything but a Cyricist in Zhentil Keep but that didn't last for long.  A huge army descended on the city led by a vanguard of frost giants on the ground and white dragons in the air.  Unlike the Inquisitors they were far less discriminating in who they killed.  The Zhentish army, famed for its discipline, had to try to hold together without its officer corps as they deserted when the invaders made contact with the north wall.  The remaining soldiery did the best they could under the circumstances but the next few days were marked by blood, chaos and fire on a scale never before seen in the Moonsea.

 

Erik easily could have gotten out of the city in the chaos but to do so would have meant leaving behind numerous innocents, some of whom he knew were loyal to the Harper cause.  He decided to try and help as many as possible get to the south of the city, using his guile, magic and occasionally steel.  This turned out even better than Erik could have predicted as attackers seeking to visit as much devastation on the Keep as they could, destroyed the bridges linking the primary city to the foreign district in the south.  He was able to rally a few Zhentish soldiers to assist him, as they were just happy to follow someone with a plan. No fewer than two hundred civilians owed their lives to Erik's bravery in the days following the attack, but it paled when compared to the death count of over forty thousand.  Despite being no stranger to violence and death in his years of adventuring, nothing had prepared Erikk for the events of these gruesome days.

 

In the weeks that followed, every able-bodied sword was expected to help hold the line.  Inexplicably, the dragons left, after having sunk the last of the Zhent navy and pulverized a half-dozen north towers (including the barbicans and main gate) they simply flew off.  A few days later the giants followed suit, leaving a city of humanoids occupying the northern ruins.  The leadership of Zhentil Keep clearly had abandoned them at some point and a councilman named Lord Orgauth had stepped up to take command of the military and grant field promotions to fill in for the deserters.  He selected soldiers loyal to the city and their comrades above any with ties to either Bane or Cyric.

 

Just as people were beginning to pick up the pieces (between daily skirmishes with the north) Fzoul Chembryl showed up to read  "The True Life of Cyric" detailing his rise, right through to his involvement in current events.  Erik couldn't pass up a good tale and attended despite lacking the history other listeners shared with their orator.  Erik found the tale extremely compelling, and although had no proof, he always had a good sense of the truth of a tale when he heard it.  Apparently Cyric himself had built this army to terrorize the people of Zhentil Keep, with the intent of saving them and earning their eternal gratitude. Cyric had commissioned a magical writing that was to be read to the masses which would have controlled them and converted them to his faith, however the book that was read had the opposite effect, revealing his treachery.  At the last moment he was distracted by something more important and had left those in the Keep to fend for themselves.  Whether this was true or not, it was clearly the turning point for Cyric worship in the Keep.  Although the population was too afraid to attack members of Cyric's clergy directly, they were no longer revered, and they only travelled by group in public. 

 

Erik was unable to get on his way as no ships were coming to the city and the roads were blocked by former soldiery turned highwaymen.  The weeks that he spent trapped in the city were different than the initial war, but just as dark.  Food shortages, disease, exposure were threatening to finish them.  Erik was doing his best to try and keep morale up, and had found a huge food store in the north, hidden by some government official or merchant that he presumed was long since dead.  It was ships that were first to make contact from the outside world, traders based in Hillsfar or Mulmaster but able to navigate both the Moonsea and its complicated politics.  They were perfectly happy to evacuate people as ballast for the substantial materials they were dropping off, but more surprising were the people they were bringing in.  Followers of Gond were being summoned to aid in the rebuilding effort and some of the people that had disappeared in the events leading up to the attack were now returning with tales of divine intervention. 

 

Mulmaster was a dark and martial place as well, but after the events in Zhentil Keep it seems as cheery as a Dale.  Like any good bard, Erik had turned the darkness and emotional turmoil of recent event into lyrics, using much of the Moonsea voyage to lay the foundation of works such as "The despair of Zhentil Keep" & "The Night that Cyric was busy".  In Mulmaster, the legendary home of Dak Denier, Erik found the stoic regimentation he had expected to see in Zhentil Keep.  Despite the seriousness of daily activities, the taverns and brothels were lively well into the night and Erik was quickly able to find a favourite amongst the local establishments.   The Yardarm, was one of the larger inns he had seen in his travels, with a large regular patronage and a love of good food, ale and music.  No matter the strangeness of current events or the trials of the day, it all seemed to be checked at the door.  The ale was always flowing, the larder full, and wenches buxom.  The local ostler a half-elf named Vada Nese'trikir relished the semi-celebrity status the Yardarm provided her with, where she would frequently entertain high profile guests, and if rumours are true even being courted by a few.  Erik was the latest fan favourite and Vada seemed to go out of her way to ensure he felt at home, including her comfortable flirtations.

 

At the beginning of his third week in town, an event too large to be left at the door was affecting the mood of the patrons.  Mulmaster had been invaded at its very heart.  The Bladehall where the Council of Blades (Mulmaster's government), had been taken by some monstrosity issuing challenges to all comers.  Mulmaster, being no stranger to legendary swordsman had many answer the call, most have retreated gravely wounded, others were not so lucky.  Bureaucrats had done their best to hide the situation until it was resolved and keep the city running without interruptions, which worked for quite a few days.  Now faced with no easy resolution they began to reach out to allies, trying not to show vulnerability and quickly discovered that in these tumultuous times, even the best of allies have their own fights. Knowing that Erik was very well travelled and perhaps even a Harper, Vada appealed to Erikk to see if there was anyone he knew that may take up the call.  Erik thought of The Dozen, but something held his tongue and it was the Knights of Argus and their wizards that he eventually suggested. 

 

Torin was occupied, but the rest of the team was assembled in Mulmaster by the end of the day.  Erik introduced each of the Vanguard to Vada and she in turn introduced them to High Blade Selemat and General Akarri.  The situation they defined was dire indeed.  They have only seen one assailant, holding the door and are unaware of others.  He is roughly fifteen feet tall, and holds the main entrance to the hall, the secondary entrance has not been penetrable, even with disintegrates.  They have not been able to use magic to see inside nor to translocate inside the building.  Early attackers reported seeing hostages alive but incapacitated in the central council chambers. After so many days of being unable to break the siege, Selemat and Akarri fear the worst.