Gullwyn, Moja, Tavver, Tenniel
Short Synopsis
The party travels to Loudwater after hearing rumors of orcs attacking the city. They meet with Countess Raventhorne who thinks that there are those in the city working with the orcs. After that, they travel to the Westgate to talk with the Captain Lyra Dawnbrook about the incursions, but she dismisses them.
Late at night, the party sees someone in a guard uniform open up a portal. Orcs enter through the portal and the adventurers confront them. They slay must of the orcs, but capture two of them.
After interrogating the orcs, they discover that Lyra Dawnbrook, at the bidding of Council Member Meron Thornglad, made a deal with the orcs.
Long Synopsis
Whisper, a tabaxi ranger, has heard rumors of orcs planning to lay siege to the city of Loudwater. The adventurers travel to Loudwater to investigate.
While checking out local taverns, they learn that orcs have been shooting arrows over the walls at night and that this is unusual behavior. They also learn that the City Council had voted against putting up a bounty for the defeat of the orcs.
They travel to the Council Building to see if they can learn more. At the front, an administrative assistant who directs them to Council Member Countess Elira Raventhorne. She hints that there are those who are not acting in the City’s best interest. She is fearful to talk in the Council chambers, but she will meet them at the Bookworm Inn later on at night. Before they leave, Moja asks the administrative assistant for the names of the council members who voted for and against the bounty:
For the Bounty: Lord Aleron Thorne, Countess Elira Raventhorne, Sir Eamon Blackwell
Against the Bounty: Lady Isolde Valewyn, Baron Gavril Windmere, Councilor Meron Thornglad
Not Present: Council Member Varian Emberfell (who had been killed in an “accident”).
Tenns leads the party to the Temple of Larethian. She befriends a cleric who talks hints that some of the Council and the Watch may be corrupted. The cleric of Larethian suggests investigating the West Gate.
Then, the party heads to the Bookworm Inn and meet up with the Countess Raventhorne. She thinks that members of the Council and the Watch have some sort of arrangement with the orcs. In particular, she suspects Captain Lyra Dawnbrook of the West Gate and one of the Council members who voted against the bounty.
Upon arriving at the West Gate, they meet Captain Lyra Dawnbrook. She is uninterested in their requests for help and dismisses them.
The party decides to stakeout a small gate at the northwest so they can keep an eye out at the West Gate and the North Gate. Tavver sees some guards from the West Gate head up to the north and take some items to the West Gate. Later, Tenns spots a person in a guard’s uniform open up one of the smaller side-gates.
Sensing trouble, the party hurries down to the side-gate in time to see five orcs burst through the gate. Moja whips out his hat and strikes down one of the orcs. Tavver runs to engage another one. Tenns casts “sleep” on one of the orcs while a female orc turns invisible and escapes. Gullwyn casts a fireball and takes out another orc. Moja and Tavver clean up the remaining orcs that are visible.
Then Captain Lyra appears and shouts for more guards to arrive. Tenns, using her ability to see invisible objects, uses hunts down and capture the female orc.
Moja ties up the sleeping orc and suggests that the orcs be interrogated under a *zone of truth* at the Temple of Larethian. Captain Dawnbrook is reluctant, but grudgingly agrees after guards from the North Gate support the suggestion. Captain Highwater from the Northern Gate comes down.
At the temple of Larethian, Moja interrogates the orcs. They eventually admit that they were told that Captain Lyra Dawnbrook would leave the gate open.
Captain Lyra Dawnbrook allows herself to be subjected to the *zone of truth*. She had acted under orders of Council Member Meron because she believed that the orcs would destroy the city, so a deal with the orcs might let the city survive.
Captain Highwater agrees to place Council member Merron under arrest.
The party is considering some rest for deciding upon their next course of action.
