G01 — Session 1

1626, Fire Season

---

Season, Week, Day
Fire Season, Movement Week, Clayday-Windsday

Events

After saying their goodbyes at the White Grape Inn, Serala and Finarvi headed up to the Palace to collect any messages. They tell the harried junior functionaries that they’re heading North, and are introduced to Jorrim, a young combat scribe with an impressive scar, and Arim, a terse Humakti with a sword as tall as he is.

The four head North, stopping for the night at Johnstown where a helpful innkeeper says the army passed through 3 days prior, levying the fyrds. He said they were waiting for the Feathered Horse Queen’s forces to join them.

The party continued North the next morning, when they spotted a rider galloping down the Kingsroad towards them in great haste. Arim dismounted and got ready for battle, Jorrim and Finarvi got off the road to give the rider space, and Serala, recognising Eril, chose to intercept and ask what’s the matter. Eril slowed just enough to shout something about a Lunar plot before galloping off again.

As the group approached Dangerford, a mass of heavy Grazelander cavalry formed up ahead of them and began a charge towards the ford, where a full battle was in progress. A Lunar army had been caught crossing the river, and were fighting desperately against the massed ranks of Sartarite and Colymar troops, Old Tarsh regulars, and Grazelander and Sartarite cavalry who had them surrounded.

Spying Starbrow’s banner on the right of the battle, Jorrim announced that the messages must be delivered even if there is a battle happening right now.

Unfortunately, at that point there was a bright red flash of Lunar sorcery and elite Lunar troops appeared on the hill behind Prince Kallyr’s position. They charged into Kallyr’s guard and the Prince’s banner faltered and fell. At the ford, the Lunar legion broke out of their bridgehead and surged forward, in their midst an ironclad figure wielding a red scimitar, mounted on a huge red horse – Pharandros, King of Tarsh and Lunar puppet.

Jorrim decided the messages could wait a moment and found cover with the pack mule.

Arim hefted his unfeasibly large sword and headed towards the ford, passing Leika Blackspear’s force and rallying them to join him in attacking the Lunars while they were over-extended.

Serala headed for the banner of the Luminous Stallion King, Finarvi at her heels, spying her War-leader brother Endars in there. Endars, being a bright spark, saw the opportunity Serala was bellowing about and ordered the heavy cavalry charge.

Serala and Finarvi then rode to Kallyr’s defence. The Lunar foot soldiers saw themselves being surrounded but continued to press the Royal Guard. They tried to form a defensive ring, but were attacked by Telmori wolves which prevented them from closing the circle, and then the Grazelander cavalry charge hit and broke them.

Seeing the battle turning once again in the Sartarites’ favour, King Pharandros disappeared in a puff of red light.

At the ford, a Yinkin scout named Ivalla in command of a cadre of archers turned the Lunars’ Tarshite irregulars into floating pincushions, while Arim worked on damming the river with corpses.

With the battle done, Serala and Finarvi collected Jorrim and headed off to deliver the messages to Kallyr. Galri of the Telmori stopped them outside the command tent. Finarvi intuited that something was wrong, very wrong, as in Kallyr was not only dead, but seemed to be stubbornly staying that way. Galri confirmed the day was won but at great cost. The Prince was already wounded before the fight began, and would not let the Telmori guard her.

Galri arranged to escort Kallyr back to Boldhome in the hope that she could be raised there.

Arim returned with Ivalla and her shadowcat, Uhnta. They shared rations with the group while Arim cleaned his sword, singing to it softly all the while. Word that the Prince has fallen begins to spread.

An hour before dawn, Galri departed for Boldhome with his escort, and despatches from Jorrim to take back, including a letter for Varanis of house Saiciae.

Next morning, Jorrim, Serala, Finarvi, Arim and Ivalla were called to the command tent together. Queen Leika and the Feathered Horse Queen seemed to be in charge and giving orders. There is no sign of Tennebris. Leika recognised Serala and Finarvi as Blue Tree Clan and thanked Serala for her timely arrival and insight. The Feathered Horse Queen ordered the group to find and fetch back the Luminous Stallion King, who had disappeared along with the Grazelander heavy cavalry, chasing Lunars.

The Queens’ orders for the LSK were to return to the main force, relieve Alda-Chur and liberate Sartar. Both had messages for Jorrim to courier. Leika assigned Ivalla to the group as a trusted scout, which was fortunate, as following the tracks of a thousand mounted warriors and warhorses proved surprisingly challenging.

The party follow the cavalry’s trail of dead Lunars North, towards Snakepipe Hollow.