Chapter Two: Fearmonger and the Red Dog

Session was held 29th of December at the Penthouse of Pain

"Hot steaming sulphurous depths under the frozen dome. And I tell you, there was fertile green!"
- Mordgóin Gemgrinder, expedition leader

Nespil Crowgale

They had just laid their feet upon the Luskanese soil when a brawl broke out between our brave mercenaries and a band of thugs known as the Amazing Luskan Lads. These lads were easy to defeat but their leader, Windmill Hágo, knocked the wind out of Thelon. After gathering their earthly belongings and reviving Thelon, our party stepped forth towards the Luskanese streets.

Old man Crowgale asked our hired blades to escort him to his apartment, where he would ensue furious study of Valgaerd Whitefarers logbook. But something was not right as they arrived to the house. A unknown man of familiar stature had taken the initiative to make himself comfortable at Enochs place. Our bloodhounds readied themselves for fight but the situation came to nothing as Enoch slapped the man into order. An exact copy of his more book-oriented father, the man was Nespil Crowgale. He had finished his current campaign among the ranks of a mercenary company and was enjoying well deserved downtime.

Brothel grappling at its finest, our heroes had nothing to do with it.

Elder Crowgale was left to his ponderous books as Nespil and the gang agreed to go for few pints. He recommended the lads to visit his company, the Red Dog Mercenary Company, as he finds the service for Commander Klemens Greybeard a suitable way for our heroes to gain renown, wealth and power. Our braves agreed to pay a visit to companys garrison at some point, but for now they focused on booze. One led to dozen, and suddenly they were following Nespil to some shady alleys under the Reavers Run, a street that separates the bad parts of Luskan from the really horrific part. Nespils pace introduced them to a brothel where fleshly delights were for grabs. Many of our hunks turned down the offers, but master Posco chose a pretty halfling lass to his side for the night, as did Nespil. The rest of the group was quickly thrown out from the brothel, as such virtuous homosexuals possess no benefit to a enterprise of that trade.

Red Dog Mercenary Company herald

Oh the dew and the first rays of the sun, morning came with a hangover. After few breathers the four were on the move again, this time for the mercenary company. It was located near the South Gate and officer called Remyl Tiberin received them. Few soldiers were practicing at the closed courtyard as our heroes waited for commander Greybeard to attend their business. With the commanders side arrived a huge red dog that had more in common with wolves than ordinary canines, and at some point Bolwyn was sure the dog was whispering to Klemens Greybeard. Nevertheless, it was quickly agreed that our four men would perform few missions for the company, for a good pay of course. Half-elf crossbowman Artyom was ordered to gather a recon party for the Great Ice Lakes in the north, and our mercenary heroes would be part of them. Artyom emphasizes the importance of a light package for the reconnaissance mission.

Rest of the day was spared for general armament, as the team had few coins put aside from the Icepeak adventure. Red Dragon Trading Company at the Mirabar district in the northern Luskan offered good selection of mundane arms and equipment, but for something little bit special our heroes had to follow a different route. A mage of the Arcane Brotherhood sold a mercantile permit for them to use at the Arcane Host tower, if they would like to purchase magical equipment. This was one of the few not so subtle signs that the Arcane Brotherhood controlled the city with an iron fist.

The Horde

Time flew and the new dawn came. Everybody was ready at the Red Dog company. Artyom introduced the helping hands of their mission, half-orc ranger Greenbeard and his two blades and "Chest" Lundolph von Yegor, rich lesser noble in his platemail. As the gates opened, the small band headed north with great haste. Reports from the northern rangers indicated that something was happening at the Ice Lakes, and few small villages had already been sacked with their denizens nowhere to be seen. Artyom had planned their way to the village of Claysheaf where they could obtain more information about the current situation.

King of Waterdeep

But no feet travel the speed of a hoof, so our scouts had to set for a night in a roadside inn called Heaven of Wilderness. The innkeeper Grikoris welcomed them to his quiet inn, where few patrons were changing yesterdays news. The stale air of the inn was soon disrupted by a man known as the Raven. He sat, drank and answered to an old man who asked about his inquires, and then left. Dazed geezer replied the mans sentence "The northwind shall harvest the yield, the rest are left for death". Many were shocked and the patrons left the inn quietly, and Grikoris explained that the Raven was notorious for speaking with few words, but those few predicted always what was upcoming, and thus the patrons were scared away by this ill divination.

New day and new adventures awaited. After half days travel on the old mercantile road, a group of dwarven merchants came upon our adventurers. One of the stunties was lying badly wounded inside their wagon, and the rest explained that poor bastard had taken a hit from the lance of the King of Waterdeep. Artyom identifies the name as a mad man who has been ravaging the northern countrysides for years now. The dwarves were given a promise that the lunatic would be slain if met. Well, it didn't take long before our heroes had to live up to their words. A knight in tattered outfit charged the party with mount and lance, striking with devastating force. He had a withered old man as a follower, who shouted "kneel before the king" as they plunged against our mercenaries blades. And thus they plunged to their deaths.

Rest of the days journey went without further encounters and the party rested well. Artyoms swift feet guided them towards the village of Claysheaf and by the mid-day they reached it. But the village was already ravaged and its denizens were gone. Nothing was burned nor looted but six corpses lied at the village central. They were strong men but there they lied beheaded in the mud. After quick search and investigation, a reason for villages ill-fate was found, and some barbaric slavers were the main suspect. Fortunately, a strong set of tracks led towards north and our scouting party engaged a pursuit in hopes for rescuing the rest of the villagers.

Fourth day of their adventure to the Ice Lakes begun with sad news. The corpses of a woman and her child were found on the trail, a grim remainder of the distress that the villagers were in. Greenbeard the ranger guided our pursuiters to a willow thicket, that camouflaged their advancement. Soon they reached a covered hilltop, from where they saw to a narrow pass, with a opening of a chasm in the other end of it. Three men clad in red&black military garments were guarding the chasm, with their apparent officer currently paying a visit to their position. Closer examination revealed that these men were actually hobgoblins, cruel humanoids of military breed. Our braves overheard their discussion where the officer reminded the guards that commander was on his way to take the prisoners to the enclave. As the officer and its men left the guards, our scouts decided to make their move. Arrows and bolts were shot, and a quick charge struck the surviving guardsmen down. Then our mercenaries decided to charge the chasm, and they reached a safe opening to one of the ice lakes. The open cove had some makeshift prisoncages in it where the villagers were held. Bunch of hobgoblins that were to guard the prisoners were soon struck down and the prisoners were freed.

Chest Lundolph taking a hit to abdomen

The mercenaries decided to leave the cove as soon as possible and as they proceed with caution, a trap was set against them as they tried to leave through the rift. This entity known as the Commander had arrived with its troops, and they scorched the chasms opening with firebombs. Our braves had no choice than charge through the fires and face the horde of more than a dozen hobgoblins and their bugbear Commander. The bloodlusting bastards shouted "Kongrike ov Hvítrfjell", a  menacing motto that caught Bolwyns ear. Luck was on our heroes side as Thelons sword found a opening in Commanders guard, and he struck down the beast with a single hit. Rest of the hobgoblins were slain and driven away with ease, as their ranks broke.

The heading was set to the village as our scouts escorted the surviving villagers back home. As they later arrived to Claysheaf, the village elder Isólf expressed their gratitude for saving them. Our scouts set their destination back to Luskan as Artyom felt that it was rather urgent to report from their findings. He was quite sure that a horde of some sort was gathering at the Ice Lakes and they were amassing slaves to this Enclave that the officer had mentioned. Quick march back was a strenuous one, but they made it in record time.

Lord Konrad Haldurssen

Back at the Red Dog Mercenary Company, Greybeard was intrigued by their intelligence and he was sure that they would launch a campaign of some sort to take down the enclave, in not so distant future. Before retiring for pints and good sleep, our brave lads decided to pay a visit to Enoch to see if he had discovered something. As they arrived to Crowgales apartment, old rich looking man and he's bodyguard left the building. Crowgale waved them inside and explained that old man to be Lord Konrad Haldurssen, the patron of their upcoming expedition. And yes, Enoch revealed that he had discovered yet even more than he ever dared to hope for...