A Fierce Reminder of Old Friends

Previously, the heroes made their way from Lynnecombe-upon-Lyn towards the Sheridan estate. They met some teamsters and masons that were on their way to the estate to perform some work, and later they ran into some heavily armed Sheridan house guards on the bridge across Raven’s Craig Glen. When James spotted a hidden observer in the forest overlooking the bridge, the heroes decided to try and sneak up on them only to discover it was a fierce orc. After a scuffle she dashed off deeper into the woods and the heroes went to pursue her.

Third Day, First Ride, Autumn Red, 1262

(Silvermoon in high sanction. Bloodmoon in high sanction. Darkmoon is waning.)

After a mad chase through the woods the heroes managed to catch up with the orc and were able to restrain her and knock her unconscious. After tying her up, James, Emrys and Quentin decided that they would continue to the Sheridan estate and try to talk to some friendly faces there, while Astrid and Luca would keep an eye on their captive.

The loss of Emrys’ voice was quickly remedied as the surge of magic faded from his body. It took a little while longer before the same

When the three arrived at the Sheridan estate, they found that at least a dozen guards in grey uniforms carrying the wolf’s head heraldry of House Grey had taken up residence in the lower garden of the estate. They were mingling and on friendly terms with the Sheridan guards and seemed to have been invited.

It was clear to the heroes that the Sheridans were undertaking some reconstructions to the dépendance and they saw piles of earth, stones and rubble close to the building. In front of the dépendance, around well, which had also seen its fair share of remodelling, the staff of the estate were running back and for to the manor, hard at work preparing for the celebrations.

The courtyard, once the home of fragrant bushes and flowers, had now become the location where crates, barrels and sacks of provisions were stored which would help the estate make it through the coming winter. The vibrant greens of the trees had made way to the yellow, orange and reds of the autumn.

While the trio was standing around trying to see a familiar face they saw the manor’s door open and the tall form of a Sheridan stepping through and onto the landing at the top of the steps leading up to the entrance. His tall, athletic frame and red brown hair identified him as Lord Marcus.

When they spoke, Lord Marcus explained that the Sheridans were in the preparation for the remembrance celebration of Lady Gwynn, the late lady of the house. Lord Lothar Grey, the twin brother to the late Lady Gwyn, made it a point to come and celebrate with the Sheridans every year, which explained the presence of the House Grey guard.

Lord Marcus also explained that the catacombs had been explored and the entrance to the catacombs had been reinforced and it was the plan of house Sheridan to start making use of the underground space, which explained all of the work that had been done and was still to come.

When the three explained that they had captured an orc scout outside of the estate, Marcus immediately confirmed that if they brought her to the estate it would likely mean she would meet a deadly fate. This proved once again that Lord Marcus also had a soft spot for the Kaedwyni orcs they had rescued from the catacombs all those months before. James asked whether there was a place they could take her to interrogate her, and Marcus directed them to an abandoned windmill nearby.

Before they departed Marcus assured them they would be granted a seat at a table for the celebration and he’d make sure to find a place for them to spend the night. As the trio left the estate to return back to Astrid, Luca and their captive they bumped into the caravan of masons that had finally arrived at the estate.

After returning to their companions, who were still guarding the captive, who had since regained consciousness, the heroes made their way deeper into the woods and back towards the glen, following it upstream for a ways before crossing through the water and past the other side of the Sheridan estate. It didn’t take long before the heroes found the large, abandoned windmill.

Inside, they started to interrogate the orc but for a long time she refused to say a word. This changed when the heroes brought up the names of their Kaedwyni friends; Korath, Kaedan, Summi and Garr. It was clear that she recognised the names. When leaning on this spark of recognition, she finally started to speak.

It turned out she was asked by Korath, whom she referred to as “Korath the Wise” and was her warchief (not warlord, which she was quick to correct), had asked her to travel to the estate in order to keep an eye on it. While she didn’t know exactly why, she believed that he was interested in going back underground. She believed that he may be looking for an “eye,” though the heroes did not feel like they had the time or inclination to get distracted by this. They had bigger fish to fry if they wanted to save James’ mother from her dangerous predicament.

The heroes decided to let her go, but not before Luca, who had been observing her with that strange sight of his, asked her about the pendant she wore on a leather string around her neck. It was a polished stone in the shape of two crossed spears and she explained that it was given to her by a shaman from her tribe and allowed her to send messages to her warchief. She explained that she had already explained that she had been captured, but also calmed the heroes’ worry that her warchief was many days away and was not likely to come to her rescue.

When it became clear that the heroes were about to let her go, she said she would continue to only observe the estate and send another update to Korath explaining that she had been released. And with that, she was let go. After a few minutes, the heroes returned to the estate, as it was getting late in the day.

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