Thus the party’s journey began to the Dragon’s Crown and the village of Mistmarsh. After a four day train ride, the party finally exits the lightning train in the Breland military blockade known as Sterngate. The military stronghold Sterngate sits on the borders of Breland and Darguun, and for more than six hundred years has protected the nation’s border from marauding goblinoids and other threats from the Seawall mountains. The party makes only a quick stop in Sterngate, and only long enough to gather last minute supplies, horses and a wagon before venturing on foot. The paladin, Cord, stays behind in Sterngate to attempt to gather further info. Perhaps speak to the local captains and lieutenants inquiring of any recent Emerald Claw activity in the area or anyone that matched the description of Garrow, the man who bought the Cannith research findings from Rorsh Oblo.
After an uneventful five day trek by horseback, the party arrives in the former mining town of Mistmarsh. It is here where the party begins to investigate around the town asking for Lady Elaydren d’Cannith’s uncle, Geldom d’Cannith. Few in the town can recall seeing a man matching our adventurers’ description. The barkeep at the Drunken Miner Alehouse however, accurately recalls the older gent asking around town for a guide to take him to the Dragon’s Crown. Corzen is unable to find any information on Emerald Claw activity around the town, thankful that by the looks of it, this poor village hasn’t been plagued by the likes. He does find some information regarding a abandoned military fortress not too far from town known as Brightstone Keep. After the Last War, the military abandoned the mountainside fortress and returned to Sterngate. Some of the soldiers stationed there, deciding to retire in the quiet little mining town of Mistmarsh.
Feeling they’ve gathered all the info needed, our heroes make their way north, for the Dragon’s Crown in search of Geldom d’Cannith and any traces of the Emerald Claw. Later that day during their travel the group is jump by a brigand of gnoll marauders. Surprising the brigade of gnolls seem well prepared and trained. The fight is beginning to look direly interesting when off in the distance a lone figure galloping across the hills towards the party. Cord the paladin of Dol ‘Arrah swoops in on horseback to join the party in the fight, helping to quickly dispatch the gnoll gang.
Cord informs the party that he has reinforcements traveling behind him, and tells them that he rode ahead. The party decides to break for spell and search the gnolls corpses. Strangely, the party finds several precious uncut gems on the gnoll bodies, along with a map of the road they are travelling upon. On the map are X’s drawn at certain points of the road, which the group discerns may be ambush points, seeing as there is an X drawn approximately where they are standing. Also on the map, a fortress is marked out to the west of the road, this one marked with a red X and a circle around it. In checking out the rest of the loot the gnoll gang was carrying, on the adventurers spot something very peculiar. One of the gnolls was wearing a House Cannith signet ring. Questions are beginning to rise when the cleric spots tracks in the ground where it appears something was dragged from the road. Following the deep ruts in the ground, and not far from the roadside, a horse drawn wagon sits in ruins. It’s remains have been burned along with what appears to be one of it’s passengers. The burned wagon remains and it’s victim appear to have been stripped of anything of value. The party speculates that this may have been another victim to the gnoll ambushers, or worse, the victim may have been Geldom d’Cannith and his guide.
Cord’s backup arrives on horseback. The stout and swaggering human announces himself as Krajen Berrleti, ex-soldier of the Breland military. He met up with Cord back in Sterngate and accepted his offer at a chance to earn some extra gold and crack some skulls. Grateful for any help they can get the group makes there acquaintances. The party is then able to discern that the fortress marked out on the map must be Brightstone Keep. Speculating that perhaps the gnolls may have taken up a new residence in the abandoned keep and that they may have taken Geldom d’Cannith there, the group decides to investigate it. A few hours later the party can see the stone former military compound in the distance. The keep was built in a well selected place. The mountain backdrop behind the fortress and the river running along the south of it would have kept it well protected from invasion. Wary of what they may find ahead, our adventurers tie off the horses and wagon, choosing to advance in stealth. Helkhad’s protective bubble of darkness surrounds the party, keeping them hidden from the night.
