RECAP: War of the Burning Sky, 10-19-25

Context and Recent Events

The group had departed from Gallofend and accompanied Duke Gallo to the city of Bresk for peace talks following a significant battle against the king’s forces. Although the party’s role was not deemed instrumental, their behind-the-scenes efforts greatly aided the Duke’s victory and forced the King’s forces to sue for peace.

The king summoned Duke Gallo and his retinue to Bresk under what felt more like a summons than an invitation, implying limited choice in attendance. The Duke arrived with a substantial military escort, camped outside Bresk, and secured lodging at the estate of Narean Barrelborn, a wealthy dwarf merchant and ally. This estate offers greater security than the king’s palace, ensuring safety amid tense political negotiations.

During their stay, the party encountered Pixis, a disguised thief who infiltrated the city guard by masquerading as a man. Pixis revealed suspicious activity near the city’s cemetery and underground caverns—specifically, monks dropping barrels into a sewer-like pit and then descending after them. On multiple occasions, she was removed from guard duties at these sensitive locations under unclear circumstances. Pixis distrusts the situation and chose to share these findings with the party before distancing herself from the conflict.

The party confirmed they still possess the corpse of Ja’as in a bag, which they used as evidence to convince Duke Gallo of their story regarding he murder of the king’s family. The Duke trusts their account and refrains from pressing for details.

• Duke Gallo is engaged in peace talks with the king, who appears genuinely interested in reconciliation.
• Security lapses exist: key locations such as the king’s vault and cemetery are inadequately guarded during the festival.
• Pixis witnessed suspicious barrel smuggling into underground tunnels linked to old sewers beneath the city.
• The party holds a corpse as evidence of political intrigue and murder.
• Duke Gallow’s retinue and the party reside at Narian Barrelborn’s estate, enhancing security.

Political Atmosphere and Security Concerns:

Back at Barrelborn’s manor, Gallo shares insights about the king, who appears more like his former self after a period of depression linked to his family’s poisoning and death. The king has replaced his royal chef following poisoning fears, indicative of ongoing internal threats. The Duke jokes about old traditions of exchanging plates to avoid poison, underscoring the tension.

The party discusses the suspicious smuggling of unknown substances into the city, likely via the underground tunnels Pixis described. This raises concerns about potential plots against the assembled nobles, as a grand feast is imminent with all eight regional leaders expected to attend. Given the prior assassination attempt on the king, the threat level seems high.

Duke Gallo explains that the nobles and their families are protected by an artifact known as the Book of Eight Lands, which shields them from mind-affecting magic and divination. This protection casts doubt on earlier suspicions that the king was magically influenced, suggesting his previous depression was more natural grief than enchantment.

The king’s apparent strategy involves appeasement of the Sargavans, allowing their forces passage through strategic passes to deter direct conflict. The Duke opposes this appeasement, considering it politically unwise.

Political Players and Developments:

• Sargavans: Previously accused of poisoning the king’s family; now have a military presence near the Duke’s forces and an ambassador in Bresk.
• Provisional Government of Seaquen: Represented in Bresk but by one Colonel Keghammer, a previously unknown dwarf envoy, indicating ongoing political upheaval in Seaquen.
• The Duke promises to raise the Sargavan threat with the king in upcoming talks.
• A grand peace festival and banquet are scheduled, bringing all regional leaders together, heightening risk of assassination attempts.

Exploration of Underground Tunnels and Graveyard

The party plans a covert night investigation of the old cemetery and underground tunnels to uncover the nature of the smuggled barrels and suspicious activity. The cemetery is largely abandoned, with an obelisk-shaped gravestone notably out of place for dwarves.

The tunnel entrance, concealed beneath a rusty grate, appears sewer-like and neglected, consistent with Pixis’s description. The water channel inside is shallow and lacks the typical sewer stench, suggesting it serves another purpose.

Detect undead reveals the presence of undead creatures deeper within the tunnels, and faint distant wails are heard, increasing the sense of danger. The party proceeds cautiously, using darkvision and stealth.

Tracking marks and sawdust along the tunnel floor indicate recent barrel dragging, confirming smuggling activity. The path leads toward a disused prison area used previously by the party.

Discovery of Secret Doors and Prison Cells

Following the drag marks, the party locates a secret door concealed in the prison area, recently used and leading to a tunnel upwards. Investigation of the prison cells reveals they are mostly open and abandoned, except for one locked cell containing a battered, disheveled dwarf cook.

The cook, once employed by the king’s household, was captured and tortured by the Sargavan ambassador’s forces (notably by an orc aide named Torrax). He denies involvement in the poisoning but confirms the previous palace chef left abruptly days before the king’s family was poisoned.

The cook’s testimony suggests a deliberate replacement of palace staff to facilitate poisoning plots and indicates ongoing conspiracies within the king’s inner circle. The party plans to free and heal the cook and use his information.

Infiltration and Capture of Guards

The party quietly infiltrates the prison’s administrative area, encountering guards loyal to the king but possibly compromised. They disarm and subdue a guard who claims ignorance about the barrels but is visibly frightened and reluctant to be tied to a zombie strapped to a nearby table.

Zombies are present, restrained for unknown purposes, suggesting nefarious experiments or preparations. The guards hold onyx stones in their mouths, likely necromantic foci that allow instant reanimation if killed, indicating the use of necromancy to maintain forces.

The party prepares to confront the orc aide Torrax and the Sargavan ambassador Serrimus, planning to use traps and coordinated attacks to control the situation.

Combat Initiation and Tactical Engagement

The party initiates combat with surprise rounds, focusing on quickly neutralizing Torrax (the orc) and the Sargavan ambassador Serrimus. The monk attempts a stunning fist attack while others prepare to summon elemental allies and cast spells to control the battlefield.

The party uses battlefield control tactics including creating pits to trap enemies and deploying ranged attacks to suppress them. The orc is wounded and taken down rapidly, while Serrimus maintains a placid demeanor initially but is subdued.

The guards show signs of confusion and disarray but continue to resist. The party members carefully manage their positioning and spell usage in the confined spaces of the prison complex.

Ongoing Battle and Control of Prisoners

The party continues to pressure the Sargavan forces and king’s loyalists, with the monk delivering a heavy blow that renders the orc unconscious. The party moves to restrain prisoners carefully to allow for interrogation and prevent escape.

The Sargavan ambassador Serrimus is forced to comply with demands and is restrained, though he attempts diplomatic negotiation. The party remains distrustful and prepared for treachery.

The party manages to close doors to slow reinforcements and limit enemy movement, further controlling the combat environment.

Healing magic is cautiously applied to prisoners only after securing them to prevent escape or deception. The party debates the balance between eliminating threats and preserving potential intelligence sources.

Session Conclusion

The session ends with combat ongoing, prisoners secured but not yet fully subdued, and the party poised to continue investigation and interrogation in the next session scheduled for two weeks later. The political intrigue deepens as the party uncovers a conspiracy involving Sargavan agents, poisoning plots, and necromantic practices beneath Bresk.

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Key Terms and Concepts

Term	Description
Duke Gallo	Dwarven duke leading forces against the king, engaged in peace talks in Brasque.
King Steffengard	The king whose family was poisoned; currently engaged in uneasy peace negotiations.
Sargavans	Foreign faction accused of poisoning the king’s family; have political and military presence.
Pixis	Friend of the party who infiltrated the city guard disguised as a man; uncovered suspicious activity.
Book of Eight Lands	An artifact protecting nobles and their families from mind-affecting magic and divination.
Talons	The king’s elite guards or police force involved in maintaining order and security.
Torrax	Orc aide to the Saravan ambassador involved in torture and guard operations.
Ambassador Serrimus	Saravan ambassador involved in conspiracies within Brasque.
Necromantic Onyx Stones	Stones worn in mouths for rapid reanimation under necromantic spells.
Pixis’s Barrel Smuggling	Monks dropping barrels into underground tunnels connected to the city’s sewers and prison.

Key Insights and Conclusions

• olitical Intrigue Runs Deep: The king’s poisoning and the ongoing peace talks mask a dangerous conspiracy involving Sargavan agents, internal court treachery, and necromantic forces.
• Security Lapses Enable Smuggling and Subversion: Neglected guard posts and secret underground tunnels facilitate smuggling of barrels and possibly magical or poisonous substances, threatening all nobles gathered for peace.
• Magic and Artifacts Shape Political Power: The Book of Eight Lands serves as a crucial magical protection for nobles, complicating attempts to influence or control them via magic.
• Combat Tactics Reflect High Stakes: The party employs careful battlefield control, combining surprise, magic, and physical prowess to neutralize threats without compromising potential intelligence sources.
• Allies and Enemies Intertwine: The Duke trusts the party’s evidence and judgment, but the true loyalties of the king’s forces, Sargavan agents, and local officials remain uncertain.
• Unfolding Threat to the Peace Conference: With all regional leaders converging for a banquet, the stakes are high for uncovering and preventing further assassination or sabotage attempts.

Summary

The party is entrenched in a layered political and magical conspiracy unfolding in the city of Bresk. Following a hard-fought battle, they are caught up in tense peace negotiations between Duke Gallo and the king, shadowed by sinister forces. Key noble figures are under threat from Sargavan agents, who have already attempted regicide via poisoning and now appear to be smuggling dangerous materials into the city through neglected underground tunnels.

The party investigates these tunnels and a disused prison complex, uncovering evidence of torture, necromantic practices, and infiltration of the king’s guard units. They free a captive palace cook, tortured and imprisoned by Sargavan operatives, who provides critical insights into the poisoning plot and suspicious personnel changes in the royal kitchen.

Combat erupts as party members confront Sargavan loyalists and the orc aide Torrax inside the prison complex. Utilizing surprise tactics, magical battlefield control, and precise strikes, the party manages to subdue key enemies but must carefully balance aggression with the need to interrogate for intelligence. The Sargavan ambassador remains defiant yet restrained, symbolizing the broader political tension enveloping the region.

With a grand peace banquet imminent, where all regional leaders will gather, the stakes could not be higher. The party’s actions in uncovering and disrupting the conspiracy will be critical to preventing further assassination attempts and ensuring a fragile peace holds. The story pauses at a critical juncture, with combat ongoing and deep political mysteries yet to unravel.

This session highlights the intertwining of politics, magic, and intrigue, emphasizing the party’s role as both investigators and warriors in a complex power struggle.