Getting into Spurhorn

After discussion the party decided to follow Bescaylie's directions to Spurhorn.

"Perhaps she will help us enter the fortress?" Santrel wondered.

"She will need to know when we are ready," Casia added.

"We could try to fly in using the ointments," Santrel considered.

"The ointments are usable for a lengthy time, they are of overland flight," Fanara said.

The party then headed off in the direction indicated by Bescaylie.  Soon the found themselves in deep snow, slogging over the mountainous terrain.  The sky was lit only to a dim light but the cold was not debilitating.  

After around two hours the party saw three two-legged dragons with dull blue scales tinged with bright blue ice, flying in patrol across the sky. On seeing the party the dragons flew lower to investigate and intercept the party.

In Draconic one of the dragons asked who the party was and what they were doing here?  Santrel answered in Draconic that the party was headed to join the Drakelands on the attack against the fortress ahead. Fanara identified the creatures as Frost Drakes but did not know much else. Some further negotiation was had between the two but as Casia moved toward the track the party was given one Drakes moved toward her and Jorgen and a freezing mist issued from between its powerful jaws.

The cold was damaging and also created a sheet of slippery ice in the affected area. Casia and Jorgen found it difficult to move across the ice. A full battle was now joined as the party was shocked the response of the Drakes after their seeming interest. Fanara and Amadeo were given fly spells by Santrel while the rest of the party attacked with ranged weapons.  The remaining two drakes also used their breath weapons making the battleground all slippery.  The Drakes used fly-by attacks and continued to attack with bites and tail slaps. Santrel led off with a fireball which was of effective damage.

Even with the limited movement the party quickly overcame the Drakes and left them lying in the snow as a warning to anyone following their path. After some quick healing the party headed back on the path to Spurhorn. Shortly after midday the way ahead was filled with a wagon drawn by two oxen. Two humanoids drove the wagon, which seemed full of supplies.

Seeing that the party were not native to Triaxus the two engaged the heroes in conversation. They related the same history of Triaxus, the dragons and the planets strange journey around the sun. Once difference from Bescaylie's story though was the present war. The Drakelanders were recovering lands stolen by the wicked Dragon Legion during the "Dragonbane War," when the evil Triaxian nations banded together and tried to wipe out all of the noble true dragons. The leader invited the heroes to come with them and meet with the leader of the Drakelands forces, General Malesinder. She would certainly welcome new recruits.

Fanara did most of the negotiations and agreed that the party would follow the Drakelanders to their encampment but as the wagon pulled alongside Fanara, Amadeo and Jorgen they launched an attack on the two unsuspecting legionaries. This battle was quick work as the party put down the new enemy and took the wagon onward toward Spurhorn.

Late in the day the party made their way to the overlook described by Bescaylie.  Over a valley in front of them they saw a great fortress on top of an outcropping. Icy cliffs were at least 120 feet high surrounded the fortress. They looked difficult to ascend. There seemed to be people or creatures attempting to climb the cliffs as dragons and dragonkin fought each other in the skies.

Spurhorn's outer walls were 30 feet high and and slick with ice. The walls were crenelated, and groups of crossbowmen regularly patrolled the battlements. Eight squat towers protruded from Spurhorn's outer walls. Forty feet tall, each bastion had two floors above ground, equipped with arrow slits on all sides. Each bastion had a crenelated roof with bolts flying at dragons at syncopated timing. Five towers flanked Spurhorn's pentagonal central keep. The keep is 30 feet tall, the four western towers were 40 feet tall, and the eastern tower was 60 feet tall. the aerie fortress of Spurhorn appeared to have no ground level entrances, and no paths or roads climb up the steep mountain that supported it.

The party began to plan their method of getting into Spurhorn. The walls were 200 or so feet away over a vast chasm. The Drakelands forces were battling but there were only minor battles with few dragons or fighters happening. Many plans were suggested and discarded as the party debated their next move.  

"How can we get Bescaylie's attention? If she is actually somewhere around," Santrel asked.

"We could start a bonfire," Jorgen suggested.

"Maybe we can teleport into the fortress," Fanara intimated.

"What if they have some magic to disallow that?" Casia wondered.

After many minutes of back and forth the group decided to spend the night here.  But first Santrel would summon a Archon Hound who would carry a message and flag to the fortress tower and leave it with suggested responses. This was done and the Archon teleported but did not appear to ever land upon the tower.  No reaction was seen from the defenders.

"At least we know not to try that," Casia affirmed.

With that the party found a sheltered cove in which to spend the night. They identified the magic items they had recovered and tried to plan for the next day.

"Perhaps we can attract the guards attention, or maybe Bescaylie is watching," Santrel state hopefully.

"Or we can enlarge two people and fly everyone over to Spurhorn," Fanara countered.

"That will probably just get us shot at," Casia retorted.

After this the party bedded down for the night, they were rather tired from the exercise of traipsing through deep snow in the mountains and fighting some battles along the way. The night was uneventful, but not much darker than day as the sun was just a small pinprick in the sky. The morning routine was followed and then the group moved closer to the edge of the cliff and began to signal and shout at the soldiers on the walls and towers of Spurhorn. Unfortunately the Darklands warriors seemed to notice the activity first as a Brass Dragonkin flew up carrying a single rider who hopped off as the Dragonkin landed and launched a Lightning Bolt at Jorgen and Fanara. The battle was now underway.

Fanara moved right up to the humanoid as Jorgen fired a crossbow at the dragonkin.  Santrel attempted a fireball on the two, and found that it did no damage to either. Milos said a prayer as Casia and Amadeo moved forward for the fight. The dragonkin then moved over a breathed out a line of fire that hit Amadeo, Casia and Santrel.  This was followed by the magician breathing a cloud of cold catching Jorgen and Fanara. The party attacked again with Santrel twisting the fire to acid on the spell.  This did have an effect on both enemies.

On the next round the dragonkin attacked with its Glaive which did significant damage to Amadeo,  Milos then channeled healing much to the party's relief. Santrel used a magic missile and the rest of the party continued to attack.  The dragonkin again attacked and the magic user cast a Cone of Cold spell. The magic user fell to Fanara's attack, Jorgen moved to flank the dragonkin but failed to hit it. The rest of the party focused now on the one remaining enemy who soon fell to their attacks.

Milos applied more healing as the party relaxed and then searched for magic.  The enemies weapons were not magical but the humanoid had several magical items, scrolls, ring, amulet, cloak, etc.  They grabbed all of the items just as a red dragonkin took off from the fortress and flew out to the party and began circling the party before landing. Bescaylie hopped off and welcomed the group to the area of Spurhorn.

"We can make our way into Spurhorn now.  I will vouch for you when we get there.  The guards will not fire on us as we approach." Bescaylie indicated.

Fanara and Amadeo were enlarged and they they had fly cast upon them.  They then carried the remaining party to the walls of Spurhorn with Bescaylie and Efrixes in the lead.  As they approached the walls the crossbowmen began to take aim on them but Bescaylie yelled out some word in Triaxian that was incomprehensible and the guards relaxed. The party landed in the snow tracked interior of the fortress.

The party was surrounded by Spurhorn's outer walls - 30 feet high and 10 feet thick and slick with ice. The walls are crenelated, and groups of four Dragon Legion crossbowmen regularly patrolled the battlements. Squat, solidly built stone blockhouses were scattered across the courtyard. Five towers flanked Spurhorn's pentagonal central keep. The keep was 30 feet tall, the four western towers were 40 feet tall, and the eastern tower was 60 feet tall. At ground level, the keep was a solid stone block. Ten feet above the courtyard to the southeast, a huge 20-foot-wide door was evident.

The group was met by four guards who indicated they were to stay in the guest quarters.  Bescaylie said she would lead the group to the quarters and dismissed Efrixes who flew to the huge keep doors which opened and let him into the keep. Bescaylie led the party to the nearest blockhouse and opened the door which revealed stairs going down into the very rock of Spurhorn. Bescaylie led the group down the stairs around 30-35 feet to a hallway.  The group was then led along various hallways, some doors and other passageways were seen as they were led into what seemed a training room.  Various weights and mats were on the floor along with weapons and armor, in sad shape. Bescaylie continued through the room into another hallway and finally to a set of stairs headed up. This stairway led up around 40 feet to a door. The stairs continued upward but Bescaylie stopped at the door and let the party into the guest quarters. These chambers contained spare but comfortable furnishings for visitors to Spurhorn.

"You can stay here until tomorrow when Commander Pharamol will call a council of the senior leaders. You are invited to attend and try to convince the council to accept your help," Bescaylie said.

"Will we get food?" Jorgen asked.

"Of course and a guard will be stationed outside the door if you need anything else."

With that Bescaylie left the heroes alone.  Food came at appropriate times and it was warmer inside the tower.  Casia was relieved at the chance to rest and relax, hopefully without Baba Yaga's curse being invoked against them. The party identified the magic items from the Drakelands magician and took time peering out the arrowslots and single window.

"I believe we are in the tallest tower," Milos stated. "I wonder where the two-headed eagle is."

"We should not mention that item in a large group," Santrel suggested.

After a very relaxing nights rest the party had just finished with their morning meal when Bescaylie arrived and said they were requested to join the council meeting.  She led them up the stairs to a door, where another staircase extended further upward. She announced herself and the door opened revealing a room containing a long table and comfortable seating for around 20 humanoids or dragonkin. The room was full of dragonkin and Triaxians. A door to the west led to a private garden. Bescaylie led the party to a Gold Dragonkin and a rugged and muscular Winterborn Triaxian with a mature and distinguished demeanor. He wore the uniform of a Dragon Legion officer with the ease of one long accustomed to command. 

"This is Commander Pharamol and his dragonkin Amerenth," Bescaylie said as she introduced the
heroes.

Commander Pharamol spoke in a deep bass voice that compelled attention.

"Welcome to our visitors.  I will introduce the council to you.  You are asked to state your case for joining the the Dragon Legion. Then the council will question you before we make our ultimate decision."

The council members were Calissus, a white dragonkin, heavily adorned with jewelry and carried a guisarme.  Her rider was Sumira, dressed in immaculate white armor, matching the dragonkin's scales. Herjan, a black dragonkin, with scars covering his body. He carried a lance and is bonded with Zusk, a muscular Triaxian with short, grizzled body fur.

Next were two unbonded dragonkin, Nevra, a blue, with a glaive.  She was beautiful with a slim neck and sleek body.  She presently serves as the aerie's seneschal.  Talsune was a cooper dragonkijn with large horns and thickly ridged shoulders with a greatsword.

The last two Triaxians were Jarilne with white body fur turning gray and seemingly almost blind. She is the leader of the ice seers of the Dragon Legion. Thronull, wiry and balding, who commands Spurhorn's crossbowmen.

"Why should we believe this group is here to help us?  Just look at their strange appearance and lack of fur.  They are probably spies.  Let us sacrifice them now." Zusk interjected with suspicion.

Casia took the lead in relating the group's mission.  She introduced Golarion, their origin and the mission they were on.  She hesitantly mentioned Baba Yaga but there was no response or sign of recognition by anyone in the room. She explained looking for keys to the hut.  Bescaylie verified seeing the hut with chicken legs! 

Nevra and Sumira were initially friendly toward the group, eager to hear their story, while Herjan, Thronull, and Zusk were distrusting and antagonistic. The rest of the officers were seemingly undecided though Jarilne asked probing questions and provided insightful commentary. Amerenth and Commander Pharamol were silent during the inquiry. 

While this was going on Santrel began to peruse a map on the wall of the chamber.  It appeared to be of the area of the Drakelands and Skyfire Mandate. He found Spurhorn in the Parapet Mountains and lots of other designated areas, cities, sites, or regions he could not determine. Lastly he found a label Ivoryglass. This was doubly interesting as two of the items were an elephants tusk and a hand mirror that were laid on a bearskin rug.

"The visitors will now leave the chamber as we decide their acceptance," Commander Pharamol stated emphatically.

Bescaylie led the party into the hall. Santrel related his findings as the party waited for a hour while the council debated their fate. Finally they were called back and filed into the council chambers.

"We have agreed to accept your help and we welcome you to the ranks of Spurhorns defenders.  Thronull," Commander Pharamol announced.

Thronull stood and distributed patches to each party member.

"Add this to your ourfit. It will identify you as part of the Dragon Legion," he ordered.

"You are assigned to the guest quarters.  When your help is needed you will be advised to join us in the courtyard.  You have free reign to most of Spurhorn.  Show your badges as proof of identity."

With that the party is led back to the guest quarters by Bescaylie who is pleased with their addition to the Legion.

DM's Notes: Several session are covered by this post.  For all of those sessions the party earned 12,967 XP and now have 93,395 XP.