City of Gryrax: Prince Corrond’s Mansion
High: 52°F (11°C)
Low: Low: 32°F (0°C)
Near freezing rains all week long
The last week has been mostly uneventful. Due to the events 1 week ago, city guards have the city on lockdown. And with the threat of the orcs closing in on Havenhill, the captain of the guard, Ivan Hardspear , is doing everything he can to keep Grygax from imploding.
The big day is finally here.
3 of 4 of Father Legate’s guards have been resurrected.
The ambassadors are being escorted to the mansion by dozens of guards. The city streets are blocked off. This time Prince Corrond is taking no chances and has insisted citizens be kept as far away as possible. But once again angry mobs are everywhere. Luckily, the city guards are ready and all of the ambassadors arrive without any major incidents.
The main entrance is a thing of pure beauty. Marble floors with marble pillars. A ceiling fresco of The Hateful Wars CY 498 – 510. Huge paintings on the walls of some of the greatest dwarves that have fought and died for The Principality of Ulek.
Guards line the perimeter of the room. Several stand guard at the entrance of the mansion.
Suddenly, Prince Corrond’s personal mage enters the room:
“His Serene Highness, Lord of the Peaks of Haven, Prince Olinstaad Corond”
Though golden double doors to the north of the room, the Prince enters the room. Two of his personal guards, both paladins of Heironeus, stand guard. They are dressed in full plate mail. Both ready with two-handed swords. Everyone but the ambassadors of The Scarlet Brotherhood and Celene bow. The Prince looks exhausted and stressed. He takes a moment before speaking, “welcome ambassadors of The Great City of Greyhawk, of The Kingdom of Keoland, of the elven kingdom of Celene….” he pauses…..“and of The Scarlet Brotherhood.” There’s nervous under their breath muttering in the room. But no one dares say a word out loud. The paladins clearly seem uncomfortable at even the mention of The Brotherhood being in their presence.
The Prince continues, “we have waited long enough. Let us get right down to business. Beyond the double doors is a meeting room. For everyone’s safety, only one of the ambassador’s chosen guards will be allowed in the chambers”
In the conference room Malkam (Sam) witnesses the bickering between Lady Daena Syldan of Celene and Prince Corrond. In a voice of pure disdain she says, “the fact that THEY are being allowed here (she points to Father Legate of The Brotherhood), this only shows how you are slipping” “We are on the brink of war. As we speak an army of orcs has crossed the Jewel River and are advancing on Havenhill. Our armies were able to slow them down. But I fear not for much longer.”Dain Highcliff, dwarf ambassador of Keoland, and priest of The Billets of Cuthbert, remarks, “we should listen to what Prince Corrond has to say. If the orcs take Havenhill, Celene will be next. Gryrax will follow, and soon Keoland.”
The ambassador to Greyhawk, Lady Lettice Droge, stays silent. For the most part the City of Greyhawk has remained mostly neutral throughout the Greyhawk Wars.
In the Name of The Earth Dragon: Let Their Blood Spill
Just moments later four figures completely covered in black robes appear behind the ambassadors and Prince Corrond. At the very same time Father Legate takes out a dagger. The four figures attempt to plunge their own daggers into the backs of the ambassadors and Corrond. Legate attempts an attack on Malkam. A perfect hit by 3 of the 4 assassins immediately kills all three ambassadors. Their bodies slump over. Their blood spilling on the floor. Prince Corrond and Malkam survive the attack. Chaos takes over the room. Legates’ guard immediately takes out his sword. He and the assassins attempt to get closer to Corrond. But they are met with a fury of swords from the elves of Celene, Billets of Keoland, guards of Greyhawk, and Corrond’s personal guards.
At the same time Legates’ other two guards in the main entrance of the building begin their attack. They know it’s a suicide mission. But their goal is to hopefully give enough time for the assassin’s and Legate to kill Corrond. And as you will soon find out, to allow more assassins to kidnap his wife and children.
During the melee one of Legate’s guards gets away.
Corrond’s personal mage uses a spell of disintegration to turn the other to dust.
The mage teleports into the meeting room. He reappears behind Corrond and teleports him to safety.
Father Legate turns invisible and manages to escape.
All four of the assassins are killed.
There are screams coming from the 2nd floor.
Everyone rushes upstairs to the main chambers of The Prince. Another one of his mages is on the floor. Surrounded by a pool of his own blood.
All of his guards that were protecting his family are dead.
The doors leading out to the main balcony are open. His wife and pups are gone.
Two assassins are captured. Corrond cannot control his anger. He begins to beat one of the assassins. Hitting him over and over again in the face. Demanding to know what happened to his family. “The Earth Dragon will bring Ulek to its knees,” says the assassin. Knowing that he will not get an answer out of him, Corrond violenty punches him until he crushes his face and kills him. The Prince’s right hand is bloody. It looks like he might have broken it.
In an act of desperation, and quick thinking by the halflng, Pip is able to charm the last assassin. And he is able to hold off Corrond from giving him the same fate as the other. The assassin tells Pip that Legate and the others are heading to Kalen Lekos, a settlement on Mount Drachenkopf, in The Pomarj. He doesn’t know much else. And it’s hard to tell if the information he’s giving Pip is accurate. It wouldn’t be uncommon for The Brotherhood to deceive their own. Giving them false information in case they are captured.
One of the carpets on the floor is a flying carpet. Corrond’s mage uses it and tries to give chase.
Corrond wants revenge. He wants his family returned to him. He promises a kingdom to Malkam if he accomplish this. He offers nearly unlimited wealth to anyone that can bring back his family. And says anything they need is at his disposal.
The elf ranger from Celene, Bob, and Quirion, give chase.
The rest of the party meets up with them. They are able to track Legate for a little while. But the rain is quickly washing away their tracks. They lose them.
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