So our intrepid heroes made a decision that would have them speeding to the rescue of one of Kyrador’s most influential barons. They knew that the mercenary fortress was high up in the Silverpeak Mountains, the range that marked the western and northern borders of the Kingdom of Kyrador. Along the way they encountered (and wisely avoided) hill giants, stone giants, a griffon (who sniffed around Eraclius, our Silver Knight squire, and flew off), and several mercenary patrols.
They carefully navigated narrow goat paths with a mountain looming overhead on one side and a long drop off on the other. They faced treacherous conditions as it poured rain, which eventually became sleet, and then snow and ice. Eventually they came to an area where it plateaued out, and the found the first major encampment of mercenaries. They gave it a wide berth and waited until night had fallen before going any further.
After night fell, they climbed up a cliffside so they could continue their journey. As they traveled through a forest of pines and firs along the mountain trail, Coralise found a small hut deeper in the forest and there she saw an old woman who beckoned for her to bring her comrades to the hut so that they would be safe. They felt a sense of peace from the old woman and agreed to enter. There she fed them and they eventually nodded off into a peaceful slumber. As they slept they had dreams of the old woman, but instead of her current appearance, she was young, beautiful and noble in bearing. She wore a gown made of diamonds and a silver crown with a griffon at its center.
When they awoke, they found that the hut had been obviously abandoned for ages, and some among the group began to wonder as to the identity of the old woman, as the dream they had was that of Kyra (the goddess of healing, and the first queen of Kyrador when she was mortal) in her avatar as the queen of the Tribunal of Light. Feeling refreshed and reinvigorated, the group continued on and eventually found the mercenary fortress. They eventually found a quiet way in and managed to infiltrate the fort until they came face to face with the apparent leader of the mercenary company and her wizard companion. After a heated battle that almost saw the end of the heroic group, they managed to defeat the commander and her wizard pet. In the end they found the baron in a soul jar and managed to release him. Using a ring of telepathy the baron called for a contingent of Silver Knights to attack the fortress as the group made their escape.
Now the group heads to the trade city of Syris to meet with the baron in order to receive their rewards and accolades. What awaits our heroes next? What consequences will be wrought from their decisions?