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CreatedMon May 18 2026 18:00:00 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
DateMon May 18 2026 18:00:00 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
SourceTranscript
Tagsgame-log

2026.05.19

Summary

The party arrived at the Ragged Flagon, the makeshift campground tavern Jevon had recommended as a safe place to lie low. Inside they found Rory, an orc bartender running a cheap but busy establishment catering to common folk and tournament participants. Aldrich bought a round of house ale (one silver each), and Cassian introduced the group to Rory. As Azrith quietly circled the room, a natural 20 on perception revealed Gruvelda Duskbelt sitting in a corner booth—heavily cloaked, keeping a low profile, already on her second goblet. The entire party immediately crowded her table, drawing a withering look and a fat dwarven finger pressed to her lips: sit down, be quiet.

The group made their case. Aldrich lowered his collar to show the residual necrosis from the life drain attack in the Stone Sanctum graveyard as physical proof. A moderate persuasion check (12) got Gruvelda halfway. Cassian then quietly revealed his family signet ring—shaped like a falling star that meets its tail, ouroboros-like—marking him as a member of an old noble house, a vassal line under House Wulfhelm. Gruvelda, who respects old bloodlines over the ambitious new houses crowding the tournament, was moved: “Have always found success betting on the dark horse. Fine. You’ve earned a shield for your first bout. If you succeed and I’ll be watching, then I’ll armor one of you.” She also asked them to keep quiet about seeing her there and returned to her ale. Source: Transcript.

With lodging needed for the night, Cassian led the party to Borehead Tour, the elevated section of the noble camp hill where great houses had erected elegant silk tents, stabled prize horses, and posted guards in white and gold. The bedchamber Cassian targeted had been reserved by Kardis Wulfhelm for his return party later that night. The noble servant guarding it would not budge. Cassian talked the servant into lending his own personal tent for the night instead (persuasion 18). The party squeezed in for a long rest. Odine Dunmere cast Firebolt at the brazier to heat the tent before collapsing onto a bedroll. Source: Transcript.

During the long rest, Cassian had a dream. He found himself back at the Ragged Flagon when a masked figure approached—the same entity that had appeared in a prior dream and gifted him his dice. The figure wore trimmed gown and regalia and a mask concealing nearly the entire face, with only mischievous eyes visible. It called Cassian “clever boy” and opened negotiations. They struck a wager: Cassian would continue stirring trouble among the noble houses and keep the party together—with specific emphasis on keeping Odine close (“I find her interesting and relevant; don’t let her out of your sight”). In exchange, the entity would pull strings to remove “immovable roadblocks”—naming Ser Calder Ross, House Wulfhelm’s prized champion, and House Godran’s champion as the principal threats. Cassian’s counter-demand: find out how his family came to possess the dice. The entity agreed to deliver that answer before the final bout. Cassian covered for the dream when Azrith (who had not slept) asked, claiming he had dreamed about a woman. Source: Transcript.

At dawn, the party returned to Gruvelda Duskbelt’s tent in the King’s Tourney grounds. Gruvelda presented Aldrich with a Sentinel Shield: blue-painted dwarven craftsmanship bearing an eye emblem. The shield grants advantage on both initiative rolls and perception checks, but requires an action to equip or stow (trading offense for defense mid-fight). She then rewarded each party member with 4 gold coins and pointed them toward a future lead: “If you ever find your way to the veil, look up my brother Grimhall Duskbelt. If you’re truly ghost hunters, he may have use for you and more coin.” Grimhall is a dwarven lord in the dwarven underground, contending with shadows and ghouls he believes originate from the surface. Source: Transcript.

Before their own bout, the party watched several groups compete in the Proving Grounds. The format is multi-phase—part puzzle-solving, part survival against dangerous beasts. A bear was released on one group. One standout party of young farm boys from several villages worked in tight formation and overwhelmed every challenge with raw coordinated strength; they were immediately surrounded by scouts and potential sponsors afterward. Other parties fared far worse—incapacitated, limping out, or simply embarrassed in the mud. Cassian, eyeing the betting rings, approached a bookmaker and wagered 5 gold (4 of his own plus 1 from Aldrich) that the party would win their bout without anyone being incapacitated, posing as an outside bettor. If the party wins clean, they collect 10 gold. Source: Transcript.

As the Proving Grounds took a midday recess, Virellan Le’Strange emerged from the crowd and offered the party a flamboyant word of encouragement before their evening slot. The session ended with the party preparing to report to Tent D for their first bout at sundown. Source: Transcript.

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