Loose Threads: Quest to secure Guild Stance of neutrality in the war, Possible tighter ties with the Coalition, shifting fronts due to the loss of naval forces, there are mind-controlling crown Devils just hanging around the plains of the new continent; the Horde doesn't like the Guild unless someone does something about it, the Coalition is moderately okay with the Guild and mentioned deeper ties.
Participants: Ariana Yaxiri, Kodzak, Terrible-Fangs-Latching-Upon-and-Bringing-Slow-Death-to-Enemies, Sukemoru Uzuto, Tinkado Mushameri, Gharok, Carantus Damos , and Bochi
Locations: the Iron Front, the Gilded Front near Gildenwind, the Continent
Summary
Some Orcs and boats got burned, the party got rewarded richly by the Coalition for the privilege.
Full report:
(This report wasn't submitted to the Guild.)
Frustrated with the guild's refusal to see the the Horde as a threat, the party set out to disrupt the Horde operations. Bringing along Vorn under the pretenses of releasing him, and with no real plan for what to do with him, they stopped first in the Roanokae Camp to see if there were any further updates on the war, but were mostly not successful at getting any new information. After a few minor conversations, the party set out for Gildenwind, intent on meeting with higher-ups in the Coalition and learning of the latest updates for the war. En route, they discovered a cold iron crown, dangling from a tree. The crown was identified as non-magical and quite valuable, so the party took it and moved on their way, held in the possession of Tinkado Mushameri
In Gildenwind, they met with Staff-Lieutenant Irma to discuss the state of the war. Irma was unable to provide any detailed intelligence, other than the locations of Orcish camps, and though the war was stalemated around a bridge and river, no boats were known to be build or used so far. The party began discussing how best to use Vorn, and when talk turned to freeing him or negotiating some sort of release, Ariana Yaxiri grew frustrated with the conversation and immolated him immediately. This sent the town into a frenzy and the party was forced to leave.
Once outside the town, the party decided to cross the river to the north and enter the territory of the Horde to see if there were any naval forces being maneuvered or constructed. Within a matter of hours, they stealthily approached a construction site with no fewer than 2 finished boats, and one more under construction. These rough ships were barely more than barges, but with them (and the others no doubt in construction) the Horde could have brought thousands of troops across the lake, bringing the war to Gildenwind's door and bypassing the Coalition army.
The party waited until evening, and under the cover of night began to assault the construction site. The enemy forces were great, with 38 guards and countless laborers, but between the powerful ki of the Monks, the fearsome martial power of the others, and Dragon fire, they were no match for the party, and soon one boat under construction had been torched, another in the lake had been sank, and the third was captured by the party and sailed into the waters in the night. There, the party bandaged some wounds and began discussing next steps, but Tinkado Mushameri began to speak of rising up to conquer the region for himself, with the party as his vanguard. It became clear he was possessed by a Devil of some kind and the party was forced to dispatch it, wounded though they were.
Eventually, the party sailed the ship to a close-enough point near the Coalition's side of the lake, with only a minor incident with a reptilian lake monster en route, and split, with one group guarding the boat and the rest seeking leaders of the Coalition to give them the boat, should they find it useful. Uzuto was able to gain an audience with Eudosius, the Lightbringer to secure a reward for the boat, as well as to update the Coalition forces on the recent destruction of camps. With the tidy sum and prizes from the treasury secured, the party recalled home.