14.3 A Rough Plan

SESSION DATE: July 12, 2025
PRESENT: Rory, Calanthia, Freya, Kemurial

Deep Dive

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Adventure Photos

Adventure Song & Lyrics

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[Verse 1]
A borrowed room inside the citadel's heart
The Duke demands we play a desperate part
A hidden mole, a name to bring to light
Beneath the pressure of the endless night
Calanthia on a booster seat asks why
A hundred years of war have passed him by
He slams the table, tells us "Strike them hard"
And Rory grips the handle of his sword

[Chorus]
It's just a whisper in the cannon's sound
A choice to make on this unsteady ground
We'll take the chance and fight with what we've got
A rough plan is the only one we've sought
We move as one into the falling snow
A rough plan is the only way we know

[Verse 2]
We walk the wall, the wind begins to bite
The field below, a tapestry of fright
A fiery tower crowned with a giant skull
Reflects a moment's, momentary lull
Kemurial sends a searching, arcane eye
It sees the casters, sees the beasts run by
Then something shifts, a finger snaps in space
And pulls the magic from that cursed place

[Bridge]
Villem speaks of hubris and of pride
But there's a demon waiting right outside
The choice is made to face the fire and steel
To make the threat in front of us unreal

[Chorus]
No time for whispers to the cannon's sound
We've made our choice on this unsteady ground
We'll take the chance and fight with what we've got
A rough plan is the only one we've sought
We move as one into the falling snow
A rough plan is the only way we know

[Solo]

[Verse 3]
The flasks of oil are cold in Calanthia's hand
Freya finds a shadow in the land
A door to take us straight into the fray
To steal a moment from the dying day
A potion's haste, a psionic lens we drop
A final prayer this violence has to stop
Kemurial calls his servants from the air
We stand together, breathing in despair

[Chorus]
It's more than whispers in the cannon's sound
We'll make our stand on this unsteady ground
We'll take the chance and fight with what we've got
A rough plan is the only one we've sought
We'll move as one into the falling snow
A rough plan is the only way we know

[Chorus]
Let screams drown out the cannon's final sound
We'll make our stand on this unholy ground
We'll take our chance and fight with what we've got
A rough plan is the only one we've sought
We'll move as one into the falling snow
A rough plan is the only way we know

World Anvil Journal

sooo... kimiweel thed we shud dithgithe awthelweth on the way bak to the thitadew. cawanthia thed she can dithgithe uth. i can uthe my mathk chawm i bot a wong time ago but havent uthed yet. we tawked abowt meetin viwwem tomowwow. he thed to come ath we awe with towcheth but aftew we got ambuthed we have thecond thotth abowt that. maybe we tawk to him win we get to the thitadew tonite.

we got a showt wetht at the inn. i did a withuaw fow the fiwtht time cawwed comewn with natuwe. i wewned the motht commin beethd ith a sheep an thewe ith a powtaw abowt a thowthand feet nowth of the thity wawwth. an thewe ith at weatht one powewfuw cweachuwe in that thame pwathe wich ith vewy uethfuw nowedge.

kimiweel catht a wite thpeww to wite aw way to the thitadew. it wath a hawf owew wawk and kimiweel wode hith thteed an i wath activewy wookin fow twubba cuz i dont wike gettin ambuthed. we got to the thitadew with no twubba. the pawath wath weww wit an no one seemed to cawe that kimiweel wath widin hith thteed inthide. they thed thewe awe thtowieth of white wowveth ow thumthin wich ith intewethtin.

we got bwot to a thecond woom with makth an ulwika an viwwem an enwik an the thity gawd captin named kamwoth dewamewe. the dook mothened fow uth to thit. cawanthia gwabbed a boothtew theat tho she cud thee ovew the tabow. kimiweel thed we awe awawe of a fowein powew opewatin hewe with dewuthunth of godhood wefewwing to kithina. we bewieve kaoth hath wetuwned. we awtho uncovewed thum cowwuption in the cownthil. the dook athked if we no the thowthe but kimiweel thed we dont want to thtep on any toeth. the dook thed he wont towewate any kaoth cowwuption. he athked if we wud be up to the tathk of uncovewin the cowwuption. fwaya athked abowt how much tiem we hav cuz we awe awweady wewin tho many hatth. the dook athked uth to bwing him whoevew ith wethponthibow within the nite.

cawanthia thpoke up an towd the dook how we came on thith dithcovewy. she wecawwed the thtowy of the food thuppwy compiny the pwobabow cultitht hideowt how she heawd of a mowe on the thity cownthiw an abowt kithina. she athked fow owthide hewp wike awcanithtth an wetheawchewth. the dook wooked at kamwoth an athked abowt change of gawd pattewnth. he thed nothin beyond whatth thkeduwed. he theemed genewin. viwwem thed ith the fiwtht time heth heawin abowt it an he pwomithed to put a teem togethew to invethtigate. enwik wooked at uth an thed heth got muwtipow awmieth awound hith thity an demonik theeje eqipmint owthide the wawwth an a command thtwucthuwe in the enemy an now heth wewnin of thum pewthon twyin to becom a god. he dothnt no what to make of it aww.

cawanthia athked the dook how owd he ith an he wepwied eawwy fiftieth. cawanthia thed the kaoth fowceth have been athawting pwaag fow centuwieth. thith ith mowe than ten of hith wifetimeth. kithina mutht be thumthin wike a wich ow fiend ow demon ow vampiwe. enwik fwuthtwatedwy athked what we want him to do. cawanthia thed thewe mutht be an item of powew hewe wike hew fiwactewy. she thudjethted bwingin gortek in to hewp theawch. the dook thed the undewthity ith a wabwinth an theyve mothtwy expwowed it. i athked if we have any way of wocatin objecth ow thkwyin. kimiweel can catht wocate object but we dont have aceth to thkwy. enwik wath hethitant to put uth undewgwound to MAYBE find thumthin. viwwem thed we cud accompwith both. he thed maybe we shud weave the item hidden ath it appeawth to have been. cawanthia thpoke up an thed awe we goin to commit awthelweth to a thykow of waw. viwwem thed maybe ith mowe pwacticaw to deaw with the cuwwent invathun thin puwthue the cawtheth mowe deepwy aftewwawdth.

kimiweel athked what the pwanth awe to addweth the theeje eqipmint. viwwem thed gortek ith pwannin an attack tonite. cawanthia thed maybe thath the way fow uth to go. she awtho pointed owt the mowe cud be wite hewe in the woom. kimiweel thed he can catht thone of twooth but enwik tuwned him down thayin he cant jutht twutht aw majik wich ith odd. he thudjethted we go tonite with gortek thin come bak. thin we wiww dethide whethew to infiwtwate the bithkit boyth ow go down a tunnew. kimiweel thed the undewgwound theawch can be dewayed an we need to focuth on fightin with gortek. enwik thtood an thwammed hith fithtth on the tabow an demanded WE STWIKE HAWD. i gwabbed my gwate thowd an thed we can defnitewy stwike hawd. kimiweel thed we wiww be weady to thtand with gortek tonite.

we awtho towd the dook abowt the ambuth. i thed i thinkth ith a bit of both cuz we wewe jutht put on a pedethtaw an made to teww evewyone of aw accompwithmenth an now we have a tawget on aw bakth. cawanthia thudjethted it wath a pwanned attack becawthe of the sheew cotht of the poithonth. the dook thot fow a moment. he thed he thinkth ith in theiw betht intewetht to have uth go now to gortek an he thanked uth. i thot to the pawty that ith vewy odd the dook thed abthowutewy nothin abowt the ambuth. he jutht theemed ovewwhewmed.

we made aw way to gortek. on aw way i took owt my bwonze dwawven thkuww on a thtik tho if anyone wookth at it it wiww thkweem an wawn uth. we got to gortek and he showed uth a wuff pwan on a map. the wawge theeje towew ith acwoth a wivew. we cud uthe fwayath doowth ow the cawpet of fwyin. gortek tawked abowt the time we have. the wongew we wingew the mowe wikewy we get ovewwhewmed. we wint up on the thitys owtew waww. we can thee many cweachuweth an thevewaw thmawwew theeje weponth. the thing that thtandth owt the motht ith the giant fiwey theeje towew with a huge thkuww on top. kimiweel catht hith awcane eye to get a cwothew wook. he thaw tonth of beethtmen an thevewaw cathtewth. thin he thaw a pweviouthwy invithibow cweachuwe appeaw an thnap ith fingew. it catht dithpew majik on the awcane eye zappin it owt of exithtenthe.

i catht comewn with natuwe agin an am abow to pinpoint the wocathun of the powtaw. ith defnitewy inthide the giant tent on the nowth thide of the battowfiewd. fwaya thed she wud go thwew the tunnew thin shadow powtaw uth diwectwy to the towew. an ath a thecond method of wetweat we each dwop a thi wenth at the tunnew exit. cawanthia wiww thteawthiwy move to the nowth of the wawge theeje towew to unweash the fiwe ewementaw on the thwee thmawwew twebuchetth. she hath fwathkth of oiw. fwaya wiww catht waww of fiwe on ow neaw the twebuchetth. kimiweel pwanth to uthe aww hith avaiwabow thummonth an catht thweet thtowm on the theeje towew. motht of uth pwan on quaffin a poshin of thpeed jutht befowe goin thwew fwayath shadow powtaw. we need to wemembew to each dwop a thi wenth at the tunneth exit an pick it up on the way bak. i wiww jutht do what i do betht which ith to thay iww do what i can to dethimate my foeth.

dwaugnir pweethe pwotect uth. an pweethe keep my pawenth thafe whewevew they awe.

Private Notes

• Kemurial suggests we disguise ourselves on the way back to the citadel. Calanthia says she can disguise us. During the meeting, she'll be near us but not directly around us. Rory can use his Masque Charm that he bought a long time ago but has yet to use.
• We talk about our meeting tomorrow with Villem and how to approach. He instructed us to come as we are with torches, but after being ambushed, we have second thoughts about coming as we are without disguises. Maybe we'll talk to him when we get to the citadel tonight.
• While waiting at the inn for our private audience with Duke Enrik, we are able to get a short rest.
• Rory casts Commune with Nature for the first time, as a ritual. He learns the most prevalent kind of beast is a sheep, that there is a portal about 1000' north of the city walls, and there is at least one powerful creature in that same general location. Useful knowledge.
• Kemurial will cast a Light spell to light our way to the citadel.
• It's about a half-hour walk to the citadel.
• We head out toward the citadel. Kemurial summons his steed.
• Thanks to being freshly ambushed, Rory actively looks for signs of trouble rather than relying on his passive perception abilities.
• We reach the citadel without any trouble.
• The palace is well lit. No one seems to care that Kemurial is riding his steed inside the palace because, as it turns out, there are stories of several "white wolves" or something. Interesting!
• We're brought to the main audience hall where we were previously. Then a steward escorts us to a secondary receiving area. In here is Max Schreiber, Ulrika, Villem, Enrik, and the city guard captain named Kamros Delamere. The duke greets us. He motions for us to sit at a table. When the duke sits, we all sit. Kemurial thanks the duke for the private audience. Calanthia grabs a booster seat so she can see over the table. Kemurial says we've become aware of a foreign power operating in the region, with delusions of godhood, referring to Kishina. We believe the Chaos has returned because they're driven by something more than what is readily apparent. We've uncovered some corruption potentially in his administration. The duke asks if we know the source of the corruption, but Kemurial says we don't want to step on the toes of any other investigations into such things. The duke says he won't tolerate any semblance of Chaos corruption within his administration or the city. He appreciates our more covert nature of bringing up this issue rather than being overt about it. He says that they have their own police, but as we're a third party, he wonders if we'd be up to the task of uncovering the corruption. Freya asks about time constraints because we're already wearing so many hats at the moment. Kemurial asks the duke about this, about expectations and outcome. The duke asks us to bring him whoever is responsible within the night, but due to not knowing much about it, he can't tell. Calanthia speaks up and tells the duke that she can share with him about how we came upon this discovery. She recalls the story of the food supply company, the probable cultist hideout, how she heard of a mole on the city council, and about Kishina. She asks for outside help like arcanists and researchers to help us identify them as we can't possibly do it all. The duke asks about issues with the guards. He looks at Kamros asking about change of guard patterns. He says nothing beyond what's scheduled. He has no reason to believe this is the case. Enrik looks at Villem and asks if that's true. We make Insight checks. Enrik understands patrols and guards, so that's the first the he went to. Kamros is unaware in a shift in guard patterns, and seems genuine. Maybe there's just incompetence at play, or perhaps the corruption goes deeper than we initially thought. Either way, he's not aware of any such influence. Villem responds, saying he hasn't attributed any resources as this is the first time he's hearing about it. He promises to put a team together to investigate further. Enrik looks at us and says that he's got multiple armies surrounding his city, and that he has some sort of demonic siege equipment outside the walls, they have a command structure in the enemy that is somehow uniting these forces, and now he's learning of some kind of person pursuing deification because of Praag or something in it. He doesn't know what to make of all this. Calanthia stands up and asks if she can ask a question without him taking offense. He says sure. She asks how old he is, to which he replies early 50s. Calanthia says the Chaos forces have been assaulting Praag for centuries. He's only half a century old. This issue is five, ten, maybe fifteen of his lifetimes that this has been going on. How could he possibly know of this? Kishina has an advantage because she's far older. She suggests that to live that long, Kishina must be something like a lich, fiend, demon, vampire, etc. There are demons outside the gates, after all. Enrik frustratedly asks what we want him to do about it. Calanthia says there must be an item of power here, perhaps her phylactery or something that she's after. She suggests bringing Gotrek in to help with the search since he knows of her. Calanthia asks if there are more places that we should search for such items, perhaps more catacombs or something. Whatever that item is needs protecting, or destroyed. The duke says it's a labyrinth under the city, which they've mostly explored. He says she's right, though. There IS something that draws these beings to Praag. He says there are rumors abound, but nothing has been found. The undercity has been searched many times. He looks at Villem and says unless we begin breaking down more walls, we're unaware of more unexplored areas at this time. Rory asks if we have any way of locating objects or scrying. Kemurial can cast Locate Object, but we otherwise don't have access to Scry. Enrik says he's hesitant to put a group of accomplished folks like us underground to MAYBE find something, when we could be elsewhere actually accomplishing things. Calanthia says regardless of whether we find anything, it's still more than we previously knew. The duke asks Villem what he thinks, and he says he thinks we could accomplish both. He says everyone else has been unsuccessful at finding such a thing thus far, and just 250 years ago they completely overtook the city and yet the Chaos attacks again. Perhaps whatever is concealing this item is doing its job, and in our attempt to unearth the item, we in fact expose the item to being taken or destroyed or whatever they want to do with it. Enrik looks back at us, asking what we think. Kemurial says it seems like a gamble to let things lie and just hope it remains undiscovered, but it has worked up until this point. Calanthia speaks up and says much of what Villem says can be true about our hubris to be able to protect it better than it already is. If we take that position, leaving the item expertly hidden as it appears to have been, are we inviting yet more attacks every century? Are we going to commit ourselves to a cycle of war? Villem responds, saying he doesn't believe there is a choice between one or the other. Perhaps it's simply more practical to deal with the current invasion then pursue the causes more deeply afterwards. That presumes the invasion is able to be stopped and there isn't a mole helping them to achieve their goals. Villem says it sounds like the decision needing to be made is where to take a group of experienced heroes such as us and best utilize them. Kemurial asks what the plans are to address the siege equipment outside the walls. Villem says Gotrek is planning an attack tonight. Calanthia says perhaps that's the way for us to go, to help slow their onslaught and give them time to do their investigation. Calanthia also points out that the identity of the mole is unknown, and could very well be right here in the room right now. Kemurial says he can cast Zone of Truth on us all here, but Enrik turns him down, saying that he can't just trust our magic. Odd. He suggests we go tonight with Gotrek, then come back here. Then we'll decide whether to infiltrate the Biscuit Boys (the food supply company), or they'll send us down a tunnel to see if we find something. Kemurial says the underground search can be delayed and that we need to focus on fighting with Gotrek. Enrik says that even if we could stop the person who perpetrates the invasions, it'll mean nothing if every one else in the city is dead. While we're out with Gotrek and crew, they'll put together options for us to consider upon our return, should we return. But first things first. Enrik stands, slams his fists on the table, and demands we strike hard. Rory grabs his greatsword, unthreateningly, and says we can definitely strike hard. Kemurial says we'll be ready to stand with Gotrek tonight.
• We also tell the duke about the ambush we experienced after leaving our previous audience with the duke. He asks if we felt we targeted specifically, or if it was more because of the situation surrounding the city. Rory says he thinks it's a bit of both, given we were just put on a pedestal and were made to tell everyone of our accomplishments and what we are capable of, so now we have a target on our backs. They tried to take us out while we had our guards down what with it being in broad daylight as snow began to fall. Calanthia also suggests it was a planned attack because of the sheer cost of the poisons used during the ambush. It'd have been too much for regular folks. The duke thinks for a moment, contemplating the attack, thinking to himself that if it is high grade quality, why aim it at us instead of a high-political target like himself? He says he thinks it's in their best interest to have us go now to Gotrek, and he thanks us for all the information.
• Rory thinks psychically to the party that he thinks it's very odd that the duke said absolutely nothing about the ambush. He asked if we were the ones targeted, and tried to specify whether they were just going after powerful heroes in the city or if it was more personal considering the ongoing siege. The impression we get after reflection is that yes, he's overwhelmed by all this info, and he wants to protect his city. To find out that there is national leader level of assassins that exist who could very well assassinate the leaders themselves and that power was instead used on something lesser is odd to him. Were the attacks originally aimed at Enrik but were diverted? Why reveal themselves in town? Why go after us heroes rather than himself? Rory understands that not everything can have an immediate action taken, but it just seemed odd that he neglected to even acknowledge it with us.
• Kemurial suggests that for now, we visit Gotrek and put on a good fight. Rory agrees.
• We make our way to Gotrek and his crew to prepare for battle. On our way, Rory takes out his bronze dwarven skull on a stick so that if anyone looks at it, it'll scream, hopefully to warn us of their presence.
• We make it to Gotrek. He shows us a rough plan of the attack on a map. The large siege tower is a couple hundred feet from the tunnel exit across a river. We could use Freya's ability to create doors to get across the river, or we could use the carpet of flying to fly across all at once.
• Gotrek talks about the time we have. The longer we linger in the area, the more likely we're going to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers of enemy forces.
• Calanthia suggests using our air and fire elementals together to fan the flames, potentially making it more effective, on the large siege tower. Kemurial thinks that won't work as the air elemental would take damage just as any other creature would. Kemurial can scout out the area using Arcane Eye.
• We are allowed up onto the city's outer wall. We can see many creatures as well as several smaller siege weapons. Of course the thing that stands out the most is the giant fiery siege tower with a huge skull on top wearing a symbol of Khorne to the north. Kemurial casts his Arcane Eye to get a closer look at things. He's able to identify the various types of creatures, many of which are ones we've previously encountered. As he's moving the Arcane Eye, he notices a fireball being hurled toward it, but it doesn't affect the eye thanks to its invulnerability to fire damage. Kemurial reports what he says to us. There are tons of beastmen, probably 150 or more. There are several casters surrounding the huge siege tower. He also sees a previously invisible creature appear and snap its feature. It casts Dispel Magic on the Arcane Eye, zapping it out of existence.
• We try to draw up several plans while walking along the wall.
• Rory casts Commune with Nature again, and is able to pinpoint the location of the portal he detected earlier. It's definitely inside the giant tent on the north side of the battlefield.
• Freya says she would go through the tunnel then Shadow Portal us directly to the tower. And as a second method of retreat, we each drop a psi lens at the tunnel exit and use them. Sounds like what Rory suggested earlier. Calanthia will stealthily move to the north of the large siege tower to unleash the fire elemental on the three smaller trebuchets before returning to the rest of us at the main tower.
• Calanthia has flasks of oil, and will request more to aid her in taking out the trebuchets with the oil and fire elemental. We also plan to have Freya cast Wall of Fire on or near the trebuchets once Calanthia gets the oil deployed. Kemurial plans to use all his available summons and cast Sleet Storm on the siege tower. We all (or most?) also plan on quaffing a Potion of Speed just before going through Freya's Shadow Portal to start the fight. We need to remember to each drop a psi lens at the tunnel's exit so we can easily return when the time comes. Then we must also remember to pick up our psi lens on the way back so they can't be used to easily find us. Rory will just do what he does best, which is to say he'll do what he can to decimate his foes.

That's it for this session!

Adventure Loot

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