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Dunmari Frontier - Session 90

Diplomatic Ventures: in which peace negotiations begin

Featuring: Seeker, Delwath, Kenzo, Wellby, Riswynn
In Taelgar: Jan 30, 1749 DR to Mar 09, 1749 DR
On Earth: Friday Dec 22, 2023
Copper Hills

The Dunmar Fellowship engages in intricate diplomacy to reconcile siblings Sura and Nayan Karnas, uncovering and dispelling suspicions manipulated by Agata.

Session Info

Delwath, Wellby, and Riswynn acquire Skaer Steel weapons and shields from Umli in Tollen

Summary

  • The Dunmar Fellowship departs to Sura’s camp in the Copper Hills to mediate a conflict between her and Nayan Karnas.
  • They share news of the War of the Cloak and the Battle for Uzgukhar, and learn of Karnas’ distrust towards Sura due to Agata’s alleged influence.
  • Sura expresses her anger towards Karnas and agrees to meditate with Kenzo
  • Using Mirror of the Past, the party disproves a key piece of evidence Karnas held against Sura, causing him to rage.
  • Abha believes this revelation is the first step towards reconciliation, and the party leaves tokens of unity before heading to Tollen

Timeline

Mirror of the Past

Narrative

We begin as the party departs Pava and Avaras’ House, heading west to Sura’s army camp in the Copper Hills, hoping to negotiate a peace between Sura and her brother, Samraat Nayan Karnas. In Vindristjarna, the journey across Dunmar takes only two days, and the party arrives at Sura’s camp on the morning of February 1st.

Here, they begin by speaking to Sura. They give her news of the War of the Cloak, the Battle for Uzgukhar, and the defeat of Grash. Sura passes along the news of the Battle of Tokra, and Havdar’s activities to fortify the northwestern border of Dunmar, along the Myraeni Gap. Then, the conversation turns to Karnas and the current situation. Karnas is convinced that Agata has silenced the gods using the Cloak of Rainbows, and corrupted Sura to be her pawn. The party learns from Sura that Johar, Kenzo’s friend from the Lakan Monastery, has been taking letters between the camps, and the Sonkar Mystai Abha is Karnas’ closest advisor, although currently he is convinced that nothing she says can be trusted, because of Agata’s meddling with the gods.

The conversation turns to meeting with Karnas, and to Sura’s feelings. Sura asks Delwath if he has ever been trapped in a mirror for eight years, which, between Delwath’s skill and [Seeker]’s inspiration, leads to her breaking down and talking about how angry she is with Karnas for doing nothing. As the conversation continues, Sura agrees to come meditate with Kenzo in the evening, and also hears the whole story of Apollyon from the party.

That afternoon, the party speaks with Johar. He is nervous, and reports on the evidence of Agata’s meddling in Dunmari history that Karnas has found. Most notable is a letter, written by the Samraat Marathu, who was Sura’s mentor and killed in the attack when Sura was kidnapped. The letter, according to Karnas, states that Marathu had visited Agata in his youth, and was compelled now to deliver Sura to her, for training and apprenticeship. Johar lists a bunch of other evidence he has found of Agata’s meddling. The discussion also turns to the Cloak of Rainbows, which has definitely been with the orcs of Xurkhaz since shortly after the Great War, and so can’t have been used by Agata. Johar is convinced, but he warns the party Karnas will not be easy to deal with.

The meeting with Johar ends with Johar arranging a meeting with Abha, who will speak with the party the following day around lunchtime, near Karnas’ camp. The rest of the day and evening is spent in discussion, and in prayer and meditation with Sura. Delwath also speaks with the tanshi, asking:

  • Can Agatha influence Dunmar from where she is now? Probably not
  • Did Agatha leave behind magical traps and tricks still active in Dunmar. No
  • Was Sura in the mirror for eight years? Yes
  • Was Samraat Nayan Marathu truthful in the letter he wrote to be opened after his death? What letter?
  • Does Abha have Dunmar’s best interests at heart? Yes

The next day at lunchtime, the party uses the rainbow bridge to teleport to the spot they are to meet Abha. They speak with her about the situation, and the Cloak of Rainbows, and the uncertainty in Dunmar. She seems to accept the story of the cloak and clearly wants to convince Karnas that the gods have not been silenced by Agata, and agrees to take the party to him. While she warns them he will not accept divine magic, he may be open to other magic that could convince him Agata is not influencing Sura.

The party is led by Abha through Karnas’ camp, to the main room of the caravanserai he has made into his hall. The party tells Karnas the story of the War of the Cloak, keeping the true nature of the People of the Rainbow a secret. Karnas seems uncertain, wondering if Agata had sway with these people, which turns the conversation to Agata and how they defeated her twice.

Karnas Portrait

Convinced the party is not under Agata’s sway, the conversation turns to Sura, and the evidence that Karnas has marshaled of Agata’s meddling. Karnas seems obsessed with the letter from Marathu, implicating Sura, that Johar mentioned. The party discusses using the Mirror of the Past to learn about Nayan Marathu’s Letter, but makes a final attempt to convince Karnas to come see the Cloak of Rainbows for himself, first. But he is unwilling to leave his camp and teleport away with strangers.

Finally, over Kenzo’s qualms, the party decides to show the letter to the Mirror of the Past, which reveals Agata’s role in crafting the letter. This sends Karnas into a rage, and the party leaves. Later, speaking to Abha, she tells the party that this is the first crack, and she thinks this will be the first step in a path to reconciliation and a negotiation over Dunmar’s future. But, at this point, it is up to the gods and their representatives on Taelgar to find a way forward. She thanks the party for their help, agreeing to speak with Sura and start negotiations, and wishes them well.

The party spends the next day tying up loose ends to help the negotiations get started, with Kenzo leaving carved wooden figurines of a united brother and sister for both Sura and Karnas. On February 4th, they depart on Vindristjarna, heading east for Orenlas, and then Tollen, arriving at Tollen in mid-February.

During this time, the party recruits a gardener in Orenlas, and gathers information.

On March 9th, in Tollen, the party meets Kecha, the kenku scout who has volunteered to lead them across the northern wilds, to the inland border of Ursk. He tells them of the dangers they may face: frost giants in the mountains; dragons in the icy north; rumors of a vampire kingdom; ice worms that tear through the forest; and changelings who turn into bears.

In the early morning hours, as the party sleeps on Vindristjarna, they are awakened by screams.