Enemies in Exile

“Enemies in Exile”
Purple Dragon episode
Episode no.	Episode 17
Date	2008-08-29
Game Master	Panzerman
Characters	Dorian Wolfe Florian Iordan Chaff Jorstag Carmog Markvart Caldera
Experience	3,000
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In which the specter of war once again returns to haunt the kingdom.

Synopsis

Three months had passed since the heroes slew the vrock, and it was summer in Suzail. Everyone was in a festive mood. The sole exception was Princess Alusair. The terms of the alliance between Cormyr and Felsenmark and her marriage to King Balnock had been negotiated. The city was in a festive mood when the royal couple were betrothed during the summer festival.

Sir Dorian was still out of favour at court, and his family rode further back in the procession than their station merited. The knights nonetheless had cause for celebration. Sir Dorian was betrothed to Mabel Ironcrow during the festival. The fortifications at the Caldera estate were finished, and Sir Markvart had returned to the capital in time for the summer festival. He was presented with a handsome gift from Markvart, the morningstar that belonged to the executed priest of Arik of the Many Eyes.

At the festival, Markvart met a strange knight. This was Count Delnir, a member of one of the families that had been exiled by King Azoun IV. The Count hinted that the had returned to Cormyr to seek an audience with the regent. Markvart offered to be of assistant, and was invited to visit the Count later. Markvart recruited the aid of several eager young nobles.

The knights met the count at the Crying Witch, an inn in the merchant quarter. The Baron Delnir appeared to have rented the establishmen, and seemed to have a great deal of money and Sembians on his staff. Whatever his purpose, he was not alone, for several exiled nobles had come with him from Sembia. Florian invoked the blessing of Siamorphe upn the meeting so that no false words would be spoken. The Baron informed the knights that he had returned to Sembia to demand the return of the lands that had been seized by Azoun IV.

Markvart agreed to arrange for the Baron to see the regent. This proved rather difficult, but the presence of Dorian convinced the guards that this was no idle matter. The knights presented the matter to the regent. She was adamant that she and Cormyr would yield nothing to the exiles. Markvart and Dorian persuaded her to grant the Baron an audience. They suggested that perhaps a token of forgiveness would appease the Baron, but the Princess would hear nothing of it. She agreed to an audience, but only if the Baron came as stranger rather than a Cormyte noble. Like Sir Jorstag, she seemed more inclined towards conflict than diplomacy.

The next day, Florian met with the Baron and asked him to meet with a priest who was skilled in oriatory. He hoped to influence Baron Delnir to take a more diplomatic approach, and ask rather than make demands. This proved to successful, for when the Baron stated his case to the Princess, and asked that the lands and titles that had been taken form him and the other noble families be returned to them. Their actions were not those of their fathers, yet the suffered for their fathers crimes. Princess Aulsair retorted that she could would not take the lands from the loyal nobles who now ruled it.

This did not satisfy the Baron. He declared that if he could not return to kingdom as a subject of the crown, he would return as an enemy. The spectre of war once again threatens the kingdom of Cormyr.