====== land war ======
===== Initial Brief =====
Following an extremely successful diplomatic mission to forge an alliance with Margush, a large proportion of Acryn’s military forces are being assigned to support the city against invasion from the Serradic Empire. Vincta Terrec has promised that all the guilds resources will be assigned to ensuring the Army successfully gets to Margush. Both colleges have promised to provide mages capable of defending against an enemy army, and in the case of the People’s College - siege engineers.

The council are seeking small teams (and especially Wayfinders not involved in the troop movements) to participate in scouting, skirmishing, and other specialised activity in support of the war.

Due to the heavy drain on the city’s budget, no payment will be offered. Instead, a role of Privateer is offered, providing certain allowances for your behaviour when dealing with the enemy. Prize money is offered for the recovery of certain high priority items, while any other items recovered are the express property of the individuals who recover them. Financially valuable targets will be provided among other strategic targets.

===== PCs =====
  * [[:user:olivers:pc:ragnar_thane|Ragnar Thane]]
  * [[:user:joew:pc:mark_carter|Mark Carter]]
  * [[:user:matthewa:pc:victor_darrish|Victor Darrish]]
  * [[:user:jamesg:pc:haydn|Haydn]]

===== Debrief =====
The party head out for Margush, finding the journey harder going than usual, almost as if the flux were actively working against them. They experience sudden and unexpected drops, angry eagles, Serradic Skirmishers, an Acryn caravan beaten by the more hostile flux, Spider-trees, and even some Serradic Seige engineers preparing an explosive trap for the Acryn Army. All the while Mark Carter’s attempts to bring the flux under his control are prevented by a greater influence which seems to have taken control of the entire flux between Margush and Acryn.

Once in Margush, the party discover the reason it was so important to get Margush before the Serradic Army, as the team of Mages constructs a grand wall around Margush using a Scribing and Unification ritual. After the ritual Ragnar Thane convinces the Unification mage to teach him the lost Rite, although only if he is capable of sharing some similar lost knowledge or Rite.

The party then head out to deal with a number of other issues. First they investigate a cavern which seems to be acting as a stockpile for the army, which they burn to the ground using an alchemical accelerant. Next they head to a Margush Merchant’s estate who has deserted to the Serradic Empire. After confirming that the Merchant really has deserted, they defeat the guards, loot the estate, and burn the rest to the ground. They then head to see a Water-Spirit, managing to arrange to borrow an orb which grants the wielder minor control of water but failing to convince the spirit to attack the Serradic Army. During the discussion the Water-Spirit lays claim to all of Haydn's blood in exchange for taking the Orb for a year. Finally, the party investigate a mysterious Temple and desert which has appeared in the flux close to Margush. While investigating the Temple they discover a mural which seems to show the Ascendant One’s dominion of the other Serradic Gods and shows the known continents of the world burning in a green fire. As they are investigating they are attacked by figures which step from the fire and shine with a golden light. After defeating these figures Mark Carter attempts to reshape the Temple out of existence, but is prevented from doing so by the same mysterious force which was reshaping the flux earlier. Egged on by Ragnar, Mark continues to try to force his will even as he can feel his mind cracking under the strain. Finally, Mark takes hold of some of the power he has felt growing within him, becoming The Shepherd, forcing the entity out of the area, and reshaping the area as a domain of ice and castles.

At this point the early scouts of the army arrive in the area, and the party have a running battle back to Margush. The Serradic Army settle in for a long siege, but thanks to the party’s efforts Margush has good access to water and supplies while the Serradic Army is struggling to get supplies to the encampments around margush. Over the next few months the Acryn Army holds back, backing the occasional raid against the Siege, but mostly holds back, letting the Serradic Army throw itself against the new Margush walls. In the meantime, several members of the party stay behind to make raids against the Serradic Army while Mark Carter helps refugees escape Margush, pushing through the Serradic lines with walls of ice.


{{tag>"land war" adventure victor_darrish ragnar_thane mark_carter haydn}}