Timeline

Doleb approached Riven JanCastle with a proposition, negotiating the release of Tempest and Ignis in exchange for their pledge to aid in the fight against the Krimkar invaders.

Riven, weighing the strategic value of such allies, agreed to the terms.

The following day, in a public proclamation, Riven announced the liberation of Tempest and Ignis, granting them freedom while binding them to the cause of defending JanCastle against the encroaching threat.

Cadence buys a barrel of oil and keeps it at the Middle Bar Bumba, the inn that he is staying at since his companions decided to no longer stay at the Pit.

After hearing that the Stonehammer mining company have abandoned the mines, Geira, Melody, Cadence, and Artok return to the Redstone mines in search of treasure. They find the remnants of the Battle of the Broken Wall along with some abandoned wealth among the dwarven residences that the goblins seem to have missed. They fight goblin spearmen and bowmen, spider riding goblins and goblin shamans, and gain hundreds of coin along with some eather and scroll fragments. They also recover the gem they buried. During the combat, Cadence narrowly escapes death twice before the party decides to return to the surface.

After returning, the injured Cadence and Artok remain at the Middle Bar Bumba to recover while Geira and Melody go to the Middle District Forum to await the results of the trial of Tempest and Ignis.

Doleb had been engaged in a protracted debate with the prosecutor Bregor Bellfather over the fate of Ignis and Tempest, taking on the case pro bono out of principle.

Drod attended the hearings in the Middle District Forum, accompanied by two enigmatic figures shrouded in dark cloaks that concealed their identities. The proceedings dragged on for over two weeks, with arguments flying back and forth in the grand hall.

Judge Riven JanCastle, growing weary of the stalemate, decided to expedite matters. He scheduled one final hearing for the following day, allowing Doleb and Bregor to deliver their closing statements before rendering his verdict.

Meanwhile, Doleb convened with Geira, Melody, and their new companions Cadence and Artok at the Middle Bar Bumba, a cozy inn in the middle district not far from The Pit. Concerned for their safety amid the ongoing court case, Doleb advised Geira and Melody to relocate closer to him and avoid staying at The Pit.

He briefed them on the impending final hearing, where he would present his strongest evidence to secure the release of Ignis and Tempest. Additionally, Doleb shared troubling news: the Stonehammer mining company had abandoned the Redstone mines following relentless goblin attacks.

With the king mobilizing nearly all troops to the Lion Gate in preparation for an assault on the Krimkar, Doleb feared the inner district's vulnerability to subterranean threats.

Marden Drelstan, a gardener who has worked in the middle district gardens since childhood, finds a place in the crowd. Deep clouds have rolled over the lands of JanCastle in the midst of the ongoing war. Marden can hear the pangs of his hunger even as the roar of thunder echoes throughout the city. In the midst of the morning, the subjects of the king have gathered around the Grand Road, leading to the Tapestry of the King. The people of the city are silent even as rain drops heavily from the low clouds, which cover the peaks of the mountain. Looking up, Marden can see the thin spires of JanCastle towers disappear into the grey sky, standing above the bluffs of the mountain.

Tens of thousands have arrayed themselves along the cobbled stoned Grand Road. Marden is one among many, all looking up awaiting the king. Peasants and refugees, knights and merchants, all have gathered. Marden's eyes navigate up the road that climbs the mountain and ends at the feet of the gate of the king. Even from far down the slope, and even over the now strengthening rain, the creaking of massive metal doors can be heard. Marden feels a low rumble in his feet, like a tremor of an earthquake. The iron gate comes to a stop, and along with it the tremors in the ground and the shrill creak of iron sliding against iron. Within the doors the king appears, mounted upon a grand warhorse, armored in dark steel and draped in black robe.

The horse steps forward. The old main atop leans slowly forward in response. Captains and soldiers bow with on knee upon the wet ground, the rain now forming streams upon the sides of the road. As the grand company approaches, Marden sees all bow as they pass. Behind the old king, at his flank, is the son of the king: Brom JanCastle. Behind him still are the lords of the land, each arrayed in the dark steel and black cloth of JanCastle. A hint of yellow gilds the edges of their cloaks. Behind the lords march an endless column of the King's Legion, the most loyal warriors of the kingdom, called home from their wars in far lands.

Near to Marden knees begin to lower. Without even thinking, as if he was compelled by an unseen force, Marden lows his knee. His heart quickens as the king approaches, never having knelt in the shadow of the king. He sees the rain has formed a stream, navigating the stones of the road, rolling over his boot and around his knee. The moments pass slowly as he sees the hooves of the horses have been replaced by the boots of the King's Legion. Rising along with the tens of thousands of the other subjects that line the road, he see's the seemingly endless column of soldiers marching down the Grand Road towards the Lion Gate.

The dwarves of the Stonehammer mining company had been expanding their operations in the Redstone mines, carving out vast halls and selling plots to residents seeking affordable housing in the inner district.

However, rumors of trolls, ogres, and goblins lurking in the depths had deterred potential buyers, leaving many properties vacant. The company hired mercenaries to patrol the mines, but tensions mounted as goblin sightings increased.

Suddenly, disaster struck when a stone wall in one of the newly excavated halls collapsed under the pressure of unseen forces. Hundreds of goblins poured through the breach, their shrill cries echoing through the tunnels.

The mercenaries fought valiantly, clashing with the goblin horde in brutal melee combat. Spears and axes met crude weapons, but the dwarves were outnumbered and outmatched. In the chaos, hundreds of dwarves perished, their blood staining the stone floors.

The survivors fled in rout, abandoning the halls and residences to the invaders. The Stonehammer mining company, devastated by the loss, relocated their operations to safer grounds, leaving the Redstone mines a haunted reminder of the Battle of the Broken Wall.

By order of Brom JanCastle, the king's son, a grand gathering was convened in the middle district Forum, drawing thousands of citizens eager for news amid the escalating war with the Krimkar.

As the crowd assembled, anticipation filled the air, with whispers of heroism and strategy circulating among the attendees. Brom ascended the raised stone platform, commanding respect as the assembly bowed in unison.

In his eloquent speech, Brom stirred the spirits of the people, rallying them for the fight against the Krimkar invaders. He spoke passionately of Freyda's bravery, her capture by the enemy, and the daring rescue that followed, though he embellished the tale slightly for dramatic effect.

Finally, he unveiled the warrior women themselves, Freyda standing tall and proud. The revelation of her saviors, Melody and Geira, elicited thunderous cheers from the crowd, who hailed the heroes with acclaim.

The event culminated in an unexpected feast that extended late into the night, fostering unity and hope among the people of JanCastle.

A dwarf named Stour hears that the Krimkar might be attacking the port soon. He has heard that the refugees encamped in the Warbelly hideout are being supported by rich benefactors from within the city, and thinks that they might know how to get in. Soon after arriving at the hideout, a group of refugees attack the makeshift walls. Cadence Hyde, Layla, and Dramen are aided by Stour in repelling the attack.

Soon after, a woman named Elra Folen tells Cadence that he needs to find a way into the city in case the Krimkar attack. She knows of the sewer entrance beneath the hideout, and says that he should try to find a way into the city. Knowing that he needs to make contact with Tempest and Geira after not hearing from them for over a week and that both Stour and Elra are asking for a way into the city, Cadence leads Stour, Dramen, and Layla into the sewers.

They quickly encounter frog people who attack on sight, and are stalked by gator pigs. After series of battles they are forced to turn back and recover. While recovering, they buy potions a the Black Swan, where Cadence and Eidelon catch up and discuss their fishing endeavors.

On the second trip into the sewers, they make it into he cave system under the mountain. Here they encounter a troupe of goblins, and fearfully sneak by tunnels that containing the clear sign of trolls: foot prints, droppings, and piles of bones of various sorts. Finally they come to newly hewn halls and half finished residences of dwarven make, clearly abandoned by whoever recently constructed them. At last they come to the guard post of the Stonehammer Dwarven Mining Company. Stour lies and says that they came this way weeks ago and were lost. The dwarves let them pass, and they finally enter into the mountain district of the city.

In the aftermath of the fierce Krimkar assault on the city's walls, the lower district lay in ruins, scarred by the relentless barrage.

Though the invaders were ultimately repelled, their makeshift siege catapults had launched fire-filled projectiles that ignited uncontrollable blazes throughout the overcrowded refugee camps. The fields surrounding JanCastle were strewn with the bodies of fallen Krimkar warriors, a grim testament to the battle's toll.

Inside the walls, the devastation was compounded by the district's overpopulation. Refugees, crammed into makeshift shelters, suffered greatly as fires spread unchecked, claiming countless lives in the chaos.

The air hung heavy with smoke and the cries of the wounded, underscoring the fragility of the city's defenses.

As the sun rose on the battered landscape, survivors began the arduous task of rebuilding, their resolve hardened by the night's horrors, while the threat of further attacks loomed ominously on the horizon.

After seeing Tempest and Ignis taken away by the JanCastle police, Geira races to Doleb. After making a secret deal with him, he arrives the next day just to the public trial in the middle district forum just as Tempest and Ignis are about to be executed. He intervenes and provides evidence that Tempest and Ignis were not in the port at the time of the Warbelly hideout, but were investigating the Stonehammer mining company. The judge, Riven JanCastle, finds the evidence compelling, and forgoes on the execution.

Throughout the following week, a trial is held. Doleb argues in the defense of Tempest and Ignis, bringing in witness such as Asher Godorn and Regan JanCastle. On the other side of the Forum is a prosecutor by the name of Bregor Bellfather, a dwarf who has been assigned to investigate the missing dwarves of the port and the slain JanCastle policeman.

After a week, the conclusion to the trial is put on hold as resources within the city are spread thin because of the war.

The night air was warm. Podai Gerlin stood upon the lower walls of JanCastle and looked out over the land. The ground was patched with areas of cracked dry dirt and grassy hillocks. All of this was fading to view however as the sun set. The red sky seemed to gild the world and matched the color of the Krimkar banners which similarly surrounded the city. Podai was now accustomed to the sight of the Krimkar in the fields and forest. Their siege engines now littered the land scape; catapults, siege towers, defensive battlements constructed within bow range of the city. All rough hewn works built with the precious oak and pine of the JanCastle lands.

Meanwhile, the city was overflowing. A glance into the lower district, even at night, revealed that their was simply no room left for more refugees. The mighty mountain city with towers reaching to the very clouds, the mighty symbol of the JanCastle family, was now an overflowing refuge for millions who had escaped the Krimkar's conquest.

Suddenly, a booming sound filled the night, drawing Podai's attention away from the city and back to the Krimkar in the fields. A second and third boom echoed the first. Then a dozen, no a hundred more just like it. Black shapes crossed the darkening evening sky before impacting the walls, towers, and buildings of the city with ear splitting force. The Krimkar were attacking. Before Podai could even gather his wits, the JanCastle trebuchets, scattered along the lower wall and placed in battlements within the city, returned fire. The force of these war engines dwarfed that of the Krimkar. In a moment, a hundred boulders were thrown a thousand yards, impacting the Krimkar's battle lines, which were now approaching the city walls at full speed. Podai reached for the hilt of his sword and lifted his shield.

"The mighty city of our Lord Storm will repel this mob" his captain yelled out. "To the walls men, let the Krimkar taste the steal of our blades!"

The drumming and booming of the Krimkar catapults and JanCastle trebuchets began to fade into the background of Podai's mind. The foreign screams and yells of the Krimkar could now be heard. Their siege engines approached the walls in the distance, and many were being targeted by the JanCastle artillery. However the front lines of Krimkar now lifted tall ladders into place. Thousands of arrows were launched down the walls by the JanCasle army, many impacting the uplifted shields and defensive structures of the Krimkar. Looking down the wall, Podai saw some Krimkar pushing there way off the top of the ladders and onto the battlements. Suddenly, he heard a sound from behind him that caught his attention. A word spoken in a foreign language. Turning, a Krimkar was thrusting his spear toward him. Podai lifted his shield into place and was knocked to his back by the attack.