The Biscuits	Dollin - Druid 7th Level (PC) Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) Little John - Fighter 6th Level (NPC) Nicola - Cleric 6th Level (PC) Wed - Mage 6th Level (NPC) Yodavan - Mage/Cleric 1st/3rd (PC)
Locale	Irongate
Date	10th day of Goodmonth, 585 CY (Common Year)
Time	morning

Nicola took some time to heal Little John, despite his wishes to the contrary. The rest of the party took some time to clean up and have an early breakfast under the fading stars of daybreak.

Below them spread the deep and eroded chasm of a once mighty river, which had once led to the Azure Sea. Now, standing on a hill just above that bay was the fortified Free City of Irongate.

As the Biscuits set out on the trail towards the western gate of the Free City, the dawn gradually colored the scene below. To the right was the bay and a giant reddish statue, perhaps of a man. Nearer to the party and adjacent to the city wall was a great tower.

Gimar	Quite the defensive fortification. Jaron would like to see this.
Wed	And perhaps he shall.
Nicola	The sooner we get down there, the sooner Rheaphlyndar will be able to see this marvellous scene also.
Little John	Has anybody seen Dollin?
Yodavan	Seen him, hmmm?
Dollin	(appearing from behind a tree) The animals say this path was last used many moons ago.
Gimar	(smiling) Ah, back in your element I see.
Dollin	Say, Yodavan, I had a question about this spear.
Yodavan	Mine! Mine, or I will help you not.
Dollin	I guess that answers my question. I wasn't sure if you were giving it to me or what.
Yodavan	Didn't want you to throw it away, hmmm?

Presently the Biscuits arrived at the city. The registration process took half an hour, and was only completed when their story was verified by a dwarven mine survey crew. Gimar took a moment to gaze into the city, which sloped gently up towards the eastern wall.

Gimar

This is no city under siege, it's a thriving metropolis.

The road they were on led straight into the city, then forked. To the right were a maze of smaller dwellings, probably the poorer quarter of town. Straight ahead was a market, with vendors setting up their shops even at this early hour. To the left, a few temples dotted the skyline, and it was in this direction that Gimar and the Biscuits travelled.

Nicola made the proper inquiries, and before lunch the party had left the city again. Pelor was not a large force in this city, so their quest led them outside the walls and part way up the western wall. The temple of Nola was built of stone and faced the east. A large brown skinned man came out to greet them, his dark eyes flashing in the sun. Nicola introduced the party, while Gimar carefully unpacked the statue that had formerly been the party rogue.

Priest	I am glad to meet you. Around these parts I am known as C.J. the Touv. Is that stone? Maybe you need the United Artificers, down in the city.
Gimar	No, I did this in order to save him. I'm not sure it was the right thing to do, but it seemed right at the time.
Priest	Sometimes you must follow your instincts. Besides, a flute without holes, is not a flute. A donut without a hole, is a danish. Now let's take a look at those wounds . . .

The priest let out a low whistle and everyone knew this would be a difficult task. Still, he examined the gaping chest wound in great detail and then summoned some junior priests. When Nicola offered to help he turned the offer down, saying something about mismatched religions. Gimar stayed behind to handle the stone to flesh, while the rest of the party headed back to town. They pulled up a table in the Tree of Liberty tavern, ordered a pitcher of ESB and waited quietly.

Gimar arrived half an hour later, sweating but beaming a broad smile.

Gimar	He's going to live!
Nicola	Bless the light.
Gimar	He'll have full use of his hands, and just before I left he was asking if he could play the violin, whatever that is.
Wed	I think it's a card game of some sort.
Gimar	The priest said he will need sleep and time to fully recover, but the rogue is back in town!
Dollin	That calls for another round.
Nicola	Hey, now we're only down one party member.
Dollin	Ahh, my turn - low tide is in a few hours and I'll be down at the beach.
Wed	In this heat that's probably a good place to be.
Little John	Need any protection from crabs ?
Dollin	With the city infantry just above me? No, I'll be just fine. You may join me if you wish, I just ask that you stay out of my way.

The biscuits made plans to meet again for dinner. It was decided that they would make an appointment to see the Lord Mayor on the morrow. Most of the party took the opportunity to bathe, shop, and relax.

Gimar only had to make a few inquiries before he was standing in front of the most highly reputed weaponsmith in Irongate. The dwarf was pure mountain breed. Stocky, with a large, bushy red beard, and hard facial features that gave him the appearance of being chiseled out of stone.

Gimar	So you see what I need, and who better than the best weaponsmith in the Flanaess.
Killian	Hmmm, seems like a good two months work for an expert smith. Fortunately, I have two good teams under me. We'll get started right away.

That evening, Dollin reported his findings as the Biscuits again ate at the Tree of Liberty. It seemed Jaron was alive and well, and above water. He seemed to be headed south along a river at the bottom of a karakast. Wed compared the description with a few maps he had purchased and the party figured that the paladin of Pelor would make it to town by mid-day.

Gimar	That works well, we have been invited to have tea with the Lord Mayor tomorrow.
Yodavan	Should we travel out to meet Jaron?
Dollin	I'll go tonight - I could use a walk in the woods.
Nicola	What of the enemy, the Scarlet Brotherhood?
Wed	Ah, nothing to worry about, at least right now.

In his reading of the current events, Wed reported that there was an uneasy neutral zone between the Free City and the Brotherhood, who controlled the peninsula to the west and the mainland to the east. That meant that the deep valley to the north of Irongate was free . . . except for marauding demons, of course.

The Biscuits	Lord High Mayor Cobb Darg (NPC) Archmage Elayne Mystica (NPC)
Locale	Irongate
Date	11th day of Goodmonth, 585 CY (Common Year)
Time	morning

The Lord High Mayor of Irongate was a smallish fellow, and some whispered that he was a half-dwarf. Still, he had navigated his ship of state through many stormy waters, and the Free City endured. As Cobb stood on the battlements of the citadel, surveying the Godsday dawn, the image of a suel mage appeared beside him. She had white hair and deep pink eyes, and her face was lined with magical symbols.

Elayne	So they have arrived at last.
Cobb	All in due time. The coming autumn will help hide their travels.
Elayne	I've seen many demons about.
Cobb	And if you keep watching, you'll see this group slay a few of them. I think the powers in Mitrik have chosen a fine group.
Elayne	(shaking her head) But what about Lord Drax. Can you trust him?
Cobb	No. But he has no love for the Empire, I can tell you that.

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