The party awoke to find two of their members had gone on a quest of their own with a “higher calling” and chalked it up to nothing more than a fling between the two and continued with the day’s tasks. Arriving at Dallas’s shop, the party watch as Jaden and Tania prepare the Far Sending Ritual and send their message to the last agents of the Consortium. The message was simple and to the point:
To all available agents, return home. It is no longer safe. Head to HQ and regroup
Once the message was sent, Jaden approached the party and proposed one final task should they accept it. He was very impressed with their work and would like them to join the Consortium as agents, seeing as how their numbers were few. The party discussed it and wondered what the Paladin in their group would have chosen, but in the end Jaden assured them that the missing members would have a choice of their own in the matter. The party accepted and was given all the information they would need as well as the benefits that came with becoming an agent of the Consortium.
Dallas remind the party of the Sessions of Moradin taking place, and that their disguises would no longer work as one surviving Goliath from their battle in the Mud Block has pointed them out to authorities. The city of Fallford has also come under lock-down and no single living creature is allowed to leave or enter the city. The party again decided that participating in the tournament would not be something their paladin would have done, but their time grew short as the guards would eventually begin to get word of the new outsiders and their false Viceroy.
The party registered every member as a participant in the Sessions, and the two missing ones as next of kin should they not survive. Dallas walked the party to Falgar Stadium and wished them luck as the battle was poised to begin.
The party walked into the stadium center and were each greeted differently, but when Leogold held the Last Rite up above his head, the audience grew silent and Mundri Titanus seemed shocked at the weapon and its wielder. Seven Dire wolves and one frightened guard entered the stadium from the opposite side and the battle was underway. The wolves seemed to have an attack plan down as one ran to the right flank and had his attention focused on chains hanging from some dragon head statues. The other Dire Wolves focused on targets by using two-on-one tactics. Caslon engaged one and unleashed a flurry of sword magic, Dara focused on enemies who were being attacked by two comrades, Leogold swung away with Last Rite in hopes of feeding his new weapon, Deathsap moved towards one of four large pillars in the stadium in hopes of climbing it, while Kendy drew some enemies closer towards the center.
The wolf who separated from the pack pulled down one set of chains and opened a cage releasing a Cockatrice into the fray. Caslon recognized this enemy and informed the party what troubles it could bring, Deathsap had troubles with the panicked Dwarf guard attempting to use him for help while two wolves closed in. Kendy expertly wielded her blade and took two wolves on with some caution, but there numbers grew as one more arrived from the back and had her semi-surrounded. Caslon continued to punish his target and positioned himself near Kendy to help. Leogold pushed his way passed one enemy to align himself into a better position on the battlefield, and Dara helped eliminate two Wolves caught in between Kendy and Leogold.
The fight began to take a dark turn as the Dwarf guard ran towards Dara for help, but was cut down by a Dire Wolf biting and mauling his back. The Dire Wolf charged Dara and struck her quickly; Deathsap was wounded by a few bites as he battle a Dire Wolf of his own, and Kendy was knocked unconscious by a tremendous Dire Wolf Bite. Leogold and the Last Rite did not seem to be working well together, until Leogold managed to catch one of the Dire Wolves square in the head causing massive damage and causing the Dire Wolf to fall beneath the Last Rite’s massive power. Caslon finished off his foe with a quick Lightning Blade sword spell and teleported himself to behind the new Cockatrice threat. The wolf who was separated from the pack pulled another chain and released yet another Cockatrice into the battle. Leogold revived Kendy using his Warlord experience and inspiring commands, and Dara maneuvered away just in time to finish the Dire Wolf which pursued her.
Caslon made more swift steps and came to Kendy’s aid, while Leogold dealt with the first Cockatrice. The Dire Wolf who opened the two cages ran across the battle field to where Deathsap had just finished slaying one of the other Dire Wolves and attempted to open a third cage. Dara once again shot carefully passed her friends and killed another Dire Wolf who had been engaged in battle with Kendy and Leogold; Caslon continued dealing out punishment against the new Cockatrice and a Dire Wolf nearby. Deathsap went blow for blow with the Dire Wolf who had been opening cages and eventually killed him with the expert precision, but not without sustaining heavy damage. Dara again shot at the the Dire Wolves and managed to eliminate another, Leogold cut down one Cockatrice with the Last Rite, and Caslon put a finishing blow on the final Dire Wolf. Deathsap, filled with curiosity, attempted to look into the unopened cage and was met with a vicious swipe from a Dire Bear who was waiting in the wings.
The party eliminated their foes and become the first group made of different races to advance passed the first round of the Sessions of Moradin in 100 years.