Session B18 — Old Companions

Summary

Still Day 1 inside Revel's End, a few hours after B17 ended. The session opens with Kavu alone in the prison courtyard testing the security of magical communication — and receiving a deeply alarming message: Phandalin is now surrounded by a magical mist barrier, and Kelvin is inside it. The party reconvenes in the guest quarters, compares notes from the day's reconnaissance, meets a new Absolution Council member, and debates an escalating stack of plans they haven't coordinated. The evening's centrepiece is a long scene in the infirmary: Othorion summons Lireal (Prisoner 218) under medical cover; she turns out to be a sharp, self-possessed prison fixer who dictates her own fake diagnosis to protect the arrangement; and then the warden staggers in drunk — with Igwine stirring at the back of Othorion's mind, whispering that the possessing entity is Vlax Brawnanvil, a Shield Dwarf fighter who was once a member of her own adventuring party. The session ends with the real warden — Warden Marta Marthannis — emerging briefly, introducing herself formally, and departing. Much has been learned; nothing has been acted on yet.

Key Events

Kavu in the Courtyard — Testing Sending

Kavu went to the courtyard at approximately 4:30 PM to test whether magic could operate there without interception — the goal being to determine whether he could cast Sending to communicate with Prisoner 13 during exercise time.

He cast Sending into the courtyard: no interference, no detection, no guards. The prison does not appear to have systematic magical monitoring.

He also lit his Kossuth candles and ran his meditation practice — the first time he has done so properly in Icewind Dale. The blizzard winds from above the walls fought him every exhale, but he kept the flame.

Caladorn sending and the Phandalin mist: Kavu sent Sending to Kelvin, who did not respond. He then sent to Caladorn (a dragon-associated contact of Kelvin's) and received this:

"Flying over Saltmarsh with Arvey. Outside Phandalin. Misbarred me entry. Kelvin inside. High magic. Investigating. Sorry. Thought this was meant for me."

Phandalin is surrounded by a magical mist barrier. Kelvin is inside. Caladorn cannot enter. Haldak, when informed, identified this as Barovian magic — an ancient technique predating even the Netherese empire. He noted that a land called Barovia once disappeared overnight into exactly this kind of magical mist and was never seen again. The implications are severe. The party has no way to act on this from inside Revel's End.

In the back of Kavu's mind: the orphaned children of Manan whom Lireal asked about — Caladorn's message mentioned the children are "scared, afraid, and hungry." Kavu sent Sending to Brother Marklin (cartographer-scribe, House of Knowledge, Neverwinter) — an acquaintance who helped Kavu obtain his rings — asking him to look in on the Manan aquatic elf orphans.

Guest Quarters — Intel Review

The party regrouped to compare notes. Key items:

• Kavu described the armory creature: large maw, numerous thin tentacles, one large eye, teeth throughout. Flora and Fauna of the Sword Coast and the Underdark Survival Guide both failed to identify it. Roland confirmed it reads as an aberration to him. The group agreed it is likely a deliberate prison security element rather than an escaped prisoner — accessing anything in that room may require confronting it.

• Kriv Norixius — a large Dragonborn, Absolution Council member, emerged from a room near the party's quarters and fell into step with Haldak on the way to the mess hall. He introduced himself warmly, praised the cooking (squeezing Haldak hard enough that his feet left the ground), and explained his role: handling the yearly pardon requests. He described himself as more lenient than his colleagues on the Council. He joined Haldak in the mess hall.

• Kefkas's "Ballad of the Blue-Hot Tiefling" was performed in full in the mess hall, from a standing position on a table, to the horror of Selene and the apparent delight of multiple guards. The song — a ribald narrative about a tiefling encounter — was written by Kefkas over two weeks and contained a Kossuth reference ("By Kosuth's codes, I shall walk with esteem"). He revealed afterward that this was deliberate cover: playing a lecherous, socially aggressive character to distance himself from the party and ingratiate himself with the guards. It appears to have worked. Selene was not pleased.

• Woodcarving tools: Kefkas gave Selene a set of woodcarvers — procured through a prison contact. These are not her actual tools (her tools are in the prisoner effects room). He told her plainly: when in public, he would continue to act like the song's author. They have an understanding.

• Guard patrols: Every 30-60 seconds, a pair of guards passes through any stretch of the inner hexagonal ring. Getting unobserved time in a corridor requires patience and timing.

• Sympathetic guards: Selene named Lucas and Tobias as guards who give prisoners small acts of leeway — extra yard time, slightly more rations in cold weather. They don't break rules openly and won't actively help, but they won't hinder. The red-armband contacts are Gum-Gum's sailors from the Ice Serpent — not Revel's End staff.

• Communication strategy update: Kavu proposed using Sending or Message during prisoner yard time rather than food poisoning. The poison plan is not cancelled, but the direct messaging approach is now the preferred first step.

Kavu Returns to the Blind Spot — Lireal

On his way to the infirmary with the others, Kavu once again found himself in the Panopticon dead zone. Lireal was kneeling at the back wall of her cell, her standard position.

Kavu whispered to her:

"They're scared, afraid, and hungry, but I have people looking into it."

Lireal turned around from the wall. She looked at him — truly, not through the composed surface she normally presents.

"Did you actually look into this for me?"

Kavu confirmed he had sent word to Brother Marklin. Lireal straightened: she knows Brother Marklin — he is an acquaintance, specifically the cartography section of the House of Knowledge. She said she could not come to the infirmary unless summoned by the doctor.

The Infirmary — Othorion Summons Prisoner 218

The party attempted to trickle into the infirmary individually. The plan failed quickly: too many people from the Ice Serpent appearing in the infirmary drew the attention of guard Hugo Stormcaller, who became alarmed about potential food poisoning and left his post to investigate the mess hall. Kavu, on his way in, made the situation worse by mentioning food to the guard near the door.

With Stormcaller temporarily absent, Othorion went to the inner hexagonal ring and flagged down two passing guards. In his capacity as Dr. Goldfeather, he requested Prisoner 218 be brought in for a "post-secondary checkup — something came up in her records." He gave his name. The guards logged it.

A few minutes later, "Warden Milo Ubrek" brought Lireal to the infirmary. She walked in to find Selene and Kefkas in the patient beds.

Lireal in the Infirmary

Lireal was immediately observant. She noticed she had no cover for being called back to the infirmary so soon after her earlier visit, grabbed Othorion by his kerchief, and whispered: "How did you arrange talking to me?" Then she noticed the problem herself and took care of it.

She performed a dramatic fainting episode:

"Oh dear, I believe I am feeling faint."

She fell toward Othorion, who caught her. She then dictated her own fake diagnosis — speaking directly to Othorion's notepad as he wrote:

"Patient presents with pale skin, fainting spells, likely post-oral orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Patient likely requires regular checkups at least three times a week and constant review of their situation post-meal."

She also coached Othorion that the warden would want notes on both the first and second exam, and that Kefkas and Selene needed their own documented complaints — she suggested they claim chronic headaches and indigestion respectively.

When the party asked her about Prisoner 13:

• P13 is a dwarf woman, heavily tattooed, who looks "like the kind of woman who would break you in half looking at her wrong"
• She once asked Lireal to get information out to people in the Icewind Dale — specifically, someone named Axebreaker (clan or person)
• Lireal couldn't facilitate it; she doesn't move information, only material
• P13 stopped asking after that

"Axebreaker" made both Othorion and Kefkas visibly register — they know this name.

Lireal said she could arrange for P13 to meet with Othorion privately, if needed. She asked, pointedly, where the party was headed after Revel's End. When told — deeper into Icewind Dale — she said: "I had already surmised that's where you were going based on the way you are all dressed." She noted she had no use for friends in the Dale.

The Warden Visit — Igwine and Vlax

While Othorion was at the medicine cabinet, there was a commotion outside the door. Guard Stormcaller's voice:

"Ma'am — yes, the doctor has some patients — yes, I will stand aside."

The door swung open. The Warden — possessed, drunk, moving with the bowlegged gait the possession gives her — staggered into the infirmary with a bottle in her hand and began shouting at Othorion in Dwarvish.

In the back of Othorion's mind, Igwine — dormant for some time — forced herself forward:

"Huh. That's interesting. That woman there reminds me of someone I used to know. A Shield Dwarf fighter named Vlax Brawnanvil. He was one of the members of my adventuring party."

Igwine told Othorion what to say. He repeated it as best he could in broken Dwarvish — "Vlax, what storms have you been stirring lately?"

The possessed warden stared at him. Then a slow, creepy smile spread across her face.

And then: a twitch in her left eye. She stood straight. She shook her head. The possession retreated.

Warden Marta Marthannis emerged.

"I seem to be in the infirmary. How much did I drink? Ah, you must be the new doctor."

She introduced herself formally: Marta Marthannis, Warden of Revel's End. She apologised for the delay in greeting him. She noted "Flax must have been drinking me rotten" — Flax being her thick-accented rendering of Vlax. She surveyed the room — three patients, two of them from the Ice Serpent — expressed polite curiosity, asked for something for her headache, and announced she'd review Othorion's notes in a week's time.

Lireal guided Othorion to the correct item in the medicine cabinet with a subtle head-nod system. He gave Marta a piece of ginger and instructions to soak it in warm water.

The warden left. The door closed with a soft click.

Lireal: "Well, that was bloody close."

Othorion told Kefkas he does not, in fact, speak Dwarvish.

Doctor's Schedule Review

With the warden gone and Lireal in the infirmary for the duration of her three-weekly visit, Othorion reviewed the previous doctor's records. He had been warned by Lireal that there was a reason the prior doctor was no longer present. The schedule contained several upcoming commitments:

Othorion wants to postpone the troll exam. The party noted that the fire elemental visit might benefit from a party member with fire resistance — Kavu is the obvious candidate.

The session ended at this point, with the party still in the infirmary, plans unresolved, and a week's deadline on the warden's notes review.

NPCs Encountered

Loot / Discoveries

Threads Opened / Advanced

• Phandalin mist barrier: Barovian magic has sealed Phandalin. Kelvin is inside. Caladorn is investigating from outside (over Saltmarsh). Party cannot address this from Revel's End.
• Vlax Brawnanvil / Warden possession: The entity possessing Warden Marta Marthannis is Vlax — a Shield Dwarf fighter who was part of Igwine's original adventuring party. He recognised Igwine via Othorion. The warden herself knows nothing useful about her "rowdy counterpart." The implications of Vlax being here, inside the warden, are entirely unresolved.
• Igwine active: She surfaced to identify Vlax and provide the password phrase. She has been dormant but is clearly watching. Her continued presence in the gem is now entangled with what Vlax is doing here.
• Lireal infirmary access: Established via fake POTS diagnosis. 3x weekly checkups create a regular intelligence channel. Her contraband network and relationship with Brother Marklin are now active assets.
• Axebreaker clan: P13 has been trying to reach them from inside prison. Othorion and Kefkas recognise the name. Their importance is not yet explained to the full party.
• P13 approach: Lireal offered to arrange a private meeting. Direct communication still not achieved. Poison plan not executed. Courtyard messaging (Sending/Message spell) still viable but not yet attempted.
• Doctor's schedule: Troll exam (P272/278) is tomorrow; Othorion wants to avoid it. Fire elemental visit could involve Kavu. Therapy for P66 (lost gopher) may hold unexpected information.
• Orphans of Manan: Kavu sent Sending to Brother Marklin to check on Lireal's people (aquatic elf children displaced after the Manan attack on Neverwinter). Lireal knows Marklin. Response pending.
• Armory creature: Still unidentified. Not in any reference book the party has. Likely an intentional security element. Lireal confirmed it's real but offered no identification.