Sabotage Plot
Though it is just the start of their day, Qarzdaq and Qhortho are already exhausted. Knowing there’s no way for them to catch up in rest because of those blasted artifacts, they decide it’s best to teleport back to Greyguard to get some much-needed sleep.
They appear in Greyguard’s courtyard. They find Myke and Phryd without too much effort and check in on the status. Aran asks about the progress on finding the saboteur. Myke has everyone step out of earshot of any laborers.
Myke has identified basic tools that have gone missing from their normal storage locations: hammers, saws, and chisels. He also told them about the details of the sabotage: new construction that had been disassembled in ways that made it difficult to tell that it was sabotage, like nails having been removed from sections of wall, and portions of new roofing that had been carefully pried loose. In addition, some of the building materials themselves were compromised: some lumber had been sawed through or chipped, and some stone was chiseled to create a slope.
MYKE: None of these defects were enough to stop the progress in its tracks, but it certainly made it more difficult to work with, and in combination, made it more likely for something to fail after completion. With that in mind, we went back to inspect previously completed work. Lo and behold, we found defects. A door frame and a window frame was loosened to fall out with some additional weight from the finishing materials.
QHOR: So the culprit must be skilled in construction or masonry.
MYKE: Yeah. That would be a fair assumption.
QHOR: So what’s the plan here Myke? We need to nip this in the bud.
MYKE: Absolutely. I mentioned I had some trusted men watching over the camp at night. They saw someone sneaking around the construction sites late at night with what seemed to be a heavy backpack. But when my men went to take a closer look, they didn’t find anyone in the area. Like they just disappeared.
Myke goes on to talk about the idea they’d devised to find this guy. They surveyed the construction areas and wet the ground after everyone went to sleep so fresh footsteps would be more obvious. The signs would be obvious in those areas as well as on the boots of the saboteur.
MYKE: They didn’t see anyone that night, but the next morning they found muddy footprints from what appears to be a single individual in the area. They were watching that area the whole time, so this was a bit confusing. There also hasn’t been a pair of muddy boots that were telltale enough to say they had been in the area.
He adds that a ladder was moved from where it was placed at the end of the work day. Myke’s men looked at all the second-story work but found nothing more of interest.
ARAN: There has to be someone we can question.
MYKE: There are actually. Though we have to be careful we don’t just go accusing people, as that could act against the comradery I’ve been building, I do have three men in custody right now per Phryd. They are not in the stocks mind you. They are in the defunct prison and are being well-cared for. But there’s one more thing I need to mention. My guys overheard someone talking in hushed tones, or whispering to someone else during one of the nights. There’s probably more than one person involved.
QARZ: Has anyone compared boot sizes to the muddy footprints found?
MYKE: No.
QARZ: Do I have to do everything around here?
MYKE: We won’t be able to. The next morning, the site was disturbed as people began work.
ARAN: Ok, great… So let’s go talk to these people and find out what’s what.
Phryd clears his throat as if he has something prophetic to say.
PHRYD: Gentlemen, if I may…
Everyone’s eyes are now on Phryd and he appears to like it that way.
PHRYD: Gentlemen, I have been reviewing the evidence myself and I have some thoughts about the suspects and the crimes. Firstly, I believe, like Qhortho and Myke, that the saboteur is someone who is familiar with construction and has the knowledge and skills to carry out the sabotage. Based on the evidence, I believe the motive is to weaken the structure of Greyguard and make it more vulnerable to collapse. I also believe this person is working with someone on the outside. If this is indeed true, it suggests that they are working with someone who has a larger goal in mind. I do not know who this outsider might be, but it seems the biggest impact would fall on you, the Unlikely Assembly. The likeliest outcome from these minor construction issues, that may or may not actually cause bodily harm, is that the Lord Commander would remove the Unlikely Assembly from any oversight role for Greyguard and perhaps, most importantly, cause a rift with the Night’s Watch as an organization. Following this through, we are left with the ultimate goal being to weaken any progress on your broader goals. Given we know what these are, we are potentially dealing with someone far more dangerous than the small-focused sabotage itself.
ARAN: Great. So… let’s go talk to these people.
MYKE: We can go speak to them now.
Just as everyone turns towards the defunct prison, Phryd clears his throat again. Everyone turns to face Phryd.
PHRYD: In terms of suspects, we currently have three. Jaery, Galt and Bram are all worth considering. Jaery has significant the strength and may even feel slighted at the Assembly for perceived wrongs. Galt, being a steward, has the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out the sabotage, but his role does not convey significant construction experience. Bram, being a builder, definitely has the experience, no alibi, and his boots were a little muddy.
PHRYD: The key to solving this crime lies in piecing together the evidence and identifying what might be each of these suspects’ motives to determine if they align with our worldview of the incident. I suggest we start by questioning each of them individually, then move on to investigating the materials and construction sites. Then we can return to the suspects for our final assessment.
QHOR: Look, Phryd. We’ve been doing this a while and…
QARZ: What Qhortho means to say is that we appreciate your experience and thoughts. We also have experience with getting information from people. We all believe…
Qarzdaq looks across the faces of his party to make sure he will get their agreement. They all nod.
QARZ: … that with our experience combined, we will solve this case.
ARAN: Having said that, we have a way we like to do things.
QHOR: And since our asses are on the line, we’re going to take the lead here.
Phryd squints at Qhortho ever so slightly, but Farron picks up on it.
FARR: We will take the lead, but we would like… No… We need your support Phryd.
Phryd seems comforted by this.
PHRYD: Of course. This is your show after all.
The Ranger
They all head towards the defunct prison, with the intent to speak with Jaery first.
Jaery is sitting on a bench, leg shackled to the wall. The cell is in rough shape; a portion of the wall is broken and covered by blankets and a tarp.
Qarzdaq enters first. He notices that Jaery is not happy. It’s not that he’s on edge necessarily, just angry that he’s been held captive. His clothes don’t appear particularly dirty other than a splatter of dried blood near his shoulder.
Farron and Qhortho attempt to enter at the same time, but Qhortho just pushes through the entryway, forcing Farron to be crushed against the iron until Qhortho is fully in the cell. Farron enters immediately after and walks around Qhortho. That’ll show ‘im. Qhortho is so focused on Jaery and popping his pecs that he is totally oblivious to Farron’s “revenge”, and also to the initial infraction that caused it.
Qhortho stares into Jaery’s eyes as he approaches, not saying a word. He stops about 10 feet from him.
Farron drags a chair from near the entryway to just 3 feet from Jaery then stretches his leg over the top of it to sit down.
He sits looking at Jaery, then around the room, then back to Jaery. As he does, Aran and Phryd enter the cell. Myke remains outside and out of sight.
Farron holds up a hand and looks directly into Jaery’s eyes. Jaery doesn’t realize it, but he’s about to be Mass Suggested on.
FARR: You are going to tell me if it was you stealing supplies, dismantling parts of the castle, and sabotaging our efforts here.
Jaery scowls.
JAERY: I never stole any tools. I mean… the weapons are free for us all to use, right? I mean… I’ve taken some…
He looks towards the ground as if he’s been found out.
JAERY: …you know, daggers, and swords… after I’ve had a day of ranging, I replace them for sharper ones. I know I should be caring for my own gear right now, but these dolts aren’t really going to know the difference. And it’s been fairly quiet out there. I mean… if we get invaded, that might be an issue for the rest of these people, but… I figured it’d all work out fine.
FARR: Yeah, alright. It’s not good practice, but this isn’t what you’ve been detained for.
Jaery becomes very angry.
JAERY: Then why the fuck am I being held here?!
ARAN: We’re letting you out now Jaery. We have a saboteur in our midst and Myke has been seeking answers. Unfortunately, because of your rotation in work, you were one of the three most likely people, but I knew it wasn’t you. That’s the reason we spoke with you first. We just had to get to the bottom of it. You’re free to go, and I apologize. You definitely didn’t deserve this and I hope you understand. We don’t have any problem with you swapping out the weapons as you see fit. It would be a good idea to let the others know that they need maintenance though.
Aran turns to the others.
ARAN: I told you Jaery didn’t have anything to do with this.
Jaery’s anger subsides and morphs to mere agitation. He kicks out his leg to provide easy access to unlock the shackle, which they do promptly.
QARZ: And Jaery, go ahead and take a double ale ration and let’s put this behind us.
Jaery nods and leaves the cell.
FARR: Well that could have gone worse. You’ll see what I mean when we find the culprit.
Farron unconsciously fingers a thick metal collar attached by his side.
QARZ: Let’s go rule out the steward… Galt… next.
Everyone agrees and walks over to his cell.
The Steward
Galt is sitting on a bench, in the same type of shackles as Jaery. This cell seems to be in better shape than Jaery’s but not by much.
Qarzdaq enters first and notices that Galt is not eager to make eye contact. It looks as if he is deeply uncomfortable and would much rather not deal with confrontation. There is a deep sadness in his eyes. His boots look fairly clean and his clothes don’t appear particularly dirty.
Farron enters next with Qhortho just behind. Phryd hangs back with Myke this time. Farron senses weakness and when he drags the chair this time, he intentionally does it loudly and slowly, like nails on a chalkboard.
Qhortho stares at Galt, just as he had with Jaery, but Galt does not make eye contact.
The room falls silent. Farron sits in the chair and just watched Galt. Waiting.
Once Galt looks over to him, Farron quietly speaks, hoping to keep his attention.
FARR: What’s up man?
GALT: Nothing. I could be better. That is, I’m fine, but I’d rather not be here. We have a lot of work to do and I wish I could be out there helping.
FARR: This is true, but you’re here right now. So…
Farron lets his words linger in the air, hoping for a response.
GALT: So… how do we end this? How do I get out of here?
FARR: What were you up to last night?
GALT: Nothing. We did our shift and went to bed.
ARAN: Yeah, certainly not getting a beer at the brewery, am I right?
GALT: Yeah, not that I drink that much anyway, but yeah, we haven’t finished it yet.
Farron stands up and walks to a small table near the entryway. He slowly and loudly drags it over next to his chair. He sits down and lets silence fall on the room again. He reaches down to the metal collar on his belt loop and lays it down softly on the table.
He looks at it and runs his finger around the loop. He casts Heat Metal on the collar as he pulls his finger away.
FARR: Go ahead and touch that.
GALT: Why?
Farron softens his voice further.
FARR: Just go ahead.
Galt reaches out and touches it just as the table begins to smoke.
GALT: Ah!
Galt looks at his blistered finger and shakes it in the air. Farron waits until he’s got Galt’s attention again.
FARR: So. Before I put that on you.
He waits for the reaction he knows is coming. He doesn’t need to wait long. Galt recoils as he realizes what he’s up against. He’s seen the Assembly’s feats of strength and magic with his own eyes. He knows he is about to be on the wrong side of it.
GALT: NO! Please, no! Wait, you don’t need to do that!
As the smell of burning wood fills their space, Farron strengthens his voice.
FARR: So what’s been going on?
GALT: I’m not sure what you mean.
Farron shakes his head with sorrow and sits back as if Galt is making the decisions for him. He holds up a hand and looks directly into Galt’s eyes.
FARR: You are going to tell me if it was you stealing supplies, dismantling parts of the castle, and sabotaging our efforts here.
Galt’s eyes slowly widen.
GALT: I didn’t steal any tools. I mean, I didn’t take them for myself. And, um, I mean, anyone that’s a builder could put those things back together no problem. It’s not a big deal.
Farron
ARAN: So you didn’t steal them for yourself. Who did you steal them for?
GALT: I didn’t steal them!
ARAN: Well then, that was a very weird way to answer Farron’s question. And what do you mean anyone could put those things back together? What stuff? Specifically.
GALT: Doors, windows… everyone can build here… Everyone’s being forces to build. Anyone could put it back together. It’s not like everyone is completely inexperienced around here, right??
QHOR: Let me see your hands.
Galt instinctively raises his arms above his head to show he’s not holding anything. Qhortho looks for calluses to see if he’s been involved with building. The man’s hands are somewhat blistered and callused. Qhortho also notices some cuts and bruises on his arms.
Farron is tired of the nonsense. He stands and picks up the metal collar. He opens it while approaching Galt, bringing it towards the man’s neck.
GALT: No, no, no, no! Please! Please!
Farron pauses and looks down into the man’s eyes.
FARR: Have you taken any tools for any reason?
Galt breaks eye contact and begins to sob. He regains his composure and tries to figure out how to answer the question.
Tough Love
Farron slaps him.
FARR: STOP THINKING! ANSWER THE QUESTION!
His response is almost a whisper.
GALT: They’ll kill me. All of you are going to kill me. It doesn’t matter what I say.
The group openly discusses the use of their truth serum to force Galt to speak. Phryd busts through the cell door.
PHRYD: What are you doing in here?! Come on. This is one of ours.
ARAN: This guy is the guilty party.
PHRYD: You think so? He’s a steward! This is a formality to rule him out. What makes you say that?
ARAN: He said he was.
PHRYD: He said he was? I didn’t hear that. Let’s speak outside.
ARAN: No, we’re not going to do that.
QARZ: We’re getting the fuller answers right now. You can hang out, if you’d like to see how we get things done.
Farron gets Qhortho’s attention and motions for him to block the doorway so Phryd can’t leave. Qhortho moves in front of the door as Phryd watches. He approaches Qhortho.
PHRYD: I’m leaving. Get out of the way.
QHOR: Last motherfucker that said that to me is taking a dirt nap.
ARAN: You need to watch this.
PHRYD: You know who I am. What my position is. Now move!
QHOR: No.
ARAN: That’s ok. Now you’re going to see who we are. Our methods are unlikely but fair.
Aran administers the truth serum to the prisoner, orally, not the “normal” way for this group. Farron speaks some words in a very unsettling tone as the serum slides down Galt’s throat. After a few moments, Aran picks up the questioning while being as intimidating as possible.
ARAN: You are going to tell me everything you know about the sabotage, what you’ve done, who it was for, any conversations you’ve had… I want to know it all. The only way you are getting out of here alive is if you tell me everything I want to know. Now.
Phryd looks very dismayed at these tactics but realizes his best option in the moment is to bide his time and see how this plays out.
GALT: If I tell you everything you want to know, I’m not leaving alive…
QARZ: We’ll get you out of here alive.
ARAN: We’re your only chance of staying alive at this point. We’ll handle whoever has you doing this.
Galt begins to visibly shake as if he’s losing the ability to control his faculties.
Farron looks at Phryd, who is staring at Galt. It’s almost as if he’s rooting for the guy to not be the one behind the situation at hand. Farron leans down to whisper into Galt’s ear.
FARR: I want you to nod if Phryd is involved.
Galt looks at him and does absolutely nothing.
ARAN: Look, let’s keep it simple. Simple yes or no. Are you behind the missing tools?
GALT: By answering that…
Aran slaps him hard across the face. Galt whimpers.
GALT: …there’s more…
Aran slaps him again. Galt’s shoulders quake.
GALT: …there’s… there’s more…
Aran slaps him again.
ARAN: I can do this all day.
Galt keeps his head down and quietly cries. Aran slaps him again. Seeing no response, Aran punches him. His head whips to one side.
QARZ: Whoa whoa whoa. Listen, maybe you should answer him. I don’t want him to do this, maybe you should just answer him. Don’t make me let him loose again, just answer the question.
ARAN: I can do this all day, man! I’m excited about it.
QARZ: You’re just doing this to yourself!
GALT: I’m trying to tell you what you want to know, but you have to understand that if I’m telling you this… I’m dead.
QARZ: We can take you anywhere…
Galt raises his voice to drown out all other sounds.
GALT: IF YOU LEAVE THE NIGHT’S WATCH, YOU DIE!
The party looks at each other.
ARAN: Ok, expand on that. We can get you literally anywhere…
GALT: I SHOULD NOT EVEN BE HERE!
Aran raises his hand.
ARAN: Ok. You better start talking or…
GALT: I’M TRYING TO!
ARAN: Well, you’re fucking failing.
GALT: I was sent up here against my will. I was a prisoner. I was put in with the stewards and… I can’t do it guys… I can’t do it up here…
ARAN: Why were you a prisoner?
GALT: I stole a loaf of bread in Deep Den. When the Night’s Watch put out a request for new recruits, they sent me to the Nightfort. This was my only chance to be outside a cell, but… I just can’t. I was left with only two options. I could either desert, and be hunted and killed, or I could help out this guy that said he’d help me get out if I helped him. He said he’d be able to stage my death to make it so the Watch would never come looking.
Phryd shakes his head and makes a noise of disgust at what he’s watching.
GALT: So I told him I’d help.
QARZ: Now we’re getting somewhere. Who was this guy? What does he look like?
GALT: I don’t know his name. He has dark hair and bronze skin.
FARR: Was he part of the Watch?
GALT: I don’t think so. I’d never seen him around before. The first time I’d seen him was when he approached me.
ARAN: When did he approach you?
GALT: It was at night about a week ago. I was walking the grounds looking for ways I might escape, but I knew I’d be too much a coward to do it, in all honesty. This guy not only gave me a path, but gave me the courage to follow that path.
ARAN: How do you meet with him?
GALT: I… wait… what assurances do I have that I won’t be killed here?
FARR: Do you have any family?
GALT: Not really. By blood, I have one sister, but I haven’t spoken to her in years. She probably thinks I’m already dead.
Something about this tugs at Qhortho. He knows what it’s like to become a slave and the allure of freedom. Qhortho steps away from the door toward Galt.
QHOR: We can’t relieve you of your duty or the oath you’ve sworn to the Watch, but we can make your life up here more tolerable. We can get you out of building duties so you can focus on what you can do as a steward.
QARZ: We can also get you out of Greyguard if that would help.
QHOR: We recognize you’re probably not a bad guy and just got stuck in a bad situation. We want to help you out.
ARAN: But we need to know more about this person who put you up to this.
QARZ: Or if not, we’re going to hand you over to Phryd and let him deal with you. You don’t want to know how he deals with people.
Phryd looks very angry at the moment.
PHRYD: Yeah.
QARZ: But we’re giving you the best way out possible. It’s not going to be perfect, but it’s the best we can do.
ARAN: How do you meet with this guy?
QARZ: We need to set up a meeting so we can ambush him.
Galt whispers to himself.
GALT: I’ll be killed.
QHOR: How are they going to kill you?
GALT: The best I could hope for is some way that you guys are kicked out of Greyguard. That is… well… that was the only way out. But now, that’s not going to happen. There is no way out now… there is no way out…
ARAN: Ok, enough with that. How do you meet this guy? If we don’t have a meeting with this guy, you are 100% dead. Your life depends on it.
QHOR: Does he know you’ve been detained?
GALT: I don’t know.
ARAN: I don’t get this fucking guy.
FARR: Look, there is a way out of this. We can guarantee your safety.
Galt looks up at Farron, eyes glistening, beaten, but hoping for hope.
GALT: How?
FARR: There’s always a way back. You help us get this guy, and we’re good here.
Galt hangs his head, realizing this is all just going in circles.
FARR: We run this show. We can get you whatever is needed.
Phryd raises an eye to Farron but understands the work being done here. He looks away as to not draw Galt’s attention. Farron decides to sell it even harder.
FARR: Tell him Phryd. We run this show. Say it.
PHRYD: Yeah. They are running this show. I don’t know why the Lord Commander has deemed it so, but he reiterated it to me himself before I came out here.
Galt raises his head again.
GALT: Just to be clear. You are saying that if you get this guy, I can leave the Watch and be totally free.
FARR: That is what I am telling you. Yes. This is our top priority, not forcing you to remain in the Night’s Watch.
Qhortho lets a puff of air escape his lips. It carries with it the unspoken sound of, “yeah right.”
Farron looks at Qhortho and just shakes his head.
ARAN: Look, you sit here and think on this. We’re going to let the other guy free.
Aran punches Galt in the face one more time before they all leave the cell.
They quickly discuss with Myke that someone needs to keep watch on Galt and they need to try to find his contact tonight. Going any longer risks this getting out of their control as people begin to talk.
Myke agrees.
The Builder
Myke leads them to the last cell where Bram is waiting for them. Upon entering, they see the guy looks well-rested even though he’s been here for more than a day. They each notice Bram’s boots are caked with mud. The Assembly trade glances to ensure they are all on the same page.
Bram looks the part of a builder: a man that’s gained muscle mass due to his job not for show, not to intimidate. He sits up slowly.
Aran and his spectral dire wolf lead the way this time.
ARAN: Why don’t you tell us why you’re here.
BRAM: Not sure. What do you want to know?
ARAN: Ok, we can play it like that. Get to it Farron.
FARR: Yep.
Farron points at him.
FARR: There’s been some sabotage from someone with your skillset. Tell us about it.
The man’s demeanor changes somewhat. The slick grin he’d been wearing a moment earlier loosened, letting his jaw go slack.
BRAM: I guess that depends on what you mean by sabotage. I didn’t break nothing. I did take some tools.
Bram seems surprised the words came out of his mouth. Still, he seems unable to stop more from spilling out of his mouth.
BRAM: I’ve been doing it for a while on all my jobs.
His eyes widen like someone is spilling his secrets right in front of him.
BRAM: I do it to get better at my craft and keep getting jobs. I was caught and sent up here… to the Wall… and was told to build. I… Chisel… Hammer…
He realizes he could just close his mouth, which he does.
ARAN: So what, sculptures? What are you practicing?
BRAM: I’m no light-in-the-boots artsy fartsy fairy if that’s what you’re getting at.
He sneers at the mere thought.
BRAM: Nah. I… Look. When a chisel strikes wood at different angles, it cuts differently. The type of wood. The direction of the grain. The impact from the hammer. It all changes the way the material can be used. Ya know? I just enjoy learning it.
QHOR: Ok. Where are these tools?
BRAM: Behind the barracks.
He puts his hands over his mouth like he’d just betrayed himself.
ARAN: Hey look. This is a waste of our time. You’re not in trouble here. You don’t need to hide the tools. Do what you’re doing, but share your knowledge with the other builders. We’re all on the same side here. I’m sorry you got wrapped up in this.
Myke walks in the room, key in hand, to release the shackles.
FARR: Hey, before you go, you see anyone with dark hair and bronze skin?
Bram stands up.
BRAM: It’s probably nothing, but I thought I saw or heard something the other night near the brewery. Voices, trickling water getting sprayed around. I went over there, but they were gone by the time I got there. I had to move a ladder to search the area, but I didn’t find anything.
QHOR: Well, we thank you for your work. You can take the rest of the day off.
Bram thanks them and leaves the cell.
Phryd’s Take
PHRYD: Your methods are unorthodox, but you appear to get results. I just can’t believe it was one of the stewards…
ARAN: You can’t help it. Bad people are bad people. They’re everywhere. It just is what it is. It doesn’t reflect on you.
Phryd nods. They request a word alone with the First Steward, which Myke obliges. The Assembly asks Phryd about his thoughts on Myke, and he tells them that they got lucky in finding him and he’s a really good selection for the role. He has some things to learn, but Phryd is confident that Myke is capable. He goes on to tell them of some tips he gave to Myke, one of which stuck out at the Assembly: logistics is the strategic element of command. Without logistics, your perfect commands will fall apart. The Assembly thank Phryd for his input and guidance with Myke.
They tell Phryd that they will handle the situation with Galt and that he could re-engage with Myke around the grounds.
Fucking Loser
The Assembly return to Galt’s cell and tell him that they need him to try to meet with his contact that night. They assure him they will be watching him the entire time. He shrugs and agrees, as if he’s got a choice.
They bring Galt full meals but keep him detained through the evening. That night, the Assembly take up line-of-sight positions of the brewery-in-progress. Qarzdaq leaves his position to release Galt and go over the plan once again. It’s very straightforward, but he doesn’t have much faith in Galt’s desire to have the plan work. Not that he believes Galt will work against the plan; there doesn’t seem to be a desire to protect his contact. Galt just seems totally checked out.
Qarzdaq leaves the broken-down prison and puts on his Ring of Shadows. He blends into the night and stalks around the perimeter of the castle grounds. Meanwhile, Galt walks out towards the brewery.
Galt quietly picks up a chisel and starts nocking some of the materials, pulls out nails, and hides various small tools. He detaches a rope from a bundle of materials that was clearly left this way on purpose. He then positions a ladder across a couple of walls, creating a form of catwalk between them. He tosses the rope over the ladder then gets back to causing random issues that will need to be fixed.
Qarzdaq is about 50 feet away at this point as he watches Galt’s “progress”. It’s frustrating having to watch this guy very quickly undoing hours of work, but he knows it’s for the greater good. And if there’s one thing Qarzdaq is great at, it’s letting the ends justify the means.
After just another moment, he sees Galt kicking abruptly. He realizes that Galt is hanging himself! Qarzdaq reacts quickly, using Telekinesis to lift Galt by about an inch, just to prevent him from choking. Qarzdaq realizes this would look suspicious, so he switches his focus to snap the rope. He falls in a clatter into various supplies.
Suddenly, there is some commotion around the barracks as the men wake up to see what is happening. They arm themselves with whatever is available and rush out in search of the source.
Qarzdaq remains put. The rest of the Assembly watch as the men pour out of the barracks, torches and various weapons in hand. They do not see what they are hoping for: the outside contact. Either he was never going to show up, or he’s been spooked from the area. He thought crosses their mind as to whether there was even an accomplice.
As a group of men approach the brewery build site, Qarzdaq steps out of the shadows to stop them.
QARZ: Hey guys. Back off. He was working with us to find a saboteur.
The men listen and try to peek around the half-built walls to see who was helping with such an important mission. Qarzdaq instructs everyone to return to their beds and more information would be provided in the morning.
Galt remains on his knees as Qarzdaq waves his hands in the air to get the rest of the Assembly to come out. Myke and Phryd arrive at the same time.
As they gather around, they look at each other. Galt continues to stare at the ground on his knees. The next steps are crystal clear to everyone.
This was an act of treason. Death is the only consequence.
Qarzdaq watches Galt with disappointment.
QARZ: Damnit Galt… It didn’t have to go this way.
FARR: That’s right. There WAS a way past this. Now… I really don’t think there is.
ARAN: No. There isn’t. You’re a fucking loser.
Qhortho just scoffs in disbelief.
Galt quietly sobs in short shudders.
Aran and Qhortho lift Galt by his shoulders and carry him to his prison cell. They shackle his leg and reconvene with Myke and Phryd. They ask Phryd whether the Assembly should just handle this or if he needed time to speak with the Lord Commander. Phryd tells them this is a very clear case and the Assembly can handle it as they see fit; he will agree and defend their preferred course of action.
Before leaving Galt, Aran turns back to Galt.
ARAN: Fucking loser.
Execution
After they are out of earshot, they discuss the best approach. Do they do it beyond the Wall? Does Aran or Qhortho do it? Does Myke do it? Do they try to keep it under wraps so they don’t spook the potential accomplice? They quickly devise a plan.
It’s not that late yet. If the contact hadn’t been around to see what transpired they might still catch him. They decide that they need to execute Galt immediately and have Qarzdaq present himself as Galt.
They quickly head back to the cell and have Galt switch his clothes to some rags that do not appears associated with the Night’s Watch. Qarzdaq puts on Galt’s clothes and cloak.
They leave the cell together and gather the men. Myke addresses everyone to tell them they must follow beyond the gate to witness an execution for treason.
Once they are all beyond the gate, Myke steps up in front of the men.
MYKE: We weren’t entirely forthcoming with you tonight. We’ve found someone actively sabotaging our efforts here at Greyguard. We had detained two others, but they were innocent. If any of you know of their detainment, please rest assured that they are entirely and unmistakably uninvolved in this plot.
Some of the men push and grab the shoulders of Bram, who grins from ear to ear as if this is some type of honor. Some of the rangers make some hoots towards Jaery, who instinctively smirks then forces his face into a grimace.
MYKE: However. One of the men we detained was not innocent. He has confessed fully and provided details that only this saboteur could know. He has also made it clear that he is a threat to himself and others. We cannot have this last for even one more hour.
Myke nods to Aran and Qhortho. They drag Galt out in front of the men.
MYKE: This man before you now, Galt, is responsible for that sabotage. For reversing your hard work and endangering all of you. Further, we believe he was acting alone. For these reasons, I am sentencing him to death for treason and desertion.
Myke nods to Farron and Qarzdaq, who carry out a small log segment and place it before Galt.
Myke nods to Aran and Qhortho again. They bring Galt to the ground and lean him over the log.
MYKE: Being as I am only the acting commander, the ultimate action must come from those charged to take the post. Aran?
Aran stands up next to Myke, jaded guandao at the ready. Myke steps aside and continues.
MYKE: Galt, you were once my brother of the Night’s Watch. This brings me no joy. You have shown yourself to be a traitor and a coward. You are dead already inside, but your body must follow in kind. Galt, you have been sentenced to death for your crimes of endangering your brothers and the realm. May the gods have mercy on your soul.
Myke once again nods to Aran, who takes a few moments to show the traitor one more act of cruelty by letting the blade rest on his neck as he figures out the angle to strike. Once he has it lined up, he raises his guandao and brings the blade cleanly through Galt’s neck.
The men show various reactions, from looking away at the point of impact, to watching it all the way through with a sort of curious satisfaction.
Myke hangs his head in silence. After a few moments, he addresses the men again.
MYKE: Some of you may see this as reducing our numbers by one at a time when we need all we can get. But I assure you this strengthens us. It is important that you all know that, as brothers, we are here to protect each other and the realms of men. That is our vow. And breaking such a vow will be met with swift justice. That is all.
As the men leave the area, Qarzdaq steps up and sets Galt’s body aflame.
The Assembly, Myke, and Phryd return through the gate to the Greyguard grounds. They decide it may be best for them to rest now and try to catch the accomplice tomorrow.
The next day, after all the normal rituals, the Assembly helps out with fixing up some of the areas they know were sabotaged. Then that night, they put forward their decoy plan where Qarzdaq acted as Galt. Ultimately, no contact was made and they decide this is not a path worth spending more time on. They have bigger fish to fry to the north.
They instruct Myke to be on the lookout and reinforce that he’s doing a great job.
They discuss Myke’s mention to the men that Galt was working alone. Aran makes the point that the outside person is highly skilled and having others be on the lookout for him, could help catch the person. Myke says he made a judgment call that the men need to believe that the situation was handled and over. He adds that if any of them are having doubts about the Watch, knowing this guy is out there may cause them to act on those thoughts, thinking there is some sort of way out. They understand and decide not to change course.
The Pink Stone
The Assembly spend the night and teleport back to their last northern location in the morning. Back on the trail, they intend to follow Lord Pepperworth’s nose to see where it leads.
They travel for most of the day without anything out of the ordinary, but sometime in the early afternoon, they come across a dead giant. It looks like it was badly pummeled by blunt force. A trail of blood leads along the river.
QARZ: Ah, this is one of the giant’s I dominated the other night. I wonder where the other one is?
They scan the horizon but don’t see anything important. Qarzdaq torches the body for good measure. After another fifteen minutes, they find another dead giant that also looks badly pummeled.
QARZ: Well, that solves that mystery.
Qarzdaq burns that body as well.
As the sun gets low in the sky, they start making camp. Just then, they hear a familiar sound, “rahr rahr”.
QHOR: Oh shit, Ray Ray, where you at?
Rahr-rahr appears in the distance headed straight toward the Assembly. Qhortho gets a couple of pieces of jerky for him and tosses it just a few feet away. He grabs the jerky and runs off. They don’t get a sense that he is warning them of danger, so they rest for the night.
In the morning, they perform their normal rituals and get on their way, following Lord Pepperworth’s lead. About mid-day, during a short rest for food, the spectral dire wolf becomes uneasy. It starts towards the west, along a smaller feeder branch of the Milkwater. The dire wolf sniffs the air, and takes a few more steps. It looks back at you as if wanting the group to follow. They get on their way and continue following Lord Pepperworth.
After a few hours of checking the air every 15 minutes, they hear familiar sounds in the distance: the chopping and voices of a wildling settlement. They’d not encountered any settlements this far north, so they’re not sure what type of reception they will have, especially given that it is getting late in the day. With the sun sinking fast, the cold will be unbearable soon. They decide it best to make camp at that point rather than approach as strangers at nightfall. Lord Pepperworth seems very much on edge, but seems willing to wait with the pack.
This same day, back at Greyguard, they’d just finished building the stables, which allows for their horses to now aid the builders in moving material and tools, making their building efforts even more efficient! The Assembly is unaware of this fact, but they undoubtedly be pleased with such progress.
Farron creates their hut and they rest for the night.
The next morning, after their rituals, they get on their way. Lord Pepperworth couldn’t be more pleased to do so, even if still very agitated by something. It doesn’t take long to get within sight of the wildlings in the small village. It looks to be about half tents, half semi-permanent structures. The wildlings haven’t noticed them yet, but with each step, Lord Pepperworth is increasingly nervous, or maybe anxious, or just going more feral… something was off.
Before entering camp, Farron makes his glamoured leather armor look more like wildling clothes. After a few more steps, the dire wolf makes a beeline for a some sort of wooden cage under a leather tarp. The campfire next to the cage shimmers off the spectral wolf’s pelt as it stops just a few feet away. It starts barking an otherworldly bark that almost sounds like it comes out in reverse.
The consistent barking alerts the wildlings, and several of them rush over, armed, to see what all the fuss is about. One of that group yells out if a gruff, deep voice: “You there! Get away from here!”
The Unlikely Assembly calmly approach the situation, hands empty and open.
<BARK>
ARAN: Hey, what do you have under that tarp?
The closest wildling looks surprised by Aran’s voice.
MAN: Who the hell are you??
<BARK>
FARR: We’re from the Wall.
<BARK>
MAN: Wall?? What’re you doin up here?
<BARK>
FARR: Long story, short, this wolf wanted us to follow, which led us here. Do you know why that would be?
<BARK>
MAN: Nah.
<BARK>
ARAN: What do you have under there?
MAN: Prisoner.
<GROWL>
FARR: Ah.
ARAN: Can we kill that prisoner?
Lord Pepperworth looks at Aran quizzically.
MAN: Ha. If you can get out of him what we know he’s got.
QHOR: We’re quite skilled in interrogation, you’ll find.
The wildling lifts the tarp and inside is a man is lying on the ground coughing and shivering. The wolf sits and then howls as if calling to the spirits beyond for support.
The wildling jumps back, spear at the ready.
MAN: You best keep track of that beast there.
FARR: Where did you get this guy? Why is he here?
MAN: This man desecrated a sacred place of ours and stole a relic.
<GROWL>
The Assembly all perk up at the sound of “relic”.
FARR: What kind of relic?
ARAN: What’d it look like?
MAN: Small angular pink stone.
QARZ: How do you know he took it?
MAN: It’s quite simple really. The relic was here. This guy appeared. The guy leaves. The relic is gone. We find him traveling north away from the village, then his dog took off farther north. The guy must’ve stashed it somewhere. We’re holding him till he talks. Or he dies. Hey, why do you care so much about this anyhow?
QHOR: We’re just nosy.
FARR: This is going to sound crazy. We were dealing with a large incursion of undead and this wolf helped us with the fight. The wolf seemed to want our help in return and led us here.
MAN: You’re right. That sounds crazy. But crazy is the new common these days.
QARZ: We should have introduced ourselves, I am Qarzdaq of the Unlikely Assembly. What was your name?
MAN: The name’s Harry.
QARZ: It’s good to meet you Harry, ser.
Harry lightly smacks Qhortho’s arm with the back of his hand.
HARRY: Ha! Look at this guy callin me a ser.
QARZ: Force of habit. We think we can help you out with this problem. I know you have no reason to trust us, but we would like to try. Maybe even compensate you for it if it’s something you would part with.
Harry looks somewhat concerned.
HARRY: It’s not for sale.
They learn that the stone was from a hollow in a hallowed tree in the center of camp. Harry shares that the stone helps protect their hunters from the cold this far north. Harry claims the man has hidden it somewhere and refuses to give it back.
Aran asks the real question on everyones’ minds: “what kind of tree is it?”
No sooner are the words out of his mouth than his Book of Trees is in his hands. He doesn’t even pretend to open it anymore; he just holds it in hand for moral support. He learns it is a Weirwood, and this “excites” him.
Lord Pepperworth’s True Name
Qarzdaq asks if they can spend a few minutes speaking with the prisoner, but this is met with some skepticism. Harry asks what’s in it for this group of travelers to help out this remote village. Qarzdaq tells Harry that they want to help Lord Pepperworth but they also need to help any people they find along their path to defeat the undead. Qhortho is quick to mention that the undead are coming and the living must band together and put aside xenophobic tendencies. He didn’t use those exact words of course, but that was the gist.
By this point a few other wildlings are standing behind Harry, quietly exchanging glances. Aran convinces Harry that in order to find the stone, he really must see its home. Harry brings the Assembly to the center of town where more of the townspeople look on. Lord Pepperworth remains by the wooden cage.
He has them sit down around the main campfire and tells them to cut the bullshit.
HARRY: Tell me why you’re really here.
Farron tells him that they’ve been truthful and they have no ties to the man in the cage other than through the dire wolf that helped them fight off the undead. He tells Harry that they are not here to do anything more than gain their trust to ensure they take the undead threat seriously.
HARRY: So then why try to bail this guy out if we know he’s out to hurt us.
FARR: The thing is, if we find out that this is what happened, we will not stand in your way at all. It is your justice to carry out as you see fit. But we have seen plenty of cases where wrong assumptions lead to unfortunate and unfair consequences. We just want to make sure you get the truth. If the guy is guilty, then that’s that. If not, we may find the guilty party, and they may even lead us closer to this source of undead.
Harry nods.
HARRY: Ok.
FARR: Thank you.
QARZ: May we try reviving the prisoner to question him?
Harry lets down his guard and agrees, but tells them they cannot open the cage. The Assembly head back to the cage while Harry and crew watches them from a distance.
They apply some Keog’s ointment to the guy and he slowly wakes up. He utters, “s…s…s…so cold…” Qarzdaq mends his clothes, warms his clothes, then brightens the fire.
After a few minutes, the man sits up slowly.
ARAN: Is this your dog?
He looks at the dire wolf.
MAN: Aw. Boy…
The man is barely able to get out these words as the dire wolf licks his hand, its translucent tongue passing straight through.
ARAN: This is Lord Pepperworth.
MAN: Lord… Pepper… worth?
ARAN: Yeah.
QHOR: We thought so.
MAN: Naw. This is… Grand… PP.
QHOR: What?
FARR: Grand PP? Jesus.
ARAN: That’s a terrible name.
QARZ: God…
MAN: I’m sorry. I’m no bard.
Qarzdaq shakes his head as if trying to snap out of hypnosis.
QARZ: Listen, we’re trying to help you out here. We’re trying to help, uh…
He looks down at the rocky ground, then back to the man, squinting.
QARZ: … Grand PP over here. Help us help you my friend. What happened with the stone?
He tells them that he and Grand PP were traveling past this village headed north. He claims they never entered the grounds though. He goes on to say he was sent from another wildling camp southeast of the village in search of the force causing the dead to rise.
QARZ: What is your name by the way?
MAN: Grand.
QARZ: Ah, so it’s Grand and Grand PP.
GRAND: Where I come from, this is how we name animals close to us. Our own name followed by their unique name.
QARZ: Why PP?
GRAND: Oh. You might pronounce it Pepe.
ARAN: Well Pepperworth obviously died.
QARZ: Yeah, how’d the dog die?
GRAND: I didn’t know he had.
ARAN: Well it’s dead now.
QHOR: Sorry to break it to you.
QARZ: So how’d you get here then?
GRAND: We saw a man running from this camp. He was also running north. People were chasing him, but weren’t gaining any ground. PP and I caught up with him. He attacked us with some mysterious force.
QARZ: What did he look like?
GRAND: White hair. He was… I… can’t remember.
They ask whether he had a beard, if he was wearing blue, and whether he had bright blue eyes.
GRAND: I don’t think so. It’s almost like he is blurry in my mind’s eye.
QARZ: That’s ok. Tell us what happened next?
ARAN: Did he take one of these stones?
Aran points to the two stones circling his head that somehow no one ever asks about.
GRAND: I don’t know anything about any stones. I only know that he almost killed me and I was taken back here. I thought I’d been rescued.
FARR: Do you remember any sort of blue light or anything like that?
GRAND: Nothing blue. Just black, white, gray… white… a lot of white. Ah… I’m sorry. I don’t remember anything else. I do know he was headed north.
The Assembly leave Grand and Grand PP and walk over to Harry.
QARZ: We are going to head north. We believe someone else has your stone. If we are able to catch the guy and return the stone, will you release this man?
HARRY: If you retrieve the stone and prove it was not him…
QARZ: Wouldn’t the stone’s retrieval be enough?
HARRY: We think he stashed it. If you happen to find it, it doesn’t mean he’s not responsible.
QARZ: We’ll bring back whoever did this.
QHOR: We’ll get to the bottom of it. We’re detectives.
ARAN: In the most unlikely sense.
QARZ: Can we shake on it?
HARRY: Yeah alright.
QARZ: Alright, so let’s let the Grand PP lead us up the Milkwater!
Qarzdaq looks towards the spectral dire wolf.
QARZ: Ok, PP, point the way!
QHOR: It always points north. Maybe a little to the west.
Skirling Pass
The Assembly and Grand PP leave the settlement immediately towards the north (and a little west), following the dire wolf’s lead. The way is tough and difficult, made worse by a passing snow storm with stiff winds. After a few hours, they manage to find tracks in the snow along with a half-buried dire wolf. They determine this is Grand PP’s corporeal body.
QARZ: I’m going to burn the PP.
And he does. Grand PP steps back several feet and watches its body burn. They search the area where PP went limp and determine they should head slightly west of north. This aligns with Grand PP’s nose. By this point in the day, it is getting much colder as the sun is now blocked by the nearby mountains, and the winds are ushering in heavier snowfall. They decide it best to make camp immediately.
Once the hut is in place, Qhortho calls out for Ray-Ray and provides him some jerky.
In the morning, they perform their rituals, then head north. Several hours pass of them following Grand PP’s nose and they find a small cave in the mountainside. They cautiously enter to find the cave is fairly small. Their eyes take time to adjust from the bright glistening sunlight reflecting off the snowy ground as they enter the very dark interior of the cold cave.
Inside is almost silent except for the slight echo of dripping water from a natural spring.
They notice a small tent at the deepest part of the cave, only about 80 feet or so past the entrance. They call out to no response. Qhortho grabs the tent and rips it from the ground, tossing it aside. Sitting on the ground is a beheaded man cross-legged, his head in his lap. Inside his mouth is a pink rhomboid stone. Beside him, an uncorked cracked potion vial lies on the ground next to a small satchel.
QHOR: Hey, mission accomplished!
He reaches for the stone. Upon making contact, creaking and hissing sounds echo inside the cave.
Frozen Ghouls and Frost Wights appear to emerge from the cave floor. All three artifacts activate. They trade glances and take a few steps away from each other then attack with everything they’ve got.
Through their use of fire magic and pure brute force, they manage to destroy all of the ghouls and wights. Interestingly, as each one falls, they appear to melt and seep into the ground. This is the first time the party has encountered anything like this. As the last fades into the cave floor, Qhortho senses something moving behind him.
The man with his head in his lap begins to stand. As it does, it into some sort of evil arctic monstrosity. The pink rhomboid falls from the creature’s mouth. A piece of cloth wrapped around half the stone dampens its impact on the ground.
It lashes out at Qhortho, piercing his limbs and grappling him. Qarzdaq casts a supercharged Disintegrate on the creature. It causes the creature incredible distress, which is partially passed on to Qhortho as psychic waves ripple through its spiky appendages.
Aran lands two incredibly powerful blows on the creature, causing it to fall to the ground and release Qhortho. Qhortho, frightened by the creature, jumps back and stumbles. The artifacts lose their luminance and each of the holders feel exhausted as the godly energy also fades.
Qhortho’s fear transfers to anger. He rushes over to the creature and kicks it several times before picking up the pink stone. After a quick visual analysis, they decide this has got to be an Ioun stone.
While discussing whether they should upgrade the stone for the wildlings before they return it, the spectral dire wolf walks up to them, fading by the moment. It sits before them before disappearing completely.
They search the caribou skin satchel, finding several vials: 4 bright red potions, 5 vials of transparent liquid with a sliver of fingernail floating in each one, and 5 corked empty vials. When shaken, those empty vials feel like they have liquid inside, so they decide to keep them closed for now.
They recognize the transparent liquid potions as potions of giant strength, though they are unsure of the amount of strength offered by these specific potions. They know it depends on which type of giant those fingernails are from, but they are not sure which these are. They speculate that these are from frost giants.
They’ve never seen vials of invisible liquid, but they start thinking these might be potions of invisibility.
While the others figure out how to divide the potions, Qhortho saws off the creature’s head as proof of their fight to get the pink stone.
They take a short rest to take some light healing and focus on the pink rhomboid stone. They determine the stone enhances fortitude, increasing Constitution by 2 points (up to a maximum of 20 points). After their rest, they attempt to open a portal to the Ioun cavern and, although the portal opens, it only shows some sort of static or interference. Upon pushing their hands through this portal, it just goes through to the other side rather than to another location.
Recooperation
They pick up a stone from this cave and Teleport back to Greyguard.
Upon arrival in Greyguard, they seek out Myke and ask about further sabotage. He tells them they’ve not found any other issues and have been making great progress, especially since the stables are completed.
They find that Phryd is in the process of packing up to head back to the Nightfort. He tells the Assembly that his time is no longer needed here and that Myke is a fine person to continue in the leadership role. In addition, he has learned enough from Phryd to act as a true commander here at the castle and all that is needed now is the final formality from the Lord Commander appointing him to the post. It is Phryd’s intention to recommend this fully.
QHOR: You want a ride back? Or you feel like walking?
PHRYD: Well, now that you mention it, I suppose I could use a ride back.
They Teleport to the Nightfort with the intention of spending the night, then going to the Ioun cavern, then Teleporting back to the wildling camp from there.
We end this session in the late afternoon on Day 871. Each member of the Assembly has gained a 2.25 kXP for their interrogation skills, handling the judgment, navigating the wildling camp discussions, and their battle in the Skirling Pass cave.