Day 5
Afternoon: Flaming Fist Get Rough
Overview
Once back on the road again a dozen riders are seen approaching. They wear a red and grey uniform and a symbol on their shields that marks them as Flaming Fist from Baldur’s Gate.
Their leader, Flame Daryn Falburn has been dispatched to Elturel to find out what has happened to Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard. She doesn’t take too kindly to anyone who doesn’t submit to her authority.
Setup
Anyone who has been to Baldur’s Gate would know that the Flaming Fists used to be mercenaries working for the city but were legitimized as the main forces of the Outer and Lower City. Others might still consider them mercenaries or nothing but ruffians who get paid.
Flame Falburn is a knight and the other 11 Flaming Fists are guards. All are mounted on riding horses. They are Lawful Evil and don’t really care about the refugees plight.
They will avoid a full on fight, as they aren’t confident fighters on horseback, using shove attacks and non-lethal hits with their spear hafts. They aren’t interested in fights to the death and anyone who wants to put up such a challenge will be fled from as their mission is more important (in the direction of Elturel).
Flame Falburn is a cynical but mostly upholding of the law. Her primary concern is finding out what happened to Ravengard who she knows was in Elturel on diplomatic negotiations with High Observer Kreeg of Elturgard. Some of the PCs or even NPCs might have seen Ravengard’s forces enter Elturel the day of The Fall of Elturel.
Anyone who she knows was in the city (such as the PCs) will be questioned vigorously. Falburn thinks that perhaps the Red Wizards took advantage of the two political leaders being together and wiped out the city to kill them both.
She knows that forward refugees have already been denied access to the city and that a refugee camp has began to form outside Basilisk Gate.
Purpose
This encounter is supposed to reinforce the fact Grand Duke Ravengard was in Elturel when it disappeared, and also name drop Thavius Kreeg once more.
Flame Daryn Falburn could also show up later when the PCs are in Baldur’s Gate, either in support of or against Blaze Liara Portyr.
Day 6
Morning: The Merryweather
Overview
A large merchant boat is sailing down the Chionthar towards Baldur’s Gate. It is overloaded with refugees, and is ruled by Captain Odhani. He’s charging his passengers a royal fortune, but they will reach Baldur’s Gate more quickly and safely than by wagon.
Setup
Captain Odhani will stop the boat 50 feet from the bank, in the middle of the river, and talk to the PCs.
He is a rock gnome bandit captain from Iriaebor and loyal to Elturgard. The crew of the Merryweather are 5 gnomish bandits who are loyal to Odhani as they are all family.
They want to save as many people as they can and aren’t interested in the money…but the boat is already overloaded – they can’t take anymore people safely. The crew already dumped expensive trade goods just to make room for as many people as possible.
The other 30 people on the boat are refugees, upper class people from near Elturel who manged to survive the calamity. They have a much less charitable outlook. Most paid a fortune to get other refugees to leave the boat and take their place back in Fort Morninglord.
Trying to convince these upper class refugees to leave the boat is difficult and they all want paying 20 gp to leave and let someone else take their place.
Convincing upper class refugees to leave the Merryweather:
DC15: Convinces 5 to leave
DC20: Convinces 10 to leave
DC25+: Convinces 15 to leave
If you were feeling charitable and the PCs can’t afford it you may consider having one of Dara’s Refugees loan or pay for some of them. Vasha Hall or Ippon are likely choices for this.
Purpose
This scene, just like the previous one, reinforces the fact there’s more refugees than just Dara and the PCs. It also gives you an option to ‘skip’ the next couple days content if you like, as the river is an easy way to handwave the rest of the travel.
You can also play up some upper class vs. lower/middle class strife here, with the passengers refusing to even let the pregnant Alyssa take their place.
An important point to note is that Baldur’s Gate is closed to refugees – so the Merryweather will be stopped at Wyrm’s Crossing and the passengers will have to still go to Basilisk Gate.