DnD campaign

He's hangin' with the lads

Clunks information seems well received. Many of the poor around Grand Halen are eager for an opportunity to lift themselves up, despite the risks associated with adventuring. You get many requests for membership from every region.

When you return to Dragonroost, Daniel offers to train the apprentices who seem suited to lives as rangers or rogues. "Shoot, old buddy, I might not be the sharpest spine on the cactus, but I know animals, and I got fast hands, and I'd be happy to help these kids become part of the gang!" Daniel spins his crossbows as he speaks.

Asmundr takes Virginia Hudson on a fabulous date, although he notices that both Virginia and her father, Jordy, seemed hesitant to allow the date to happen, given the rumors about a sexually ravenous Asmundr impostor on the loose. He was eventually able to convince Virginia and her father that he was the genuine article, although he believes that this may be a continuous problem until he puts this situation to rest.

Asmundr manages to secure one of the most productive mines in Grand Halen, Cindersplinter Mine near Tolbrun, for 2000 gp. Asmundr estimates that between this mine and the one near Dragonsroost, the Fallen Star Company now controls 10% of Iron Production in Grand Halen.

Aisha is glad to hear that her father's plot was thwarted, but tells Asmundr to save his ceremony. She informs him that, through her research, she has discovered that a death knight will return time after time even after being destroyed, and that the only way to truly free them is for them to be redeemed. As her father has been dealt with for the time being, Aisha agrees to Asmundr's offer, knowing that the Starlit Legion may be important for when Shepard returns.

The Tournament at Wotan's Throne is a huge success, and there are no signs of gnoll activity for the duration of the event. Many knights and warriors from the Sea of Fallen stars region arrive to demonstrate their prowess. Delphinius and Sir Lawrenz participate in disguise, and put on an impressive display.

In the final Melee, many of the most notable warriors participate, including Thane Hammerhand, Lady Endergaard, and Lord Pendragon. It was an intense battle, with Aisha Shepard bringing down SM the Orc, and Lord Commander Anders being knocked out by Thane Hammerhand's famed uppercut. By the end of the melee, only Katja and Arthur remained standing. Though Lady Endergaard easily dealt with the less skilled Pendragon, but after he had been thrown to his back, he asked for the Lady's hand in marriage. To everyone's great surprise, she accepted.

Concurrent to this surprise engagement and joining of two campaigns, the Brightchest clan pledges their financial support to Lady Endergaard and her newly betrothed. With this, it becomes clear to most everyone that their victory is assured. Lady Rathbone brokers an agreement with Lady Endergaard to pledge her own support in exchange for a promise to construct an Arcane Academy. Before the third debate begins, Mayor Valentine withdraws from the race, leaving only Lady Endergaard and Thane Hammerhand.

As expected, Endergaard and Pendragon win a landslide victory, although till the end, Thane Hammerhand refuses to concede defeat. Surprisingly, Queen Endergaard decides to keep the capitol in Bardertown, seeing a permanent capitol as key to a strong nation. Her younger brother, Janne, becomes Lord of Wotan's Throne, and her younger sister, Andraste, becomes Lady of Dragon Falls.

Thane Hammerhand refuses to admit that he has been beaten, instead making a speech in Tolbrun blaming collusion, corruption, and racism for his being denied the crown.

Following the debate, Clunk continues to gain support and following for the Fallen Star Company.  Traveling around GH Clunk goes around and instructs the citizens about the FSC and its novice adventureing program.

"It is not easy, it will not be safe.  But if you enroll you and your family will be supported by the Fallen Star Company for its duration"

While traveling around GH Clunk attempts to assess how much Iron(armor/weapon making material) there is in the country at the moment and how much would be needed to outfit a standing army like Endergaard wants?  And if feasible Clunk wishes to buy up to 80% of the material.

Once he reaches every place of populous, Clunk returns to Dragon Roost to help the new adventurers settle in and what specialty they will have for the party.  He organizes each into even groups of 15 or so members with a Leading member being a full Fallen Star Member. (Delphinius and crew)  Lyrina Kinlocke teaching Wizards and sorcerers, Delphinius instructing on political aspects,  His crew teaching fighters, paladin, clerics, and rangers.  Gremmy teaching druids.  Clunk Teaching barbarians and fighters.   

As Professor Arscene and Ivana sprinted down the slick, muddy cobblestones that wind away from the spires of Ravenloft, lightning streaked across the dark sky, and the land trembled with great peals of thunder. Above the sounds of the raging storm, the slow, twisted laughter of Count Strahd von Zarovich pierces every corner of his domain. It was then that all of the people of Barovia, cowering in their broken homes, knew that the adventurers had failed, as had happened countless times before. Madame Eva, sat in her trembling tent, breathed a heavy sigh. She slowly shuffled the tarokka cards before her back into the deck, and folded the deck back into its silk wrapping. She had had high hopes for this group, she thought to herself, but it mattered not. There would be others, in time.

After disposing of his foes, Strahd von Zarovich slowly made his way up the spiraling steps of Ravenloft’s central tower. The steps were slick with blood, blood which had rained from above when the knight Darien had landed his vicious blow, bursting the Heart of Sorrow which had always protected Strahd from harm. Strahd grimaced. This had never happened before. But it mattered not. He would construct it anew. And besides, he had what he wanted. At last, Tatyana would be his.

That night, after changing himself into fineries not soaked with the blood of adventurers, Strahd von Zarovich met Ireena— no, she was Tatyana, he was sure— under the domed ceiling of  Ravenloft’s chapel. There, in the exact spot where she was wed to Sergei so many years ago, Tatyana was finally married to her rightful lord and master. That night, after bedding his new bride, Strahd drained the life from her body. By dawn, she arose a spawn of the great vampire, and was sealed in a crypt in the heart of the pillar stone of Ravenloft, to be kept for all eternity.

Dalmatia D’Avenir had already completed her mission before the sounds of Strahd’s victory reached her. Her old friend and mentor, Rudolf van Richten, lay lifeless at her feet, her rapier stuck between his ribs, his blood pooling around her false leg. She tongued her newly grown fangs at the sight of the blood. It is finished, she thought. The ghosts of her past, van Richten and Rasec, whom she had spent a lifetime chasing, are dead and gone. It was time to make use of her Vistani blood once again and leave this wretched place. There were many more places to see in Faerun, after all, and now she had an eternity to see them.

The next day, the soft blue eyes of Lucien Cadogan sprang open, as he gasped his first breath since he had died. He arose a vampire spawn, to join Strahd’s entourage for all eternity, or at least until such time as his master tired of him and sealed the former adventurer into a crypt. Though he was bound in undeath to his new master, he had not forgotten what he had read in the Tome of Strahd. Lucien was the rightful heir to the throne of Ravenloft, and he soon set his newfound immortality to plotting, planning and waiting— waiting for the next group of adventurers that would seek to destroy Count Strahd von Zarovich, and make room for Count Lucien Cadogan to take his place.

The knight Darien Mazaev had proved a formidable opponent, more formidable than any Strahd had faced in his four centuries of undeath. Naturally, Strahd had destroyed him utterly. However, he then had Darien’s body washed and embalmed, his thick black plate repaired and polished, and the lifeless, armored knight laid to rest in one of Ravenloft’s many crypts with his great amber blade laid over his chest. Above the entrance to the crypt, he had inscribed “Sir Darien Mazaev, Heartbreaker”

Cesar Rasec’s lifeless body lay in a heap, nestled amongst the bones and stone coffins of the vault beneath the crypt of Stahbal Indi-Bhak, where he and his party had made their final stand. But not all was lifeless in that crypt. The shadows stirred, and a shade of the man that once was seeped from his corpse. Cesar’s Shadow now haunts the halls of Ravenloft and the darker corners of Barovia, seeking with deadly determination a way to be rid of his shadowy curse, or at least a suitable host for his black soul.

The thief known as No One, realizing that his friends were not going to be escaping from the castle with him, fled into the wilds of Barovia. From there, he began his long-awaited campaign of terror and hijinks, spreading the legend of the man who was both bear and pig, stealing whatever he could get his hands on, and leaving coins for good little girls and boys who ate their beets. Strahd was content to permit him to live, for now, as he found some small amusement in the distress this thief was causing amongst his miserable subjects.

After fleeing Ravenloft, Ivana and Arscene arrived in the Vistani camp just outside of Vallaki. Kasimir Velikov, father of Ivana’s as yet unborn child, was glad to see her alive, but painfully aware of with what wroth Strahd would now pursue her. As a final favor for the return of his own daughter, Arabelle, the Vistani chief, Luvash, was convinced to provide a Vistani escort to ferry Ivana, and Ivana alone, from Barovia. Kasimir followed the group to the very edges of the mist, and watched as Ivana and the future of the Dusk Elf race slowly disappeared to the land beyond, to which he would never be able to follow.

As for Professor Arscene Lupin IV, though he could not secure an escape from Barovia along with Ivana, he remained unconcerned. He had a hunch that there were other means of escape, and that perhaps the Amber Temple, or that mad mage who had once dueled Strahd himself would hold the answers. With his knack for concealing himself from divination magic, Arscene quietly disappeared. Though Strahd had his minions scour the land, no trace of the good professor was ever found. Many Barovians whisper that he yet lives, communing with the secret magical places and beings of Barovia.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of active organisations in the city of Suzail at the start of the campaign. Feel free to use this to spark your imagination, or select one of the options here. Any of these could provide a unique angle on the events unfolding in the City of the Hero.

The Crown owns a large number of estates in the city and is directly in charge of:

The Church of Light - refers directly to the worship of Bahamut and Torm and is a major cultural beacon to the nation. Clerics/Priests of the Church are leaders of the people.
The Silver Guardians - Inquisitors and Paladins of The Light used for internal affairs. In recent memory they specialise in monitoring the Arcane.
The Purple Dragon Knights - The elite strike force and highly trained officers for Cormyrn military.
The City Guard - Civilian trained Guards which take great pride in keeping their city safe and are generally well-liked by both locals and foreigners.
The Cormyrn Military/Navy - Highly regimented and considered an honourable and lucrative calling by all citizens. Foreigners are rarely allowed to enlist.

And these organisations exist with some autonomy, but are ultimately subservient to the Crown:

The Arcane College - Holds an ancient tradition of magic with highly skilled masters. In recent memory its focus is highly academic.
The Foreign Office - Diplomacy is the name of the game - negotiating deals, befriending dignitaries, and a cozy in-door job.
The Royal Treasury - Employs relatively few people directly, but deals mostly with trade regulations, meeting the guild leaders, and a fine paycheck.
Other non-ruling noble families - Cormyr's nobility can be traced back hundreds of years for a large number of houses - some have direct allegiances to the Crown, others less-so.

And these organisations exist outside of direct Crown control:

A large list of different artisan guilds including smithing, masonry, music, glassblowing, etc.
Deities which do not correspond to the Church of Light, the most popular of which is Kelemvor
Commerce makes up a large portion of the city - shipping, merchants, and traders.

And subtle associations - these might include very small groups of people which share values contrary to the norm (feel free to be creative).