Season 5 - Freedom's Flame# Session Information
Session Date: 27th Jul 2025
Saga: 5th Saga - Freedom's Flame
Attendance: Sam Gallon,Rowan Hales,Tom Brothers,Caleb Hamlet

Session Summary

The session began with the Party waking to their gruelling routine in the mines, only to discover that Mordecai, Korrigan, and Drache had contracted Lung Rot, a deadly infection caused by coal dust. Desperate for treatment, they learned the doctors had relocated to a place called The Laughing Miner, a pub rumoured to be run by the Goblin Mafia. After a risky plan to tail a goblin led them to the Mafia’s hideout, Mordecai was captured and forced into negotiations. The goblins offered medical aid in exchange for the Party’s servitude, but Mordecai narrowly escaped after realizing the contract was a soul-binding trap.

Meanwhile, Halfbie and Drache infiltrated the Hunter’s Quarters, stealing supplies and weapons, while Korrigan orchestrated a diversion by planting Molotov cocktails across Siltwater Slums. The explosions caused chaos, allowing Halfbie and Mordecai to slip into the city beyond Siltwater Slums. There, they disguised themselves as nobles and encountered Chenris, who charmed a 3oblewoman for information. They learned the antimagic field emanated from the king’s palace and devised a brutal plan to infiltrate it by ambushing guards.

The session ended with the Party split: Halfbie and Mordecai prepared to execute their plan in the city, while Korrigan and Drache remained in Siltwater Slums, armed and ready to exploit the ongoing revolt. The king’s decree of mass slaughter raised the stakes, forcing the Party to act swiftly to save their allies and dismantle the oppressive system.

Full Session Notes

The Party woke up to their now familiar routine of a Goliath Guard barging into their tent and marching down to the depths of the mines to mine for 11 hours. The only difference this time was that much of the party (Mordecai, Korrigan and Drache) had contracted a violent cough; Halfbie and Aidan seemed fine. Mordecai’s cough seems much worse than the others. Once they were free from the mines, they went down to the mess hall to get their food for the day before it was thrown away. Lull gave them a knowing wink while Halfbie was deep in thought about how they could fix the magic situation, and concluded that they would need some kind of distraction or reason for leaving Siltwater Slums, like joining the hunters, but none of the party knew of a straightforward way to join the hunters.

During their meal, Tish noticed that they were all coughing and was saddened that it seemed they had caught Lung Rot so quickly. He explained that it was an infection caused by scars from soot or coal dust in the lungs. They, especially Mordecai, were slowly dying, and if they didn’t get treatment from a doctor, it would get worse and be a painful death.

After the meal, they decided to try heading for the doctors. Korrigan led the way to where he remembered the doctors being located, only to find them closed and the building rotting into the ground. On the door was a message scratched in goblin. Aidan, who spoke the language, translated it to say ‘Doctors moved to The Laughing Miner’. None of them knew where this could be, so they tasked Aidan with trying to learn more about the place. However, anytime he asked about the place, most people refused to talk to him, and the only thing he learnt was that it was a pub and was most likely run by the Goblin Mafia, something he worked out from the fact that all around Siltwater Slums were adverts, written in goblin, for joining the mafia.

Mordecai suggested they all try tailing someone who was a part of the goblin mafia to see if he would lead them to the pub. Drache asked if that would be wise, as it would be very obvious if a group of 5 were following one goblin around Siltwater Slums of Lost Haven. Halfbie suggested they take turns tailing the goblin while the rest stayed back, and they could then swap out at various points to keep suspicions low. They agreed this was the best plan and soon found a goblin that fit the typical archetype for the mafia and began tailing them. Drache was the first to tail them and followed the goblin to the church of Ignatius, where the goblin finally spotted him. Halfbie took over and followed the goblin who walked around Siltwater Slums for a while, almost as if they were patrolling. Halfbie was soon caught, and Mordecai took over and followed the goblin to a wooden gate, where the goblin paid two platinum coins to the guard, who let him through. As the goblin walked through, he spotted Mordecai but did nothing about them.

The party all gathered to discuss what they had seen. Mordecai suggested waiting to see if the goblin returned from the gate, and they could try to talk to them and see if they could gain entrance, and The Laughing Miner could be through that gate. They all agreed, and after an hour or 2, a group of goblins, including the one they had followed, exited and started to do the same route as the goblin had before. Mordecai motioned for the rest to hold back while they approached the group. Mordecai told them that if they heard flute playing, that was Mordecai’s cry for help, and they should come ASAP. They all nodded, and Mordecai slowly approached the group, who had gone down a nearby alleyway.

Mordecai’s POV

Approaching the group, they were all waiting for Mordecai, the goblin the party had hard tailed, who stood in front and motioned for the rest to surround Mordecai before he asked what they wanted. Mordecai introduced themselves with a theatrical bow and said that they wanted to talk to the mafia, as they wanted to make a deal with them. The goblin gestured to a nearby house and ordered Mordecai to go inside. Mordecai initially protested, but after the goblin clarified that the alternative was death, he quickly gave up and went inside. They were led through the house and into a pitch-black basement where they were ordered not to turn around as a cold piece of metal was pushed against their head. Mordecai could only assume that it was a Thundergun.

The goblin ordered Mordecai to start talking, and Mordecai explained that he was with a group that could not only help them with all kinds of things, but he could also provide great entertainment with music and dance. With the goblins now sounding interested, Mordecai continued and explained that they couldn’t now, as they and their fiends had recently contracted Lung Rot and needed a doctor.

After some back and forth, with many threats, the goblins all went upstairs to discuss. Mordecai could hear them through the basement door as they suggested that they should kill the tiefling now, as it would be simple and easy, until one pointed out that music was good, and they all instantly agreed. This proved to be the deciding factor as they decided to take them to the ‘boss’, who would decide what to do. When Mordecai heard them coming downstairs, they got back in position and went back to the door. They were about to say something as the door opened, but as the first syllable left their mouth, they were pistol-whipped and fell unconscious.

The Party’s POV

After waiting near the house, Mordecai and the goblin mafia entered. The group of goblins left quickly, holding a bag that Halfbie joked looked very Mordecai-shaped before it dawned on them all that Mordecai might be in the bag. They watched as the goblins left the alley and went through the same gate before it closed behind them. Halfbie searched the house while the other tried finding a way inside the gate. Inside the house, it was a usual place, apart from the fact that one of the rooms was full of a few large barrels. Inside are large caches of medicinal herbs, various fruits and vegetables and alcohol. Looking closer, Halfbie realised they were all things found or produced in the desert. They grabbed a few of each and returned to the rest of the party, where they showed them what they had seen. Korrigan and Drache had devised a plan where he would create a distraction to get the gear to move away from the gate so they could slip in.

Everyone agreed and watched as Korrigan went down the road and positioned himself so that the guard couldn't quite see him before calling out to them, saying there was a fight between the slaves; however, the guard refused to leave his post. Korrigan then snuck into the house, grabbed a bottle of alcohol, and used it to start a fire, which was enough to distract the guard long enough to let Halfbie and Drache slip through the gate.

Mordecai’s POV

Mordecai awoke in a room that looked considerably better than elsewhere in Siltwater Slums. The room was medium-sized and filled with goblins, all brandishing weapons. In front of them was an old desk covered in paper and money, with a well-dressed goblin sitting behind it, the presumed boss of this goblin mafia branch.

The boss started the conversation by saying his men had told him Mordecai could become entertainment for him in exchange for a doctor. Mordecai confirmed this, but the boss looked unimpressed. He said that while having some entertainment would be nice, the goblins were already powerful enough to do whatever they needed. They would need a lot more to convince them that they should even consider opening their ranks to a stupid non-goblin.

Glazing over the overt racism, Mordecai explained that they belonged to an influential group with many talents. One was great with a bow and could hunt well, another was very strong, and another was brilliant at magic and tinkering. They also explained that, unfortunately, until they all received medical attention, none of them would be of much use to them. The boss thought for a moment and said he would explain that if they agreed, they could all live here in the hunter’s quarters and the doctor would treat them, even though they were stupid non-goblins. He said that Mordecai and the bow friend would become hunters by day and performers by night. The strong man would become entertainment in a new gladiator pit, but would have to make sure to lose to any goblins. The tinkerer would help work on their weapons and make their Thunderguns more powerful. Mordecai tentatively agreed, and the boss gave a snide grin, saying that they would have an agreement if Mordecai would sign their contract on behalf of the party as their talent manager.

Mordecai looked at the contract but struggled to read it as it was written in goblin. Suddenly, Seifer, whose affects had been quietened by the antimagic field, spoke up. She told Mordecai not to sign the contract, telling them it was a soul contract for life, stating that they would have to do whatever the goblin mafia told them. Mordecai asked if the contract could state that they would only have to do the roles mentioned earlier. The boss laughed before explaining that that would be stupid, as what if they couldn’t go hunt one day, etc. “Plus, Goblins are best and should be able say whats you dos.” the boss added.

Mordecai did not want to sign the contract, and while sitting with a quill in hand, trying to decide, they realised they could feel some of the magic returning to them. They wouldn’t be able to use much, but it would be enough to create a distraction and use a spell to make an illusion of them still in the room while they sneak out. Leaving the room, they found them, sleeves in a tavern filled with goblin mafia members who eyed Mordecai suspiciously but did nothing to stop them. They quickly left the tavern and, in their haste, bumped into a tall dragonborn.

Mordecai, Halfbie & Drache’s POV

With Mordecai bumping into Drache and Halfbie, they hurriedly explained that the goblin mafia would be angry when they found out Mordecai escaped. They needed to leave as soon as possible. They quickly turned around to leave the hunterman quarters. Unable to see what was behind the gate, they decided just to walk through and hope the coast was clear. Walking through a large hall, a sudden hand grabbed Drache’s shoulder. It was the guard asking them where they were going. Halfbie quickly explained they were new to the area and were confused about where they were going. The guard, looking quite pissed, muttered something about the slave team needing to do a better job with the onboarding process before telling the group to go back inside, as they wouldn't want to be associated with the rest of the muck who work the mines. They laughed in fake agreement and went back inside. They walked until out of sight before rushing through the quarters and finding an empty building far from The Laughing Miner.

With little else to do, they claimed a room, caught each other up, and got some rest. They were all awakened to explosions and frantic shouting from the guards during the night. Looking outside, many of the guards were running towards Siltwater Slums, many leaving their posts empty. Taking this as their chance to meet with Korrigan, they joined the rush for the gates. As they made their way to the gate, they ran past a large stone gate that was the exit from Siltwater Slums. Halfbie pulled the group to the side, saying that this was the perfect opportunity to leave Siltwater Slums and find the source of the antimagic field. They both agreed and decided it was best for Mordecai and Halfbie, the two magically inclined party members, to leave while Drache returned to Kal The Korrigan †.

Mordecai was stopped by a guard near the gate, who had been ordered to stand watch. The guard told them that the hunt was off today due to a slave revolt. Mordecai explained that Agurd was told to go out on a hunt in case slaves escaped. The guard, too tired to complain, told Mordecai to get their bow and do what they were told. Upon seeing Mordecai's confused look, I told them to get a bow from the armoury; they just had to show their tattoo and would be given one. Mordecai was still confused and left for the armoury. The conversation gave halfbie a chance to slip through and escape Siltwater Slums. They hid in a nearby bush waiting for Mordecai to join them.

Mordecai got to the armoury, where they found Drache waiting to jump the guard running it to grab some weapons and armour. Mordecai told the guard that they both needed weapons for a hunt. The guard asked to see their tattoos, and they explained that they had been given a regular tattoo but sent to the huntsman area. The guard muttered about how the wizards were useless and then explained that they would get the tattoos updated for them. In the meantime, he gave them a bow and armour and wrote down the lave tattoos.

Mordecai used their new equipment to join Halfbie outside, while Drache threw it over the wall back into Siltwater Slums, stashed it away for later, and returned to Korrigan. The choice of the expositions made it easy to slip back.

Korrigan’s POV

Watching his friends safely go through the gate, Korrigan returned to the house with all the alcohol in it, grabbed as many bottles as he could, and returned to their tent. Inside, he began fashioning Molotov Cocktails. Misty and Tish helped make them. While making them, Tish explained that the wooden gate went to the huntsman's quarters. After the slave revolt, they were separated from the main slave population to help prevent another one. Once all the Molotov Cocktails had been made, Korrigan attached long fuses to them and placed them all over Siltwater Slums, mainly in abandoned buildings and near the wall. He wanted to create a distraction to help the other escape. Once they had all been set, he lit the fuse and returned to the tent.

In the tent, he found Misty had started to make an ointment from the medicinal herbs. She pointed at the burn marks on Korrigan’s arms, and he gratefully accepted the ointment, which didn’t heal anything but made the pain a lot better. They then hid everything by burning it and tried to get some rest. A little after the explosions started, Drache returned and excitedly told Korrigan about the bow he had managed to stash away, making korrigan very excited.

Halfbie & Mordecai’s POV

Mordecai and Halfbie were faced a decision: going left would lead to a woodland area, and going right would lead to a fancy-looking city. The antimagic field was coming from the city, but they would need disguises to get inside. They decided their best bet was to leave the antimagic field so they could use magic to disguise themselves and grab some clothes.

In the forest, they both used magic to clean themselves. While Mordecai used a disguise to grab some fancy clothes, Halfbie began preparing by casting Mage Armour and Leomund’s Tiny Hut in case they needed a quick escape or a place to return to. Mordecai soon returned with clothes, and they both put them on. Before leaving, Mordecai cast mage armour as well.

As they approached the city, a guard questioned them about what they were doing; all of the lords were being kept in the city hall for their protection during the revolt. They said they were out on a hunting trip and were just returning. The guard respectfully congratulated them on a successful trip and apologised that it had been cut short. As they reached the city hall, it was clear to Mordecai that Halfbie felt out of their depth. Inside, the panic only got worse as their hands began to shake until they suddenly stopped. They took a deep breath. There was now a different look in their eye as they looked out over the crowd, as if looking for someone in particular.

Mordecai struck up a conversation with a noble who began complaining about how much money she was losing due to the slaves, and Mordecai gave an awkward laugh. Suddenly, Halfbie approached with a confident walk, and for a moment, it looked like there should have been a cape billowing behind them. When they spoke, it was as if they were nobles; everything about how they spoke was different and unnerving to Mordecai. Then it clicked, this was Chenris.

Chenris initiated a conversation, perfectly blending in with the people around him. Chenris and the lady spoke briefly about business and how dreadful it had been that they were losing so much money. Chenris explained that he was an investor, specifically in architecture and slavery. The noble expressed how she wanted all of the slaves slaughtered, Chenris disagreed, saying that it would take time and money to replace them all, further digging into their profits. The lady agreed but insisted that whoever was leading this had to be made an example of.

She told Chenris that she preferred to buy her slaves from Ehobel, where, coincidentally, there had been a recent uprising [1], which could prove to be a good investment opportunity. Chenris thanked them for the advice, offering them 10% of the profits made from the opportunity as thanks. He said, “You seem to know a lot about the goings on around here. I heard a rumour in the grapevine that the antimagic field tower was in need of some renovations. You wouldn’t know much about that, would you?!

The lady explained that the tower was inside the king’s palace and that their only chance to contact him would be to get an audience. Although it might be tough to get an audience, as he has an internal team for that kind of thing, at that moment, the palace doors swung open, and the king stepped forward to a balcony. Many of the nobles began to cheer.

The king gave a speech telling them that the lords were now free to return to their lives. The speech was short but incredibly insulting to all the slaves in Siltwater Slums. Each insult was met with further insults from the crowd or a round of applause. Finally, the king explained what the punishment would be for their revolt: “I decree that one from each household shall be slaughtered to set an example of what happens when filth tries to fight back” The crowd erupted in a deafening applause as the king returned to his palace.

Chenirs and Mordecai took this as their opportunity to sneak out. They surmised that they could not get an audience with the king quickly enough before everyone was slaughtered. Chenris suggested getting some guard uniforms and entering the palace that way. Mordecai asked how they would do this, to which chenris described his plan:

“First, we go to the barracks. And we can ask for bodyguards because we are worried about our safety or something similar. We then head out and take them to Leomund's Tiny Hut, which Halfbie set up to… Ice them… as the kids would say”

Mordecai was shocked at the brutality of the plan, but couldn’t think of a better way and agreed it was for the best. On the way, Chenris grabbed a cloak and threw it back to billow in the window as he walked. Mordecai could stop a laugh escaping. Approaching the barracks, a guard outside polity asked what they needed. Chenris, acting as a noble, explained that their hunting trip had been cut short due to the slaves. If they were to continue it, they would need some bodyguards. The guard jumped up and ran inside to grab some to help. He returned with two guards. Chenris made a big of a show of inspecting them before saying they would be “serviceable”. He turned on the spot and began walking to the forest.

Trivia & Notes

• Rowan Hales rolled a Nat 1 on the constitution check for Lung Rot. Conversely, Sam Gallon rolled a Nat 20.
• Lung rot sounds very similar to Black Lung, a real disease miners used to contract due to poor safety standards and lack of PPE.

Footnotes