The party meets with Gerard Droson, a merchant looking for caravan guards for a trip to Eastgate. He asks the party to meet with his guard captain/bodyguard Emi at the militia practice field so he can evaluate their performance.
The party's performance at sparring, healing, and shooting satisfies Emi. He tells them they're hired. Terms are 2 silver a day, food, and any loot recovered on the trip, minus 10 percent that goes to Gerard. The caravan leaves before dawn tomorrow.
The caravan; five wagons with drovers Bren, Cassie, Grayson, Jayla, guard Emi, assistant/cook Sal, and merchant Gerard; is the first thing out of Ironhold's gate on the 17th. The first day establishes the travel pattern: four hours in the morning, midday break, and more hours (four or five) in the late afternoon/evening. The first two days are uneventful.
The party encounters and kills a horse-size Craul, one of the spidery hive creatures the Outsiders brought with them.
After two quiet days, the highpoint being a stop at a water hole, the caravan's night camp is attacked by zombies and skeletons on the night of the 22nd. The party defeats them easily.
The party breaks at midday at Dry Rock Bend, a split in the trail. While they rest, a group of kobolds ambushes them from nearby rocks. The party pursues them aggressively and drives them back into a cave complex. After discussion with Gerard/Emi, the group decides to pursue the creatures and wipe them out if possible. The group follows them into the caves. They find a small network of caves that connect to odd, hexagonal rooms. Eventually, the party catches up to the kobolds and defeats them, as well as a trio of bugbears who were hiding out in the ruin. Later, the party finds out the hexagonal rooms are old Outside construction. The rest of the 23rd passes quietly.
The party passes another split in the road that leads to Calvin's Hold. That evening they reach the Meet, a deep pond with a few trees around it. There they meet Jurga, a representative of the Explorers of Eastgate. She fills them in on the guild (both costs and benefits). The party remains undecided.
The party reaches Eastgate and spends some time becoming familiar with the town. They quickly discover it's expensive and dirty. They also talk to a representative of the Guild of Seekers, who fills them in on the benefits and costs of that guild. The party decides to join the Eastgate Explorers and agrees to take on a "maintenance job" for the guild. They also convert their monetary loot to hard cash by selling most of it to Gerard, who is happy to take small/valuable gems off their hands.
The party hears a few rumors concerning Shophie. She's definitely been here. The Adjutant of the Red Wardens indicates she visited the hall, but left to find her uncle.
The party enters the Old Tunnels beneath Eastgate with a set of vague instructions. Key encounters/finds:
The party returns to the guild and takes advantage of the baths to clean up. Tern gets some medical assistance after his encounter with the well of corpses.
The party spends two days investigating their loot and hanging around town. Tern and Mjord attend Red Warden services.
The group heads into Hismir crater and begins to explore the area, looking for a likely claim. They find a few tunnels, and one contains a sizeable metal tower with a sealed metal door. Other metal doors lead away from the hexagonal chamber containing the tower.
End Session One