The Old Silver Fort
A band of political and military prisoners from across the world were gathered in a dark, damp dungeon. None of them knew any others when six of the jailed were summoned before the Marshal of the Spessartites- an elected officer representing the military as a second-hand-man to the Spessartite Crown. The Marshal- a title shortened to "M" gave six prisoners an alternative to execution.
"You may go on missions," M told them. "Missions we cannot allow the world to know about. Missions where the Spessartite name cannot be associated."
The group agreed they would stay their execution by a year and go on one mission. The party was sent to the Crescent City- a jewel of Turtle Island where the Fur Dwarves had just gained independence from the Spessartites. The party traveled north to a colonial outpost on the frontier of the Fur Dwarf nation, crossed the Father of Waters and made their way into Silver Dwarf lands. They crossed paths with a Gold Dwarf fur trapper- a merchant that traps beaver, mink, and otter; then sells their hides at a price higher than gold.
The Gold Dwarf told the party about a revolution underway in his home lands. He had been living in Crescent City when he heard the news his homeland was being torn about by a violent war between the peasants and the aristocrats. He fled Crescent City and headed for the frontier to escape any violence that may have spread to the Gold Dwarf colonies.
The party left the next morning and headed to an old Silver Dwarf fort where they would attempt to find the allegiance of the Silver Dwarves in the upcoming war that would engulf the dwarf lands. The Spessartites had been long-time enemies of the Gold Dwarves. For nearly five hundred years, the two dwarf kingdoms had been at war almost constantly. When the Fur Dwarves- a former Turtle Island colony of the Spessartites- gained the aid of the Gold Dwarves in their rebellion, the Spessartites were furious.
The party made their way to the frontier fort where a Silver Dwarf oversaw a dark gnome garrison. The party attempted to engage the dwarf captain in diplomatic talks as one member of the party withdrew to a nearby dark elf commune to learn of their culture. The dark elves attacked the fort in waves, the party assisted the dwarf and dark gnomes in the defense. Neith- the party member who left to meet with the dark elves- had returned in time to save her party members and protect the fort.
The party returned to the fort's parade grounds to find the captain led a successful defense of his fort, but had lost nearly the entirety of his garrison in the raid. The group talked to the dwarf captain about the Silver Dwarf allegiance with the Gold Dwarves.
"It will be a torn fight," the captain told them. "We are ruled by a king who's cousin was the king of the Gold Dwarves. Those Gold Dwarves however, have just publically executing their king. Our crown will not be allies of those rebels. If they can invade our nation however, they may be able to gain the allegiance of the people and turn them against the monarchy."
The party departed the fort, and headed back to the Spessartite capital. They had spent nearly a year on their first mission- three hundred days of postponing their executions. Two members of the party refused to continue going on and were executed the morning after their return. The other four members agreed to keep serving the Spessartite Marshal and were given their next mission.