(This information was given to the party a week or so before the "event" took place.)

Weather: It snowed about 4 days ago. The last few weeks have been very cold, so the ground is frozen solid. Just a week ago the creek finally froze over as well.

The Compound: You have had workers at the compound for a little over a month now. The main houses are almost completed, and the wall is going up. However, nothing is ready quite yet.

There is a lot of information in this post, but please read it. I am going to be asking you guys questions in the near future, and your knowledge of this information will help you to make your decisions.

Due to differing requirements, the party splits up while in town. Here is where people spend most of their time:

Ari: across the river at Laila's and at the all-faith's temple
Castinar: outside of town, running around with Shadow
Diane: splits her time between research at Neworion and the compound construction
Kat: gets a job at The Maiden's Kiss in town
Nikki: researching up in Neworion
Matar: with the city watch and compound
Sane: not sure, I think with the locals and perhaps up in Neworion
Sigurd: at the Temple of Athena and working with the City Watch

As the party is going to stay in Jurgenville for several months, you get a good sense for who are the power players in town.

There are three main groups. They are:

The Jurgenville Locals: This group is the most powerful in that it includes the Jurgenville Mining Company, the former adventuring company which founded the JMC (including Angus, Tessalynne, Val, Jondon, Saeros, Laila, and a few others), and the local demi-human population (which lives mostly on the other side of the river). The locals run the City Watch (Tessalynne in charge) and hold most of the seats on the city council. Although not yet considered "local", the Temple of Athena is closely allied with this group. There are also rumors of a thieves' guild which works with the locals.

The Cormyrites: This group is the second most powerful. It is centered around Baron Tren Voltari, who manages the Cormyrian Mining Company and also has command over the detachment of Purple Dragons (about a score). Last year this group was roughly even in power with the Sembians. However, over the summer a large number (about two dozen) of Cormyrian nobility built villas in and around town. While most of the nobles themselves have returned to the low-lands for the winter their staffs (and at times guards) have stayed in town, boosting the number of Cormyrian subjects.

The Sembians: Over the past year the merchant Sembians, lead by Lord Chandlo Javad, have watched their power wane. Political chaos in Sembia itself has undermined the support for the Sembian Mining Cooperative. Rather than build summer homes up in the mountains like the Cormyrites have done, most of the powerful Sembians have spent their time at home, seeing to their own fortunes and at times very survival. However, this has all changed recently. Ahur Powji, Javad's right hand man and a Mongol, has brought in a group of "mercenaries" to help "defend the interests of Sembia" in Jurgenville. These mercenaries are not all they seem to be, but more on that later.

The party has, by and large, allied themselves with the locals. Sane has numerous contacts within the locals group. Sigurd has obvious ties to the Temple of Athena. All of the mages are members of the mage's guild, run by Valdaeron. Matar has made some contacts among the Cormyrites. Sigurd also knows Baron Voltari personally. Nobody has made much contact with the Sembians.

As time passes and people get organized you also are able to zero in on the main "armed camps" within the city. They are as follows:

The City Watch (locals): This organization, numbering about 50, is more a law-enforcement than a military force. However, Tessalynne has been working with them and for the most part they are learning to be sergeants so that they can lead the local militia in case of battle. There are several mages working with this group.

The City Militia (locals): The largest group in number, around 300, both human and demi-human. By and large these are 0-level people, with a few 1st level fighters or thieves thrown in. Most other locals who have more experience have allied themselves with one of the other groups. Tessalynne and the City Watch drill these folks every time the weather permits.

Athena's Defenders (local): The most powerful military force in town right now is the militant clerics and paladins housed at Athena's temple. Remember, the temple was established after Athena's avatar rescued the town from invading humanoids two years ago. The people of the city agreed to worship her in exchange for her protection. There are about half a dozen paladins, two dozen knights, and two score crusader priests of various levels who train on a regular basis. These are all in addition to the normal number of priests in a temple. BTW, the large number of Defenders does come as a surprise to most of you. The temple doesn't look like it would hold this many.

The Dwarves (local): A large number of the miners working in the three mines in the area are dwarves. The mines have been shut down due to the war, so most of these dwarves are now in town. They hang out at the various bars, for the most part not causing too much trouble for the Watch. It is common knowledge that if the city is attacked the dwarves (which number around 40) will all head to the Glowing Helm. Considering the construction of the Helm (all stone with large and thick stone walls around it), the combat abilities of most dwarves, and the fact that Angus will be leading them, the Helm should be able to withstand just about any attack.

The Turmish (local): You find out about this group through Katrina. One of the more mysterious figures in town is a woman by the name of Midnight. She owns the Maiden's Kiss and several brothels (at least, those are the businesses the public knows about). You learn that she has a small private army of her own in town for security. Kat estimates that there are a score veteran warriors and a handful of spell casters. The warriors are all Turmish (OOC: Turkish Jannissaries - tough!) and are lead by Midnight's Chief of Security, Kaj Mizak, a Turmish warrior himself. While a smaller force, they are among the most experienced in town and regularly drill as a unit.

The Sheriffs (local): The demi-humans have their own version of the City Watch which patrols their side of the river. This force is called the Sheriffs, and is lead by Scorpion, a halfling who also works as a bartender at the Kiss. The group numbers about a dozen, but another dozen or so demi-human ex-adventurers have joined the group, significantly bolstering their combat ability. While most of the force is made up of gnomes and halflings, there are a few half-elves and humans also (mostly from Laila's Retreat).

The JMC Guards (local): During normal times this is by far and away the most powerful group in town. However, a large number of the guards (who are trained in Underdark combat) are either down guarding the passage ways leading to the surface or have gone off with Valdaeron and Jondon to fight the drow under Bethamin. The guards that are left spend most of their time patrolling Dragonspeak and the tunnels under the mountain and under the town.

The Purple Dragons (Cormyrian): A detachment of around 20 Purple Dragons has been in town for several months now. When they initially arrived there was some resentment, but now that the town is threatened most are happy to see them here.

The CMC Guards (Cormyrian): This group is made up of those guards not guarding the mine itself (which is about 20 miles west of Jurgenville) and the miners from that mine. There are about 50 in all.

The SMC Guards (Sembian): Pretty much the same as the CMC guards above, but only around 35 strong.

The Sembian Mercenaries (Sembian): This is an interesting force which has Tessalynne quite worried. She suspects these are not simply mercenaries, but rather forces in the employ of the Iron Throne. The Throne is an alliance of young merchants which has arisen in Sembia over the past several years. They use extortion, intimidation, force, and other less savory tactics to spread their influence. They were recently expelled from Cormyr by King Azoun. Tessalynne is afraid that the Throne wishes to use Jurgenville as a base of operations for activities against Cormyr, and that they are using the chaos caused by the war to infiltrate the town. There are about 50 mercenaries in all. They tend to keep to the SMC compound on the far east side of the city.

The Truth Seekers: A rag-tag group of misfits... oh, you already know.

You guys are the only adventuring group in town right now. Most others either left the area before winter or are stuck elsewhere.

>>that there are forces arrayed at the east end of town - the Sembian
>>guards, mercenaries, and the Turmish soldiers working for Midnight.
Sane
>>tells you Katrina has gone to fight with the Turmish.
>
>What do I have left in town? Two companies and the above? How many men
>are in
>the above?

You have two militia companies, each of which is 50 militiamen commanded by 5 City Watch sergeants, supported by one mage, five clerics, and three healers.

It was made fairly clear that the primary concern of the Sembians and Cormyrians was to defend their own compounds. The Sembians are setting up now, and you doubt if you could get them to move. You have received no word from the Cormyrians. They have 20 Purple Dragons and 50 normal fighters.

The Turmish are a private security force. They are setting up to defend the Maiden's Kiss, which will help to secure your eastern approach to town along with the Sembians.

One group that you might get to help you is the dwarves. They are congregating in the Glowing Helm. However, you would have to convince them to come out of their little fortress.

There is a small group of defenders left at the Temple of Athena, but they are supposed to stay there in case things go terribly wrong.

> Are the any forces left in the demi-human sector?

No. All of the demi-human fighters are either with the Sheriff's (which are at the main battle) or organized into the militia companies.

> Are there roads or passes to the north of town? Where are these towers in relation to the
>city? Is it possible to get an overview map of the valley?

The main road through the valley runs just to the south of the river (which is frozen over, BTW). There are small trails through the two passes north of the town. The main enemy thrust followed the trail between Dragonspeak and Mt. Corel.

>What forces are arrayed at the tower? Does it look like they can hold or
>should they be reinforced?

The towers are under the command of the Cormyrian and Sembian companies. They normally hold about 20 defenders and are fairly well built. You have no idea how many are actually there, nor how the defenders are doing at this time.