He glances at the men, then the building, then turns away. Waving, he scampers off.
Karl:
While he waves, his other hand signs, "No info. Will get Big Brother. Wait here."
The two men go inside, and everyone catches a glimpse of a crowded interior. The door appears to be guarded by a large gentleman in a finely-tailored suit. Their bodyguards do not go inside, however. They proceed around the side of the building and down an alley.
About a minute later, a young man with wavy blonde hair walks up to Karl, "Pardon neighbor, are you a native to this fine city? I've gotten turned around and I'm trying to find my inn."
Karl:
The man introduces himself, "Honored Guest, the two men who just entered The Flying Griffon are Augustus Heiger and his cousin, Mister Terren Vorn. The Griffon is a members only establishment. Best wait outside if you have business with them. Leave them alive. What else do you need?"
That name - Heiger - sounds very familiar...
Of course! Gustav Kaple mentioned in passing that the prosecutor in the Beast's trial is Otto Heiger, the toughest, and most bigoted, attorney in Lepidstadt. Heiger doesn't sound like a very common name for this part of Ustalav, so logic says this Augustus is probably related to Otto.
"Just some merchants in town. I'm not exactly sure what they do, but I know Mr. Rook makes fine instruments the chirurgeons use at the University. Mr. Suss is his business partner. I think. Kind of a strange one, Mr. Suss. Always looks like he's sick. His skin is all gray and ashen."
"I know Mr. Rook has a store in town, but I don't know the name or where it's located. Probably close to the school if I had to guess."
"Are you going to let me live? I mean, I'm being a good prisoner, right? Please, I beg you, I'll leave town tonight and won't come back for a month, or two months."
Mithias and Sethis watch as the two men walk away... and they also notice several other men wearing dark armor carrying swords fall in behind them. Bodyguards.
One of the two men wears a blue jacket cut in the latest fashion, obviously a "noble" from the way he carries himself. The other man is slightly shorter, but also dressed in finery. His style, however, lends itself more toward the merchant class. Both men chat as they walk, but hearing what they say is impossible over the chaos coming from the square.
They continue down the alley and turn on to one of the main streets for entertainment. Many taverns and inns line this street, and all seem to be very busy this evening. It seems that many of the people fleeing the square have ended up here, apparently thinking that a nice evening of drinking is the perfect remedy to having a mob dispersed by the town guards.
The two men head toward one of the larger brick buildings. From all appearances, it seems to be a tavern and restaurant catering to well-dressed patrons.
Everyone can follow Mithias and/or Sethis as desired. Just let me know if you're going to do anything before they enter the building. They are about 300 feet away.
Franc's strong voice carries over the fleeing crowd, and once his spell is cast, the people surrounding you slow their movement and the fear fades from their eyes. You are all able to follow Karl into the alley and out onto the distant street in the entertainment district.
You also see Karl leaning down and speaking with a dirty child wearing rags.
Karl:
He runs up and tugs on your leg, "Please sir, spare a copper? My sister is sick and hungry. Please sir, just a copper would get her a scrap of bread and a sip of cool water. Just a copper sir, please!"
His right hand, however, says something entirely different, "What do you require, Honored Guest?"
Honored Guest is a formal title used for visiting "associates" who are in good standing with the Guild.
The boggard watches as you all gather on the rock, then he croaks out a series of chirps. From behind one of the large ruins, a massive frog-like creature with saber fangs emerges. Crawling over the rubble, the creature moves to the boggard then leans down. The smaller boggard gets on the slurk's back, the rides it toward you.
Stopping twenty feet away, the boggard looks over you group. Finally, it bows it's head slightly. It begins speaking:
Boggard:
"Welcome serfs, to the lands of Garrum, Chief of The Most Magnificent Swamp In The World! What do you want?"
Garrum did not say "The Most Magnificent Swamp In The World" - he used a boggard phrase that essentially means the same thing. Coincidentally, most other chiefs also rule "The Most Magnificient Swamp In The World".
Everyone identified the boggard last time you saw him, so feel free to reference the creature's information.
Terren's face is etched with fear, both at being restrained by the no-so-gentle grip of Harold.
He stares at Lucius, then at Korvus, but nearly loses his mind when he looks at Bjorn. Through the blubbering, he manages to speak, "I just heard about the graves.. I'm not a graverobb...robber! It was Mr. Rook and Mr. Suss. They...they were talking about the Beast when he was caught. Said something about him being found guilty of murder and defiling graves! I just heard it... from them! Please, that's all I know!"
Sense Motive DC 15:
He seems to be legitimately terrified of Bjorn a the moment, so you're thinking he's probably telling the truth.
The creature immediately turns and looks at Arianna and the rest of the group. Seeing you, it holds its hands over its head and waves them around, apparently trying to show you that they're empty.
In broken common, the boggard croaks, "Truce! Truce! Speak?"
It waves the group forward, then points to a large rock near the shore. Waving again, it points its finger at your group, then to the rock.
Karl sees the two men walking away... and he notices several men wearing dark armor carrying swords fall in behind them. Bodyguards.
One of the men wears a blue jacket cut in the latest fashion, and Karl immediately thinks "noble" from the way he carries himself. The other man is slightly shorter, but also dressed in finery. His style, however, lends itself more toward the merchant class. Both men chat as they walk, but hearing what they say is impossible over the chaos coming from the square.
They continue down the alley and turn on to one of the main streets for entertainment. Many taverns and inns line this street, and all seem to be very busy this evening. It seems that many of the people fleeing the square have ended up here, apparently thinking that a nice evening of drinking is the perfect remedy to having a mob dispersed by the town guards.
The two men head toward one of the larger brick buildings. From all appearances, it seems to be a tavern and restaurant catering to well-dressed patrons.
No problem on the rolls, done that many times myself. :)
Unfortunately, Lysa won't be continuing as a PC in the game. In the short term, I'm not going to have her completely disappear, but she will continue as a NPC moving forward.
I assume the group would like a replacement divine caster/cleric? If so, I'd prefer to ask somebody individually rather than go through open recruitment. Let me know if you have any suggestions.
@ Mithias: If you hurry, it would be possible to follow them.
@ Sethis: Your warhorse if you're mounted. Sorry I wasn't clear about that.
@ Leon: Sure, I'll factor it in.
Throwing himself into the crowd, Leon finds Lysa huddled against a wall, blood streaming from a small cut on her head and a dirty bootprint clearly visible on her cheek. She looks up at him with a shocked expression, her mouth silently forming an unasked question.
Her eyes regain focus and she braces herself against the wall to stand, gripping Leon's arm. She gives him a little smile and nods to indicate that she's okay.
I got it, thanks. Will look it over and respond later tonight or early tomorrow.
I've uploaded another province map with names. All of the explored regions have names except for those lands under control of Howl and Sootscale. I'm going to start using these province names in updates to help clarify where things are happening.
The group heads west as directed by Tyg, following in the footsteps of Gunda and Solomon. As indicated, you head south and west, looking for the oak tree shaped like a man picking flowers... by the flowers...
Or something like that.
On the route, you arrive once again at the ruins housing the boggard and slurk. You see the bipedal frog creature meandering around the ruins. You see that in the weeks since you last visited, several changes have taken place. It appears the boggard has started fixing the ruins, or at least attempting to do so. Several walls have been rebuilt, and it seems like a roof has been fashioned from broken planks and covered with large evergreen boughs from nearby trees.
You do not currently see the slurk.
You are currently in the Riveredge province.
It does not appear like the boggard has seen you. What would you like to do?
You manage your attempt this time, and easily grab hold of the man. As soon as you have in restrained, you see through his illusory disguise - you are holding Terren!
Feel free to narrate Harold returning the disguised Terren back into the main room. He currently wears a strange hat, and ripping it off his head in dramatic fashion will end the illusion for everyone to see. He is physically weak, so I'm going to handwave his escape attempts and say he fails. Do with him what you will. :)
After dropping one guard, Bjorn walks up to the seated one and, despite the man's protests, unleashes a massive slam that knocks the man's head back to slam into the table. Cursing and spitting blood, he glares at the bear-man in front of him before dropping is sword on the ground.
Alexei moves up to watch the two men in the pit.
Lucius walks over to the pit to gloat at the men trapped below.
Korvus moves to the edge of the secret doorway and looks inside, catching a glimpse of Harold as the other half-orc closes with the fleeing bodyguard.
Harold:
Unfortunately, the man is able to avoid your grasp, but as your hands brush against him, you realize that you don't feel leather armor, but the smooth texture of silk. The bodyguard is covered in an illusion!
-----
Bjorn, do you intend to continue attacking the man? He is obviously surrendering.
Harold, what do you want to do? He continues to stumble away from you, making another grapple attempt would be simple.
You join the throngs and make your way toward the center of town, only to find a large crowd of rowdy people shouting and making noise. Some bang weapons on shields, others have pots and pans, while others simply jump up and down, clapping their hands.
Guards surround the courthouse, and the horsemen you saw earlier begin yelling and roughly pushing their way through the crowds. Many turn with anger in their eyes, but the reality of heavily-armed soldiers riding warhorses deters anybody from making a stupid mistake.
After a few minutes, a couple of men closest to the Courthouse climb up so they can see over the heads of the crowd. One raises his arm and shouts, "Trials are for people, not for Beasts! It's time for the monster to pay for its crimes! Not a man, time to pay! Not a man, time to pay!"
The crowd quickly takes up the chant, "Not a man, time to pay! Not a man, time to pay!"
The horsemen move quickly to surround the man, causing those nearest to push forward in an effort to protect him. Before you can move, matters escalate as the soldiers draw their weapons, the loud ringing of steel pulled from sheaths silencing the roars, only to be replaced by screams of fear.
The mob around the horsemen begin turning away and trying to run, causing a panic to erupt. Men and women are dropping whatever they have and fleeing as fast as they can! If you're not careful, you'll be caught up in the stampede!
Please make a Reflex save and a Perception check.
Reflex save:
DC 14 Success: You manage to avoid the fleeing people, pressing yourself against a nearby building and holding your position as men and women flee away from the courthouse!
DC 14 Fail: The fleeing people surround you before you can move, and they knock you to the ground. Feet and bodies press into you, pounding you into the slate-covered streets. 6 points of non-lethal damage
Perception DC 15:
Two men stand away from the crowds, partially hidden in the shadows of a building. Strangely, when the crowd begins chanting, one of the men taps the other on the shoulder, grins at him, then they both turn and begin walking away.
You join the throngs and make your way toward the center of town, only to find a large crowd of rowdy people shouting and making noise. Some bang weapons on shields, others have pots and pans, while others simply jump up and down, clapping their hands.
Guards surround the courthouse, and the horsemen you saw earlier begin yelling and roughly pushing their way through the crowds. Many turn with anger in their eyes, but the reality of heavily-armed soldiers riding warhorses deters anybody from making a stupid mistake.
After a few minutes, a couple of men closest to the Courthouse climb up so they can see over the heads of the crowd. One raises his arm and shouts, "Trials are for people, not for Beasts! It's time for the monster to pay for its crimes! Not a man, time to pay! Not a man, time to pay!"
The crowd quickly takes up the chant, "Not a man, time to pay! Not a man, time to pay!"
The horsemen move quickly to surround the man, causing those nearest to push forward in an effort to protect him. Before you can move, matters escalate as the soldiers draw their weapons, the loud ringing of steel pulled from sheaths silencing the roars, only to be replaced by screams of fear.
The mob around the horsemen begin turning away and trying to run, causing a panic to erupt. Men and women are dropping whatever they have and fleeing as fast as they can! If you're not careful, you'll be caught up in the stampede!
Please make a Reflex save and a Perception check.
Reflex save:
DC 14 Success: You manage to avoid the fleeing people, pressing yourself against a nearby building and holding your position as men and women flee away from the courthouse!
DC 14 Fail: The fleeing people surround you before you can move, and they knock you to the ground. Feet and bodies press into you, pounding you into the slate-covered streets. 6 points of non-lethal damage
Perception DC 15:
Two men stand away from the crowds, partially hidden in the shadows of a building. Strangely, when the crowd begins chanting, one of the men taps the other on the shoulder, grins at him, then they both turn and begin walking away.
Travel back to the Trading Post is slow and strenuous as the soaked land recovers from the recent storms moving through the area. Another aspect of being outside also begins to reassert itself - swarming insects.
For several hours, the insects are so thick they almost obscure your sight. Luckily, these are not mosquitoes, but there are so many, you constantly blink as they enter your eyes, or sniff and wipe as they fly into your nose. Cantrips keep them away for a while, but it seems there are always a few insects who manage to avoid the spells you cast.
After two days of travel, the Post comes into view. As you get closer, you can make out a young half-orc on the wall, waving as you crest a hill. Yiv waits until you acknowledge his signal, then he turns and climbs down from the wall.
The gates are open when you reach them, and Captain Garess is there to meet you. "Welcome home, friends. And none too soon. Get refreshments, then meet me and Oleg inside. We have something urgent to discuss."
You take a moment to put your things away before heading to Oleg's house. He meets you at the door and ushers you inside. Captain Garess is standing over a map spread out on the table. He glances up as you enter. "The Stag Lord has finally shown himself. He and some of his men were seen scouting the Post a few days ago. Happs saw him first, then alerted the rest of us. We tried our best to watch him without being seen, but I don't know if we were successful. He and his men - about a dozen - didn't approach or threaten us, they just spent about two hours watching us. They left heading south, and Happs went after them. He said he would try to find where they're going and come back to let us know."
Garess looks at Teremith, "Lanner's been doing nights, so he didn't see anything, but he said something about it didn't seem right to him. He asked us what we knew of Happs. We told him... and at the end of the conversation, we realized we didn't really know that much. He doesn't associate with the other Freebrothers, and he's gone for days at a time without telling anybody where he goes or what he does. Yiv leaves too, but he always brings back wild game and maps. Happs... he just comes back to eat, says he's out "scouting the wilds" if asked. "
"Long story short, Lanner decided to follow him. Said he'd leave a trail that the dogs can follow."
Garess reaches into a pouch and pulls out a small rag, then holds it out for Raxus. "He said to let your dogs get a whiff of this. They should be able to follow his trail."
-----
After you finish with Garess, Yiv appears and hands you a new map. He has scouted some provinces to the northwest of Oleg's, as well as to the north and northwest of Howl's territory. Unfortunately, there was nothing of interest in the locations, just more rolling grassland.
-----
It's late in the day when you arrive, and by the time you've spoken to Garess and eaten, the sun has set. Setting out tomorrow seems to be the best option at this point, but let me know if you want to leave immediately.
Garess can answer questions, but there isn't much more for him to tell you. You know where the boggard is, and the directions given to Bridgette place that location somewhere south of the boggard and/or giant ants.
You also know that anybody traveling south would have to cross at the River Ford or the Rickety Bridge - so the Stag Lord, Happs, and Lanner would have to pass through one of those two spaces.
When I saw "Freeland" I immediately thought of Breeland. Just watched Fellowship this weekend. :)
-----
I thought about the other languages, but I'm going to keep it at the four I listed. I've got some reasons, none of which are really important or vital for our game, but Arumil and Arianna are on the right track.
-----
I'll be surprised if we're not finished with this adventure in the next couple of weeks. I am going to do my best to get all of the additional information and rules documents posted into the group no later than this weekend to give everyone a chance to look through it.
Some will be IC knowledge, and will be clearly marked as such.
Also, I would like to start referring to "hexes" as "provinces" going forward. We're going to need to start thinking in those terms as the realm starts growing.
I'm updating the map now and will be including some province names for reference. New map may not be ready for a day or so, but will be posted soon.
Heading back to the city is a routine, but exhausting affair. Your adventures this day have provided several interesting discoveries, but nothing conclusive...
You arrive back in the city soon after sunset, and strangely, the guards at the Lepidstadt gates appear to be much more heavily armed than they were when you left. They question you briefly, especially after seeing your cargo, but it's obvious they have other issues on their minds. The sergeant actually recognizes you from a description passed around earlier in the day, "Best see to those poor kids in a hurry, but do it in the morning. Tonight's not one for roaming around and seeing the sights - get inside and under a roof." After a moment's hesitation, he gives you a half-salute, then waves you through to deal with another group trying to enter the city.
Moving through the streets, you soon begin to notice crowds of men and women hurrying toward the center of town. You can make out shouts and cries in that direction, and thin plumes of smoke rise against the fading light of the setting sun.
The sound of several horses quickly moving down the streets grabs your attention as a number of mounted cavalry ride toward the noise up ahead.
Sense Motive DC 15:
The frantic nature of the civilians rushing toward the town center, and the grim visages of the mounted soldiers riding after them can only mean one thing - a celebration is close to getting out of hand. If things go badly, a mob is certain to form!
Do you want to head into the center of town, do something else, or go to your rooms for the night? Are you taking the bodies with you?
I should also point out that the location of the disturbance is going to be very close to the Courthouse where The Beast is being kept.
Harold sprints past the group and into the dark passage, chasing after the bodyguard.
Harold:
With your darkvision, you can clearly see the bodyguard ahead of you. He appears to be scrambling forward - he obviously does not have the same benefit as you do.
The guard does not see you, and he does not have a weapon drawn. How would you like to proceed? On his turn, he continues to struggle forward, only moving 15 feet.
Round Two
22 Bodyguards
21 Alexei
20 Bjorn
17 Lucius
14 Korvus
12 Terren
09 Harold
Terren and the bodyguard in the pit begin cursing and attempting to crawl up the sides. They continue screaming in rage as the walls prove too tough to scale.
They also took damage when they fell in last round. Should have pointed that out then.
The guard facing Bjorn pulls back as the ulfen man transforms into a hairy monster. With narrowed eyes and a glance at the pit, he growls then attempts to dodge around Bjorn and flee.
Edit to include Bjorn's AoO
Bjorn's reflexes allow him to attack the bodyguard as he attempts to escape. The Ulfen warrior leaps and bashes the man in the back of the head, causing him to fall face first into the dirt floor. The bodyguard still breathes, but he has been knocked unconscious by Bjorn's attack.
Everyone has an action remaining. One bodyguard sits at the table, Terren and another guard are in the pit, while another is in the dark secret passageway with Harold.
I think that pretty much finishes this scene unless there is something else specific you want to talk to Elder Lazne about. I'm going to continue as if you are finished, but feel free to ask questions if you still have some.
Heading back to the city is a routine, but exhausting affair. Your adventures this day have provided several interesting discoveries, but nothing conclusive... You arrive back in the city soon after sunset, and strangely, the guards at the Lepidstadt gates appear to be much more heavily armed than they were when you left.
Moving through the streets, you begin to notice crowds of men and women hurrying toward the center of town. You can make out shouts and cries in that direction, and thin plumes of smoke rise against the light of the setting sun.
The sound of several horses quickly moving down the streets grabs your attention as a number of mounted cavalry ride toward the noise up ahead.
Sense Motive DC 15:
The frantic nature of the civilians rushing toward the town center, and the grim visages of the mounted soldiers riding after them can only mean one thing - a celebration is close to getting out of hand. If things go badly, a mob is certain to form!
Do you want to head into the center of town, do something else, or go to your rooms for the night?
I should also point out that the location of the disturbance is going to be very close to the Courthouse where The Beast is being kept.
1. The letters giving you a noble title actually comes from Restov, but carries the seal of the Regent. Make of that what you will. ;)
And the oath of office says something to the effect of serving the lawful and legal ruler of Brevoy, not a specific person.
2. You won't get to change any of the oath wording. No caveats, subtle ways to ignore responsibilities, no deciding to back out at a later date. The only way to get out is if the ruler of Brevoy releases you. Even publicly renouncing your title won't be recognized - it may be enough for you and your conscience, but not the leader of Brevoy.
I realize I'm being strict on this, and it's intentional for the story and future events. The difference between a group of nobles and a group of commoners is huge when ruling a realm.
That said, I'm not being strict just so I can screw you later. Conflicts may arise in which you are forced to consider your oath before deciding on a course of action, but I won't be a jerk just to be a jerk. :)
Elder Lazne watches as Jean and Leon speak, then turns to Firavel. He looks away again, then back to the elf. Anger is still present in his face and voice, but Firavel can tell it's directed elsewhere.
"I'm just a simple man, but I'm smart enough to know that something else is going on here."
"When I saw Redjaw attack the Beast, I figured the creature was done for. When the guards showed up a few days ago telling me that the Beast was caught, I didn't believe it. For a creature to survive that attack, it would have to be wearing armor or some kind of protective charm. Believe me, I've lived around caimans my whole life - it's just not possible... But that's not what I told the prosecutor or the investigators. I wanted to protect my village, and they told me that making sure the Beast paid for his crimes was the best way to do that."
"So now my hands are tied. I told the prosecutor my story, and that's what he's going to get from me when I'm on the stand. But if you and your friends discover that the Beast isn't to blame for what's happened in the Boneyard, I'll do what I can to help. It's all in the details."
"If there is nothing else, I'll need to get back to the celebration."
Round One
22 Bodyguards
21 Alexei
20 Bjorn
17 Lucius
14 Korvus
12 Terren
09 Harold
The bodyguard by the wall flips a switch. A panel in the wall slides open and he sprints into the darkness.
The two guards with crossbows take aim and fire at Harold and Bjorn. One bolt sails over the half-orc's head, but the other punches into Bjorn's shoulder. 10 points Their crossbows clatter to the ground and they pull greatswords from their backs.
The remaining bodyguard glances at the two who just fired crossbows, then at your group. He stops sharpening his sword, then grasps the hilt, puts the point on the ground, and holds it there, signifying he wants no part of the fight.
Alexei pulls his mace and orders the men to stand down.
Bjorn charges the men and hits one of the guards with a roundhouse to the face, causing him to stagger back, but remain standing.
Lucius pulls a scroll and casts bless upon the party.
Korvus casts a spell and a pit appears beneath Terren and a bodyguard, both of whom plummet to the bottom.
Terren screams as he falls into the pit.
-----
Harold, do you still want to attack the guard who was sharpening his sword? Bjorn is fighting another guard, and one is trying to run away through the secret door.
No map for this fight, I'd be surprised if it's not over next round.
I did say "nominally" but yes, the realm is going to start as a Barony of Brevoy. The ruler (and nobles) would have to accept the leader of Brevoy as their Lord.
As for accepting their rule... well, they are offering you the chance to build a realm from the ground up in any way you want, without interference. They're also going to give you resources to get it started. They want a strong - and friendly - neighbor on their southern border.
And you should also consider what they'll think if too many of you refuse the titles. You're in a land where strong people routinely create their own fiefdoms of bandits and outlaws. Part of the reason why they're offering you titles, and the opportunity to rule, is to avoid having to deal with another Stag Lord (or worse).
Ultimately, I'm fine with whatever you guys want to do. The AP assumes players take the titles, but it's not a problem for me if people don't want to go that route. Just a bit more work for me to figure things out. :)
Many countries are named for the people who live there, or for a prominent feature, such as its geographical location, or nearby bodies of water. Additionally, many countries are formed from parts of words with a suffix added such as -stan, -stad, -dale, -ia, -mere, and -ebon.
Going with the theme you seem to be using, you get names like:
Freedom - ia
Bastion - ia
Haven - stad
Liber - ia (from liberty; interesting since this one really exists)
Salvat - ebon (from salvation)
Just some thoughts I was having about names.
-----
Heraldry is another topic - using the image of a creature is not unusual, but is is by no means required. Many people and locations have simple colors and shapes that represent the country and/or family lineage. A blue shield with three white stars forming a downward-facing triangle, or a green tree on a brown field.
If it matters, the Brevoy crest is a two-headed red dragon on a quartered field of yellow and white diagonal squares. As you are founding a realm nominally under the control of Brevoy, incorporating something from their heraldry might be something to think about. Not trying to sway you one way or the other, just throwing out ideas.
-----
For the alternate language use, I'm thinking about keeping it really simple. So far, I haven't been able to find a definitive explanation of how the languages on Golarion developed. In lieu of that, I'm going to use my own ideas.
The basic premise is that there were a handful of languages during "the beginning" of Golarion, and all other languages are derived from them. As such, all of the languages will use the same alphabet as their progenitor. For example, the Gnome language would use the Sylvan alphabet. I'll be posting a chart containing all the languages and their parent.
Currently, the four base languages I'm thinking of using are:
Aboleth
Celestial
Draconic
Sylvan
Each of these would have a distinct alphabet, and all languages descended from them would use the same real world representation.
Does that sound like a workable and worthwhile plan?
The graveyard doesn't really have anything of interest, it's just a small plot for villagers. Other than the graves for the children "killed" by the Beast, there isn't anything you find that could be useful in the trial.
Good idea for using the barrister with the children's bodies - that would probably work. Of course, doing so would require involving the Town Guard, who would tell the prosecutor - it may change how he approaches these crimes. To keep it secret, Karl knows who to ask.
Also, don't forget two people who used to live in Hergstag now live in Lepidstadt. They are the witnesses for the prosecution, and they can likely identify the bodies if/when they see them. Just something to keep in mind.
Franc:
Finding anything of personal value to the children is likely impossible since none of you know where they lived. Luckily, as long as they receive a proper burial, their spirits and souls will move on to the afterlife and they will not rise as ghosts.
Good idea though, points for creativity and good role-playing!
When you leave the village, the she-worg finds you again, telling you she got lost in the maze of illusions. She offers to find Howl for you and pass along any messages you want to send.
Hearing your responses, Terren realizes his mistake. Leaping up from his chair, he points at you and screams, "Kill them!"
As he screams, the bodyguard leaning against the wall twists his hand and a secret door opens. It looks like he is preparing to flee through the door.
Let's roll initiative, no surprise round. You have Terren and four bodyguards, two of whom (B1, B2) hold loaded heavy crossbows. These two appear to still be intimidated. B3 is against the wall, and B4 is sharpening the sword. All of them appear human.
You are currently forty feet from Terren, B1, B2, and B4. B3 is leaning against the wall sixty feet away.
The guard preparing to flee through the door got a 22 Initiative. If you beat that, you can try to prevent his escape. The others, and Terren, are preparing to attack.
Elder Lazne appears angry, perplexed, and disturbed at the same time. The old man's face is twisted into a parody of its normal shape. After spluttering for a few seconds, he finally manages to speak.
"I don't know what to say. This is, tragic, and horrible. What kind of person ... monster... does this. "
A gleam appears in his eyes, "Wait a... do you think the Beast had something to do with this? He was running toward the Boneyard when he escaped our trap. So the monster not only murdered all the villagers, he also defiled our gravesites and performed surgery on the bodies?! That Hora and Sons you mentioned, they must be allied with the Beast!"
Derry seems overcome by the attention and offers of friendship in spite of what he and his people have done. The little gnome even manages a blush when Arianna hugs him. Looking up at Raxus, he replies to the huge man kneeling in front of him, "We don't know of a cure, but discovering one is something we can search for... to make up for our part in this. We don't know the formula she used, but we know the ingredients. We'll do some research and find the cure, I promise!"
Korrelan stiffens a bit as Arianna hugs him, but he manages to clap her on the back a couple of times before pulling away. Watching the others talk to the leader of the fey-gnomes, Korrelan keeps his emotions in check as Derry agrees to find the cure, but it's obvious he still harbors ill feelings toward his cousins.
Arumil suggests traveling together, and Bridgette agrees, but Korrelan holds up his hand. "Don't get me wrong, we appreciate all you've done, but we're not friends or allies yet. And we just rescued our village from captivity - having a bunch of powerful people surrounding us as we travel home isn't exactly something we're comfortable with... You've done right by us so far, but we don't need protection right now - we need to feel strong again on our own. So thanks for the offer, but we're heading home alone. If there's nothing else..."
The gnome nods once, then turns away to follow his people into the illusions surrounding the fey-gnome village.
----
Unless you have anything else to discuss with Derry, you have accomplished your goals in the fey-gnome village.
We haven't really gotten to it, but your group has pretty much exemplified the Six River Freedoms - the unofficial code that governs the lives and actions of people in the Stolen Lands. I'll post them below just for review - they don't really come into play until you start leading your realm.
The Six River Freedoms are:
Say What You Will, I Live Free
This is the freedom of speech (and not to be confused with freedom from the consequences of your words). Criticism of government is common in the kingdoms, and lords of the kingdoms who are lenient with loose tongues are likely to live longer. Bards take special advantage of this freedom, and spells like silence are viewed in a harsh negative light.
Oathbreakers Die
Making an oath is a huge deal for the people of the River Kingdom (where trust is hard to come by, and earned in blood), and this freedom grants the people of the kingdoms leave to persecute anyone person that breaks an oath. Riverfolk who take on oaths usually keep them, or die trying. This freedom can have some constricting side effects on traders and businessmen, who are loath to make strict commitments or promises.
Walk Any Road, Float Any River
This freedom blocks prevents of the river kingdoms from blocking travel over land and water, including charging tolls for passage. The fate of the town of Heibarr is sometimes uses as a salutary tale of what can happen if the third freedom is disrupted.
(Heibarr was destroyed when they tried to tax people using the river that flowed through their town)
Courts Are For Kings
One of the most basic freedoms of the River Kingdoms, this one holds that all laws within the river kingdom are flexible, and that rulers of a kingdom may do as they wish. Visitors to a river kingdom -- be they king or commoner -- are bound by the (often arbitrary) laws of that kingdom. Consequently rulers of the different kingdoms infrequently visit each other, and instead rely on liasons and intermediaries. The exception to this is the annual Outlaw Council.
Slavery is an Abomination
Escaped slaves are an important fact of life in the River Kingdom. A slave that escapes to the River Kingdoms is considered truly free. By some estimates, more than a third of all people living in the River Kingdoms are either escaped slaves or children of escaped slaves. Thousands of slaves make their way to the River Kingdoms annually and fiercely defend their newfound freedoms. Hellknights of the Order of the Chain are unable to hold office in the River Kingdoms, and Andoran Eagle Knights are held in special regard by its people.
You Have What You Hold
This freedom draws the moral distinction between stealing and robbery. In the River Kingdoms, it is more preferable to face your robber, to be allowed the opportunity to resist (and perhaps to repossess!). It is acceptable (and perhaps worthy of praise) to take what you want by force.
Both of the guards standing beside Terren glance at each other as Harold and Bjorn basically call out their boss. From the look on their faces, they aren't relishing the prospect of a fight.
Terren sneers, "What do you care - you're not even from around here! I want that Beast dead, and lots of other people do too! He's committed all kinds of atrocities, killed women and children, burned down a hospital, even terrorized a village! He killed a bunch of people and then defiled a bunch of graves. He's a monster, and he doesn't deserve to live!"
"But tonight? I didn't have a hand in that. I might have heard some people talking about it, and I might have agreed with some of their sentiments, but stirring up a mob? Well, why don't you just PROVE IT!"
Sense Motive DC 7:
He obviously knows more about the mob than he's saying - his smug arrogant demeanor is easy to see through.
Int DC 14, or just paying attention:
Er... how did he know about the defiled graves in Morast?
Great discussion, sorry I haven't been more active, but I have been reading and considering everyone's comments and suggestions.
Government Roles & Characters
Raxus is correct, government roles don't require specific criteria for characters to be effective/successful. The rules do contain provisions for bonuses to the realm based on ability scores of characters in the roles though. For example, the RAW gives a bonus to the realm equal to a character's STR or CHA score in the General role. So a sorcerer with a 20 CHA would be a "better" fit than a fighter with an 18 STR.
My plan is to change the way these realm bonuses work so nobody feels like the realm is getting punished if you don't min-max character-role selections.
On becoming nobility
Upon receiving the patent of nobility, your liege lord would be the leader of Brevoy (typically a King, but currently a Regent). Characters must take oaths of loyalty and agree to serve the liege as part of becoming a noble.
In gameplay, this won't mean much. The Regent isn't going to come down to your realm and start giving you orders. But certain situations may arise that cause you to question exactly what your oaths mean to you, and how much (or how far) you're willing to go to abide by, or ignore, your obligations when you make decisions.
If characters do not want to take the oaths of nobility, then that's okay too. But there will be repercussions. Getting to become a noble is a BIG DEAL and refusing such an honor is usually viewed as an insult. Even if the liege himself doesn't see it as such, many of his minions and servants would.
Quote:
In the same vein as the realm-name question, I like Raxus' suggestion of the Arthurian Round Table for the government. The Ruler handles the day to day rulership responsibilities for the realm, but big decisions are brought before the table where each member (including the Ruler) has an equal say - with the final decision based on majority vote. If there are an even number of council members, then the Ruler gets to be the tie-breaker.
I think this is the best idea I've seen, it seems to hit all the notes that everyone has mentioned, and I think it would work well for this group. I also really like Bydar's idea of a "theme" for the council.
I don't know if it matters, but you are already gaining a reputation in the region as The Liberators. Perhaps you could use that as a basis for your realm's theme? I could see the "ruler" being Grand Liberator, with the other members of the council holding Seats of Freedom, Honesty, Justice, Integrity, Determination, etc. Focus on values that the council wants to uphold in the realm. Or even combine this with another idea - the Seat of Oak, which means Integrity.
Just an idea, feel free to use or discard as desired.
Location Names
Don't forget you're also going to have other locations to name. Your capital city, other settlements, important structures like forts or guard towers.
Loose Ends
The giant ants and the kobold war are not intended to be solved in this adventure.
Your current loose ends are:
1. Finish exploring (you've got like 8 hexes to go)
2. Deal with Bridgette's situation
3. The boggard that you avoided
4. Confronting the Stag Lord
Finishing #4 effectively ends this adventure.
Everything else going on in this region is either moving in the background or is beyond your abilities to affect right now.
Are you going to dig up the remains buried in the graveyard or just take the bodies from the cave?
Karl looks through the remaining houses but doesn't find anything of note. It seems that the people took everything of value when they abandoned the village.
Luckily, he does spot several more bear traps that were apparently set and forgotten about, but he manages to alert everyone and avoid another repeat of the first encounter.
Shanoa:
It appears the creature was a form of wight. Likely a cursed creature, the man probably died from bees or wasps, so when his undead powers manifested, they became part of his power.
Given the noise, it's likely this is the creature that the Beast fought when he heard the "bees".
The group moves ahead into the light and finds a large room containing benches and tables. At the head of the largest table, you see Terren Vorn lounging on a massive wooden chair. A bodyguard stands on both sides of the man, each holding a loaded heavy crossbow. Another bodyguard leans against a wall on the far side of the room, while the fourth sits at one of the tables. The scraping sound you heard is revealed to be a sharpening stone he is using on a greatsword.
Terren looks you all over and sneers, "So, you've followed me all the way from the Club, and now you've broken into my business. What do you want?"
Knowledge (religion) or (dungeoneering) DC 15:
This room appears to be a vault of some kind, likely constructed as part of a larger mausoleum.
Perception DC 25:
The bodyguard leaning against the wall is actually beside a secret door.
Just so you know, if you speak with him more, he'll reveal that the entire village - and specifically Lazne himself - will be forever in your debt if you find the monsters who defiled the bodies in the Boneyard. I understand the reticence dealing with him, but in reality, even though he doesn't really like you, he's just an old man trying to do the best he can keeping his village safe and prosperous.
Hope that provides some insight for future decisions.
Korrelan helps the rest of the captive gnomes get out of the stockade, greeting each of them by name and with a firm handshake or a full hug. Tears are in many of their eyes, and they all stay huddled together, still unsure exactly how they find themselves so fortunate after such a long time in captivity.
Derry walks around his village, encouraging his people to come out of their homes, to little success. He glances back at the heroes who have rescued his people, and with a small smile, he says, "I'm sorry, but they're scared."
The wood from the stockade is dry and thick, making a great bed of wood for the vats, and flames soon lick the sides of the large containers. Thick fumes waft upward as the liquid boils, destroying the plague and rendering the evil mixture inert and harmless.
As the disease is eliminated, Korrelan approaches. "I cannot thank you enough for what you've done. We're going back to our village, but we'll always remember you. If you need us, leave a message by the old split oak a few hours north of here. It's near a small dale to the east of a big thistle patch."
He looks around, "I can't say we'll ever forgive our cousins, but we won't pursue anything. We just want to put this behind us."
There are about 30 gnomes in total preparing to leave the village. Derry is still wandering around, trying in vain to get his people to leave their homes. Is there anything else you want to do before leaving? If not, what would you like to do?
With a roar fueled by righteous anger, Franc moves around Darren and releases a strike that cleaves through the center of the darkness. The flitting lights begin winking out as the buzzing ceases, and a hollow scream starts at a high pitch, then quickly recedes.
The darkness surrounding the top of the hill disappears, and the remains of an undead creature lie in a heap, its body slashed and hacked apart by your assault. From the age of the body, this must have been the wight that killed the children.
A strong gust of wind blows across the top of the hill, and as the grass pushes to the side, a dark opening is revealed - a small cave.
Inside the cave:
You find physical remains of four small humans - likely children from their size. Their remains do not show any signs of physical trauma, bruising, or broken bones, though they do indicate some signs of negative energy damage.
That was some great rolling guys, totally destroyed him before he even got going! Have to amp up the next combat. :)
You have found the two children's graves, and the remains of the other four children. Let me know what else, if anything, you want to do in the city of Hergstag. Not trying to hurry you, just reviewing what evidence you've found so far.
Just FYI, I'm going to be making changes to the way the Kingdom rules function so don't spend too much time getting familiar with the default set. I'll post the relevant information well before it's actually needed.
As for the ruler + council idea, I've read about that particular option having generally positive results.
Just wanted to post a short update for the group...
The end of the first adventure is looming on the horizon, so big congrats as we move into this final phase of Stolen Land. When we're finished, we'll move straight into the next adventure, Rivers Run Red.
But before we get there, I have a couple of issues I'd like people to think about, and if desired, discuss in the OOC thread. Once Stolen Land ends, each character receives a patent of nobility, becoming an official and legal member of Brevoy's court.
That has a whole mess of implications, but the most important part is that you will be tasked with the founding, guidance, and ruling of a new realm carved out of the wilderness you have just pacified and explored.
For now, I would like people to think about two topics:
1. How would you like this realm to be known? Awesomemccoolsville is right out, so don't ask. :)
2. How do you want to handle leadership of the realm? I'm fine with whatever the group wants to do, but the default is to pick the most eligible character and appoint them as ruler. I'll go ahead and tell everyone that if left to their own devices, the Swordlords would choose Bydar to lead the realm, while the rest of you would receive a similar title; the main difference would be in the form of address (he would be "Lord" while the rest of you would be "Sir" or "Madame").
That's about all, thoughts and comments appreciated, and as always, thanks for playing!
