DM Talomyr's Kingmaker

Game Master Talomyr

I'm fine with Raz's position.

Are we heading straight for the Stag Lord, or going around to try and find even more allies? After do the trials at Olegs of course. I would like to thabk everyone for putting up with me and my Order choice, I know it can be fustrating but I am hoping it will prove worth it and has had some good roleplay thus far.

If this were a pure combat sim it'd be frustrating. If it ever results in us all dying that'd be frustrating. Otherwise your order is a character defining thing and it's fun.

I suspect the Stag Lord may be too much for us to deal with in a frontal assault the moment we hear about him and we're not sneaky enough to arrange a good ambush. Let's look some more.

Did we learn where exactly the Stag Lord's fort is from any of the interrogations? If it's further south perhaps we could explore the northern areas some more. Maybe we will find some more friendly Greenbelt residents. I think Oleg mentioned an alchemist or someone that made that fire bomb he threw? Even if we don't find anyone we'll at least get a better idea of the area and be more experienced when we find the Stag Lord.

While I won't stop you from doing so, I would highly suggest against going straight to the Stag Lord. Baring a remarkable strategy AND really lucky dice rolls, that would likely end in a TPK at this point.

I say we continue exploring, converting/destroying all bandits until we have cleared all the greenbelt up to the stag lord. After the trials at olegs, of course

Please subtract what ever you are giving back to Kressle off of your party treasure.

After re-arming Kressle and making an agreement to meet back at the Thorn River camp in a specified amount of time, the explorers begin their journey back toward Oleg's trading post.

The weather is mostly pleasant for the trip, which is also rather uneventful. It roughly an hour after sundown as you approach the former fort. After calling out to him, Oleg opens the gate and welcomes you back in. "Good to see you again." he says with a smile. The fire-haired businessman's smile fades when he sees you have another prisoner.

"Got another one of 'em, eh?"

I look up at Oleg from Rufus' back, "Don't worry Master Oleg, hopefully they will be on their way soon enough. Were you able to contact anyone from the city to come and collect the prisoners and how are the others doing?"

Glad to be back at the trading post, Jacobus introduced himself once more and asked what the accommodation arrangements were.

Once in a common room, he gathered his companions and started discussing their next steps in exploration...

"So we need to explore everywhere but where do you guys want to go first?"

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GM, I vaguely remember a hex map and some guidelines regarding how long it took to travel and explore each hex. Are these known to us so we can plan our outings?

Hex map is in the campaign info tab.

"A good deal more of them got the fate they deserved Oleg, you can be assured of that. Hopefully we can get the rest of them out of your hair soon enough." Tove said in response to Oleg's greeting.
"Please, how is Bran doing, has he improved at all, did he wake at all while we were gone?"

When Jacobus gathers the party to discuss exploration plans, Tove speaks her suggestion. "I suggest we move to explore the areas south-east of here first, covering the area south of the South Rostland Road."

"I would say whatever direction we decide we go in that direction and clear, we can deviate a little and search out bandits if we hear news near where we are exploring, but there should be a method to our madness"

Oleg looks around, noting that Svetlana is not with in earshot asks, "You didn't happen to find a plain brass ring, set with a pearl at their camp, did ya?" Looking around again he continues, "It's Lana's wedding ring. The b&@%! with the axes took it right off her hand and tossed it to one of her minions the first time they were here."

He looks over his shoulder again before saying, "Lana forbids me from tryin' to go after, sayin' it's not worth the risk. That being said, I would be happy to give you a 1,000 gold credit here at the trading post should you happen to find it and bring it back to her."

Svetlana enters the room bringing out a pot of fresh stew. "Who's hungry?" she asks.

Quickly changing the subject, Oleg says, "Alright, I guess you should put your prisoner with the others in the holding pen. Based on a message I received from Restov, there should be some folks showin' up sometime tomorrow."

When Jacobus gathers the party to discuss exploration plans, Tove speaks her suggestion. "I suggest we move to explore the areas south-east of here first, covering the area south of the South Rostland Road."

Jacobus nodded, "As good a plan as any. We have to explore the entire area."

He added, "One thing to note is that we shouldn't be wasting time to come back here all the time. Perhaps we should plan for a longer trip, say a week long."

He concluded, "I'll be ready to go first thing in the morning after a good night's rest. The rest of you OK with that?"

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I'm assuming we'll explore mounted. Does that mean that our base speed is that of our slowest horse or the speed of our slowest PC? if the latter, would that be Theo or Ivo?

It would the slowest traveling speed for a member of the party (including familiars and such). If everyone is mounted, it would be the speed of the slowest mount. If there is a mix between mounted and not-mounted, the slowest speed being traveled would determine the duration.

If I remember correctly we had several horses from Happ's crew, we can plus up on horses so we can all be mounted, making exploration that much faster

As best as I can tell, Strauch will be your limiting speed. Strauch a speed of 30 feet.

As he grins and motions for more stew Torsten says, "Ready to go, yes, but perhaps we should wait and see who these people showing up might be? Also good Oleg, how does Restov send messages - is it magic, or a messenger of some sort?"

Set one of those horses up as a packhorse and even Strauch can ride! Kind of. We don't want to be limited to his 30' speed.

"Usually by a bird of some sort. Sometimes a pigeon, other times a raven. Guess it depends on who the message is coming from."

"Ah, then you can get messages back to Restov quickly sometimes. Something to remember.

"And yes Jacobus, let us plan for a week. Which should mean taking more than a weeks' supply of food I think, we may be far from the Icewall here but there are many things besides blizzards which can slow travel."

I nod at Oleg and walk our new prisoner over to the others, where I place him in the holding pen with Gavin. "We shall be giving each of you a trial over the next few days, it will be harmless, but the punishment for lying, is unfortunately death." With a sorrowful expression on my face I turn and walk to the others again, but see Svetlana coming out with food and raise my hand, while sniffing the air. "Oh, that smells delicious!" Before heading over to Svetlana I whisper to Oleg, We didn't find a ring, but I shall keep an eye out for it."

Whilst mounted Rufus can only move at 35 feet a round.

"And yes Jacobus, let us plan for a week. Which should mean taking more than a weeks' supply of food I think, we may be far from the Icewall here but there are many things besides blizzards which can slow travel."

The inquisitor nodded, "Yes, good thinking. Perhaps we should take supplies for 10 days. So there's six of us which makes about 60 man-day rations."

He asked Oleg, "Do you have that or how quickly can you have that ready for us?"

The inquisitor nodded, "Yes, good thinking. Perhaps we should take supplies for 10 days. So there's six of us which makes about 60 man-day rations."

He asked Oleg, "Do you have that or how quickly can you have that ready for us?"

In the Treasure stock we have 26, not counting any taken from this days travel, speaking, did we give everything Kressle had back to her, or just her arms and armor?

"Thank ya, lad." Oleg says, happy that Theo has offered to keep an eye out for Svetlana's ring.

"Aye, I have a hundred days worth of trail rations available...give or take. Oleg says in response to Jacobus's question. "I can get more in a week or so, maybe sooner if you're willin' to pay to speed things up."

"That should be plenty, thank you Oleg."
Tove enjoys the meal Svetlana has prepared but she is unsettled when no one answers her questions about Bran. Maybe they were just too busy worrying about organising the prisoners and the food.
Once she had finished her meal she excused herself from the group and went to go check on the Druid herself.

Sorry about that, Tove. Just flat out missed the question.

Oleg is about to answer the question when Svetlana chimes in, "We don't rightly know. I would guess that he's feelin' better as he and his wolf were both gone this morning when I went in to check on him."

"He's gone? What? I didn't think he would be in any condition to travel so soon. Maybe Erastil's healing did home more good than it appeared to. Strange of him not to say where he was going? He is still bound by the charter after all, do you think he would have deserted?"
Tove furrows her brow and contemplates the puzzling behaviour of their former companion. Perhaps some clue would turn up as they explored the Greenbelt.

"Hard to say. Perhaps he took the result of the battle flavored his thoughts on the matter. Who's to say, although I wouldn't be surprised to see him again someday." Svetlana says.

"It must be the fey blood. Flighty and possessed of strange magics the stories say, or perhaps he was called by his kin on that side and could not resist." Torsten puts in.

To the proprietor, "Oleg, we cannot eat so fast that a week or two would be too late! A hundred is more than enough until then. We will order more after returning I think."

Best to give Kressle back everything she had personally Raz. Either we trust her or we make her an enemy again.

So what's the gameplan?

You have a number of things in your treasure list that Oleg would be willing to buy, if you would like to liquidate. Note: When selling you get 50% of the "book price" (i.e. a shortbow lists for 30 gp, you would recoup 15 gp for selling one).

Are you waiting to see who arrives at Oleg's tomorrow? Are you heading out after the trials in the morning? If so, which direction? Are you doing all of the trials in the morning?

Wait one day. Sell everything no one wants. What does Oleg have available? Do trials either now (if spell is available) or in the morning. Wait to see who comes in. Head out and explore hexes just south of Rostland Road (east of Oleg's)

Tove can prepare up to three uses of Touch of Truthtelling tomorrow morning and we can conduct some more trials before we head out. I don't know if that will be enough to finish all the trials though.

I'd like to keep 20 arrows but am okay with selling everything else that isn't food.

If we sell all the stuff I have listed minus 20 arrows for Tove (200 arrows total), the trail rations, and the 8x herbal liqours in polished wooden case (no price given) i come up with 834 gp for that sale, for a total of 1,164 gp and 321 sp in the party fund.

If we sell all the stuff I have listed minus 20 arrows for Tove (200 arrows total), the trail rations, and the 8x herbal liqours in polished wooden case (no price given) i come up with 834 gp for that sale, for a total of 1,164 gp and 321 sp in the party fund.

I propose to buy the healing items (potions, antitoxin, antiplague). We should also order a CLW wand so it's ready for when we get back.

Ivo putters around the trading post, occasionally tweaking some broken piece of machinery idly - though he doesn't ever really get down to anything like trying to completely repair the collapsed siege engines.

"If we are going to get more ex-brigands and we don't hang them," he says at one point, sort of musing out loud, "We need a better way to incarcerate them than just leaving them here and hoping they don't try to find a chance to escape, possibly with hurting someone on the way out."

As far as loots stuff, I wouldn't mind buying some antitoxin, and eventually getting masterwork thieves' tools.

I agree with buying the healing supplies, and ordering the wand would be a good idea too.

Okay, all of the healing potions, antitoxin, and antiplague will run you 650 gp. The requested wand will be another 750 gp. Trail rations are 5 sp per day. How many day's worth are you buying?

please make sure any purchased items are on a someone's character sheet.

Looks like we can't afford the wand just yet but hopefully Oleg can order it in good faith that we will have amassed some more wealth by the time we return.

I suggest we split the healing supplies among those of you who can't heal yourselves, in case you need healing and I can't get to you.
I believe we had planned to purchase 60 days worth of trail rations, so each of us can add 10 days rations to our sheets. That should cover us for the planned 7 days of exploration, with a few days spare in case we run into trouble and can't get back.

A while back Oleg gave us 3 potions, and after identifying them I gave a CLW to Ivo, Shield of Faith to Raz. It doesn't look like either noted them down.

With two more CLW potions and a Cure Moderate Wounds I'd suggest that Razarak & Theodore each get an emergency CLW, and the Cure Moderate goes to someone in the back ranks who isn't likely to go down early. Probably Ivo or me. The antitoxins and antiplagues are less likely to be used urgently - I'm happy to carry them, or we can split them up too.

@Ivo - I assume that the MW Thieve's Tools are a request you have put in with Oleg?

For special orders, Oleg will place an order for anything under 200 gp without asking for any gold up front. Anything greater than 200 gp, he will ask for 50% of the price up front.

"A pleasure doing business with you all." Oleg says with a smile. To Ivo's comment about where to incarcerate the bandits, Oleg responds with a scowl, "A grave would hold them nicely."

The remainder of the night passes uneventfully. You awake to a brisk but sunny morning, the warm sun on your backs providing a counter to the occasional cool breeze.

If there is anything else you wanted to do the night before, not a problem, we can retcon that. How do you want to handle the trials? Order of the trials? Do you wish to RP them, or do you want me to hand-wave them and get to the result? Some of each?

Before the amulet with the stags head is handed over to Oleg I speak up, "Would it be possible if I could keep this please?" Before sleeping I look over to the bandits to make sure they are all still alive.

Whilst I would love to roleplay the trials, I have a horrible feeling that it would slow the momentum down again. I will leave it up to everyone else though. I am hoping that Gavin will also prove to be truthful in his repentance so we may be able to meet them later on in the campaign.

I would also rather hand-wave the trials and get on with exploration but will RP them if others wish to do so.

I think we already said what there is to be said in our initial discussion, and RPing the entire trial would result in just rehashing it without giving us anything new and interesting.

Okay. You have 3 castings of the truth telling spell and 3 awaiting trial. I'll update the results of the trial and the arrival of the new folks at Oleg's later tonight.

I agree with hand-waving the trials. They should all follow the same format so just letting us know who repents and if anyone offers any new information on the Stag Lord or other bandits in the area should do. Tove prepares Bless as her domain spell and will expend the rest of her spell slots to cast for the trial.

The morning's trials go much as you would have suspected, Gavin passed the test, but Cal and Happs seemed to prefer the rope to changing their ways.

Happs does seem a bit more than just a little surprised when he hears that Kressle has chosen to help you rather than swing from a rope. "I knew that Gavin over there was a snake, but I never would have dreamed that she would have turned so easily. No matter, I'll see you all in Hell soon enough."

With the morning's trials behind you Gavin and Velsin help with disposal of the bodies in whatever way you see fit.

Mid-day comes and goes. Svetlana has a simple lunch of bread, cured meats, and fruit available for you. The two now former bandits gulp down as much as they are allowed, profusely thanking the young blonde-haired woman for the meal.

As mid-afternoon rolls along, four riders approach the trading post. They carry a simple banner, flying the colors of Restov.

"It's about damned time." Oleg mutters as he goes to open the gate.

"Oleg Leverton?" the lead rider asks. After Oleg nods in the affirmative, the obvious leader of the small band introduces himself. "Kesten Garess." Pointing to the other three, "This is Jake, Alton, and Kev. We've been sent by Restov to set up a small garrison here. No worries about housing us, our tents are just fine." he says as the three dismount and begin setting camp outside the gates.

After Happs is hanged - "Shall we not spread the word further that Kressle has declared an intent to fight the Stag Lord?" If she fears spies it seems wisest to me."

When the four riders arrive - "Very good to see you here, if you will defend Oleg and Svetlana's home. Do you know how long you will be here?"

Jacobus had been present during the execution of the unrepentant bandits and helped bury them where Oleg had indicated.

He was itching to get going and get exploring but waited out until the riders came in.

Seeing as time went by, he dreaded the fact that it would be another day before they headed out; it made no sense to leave in the afternoon.

He was next to the wizard when the riders arrived and waited on their response. He also wanted news from the civilized world.

He neared the leader, "So anything we should be aware of from the Swordlords?"