The Naderi cleric, who gave her name as Riah, thanks the council for welcoming her to build her temple.
The young man turns out to be an apprentice of Jamandi Aldori. He gives his name as Davos Aldori and explains the reasoning for his master's petition.
Apparently, Jamandi had hoped that a new settlement founded to the east of you named Varnhold would develop into a good site to found a new dueling school. It was founded by the mercenary Maegar Varn.
Recently, Jamandi has lost contact with Maegar and began to worry that something dire may have happened. Worse, northern Brevoy has become quite concerned with Rostland’s interests in the Stolen Lands, and the political climate in Restov has become dangerously tense—at this point, any perceived interest in the Stolen Lands could well be interpreted by Issia as proof that Rostland is attempting to increase its holdings in preparation for civil war. As a result, Restov’s government is increasingly forced to disavow any contact or alliance with its agents to the south. At the same time, the government is reallocating its defensive forces to the north to strengthen its border with Issia—should it come to civil war, Rostland does not want to be caught off guard. All of which puts Jamandi in a rough situation—she wants desperately to learn what has become of Varnhold, but cannot act directly without triggering a conflict. And so she has been reaching to others who have founded settlements, via messengers, looking for someone willing to investigate the lapse of communication. Jamandi has already allocated a good amount of personal funds and sent instructors and builders ahead to begin building and quite worried about those she sent ahead.
Finnegan was bored as the priestess of Naderi was welcomed. The merchants had at least been interesting, haggling over the prices and ensuring they would pay the proper tolls. Religious matters bored him, though. Probably had something to do with the fact he literally had devil blood in his veins.
"Maeger Varn? He's a pretty good mercenary - his band is called the 'Varnling Host', and they know their way around a fight. Odd that he'd accept the charter and lose contact with his sponsors, though. Varn's well-known for being particularly honest and reliable. What do you think? Should we investigate?" Finnegan looked to Alexander as he asked the question.
Alexander nods slowly, I think we should. Maegar would seem to have little to gain from silence. Either something is wrong, or he's found something of value which he needs to keep quiet. He turns to look at the young swordlord. Davos Aldori, your Master, Jamandi, is well known here. We will investigate this, but I require something of you. He pauses, trying to take the measure of the young man.
I wish to know more of this potential conflict with Rostland. Perhaps you can find out more? I would reward information about such things well.
"I will return to my master as quickly and possible and then return here so that I may await any word of what you discover. I will ask about the estate and town on my way there and back here and try to find more information for you. Though I do know that my family is preparing for the worst, which would be a civil war that would tear Brevoy in two. That was why my aunt was attempting to start up a new school so quickly in the south without. She wanted to begin training new students so that they would have more skilled fighters when the war breaks out."
Well it looks like we have a new expedition for us. Shall we send out scouts to check the area ahead of us?
Marcus levels his heavy frown at the speaker. "Maegar Varn is adequate. I have seen those mercenaries perform routine tasks in an acceptable manor." He arcs a brow at expedition. "Some action than? I certainly won't complain about getting to keep my equipment in good use."
"It would be a good idea - if there is any kind of hostile force there, they can warn of its presence. Otherwise, let's go investigate and see what's what."
Alexander frowns, Send a small squad of scouts, but tell them not to enter any settlements. Observe, but do not interact. You never know how others will respond to kobolds. Wearing our colors or otherwise. He stands and stretches, We'll leave a day behind them and they can fill us in on what they find. Thoughts, Mr. Rook?
"That was gonna be my suggestion. That should give them time to locate any issues and report."
The kobolds can be ready to move out by the end of the day. They will be traveling by night and resting by day. Both to avoid the effects of their light sensitivity and to avoid distressing too many people.
You'll have a day to prepare for your own departure and may make any reasonable purchase for supplies.
"Interesting. Something powerful indeed must be afoot for a militarized settlement to go so dark so suddenly." Othniel says.
No brakes on the TPK train!
Sounds good.
Your first day of riding is rather uneventful since you just make it to the edge of your explored land before making camp for the night.
The night passes without event and you begin your travels the next day into unexplored territory.
Again, most of the day passes by without event and by noon you come to the point where the river take a turn to the north-east and you all begin to head off south-east. Not long after that, you come across signs of an obvious fight. A giant toad's carcass lays on the ground with multiple small weapon wounds on it and with arrows sticking out of it that you likely recognize as coming from your Kobold scouts.
By the end of this day, you find yourselves in the shadows of the mountain range and a few miles from it's foothills. Once again you make camp and enjoy an uneventful night. By mid morning you come up the pass and notice a watchtower set up on one of the higher hills to the side of the pass with a small house further down the hill, near the pass's trail.
You do not see anyone around the building or on the watchtower. Do you wish to continue on?
As the journey begins, Marcus shows himself to be a reliable survivalist, pointing out hazards and quickly setting up tents and a fire for camp.
When they reach the toad carcass he kneels by it to examine it, taking out one of the arrows with a grunt and a nod. The kobolds are useful. He notes.
As they see the watchtower, Marcus checks the map before looking at the others. "I don't see this on the map, if we controlled it we could make it into our own watchtower."
I'm surprised they didn't cook and eat it, Alexander says as they come upon the toad.
Riding up towards the watchtower, the man nods, This may be the limit of Maegar's lands. But, it looks...abandoned. Alexander shrugs, We should at least look around. If they don't want it, it won't go to waste. Looks to be in a good spot.
Indeed. Andrea makes a note of the location. It can make a fair camp for our explorations.
The small house has an attached coral for horses and appears to be a waystation for any travelers coming and going from the settlement. It has four bunk beds (total eight sleeping places) and a long narrow table with a bench on either side. The watchtower is roughly 30 feet tall and separated into three floors with a spiral staircase winding its way around the inside wall of the tower. First floor is a simple entryway with hooks and racks to place any cloaks, coats or weapons. The second floor is set up to be a small kitchen and pantry. The third floor contains two cots, each with a chest at the foot of it to hold belongings. The roof of the watchtower has room for lookouts to watch from.
Both the small waystation house and the watchtower appear to be completely abandoned. There is no evidence of violence and no sign of any personal belongings.
From the very top of the watchtower you can just make out a settlement, likely to be Varnhold.
Finnegan frowns at the abandoned watch tower. "Something ain't right with this..." He scours the ground, looking for tracks and other signs of what may have happened to the inhabitants.
Marcus's perpetual frown gets even heavier. He follows Finnegan, helping him search for any signs of life.
You do not find any signs of life, or death for that matter. There are no recent tracks other than those that belong to the wildlife typically found in the area.
You can find the occasional trace of a footprint that was left in any area protected from wind or rain, but it doesn't appear as if any humans (or humanoids) have been walking around this area for at least a month.
Othniel nods "Yes. I was thinking the same, my lord. Odd of kobolds to waste a carcass.
When they reach the Tower, Othniel looks around carefully.
Perhaps they got ambushed. We did look for traces of them, correct?
"Mark it on the map, we can annex it later." Marcus says. "Good structure to use."
"Agreed. Whoever abandoned this, they apparently don't need it right now. Should we rest here, or press on, my lord?"
Alexander looks around for a moment and shrugs, Let's move on. There doesn't seem to be anything left here, and we migtht as well not delay.
As you approach the town later in the day, you can see that most of Varnhold’s buildings are constructed of fieldstones up to a height of about 3 feet, with wooden planking and even some frame and stucco above that. The windows bear shutters and are unglazed unless otherwise noted. Roofs are uniformly shake shingles. A few dwellings, however, are still the sod dugouts constructed in the colony’s earliest days. The town is constructed around a ford of the Kiravoy River, above which stands a low, flat-topped hill. Atop this hill stands the hewn-log stockade and blockhouse most likely built for the colony’s defense—the seat of Varnhold’s lord governor, Maegar Varn.
As you take in view of the town, the most obvious thing isn't all that you see, but what you do not see. There does not appear to be anyone out and about. You do not see any people or hear any sounds of normal human activity coming from the settlement.
Alexander, would you be able send a bird up above to scout?
Small town. Impressive they've lasted this long with how lawless these lands have been for so long. But as they get closer and there are no signs of life, he frowns. Perhaps I'm right and they're gone. "We should check out the buildings, see if anybody is around. Keep an eye out for ambushes." He warns.
Finnegan studies the terrain and the village, a frown on his face. "Not a bad spot. Good visibility. It probably would have been a good idea to build a stockade around the town, though, to hold off any outside attackers. No carrion animals, and no bodies. Let's check the buildings on this side of the river first, and see if we can find a good building to stable the horses in."
Finnegan dismounts, letting his horse's reigns drop, and readies his bow to cover Marcus. As he does, he scans the area, looking for any signs of life - if not humanoid, then perhaps animal.
This structure, though fairly new, is poorly built. The clapboard walls have large gaps and its roof sags alarmingly. Behind the cottage you see what was hidden from view, a mud-filled enclosure and a covered shed. There is a smell of decay and filth emanating from behind this dwelling, where you see what was once muddy pigpen. Around the muddy pigpen are scattered the rotten, half-eaten corpses of a number of feral hogs, now covered in clouds of fat black flies.
A person could assume that without anyone to care for the animals, they died from starvation. One wall of the pen has collapsed from lack of care, allowing (in an ironic turn of events) a particularly massive feral hog to enter and feed on the bodies of his starved kin.
Finnegan gives the building a look of scorn - they'd built better in bandit camps, and those were designed to be temporary. Looking at the carnage of the dead pigpen, he frowns. "I'd have expected to see ravens or crows in here, as opposed to just flies. Unless they were scared off by the bigger pig."
Alexander tilts his head and whispers to the raven on his shoulder. Take a look around. Let me know if you see anything moving. He smiles as the bird takes off.
Agreed, Mr. Rook. Any trace of the people?
Finnegan looked about for any tracks.
Othniel looks around carefully as they approach. Upon spying the large hog, he quips "Shall we have fresh bacon tonight?"
Marcus draws his blade slowly with a grim frown. "I don't like the look of this. Something happened. Something bad. It's like they're all just...gone."
A cook fire with tasty bacon would lure creatures perhaps. Hmm..Must have been quite some time for them to die from starvation.
"Some barefoot, small sized humanoid creatures came through this way most recently - maybe halflings or children? Looks like some of the prints grow to human size. Doesn't make sense. Maybe some kind of wizard?"
Standing, he says, "I don't think we're gonna find anything else in this house. Let's move to the next one."
Marcus nods, ready to move on, blade drawn and ready for trouble. He takes point, ready to be the first point of contact if they run into trouble.