When the War Came

Game Master Camie winchester

Those who head north from Magnimar along the rocky coastline quickly find themselves in a peculiar country. Fog drapes the rolling landscape, floating spectrally along damp and lonely moors. Small woodlands grace the region, their tangled depths redolent of nettles and pepperwood and pine sap, while further inland, river valleys lined by majestic redwoods wind between ragged tors and limestone escarpments. This vastness and the sense of isolation have earned the region its local name. This is the Lost Coast. Amidst these wildlands stands the small town of Sandpoint. Founded 42 years ago on old Varisian camping site, Sandpoint is a thriving community today. Over its four decade history, Sandpoint has been thankfully free of major disasters. Five years ago, however, was the period that has came to be called the 'Late Unpleasantness' by the locals. Over the course of an horrible summer, a murderer nicknamed 'Chopper' killed and tore apart 25 townfolks, including the local sheriff, before his identity was revealed and he was executed. About one month after the death of Chopper, a great fire destroyed the town's church along with most of uptown. These two events, occurring in such close and recent proximity as they have, are generally lumped together even though they didn’t have any obvious links. Natives of Sandpoint are reluctant to talk about either event, preferring to look ahead to brighter times. Indeed, they now prepare to consecrate a new cathedral to replace the old one. An so, on this first day of autumn, the traditional Swallowtail Festival will renew the site’s blessings from the gods and it will be as if the Sandpoint Fire had never occurred.

As the sun lazily rises above the nearby peaks of the Ravenroost, the small town of Sandpoint is already full of activity. While today is the officially the first day of autumn, the cloudless sky and warm air seems to indicate that summer hasn’t really ended yet. The first day of autumn is the day when the Swallowtail festival is held, a holy day of gathering and celebration for Desna’s faithful. This year, the festival is especially special for Sandpoint since the occasion will serve to consecrate the newly built cathedral. And so, with this many reasons to celebrate, excitement is already felt in the cathedral square as residents and visitors both start to arrive, and several merchant tents featuring food, clothes, local crafts, and souvenirs are there to meet them.

However...

Sandpoint is about to welcome into their midst the most unusual and, dare I say, dysfunctional group of adventurers into their little community.

Too bad Sandpoint will NEED these heroes to save them!