Often called “Pridon’s Folly” in Sargava proper, the upstart colonial town of Pridon’s Hearth represents the wayward Chelish colony’s latest attempt to expand its borders and establish itself as an international power. A Sargavan entrepreneur named Rema Pridon made what she hoped would be a historic journey in 4622 ar. She chartered a ship, brought almost four dozen followers, and made the journey south to explore the Jungle of Hungry Trees and uncover gold mines that existed only in her imagination. A disastrous tale followed when Pridon’s ship washed ashore, stranding the entrepreneur and her surviving followers along the Lower Korir River delta’s marshy but fertile coast. Pridon and the other refugees managed to survive for just over 5 years — battling the jungle’s dinosaurs and other monsters — before eventually succumbing to malaria.
A tribe of Song’o halflings eventually discovered the site of Pridon’s landing and camp, passing the information on to Sargavan officials during their brief contact with colonials decades later. Servius Narsus — a merchant with dreams of nobility — caught wind of the fertile territory around the camp, and bartered for a stake in the land. General Septimia Arodatus — known for handing out territorial claims she has no right to grant — eagerly accepted Narsus’s request, installing the merchant as the region’s count. As a condition of his appointment, Narsus’s title and claims would be recognized in Sargava proper only if he could tame and then annex the wilderness territory into the larger colony.
The first ships set sail 4 years ago, and the freshly appointed Count Narsus dubbed the settlement “Pridon’s Hearth”. Newly widowed, Count Narsus brought along his only heir — his son Lethar — as well as their entire familial contingent of slaves. Narsus declared his slaves free men and women as his first act upon establishing the settlement; to Narsus, this decree reinforced his command that Pridon’s Hearth should be a new start for any who seeks one — it also cleverly absolved him of any responsibility for the former slaves’ survival in the harsh terrain. Many of the count’s soldiers feared mass dereliction or rebellion, but Narsus’s generosity won through, and most of the freed slaves stayed to help establish the settlement.
Narsus lived just long enough to see his settlement take root. Only a year after first landing, Narsus fell victim to malaria, just as the town’s namesake had decades ago. Lethar Narsus took his father’s mantle, becoming the region’s count and devoting himself to his father’s principles. Just months after the elder Narsus’s death, explorers discovered the native fever tree, whose bark can be prepared into a tonic to ward off tropical diseases; the cultivation of the bark quickly became the center of the settlement’s economy. With this prospective cash crop in hand, Lethar dispatched messengers to Eleder, and even further north to the nations of the Inner Sea region, announcing his plans to expand the settlement. This message promised land and legacies for those willing to work on behalf of Sargava’s interests in the region. Today, Lethar’s missive has met with mixed results, bringing in numerous workers to help establish the town while simultaneously earning the attention of criminals and exploiters.
PRIDON’S HEARTH
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N small town
Corruption ??; Crime ??; Economy ??; Law ??; Lore ??; Society ??
Qualities ???
Danger ??
DEMOGRAPHICS Government overlord
Population 300-400 ??? (mostly humans)
Notable NPCs
Count Lethar Narsus (male human ???)
Sheriff Adaela Praet (female human ???)
???
MARKETPLACE Base Value 1,000 gp; Purchase Limit 5,000 gp; Spellcasting 4th
Minor Items 3d4; Medium Items 1d6; Major Items —
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Timeline of Events
Campaign begins, Pharast 25th, 4718 AR.
Pharast 25th The Kaava Cutter is due to arrive at Pridon's Hearth, carrying with it brave souls seeking escape or a way to make a name for themselves in a new land. The group arrives and enjoys a stay at the village's one and only inn; The Stone Hall.
Pharast 26th The first part of the day is spent visiting some of the local merchants. The group then sets out for Fort Breaththrough. Their first stop is at Witterwil Farm to drop off some requested supplies. After reaching Fort Breakthrough, our heroes have determined that the militia members have been slain. They are initially engaged by a trio of small dinosaurs. After that, they were ambushed by a grippli hunter Once they had disabled and then freed their foe, they continued their investigation. During their search, they discovered spiders, a trapped Song'o halfling by the name of Muhdzuzi, more dead bodies, and a haunted shrine, before resting for the night in one of the storerooms.
Pharast 27th A barracks with another dead body is the first location examined today. This is followed by the barracks below the haunted shrine. Next to the barracks was a meeting room showing evidence of a battle with lizardfolk. Moving across the courtyard, the group opens up the armory with keys they'd found earlier. Next on the investigation agenda was the well in the corner of the courtyard which produced more evidence of lizardfolk involvement. Last up was the mess hall and kitchen. The investigation of the fort completed, the group buried the discovered bodies and then made their way back to the village.
They then set out to recover stubborn island towners. Firstly, Mirya Oyin, then Amal Rashid, and lastly Maso Pareto, who was searching for his lost cat, Delour. They locate the cat as well as two angry water elementals. Heading back to the Stone Hall, they also encounter Graular the troll.
Pharast 30th The day begins with a meeting with Count Narsus. He rewards the group and poses some tasks for them.
Pharast 31st They initially plan to set out to return Muhdzuzi to his home village, but the sheriff requests that they check on her cousin who hasn't been heard from since the storm. They find that the man had been trapped by an ochre jelly for a number of days.
Gozran 1st The group heals up Jheri and send him back to the village while they set forth for Muhdzuzi's home of Cahshil. Along the way, they meet and defeat a giant frilled lizard. They reach the village and are met with rewards tainted with mixed emotions. It's requested that the group retrieve the tribe's magic cauldron from a tojanida named Guughwa.
Gozran 2nd Eggs to bribe the tojanida can be found at Coracap Rock, so at dawn, the group heads out north towards the river. There they find a number of remaining defenders but manage to drive them off. But not before Ashlion is rescued from the river by Tizgah, who had been secretly following the group. It's determined to continue on to the tojanida's waterfall which they arrive at before nightfall. Negotiations are successful and the group leaves with the requested artifact. They return to Cahshil late that night.
Gozran 3rd Zaahku rewards the gang for retrieving the cauldron and passes along more information about the Storm Kindlers. It's revealed that Pai has contracted malaria. Utilizing rafts and the river, the group makes its way back to Pridon's Hearth by nightfall. Pai is left in the capable healing hands of the clergy of Abadar.
Gozran 4th The group spends a little time visiting with some of the locals before heading out to locate the wreck of the Cobalt Eye. The remains of the ship are located about midday, but they're not undefended. Once the scourge of undead are defeated, the party makes its way back to town to join the sheriff for dinner.
Gozran 6th The group arrives at the ruins of the Storm Kindler's village. They find more clues, but nothing that gives them the location of the ellusive temple.
Gozran 7th After staying the night at the ruined village, the group sets out for the tar pits. Finding them quickly, they also find that they're not completely abandoned. Exiled lizardfolk from the mireborn tribe wait there - seemingly for death.
