Lallatwittle's page

Hi All,
I am keeping an in character journal of my Saturday gaming group's campaign of the Kingmaker Adventure Path. My GM (who I know to be rather active on the Paizo message boards) strongly encouraged me to post them here for all to read. I hope you all enjoy!

Before I post the sessions I would like to introduce our cast of PCs. We have:

Zaktatticus-Biddolbom Fanboddium - Gnomish Bard (Wields a Fullblade that's sheathe is a quarterstaff...there's history in the item.)
Origen - Human Ranger, Two Weapon Fighter using Bastard Swords
Theodric - Human Alchemist.
Ursa Glynthar - Dwarven Bear Druid with a bear companion named Major. (First two sessions may seem odd in reference to him, this is because the player was playing a Half-Orc Oracle for the first two weeks but decided to change because he wasn't grocking his character.)

Lalla

PS> People are welcome to post responses or private message if they so choose!

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Zaktatticus-Biddolbom Fanboddium
Kingmaker Character History

Zaktatticus-Biddolbom Fanboddium was always a cheerful and hope-filled child. “Zatty” as many of his family and friends would call him, was born and raised in a small Thorpe community, The Nestling Hallow, of approximately two dozen permanent residents a few days trek into the Stolen Lands. His parents left him to be raised with Gam, the Thorpe’s respected leader, when he was still a toddler alongside a handful of other gnomish children of various gnomish lineages. The parents of the children would sometimes visit. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom’s own father, Wendelfax-Mindalfin, would visit several times a year while his mother, Evi, would visit rarely but neither would stay for more than a few days each trip. While some that hear such a tale may be disturbed at this parent child relationship, it is not a dynamic foreign or even looked down upon by gnomes.
Wendelfax-Mindalfin was a traveling merchant that frequented throughout Brevoy and its neighbors. Wendelfax-Mindalfin traded in many things, sometimes it would be weapons while other times grains. Even spices and cloths were not unknown merchandise to him. He was known as a fair and honest trader, as far as gnomes went at least. He never traded in shoddy wears or swindled anyone but did believe in the art of haggling and through that would often make more than his necessary profit. Often during his visits he would bring trinkets from his travels for residents of the Thorpe and would tell Zaktatticus-Biddolbom tales of his experiences or stories he had heard from traveling bards.
Evi was more the world scholar, traveling across Golarion to collect books and manuscripts. She delved into lost temples, bandit strongholds, and monster lairs. This kept her life exciting and her schedule busy. To keep in touch with her son, Evi resorted to less mundane means of communications. Primarily using the land of dreams to send messages to her son and sometimes even receiving through the same means. In these dreams she would tell her son of her latest finds or her most recent encounters with the strange and magnificent. Sometimes she would leave what she called a “dream beacon” that allowed Zaktatticus-Biddolbom to have enough control of his dreams to send a return message. Twice she even visited The Nestling Hallow via teleportation magic but she never explained why it was on those special occasions she did so and other times did not.
Gammy, as the children called her, cared greatly for the children as a grandmother would. There were other adult residents on the Thorpe, including two humans, an elf, and a dwarf. The dwarf, Olrek, traveled with a mercenary company that disbanded near the Thorpe during The Nestling Hallow’s early days. He found he had a knack for the life and took on the position of the Thorpe’s Sheriff. The gnomish residents cycled throughout the year, many would travel during their preferred seasons and return to the Thorpe for the remainder of the year. Over the years faces changed but the Thorpe remained full of life.
Other travelers would move through the area, sometimes staying to rest their weary legs for a few days or sometimes waylaid from their journey by an unexpected turn in the weather. One frequent visitor to The Nestling Hallow was a young human bard named Ebbeline Shaundrey. Over the many years and her frequent visits, Zaktatticus-Biddolbom and Ebbeline forged a strong friendship. Ebbeline promised that Zaktatticus-Biddolbom that when he was old enough to leave the Thorpe of his own accord that the two could travel the sites of the world together and if so inclined she would sponsor him for acceptance in the Kitharodian Academy, her personal alma-mater. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom would stay awake at nights dreaming of everything Ebbeline advertised of the academy and the sights to be seen in the world. It was nearly impossible for him to get any sleep during or days after Ebbeline’s visits. The lady of dreams would bless him with such strong and beautiful dreams and aspirations for his road ahead.
Being in the Stolen Lands came with its share of threats and the Thorpe was certainly no exception. Citizens of The Nestling Hallow would sometimes band together with neighboring steads to combat the problems that assaulted them. The results of such endeavors would vary in success but for nearly 80 years since its founding, The Nestling Hallow held its own.

Zaktatticus-Biddolbom’s 30th birthday was fast approaching, only days away, a birthday of special significance to gnomes as that is the day they become recognized as an adult and sent out into the world to carve their own way. The entire community was preparing for the upcoming festivities, gathering and preparing the food and drink, planning activities, and decorating the Thorpe. People were invited from far and near, many of the neighboring human steads planned to make an appearance as did many of Zaktatticus-Biddolbom’s friends like Ebbeline and the past residents of The Nestling Hallow. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom’s parents were both to attend; it would be the first time since Zaktatticus-Biddolbom was a toddler that the three would be reunited. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom could barely contain his excitement.
With only two days before his birthday Zaktatticus-Biddolbom sat up in his bed, with his journal in his lap, scribbling and contemplating his announcement as to what he planned to do with his newfound liberties. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom knew that he wanted to travel with Ebbeline and enroll at the Kitharodian Academy when their travels took them to Taldor. He hoped that the academy would see the same spark in him that Ebbeline saw the first time the two met while Zaktatticus-Biddolbom was playing “Halluuk Gnome”. She found his imagination that day mesmerizing and from that point on made it her special mission to spend time exchanging tales and art forms with Zaktatticus-Biddolbom whenever time availed itself. Zaktatticus allowed his mind to wander through his past as the night filled it’s sky with stars and a nearly full moon. The fall winds were chilling the air and as Zaktatticus reached to close the shutters he could smell the faint smell of smoke coming from the other buildings
Bandits attacked.
This act was believed to be in retaliation against those that resisted the bandits’ demands weeks prior to the attack. Guests had started to arrive for the party but most were still in route when the attack occurred. The primary target of the attack was the main house where Gam and the younger children of the Thorpe lived. Screams and shouts rang out throughout the compound. Residents and guests alike rushed out to meet their attackers, to fight. Gam was in one of the other houses talking with some of the guests when she heard the screaming from the young ones as the fire started to burn. While some fought to hold off the bandits, others fought their way towards the burning building with little success. Caught off guard, the residents and guests of The Nestling Hallow waned in their morale the more destruction rained upon them by their ambushers.
Then a shimmer of hope rode out of the distance, a gnomish woman dressed in colorful robes laden with bundles of various sorts walking alongside a young human woman with long auburn hair pulled back in a loose ponytail carrying a gnarled wooden quarterstaff. The gnomish woman let out a volley of lightning bolts that sizzled and burned the invaders and lit up the skies. The other woman pulled a greatsword from the staff and stabbed the hollow wooden stick down into the ground with a sharp stab to hold it in place. She raised her greatsword, charged into the fray while her voice boomed over the sounds of combat and rallied the defenders, and renewed their collective cause.
With their new reinforcements, the people of The Nestling Hallow were able to drive off the incursion. It was then that people realized their reinforcements had been Evi and Ebbeline whom had encountered each other several days out and decided to complete their trek to the Thorpe together. The victory, however, was bittersweet. Many had died; residents and guests alike. Wendelfax-Mindalfin was among the dead. Of the two dozen young children settled in for the night inside Gam’s main house, only two survived. Those who came for a birthday celebration instead would find themselves attending a wake.
Zaktatticus-Biddolbom suffered smoke inhalation, minor burns, and combat injuries fighting his way into houses in hopes of saving any survivors. He was one of the lucky ones, he survived. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom slipped between anger and depression during the next few weeks while his wounds were being tended to by healers and even two visiting clerics.
Evi and Ebbeline took to counseling with each other as to how they could go about preventing Zaktatticus-Biddolbom from falling victim to bleaching or down a tainted path. Both Evi and Ebbeline had seen many grief stricken men and women become mislead into worlds of hatred and darkness, creating pain and misery for others. It was decided that Ebbeline would take Zaktatticus-Biddolbom away as she had always planned and agreed to do. She would teach him ways to cope with the world with its many dangers and would show him the path of Shelyn, The Lady of Beauty.
After years of dreaming of leaving, Zaktatticus-Biddolbom suddenly found a reason to stay. He wanted revenge for what was done to him, his family, and his friends. It took some convincing but Evi and Ebbeline eventually tore him away and redirected his mind to better things.
Ebbeline spent years teaching Zaktatticus-Biddolbom the ways of The Lady of Beauty. She taught Zaktatticus-Biddolbom better ways to approach the world than using the lenses of anger and hatred. When she felt he was ready, she sponsored him for study in the Kitharodian Academy where he exceled in his studies to be a traveling bard. He always thought of Ebbeline as his personal muse.
Over the years Zaktatticus-Biddolbom and Ebbeline would visit Gammy from time to time but not at The Nestling Hallow. Though the survivors attempted to keep The Nestling Hallow running for some time after the major attack, things just weren’t the same. Gammy slipped into the Bleaching unable to bring herself to experience new things after the grief of so many she spent her life caring for died. The gnomes sent her to live in a gnomish city, Thistlewark, south of the Stolen Lands where she could be properly cared for. Eventually with Gam gone, word was that the residents abandoned The Nestling Hallow and went their separate ways.
Zaktatticus-Biddolbom and Ebbeline spent a great deal of time traveling together over the years. The two performed together and embarked on many adventures together but being human the years were much harsher on Ebbeline than they were on Zaktatticus-Biddolbom and eventually she had to retire and settle down in modest home far from where the two had begun their journey.
As her old age set in Ebbeline grew sick. Weeks before she passed, she sent word to Zaktatticus-Biddolbom of her urgent need to see him one last time. Unfortunately Zaktatticus-Biddolbom arrived too late, missing her passing by only days. Ebbeline’s two sons and three daughters welcomed Zaktatticus-Biddolbom into their home, calling him Zatty as their mother would. The oldest, Ebbeline’s son Farrick, insisted that Zaktatticus-Biddolbom reside with them during his stay and forbid Zaktatticus-Biddolbom to stay at the local inn.
Zaktatticus-Biddolbom stayed with the family for two weeks where he was able to meet Ebbeline’s grandchildren for the first time. All the children reminded Zaktatticus-Biddolbom of his dearest longtime friend since childhood. While some had Ebbeline’s eyes, others had her hair, and chin, he saw a definite resemblance in their chins. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom was the 6th pole bearer of Ebbeline’s casket and was granted a few moments to speak as to her character and the life she lived.
In Ebbeline’s will, amongst the possessions she bestowed her family, were gifts to her friend Zatty. Her favored weapon in life, a hollowed quarterstaff with a greatsword disguised inside. During their adventures Ebbeline had spent time teaching Zatty how to wield this very special weapon, he would call it a “greatersword”; he remembered the times they shared fondly. She also gifted him her holy symbol to protect him from the ugly things in the world, and finally she asked that he take possession and care for Toffee, the youngest mare sired by Krix, a descendent of the last mare she rode in her journeys with Zaktatticus-Biddolbom.
Ebbeline’s final request was that in death she be able to find peace in the places she had spent so much time appreciating in life. She asked that as his final act he would travel the places the two of them had adventured once more and scatter bits of her ashes as he went. She specified very clearly that the final place needed to be The Nestling Hallow, by the graves of the dead of those that died when he was 30 years old. Zaktatticus-Biddolbom agreed. With a final farewell to her family and friends she signed and sealed her will.
And so began the next chapter of Zaktatticus-Biddolbom “Zatty” Fanboddium’s life.

The Burning of The Nestling Hallow (A Scene Narrative by Barator)
The sun rises in the east, peaking its head over mountains in the distance; its rays streaming down past the cold and icy peaks of the Tors of Levenies. These blustery and cold crags rise up on the southern banks of the Shrike and reach for the sky. The height that these peaks reach is astounding considering the flat lands that they emerge from in the north.
After passing over the mountains, the beams of light grace the hills and kettles of the Kamelands, a section of land filled with rough rolling slopes climbing on one side of the rise erratically while leveling off on the other smoothly. These hills were the home to one time Taldan colonists, and before that burial site of barbarian kings, but always they have hosted their true lords the wilds upon their sides.
The rays follow the slopes of the hills reaching out towards the plumes of darkness that rise from a grouping of buildings perched at the top of a kame and shading under the massive beech, oak, and pine trees of the northern Narlmarches.
A small figure rests himself one hill away from the buildings, sitting on a rock under a large oak tree and looking into the rays of the oncoming sun. This figure wears bedclothes that have seen far more use than their intended purpose. Both the young figure and his garments are smeared with soot and parts of both are burned. The figure looks out at the sun, tears welling up in his eyes and riding along lines separating his overly large nose from the rest of his face. He wrings his hands as he mumbles a rhyme to himself, never blinking as the sun stretches beyond the mountains.
A woman approaches from behind the young figure, climbing the hill that separates the young figure from the destruction of the farm house behind him. She too is marred by the ravages of the fire, but also approaches with a limp due recent wounds she has suffered to her leg. She offsets the limp by leaning against a thin but gnarled staff that once grew in an awkward fashion of doubling back upon itself to provide loops and protected handholds; the bandages that have been used to stop the bleeding match the color and pattern of her bright clothing and may account for her missing sleeves. The beautiful young woman steps into the sunlight as she walks closer to the young figure, her golden hair illuminated by the sun's radiance. She walks up behind the young figure that has paid her no notice to this point and clears her throat.
“Zaktatticus-Biddolbom,” she starts, looking down at the gnomish figure in front of her. The pain on her face is clear as she takes in the tear stained figure in front of her, but she smiles with healthy warmth while looking upon him. “It is best if you come back with me...”
“Why!?” the gnome interrupts her. “It burned to the ground, its gone. Why should we bother going back!? They took it away from us, why should we go back?” He doesn't turn to look at her, but continues starring into the sun no longer wringing his hands but instead clenching them together.
“It is safer with company Zaktatticus-Biddolbom, but if you wish we can stay here for a time...together,” the last word of her statement was clearly not a request. The two figures watched the sun rise for a time as the land brightened, neither looking behind them at the burned out building on the kame behind them. Zaktatticus watched the sun rise intently, refusing to turn away from its brilliance, intent on the promise of a new day, the golden haired woman watched Zaktatticus.
When the sun was well clear of the mountains in the distance and shown upon all of the land of the Greenbelt the woman moved again, approaching the rock that the gnome sat upon. She rested herself gently on the rock, laying her staff across her lap. Zaktatticus finally looked away from the sun for a moment, blinking away the spots that he saw as he took in her presence, and then he looked back to the blinding light of the sun.
Silence reigned, but the young gnome began to absently touch the staff that sat across the woman's lap, gripping one of the loops and thumbing the grain of the wood absently. “Why did they come? Why did they burn my home?” he asked through choked back tears.
The woman closed her eyes for a moment, pulling herself out of the situation she was presented with before answering. “Gam was brave enough to stand against them, to tell them that they were not welcome. Not only that, she got other people to say it as well,” she paused for a moment.
Zaktatticus took the momentary pause to speak again, “So it is better if we don't speak up against them? Gammy made a mistake to get people together like this?”
The woman sighed to herself and continued her answer to him, “No, it is not better to allow others to take advantage of us and others. It was brave of Gam to stand up to the men like that. She did not think that it would turn out this way.” Zaktatticus moved closer to the woman, leaning against her, but his hand did not leave the loop that it was holding, he continued to stroke the staff with his thumb.
“Ebbeline,” he started, turning his attention to the woman that sat next to him. “I turn thirty tomorrow. I wanted to go away with you to see the world that you have told me about. I don't want that anymore. I want to make them pay for what they did.” He gripped the staff roughly in his grasp and sat up to look at her, “They need to pay for those who died. The others were so little, maybe I could have gotten them out if I started to do that at first. I didn't realize it was a fire that was started when I smelled the smoke...if only I had started them moving out they would still be here with us...But I didn't. Now I need to make things right, I need to make those men pay for it.”
The woman, Ebbeline, looked at the fervor that her gnomish companion spoke with shock and horror. “That is not the way that we should react to something such as this,” she said, but was interrupted by Zaktatticus.
“That is exactly how we should react to this. It was wrong of them to kill so many, to attack us in our homes. We did not ask anything of them except to be left alone. That was too much for them. They have shown that they are unable to leave people alone, why should we leave them alone!? I don't think that they deserve a place in this world. Maybe they will regret leaving me alive while my siblings died in the fire. Last night I wondered at what I wished to do when I reached 30, and they gave me fire to help me answer. Now I know!”
Ebbeline continued to look at Zaktatticus in horror, and finally gripped the staff on her lap herself and said something in a strange language. With that Zaktatticus slumped against her, snoring loudly.

“Gam, he cannot stay here any longer,” Ebbeline stated to the old gnomish woman sitting at the table. “You know the way of your people, they are prone to becoming the emotions that they feel, to seek experiences that resonate with a path that they have taken. It is far more true of gnomes than of humans. I fear that he will turn dark...darker than even your faerie ancestors.” Ebbeline looked to the sleeping form of Zaktatticus as she spoke. He had been bundled back to The Nestling Hallow by Ebbeline and lay snoring in a corner of the bunkhouse that he, Gam, and Gargormijlilyvootiun were to stay in now that the house had burned.
The gnomish matron shifted her gaze from the darkness outside and looked at her charge sleeping. She smiled and cried to see her baby that was hours away from being considered grown. Her blue and pink hair was a matted mess, and Gam had never had time to clean herself after the fire last night. She turned to look at the golden haired human, “Ebbie, I can't let him go. The rest of them are gone, it is only Zaktatticus and Gargormijlilyvootiun left...I can't let my baby go. He needs me to protect him,” she pleaded.
Ebbeline looked at her longtime friend, “You need to let him go, this place will only scar him. Tomorrow he has the right to do as he pleases, and you don't want him to do that!” She raised her voice and the building shook as she stamped her foot. Looking around her and at the sleeping form of Zaktatticus she quieted again. “Gam, come with us. I will bring you all with me and we can find a safer place for you to live...”
Gam cut her off, “I can't leave. This is my home and it has been my home for more years than you care to count Ebbeline. I won't leave just because some people never learned to get along with others. I can't leave.” While Gam was filled with emotion at the start of her statement, she had no ability to sustain it and her close only weakly escaped her lips as she put her head down on the table.
Ebbeline walked to Gam and kneeled in front of the old gnome sitting in a human sized chair. “If you are unable to leave this place Gam, do not ask Zaktatticus-Biddolbom to share your same fate. You know that he will do it without a thought, but he deserves more than this life would give him. He has so much potential in him, don't ask him to stay here where he will darken on the inside just as the soot has done to his skin. Give him the freedom of this place, so that he may find a world of wonder.”
Evi spoke up, having been quietly tending to her son until this point. “Gam, let him go. Ebbeline is right that this place will be too much for him. My son deserves more of a chance than what remains here will give him.”
Gam raised her head up from the table to look at the two women confronting her, “But he is special.” She pleaded one last time with them.
Together they answered, “That is why he has to leave.”
With that Gam slumped down again, too tired from the recent events at The Nestling Hallow to fight any longer.