Zorthalius's page

We see claw marks and drag marks in the stone that has worn away over time. This has the looks of a colossal sized creature that has come and gone here. Entering the cave the party finds the silver dragon dead. Finish exploring the are… 3-9

We head south to 3-10 remaining in the mountains and find the edge of the writ. The adventurers spend the next 3 fortnights and 4 days traveling through the remainder of the mountains exploring each of them thoroughly and returns to New Westcrown.

The Infernal 11 enter the room and they begin their monthly meeting…
Claim a bunch of mountain hexes in the southeast. Establish sawmills and roads.
We receive official word sent with all due haste that Tasselford is under eminent threat.

Kisandra Numesti from Drelev Demesne says that there is a threat to Tasselford she is still in Tasselford.

Seeking additional information the mayor of NWC discovers that many of the trappers have disappeared and the sawmills have gone quiet.

The party is teleported by Carissa to Tasselford excepting Dox who rides out immediately on Cringers’ back to rally the Lion Army.

Mayor Resbin (Tatzlford is governed by a mayor named Loy “Tanner”
Rezbin, a retired ranger) meets the Infernals and is surprised by the swift response. The only thing to the west is a swamp.

Anastasia: Some of the greatest enemies of civilization come from the swamp. I would like to see the woman who brought the news.

Mayor: She is under guard in a room at the inn.

Everyone heads to the inn.

The Hooktongue Slough is named after Loake Hooktongue which is named after a great beast known as the hooktongue. Mostly swamp.
Arindrealla is in the are and has a keep on the far side of the Slough.

Old hooktoungue has not been sighted in a while, but everyone believe he still leads. People say the black dragon Ilthuliak has returned to the Stolen Lands and has recently moved into Hooktongue Slough.

The party meets the woman in the common room and begins to question her...

“My name is Kisandra Numesti. I come
from the Drelev Demesne, west of here on the far side of
Hooktongue Slough—it was established by Baron Hannis
Drelev of Brevoy. My father is Lord Terrion Numesti, a
knight who once served the baron but then went against
him and was thrown into the dungeon as punishment.”

Experimenting with images, let me know what you think.

11 May 2020

Specters, Zombies, and Elementals! OH MY!

Anastasia flies up into the stalactites continuing her song and commands inspiration of the martial party members.

Vissanica flies up to zombiemagedude and strikes true once again being struck back by the cold fire and begins to fall to the ground dead. (Map Image)

Carissa attempts to catch him but is unable hold such a great weight and the corpse slips from her grasp.

Z launches into the air and catches the corpse flying back to the original shore where the rest of the party gathers to examine their fallen enemy. (Map Image)

Searching the body the party discovers a magical dagger, a ring of protection +2 and a spell book.

Flying back across the tar lake the adventurers open the eastern door. (Map Image)

Everyone moves along the corridor as it bends to the north. (Map Image)

Vissanica recasts mirror image…

The adventurers arrive at the end of the corridor and see two doors to the west and east.

The group elects to open the eastern door. (Map Image) The door opens onto a short dais looking out over a large chamber. Thick pillars ascend to a twenty-foot-high ceiling, while a wide stone staircase climbs to a darkened gallery above. The true purpose of the chamber is apparent from the great stone table running across its center. Dozens of seats have been set about this massive affair and propped upon them is a feast of horror. Each chair holds the corpse of a human locked in its death throes, its mouth agape in anguish, the top of its cranium brutally removed, and the brains within excised.

Four axe wielding dread zombie cyclops are seen in the room and advance to the door. (Map Image)

Carissa drops her initiative

A zombie destroys one of Vissanica’s images.

Z drops his initiaitive

Carissa casts fireball in the room immolating all of the Zombies. One seems less affected than the rest.

Phasing through the wall a semicorporeal creatures reaches out and touches Z and he seems to shrivel from the touch. (Monster Image)

Anastasia initiates her bardic song and casts blessing of fervor.

Z attacks the creature to his north scoring two hits.

Vissanica does not recognize the creature and she casts defensively through her sword swinging at the creature that touched Z and hits and it dissipates. Flowing through her swordforms, she strikes the zombie to the east straight through the eye and it falls dead.

Cringer moves through the party to the north while the remaining zombie slices him with its axe. Cringer swipes at the zombie through the door and rakes furrows in its rotting flesh. (Map Image)

The same zombie attacks Vissanica missing with most of its attacks and shatters one image.

The zombie furthest to the east charges and attacks Vissanica also destroying another image.

Carissa launches another of her patented fireballs scorching the two zombies to the east.

Anastasia imbues her party with an inspiring command and continues to sing.

Z swings wide on two slashes but connects on the third killing the cyclops to the east.

Vissanica casts vanish and moves into the room near the final cyclops.

Cringer moves into the room and then to the north and the remaining zombie hits him. Cringer bites and then grapples the zombie. (Map Image)

The zombie attempts to strike at Cringer but misses.

Carissa draws her crossbow and loads it.

Anastasia maintains her song and reinvigorates her inspirational command.

Z steps into the room, swings twice and misses twice.

Vissanica steps forward and casts brand on the zombie and strikes critically killing it.

The party explores the room and Anastasia heals cringer.

Returning the the hallway, the group enters the western chamber. (Map Image) This crypt stretches into darkness. The floor of this crypt is strewn with rubble and the filth of opened graves. Sprawled on the floor is a fairly fresh corpse of a middle-aged man, dressed in the alfin manner and is monogrammed with a “WG.” The party takes a piece of clothing from the corpse with the monogram on it for future reference.

Returning to the large room with the four zombie corpses, the party lines up to ascend the large stairway. (Map Image)

The hallway turns to south and continues around to the east. (Map Image)

The adventurers approach the door to the east facing north.

Vissanica opens the door into a hallway that goes up a narrow stairway. (Map Image) This octagonal chamber, which vaults to a twenty-foot-high ceiling, is composed of multiple slabs of opaque, white crystal fitted together to form a dome in the distinctive shape of an inverted eye, its gaze focused into the room below. This white crystal gleams with a subdued moonlike glow. The walls of the chamber are covered with arcane symbols, stylized line art, and images of cyclopes. A twenty-foot-diameter circle is incised into the stone of the floor directly beneath the great eye-shaped dome.

The Rasdovians approach the door to the southwest and open it seeing a stairway leading up. (Map Image)

Reaching to top of the stairway the group sees a burbling fountain and pool that stink of sulfur occupy the center of this chamber. A shallow channel cut into the stone of the floor passes beneath a pair of bronze double doors, funneling the foul-smelling water out of the pool to the east. (Map Image)

As the party approaches the pool a figure bursts from the still water and forms into an giant elemental. (Monster Image)

Carissa shoots at the elemental with her crossbow but it seems unaffected.

Cringer strikes with his claws. The elemental did not seem to take full damage.

The Elemental attacks cringer and misses. (Map Image)

Z strikes and hits all of the three swings.

Vissanica casts brand through her sword and hits on all four swings.

Anastasia steps back and maintains her song.

Carissa drops.

Cringer launches himself in a furry of claws and teeth at the elemental connecting on most if his attacks.

Z swings three more times connecting with a two and killing it.

<scene>

06 May 2020

They Paved Paradise to put up a Parking Lot.

Everyone experiences a deep lose as if part of their lifeforce is being sucked from them through the fire as the blue flames roll across the room. Looking through the doorways, the chamber appears to be rough-hewn, as if it were never fully finished. There is a bronze double door on one wall and a passage exits through the other.

Many in the group hear a chittonous rustling from the far end of the room to the north where there stands a large lobsterman with a mindflayer face!

Z charges and strikes true but the daemon does not seem to react as if struck fully.

Cringer bounds over the rest of the party and takes position just inside the doors.

Vissanica calls out to the party that it is a Piscodaemon from Abbadon and has many various resistances and charges the daemon. As she flies in to strike she deftly slips under the creatures attack and slices with her infernal sword finding a chink in its armor where her sword bites critically deep causing the creature to howl in pain and rage.

A giant froglike creature steps from the northwest and spits a giant glob of goo at Z who is able to dodge it. The goo hits the wall and slowly oozes to the ground.

Carissa casts her patented fireball which fries both of the daemons as the air flashes with heat and the smell of boiled crawfish and roasting froglegs fills the air.

The piscodaemon lashes out at Vissanica and misses completely on its first strike with its claw but hits a mirror image with its second claw and its head tentacle. As it finishes its attack it backs away a step.

Z steps up and swings at the piscodaemon twice with his glaive connecting once for a sound slash.

Cringer pounces across the room and attacks the piscodaemon with a furry of claws and fangs striking with each attack.

Vissanica steps in front of Z and casts fridged touch through her sword striking three times as the bleeding, semi-cooked daemon is flash frozen and falls to the ground dead.

The frogdaemon steps further into the room and again spits goo at Z. Luckily, its attempt to hawk a loogie over Vissanica causes it to aim high missing Z again.

Anastasia says a quiet prayer to Abbadon and everyone in the party is healed from some of the freezing damage from the opening of the bronze doors.

Z steps up, swings at the frogman, and hits.

Cringer slides past Z and Vissanica to just east of the frogdaemon and swings with his claws for a deep strike.

Vissanica calls out to the party in Infernal “This creature is a hydrodaemon which is less powerful than the piscodaemon. It tends to enjoy aquatic environs and its gooey spit can cause its enemies to fall asleep.”

Vissanica strikes the hydrodaemon again. Crying out in pain it teleports into the previous room to the south just behind Anastasia and Carissa.

Anastasia steps back from the daemon pulls out a scroll of restoration and reads it out as an aura of clarity seems to settle around her.

Carissa steps away from the daemon and casts scorching ray at the frogbeast striking with both rays where it falls to the ground dead succumbing to the fire.

The party now has time to look around the room…
The construction of this chamber differs from those seen previously. The ceiling reaches to a height of twenty feet overhead and appears to bear many fractures in the rock. In the center of the chamber, two columns of mortared stone support a ceiling of strange, delicate arches of stone.

The party agrees to start with the door to the west and with it is opened it shows an unfinished staircase so the party heads down the hallway to the northeast.

Here engaged masonry columns form shallow alcoves around a central pillar in this flat-roofed chamber. Manacles hang from the walls near ancient bloodstains. There is a young female centaur manacled to the furthest wall to the northeast.

Dox checks the centaur’s injuries and although she is injured they do not seem to be the source of her immobility. Dox thinks she is paralyzed so Anastasia uses a scroll of remove paralysis and she jumps to her feet looking confused and frightened.

Anastasia: Who are you and how did you come to be here?

Centaur Female: I broke the commands of my mother and sought out the place of the dead. I tracked some undead cyclopes to this location and was captured by one of them. After I was defeated my memory becomes spotty. I remember fetted food delivered by the undead cyclops and forced to eat. There was one time when I was visited by a skeletal creature with a gem in its eyesocket. He looked down upon me and said, “You should be honored to be a guest of Vordakai, beastwoman. I shall return once your fear and dread drive all semblance of will and self from your mind, at which point you will thank me for the gifts of pain I bestow.”

Anastasia: Who is Vordakai?

Centaur Female: It is an ancient name of evil used to scare young colts into doing their chores and staying out of trouble.

Anastasia: Who is your mother?

Centaur Female: She is the Dawnmother of our Tribe

Anastasia: Do you wish to return to your tribe?

Xamanthe Silverfire: (With only a bit of actual enthusiasm) Unless you need me to help with defeating the cyclops.

Anastasia: Very well young one, return to your tribe and heal. We will finish what you have started. Return so that all will see you are safe and that Queen Anastasia of Rasdovia in all of her benevolence has returned the Dawnmother’s daughter to the tribe.

Realizing that the way out is blocked the party entrusts the young centaur with a morning star to guard their rear. She is offered food, water, and healing and takes position at the bottom of a staircase.

Dox uses a wand of barkskin on Carissa.

The group returns to the door outside of the aptly named “Stinky Cave.”

The party opens the door and moves into the cavernous room and sees a wide chamber that appears to have been naturally formed; its ceiling rises 25 feet and is festooned with stalactites. The stink of sulfur and tar are strong, as a huge lake of bubbling black tar dominates the chamber. From rock outcrops here and there on the walls bubble small springs of milky-looking water.

Across the chamber, a stony shelf provides purchase for a door stoop before a black wooden door swollen in its frame. The broken stumps of two support posts protrude from the rock of the shelf as well as that of the main entrance near the pool’s edge, showing where a wooden bridge once spanned the inky soup.

A small glowing bead streaks from the east towards the group and as it closes it explodes in a great ball of fire scorching the entire party.

Anastasia flies to the south and begins an austere and haunting rendition of “They Paved Paradise to put up a Parking Lot.”

Vissanica moves her dancing lights further across the tar lake and sees a zombie of some sort on the far bank. What is odd, is that it seemed to have cast a spell.

Vissanica flies out over the lake charging the zombie and imbues her blade with keenness, flames and electricity slashing at the zombie creature and striking true. As her sword hits the undead magic user a purple aura seems to lash back at her with an odd coldness. Surprise quickly turns to rage and Vissanica lashes out with an arcane reposte causing lingering pain on the zombie.

Carissa moves to the western shore of the pitch lake and casts scorching ray at Zombiemagedude hitting with both rays... and... um... scorches the zombie mage.

Z flies across the pitch lake and lands just to the north of Zombiemagedude.

Zombiemagedude flies up into the stalactites attempting to hide. Z takes the opportunity to swipe as he rises from the ground slicing deeply into its undead flesh. Z is also struck by the odd cold aura protecting the undead magic-user.

<scene>

29 April

Soul Eater Redux

The hearty adventurers travel cautiously up the uneven winding staircase following Vissanica’s dancing lights. Rounding a final turn they approach another set of double doors. Detecting no threats, Vissanica opens the doors…

To the north, this room is paved in patterned tiles of different colored slate and subdivided by a pair of pillars carved in the likeness of leering fiends. Beyond them, friezes on the walls depict processions of animal-headed creatures marching along a black river’s banks toward dual shrines in opposite corners of the chamber. These each depict a shadowy individual standing in a sinister longboat. Between them stands a bronze double door, its face decorated with a mosaic of a winding river crafted from obsidian tiles.

Vissanica notices one of the mosaics depicts the Arch Daemon known as Charon also called the horseman of death. (https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Charon)

Harbingers of ruin and embodiments of the worst ways to die, daemons epitomize painful death, the all-consuming hunger of evil, and the utter annihilation of life. While demons seek to pervert and destroy in endless unholy rampages, and devils vex and enslave in hopes of corrupting mortals, daemons seek only to consume mortal life itself. While some use brute force to despoil life or prey upon vulnerable souls, others wage campaigns of deceit to draw whole realms into ruin. With each life claimed and each atrocity meted out, daemons spread fear, mistrust, and despair, tarnishing the luster of existence and drawing the planes ever closer to their final, ultimate ruin. Notorious for their hatred of the living, daemons are the things of dark dreams and fearful tales, as their ultimate ambitions include extinguishing every individual mortal life—and the more violent or terrible the end, the better. Their methods vary wildly, typically differentiated by daemonic breed. Many seek to infiltrate the mortal plane and sow death by their own taloned hands, while others manipulate agents (both mortal and immortal) as malevolent puppet masters, instigating calamities on massive scales from their grim realms. Such diversity of methods causes many planar scholars to misattribute the machinations of daemons to other types of fiends. These often-deadly mistakes are further propagated by daemons’ frequent dealings with and manipulation of other outsiders. Yet in all cases, despair, ruin, and death, spreading like contagion, typify the touch of daemonkind, though such symptoms often prove recognizable only after the hour is far too late.

Daemons flourish upon the plane of Abaddon, a bleak expanse of cold mists, fearful shapes, and hunted souls. Upon these wastes, the souls of evil mortals flee predation by the native fiends, and terror and the powers of the evil plane eventually transform the most ruthless into daemons themselves. Amid these scarred wastelands, poison swamps, and realms of endless night rise the foul domains of the tyrants of daemonkind, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Lords of devastation, these powerful and unique daemons desire slaughter, ruin, and death on a cosmic scale, and drive hordes of their lesser kin to spread terror and sorrow across the planes. Although the Horsemen share a singular goal, their tactics and ambitions vary widely.

Four dread lords, infamous across all the planes, rule the disparate hordes of daemonkind. Risen from among the ranks of their terrible brethren to displace those fiendish tyrants before them, they are the archdaemons, the End Bringers, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. In the blasphemous annals of fiendish lore, they are the prophesied architects of multiversal ruin, destined to stand triumphant over cadaverous cosmoses and infinities of silence before also giving way to absolute oblivion. Undisputed in his power among their kind, each Horseman rules a vast realm upon the bleak plains of Abaddon and a distinctive method of mortal ruin: pestilence, famine, war, or death from old age. Yet while each archdaemon commands measureless influence, daemons know nothing of loyalty and serve only those they cannot overcome. Thus, though the Horsemen stand peerless in their power and manipulations among daemonkind, they must ever defend their thrones from the machinations of ambitious underlings and the plots of other archdaemons.

The party enters the room. Standing in the southern part of the chamber is a simple stone altar holding a bowl of oil. Z does not detect any chaos and Dox does not detect magic. The group approaches the door to the west. Vissanica describes the two altars to the north, “These dual altars are a relatively outdated and obscure form of worshiping Charon in which the smoke of the two shrine lamps symbolizes the rising spirits of the dead as they approach the River Styx.”

Vissanica opens the door opposite the altars and the group enters another long hallway with a stairway going down.

The hallway ends in a door and the party opens it into a chamber composed of burial alcoves. All are empty save for small stone shelf ledges holding assorted bits of pottery. There appear to be two soul eaters near the center of the room.

Both Soul eaters charge Z trying to strike him and miss streaking back into the room.

Vissanica imbues her blade with keenness, flames and electricity and then moves into the room following the soul eater that flew to the north. She readies a spellstrike and casts shocking grasp as she slashes the soul eater electrocuting the beast as the sword slices through it.

Cringer bounds into the room snarling and stands ten feet in the air in the middle of the room ready to bite anything that comes into range.

Z follows Vissanica and as he approaches her from behind he strikes the soul eater with his glaive.

Carissa enters the chamber and moves in behind Z casting jolt at the soul eater but shoots wide.

The soul eaters strike at Vissanica with each claw destroying two of her images.

The second soul eater attacks and draws too close to Z’s glaive allowing him to slice deeply into its cloudy flesh and it once again misses a strike on Z. It then flies off to the southeast and into the shadows.

Anastasia steps into the room and approaches Z, continuing her song and continuing to inspire the fighters of the group.

Vissanica attacks the soul eater swinging her sword and leaves the creature shredded and falling to the ground dead and oozing.

Dox follows the remaining soul eater into the southeast corner and points to the rest of the group where it is hiding.

Z follows Dox’s lead and moves in front of the great cat.

Carissa moves into the center of the room and casts jolt on the soul eater and umm… jolts it.

The soul eater moves to attack Z who skewers it with his glaive, and it misses a swing at Z once more and then speeds past the group and out the door to the west.

The party moves to the southern door and opens it. The air is permeated with a thick and acrid smoke that immediately begins to cover the whole party. This is a wholly natural cavern and the group decides to move on the next door to the east.

Vissanica opens the door.

The walls of this chamber are covered in lime plaster and bear a series of frescoes whose colors are still vibrant. This artwork depicts one-eyed humanoids rendered in the same sway-backed style.

Again the timing is odd with the art, the style is thousands of years old, but the color and textures are much newer. There is a sudden recognition of the traveling scholar, Tomerok Elenark, who is seeking clues to the history of the ancient Iobarian culture. (https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Iobaria) This is the proof he was looking for!

Heading to the west Vissanica opens door.

The group searches the room and believes that a secret door to the north is behind the statue. Abjuration magic is detected and it probably helping to protect the door.

Unable to proceed further, the Rasdovians return to the altar room and approach the door flanked by the duel altars. As Vissanica opens the door the entire room is engulf in stygian flames…

<scene>

The Dread (Pirate) Zombies

or

Water, Water Everywhere

Anastasia sings and inspires the marshal members of the group with her command. Carissa casts scorching ray incinerating the second Dread Zombie and it crumples to the ground dead(er).

Combat ends and the party checks for additional threats then heals those who are injured. Knowing this is only the beginning of combat, the spell-casters imbue themselves and others with magical enhancements. Vissanica transforms herself into a bizarre gargoyle-like form. As the magic settles around everyone, Vissanica recasts dancing lights and everyone moves into the diamond-shaped room.

As everyone begins to search, Dox discovers a secret door behind the northern bier and the group approaches. Vissanica opens the door and everyone sees a wide natural cavern that seems to have been artificially enlarged in places. A vaulting ceiling nearly thirty feet above is replete with a forest of slowly dripping stalactites, while below a wide pool occupies the entire chamber save for a narrow rocky shelf hugging the cavern wall at the level of the river outside.

With little discussion, the entire party flies across the lake and down the cavern to the north. After a long flight, the passage dips down into water completely submerged… Vissanica thinks this may be an underwater entrance to the spire.

The party returns to the room preparing to walk into watery stairs as Dox casts air bubble on the party.

Descending into the water, a giant slimy creature rises from the silt and attacks the party.

Striking at Cringer with its snaky jaws it bites through the giant cat’s barding and draws first blood taking a huge bite. Carissa casts bone shatter on the beast and it crushes the monster leaving it fatigued. Anastasia begins to orate and derides the anarchy of nature bolstering the adventurers. Z lunges forward swinging his glaive missing with his first strike and biting deeply into its flesh on the second swing drawing more blood in the water. Vissanica puts the beast to sleep with her magic and then swims up to coup de gras the dinosaur. Cringer is healed and everyone heads further up the stairs and out of the water.

The party enters an oddly shaped chamber as the ascend from the cloudy water to the east and see another set of stairs descending to a bronze double door to the southwest. There are various pieces of art and pottery Vissanica gleans from her knowledge of history that these items are from the ancient Casmaron cyclops empire. OOC: https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Casmaron The pottery is oddly intact and seems to be only hundreds of years old and not the thousands of years that have passed since the fall of the Cyclopsian empires.

Everyone descends the stairs to the west and approaches the double bronze doors which are locked. Cringer steps forward and shouldering the doors with the help of Vissanica and Z bursting the doors open. The doors try to close again from springs built into the lintels and Z and Vizzanica grab them before they close. The adventurers see a ten-foot-high hallway extending at an angle from the bronze double doors, passing two shallow alcoves before reaching a square room. Standing in the side alcoves are two man-sized statues of painted stone depicting one-eyed humanoids. More of these statues stand in ranks within the room beyond.

Anastasia detects a moderate level of transmutation magic emanating from the entire room. There is a portcullis open directly above Anastasia and Carissa. The party continues further into the room and begins searching the area. Vissanica finds a secret door on the southern wall and when it opens two portcullises drop to the ground and two other secret doors open as holes iris out in the ceiling allowing water to cascade into the chamber.

Everyone but Dox and Anastasia are knocked prone and bludgeoned. Z stands up and readies an action to strike at anything threatening the group within reach. Two more dread (pirate) zombies appear wielding tree-dents and attack Cringer missing with each stab. Cringer attacks the dread (pirate) zombie immediately to his north and shreds it with his axiomatic claws raking deep furrows of destruction across its flesh. Carissa dimension doors herself, Z and Anastasia to the other side of the southern portcullis. Anastasia sings and inspires the rest of her group with her commanding presence. Vissanica stands and casts grease under the feet of both dread (pirate) cyclops causing them to fall to the ground prone but still grasping their tree-dents.

Z does nothing.

The dread (pirate) zombies stand up despite the grease on their feet. The pounding water nearly sweeps Cringer to the ground, but he stands fast. Striking at the cyclops as it works to stand, he slashes and bites more flesh from the zombie cyclops. The other cyclops steps to the south avoiding the grease and misses again as it strikes out at Cringer.

Over the deafening rush of the cascading water, Carissa reaches through the portcullis and calls out to Dox and Cringer to hurry as the mighty cat withdraws avoiding the strikes of the zombies’ tree-dents. Just as Carissa’s fingers touch Cringer’s fur they dimension doored to the southern steps and out of the water and danger. Looking back through the portcullis the group sees a giant serpenteen creature drop from the ceiling onto the zombies as a shrieks of battle begin anew.

The party turns from the drowning chamber and up the stairs. This crooked stair is uneven and hewn from the living stone. It winds upward, apparently following a natural seam in the rock.

<scene>

The Great Limestone Spire

Beginning to explore the region the party approaches a river where a jagged limestone cliff hemz in the area. A mighty waterfall rushes over the edge into a wide pool of black, frothing water. In the center of the black pool stands a massive, hundred-foot-tall limestone pillar of weathered stone—the last, lonely sentinel marking where the cliff’s edge once stood in an age long past. At various points on the island’s top, plumes of black smoke waft up into the sky.

The spellcasters begin bolstering themselves with various spells as the group prepares to fly up to the top of the limestone spire.

Dark smoke and noxious fumes spew from vents along the sides of the spire blocking much of the view of the top. Flying around the spire, the adventurers see how wide and vast the river is. Landing on the top of the spire, there is some vegetation where the fumes do not coalesce. A fissure or vent spewing the same awful fumes may be a way into the spire but would be a very tight fit. Carissa mentions that she saw what looked like a mooring point at the base of the spire.

Everyone agrees to investigate what Carissa saw, since there does not seem to be any obvious entrance on the top of the spire.

Flying down to water level there seems to be a cave mostly obscured by mud, silt, and foliage. Before the cave is a shallow muddy riverbed where the party sees prints from a larger than man-size beasts, and much older and smaller prints also seem to move across the mud and into the cave.

The adventurers line up with Vissanica and Z in the front, Carissa and Anastasia following close behind and Dox riding Cringer taking up the rear. Anastasia casts light on Z’s glaive and Vissanica casts dancing lights down the corridor. This darkened passageway is decorated to the north and south with alcoves. Midway down the hall, just before the second set of alcoves is another archway carved in the stone. Upon its lintel are various runes and symbols. The northern alcove just beyond this arch holds an ancient amphora that has broken open, spilling its contents into the corridor.

The party approaches the arch and Vissanica notices the symbols on the archway manifest into a form of warding or alarm. It looks as if the alarm has been expended and whatever was meant to be alerted has been alerted. Examining the craftsmanship of the stonework, no one recognizes who or what would have built it, it is not of human, elven, or dwarven construction. Vissanica feels that this may be of Cyclopsian architecture as before the rise of humans, the Cyclops were a very orderly and established society. They had a magical foresight and could subjugate other giant-kind and small folk. There empire extended well into this region.

Approaching the amphora the party finds a pile of gold minted bearing the image of an all-seeing eye on the obverse and a clenched fist on the reverse. Buried amongst the gold is a Jade bracelet that was depicted in Master Prenrose’s writings.

Continuing along the cave/corridor to the west the party comes to a turn to the north that leads to a diamond-shaped chamber with vaults extending to a height of nearly thirty feet at the center of the room. Three wings branch off from the center. One ends shortly at a wall of mortared stone, while the other two once bore walls that have since been broken down, revealing empty cobweb-shrouded alcoves holding stone biers.

Carissa stops the party and points down the northern corridor stating that she sees a large one-eyed skeleton, but it does not appear to be moving. Carissa casts shield.

Z advances down the northern corridor and is charged by the zombie cyclops. Just before it swings its great battleaxe its single eye flashes into focus and it nearly cleaves Z in half. Z gasps out in shock, “There is another of the beasts coming in from the west!”

Vissanica’s knowledge of the local history leads her to believe that this is a Dread Zombie. Unlike the normal undead these dread zombies are fast and intelligent. Also, Cyclops in this region have an ability known as flashes of insight periodically making their actions perfect.

Vissanica casts Mirror Image and seven reflections pop into existence and she moves to the north and tells Z to pull back.

Dox moves up the corridor and summons a leopard directly in front of Z and it attacks the Dread Zombie.

Anastasia moves in front of Dox and prepares to heal Z as soon as he is in range of her touch.

Carissa casts an empowered, maximized fireball into the diamond shaped room roasting the Dread Zombies in the conflagration. The one closest to Z is destroyed while the one to the north is roasted, but still stands.

Z retreats back to Anastasia and is healed by her holy power. The second Dread Zombie advances on the young leopard and strikes with his battleaxe and seeming as it would parish, but it survives! Hooray!

The young leopard attacks and misses completely.

OOC: Start with Aanstasia’s turn.

The Fall of the Chlorafiend!

It seems some sort of group delusion took over the adventurers thinking that Cringer killed the beast… when in fact it is quite alive! Oh no! What a crappy scribe!

Following Cringers attack, Carissa casts an empowered fireball on the Chloralfiend scorching the monster and evaporating the slight frost residue from Vissanica’s attack. The creature then pins and engulfs Anastasia as she begins to be digested.

The creature tries to strike Vissanica, but misses.

Anastasia channels positive energy and heals herself.

Vissanica directs a shocking grasp spell through her sword striking three times and the Chlorafiend is cooked from the inside out, wilts, and dies for real this time.

Everyone rushes forward to help Anastasia climb from the corpse. She stands and immediately begins tending to the wounds of everyone.

Reviewing the damage done to the corpse, Carissa notices the many bones of human and equine origin. Amongst the bones are bits of treasure, which the party collects.

The adventurers clean themselves up and move on to finish exploring this region. Nothing else of note happens and so the party heads east back into the mountains.

The Rise of the Chlorafiend!

A couple of weeks after the establishment of Daidian’s Roost. Word reaches the Infernal Eleven that the elevator workers in the tower settlement seem to not be responding to requests to lower the lift. Setting out immediately, the Rasdovians head for the new settlement. Upon arrival, the party fliers scout the tower and find it abandoned similar to Varnholdt. The elevator is lowered for the folks who could not fly. Once everyone is up, a full search of the area reveals all of the people gone. Livestock remain and have begun to escape.

Realizing that they can no longer leave this threat unacknowledged, the adventurers head out to find their lost subjects. They travel through Varnholdt and then south west to the southeastern shore of lake Silverstep. The headwaters of the Little Sellen River start in this region. Nothing of note is found while exploring.

Moving on along the river to the southwest where the mountains continue the group approaches a river where they come across an odd island in the middle of a sharp river bend. The river flows swiftly, but shallowly near the island as the party prepares to cross. Z is taking the lead while crossing when a Chlorafiend rises from the brush and critically strikes Z grappling him to the ground. Carrisa casts grease on Z’s armor just before the creature pins Z and swallows him whole. The small island becomes a churning froth of vegetation and river water as the slimy arms of the Chlorafiend strike out at Cringer, Vissanica, and Anastasia. Cringer is struck, Vissanica dodges and Anastasia is grappled similar to Z.

Flying to defend her sister, Vissanica attacks the beast channeling frigid touch through her sword striking the creature soundly as a thin layer of frost coats the green skin of the creature and the water around it begins to freeze and mist.

Z cries out in frustration and disgust as he grasps the teeth of the Chlorafiend’s maw and pulls himself free as his greased armor allows him to slide from jaws with a squishy, slimy “plop.”

Cringer enlarges to a size equal to the plant monster and rending it with his teeth and claws leaves little more than half frozen shredded leaves and stems to float down the river. Collecting some odd bits of treasure from the beast’s previous victims, the party takes a few moments to heal and then returns to searching for the missing Rasdovian subjects.

Something Goes Bump in the Night

Leaving behind the Linnorm Ridge and mastodons the Infernals head further east to border of Rasdovia and make camp before exploring.
Watches are set with Z and Visannica at first watch, Dox and Cinger at second watch and Akiros and Carissa for third watch.

During third watch about 4:00 am sneaking unseen into the campsite a shadowy figure with great bony talon hovers over the sleeping Vissanica extending its claws and strikes at the sleeping elf woman with its shadowy arms ripping the helpless elf asunder and attempting to draw from her lifeforce. Alerted to the attack, Akiros steps back aligns his shots and looses a volley of arrows at the strange creature, striking true with each and hammering the creature through.

Z is startled awake, grabs his glaive and while prone, swings and misses at the creature. Carissa casts scorching ray at the beast missing with the first strike, hitting true with the second and a strange pungent smoke fills the air. Dox awakens similarly startled as Z and stands. Cringer also awakens and moves to the west.

Vissanica recovering from the attack while sleeping attempts to cast Mirror Image, but fails but is able to draw her sword.

Undeterred by the attacks from the rest of the party, the creature again attacks Vissanica. Striking with the first claw Vissanica’s lifeforce is drained leaving her seeming oddly withered yet alert. The creature strikes again and seems to only do physical damage.

Akiros fires another three arrows and destroys the creature causing it to fade from existence.

Z stands and readies his glaive in case another attack is eminent, and the rest of the party stands ready.

As Vissanica stands as arrogant as ever and cold to the point of almost not noticing those around her.

Returning to sleep, the party rises and Dox restores the effects of the Soul Eater attacks on Vissanica.

Vissanica is convinced that that a magic user of some type summoned the soul eater to assassinate her. Soul Eaters come from the realm of Abodon. Dox shares his concern that if someone is sending assassins against the Infernal 11, should they take action to protect themselves?

Little of interests happens as the adventurers continue to explore the mountain range and foothills around Varnholdt with one exception. While investigating the mountains directly to the southeast of Varnholdt, the party finds a series of caves that have been abandoned. Dox surmises that smaller than man sized and larger than man-sized creatures lived in the caves. Everyone agrees that that it was where the spriggans who attacked Varnholdt probably originated from.

Having greatly expanded the Kingdom’s knowledge of the writ, the party returns to New Westcrown.

The Nomen Problem

Rising the next morning fully healed from the bullet and combustion-crow, the Rasdovians continue their exploration of the region. The head east into another planes area and explore with nothing of great interest. They then head south along another planes area.

A group of Centaurs charge and encircle the party crying out shrilly as they ride around group.

Akiros introduces himself to the centaurs and seeks to calm them. Carissa seeks to assist Akiros and the Centaurs also seem drawn to Z’s armor and bearing as he sits high upon Harpy’s back.

Centaur Leader: Why have you come to our range?

Akiros: We have come to this land seeking to meet you and speak with your leader.

Centaur Leader: I am the leader.

Akiros: What is your name?

Centaur Leader: Sailen

Akiros: Well met Sailen. We have heard there are many of you, are there more of you?

Sailen: (Seeming somewhat to struggle with the language) There are more of us at our home.

Akiros: Do you know of the town of Varnhodlt?

Sailen: Yes, they are vile poachers.

Akiros: There were spriggans there and we are hunting spriggans.

Sailen: I know not. What a spriggan is?

Akiros: People who begin small and grow large.

Sailen: They should be enemy of all and should be hunted.

Akiros: Why do you hate Spriggan?

Sailen: They stole something from us

Akiros: We seek to exterminate them, if we find what you are looking for, perhaps we can return it.

They seem reluctant to share.

Sailen: Why do you hate the spriggan?

Akrios: They attacked and killed some of ours.

Sailen: There are no spriggan in our range and all outside out range should die.

Akiros: What did they take from you, perhaps we can return it.

Sailen’s lieutenant: They stole the great bow, Skybolt.

Sailen glares at the lieutenant.

Akrios: That is interesting… What of the hunters?

Sailen: They come no longer to our range.

Akiros: Why not?

Sailen: We convinced them to never return

Akiros: Did you kill them on your range our theirs.

Sailen: We have no use for mountains, they will never return to our range. They are poachers and murderers.

Akiros: How large is your range?

Sailen: From the burial grounds to the here.

Akiros: Do you have a settlement or a town?

Sailen shrugs.

Akiros: Does your range go further east?

Sailen: No

Akiros: Are there any threats of people to the east?

Sailen: People, but unlike you.

Akiros: People like not like us?

Sailen: People, but not human or elf, or dwarf. Fey, but no other people.

Akiros: Pardon my ignorance, but does the name Mordachi mean anything to you?

All of the Centaurs reach for weapons and almost involuntarily step back.

Sailen: Where did you hear that word?

Akiros: I read it and there is an isle that it may be on.

Sailen: You should leave our range and not meddle in things you do not understand.

Akiros: We are ignorant and only seeking knowledge.

Sailen: You should leave now and not seek what you do not understand.

Akiros: What do you think about Restov?

Sailen: We know of this and are sometimes good traders but never come into our range.

Akiros: What of the priestess?

Sailen: You must leave our range and not speak of what you do not understand.

The Rasdovians make gestures of compliance and Akiros thanks them for there time. The group moves to the northwest to hex and then head southeast which rise into hills

As the group enters the area and moves along an odd ridge of hills the adventurers begin to realize that they are riding along the spine of a great beast as large as a range of hills. It can only be the bones of a great linnorm. As the group moves beyond the linnorm ridge a herd of giant mastodons can be seen in the distance.

Landshark!

After finishing off the trapdoor spiders, our intrepid adventurers, discuss the remaining rewards that had been posted at Navikta’s Crossing. Agreeing to head back to the crossing the next day, everyone settles in for the night, guards are posted, and a general feeling of good will settles over the camp as they look forward to at least one night in a bed and at least one pint o’ cheer.

Arriving at The Crossing the group is met with many friendly waves and a few calls asking if they should be preparing for another feast. Arriving at the inn, Beven greets everyone with a wide grin, and with now practiced familiarity has the horses groomed, bags and baggage sent up to rooms, and pints laid out for everyone. Akiros asks after the poet and the weaver and Beven gives precise directions while setting out plates of a still steaming stew and warm bread for everyone. After the meal. Akiros heads out with Dox to deliver the quills and silk, quietly telling Carrisa to keep Z and Vissanica from wondering off again and scaring the locals.

Rewards in hand, the Infernals returns to their exploring heading south back to the where they defeated the trap door spiders and then further to the southeast through the rolling hills. The ground here is furrowed with grooves in the land which Dox says indicates the presence of at least one bullet. They are magical creatures, heavily armored and known to attack by launching through the air and pouncing on their prey. A bullet’s magic allows them to move very quickly through the ground as if swimming.

With little options, the party continues to explore the area keeping a keen eye and ear out for any sign of a landshark. Despite being as prepared as possible, a bullet erupts out of the ground and pounces on Akiros nearly pulling him from Bounder’s back. Akiros withdraws carefully and bolsters the party as he cries out, “FOR THE QUEEN!”

Losing interest in the retreating Crusader, the bullet seems to take offence at Z’s armor, and launches forward to attack the Hellknight who is lacerated by its claws and rent by its bite. Carissa steps back from the bullet’s reach and casts scorching ray. The flames jet from her out-stretched fingers engulfing the creature as it trumpets a roar of pain and the smell of roasting meat fills the air.

Z steps back and swings his glaive at the bullet. His first swing clangs off the bullet’s armor and as he follows through with his second swing he misses completely nearly falling to the ground. Dox summons a lion from the ether and it immediately pounces on the bullet from the north taking an attack from the bullet as it strikes. Capitalizing on the summoned lion’s flank, Cringer moves to the bullet’s eastern side and attacks biting deeply into the scorched hide of the bullet.

Vissanica engages her arcane accuracy and strikes with her black blade stepping forward swinging and striking the beast three times and the bullet still smoking from the scorching ray freezes in place and drops to the ground dead.

As the party is gathering itself from the battle, Dox sees a crow take flight from the canopy above the party. Dox summons an air elemental to chase the crow down and Vissanica leaps into the air also giving chase.

With his normal calmness, Akiros raises his bow, draws back and looses his arrow striking the bird. The bird turns and dives at Akiros pulling up roughly thirty feet from the ground above the Crusader. Akiros’ focus never wavers and he draws and looses striking the crow twice and then moves back towards the party.

Z, having regained some of his balance wrestles his Thunderbow (Which he has quietly named Thundero in his mind) out of the bag of holding.

Carissa brings her fireball to bear on the bird-beast with little affect.

Based on the bird’s odd behavior, Vissanica realizes that they are dealing with a familiar and the spellcaster it is aligned with most be truly powerful. She casts Glitterdust on the bird and its outline begins to shimmer. Speaking in Infernal, Vissanica shouts to the rest of the party, her theory that they are fighting a familiar and streaks away to avoid any spells coming from the magic user it is aligned with.

Dox’s air elemental strikes while the familiar flies closer to the group on the ground. The crow darts to the center of the group and explodes unleashing a fearsome combustion across most of the party.

Standing up and regaining its bearings the party looks around itself stunned. Vissanica lands amongst the group and immediately begins moving through the group applying infernal healing from her wand, restoring everyone to full health.

Z returns Thundero to the bag of holding while much of the party discusses the realization that they have a very powerful enemy and no idea who or what it is.

Three Manticores and Some Spider Silk

After spending some much-needed time in New Westcrown focusing on the business of ruling a kingdom, Anastasia instructs her court that it is time once again to explore more of the writ. Akiros seems the most surprised, and perhaps hurt, but quickly recovers his courtly demeanor and bows deeply, “By your command, Your Majesty.”

Leaving along the new highway system that now connects so much of the kingdom, a light conversation on how much has changed since they first came to this wild and inhospitable land. As the newly shod horseshoes strike the even paving of the highway, Zorthalius turns and studies the well-established city and is hard-pressed to see any remnants of the Stag Lord’s Keep. Civilization has truly come to the Stolen Lands.

Traveling to the ruins of Varnholdt the group arrives without incident as is expected on the Queen’s Highway. Riding into the still silent village, little if anything has changed. Choosing not to dwelling on the still unsolved mystery of the abandoned village, the Rasdovians follow the Queen’s “strongly suggested” exploration plan heading northeast into the hills. They spend the next few days exploring the region and head further into the east exploring a planes region with little of note happening during the few days it takes to map the area. The planes continue to the east where the writ ends, marking the eastern most border of Rasdovia.

During the mapping of this area and diligently marking the kingdom’s border, the party comes across a circle of standing stones and shallow mounds. A sort of ruins that Vissanica believes is an ancient burial ground containing maybe 30 graves and is of a tribal nature. Dox chimes in and mentions that he feels that these ruins are no more than a few hundred years old. The group remembers that there was talk of centaur burial grounds that may house undead.

Suddenly, three large winged figures burst into flight around the ruins. Z is caught completely by surprise while Akiros gracefully steps his horse forward, draws, knocks, and looses an arrow striking the creature to the immediate north. Dox signals Cringer who airwalks 10 feet behind the spellcasters.

Each of the winged creatures rise further into the air between 20 and 25 feet above the ground.

Vissanica, ever quick to react, shouts to the rest of the group in Infernal that beyond the obvious threat of the beasts’ teeth and claws are their spiked tails which can fling quills at their prey. Vissanica then produces a small loop of leather and while twisting it she imbues it with power casting displacement on herself. Eyeing what the elf women does and listening to her warning, Carissa casts mirror image, and three perfect reflections of her pop into reality.

Akiros challenges the Manticore to his north and draws, knocks, and looses a volley of arrows with two striking home. Cringer pounces on the westernmost Manticore. A flurry of claws and bites shred the winged beast tearing into fur, meat and wing. Heeding Vissanica’s warnings, Dox casts shield on Cringer.

The manticores all focus on Cringer lashing out with their tails sending spikes streaking toward the great Lion. Twelve spikes fly at Cringer some of the spikes ricochet from the magic shield but the majority strike the lion burying deeply into his hide and severely injuring him.

Z draws the thundering long bow and let’s loose 2 arrows, the first goes wide, while the second strikes true and with a thundering clap of power the manticore falls dead to the ground. Zorthalius looks at the bow with a newfound appreciation for Centaur craftsmanship.

Vissanica casts glitterdust and blinds the manticore furthest to the north as Carissa casts a fireball on the manticore just to the north of Cringer and Dox. The smell of burnt fur and sizzling meat fill the air as the flames scorch the winged beast.

Akiros fires his volley of arrows again and all of them strike true as the glittering blind winged lion roars in pain. Akiros urges his mount closer to the manticore that now resembles a pincushion to the north.

Cringer steps through the air towards the manticore directly to his north killing it and letting it fall to the ground.

Panicking, the last manticore flies blindly to the north and Akiros carefully lines up two shots dropping the final creature to the ground.

The party collects quills from the corpses of the manticores and while Dox cares for Cringer’s wounds, the rest of the group explores the graveyard. With nothing of interest, Dox respectfully asks Vissanica to heal Cringer.

Finishing off the exploration of the plains the party spends the remainder of the day traveling due south to another planes area where the group defeats 6 trapdoor spiders and collects 50 yards of spider silk.

A Count and a Tiefling come to tea.

While most of the Infernals are out exploring the growing realm, some minor intrigue occurs back at the Capital. A Venture Captain of the Pathfinder Society makes his presence known in the city as he takes rooms at the nicer Inn near the palace. Being he is of Chelaxian Birth and Nobility word travels quickly to Anastasia’s ear.

Information is immediately gathered and the royal informants provide the following information. He is Count Varian Jeggare, a half-elf, and is traveling with his bodyman a teifling called Radovan. He is a well regarded Venture Captain in the Pathfinder Society and for some reason did not make his presence known through regular channels.

Anastasia draws up a formal invitation to the Count and has Alexi deliver the invitation with his Chelaxian diplomatic knowledge. The court begins to share stories of the many exploits of the very colorful Radivan and the adventuring Count from old Cheliax. (OOC: Varian Jeggare and Radovan Virholt .

A letter is returned as he graciously accepts the invitation to the noble villa for tea and gossip. Pleasantries are exchanged and Anastasia very cautiously delves into the purpose of the Counts visit. He seems genuinely interested in the success of the fledgling kingdom and very openly shares his impressions. He provides little in terms of new news from Cheliax as he has been traveling for a number of years. As the pleasant afternoons begins to wane on, the Count asks if he might offer two pieces of advice.

Anastasia accepts with grace, but is immediately on guard. Varian says, “First, be wary of those of Westcrown that the do not take credit for your hard work.”

Anastasi nods.

The Count continues, “And second…”

He pauses.

“Hmm… let me put it this way, I once knew a man who went too far. I would be careful of the advice of a man who stretches too far. One who does not know their boundaries.”

He pauses deliberately making direct eye-contact with the young queen.

A smile plays across Varian’s lips, but does not meet his eyes. “Please, give my regards to your sister.”

With that, he stands, bows and takes his leave.

I WANNA ROC!

The northern part of the mountain range extends to the northeast and the Rasdovians continue into that part of the range. The travel is time consuming and takes several days to traverse and then fully explore the area without incident.

Heading due east out of the mountains and into the foothills the party travels across the hills and explores them thoroughly seeing the lemur fortress in the distance to the south and a mountain river flows through the area. The hills are mapped and explored in detail with little of note happening beyond burs in saddle blankets and Z’s loud snoring.

Following the mountain river to the northwest traveling and exploring the hills takes almost another full week and just as the party was about to take nonlethal damage from boredom, the river joins with the Shriek and cascades down into five consecutive waterfalls along a course of about a mile. The cascades make the river a pour choice for travel but it is beautiful to behold and the group stops many times along the route to take in the grandeur and carefully mark its location on their maps. Without the Rasdovians’ flying abilities the area would be nearly impassable, but the group concludes its exploration with little else of note.

Heading along the Shriek river to the southwest, the hills continue, and another great single waterfall provides another breathtaking view of the power of nature.

Leaving the river, the party crosses through the already explored hex with the Varnholdt Highway running from east to west and head straight up into the mountains which make up the northern most shores of Silverstep Lake. It is now the dead of winter and freaking cold, but with various magical empowerments, the party easily endures the elements.

At the top of one peak we see the ruins of a tower through the clouds and snow. Vissanica looks closely but cannot discern what it is. It will be a very difficult climb up the 250 foot cliffs with no passable way to the tower ruins. Vissanica casts invisibility and flies up to the tower to explore. As she draws closer to the tower a giant bird darkens the sky.

Carissa immediately casts Mirror Image. Vissanica also casts Mirror Image and floats downward and prepares for battle, hovering about 30 feet above the rest of the group. Akiros opens fire and strikes the giant bird of prey causing it to immediately dive with a screech that shakes the mountains!

The great bird grows larger and larger as it plummets and the sheer size of the beast becomes more and more apparent. It must be 30 feet long from beak to tail, with an 80-foot wingspan and weight of up to 8,000 pounds.

Z sets himself ready to cover the rest of the grounded party with his combat patrol and Cassandra unleashes a scorching ray singeing the Roc’s feathers, but does little to stop its attack.

Vissanica suddenly contorts and sprays blood at the giant bird unleashing an unholy hex. It falls limp crashing to the ground with an earthshaking crunch… Dead.

Relief washes across the adventurers and a slight chuckle from Dox turns into a giggle from Carissa and then a full-throated guffaw from Akiros. The entire group joins in on a belly of laughter from complete relief to have survived such an onslaught. Z looks at the length of the great bird’s talons and then at his glaive realizing the futility of his combat patrol.

After everyone has collected themselves, Dox and Vissanica complete the inspection of the ruined tower and discover two roc eggs. After much discussion, they are able to transport the eggs from the heights. Remembering the request from the Chef in Navikta’s Crossing, the party fashions two litters to transport the eggs back.

A festival to rival the Eel-bake seems to almost spontaneously begin and grow around news of the Great Roc Omelet. Being the third visit in as many a fortnight to the Crossing, Akiros’ efforts to bolster trade seem to finally take root and the Rasdovian Kingdom recognizes a great boon to its treasury from the explorer’s efforts, and as importantly, the crusader’s diplomacy.

All through the festivities, Dox quietly monitors the health of the second egg, now securely packed aboard a wagon, ready for its return to New Westcrown. Perhaps someday the Sigil of Anastasia’s house will be the Lion and the Roc as he dreams of the soon to be Crowned Prince, leading his Lion Cavalry into battle astride a great winged mount.

A Different Type of Crossing

The Rasdovians travel the road to the south through the hilled region directly outside of Navikta’s Crossing and as the days pass the hills give way to plains. Exploring the area, the group finds a fully functioning bridge crossing the river that bisects this plains land. Besides the bridge, there is little of note in this area.

Looking to the west, the mountains making up the northern range surrounding the ruins of Varnholdt rise from the plains. The party continues with only mild reluctance upwards and back into the mountains. The trek up takes more than a few days and the mapping of the region is even more arduous. During the first day of focused exploration the group comes across a deep crag almost completely encased in a fine silk webbing. Having already dealt with many types of spiders throughout the lands, the party approaches with caution.

None want to leave such an obvious nest to fester, so preparations are made for battle and the Rasdovians approach with their eyes peeled. The webbing seems to focus on a bridge connecting the near side to a cave entrance on the far side. Below the gorge drops for at least 50 feet and maybe more. Some brief study of the bridge indicates it is sturdy and should hold the weight of the party, so Z steps out to cross first with the rest of the group following.

Just as Z is about to step onto the far side of the cliff, two spidery humanoid creatures emerge from the webbing and release the bridge causing Z to plummet to the bottom of the crag where he lay prone and severely injured. Once again, Z find himself face first in the dirt. The rest of the party is able to fly or bound to safety.

Strange humanoid arachnids begin to emerge from all around the party. Carissa opens combat with a scorching ray incinerating one of the creatures and the burning husk plummets into the crag. Of the remaining arachnids, three attack Vissanica and two attack Carissa. All miss but one who is fooled by Carissa’s mirror image.

Akiros steps Bounder forward and shouts, “FOR THE QUEEN!” and fires his bow three times in quick succession at the spider dude to the southwest of Vissanica. All three of his arrows strike true and the spider dude falls to its death, nearly splattering Z below.

Z stands with a pained grunt, looks askance at the crumpled and smoking arachnid bodies surrounding him, and quaffs a potion of cure light wounds healing some of his injuries, but none of his pride.

Vissanica casts shocking grasp channeled through her sword at the spider dude to the west. It is cooked inside out and falls to its death again only barely missing Z who shouts up to the rest of the party, “Hey! Watch it!”

Ignoring the shouts of the Hellknight, Vissanica continues the spider bar-b-que, electrocuting and killing the spider humanoid to the northwest and southwest raining two more smoking, well-done carcasses on the Hellknight below.

Dox and Cringer pounce forward and in a fury of claws and teeth easily dispatch the remaining two creatures thus adding two more shredded and broken corpses to the shower of death splattering around Z whose once pristine armor is now covered in more spider fluids than should be allowed by gods or mortal.

With some minor engineering, Z is rescued from the crag, now crypt. And further healed by Vissanica from the wand of Infernal Healing. Within the cave, the bones of a long dead dwarf lay there clutching a softly glowing war hammer. Beside the bones is a well-wrought chest.

Akiros checks for traps, and finding none, opens the chest to reveal some treasure. OOC: didn’t write down what was in the chest, sorry. Stowing the hammer and treasure, the party continues the exploration of the mountains with no further incident.

A Missing Brother and a Missing Professor

The morning following the Eel-bake the party rises with varying amounts of pain and bloodshot eyes as they make ready to continue exploring their writ. Leaving the inn they wave to some now familiar faces as they head out back into the wilds

Heading to the south the party enters a range of hills and as they explore, Dox spots a number of buzzards circling over a deep crevice. Peering down the steep drop, they see a body dressed in noble attire who appears to have fallen into a gulch and broken his neck. As Dox makes his way down to investigate the body he announces that it is at least 2-3 month’s dead.

Vissanica notices a mother of pearl broach that she recognizes from a request by Edrist Havaki during one of the nights spent in the common room of the inn at Navikta’s Crossing. There was mention of a reward for someone returning the idiot nobleman or at least his ugly broach.

This sparks a conversation about the books found in Varnholdt and the comely half-elf who had been looking for a professor.

Everyone agrees to turn back to Nivatka’s Crossing and return the broach. They would also see if there is more information information on the Missing Professor.

Beven Armaki is delighted at the Rasdovians' return after being gone for only a few nights. He has their rooms readed and points out Edrist Hanvaki at a table by himself with more than a few empty tankards surrounding him. Akiros gently gives him the tough news offering him the broach. He honors his commitment with a 3,000 GP reward. Akiros talks up the trade opportunities of Radovia and New Westcrown with the young nobleman.

The rest of the party heads up to their rooms to settle in and when they return to the common room, Akiros is speaking with a young half-elf who everyone assumes is Jemanda. Vissanica produces the books and shows them to her. She is crestfallen and was hoping she could convince Ervil to return. It is a bit of a personal challenge for her to find hm. Akiros reiterates that we did not find a body and the magic protecting his belongings may prove he lives yet. Akiros asks, "Can you tell us more about Iobaria?" Jemanda waxes academic and provides a bunch of info… (https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Iobaria)

The party seems a bit suspicious of her motives and Akiros seems to think she is a bit disappointed or almost disinterested. Dox thinks that she has failed in some way and is not looking forward to returning empty handed. Dox also gets the feeling she would be very interested in what we found in Varnholdt. The party gives her all of the details and shows her everything they have found.

The young half-elf is very excited and offers the party a substantial reward for the books, papers and musical instrument to take them back to the university. Akiros says you can have everything for the reward, and we want your help in solving the mystery of Varnholdt.

She tells the party the following information on the Centaurs:
They are led by a warrior priestess of the Mother Moon an aspect of Desna. The females of the tribe are the warrior class. Males are the makers and this goes back in their history from a time when war and many female births flipped the more traditional Galorian social norms. There are rumored to be between 200-500 centaurs in the tribe and they range through the Dunsward area.

By the end of the evening and the sharing of knowledge, she has agreed to join the University in New Westcrown and will travel there as soon as she meets her obligation to Kitharedian Academy.

Remembering the head-pounding morning following the Eel-bake, everyone retires early ready to bed. Heading out once again the next morning to explore, armed with far more knowledge than before.

An Eel-bake at the Crossing

The next day dawns with an air of excitement as the whole town turns out at the Inn to prepare for the town’s annual Eel-bake. Preparations start early in the morning and take place both inside and outside of the inn. The woman from the Arcanist shop is present and holds a place of obvious esteem amongst the citizens of The Crossing.

It is a warm and lovely affair with fine weather and good food. Compliments are shared with the party for bringing the silver eels. Children’s games are set up along the green and Cheerful Delver’s Stout is flowing freely well before the sun reaches its zenith. Early in the afternoon Akiros hears a voice behind him state, “I hear you have been looking for me.”

Akiros turns to see a tall, fair-haired half-elf looking at him with a critical eye. “You are a bit fancier then most who come looking for me.”

Akiros beckons the half-elf to follow him into the inn where he shows him the chest, ”Can you open a chest we have?”

Brenthen glances at the lock on the chest, ”Most likely.”

“For how much?”, asks Akiros.

Brenthen answers immediately, ”100 pieces of gold.”

Akiros replies smoothly, ”50.”

A slight smile tickles Brenthen’s lips, ”How about 1/3 of the contents?”

Akiros, seeming a bit flustered retorts, ”That is not how bartering works.”

Brenthen’s smile grows, “ We have here what I would call a monopoly. So how about if there is more than 200 gold in the chest you give me 200 gold, if there is less, you pay me 20 pieces of gold?”

Akiros, insulted at this point states rather coldly, ”Thanks for your time.” and turns to walk away.

The party discusses it and decides it is worth it to just have him open the chest for 100 gold pieces. It takes Brenthen nearly 20 minutes to open the chest. The party pays him and takes the chest up to their rooms to open it. Brenthen protests that he should get to see what is inside. Now it is Akiros’ turn to smile, ”That was not the agreement.”

The chest contains clothing, a book, and a wand. Upon Vissanica’s casting of detect magic, the book and wand glow a soft blue. Vissanica recognizes that the wand casts Dimension Door and the book is a Wizard’s spellbook.

The rest of the festival goes well and the Rasdovians continue to draw interested glances and friendly conversations. Thromdin Merriland continues to make note of the group’s actions. Beven Armaki treats the party as near royalty and basks in the success of the festival.

As the day draws to a close, and the sun sets, a few of the townsfolk ask about the fate of Varnholdt, as rumors continue to grow. Akiros explains that Varnholdt was overrun by spriggan. Rasdovia has since annexed the ruins of the town and are in the process of resettling. Throm Merriland presses for details and Akiros detours the conversation highlighting the wonderful day and no need to discuss such gastly details. The more than tipsy bard asks far too loudly and with a slight slur, ”So, your druid did not get eaten by a river monster?”

…meanwhile, back at the Apothocary…

While Akiros is visiting with the Mayor, Vissanica decides her time would be better spent checking out the arcanist and much to her chagrin, Z decides to tag along out of sheer boredom if nothing else. The building described to them is one of the nicer in the village and as they approach they see a wizards hat inscribed on a sign. The storefront is open and the vendor is a middleaged woman.

Vissanica approaches the woman and shooting her a challenging stare asks, ”Where did you study?”

Without batting an eye, the woman responds, ” The Arcanarium, where did you?

Vissanica ignores the impertinent questions and asks, ”How long ago?”

The women replies, ”Quite a while ago, unless you studied there, I don’t know why that is relevant.”

Vissanica has already dismissed her and begins to detect magic and study the items on display.

The arcanist narrows her eyes and says, ”If you are not going to purchase anything, I would ask you to leave. ” She picks up a wand.

Vissanica turns and crisply states, “I have not decided if I would purchase anything yet. Is there a law against browsing?”

The woman picks up a rod

Vissanica asks in a bored tone pointing to a sword and shield, “What are these?”

The arcanist replies, ”That is a powerful shield and a powerful dueling sword that makes one better able to defend ownself.”

Vissanica identifies a belt of incredible dexterity +6 which she then tells Z who seems very interested in this item. She then asks, ”What does the rod do?”

”It is a Rod of Splendor.” the women replies offering no additional information.

Vissanica almost begrudgingly states, ”This is impressive considering where you live, you have done well for yourself in this backwater. Good day to you.”

Vissanica turns and leaves. Z follows. Vissanica looks to Z, "I suspect she has a patron in Restov." The rest of the journey back to the inn is made in silence, but both elf and human seem to take some delight in the way traffic seems to move far out of their way as the pass along the mildly busy streets.

The Blacksmith and the Mayor

The party awakens the next morning and heads to the blacksmith shop to see if they can open it. The blacksmith examines the lock and indicates that there is no way for him to open it without destroying it, or its contents. Obviously, a bit uncomfortable with the subject, he does suggest a group who frequents the Crossing lead by a fellow calling himself Brenthen. He or one of his ilk may be able to open the chest. If anyone in Navikta’s Crossing can open a lock like that and leave it undamaged, it would be him.

Akiros asks, “Where can I find him?”

The blacksmith replies, “He is around the inn sometimes, and is a half elf, taller than most with long blond hair. He seems to want to look more elfy than most of his type.”

Akiros nods and tells the smith, ”We will be looking for him then.”

The smith’s eye return to the chest and he says, ”Sorry I could not be of more help, and if you do want to sell the chest, I will buy it from you for 5,000 gold.”

With that information, the party returns to the inn. Akiros is off to visit the Mayor while the rest of the party decides to wait and see if Brenthen shows his face around town. Akiros learns in his meeting with the mayor that they are fully loyal to Restov and the Mayor is appointed by the rulers of Restov. Akiros comes to understand that when Restov has sent mayors into the city to rule, it has not gone well. Locals are much more appreciated as leaders. Information on all settlements are directly reported back to Restov. They heard about one settlement far to the west, established by a nobleman and working with Kelid barbarians. (Hooktongue Slew perhaps?) The Iron Wraith mercenaries came through and went even further to the west and heard nothing back from them.

Akiros talks up trade opportunities and offers to gift some of the Cheerful Delvers’ Stout to the town. There is great interest in increasing commerce between the two nations.

The Bard, the Crusader, and a Pint of Cheer

The party is directed to the Inn where the local innkeeper Beven Armaki is overjoyed to have the eels. He gladly gives up his +2 buckler (a family heirloom) as a reward for such a treat. He invites the party to attend the eel bake in 2 days and suggests they rest their feet as the afternoon is turning to evening and the common room is just beginning fill for the evening meal and entertainment.

Akiros engages with some of the locals and works to speak up the accomplishments of the kingdom to further bolster the impression of Rasdovia and its capitol New Westcrown. Speaking of the growing industry and the many towns that have been established. (Diplomacy Check from Akiros -> 20) Some of the people who Akiros talks are impressed with some of accomplishments.

Vissanica and Z sit quietly in a corner and glare at the country bumpkins making up the common room crowd.

A bard from the inn’s common room approaches Akiros seeming genuinely surprised that New Westcrown has a University and your settlement is larger than Navikta’s Crossing and much larger than Varnholdt. He introduces himself as Thromdin Merriland. Akiros encourages the bard to stop at Olegsburg along the way, which was once just a trading post. The bard agrees to visit and then asks as an almost afterthought… What of the rumors of diabolism? Vissanica’s head turns gracefully and she comments, “Those rumors are terribly underrepresented.”

The innkeeper recommends the town’s blacksmith may be able to open the chest. Z asks about other options as Akiros quietly cuts him off and indicates we will charge that battlefield when we get to it.

Of interest to Vissanica, is talk of an arcanist in town known far and wide as a source of quality arcane items.

The party enjoys a night at the inn. It may be the interest from Thromdin, as he sings an Andoran song about a battle of Hellknights that seems to describe the trademark armor.

Cheerful Delvers Stout is on tap and everyone enjoys a few “Pints ‘o Cheer.”

Late Update, sorry gents:

Xill Battle Concludes and a Trip to the Crossing

The battle continues with the Xill fading in and out of existence and Czamos seeming to slide from one reality to another at will.

Akiros’ bow is only partially useful as more often than not his arrows simply pass through the strange insectile lizard creatures. The summoned leopards attack with ferocity and score at least one hit although the strange semi-existance of the Xill avoid the more deadly attacks.

Cringer is even more devastating rending and biting the final Xill to death. Vissanica asks Czamos to confirm that the all of the creatures are dead and she does.

Making good on her promise, the phase spider leads the party into a cave where an interesting chest lies on the ground.

Akiros thanks the spider for her gift and expresses his goodwill as a neighbor to the kingdom. But little seems to be understood by the spider.

Vissanica says, are you going to stay here? And Czamos says this is my home.

Vissanica states, We may be back to make this part of our kingdom.

Czamos answers with an arachnid shrug and slides from view, with a quiet, “Leave me in peace.”

The party begins to examin the chest and detects a field of conjuration. Trying to discern what type of conjuration this is. The chest is part of a secret chest spell and describes its function as... You hide a chest on the Ethereal Plane for as long as 60 days and can retrieve it at will. The chest can contain up to 1 cubic foot of material per caster level (regardless of the chest’s actual size, which is about 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet). If any living creatures are in the chest, there is a 75% chance that the spell simply fails. Once the chest is hidden, you can retrieve it by concentrating (a standard action), and it appears next to you.
The chests are non-magical and can be fitted with locks, wards, and so on, just as any normal chest can be.

Akiros moves to open the chest and it is locked. Fearing that the owner will recall the chest, the party decides to head north to Navikta’s Crossing. Traveling 5 days to the small town, Anastasia is updated be Akiros through her sendings.

Upon arrival, the party immediately searches for a locksmith to open the chest.

”Her home in the Ethereal Plane has been invaded by her race’s nemesis the Xill and she is seeking an alliance with us to rid the area of their presence.” Vissanica turns to Czamos and the spider begins to communicate in the strange click language again.

”She is offering to reimburse us with treasure when we have destroyed the Xill. She also seems to refer to this area as if it were a connection to her home somehow through the spire at the center of the stone circle. The barrier between the Ethereal Plane and the Prime Material Plane is thin there.”

There seems to be no additional information forthcoming, or at least nothing Vissanica seems willing to share and Czamos begins leading the party up the gorge pathway again. The party follows behind Czamos as Vissanica engages her in a conversation in what the party now understands is Aklo, and asks about the abilities of Xill. The she-spider indicates that the party should prepare themselves and dismount if they do not wish to engage in mounted combat.

The party looks on with some confusion as Vissanica and the Spider-women seem to be engaged in a rather deep conversation. Their attitudes seem rather aligned in regards to the disdain they hold for the rest of the party, as if they are necessary annoyances like rambunctious guard dogs.

Preparations for the battle are made as spells are cast and weapons loosened and readied. At one-point Vissanica turns to the rest of the party and states, “Don’t let them grab you.” Everyone looks at each other exchanging knowing glances of mixed frustration and resignation from her expected behavior.

Czamos gives the party one last look over and then glances to Vissanica to confirm the party is ready. There is a final conversation in Aklo and the spider begins to flicker in and out of existence. She is gone for several moments and Czamos fades back into sight as the Xill also appear in the clearing ready for battle. Each of the chiton armored reptilian creatures are wielding 2 bat’leth-like swords and a longbow and appear in this dimension with bows drawn and aimed at Carissa. The battle has begun! Czarnos disappears again!

Despite Carissa’s preparations the mage is struck by 2 of the Xill-shot arrows as they are not fooled by the magical images surrounding her. One of the arrows grazes her upper arm and the other slices through her lower leg. The other Xill are confused by her magic and two of her mirror images shatter as they are struck with arrows. A look of annoyance turns to fiery rage as she evokes a fireball engulfing three of the Xill. One of the creatures is burned heavily by her magic while the other two seem less effected by the local inferno. (1 Xill takes full damage, 2 save for half)

Recognizing that she is an obvious target for the extraplanar creatures, Carrissa moves behind Z taking advantage of his size and armor. Nodding to the sorceress, Z steps forward swinging his glaive at the Xill directly to the east and misses completely.

Both Xill closest to Z step forward to engage the Hellknight. They drop their bows and brandish their claws. Z brings his glaive to a ready position, but his wild swing leaves him vulnerable. His polearm is a blur of motion as he works to deflect the near-countless attacks from the two Xill he faces, but he cannot completely defend himself as he is struck multiple time by the strange swords. The second Xill is able to slide within Z’s defenses and bites his wrist, then connects with a vicious claw attack. Holding fast, the Xill is able to grapple Z wrapping the rest of its limbs around him. (31 points of damage and grappled)

The Xill to the north of the party fire more arrows at Carrisa and her magic holds as both arrows strike mirror images and they shatter.

Seeing the battle quickly turning against the Rasdovians, Akiros calls out to his allies, inspiring them to greatness. He then turns to the Xill still smoking from the full onslaught of Carissa’s fireball with three swings of his weapon, two strikes connect and the third misses but the Xill falls. Turning to the less burned Xill to the east, Akiros nearly beheads the armored lizard -creature (critical threat) but his blow glancing off of the chitinous armor doing only mild damage. Akiros lets loose a most uncavalier-like string of curses at the result of his strike.

Just as Akiros finishes his attack, Czamos blinks into existence behind the Xill furthest to the north east, she misses her strike and snaps multiple times against its back with multiple bites and the wound bubbles and festers with poison, but the Xill seems unaffected. She flashes back out of sight before anyone can react.

Cringer drops to the ground as Dox thrusts his fist to the earth. His brow furrows in concentration and three cheetahs bound from the surrounding wilderness and gather around them. Cringer stands silently and with a grim determination Dox nods towards the Xill. The cheetahs turn from the druid and all simultaneously pounce at the invaders. Each of the great cats strike their targets, some with their teeth, some with their claws, and some are able to rake into the strange armored scaled skin of the Xill. (The first succeeds with a bite and rake for 14 points of damage. The next succeeds with a claw for 6 points of damage. The final succeeds for a rake of 8 damage.)

Far from finished, Dox sinks his fists into Cringer’s mane as the giant cat pounces on the Xill directly to the north of the grappled Z. Nothing can stop the ferocity of their attack as a frenzy of teeth and claws shred through the Xills armor and rend the invader into an unrecognizable pile of quivering green meat. (Bite hit for 17. Claw hit for 13. Claw hit for 14. Rake hit 12. Bite hit 13. )

Almost as an afterthought, Vissanica glides just to the south of Z and reaches out with her magnificent sword to strike the Xill grappling the Hellknight with Frigid Touch. The Xill is encased in a frosty coat and its armor fuses with ice encasing the lizard creature in its own armor. (38 points of damage. The Xill is staggered.)

Carissa wipes the blood from her wounds as she surveys the battlefield. Seeing Z still entangled in the grasp of the nearly frozen Xill, an evil grin quirks the corners of her lips. She resolutely steps to the east and casts Flame Strike on the frosted Xill. Her spell roars from her fingertips, vaporizing the frost on its armor, and cooking the creature from the inside out. What is left of the Xill collapses to the ground literally a mere shell of what it once was. Z nods to both women in thanks and readies his glaive for what is next to come.

Seeing a clear line to the enemy directly to the north, Zorthalius charges the Xill scoring a sound hit, but its chitinous armor and scaled skin is enough to protect it and it still stands.

It is the Xill’s turn to start at the beginning of next week.

Work this week has been crazy. I will post more tomorrow.

The party finds themselves entering a strange ring of stones surrounded on all sides by steep mountain slopes. The oddly circular gorge has multiple rings of large stone obelisks centered on a tall spire-like structure reaching over 15 feet in height. There is an odd energy or pressure in the area within and around the stone circle as if the veil of reality is weaker here than in most places across Golarion.

As everyone is moving throughout the gorge both admiring and exploring the area a strangely timbred disembodied voice seems to coalesce from the energy field surrounding the circle.

”youhelpus? You helpus? You help me?”

The group freezes looking to each other for confirmation that everyone heard the strange unearthly voice.

”You will help me?”

Everyone looks to Akiros. He clears his throat and asks the voice to show itself if it wishes assistance.

”Will you help us?”

Akiros says with authority, ”We will help no one we cannot see!”

A huge spider with the pale delicate face of a woman fades into existence in a way none of the adventurers have seen before and would find nearly impossible to describe. It is as if the she-spider had been simply waiting to be here and then was.

Most of the party immediately recognize the creature as a phase spider. They live equally in the ethereal and prime material plane and hunt as a single, a pair and sometimes clusters of 3 to 6. They are not by nature either evil or chaotic. Their kind can manipulate the raw smoky ether like a spider manipulates its web.

The spider seems to struggle with the common language and begins each sentence in a clicking husky set of sounds before switching to the common tongue, almost as if she is translating her own words. In her broken common she seems to be requesting that the party assist in the killing of something of someone.

Vissanica is intently listening to the strange clicking sounds coming from the Phase Spider as Akiros asks for more information about the assistance that the elegant beast needs. The she-spider seems to struggle to explain the nature of the threat and appears to be frustrated with the Rasdovian lack of understanding.

“The name is …zzzzz/cliiickk/iiiilllll….” More clicking and scrapping sounds along with intricate tamping of her legs on the ground.

Vissanica looks to the others and says, Xill. On any other being the facial expression may have been fear or trepidation, but on the elven noble you almost see respect and then nothing. Zorthalius inhales sharply remembering descriptions of the Xill from Hellknight texts he has been commissioning for inclusion at the University. He explains, “ Xills are the scourge of the Ethereal Plane, conquering everything in their paths with only one purpose, they seek to perpetuate their race at the expense of everything. All Xills are female and capable of fertilizing their own eggs, but require living hosts to incubate these eggs, which they inject into paralyzed victims by means of a grotesque ovipositor normally kept retracted behind their mandibles.” Z shudders in disgust.

The great she-spider nods her delicate head and with almost perfect pronunciation says, “…home…” and points to a narrow and steep path up the gorge.

There is little need for discussion among the band from New Westcrown. Beyond the obvious value of this place of power is the potential for an ally beyond the Material Plane. Also, both Z and Vissanica seem eager to test their medal against these extra-planer interlopers. With some additional (and arduous) exchanges between the Phase Spider and Akiros it becomes apparent that the Xill are above the stone circle along the narrow pathway. Resolute in their latest mission to civilize the Stolen Lands, the party follows their arachnid ally into the mountains.

Suddenly, (but not surprisingly) Vissanica makes a loud clicking and shucking sound followed by a slapping and then more clicking. The Phase Spider stops abruptly and stairs at the elven woman with shock and then relief. Both pause in their assent up the mountain pass and engage in a near performance of dancing, clicking, slapping and stomping. As the performance seems to slow, Vissanica turns to the rest of the humans and says, “Her name is Czamos.”

Gents, here is what I recommend for Rasdovian Holidays. They are a mix of Chelaxian, Abadarian, Arodenian, and some that I thought just made sense and were cool. (I know it is 13, so we can cut one if folks think it is too many.)

Rasdovian Holidays

1st of Abadius: Foundation Day
A civil holiday celebrating the foundation of the first city by the god Aroden. Milanites observe a minute of silence in honor of Aroden saluting Milani.

19th of Calistril: Loyalty Day
This national holiday commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Egorian which ended Cheliax's civil war and installed the diabolic House Thrune on the throne.

1st of Pharast: The Day of Coin
This holiday is unique to Rasdovia and commemorates the founding of the Kingdom’s first mint and the introduction of the coin of the realm. The ruling council (The Infernal Eleven) and other local nobility spend the day distributing coins to the masses, focusing particularly on those parts of the kingdom most loyal to the Crown.

15th of Gozran: Taxfest
Priests of Abadar accompany tax collectors on this holiday. After completing their duties, the church sponsors large (and free) public celebrations to help mend relations with common folk. Brigh's faithful help to confirm that the tax calculations are correct.

Last Sunday of Desnus: Breaching Festival
Yearly festival in which contestants try to break through the magical wards protecting the Academae in Kenabres . (In Rasdovia, it is the University) This odd holiday celebrated in in Korvosa has gained popularity in Rasdovia in recent years. There seems to be a growing kinship between the fledgling kingdom’s ties to Cheliax and other nations who share a similar lineage.

Sarenith, Summer Solstice: Days of Wrath, or Dies Irae
Contests and blood sports are held to honor and elevate those who are superior.

3rd of Ersatus: Archer's Day or Archerfeast
Holy day celebrated with archery contests, bartering for livestock, and the courting of women

6th day of Arodus: First Crusader Day
Holiday in celebration of the continuing crusade against the demons of the Worldwound.

Rova, Early Autumn: Market Door
Held on a different day every year in early autumn, during the Market's Door festival, Abadaran priests bless the markets where the first of the fall harvest is being sold.

Second Oathday in Rova: Signing Day
Festival marking the day these nations gained their independence from Taldor.

Rova, Autumnal Equinox: Days of Wrath, or Dies Irae
Contests and blood sports are held to honor and elevate those who are superior.

14th of Neth: Even Tongue Day
Day that celebrates when Andoran, Galt, and Isger were put under Chelish control.[8] Milanites celebrate the freedom from Taldor.[

Kuthona, Winter Solstice: : Days of Wrath, or Dies Irae
Contests and blood sports are held to honor and elevate those who are superior.

The Month of Calistril (February)

The Infernal Eleven enter the Third Vault with an air of excitement and satisfaction having returned from a very successful exploration. Many of the faces still dark from the time traveling on the river in the early spring sun. A significantly pregnant monarch strides into the room and moves to take her seat at the head of the eleven-sided table. The other council members quickly move to take their seats and the Calistril Meeting of the Infernal’s of Rasdovia is brought to order.

(Unrest 0) The Warden stands and reports that the kingdom is free of unrest and rather abruptly sits. A pregnant pause lingers as everyone quickly moves on to review the Royal Edicts being proposed.

The Royal Cartographer walks forward trailed by no less than a dozen aids all loudly whispering to the overly dressed gnome. Ignoring the buzz of words behind him, Gnarthropple, strides to the great map along the wall with a long-pointed stick in his hand. He pauses dramatically before the map and with a flourish, he points to the center of the Narlmarches and proclaims his recommendation to claim the plainlands. A confused set of looks cross the faces of the Infernals and glances among the group confirm that no one seems to know what the bedecked gnome is talking about.

Not getting the reaction he expected, Gnarthropple looks to the map and realizes his mistake. Snapping at one of the dozen aids, a ladder is quickly produced, the Royal Cartographer climbs the ladder with significantly less fanfare and points to a section directly to the northwest of the Narlmarches and once again proclaims his recommendation to claim the plainlands! He quickly also recommends the claiming of two densely wooded areas within the Narlmarches. Each pointed to with the “fancy” pointer as they are described. A discussion among the Infernals around the benefits and risks of expanding the Kingdom is brief and it is obvious there is little objection.

The formal documents had already been prepared by Gnarthropple’s aids and are presented for seal and signature. As Anastasia affixes her royal seal, she indicates that the meeting should continue. (Claimed Hexes 0-2, 1-4, 3-9) (-3 BP)

The next agenda item is improving the infrastructure of the Kingdom. Everyone agrees that the newly claimed plains should be farmed and a road to increase trade be built. Considering the distance from any settlement is considerable for this new farm, a particularly loyal citizen should be granted this homestead. The Royal Councilor is given the task of finding a suitable candidate with the Spymistress’s approval, of course.

The completion of the new Fortress along the pass to Varholdt laid bare the Kingdom’s dependence on “foreign stone.” Almost all of the raw materials that the dwarven stoneworkers used came from Truestone Quarry in Kenabres . Although, Rasdovia is happy to patronize those who so directly support the battle at the Worldwound, it is time to find a source of solid Rasdovian stone. A few surveyors’ reports have been reviewed by the Masters among the dwarven stoneworkers, and a very promising site for a quarry is located along the route to Varnholdt. Additional funds are allocated to retain a dwarven Stonemaster and a few Journeyman stoneworkers to help establish a quarry. A number of mostly promising Rasdovian citizens who worked on the fortress alongside the dwarves are conscripted to help with the establishment. A clerk is dispatched to take care of the proper forms and communications and with that, Rasdovia is now in the stone business. (Quarry built in 7-4)

While looking over the surveyors’ reports, Glaucon Nessar points to an annotation from one of the dwarven masters. Apparently, the hills just to the east of where the quarry will be built a number of ore veins were spotted making it a very promising location for a mine. The Royal Treasurer points out the success of the previous 2 mines the Crown had approved and its close proximity to the new quarry and with a road already running through the area it seems the perfect investment. Most of the Infernals remain skeptical of the new Treasurer, having become accustomed to the steady Oleg in the role, but few around the table have the training or patience for what Glaucon does. No one seems to have any objection and so almost by sheer lack of interest a Third Royal Mine of Rasdovia is established. (Mine built on Hex 8-4)

Akiros stands and addresses the Council in his capacity as General. Having already sought the support of the Warden and the Magister, he puts forward a request to continue the expansion of the roads and to connect Tazlford to the growing highway system. He speaks eloquently of the benefits to the Kingdom’s security as well as the increase in trade. With three of the four martial leaders in obvious support, the matter passes and the expansions are approved. (Roads in Hexes 1-4 and 3-8; Highway in Hex 3-8) (-21 BP)

The meeting agenda shifts towards improving the settlements of Rasdovia. There is much debate about how to spend the current budget as there seem to be many competing ideas. As the Kingdom grows, so do the various priorities. When the idea of minting the coin of the realm is floated, Her Majesty gives a quick nod. "Yes, it is time we had our own coin." Debate stops short and the Queen beckons the clerks forward and instructs them to make the proper arrangements. Svetlana daintily clears her throat drawing the Crown’s attention.

“Your Majesty, may I suggest building the mint in the new District? The Castle District is already growing crowded and the work and artisanship created by a new mint will attract many new citizens to the area.”

Seeing no objection from the rest of the Eleven, the Queen makes a quick annotation to her decree and it is done.

A side conversation had begun around the need for increased trade outside of NWC, and Glaucon once again becomes more and more animated with excitement. (Her Majesty makes a mental note to discuss proper decorum with the new Treasurer. Having the gnome prance around is one, thing, but a Treasurer must be as steadfast as the coin he manages, and now that coin was truly hers.) A proposal to put a trade shop in Axius appears to have broad support. Already growing tired from the length of the meeting, Anastasia beckons a clerk over and instructs them to make it so, almost before the decision is finalized.

Her Majesty indicates that the Treasurer should now give his report, but before he can, Dox announces that the explorers from the Edict approved during the Infernal’s Meeting in Abadius has returned and are ready to report back on their findings. Having already read the reports from the explorers and the Treasurer, Anastasia asks Akiros to close the meeting after the explorer’s are finished. He nods with a mixture of respect and fondness. The room remains silent as the monarch steps quietly through the door. As it closes the meeting continues.

A rugged young male Halfling, a stooped male half-orc and an ageless female human step forward. The human lifts her chin and makes the following report:

"We followed the Gundren River into an area of rolling hills (Hex 8-7) from the west to the east. The river continued through the hills (Hex 9-7) and where it was fed from a giant lake called Silverstep. We then traveled east up into mountains (Hex 10-7) where the lake continues. Another riverhead emerges from the lake and through the mountains to the southwest. Following the mountain river, the mountains continues where the river splits from the northeast where the we came from and joins another tributary which joins the stream we were following from the east and then flows into a larger river flowing to the west. The little Sellen River is what we reckon it is called.

At this point Lorc (she indicates the half-orc to her left) thought he saw a drake or dragon flying high overhead. Could have been a gull though. We followed the river to the west and the mountains fell over into the plains (Hex 8-8). Continuing along the river the plains continue (Hex 7-8) where we crossed the border back into Rasdovia."

All three give what might be considered a bow if this were the Staglord’s fort.

With the report ended the three are quickly forgotten and then dismissed. Everyone around the table seems anxious for the meeting to end. Akiros points to Glaucon, who looks confused, but luckily realizes it is his moment and stands too quickly and almost knocks his chair backwards.

The Kingdom remains solvent and in a strong financial state! (47 BP in Taxes)

For the sake of timeline I am going to move the Kingdom building part of this night’s narrative until after the party returns from Silverstep Lake. Also, remember that Dox’s explorers return this month, so we are all out exploring at roughly the same time.

Waking from what little rest the party got after the Boogie Man and his Redcaps, the adventurers begin exploring the hills around them. The following night is uneventful and the area is fully explored as the sun sets on the next day. (Hex 7-6 Explored)

On the 7th day of the Month of Calistril, the party breaks camp and travels east into the mountains. It takes three days to travel into the mountains and while reaching the top of an eastern summit the party is greeted by the sight of a pristine lake whose shores butt up against the steep mountain cliffs to the southeast. They recognize the waters of Silverstep Lake from the map on the wall of the Infernal’s Third Vault. As impressive as the map’s rendering of the lake was, it could never capture the breathtaking beauty of the crystal blue water reflecting the surrounding mountain peaks. The lake takes up most of the southeastern portion of this area and continues far to the east, southeast, and south. Making camp, it is decided that a full exploration of the mountains will begin the next morning.

During the second day of exploration, Dox spots a scattering of animal skeletons along the top of a ridgeline. This evokes a discussion among the explorers of the stories of the Silver Dragon and the giant bird rumored to nest on Talon Peak. No one is certain where Talon Peak is located or if they are close. Needless to say, everyone seems to cast more than a furtive eye to sky looking for any threat from above that could have made the bone pile.

The third day passes with little of interest happening and the party makes camp near the eastern edge of the area where the mountains descend into a flat marshy area. Everyone agrees that tomorrow they will continue into the east and the marshes below. As the sunset turns the blue water’s of Silverstep Lake to a deep orange and then blazing red, Dox shares what he has learned of the lake.

The lake gets its name from its shape. From above it looks like a taloned claw and local myths claim it to be the footprint of a great silver dragon. The water is some of the clearest and cleanest the group has ever seen, and its shores run dense with nettles, cattails and other water flora. When Dox begins to describe the many water fey he has seen evidence of, Z moves closer in from his normal sentry position and presses for more details, of which there are little but conjecture at this point. Dox also describes the abundance of aquatic life in the lake as there seem to be very few predators for those living in the waters. (Hex 8-6 Explored)

Akiros asks Dox if silver eels are native to this region and the rest of the party remembers the request for 2 dozen silver eels be delivered to Beven Armoki, an innkeeper at Nivakla’s Crossing. Beven is planning an eel bake and wants to be able to serve the delectable silver eels. A few stomach’s grumble at the thought of such a feast after a fortnight of trail rations. Everyone agrees that a day can be spared for some fishing to see if any silver eels can be caught, and who knows, maybe tomorrow everyone can dine on fresh fish.

The 14th day of Calistril dawns with a chill in the air and a clear bright sunrise. The animals are given free reign and will benefit from a day of rest. The group has a lighthearted feel as they head to the shore and set up for a day of eel fishing. A bit of a competition brews between the more accomplished anglers, but Dox wins the day pulling in 2 plump silver eels although everyone had a good catch and both lunch and dinner are glutenous seafood feasts. The leftovers are packed away to augment the trail rations. As Dox examines the silver eels he recognizes the species as one that is partial to goodberries as bait and recommends that the party try again and see if they can catch even more.

The next morning the party breaks camp and spends the day leaving the mountains behind and moves into the strange warm marshy region that appears to take up most of Silverstep Lake’s northern shore. As the day ends Dox is even more convinced that using goodberries as bate he can catch many more silver eels. He suggests that the party take another day to fish. It does not take much to convince everyone to spend another day relaxing on the shores of the beautiful lake.

Waking before the sun has completely risen, the party works through the marshy shore to test Dox’s theory and are rewarded with 3 more eels having Z and Carissa as spotters and working the nets. Dox is certain he can do better and on the second day of fishing, hulls in 10 more eels using a combination of bait, line and net raising the parties total to 15 silver eels. As before, the fishing crew also caught a number of gamefish which the everyone feasts on and add to the travel rations. As the adventurers turn in for the night everyone is looking forward to exploring the strange marsh area and quiet discussions of what awaits the party trail off as sleep and guard duty become the focus.

The first day of exploration provides little of interest beyond the earthy smell seeping from the wet warm ground and the abundance of pestering insects that make the steamy bog their home. The second day takes the group into a 4 mile stretch of bubbling bog extending about 1 mile from the northern shore of the lake. There is a significant amount of geothermal heat rising from below the sloppy ground and making the now familiar damp earthy smell almost overwhelming. The animals sneeze and shy away from where the bubbles are most plentiful.

As the party reaches a shallow crest over a particularly muddy and bubbly part of the shoreline about 15 muddy figures rise from the ground surprising everyone. With no warning the “mudmen” draw large globs of muck from their “bodies” and hurl them as a group towards the startled explorers.

Caught completely flatfooted most of the party is splattered by the steaming sloppy missiles. As they hit with a resounding “SHWLOP” the grime spreads across the target and almost immediately hardens into an immobilizing cast of cementlike crusting. Z and Dox are both hit by 3 mudballs and Carissa and Vissanica are hit by one each. Akiros was able to dodge the incoming onslaught despite the surprise. Everyone hit immediately feels the mud hardening and their ability to move is greatly limited. (3 hit Z causing 7 points of Dex damage; 3 hit Dox for 7 points of Dex damage; 1 hits Carissa for 3 points of Dex damage; 1 hits Vissanica for 1 point of Dex damage; Akiros is missed.)

Both Vissanica and Z recognize the mudmen and their mudbomb ability and convey their knowledge to the rest of the party. The bombs temporarily hinder movement and the accuracy of the mudbombs drops greatly as the distance increases. There is also rumor of a suffocating engulfment, but there is little understanding of how this can happen, as few have lived to speak of it.

Armed with this knowledge, Akiros and Dox move away from the mudslingers to the east. Vissanica also moves to the east and casts haste on the party. With a look of disgust Carissa violently casts a fireball and turns most of the mudmen to ceramic shells caught in various poses of attack. One of the two mudmen left “standing” is struck on its fireball-hardened side by Akiros’ arrow and shatters with a silent scream. A similar shattering sound comes from Zorthalius as he lets loose a violent cry and bursts from the solid crusting that covers nearly half of his body and with a grin he urges his horse, Harpy, forward towards the remaining mudman and between the other party members providing some cover for them.

To the surprise and disgust of the entire party the final mudman launches itself at Z, seeking to envelope him in its “body.” Z reacts almost as a reflex and strikes it from the air where it splashes to the ground at the feet of Z’s mount staggered. It is easily dispatched and the mudmen are soundly defeated. The party takes time to clean off the remnants of the mudmen’s attack and after a quick meal of salted fish finish exploring the bubbling shore. Looking across the lake there is a river flowing out of the southern end of the eastern side and also a river to the west, making the lake a headland for two rivers flowing in opposite directions. Across the lake to the southeast (Hex 10-7) the mountains rise again from the lake’s shore. (Hex 9-6 Explored, also of note, Hex 9-7; The fishing is so abundant that it counts as a resource.)

Satisfied with the results of the expedition, the group decides to return to New Westcrown via the west-flowing river. Making a final camp for the night on a rise that is as dry as anyplace the party enjoys the last of the fresh fish and turns in. The next morning, the party boards Dox’s boat and pushes off and heads across the lake and into the riverhead. The current of the river is steady and the weather continues to warm as the mountains are left behind and spring begins to make its presence known across the land. The journey is uneventful, and the explorers arrive in time for the meeting of the Infernals.

A miss from the fishing/silver eels quest. The quest is for 2 dozen when I reviewed it. (You can see it in the journal section on roll20, "A New Set of Missions 1") We only caught 15. Patrick, I think we would have taken another day or 2 to catch the additional 9 fish. If we can't backdate this, we will need to go back and catch 9 more eels.

That's an awesome idea Bill!

Rasdovia actually has 12 holidays a year based on our current +3 Loyalty/-2 Consumption setting. And I do think that Coronation Day is the only holiday we've discussed. Good to round these out!

Cool, I will see about what other Holiday's can be added to the Calendar.

Here is a reference to Holiday's in Golarion: Holidays and festivals

I am working on the narrative from Monday and then I will post a suggested list of Holiday's for Rasdovia.

Wanted to throw this out there as an idea for the opening of the mint and the coin of the realm...

How about we make it a holiday. The 28th of Calistril is hereby known as The Day of Coin and is celebrated throughout the land. Here is the info on Holiday and there impacts (http://legacy.aonprd.com/ultimateCampaign/kingdomsAndWar/kingdomTurnSequen ce.html). I think we only have 1 holiday so far which is Coronation Day.

Thoughts?

(btw, Bill, AWESOME posts. You are permanently hired into the Notes job. You are not allowed to quit.).

Thanks, I do want to make sure the I don't overstep, so everyone please let me know if I take too much creative license.

Also, things are pretty slow at work, so I have the time. I am not sure I will be able to keep up the same level of detail every week.

Hey Guys,

So this kind if adds to the timeline challenges...

The explorers do not return until the month of Calistril (February) but here is the raw text I captured. I will add this to the narrative after next week when "time" catches up...

Returns of the explorers:

(The Gundren River continues into a rolling hill (8-7) from the west to the east. The river continues through the hills (9-7) and then feeds into a giant lake called Silverstep. Continuing east up into mountains (10-7) where the lake continues and separate from the lake a riverhead emerges from the mountains and flows to the southwest. Following the mountain river, the mountains continues where the river splits from the northeast where the party came from and joins another tributary which joins the stream they are following from the east and flows into a larger river flowing to the west. The little Sellen River is what the explorers believe (recorded in their notes from hex 9-8: They thought they saw a drake or dragon flying high in the sky)

Following the river to the west the mountains abruptly end into plains (8-8) continuing to follow the river the plains continue (7-8) as the group reenters the borders of Rasdovia.

The Month of Abadius (January)

(Unrest 0) Midwinter’s Night ends and the dawn of a New Year begins with Abadar’s month. The unrest wrought by the ruins of Varnhold and the insurgents of Tazlford and Axius are quickly forgotten as Taxfest is celebrated across the realm. Abadar’s clergy post the income from the previous years’ worth of taxes paid by the growing kingdom and a feast is set to reflect the results. The not so subtle message is clear to the populace, that those towns and farms that contributed more to the Crown also receive a greater bounty at the feast. Each local celebration recognizes the greatest contributor by bringing them forth to sit at the head of the feast table and are crowned king or queen for the day. They are granted a small stipend to “bequeath” as they see fit. The Ministry of Inquisition monitors this activity to ensure that nothing “unsavory” is funded.

The jovial mood flows into the Third Vault as the Infernals gather around the eleven-sided table to begin another year of despotic rule. Most of the faces around the council table are a tad rosy from drink. The Cheerful Delver’s Stout is a favorite of the feast and the new brewery in Axius is making a fine profit as was expected. (The youth have taken to referring to the dark bittersweet stout as taking a drink of “Cheer.” Although the sullener youth turn their noses up at the new drink, preferring the traditional light lager Aldori Blue Ribbon, or ABR for short.) Unfortunately, duty calls…

Her Majesty brings the meeting to order. As usual, the first item to discuss is the expansion of the realm. The Infernals agree almost unanimously that growth must be tempered given the recent unrest and the still to be solved mystery of Varnhold’s population. That said, the citizenship continues to grow and with more people come more stomachs to feed. The plains to the southwest of Olegsburg are yet to be claimed or cultivated and there is a loyal family recommended by Svetlana to establish a farm. It is also agreed that extending the roadway to the new farm would ensure its success. Svetlana agrees to give the good news to the new farmholders when she returns to Olegsburg. The Pavers Guild is all to happy for the work and promise to have the new road completed before the spring planting. (Hex 7-2 claimed and a farm and road built.)

Moving on to the rest of the realm, the Infernals begin to discuss the need to be able to move more quickly and with greater freedom across the kingdom. The threat of incursion from the Fey is never far from anyone’s mind, nor the still unsolved disaster that befell Varnhold. The extension of the very successful highway that connects the northern populous to New Westcrown has not gone unnoticed. Creating an east-west corridor would further extend the reach of Dox’s Lion Legion and the new fortress would benefit from such access. Also, the Kingdom will continue to expand to the east now that Varnhold’s writ is no more. It is decided that the Highway System will be extended to the east. (Highway added to hexes 5-4 and 6-4.)

The recent enlargement of the New Westcrown Academy into the University of Rasdovia has exhausted almost all of the construction resources within the Kingdom. The University District is becoming one of the most sought-after locations for residences and businesses alike. If the recent Taxfest celebrations on the campus are of any indication, the new University may gain a reputation as both the greatest center of education as well as the greatest center of libation. The Eleven all chuckle at the joy that youth provides and some rather less savory stories are shared.

Her Majesty delights in the growing esprit de corp of her ruling council and brings the focus of the gathering to the business at hand. The castle is growing crowded and with the new Heirs eminent arrival it will only become more so. It is time for some of the Eleven to find a home outside of the Castle walls. This is unanimously agreed to and the Royal Architect is called to begin the design of a villa in the new district of Westcrown. (Noble Villa in New Westcrown)

As the discussion of the new villa subsides, Zorthalius clears his throat. The recent festivities have shed light on the lack of light in many of the more populous areas of the capital. Petty criminals are using the shadows as a shield and it is only a matter of time before petty criminals are emboldened to become violent criminals. Z recommends that the Magic Users Guild be commissioned to light the more populous areas of the city to discourage the criminal element. The rest of the Infernals agree and it is decided that the Castle and the new Villa will be outfitted with Magical Street Lamps. (2 Magical Street Lamps added to New Westcrown.)

Dox leverages the discussion of the Realm’s security to highlight how best to utilize the newly built fortress and the diabolic army. There is little argument that the Lemure army should be moved to the new Fortress and closer to whatever threat destroyed the town of Varnhold. Dox looks to the staff hovering around the chamber and beckons one forth to call for negotiations with the Administrators of Avernus to have the army moved. As expected, the proper appropriation, allocation, and documentation are set in motion.

As the session comes to a close, Oleg stands from his seat to present the Treasurer’s report.

Looking up from his conversation with the staffer Dox waves the Treasurer down. The Marshal is concerned that we have made no significant exploration since the Infernal Elevens return to New Westcrown in early Neth. He proposes we fund an expedition of no more than 2 months to follow the river flowing into the Abadarian Sea to its headland and if necessary beyond. The rest of the Infernals see no reason to disagree and the investment of the Crowns resources are minimal, so the Edict of Exploration is approved. The Marshal of Rasdovia is granted the authority to staff and direct the exploration of the river to its conclusion. (Edict of Exploration 2BP)

Looking about the table, Oleg makes sure no other interruptions are pending. Seeing none, he stands and proclaims that the Kingdom remains solvent and in a strong financial state. (Rolled a 9 as good as before 41 BP)

Her control of the University was color added by Bill...no problem with me on walking that back.

Just reading this as I am working on the next post. Please feel free to disagree with anything that I post and I will update it. I will try not to make assumptions in the future. I am having fun with the narration and might get a bit carried away as usual. :P

The Month of Kuthona (December)

(Unrest -1) Unrest continues to grow as rumors spread of the unnamed threat that destroyed Varnhold. Citizens of Olegsburg, and Axius protest the use of Royal funds for the building of “The Highway to Nowhere!” Claiming their towns should be first to be connected to the new highway system before some desolate ruin. The Warden quickly dispatches the guard to quell the protests and the instigators quietly disappear.

The Queen enters the Third Vault with a bit less spring in her usual step. Despite her attention to fashion and decorum, the swelling of her stomach can no longer go unnoticeable. She sits with a bit less ease and calls the Kuthona meeting of The Infernals to order.

Recognizing the ongoing unrest throughout the Kingdom (Z once again wishes for his armor, he rolled a 6) the Infernals annex the abandoned town of Varnhold. The requisite documents are signed and sealed, the surveyors sent forth, and the town is immediately quarantined until the doom that afflicted the previous residence is eradicated. (Hex 10-4 is Claimed)

Before the surveyors are approved to leave for their work in Varnhold, The Infernals allocate a significant amount of funding to the modernization of the rudimentary tower built along the mountain pass between Rasdovia and Varnhold. The surveyors will be accompanied by a team of dwarven stoneworkers to expand the current tower into a fully defensible fortress. (Fortress established in hex 9-4)

The ever-growing mouths to feed across the kingdom never cease, so another well deserved (and equally loyal… and connected) family are invited to (conscripted to) establish a farm in the plainlands east of New Westcrown (Plains 6-7)

Out of the many petitions brought before the Council there are two of particular interest. One is a young brewer from Olegsburg who has been working with Oleg and Svetlana for many years providing the beers and ales that originally put Oleg's inn on the map. He saw the recipe for the “Cheerful Delvers’ Stout” while reviewing inventory with Oleg. Crafting a batch of the dark and sweet draft, the Brewer's guild proclaimed it a Masterwork and granted the Journeyman his status as Master Brewer. The newly minted Master has often spoken of opening his own brewery and seeks the funds and permission of the Crown to branch out on his own. He has a brother that settled in Axius and asks to be granted a writ to build a brewery there. (Brewery added to Axius)

The second petition also involves Axius as the need for refined grain continues to grow across the realm. The Miller’s second son from Tazlford is recently wed and seeking to establish himself. His father, Tazlford’s Master Miller, has agreed to help with the establishment of a mill in Axius. He is seeking to retire soon as his first son is soon to complete his Master Work and take over as Master Miller there. Helping his second son start a new mill in Axius would be a fine capstone to his career.
Both petitions are approved, and the requisite funds are allocated, and the documents are signed and sealed. The Infernals also make a note to recognize Tazlford’s soon to retire Master Miller for his service to the Crown. (Mill added to Axius)

As always, Oleg finishes the meeting with the Treasurer’s report. The kingdom’s finances remain robust, but somewhat short of the previous month. (Collected 40 BP) (Troy should be rolling for Unrest!)

Oh, and we did 3 months. You can see the updates on the Kingdom tracker. I'm guessing Bill is still working on his write up for the other two.

Yes, this...

We had a bit of a timeline snafu at the beginning where we were assuming that the kingdom building turns were beginning with the Infernal Eleven back in New Westcrown. The months of Neth and Kuthona should have taken place as the adventurers were exploring Varnhold and returning to Rasdovia. Instead of rolling back the narrative, we took a -5BP penalty.

The Month of Neth (November)

(Unrest -1) As word travels through the Kingdom of Varnhold's demise and the impending birth of the heir to the throne, uncertainty grips the populace. Rumors of disappearing citizens coupled with the Queen, the Marshal, the Magister, and the Warden gone for nearly 2 months give rise to an increase in unrest across the realm.

Gathering around the eleven-sided table in the council’s room, reverently named The Third Vault, the Infernal Eleven (more recently being referred to as “The Infernals”) take their respective seats. Across the southern wall is a detailed replica of the map created by the newly appointed Royal Cartographer, Gnarthropple. Her Royal Majesty brings the long overdue meeting of The Infernals to order. Immediately, all eyes fall to the Warden and the obvious unrest sweeping across the land. (Yes, Bill rolled a “1”.) Z tries to sink into his chair and wishes he would have worn his armor to this meeting, no matter how uncomfortable it is when sitting in these chairs.

The first order of business is the expansion of the Kingdom’s lands. There is little debate around the need to immediately claim the lands just recently explored linking Rasdovia with the abandoned town of Varnhold. The necessary legal documents are created, the royal surveyors are sent out to properly record and catalogue the allotment and thus does the great Kingdom of Rasdovia expand once again. (Hexes 7-4 (hills), 8-4 (hills), 9-4 (mountains).) The Royal Councilor notes that food has not be in short supply, but there have been some unexpected rises in prices. Therefore, a new farm is zoned and a well deserving (and loyal) family is given the honor of making their labor an offering to the Kingdom.

Next on the Infernal’s agenda is the allocation of royal funds to improve the Kingdom’s infrastructure. With as little discussion as the decision to claim the territory leading to Varnhold, it is decided that upon the completion of the survey and annexation, roads will be built connecting Rasdovia to the ruins of Varnhold. The proper funding documents are drawn up and the procurement of services from the Paver’s Guild is approved. Completion is expected within the month.

Turning their attention from extending the Kingdom’s borders and improving its infrastructure, The Infernals begin to debate how best to allocate resources to improve the now well-established loci of civilization. After some healthy discussion (and some not so subtle threats) it is decided that the request from the Headmaster of the New Westcrown Academy to expand the gem of Rasdovian intellectual culture into a full-fledged University be granted!

Construction is to begin immediately with a note to the architect to "actively listen and just as actively ignore” the recommendations from the Royal Cartographer. As news of the decision spreads, a missive from House Lurund (spelling?) arrives, promising a professor in residence to help establish the new university. Vissanica’s usual impatient acceptance of having to attend the Infernal’s meetings shifts as she actively observes the proceedings and as the final approvals are recorded, she states that the establishment of the University will be personally overseen be her. Uncomfortable glances from the rest of the Infernals go unacknowledged as an addendum to the University Charter gives “the Minister of Inquisition unquestioned oversight of all matters pertaining to the University of Rasdovia.”

Finally, Oleg steps forward to give the Royal Treasurer’s report. Despite the unrest, it was a prosperous month for Rasdovia and the coffers are full. (Collected 43 BP)

20 Jan 2020

The party’s deliberations continue until they finally come to the conclusion that a rescue mission is very unlikely and the Thrown has been left to the Consort’s devices for too long. The group decides to head back through Varnholt and head directly west to forge a new route between New Westcrown and Varnholt.

Passing through the still empty township, crossing the river and leaving the outskirts, the group heads due west into the mountains. As the altitude increases the temperature decreases and everyone is reminded of the lateness in the year and that winter is coming.

Before beginning to explore this mountain region to the west of Varnholt, Anastasia uses her sending magic to communicate with her beloved. Over the distance she projects words from her heart directly to Akiros’.

Sending:
“Returning to New Westcrown, in Mountain west of Varnhold, 48 miles north and 60 miles east of you. Continue exploring territory east of our capitol.”

Akiros’ response sending states:
“My Queen, we left words at Nivatkas Crossing. Was worried. The gnome is anxious to show you something. All is well, but you are missed.”

As the party explores the mountainous region they find a river which they suspect flows into the hills to the northwest. There is a pass through this area which makes travel easier than expected moving east to west but with a northern bend at many times.

The pass at its lowest elevation of 200 feet is sided by high cliffs to the north and south. As we continue around a bend turning in a northerly direction there is a watchtower 100 feet up on the southwesternly facing cliff.

The party approaches the cliff bottom below the tower. Vissanica elects to fly up to reconnoiter the watchtower. She takes the time to magically bolster herself and her sister adds her divine blessings.

Vissinica flies almost straight up to the tower and spots what looks like a lift for bringing garrisoned soldiers up and down. She detects no movement or sound from inside. She enters and finds supplies for as many as 6 people including foodstuffs, coldweather blankets and 2 climber’s kits. She also spots a catapult and boulders set to provide devastating artillery attacks on any who would be moving through the pass below. In a well-sealed chest, she finds a flag showing the sigil of Varnholt close to a pully leading up to a flagpole above the tower. This tower is obviously part of Varnholt’s failed defenses.

The party decides to make this tower its campsite for the 3 days it takes to explore the mountainous region.

Continuing the trek back to New Westcrown, the steep descent out of the mountains gives way to steep hills and then into rolling hills. The party takes 2 days to explore the area. While camped after the final night of exploration a mild commotion seems to erupt that morning between Anastasia and Vissanica that seems a bit more intense than their usual sisterly squabbles.

Onward to the west, the hills extend for as far as the eye can see and so does the exploration. After the second day of exploring this second hill region, Anastasia wakes feeling very ill and consults Dox who nervously declares her the victim of a “Noblewomen’s err… delicate stomach and it should clear up in a few days with a diet of bread and water.”

Leaving the hills, they reenter the boarders of their growing kingdom. While on the road, Anastasia’s delicate stomach becomes even more delicate. During a brief stop for rest and food (bread and water for Anastasia) Dox reexamines her and with profound shock declares to her that, “An Heir to the Kingdom is on its way!

Anastasia gathers the rest of the group around and quietly tells the rest of the party her news. She swears everyone to secrecy until she can tell Akiros in person. Asland meets the party in the outskirts of New Westcrown and escorts the returning members of the Infernal Eleven to their Capital. News travels quickly and the townsfolks gather and cheer as they welcome home their Sovereign and her band of adventurers.

The party disperses after a slow journey through the streets heading to their homes, lodgings and loved ones. Anastasia takes the time to tell Akiros of their coming child and his future ruler. Z takes the still unopened lockbox from Varnholt to Guidlstreet and into a small nondescript building where he pays a well dressed halfling to open it. He brings the now unlocked box to the palace to be divided amongst the group.

The next day, all the palace is abuzz with the gossip that Gnarthropple will not be interrupted by anyone but the Queen herself. He claims to have created the greatest cartographic artifact of all time. He apparently used a set of maps, an odd devise of many lenses and “keystones” from around the territory to create the greatest map of the stolen lands ever seen. Anastasia invites him to present his findings to the Crown and receives him in the formal throne room ready to provide a gentle rebuke for refusing her Consort.

The gnome arrives with many, many assistants in tow, carrying a covered easel (rather precariously) holding a giant wooden panel covered by a very ostentatious draping. He begins to expound on his great exploration and the inputs that he has gathered through key sights from a recent expedition. He claims to have created a highly detailed map of the region. Based on this achievement he believes he should be immediately anointed as the Royal Cartographer and granted the boon of tenure at the Royal Academy.

With a flourish he pulls aside the eyesore of a draping revealing a very detailed and significant display. An amazingly detailed map of the region is rendered before the ruling counsel. Everyone seems to forget themselves as they approach the results of the gnome’s work each in turn pointing to a different details and exclaiming over insights made based on the map’s representations.

Anastasia grants Gnarthropple his boon and bequeaths to him the title of Royal Cartographer. The onlookers at court are soon quietly ushered out of the throne room as the Infernal Eleven begin discussing future plans for their soon to be empire seeing many opportunities as the land is displayed in detail before them.

A two-story inn stands just off the village commons. A sign above the door depicts a rider clinging to the back of a madly galloping horse with a green mane and a fish’s tail extending from its hindquarters. The inn’s walls are painted a cheerful shade of yellow to complement the red shutters.

Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Waterhorse is its sole, doomed occupant—a giant-sized spriggan that stands, silent and perfectly still, facing a paper-strewn table in the corner of the common room, one hand clutching a book. The back of the spriggan’s skull is a shattered mess of blood and bone, though his face betrays no notice of this mortal wound. A shimmering nimbus of amber surrounds the spriggan’s unmoving form.

The party decides that the trap the spriggan sprung will most likely not be a threat any longer, exploring the common room the party discovers a series of books including:

Casmaron, The Untold Heritage of the Taldan
Armies of Exploration, and the aforementioned Secrets of the Rashalka Mounds

There were also a number of charcoal sketches that included a sketch of a heavy jade bracelet and included sketches of a Centaur life. At the bottom of the stack of sketches is a Letter from Vagar to Erviril Penrod that discusses the finding of a bracelet on the banks of the river and requested assistance in identification and study.

The party then explores the rest of the inn carefully. Most of the rooms are tidy as if waiting for a guest to arrive. One room is obviously occupied with personal effects and a chest. Dox leads the exploration of the occupied room with help from the less clumsy members of the party. Dox quickly surmizes this is the room of Erviril Penrod. Of interest is an ancient tomb “a centuries-old geography book created by one Carmyn e’Brothasa, chronicler of Taldor’s Third Army of Exploration into the north.”
Penrod transcribed a section from the book onto a piece of parchment:

“and so it was, high upon the Torres and well above the Vale’s Stairs, where rises from the high water a strong isle of dire report. Known as Vordakai’s Island to those that do live thereabout, some legend of its name doth come down through the locals. For they speak of a guardian that doth destroy all who would set foot upon its accused shores. They did name no fewer than a twelvecount of their hero-knights who had left their bones upon its rocky shores over the years after having tested their mettle against its dread warden, ‘til none would any longer go there for fear of its hidden terrors. And the name of this terror was given into this island.

When searching the book for the passage the party discovers the below annotation next to the transcribed text:
“Vordakai—perhaps a Nomen centaur god?”

All of the books bear the professor’s own sigil as well as that of the Kitharodian Academy on the inside cover. The party also discovers a masterwork viola with the sigil of Master Craftsman Azores of Wispil. The party feels that they have heard the name “Iobaria” but cannot remember where…

The party leaves the inn and surveys the town reviewing if there were any buildings left unexplored. The erstwhile adventurers identify a few buildings still in need of exploration.
Moving towards the church to the north, the party enters cautiously…

A small church stands here, its whitewashed walls and stainedglass windows gleaming in the sun. The bow symbol of Erastil shines like a beacon above the doors. Behind it on one side sits a neatly kept parsonage, and on the other a low hill holds the beginnings of a small cemetery.

Entering the church it seems mostly undisturbed (dedicated to Erastil), but a bit too empty to be a place of active worship. There is nothing to indicate that the church was desecrated. As the party focuses its search it discovers a small hidden stone drawer in which the party finds a set of divine scrolls. Unable to read the magical script, the Anastasia turns towards her knowledge of spellcraft and discovers that the scrolls are magical.

The party moves through the back of the church and onto the cemetery. One freshly laid grave is marked as a Felicia the Potter. The party remembers that it was in a potter’s house that we found the wedding gift to Nicholi’s daughter.

The remaining houses on the side of the town shared by the church provide no new information or treasure.

The team looks with some trepidation at the north side of the river as the team reflects on its southern crossing and Dox’s near drowning. Sticking to the ford, the party crosses with no more commotion than wet clothing.

The party approaches the larger square structure, a two-story building partially overhangs the river bank. A wagon sits at the loading dock with a pair of barrels on its bed and another waiting atop the loading dock itself. A sign above the front entrance shows a barrel and a smiling dwarf.

The brewery is known for its “Cheerful Delver Stout,” an earthy dark beer known as a favorite among the locals. During the search the party finds a lockbox under a loose floorboard. No one has the ability to open, so the party stashes it for later when there can open it correctly.

The party finishes its exploration of the rest of the northern part of village and determines there is little else of interest or value in determining what happened to Varnholt.

As the party looks to the future it devolves into a discussion of legal doctrine, the power of the Swordlords’ Writ, and the potential for kingdom expansion. With the stench of the dead livestock wafting through the air, Dox finds a mostly intact table and breaks out the map he has been updating as the party progresses. The discussion immediately turns to the tactical assumption of land, resources and property.

Zorthalus looks at the map and across the table as the discussion becomes more intense and heated. Realizing little of marshal value will be discussed he moves to a place of defense, cradling his glaive and assuming a comfortable parade rest. Vissanica’s interest seems to wane as the discussion becomes more and more political. She moves to the supporting position of defense and assumes a position of quiet contained violence.

The conversation continues and becomes more and more inane from the more marshal members of the party. Vissanica looks as if she is ready to destroy everyone but her sister. Her attention is briefly drawn to the near undetectable sound of the Hellknight’s armor adjusting as he sighs and appears to settle in for a long watch.

So tied 1-1 so far on Svetlana. What say the rest of you?

Z really doesn't care. It is all politics from his perspective. As long as no laws are broken.

Bill also doesn't really care, but I could see from an RP perspective how Svetlana would come to Anastasia sheepishly to announce that she is pregnant and would like to raise her child in Olegsburg.

Two bedraggled citizens arrive and beg for the Infernal Eleven’s audience. We are informed that the town of Axium has been attacked by a large creature that has caused significant damage to the town.

The Infernal Eleven quickly dispatch a team to investigate and deal with the situation. Before leaving Anastasia makes sure to make arrangements to provide the delegation from Cheliax with all expected deference upon their arrival.

We depart almost immediately and arrive to find Axium in flames and the citizenship scattered. By questioning the cities inhabitants, we discover that the attack came from an Owl Bear. The trail of the giant creature could be followed by a novice ranger. Dox and Cringer have no difficulty leading all of us to its lair.
We find ourselves standing before a dark, gaping hole that yawns in the side of a large, rocky hillock. The earth in front of the cave has been trampled flat, and shattered trees and stumps bear the marks of powerful claws. Tufts of dark fur are snagged in branches, and huge feathers litter the ground. We are certain this is the lair of the beast. The always vigilant Vissannica searches the caves opening for any threats, as she approaches the mouth of the cavern the smell of carrion and death nearly overwhelm the ancient elf.

Vissannica floats forward leading us into the mouth of the cave which widens into a large cavern filthy with carrion and offal. A bewildering variety of molds and fungi grow on the floor and walls, some as big as a person, and countless insects scuttle about underfoot, feeding on the mounds of waste. A large tunnel slopes down to the south, with a similar opening to the north.

Dox quietly calls out to the party pointing to two types of fungi in the cavern ahead. The shriekers are known to most of us and we all inherently understand that getting too close will cause them to start their earsplitting call and alert the owl bear to our presence. There are also some tentacled dark purple fungi that Dox quietly explains cause a horrific rotting effect anywhere the tentacles touch flesh.

We step back as a group and decide the best action is to fireball the chamber hoping to provoke the giant owl bear to charge. Yes, I know… we are hoping for a giant owlbear charge. My all of the Gods of Order bless us. After we set Vissannica as bait and ready ourselves outside the cave entrance, Carissa unleashes a fireball into the chamber.

The violet tentacled fungi are burned be the fireball yet survive. Many of the shriekers are burnt, but we hear the sound of others deeper in the cavern take up their piercing wail. The violet fungi move towards us and Carissa unleashes a second fireball and the violet fungi are destroyed. The plan actually works and we see the creature emerge from the back of the cave. Upon further analysis it appears that we have awoken giant spiders and green slimy things, not an owl bear. Once again, the plan did not work! Anastasia bolsters the party with her discourse on civilization, insighting our love of order!

Realizing that once again, the plan has gone completely wrong, everyone drops into there fighting stances. Z steps forward into the cave entrance and readies his weapon to attack any enemy in range. Vissannica casts a grease spell in front of Z. Carissa rinses and repeats on the fireball and scorches the spiders, but the shambling mound seems only mildly effected.

The giant spiders scuttle up the walls and attempt to charge past Vissanica and I. The first spider catches me completely by surprise as it passes, but I am able to almost skewer the first one and completely cleave the second one in half. We now find ourselves surrounded by 3 giant spiders, a shambling mound, and the Owl Bear crashes into the chamber behind the mound which vomits a pile of burnt centipedes.

Carissa unleashes a fourth fireball and the spiders on the ceiling of the chamber were scorched and the shambling mound shrugged off the fire as before. The Owl Bear seemed to be almost expecting the attack and took minimal damage.

Cringer finishes off the one spider that made it past Z and Vissannica’s line of attack. Noticing the mound’s resistance to fire, Dox inflicts the mound and Owl Bear with frostfall injuring them both. Z slashes at one of the spiders on the ceiling and it drops to the ground dead.

Vissannica reaches into her haversack withdrawing a scroll of grease and slathers herself with magical greasy icor. Anastasia sees this. Only her incredible level of decorum keeps her from interrupting the effect of her bardish soliloquy.

The mound attempts to shamble past V and Z and slips on Vissannica’s grease spell. The Owl Bear begins to burrow beneath the grease trap. The final spider attempts to move past the group and is skewered by Z’s glaive. We all brace for the reemergence of the Owl Bear expecting an attack anywhere.

<end scene>

Continuing from the previous session our intrepid party finds themselves beset with rock-throwing trolls and their two-headed Troll King… Zorthalus steps forward and swings his glaive at the troll standing closest to the party to the south of the room. He connects with a satisfying slice.

Carissa strides forward and unleashes a burning-hands on the same troll crisping it and ensuring no regeneration.
Cringer also advances, attacking the same troll and it collapses to the ground, poor sod.

Dox’s flaming sphere continues to hairy the only troll (besides the Troll King) left standing.

Vissannica unleashes her hex on the lone standing fire-sphered troll and he collapses asleep. She then streaks through the air above the flaming sphere continuing to crisp the (assumed) corpse of Cringer’s latest victim.

The two headed Troll King grabs something from his neck and hurls it onto the corpse of the Cringer’s victim erupting into a fireball, scorching all within range.

The hexed troll, sleeping from Vissannica’s execration, is awakened by the Troll King’s fireball. (Ouch!) Enraged by the hex and the pain of the (friendly)fire it strikes out. It is surprisingly able to grasp the flying Vissannica and despite its scorched skin and hexed mind, grapples her.

Z begins to step forward and swing at the troll but pauses looking to Carissa to dispel the greasy mess. Carissa obliges. With a satisfied smile, Zorthalus swings his glaive and strikes hard and true.

Not to be outdone, Cringer launches into the fray for a charge, but he stumbles on the body of a dead troll landing in a jumbled heap.
Vissannica remains grappled and yet seems almost nonplussed. She elegantly twists, swings, and strikes with her nefarious sword, cutting deeply into the troll bringing it even closer to death. Almost as expected, the attack from Vissannica allows her to escape from the troll’s grasp. Surprisingly, she misjudges the troll’s reach and takes a deep strike from its claws.

Carissa steps forward and delivers a brutal flame strike to the last standing troll once again ensuring no regeneration. Immediately following Carissa’s emulsion, Z hacks through the first troll dropping it to the ground and finishes by striking his glaive through the adjacent prone troll dealing even more damage and ensuring it will never stand again.

Focused on destruction, Vissannica barely notices the healing power delivered to her by her sister. All emphasis shifts to the Troll King. Cringer bounds towards him delivering a ferocious bite.

Understanding a troll’s natural ability to regenerate, Dox brings the flaming sphere to further crisp the troll that had the audacity to touch and trollhandle Vissannica. With his usual grasp of tactics, Dox summons a young cheetah to harry the Troll King from behind.

Vissannica flies to attack the Troll King, imbuing her sword with the power of frost, she exacts a graceful attack of opportunity on him, while dodging through his defenses she delivers a strike of flame and frost!

Enraged by the death of his minions and Vissannica’s supple attack the Troll King readies his massive morning-star against Vissannica. Distracted by her blurring magic, the Troll King misses, further frustrating him.

Carissa begins her incantation focused on the Troll King’s weapon. The look on the King’s face as his morning star slips from his clawed fist is priceless. With a quick grin and wink from the sorceress, Z steps over the corpse of both prone trolls and slices into the Troll King.

With victory seeming obvious, Anastasia’s voice quiets as she shifts from songful prayers of conquest and blessing to prayers of thanks and acknowledgement.

Cringer attacks the Troll King, biting, clawing, and rending the King from shoulder to groin. The young cheetah summoned from the ether mimics Cringer’s attack but doing much less damage.

Troll King dies!

Vissannica hovers over the unconscious remaining trolls and delivers a lightning laced coup de gras to each of them.

Anastasia calls upon Abadar to heal everyone still wounded. The troll corpses burn, while a full search is done.

Z has never felt such focus of purpose before. He Smites the great two-headed chaotic abomination. The golden pool of energy that has been silently thrumming inside of him since before is now flowing through him.

He sees the golden tendrils of order that make up his compatriots’ auras become so focused that his mind begins to throb. The dark tendrils of the trolls’ aura bring about a fixation to destroy like Zorthalius has never felt before.

This abomination should have never existed and must be removed from the world. Nothing can stop him, save death, from destroying this abhorrence of chaos. Licking his teeth and tasting his heart’s blood again he swings his glaive. He must give this beautiful weapon a name soon.

The rider baring the Scythe and Shield of Axium’s Reapers trots back into the woods. Even this far from New Westcrown the demands of the Warden’s office find him. Before breaking Subvervarden Mog’s Son’s attempt at a proper ceil on the hasty message, Z makes a mental note to send scribes to properly train his commanders on handling official communications.

The message is disturbing, if brief…

Z Varden,

Son of Mog

Well, at least he did not think detecting magic and finding runes in the new Garrison was a good thing. Someone is attempting something magical within the newly upgraded barracks of the fledgling kingdom. It could be a rival territory, the fey, or any other potential advisory… potentially someone moving within the kingdom.

Z folds the missive and turns to the rest of the camp. His eyes fall on his compatriots seeing the golden tendrils swirling around each of them showing their allegiance to order and the law or smoky tendrils showing their addiction to chaos. He finds comfort in the deep adherence to the law his fellow leaders embody. Looking to Vissannica her ancientness in comparison to the rest makes her aura seem somehow deeper, accepting where her strange sword touches it. Something indescribable happens where they connect.

Z walks across the campsite and silently hands the parchment to the Spymistress. Without his newly acquired sight, Z would never have detected what he thinks was surprise in the elf women’s aura. Interesting.

Z approaches the scene as his Subwarden spots him and stands at attention. Discipline continues to improve particularly after… well after. These days there is only before and after.

The scene has taken on a familiar feeling. Nothing is specifically the same as the others, but the results are just entirely too tidy to be an actual crime scene.

A newly acknowledged landed “Lady” is found dead in a very compromising position. This one is a former trapper, turned merchant, turned guild-leader. There is enough cream, honey, and mistletoe to start a fey midsummer festival. Rumors of her clinging to her old faith had been mostly well known, but this will leave no doubt. Had she lived, a trial would have been perfunctory at best.

Whatever creature was sharing her pleasures is beyond identification. No doubt any request for funds to bring in a necromancer to identify her coconspirator will be met with questions about funding and budgets and growing the kingdom. Not that Z would request it. He had already targeted this new “House” as a haven of heathen Fey Worship. The investigations into their holdings had just begun. This most timely death speeds along what could have been a lengthy (and costly) investigation.

Subwarden Remus has been explaining the details of the scene to him, and the implications, so the rest of The Infernals would hear the conclusions. Looking into his Subwarden’s eyes, Zorthalius sees the understanding and maybe fear? Another power is moving pieces around the board in New Westcrown. Even more interesting (or frightening) is that someone is removing pieces from the board.

The Infernals have taken to calling New Westcrown's Subwarden, Dark Marx. The popular reason is for his features, but the real reason is his approach to dealing with any lack of discipline. The Kingdom continues to grow so quickly. Maintaining order seems beyond achievement and yet officers like this one make it possible. It may be time to build another layer into command. Also, the local dialect keeps bastardizing the titles. How hard is it to say “Subwarden?” The pronunciation of “Subvervarden” seems an honorific from the commonfolk and yet sounds barbaric to the cultured ear.

Z nods to Dark Marx and accepts his report. He turns and marches with precision from the scene hearing whispers of “Boneys” spoken with equal parts awe and fear. Good, let them feel both. Subvervarden Remus will handle the rest.

The Ruling Council (lately being referred to by the wealthier of the local merchants as the “Infernal Eleven”) agrees to expend funds on building out the Barracks in Axius into a full-fledged Garrison at the urging of the Warden, General, and Spy Mistress. Her Majesty, the High Priest and the Grand Diplomat made their recommendation for a green space in New Westcrown that can be both a place of reflection near the Temple and Library and as a ground for Marshal and Civil Ceremonies and Celebrations.

Reports continue to increase around the Troll Uprising and causing unrest across the realm. The population is beginning to question their loyalty to the new leadership. Despite Her Majesty's public announcement of a new Tower to defend the realm, the populace seemed unsatisfied that the threat of the trolls remains.

The party departs along the northern route utilizing the newly built roads with the objective of ridding the kingdom of the troll threat. Upon leaving the developed section of the Kingdom, they pass through an unexplored forest towards what they believe to be the troll’s hideout.

As our intrepid adventurers emerge from the forest they see a narrow path winding its way up a hill, a steep cliff face on one side and a sheer drop-off on the other. At the top, the path follows a wide ledge, where the corner of a weathered stone building juts from the side of the hill. The group approaches the door at the end of the path and calls upon divine, arcane, and natural aid before entering the tower.

Vissannica uses her hex ability to peak within the tower for a quick glimpse at some dark “sniffing” figures. In a show of solidarity, the dauntless party argues over the best way to enter the tower with suggestions like smoking them out and cooking bacon to attract them. While deep in this intellectual discussion, the door opens to the sound of a guttural argument and then laughter… The battle ensues.

Clarissa unloads a fireball on the first two trolls they see. The trolls attack Vissannica as she stands in the doorway with tooth and claw. The trolls are completely confused by Vissannica’s magic and violently destroy her 3 mirror images. Frustrated by the reception, Vissannica steps to the south of the door and readies her sword to destroy anything that sticks its stinking snout out of the door.

Following Vissannica’s lead, Z steps to the east and similarly prepares to attack anything coming out of the door. Anastasia strikes up a hearty battle hymn and inspires the party to action.

Clarissa delivers a second fireball into the tower and retreats to a safer distance, careful not to fall off of the cliff. The trolls, in a show of unexpected intelligence, do not charge out of the door and instead attack both Vissannica and Z by reaching through the door. Neither Vissannica nor Zorthalius can make a strike as the claws or jaws as they move too quickly snapping and raking out their attacks.

Obviously at the end of her patience, Vissannica steps into the doorway charges her weapon and dices one of the trolls into gibbering minced meat. Z steps in behind her and is able to apply a hearty strike to the second troll.

<…scene…>

Z looks over the designs sent by Maralictor Lonvod for the hundredth time. It seems almost surreal that after all of this time and so far from Citadel Krane that they would remember. He still has the taste of heart’s blood on his tongue. When he looks in the mirror he expects to see his teeth stained red. Will it ever fade? He hopes not and licks his teeth yet again. He understands now the talk of the Aspirants when they whisper about a TrueKnights’ thirst for blood. As usual, it is nothing like you imagine and yet so much more. It is not a thirst for blood, it is a taste of blood.

The lines of the armor are beautiful and terrible, much like the Hellknights who wear it. It is interesting that the scything blades so indicative of the Order seem to have been downplayed in this design. Perhaps Master Tros’ influence is seen here knowing Zorthalius spends much of his time quashing zealots in marshes and woodlands. The base intimidation the bladed armor offers when walking through the streets of Cheliax would quell even the highest of nobles’ thoughts of heresy. Here in the Stolen Lands the armor means almost nothing to a satir-loving country bumpkin. Well that will soon change.

Unfortunately, it could as easily be Palma Marau’s influence, subtly reminding Z that he has been too long from the Citadel and steeped in the mire of fey beliefs and hedgewitchery. He does not deserve the sweeping blades of a knight raised within the Citadel. A not so gentle reminder that when he returns to the fold, all will know he was weened in the embrace of the false zealotry and heathens.

Z once again returns the designs to the secure drawer in his desk and turns to pile of paper and parchment awaiting his attention. Soon… soon.

Patrick actually made the point I was going to bring up, which is that Kingdome Building does not always fall at the end of a 2-hour Tuesday evening session. If we can “semi”decouple them from the adventure play that would make this idea much more palatable.

That said, I am very much in support of pushing the KB sessions to the forums. I particularly like the idea of making each phase a day of the week. I think that will drive more forum participation or at least forum checking. It would give time to check rules and balance options as I am often alt-tabbing between google docs and pdf files to try and figure out the potential pluses and minuses and missing some of the conversation. On a completely selfish note, if I miss my Friday morning “professional blogging” window on my work outlook calendar there will not be any hero point for me that week. So having a reason to check the forums more often will most likely drive more role playing posts from me.

I think if we are going to move in this direction we will need to identify how we will make decisions online with screen shots and google docs. It may require some “htmling.”

______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Z muses, “We are nearing the time where simple roads will give way to highways and traffic will only increase. We will need to begin building garrisons in more than name in the future if we are to continue to protect and serve our growing nation.”

With the last dispatches completed, Z looks forward to sleep. The next foray out to further the domination of this wilderness begins on the morrow. As he leaves his office he glances at the altar and commits to rising early to perform his Reckoning before their party leaves New Westcrown. He never feels as focused out in the wilds.

Much like his office, Zorthalius’ rooms in the palace are beyond ostentatious. He settles into his feather bed, already missing it as he thinks of the days to come most likely sleeping in some inn at best, in a tent at worst. Numbers of guards, food stores, and smithing counts slowly run through his head as he drifts off to sleep…

…Zorthalius!

…ATTEND!

Z startles awake on a simple cot, in a stone room. He stands already dressed in his armor, his glaive in hand. He opens the door and enters the hallway as he has done for years. The familiar smell of rich food, oiled leather, and steel permeate the air. The distant clang of warriors in training fill his ears with a warm feeling of belonging.

…ZORTHALIAS! ATTEND!

Z stands in a room he has never seen before. In front of him is a crucifix in the shape of an X. It stands empty. Behind it is a stone wall with the sigil of a burning tower. He can feel the heat from the flames of the wall as if it were burning.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z stands naked in a room he has never seen before. In front of him is a crucifix in the shape of an X. It stands empty. Behind it is a stone wall with the sigil of a burning tower. He begins to burn from the heat of the flames on the wall.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is naked in a room he has never seen before. He is strapped to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Behind him a stone wall is emblazoned with the sigil of a burning tower. He burns from the heat of the flames on the wall.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is naked in a room he has never seen before. He is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Behind him a stone wall is emblazoned with the sigil of a burning tower. His eyes shrivel and his ears crisp from the heat of the flames on the wall. Z tries to scream, but he has no voice.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is a burnt husk in a room he has never seen before. He is blind. He is deaf. He is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Behind him a stone wall is emblazoned with the sigil of a burning tower. He is burning.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is a burnt husk.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is a burnt husk. Z dies.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is dead.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

Z is dead.

Aspirant, embrace the reckoning…

Z is dead.

Aspirant, this is your true reckoning…

Z is dead.

So be it…

Z is dead.

The husk whimpers.

Aspirant, is this your true reckoning?

The husk whimpers.

Aspirant, open your eyes.

The husk has no eyes.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk’s eyes snap open. Before it floats two luminescent yellow cat eyes.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. It is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Before it is a devil. Its eyes can see nothing else. The husk tries to scream. The husk has no voice.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. It is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Before it is a devil. Its eyes can see nothing else. The devil reaches forward and touches the husk’s chest. The husk feels its heart begin to beat anew.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. It is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Before it is a devil. Its eyes can see nothing else. The devil reaches forward and rips the beating heart of the husk from its chest. The husk does not die.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. It is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. Before him is a devil. Its eyes can see nothing else. The devil devours the heart of the husk. The husk lives.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. He is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. One arm is no longer nailed to the crucifix. Before It is a devil. Its eyes can see nothing else. The devil smiles with the blood of the husk on its lips.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. It is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. One arm is free. Before it is a devil. Its eyes can see nothing else. The devil smiles. The husk stabs his hand into the belly of the devil and retrieves a heart.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. It is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. One arm is free. Before it is a devil. His eyes can see nothing else. The devil no longer smiles. The husk holds in its hand a heart.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is naked in a room. He is nailed to a crucifix in the shape of an X. One arm is free. Before him is a devil. His eyes can see nothing else. The devil no longer smiles. The husk devours his heart.

ASPIRENT! ATTEND!

The husk is born anew his heart pounding in his chest. The devil smiles again.

HELLNKNIGHT! ATTEND!

Z opens his eyes laying quietly in his featherbed. He tastes blood on his tongue.

The Hellknight smiles.