This is my first attempt at a Campaign Journal, it may change from time to time (how I go about sharing my group's game session) but I think I'll basically recount how the session went. (And I'll do my best to "place" SPOILER ALERT tags, so I don't blab and ruin a surprise in the Kingmaker AP).
Arrival at Oleg's Trading Post
An eclectic group of travelers converge upon a well made border fort that has been converted into a trading post. A gnome with a brilliant mop of blue hair (and wearing a slightly faded court jester's outfit), a young man of genteel upbringing with dark hair and eyes in nicely tailored clothing, a tall and slim (but grim-seeming) man, clean-shaven with gray hair, dark leather armor and long coat with a wide-brimmed hat, a blond-haired halfling followed by a trio of dire rats, and a second young man (although looking older than the man of genteel upbringing), this one looks like he's no stranger to hard work, dressed in simple home-spun clothes and wearing hide armor, and carrying a scythe, he's accompanied by a man-sized tiger.
The gnome speaks first, introducing himself as Crosser and spins a wild tale of escaping slavery from the efreet in the City of Brass, and a vision from Aroden that Crosser shall rule in the "Stolen Lands", after much exploration and good works, for it is Crosser's Destiny. He looks his traveling companions up and down and asks them to introduce themselves. He points at the youngest human, "You, tell Crosser about yourself." The young man seems unaccustomed to being spoken to so directly and takes a moment to compose himself before speaking, "I am Tichias, and I've come from Brevoy to make good on this Charter of Exploration from the Dragonscale Throne. I'm a practitioner of the arcane arts, and have particular skill with summoning spells. I can also summon a unique ally to fight for me. 'Yes, yes... that is fine, Crosser has heard enough. You, what about you?' Crosser now points to the grim gray-haired man dressed in dark leathers. "I'm Alistair, and I'm good in a fight, that's enough for now." Crosser nods, seeming to appreciate the brevity of the man's introduction. The halfling says, "I'm Kaleb and I'm an alchemist. Don't mind the rats, they're domesticated and quite harmless. I've trained one to carry my things, see?" And he indicates the small saddle-bags harness that one of the rats is wearing. The man with the scythe and the tiger says, "I'm Drelith and this is my companion Momo. I raised him from a cub. I left behind my farm for the chance to tame this wild land and perhaps raise a small community." The gnome, Crosser, nods his head taking in what each has said, then pointing at Tichias and Drelith says, "You two, do something about your similar appearance. All humans look alike to Crosser." Then to young Tichias he says, "You, why don't you lose an arm, or walk with a limp, something to mark you as different from the other human." Before Tichias can reply they are met by a man and woman in their late thirties or earlier forties. The man seems to have a perpetual scowl, but the woman seems friendly enough. "Welcome to our trading post, I'm Svetlana and this is my husband Oleg. We're so glad that you've come."
I found this to be quite entertaining to be honest, though Crosser does seem to have a high opinion of himself being such a short character. All in all this is really a interesting group of characters. I am looking forward to reading more should you decide to post it.
The player of the druid in my Kingmaker game just pointed out something important, Momo the tiger is in fact a female, not a male as I had stated. Guess I got caught up by the fact that all the players character's were male.
The Leveton's show the adventurers around the trading post, part way into the tour, Oleg begs off, saying a leak in the guest house needs to be fixed. Svetlana continues the tour, even pointing out the catapults - which aren't working. Crosser pipes up during the tour and asks about bandits. "Goodwoman Leveton the charter we were issued seems to indicate that banditry is something of a problem here in the Greenbelt region of the Stolen Lands, have you and your husband had trouble with them?" At this, Svetlana grows noticeably distressed and shaken, she takes a moment to compose herself before answering. "You're very sharp to ask Master Crosser, we have indeed been plagued by them these past three months." She tells the group how the bandits first came upon them, a dozen strong, threatening the both of them and taking all of their current stock and supplies. Svetlana knows that Oleg hasn't raised his hand to the bandits out of fear for her safety, and she knows it's shaming him horribly. The bandits have returned the first of each month at sunrise and continue to take what stock or stores they've managed to obtain. However, each successive time, there have been fewer and fewer bandits. The cruel woman who seems to be their leader was only along the first time (and she nearly chopped off Oleg's hand), her lewd, leering, second-in-command has been present each and every time though. "Tomorrow is the first of Gozren and I just know that they'll come barging in, as they've become accustomed to." Svetlana sighs a weary sigh, as though talking about this just saps her spirit. She offers the men, human, gnome, and halfling a meal, to take everyone's mind of such unpleasant business.
After a hearty stew, warm bread, and a couple cups of wine, everyone is in finer spirits. Svetlana has busied herself with cleaning up after supper, the newly chartered companions sit about discussing how they might help the Levetons. Alistair, the gray-haired warrior favoring dark leathers lights up a Taldan cigar and leans back on the bench before the small fire in the pit. Talk of just attacking the bandits tomorrow at sunrise is high on the list. The methods and means to do so are bandied back and forth, finally Crosser speaks up, clearly with a plan in mind. "No, no... we can't just linger around and make ready to attack them. We must surprise them. Goodwoman Svetlana has already told us they don't expect any resistance. I'm good with illusions, very good if I do say so myself. I can create illusions of several bails of hay that we will hide within. Unless the bandits interact with these bails of hay, they will not suspect a thing. Then we will attack with surprise on our side, hopefully without any blood shed." Alistair nearly drops his smoke... 'No bloodshed? I don't know about any of you, but I plan on shedding plenty of bandit blood.' Crosser shakes his head and continues, "Dead bandits tell us nothing. Bandits captured alive will tell us much more. For that, we need prisoners, after they have told us everything, then it is death by sword or rope, as the charter states." Alistair, Drelith, Kaleb, and Tichias each consider the plan, and agree it has the greatest chance to keep the Levetons safe and to catch the bandits. "Now allow me to show each of you how to recognize my illusions..." As the gnome sorcerer explains, Oleg comes over to the group. "Hope I'm not intruding, thought I'd let you know, the leak is fixed. Of course there are only four cots in that building, someone is welcome to set up a bedroll in our storage shed I suppose." He drops his voice to a hoarse whisper and says he has an offer for the group. "I know you're planning something for the bandits tomorrow. I'll go along with whatever you have planned, just don't involve my wife, I don't want her harmed. In fact, if you lot can do what I've overheard, I'd like for you to do something additional for me. Get my wife's wedding ring back. That viper of a bandit woman took it from my wife's hand on their first trip here. Svetlana says not to worry about it, and the bandits may have sold it, or lost it, by now. But, if you can find it, I promise you 1,000 gold pieces worth of credit here at my trading post. Do we have a deal?" Oleg thrusts out his rough hand, and the companions each shake it in turn. Oleg nods once at the group, then goes to join his wife inside their home. The companions resume discussing their plan, and sunrise is several hours away.
I found this to be quite entertaining to be honest, though Crosser does seem to have a high opinion of himself being such a short character. All in all this is really a interesting group of characters. I am looking forward to reading more should you decide to post it.
Hi Gamerkitty, thanks for the kind words. I do indeed intend to keep posting about the adventures (and misadventures) of these new companions. In fact, next up, the ambush of the bandits...
Sunrise; the 1st of Gozren, 4710 AR.
Oleg begged Svetlana to say inside their home, and she relented, doing as her husband asked.
Crosser meanwhile had produced several realistic illusions of bails of hay, and the companions have hidden inside them. The young summoner Tichias began an as yet unknown arcane ritual to call forth his eidolon.
Rin Byou Tou Sha Kai Jin Retsu Zen Gyou... I call upon Thersek to attend me. A quadruped the size and general shape of a wolf appears, black as pitch, with fine scales instead of fur, and a small mane of thick black hair, eyes like burning coals, and no tail. It inclines its head in greeting to Tichias. The summoner and his eidolon conceal themselves within one of the illusions. Only the halfling, Kaleb doesn't hide within one of the hay bails, he (and his domesticated dire rats) hide up near one of the broken catapults (nearest the entry gate). Oleg busies himself with some small chore, and in short order the sound of several horses approaching signals that the bandits have arrived.
Happs Bydon looks the trading post over, he's grown accustomed to the Levetons submission to him and his lady, Kressle. The gate, however, is shut... tsk tsk Happs thinks, time to rouse the Levetons. "Open up in there, or we'll start tossing in some fire to speed your asses up!" Oleg, swallows his retort and lifts the bar on the gate and opens up to admit Bydon and his bandits. The companions spy that there are only four men, an easy fight, should Crosser's plan work. Happs and his men begin raiding the storage shed, and the bandit leader comments on the lack of goods. "This haul is pretty weak Leveton. What have you and that pretty wife of yours been doing all last month? We may need some additional compensation. Why not bring out your wife, and we can discuss it.", Bydon says with a leer, and his men chuckle at his implied meaning. Crosser mutters under his breath, "I've heard enough from that one." A sudden spray of brilliant colors strikes the bandits and Bydon, but leaving Oleg unharmed. The three bandits collapse, unconscious, Bydon however seems unaffected. He glowers angrily at Oleg, "Leveton what kind of double cross you trying to pull?!? It'll go hard for you and your wife if me and my men aren't back in time." The companions emerge from hiding, Drelith orders Momo to attack Bydon, as Tichias commands Thersek to do the same. Alistair pulls his falchion from its scabbard and moves toward the bandit leader as well. Kaleb tosses some alchemical mixture that explodes, wounding Bydon. The bandit growls at Oleg, "You'll pay for this Leveton!" Though nearly surrounded, Bydon manages to sidestep the tiger's jaws, but Momo manages to rip into him with his claws. The eidolon, Thersek, is also unlucky and missed with its bite as well. Alistair slashes Bydon with his blade, and Crosser attempts to daze the bandit, and Bydon shakes off that as well as he resisted the spell that laid his men low. The fight is over shortly, Bydon gasps out one last threat against Oleg before collapsing due to his wounds. Alistair casually leans his massive blade on his shoulder, reaches down to the bandit leader and with a touch staunches the bleeding. "There, not a bad fight, and we have lots of bandits to question. And nobody died." The gnome sorcerer nods and then directs his companions to bind each of the bandits while they are unconscious and unable to resist. Oleg offers up his storage shed as a place to hold them, and Crosser suggests that Oleg prepare and build a gallows, after the bandits have outlived their usefulness. Once the bandits are secured the companions also gather up the horses that the bandits rode in on. "Much quicker to explore the Greenbelt on horseback, than on foot I'd say. Wouldn't you all agree", the gnome asks. "Now let us question the bandits, find out where their camp is, and how many bandits we'll face once we get there."
Like true bullies, once beaten, the bandits offer little resistance. They inform the companions that their camp is at the ford at Thorn River, about 36 miles south-southwest of the trading post. And that they'll likely face twice their number in bandits at the camp, not including Kressle, the undisputed leader of the little bandit camp. Tichias notices a silver stag-skull shaped amulet around Bydon's neck and takes it from him. "What's this? Some sort of bandit-member badge?" Happs seems to get a little bit of his fire back and says, "That's the real boss's symbol. Kressle an' me, were small fish... that guy, he's the big fish in this here small pond. You lot won't stand a chance against him." Crosser nods and moves toward Bydon, "And what is his name, this 'big fish'?" Staring right back at the gnome, Bydon mutters, "The Stag Lord."
Early, Mid-morning. 1st of Gozren, 4710 AR
Once more unto the "oops" dear friends. The player of Alistair reminded me that he's wielding an elven curve-blade, not a falchion. That was the weapon originally, but changed just before the game actually started. I forgot.
Having dealt with the bandits that were harassing the Levetons, the Greenbelt Companions decide to take the fight to the rest of the bandits at their base camp at the ford of Thorn River. Commandeering the bandits horses they begin their journey south-southwest. Alistair, while favoring an elven curve-blade in melee, takes Happs Bydon's composite longbow, and some arrows to use for when attacking from distance is to his advantage.
Not long into their journey, they hear the bulging cry of several elk, and the thundering cacophony of ground-churning hoofs, as they see a small herd of elk stampeding towards them! It takes every effort to control the horses, but no one is thrown from their mounts, and no one got trampled either. (Not even Kaleb's dire rat pets). Drelith managed to utilize his wild empathy to get the attention of one of the elk, while Crosser used the power to speak with animals and learn what caused the elk to stampede. In it's limited way, the elk told the gnome sorcerer that a "Big, Hairy, Many-legs lunged from the trees and scared me and my herd. The hairy many-legs even grabbed one of my herd brothers." The elk continues on its way, and Crosser tells his companions what he learned from speaking to it. He says, "This will only take a short time, we can look into this "hairy many-legs" and still travel to the bandit camp." A few hours journey later and the companions arrive in a small copse of woods. Skeletons of various creatures, human, elf, boar, elk, and others animals litter the woods. Tichias sends Thersek forward to scout ahead, and the eidolon is suddenly attacked by a spider the size of a horse.
It's fangs pierced the eidolon's skin and it was clear that Thersek felt weaker after this attack. The companions were quick to assault the large vermin. Drelith lobbed a ball of flame at it, Kaleb tossed one of his alchemical mixtures, Alistair used his recently acquired longbow, Tichias ordered Thersek to attack and Drelith did the same with his tigress Momo, while Crosser attempted to daze the spider, until he realized that as a vermin it wouldn't be affected by the spell. So, he readied his crossbow instead. The skirmish with the giant spider was brief, Thersek was the only injured creature, but his special nature as an eidolon would allow him to be rid of the poison by tomorrow. But Tichias was still concerned, "Thersek, are you all right?" 'Yes Taiho, though the spider's poison courses through me, I am only slightly weakened by it.' Everyone seems astonished that the eidolon can speak. Tichias chides his outsider companion, "I've asked you not to call me 'Taiho', I don't even know what it means." 'Forgive me Tai---Tichias... it is an honorific of sorts. It means I acknowledge you as my Master.'
Kaleb takes time to harvest the spider's poison glands, humming contentedly to himself as he works. With some additional exploration of the spider's nest area, they do find a human skeleton (still wearing its studded leather armor) and wearing a silver stag-skull amulet as well, that has a small scrap of paper tucked into one boot. It seems to be a crude treasure map. The companions decide that they can look into this, after taking care of the bandits at Thorn River.
Taking their best guess at navigating the land and the woods, they are once again under the forested canopy of the Narlmarches, and nightfall is approaching. The companions suddenly hear several harsh, barking yips, as four kobolds leap to their feet, holding spears or slings and making ready to attack. One shouts at them, "Go away, this our radish patch! Find your own radishes!" Crosser takes note of the situation and cries out, "AAAHH! Kobolds!" And with that, the battle is joined. The kobolds armed with slings, toss their sling stones at Crosser, seeming to favor him over all others. The kobolds with spears hold them ready to attack anyone that charges them. Drelith casts a troublesome druidic spell, entangle (troublesome for his opponents that is) grappling two of the four small reptilian humanoids. The resulting skirmish is brief and bloody, ending poorly for the kobolds. They seemed sickly, perhaps they gorged themselves on these radishes, even though it looks like they managed to harvest three bushel baskets full. "This is Crosser's radish patch now!", the gnome sorcerer decrees. The others seem content to let him have it. With several hours of travel behind them, and darkness now descending, they decide to camp at the radish patch for the night. Traveling the woods at night is risky, and they have the advantage of numbers. Tichias dismisses Thersek, but will summon him tomorrow morning. Crosser reminds them to get plenty of rest, for tomorrow they will face the remaining bandits at Thorn River, recover the Levetons stolen property, and collect a fine reward for ending the bandit problem in the Greenbelt. Of course, the gnome muses, then they must prepare to face the bigger menace of the Stag Lord.
Having set out from Restov in Brevoy, Iroh a dwarven cavalier originally from Varisia, rides his roan stallion on the southern road to Oleg's Trading Post. He is joined by Kesten Garess and a trio of soldiers, who are to serve the trading post as guards and help keep any bandits under control. Iroh recently served the house that Kesten is a distant (and now disowned) member of. He arrived at Grayhaven Castle eight years ago to serve as a bodyguard for the adopted heir, Toval Golka. Knowing that Toval is a capable warrior in his own right was what allowed Iroh to take his leave of House Garess and pursue the Charter of Exploration in the Stolen Lands. He hopes any others that also accepted the Charter are still at the trading post.
The dwarf glances over at Kesten, and sees the man is still in a bleak mood. Hopefully the distance of this post will slowly erase the shame of his ordeal and Kesten can move on. Iroh hates to see people suffer needlessly.
They arrive at Oleg's shortly before highsun, and are greeted by a human couple in their late thirties, early forties. "Welcome travelers. I'm Svetlana Leveton and this is my husband Oleg. You must be tired from your journey, please stable your horses and I'll get you some refreshments."
Iroh dismounts and walks over toward Oleg offers the man his hand as he speaks, "Goodman Leveton, I'm Iroh, a warrior... a cavalier lately in the employ of House Garess. My duties there have been discharged and I decided to accept a Charter of Exploration from the Dragonscale Throne. I was given to understand that several others have accepted Charters as well. Are they here?" Oleg shakes his head and tells the dwarf about the incident from earlier this morning and going on to say, "The gnome, Crosser, decided that it was best to go to the source, in this case the ford at Thorn River and deal with the other bandits there. He's a character that one. But he kept me and my wife safe, so I'll give him a little leeway for being a little... odd. They left several hours ago, but I would think it'd be fairly easy to follow their tracks and try to catch up with them." Iroh considers the journey so far, but doesn't want to be too much farther behind these potential companions, mounts his roan stallion and sets off to follow their tracks.
I haven't "given up" on this campaign journal completely folks, a lot has happened, I was without a computer for about a week and a half, and when I did get it back I had written up a nice long post to add... and it is somewhere in "cyberspace" floating around I imagine. Boy, that was discouraging. :(
So... I'm going to see if I can "summarize" the last few game sessions, "clean-up" a few additional in-game changes, and perhaps I can continue on with The_Minstrel_Wyrm's "KINGMAKER" after all.
Dean; The_Minstrel_Wyrm