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So there just never seems to be enough time even playing in person an via the facebooks. So I've taken to occasionally writing short stories from the perspective of NPCs in my player's Kingdom. The Barony of Kyshahn.
These stories will contain spoilers for Kingmaker.
Kitchen Thunderclash
Timing: Rivers Run Red
Kingdom: Kyshahn
Location: Capital City of Calvin's Rest.
The scent of delicious game hen, and pork turning on the spit was too much for young Raeth. He eyed the meat, seeming to watch the colour change to the appetising golden brown in front of his eyes.
"Soon," the boy whispered, "soon."
He enjoyed the kitchen, despite his demonic appearance (his horns were growing in painfully), Raeth was mostly ignored so long as he kept from getting underfoot. The sturdy dwarven cook ran the kitchen like a drill sergeant. Shouting orders this way and that, as he kneaded heavy dwarven dough with muscular dwarven arms.
"You there boy!" Cook called with his thick dwarven accent.
Raeth looked behind him, and realised he was the one being indicated.
"Me?"
"Aye, dinnae just stand there like a stunned cave fish. I need more sun-apples, go fetch 'em from the garden."
"Bu-"
"But nothin'! This pie cannae wait fer yer gawpin' now GO!"
Raeth ran from the kitchen and through the servant's passages, entering the grand feast hall. It was empty save from some human servants scrubbing the tables clean, and sweeping up some stray bones and nut shells from the stone floor. All that was left of the Baron's lunch with the Drelev diplomatic envoy. Raeth looked up at the tapestries, sewn by the elves and given as gifts commemorating important moments in the founding of Kyshahn. The bandit camp at Thorn river, the discovery of Howling Rock, the Kobold Accord, the fey and the 8 trees representing those lost in the exploration of the Green Belt.
"Is it just me or does that tapestry look funny to you?"
Raeth jumped, and turned to see Kesten. Newly appointed as General of Kyshahn Kesten spent much of his time in the castle. Raeth's mother had little trust for the man, but Raeth himself had yet to form an opinion. He reminded Raeth a lot of Cook though, and Raeth did like Cook. Raeth looked at the tapestry.
"That tree there, looks like there's a golden thread strung through it," Raeth answered.
"Good eye boy, good eye. In any case I didn't come here to jaw about decorative stitching. Let your mother know I'm looking for her, I'll need her help deciding patrol deployments for the month," Kesten looked back up at the tapestry for a moment, turned on his heel and walked away.
Raeth headed to the grand staircase, where Althalos and Rhonin were coming down."I'm telling you we can't AFFORD pistols for the watch. Alkenstar controls the trade of guns very strictly, and the last thing they want is an upstart bandit kingdom getting their hands on a shipment of guns - the kingdom can't afford the expenditure."
"Fine, what can we do then?" Rhonin said, exasperated with the treasurer.
"Crossbows and shortswords. Standard the world over."
They both nodded at Raeth as he rushed past.
Raeth actually liked Rhonin - he had a cool hat, and stood for what he believed in. Raeth didn't mind that Rhonin looked at him like he was about to burst into flames any second. EVERYONE looked at him that way. He was growing very close to Althalos though, Althalos knew what it was like to be different. He was a bit of an economics geek, but he made up for that by being able to smell what colour socks you wore yesterday (that was a cool trick).
Raeth ran along the second story hall way, dodging servants and tables on the way. He paused when he spotted a pair of servants looking into a room, the door only slightly ajar. He knew this room, it was Hollow's Laboratory. Raeth sidled over to the door and tapped both servants on the shoulders. The pair jumped.
"Don't you have better things to do!" He hissed. The servants blushed at the reprimand, coming from a child made it worse. They both quickly rushed past Raeth and headed downstairs without a word.
Raeth took a peek into the room even as he latched the door. It seemed Grand Diplomat Rosalina and Magister Hollow were engaging in some very vigorous combat training. Raeth quietly shut the door blushing furiously. A nearby candle burst into flame, and Raeth put it out quickly. He looked down the hall, the servants were long gone and he let out a sigh of relief nobody had seen.
Channel the magic. The artist controls the brush. The sculptor shapes the stone. He remembered the advice of Zool. The gnome had taken to mentoring Raeth in the arcane arts. Zool was meeting with Dodgy Nick today, something regarding a business deal gone sour. So Raeth had to make do on his own. He pictured the inferno inside him being drained away to a mere candle and then going out. Calming himself Raeth headed up the nearest tower to the rooftop.
The cool night air was refreshing on Raeth's hot skin. The trees on the roof grew impossibly tall thanks to the ministrations of Archdruid Ulver. Ulver was enjoying a spirited debate with High Priest Jhod.
"So what happens when this kingdom grows too large to hold Erastil's interest?"
"Erastil never loses interest in a community, as long as those in the cities need to eat, then those in the farmland will always keep his interest," Jhod grinned.
Raeth ignored them and spotted the apple tree. He quickly leaped onto it and began shimmying into the branches. He took a moment to look out, from this tree he could see all of Calvin's Rest, people were lighting the torches outside their houses but there was light enough to see by. That so many people were still outside spoke to the sense of safety they felt in the Kingdom's borders. Raeth looked further north and could see the hills, much of it converted to farmland to support the bustling town of Calvin's Rest. Raeth had ridden through it with Althalos and his mother as she saw to the needs of the farmers and hunters. He enjoyed the peace of it.
To the South was the Tuskwater lake, and the wild untamed hills. Rumours abounded of trolls ruling the hills, but Raeth had never seen a troll for himself. The south represented adventure and excitement, Raeth sorely wished to see it for himself. Almost on the horizon was the flickering lights of Candlemere. They said it was haunted by the ghosts of those who had died conquering the Greenbelt. That the dead explorers that came before were locked in eternal conflict with the Stag Lord and his bandits.
The tree shook. Raeth screamed, and near fell off his perch.
"Whoops, sorry Raeth. Didn't mean to startle you."
"Baron Thundershield, you gave me a right start!"
"Haha, probably the first time I've snuck up on anybody. Hey, since your up there, you mind grabbing me an apple? I'm taking Moose out for a ride, and he loves them. Did you want to come out for a ride? I hear your technique's been improving," the Baron's informal speech was worlds removed from the Chelish nobility Raeth had known.
"Uh, I'd love to m'lord, but Cook has sent me to fetch these apples for the pie."
"Ah, can't be upsetting Cook, just toss me one and Moose will just have to deal with it. Although I don't think anyone will get Sunapple pie once his wings grow in."
"Wings?"
"I'll explain later, here just toss the apples into the basket." Raeth did as he was bid, climbing this way and that about the tree. Finally he climbed down. Doc took an apple and handed Raeth the basket.
"Good work, I'll see you at dinner I expect."
"Yes m'lord."
"What have I said about that m'lord stuff?"
"Sorry m'lord." Doc let out a hearty laugh and sauntered back downstairs.
Fully laden Raeth was barely able to carry the apples down the stairs without tumbling, he stopped half way down to rest.
"Baby, what are you doing with all those apples?" Raeth looked down to see his mother.
"I wasn't nicking 'em I swear!" Sarynn, stood silently waiting for an explanation.
"It was for the Cook. He's making pie! He set me to work is all!" Sarynn stood silently.
"Really!"
Sarynn broke out into a smile and crushed her boy against herself.
"Come on muscles, I'll help you carry these down," Sarynn said grabbing the basket of apples with one arm. The pair of them headed back through the castle into the kitchen.
Cook was still yelling like a drill sergeant. "-and WHERE ARE THOSE DAMN APPL- M'lady Sarynn."
"I believe these are your damn apples. I'd thank you not to cuss in front of my son Cook."
"Aye ma'am, just with the feast we've all been run off our feet. Been runnin' out of patience all around an- BOY IF YOU TOUCH THAT CHICKEN BEFORE DINNER I'LL TAN YER HIDE!" Sarynn's lips pursed.
"Assumin' yer mother approves of course."
She let out a grin and patted the dwarf on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. Raeth come along, or you'll spoil your appetite, you need to wash before dinner anyway," Sarynn said, stealing a couple of apples.
"Muuuuuuuuuuum!"
"Here, you can have an apple in the meantime."
Raeth grinned taking the proffered fruit. He bit into it, savouring the taste knowing there was an even greater feast to come.
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Love and Other Traps
Characters: Rosalina Elf Rogue (PC), Hollow Graves (NPC) Human Wizard.
Note: This one was written by Rosalina's player. With some embellishments and world detail by me.
Rosalina concealed herself in the shadows of Hollow's laboratory. While Hollow was out teaching the apprentice magi in the fields outside Calvin's Rest, Rosalina had busied herself in the workshop she resentfully shared with Rhonin. He'd been consumed with firearm crafts which made it awfully difficult to get any peace to complete her project.
She had created a trap of sorts for Hollow's laboratory door, in attempts to surprise him as well as further demonstrate her affections for him that she felt she failed to vocalise. This exhibition embarrassed her slightly, as she still felt bitter towards her party members for their initial treatment of Hollow, and she believed that her relationship with him didn't involve anyone else.
Her elven ears and excellent perception pinpointed Hollow's soft footsteps as he began to ascend the staircase. She knew the weight of his stride as though it were the beat of her own heart. As he reached the door to his laboratory, she quietly took a breath and pulled herself further into the shadows, hiding in plain sight.
As Hollow opened the door, Rosalina heard the trap release which was followed by hundreds of wildflowers she had gathered earlier raining from the ceiling. Hollow's eyes widened in surprise, and then crinkled in mirth. She much preferred the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, to the worry lines on his forehead. As if laughter sculpted his face into a more permanent state of joy. She hoped to make joy a permanent fixture of her lover's face.
Without disturbing any of his work, Rosalina had carefully arranged a fine aged Galtan Wine along with a mix of local cheeses on one of his lab benches, using empty beakers as glasses. She had recruited Zool's help in magically lighting the laboratory in a soft red glow with the sorcerer's magic.
Rosalina crept out of the shadows, leading Hollow by hand to sit with her. She handed him a weighted package, wrapped in hand painted paper. It contained a book she had acquired Ectomancy and Biomancy: The Future of the Necromantic Arts, it was difficult to acquire she had her diplomatic assistant in Varisia send the tome from Korvosa months ago, and it had only arrived recently. Rosalina had read the tome, but only understood about half of it. Hollow opened the book and appeared wide eyed. "Oh love! This is- I never expected to see such a treatise out here in the River Kingdoms," he said excitedly flipping through the book. He got lost in a particularly interesting chapter, when Rosalina put a hand over his. "I knew I should have waited until after cheese and crackers to give it to you, wizards and their books! You show them a musty old tome and nothing else interests them." Rosalina said in mock exasperation. Hollow laughed at the ageless, wondrous woman in front of him. "Oh, I can think of something that interests me a little more than books." Hollow grinned, with mischief in his voice. He tossed the book aside, and pulled Rosalina to him. Rosalina didn't get an opportunity to show off her new found knowledge that day, but she did have a few older tricks that showed that she shared many interests with the adventurous young Pathfinder.