[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux, part 23: Growing Kingdom, Growing Threats

From the journal of Lythande Syldorei 

3rd Neth, Oathday

We brought Bokken's brother back to Lorewynd with us intending to arrange for him to be sent to the asylum in Ustalav, and then to return to the Narlmarches to visit Tiressia in her grove and investigate the reports of trolls to the south. But of course the needs of Neotellus would not allow us to leave at once. Already we have heard more tales of trolls, as well as of a dangerous beast eating livestock and if the tales are to be believed, people. Yet we cannot shirk our responsibilities here, so we must remain and see to what is needed.

15th Kuthona, Fireday

The time has passed so swiftly it seems to me I have been here only a week, and yet it is another month by the calendar of these lands. Yet much has been accomplished in this brief while. We heard of a threatening monster troubling our citizenry and Chahana sent a platoon of our guards to deal with it. The people had grown anxious during our absence but their worries have subsided since we returned. We must plan to be gone for shorter periods in future if we can. 

Jubilost Narthropple has sent us messages reporting sightings of orcs and trolls in the mountains to the west. He believes there is a pass over the mountains that leads to the region known as the Dunsward and would reduce the time required to travel to Varnhold. But this territory lies outside the limits of what we have been granted, and we have sent messages to Jubilost advising him to continue exploring the plains between the mountains and Lorewynd rather than attempt to find the pass.

25th Neth, Toilday

An emissary has come from New Stetven to report that an enchanted cloak Reislin sold there was affected by a curse that harmed the purchaser. Reislin has had to make a bargain with the emissary to maintain good relations with the city. 

Other omens have been more favorable, though more reports of monsters have required us to send guards to deal with them again. But our granaries are well stocked, and Chahana has taken on a human woman named Fabrize to act on our behalf when we are away so that the burden of dealing with every detail of the territory's affairs will not have to await our return. This is no grand kingdom where swarms of courtiers look after the running of the kingdom while the king goes hunting.

We have also begun building defensive walls for both Lorewynd and Leveton, though it will be some time before either community is entirely encircled. Because we have found ourselves responsible for prisoners on several occasions of late, we have ordered the building of a gaolhouse near the burial ground. We are also considering setting aside land for a place where visitors from other lands may reside when they visit, as Zander's family are visiting us now. Leveton has acquired a tavern to serve its residents and visitors as well.

29th Neth, Starday

Though we suspected from Bokken's remarks about his brother that he would not show any interest in what had become of his sibling, Chahana chose to send him a message to notify him of our encounter. As expected Bokken stated in his response that though he once had a brother he had one no longer. He also sent us a curative potion and a supply of his beloved squash. It is difficult for me to imagine showing no interest should something so unfortunate befall my dear brother, but perhaps human relationships are different because their lives are so brief, or perhaps there was some terrible disagreement between the brothers that could not be forgiven.

28th Kuthona, Oathday

With the year 4711 almost at its end, we have at last departed from Lorewynd to visit Tiressia's grove. Zander has remained in Lorewynd to spend time with his family. There are patches of snow on the ground in the Narlmarches, though the overhang of the trees prevents much accumulation on the forest floor. Before making our way to the dryad's grove, we decided to visit a cabin we found near the site that has been proposed for the new village of Tatzlford, which will likely begin settlement in the spring. The small cabin proved to be the home of Roi Rezbin, the human man who first sought our agreement to create Tatzlford. We were welcomed by Roi and his wife, and given welcome cups of tea. Roi came to the door with spear in hand, but did not mention any dangers that worried him. Perhaps it was only the caution of wisdom when living in such an isolated place. Before the light faded he showed us where he wished to create the village. He described it with much enthusiasm and dreams of it becoming as large as Lorewynd or even larger. We did our best to persuade him to pursue less lofty goals, at least in the beginning. By the time we finished speaking with him the sky had grown dark, and we remained there overnight, though we slept in Reislin's magical hut rather than impose on Roi's humble home.

29th Kuthona, Fireday

After leaving Tatzlford we made our way to Tiressia's grove, where we found the dryad resting out of sight within her tree while Falchos serenaded her with his music between gulps of wine. When Chahana asked him about his visit to the old woman known as the Beldame, he told us that she was still not favorable in attitude toward us after our previous encounter, for which I can't fault her. When he said that she wanted to acquire black rattlecap mushrooms, which are found near Lake Candlemere, we all agreed we would try to provide these to her as an offering of friendship. 

Falchos also mentioned a kingdom to the south, which he described as a kingdom of monsters ruled by trolls. The troll who calls himself their leader is named Hargulka. When I remarked that it seemed unusual for trolls to band together in this manner, Falchos agreed and commented that Hargulka appeared to be unusually clever for a troll. We will have to look further into this, as it seems related to what the troll we fought last winter spoke of, and that troll was also not only much stronger of wit than any troll we have heard of but was also resistant to the fire that trolls are reputed to be especially vulnerable to.

Falchos showed Maria a great deal of attention as we sat companionably drinking wine with the satyr. I began to suspect that his attention to her was leading to something more, but none of my comrades noticed this. Perhaps it was only my imagination. 

30th Kuthona, Starday

On this penultimate day of the year, we visited the ruined tower once again as Reislin wished to recover the statue and the water clock we had abandoned on our previous visit. There was no sign that anything had been disturbed since then. We had asked Falchos what he knew of the tower, but he knew it only as the ruin we had seen.

Once we had taken the desired items, we set off to the south again. It wasn't long before we came upon the tracks of a horse-size clawed beast which had clearly been dragging prey to its den. We followed that spoor until we found the area where the beast had made its lair. There were broken branches everywhere, marked by the beast's long claws. These formed a kind of passageway into the den. We all readied our weapons as Maria took the lead with a spell of light on her shield. As she moved toward the large den area, the edge of her light's reach fell upon a lizard-like beast with a spiked tail. The den was thickly scattered with the bones and other remains of the beast's meals. Maria realized that it was a hodag, capable of using its teeth, claws, and tail to attack its foes. Reislin added that it was capable of understanding our speech as well, though it couldn't speak itself. 

Annoyed by our intrusion, the hodag roared and charged toward us. Chahana swiftly drew her bow and fired on it but her arrow went wide. The hodag clamped is jaws on Maria and tossed her to one side as a playful hound might toss a bit of knotted cloth. Maria regained her feet at once but suffered a slap from the hodag's tail for her trouble. I could hear Reislin intone the familiar incantation that would grant us all a temporary burst of alacrity. I stepped in toward the hodag and stabbed with my boar spear in both hands but it slid out of the spear's reach before the point could touch its hide. Chahana darted across to the far side of the den and fired several arrows into the hodag. Seeing that she was close to the creature it had been in the act of devouring, the hodag turned toward her. I moved to its side, prepared to flank with Maria, and after my spear scored its flesh twice it directed its full fury at me, though praise the Guiding Light it struck me only with one claw. Maria then dealt it two heavy blows of her blade and it slumped to the ground, bleeding out with her second slash. 

We found evidence in the hodag's den that it may have slain people as well as animals, for there were several hand axes and a great axe among the detritus, as well as an enchanted spear and suit of studded leather armor. The spear we anticipated, for a man named Stass had told us of the hodag during the previous year and had offered that if we found a spear we should keep it as reward for slaying the hodag. My comrades have agreed to my taking both spear and armor, as I have come to use a spear with almost the same frequency as my scimitar and this spear has an enhancement to allow it to deal more damage than an ordinary spear. The armor has also been enhanced so that it provides more protection that typical armor of its type without increasing its weight. 

After we left the hodag's lair, we came upon signs of trolls farther to the south near the banks of the Shrike River. We at first intended to cross the river at that spot, but it is quite broad at that point and lacks any ford. We thought we might be able to swim or wade across but soon found that too difficult in the cold of winter. We will now head back between the two lakes and build ourselves a raft of logs to carry us across.

[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux, part 22: Seeking Justice and Finding New Friends

From the journal of Lythande Syldorei

24th Lamashan, Toilday

Our dismay at learning of the kidnapped children has quickly made us more interested in learning about the children's fates rather than punishing the cultists. We wish to question the five women we have taken captive, but it is late and we are all weary. Speaking to them must wait until the sun rises again. I have told my companions that I do not think myself competent to participate in the questioning as I am too angry over the death of the child. Reislin also is unwilling to participate in the questioning for the same cause.

Chahana and Maria are more sympathetic to these women than I for they too have suffered hardships in their lives, while I can only count among my hardships the struggles of my people against Treerazer. I did not serve long enough among our defenders before the Guiding Light called me to experience the worst of the demon tree's depredations. 

25th Lamashan, Wealday

After Chahana and Maria questioned the women, they learned that of the four children they said had been taken from their families three had been replaced by changelings and the fourth was sacrificed to Gyronna. I am more determined than ever to convince my friends that we should not permit the worship of that goddess within our borders, or at least if they are not willing to ban her faithful completely we should ban the sacrifice of any intelligent creature in the name of any god. 

Zander says that changelings are the offspring of hags and other beings, and that at some point in their lives they are called back to their mothers although they are able to choose to deny that call, and their natures are determined by how they are raised and not by their hag ancestry. He knows a great deal about such things because he says he knows someone well who is a changeling and who is not a person of evil nature. 

Chahana and Maria reported that one of them women we took prisoner was unrepetant and challenged their authority to make any judgment upon her, demanding to know why we could claim that those who come to Neotellus can make a new beginning here and yet we would require of her that she renounce her faith in the Hag. But we must have the rule of law, and do whatever we can to protect the people. If we say that we will allow anyone to come here, no matter what harm they do to others, we cannot claim to be leaders or protectors. Some must be willing to compromise for the betterment of all. Should we dwell in Cheliax that land no doubt bans the worship of certain gods who would oppose their demon lords, is that not so? I regret taking these women's freedom to worship what gods they will, but the Hag seeks to undermine authority and create strife, and we cannot have that. 

While my companions questioned the women, I went out to perform my obedience and then into the town to grant some of the Dawnflower's mercy to any sick or injured person I found. These acts of devotion soothed my troubled thoughts.

During the time that Chahana, Maria, and Zander were with the prisoners, we all received a message that an army was approaching Lorewynd. We went out quickly, ordering our small contingent of guards to prepare and attempting to organize the townsfolk to assist, although that effort was less successful than I would have hoped. Our concern was unfounded, for when Zander saw the approaching group of people he exclaimed that they were his family. In truth I do not know how the guards though these were an army, for though they were armed they brought children, elders, and tents with them.

Zander used his magic to take flight and went down to greet them, and Chahana rode after him on her horse. I set about calming the townsfolk, who were still distressed at seeing people who appear to be Tiger Nomad tribesmen approaching our town. It was agreed that Zander's family could set up their tents in an area that has not been occupied by any structure. Zander then introduced us all to his betrothed, Ramakka, and it was then we knew how he had come by his knowledge of changelings, for she is of that kind. Zander had told us that changelings are almost always women and can often be recognized by their particolored eyes. We also met Zander's brother, Ben, who does not much resemble Zander.

Ramakka explained that their tribe had regrettably brought trouble with them, for their shaman, an older woman named Maraleaf, had attempted to free someone from an evil spirit and had taken this spirit into herself to imprison it. This had caused her to fall ill. The person who had been possessed by this spirit before Maraleaf imprisoned it was the chief of another tribe, who under the influence of the spirit had been raiding and taking slaves in contravention of their peoples' customs. As we have no priest nor any shaman of greater power among our citizens who could treat Maraleaf's ailment, Reislin intends to study Maraleaf's condition and search her tomes for a solution.

After welcoming the Tiger Nomads, we returned our attention to the prisoners and the kidnapped children. Though we saw the potential for both good and ill doing so, we decided it was best to tell the families of the stolen children what had happened. Each family was approached with all possible courtesy and it was explained to them that their children had been taken and replaced by changelings. Each family reacted in a different manner. The first family regrettably immediately became hostile and rejected the child that was not born to them. The mother of the second child had suffered much in trying to bring a child into the world and refused to accept what she was told even when Reislin used magic to show her proof, insisting the changeling infant was her own babe. The third family decided that because they had already given their love to the changeling child they would raise it as theirs. Now we must consider what to do with the child who was rejected. For the time being the Tiger Nomads have agreed to care for it. 

As we have no facilities here for holding a person prisoner, and we have decided that we will not execute her, the woman who would not repent of her service to Gyronna was tried and sent to Restov to be held. The other women were sentenced to provide service for the people of Lorewynd for a period of time as their penance. 

With the matters of the cultists and the children dealt with as best we could, we decided that the reports of trolls we had received should be our next priority to investigate. Though the rumors we have heard in the past have often been exaggerated, we have yet to hear one that was entirely untrue. Thus it is likely that some creatures are indeed causing the citizens in outlying areas some difficulty, though it is possible that the creatures are not trolls, or that several people are reporting the appearance of a single troll. We shall soon know the answer.

26th Lamshan, Oathday

We determined that we should first make our way to Tiressia's grove to speak with her. We set out from Lorewynd, and at first our journey was quiet. But then Maria noticed that some creature or creatures appeared to be following us. When she moved toward the source of the sound she had heard she found nothing. Chahana climbed upon a large fallen tree to see if that would give her a better view of the surrounding area. Then Zander observed a hunting cat near Maria, and something stabbed Chahana.

An old man had appeared from near the fallen tree, slashing at Chahana with his sword. He was a wild-looking person with unkempt hair, overgrown nails, and soiled garments, but his appearance was familiar. He resembled our eccentric friend Bokken the herbalist. Chahana spoke to him and attempted to find out why he was attacking, but he only kept mumbling that "Only blood will quell the voices." I had been on the opposite side of the log from this person and now climbed over it to take up a position behind him, asking him why he attacked us and trying to calm him without success. When he did not respond I stepped between him and the hunting cat, which seemed to be his companion, and both of them struck me. Maria began attempting to stun the man or knock him down. Reislin created an image of Bokken and asked the man if this was his brother, as Bokken had mentioned to us that he had a brother living somewhere in the territory we have claimed. The man screamed at this image. When the cat sprang on Chahana, I joined Maria in attempting to render the man insensible but I am not accustomed to striking with the flat of my blade. The man responded by dealing me a deep wound. Zander then chose to strike without holding back. The man was quite nimble and darted out of range of his sword. Chahana brought the cat down, and after Reislin sent one of her missiles of magic at the man and Zander slashed him, he also fell.

Chahana took out the manacles she carries from her days as a bounty hunter and bound the man, and after the cat's injuries were treated it was released. We decided that we would carry the man back to Lorewynd and afterward send him to Ustalav where his madness can be looked after at an asylum, as he is clearly deranged. A short while later as we continued our journey we came upon a hovel that was likely his dwelling, for it was as disheveled and ill-cared-for as he was. I am sorry that what little curative magic the Dawnflower grants me cannot remove his suffering.

Next: part 23: Growing Kingdom, Growing Threats