[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux, part 35: A New Year

 

From the journal of Lythande Syldorei

When we had rid the island of the giant flytrap and searched the island thoroughly, we left that area behind us and returned to Lorewynd. After we arrived, we were quickly ensnared in the necessities of managing our territory had no time to go out exploring.

Month of Abadius, year 4713

A new year has arrived, the third since we first took up our charter to reclaim the Stolen Lands. We've set Jubilost Narthropple the task of exploring a great circle from south of the Little Sullen River to the Narlmarches to the north of Leveton. At one time we saw the river as our southern border, but as conditions in Brevoy have changed and we've re-examined our charter, we've concluded that we don't need to stop our expansion there, though we do need to ensure that we don't come into conflict with Mivon. We n0w have an embassy in Mivon, represented by Chahana's former chatelaine Fabreze. Chahana has a new assistant, Odanost.

Odanost

We've incorporated some of the area along the foothills of the Tors into our territory, as well as that part of the Narlmarches surrounding Tiressia's tree. An orchard has been planted near Tatzlford and we've given leave for another farm to be started. There was some trouble with bandits over the winter but our patrols dealt with it.

Our greatest challenge has been maintaining the good relationship with our citizens. Some folk were disgruntled by the recent spate of illness plaguing Neotellus and felt that we hadn't done enough or acted quickly enough to prevent more people from falling ill. There were also several disputes over land when some folk claimed they had a right to start farms in areas we have yet to incorporate into Neotellus. But some carefully chosen words were able to ally any fears or anger.

Throughout the winter we kept adding improvements to our lands, constructing a granary near Tatzlford and adding more houses there, and establishing a formal graveyard in Leveton.  Reislin purchased a menagerie of beasts for the entertainment of the citizens. We have drawn up plans to create a second district in Lorewyn, where we intend to build an arena, a temple, and a school or military academy. We've also started construction on a waterfront area on the east side of the river opposite the mills and foundry that already exist on the western bank.

Jubilost sent us a message that he found an unusual and fortuitous discovey on his journey to the south. After hearing some disturbing sounds, his troop sought out the source and found a hillside penetrated by holes that were emitting the odd sounds when the wind blew into them. When the gnomes looked through the holes, they discovered that these led into a source of gemstones. We must manage this discovery with as much care as we've used in managing the gold mine we discovered. Though the mine is south of the river, we have made it part of Neotellus.

Early Gozreh, 4713

Spring thaws came with a great deal of rain this year, washing out some of the roads we've had built. This inconvenience aroused the arguments over land once again and we had to sooth troubled feelings. After the rains decreased we granted permission to establish more farms, and also ordered the building of a monument to the gods of goodness and mercy in Tatzlford, as the town lacks a shrine or temple. 

Disturbingly, we have received a message from Restov that they've lost contact with Varnhold. They sent a small patrol to check on the town and lost contact with the patrol as well. We'll have to investigate that ourselves. We've decided to take Zander's wagon and horses on our journey. It should take us four days to reach Varnhold through the pass. Goldwing will accompany us, but I am still waiting for a response from Iadara about a saddle for him.

As we were passing below the abandoned watchtower over the pass, we encountered trouble. Reislin spied a person up above us, then realized that based on the distance this person must be a giant. Just as she shared this with the rest of us, a large boulder came hurtling down from above, directly at her. We all pressed ourselves up against the cliff face to get out of range, but the giant threw down another rock and crushed Reislin's magically summoned horse. Reislin took flight and avoided being injured herself.

The giant had shouted down at us when he attacked. Zander translated his speech for the rest of us, telling us that the giant was threatening to kill us just as he had killed someone else. We didn't know who he could be speaking of, but worried it might be the patrol from Brevoy, though we had expected them to skirt around the northern part of the Tors and approach Varnhold from that direction. We decided that we were not willing to stand a giant attacking travelers in the pass, so we made our way around to the path that led up to the tower, leaving the wagon and horses at the bottom as we ascended to the abandoned tower.

As we approached the tower, Goldwing circled around it and by means of head motions and wing flaps communicated to me that the giant was behind the tower. I shared this with the others, and Reislin gifted us with speed. Maria ran to the rear of the tower immediately, while Chahana climbed up the ladder to the tower entrance, thinking she might be able to shoot at the giant from within. Zander had taken flight and disappeared around the cliff side of the tower. 

Maria, Zander, and I converged on the giant, who was indeed awaiting us there. He took out a huge club and swung it at Maria but it only struck her armor a glancing blow. I rushed forward and thrust my spear at him. Zander appeared behind him and stabbed with his blades, while Maria's sword slashed the giant repeatedly. Reislin had determined that it was a cliff giant that could withstand some harm from acid and fire but otherwise had no special defenses or offensive abilities. While the three of us pitted our blades against the giant, Goldwing swooped down from above and attempted to claw his head. The giant bore many scars on his legs, showing that this wasn't the first time he had been attacked by beings of our size.

Zander sank his blade into the giant's hamstring, hampering its ability to move. Maria dealt the giant several severe wounds, so much that he went down on his knees. With his torso now easier to reach, Maria thrust her blade into his chest and Zander stabbed him in the heart at almost the same moment. I jumped back as the giant toppled over. 

When the giant was dead, we went into the tower to examine his victims. They didn't appear to be from Brevoy. There were several bags containing items such as silverware with them. At first we thought they might be the thieves who had troubled Neotellus during the previous year, but it seemed unlikely they would have gone into the pass and climbed up to the tower. could they have come from Varnhold?

The giant also had a much larger bag, which was full of various things including the corpse of a pig. Along with the pig remains we found a small potion, a set of armor similar to what Chahana wears but designed for jousting, a ring imbued with a protective charm, a garment that according to Reislin is called a spectral shroud, and a vest that will allow the wearer to access any tool they need with a thought. But the most curious item in the giant's sack appeared to be a large loaf of bread, though Reislin revealed that it is actually a club that can be made to assume the form of anything the wielder desires! 

[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux, part 34: Troubles and Bounties

 

From the journal of Lythande Syldorei

Mid-Neth, 4712

The past three months have been a challenge for us. There have been several waves of illness in our fledgling nation, and several monsters passing through that threatened our citizens. But the gods have also taken pity on us and given us a bounty of food to share with the people so those who have been too ill to work have not gone hungry. Praise the Dawnflower, I have been able to use her mercy to alleviate some suffering, though I have not the power of a priest to remove all illness from a sufferer. For this we had to reach out to our neighbors and ask for priests to come and give us their aid. Sadly they didn't arrive in time to prevent some deaths. We've started construction of an orphanage in Leveton to house some of the poor children who have lost their parents.

We had less opportunity to make improvements on our lands and towns during the plagues, but we've managed to begin construction of a castle in Leveton and added some walls to protect that community as there have been rumors of trouble in Brevoy. We've had reports of one of the Swordlord families being poisoned. 

Even more troubling were news of a giant seen in the south, and the lack of response to any messages we've sent to Varnhold. The giant problem has been dealt with, but we may need to pay Varnhold a visit. I pray that it's only other affairs taking up the Varnlings' attention that prevents them writing to us.

We haven't heard from Jubilost in some time, but he'd sent us maps of the territory his band explored south of the Gurdin River near Lake Silverstep. He spoke of an islet in the Little Sullen River, which he has for some reason named Dragonleaf Gulch. He hasn't explored the island itself but indicates there may be something dangerous on the island that was enough to keep the gnomes away. We planned to go and investigate further ourselves, as we hope to begin settling new citizens there in the future once we've prepared the way for them.

To prepare for our giant-hunting journey to the east, Maria suggested purchasing a large magical bag, something we wish that we'd had when we found the roc eggs. Prepared with this item to carry anything we found, we set out and came soon enough to evidence of the giant's presence: a series of huge footprints. Zander had become distracted by plucking blossoms to take back to Romakka and didn't notice the prints, but the rest of us soon spied a creature hiding behind a large log. When we noticed it the creature came rushing out with a roar. 

It wasn't the sort of giant I had expected. Chahana tried to speak with it in several languages, but she doesn't speak the language of giants and it didn't appear to understand her. Zander's attention was finally captured by something other than flowers when the giant rushed out. He took flight, and as he swooped around behind it he realized it was a marsh giant. They are very hardy and powerful but otherwise not especially resistant to weapons or spells. I called on the Guiding Light to grant me her aid and readied my spear in both hands, running up to join Maria as she had used her special ability to allow me to approach the giant without it being able to swing at me with the fishing spear it carried. 

Then a bolt of lightning went sizzling past me from Reislin. The giant then surrounded itself with a cloud of fog, making it difficult to see. The fog engulfed Maria, Zander, and I as well. This didn't entirely hide the giant from sight, as we were close enough that it wasn't completely obscured, but Goldwing had come with us and wasn't willing to fly into the fog. Zander stabbed it in the leg to prevent it moving away from us. Maria and I set upon it with our blades, and the giant retaliated by striking out at Maria. Then Zander stabbed it deeply with his blade from behind, and the giant toppled over.

The giant proved to be carrying a bag that, in addition to an assortment or rocks and tubers and a deboned pig carcass, also contained a very finely crafted warhammer of cold iron and a similarly fine scythe of ordinary steel. There was also a spell scroll among its possessions. I wonder who it took these items from, as I can see no reason for a marsh giant to need such things.

After our meeting with the marsh giant, we went on to the island Jubilost named Dragonleaf Gulch. Perhaps he meant that name to apply to the ravine where the island lies and not the island itself. It is a small crescent-shaped island covered in thick brush with a rocky edge along the northern shore. Soon enough we found evidence of something large that appeared to have dragged something along the ground, tearing up the soil and ground cover as it moved. 

Chahana suggested that perhaps it was some type of plant creature rather than an animal, and she was rapidly proved correct when a large plant creature appeared and moved aggressively toward us. The creature resembled a flytrap plant, but it was larger than any of us and had four mouths. It rushed right up to me and clamped one mouth down on my arm, holding me tight while it attempted to pull me inside its gullet.

Reislin fortified us with her spell of hasty movement while Zander took to the air, and I dropped the spear I'd been holding and drew my scimitar to slash at the monster. Chahana activated the magic of her helm and gored it with the stag antlers. The creature let me go when Maria moved toward it. With all of us surrounding it but Reislin, it reached out with its many mouths to bite each one of us. It suffered several gashes and was impaled by arrows and peppered with Reislin's tiny but unerring missiles. Then it got a secure hold on Zander and sucked him entirely into its mouth. Not even a bit of him was still visible. It grabbed me again and tried to do the same to me. From inside its mouth I felt its digestive juices trying to burn me, but the abilities I inherited from my celestial ancestor protected me, as they partly protected me a moment later when Reislin sent a bolt of lightning into the giant flytrap's body. Maria then stabbed it with all her might and the plant stopped moving and went flaccid, allowing a gasping and acid-burned Zander to escape.

After we dealt with the awful creature, truly a terrible danger to anyone innocently visiting its island, we found it had taken many victims from local wildlife and travelers. The island was littered with bones of all sorts of creatures, even a few people. To our surprise we discovered what were clearly the bones of centaurs as well, though we have only heard of the centaur tribes living on the other side of the mountains nearer to Varnhold. 

The creature's human victims had left behind some items that we gathered up before making our way back to Lorewynd. We found a sum of gold and silver coins and even a few platinum pieces, a quality sword, a magical rod that can allow a mage to cast spells silently, and an enchanted helm that permits the wearer to understand unknown languages and read magical texts. 

Next: part 35, A New Year

[Pathfinder] Kingmaker Redux, part 33: The Talon Tower

 

From the journal of Lythande Syldorei

Sunday, 1st Rova

We leave the strange tower on Candlekeep Isle be for now. None that we know have the power to rid it of its evil taint.

Now we go to the east, to Lake Silverstep, in company with Zander's family and their clan as they seek a new home. Zander says that they have no permanent home, but while Maraleaf still holds the demon imprisoned within her they will remain near the lake. 

Jubilost Narthropple and his team have only been near the lake, they haven't made a thorough exploration of the area surrounding it. They told us of two ruined towers, one overlooking the lake and the other above the pass across the mountains to Varnhold. There are rumors of orcs and trolls in those mountains, as well as a great black bird and possibly a dragon. If we are to expand the territory of Neotellus toward the mountains we should know what dangers we face.

Besides exploration we have other possible quests to complete while we're away. A local poet asked seeks a collection of manticore quills, though to be truthful I hope we meet no more of those. Bevan, the proprietor of the Knife and Frog Inn in Lorewynd, has decided he's like to have a challenge with other cooks to prepare an enormous egg dish, ideally made from roc eggs! And our cook at Castle Lorewynd desires some silver eels which he says can be found in Lake Silverstep. We've also heard of a missing nobleman we'll have to keep a lookout for, and there's someone who claims to have lost a wand, though I'm not sure how we'll ever find that. 

Toilday, 3rd Rova

We followed the Gudrun River toward the lake. The river has few fording points along that stretch, but as we got closer to the foothills of the Tors of the Levenies, there are low cliffs over the river channel that may make good footings for a bridge someday. 

The lake is a beautiful location. The water is very clear, which makes it possible to see how many different varieties of fish are swimming in it. Goldwing seems to quite enjoy catching fish. The hunting must be good in this area as well, as he flies off for a time and returns looking satisfied. There are many fey around the lake also, though none of them have been hostile toward us. My friends have been practicing speaking the fey tongue to let the fey know we mean them no harm. 

Wealday, 4th Rova

We parted ways with the Tiger Lords temporarily. They are going north of the lake, while we will remain on the south side to explore. We plan to meet them in a few days. 

Oathday, 5th Rova

There's been little sign of people every having lived near the lake. The towers looking down from the mountains are the only signs of past habitation. We had come to the area between the 'toes' of the lake, which according to lore was formed with the waters of the Gudrun and the mountain streams ran into the footprint of a vast dragon long ago. I've heard that the eldest of dragons are quite impressive in size, but I've never heard of one whose foot was as large as the lake. Perhaps they were larger in the age before Earthfall.

We came to an area that was unusually muddy, which seems to be connected to a spring. There was steam flowing out of the mud. Amid the mud we noticed the remnants of a stone structure, just a bit of fallen wall. Reislin and Maria wanted to examine it, so we all began to wade into the deep mud. Reislin of course took flight, not wanting to soil her clothes or wear herself out struggling through the mud. Zander set down the sapling so we could move with less difficulty. When we drew closer to the structure, Reislin stated that she thought the stones showed signs of elven work. But we were all distracted from the ruin when Maria pointed out that there was something moving in the mud.

As Maria spoke, a group of creatures rose up out of the mud. They were made of mud themselves, vaguely shaped like people. Chahana tried to speak with them to convince them we meant no harm and sought to parley, but they did not respond. While Chahana was speaking to them Reislin observed them closely from her higher vantage and told us through her message spell that these were mudmen, creatures from the Elemental Plane of Earth. She speculated that this mud flat was located on a weak place in the barrier between that plane and the Material Plane. The mudmen had no intelligence, being as simple as animals, and as elemental creatures they could best be harmed by enchanted blunt weapons, which we sadly lack. 

I suggested to the others that perhaps we needn't fight them at all and could simply withdraw, but it was too late for that. The mudmen began hurling projectiles of mud at us. These solidified on impact, which I experienced myself when one of them struck me. Then the mudmen came closer to us and began to hurl themselves at us. One of them engulfed me. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe. I might have breathed my last under a layer of mud had not Maria and Chahana directed their attacks at the creature until it fell away from me.

I drew my mace and began to batter one of the mudmen that was threatening to get too close to Chahana, who was using her bow to fire arrows at them in rapid succession. Several mudmen surrounded Maria and Reislin caused many of them to fall with a blast of flames. Another mudman wrapped itself around me, but my arm was free and I was able to continue beating it until it released me. Zander had to do the same. Not all the mudmen had such good aim, fortunately, as several of them attempted to leap on one or another of us and fell short. 

In the end we slew a dozen of the creatures. When they died they became almost indistinguishable from the mud flat where we had found them. Zander wondered if there was any way to strengthen the barrier between planes, as if we ever wish to create a settlement near the lake having it under attack by mudmen would not be desirable. Reislin said that she knows of no way to do this herself, but it may be possible and she will research this question.

Amid the mud we discovered the remains of a man. He had with him a strange silver figurine, which Reislin recognized as of Taldan make. The figure is not magical, and we have no idea why this lone man was near the lake.

After we left the mud flat behind, we met with the Tiger Lords. They've found a good spot to settle for however long they stay. There is plenty of water, game, and fish. Naturally they are not concerned that more mudmen may appear. I suspect they may send people to visit the mud flat in the hope that more will be there.

We decided that our next act would be to find a way up to the two ruined towers. This proved to be easier to say than to do. The tower that overlooks the lake, which Jubilost has named Talon Tower because it resembles a claw, proved to have no method of accessing it from below. There is no path leading up to it, no cave indicating that there might be a tunnel or stair from beneath, no handholds for climbing up the sheer cliff on which it stands. It is at the pinnacle of a narrow spur of rock, making it very difficult for any threat to reach it that isn't flying or able to transport itself magically. 

Zander wanted to climb up, but the rest of us were not enthusiastic about climbing such a sheer rock face. We are not skilled climbers. We decided instead to go to the second tower that overlooks the pass to Varnhold. This tower also proved to be difficult to access, as we could find no passage to it. Reislin agreed to fly up to it to take a closer look, keeping us in communication all the while with her magic.

When she reached the promontory where the tower stood, Reislin told us that she could see Varnhold from that vantage. She was surprised by the size of the town. It had fewer farms surrounding it than Lorewynd has. But Maegar Varn had never intended to make himself a lord of a territory. He only sought a base of operations where he would not be subject to taxation by any kingdom. 

Reislin also spied a path to the east down below the tower, which she traced out for us. We followed the path up to the tower. This one had the look of human construction, possibly Taldan. We could find nothing to indicate why it had been abandoned. Perhaps it simply lacked an adequate supply route, as there are no signs here of old roads. It must have lain on the westernmost limits of the territory Taldor claimed, as it faces toward the lands we are now claiming for Neotellus.

After we left that tower we turned back to Talon Tower, still hoping to find some way up. Once again Reislin flew to look at it, while I watched the sky for any threat. Goldwing had left us, indicating to me that there was something in this area that would hunt creatures like him. We found out soon enough what it was that he feared. Just as Reislin flew over the tower, an enormous black bird raised its head to look at her and then took flight.

Reislin identified it as a roc. They are no more clever than an ordinary bird, less intelligent than Goldwing but far more dangerous. Reislin used a spell to reappear on the ground with the rest of our group and the roc swooped down on us with a screech that shook the trees. Reislin gave us all greater speed. I shouted for everyone to get to the cliff and waited while the others ran. We pressed ourselves against the base of the cliff to make it more difficult for the great bird to snatch us up. Despite this one of its talons that were as long as I am tall caught Reilin and she was swept away by the terrible creature. 

I had been prepared to strike with my spear, but I realized that I would never get close enough. The roc could strike with a talon or its vast beak if I drew close enough to stab it, and it could have easily swallowed a horse or a griffin in one gulp. Reislin had attempted to distract it by summoning a horse, but the roc paid it no mind and the terrified horse ran away. I dropped my spear and drew my bow. Chahana stood beside me, firing arrow after arrow. Zander had taken flight and gone into cover among some nearby brush. Maria doesn't use a bow and kept her sword at the ready, though her eyes were wide. The roc was indeed frightful. 

Reislin had given flight to Maria as well as herself before the roc snatched her up, leaving myself and Chahana the only members of our little group who were not able to fly. The roc swept to one side of the pinnacle on which the tower stood, and Maria and Zander joined to flank it, while Chahana continued to fire many arrows into its huge form. I also kept firing at the roc, but because I couldn't fire as many arrows as Chahana could I was blessed with fewer successful hits. It was difficult to penetrate the roc's massive feathers. But penetrate them we did, praise the Dawnflower. The roc released Reislin from its grasp, turning on Zander and Maria, and our combined attacks finally brought it down.

When we were certain that the roc was dead and our wounds had been healed, Reislin flew back up to the tower and found that there was a nest containing four eggs within it. At first she wondered if we might be able to raise the roc chicks to act as defenders for our realm, but then she recognized that the roc had no mate and the eggs contained no chicks. Determining how to remove the eggs proved a bit difficult. Reislin cast a spell on Zander to make him capable of carrying more weight than he ordinarily was capable of, and he used ropes to help him bring the eggs down from the tower. We took them to the Tiger Lord camp and shared one egg with the tribe. 

The following day we decided we would practice fishing in Lake Silverstep to fulfill the cook's request for silver eels. I'm afraid none of us are skilled as fishers. It took us three days to catch enough eels to satisfy the number the cook had asked for with a few to spare. Goldwing is much better at catching fish than we are. 

Wealday, 19 Rova

We returned triumphant to Lorewynd to hand over our spoils to Bevan and the cook. A second roc egg was used to prepare a celebratory breakfast, accompanied by some eels. It was quite a tasty repast.

I have written to a saddlemaker in Iadara to seek a saddle for Goldwing and am awaiting a reply. 

Next: part 34, Troubles and Bounties