Session 20
We took a break for pizza and OOC discussion.
I had originally planned a sort of Quest Award if they managed to clear Pegasus Mountain - whatever was sufficient to bring the lowest to 9th level - and that ends up being about 3.3 million XP (for party + henches as a whole; each PC ends up with about 220K). Since that’s about 1/5th the value of the land they just conquered, it seems reasonable, so I have everyone update their characters.
I don’t enforce the “max gain of one level” rule for this purpose: it’s an intentional rule-breaking to avoid grinding.
Also worth noting: we generated a lot of numbers over the course of these six hours. I’ve tried to cut them down a bit for a readable summary :-).
End of Summer (Month 9)
The end of Summer is relatively peaceful.
Galswintha takes a small party and evaluates the lands they have acquired … and is pleasantly surprised, even accounting for her final efreet wish.
OOC Per the efreet's wish, I rolled 3d3+2 for each six-mile hex, and got an average of 8.5 (about +0.5 over the average). I re-arranged the numbers a bit to make better sense - I swapped Sheltered Wood's high roll for Pegasus Mountain's low roll, for example, to better fit the history of the region - but mostly left them as is.#1308 (Val. 5): Sheltered Wood
#1309 (Val. 10): Heart of Stone
#1407 (Val. 7): Red Meadow
#1408 (Val. 7): Crevice Wood
#1409 (Val. 11): Slithering River
#1410 (Val. 9): Shadowed Lake
#1507 (Val. 6): Bone Temple Hill
#1508 (Val. 11): Pegasus Mountain
#1509 (Val. 8): Darkwater Wood
#1510 (Val. 10): Oak Circle and Galaufchulis
#1607 (Val. 7): Utena’s Shadow
#1608 (Val. 8): Bugbear Forest Lake
#1609 (Val. 7): Ugly Hill
#1610 (Val. 11): Torn Tree Hill
#1708 (Val. 10): Azure Hot Springs
#1709 (Val. 9): Valley LakeI am pretty happy with the result.
Chlodomer sends Haramer and Adela to Orléans and Atanung to announce the elimination of the Bandit King.
The Grim Fist as a whole discusses the division of land and duties. Several issues crop up (in particular, Shadagrunde was torn between ruling a domain of his own … and greedily siphoning divine power from Chlodomer’s likely-exceptional domain population), and it starts to look like the obvious choice is to give everything to Chlodomer, but no one wants to actually say that.
In the end, however:
-
The region as a whole is christened “Galaufabonne” (Galswintha fought for a pegasus themed name, but was outvoted on the basis that the thousand-foot oak was a lot more impressive than the pegasus nest in its branches).
-
Baron Chlodomer is given the party treasury to build and develop the region. He wisely appoints Galswintha as Treasurer and gives her control of the purse strings.
-
Baron Chlodomer also declares the Oak Circle a nature preserve: the fortress and garrison will extend over its lands, but no peasant families will be permitted to dwell there. He gives Galswintha the title Guardian of the Wood, and grants her the right to fund a sanctum and garrison with the treasury; and charges her with defending and managing the Oak Circle.
-
Baron Chlodomer declares the state religion to be the Church of the Lady, and Shadagrunde the Patriarch of Galaufabonne.
-
Baron Chlodomer nominally appoints Vulfelind as Spy Master, but in practice she spends more time providing military advice and designing the fortresses for Chlodomer and Galswintha.
-
Guardian Galswintha leaves to acquire engineers and laborers.
-
Patriarch Shadagrunde takes the army and camps the Dwarven Highway, where he encounters and provides customer service to traveling merchants … and spreads the word.
-
Spy Master Vulfelind sends henches to check on the state of Orléans and Atanung.
Fall
Chlodomer receives his enchanted armor!
News comes in that Atanung is recruiting and training a military force - best estimate is that they will be done by the end of Winter.
Mages fill out spell repertoires.
Laborers and engineers begin work. Galswintha uses an earth elemental to help with the excavation phase.
The castle is priced at 500,000 gold; Galswintha’s tower at 30,000 … and then she discovers some of the “easter egg” benefits of the efreet wish, and she and Vulfelind sit down and redesign the tower … to the tune of 100,000 gold.
Will it be awesome? With the assistance of the guardian owl and treants, the tower will be part of the Galaufchulis tree itself.
Year 3, Winter
Shadagrunde continues to camp the highway, and amuses himself by examining the length of the dwarven highway, and slowly determines that - within a few miles of the ancient dwarven markers - the highway is mysteriously free of permanent lairs. Monsters always find a reason to move on! He begins to amass a library on the topic.
He also sets up a series of cheap runner outposts and small garrisons in case Atanung makes a military move.
Chlodomer makes a few passes around the borders and puts together a more complete map of the realm; and borrows Deuteria’s services from Galswintha to more thoroughly explore the caves in Azure Hot Springs.
Vulfelind has Veneranda and Almalinda work with the pegasus nests, working to establish a long-term agreement of protection and service. The agreement comes together, and Vulfelind arranges extra food and fodder for the pegasuses through the winter. The end of the cloud giant’s hunting parties also helps seal the deal.
And as winter comes to an end and the year’s first foals hatch, concerned and hopeful pegasus parents watch Almalinda demonstrate her gentle touch in equine training.
Galswintha spends the winter overseeing the construction of her tower.
Spring, Month 4
On the first day of Spring, normally a time of celebration, Atanung soldiers are spotted marching on the dwarven highway. Shadagrunde retreats slowly, keeping an eye on them, and sends runners to Orléans and Galaufabonne.
The army is huge: 2,000 soldiers, mostly light infantry and slingers.
Every two days, the Atanung army splits off a century of infantry and dozen slingers to camp and watch the supply line, while the remainder marches on.
At the midway point, the Grim Fist marches out and demands parley. A discussion is had, and goes poorly: Atanung intends to take Orléans, and tries to capture the Grim Fist to prevent a warning (sadly, they are a week late for that, but the Grim Fist does not enlighten them).
The party flees, goes invisible, and flees again. Rather than stop and spend fruitless days trying to find them, the Atanung army sends word back to the supply camps to fortify, and marches on at speed.
The Grim Fist members have a powow.
- Atanung’s army is a problem. A big problem. On lots of levels. 2. Each camp looks about as tough as a bandit camp (which caused losses last time). 3. The main force that arrives at Orléans will be about seven times as big.
Galswintha borrows Veneranda and Fierce on the Wind … and goes to talk to the fairies.
And a few days later, Chlodomer walks into the camp closest to Atanung to parley. He offers the mercenary captain a safe exit back to Atanung, if he leaves immediately. The captain refuses. Chlodomer nods and leaves.
Meanwhile, pixies flit invisible through the camp, cutting saddle straps, unscrewing arrow heads, peace-bonding swords with spider silk, and more. And as soon as Chlodomer is out of the camp, trees attack, followed by cataphracts and heavy infantry. No spells or military oil (they would have used the oil, but had none left) are used, but the initial assault is still brutal, and enemy morale dissolves almost immediately. Chlodomer sends the bulk of soldiers home, but keeps the leaders as well-treated prisoners for ransom.
… and the Atanung runners who tried to run a warning to the next camp discover that light cavalry were waiting for them.
They then repeat this, camp by camp, as fast as they can, over the next several days. Some camps agree to disband and head home; others fight and die. Some losses are inevitable, and Shadagrunde and Team Priest focus on ensuring that it’s more “wounded” than “dead.” When they finally catch up to the main force, Atanung’s military has reached Orléans and is in pitched battle.
Shadagrunde’s initial runners to Orléans were not wasted: instead of a sleeping city, Atanung found a prepared (if small) military force.
For the main force, Chlodomer does not bother with a second attempt at parley, and the pixies refuse to enter an ongoing battle … so the party opens with webs and fireballs and an insect swarm, followed by a sweeping water elemental who puts the fires out.
Then trees. Then archers and cataphracts. Then cavalry and heavy infantry.
One thing is certain: Vulfelind has figured out how to combine soldier types.
When Atanung figures out that killing trees is a waste of time and goes hunting actual treants, they find Chlodomer and his personal guard waiting. Chlodomer finally has an opportunity to enjoy the cleaving rules, as he hews his way through their ranks (fun fact: Chlodomer pretty much can’t miss, and his damage bonus is higher than any standard soldier’s hit points).
Spells of confusion, illusions, and the occasional sniper magic missile help; Galswintha’s water elemental, immune to normal weapons, turns out to be terrifying against light infantry (and Baldaswind in tiger form is possibly more devastating).
Shadagrunde and Team Priest, again, focus on making sure that as many losses as possible are merely wounded, but do take a few moments here and there to bash heads.
Vulfelind and crew make their way through the enemy ranks to find the Atanung General and engage an absolutely epic backstab. He dies with a vaguely puzzled look, before Vulfelind goes down with a massive head wound inflicted by the General’s aide. (The aide lives just long enough to enjoy a moment of glory before Grizzba, screaming incoherent goblin curses, is on him like stink on an ape.)
Trapped between Orléans and the Grim Fist, and suddenly leaderless, the Atanung mercenaries surrender.
First aid fails to recover Vulfelind, and the first restoration of life also
fails: she appears to be well dead. Chlodomer pleads her case to the Governor of Orléans (“We fought well, but she died ending the fight”). Her body is sent to the chief priest of Orléans (who notices that her name is on the roster of “top hundred donations”) and gives his own best attempt.
She remains dead, and he promises to try again each day until it is hopeless, but warns “She died instantly, with a grievous head wound … and she has been distant from us in each attempt. There is a grave and solid chance that she cannot be returned to us.”
As a side note, the party stumbles across a rumor: that the leader of the Orléans Thieves’ Guild died, and there has been an upheaval resulting in a lot of street fighting, assassinations, and counter-assassinations.
Spring
Chlodomer helps hammer out a treaty between Orléans and Atanung. Shadagrunde and crew heal members of their army. Galswintha frets.
On the fourth day of attempts, the Orléans Patriarch declares Vulfelind truly dead. Galswintha declares the Patriarch truly a quack, and sets off to hire the 11th level mage in Orleans to reincarnate Vulfelind … but he doesn’t have that spell.
Then she argues with Vulfelind’s shortsword of luck to no avail:
“Oh no, I don’t think so. You call that epic? How many thieves are in the world? Too many, that’s how many. And wishes? You can’t find them for love or money. And you want to trade a wish for a thief?”
So finally: the corpse is preserved, and Galswintha goes back to the wizard, pays a lot of money for his research, and then more money for the casting
… and Vulfelind is reincarnated into a new body.
She is no longer tall, but short and compact. Her dark olive skin is darker, almost black. Her close-cropped black hair has exploded into a massive mess of shock-white curls. And her dark eyes … are now bright, amber, and slightly feral looking. For a brief moment, it looks more like a predatory spirit has moved into a human body …
Then one lip quirks up in a smirk, and it’s Vulfelind after all.
(OOC: Arctic werefox. Here is Vulfelind in fox form, looking smug.)
With the treaty signed on all sides, the Grim Fist escorts the military force home; gathering up Atanung’s reinforcements along the way, acquires the ransoms, and then returns themselves home, except for Shadagrunde, who keeps watch on the Atanung border.
OOC Break
We took another break here, and looked at the in-game timeline. With a little
fudging, we manage to line up all of the construction (including Galswintha’s sanctum and research facilities, two waystations along the highway, and the central castle) to complete at the beginning of year 5.
My inner DM said to make every year hard, but the truth of the matter is: it is extremely unlikely that any truly threatening encounters will occur, there is a dragon to the south extending some protection, Atanung and Orléans both are nursing wounds, and I wanted to get to the domain game :-).
Vulfelind re-rolled her physical stats on 3d6 in order, rather than King’s method, and … right there in front of everyone, she rolled 13, 18, 16, and calmly wrote it down. These punks these days have no idea.
Arctic Werefox: Based on the Rules Cyclopedia entry; added thief abilities (and an extra * on the HD), which put her at exactly twice a fighter’s XP per level - she won’t see 11th level for a very long time. Allowed a foxman form, similar to the wererat, but restricted it to one-handed human-sized weapons due to small size. Vulfelind finally stops wearing the black widow armor.
Werefox-10: HD 9d8+2**, attack throw 2+, save F10, natural AC 3; Move 180, swim 60; cold-adapted (ignore weather and cold water, but no effect on cold damage). Usual lycanthropy stuff.
Then we skipped to Year 5 and began domain management.
Year 5, Winter
Followers arrive … and they are expensive, but Chlodomer is still uncertain of Atanung, and decides that running some debt now is worth the peace of mind; Galswintha is hesitant, but approves the costs for now. Morale pegs at maximum for the entire Winter.
Followers (including pre-existing mercenaries and those camping with Shadagrund):
- Fighter-1. DEX +1, CON -2, INT +1. (25/month).
- Fighter-2. STR -1, INT -1, WIS +1, CHA +2. (25/month).
- Fighter-3. CON -2, INT +1, WIS +2. (50/month).
- Fighter-3. STR +2, CHA +2. (100/month).
- 200 light infantry (1,200/month).
- 100 heavy infantry (1,200/month).
- 30 longbowmen (900/month).
- 50 light cavalry (1,500/month).
- 20 heavy cavalry (1,200/month).
- 60 cataphract cavalry (4,500/month).
- Total: A staggering 10,700 per month.
The first two months are rough as a result, even with funds brought in by the party slowly working their way around the border and clearing a few dangerous lairs within a hex of Galaufabonne - and even the third month’s sudden bounty (as the number of peasant families tips over the military costs and moves the domain into profit) does not quite make up the debt.
And that’s when Iamanu shows up.
Iamanu turns out to be a dragon, with roughened scales of blackest charcoal, glowing green eyes, and vast, leather wings. No member of the Grim Fist has ever seen a dragon in person before (indeed, few living have), but where most manuscripts describe them as 10-24 feet long, Iamanu is 50 feet long, with a wingspan that rivals some arenas.
The dragon-sized and -fitted crown, rings, and other regalia; steel-tipped claws; and hovering shield with his emblem upon it … are also a bit discomfiting. And it takes a moment before they notice Aella and her archers riding a howdah on his back.
“It has been,” the giant beast rasps in passable Frankish, “a long, long time since I have accepted a vassal.”
Session End
And then I end the session because it’s late and the moment is too perfect, and I have to admit, the “NOOOOOOO” chorus really warmed the darkest corners of my heart.
Next week, dragons and taxes!