I. The Stolen Lands : 1.2 And let the adventure begin
In Restov : a secret meeting in the Temple of Erastil
When his grandfather fell ill and died, the inhabitants threw Ugharsh out of the walls where he was then soon captured by orcs marauders. They chained him and dragged him to their camp in the trails of a procession of enslaved prisoners.
He eventually joined a female orc and founded a family with her. They fled to the open country to cultivate a remote piece of land. Unfortunately, the area was caught in a skirmish between a group of orc looters and a column of Trunau lancers. Only Ugarsh survived.
Freggi is a beautiful, shady girl with hair as black as her father's is blonde. She unintentionally attracts trouble around her. The boys fight for her, she sets off fires, the harnesses of the famil's chariot breaks when she drives it ... She actually is a sorcerer who does not know herself yet.
The Heroes were invited to a secret meeting in the temple of Erastil in the outskirts of Restov. It was dark, the sky was leaden black and a fine rain was cooling the damp atmosphere of the southern summer. When they each arrived once at a time, they entered the high carved wooden building were reigned an atmosphere of profond contemplation. Beeswax, resin, sage, cypress powerful scents invaded the air. Only a few candles illuminated the chapel and its carved alcoves where the Patriarch Russev was celebrating a funeral ritual in the company of a handful of believers. Only muffled cryings could be heard in the silent dim light. Silhouettes stand out in the dark rows of oak benches. It was only when the bereaved faithfuls left the temple that the old man got rid of his robe and ceremonial headdress. He then went to the presbytery, beckoning the Heroes to follow him. Everyone settled in the small cramped room. The patriarch introduced Iven Alehmarei, a young noble who seated at the Chamber of Swords. He' was known to have the ear of the Lord Mayor. He also had the reputation of being a Rostian patriot and not to hide his attachment to the cult of Erastil, where other countryside nobles were quick to shy away from their religion once arrived in the big city. He explained them the situation : Restov had the intention of annexing pieces of the Stolen Lands to build up allied nations on their Southern borders. Himself and the Lord Mayor were fomenting a project of an Erastilian colony there. When they both asked Father Rurik' who they could assign this mission to, he obviously suggested to employ... the Heroes.
NPC
Iven Alehmarei (Swordlord, faithful of Erastil): |
| Sword Lord Iven Alehmarei |
This young Rostian aristocrat sits in the Chamber of Swords (the local parliament of the free city of Restov and unofficial center of power of the Rost). He comes from an old family also renowned for his fierce resistance to the conquest of Choral the conqueror.
He is the one of the only Swordlord openly worshiping Erastil. His boldness and inventiveness make him one of the favorites of Lord Mayor Ioseph Sellemei.
It is at his initiative that the exploration of the Green Belt and Kamelandes was entrusted to a group from his community. He has the reputation of being a fine diplomat as well as a fervent Rostian patriot.
This is your charter and therefore your mission
It's was raining on the Standards Square near the main city gates. The different emissaries stood there to receive their charters from the authorities in the person of the Chancellor of Restov who represented the Lord Mayor and the Chamber of Swords. An army of city's solicitors swiftly distributed rolls to the Heroes and to the other groups Restov has decided to send across the Stolen Lands to establish themsleves.
Glenebon Highlands :
The Sword Lords sent a group of relatively experienced adventurers called the Iron Spectres in the Glenebon Highlands. They instructed them to purge the hills of the Tiger Lords barbarians and eventually establish diplomatic contacts with Pitax to address border issues.
Description: A dozen warriors in plate armor accompanied by a proud Chelaxian war mage.
The Nomens Highs :
Centaurs of the Nomen Highs had always been a source of trouble, and the Swordlords had attempted a display of strength by sending a group of mercenaries led by a rough captain from the North. This lord of low rank, named Maegar Varn has been instructed to establish a village and make sure to keep the Nomens tribes at check at all cost.
Description: A mercenary company of 15 infantrymen (lansquenets) 10 archers and a few adventurer as officers.
The Hooktong swamps :
The eastern Sellen was running throughout the march called the Hooktongue Swamps. As the most profitable southern trade route passed by this region, it was the most important mission for Brevoy. They sent a large group of diplomats and high-ranking soldiers to reopen the road and ensure his safety.
Description: a group of notables of the city and officers led by the cunning B.
Glenebon Highlands :
The Sword Lords sent a group of relatively experienced adventurers called the Iron Spectres in the Glenebon Highlands. They instructed them to purge the hills of the Tiger Lords barbarians and eventually establish diplomatic contacts with Pitax to address border issues.
Description: A dozen warriors in plate armor accompanied by a proud Chelaxian war mage.
The Nomens Highs :
Centaurs of the Nomen Highs had always been a source of trouble, and the Swordlords had attempted a display of strength by sending a group of mercenaries led by a rough captain from the North. This lord of low rank, named Maegar Varn has been instructed to establish a village and make sure to keep the Nomens tribes at check at all cost.
Description: A mercenary company of 15 infantrymen (lansquenets) 10 archers and a few adventurer as officers.
The Hooktong swamps :
The eastern Sellen was running throughout the march called the Hooktongue Swamps. As the most profitable southern trade route passed by this region, it was the most important mission for Brevoy. They sent a large group of diplomats and high-ranking soldiers to reopen the road and ensure his safety.
Description: a group of notables of the city and officers led by the cunning B.
NPC :
Ugharsh (blacksmith and amateur engineer):
This half-breed is the involuntary offspring of a young woman from Trunau, a distant fortified village located in the area of influence of the Belkzen Citadel and an orc pillager who had kidnapped her during a raid and had her finally let go after drinking too much.
Urgarsh's mother died shortly after giving birth to him. The young woman's father, an alcoholic blacksmith, raised as he could this deformed offspring which was all that remained of his daughter. The life of a half-blooded orc-human kid was not soft in this region where the inhabitants were in perpetual war with Belkzen and its wild hordes.
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| Ugarsh the blacksmith |
He escaped the worst by making it clear that he could make weapons, which he did to avoid torture and slavery or death. He learned the Orckish language and melted into this world of violence, where his size and talents as a swordsmith allowed his halfbreed origins to be more or less forgiven.
He eventually joined a female orc and founded a family with her. They fled to the open country to cultivate a remote piece of land. Unfortunately, the area was caught in a skirmish between a group of orc looters and a column of Trunau lancers. Only Ugarsh survived.
Broken by grief, he traveled through the North of Avistan searching instructers who could teach him blacksmithing. He ended up being accepted as a miner in the Golushkin Mountains in Brevoy. By constantly bringing back the best minerals, he was noticed by an eccentric dwarf lady named Kaffri who kept him as a helper. She was forbidden to take him as an apprentice, but in secret when she gave lessons to young dwarves, she was passing on knowledge to Ugarsh, who then practiced in a makeshift smithy that he had summarily made.
The old dwarven lady had taken a liking to the young semi-orc who was never reluctant to work until exhaustion and had more talent than any of her dwarf apprentices
She admired his honesty and ingenuity. "You'd be a good blacksmith, but you could be a great engineer," she told him one day. Her ruse, however, was discovered by the students who complained to the head of the Iron Craftsmen's Corporation. She got publicly blamed and punished with a severe fine and she got forbidden to practice her art until she had parted with her infamous servant. The obstinate blacksmith had happily decided to oppose her pairs, but Ugarsh did not give her the opportunity to do so and left the Golushkin mountains. He wandered in Brevoy and the River Kingdoms, seeking to settle. But everywhere, wherever he went, his appearance was too reminiscent of his orcishness... he ended up hearing about the Restov expedition and proposed to join the convoy, which the merry Heroes accepted.
She admired his honesty and ingenuity. "You'd be a good blacksmith, but you could be a great engineer," she told him one day. Her ruse, however, was discovered by the students who complained to the head of the Iron Craftsmen's Corporation. She got publicly blamed and punished with a severe fine and she got forbidden to practice her art until she had parted with her infamous servant. The obstinate blacksmith had happily decided to oppose her pairs, but Ugarsh did not give her the opportunity to do so and left the Golushkin mountains. He wandered in Brevoy and the River Kingdoms, seeking to settle. But everywhere, wherever he went, his appearance was too reminiscent of his orcishness... he ended up hearing about the Restov expedition and proposed to join the convoy, which the merry Heroes accepted.
En route to South Fort
After leaving the road, the Heroes were joined by three families of evicted Erastilian peasants. They volunteered to scout the new land and find out if it was fettle enough to welcome a wider community. They roamed the southern route all the way down to Fort Serenko, the last outpost of Rostland territory. They then entered the hilly Kamelands meadow, following a thin track left by the few carts that made the trip to Restov once or twice a year. The immensity of the wilderness was striking and made the traveler dizzy. The clouds were piling up and the wind was sweeping the grassy mass. The settlers were offered the grandiose spectacle of summer storms for which the Stolen Lands were so famous. In the distance the lightning rumbled and a herd of giant aurochs moved away down the plains. The rain soon began to fall sharply soaking the grass wet. Everywhere they could spot lonely yellow foxes and packs of plains wolves, playful marmots and lemmings trying to seek refuge in holes or under bushes.
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| The Kamelands |
NPC:
Colons Family 1:
Crop cultivators. Roald: Father (Ulfen), Alavine: mother (Brevian), Bjarn: grandfather, (super old) Norev: son, 14 years old, Fregi: 17 years old girl.
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| Roald Grimson |
Roald Grimson is a gigantic northman who came to trade amber in Brevoy from an Ulfen settlement in Iobaria*. He fell in love with a Rostian peasant girl, Alavine and married her. They had two children Norev and Freggi. He has a younger brother named Gretir who is a fighter and that will join the party of the Heroes later in the game.
* back stories about Ulfen colonies in Iobaria will be developed later with Magda and Gretir traveling over there in the 3rd book.
* back stories about Ulfen colonies in Iobaria will be developed later with Magda and Gretir traveling over there in the 3rd book.
His grandfather Bjarn accompanied them. He is a very old cantankerous man who does not speak a word of Brevian. Roald will tell them that he is a former viking who has led many raids and also that he's a wicked sorcerer. The old man considers his grandson as a mop because of his peaceful temperament and his willingness to live as a farmer and not as a warrior.
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| Freggi |
Family Colons 2: cow breeders: the father and his 4 sons, a herd of 20 cows, 5 and a huge mastif like dog (kind like a turkish Kangal).
Pavil the cowherd and his sons Vled, Vences, Pietrei and Zoran drive two bulky wagons. The oldest son rides a horse and guide the cattle. They were sharecroppers and when their lord died, the Sikorsky family (who also did a lot of harm to two members of the Heroes party) broke their hire and threw them away on the road as it happened often to Erastil worshippers in the Rost.
Family Colons 3: Erastil fundamentalist cultivators:
Niklaios and Mirna : Young man and woman, their 4 years old boy, 9 months old girl. Very strict observant of the faith. They believe the Green Belt is the promise land for Erastilian.
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