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--- game_systems:pathfinder:kingmaker:adventure_journal [2024/02/20 12:15] – [Taking the Fight to the Foe] Bryan Stephens
+++ game_systems:pathfinder:kingmaker:adventure_journal [2024/04/17 11:27] (current) – [The Heart of the Bloom] Bryan Stephens
@@ Line 1054: / Line 1054: @@
 ==== A Threat at Home ====
 |Game Date|03-05-2023|
-|Campaign Dates|Arodus 4117– Gozran 7, 4118|
+|Campaign Dates|Arodus 4717– Gozran 7, 4718|
@@ Line 1447: / Line 1447: @@
 |Game Date|01-07-2024|
-|Campaign Dates|Densus 11-15, 4118|
+|Campaign Dates|Densus 11-15, 4718|
 Not wanting to waste time, Aryn has Caleb teleport them to an abandoned building in the Shattered Ward district of Pitax to meet with their newly hired mercenaries. The half-orc leader, Fraizer, (“My mother named me”), meets them and updates them on the details.
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 Caleb is fast today and opens with a //chain lightening// as Ayrn charges to the back after hardening his skin with //barkskin//. Facing the ogre-magi and two trolls, the others advance to face Vern, Miki and Caleb. Aryn takes some hits, but as he goes to hit the most dangerous foe, Caleb laughs and casts //feeblemind// on him, and the ogre-magi wanders off, mindless. Disappointed, Aryn lashes into the troll near him. The two trolls in front cannot withstand the three upon them and soon fall. Caleb starts to apply acid to them after using //hold monster// on the second troll facing Aryn. It is not clear if Ayrn is happy with this or upset he has less of a fight. Soon, the room is filled with the acrid smell of acid and blood. Now it is time to descend and confront Irrovetti!
+=== Beneath the Arena ===
+The King and his Knights Companions and Arms pause to heal themselves before descending to the stairs on the left. They descend into a chamber is lit by large braziers, all shedding light on several immaculate, pain-producing mechanisms. A large table mounted with winching racks sits in the middle of the room, while strapadoes, a manacled wheel, vats of brine and oil, and baskets of knives, saws, pokers, and pins lie along the walls. To the north lies a large cell block, several of whose cells contain the ruined, mutilated corpses of prisoners. They hear the cries of humans in the back. Inside is a gargoyle and two hell hounds. As the party turns the corner of the stairs, Aryn orders Miki to secure the prisoners while he, Grunder and Vern face off against the other three.
+Before any of them can move, the hounds advance and breath cones of fire, catching everyone but Caleb and his guardian thylacines. Aryn avoids the fire, but everyone else is hurt. Ayrn strikes several blows into the nearest hellhound, but is intern less defended against the advancing gargoyle, who deeply claws into him. Grunder lays into the gargoyle, haughtily ignoring the hellound to his right, and Caleb uses is //vampiric touch// to refresh himself. The hellhound fighting Aryn, again manages to claw him, and the King is reeling, bleeding and burned, but he finishes off the monster with two strikes and turns the rest of his attention to the gargoyle. His Holy Avenger Axe glowing with brilliant white light, Grunder easily fells the evil creature, leaving only the one remaining hell hound. Aryn calls for Felix to attack the beast, as he knows he cannot withstand another blow. Vern steps up and kills the monster.
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder:kingmaker:npcs:irovetti.png?400 |}}
+Meanwhile, Miki has summoned an earth elemental to bust open the first cell, and offered a healing potion. She is intent on her mission and seemingly oblivious to the fight at the entrance to the cells. Caleb left the fight while the last hound was still up to use his //wand of knock// to free the other prisoners. There are six in all, including two Varnhold traders and Esmaranda Illota, a performer imprisoned. Caleb pulls out a pamphlet for each, one for rescued citizens. Miki wonders how to keep them safe, and Aryn instructs Caleb to use the //crystal ball// to summon Fyonia and Barry to take these rescued people back to Stagfell where they are safe. The 6 are rather gobsmacked at meeting the King, Queen and heroes of Thylicia.
+Caleb also communicates with his agents acting to free the prostitutes. Lilly is monitoring them and moving to spring them from transports they are being loaded into. Meanwhile, the group goes back up to the arena and down the other set of stairs. After setting of a glyph, Grunder holds back until Miki points out other traps down the long hall. Now annoyed, Grunder uses his //Holy Avenger Axe// to //dispel magic// at the first two doors before they open them. Each room appears to have a captive monster for fighting in the area. The group secures the rooms and ignores the third door for now. These can wait.
+Frustrated, Aryn leads the group upstairs again. All is chaos. Servants are running back and forth, as the city is being attacked. Guards seem to have abandoned the building as no word is forthcoming from their King. Grabbing a servant, Aryn and Grunder try a fast interrogation, but Caleb steps in and does it right. The terrified man leads them to a secret passage back from the cells. However, this just goes to a pantry and another exit back to the main level. With mounting rage, Aryn has the group split up and
+//”Tear this place apart to find him!”//.
+It is the eyes of a tracker, King Aryn himself, who finds the hidden stairs down. Summoning his friends, they head down, Grunder again in the lead. Despite his use of //dispel// the more powerful //fireball// glyph goes off and Grunder is again awash in flame. However this does not stop him bashing open the door.
+This is a sumptuously appointed bedchamber with a polished tile floor and walls, a tinkling fountain, and dozens of sculptures, all lit by stained-glass lamps and sconces. A large owlbearskin rug lies before a hexagonal bed in the corner of the room, while to the north, a thick purple curtain hangs from the ceiling. The sound of rippling water echoes from somewhere beyond the curtain. Aryn charges forward and slices the curtain open into an arch with the flick of his swords. Beyond is a room with a pool. This placid pool glows from the many crystal lamps mounted above and below the water line. A gilded statue with Irovetti’s face and an impossibly perfect body rises from the waves with arms extended, as though reaching out toward a lover. To the west, a large dry area seems to have once served as a treasury, but now all of the chests appear to be empty. Standing in the room is King Castruccio Irovetti and a lovely woman.
+Irovetti says, “//Engelidis, these are the intruders I was telling you about!”//
+As she moves, Caleb’s //arcane sight// show him she is under a charm compulsion. He casts //greater dispel magic// and is just able to overcome the spell that Irovetti has so long been holding her as his captive and lover. The rage on her face is clear to everyone. Before Irovetti can understand what has happened, however, the King of Thylicia charges ahead on //boots of speed// reaching the rapist king and striking him. Simultaneously, the freed Engelidis shadow steps to Caleb and lays a hand on him teleporting him and her away. Miki watches as Caleb starts to resist the effect and then decides to give in. She says as much to the group as she throws a //flame strike// at Irovetti. However, his //ring of spell turning// sends it back at her.
+Felix, no longer with someone to guard, charges after his master, somewhat slower, but fast enough to get into place to flank the foul Irovetti. Grunder moves forward yelling,
+“//Arry, save some for the rest of us!”//
+Irovetti strikes at his greatest enemy with his rod, managing to connect once. Ayrn does not appear to notice. Evil humans are Ayrn’s oldest foe. His twin rapiers, symbols of his house, unleash Aryn’s fury upon the looter of Pitax. Crackling with electricity and slicing through the air, Aryn’s swords cut Irovetti to pieces. In moments, Grunder stops running, as Ayrn lifts the severed head of Irovetti!
+Meanwhile, Caleb is confronted with Engelidis, who thanks him for freeing her. She tells Caleb where Irovetti has something of great value stored in the pool. She gives him a token to summon her as a object of gratitude for her rescue. Caleb sends a message to Vern explaining what happened and then teleports himself to Lilly.
+Miki turns into a squid and searches the pool, finding a secret door to a case holding a sword wrapped in what must be Evindra’s shawl. Inside is bastard sword, red at the tip with ornate vines and leave on it. The sword does not seem quite complete somehow. This must be the sword //Briar// Evindra mentioned. Ayrn grabs it and the sword morphs into a similar rapier.
+This fight over, Aryn takes the head of the fallen king and mounts his //jade kirin// and flies over the city, telling all that the tyrant is dead. In the city, the armies of Thylicia are winning the battle for the city as the defenders collapse.
+==== Endings and Premonitons ====
+|Game Date|03-04-2024|
+|Campaign Dates|Densus 16-31, 4718|
+With the defeat of the King of Pitax, there is much to be done. Aryn appoints Vashra to be the military Governor of Pitax, with Tarcil as Lt. Governor. His plan is clear to give power to the common people, which will upset the local merchant class, especially the four families, more like criminal organizations themselves. It will remain to be seen if they can be incorporated into the Kingdom or will have to be …. Sidelined.
+**The Cattanei Family: ** Though the Cattanei family had the greatest role in founding Pitax, its influence in the city diminishes with each passing year. The actions of the madman Ludov Cattanei a hundred years ago weakened their Trade House, and the civil war that followed shortly thereafter nearly destroyed them. The Cattaneis, along with their Serpent’s Breath Trade House, possess just a fraction of the wealth of the other Houses. Xapiri Yasmina, a mysterious merchant from Cheliax, recently purchased controlling interest in the Serpent’s Breath Trade House. The Cattaneis wanted no part of this deal, but they were forced to accept it lest they succumb to complete financial ruin. Salvarri Cattanei, meanwhile, recently took control of the Red Crescent Theater, more in an effort to curry favor with Irovetti than to make a contribution to the fine arts.
+**The Liacenza Family: ** Until recently, the Liacenzas controlled much of Pitax. With their controlling interests in the famed vineyards of Sarain, as well as most of the other orchards in the area, their Iron Fox Trade House proved the city’s most prosperous. Though the other families and Trade Houses held influence over what happened in the city, the Liacenzas determined its fate. At least, they did until Castruccio Irovetti arrived. In the span of just a few weeks, the leaders of the Liacenzas—the brothers Lothaire and Berengar—lost control of the Iron Fox Trade House to the bard in a series of bizarre incidents. Two short weeks after that, the two brothers disappeared without a trace. Young Gasperre Liacenza took the mantle of leadership for the family in their absence, but his youth and inexperience hamper his effort to restore the family’s honor. The family mostly operates out of the Fallen Star Tavern, owned by Gasperre, as the warehouses of the Iron Fox remain under Irovetti’s control.
+**The Strocalle Family: ** The Darkwind Trade House of the Strocalle family currently enjoys the greatest wealth of Pitax’s Trade Houses, but it wields disproportionately minor influence. Simply put, no one in Pitax trusts the Strocalles. Their loyalties lie first with profit and second with members of their own house, with all others being a very distant third. Strocalle treachery weaves its way throughout the history of Pitax. Of all the families, the Strocalles maintain the closest ties with the city’s criminal element. Eliste Strocalle controls both the Darkwind Wind Trade House and the Strocalle family. Scheming and ambitious, her plotting proved instrumental in Irovetti’s ascent to power. Her family’s alliance with the city’s ruler is stronger than many suspect, and she eventually plans—with Irovetti’s help—to eliminate the other Trade Houses.
+**The Vascari Family: ** With their large warehouse at the docks of the Sellen River, the Vascari family controls the ships that make their way to Pitax. Unlike the other Trade Houses, they keep few holdings within the city, but their rule over the river makes them a force to be reckoned with. Every sailor in Pitax owes allegiance to the Vascaris and the Riversong Trade House. The Vascaris follow the rule of Jhofré Vascari. At a young age, Jhofré departed the city; he then spent much of his life as an ordinary merchant captain, establishing contacts along the length of the Sellen River. Despite his lineage, the other Trade Houses and most citizens view Jhofré as an outsider, so his influence is diminished
+=== Searching for the Truth ===
+Aryn meets with Evindra to discoverthe truth about Briar, the first world sword he now carries. The mysterious agents of Nyrissa’s enemies from the First World chose a low, nameless mound in the foothills of the Branthlend Mountains as Briar’s hidden vault, hiding the sword in a subterranean pool under what would come to be known as Whiterose Hill and entrusting its protection to Evindra.
+For unknown years she did just that, but eventually, civilization came to call in the form of a group of priests of Cayden Cailean. Taken by the beauty of the white roses that grew upon the hill, they chose the hill as the site to build a remote abbey and winery. Evindar admits that over the decades that followed, the need for companionship eventually drove her to contact the priests, and they welcomed her presence, seeing her as a benevolent spirit once she began to teach them the secret of how to enhance the quality of their wine by using purer forms of water and more efficient methods of filtration.
+It all came to an end when the church sent an awkward and embarrassing member to the abbey—a lecherous and somewhat deformed half ling sorcerer whose skill at gardening and cultivating vineyards only just kept him in the good graces of the church. They did not excommunicate him for his borderline acts of heresy, but rather entrusted him to the priests of Whiterose, hoping that the remote location would soften his eccentricities. Yet when the gardener first encountered Evindra, he became obsessed with her, and one night he stole her shawl and in so doing gained a considerable bargaining chip, for Evindra was a nereid, and her shawl contained a portion of her soul. The gardener forced Evindra into a watery form and imprisoned her in a beautiful water clock so he could keep her to himself.
+In imprisoning Evindra, the gardener discovered the treasure she had been guarding—an exquisite bastard sword. And with Evindra imprisoned and no longer able to keep the sword’s emotions in check, the potent weapon began to stir. It began to drive the gardener even more insane. Driven beyond reason, he used Briar to slay everyone else in the Abbey, then retreated into hiding in the subterranean pool below.
+It wasn’t until relatively recently that Irovetti’s agents discovered Whiterose was the site of Briar’s hidden vault. They found the subterranean chamber and the mad gardener therein. A battle ensued, but they prevailed— after slaying the gardener, they returned to Pitax with Briar, leaving Evindra trapped in her water clock simply because they didn’t find where the gardener had stashed the elegant device away.
+Ayrn notes he is quite concerned about the sword and its influence. He instructs his best and oldest (non-geriatric) friend, Grunder to watch him closely, lest he exhibit sings of lust for power or other madness. Evindra does not feel this is a danger yet, but does not that the sword is mostly sleeping now. Aryn tells Evindra she can choose to live anywhere in the Kingdom, guarded from others, and she accepts. She notes the lands of the forest represent a weakened area between the first world and this one.
+=== Littletown ===
+The heroes travel to Littletown to find it utterly destroyed by wyverns. This, it seems, was Irovetti’s bargain to obtain the great flying armies. Sickened, Aryn orders the area cleared and prepared for a new settlement: Freetown. Here he will offer for all former slaves to resettle. The only issue are the remaining monsters still flying about. Aryn directly challenges them and order them out from his Kingdom. The surely monsters are not very bright, however they can see the outcome and decide to depart.
+=== Rumors, Caves, and a Castle ===
+Finally, the heroes go to follow up on old rumors about the great black dragon, Ilthuliak. The first cave they explore turns out to belong to an ancient wyvern matriarch. She is unconcerned with her ill-tempered brood and only wishes to be left alone. Ayrn proposes that some cattle and sheep can be provided for her in exchange to not having a fight to the death. She, in turn, offers her treasure, something the old creature has grown board with.
+The next cave is more on target. They do indeed find the cave of Ilthuliak, but it appears something happened: At some point, a portal appears to have opened to the first world, and Ilthuliak was dragged into it, sometime in the last 20 years. This is highly disturbing to the group.
+Rumors of the Weeping Grove lead Aryn and Miki to a quickwood tree. Miki makes a deal with it to stay within its bounds, and that humans will not disturb it. Grunder is clear, however, if it kills human, it will face his axe!
+The group searches for a rumored castle. This is, perhaps, the worst find of them all. The ruins they see are only partially in this world. Vern tries to //dispel// the effect, but the ruins simple fade away. Miki speaks with a nearby ancient oak. It refers to the Castle of Knives, and to the appearance of Nyrissa at times. The tree says it will take “four seasons” for the Castle of Knives to return. The five friends are silent as Miki finishes relaying this information. It would seem there is one year until the first world menace, Nyrissa, will return looking for her missing sword. Miki suggests leaving agents to watch the area.
+A long road lies ahead to restore this city. Aryn has every intention of adding it to his Kingdom so that it will never again be a threat. The powerful families of the city will be as bucking horses. He knows a greater danger is out there, as he feels the power of the sword he just acquired. Far more dangerous times are ahead for the newest of the River Kingdoms!
+End of Book 5
+===== BOOK 6: SOUND OF A THOUSAND SCREAMS=====
+==== A Bloom of Evil ====
+|Game Date|4-14-2024|
+|Campaign Dates|Sarenith 6, 4719|
+=== It was a Clear Morning ===
+It has been slightly over a year since the liberation of Pitax. The clean up of corrupt nobles and functionaries took some months. The Kingdom’s stability suffered at times, with increased unrest in various areas, but after a year, things have settled out, and Pitax was able to enjoy its first Liberation Day last month. Alas, the Kingdom of Thylicia is about to fall under the greatest threat it has ever seen.
+The morning of Sarenith (June) the 6th breaks as a typical summer day. The heat of summer is still a few weeks away. The rains of the previous month have cleared, and the sky is a bright blue with high clouds without the heft to carry more rain, pushed along by a slight breeze. Aryan and Fyonia enjoyed a walk in the courtyard after breakfast.
+{{ :game_systems:pathfinder:kingmaker:monster:treant.jpg?350|}}
+The messages started to arrive to the Marshal, the Keeper of the Keys, and the General of the Kingdom. Between Levton and Coppertree all communication was lost with the watchtower. Immediately on that news is reports of a sudden giant forest. All three immediately teleport to the area, telling their respective agents to inform the others. Caleb arrives first and begins to probe the area using arcane eyes. The forest has upended and destroyed the highway and canal. Giant trees, plants, flowers and animals now abound. Inside, Caleb sees how some people are shot through with sudden plant growth, killing them where they stood, and he shudders.
+Miki arrives with Barry and several of her higher level agents. Barry departs to tell the King in Person. Miki is stunned with the First World energy flowing about in front of her. It is entrancing. Still, she orders her druids to shapeshift and enter into the forest to explore. During this, Grunder arrives and simply starts to hack his way inside the rough terrain. He emerges noting he can create a pathway, but he is not sure it will last more than a few hours. It is then that the King and Queen arrive in a flash of light. Seeing the destruction, and hearing that his covers a radius of 12 miles or so, Ayrn is angered and appalled. Hearing Miki express amazement at the horror before them, the King grabs his friend and hauls her up to his face.
+//”How many dead!”// he shouts into the startled druid’s face, //”The farmers! The fishers! Your soldiers! How many are dead!”//
+Ayrn’s companions are stunned at the display. Miki nods her head and apologizes as Ayrn sets her down. He orders them into the chaos, Grunder in the lead cutting their way through, with Miki behind trying to sense her way to the core of this event, where the First World has spilt into this one.
+Following what was once the highway, they group rescues two merchants from a wagon amid the bodies of their fellow travelers. Plants with more movement and appetite than is common have killed many. Miki sends them back the path they have carved guarded by Flip. Aryn lends her Felix to ride. They continue on to the watchtower to find it in ruins.
+The mot and baily has been destroyed, an the tower lays crumbled. Both Marshal’s and Key’s men fight against ordinary cats now transformed to the size of cougars. The party jumps in to save them and offers them healing potions. Caleb goes to order his men to escape back down the path, but Aryn overrules him. He orders all remaining forces to move to the farms and fisheries to save any subjects they can. Not knowing the dangers of this wood, Ayrn cannot be sure they will even survive. There is a brief silence as the reality of that order sinks in, and then the watchtower’s commander salutes and leads his forces into the woods.
+One of Miki’s agents flies out of the woods as parrot and transforms, only to be pulled back into the forest by vines! Grunder leaps to the rescue and kills the giant fly-trap plant. He reports the extent of the damage and wide area of this strange forest and offers a direction they might try towards the north. Miki sends him out to join the rest of their forces.
+=== The Heart of the Bloom ===
+The group follows a game trail into an open area with a great tree. Miki proposes to //speak with plants//, and Ayrn agrees, but instructs the group to prepare for combat. This includes various spells cast and items readied. Miki approaches the tree to cast her spell, but suddenly, roots emerge and swipe at the group. Miki and Caleb are struck and knocked several feet backwards. It appears a fight is on.
+Ayrn, his eyes flashing, charges across the difficult terrain with ease, plunging //Briar// into the monster before them. As he approaches, a dryad with vine-like tentacles with thorns steps from the tree. Fyonia pulls out her //broomstick// and takes to the air in what would end up being a futile effort to avoid future root attacks. Miki decides fire is the way to fight a forest and becomes a huge fire elemental and starts to //call lightening// down. Caleb //enervates// the tree. Finally, Grunder charges towards the targets.
+The dryad uses her bow to attack Caleb, wounding him while the tree moves, striking Miki and catching on fire, while grabbing Caleb with roots. Caleb cannot move, but resists being pulled away as the tree //blinks// into ethereal space. Lacking a target, Aryn and Grunder lay into the dryad, slashing at her immense form. Fyonia launches //magic missiles// into the ethereal tree, her permanent //detect invisibility// letting her see that foe. The Tree responds by grabbing both casters, its roots reaching well into the air. Again it tries to haul them away to its own pocket and fails.
+{{:game_systems:pathfinder:kingmaker:monster:dryad.jpg?350 |}}
+The fight rages on until the dryad falls, with the tree moving along another plane, always trying to grab Caleb. Fyonia, once free, turns herself invisible to then unleash a mighty //fireball// as the tree reabsorbs the body of its dryad. Unlike the dyrad, the tree is quite evil, and Grunder activates his //smite// for himself and Aryn to focus on the tree. But the monster blinks away again, while ordering two trees to uproot themselves. Miki sets on fire and Caleb responds with bouncing rays of fire, both at the animated trees and their larger foe. Fyonia uses //dimensional anchor// to keep the tree affixed on this plane of existence, letting Ayrn and Grunder charge forward. The allies the tree created explode in fire that rebounds on their creator. Between more chopping, fueled by holy might, and the roar of fire, the great animated tree explodes in a burst of primal First World Energy, knocking several of them back. Then there is the silence after a battle. There are no forest sounds, but the pop and crack of dying fires.
+Miki notes the first world energy is fading from the land and the excessive growth has stopped. Ayrn bows his head, his hopes that things might revert dashed. The body of the dryad, now normal sized and alive, lays in the ash of the great tree. Aryn has Fyonia cast //dimensional anchor// on her as well and demands Miki wake her up for interrogation. Again, Ayrn’s hopes are dashed, as this dryad seems to have no memory of what happened and cannot return any information. Stymied and frustrated, Ayrn shoves her at Miki and orders her to take charge of her.
+Caleb goes through the ash to find several items with unknown inscriptions upon them. They will take some study. It is now Miki and Caleb receive sendings that the Castle of Knives looks to be reappearing. Ayrn looks at the first world sword in his hand and it feels warm. He can sense a thirst for first world power, first world blood. That mirrors the King’s rage at the Fairy Queen who is attacking Thylicia and killing his people.
+Ayrn leads the group towards the farms to see if anyone has survived this horror. His thoughts are dark, and his normally smiling face is grim. Riding beside him, his love reaches out to pat his shoulders, which Aryn barley acknowledges. What is coming next?

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