DM Aron Marczylo's Kingmaker - Part 1: Stolen Land (Inactive)

Game Master overfiend_87

Ganit allows Lukan to take point while he dismounts and restrings his bow. "Be on your guard. This is the place depicted in the sketch we found on that dead bandit," he says to the rest of the group as he passes by Lukan.

Perception:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 (searching for traps)
Survival:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 (searching for any signs of what has passed through the area)

Ganit allows Lukan to take point while he dismounts and restrings his bow. "Be on your guard. This is the place depicted in the sketch we found on that dead bandit," he says to the rest of the group as he passes by Lukan.

Perception:1d20+6 (searching for traps)
Survival:1d20+9 (searching for any signs of what has passed through the area)

You find no traps. You still have to dig to get at what the X has outlined around the tree. You notice the disturbed ground and know exactly where to dig.

Cambyl mutters in celestial:

"Careful, Ganit. You never know what might be lurking."

Lukan inspects the area around the tree for traps: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3.

Seeing nothing of the sort, he leans down and begins to dig through the disturbed ground.

"Can I be of assistance, Lukan?", Sir Bronwyn says, already dismounting and beginning to help his comrade in what's sure to be a long job.

Ganit,who initially suspected there had been a band of sharks through here only moments before they arrived Nat 1 :( , returns to his horse and pulls from the unbroken new saddlebags the shovel he had bought mere hours ago. He turns back to assist the others by handing the tool to Bronwyn. "Here you go sport, this might make things a little bit easier."

With his bow in hand he keeps watch while the others dig

Lukan smiles to the knight that is willing to get his hands dirty. Sure. Lukan keeps digging.

Zayne watches the others dig, glancing at Drakor and shrugging then dismounting and hoverly nervously by Bronwyn, to whom he has taken the most liking too besides Cambyl and the silent Tholamin, who seems busy investigating the tree.

"Is there anything I can do to help Sir Bronwyn? Or anything Drakor can do to help?" he asks hopefully, not wanting to be the useless one in the party, which he realizes that without Drakor he really would be.

Sorry DM aron i've been out of game for a while now :( been out of town as well as the last time i looked there was nothing i felt i could add. A summoner to me doesnt have much to do with the natural world, being more tied to the world where his Eidolon comes from :( ill try and post more often. THere's gotta be somethin Zayne can find to do or say that contributes.

Tholamin looks on watching the others work, he had no inclination to help dig he figured someone should be on the lookout if something was to come along. He also listens for any sign of the fey in this part of the land but as he feared the fey had abandoned this area as well.

It is obvious whoever wanted to bury this, buried the treasure trove deep. It takes ten minutes before sir bronwyn hits something solid. You find items wrapped in a cloak, clearly the items of a wizard. assuming you spend time using detect magic and spellcraft. a masterwork dagger, a silver ring worth 75 gp, a scroll of shocking grasp, a wand of burning hands (CL 2, 4 charges), a wand of grease (CL 1, 15 charges) and a wizard's book, mostly decayed but with still some legable spells. will give you more info tonight

"Well, treasure without a fight is always welcome, but this place still makes me uneasy. That tree doesn't seem normal."

At Cambyl's words Tholamin replies, a hint of sadness touching his voice, not even looking up from studying the ragged and decaying book.
"The tree is missing its dryad, the land around it is dying without her."

Im assuming no one will mind about the book, and me and browyn can decide between us about the wands but again hes in combat im sitting in the back.

At Cambyl's words Tholamin replies, a hint of sadness touching his voice, not even looking up from studying the ragged and decaying book.

"The tree is missing its dryad, the land around it is dying without her."

Im assuming no one will mind about the book, and me and browyn can decide between us about the wands but again hes in combat im sitting in the back.

The book has only five legible spells as it is mostly rotted. (Spells are identify, mage armour, reduce person and unseen servant.)

will add them when we camp though been awhile since ive played a wizard whats it cost to write them down?

*sigh* This is why I love wizards. Enjoy all 6 of your new spells Tholamin. Are there any magical properties to the cloak or ring?

"I wouldn't imagine these things belonged to the same corpse we found in that spider's den. Such a well equipped arcanist should have been able to reduce the arachnid to paste. So assuming the body we found was responsible for this cache, why would he take the time to bury these items rather than take them with him?

Perception:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 (searching for clues as to who the owner was)

If Ganit cannot find anything he will suggest that we finish exploring the hex and making camp (assuming its safe to).

Tholamin - New Spells Cost and while we're at it Spellcraft

*sigh* This is why I love wizards. Enjoy all 6 of your new spells Tholamin. Are there any magical properties to the cloak or ring?

nope, as I said I assumed you take your time spellcrafting and would've mentioned if the cloak or ring were magical. Otherwise I would've posted them as a magic scroll and two wands without any other knowledge.

Lukan tosses the items wrapped in the cloak to the side of their excavation. He stands up from his knee and wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, avoiding smearing the dirt from his fingertips on to his face. Afterwards, he rubs his palms down the side of his pants, smearing the dirt along them. He stretches and recovers his shield and sword from alongside the tree. He allows the group inspect the items while he keeps an eye out.

I assume we are still paying for any loot we find since Ganit had to pay quite a bit for the longbow he kept?

Zayne gives a small sigh, looks over the buried treasure and shrugs, seeing nothing that would benefit him besides the tome Tholamin is already avidly perusing. "Well...I guess I'll go...umm...check on the horses...Come on Drakor" He jerks his head at his Eidolon and then turns to trudge back towards the horses, spear leaning against his shoulder and Drakor close behind.

He turns back to look at the group and sighs, looking up at Drakor.

Zayne

Drakor gives a small growl and pats his master on the head with one huge taloned hand.

Zayne grimaces at his large dragon-like friend and then gives a weak chuckle which makes Drakor baring his fangs in the mockery of a smile.

"That's quite all right Drakor. You go ahead and tear apart any bandit you see.." he says in a half-joke.

Drakor beams even wider.

Zayne sighs and smacks himself in the forehead. Great...Now Drakor thinks killing makes me happy... "Sarcasm is a foreign language to you...isn't it?"

Cambyl ponders the large eidolon for a moment and then addresses Zayne questioningly, "What language is it that you two speak? Can he understand anything else?"

Zayne blinks and glances back at Cambyl. "Oh..." he glances at Drakor thinking about it then gives a small shrug. "As far as my studies into outsiders go, he should be able to speak any language I do, but he prefers to converse in the language of Dragons alone. It is one of the most ancient tongues known to man. Even with that language however, it can be hard to understand him. He rarely speaks within context you see. I speak a few other languages but he never responds to any of them beside the Common speech and Draconic."

He gives the cleric a small smile and then cocks his head in return at Cambyl. "If I may return the question...when we enter battle, what tongue do you speak in? I can not understand it at all, though it is a beautiful sounding language."

Tholamin overhears the two speaking as he scans the tome. "It is the language of the gods, angels, the higher beings of the Fey. It is indeed beautiful."

Cambyl laughs, "Our elf friend has it right. Sometimes I feel as if Cayden Cailean himself wants to speak through me in the heart of battle. I usually don't even realize I am doing it."

Lukan tosses the items wrapped in the cloak to the side of their excavation. He stands up from his knee and wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, avoiding smearing the dirt from his fingertips on to his face. Afterwards, he rubs his palms down the side of his pants, smearing the dirt along them. He stretches and recovers his shield and sword from alongside the tree. He allows the group inspect the items while he keeps an eye out.

I assume we are still paying for any loot we find since Ganit had to pay quite a bit for the longbow he kept?

pay for loot? No, I thought he chose one item he liked and in fairness gave the rest of the party a larger share of the loot. Depends if you decide as a group if it's fair now that I just realised what you mean. Also I think Zayne can use the wand of grease as that is on his spell list.

Lukan Swane "Swaney" wrote:

Lukan tosses the items wrapped in the cloak to the side of their excavation. He stands up from his knee and wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, avoiding smearing the dirt from his fingertips on to his face. Afterwards, he rubs his palms down the side of his pants, smearing the dirt along them. He stretches and recovers his shield and sword from alongside the tree. He allows the group inspect the items while he keeps an eye out.

I assume we are still paying for any loot we find since Ganit had to pay quite a bit for the longbow he kept?

pay for loot? No, I thought he chose one item he liked and in fairness gave the rest of the party a larger share of the loot. Depends if you decide as a group if it's fair now that I just realised what you mean. Also I think Zayne can use the wand of grease as that is on his spell list.

Now I'm really confused. I Thought we were reimbursing the group for anything we take from the party's loot? For example if we found a masterwork breastplate that Lukan could use - Lukan would just pay the group the sale price for it and keep it. I thought that is what Ganit did with Happ's bow ?

ok here's my only concern with the looting system Lukan. say you find something REALLY nice, like a +2 sword, but u know u dont have nearly enough money to afford it. are we saying that you then have to build up that much money to even afford it? I haven't played kingmaker b4 but im pretty sure its gonna cost huge amounts of dough to fund and build a kingdom. w the system as it is now, someone like u could probably only afford that sword 6 levels or so later on, when u've probably also found something even better. just my 2 coppers

DM Aron Marczylo wrote:

Lukan Swane "Swaney" wrote:

Lukan tosses the items wrapped in the cloak to the side of their excavation. He stands up from his knee and wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, avoiding smearing the dirt from his fingertips on to his face. Afterwards, he rubs his palms down the side of his pants, smearing the dirt along them. He stretches and recovers his shield and sword from alongside the tree. He allows the group inspect the items while he keeps an eye out.

I assume we are still paying for any loot we find since Ganit had to pay quite a bit for the longbow he kept?

pay for loot? No, I thought he chose one item he liked and in fairness gave the rest of the party a larger share of the loot. Depends if you decide as a group if it's fair now that I just realised what you mean. Also I think Zayne can use the wand of grease as that is on his spell list.

Now I'm really confused. I Thought we were reimbursing the group for anything we take from the party's loot? For example if we found a masterwork breastplate that Lukan could use - Lukan would just pay the group the sale price for it and keep it. I thought that is what Ganit did with Happ's bow ?

something to discuss OOC. Eitherway, you guys can work it out and discuss how to share out loot. I'd suggest people who want something, like a +2 longsword can choose to forgo the rest of the items. That's the way the group I'm in does it. AGain, something to discuss in ooc.

Ganit heaves a sigh after overhearing the three adepts converse in and about their alien tongues. He has long understood the usefulness and power of such persons but never came to trust any of them completely, it seems that those adept in the ways of magic always seek ways to become more and more powerful. As if those bred with such talents are destined to be destroyed by them, bringing down as many God-fearing innocents as possible.

He approaches Lukan and requests his shovel back, giving it a quick inspection before knocking the dirt off and placing it back in his saddlebags. The questions he couldn't shake from his thoughts: Why was this equipment buried? What happened to the original owner and why was this marked on map found on a dead man some 20 miles away?

Ganit leans over the heap of wizard toys and retrieves the silver ring from the stash. Aside from the book, it seemed to be the most personal effect in the bunch.

Taking 20 (total 26) on perception to inspect the ring for any peculiar details.

"Mages and their spells, right?"

Bronwyn offers the shovel back to Ganit, smiling as he hears the hunter sighing.

"About that stash, I can't fathom the ways of the outlaw, but seeing that he had carried the silver amulet we've found in the bandits serving the Stag Lord, I can entertain an hypothesis. I would guess he managed to sneak in and slay the mage in cold-blood. Knowing that if he brought this treasure back to his camp it would have to be divided, he buried it, made that simple map to facilitate finding the place again, and tried to return to the camp, but got ambushed in the way. But this is just a wild idea, as the truth of the matter we'll never know for sure. What do you think of it?"

"Your insight into the workings of the bandit mind is astounding Sir Raslov. You would've made a fine guardsman or... Lukan seems to be struck by lightning. He pauses for a moment as he stares at Bronwyn. He then shakes his head, as is dismissing a thought.

"We could fill the rest of the day with fanciful stories about this bandit and this wizard, but we should push on. We have lots of ground to cover."

Lukan sheathes his sword and mounts up

Bronwyn smiles curiously at Lukan's words.

"Or a dashing outlaw, stealing from the rich to give to the poor? I've heard much in my life, but that's got to be the funniest one!"

He mounts his horse swiftly, saying:

"Lukan is right; we have many grounds to cover today. Let's go, Bandit!"

Drakor gives his master a look then starts to grunt and rasp in a repeated, fast-speed manner, making Zayne stare at his Eidolon for a second in concern, then his face flattens with confusion.

"What in the world are you laughing at?"

Drakor glances back at his master, away from the knight-man, still chuckling oddly.

Zayne stares at his companion then shakes his head and mounts his own horse, much less gallantly and needing a boost from Drakor to hoist himself up into the saddle. He looks back at Cambyl. "Apparently Drakor finds it ironic that we are hunting bandits, and Sir Bron's horse's name is Bandit. His grasp upon humor is...odd."

"We could fill the rest of the day with fanciful stories about this bandit and this wizard, but we should push on. We have lots of ground to cover."

"Truth, best to keep this as something to ponder at camp tonight." Ganit places the ring in his pocket and climbs upon his pale horse.

The beast snarls something which it's half elf deciphers, a thought most confounding to Ganit. "And I find it ironic that your pet can distinguish irony where most me cannot," he says curiously to the summoner. Ganit strokes his beard introspectively as he studies the pair for a moment before asking earnestly, "You say you released him from a scroll, yes? You wouldn't happen to know how the creature came to be imprisoned there? Come, you may tell me as we ride." At that, Felicity kicks off without any notable cue from her rider. Ganit resumes taking point though he holds back while he waits for Zayne and Drakor to catch up.

"At least he does grasp humor, Zayne! As Ganit says, not everyone can!" He addresses Drakor directly, "If you hear any good jokes that I miss, let me know." He smiles broadly at the eidolon.

Zayne seems eager to respond but Drakor hurries to catch up to the ranger first, glowering straight at Ganit's face with his glowing yellow eyes, his lips drawn back into a snarl.

"Drakor. Not. Pet!" he growls in the Common tongue before Zayne catches up and pulls the Eidolon aside, speaking quietly to him in Draconic, then replacing the Eidolon at Ganit's side.

"Sorry, he's proud as can be, and he isn't even human." he laughs very weakly. "As far as i know, Baltahzar was the only sorcerer i have ever heard of capable of binding such a powerful outsider into such a form. When my master tried summoning him, he refused to take upon himself Drakor's brand, and also seal his soul with the creature. Drakor, furious, then tried to kill Balthazar, who imprisoned the poor beast inside of a magical prison."

He shrugs at Ganit, shouldering his longspear, still not used to the motions of horseback riding.

Meanwhile, Drakor, still seething, glances back at Cambyl who rides next to him. He blinks his yellow eyes at the half-elf slowly. "What joke?" he asks, genuinely puzzled.

Cambyl looks momentarily startled. "A joke? Well, it's something you say to make people laugh," he explains, smiling. "Of course, I laugh at pretty much anything, so I might not be the best person to explain."

Drakor again blinks, clearly not understanding. "What point make laugh when killing so much easier?" he inquires in the kind of tone one might ask when inquiring about purchasing a piece of fruit.

Zayne gives Cambyl a weak smile that looks more like a grimace and then shakes his head, looking back at Ganit as they continue riding.

"Hmmm, curious" Ganit replies now even more puzzled by the relationship between the creature and half elf. "Are you saying you sold your soul for him? I certainly hope for your sake he is worth the cost."

Adepts... he keeps thinking to himself.

Zayne actually bristles at the remark. "I did no such thing, Drakor is no demon. I simply grafted the two of our essences together by taking Drakor's mark. I am a Summoner, a practitioner of the magical arts, and he my Eidolon, or companion. Together we are a mighty force to be reckoned with and we grow stronger together. I feel his life as my own, as he does mine, we are Soul-bound to each other." He glances back at Drakor, then flushes a little bit. He had never before spoken aloud the intimate connection he felt between he and the outsider.

By closing his eyes and concentrating, he could very distantly feel the air rushing in and out of Drakor's lungs, the small surges of elemental energy that rushed throughout his altered body like blood in a human. His connection to Drakor is not yet fine-tuned enough to allow him to share Drakor's sight and senses, but he enjoyed the feeling of having Drakor as a loyal companion, if not friend.

Ganit heaves a sigh after overhearing the three adepts converse in and about their alien tongues. He has long understood the usefulness and power of such persons but never came to trust any of them completely, it seems that those adept in the ways of magic always seek ways to become more and more powerful. As if those bred with such talents are destined to be destroyed by them, bringing down as many God-fearing innocents as possible.

He approaches Lukan and requests his shovel back, giving it a quick inspection before knocking the dirt off and placing it back in his saddlebags. The questions he couldn't shake from his thoughts: Why was this equipment buried? What happened to the original owner and why was this marked on map found on a dead man some 20 miles away?

Ganit leans over the heap of wizard toys and retrieves the silver ring from the stash. Aside from the book, it seemed to be the most personal effect in the bunch.

Taking 20 (total 26) on perception to inspect the ring for any peculiar details.

going to map out the area or move on?

"Gentlemen, let us move away from this place and explore this area quickly before moving on. I would like to be away from this place before setting up camp."

"Fair enough" Ganit snorts as he ponders the pair for a third and final time. "In any case, Cambyl is right. We should move on before nightfall."

IMO, map out the area!

You all take the time to map out the area and it gets dark just as you finish fully mapping out the area before moving into the next area and setting up camp for the night and sleep peacefully, though you all have the bad feeling somehting has been watching you.

As you wake in the morning with nothing having attacked you notice in the distance a clump of earth that appears unnatural. A cave formation, but you don't know how far down it goes as all you see from this far away is darkness.

In case it happens, will someone declare a watch pattern?

Bronwyn sits by the fire, cutting carrots into a pot while whistling a tune.

I'm no expert and will defer to Ganit or Lukan, but since no one answered before, I'll offer up 4-hour shifts consisting of:

Bronwyn and Ganit
Cambyl and Lukan
Tholamin, Zayne and the eidolon.

That way, the arcanes get their uninterrupted full 8-hour sleep, and the others get their same 8 hours, but split up. And we get a good Perception guy in every watch (Ganit 1st, Cambyl 2nd and Tholamin 3rd, when it's daytime).

Lukan quietly talks with Cambyl during their shift in the night. The campfire crackles and sparks concealing most of their words as the rest of the group sleeps. Lukan talks about home and how he misses a quaint little pub in Restov. Most of the talk focuses on drinking and women.

"So I hear you are interested in owning your own little establishment out here?" Lukan asks Cambyl as the night goes on.

The next morning during their travels, Lukan looks towards the cave formation and then to Ganit. "Hmm... that is odd. Any idea what kind of beasts have made it home?"

Cambyl is staring out into the darkness as Lukan asks his question.

"Hmm? Oh, the brewery. Well, if we can ever get these lands surveyed and settled down... maybe get some settlers in the area... we're gonna need some brews." He smiles, "Why shouldn't I do the providing?"

Bron looks at Ganit from across the campfire while reheating a watery soup.

"You seem to know these lands quite well, mate. It's a relief having you to guide us; otherwise we'd probably be lost in the woods, using rocks and sticks of wood to hunt for rabbits to dine. For all Lukan's bragging and my knightening around, you're the one pointing us on the right way, and for that I thank you."

Saying that, he offers Ganit his wine bottle.

"I've spent a lot of time in along the border of these lands but this is the deepest I've ever travelled into them" Ganit replies to the young noble. "Luckily for us the terrain is not quite different than that of the neighboring area; else I would be beside you, stalking rabbits in the bush." Smiling, he refuses the wine offered to him. "When we're back in the safety of a walled camp I'll accept your offer, as of now I'd rather keep my senses about me." Momentarily hesitant, he amends to his statement "But I umm... Well, thank you for the offer."

He skewers a piece of venison and a handful of moon radishes with an arrow and drops it over the fire. The meat was near the brink of turning so he had resolved to use his scimitar to shave off some of the more questionable sections before deeming it fit for his consumption. A spray of rogue embers flare upwards as his kebab displaces the weakened lumber and the meat begins to boil and pop.

He then looks at the pathetic soup Bronwyn had been heating over the fire, more of a broth than a soup, and again at his kebab. "You’re going to need more than onion water to fuel you for the next few days, boy. It needs a little cleaning up but here" Reaching his long arms over the campfire he hands Bronwyn the other piece of venison from his stash. "I've got a few more of those radishes too if you want to cook what I am."

Bron - Great job with the shifts, I was thinking of caster/martial but your choice make a lot more sense in many more ways.

As he wakes in the morning, Cambyl tries not to disturb anyone but eats some breakfast and prays to Cayden yet again for safety and excitement. As the others awake, he puts forth a plan.

"Well, we can see a bit of a cave there in the distance. I suggest we explore it before we attempt to map this area. We don't want anything creeping out of it while we wander around. I'll admit I was a bit concerned about it through the night."

"You and I both Cambyl. Come, how about you join me for a walk" Ganit asks the Half Elf as his remaining moon radishes bleed from his mouth.

The huntsman stands from his seat around the fire and begins to march towards the mouth of the cave. "I need you to watch the cave while I work. If you see anything, anything, tell me immediately." With an arrow between the index and middle finger and the rest of his left hand clutching his bow, Ganit bends to a knee and pats away at some of the dirt and debris. He takes his time as he searches the area for clues as to what denizens claim this cavern as their home, occasionally checking back to make sure nothing had been creeping towards him in his vulnerable state.

Taking 20 on survival to check for tracks, Total: 29

"Certainly I can join you! A follower of Cayden Cailean always seeks new adventures! " Cambyl follows Ganit towards the cave and listens intently to his instructions.

In surprise at the apparent secrecy, he goes into a sort of readied crouch, looking hurriedly around for any denizens.

"Do you think it might be... hmm well what do you think it might be?"

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18