Session 17: the Founding of a Kingdom

in which the characters meet their Rostland benefactors and start setting the first stones of their demesne

Trial at Oleg's
Before travelling with Lorin Kaven to Restov, the characters decided to publicly try Falgrim Sneeg and Dovan from Nisroch. They wanted to show everybody that the rule of law would be upheld in their kingdom, so they decided to have a jury of five sensible persons. Cardot would act as judge and Kii as prosecutor. They elected Oleg, Svetlana, Jonah Renton and two other persons (a trapper and a merchant that, according to Svetlana, were just persons) to act as jury, and then the trial started.


After some discussions and deliberations, Cardot sentenced Falgrim Sneeg to 200 days of hard labour in the Temple of the Elk (helping Jhod Kavken) to pay the fine that would be given to the family of the nephew of Kesten Garess, who had died when Falgrim left his group in the middle of the wilderness after falsely posing as a guide. Many people in the Trading Post voiced their displeasure, specially Kesten Garess, but Cardot thought the sentence to be just.


Dovan's trial was easier, as there were many witnesses who testified to his many crimes, and Cardot sentenced him to be hanged until dead, which was received with much joy from the public.


The following day Dovan was hanged (trappers and merchants gathered to throw him rotten vegetables) and Falgrim was sent with a group of mercenaries to the Temple of the Elk, while the characters made their preparations to accompany Lorin Kaven to Restov.


Reception at Restov
The journey to Restov was an uneventful 4 day trek following the South Rostland Road. During the trip the characters visited Fort Serenko, the last Brevic outpost in its southern frontier and home to a detachment of soldiers who patrolled the area to defend travelers and merchants from monster and bandit attacks, and Nivakta's Crossing, where they heard that a group of adventurers had defeated the fearsome centaur tribes from the Dunsward, further pacifying the southern frontier.


Restov's main features were the town hall with its beautiful gardens, a big temple to Erastil and the Academy of Fencing, the home of the famous Aldori Fencing style. Lorin Kaven took them directly to the Academy instead of to the town hall... In one of the teaching halls, the characters met Tamarie Echoes and three other groups who were presented to them in order:

• Maegar Varn, an obvious fighter type, and Caspar Morgarion, a cleric of Erastil, who the characters recognised as part of the adventurer group named The Mighty Lions, famous for having defeated the Dunsward centaur tribes. The Mighty Lions would receive the charter to colonize the Nomen Heights area.
• Baron Hannis Drelev, an adventurer type. The characters had heard that Baron Drelev had bought his noble title and good fortunes with the loot obtained with his adventuring band, the Steel Breakers. The rest of the group had retired, but Drelev seeked more adventure and was going to receive the charter to colonize the Slough area.
• A group of four adventurers called the Light Pikes of Righteousness. The leader was a Paladin of Erastil, Glober Dern; then, the Cavalier, Sir Vincent Spearing; the third member was a half-orcish woman, the Inquisitor of Erastil Zeljka; the fourth member was the Dwarf Fighter Morgrym Goblin-Slayer. The characters had heard that this was a band of zealot Erastil followers and the conversation with them was awkward and not friendly. They were going to receive the charter to colonize the Glenebon Uplands, the area closest to the kingdoms of Numeria and Pitax, traditional enemies of Brevoy.
• Tamarie herself was dressed as an Aldoran Swordmaster, although the characters had not heard of her before Lorin Kaven appeared at the outpost.

After the presentations, Tamarie commended each group on their achievements and explained that each would receive a charter to colonize the areas in the southern Brevic frontier, together with some initial resources, but that they had first to swear fealty to Brevoy if they wanted to receive such boons... Seeing no other option, the characters complied and swore the following in front of a statue of Pharasma:

After the pledge, Tamarie had some servants bring a gigantic map depicting the Stolen Lands area, described the area of influence of each group, and explained that Rostland had decided to support each of their colonization attempts with a group of colonists and supplies worth 25BPs, which they did not need to repay. She also explained that there existed the possibility, if the circumstances required it, of further help from Restov, although the groups should better refrain from asking further help if possible, and that, in any case, this future help would have to be repaid with terms to be discussed if the situation arrived.

Tamarie also offered each person in the meeting a gift from Brevoy:
Cardot received the Sacred Tankard of Saint Nesteruk.

 

 Saint Nesteruk was a boisterous half-orc sailor who enjoyed participating in drinking contests. He had never been beaten in one, until a cleric of Cayden Cailean duped him and beat him in one of the contests.

Nesteruk was very angry and waylaid the cleric with the help of some colleagues, but they were defeated soundly; the cleric took pity on Nesteruk and decided to teach him the ways of Cayden Cailean.

There are plenty of legends surrounding the tasks he set upon Nesteruk, but the most famous one was obtaining an ale recipe from a tribe of cloud giants living in the Icerime Peaks (frontier between Brevoy and Iobaria). Nesteruk had to beat one of the Giant Lords in a drinking contest to obtain access to the recipe!

 For his tasks he always used a tankard for drinking, after praying gratitude to Cayden Cailean every time he used the object. Legend says also that the tankard had many secret powers that were only revealed to a deserving follower of Cayden Cailean.

 

Kii received a Hat of Disguise and a Pearl of Power. The Hat was a gift from the Spymaster of Rostland, one he had used a couple times to check on the group. The Pearl of Power was a gift from the Wizards Association of Brevoy.
Am received several magical arrows.
Gam'el'Gar received a +1 Studded Leather suit with Light Fortification. The suit had been offered by the rangers of the Gronzi Forest, where Gam'el'Gar had spent his childhood training as a ranger. They were very happy to hear that one of their pupils had become an official of Brevoy and hoped he would take them into account if in need of workers for the new territories.

Finally, each group received a Charter detailing the lands they were requested to colonize and pacify, which in the case of the characters were the Kamelands and the Narlmarches:

The characters spent one week visiting Restov and making contacts for the future. Cardot initiated contacts with the local Cayden Caylean temple in order to hire expert brewers and experienced brewery builders, and made good advance in his dealings for the future kingdom. Kii made also good progress in his contacts with different merchants and parties interested in rebuilding the bridge at Davik Nettle's crossing. 

Finally, Gam'el'Gar tried to make contact with the rangers of the Gronzi Forest, but was completely unable to meet a single one of them (or any related person for that matter) so his week was wasted; well, he did manage to visit the best taverns in Restov...

Founding a Kingdom

During the week, the characters also discussed how to divide the work of managing their future kingdom, and there was indeed a lot to do! For the first month, they decided that Cardot would talk with the people they considered could best take the different leadership roles needed to manage the kingdom, while the rest of the group would direct the first building works.


After many days of traveling, planning and talking, the following people were chosen as leaders of the new fledgling kingdom and accepted the jobs after discussing with Cardot:
General Leaders
- Ruler: Cardot
- Spymaster: Kii
Stability Leaders
- General: Gam'el'Gar
- Grand Diplomat: Jonah Renton
- High Priest: Jhod Kavken
Economy Leaders
- Magister: Bokken (he has not yet accepted the group's proposal, so they will have to try again to convince him or find someone else for the job).
- Marshal: Kesten Garess
- Treasurer: Oleg
Loyalty Leaders
- Councilor:  Svetlana
- Royal Executioner: Akiros Ismort
- Warden: Am


The group also decided that they would start building near Oleg's Trading Post, as the road that connected it to Restov would provide a nice initial economic boost and much security. They commanded the colonists to build a Bakery, and soon the first structures were set up around the Trading Post. It was summer when the colonists started building, a perfect time to start such an enterprise... The first month went uneventfully and soon the first structure of their kingdom was up and running! The trappers and merchants at Oleg's grumbled when they were shown the Charter and told that from that moment they would have to pay some taxes to the new kingdom, but the defeat of the Stag Lord at the hands of the characters was fresh in their minds, so they reluctantly agreed to part with a bit of their riches in order to reduce the risks of losing all of it in bandit attacks.


Now, the characters lacked only one thing for their new kingdom and the future town near Oleg's Trading Post... a name!

XP:
- 400 (trial at Oleg's)
- 400 (meeting Tamarie Echoes, taking the pledge, receiving the Charter)
- 2,400 (founding a kingdom)

Total this session: 3,200XP
Total campaign: 37,875XP


Loot:
- Cardot: Sacred Tankard of Saint Nesteruk.
Characteristics: works as a +1 heavy mace in the hands of a Cleric of Cayden Cailean (2,312gp). It also gives a +4 competence bonus to all Crafting(Brew) checks made using it (+400gp), and a +4 sacred bonus to all Fortitude checks required when ingesting poisons or alcohol, if the tankard is used as the container from which the liquid is drunk (+8,000gp divided by 10 as it does not always apply= 800gp). This magical object is valued at 3,512 gp.

- Kii: Hat of Disguise (1,800gp) and a Pearl of Power, 1st level (1,000gp).
- Am:  5 arrows of Monstruous Humanoids Bane (PHB469; +2 bonus; +2d6 extra damage) and another 5 arrows of Seeking (see PHB471). Each arrow costs 40gp for a total value of 400gp.
- Gam'el'Gar:  a +1 Studded Leather suit with Light Fortification (PHB463). Total value: 2,000gp.

Kingdom Expenses (Sarenith 4710, June):
- 3BPs: Baker building
- 0,25BPs: 1 month salary for the Foolhardy Wolverines.
- Consumption: 2BPs per month.

Kingdom Income (Sarenith 4710, June): 
- 1 BP: taxes
- 2 BPs: from the Sootscale Kobold silver mines...an impressive month from the little Kobolds!
- Treasury: 24,75 Wealth BPs; 1 Labor BP.


Time Passed:
- 1,5 months.
The time now is early Erastus (July). The group is at Oleg's Trading Post.