The Beginning: The Baron's Study

Our story begins with our heroes in the study of the Baron, a man with an honorable reputation. A flier in the Tavern posted that he is in need of some brave folks with certain skills to recover artifacts. Details and payment will be discussed in private at his estate, the flier informed. (character introductions start here).

1.Please describe your character
2.Tell us what the party knows about your character
3.Tell us why your character is an adventurer

"So this is how the Baron lives. There's is much to be studied in this room. I would like to get a look at the lord's map collection...if time permits," says Kendral to the others.

He is rather weathered looking for a young elf. He wears tattered green leather armor that has seen many days of travel and conflict in the wilderness. His dress includes a hood that could be used to complete a forest camouflage. Uncharacteristic lines on his young face mask delicate elven features. He carries a long bow and quiver of arrows, as well as a leather satchel and backpack.

A hoot is heard from outside the study window.

"Ahh. Moonshadow wants us to know he is near." Kendral continues as he peers around the room and moves closer toward a table with books sprawled out on it. "Hmm...I wonder what the details of these artifacts are,"

The party would know that Kendral is a wood elf that left his kin to follow his desire to map the unknown parts of the wilderness and greater world--against the generally isolationist decree of his people's elders. The party can count on his masterful sense of direction. He also has an affinity for animals and can often communicate with various creatures of nature. A giant owl he calls Moonshadow is his beast companion.

(He would have joined this party initially as a freelancer surveyor or cartographer to raise coins for his survival and supplies; he may have stayed with the group afterwards due to developing an admiration for its members and possibly to battle a sense of loneliness that he has been unwilling to admit to himself.)

To say Xaka Solangoth is blunt is to miss the point. She's not tactless, per se, nor is she merely pressed for time. She's tenacious, and does not do well in small talk or other distractions. She may ask repeated questions of someone before allowing them to continue the narrative they prepared, albeit now flustered by the strong woman's badgering and interuptions.

She is also not a big woman. She's broad mind you, and built savagely, her muscles tense and toned and often visible from within her meagre clothing, but she is also shorter than normal for a human. Long reddish hair, fair skin, and distinctly feminine curves draw the eye. The sharpness of her features and flash of 'spirit' in her look may turn that eye away.

From an island with no real reputation, she escaped believing that the island would sink under the waves if she stayed. She once fought a protracted battle with an owl inside her own home. She destroyed most of the interior and in the end, the terrified owl escaped through a hole in the roof when she throw the firebowl at it. The resulting fire brought three neighbouring homes to ruin, and rumour has it that that is the real reason she left the island. She claims that an owl in the house means death (everyone knows this) and it was in the house so long that her death would spread to many, likely the whole island. It's only logical. When she tells the story to others, there is always a moment where they switch from compassionately listening to her story of despair, to closing the window shutters and trying to hide the firebowl.

A fletcher when younger, she lost interest when she found that throwing large spears was more satisfying than propelling tiny spears by a clever contraption. Now, she plies her trade of strength and daring to the field of adventuring science.

In the baron's study, she does not look for omens, but she is on guard for them. The room is too delicate, to full of finery for her to relax, so her shoulders and neck are tense from trying not to knock over a statue, a chair, or a wall.

Grimbly's early life was marked by the constant struggle for survival in a metropolis notorious for its crime. He watched as many of his peers fell into a life of criminality or became victims of it. Determined to forge a different path for himself, he saved enough to escape the urban chaos and found his way to the outskirts of the city where he cleared land, built a modest home, and cultivated crops. The rugged life of a homesteader taught him resourcefulness, self-reliance, cunning, and quick thinking, while forging a deep connection to the land and its inhabitants. It also built muscles from hard work, giving him an imposing physique.

Eventually, when the land was paying for itself and the crops were growing well, Grimbly found himself with time on his hands. An occasional visit to the tavern was a welcome break and it was here that he saw the notice looking for help in recovering some artifacts.

He had run across Kendral while he was mapping the area near his farm and never forgot him or the owl he kept as a companion. He had met Xaka back when he tried his hand at hunting for she had fletched a quiver of arrows for him. But Grimbly decided that he didn't have a taste for hunting and stuck with farming.

Excited to be off on a quest, he entered the Baron's study, and dropped his hood, revealing a weathered and tanned face with deep-set, slightly suspicious eyes, a throwback from his hard days in the city.

Looking around the wonderous study, for he had never seen so many books, he smiled at all within.

"Hello Kendrall, I saw your owl outside. And I do believe you are Xaka, if I remember correctly," he said to the red-haired woman, casting his mind back to the day he met the small, feisty young woman.

Hawkwind’s life has always been a struggle, he was an orphan for a while, living by stealing from the local marketplace in his hometown. One day he was recruited by a member of his local thieves' guild and trained in the arts of thievery, but Hawkwind didn't care about using his thievery for gold. He did it more fun, if anything.

So after a few years of training, figuring that more live experiences could improve his skills, he abandoned the guild and became an adventurer, eventually offering his services to Kendrall and Xaka in his local tavern.

He walks into the study and keeps his hood on, he is a bald Elf with a stoic expression, a tattoo that goes from his head to his right cheek.

Looking around the study, he looks for any traps or hidden doors. He speaks with a gravelly voice, "Right, let's get this started, then."

"Hello Kendrall. Yes Moonshadow is staying close outside."

He glances at Xaka and speaks with a slight bit of sarcasm. "I didn't bring the owl in with me because I wouldn't want to bring any bad luck down on our current employer." Meant to offer playful banter, but then sensing Xaka's sincere unease he says to her, "Xaka, I'm sure you can relax. Not everything is so easily breakable in this room."

Hoping that comment does help Xaka find some ease, he turns to the other elf. "Yes indeed Hawkwind, lets get this started. The baron has assembled us and now just has to make himself seen and tell us about these artifacts he seeks."

She snaps a look at Kendral. "Did you just say hello to yourself? Talking about yourself as if you're not there, that's a bad omen."

She pinches some salt from a pouch and flicks it at him.

Grimbly chuckled, a blackened tooth ruining an otherwise perfect smile. Xaka was exactly as he remembered. Not afraid to tease. Shifting weight from one leg to the other, he too was impatient to get started.

"I'm ready."

Hawkwind:Roll with a boon. Target number: 4

All Players : great start! add +1 to your Karma :)

The Baron enters the study with the servant who had let you in trailing close behind him. He walks with the aid of a cane. With a cordial expression he welcomes you to his home. "I was afraid no one would respond, I’m very grateful you are willing to at least hear me out. What I’m asking is somewhat dangerous because it involves a trek through the Forest of Creeps to the Castle of the Fallen Countess, whom you might have heard of. Decades ago her Fortress was sacked by foreign invaders. So negligent of her subjects she was that the peasantry aided the invaders in exchange for food and supplies! It’s also known that she practiced Sorcerous ways, meddling with powers not even the gods entertain." He pauses briefly to let that settle in.
"Despite their efforts, there are three artifacts of power that were in her possession that the Invaders did not find. A goblet of Onyx inset with rubies, her Book of Shadows which is covered in human skin and a brick-red urn that is engraved with runes of power, sealed with an adhesive wax." He gestures towards his servant. "Bring our guests some refreshments." Then back to you "We have beer, ale, and the finest honey wine you could wish for." he boasts. "Also, crackers and sweet meats." He makes his way over to the chair at the desk and invites you to find a seat if you wish…there are chairs available, light enough to be moved around if necessary.

Update: Hawk notices that a throw rug is strategically placed on the floor where it doesn't match the decor of the room. Possibly hiding something underneath, a trap door perhaps?

Hawkwind sits down and listens to the Baron.

Update: Hawk notices that a throw rug is strategically placed on the floor where it doesn't match the decor of the room. Possibly hiding something underneath, a trap door perhaps?

"That's very kind, sir, and what a lovely spread. I would appreciate some honeyed wine and some sweetmeats if it's not too much trouble."

Grimbly licks his lips in anticipation as such foods were rarely presented to him. Turning thoughtfully to the baron he asks, "This countess, if she was indeed dabbling in sorcery, could she be immortal? Has anyone seen or heard anything of her since the invasion? Was she killed in front of witnesses?"

The idea of a book being covered in human skin made Grimbly cringe, but he was made of tough stuff and would get used to the idea that this countess was apparently vile.

Grimbly wonders if the artifacts are still in the castle at all. "Could the artifacts have been stolen since then? How do we know they are still there?"

The urn with the runes could be dangerous, he thought, but perhaps he was being overly cautious.

Xaka makes eye contact with the baron and says, "Thank you." That pleasantry accomplished she fills a plate with meat and starches. It is important to not presume, but she's also not one to stand overly long on ceremony.

As she fills a cup with honey wine, she asks him then, "The goblet, the book, and the urn, might they be cursed? And yes, as Grimbly says, what became of the countess?"

Kendral thanks the Baron at the offer of food and drink. He nods in appreciation when the servant fills his glass with honey wine and continues to intently listen to his companion's questions and the Baron's elaborations while he sips the glass.

Refreshments are passed around to everyone who wishes.

"Immortal." The Baron allows that word to linger a bit before continuing; his demeanor somber. "That’s one way of putting it."
He walks slowly with purpose towards a scroll case, removing one. As he unrolls it on a table for you all to see he explains further "She committed suicide by throwing herself off the High Tower. It wasn’t a reckless act, however [dramatic pause], it was an act of defiance. It was a component of her spell. The dead rose to fight the Invaders. Although they, the Invaders, made off with many precious treasures, they didn’t have the time or luxury to find those three items. I know this because one of my ancestral kin was an officer in the Invading Force. A ledger of all valuables was kept but it was noted that those three artifacts were not found. They probably are cursed, Sir, that is why I’m sending you with a bag of ashes from the pyre of a Holy Person. Sprinkle some on the item before you touch it, you should be alright."

What the Baron unrolls is a crude map written on a sheet of hide. "I figure it’ll take you about a day to trek there. Best follow the road left by the ancients or you’ll get lost in the forest, I’m sure."
Kendral immediately recognizes this map as the work of an amateur who is not even a journeyman.

(Kendral's player may make a knowledge roll, 1d6. The number rolled is the number of questions the player can PM the GM and the GM will do his best to answer.)

Kendral does not let on that he inwardly winces at the craftsmanship of the presented map. Instead he says, "Thank you Baron." And asks, "Can you point out our entry point on this map?" As he speaks, he unconsciously puts his hand in his pouch that holds his mapping tools and wraps his fingers around a quill. This involuntarily action is a result of the sudden growing desire to survey and map the area properly when they set out.

"Looks like we zig-zag from tree to tree if you ask me. Doesn't seem like a good map. I'm hoping there is an actual road to follow. Would it be too much to hope for signposts?"

Grimbly chuckles to hide his fear that they might get lost in the forest. It wasn't a fear born from the idea of dying but more from not reaping the reward.