(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown

Day One:  Thumbs up

Day Two:  As stated above in the Red Band update, Grugga is allowed to keep the gloves.  Deduct 27gp from your share of the loot (since the gloves aren't getting sold to generate that profit).  Cost to ship the letter and gloves on a rush basis to your hometown is 5gp.   

At the Basilicae, the priests of Ord are unwilling to talk to you about Leviticus.  [If you share that you were directed to speak to Bishop Cleghorn, their stance will soften but they will confirm you should go speak with him if you have questions.]   

At the Library, you find little written about Leviticus in the sections on Religion.  In the Dwarven wing of the library, you find a book called Human Gods and Liturgies, which is actually a rewrite of two older Dwarven texts intended as primers for Dwarves looking to better understand the religions of the human empire.  The first half of this book describes a great number of human gods, including some you don't recognize, and Leviticus.  Leviticus is described as an evil god of the sea.  His portfolio was said to include unknown and uncharted seas; shipwrecks; storms at sea; sea monsters; the dark depths of the seafloor; drowning; fish and seabirds.  He was an unpopular god but received tribute and worship from some travelers; some fishermen; some pirates.  The second part of the book, from a much later manuscript, details the changes made to the human pantheon when St. Christopher forged the 2nd Empire and forced a reorganization of the faiths.  All of the evil gods were stricken from the pantheon.  Instead, teachings were rewritten to understand that the remaining 'good' deities were capable of harsh acts which to mortals might appear evil.  The 'evil' gods, including Leviticus, were all now said to be fabrications of imperfect mortals trying to rationalize events they could not understand.  These gods were mostly scrubbed from the histories, though cults devoted to them sometimes persisted in secret.

 Day 3:  Taking one of the horses [also if you wish you can describe and name your horse], it is only a couple of hours ride east to Bluffton.  The Temple of Ord maintains a prominent place in the harbor district and is easy to locate.

As you dismount, a voice calls out to you.  "Grugga, is it?  Wonderful, I've been looking forward to meeting you."  Turning you spot a genial looking man on horseback, dressed in a woolen coat reminiscent of a ship's captain.  He sports a handsome, waxed mustache and smiles warmly. 

Before you can respond, another man emerges from an alley, his old face and long white beard partially hidden in a deep blue cloak.  "Get back from him!  Prince of Tides, turn away this blasphemer!"  With these words, a trio of gold-shimmering sharks appear in the air around you, swimming in a circle between you and the man on horseback.  Where they draw close to him, the sharks turn and snap their ethereal jaws in his direction.  The horse rears and the mustached man curses, then turns the reins and gallops away down the street.  Two more blue robed men emerge from the alley, and race off on foot following the horse.  The old man turns back toward the temple.  "Follow.  I would know why that man wanted to speak with you."

You learn this man is Bishop Cleghorn, local leader of the Church of Ord.  He has been spearheading the faith's initiatives against this cult in Bluffton, Bardstown and other settlements around the lake.  The man who approached you in the street is a dangerous member of that cult, a magic user and assassin.  They happened to have observed him in town and were following him when they saw him approach you.  Upon learning who you are, he confirms he received warning of your coming from Shelley.  He has also heard of you and your group from Caius Spezza, the investigator who is working on the wharf murders for the legion.  They compared notes last week over tea, and he is aware of the theory your team had put forward about a sea hag.  [What exactly do you tell him?  Do you leave anything out?]

You send a letter to Rare Earth Materials updating them on the lack of success in retrieving their artifact.  You do not receive any reply.

Banks will be happy to hold 500gp for you but they do not provide interest.  As an alternative, is Rohuzar interested in making an investment?  Any industries or markets he might want to sink some coin into?

Your studies at the Library expand your knowledge of the Feywild and the creatures that call it home.

The Feywild is a plane that lies parallel to the Prime Material Plane – it’s a warped reflection of the mundane world. The Feywild is vibrant, untamed, and colorful – but very dangerous.   The Feywild’s power is fueled by the emotions of the creatures and spirits that dwell there. It’s a tempestuous place, constantly shifting and remaking itself from the raw passion of its inhabitants.  Because it’s technically a mirror plane of the material world, the landscapes of the Feywild may bear at least a passing resemblance to the Prime Material Plane.  Forests in the Feywild are taller, older, and untamed by the presence of humans. Vast cities from the material plane may appear in the Feywild only as scattered outposts, ruins, or something even stranger.  The laws of reality are weaker here – secondary to the emotional states of the plane’s most powerful beings. 

Access to the Feywild is difficult and fleeting.  It seems to be a place that at certain times and locations is very close to the Prime Material Plane, but at other times can be almost impossible to reach.  Some fey creatures, the intelligent ones capable of discourse, relate having been trapped here in the Prime Material Plane for years or even longer, after crossing over accidentally or on purpose.

You find information about several fey creatures...

blink dog

darkling

dryad

quickling

sea hag

You notice Aubrey's town house looks a little worse for wear.  Weeds have sprouted up in the garden and some loose trash from the roadway has collected near the iron fence.  Its not alarming, but you get the impression his caretaker may be slacking a bit while the master is away.

A bank with no retirement funds? No investment opportunities? Bah… 

Yes, looking to invest. Can I get some sort of check to determine what the market might be like? Safe vs risky investments? High vs low return? Long term vs day trader?

Day 2: If it's  not too late, Grugga would have looked through these ancient evil gods for one that matches what he saw in the ogre stone... perhaps one whose domain includes mountains, sky, wind or ogres. He wouldn't spend his time that day researching it - just write down the names for later.

Day 3: He takes the horse he's been walking next to on the way back to Bardstown, a brown mare which he named "Lucille" or "Lou" for short. Alone, he rides into Bluffton. When he arrives at the temple, he expects that the first man in the wool captain's coat is Bishop Cleghorn and smiles back, dismounting to shake his hand. The real Bishop Cleghorn surprises him something fierce, and the revelation that he was about to fall for an assassin's ruse so easily is a source of both fear and embarrassment.

Grugga doesn't intend to leave out anything relevant to his experience with the cult of Leviticus and the lake entity. He tells the bishop about Malia, the fish in the lake, the sailors, the feelings of being watched when around water, and what he's only just recently learned of Leviticus. He admits that he's had a growing and unshakable feeling that this entity actually is immensely ancient and powerful entity, but he concedes that from what he's learned recently of hags, it could be a hag playing tricks on his mind. He's not sure what to think anymore.

He wants to help with the search, but he's also part of a mercenary group that might not commit to a prolonged investigation without promise of pay or treasure. He says the last part sadly but pragmatically. Grugga sincerely believes his life is in danger (clearly, given the assassin) and will pledge himself to the investigation for as long as his allies don't need him for another job.

You visit Southbank and ask around until you are directed to a warehouse storing timber and simple iron goods.  In the basement of that warehouse you are directed to a hidden speakeasy and gambling house.  The rooms are dark and cobwebs fill the corners.  Fishermen, longshoremen and other tough looking customers gamble for coppers at games of dice and cards, and off-label hard liquor is available.  

You're directed to a mage or other magic user who keeps an office in the back.  Books, maps and charts cover all the tables and shelves.  The man himself is repellent to look at.  He wears an eye patch over his left eye, and at his temple on that side there is a massive sore or ulcer.  His ears look deformed until you recognize that they have been clipped... the man is a wood elf, but seems to have been mutilated.  He wears an old, near threadbare robe of unusual design with multiple long strips of cloth hanging off og the back at the waist, and he holds a staff on his lap adorned with an onyx spider as a focus.

He wasn't expecting you, but after looking over your letter and eyeballing your physique and weapons/armor, he consents to a meeting.  He represents an organization that has stood in opposition to the Ancient Elves since they returned to this continent.  Their depredations and mistreatment of 'lesser' races stretches back much further than recorded history... their claims of once dominating this land in past millennia are 100% accurate and they made many enemies then, as they have now.  Most of his order operates on the border of the Ancient Elves new empire, staging raids and assassinations when the opportunity presents itself.  But that isn't why they want to talk to you.  This elf and his agents have been monitoring Ancient Elf activity in the Empire.  They have several agents here working undercover, though the purpose hasn't been uncovered.  When the time comes, they will want to hire a crew to seize one of these agents for questioning.  If you're interested, they will be willing to pay good coin for the work... and for your secrecy.  If you are willing to entertain such an offer when the time comes, say the word.  He will arrange for someone to contact you, likely within the next few weeks or months.  If you are not interested... then there is nothing more to talk about.

Day Two:  Grugga finds references to many unfamiliar gods who were written out of the human pantheon.  Unfortunately, none of them seem to fit with the air/mountain/cold/ogre mixture he encountered.  The other 'written-off' Gods were:  Afflux: God of Greed; Baphomet: God of Murder and Revenge; Bast: God of Taxation and Punishment; Grundel: God of Underground Places and Darkness; Mammon: God of Predatory Monsters and the Violence of Nature; Phobos: God of Fear; Skrillis: God of Secrets; Ravenna: Goddess of Thieves and Gambling; Typhon: God of Hate; Vidia: Goddess of Carnal Revelry

Day Three:  The Bishop listens to your story then begins to tell his own.  

For several years the Church of Ord has been monitoring a cult with growing influence in the ports and fishing villages along the Great Lake.  It is most prominent in Bardstown, Bluffton and Northbridge, but they have heard of small covens of worshippers as far away as the eastern shore in Fidelis.  The cult claims to worship Leviticus, the old evil analogue to Ord.  In practice, the cult behaves more like a criminal cartel than an ordinary cult.  Initiates are asked to bring coin, or influence, or infrastructure that the cult can you.  Fishermen are asked to secretly ferry cult members.  Longshoremen are asked to look the other way when the cult moves merchandise hidden in the holds of ships.  They do seem to have access to strong magics... as a reward for service, cultists are said to see their enemies killed or cursed, or their own nets filled with rich catches.

Infiltrating the cult has proven deadly.  The Bishop's protege was found floating in the harbor of Bluffton, broken, bruised and drowned.  More, someone spread word of it, and before the church could collect the body, the entire sea shore was rife with talk of Ord's faithful being slain by the water, and of the ominous portents this raised.  

A few things you tell him make sense.  He says he believes than man who tried to attack you may be the same man who kidnapped Malia from Worden... her description of his appearance and behavior is very similar.  He also is very partial to the idea of a sea hag being involved.  Beautiful people being sacrificed to the lake has been a persistent theme with this cult... and this would align with sea hag reputations for hating and defiling beauty.  But no sea hag alone could be responsible for all of this.

He is willing to work together with you, though he is not in a position to offer you any leads at the moment.  What he does offer you, is a corked, empty bottle.  He has a matching bottle at the temple in Bluffton. If you write a 25 word (or less) note and place it into the bottle and cork it, he will receive the message in his own bottle, and can respond.  This can be done once per day. [Effectively, Grugga can now use this item to cast sending but is limited to writing the message and only the Bishop can be targeted for the message.]

The Bishop sends a pair of his followers to deliver a message to the Temple of Ord in Bardstown [correction to prior posts where Grugga visited the Basilicae... Ord temple and priests are actually located in a lighthouse near the south branch of the Breitvasser, not at the Basilicae.] and they escort Grugga so he does not have to travel home alone.

Days 4 and 5:  Grugga can purchase the smithing tools but he would need access to a forge in order to craft his own arms and armor.  A breastplate would typically take 3 days to forge and a quality longsword would take 5 days.  If Grugga wants to make his own, he can make either a breastplate or a longsword...

• It will be rushed and of poor quality [no mechanical deficiency, it will just look like a kindergartner made it]
• It will cost 50% of the purchase price (for materials)
• Grugga will need to pay 2sp per day - so 4sp - to rent a forge from the Elite Blacksmith Trade School in the Foreign District in Bardstown

If it is still worth it to forge his own, he can do so.  Otherwise, both could be purchased from the markets.

OK how can I not make my own now? That's hilarious. I'll make a longsword, but he tries his hands at making a flamberge for the first time - he's engraved the name "Red Band" into the side of the blade before he makes the waves, so the text gets all distorted when he adds the waves.  Then he paints the engraving red so it really stands out. He's pretty proud of it, since he normally doesn't work in weapons, but it's like a walking embarrassment to the mercenary company. The colors he's chosen for the hilt also clash badly with the purple crystals that are embedded in the hilt (tinkering +1 weapon instead of the handaxe).

I've deducted the money for the tools, the express mail, the gloves, and the sword + forge rental. I have NOT deducted money for inn fees, food, stabling, or buying the rations from the group.

Final things on Day 2: Grugga thanks Bishop Cleghorn for all his help, and swears he'll stay ready (within reason, given he's a mercenary who travels) to help when he can. As a final parting thought - he runs something by the Bishop. The priest in Shelley said that the symbol he saw was slightly different than the 'real' one. The bishop said that a sea hag wouldn't be capable of maintaining this cult. "Is the difference in the symbols the three dots?" he asks, wondering if perhaps they symbolized a "coven" that Leelan told him hags could form.

After that he departs with his bodyguards. His final few nights in Bardstown are spent with Zip and Zap on active duty at night, watching for assassins. Nevertheless, he doesn't sleep well.

Edit: And to be clear, I won't buy a breastplate yet. I'll either craft it or half-plate later

You locate three different investment opportunities:

• A young blacksmith's apprentice is ready to strike out on his own.  He already has a building on his family's farmland to use but he needs funding to secure proper equipment and materials to get off the ground.  He is looking for a 500gp investment.  On a scale of 1-20 how impressed you are with this kid's skills: 8
• A merchant with a jewelry stall in the market square is looking to diversify.  He has mostly silver and gold rings and bracelets but he has a contact in Lordstown who can get him a good deal on some semi-precious stones.  He needs a 500gp investment to order the goods.  On a scale of 1-20 how impressed you are with this jeweler's skills: 20
• A local Civic Association is looking for sponsors for a local art and music festival.  They need funding to bring in bards and distribute flyers and other promotion work.  They are seeking 500gp and promise a cut of ticket sales.  On a scale of 1-20 how impressed you are with this associations plans: 20

• Wanted:  Sildaren of Falinor aka ‘Sugar Wolf’   2000gp

Wanted for questioning in a criminal matter.  Reward is forfeit unless captured and delivered alive.  Believed to be traveling in the region and will be using fake identity, likely traveling with other elves.  Should be considered armed and dangerous.  MUST BE BROUGHT IN ALIVE*.  If captured, see the desk manager at the Monkfish Hotel in Bluffton.

*Or delivered within 3 days if killed during apprehension.

This poster depicts an unbelievably detailed likeness of a younger elven man with a wry smile.  As you examine the image, it changes slightly showing the fugitive with different appearances; a thin beard and mustache; a shaved head; hair pulled up in a bun; clean shaven with a pony tail; etc.  Whatever magic is woven into this poster, it is potent and leaves an impression on you.  You feel you might have a hard time forgetting this face.

• Bounty: The Lizard of Dunmoore

Know all ye who read this: the good Lord Karo Viktoriia of the town of Dunmoore is hereby proffering the generous bounty of 300gp to any man who brings him the head of the monstrous lizard-man who hath these last months organised banditry and lawlessness upon the travelers of the Emperor’s highways.  The fiend retreats with its lackeys ever into the Dunmoore marshes and is thought to lair theirin.

This poster includes a crude drawing of a grey-scaled lizard-folk with a large orange horn on his snout.

• Werewolves!

Our caravan was attacked by a team of bloodthirsty wolf-men.  They approached as regular bandits, but once close, they shed their skins and transformed into hideous man-wolf monsters!  We fled and they took everything!  We are out a fortune, between the goods, the wagons and the horses.  We offer 1000gp to any heroes brave enough to hunt down and slay these horrors!  The notice says to see the Whitewater Distillery in Southbank for more details.

• Archaeological Dig

Looking for a good crew of stout-hearted warriors to accompany my wife and I on an expedition of discovery.  We have been researching for years to find an old dwarven settlement which predates the Empire, and we may at last have found it.  Our university stipend doesn't allow for more than 100gp in payment, but we can offer shared salvage rights on any non-historically significant artifacts we uncover.  The notice says to visit the Dwarven Historical Society in Northbank for more details.

• Haunted House

Our family recently purchased an older manor in Umbidge.  When we began renovations, we quickly discovered a poltergeist or some other vile spirit is angry with our work.  A priest of Kryptos was no help in this matter and the haunting persists.  Any capable of exorcising or otherwise removing these ill-mannered spirits will be well-rewarded.  See the Bonnaducci family for more details.

[I forgot about the bark!]

After settling matters of payment and salvage with the Red Band, you made a lonely trip east through Northbridge and then south to the town of Tinerbivios.  The vineyards and bogs of the lake country gradually give way to sprawling apple, walnut and olive orchards.

The bark guides you a patch of old growth forest, one of the few wild places here that hasn't been cleared for agriculture.  Locating a quiet place with good sun, you bury bark.  Within moments, roots move the soil around your feet and a sapling the size of your forearm emerges.  "Ah.  It is such a welcome relief to be home, and free again.  Thank you, mortal.  It is good to see that not all of you animals are incapable of reason or redemption."  From your time with the spirit, you gather it retains its hostility toward civilization and longs for the day when it can once again lead nature against the cities and towns of this region, but that it will be many, many years before it is strong enough again.  It also renews its offer to teach you something of magic in return for your aid.  

[At level 4, you may take the Feat Magic Initiate: Druid or Magic Initiate: Warlock in lieu of your ASI, if you wish.  Additionally, should you decide to ever multi-class into Warlock, this spirit will be available to you as a unique patron.]

Any dwarven relics from that time period would be valuable, whether to collectors or scholars.  Even things like spoons and tools.  How valuable? ... you have no idea.

Rohuzar tries to trap this location in his memory for the future, in case he ever finds it necessary to return. The tree is special, even if it offers powers he currently remains uninterested in