[Pathfinder] Hewligan's Rise of the Runelords: The Hook Mountain Massacre

[hewligan]

Welcome back to part three of the Pathfinder Adventure Path: "Rise of the Runelords", "The Hook Mountain Massacre".

The first part of this adventure, Burnt Offerings, spawned an 1100+ post thread, and took about 10 months to complete. The full thread is here, for those who wish to review what has gone before.

The second part of this adventure, The Skinsaw Murders, was even more sprawling in nature, taking just short of 14 months to complete and over 1200 posts. It can be viewed for posterity at this link .

And so we move on to a new thread to mark part three of the Rise of the Runelords adventure path. We will be continuing with the existing cast, but we have decided to convert to Pathfinder RPG for this, and future adventures in the path

So far the cast of players and characters have survived the assault of a crazy gang of goblins driven by a woman turned to demonic madness by her haunted past. They took the battle to the goblins, burnt their stronghold to the ground, and stopped a horrific evil that was lurking beneath the very streets of Sandpoint.

Then they were called in to help solve a truely barbaric sequence of murders. They uncovered a ghast and his ghoul minions, an old acquaintance, had been driven to build an army of ghouls. They tracked him down to his mansion, and put an end to him and the evil that lurked there. Clues led them to Magnimar, where they uncovered and defeated some great evil that seemed to be intent of driving countless murders to fuel some great slumbering evil. It was not without cost though, for they tasted death, and very nearly tasted defeat.

The doyens of Magnimar and Sandpoint, the heroes took a well deserved rest. They found that rest boring, and worse ... it made them realise that the frenzy of their lives, and their new found role as heroes, did not really offer them any easy avenues back into a comfortable life. Anxious to do something of some purpose, the heroes once again met up in Magnimar.

And so starts part 3...

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Our characters are:

Jokad The Reaver, Shoanti Human, Shadde Quah - Axe Clan Barbarian, Level 6, Ranger, Level 1. Played by Frostrune

Danth Brinfield, known to his flock as Father Danth, Favoured of Sarenrae, Servant of the People of Magnimar, Human, Cleric, Level 7. Played by Rhun

Kael Saern, Human (Varisian), Sorcerer, Level 6, and his faithful familiar Mal. Played by Friadoc

Jovik Magnix, Human (Chelaxian-Magnimar), Rogue, Level 7. Played by Fenris

The Out of Character thread will continue in the same place as the old one.

While I continue to allow minimal OOC chat in the IC thread with a clear "OOC" tag, I would like to keep this to a minimum, with most, if not all, OOC chat posted to the OOC thread.

---

The first IC game-post will follow tomorrow...

 

[Fenris]

Jovik Magnix, Human (Chelaxian-Magnimar), Rogue, Level 7. Played by Fenric

OOC: Hew, Could you do me a favor and spell my Screen name with an "s" instead of a "c". Please

 

[hewligan]

A Call For Help

Two days back together. That was all it took. Two days that had gone quickly. Jovik and Jokad had gone out to procure maps of the region. The warm season would be upon the land soon, and that made it the perfect time to expand their adventures together. Danth seemed reticent. Not reticent to join them, but reticent to just go off on some unstructured journey. He didn't offer any reasons why, but at night, over whisky and cards, he argued that perhaps they should wait to see if something came up. Just a few weeks. "Adventure will find us" he offered on that first night. "Yeah!" Jovik had replied, "But we may grow old waiting for it." Kael understood Danth's desires. The man had ties here stronger than any of them, and he wanted some valid reason before just leaving everyone again. Or at least, that is what Kael guessed. Personally, he was just as ready as Jovik and Jokad to strike out into the wilds once more .... as long as they could avoid the stinking Mushfens and the boggards that called it home.

But it had only taken two days for the call to come. Danth need not have been worried. Destiny had not lied to him.

-----

Unthwin Goodfellow, personal secretary and general dogsbody to Lord-Mayor Grobaras, had come knocking at the door of the orphanage just after dinner had been cleared away.

He was a short, plump man, red of face and clearly in a semi-permanent state of fluster. "My Lord would see you, if you will. There are urgent matters that concern him, and he wishes that your courage may once again serve the City of Monuments."

There was no point refusing. The man had made you rich once already, and while you owed him no favours, this very well may be the hook you were looking for to dig you out of your fugue of inactivity.

-----

Grobaras is good at welcomes, but tonight he seems withdrawn, his face looks tired, his hand rests against a glass of armagnac.

He stands as you enter, and forces a smile. He moves over and shakes each of your hands, enquiring as to how things are going, asking Danth of the orphanage, asking Kael if he feels fine again after his ordeal, and so on. When the pleasantries are done, he dismisses Unthwin, and bids you to sit down.

"There is little rest of Lord-Mayors or heroes, it seems. With Korvosa snapping at our heels, and their power-games slowly playing out behind the scenes, the last thing we needed was another diversion, but a diversion we have.

Fort Rannick, our most distant holding, and an incredibly vital part of the chain of security that protects this nation-state, has gone silent. I know two of you have served there amongst the Black Arrows, and I thank you for that service. It is also why I have called you here. You know them ... while they serve us incredibly well, they are independent sorts, and prone to lapses of correspondence, shall we say. I am well used to periods of silence, even extended periods, but normally these occur in peaceful times and we just send out a messenger to check on the Fort and remind them of their obligation to send the monthly report to us.

The last report was a week late when we sent out a rider. He should have been back a week by now, but has not yet returned. That makes any sort of communication almost a month late by now.

I grow nervous. Possibly unnecessarily so, but Fort Rannick is so vital to us, especially now, and we cannot afford to lose it, and our dominion over the lands it protects. The tax revenue may not be great, but the Fort and towns along the Skull river give us access to an important trade route, timber, and security from the giants and worse that dwell to the north. Perhaps most importantly, it is a jewel that Korvosa would most decidedly like to secure.

I need your help. I want you to travel to Hook Mountain, to check on Fort Rannick, and make sure that nothing untoward has occurred there. There is a new Captain of the Black Arrows, a man called Jakardros, appointed only three months ago, and while I am sure that everything is fine ... I just worry that perhaps he, or the Fort, may have fallen to Korvosan lies and promises.

I cannot pay so well this time, but it should be a short trip, perhaps 9 days to get there by horse, or a few days less if you secure passage in the river ferries, and for that I will offer 300gp each, and my gratitude once again.

You are free to refuse, of course, but I would be incredibly grateful if once-again you came to the protection of this great city, as you have done some selflessly before."

 

[frostrune]

OOC: Eager to be rolling again and test drive the PF rules. Wouldn't it be longer by river, assuming we would be heading up stream? Besides Jokad wants to ride.


IC: Jokad shares a glance with Jovik. 'Jakardros' - so that was his name. The big man shifts uneasily from foot to foot trying not to betray his eagerness while waiting for his more elloquent friends to respond.

 

[hewligan]

OOC: Eager to be rolling again and test drive the PF rules. Wouldn't it be longer by river, assuming we would be heading up stream? Besides Jokad wants to ride.


IC: Jokad shares a glance with Jovik. 'Jakardros' - so that was his name. The big man shifts uneasily from foot to foot trying not to betray his eagerness while waiting for his more elloquent friends to respond.

OOC: The route up-river is actually a bit faster than horse for the following reasons:

The river is wide and very slow flowing, except at its tidal point, and has been constructed with rope-pulls all along the stretch of it to allow the light river barges to move up-river by pole and rope and horse-pull. It is a frequent trade route, ferrying products to and from the city. The river also opens at its end into a large lake that is quickly crossable. The Skull River that leads to Fort Rannick is a much faster river that also pours into the lake, and this river is narrower, and while it has been dammed, that last stretch cannot be taken by boat (except on the way back).

The boat system is so widely used that you can travel by day and night. Trade Guilds operate stables of horses that pull the boats along the river 24 hours a day, with shift workers who change horses and boat several times a day. In short - the first 50% of the journey is quite fast by river, despite being against tide, the next 25% is also very fast across the lake. The last 25% has to be done by horse or foot.

Note: The ferries are small and light, and thus you cannot take a horse on them, so you are probably best going by horse so that Jokad can ride his new mount. Still, I wanted to explain how it works, as when i read the adventure I thought the same thing and thus had to think up a reason why it would be faster

 

[Rhun]

Danth considers the mayor's words, scratching at the new goatee that he has grown over the past several months. The young cleric looked so much different now than he had so many months ago when he had first met Jokad, Jovik and Kael. While still slender, he had certainly filled out some, and he had cut his auburn hair shorter...probably so that it wouldn't interfere so much during combat. He had certainly changed from the young, callow priest he had once been. Beyond the physical changes, he now carried himself with an air of easy confidence, a confidence bred from experience and faith.

"My lord, of course we shall answer your call for aid. I ask only that you keep an eye upon the orphanage while I am away, and make sure nothing ill befalls the children. I would consider it a personal favor."


The New Danth:

 

[Fenris]

Jovik glanced at Jokad. This wasn't exactly the destination he wanted, but it was in the right direction at least. And perhaps it would help him find or understand Shalelu.

Jovik absently twirls a dagger in his fingers, these days it seems daggers appeared in his hands as though they too were restless and wanted action.

He looked with ambivalence at the mayor. Jovik would never let on his eagerness. "Well, since it you would be so grateful Mayor. I suppose I could go."

Inside of course, Jovik was almost out the door already, his spirit already on the trail.

 

[hewligan]

"Oh, I would be grateful, but in truth, our resources here are stretched thin, and we worry about Korvosa to the east. I have secret misgivings that perhaps they were involved in the murders. The list you recovered, we have been looking into it. It seems random to us, with its mix of both low names and high, but the inclusion of myself, and several nobles on there, I just wonder if perhaps Korvosa have had a hand in this. Trying to sow the seeds of discontent and revolution, perhaps. We are a jewel they have long coveted!

Quite simply, we cannot afford to lose Fort Rannick. If we did, the eastern expanse of our state would collapse back upon itself, possibly all the way back to the edges of the Mushfens. We need our eastern expanse. It brings us much trade, including contact with the dwarves and their minerals.

As for your orphanage Danth .... I am aware that one of the cultists has taken up residence with you. We tracked them all down, and have taken action against them, but I would ask you, are you aware of this man in your midst, are you happy to leave him there when you depart, or would you wish us to take him into custody? The choice is yours. If you wish us to wipe the slate of him and 'forget' his identity, we will do that for you. His father is a very important man, but he knows nothing of his son's indescretions so far. He is just confused that his second son was decided to join the church of Sarenrae. Speak your will and I will make it so, including making it clear to his father that this new life has met with the utmost approval of the city. Otherwise - I know your old master was slain. I read the report and of course I saw his name on the list, with a blood line drawn through it. Do you have someone that can lead in your absence? The church of your Goddess is not as strong here as perhaps it should be, although your deeds and your wealth are certainly helping her presence grow. I know of nobody who would be well suited to run it in your absence, but your priests and senior boys can surely manage for a few short weeks?"

 

[Rhun]

"As for your orphanage Danth .... I am aware that one of the cultists has taken up residence with you. We tracked them all down, and have taken action against them, but I would ask you, are you aware of this man in your midst, are you happy to leave him there when you depart, or would you wish us to take him into custody? The choice is yours. "

"I am aware, of course, and it is my decision to leave him to oversee the orphanage in my absence," says Danth quietly. "Redemption is the key to our faith, and it opens the door that we call the future. I have forgiven the man, and while it may take him forever to forgive himself, I believe that the darkness has been exercised from his heart. The Dawnflower has shown him a new path, and it is in her that we must trust."

 

[frostrune]

OOC: Just killing time...

IC: Jokad's mind was wandering down forest paths and dew covered fields but this revelation snaps his attention back to the moment.

His unsophisticated mind grasps two things very quickly: 1) the city is tracking down all the ex-cultists and bringing them to justice and 2) Danth has knowingly taken one into his fold.

The Lord-Mayor was directly challenging his wisdom in this matter and Danth's response was both elloquent and moving. Whatever reservations Jokad may have had melted away in an instant and his esteem for his friend only grew. Danth KNEW he was doing the right thing and this complete faith and confidence was more than sufficient to convince the less forgiving shoanti.