Kingmaker Solo Campaign

This is a solo campaign for Satin Knights to be GMed by Systole. This adventure uses Kingmaker rules and is set in the world of E'n/LPF, and will use NPCs and locations from that setting. However, this adventure is explicitly non-canon, and does not take place in that shared world. To repeat: this is not an official LPF adventure.

[Sblock=Recruited characters]Kellermyre Stormforge, aasimar cleric, PC.
Shari de Leye, gnome wizard/conjuration specialist. [shar_150]
Uder Gormengeist, dwarf barbarian. [uder_150]
Wholesome Peet, tiefling alchemist.[/Sblock][sblock=Known characters]Lord Umberto Gabbiano, holder of the charter. [umberto_150]
Signor Geralt Franco, merchant and investor. [franco_150]
Cardinal Allessano Fortino, head of the Church of Tanager.[fortino_150]
Phineas Renlow, captain of an independent sailing vessel temporarily contracted to House Gabbiano.
Sugar Sweet, professional mischief maker of the Western Sea Syndicate.
Mai Lin, Captain-At-Arms of the Lower Guild and chief guardsman for the Forenicci settlement.
Vermag, executor of the Forenicci settlement.[/sblock][sblock=Map]None yet![/sblock]

New and altered rules

[sblock=Character Advancement]In order to simplify the math, the PC will receive the total XP awards for each combat encounter and for each story award. To offset this, character advancement will be 1.5x Slow progession. Therefore, the character will advance at 4500, 11250, etc.[/sblock][sblock=NPCs]Your NPCs will form a retinue. The maximum number of people in your retinue will be 1/2 your level (minimum 1) plus your charisma modifier (if positive). Your retinue will be the people you can assign tasks to, assign positions within the kingdom, and take with you in your party. You can kick people out of your retinue at will, but don't expect them to come back if you change your mind later.

Your party will consist of your PC and up to two people selected from your retinue.

Note that not all NPCs in your retinue will be capable or willing to fulfill every task. Some will be explicitly non-combat, and a few might want no part of running a kingdom.[/sblock][sblock=Leadership]The Leadership skill is somewhat different. Leadership will increase your party size by 1 (to make it your PC plus 3 NPCs), or your retinue by 2. You can take Leadership twice, once for each version.[/sblock]

Experience and Influence

[sblock=Experience] [/sblock][sblock=Influence][sblock=Uder] [/sblock][sblock=Peet] [/sblock][sblock=Shari] [/sblock][/sblock]

It was a strange and cryptic missive that brought you to Venza. Who could have expected an urgent but almost completely undetailed summons from Cardinal Allessano Fortino himself? Especially a summons from someone as important as he to a recent initiate in the rather backwater locale of Acomay ... or rather, what used to be Acomay before the fall of Sumbru. For decades now, dozens petty conquerors from the surrounding baronies have made war over the lands of the fallen kingdom. But ... that is not relevant to the task at hand.

Venza is a strange sight. You've seen Sumbru, of course, and occasionally glimpsed the surreal and unnatural creatures that lurk in its deep shadows. But you've never seen a city so vibrant and bustling as Venza. Sailors and merchants shout and haggle in a dozen different languages over amazing goods from every corner of the globe, while wizards and alchemists mingle freely with wild barbarians and platemail-clad warriors. And there are stranger things than that, even. At the city gates, you see a dwarf riding a giant lizard haranguing a tiefling and some sort of sphinx-like creature about the importance of remaining inconspicuous.

Eventually, you find your way to the Great Temple of Tanager. Presenting your letter, you are escorted immediately in to see the Cardinal, even before you've had a chance to clean the mud off your boots and shake the dust out of your clothes. The Cardinal is an older gentleman with spectacles and a full beard, dressed in much simpler clothes than his station generally calls for. He's putting on his coat as you're shown in to his personal quarters.

"Initiate, it's good you've made it. The ship is due to set sail with the tide -- in two and a half hours or so. You should meet Franco and Gabbiano before then." These are names you've never heard before, and seeing your question before you have a chance to ask it, the Cardinal sighs. "I'm sorry, I've been so involved in politics lately that I plainly forgot that I was talking to someone who wouldn't know those names. Have a seat. We have a lot to talk about and not much time for it. And while Franco and Gabbiano are our allies and partners, and good men as well, there are things that should remain between the clergy of Tanager.

"Here are the facts as concisely as I can lay them out: Venza is beginning to colonize the western continent, in response to Rhat'manis building settlements there as well. Venza is afraid of losing trading opportunities and naval superiority, both quite rightly I'm afraid, so the Lord-Elect issued five charters for new settlements. What followed has been a period of politicking more cutthroat than even this town is used to. The various noble houses have wheeled, dealed, and quite probably even assassinated to get their hands on a charter. And we're not out of the woods yet. Only three of the charters have been issued: one to House Forenicci, one to House Boraga, and one to House Gabbiano."

He pauses. "In this city, Cortessa is the patron of most merchants and noble houses. There are a few, like Gabbiano, that hold to Tanager because they rely heavily on shipping and transport. For the sake of the faith, I put the weight of the Church of Tanager behind House Gabbiano." He gives a wry grin. "Of course, I've been around the block a few times, and in exchange for our support, I also extracted a promise that I could name the executor of Gabbiano's charter."

He frowns. "That was where I ran into trouble. I'm almost positive that the Church of Tanager has been infiltrated by agents of Cortessa and ... other faiths. And I wonder if some of our priests are lining their pockets with Boraga gold. In short, I feared to choose someone from inside the city. So I prayed to Tanager, and he appeared to me in a dream and said, 'You will find the light of the evening in the darkness of the dawn.'

"Cryptic, of course. But I've communed with our lord more than once, and you get a sense for these things after a while. So if dawn means east and evening means west, then the darkness bit seemed to indicate Sumbru. The city is east of here, after all. And out of the candidates in our mission there, something about you seemed right to me. So congratulations, because you're possibly Tanager's chosen candidate to get on a boat this evening, sail for a thousand leagues, and bring the faith to a savage and untamed land."

The Cardinal appraises you with a steely gaze, and you can see why he is the leader of your faith. After a moment he nods. "And if you're not, then you will make yourself into a very close approximation thereof or you will answer to Tanager himself. But before that, you will answer to me. So then, are you ready to serve your god, Initiate?"





. . Cardinal Fortino . .

"I am always ready to serve Tanager and the Stormlords.", bowing with a sweeping flourish. "So I am to sail across the great sea and... and... What is it that I am doing once I get there? Am I to build a temple? No, you said our opposition is building settlements. So, it will be my duty to build up settlements, faster than the others and defensible too. The game of politics has been cut throat here. How aggressive do you want me to be there?"

Considering the enormity of the situation, "Am I getting any help to do this? I have Thundar to call on to help me, but he really is just a mutt that likes to bark at anything that moves."

Cardinal Fortino nods. "Your acceptance was a bit showy for my tastes, which means you'll probably do fine. People always appreciate a bit of pomp and circumstance. Well then, let's be off. I'll answer your questions on the way."

After directing your personal effects and Thundar to be brought to the docks, you and the cardinal get into his personal carriage and set off toward the wealthier section of Venza. "The charter demands two things: that you build a safe port for Venzan ships, and that you to create and expand Venza's trading opportunities." He smiles with just a hint of self-satisfaction. "Of course, there's a clause under 'building a safe port for Venzan ships,' that in part defines a safe port as 'providing a haven for those who worship Venza's natural gods.' Hah, I lobbied for that line, and it paid off.

"To put it another way: build a port, make it defensible, claim and map the surrounding lands, be on the lookout for trade opportunities ... and spread the faith of Tanager. As you'll be months from direct oversight, how you go about doing those things will be largely up to you."

He spreads his hands. "Help will largely be where you find it. If you have need of a specialist, let us know, and we'll do our best to find a suitable candidate. Lord Gabbiano already mentioned something about a translator he found, but I don't know the details. And one of Franco's men left about a month ago, so she should have a dock and a trading post set up by the time you arrive. We're going to meet Gabbiano and Franco now. Umberto Gabbiano is one of Venza's few nobles with a sense of ethics, and Geralt Franco is an importer and a very successful merchant." The cardinal chuckles a little. "You might find him a bit .... forward, but don't take it poorly. He's just a harmless old flirt."




. . Cardinal Fortino . .

Kellermyre listens intently to every detail. Thinking to himself, {{Most work planned for me is for days at a time. Now the plans will take years to accomplish. As always, Faith Manages.}}

"How often will these men be sending ships across the sea? And just how long is the voyage? I know little of the lands to the west of the sea."

"I was starting to worry about what goods they want to trade, but my job will be to build the port. They merchants will build the trade. Building a temple, homes and a barracks I can do. Taming a forest, I can do. Organizing people towards a cause, this I can do. Spreading the faith of Tanager, this I can do."

"A direct route is about 1500 leagues, but that's across the open ocean. Ships usually take a southerly route so they can resupply along the central island, which increases the journey to about 1800 leagues, but it's a far safer and less demanding trip that way. The southern route generally runs a little more than six weeks there, and a little less than six weeks back, given the trade winds. We're looking into ways to communicate by way of magical sendings, but in the meantime, messages will have to travel by ship.

"You should be getting ships every month or so to begin. Gabbiano's fleet is relatively small, and that's all he can spare from his other businesses. But if the merchant enterprise is successful, then you can expect more frequent visits -- both from Gabbiano ships and independent ones.

"Ah, here we are." The carriage stops in front of a tasteful and well-kept estate. You are shown into the Lord's chambers by a rather pretty but extremely businesslike elven woman. Seated at the desk is a well-dressed, bearded gentleman with a slight middle-aged paunch, who rises and introduces himself.

"Good to see you, Cardinal. We were beginning to worry your candidate wasn't going to make the tide. This is he, I take it? I am Umberto Gabbiano, holder of the charter. A pleasure to meet you."

A rather portly gentleman who was taking up most of an overstuffed sofa also rises to meet you, his eyes twinkling. "I had no idea your taste in young men was so exquisite, Allessano!" he laughs. "I'm Geralt Franco, and because I've too much money and too little sense, I decided to invest heavily in this hare-brained scheme of Umberto's. But already I can see that every copper pence has been well spent."




. . Cardinal Fortino . . . Umberto Gabbiano . . . . Geralt Franco . . .

"And a pleasure to meet the two of you. I am Kellermyre Stormforge, humble servant of Tanager and the Stormlords." as he takes formal bow before the gentlemen.

"It will be my honor to lead this expedition. Prestige and profit shall be made, by hard work and favorable winds. The cardinal has laid out an ambitious plan before me. It will take time and lots of effort, but the only way I can see it failing is by my death. Since I am not planning to meet death any time soon, the plan itself cannot fail."

Thinking to himself, {{Don't over do it.}}

"If I am to leave with the tide, please give me your last minute instructions, concerns, desires... So I may best live up to and exceed your expectations." {{Yeah, make them talk.}}

Franco grins and laughs expansively. "Oh, he's a firey one, Allessano! Are you sure we can't keep him here and send some other poor dupe overseas?"

Cardinal Fortino rolls his eyes at the merchant, which only elicits another laugh from Franco. "Oh, very well, Allessano. I'll behave." He turns to you and gives you a smile and a half-hearted shrug. "Scads of money are always appreciated, Master Stormforge. While I find this business tremendously entertaining, I would prefer to see a return on my investment as well. My particular specialty is selling overpriced novelty items to rich idiots, and the local breed of rich idiot has started taking an interest in the West. So if you can't simply send gold and gems, I'm sure I can find buyers for any knickknacks you find that look sufficiently, hrm, 'cultural' is probably the best way to put it." He sips a glass of wine and turns to Gabbiano.

Lord Gabbiano nods. "House Gabbiano needs shipping opportunities. And building a well-defended port, aside from it being our patriotic duty, would greatly increase our House's standing in court. In short, we only require that you faithfully execute the charter." He clears his throat and looks at the floor. "There may be obstacles to that. There is ... infighting among the noble houses. Emiliana Forenicci is an honorable lady..."

Franco chokes on his wine, and gives Gabbiano a disbelieving look.

"Oh, she's cutthroat and unpredictable, I'll give you that. But she wouldn't stoop to sabotage."

Franco nods. "Ah, that's true enough. Emi will be a formidable business rival, but that's the end of it. On the other hand, there's nothing I would put past House Boraga. Their settlement will likely be run by one of the Dame's get. I doubt it would be Abbandando or Cicci -- they're too stupid, frankly. And it's certainly not going to be Tammasino, the poor black sheep of House Boraga. Tessio and Brasi are possibilities, but I would put my money on Clemenza." He shakes his head. "No matter which Boraga it is, you'd best watch your back and your sides, plus you'll need to keep an eye on where your putting your feet down and also make sure that nothing is going to drop on you out of the sky. And while you're busy doing all that, they'll probably sneak up on you from the front."

Gabbiano clears his throat. "Indeed. It seems that House Boraga has already snuck up on us from the front. They've managed to severely limit our pool of applicants by way of pre-emptively hiring everyone in the city who would make the journey."

Fortino looks surprised. "Everyone?"

Gabbiano grimaces. "Almost. And not just honest tradesmen and mercenaries. They've hired the muggers and murderers out of the back alleys of Venza and put them on boats heading west. The city's crime rate has nearly dropped by half this past week. But we've managed to get a translator. A sort of translator, anyway. More of a language expert, actually. She's very ... enthusiastic. She's in the library, if you'd like to meet her, Master Stormforge. We've also found you a hired sword, who'll be meeting us at the wharf. He comes, uh, highly recommended."


View attachment 56868

. . Cardinal Fortino . . . Umberto Gabbiano . . . . Geralt Franco . . .