In Hextor's Name (Completed 22 Oct 2004)

[Capellan]

Kull's 7th Report - Part 4

As might be expected, the map pre-dated the fall of the fortress. This in itself was not what drew my interest, though it would doubtless make the item valuable to collectors. What was important to my eyes was what the map depicted: in the time before the fall of the tower, the extent of the swamp was far less than it is today. It covered - at most - one sixth of the area.

I do not share the druid's fascination with the minutiae of nature, but it was clear that this sudden and geometric increase in the size of the swamp could not be natural. The means by which the swamp had been increased could not immediately be proven, but my suspicions - shared by Gnorric and the druid - were that the crystal orb we had found might have some relevance to the matter. This suspicion was all but confirmed by the discovery of an aged note in a disused part of the complex, which read "Place the orb within the castle. It will do the rest". Just as the fort has subsided beneath the waters of the swamp, so has the land as a whole.

If the increase in the swamp was caused by magical means, then it is likely that it can be reversed in the same manner. Compared to this knowledge, the rescue of the five village women is of small importance, welcome though it may be.

It is my intention to investigate the cause of the swamp's expansion, and ascertain how it was accomplished. If it is possible to do so, I intend to learn the means to reverse the effects. Were the swamp returned to its previous size, it would ease travel in the region and reclaim many lost acres of farmland, leading to a greater era of prosperity and security: prosperity and security that will be owed to the strength and vigilance of Hextor.

On my return to Saltmarsh, I spoke to several of the locals, and consulted the old council logs. It appears that this coast was once plagued by pirates, operating out of a chain of islands near the coast. The old fort was originally built to watch for these pirates and thwart their attacks. It seems likely to me that these islands may well hold the key to the secret. There can be no doubt that the pirates would have wanted the fort destroyed, though it appears that their actions to achieve this end had repercussions far beyond what they could have intended. I plan to investigate these islands at the earliest opportunity.

Before I begin my investigation, however, I have several other matters to which I must attend.

First, the lizardfolk must be warned against the folly of alliance with any future group of newts that may enter these territories. Saltmarsh stood by them, when the sahuagin attacked. I mean to see that they stand by Saltmarsh, should the need arise. I delivered this warning to the lizard ambassador, giving him the head of the newt chieftain as I did so. He seemed to understand this message, and has agreed to convey it to his own chieftain.

Second, as I will need to spend some considerable time away from Saltmarsh in order to investigate the islands, I will need to appoint someone to handle the role of sheriff. There are none in town who can be trusted with this responsibility, so I intend to travel to the city of Mellin, where I can hire a warrior with the proper training to enforce the laws and command the militia. In light of the unreliability of the lizardfolk, this step is doubly necessary.

Third, while I am in Mellin I will be seeking news of the world beyond Saltmarsh. The villagers tell me that while I was at the fort, many troops passed along the old swamp road, heading north. The troops spoke of trouble with orcs and other humanoids, and rumours are circulating that the Border Keep has fallen. If true, this means that the lands to the north are open to invasion by the orcish tribes. It is important that I learn more of the situation in Mellin, so that I can judge the extent of the threat. It may even be that I will have to travel north to determine the situation in person.

I will be leaving for Mellin in the morning. I will report again after my return.


In Hextor's Name,

Kull Redfist

 

[Lela]

Hmmm, big trouble in little Saltmarsh.

 

[Durhon]

Geez I didnt realise how up-to-date this story hour is. I didn't realise that my character has also appeared!! (BTW Im the druid)

Good to see Arwink isn't posting anymore. It means he's got more time for Copperheads posting!!

 

[Capellan]

Here are the maps of the Saltmarsh area:

EDIT: as of October '04 these links won't work any more. I'll try to find somewhere else to put them online when I get home again, around Xmas.

As it used to be

and

As it is now

Hopefully, this should give you an idea of why Kull sees the map he found as significant. They'll also be useful as reference when we bring you the next session's events - which we'll do as soon as Mantreus gets his act together

 

[Capellan]

Kull's 8th Report - Part 1

Saltmarsh
Eighth Moon

To: Bishop-General Kartrak Visehart


Report from Kull Redfist


Sir,

To begin my report, I wish to extend my thanks for your dispatch of Dargrim Ironshield to assist with Our Lord's interests in this region. I encountered this sturdy dwarf while en route to Mellin, and have been impressed with his skill and tenacity in battle - traits he has already had ample opportunity to demonstrate.

I have assigned Dargrim to act as a bodyguard for the wizard, Gnorric. This will prevent the necromancer from wandering into physical danger, while also allowing me to keep a watch on his activities and ensure that he does not break the conditions of his acceptance into Saltmarsh.

Once we arrived in Mellin, I attended the mercenary's guild and advised them of my requirements for a capable replacement in the role of sheriff. They were able to provide me with two possible candidates. This was fewer than I had expected, but it seemed the fighting in the north had drained their resources.

On the subject of the fighting, you will by now have heard that almost half of this realm has been overrun by humanoid tribes. Not only has the Border Keep fallen, but most of the towns of the north have been sacked or are currently besieged. There are rumours that giants lead the enemy forces. The main pass through the mountains has also been lost, increasing travel to the coastal road - a boon to the people of Saltmarsh, though not one they will enjoy for long, if the enemy is not driven back.

I cannot say that I am surprised by the calamities that have befallen this region, of late - if the ignorant and careless attitude displayed in Saltmarsh before my arrival is any guide, the folk here have made negligible preparations for their own defence.

At the time I conducted the interviews, however, I knew only of the fall of the Border Keep. Thus, hearing of the numbers of trained soldiers who had been sent north, I determined that to travel that way myself, as soon as my replacement could be found, and investigate what had occurred.

Choosing this replacement proved a simple task - both candidates were warriors of acceptable skill, but only one had sufficient intelligence to be able to fulfil the role required. I employed him on the spot, and - after spending the rest of the day purchasing supplies, and learning more of the fighting to the north - returned to Saltmarsh the next morning. Once there, I introduced the new sheriff to the villagers, explained his role and responsibilities to him, and had him conduct several simple war games with the militia. His performance was satisfactory in all matters, and he displayed some tactical aptitude in the war games.

Once these matters had been resolved, I prepared to head north and learn more of the fighting. Heading into a war zone by myself would be foolishness, of course, so I set about assembling a small group to assist me. Naturally Dargrim would be included, and I chose Will Shepherdson - deputy commander of the militia - as well. Shepherdson is one of the few people in the village with military experience, having served as a scout in a recent war. His skills could be useful to me.

I also gave Gnorric leave to join the mission. No doubt his interest in the fighting lay with the corpses - he is a man of strange persuasions - but whatever I think of him personally, his knowledge of arcane magic makes him useful to me. I would even have accepted the druid, for whom I care even less, but he had retreated into the swamp in search of a new 'animal companion' to replace his lost crocodile.

With my companions chosen, I set out northwards, along the coastal road. The increased traffic along this route proved to have stirred up an owlbear, which came upon our camp on the second evening of the journey, but the beast was no match for three trained warriors, and will cause no further trouble for travellers on the road.

On the second morning after the owlbear attacked, we reached a small inn. Knowing that such an establishment would have been frequented by the soldiers who had travelled north before us, I called a halt and went inside to speak with the barkeep, and learn what he had heard of the fighting.

At the time, he had little more to tell than we already knew: soldiers were streaming north to fight the humanoid tribes, and the pass was rumoured lost. He seemed confident that the 'troubles' would soon be over - indeed, he had an air of complacency that was all too familiar from my early days in Saltmarsh.

While I spoke with him, however, a young man arrived at the inn, riding in an old coach, with a faded crest upon the doors. Upon alighting from the coach, he hurried over and asked my name. When I gave it, he produced a scroll, sealed with wax, and 'begged leave to deliver it to me, that I might be persuaded to save his village from a terrible curse'.

Vapid courtly nonsense though his words might be, I took the scroll and read it.

 

[Mantreus]

From the Journal of Gnorric

Well, we are on the road to Mellin and are resting for the night. We’ve found a nice spot near a brook with a clearing and some deadfall we can use for a fire. It’s amazing how these handy little places pop up on the side of the road. I sometimes wonder if the gods aren’t playing with our heads.

Kull seems a lot more cheerful of late. I actually think he’s excited by the prospect of war to the north. I think the mystery of the marsh holds greater interest for me. The crystal ball we found had some very faint magic about it, but I have a feeling that its magic has faded over hundreds or possibly thou…
______

Well that was a bit of excitement for the evening! We were just interrupted by a rather surly visitor. And I’ve wasted a perfectly good armouring spell on the encounter. I refuse to waste it, so I’m sitting here writing in my journal with a glowing field of force around me. I think the new dwarven fellow thinks me a bit strange.

The feeling is mutual; our initial encounter wasn’t that pleasant.

Will heard someone approaching and slipped into the woods to check it out. I cast my armouring spell and asked Wee Bat to fly above and let me know who it was. I informed Kull that it was a stout fellow in spiked plate much like his own. Will circled around and had an arrow trained on him. The dwarf announced himself though and introduced himself as Dargrim Ironshield (how typically dwarven of him.) He has been sent by the Hextorian church to “help” Kull, whatever that means. He’s a very rude and gruff fellow. When I introduced myself, he broke wind, grunted, spat, sat down and started munching on some sort of trail rations.

Strangely, Kull seemed quite pleased to have him. I thought I saw him smile, but it was probably just a trick of the light.
______

Arrived in Mellin and have found a place to stay. Thankfully it’s no where near my old neighbourhood, I don’t think they’d be too receptive to a homecoming quite yet, they were quite irate when I left.

I’m about to go for a walk to the Temple of Wee Jas to talk to the High Priestess there. I’m quite looking forward to it! Kull has already left with Dargrim to investigate hiring a sheriff to fill in while we go north.

Speaking of going north, we saw a lot of troops moving north on our way here. Something about “greenskins” attacking some fort or pass or something. So our investigations have apparently become more urgent, and we are heading north as soon we return to Saltmarsh and train whoever Kull decides to hire.

Will has gone on what he calls a “tithing run”. He feels that if he gives a little bit to each temple, he’s keeping all the gods happy and will have good luck. A nice theory I guess, but I think he’s spreading his faith a bit thin. Speaking of faith, I’m off to pay my respects to Wee Jas!
______

Well, the priestess of Wee Jas was a wonderful woman! She was in agreement with me on a number of things and supports me with my ideas for using undead as unpaid labour. We spoke for a couple of hours about death, magic and how they work together. Overall it was a fascinating time and I was sad to go. I must update my notes regarding commanding the undead, it has given me some ideas…

I also went to see the local merchant of arcane wares and have bought a couple of scrolls that I might add to my spell book. I bought a scroll of flying, which should be fun! I can swoop about the place with Wee Bat. He’s looking forward to seeing me fly as well.
______

The trip back from Mellin went uneventfully and we have arrived back in Saltmarsh. Kull hired an earnest young man called Elijah. He appears to be doing well in the military exercises that Kull is putting him and the militia though. The poor fellows, Kull is a horrendous task master and expects the world from these poor villagers. Will tries to take the edge off Kull in his role as deputy (Wee Jas knows why!) so it isn’t all bad. It’s a good thing I’m useless with a sword, I don’t think I could stand the training Kull is dishing out.

Aramil dropped in for supplies for a little while today. The poor dear is looking for another companion after the loss of his crocodile. It appears to be going none to well though and is taking him some time. Therefore he won’t be joining us on our little trip north to investigate the invasion, which is a pity. He’s a very useful fellow to have about. I informed Kull that he wouldn’t be joining us and he said “The Druid? Pah!” and that was that!

Anyway, enough avoiding work. I have new spells to scribe!
______

We’ve found another one of those fabulous little campsites on the side of the road. It’s obviously been used by a few people as there are obvious signs of a fire and so forth…

Will just found something interesting, it appears to be human teeth still attached to the gum? Fresh too. It’s fascinating how the gum envelopes the root of the tooth so well making it very difficult to remove them but still leaving room for growth. I wonder if I could improve the appearance of zombies for the mass market by providing them with some sort of denture or similar so they have a nice smile? I must make a note of that…
_____

Oh dear. We just found the provider of the human remains. It was an awful owlbear creature. He came bursting out of the forest and basically walked directly into Dargrim, Will and Kull who battered it into the ground in a matter of moments. Still, it’s interesting how these creatures have evolved. I got Will and Dargrim to help me drag it away from the road so I might perform an autopsy on the return trip.

Speaking of Dargrim, he seems to be hanging around especially closely of late. He has this habit of just sitting and staring at me as I write. Like he is now, which is most unnerving.

We followed its “tracks” (more like a swath of destruction through the forest!) back to its cave and found a foul smelling liquid, a fair amount of gold and some awful boots. The boots felt wrong somehow, but they are not magical. I have placed them into my magical bag of holding for later inspection.

Kull has been a bit more chatty this trip. I think it’s the prospect of some real military action or something. He has been discussing tactics with me. I am to stick close to Dargrim in any sort of fight and fire spells over his head appropriately. I don’t know why he seems to think me an idiot, but at least it’s conversation!
______

We have stopped to see if we can get anymore news about the conflict to the north at a roadhouse just outside a place called Torlynn. Nothing much new being reported. Rumours of giants is about it. Oh, a young man just arrived looking for Kull…

 

[Lazybones]

Just got caught up on the last month's posts. I enjoy the new characters and their quirks, and the offsetting posts style continues to give an interesting outlook on the overall story.

 

[Lela]

Ooo, new Hextor guy. This should be fun.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Anyone playing him, or is he strictly an NPC? And generally, how do you handle cohorts? Created by the players, run by the player, etc?

 

[Capellan]

Basically, cohorts are created and run by the player who took the leadership feat (with approval from the DM as to race, class etc, as well as actions once introduced, though there haven't been any problems on either front, thus far). Ability scores are chosen, rather than rolled, and are deliberately weighted to make the cohort slightly weaker than a PC of the same level would be.

The DM ran Dargrim during our initial encounter with him, but thereafter, he's been under my control. I built him to be a 'brick wall' fighter, capable of absorbing lots of damage (via high AC and HP) rather than dishing it out (Kull's our damage delivery system). His mechanically-minded Dwarven nature makes him pretty good with traps, as well.

His stats will go up in the Rogue's Gallery in the next week or so - we have to convert all the characters to 3.5E, first