Dark Age of Eracost Session 26

 From my perspective playing Fingol.

Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 5

• Ranenno, Navgarine Forester-Bard 2

• Karmrakir, Tratkean Thief 4

• Nalin, Assassin 3

• Gregosz, Fighter 2

• Uomir, Fighter 2

• Szaldar, Keudan Priest 2

• Runor, Venturer 2

• Frannoc Dreiwan, Navgarine Agent 3

• Llewyn, Lynx 1

Summary

In a week of downtime, Fingol set his henchmen to work on strategic upgrades to Vigilant Keep.

A reduced portion of the Vigilants traveled to Talbruin, met its incompetent ruler, and delved into an infested mine.

Downtime

Oct 25:

Fingol uses the money saved for Sapporo (with the party’s agreement) and his own gold to buy:

- potion materials (2000gp - this is for the non-magical material cost of potions)

Ranenno continues studying lightning bolt at the Academy.

Oct 26:

Fingol, Tavenna, Kilosz and Iahzir take the expeditionary force and travel to Vigilant Keep.

Ranneno remains in Amtolosz, studying. day 3.

Oct 27:

Fingol administers the domain.

Kilosz, Tavenna and Iahzir take 2 spearmen, 2 crossbowmen, 5 donkeys and go to Rantalin. No metamphorae.

They have 2900gp to buy supplies.

Oct 28:

Fingol takes the remaining mercenaries (3 spearmen, 1 crossbowman) and remaining animals (war bear, war dogs, hunting dogs, 5 donkeys) and returns to Amtolosz.

Kilosz and Iahzir begin buying tools at the market rate, 30gp per day. They will be done in 63 days (Dec 29).

Tavenna begins buying rare books at the market rate, 66gp per day. She will be done in 15 days (Nov 11).

Oct 29:

Fingol works on studying Spellward.

Oct 31:

Ranenno final day of study.

Nov 1:
Fingol and Ranenno are ready for adventure.

End of month for Vigilant Keep:

• Garrison requirement: 172gp

• Merc costs: 210gp (split with Gregoire)

• Income: 688gp (split with Gregoire)

• Net income for Fingol: 239gp

• Population growth: +56 = 142 families

• New garrison requirement: 284gp

Session Recap

Nov 1, 427

Fingol, Frannoc and Karmrakir met back up in Amtolosz and Karm introduced his new henchmen: a priest named Szaldar and a merchant named Runor, both hired in Rantal. Karm also presented his long-term plan to overthrow the Amtolosz thieves guild and install himself at its head. He’d begin by embedding agents in it where possible. The party generally agreed to assist him in this, but there was little to do right away.The more immediate priority was to secure more funds for the party’s ambitious plans, including Fingol’s magic research into the Staff of Ninavar, and potion brewing.

Not wanting to return to the dungeon beneath Blessed River without their full forces, the party decided to head for Talbruin. There was a rumor of a closed mine that we hoped would be a lucrative delve, and we also had a rumor that the Amalgam had gone that way.

Nov 2

We arrived at Talbruin and spoke with the guards on the road. Asked about the mine he says that a disaster happened months ago where men were slain, and the deep mine has been closed ever since, with only surface mining happening.

We stayed at the Morning’s Victory Inn.

Nov 3

We went to the tin mine. The foreman spoke to us, said his men encountered pre-existing caves, and a man saw what he describes as strange webs and veins, and the shadow of a creature. This very much resembled the corruption of Gadaszin we had seen ourselves.

We returned to the town and sought out an audience with the Lord Priest, Ilmanar of Talbruin. The Vigilants were received in audience, but Talbruin’s ruler refused to employ us! With obvious aristocratic arrogance, he claimed that his countrymen were simply lazy, and making excuses to avoid work. He wouldn’t even consider the possibility of monsters or the influence of Gadaszin. The man was so incompetent that before the conversation was over, each of us silently considered the prospects of overthrowing his government.

Finally, we agreed with him to accept mercenaries' wages (a paltry reward indeed - are we not men of nobility, dragon slayers and the heroes of the Earldom of Amtolosz?) to confirm or disprove the claims of his men.

After leaving the Lord Priest’s tower, we added his eventual overthrow to our growing list of goals.

Back at the mine, we strategized with the helpful foreman. There were two elevator shafts leading into the deep mines, but only one operational elevator. Our plan was to split the party (this always works). A stealthy team consisting of Karm, Frannoc and Nalin, accompanied by Llewyn the Lynx and Karmrakir’s trained Giant Spider would climb down the incomplete elevator shaft, while Fingol lead the remainder of our forces down the operational one.

Both teams began their delves. Fingol’s team dispatched a group of luminous beetles. The stealth team heard sounds indicative of beastmen, moved stealthily past, and later ran into striges which posed little problem.

Both teams have more to explore next session.

Strategic Overview

Fingol’s Goals

Immediate

• Grow the domain of Vigilant Keep

• Find the properties of the Staff of Ninavar

• Brew healing potions

• Uncover the truth of what has happened at Blessed River

Moderate term

• Find the Amalgam

• Find Ierocain

• Settle the score with the Nimonuin Trade Guild

• Overthrow Lord Priest Ilmanar of Talbruin

• Learn more of the monster-siphoning magic used by Ierocain

Longer term

• Strengthen civilization against Gadaszin

• Defeat the evil of Gadaszin and drive the forest of corrupted flesh back

Experience

Reserve xp: 346

Fingol Keeper 5 18163 / 29120

Kilosz Fighter 4 8653 / 16000

Tavenna Keeper 3 7100 / 7280

Iazhir Dragonman 3 5921 / 10240

Ranenno Forester-Bard 2 2327 / 3960

Domain

Vigilant Keep

Barony of 1 6-mile hex (Z12)

Land value 5

Population: 142 families

Stronghold value: 60,000gp

Mercenary garrison (210gp / month):

• 10 light infantry A (javelineers) 6gp each, 60 total

• 8 heavy infantry C (spearmen in banded plate) 12gp each, 96 total

• 6 bowmen 9gp each, 54 total

Workshop value 4100gp

Expeditionary Force

Fingol, Tavenna, Iazhir and Ranenno on riding mules

Renenno’s Wolf

Armored War Bear

Kilosz on Medium Warhorse with backup War Mule

Animal handler with 2 hunting dogs, 5 war dogs

Baggage train of 10 draft donkeys

Mercenary squad of 5 spearmen in banded plate, 3 crossbowmen (114gp)

Finance

Pre session: 4412gp

Income:

+1898 from sapporo’s treasure share

+239 income from Vigilant Keep domain

Spending:

-2000 healing potion material components

-2900 money sent with henchmen for library and workshop upgrades

-400 monthly living expenses

-450 henchmen salaries

-114 personal mercenary salaries

6549 - 5864 = 685

Post session: 685gp

Dark Age of Eracost Session 25

 From my perspective playing Fingol.

Party

• Baron Fingol Innes, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 5

• Kilosz the Cataphract, Fighter 4

• Tavenna, Navgarine Keeper of the Stars 3

• Iazhir, Dragonman 3

• Ranenno, Navgarine Forester-Bard 2

• Karmrakir, Tratkean Thief 4

• Nalin, Assassin 3

• Gregosz, Fighter 2

• Uomir, Fighter 2

• Baron Gregoire, Paladin 4

• Frannoc Dreiwan, Navgarine Agent 3

• Llewyn, Lynx 1

Summary

The party destroys the unpledged cell in Amtolosz. The earl of Amtolosz makes the entire party his enemy due to Karmrakir and Gregoire’s drunken anti-dragonman rioting.

Recap

Oct 24, 427

Fingol was at breakfast when the Earl’s men came. The earl demanded an audience. Knowing this was the fallout of his companions’ drunken brawling, Fingol complied.

Earl Ilcarion was furious. One of his own barons inciting a riot against the dragonmen, knowing full well that the earl relied upon them. It was an outrage, and Fingol was considered guilty by association. The earl revoked his previous promise to delay levying tribute in return for help with the unpledged, yet still demanded the deed be completed.

Fingol very clearly pointed out to the furious nobleman that this was a miscarriage of justice, punishing the innocent and leaving the guilty Tratkean dog unpunished. But the earl was unmoved, and maintained his unjust orders. Left with no choice, the party accepted this maltreatment for now.

With a mission to fulfill in the evening, Karmrakir sought out the unpledged boss to calm his nerves. Fingol and Frannoc attempted to bring the pagan Iahzir to the ceremonies for the day of teaching, but the dragonman refused.

Fingol began to have serious misgivings about the situation, with two of his party known as rioters against the dragonmen, and a stubborn pagan dragonman in his employ. He resolved to continue his efforts to show the light of the Hidden One to Iahzir.

After the teaching service, Fingol brought Ranenno to the academy and set him to work learning his first natural power technique, levitate other.

Finally, night fell, and the party met with the unpledged. Karmrakir had assured the criminals that the earl’s guards would be out in force preventing riots after the previous night’s events. The boss became uneasy when they didn’t see any guards in the streets, but Fingol and Karmrakir managed to assuage his doubts. Fingol led the first squad of unpledged, and entered the palace of the heaven-daughters alone.

The earl’s soldiers almost gave the ambush away by lighting a torch, but Fingol kept hidden and gave a sign to the unpledged behind - a spark of Navgarine lightning from his fingers.

The dragonmen rushed in, and Fingol flew up to the balcony. The ambush worked to perfection. Arrows rained down on the unpledged in the entry hall, and those outside were ruthlessly cut down. Sixteen would-be assassins slain without a single injury among the earl’s men.

After the ambush, the party rushed to the country building where Karm had met the unpledged boss, hoping to take any remaining members before they heard about the ambush, but found no one there. We searched the building and recovered a substantial amount of coin in a hidden safe. Karmrakir intends to take over the building as a hideout.

Oct 25

The party met with Earl Ilcarion to inform him of our flawless victory. Despite having likely saved his wife’s life, and done so without any reward, the earl’s manner toward us did not seem to be softened. He was still unmoved from his decision to punish Fingol for the crimes of others. The entire party left the meeting filled with anger at the earl’s blatant ingratitude.

Karmrakir met with the local thieves guild, who had promised a reward for taking out their rivals, the unpledged. He secured the payment in gold delivered to Vigilant Keep.

Strategic Overview

Experience

Reserve xp: 346

Fingol Keeper 5 18127 / 29120

Kilosz Fighter 4 8653 / 16000

Tavenna Keeper 3 7100 / 7280

Iazhir Dragonman 3 5921 / 10240

Ranenno Forester-Bard 2 2309 / 3960

Domain

Vigilant Keep

Barony of 1 6-mile hex

Land value 5

Population: 86 families

Stronghold value: 60,000gp

Mercenary garrison (210gp / month):

• 10 light infantry

• 8 heavy infantry

• 6 bowmen

Alchemy lab at Vigilant Keep

• Value 4100gp

• Component stockpile 3380gp

Expeditionary Force

Fingol, Tavenna, Iazhir and Ranenno on riding mules

Renenno’s Wolf

Armored War Bear

Kilosz on Medium Warhorse with backup War Mule

Animal handler with 2 hunting dogs, 5 war dogs

Baggage train of 10 draft donkeys

Mercenary squad of 5 spearmen, 3 crossbowmen