Act 1 / Interlude 4 - Seven Days in Gozran, Part 2 (July 16, 2014)

Sunday, 13th of Gozran

Shalora and Jiri at the Shrine of the Seven Roses: Sunday is a day of rest and worship for many religions in Taldor, including for worshippers of Abadar and Shelyn. While Iacobus spent the day in his room at the inn and Akiro wandered the outskirts of town with Speckles, Jiri and Shalora spent the warm, sunny morning attending a religious service in the gardens behind the Shrine of the Seven Roses. 

The Shrine of the Seven Roses

They recognized some friendly faces in the congregation that numbered perhaps two dozen or so worshippers on this day, including innkeeper Talia Orem and her family, apothecary Xemne of Demgazi, and the old gnome Bassy. The priest, Nilos Genser, introduced their guest brothers and sisters, Jiri and Shalora, to the congregation, and acknowledged their deeds in solving the mystery of the fallen Witch Tower, rescuing the prisoners held by the neighbouring kobold tribe, and restoring peace between the kobolds and Belhaim... even though sadly, the lives of foes had to be taken and to accomplish the latter two ends, thereby taking away their potential for redemption and for contributing beauty to the world. Nilos explained that given the circumstances, Shalora, Jiri and their companions resorted to violence as an absolute last resort--as Shelyn herself did, when she stood her ground against her twisted brother, the Midnight Lord, whose name would not be spoken. The presence of songbirds in the surrounding trees, as usual, suggested that the Eternal Rose looked favourably upon the deeds of the dwarf and the elf.

Nilos Genser, dedicated servant of Shelyn

Nilos performed some new compositions as well as better known (and generally upbeat) songs during the service, and the congregation sang with him, some even dancing. They prayed for those looking for love, or trying to mend broken hearts, or looking for artistic inspiration, to find what they were looking for. They prayed for long lasting peace with the kobolds.

The presence of a dwarf at a Shelynite service was obviously a new and previously unknown sight to much of the congregation, and they were delighted when Bassy proposed, with Jiri’s consent, that they “dress” Jiri’s great beard as part of the ceremony.   The dwarf agreed with some stipulations (no excessive trimming of the beard!), and a work of living art was fashioned with great love…

Jiri Faldrum - A living work of art 

(depicted with beard style, before and after Sunday service)?

At the end of the service, the congregants hugged one another and wished each other love and peace before going their separate ways, many smiling and waving at Shalora “work of art Jiri” as they left. Brother Nilos stayed with the pair a while longer, thanking them for attending the service and complimenting Jiri on his new look and Shalora for her breathtaking beauty and style. He then became a bit more serious, asking the pair whether they thought kobolds had any concept of love and beauty... and whether they might be amenable to conversion to the path of the Eternal Rose? Shalora and Jiri thought the dragonfolk might have their own notions of love and especially beauty, but were non-committal as to whether they could be converted... Nilos evidently hoped that the pair might volunteer to play a lead role in such efforts...

Jiri then went on to spend the rest of his afternoon with Kroc and Rhuben, while Shalora... did whatever Shalora did.

Moonday, 14th of Gozran

The return of Sheriff Benhovy and his deputies, and the arrival of the Imperial Tax Collector: A heavy rain fell through the night, and brought with it the next morning Sheriff Benhovy and the deputies that had accompanied him on his trip to deliver Silas Gribb to the River Guard nearly a week ago. With them came the Imperial Tax Collector and her mounted retinue, who fortunately were not going to stay at the Inn of the Wise Piper.

Ol’ Prake Abrassus’s wolf troubles: Talia Orem had recently confirmed that, as Isadorer Malak had indicated, Ol’ Prake Abrassus had placed a bounty on the monstrous wolf that was preying on his sheep. Iacobus was initially dismissive of the whole affair... after all, the party were not in the business of hunting and trapping... but he quickly reconsidered when informed of the amount of the bounty--800 gold coins! The companions were surprised by the size of the bounty--demand for wool must be high in these parts for a sheep ranch to have that kind of money on hand! The party went and paid Ol’ Prake a visit in the afternoon, as the rain petered off, and were amused to find that his ranch was located on Wolf Hill Road. Ol’ Prake was pessimistic, and feared that the giant wolf (“As big as a horse! I saw it take one of my sheep as dog would snatch a bone!”) would decimate his entire herd. Wolves were fairly common in these parts, but his family had generally been able to keep them away from the herd, with only few losses over the years. But this wolf that he saw leading the pack that attacked his herd just a week ago was far larger than any he had seen before. Ol’ Prake affirmed that he had seen the attack with his own eyes, and that it took place at dusk (and no, there was no full moon that night). With the Kells absent, he felt that he had no choice but to put a bounty on the pack leader -- he was offering 800 gold coins to whoever would bring him the beast’s head. Eudomas Biton, a local hunter, was trying to find the beast.  

Ol' Prake Abrassus… worried for his sheep...

The companions then went to the Biton Lodge at the junction of Wolf Hill and Devy Roads, looking for Eudomas. Iacobus’s jaw dropped when he saw that three of his hired hands--whose names he could not be bothered to learn--were Eudomas’s elder children. For a moment, he thought that his uncourteous treatment of them may have earned him a bad name at the lodge, but Marina, Sisto and Jorge remained courteous to the party. They informed the party that Eudomas was away on a hunting trip and was not expected back for a few days. They would not say exactly where he went or whether he was tracking the giant wolf that was plaguing the Abrassus ranch, and the party concluded that trying to track the hunter would be a waste of time. Marina told the party that she would tell her father upon his return that the companions were looking for him. The heroes decided to not take further action on the wolf hunting front until they had had a chance to speak with Eudomas.

Shalora goes dress shopping:  As this was the eve of Taxfest and the House of Abadar would be throwing a large outdoor celebration on the morrow for that occasion, Shelyn wanted to look good for the occasion. She spent some time trying on pretty dresses at Kandos Weavers (most of which were a bit on the short side), but eventually found one that would do with the assistance of a stern, yet still friendly Lorna Kandos... who she recognized as one of the congregants in attendance at Sunday’s service at the Shrine of the Seven Roses.

Lorna Kandos, seamstress

Toilday, 15th of Gozran -- Taxfest

Greetings from the Imperial Tax Collector:  As the companions broke their fast in the common room of the inn on the morning of the 15th, Sheriff Benhovy entered the premises, followed by Banker Eupaphenia Targas and the Imperial Tax Collector and her retinue of (for the most part) well-armed and armoured guards, all wearing tabards over their armour with lion and golden crown over a field divided into blue and green emblazoned on it. At least one member of the retinue appeared to have spell-casting abilities. The Imperial Tax Collector herself was a severe-looking woman with short black hair, cold green eyes, and a prominent scar running down her right cheek. She wore no armour on this day, but had the imperial sigil stitched on the breast of her regal navy and gold-trimmed gown and Abadar’s golden keys hanging from a gold chain around her neck. 

Talia Orem welcomed the visiting officials, curtseying and asking if they wished to be seated and to take refreshments. They declined, and the innkeeper curtseyed again and darted back into her kitchen.

Talia Orem

Sheriff Benhovy eyed the companions coldly. “So... it seems you did not take my advice to leave Belhaim... and you have been providing services to the town during my absence... How kind of you... I am sure that you are pleased to find yourselves in Belhaim for Taxfest...” He grinned smugly as he uttered the last phrase. The companions explained that the Baroness had retained their services to explore the ruins of the Witch Tower and to “neutralize” the kobolds in the old quarry, and that she indicated that she would have further need for them. 

Back in town: the ever pleasant Sheriff 

Pelle Benhovy (a distant cousin of 

Father Zanthus in Sandpoint?)

Eupaphenia Targas interrupted the chilly exchange, presenting the Imperial Tax Collector, Lady Zora Almaty. “You will no doubt be honoured to contribute your just share of the taxes that go toward the betterment of the community, and to the maintenance of the empire’s infrastructure, military protection, and other services deemed essential for the greater good of mighty Taldor by the Grand Prince, long may he reign, and in accordance with Abadar’s teachings,” continued Eupaphenia. Given the poor state of the empire’s roads, canals and public buildings--especially the further one was from Oppara, the party wondered what proportion of the tax revenue actually went to maintaing Taldor’s infrastructure, and what the other services “deemed essential by the Grand Prince” might be, but none dared voice such questions aloud in front of Lady Almaty. “And of course, you all are welcome to attend the Taxfest celebrations which will be held on the grounds behind the House of Abadar this evening! The whole community will be there.”

The equally charming Imperial Tax Collector, 

Lady Zora Almaty

Lady Almaty seated herself at the companions’ table with a sniff, and called Talia back to order rose tea, which was served without delay. She explained that Lady Devy had informed her of the great deeds the party had recently performed to ensure the safety of Belhaim, and that Grand Prince Stavian--blessed be His name--looked favourably upon such service, and she commended them on His Majesty’s behalf. Lady Almaty sniffed again. She then asked the companions a series of questions that they considered highly personal and intrusive, staring at them with a gaze that was as penetrating as Jiri’s when he set himself to interrogating people. Where did the companions come from, the Lady asked? Where were they born? How long had they lived in Taldor? Could it be considered their primary residence during the past years? What did they do for a living before they came to Belhaim? Had they been paid by their previous employer, Silas Gribb? Notwithstanding Lady Devy, had they been in the service of some bearded lord or noble lady in the previous year? How much income had they earned during the previous year? 

When the companions inquired about the reasons for those questions, Lady Almaty responded stiffly that they were necessary to ascertain exactly how much each citizen owed the Crown in taxes. As vagabonds working on their own account, beholden to no lesser lords (and therefore not remitting taxes, she sniffed), the companions therefore owed taxes directly to the Crown; the “vagabonds” answered the questions, reluctantly. Lady Almaty determined that each one of the heroes was required to remit twenty percent of the earnings they had been paid by Lady Devy as a service tax, which she assessed at 45 gold coins each. In addition to that, they owed the 5 gold poll tax assessed on every subject of the Crown, rich or poor, for a total of 50 gold coins. She indicated that normally, adventurers would also be assessed a sixty percent treasure finder’s tax on the value of all treasure recovered during expeditions, but that in this case, the companions were fortunate and the tax would be waived, because Lady Devy had made arrangements to pay the Crown an agreed-upon amount on behalf of the companions. 

Jiri, Akiro and Shalora looked questioningly at Iacobus, wondering silently if the magus had any knowledge whether the assessment was fair and accurate? Although Iacobus was no legal or tax expert, he was familiar with the crushing taxes that had been levied on his father’s locksmithing business, and he did not dispute Lady Almaty’s assessment. Each of the companions paid the “requested” amount on the spot.

Before she left the inn, Lady Almaty put an offer before the companions. She indicated that she was aware that there were many tax evaders living in the surrounding woods that the prefecture did not have the resources to pursue. She also thought that the pacified kobolds should be turned into tax-paying subjects of the Crown, but again, limited resources prevented her from taking action against them... yet if the companions were able to collect outstanding taxes from the kobolds and cheats and remit that money to Lady Devy--a deed that would earn them favour in the eyes of both higher Taldan authorities and holy Abadar--then the party would be entitled to retain a portion of the revenues collected.   

Once Lady Almaty, Eupaphenia Targas, and Sheriff Benhovy had exited the premises (the latter with a smirk and a “see you at the celebrations tonight?”) with the Tax Collector’s retinue, Talia Orem emerged again from the kitchen sighing with relief. She was sorry for the ordeal the companions had to go through, and glad that she remitted her taxes directly to Lady Devy instead! The heroes grumbled that the celebration would be put on at their expense... and that they definitely would attend, if only to recoup a meal and drinks!

Jiri then went off to spend the rest of his morning and afternoon continuing his falconry training.

The Taxfest Celebrations: The festivities were lively, full of laughter, bonfires, music (all performed by Shelynites, Jiri and Shalora noted), dancing and great food, and was attended by several hundred people; the weather was perfect. Succulent wild boar and lamb were roasted on spits, and fresh fish fried, all seasoned with local herbs and served in bread trenchers, with spinach, mushroom, wild onion and sun-dried tomato salad, and watered down ale, wine and cider. The companions ate and drank their fill, and Mischief snatched more than his share of morsels from unguarded trenchers.   

  Taxfest celebrations in full swing

Lady Almaty and her retinue were present, but did not join in the dancing. She spent most of her time speaking with Lady Devy. Sheriff Benhovy and his deputies mingled with the crowd and watched for people who might be getting out of hand.

Early in the evening, Lady Devy publicly acknowledged the companions’ deeds over the past days, to great applause from all present. Lord Arnholde then introduced them personally to the village stonemason, Gregol Lenton, suggesting that Gregol had knowledge that might be useful to them if and when the Baroness authorized the party to explore the Manor. The stonemason explained that he and carpenter Selia Woldenar (mother of the first lad to whom Iacobus had offered employment retrieving the remaining treasure from the ruins of the Witch Tower) had overseen the construction of the main floor and upper stories of the Manor some seven years ago, but that they knew nothing of the cellars; the wizard had employed outside labourers for their creation. He could, however, provide a rough sketch of the manor’s main and upper floor plans from memory, if they came by the Masons’ Guildhall (a very short distance from the Inn of the Wise Piper on Canteclure Road).  

Stonemason Gregol Lenton

Shalora was in high demand throughout the evening, with many men casting longing glances her way. She spent a great deal of time dancing with Lord Arnholde, who complimented her once again on her beauty, as well as on her ravishing new dress. Lord Arnholde’s eyes were barely above Shalora’s chest, and she reminded him to look up as they danced. At one point, he asked a question that evidently troubled him, one he had not dared ask in front of his mother when the companions had given her their last report; had they found any sign of his father below the Witch Tower? No, she replied sadly. Arnholde looked disappointed. Theon Sensina and dreamy Nilos Genser took turns cutting in to dance with Shalora, and in doing so obviously irritated Lord Devy... he glared at them, but always “graciously” bowed aside.  

Jiri audaciously invited Lady Devy to dance with him. The Lady was taken aback by the request, apparently unaccustomed to dancing with unbearded, yet heavily bearded vagabond dwarves. But then with a shrug and a smile, she accepted the invitation, to loud cheers from the other revelers, and laughed aloud as the shorter dwarf awkwardly sought to swing and twirl her around the dance circle. For a moment, she seemed like a carefree and unpretentious young lass. Lady Almaty raised a disapproving eyebrow. 

Bophre Malak, in her best yet still very modest grey woolen dress, held onto Akiro the entire evening, beaming with joy. It had been a few days since Akiro had been at the Malak farm for supper, and he still had not invited her for a walk alone... did he still intend to do so, she asked hopefully? The absent-minded warrior realized that he had forgotten his promise, and nodded “yes”…

Bophre Malak… not giving up on Akiro.

Iacobus had little interest in dancing, but spoke for a while with Eupaphenia Targas, mostly about financial matters... he kept wondering if there were other things he should be doing to help him and his family regain Abadar’s favour. 

As the celebration drew to a close late in the night, Arnholde escorted Shalora back to the inn, and asked whether she would grant him the honour of going for a walk in the woods in the near future. The elf hesitated a moment, then shrugged and accepted the invitation, considering it the friendly and polite thing to do, even though she was not particularly enthusiastic about spending time alone with the lord.

Wealday, 16th of Gozran

Departure of the Imperial Tax Collector: The companions saw Lady Almaty and her retinue leave town as they broke their fast in the common room of the Inn of the Wise Piper. 

A raven from Yanmass: That same morning, the companions were summoned by Lady Devy’s bailiff, Master Pellicciotta, to appear before the Baroness. Upon their arrival, Lady Devy informed the heroes that a raven had returned from Yanmass with instructions from Hunclay’s cousin. Hunclay’s cousin did not seem at all distressed by his death and had no interest in coming to Belhaim to claim his estate and belongings. Instead, she requested that the Baroness auction off all of Hunclay’s property and possessions so that the proceeds, minus expenses, could be sent to her. This left Lady Devy with a daunting task -- cataloguing the contents of Hunclay’s manor home means entering the place and exploring its interior, an enterprise that could entail considerable danger. Hunclay was a foul-tempered recluse, and word around town is that his manor was warded by magical traps and guarded by monsters. The heroes recalled that innkeeper Talia Orem herself had told them a week ago, after they had investigated the collapsed Witch Tower, that she had always been spooked by the wizard, whom she had heard worshipped devils and collected evil books. The fate of the kobold who burned to death on the manor’s front porch only added to the locals’ fears. The party reconfirmed their willingness to explore the manor, to neutralize any threats found therein, and to identify any magical items they might come across for cataloguing by the auctioneer. The heroes would not be permitted to loot the manor, but Hunclay’s cousin had granted the Baroness the authority to pay the companions a total of 5,000 gold coins on her behalf to complete the task. Given that a third party was involved, a formal contract would be drafted up, which the companions would be required to sign at Belhaim’s Record Hall, next to the garrison at the junction of Kingfisher Road and Tula’s Walk, on the following Oathday morning.

Floor plans of Hunclay Manor: The companions briefly stopped by the Masons‘ Guildhall, and as promised the night before, Gregol Lenton provided them with a floor plan of Hunclay Manor’s main and upper floors, drawn from memory. He stated that the plans did not include any secret or concealed doors on those floors, and he had no knowledge of any traps that might have been installed once construction was complete.   

Jiri and the smiths: During their tour of the village with Arnholde a few days prior, the party found it surprising that such a small and isolated community would support two blacksmiths. Jiri was interested in obtaining a suit of banded mail, and went first to the Chance Smithy near the junction of Belhaim and Devy Roads. Marcus Chance was a brutish older man who charged outrageously high prices for the armour he crafted (more than twenty five percent higher than prices typically found in Oppara due, he argued, to the costs of shipping raw materials to isolated Belhaim), and who refused to budge on his prices. He obviously did not care what Jiri and his companions had done for the town, and the dwarf wondered how such a disagreeable man could maintain a business. When Jiri suggested that he would take his business to the other smith in town, Chance became even more agitated and argumentative, declaring that his goods were of far better to quality than those of his competitor, and that for Jiri to do business with a stinking, bastard half-orc would constitute a betrayal of dwarfkind.    

Blacksmith Marcus Chance… even more

 of an ass than Sheriff Benhovy?

Jiri found five half-orcs hard at work at the Baccus Smithy near the Inn of the Wise Piper on Canteclure Road, and spoke with the owner of the smithy, the intimidating one villagers called “Big Bull.” Compared to Marcus Chance, “Big Bull” Baccus was much more even-tempered, friendly even. He and Jiri negotiated on a price for a suit of banded mail, which the half-orc eventually agreed to sell at 10 percent over the typical price in Oppara. Like Chance, he cited the high cost of obtaining materials and limited market for heavy armour in the Belhaim area, and the need for him to make a small profit... but he did want to show gratitude to Jiri for what he and his companions had done for the town, and for the dwarf’s willingness to overlook his orcish heritage by choosing to do business with him. The two agreed on price, “Big Bull” adjusted the armour to fit the dwarf, and was paid his 275 gold coins. Then, off went Jiri for falconry training…    

"Big Bull" Baccus… 

the more civil of the two smiths in town.

Mystery of the “flying wolf” at the Willoway Orchard:  Shalora went for a walk around the Willoway Orchard, where she eventually met the proprietor as she walked around the grounds--Belhaim’s only elven resident, Emarthine Willoway. Emarthine was quite a bit older than Shalora, and she exuded a motherly warmth and compassion. She sensed what few humans could, that there was a sadness beneath Shalora’s carefree exterior--a sadness not uncommon among elves who are raised in communities dominated by shorter-lived races. They made small talk as Emarthine showed Shalora around the orchard, which was filled with pretty songbirds. The woman bonded very easily and on a deeper level than most folk with Mischief, even yipping in a manner that was clearly understood by the spirit fox. Emarthine eventually invited Shalora into her quaint cottage for tea, where they spoke a while longer. She too followed Shelyn. The subject of conversation eventually turned to the large wolf preying on Ol‘ Prake’s sheep. Emarthine brought Shalora outside again, set a wooden ladder against the outside wall of the cottage, and invited Shalora to come up and take a look with her. Emarthine showed her wolf-like prints in her turf roof, which she had inspected just a week ago. Going back down the ladder, she pointed out a similar set of wolf-like prints elsewhere in the orchard, which seemed to appear from out of nowhere, went on for several yards, then ended abruptly. Emarthine had a strong connection with nature, and she knew that no mere wolf could possibly have made such prints. She had shown the strange prints to her next door neighbour, the hunter, Eudomas Biton, who was just as puzzled as she was. At the end of the visit, Emarthine made a gift of a small barrel of cider to Shalora in appreciation for the party's good deeds. 

Belhaim's sole elven inhabitant and 

keeper of the orchard, Emarthine Willoway

Shalora returned later that afternoon with all of her companions. The prints on Emarthine’s property appeared similar, though not identical, to the normal sized wolf prints found around the Abrassus ranch. No one knew with any certainty what had made the vanishing prints and those on Emarthine’s roof, but the party began to suspect that a shapeshifter was responsible…       

Eudomas Biton - return of the hunter: That evening, the youthful Eudomas Biton came to see the companions at the Inn of the Wise Piper. They asked whether he had made any progress in tracking down the giant wolf that had preyed on Ol’ Prake’s sheep, and whether he had any idea what made the strange tracks at the Willoway Orchard. The hunter was reluctant to give away too much information, probably intent on claiming Ol’ Prake’s full bounty for himself. He eventually admitted that he had lost the spoor in some rocky hill country, but he hadn’t given up. The companions suggested they work together to kill the beast, sharing the bounty equally between the five of them. Given the size of the creature, it was too dangerous for one person to take their chances on their own, and the party had skills and proven combat experience that could complement Eudomas’s hunting skills. The hunter said he would mull over the offer and get back to them.

Eudomas Biton, youthful but guarded hunter

 Oathday, 17th of Gozran

 Signing of the contract at the Belhaim Record Hall: First thing in the morning, the companions met Lady Devy and pedantic barrister Jacoba Kivris at the Belhaim Record Hall, where they signed a detailed four-page contract pertaining covering their rights, obligations, timelines, and liabilities associated with the task of exploring and eliminating all threats, magical and mundane, present in Hunclay’s manor. 

Belhaim's pedantic barrister, Jacoba Kivris

Then, Lady Devy gave the party the two keys they had retrieved from Balthus Hunclay's body, and, without delay, they headed for the wizard's estate and began their latest assignment…

  

Act 1 / Interlude 4 - Seven Days in Gozran, Part 1 (July 9, 2014)

By the time the party had made their second report to Lady Devy, they had been in the Belhaim environs for three days. The next seven days would be calm in comparison to the first three, with the companions getting to know Belhaim, its inhabitants, history, and other potential threats in the area, completing self-appointed tasks (Iacobus), attending local religious services (Jiri and Shalora), and enjoying all that Taxfest had to offer... including being heavily taxed by the imperial authorities.  

Evening and night of Oathday, 10th of Gozran

When they returned to the Inn of the Wise Piper on the evening of Oathday, after making their report to the Baroness and seeing Bophre Malak and the Bellathis back to the Malak farm, the party mingled with some of the locals -- most good-naturedly, and one out of an unhappy sense of obligation (Iacobus). The magus had found that the young man he had spoken to earlier in the day about retrieving the remaining treasure from the Witch Tower dungeons -- Dario, son of Selia Waldemar, the town carpenter (not that Iacobus cared what his name was or who his parents were) -- was awaiting him with two other fit-looking young men and an equally muscular young lady. The four accepted to meet Iacobus at dawn the next morning to help him haul out the treasure, for a fee of 10 gold coins each, and a round of ale at the inn once the job was done (Iacobus was especially reluctant to agree to the latter condition, but eventually relented). For the sake of the safety of his hired hands, and more importantly to ensure that they did not cheat him out of a few coppers, Iacobus ended up deciding that it would be best if he led his workers on the morrow. The four friends were eager to hang out with the heroes and to hear of Iacobus and the companions’ exploits against the kobolds, but the irate magus rudely avoided speaking to them any more than he needed, had no interest in learning their names, and promptly barred himself in his room once he had finished his meal.

Iacobus: not the friendliest employer?

The remaining companions took pity on Iacobus’s hired hands, welcomed them at their table, and recapped the day’s highlights without mentioning the name “Aeteperax.” Part way into the evening, Shalora and Akiro attempted to improvise a number of flute and voice duos, which sounded less than inspired and somewhat out of key, but the inn patrons’ mood improved somewhat when Jiri bought everyone a free round of ale. Talia and the patrons were especially relieved by, and grateful for the group’s success against the kobolds.

Fireday, 11th of Gozran

Today was market day, and the companions found that the population of Belhaim had increased significantly, with many colourful gnome loggers milling about town, as well as wood folk selling everything from pelts, meat, mushrooms, wild onions and herbs, spring flowers (for making dyes), fresh fish, and other goods.  

Iacobus - Return to the Witch Tower and sale of the Canteclure family crest: As convened, the evening before, the magus and his four nervous hirelings met in front of the inn and left for ruins of the Witch Tower at first light, the peasants bringing wheel barrows, sacks and spades with them. It was a good thing Iacobus took charge of the group, else harm might have befallen them at the hands of ‘Zorg,’ the invisible fiend who dwelled in the torture chamber, or in the knee-deep toxic sludge that flooded one of the passages. In the end, Iacobus and his hirelings retrieved 18,500 copper coins from the dungeons, as well as the Canteclure family crest. The magus brought the family crest to Arnholde Devy, who was prepared to offer 100 gold coins to add it to his collection. Iacobus sought a second opinion on its value (insulting Lord Devy by doing so) from the town’s money changer, Chosk Grellen, who agreed with Lord Devy’s appraisal but would purchase it from Iacobus at a lower price in order to make a profit, since Lord Devy likely would be the only one interested in such an item.

Chosk Grellen, moneychanger 

Ultimately, Iacobus sold the Canteclure crest to Arnholde Devy for the 100 gold coins offered by the latter. The magus spent the remainder of the day in his room, counting his money, which he would eventually deposit in the vaults of the House of Abadar for safe keeping (at a rate of 2.5% per week). 

Canteclure family crest -- 

sold by Iacobus to Arnholde Devy for 100 g.p.!

Tour of Belhaim with Arnholde Devy: Theon Sensina, the flatulent bladder, and... studded leather barding for Mischief? While Iacobus was busy with his own affairs, Arnholde Devy took the other three companions on a tour of Belhaim, introducing them to most business owners and trades folk -- nearly two score people in all! There was a pride among the villagers which manifested in an upkeep of most buildings that was superior to that which the party had seen in most Taldan towns and settlements in their travels -- all in all Belhaim was a very pleasant village, even though many of the locals stared at the dwarf, elf, and Tian with undisguised curiosity. Lord Devy in turn took every opportunity he could to compliment the much-taller Shalora on her beauty and choice of clothes. At one point during the tour, the group stopped by Sensina’s Hides, and owner Theon Sensina was all too happy to greet the group (he was thrilled that they had managed to prevent the “kobold war” he thought was impending), and Shalora in particular, who had previously commissioned a special leather potion collar for Mischief. The cheerful man convinced Jiri to sit on a strange-looking leather bladder, which emitted a loud flatulent noise that made the leatherworker explode with laughter, while Arnholde rolled his eyes and blushed at Sensina’s uncouthness. Sensina offered the bladder as a ‘comical gift‘ to Shalora, who accepted it graciously and handed it to Mischief. She then asked Theon if he might be able to fashion studded leather “barding” for the fox, an item the leatherworker had never crafted before, but which he would be more than pleased to attempt for his “favourite lady” and “best customer... after Lady and Lord Devy, of course.”  Eventually, Arnholde’s tour took the trio to the home of Bassy, Belhaim’s oldest resident and local historian, near the end of Canteclure Road beside Delbin’s Devices.

Theon Sensina, leatherworker and prankster

A meeting with Bassy:  Bassy lives in a colourful home, much smaller than all the others in the village. In contrast with the white, brown and beige tones of other homes in the town (accented among Shelynites with brightly painted shutters and doors), her  four walls are a mixture of purple, pink, red, yellow, and orange, with murals painted over top the garish colours on three of the outer walls. 

The three murals illustrate: 

1. a human woman in full plate driving her sword into the heart of a black dragon;
2. a brightly coloured butterfly in a high mountain valley;
3. a long-tailed bird with a long, multi-coloured tail arcing back over its head.

The interior of Bassy’s house is very similar to its exterior: it has very low ceiling, and looks as though someone tossed buckets of paint at random on the walls, and then hung all sorts of paintings, portraits, and simple works of art all over the place. The companions found wood stove with kettle on it and the main room, a half-dozen chairs (both small and human-sized), a small table, and a small desk with ink pots, quills, and stacks of paper. 

Arnholde introduced Shalora, Jiri and Akiro to Bassy--an elderly gnomish woman with vibrant and penetrating bright green almond eyes and antennae-like eye brows of the same colour, and long faded pink hair with streaks of green. Her gnomish heritage explained how her grandmother could have personally known Belhaim’s founder a thousand years ago. Bassy welcomed the group into her cosy home in a child-like voice, kindly requested that one of two human orphans living with her prepare tea for the guests, and referred to herself as “the youngest resident of these parts.” Like many others in town, the old woman was immediately drawn to Mischief, gave him a pet and a scratch behind the ear, and brought him a bowl of water.

Bassy, Belhaim's oldest resident

As she was introduced to each of the three party members, Bassy addressed them individually in turn. To Shalora, stooping low inside the house, she said: “My dear... the colours of your cloak really bring out the sparkle in your eyes... which I can just barely make out from down here. So tall, like your kin... are you finding it difficult to breathe up there? I remember crossing the Five Kings Mountains once and I was so high I could touch the clouds, kind of like you... and it was so hard to breathe up there... but so beautiful to see everything with a bird’s eye view... I loved it!”

Shalora - Admired by all?

As her gaze went to Akiro, she spoke with delight: “And oh my, a traveller from the far east... I have always wanted to go there, but somehow always ended up going west, north and south instead. You’ll have to tell me all about your homeland, I’m dying to hear... I expect it’ll provide great inspiration for my next book.” Upon realizing that Akiro was mute, Bassy responded with an enthusiastic “Well, then, I’m sure we’ll be able find a way to communicate... lack of speech should not be an impediment to friendship and understanding, should it?”

Akiro - "lack of speech should not be an impediment 

to friendship and understanding, should it?"

Finally, to Jiri, the gnome said: “We don’t see alot of dwarves in these parts, but I wish we did... I’ve always had a soft spot for dwarves... so strong, burly and handsome, and a rip roaring good time if you give them enough strong ale... I find them all filled with so much more life and love than they let on underneath their party-pooper exteriors... Are you from the Five Kings Mountains, or from Maheto?... Great beard, by the way... puts the few “bearded” folks in town to shame, that’s for sure.”

Jiri - dwarven heartthrob putting 

the "bearded" folk to shame?

As Shalora and Jiri explained the purpose of their visit, Shalora bade the group to seat themselves. Mischief discretely placed Theon Sensina’s flatulent bladder upon the chair that Arnholde pulled toward himself, sitting without seeing the bladder. As the flatulent sound erupted, Bassy burst out laughing at the “clever little fox’s” prank... then caught herself and apologized to the now red-faced lord, who angrily exited the home and told Shalora to come find him at his estate if she had further need of him, as the village tour was evidently over.

Mischief: Proficiency - Flatulent leather bladder

Tea was served, Bassy chatted incessantly, and she was intrigued by the group’s recent adventures (she clearly had little love for kobolds) and reasons for the group’s visit. When they mentioned the name “Aeteperax,” her eyes narrowed. She was familiar with the name, but found it odd that someone should claim that name for themselves today--for the black dragon called Aeteperax had been slain a thousand years ago, an event that tied in directly with the founding of Belhaim. She summarized the story thus:

“The Dragon Plague years were quite eventful for northern Taldor. During the years between 3660 and 3672 by Aroden Reckoning, the region endured an explosion of violent and bloody depredations by no fewer than three dozen different dragons. Among those affected by the attacks was a young woman named Tula Belhaim, who lost her family when a black dragon named Aeteperax destroyed her hometown of Nazilli on the southern edge of the Verduran Forest. She would go on to become a great hero, and the mercenary company she founded--the Slayers of Nazilli--defeated more dragons than any group in those days [perhaps a dozen and a half, according to Bassy]. Her final triumph was slaying Aeteperax in the heart of a swampland deep in the part of the Verduran Forest known today as Dragonfen.

“For her service, the Taldan emperor awarded Tula the title of Baroness and the stewardship of the Verduran Fork region, including all of Dragonfen. Her legions of admirers soon founded a town bearing her name, its buildings built of limestone quarried nearby. 

“When Lady Tula was awarded the barony, the lands she had been given had long been inhabited by some fey and by the wild folk of the forest, folk who lived in accordance with the Green Faith. The influx of hundreds of people over the span of a few short years with different practices and beliefs--largely followers of Aroden and Abadarans, and some Shelynites,too--into the area known today as Belhaim generated conflicts and tensions with the wild folk and with the druids of the Wildwood Lodge, who were concerned with the damage the new settlers were causing to the forest. In time, Lady Tula managed to negotiate agreements with the Lodge, to strike a balance between the views of the various faiths, and to appease the fears of the wild folk, some of whom eventually chose to live under the Barony’s protection. All this was long before the Emperor signed the Wildwood Treaty with the druidic Lodge.”

At this point, Bassy lost the three companions, digressing into an overview of historical treaties, the lumber industry in the Verduran Forest, the establishment of the town of Wispil further north, and territorial and legal disputes between the druids of the Wildwood Lodge and the Barony of Belhaim that have ultimately resulted in the village’s decline and growing economic hardship. Underneath its well-kept appearance (in comparison to many other Taldan settlements), Belhaim apparently was on the verge of collapse... but none of this had anything to do with the party’s questions, aside from the gnome also reconfirming the overly lengthy absence of Azmur Kell, local representative of the Wildwood Lodge, and his wife, Rima, which has everybody worried…

Realizing that she had gone on a tangent and lost her audience (how she loved to recount every facet of the region’s history!), Bassy went on to speak of the fate of Lady Tula Belhaim, Aeteperax’s slayer:

“Lady Tula eventually married one of her fellow slayers, Arturic Canteclure, and built a castle atop one of the town’s hills (on the site where stood the Witch Tower). The couple had four children, but each one died of accident or misadventure before the age of 9, leaving the new barony with no heirs. Tula and Arturic’s relationship grew strained as the baroness grew morbid and obsessed with building a grand tomb for herself and her family. As she and her husband grew apart, Tula amended her will to have Arturic buried in a separate part of the tomb, rather than alongside her.

“Then, one rainy day, servants found both Lady Tula and Sir Arturic both dead not even a hundred feet apart from one another. Lady Tula was found impaled on the horns of a dragon statue beside the castle’s main doors. Sir Arturic was found laying on the road leading to the castle, his neck broken. Thereafter, Belhaim mourned a tragedy they could not understand or comprehend. The bodies were quickly taken to Tula’s crypt and buried according to her wishes, and the site was sealed.

“Rule of Belhaim fell to distant relations of Arturic’s, the Canteclures. More than eight centuries later, in 4500, Baron Sarvo Canteclure, a vicious lord who imprisoned subjects for the slightest infraction, joined an ill-advised rebellion against the Grand Prince, and his family and the castle were destroyed in retaliation. 

“Back in Belhaim, a man named Sir Arkold Devy was awarded the Barony of Belhaim for his role in helping to put down the seditious Canteclures. His descendents have ruled for the past two centuries. During this time, a few memorable events touched the region--most notably the earthquake that left the town unharmed, but caused the town’s quarry to flood. With access to the quarry’s fine limestone lost, Belhaim’s fortunes slowly  receded.” 

Throughout the meeting, Akiro was suffering rapidly worsening symptoms of illness--fever, aches, and a swelling of the dire rat bites he had suffered in the kobold lair. Seeing her companion’s increasing discomfort, Shalora asked a few last questions pertaining to Lady Tula’s tomb, to which Bassy replied:

“It’s in a remote part of Dragonfen, well off the old Quarry Road. You can find it if you follow Eskander Creek, a tributary of Rogue Creek that runs through the distant reaches of Dragonfen. Azmur Kell once told me that the crypt can be reached by following Eskander Creek north after you cross it for the second time on the Old Quarry road. The crypt is in an isolated mound, and whatever trail there might have been there is no longer discernible. You just have to follow the creek north... and hope you don’t sink in the bog, or get attacked by some nasty swamp beasts (blood-sucking stirges, giant snakes and leeches,...). My grandmother was there when it was built--she said it was well-sealed, nigh impregnable.”

As the party prepared to take their leave, Bassy gave them the following advice:

“If you’re really thinking about venturing into Dragonfen, I recommend you talk to Eudomas Biton at the hunting lodge just north up this road--aside from Azmur Kell, he has probably ventured into Dragonfen more than anyone else in town. Annagrit may also have some useful knowledge... if she’s willing to speak to you, that is... Most folks are scared of her and think she’s mad, but that’s what makes her so interesting...” 

Shalora helped Akiro back to the Inn of the Wise Piper, then purchased a fully charged wand of healing (cure light wounds) recently acquired by Xemne the apothecary at a cost of 800 gold. After that, she spent the rest of the afternoon tending to Akiro while Jiri went to the outdoor market in the green in front of the inn in search of a bird of prey he might purchase...

Jiri and “Kroc” -- new best friends? One of the vendors Jiri encountered at the market was a man who called himself “Kroc,” and who spoke with an accent that he could not place -- it definitely was not Taldan and did not sound typically Chelish or Qadiran, either. The man claimed to have come up from Mwangi and now made a living as a woodsman in the Verduran Forest. Kroc was at the market selling animal pelts and smoked game meat, but it was the beautiful falcon on the perch behind the vendor that caught Jiri’s eye. Jiri and the woodsman engaged in friendly banter for a long time, with the dwarf inexplicably taking on Kroc’s accent. In the end, the two reached the following agreement: Jiri would purchase Kroc’s falcon, Rhuben, and his falconry gauntlet for 150 gold coins; the dwarf would pay Kroc an additional 10 gold per week for training in falconry, with the onus on Jiri to go to the woodsman’s cabin near the Old Fishing Holes off Fisher Trail whenever the former’s schedule allowed him to undergo training; Jiri would bring Kroc ale every training day; and if the falcon was not fully trained by the time Jiri had to depart Belhaim, then Kroc would accompany Jiri until the bird and dwarf had formed a bond, with Jiri covering all of Kroc’s room and board as well as his weekly salary.  

"Kroc" and Rhuben

Starday, 12th of Gozran 

Akiro - a miraculous recovery: Through the night, Akiro had strange dreams and woke to find himself fully recovered, and all symptoms of his illness and traces of the rat bites completely gone, as if they had never been.  The Tian warrior spent much of his day walking his new pony, Speckles, in a meadow on the outskirts of town.

Speckles… What a pretty pony...

Iacobus - magic and money: Iacobus spent the whole day locked away in his room studying... and counting coins.

Jiri - falconry training begins: Jiri spent most of the morning and all afternoon with Kroc and Rhuben... Only time will tell if falconry training is enhanced via consumption of ale... 

Shalora - A quiet day...

Evening - supper at the Malak farm... is someone falling for Akiro? The Malak family invited the heroes to have supper at their dairy farm, across the Verdira River a few hundred feet east on Old Belhaim Road. Iacobus declined to attend. Between Bophre, her mother Isadorer, the seven other family members, Carlo and Sela Bellathi, and Shalora, Mischief, Jiri, and Akiro, things were crowded indeed in the very modest Malak timber home. The family, adherents of the Green Faith, was clearly unaccustomed to seeing dwarves and humans from the orient, and the guests were subject to silent, curious gazes from many family members at the beginning of the evening. Isadorer and Bophre did their best to break the ice--the entire family was genuinely grateful to the strangers for rescuing Bophre and for taking care of the kobolds--but they were simple, shy folk. A hearty beef stew, rye bread, variety of cheeses, and a fruity red wine were served for supper. Bophre recounted her ordeal and the deeds of the companions during supper, especially emphasizing the way Akiro had silently stared down the kobolds that held her and the Bellathis captive and convinced them to surrender without bloodshed. Despite the months of abuse she had suffered, Bophre spoke with an unmistakable inner strength. As the evening wore on and the wine jug was refilled and passed around a few times, the other family members warmed to the companions, joking and singing with Shalora and Jiri and exchanging stories with them. Bophre’s gaze often lingered on Akiro, but the absent-minded Tian man never noticed. 

Isadorer Malak, grateful mother

At various points in the evening, Isadorer mentioned a few other things that piqued the curiosity of the companions. She stated that, as is to be expected, there have always been wolves around Belhaim, but lately, there’s been a pack led by a beast of a wolf that’s got a taste for livestock... Ol’ Prake Abrassus saw it run off with a sheep in its mouth like a dog carries a bone! The incident happened a day or two before the companions arrived in Belhaim, and the shepherd had now placed a sizable bounty on the wolf. Isadorer also warned the companions to be careful if they decided to wander the surrounding hills, for they are full of caves and mine shafts, many of them infested with the ghosts of miners, she’d heard. 

Toward the end of the evening, Isadorer offered the companions the family’s life savings of 200 gold coins as a reward for rescuing her daughter, but they politely refused the money, being all too glad to have performed a good deed that helped the family. The whole clan invited the heroes to drop by anytime they wanted, and to call on them if the family could be of assistance to them in any way. 

As the companions prepared to leave, Bophre looked Akiro in the eyes and asked whether he would like to go for a walk along the river with her in the coming days. Clearly, her abduction by kobolds had not instilled fear in her. Taken off guard and uncertain how to interpret the request, Akiro eventually nodded “yes.” The young woman beamed with joy.   

     Bophre Malak… in love with Akiro?

Act 1 / Interlude 3 - Second Report to the Baroness (July 9, 2014)

As the party left the vicinity of the Blood Vow lair, they soon found the prisoners they had liberated earlier in the day -- Bophre Malak, and Carlo and Sela Bellathi -- emerging from hiding in the foliage on the north side of the overgrown road. The trio were tired, weak, ragged and had bruises on their faces and arms, but seemed to otherwise have been relatively unharmed; they expressed gratitude once more to their liberators, and were in good spirits given the imminence of their return to civilization and safety. Bophre, a young lady in her late teens, did most of the speaking on behalf of the group, and exhibited the most obvious resilience among the three.

Bophre Malak

The party and former captives stopped by Devy Manor on their way back into town in order to report to the Baroness. Lady Devy could not hide the discomfort of having blood- and mud-stained folk (and a fox) once again standing in her immaculate sitting room, but nonetheless instructed that the chamberlain provide refreshments to her guests. She was relieved that Bophre Malak and the two strangers had been rescued and that the party had neutralized the Blood Vow kobolds, but she was worried that a dozen or so of the kobolds had been spared and allowed to remain in the old quarry rather than being exterminated or driven off. 

Ultimately, she accepted the party’s assessment that the kobolds had been commanded against their better judgement by their chief, Roaghaz, and a newly arrived spiritual leader, to collaborate with the wizard Hunclay to engineer the collapse of the Witch Tower, and that Hunclay’s death was the result of a calculation error by kobold miners; the party believed that the kobolds had not intended to kill the wizard, and that they posed no threat to Belhaim. Indeed, one of the kobolds, Nighttail, was kept prisoner by Chief Roaghaz for voicing her opposition to his plans to work with the wizard and to bring about the collapse. Once the party released her, she helped them navigate the kobold warrens safely, and fought valiantly against the new cleric and Chief Roaghaz. Nighttail was now leader of the Blood Vow and promised that the tribe would once again be good neighbours, and the party deemed that it would be appropriate to allow the kobolds to redeem themselves... after all, was it not true that the town had known of their presence for years, yet never before had the draconic tribe behaved in a menacing manner? Upon further reflection, the Lady Devy agreed that the wizard ultimately was responsible for his own fate, and that it also was consistent with Abadaran teachings to resort to violence and extermination of potentially hostile neighbours as a last resort. Perhaps the kobolds did deserve another chance... yet she also made it clear that if the kobolds did not keep their promise, the consequences would be on the party’s collective heads. 

Lady Devy agreed that the companions had successfully completed this second commission, and commanded that they be paid the promised fee: a total of a dozen gleaming amethysts (worth 100 g.p. each). Arnholde made sure to remind them that Taxfest was just around the corner -- in just five days -- and that an Imperial Tax Collector would be coming to town.

The Lady was disappointed that the party had learned nothing about the fate of the Kells (the village’s absentee druidic guardian and his wife), but she and her son Arnholde went pale when the heroes relayed what the elderly Blood Vow cleric, Jakkol, had said to them before he died, concerning a “dread lord Aeteperax” and the bats he calls from the darkness as harbingers of chaos and lunacy, and how they would be “your doom as they have been ours.” They showed her the green and black dragon scales they had retrieved from one of Chief Roaghaz’s treasure chests; the black ones seemed a lot more faded and fragile.

“It... cannot be,” whispered Lady Devy. “You may not know this, but... Belhaim was founded more than a thousand years ago by Lady Tula Belhaim, a great hero and one of the Slayers of Nazili; the Slayers killed a black dragon by the name of Aeteperax in the nearby swampland, still known today as the Dragonfen. As a matter of fact, the old quarry sits at the edge of the Dragonfen. The Emperor had awarded Lady Tula the title of Baroness and the stewardship of the Verduran Fork region for her great deeds. Her legions of admirers followed and soon the town you now see was established, at the foot of the hill upon which she and her husband, Arturic Canteclure, one of her fellow Slayers, eventually built their castle... and which many centuries later was inherited by distant relations of Arturic’s. To my knowledge, there have been no dragons in the Dragonfen for more than a thousand years... at the very least, none that have made their presence known in a definitive or threatening way... Some villagers believe that dragons have always lived and continue to live in the Dragonfen, but there have been no confirmed sightings or any other concrete proof to support those claims...”

With renewed confidence, she added: “But who knows... perhaps the kobold chief simply invoked the name of the ancient dragon to instill fear and obedience in his tribe...” When the party affirmed that neither Nighttail nor any other kobolds admitted to having seen this Lord Aetperax, the Baroness’ became even more reassured.

Arnholde interjected that, “Bassy would probably remember a lot more of the details regarding local history since the time Lady Belhaim was granted her fiefdom.” With a laugh, he declared that Bassy “looks like a child, but she’s the oldest person in town. She even claims that her grandmother was a friend of Lady Belhaim.” Pointing at Shalora, Jiri and Akiro, Arnholde snidely remarked that “the three of you are bound to get along... she’s a Shelynite. And who knows, perhaps Jacoba Kivris at the Record Hall may have some documents pertaining to that historical period...”

Both Arnholde and his mother seemed to think that the notion that this new Lord Aeteperax would call on bats as harbingers of lunacy and choas sounded preposterous. They suggested that perhaps the kobolds themselves had succumbed to lunacy, perhaps by ingesting too many of the hallucinogenic mushrooms found in the woods?

“Either way then,” continued Lady Devy, “matters regarding this new ‘Lord Aeteperax’, whoever he is, if he exists at all, can wait. Assuming he does exist, he has made no threats or demands of Belhaim, and, Abadar willing, perhaps he got whatever it was he wanted from the wizard Hunclay and will not bother the village... let us not poke a sleeping dragon’s snout. And I kindly request that you refrain from mentioning this Lord Aeteperax to anyone else -- there is no need to cause an unnecessary panic among the villagers.” She asked that that the companions swear an oath to not suggest in conversations with the locals that someone claiming to be Lord Aeteperax was active in the region, save perhaps Bassy, if they questioned her.

“Perhaps we will find some answers in the wizard’s estate,” added the Baroness. “I dispatched a raven to Hunclay’s cousin in Yanmass yesterday afternoon -- if I have not received a response from her within a week’s time, then we may need to enter the wizard’s estate without her  express written consent. I will call on Jacoba Kivris at the Record Hall to provide me with a detailed account of my rights and obligations regarding the Hunclay estate under Imperial law, and in particular references to time frames and exceptional circumstances that I may not be aware of... this is the first time I have ever had to deal with this kind of... incident.”

Before taking their leave, the party reconfirmed their availability to investigate the Hunclay Manor at the appointed time, and also recommended the release of Sesserak from the village gaol; they would escort her back to the Blood Vow lair on the morrow. 

“Thank you again for your services,” stated the Lady. “I hope you will enjoy some well earned rest over the next few days... Tomorrow is Fireday, market day in the village. You may see a greater than usual number of folk about town, including many gnomish loggers down from the Wispil area, as well as some woodsmen and folk travelling the river. I will send word when we will be ready to discuss the matter of the Hunclay manor further... In the meantime, I request that you avoid venturing too far into  Dragonfen... I do not want to draw the attention or ire of this new Lord Aeteperax if we can avoid it...”

Arnholde (unable to conceal his interest in Shalora), would lead the party on a tour of Belhaim the next morning and introduce them to some of the residents and key business owners...