Kingmaker: Ep. 2 – Online

The company answered Lady Kremenko’s charter and pushed south from Tarka into the Swordlands, a lawless expanse of bandits, beasts, and old roads gone to seed. On the way they reviewed the tangled politics: a bounty on the gnome conjurer Tartuscio after an assassination attempt on the Lady, rumors of a red dragon in the southwestern mountains, and word of a bandit lord called the Stag Lord holding a fort farther south.

They reached Otto’s Trade Post at dusk—a stockade with fresh heads on stakes and the smell of roast goat drifting over the yard. Inside they met Otto and his wife Lana, plus Captain Keston Garris and his small garrison, recently posted to secure the outpost. News flowed: a watchtower northwest of the Stag Lord’s fort, a separate bandit camp to the southwest, boggard raids choking the Blue River trade, a haunted ferry crossing to Laprod, and a dozen gnome prospectors last seen heading upriver with a Shadowfinder guide. Lana also begged for “elf ear,” a pungent herb she knew grew a day south, and Otto offered a rich bounty for a tatzlwyrm’s head.

After Brother Tiberius preached courage and blessed the soldiers, the party set out at first light, skirting the forest and fording the river toward the elf-ear glade. They found it—a triangular clearing carpeted in purple, tightly curled ferns—and an unexpected complication: scores of red-scaled kobolds sprawled amid three heaping baskets, blissfully addled by the herb. Attempts at hand-sign diplomacy were rebuffed. Fujijit veiled the area in a mind-dulling haze and flashed blinding colors at the most alert kobold, while Glix slipped through the grass and Danos calmly traded their half-full basket for a full one. Muffy covered the retreat, and the company withdrew before the kobolds rallied.

On the road back, a snuffling roar drew Muffy’s lantern—a massive brown bear hunched over a patch of mushrooms. A brief, bruising clash ended with bolts and hammer-blows enough to send the beast crashing into the trees, leaving the party with a sack of edible “woodseer” mushrooms and a story.

Back at the post, Fujijit could not resist glammering Lana’s basket to look like real elves’ ears. She screamed; Otto scowled; then relief and laughter as the illusion dropped. Lana paid handsomely for a full basket, served blazing elf-ear stew with goat cheese, and the company caroused—too hard. A “friendly” brawl with Captain Garris soured relations, even as plans formed to probe the haunted ferry, the Stag Lord’s reach, and the river troubles next.

OUTLINE:

South to the Swordlands and the Charter’s Stakes

• Traveled from Tarka under Lady Kremenko’s charter to settle and secure the Swordlands.
• Reviewed regional threads: bounty on Tartuscio the gnome conjurer; rumor of a red dragon; the Stag Lord’s southern fort.
• Noted the land’s decay: old road markers, rutted track, cold, cloudy autumn.

Otto’s Trade Post: Allies, Rumors, and Requests

• Gained entry past heads on spikes; met Otto, Lana, and Captain Keston Garris with a small garrison.
• Heard hooks: watchtower NW of the Stag Lord’s fort; a separate bandit camp SW; Laprod village; boggard raids closing Blue River trade; haunted ferry to Laprod; missing gnome prospectors led upriver by a Shadowfinder.
• Accepted two local opportunities: harvest elf ear for Lana; bounty offered for a tatzlwyrm head.
• Brother Tiberius delivered a rousing sermon and blessed the soldiers; the party lodged in the stables.

Elf-Ear Glade and the Kobolds’ Stash

• Skirted the forest, forded the river by Otto’s directions, and reached a triangular glade thick with purple elf ear.
• Found dozens of red-scaled kobolds, blissfully intoxicated amid three full baskets; attempts at gestures were waved off.
• Fujijit cloaked minds in haze and blinded the most alert kobold; Glix slipped in to lift a full basket; Danos swapped their half-full basket for another while Muffy covered the withdrawal.
• Departed before the kobolds organized a response.

The Bear on the Road

• Heard heavy snuffling at dusk; Muffy’s lantern revealed a grizzly over a mushroom patch.
• Brief clash: Glix’s bolts and Danos’s hammer struck home; the bear fled into the trees.
• Collected edible woodseer mushrooms from the site.

Stew, a Prank, and a Brawl Back at the Post

• Returned with elf ear; Fujijit glammered a basket to look like true elves’ ears, terrifying Lana before dropping the illusion.
• Lana paid for a full basket and served spicy elf-ear stew with goat cheese; mushrooms identified as edible rations.
• Carousing escalated into a “friendly” brawl with Captain Garris, straining relations with the garrison.
• Considered next steps: haunted ferry to Laprod, Stag Lord’s footholds, boggard raids, and Tartuscio’s bounty.

NPCs:

• Captain Keston Garris: Stoic commander of a small garrison assigned to hold Otto’s Trade Post for Lady Kremenko. Professional and dour—and not amused by barroom ‘fun.’
• Lady Kremenko: Ambitious noble sponsoring multiple expeditions to settle and claim the Swordlands. Her charter gives authority and support, but her rivals sharpen knives in the dark.
• Lana: Otto’s capable wife, cook, and herbalist. She knows the countryside’s useful plants and turned elf ear into fiery stew—after recovering from a very ill-timed illusion.
• Otto: Bearded, practical master of the trade post who keeps the stew hot and the outpost running. He stands up to bandits and trades fairly with chartered folk.
• Tartuscio: A foppish gnome conjurer from Pitax, arrogant and loud about his ‘greatness.’ After hiring the Black Tears to strike at Lady Kremenko, he fled south and now carries a price on his head.
• The Stag Lord: Notorious bandit lord who extorts the region from a hilltop fort. His men harry roads and crossings and keep settlements on edge.

ITEMS:

• Elf Ear: A pungent purple fern used for stews and tinctures. Harmless to folk, intoxicating to kobolds.
• Healing Tinctures: Stinging, strong-smelling remedies Otto offers as reward for hard trophies.
• Lady Kremenko’s Charter: A letter of mark authorizing exploration, settlement, and enforcement of order in the Swordlands.
• Tatzlwyrm Head (trophy): The prized proof Otto wants for his wall; worth a bundle in healing draughts if brought back intact.
• Woodseer Mushrooms: Edible, peppery mushrooms that make hearty stew and decent trail rations.
• Woven Baskets: Sturdy kobold-made carriers, excellent for bulk herbs—if you don’t mind their provenance.

LOCATIONS:

• Bear’s Mushroom Patch: A riverside swath of woodseer mushrooms where a grizzly was interrupted at dinner.
• Blue River: Main waterway trade route to Tarka, currently strangled by boggard raids and sunken boats.
• Elf-Ear Glade: A triangular hillside clearing thick with purple, curled ferns—and too often with blissed-out kobolds.
• Laprod: Village down the old road; its ferry crossing is said to be haunted after bandits destroyed it.
• Otto’s Trade Post: A 60-by-60-foot stockade of sharpened stakes, a firepit, coops and goats, and a growing camp for soldiers and adventurers.
• Stag Lord’s Fort: A hilltop stronghold several days south, base of the bandit lord’s power.
• Tarka: Northern kingdom from which the party departed under charter. A safer land of stone roads and stronger law.
• The Swordlands: A contested frontier of forests, rivers, and ruins with no true ruler—yet.
• Watchtower Overlook: A lone tower northwest of the Stag Lord’s territory, said to watch river and fort alike.

FACTIONS:

• Black Tears: Secretive assassins for hire, implicated in the attempt on Lady Kremenko.
• Boggard Tribes: Frogfolk of the western swamps, newly aggressive and sinking river trade.
• Garris’s Garrison: A small, disciplined force holding Otto’s Trade Post under Lady Kremenko’s banner.
• Kremenko’s Chartered Adventurers: Multiple bands commissioned to tame and settle the Swordlands in the Lady’s name.
• Pitax: A rival nation backing Tartuscio’s intrigues; its agents stir trouble across borders.
• Shadowfinders: Archivists and seekers of relics who guide prospectors and hoard lore of the old world.
• Stag Lord’s Bandits: Extortionists and raiders who claim tolls and burn out defiance from their southern fort.

QUESTS:

• Break the Stag Lord’s Hold: Scout the watchtower, locate the fort, and end the bandit lord’s tribute racket.
• Bring Tartuscio to Justice: Track down the gnome conjurer who fled south after the failed assassination and claim the bounty.
• Clear the Haunted Ferry to Laprod: Investigate and resolve whatever curse or spirit haunts the washed-out crossing so trade can resume safely.
• Find the Missing Gnome Prospectors: Trace the upriver route of the dozen prospectors led by a Shadowfinder and learn their fate.
• Harvest Elf Ear for Lana: Find the elf-ear glade and bring back a full basket for Otto’s kitchen and trade.
• Mount a Tatzlwyrm Head for Otto: Hunt a river-dwelling tatzlwyrm and return its head intact for pride of place in the post.
• Settle and Secure the Swordlands: Fulfill Lady Kremenko’s charter by exploring, establishing order, and staking claims.
• Unsnarl the Blue River Trade: Find the boggard clans wrecking boats and stop the raids to reopen the main waterway.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

• Brother Tiberius: An austere priest-inquisitor, stern of gaze and silver of tongue, said to dispense holy justice in Madeira’s name. He preached courage to the garrison and sought to turn wild land into lawful ground, blessing blades before battle and urging mercy only where wisdom allows.
• Danos: A half-orc fighter with a barbarian past, Danos carries a battered warhammer and the attitude to match. He is direct, intimidating, and pragmatic—just as ready to swap a basket under a kobold’s nose as he is to break a bandit’s jaw. When trouble looms, he steps forward without hesitation.
• Fujijit: A gnome illusionist with a taste for mischief and sharp instincts for crowd control. Fujijit clouds minds and dazzles eyes, and he cannot resist a well-timed prank—even when it backfires. He also knows Tartuscio by reputation and craft, which may prove valuable.
• Glix: A street-honed sneak who prefers the shadows to the spotlight. Glix vanishes when needed, appears where least expected, and lets his crossbow do the talking when words fail. He funds a good party, though his idea of ‘friendly’ can start a fight.
• Muffy: A hard-to-kill blood rager who treats danger like an invitation. Muffy leads from the front, shield high and blade ready, whether charging a grizzly or holding a line so friends can extract the prize. He is blunt, brave, and hungry for the next fight.