Kingmaker: Ep. 16 – Gongaii

The company set out from Fort Owlbear to hunt giant dragonfly wings for the wizard’s promised cloak and to seek the elusive Grandmother in the Bottoms, who might one day help repair the broken sword Kell-Singer. On the slog north into the bogs they met goblin sky‑riders on azure dragonflies. With quick tongues and two boggard skull helms as tribute, they traded for a mount named Biter and learned grim news: the master of the bog was a many‑headed horror best avoided. Ashla tested the saddle, skimmed the reeds, and the group wisely steered clear of the hydra’s tracks.

In a nearby mire, they found a piled tangle of uprooted trees—an animal den. Flemish’s misstep roused its owner, a massive spined lizard. The hodag burst out, hurled Flemish, mauled the party, and chased down Ham the hog while Old Rick the mastiff bolted. After a harrowing first clash, the company set a pit ambush at dusk. When the blood‑slick beast returned, dragging Ham’s carcass, Izzy drew it into the snare; it plunged onto the spikes and died. In the reek of the den, they recovered a set of enchanted leather armor and skinned the hoedag for a valuable hide.

Rested, they resumed the wing‑hunt and soon crossed paths with the same goblin riders. Zytar wordlessly dropped three from their saddles with a sleep charm while Izzy blinded a dragonfly mid‑air, sending it careening. Ikit’s sanctified pistol blew a rider and mount out of the sky. The survivors captured one goblin and executed another as a warning, harvesting three more sets of wings—four total in their chest back at the fort. They sold the hodag hide to a gnome clothier at Otto’s Trading Post for a tidy sum, caroused into the night, and gained the merchant’s friendship. Back at Fort Owlbear, the blacksmith fashioned a silver dagger from a ring, and the captive goblin now awaits questioning to lead them to more wings and perhaps word of Grandmother.

OUTLINE:

New Orders, New Faces, and a Risky Trade

• At Fort Owlbear the group committed to hunting giant dragonfly wings for the changeling blacksmith and spoke of seeking Grandmother in the Bottoms to help repair Kelsinger.
• Zytar, a human enchanter sent by Lady Kremenko, and Ikit, a ratfolk gunslinger, joined the party.
• In the bogs they parleyed with goblin sky‑riders, traded two boggard skull helms for a dragonfly mount named Biter, and learned to avoid the many‑headed master of the bog.

The Hoedag’s Den and the Pit Ambush

• A mound of uprooted trees proved to be a den; Flemish’s misstep roused a massive hoedag.
• The beast mauled the party, scattered them, and later killed Ham the hog while Old Rick fled.
• At dusk the party lured the hoedag into a spike‑filled pit and killed it; inside the den they found a small set of enchanted leather armor and skinned the hoedag for its hide.

Second Hunt and Aerial Skirmish

• Troll tracks were spotted in the marsh but ignored in favor of dragonfly wings.
• Goblin riders returned; Zytar’s sleep spell dropped three, and Izzy blinded a dragonfly that crashed.
• Ashla wounded a mount and Ikit’s sanctified pistol killed a rider and mount; one blind mount wrecked, another drifted off with its sleeping captain.

Prisoners, Spoils, and Sales

• They harvested three more wing sets and now held four total; one goblin was manacled for questioning while another was executed.
• The hoedag hide was sold at Otto’s Trading Post to a gnome clothier for top coin; the party caroused and gained the merchant as an ally.
• Back at Fort Owlbear the blacksmith forged a silver dagger from a ring and the wings were stored for the cloak to come.

What Comes Next

• Plan to interrogate the goblin guide to locate more dragonflies.
• Intend to finish the wing quota and continue toward the Bottoms in search of Grandmother.
• The hydra and troll sign remain as looming dangers in the marsh.

NPCs:

• Biter: The azure dragonfly mount briefly traded to the party in exchange for boggard helms before winging back to goblin hands.
• Captured Goblin Rider: A snarling survivor manacled by the party, destined to point the way to more wings under duress.
• Changeling Blacksmith of Fort Owlbear: A pale, sharp‑eyed smith with mismatched eyes who can read the temper of steel and magic alike. She promised a cloak of dragonfly wings and hinted her great‑aunt Grandmother could aid in repairing Kelsinger.
• Court Wizard of Kremenko: The unseen mage who armed Zytar with orders and curiosity. Pragmatic, secretive, and keen on rare finds.
• Gnome Clothier: A nimble‑tongued merchant at Otto’s who paid top coin for hoedag hide and drank with the party until dawn. Now a friendly contact.
• Goblin Sky‑Rider Captain: Blue‑daubed leader of the dragonfly riders who warned of the hydra and later drifted away strapped to his saddle, fast asleep.
• Grandmother: The blacksmith’s ancient great‑aunt who wanders the Bottoms and is said to be hard to miss when found. Known for power, favors, and exacting terms.
• Ham: A massive hog and camp companion, run down and killed by the hoedag in the bog.
• Lady Kremenko: A Swordlands noble who rewards results and plays a long game. She supplied Fort Owlbear and now seeks the heart of a dragon.
• Old Rick: The loyal riding dog who bolted into the reeds when the hoedag struck and lived to see another campfire.
• Otto: Keeper of Otto’s Trading Post where coin, news, and trouble change hands in equal measure.

ITEMS:

• Boggard Skull Helms: Intimidating swamp trophies traded to goblins for a dragonfly mount and still good for scaring bog folk.
• Cold‑Weather Gear: Furs, woolens, and mittens that keep out the Swordlands’ knife‑edged wind.
• Crossbow: A dependable span of wood and string that levels the odds when the sky fills with wings.
• Dragonfly Wings (sets): Gleaming azure pairs harvested from giant dragonflies; four sets secured toward the cloak.
• Enchanted Leather Armor: A small suit of resilient leathers recovered from the hoedag’s den; it still held a dead explorer’s spear.
• Healing Tinctures: Bitter alchemical draughts that knit flesh and steady breath in the wilds.
• Hoedag Hide: Thick, exotic leather skinned from a spined swamp lizard, sold for a handsome sum.
• Kelsinger (Broken Sword): A once‑fine blade taken from a fallen comrade, awaiting Grandmother’s aid to be made whole.
• Lead‑Lined Box: A heavy, warded coffer provided for the day a dragon’s heart must be carried without taint.
• Pistol: Ikit’s rare firearm, a smoke‑and‑thunder answer to monsters and riders alike.
• Silver Dagger: A keen dagger the blacksmith forged from a silver ring, suited to strange prey and subtler work.
• Somde (Short Sword): A trusty short sword with a whisper of edge beyond the ordinary, carried by Ashla.

LOCATIONS:

• Boggard Village: A hostile swamp settlement whose neighbors ride dragonflies and collect skulls.
• Distant Mountains: Snow‑shadowed ranges beyond the marsh where rumors of other dragons persist.
• Fort Owlbear: The reclaimed bandit fort the party now holds, supplied through winter by Lady Kremenko. Home, forge, and stockroom.
• Hills, Forest, and Grasslands: Rolling hills and oak‑cedar copses giving way to waist‑high grass, all rimed with winter’s edge.
• Hoedag Den: A mound of uprooted trees and bones hiding a spined lizard’s lair and the spoils of past meals.
• Otto’s Trading Post: A rough nexus of coin and caravans where the party sells hides, buys gear, and occasionally tests the patience of old enemies.
• The Bottoms (Northeast Bog): Cold, reed‑choked wetlands where Grandmother roams and dragonflies breed. The air hums and the mud takes what it can.
• The Slough (Southwest): Another stretch of treacherous swamp, rumored to lie before distant mountains and other dragons.

FACTIONS:

• Boggard Tribes: Amphibian denizens of the marsh whose skulls make fearsome helms and whose neighbors ride dragonflies.
• Fort Owlbear Garrison: The growing cadre of settlers and fighters holding the reclaimed fort through winter.
• Goblin Sky‑Riders: A swamp clan that tames giant dragonflies and patrols the bogs with spear and shriek.
• Lady Kremenko’s Household: The noble’s retinue of soldiery, stewards, and a discreet court wizard, backing the fort’s expansion.
• Otto’s Trading Post Crew: Traders and toughs who keep the post alive and occasionally tolerate the party’s revels.

QUESTS:

• Commission: Cloak of Dragonfly Wings: Deliver six giant dragonfly wing sets to the Fort Owlbear blacksmith for a promised magical cloak.
• Find Grandmother in the Bottoms: Locate the blacksmith’s great‑aunt known as Grandmother, whose aid is needed for greater works.
• Lady Kremenko’s Price: A Dragon’s Heart: Hunting a dragon and returning its heart in a lead‑lined box as demanded by Lady Kremenko.
• Leverage the Captured Goblin: Use the manacled rider to find more dragonflies or a roost and extract local knowledge.
• Repair Kelsinger: Seek the means—likely through Grandmother—to restore the broken sword Kelsinger to fighting shape.
• Slay the Hoedag: Track and kill the spined lizard that laired in the den of uprooted trees, then make use of its remains.
• Tame the Bogs’ Dangers: Deal with threats like the hydra called the master of the bog and any trolls prowling the marshes.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

• Ashla: An Aasimar fighter and former guard who refused a dark order, now serving Fort Owlbear with grim resolve. Ashla balances duty with daring, willing to trade, parley, or leap from a saddle if that is what the moment demands. In battle she stands in the mud with sword and bow, anchoring the line when others falter.
• Flemish Fleuroth: A gnome thief and former grave robber with quick hands, quicker feet, and an eye for opportunity. Flemish scouts the hard places, sets the snares, and does what must be done in the dark. He hides nerves behind bravado and humor, then strikes when a single precise blow matters most.
• Franz Braun: A remarkably old human cleric and minstrel who survives on wits, not brawn. Franz sets fields to his liking, calling shots, laying distractions, and taking risky lures when it counts. When the mud boils, he is as likely to shout a taunt as he is to fire a bolt.
• Ikit: A ratfolk gunslinger sent along with the garrison, a bristling bundle of nerve and speed with a rare pistol on his hip. Ikit grouses, jokes, and fights like a cornered alley cat, especially once his weapon is blessed. He has a singular obsession with wings and an undying belief that the right shot can solve most problems.
• Izzy: A pragmatic priest of Yamath, a self‑styled priest‑for‑hire who has swapped patrons more than once in search of purpose. Izzy is caustic, capable, and strangely compassionate, the first to stabilize a fallen ally and the first to sanctify a weapon if it turns the tide. He favors clever positioning and battlefield control over brute force.
• Zytar: A human enchanter apprenticed to Lady Kremenko’s court wizard and quietly tasked to keep tabs on the company. Zytar prefers decisiveness over bravado—when words fail, a sleep charm often follows. He studies, observes, and picks his moments, trusting subtle magic to reshape a fight.