Kingmaker: Ep. 25

The Owlbear Adventurers set out to find their missing blacksmith, Asp Fang, their only lead pointing them to the enigmatic Grandmother in the swamps of the Bottoms. Along the way, their camp was visited by a mysterious floating silver lantern, which Brother Carl greeted peacefully before it drifted away. Upon reaching Grandmother’s cottage, they were met with cryptic answers and outright deception. The woman they met, Grandmother Eldreza, denied Asp Fang’s arrival but hinted she had been taken to the ‘Everbloom’s garden’ as a ‘strawberry’.

A failed attempt by Brother Carl to magically compel the truth only angered Eldreza, but a sympathetic marsh giant, Skogark, secretly gave them Asp Fang’s sweatband. Using this clue, Yohei revealed his humanoid fox form for the first time, using his keen senses to confirm Asp Fang’s trail ended at the cottage door. Realizing they needed otherworldly help, the party sought out the spider-like fey, Zamas, at his obelisk. He revealed the ‘garden’ was in the ‘House at the End of Time,’ a dangerous fey realm ruled by the mad queen Nyrissa, also known as the Everbloom.

Zamas opened a portal, and the adventurers stepped into a shifting, surreal landscape. Their path was blocked by a colossal linnorm, Tarlaxion, who demanded a toll. Brother Carl offered the very air from his lungs, a sacrifice that nearly killed him but satisfied the beast. Inside, they found Asp Fang among the handmaidens of Queen Nyrissa. The queen was cruel and possessive, demanding one of them take Asp Fang’s place. The party made a difficult choice, offering the grieving centaur princess Xanthe in trade.

The deal was struck, and the party was instantly returned to their world with a confused Asp Fang, for whom decades had passed. Back at Fort Owlbear, they learned the terrible price of their bargain: Xanthe had vanished into a mysterious fog the moment the deal was made. This act caused dissent, with some guards deserting and a cloud of uncertainty hanging over their hard-won rescue.

OUTLINE:

Journey to the Bottoms

The party decided to travel five days to the swamps of the Bottoms to find Grandmother and ask about Asp Fang.
During a night watch, they encountered a mysterious, floating blue lantern that circled their camp before drifting away peacefully.
Brother Carl greeted the strange light, but it did not communicate.

Confrontation at Grandmother’s Cottage

The party arrived at the cottage and spoke with a woman named Eldreza, who was evasive about Asp Fang’s whereabouts.
Eldreza claimed dwarves brought her a ‘jadoga’ (strawberry) that she ‘planted’ in the Everbloom’s garden.
Brother Carl’s attempt to use Zone of Truth failed, angering Eldreza and getting the party thrown out.
The giant Skogark secretly gave them Asp Fang’s sweatband, and Yohei used his fox form to track her scent to the cottage door.

Seeking an Interdimensional Guide

Stuck, the party decided to seek help from the spider-fey Zamas at his obelisk, the Ghost Stone.
On the way, they met a young centaur named Rex who, intrigued by their quest, decided to join them.
Zamas was summoned and agreed to help, identifying the location as the ‘House at the End of Time’, a fey realm ruled by the mad Queen Narisa.
Zamas opened a portal for them, warning of a dragon guardian and the queen’s madness.

The House at the End of Time

The party stepped through the portal into a surreal, shifting dimension.
They were confronted on a bridge by a massive linnorm named Tarlaxion.
Brother Carl offered the air from his lungs as a toll, which nearly killed him but granted them passage.
Inside, they found Asp Fang among the handmaidens of the cruel Queen Narisa.

A Fey Bargain and its Aftermath

Narisa demanded one of the party members stay in exchange for Asp Fang’s freedom.
The party instead offered Xanthe, the exiled centaur princess living at their fort.
Narisa accepted the deal, and the party was instantly transported back to their world with Asp Fang.
Asp Fang was disoriented, believing decades had passed for her in the fey realm.
Upon returning to Fort Owlbear, they learned Xanthe had vanished in a mysterious fog at the very moment the deal was made, causing some of their guards to desert.

NPCs:

Asp Fang: A changeling blacksmith and friend of the party. She was ambushed by dwarves and traded to the fey, where she spent what felt like decades as a handmaiden to a mad queen before being rescued.
Eldreza (Grandmother): A powerful and deceptive fey being who lives in a cottage in the Bottoms. She willingly gave Asp Fang to Narisa as payment for a debt.
Narisa (The Everbloom): The mad, cruel, and powerful fey queen who rules the House at the End of Time. She collects beings of royalty and held Asp Fang captive until the party offered her a centaur princess in trade.
Rex: A young, adventurous centaur from the Forhuff clan. He briefly joined the party seeking glory but left in disgust after they traded another centaur to a fey queen.
Skogark: One of the four marsh giants who guards Eldreza’s home. He showed sympathy for the party’s plight, secretly providing them with the clue needed to track Asp Fang.
Tarlaxion: A colossal, ancient linnorm (serpentine dragon) that guards the bridge leading to Narisa’s manor. It accepted Brother Carl’s ‘gift of air’ as a toll to let the party pass.
Xanthe: The exiled princess of the Silvermane centaur clan. After losing many of her warriors, she was living a life of mourning at Fort Albert before being unwittingly traded to Narisa and vanishing from the mortal world.
Zamas: An ancient, spider-like fey creature who dwells within a black stone obelisk. He is a neutral being who can traverse dimensions and provided the party with the means to reach the House at the End of Time.

ITEMS:

Asp Fang’s Sweatband: A well-worn leather headband that Asp Fang used while smithing. It carried her scent, allowing Yohei to track her.
Naga Skull: The skull of a naga, previously filled with orichalcum coins. The party gave it to Eldreza as a ‘gift’ for her bone fence.
Scarlet Gown: An elaborate gown studded with pearls and gold that Asp Fang was forced to wear. It is worth a considerable sum of 200 gold pieces.

LOCATIONS:

Fort Owlbear (Fort Albert): The party’s home base and fortress. Recent events have caused some of its guards to desert.
Grandmother’s House: A deceptively quaint cottage behind a bone fence, home to the fey Eldreza and her giant guardians.
The Bottoms: A vast, swampy region where Grandmother’s cottage is located.
The Ghost Stone: A massive, spiraling black stone obelisk that serves as a home and portal for the fey being Zamas.
The House at the End of Time: A surreal fey dimension ruled by Queen Narisa. It is a shifting, chaotic place where time passes differently, filled with strange creatures and wraith-like guards.

FACTIONS:

Forhuff Clan: A clan of centaurs who live in the hills and plains. The young centaur Rex is a member of this clan.
Silvermane’s Clan: A clan of centaurs whose warriors were decimated aiding the party. Their exiled princess, Xanthe, was traded to the fey.

QUESTS:

Rescue Asp Fang: Find the party’s friend and blacksmith, Asp Fang, who went missing on a trip to see Grandmother.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

Ashla: A charismatic and diplomatic member of the group, often taking the lead in negotiations. Ashla is the one who formulates the difficult bargain with Queen Narisa. They seem to serve as the group’s primary spokesperson in tense social situations.
Brother Carl: A devout, if unlucky, cleric of the god of balance, Ord. Brother Carl is brave and willing to make great sacrifices for his companions, often putting himself directly in harm’s way. He is the party’s primary healer and moral compass, though his magical efforts sometimes meet with failure.
Yohei: A pragmatic gunslinger with a mysterious and chaotic nature. It was revealed this session that he possesses a secret fey heritage, allowing him to transform into a humanoid fox. Yohei is often morally ambiguous, unfazed by the strange and dark events the party encounters.