The Barony Of Bloodmede & the Southern Baronies
Rulership of Bloodmede:
Baroness Adreanna Bloodmede, grand-daughter of Hargan Bloodmede
Duke Banlar of Bloodmede, high-priest of Urdanzer
About Bloodmede:
North of the shores of Stonefire Bay, and south of the Howlingwood Forest and Darkmoon Vale, the Barony of Bloodmede began as an independent barony founded by Hargan Bloodmede. It is bordered on the northwest by inhospitable and untamed wilderness known as Blight Valley, placing Bloodmede on the very edge of civilization and among the last to joing King Caeleth's great kingdom. In 316 k.r., Bloodmede was officially entered into the kingdom by then Viscount Banlar, who married Baroness Adreanna.
The subjects of this land are the natives of Koroth, primarily of Korothian stock. Like the Celts of earth, the mores of the people cling to the natural faiths of Ryow (nature, protection) and Otha (earth and death). However, the doctrine of Urdanzer, god of law and nobility, has been seeded here. Already the laws of the land have been codefied by the temple priests. Beginning first, in 412 K.R. (Koroth Regnum) with the partisans of the Chappel of the Bloodliner - little more than a converted vintnery, the docrtine of Urdanzer was finally adopted by Adriana Bloodmede in 413 K.R. as an official religion.
The Barony was originally united in 398 K.R. by Hargan Bloodmede and his band of unlikely adventurers. Today his grand-daughter, Adrianna, rules from Bloodmede town with a young passion for her subjects. In the fall of 414 K.R. when Adrianna mysteriously disappeared, her cousins moved into the keep, quietly keeping Adrianna's absence a secret to avoid unrest in the Barony.
Adreana spent two years caring for her son, Caeleth while Banlar's body lay in statis in the castle. Allies of Banlar rescued and restored his soul which had been taken and sold on other planes.
Among Adrianna's last orders was the establishment of the Cresent Kights, an order of armored strong-men who would literally follow through on the orders of the church by attending to the needs of local authorities. The Cresent Knights were captured by the forces of the Black Baron but eventually rescued from both the lost city, as well as the far-off city state Skullgate, which was destroyed during a devil invasion in 422kr. With the marriage of the high-priest Banlar to Adreanna, Bloodmede is now the premier Barony of the southfolk, and Duke Banlar watches over the southern Baronies of Bloodmede, namely the Abbey of the Silver Arrows, the Grey Castle Barony, and the Barony of Estwich. Banlar is endowed with jurisprudence upon all lands south of the Stirgen Hills, Blight Valley and Howlingwood Forest.
Upon a recent expedition to Blight Valley, Duke Banlar has mysteriously disappeared along with his guardsman premier, Prydain of New Colderton.
Campaign Map: Barony of Bloodmede & The Untamed Wilderness
Ye Grand List Of Sessions And Secenes:
Session 1: Arrival in Silverton, Poison gas rescue, Goblin attack, Anax robs stores, Pridain extinguishes fires.
Session 2: PCs investigate, Learn of Malark, Hunt down Anax in red light district, Into the brothel, Anax lands on Pridain, Carnan returns frozen.
Session 3: Warming up Carnan, To the warehouse district, Battle with Malishaen's priests, Yoggr's towel singed and mended, The dire storm arrives, Party sends supplies throughout the town, Contracting Erius Gwaln - priest of Otha, Travel to Cold Hill, Battle with the snow spiders.
Session 4: The ring of ice, Inside the cold ruins, Battle with undead skelletons.
Session 5: Battle with Malark and his minions, Daewyn prohibits Malark's glory, Malark subdued and silver round, Silver rains from sky, Return to the Thasslereeve's jail, Daewyn's speech to Malark, 2-week downtime as the party is celebrated as local heros and Pridain trains with Erius Gwaln.
Session 6: Travel to Havenhearth, Yoggr beats the local dart champion, Pridain wrestles and wins, Daewyn beds the druid guardianess, Banlar and Desmelda are welcomed into the Noble's home, travel to Skullmourn.
Session 7: Skullmourn crossing, Gates of Skullmourn, The Skullmourn smithy, View of the Marquissa, Negotiations with the Orc smith, Desmelda's family, Playing Bounder at the Bloody Sword tavern.
Session 8: Travel to Falcon's Hollow, The ferry-boat, Meeting Laurel at Roots and Remedies, At the Temple of Surna, At the Goose & Gander, Yoggr meets Vamros Harg, At the lumber consortium, Negotiating for directions, The ranger draws a map, Return to the Goose and Gander, Camping outside town.
Session 9: Leaving Falcon's Hollow, Hobgoblin trap in trees, Following the trackers, Yoggr pays-off and releases the guides, Tatzelworm battle at the Elder Tree, Dangerous river crossing at dusk, Making camp.
Session 10: Prydain and Banlar exchange services, Banlar proselytizes Yoggr, Encounter with the gnoll tribe, searching the cave.
Session 11: Ulizmila's hut, The cauldron swallows Yoggr, Searching for Rat's Tail, Leaving tribute, Droskar's Crucible: the old dwarven monestery, Battling the Darkmantles, An ancient dwarven blessing bestowed upon Yoggr and Prydain.
Session 12: Leaving the monestery, The wyvern's territory, Searching the foothills of Droskar's Crag for ironbloom, River canyon and the armored ones tumble down
Session 13: Yoggr resists Banlar's proselytization, Drying off, Daewyn fishes, The rope climb to the cave mouth, Tentamort horror, The troll slasher, Rope trick, The troll's ugly wife
Session 14: Arrival of the Wyvern courier, Calling out the Duergar leader, The prisoner rescue beyond the iron door, Battling the guard and duergar, Negotiations with Kiz Kayne, Trading gems and magic items for information and detente, Finding the Ironbloom mushrooms at last, Crossing Droskar Lake, A locke of the Nerid's hair, Return to Falcon's Hollow, The Mayor pays thanks to the heroes.
Session 15: Heros are welcomed and thanked, PCs discuss information and plans, Yoggr and Desmelda investigate eaves-droppers from the Lumber Consortium, 3am Zombies in the street and the subdual of another Priest of Malashaen, Morning interrogation of the priest.
Session 16: The PCs administer the cure, Banlar acquires healing kit on behalf of Church of Surna, Prydain enjoys the attention of a Mynosian and thankful townsfolk, Daewyn donates 450 gp to the Farmer's Consortium, Party equips with provisions and supplies, Banlar smokes Cadarsha Root, Lyric departs, Party leaves Falcon's Hollow behind, Banlar travels by carriage and party arrives in Skullmourn, Prydain searches for his armor, Desmelda breaks into Church of Baluh & interrogates townsfolk, PCs leave Skullmourn whereapon they are attacked by a Cyclops loaded with Malark's silver.
Session 17: With the Cyclops slayn, the PCs travel back to Havenhearth wherin Yoggr is challenged to a Joust by long-time enemy - Kravos. But Yoggr feeds a potion of levitation to the horse and floats into the air causing the joust to end. Prydain spends time with Belle in her dwelling, and Banlar is chagrinned that Yoggr would bring town drunks to stay at the Rylessa Mansion using Banlar's private carriage. Sad news of Owain Rylessa's servants' deaths is delivered, and Yoggr provides a cheerful Sadness Stone to him. Prydain takes an elaborate bath but fails to recognize the message (from Morvulger) stuck inside his plate-mail armor. Daewyn visits his lover and mentor, the druidess, Gwynn, and takes to the air in the form of an eagle, having learned to use his wildshape power for the first time. The party departs and biefly passes through Silverton on their way to the large historic town of Hargan's Hold. Banlar does not check to see the status of the prisoner, nor does he learn that they have been transported to Bloodmede Castle.
Session 18: The grand town of Hargan's Hold provides the PCs with long-overdue trade and purchases of valuable items at the Elven Emporium, but Loxanna's deals prompt an investigation by Banlar resulting in the return of the Dwarf Lord's Hammer into Banlar's possession. The PCs dispatch carnage demons that have pilfered the sacred vault of Urdanzer in the Temple of the Loyal Partisan.
Session 19: Banlar posts a sign calling for new adventurers to attend a meeting at the Iron Post; the meeting goes poorly as the new applicant adventurers overhear the "badmouthing" of Banlar by Yoggr, Desmelda and Prydain. During the argument that ensues, Banlar challenges the party to be loyal and trustworthy, while the PCs just defend their prior actions. Even though Prydain had insulted Bishop Moranthau (and later apologized), the PCs are provided with some blessed provisions and magics and instructed to travel eastward. The melancholy Bailiff of the hold, Mayald Vobenor provides the PCs the use of Keloril the Farhand's magical large eagles for swift travel to Tinderhall, a town on the edge of Daewyn's home, the Redleaf Forest. The flight takes them within eyesight of the Monestary of the Bloodliner and reveals it to be burning out-of-control. A steady, and cryptic Banlar insists that the party stay their course and heading to Tinderhall. Once there, Banlar meets the constabulary, while Prydain investigates the structural failure of the main town bridge. Upon the party's departure, Daewyn follows Banlar's order to see if they are being followed. As Daewyn lifts to the air as an eagle, our game is paused for dramatic effect.
Session 20: From above, Daewyn in eagle-shape sees the approaching Xills. Prydain and he fight bravely to dispatch these evil four-armed outsiders. Meanwhile, Griff encounters trouble in the woods while arrows are launched by mercenaries perched up the hill. Desmelda and Yoggr do their best to slay the mercenary leader, and the others route but are followed by Rime. From the shaddows steps an assassin with a deadly mark upon Banlar. Banlar survives the attack and Daewyn chases down the masked one before he gets away. The party travels off-road to the Monestery of the Bloodliner, now just a husk of burnt timbers and a defiled stone church still stands occupied by Carnage Demons. Banlar shines light into the doorway, the PCs battle the demons, and slay the initiate priest of Malishaen. Prydain finally finds the note from Morvulger hidden in his armor and Banlar sifts through the ashes for clues.
Session 21: Banlar finds a letter on the body of his murdered mentor, Galwena. Desmelda protects the party's needed rest with a rope trick. Daewyn meets the Druid, Garn, who tells of a powerful force within the temple, and lights that only he sees flashing. In the morning the party is transported to the outskirts of Lost Aerie, wherein they follow tracks through the aberation-filled ruins of the once mighty city. They attack the mighty ettin that guards the S.S. Hallowfast, a ship loaded with precious darkmoon lumber and slaves made from former knights of Urdanzer. The thugs and seacaptain are also dispatched as Daewyn claims the ship as his own property in the name of the forest.
Session 22: Prydain awakes surrounded by Blackeagle mercenary guards and a Red Cloak marksman. He defends himself and uses a potion to fly away from his attackers. He sojourns through the half-frozen Nobility Hunt Forest, wherein he befriends Trevord, the horse-man who provides magical protection from the cold and swift footing upon the frozen ground. He explains the the cold is unnatural, and likely not the divine hand of Malishaen. Meanwhile, the party captures a feebleminded Zarghast and after testing them, Desmelda uses his shoes to transport the party to Bloodmede Town. The town is beseiged by cold, ice, and snow. At the Green Tankard, Banlar defies the orders of the local guard, but the party soon fights them, realizing these corrupt soldiers are in the service of foul magics. Yoggr seeks the aid of Bloodmede's local Sage. Daewyn and Yoggr rescue Zophas, the paladin of Surna. And Yoggr uses his local street knowledge to take the party into hiding for some needed replenishment before their next battle.
Session 23: Yoggr's adventuring group is treated to halfling hospitality at the network's safehouse. Yoggr and Daewyn purchase winter clothing as Prydain succumbs to an elixir of truth that reveals satisfying information to Banlar's interrogative questions. Desmelda and Zophas get to know one another and Griff watches the windows in earnest for any sign of the Frost Dwarves or their commander. Healing is administered and the night provides an overdue respite from threats. In the wee hours of the morn' Yoggr seeks the aid of the enigmatic wood gnome, ____, hoping to learn more of the assassin who misfired against Banlar. Yoggr's halfling friends were put to work and returned needed information. As the group prepared for battle, Desmelda and Daewyn returned to the S.S. Hallowfast and retrieved Captain _____. Using the Zarghast's boots, they teleported to Tragedy Harbor where quietly and stealthily, Yoggr retrieved the red jem containing the soul of Baroness Adrianna Bloodmede. With a dash across the strand Yoggr rejoined the others and teleported back to Bloodmede Town. Session 24: Yoggr revisits the secretive Undermarket of Bloodmede, purchasing some Strongsmoke and throwing daggers. A quiet Daewyn contacts his lost dragon-friend, Rime while the party readies itself for battle during the halfling party in Yoggr's honor. Yoggr has time to reconnect with Tassofriend and others. Using intelligence gained from Yoggr's network, the assault party breeches the outer and inner court walls of Bloodmede Castle, bypassing any opposition from the guards along the main Barbican. The white snow becomes red with the blood of winter wolves, while the Knights of Bloodmede hold the line against Ice Haunts. The party is victorious, Prydain confirms the courtyard is clear, and Banlar blasts the innerkeep doors with his Ring Of The Ram.
Session 25: Within the archway of Bloodmede Castle, Banlar commands the Ice Mephit to step forward, thus eliminating the threat of cold spells. Prydain and the Knights step forward and dispatch the bat swarm, and slay huge, murderous dire bats. Within the courtyard a levitating cultist layered multiple web spells to impede the party's progress. Desmelda's quick thinking blasts the attacking cultist, forcing him back to the ground, dead on impact. Banlar's summoned owl is not enough to defend against the bats. Unfortunately for the cultists, the corrupt castle guard arrived seconds too late as Yoggr finishes off the high priest and Prydain and the knights charge up the castlewall stairs. Banlar takes a different route, finding the guard's back entrance to the inside. The knight's tower shield defends well against the rain of corrupt guard arrows, and Daewyn charges the corrupt guard commander but falls victim to a deadly poison. Zarghast displays his potency and casts lightning bolt to singe the guard captain.
Session 26: Yoggr and Desmelda check the inner walls for secret entrances, then Banlar leads the group inside a back stairwell. The party is met by a familiar Rogue, Anax, and the wizardry of Zorche Zanesti. Soon the Ice Archon sends a large ice elemental after the wizards at the main door, while it hurls ice javelins at the party entreating from the back cooridor. The battle is fierce, and Zarghast in Cockatrice form nearly dies. Germ, as a dire bear, fights Trevord Zanesti, while the paladin and Banlar corner Zorche. Prydain continues his attacks against the archon. The party brings the "cousins" and the Ice Archon to the ground, and the Archon's face chips away, melting to reveal the face of Malark the Unmasked.
Session 27: Daewyn becomes charmed to leave the premises, taking half the party with him, but later returns when Zarghast gives chase to dispell the compulsion. The party searches the castle rooms, meeting Erwyn the chef. Banlar hears a womans voice "like a song on the wind" and opens a secret hatch to a lower level. Leading the party beneath the castle, Banlar is fooled by an aspect of Malcanthet who lays upon the tomb of Hargan Bloodmede. Gnaw demons give chace to the party, and in a final battle royale, the Party dispatches the beautifully horrific visage of Malcanthet. Banlar discovers the true body of Adriana Bloodmede and rejoins her soul (from the jem) with it. The party has restores the Baroness, the Barony, and recieves just rewards. A ball celebration is planned for later in the week. This ends the massive campaign arc regarding Adriana Bloodmede. | Session 28: To Lost Aerie
Session 29: On Board the S.S. Hallowfast
Session 30: Banlar Dies
Session 31: Arrival in Skull Port
Session 32: Investigation in Town
Session 33: Skull Palace I
Session 34: Skull Palace II
Session 35: Ghenna's Maw
Session 36: Yoggr One-Shot's the Ultraloth
Session 37: PCs Arrive at Own Funeral & Banlar Restored
Session 38: PCs Led By Zennasha to Kolderton
Session 39: Deck of Many Things; Banlar Loses Soul
Session 40: Escape from the Demi-plane
Session 41: Return to Bloodmede; Banlar Lies In State; Yoggr, The Lawful Party-Pooper
Session 42: Expedition to Unknown Keep
|
