The Crimson Mountains- Episode 2

This page is a plot journal covering the second session of The Crimson Mountains campaign, played on 1/24/16.

A very important and dramatic session, the main notable events were the debut of player-character Darius Straton, the betrayal and near-death experience of Druid Obediah, and the regicide of Thane Kain Kallistratos.

Roc of Ironside was not present during this session. He was on the road from Ironside village, nursing his wounds.

Previous Session: Episode 1

Next Session: Episode 3 

Council Chamber
Nilos began the session with a council meeting, in which he defended his actions in the foreign quarter, and attempted to convince his father Kain to enact the truce with Hilde by hiring the Sons of Aquinas to police the foreign quarter. Though Kain was initially outraged, primarily by the lethal actions of Ser Zanther Mason, who had murdered a Yurican man in cold blood. With the support of his Executor Mason, Zanther's uncle, the knight was not punished for the decision. The Thane agreed to Nilos' plan- with the motivation of allowing the young Nilos to see that his choices in leadership have important consequences.

Caius informed the council of the barbarian attack on Ironside Village, the largest and most alarming mountaineer attack thus far. He also informed that the Sons of Aquinas troops led by Col. Rhys Sighard were set to arrive by noon, by which he was wrong. Sighard moved his troops even faster than expected, and arrived on time to barge into the meeting, where he shook hands with the Thane.

At the Iron Keep
In a character-defining scene, Nilos went to another session of sword training, where he was reunited with Ser Darius Straton. Nilos was defiant toward Darius, and despite doing well at first, chose to drop his practice sword and monologue about how books and knowledge was where power really resided. Ser Zanther Mason interfered, scolding Ser Darius and Nilos. Nilos wrecked him intellectually, pointing out that the powerful potential of Bruxian alchemy and technology was something that a sword would do no good against. Nilos left his sword and the elder knights behind to their squabble, retiring from sword training forever.

Later, Nilos met with Inquisitor Caius in the rookery, where the two discussed what Nilos had been recently experiencing. Nilos inquired about the dangers of alchemy, and sought the investigation of Suleiman's materials and equipment that had been confiscated, asking Caius if he could seek the help of any alchemical experts to try and understand the devastating potential of the ingredients. Caius remembered a man from his university days at Discord who could help, and sent him an owl. He then asked Nilos what he feared, triggering a long personal monologue from the teenager about his near-death as a child after catching the plague.

The Protest
The next day, a protest took place in front of the Iron Keep by citizens who were unhappy about the crown's actions in the foreign quarter which were lead by Nilos and Caius. In the foyer of the keep, Nilos, Ser Darius, Ser Zanther, Imperator Reinhold, and the Thane himself collected to debate what to do. Reinhold attempted to talk Kain Kallistratos down, but the Thane resisted and insisted to confront the crowd. He did, addressing the people and calling for order. Suleiman, the Bruxian alchemist whose supplies were confiscated, spoke up against the Thane, saying the nobles were treating the refugees with cruelty and the last straw was the slaughter that occurred in the streets, which mobilized this collection of Bruxian refugees, poor Yuricans, and working-class mining peasants to protest. Tensions heated as the crowd grew more boisterous, and in the chaos, a crazed Yurican man sprinted through the crowd, pushing through people. Nilos saw this, but thought nothing, caught up in the chaos of the moment. However, the man broke through the crowd an pointed a weapon which can only be described as a firearm at the Thane. After a loud boom and a burst of smoke, a bullet tore through the Thane's neck, and Nilos' father fell into his arms, bleeding profusely. In the moment the Thane was incapacitated, Ser Mason sought to seek the command from the heir. In the impassioned moment, Nilos ordered Ser Mason and the honor guard to "Kill them all", triggering an massive slaughter in front of the Iron Keep's gate, with Nilos kneeling next to his deceased father. The Thane is dead...

The Flower Shop
This session was the introduction of Ser Darius Straton, who was present in the foreign quarter during the raid on Hilde's hospital. Ser Darius awoke in his residence, where he was confronted by his resentful wife, Alis Alexius, who presumably spent the night with someone else. Ser Darius then went to the trade quarter, where he went to meet his daughter Eliza at the flower shop where she works. He spoke to Eliza, who warned him not to become consumed by vengeance for her mother's death. Eliza asked Darius about a promise he made when she was young: that one day he would no longer need to hide her and they would live together in a castle, as a noble lady, instead of living every day as the bastard flower girl. Darius assuaged her fears, not knowing when or if his daughter's dream would come true. While leaving the flower shop, Darius felt the cravings and took his last dose of ganjadil he had on him. He then set forth to his dealer's shop to feed his addiction.

Ole' Pap's Shap
Ser Darius entered the Steel Quarter in a low-key outfit to hide his noble heritage. There, he entered Ole' Pappy's shop, where he helped the old man hammer nails, and gave the drug-addled man some "root" to prevent sickness. The smithy, of course, was just a cover for Sycotha's enterprise, where he met Ser Darius along with Cyrill, who revealed himself to be a member of Sycotha's gang. Sycotha sold Darius a pound of the good stuff, but insisted something in return for his years of service to Darius. Sycotha asked Darius to meet with the mercenary group, the Gold Legion, who had recently arrived in the Stoneshade region. Sycotha asked Darius to use his noble position to request audience with the Legion's local leader, the Centurion Tolmend Oklend. Darius would act as a diplomat to open trading relations between Sycotha and Tolmend, in return for some level of military protection from the sellswords. Darius agreed, and planned to do this favor for a friend.

At the Iron Keep
Ser Darius armored up for his service as Thanesguard. At the Keep, he stayed guard during the council meeting, where he engaged in a small verbal sparring with his rival, Ser Zanther Mason. Afterwards, Darius attended to sword training with young Nilos Kallistratos. Darius told Nilos about the importance of developing a strong spirit. During training, the two were confronted by Ser Mason, who told Darius he was an outdated relic of the past. The three debated the truth of Bruxian alchemy before going there separate ways.

Gold Legion Encampment
The next day, Ser Darius went to Tolmend Oklend's Gold Legion encampment, hoping to make audience with the mercenary lord. Ser Darius rode atop his great steed Sylvester, an elderly stallion. At the checkpoint, Darius met the young Yurican mercenary David while tying up Sylvester. The two discussed about horses, and why David joined the Legion, which he replied was to make a better life for himself and fight for something he believes in- liberty. Darius convinced the checkpoint guards to give him audience with Tolmend by associating his family name with the promise of better steel for the raggedy mercs.

Darius met with Tolmend, and went straight to business regarding Sycotha's ganjadil proposition. The mercs were taken aback by Darius' frankness, but after Tolmend got the okay from an advisor, the two went about their backroom dealings openly. Tolmend revealed himself to be quite the ganjadil connoisseur, hinting at a dark side to the Legion's virtuous exterior. He agreed to enter further discussion with Sycotha, and sent an agent to do engage in talks. However, Tolmend expressed his frustration to Darius about the Thane's decision to hire the Sons of Aquinas, the Legion's toughest competition. Tolmend requested Darius to put in good word with the Thane in return for the deal.

Before leaving the Legion's camp, Darius met again with David. Darius tossed him two gold coins, which David said he could not accept for he had not earned them through battle. Darius mounted Sylvester, and gave David inspirational words about the strength of the young man's spirit before riding off into the sunset.

At the Iron Keep
In the Iron Keep, Inquisitor Caius requested Ser Darius' presence in the rookery. He had a mission for him: to join and infiltrate the Sons of Aquinas as a mercenary, earn the trust of Col. Rhys Sighard, and maintain close contact with Caius as an informant. Ser Darius was at first hesitant, but Caius revealed that he knew about his murdered peasant lover, Jane, and their daughter Eliza. This being secret information, Darius was taken aback, but understood that Caius was a man whose biggest power was knowledge. In return for the SOA job, the Inquisitor promised the protection of Eliza in Darius' long absence, saying he would hire her personally to take up residence inside the castle. On these grounds, Darius agreed, and planned to meet with the Sons of Aquinas recruiter the next day.

Later that day, a protest took place outside the Iron Keep. Darius was present at the incident, protecting Thane Kallistratos against the angry mob. However, neither of their words could do any good against the madman with the "smoking wand". After the Thane's assassination, the heir of Blackwall, Nilos, ordered Darius and the other guards to "kill them all". Darius did so, slaughtering protesters with his war-hammer.

The High Temple
Druid Obediah began by meeting with the Archon, who had an urgent message. Archon Plexipus told Obediah that he would ignore his previous insubordination and insulting remarks toward the Archon just this once- as this mission was of utmost importance and Obediah was the only one who could take it up. The Druid was informed that the Creed had recently located the feared bounty hunter Valbrandr, who had been pursued for seven years since he was an acolyte who abandoned the High Temple of Lythir in Timbervale.

The Temple had received this message from Druid Joakim of Solon, who planned the attack on Valbrandr and tracked him. The Archon sent Obediah to rendesvouz with Druid Hepzibah in Blackridge village, who would lead him to Joakim and Azariah at Valbrandr's location. There, the force of four deadly Acolytes would be able to track down and kill the dangerous bounty hunter.

Blackridge Village
Obediah pursued this mission, and went to the small mining village of Blackridge on the road between Stoneshade and Solon. There he was to rendezvous with Hepzibah in "The Enchantress's Flask". In the tavern, Hepzibah was nowhere insight, and only a few drunk men and the bartender remained. Obediah denied a drink from the bartender, and took a seat in the dark corner.

An hour later, a man in a grey cloak sat down with Obediah, introducing himself as "The Mutual Friend". He told Obediah to "never forget where you came from... and never forget you have friends in Stoneshade... Kairos." Shocked, Obediah realized that the man knew his true identity as the eldest son of Thane Kallistratos. Before he could react, the gray-hooded man ditched the tavern. Obediah attempted to follow him, but was interrupted at the door by the arrival of Druid Hepzibah. Hepzibah gave Obediah a gift: a new bow. Then, she explained the situation to Obediah- that Valbrandr had been pinned down in an old barbarian grave site. They were to meet Azariah and Joakim there, and attempt an assault on the tomb in which he was hiding. Before leaving, Obediah asked the bartender about the gray-hooded man, to which he replied he had never seen him in Blackridge before. Obediah flipped the man a silver coin before leaving.

Graveyard of Typheus
Hepzibah and Obediah traveled to the ancient graveyard of Typheus, a once-great barbarian king whose people were conquered and wiped out by the first Tirrenians to settle in the Solon region. There, the two rendezvoused with Joakim, and Obediah was reunited with Azariah. Joakim pointed that up in the cliffside was the outcropping where Valbrandr was hiding, and the group began their attack.

However... it was all a ruse. As Obediah was approaching the altar to the tomb with Azariah, his fellow Druids turned on him. Joakim and Hepzibah filled him with poison-coated arrows. Obediah quickly realized his predicament, and before the poison took him, threw his Acolyte's blade at Azariah, wounding his shoulder. However, Obediah was quickly subdued, falling victim to the paralyzing poison. Azariah confronted him, monologuing about the way Obediah has betrayed the Order and the Creed with his heretic remarks about the gods and the Archon. Azariah told him that the poison of the Targian cobra filled his veins and would quickly kill him. The Druids left Obediah for dead in the ancient graveyard, and abandoned him to his fate...

The Abyss
Obediah was floating in a black void. A door opened, revealing a blinding light. A shadow walked out of the light and spoke to him- it was Abyss himself. Abyss took Obediah into his arms, filling the man with unparalleled joy. Abyss cuddled the man, and took him into the light. Suddenly, the joy slipped from Obediah, as Abyss dropped the man slowly into the light. Before long, the joy was replaced with anguish as Obediah came to.

Graveyard of Typheus
Obediah awoke to consciousness, back in the graveyard, face first on the ground. He was still barely able to move, and could just barely make words. He awoke to see a man standing over him, putting an herbal remedy into his wounds. The man had a lushly grown beard, and long hair, and a chain of human ears across his torso. He spoke, and his thick Timbervalen accent gave away his identity: it was Valbrandr, the famous bounty hunter. Obediah was hogtied in his state of paralysis and Valbrandr threw him upon his horse.

As he was dragged away to be sold for a bounty, Obediah, now back from death and freed from his divine Order, declared a new life dedicated to the Abyss, and vowed vengeance to the Archon and the druids that betrayed him.

Some Great Lines

 * "The perfect description of someone who isn't my friend is you." - Druid Obediah to "the mutual friend"
 * "You smell bad, get that black tongue fixed!" - Ser Darius, to Ole' Pappy
 * Darius - "If you can dodge a rock, you can dodge a sword." Nilos - "What about ten rocks?"
 * Darius - "Sometimes a chariot loses a few horses."
 * Ser Zanther Mason - "Straton. Kallistratos. They're all just spokes on a wheel."
 * Nilos - "Blood and Steel won't get us that far."
 * Nilos - "Ignorance is the tool that tears apart our kingdom..."
 * Nilos - "Money and Technology are dictating our every move."
 * Nilos - "It would unlock powers we've never seen before."
 * Darius - "Legends, some may say, that have merit!"
 * Darius - "The harder the battle, the harder the spirit!"