Ssession 02 - Sealing the Deal
General Summary
The player-characters took some preparations in the city of Tannith Vale before they ventured to Roanberg Castle. Much of the time was spent gathering information about the Baroness, her daughters, and the history of Roanberg and the Balduvians -- most of which is noted below in other sections.
The party comes together to decide to become a part of the endeavour as it's understood. The furtive monarch of the fallen realm of Okar, Rylanor, has agreed to meet with the Baroness to hear her reasoning for the offer of exchange. He will be joined by his friend Ina Brighthelm, who simply has nothing better to do with her time at the moment; and his acquaintences: Brigid Hildevard, whose interest has been piqued; Aodin of Eastfield, who bears an interest in the connections these Balduvians seem to have with the dark power behind his curse; and Kelvaren Mystralath, who is drawn to the same dark connections as he is the pure mercenary opportunity afforded by these wealthy barbarians.
The entry to the lands of Roanberg are straightforward. It becomes clear that the Baroness' wealth is spread throughout the land in terms of roads, bridges, irrigation works, and other infrastructure. What more, the Balduvians themselves are well aware of their part in keeping their lands safe. Every settlement, the PCs are challenged politely and word of their arrival is sent ahead of them by quick riders. By the time they reach the rusted-open portcullis of Roanberg Castle, they are met by both Radha and Tania with their retinues of Chosen in full battle-readiness. They are greeted and after some polite sizing-up, they are bidden into the entryway of the Castle itself.
The entryway of Roanberg Castle has been the holy space of the surrounding territory since the coming of the Balduvians to these lands. Initially, its two niches were occupied by a fine statue of the Divine King and another of the Queen of Heaven as a symbol of tolerance and understanding. That all changed when Lovisa's husband turned against her, and after exacting her vengeance, she removed the statue of the Divine King and replaced it with the broken visage of their own ancient war goddess. Now, the entryway is the shrine devoted to honouring the Queen of Heaven and the War Goddess. Burnt offerings, battle trophies, and other implements of sacrifice sit at the feet of these sixteen and fourteen foot tall statues. At the middle of the entry way is a large bronze brazer, probably ten to twelve feet in diameter and four feet in depth at the center, it seems to be the main means by which sacrifices are made in this shrine.
Radha explains that their shrine is the entrance into their sanctum, a place apart from the universal divinity of the world as it has been created. In this sense, she explains, they exit their sanctuary back into the world-temple through this shrine -- the sacrifices are made to maintain this refuge. This is in opposition to the understanding that the Church of the Divine King or even the Imperial Cult bring forward, that you p(r)ay to enter the divine spaces of the patron. The PCs make note of the bloody and gore-crusted offerings to the nameless war goddess, the lower portion of her visage broken away.
They then enter the Great Hall, which doubles as banquet space and the court of the Baroness. In this grand room with high vaulted ceilings, there sits a large carpeted open floor in the middle, surrounded by large and stout wooden tables. There are enough seats for nearly six hundred. At the far side of the hall is a large and raised stage with a long and ornate table running its length. At the center sits the great Baronial Seat, on either side are smaller but no less ornate chairs, then another three seats on each side of those. Across from the table, sits twelve simple but well-made chairs -- where the petitioners and visitors would sit during longer conversations.
The Baroness sits in the center, she is flanked by her daughters with one attendant sitting beside them taking notes. When the PCs enter, the Baroness smiles wide and vaults atop the table from her seat, strides over and hops down onto the main level to cross the floor and greet Rylanor personally.
Lovisa "Cold Eyes" Daradona is tall. At 6'3", she generally towers over most of the people who meet her -- Balduvians included, but only just so, as they are generally the tallest humans in the Free Realms. With pale blue eyes, and long blonde hair, her face and the visible parts of her skin play host to many signs of a life lived on the battlefield -- sun damage, burns and scars. Curiously, the bottom layer of her hair in the back has blood on it -- quite evident due to the light of torches shining through. The Baroness brings the characters to sit at the main table, and she has simple but tasty finger foods brought in while Chosen Warriors filter in from other parts of the castle to be served more-proper noonday meals.
After some posturing and sizing-up, the Baroness explains that she is intent on the notion of helping to reestablish the Throne of Okar because she would like to use the realm as a base of operations for finding Old Balduvia. Not content with that simplistic answer, Rylanor balks at the idea unless she can convince of him of the real reasons for her actions. Citing that it doesn't appear to be about wealth or power or territory since the Baroness appears to have all of these in abundance, Rylanor doesn't accept this at the first face of it. This insight impresses her daughter Radha, concerns her daughter Tania, and disarms the Baroness herself. After a quick beat of reflection, the Baroness confesses that none of these things matter to her either. For her, it is the mystery of her and her people -- that she is so different from others here in the Free Realms, and that her people stand apart from everyone they meet has dogged her since she became aware of it. The signs of their lost identity are always just out of reach, and every answer has only led to more questions.
Why is it that we hold to a war goddess who has no name? Why is it that they are so reviled by both High Elves of the Old Faith and Divine King humanity? Why is it that women form more than two-thirds of their population? Why is it that Balduvian features always dominate the bloodlines of others once introduced? Why is it that whenever they bear children for elves or orcs, or impregnate those with elven or orcish blood, that the result is always human? Why do the elves mock them, stating that their lack of identity is the curse itself?
These are the questions that haunt her, and these are the questions that bring the verve and vigour to the Baroness. She confesses that she believes that the answers exist beyond Okar, either within the Badlands or perhaps in the Lands of the Eye. She needs to know, her people deserve a history -- the real one. And she is willing to take these risks to answer those questions.
This is her truth, and its bare-faced nature impresses Rylanor enough to agree to the arrangement.
What follows, however, was not expected. The Baroness states that they need to embark upon a great oath to mark the occasion. This is not unheard throughout the lands of the people of the blood, but the rituals generally undertaken are not rituals of the night as they "must" be here in Roanberg. Rather than oaths taken to Islan or Yaro or the Queen herself, Balduvians rights are undertaken at Dusk, by the Moon, or at Dawn. Each of these aspects represent the oath in different ways, and undertake a sense of sacrifice and penalty if the oath is broken.
The Ritual of Dusk is straighforward -- a simple physical union taken before witnesses to represent the oath and agreement. In this ritual, the penalty for breaking the oath is severe and unknown to the oathkeepers until it is too late.
The Ritual of the Moon is regarded as the most dire -- both Oathtakers are ritually drowned in a pool of water by Moonlight and revived by magical means. The penalty for breaking this oath is to drown once more.
The Ritual of Dawn is the most common. Both oath-takers swear to abide by a restriction chosen by the gods being invoked, which often results in things like an oath of chastity, an oath of silence, or being forbidden from eating meat, or consuming anything but milk or water. The oathtakers must not only keep their oath, but abide by their restrictions as well, as this is a sign of trustworthiness. The penalty for breaking the oath is seen as the least severe, and often manifests merely as the legal, political and social consequences -- but usually oathbreakers are marked in some way easily gleaned by those who know how, or where, to look.
It becomes evident later on that there is another Ritual that could be undertaken, one that involves the oathtakers ritually killing another person known to both of them. Generally speaking, those that undertake this oath find that they are blessed in the keeping and success of the oath itself; but the penalty for breaking the oath is very severe -- the oathbreaker will lose two people close to themself. As this oath wasn't even put on-offer, it's clear that Rylanor must pick from the first three.
In the end, Rylanor chooses the Ritual of Dusk and the agreement is sealed after an afternoon and evening of carousing.
This is not the end, however, as the other characters are active in their pursuit of their own connections and gleaning their own truth.
Aodin seeks to connect with Radha, and succeeds in his pursuit. He learns that he potentially has much in common with Radha herself personally, as he learns the finer details of what the Baroness hopes to achieve. Kelvaren attempts the same with Tania, who balks at his offer for reasons of orientation, but nonetheless confesses her fears in the unwise fixation her mother and sister have in pursuing this quest.
Rewards Granted
| 2700/2700 | A/Rylanor | B/Ina B. | C/Brigid | T/Aodin | S/Kelvaren | Other Notes |
| A/Rynalor | X | 600 | 700 | 700 | 700 | Two Talents of Gold |
| B/Ina Brighthelm | 900 | X | 400 | 900 | 400 | Nothing Better to Do |
| C/Brigid Hildevard | 700 | 625 | X | 750 | 625 | Stories to be Told |
| T/Aodin of Eastfield | 600 | 900 | 600 | X | 600 | Darker Connections |
| S/Kelvaren of Mystralath | 800 | 550 | 550 | 800 | X | Darkerer Connections |
| 3000 | 2675 | 2250 | 3150 | 2325 |
Character(s) interacted with
Radha, Daughter of the Baroness
The eldest of the Baroness' twin daughters is very much like her mother, perhaps with even more aligned with life on the battlefield. She is a warrior-noble, through and through, capable in court and a fury on the field. An avowed hedonist and libertine, Radha has accrued a devoted retinue of Chosen Warriors and attendants who cleave to the same libidinous fatalism of young nobles at war. Radha prefers to be perceived as straightforward and easy to approach, though her inner life is riven with many of the same spiritual concerns and questions of heritage that the Baroness wears more openly. While she barely pays open lip-service to the goddesses and gods of the Pantheon, Radha lives her life in close proximity of divine forces that guide the fate of the Balduvian people. Radha believes the same things that her mother believes, and she is loyal to the passion that her mother has in her search for the truth of her people. An example of this is her belief, shared with her mother, that she has been cursed by one or more of the major goddesses of the Pantheon. As a result, her mother entered into an oath for both herself and her daughter, sealing it with a large tattoo of Seedrik's profane scripture that snakes across Radha's entire body. Tania, Daughter of the Baroness
The youngest twin daughter of the Baroness is not at all like either of her living relatives. It has been remarked that her personality is reminiscent of her deceased father and brothers, but never more than once in a while and in whispers. While her mother and her elder sister are very much warrior-leaders, Tania prefers the life of a courtly noble much in the same vein as the rest of the Kingdom. Like her mother, however, she is razor sharp of wit, possesses a prodigious education, and she can recall details from long ago that many forget in their most recent conversations. While Radha focuses on martial capability and her mother focuses on abstract issues of faith, fate and heritage, Tania is very much focused on the mundane aspects of rule: administration, taxation, logistics and other material concerns. Many have remarked that it has been her leadership that has vaulted her mother's treasury to the heights it has. If rumours are true, the treasury of Roanberg Castle is second only to that of the King and perhaps his Prime Minister. While she doesn't appear to be moved by the same passions of her mother or sister, Tania has done what she can to ensure that the approach they take isn't a foolhardy one. This is at the core of her misgivings about her mother's grand plan for her people. A student of history and antiquity, Tania fears that the derision of the High Elves is well-founded, and that the truth of the Balduvian people will only come to harm her mother, her sister and her people. Despite all that, she remains and works to ensure that her family and her people have the best chance at weathering the storm of truth that should remain unbidden. Captain Seras, Pike Captain of Abenton
Grizzled but personable, this foreigner from the Lakelands farther to the south of the Free Realms seems to be contracted to teach the Balduvians the peculiarities of massed infantry combat and the push of the pike. He is a veteran of combat against not only other human realms, but he helped to fight off the high elves during the siege of Adia, and served as a marine protecting cargo fleets from the predation of halfling pirates. Captain Seras is well-regarded by the Balduvians, but he is often the butt of many jokes given his thick southern accent and his full head of curly grey hair -- most war leaders are less than half his age here in Roanberg lands. Erinna, Battlemage of Abenton
Formerly a ranked battlemage from the Arcanum, Erinna is a renegade wizard protected only by the decree of the Countess and the Baroness. She works for the Baroness, supporting her endeavours with the magical capacity of a well-educated and veteran warmage. Known as a goblin fighter, she spent much of her time as an attaché to the dwarven legions of the Imperial Remnant farther to the east of the Free Realms. As a result, she tends to speak with the hint of a dwarven accent rather than one from her homelands to the south. Despite her position as a mage, she wears the boots and wields the gladius and carries the pack of an imperial legionary. She introduces herself cordially, and informs the party that it's likely that she'll accompany them in their future endeavours -- why else would the Baroness have her come to Roanberg at the same time?
The eldest of the Baroness' twin daughters is very much like her mother, perhaps with even more aligned with life on the battlefield. She is a warrior-noble, through and through, capable in court and a fury on the field. An avowed hedonist and libertine, Radha has accrued a devoted retinue of Chosen Warriors and attendants who cleave to the same libidinous fatalism of young nobles at war. Radha prefers to be perceived as straightforward and easy to approach, though her inner life is riven with many of the same spiritual concerns and questions of heritage that the Baroness wears more openly. While she barely pays open lip-service to the goddesses and gods of the Pantheon, Radha lives her life in close proximity of divine forces that guide the fate of the Balduvian people. Radha believes the same things that her mother believes, and she is loyal to the passion that her mother has in her search for the truth of her people. An example of this is her belief, shared with her mother, that she has been cursed by one or more of the major goddesses of the Pantheon. As a result, her mother entered into an oath for both herself and her daughter, sealing it with a large tattoo of Seedrik's profane scripture that snakes across Radha's entire body. Tania, Daughter of the Baroness
The youngest twin daughter of the Baroness is not at all like either of her living relatives. It has been remarked that her personality is reminiscent of her deceased father and brothers, but never more than once in a while and in whispers. While her mother and her elder sister are very much warrior-leaders, Tania prefers the life of a courtly noble much in the same vein as the rest of the Kingdom. Like her mother, however, she is razor sharp of wit, possesses a prodigious education, and she can recall details from long ago that many forget in their most recent conversations. While Radha focuses on martial capability and her mother focuses on abstract issues of faith, fate and heritage, Tania is very much focused on the mundane aspects of rule: administration, taxation, logistics and other material concerns. Many have remarked that it has been her leadership that has vaulted her mother's treasury to the heights it has. If rumours are true, the treasury of Roanberg Castle is second only to that of the King and perhaps his Prime Minister. While she doesn't appear to be moved by the same passions of her mother or sister, Tania has done what she can to ensure that the approach they take isn't a foolhardy one. This is at the core of her misgivings about her mother's grand plan for her people. A student of history and antiquity, Tania fears that the derision of the High Elves is well-founded, and that the truth of the Balduvian people will only come to harm her mother, her sister and her people. Despite all that, she remains and works to ensure that her family and her people have the best chance at weathering the storm of truth that should remain unbidden. Captain Seras, Pike Captain of Abenton
Grizzled but personable, this foreigner from the Lakelands farther to the south of the Free Realms seems to be contracted to teach the Balduvians the peculiarities of massed infantry combat and the push of the pike. He is a veteran of combat against not only other human realms, but he helped to fight off the high elves during the siege of Adia, and served as a marine protecting cargo fleets from the predation of halfling pirates. Captain Seras is well-regarded by the Balduvians, but he is often the butt of many jokes given his thick southern accent and his full head of curly grey hair -- most war leaders are less than half his age here in Roanberg lands. Erinna, Battlemage of Abenton
Formerly a ranked battlemage from the Arcanum, Erinna is a renegade wizard protected only by the decree of the Countess and the Baroness. She works for the Baroness, supporting her endeavours with the magical capacity of a well-educated and veteran warmage. Known as a goblin fighter, she spent much of her time as an attaché to the dwarven legions of the Imperial Remnant farther to the east of the Free Realms. As a result, she tends to speak with the hint of a dwarven accent rather than one from her homelands to the south. Despite her position as a mage, she wears the boots and wields the gladius and carries the pack of an imperial legionary. She introduces herself cordially, and informs the party that it's likely that she'll accompany them in their future endeavours -- why else would the Baroness have her come to Roanberg at the same time?
Created Content
A History Lesson
The Balduvians came to the Kingdom of Eos approximately one hundred years ago. They were wanderers, nomads who had lived as exiles and mercenaries. Fate smiled on their lot when they came across the siege of Roanberg Castle by a wing of the most massive goblinoid incursion recorded. They deployed and fought as if they were possessed by their War Goddess and inadvertently saved Tannith Vale from being overrun. Despite the relief, the original inhabitants of Roanberg Castle were captured by the horde and ritually consumed by the hobgoblin cabal at its head. The war to free Tannith Vale was hard fought, and many people died, but the crucible of war solidified the relationship between the Throne and the wood elves of the Tannithi Forest. It also secured a new homeland for the Balduvian people as the Relief at Roanberg was widely regarded as the event that turned the tide against the goblinoids. For their valour, and good timing, the leader of the Balduvians was granted the Barony of Roanberg with the blessing of the Count of Tannith Vale, and the grudging tolerance of the Church of the Divine King. The Balduvians took to their new homeland well, occupying the breadth of its lands and ensuring that it was a working and productive place. Roanberg Castle was rebuilt, but more as an armed camp than a fortified castle. The walls were hollowed out and further barracks were built on the outside of the walls as much as the inside. By the time the Baroness was born, the castle had been so modified that it ceased to be a fortress but held over one thousand warriors, and another thousand honoured elders. It was at this time that the Balduvians found that a Baron ruled their lot. This man was Lovisa's father, and he took control after his wife died in a breach childbirth. Quick to act, he converted to Church of the Divine King and betrothed Lovisa to a nobleman from Istvan's Reach. Upon his passing, the new Baron of Roanberg spent much of his time away from the lands he ruled and left Lovisa to rule unofficially in his stead. It was at this time that the teenage Lovisa bore her husband two sons and then twin daughters five and ten years after the sons. All during that time, Lovisa was viewed as the true leader of the Balduvians in the lands of Roanberg. She commanded respect and she led her troops to victory after victory against all manner of enemies: neighbouring opportunists, bandits, ogre tribes, and goblinoids. After one of these victories, she arrived home to find that her husband was waiting for her. Entering the Great Hall of Roanberg Castle, it was filled wall to wall with Balduvians paying witness to a troubling development. The Baron, whose name is never to be uttered, he was surrounded by Knights of the Order of St. Agall, the Church's Witchhunters. Her sons wore the black and yellow livery of their father as a Baron in Istvan's Reach, not the red and black of the Balduvian Wolf and Raven Banner. They were here to take command, and to do it in front of everyone. They made a mistake. After a litany of accusations, the Baron and his retinue attempted to take Lovisa and her daughters prisoner to stand trial in Istvan's Reach for witchcraft and heresy. They were stopped out of hand by the intervention of the Chosen of Lovisa and their retainers. Lovisa herself, with the help of her daughter Radha, cornered and slaughtered the Baron and their sons. Upon the end, Lovisa had the entryway shrine stripped of its Divine King statuary and restored the elder statues of the Queen of Heaven and the War Goddess with the Broken Visage with the severed heads of her husband and sons serving as their inaugural offerings. Ever since that time, Roanberg has been Balduvian in its culture and governance. Referred to now as Cold Eyes, the Baroness has ruled for a decade and has gone from strength to strength, victory to victory. Her most recent victory was borne of betrayal, yet again. With the tragic slaughter of nearly the entire household of the Count of Tannith Vale, the region found that its rulers were becoming female and turning away from the Church of the Divine King. With both the seat of the Count and the Barony of Roanberg commanded by heretical women owing more to the Old Faith, the faithful Barons rose up to assert the control of the true Church and ostensibly in the name of their King. It ended in their defeat, which solidified a balance of power favouring the Tannithi elves and their Countess, as well as the Balduvians and their Baroness. By the time it was all said and done, two of the three "rebel" Barons had been executed and they were to be replaced by the daughters of the Baroness, the twins Radha and Tania.
The Balduvians came to the Kingdom of Eos approximately one hundred years ago. They were wanderers, nomads who had lived as exiles and mercenaries. Fate smiled on their lot when they came across the siege of Roanberg Castle by a wing of the most massive goblinoid incursion recorded. They deployed and fought as if they were possessed by their War Goddess and inadvertently saved Tannith Vale from being overrun. Despite the relief, the original inhabitants of Roanberg Castle were captured by the horde and ritually consumed by the hobgoblin cabal at its head. The war to free Tannith Vale was hard fought, and many people died, but the crucible of war solidified the relationship between the Throne and the wood elves of the Tannithi Forest. It also secured a new homeland for the Balduvian people as the Relief at Roanberg was widely regarded as the event that turned the tide against the goblinoids. For their valour, and good timing, the leader of the Balduvians was granted the Barony of Roanberg with the blessing of the Count of Tannith Vale, and the grudging tolerance of the Church of the Divine King. The Balduvians took to their new homeland well, occupying the breadth of its lands and ensuring that it was a working and productive place. Roanberg Castle was rebuilt, but more as an armed camp than a fortified castle. The walls were hollowed out and further barracks were built on the outside of the walls as much as the inside. By the time the Baroness was born, the castle had been so modified that it ceased to be a fortress but held over one thousand warriors, and another thousand honoured elders. It was at this time that the Balduvians found that a Baron ruled their lot. This man was Lovisa's father, and he took control after his wife died in a breach childbirth. Quick to act, he converted to Church of the Divine King and betrothed Lovisa to a nobleman from Istvan's Reach. Upon his passing, the new Baron of Roanberg spent much of his time away from the lands he ruled and left Lovisa to rule unofficially in his stead. It was at this time that the teenage Lovisa bore her husband two sons and then twin daughters five and ten years after the sons. All during that time, Lovisa was viewed as the true leader of the Balduvians in the lands of Roanberg. She commanded respect and she led her troops to victory after victory against all manner of enemies: neighbouring opportunists, bandits, ogre tribes, and goblinoids. After one of these victories, she arrived home to find that her husband was waiting for her. Entering the Great Hall of Roanberg Castle, it was filled wall to wall with Balduvians paying witness to a troubling development. The Baron, whose name is never to be uttered, he was surrounded by Knights of the Order of St. Agall, the Church's Witchhunters. Her sons wore the black and yellow livery of their father as a Baron in Istvan's Reach, not the red and black of the Balduvian Wolf and Raven Banner. They were here to take command, and to do it in front of everyone. They made a mistake. After a litany of accusations, the Baron and his retinue attempted to take Lovisa and her daughters prisoner to stand trial in Istvan's Reach for witchcraft and heresy. They were stopped out of hand by the intervention of the Chosen of Lovisa and their retainers. Lovisa herself, with the help of her daughter Radha, cornered and slaughtered the Baron and their sons. Upon the end, Lovisa had the entryway shrine stripped of its Divine King statuary and restored the elder statues of the Queen of Heaven and the War Goddess with the Broken Visage with the severed heads of her husband and sons serving as their inaugural offerings. Ever since that time, Roanberg has been Balduvian in its culture and governance. Referred to now as Cold Eyes, the Baroness has ruled for a decade and has gone from strength to strength, victory to victory. Her most recent victory was borne of betrayal, yet again. With the tragic slaughter of nearly the entire household of the Count of Tannith Vale, the region found that its rulers were becoming female and turning away from the Church of the Divine King. With both the seat of the Count and the Barony of Roanberg commanded by heretical women owing more to the Old Faith, the faithful Barons rose up to assert the control of the true Church and ostensibly in the name of their King. It ended in their defeat, which solidified a balance of power favouring the Tannithi elves and their Countess, as well as the Balduvians and their Baroness. By the time it was all said and done, two of the three "rebel" Barons had been executed and they were to be replaced by the daughters of the Baroness, the twins Radha and Tania.
Report Date
30 Sep 2021
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