Solara Nightwood

Just a quirky, somewhat oblivious, Aasimar Druid making her way through the known world.

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Into the Politics in Galacia
10th of Ürgatsi, 150 Modern Era

Summary

10 Ürgatsi

  • Count Rafael arrives in Galacia. He is distraught.
  • His arrival coincides with rumours about a peasant who's taken it upon himself to rule, and that the Queen will step in.
  • Not long after his arrival, we hear from Vimara's men that the hearing between him and Rafael with the Queen will begin in an hour, and we've been requested to join the audience.
  • Vimara and Rafael go at it in Queen Isabel II's halls. She is not happy that Rafael poorly governed the area of Corona del Sol.
  • We suggest that Vimara be declared a baron, so that he is entrusted to protect the area and that Rafael can levy the area in wartime. It would allow for peacetime development.
  • The thing is, Vimara has governed the region effectively. Isabel wants to maintain stability.
  • We reach an agreement wherein 10% of gold will be set aside for Rafael. Isabel needs a minimum of 100 men to be called Corona del Sol, in addition to what Rafael is currently providing. His obligation will go down by the same amount.
  • I also bring up our interest in taking formal ownership of Fort Alonso - she says that if we continue to prove ourselves out there, that possibility is on the horizon. Also, she kinda cute though?
  • Solvayn gets information on Quintilliano, the Bandit that Held us Up
  • Dossier on the guy on how he came to power. He and his bandits move around a lot, evading capture.
  • Marek asks the Captain of the Guard about the Wizard Camila, but turns up nothing.
  • We check back with Queen Isabel. She doesn't recall at first, but after her memory is triggered, she never dealt with her personally. Amadeo was the person in charge of wizards for the Queen. We should talk to him or others who worked with him.

    • 11 Ürgatsi

  • We set off to find Quintilliano, last known to be in the Gadaz region.
  • We travel to Castellon de Salienda. We stop at a shitty tavern.

    • 12 Ürgatsi

  • Passing travelers on the road.
  • First group tells me that he last heard the bandits moved to Gadaz
  • Second group has people in armour, probably mercs.
  • Third group, with a cart with several guards. Cart is big. They pull to the side and flank the cart as we pass by on horseback. The person on the wagon waves back to Estice. They tell us that Quintilliano fled after hearing a band of mercs was after him (perhaps that group earlier).
  • We exchange goods, a vial of honey and 20gp for a potion of slipperiness.
  • Fourth group, more peasants.
  • We arrive in Gadaz just after dark.
  • On arrival, we run into gossip regarding Quintilliano. No one seems to know where he's going. North? South? West? No one agrees. The only confirmed position is a few days ago, in the east, moving south.
  • The guard I asked thinks he's split his group up and is trying to throw people off.
  • We get settled in the town and start planning.
  • Solvayn suggests I turn into an eagle and scout out the town.
  • Estice uses Scrying to successfully Quintilliano is most likely south. The camp they have set up has no fire, and is extremely low to the ground.

    • Non-Player Characters

  • Count Rafael of Solana del Rio
  • Vimara of Corona del Sol
  • Carlos the Merchant

    • Locations

  • Castellon de Salienda
    • Galacia
    Settlement | Nov 3, 2022

    Established during the Aeillan Era, the city of Galacia rapidly grew to become Gallaca's capital, and its largest city.

    Bringing Vimara to the Queen
    4th of Ürgatsi, 2252

    Summary

    2 Ürgatsi

    I transform into a raven to scout ahead. I manage to find a route with rough terrain I should be able to get most of them through in a single file. I spot a patrol heading towards us on the eastern approach.  

    3 Ürgatsi

    On our way to bring Vimara to Galacia, in bandit country, a "traveller" with a cloak accosts us for 500gp. Solvayn is only willing to offer 100, and tries to insult him, but isn't successful.   Our camp this night is far nicer, as my basic and cramped lean-to wasn't good enough.  

    4 Ürgatsi

    Vimara's people killed a deer the previous night and we eat a venison breakfast. The day passes uneventfully, and we make it to Castellon de Salienda. Vimara puts us up in a proper inn. We enjoy the proper food and drink.   We continue westward, moving into more stable land, under the proper control of Gallacan authorities. Towns and villages are frequent, with many farms along the river and sans bandits. Civilisation.   By evening we reach Galacia. Upon arrival, Vimara's men announce themselves to the guards, having sent word ahead to Queen Isabel II Tortega.  

    Non-Player Characters

    Bandit

    Quintilliano - Bandit King, bit of an ego, a fan of duels. Resolves squabbles among his people that way.  

    Locations

  • Castellon de Salienda

  • Hunting Party
    33rd of Garugana, 150

    Summary

    32nd of Garugana

    Our first dawn Corona del Sol
  • We wake up in Vimara's residence and ask Vimara about the lay of the land
  • mentions a weird sound coming from the mountain peaks that have the superstitious people up in arms
  • tanner's son is still missing, his hunting trip has gone on for a week, folks say that's not unusual but Tanner swears something's wrong
    • Checking in with the Tanner
  • We make our way to the Tannery to follow Vimara's lead
  • Javier, the Tanner tells us a bit about the local folklore
  • last few years, we've been hearing weird sounds from the mountain. Rumoured to be undead.
  • He fears that it has something to do with his son, and thanks us for looking into it.
  • Solvayn gives Vimara the contract with the Count Raphael of Solana del Rio as a "souvenir".
    • Hunting the Hunter
  • Javier told us about a stream that the hunters followed into the mountains.
  • The east-west stream flows from the mountains to the east, which we follow
  • Solvayn expertly tracks the paths of the hunters, or someone a few days ago and went further.
  • He sees that they were weighed down more than the normal traffic and went further. Lots of panning spots account for the relatively high traffic we find.
  • We pass a handful of panners along the way. We ask one of these groups about who else might have passed by.
  • One of the panners mentions a hunting party of 4 people, frequent hunters in the area. The panner waved at them and kept to his business.
  • He's not too concerned about the sounds from the mountain, attributing it to the wind.
  • By around midafternoon, the only remaining tracks are the four hunters. We continue to follow.
  • After crossing the stream, the tracks go up a steep hill into rougher terrain, breaking from the stream.
  • We lost the trail, but pick it back up with a bit of work.
  • Eventually, we come across a camp. A handful of bags littered outside the two tents, with a rig in the trees with four deer carcasses.
  • The camp looks like it was abandoned in haste, at first glance to Solvayn.
  • The hunting party looks like it scattered in four different directions. Most are two individual tracks, part of a set, in each direction. 1, 2, and 3 all have tracks roughly the same age. 4 is distinct and has four tracks, as opposed to two. Of these, two look older and two look more recent.
    • Making Camp
  • We utilize a perfectly good camp.
  • I check path no. 1, to the east. After a minute, I find a hunting post at the top of a tree, clearly, someone has been there recently and it is used frequently. Looks like I'm relatively close to the source.
  • Blake takes path no. 2. No clear signs of anything. Less used than path no. 1
  • Solvayn checks path no. 3. It goes back down the mountain slope a bit, before reaching a somewhat open field. A meadow perhaps.
  • Estice checks path no. 4. It immediately becomes treacherous. Snow. Ice. Signs of proper climbing equipment from ages past. She notices a rather large footprint, big enough to lie down in.
  • She casts sending to Solvayn, who gets the rest of us and we bolt to the footprint.
  • "Big footprint. Much snow. Very scary." - Estice
  • Kalo observes that the shape of the footprint is not quite in the shape of a human or elf. It's not totally dissimilar. Four toes point forward, but instead of a big toe in front, it's off to the side of the foot. It looks almost like an ape or human. It's definitely bipedal, according to Kalo.
  • There's another footprint about 10ft ahead. It leads in the same direction as the hunter's footprints and is more recent.
  • We make our way back to the camp. Typical shifts for watch. We plan to wake up at 6am.
    • During the Night
  • Estice has an uneventful watch.
  • I hear that scream and howling sound that people have mentioned. It comes from the summit to the north, IE the 4th path.
  • Blake has an uneventful watch.
  • Solvayn has an uneventful watch and pokes at the fire during his shift.
  • Kalo notices "something" right at the camp. It gets really close before he notices. After looking for a moment, he realizes it's likely a human crawling its way back to camp.
  • He wakes the Cleric, as his skills are "cast fireball and lie". Estice sees the person, Ludovico, just in time for them to croak "help me".
  • Estice heals him, and with heavy breaths, Ludovico asks who we are.

    • 33rd of Garugana

    Starting before Sunrise
  • Estice wakes up Solvayn with a light right in the career soldier's face.
  • Ludovico tells us about a giant white hairy thing that the others are fighting, and that there might not be time for us to rest until sunrise.
  • Me and Kalo use the salvaged climbing gear to follow the Yeti's tracks, while the rest of the party free climbs.
  • The goal, for now, is to find its lair and mark it.
  • We find more footprints and great big blood stains in the snow. I notice a finger and upon closer examination, I see there's a ring on it.
  • After a little while, we notice more signs of struggle: a ribcage, picked clean of flesh.
  • We ascend another cliff.
  • Solvayn & Blake don't struggle.
  • Estice is old, and that previous climb took a lot out of her.
  • I walk up the cliff after remembering I have the Spider Climb spell. Sprouting 6 additional legs, I simply walk up the cliff.
    • Outside the Yeti's Lair
  • Blake scouts ahead.
  • finds a human hanging upside down.
  • finds a pile of bones and possessions
  • Blake, unable to get them down, rushes and gets us.
  • In my spider walk form, I walk up the ceiling and barrel right for the poor chap. He's mortified by the eldritch horror that I am.
  • After silence is cast, I unhook the guy's legs from the spikes in the ceiling.
  • After freeing the guy, the Yeti comes upon us and attacks.
  • We kill it, and I tend to the survivor.
  • We each get matching coats from the Yeti. We look dope as HELL (and also with some cold resistance).
  • We get some gold, some weapons, and whatnot. Ask Ben for details later

    • Non-Player Characters

    Hunting Party

    Tanner's Son - Juancho Other hunters - Salvador, Victor, Ludovico  

    People in Corona del Sol

    Tanner - Javier Count Vimara  

    New Lore

    Spell Details

    PHB: P. 277

    Spider Climb (Getninia)

    2-level Transmutation

    Ritual - does not require spell slot, takes 10 minutes longer
    Casting Time: 1 action
    Range/Area: Touch
    Components: V, S, M
    Materials: a drop of bitumen and a spider
    Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
    Að pínulítill litli kónguló Klifraði upp vatn spretta Niður kom rigning Og þvo kónguló út kom sól Og þurrkað upp alla rigninguna Og örlítið litli kónguló Klifraði upp spretta aftur
    – A verbal incantion of the spell

    Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch gains the ability to move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving its hands free. The target also gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed.
    Circle of the Land - Mountain
    Druids of the Circle of the Mountains learned how to transmute themselves into a spider-like form, sprouting additional legs that stablise their climbing.
    Available for: Artificer, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Druid (Circle of the Land - Mountain)

    Mar 19
    31st of Garugana, 150

    A local peasant (Vimara of Corona del Sol) has accumulated himself enough wealth to fancy himself a count. The Solana del Rio count doesn't care for this and has asked us to deal with it.   We're a couple of miles from the town by the end of the day. Marek and Solvayn do a pretty good job setting up camp, hidden away in the trees a bit.   The Following Day Marek buys a shirt.   The local peasant, Vimara, fook care of a bandit problem by raising a levy of soldiers and taking care of it. Estice eavesdrops on some locals gossiping about it.   I pay 2 silver to the barkeep to find out about the levy. Some sheep were going missing, Count Vimara raised a levy and dealt with them "judiciously". He's been running things around del Sol for a year or so. Four years before that the townspeople found gold. Barkeep tells us that Vimbara's fam has long been a fixture in the town.   We make our way to the "Count", in the largest building in the center of town. It's a nice building with glass windows. Definitely predating how long he's been called Count Vimbara.   After surrendering our weapons, we're lead into a room with 5 chairs. Count Vimbara sits at the far end of the table.

    Feb 26 Session
    29th of Garugana, 150

    Solana del Rio

    Month of Garugana, 150 NE

    After turning in the person who was tailing us, we are summoned to the guy to give us our contract. The Mage (our handler) who works for the Queen of Gallaca who hired us pays us the 3,000 gold. He brings up another contract, 2,000 for the dismemberment of the cabal of mages that seek to overthrow the nobility in the area.   The Afternoon We're told to go to the basement of a two-story building, with a shop, told that it's base of operations. We get there just around 1 pm. Blake goes inside to scope out the shop, a vegetable stall whose proprietor is just being paid for the use of his basement. He tells Blake that they meet at 5 pm. We discuss what to do near some crates across the way.   We go to the town guard to inform them that we'll be raiding the basement, telling them we'll need the building's residents evacuated after 5. While we wait, I monger some of my honey, selling 9 vials to fascinated commoners. (+9 CP!)   Evening I continue to pretend to monger my honey, while the others take up various positions, some in plain sight, while Blake hides. It's not the greatest line of sight, but I can see Blake from my vantage point. Marek is nearby, pretending to shop. A previously-described cloaked figure arrives, plus two other cloaked figures, one taller and one shorter arrive. The first figure scans the area but gives no indication that they've detected us.   The Raid A halfling cackles and shoots lightning at us as soon as Solvayn bursts through the entrance and orders them to the ground.   Back at the Castle I pay my six employees 10gp each, one of them complains about how they feel like the bees are always watching them. I invite a couple of them with me to come with me on my next job.

    Investigating Camilla's History
    26th of Garugana, 2252

    Estice use's Speak with Dead to ask Camilla some questions. Her simulacra tell us that Arakel heard her complaints about the effectiveness of the Order. HE pulled her aside and said those were dangerous things to say. They began meeting regularly, and after a while, he introduced her to "others" who disagreed with the order of kings and the nobles that served them. To create a society where you have to have power (arcane, natural, divine, martial, etc) in order to be in charge.   Marek goes to get coffee. He feels like he's being watched during the time.

    Solana del Rio
    24th of Garugana

    The Session

  • We check in with Solvayn's contact to let him know we cleared out the necromancer. He told us to come back in two days.
    • Two days later
  • He tells us he wants information about why Camila turned to necromancy. Find her co-conspirators, if any.
  • We visit the archives in Solana, to see what Camila was rumoured to have reviewed.
  • We find a book about a warlord Alonso. He intended to use the forces of magic and brute force to their full effect.
  • We also find a scroll, from someone underneath Alonso, describing the means and methods of how they sought to gain and establish power in the region. Besides the mages and warriors, there was a lack of foot soldiers. The person writes that the peasants could be levied, but that they were bad at their jobs.
  • It describes how Alonso turned to necromancy to try to fill this gap in strength. It details the acquisition of components and corpses, and that they will use this strategy in their next engagement.
  • Blake encounters Arakel at the bar in Solana.

    • New Lore

    The Nimearan Warlords were quite common in the era after the fall of the Yulan-Tai (757 AS). Their squabbles enabled Aeillan and Gallacan colonisation (1300-1400s). The last warlords were defeated by the 1500s.
  • Alonso (potential namesake of my fort?) was a warlord 600 years ago, he believed nobles in the area were squandering their power and failing to use it properly. Being a jack of all trades, he considered himself to be using everything at his disposal. He wanted to stop arbitrary decision-making, believing skill and merit should decide station in life. He bit off more than he could chew and the nobles banded together. His corpse was drawn and quartered and spread across the region.

    • Infiltrating the Necromancer's Lair
    18th of Garugana, 150

    The Catacombs are inside a mountain in the Odrics, approximately two thirds of the way between Porzuña & Solana del Rio, closer to the latter.
  • I scout ahead in mouse shape while the others fight several skeletons.
  • We find a room that looks like it caved in. We push through the rest of the cave.
  • Having joined us at our camp the previous night, Blake, a human woman tries to listen in on the voices I heard. She trips on a rock and draws the attention of everyone.
  • She tries to say shes new here
  • we hear someone yell "intruder" and "bullshit"
  • fight!
  • we find a note
    • Stay in the cave, and don't go poking your nose in local villages. You have more than enough corpses here and we don't need the attention
  • Blake looks around
  • The room we're in seems to be a former ceremonial camber turned quarters, barebones amenities, and not much in possessions
  • a few spell components
  • several tunnels that shoot off to various burial areas
  • Forward from where we came, we find what seems like the boss room after poking around a bit more.
    • Session Two
  • We find a woman, Estice, in the catacombs, a cleric who'd heard rumors of a necromancer in the caves
  • She can't fight the necromancer but can stop them from turning bodies into the undead
  • We track down the necromancer in her main hall, and fighting ensues. Solvayn 1v1s a knight
  • We kill Necromancer Camilla pretty quickly, and Solvayn cuts her head for proof.
  • We check out the one section of the dungeon we missed. We approach it and start to hear otherworldly sounds.
  • While taking a vote to determine if we're pushing forward, I get walloped by a Wraith, as it emerged from the wall. Drained my life force. 0/10 would not recommend it.
    • Session Three
  • We went back to the hollowed ground to take a short rest and catch our breath.
  • We went back to our earlier location, and find a small room with a lot of undead.
  • Kalo al-Enok cast a fireball and annihilated most of them, sparing a single wraith. The wraith tried to attack but then @14 Marek with a holy hammer and took it out with a single blow.
  • We visited a tomb of a king and Estice spoke with them, asking their spirit questions. We found the tomb had a curse put on it to protect the King's tomb and he did not wish to be relocated to the capital and wished to remain buried on the mountain and left his tomb untouched, for now.
  • Ghost of Emmanuel says some real self-righteous bullshit about Just rule being about harsh penalties for stealing bread.
  • We went further down the cave and were attacked by figures peering out of the walls and Estice's detect magic prevented them from totally ambushing us by surprise.
  • We detect a curse in the fancy burial chamber.
    • Back in Solana del Rio
  • We fulfilled our contracts.
  • I offer Blake to stay in Fort Alonso, with a spare room.

    • Solvayn's employer - Solana del Rio
    17th of Garugana, 150

  • Solvayn's employer informs him that Camilla, one of the lower-ranking members of their religious order, has turned to necromancy
  • (I find it suspicious that they hide their religious affiliation and dodge the question of who Camilla was)
  • We're sent to a barrow a day or so's travel south of Solana del Rio, the halfway point between it and Porzuña.
  • Solvayn purchases 5 bottles of holy water.
  • We have a great herbed venison meal at our camp on the way to the barrow.
    • the next day
  • we move off the main road onto a poorly maintained country path
  • I find another deer, but I don't know the locale as well so it's not as nicely seasoned.
  • I wild shape into a mountain goat and jump my way up the mountain to the barrow.
  • I see that there's a bunch of boulders falling and hopping out of the way. Afterwards, I locate a cave.
  • While setting up camp, we can hear the sound of pickax on stone. I shape into a mouse. I see carving and rooms. It definitely seems to be a barrow/mine. I find two skeletons trying to bust through a wall. I report my findings back.

    • Another week, another bandit
    16th of Garugana, 150

    10th of Garugana After executing Narek and his 2nd, Lord Sancho informs us that he may have more work for us in a week. We head back with my four indentured servants employed bandits, and we set to getting Fort Alonso in order. I bring my cart and bee hives, and set them up in the courtyard, making an impromptu apiary. I also try to get to know my slaves prisoners with jobs, one of them says they like salted pork.   After a week, Sancho II sends a messenger summoning us to his Castle again, to clean up some loose ends with more bandits.   At Porzuña, at Castille de Mata, Sancho II meets with us immediately. An ambitious bandit leader, Antonio, with spellcasting abilities is thorn in Sancho II's side and was one of the late Narek's rivals. 10 for each underlying. 200 for Antonio. Convincing him to leave would be adequate.   They always move their camp, especially now that we've settled in Fort Alonso, according to my literate employee, Enzo.   Antonio, who formerly occupied Fort Alonso, didn't get along with Narek. A mix of personal, and a mix of business. He was gunning for leadership in Narek's group and took some of Narek's people with him when he fled, about a year ago. We check (Solara: Investigation 21) out Antonio's old bunk, and we find a lockbox (locked) behind a loose brick in the wall.   Enzo finds 20 gold in the lockbox after picking the lock, along with an assortment of spell components and a war mage wand.   11th of Garugana After meeting with Elder Juan (and hinting that I would be a better, more favourable protector than Lord Sancho II), we set off to scout for Antonio. I turn into a raven, but it's hard to see anything and I determine a nighttime flight might be better.   Once I rejoin the group, someone new is there just to see me transform back into a person. Solvayn Lance, pursuing Antonio from a bounty from another interested party, tracked our path, believing it was the bandits, but found that it was us. He's been after this bounty for a week and has been tracking them from across Gallaca.   After heading for Solvayn's camp, I make another attempt to scout. I see the dim light of a small camp. There are 5 people at a small campfire, one of whom is upset that the others are taking so long to make their preparations for the night.   We move forward, Solvayn going ahead and declaring himself to be from the Gallacan Army, and that the bandits have been surrounded. Surprisingly, Antonio surrenders. We take him prisoner, and on the way back I strip him of all his possessions that could be used for spell casting. 12th of Garugana We hand him over to Sancho II, who decides to execute him the following day. We return to Fort Alonso for the night. 13th of Garugana Antonio escaped his cell, likely using the spell misty step, which was in his spellbook. We track him to a place in the woods, me as a bloodhound following his trail of blood from the tower he escaped from. We kill Antonio - we took his head to get the 2nd ransom paid.   16th of Garugana After picking up another employee, Alphonso, my now-5 bandits head back to Fort Alonso to continue cleaning up and getting the Fort in order. We take 3 days journey to Solana del Rio and put ourselves up in a local inn.

    Nope. This was not a winning fight.
    2nd of Garugana, 150

    -Dropped Narek and broke his leg -Kalo & I are captured after a series of bad moves in battle. -Marek absconded to the base. -Narek wants to hire us (because we killed 9 of his people) or kill us. He wants to remove Sancho from power.
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    Character
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    Getninia
    Author
    trekman10
    Publication Date
    20 Nov, 2022
    Creation Date
    20 Nov, 2022
    Last Update Date
    20 Nov, 2022
    Visibility
    Public
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