Conquering the Barbarian Altanis: Session 186
Adventurers
| Character | Race | Class | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaric | Human | Paladin level 3 | Big, doe eyed country boy with wavy blond hair and willingness to do the right thing. Paladin of Tyr. |
| Ambros | Human | Cleric level 7 | Follower of Aniu, Lord of Time. |
| Drokh | Human | Monk level 3 | A tall, lean human monk with piercing eyes, weathered skin, and a warrior’s poise—calm and charismatic, he speaks with purpose and strikes with precision, wielding spear, bow, and blade. |
| Heinrik | Human | Magic-user level 2 | Muscular mage with short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. |
| Ignaeus | Elf | Fighter level 4 / magic-user level 5 | An arrogant and self-assured sellsword wandering Wilderlands to prove he can best anyone. |
| Jacob Vin | Human | Assassin level 3 | Slick black hair, inconspicuous dress, youthful for his age, and of keen instincts. |
| Julius | Human | Ranger level 1 | A short king covered in bushy hair and green moss. |
| Kenso San | Human | Fighter level 2 | An arrogant and self-assured sellsword wandering Wilderlands to prove he can best anyone. |
| Kho Rimbo | Human | Magic-user level 3 | A knife throwing wizard extraordinaire. Covered in ritual knife scars. Cuts himself whilst casting. Prone to being sarcastic. |
| Minako Konishi | Human | Monk level 3 | Pretty Karakan with grace of a panther and shrewdness of a fox. Silk sash holds here loose trousers in place, while loose jacket rounds up her exotic look. |
| Syd Grundy | Human | Fighter level 3 | Tall, middle aged and scruffy looking man of the wilderness. |
| Tam o' Shanter | Human | Cleric level 4 | A boisterous wine-lover of Losborst on a Great Crusade of the Grape. |
| Thorinda Bung | Human | Monk level 3 | She has blonde hair done up in a tight pony tail and wears light, loose suit. |
| Thorm | Dwarf | Dighter level 2 / thief level 3 | Ashen hair, beard, and eyes. Left his own clan due to financial trouble. |
| Tosk | Human | Fighter level 1 | Extremely large muscular man with pot belly; cagey about his intentions and past; seeking fortune. |
| Warmund Abendeurer | Human | Fighter level 2 | A burly blonde barbarian; Wilbalt's older brother and the stronger of the two. |
| Wilbalt Abendeurer | Human | Fighter level 2 | A burly blonde barbarian; Warmund's younger brother and a better swordsman of the two. |
Gloomfrost 20th, Spiritday
It was noon. Last day of the last month of the year. Entire population of Ironburg, a mining thorp sitting at the northern border of Kingdom of Hara, crowded in the newly built longhouse.
Baron of Ironburg, a large, muscle-bound man called Sig of Dostrogoths, sat in his wooden throne. He was sullen and of ill mood. His muscles were tense. Next to him sat people he trusted most: Rupert Ironwill, a bishop of Tyr; Bertha of Dostrogoths, Sig's shadow; Vimaro, a vicar of Mitra; and his two trusted seers, Lamprecht and Daltz. Red Wizard Crus was given a special seat.
Across the baron, at the end of a long table, stood Ambros. He stood there, for he was brought here to hear his sentencing. He had submitted himself to fate; whatever it might bring. He had time to prepare. He had time to meditate. He had time to pray.
Ironwill stood up, and cleared his throat. Masses went quiet.
“We have gathered today, on this fine day, to share three proclamations from the Benevolent Wizard-King Klekess Racoba! First, we shall deal with the man standing before us, Ambros ap Mortain. By his own admission, Ambros is guilty of treason against the King, and the people!”
Ironwill went on and on. Ambros listened in silence. He and others had a moment to catch-up with Heinrik, whom had returned from Hara around midnight. “From what I understood, Ambros will get to live. Something will happen, but he will live. That is what Crus told me. Sig is unhappy about something, but I do not know what.”
“Ambros, by great mercy of our Wizard-King Klekess Racoba, you are exiled from the Kingdom of Hara! Anyone can kill you, facing no consequences! In fact, they would do our Kingdom a great favour!” Ironwill spoke loudly, each word uttered with great conviction and passion.
“Paladin of Tyr!” Ironwill turned to Alaric “It is only fitting you deliver justice!” A bowl of thick, black liquid was brought forth. Alaric was given a sharpened tusk. “Tattoo a mark of traitor upon the forehead of that animal over there.”
Alaric took both and went over to Ambros. “Forgive me.” he whispered, as he penetrated the skin of former High Priest of Forseti again, and again, and again. Blood and ink flew down the cleric's forehead, down his face, down his neck, and onto his chest.
“Men! Women! Children! Behold this animal before us! Yes, animal! Debased and rightsless, no better than a rabid dog!”
Loud coughs interrupted Ironwill. It was Old Crus.
“Oh, yes. Animal known as Ambros is now a slave to the Red Wizard Crus.”
Ambros spoke up “Ahem. How can I be both exiled and enslaved to Crus? I mean, Crus lives right here, in Ironburg?”
“Silence, cur!” Ironwill muttered “Chase him out! Chase him out like a rabid dog he is!” and to that the crowd booed Ambros, and threw stones, and hit him with clubs and sticks. Ambros attempted to maintain composure, and some semblance of dignity. Alas, his attempts failed them, but the scribe could not bear to write down the details.
Adventurers were mixed in with the crowd. Nearly twenty of them, ready to cause hell, and die for their friend should such fate befall them. But they stood in the silence of crowd cheering and chanting at the bloody spectacle.
Rupert continued speaking. There were two more proclamations for the king. Iron ore production must double by the summer. Barony was granted a coat of arms. Kho Rimbo slurred something along the lines of “ghhhlyy” while slobbering saliva and blood over himself. He too was treated no better than Ambros, having been sentenced to brank's bridle.
As evening came, Sig stood up and announced that a week-long Year's End celebration shall begin. This was welcomed with uproarious approval from all those present. Wilbalt and Warmund went hard on drinks, food, and games; Tosk kept up; Julius opted to focus on the food and games; Thorm, Ignaeus, Minako, tracked Ambros down and then hung out with him; Alaric orbited Sig to get to know the man better; Thorinda mopped a bit but then got down to party; Jacob spent time writing notes on specific cruelties of the region; Tam got pissed big; Kho hid in a hole and wept.
Thawmist 1st, Airday
Ambros learned the price of his life from Old Crus.
“I have no use of you as a slave. This was merely need to humiliate you further. You are free, I don't care for you being here. For my services I want just one thing. Yukanthur's spell book.”
Ambros communed with his god Aniu, the Lord of Time.
He prepared three questions.
He received five answers.
That is between him and his god.
Thawmist 2nd, Airday
A party of seven—Wilbalt, Tosk, Julius, Alaric, Ignaeus, Jacob Vim, and Tam—returned to the ruins of Castle Yukanthur. They did not return to seek what Ambros needed. No, they came back for the secret chamber full of stone jars filled with delightful treasure and deadly gas.
It took them a full day, but they managed to extract everything that was worth it: two thousand silver pieces, one thousand gold pieces, a jar filled to the top with spiced honey, a jar—jealously guarded by Tam—filled to the top with red wine, three vials filled with pus-like substance, and three golden necklaces adorned with gems.
Adventurers returned, with no losses, to Ironburg by noon of Thawmist 3rd, Earthday.
Thawmist 8th, Earthday
Immediately after returning, Tam began organising a huge house warming party. After all, adventurers' humble townhouse had just been built. Roughly three thousand square feet of home! Some were suspicious—will people be interested in more festivities after the biggest festival of the year?
“Leave it to the vicar of Losborst!”
Everyone was invited. And everyone showed up! Well, nearly everyone. Old Crus refused but sent a little gift via Heinrik “A single drop of this will make you drunk within seconds. No headache, no hangover. But only a single drop!” Ambros remained hiding in Crus's tower, much to the wizard's annoyance. Ignaeus kept him company. Kho Rimbo was hiding somewhere in the bushes around Ironburg.
The party was a total toss up. Everyone had amazing time. Heinrik took a drop of Crus's drink, by mixing it into his wine. Within moments he felt like he was cruising on people. Tam, seeing that, drank the whole vial, just like that. Losborst himself materialised next to him, and they continued to party like gods do. Alas, to others, Tam crumpled to the ground, soiling his finest toga.
Tosk and Thorm once more focused on mingling with Sig. That paid off as the dwarf began working on a potential deal with the baron.
Nobody died.
Adventures began dreaming of all the supplies they could procure from New Hara. They assembled a wishlist. Their bellies were full, house warm, and coffers full.
But the question remains—will their new home burn down to the ground as well? Or they have learned something from their past deeds that will allow them to create a different future for themselves?
Poster by Lord Jubalon Flux.
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