Tuesday 30th April 2024.
The 3rd campaign for the S.C.A.G. or Sword Coast Adventurers Group.
The characters for this adventure are:
Seraphina: A female human Rogue from the Trielta Hills.
Elysande: A male Goliath Fighter from the Sunset Mountains.
Daemon: A male Half Elf Sorcerer from Baldurs Gate.
Brielle: A female Wood Elf Cleric from Sella’Serin, located in the southern portion of The Reaching Woods.
Brielle, leaving your home and travelling north via Scornubel , Triel and Soubar you arrived in Boareskyr Bridge a few days ago with a caravan. You have taken lodgings in the local inn. You are a healer by trade. You worked your passage as a healer and the caravan owner was a kind man who gave you advice. The first was never to trust anyone, second was to wear a cloak with a hood. He had an old travelling cloak that he gave you for this purpose. You are looking for possible employment to further your aim of finding the lost healing tome.
Barlyn: A male Dwarf fighter from Scornubel.
Tenver: A Wood Elf Ranger from Baldurs Gate.
Zinella: A male Human Paladin from Baldurs Gate.
The campaign start point is the small settlement of Boareskyr Bridge.
1. Start
point: Boareskyr Bridge: Was the crossing over the Winding Water connecting
Soubar, Triel and Scornubel to Waterdeep and the Trade Way.
2. To the east of the bridge stands Heartwing Estate
the personal residence of Aluena Halacanter.
3. A small village/town has grown up around the bridge
and Fort Tamal, built on the site of the previous Bridgefort.
4. Fort Tamal is home to members of the Order of the
Companion Paladins from Eltugard.
5. The Paladins provide escort from the bridge north
to Dragonspear Castle, where the Trade Way becomes a more formal road and south
to Soubar to pick up the road of the Trade Way.
6. The southerner Adi Abba Adidas, a trader, has
settled here and opened a merchant business selling fine goods.
7. Frequent visitors to the settlement are the group
of Halfling travellers called the Grinning Ponies. They normally set up camp
near to the settlement.
8. There is but one inn at Boareskyr Bridge called the
Travellers Rest.
9. There is a thriving market but goods are not cheap.
(During the daytime 2 ale tents can be found here).
10. There is a large area for caravans to rest just
outside the village.
11. The bridge is constructed of black granite.
12. Historical: Main threats are from Goblin/Hobgoblin tribes. Orcs are not numerous. There have been incidents of the odd Troll and many woodland creature/monster/animals etc. A group of paladins disappeared many years ago, supposedly by serpent folk.
BOARESKYR BRIDGE (including the Paladin customs station)
Young Zinalla Crassis , of House Crassis of Baldurs Gate,
has completed his initial training as a Paladininus Aspirantus in the Fortress
of the Order of the Companions in Eltugard.
He has been assigned a position, as Incumbentum Paladininus Aspirantus,
under Captain Roland Harkonion, Commander of the Paladin detachment at
Boareskyr Bridge.
On arrival, being the ‘new’ member and the youngest, he was
given many daily mundane tasks to complete. His duties included:
·
Counting travellers, noting point of origin and
destination.
·
Checking through countless wagons of goods for
contraband.
·
Night guard duty, of which he did many.
·
Ensuring escort patrols were correctly
provisioned from the stores.
·
And anything else, mundane and boring of course,
Captain Harkonion wanted him to do.
·
Captain Harkonion had a nickname which none of
the garrison would utter anywhere in earshot of the Captain, this was Captain
Onion. His duties always brought tears to the eyes.
·
The Paladin garrison numbers 35.
·
Law and order in Boareskyr Bridge is left to the
inhabitants.
·
Rarely do the Paladins get involved unless they
stumble upon something directly.
It was during a very busy time of caravan escorts that
Captain Harkonion, resigned to the fact the only free Paladin he had left to
give this unpleasant task to was of course young Zinalla.
Captain: “Ah, young Zinalla.
I have a very important task for you. Now if you complete this successfully,
with no mishaps, it may go well for you in my next report to Eltugard. Now
before you thank me, you will be on your own…….well only in so far as you will
be the only member of the Order of the Companion Paladins. However you will
represent the order in all respects and whatever you do, in whatever way will
reflect directly onto the Order and your family.”
He paused….
“Now, there has come from the headman, Old Baelin, of the
village of Whispering Wood about 15 miles east into the Forest of Wyrms from
here, a message for assistance. It would seem their healer, who also supplies
us with healing potions, has gone missing. I know you are not a Ranger, a
tracker or…well anything…yet, but you may find in the inn some locals or
strangers that you can, how shall I put it…..ah yes, persuade, to assist you.
The woods can be dangerous so I would suggest taking a healer with you. I hear
there is a newly arrived healer at the inn. A couple of fighting men might give
you an edge should you run into any trouble, one of the locals might act as a
guide, be nice! Find some ingenious way
to get others to accept being hired without them actually knowing that, but
once accepted they have an obligation under the law to provide assistance. I
would think you would need no more than a day to get there; 3 to complete the
task and 1 to return. So don’t go overboard with payment, 5sp per ‘volunteer’
would ensure they are ‘hired’ for the duration plus I’m sure the village Hetman
will have some kind of reward. Now as we are awaiting our pay on the next
caravan I suggest you use your own coin, I am sure you have plenty and you will
be reimbursed upon your successful return, I repeat successful return, oh and
take that hulk of a rock breaker with you, the one with the girls name, he’s
eating the kitchen out of rations and as I have no one to spare as a guard with
a rotation take the gambler who we have under our protection…….only don’t let
her dupe you”.
Zinella: "Ah.......money, can I get a wage advance or get some money from Mummsy? Zinella's a bit light on money after paying for my equipment. When I say light I mean nearly nothing."
The Captain bowed his head, reaches into a pocket and threw 5 gold coins onto the table.
Harkonion: "And I want it back!"
Zinella bows and thanks the Captain, even though he reminded himself that it is as it should be, due to his families position!
Harkonion: "Wipe that look off your face, remember your place, after all your are a mere Aspirant not a fully fledged Paladinus....yet!"
Zinella: "Of course, My Lord. I am well aware of my.....important position."
Harkonion: "Good. Now before you go....muck out the stables and saddle the horse for the patrol.
The Captain waved his hand to dismiss Zinella but then coughed and added….Zinella turned to face the Captain.
“And don’t get killed, I don’t know how I would explain that
to your mother!”
With that young Zinella, Paladin Aspirant, was dismissed.
On exiting the office Zinella made his way to the squires quarters.
Zinella: "Ok you lot. The Captain is sending me on an important mission. You are to make sure the horses are saddled for the patrol and the stables mucked out. Now get on with it."
Zinella was fond of using his families position to get the other squires and a few of the Paladins to do his bidding.
He made his way to the courtyard. Approaching the Goliath, Elysande, he talked to him directly.
Zinella: "My name is Zinella, I am going on a task appointed to me by the Captain".
Elysande: "Oh, the nice man who let me break rocks?"
Zinella: "What, um, yes, I suppose. Now look......(thinking).....Oh, how would you like to come with me, you can break rocks. How does that sound? I'll even pay you 1 copper piece a day for your troubles."
Elysande: "You sure there's rocks where we are going? Bet I can break more rocks than you. Ok, I'll get my stuff."
Elysande was told to wait in the courtyard for Zinella's return. Elysande said ok, but he'd break some more rocks whilst he waited.
Zinella shook his head and headed to the kitchens. He found the female gambler there.
Zinella: "The Captain has ordered you to come with me. There will not be enough Paladins left to ensure your safety here and he thinks a short trip to Whispering Woods village would ensure your safety from Lukhmar Quickeye and his cohorts from the tented camp. If they get their hands on you then thats your lot. Sold as a slave I guess. Whats your name?"
Seraphina: "Seraphina".
Zinella: "Ok, grab your equipment, meet me in the courtyard. And make it snappy."
Seraphina didn't like being bossed around but thought it would be safer away from here. Lukhmar had made it clear in no uncertain terms what her fate would be if he ever caught her.
30 minutes later they were in the courtyard as the patrol was already mounted and leaving by the main gate. The three companions followed on. The smell from the poisoned water of the moat was nearly overpowering and they quickly moved over the moat bridge and towards the village.
The Travellers Rest Inn was the first large building they came to.
Just as they entered a greasy haired and greasy bearded Dwarf pushed passed them and entered the Inn.
Zinella could see 4 individuals sat at separate tables. He approached them one at a time, introducing himself and enquiring as to whether they would be amenable to accompanying him on a small task, that they would be paid for.
Zinella was interrupted by the Dwarf at the bar.
Dwarf: "Hey shinney bollocks. Yes you. You heading into the woods. Know where your going? Been there before have you, thought not. You lot shouldn't follow Shinney Bollocks here. Hasn't a clue where he's going. But myself, yes me, Stuffantle Tinderkeg, Stuffings for short to my friends that is, knows the woods like the back of me hand, like the back of me hand."
Zinella: "Listen Stuffy, we don't need your help."
Stuffings: "Yes you do, and you know it. Been there and back many times. All the way passed Whispering Woods Village."
Zinella raised his eyebrows at the mention of the Village. His destination.
Stuffings: ""There, told you, you do need me. You ever been into the woods like?"
Zinella: "no."
There then followed an argument as Tenver insulted Barlyn, who was egged on by Stuffings. Then the argument got really heated when it was found out Zinella had offered differing amounts to each person.
Fearing a brawl was about to break out Zinella left the Inn. It was Seraphina who brought some order to the argument with calm and sensible talk. Another round of drinks appeared and as they quaffed the drink Zinella re-entered just as they each found a silver piece at the bottom of there drinking vessels.
Zinella: "You have all taken the Paladin's Shilling. That means you accept the task and will be under my command until it is resolved."
Even Stuffings was impressed at how the young Paladin had duped them.
Stuffings: "Nothing we can do. It's the law, Paladin law mind you, but it is the law. We either accept or we end up in jail or hunted down like animals. Ok, Shinney Bollocks, you win this round.!"
The others grudgingly accepted their fate. They filed outside to see what their new commander was going to order.
Campaign notes:
The town ‘officials’ are two old adventurers a renowned
warrior Barim Stagwinter and a cleric of Tyr, Theskul Mirroreye. Barim owns the
inn, but doesn’t run it. He is in all but name the defacto Hetman or headman of
Boareskyr Bridge.
Water is a premium in Boareskyr Bridge. All water has to be
transported here as the water down stream and for half a day up stream is
corrupted and foul.
Remounts and other goods are traded for at the tented area
on the far side of the river.
Once you get to Heartwing Ranch the water is drinkable.
There is a ferry of sorts at Heartwing Ranch.
The village of Whispering Woods is about 1 days travel from
Boareskyr Bridge.
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