On This Bakukal, the 25th Day of Brookgreen,
in the 351st Year After the Cataclysm
(Thursday, March 25, 351 AC)

★The 6th Day of the Campaign - About 2:00 PM–3:00 PM★

• Solinari: Waning Gibbous
• Lunitari: Waning Crescent
• Nuitari: Waxing Crescent

   Marshal Vendri, Governor Miat, Mayor Raven, and everyone else is very happy to see you around 2 PM. You’ve all had a long rest, and feel much stronger, like you’ve gained experience and insight into your class’s more advanced abilities.

   Everyone levels up to 5!

   Despite everything none of you seems to get an opportunity to really talk until later. Marshal Vendri has apparently moved the time of your meeting to grant you your well-deserved rest, but things can’t wait forever. It’s hustle-bustle from getting up at noon to snarfing down a hardy breakfast, to traveling by horse into Kalaman proper from the Folketh barony.

   Marshal Vendri explains that she’s sent out a number of strike teams just like you, including one commanded by Ser Derrett Highwater. All of them came back successful, though a couple of teams returned with some deaths, and more casualties. Ser Derrett’s capable leadership prevented any such casualties or deaths in his team, though.

   Strike Team 1—that’s you all—are celebrated for securing a ‘valuable asset’, a ‘veritable goose that lays golden eggs’, and a ‘gift that keeps on giving’, though in the meeting held with all the other teams, Tatina’s name, or even what she is, is left out. The fewer people that know who she is, where she is, or what she is, the better.

   Strike Team 2 was sent to a farmstead 18 miles east of Kalaman. There, they fought a group of Dragon Army soldiers training some hobgoblin mercenaries. The team’s success secured them not only a handsome sum of cash that they’ll be using to enjoy drinks, fine dining, and entertainment tonight, but more importantly, they managed to bring back 6 sets of authentic Dragon Army uniform chain mail emblazoned with the symbol of Takhisis. The Dragon Army soldier also carried the following message:

Found Note:

   “The Highmaster requires soldiers, not thugs. Figure out which you have, then dispatch the ones not suited to the task. This is the Dragon Queen’s will.”

   Strike Team 3 went 20 miles east of Kalaman to investigate claims of soldiers attacking travelers near the Estwilde border. There they lost two men fighting five baaz draconians and a more advanced one that fired off magic spells. One of the men was lost when he was petrified by the gas coming out of one of the baazes, and the other man died when, upon its own death, the mage draconian’s bones exploded, sending bone shrapnel into him. They returned with 60 days of rations, 120 gp, and an interesting little sphere with a set of runes carved into it, and a larger set that appears to be a word.

   “Our resident mage, Wyhan, has at the expense of the Kalaman coffers, performed the spellcasting services necessary,” Marshal Vendri explains, “First using the comprehend languages spell, she says the runes read:

‘Command me to dawn once, and I shall illuminate your path! Command me to dawn a second time, and I shall rise like the sun and shadow you whither you go. Command me to dawn a third time and I shall provide you with the light of day!’—‘Dawn!’

   “She then performed the detect magic spell and said it gleamed with the powerful, bright, red rays of evocation magic.

   “Finally, she performed the identify spell upon it and says that it is something called a ‘Driftglobe’. She said:

   “If you are within 60 feet of it, you can speak its command word once as an action and cause it to emanate the light1 hour—bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet spell.

   “You can speak the command word a second time as an action to make the illuminated globe rise into the air and float no more than 5 feet off the ground. The globe hovers in this way until you or another creature grasps it. If you move more than 60 feet from the hovering globe, it follows you until it is within 60 feet of you. It takes the shortest route to do so. If prevented from moving, the globe sinks gently to the ground and becomes inactive, and its light winks out.

   “You can speak its command word a third time as an action and cause it to emanate the daylight1 hour—A 60-foot-radius sphere of light spreads out from the driftglobe. The sphere is bright light and sheds dim light for an additional 60 feet. spell. Once used, the daylight effect can’t be used again until the next dawn.”

   “. . . But we need the command word—which she can’t give us because apparently, the command word is in the original language engraved upon the globe! Assuming we can discover the command word, she says it can cast the light spell and the daylight spell.”

“Can anyone with expertise in ancient languages help us?”, Governor Miat asks. The assembled body all look at each other, but have no answer.

   Strike Team 4—lead by Ser Derrett—went to track down a pair of scouts keeping tabs on Dragon Army movements north of the Vingaard River, twenty miles northwest of Kalaman. They found one scout tied to a tree in the center of the camp, being harassed by two baaz draconians; the other scout was found nearly dead nearby, but was also saved. A kapak draconian hidden in the trees above the camp ambushed the them after combat began. They killed the baazes and the kapak.

   The freed scouts stand up and report that the Dragon Army has split its forces to attack communities across Hinterlund and Nightlund. The army seems intent on isolating Kalaman from the Solamnic cities of Maelgoth and Palanthas in the west.

   Darrett’s happy to report that, on their way back, they met up with the last of the Ironclad Regiment, and by some miracle, Cudgel Ironsmile. The dwarven woman stands up, and you can see that the last few days have aged her badly from the terrific violence she’s seen. She looks ashen, gaunt, and haunted—you didn’t even recognize her as Cudgel sitting next to Ser Derrett.

   Cudgel is delighted to see you all survived the evacuation of Vogler. In the chamber, she explains that she and her 50 troops here are all that remains of her mercenary company, the Ironclad Regiment—down from its original 350—after they engaged the Dragon Army outside Vogler. Since their defeat, they’ve taken a winding route to avoid the enemy as they make their way to Kalaman. Cudgel seeks to rest and find work in the city. She reports that she and her fifty loyal, bloodied veterans have pledged themselves to Kalaman’s military—after a long, and well deserved rest.

   If asked about Jeyev and Ser Becklin, she sours and says that Jeyev cut her and Ser Becklin down, but when she woke up after the battle—stabilized and cared for by one of her soldiers—no sign of Becklin nor her body was found. Likely she—or her corpse—were taken.

   Marshal Vendri also introduces Mayor Raven as a new Lieutenant in charge of ‘Vogler’ Platoon—a force consisting of what remains of Vogler’s milita, Ser Derreet’s Strike Team 4 (which is actually a squad of four soldiers commanded by, rank-wise, Corporal Derrett), and a number of Kalaman soldiers with ties to Vogler through family or personal history.

   The Marshal, Darrett and Raven approach you all. “Well done, Strike Team 1!” the Marshal praises you all. “I don’t know what we would have done if . . . ‘the asset’ had fallen into the hands of the enemy. But we’ve got their ‘grass-clearing’ device, its spare parts—again, thanks to you!—and . . . ‘the asset’ can has provided us with a means to produce more of those fargabs. Our ability to coordinate is and project force in this conflict is greatly multiplying! Ser Derrett, Lt. Raven?”

   “Yes,” continues the newly christened ‘Lt.’ Raven, “As it stands, there is an outpost near the boarder with Estwilde—about 24 miles southeast of here—that has been taken by the Red Dragon Army. My platoon is eager to prove its mettle and gain some experience by re-taking this fort for Kalaman. I—we, Ser Derrett and I—we’d be honored if you’d help us.” Here, she presents a map tube and uncaps it. Taking out a map she unrolls it and lays it out across a table.

   “Right, so the fort’s tall northwest tower, here, is a watchtower with a commanding view of the surrounding land,” Lt. Raven explains. “All four corner fortifications are equipped with horns that sentries use to raise an alarm. I don’t know how many Dragon Army soldiers occupy the fort, though, so we’re going to have to prepare for anything. It will take us at least eight hours to get in position in a secluded grove a mile from the fort, so we’d like to leave at the ass-crack of dawn, tomorrow. Please prepare and get whatever you need done, done by then.”

   Raven suggests the characters slip into the fort and open a gate without raising the alarm. However, she’s amenable to any plan that doesn’t risk the lives of her troops or destroy the fort.

   “The Marshal has told me that if we do well in this—combined with my performance bringing back that scout and bringing in Cudgel’s Ironclads, I’ll be given a promotion to Sergeant and pretty quickly to Lieutenant—I’m a knight, officially, so I can take a commissioned officer’s position! I’m just sorry that Ser Becklin isn’t here to see my rise through the ranks. I hope I make her proud.”

   Finally, you’re all dismissed and left to talk. It looks like there is a much-needed discussion to be had and in this empty chamber, suddenly bereft of the bustle of knights, soldiers, and officers, briefing and debriefing, the air is heavy and the silence is almost deafening . . .

   The map of the Kalaman region in Maps & Game Information illustrates this area.

—

On This Bakukal, the 25th Day of Brookgreen,
in the 351st Year After the Cataclysm
(Thursday, March 25, 351 AC)

★The 6th Day of the Campaign - About 2:00 PM–3:00 PM★

• Solinari: Waning Gibbous
• Lunitari: Waning Crescent
• Nuitari: Waxing Crescent

   Marshal Vendri, Governor Miat, Mayor Raven, and everyone else is very happy to see you around 2 PM. You’ve all had a long rest, and feel much stronger, like you’ve gained experience and insight into your class’s more advanced abilities.

   Everyone levels up to 5!

   Despite everything none of you seems to get an opportunity to really talk until later. Marshal Vendri has apparently moved the time of your meeting to grant you your well-deserved rest, but things can’t wait forever. It’s hustle-bustle from getting up at noon to snarfing down a hardy breakfast, to traveling by horse into Kalaman proper from the Folketh barony.

   Marshal Vendri explains that she’s sent out a number of strike teams just like you, including one commanded by Ser Derrett Highwater. All of them came back successful, though a couple of teams returned with some deaths, and more casualties. Ser Derrett’s capable leadership prevented any such casualties or deaths in his team, though.

   Strike Team 1—that’s you all—are celebrated for securing a ‘valuable asset’, a ‘veritable goose that lays golden eggs’, and a ‘gift that keeps on giving’, though in the meeting held with all the other teams, Tatina’s name, or even what she is, is left out. The fewer people that know who she is, where she is, or what she is, the better.

   Strike Team 2 was sent to a farmstead 18 miles east of Kalaman. There, they fought a group of Dragon Army soldiers training some hobgoblin mercenaries. The team’s success secured them not only a handsome sum of cash that they’ll be using to enjoy drinks, fine dining, and entertainment tonight, but more importantly, they managed to bring back 6 sets of authentic Dragon Army uniform chain mail emblazoned with the symbol of Takhisis. The Dragon Army soldier also carried the following message:

Found Note:

   “The Highmaster requires soldiers, not thugs. Figure out which you have, then dispatch the ones not suited to the task. This is the Dragon Queen’s will.”

   Strike Team 3 went 20 miles east of Kalaman to investigate claims of soldiers attacking travelers near the Estwilde border. There they lost two men fighting five baaz draconians and a more advanced one that fired off magic spells. One of the men was lost when he was petrified by the gas coming out of one of the baazes, and the other man died when, upon its own death, the mage draconian’s bones exploded, sending bone shrapnel into him. They returned with 60 days of rations, 120 gp, and an interesting little sphere with a set of runes carved into it, and a larger set that appears to be a word.

   “Our resident mage, Wyhan, has at the expense of the Kalaman coffers, performed the spellcasting services necessary, ” Marshal Vendri explains, “First using the comprehend languages spell, she says the runes read:

‘Command me to dawn once, and I shall illuminate your path! Command me to dawn a second time, and I shall rise like the sun and shadow you whither you go. Command me to dawn a third time and I shall provide you with the light of day!’—‘Dawn!’

   “She then performed the detect magic spell and said it gleamed with the powerful, bright, red rays of evocation magic.

   “Finally, she performed the identify spell upon it and says that it is something called a ‘Driftglobe’.

   “If you are within 60 feet of it, you can speak its command word once as an action and cause it to emanate the light spell.

   “You can speak the command word a second time as an action to make the illuminated globe rise into the air and float no more than 5 feet off the ground. The globe hovers in this way until you or another creature grasps it. If you move more than 60 feet from the hovering globe, it follows you until it is within 60 feet of you. It takes the shortest route to do so. If prevented from moving, the globe sinks gently to the ground and becomes inactive, and its light winks out.

   “You can speak its command word a third time as an action and cause it to emanate the daylight spell. Once used, the daylight effect can’t be used again until the next dawn.”

   “. . . But we need the command word—which she can’t give us because apparently, the command word is in the original language engraved upon the globe! Assuming we can discover the command word, she says it can cast the light spell and the daylight spell.”

   Strike Team 4—lead by Ser Derrett—went to track down a pair of scouts keeping tabs on Dragon Army movements north of the Vingaard River, twenty miles northwest of Kalaman. They found one scout tied to a tree in the center of the camp, being harassed by two baaz draconians; the other scout was found nearly dead nearby, but was also saved. A kapak draconian hidden in the trees above the camp ambushed the them after combat began. They killed the baazes and the kapak.

   The freed scouts stand up and report that the Dragon Army has split its forces to attack communities across Hinterlund and Nightlund. The army seems intent on isolating Kalaman from the Solamnic cities of Maelgoth and Palanthas in the west.

   Darrett’s happy to report that, on their way back, they met up with the last of the Ironclad Regiment, and by some miracle, Cudgel Ironsmile. The dwarven woman stands up, and you can see that the last few days have aged her badly from the terrific violence she’s seen. She looks ashen, gaunt, and haunted—you didn’t even recognize her as Cudgel sitting next to Ser Derrett.

   Cudgel is delighted to see you all survived the evacuation of Vogler. In the chamber, she explains that she and her 50 troops here are all that remains of her mercenary company, the Ironclad Regiment—down from its original 350—after they engaged the Dragon Army outside Vogler. Since their defeat, they’ve taken a winding route to avoid the enemy as they make their way to Kalaman. Cudgel seeks to rest and find work in the city. She reports that she and her fifty loyal, bloodied veterans have pledged themselves to Kalaman’s military—after a long, and well deserved rest.

   If asked about Jeyev and Ser Becklin, she sours and says that Jeyev cut her and Ser Becklin down, but when she woke up after the battle—stabilized and cared for by one of her soldiers—no sign of Becklin nor her body was found. Likely she—or her corpse—were taken.

   Marshal Vendri also introduces Mayor Raven as a new Lieutenant in charge of ‘Vogler’ Platoon—a force consisting of what remains of Vogler’s milita, Ser Derreet’s Strike Team 4 (which is actually a squad of four soldiers commanded by, rank-wise, Corporal Derrett), and a number of Kalaman soldiers with ties to Vogler through family or personal history.

   The Marshal, Darrett and Raven approach you all. “Well done, Strike Team 1!” the Marshal praises you all. “I don’t know what we would have done if . . . ‘the asset’ had fallen into the hands of the enemy. But we’ve got their ‘grass-clearing’ device, its spare parts—again, thanks to you!—and . . . ‘the asset’ can has provided us with a means to produce more of those fargabs. Our ability to coordinate is and project force in this conflict is greatly multiplying! Ser Derrett, Lt. Raven?”

   “Yes,” continues the newly christened ‘Lt.’ Raven, “As it stands, there is an outpost near the boarder with Estwilde—about 24 miles southeast of here—that has been taken by the Red Dragon Army. My platoon is eager to prove its mettle and gain some experience by re-taking this fort for Kalaman. I—we, Ser Derrett and I—we’d be honored if you’d help us.” Here, she presents a map tube and uncaps it. Taking out a map she unrolls it and lays it out across a table.

   “Right, so the fort’s tall northwest tower, here, is a watchtower with a commanding view of the surrounding land,” Lt. Raven explains. “All four corner fortifications are equipped with horns that sentries use to raise an alarm. I don’t know how many Dragon Army soldiers occupy the fort, though, so we’re going to have to prepare for anything. It will take us at least eight hours to get in position in a secluded grove a mile from the fort, so we’d like to leave at the ass-crack of dawn, tomorrow. Please prepare and get whatever you need done, done by then.”

   Raven suggests the characters slip into the fort and open a gate without raising the alarm. However, she’s amenable to any plan that doesn’t risk the lives of her troops or destroy the fort.

   “The Marshal has told me that if we do well in this—combined with my performance bringing back that scout and bringing in Cudgel’s Ironclads, I’ll be given a promotion to Sergeant and pretty quickly to Lieutenant—I’m a knight, officially, so I can take a commissioned officer’s position! I’m just sorry that Ser Becklin isn’t here to see my rise through the ranks. I hope I make her proud.”

   Finally, you’re all dismissed and left to talk. It looks like there is a much-needed discussion to be had and in this empty chamber, suddenly bereft of the bustle of knights, soldiers, and officers, briefing and debriefing, the air is heavy and the silence is almost deafening . . .

   The map of the Kalaman region in Maps & Game Information illustrates this area.

—

On This Bakukal, the 25th Day of Brookgreen,
in the 351st Year After the Cataclysm
(Thursday, March 25, 351 AC)

★The 6th Day of the Campaign - About 2:00 PM–3:00 PM★

• Solinari: Waning Gibbous
• Lunitari: Waning Crescent
• Nuitari: Waxing Crescent

   Marshal Vendri, Governor Miat, Mayor Raven, and everyone else is very happy to see you around 2 PM. You’ve all had a long rest, and feel much stronger, like you’ve gained experience and insight into your class’s more advanced abilities.

   Everyone levels up to 5!

   Despite everything none of you seems to get an opportunity to really talk until later. Marshal Vendri has apparently moved the time of your meeting to grant you your well-deserved rest, but things can’t wait forever. It’s hustle-bustle from getting up at noon to snarfing down a hardy breakfast, to traveling by horse into Kalaman proper from the Folketh barony.

   Marshal Vendri explains that she’s sent out a number of strike teams just like you, including one commanded by Ser Derrett Highwater. All of them came back successful, though a couple of teams returned with some deaths, and more casualties. Ser Derrett’s capable leadership prevented any such casualties or deaths in his team, though.

   Strike Team 1—that’s you all—are celebrated for securing a ‘valuable asset’, a ‘veritable goose that lays golden eggs’, and a ‘gift that keeps on giving’, though in the meeting held with all the other teams, Tatina’s name, or even what she is, is left out. The fewer people that know who she is, where she is, or what she is, the better.

   Strike Team 2 was sent to a farmstead 18 miles east of Kalaman. There, they fought a group of Dragon Army soldiers training some hobgoblin mercenaries. The team’s success secured them not only a handsome sum of cash that they’ll be using to enjoy drinks, fine dining, and entertainment tonight, but more importantly, they managed to bring back 6 sets of authentic Dragon Army uniform chain mail emblazoned with the symbol of Takhisis. The Dragon Army soldier also carried the following message:

Found Note:

   “The Highmaster requires soldiers, not thugs. Figure out which you have, then dispatch the ones not suited to the task. This is the Dragon Queen’s will.”

   Strike Team 3 went 20 miles east of Kalaman to investigate claims of soldiers attacking travelers near the Estwilde border. There they lost two men fighting five baaz draconians and a more advanced one that fired off magic spells. One of the men was lost when he was petrified by the gas coming out of one of the baazes, and the other man died when, upon its own death, the mage draconian’s bones exploded, sending bone shrapnel into him. They returned with 60 days of rations, 120 gp, and an interesting little sphere with a set of runes carved into it, and a larger set that appears to be a word.

   “Our resident mage, Wyhan, has at the expense of the Kalaman coffers, performed the spellcasting services necessary, ” Marshal Vendri explains, “First using the comprehend languages spell, she says the runes read:

‘Command me to dawn once, and I shall illuminate your path! Command me to dawn a second time, and I shall rise like the sun and shadow you whither you go. Command me to dawn a third time and I shall provide you with the light of day!’—‘Dawn!’

   “She then performed the detect magic spell and said it gleamed with the powerful, bright, red rays of evocation magic.

   “Finally, she performed the identify spell upon it and says that it is something called a ‘Driftglobe’.

   “If you are within 60 feet of it, you can speak its command word once as an action and cause it to emanate the light spell.

   “You can speak the command word a second time as an action to make the illuminated globe rise into the air and float no more than 5 feet off the ground. The globe hovers in this way until you or another creature grasps it. If you move more than 60 feet from the hovering globe, it follows you until it is within 60 feet of you. It takes the shortest route to do so. If prevented from moving, the globe sinks gently to the ground and becomes inactive, and its light winks out.

   “You can speak its command word a third time as an action and cause it to emanate the daylight spell. Once used, the daylight effect can’t be used again until the next dawn.”

   “. . . But we need the command word—which she can’t give us because apparently, the command word is in the original language engraved upon the globe! Assuming we can discover the command word, she says it can cast the light spell and the daylight spell.”

   Strike Team 4—lead by Ser Derrett—went to track down a pair of scouts keeping tabs on Dragon Army movements north of the Vingaard River, twenty miles northwest of Kalaman. They found one scout tied to a tree in the center of the camp, being harassed by two baaz draconians; the other scout was found nearly dead nearby, but was also saved. A kapak draconian hidden in the trees above the camp ambushed the them after combat began. They killed the baazes and the kapak.

   The freed scouts stand up and report that the Dragon Army has split its forces to attack communities across Hinterlund and Nightlund. The army seems intent on isolating Kalaman from the Solamnic cities of Maelgoth and Palanthas in the west.

   Darrett’s happy to report that, on their way back, they met up with the last of the Ironclad Regiment, and by some miracle, Cudgel Ironsmile. The dwarven woman stands up, and you can see that the last few days have aged her badly from the terrific violence she’s seen. She looks ashen, gaunt, and haunted—you didn’t even recognize her as Cudgel sitting next to Ser Derrett.

   Cudgel is delighted to see you all survived the evacuation of Vogler. In the chamber, she explains that she and her 50 troops here are all that remains of her mercenary company, the Ironclad Regiment—down from its original 350—after they engaged the Dragon Army outside Vogler. Since their defeat, they’ve taken a winding route to avoid the enemy as they make their way to Kalaman. Cudgel seeks to rest and find work in the city. She reports that she and her fifty loyal, bloodied veterans have pledged themselves to Kalaman’s military—after a long, and well deserved rest.

   If asked about Jeyev and Ser Becklin, she sours and says that Jeyev cut her and Ser Becklin down, but when she woke up after the battle—stabilized and cared for by one of her soldiers—no sign of Becklin nor her body was found. Likely she—or her corpse—were taken.

   Marshal Vendri also introduces Mayor Raven as a new Lieutenant in charge of ‘Vogler’ Platoon—a force consisting of what remains of Vogler’s milita, Ser Derreet’s Strike Team 4 (which is actually a squad of four soldiers commanded by, rank-wise, Corporal Derrett), and a number of Kalaman soldiers with ties to Vogler through family or personal history.

   The Marshal, Darrett and Raven approach you all. “Well done, Strike Team 1!” the Marshal praises you all. “I don’t know what we would have done if . . . ‘the asset’ had fallen into the hands of the enemy. But we’ve got their ‘grass-clearing’ device, its spare parts—again, thanks to you!—and . . . ‘the asset’ can has provided us with a means to produce more of those fargabs. Our ability to coordinate is and project force in this conflict is greatly multiplying! Ser Derrett, Lt. Raven?”

   “Yes,” continues the newly christened ‘Lt.’ Raven, “As it stands, there is an outpost near the boarder with Estwilde—about 24 miles southeast of here—that has been taken by the Red Dragon Army. My platoon is eager to prove its mettle and gain some experience by re-taking this fort for Kalaman. I—we, Ser Derrett and I—we’d be honored if you’d help us.” Here, she presents a map tube and uncaps it. Taking out a map she unrolls it and lays it out across a table.

   “Right, so the fort’s tall northwest tower, here, is a watchtower with a commanding view of the surrounding land,” Lt. Raven explains. “All four corner fortifications are equipped with horns that sentries use to raise an alarm. I don’t know how many Dragon Army soldiers occupy the fort, though, so we’re going to have to prepare for anything. It will take us at least eight hours to get in position in a secluded grove a mile from the fort, so we’d like to leave at the ass-crack of dawn, tomorrow. Please prepare and get whatever you need done, done by then.”

   Raven suggests the characters slip into the fort and open a gate without raising the alarm. However, she’s amenable to any plan that doesn’t risk the lives of her troops or destroy the fort.

   “The Marshal has told me that if we do well in this—combined with my performance bringing back that scout and bringing in Cudgel’s Ironclads, I’ll be given a promotion to Sergeant and pretty quickly to Lieutenant—I’m a knight, officially, so I can take a commissioned officer’s position! I’m just sorry that Ser Becklin isn’t here to see my rise through the ranks. I hope I make her proud.”

   Finally, you’re all dismissed and left to talk. It looks like there is a much-needed discussion to be had and in this empty chamber, suddenly bereft of the bustle of knights, soldiers, and officers, briefing and debriefing, the air is suddenly heavy and the silence is almost deafening . . .

   The map of the Kalaman region in Maps & Game Information illustrates this area.

—