Peril of Wintertide

See Also: GM Notes

This is the fourth story arc in the Dakarian Insurrection campaign. Some of the PCs are still working with the vulfgrau_trading_house in the large port city of Bornheim, but the stress have cracked them into differing opinions. In a valley where snowfall is a very rare occurrence, a deep winter has come early and extremely harsh. Crops where frozen and many livestock died before anyone could react - the harbor remains treacherous as ice flows have been seen.

• Campaign: Dakarian Insurrection

  • Previous Story: Trading Houses
  • Next Story: Revolution
• Real Time: February 2016 - May 2016
• Game Timeline: Early Winter 462 AH

1. An early and harsh winter brings wolves
2. Small moments beget larger issues
3. The table stakes are raised again
4. It all goes to hell – in a soufflé
5. A sight not seen in an Eon
6. Demons of Fear and Darkness
7. Oswald's Fleet
8. Wars are won by defeating the heart of your enemy
9. Those in command are not those that lead
10. There are bad ideas - then this happened
11. Rise of the Blood Priestess

Balance of Power The city and the PCs are riding the knife's edge. Should they slip death surely awaits as various people and purposes pull them in different direction. The devastating effects of the harsh and early winter leads many to question if the gods have simply abandoned the city.

What have I got myself into?!? The PCs have fractured into individuals and each one has stepped their foot into something less than savory. The Vulfgrau Trading House continue on their scheme, but the winter causes introspection as their past makes them run forward ever faster.

Amer Terrante is a merchant from Theodova and Master of Tminir Tower

• Has new house renovated into Theodovan style.

  • Agrees with Charles to neither aid or hinder each other.
• Contacts Pox to help Nigel.
• Poisons the others, is captured and help by the Temple of Light.
• Killed by nine True Elves.

Belenus is a Krandryia freebooter working for Vulfgrau

• Battles Reavers in small village to the east.
• Undertakes training with Mirwen for the magic within him.
• Becomes blood brother to Ælfric, the rightful King of Dakar.
• Takes service with Lord Brandr. Agrees to work with the elves to save the city.
• Supports the elves as they land soldiers and food.
• Battles demon of flesh, loses connection to elven information network.
• Battles dark spirit outside of Hapsteng's carriages house door.
• Works for the siegemaster and visits with Lord Brandr.
• Defeats Cloak Demon on Old Town.
• Unlocked his potential with the help of the Marlot

Brizanthimus is a traveling magician and storyteller.

• Works for Baron Lange.
• Rejoins Amer's group to discover information.
• Incar swallow Seldane amulet and grow.
• Spirits, detacted from their natural surroundings, are drawn to him.
• A shade of Llannoth the Lich King appears.
• Battles Spirit and Llannoth, saved by Charles who threatens Gloria.
• Signs a contract with Charles in exchange for Gloria's well-being.
• Guides Oswald to the Lords of Water.
• Fails to visit Pippen after Gia interferes with negotiations.
• Fails to negotiate additional help from the elves.

Gia Sojourner hears the calling of the spirits driving her even onward to discordant places

• Arrives in Bornheim with refugees, calming those along her path. The city is in pain. (Chapter 4)
• Helps refugees at East Gate, Drives off a demon of fear in Old Town.
• Stays in the garden of Lady Hapsteng, but confronts her at the Lord Marshal's residence

  • Frees guardian spirit protecting the Countess' Carriage from being entered.
• Socially spars with Lady Hapsteng.
• Gathers help to find the arsonists
• Imprisoned by Lady Hapsteng for sneaking into her bedroom at night.

Nigel is a dark and twisted assassin deployed to Bornheim as a weapon

• Given list of 5 targets. 1 kill and 1 crippled.
• Meets Dae, his a sister he thought long dead killed by his own hand.
• Meets with Xarth, Briz, and Belenus to ensure they are onboard with Amer's plans.
• Discovers Jiron and his Bloodletters are to the north.
• Briz cures his poison, but at cost. He assassinates Hochwürden Edvin.
• Battles demon of poison and discovers meeting between Gloria, Lady Liese, Lady Hapsteng, and Linda.
• Cashes out of the Vulfgrau Trading House.

  • Soul gazes Lady Hapsteng - she has sold her soul for power.
• Speaks with Dae and sees his father's face in a pool of blood from a man he kills.
• Attacked by Cult of Black Tower.

  • Sneaks into Hapsteng House.

Oswald is a Hashan pirate captain in inner circle of Vulfgrau

• Begins building loyal crew on the Bornheim wharfs
• Control of the dock reaches 5% of the illicit trade
• Battles a True Elf at the Tower of Black Stars.
• Cashes out of the Vulfgrau Trading House (Chapter 6)

  • Speaks to the elves about the need for shipbuilding materials.
• Negotiates for men to stand the walls from the Lords of Water.
• Acquires exploding barrels (Chapter 9)

  • Sneaks into Hapsteng House.

Xarth is a Shoag shaman cast out from his land

1. Starts Fight Club at The Shining Blade
2. Befriends Jalo a member of the City Guard
3. Rides the winds and discover the desolation around Tminir Tower
4. Loses the Fight Club because he is an outsider
5. Journeys to Kernwerk to uncover secrets
6. Destroys Cult of the Tower in the donjon at Kernwerk. Discovers past sin of the Clan of Stone.
7. Leaves Kernwerk to help the retreating dwarves reach Bornheim in good order.
8. Fights the Horsemaster of the Ifrit for the right to a Nightmare.
9. Makes contact with Gerald the Innkeeper that ran The Shining Blade.
10. Ruins possible alliance with the elves

    1. Sneaks into Hapsteng House.

• Lord Donat Lange; Lord Marshall of Bornheim.
• Lady Beatrice Hapsteng; Appointed by the Queen to oversee her property

  • Member of the Circle of Women
• Gloria; Handmaiden of Ilse, Baron Lange's daughter.

  • Member of the Cirlce of Women
• Mirwen; Elven warrior skilled in both the axe and magic, training Belenus
• Hochwürden Edvin; High Priest of the Temple of Light cathedral in Bronheim

  • Assassinated in Chapter 4 by Nigel
• Lord Koén Brandr; Minor lord of Bornheim loyal to Ælfric the True King
• Dae; Guardian of Order Acolyte, Nigel's sister
• Lady Liese Staunch royalists and devout members of The Light. Support Lady Beatrice

  • Member of the Circle of Women
• Master Yswa; Master stonecarver in Kernwerk. Marlot hiding among the humans.
• Ælfric Reiner; Child of Crown Prince Corwyn Reiner and Anne of clan_horne.
• Euriel; Elven fixer that works in Bornheim
• Charles; Demon who contracts for a mortal soul
• Ilse; Baron Donat Lange's daughter

Listed in order of Appearance

• Merrick Stonearm; Dwarf who joins Xarth's Fight Club in Chapter 0

  • leaves the Fight Club in Chapter 1.
• Impirrick Thane; Military Commander of Stonearm clanhold
• reavers; Mindlessly dedicated to Danshi without fear or remorse
• Lord Liese; Wealthy merchant married to Lady Liese.
• Eric; De-frocked Temple of Light priest combating Reavers
• Makes his own shade; Shoag Guardian of Order member of Brightfang clan
• Khirgha Mirrin; Kithkin Guardian of Order
• Iiro; Rope-maker in Bornheim who works for Vulfgrau
• Carter; Quartermaster aboard the Jugalii flagged ship, the Smiling Blade
• Gwyndolen; Enchantress that bound Amer to the Bloodstaff
• Alanna Leader of a company of the guardians_of_order
• Inquisitor Valten Inquisitor of The Light, no longer on friendly terms with the PCs
• Jalo City guard (Nightwatch) that has joined the Fight Club
• Lords of Water Three men who run the dock-side smuggling in Bornheim
• Pox Half-brother of Amer who has a nose for trouble
• Captain Pipen Commander of the Night Watch. City Guard that aid the constables.
• Ingram One of the Lords of Water, controls the smallest circle of the three Lords.
• Anne Krandryian of Clan Horne, lover of Crown Prince Corwyn, secretly gave birth to son
• Unknown; Elven Merchant that is willing to pay Belenus for some mercenary work

  • Killed in Chapter 5 by Demon of Flesh
• Adolphus; Mladovians spirit caller living in Kernwerk
• Jiron; Violent mercenary captain of the Bloodletters. Nigel was once under his command.
• Llannoth the Lich King; Lich King who holds Corvis by the Serpente Sea
• Grandmaster Gertner; Master Goldsmith and Grandmaster of the Guild of Noble Smiths.
• Linda; Young wife of Guildmaster Gertner who meets with the circle of women.
• Sir Hugo; Elderly Knight in command of Blackyard Prison.
• War-Commander Aranion; Elven commander of the forces in Bornheim

• Bornheim; Large port city ( Isaurus Ocean) in Western Dakar
• The Grand Cathedral of The Light; Cathedral of the Light for Bornheim
• Shining Blade Tavern; Gambling House known for its Fight Ring
• Erasmus Trading House; Merchant shop run by Erasmus family in Bornheim
• Amer's Residence; Theodova-style house in Tiefberg

  • Quarantined at the end of Chapter 2
• Tminir Tower; Called the Tower of Fog, ruled by wizards for hundreds of years

  • Believed to be surrounded by desolation in Chapter 2
• Lord Marshall's Residence; Manor of the Lord Marshall in the Palace District of Bornheim
• Bornheim Cathedral; Cathedral of the Temple of Light inside of Bornheim.
• Borulli; Hashan Charter-town north of Bornheim
• Bell and Gold Tavern; Tavern in Borulli
• Rusty Anchor Tavern; Elven dominated tavern in Fishtown
• Hapsteng Residence; Townhouse of the Hapsteng's located in Glory Ridge near the castle
• Tumbling Stone Tavern; Located in the eastern half of The Wash
• Crone's House; Narrow townhouse in Tiefberg near Amer's House. Start of the Plague.
• Briz's Apartment; Residence of Brizanthmus

  • Burned to the ground in Chapter 2 by a powerful Reaver
• Kernwerk; A town of stonecutters located northeast of Bornheim
• Knight's House; Expensive townhouse in Baymount where Ælfric is staying.
• Smiling Blade; Oswald's pirate ship
• Tower of Black Stars; Island in the Isaurus Ocean west of Bornheim. One of the barrier towers of Tminir Tower
• Townhouse Liese; Townhouse on Glory Ridge of Lord and Lady Liese
• Elven Quarter; Independent area inside the city under elven law