We added a person to our table for the first time over a year and a half. He's a good fit so far attitude wise and there will be the obligatory getting to know the campaign most likely death to follow at some point in the future.
Write up follows:
The Nightwoods sits on the far eastern limits of the Randari lands and is home to the Nightwood Gnomes who have lived there for as long as anyone can remember. Always a bit insular, they did help out the Gorokian Mountain Dwarves and the Jarlborrin Hill Dwarves during the collapse of the Randari Orcish Empire by trade and troops, devoting over 12,000 gnomish artisans, engineers, woodslingers, and spellswords to the 3 year fray. As the battle lines eventually moved west of the Borbuta Sea, the Nightwood Gnomes reduced their commitment to the active war and returned to their arboreal borders.
However, fruit was borne back during that period of time by a young missionary and follower of the old gods, horrified by the things he had seen and the atrocities dwarf, orc, gnome, and human alike had done. He came back with a simple mission, to preach peace and the expulsion of all negative things in one’s life. Tolerated at first, and then persecuted later, the young missionary, known as the Theocrat, grew slowly in age and power and influence. Bit by bit, his swelling control of the Nightwoods choked out his rivals and counterparts one by one. Some left their ancestral homes, others disappeared in the darkness. The borders of Nightwoods grew colder and there was malevolence to the trees that threatened anyone not born there.
Eventually, some 20 years ago, the Theocrat closed the trade roads from Bypass to the Nightwoods and had visitor and merchant turned aside. There was some wailing of displaced gnomes in the various towns and cities, but little was done and the caravans eventually stopped trying to stop in Nightwoods. There are those who still leave the Nightwoods and the Theocrat’s rule and reign, making their way throughout the Randari lands looking for a chance to belong to something larger than themselves.
Five years earlier, Shimlagesh, a young sorcerer, 4th in the family line of wizards and spellcasters, felt that he had exhausted any and all opportunities his narrow minded family had laid open for him. Eating the crusts from their tables so to speak, and seeing the very stratified society that the Theocrat had been building, Shimlagesh took the all-important step and left his family and ancestral lands behind and made his way by foot over a six day period to Bypass where he started the long journey of self-discovery.
Over the next five years Shimlagesh had traveled along the southern stretch of the Great Traderoads of the Reetersbeard Dwarves until some 200 plus miles later his journey had led to Sorton and eventually the employ of House Illytch. The young gnome, not as young any longer, was looking for a group, a family, someone to have his back and an opportunity to belong. Adventuring and mercenary groups abounded in the western lands of the Randari and Shim was hoping to join one.
House Illytch used Shimlagesh’s skill in herbalism and alchemy at first locally and then wanted to send him 3 days to the west, across the border to the Morata Mountains and eventually the Base Camp to help the two alchemists already there in their preparation of harvested mushrooms coming back to Sorton. He took the work, made the trip, and learned about the Randari Rangers, the mercenary group, the Harvesters, Firvin’s Cap and all manner of things at the camp.
Especially that the two alchemists here were sent here not because of their skill, but because of their recklessness and inability to learn from their mistakes. After a week of working for them, picking up countless pieces of busted glass and hating every moment of it, Shimlagesh was done. A visit to the Bailiff had Youngston Illytch give the gnome hope. The mercenary group who had tackled the first of three kobold warrens was due back today and if all went well, Shimlagesh could transfer his commission over from the alchemist potion of the Illytch operations to the guarding and hunting portion if the mercenary group would take him.
Luck was on Shim’s side as he sat down with Avulstein, Barb, Connal, Darius, and Negan. They had been discussing how best to find the next warren, how best to guard the harvesters and still do their job and with the desire NOT to take Bobkins out with them again, figured they were down a person or two. They talked about skills, capabilities, and what the end goal was to be.
The Base Camp was of low morale as there had once again been the sharing of duties, this meant that few Firvin’s Caps had come back over the last 2 weeks and the Base Camp was operating in the red once again. The party wanted to show the flag and support the harvesters so after talking with the locals and learning the K’Morat kobold sightings have been every 4-5 days, we were going to go with Thiklish and her Harvesters for a few days and see how that shook out.
Workmonth the 2nd was a rainy day, cold, and we were headed up to 5,500 feet on Furtham’s Peak to help guard the harvesters and their gathering of 5. We spoke with Hornes and Spunifer and then did what we had to, getting everyone back safely that afternoon. The 3rd was a repeat at 4,200 feet up on the western slope, more rain and warmer, but we did have a 4 count of brown bears in the area that we let pass and then returned to Base Camp. There was talk of intersecting the ursines afterwards and we did go back out, but it was to no avail and returned without issue.
Workmonth the 4th had us run into two simple traps – one was a snare that captures Thiklish and sent the matronly Halfling slamming into the bole of a tree, and a bit further downslope and along the same trail only 30 or so paces beyond was a deadfall pendulum of some roped up logs that would have brained someone.
Simple traps, kobolds were nearby. Their intention unknown but we suspected harassment at best; we got the Harvesters back and then talked about what to do. We didn’t SEE any of the K’Morat, but their presence had been noted. Do we try to appeal to the Bailiff about suspending operations? Do we wait for the rest of the party to return from their training? We suspected we had a few days still before the kobolds returned and would discuss plans and options then.
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