Adriana’s Diary – Part 1

Kingmaker Diary – Part 1 (May 5, 2018)

Day 1 – Restov (Calistril 24, 4710)

Arrived in Restov, since Igor Genchev (swordlord of an Aldori sword school) is due to speak today about the announcement of the mission to fight the bandits in the Stolen Lands, map the region, and make Brevoy proud.

Only 5 brave souls step up amid the commotion in the marketplace, with an ettin putting on a show. With these four, I meet Ioseph Sellemius in a room behind the stage:

• Ulgan Throatripper
• Carax
• Gannokh
• Amos

The swordlords expect regular reports, about every 2 months, and maps of the Stolen Lands. We get to keep everything we find and receive a charter. We will set out from Oleg's Trading Post. Gannokh gets Igor Genchev to confirm that bandits may be executed not only by the rope or the sword, but also by the axe.

We meet at Xnauth! & Stoud to talk things over; departure is set for tomorrow, and a caravan won't be any help to us. Ulgan and Gannokh protect me from a lecherous drunk. Nice.

I then go with them to Olgirts Heaven, where I tell the story of a dwarven clan from the far north. In doing so, I also show my friends just what stories can do, and Amos stays until the very end.

Day 2 – Journey from Restov to Oleg's Trading Post (Calistril 25, 4710)

We meet at sunrise at Xnauth! & Stoud to set off for Oleg's Trading Post and get an early start, some on foot, with Gannokh and Carax on horseback; Amos steps away briefly and comes back about 30 minutes later with a young bear. He introduces him to us as Bruin. Carax's horse keeps a respectful distance, but we actually do travel on together, and Amos keeps up with the pace too.

We encounter a caravan in the afternoon, hurrying toward Restov, wary of the rumored bandits. In the evening, with Amos's help, we get acquainted with Bruin the bear. Gannokh and Ulgan test their strength in a wrestling match. The lad actually manages to get the half-orc in a headlock. Amos can't let that pass without comment, and unfortunately things turn into a real brawl between the dwarf and the half-orc—seems to be in their blood. Not exactly smart.

Before we fall asleep, a thick wall of fog rolls toward us and soon swallows us up completely. We can only see a few meters, and with some unease we finally fall asleep.

Carax wakes me because wolves can be heard. The fog is still there, and I also hear what sounds like a baby crying. After a brief discussion, we give in to Gannokh and Carax's urging and head toward the child's voice, which has since fallen silent. Amos picks up a stone, makes it glow, and gives it to Gannokh, who rides ahead on his horse.

We discover 2 old, broken wagons, 6 skeletons, and 3 decomposing horses. Ulgan runs after someone, calling for them to stop. Wolves attack Ulgan, and three large wolves, one a winter wolf, appear atop a high rocky cliff. The 2 wolves near Ulgan are first calmed by Amos's words, then put to sleep by me. Later, strangely enough, they get back up with glowing red eyes. The humanoid figure has escaped by climbing up the rocks, and now the wolves also leave the spot with the 2 wagons. One of the wagons is still partly loaded, though the crates are empty. But one does have a child's garment in it after all, so there really was a child crying. Amos now wants to investigate the clearing on his own, and we trust him.

We meet up with Amos again at the campsite, and he tells us that the stranger has joined the wolves, and the smaller wolves are with them now too. The baby is with them as well, and now they are all heading toward Oleg's Trading Post, parallel to the road. We decide to get some more rest. Before we do, Ulgan takes his chain in hand, speaks words in Orc, and a wave of Gorum's energy flows through us. Gannokh is very grateful after his hard fall; it heals him.

Day 3 – Journey from Restov to Oleg's Trading Post (Calistril 26, 4710)

Ulgan prays to Gorum in the morning, Amos tries to teach his bear tricks, and Carax reads a book. He lets me take a look, and with my ability to decipher magic, I read his book, in which he has filled 26 pages with magical runes himself. Afterward, Carax conjures 3 magical mounts (2 horses and a pony) that carry Amos, Ulgan, and me toward our destination at a quicker pace for half a day's travel, not bad. It works, and we definitely travel in more comfort this way.

Days 4 and 5 – Journey from Restov to Oleg's Trading Post (Calistril 27 and 28, 4710)

We continue along the road, nothing of note happens, and we reach the fork leading to Oleg's Trading Post without any trouble. Bruin the bear is still with us, and after just under 3 hours heading south, we reach our first stop.

Oleg's Trading Post is a small fort with palisades and watchtowers. Svetlana Leveton is waiting for us at the gate, apparently expecting us. We go inside and see Oleg Leveton, still repairing the guesthouse roof. Svetlana tells us about the bandit raids over the past 3 months, and they are due back for the fourth time tomorrow. That is also why they asked for help. There will probably be about 6 bandits, and we get straight to work planning their reception. We check whether our surprise might work and spend the night in the guesthouse feeling good about it. Even Bruin is inside the fort by now.

Day 6 – Oleg's Trading Post (Pharast 1, 4710)

After a good night's sleep in a bed, we await the bandits, who do show up first thing in the morning, 6 riders in all. The fight breaks out as planned, and I quickly bring half the group under my spell. Amos cleaves 2 of the bandits in half with his greataxe; one of them was the leader, who had put an arrow in my side. Ulgan, at least, gets insanely big, Carax casts wild colors that put a bandit into a coma, Gannokh fights one of the riders, Bruin the bear has torn one of the horses to shreds—that makes me feel good knowing these guys can keep up with me. Ulgan speaks to Gorum and heals my wound. Classy move.

Oleg and Svetlana are very happy with the outcome of our first fight, and they give us a bag of money and 3 potions from Bokken, a master potion brewer. We search the 6 bandits and take their stuff, including their horses. We split it all up fairly; Gannokh takes the longbow of the leader, Happs Bydon, and Oleg will store and sell the other things for us.

We have captured 3 of the bandits alive. And we quickly agree: We want to interrogate them to learn more about the bandits, especially where their hideout is.