Return to Griffin's Landing

Adventures in the early days of Obsidian Bay.
setanta14
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Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

I have a question as I'm fleshing out the details of my adventure arc: What characters are you intending to play, and what classes are they?

I want to be sure I don't design an adventure around a particular skill set that the party doesn't possess, and so an NPC would be required to provide the skill.
Last edited by setanta14 on Mon Nov 09, 2015 1:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Lars Porsenna
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by Lars Porsenna »

I'm playing Burgell.

Damon.
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by NukeHavoc »

I'm still thinking battle master (fighter). Not sure on the background; possibly a "disgraced" knight of the Great Kingdom who threw down his armor and sword when the depredations there grew too great.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Forgive me. I'll try and be a tad more quiet as I desperately struggle to break free -- and save all creation!" -- Doctor Strange
setanta14
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

Ok, but definitely not Telthanas?
NukeHavoc wrote:I'm still thinking battle master (fighter). Not sure on the background; possibly a "disgraced" knight of the Great Kingdom who threw down his armor and sword when the depredations there grew too great.
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NukeHavoc
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by NukeHavoc »

setanta14 wrote:Ok, but definitely not Telthanas?
Yes, not Telthanas.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Forgive me. I'll try and be a tad more quiet as I desperately struggle to break free -- and save all creation!" -- Doctor Strange
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by Hardcorhobbs »

I'm going to try and make it out this week, no promises. If I do I'll either be playing Carac who i'm shifting into a ranger/cleric, or a new character based on the party need. See the war room post. I'll post more later in the week when i can get a look at my books.

What guidelines should I follow to get him up to 6th? I don't think he has any equipment beyond starting gear.
setanta14
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

I think the DMG has guidelines for creating characters above 1st level. We can always hash it out at the table quick what exact stuff you would have. The first part of the session will be the party re-acquainting themselves with Griffin's Landing progressed 6 months into the future, which in a fast growing frontier settlement is a long time.

I made a new map:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4Y-e ... DQyV01PSGs
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Lars Porsenna
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by Lars Porsenna »

Nate,

On the map, what is going on with the stippled areas in the SE and NW? Also what is that area in the SW? Still a tent-park? Or will this be revealed in-game? :D

Damon.
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setanta14
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Re: Chapter XX: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

The stippling simply indicates excessive mud and/or filth. The tents in the midst of this in the NW quadrant are where the refugees from destroyed villages around the area have congregated. You know that later this becomes the Mudsitter's District.

The explanation for the SW area will be revealed in game... but you know what is built there later, right?
setanta14
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Re: Chapter 21: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

Griffin's Landing, Ready’reat 515, Setting the stage:

The leaves have changed color or have fallen, the air is crisp, and the sun is lower in the sky for the time of day than you’d expect. The stubble of recently harvested grain covers roughly marked out fields, while what appear to be surveyors are making more careful measurement of land plots. Root vegetables like beets and turnips are being dug up and loaded onto carts making their way to town. Shepherds are tending to flocks of sheep and goats, and drovers on horseback guide a herd of cattle along. A new palisade wall of fresh cut timbers surrounds the settlement you left.

For those of you who have been in and around Griffin's Landing/Obsidian Bay (the names are used interchangeably by now) for the last six months, it has been difficult for sea travel since it has been an active hurricane season from the height of Summer onward. Added to this, piracy has been on the rise, so it has been hard to know if a ship has been lost to storms or raiding. The only good news is that the storms have hit the pirates as well. Nevertheless, enough supplies have been getting through to ensure steady growth and a busy building season.

The various skilled tradesmen and merchants of the settlement have begun organizing into guilds. The ranks of the adventuring guilds have grown, new mercenary companies have arrived, and there has also been a bit of a land rush. Various would-be Lord Holders and the leaders of some religious sects are scrambling to secure claims to various parcels of land. A few of the native lords of surrounding lands who somehow survived the invasion have either made contact, sent emissaries, or have even taken up new residence within the protection of the new palisade wall, having quickly built manor houses around the recently dredged lake where a lava tube was found to be naturally feeding fresh water down from the highlands.

Besides the Griffin’s Guild itself, the dwarves of Clan Voldrun, under the leadership of their chief, Margrave Mardok Redblade, have been the most successful in organizing thus far, and have built a veritable self-contained settlement of their own they call Irontown near the wharf. An artificial hill has risen from all of the material removed by apparent excavations beneath Irontown, so it is likely that there is even more beneath the ground than appears from the already impressive structures above. The Griffin’s Guild commissioned one of the dwarven families, that of Delven and Sons, to build guard towers around the new gates and they are in talks to make improvements to the recently discovered lava tube aqueduct and make the lake into a reservoir.

Others haven’t been as lucky, and have arrived in Obsidian Bay as refugees from destroyed villages, farmsteads, and holds, and have been relegated to the squalor of a tent city within the safety of the newly built palisade, some working as laborers or plying whatever previous trades they had where they can, or have taken their chances in slightly better conditions outside the walls as farmers.

All of these groups have added additional voices to those who have called for an agreement to be reached on governing, and are looking to the Griffin’s Guild in particular to form a legitimate government for collective security. Order is being demanded from chaos.
setanta14
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Re: Chapter 21: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

The Governing Convention

The various leading powers of the fledgling settlement have agreed to meet in council to finally decide upon forming a legitimate government. The obvious important questions before the council are how a leader will be decided, how land grants and holdings will be settled, the role of guilds and what powers they will have, and the role of the faiths with a major presence. Obviously some modified form of feudalism will be instituted, but without bound serfs, relying on the willing service of freemen to work the land, enter into trades, serve those chosen as Holders, or enter into service to the city itself. As the Griffin’s Guild is from
Irongate, the model they strongly favor is that of a “Lord Mayor”, who would be equivalent to a baron, supported by a council of land holders, merchants, clerics, and military leaders, similar to the Council of Wardens fulfills in Irongate. Debate has been fierce in the first rounds of negotiations as differing proposals are made regarding the requirements for entering into the various levels, such as land requirements for being a "Holder", the number of members a guild needs for recognition, the volume of trade needed for merchants to have a seat, and whether the religious groups should act as direct representatives of their believers, or simply act as an advisory body, or in a judicial function.

Adventuring Guilds:
Samuel Longriver of the Griffin's Guild
Tiruild of the Anchormen Guild
Gunder Goldseeker of the Goldseekers Guild

Holders:
Lord Ghraston
Lord Longfield
Lord Molton
Lord Opus
Lord Orman
Lord Osmar Farrowheart
Lord Fillip Matterhorn
Lord Brantis (via proxy by Sir Ornin the Black, as the new Lord Brantis is still a minor)
Lord Mord
Sir Neldon Mungadr
Lord Kallis
Grinth Binderstone of Mogelsville

The Dwarves
Mardok Redblade of Clan Voldrun
Delven
Babdar Dragonspike

Ecclesiastic Council (tasked with proposing legal code)
Church of St. Cuthbert (Johann the Destroyer)
Temple of Rao
Bastion of Heironeous
Church of Zilchus (also acting as emissaries of the Bank of Irongate)

Trade Council
Victor Smith, weapon smiths
Gordón DuChamp, leatherworkers
Lithorian Neverlost, Cartographers, Scribes, and Sages
Cadirew Greystorm, Innkeepers and Hostlers
Miles Jacobia, Longshoremen
setanta14
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Re: Chapter 21: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

The wizard Robertson has made an extraordinary discovery on what has come to be known as Obsidian Point. The excavation and rebuilding of a toppled and buried stone circle is taking place, and he has called a conclave of those knowledgeable of such things as potential allies in unlocking its secrets. Mystics of Celestian, members of Robertson's home order of wizardry, an esteemed architect of defenses from the Academy of Daern, and members of the area's druidic circle, including a heirophant druid were invited to give guidance on erecting the stones in the proper astrological alignment to tap into the potential powers of the converging ley lines.

Attendees:

Robertson of the Griffin's Guild
-Willow Wind (currently absent)
-Domin Nightdreamer (new Head of Intelligence of the Griffin's Guild)

Shalfey, Elder Sage of the Tower of Heavens (western Pomarj)
-Brother Arzachel, Order of the Night Sky, Shalfey’s protector

Dallic Clay, Touv Heirophant Druid on the Pomarj
-Thornmire of the Grey Circle, Archdruid from the Suss Forest
-Arilian, reluctantly, from the Emerald Alliance

Malcer Hornraven of The Artificer’s Union of Irongate

Sir Pyarn of the Academy of Daern in Irongate, the foremost school of defensive architecture in the Flanaess

For the current ongoing adventure, the party has been tasked to venture to meet with the mage Jarogos to personally invite him to the Conclave, as he is notoriously grumpy about being contacted magically, but is an expert on Flan megaliths and their planar nexus potential.
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Lars Porsenna
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Re: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by Lars Porsenna »

Just a minor note about feudalism in general. The idea of bound serfs to the land was not a feature of feudalism, but rather a system called manorialism. It was prevalent during certain periods of European feudalism, but nor a feature per se of it. There were plenty of examples -- especially in later periods -- of feudalism that did not have dependent tennants to the fief. Instead they were freedmen with all the rights associated to that, that held land in return for a rent to the local lord. This rent often had a labor requirement, but it was not uncommon for the labor rent to be commuted to a cash payment instead. There may or may not have been military obligations as well to the landholder, dependent on the agreement they had with the local lord.

Damon.
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EvilGenius
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Re: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by EvilGenius »

Dude, save the learnin' for Savage Worlds!!!! :P :D
Another daring escape for the intrepid Spaceman Spiff!
setanta14
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Re: Return to Griffin's Landing

Post by setanta14 »

Yes, Damon, most of us have either formally or informally studied medieval history. I just wanted to make the specific point that everyone was considered a freeman at the very least in Obsidian Bay. In other places, such as the Great Kingdom where Odothar is from, I doubt this is the case.
Lars Porsenna wrote:Just a minor note about feudalism in general. The idea of bound serfs to the land was not a feature of feudalism, but rather a system called manorialism. It was prevalent during certain periods of European feudalism, but nor a feature per se of it. There were plenty of examples -- especially in later periods -- of feudalism that did not have dependent tennants to the fief. Instead they were freedmen with all the rights associated to that, that held land in return for a rent to the local lord. This rent often had a labor requirement, but it was not uncommon for the labor rent to be commuted to a cash payment instead. There may or may not have been military obligations as well to the landholder, dependent on the agreement they had with the local lord.

Damon.
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