Book 2: Act 3 - Into the Wild

[Vardaen]

Calistril 30

Returned home after a tricky time with Old Beldame you are glad to be among your people once more. Work on the castle continues, and things in Stagfall seem good. Haldelel has been spending most of his time in the local library and has started to push for another one to be built in Leveton.

Pharast 6
Lem leaves the barony with merchants, craftsmen and a few settlers to go to Tatzleford and help them get settled in. Its hard work in the winter and the Rezbins have asked for help already with food and shelter - perhaps founding a frontier town in winter wasn't a good idea.

Pharast 16
A letter arrives from Tatzleford from Lem.

"Dear friends, (and Valen too, Ha!)

This is hard for me to write but I must officially resign any and all posts and claims within Caledonia. I have found something in Tatzleford that I simply can not leave it. I never thought I would want to leave our little kingdom but the heart wants what the heart wants. Maybe in the spring I'll see you at my wedding!

-Lem Lillywig"

Pharast 23
The great keep is nearly done! The rooves have been finished, the walls are repaired, all the chambers are rebuilt. Over the course of the next few days furniture is being moved in, the tools and scaffolding is being removed, and the place is getting finished up for the final arrival of the Baron and his council. Spring has started, the winter is fading, the weather is warming up and rains are washing away the snow.

In Leveton a new library has opened with Haldelel working with Jhod to get books imported from Brevoy for it, as well as a few for the Temple of Erastil. Word is Jhod has a new acolyte as well, some half-orc he's interested in introducing to you.

Pharast 26
Today the keep is officially dedicated with a ribbon cutting at the front gate. It is the early morning hours as everyone readies for this momentous occasion....

[AdamDaBomb11]

Ylyndar straightens his armor and cloak in a mirror. He eyes himself up and down to make sure everything is to his liking and then leaves his chambers to meet with the others. With the sudden resignation letter from Lem, his position of Marshal was now of a permanent nature. Ylyndar spends his time awaiting the ceremony by checking in with his network of scouts around Stagfall.

OOC

Check in with scouts. Not sure if enough time has passed for those pair of scouts I sent to check on the Troll situation to return with information or not.

[Eilandor]

Aetoron awakes and seeks out a finer set of clothes that his normal fare. Pulling his long blond hair into a pony-tail, he heads out to meet with the others for the ceremony. Along the way he reflects upon the changes that winter had brought. Talking outwardly to himself, "A new library in Leveton!" He simply nods at the few people who pass him, giving him strange looks for seemingly talking to himself. Arriving and standing next to Ylyndar, "Any word on the Troll situation?"

[Trogdor]

Cal puts on his finery and makes his way to the official dedication of Stagfall Castle. It would be nice to have a real meeting room to hold council meetings in, at last. And it would be a pleasure not to have that draft from the broken masonry in his sleeping chambers. But that all paled compared to the added security the castle would bring to Stagfall. With the saber rattling coming from the River Kingdoms, it was important to pay attention to security.

Arriving at the dedication, the baron shakes hands and makes small talk until it's time for his speech. Then he stands up on a podium and makes his dedication.

"Good people of Stagfall, we gather here today for a momentous occasion. We have come to dedicate Stagfall Castle, a symbol of Caledonia's strength and dedication. By this edifice we declare to any bandits or other hostile forces of this area that Stagfall is here to stay, and that we have the power to defend ourselves. The good people of this town can rest a little bit easier tonight knowing that they are well defended from any threat, knowing that the forces of Caledonia have a place to rally from, and knowing that the people of Stagfall will always have a place of safety within their town."

[AdamDaBomb11]

Just before Cal gets started, Ylyndar leans over to Aetoron. "It seems the rumors may be more than just a fairy tale. While no one has seen the trolls yet, there is more than enough proof to suggest that something big is creating problems. I have pulled back my scouts in fear of losing them. This is a situation we will definitely need to investigate ourselves."

Ylyndar then stands straight as the Baron gives his speech.

[Vardaen]

Lined up behind Cal are nearly all the members, post and present of the High Council - Svetlana Leveton, Oleg Leveton, Kesten Garess, Akiros Ismort, Valen Tar'dath, Heldalel, Colban Forester and Jhod Kavken. Missing is Lem and Arenhal (who remains in secret hiding better to do his job from).

The citizens of the town are gathered at the base, and as Cal speaks they give a great shout and a cheer for they know they are truly come into their own now. Long gone are the tents and shacks that here were only a year and a half ago. Now a great castle stand looking out over them, protecting them, encouraging them, and giving them true hope for the future of the nation.

A great festival takes place after the speeches and talks. Food and music is everyplace, people from Leveton have come in for the celebrations, and all manner of imports from Brevoy are present. Hardly any expense was spared to make this day a joy for the people. They forget the Trolls, the Rabble Rouser, the hard winters, and today, this day in spring is a new birth of Caledonia!

About an hour into the festivities Jhod finds a few of your seated on the wall, of the castle, drinking, and overlooking the courtyard inside, and the town outside. He has a grim looking half orc with him, who for the moment he ignores. "Well Baron! Look what Erastil has given us. I must say when I first ran into you at Oleg's little tradepost I never thought we would be sitting here together. Praise Erastil and his glory for this bounty."

GM

I want to take this chance to introduce our new player! The half orc, Othniel, start watching for when I will introduce you.

[Trogdor]

"Praise Erastil," Cal echoes. "With his blessing we're shaping into a real barony. Little-by-little we're growing, much like a sapling becoming a tree. I just hope we can get our roots deep enough to weather the first storm that hits."

[Eilandor]

Aetoron is questioning whether he should remain seated with legs dangling on the wall of the keep, overlooking the people as he has downed several mugs of ale in only the first hour of the festivities. Getting up and moving away from the ledge he stands by the Baron as Jhod and another greet them. Smiling at Cal's metaphor, the spymaster has yet to take his eyes off the half-orc who accompanies Jhod.

[Vardaen]

Jhod, "The tree that bends in the storm survives, the one that doesn't breaks. You've proven you are able to bend Baron. I'm sure Caledonia will survive any storm that comes our way." He turns a bit, "As for bending, I have a favor to ask you." He nods a greeting to Aetoron then points at the half-orc, "Allow me to introduce you to Garuk, follower of Erastil, and my latest acolyte at the Temple. He came to me a month or two ago now, hard to remember exactly, and has proven himself a faithful member of the flock, but his true talents are wasted sweeping chambers and tending to pilgrims. I thought, now that the snows are melting, that you might be back out exploring the Greenbelt and could put his talents to use. Could be good for your ventures and for him." He waves Garuk forward, "Garuk, this here is Baron Calanthir, Spymaster Aetoron, and The Green Marshal Ylyandr."

GM

Welcome Garuk (Othienl) to the game! A good few physical posts are in order.

[AdamDaBomb11]

Ylyndar's feet tap against the wall to the beat of the music being played and he gently sips at his mug of ale. "I don't think Aetoron is much of a Spymaster today. I am surprised he hasn't fallen off the wall yet." He chuckles and looks at the Half-Orc. Ylyndar is a tall and slender Elf with golden blonde hair, icy grey eyes and tattoos that cover part of his face. From head to toe he wears traditional Elven attire that is both practical and stylish.

"Greetings Garuk. I hope you are enjoying the festivities."