7 Arodus
Hex G3
Narlmarches - Skunk River
The kobolds didn't seem to be paying very much attention to Frodrick yet. Giles stayed his bowstring in keeping with Frodrick's call for ceasefire, adding his own motivational words. "I suggest you surrender before we are forced to slaughter you all, one by one."

Zeran spun his pistol around his finger, still smoking slightly. "One down, who's up next?" He turned and looked directly at one of the kobolds to the left of the wagon. "Who's feeling lucky?"

Miguel began to intone a spell that would hopefully take out a few more without needless casualties. The sooner the kobolds lost their sense of advantage, the sooner talking could begin in earnest.

Zeran ducked a stone flung his way from the front of the wagon. On Giles's side, one kobold's aim was beginning to suffer terribly from an overdose of adrenaline, but the other was happy to send a stone whizzing past his ear (-2dmg Zeran, -2dmg Giles).

"Aim for the warrior," the sorcerer shouted, commanding the rear-side crew to focus Kyrie down before she got to them. Kyrie merely put her head down and charged ahead with her shield up. Three solid cracks sounded off the wood, while another force missile did little to slow her down (-3dmg Kyrie). The three kobolds dropped their slings, drawing spears (and one shovel) in to brace for impact.

The near-invisible sigil the sorcerer had drawn on the ground not a moment before lit up under Kyrie's feet, exploding with a cloud of acid. She pushed through, avoiding the brunt of the spray (-3acid Kyrie), shouting ahead to the kobolds—"Excuse me, please."

The three kobolds almost panicked at the juggernaut bearing down on them. The two spear attacks deflected harmlessly away from her, though the digger kobold managed a glancing blow to the spare ribs (-2dmg Kyrie 32/45) as she tore through the crowd.

Kyrie looked down, towering over the 2'-tall kobold launching the missiles. "That's not a very good way to make friends, you know."

Frodrick heaved himself up onto Jargon's saddle. Commanding a higher point, he called out again. "We will speak with ye, properly and respectfully, or we will leave yer bodies as food for the birds. What'll ye have?"

The kobolds looked to the sorcerer, who glanced from Kyrie above him to Frodrick.

"Halt!" the sorcerer cried. "What does the hairy one want to say?"

Frodrick 47/48 - Mounted
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 32/36 - 18 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 32(1)/45 -
Miguel 32(1)/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 29/36 - 29 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - Mounted, Total Defence, 18 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

Kobolds A,B: Front Crew; Unconscious, Dying | Uninjured
Kobolds C,D: Left Crew; Injured |Uninjured, Shaken (1/_)
Kobolds E,F: Right Crew; Uninjured x2, Shaken x1 (1/_)
Kobolds G,H,I: Uninjured x3
Kobold Mage: Uninjured

7 Arodus
Hex G3
Narlmarches - Skunk River
Frodrick did not speak for a long moment, letting the ceasefire sink in as he rode around the wagon to confer with the sorcerer.

"So I gather it was yer lot that attacked Narthropple and his men, aye?" he stated more than he asked.

The kobold sorcerer said nothing, a tacit confirmation.

"Unless I miss my mark, ye don't look much like Sootscale's tribe. Where do ye come from?"

"You are right, we have no tribe. We come from the great marsh, far to the west. We survive, but winter comes."

Frodrick glanced back at Miguel. He tugged at his beard in thought. "Be ye familiar with the settlement that lies on the lake at mouth of this river?" Miguel took the cue and stepped down off the wagon.

The black kobold nodded. "We avoid those lands. Too many tallfolk are dangerous."

"Well, since ye be so reasonable with answerin' me, instead o' killin' ye lot I think my liege has an offer fer ye."

Miguel stepped up, sheathing his sword. "Greetings." He tipped his head in the slightest bow to acknowledge the kobold leader. He adopted the same responsible leader persona as he did when negotiating the alliance with the Sootscale tribe.

The kobold never took his eyes off Miguel, watching carefully.

"I am Baron Miguel. That means I am the leader of the tallfolk settlement. The party you see before you are my allies and fellow rulers. I know we may not look like much, but we are in the process of exploring and settling these lands."

The kobold's reptilian face was inscrutible. "And what does this mean to us?"

"You and your group are not members of a tribe. It so happens that we are very close allies with the Sootscale tribe in our lands. They are small and could easily find work for new hands. Swear allegiance to us and join with us as citizens of our land."

"And what happens to us if we refuse?"

"That depends. Make no mistake, I am not here to be a conqueror. I do not wish to kill you, but if you do not join us, you will be better off taking your chances with the trolls to the south."

The kobold scratched his chin with a clawed finger. He looked to the other kobolds. "We're done here. Pack the tools."

He turned back to Miguel. "We will see about your Sootscale tribe. What do you need us to do?"

Traveling F2 (Tatzlford)
8 Arodus
Stefan rode off back east the next morning. Traveling alone with Uriel he would be back in Viridian by the time the rest of the party were arriving at Tatzlford. A letter was drawn up for both Stefan and the kobolds, one to alert Sootscale and the other to grant the kobolds full protections as citizens of the land.

Latricia Lezbin and her husband, Roy, founders of Tatzlford, greeted the rulers of Volga soon after they arrived in town. The town was growing slowly but steadily on the south bank of the Skunk River, taking advantage of their key location on the river ford to accomodate trappers and hunters.

Exploration & Mapping
9-10 Arodus
Hexes: E2 +25XP Each
The party crossed the river the next day back into unexplored territory. It was more than a year ago now (page 24!) that Frodrick retrieved a watertight scroll tube from the waters of the ford containing a partially-completed map of the area north of the river. With the help of the mystery explorer's map, the party made rapid progress.

By the end of the day they came to the elk-headed statue of Erastil depicted on the map, that lay near the northwestern edge of the Narlmarches. The 15-foot-tall stone sentinal towered over the surrounding shrubbery overgrown around its base. There was no indication as to its purpose, out this far in the wilderness, but judging from the wear of the stonework, Frodrick suspected that the statue was at least two hundred years old, and had been standing since before he was born.

That night not even the usual annoying stinging and biting insects disturbed their overnight watch.

Exploration & Mapping
11-16 Arodus
Hexes: E1, F1 +50XP Each
The party followed the edge of the forest to the western boundary set out by their charter, then turned south. After the Elk Statue they went almost a week without anything overtly unusual. Though they well knew better by now, one almost couldn't help but wonder if the southern reaches of the Greenbelt were really any worse than the north.

The stench alerted them first to the small swamp-like pond in the clearing between the trees. This close to the Hooktongue Slough, it was small wonder that marshlands dotted their western bounds, but the party felt something distinctly off as they approached. The birdlife all around the sodden ground was quiet, though the entire area was utterly infested with insects.

As the pond came into view, the party spotted the body. What looked like a dead horse with a pure white coat lay half-submerged at the pond's southern edge. After a clear glance at the creature's head, Frodrick realized the mistake. This was no mere animal—they stood before the remains of a slain unicorn.

Besides the missing horn, there wasn't a single mark on the creature's body. Even the state of decomposition yielded no clues as to the cause of death, and the body was strangely untouched by the insects that swarmed about the pond. Not even Kyrie's medical knowledge was able to give a good estimate of how the body was. The best she could say was that the creature was probably slain by some sort of death magic.

Miguel confirmed, opening his senses to the magical spectrum. The body radiated with a faint aura of necromancy that was consistent with the death effect predicted by Kyrie.

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 36/36 - 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 -
Miguel 33/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 36/36 - 30 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 18 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

Exploration & Mapping
17-19 Arodus
Hexes: G1 +25XP Each
The party took turns using Kyrie's shovel to dig a pit large enough to accomodate the body of a full grown unicorn. Moving the thousand pound goat-bearded creature proved to be a challenge in itself. Attempts to yoke the horses to the carcass were frustrated as the war-trained animals suddenly shied away everytime they came within 10'.

Giles and Miguel were mystified as to the cause of the animals' distress. Unicorns were supernatural creatures that tended to be protectors and guardians of the forest that got along well with kindly fey and all manner of woodland animals. Whatever manner of being had slain it evidently must have left some kind of mark besides the lingering death magic, perceptible only to animals.

Regardless, with a little effort and a longer stretch of rope, the party managed to move the body far enough away from the water hole that it wouldn't contaminate the supply with further decontamination, and bury it well away.

Though it was already just past half the month, the rulers of Volga realized they could afford to explore one more area before turning for home. They set their horses to ride south along the western boundary, then explored their return trip north.

Traveling G5
20-24 Arodus
The atmosphere in town when they returned was very different from when the lords left. It wasn't immediately noticeable, but they soon noticed the townsfolk exchanging glances while carrying about their business.

Finally, turning down the street to their newly refurbished fort, a young man approached them suddenly, bowing his head. There were no tears in his eyes, but the blotches on his face gave the impression of a person in mourning.

"My lords, my lady. Please, I beg of you. Saki's killer must be brought to justice. I would do anything to put her spirit to rest."

Hardly a moment later an older, stern looking woman pulled him back. "Brom! Mind your manners!" She turned, bowing, to the party. "Please excuse my son, your lordships. He grieves for the loss of his love."

(...)

The woman took her son away as Frodrick's right-hand man approached, frowning. "I had hoped to get to you before that happened," he apologised.

Inside the guard delivered his full report. Over the last three days the town had seen a series of nightly attacks just outside of town. The Greenbelt Charter party could not help but recall the predations of the redcap the year before as they heard the account.

The first night, one of the outlying farms near the city was attacked. Some of the livestock were brutally slain in their pens. The next two nights escalated quickly—a maid by the name of Saki, who never came home from her shift at the inn, and a shepherd boy named Beven who was found dead along with six of his flock while returning to town.

In both human cases the bodies were found not far from the road just outside of town. The bodies have been moved to storage awaiting investigation. At the time, the attacks are suspected to be the work of bandits or wild animals, and not murder-happy fey. The city guard is doing its utmost to patrol the streets and ensure the safety of the townsfolk, but the attacks are generating some talk in the bars.

(I'm just thinking now how similar I ended up running the redcap encounter to this event, which was at least partly intentional. Admittedly this one is on a shorter time scale, with 2 deaths already in 3 nights, and rather alarmingly, much closer to the capital.)

(Suggested actions to take include: Examine the bodies (someone with skill in Heal, i.e. Kyrie, might be best for that to help determine cause of death), Examine the sites of the deaths for clues or tracks, and Gather Info to learn what word about town is concerning the deaths and the deceased. Given the recent pattern of attacks, the guard strongly suspects that there will be another attack tonight, so any information we can gather before then could help in a very Law Enforcement TV Drama sort of way, hopefully.)

(Suggested locations to begin: There are two sites outside of town, not far. The third site is an hour on foot to the farm that was first attacked three days ago, so less practical. Saki worked at the Inn, and the Innkeeper was likely one of the last to see her alive. Beven worked as a shepherd and so spent most of the day in the pasture. It's estimated that the bulk of his flock is still roaming the hills today while others try to track them down.)

24 Arodus
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
The party met Jhod at the shrine. His face seemed to have aged almost a decade with care. "This way. They are awaiting burial pending a thorough investigation." The high priest of Volga led them to the small building where the bodies were being kept.

The two humans were propped up on tables and covered in sheets while the half dozen sheep were collected to one side, kept on the chance that the extra bodies contained a clue that the others did not. All the bodies were bloody from obvious violence, though not in the extreme seen with the redcap hunt.

Saki, the serving girl, was a pretty maid between the ages of 16-17, while the shepherd boy, Beven was about 11-12 years old. After looking both over, and considering the sheep, Kyrie could say with confidence that they were attacked by some form of beast, perhaps a large wolf or similar creature. The bodies were all partially eaten, but the attacks didn't seem to be motivated by hunger based on the damage.

Jhod's gravity seemed to deepen hearing Kyrie's announcement. "I was afraid you'd say that." The hunter priest seemed reluctant to elaborate, but continued anyway. "I encourage you all to be certain before arriving at any conclusions. Our situations are not the same, but I have had experience with something similar before. I acted too hastily once, believing I was rooting out a case of lycanthropy when it was nothing more than a wily warg, and I am grateful the damage from my mistake was not even worse."

Frodrick noticed the maid's fingers were stained purple. According to the guards who brought her in, she was found near a popular site for berries outside of town. She was likely picking them for breakfast when she was attacked.

The party agreed to split into two groups to cover more ground before nightfall, and the next probable attack. Kyrie and Giles stayed around town, the Councilor going out to speak with the families of the victims while Giles adopted a disguise to learn the public gossip.

The attacks were a popular subject for gossip around town, spawning rumours and speculation freely. Opinion was divided whether it was merely the product of an overactive imagination, but some folk report being woken at night by the sound of howling. While detractors remark that wolves are nothing unusual in these parts, the full moon of the last three nights had more than a few muttering 'werewolf' under their breath.

Among friends, family and coworkers, nobody Kyrie spoke to could think of any reason somebody would have wanted the victims dead. Neither seem to have had any enemies, unsurprisingly. She was ready to meet up with Giles and turn in what little she had learned when something caught her attention.

One of Saki's coworkers, whom Kyrie had spoken with earlier, cursed to herself, rattling the doorknob to one of the guest rooms. It was locked. The maid knocked several times, but to no avail.

"Blasted slob drinks all night and then sleeps all day. Some of us civilized folk have work to do." She noticed Kyrie's gaze and added. "A big Kellid* sap, all brawn and not much brain. He's not sore on the eyes I tell you, but you should have seen him toss 'em back last night. It's small wonder he's still not up."

Giles stepped into the inn just in time to catch the tail end of this exchange. He had been advised that the town's most recent arrival would be here, a traveling merchant by the name of Norben. He had arrived the previous morning and Giles had hoped he may have seen something of interest without realizing it.

Incidentally, the merchant did not notice anything amiss when he came into town, but did have a complaint concerning a ruckus in the middle of the night coming from the neighbouring room—that of the Kellid man.

(Out of Town)
Meanwhile out of town the others found the kill sites with relative ease. With the bodies removed, besides some blood and a few pieces of wool, there was not much to see, however Frodrick was quick to notice clear wolf tracks leading away from the site.

The tracks led to a small copse of trees and promptly vanished. There was no sign of any kind of wolf either in or leading from the trees. Frodrick circled the area, hoping to come up with any kind of evidence where the beast may have gone. On the second pass he noticed a pair of tracks leading away, about the same age as the wolf's but clearly different.

Judging by the size and the few toes (only five on each foot) he reasoned them to be human tracks—barefooted. No one really needed to voice their speculation as they get back on the horses and followed the tracks back toward town. They disappeared again just before going into town, obscured outside by other traffic.

(Inn)
Kyrie and Giles exchanged what they knew. They came to the conclusion that they needed to have a word with this 'Kundal'. Giles obtained the key to the Kellid's room from the innkeep and opened the door.

The room was empty. Kundal must have left early and been out the whole day. Giles took the opportunity to examine the room. A wash basin sat in one corner, lightly used. The rest of the room was untidy but unremarkable, save for a glimmer of gold hidden underneathe the bed.

Giles retrieved the item. It was a small golden earring, still attached to half of a severed ear. Kyrie recognised the ear at the same time the innkeeper, who had taken an interest in the proceedings, recognised the ring attached to it. They both belonged to Saki, the slain maiden.

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 36/36 - 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 -
Miguel 33/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 36/36 - 30 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 18 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

*In case you don't remember what all the human ethnicities of Golarion are, Kellids are associated with harsh regions, esp closer North. For most civilized people the stereotype they call up is the quintessential barbarian. Kellids are one of two chief ethnicities in Brevoy--they are actually native to the region, with the Taldan colonists from the south making up the other main group.

24 Arodus
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
Armed with a reasonable certainty that they are dealing with a werewolf, the party hit the town markets as the sun was setting, looking to find the appropriate equipment. According to common knowledge, lycanthropic shapeshifters could not stand the touch of silver the same way fey could not bear cold iron (whether or not one believed the rumour that it was due to the polish of the metal resembling the silvery disk of the moon).

Luckily there was an alchemical merchant in town who had four vials of silversheen left in his wares. Unsurprisingly given the rumours of howling and murder under the full moon, each vial was marked up to 300G apiece. With dusk not far off, Frodrick, Miguel, and Giles each bought a vial and stuffed them into easy to reach places. The treatment would only stick for an hour, so they would have to wait until the beast showed itself.

With three sales, the canny merchant drew a few more vials from his stores, introducing them as extracts of deadly nightshade—belladonna, one of the poisonous herbal remedies held up as the best cures for lycanthropy. One vial of dark liquid he set aside, which he referred to as a tincture of wolf's bane, the other premier herbal remedy listed in lore.

The merchant indicated that he would sell a dose of belladonna for 125G and the wolf's bane at what he claimed was a discount of 550G, though no doubt it was similarly inflated as with the rest.

After some moments' deliberation, Kyrie took the wolf's bane. She didn't know if it was any more effective than the belladonna, but she knew it was the deadlier poison. Going by the brutality recommended in the 'other' remedies (beating unconscious, silver nails through the palms while applying the poisons, etc.), it might stand to reason that the harsher poison was the stronger cure.

"Take care not to splash when administering that one, dear. The toxin is aborbed though the skin almost as easily as swallowed, and it'll make your arm numb until it reaches your heart."

(Night)
The town watch set up patrols at regular intervals around town, equiped with horns. One blast was for a sighting, two to confirm, and three to call for help. With the guard stetched so thin across town, their instructions were to avoid confronting the beast until reinforcements arrived, and try if at all possible to lure it toward town centre, where the Greenbelt Charter party kept up their watch.

The leaders of the nation waited, weapons drawn, near the inn and town centre. They couldn't afford to go wild-goose chasing, so they would wait for a confirmed sighting of the wolf, while keeping watch along the main streets.

The first hours of the night passed without incident. The party took turns from watching on a cycle so that they could remain alert and rested as long as possible. The full moon rose high into the sky over Viridian, it's last night for the month.

Around midnight, with the moon directly overhead, the first horn of the evening sounded. A single blast toward the northwest end of town, not far from the town limit. There was no follow-up, so either it was a false alarm, or the creature moved on too swiftly. No need to speculate whether or not the guards would have been able to issue a second sounding had they been caught unawares.

Several minutes later, a second horn sounded from further east, and rather closer, but again there was no follow-up call to summon aid.

There is a tense moment when a man emerges from the inn. The traveling merchant, Norben (unrelated to the alchemical salesman) came out to check on his horses. Frodrick scolds the merchant under his breath for the man's stupidity, but he carries on despite the danger.

A sudden movement cuts off Frodrick's grumbled curses. The distraction almost made him miss it, but there was clearly something large moving through the darkness beyond his vision. "It's here!"

Zeran clutched the pistol hiding in the folds of his skirt. He was suddenly a little less certain of this plan than five minutes ago. At Frodrick's shout, both he and Giles clearly witnessed a patch of darkness break away and start moving toward the inn's stable, just as it comes fully in view of the torches.

There was no doubt it was a werewolf. Kundal must have been a huge man, because the creature that ran before them was even bigger. It had a humanoid shape, save for its wolf head and greyish-brown fur covering its body.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the creature was that it was dressed. It wore a battered but well-kept suit of hide armour, and carried a long-hafted double-headed axe in one hand. While there had been no marks resembling axe blows on any of the bodies, there was no doubt as the monster loped out of the shadows that it could use the weapon.

The man-beast moved directly for the innocent, apparently unarmed buxum maiden—likely the only such person out on the streets tonight—Zeran.

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 36/36 - 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 -
Miguel 33/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 36/36 - 30 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 18 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

Werewolf: Uninjured, Hybrid

(Btw, headcanon for as I work out this last little bit--Zeran's disguise is so effective b/c he's not actually wearing any torso armour. For the purposes of this ruse alone he's wearing the stag lord's magic armour under his skirt, which allows him to wear a rather more revealing top.)

24 Arodus (Night)
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
The werewolf bared its teeth, snarling, then draw its head back in a short, barking howl. It ran Zeran down with both hands on its great axe. The disguised bait river pirate was quick to duck, but barely avoided the blade (-19dmg Zeran 17/36) as it passed narrowly over his head.

Frodrick and Jargon clattered against the stonework to Zeran's side. Frodrick threw his own axe between the lycanthrope and gunslinger while Jargon lunged and chomped on the werewolf's arm. The minor indentation left by her teeth seemed to ripple and immediately sprung back to normal (-1dmg Kundal).

"Run 'em down and knock 'em dead!" Frodrick bellowed.

Stefan rode around the opposite side and loosed an arrow at the werewolf's side. With uncanny reflexes the monster spun, almost avoiding the shaft entirely. The arrow glanced off, leaving a neat puncture in the fur—which also immediately rippled away as if it had never been (0dmg Kundal).

Seeing the effect of the unsilvered weapons, Giles unstoppered the lid to his jar of silversheen. He poured the thick, silvery paste over the flat of his blade. To his mild surprise, the sheen immediately began bonding upon contact with the metal, spreading evenly over the sword. He flipped the blade over to ensure both sides were coated, then discarded the container. The process completed as he moved into combat opposite Frodrick, drawing up his power as a protective barrier around him.

Miguel followed suit, applying the slick magical silver to his sword and approaching. Rather than call upon divine energies to shield him, however, he channeled his arcane power into his blade to strike.

Zeran hopped back away from the werewolf's reach. He whipped up his pistol and hastily took aim. After his narrow escape, his arm wasn't quite so steady as it usually was, however. The werewolf sidestepped as he pulled the trigger, and the shoot sailed off past the monster's ear and into the building across the street.

Kyrie watched the towering werewolf snarl and snap. She thought of the poison in her pocket. There was definitely no asking it if it wanted a drink, she decided. Divine energy flowed through her body as she bent her knees to run. She charged, the sacred power radiating off her body as the magic seized upon the werewolf's darkness and cruelty.

The werewolf snapped at her in surprise, leaping back just as her sickle swiped out at her. It looked to Zeran, still single-mindedly focused on him, but directly blocked by Kyrie and Jargon.

Frodrick 48/48 - Challenge, B
Jargon 34/34 - Mount, C, B
Giles 36/36 - Silvered (-1dmg), Protection, C, B, 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 - Bastion, C, Charge (-2AC)
Miguel 33/33 - C, B, 18 arrows
Zeran 17/36 - Aid +4AC, C, B, 29 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - C, 17 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount, C

Werewolf: Uninjured, Hybrid, Rage (1)

The hulking wolfman snarled at Kyrie, shoving her back with a crack from his axe against her shield (-9dmg Kyrie). He tried to push past her to get at Zeran again, but the paladin girl was irrepressible. She jammed herself back in his face immediately. In rage he snapped at her, snarling, but missed.

Frodrick 48/48 - Challenge, B
Jargon 34/34 - Mount, C, B
Giles 36/36 - Silvered (-1dmg) (1h), Protection, C, B, 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 36/45 - Bastion, C, Charge (-2AC)
Miguel 33/33 - Silvered (-1dmg) (1h), C, B, 18 arrows
Zeran 17/36 - Aid +4AC, C, B, 29 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - C, 17 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount, C

Werewolf: Uninjured, Hybrid, Rage (2)

(I just want to make a note unless anyone's confused about my descriptions about the damage to the werewolf. It probably looks a lot like Fast Healing or Regeneration the way I describe it here, like the Redcap had, except this effect triggers after every attack. Also, as you'll see soon, where the fast healing continuously patches up wounds, the werewolf's injuries only close part of the way in one movement.)

(In reality Damage Reduction can take the form of either unusual toughness and invulnerability to harm, or can mean the wounds simply go away as soon as they come. When it comes to fey I prefer the description that their bodies are simply supernaturally resistant to harm, but for werewolves I like the concept that their shapeshifting also repels weaker blows, essentially the same effect but different descriptions. Cool, huh?)

24 Arodus (Night)
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
The werewolf turned its focus on Kyrie. Frodrick direct Jargon at the opening. She reared up and kicked, one hoof striking but not hard enough to leave a mark that didn't vanish immediately. Jargon tossed her head and lunged, chomping down around his wrist. The furry flesh rippled as it did before, but the damage was too much to erase completely (-2dmg Kundal).

Stefan raced a wide circle around the werewolf until he had a clear shot. From point blank range he had a better chance of punching through the werewolf's defences. He released the bowstring but the shot flew sour.

Giles wasted no time taking advantage of Jargon's attack. The wolfman snapped at the horse angrily, and Giles drove his blade at it from the other side. The wolf barked in alarm, whirling away from the sudden blade. The soldier only scored a superficial wound, but unlike any other, the cut from the silvered weapon remained exactly as it landed, bleeding (-10dmg Kundal).

The werewolf hardly had time to react to this development when Miguel's silvered blade swiped through the air. It flinched away faster than it had the first time. It'd learned its lesson about these two, but it was beginning to wear down (-9dmg Kundal Haggard).

With Kyrie and Frodrick both shielding him, Zeran took the time to very deliberately reload his gun and aim. This time he shot directly for the centre of mass. His non-silver bullet punched through the werewolf's hide armour on the lower left. Though he could not see the flesh and fur underneath, he wasn't sure he had actually left a permanent mark.

A second later the ball popped out, evidently pushed out by whatever gave the werewolf its resilience—but with it came up a little blood (-4dmg Kundal).

Kyrie closed her guard tight, and watched carefully that the wolf was on her. She threw out a cut with her sickle that only caught air, just to make sure the beast was still paying attention.

The werewolf howled in frustration at her. It wound up its axe like a woodsman about to fell a tree in a single blow. The furious swipe flew wide enough that it nearly parted Miguel's head from his shoulders (-10dmg Miguel 23/33). Kyrie stepped back as Frodrick interposed his own axe, deflecting the blade's course.

Seemingly aware for the first time that it was being surrounded, the cursed Kellid snarled and hopped back, out of the middle of the group.

Frodrick 48/48 - Challenge, B
Jargon 34/34 - Mount, C, B
Giles 36/36 - Silvered, Protection, C, B, 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 36/45 - Bastion, C, Fight Defensively (-4/+2)
Miguel 23/33 - Silvered, C, B, 18 arrows
Zeran 17/36 - -1G, C, B, 28 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - C, 16 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount, C

Werewolf: Haggard, Hybrid, Rage (3), Power Attack

24 Arodus (Night)
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
The werewolf took one of Jargon's hooves to the collar and snarled (-3dmg Kundal). Giles sidestepped to maintain flanking while incanting a spell. The werewolf's muzzle snapped back and forth as it tried to keep track of everyone around it at the same time.

Miguel let out a sonorous tenor. Rather than let himself get caught in another wide attack, he hung back and let his enchanting voice help his allies strike harder and faster.

Zeran spun his pistol in his hand. A crazed gleam crept into his eye. "All right, why not let's get dangerous?" He strafed around Kyrie and Miguel, then came up on the werewolf suddenly. "Surprise between the eyes, sucker." He brought the butt of his pistol in an overhead arc at the werewolf's snout (-3dmg Kundal Bloodied). It flinched, but kept its footing, snarling.

Beside him, Kyrie came in with her sickle. The werewolf was beginning to run out of stamina, making mistakes that were costing it wider openings. Kyrie hooked her sickle into the werewolf's thick back fur. She got scored a decent shot, but the monster's resilience served it well (-2dmg Kundal).

The lycanthrope had forgotten about the silver swords for the moment. Its anger narrowed its focus onto one corseted figure. Zeran didn't have time to move. The werewolf flung itself on him. Its maw clamped down on his arm as the werewolf's weight and leverage forced him off his feet (-3dmg Zeran).

The pirate twisted out of the werewolf's maw before he could be pushed around any further (Not Prone). The impulsive beast roared and brought its axe over its head. Zeran wasn't fast enough. He tried to move, but the massive axe took him in the gut. Despite wearing no armour over his torso, the magic saved him from a blow that might have cut him in half. Instead, he was merely thrown back several feet (-6dmg Zeran 8/36).

"Oh, dear..." he managed to gasp. "Ow."

Frodrick 48/48 - Challenge, B, M
Jargon 34/34 - Mount, C, B, M
Giles 36/36 - Silvered, Protection, True Strike (1/1), C, B, M, 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 36/45 - Bastion, C, M.
Miguel 23/33 - Silvered, Inspire Courage (1), C, B, 18 arrows
Zeran 8/36 - Staggered, -2G, C, B, M, 28 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - C, M, 16 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount, C, M

Werewolf: Bloodied, Hybrid, Rage (4)

24 Arodus (Night)
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
"We've almost got him!" Frodrick crowed.

The cursed Kellid was exceedingly tough, but he was not going to last much longer. He was too slow to dodge a pair of solid kicks to his armoured torso (-1,-2dmg Kundal). Despite his resiliece, every fresh shot was beginning to take its toll on his body.

Giles took a step away from the now-bitten Zeran. He didn't know much about werewolves, but he knew not to stick around those bitten too long. He kept himself opposite of Frodrick and Jargon, though with his spell active he could have struck from 50' away with near-perfect accuracy.

The soldier put his weight behind his blade and thrust upward at the centre of mass. The werewolf dodged aside, but Giles had already corrected for that with magical insight. The blade sunk into his body somewhat off-centre. The thrust didn't penetrate as deep as Giles hoped, but as he wrenched the blade back out, the werewolf's hide armour and fur were covered in more red than brown (-16dmg Kundal Wounded).

The werewolf's breathing turned ragged and more laboured than before. Rather than snarling, his weak growl had much in common with a whimper.

Miguel, still singing, stepped up between Giles and Kyrie, taking advantage of Jargon's large presence to flank with Frodrick two ways. He turned the flat of his blade and swiped at the wolfman monster. The werewolf stepped aside and nearly swatted the blade out of Miguel's hand (fumble).

While Miguel and Giles distracted the werewolf, Zeran quietly made his retreat, stepping back with what was left of his injured bravado. He dropped another ball in the barrel of his gun. "Okay, then, have it your way!" He focused his aim and blew a bloody hole through the werewolf's upper bicep (-9dmg Kundal Near Death). The wound partly closed itself, but the damage was lasting.

Kyrie decided it was now or never. There'd be no chance to cure the werewolf if he was dead. Better to capture him alive (if beaten unconscious) and then poison him. Sure, this plan wasn't crazy at all. She dropped he sickle and used her free hand to quickly pry off her shield.

Both hands free she tackled the werewolf. His powerful jaws whipped around to snap at her head—but the haft of Frodrick's axe found its way between them. "Get 'em, girlie!"

Kyrie struggled to keep a hold of the 7-ft tall monster, but his uncontrolled strength was too much for her. He shook her off.

Almost completely surrounded, the werewolf wheeled about like an animal in a cage. His gaze fixed on the two men with silvered swords who had been strafing around it, closing the gap. With one last surge of effort, the werewolf howled and threw himself and his axe at them.

Giles turned his blade to parry the attack but was unprepared for the sheer desperate ferocity of the cornered werewolf. The greataxe cleaved through his defence before he even had a chance to dodge. He took the rest of the attack clear in the torso. There was at least one broken rib and Giles had the wind knocked out of him (-27dmg *crit* Giles 9/36).

For the second time that night Miguel found himself caught in the middle of a wide attack aimed at somebody else. The bard baron fared better than Giles had, only barely blocking enough of the attack with his blade to get out of the way of that deadly arc (-11dmg Miguel 13/33).

Both men were reeling, but neither fell. Foiled again, the werewolf simply grunted and ran. Miguel lashed out and cuffed the wolf with the flat of his blade over the back of his head (-5sub Kundal). The wolf staggered just long enough for Giles to recover. His silver hair gleaming under the full moon, Giles brought up his sword to stab at the heart of the beast that had struck him.

He thrust—stabbing the beast in the leg. It wouldn't be lethal, but it would bloody well hurt (-8sub Kundal). The werewolf took a step, unwisely placing weight on the leg. He released a pathetic whimper and collapsed to the stone pavement, finally losing consciousness.

Giles wiped his blade on the werewolf's fur. "We'll talk more about this in the morning—if you survive the rest of the night," he told the body.

Frodrick 48/48 - Challenge, B, M
Jargon 34/34 - Mount, C, B, M
Giles 9/36 - Silvered, Destruction, C, B, M, 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 36/45 - Bastion, C, M
Miguel 12/33 - Silvered, C, B, Inspire Courage (2),18 arrows
Zeran 8/36 - -3G, C, B, M, 27 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - C, M, 16 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount, C, M

Werewolf: Near Death, Unconscious, Hybrid, Rage (5), Power Attack

Unconscious, suddenly the monster didn't seem quite so threatening—it was still a huge wolf man with sharp teeth and claws and tremendous muscles, but he seemed somehow deflated (Rage End, Str down, Con down, attack down, damage down, will down, fort down, hp down). Giles was the first to notice.

Despite the non-lethal blows that took him down, the moment the werewolf lost consciousness and his battle frenzy ended, his body started to succumb to the effects of his wounds (Kundal Dying).

Giles turned to Miguel and Kyrie. "I do believe this man is going to need to see a healer if he is going to survive much longer."

He walked away from the body looking up at the moon whose presense turned his hair silver as it turned the man into a beast. It was half passed midnight. He had places to be.

"I hope you'll forgive me if I'm feeling a bit done-in after that little show. Fetch me if he survives the cure." Giles departed.

The guards arrived moments after the wolfman fell. They helped Kyrie and Miguel load the furry body into the back of a locked wagon after Kyrie had stemmed the worst of his bleeding. Depending on which rumours one believed, they didn't have all night, but the middle of the street was no place to be trying to cure a fellow of lycanthropy. They drove him over to the fort where they would have better control over the environment.

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 9/36 - Silvered 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 36/45 -
Miguel 12/33 - Silvered, 18 arrows
Zeran 8/36 - -3G, 27 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 16 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

Werewolf: Stabilized, Unconscious, Hybrid

(Damn I love crits)

25 Arodus (Morning)
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
The werewolf was brought to the fort and locked up alone to prevent any further trouble while he was under the effects of the curse. Watch was kept over the room in shifts over the whole night, in case there was trouble.

Just a couple hours before the sun came up there was movement in the room, accompanied by low sounds of whimpering, before all went quiet again an hour before dawn.

The party waited until the sun was well up before entering the room, blades in hand. They found in the werewolf's place was a large Kellid man, not quite as big as his wolfman form had been, curled up in the corner. His bandages had come loose and some had been strewn about the room, presumably when his transformation wore off.

The man roused after a moment, dazed and confused like a man waking after a long night of heavy drinking. He looked down at his bloody body, then up at the party, horrified.

"What... what happened?"

"Don't worry," Kyrie smiled, helpfully, "most of that blood is yours."

The broad man didn't seem comforted.

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 36/36 - 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 -
Miguel 33/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 36/36 - 27 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 16 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

Kundal: Stable, Human

The man propped himself up against the wall, too hurt to move very much. "What's going on? Why am I here?"

"Well, why are you here?" Giles asked. "Your name is Kundal, we gather. What brings you to our humble town?"

"That's easy. I was passing through the region. This place is the only town between Restov and Mivon, so I thought I'd make a stop. Didn't think I was going to stay more than a day or two, but—" Kundal shut his mouth mid-sentence.

"Spit it out, boy," Frodrick said. "We can't help you if you don't tell us."

Kundal met Frodrick's gaze for a minute, then looked away and sighed. "I didn't think much of it at first, but the day before I came here, I started to have horrible dreams filled with blood. The next morning I couldn't remember what I had dreamed, but I remember the blood, and I felt like I had barely slept."

"I thought maybe there were wicked spirits who had been disturbed by your town, so I hoped spending the day away from civilization would help. It seems I was wrong."

"Well, the bad news is those dreams were real." Kyrie said. "Good news is that we now know that you didn't mean to do it. But then the other bad news is that we still don't know why it happened." The paladin knelt down to his level and reached out to him.

The barbarian pulled away, an effort which clearly cost him some pain. "Why what happened? What is wrong with me? Why don't I remember anything?"

"Simply put, my boy, you are a werewolf." Giles said.

Kundal's jaw went slack. Kyrie took hold of his arm and channeled sacred life into his body.

"Unngghh," Kundal gasped. His breathing came easier after (+12hp Kundal Injured).

"We have procured the means to cure you, but it's not going to be pleasant, and we needed to ask you a few questions before we begin," said Giles.

Kundal swallowed heavily, and nodded. Carefully and deliberately he stood up. His full human height was almost as impressive as his werewolf form, well over six foot.

Miguel cleared his throat. "First thing we'd like to know is if you can remember how or where you may have been cursed. Assuming this is the first time you've had the dreams, it could have been anything within the last month."

The barbarian scratched his nose. "I have been in Brevoy since the beginning of Sarenith (i.e. 2-3 months), doing odd jobs, mostly around Restov. Brevian winters are bitter cold, and work was drying up, so I decided to go south. I've been bitten by so many guard dogs and feral wolves in my time I wouldn't even remember which of 'em did it—and that's assuming it wasn't some witch or evil spirit that hexed me."

Miguel nodded. "Well, that's everything I can think of right now. Does anyone else want to have a go?"

Zeran piped up. "You bit me. Does that mean I get to go all mad and hairy on the next moon or what?"

Kundal looked pained. "I do not know that. All the stories say that the curse can be passed on from a bite, but often there are survivors who show none of the signs—not that they're always given the chance. If you are afraid you will transform, maybe you wish to take your own cure. I understand that the sooner after infection you take the cure, the more effective it is likely to be. Belladonna is good for the first few days, I have heard. I hope you have brought for me wolf's bane, if not something stronger."

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 36/36 - 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 -
Miguel 33/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 36/36 - 27 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 16 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

Kundal: Injured, Bloodied, Human

(Kyrie has two more uses of LoH that she has already planned to use but I have been saving for just before the cure is delivered. Zeran may, if he wishes, purchase from the vendor a dose of belladonna, if he is worried that he has been infected. Otherwise, both he and Kundal will have to wait for the next full moon to find out.)

25 Arodus (Morning)
Viridian Town; G5
Capital of Volga
Kyrie finished up healing the man to a point where he would have a chance to resist the poison, but not pose much threat if he chose to resist captivity instead (+10hp, +12hp Kundal)

With no more questions, Kundal insisted on administering the poison himself. He accepted the small vial of deadly tincture from Kyrie and sat down. He took a few minutes to prepare himself, then swallowed the whole dose in one go. (Kundal Poisoned)

The barbarian gripped the arms of his chair, face turning pale. For a moment he looked like he was going to be sick—and then he was. Fortunately a nearby bedpan took the brunt of the vomiting. Kundal put his hand to his head, staving off nausea and dizziness, while his body began to sweat (-3Con, -1 Fort, -4hp).

His breathing became laboured. Just over ten minutes after consuming the poison, Kundal suddenly roared—more human warcry than animal. His muscles bulged and his knuckles turned white gripping the wooden arms of the chair (Kundal Rage +4Str/+4Con).

He maintained his battle frenzy for several seconds, then dropped it just as suddenly (Kundal Fatigued). He looked up weakly. "It would seem your cure has managed not to be the death of me. Time will tell if it has succeeded."

Kundal: Injured, Fatigued, Human, -3Con (-1 Fort, -4hp)

Arodus 4701 Kingdom Update (25 Aro - 1 Rova)

-Stability: Secure +1BP
-Consumption: -2BP [24]
-Unrest: 0 - Calm

Improvement
-Claim Hexes: F4 -1BP (+1Size/Cons)
-Cities: Found Settlement B5 -1BP (+1Cons)
---Free Stable (+1Econ, +1Loy, +500Value)
---House -3BP
-Roads: F4 -2BP (1/4 1/8.)
-Farmlands: F4 -4BP (-2Cons) [13]

Income
-Generate Income: +14BP [27]

Event
-Troll Sightings (continuous): No sightings this month
-No Event

Kundal recovered from his injuries and the effects of the poison rapidly over the week. By the first of Rova, he was in healthy fighting shape—and itching to move. While still needing to remain under close scrutiny until the next moon, there was nothing for him to do for the month until then.

The nomadic warrior begged to be allowed the smallest freedom of movement, and to put himself to good use helping with chores or labour around the fort. Heavens knew, a year since founding there was still plenty of work to go around on a daily basis, and assuming he kept cooperating, there was no reason to assume he was dangerous until the days before the next full moon.

Meanwhile, the barony tolerated a month of stability as the first honest-to-goodness town besides the capital sprung up around the cite of Oleg's Trading Post. At the same time, the southern reaches of the kingdom grew out, setting patrols, ploughing fields, and beating down roads to link the kingdom to the technically independant Tatzlford, would-be third settlement of Volga.

In light of recent events, the party decided to stay in town for the next month, so that they could both keep an eye on any further issues that might spring up following the werewolf attacks, and so that they could ensure that neither Kundal nor Zeran were likely to go furry before they returned to town again.

On the twenty-second day of the month of Rova, both men were locked up in a place that would ensure full exposure to the light of the moon. Kundal spent the evening hours in quiet meditation, while Zeran simply nattered on with twice the long-windedness he normally presented. After an hour the moon rose above the horizon.

The two waited quietly as the moon rose into the sky slowly higher and higher, each waiting with bated breath for the moment when the curse might overtake them and transform their bodies into instinct-driven engines of destruction.

That moment never came—a full hour after the moon appeared, both men remained in human form. They were kept locked up for another hour just to be sure, and then finally released.

Kundal expressed his thanks for the leaders' work in helping him to be rid of the curse. In thanks and repayment for this service, he gave the party a ring from his finger. It was a simple, thin ring with a feathery pattern at the edge.

"The magic in this ring has saved me from a few falls when I was in the mountains. It's also good for climbing down quickly—just don't try to jump too far all at once."

Rova 4701 Kingdom Update (24-30 Rova)

-Stability: Secure +1BP
-Consumption: -2BP [26]
-Unrest: 0 - Calm

Improvement
-Claim Hexes: F3 -1BP (+1Size/Cons)
-Cities: Smithy -6BP (+1Econ, +1Stab)
-Roads: F3 -2BP (2/4 2/8.)
-Farmlands: NA

Income
-Generate Income: +15BP [32]

Event
-Troll Sightings (continuous): Rumours of trolls sighted in the south pick up again. In light of last month's werewolf attacks, some folk grow nervous. +2 Unrest.
-Bandit Activity (continuous): Reports of bandits preying upon travelers in the Volga come in. Thanks to some excellent work by the Marshal's rural patrol, the bandits are rooted out and brought to justice before they can do much harm to the barony's trade. No Effect.

As the days turn colder in the week before the autumn equinox, the road through the forest connecting Tatzlford and Viridian is finally complete. The small upstart town on the Skunk river anticipates officially joining the barony any month now. Reports suggest that attitudes toward the barony in town are mixed. Some see annexation as bringing wealth and security to the town, while others grumble about the loss of independance.

Following the completion of the new road came reports that bandits setting themselves up in the surrounding forest to pick on poorly guarded travelers. Unfortunately for them, they underestimated the competence of the Volgan patrol, and the importance of the forest road. Within the month the bandits were brought to justice.

Finally, even as the barony continued to see prosperity and growth, the hushed voices speaking of fearsome trolls wandering the forest to the south grew. Last month's werewolf attack only fed these anxieties, and those more inclined to fret (and less inclined to remember how swiftly their resident lords dealt with the problem) started to grow restless.

Traveling Tatzlford F2
1-2 Lamashan
Exploration & Mapping
3-4 Lamashan
Hexes: G2 +25XP Each
Following the Autumnal Equinox, the rulers of Volga set out again on their travels. With the new road paving the way through the forest it took only a day and a half to reach the ford town, buried by the first falling yellow leaves of the year.

From Tatzlford they crossed the Skunk and set out into territory which was technically uncharted by their maps, but working from a the guide purchased from Jubilost Narthropple two months earlier. This particular region of the forest was known to be the home of a dryad. The site of her grove was marked more or less exactly by a small pond and a large tree on Narthropple's map.

The Greenbelt Charter party worked their way around the region, adding their first-hand cartography in double-time thanks to the template set by Narthropple. Finally, in the middle of the afternoon on the fourth they came to a perfectly picturesque parting in the trees.

A majestic oak stood at the centre, reigning over a placid pond that was scattered with red-and-yellow leaves floating on the surface. The last birds of autumn twittered overhead as the party brought the wagon to a halt at the edge of the scene. The party hesitated for half a second before entering the grove, if only to avoid finding out what happens when one underestimates the danger of offending a fey in her home, but the soft sound of weeping emerging through the birdcall drew their attention to the base of the oak.

There, partially obscured by the tree, kneeling at the edge of the pond, was a woman dressed in clothing of leaves. So much did she seem a part of the tree that the party almost didn't notice her when they arrived.

Alerted by the party's approach, the woman turned her head. "Falchos?"

Her eyes were pure fey emerald. As soon as she saw that her guests were not who she thought, she stood up and turned to the party. Her face was uncannily beautiful, despite the fact that she had just been crying moments before. "Oh, hello. Who are you all, then?"

Frodrick 48/48 -
Jargon 34/34 - Mount
Giles 36/36 - 19 arrows, 20 bolts
Kyrie 45/45 -
Miguel 33/33 - 18 arrows
Zeran 36/36 - 30 bullets
Stefan 11/11 - 17 arrows
Uriel 13/13 - Mount

As they neared the clearing that the map indicated to the party would be close, Kyrie grew more curious. She had never met a dryad before. What kind of person would they be like? What did they look like? Well she did have a bit of an idea, having heard some stories, but still, it would be a new experience for her.

Yet, as they got closer, sounds of crying could be heard. As they walked up, the dryad turned to them, traces of crying mostly wiped from her otherworldly face.

In that moment, Kyrie didn't really register that it was a non-human. She knew what she wanted to do.

"Would it- would it be rude to hug you?" Kyrie offered, almost brutally honest in wanting to help the dryad emotionally.

(( copy/paste from Sib the GM ))

The dryad woman smiles faintly at Kyrie. "Your offer is appreciated, dear child, but I must decline--however if your desire to help is sincere, I find myself gravely in need assistance such as you and your companions may be able to provide."

((---pause if anyone wishes to insert anything---))

To the south of here there is a wicked monstrous tree that destroys and consumes all other creatures that cross its path. Numerous times my lover and I have attempted to drive it away, but it has resisted us. If it is not destroyed, I fear it will soon run out of prey and come to destroy my tree and devour my flesh."
(( End of copy and paste ))

Kyrie frowned, scratching at her cheek, "I've never heard of a tree that eats other trees, or a moving tree before. But it sounds like a weed. I don't like weeds. Guys I think we have some gardening to do."

(( As an aside, I do anticipate someone saying 'waitamin there Kyrie'. After all, if no one says that, she might very well start marching south on her own lol ))