Rel Astra City Map (Modeled after West Crown)

THE CHILDREN OF MEDEGIA

Arael - Male Half Elven Cleric of Ra. Long blond hair, well groomed, clean shaven. He projects a calm reserve. He is charismatic and outspoken against the status quo in Rel Astra. He founded the name of the group, that aspires to create more and return the country to a semblance of a good place to live.

Janiven - Female human archer. Shoulder length brunette curly hair, fair skinned and athletic. She is an attractive lady in her early 20's who downplays her beauty with rough clothes and a stern, no-nonsense attitude.  firebrand, and only really smiles and seems at ease after she has come to know someone a while.

Morosino - human, male, 15 year old teenager. He is a runaway who does day labor and runs errands.

Amaya - human, female. A beautiful Baklunish woman in her mid-20's. She is a journeyman glassblower and owns her own shop.

Ermolos 'the Younger' - human, male. An apprentice blacksmith. He is very tall and very muscular. He walks with a slight limp. His father was an adventurer who went missing when Ermolus was a child.

Fiosa - halfling female. She works as a chamber maid to a rich noble family.

Gorvio - human male. His father owns a stables and he works as a stable hand. He is a great negotiator, and is very popular with 'the ladies'.

Larko - human, male. Dock worker. Strong silent type.

Mathalen - human female. Late teens to early 20's. She is plain and plain spoken. She works as a porter.

Rizzardo - human male. 20 year old hot headed Suel from the Lordship of the Isles. He works at odd jobs.

 

Sclavo - human male. Strong, soft spoken man in his late 20's, who works as a scribe for the Rel Astran courts. He dresses very well and is clearly well educated.

Tarvi - human female. Her parents own a prosperous jewelry store 'the Glitter Palace.' She is sarcastic. 

Vitti - human male. A journeyman woodcarver. He is wiry and has hair that's dyed green.

Yakopulio - gnome female. She's a bartender at 'the Bruised Eel', and has shady connections. She likes to contradict and start arguments with others.

'The Boys' - Joined as a group when Janiven tried to recruit them, and they were found and persued by the Hell Knights.

Hadrian - Fiery Cleric of Ra, trained by Arael, leader of the Children of Medegia. He was born in the doomed city of Pontylver and has lived and was trained in the city of Rel Astra.

Kurgan - Simpleton Fighter. Seemingly loyal for Hadrian for saving his life. Raised in the countryside of Rel Astra.

Prexus - A secretive priest. He worships Hextor, which is publicly frowned on at best, and will get you a beating or knifing at worst. He was raised in Rel AStra until his family fled the city over a decade ago.

Imgar - A dwarf warrior and killer. Raised in the insular dwarven community of Rel Astra. Of late he seems attached to Prexus.

'Pumkinhead' Johnny - A criminal thug and rogue. Raised in the streets of Rel Astra. A sell sword with many petty crimes, though few convictions, so far.

'Swifty' - An elven warrior, who seems to relish the idea of joining a band of rebels. He was born in the Lendore Isles and has travelled to Rel Astra for reasons unknown.

Drayco -

Reasan -

Patrolling the Dospera

 Prexus was tasked by Arael, the leader of the Children of Medegia, to patrol around their safe house, a boarded up tap house located in the ruined northern section of Rel Astra, known as 'the Dospera'.
Recently, other members of the Children have been referring to the group as 'the boys' as in "We should have the 'the boys' look into the goblin problem." Likewise, as word of Arael's rescue from, and deaths of a group of Hell Knights spread. The Children of Medegia have been gaining in prominence. Members and non-members have been chalking 'CHILDREN OF MEDEGIA' around the working class middle of the city.
Prexus took his fellows, Hadrian - priest of Ra, Imgar the dwarf warrior, Kurgan the great sword wielding warrior, and two green members (both men: Rizzardo, a big Suel, and Vitti, a green haired thin fellow) on a night-time patrol of the Dospera. The mission was to clear out whatever haunts the streets of the city, and give the two green members a chance to see combat.
Torches were lit and the patrol began. After an hour of walking in the dark ruins of the city, the group heard the sound of a horse and wagon travelling in the dark.
The group uncloaked the lantern and shown it on the nocturnal traveller. It was a tall thin man, dressed in travelling clothes, with a staff across his lap, he sat atop an uncovered wagon, with two draft horses pulling it. It was odd to say the least for a fellow to bring a wagon through the unlit, rubble-strewn streets of the Dospera ruins. The group ringed the stranger and started to quiz him on where he was going after curfew. After some verbal evasion, the man bolted, after waving his hand and making the area magically dark. Hadrian cast a light spell, and it helped the group follow fast on his heels. Prexus uncovered a large wool blanket it the back of the wagon, and found three dead bodies under it. The stranger swore as Kurgan ran him down and struck a horrible blow with his great sword. The Stranger tried to strike back with his staff, but Imgar ran up and knocked him out.
Unconscious, the man was 6'4" and 170 lbs. Short blond hair. He also was found to have scaled pointed ears under his leather arming cap, and he seemed to have blond fur over much of his body. He wore a breast plate and carried his finely made staff for a weapon. He also bore a cloak pin depicting a leering fanged face. A symbol of something perhaps or just decorative.
The three bodies in the back hadn't been dead for long, perhaps a day. One was a teenage boy with part of his skull caved in. An old man, stripped to his breeches, without a mark upon him. Lastly a young woman whose throat had been torn out. None of the deaths seemed to have occurred in the wagon.
When the stranger was awakened and questioned about the dead bodies he claimed to be transporting the dead for burial, but when 'pressure' was applied he admitted that he sold the bodies to a man in the Dospera. When pressed for why this man would buy dead bodies, the stranger, who called himself 'the Peddler', claimed that the man's apprentice often sold meat to the market. He presumed the man, named Brom, cut up the dead bodies and sold the meat to the unsuspecting public. In return for this and the location of Brom's home/charnel house, the Peddler' would be free to go with his possessions. Though until the story was investigated the Peddler would be held in the Children of Medegia's safe house.
On the way back to the safe house, the group came across sounds of battle. Nearby in the ruins and sounds of the meaty smacking of something, mingled with grunts, and inhuman gurgling roars echoed across the broken and burned out ruins. The fighters in the group rushed forward, while Prexus and Hadrian stayed to watch their prisoner.
Kurgan and Imgar found an elf warrior with a long slender two handed sword, fighting a tentacled horror. The tentacles were coming from the ruined sub-basement of an old brick building which had collapsed. It was hard for the two warriors to engage the beast, since it's central body was 8 feet below ground level. Kurgan and the elf finally managed to slash at it;s meaty central body to kill the thing.
Introductions were in order then the beast lair was quickly looted of a number of low value coins. Prexus urged the group to move, lest the sounds of battle bring any out any other foul denizens.

Current XP

Pathfinder Medium Advancement: 2nd (2,000), 3rd (5,000), 4th (9,000), 5th (15,000)

'Swifty' elf male, 3rd level fighter (Tim) 3,810
Hadrian, human male, 3rd level cleric - Ra (Dave) 4,903
Imgar, dwarven male, 3rd level fighter (Paul) 4,603
Kurgan, human male, 3rd level fighter (Kevin) 4,603
Pumkinhead Johnny, human male, 1st level Rogue/1st level fighter (Chris P.) 3,000
Prexus, 3rd level cleric - Hextor (Rob) 4,603
Drayco, 2nd level (Mark) 2,000
Reasan, 2nd level (Chris G.) 2,000

Rel Astra and Medegia

During the Greyhawk wars (582-584) Medegia was known as the 'See of Medegia' for it was a vassal state of the Great Kingdom, and under the rule of a Patriarch General Kimon Allerus, the head of the Church of Hextor in the region. Kimon was old and his health failing when the Great King demanded tribute and armies from Medegia, which would beggar the nation. Kimon sent the bare minimum of both, and those levies sent were of the poorest quality.
The Great Kings generals were incensed that Medegia's footdragging. Added to this was a general xenophobia in Medegia against the slave races of orcs and goblin. They were considered disruptive and their breeding all but outlawed.
Rumors began of a new alliance between Medegia and the Lordship of the Isles against the Sea Baronies. The Armies of the Great Kingdom marched south, pillaged and raided Medegia. The worst of the slave races were given free reign to make an example of the recalcitrent nation. The city of Pontylever was masacred, it became a cursed city, filled with undead horrors. Rel Astra, the Capital of Medegia, was destroyed, and much of it set ablaze. Kimon Allerus and the entire clergy of Hextor in Rel Astra were taken into chains to the north and most never seen again.
During the brief occupation of Rel Astra, something was unleashed. Dark, shadowy forms haunt the night. Creatures of shadow prey on the unwary and unprotected. No one knew where these creatures came from or how to stop them. The local Medegians adapted to the threat. A curfew was enacted. The areas of 'the Prominade', well lit as they are by eternal bonfires, seem to keep the creatures at bay. This area became prime real estate for the rich aristocrats, who felt the rest of the people could fend for themselves.
In the aftermath of the devastation, the people of Medegia formed into fractious groups. The nobility filled the vacume left by the Patriarch General. They elected a mayor, a devious and cruel man from their own ranks. After his disappearance years later under mysterious circumstances, the nobility agreed to elect someone outside of their ranks to fill a 5 year term as mayor.

The current year, 606 C.Y. A large portion of the city, it's north end is mostly in ruins and abandoned. The City State of Rel Astra relies on trade with other costal powers. Having no standing army, it controls a small area of land. The rest of Medegia is on it's own. Brigandry and starvation is a constant threat. Towns and villages are insular and often controlled by a local landlord or warlord. Increased religious freedom from thr Hextorians is cold comfort to an impoverished and frightened city.

Medegia and Rel Astra favor the worship of the Oeridian pantheon. Indeed, during the reign of the Hextorites, when it was the See of Medegia, other religions were outlawed. Major temples to Zilchus, and Procan. There were several temples to hextor, mostly raised or abandoned. There are small shrines to Rudd, the Velaeri, Delleb, and Fharlanghn.

The Pantheon includes: Bleredd, god of smiths and metals. Celestian, god of the stars and wanderers. Cyndor, god of time. Daern, hero-god of defense. Delleb, god of reason and intellect. Erythnul, god of hate, panic and slaughter. Fharlanghn, god of the horizon and travel. Heironeous, god of chivalry, justice, honor, valor and war. Hextor, god of war, discord, conflict, massacres, and tyranny. Johydee, goddess of deception and protection. Kurell, god of jealousy, revenge and thievery. Merikka, goddess of farming and the home. Pholtus, god of resolution, light and the law. Procan, god of the seas, sea life, sea weather, and navigation. Rudd, goddess of chance, good luck and skill. Sol (as Pelor is known in the region), god of sun, strength, and healing. Stern Alia, goddess of culture, law and motherhood. The Velaeri, the collective name for the five dieties of the winds and weather - Velnius, Telchur (winter & north wind), Atroa (spring & east wind), Sotillion (summer & south wind), Wenta (autumn & west wind). Zilchus, god of money, power and trade.

Session 3, the Rescue

The Privateers spent much of their wealth at the 2 competing Magic Shops within Rel Astra. One known as 'the Inkwell' started as a repository and shop specializing in scrolls which has branched out into other types of magic items for sale. The second shop 'the Magic Monger's' is a place where a half dozen wizards own jointly, and buy and sell magic items.
After selling much of their new found wealth, the 5 Privateers cast about for something new. Pumkinhead Johnny was off doing his own thing saying he had 'obligations' before he went off.
A young boy, named Morosino came into the groups inn looking for Hadrian. They spoke and Hadrian told the group the following "It seems a friend of my mentor, a woman named Janiven, wishes to meet us at Vizio's tavern." Morosino gives Hadrian direction to the tavern and then leaves on another errand.
Upon entering the mostly empty tavern in mid-day, they saw a comely woman in her 20's. With wavy auburn hair of medium length, slight freckles and tanned from the sun, 5'4", wearing leather and chin shirt, with a bow and sword. Morosino introduced her as Janiven.
She greeted each of the 5 Privateers, and was surprised to see a cleric of hextor in the company of Hadrian, but with a shrug she proceeded to speak of Rel Astra's plight. The forced curfew, due to shadowy creatures allowed to roam the city after dark. The ineffective and corrupt Dottari constables and Mayor, and the tyrannical Hell Knights. With this thought she, and Hadrian's mentor, Arael, have been speaking out to restore the city to it's former glory. Arael has inspired others in town, a dozen or more so far, and they are calling themselves 'the Children of Medegia'. She is reaching out to you 5 to see if they are receptive to joining. Each of you realize that what she is saying could be seen as seditious and treasonous.
As they talked about her ideas, Morosino burst into the front door out of breath and distressed. He yells out "They've got Arael!" He doubles over brought on by a long run. Janiven's face grows grim and she comforts the boy. He recovers enough to tell her "The dottari nabbed Arael, and the Hellknights of the Rack are trying to get custody of him. The Hell Knights on their way here now."
The sound of clanking armor advancing on the tavern is heard, and through the front windows a large group of heavily armored and armed hell knights is seen. Similar sounds are heard from the rear of the tavern as well.
Janiven heads towards a cupboard and pushes the back open to reveal a tunnel opening. "Come on if you want your freedom." She heads in followed by the lad, and after a brief hesitation, the 5 Privateers.
The secret door led to a bolt hole basement room, which Janiven barred after they came through the door. In a chest was a pair of tanterns, some extra lamp oil, and a number of potions. She gave one to each of the privateers "Potions of Curing" she said as she led to a secret door leading to the sewer system. "Arael and I put marks on the walls to lead us safely out."
Janiven led them through the sewers, after a bit they could hear sounds behind them echoing through the tunnels. Within 15 minutes they fought a trio of Hell Knights from a side tunnel. They were trained, but not too tough. The three were slain, and the group pressed on.
Eventually Janiven led them up and out of the sewers near a safe house in the ruins. The place looked like it had once been a shrine, though the windows were boarded up. It had only one entrance, which she unlocked, and led the Privateers and Morosino inside.
Inside the shrine was bare, with only a few bed rolls, a table, some chests with dry goods, and a few jugs of water. After 20 minutes two young people knocked on the door and Janiven let them inside. A young man and woman in their late teens. Janiven introduced them as Ermolos and Tarvi, members of the Children of Medegia. "We heard about Arael." After another hour two more of the group had come to the hide out, these were Fiosa and Vitti. A female halfling and a human lad in his early 20's with green died hair. Before long Janiven had they 4 what had happened, and then told Ermolos and Morosino to go find the other Childern of Medegia and tell them to remain calm and meet in groups no larger than 3's.
The evening was spent eating bread and water with a small fire in a discreet fireplace in the back of the shrine. They hunkered down, as it was dangerous to travel the ruins at night. Brimbul and Fiosa chatted, as did Janiven with Hadrian and Kurgan.
Prexus found it hard to believe the streets were as dangerous as people said. He wanted to see what sort of danger was outside. He ordered Imgar to attend him and went outside with a torch. In the half hour they were in the street, they heard noises but never saw anything. They came back inside after pounding on the door, and Hadrian and Prexus argued over the wisdom of going out at night. There seemed to be a rift growing between the two clerics.
The next morning the Children of Medegia spread out thru the city to find out Arael's fate. Janiven asked Hadrian and the rest of the Privateers to check in later in the day if the still wished to help. Laterin the day Janiven met with the Privateers at the safe house. Arael had been transferred to the custody of the Hell Knights, and would be transported tomorrow to Fort Rivad. I was presumed he would be tortured and killed.
The Privateers and Janiven hatched a planm to rescue him. For the plan to work, they would all need horses, a cart with hay or other 'goods' and the help of two of the Children of Medegia and Janiven to hold the horses in reserve and provide missile fire if needed.
Before dawn Janiven, Ermelos, Larko, the Privateers left town with a hay filled wagon, and riding horses. They headed west towards the town of Mentrey. The Hell Knights of the Order of the Rack are headquartered in Fort Rivad outside the town. On the way there's a small bridge over a creek. They overturned the cart on the bridge, and unhitched the draft horses. The other horses were hidden in a copse of trees further down the road. Ermelos and Larko had been outfitted in leather armor, spear and light wooden shields by Hadrian, are their job was to stay with the horses with Janiven then run up once the trap was sprung.
An hour or two later 4 Hell Knight riders followed by a fortified coach with a balista mounted on the top approached the bridge. Kurgan, Imgar and Prexus were concealed beneath the bridge. Hadrian and Brimbul wore travelling cloaks over their gear and were acting out leavering the cart back into position and handling the draft horses.
One of the Hell Knights ordered them to move immediately or suffer. He drew steel as he said this.
Hadrian tried to explain their predicament, but between his artless bluff or heavy armor beneath his cloak the Hell Knight knew something was afoot. "An Ambush! Kill them all!" Yelled the man. This was the signal for the attack to begin.
Janiven and the other Children of Medegia rushed up, while Kurgan, Imgar and Prexus engaged the riders. The riders advanced on Hadrian, who snapped off a shot from his crossbow, then the riders withdrew under the threat of the warriors. The Balista shot at Hadrian and the bolt hammered into him but he was saved by his armor.
Brimbul rushed the coach. The driver leapt down calling inside, as another hell knight came out to similarily engage the halfling. Afte a few seconds another figure, this one in hell knight full plate emerged from the coach.
The leader was a cleric of Pyremius, god of assassins and fire. He commanded Bruimbul to Fall, which the halfling did, but even then the two hell knights couldn't hit him.
Meanwhile Janiven was trading bow fire with the Balista gunner. She took a hit and Hadrian healed her then turned his attention back to the mounted knight left on the bridge. The two Children of Medegia were trying to fight him with spear and shield but he was much better trained. Eventually all four knights were killed as was one of their horses.
The Cleric and the two Hell Knights spent a long time trying to hit Brimbul, when a lucky blow from the Clerics mace struck him down. The cleric ordered a Hell Knight to 'Finish him'. Then they advanced on Prexus, Kurgan and Imgar. Brimbul was slain, but the remaining Hell Knights perished quickly, thanks to a lucky blow from Imgar striking the cleric down.
Inside the carriage was a beaten and barely concious Arael. His gear was in a box in the carriage, and he was able to use his holy symbol of Pelor to heal himself. He greeted the Privateers and raised an eyebrow whern he recognized Prexus' unholy symbol. It was a time for action, not querstions so he helped cover up the ambush.
The remaining Privateers mourned their comrade briefly before gathering the cart, horses and what gear they could grab. The Hell Knights wear distincitive armor. Hadrian insisted he wanted the cleric's full plate. He told the group what he planned, and while they were covering the tracks, dragging the bodies into the woods, etc. He dragged the dead cleric up streamto the north. Dragging the body for over an hour he set to digging, first with a boot knife he found, then with the man's own helmet. He dug a shallow grave, wrapped the man in his cloak, then covered him as best he could. He planned to return in a few days to dig him up and steal the armor.
Hadrian returned to the group as they were calling for him. They all returned to town, concealing their wounds as best they could. Thankfully the safe house was in the ruined portion of Rel Astra, and as such has fewer people to witness them drag themsleves into town.
Arael asked if Brimbul had any next of kin? The Privateers wondered as well. After consultation, the four Privateers decided to investigate the casting of a Speak with Dead spell and a Reincarnate spell. The clergy of Zilchus readily agreed to cast a speak with dead spell for 250 gps. After a weeks time, and with the help of Pumkinhead Johnny you were able to find a travelling druid of Obad Hai named Norwegier, outside the city walls tending to a small congregation of subsistence farmers. He would cast the spell for 560 gps. Brimbul's +1 studded leather was sold and Norwegier paid to ressurect Brimbul. He came back as a dwarf. A dwarf who was incapable of speaking dwarvish and had all of Brimbul's memories and skills.

Session Two, The Bounty

The group of mercenaries were celebrating in their own way. The two rogues were living it up while most of the rest were soberly assessing the next score.
Prexus came to the ill shaven group after a long night. He had been given a bounty for a group of adventurers calling themselves 'the Border Lords'. They were wanted Dead by authorities in the Great Kingdom of Aerdy to the North. The sum of 1,000 gps would be given for the confirmed deaths of each of a band of 7 adventurers wanted for multiple murders and the desecration of a temple. Descriptions and names followed. One was a half elf, one a half orc, and five humans, two of whom were blond haired twins.
The Bounty was legal but not here. Prexus warned that if the group were caught killing these adventurers, it would be bad. The two forms of Law in Rel Astra were the Dotari, a clannish group of very ill trained and very corrupt constables. The second group are a martial order called 'the Hell Knights'. They roam the city freely, as no one will challenge their edicts. They emulate the organization and ruthlessness of Hell, and deal out severe punishment to the unlawful. The local Order of the Rack seeks to remove indolence and idealism. While outliers from the Order of the Scourge often sweep into the Shattered state of Medegia to kill the unlawful.
Brimbul and Pumkinhead Johnny paid to find out where the adventurers were staying. Apparently they were selling off loot from an adventure, so were in and out of 'the Duck & Jug' Inn and tavern. Hadrian and Brimbul seperately scouted out the tap room and had a meal of Ham and Quail eggs, with some pudding and an ale or two.
They found 3 of the group camped out at a table. Two of the three were in full plate and the third, a dwarf cleric was in banded mail. The scouts got a little apprehesive, as they were better armored than the sell swords. The rest of the Privateers were awaiting the scouts at another tavern 'The Red Griffin' down the block. Where they had rented a private room. Also in the tap room were an off duty soldier, some locals if no note, a performer playing for his dinner in a corner, of little skill, and Brimbul noticed a fellow rogue casing the room.
3 More of the target group came in from outside, carrying packs. The half elf, a wizard or bard (?), a red haired human another wizard (?), and the half orc, a rogue carrying a sack of coins. They had clearly been out trading and selling. Of the 7 only a heavily armored fighter, one of the twins, was no where to be seen.
Since the Privateers had 6 of the 7 in sight, the scouts went to gather up the rest of their band. When everyone was ready, they cast a few defensive spells, then headed out one at a time. Brimbul and Pumkinhead went into the Duck and Jug ahead of time. They bribed the rogue to distract the off duty soldier with a story of a tavern brawl nearby, then they went upstairs stealthily, on the pretext of checking out the common sleeping room.
As Hadrian moved into position outside the inn he cast a nother spell, this time he was warily checking his new found 'allies' for evil. Finding none he headed inside. He mistakenly did not cast of Prexus...
When all of the Privateers were in the tap room, they found the half elf had joined the three down stair, while the human mage and half orc rogue were no where to be seen. The two fighters and two clerics went upstairs with everyone in the tavern noting their arrival. The fight started upstairs. As the half orc came out of a private room he was attacked by the four adventurers. He yelled out a warning and entering a frightful rage he cut down Imgar the dwarf before he knew what hit him. Pumkinhead and Brimbul came at him from two sides and cut him down. The human wizard had cast a mirror image on himself and was behind the half orc.
Meanwhile the 4 adventurers from downstairs came up the stairs and started fighting Kurgan. One human fighter fell before the clerics were out of cures to heal Kurgan and he had to withdraw. During the fight the half elf was casting daze on Kurgan, until he was forced to stop. The dwarf cleric cast a silence to stop the Privateers clerics.
One of the twins advanced up the stairs. He was met by Kurgan who he cut down after taking a blow, and then Prexus, seeing a symbol of Heironeous around his neck charged and smote him. The fighter of heironeous smote Prexus back.
Pumkinhead and Brimbul had more luck. They slipped a few lucky blows past the wizards mirror images and slew him, then went to work on the private room which had been locked since the start of the fight. Then unlocked it and found a fully prepared fighter. One of the twins, a symbol of 'Pholtus of the Blinding Light' around his neck and a long sword and shield in hand. Again the two effectively tag teamed and defeated him, but not before Pumkinhead was almost killed in the fight.
Prexus got the best of the holy warrior, and the dwarf was the last combatant, whom was defeated by a newly healed Kurgan. The half elf ran off, and the group was forced to quickly cast a detect magic and grab valuables which were readily available before high tailing it out of there.
In the aftermath, the local constables, a clannish martial group called 'the Dotari' were bought off by Brimbul and Pumkinhead's contacts. The price was 10% of the groups take. This price was readily agreed upon. Brimbul and Pumkinhead are members of the local thieves guild, called 'the Council of Thieves'. The Council seemingly can buy off or have corrupted almost every institution in Rel Astra. They deal mostly in protection and fencing, with the occasional kidnapping thrown in.
At the end of this adventure Brimbul and Hadrian felt unsure how 'right' their actions had been. But blood money spends as well as any.