Pathfinder Interlude - Part 2: Mivon and Drelev's Folly

One of the rather fun things about this interlude is that our GM is giving us a chance to play (and thus flesh out) some of the NPC’s we’ve created as backstory or downtime flavour. In this session, we popped to Kieran’s town, Drelev’s Folly, and met Marshal Daybreaker (one of Paul’s NPCs).

Also, I apologise for jumping between tenses: I’m trying to write this as Jvala’s personal notes, so they’re written in scraps of time she gets which means sometimes she’s writing about what has happened, sometimes what is happening, sometimes what will happen that will then become what has happened.

Finally, quick comment on ‘The Brevic Times’. This is one of the cool props our GM makes for us: a news sheet that massages our egos by including things our characters have done as well as offering insight into plot – providing hooks for future and reminders for past.

A few days after being on the boat, starting to get used to it. Chatting to sailors – let us on deck if Tanna keeps an eye. Not going to burn anything on purpose, but accidents happen and not like wolves/leopards are used to ships.

Copy of Brevic times from start of the month lying around. Turns out our barons have gone up in world – Alexei Vasilev and Chester Goldhawk now Earls and Svetlana Chekhov has married King Noleski of Brevoy to become Queen. Magical fluctuations in Restov (presumably the ones we were told about in Absalom) from Court Magister Malliard helping take down the Thieves’ Guild. Not sure if still relevant to investigations. Something about Dawnlands(?) and that they killed a bandit known as the Stag Lord.

Rumours of river pirates seem unsubstantiated.

Until day pirates boarded.

Big ghostly ship loomed. Crew grabbed arms. Captain explained they were insured for the cargo so we waited. Boarded by appearing on deck – no swimming or swinging or firing cannons: tall male elf with dark shoulder-length hair, slender woman with distant expression, three piratical types at back. Demanded cargo, so crew started to bring onto deck. Fine until pirate captain demanded we handover valuables. Zabeel not capable so shot him.

Didn’t go well: pirate captain can fight well and didn’t kill anyone. Knocked out crew. Lady by him fired lightning at us and got in trouble. After we took down two of his crew, he gave us a chance: put up our weapons and they’d leave. His boat continued at our side, travelling wrong way up river. Powerful magic. Warned us not to fly Galt flag here. Why not?

Turns out, pirate captain Sethyn is bastard son of Duke Cornelius. Has some relief at hearing Duke Augustus is dead. Hates Duchess Caroline: step-son rivalry or is she less than she seemed?

Having established we are not affiliated with Galt, Sethyn offered passage to Mivon: his boat much faster than the one we’re with. Sethyn never met the barons earls we’re chasing; knows them by reputation. The one that married the king (Svetlana) is a bit of a sap but the ragged one (Alexei) is the one to watch out for. They have a large black cat travels with them – bigger than Flash but looks like a fluffy squashed nose cat (Katepeshi?)

Rumour that the great fire of Mivon (6 months ago) was started by the barons earls: Sethyn certainly seems to believe this. Rumours of vampires in Mivon too.

Wonder who Sethyn’s mother is?

Mivon v. impressive but very much city: no freedom for wildlife. A little uncomfortable for me & think Tanna really struggled with it. So controlled. Even surrounding marshes tamed.

Big walls surround city. Patrolled by guards – some v. big with helmets hiding faces. Greeted by image of the mayor Raston Selline – appeared for all new arrivals. Lots of use of magic tricks and devices evident: people carrying v. heavy loads with no visible effort, and floating trolleys.

Current Brevic Times: bounty on Sethyn. Details of successful brewer from Brevoy (Lord Asher). Other odds and ends.

City v. clean. Booked in to ‘The Lusty Mermaid’ on Sethyn’s recommendation. But first trip round town. Sam napping but Tanna and I want to investigate so we can move on. Zabeel & Vernus are joining.

Made way to memorial gardens. Big fountain to commemorate lives lost in fire: so many names! Tanna reckons around 6,000. Peaceful space; everyone quiet.

No clues. Decided to go to branch of Silver Serpent Trade Guild – building is one of very few survived fire so may have some info (paper clipping or something) from earls’ visit.

Not as much as we’d hoped: receptionist (Michael – knows Bella! Will have to tell her next time I’m in Absalom) never met earls but helpful all the same. Speaks Ignan (weird – only met one other person who could speak it and they were ifrit too. Hadn’t even known it was a real language and not just something I’d made up ‘til then and now a human speaking it). Didn’t think earls were responsible for fire – surprised by suggestion. Explained had been there to set up trade deals but couldn’t give us details except seemed lucrative. The cat was Katepeshi but normal sized. Set up meeting with Mayor Selline for tomorrow then arranged ‘sky taxi’ to take us back.

Tanna didn’t like look of basically a flying, horseless, wheelless carriage so walking back with beasties. View is amazing. City v. beautiful but in v. organised manner. Not seen anyone poor or begging, but there are even people cleaning the roofs so seems have found ways to employ everyone.

Massive prosperity has Zabeel thinking: Mivon largely being rebuilt with help of Lord Irovetti from Pitax. Massive infrastructure needed and so much work done so quickly: did Irovetti conspire with our earls to start the fire so they could take over? Troops from Pitax marched with the Brevic forces to the Crusade, so link. Needs investigating. Hopefully Mayor Selline can help.

Picked up lots of rumours from the pub.  People here much more relaxed – maybe the fireproofing means less afraid of me? Happier to talk than most places I’ve been. Will try to come back in future. Hehe, though – poor Zabeel! Really doesn’t like strangers and people kept trying to talk to him ‘til Vernus let him hide in his room.

But for me, a few people had news of earls! Rumours, anyway: were seen in area of fire. Seen going in and out of shifty alchemist’s: some confusion on name. Maybe Esteban, Estevez; probably Ezekiel. Very competent (particularly in removal of personal warts) but still chose to work in poor quarter when could probably work in better parts. Earl Alexei, specifically, was seen near alley where guy called Paul was found, bled to death. Contrasts to usual claim that they’re good/nice with trouble following. More rumours of this Katepeshi cat: normal size (but some arguments).

Mayor Raston Selline: looks and sounds just like his image from docks. Seemed eager to talk about earls. Here on diplomatic tour – life and soul of party. Earl Alexei particularly popular. And after fire, pledged much assistance to help rebuild city using funds from their recently brokered trade deals (supporting Zabeel’s suggestion re: working with lord Irovetti?). Full of praise.

Mentioned Dawnlands: explained this is region south of Brevoy. Showed on map: v. big region. From Brevic Times article, awarded to them for killing Stag Lord. Seems a lot to get for that. I've killed bandits. Restov is city to north, Varnhold region to east: both also on list of places to investigate from Pathfinder Society.

Tour consisted of Earls Alexei and Chester (barons at the time) with various associates including Sir Akaros Ismort, paladin of Iomedae, and Gregor, their diplomatic advisor (Mayor Selline says smooth/nice but maybe too much so: doesn’t entirely trust him). Queen Svetlana not with them: had stayed in New Stetvon after their promotion to barony to be trained for new role. Suggestion this may have meant as more than baron, in light of recent wedding.

Remembers the cat.

Says there was a vampire problem in Mivon but the fire seems to have taken care of it. More praise of assistance given by earls in putting fire out & rebuilding – also of Lord Irovetti. Irovetti and Selline have joined forces.

Leaving, realised the stone of this Town Hall same as stone of Trade Guild: both buildings survived fire: both local stone. Most rebuilt buildings made of imported stone. Tonnes of it. Again, Zabeel’s theory: they must have had this ready to go to have moved so fast. Must have known it was coming.

Pitax felt a good next stop. Poured over maps: Sethyn said could take us a way up on his way to New Stetvon – town en route recently changed name but had dock of sorts and would be best place to start out west across land.

Town now called ‘Drelev’s Folly’. Sethyn remembered it as being v. dingy with rotten gangplank into water. Still dingy, but obvious signs of rebuilding & halfway built dock. Disembarked, met by town marshal, Marshal Daybreaker.

Town name came from previous ruler – Baron Drelev. Like our earls, was awarded land for various efforts on behalf of Brevoy. Treated town badly: his enjoyment at their expense. Was found to be planning to betray Brevoy and switch sides to Pitax. Executed by Earl Alexei with hooded executioner. Town then run by Baron Costello: Marshal Daybreaker spoke v. highly of him. All improvements thanks to him. Town now part of Dawnlands.

Baron Costello is younger son of minor noble family. Was working as bodyguard for King Noleski Surtova in Absalom during all that trouble. Joined our earls afterwards. Rides a griffon called Brutus – Daybreaker showed us field where Brutus had landed. Largest imprint of any beast I have ever seen. Never heard of such a large griffon. This group like big cats. Costello’s family have history of griffons: ‘rite of passage’ to find and tame one. Kinda cool.

Execution of Drelev sounds brutal: his family killed in front of him, then torturous death. Townsfolk seem to feel he deserved it. Almost idolise Baron Costello.

Plot thickens: sounds like a lot of anger towards Drelev for threat of betrayal to Pitax. Sounds like great loyalty to Brevoy against Pitax. Sounds like a lot of effort for them to be hiding their own relationship with Lord Irovetti, so maybe Zabeel’s theory is wrong? But seems so likely, given situation in Mivon.

Daybreaker could arrange horses for us: barbarian tribe to north used to cause problems, but not since Baron Costello visited them. Now trade often and have access to the mines. Sethyn offered to take us on to New Stetvon if we’d rather. After some discussion, decided to go with that plan: Pitax can wait. There may be more information in New Stetvon that could explain this connection or otherwise with Irovetti.

Sailing in to New Stetvon: nickname very apt - ‘City of Wooden Palaces’. Nearly all wood, built over lake. Stone temple to Gorum stands out but even more so the Ruby Fortress, home of Dragonstone Throne and where King Noleski is based.

It only seems to stop raining here when it wants to snow.