Session 171 - A Petty Dispute Among Lords

General Summary

17^th and 18^th of Kelan (Third Month of Spring) 723TR

The story so far

Jolanta, and her trusty bodyguard Blaine, are agents of the mysterious Order of the White Hand, hunting down unscrupulous mages and covering up magical mishaps.

This is the continuation of Session 169 - Digging up the Roots.

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Location - Lurim and Ridian Manors, near Qualdris Castle in Kaldor.

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Part 1 - Mission 11 - A Diverted Stream

Jolanta learns that two lords are coming to blows. Lord Rythal of Lurim Manor claims that Lord Eldaran of Ridian Manor has used "witchery" to redirected a stream that provides water to one of his most valuable crops. Lord Eldaran fields are now benefiting from this water.

Jolanta travels to Ridian Manor and observes the new stream is indeed supplying welcome additional water to several barley fields, helping overcome the effects of a dry spring. Jolanta asks around and finds a pig herder, Dickon, who is not benefiting from this good fortune and hires him to act as a guide while she investigates this waterway.

Part 2 - The Blockage

Dickon leads the heroes along the stream up into the hill until they find the diversion. Huge rocks block the natural course of the stream, redirecting it. To Jolanta's eyes, this looks like someone has moved the rocks, likely by magic. But where have the rocks come from? Jolanta finds out soon enough, Dickon while walking across the shallow stream, suddenly disappears. The stream has very deep holes, and the poor peasant finds himself trapped in one and drowning. Jolanta blindly swims down, finds his hand, and activates the Water Walking power of her staff to propelling herself and Dickon to the surface. Blaine helps Dickon expel the water from his lungs. He has had experience with drowning people.

Apart from the hazards of deep holes, Jolanta also spots magical Glyphs on some of the rocks. A spellcaster is responsible.

Part 3 - The Angry Lord

Jolanta sends Dickon home; she and Blaine follow the dry stream bed to Lurim Manor. The stream previously watered a small grove of acorn trees, which are dry and struggling to survive. She finds Lord Rythal at his manor, cleaning his armor and weaponry. He is an angry man accusing Lord Eldaran of betraying their friendship and resorting to witchery to improve his crops. He does listen to reason. Jolanta believes he will soon resort to violence.

Part 4 - Earth Elementals

Jolanta returns to the blockage. She uses her magic staff to Control Water spell and starts moving the smaller rocks to assist in creating a channel to restore the original flow of the stream. Making some progress, she accidentally triggers the glyphs. Rocks begin to move and form vaguely humanoid shapes, which attack Jolanta and Blaine. They deal with these four Medium Earth Elementals and then rest for the night. The following day Jolanta completes her work and successfully returns the stream to its original route. Jolanta and Blaine conceal themselves among the trees and wait and see what will happen.

First to arrive is Lord Rythal and several of his men at around midday. He has no idea of what happened, viewing the removal of the obstructions; he returns Lurim Manor a satisfied man.

Campaign

Agents of the White Hand - Campaign Complete

Protagonists

Jolanta

Report Date

26 Aug 2021

NPC Companion

Blaine

Jolanta's loyal and often drunk bodyguard.

Blaine, art by Artur Sadlos

The Staff of Cryptan Seaweave

Appearance
An old staff, crafted to look like it is warped in seaweed with bits of fishbone sticking out of it.
Lore
The Wizard-King Cryptan Seaweave ruled the petty Kingdom of Eldersharn on Melderyn's northeast coast during Melderyn's Eldritch Period.
He was obsessed with freeing the trapped sea god Eder from his imprisonment and created many artifacts, including this staff, to aid in his objective. All his efforts failed.
A cabal of wizards eventually undermined his rule and created an uprising. He was sent into exile, never to be seen again.
Properties
You can Walk on Water while holding this staff.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC.
Dominate Monster (Water Elementals only) (3 charges)
Create or Destroy Water (1 charge)
Ice Storm (3 charges)
Control Water (3 charges)
Water Breathing (2 charges)
Chromatic Orb (cold only) (1 charge).
The staff regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn.

Part 5 - But He Killed Himself!!!

Near sunset, three peasants arrive from Ridian Manor. Blaine recognizes one as Yeoman Witker. His barley crops were among the most benefited from the freshwater. Yeoman Witker is angry and ranting to his companions. "After all I did for my useless cousin, hiding him from the wizards. He would have been caught if it weren't for me. We have to find Morri, get him to fix it".

Yeoman Witker and his friends make their way upstream and, after sundown return, torches in hand, with a hooded figure. Witker continues to berate his cousin. Jolanta decides to strike; this is a powerful wizard and takes no chances. She, entirely with surprise, creates a Corrosive Blast, targeting the wizard but choosing to exclude Witker and his friends from the spell's effects. Blaine opens fire with his bow and intimidates the peasants. They flee, leaving Jolanta to battle the wizard. Killing the peasants would antagonize a bad situation and call into question Jolanta's judgment.

Trentmore, art by Paizo

The wizard turns, and to Jolanta's surprised, is revealed to be Trentmore, an arcanist on the List of Renegade Spellcasters. She investigated his "suicide" last year (refer session Session 150 - The Clumsy Conjurer). The cunning conjurer must have faked his death.

Trentmore, using his flaming torch as seed, conjures a Smoke Elemental, which engulfs Jolanta. The burning smoke enters her lungs, and she has only moments remaining before she passes out. She just manages to expel the smoke and casts another Corrosive Blast as she and Blaine dive into the stream. Her spell catches Trentmore unprepared and very nearly kills him. Badly hurt, he loses control over the Elemental. The angry cloud of burning smoke tries in vain to harm Jolanta, but she is protected by water. It then turns its rage onto its summoner. It quickly catches up with Trentmore and burns his lungs raw with heated smoke, painfully killing him. The Elemental then disappears into the night, eventually returning to its home plane of existence without causing any more havoc.

Part 6 - The Other Lord

Yolanta then visits Lord Eldaran at Ridian Manor. The lord is also annoyed. He is not too worried that the stream has rediverted, but is offended that Lord Rythal has questioned his honor. He would never resort to "witchery," so Jolanta tells him that yes, indeed magic was used, and someone at his fief, the Yeoman Witkar, asked his wizard cousin to do the deed. The Lord is easily convinced to keep the sorcery secret, ensure his honor is never questioned and promises to punish Witkar. He happily lends Jolanta, one of his woodsmen who tracks Trentmore's footsteps, back to his lair, a well-hidden cave.

The cave has a few simple magical traps, nothing that Jolanta can't deal with. She finds his study and spellbook and a small collection of personal treasures. Once again, Trentmore is removed from the List of Renegade Spellcasters, this time permanently.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Dickon the Pig herder.

Lord Rythal of Lurim Manor.

Yeoman Witkar.

Lord Eldaran of Ridian Manor.

Challenges Overcome

4 Medium Earth Elementals.

Trentmore the Conjurer and 1 Smoke Elemental.

Related Reports

City of Tashal - Updated.

List of Renegade Spellcasters - Updated.

Player Character Status

Jolanta - Human - Level 8 Evoker.