Chapter 1
General Summary
The Frostyear Guardians, Book I:
The Heroes of Adrest
6 Ches, 1491
It is nearing the end of winter; warmth and life finally returning to the land. As one would travel the main trade road that linked Boulrock to the west and Croglen to the east, they might find a small fork which after a few miles would lead to the Highroad. The Highroad is an ancient stone causeway some 10-20 feet above the swampy ground. It runs for a few miles and stops. On the hill that makes up the southern base of this ancient bit of engineering squats the village of Ardrest. Most people would just pass over Ardrest, save that as one follows the Trade Way it crosses between the Misty Forest and the Trollbark Forest, neither of which are fully safe at night. The Southern end of the town is dominated by the local inn, the Decrepit Crab. To the northeast lies most of the village’s farming land before it gives way to the Highmoor. Like many towns in Sanzeia, Ardrest is built on the ruins of a much older age. The homes are mostly squat wooden structures, many of them not even built to human proportions. Some of the larger, more important buildings (temple, townhall, inn) are partially built up using the preexisting stone ruins. Across the road from the inn, is a simple marketplace, made mostly of tents and a few permanent buildings. Contrary to the towns humble origins, some of the town’s low buildings are sporting long cloth streamers in various bright colors. Tall poles have been driven into the ground and brightly colored pennants flap in the breeze. The town is preparing for it’s local festival, the Fortyear festival, a celebration of the Spring Equinox that is celebrated once every 14 years. Several traveling merchants have pulled their carts to the edge of the market in hopes of unloading their goods.In the opening chapter of the Heroes of we see a group of individuals, most important of which is Saleek the Aarakocra hunter meet in the town of Ardrest some two weeks before the Fortyear Festival. They find the town far from joyous, and in their time at the crab find evidence of monsters in the woods and a local gang oppressing the people. As they settle in for the night, Saleek departs from the party to scout out the farm of Kelvin Underbarrel there he finds evidence of the Black Sash Gang and talk of a missing girl. Saleek rushes back only to find the town under attack by a group of goblins under the lead of the goblin boss, Murg. Through the combined might of the town's defenders and the fledgling adventurers the attack is repelled and the people saved. Saleek succeeds in wounding and taking a goblin prisoner for questioning.
Notes
- Kelvin Underbarrel's family life and former adventurer status were hinted at.
- The Black Sashes indicated a kidnapped girl, this would later be revealed to be Letitia Cerise
- The goblin mentioned that Murg was not afraid of "the crooked lady," this was not healthy for him as that would turn out to be the goblin's name for Bergatha, the Hag.
- Unbeknownst to the party, various hostile groups where putting their own plans into motion which would all be lost in the midst of the goblin attack. Bergatha was taking the infant from the home of Jandi Halfhill. The Black Sashes would use the chaos to abduct teens in town, and those of the goblin raiders that survived made off with several of the towns children. All of this would come out in the next chapter.
Report Date
01 Feb 2023
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Chapter I Transcript
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