Mortal Machinations

Side Adventure Synopsis

The rebel Veddek secretly rendezvoused with two other centaurs just across the border of the Protectorate of Sombar. These two had defected to Veddek's camp but when he revealed himself all were ambushed by Knights of the Duchy of Ulfland. In the following battle the defectors were slain and Veddek, heavily out numbered (and out-powered with the Eldritch Knight Eligos leading the guard) withdrew to find defensible ground. He knew of a nearby gorge and thought to defend himself atop it with his longbow until the enemy closed the range. But as he galloped into the gorge he adjusted his defensive tactics and, taking advantage of the terrain, stood his ground against the knights. To their vexation they found their initial charges were thwarted by Veddek's positioning. Unbeknownst to him a stranger appeared from hiding. Eligos fearing an ambush ordered his guard to immediately attack the bugbear bystander. Battle ensued and Veddek gave well of himself heavily wounding the scoundrel Sergeant Vrex. Alas he was outnumbered and hence lain low. Eligos thinking Veddek was slain proceeded to interrogate the bugbear named Hruug. Once he was satisfied with Hruug's story of happenstance he made an immediate withdrawal, teleporting away with his elite guard.

As official military of another state Eligos and his elite knights went beyond their jurisdiction by leaving their own lands and were in breach of state borders. This, if known, would cause an incident that the Wizard's Council would have to act upon.

After acquainting themselves the bugbear and centaur decided to couple their talents in the immediate pursuit of Veddek's cause. To this end Hruug accompanied Veddek to his clandestine meeting with his mentor Rath on the outskirts of Harting. This town lying just 20 miles away from Sombar City held one of Rath's many safehouses. After an indifferent appraisal of Hruug by the cleric Rath instructions were given to meet with Gordon, an intermediary of one Captain Lazarus of the Duchy of Ulfland. This meeting is to take place within the week for which time Gordon will be on hand at sunset of each day in the establishment known as Maxine's Udder. Rath knows little of Lazarus' motives but deems the gathering of intelligence worth the risk. To alleviate the threat of detection Rath has furnished the pair with Enhanced Hats of Disguise. Rath said he will be in touch and teleported away.

The pair left alone in the hut decided to pass the night in safety and set out early the next morning. On walking east along the road towards the Four Ways Well they were confronted by Gladys a peasant woman whose husband, Beagan, had proffered victuals to them the previous day. Gladys in a state of terror bemoaned the fate of her husband who lay gravely wounded not far distant. She led Veddek to his position, where Beagan lay bloodied and torn behind the trunk of an avocado tree. Gladys then moved towards Hruug imploring him to help. Hruug, either kindling a hatred for female humans or suspecting a ruse proceeded to punch Gladys full in the face. This did not have the intended effect of laying her low which alerted Hruug that something was amiss. At that very instance the wounded Beagan changed form into a feline humanoid and cunningly slashed at Veddek for great damage. Likewise the form of Gladys vanished to be replaced by a similar creature, similarly wielding two shortswords. Veddek and Hruug proved a formidable pairing using their many talents to best the cat men. The last surviving enemy tried to use his considerable stealth ability to flee the scene but was knocked unconscious by Hruug. The follower of the living universe then forgoing any restraint beat the prostrate enemy in the head intending to bash his life out of existence. Veddek sensing there was information to be garnered from the enemy dissuaded Hruug from further bashing. The enemy was stabilized, doubly bound then magically healed just within the limits of consciousness. Veddek, as a follower of St. Cuthbert the god of just punishment, cast his oft used Zone of Truth on the cat man. After many evasive answers and much execration the feline fiend revealed that he and his companion were minions of Ak'Chazar a dastardly Rakshasa necromancer of high order. Somehow he learnt of the pair's whereabouts and sent the feline men to assassinate them. Once enough information was gleaned Hruug dealt a Punishing blow to fatally reconstitute the fiend's form within the living universe.

The heroes are now on the outskirts of the farming town of Harting making their way to Sombar City...

Rath has tasked Veddek with uniting the centaurs that reside within the borders of Ulfland to help throw off the yoke of Duke Larrion. Rath has united rebels and refugees alike in various cells and bides his time to rise against the mad Duke. He sent for Veddek to meet with him in a secret location at the Four Ways Well on the outskirts of Harting, a farming town 20 miles walk (bipedal) to Sombar City.

Veddek through his own followers has connections with his own cells of centaurs within and without Ulfland. He too awaits the proper judgemnent from St. Cuthbert to strike. He operates 4 cells comprised almost equally of males and females. Two are within Ulfland with 27 and 29 centaurs, one is within the Protectorate of Sombar with 22 centaurs and another is in The Duchy of Argest with 25 centaurs. One hundred centaurs that are all eager to unite with their brethren and reclaim their plains in the north of Ulfland.

Rath, a human cleric of St. Cuthbert, has communed (Commune) with his god and has heard ominous tidings. Forces of evil beyond the power of Duke Larrion (said to be a high level Eldritch Knight himself) look to comprise a confederacy of villians. They seek all-powerful artifacts to unite their divination powers and seek out and destroy their enemies. Through his failure to scry (Greater Scry) on Duke Larrion, Rath has learnt that someone with great power now defends the Duke.

Recent Argest - Ulfland War

Duke Larrion launched attacks into the Duchy of Argest and crippled the army of Duke Gondar (Veddek was invovled in this war before coming to his senses). This was in breach of the laws set down by the Wizard's Council after the The Maelstrom Wars two centuries previously. Just as the Duke was on the verge of victory an attack squad of the Wizard's Council entered his headquarters and made his army retreat through various uses of enchantment and illusion spells. The Duke was geased and unwittingly led his army back to Ulfland. To his consternation and horror he found himself and his army back within his citadel in the capital Elturel.

Now he his faced with exorbitant fines imposed by the Wizard's Council. Fines that will invariably cripple the current ruling order. Many profess this is tacit approval of regime change. Duke Larrion rails against the judgement but continues to make his installments without seeming to overly tax his people or his coffers.

Maelstrom Wars

Once the Wizard's Council had interposed and ended the rule of the tyrannical Emperor God Faustian they were left the only significant power. They returned many lands to statehood but decreed new borders in order to separate these lands from each other. They do not wish to involve themselves in the machinations of states but reluctantly enforce their decrees, especially any cross border forays. This usually results in heavy fiscal penalties and an inspection from one of the Wizard's Council Attack Squads.