End week report - Kythorn 22nd (night)

Wow, a whole week off? What ever did you do with your time? BTW, Lozigee did nothing this last week.

"It appears to be that time again...
First, I must apologize that my crafting appears to be slow going. Bowmaking can be arduous when working with such raw materials. Regardless, I have received orders from Wageton and will be focusing on those prior to any personal requests. Secondly, I have discovered that making our own arrows would not be cost effective or timely. Arrows can and should be purchased in bulk from Silverymoon or Everlund. Thirdly, I have found an apprentice bowmaker who shall be joining me and hopefully increase productivity. Her name is Nadia (human female) and she shall be residing in the room next to me, #19. Finally, when I returned from Wageton, Nadia and I saw a group camped down near the entrance to our little valley. This concerns me a bit becasue of the goblin raiders that I saw when we first scouted this area. They may not be camped there for long, but their presence my disrupt the quiet peace we have enjoyed these past weeks. Any suggestions?"

"I was able to locate an armorsmith and a weaponsmith, brothers actually, who should be moved up here today or tomorrow. I've made a bit of progress on a heavy crossbow, which should give us a bit of coin when it's finished. Also of note, on the way back from Silverymoon, I observed a pack o' bugbears settin' up an ambush along the road. I'd be willin' to bet they've a camp nearby, and it looks like they prey upon the merchant caravans."

Additionally, Kregnok will suggest that the room arrangements might need to be restructured, as it appears some people are sleeping in the kitchen, dining hall, armory, and vault. Kregnok will suggest that as the keep gains renown, expansions might need to be considered. For now, he will put his hirelings in his room, until such time as better arrangements may be accorded. As a suggestion, perhaps certain npcs may be roomed together, as befits race/class. Alternately, perhaps quarters could be devised in the towers. Kregnok will advise that should we have temporary guests, lodgings may need to be afforded, or alternately, some semblance of hospitality should be granted by not having sleeping quarters in an area like the dining room.

As far as the group camped nearby,

"Perhaps we should extend to them an invitation to camp closer to our door, if not within the courtyard. It could be a chance for us to spread our name, and perhaps keep our less pleasant neighbors away for a bit more time."

Wil is right about the rooms. Keep in mind that (if the map had squares) each square would be 10 feet. So each room is roughly 20' x 20'. As per the desciption of the keep, six guards slept in one room. Maybe you make you NPCs bunk together (Real World Silver Marches?).

Also, I've taken everyone's names off the rooms, so that we can start over and not have people sleeping in the bathroom and what not. The dwarf (of all people) said that is a no go. So, let's pick new rooms again!

And we rejoin "I know what you did last week, since you are telling me now" already in progress.

Umberto nods to his dwarven friend. " I knew we had you aorund for a reason. I agree. The hirelings could set up a tent city until we agree who is more permanent. At that point we could start building a small village, setting up merchant shops and trading posts for travelers...a tavern perhaps." Umberto thinks on this. Yes, a tavern.

"Anyhow, I had our great hunter Gravaar continue his craft this week. He gathered a good amount of food, but it is only meat and one hunter cannot feed the lot of us. Perhaps we can hire some other hunters or even some farmers to bolster our food stock."

"I took a trip to the outpost just outside Wageton. It appears the Red Wizards of Thay have set up shop and were eager to garner our business. Melisi, you should visit, they had a fair amount of scrolls and potions."

"I do not like the bugbears bearing down upon the merchants. It is not good, and as soon as we can we should either erradicate the bugbears, or negoiate with them or, " Umberto gets a mischevious look, " we could turn the goblins against the bugbears. I would be willing to try to convince the gobbies to work for us, however we should arrange some sort deal with the merchants, ensuring the safe passage so we get something out of the deal besides the pleasure in turning the violent currs on one another. What say you?"

"I also vote for Rockhammer Hold, good name unless anyone else has better."

" K'

Bastion and Nadia can share room # 18 on the second floor (the old study).

"I agree. We should certainly help police the entrance and surrounding area of our keep. Keeping our relations simple may be the best direction at this point. we don't want to spread our resources too thin... Rockhammer Hold...hmm. The name is very dwarven, but I do like the alliteration. The name rings true for me."

Kregnok will remain in #16 at this time, with his two hireling blacksmiths.

Althalus: "Well, fellows, I was able to put some more coin in the coffers. Between myself and Panian, we had good fortune with the gathering. I hope that you enjoy the berries that he brought back for the keep also. He is of the opinion that we should have a gardener on premesis to grow our own veggies. I second that."

"Also, since I had not placed myself in a kitchen or a bath, I will retain room #8b and Panian will either bunk there or in the hireling hostel, as suggested by Umberto. We need to either have all hirelings bunk with their sponsers or all in the tent city, as we do not have enough living quarters for there to be a hireling specific room within the keep, nor do we want to cause any discontent by having some in tents and some under a roof."

"We need to keep on our guard while traveling in the area around our keep. Panian, if you would..."

“To confirm master Kregnog's report, the bugbear camp southeast of the stronghold has seen a great deal of activity. On two separate occasions this week I have seen them setting up for ambushes along the Everlund Pass. They are careful to avoid the regular patrols, but they have grown bolder in recent weeks. Just last night, I came across what was left of a caravan. At least half a dozen left for dead, and no sign of their cargo. I was not certain what to do, but the next patrol should be by in the next day or two, and they will see what happened. Also, a few days ago I saw four tanarukks (a tiefling that is a mix of orc and demon) east of the stronghold while I was gathering.”

"For now, until such equipment may be gathered, I suggest they be quartered with their sponsor. At a later time, arrangements may be changed, but I agree with master Althalus, and we should keep our employees as happy as possible for the time being.

Perhaps we should send a message to the patrols responsible, and let them know of the activities we have observed. Importantly, I feel, we should remain as advisors on these matters until our strength has grown. My fear would be that the patrols would simply expect us to clean up our backyard, so to speak, which I believe we are ill equipped for at the present. Although there's nothing I'd like better than break in some new weapons, I don't think we'd last long. Orc demons are a bit troubling however..."

After dismissing the hirelings, Althalus adds to his previous statement. "Friends, my intent wasn't actually that the hirelings bunk with us. I was actually just making a point about being fair with them. I have some concern about these strangers, and the ones that may arrive in the future, having unfettered access to our belongings and our throats. I would prefer the tent city route. We have local access to good strong wood. I suggest that we put them to work on building either a barracks or row houses for themselves. Not an easy task, but it can be an ongoing project for them."

"Ah I understand. A good plan, and valid concerns. I would propose a barrack building against the outer wall in the courtyard, on the southeast corner, between the privy and the guard tower. Should be ample enough space to construct a simple wooden building there, until such time as it may be properly built with stone and mortar."

"Good. So it is settled. I will go to Wageton in search of a carpenter and some quotes on the build. I also was serious about using the goblins as fodder until we are better able to defend ourselves. I can kill these tow birds in the same stone. What say you friends?"

Althalus gives the "make it so" hand gesture, after looking around to see if anyone else has something to add.

I have also begun the task of scribing scrolls as a means to aquire some wealth. I'm still having trouble finding work for our new allies though. I would like to stay in room seven if no one else has taken claim to it. I will also be visiting the Red Wizards very soon to try and obtain more work. As for the hireling housing question, I am also for the tent city.

You are all surprised to hear something out of the often quiet sorceress. You all turn your full attention to her, eagerly awaiting her full report on what she did over the past week. Ah, the group is coming together, perhaps even “Valan The Even-Quieter” will have a report and, dare I say, “Lozigee The Quietest” might have something to add?

Um….no.

Ok, we are wrapping up the day 22 reporting in topic. In the future, you knuckleheads to whom I responded to on what you did over the down time and then never informed the rest of the group…..GRRRRR! Stop wasting my time!

Outside of that, we had some really cool conversations here regarding what to do and whatnot. However, it does bring about a bit of a problem. As you can see we got a lot of “Yea, that’s a good idea” type messages. Very cool but I, as the DM, don’t know how to react to that, so I don’t. I think what we kinda need is a person in charge who reads these discussions we have and formerly makes the decision, “Yes, we are going to do this.” Maybe we should elect a leader? Maybe we rotate and elect a new “president” every month or so. I’ll put this up as another poll, starting with the idea and then later, who will be the first president.

Anyways, you wrap up the 22nd and move on to the 23rd.

(Quote from Lou) Good. So it is settled. I will go to Wageton in search of a carpenter and some quotes on the build. I also was serious about using the goblins as fodder until we are better able to defend ourselves. I can kill these tow birds in the same stone. What say you friends

There is a grove of Duskwood trees about four miles southwest of the stronghold, just on the other side of the Everlund Pass. It is commonly used for building roof beams and is very resistant to fire and difficult to cut, but a qualified carpenter would probably be familiar with working with it.