The Caturiges

The lands of the Caturiges are described thusly:

The Westerling tribe of the Caturiges (battle-kings) regained their independence after the fall of the Ardean empire. Although their royal family was wiped out by Dengwur, they chose a new one under the direction of the Druids of Choir Morag. These druids also helped them to regain their independence from Dengwur during his war with the Old Ones. By religious tradition, each district of the tribe will have 10 hamlets and 1 chief's Rath (fortress) Each district can be considered a market class VI for trade. The only larger settlement is Seatun and the nearby Prince's fortress, which together count as a Market Class V settlement. The land is mostly self-sufficient and does not engage in much trade or large scale production.

Each district will have 800-900 families and will be ruled by a chief who will be 4th to 7th level. There are 15 districts in the Principality, two of which are the Princely Districts, ruled directly by Prince Gerdun (Fighter, level 9) himself (the one around Seatun and the one immediately to the south). Choir Morag is a druidic sanctuary on a holy island in the sea to the North. The High Druid Council meets here and helps guide and protect the principality.

So, basically fifteen domains, of 800-900 families each. Of course there will be politics. Each district will want favors and concessions for providing troops. Others might just provide completed units for pay.

Tricking the Owl

Mayor Clovis is doing his best to keep the Horrors busy. He's got Newt the Herald of Yoesville showing the Clockwork Owl all sorts of sites for sale, but none of them on hills overlooking the Village Primal. He's doing a fair job of stalling, but he imagines that sooner or later the Horrors will get sick of his shennanigans and just decide to go wild on their own.

Amicus is privately soliciting ideas for trap ideas. Maybe we can animate the trees and foliage and have it grind the gears of the horrors? Maybe some sort of anti-magic zone could work? What about creating a ward vs. horrors? What does it take to create a ward?

Octavia and the Kingship of Gatavia

Among the Westerlings, monarchy is bestowed by the great goddess Rigatona, whose name means “great queen” and who is called Juno by the Ardeans. She is the power of mystical sovereignty, i.e., the right to rule, and is represented on earth by various orders of priestesses. In the ancient kingdom of Gatavia, like most Westerling kingdoms, there was a hereditary college of priestesses who embodied the sovereign power, it was through marriage to the heiress of the college (the youngest daughter of the previous ruling queen) that a chieftain of one of the clans would gain the right to be king.

When the Ardeans conquered Gatavia, the Westerling clans fought bitterly and without relent, even when such resistance had become futile. They simply would not obey laws that did not come from divine right. Finally, the victorious Ardean general who has seized the Brain of Bran came up with a solution, he married the heiress and became the lawful king. From his day forward, every Ardean governor of Gatavia, upon taking office, would ceremonially (or occasionally actually) marry the heiress and become de jure king of the province (although he would never publicly take the title as Ardean emperors endured no kings).

However, when the Ardean Empire converted to the Orthodox Fane (a predecessor of the Lawful Church), such pagan practices were banned. Many argue that this was one step in the failure of the Ardean Magical Defense that led to the Return of the Trolls and the rise of the Old Ones.

The priestess college was formally dissolved and the heiresses became fewer and fewer in number and harder and harder to find. However, Octavia of Maeve was the last of them. Yet Juno's promise to the kingdom was absolute, the line would never fail, and royal power would come from no other source. A great geas was lain on Octavia, she was possessed by one aspect of the goddess herself—Juno the Hag of Night---and doomed to haunt Hod until the questions be answered and her destiny fufilled.

The marriage and coronation must take place at Hod (the spiritual center of the ancient kingdom) on the 21^st of December. From then on all soldiers who serve the King receive +1 (or +5%) morale, and any domain-related random roll made by the king as overlord is made twice with the king taking the better roll. The king also gains a magic resistance of 16+.

The king's rule lasts as long as the marriage does. The marriage can end with the death of either party or if the queen publicly dissolves it. If the king leaves the borders of Gatavia, or touches a dead body, or humbles himself in front of any mortal, he loses his royal power and authority until a suitable penance (set by the gods) is performed.

Horrors of Village Primal

Mayor Clovis reports to the Skull Coalition that the Clockwork Horrors are making some more changes. They have stopped slaughtering all the animals that come into their territory. Several birds now roost safely in the trees past the trench that marks their land. There has been loud, extended buzzing sounds coming from somewhere behind the tree line. Described by some of the soldiers as sounding like "giant gods-damned wasps buzzing all over the freaking place", it’s happened at all hours of the day and night, all around the perimeter. Finally, Clovis reports that the horrors' messenger has asked for a quote to purchase more land in the hills to the North of the village. Clovis makes this report and sends it to each member of the Skull Coalition seeking their advice. Clovis is aware of the horrors' bad intentions, but he certainly does love the sweet, sweet gold that his dangerous neighbors bring. He believes that in the end, the horrors' wrath won't be directed at him or the village of Yoesville.

Of course, Amicus knows better. His message to the Coalition asks whether the Skull Collectors themselves should have a trick awaiting the horrors when they claim their new lands.

Session 37 Action Shots

The Skull Collectors are transported to the Hag's dungeon to prove their worthiness.

The Skull Collectors struggle against the mighty CRAB GODS! Fight like gods! Taste like crabs!

Expansion of Fort Hydra

During the week that Tiberius was sleeping, Muttering Osborn was using funds gifted from Tiberius's treasury to expand Fort Hydra.  The stronghold is being expanded with a medium tower so the domain can control more land.  This tower will be finished in the middle of December.  Assuming no one has any objections the new area will angle south and west in the unclaimed lands towards the road that runs towards Valdar (formerly Wormcult).  This will serve to help guard the quickest path any rebelling beastmen raiders could take towards the Skull Coalition.

The town has also been reestablished and agricultural improvements made to attract more families.  Fort Hydra is now a class VI settlement with 75 families and another 117 in the surrounding countryside.

Amicus' Coronation Speech

Here is a written version of the speech Amicus gave following the liberation of the veteran armies and the marriage to Octavia the mystic of Hod. It might be appropriate to post in the post script of the log.

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With this marriage sealing a divine pact between Ardea's Jupiter and Westron's Juno, we unite the entire province of Gatavia under a single banner to oppose the other-worldly forces of law and chaos that threaten our world. Make no mistake, the seeds of this kingdom have been planted only because of the combined might of the Skull Collectors and the various elements of the Skull Coalition. This crown belongs to all of the Skull Collectors as much as it belongs to anyone, and I look forward to our continued partnership to the end of driving the otherworlders from our province, and our nation, and ultimately the whole world of Baldgarth. Three cheers for the Skull Collectors! Long live the Coalition!

Skull Coalition Avian Recon Echelon

Now that we have decided on crows and ravens as the animals we choose to represent the Skull Coalition, let's discuss exactly what these animals will be looking for and how they will report back to the appropriate handler. These animals will collectively be known as the Skull Coalition Avian Recon Eschelon or SCARE. With any luck, they should "scare up" news of trouble before it gets to us.

Gorna will be in charge of animals investigating to our South

Amicus' animals will watch to the East

Osborn will watch to the West

Rinaldo and Sister Helena will monitor the North

Animal Scouts

Over the next few weeks, Amicus and Sister Helena hope to charm and speak to as many woodland creatures as possible in hopes of building a spy network of regular animals. Foxes, raccoons, and particularly social songbirds will all be recruited. In exchange for food and other treats, these magical scouts will keep an eye on Yoesville's borders and tell us if any of our enemies are on the move.
I'll assume that each morning Amicus has cast "Speak with Animals" on himself to make contact with the network of animal mercenaries. Do you all think it would be worth it to create a network of carrier pigeons to go with the Yoesville Civil Messaging Service?