An Emperors Favor - Act 1 - The story so far, a land of the First Aengel campaign

The story so far.

Here follows a summary of current events after 17 sessions into Act 1: Alliance.

[Prologue] - In your light we are humble

(session 0,5-1)

Our story begins in the future at at an currently undisclosed cabin where a young Jorel Sabar, the soon to be rhymester listens intense to his uncle Olegs stories. They turn there eyes the year 6593 in the 6th age - Age of Exile, a time before Kingdom of Therosa and when the south was loosely called “the Four Kings”. The setting Oleg describes is in north east of the early days in the Empire of Angellied, in the aftermath of the first emperor Ceirmund an Rierogg. There in the north east, in a region burn to ash some 50 years ago, now called the Charred Fields.

We meet our heroes, the Knight Sir Ivan Ingelstadt, the fighter Viktor Varg and the hunter Arnulf von Brennen (with his side companion Welpe)

They have along some other conscripts travelled to the hamlet of Brennen to attend the Empires call to arms. A delegation lead by Glyph Major Jaeger Golgan will soon arrive and together with the Elders (the Charred Fields Council) establish a expansion and reach of the Empire. It will be called Emberwatch and will work to strenghten the region, help the people, include the hamlets into the Empire and work for a better future.

They get to know each other and help out the Smoke Carter Durso who’s been attacked by a small band of Goblins on the road south east.

[Act1: Alliance] - 6593 spring time

(Session 2)

The first mission is the establishing of Emberwatch. For the first time you meet, Glyhp Major Jaeger Golgan, Master of recruits Loyan Harfsteiner, Imperial Envoy Quill an Dryff, Quartermaster Shanti Herzogg, Master of wounds Sephien Durren, the scribes Fiotor Orell and Phries Felder and finally the Aengel of the third sword Olfen.

During the Trials of Brennen, Loyan Harfsteiner tries to get you and the other sorry bunch of conscripts to prove yourself in the light of the Empires gaze. Three different trials are concluded, a combat session, the silent line and the stone slab. The trio of Viktor, Arnulf and Sir Ivan are victors of the challenges

9 conscripts are given the title of Unbound Blade and Viktor Varg is given the pin of the Fragile Blade. Spoke person for Emberwatch blades.

[Act1: Alliance] - A hamlet called Spassmak

(session 3-4)

The first real mission, given to Fragile Viktor Varg with Arnulf and Sir Ivan. They travel to the south eastern corner of Charred Fields, close the woodlands owned by the elves.

Surrounded by mask carvers, local gang members from Beggars of Tomorrow, and other weird folk they tried to find the presumed missing Elder Edgar Ehrhart. They encounter the Beubecker twins - Olivia and Oliver and finally find a naked drunkard called Edgar.

(Olivia and Oliver Beubecker)

Sir Ivan have a brief stare down with the mysterious vigilante called The Whisperer.

Trying to travel back to Brennen with the new trio a nightly ambush happens and during Fragiles night watch - Edgar is stabbed to death, but saved in the brink to mere luck and falls into a comatose.

Arnulf and Oliver track down the assassin that is already killed(?) and find the order to kill Edgar given by name Mar’Galsan

[Act1: Alliance] - Odor of Mandragan

(Session 5-7)

While Carsten Cravall, Thorde Arkis and Maras Strudel investigate the strange activities surrounding the group called Beggars of Tomorrow south in the hamlet of Messners, our heroes meet there biggest challenge within there own ranks.

A nigthly stray stumble upon Brennen, with uneven steps a man by the name of Svein Haster from tell Jaeger Golgan and the group about some issues up in the unnamed housing by Elmers Brook. His story is hard to follow but deaths and strange behaviours gives Emberwatch the reason to investigate it closer.

This mission may be the reason why (someone?) spreads rumors and songs of mockery pointing against Fragile Viktor Varg (or the some of a lot of actions taken).

In Elmers Brook the Fragile drinks from the strange brook, taste the refreshments of House Haster and get’s phlegm or saliva thrown in his direction. The boy Arman Haster pronounce multiple times “They are doing well know” .

Discussions, disputes and struggles between the trio and therer scribe in shadows Phries Felder. Takes them to a deadly encounter under the stable against a living gigantic Root-being, fueled (or caging) a thing later proclaimed as a Smoke Shard. Something Sir Ivan takes for safe keeping and later give to Jaeger Golgan.

The conclusion of Elmer Brook sees the heroes stay in quarantine. The four of them and Svein Haster shares the newly built barrack for almost a month, driving them slowly insane. A blightmaster Nikki Merz (catfolk) arrives from Reinhart to help out. They have been infected by spores but are all cleared after 3 weeks save for Svein Haster who breaks and attacks Sir Ivan. He is later taken care of by Jaeger Golgan and Nikki Merz.

During these weeks a report unbound Iris Vitrin mention a sighting of a masked figure, (the whisperer) around Brennen, but is dismissed by Jaeger Golgan as superstition or fear for the unknown.

[Act1: Alliance] - Rechtsweg - a fallen crossroad.

(Session 8-14)

A large group of Emberwatch (9 blades) and 6 volunteers travels west to the area between Reinhart, Ceirmund, Illonassau and Charred Fields (Brennen). This place once a crossroad for merchants, travelers and soldiers, now a wasted ruin of the days before Charred Fields.

They are sent here to root out monsters, try to repair the complex road and if possible find and take care of any bandit activity within Rechtsweg itself. Here they first establish a base camp in the ramshackled tavern the Hof, and later Sir Ivan meets his demise when an encounter wih Ash Skeletons turns out to be a suprise challenge.

Emberwatch needs to keep the flame burning and the interim-leader fragile Viktor Varg tries his best to keep up morale and organize things.

The hard work around Rechtsweg takes weeks and a campaign to clear out monster and search the complex continues. They mourn there missing comrade and finally luck strikes when finding a secret entrance on the western foundation.

Here the stumble upon an imprisoned wizard called Leon Faust. They join forces to root out the thiefs and bandit under the moniker Red Fingers. There exploration and search sends the party through the underbelly of the complex crossroad, within the sewer-tunnels and the hidden rooms of the bandits.

They realize that this construction is old, ancient probably and that many iterations of Liedlingers (people of Angellied) have come and gone, excavation, finding secrets, trying to interpret the purpose of the caverns below, the pillars with faces, the found smoke shard fragment and what it all means.

Through this endeavor Leon Faust has a vision, showing me him what looks to be the past, images, smells and sounds keen on dispay for his mind only. For the second part f his vision it looks to show a predicted future or something else. This in some way, the rest of the party also sees as a projection in display in the air above themselves.

Your friend the Sun gives you warmth and turns to the east
It’s spins multiple turns, more than can be counted.
You see people live there lives, born and dying
You see things from the view of an eagle, searching..
An enormous city, layered and green
You see a man limping with a golden snake around his leg
Four pale ones among them
You see an audience with two amalgamations chained in unison
The robed man snaps his fingers
The world burns

Leon later mentions four faces and then four names in his flashing fragmented vision. Ehrhar - Mehtmer - Vriesau - Mar’Galsan

They fight against a last line of defence or some sort of guardian entity around the pillars and later finds the last culprit of the red fingers, the leader (unknown by name to the heroes). Before dying they find out that the bandits where sent here to draw the attention of Emberwatch from someone named Mar’Galsan.

[Act1: Alliance] - Feuerhof

(session 15-16)

Through brief respite in Brennen, the heroes sees there headquarters slowly grow, more building been built, more shares of goods and resources coming in from all corners of the Charred Fields. Leon Faust as his sole purpose to come east, is to deliver a sealed letter to his friend and old mentor, Edgar Ehrhart. The same still in comatose in Brennen under Sephien Durren’s passive care. The letter still intact in Leons care. He sits with his mentors a couple of times, before Jaeger Golgan sends him together with Arnulf and Fragile Viktor Varg to the steamy hamlet of Feuerhof, on the slopes of a crevasse. A place very keen to the flame.

They are sent here to attend a meeting between the envoy Quill an Dryff, Wilbur the scribe, merchant Algot Dauer and elder Vespa Sauler. The council is keen to approve travel by Rechtsweg and any last objections or findings from Emberwatch before that is settled.

While preparing for return to Brennen, they overhear and are asked to look into the disappearance of nine Flamekeepers.

The group venture down via the elevator and deep, close to the magma rivers under the hamlet. They traverse the tunnels, finding survivors, and deceased and battling magma-drawn monsters to finally round up the first survey team of Flamekeepers. With matters closed they return for Brennen.

[Act1: Alliance] - The silent singing of owls

(session 17-ongoing)

After returning from Feuerhof they (or Leon Faust) find out that Edgar Ehrhart has been the subject in focus from Beggars of Tomorrow, again after a lot of months in Brennen. He makes the decision to send him away to an undisclosed location for better safekeeping and care. With him are the Beubecker twins and Loranga Hess.

Leon signs a contract with Emberwatch as a “consulting wise man”. As his prowess may be more on the exploratory and curious side of things, then actual combat.

A couple of messages are sent from the corner of the northern region, a small hamlet at the edge of the ashen fields called Bökel. This place and there people have been a strong opposition of the Empire but something has changed, that make them requesting, guidance, help or in other ways the Emberwatch eyes on things.

The group of three are again sent to investigate with Viktor Varg, given primary and secondary orders to fulfill before returning to Brennen again. Just as they are about to leave, reports arrive that something has happened to the transportation of Edgar Ehrhart. Matters Jaeger Golgan takes very serious but still orders the trio that they can’t help out for the time being and will need to set there focus on Bökel.

The investigation of current events in Bökel is in progress…

Current affairs and Reports from the realm (during the year 6593)

• Edamis Theller is set to marry prince Tyco an Rierogg, oldest son of the Emperor
• Disturbance in The Gorge is reported and seems rise concerns
• The Jesters has proclaimed there new seat in central Four Kings, a place called Fool’s Garden
• King Maltinic Bedric Castalla of southwestern Four Kings are in pursuit for a new Queen, as his beloved Nektarina Castalla passed away in the after effects of some kind of disease. Maltinic has no current heirs.
• 1st Eastwatch Vanguard is silent, no reporters in months

Emberwatch’s current roster (20 recruits)

Fragile Bound Blade
Viktor Varg
Bound blade
Arnulf von Brennen
Carsten Cravall
Maras Strudel
Thorde Arkis

Consulting Wise man (equal rank as Bound blade)
Leon Faust

Unbound Blade
Volmer Hogenhals, Iris Vitrin, Burdan Aiol, Olivia Beubecker, Oliver Beubecker, Loranga Hess, Pol Heuser, Miklos Ekan, Vitor Dahmer, Garvin Beern, Perst Mackler, Ivor Lyosan, Joar Veterin, Ania Cledo