Baron Tranth’s sage Quinlen orients the Heroes to the Bloodstone Lands, and the Damaran provinces.

This is the layout of the baronial or provincial forces in Damara. The only one not fully represented is Borovia, with 150 footmen in Bloodstone village. They probably have around 350 footmen and maybe 20 archers. Borovia is mostly mountain-bound and not a significant military power.

Damara can be divided into regions based on their economic focus. There are the mountain provinces, including Barovia and Bloodstone, known for their manufacturing. To the south, there are the agricultural baronies like Arcadia, Brandiar, and Carmathan. The areas surrounding Lake Mogadore and Heliogabalus are trade hubs, with an important trade route leading east to Impiltur and Thay, in addition to trade routes over the mountains through Barovia to the Moonsea.

Heliogabalus is the largest city and is surrounded by various provinces, creating a divide between urban and agricultural areas. There's also the challenge of the mountains separating Damara from Vaasa, contributing to the regional dynamics.

There's a clear antagonism to the south from Duke William, as reported by his page Barrett. Duke Dormothyrr of Brandiar is more sympathetic but has logistical challenges covering a vast territory. Helmont Devlin leads the largest force in Damara but is not well-regarded, and his province has issues with discontent. Lady Sylvia is a known sympathizer to Zengyi, though not openly, and her presence is unpopular among the citizens. Demian Ree, a scion of the family running the province of Morov, controls Heliogabalus and claims to be the Regent of Damara. Maris, in the south, is led by a 15-year-old named DonLevy, under the influence of an enigmatic figure named Zorth.

Lady Sylvia, once sympathetic to Zengi, now supports Dimian Ree. There's a commonality of purpose between them due to their control of valley provinces along the river, but it's not clear if they are openly conspiring.

Quillen believes that the people of Brandiar and Soravia are most reasonable and hardy, while the issue lies with the royalty above them. Duke William is seen as a coward and a bandit lord. Duke Barovia is honorable but faces challenges in a divided Damara. The citizens mainly want a return to prosperous trade.

In Bloodstone village, Riordan and Tokar are discussing the disposition of forces and whether to attack or defend. There's tension among the nobility, and the council is in turmoil.

In Heliogabalus, Demian Ree holds power, and the city's military force is small. Prelate Sampson's loyalty to Lathander is uncertain, given the suspicions of corruption.
Kailute suggests coordinating with leaders to distribute reclaimed money and secure their loyalty. The local representatives become agitated, but Quillen calms them down with his abrupt mountain talk.

The story continues with preparations for defense against the invading horde and discussions about infiltrating corrupt officials in Heliogabalus and Arcata.
Kailute describes the plan:
1. Install Lady Christine in Heliogabalus.
2. Make a big public event to remove Dimian Ree, explain the Church's corruption by Zengyi, and establish Christine as a rightful leader.
3. Possibly bring Helmont Devlin's 600 cavalry and 1800 infantry to ensure control.
4. Helmont Devlin is the Lord of the Duchy of Carmarthan and a legitimate heir, but he is seen as incompetent.

The problem with relying on Helmont Devlin is that he's not effective due to his leadership shortcomings. There's no unifying cohesion within the Carmarthen nobility because of his incompetence. The food situation improves as you move farther south, but it's still spotty during winter. The east-side roads connect to Impiltur and Thay, which also have interests in the region.

There's potential support from Dwarves, Gnomes, forest folk, and Halflings, but the extent of their assistance is unclear. Lady Sylvia, although known for her magical abilities, is not an arcane level mage and is criticized for prioritizing arcane pursuits over governance. Helmont Devlin has no direct heirs and is unmarried.

Quillen isn't certain if Lady Christine would be willing to marry Helmont Devlin, but Baron Tranth could potentially influence her choice for the kingdom's well being. If Christine marries Devlin, it's unclear whether she'd be able to take control as Devlin may not allow it. Killing Devlin immediately after marriage isn't an option.

The conversation shifts to a hypothetical wedding plan involving various nobles, which may lead to unexpected consequences, but the idea of a "Zhent’s Wedding" isn't taken seriously.
The focus returns to the variables in the situation, with Dormothyrr and Duke William having the biggest armies. They discuss the possibility of taking over Helmuth Devlin's area to secure grain and food for Brandiar, forming an alliance with Dormothyrr, and potentially dealing with Duke William.

The group considers the logistics of obtaining grain from Helmuth Devlin and shipping it to Brandiar. Quillen's contacts suggest that Carmarthen is not starving, but Brandiar is on the brink. The Horde is also discussed as it continues to move and break up in the Bloodstone Valley.

They contemplate using spells like fireballs and lightning bolts to deal with the shuffling Horde of undead and monsters approaching.

the midst of their planning, the group discussed their tactical approach. They debated the idea of a mass combat but leaned toward using continuous aerial attacks followed by a ground offensive. Quilro's reluctance to assassinate a leader but willingness to let innocent people die raised moral concerns.

The discussion shifted to their first mission involving DonLevy, a young leader possibly under the influence of an unknown figure from the west. They contemplated removing the corrupting influence, Zorth, with hopes of revealing DonLevy's true leadership potential. The group considered the need for someone to rule in his place and the complexities involved. A potential target, Lady Sylvia, came up, given her unpopularity among the people. They discussed Dormothyrr's military movements and the possibility of an ambush against Duke William. The plan evolved, with a focus on moving Dormothyrr to provoke Duke William into making the first move, giving them an opportunity to replace him if he loses. Despite tactical considerations, there were uncertainties about Dormothyrr’s situation and the intricacies of their strategy.

I would prefer to head from the West to the East because our base is in the West, where Bloodstones are located. Our primary goal is to protect Bloodstone and consolidate our presence in that region. We don't have any interest in ruling; we simply want stable and competent leadership. That's all we're looking for.

I'm particularly curious about a group of assassins in the mountains, but that's just a side concern. Otherwise, Fyrnlocke is more than willing to deal with this person named William, who seems to be causing problems for the rest of the people.

So, the plan is to march straight through, find a way to influence or replace the leader on the far side, possibly by heading through the capital. We aim to present Devlin with a new reality: either they comply with our wishes, or we'll install someone else in charge. This is the idea Fyrnlocke is suggesting.

I believe that equipping, moving, and building consensus from East to West takes a long time and can be expensive, especially when Duke William seems to be the root of the problem. If Helmaont's main issue is internal politics, such as not liking their leader, it doesn't concern me unless the replacement is worse. For example, Lady Sylvia may not have the right instincts, but she hasn't shown any signs of holding refugees hostage or committing atrocities like Duke Williams has.

Yes, Duke William is undeniably evil.

So, I'm suggesting that instead of trying to take control of Duke William's forces, we focus on getting someone in charge of Arcata who is more aligned with our values. If Duke William and his rival want to duke it out for control, that's their problem, as long as they don't drag entire armies into a devastating war, which would harm not only soldiers but also innocent civilians.

Our options could include a conventional war against Arcata, a ninja strike against Duke William, heading to Heliogabalus, or exploring other ideas that haven't been discussed yet.
I don't mean to belabor this point, but let's consider our options. My personal preference is to head to Arcata and assassinate Duke William. If we can secure an agreement to install a more suitable leader, that's excellent. However, if that doesn't seem feasible, we could head to Heliogabalus and address the issues there, particularly within the Church of Lathander. This would help us understand the local politics better and potentially stabilize the region. Afterward, we might need to deal with North and Don Levy, but it's uncertain. Devin the 15th is also a question mark for me.

It appears our goals align, but I have a different perspective, Kailute. I suggest starting in the East and moving West. This approach seems more advantageous considering the political landscape. It gives us better leverage over the parties involved. Brad, do you have a strong opinion or a plan of your own? My inclination is to suggest rolling a die to decide because we could discuss this for hours, and any of these plans could work.

The group reviews the available forces to Bloodstone;  including Maktar’s troop of 150 cleric-knights, the centaurs with their unique mobility and archery abilities.  The halflings, dwarves, and gnomes also have forces, but are still preparing to unmuck their abodes after months and years of demonic infestation.  Both are balancing the needs to honor their liberators as well as tend to their own abodes.

I think the best way for the Heroes of Waymeet to exert influence in Damara is to support Lady Christine as the rightful heir of Heliogabalus and ruler of all Damara. We'll convince those who bend the knee to join her banner. We take Duke William's army and unite it with Brandiar under Christine's leadership. We can either fight Helm or make an alliance. Once united, we move west to confront Sylvia, Don Levy, and Demion, establishing Christine as the ruler of Damara.

Quillen agrees that this plan is a sound approach to gain the support of the mid-level nobles beneath the baronies and create momentum for the fight in the capital.
I like the dwarf's plan. We've been discussing taking down this king for a while now, and it seems like the logical next step. I'm with the dwarf on this one.

That's essentially Kailute’s plan, and it makes sense.

Now, do we eliminate Duke William today, or do you want me to do it at a later time?
I presume we'll take care of it.

I think that's what we're discussing. I'll find a moment to catch him off guard, let him bleed out, maybe leave him in his privy for a few days.

You'll give him the old garden road treatment.

Yes, that's the best way to handle matters in medieval times. How many sittings will it take for him to get the moonblade?

The beloved moon blades. Are you planning to handle this on your own, Quilro?

If we're just dealing with his elimination, a covert operation makes the most sense. Sneak in, murder him, and teleport out – a pretty standard approach for a wizard and a thief.

After that, Lady Christine and Riordan will come down, leading the heroes, and gather William's bandits. They'll move east to Brandiar.

It sounds like that's the plan. Are we just killing this guy, or do we want to confront him and give him a chance to surrender?

I wonder if we need to confirm if he's in league with Zengyi. Do we have any proof of his allegiance?

Yes, we have evidence, including a letter.

You and the Barovians can establish a substantial trail showing his connection to Zengyi. It's pretty clear that his actions have not brought happiness to Heliogabalus either.

So, our objective is to eliminate Duke William and have one of the other two leaders swear allegiance to Christine, right?

Christine is already in charge. She's the Duchess of Arcata. If the others bend the knee and support her, they'll be rewarded.

Well, they might also gain access to the rich resources in Bloodstone.

Christine is in charge, and those who align with her will work for her now. She'll make the region better, and anyone who swears loyalty to her will be rewarded.

Step one is to defend Bloodstone, so let's get moving. We should stop the horde and make sure we protect the village. After that, we can consider our next moves.

We could use our airship to weaken the horde as we fly over and attack them from above. They'll be significantly depleted by the time they reach our range.

Maktar has a suggestion. He believes we should reveal the power of our airship and magic vessel to those who need to see it. We can bring some people up in the Gundar Vundark while we use magic to simulate a horde attack, showing the unstoppable force supporting Lady Christine. This can help us defend the village and set the stage for our actions against Duke William.

So we could also take Duke William's servant with us in the Gundam Van Dark to terrify him. That's a brilliant idea.

We can showcase our power and intimidate anyone who opposes us. This will establish Lady Christine as the Duchess of Arcata and allow those who join her to benefit from her leadership.

Alright, so we'll start by defending Bloodstone and then move forward with our plan.
And after that, we'll proceed to take care of Duke William, reveal his crimes, declare Lady Christine as the rightful heir of Damara, and appoint the official Duke of Arcata from those who have shown the greatest loyalty and skill in serving her.

The days following the heroes' return from their initial encounter with the Horde over the northern fields were strange. The night sky was filled with explosions, and the air resonated with the sounds of magical fireballs and gouts of divine fiery light, which Vergadain unleashed as Don Brapp requested, for three consecutive days.

This fiery display began as Barret of Arcata was slipping away to the south, and continued through every sergeant at arms and each of Maktar's warriors watched the divine and arcane powers of the Heroes of Waymeet and their magical Vistani wagon.

Some dwarves even had the chance to witness this spectacle, though one of them got very drunk and nearly fell off the top of the Gundam Vundark. They watched as Quill Row rained down fireballs onto the Horde.

These magical assaults resulted in a gruesome scene in the northern reaches, leaving behind a scorched and grotesque landscape littered with burnt flesh and undead creatures. Even the cold of winter couldn't contain the stench and horror. After three days of such magical onslaughts, only a few skeletons and zombies remained, as the sentient monsters retreated into the mountains, following the giants and Fredegast and his halflings, with the help of centaurs, hunted down the remaining roaming undead.

Once the threat to the village was eliminated, the villagers of Bloodstone felt a profound sense of relief. Despite the late winter cold, the presence of sunshine brought them newfound comfort and ease they hadn't experienced in a long time, knowing that William and his forces remained a violent threat to the south.

With the eradication of the undead menace, the heroes were able to establish connections with several tribes that had been part of the Horde. While two of these tribes were shattered and turned on each other, the remaining tribe was making its way back into Vasa, hoping to establish camps. However, they were deeply concerned about the lack of food and game in the area due to the devastation.

In Bloodstone village, the mood was more celebratory, with halflings emerging from their hiding places. Musicians played whatever instruments they had, and the remaining food came from the hard work of the villagers and the clerics who used their magic to produce more. The overwhelming sense of relief prevailed, and even Lady Christine, despite her initial reservations, acknowledged the heroes' significant contributions to her land and people. She was willing to utilize their magical and military power, as well as the influence of Vergadain and the two exotic elves, to deal with Duke William.

The next step was to focus on exploring Arcata, and the heroes were eager to confront Duke William in the near future.

Shadows of the Mountain Valleys.

Fyrnlocke provides a background of the whispered about Shadows;  one of the few realms-wide underground networks built along transactional information, with a long lineage of discreet political assassinations and the sale of exotic information available nowhere else, including connections to Kara Tur.

“ye might think that bloke in Cormyr, or Silverymoon has the latest on Thay’s undead armies…  where exactly is a cutpurse in Cormyr going to come into that information?  That’s high level, high coin information.  All the nobles know it…  all the rulers use it.  They certainly don’t want it interfered with.”  It is inferred that the recent implosion of the royal family of Tethyr required almost drow like inside information…
“..and the feckin elf is now a sworn enemy to the shadows.  It sounds like the raw power of the heroes gives pause, but the elf is a marked enemy.”



The folks of Damara, and even the tribes and goblinoids of Vaasa respect and avoid conflict with the Shadows.  Their members bear a lifelong pledge to secrecy;  and are still highly sought after across Faerun;  for their direct skills of the ability to protect nobility from the most insidious of threats.

With that, Fyrnlocke also provides a summary of the information Quillan had provided regarding Darmaran provincial loyalties:
Damara is a young nation as human kingdoms go.  The most recent, northward expression of human expansion up through the elven forests of Cormanthor (Myth Drannor) as well as the Dragon’s Reach as those free spirits bristling at the limits of Cormyr and Sembia sought to cleave their own similar fortunes out of the rugged but mineral rich Bloodstone lands.

The light of Lathandar was more than willing to finance several exploratory trips;  but it was a hardy mix of Ilmater and the nature based gods who called the settlers to Bloodstone.

The area north and east of the Moonsea was long the source of waves of goblinoids, giants and dragons who would surge out of the area; in fact most scholars agree that most of the monsterkin armies that surge south cyclically originate whole or in part from the region north of the Moonsea.
The primary settlements fixated on what resources could be turned into food and wealth, in that order.  Thus the southern provinces of more arable land developed first;  followed by the more daring exploration of the mountains and forests.  This development led to a sense of superiority and cultural refinement among the first provinces.  Eventually Heliogabalus was founded as a civic and trade center, along the banks of Lake Magador and one of the confluence of trade routes between the lands of the west and the connecting realms to Thay and Kara Tur.

Duke William Horgath controls Arcata;  and in line with the scheming of Strahd and Zengyhi is rumored to have designs on the throne of Damara.  Running north and south along the eastern edge of the Galenas, Arcata enjoys a mix of agricultural and mining resources.  Unfortunately the recent violence has upended most all trade and farming, and only the military forces once supported by an unseen sponsor control what little food and supplies remain.  The Arcatans have closed their borders, and although have sent missives to Bloodstone, it is suspected William intends to invite or challenge Dormorthyrr to join his forces or close his province to trade until the rightful place of House Horgath is accepted by fellow Damarans.

Arcatans are hungry, impoverished for lack of trade and eager to return to normalcy.  Tomrav is a mixed community of no more than 500 souls;  human, dwarf, and half-orc in the deepest southern reaches of the Galena Mountains.  The half-orc citizens maintained a liaison with goblin tribes in the mountains until most were compelled to the service of Zenghyi.

Valls is the capital city, with 1,300 mostly human inhabitants.  The Dukes guard keep order on the streets, but all Arcatans are tired of conflict, and wary of outsiders.  Only the strong bonds of faith in Lathander and Ilmater keep the hope of the populace alive, as Duke William schemes from within his hold Caer Heafnang at the head of the King’s Road.

The scattered villages of Brandiar was once ruled by Duke Brandebury from Goliad;  but the family was poisoned two years ago and only the good deeds of a sturdy farm hand Dormothyrr has kept the brigands and monsters from causing further misery.  Each of the petty nobles of the valleys take it for granted that Dormorthyrr will be easily influenced, and thus count the blades of Brandiar as their own.

The walled village of Goliad has swollen to near bursting with the refugees of the war, and now nearly a thousand individuals of mixed company fill every structure of a small town that usually holds no more than a couple hundred.

Dormorthyrr has practiced a mix of guile and influence to keep the folks engaged;  taking who is able ranging for supplies and patrolling the vast rolling hills if for no other reason to keep people busy and avoid conflict.  The Goliad River serves as a geographic boundary to the northeast;  but otherwise Brandiar is stuck between the mountains, Aracata and Carmathan.


The Duchy of Carmathan is the most populous province as well as the breadbasket of Damara in better times.  Again, the blades of treachery fell hard against the ruling Devlin family;  and when more than half of the ruling family had been cut down only the foppish playboy Helmont remained.  Helmont Devlin 15th rules from the city of Ravensburg.  Nestled where the Earthwoods meet the Earthfast mountains, the 3,500 citizens here look with anger and resentment at the long warehouses used for transshipment of bloodstone, horses, and grain lie empty, and the prized horses of Ravensburg’s husbandry pens remain empty.  Agents from Heliogabalus, Valls, and even the southern cities fill the alleys and taverns.  The citizens and merchants look on with disgust as Devlin continues to feed his appetites rather than work to better the folk of his province.

The monastery of the Yellow Rose is not over far, and Ravensburg is a key node for supplies to the serene place of study and worship, as well as the first stopover of folks intending to visit.  Ravensburg was a key initial city in the development of Damara, and produced a significant amount of workman’s equipment for the farms and mines of the land.  There is likely a significant surplus of skilled technical labor here.

Due east of Carmathan lies Ostel, a small urban province more or less ignored by its ruler Baroness Sylvia Praka.

Far more interested in the transmutive power of magic than governing, Lady Sylvia defers to Dimian Ree as steward in all things, to the hatred of her subjects.  By far the most populous province of Damara, the cities of Praka (11,000), Portith (10,200) are urban centers of cottage smiths and technical skills.  The small verdant river valleys provide Brotha (400) and Zarach (250) ample opportunities to provide their wares.  Among the least hit by the military violence, there remains significant supplies and a great deal of disdain for the more undeveloped agricultural baronies to the north and east.  “Orignal;’  from Ostel” is both a greeting and a slight jibe to other Damarans.  However, at this stage most inhabitants of Ostel would welcome anyone but the absentee Lady Slyvia.

Donlevy the Young is all of 14 years of age;  under the regency of a warrior named Zorth.  Polten is another province that considers itself more worldly than the outlying baronies.  The capital Trailsend has inns and festhalls that rival Imphal to the south.  The open roads to the south have allowed the merchants of Polten to grow rich in coin from profiteering.  There is certainly more luxury items on the markets here, as well as some fairly well established arcane towers.  The main route is called “merchant’s run” with good reason.  As unrest swept Damara, Zorth made sure there were still able guards, horses, and feed to keep the goods and gold flowing from Polten to Impultir, and Thay.  Trailsend boasts Damara’s largest castle, looming over the shores of Lake Morgador.  The many towered walls that surround the city of 8,000 protect a vibrant urban town that can rival Cormyr for it’s ribald late night festhalls.

Second largest city in the Bloodstone Lands, Heliogabalus has long been Damara’s center of power and trade. Like large cities elsewhere in the Forgotten Realms, Heliogabalus is a place of many textures. The guilds are here: the Damaran thieves guild, the merchant’s guild, and the various trade guilds. Here also may be found the lures of the underworld, easy to contact in the many darkened taverns. Until the reign of Zhengyi, Heliogabalus enjoyed the singular status of being a separate province of Damara. When the provinces were proclaimed independent, Dimian Ree moved his seat of power from Morovar to Heliogabalus and annexed the city into Morovs realm. The people of Heliogabalus raised no objections to Ree’s actions. Independent, and loyal to no one outside their respective guilds, the people here rarely object to anything unless it interferes with dayto-day business.

It is understood that Dimian let’s his cousin run the local thieves guild, which has been running enormous profits due to the war.

Samson Prelate welcomes the glory of the Morninglord every morning from the High Halls of Lathander;  a mostly completed towering gothic complex rising from the center of a once bustling metropolis;  now gaunt hungry eyes and shadows await the return of better times.