Almiraj Keep
The Borderlands
Ere, High, Far Spring

It has been a busy few months.

After the Keep was rid of (most of) its monstrous inhabitants, the party reunited with the groom and porters (who were very happy to see them) and then started the long trip back to civilization.

As arrange, they met the Duke in Havenport. After their report, she thanked them for their service to (although she was not at all pleased to hear about the kobold and the rats in the basement). And then, like a sudden tropical storm, she threw a lifetime of plans and preparations into motion.

Months of frenzied activity passed as the Duke gathered people and resources, called in allegiances old and new, forged agreements with artisans and merchants of all description. Like a great administrator, or military general, her will, her dedication, her innate authority, funneled a veritable flood of chaos into a tight, organized stream of actitity leading directly to the Keep on the Borderlands.

In the months that follow, the party is able to involve themselves in any part of the new community, the new nation.

OOC: Everyone has 12 Downtime Points (DP).

During the early months as the keep and surrounding area were being sorted, Kovann kept himself busy.

At the binning he split his time into two key areas.

The first was helping with security around the keep. Watching out for any danger heading their way, as his keen eyes and ears made him an excellent lookout.
There was the odd skirmish here and there, nothing him and the guards couldn't handle, but it was better than letting things get out of hand, as well as people feel they were not protected here at the keep.
The second was to build himself a little home of his own. He could have stayed in the dormitory with the others, but after years of travel, he wanted somewhere that actually felt like his own space. It wasn't a luxurious building, though he was taught in the monastery that the accumulation of worldly possessions wasn't important.

After several weeks, his home was ready. One room, a fire pit, and a roof to keep him dry from rain, and shade from sun.

With his home completed, he felt he wanted to do something else to help those at the keep. Something that was personal to him, but would benefit others. When he was hinting at it, some expected some sort of brewery, picking on stereotypes about dwarfs and beer. Kovann however had no experience at brewing alcohol, as his years of apprenticeships focused on different guilds.

Instead, he would towards creating a fighting pit. Lots of long days digging and moving earth, with a mixture of going down into the ground, and the soil to create a wall. This allowed those fighting to be lower down, letting others see, without a risk of accidentally being hit.
This wasn't to encourage fights to the death. They certainly lacked the people for this, nor the cause for such an event. However, tests of skill, unarmed combat, sword fighting, and somewhere for those who wanted to practice combat safely now had somewhere to be.
it also gave somewhere for Kovann to practice his martial art techniques in a way that those who were intrigued could watch, and even be allowed to join in!

Finally, Kovann gave an order to one of the caravans for some items to help him apply his skills and training. He knew not all of them may be able to be put to use yet, but he knew it was better to have them ready, than need them and wish he had gotten them sooner.
A battleaxe, which let him return the spear they found when they first arrived to Ayanna, as she showed an interest in it. he now found a connection with his inner self, that let him channel his ki into the axe, and swing it gently and deftly, rather than relying on brute force as so many others do.
A disguise kit, which he used more than anything for enhancing his look when performing in the fighting pit. His years as a gladiator made him know that fighting is only one part. It is also putting on a performance, a show for the audience, and that makeup and other items only added to this.
Glassblower's tools, so that if the materials come up, he can help make different glassware. Lenses, eyeglasses, bottles for drinks that may be produced, all will help them in the keep.
A healer's kit, as whilst others in the group can magically help those who may be severely wounded, what happens if they are the ones in need of help? Or their magic has grown weak from helping others? Kovann wanted to be prepared for any help he can offer.
A herbalism kit, as in the grassland and forests nearby, who knows what herbs and other flora may be around that could have useful properties. Or to help identify plants which they shouldn't eat, lest they risk poisoning others.
Smith's tools, as the need to make or repair metal work will be critical, even as minor as sharpening his axe, and the weapons of his party members. Lumberjacks getting wood will find their work much easier with a sharp axe than a dull butterknife!
And finally, a set of thieves' tools. Kovann is no scoundrel breaking into the property of others. But if they were to find a locked chest or door when exploring, or traps that require disarming, he would rather have a safe and professional way to deal with them, than smashing their way through.

OOC EDIT: Downtime Points Spending

• 4DP on the residence
• 4DP on the pit
• 4DP on patrols/general security

That way I am working towards something for me, and for the betterment of the keep too.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:23, Mon 19 June 2023.

Looks like Ayanna is spending about 2DP per item

• Research/Spend time with the ghost (She wants to help the ghost)
• Patrol/General Security of the Keep (Primary objective to make things safe)
• Protect Caravans (If we do Bandits next, perhaps this is how we learn a bit about it.)
• Military/Constabulary (I see these as the same thing.  For Security of the Keep)
• Administration/Facilities (She knows Admin is important and wants to get that setup)
• Cleaning/Clearing (Got to get things cleaned up to live here.  Once a team is organized

Glinsael's Downtime:

• 4 DP (one month) on researching the library and ghost.
• 4 on exploring the Keep (before everyone moves in)
• 4 on helping Snet set up/improve his rat enclosures?

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 01:35, Mon 19 June 2023.

KOVANN

After the fighting pit is finished, it starts to get some use. A few younger residents show up when Kovann is exercising, trying to get some lessons in unarmed combat. And a man named Medros, the Captain-at-Arms of the Keep, asks permission to use the pit for training for the constabulary and soldiery.

The young men and women who've signed up as soldiers have heard (and pass on to Kovann) rumours that there are several well-armed, organized tribes of 'dog men' living in the Caves of Chaos, and that they've recently started conducting raids in the countryside.

Also, a small group of Elves arrive in the Keep in late Spring. The eldest of the group, an very old Elf named Aeryoun, starts coming to the pit. It turns out that his family maintains a style of unarmed combat very similar to Kovann's. He says that one of his ancestors learned the style from the legendary Dwarven warrior, Rogahn.

---

AYANNA

Her work with the constabulary and helping with the admin/management set-up leads to a request from Medros (the Captain-at-Arms) for help with spear and sword training for some of the new recruits, and if you are willing to help, offer to occupy one the empty officer's residences in the inner bailey.

The caravans are (rightly) very, very worried about the bandits. The caravan she guards happens to have Barrad as the groom. He seems to command great respect from the other workers and his goodwill toward Ayanna goes a long way.

They tell her their theory that the bandits seem to always strike from somewhere across the river. But the river is swift, powerful, and basically unpassable west of the Keep. So they don't figure out how they're crossing over.

They also are hearing rumours about a large infestation of Lizardmen in the swamps across the river. They say they keep Bullywugs as slaves and that they eat anyone (and anything) rather than take them captive.

---

GLINSAEL

With about a month to herself to explore the empty keep (and with Snet's grateful help), Glinsael spies out a great many rooms and hallways and secret passages.

She finds a number of cashes of trade goods, of various age. Most of them are so old they've rotten away almost to dust. However, there are several newer caches (one or two of them recent enough to be still be usable). Whether this means the bandits are using the Keep as a base, or if the gnolls and kobolds were raiding the raiders, is hard to say.

Many of the recent barrels of brandy and salted fish are branded with the initials EO. Several others are branded with AS. And some others GP. This looks to Glinsael like personal brands. Probably the initials of the merchant that brokered their purchase.

And all of them have another brand, this one appears to be a location mark (usually for taxation purposes). This brand says "Saltmarsh."

The name is not familiar to Glinsael.

Glin hears rumours that the Duke greatly dislikes the fact that Snet was allowed to keep residence in her Keep, and would prefer him to leave, but she is not willing to break a promise given in her name.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:25, Mon 19 June 2023.

A) Foraging/Assisting the Cook  (4DP) - Figure starting early Kojik can work with the cook for foraging for various local herbs and plants to supplement the kitchens for better food. And also it'll help to build up a store of herbs for use in making potions (of healing or alchemist in nature) when needed.

B) Learn Proficiency with Alchemist's Tools (12DP - Kojik's Int mod = 8DP).

KOJIK

With his innate intelligence, and the nature of his profession and training having given him a firm foundation, Kojik picks up the intricacies of Alchemy quite quickly. In the Keep, there are two people with this level of knowledge:

• Erald Minsk - a clerk employed with the Keep's Bank/Counting House. He's an old (old) human man who's been trying to learn magic most of his life, but never quite finding the time. He trades lessons in Alchemy for the chance to scribe one of Kojik's first level spells.
• Lesser Vituss ('Lesser' is a title, Vituss is his name)- Acolyte of the Keep's only temple (to a god of travel and wilderness). He's still learning his Clerical trade but is from a rich family and has been schooled in a lot of scientific subjects before turning to the temple. The Duke makes a donation to the temple to pay for his time.

Out in the surrounding countryside, assisting cooks, some early farmers, and the people above, in their foraging, Kojik learns a lot about the landscape and plants and animals of the area around the Keep.

One of the farmers, Gyourt Alfurrow is a retired military scout who knows a lot about tracking and various kinds of humanoid monsters. He says there are tracks all around the area, new and old, just outside the Keep's torchlight, that indicate that there are kobolds, gnolls, hobgoblins, orcs, and other kinds of beasties, wandering around quite a bit. "If we don't get them walls sorted, we're going to have a heap of trouble, you mark my words."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:48, Tue 04 July 2023.