Campaign Journal #8 - In the Basement

Month of Patchwall

11th Day – Rastor

• We exited the crater ridge mines around midday. The countryside was covered in a blanket of snow.


• When we arrived in Rastor, we found out that Rerrid had left a few days earlier for Hommlet. Thandain said he was meeting with Cannoness Y’dey of the Cuthbertines, but she did not know the purpose of the meeting.


• Thandain also had a letter from Jorelu. He had news of their quest to unravel the mystery of the Crown Prince of Furyondy.


• We retrieved the horses from the grimlock cave, and we prepared for the long journey to Verbobonc.

12th through 17th – Travels

• The journey to Verbobonc was without incident until we neared the city.


• A guard post had been constructed along the High Road. The guards required identification and demanded to know our business.


• Delvanos used his silver tongue to assure them that we were not a threat.


• They said that there had been an increase in raids in the countryside around Verbobonc.


• We arrived in Verbobonc on the evening of the 17th.

18th Day – Matters of Business

• We spent most of the day selling off our considerable loot and finding out any news from the outside world.


• We heard that the Rook’s Cove, a fashionable inn in the River District, had been cleared out after several deaths at the establishment.


• A representative of the Riverwalk Society brought a letter to Delvanos inquiring about his interest in joining the group.

19th Day – More Business

• We spent some more time browsing through the various merchant shops and purchasing new gear. Vannay was busy scribing scrolls.


• A trip over to the Rook’s Cove was interesting. The town watch was stationed outside the inn.


• We spoke with Captain Galen, and he showed us the desiccated body of one of the people who tried to stop whatever had taken up residence in the hotel.


• We spoke with the Cuthbertines to secure permission to commune with the corpse.


• The owner of the inn, Ors Farson, said that a six thousand gold reward was offered for the removal of the creature.

20th Day – Clearing of the Cove

• The corpse was not able to give much information regarding its attacker. It did say that the creature had tentacles and it was not visible.


• We entered the hotel and journeyed into the wine cellar. Vannay’s little dragon was able to detect the presence of the creature, and Vannay identified it as an assassin jelly.


• It paralyzed Uthgar, but Victor was able to cure him.


• The creature was able to shrug off most of our physical attacks, but we killed it fairly quickly.


• The owner paid the reward and offered rooms at the inn that evening. Later he invited us to a dinner with Viscount Langard.


• Sovonich of Rhynehurst, the leader of the Riverwalk Society, also came to the dinner. Vannay and Delvanos joined the society as benefactors, and Delvanos said that when he completes his work he will join as a contributing member.


• The Viscount arrived with his entourage. He is the son of Wilfrick, who fought at Emridy Meadows and ruled over the county for many years.


• The Viscount showed interest in our adventures, and we shared some of what we know.


• At the end of the evening, the viscount presented us with wooden coins which marked us as “Friends of the Count”.

21st Day – News from Rerrid

• Vannay teleported the party back to Rastor the next morning.


• We met with Rerrid and shared news of our progress with him.


• Because of Hedrack’s threat, we setup a means for Rerrid to contact us in the event of an attack on Rastor.


• Rerrid told us about his meeting in Hommlet.


• Canoness Y’dey called the meeting because one of her agents had intercepted a message from some cultists regarding the discovery of the location of one of the fabled “binders”. (See journals #5 and #6)


• The meeting was attended by representatives of the church in Verbobonc.


• Y’dey is organizing a group to try and retrieve the binder before the cultists are able to. Rerrid could not remember where Y’dey said they are going.

22nd Day – Hydra

• We entered the ridge mines through the South Gate. Our plan is to find the dwarven temple, which Tarren said is located west of the Air Temple.


• We found a strange orb in the living quarters of Choranth, the former second in command of the Air Temple. Victor used his divine powers to destroy the orb, which had been used to control the bone bears.


• We journeyed west into the caves. We heard some noise some distance away, and the pseudodragon went to scout the area.


• The dragon reported that it saw an eleven headed hydra coming our way.


• We had time to prepare for the fight. It went better than expected, but the hound archon summoned by Vannay was crushed (or at least sent back to Celestia rather quickly).


• We then encountered the orc caves we had heard about in Rastor. We slew the male orcs and prevented the females from alerting any more of their clan.

News from Abroad

• The orc raids are coming from the Kron Hills, south of Verbobonc. They are much more aggressive than they have been in the past. There are a few different theories as to why they are acting now.


• It is possible that their numbers have increased, and they are trying to expand their area of influence.


• Another person suggested that the orcs of the Pomarj are supporting the attacks. Though why this would be is not known. They have not done this in the past. They usually keep their activities centered on Wooly Bay and raids into the Olven Kingdom of Celene.


• Rumors have also surfaced about a separatist movement in Veluna. Again nothing concrete is known about the nature of these separatists.


• Some have suggested it is members of the Scarlet Brotherhood planning a coup. If it is the brotherhood, it seems more likely that they will use this as an attempt to gain a greater foothold in the ruling council.


• Others have said it is agents of Iuz working to ensure that Veluna will not come to the aid of Furyondy in their eternal war against Old Wicked.

Spotlight on Verbobonc
Verbobonc began as a gnomish settlement along the banks of the Velverdyva. It enjoyed a good location and a very favorable climate. This suited the needs of the agrarian minded gnomes quite well. They erected a small fort of earth and wood along the riverbanks, and it was named Verboek.

The Suel invasions caused a flurry of activity in the region, and it led to a population boom. The gnomes allied with the elves of the Gnarley Wood, but it was not until the Olven Kingdom of Celene came to their aid that the Suloise forces were routed. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Karym Delph in 4280 O.C (C.Y. -182). The treaty established Verboek as a protectorate of Celene.

The Kron Hills and Gnarley Wood were wild and lawless in these days. Fort Verboek was not sufficient for the needs of the people, and plans were drawn up for a much larger fort. In C.Y. 8, the new fort was completed and it was named Verbobonc. Which in the gnomish tongue means New Verboek.

In C.Y. 145 the Overking of the Aerdy (Great Kingdom), annexed Verbobonc and the surrounding lands. They had created the Viceroyalty of Ferrond 45 years earlier. The Olven King did not wish further trouble, and they ignored their protectorate with a policy of isolationism. The Overking stationed an entire legion in Verbobonc to put a check on the elves to the south and the dwarves of the Lortmils.

Over the next century, the town grew to about 15,000 inhabitants. The gnomes of the Kron Hills fought tenaciously against the legion during this time, and eventually gained an uneasy truce.

When inner turmoil rocked the Great Kingdom, the legion was withdrawn. In 240 C.Y. the Republic of Verbobonc was established under the joint rule of the gnomes and humans. It was under senatorial rule, and all laws required approval by the citizen assembly. In practice however, the citizens always voted along the lines of their particular patron in the senate.

In 254 C.Y. the Kingdom of Furyondy established its independence from the Great Kingdom. The nobles of Furyondy longed for the wealth of Verbobonc, but the gnomish control over the Kron Hill mines kept them in check. This state of affairs lasted for around one hundred years until Keoland made their bid for expansion across the Lortmils. Furyondy saw this as their opportunity, and they marched on Verbobonc in 382 C.Y. and easily took the city. This marked the end of the Republic of Verbobonc. In retrospect, this annexation probably saved Verbobonc. Keoland laid siege to the city in 412 C.Y., and if the Furyondian army had not been there it surely would have fallen.

Verbobonc was then established as a county of Furyondy. Lord Ramsi was named Viscount over the region, and this familial line has continued until the present. The gnomes of the Kron Hills showed their defiance to the situation by establishing their own noble line. The gnomish prince was given a seat on the viscount’s advisory council. The gnomes also fought against the law requiring land ownership in voting, and they eventually triumphed. Even though most of them live outside Verbobonc, they always flood the town during mayoral elections.

In 529 C.Y., Furyondy granted independence to Verbobonc. The viscount maintained his royal title, but much of the old republican structure was restored. Viscount Wilfrick was a hero at the Battle of Emridy Meadows in 569 C.Y., and Verbobonc was poised to become a major player in the politics of the Flanaess. This was not to be though.

Verbobonc took the safe road during the northern Greyhawk Wars in the 580’s and they did not send aid to the orc wars raging in the south. It is not known whether this was Wilfrick’s old age keeping him from action or if it was his advisory council, but the only major action he took was the building of a fortified keep in the village of Hommlet.

The disputed claims of Langard, the bastard son of Wilfrick, in 589 C.Y. caused increased turmoil within Verbobonc and without. Few people recognized him as the legitimate heir, but he has proven to be a good ruler. He maintains a good relationship with the Lord Mayor, and his piety is a plus among the religious minded folk of Verbobonc. His main goals thus far have been to improve relations with Veluna and Furyondy. Time will tell on how successful his endeavors are.

As of today, Verbobonc and its 35,000 people still maintain a strong economical position in the central Flanaess. They have been largely ignored by Furyondy and Veluna since the Greyhawk wars, and they maintain cordial if not strong relations with Celene to the south. Under strong leadership and a major reorganization of the army, the county could once again vie for that position of importance they have long sought after.