Musings of a Future Baron - 17. The Stag Lord

Toilday 18 Desnus 4710

We broke into the fort through a loose board in the wall. Akiros was waiting for us, making me wonder. Am I growing predictable?

He succumbed to us as Kressle had, through talk. Jhod had mentioned a certain hiccough in the man whenever the priest mentioned Erastil. It didn’t take a genius to realize why, and I gently asked Akiros why a follower of a kind god was following a bandit lord. While I can’t say I turned him back to his faith, I can say that I garnered his aid in the coming battle.

All those times Valerie had scoffed at the notion of talk, encouraged me to fight… I feel vindicated. Two lives were saved today, because I managed to talk them down.

The other two lieutenants though…

Dovan and Auchs were found together. And they died together, though not easily. Somehow, Linzi managed to set them both aflame with a song. And oh did Dovan sing. He tried to weasel his way into our minds, told us that he could be useful. Even Tristian urged me to grant Dovan a swift death. An urge I granted gladly. Auchs fell soon after, a childlike mind put to rest. I can only hope they find redemption from the gods, for they found none from us.

The fort was cleared, our minds and bodies exhausted. But we still had one fight left. A discussion was had, and we determined there was no way we could fight as we were. On our way out of the fort, we happened upon a captive owlbear, the Stag Lord’s “pet”. It wasn’t hard to calm him; Theofrid seems to have a way with certain animals. I am certain that come the morrow, the owlbear will be a great boon to our cause. Until then, we rest. The bodies will be found, fear will spread. The Stag Lord knows we are here. He knows we are strong. And he knows he is next.

Wealday 19 Desnus 4710

It is over. The Stag Lord is dead, and if Lady Jamandi keeps her word, then I am now unofficially the baron of these lands.

With Kressle’s band of followers, and Akiros fighting the few bandits who were left, I was able to pin the Stag Lord against his own wall. Yet it was Theofrid who struck the final blow. The Stag Lord used some sort of charm on himself. I’m not sure exactly what it was supposed to do, but it didn’t save him. Before dying, he spoke of some queen, a queen Kressle mentioned. But she had no idea who he meant; there had never been a lover for the Stag Lord. He was a drunkard in life, perhaps this queen was something his mind merely made up?

Regardless, we spent nearly two hours going through the inside of the fort, disabling traps and finding loot. In a locked cell, we found Nugrah, beaten, bloody, and insane, his mind broken long ago. We did the only thing we could, granting him a swift death. On his person, we discovered yet another note discussing a mysterious woman, one who seemed to only visit the Stag Lord in dreams. More and more we got the picture of a man who was near insane himself. This is the legacy I have to live up to? Perhaps I won’t be as bad a baron as I thought.

As nice as a break would have been, we were eager to get back to Oleg’s, to deliver the news of our victory. I write this on the banks of the confluence, early in the evening. Tomorrow we walk day and night to reach the trading post, and only then will we allow ourselves to rest once more, before taking the long journey back to Restov.

Desnus 19 4710

Gave the Stag Lord’s helm to Amiri, she’s been after it since I started travelling with the party. Hopefully now she will stop threatening to fight people over who gets it. No one else seemed to want it. Cassiel took the bow, finding it perhaps not as strong as his old bow, but he says there is a certain power to this one. I couldn’t tell. Boots went to Linzi, not sure why she wanted them. Something about better motion? I really need to get better at identifying magic items.

I am so glad it’s over. I wonder what Cassiel will do once he’s officially the baron. I spoke with Tristian, and honestly, I’m probably not going to return to the Stolen Lands when we get back to Restov. Cassiel has been kind to me, but I just can’t get over my guilt at following Tartuccio.

Fireday 21 Desnus 4710

We made it. I am exhausted, nearly falling asleep on my feet… Will write more

Starday 22 Desnus 4710

We set out for Restov this morning, a jovial mood about the group. Even Theofrid was offering a few jokes as we travelled. Now we sit in Fort Serenko, resting for the morn. I approached Theofrid when we reached the fort, and he assured me that our eighteen thousand gold was safely accounted for. He called it my gold, something I was quick to correct. The money doesn’t belong to me, it’s our loot, and more than that, it’s our funding for a new barony. A barony that would include him.

The gnome seemed upset by that, but when I pressed, he agreed that he could stay on at least through whatever rewards Lady Jamandi bestows upon us. It didn’t seem to register that the reward was a coronet and a lifetime of rule. I don’t know why he is so intent on punishing himself. To be honest, I like having him around. I think he has a place in my inner circle, despite his many misgivings.

He has taken to calling me Your Grace, something I suppose I will have to get used to. At least he isn’t bowing. Linzi picked it up too, but I think she just does it to tease me. I never meant to be the leader, the baron. But I suppose that’s life. I’ll deal with it as best I can.

Desnus 22 4710

Cassiel doesn’t get it. I can’t stay. He pushes me constantly, even going so far as to offer me a position in his court. I don’t know how he can trust me so easily. I betrayed him once already.

It’s not that I don’t want to remain in the Stolen Lands…. Ellesmera, I think they’re calling it. He’s going to make me stay though. I don’t know, there’s this magnetism to him. There are people who get their way through looks, but he does it through his brains. And honestly, that both scares me and intrigues me. I talked to Tristian about it once, and he said it was the pull of a leader. He appreciates that Cassiel can rule through rational thought, not just charisma. He’s going to make me follow him, and there is nothing I can do.