KORMA CAMPAIGN SUMMARY

WOC KORMA 001 - "The Goblin Raid"

One of the more influential families in Korma, House Deucalion is celebrating the naming ceremony of one of its newest children, the grandson of Lord Benthos Deucalion. An ancient, religious practice, the ‘Naming Ceremony’ is one of the most important rites in a Korman’s life. It is when a child is accepted into the Korman society with the blessings of the Roskian Church, and when the child’s name is recorded in the Registry of Houses. Rhua performers have been hired to dance, perform magic tricks, and essentially provide mysterious and exotic entertainment for Lord Deucalion’s guests. During her performance, a young Rhua witch named Kochanie is insulted by Master Renato, eldest son and heir to Lord Benthos Deucalion. Kochanie leaves the finishes her performance and attempts to leave by way of the kitchens, only to be stopped by the Rhua chieftain who governs the troupe of performers. He threatens her for disrupting the performance, and jeopardizing the troupe’s reputation. Meanwhile, while looking for a snack, House Deucalion’s chief of security, a Dwarven warrior named Ranen, takes interest in the commotion, and disrupts the Rhua interchange by his presence. As Ranen and Kochanie meet, they hear a second commotion by the kitchen door as the chief butler has come to chase off what appears to be a beggar woman at the door.

However, Ranen realizes that the woman is desperate, and pleads for help for her child, who she claims has just been abducted while peddling apples on the street only a few yards from where she herself was doing the same. Ranen is soon joined by Varian, a courier of House Deucalion, and by Master Anteros Deucalion, a favorite nephew of Lord Benthos. Taking an interest in the poor woman’s story, they go out to investigate. The woman explains that her little girl was taken from the street by someone who dragged her into a sewer drain. Ranen slips into the grate, and begins to search for signs of the girl, finding apples strewn about like a sort of haphazard trail leading up hill.

Meanwhile, as they wait for Ranen to report or return, the others encounter a group of riders led by a haughty, young priest named Fr. Jesper. He takes some interest in their activities, but has pressing business at the palace complex. As Ranen follows the sewer tunnel uphill, the others follow the street back up the hill to the small, local temple at its summit. The hilltop temple to Roski is well known, as it services the affluent district where the Deucalion town castle is located. In fact, the recent naming ceremony was carried out at dawn in that very temple (although Fr. Jesper did not perform the ceremony).

Entering the temple, they first notice that there are no priests or acolytes around. The priests’ house stands on the other side of the paved circular street that surrounds the hallowed ground on which the small temple is built. Inside the temple, they search the familiar features: alcoves containing devotional shrines to saints and various aspects of the god Roski; a large marble altar in the midst of the temple, under the occulus opening at the pinnacle of the dome, allowing sacred sunlight to shine into the chamber. Searching carefully, they find a secret door under the base of the altar. With great effort, they manage to lift the altar and slide it out of the way to gain access to the opening beneath.

Meanwhile, Ranen has found a secret door carefully hidden in the ancient masonry of the sewer tunnel. As he discovers the workings of the door’s opening mechanism, he hears commotion from nearby, and discovers his companions opening the trap door that leads into the temple. Finally rejoined, the party now concentrates on the secret door. Evidence that the apple peddler’s little girl has been taken through here encourages them, and eventually they discover the mechanism while Anteros and Kochanie recognize the masonry as belonging to period during which Korma was ruled by Caerdolan.

Once inside, they determine that the kidnappers are in fact Goblins, although the presence of Goblins in the heart of Korma poses a disturbing mystery. Tracking the Goblins and the children, they go through ancient dungeon-like passages that open into a widened chamber with an underground stream leading into a system of natural caverns (probably eventually opening out at the river).

In the cavern they find a band of Goblins with their dire rat companions guarding a small crowd of dirty and frightened children who seem to be relying on the apple girl for comfort. Using their wits and their skills, the would-be adventurers defeat the foes, killing all but two of the Goblins, and manage to rescue the children. Under fear of death or torture, the Goblins admit that they were instructed to hold the children in this chamber until the priests came to make their selections. Those children rejected by the priests would be up for grabs by the Goblins.

Emerging into the light, they are confronted by acolyte priests of the temple, along with an outraged Fr. Jesper, who demands that the Goblin prisoners be surrendered to him. Refusing, Anteros sends for the city constables, who arrive along with Chief Constable Evelius, who has been personally heading the investigation into child abductions.
Chief Constable Evelius takes custody of the Goblins, and listens to Anteros’ accusations against Fr. Jesper. Fr. Jesper warns Anteros that he has crossed a dangerous line by making those accusations. Later, out of Jesper’s presence, Evelius tells Anteros that he cannot hold the Goblins indefinitely, but will turn them over to the Palace Guard, who can hold them indefinitely, and keep them out of reach of the Church Guard. Anteros later approaches his uncle, who commends him and the actions of his companions, but warns him against making such bold accusations without solid evidence. He then encourages Anteros to find the proof he needs. Having learned a valuable lesson, Anteros determines to do just that.