The Year is 1150. It is fourteen years since the War with the Master ended, almost 100 years since the exploits of Echellon, Talis, and Company, ten years since we re-visited some of the Burning Trog.
Upon the halt of hostilities of the abortive War with the Master, life for the Burning Trogs in general became easy. Numerous invitations to visit foreign leaders, awards and medals bestowed upon all, and access to contacts and patrons never imagined filled their days. But even in a fantasy world without a 24-hour news cycle, these things eventually calmed down. What were the Trogs to do now?
Barthey had given each of them a large sum of gold (20,000 if I remember correctly) and an estate in the autonomous region known as Treibezond. Treibezond had taken the brunt of the Master's attacks, but these were seaside estates that escaped most of the carnage. Each estate was a large, self-supported community which generated at least 10,000 gp annually, largely from hazelnut harvests, hardwood lumbering, some mining, and some rental payments from the local residents. All government services, militia, army, etc where conducted by the Duchy of Sarboria. The Trogs there were simply feudal landowners.
The estates were not guaranteed and were only offered to the Trogs that were originally offered the position of Ambassadors Extraordinary and Spectacular from the Barthey Empire:
In the post-campaign world, the storyline revolves around Zorin...
Zorin - Estate: Demurli:
After the hectic cross-continental adventures acting as the Plenitatory Ambassadors for Barthey, Zorin Redrock decided to retire. After a fewer journeys that the other Trogs to receive some worthless accolades from neighboring countries, he ventured to his holding that the Emperor of Barthey had awarded him in Treibezond and stuck his toes in the sand. Unfortunately, the coastal territory had a great beach and an interior landscape much akin to the Minnesota Iron Ore fields.
Two years after the war ended, he left his estate for the final time and travelled to the Gnomish City States. He convinced the City-States military to sponsor a pirate and slaver-hunting expedition throughout the Mer Kasp. Unfortunately, Zorin wasn't much of a sailor, as are most other types of gnomes, and the slavers secret bases have remained hidden.
Six years on the sea taught Zorin a lot about sailing, and an utter disgust for human and gnome sailors. Despite the finest armament on the Mer Kasp, his lack of naval tactics results in more than a few crews nearly getting wiped out from pirates. The City-States decided to recall the ship and its crew from the mission.
Zorin sank his small fortune into three new ships and tried to outfit them with proper crews, but his reputation for confusing independent merchants, and sometimes naval frigates, for pirate ships preceded him. After a few disasters, a few sunken ships, and a couple of replacements along the way, his two remaining ships are crewed by a swarthy, gung-ho band of halflings.
This year, the twelfth since he "retired," his haphazard networks of contacts, spies, and informants have uncovered a tiny cove that's almost impossible to navigate. Only the skilled, or the well-organized could get through, so that means only a treacherous overland march is required to reach it, and possibly even rappel down some cliff faces. Even worse, this information could be time-sensitive, and Zorin's flagship, is far, far away. His second ship is nearby, and it's up to its scrappy halfling crew to do the recon, and possibly assault the pirates there.
Upon the halt of hostilities of the abortive War with the Master, life for the Burning Trogs in general became easy. Numerous invitations to visit foreign leaders, awards and medals bestowed upon all, and access to contacts and patrons never imagined filled their days. But even in a fantasy world without a 24-hour news cycle, these things eventually calmed down. What were the Trogs to do now?
Barthey had given each of them a large sum of gold (20,000 if I remember correctly) and an estate in the autonomous region known as Treibezond. Treibezond had taken the brunt of the Master's attacks, but these were seaside estates that escaped most of the carnage. Each estate was a large, self-supported community which generated at least 10,000 gp annually, largely from hazelnut harvests, hardwood lumbering, some mining, and some rental payments from the local residents. All government services, militia, army, etc where conducted by the Duchy of Sarboria. The Trogs there were simply feudal landowners.
The estates were not guaranteed and were only offered to the Trogs that were originally offered the position of Ambassadors Extraordinary and Spectacular from the Barthey Empire:
- Zorin
- Gwen
- Fonzie
- Cecelia
- Gwen
- Terval
- Janus
In the post-campaign world, the storyline revolves around Zorin...
Zorin - Estate: Demurli:
After the hectic cross-continental adventures acting as the Plenitatory Ambassadors for Barthey, Zorin Redrock decided to retire. After a fewer journeys that the other Trogs to receive some worthless accolades from neighboring countries, he ventured to his holding that the Emperor of Barthey had awarded him in Treibezond and stuck his toes in the sand. Unfortunately, the coastal territory had a great beach and an interior landscape much akin to the Minnesota Iron Ore fields.
Two years after the war ended, he left his estate for the final time and travelled to the Gnomish City States. He convinced the City-States military to sponsor a pirate and slaver-hunting expedition throughout the Mer Kasp. Unfortunately, Zorin wasn't much of a sailor, as are most other types of gnomes, and the slavers secret bases have remained hidden.
Six years on the sea taught Zorin a lot about sailing, and an utter disgust for human and gnome sailors. Despite the finest armament on the Mer Kasp, his lack of naval tactics results in more than a few crews nearly getting wiped out from pirates. The City-States decided to recall the ship and its crew from the mission.
Zorin sank his small fortune into three new ships and tried to outfit them with proper crews, but his reputation for confusing independent merchants, and sometimes naval frigates, for pirate ships preceded him. After a few disasters, a few sunken ships, and a couple of replacements along the way, his two remaining ships are crewed by a swarthy, gung-ho band of halflings.
This year, the twelfth since he "retired," his haphazard networks of contacts, spies, and informants have uncovered a tiny cove that's almost impossible to navigate. Only the skilled, or the well-organized could get through, so that means only a treacherous overland march is required to reach it, and possibly even rappel down some cliff faces. Even worse, this information could be time-sensitive, and Zorin's flagship, is far, far away. His second ship is nearby, and it's up to its scrappy halfling crew to do the recon, and possibly assault the pirates there.
Zorin: Tasks - rename his estate, if he wants. Name the three (now two) ships in his fleet.
"Whitey" Smallfoot was named Seneschal of Zorin's Barthey estate. He spent most of the time inside, managing the estate well, and fed the staff some amazing meals. A few times he has left the estate to rejoin Zorin hunting slavers, but a few accidents later, and he was back to Barthey.
Gwendalyn Lorax-Oakland: Estate: Bacali (Forfeited)
Gwen was the first to leave. The beach was nice, but the rugged landscape of Barthey was not to her druidic preferences And although she would never admit it to even her closest friends, being that close to the body of water that the Slavers of Roark navigate may trigger some anxiety, if not full-blown PTSD. Ultimately, she missed the forest. Her new husband, Carlino Oakland, elf fighter/mage, agreed. Two things happened on her journey back.
(1) She ran into the Mutumbo family, who had finally left the spartan confines of Trogs HQ in Celsior to purchase the local trading post in Verge. Traffic through the village had increased, so business was booming.
(2) She met within the enclave of the Druids of Traldar, and the council named her Druid of Traldar! The chaos in the world had claimed a number of high level druids, so she was the the most powerful druid in the land. She and the Druids of Weissmach and Vlachia/Hermetus serve the Druid of Steppe Border, who help keep the Galmar Barbarians in check.
Regardless, she moved her official druid's grove from Eltan's Spring to a smaller grove south of Verge. Her mute halfling bodyguard, Ramsa, can be found in the taverns of Verge from time to time, and up until her recent passing due to old age, her trusted pixie-fairy confidant Tyweulen could be noticed spying from a distant tree, if your eyes were good even.. (and if she let you see her).
Cecelia Darkspruce: Estate: Aiden-Teppe (Forfeited): Immediately after the War with the Master, Cecelia resumed her duties as the Governer-General of the Barony of Vadevinscy. This was acceptable to the Emperor of Barthey. While she ran the barony, Duke Celsior commanded a punitive invasion of Vlachia, seizing a good amount of territory along the border. Cecelia was relieved of her duties in Vadevinscy and assumed the Governor-General role of the new territory of Teleorman in 1138. In 1143, Queen Adrianna of Marakeikos bestowed upon Cecelia the title of Baroness and given Teleorman. Obviously the rarely used estate was forfeited back to the Emperor at that time.
Mutumbo and Nina (No Estate) were happy to uproot their limited life in Celsior and turn some of Mutumbo's adventuring booty in a career with the Verge Trading Post. Overland trade routes have picked up along with part of the kingdom, heading into Danaan, Argivia, and Barthey. Their first son, Takem is now a teenager, and they added a second child, Givem, 7 years ago. Yes, you can pet a camel with a giant gold chain in the petting zoo.
Terval Sit: Estate: Cowbun was next to go, or perhaps he was travelling back and forth from Marakeikos. Soon after Gwen set Verge as the druidic capital, Terval had set up as the resident magic expert at Mutumbo's trading post. Mutumbo's is now is regionally renown for their selection of magic items for sale, and the ability to take in as many magic items as adventurers bring in. Terval usually travels back to the estate once or twice a year, usually during the winter.
Coreena Ruddledater the Trogs' young torchbearer originally lived on Zorin's estate. However, less than a year after the war, she travelled back to Celsior to live with, and work as a nanny for, Mutumbo's family. She travelled with them to Verge, and has worked the store, was sent to Mirros for proper schooling, and now spends many of her days relaxing in the surrounding woods in the Summer, and hobnobbing in the royal court in Mirros during the Winter, and the occasional visits back to see Whitey. Being the recipient of two raise dead spells before the age of ten earned her some special privileges amongst the Trogs.
General Fonzie Schlepprock: Estate: Neufonzstein: has completely embraced life in Treibezond, sipping cool drinks on the beach. Sure, he jumped aboard a slaver-chasing ship with Zorin once or twice, but the "Military Genius of the Siege of Akorros" has avoided any sort of adventuring, although his stories at dinner expand his prowess night after night.
"New Generation" of Trogs - Although the original Trogs have essentially retired, their name alone has attracted a legion of wanna-be-adventurers. Between Gwen, Mutumbo, and Terval, a few have been found worthy... of something, and granted a membership. Largely these weaker Burning Trogs have hired themselves out for caravan guards, and militia support for goblin attacks, and on a rare occassion, rescue overwhelmed newbies trying to tame distant Cloudland Castle. Of course, rescues have a substantial fee. Most day to day operations are controlled by an old war friend of Zorin's, a normal gnome named Abicaw Whayott.
Janus Redrock: Estate: Balzmaca (Abandoned)- In 1140, Janus disappeared from her estate, with most of the estate's fortune, and has not been seen since.
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