Meet the Heroes
One of the three Orlovsky sisters, Sasha has taken the role of Queen of the new kingdom. She is a half-elven swashbuckler with a drive to succeed. The Ruler is the highest-ranking person in the kingdom, above even the other kingdom leaders, and is expected to embody the values of the kingdom. The Ruler performs the kingdom’s most important ceremonies (such as knighting royals and signing treaties), is the kingdom’s chief diplomatic officer (though most of these duties are handled by the Grand Diplomat), is the signatory for all laws affecting the entire kingdom, pardons criminals when appropriate, and is responsible for appointing characters to all other high positions in the government (such as other leadership roles, mayors of settlements, and judges).
The second of the sisters, Lysandra, has chosen the path of magic. This young half-elf is a promising magus who has taken the role of Magister in the new realm. The Magister guides the kingdom’s higher learning and magic, promoting education and knowledge among the citizens and representing the interests of magic, science, and academia. In most kingdoms, the Magister is a sage, a wizard, or a priest of a deity of knowledge, and oversees the governmental bureaucracy except regarding finance.
The third of the Orlovsky sisters, and the only one with blood ties to the family, is Donna, a human barbarian and General of the military. Both strong of arm and strong of will, this woman refuses to let anything stop her. The General is the highest-ranking member of the kingdom’s military. If the kingdom has an army and a navy, the heads of those organizations report to the kingdom’s General. The General is responsible for looking after the needs of the military and directing the kingdom’s armies in times of war. Most citizens see the General as a protector and patriot.
Sylara Hearthill is a halfling and the kingdom’s Spymaster. This clever and endearing arcane trickster has saved the day more than once with her subtler skills. The Spymaster observes the kingdom’s criminal elements and underworld and spies on other kingdoms. The Spymaster always has a finger on the pulse of the kingdom’s underbelly and uses acquired information to protect the interests of the kingdom at home and elsewhere through a network of spies and informants.
Drera Bullroarer is a powerfully built female half-orc, a natural bear totem druid. She serves as the country’s High Priest. Together with her bear cub companion, Una, they help keep the realm safe. The High Priest tends to the kingdom’s religious needs and guides its growth. If the kingdom has an official religion, the High Priest may also be the highest-ranking member of that religion in the kingdom, and has similar responsibilities over the lesser priests of that faith to those the Grand Diplomat has over the kingdom’s ambassadors and diplomats. If the kingdom has no official religion, the High Priest may be a representative of the most popular religion in the kingdom or a neutral party representing the interests of all religions allowed by the kingdom.
Keanu Leaves is a vine leshy cleric devoted to keeping his allies alive and well. He also serves his lady as Councilor for the realm. The Councilor acts as a liaison between the citizenry and the other kingdom leaders, parsing requests from the commonwealth and presenting the leaders’ proclamations to the people in understandable ways. It is the Councilor’s responsibility to make sure the Ruler is making decisions that benefit the kingdom’s communities and its citizens.
A female half-elven bard, Kirin serves the party and the realm as the Grand Diplomat. Her skill at diplomacy is matched only by the sharpness of her words directed against enemies. The Grand Diplomat is in charge of the kingdom’s foreign policy—how it interacts with other kingdoms and similar political organizations, such as tribes of intelligent monsters. The Grand Diplomat is the head of all of the kingdom’s diplomats, envoys, and ambassadors. It is the Grand Diplomat’s responsibility to represent and protect the interests of the kingdom with regard to foreign powers.
Last but not least, there is the vanaran monk, Yossa. His martial skill makes him the perfect Marshal. The Marshal ensures that the kingdom’s laws are being enforced in the remote parts of the kingdom as well as in the vicinity of the capital. The Marshal is also responsible for securing the kingdom’s borders. He organizes regular patrols and works with the General to respond to threats that militias and adventurers can’t deal with alone.
The Story Thus Far…
The Swordlords of Restov have tasked our heroes with exploring and bringing civilization to the Stolen Lands, an almost wholly unsettled region in the northeastern section of the River Kingdoms, bordering the nation of Brevoy. The first year has been rocky, mostly spent exploring the region and dealing with an infestation of bandits united under the Stag Lord, a bandit of considerable power. Through no small effort, the Stag Lord was defeated, and his fortress became the basis for the heroes’ first city.
The heroes spent several months exploring the territory around their new capital and dealing with issues ranging from a nixie having troubles with some lumberjacks to a rampaging owlbear that nearly destroyed most of their capital city. But they overcame the trials and persisted with the development of the lands around the area. It was only recently that they investigated the disappearance of the populace of an entire nearby town, Varnhold. They discovered that an ancient lich had taken all the townsfolk and stored them in soul jars. They defeated the lich with considerable effort and freed the grateful townsfolk, who agreed to join their kingdom.
Then came word from the village of Tatzlford that an invasion force was massing. Shortly before the battle, they met a woman by the name of Kisandra Numesti, who provided details of the impending attack that proved very helpful. The heroes quickly rallied the villagers and repelled the attempted invasion from the nearby Drelev Demesne. Afterward, Kisandra confided in the heroes that her sister had been captured by the Tiger Lords, the barbarians who participated in the attack, and her father was the prisoner of Baron Drelev, who orchestrated the invasion. She asked them to rescue both her sister and her father.
It was quite by accident that they achieved the former, stumbling upon the camp of the Tiger Lords and their captives. The heroes defeated the barbarians after a pitched battle and freed the hostages, including Kisandra’s sister, Tamary. After they escorted the hostages back to their capital in safety, they returned to the camp to find a mysterious cavern nearby. Most recently, they have entered this cavern in hopes of learning more. They have survived an attack by two strange women dressed all in black and have surpassed a diabolical trap as they make their way in deeper…