KINGMAKER:
The Wardens of the Greenbelt
Entry 20.
Village of the Lizardfolk.
After the battle with the Dancing Lady the Wardens decided to rest for a couple of days to recuperate and let their wounds heal. They took the time to explore the elven castle and search through the rubble and rooms. This proved worthwhile. They found amongst other valuables an elven statuette, a life-size statue of a dancing elven woman and an elven water clock. After some discussion it was decided to leave these last two items behind due to their bulk and to arrange collection of them later. The rest of the gold, jewels, statuary and fine clothes they loaded upon Anza's wagon.
The Wardens decided to head back to Wardenholm by exploring the area to the south and east of where they now were. They considered that this should bring them back to the banks of the Tuskwater Lake from where they could follow the shoreline back home.
They had not gone far when they came upon a camp of gnomes. They soon discovered it was Jubilost Narthropple and his surveyors. Jubilost was in a bad mood and the gnomes were arguing between themselves. They had been trying to explore an area north of where they now were but for some reason they all ended up waking the next day; back here where they started. Avasan, the senior surveyor, says he can remember some music but the other gnomes think he is losing his mind. Jubilost is of the opinion that it is Avasan's poor skills.
Ione realises that the area is that of Tyressia's Grove and that Falchos and Tyressia are using their enchantments to bemuse the gnomes. She does not wish to let Jubilost know too much but explains that they have explored the area themselves and have designated it a nature reserve. They convince Jubilost not to continue trying to survey it and instead tell him about the areas they have discovered and compare notes with him. They tell him about the new settlement at Tatzlford and he advises them that to the west are the trolls and to the south are lizardfolk, making it too dangerous for the gnomes to map those areas.
He takes Ione to one side and explains that a “female acquaintance” in Wardenholm had ask if he could recover an elven statuette. It is a “delicate and personal matter” so he requests Ione's confidentiality. As far as his female friend, Lily Teskertin, knows the item in question might be found in an elven keep. Ione admits to having found such a piece at the Dancing Lady's Tower. She agrees to present it to Lily upon her return to Wardenholm and Jubilost promises to reimburse the Wardens upon his own return.
The Wardens moved off to explore more of the Narlmarches. Thanks to Anza & Havrik's scouting skills they managed to avoid the bears that seemed to inhabit this area. After a few days they came to a clearing in the woodland. Havrik spied an area of broken branches which had been made into a fairly large animal hide. Havrik approached, stealthily entered and guessed that it might be the lair of a hodag. From out of the shadows in the lair, the hodag attacked them. After a struggle the Wardens managed to overcome the dangerous animal. They remembered the wanted poster from Wardenholm and after a search through the detritus of the hodag's nest they found a spear that matched the description.
The Wardens continued their exploration finally approaching the Tuskwater. The ground here was extremely swampy and difficult going. Ione took to her eagle form to search ahead and saw a village area upon a large mound within the swamp. It was surrounded by a palisade with a number of round huts set inside. Several lizardfolk could be seen moving around inside with a couple of them guarding the entrance gate. Sitting beside the doorway of one of the huts Ione could see a young human boy.
The Wardens moved up to the gate where the guards challenged them. T'lef spoke to them in draconic and persuaded them to bring their chief to talk to them. He arrived with a couple of guards and the village shaman. The gate was opened so that negotiations could be discussed. But it soon turned into a fight as the chief and shaman were reluctant to discuss why there was a human child being kept prisoner. The shaman obviously wanted him as a sacrifice to the village's new god. The two guards, the chief and his bodyguard were quickly killed but the shaman ran off. The Wardens ran into the village to search for the shaman and child and found themselves fighting the lizardfolk's tame caimans which Clint made short work of. The other lizardfolk stayed in their huts and did not intervene. A large will-o'-wisp appeared from one of the huts at the far side of the village, headed towards the shaman and attacked Havrik, T'lef and Clint. The shaman was soon killed but it was a lengthy struggle. Finally the Wardens combined attacks managed to overcome the will-o'-wisp, despite the fear it induced in them.
By now Ione had landed in the village and rescued the boy, Tig, whilst T'lef broke into a hut that appeared to have no door. It contained the chief's harem who prepared to defend themselves. By now though the fight was over and the remaining lizardfolk had no wish to fight such powerful foes, especially since the shaman and the will-o'-wisp which had corrupted their religion were no more.
Tig tells the Wardens that he was taken care of by most of the lizardfolk but the shaman kept him tied up and threatened him and the “mist creature” frightened him. The Wardens ransacked the village taking some of the valuables (goods obviously stolen from the local area) to compensate Tig's parents and the locals that had been terrorised in the past. Ione repaired the hut that T'lef had damaged. The Wardens then explained to the remaining villagers that the lizardfolk would be left in peace by the Wardens so long as they behaved peacefully towards their neighbours. In return they could call upon the Wardens if they were threatened themselves. Furthermore, if they proved to be trustworthy, in the future they might even be welcomed into the new kingdom.
