Majorca 970413

6th: The Four Diamond Clan War, (Played Arpil 13, 1997)
Maratana the goblin Varamine inquisitor sends a message to Amerigo, saying he needs help in the Four Diamond Clan lands. He is going to investigate if the new leaders of the Four Diamond Clan are anti-life. The new leaders are members of the Death's Head sect.
Adventure Background, Adventure Outline
Players: Ken McKinney, Sam Jennings, Scott Chelette, Ron Shigeta, Ray Turney
Summaries: Chelette

Adventure Background

Grandfather wants Amerigo and the boys to determine if the trade relations can be improved with Maratana's help. He warns the boys to work together and not let others take advantage of any cracks in the family. He has confidence in the knowledge of the boys and sees no reason to recall Guido to help.

Adventure Outline

The Four Diamond Clan War

1. Teaser
Maratana the goblin Varamine inquisitor sends a message to Amerigo, saying he needs help in the Four Diamond Clan lands. He is going to investigate if the new leaders of the Four Diamond Clan are anti-life. The new leaders are members of the Death's Head sect.

2. The Mission
Grandfather sees an opportunity to re-establish significant trade connections and leverage out of this inquisition. Uncle Guido says that the sons of Tanatave could rise again and reclaim the throne. Grandfather says to check out the possibilities.

3. The Ghost
On the boat ride to the mainland, Warlord Tanatave's ghosts comes to the sons of Guido and asks them as two strong sons of Guido to help his two strong sons regain their rightful throne.

4. Arrival in Ananpina
Ananpina: (40,000) Capitol of the Four Diamond Clan, located along the Velga River 15 km from the coast. The Palace is a complex of four buildings laid out like the clan's mon. Traders from all over the Tapenga river valley come to Ananpina and trade with the Four Diamond Clan Trade Guild based here. No city walls protect Anapina, mainly because of the dominant position of the Four Diamond Clan in the Tapenga valley and because of traditions of the Clan toward frugality in public works.

Taminy, master of the Four Diamond Trade Guild is Luca's main contact at the guild.

Rumors tell that Tanatave's two remaining sons, Gorobe and Harame, are fermenting rebellion in the mountains. The oldest brother, Mitompo, got blinded in an accident long ago and is dead. Tierene, the youngest was banished for joining the Varamine sect.

Maratana sets an appointment with the Four Diamond Clan vizier, Niakatra the Gobi (Varamine Lich/Magus) and is granted an audience with Marihina, the Clan and sect leader. Marihina used to be Gobi and was the Vizier before Warlord Tanatave killed Clan Lord/Sect Leader Hatrany two decades ago.

Agents of the two sons meet the Lambertis in Ananpina and ask if the two sons of Tanatave can have an audience for mutual benefit. The agents can lead them up into the mountainous base of the Tanatave sons.

5. Joining the Rebels
The rebel camp swarms with foot soldiers and wolf riders. Several elite companies of Tanatave personal guard and a group of Black Magic Clan goblins live in the camp. Patrols meet the Lambertis and guards efficiently protect the camp. The Tanatave Personal Guard in particular look impressive and exceptionally spit shine.

The party joins Tanatave's sons (25 and 23). Gorobe, the older son, is a goblin Vamarine follower of the Prophet. Harame, the younger brother, is a brave warrior who has fought with the Black Magic goblins against both the River Newt League and the Bandit Kingdom.

Three former generals of Tanatave arrived with Harame, the younger son: Andrin-Jiro, Valala, and Fekanema. Two generals of Warlord Tanatave have offered to help in the reconquest of the clan and have been with Gorobe in the hills: Nisy, and Nandray.

The two brothers ask the Lamberti for money to buy mercenaries to help them regain the throne. They plan to take the lightly guarded Lasenene Castle and capture the supplies and the hidden gold to hire more mercenaries to take the Ananpina.

6. Getting the Money and Mercenaries
The Lamberti money is turned into mercenaries in the Black Magic Clan lands. Black Magic Clan ships can tranport the troops up the river to the north of the Tapenga, making the march to the rebel camp only two days.

7. The Assault on Lasenene Castle
The castle is burned before the Tanatave warriors even make it inside. This is a significant setback. But the castle is captured and some supplies are recovered. Unless more money is forthcoming, the existing force will be used to attack Ananpina.

Anamate, daughter of Marihina (the clan leader) is captured in the assault on the Lasenene Castle and she is stunningly beautiful. The younger son is already married, so the older son declares he will take her as his bride to unify the Clan. They get married in an elaborate ceremony later that day at Lasenene Castle. She makes a big speech about how there must be no more violence and some accomodation must be reached. The Tanatave boys ignore her and prepare to march on Ananpina.

8. Intrigue and Manuvering
The Lamberti family is asked if they would support a single ruler of the Clan by Fekanema, one of the generals of Harame. They are invited to attend the war council before the attack on Ananpina. Harame asks why the Lambertis are here and is informed that his generals think that he should kill his brother and become sole leader. Innuendo of some of the conversation leads the Lambertis to assume the other two generals supporting the oldest son have sold him out.

Fekanama: "The dogs turn on the master who abandons the hunt."
Harame: "My how you dogs whelp, of course the strongest needs to lead the clan."

9. The Battle Outside Ananpina
The remnants of the Four Diamond Clan troops form up outside Ananpina. The battle takes little time and although the rebels are slightly outnumbered, they rout the Ananpina defenders from the field and take the city.

In the assault outside Ananpina, General Fekanema tells of the death of the older brother Gorobe during the battle. The other two generals who sold out their master are strung up and killed in the palace grounds. After the conquest of the Ananpina, Anamate arrives at the palace and wishes to see the conquering younger brother. The Vizier and several other important members have fled but Marihina and the rest of the leadership was captured.

10. Anamate's Gift
Anamate gives a gift to the younger brother, a very fancy helmet. She approaches to give it to him and grapples him and slips a knive out of her sleeve dripping with poison. She has the knife at his throat and threatens when his guards try to move toward her. She denounces the treachery and disgusting ruthlessness of the Tanataves and vows to kill Harame unless all leave. He dismisses everyone. An hour later Harame calls for General Fekanema who comes out shortly. He tells the Lambertis and the other two generals that Harame asks that the head of Harame's wife be brought back by morning and that Harame is to marry Anamate tommorrow.

11. The Severed Head
The morning of the wedding, only an hour before, Fekanema arrives with a bundle. Inside is a head surrouded by salt. The head is one of a stone statue of a fox demon. General Fakanema tells several stories of Fox Demons disguised as women causing the downfall of goblin clans. He storms out of the palace. Anamate is obviously furious. Harame and Anamate get married anyway.

12. The Inquisition
A great trial is to be held for the captured members of the Death's Head sect captured in Capitol. Maratana leads his team and puts Marihina and several dozen liches on trial as heretics and anti-life. Tovolahy 24, a respected martial sect of weapon masters abandon their school and leave the city. They vow to return to the city when the madness leaves. Marihina makes an impassioned speech to the city to denounce the madness fo the Tanatave and revolt. He is burned alive with the other liches in a midnight ceremony.

During the actual scenario, documents turned up incriminating Marihina as an anti-life sorcerer and he was burned at the stake. He says that all anti-life sorcerers should be burned and is consumed. The Tovolahy 24 do not leave the city.

13. Debauchery and Drunkeness
The Lambertis are allowed to stay at the villa of Tatatave in the Anapina. They are fed like princes and offered gifts by the guild of the city. The gifts equal 20K at least. In the gluttony of the moment, the Lambertis get surrounded and captured by Niakatra (the Vizier) and other Death's Head sect members. They are secreted out of the city under the cover of night (obviously with the help of city guard members).

14. Hiding with Mitompo
The players and the Death's Head captors hide in the shack of a hermit and he offers them the little he has. He says he waits for his sister and offers to play a song on his flute. It is a traditional melody of the Four Diamond Clan, several hundred years old. He is Mitompo, the oldest son of Tanatave, blinded by his father in a dispute over accomodation with the Two Swan Tribe.

15. Hiding in the Ruins of Lasenene Castle
The players and the sect members hide out in the ruins of Lasenene Castle. Rumor says the local peasants have been threatened with death to support the Death's Head sect, but many local villages come with grain to feed the sect members and the players. The peasants support the return of the Death's Head sect and will flee the decree of the new Warlord, Harame.

Mikasika, Tanatave's daughter comes to visit the castle and asks the players if they met her brother. She sing beautifully and he is inspired by her faith in the ways of Prophet. She sings a tale of the time when the Clan was great, before the Exodus. She says her father brought shame on the clan and that he was evil.

16. Rescue by Harame
At this time the troops of Harame attack the castle and are obviously trying to rescue the players. Niakatra and Mikasika go to the walls to call off the attack, so the players can be let go. Harame talks to them for a while and yells for his archers to attack. The archers slay both of them.

Warriors arrive, killling all the peasants, sect members, and any goblins except Maratana. They tell of the surrounding manuvers by pro-Death's Head peasant militia. So everyone needs to leave quickly to avoid capture again.

17. Generalship by an Incompetant
Hundreds of peasants have surrounded the castle and are supported by local militia. A huge battle erupts, but the core makes it back to Ananpina. Harame barely leads an elite guard out of an attack by disorganized peasants. A force lead by Fekanema is the only thing that saves the battle from being lost. Harame should not have been out here alone.

18. Ananpina and the Real Severed Head
When Harame and the players get back to the palace, a messager arrives with a bundle containing the head of his other wife. Fekanema is furious and denounces Anamate as putting Harame up to this. She declares that Tanatave and his sons never deserved to rule this clan and she has caused the downfall of the evil Tanatave family. Fekanema cuts her head off in one stroke and walks out as everyone is still stunned. At the door, he declares he and the other generals part ways with Harame.

During the actual game, Fekanema left by himself and the other two opportunistic generals stay for a week more before deciding to leave too.

19. Return of Lamberti Money
Any money paid by the Lamberti family is paid from the coffers of the city by Harame. The palace is protected by Harame's personal guard, now down to less than 100 troops.

In the actual game, the Lamberti family left immediately and missed the other two generals leaving with the troops. The family hears rumor of what happens below.

20. Fleeing the Four Diamond Clan
Ananpina finally revolts and peasant militia and city guardsmen attack the palace and will capture Harame. The arrival of the youngest Tanatave son, Tierene, from the Two Swan Clan suprises everyone. On the platform where Harame is to be executed, Tierene begs the city for forgiveness. He gets Harame to vow to become a member of the non-violent Angamba sect and become an healer in the city. The crowd relents and Taminy, master of the Four Diamond Trade Guild, asks Tierene to stay and become the leader of the clan, for almost no one is left who knows how to lead. He agrees and becomes Warlord Tanatave of the Four Diamond Clan.

History of the Four Diamond Clan
The Four Diamond Death's Head sect has ruled the clan for since before the Exodus. Tanatave was a rebel who successfully overthew their rule and took over the clan for two decades.

Warlord Tanatave was horribly ruthless and backstabbed many to get to his position. He was widely hated by many powerful families of the Four Diamond Clan. They were under his control before they found out his true nature.

970413.Chelette

The adventure outline for this week is thorough and comprehensive, so rather than rehash the details, I will try to represent the confusion surrounding the mission.

We should have known that any adventure involving Goblin politics would end up in a quagmire. Things started out with a resonable request by a Golbin Inquisitor for transport to Ananpina to investigate the Death's Head Sect. Captain Amergio owed him a favor, so what the heck. Things started to get weird when Amergio and Luca had a night of bad dreams and woke up with half their magic points gone. We had no idea what was going on until Warlord Tanatave's ghost showed up the next night. He wanted the two sons of Guido to help his two sons regain their rightful place against the usurpers. At the time this seemed at reasonable enough request. The Deaths Head sect was obviously anti-life and would soon have the inquisition to deal with and restoring the Tanatave line would solidify the Lamberti position with the Four Diamond Clan. If only things were that simple.

When we arrived in Ananpina, a Spini ship was also in town. They were apparently involved in trade negotiations. We spied on them but were not able to get any useful information. Francesco and Carregi encountered three Spini warriors who were looking for a fight. The two groups exchanged intimidations, but being outnumbered, Francesco wisely avoided a fight. Instead, we agreed to a showdown in two days. We were at the appointed spot, but the Spini's never showed. It must have had something with the Blood Gorp we splashed on their ship. We informed the Goblin leaders in Ananpina that the Spini's were known to carry a red plague and were a hazard to the city. When the goblins searched the ship, they found a strange red ichor on the deck. The Spini's were asked to leave and that ship was never seen again.

Eventually we meet with Tanatave's sons in the mountains. It is obvoius that the older son, Gorobe is a complete looser, but Harame seems competent and has excellent generals working for him. Their plan to attack Lasanene Castle and capture the supplies stored there seems sound, so we agree to finance the hiring of goblin mercenaries for the campaign to oust the Deaths Head sect. The attack on the castle doesn't go as well as planned, the defenders refuse generous bribes and manage to destroy most of the supplies before being overrun. Things take a strange turn when the goblins discover that they have captured Anamate, the daughter of the Deaths Head Sect Leader. She is beautiful and Gorobe decides to marry her the next day. That night, Harame and his generals approach the party and indicate that it is important that the Tanatave family have one strong leader. Realizing that Gorobe is a liability, we have no objection to the trecherous fratricide.

In the course of things Domenico pumped Gorobe for information relating to the inquisition and ant-life activities. In an enormous fumble of miscommunication, Gorobe the clueless reveals the secret location of anti-life documents relating to the Tanatave family. Domenico misunderstands and thinks that the documents implicate our enemies in the Deaths Head Sect. Domenico relates this information to the inquisitor who recovers the documents and takes passage with us when we go to hire mercenaries.

After the wedding and subsequent party, we casually mention to Harame that the inquisitor has the documents. Immediately the mercenaries are sent toward the city. Harame must take the city before the inquisitors arrive and discover that the Tanatave family is anti-life. Harame's forces take the city, but Gorobe is conveniently killed in "battle." As Harame is being coronated as the new Four Diamod Leader, Anamate (Gorobe's widow) shows up and sneakily puts a poison knife to his throat. They negotiate in private and come up with a plan for Harame to marry her. The only problem is that Harame is already married. He orderes General Fekanema to bring back the head of his wife so there can be a proper marriage. Up to this point, we thought that Harame was a stand up guy, but now he wants to kill his wife and marry that perfidious bitch. By his actions Harame seems unfit to rule and Francesco argues that we should off him and Anamate and install General Fekanema as the new leader. Fekanama would be a wiser, more stable leader, benefitting the Lameberti trade position. The others don't agree and insist that the Clan will not accept the General as leader. Fekanema has his own plan, to shame and shock Harame into keeping his marriage vows and get rid of the cunning Anamate. He agrees to stash Harame's wife with us for use later. Unfortunately, Anamate's hold on Harame is too great and he is unfazed by Fekanema's demonstration. The wedding goes on as planned.

The next night Niakatra, Gobi of the Death's Head Sect shows up and tells us we must come with him to avoid the inquisition. Francesco and Domenico go along and are allowed to keep their weapons. Luca and Amergio resist but are outnumbered and are forced to come. Niakatra could easily have killed us, but instead took us to a safe house where we met Tanatave's blinded first son and daughter. They treat us well. Tanatave's daughter, Mikasika tells us that her father was an evil, evil goblin who used trechery to oust the Deaths Head Sect and gain leadership of the Clan. The clan members feared and hated him. She says her brother Harame is just like his father and she hopes he gets what he deserves (burned at the stake). At this point we are thinking that we have supported the wrong side, but our money has already been spent and there is nothing we can do.

Harame and his army show up and kill Mikasika and Niakatra. The party is "rescued" from our kidnappers. Back at the city, the Inquisition is busy immolating the remaining leaders of the Deaths Head Sect. It turns out that Harame claimed the documents implicating the Tanatave family were plants and that the Death Head Sect was anti-life. The Inquisition apparently bought this story. A messenger arrives with the head of Harame's first wife. Anamate starts to make some speech, but General Fekanema cuts her head off. At least some justice is done. The General leaves in disgust and we are sent off with a profit of 20k in trade goods.