Mercenary 970727

7th: Conquest of Rimigi Island, (Played July 27, 1997)
As associate members of the teutan mercenary company of Melbin, named Ubermensch Kommando, the party conquers the island of Rimigi and garrisons the island for a while. The Rimigi threat consists of the Urlhan mercenary company of Sir Laurendo Assizzi, the Crossed Lighting Band, and a ragtag group of rebels hiding in the forests of the island.
Adventure Background, Adventure Outline
Players: Scott Chelette, Ken McKinney, Ron Shigeta, Sam Jennings, Ray Turney
Summaries: 970727.Chelette

Adventure Background

Mission: The specific mission for the team is to arrive on Rimigi in advance of the company with the goal of eliminating the threat or capability of the Crossed Lightning Band to defend the island. Captain Otto's plan for the team is for them to approach Sir Assizzi and tell him the entire Teutan Mountain Regiment of Melbin is arriving to retake the fortress and subdue the island. If this fails, do whatever is possible to prevent the Band from effective action.

Background Details:

Conquest of Rimigi by Tribe Krasnor: The island and city of Rimigi was conquered by Chief Larrame of Tribe Krasnor on 440618, it is now 461015. Tribe Krasnor is from the Tada Forest, near the great newt city of Melbin. Tribe Krasnor is independent but has many ties with the coastal clans and with the great spirits in Amman. The Tribe was paid for the mission by the Melbin City Council through the Mercenary Guild of Melbin.

Luca Signorelli was the former Lord of Rimigi island, killed by Tribe Krasnor. Lord Signorelli owed fealty to High Lord of the Four Islands, Fredirico Humertus. High Lord Humertus was paid off by the Melbin City Council in a deal to create a naval base on the undeveloped far side of Rimigi Island. The invasion of the island and subsequent support by unknown benefactors helped fuel the rebels on Rimigi, led by Marchionne Gramsci

Conquest of Rimigi by the Crossed Lighting Band and Auxiliaries: The Urlhan mercenary company of Sir Laurendo Assizzi arrived with 300 auxiliaries in secret on 460705. They attacked the construction site of the naval base and killed about half the workers. These 500 mercenaries then moved up to the Signorelli Fortress. The 200 warriors of Tribe Krasnor and their 300 dependents fled and sailed back to the Tada forest, without a fight. The 300 auxiliaries were sent home and now Rimigi is garrisoned only by the Crossed Lighting Band.

Local Politics: The old merchants of Rimigi, Merchant Cadogan and Merchant Gubbio, controlled most of the trade. But, Merchant Cadogan was accused of attacking the victory procession of Tribe Krasnor and was executed later. Now the leading merchant is Morelli Lamberti of Majorca Island. Morelli (M: 34) is accompanied by his wife, Madalena del Campos (32), and their six children (ages 13 and less). Merchant Gubbio has a smaller role and is now allied with the Lamberti family. The Gubbio family is an Empire trade family, from Capitol before the hun invasion.

Rimigi (City): (2500) Home of the Cadogan and Gubbio merchant families.

Rimigi Island: (20,000) Main goods are olives, grapes, wine, sheep, wool, and clothing. The main professional talent on the island are oil pressers, wine makers, and clothmakers.

Urlhan: Capitol of the powerful Newt Trade League and located off the coast of the old Imperial Capitol.

The Dolmen: Magical stone table in Fairie grove on Rimigi. Central place for the Sisters of the Stone, a local mystic sisterhood. They pursue cooperative methods of mystical power use and have no fixed leader. They feel self-important spirits and shaman pursue the wrong path of unity with the spirit world, for pursing power in the material world is counter to unifying with the spirit world.

The Dolmen Women: Males can join the sisters of the Dolmen, but must be castrated and are not allowed to stay on the island of Rimigi. These Dolmen Women are some of the wandering mystics all who travel all over the Inland Sea. The Dolmen Women demand male children with malformed genitalia (for induction into the Sisterhood). They beg for alms and generally free-loading off of everyone. It is considered bad luck to kill or threaten them. They put curses on those who do not cater to them, but they are generally harmless.

Malatesta Temple: Founded by Sigismundo Malatesta (headache) as a temple of diabolists by a tyrant and sorcerer from island of Rimigi who travelled to the gates of hell. There is only one temple to the Malatesta Sect of diabolist sorcerers, but many diabolists make the pilgrimage to read the sacred texts of Sigismundo. The temple houses the Four Silver Bowls of Hell, a relic revered by all diabolists. Malatesta Sect has close alliances with the local mystics, the Sisters of the Stone (The Dolmen) making Maletesta sect members adherents to very little of the Prophet's teachings. The temple has 4-5 Magi and about 100 monks and about 100 other people.

Adventure Outline

None Yet

970727.Chelette

7th: Conquest of Rimigi Island.

The Characters: Rinaldo/Vasco (Ken), Cenzo (Scott), Roberto (Ron), and Dieter (Sam), and Cosimo (Ray).

The party is now an associate of the Ubermensch Kommando, a Teutan mercenary company from Melbin. The Mission is to neutralize the Urlhan Mercenary company now occupying the Signorelli Fortress on Rimigi. Our plan is to convince the Urlhan mercenaries that the 1000 strong Teutan Mountain Regiment is coming to retake the island. If they believe us, they may leave or surrender without a fight.

In order to make our claims more believable, Cosimo aquires a forged Melbin budget document showing a 30,000 gold payment for mercenaries on Rimigi for 3 months. Posing as bodyguards for Cosimo the merchant, we book passage on the Antelope, a Lamberti ship. Dieter books passage separately and pretends not to know the party. On the ship, several people have an uneasy feeling that something strange is going on, but we can't identify the source and nothing strange happens on the way to Rimigi.

Arriving at the main town, Cosimo has an audience with the Urlhan Commander, Sir Assizzi. Cosimo says that he is a travelling merchant who wants to set up trade arrangements. While in Melbin, he just happened to find some information that may be of interest. Sir Assizzi buys the forgery for 45 gold and grants Cosimo the right to pursue trade opportunities relating to wool rugs and blankets.

Dieter the Teutan has been hanging around alone in town. He sends Sir Assizzi and the garrison a threatening note warning that Teutans are coming. The Urlhans have 2 weeks to leave or be consumed. Shortly after the note is sent, a large group of soldiers marches down to the city. Dieter hides in the woods and is not found. The Urlhan Mercenaries then pack up their operation and move to the city. Fortuitously, a large Lamberti cargo ship arrives a little later. The Mercenaries board the ship and sail away, presumably for Uhrlan.

Cenzo hangs around local bars and coffee houses spouting leftist ideology and makes contact with the rebels. He eventually meets the leader, Marchionne Gramsci and gains his confidence.

After the Urlhans leave town, Dieter returns and begins behaving obnoxiously. Since there is not much to do until the Ubermensch Kommando arrives in a few weeks, Dieter decides to do some training. He demands a local first aid teacher to train him, but the human refuses. Dieter threatens him and is accepted in the class. The next day, as Dieter is learning first aid, the town guard arrives with 20 militia. Dieter refuses to go with them, then threatens and intimidates them into leaving. A while later, the Militia returns reinforced with men from the harbor patrol. 45 men surround the building and demand Dieter's surrender. Eventually after his persistant refusal to come out, the militia sets fire to the house. Dieter kills the first aid trainer and comes out swinging. He fights wave after wave of the locals and incapacitates several of them. They socre only minor hits on him, but since he has no healing he succumbs to total hit point loss and passes out. Luckily, other members of the party have come to investigate the commotion. Cosimo and others are able to do enough healing to keep him from bleeding to death. [The party did no healing, the deputies did, so they could hang Dieter.]

Even in Jail, Dieter continues to threaten the locals, claiming that he will have them all killed when the Teutans arrive. Cosimo is able to negotiate a ransom of 250 gold [actually 350], but Dieter must stay in jail until he leaves the island.

Cenzo, having gained the confidence of the rebels, informs them of the geopolitical realities of the situation and tries to convince them that if they don't cause trouble they will be left alone. He convinces them to streamline their leadership down to 15 men and advises them to wait unitl the Melbins arrive to finish the port facilities. Against his advice, they garrison the Spini Fortress.

One morning the party wakes up to find that the Teutans have arrived and captured the Fort, killing approximately 100 defenders. Now that the Teutans have arrived just as Dieter said, the Sheriff and his men fear for their lives. Dieter has threatend to have them killed and he won't back down. The Sheriff correctly realizes that Dieter will hold a grudge when released. He goes to Cosimo to negotiate a way out of the situation. The Sheriff is willing to return the ransom paid and throw in an additional 100 gold to make sure that Dieter does not talk. Ray is unwilling to sell out a party member and refuses. The Sheriff then suggests that with enough money he could simply retire and leave the island for good. Cosimo pays 425 gold and ransoms Dieter for a second time. There is some talk of catching the Sheriff, but he, the Harbormaster and a few other men escape on a Lamberti ship. Dieter gets out of jail and we all go to report to the Teutans in the fortress.

The rebels, led by Marchionne Gramsci, are ready to go to war against the Teutan invaders. Cenzo councils against revenge right now and Cosimo comes to talk to the rebel council. He offers them a deal for a degree of autonomy if they will keep order on the island, collect taxes and help build the Melbin port facilities. They agree for now, but it remains to be seen how the island will be run when the new Melbin administrator arrives. Will it be enlightened Pax Melbina or a Reign of Terror?