Known World

Episode 04: Smoke and Subterfuge

Episode 04: Smoke and Subterfuge

After the dust settled from a devastating giant raid, BarrelHaven pulsed with well-oiled recovery efforts. Among the cleanup was Father Wembly Rue, a cleric of Annubis, overseeing burial rites for hill giant corpses alongside two solemn acolytes. The party interrupted this grim service to enlist Father Rue in casting Speak With Dead on the slain stone giant—an act that cracked open a lead: the giants had come to retrieve the “dwarf box,” sent by a southern chief named Nosnra.

Rather than charge blindly, the party spun a tale: they were taking the box east to Hollesary-Stoke. The rumor spread through the celebratory inn crowd like spilled ale, ensuring pursuit would follow a false trail.

On the road, the group veered south—toward Nosnra’s steading. Along the way, they caught wind of a Trade Authority envoy named Boulder Bigfoote, suspiciously interested in a group matching their description. A shattered way-station and a repair crew hinted at the path’s recent violence. A trail was laid to mislead Bigfoote, and the party pressed onward.

What they found: Nosnra’s enormous log fortress, crawling with hill giants and enslaved orcs. Stealth scouting by Jhul and Welsh uncovered a layout and entry points. A distraction was engineered—chimneys blocked, orcs stirred to escape—and Welsh infiltrated.

Inside, early rooms yielded little more than pocketable gems and dusty clothing. But in the third chamber? A cloth-shrouded block of ice. When unveiled, a voice thundered from the frost: “THIS HAD BETTER BE IMPORTANT, NOSNRA!” Realizing the intruder wasn’t Nosnra, the voice withdrew—but frost giants now stood revealed as players in this game.

The party retreated with loot and intelligence, setting camp to regroup.

That night, they opened the dwarf box. Lucious unraveled its arcane protections and revealed a small frog statuette. Transmutation magic whispered around it. Welsh detected faint magical auras. Tezir, ever attuned to infernal traces, caught the scent of something fiendish.

With mysteries deepening and clearer danger ahead, the group resolved: it was time to confront Chief Nosnra face-to-face.

Gem Cache from the Steading

  • Star Sapphire (5,000 g.p.): Deep blue with a six-rayed star that gleams in candlelight.
  • Emerald (2,000 g.p.): Vivid green, flawless clarity.
  • Alexandrite (1,000 g.p.): Shimmers green by day, red by lamplight
  • Red Spinel (1,000 g.p.): Blood-crimson and fiery, often mistaken for rubies.
  • Golden Topaz (1,000 g.p.): Warm and honey-hued
  • Aquamarine (500 g.p.): Crystal-clear with a blue tint like glacial water
  • Amethyst (500 g.p.): Regal purple, gleams with inner clarity.
  • Fire Opal (500 g.p.): Flickering reds and oranges dance inside; almost seems alive in torchlight.
  • Imperial Zircon (500 g.p.): Flame-hued brilliance with faceted precision—aristocratic and slightly sharp to behold.
  • Garnet (100 g.p.): Deep red with a warm glow, comforting and durable. A classic among travelers and alchemists.
  • Turquoise (100 g.p.): Rich sky blue streaked with earthy veins, favored by shamans and weather-watchers.
  • Citrine (100 g.p.): Yellow-gold and cheery, like bottled sunlight.
  • Moonstone (100 g.p.): Pearly with opalescent flashes, like frozen whispers from the Feywild.
  • Lapis Lazuli (50 g.p.): Royal blue flecked with gold, often used for seals, tokens, and symbolic jewelry.
  • Carnelian (50 g.p.): Sunset orange and smooth, carried by merchants for luck.
  • Chrysoprase (50 g.p.): Bright green with milky veins, popular in halfling brooches and ceremonial pendants.
  • Tiger’s Eye (50 g.p.): Mottled gold and brown,
  • Bloodstone (50 g.p.): Dark green marbled with red blotches
  • Quartz (10 g.p.): Clear or smoky, useful in rituals or simply decorative.
  • Jasper (10 g.p.): Earthy and speckled, commonly shaped into buttons or ward stones.
  • Hematite (10 g.p.): Glossy black and heavy
  • Agate (10 g.p.): Banded with vivid colors, sturdy and often carved with regional sigils or charms.

Supplemental Information: Trade Authority Way Stations

In the sprawling trade web of the Known World, the Gnomish Trade Authority doesn’t simply connect cities—it stitches civilization together, one way-station at a time. These modest outposts, spaced roughly a day’s wagon travel apart, form the backbone of interregional commerce. Each station houses a courier relay, a cache of fodder and spare parts, and often a small inn catering to caravanners and Trade Authority envoys alike. Though far from glamourous, they hum with purpose: ledger-scrolls update quadrant codes by the hour, grain bell towers chime in sync with distant ports, and gossip flows with the same reliability as salted cargo. It’s not conquest that gives the Trade Authority its reach—it’s logistical inevitability, etched into stone routes and upheld by clerks who treat bookkeeping like scripture.