Dram Cicaeda (
Kyle Hunter)
Male Human Scout
Life in Diamond Lake’s garrison seemed interesting to you as a child, when the soldiers seemed strong and brave and the world was filled with adventure. Now that you’re getting a little older, you look at the village like a squalid smudge on a map. Sure, it can be exciting from time to time, but lately you’ve found yourself making up reasons to leave.
Your father came to the garrison when you were only 2 years old, after a falling out with the Cartographer’s Guild in the city of Greyhawk. He never speaks about the affair, and has discouraged you from ever visiting the metropolis of wizards and thieves for as long as you can remember.
Although he is a civilian, his offices are housed within the garrison because the scheming, manipulative mining managers are extremely territorial; outright conflicts between them over who owns which parcels of local land have exploded in number over the last decade, and it’s all your father can do to stay on top of the issue. He is a well respected man in town, for to cross Cicaeda the Cartographer is to bring down the wrath of Garrison Commander Tolliver Trask, Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff, and possibly even more powerful allies in the City of Greyhawk.
For the last several years, you’ve been passing your time training to be a scout with Merris Sandovar, the garrison’s chief scout. He views you as a promising student, but you secretly wonder if you’re not actually better at scouting than he is. You’re certainly faster.
Last week, you ran into a mysterious, alluring human woman you once drank with over two years ago. You didn’t even remember her name, but she seemed to remember everything about you, including the fact that your father was the village’s chief cartographer. She once again introduced herself as Tyralandi Scrimm, and her story provided you with the perfect opportunity to make your life more interesting—and possibly fill your pockets as well.
Rumors around Diamond Lake speak of a trio of adventurers from Greyhawk. They’ve been spending a lot of time in the village’s watering holes, proclaiming to all their intention to explore an ancient tomb on the lake’s northeast shore called the Stirgenest Cairn. Tyralandi assures you that their plan will fail, since she’s been to the Stirgenest Cairn and found it raped of its treasures centuries ago, just like all of the other empty tombs in the Cairn Hills.
But Tyralandi seems convinced that at least one of the local cairns has not been explored in recent times, and might yet contain fabulous treasures. You agreed to look through your father’s maps, and you’re now certain that she may be right.
A 70-year old map, drawn in the shaky hand of your father’s predecessor, marks a tomb labeled “Whispering Cairn” on a map of a small parcel of land about an hour from the village. According to some other records found in your father’s office, the mine about a mile from the cairn ran dry some 50 years ago, and the land was abandoned by its owner, a mine manager named Ulgo Fant who died a pauper some 10 years ago, leaving no heirs. As far as you can tell, that means the area is a sort of no-man’s land, so it shouldn’t be any trouble to sneak in and explore the cairn.
Tyralandi asked you to assemble a small group of like-minded explorers who might be interested in exploring the cairn, and who could be relied upon for discretion. You’ve invited three acquaintances: Abelard Volker, a soft-spoken young warrior from the garrison’s chapel of Heironeous, god of honor; DaeJin Moon, a half-elf ranger friend of Merris Sandovar from his woodsman days; and Gar Blitzhame, your favorite dwarven drinking partner. As you understand it, some of them have invited friends of their own. That probably won’t thrill Tyralandi, but that’s her problem, not yours.
The final meeting is set for this morning, at an abandoned outbuilding near Ulgo Fant’s tapped-out mine. There you’ll meet your new companions and set out for a life of excitement and adventure.
--Erik Mona
Image by Kyle Hunter.
