The Crimson Mountains

***By Steel and Blood: The Crimson Mountains*** is the 1st campaign to take place in the BSB setting.

*The Crimson Mountains* began in January 2016, and concluded in May 2016.

The campaign centers around an era of political vulnerability in the Blackwall region of Tirrenor, as noble feudal leaders and the Creed find themselves challenged by mercenary companies, criminal organizations, and political movements. Other factions and ideas are gaining traction and power to rival existing institutions, revealing the weaknesses of the traditional world order. The great Empire of Bruxia has fallen into disarray over a popular rebellion, and the people of Tirrenor will soon have to decide between loyalty, faith, ideology, or gold above all else.

The calendar year in *The Crimson Mountains* campaign is 546 ACR.

The official unofficial theme song for *The Crimson Mountains* is Samuel Barber's *Adagio for Strings*which is played during the intro sequence for each session.

## Premise

After three decades of relative peace and prosperity, Thane Kain Kallistratos II finds himself immensely challenged by the various forces vying for power in Blackwall Hold. Recently, the mountain clans have begun making raids and attacks on mines and villages all throughout the mountains, seemingly at random. More organized than usual, many have begun to fear this is a sign of a new barbarian uprising. In response, Thane Kallistratos has hired a large and powerful mercenary company, The Sons of Aquinas, from the Verge to make a base in Blackwall and combat the barbarians and other enemies. This decision has come at odds with another major mercenary group, the Gold Legion, based in the southern Blackwall Hold.

The neighboring Empire of Bruxia is engrossed in civil war, leading to an influx in refugees crossing over the borders of Blackwall and Sea March. House Nereus of Sea March has approached Thane Kallistratos regarding the need to strengthen border security, concerned that the refugee crisis could cause increased action of criminal organizations like the powerful Vassili Cartel and the barbaric Birchmen.

The Creed of the Five Gods, the major religious institution in Tirrenor, finds themselves challenged as the progressive Kain Kallistratos has made an effort to seperate church and state in the last decade. The High Temple of Tagrimus, led by Archon Plexipus, seeks to bridge this gap, and have found a convenient way to mobilize the populace in their favor with the refugee situation, as Bruxians loyal to the Doctrine of Gaiax threaten the lifestyle of religious Tirrenians.

All this and more creates a stew inevitably ending in ruin, atrocity, and tragedy. But its up to the players...

The black mountains will run crimson*... by steel and blood*.

## Episodes

Along with this campaign, a detailed plot journal is being written, covering the overarching narrative of ***The Crimson Mountains*** campaign as played session-by-session.

* Episode 1 (1/17/16)
* Episode 2 (1/24/16)
* Episode 3 (2/7/16)
* Episode 4 (2/17/16)
* Episode 5 (2/28/16)
* Episode 6 (3/27/16)
* Episode 7 (4/17/16)
* Episode 8 (4/24/16)
* Episode 9 (5/8/16)
* Episode 10 (5/12/16)

## Events

While a very long and complex campaign, some important events took place in the campaign which are now considered historical, including:

* The assassination of Than Kain Kallistratos II
* Coronation of Thane Nilos Kallistratos II

* The founding and rise of The Chasm
* Lifespan of the Crimson Mountain Company
* Operation Straton Freedom
* The Showdown at the Tower
* The Revolution of Targe
* The Battle of Stoneshade

## Player Characters

The main player characters of *The Crimson Mountains* campaign are as follows:

* Nilos Kallistratos II: The Thane's son, the heir to the throne of Blackwall, and recently come of age. As his father grooms him for future rule, Nilos is torn between the upkeep of peace and the pressures of living up to his famous name.
* Kairos Kallistratos a.k.a. "Druid Obediah": The Thane's eldest son and Nilos' older brother, Kairos gave up his family name and titles to become a druid in the Creed of the Five Gods. He was reborn as "Obediah",now a servant of the gods as a member of the secret society of soldiers and secret agents called the Order of Acolytes.
* Ser Darius Straton: A disillusioned knight and former war hero, Ser Darius abandoned his family's powerful steel business to become a career soldier. Now he is in the service of House Kallistratos, becoming one of the Thane's highest Honor Guards. However, Ser Darius is full of secrets, married to a woman he despises, and challenged with secretly caring for his beloved bastard daughter Eliza.
* Roc of Ironside: A mere blacksmith's apprentice, Roc lives a simple life in a small village on the border of Blackwall Hold and The Verge. There, he works at his grandfather's shop making horseshoes and farm tools for the powerful Reinhold family. However, Roc's humble beginnings are a shadow of his destiny, as barbarians stand in wait just miles outside his village...

## Important Locations

* Blackwall Hold: The main region the campaign takes place in. One of the main fiefdoms of the Kingdom of Tirrenor.
	+ The city of Stoneshade: The largest city in Blackwall Hold, ruled by House Kallistratos and center of the kingdom's steel industry.
		- The Iron Keep: Seat of House Kallistratos.
		- The High Temple of Tagrimus: The central religious location in Blackwall, one of the 5 high temples of the Creed.
	+ Barony of Nubardum: Region formerly part of the Yurican Kingdom which was conquered and made part of Blackwall hold forty years ago. Ruled by House Alexius, and shares a border with the Empire of Bruxia.
		- Fort Nubardum: Fortress which serves as the seat of House Alexius.
	+ Barony of Hastreau: A fertile river valley in the easternmost part of Blackwall hold, ruled by the Reinholds.
		- Hastreau Villa: A fortified manor which serves as the seat of House Reinhold.
		- Ironside Village: A small village near the border of The Verge. Consists primarily of blacksmiths on contract from House Reinhold, and miners under the employ of Mason Mining & Smithing Inc.
		- The Astrologist's Tower: An ancient tower left behind by a long-gone guild of astrologists.
	+ Barony of Solon: the highest northern part of the Blackwall Mountains, a snow-covered region steeped in barbarian history, ruled by House Straton.
		- Solon Redoubt: Castle on a high peak, the longtime seat of House Straton.
		- Blackridge: a mining village on the route between Stoneshade an Solon Redoubt, nearby mines are owned and operated by Straton Steelworks.
		- The Village of Ormen: a remote mining village.
		- The Heart of Darkness: A prison and work camp operated by The Condor.
* The Verge: The neighboring hold to Blackwall, ruled by House Andronikus. One of the five holds of Tirrenor.
	+ City of Targe: A quickly-growing metropolis, Targe is a center of gold, wine, sex, violence, and indulgence.
		- Castle Severis: The palace and ancestral seat of House Andronikus.
		- High Temple of Aquinas: One of the 5 High Temples of The Creed.
		- The Colony: A settlement begun in the sewers of Targe, belonging to the hidden lower classes.
		- The Come and Go: A well known high-class brothel owned by Madame Brigette.
		- Blade'z Vineyard: A winery and vineyard owned by ex-mercenary Lucien Bladeborn.

## Non-Player Characters

### **Introduced in Episode 1:**

* At the Iron Keep:
	+ Thane Kain Kallistratos II
	+ Imperator Widmund Reinhold
	+ Executor Kristoff Mason
	+ Praetor Dracken Fenris
	+ Inquisitor Caius
	+ Ser Zanther Mason
	+ Praetor Pelagius

* At the High Temple:
	+ Archon Plexipus
	+ Druid Azariah

* At Ironside Village:
	+ Grandpa Bernard
	+ Viscount Kleon
	+ Ourea

* In Stoneshade:
	+ Hilde
	+ Suleiman
	+ Tye
	+ Cyrill
* The Sons of Aquinas
	+ Rhys Sighard

### Introduced in Episode 2:

* In Stoneshade
	+ Alis Alexius
	+ Sycotha
	+ Ole' Pappy
	+ Muriel
	+ Eliza
	+ "The Regicide"
* The Gold Legion
	+ Tolmend Oklend
	+ David
* In Blackridge Region
	+ Druidess Hepzibah
	+ Druid Joakim
	+ "The Mutual Friend"
	+ Valbrandr

### Introduced in Episode 3:

* In Stoneshade:
	+ Baron Ferris Alexius
	+ Baron Markus Straton
	+ Baron Harrin Reinhold
	+ Baroness Kora Kallistratos
	+ Darcia Reinhold
	+ Sonia Straton
	+ Bryen Straton
	+ Raymond Mason
	+ Branton Mason
	+ Professor Mikal Vredesbyrd
	+ Russell
* In Hastreau:
	+ Glammad Reinhold
	+ Ser Llewelyn Barrish
	+ Viscount Tatyana
* The Sons of Aquinas:
	+ Major Tom Radford
	+ Platoon XIII
		- Sergeant Jareth
		- Sergeant Sane
		- Second Lieutenant Duke

### Introduced in Episode 4:

* In Stoneshade:
	+ Praetor Mikael Andronikus
* In Targe:
	+ Zenia Kallistratos
	+ Lucien Bladeborn (Identity revealed)
	+ Madame Brigette

### Introduced in Episode 5:

* In Stoneshade:
	+ Overseer Louis
	+ Cyrus

* In Targe:
	+ Cervantes
* In Platoon XIII
	+ Corporal Pierre

### Introduced in Episode 6:

* In Targe:
	+ Thaness Rana Andronikus
	+ Stefan Andronikus

* In Stoneshade:
	+ Shaman Varinius

### Introduced in Episode 7:

* In Targe:
	+ Vicar Benedict
	+ Vicar Lambert
	+ Vicar Primus
	+ Druid Abraham
	+ Ser Robert Declan
	+ Earnold Chunks
* In the Heart of Darkness
	+ Vamod Reinhold

### Introduced in Episode 8

* In the Heart of Darkness
	+ "The Condor"

### Introduced in Episode 10

* In Stoneshade
	+ Ser Kongol Ironskull
	+ Tryppp

## Relevant History

492 - 495: The War of the Three Thanes

489-499: First Yuricaz War

492 - 496: Barbarian Uprising of 492

509-510: Second Yuricaz War

544-present: Bruxian Civil War