Westiah's Caravan of Calamity

In the early morning hours a pale faced man walked along the paths of Shadowdale; staring into the moon light. A voice from the distance was heard.. it was the local merchant calling out to Westiah Fears. He hurriedly followed and spoke with the merchant.

The merchant presented him a deal.. to acquire 100 breastplates, 100 longswords, and 100 heavy shields for a client. The client could not be named, but the merchant swore he was trustworthy. The merchant swore it was a way to get rich quick and that it would really pay off. Westiah who is always up to make quick coin agreed without question, and purchased the contract for 500 gold coins.

Westiah headed towards the local merchants in town and could be seen bartering with them on prices for armor and weapons. Westiah could be seen angrily coming out of most of the businesses in Shadowdale, turned away from any sort of loan or investment.

Westiah eventually assimilated a wagon and fine donkey from the General Store and bought 17 magical long swords, 10 heavy shields, and 20 odd breastplates. He also left a significant sum of coin at the dusty old general store to procure this.

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Westiah did not know what to do to get the rest of what he needed. He quickly decided to head to Two Forts and barter with the trade people of Waukeen. He spoke with the investors and the Merchant at the Keep. She agreed to sell the items but for a cost much too high for Westiah's budget. So he then negotiated with the Waukeeners and came to an agreement on the weapons and armor. They agreed to invest $20,000 in gold to Westiah but if he failed to pay he would be hunted down and brought to justice for fraud. Perhaps hung by the neck until dead….Westiah signed his life away for a get rich quick scheme he was hoping would pay off.


Westiah was given the gold and his caravan successfully loaded. While he waited a young half drow named Sigrid approached him. Westiah needed more guards and quickly offered him a position among the caravan crew. Sigrid accepted and followed Westiah. They loaded the crates on to the caravan and it seemed to take all day. Soon it was morning and they were to leave Two Forts for the East of Shadowdale.

Another warrior... Sandra Kezzari was there when Westiah returned from buying food goods. This stranger was covered in thick plated armor and the being’s voice was disguised. It was a menacing warrior with a greatsword tied to their belt.. ready for anything…. No telling if it was a man or woman from the beginning. Sandra who called herself Driardriar offered to help the caravan make it efficaciously to their destination, if the stranger was paid handsomely for their efforts. Westiah reluctantly agreed.

Westiah continued packing his gear and ordered the men and Sig to check the caravan over.. They readied their weapons and set off the trail.


They all packed into the caravan and headed towards the East of Shadowdale. They exchanged small talk, mostly about the weather and various other topics. Eventually the old buggy jostled to a stop and they had reached East Shadowdale. "Whoa! " Westiah called out to the horses and the guard.

They stopped next to an old rock circle that was formed in the wet morning grass of East Shadowdale. Westiah hopped down from the buggy and his heavy leather boots hit the dirt.
Westiah had finally arrived with the bounty of goods for the client. His face was full of excitement and greed as he unloaded the crates.

Westiah began ordering them all to quickly unload the crates into the rock circle. Sig did so but not without qualms. Sandra stood there quietly. When they had finished the exhausting labor the weapons vanished from sight...

Nothing was spoken, not a word... Westiah's eyes shut down tight and he waited for an answer......


"Where is my payment!" He screamed.

"I brought you what you asked for, now where is my payment!" Westiah pleaded..


Then a message appeared.. it read:

"You are a fool if you think we will pay you.. thanks for the weapons and armor...

Signed "The Coven"


Westiah screamed and fell to the ground... His life savings spent on a fruitless endeavor... His mind warped with anger he balked and screamed, snot flying from his nose.

“Noooo!!!! You witches! You have ruined me!!!” Westiah pleaded and screamed.

The other two watched him with horrified expressions.. They knew their pay had vanished as well…

Westiah collected himself and he turned to Sig and Sandra.. “What am I to do! That damn merchant robbed me!” Westiah sneered.

Sandra and Sig agreed to help Westiah question the Merchant.. but Sandra told them both that she could freely walk into Shadowdale, she must hide in the caravan…Sig agreed and jumped in…



Their plan was to ride into Shadowdale… Kidnap the merchant and beat him until he spoke more of this “client”.. Sandra and Sig wanted to help Westiah get his gold back so they would too receive their pay for their hard earned labor.

"But... I don't believe we can leave witnesses... We must purge my guard" Westiah said to the half drow Sigrid and Sandra..

Sandra nodded and unsheathes her menacing deadly blade... She lured the guard over and killed him without an ounce of mercy.. Her blade puncturing his gut the man let out one whisper and then his eyes went void.. his soul dark.. The guard's lifeless body dead in the dirt in the East of Shadowdale..  Westiah ordered Sigrid to dispose of the body and he did so.....

Westiah whipped the horses and the caravan set off to Shadowdale.. The horses kicking up dust as Westiah whipped the horses harder and harder… The towers of Shadowdale began to come into view as they approached.

Their plan was to ride into Shadowdale… Kidnap the merchant and beat him until he spoke more of this “client”.. Sandra and Sig wanted to help Westiah get his gold back so they would too receive their pay for their hard earned labor.

Westiah whipped the horses and the caravan set off to Shadowdale.. The horses kicking up dust as Westiah whipped the horses harder and harder… The towers of Shadowdale began to come into view as they approached.


The wagon came to a slow roll as the old wooden wheels crunched under the gravel road. A Shadowdale guard loomed towards the caravan..


“State your business in Shadowdale. And what are you carrying?” asked the guard as he walked around the buggy.. His eyes darting around.

Westiah explained he had only a bit of bread and healing kits for the merchants.. Also some tinker toys for the kid.. Westiah would motion to Sigrid.

The guard did not believe Westiah… He quickly saw through that sham..

“Open up the caravan for inspection” the guard said quickly…His shield banged the side of the wagon.

Sigrid moved to the back of the caravan and opened the doors with disinclination.
The guard peered in and seen a heavy armored figure…

“Step out this instant!” the guard ordered.

The heavy armored figure clanked out of the wagon.. sounds almost like a golem..

“I am a War Golem” the figure stated plainly as it exited the caravan…

A trick! Yes! Sandra was brilliant she had thought of a perfect rouse! She had expert skills in bluffing and used them to her advantage…

The guard responded, “Ah yes! You are the golem the magic school ordered right?”

Westiah abruptly said, “Yes! Why of course! That is what that is.. Ya know I forgot to mention the war golem.” Westiah coughed into his arm.

The guard nodded and looked over the caravan a bit more and then told them to pass through…

The caravan began to move into Shadowdale with Westiah at the reigns. The horses trotted up to the merchant’s post in Shadowdale… but he was gone!

Westiah jumped down agitatedly looking around for the bastard, but he was nowhere to be found…

Westiah scrabbled back up into the wagon and looked around…
One of the mages from the magic school was approaching their caravan…

Westiah began to sweat and act apprehensively as the mage approached.. He looked down at her..

“Hello there er..” He said timidly.

“You must be the caravan that brought the war golem! May I have a look at it!” The Shadowdale mage replied.

“Yes yes… Sigrid open the doors” Westiah commanded.
Sigrid again opened the doors revealing Sandra.. or The War Golem.

The Shadowdale mage looked over it inquiringly for a brief moment….

“Hmm, let me have the control device to see how this golem fuctions” The mage said.
Westiah said, “Oh this uhh Golem.. Is voice activated.. Yes, all you do is speak!”

The mage looked interested and flabbergasted….
“Come out then Golem!” The mage bawled.
The Golem or Sandra slowly departed… The heavy boots hitting the ground..The armor shining in the moon light…. This was Sandra’s first entrance into Shadowdale in a long time….

CRACK! Westiah flagellated the horses and bolted off, their hooves screaming into the dirt with each bolster… His eyes glistening in the night as the buggy raced off leaving the two in front of the Shadowdale Mage..Westiah could be heard laughing like a mad man.

Sandra stood their…. Stone faced… solid….

Sigrid motionless as well…

The air stopped around them.. Heavy.. thick… awkward..

The mage looked around and then said. “Wait a minute… this is all very strange.”

She tried again commanding the golem.. but she saw through the game..

“GUARDS! GUARDS! GUARDS!” The mage squawked….

Sandra unsheathed her blade and the Golem swung her blade hard cutting the Mage in half in public… in front of the entire Shadowdale militia…The mage’s body flew in slow motion as her insides fell to the cobblestone path…

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What was a scheme of fortune quickly turned into a double homicide…
The guards quickly encircled the half drow and Sandra…. The clanging of steel could be heard throughout town as the guards moved in… Their swords drawn… Crossbows loaded…

Wagon and Horse earned in a event of mine.