The Heir Of Bellmond
As the party pressed on with their journey along the road, they soon found themselves face-to-face with a group of local soldiers. These mounted soldiers rode up to the party and inquired about their business and the individual known as Sabre. Following this brief exchange, the party was guided to a nearby encampment, not too far from the road they had been traveling on. The encampment was heavily fortified, with soldiers and knights dressed in distinctive yellow attire and proudly displaying the Stag emblem, which was the hallmark of the Barony of Bellmond.
They were introduced to a small and distinguished group of Knights, led by Lucas Kardean, who was the commander of the encampment and next in line to become the Baron of Bellmond. By his side stood Rosemond Wilds, Jeremy Castle, Reinar Quinn, Felisha Riverrun, and Kurion. Despite some reservations among his companions, Lucas decided to admit the group of adventurers and assigned them a task as they passed through the city of Bellmond: to convey a message to Aron Tarvon, who served as the Weapons Master at the local Blacksmith and was a loyalist to Lucas.
The Mad Baron
Upon meeting Aron Tarvon and delivering the message, they discovered that one of the Knight Lords of Bellmond, Isaac Forester, was missing. His loyalty to Baron Lucas Kardean was well-known, and it was essential for Lucas to have him on his side. Aron shared more information than intended, revealing concerns about an imminent attempt to oust Kyle Kardean from his position as Baron. According to Aron, many residents of Bellmond, including a majority of the Knight Lords, and the common folk were worried that the current Baron had descended into madness.
The Loyal Lord
Next, their mission was to locate Lord Isaac Forester, who was somewhere outside the city, in pursuit of rebel forces. The party, who were privy to the planned coup, initially believed that Lord Forester was hunting Lucas' followers. They managed to track him down, but before encountering him, they stumbled upon a young woman who was hunting game. She cautiously trained her bow on the strangers, prompting the party to introduce themselves. In a refined manner, she did the same. Her name was Amanda Forester, Isaac Forester's daughter.
She guided them to a makeshift camp where they found a handful of soldiers, and amidst them, the imposing figure of the half-giant himself, wearing a confident smile. Isaac was eager and prepared to take on the rebels they had tracked down. Uncertain about their next steps, the party refrained from warning Isaac or disclosing their discussions with Lucas, only revealing that they had met him. They attempted to gauge Isaac's stance on the Baron but found him seemingly as loyal as ever.
The party stayed in the background as Isaac and his men moved to engage the rebel camp deeper in the woods. Eventually, the party stealthily followed, only to realize that the rebels they were fighting were not part of Lucas' faction. They swiftly joined the fray to assist Isaac, who seemed to relish the chaos. When the battle was over, Isaac wasted no time and informed the party that they could have a more in-depth conversation in Bellmond before departing. His men looted everything from the defeated rebels, and they all headed back home.
Returning to Bellmond
The group eventually returned to Bellmond, where they had a few pressing matters to address. Their first order of business was a conversation with Aron Tarvon, concerning the search for Isaac Forester and the assessment of his loyalty. However, before delving into these matters, they sought clarification on the rumored "Rebels" from Aron. He explained that rebels were indeed active in the Bellmond region, composed of family members of those who had lost their lives in the attack against the Dynasty. These rebels harbored a deep-seated grudge against their Baron, holding him responsible for the tragedy and desiring his execution. It became evident that Lucas did not wish to form an alliance with these rebels due to their reputation for violence.
The party eventually located Isaac in one of Bellmond's taverns, where he was in the company of his comrades, indulging in drinks. Through their interaction, they determined that Isaac's loyalty was steadfastly with the Family, with no distinction between Lucas and Kyle in his affections. This information was shared with Aron, though the specifics of the outcome were left largely unspoken, as the group had to soon depart from Bellmond and make their way towards Greenfield.