Windfellow's Retreat storyline
A Homecoming
A loud shout comes from high overhead, "The Dread Lord! He's coming this way! He should be here in the next half an hour or so! Get ready!"
On Volnes, day 26 of the month Phoenatos, Rorthen Windfellow returns to his home at Windfellow Retreat to discover a shocking surprise: The gargoyles of the keep have planned and commenced a festival, seemingly in honor of the Dread Lord's birthday.
While speaking briefly to the festival-goers, the Dread Lord explains that the gargoyles consider him their master, and that they built the keep for him. He admits that he did, indeed, create them, though not necessarily with forethought. He continues, explaining that their creation was unintentional and related to the consumption of perhaps one too many wine-spritzers.
Not long after his return to the keep, the Dread Lord takes to his bed, seemingly still rattled by the goings-on in his home.
The Dread Lord
You see Rorthen Windfellow. He appears to be a Human. He is spectacularly awkward-looking and has exceedingly long, spindly limbs. He appears to be young. He has wide muddy brown eyes and sallow skin. He has irregularly-cut, straight brownish-red hair. He has a narrow face and a pronounced overbite. He is in good shape. He is wearing a bright green belt pouch, some oversized yellow boots, some stained crimson breeches, and a plain cyan tunic.
The Gargoyles
A conversation with a reedy-looking gargoyle clutching a tablet:
About the festival:
The reedy-looking gargoyle blinks once before responding, "Yes, yes! Welcome! We are happy to welcome you to this Festival, which will surely be the greatest in the lands. We have arranged everything for maximum effect, and hope that you enjoy yourselves, and tell others!"
About the Dread Lord:
The reedy-looking gargoyle stares at you for a long moment before replying. When it does, its tones are low. "The Dread Lord earned his name through his fearful and terrible magics. This is his lair, his home, and we are all his subjects. Anger him not if you value your life."
About the gargoyles:
The reedy-looking gargoyle puffs its chest up proudly, grinning at you. "Fine specimens, aren't we? The Dread Lord made us, you know. All of us, in one fantastic demonstration of power. Since that day we've worked hard to repay him, as we literally owe him our lives."
About the keep:
The reedy-looking gargoyle looks around, taking in the stone walls surrounding it. "We built it for him, you know. The gargoyles. The Dread Lord used to have a far less suitable structure here, and we wanted him to have an appropriate abode, so we constructed it ourselves, making it everything it should be, to suit the Dread Lord."