chapters/NorthFringe Exodus of Trayalon (Post-Portal and Northfringe Origin) - Return to NorthFringe
Attributes
Featured NPCs142-niko-northen142-nina142-amos142-chuga142-lug142-safa
Chapter Number4
Narrative Chapter Number5
TitleReturn to NorthFringe
Primary Location142-no-name-village
Dm NotesThis chapter is primarily a resolution and setup chapter. The lich-Niko alliance is the campaign's capstone moral question — he is not evil, just transformed and practical. The 'something awakens in the back' is deliberately left open; this is likely a setup hook for the Legends of the North campaign (h-172). Nina's revelation that she is the village woman (not Niko's actual mother — his mother is the unnamed woman who went mad) is an important character detail: Niko resurrected Nina as a companion but has never managed to resurrect his actual family. The screaming comet 26 years ago = h-116 approximately — may be worth a future lore hook. Safa's fate with Niko is ambiguous but Amos trusts he wouldn't harm her.
Detailed NarrativeReturning to No Name Village after the cave expedition, Mayor Amos greets the party with news: Niko has not returned to town in 5 days. When Amos went up to the farm to deliver an owed potion, Niko wasn't there, Nina wasn't there, and his undead watchers were gone. Amos is worried about Safa, who had gone with Niko — he says he knows Niko wouldn't hurt her, but his voice trails off. In the party's absence the undead have been attacking without direction — the same undead as before but now operating chaotically rather than under Niko's control. Chuga (as declared town protector) has been vital: 'without your friend Chuga here, we would be in dire shape.' Amos mentions Niko has another base, location unknown. Lug tells Chuga he is a town protector now (proud moment). Nina — revealed here as the woman Niko resurrected from the local village, now confirmed as his mother (or rather, the village woman whose resurrection gave her the name Nina) — mourns: 'My poor boy... my poor Niko. I felt it when he left, and now all my family is dead... my husband, and my two boys. We were simple farmers... and then there was the night of the screaming comet... 26 years ago...' She describes young Niko (then 13) going out alone to rotate the sheep, returning with zombie sheep, rats, and birds. Nathan (his brother) attacked one of the sheep; his father jumped in; Nathan was killed and his father grievously injured. The father later died. 'My Niko keeps searching for ways to bring them back — Nina was a villager he brought back, but he hasn't had the same success with his brother or father.' The party locates Niko's second base. Niko, now transformed into a lich, speaks: 'Look, we can be on the same side... I am sure we can come to an agreement... The zombies were a mistake... I didn't realize when I transformed that my death would release them all. But now I can live forever, and I have started anew. I can help tame the wild lands up here.' The session ends ominously: 'something awakens in the back' of Niko's new lair.
SummaryAfter 5 days away, the party returns to No Name Village to find Niko has vanished from his farm — Nina is gone, his watchers are gone. Mayor Amos is worried about Safa, who went with Niko. Chuga has been holding the village together against undirected zombie attacks ('without your friend Chuga here, we would be in dire shape'). Niko has transformed into a lich — his death triggered the chaotic release of all his controlled undead. He then confronts the party and proposes an alliance: 'look, we can be on the same side... I am sure we can come to an agreement.' His mother (Nina — now revealed to be the village woman he resurrected) mourns: 'My poor boy... my poor Niko. I felt it when he left.' Something awakens in the back of Niko's new lair as the session ends.
Campaignnorthfringe-exodus-of-trayalon-post-portal-and-northfringe-origin
Locations142-no-name-village142-northfringe
Rewards
Player Characters109-freespirit-bastion109-duncan-sarkrana109-solomon109-danger-dave-rubblefield141-finn-gallund141-harfur141-trankle141-artemon-tretcord141-peter-gallund142-addot142-faellost-the-vengeful142-captain-mace-williams