Varchilde's Vault: First Founding Frostgrave: Queen Gladys and her Knights of Numenor

Welcome back to the Vault for more Frostgrave fun! One of the quirkier side rules of the Rune Stone Race campaign is that players are awarded bonus XP for writing back stories for their Wizards and Warbands, and they are embracing this aspect with gusto.

So for your literary pleasure I am proud to present Amit's Warband: Queen Gladys and her Knights of Numenor.

Queen Gladys

As with many things in the frozen city no one knows where Gladys came from, but most know where she is trying to get to. Generally due the fact she is more than happy to tell them.

Gladys doesn’t just want to learn the secrets hidden within the city, she wants to rule it.

She has a grand vision of taking the city beyond it’s past glories. All are welcome to bend their knee to her and follow her into a brighter future. Those that do not have no future.

When not planning the future of the city Gladys spends her time reading and rereading a well worn and disintegrating book. She keeps it on her at all times, no one knows where the book came from, or exactly what is in it, most are smart enough not to ask. She was once overheard telling her apprentice that is was about “Rings and Lords”, but the sensible disregard it as hearsay.

She looks down with scorn at the other wizards and their warbands. At their small plans for self enlightenment, their lack of vision to see beyond a ruined city. There is no place in the new city she will create for such feeble ambitions.

Gladys has a warm smile and an iron will. Those that have joined her have had to adapt to her strange ideas. She has already planned out her new kingdom and who will do what in the new society she is about to create. New recruits are given strange uniforms to wear and stranger titles. She is kind to those who follow the path she is setting out, but there is also a ruthlessness to her that is frightening to behold.

Her apprentice Saruchild is her silent shadow, always hovering nearby. He says little and is clearly subservient to her, despite being many years older than her. He carries out her demands without question or hesitation.

Saruchild the Apprentice

Gladys has decreed that the rune stones are an important instrument to her ongoing success. The Knights of Numenor have been ordered to make the collection of the rune stones their top most priority, and what Gladys wants, Gladys gets.

-x-

Dravidson entered the crypt, the stone walls providing no warmth from the cold. He followed the old man down the dim, dank corridor. He wondered how the old man kept his robes so white while spending time in this dusty, dirty below ground structure.

The old man had not spoken a word since he had been brought to him. Dravidson had gone to the camp looking to join the Knights of Numenor, he was fit, healthy and could fight well with his sword and shield. He was also hungry and poor and had heard that this so called queen was generous to her followers. The guards at the camp had been friendly and welcoming on learning his desire to join them. They had led him to the old man who had listened to him while staring into the middle distance. He then merely beckoned for him to follow him.

Now Dravidson was walking down a dimly lit corridor in a crypt with the old man’s staff constantly tapping on the flagstone as he walked ahead of him. The tapping didn’t so much as echo as resonate in Dravidson’s head.

They turned a corner into a large open, low ceiling-ed room. The area was well lit by smokeless stone braziers, the stone walls hidden behind hanging drapes and rugs. Various chests and tables were littered around, a pile of skeletons against the far wall also caught his eye. He tightened his hand around his shield handle.

In the centre of the room at a long wooden table sat a woman with long golden hair, she wore a long silver dress. Dravidson wondered for the second time that day how anyone was able to keep such fine cloths clean in the muck and sludge of the ruined city.

The old man stopped a few paces away from the table and held out his arm indicating to Dravidson to come no closer. He then moved to the side of the wooden table and stood there looking at the seated women expectantly.

Queen Gladys was looking down at a thick book, delicately running her finger over a worn and fading page she had it open to. There were clearly clumps of pages missing. Dravidson stood in silence ensure what to do next.

She finally looked up at him, even in this light Dravidson could see that her eyes were an intense blue. She smiled warmly, “ so you are ready to start your future”. Confused and not entirely sure if it was a question he answered hesitantly, “..yes”.

The old man started to tap his staff on the stone floor, the same slow rhythm as when he had been walking.

“What do you know?”, she asked. This wasn’t going at all how Dravidson had expected. “I want to help, I want to”, Gladys cut him off with a scowl. “No, I didn’t ask what you wanted, I asked what you know”. Dravidson’s throat went dry, he clenched his shield handle tighter as he desperately tried to think of what she would want to hear him say. The old man’s tapping made it hard to think, had the tapping gotten faster?

“Some say that you can steal time from others, to remain younger for longer”, Dravidson flicked a nervous look at the old man who was her apprentice.

Gladys put her hands on the table and slowly stood up leaning forward over the table. She smiled thinly her piercing blue eyes narrowing. Dravidson unconsciously took a step back She spoke slowly and deliberately, “I know what others say; I want to know what you know”, the old man started to tap his staff quicker and louder on the stone floor.

Dravidson could feel the panic rising inside him, a growing sense of danger trying to make him run from the room. He fought the instinct, and suddenly felt anger. Angry at himself, angry at the stupid question, angry at that bloody old fool and his tapping. “ I know I am cold and hungry and don’t want to be anymore” he snapped back.

The old man stopped tapping. Gladys’ smile returned to one of warmth, she clasped her hands together in joy and sat down again. “Yes, you are ready for the future I can bring. Follow me and I promise you will never be cold or hungry again. Follow me and we will make this a better city for all. That craving you have, it is not only for food, it is for belonging”.

Dravidson stood in dumb silence unsure of what to do or say. Gladys stood up and walked over to him. As she moved she made a gesture with her hand and whispered words that he couldn’t make out.

The weight and texture of the shield he was holding suddenly felt odd. He looked down and watched as it’s polished metal surface turned to rust and crumbled to dust, leaving him holding coarse red particles in his hand. Gladys lightly touched his elbow and guided him to a large open chest. “ you won’t be needing the shield. You have a new purpose now, and a new position, one that lets you play your part in achieving the future this city needs”.

She pulled out a large long black hooded cloak. The hood was large and had a mesh over the front to hide the wearers face.” You will wear this, and seek out the precious treasures hidden within the city I need to meet our destinies”. She held the cloak out to Dravidson who took it. “It’s a bit long, not sure how fast I can move in it” he replied looking at the cloak he now held dubiously.

Ranger and Treasure Hunter

“Worry not, I will make you swift of feet so that you can bring back our precious future. You are to wear this when we venture into the ruins. Your title is Nasghoul, bring me back all the knowledge and power hidden with this great city of mine and I will make you a lord over all other Nasghoul”.

Gladys motioned to the old man, “ Saruchild will take you back the other knights, you will find food, drink and warmth with them”. Gladys went back to her seat, returning to the old book she had been reading. The old man led Dravidson out of the crypt, never once tapping his staff on the floor.

-x-

And so Dravidson met the other Knights: