Lords of RPG

In the western most wing extending out from the King of Oth's tower, resides a once forgotten government ministry.  Dedicated to exploring for new resources, during the 500 years the Three Kingdoms were outside of Kempin, the ministry was mostly a storehouse for old maps.

If an enterprise wanted to explore an old mine to see if some further ore could be coaxed from it, one would go to the untraveled halls of this ministry, fill out paperwork, pay some nominal fee, and receive maps and paperwork with the king's stamp.

If an old wizard wanted to retire to a ruined tower in the wilderness areas of the Three Kingdoms, a representative would traipse over to this ministry, apply for ownership, and pay the crown for the right to own and restore the tower.  

But, with the return of the Three Kingdoms to the World of Kempin, the Ministry of Surveyors had taken on new life and purpose.  Its halls were now bustling with people.  Its bureaucratic staff had tripled.  And it had been charged by Zuc-Swaine himself to recruit and manage insipid travelers and adventures willing to put their life on the line for Oth.

There were new resources to discover and exploit.  New threats to assess and counter.  While the lands were the same...they were at the same time completely different.  Two near identical lands, pulled apart 500 years ago, and only recently thrown back together.  Bits and pieces of both lands now overlapping and intertwined.

The elder stateman in charge of the Ministry of Surveyors, Colonel Edwin Chronister, would have been overwhelmed by the changes, if not for the interjection of new blood.  In addition, he had been assigned a new Assistant Minister, chosen by the King himself.  A mysterious young man, with dusky brown skin, called simply Zattis Fo.  

Zattis carried himself with dignity and authority, and spoke with an accent from a foreign land that sometimes made him difficult to understand.  He kept his head shaved and polished, with a bristly mustache that writhed as he spoke.  His brightly colored foreign clothing only added to the mystery around this young man.

The bureaucracy of the ministry was as extensive and confusing to navigate.  But individual surveyors and surveying groups were handled by a cadre of individuals called Chief Surveyors, who numbered around a dozen.  

One odd group that was employed by the ministry were referred to by some as the Strangers...others called them the Gate-Closers...but their Chief Surveyor referred to them as "Survey Group No. 13."  He was an odd character, this Chief...in his 40's, a little portly, and often smelling of booze by the afternoon hours.  His name was Colt Brower.  Some whispered that he had been quite the adventurer in his younger days, but those days seemed long behind him.

Chief Surveyor Brower was not the first handler for Survey Group No. 13.  In the chaos directly after the merger, the Ministry had been a chaotic place, with lots of personnel changes and a shifting hierarchy.  But, things had seemed to settle in, and Chief Surveyor Brower didn't look like he was going anywhere.

"So, this blood sucking tree...haunted by the soul of a slain vampire, had been plaguing the area are Marchen for quite some time."  It seemed like more of a statement than a question, but Sympos answered anyway.

"Yes...that's what we said.  It is all in the report, but Timm could go over it again..."

Chief Surveyor Brower looked over the top of his spectacles, unsure if Sympos was messing with him.  The earnestness in the death priest's eyes convinced him he wasn't.  "No...not necessary.  I think I get the gist."

Taking this all in, Timm gave Shade a look, and Shade smiled.  Timm spoke up.  "Our take from the survey did not exceed the allowable amount, so if there is nothing more Chief Brower..."

The Chief leaned forward.  "But what of the stake."

Shade answered.  "The what?"

The Chief pointed at some detail on Timm's report, which was spread out on his desk.  "The stake.  The wooden stake that killed the vampire...and that sprouted into the vampyric tree.  Where did it get off to?"

Shade shrugged.  "I pulled it free...and it set off the destruction of the tree.  I lost it in the chaos."

The Chief asked, "Lost it?"

Shade doubled down on his confidence.  "Well, I've been thinking about that.  One minute it was right there in my hand...and then it was gone.  I either lost it or it disintegrated.  But, regardless it is gone."

Timm added.  "When the tree came down, were were lucky to get away with our lives."

The Chief leaned back in his chair.  "Quite so!  Well...good enough.  Excellent job as always gentlemen."  The Chief stood, a gesture that was surely an invite for them to leave.

Gabe looked from the Chief to his fellows, and back to the Chief.  "What's next?  Have you considered my recommendation for us to survey the surrounding forests for new herbal strains that might have made the transition during the merge?"

Chief Brower looked confused, but then remembering Gabe's neglected proposal, he feigned interest.  "Oh, yes...I sent that up the chain young man.  We should be hearing any day.  In the meanwhile.  I have three survey missions to assign.  You've done such a good job on the Marchen situation...I'll let you have first choice."

Everyone stood there waiting for more details, but the Chief was awkwardly silent.  "Oh...well...yes.  I'll have the details forwarded over to your chambers.  Look the three missions over, and let me know.  I'll need to choice by tomorrow afternoon."  The Chief then gestured to the door of his office.  

"Dismissed, gentlemen.  Get some rest."