Day 26 Prompt: Regret
Week 5 Prompt: Emotion
Weekday Prompt: Full of Woe
Drums fingers on desk. Regret is the Day 26 prompt for the RPGaDAY 2026 Challenge? How do I make something positive out of this? Rubbing forehead. Come on Carl, think think think. Muses don’t fail me now.
High Steward Zarkinian looks over the rows of tables arranged in the grand dining hall of the castle. Three different groups of adventurers had been found by his agents. The teams were eyeing each other with caution which didn’t make Zarkinian feel confident.
“I need these teams to work together.” He thought to himself.
He walked in front of the royal table where King Gregorian the Third normally sat for the evening meals with the people and bid welcome to the humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, half-giant and even a centaur.
“Thank you all for coming on short notice.” He calmly stated with his stately voice. “This is an opportunity to serve the Coastal Kingdom of Harrath. I know some of you are here out of service, and others for coins. Whatever your motivation, your efforts will be greatly appreciated.”
“You’ve got a motley crew here lad.” a burly dwarf spoke up. “What do ye need from the likes of us that the king’s own men can’t handle?”
“A valid question Timrith Stonecarve son of Tylee.” Zarkinian took some internal glee from the surprised reaction of the dwarf. He had always made it his business to know with whom he was dealing with. “The kingdom’s defenders are committed elsewhere.”
An older, but loud voice boomed from the doorway. “And the tasks I need accomplished cannot be done by mere soldiers alone. I need adventurers who can think on their feet.”
Everyone stood immediately when they recognized King Gregorian’s frame filling the doorway to the grand hall. Despite his many years, he still stood with the presence of a ruler.
“Damn.” Zarkinian thought as he began his bow. “The herald didn’t announce him and he’s early.”
The herald ran into the room past the royal robe and started to announce in a panic “Hear ye….” before the king waived him off. “Silence. This is a meeting of action not some diplomatic ball.”
Zakinian took control with a courteous nod to King Gregorian. “Your majesty, I was just starting the briefing with the…”
“High Steward… my time is precious. Let’s get to the heart of the matter here.” King Gregorian boomed. “Have you given them their assignments yet?”
All eyes turned to Zakinian with curious looks.
“Forty years ago, Black Highland raiders destroyed the shrine dedicated to Khendia in the West Woods Providence. All of the high priestesses and acolytes were slaughtered.”
Elliath Silverleaf spoke up with his smooth, elven voice. “A dark day that even reached our courts in the Bartel Forests. To my knowledge, only half of the raiders were ever caught. Raiding a shrine dedicated to the mother goddess of women, children and domesticated animals shocked a lot of the civilized kingdoms.”
“We could have prevented it all together had I not been impertinent.” Gregorian’s voice boomed. “Every year I receive reports from the villages near those woods,” Gregorian said quietly. “Every year I am reminded of what was lost there.”
“His majesty is concerned that the decisions made during that time led to that dark day.” Zakinian spoke up before the king could continue. “The telescopic lens may look well into the past but fails to see clearly in the present.”
The king pushed the matter forward. “I could have done more then. I had spread my forces too thin in trying to capture the pirates along the coast and the orc tribes to the south. I left an opening that these damned raiders discovered and took advantage of. I’ve had a lot of time to look back on that day. But I’m not going to let regret silence the cries of justice that I still hear now. That’s where you come in.”
The centaur, Wittmeer, stood up proudly and stated. “What is it you wish us to do my lord?”
A smile pulled across Gregorian’s face. “Straight to the point. I like it. There were three seer stones stolen from that shrine. Stones that I believe helped protect those lands.” He waved his hand at the High Steward. “Zakinian has gathered three hearty companies with the goal of retrieving those stones and returning them to the location of the shrine. I’ve already made arrangements to secure the area from the goblins and other raiders still plaguing the area. I know it’s been a long time. Too long for a brow as withered as mine. I want to see things set straight.”
“Forty years is a long time yer majesty.” Timrith stated. “These precious stones could be anywhere in the wildlands, the coastal kingdoms or beyond. What has changed?”
Zakinian cleared his throat before continuing. “Recently one of the surviving raiders was caught and questioned. While facing executioner’s axe may entice any type of bargaining from the convicted, he did provide some details that fit with information that we already had. Not enough to justify a dispatch of our expeditionary forces, but enough that would warrant our hiring of experts such as yourselves.”
Seeing a few raised eyebrows, Zakinian continued by gesturing towards a map on the table. “We now believe that one of the stones is in Castle Darktak along the Jagged Coast. The second…” he pointed at another section of the map. “… should be in the hands of the Pirate King at Port Azure.”
“And the third?” stated a human sellsword by name of Kentrick.
“The Grand Spire.” stated King Gregorian. “We don’t know if it’s in the hands of the dragons or the demons that inhabit that cursed location.”
“Neither of those places a sane soldier would go into.” coldly stated by Bibil Hillfellow as his halfling frame stood on a chair looking at the map. “While we are just crazy enough to attempt to get into those places… for the right amount of compensation off course.”
King Gregorian waived him off. “Formalities that High Steward Zakinian will take care of. At a minimum, find out if the stones are there or if I need to give the executioner an assignment.” His eyes narrowed. “I can tell you that more coins will flow your way if you can actually return with the stones.”
And with that statement, King Gregorian turned and walked out of the grand hall with the herald quickly in tow.
After his departure, Zakinian looked at the three companies. “As you can see, regret can be a powerful motivator. And it can fill your purses if that is what you desire. Now, which company wants to go where?”
So, would this adventure seed work for your Basic Fantasy, Fantasy Age or Dungeons and Dragons campaign? Tell me about it. This article is open for discussion on the TardisCaptain dot Com Discord server. You can also email me at Carl (at) TardisCaptain.com or click on my social media links with any comments.
