Dolmenwood Factions #08: House Mulbreck

10 Aug, 2024

House Mulbreck is a faction that is often overlooked. Once a family of trade moguls, they have now fallen under the grip of fungal addiction, transforming into a potential major threat to Dolmenwood due to their ties with the Myconom.

Goals

Like some other minor houses in Dolmenwood, House Mulbreck isn't a major part of the setting as written. I've expanded them significantly here, but if you prefer, you can skip this faction and use them as regular NPCs rather than a full-fledged faction.

To turn House Mulbreck into an active faction, they need well-defined goals. Addiction is a significant theme in their region—not only are the Mulbrecks seemingly addicted to moulds and fungi¹, but Jollie Oistace, the leader of the Woodcutters' Encampment, also struggles with drug addiction². Combining this with Lady Mulbreck's desire to maintain control of the Falls of Nyf³, I’ve concluded that House Mulbreck is involved in the illicit trade of illegal substances. This trade finances their wealth and drives their expansionist ambitions.

Their connection to the Myconom through Lord Mulbreck⁴ and the need to keep this alliance secret⁵ suggest they are working together—or more likely, that they serve the Myconom in some capacity. Only Lady Mulbreck is privy to this knowledge; even her sons are unaware of their father's fate and the power it grants them. These elements combined give House Mulbreck a dark motivation that will inevitably lead to conflict.

• 🐵 Expand their control of the southern river trade. Aiming to eliminate competition and establish a monopoly.
  • Turn the Woodcutters' Encampment into a thriving trading post.
  • Seize control of Shantywood Isle.
  • Wrest control of Dreg from Lord Malbleat.

• 🙈 Gain access to Mulchgrove's vast fungi resources⁶. Seeking to secure a steady supply of rare fungi.
  • Negotiate with the Mosslings for a mutually beneficial agreement.
  • Establish a foothold in Mulchgrove.
  • Secure regular shipments of fungi.

• 🙊 Extend the Myconom's influence through a network of conduits⁷. Deepening its alliance with the entity.
  • Develop a new, highly addictive fungi delicacy.
  • Distribute this product across Dolmenwood.
  • Gather the conduits at Bogwitt Manor to solidify the Myconom's control.

Resources

House Mulbreck’s control over the river trade has made them extremely wealthy, a resource they wield with great influence. Their direct connection to the Myconom is equally crucial; losing this link would leave the faction scrambling, as their direction and guidance would be severed.

• Falls of Nyf: A magical conveyor that transports ships up and down the southern waterfall on the river Hameth⁸.
  • Increase revenue through taxes.
  • Maintain this strategic position in Dolmenwood.
  • Use it as leverage in negotiations.

• Enormous Wealth: Accumulated through trade regulation, taxation, and drug trafficking.
  • Buy influence.
  • Bribe potential threats.
  • Incentivize others to assist without forming formal alliances.

• Direct contact with the Myconom: Lord Mulbreck acts as a conduit, maintaining a direct line to this powerful entity.
  • Tap into the mycelium network for intelligence.
  • Cultivate relationships with sentient fungi.
  • Exert influence over the Mosslings.

Actions

These actions outline the steps House Mulbreck is taking to achieve their goals, particularly their secret alliance with the Myconom. As their plans unfold, they will gradually attract the attention of other factions, but for now, they operate under the radar.

• 📔 Get close to Madame Shantywood and discover her desires⁹:
  • 🕵️ Lionel and Arthur Mulbreck
  • 📝 Travel to Chateau Shantywood and stay for a while.
  • 📝 Build rapport with the residents.
  • 📝 Promise her a significant favor.

• 📔 Silence the opposing Elder Woodcutters¹⁰:
  • 🕵️ Rhea "Whisper" Belknap
  • 📝 Spy on their gatherings.
  • 📝 Send anonymous threats to their homes.
  • 📝 Eliminate Hagbard Sundiman discreetly.

• 📔 Negotiate a trade deal with Orbswallow:
  • 🕵️ Treeve and Jowan Mulbreck
  • 📝 Travel to Orbswallow and meet with Brimbul.
  • 📝 Set terms for direct access to rare fungi.
  • 📝 Offer assistance with the Nutcap situation¹¹.

Further Thoughts

The Shantywood plot offers multiple outcomes depending on how things unfold. Once the mission is completed, I plan to use a reaction roll to determine the next steps. The potential paths are:

• Positive Outcome: The Mulbreck son makes a lasting impression on Madame Shantywood, possibly even seducing her.
• Neutral Outcome (Most likely): The Mulbreck son is well-regarded but fails to spark romantic interest. This may lead the Mulbrecks to seek help from the Hag, possibly involving love potions, eliminating rivals¹², or both. The Hag might even demand the heart of the desired person as part of a potion.
• Negative Outcome: The Mulbrecks fail to impress, forcing them to take drastic measures to prove their worth. This could involve directly opposing Lord Murkin⁹, delaying their plans and creating new enemies.

Another possible ploy is to wrest control of Dreg from House Malbleat. This could be attempted by occupying it and claiming it as their own, especially if Lord Malbleat is preoccupied with other threats like the Drune or House Ramius. After securing Shantywood Isle, this move becomes even more feasible for House Mulbreck. Alternatively, they could leverage their wealth, something House Hogwarsh greatly desires, to finance the Baron's ambitions, posing as wealthy patrons to gain control over Dreg and invite themselves into the High Wold.

House Mulbreck’s alliance with the Myconom will escalate if left unchecked. They operate quietly for now, but rumors and signs of their activities should begin to spread throughout the campaign, hinting at something sinister. Eventually, it may be too late to stop them as their plans come to fruition, leading to a regional crisis where fungal creatures—some violent—begin to appear across Dolmenwood.

This potential fungus zombie epidemic would be a major event, weakening the noble houses and creating chaos in the region. Forcing House Brackenwold and the Pluritine Church to act. One factor that could fast-track this outcome is the fall of Blackeswell¹³. The Mulbrecks will likely show great interest in Paronax’s studies¹⁴ if they have the opportunity to acquire them, offering exorbitant sums for such knowledge. However, this crisis is far from certain and will depend on how events unfold in the campaign.

Potential Alliances

House Mulbreck’s unique alliance with the Myconom sets them apart from other factions in Dolmenwood. This relationship makes them less inclined to seek out additional alliances, as their primary focus is on advancing the Myconom’s influence. However, there is potential for collaboration with the Mosslings under specific circumstances:

• Orbswallow: Beyond trading and labor agreements, House Mulbreck may form a deeper alliance with Orbswallow if the Mosslings learn that the Mulbrecks also serve the entity they worship—the Myconom¹⁵.

Example

Decent progress for House Mulbreck here. I'm a bit disappointed that they haven't kicked off the Shantywood mission yet—I really want to see what happens there—but it will eventually start. Maybe it's a good thing for the campaign overall, as it spaces out major events, giving the illusion of slight control. It would be very interesting to see a fungal epidemic breaking out at the same time that Prigwort falls to the Nag-Lord or the Cold Prince becomes a threat again. What will the factions do then, and how will this affect them? Not sure yet! But I will have a clearer picture when it happens.

My players visited the Woodcutters' Encampment and met Hagbard Sundiman, one of the characters hailed from there, but sadly that character has since died. They know a little about Jollie Oistace and the situation in the village. Perhaps next time they're in the area, the Mulbrecks will have already made their move, sparking their interest to investigate further!

Conclusion

I might have gone overboard with House Mulbreck, but the more I explored, the more connections I found. The fusion with the Myconom is intriguing because it integrates this fascinating entity into the faction landscape. It could stand alone, but through House Mulbreck, the two are elegantly intertwined.

The Shantywood Isle plot is another highlight. It deserves further development, particularly the mystery of the Man in the Mirror, which I’ll explore further as it becomes relevant in my game.

And with that, House Mulbreck bids farewell; next time, we’ll conclude the Human Nobility series with House Nodlock!

References

#dolmenwood #faction turns #legwork