Advent of the Artificer

Lantan's Schism

Following the declaration of Peace with the Veritas syndicate during the Bloodmaim Wars, Exigo went to some lengths to acquire the service of many of their engineers who specialized in the constructs that had protected and maintained their mountain stronghold, striking a deal between Sundren State and the Veritas forces to take possession of their former base of operations.

In the years that followed the birth of the Senate and fall of Hellstrom, Exigo poured development money into the Schild Mountain Facility, creating one of the most cutting edge construct development sites known outside of Latan. This was bolstered further after the Lantan Schism, where a chief artificer fled to Sundren after he was accused of treason by the Lantan government. Rumor dictates that the Sundarian nobility was to some extent involved in aiding him in his flight, but the gnomish artificer was welcomed into Sundren City with open arms. His defection provided an influx of keen minds from the famous island; artifice becomes popular within Sundren City and its wealthy citizens after the Artificer partners with the Oghma temple and Exigo interests to spread it.

Hellstrom's fall from grace in turn offered Exigo a chance to solidify its ties with Blackwood, as the Hellstrom family collapsed Exigo's management team took the opportunity to purchase as many of their own shares and Blackwoods as they could, rendering themselves a truly independent organization.

Their relationship with Bristlebeard's Hollow remains strong, even though time, distance and convenience have loosened their partnership. They still remain a valuable trading partner however as folk the world over understand the value of dwarven goods.

The Colony of Ferracosta

An attempt was made to set up a colony on Ferracosta, the iron rich island was seen as a potential mining site by would be settlers. Some 130 colonists consisting largely of humans and dwarves with smaller numbers of other races made landfall and erected a small fortified village named Freetown. Over the following months the village became more secure, attracting further colonists and traders. A little under a year after its founding traders reported seeing quarantine flags flying from one of its watchtowers, all attempts to communicate with the colony went unanswered. Fearing plague it was some time before the colony was explored, when a party did eventually break into the locked compound they found the place abandoned. Some small signs of a struggle were found in the watchtower displaying the quarantine flag and two other locations, other than that there were no bodies, notes or other symbols that might have shown the fate of the towns 200+ inhabitants.

Since the failure of Freetown excursions to Ferracosta have been rare, though thanks to the mystery of the townsfolk’s disappearance and the rewards for information offered by numerous relatives trips to the island are not unheard of. So far though no further information has been found and Freetown itself has been slowly overtaken by the island's flora.

Exigos presence on the islands hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Their dealings with the lizardfolk have had unintended consequences across the islands.