Miskar under pressure

1618. Fire Season. Harmony. Godday

With so many of his henchmen out of the fight, Miskar hovers towards the enemy.

Hund, a Humakti Acolyte, played by Ben
Odd the Dark One, played by Kristof
Gust, played by Bram
Ulic the sorcerer, played by Alexander 
Gunnar the Demoralized, played by Gunther
Aelwyn and his brother, played by Philip

fter the last confrontation with Miskar the Gagarthi, and the subsequent capture of Aelwyn, our adventurers hunger for revenge, and they manage to field a nice group of stout warriors.  They get help from Hund, a Humakti acolyte, and Gust, a wild barbarian with a foul temper.  The party has several paths open to them.  They could spy on the Gagarthi, attempt to find out what their activities entail.  Or intercept messengers and convoys, in a bid to uncover their activities.  They could find out about their weaknesses and strengths, allies, and other important information.  Based on that information, they could formulate a plan, determine when the enemy is the weakest, and hit when he least expects it.  However, they decide to ride into the woods towards the captured stead, and run into a guard in a matter of minutes.  Miskar expects the adventurers to try something, and has posted guard on both sides of the woods.  His wolf companion is scouting as well, and the gang are ready for the adventurers' attack.  Or so they think.  

hen the guards spot the party, one of the guardsmen blows the alarm, and Miskar's wolf quickly finds our party and informs Miskar.  The gang leader is ready, quickly he leads his troupe into the woods, towards the invaders.  They stand 12 man strong, and are lead by Miskar's right hand, with Miskar in reserve.  They face the party, and the odds look insurmountable, 12 robbers, a runelord and sidekick against a party of 6 adventurers, it looks like the party's only chance is an attempt to escape, and it is certainly what Miskar expects will happen.  However, things turn out differently.  While Odd starts flanking on his warhorse, Ulic steps forward, and using his forbidden craft he palsies several of the robbers in one go.  Then Hund the Humakti advances, and lets loose his powerful divine magic, disarming several more.  This startles the gang members to no end: this was supposed to be a walkover, but here they stand, their number halved before the fight has even begun.  Miskar lets out his Magic as well, demoralizing only Gunnar.  Then, enraged, he drives his men forward, rather than take the time to cancel the sorcery.  Several of his men are lying on the ground, or standing with one of their limbs shaking uncontrollably.  Panic spreads amongst the Gagarthi, and only the bravest make a real effort to reach the enemy.  

his, of course, plays into the hand of our brave bunch.  Odd, forgotten in the hectic battle, succeeds in getting past the Gagarthi unseen and trots towards the captured Stead in search of Aelwyn.  The enemy, rather than charging at our adventurers in one pack, arrive in waves, and with some deadly blows, the party quickly dispatch Miskar's general.  Miskar loses his selfcontrol and hovers forward, intending to take revenge and set things to right, but by the time he reaches the melee he is left alone on the battle field, all others either dead or grievously wounded, or at least pretending to be.  His enemies see their chance and surround him, and suddenly Miskar is under severe pressure.  The constant flurry of blows prohibits him taking efficient action, and after several high damage blows, he needs a divine intervention to save his life.  His hope to startle the enemy by renewing the attack turns out fruitless, and now all his enemies are on him, killing him a second time.  He has to use his divine intervention again, this time at a high cost, and is healed and turns invisible.  This time, he does not insist, he runs off to safety, ready for revenge at a later date.  Meanwhile Odd made it to the Stead, and dispatches two old guards.  He finds the main Stead, but no trace of Aelwyn.  In a second building, he finds the sleeping quarters of the men, and he notices a trapdoor leading down to a narrow tunnel.  He follows the tunnel and runs into a guard, a young guy, not even bearded, but it takes him a lot of time to take the fellow out.  In one cell the young man was guarding, he finds a weakened Aelwyn, who had been under interrogation for two days, but without telling anything to his captors.  The other cell holds two young women, daughters of Orlmarth Carls, that have been captured by the Gagarthi.  They had not been maltreated and were to be sent to some other location, possibly to be sold as slaves or some other grim fate.

A case of protection...

1618. Sea Season. Truth. Godday

Aylwin from the Orlmarth - Colymar Tribe, played by Philip
Blanka from the Ernaldori - Colymar Tribe, played by Bram
Gunnar 'the devoted' Gunnarson from the Hiording - Colymar Tribe, played by Gunther
Ranath, a Lhankor Mhy student, played by Ben 
Ulic Qel-Droma, a Bagnot resident from Tarsh, played by Alexander

pon arrival at the Grey Dog Inn, our heroes learn that their trader contact has returned home, and the Innkeeper is reluctant to disclose the trader's home address.  So the adventurers have little alternative to getting a room.  Blanka hires a very cheap room, but gets a nasty surprise when she is attacked by a giant caterpillar with an attitude, and almost dies, if not for the help of her fellows.  But she did save a few coppers.
Quentin Longbrewer, the innkeeper, feels responsible for what happened, and the fact that the party is not pushing for compensation endears them to him somewhat and he offers them free breakfast the next morning.  Our heroes sit waiting for most of the day, until the trader returns, and they quickly finalize business, almost forgetting their stash of looted weaponry in the hurry.  Since they are offered free supper as well, they decide to stay another night.  Next day at breakfast two burly looking barbarians enter and Quentin takes them into the kitchen.  The party immediately get a bad feeling about the two fellows, and they try to listen in to the conversation, but discover the kitchen is empty.  They quickly discover the trap in the floor, and manage to overhear how the two thugs put pressure on Quentin to pay a protection fee.  Quentin is not impressed, and warns the two to get out, when Aylwin decides to bravely jump down the trapdoor to come to the innkeeper's aid.  Sadly, he misses his jump and lands flat on his belly, missing the two outlaws completely.  They climb up the ladder, and leave the kitchen, the party in pursuit.  A fight ensues, with Ranath joining in from the Lhankor Mhy temple across the street.  They quickly discover a backup party of 2 more thugs in a dark alley nearby.  Aylwin bravely charges forward, and quickly disptaches with the notorious Elrund the butcher.  The party also kill  Gagrid, but just when they want to loot the victims, the Lunar Guard arrives on the scene.  Some exceptional talking keeps them out of the claws of the law, and they return to the inn.

Miskar the racketeer

he next day they notice the inn is very silent when they awake.  Quentin and his wife lie on the floor, bleeding profusely.  The Lhankor Mhy Priest manages to staunch the bleeding of Quentin, but his wife does not survive.  It quickly becomes clear the racketeers have a hand in this, and the party decides to split up and investigate further.  Blanka, now having gained the trust of Quentin, learns that the old warrior and innkeeper is an alchemist, and Blanka is accepted as his lay member.  Ulic, frustrated with his inability to advance in the arts of sorcery, decides to join a Lunar sorcery cult, unaware of exactly what this entails.  Ranath goes back to the temple to investigate, and Aylwin and Gunnar run into a pair of assassin guild operatives sent to dispatach them.  However, with Gunnar's astute perception the assassins are unable to properly prepare, and the ambush is foiled.  Our heroes are covered in wounds, but the death-dealers have gotten a dose of their own recipe.  The party realizes that they are now on the hitlist of the thugs, and they decide to take the fight to them.  Some further investigation quickly makes clear where the operation headquarters is, and they go and take a look.  It is clear immediately that they have little chance in a straight fight, and they change tactics: they set up an ambush of their own, and ensnare two thugs that come collecting at the smithy.  They murder all four of them, but not before mind reading some very valuable information about the gang they are facing.  The leader of the gang is or has been an important member of the Gagarthi, and his name is Miskar.  He is wearing an eye-patch.  His lieutenant is called Aguilo, and the gang has about 10 more full members, plus a large contingent of aides, runners and initiates.  They occupy a farm, and force the peasants to stand guard and work for the gang, keeping their families hostage to ensure their cooperation.  With both sides now well aware of the presence and danger the other party represents, who will take the next step?

The road to Grey Dog Village

1618. Sea Season. Stasis. Freezeday

Characters partaking:

Aylwin from the Orlmarth - Colymar Tribe, played by Philip
Blanka from the Ernaldori - Colymar Tribe, played by Bram
Gunnar 'the devoted' Gunnarson from the Hiording - Colymar Tribe, played by Gunther
Hjotra from the Hiording - Colymar Tribe, played by Dominique
Ulic Qel-Droma, a Bagnot resident from Tarsh, played by Alexander

fter overcoming the gang of robbers eager to steal their goods, our adventurers empty their agressors' pockets and split the earnings. Then the party resumes their travel towards Grey Dog village.  Aelwin insists on driving the cart, but when he fires up the horses, Ulic, walking in front of the cart, stumbles and falls, and is ran over by the cart.  The wound is major, but not fatal.  Apart from that the trip is quite uneventful, and after a few hours they pass the Humakt stead, where they have a short chat with Aelbric Svenson, the retired Humakt Rune Lord, whose sole frustration in life is not to have died on the battlefield.  He feels he still has one good fight in him though.  Odd takes the opportunity to sneak around the stead in order to check whether the man is to be trusted, but sees nothing alarming.  Ulic uses intuition to determine Aelbric's true attitude, and sees the Humakti is up-front.

hey take to the road again, and fail to notice how a gang of duck is leading them, then changes direction to meet them head on.  The duck pretend to be friendly and invite the party over to share dinner, and our gullible friends gladly accept.  They follow the duck off the road towards what they call their Stead.  This turns out to be a cave.  In the entrance room two barbarians are roasting a boar, and the duck invite the adventurers in.  Now the adventurers start to have a bad feeling about the invitation, and Ulic casts his intuition spell and reads that the Ducks are definitely having ulterior motives.  He feels that the Duck have a plan, and they are annoyed because things are not happening as they planned it.  That's the instant the shit hits the fan.  Ulic raises the alarm and casts fireblade on his sword, and in reaction to this the ducks standing outisde charge forward.  Within seconds the scene turns into a battlefield, with Hjotra and Aelwin holding off the ducks outside of the cave, and Odd using his stealth skills to quickly recon the cave complex.  He runs into more ducks, charging into the fight, and casts darkwall into the corridor.  a short fight in the dark ensues, and the ducks retreat.

eanwhile around the campfire in the entrance room heavy fighting takes place as well.  One of the robbers in bashed into the campfire and is unable to regain his footing, he dies in the flames, screaming in agony.  The brave adventurers charge into the fight, and when two humans charge out of one of the corridors, they are met promptly.  Odd has retreated to the main room as well, and enters another corridor, only to run into the same ducks.  He tries the same tactic, casting darkwall, but this time the ducks cancel the magic, and he is under attack. Before things turn ugly though, the remaining ducks realize they have been beaten, and they retreat into the caves.  The party keeps the pressure on, and the retreat becomes a rout.  The Duck commander manages to flee, as does his human second in command, but they do not have time to take along their stack of cash and potions.  The gang healer who retreated into the hidden cave is brutally decapitated by Hjotra.  After the fight, the adventurers find Gunnar who managed to keep wurming through a narrow passage in the rock and is unable to retreat.  Just when his companions consider whether they should leave him there for a few days so he loses some weight, someone manages to pull him out using troll ear wax as lubricant.  As the feathers come to rest on the cave floor, the extent of the slaughter becomes visible: heads and limbs are strewn all over the place, thick red blood follows the striae in the rocky floor, and bodies are in every cave.  The lone survivor is quickly and brutally dispatched.

ut in the open in front of the cave entrance, Aelwin is waiting near the cart when someone takes a shot at him with his bow.  He is unable to see where the shooter is firing from, but Ulic, who climbed up the ladder inside the caves appears on top of the mound and sees a human firing his bow.  Within seconds, the archer is overcome with palsy, and runs for his life. The leader is nowhere to be seen.  After a lucrative day, the party loads the bags and crates of stolen goods and all the weapons they managed to retrieve on the cart and head for Grey Dog village, where they arrive late at night.  They check into the hotel where they are supposed to meet their contact, and hit the hay.
 

Clearwine Fort

1618. Sea Season. Stasis. Freezeday

Characters partaking:
Aylwin from the Orlmarth - Colymar Tribe, played by Philip
Blanka from the Ernaldori - Colymar Tribe, played by Bram
Gunnar 'the devoted' Gunnarson from the Hiording - Colymar Tribe, played by Gunther
Hjotra from the Hiording - Colymar Tribe, played by Dominique
Ulic Qel-Droma, a Bagnot resident from Tarsh, played by Alexander

The Starfire Ridges: the Upper Ridges

he adventurers enter stage in Clearwine Fort, Nymie Valley.  The lowlands of the Nymie Vale have good farmlands but much of the better farm land is claimed by the Ernaldor clan. Ancient standing stones can be found throughout the valley, many are associated with the goddess Orane who found shelter in this valley. Sacrifices to Ernalda are made by the clan priestess at Orane’s Loom. The flanks of the valley are very fertile, the soil is clay and limestone, which makes for exceptional wine.  The Nymie Vale was once an important settlement of the Empire of Wyrms Friends and the remnants of the draconic empire can be seen throughout the Vale. Chief Colymar defeated the draconic guardians of Clearwine Fort and shattered their power over the Vale when he settled the valley with his Black Spear Clan, but many ruins are still avoided by the locals.  The village of Clearwine is filled with farmers, crafters and petty traders. The streets are mostly mud, only the road up to the sacred hill was paved in stone; another road was paved with wooden planks. Pigs, sheep and even cows wander through the village, accompanied by their herders.

lanka's aunt and uncle used to be important people in the Ernaldori clan, but have lost most of their influence since Kangharl Kadragusson became king instead of Leika Ballista.  This Colymar king is a thane who allied with the Lunars to seize the tribal kingship. Although few support his Lunar associations, he is still respected as a warrior and warleader. Kangharl is also increasingly feared by his enemies, who call him “Blackmoor” (an ancient slur against those kings who serve foreign overlords). The son of Kagradus Korlmhysson of the Taraling clan, Kangharl served his uncle King Kallai Rockbuster as thane and warleader. He was exiled following Starbrow’s Rebellion in 1613, but returned in 1615 to seize the tribal kingship from his kinswoman Leika Ballista.

he party is confronted with a crime: a gang of robbers entered the Longhouse of Blanka's family and stole various valuable heirlooms and a large amount of silver coins.  The gang was described to consist of some goblins, ducks and humans.  Blanka's uncle tried to fight off the robbers, but got wounded gravely doing so.  The Lunar guard seem to be doing very little effort to solve the crime.  Blanka gathers some information, but seems uninspired to help his family members.  Instead, during a visit to the White Grape Inn, they run into a gentleman who offers them a job.  After some haggling they agree to transport a cart full of goods to the village of Grey Dog.  Grey Dog village is the clan center of the Grey Dog clan, belonging to the Malani tribe.  The Malani tribe are not the Colymar's best friends, but this has not overly worried the adventurers.  They meet the next dawn, and leave for Grey Dog Village.  The weather is cloudy but dry, and the party travels expeditiously.

uring a short break, they notice a bear with cubs entering the clearing they are sitting in.  The animal notices them, and it gets nervous quick.  Aylwin decides it is time to go and drives the cart out of the clearing fast, the other party members clinging to the side of the wagon.  The rest of the morning the travelers enjoy the surroundings, and they fail to notice a band of robbers trying to set up ambush until one of them is noticed.  The party opens fire, and soon it becomes apparent that the band of robbers is bigger than initially expected, but it is too late to flee.  Through some very effective magic and ranged fire they manage to subdue the robbers, and win the fight.  Now what to do with them?  Carry them to Black Spear tula?  The facts happened on their lands.  Hand over the robbers to the Lunar authorities?  They would surely end up in one of the Lunar slavefarms.  Maybe they need to find out more...