Session 6

On November 4^th, we met for Session 6. Everyone but Adam (Ash, shadow elf ninja) was here. The party included Lisa (Sydney Swann, swashbuckler), Barry (Reggie, ogre monk), Kevin (Clint Carver, butcher, epicurean), Caleb (Powder, wizard), Phil (Finnegan Longstride, halfling cleric of The Stranger), Bonnie, (Grizena Hemmingsworth, half-ogre barbarian), and Mike (Humphrey Hemmingsworth, holy warrior). Ash asked me to run Powder as an NPC.

After spending a lot of the last session shopping, meeting NPCs in town who were unfriendly or unhelpful, and then establishing a camp at the abandoned monastery along the road to the caves of Bale Valley, the party was pretty anxious to go attack some evil creatures and take their stuff.

Packing up the remaining owlbear steak and other supplies, the heros make for the valley. It is still morning when they arrive. They see the caves they saw before, although the platforms with the skulls are now empty. Instead, animal claws hang from the platform, which Humphrey judges to be a marginal but real improvement in decor. He directs the party to the cave with the neat piles next to it, including one pile that is obviously feces. From the point that this pile is identified, this cave is known to the party as “The Poop Cave.”

As the party approaches the cave entrance, they see another group approaching the cave, too. Four kobolds are coming to the cave with a wheelbarrow and gardening tools (which could certainly be polearms if they are held the right way). The party kicks into kill made and slaughters the four kobolds. The kobolds, for their part, don't have time to realize that they should run. Tossing the bodies to the side, the party cursorily examines the vegetables the kobolds were carrying in the wheelbarrow (a whole lot of beets). They enter the cave, with Ash scouting ahead.

The walls of the cave are painted up to a height of about four feet above the floor, with scenes of crudely drawn kobolds and other demi-humans. Some scenes show the kobolds carrying things under the supervision of orcs or goblins, while others show hunting scenes, or fighting scenes. Some paintings illustrate kobolds cutting the throats of apparently unconscious humans, goblins, elves, and dwarves. The floor is packed clay with splatters of paint along the base the the walls.

Ash disappears into the darkness as the rest of the party pulls weapons and advances slowly behind him. Some sharp noises up ahead followed by silence cause Sydney, Clint, and Finn to rush forward. Finn's candle shows a slice in the floor, revealing that it is a tarp stretched over a pit, covered with a thin layer of clay. On the opposite side of the tarp, there is a raised platform with a low wall. To either side of the trap, wide halls with low ceilings extend at 90 degrees to the left and right. The party carefully steps past the corner of the pit trap to the right, and circle it toward the platform. Shallow steps lead up to a waist-high area. On the platform are two dead kobolds, one with a cut throat, the other with a stab wound to the eye. Powder says that Ash has clearly marked the trap and dispatched the guards, but he may be in trouble. Some of the others question why he failed to rejoin them after doing so, but they agree to move on. The party elects to stay together, and follows the corridor that branched right.

The tunnel opens after some distance, into a larger tunnel that offers a choice between continuing in the same direction and turning left. The party goes straight. The wide tunnel comes to an abrupt end, with a narrow passage going onward. Finn and Powder examine this passageway, finding small holes along the left wall. Pushing his staff into the floor ahead of him, Finn triggers a mechanism that shoots a heavy dart across the passageway. He bends his head a bit lower, and Powder walks along behind him in a low squat. Above them, darts shoot every few seconds, hitting the opposite wall.

After a few yards, the two emerge from this narrow place into a much bigger cavern. Flinn's candle illuminates a wall that continues forward on their left, and the wall extending away to their right, so that they seem to be in a corner of a room, but the light doesn't reach far enough to tell them more. Powder decides that he would like to see just what is happening here. He warns Finn, then lowers his goggles over his eyes and casts a Continual Light Spell, brightening everything as if it were noon. They see a couple dozen kobolds arranged behind overturned tables ahead of them across a large room. The kobolds are all clamping their own eyes shut, as well, some shrieking in surprise.

Sydney rushes through the narrow space, as a few last darts ping against stone behind him. Humphrey, Reggie, and Grizena follow. As Humphrey and Reggie charge straight at the kobold, Sydney dashes to the right, seeking to circle the barricade they've built. Finn walks forward, blinking, and flips a table in front of him to act as cover. Powder also makes for the kobolds, casting as he walks. Reggie forms up on him while Grizena hangs back with Finn. She removes her falcon's hood, and Peekaboo lifts from her arm.

Sydney gets to the flank and engages some kobolds, who are beginning to recover. The start to swarm around him, but he simply slashes and stabs, dropping four of the enemy in short order. Humphrey charges at the center, sword raised, but trips on a small chair and falls face forward. Kobolds swarm over him, stabbing. Reggie and Powder make their way into the room. Reggie disarms clots of kobolds. Powder casts reverse missile, then wall of lightning to split the group of kobolds in half. Some of the kobolds are injured by the wall of lightning, and fall back, while others leap forward to be free of it. Peekaboo finds himself on the far side of the lightning, and continues to claw at kobolds as he flies by them. As Powder leaps forward to whack a kobold with his staff, he trips on a piece of broken furniture and sprawls face first on the floor. Grizena and Finn work their way forward through the tables and chairs more slowly, to join the fight. Finn takes hold of his holy symbol and closes his eyes, praying, while Grizena starts swinging her axe at the kobolds attacking Humphrey. Humphrey struggles to his feet as he is jabbed at repeatedly by the kobolds. While his armor and poor aim from the kobolds protect him from the worst of it, he does receive some minor wounds.

Sydney continues racking up a body count, closing toward the cluster of enemies around Humphrey and Grizena. Humphrey and Grizena start killing kobolds, hacking furiously with greatsword and axe. Finn finishes praying to the Stranger, opens his eyes, and looks at one the kobolds near Reggie, who is then charred by the Gaze of the Stranger.

The kobolds panic and try to flee. There is nowhere for them to go, however, and the party isn't inclined to let any live. The fighters finish up the survivors, as they cower in the corners of the room. Grizena turns to a last group just as Ash enters the room and chucks an acid grenade into the crowd of huddled kobolds.

As the party looks at him in astonishment, he shrugs and says, “You guys should've gone left at the pit trap. Always keep turning left.”

Grizena turns to him, “Oh, is that our rule? I thought it was 'always keep to the right,' but I guess we were all confused, and you remembered.”

Sydney is more interested in collecting kobold ears. He manages to snip ears from 11 kobolds while the others calm down. Several of the dead are charred too badly to harvest the ears, though he tries. Grizena hoods Peekaboo as everyone cleans the blood from their weapons.

Ash reports that if the others had followed him (as he assumed they would), they would have found a small group of guards, who Ash tried talking to. When they proved unwilling to be nice, he killed them and explored further. He found a sort of workshop, but a cursory search revealed it to be a dead end, so he came back to see what was taking everyone so long. He heard the racket that they were making, followed, and arrived in time to see the end of the fight.

Finn and Humphrey exchange a look. “That's the longest I have ever heard you speak, and the most clear information you have ever volunteered. Are you really Ash, or some kind of imposter?”

The party explores onward. Returning to the large hallway, they take the branch no one has explored yet. A dozen or so yards along, they find an alcove in the wall on the left, with a sturdy wooden door. Ash sets to picking the heavy lock. Just as he gets the tumblers tripped, a pi swings down and stabs his hand. He stumbles back, holding his pricked hand tightly with his other hand.

Suddenly, he lurches, saying “I have to get outside, outta my way.” Finn sees that his hand is swelling rapidly as he tries to shove through the group. He takes hold of Ash's injured hand, and says a quick prayer. The swelling immediately begins to go down, and Ash drops to sit against a wall.

Finn looks into his eyes and says, “I think you understand where this leaves us.”

Ash closes his eyes and nods. “I am faithful in my debts, as you will discover.” Even in grudgingly expressing gratitude, Ash somehow seems to be making a threat.

The group looks into the room behind the door. Inside, the see crates and barrels, bolts of cloth and bundles of fur. They pop open a crate, and puzzle for a while over that it contains until someone realizes that there are a couple hundred sticks of sealing wax individually wrapped in paper. Other crates contain candlesticks and goblets. They appear to have found a store room full of luxury goods. Grizena finds a long coil of rope, tightly woven from a silky fiber. It is mildly reflective, and when she pulls on a bit of it, seems very strong for its thinness. She slips the rope into her pack.

“Hmm, elven rope?” wonders Humphrey.

“Who are these people we are killing,” wonders Clint quietly.

“Creatures of evil that must be destroyed,” answers Humphrey, closing a crates.

Finn nods in agreement. “They don't deserve our mercy. This is all likely stolen from good people. Let's move on, we can come back for this stuff. I'll stay up front with Ash, just in case.”

As the two lead off, the party follows the big tunnel as it turns further to the right. All along the left wall, from a couple of feet up to near the ceiling, there are holes. The holes are all around 18 inches wide, and round. The paint between these holes seems more worn, as if it has been subject to something rubbing against it.

As Ash and Fin carefully examine the first of these holes, Finn discovers a floor trap, a weak spot that breaks away to reveal a barbed hole perfect for catching a foot. Tapping carefully, they find and mark many more foot traps, working their way forward. After a few dozen yards, they find another large room, partitioned from the corridor by a heavy curtain.

Beyond the curtain, Ash and Finn discover a deserted, well built throne room, with un-mortared stone walls. The stones are cut with precision and care. The search this room, and report back to the rest of the party.

When Finn and Ash return and describe the empty throne room, the party decides to secure the cave, leave half the party as guards, and send the rest back to town to get a wagon to haul the goods from the store room back. Humphrey, Ash, Finn, and Sydney will return to hire a wagon, while Powder, Clint, Grizena, and Reggie will remain to guard the cave.

On the road back to Broder Keep, the four come upon a scene of a robbery. Two horses lie dead in the road, where they were pulling a cart. A merchant is slumped forward from the cart's bench, and two swordsmen lie dead nearby. Four men are examining the cart's contents and collecting small bags of rice from it into satchels they carry. Ash slips off to the right side of the road, while Humphrey, Sydney, and Finn all make for the cart directly. When they get to about 50 feet away, the men on the cart notice them. Two immediately run to the woods on the right side of the road, while the other two drawn short swords and advance.

Sydney dispatches one swordsman quickly, while Humphrey fights the other. Finn takes cover behind the cart, as arrows fly at him and Humphrey. Humphrey is hit by an arrow, but continues swinging at the swordsman before him. Sydney runs around the cart to get at the man, and Finn pops up to try to find where the archers are hiding among the trees. Locating one, rushes forward to engage him at close range. As Humphrey finally manages to score a powerful blow to the swordsman he is fighting, he is hit by another arrow. He staggers to his knees, but sees where the second archer is, and points him out to the others. Finn and Sydney close some more distance while one of the archers pulls a sword and drops his bow. Sydney reaches the archers before Finn, and kills the one who has drawn his sword, just as Ash appears behind the last of the four, garroting him.

“Good thing that you managed to kill him so quietly, before he could alert his companions or hurt anyone,” grumbles Humphrey, pulling an arrow from his armor.

“You are most welcome,” answers Ash.

After looking at the cart to see if it might be useful to them, the four decide that it is too small to carry everything from the Poop Cave back to Broder, and in any case, they would need new animals to pull it. They continue on their way, watching the trees warily.

They arrive at Broder's gate shortly before it is closed for the night, and head to their rooms at the inn to rest, except for Finn, who elects to sleep in front of the church.

Back at the cave, Powder, Grizena, Reggie, and Clint make a small meal, camped on the platform overlooking the pit trap near the cave entrance, and tell stories until they become tired. Posting watches, the take turns sleeping through the night.

Session 5

We met for our 5th session on October 22. Present to play were Lisa (playing Sydney Swann, human swashbuckler), Phil (Finn Longstride, halfling cleric),  Bonnie (Grizena Hemmingsworth, half-ogre barbarian), Caleb (Powder, wizard), Barry (Reggie, ogre monk), Kevin (Clint Carver, butcher and warrior), Adam (as Ash, shadow elf ninja), and Mike (Humphrey Hemmingsworth, holy warrior). Full house!

The first part of this session, the PCs knocked around town some more, going shopping, practicing skills, and meeting some of the characters that Ash and Humphrey made contacts with during the previous session.

Reggie, Clint, and Finn went shopping at the general store. Finn picked up some cured sausage and filled a wineskin with the local beer. The sausage was good, but the beer was nothing special. Clint bought some dried meat and helped Reggie shop. Reggie bought more trail rations, too. Clint and Reggie were referred to the carpenter for a custom project Reggie wanted. Reggie ordered and paid for a bigger barrel to carry his booze around in, to be made by Mrs. Guffin. She was pleased to be paid up front, and gave him a little price break.

Grizena spent some quality time with her bird, Peekaboo, then checked out the Tipsy Mermaid bar. The crowd was thin and the mood unfriendly. She got a little bit of attitude from the staff and patrons, but she tipped well, drank cheerfully, and tried her level best to engage the sullen people in the bar in some morning revelry. The hangovers the local barflies were nursing worked against the efforts of the nine foot tall half ogre and her falcon in making friends.

Sydney joins Griz for a drink, then heads to the Blacksmith to get a helmet made for Maki. He wants to help Maki keep the water in his forehead. The smith says he can make such a headpiece, but he'll need measurements for the kappa's head. Sydney collects Maki at the fountain, startling a man enjoying his breakfast. He decides that Maki should slip back into the water and join the party at the swamp along the road.

Powder stayed in his room at the inn, studying the scrolls that Ash and he has recovered in the caves of the orcs. He determined that one of the scrolls contained a spell for summoning an illusionary warrior. He lacks the prerequisites to learn the spell for now, but he could cast this from the scroll in a pinch, rather than trying to learn it.

Humphrey and Ash mostly try to urge the others to hurry up. Ash slips away to the stables. Humprey introduces Finn to Essentia Nells, who tells Finn that Castellan Josk would love to meet him, but is very busy today. Finn declines to make an appointment for the next day, and the two holy men stop by the church. Finn meets the local priest, Curtis, another halfling. He observes the richness of his home, is offered tea from a silver tea service, and decides he doesn't like Curtis. He talks a bit about endowing the church with money to add another priest and set up more educational programs for local children. Curtis seems enthusiastic, and agrees that Finn can oversee how the money is spent. He offers to set up an interview with Chant Havelove, an itinerant priest who is staying in Broder, to see if he'd like to join the community more permanently. Finn agrees, leaves some money with the priest, and departs with some concern.

When everyone is finally assembled and ready to travel, in various states of preparedness and sobriety, the set off for the valley.

Some time shortly after noon, they have reached the stretch of the road along the swamp. They decide to investigate the abandoned monastery they see through the fog, and have a meal there, perhaps camping until the morning before hitting the cave.

Maki joins the party from the swamp. He tells them that he can find a safe path to the monastery. They follow him, noting the path carefully. Arriving at the ruins, they find that the main building appears intact, while the stone wall enclosing the grounds around the monastery is broken in many places. They carefully peep over the wall, then hop over and fan out to explore.

Ash pats his many pockets looking for something he doesn't seem to find. He approaches Powder, and asks him if he can produce something like a candle using his magic. Powder picks up a piece of wood and casts Continual Light on it, telling Ash that it should be good for at least a day. Ash thanks him and heads around the south side of the main building.

Sydney, Humphrey, and Griz are near a gate in the wall on the west side of the yard when the see movement. Griz runs to the gate, and sees a lizard man running off into the fog. “We're gonna have company, guys!” She shouts to the others.

Humphrey starts asking for Ash, who has disappeared. He wants him to go into the monastery main building and investigate. After some shouted calls, Ash emerges from the building. “Come on, this way,” he hisses, running back inside. The others follow.

The monastery is a big block of a building. Wide archways from the north and south open into an interior courtyard. Looking up, the party sees balconies on the east and west sides stretching upward four floors. With the sky open above them. A tower stand above the arches on the north and south, just visible in the mist. In the courtyard inside, a seven pointed star is worked in stone tiles. But sitting on the star, defiling it, is an alter stone with dried blood streaked down its sides. Humprey and Finn reach for holy symbols and make noises of disgust. Along the east and west walls, beneath the balcony walkways of the stories above, broad doorways gape open, heavy wood doors torn from hinges, two to the west, three to the east.

Griz stays just outside the north archway, watching the outer yard, while the others enter. Reggie stays close to the north arch as well. As the others spread around the atruim, they hear a roar from one of the open doorways, and a huge owlbear emerges.

Everyone quails as they react to the startling noise. Reggie loses his lunch, bending over and retching. Maki shrinks back behind Sydney, who recovers quickly and draws his blades. Humphrey and Clint draw weapons, too, while Powder and Ash step behind their more physically imposing friends. The owlbear charges at Clint, rearing up on its back legs as it reaches him.

Despite everyone's shock and horror, the fight is over quickly. Clint and the beast trade blows while the others rush to help him. Finn prays under his breath, and his eyes grow black with the power of his god. The owlbear is engulfed in flame. Powder, who'd been preparing a spell, dispels the gathering power, sensing that the fight will end soon. As the beast slashes madly at Clint, he swings a mighty blow at its neck, severing the head cleanly from the body.

Reggie regains his composure, embarrassed to have vomited. “I though I could make it a pet, but it startled me.” Ash and Clint stand over the smoking body. “Wonder what it's been eating,” muses Ash. “I also wonder how it eats,” answers Clint in a husky voice, swallowing. He starts to bend down to the carcass with his knife and cleaver.

Everyone is still looking at the owlbear when stones begin wizzing into the atrium from the south archway. Sydney, Finn, and Humphrey are all peppered with stones. Finn is injured enough to stun him badly. Humphrey steps in front of him and brandishes his sword. Sydney jumps to the wall next to the archway. Maki, still shaken up by the owlbear, cowers behind Sydney. Reggie ducks into one of the rooms off the courtyard, making a plan to flank whoever is shooting rocks at them. Ash dashes up a stairway to the second floor. Griz, on the opposite end of the building, does the same.

A band of lizardmen reload their slings for another volley at the party. Humphrey dashes toward them while Powder begins gathering his arcane energy once more. Clint steps behind him, massaging his shoulders. Sydney raises blades, ready to cut down any of the lizard men who enter the courtyard.

As the second volley flies, Humphrey sidesteps more of the stones. Ash and Griz rush along the balcony above, trying to reach the fight. Powder casts a spell to return missiles. Several stones shot his way fly back at the attackers, striking some of them dead. The lizard men advance slowly into the courtyard, where Sydney drops two quickly. Humphrey closes with the band, and injures one, who hisses at him and pulls a crude stone knife. He faces three lizard men in close combat.

Grizena releases Peekaboo, who dives on a lizard man in front of Humphrey, tearing off some of its scalp. Between Powder and Sydney, most of the lizard men die quickly. The last lizard man faces Humphrey, bleeding and snarling. From above, Ash hits it with a shuriken, killing it. Grzena vaults over the railing from the second floor balcony, just in time to run out of targets. Reggie steps sheepishly out of the room from which he had planned to flank the enemy. “You killed them too fast,” he complains.

The party decides to investigate the building further. They find the owlbear's den, with many bones and a paltry collection of silver and copper coin among the remains, a large room with some very old, large, dried out reptilian scales, a room filled with shelves of moldering paper, and a ruined store room. Reggie and Ash explore upstairs, find mostly a lot of small sleeping cells, along with a few smashed up chapels and writing rooms. The two return after a time, reporting that they found nothing of value.

Clint butchers the owlbear. In its belly, they find a bezoar, which Sydney wants to break open to “check it out.” Powder steps in quickly, saying that a bezoar like this is a valuable alchemical component. They others let him collect it and set it to dry on a shelf in the ruined library. While Clint and Finn prepare steaks from the owlbear to consume, Humphrey refuses to have anything to do with the meal. “I don't eat hybrids,” he states firmly. While he eats dried fruit and jerky, the others make a feast of owlbear steak. Maki is given the head of the owlbear, and eats its brain. Sydney decides that the bladder of the owlbear might make a good gasket for Maki's helmet. Reggie sits off by himself, looking concerned. The others attribute this to his chagrin at missing two fights.

The cleric and holy warrior get Reggie and Grizena to help them remove the altar stone to the outer yard. It is heavy, but the four working together manage to drag it out. The two holy men pray for hours afterward, standing at the stations of the star, crossing and praying some more. The rest of the party catches some rest while they do so. Humphrey and Finn eventually seem satisfied, and wake Ash and Powder to watch, who in turn wake Clint and Reggie. Ash station himself in the south tower during his watch, and takes a walk after his shift is over, before turning in. Powder climbs to the north tower, but feels that the fog is too dense to make this an ideal place to guard from, and returns to the ground floor. During the next watch, Reggie remains at ground level, pacing the perimeter with long strides. Clint finds a piece of glowing wood at the top of the south tower. It is cold to the touch, but gives off a bluish-white glow. He examines it, removes it from the railing of the tower, and wakes the rest of the party for breakfast as the last watch ends.

Session 4

The fourth session was October 7th. Only Adam (Ash, shadow elf ninja) and Mike (holy warrior) attended. Most of the others were at a concert or otherwise occupied. 

Ash and Humphrey set about exploring town, while the others see to their own individual concerns. The two make an odd couple, wandering around town and making acquaintance with the townsfolk.

First, the two go to the blacksmith's shop. There, they meet Mack Guffin, the smith. They talk with him for a while, determining that Broder's royal garrison keeps him pretty busy, but that there is a lack of metal locally. Most of what he does is repair. It is fortunate that he stays so busy, since his wife's carpentry business has dried up since the renovations to the outer walls have been completed. Humphrey asks about having a new edge put on his greatsword. Mack asks him to return later while his wife is around. He says that he likes her to consult on what he charges, since he is more of a craftsman than a businessman. Humphrey and Ash share a raised eyebrow upon hearing this, and agree to return a little later.

Wandering around further, the two find the stables, which appear underpopulated. They also find the gatehouse to the inner bailey of Broder Keep. Humphrey asks for an audience with the boss. The soldiers tell the two that Broder is led by Castellan Josk Blackmun, but that all appointments must be made through his advisor, Essentia Nells. Ash demands that this Essentia attend them at once. Humphrey gives the guards an apologetic look and asks that Miss Nells meet with them when it is convenient. One of the guards agrees to inform the advisor that the two want to talk to the big man, and goes inside the gatehouse to retrieve her.

Essentia Nells is not what the two were expecting. She is an otherworldly looking woman, with flowing blue hair, bluish-white skin, and glowing blue eyes. Humphrey and Ash are both taken aback. Humphrey recovers from his surprise first, and politely inquires why her appearance is so strange. Essentia tells the two that she is descended from a priest and his divine servitor, and so she is half spirit. She doesn't remember much of her mother, but was raised by her father, long, long ago. When he died, she continued to live in the area, sometimes making Broder Keep her home. She is hundreds of years old, and spent much of that time alone. She came to know the castellan, and has decided that he is a good man who she will aid in his efforts at Broder.

Humphrey and Ash make an appointment through Essentia to see the castellan in the afternoon. They leave the gatehouse and head back toward the smithy, to see if Mrs. Guffin has returned.

On the way, they see a halfling watching them and smoking his pipe from a second story window in a brightly painted building. He beckons them to come and have a word.

Entering his richly appointed Guildhouse, the two meet Harnost Labingi, master of the Broder Merchant's Guild. He talks to them for a while, discussing his hopes to expand trade in the area, and increase the influence of his fledgling guild. The organization has its roots in Shayfrim, but was only a marginal player there, unequal to the older and more established trade guilds. By starting with a younger settlement, Harnost hopes that his guild will grow with the town. He then veers onto a slightly racist condemnation of elves in general and druids in particular, claiming that they are both anti-business and prone to blood sacrifice and debauchery, although which among these is the greater flaw, it is hard to sort out. He seems to come to himself after a moment, and apologizes to Ash, claiming that he was referring to Wood Elves, not Shadow Elves, but Ash claims to take no offense. He tells Harnost that indeed, the wood elves will one day receive the doom that they deserve. Harnost leaves the subject of perfidious elves and discusses banking, recommending that the two conduct any financial affairs through Geoffrey Mason, the local banker (and guild member). He vouches for Geoffrey's honesty and discretion, and claims to keep all his own wealth with the bank. Humphrey and Ash politely thank Harnost for his hospitality and agree to look into the bank at their leisure.

At this point, Ash and Humphrey split up. Ash claims he wants to see to business that a good man like Humphrey will have no interest in, and Humphrey is not inclined to part with the Shadow Elf for a while. Humphrey makes for Mack's Forge, while Ash heads back to Fountain Square and the Tipsy Mermaid Tavern.

At the smithy, Humphrey finds that Oawe Guffin, Mack's wife, has returned. She tells him that for 40 silver pieces, Mack can hone and improve Humphrey's sword and have in done by nightfall. Humphrey agrees to this, and leaves his sword to be serviced. He strolls around outside, awaiting his appointment with the castellan. He watches children smashing bugs which explode in little puffs of fire, while the grooms from the stables walk the rundown horses in their charge around the road in front of the inner gate for exercise.

Ash attends to his business and returns to meet with Humphrey just in time for their appointment.

Essentia meets the two at the gatehouse, and asks them to remove all their weapons before entering the inner bailey. Humphrey places his javelins on the bench she indicates. When Ash places his sword on the bench and steps back, Humphrey gives him a stern look and demands, “Come on.” Ash places some more weapons on the bench, grudgingly. Essentia promises them that no one will molest their belongings, but that no one may enter the inner bailey armed, unless under the command of Castellan Blackmun. A guard pats them each down, then the two adventurers are admitted into the courtyard beyond the gatehouse.

Inside, they find many soldiers drilling. A half dozen are practicing jousting to the right, while on the left, some oare receiving instruction in polearm fighting while others engage in calisthenics. Tents line the edge of the bailey. Essentia leads Ash and Humphrey through all this, directly to the castle opposite the gatehouse.

They enter to small castle, into a round hall with a ring shaped ribbed vault above. At the top of a stairway sits a halfling in fine clothes. He smiles widely and stands, welcoming the two to Broder Keep, and introduces himself as Josk Blackmun.

During the interview that follows, Essentia, Josk, Ash and Humphrey walk along the battlements on the roof of the castle. Looking out into the heavily wooded hills, Josk explains that the king has charged him with pushing the borders of the kingdom south, and claiming all the land they see. He dreams of farms and lumbermills. He says that he expects trouble from the wood elves to the south, in Llanowar Forest. He tells Humphrey and Ash that these elves regard the woods as sacred. They will certainly oppose the king's will. Complicating his task, merchants who supply Broder Keep have been falling prey to bandits and monsters from the the wild lands surrounding them. Josk is pleased to see bold men like Humphrey and Ash arrive at the keep. He hopes that they will find it profitable to hunt down the goblin bands that plague him, and bring any bandits to justice. His own soldiers have been killed patrolling the area, and he has been unable to replace them from the royal army, so he is reluctant to send out any more to die. Those he lost were mostly mounted knights, and he is now reliant on infantry to a distressing degree. Ash points out that dangerous work like this deserves some consideration from those who benefit from it. Josk smiles and offers a bounty on goblin ears, paying 3 silver per pair, 4 silver for hobgoblin or orc. Ash asks about what he might pay for the ears of human bandits. Essentia points out that determining the evil intentions of a human based on his ears is difficult, while goblins and orcs are clearly up to no good.

Josk uses this to segue to a concern of his. He has heard that the holy warrior, in addition to keeping company with a shadow elf, travels with two ogres. Can they be certain that the keep is safe when ogres are admitted inside? Humphrey informs him that one of the ogres is only a half ogre, and what is more, is his sister. The other is a monk, and has proven to be a good and faithful companion. Humphrey takes responsibility for their behavior. Josk accepts this. Essentia comments that this interview has revealed clearly that Ash is trustworthy as long as their enemies have ears to collect. She then reminds Josk that he has business to attend to, and that he and his secretary have had enough of a break. Josk cheerfully bids the two farewell before going back to his work.

Ash and Humphrey get some dinner and beer at the Tipsy Mermaid. When Humphrey tips his server, she becomes overly familiar with him. He adopts a frosty manner in response, but includes an identical gratuity on his next rounds as well. Ash stiffs the server and watches the interplay between the two humans with amusement. He suggests that the two of them go to the valley they found earlier to scout it out. Humphrey is against it. He suggests that they should wait until the others are available, so that they can assault any evil beings they find in force. Ash shrugs and agrees. “I guess someone must attack from the front, if only so that the enemy doesn't see what is attacking from the side.”

After dinner, Humphrey collects his sword, pays the smith. The two adventurers return to the inn to rest up and await their companions.

Reggie's view of Session 3

I award bonus points to players who write a recap in their character's voice. Reggie's player got 3 extra points for the following. I require that before a player can benefit from this a second time, another player must write an entry. Ideally, we will end up with perspectives from all the characters over time.

There was art included with the piece that Barry gave me, but I didn't want to post anything unattributed. Please enjoy the following insight into how Reggie experiences the campaign's events.

Reggie's Story:

During the sleep pictures, Master Sifu spoke good words. He talk of person leading be good for group. His words said “Those whom form together need an anchor. The anchor need not be large or have a high tolerance to Ale, but must have the capacity to lead.” He must talk of small hairy holy man, must he lead then? Reggie call this man “Finfin”. Master Sifu also said “One who thinks with sword from scabbard or one between legs, acts without caution or wisdom and surely endangers all.” Reggie does not yet know what wise Sifu means, Reggie knows he will figure out later wise Sifu words.

Reggie wakes from sleep pictures to the half Ogre person, Reggie call this Bird Ogreman Woman “Grizzy Axe”. This must be Reggies’ time to watch dark light outside mountain hole in case more angry green men come. Reggie not sure of watch friend, Reggie not know him well, no good name for him yet.

It is not long before Reggie spots Angry Green Men with big barrels. Reggie is happy, VERY HAPPY for this could be Happy Reggie Drink!! but Reggie thinks. He thinks hard! “Big barrels either mean a big fun time, or Badda Boom, BIG BADDA BOOM!”. This makes Reggie worry lots, Reggie must wake small hairy smart man now!

Reggie wakes FinFin, but he no smart after drinking Reggies’ “BooBeer” and he tells Reggie to go

away. Trouble stirs with the darkman's worries, Reggie call him “Shadow”. Shadow leaves soon

into darkness of other room and drops his fun metal things. Reggie then taste the drippy coming from top of hole. Reggie no like taste, this not BooBeer, this also makes FinFin very pale in face and he seem scared. Right then, the Pirate man want all group to run through bad taste drip out into dark. Many people yell, but Pirate man and “Sword Beard” run right outside, no one listen to small smart man FinFin, but Reggie no if group leave, group must have the shineys so Reggie runs into sleep room and grabs all of the shineys. Reggie then sees his good friend “ChubChub” doing what ChubChub does best to the cold burnt meat. Reggie then hears yelling from more than just group friends, sound more of green men! Reggie then sees Grizzy Axe killing wood wall so Reggie goes to help. But Grizzy Axe runs off to Hole opening, so Reggie follows. That when Reggie See Many MANY Green men, more than 5! Stoopid Pirate man no stand down, Pirate man wants to fight all the green men. Reggie has no BooBeer, so Reggie don’t want to fight so many now.

Pirate man finally decides to run back in with SwordBeard, When this happens Reggie now knows big trouble soon, Reggie sees ChubChub just standing by Reggie, Reggie knows ChubChub cannot run like Reggie, so Reggie helps good friend and picks him up to carry. Reggie forgot why he called him ChubChub until Reggie picked ChubChub up. Group is together again at wood wall. Reggie other good friend “Powdy” has big idea. Reggie sets ChubChub on wood wall and makes over it too. Group together now on other side woodwall. Powdy and ChubChub talk some and ChubChub light wood wall on fire! Powdy then make big wind and turn mountain into big fire wind hole! Powdy and ChubChub smart, kill many green men.

Shadow finds big room, Reggie finds funny because its big Green men love room. Pirate man knows this too and steals nakid picture rug from wall. Reggie now call Pirate Man “Syn Pirate” since Pirate man like syns and getting trouble lots of trouble! Reggie remembers wise Sifu words from sleep pictures, Syn Pirate must calm down at times, group must make Syn Pirate calm, maybe with the Turtle Water Head friend.

Syn Pirate also found hole to escape from, Reggie starting to get woozy, Reggie need BooBeer and meditate. Group eventually make it outside and escape angry green men. Group finds big human place, Reggie sleep for now, will meditate and buy bigger BooBeer barrel in the morrow.

Session 3

We met for our 3rd session on September 23. Present to play were Lisa (playing Sydney Swann, human swashbuckler), Phil (Finn Longstride, halfling cleric),  Bonnie (Grizena Hemmingsworth, half-ogre barbarian), Caleb (Powder, wizard), Barry (Reggie, ogre monk), Kevin (Clint Carver, butcher and warrior), and Adam (as Ash, shadow elf ninja). Mike had to work, so he asked Lisa to play his character, Humphrey Hemmingsworth, human holy warrior.

The party, tired, camps in the small room near the entrance to the Irontooth Orcs' cave. First, they lay the bodies on the orcs they've killed in the hall leading to the larger room, where they fought the tribe. They stack broken furniture on top of the bodies to raise the barricade to chest level. Retiring to their own room, they post watches, with Powder and Clint up first, to be followed by Grizena and Humphrey, then Sydney and Reggie.

Clint and Powder are bored. After a while, Powder casts continual light on a piece of wood from the barricade and tosses it into the larger room where they fought earlier. He and Clint see that the prisoners they had left tied in the room are gone. While they are looking, Ash steps up to Powder and casually says, “hey, was that you guys fighting earlier?”

Powder and Clint are distracted from their missing prisoners for a moment, as they question Ash. Clint is suspicious, drawing his cleaver. Powder keeps a little more calm, but asks some pointed questions. Ash explains that he had told Reggie and Powder to run and hide. Not checking to see that he was understood, he had run ahead to pick a hiding place, only afterward realizing that they were not with him. He explains that in returning, he was slowed down by some goblins, then went to a nearby castle and rented lodgings. He came looking for everyone, and found them here.

Ash examines where the prisoners had been, and reports that small footprints and fibers from the ropes suggest that the children freed the prisoners. The three keep up the rest of the shift, opting to let the others rest.

The 2^nd watch passes uneventfully. During the 3^rd watch, Reggie sees many orcs moving around outside. He sees them carrying barrels, and wonders if, perhaps, they have brought something to drink. The orcs climb to a spot above the cave entrance. Several then reappear, headed back the way they'd come. Reggie decides that he needs to tell someone smarter what is happening. He rushes into the cave and awakens Finn. Sydney sees the ogre run past him, and wonders what is going on. He hears the ogre shaking Finn awake, saying something about many barrels. Finn is irritable at this, and tries to get more information from him. Sydney sees fluid pouring down the entrance tunnel, and rushes in to wake everyone up, suspecting that something very dangerous is about to happen.

Reggie goes back to the entrance tunnel and tastes the fluid, which he finds unpleasant. Finn goes to the intersection of the tunnels , where he recognizes the fluid as lamp oil. Sydney and Humphrey dash past him and out of the cave, and Finn tells Reggie not to drink the lamp fluid. Grizena and Ash begin trying to dismantle the barricade. Powder rubs his eyes, thinking. Clint, uncertain what to do in all the confusion, seizes the cold meat from the skewer and begins to eat nervously.

Finn tries to draw some coordinated action from the chaos. He calls Grizena up to see what is happening outside. Ash shouts that he'll look for another way out, and vaults the barricade.

Outside, Sydney and Humphrey are ordered to stop by an orc holding a torch. He is flanked by two more orcs with torches, and backed by about 4 dozen orcs with bows and spears. Humphrey mutters to Sydney, “I think we are trapped.” Sydney agrees. The two turn and dive for the cave entrance, narrowly missed by a salvo of arrows.

Reggie heads back to the room and throws everything into his pack. Clint has made some serious progress on the leftover leg of lamb. Finn, Humphrey, Grizena, and Sydney retreat back down the hallway, where Finn begins to pray. Powder shouts out a plan- if someone will ignite the oil on his mark, he'll use magic to blow the fire outward. Sydney clambers over the barricade and turns to help those crossing behind him. Grizena comes next. Clint drops his kebab, gets out a fire starting kit, and lights some kindling.

Reggie comes to watch, and see what help he can offer. Powder tells Clint to wait until he is across the barricade to light the oil. Reggie helpfully lifts Clint on to the barricade over the fat butcher's protests. He isn't accustomed to being carried around. Finn finishes his prayer, and climbs the barricade. With Humphrey covering the retreat, everyone clambers over. Humphrey is making the crossing, himself, when some orcs begin shooting arrows from the end of the tunnel. Two catch him, one in the thigh and one in the torso. He keeps climbing and is soon past the barricade.

“Now,” says Powder quietly. Clint tosses the burning debris back into the passageway, where it ignites the oil. Powder casts his spell. A howling wind blows the barricade, bodies and all, back down toward the entrance tunnel. The fire blasts up toward the entrance and outward, taking the archers with it. The wind continues to blow, gentling stirring the clothes and hair of those standing near the hall. Inside the hall, dust and fire and oil are swept powerfully away and out the entrance of the cave.

Ash calls for the others to join him. He has found two doors, one with a hook trap that leads to a store room, another to a dark room with a large rug. Sydney and Grizena enter the room, checking under the rug for traps. Grizena inadvertently flips a bed over as she pulls on the rug. Finn finds some cooking gear, from which he selects a pan and a utility knife, while Sydney finds some winter clothes, which he discards. His eye is caught by a tapestry that hangs on the far wall, though. It depicts naked women dancing in a forest. Thinking that this might be valuable, he pulls it dwn, revealing a hole large enough to step through.

Everyone regroups in the room as Ash goes through the hole. Finn and Humphrey attend to Humphrey's wounds. Ash explores the room beyond the tapestry, finding a table with an unlit candle, a small table holding more candles in a stack, and a alcove in the farthest corner. He lights the candle and examines the sand on the floor, finding tracks leading the way he's come as well as from the alcove.

Eventually, Ash discovers the mechanism for operating a secret door. Leading everyone through, they make their way cautiously down a dark, narrow hallway. Ash find a room to the right, peeks in, and continues. The hall turns to the left, and opens into a wider hall, littered with leaves and twigs. At the end, Ash sees an exit, and beyond, the rain falling. He falls back to report. The party checks the side room, discovering low tables and cushions. On some, old meals have been abandoned. Ash finds and pockets some dice. The party quickly presses on, and sends Ash forward again. He silently steps over the litter in the hall, and emerges from the cave behind two orcs. They look off to the south, in the direction of the other cave mouth. Ash cuts the throat of one guard, then uses his body as a shield while the second orc attacks. He severs the second orc's leg, then cuts his throat, too late to stop a scream.

The party decides to climb the valley wall and escape into the woods. They're pursued for some time, but eventually leave the orcs behind. They only find the road when they are standing on it, it is so choked with grass. Everyone starts hiking for the keep.

A few hours after the sunrise, the party arrives at Broder Keep. The guards recognize Ash, and address him as Tyrol. They tell the others the rules of the fortress, and admit them. The corporal of the gate tells Ash that he can send the quartermaster to talk to them about buying up whatever weapons they wish to sell, and dispatches a soldier to fetch him. The weary band walks past a stable, a general store, some small cottages, and a smith. There are a few fortified buildings as well, but everyone is too tired to look around much, having fought the night before, and fled the orcs since the early morning hours. They turn a corner into a courtyard, where a fountain splashes in front of an inn. Sydney stops at the fountain and tries to call Maki, but the kappa does not appear.

The party enters the common room of the inn, where the owner, Bravol, begins to ask if they can afford to pay for rooms. Reggie dumps his pack full of weapons and coins on a table. Bravol retreats, telling them to take a moment to rest, and that he will show them all to their individual rooms when they're ready. The party sits heavily at the table, and begins to sort and count the loot they've gathered.

Campaign Background

The campaign I am running takes place in a human-ruled Kingdom of Salish, set in a fertile land surrounded by a temperate rainforest. Salish has claimed and cleared a large area, but its frontiers are a dense wood protected by elves, a steep mountain range populated by more elves, barbarians, orcs, and monsters, and the rocky shore of a stormy ocean where enormous sea monsters swim. In every direction, the kingdom is threatened by dangerous wilderness populated by antagonistic forces.

Salish has an east-meets-west flavor. It is ruled by a magic-using warrior-king named Brandon. European style weapons and armor coexist with katana wielding fencers. Open homes with tatami mat covered floors house peasants ruled by nobles in great stone castles. Roadside inns serve rice and mutton and masterless warriors wander thecountryside in the wake of an enforced peace under a strong and magical dictator.  Mages conceal their power for fear of the wrath of King Brandon. Druids and clerics see to the spiritual needs of the common people and the powerful alike, competing for their souls. Sprawling temples are filled with grottoes and shrines to individual gods, and fortress-like monasteries dot the frontiers of the kingdom, where monks practice discipline and personal spiritual mastery. Nobles, forced by King Brandon to cease overt wars with one another, employ ninja assassins to spy on and kill one another or simply prevent other nobles from doing the same to them. These aristocrats entertain traveling minstrels, who increase their hosts' prestige and help cultivate the appearance of refinement in their courts, while the minstrels influence the government through their art and propaganda.

King Brandon seeks to use magic and his armies to bring about a new sort of domain, where peace and security are the norm. He is supported by the clergy, who have benefited from his suppression of wizards. He regards the monasteries warily, as sources of potential sedition. He wishes he could conquer the forests of the elves, to open more farmland, but maintains an official truce while he consolidates internal peace.

Salish engages in tentative trade with the barbarian tribes of the mountains, hoping to use culture to entice them to become part of the kingdom. The nobles nurse old feuds, while pledging fealty to Brandon. The households and fighting forces of the nobility are much reduced, released from service as the King's Peace takes hold. These warriors, advisors, and experts now wander the kingdom, seeking a new place in the world. Many find themselves at Salish's frontiers.

Session 2, Part 2

We had our second GURPS Dungeon Fantasy session on September 2. The players in attendance were Lisa (playing Sydney Swann, human swashbuckler), Phil (Finnegan Longstride, halfling cleric of the Stranger), Bonnie (Grizena, half-ogre barbarian), Caleb (Powder, wizard), Barry (Reggie, ogre monk), Kevin (Clint Carver, butcher and warrior), and Mike (Humphrey Hemmingsworth, holy warrior). Adam was unable to attend, and asked that his character, Ash, be run as an NPC.

This is the second segment of our second session. We ran pretty long, so I have broken the recap into two parts.

Recap

When the party arrives at the skull cave, they find Sydney standing at the entrance over the body of a dead orc. He is covered in blood. “I've found something,” he tells them. “There are more orcs down this way.” The party follows him into the cave.

The entrance tunnel is broad enough for three of them to walk abreast, but they assume a formation that puts the fighters at the front, while Powder hangs back. The tunnel slopes gently down to a T-intersection. Sydney turns right, leading them to a room lit by a cooking fire in the far corner. Five orcs are backlit, sharpening swords and teasing one of their number. A spit rests over the fire, with a leg of lamb nearly finished cooking. The companions stand unnoticed at the doorway for a moment, taking this in. Then, a voice from Reggie's backpack says, clearly and loudly, “kill them all.”

The room erupts in violence. Sydney leaps over the orcs, executing an acrobatic flip that lands him on the far side of the group. Humphrey and Reggie wade into battle, while Grizena and Clint move to flank the orcs. In seconds, the fight is over, with no injuries to the party.

Reggie, Humphrey, Clint and Sydney search the bodies, but see nothing of value. Grizena steps in to do the same. She begins tossing objects into a pile, punctuating each discovery with a sten look at the men. Sword... glare. Golden armband... glare. Quiver full of arrows... glare. This continues for an embarrassingly long time for the sheepish men, none of whom noticed anything worth looting, while a small pile of weapons on ornamental jewelry grows. Powder steps into the room and watches the spectacle.

When Grizena has finished demonstrating proper search techniques to the others, They notice that they have been joined by a shocked orc at the doorway. When they notice him, he turns to run away. Humphrey throws a spear, but misses. Everyone gives chase, following him down the other branch of the tunnel from the intersection.

They run into a room full of red eyes, reflecting dim light from torches set in wall sconces. Rank after rank of orcs await them, armed with spears, knives, swords, and shields. There is even less hesitation this time as they join battle.

Reggie races into a cluster of orcs and attempts to disarm those around him. Humphrey and Clint engage another cluster of orcs, lopping heads off with greatsword and cleaver respectively. Sydney lunges in to fight the biggest orc, a muscular warrior with a shield and sword. Grizena unhoods her falcon, who begins swooping through the melee plucking eyes from orcs on every pass. Powder casts a spell, shooting lightning at an orc who dodges the attack.

As the fight wears on, Sydney finds that his opponent is a very capable fighter. Although he is getting some hits in, the orc will not drop, and continues to scream and attack. Clint and Humphrey turn to help out. When they do, a couple of orcs flank Humphrey and manage to deliver some minor injuries. Humphrey turns back to deal with these attackers, as Clint is surprised to find that he cannot sever the big orc's head as easily as he is accustomed to doing.

Sydney decides to start using some finesse, employing feints and deceptive attacks to get past the orc champion's defenses. They are just bringing the big guy to his knees when Powder casts a Grease spell, which immobilizes many of the next rank of orcs. At about the same time, Reggie executes a disarm that leaves three more of the attackers stunned. Grizena embeds her axe in an orc while Peekaboo keeps snatching orc eyes and flying into the dark corners of the cave.

One of the orcs Powder dropped, trying to regain his footing, shouts out that they will surrender if they are spared. He speaks passably good Common. He demands to know why the adventurers have invaded his home, and promises to give them what they want if they will spare the rest of the orcs.

The party quickly confer. Humphrey tells the orc that they agree to accept the surrender. Apparently, Peekaboo has not been following along, and he swoops in to collect one more eye from one of the orcs that Reggie has stunned. Grizena gets the bird under control, and negotiations resume.

The orc answers the questions Humphrey poses to him. The tribe is called the Irontooth Orcs. There is another orc tribe that are the Irontooths' allies, the Fearclaw Clan. They were enemies until a tribe of goblins moved into the valley. Those goblins were soon joined by hobgoblins. The two tribes of orcs are engaged in a simmering conflict with the goblins from across the valley. There are about 12 children further back in the cave, being protected by 5 women. They will surrender the treasure they have. The orcs would like the party to leave immediately, rather than stay to rest.

Humphrey orders everyone tied up except for the orc with whom they have been speaking. This orc is ordered to fetch the treasure. He brings out the treasure, a little bit at a time. He delivers three bags of mixed coins, some cloth, a barrel of some sort of sticky liqueur, and some spices. Humphrey stops him. The party has begun to feel a bit of remorse at all the killing. “We'll take these two bags of coins, and we'll have to take your weapons. We don't want your food or sewing.”

The surviving orcs bound, the party stacks bodies and broken furniture in the tunnel leading back to the intersection. They make a camp in the room where they first fought, and set a double guard. They hope that the barrier between the large room where they leave the tied up prisoners and where they will sleep will at least give them some warning if the orcs get up to any mischief. Powder and Clint prepare to take first watch as the others settle down in the blood splattered room where a leg of lamb sits forgotten over a cooking fire.