Session/Game: Marches
3e #2 Date:
September 10, 2000
Campaign Date: Sau 15-22: Imperial Year 468
Characters:
Rannos, human fighter level
2, CG, Bob LaForge
Bayne, elf ranger level 2,
CG, Matt Digulielmo
Malaiki, human, cleric,
level 2, LN, Jonathan Clark
Kronin, dwarf, fighter,
level 1, LN, Dave Hanley
Grog, half orc, barbarian,
level 1, CG, Andy Leuders
Log:
Day 1: Sau 15th
Rannos,
Malaiki, and Bayne left Old Fort by the main road south toward Baltburg, across
the Wasteland. Bayne was riding his new
horse, while the other two rode in Malaiki’s new wagon. They stopped for the night at a burnt out
barn. A small pack of wolves attacked
them at night, but Bayne drove them off, killing some. Rannos slept through the whole fight, but
Malaiki awoke in time to shoot of a stray bolt from his crossbow.
Day 2: Sau 16
At nightfall, the three adventures arrived at the outpost
of Ludwig, a fortified enclave and way station in the middle of the wasteland,
halfway between Old Fort and Baltburg.
They entered the tavern just in time for Granny Holdbean’s famous “stew
night”. In the tavern, they overheard
Master Ludwig arguing with Giles, the local Imperial Border Warden. Ludwig was trying to convince Giles to raise
a posse to hunt down a group of bandits called the “Road Agents” who were cutting
off all traffic heading north from Ludwig to Old Fort, but Giles was unwilling
to put aside his current assignment.
Malaiki introduced himself and volunteered to form the posse. Since Malaiki is a member of the Order of
St. Hugo, a respected arm of the Church of Bor made up of paladins and
war-clerics, the Master and Giles agreed.
Two other adventurers –A dwarf named Kronin and a half-orc named
Grog—were also in the bar and volunteered to join the posse.
So
the five adventurers were deputized by Giles and given a 3-week commission at 1
gp per day to track down the Road Agents.
Giles warned them about undead activity south of the main road. A local trapper, Snively, also chimed in,
calling the party fools for going up against the Road Agents, since they were
led by a pair of winged demons and were all ex-mercenary pole-arm experts.
Beddo, the tinker, agreed, but was eager to confirm that the party was going
after the bandits, since his business was suffering. Bayne, however, did not trust this tinker at all.
After
all the visitors to Ludwig retired to the Inn for the night, Bayne climbed onto
the roof and spent an hour or so listening through the window to Beddo’s
room. The courtyard guard eventually
spotted him and ordered him down. The
Master of Ludwig them chewed Bayne out and called shenanigans on him, warning
him to stay in his room.
Day 3: Sau 17th
Beddo the Tinker took his wagon and left Ludwig as soon
as the gate opened at 6:00 am, witnesses only by the staff and Kronin the
Dwarf. As soon as Bayne found out that
Beddo had left, he rode out after him, following at a discrete distance. After Beddo had traveled an hour or so
towards Baltburg, Bayne turned around and came back to Ludwig. Meanwhile, Malaiki discovered a few rumors
talking to Old Bald Henry, who runs the trading post.
The plan of the party was to take Malaiki’s wagon back
toward Old Fort, acting as if they were merchants, hoping to provoke a Road
Agent ambush. They traveled back to the
burnt out barn in safety, but had a rough night. A small band of orc dirt-bags (low-life orc bandits in light
armor armed with darts and clubs) attacked the camp around 10:00 pm. Although Rannos cleaved two of them with his
new glaive, he was in turn clubbed down, as was Grog after he killed
another. After the remaining four orcs
were at last killed by the rest of the party, Malaiki revived his two wounded
comrades.
Later that evening after the watch heard strange sounds
off in the distance, Bayne crept out to investigate. He stumbled upon an Owlbear and managed to lead it right back to
camp. The Owlbear opened a can of
whoop-ass up on Bayne, disabling him, but was at last killed. Malaiki cured Bayne’s wounds as well.
Day 4 Sau 18th
They party rolled on towards Old Fort, and about 4 hours
out they triggered the Road Agent ambush.
A band of 8 goblins barred the road.
The party vigorously attacked the goblins, Bayne riding up on his horse
and arriving first. The goblins did a
few minor wounds with javelin casts and then fled off to the left of the road,
suffering major losses in the process.
The running Goblins out distanced Rannos and Malaiki who were pursuing
on foot and Kronin, driving the wagon.
Bayne however, caught up with them, only to fall into the main
ambush. 4 hidden archers surrounded
Bayne, killed his horse and seriously wounded him, putting him out of the
battle.
While
Kronin, Malaiki and Rannos were rushing to the rescue, Grog at the rear was
attacked by the second jaw of the ambush.
Three hidden rogues jumped out and sneak attacked him. Although he killed one rogue in his rage,
the other two inflicted grievous damage and took him out of the fight. Rannos arrived at where Bayne was lying and
started to hack the evil rangers to pieces while Malaiki bandaged Bayne. Kronin
attempted to ride down one of the ambushers in his wagon, but failed. He was eventually grievously wounded by
arrow fire too. The two rogues were
rushing to help the rangers, just as Malaiki was running back to save the
wounded Grog. With his great axe,
Rannos hacked down the last of the rangers just as the rogues arrived, and he
then killed one of the rogues too. He
managed to bandage Kronin and save his life. And Malaiki also managed to save
the bleeding Grog. One of the rogues
escaped into the wilderness.
Rannos
and Malaiki drove the wagon onwards and pulled into Old Fort about
nightfall. Sir Malcolm gave them a warm
welcome and put them up for the night.
Kronin and Grog reached 2nd level; Malaiki and Bayne reached
3rd level.
Day 5: Sau 19th
The party spent the day resting and recuperating at Old
Fort.
Day 6; Sau 20th
Deciding that the Road Agents were likely hidden
somewhere around the Old Wood to the West, the party set off overland in that direction. Rannos and Bayne had both purchased horses
at Old Fort and rode ahead of the rest who were in the wagon.
Bayne met and questioned a pair of trappers, who were
suspicious that he might be a Druid (they’re all totally gay, you know). They also encountered and avoided a Giant
Bee. They camped safely that night in
the wilds.
Day 7: Sau 21st
Traveling onwards, they reached the edge of the Old Wood
by nightfall. They camped in the forest
and surprised and wiped out an 8-member goblin foraging party.
Day 8: Sau 22nd
They traveled south along the edge of the Old Wood until
they spotted the bandit fort in the distance.
Deciding to wait for nightfall, they returned to a campsite within the
forest. That camp was attacked by an
Owlbear which was killed after it has dealt some damage to Grog and
Kronin. (Rannos achieves level 3 at
this point). That night they sneak up
to the bandit fort. Bayne creeps into
the fort and climbs the roof of the old church, which was being used as a
stable. The others clank in after him
and Malaiki is spotted by a goblin in a blockhouse. An inconclusive battle of missile weapons erupts between Bayne
and the archers in the blockhouse. Then
Malaiki bursts into the church and makes vain attempts to kill the 4 goblin
guards there. Grog joins him and is
equally ineffective. Kronin adds his
two cents and starts the mojo working the right way, and the goblins are soon
slain. The bandits refuse to take the
bait and stay safely locked in the main fort building and the blockhouse. Their surprise gone, the entire party goes
into he church/stable building and search it.
They discover a secret passage in the basement that leads to a cave complex
underneath the fort, and they follow it to a barricaded cave exit on the fort
hill. They depart the fort and return
to their wagon in the forest.