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| Paul, Dead Henchmen |
Just wrapped up our weekly session of D&D, using Sword & Wizadry. This week the party bargained with a local Ranger Guild. They would clear off the local giant badgers that were raiding farmers live-stock. In exchange the guild would provide a map to the Keep of a long deceased warlord. The party hopes to gain a cure for Lycanthropy from the warlords tomb.
The eight party members (Joel the Knave, Paul the Beggar, Nathalie the Fighter, Geoff the Wizard, Francine the Ranger, Kristoph the Paladin, Ara the Cleric, Kiri the Elf) met with two farmers in the Valley of Kuln. The farmers were fleeing a drake that broke into the hen house. Joel, Francine and Paul slowly approached. The deafening squawk of chickens and flying feathers concealed them. The side of the chicken coop had been opened by gigantic claws. Inside a winged lizard crouched. It greedily gulped eggs and pinned chickens from fleeing. Francine mouthed "not a badger" and backs off. The drake, drawn by the movement, smells the delicious trail rations in the halflings pack. It snakes its long neck about sniffing here and there. Francine empties her pack but not before her bedroll, pack and a crowbar are lost to the beast. Meanwhile, Geoff notices that the farmers field has large furrows in it. The Paladin and Elf move up to investigate. At their approach a giant badger bursts from the ground. The paladin lashes out with his sword. The badger reels in agony and immediately turns and flees.
After the parties brush with the beasts. Joel the knave, our 7 year old player, determines that these drakes and badgers must have some kind of symbiotic relationship much like a honey badger and a honey guide. Francine convinces the party to gather animals from the surrounding farms and attempt to lure the beasts out into the wilderness where herds of game are known to water. The party splits up to buy livestock 17 chickens, 4 goats, 5 sheep, 6 lambs and a cow are purchased.
The Paladin escorts the mage back to Kuln. They cross paths with a raiding party of bugbears but hide in the woods. Kuln is a different sight then when they left as the High Thane is no longer in charge. They bargain their way into town and manage to trade a found spell book for a scroll.
The rest of the party implements their plan to lure the badgers to the new hunting grounds. The plan works too well when all three wandering monster checks come up 2's. A running battle ensues. The party dragging the herd through the forest while fending off drakes and badgers. The rapid pace soon takes its toll and only Francine is able to keep running. Paul lagging the farthest behind is dragged into a tunnel with two sheep. Joel turns back valiantly rushing to aid his follower. Kiri, Nathalie and Ara rush into the woods. A cry of rage causes Ara to turn back. She sees Paul decapitated as he climbs from the tunnel. Joel screams in anger and attacks the badger. His rage is not enough and the badger bites into him. Ara hefts her hammer and screams "Moradin" rushing into battle. A blow of her hammer slays the beast and a healing spell revives the fallen knave.
The exhausted Nathalie and Kiri are treed by another badger. A pint of lamp oil and a bit of fire drive off the badger but sets the pine needles a blaze. The two leap to a nearby tree and quickly douse the fire in dirt, not water. Francine finishes leading the badgers on occasionly cutting a sheep loose when a drake or badger gets too close. Reaching her objective she frees the remaining live stock and ducks into the woods circling back. On her way she is visited by the strange apparition that has appeared to several other party members beseeching their aid. The woman in a velvet green dress wears a diamond tiara. In this instance her hair is raven black, despite the fact that the two previous times the woman's hair was described as blonde and red.
The party burns the badger corpse and buries Paul's headless corpse with a few flattering words about his selfless sacrifice. The party returns to Kuln. Geoff sets out the next day to cast his scroll on the farms. A last resort to ensure the farms remain safe. Francine returns to the Guild collecting a map and a pin inducting her as a member in probation. Joel sets about hiring a replacement for Paul. Fred of Narmox was once a forester before his entire crew was slain by orcs. He has sworn a vendetta against the species. Joel convinces him that for a third of a single share of treasure and 1 gp per day that the party could help him to kill orcs. Fred agrees. Ara enters the Kuln Rift and begins searching for proof regarding the Green dressed lady.
Open Quests:
- Mysterious Apperation of the Sorceress in Green
- Cure the Rat-King Kersus Rodemus
- Find the Cure in the Smoke de Krag Keep
- Of Charms and Raiding Bugbears
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