Volume 1, Chapter 1 - From a history text - Meetings, Blights and Roof-top speeches
General Summary
Monday, 7th Tummony
Whilst en-route to Kelador, the second city of Ebrion, a stagecoach took an unexpected turn. Challenging the driver, the passengers (with the exception of a fat sleeping couple) discovered that the driver was too afraid to continue along the direct route, preferring to take a diversion which would add 3 days to their journey. Appalled, the passengers agreed to walk to the nearby village of Ornblake to secure alternative and faster transport. The former stagecoach party are a rag-tag bunch. There is Rhobur Toziros, a bronze Dragonborn druid. He is a former soldier who has strayed from the path of the warrior to seek to become more draconic. There is also Helda Hildsdotter, a Vozdukh dwarf so keen on fighting she’s been taken on as a cleric by Arawn the goddess of life and death, as a blunt instrument of balance. This is handy to her as she can use her healing abilities on the field of battle! A mysterious Half-Elf was also in the carriage and has yet only introduced herself as ‘Spray’. Fleeing her home-life in Mitzu by stowing away on a ship, she has arrived in Ebrion to seek new things and maybe her father. Joining them was a strange smelling noble fellow of the name Jed Kingsdown, a man who is obsessed with personal hygiene and the somewhat conflicting pursuit of monster hunting. As yet unrevealed to his companions, he is a Blood Hunter. A short way down the road, the company came across an upturned cart, with barrels strewn across the road, some leaking what turned out to be beer. Carefully avoiding the ale to which she is highly allergic, Helda discovered on closer inspection a teenage boy was trapped beneath it. Deciding to help, the group were attacked by a group of stick-like Twig Blights. Rhobur used Breath Weapon. It was super effective. Righting the cart and, after some trouble, finding the horses, they gathered the undamaged barrels and reloaded the cart. Rhobur filled is waterskin with ale from a damaged barrel. They chaperoned the cart back into town, Rhobur chatting with the horse and the others speaking with the boy. On this journey they discovered that the boy was called Sam Gourd, he was about 15/16 with sandy brown hair. He is the son of the town’s potioner but was employed as a general dogsbody at the largest inn in town, The Giant's Head. They also discovered that, though the blights had been known in the forests for some time that their attacking on the road is a relatively new turn of events. Sam was concerned about the loss of the beer as the ‘Tithe’ was due the following day and the Landlord would be short. Arriving in town, the group briefly split up. Helda went toward the Temple of Belnias, goddess of light, to learn more about the town. The temple itself is a small village temple and would have been unremarkable if it had not been for the very white stone from which it was built and the large number of windows it contained. Unlike the rest of the town, it looked like the only place which had been properly kept in the last few years. Inside the bright white and golden temple, Helda spoke with a fair haired priestess about the state of the town. She discovered over the last five years the town had seen a sustained downturn in its economic fortunes. This was in part due to a decline in the number of travellers passing through on the stagecoach route, followed by a decline in the number of stagecoaches. Further issues had hit the town thanks to a gang of ‘ruffians’ who had been imposing a monthly tithe on the town under the threat of violence. The priestess had also noticed a general malaise in the town and a decrease in her congregation. Rhobur, on the other hand proceeded to drink this entire waterskin of beer, which was very good, and stumbled around the ‘Octagon’, the central area of Ornblake, narrowly avoiding falling the (non-functional) fountain. Though at this time of day, the market in the Octagon was closing down, the drunken Rhobur managed to intimidate one stall owner into selling him a small carved wood statuette of the goddess Belnias for a heavily discounted (though still considerable) price. He then stumbled off toward the Tavern. Spray quickly slipped off toward the Tavern and sneaked inside unnoticed. Jed also headed toward the Giant’s Head in search of a way to clean off the dust from the road. In the Giant’s Head, Jed encounters the proprietor, Brell Tollund. Brell is a large man with an unkempt dark beard and hair greying around the mouth and ears. Clearly once a very muscular man, he has clearly gone to fat. He wears a white shirt, rolled up at the sleeves and a stained brown apron with many things tucked into the front pocket. His arms are hairy, but for a livid scar flecked up his left hand and arm. From speaking with Brell, Jed and the watching Spray also learn of the Tithe imposed on the town, which is 30% of the town’s monthly products and earnings. They also discover that this ‘gang’ is a group of Orcs who arrived at the Town about 5 years ago and killed several townsfolk to achieve their threating dominance. The Lord of the Town, Agamemnon Courtado Iacobus Gilliam De L’Ornblake-Feldspar, has, under the advice of his Reeve, decided that the safest thing for the town is to comply with the Orcs’ demands lest they lose more people and property. Jed is outraged by such cowardice in the nobility and resolved to have it out with the Lord in the morning. Jed pays 2GP for room and board for 2 nights and heads directly to the bathhouse at the rear (which is sadly bereft of bathing wenches). Helda and Spray then try to secure rooms. Spray requests free room and board for saving the life of Sam, but with the Tithe pending Brell cannot afford it, but she does get a free drink and hot meal. Helda passes over 2GP, as does Rhobur. Brell calls his daughter, Nieve Tollund, to take the travellers’ bags to their rooms. Nieve appears to be a girl of 13-14, with a shock of bright ginger hair and pale skin with freckles. She’s your typical reluctant teenager, but does what she’s told. Rhobur heads straight to bed, but Helda & Spray stay downstairs with the few remaining patrons to eat, where they are joined by Jed. Spray gives Jed a swift kick, which impresses Nieve, who’s then given a quick lesson in how to kick. Chaucer, the inn’s cat, fails to catch a rat. After a discussion on whether to confront the Orcs or the Lord in the morning, they agree to follow Jed’s proposal to speak with the Lord and they all retire to sleep, Spray in the inglenook and the others to their rooms.Nuday, 8th Tummony
Awaking in the morning, Helda heads to the Temple to attend the dawn service. It is sparsely attended. There she learns of the local legend of Ornblake field. According to the High Priestess, at the beginning of the world there was a war between Belnias, Goddess of Light and Oloch, God of darkness over whether the world should be in perpetual light or dark. Legend states that the forces of light and dark battled across the world until they reached a final confrontation in what would become Ornblake field. The generals of the forces there fell in love and thus the war ended, with light and darkness sharing time on the world. This world shaping event is why there is a standing stone in Ornblake Field made of half black and half white rock. This is the point at which the natural bedrock also changes from white to black. Re-joining the others at the Tavern for breakfast, and chastising Jed for throwing mushrooms at Spray, they briefly encounter the farmer, Jeb Doggett, who is having trouble with some kind of creature taking his cows. Brell assures the group that though he says he’s going to stay at the Tavern for one drink, he’ll be there a while, so if they want to help him, they can pick him up a bit later. The party set off toward Fort Ornblake. The Fort is an old motte-and-bailey style design and clearly dates from an era when the town was of greater strategic importance. Now, the town walls lie in ruin. However, the Fort itself is in good repair and has clearly been converted from a primarily defensive building to a more comfortable and opulent residence. It, too though, does bear some of the similar sign of neglect as the rest of the town. As they approach, they are stopped by guards at the now permanently lowered drawbridge. Jed’s demands that his noble peer must see him are given short shrift, but the hunger-over Rhobur’s draconic appearance and threatening waving of the statuette intimidate the guard into fetching his Lord. The group are invited to wait in the courtyard. Rhobur and Jed wait in the courtyard, observing that, yes; this building has definitely been softened from its conversion to residential from its former military use. Meanwhile, Helda and Spray question the remaining guards and learn that, whilst they are irritated that their Lord has ordered them to appease rather than oppose the Orc band, they do not wish to contravene his orders. After making them wait for a power-demonstrating period of time, they group are invited into the audience chamber. They are requested to leave all their weapons with the guards, but Rhobur is allowed to keep his staff and Spray smuggles in some hidden blades. On entering the audience chamber, they see 3 chairs. Upon one is seated the man they learn is the Lord. He is middle-aged and rotund, with a mess of badger hair on his head and an unkempt chin beard. His clothes are clearly of fine materials, but are stained with recent food. To his left sits the Lady Silvera of Milagon. She is a striking lady in her 40s, with long dark hair framing the graceful features of her olive skin. She too is finely dressed and sits with an emotionless look on her face, hard to read. To the right of the Lord sits the Reeve, announced as Salenis Vendari. His chair is plain and unassuming, as is his lean form clad in a well-tailored brown robe. His has his dirty blond hair idly swept back and long dirty blond moustache. Jed immediately confronts Lord De L’Ornblake-Feldspar over his cowardice in failing to tackle the Orc menace rather than acquiescing to them. De L’Ornblake-Feldspar blusters that he is only doing what is best for the town, what on earth would outsiders know and anyway who does Jed think he is coming in here telling him how to do his job. He just did as recommended by his trusted Reeve what was best for the Town. At this point, the Reeve steps in to answer for the Lord, and faces the questioning of the band, responding calmly and placating that he was most grateful for the interest and concerned shown by the very generous visitors, but that the Orcs serviced the town with protection in return for the Tithe and that there were many factors that they did not understand and that they would be best off to leave. Now. Helda appealed to the Lady Silvera. The Lady had little to say on the matter beyond that the decision was that of her husband and that she would not speak against him. The party continued to press the Reeve whose tone gained a hint of malice and threatened to ask security to remove them. The party eventually left of their own accord, collected their weapons and returned to the Inn. There, with the sun approaching noon, they found Doggett was still entrenched at the bar. Gathering him up they tell him they want to help with his problem. Before setting off to Doggett’s Farm, they stop by Olyphant Gourd’s potion shop. Olyphant thanks them for rescuing Sam, sells them some potions of healing and informs them he’s always interested in potential ingredients if they encounter any. The band head toward Doggett’s farm, located about ¾ of an hour to the northwest of the town. They arrive and are greeted by Lysse Doggett and ushered out to the field from which cattle are disappearing. The field is covered with holes, like giant molehills. Helda goes to the freshest hole and drops herself in. She discovers the tunnel beyond it is semi collapsed and a few pieces of what look like egg shell or crab exoskeleton. Suddenly, a shaking rumbles beneath the feet of the party. Out of the earth bursts a giant insect, an Ankheg. The team struggle to pull Helda from the hole and battle the Ankheg. It is eventually killed by Spray who cuts off a pincer and then runs her sabre through its head. They collect some of its acid and its shell for the potioner. They head back to the town to lick their wounds and sell the acid to the potioner. He offers them a few copper pieces, but they don’t feel that’s enough, so they keep the acid. Remembering the Tithe is due that evening, the band head back out beyond Doggett’s farm to ambush the Orc on its way BACK from collecting the Tithe. Using Rhobur as a decoy, they capture and interrogate the Orc, who proves particularly unhelpful beyond saying his leader is called Garak and that there’s about 10 orcs encamped up beyond Ornblake Field near a rocky outcrop. Helda smashes his head in with her hammer and it explodes like a brown paper bag filled with vegetable soup. The band raid the cart filled with the Tithe collections and help themselves to some potions of healing. They also decide to keep and share all the money taken from the villagers. However, none of them notice as Spray subtly appropriates the box. They decide that it’s best if the town has no knowledge of their involvement and return the cart to the town under cover of darkness and enter from a separate location. They sneak back to the Giant’s Head. They are served dinner by Nieve amongst a few other patrons drowning their sorrows and Jed’s Fiend sense tingles. They turn in for their second night.Aronsday, 9th Tummony
The party are awoken by a commotion outside. They take various vantage points to observe what’s happening: Helda and Spray in the street; Jed from his bedroom window (after a rapid but thorough bath) and Rhobur from the roof of the Inn. The commotion is being caused by the Reeve who is standing atop the Tithe cart as it is drawn through the streets, with attendants ringing bells and clanging pans to waken the townspeople. The Reeve declares that the Tithe had been returned, with a few items missing, indicating that it had clearly been rejected by the Orcs and that more must be given. Spray and Helda object to this and are rounded on by the Reeve, who threatens them with the guard. Spray threatens any who attack Helda and the two make a retreat from the town. Rhobur attempts to help matters from his rooftop perch. When challenged by the Reeve as to why he was up there, he proclaims that he was trying to feel like he was flying. He further declares to the Townfolk that he and his friends are responsible for reclaiming the Tithe and that they should all be grateful. The townsfolk don’t believe the upstart and pelt him with rotten fruit until he slides off the roof and also beats a hasty retreat out of town in the same direction as his compadres. Spying all this from a safe position, Jed also slips away figuring that discretion in this case was the better part of valour (or at least the road of least resistance). Regrouping beyond the Northwest gate, the group decide they should head to the Orc camp to scout it out, and visit the Stone Circle and Standing Stone of Ornblake Field en route, as Jed recalls it from his history classes. They have a fairly pleasant walk for most of the day, although encountering some Vine Blights on the journey. Rhobur uses Breath Weapon. It isn’t very effective. The ragtag bunch arrives at the Circle. At its centre is a great, broadly conical standing outcrop of stone, about 15’ high and composed of marbled black and white stone. Around that are 12 smaller standing stones: 6 black and 6 white. They search around the central stone and notice there’s been Orc activity there. Jed gets another twinge from his fiend sense. Rhobur sends a crow off to count the number of Orcs at the camp. On returning, the crow drops 4 twigs, suggesting only 4 Orcs at the camp. The group push on to the outskirts of the camp. With night now fallen, Spray sneaks into the camp to discover there are many more Orcs in the camp than they expected. She sees 2 guards at the entrance, one guarding a central hut. The camp has a latrine and a weapon shed and 4 tents, 1 empty and 3 with 2 orcs sleeping in each. She also sees they have a hut filled with mining equipment. The group decide now is not the time to attack, but head to the outcrop behind the orcs settlement where they make camp for the night.Dagsday, 10th Tummony
In the morning, they watch as the Orc camp comes to life. One Orc remains guarding the entrance of the enclosure, one guarding the central hut. 2 orcs set off toward the town with a cart to investigate what happened to the one who was sent to collect the Tithe. The remaining 4 orcs head into the tool shed, collect tools and then head in the direction of the cliff face where, due to the overhang, they disappear from view. Seizing this opportunity, the group sneaked toward the entrance to the Orc camp. They made quick work of the sleeping watchman at the entrance and have a short fight with the Orc guarding the central hut. Spray stealthily opens the door to look into the hut but can see nothing. She slides in, followed by the rest of the group who attempt to sneak in. Unfortunately, Rhobur manages to slam the door. A large figure can be made out behind a veil at the rear of the hut. It is bulkily armoured and just affixing its final piece of armour. The slam of the door makes it swing around, drawing back the veil with his axe and bearing down on the party. He is taller and more muscular than the previous orcs they’ve encountered with one of his eyes nothing but a withered socket. This is clearly Garak, the Orc Leader. Declaring he is an Eye of Gruumsh, he attacks and orders Helda to flee and bow to him. Helda resists this. Rhobur uses his fire breath at him and also sets fire to the hut. Garak finds attacking difficult due to his large size and the lack of space in the hut. He fells Helda and Spray, but is eventually killed by Jed. Searching his hut and body, the gang find a chest of coins, some carved bone artifacts and a leather case, which, when later opened, contains a Driftglobe – a sphere of glass which will float on command and cast a light spell and a daylight spell 1/day. The merry band vacates the now burning camp and regroups on the road to decide their next action!
Report Date
05 Jul 2016
Primary Location
Comments