Session 2
General Summary
It was a one-sided fight. Nex Pervenio easily slaughtered their would-be ambushers. The last kuotoa attempted to flee but could not outrun a hail of arrows in the back.
With the danger dealt with, attention turned once more to the human prisoners. Medical attention
and food were sufficient to revive them. Turned out they were merchants from Kurgan, who�d
been kept prisoner by the kuo-toa. The kuo-toa had been using them as bait, to facilitate ambushes
so they could take more captives. Such were destined for the kuo-toa�s base � the old Rodinian
fort � though these merchants had never been there.
The merchants were very grateful for their rescue and felt strong enough to head out of the swamp
without needing Nex Pervenio to escort them. Shinobi declared that they were the keep�s rightful
owners and would soon be securing the whole area � the merchants thought he was crazy but
agreed to pass on this news when they reached civilisation. Shinobi took the opportunity to
disparage the Rodinians. With a final word of thanks, the merchants headed south, while the
gladiators continued north, deeper into the swamp.
The day grew increasingly gloomy, with all kinds of mosquitos and midges annoyingly present.
Towards the end of the day a small fort came into view. Shinobi and Dash went on ahead to
circumnavigate and check it out.
The fort was rectangular, with one main gate and four corner turrets, festooned with arrow slits.
One side wall had a collapsed section, the ground covered in rubble. The courtyard was returning
to nature, trees and undergrowth obscuring a couple of interior buildings. A moat encircled it,
though choked with reeds and refuse and barely distinguishable from the surrounding swamp.
Some movement was evident behind the wall ramparts � looked like more kuo-toa.
The scouts returned to the group with their news. A quiet night passed uncomfortably in the moist,
insect-filled swamp. An assault was planned for the morning. A stand of trees provided some
cover and solid ground where the horses could be picketed.
At Valun�s suggestion, the gladiators daubed themselves with mud and swamp foliage. The
gladiators then crawled their way right up to the keep. In the lee of the wall, they peered through
the collapsed part. A couple of kuo-toa were visible on the opposite walls. Dash and Shinobi
assessed the wall and figured it was climbable. So they scooted up the corner of a tower and onto
its roof. From there they spotted a couple more kuo-toa.
The signal was given and Argus boldly marched through the rubble into the courtyard. This
alerted the kuo-toa who scrambled to respond to the intrusion. Meanwhile Argus headed up steps
onto the wall near the tower with Dash and Shinobi on, the other gladiators following him. Hordes
of kuo-toa emerged from towers and courtyard buildings. Many of them flung javelins, with Valun
and Riya bearing the brunt of the attacks. The combat focused on the ramparts around one corner
tower, as waves of kuo-toa charged into the fray. Riya spoke a word of power and instantly
teleported behind a line of kuo-toa javelineers. Shinobi leapt down to support her, enveloping
them both in a shroud of protective darkness. Volleys of arrows and daggers took out many more
kuo-toa. Soon only a couple remained and these were butchered unceremoniously.
Taking stock, it seemed the keep had been secured, as no further kuo-toa were evident. Inside one
of the courtyard buildings, steps led down into darkness�
Report Date
10 Apr 2024
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