Resume of game on 22-5-94
Two new characters were introduced to the game: Gelert (Mark Buckley) and Agvan (Alan). The players travelled to Thule, intending to look into selling their magic amulet, but were attacked on the way by people looking for Marcus. The PC's were placed under protective custody, first at Sir J's, then the Baron's, where they accidentally summoned an Ice Thing. Other events of note were that Pan was initiated into 7 Mothers, by the skin of his teeth, and the 3 PC's in the militia intercepted a smuggler? creeping across the border in the dark, who beat them up. I decided to introduce rule changes to tone down the effects of insanity as they were beginning to dominate the game.
Details
Dramatis Personae: Pan (Charlie); Agvan (Alan); Marcus (Lynne); Gelert (Mark); Viran was played by Mark in combat as Rupert had twisted his ankle LRP'ing the day before and couldn't drive over. Yes, another new character for Alan... the others just couldn't stand Anastasia anymore and insisted she "Bugger Off!".
Agvan (Alan) is the younger brother of the village smith. He was serving an apprenticeship elsewhere, but it was interrupted by the death of his master. He has come home to visit his family. He's huge, and muscled with it.
Gelert (Mark) is the son of a thatcher living midway between Genest and Reventon, tall but not massive. He is usually accompanied by a small and undisciplined dog. A rather happy-go-lucky drifter, contrasting with the other, rather more dynamic PCs.
Marcus and Pan set out for Thule to look into selling their amulet. Agvan came along to pick up some bronze ingots for his brother; Viran was left in Genest as his arm hadn't fully regrown yet. Marcus proudly showed the others his newly aquired horse, Bracken.
As they passed Gelert's family smallholding, they met a cart coming up the road. There were two men on it looking like city folk or merchants. These fellows asked if the PC's knew where an M. Woodsman lived? The PC's examined the fellows carefully. The cart seemed laden with barrels but had a nasty rotting smell from its load, and flies buzzed round it. "What are you carrying?" asked Marcus. "Fertiliser", replied the two blokes. Agvan went round the back of the cart to see what he could see. "Aye, we know where this M. Woodsman lives," said Marcus. "He lives in the next village down the road. Why do you want him?" "We've got a letter for him," was the reply. Marcus asked them what they would do with the letter if M. Woodsman was not there. They said they would probably deliver it next time they were up this way in about 8-10 weeks. Marcus thought about it and then owned up: "I'm M. Woodsman."
A moaning hole appeared in the air and sucked in all loose leaves and dust around it before vomiting forth a huge frog which began howling, an eerie and frightening noise. Agvan took advantage of a few seconds' respite to hurl the broo into the hole. He despatched the frog too despite it sinking its teeth into him. Pan and one of the original fellows from the cart were bogged down in a standoff; the bandit was very good at parrying, Pan wore too much armour for the other to penetrate effectively. Gelert ran out to help him with a mace from the bandit still writhing on the ground. (Gelert's Pa had gone temporarily, well, 'sensibly cautious' and locked the door behind Gelert). The bandit realised he couldn't handle two opponents... Pan never saw the glowing red cloud materialise behind him, nor how it was stopped before reaching him; and he was too involved with the blob of pure shadow which shot out of the forest to see how his original opponent ended up buried and drowned in the earth.
Marcus was in a bad way. He had a useless weapon arm and attempted to ride off on his horse to get help but didn't quite manage the maneouvre in his panic. The dart thrower caught up with him and dragged him off the horse; Marcus' leg was damaged and he could only crawl. His opponent seemed unwilling to take unnecessary risks and rather than get close enough to let Marcus hit him, he attempted to finish Marcus off first with darts; then, as the last bandit lumbered up, he stood back and allowed them to finish off the prey. Marcus desperately rolled towards the stream, and crawled through it only to pass out on the far side from multiple wounds and blood loss as the armoured Thing struck at him. However, Marcus had passed out near a somewhat unusual tree. He never saw the zombie lurch up and, just as it was about to finish him, become obliterated by a sudden swipe from the tree which left it impaled on a nasty spearlike branch. The dart-thrower did though, and lost his bottle completely, running away screaming.
Agvan ran over to help Marcus. The tree struck at him, too, but missed. Agvan froze, and realised the tree couldn't sense him if he was still - which was why it hadn't killed Marcus, who lay unconcious under it. He very slowly and cautiously crept over to Marcus, bandaged his wounds and then very slowly carried him back over the stream to safety. The tree moved back into the forest, leaving a furrow of churned earth behind it like a gnome.
Temporary insanities aquired for a few minutes: Agvan - obsession with symmetry; Gelert's father - fear
Temporary insanities aquired for several days: Agvan - alcoholism; Marcus - Schizoid (withdrawn, incommunicative)
NB: you got off lightly. Luckily, the broo was thrown into the Void so you didn't see.......
Once recovered from his wounds, Marcus rode off to Reventon for help and Sir Julius and some militia came quickly. The area was scoured but the dart thrower wasn't found. Sir Julius examined the writhing zombie body and showed the PC's how the most effective way of dealing with them was to impale their chests. The letter was examined by him; it was indeed for Marcus; Marcus and Pan pored over it and looked worried. Sir Julius split the money for the PC's and took them to his house in Reventon to rest and for protection from whoever was after them.
Next day, he took them to the Baron of Thule so they could be properly protected in the castle there. The PC's were introduced to the Baron who was most interested in these goings-on and readily agreed to them staying in the castle where he could keep an eye on developments.
Over the next few days, the PC's contacted various parties who might be interested in taking the amulet off their hands:
Pan, Marcus, Viran only: The Cult of Kalikos Icebreaker sent a rep from Aquapor. He offered Pan, Marcus and the absent Viran 750L between the 3 of them; 1-2 spells each, depending on value; or other appropriate training to a similar value, through the intercult web of credit.
Mortimer (the Thaumaturgical Investigator who came to witness Saint Maria's miracles) was in town, and when consulted offered 500L each; and an unusual spell each. He offered: Viran Healing-3 or Mobility; Pan Healing-3 or Dullblade-1; Marcus Mask Scent or Multimissile 1.
Your friendly local thaumaturgical troubleshooter & poseur. Exorcisms, circumcisions and religious schisms a speciality. Very reasonable rates
The PCs must decide which offer to take (if any) before the next game.
We determined who was going to rejoin the militia for another year's service. Viran (Rupert) and Pan (Charlie) rejoined, whilst Agvan (Alan's new character) joined for the first time. I didn't quite undestand why Agvan joined as it means he can't look for a job outside Genest, and there's already a fully trained smith there. His mum isn't pleased that he intends bumming around for a year! Having determined that all 3 were in the local military mob, I handed out the 'news' [ see Background Events] which explained amongst other things that anyone foolish enough to have joined the militia would be much more tied down now the Black Karmans were in the vicinity.
Pan, Viran and Agvan went on patrol round the village a few times. One night, they noticed a silhouette skulking along behind a hedge - apparently someone who'd just come from the forest, skirting the village and carrying something. Aha! A smuggler, they deduced, and followed him. Surprisingly, he heard them thundering behind him and turned; Pan tried the old 'Halt in the name of the law, you're under arrest' trick but just got a rude reply in Rathorelan. A fight ensued. The bloke seemed to be carrying a barrel. Up close, he seemed to be a very ugly, large chap with very wrinkly skin - the same bloke who nutted Pan unconcious last game. The PC's hit him with scimitars, bastard swords, daggers, fists etc. but only drew blood once despite him not wearing any armour. He also seemed to be extraordinarily strong, regularly doing almost lethal damage with just his fists. Pan was laid out and the fight finished when he used Agvan (SIZ 18) as a club to beat the others with. He legged it with his barrel as other militia approached. Agvan was rushed off to Thule to have his broken leg repaired. This is free for militiamen damaged in the line of duty.
Marcus also played a little solo-adventure with me and the other PCs might like to know that: the Guards were looking for Marcus quite actively for a few days. There was a reward of 5L for information leading to his arrest! Mr Revarnos and Sir J were both keen to locate him. But a couple of days later he was granted a pardon, leastaways it was all declared a mistake. Also, Marcus met a" monster" in Knightswood in late Fire season. Several of the soldiers posted to Genest saw it and said it looked like a man with no head / masked troll / giant. When it was killed it crumbled to dust / sank into the earth / vanished in a flash of green light. Anyhow, Marcus went berserk and this time he didn't recover, so he was carted off to Thule tied up in the back of a cart, shouting that you were "...all monsters..." but he knew you "for what you are..." and he would "kill you all... take your filthy hands off me ... ". A few days later he was back, looking exhausted but stable.
Calendar for the above (also see Background Events):
Background events, Fire Season 1621
As describing the news going on in the background takes up so much of the game time and is of little interest to you players, here's the News for you. You can read it in the quiet bits of the game. None of it needs to be read immediately but you should have digested it all by the end of the night, so that you can act on it if you feel ther's something you want to get involved in. It will also help you keep your calendars up-to-date and you may well find that long after Fire Season 1621, you look back at this news and realise the significance of some fact in the light of new knowledge. Of course, most of it is dross...
Update on the Black Karma tribe
Now that these old enemies of the State have reappeared, the Count is suddenly taking a personal interest in your village. Sir J and Mr. Revarnos, the bailliff put the militia through extra drills so they can look impressive should important visitors come by. This affects several PC's of course, but can be ignored in game terms. The village is tidied up a bit, a dash of paint is applied here and there, tenants' roofs repaired, the noisome midden near the tanner's is finally dealt with etc. About mid-way through Fire Season, a squad of 20 soldiers arrives and starts building a permanent camp just outside the village. They start with a ditch and stockade, and begin regular patrols along the border (8-10 men). The rumour is the village is going to get a full-time priest, too. Reventon has some soldiers too, you hear. Notable soldier characters: Sergeant Thosk, Lance-corporal Darius, Private Corianus, Private Olaro, Private Ventrus - always wheeling & dealing, Private Barchestrum - rumoured to be in Danfive Xaron, looks extremely sinister with huge facial scar, never seems to talk to anyone and generally a loner. Respected by other soldiers - said to have gotten into a vicious fight with a broo where he finally killed it by biting its throat open.
Apparently they're under orders not to provoke tribesmen, particularly the Blackarms, but are to keep an eye on them.
Two officials and a number of military officers come to the village to have a look at the situation. Sir J shows them round personally.
The local militia is expected to help patrol the area and keep up a night watch. This obviously affects any PC in the militia. To wit: First 4 weeks of Fire Season: any given militiaman patrols twice / week at night; Second 4 weeks: once / week (prescence of soldiers makes for lighter duties). Militiamen must ask Mr Revarnos for permission to leave the village overnight, so he knows who's available in case of emergency.
Other Events (see also Calendar)
Loot from blokes on cart, Fire 1621 Between: Marcus, Pan, Gelert, Gelert's Pa, Agvan.
A silver ring, opportunistically filched by Gelert from the fellow buried with just his hand showing above ground. 3 full helms SIZ's 17, 17, 13; 4 L shields; 3 heavy maces; 6 potions; Letter to Marcus; cash: 20clacks, 4 L, 5 W = 21.2L each; cart; 2 mules; Sale of the amulet: ?
As the PC's found out in later games, this is Og, a giant who normally lives in Rathorela. His Size was Tapped by a sorceror so he's only SIZ 20 or so but his STR of 50+, CON of 50+, near-immunity to mind affecting spells and 30+ points of skin makes him a formidable opponent. Luckily, he wasn't interested in actually killing anyone - he was just in a hurry.
Note for Lynne, Charlie, Rupert : Alan's new character is the son of a smith and, obviously, in Lodril. There is a danger that his judgement will be distorted by foreknowledge of the fact that there is a Lodril shrine in the ruins in the forest. Therefore, I've changed the nature of the shrine. There's still one there, but the runes on its lintel were Stasis/Heat rather than Disorder/Heat. The insides were more or less the same except that the 'Heat Metal' enchantment which scorched Kyrolan on entering the shrine would have been replaced by a small Wall of Flame which would have whooshed up around anyone trying to enter the inner shrine. We'll have to asume you survived. If you check the details of when Toni died, it was between the two visits to the ruins, and you visited this shrine on the second visit. So there is no reason for Alan's new character to know of this shrine (Toni didn't see the runes in the lintel).
What next? Next game will probably have some militia stuff in it - (1) lots of duties guarding the village, (2) Fire Season's military games vs. other militias. Tough luck, all you militia PC's who wanted to adventure. In addition, Viran has to go through his initiation ordeal for 7 Mothers. Note to Charlie: don't tell Rupert about the ritual flagellation.
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