Conquering the Barbarian Altanis: Session 136
Adventurers
| Character | Race | Class | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ignaeus | Elf | Fighter level 5 / magic-user level 4 | A slightly weathered looking elf with dull blonde hair and chiseled features. Seeks wealth and knowledge. |
| Foxglove | Human | Thief level 6 | A willowy human, long hair ties in a pony tail, looks a bit dangerous and dainty at the same time. |
| Gomm | Human | Thief level 6 | Swarthy, good looking, dark-skinned thief. Sweet opium-like aroma is his fragrance of choice. |
Flowerbloom 12th, Waterday
“Ignaeus, it is good to see you again!” Lord Kyle welcomed the elf with elan “Please let me know what is the latest at the keep!”
Ignaeus updated the young lord, while Foxglove and Gomm trolled Midway for any useful intelligence. They hadn't learned much beyond that locals are proud of their lord taking the reins and bringing stability to the region. There were also reports of burning blobs of flesh and skeletons roaming around Ghinarian hills.
The elf also paid a visit to dwarven weaponsmith Odger, whom he had learned about whilst researching how to repair Volmorin's Blade.
“The condition is most serious. I can tell you right now that reforging the blade with mundane steel would outright kill it. But if you can supply me with an ingot of mithril and some magicum then I am confident I'd be able to repair—nay, enhance!—your bade!”
Good news, albeit the work would take at least a season and outcome would in fact not be guaranteed. Not to mention the cost and rarity of required materials...
Flowerbloom 13th, Earthday
The trio arrived at Cedarwade Keep an hour or so after the noon. Ignaeus updated Knight Marlon val Brookwood, whom Ambros had commanded to protect the keep until Dalkanarion arrives. Since the keep itself is in poor state, Marlon decided to erect tent-camp surrounding the keep. Two squads of heavy footmen patrol the insides of the keep, including the dungeon, while others patrol the outside. Horsemen patrol along the southern portion of Cedarwade river.
Gomm spotted additional, entertainment, tents. These were, no doubt, sent by the Namelin family, per their agreement with Dalkanarion. The thief investigated the dungeon underneath the keep. Then he set up a trap on the well down which few surviving beastmen escaped. He lined a slip knot chain around the lip of the well set to drop in and tighten once touched. This in turn will trigger several stone of rocks to tumble into the well.
Marlon invited Ignaeus to sleep at the commander's tent. He did not extend the invitation to Foxglove nor Gomm, distrusting them.
Flowerbloom 14th, Fireday
Next morning the adventurers joined Jace's mounted patrol. They followed the Cedarwade river upstream, until they reached a confluence of several tributary rivers. Then they returned through the woods. The trio would break off from time to time to search the area for ruins and lairs. Only notable feature they found was a giant ant burrow.
Flowerbloom 15th, Spiritday
“Welcome!” Marlon greeted two strong Altanians. These were local rangers Borden and Garsen, identical twins. They supplied the knight with information and news about the region in exchange for game, foodstuffs, and wine.
“We have scouted along the river as much as we could. My force is not well suited for scouting and exploration. It is all heavy footmen, and heavy cavalry. Jace did the best she could with her mounted crossbowmen.” Marlon spoke with the adventuring trio “Frankly, I cannot risk sending too many men to search beyond the river. There are Altanian tribes to the south, hobgoblins to the west, and wildlife to the north. And not to mention whatever cavern system there might be underneath the keep itself.”
Adventurers were interested in twins' findings too. They confirmed sighting of a “scrawny, tall dude with pointy hat” around a plateau some six leagues northwest from the keep. They spotted him, and a gang of men, coming and going from the tall grass and overgrowth covering the tableland.
“Can you take us there? And maybe guard our horses while we explore this plateau?”
“Hmpf! What are we! Some servant care takers?!”
“Oh no, everybody knows you have a magical touch with the horses! Nobody tames horses like Altanians!”
“That's damn right!”
Gomm's quick wit sweet-talked the Altanian twins to indeed guide the party and commit to watching over their horses. They set out at noon, forded the river just before the nightfall, and then made a cold camp in a secluded glade on a rocky outcropping overlooking the river to the east, and tableland to the west.
Flowerbloom 16th, Airday
“Pssst.” Gomm felt a hand cover his mouth. Moonlight of Howla and Vannis revealed it was Foxglove crouching over him, finger pressed against his lips. “Torches in the dark. Wake up others.”
Altanians were sleeping hard, snoring loudly. Once awoken they joined the adventurers. Five of them crawled through the brush, finding the best spot to observe the torches.
It was a mass of men, numbering between hundred and two hundred, crossing the river in the dark. They were a disorganised mess, yelling and barking at each other, holding torches up high. They looked poorly equipped, with most wearing rags or cloaks. It was difficult to make out the details in the dark. The loudest were figures dressed in chain shirts. Adventurers quietly observed from the cover.
“Look!” Ignaeus warned.
Borden and Garsen prowled like panthers in the dark, wild grins on their faces.
“Hey, what are you doing!” Gomm whispered in anger. The twin were moving in the direction of men emerging from the river and moving eastwards.
The rangers were soon out of sight. Gomm returned to the camp and packed his belongings.
“In case any fighting breaks out we are out of here.”
Then they observed men in darkness until they were well out of sight.
Soon Altanians returned, howling and laughing like madmen. Borden carried four scalps in his hand, while Garsen had only two. Former ribbed the latter about that.
Illustration by dreadlord.
“Come on! It is not fair! Where were you! I waited for you to join us! Now my brother has more scalps than me! Bollocks!”
“Why did you do this?”
“What do you mean? Don't you hunt for fun?!”
The quintet went back to sleep.
In the morning they decided not to head for the plateau. The men they spotted in the night most certainly went there. The place would be crawling with them, making the infiltration and scouting nigh impossible. So they spent the morning watch scouting the fording area for vantage points, ambushable spots, other fords, so on and so forth, instead.
They returned to Cedarwade Keep few hours into the evening watch.
“This is alarming. But this also presents an opportunity. If your descriptions are correct these are nothing but a rubble of uncouth bandits. I can run them over with a single squadron of my knights.”
Ignaeus and Gomm convinced Marlon to wait a bit. They proposed for Foxglove and Gomm to scout the area more. They would monitor enemy movement, when do they leave, in what numbers, where do they go, and similar. So far it seems like they always move in the dark. At the same time, Ignaeus would take Marlon's letter to Ambros, requesting his assistance. They were hoping for Ambros to join this fight, as well as Dalkanarion and his new force as well.
Would this tip the odds in the adventurers' favour?
Or would they miss their window of opportunity to surprise their enemy?
Discuss at Dragonsfoot forum.
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