Okay, only 1 sect. When we last left our group they were at the Olmstead farms, a day or so outside of Edge City. Having collected the vetch ("weeds" to Hexis and Akx, Axe? I've yet to get the character sheet so not 100% sure how the goblin rat-catcher's name is spelled). Anyway, they head back to the city, get the crop to Eleanor the apothecary, and are trying to remember what they were doing next. The downside of it being almost 2 months since the last session (as mentioned: adulting is HARD!).
They are met outside the shop be a well-dressed Ord, Sorgulg. Who has a job for Hexis and his companions. The leader of the city wants a bit of scouting up north. Behind the scenes, having heard from the guards that this group seems to work well together and is not afraid of the sewers. And there is deniability should they get caught by the Ironskull fighters. Having the Orc Fist gauntlets described, our group decides that there may be good reason to go there.
At the old house where Big George and the child thief gang are, the two Elf twins, Estalar & Aleesa, are awake. They only speak High Elf, so only Dawn can understand them though Deimos picks up a word or two, her mother being an Orc. Deimos also notices some orc slave brands on their shoulders and sees them as high-order slave marks. Meaning they need to be intact and not be abuse (the lifespan of most Orc slaves is measured in weeks. And I will note that not all orcs condone slavery, but there are some warbands that do. And some humans. My world is not black and white). Some discussions that the children are safe, and they pay Big George a bit to keep them safe. Parts of their backstory do come out: they were in their family's castle in the J'Uniperous Woods when Orcs attacked. They were whisked away, and have no idea the fate of their family (which honest I don't either at this point - we'll see where the story goes!). They were in a cell in a dark castle, managed to escape and somehow crossing through a stone arch came out someplace else, and fell in the river. Michael and 'Elspeth found them and took them to George, where they and the other children, getting bit by rats, ended up with Rats Bane, which is where our adventurers showed up.
Deciding to go north and outfitted at the city's expense with horses and gear, they head out the next day. It is a cloudy day, and they stay at an inn that night. Dawn dances and sings, along with some dance moves from Noodles. Deimos has brought out the bear a few times, and she seems to be at least starting to accept the half Orc, half Elf. Dried salmon seems to help. The others pick up a couple of rumors: the Ironskull soldiers have sometimes been seen, but usually from someone's brother's friend. And there seems to be something that is snatching young men - a few of the young farmers seem to have gone missing.
Next day is a drizzly rain that manages to seep everywhere. Finding a good spot, Violet and Axe hear what sounds like chanting. Sneaking up, the two spot several women chanting around a large stone well, with another woman up on some stone stairs, a young man in front of her, tied and about to get bashed over the head.
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| AI drawing - kinda close |
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| AI drawing - there are some really strange arm issues! |
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| real drawing but there was no credit so not sure who drew this |
The battle was relatively swift: Dawn managed to shoot the leader twice with her arrows, Deimos used the blunderbuss they found in the sewers and wounded 3 of the cultists. Violet ran forward to attack 2 of the cultists, though another moved behind her to attack. Axe and Hexis moved in to attack another cultists and made quick work of her. Deimos launched Noodles at one, and though the bite only did 1 point of damage, Noodles decided that perhaps being a boa constrictor would be a good choice and started strangling her. The leader, seeing the devastation, ran off, and another followed. As well as a third cultist running off in another direction. Chasing them down, our group killed all of them. Bringing back the bodies, they all have a simple bronze rune on a leather thong around their necks.
The young man, jaw gaping, watched the whole thing. When asked how he got caught by the cultists: "There was this nekkid lady who wanted me to follow her. Ain't no pretty girls in town so I followed her, got conked on the head and be here now."
Hexis was not pleased with just how, err, not-bright young Clyde is. But seeing as how Violet is close to death, he does say there is a hedge witch who may be able to help a bit. Axe has physicker, so Violet is brought up from 1 hit point to 3. Not sure is she drank the 2 health potions they have. And the players forgot that unlike "modern" games, sleeping overnight does not heal you: you need to rest for 2 days to get 1 point back. Makes you want to get some armor and more strength to be better protected! As I don't think any of them have any armor.
And that brings us up to date with the current status. I'll also include one of the player's notes here as he uses a laptop to track everything. Better than I do: I know I made notes about a lot of things, but then can never find my notes! Trying to use that Rocketbook, but I also prefer electronic notes. But I can never remember where I stick them! But I will need to come up with the little town, the hedge witch, and a few things. Though I have a month, time flies by really fast for me!
I'll have to write up the story of Stubboon's Folly: they are going to Stubboon's 2nd Stand (he had 3) and I poked around for castle maps (though will be getting some soonish maybe?). So, I had this ready in case they got that far but they did not. But it is a nice little castle.
Next post may be a bit of that history (and I came up with that in college, 40+ years ago!) Or I may start Traveller 5.10 Book 2 overview.
