In The Aristrax Marches – Ep26
Previously in the Aristrax Marches, the Ravens of Gadun destroyed the Gnawling hordes threat.
Turn 42
The Dancing Nymph inn is bustling with activity as the warband arrives, seeking refuge from the long and exhausting journey. The dimly lit room is filled with the sound of drunken laughter, clinking glasses, and the strumming of a lute. The smell of stale ale and roasted meat wafts through the air, making the group’s stomachs grumble.
Bolga leads the way, striding confidently through the crowded room. He spots a table in the corner and makes his way over to it, gesturing for the rest of the warband to follow. They slide into their seats, their weapons clanking against the chairs.
Myrick, the wily rogue, glances around the room, scanning the patrons for any potential threats. Rina, the fey-blooded outsider, sits silently, lost in thought. Temir, the studious apprentice, fidgets with his Heartseeker enchanted blade, lost in thought. Caldas, the halfling, sits apart from the group, his eyes downcast as he contemplates his past misdeeds.
Bolga breaks the silence, his voice low and commanding. “We’ve done well in the Aristrax Marches, but there’s more to come. The Duskling tribes are still a threat, and we need to be ready for whatever they throw at us.”
Caldas looks up, his expression troubled. “What about the fact that you’re fighting against your own people, Bolga? How do you reconcile that?”
Bolga glares at Caldas, his hand gripping the hilt of his cleaver. “I do what’s necessary to protect my people, even if it means fighting against them.”
Rina speaks up, her voice soft but firm. “We need to be careful, though. The Dusklings won’t be pleased if they hear that one of their own is leading a warband against them.”
Myrick nods in agreement. “We need to keep a low profile, gather information, and strike at the right moment.”
Temir chimes in, “We also need to be wary of other factions that may have their own designs on the Aristrax Marches.”
As the warband discusses their next moves, the innkeeper approaches their table, a tray of drinks in his hands. “Another round, my lords and lady?”
Bolga nods, his eyes never leaving the warband. “Aye, bring us your strongest ale. We’ll need it for the road ahead.”
No Town Events were rolled. The Upkeep was at 1 Gold Mark, and we Meet the Locals earning 1 Story Point. Also Rina will Train and earn 1 XP. On the Trade step we will sell Precious Metals, a Shield and a Partial Armour for 8 Gold Marks in total.
As the warband settles in at the Dancing Nymph inn, Rina excuses herself and heads out to find a secluded area to train with her weapons. The others enjoy the rare opportunity to unwind and socialize with the locals.
Bolga sits at a corner table, nursing a tankard of ale and surveying the room with a watchful eye. His thoughts drift to the upcoming battles against his own people, the Duskling tribes. He grimaces, wondering how he will reconcile his loyalty to his warband with his sense of duty to his own culture.
Caldas, feeling the weight of his past mistakes, decides to make amends by offering to pay for a round of drinks for the patrons of the inn. He strikes up a conversation with a group of locals, listening to their stories and exchanging banter.
Myrick, always on the lookout for opportunities to make a profit, slips away to the marketplace to sell some of the spoils they acquired from their recent battles. He haggles with the merchants, striking a good deal for the brigandine armor, kite shield, and precious metals.
As the night wears on, the warband eventually reconvenes at their table, swapping stories and laughing at each other’s jokes. For a moment, they forget about the horrors of the Aristrax Marches and the looming threat of the Duskling tribes, enjoying the simple pleasure of camaraderie and relaxation.
For adventuring we are hunting down the Duskling warbands threat. They’re in the same map area as Fey Wall, and are waiting in ambush – so we can’t attempt to Seize the Initiative – and if we lose they will undermine our progress. It’s an Aspiring War Party of 7 (2 self bows) and a Unique Foe which was rolled to be a Grim Knight whose motivation is that he’s a regular member of the group. The objective is to Secure the Field and the theme is Meadows and Fields. I’d like to have better terrain for this, but I’ll make do with what I already have.
The warband trudged through the meadows, weary from their travels. Bolga led the group, his keen senses scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger. Suddenly, the air grew thick with the stench of unwashed bodies and the sound of footsteps on the dry grass. They were ambushed by a group of dusklings, young raiders who were eager to prove their worth in battle.
Bolga drew his cleaver and charged towards the group. “Stay back, you filthy scum!” he yelled, his voice booming across the meadow.
Caldas stepped forward, a confident smirk on his face. “Leave this battle area at once, or face the wrath of the Ravens of Gadun!”
Tunbehrt, the dusklings’ leader, emerged from the shadows, his armor clanking loudly with each step. “We claim this land in the name of the Duskling tribes. You have no right to be here.”
Rina readied her spear, her eyes narrowed in determination. “You picked the wrong fight, Tunbehrt. We’ll make sure you and your raiders regret crossing us.”
The young duskling raiders fidgeted nervously, glancing at each other uncertainly. Bolga took advantage of their hesitation and charged forward, swinging his cleaver with deadly precision. The rest of the warband followed suit, their weapons glinting in the sunlight.
The impending battle was sure to be fierce and bloody, but the Ravens of Gadun were ready to fight.
The Combat
Bolga and Caldas, the leaders of the warband, close in on the Duskling raiders, weapons drawn and ready for combat. The two Duskling archers take aim at Gerk and Rina, their hatred for the Fey-blooded woman evident in their choice of targets. The arrows fly, but miss their mark as Gerk and Rina dodge and weave out of harm’s way. The rest of the Duskling war party charges forward, closing in on the warband with reckless abandon.
ROUND 1
Temir and Rina quickly draw their bows and shoot back at the raiders, hoping to take them down before they can reach the warband. Temir’s arrow finds its mark, striking one of the Duskling raiders and sending them tumbling to the ground. But none of the raiders show any sign of fear or retreat, and they continue to press forward with their attack.
The tension in the air is palpable as the two sides close in on each other, weapons at the ready. The battle is about to begin, and the fate of the warband hangs in the balance.
Rina curses under her breath as she realizes she has run out of arrows, and she quickly switches to her short sword, prepared to engage in close combat. The duskling archers, seeing their chance, take their last shots at Bolga and Rina, but both miss by a hair’s breadth. Bolga grits his teeth as the Grim Knight charges towards him, swinging his sword with deadly intent. Bolga manages to parry the first blow, but the second one lands, causing him to stumble back. He recovers quickly, however, and counterattacks with a fierce swing that the Grim Knight barely dodges.
ROUND 2
Gerk, meanwhile, is caught off guard by a duskling who jumps over the fence he was using for cover. The duskling slashes at him with a crude blade, and Gerk winces in pain as blood seeps through his tunic. He steps back behind the fence, hoping to find a moment to tend to his wound. A dusking with an arrogant grin on his face, lunges at Myrick, thinking he can easily overpower the small rogue. But Myrick is quick and agile, darting around the duskling and striking him in a vital spot with a sharp blade.
As another duskling darts towards Rina, Temir moves in to protect her, slashing with his sword and drawing blood. Bolga’s attacks, however, are foiled by the quick movements of the duskling he is facing, and frustration is beginning to set in. Myrick sees an opportunity to strike and lunges at the duskling who wounded Gerk, plunging his blade deep into its chest. The duskling falls to the ground, lifeless.
Despite their losses, the duskling raiders refuse to flee, their eyes filled with bloodlust and fury. The battle is far from over.
I made a mistake here and it was actually Rina who activated in the beginning, but the entire turn was almost elapsed and therefore I switched Rina's missed shot to Temir, by spending a Story Point. It's only fair, and I should be more careful next time.
As the battle continues to rage on, the warband finds themselves locked in a deadly dance with the duskling raiders. The sound of clashing steel and the cries of the wounded fill the air.
ROUND 3
Temir, his eyes narrowed in focus, moves with lightning speed towards the nearest duskling archer, his Heartseeker blade flashing in the sunlight. In one swift motion, he strikes the duskling down, ending its life with a sickening thud.
Meanwhile, Bolga faces off against the Grim Knight, their weapons ringing out in a symphony of death. Bolga lands a powerful blow on his opponent, sending the Grim Knight reeling, but the duskling quickly recovers and returns the favor with a fierce counterattack. He kills another duskling that jumps in to assist its leader.
As the warband fights on, they manage to take down another duskling archer, while Caldas engages in a brutal melee with the other, his small stature belying his deadly proficiency with a blade.
Myrick, ever the opportunist, takes advantage of the chaos to shoot his longbow, wounding another duskling. But the raiders are determined, and none of them flee, fighting to the bitter end for their tribe and their honor.
Bolga and Tunbehrt’s weapons clash together, creating a shower of sparks. Their swords clash again, and both combatants are equally matched. Bolga grunts and puts all his strength into his next attack, but his enemy blocks it with ease. Tunbehrt counterattacks, but Bolga raises his cleaver and parries the blow.
ROUND 4
Meanwhile, Caldas dashes towards a nearby duskling and strikes with his sword. The first hit draws blood, but the second hit is fatal, and the duskling falls to the ground with a thud.
The wounded duskling attacks Bolga, but the warband leader manages to block its blows. Myrick takes advantage of the opening and shoots an arrow at the duskling. The arrow hits its mark, and the duskling falls to the ground with a pained scream.
Now only Tunbehrt, the Grim Knight, remains. He stands tall and defiant, his armor dented and bloody. “You’ve done well to make it this far,” he says with a smirk. “But I won’t go down without a fight.”
Bolga nods, his eyes fixed on his enemy. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replies. The two warriors circle each other, their weapons at the ready.
As Bolga and the Grim Knight clash swords again, their weapons ring out like a bell, each strike echoing through the silent battlefield. Bolga’s muscles ache, sweat pouring down his face as he tries to push past the Grim Knight’s guard. The warband leader is determined to end this, to finally put an end to the Grim Knight’s reign of terror.
ROUND 5
The Grim Knight, however, is not easily defeated. His armor glints in the sunlight, a testament to the countless battles it has survived. He sneers at Bolga, contempt clear in his eyes. “You are nothing but a peasant, a nobody. You cannot defeat me.”
Myrick takes another shot, aiming for the small gaps in the Grim Knight’s armor, but to no avail. The arrow simply bounces off, harmless against the heavily armored foe.
Temir sees an opening and goes in for a strike, but the Grim Knight’s shield parries his attack. The two warriors lock eyes, a moment of intense focus passing between them before they disengage.
Bolga takes a deep breath, feeling the weight of his cleaver in his hand. He knows that he cannot give up, that the fate of the warband rests on his shoulders. With a fierce determination, he lunges forward, his cleaver aimed for the Grim Knight’s neck.
But once again, the Grim Knight is too quick, deflecting Bolga’s attack with ease. The two warriors continue their dance of death, neither gaining the upper hand.
It seems as if the battle will continue indefinitely, the Grim Knight’s armor and shield seeming impenetrable. The warband begins to feel a sense of despair, the weight of the battle taking its toll. But Bolga is not ready to give up yet. He readies himself for another attack, hoping that this time he will be successful.
Yet another mistake here, Bolga shouldn't have been able to activate in the Quick Phase as I didn't roll a single 2 or less. Thankfully I checked and saw I he has a Will Point which he used. And this was a nice reminder for me to start using our Will Points.
Bolga charges towards the Grim Knight, cleaver in hand, ready to strike. The warband leader puts in all his will to act quickly, trying to take down his enemy before he has a chance to strike back. But it’s a deadlock as the two opponents exchange blows.
ROUND 6
Caldas, seeing Bolga’s struggle, decides to join the fight against the Grim Knight. He puts his will to attack quickly and manages to land a hit on the enemy, but it’s still not enough to bring him down.
The Grim Knight turns his attention to Caldas, swinging his massive sword with deadly precision. The halfling tries to dodge, but it’s no use. The sword lands on him with full force, and he falls to the ground, incapacitated and bleeding.
Temir knows that it’s all up to him now. He approaches the Grim Knight, his Heartseeker blade glinting in the dim light. With a swift and precise strike, he pierces the enemy’s armor, finding a gap between the plates. The Grim Knight lets out a final gasp as he falls to the ground, defeated.
The warband stands victorious, but the cost is high. Bolga rushes to Caldas’ side, trying to stop the bleeding and save his comrade. Myrick looks around, scanning the surroundings for any more enemies, but there are none left. The battle is over, but the warband’s wounds will take time to heal.
Resolution
We rolled 6 Adventure Points earned for being Victorious against an Enemy Threat, and 2 Adventure Points more for defeating the Unique Foe. 6 Adventure Points were spent directly on reducing the Duskling Threat by 1, going down to 4.
Caldas was Moderately Injured for 5 Turns, so I used a Silvertree Leaf and he was Lightly Injured for 2 Turns instead.
Gerk, Bolga, Rina and Myrick earned 2 XP each, while Temir earned 3 XP and Caldas only 1 XP. Rina advanced to Level 1 and earned 1 Combat Skill.
We had 1 Loot roll for achieving the Objective which was an Old Dusty Manual of Crafting – I’ll see who’ll get it. Also for Holding the Field we got Unusual Finds which was 2 Gold Marks.
Finally, no News Events were rolled.
Caldas groans as he inspects his wound, but he knows that he’s lucky to have some Silvertree Leaf on hand. He quickly applies the herb, and the pain subsides as the wound begins to close.
As the warband takes a moment to catch their breath, Bolga notices a dusty old manual among the scattered loot. “Look what we’ve got here,” he grins, holding it up for the others to see. “A manual of crafting. Maybe we can learn a few new tricks.”
Myrick steps forward and rummages through the coins, then holds them up to the light. “These are worth 2 Gold Marks,” he says, grinning. “Not bad for a day’s work.”
Temir nods in agreement. “Let’s not linger here too long,” he says. “We should get moving before any more duskling patrols find us.”
Session Summary
Loved the session with the change of enemy types. The rolled enemy was easy, but the Grim Knight proved to be a bit of a challenge. If it wasn’t for the Heartseeker blades I don’t know how easy it would be for me to defeat him without more casualties.
Also I need to remember to use all the abilities at my disposal (Will Points!) and to do some research to find the Duskling Hideout before I reduce the Threat to 0.
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
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