In the Aristrax Marches – Ep03
Previously in the Aristrax Marches, the Ravens of Gadun defeated a band of ghouls led by a vampire as they were entering the outskirts of Langecliff.
Turn 4
Rolling at Local events table returned Got in a fight. I have no friends to speak for me so I have to pay 1 Gold Mark in recompense. Thankfully Upkeep was lower this turn at only 1 Gold Mark.
According to the News Events from previous turn, I rolled up a Contract given to me by Townsfolk to Rescue Individual that will pay 2 Gold Marks.
Helping the town guard would only cover the upkeep costs, so this time I decided to make some money through honest hard work that needs to be done. Betting on Liana’s Crafting skill to assist. But she failed the roll. Only 1 Gold Mark earned. Which I wasted right after by going to the Blacksmith (Fletcher I guess?) to repair the self bow for Solas…Temir.
Research didn’t return any results, so for adventure, I’ve decided to act on the Contract.
Talking about Temir, the follower turned Hero. Here’s the new figure that will represent him.
“Boss…” the Beard turned around to Bolga calling his name. “We… I…”
“Well, spit it already Bolga!” Omac started losing his patience.
Bolga sighed. “A man’s family demands we pay them recompense.”
“Bolga, what kind of recompense? what did you do?” Omac asked.
“He laughed saying my face is green.” He replied.
“That wasn’t nice. What did you do?” the Beard said.
“I turned his face red, blood red…from a broken nose and blue… from the bruises. Also, gave him a black eye…”
“Okay, okay I get it, that’s a lot of colours. Can’t argue with what you did. But if you can, try to keep the violence down a notch unless it’s necessary.” Omac gave a purse of coins to Bolga. “Go, pay them”.The Beard did some counting, and saw that they were dangerously low on coin. “Lady Liana, you and Myrick. Earn some silver for expenses if you can. The honest way.” He asks of them.
“I am but honest. And yes, I want by bath with warm water, but that costs way less than Wergilds! At least I can control my temper.” She snaps.
“My dear, people can get arrested for looking at you funny.” Omac points out.
“And that they should. Any way I’m not putting my skills to cover the Butcher’s wrongdoings. Find someone else to do it.” She scoffs, turns the other way and starts playing with a lock of her hair.
Omac gestures to Myrick. They’ll make some coin, but less than what he’d like. To add to that, Temir Solas took the bow to be repaired. That will cost a hefty amount too. He just hopes the Ravens won’t start deserting him should their luxuries end.It has been but a couple days, when the innkeeper approaches to Omac’s table. “You told me, if there’s work to be done, to let you know. This is about dangerous work.”
The Beard turns and looks at the man. “A youth, from a well standing family has gone missing. Word has it he had gone in the Catacombs at the ruins of the old Langecliffe.” The innkeeper says.
“Catacombs you say?” The Raven asks.
The innkeeper nods. “They used to bury people from the great houses there when Langecliffe was a bustling town decades ago. Now they’re not used anymore. The family belongs to the merchant’s guild and they will pay well.”
“We shall go.” Omac stands up and looks at Solas and Myrick. “Gather the Ravens. We leave in half an hour.”
So at the Adventuring stage the group went to the Unexplored Location, which is once more an Old Ruin (I had rolled this before writing the previous narrative), where they also roll a Traveler Encounter with a Scholar, which is a Special Event, Favor granting a Quest which I can’t take since I have one already, and thus got a Quest Find of feeling Emboldened.
At the Delve I rolled for enemies Giant Rats. I don’t have any miniatures at the moment of Giant Rats, so I’ll keep going down the table (and thus to more dangerous enemies) until I get something I have. I’ve settled at Skeletal Defenders (since I don’t have Winged Imps and just played against Giant Bugs) because they also look cool. Rolled 5 Skeletons plus a Lieutenant. Skeletons are Undead meaning they can’t get Stunned and are also Fearless, they’ll fight to the death (or at least oblivion?).
For table setup, I’d really have like to have some extra dungeon rooms (I’ve since painted 5 more rooms before my spray primer died) so as to not repeat the dungeon of my previous Delve at Ep01. Therefore to make things different, in addition to changing the layout, I used the cavern style rooms as the main part of the dungeon, added some wooden passages, and used a different set of accessories to populate it. According to the Contract mission, I placed the Individual at the centre of the board, and made the first move.
Rolled that there’s a passage leading elsewhere and will add a new Unexplored Location to the Wilderness. Placed the enemies next, and they’ve randomly been placed around my objective and closest to my warband. Seems it will be a quick melee.
Just outside the ruined mausoleum, the Ravens meet an old man.
“Your aid is required.” He says at Omac Gadun. “You must go far to…”
“To the Savage Mountains and find the Black Ferret. Yes I know.” The Beard cuts him off.
The old man is startled. “It, can’t be…”
“No?” Gadun asks.
“No. I would task you to an adventure worth your caliber, but it seems that Destiny has other plans for you. Face your destiny and claim it! or be devoured.” The old man responds.
“I see. Now step aside, we must save a foolish young man who has gone where he shouldn’t.” Omac says as he draws his sword and moves inside. The Ravens smirk and follow him as they move past the old man.
Temir steps in front, and feels an air draft different than the dampness of the catacombs. He looks to the side and sees a passage leading elsewhere. He jots it down so that they may explore at another time.
The Combat
The Ravens move closer from the two passages as they hear the screams of what echoes in the catacombs as a young man.
ROUND 1
‘That’s good’ Omac thinks. ‘He’s still alive.’
Then they see them. Skeletons of men striding towards them. Bones clacking, teeth moving up and down. A chill runs down the Raven’s spines, but they hold.
Bolga screams a warcry. He’s heard stories of entities that should be put to the ground, but are restless. He’ll send them to eternal rest.
Temir shoots his bow at one of these, but there’s little for the arrow to hold on to. It breaks a few bones, but the skeleton is still marching on.
Bolga charges at a skeleton, but the undead animation deflects, hits back Bolga and stuns him. Bolga loses his footing and is hit again. The skeleton’s spear should have skewered him, but for some reason, it is as if the spell that moved the skeleton bugged out, and it stood motionless. Long enough for Bolga to step back in safety.
ROUND 2
The skeleton attacks Bolga again, and his spear cuts a wound in his arm. Another jab by the skeleton’s spear, but his armor saves him, and again, the brigandine stops another blow.
The other skeleton follows and attacks Bolga who’s been pressed back. Bolga is tired and another strike hits his armor, and once more, but as the skeleton comes for a third attack, Bolga counter attacks. He manages to break off from the repeat hits against him, gains momentum, and cleaves the skeleton in two.
The constant fighting has taken it’s toll on Bolga, who doesn’t pay attention to the third skeleton attacking from the flank. He’s hit at the side, and drops.
Meanwhile Temir shoots again at the skeleton coming at him, aiming at a crucial bone at the spine, and splits the skeleton in half, destroying it.
Boots, at Temir’s side, arms his sling, swings it with might and hits the largest skeleton he can see, must have been a knight once. The bullet hits, but it is ricocheted off the skeleton.
Now the skeleton knight has reached Temir, but The Ox is tough. Sword and bow, he blocks the blow. He pushes him back.
Lady Liana of Trenne fights against the skeleton who brought Bolga down, but only manages to wound it.
Meanwhile Myrick and Omac have closed in to support their companions.
Used a Story Point to save Bolga once here. Decided not to spend another one. If worse comes to worst, I still have Silvertree Leaf.
Boots shoots his sling at the skeleton knight, but the bullet is stopped by the rusty armour.
ROUND 3
Temir takes advantage of the small distance he has gained and shoots at the knight. The arrow pierces through the rusty armor and lodges itself in the skeleton’s ribcage destroying some old bones.
The knight attacks Temir. Holding his bow, he can’t defend himself properly, but what would be a certain killing blow, misses. The knight should have gone for Temir’s open chest, but instead it just slashed open air. Temir gets to his senses, and using his sword, he blocks the next two slashes.
At the other side, Myrick shoots at a skeleton, but in the dark corridors, he misses.
The same skeleton attacks Lady Liana, who blocks, counters, and cuts off the skull destroying it.
The other skeleton moves in against her too. She blocks with her shield this time, bashes it back, and counters with a diagonal downward strike, smashing it to bone fragments.
Omac concentrates on casting a spell that will assist him in close combat as the skeleton knight has come close. He emboldens himself and a fiery gaze is set in his eyes.
Used a Story Point for Temir, and now I'm down at 1 Story Point, which I'll save for a rainy day. Maybe I'll need to save a member at a strategic point in time.
Temir shoots at the skeleton knight. Another arrow breaks through rusty armor, and lodges itself at the skeleton’s ribcage. It stumbles back, and the magic that was holding it in place vanishes, as the bones drop to the floor motionless.
ROUND 4
Boots sends another lead bullet flying, hitting the skeleton right behind the knight. The bullet strikes with such force that the skeleton is destroyed in one strike.
Lady Liana quickly moves towards the screams and finds the young man and calms him down.
Myrick checks on Bolga, to make sure their companion is still alive.
The rest of the Ravens look around for anything useful.
Decided not to start exploring the various markers, as with saving the Individual the objective was complete and I could stop the mission at any time (since I held the field as well). The two main reasons I didn't explore further was that I didn't want to press my luck, the warband is still low level with moderate gear. The other reason was that it was late at night and I was tired.Since I held the field and completed the objective I’m entitled to both a loot roll and an unusual finds roll, plust the 2 Gold Marks gained by completing the contract. But first I must check for Injuries and advancement.
I’ve rolled that Bolga was only Knocked Out.
Lady Liana and Omac Gadun gain 2 XP each.
Bolga only gains 1 XP since he was a casualty.
Temir gains 3 XP since he survived and also defeated the Skeleton Leader.
Myrick rolled on the Flash of Insight but gained nothing new.
Rolling on loot, I found an Enchanted Weapon! The Heart Seeker! It bypasses armor! I’ll give it to Lady Liana, since others already have Bastard Swords.
Rolling on unusual finds I’ve got a Strange Sack, which gives a loot roll, which is Vital Information(1). Rolling on this gives me a result that this information may negate the next Enemy Plans.
Finally, rolling on News Travels I got that travelers have seen something odd in the forests and hills. I’m to add an unexplored location to the wilderness of the map.
“Thank you! You’re heroes! I’ll sing your exploits everywhere! Thank you!” The young man starts kissing the hands and feet of Omac and the rest.
“Get a grip of yourself boy!” Omac shouts as he stands him up. “You’re just lucky we were around. What foolish thing was this?”
“My name is Aethed. I was looking for the ancient blade that will vancquish any foe. The Heart Seeker! But I’m not worth of it. Adventures and dangers are for people made of a different paste. I’ll go back to my father and learn how to do calculus, help them with the logistics of the shop.” The man explains.
“Search for this blade! Leave no stone unturned! But don’t delve too deep, don’t want to be searching for more lost people inside.” Omac orders his companions and soon they spread out, as Temir guides the young man outside.
Not long has passed, and Lady Liana of Trenne appears with a gleaming blue blade. She kneels before Omac, and presents the blade. “With your permission. I’ll use it to defeat our enemies.” She bows.
“And thus you will. Rise Lady Liana ofTrenne. This blade will serve you well, as you will serve the Ravens.” Omac responds.
Boots comes with a manuscript in his hands. “Hey Beard, I didn’t find no blade, but this might be of use. It speaks of ways our enemies move.” Omac smiles. “We’ll review it later at the inn. It’s time to return and get our well deserved pay. Pay that will fill our bellies with fine ale and pork on the spit.”As they reach the Weary Knave, the merchant’s family is thrilled to have their son back, and pay the Ravens the agreed upon sum. News reach them about talks of a cave to the east, were strange things were happening. Omac notes it down on their map.
Session Summary
A quick battle in the delve with my beloved enemy skeletons. Without morale to reduce their numbers, I’m just glad they were few to begin with. The Heart Seeker will definitely improve my warband, but I still need to gain some levels. I think it’s important to get increases in Combat, Toughness and Agility before I have some fighting chance against the most dangerous enemies. Also I’ll need some better armor, but this costs much needed Gold which I lack at the moment. Just barely making ends meet.
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
Reply