Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2663162" data-attributes="member: 1210">The Tydonian Attack!Our heroes scramble to get anyone in the town who can fight together before the enemy reaches them.  Tad Ranger, the Cooker bully-boys, Cara’s mom, two of the Brownstone brothers, two of Goer’s brothers and his father- the town’s defenders scramble to put together whatever defense they can.As the soldiers approach, our heroes start firing arrows and slings at them.  Soon they can make out that the oncoming group is a mix of gnolls, goblins and humans, with a group of mounted knights obviously in charge.  Jorgen runs as fast as he can towards the castle of Sir Martin, hoping to summon the town’s lord and Sir Cedric to their aid before it is too late. But even as he rushes away he can hear the crackle of fire as the Tydonian force lights pitch-soaked arrows and javelins, and soon the homes of both Cara and the local bookkeeper, Lazarus of Kamenda, are in flames.The peasantry, panicked, flees.  Many of them enter the Garden estate, which is walled, hoping to make a stand there if need be.The battle is small- there are less than forty people involved all told.  It lasts less than half an hour.  Midway through it the two knights of Whitewater thunder in on horseback, smashing into the enemy’s flank.  The goblins waver, but driven by the Tydonian knights, they hold.  The clash of arms rises over the sounds of the flames that lick up around the burning homes.  Blood splatters as swords, spears and arrows find their mark.  One of Goer’s brothers panics and runs.  Bryjah Hunter, one of the bully-boys, falls dead, but when the battle is over he is Whitewater’s only loss.  The enemy has been slain or captured.Exultant- especially about the capture of several of the Tydonian knights- Goer hurries over to Sir Martin.  “My lord, we should kill the captives so they can’t attack us again!” he exclaims.“Nonsense,” Sir Martin replies.  “We will ransom the knights back to their earl, as is the civilized thing to do.” “But they might return!  We should-““We will behave appropriately, Fwaigo,” Sir Martin cuts him off.Grumbling, Fwaigo “Goer” Smith mutters, “Yes, my lord.”  But it’s a terrible idea.Sir Cedric and Sir Martin confer.  “We must warn the baron immediately,” Sir Martin declares.  “Son, I know that you and your companions are already planning to go to Kamenda City on the morrow; it is a good thing.  You must obtain an audience with the baron and inform him of this attack.”“Of courthe, father,” Sir Cedric replies.  “We thall do tho immediately upon our arrival!”Sir Martin pulls a signet ring from his finger.  “You go as my representative, son,” he says solemnly, handing over the ring.  “You have my blessings.  Be careful- if the Tydonians are attacking us here, who knows where else they have already struck?”“Bah!  If we encounter any more of the Tydonian thcum, we thall overcome them by the power of my pinky finger!” Sir Martin nods, pleased and a little puzzled.  My son, he thinks warmly.  “And when you return,” he adds, “we will have your marriage.”“Yes, father!”About time, thinks Cara.  She is showing now.***Kamenda City, surrounded by a wall, has thousands of people living in it.  Our heroes have never seen anything to compare to it.  Dahlia feels her stomach twist; were it not for Sir Martin’s mission, she might not have come at all.  So many people, she thinks uncomfortably.  How can they live crammed together like this?  The audience comes after only a few hours in the city.  The party- less Cur, for the boat would not fit the entire group, and Sir Martin had requested that he come to the estate to discuss some possible other (but related) mission for him- enters the baron’s audience chamber and approach the baronial throne.  Baron Rusk sits before them, a man of middle years and thinning hair.  He has a fairly imperious air about him; behind him are a pair of his counselors, who Sir Cedric and Cara both recognize as Sir Harth and Sir Galadon.  Throughout their audience, the two advisors are constantly whispering to Baron Rusk.  When the group tells the baron of the Tydonian attack, he only nods.“We have been receiving reports of Tydonian attacks along our southern border,” Baron Rusk declares in a booming voice.  “Since Tydon is to the east, this means that either the Earl of Tydon has already taken the Duchy of Vulgreen to the south, or he has made alliance with it, or that somehow he’s sneaking his men onto it.  Either way, it has led to attack from an unexpected direction.  So far the attacks have been probes, with just a few knights employing bands or mercenary humans, gnolls and goblins.”“Yeah, they had goblins and gnolls with them when they attacked us,” Kyle agrees. “Tydonian thcum!  We overcame them.  They could not thtand before the power of our pinky fingerth!” Sir Cedric announces.  The baron murmurs something to his advisors.  A few of our heroes overhear him, and they are surprised to discover that his voice changes from its manly tones to a whining boyish one when he addresses his advisors.  “What does that mean?” he whimpers.“It must be some kind of metaphor, my lord,” Sir Harth soothes him softly.The group talks with the Baron for a time.  He asserts (again in his strong, decisive voice) that he is gathering his forces already for a counterstrike.  In fact, since he has not paid the scutage, Sir Martin owes the Baron a company of ten men.  Perhaps Sir Cedric and his folk are a good start?  “Ekthellent!” enthuses Sir Cedric.  “We are, of course, at your thervithe!”There have even been several raids on the farms outlying Kamenda City itself, the baron and his advisors reveal.  A band of knights and mercenaries have been burning peasant huts.  Once word reached the capitol, the Baron naturally dispatched hunting parties, but they’ve had no luck as of yet. “Well, we’ll be happy to try to track them down,” Dahlia offers.Baron Rusk makes a dismissive gesture.  “I may have other tasks for you to perform as well,” he states.  “Make certain that you are available to me at need.”  He gestures, and a page brings a bag of ten gold pieces to the group.  “This should help subsidize your stay in our fair city.”“Oh.”  Sir Cedric seems faintly disappointed.  “I am thertain, if we are to thtay in peathant lodgingth, that it will.”  He frowns.“Surely, Sir Cedric, your father and you are not penniless?” Sir Harth inquires tartly.  “You must understand that the treasury is far better spent on the war effort than on your stay.”“Hmph,” Sir Cedric snorts.Our heroes then seek lodging at a place called the Spinning Dice.  Naturally, there is gaming happening in the inn; and equally naturally, Otis finds himself irresistibly drawn in to the dice games.  The others spend some time exploring various areas of the city; Cara finds a very talented woman named Mishra Tone who performs in the market square in the evening.  Sir Cedric finds himself drawn to the Cathedral of Clymorian, where he begins making inquiries about taking priestly vows.  Dahlia and Kyle head out together into the town, Kyle seeking a lapidary.  And Jorgen goes nosing about, looking for any signs of Tydonian spies.And boy does he have amazing luck - if it can be called lucky at all.Next Time: Jorgen- alone against a nest of spies!  Cur’s journey to Kamenda City!  A few rumors!  And a haunted house!</blockquote>

Verification