The Start of Session #3: "Rats! Why did it have to be rats?"
(Session of RL March 16th, 2003)
Recap:Last session ended with the PCs back from the abandoned Smitson farm. Garret and Riva had gone to fill in the hamlet's Captain on the "goings-on", while the rest of the party talked to Mrs. Faegan at her Mill, outside of town. Mrs. Faegan had healed Thaile and Teiran, and then left on horse-back to go tend the Gregson's centipede-bitten child.
After the meeting with the Captain, Garret and Riva confered at Eaglesford's decepit gatehouse. Garret would go to the Captain and offer the PCs services, while Riva would rejoin the party to ask the rest if they would be willing to go back to the farm with the Captain and his men. After all, there's safety in numbers......
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Scene: In the Captain's quarters, Garret is back, knocking at the door:
Garret: "Excuse me, sir. "
Captain: "Yes? Please, Garret, come in....Is there something else?"
Garret: "My companions and I have talked, and we would like to come with you to the Smitson farm. We know the area, and we could point out what we saw, and where. That should be useful to you."
Captain: "Hmmm…. Agreed. .....My only concern is this: my men follow my orders. I'd expect you and your new group to do the same if you accompany us. That would include Riva Stormhand. ...Could you vouch for him?"
Garret: (pauses) "I'll try...he has a good heart. I'll explain to him that this will not be like working with the Warden. .....By the way, what about the Warden and his men? It seems odd that they checked out the Smitson farm only a few days before we did, and yet found none of what we later encountered......"
Captain: (pauses, looks thoughtfully at Garret) "I am aware of the problem.....The Warden and his men will not be accompanying us to the old Smitson place; they have other duties they need to perform."
Garret: "....Ahhh. Okay then. My party and I will meet up with you as you leave town. Until then." (Garret walks out of the Captain's office, intent on meeting up with his companions at the mill.)
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Scene: The Faegan's Mill, outside of town, by the River Liss. Three of the party stand just inside the door, waiting for Riva and Garret to return. The massive mill stone slowly turns nearby, grinding winter barley to flour. The party can hear the splash of the water-wheel as it turns outside. Inside is dim and dusty, with bags and crates stacked about. A door to a storeroom is behind them, while a walk-way stretches overhead.
Tieran, Rowan, and Thaile stand talking about the events of the past few days. A few moments later, Riva comes jogging up. He explains the plan he and Garret had: Join the Captain's party, and explore the Smitson's farm with them. Thaile eagerly talks of finally exploring the root cellar....when suddenly, conversation is cut off by a high-pitched scream from overhead!
The party looks up to see a man, Mrs. Faegan's husband Robert, running along the cat-walk, with 2 dark, dog-like creatures chasing him. (And yep: that’s his scream when things threaten to kill him.) He screams again as another of these dog-beasts cuts off his escape!
Riva looses his axe and CHARGES up the stairs! Riva's first swing CRASHES into the planking of the cat-walk, as the dog-beast it was meant for leaps out of the way. Another of these beasts drops down behind Riva -- and he realizes these aren't wild dogs -- they're huge rats! Their fur is black and matted, dripping with river slime, and their eyes gleam with blood-lust. The two chasing Robert have already downed him, and even now are chewing on Robert's legs as he screams (yet again: what a whiner)!
Tieran and Thaile hurriedly load their crossbows, while Rowan charges after Riva. Rowan's swings with her staff are too wide to connect with their mark, but they distract a rat long enough for Riva to land a killing blow with his axe. Riva steps up to stand over the unconscious Robert Faegan. The 3 foot long monstrosities will have to down him as well before they feed again.
Tieran, too, is making good on his opportunities: soon 2 more rats are dead, pinned to the wall or the catwalk with his crossbow bolts. Thaile is having decidedly less luck...until a rat leaps at her, from behind! ("This is having better luck?") She drops her ineffective crossbow and draws her rapier. Her fellow party members can almost feel her frustration as her rapier proves as effective as her crossbow -- that is: she misses alot.
These rats are wily beasts! Who knew?
Still....within a few more moments, Riva's axe and Tieran's crossbow bolts have cleared the catwalk of the over-grown pests. Rowan charges down, and with a telling blow from her staff she hits the rat threatening Thaile. Rowan's first hit! (DM's note: The lovely women of Eaglesford were not rolling well this fight.) The wound is harsh, and the rat flees through a large hole in the wall. The battle is over: 6 slimy rat corpses litter the upper catwalk and the floor below.
Rowan hastily climbs the stairs and tends to Robert Faegan's wounds. He will live - barely. Meanwhile, both Riva and Thaile begin to feel sick. Rowan informs them: they've probably been infected by the rat-bites with "Filth Fever". She tells them it will take several days for them to recover - as long as they rest completely, and don't ride off somewhere.
Rowan and Thaile both look at Riva.
Riva: "What?"
Just then, Garret arrives. "Hey guys, I've cleared it with the Captain. We can ride off with him as soon as.....whoa.....What happened here? You guys alright?"
Session #3, to be continued!
