pogre's Trailblazer Campaign - Update 2/20/2011

[pogre]

Episode 1

The four-horse coach careened down the road directly at them. The steeds were covered in foamy sweat and the coach bumped along wildly – sometimes on three wheels, occasionally on two, but rarely on all four. A small noblewoman in expensive clothes and an outrageously large plumed hat was flogging the horse team unmercifully and pulling wildly with her other hand on the reins.

“God's Teeth!” Graxxus shouted, “take cover!”

At once the group scattered off the road and saw the coach tear past them. The driver was in fact not a small female, but a foul goblin. The goblin was grinning broadly and shouting. The ill-fitting noble woman's clothes were haphazardly whipping around the goblin. The outrageous plumed hat was pulled down so tightly it bent his ear tips and nearly obscured his beady red eyes. The goblin paused at lashing the horses for a moment to make an obscene gesture at the group with a wide, toothy, leering grin.

The astonished group looked at each other for a moment and then took off running down the road after the coach. They had only traveled a few feet when they heard the tell-tale signs of a bone-jarring crash. Rounding a short bend in the road they saw the coach was on its side and one of the wheels was still turning. The goblin was on the side of the road vigorously dusting off his over-sized dress. One of the horses was down with an obviously broken leg. The poor animal was kicking its other legs and was making a loud, whinnying, trumpet sound . The other steeds were standing, but the harnesses and reins were a tangled web.

Deadsmell and Graxxus took off towards the goblin. They were passed by a sprinting, greenish blur. Skullcrusher went flying past them with his mighty axe. The half-orc jumped high in the air and brought his huge axe chopping down. The blade sliced through collar bone, chest cavity, stomach, and hip socket leaving the goblin in two halves save for a few scraps of skin and sinew.*

Graxxus slowed to a trot and then stopped. “So much for a parlay I guess, old boy.”

“You do what ye' want to 'em,” Skullcrusher replied. “I don't eat gobbo.”

Skullcrusher was an impressive specimen physically. Well over six-feet tall, the half-orc could easily pass for a full-blooded orc. A stringy mustache that curled down the sides of his mouth, culminating in tiny knots, was one of the few signs that betrayed his human heritage. When he was introduced to the group a few weeks prior. he gave them some unpronounceable orc name, which he roughly translated to Skullcrusher.

“Nice work that, Skully,” Deadsmell commented as he kicked the goblin completely apart.

Deadsmell was a lean, vicious-looking man. He always reminded Wolfclaw of a rabid weasel. Deadsmell was given his moniker by Skullcrusher, and that was all anyone in the group knew him by. Wolfclaw had gathered from campfire conversation that Deadsmell was once a grave digger by profession, however, Wolfclaw suspected the nasty-looking human was more likely a grave robber.

Wolfclaw arrived on the scene and immediately went to the horse. The nature-priest soothed the panicked, injured animal. Wolfclaw was so distracted by his work that he had not noticed the approach of Skullbasher.

“Get yer' own,” Skullcrusher barked out.

“What?” Wolfclaw replied.

“Get yer' own, ye' squirrel-chasin' scaredy pants. This 'un be mine.”

“Yours?” Wolfclaw replied with genuine confusion.

“Ya' mine,” Skullcrusher replied and rapidly brought his goblin blood stained axe on the horse's neck breaking its neck and nearly decapitating it.

Wolfclaw rose indignantly, words of protest forming in his mouth when he was grabbed from behind by Goldie. Goldie was a female dwarf warrioress. Goldie whispered up to Wolfclaw, “Let it go, at least it was quick.”

“I could have saved him,” Wolfclaw protested. Wolfclaw and Goldie watched in horrid fascination as Skullcrusher sunk his blade deep in the horse's chest with a precise blow. He moved the axe's haft back and forth to pry the horse's chest cavity open and began eating select pieces of its organs, including the heart raw. “By the gods!” a Horrified Wolfclaw protested.

“Mmmm, still warm,” a satisfied Skullcrusher said. The half-orc smiled with bloody teeth as rivulets of gore ran down his chin. Wolfclaw quickly turned away.

“Hey Elf, have a look at this,” Goldie called to Wolfclaw.

“I do have a name,” Wolfclaw began.

“Yeah, yeah,” Goldie waved a dismissive hand at Wolfclaw's protests. Goldie was a stout lass, with good proportions, a friendly demeanor, and was a fairly attractive female dwarf. Of course, fairly attractive to male dwarfs meant she was a female and breathing, but Goldie was not unpleasant in appearance even to the other races. Despite their racial differences, Wolfclaw respected Goldie's deep faith and allegiance to her deity. She seemed fond of him as well.

“Have a look at this,” Goldie pointed to a stylized sign on the side of the coach. “The Embassy Coaching Line.”

Graxxus and Deadsmell moved up to inspect the coach. “That's gotta' be worth some coin,” Deadsmell muttered.

“We should return it to the rightful owner,” Graxxus commented.

Deadsmell frowned, but lightened up quickly saying, “There's prolly a reward.”

The group righted the coach, re-ordered the reins and tackle, pulled Skullcrusher off the horse corpse and made their way toward Goldcreek.

*****

The group made their way back up the road and found the scene of the goblin ambush.

Numerous corpses of humans and goblins alike were strewn about the roadside. Scraps of fabric waved in the wind in the undergrowth around the road. Black fletched arrows protruded from most of the humans. There were seven human corpses total. Three of the corpses were female. The goblins had all manners of wounds, from massive gashes to blunt head trauma. The human and goblin corpses were very nearly stripped naked.

The trail away from the ambush scene was obvious, but after a brief debate, the group decided taking the coach back to Goldcreek was a priority.

*****

“If you fools would shuddup yer holes and get outta' the way we would get this in to the owner's,” Deadsmell said to the Goldcreek gate guards. Some more terse words followed, but eventually the guards allowed the group in. They were escorted to the temple of Gravitas Morte, deity of restful repose. The bodies from the coach were unloaded and placed on slabs in the temple under the watchful eye of the temple priest.

“Will you contribute to the internment of these souls?” the priest asked.

“Charge it to the Embassy Coaching Line,” Deadsmell replied. “They got 'em killed.”

The priest frowned and turned back into the temple.

“He eat 'em or burn 'em?” Skullcrusher asked Graxxus.

“Errr, no, he will have them buried in the ground,” Graxxus replied.

“Save 'em for later?” Skullcrusher asked.

“No, no, you see it is the belief of these people that the souls of people must be ritually...” Graxxus began. The cleric could see none of his explanation was registering with the half-orc. “Uh, nevermind.”

Skullcrusher shook his head and followed the rest of the group as they headed toward the Embassy Coaching Line Inn.

*****

Saul Courtier was a big man with a big belly and an impressive walrus moustache. He welcomed the adventurers warmly inviting them to sup in the Inn and giving them a tidy reward for their efforts for returning the coach. After he listened to the story of how the adventurers discovered the coach and the ambush site Saul exclaimed, “By the Saints! These goblins do not know how to properly rob a coach. This is a bad business. A very bad business indeed. I wonder if I might entice you with a business proposition?”

The adventurers readily agreed to hunt down the goblins for the coaching line. They had planned to do so anyway, but the reward gave them extra incentive. Saul explained that the goblins may have kidnapped some wealthy passengers, and rescuing those passengers might bring an even greater reward.

The group made the decision to set off at once.

*****

Following the trail from the ambush in the twilight of dusk the group found a small clearing. A pair of crude skin tents were set up in the clearing. There were four smoky fires guttering in the midst of the clearing. A pair of carcases on spits were suspended over a couple of the fires. The smoke from the fires created a haze over the entire clearing. There were some signs of movement in the camp near the tents.

“Any ideas on our approach plan?” Graxxus asked.

“Charge!” Skullcrusher said.

“Noted. Other input?” Graxxus replied.

“Charge!” Skullcrusher exclaimed again.

“Yes, well, we have your plan on the table old boy. I was seeking alternatives,” Graxxus said.

“Maybe Deadsmell could sneak down there to see what were facing,” Goldie suggested.

“They goblins. We charge,” Skullcrusher said.

“I could go down and at least figure out how many of the rascals we gotta' off,” Deadsmell volunteered.

“So we could send the orc screaming down into the camp or have Deadsmell skulk around a bit. Other plan suggestions?” Graxxus asked.

“I could summon a small bird and...” Wolfclaw began.

“We charge!” Skullcrusher said impatiently.

“and have it look about,” Wolfclaw finished.

“Save yer' magic, I'll sneak a bit,” Deadsmell responded.

“Alright, have a look and then signal us...” Graxxus began, but Deadsmell was already gone.

*****

As the rest of the group watched, Deadsmell appeared at the far side of the clearing. Suddenly, an obese goblin waddled out of one of the tents. Deadsmell froze, but the goblin waddled over to the fires, not noticing him. The goblin inspected the carcuses over the fires, and apparently satisfied, he wandered back to his tent.

Deadsmell waited for a moment and then continued sneaking around the camp. He looked in the tent the goblin had emerged from and held up two fingers.

“Two goblins in that tent,” Graxxus whispered.

Deadsmell made his way over to the other tent. He peered in and held up his hand and then made a throat slit signal with his finger.

“I wonder what he means by that?” Goldie wondered.

“It mean charge!” Skullcrusher screamed running from cover towards the camp.

“Curses!” Graxxus said and the entire group broke cover and ran towards the camp. They trailed the half-orc and Deadsmell watched as the barbarian launched himself into the air and landed square atop the second tent, bringing it tumbling down.

The goblins emerged from their tents confused and panicked. The ensuing combat was quick and bloody. The first goblin to emerge was greeted with Deadsmell's cold steel skewering straight through his chest. His cry of warning died bubbling in blood on his lips. The next goblin tripped over his slain brethern and was mauled by a wolf Wolfclaw had summoned. Graxxus and Goldie killed the two obese goblins in quick order. Skullcrusher's axe was a steel storm of death – eviscerating, slashing, cleaving, and pulping the remaining trio of goblins.**

The group leaned on their weapons resting and looking at each other in satisfied exhaustion. Skullcrusher smiled broadly through a blood-splattered face. “This not main camp. This just cook camp. Come.” The half-orc began walking north along a path leading away from the clearing.

*****

The group quickly overcame a goblin guardpost and continued up the path until it terminated in a dark box canyon. Ahead the party saw a yawning cavern entrance.



*This was my first indication the party, especially Skullcrusher's player, would not be shy about spending Action Points. The Half-Orc barbarian spent one so that he could charge and beat the others to the kill. It was obvious from the very first swing of combat in the campaign that this PC could dish out some heavy duty damage!

**This was supposed to be a decent challenge for the party. Once again, I underestimated the power of Trailblazer PCs. They literally had this combat over in the blink of an eye.

 

[pogre]

This is my first Trailblazer campaign and I will be posting my reflections, rules questions, and criticisms over on this thread in the Badaxe Games forum. Feel free to pipe in with your own questions and observations about the rules too.

2nd - Old time story hour folks will remember I used to post lots of pictures of my miniatures and terrain along with my old story hour. I may do a little of this in the future, but I was not organized enough to do it for the first few sessions.

 

[Rune]

Spiffy. A shiny new story hour. Shady characters and an impressive walrus mustache. What's not to love?

I particularly like Skullcrusher's direct approach to strategy. "Charge." Pretty much says it all.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I think I recognize this adventure.

It's hard to forget a goblin in a dress on a stagecoach.

 

[pogre]

I do so love starting a campaign with a crossdressing goblin whipping horses!

Here's the conclusion of our first adventure:

Episode One Conclusion

“Well, I need a torch or lamp lit if I'm going in there,” Deadsmell protested.

“A light will tip the goblins off we're coming,” Goldie the Dwarf warrioress replied.

“So will me tripping over myself due to being frakin' BLIND!” Deadsmell exclaimed.

“Calm yourself,” Graxxus said. “Perhaps Goldie and Skullcrusher could take a look into the cavern as they both have the ability to see in the dark.”

“I can do it alone,” Goldie said, looking uneasily at the mammoth half-orc. She set off towards the cave and almost slipped on some scree leading to its entrance. Slowly it dawned on her she was being followed. She turned and saw that Skullcrusher was following her closely. “I said I would do it alone.”

“Yeah, I know, I'm just going to help,” Skullcrusher replied.

Goldie shrugged unsure if the Half-Orc was stupid or defiant or both. Together they peered into the cave mouth. Beyond the shadowy illumination of the entrance they could see streamlets of water coalescing and running doen a slight incline into a cavern beyond. The odor emanating from the cavern was well nigh unbearable, sweat, feces, burnt flesh, and rot made a sharp acrid sense that burned the nostrils. The cavern beyond had a large pit in the center and in the periphery of this pit numeroud goblins were milling about. The gutteral language of the goblins echoed through the stoneway back to the adventurers.

*****

“Well?” Wolfclaw asked.

“Lots o' gobbos,” Skullcrusher replied.

“How many?” Deadsmell asked. Skullcrusher flashed his open palms with fingers splayed out twice in rapid succession. “20?” Deadsmell asked. Skull crusher nodded. Deadsmell gave a low whistle.

“What's the cavern look like?” Graxxus asked.

“Lots o' gobbos. We charge,” Skullcrusher replied.

“I was asking our dwarven lass here ole' boy, but I do so appreciate your usual insightful tactical suggestions,” Graxxus said.

“I would say it is natural, probably limestone. There was quite a bit of run-off coming down through the rock and into a channel culminating in a pit in the chamber. There was a curious lack of stalagtites, but I chalk that up to the goblins destroying them. The footing on the floor could be treacherous, it is fairly wet. I assume there is only this single egress. There are probably cracks and narrow fissures leading into the cavern, but nothing we could use. These sort of caverns rarely have natural chimneys. The cave was formerly home to a good sized colony of bats, I could still smell the guano residue. The presence of the goblins probably forced them to move. Caverns like these rarely have any valuable ores and I doubt the goblins have been mining. There is a central pit in the middle of the cavern chamber, as I said earlier, where the runoff water goes. I would doubt it is overly deep, but you never know. The pit dominates the center of the cavern, which means the goblins could set up a very defensible position. I could not see the entire cavern, but I did not see anything but goblins.” Goldie paused for a breath after giving her report.

“Frakin' fire! We're not looking to set up a mining company,” Deadsmell commented.

Goldie cast a withering glare at Deadsmell.

“Ignore him Goldie. I very much appreciate the information,” Graxxus said.

“The floor sounds treacherous and we're going to have to use a light source. This could be pretty tricky,” Wolfclaw stated.

“True, but we are still going to need to make speed and push through to bring our full force to bear,” Graxxus said.

“Make speed,” Skullcrusher repeated with a smile. He looked at the rest of the group and rushed towards the cave.

“I'm tempted to let that stinking orc go it alone,” Graxxus complained. The rest of the group sighed collectively and trotted in pursuit after Skullcrusher.

*****

The adventurers half fell and slipped down the wet surface into the cavern. Graxxus barely was able to maintain his grip on his light source. Skullcrusher was already deep in a group of goblins. His giant axe whirred around in large arcs sending black goblin blood flying. The rest of the group spread out to take on the goblins in twos and threes.

Curious that the goblins have made no effort to set up a defensive line, Graxxus thought.

Graxxus's curiosity was sated in moments as two nasty tentacles with a complement of barbed suckers came flowing out of the pit. One lashed Skullcrusher, but failed to achieve a grip on him.

“Keep wide of that pit!” Graxxus shouted.

Wolfclaw summoned a wolf to harass some nearby goblins and then launched an arrow at the strange beast in the pit. The arrow struck home, but the creature kept lashing out at the periphery of the pit. One of the tentacles again raked Skullcrusher, causing the half-orc to bellow in pain. Skullcrusher had built himself up into a mighty frenzy and fearlessly he launched himself at the very large creature in the pit. A defiant roar filled the cavern as Skullcrusher sank his axe deep into the creature. Foul smelling ichor and innards sprayed out from the creature as it twitched madly in pain for a brief second and then fell over dead.*

With Skullcrusher distracted, a group of goblins had swarmed all over Goldie. Quickly, the dwarven warrioress found herself bleeding from several small cuts. A goblin shaman cast a spell at the dwarf, which she shrugged off.

Deadsmell rushed to Goldie's aid, while Graxxus and Skullcrusher continued working around the other side of the pit. Working together, providing multiple fronts for the goblins, they quickly pushed the goblins back.

The goblin shaman cast a spell to make the ground before the adventurers even more slippery, but they still managed to force their way forward. The adventurers faced down a larger goblin chief, leaving the goblin shaman to fend for himself. The shaman dropped his totem and a pool of urine appeared at his feet.

“Surrender now!” Wolfclaw shouted. The goblin looked up at the druid, and the elf was the last thing the creature ever saw. Skullcrusher's axe sliced through his neck and knocked his decapitated head against the cavern wall. The shaman's headless bodied quivered upright for a moment and then toppled forward spilling a torrent of black blood that flowed down into the pit.

“Are you happy? You ignorant fool?” Wolfclaw said indignantly.

“Yeah, good fight!” Skullcrusher replied enthusiastically.

Wolfclaw could only shake his head.

“No signs of any prisoners,” Graxxus observed.

“Probably some remains in the pit,” Deadsmell replied.

“By the great hammer, I'm not going down there,” Goldie said.

“Time to earn my moniker I reckon,” Deadsmell said. He climbed down into the pit and sifting through the waste he found a tabard with the heraldry of the missing noble. “I think that's all that is left of our Lord Fop and his merry man.” Deadsmell threw the clothing up out of the pit and scaled back up. He smelled dreadfull, but showed no sign of concern.

Skullcrusher gathered some goblin ears and the entire head of the goblin chief into crude sacks and looped the sacks onto his belt.

The party began the long walk back to Goldcreek.


*This was an Otyugh felled with a mighty crit by the barbarian. I had assumed the PCs would avoid the Otyugh's pit making it a hostile terrain feature. I did not expect them to kill it! Skullcrusher's impressive damage undid that plan in a round!

 

[pogre]

Episode 2

The pan miner's hand shook as he brought the ale up to his lips. Gart Prillason's gaunt face was framed by a straggly beard with streaks of gray running through it. His long hair was topped by a peasant bonnet and his hands were filthy and scabbed. Despite his disheveled appearance, Gart Prillason was a fairly wealthy man. He was different than most pan miners in the Goldcreek area, he had found ore. His claim south of town was paid for and according to the innkeeper, Saul Courtier, Gart came to town about once a month with a sizable amount of gold.

Gart sleeved away the ale's froth from his upper lip and resumed his proposal to the adventurers, “There's some ruins on my claim. Opposite side of the river from my camp. I set-up on the south side of the river because the ruins always spooked me. Probably wouldn't have kept there, but my claims good. It's good isn't it Saul?”

The large innkeeper nodded encouragingly.

Gart took a breath as though steeling himself for the rest of his tale. “A few days ago I began hearing sounds. Day and night these wails start drifting through the place. Now, it did not take long for ole' Gart to figure out this racket was a coming from the ruins. That's when I flew. It spooked me good.”

“What did it sound like?” Graxxus asked.

The pan miner seemed to shiver as he remembered. “It sounded like a keening wail. Like a distraught woman at a funeral. Except it sounded like it was from another world, nothing natural, of that I was sure.”

“You want us to go to these ruins and stop the sound?” Deadsmell asked.

“Aye that's the bargain I'm seeking. I'll pay you well,” Gart replied. “Saul, said you folk might be able to help me out.”

“If you're paying us well, I think we can reach such an accord,” Deadsmell replied.

The parties hashed out a contract and the adventurers prepared to set out the next day. The only part of the agreement Gart did not like was that he was to lead them to the campsite.

*****

Gart scrambled down the bank leading the adventurers to his camp. The camp was not much to look at – a hut, a fire pit, and a leanto for firewood. It was clear Gart's work had all gone into the numerous troughs and screens set up in the river. The pan miner quickly ducked into his hut while the adventurers looked around.

Suddenly, a screeching wail drifted down through the camp. Gart quickly emerged from his cabin with a pair of bags, the color had left his face. He quickly blurted, “That's what you are here for.” He quickly scrambled up the embankment away from the camp, leaving a cloud of dust and tumbling gravel behind him.

Skullcrusher, the massive half-orc, laughed at the pan miner's rapid exit.

Wolfclaw pointed across the river to the far bank. “I see some worked stone higher up on that bank. That must be the ruins.”

“Shall we?” Graxxus asked and began wading across the shallow river. The rest of the group followed suit with Skullcrusher carrying the Dwarfess Goldie across the deeper channel of the river.

*****

The finished stones at the summit of the bank were grown over and heavily eroded.

“This is not dwarven work,” Goldie announced.

“Hey look at this,” Graxxus called. As the others approached they could see clear signs of a recent camp. The group quickly found remnants of a blanket roll, water flask, some sacks, torches, and a section of rope. Further exploration led them to discover a pair of large mounds of freshly dug earth. Cautiously approaching the mounds the group discovered a stone staircase that descended into the ground.

Just as the usual debates about who was going to carry a light source into the darkness began, an unearthly screech issued forth from beyond the stairway. The sound was much louder than what they had heard at Gart's campsite. “I'm starting to understand why Gart was so spooked,” Wolfclaw commented.

“You spooked all the time scaredy elf,” Skullcrusher chortled.

“There is a fine line between courage and utter stupidity,” Wolfclaw replied.

Skullcrusher looked at the elf with a raised eyebrow and a quizzical look on his face.

“We at least know we're headed the right direction,” Graxxus stated trying to divert Skullcrusher's attention from Wolfclaw's insult. “Goldie, do you think it looks stable?”

“Stable enough,” she replied.

The group descended in the darkness.

“I smell the dead,” Deadsmell murmured as they descended.

“Smell the dead?” Graxxus asked. “Like rotting bodies?”

“No, the long, long dead,” Deadsmell replied.

“I don't smell nothing,” Skullcrusher said.

“Believe me, my greenish friend, it's a smell I know,” Deadsmell countered while pointing to his nose.

Graxxus and Goldie both pulled out their holy symbols and the group continued its descent.

*****
The stairs descended into on octagonal chamber with three more exits. The floor was littered with bits of plaster, stonework, rags, pottery shards, bits of rusted metal, but nothing of real interest.

“Uh folks, we have company,” Goldie called out. Skeletal forms appeared in all three of the exits leading deeper into the complex.

Graxxus scrambled to pull up his holy symbol. Skullcrusher and Goldie raced to attack different groups of the skeletons. Deadsmell rushed the last group. Graxxus shrugged, put his holy symbol away, and rushed to support Deadsmell's efforts. Wolfclaw hung back and peppered arrows where targets appeared.

The skeletons quickly collapsed into so much dust after a quick melee.

“Clicky – clacky,” Skullcrusher spat in disgust.

“What's with him?” Graxxus asked Deadsmell.

“I think he's disappointed,” Deadsmell replied.

“Why in the world would he be disappointed?” Wolfclaw asked.

“Clicky – clacky,” Skullcrusher replied.

“Neh blut?” Deadsmell asked Skullcrusher.

“Neh blut,” Skullcrusher affirmed.

“What did he say?” Graxxus asked.

“No blood,” Deadsmell replied. “No blood means an unworthy battle in Skully's book.”

“Is that right ole' boy?” Graxxus asked the half-orc.

“Just so soul,” Skullcrusher replied.

“It's a bad fight if he is not covered in blood? That's disgusting,” Wolfclaw commented.

“Blut is vita – vita is blut!” Skullcrusher yelled at Wolfclaw.

Just as Graxxus prepared to intervene between the elf and half-orc yet again he was cut short by a high-pitched, eerie wailing coming from the western corridor. The adventurers looked at one another and began heading down the western corridor.

*****

The two complete sets of platemail flanked an archway in a widened part of the hallway ahead.

“I could use that armor,” Graxxus commented.

“Yer' not getting it,” Deadsmell stated flatly.

“And why not, ole' boy?” Graxxus asked.

“It's a trap,” Deadsmell replied.

“How could you possibly know that from 10 yards away?” Goldie asked.

“Two things lass – one, were in a tomb of some sort. Two, look around us.” Deadsmell motioned his hand around the area.

“I'm not following you,” Goldie replied.

“Look lass, everything – the walls, the floor, and even the roof are covered in dust and broken bits of plaster,” Deadsmell replied.

“Yes, shoddy workmanship, most likely your race,” Goldie stated.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever – now take a look at that platemail,” Deadsmell pointed down the hall at the twin sets of armor.

“No dust,” Goldie replied.

“Yep,” Deadsmell folded his arms with a satisfied smirk on his lean features.

“How trapped?” Skullcrusher asked.

“How would I know Skully? Were ten frakin' yards away from 'em,” Deadsmell replied.

“Any guesses?” Graxxus asked.

“Prolly' animated judgin' by our bony friends from the other place, or mebbe' somethin' worse,” Deadsmell replied.

“Clicky-clacky?” Skullcrusher asked.

Deadsmell shrugged. A dark countenance went over the half-orc's features and he charged down the corridor. Skullcrusher's huge axe went in wide arc smashing with a great clang on one of the suits of armor. As Deadsmell predicted the suits of armor animated and began attacking.

“Whoever made this tomb has no frakin' imagination!” Deadsmell sighed and took off the corridor after Skullcrusher.* The rest of the group followed suit.

Skullcrusher's axe crashed again and again down on the armor. Still the animated plate kept fighting and soon Skullcrusher was bleeding from a number of wounds, including a substantial gash across his left shoulder. The others were similarly having little luck slowing the other suit of platemail down. Deadsmell slipped past the animated suits through the archway.

“Just dodge 'em and come this way,” Deadsmell shouted above the din of the melee. Quickly, Wolfclaw, Graxxus, and finally Goldie did the same. Skullcrusher kept hacking at his seemingly impervious foe.

“Come on Skully,” Goldie implored. “It's no use. Just run this way.”

Skullcrusher roared in rage and redoubled his efforts. The half-orc was now flanked by the suits and was taking a beating, but his blows were starting to tell with rends and dents in the first suit of armor.

“Dang it!” Goldie shouted and ran back through the archway. Just as she emerged through, the first animated suit fell to the ground in a pile of dust. She could see Skullcrusher had lost a lot of blood and was staggering slightly as he turned his attention to his other attacker. Goldie came up behind him and put her hands on him, sealing some of his wounds. The rest of the group emerged through the archway and with a concerted group effort the other suit of platemail was dissolved into dust as well.

“Maybe we should rest?” Goldie offered.

Before anyone could respond to her suggestion a bone-chilling screech issued forth from beyond the archway.

“Maybe not,” Goldie said, countering her own suggestion.

The group pushed deeper into the complex.

*****

The passage widened considerably and terminated in a barred gate. The gate had a huge lock about five feet off the ground, no other hinge, or other mechanism of opening was visible. Several of the bars in the upper section of the huge gate were fashioned to look like leering gargoyles. The group approached cautiously and looked through the gate. As far as they could see there were piles of broken stone, overturned sarcophagi, and grave markers in a huge cavern that stretched beyond even the dwarf's vision.

“God's teeth, it's a necropolis,” Graxxus said.

“Yes, yes it is,” Deadsmell said with a wide smile.

Skullbasher held Deadsmell up while Deadsmell made quick work of the lock and the gates swung open. Deadsmell jumped down and went into the cavern as eager as a beggar at a banquet. Everyone else followed his lead and the cavern beyond was penetrated by a piercing horrible screech. Two disembodied, floating skulls emerged from the niches, and a half dozen skeletons scrambled to the attack.

The shriek was bone chilling, but all of the adventurers shrugged off its effects and leaped into the battle.** Graxxus and Goldie dispatched the two screaming skulls rapidly and the rest of the group quickly put the skeletons down for their final rest.

“Clicky-clacky,” Skullcrusher said in disgust and spat on the pile of dust that had been his last foe seconds earlier.

“Let's have a look around.” Deadsmell suggested.

“I don't like the idea of disturbing the dead,” Graxxus said.

“I think we are well past the point of concern about these dead being disturbed,” Deadsmell replied.

“Fair point, but let's be at least somewhat respectful,” Graxxus said.

“Oh, of course, of course,” Deadsmell replied. He then gleefully went forward looting the necropolis for the better part of an hour. He found a few ancient coins, but was disappointed in the haul. It was only after the pleading of his companions that Deadsmell halted his searching and looting and returned to the surface with them.

*****

Gart Prillason gratefully paid the adventurers and even threw in a small bag of gold dust in addition to the agreed reward. Gart then gathered his supplies and said farewell to Saul Courtier.

“Take care Gart, and watch out for the gnolls,” Saul replied.

“What gnolls?” Goldie asked.

“Oh, I guess you did not hear,” Saul began. “There is a band of gnoll raiders going after the local farmsteads. The Captain of the guard, Fel Rightforth, is offering a big reward for anybody who can track the gnolls down and eliminate them.”

Deadsmell shot a glance at Skullcrusher. “Can I at least have a beer and a woman tonight?”

“Blut,” Skullcrusher replied.

“I take it Skullcrusher is interested in pursuing this,” Graxxus stated.

“Of course, he is, gnolls are living things that bleed after all,” Wolfclaw interjected in a mocking tone.

“Blut is vita,” Skullcrusher replied with a big toothy grin.

“Alright, alright, tomorrow Skully, tomorrow,” Deadsmell said resignedly.



*Yeah, yeah, everybody knew the suits of armor were going to animate. Water is wet, the sky's blue, and gobbos are made for killing and all that.

**Behold the power of action points!

 

[pogre]

Episode 3

Episode 3

The sergeant of the town guard, Fel Rightforth, was not a large man, but he was an intimidating presence nonetheless. Weighing perhaps only seven stones he had a hard look about him and a chiseled face with a short cropped beard and a quick business like manner. As the adventures came into his office he offered neither a greeting nor small talk. Once he learned the group was there about the gnoll raiders, he quickly announced that Goldcreek was offering a reward of 10 gold pieces per pair of gnoll ears and 75 gold pieces for the head of the gnoll chieftain.

Graxxus asked if there was a specific region where the gnolls had concentrated their raids.

Rightforth replied, “The raids have come in a number of areas in the outskirts of town. The raiders leave no survivors and seem to concentrate on farmsteads. The latest was at the Plowsmith's farm about eight miles south-southeast of Goldcreek. The raid just occurred the other day and perhaps you might pick up the gnolls' trail from there.”

“Has anybody else been after the gnolls?” Deadsmell asked.

“We have limited manpower in the town guard, but the reward is public knowledge. I will give money to any man that shows up with a pair of gnoll ears," the sergeant replied.

Rightforth then gave a curt nod and indicated with a sweep of his hand that the meeting was at an end.

*****

"Well, he wasn't a very friendly fellow,” Goldie said.

"I like him," Deadsmell began, "got right down to business".

"The only reason you like the man is because he is offering us gold," Wolfclaw said.

"What can I say, the man is talking my language," Deadsmell replied..

"I'll ask around to see what I can find out about these gnolls. We will have breakfast at the inn in the morning and then take off tomorrow morning," Graxxus said.

"Ale time," Skullcrusher said.

"I'm with you there old Skully," Deadsmell agreed.

*****

The following morning the group set down for breakfast at one of the inn's tables. Deadsmell did not eat much, and put his head down on the table and moaned for much of the meal.

"Too much ale last night old boy?" Graxxus asked.

Skullcrusher gave a loud laugh, which only caused Deadsmell to moan even louder.

The only thing dumber than getting in a drinking contest with a dwarf is getting in a drinking contest with a half-orc," Goldie said.

"Shut up," Deadsmell said.

*****

As the adventurers approached the Plowsmiths' farmstead husks of a barn and a simple cottage jutted up from the land. The simple stone foundations remained, but feeble charred beams rose up only suggesting the buildings' former shape. The rotting carcass of a cow lay in an abandoned yard. The innards and the meat of the animal long since stripped. A simple stone wall fence surrounding the property was in ruins. There was an odor of decay and death.

Wolfclaw and Deadsmell began scouting around the farmstead and found a few metal tools in the ashes and miscellaneous remnants of the Plowsmiths' possessions. They also discovered a few broken black fletched arrows.

Graxxus quickly found a trail leading away from the farm. "Whoever it was they were not concerned about leaving a trail," Graxxus said.

The adventures began following the trail. A couple of miles into the trail they heard a whimpering, animal noise a short way into the woods. Quickly, Wolfclaw saw a small domestic cat that appeared to have a pair of broken legs. The cat was hidden in undergrowth, but its pitiful meowing gave its position away. Surveying the area Wolfclaw could see that two large trees had been splintered and the remnants of a beehive lay scattered and broken on the ground.

“Be careful, it could be a trap," Deadsmell cautioned.

Wolfclaw did not hesitate. He went straight to the cat and began to calm it with a soothing voice. He then cast a spell which instantly healed and mended the cat's broken legs.

"That was very nice of you," a squeaky voice called.

Everyone in the group surveyed the area quickly trying to find the source of the voice. "Who was that?" Wolfclaw asked in a whispering voice.

"Reveal yourself friend, you have us at a disadvantage," Graxxus said.

"I had to make sure that you were not allied with them," the tiny voice said. "I am here above you."

The group as one crane their necks upwards, but did not see anything.

"Perhaps you could make your location more obvious," Graxxus said.

"I am right here," the voice answered.

"Oh, I see him," Wolfclaw said. "Look, right above the broken branch, there is our little friend. Hello friend, my name is Wolfclaw, friend of the forest."

“More like Wolfclaw, tree-huggin', scaredy pants elfy,” Skullcrusher muttered.

"I am Noom,” the tiny sprite replied.

"What happened here Noom?" Wolfclaw asked.

“A band of Gnolls came crashing through these woods in a bloody fury. They broke the cat's legs, destroyed the beehive, killed all of my band. They even destroyed my fiddle. I barely escaped the carnage." The sprite's voice was full of sorrow.

"Why did they come after you?" Goldie asked.

"I have no idea. The gnolls are never very nice, but they do not usually go out of their way to be so destructive. The Fey don't necessarily have good relations with the gnolls, but it has never been openly hostile either," the sprite replied.

“How did they break the cat's legs?” Skullcrusher asked. Wolfclaw winced at the odd question and thought about how he never ceased to be amazed by what interested the half-orc.

“They brought the poor thing with them. They started throwing the cat at the beehive. The bees swarmed out and stung the feline making it yowl terribly. The gnolls kept doing it until the cat could not move anymore,” Noom replied.

Wolfclaw petted the cat protectively.

Deadsmell stiffled a giggle as he whispered to Skullcrusher, “At least they are creative, violent gnolls.”

"How many?" Skullcrusher asked Noom.

"At least a dozen, they also had a young human child they were dragging with them," the sprite replied.

"120 gold," Deadsmell said with a smile.

"Lots of blood," Skullcrusher added.

“How old was the child?” Graxxus asked.

“She was young, not even as tall as your dwarf friend,” Noom answered.

"Is there anything we can do for you now?" Wolfclaw asked.

"Sadly, no. The gnolls came through about a day in the half ago and I have been hiding ever since. I think I shall warn the other Fey in the forest of the gnolls' hostility," Noom said.

“May the Old Mother watch over you,” Wolfclaw said.

The rest of the group exchange goodbyes to Noom and the sprite flew off into the forest.

"We should have asked him which way the gnolls went," Goldie said.

"I don't think that's a problem," Graxxus replied. "They did not exactly try to cover their trail." Graxxus pointed to a wide swath that had been cut through the forest.

*****

"Ambush," Skullcrusher whispered, halting the group.

"What?" Graxxus asked in a low voice.

"There, behind that large tree," Skullcrusher replied. The rest of the group look closely at the foliage ahead. They could see a cleverly disguised humanoid with a bow pointed in their direction. After a quick, muttered conversation about tactics, they charged.

The gnoll let loose with an arrow that grazed Skullcrusher's shoulder. The half orc barbarian ignored the wound and rapidly closed the distance. Skullcrusher engaged the gnoll in combat with his huge axe. Deadsmell moved deftly around the gnoll and sank his two blades deep into the gnoll's torso. Goldie and Graxxus flicked their blades into the gnoll as well. The gnoll collapsed and died as its lifeblood spilled onto the forest floor. Skullcrusher hacked off the gnoll's ears and placed them into a small pouch.

Wolfclaw picked up the gnoll's curved bow and a very fancy quiver full of black-fletched arrows. He was delighted to discover the quiver was magical with a space that held an amazing amount of arrows in an extra-dimensional space. The bow was magical as well.

“At least we know we are headed the right direction,” Deadsmell commented.

*****

The group saw three skin tents surrounding a roaring fire. Two gnolls were standing near the fire roasting a deer. There was a murder of crows pecking at a pile of debris at the edge of the camp clearing. Following a quick conference, the group decided that they would sneak around to the rear of the clearing to attack the gnolls. As they made their way around the clearing, Goldie tripped on a branch and sent the murder of crows cawing upwards into the forest's canopy.

The gnolls emerge quickly from the tents and went out into the forest. One unfortunate gnoll stumbled into Skullcrusher. The barbarian let out a roar and decapitated the gnoll with his great axe. The scene quickly devolved into a confused melee in the forest. A short time later, Skullcrusher was hacking the ears off a half-dozen gnolls.

The group searched the camp area, but found no signs of a young child. They did find a few coins and on one of the larger gnolls a strange medallion. The medallion was made of hammered copper and depicted a round sign with seven points flaring out from it. After surveying the perimeter of the camp, Graxxus discovered another trail leading away into the forest.

*****

The group came across an unusually large growth of thickets and brambles. The trail led to a five-foot wide opening into the circle of thickets. The thickets and brambles rose from the forest floor about 12 feet up into the canopy of trees above. The trees appeared to be all thorny, hawthorn trees.

"I don't like the looks of this," Deadsmell said.

"I agree," Graxxus replied. "Let's see if there is a different way into this thicket."

The group work their way around the perimeter of the thicket and found no other obvious entrances. Skullcrusher suggested cutting their way in and used his axe to hack at the thicket growth. The entire thicket shook with his first blow, sending a ripple through the entire thicket and bramble wall.

"That seems worse than going through the front door," Deadsmell said.

The group quietly discussed their options, and as usual, they settled on a frontal assault.

*****

Skullcrusher insisted on leading the way, and the rest of the group was more than willing to let the half orc barbarian do so. Skullcrusher sprinted into the entrance and tripped over a wire. Immediately, a branch with thick thorns slammed into the half-orc's thigh. Skullcrusher howled in pain and stumbled into a 25 foot wide clearing.

The clearing contained two buildings. One was some sort of open air temple. The temple had crudely painted symbols that seemed obscene and evil. The other building was a crude hut made of brambles, skins, and living trees. Gnolls quickly took up arms at the sight of the intruders and a strangely dressed gnoll emerged from the crude hut. The oddly dressed gnoll performed an incantation and Skullcrusher found himself frozen on the spot.

The rest of the group pushed past Skullcrusher. Except Wolfclaw, who paused and slapped the half orc on the face. Skullcrusher still could not move, but his eyes betrayed a burning anger at the elf's action.

The group plowed into the trio of gnolls guarding the shaman. These gnoll warriors were much tougher than others the group had faced and the fight was a difficult one. Goldie was wounded almost immediately and Graxxus had a difficult time hitting his opponent. Deadsmell was more successful. He maneuvered his way to a flanking position on one of the gnolls and his twin blades struck out skewering the gnoll.

The shaman cast another spell attempting to hold Deadsmell in place. Deadsmell managed to shrug off the spell and turned his attention to the shaman. Although weakened, Goldie managed to hack down her opponent, and just at that moment Skullcrusher shook off the effects of the spell holding him in place. The barbarian roared in rage, and with his axe twirling in a death spiral, decapitated the remaining gnoll guardian.

Deadsmell began carving into the shaman's flesh. The shaman lashed back and staggered Deadsmell with a vicious blow. The shaman was quickly in trouble. The rest of the group closed in on him and a wolf summoned by Wolfclaw harassed the shaman biting and tripping the spellcaster. The gnoll shaman would never rise again. Blades hacked down on the shaman cutting him to ribbons on the ground where he lay.

The adventures searched through the camp and destroyed the evil temple they had found. They also found a small, female, human child bound in ropes in the shaman's hut. They freed her and she immediately began clinging to Graxxus. They found a few pieces of jewelry and another distinctive medallion on the shaman's neck similar to the one they found on the greater gnoll in the previous camp. The medallion was made of hammered copper and resembled a sun with seven rays jutting out from its circular center.

Skullcrusher joyfully decapitated the dead shaman and stuffed the head into a larger sack. The barbarian also gathered ears from the other gnolls and put them into smaller pouches.

Graxxus tried to communicate with the young human child but she would say nothing. Her eyes showed great fright even as the adventures tried to reassure her that she was safe now. Graxxus had discovered some scrolls that mentioned the name Harakhan. Thinking back on the religious and history texts he had read as a younger man, he vaguely recalled the name: Harakhan was, a great ,evil demon venerated by some dark cults in the old Empire. Graxxus then destroyed the scrolls and set fire to the hut.

*****

Fel Rightforth counted out the last of the gold coins owed to the adventurers.

“What about the girl?” Graxxus asked.

“What about her?” the sargeant replied without looking up.

“What do we do with her?” Graxxus asked.

“Don't know, don't care,” Rightforth answered bluntly.

“Is there an orphanage or a temple or a family that might adopt her?” Graxxus asked.

“She's just another mouth to feed in this wilderness. I doubt you will find a family to take on a young girl. The temples are just getting started out here and you sure as creation don't want the temple of Gravitas Morte to take her in,” Rightforth smiled at his own joke about the death cult.

Graxxus gave the sergeant a bewildered, pleading look.

“I'm sorry friend, you found her, and now she's your problem,” the sergeant’s tone made it clear he was not the least bit sympathetic or caring about the situation.

Graxxus snatched up the proffered gold. “Good to know the protectors of Goldcreek are good for something.” Graxxus stormed out of the guard tower.

*****

Graxxus made arrangements for the girl to stay at the Embassy Coaching Line Inn and put up extra gold for Saul to hire on help to watch the girl. Following the discussion on accommodations for the girl, Saul wiped his brow and said, “Gart Prillason has gone missing.”

“The pan miner? How?” Goldie asked.

“Don't know, but his brother's been looking everywhere for him. Ole' Gart has not been to town once this season neither.” Saul began using a cloth to polish a mug. “His brother will probably be in tonight again looking for somebody to help find Gart.”

“That's a job we can pass on,” Deadsmell stated.

“He's offering quite a reward,” Saul replied.

“Perhaps I was bit hasty, what with Gart being an old friend and all...” Deadsmell said.

Goldie and Wolfclaw simultaneously rolled their eyes.

 

[BSF]

Another story hour from pogre! Yay! I notice that the setup for the next one has Gart missing for as much as a season, how much time is passing between episodes?

 

[pogre]

Another story hour from pogre! Yay! I notice that the setup for the next one has Gart missing for as much as a season, how much time is passing between episodes?

Hey man - great to see (errr...read) you on here again!

The name of the campaign is Seasons. Each adventure represents one Season, with the PCs usually taking the winter off. The PCs advance a level at the successful completion of each adventure.

It's an experiment in two ways:

1. Accelerated advancement: My theory was everybody loves gaining a level. What happens when they get a level every time they "win"? The jury is still out on the approach quite honestly, but we will see. It definitely has kept the game fresh.

If or when the PCs do not successfully complete an adventure they won't get a level. Their reaction should be interesting. Particularly my son, who may hit me all the way home from the gaming session!

2. Run some Trailblazer: Our group playtested 4th edition. We totally bought in with the exception of one player, and he was open to it. We ran a campaign that lasted just over a year. It's a fine game, just not for us. We switched to WFRP 2e for a while (our group playtested it as well). We tried third edition WFRP, again, fine game - just not for us. I wanted to get back into D&D this time and our friend Ben Durbin had revised the 3.5 rules with Trailblazer. So I decided to kick the tires and see how it goes.

In fairness to Trailblazer we are significantly undermining some major assumptions in the game. Just one major example is that Trailblazer advocates slower advancement. Clearly, I threw that assumption out the window this campaign.

 

[BSF]

Nifty! One group I play with is still using 3.5. Of course, that game started shortly after 3.0 was released. My other group is going Pathfinder right now. I may need to check out Trailblazer just to get more insight/ideas on the system.

I like your idea of levelling at the successful completion of each adventure. I may yoink that for the game I run.

Back on topic - more story!