Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session #8, 17 JULY 2023

 

   You know how you need to get into the proper frame of mind before a game to properly a session. Well, I was honestly a bit off but the building next door was swarming with firefighters and then Batman showed up, but it was time to run my game so I walked away from my living room windows and grabbed a lemonade and sat down. I hoped my game was going to be as strange as the the view in the other room.

   The Party picks up debating on whether to go down into the depths of the hidden caverns beneath Kendall Keep but decide to forego returning to those ell. The pale and ferocious troglodytes beneath the Keep were fearsome opponents and the party is correct in their apprehension in tackling such fearsome opponents again. I Require a REACTION ROLL for the Curate as this has been waiting for a Champion and the groups method of pushing forward upsets him greatly. Bertrand the Cleric rolls an 10 or 11 and the Curate calms greatly from his agitated state. HE says he will take this time to speak to his friend and associate in the Keep whom is also aware of this abandoned Chaos Temple and perhaps the time is not right to deal with. He requests the Party keep it a secret until he feels it is a good time to tell the Castellon.

   The Party; still no colorful group name after 8 sessions, towards the ruin of Stone-Hell. Jeri the Druid-Maaaan takes Cinnamon the Tavernkeepers Daughter along as an oviate. Patsy comes along as trustful man servant to Bertrand and the Warriors' Three Benn, Stonus & Gottri hoist weapons and embark. There are no encounters as I Rolled 4 5 times in a roll which is very unusual and statistically odd to say the least. They spend an additional day at their secondary camp closest to the old prison road that goes through the Fens making dugouts and a concealed camp. Again no real encounters rolled so they forage as they approach the ruins and cavern filled crag that leads to Stone-Hell. 

   Being Bertrand and Benn the Warrior's first time to the Valley they are hesitant about going going through the center of the Ruined Gatehouse so the party redirects around the ruin and goes over the ruined section of wall. Cresting the boulder filled section of collapsed wall they spy upon 5 humans clad in leather & brigandine , a deer on a pole being carried by two while 3 stand with bows out and upon seeing the party shout out for them to throw down their arms or it could get ugly. The party notes they are wearing Yellow & Black checkered bandanas or scarves revealing them to the elusive Bandits Stefan Har-well the Jewel merchant requested they deal with well over a a few months ago. Stonus CHARGES ! Arrrrrgggh ! Obscenities' and insults flow like a gentle brook from the Dwarf's mouth

   The distance is 110' over open ground and Been weathers several arrow hits before closing upon the pair of bandits who after dropping their game meat draw cutlasses and approach warily, a weird look in the eyes. There is some banter that this is not a good idea but the party engages; well Benn does everyone else is slow engaging due to Heavy Armor and-or being Dwarf, and after a short exchange has shattered his shield and backpedaling as the others join the battle via a charge and dispatch the Cutlass wearing Bandits whom speak like pirates. Several members are wounded by arrows but the archers are finally engaged and when it is but a single opponent he attempts to flee but is fell by a hurled spear. Been dispatches any bandits on the ground afterwards with a single spear thrust, There is no mercy for these highwaymen.

   The Party decides to fall back to the Ruined Keep and rest until the Druid can regain his spells and I allow an eight hour of early rest to suffice. They retire tot he upper level of the Ruined Keep and brew a magical healing draught for Benn then the Fighters take up watch while the Druid sleeps, Cinnamon paces endlessly as this is her first endeavor out of the Keep and has seen men killed then as the Druid rests the caterwaul of a Mountain lion ! Benn observing from the arrowlet and keeping keen eye upon the stairs leading to their location spies upon a Mountain Lion dragging off one of the Bandits they killed several hours earlier.  Realizing they have forgotten to grab proof of their eliminating Bandits Benn & Bertrand venture out and recover the bloody Yellow & Black Checkered cloth from the slain bandits as well as their coin patches and several hundred copper are found upon them. Another batch of Healing Tea is brewed and the party ventures towards the western end of the Valley and decide to explore the trail that leads up the southern face.

   Discovering this trail has obvious signs of human foot traffic they head up and explore a series of caves which held a Giants Crab Spider and a former lair of long missing goblins. Gioant centipedes are found as well but they hiss and do not attack [REACTION ROLL 7] The entry was marked recently by a Rising Sun Sigil carved into the rock. Approaching the other cave another carved sigil is noted but the low growls of wolves discourages the party from entering [REACTION ROLL 7]. Heading up the cliff face the trail widens out above a 100' fall into the Valley below and its a rocky outcropping at an angle preventing a small set of cavern entrances from being seen from below.

[ I allow demi-human races with a higher than normal listen at doors to occasionally hear things the humans and other races do not at random, I do the same for Thief with a Listen at Doors Chance above 1 in 6 as well. Keen or Heightened senses as you will.] Having checked to see if the party is noticed the Defenders fail and I assume they are slouching on lookout and rule the lookout is asleep. Stonus or Gottri detects snoring and they approach cautiously to discover a bandit asleep atop of stool behind a scree of brush and vegetation disguising a 5' wide cave that leads back into the rock. A voices can be heard echoing down the hall and the smell of torch smoke. Stonus splits the Bandits head with the Broadsword taken from the Raiders months ago. His body is unceremoniously tossed over the cliff by the druid Jeri. They find allot of copper on this guy too as well as some unfinished wine, leather jerkin, shield and cutlass...

   Rather than charging and going for surprise the Party opts to have Cinnamon sing like a siren (inspired by the pirate motif ?) so I roll a moral check to see if these guys fall for it and they do but since it is a feminine voice in an accursed canyoner they approach cautiously  but however do not note the blood spatter where their friend once sat but an hour ago. Cautious but unobservant ? The party fails to achieve Surprise but I could have given them AMBUSH, not sure why I did not not and then a roll for surprise. Its a brief battle and more bodies are tumbling over the cliff. Think I will muse on this in a few with a video clip. AMBUSH, SURPRISE & INTITATIVE....

    Exploring into the cave they find a guard room with bunks, rough hewn and stolen furniture given it a strange eclectic mix of atmosphere. The rom is lit by torch, so they take one and step out into a larger cave-hall and hear noise to the east and nothing to the west, the cave-hall narrows to the left but open up to the right. Torch light and the sound of whickering whinnying horse can be heard as well, they enter slowly and come upon more checkered headed bandits in normal clothing brushing horses, there are a total of 6 horses and but 2 bandits so they rush and dispatch them in a SURPRISE round. The horses are startled and their noise fills the cavern, voices are heard to the North asking what is going on so the Dwarf Duo charge into the room as Jeri comes forward to calm the horses. Benn holds back as Bertrand advances with the raucous pair of Dwarf.

   I gather actions after describing the next cavern which is full of crate, barrels and boxes obvious months of banditry off of the borderland road and there are 4 bandits here in leathers and one in Chain who does not resemble the others who have that air of the sea about them. Stonus calls out the chain clad warrior and the bandits doing a quick count determine they have an advantage and with a wild eyed look engage the warriors. It is brief and deadly the Party rolls over the Bandits and Jeri rolls an 11 to Calm the Horses. They quickly gather up the checkered cloth and discover these bandits do not carry copper but, gold coin. The party explores a side chamber and it appears to be a farrier set up for the horses and go north instead of the smaller less used passage. Coming into a larger chamber with the heavy smell of smoke and sweat they see small openings with low ceilings leaving this chamber, a side passage with a pair of leather clad bandits emerging and another much larger chamber where smoke is coming from and it is a good point to end our session.

   Felt like there were allot of distractions going on this session but everyone was able to crack jokes and have a good time so thats' the point right. Adventure, Glory and did that Mountain Lion eat my loot ??

 

#OSR #OSE #VintageGaming #SHotB 

 

Game Well, Game Often Folks