Stone-Hell on the Borderlands Session #9, 15 AUG 2023

 

   Well, I was feeling a bit 'off' but had recently had a whirlwind of a weekend, family stuff. Lots of family stuff and there were a few things I wanted to go over prior to my session this week but I did not 'find the time' but inadvertently detoxed a bit from the interwebs outside of my dumb-phone as well as my ROKU. It is What It Is, we have to remind ourselves this hobby is but a game and something to enjoy and not obsess about.

   We left our party of adventurers in mid-session last week so we picked up from there. Also, down a party member Gottri one of our Dwarfish Duo who had family matters to attend to so I NPC's his toon for this session or at least until their return to the Keep. Having found themselves with some Ghost Beggar Bandits in a side chamber near the Druid and sounds of others down the large cavern where smoke drifted from and the sounds of loud conversation and singing could be heard. A battle ensued and the pair of Ghost Beggars who startled Jeri were dispatched with one pleading for his life upon the ground after tossing his blade to the ground and raising his hands In desperation. The Dwarf Stonus Shouted "No Quarter" and asked Benn the Fighter to dispatch him while they hurried off to meet whatever threat was coming from the North-East. Mercy is Short for this crew ...

   Losing Initiative the Ghost Beggar Benn was about to dispatch back peddles and scurries away screaming  "Help ! Scallywag Land Lubbers are upon Us ! Help me Brudders ! Help !"  but unfortunately for him, Benn & Jeri; now I had not realized this name combination existed in our party on cursory glance so when it escaped my mouth I froze and started chuckling, well everyone started chuckling. I mean it s obvious ... ffs and this immediately changed the demeanor of the game this evening and made it light hearted slaughter so I am going to award +50 Punsperience Bonus when I go over the XP but anyway. They chase him down and he is clubbed to the back of teh skull and dies at the top of a sloping corridor leading down, they return to the fray.

   The battle in the cavernous hall was pitched and a broad line of adventurers squared off against six Ghost Beggars; a mix of piratic fellows clad in Yellow a pair in Chain who seem like more traditional gruff vile bandits and some highwaymen clad in linens carrying clubs and daggers, there are vicious blows traded and honestly lots of piss poor misses but the party has a much better Armor Class on average than the Ghost Beggars. But there is a deadly blow landed upon the Cleric Bertrand and he is nearly felled in a single blow. Opting to fall back there is an error I made and it could come across as a Fuuudge; honestly I am not above an occasional fudge but, they are attempting to rotate a party member to the rear and have the heavily armored Dwarf Duo close the gap and several Bandits already litter the floor so if they make the Init they can rotate easily if they fail they can be interrupted by their opponents but I did not not announce it as such clearly. I had made up my mind that the spread on Init would determine how many attacks upon whom and then roll them separately as I was rolling the Ghost Beggars in batch then assigning. So splitting up the attacks as Bertrand falls back and having Stonus take a solid hit, but need to focus on being very clear in combat. The Ghost beggars are pushed back and a loud Pirate Captain in Plate joins the fray along with his foul mouthed creepy parrot.

    Jeri had been getting very hard hits with his Sling from the rear of hte party and they pushed forward and after about 4 rounds of combat the Ghost Beggar Captain Gnast is fell in combat. They party begins to search the large cavern and Benn acquires Gnast dented and beaten armor. Stonus searches through the ledge above the grand cavern where the Ghost Beggar Captain resided and finds a chest and with the Keys found on the Captain by Benn they open it easily finding an assortment of coinage , a large gem as well as a Captains Log and short sword stored away. They opt to loot the various dead Ghost Beggars and pile them up in the Stable top be burned, they trigger a trap but it hits no on and fires wildly while dragging bodies around. They also discover bloody footprints where they had slew the Ghost Beggar guards from the side passage that lead back down the sloping corridor. They decide to load up the War Horses; there is no distinction between Light, medium and Heavy but they have to be able to support up to Chain and Plate so decided to make them warhorse instead of Riding. They set fire to the piled corpses in the hay and added what fire wood they had found in the Ghost Beggar Communal caverns...

  The Parrot takes a shine to the Dwarf Stonus and leaves with him on his shoulder, he is more profane and gives keen insight to what life "might" have been like for the Cabin Boy upon any whip that Captain Gnast steered. "Sqwwaaak, Relax it'll be over soon Sqwaaak Struggle Cuddle Sqwaaak"

   There were no random encounters on the way back besides more bandits but upon seeing the party had their warhorses laded with gear so opted to hide. Rule they are observed by other parties but they make no aggressive actions. Upon returning to the Keep Ruffus is observed giving Felix the Scribe some Copper coins and grunting while the scribe smiles and afterwards they are greeted with the news that Timmy the Pot Boy from the Tavern; Cinnamon's Brother, has gone MISSING ! While Cinnamon rushes to the Tavern Jeri and Bertrand head to the Chapel to lay to rest the bones of an adventurer from the Ruined Gatehouse. Benn heads to the Tavern and meets up with Har-Well the Jewel Merchant and collects the Silver Coins for dispatching the Ghost Beggar bandits. He informs the Fighter that a discreet job could be gained from audience with the Guildmaster (Basil ?)

   The Curate is in a fit and explains to Bertrand and Jeri that the cross bar to the abandoned Chaos temple was off and the door open. He closed it up but inquired if they had forgotten to close it as something has possibly gotten out and Timmy is Missing ! Jeri believes the Chaos Cult is still active and they return to the Tavern to consul CInnamon and discover what has happened to TImmy, exploring the cellar beneath the Tavern they discover a Secret Door which they are unable to open but Stonus forces it it, they explore the sewers and eventually discover an exit down a ruined collapsed formerly sealed off section of tunnel but instead encounter a Giant Rattlesnake. Bertrand and Stonus are both wounded by it but make their saves versus Poison and back away cautiously, the Rattlesnake does not pursue. 

   The Party; still unnamed' opts to retreat to the Tavern and return to searching next session...

 

#OSR #OSE #VintageGaming #SHotB