–Episode 12-
Scene #79: E: Positive for Lord Hevran: the Taking of a Dispute (Generate more key villagers)
Waking in Tor’s crowded home, my companions and I dress for the day and begin discussing how best to defend the village and how to approach Lord Fredo about the issue.
“So, you say the lord doesn’t care to protect the village, and from the attitude of that Gustav fellow yesterday, I’m inclined to agree, but perhaps Ronan and I should speak to him lest he block us from making proper preparations,” I explain to Tor.
The old man sighs and shakes his head, “Good luck. It was hard enough to persuade him to buy longbows for the village militia. But maybe he’ll listen to you.”
With that, Ronan and I head up to the manor house, the only stone building in the village. Knocking on the door, we are greeted by steward Gustav. “What are you still doing here? You aren’t welcome, and my lord does not wish to be disturbed!”
-Persuasion 22-
“He seemed quite willing to talk to people at the King’s birthday celebration, and I am sure he would not be pleased that you turned away a fellow guest of that event from his door,” I smile.
The steward seems surprised at the revelation and opens the door, stepping aside, “Welcome to Rabbit Hall manor, I guess.” He scurries off to find his master.
Q: Will Fredo see me now? NO Q: will his wife? EXCEPTIONAL NO
A few minutes later, he returns, “He has no time for you today. Begone! Go…shoot arrows at a tree or something. Better yet, hunt down a deer or something. Or maybe just…go away!”
I shake my head and leave. “What do you think, Ronan?”
The soldier looks around, “Palisade is sturdy enough. We have maybe sixty, seventy men and older lads in the village. It Tor has taught them all to shoot, that’ll be handy. I’d rather be able to fortify further. We’ll need water buckets filled. If you and the girl can set some traps in the fields on the west, south and east, that will be good.”
“Why not North?” I ask, though I know the answer.
“The goblins won’t come from the north, from the road to Thorn. They want us to flee that way so they can pick us off as we run…they’ll want it to seem clear.” he explains, looking at me in confusion.
I turn towards Tor who had approached and was listening in, “I’ll get some people to help.”
Q: Does Gustav interfere? EXCEPTIONAL NO
Sylvia and I borrow some tools and supplies from around the village, and with Tor and Terra, begin setting traps within the forest’s edge to the south, east and west. Ronan explains to Tor and the village elders where carts will need to be positioned when the fighting starts, and where filled water buckets should be kept ready. Most of the villagers are still at work though.
He is approached by the village priest, “Good morning stranger. I am Brother Festus. I do not know you. Are you a new member of Lord Fredo’s garrison?”
Ronan looks the young man over, “Not by his choice. I am a guest of Tor. I’m here to help prepare the village defenses. We expect goblin trouble soon.”
“Soon?” exclaims the priest, “We’ve been having goblin troubles for months. How can I help?”
Ronan smiles, “Persuade the local carpenter to start making more arrows, and that herbalist shop to produce as much…Willowmoss and Sunberry as she can manage. And healing kits, plenty of bandages. Your shrine will be for the wounded, yes? You are a physician correct?”
“Of course. Everyone who has been trained in the temple learns how to treat illnesses and minor wounds,” Brother Festus replies, “I’ll go talk to Clarisse and Dornin. Hey, what about Alven, the blacksmith? Would caltrops be helpful?”
(Herbalist has 6 hunter’s musk, 1 Darkwater drops, 4 willowmoss, 4 sunberry salves)
Ronan grins, “Exceedingly. If you can call the community together and tell them to have their kids gather wooden sticks during the, pieces a foot long, maybe half an inch diameter, then cut them into stakes at night so we can plant them in the mowed fields by the hundreds. That will help.”
“I will do everything I can…?” Brother Festus looks at Ronan expectantly.
“Ronan. Ronan Vale, formerly a sergeant in the imperial army of Kardashev,” Ronan explains.
Brother Festus bows lightly, “I will see it done. May Freia guide us in this endeavor.”
-Afternoon Encounter-Sinkhole-
While Terra, Sylvia and I are in the woods setting up deadfalls and swing spikes, we notice a naturally formed hole in the ground. “What’s that?” I ask Terra.
She walks over and shrugs, “We spot sinkholes like this every now and then in these woods. It’s not ankheg if that’s what you are worried about. Something bigger I think but nothing we’ve ever actually seen.”
I cautiously approach the edge, “Can we cover it, you think? Spike the bottom.”
Terra nods, “Yes, I can get some cloth together. We can climb down tomorrow and set spikes, then try to mask it. Might work, might not.”
“Alright, let’s do that,” I agree and we get back to work.
-Evening-No Encounter-
We continue working throughout the day, returning back towards evening just as a rider from Firth arrives in royal livery.
Q: Is it Fredor? NO Q: Does he recognize us? NO
A few minutes later, Lord Fredo and his wife come out with Gustav and the messenger. The messenger mounts up and rides away while a servant rings the worship bell. People quickly rush in from the field to assemble in the villagae square near Freia’s shrine.
“Our lord, good King Jon Free, has called us to battle! We are going to put an end to this goblin menace once and for all!” Fredo begins to the smiles and cheers of hit tenants. “At dawn, thirty five men from this village will march with me to the capital alongside my five best men. The rest of you will continue bringing the harvest under the watchful supervision of my steward.”
Q: Does he insult Tor? NO
He walks over to Tor and looks the old man up and down, “Are you satisfied? Your worries were misplaced. The goblin menace is done!”
Q: Does Tor talk back? NO
The old man simply bows his head while his daughter fumes, but holds her tongue. Fredo’s sergeant calls on all militia aged men to form up to draw lots to see who will march alongside their lord. Tor is beyond muster age, though he is probably more fit for battle than most, and Terra is exempt, as are all women and tradesmen.
I shoot Ronan a sidelong glance while he considers the situation. “This leaves us thinner than I had hoped.”
I nod, “And marching an army of levies through the deep woods looking for goblins is wasted effort. A fool’s game.”
Ronan nods, “They’ll come soon. Once the army is clear of the villages and out of position to respond.”
“Busy day tomorrow. As soon as Lord Fredo leaves, we take over,” I warn him. Ronan nods in agreement. With that, we retire to Tor’s home.
19th Threshing (Day One)
-clear skies, warm, decent wind-
-Feel something Solid-
(Herbalist has 6 hunter’s musk, 1 Darkwater drops, 5 willowmoss, 6 sunberry salves)
Scene #80:
We wake the next morning to the sounds of people gathering in the courtyard outside. Stepping into the square, we see the unlucky few forming up with spears and longbows, being issued weapons, each carrying a small bag of food and other supplies, preparing to march to war. Lord Fredo looks resplendent in his plate armor, his retainers in their mail. His wife bids him farewell, fastening her scarf around his arm for good luck. He looks eager for battle.
Leaning against the sturdy wall of Tor’s cottage, I watch the company depart. “Well, that’s that. Half of our fighting force. We wait until they are out of earshot, then call everyone together…around lunchtime I think.” Ronan nods in agreement, then Terra, Sylvia and I go back to the sinkhole to turn it into a trap.
-Morning-No Encounter-
Careful to avoid our traps from the day before, we secure a rope to a nearby tree and then I drop down into the pit and light a torch.
-Nature 22-
I examine the claw claw marks and tracks within the tunnel and mutter, “This was an umber hulk.” I shake off a shiver, then get to work setting the spikes in place before climbing back out of the hole. As we cover up the pit, I explain the danger to Terra, “The creature that made this, it messes with your mind. Hypnotic gaze I’m told…like a snake can mesmerize a bird. And it will eat a man. If you escape, you might not remember, but if you don’t, you’ll likely never be found. Maybe it will eat a few goblins if it comes back this way.”
Terra’s face blanches, then hardens, “Might have to kill the damned things if they keep coming around here.”
I shake my head, “Easier said than done…best to leave it be if doesn’t come after people. If it hasn’t so far, just…be careful in these wilds.”
We conceal the pit, then set a few more snares and step spikes before returning to the village.
-Afternoon-In the village
Brother Fester calls everyone together once more with the worship bell
Q: Does the lady appear? EXCEPTIONAL NO Q: Gustav? YES
Most everyone in the village shows up, including the steward, Gustav, but the lady of the manor is noticeably absent. Brother Fester begins, “This is Sergeant Ronan of Kardashev. He is taking over the defense of this village in our lord’s absence. He has the blessing of Freia in this regard.” The priest lightly bows towards Ronan who glances at me in surprise as he steps forward.
Q: Does the steward object? EXCEPTIONAL NO
Gustav’s face blanches white, but he does nothing but cower. The sergeant on watch, the same man who greeted us at the gate, grins, a bottle of ale in his hand as he nods his assent.
-Intimidation 17-
“King Jon has summoned his lords, this leaves every village at half strength. Wherever he marches that army, the goblins will slip away, and hit whatever they want. I figure we have, maybe two days? Three? Then we are likely getting hit. It’s time to stop harvesting barley, and start planting wooden spikes in the fields around the village. When the alarm sounds, elders and children will take shelter in the manor house.” He glares at Gustav, “Which will remain unlocked until they arrive. Every able bodied man will report to their post, armed and ready, and able bodied women without young children will help retrieve wounded, bringing them to Brother Fester at the shrine, and in addressing any fires. You’ll also keep knives on your persons at all time. If you don’t know how to use them in a fight, I’ll show you.”
Seeing the instinctive agreement of the crowd with Ronan’s orders, I give my friend a smile, then Terra, Sylvia and I get back to work. Suddenly, he calls Sylvia over, “Teach these women how to use a knife. My techniques require a bit more strength, yours are more…subtle.” Sylvia grins and eagerly accepts the assignment.
Q: Do any of the guards object? YES Q: does the sergeant intervene? YES
One of the guards steps forward, glaring at Gustav, and says, “Gustav is commander here. Not you.”
“Stand down, Ronny,” the sergeant says, “This man knows what he’s talking about. If he wants to organize the defenses, let him. What are your orders, Sergeant Ronan Vale?”
“We are dividing the milita into five companies, each led by one of the garrison.” Ronan then begins establishing a guard rotation, watch posts, and muster points for when the fighting starts.
Q: Do women step up? NO
While Terra is a skilled warrior, and there are undoubtedly a few more in the village who are good with a sling or bow, none step forward to volunteer for combat duty. A few begin travelling more openly armed however, as the village begins its siege preparations in earnest.
-Evening-Northwoods-hunters-
While Terra and I are in the woods setting more traps, a group of hunters from Thorn wander by. “What are the two of you doing?” Looking at Terra, “Who’s that guy, and why aren’t your neighbors in their fields today? A holiday of some sort?”
“The goblins are coming. We want to be ready.” Terra replies.
Q: Do they believe her? YES Q: Ask to join? YES
The men look at each other, then back to Terra, “Got a place for our families to stay until this blows over?”
She looks at them, “Yeah, Robin returned from her pilgrimage, she’s good rooms in her alehouse.”
I look at her, “The guard told us there wasn’t an inn last time we were in town.”
Terra shrugs, “She doesn’t have staff. It was closed for two months. Sergeant Devon was bitching about it every night that he couldn’t get a drink after his watch. If you want to move in there too, it might be more comfortable than my dad’s floor, but she’ll charge you rent.”
I laugh, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
The hunters start helping us set traps before heading back to Thorn to retrieve their families, promising to return in the morning.
Walking through the village, I make note of the number of geese and dogs in the community. I explain to Ronan, “Starting tomorrow night, we’ll start staking geese out in the field at bow range. They’ll warn us of anything coming into the fields long before our guards will spot it even under the gibbous moon. We’ll let the dogs out too, to scare away racoons, foxes, wolves or anything else that might want to take a bite of goose, so only goblins are likely to get close. We’ll need darkwater drops if the herbalist can make them.”
Ronan nods his agreement, “I’ll tell Brother Festus to make it happen. He’ll get the people to surrender their animals in exchange for security.”
(Defenders 1 Veteran, 4 Men at Arms, 4 Hunters from Thorn, 35 militia, 5 farm dogs, Terra, Tor, Sylvia, Ronan, Garrick, and Brother Fester)
(Do these villages obey the summons of 50% of their defenses A Sure thing, given vassalage rules and feudal law):Q: Hothgorn? YES Q: Fish Hook? YES Q: Kinnmire? YES Q: Littleshire? NO Q: Thorn? YES (Helvarn’s allies in Pig’s Hollow and Garth will disobey, Red Claw isn’t asked to send forces as it will not be attacked, being part of the King’s conspiracy)
20th Threshing (Day Two)
-Hot, Clear Skies, stiff breeze-
(Herbalist has 6 hunter’s musk, 7 Darkwater drops, 5 willowmoss, 6 sunberry salves)
-Immersion-Shout to sidekick with a question-
Scene #81:
“How does it look from up there?” I call up to Sylvia who has climbed atop manor house.
“It would look a lot better from the inside”, she laughs, “But the tower gives a good line of sight towards Thorn.” she clambers down and I knock on the door again. Half a dozen older youths are behind me eager to do their job.
Q: Does Gustav answer? YES
“What do you want? Where is the captain?” Gustav demands, peeking out from behind the door.
“We need the manor house. Please ask the lady’s permission for us to enter,” I ask politely.
Q: Will he obey? NO
“No!” He slams the door shut.
-Strength 14 vs 9-
I block the door and shove it open, knocking him to the ground. “Alright boys, three shifts. I want one kid at the door keeping it open at all times, one in the tower keeping watch. Don’t touch anything, be respectful of the lady. Don’t let them close the door until we have everyone inside after the alarm sounds,” the lads nod enthusiastically, having been told by Brother Festus that they were being trusted with a critical mission and Ronan having told them to follow my orders here.
I pick the steward up from the floor, “I’m also going to need you to pay for the supplies that herbalist of yours is brewing. She deserves to be compensated.”
Q: Does he agree to pay? YES
“Um, um…yes, of course,” he stammers, realizing he’s not going to persuade me otherwise.
Q: Does she come down? NO Q: Does he try to block me? YES
“Where is the lady of the house?” I start towards the stairs.
Gustav interposes himself between me and the stairway, “Please! She has asked not to be disturbed.”
-15 vs 13-
“This can no longer wait,” I force my way past in spite of his strengthened resolve.
Upstairs, I soon find the lady in her study, and enter with a light bow, “Lady Agnes, I presume?”
The beautiful, elegantly dressed noble woman looks up at me. Her son and daughter pause their music lessons, setting down their flutes, “Gustav! Who is this man?”
The steward hurries inside, “Forgive me, my lady. He forced his way past and the soldiers, they are following the orders of this man’s friend.”
Agness’ eyes narrow, “So you and your friends believe you can take over my village? And now intrude into my home? My private study?”
-Persuasion 7-
“Please forgive us, my lady, but we are certain a goblin assault is coming, and we need to use your home’s tower as a watchpost, and the hall and lower levels to shelter the elderly and very young. We expect an attack within the fortnight. When your husband and the rest of his men return home, if no attack has materialized, we will leave,” I offer.
-Intimidation 9-
“You will leave now!” the woman thunders, rising to her feet.
Q: Does Gustav draw steel? NO
Gustav’s hand goes to his blade, then drops away as he trembles in fear.
-My intimidation 7-
I sigh, “My lady. You may either choose to see reason and be free to move around your home, or I will place you under arrest.”
“You will do no such thing!” she stammers, as I reach for her, but she slips away, “How dare you try and lay hands on me!”
The youth’s quickly grab her two children, as the lady draws a dagger with which to protect herself. I reach towards her again but she cuts me lightly across the forearm, I punch her in the jaw and she goes down in surprise with a bloodied lip. I kick the weapon away and throw her over my shoulder, carrying her downstairs, her children dragged along behind us.
“I’m sorry, my lady!” pleads Gustav.
Taking her down to the wine cellar to the shock of the other servants, I bind her hands and feet and those of her children. “We’ll untie you after we’ve brought these provisions upstairs and a bed down to you. Until then, sit tight good lady.”
I turn to Gustav, “Get all of the household servants outside, now!” I grab his sword and take it from him, “And never think of drawing steel against me again!”
Outside, Ronan sees me now carrying Gustav’s blade with the steward following me, “Didn’t go well, I take it?”
“The building is ours. Lady Agnes has chosen to relocate to the wine cellar for the duration of hostilities. We’ll keep her locked up and out of the way. The boys are taking a bed down there and bringing up the wine,” I explain.
Ronan shakes his head, “Well. I guess this is nothing after being accused of murdering the king and three men.”
I chuckle, “I think, when all is said and done, we need to leave this land.”
Ronan nods his agreement, “Before we are arrested anyway.”
“Again,” I shake my head, and he pats me on the back.
-Morning- No Encounter-
Sylvia, Terra and Tor, along with the hunters, who brought their families and household goods over in the morning, are outside the walls setting more traps.
-Conversation topic-skills-
Tor asks Sylvia, “Where did you learn to do that?” admiring how easily she clambers up trees to set knots for the deadfalls.
“Helps if you can climb quick in a crowded city like Kardov. If you can move up when someone chasing you is looking at ground level, it’s easier to slip away at night,” she grins, leaping to the next tree, and securing the trap’s second anchor point. “What about you? How long have you been hunting?”
“All my life,” he grins at Terra, “taught both of my kids.”
“Your son? What happened, really?” Sylvia asks in a solemn tone.
Terra looks down, focusing on her work, as Tor tells the story, “Eleven years ago, Tan and Terra were out hunting, as usual, and they ran into a group of goblins they knew, we knew, that often come to the village to trade. They sold Lord Fredo’s father hides, and then they’d enjoy a few beers at the tavern, then go back into the wilds. Goblins had been like that for nearly a decade. When I was twelve years old, goblins had waged war, raiding villages and farms, just like the last two months but more frequently. Then there was a major battle that broke them and after ten years or so, they started trading with us. So we kind of forgot they were…enemies. Well, the goblins decided they wanted to…”
“They tried to grab me, alright! They grabbed me, and Tan told them to let me go. So they gutted him like a fish and ran away,” she blurts out, tears of rage falling from her eyes. “And I’ll kill every last one if I can!”
“Wow,” Sylvia whispers, “Wow. I’m…yeah, kill ’em all.” Sylvia agrees. Then the two women get back to work.
-Afternoon-find a hidden stash-
Continuing their trap setting duties the forest approach while the farmers are planting stakes in the fields, Sylvia and Terra find an area of disturbed soil with a shovel nearby. “How long has that been here?” Sylvia muses as Terra kneels down to examine things.
-Nature 11-
“Awhile anyway. Dirt’s dry, creepers coming up alongside it.” Terra observes
Sylvia picks up the shovel and pushes into the loose soil.
“What are you up to?” asks Tor.
Terra explains that they found something but her dad reminds them they need to get back to work. Terra does so, but Sylvia continues to dig. Soon, she finds a fancy wooden chest and pulls it out. “Buried treasure!” she grins as she looks it over before attempting to open it.
Q: Trapped? EXCEPTIONAL NO (generate a hoard, because this party hasn’t had good loot in several adventures)
The bottom falls out of the fragile box, sabotaged by the termites that found it, spilling out several pouches filled with silver and gold coins, a copper bracelet with a fiery orange stone, a silver holy symbol and even a slender gold tiara witha red and white striped stone. But beneath all of that as the pile falls free is a suit of studded leather armor, stained by the elements, but as Sylvia picks it up, it is still in good shape. She beams, “Garrick!” Then she looks back towards the village, “Yeah, he can’t hear me,” and she packs everything up…then notices the two stones on either side of the chest’s lock and decides to pry them out as well, but ends up splitting one in half, “Damn it!” she curses the broken gem as she pockets the other piece of amber.
—
In town Ronan is directing men to push several of the village’s carts, wagons and barrels up against the inside of the palisade to provide firing platforms, creating a makeshift rampart. “Gustav! Go to the sawmill in Thorn and see how many wooden planks you can get sent over today, and order more for tomorrow. We need proper ramparts. As steward, you should have already seen to this.”
Q: Does he obey? NO
“I will do no such thing!” Gustav fumes.
-Strength 10 vs 7-
Ronan turns to face the man, who immediately cowers. Then he grabs him by the shoulder and drags him over to Tor’s root cellar. He yanks open the door, and throws the steward inside, then wedges a rake handle into the door’s handles. “Then stay out of the way if you won’t help.”
Brother Fester stammers in shock on seeing this, “What’s happening?”
-Intimidation 15+5 for Friendly to this cause-
“We’re saving lives and running out of time. Lady Agnes is also under arrest. Do you object?” Ronan fixes the priest with a steely gaze.
The priest, with a pained look in his eyes, shakes his head and sighs, “No. Not under these circumstances. But you must let me see to their comfort and that they are not being mistreated.”
Ronan nods, “That’s fine. Do not let them free. Gustav stays in the root cellar. Lady Agnes and her children in her wine cellar. But first, go to Thorn, order as much cut lumber as they have brought over immediately, and have them cut more for a delivery in the morning. Lord Fredo will pay for it.”
Brother Fester agrees to these terms and sets off towards Thorn.
—
I finally visit the herbalist and recognize her as the woman who gave me the falcon charm when we first passed through Rabbit’s Fall. “There you are. About time,” she says as she looks up from her workbench. “Willow Moss Poultice and Sunberry Salves, yes?”
I nod, “I remember you. Thank you for the charm. Sad to say, I lost it.”
Q: Does she give me another? NO
“I can see that,” the old woman replies. “Unfortunately, I don’t have another. One mustn’t be so careless with gifts.”
“I aim to get it back if I can, but things happen. So…we need darkwater drops, and also hunter’s musk. We want to conceal the surprises my friends are leaving in the woods from anything that might smell the activity, and we also expect to be attacked at night.” I explain.
The herbalist nods, “Brother Fester has been keeping me informed.” She carefully places what she has already prepared in a box for me, “I’ll have more tomorrow. Darkwater Drops? Oh, hmmm, not to seem ungrateful, but I hope you intend on paying me for my services. A lot of these ingredients are hard to come by. Two hundred sixty five crowns so far, to be precise.”
“Did Gustav not already bring the money over?” I sigh.
She purses her lips and shakes her head, “No. Haven’t seen the little weasel today.”
I nod, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I head over to the manor house, “Gustav!”
Ronan calls to me, “He’s indisposed at the moment.”
“I need him,” I raise my hands.
“Tor’s cellar. Put him back when you are done with him,” Ronan instructs.
So I retrieve Gustav and drag him to the manor with me, “I need the house’s coffers opened, now. I’ll only take what we need, nothing more.”
Q: Does he resist? EXCEPTIONAL NO
The steward, whimpering, fumbles with the keys and opens up the chest in his lord’s office
“Count me out 300 crowns. That gets us started, then lock the chest and give me the key,” I command. The steward does as he is told. “Which room is yours?” The steward points, “Alright, you can sleep there. If you leave, I’ll likely gut you. I want you to stay there where I can find you.”
“Um, um, yes, Master Garrick,” he whimpers as I lead him to his room, then inspect it for weapons and make sure it is secured.
Q: Is everything in order? NO
Heading back downstairs with the money and the keys, I check on the cellar where the bed has not yet been put in place, the lady and her children are still bound, but half of the wine has been brought upstairs. Cursing, I go to find the boys I put in charge.
Q: Drunk? EXCEPTIONAL NO Intimdation 21
The boys are playing with weapons they found in the house armory. “I gave the six of you orders. Get that bed into the cellar, now! I’m going to start sending old men and children over here. This place needs to be in order and I do not want a noblewoman sitting in turn, bound hands and feet while you boys are playing at war.”
Trembling, the boys hop to their feet and immediately start doing as they were told earlier in the day. Leaving them to it, I take the herbalist her money. “What’s your name, by the way?” I ask her.
“Oh?” she raises an eyebrow, “Clarisse. Thank you for asking. Garrick.”
I chuckle, “I guess word travels quickly.” The old woman nods, accepting the coins then getting back to work.
-Evening-Elk-Q: Do they trigger a trap? NO-
Terra and the others continue setting traps in the fading light, now using Hunter’s Musk to conceal the human odor from around those they’d already set. I had sent a lad out with the salve after Clarisse gave it to me. A few elk pass through the area where the group is working, and Terra and her fellows hold their breath in anticipation, but the animals pass through unharmed. “Well…that’s disappointing.”
One of the hunters disagrees, “We don’t have to reset anything.”
“Yeah, but if group of elk can walk through unscathed, how many goblins is this work going to stop?” she sighs in frustration as the work resumes.
—
Sylvia finds me, “Hey Garrick, look what I found!”
I turn to see her holding up the armor, and smile, “What are you, a miracle worker?” She urges me to try it on, so we walk over to the manor house where some of the older members of the community are settling in. I go upstairs and…see the lady’s bed still there. “Boys!” I call down.
Two of them come up and I ask why the bed is still here. They explain that they decided to carry down three beds from the servant’s room instead, as they were lighter. I nod, thank them, and let them get back to work.
Q: Does it fit? NO Q: too big? EXCEPTIONAL YES
I try to put on the armor, but it hangs off me, interfering with my ability to move my arms freely.
“Damn it,” groans Sylvia as I take the armor off. “Hey, since when are we allowed in the manor house? And why did you want that bed removed?”
I laugh, “I had to place Lady Agnes under arrest. She’s in the cellar.”
“So…we get this room?” Sylvia’s eyes light up as she jumps onto the lush, feather bed, then throws herself back on it. “Wow! I…by the goddess, this bed is like a cloud!” she rolls around on it a bit, then sits up. “We do get to stay here, right?”
I laugh, “I suppose so.”
Sylvia hops up and begins inspecting the wardrobe, pulling out a fine gown and modelling it against her body, looking in the nearby mirror, “Hey! Could we like…stay here for real? I mean. You could be a king, and I could be your queen. I’d love to be a queen!”
“My queen?” I raise an eyebrow.
Sylvia blushes, “Oh, no…not like that. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice to be the ones in charge? To get to live…like this!” she gestures around the room. “No piles of straw in a dark alley. No bedrolls laying on mud in a goblin infested forest. Just…feathered beds, fancy clothes, servants to cook our meals. Never going hungry.” She looks at me with a tearful yearning for the good life. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“You would be bored out of your mind,” I warn her.
She pauses, and I can see the wheels turning in her head, then she grins and starts to laugh, “Oh by Freia, you are absolutely right! I would go insane.” Then she goes back to modelling the gown, “But it’s nice to dream.”
—
A short time later, a wagon from Thorn delivers dozens of wooden planks. We are staking geese out on a perimeter and have loosed the dogs to keep them safe. Watches are established with two squads of militia up at any given time. Our own usual watch order is back in place, with Ronan and Tor on the first watch, Festus and I on second, and Sylvia and Terra on third.
–Night-No Encounter-
As I lay in bed trying to go to sleep, Sylvia plays around with Lady Agnes’ jewelry box, modeling necklaces and a pair of earrings. “Put those back,” I tell her with a sigh.
Sylvia purses her lips, then shakes her head, “No…I think, if we save this village, and save her life, we deserve something other than a hangman’s noose. We are fleeing north, right? Leaving behind all of that money we gave the Balanced Scales fellow? I’m taking this…and this…ooh, and I like these earrings too!”
I shake my head and lay down. Soon she is at my side and we try to get some rest.
“I’m not wrong, you know,” she urges.
“I know,” I agree as I close my eyes and slip away to dreamland.
21st Threshing (Day 3)
-Warm, cloudy, no rain, solid wind-
-Immersion-Dripping sound-
Scene #82 (Negative Alteration):
As I leave the master bedroom, and walk past the kitchen, I notice the sergeant, Devon, slumped into a chair, three empty bottles at his feet, and a fourth, on the table beside him, tipped over, dripping wine. Then I realize, he is no longer breathing.
-Perception 9-
“Damn it, you stupid sot!” I curse as I put my hand against his neck. His flesh is cold. I smell the wine, but detect no odor of poison. “Drank yourself to death on the eve of battle? Shit!”
One of the old men staying on the first floor wakes up, “What’s happening?”
“Tell one of the lads to go fetch Brother Festus, and…nobody touch the wine,” I warn. I pick up the half empty bottle and the ones from the floor and carry them with me to Clarisse’s. Soon, I am banging on her door.
Q: Does she answer? NO
I wait for several minutes, then set the bottles next to her front door, then go back to wake Ronan.
The soldier is already awake and getting dressed when I return. Noting the look on my face, he asks, “What happened?”
“Sergeant Devon is dead. I think he may have drunk himself to death. Maybe it’s poison. I don’t know. I’ll have Brother Festus inspect the corpse, Clarisse the wine bottles, but we are down a man.”
Ronan shakes his head, “And that’s why he was left behind as a guard, instead of taken to war. See to it. I need to talk to his men.” Ronan goes downstairs to collect the two that aren’t on watch right now.
-Intimidation 21-
Gathering all of the men at arms together, Ronan explains the situation. “Your sergeant is dead. Either poisoned, or drank himself to death. Nothing we can do about it right now. Your lord is two days from here. We have to finish fortifying this village and hold for his return. I want all four of you to get some good sleep. I need you fresh on your watches tonight. Dismissed”
The guards, shocked by the news, nod their agreement and turn in for bed. Ronan then puts Tor in charge of the daytime sentries, and distributes the darkwater drops to Tor, Terra, the hunters from Thorn, Sylvia, and I. Nodding towards me, he explain, “Rub this stuff into your eyes when the alarm sounds. It will let you see in the dark, right Garrick?” I nod in agreement and warn everyone their eyes will water for a few hours afterwards.
The rest of the day, Ronan supervises the installation of ramparts.
-Medicine 24-Q: Was it poison? NO-
Brother Festus inspects the body, and Clarrisse the wine, and both agree, the man drank himself to death. Relieved, I allow access to wine as part of daily meals once more, but assign a couple of boys to limit access.
Then I head out to the forest edge with the hunters, Sylvia and Terra to set more traps.
-Morning encounter-deer-Q: Do they trigger things? NO-
Working through the morning, a small herd of deer wander close to the fields and into our trapped area, but once again, nothing is triggered. I raise an eyebrow and Terra shakes her head, “Again! Are we wasting our time?”
I look back towards the village and see the women and children planting stakes into the ground, “Maybe. But there is little else we can do right now.”
-Afternoon-No Encounter-
-Evening-Flowers and pollen-
The rest of the day continues on schedule. At one point, we are working in a small clearing filled with flowers and air thick with pollen, but it is of little consequence. Another shipment of wooden planks arrives in the evening, and Clarisse hands over some more Darkwater drops. After distributing them I tell her to prepare more willow moss poultices.
-Night-Q: Do they hit tonight? YES-2nd watch-
-Immersion-Enemy Breath/Air-Perception-21-(verified with Chat GPT how scent will carry under these weather conditions)
Scene #83 (Positive Alteration):
On the second watch, I sit at the watchtower with of the hunters from Thorn, and a couple of older kids. A squad of militia is strung out along the wall nearby, the other active squad is dispersed along the othe three sides of the village. Brother Festus with another hunter is in the manor house tower. Then it hits me, the smell of fish oil caught in the breeze. “I whisper to the kids, you…go wake Ronan and Sylvia in the manor house.” Then I look at the other, “Go wake the other squads, get them to their positions, then go the shrine and ring the bell once you hear screams, keep ringing it, gotta wake up Thorn.” As the kids race away, I look up and pray the clouds clear a bit so the moonlight drips through as I begin rubbing the darkwater into my eyes.
Blinking, I see Ronan climbing up next to me. He grins, “Couldn’t sleep.”
“Smell it? They’re here.” I wink.
Q: Do the traps cause damage? Unsure-YES (2d6=8 goblins)
Ronan nods, “By the goddess, I love that goblins never bathe. Must be a lot of them.” he rubs Darkwater in his eyes and we peek over the wall as we hear a few stifled cries from the treeline.
I chuckle. “Deer are smarter”. Looking out over the wall, I see the dogs are stiffening. The geese are starting to cackle. “Start marking targets…they’ll be in good range soon.”
Q: Do the goblins start an immediate rush? EXCEPTIONAL NO
-Perception 25-
I spot goblins starting to creep out of the treeline. I can’t help but chuckle as they give our people time to wake up and get into position.
Q: Everyone in place? Very Likely-YES (distance 150 ft)
When the geese start braying loud, I nod and everyone steps up to the wall to fire…
(I use Chat GPT for the peasant salvo at disadvantage given the dim light—they kill 3 and wound 7, many badly. After rolling for the rest of the defenders, we end up with 12 goblins out of action between the traps and the initial salvo, 14 wounded, the ogre Sylvia and I targeted took a heavy hit from her)
Q: Does our salvo catch them by surprise? NO Q: Do they rush? YES (Perception 6)
With reckless enthusiasm, the horde rushes forward with hunters unleashing arrows at our position. (Distance 90 ft) Several men are struck, Ronan bellows, “Return fire!” The bell starts ringing, and I hear a goblin yelling orders, but can’t tell which one.
Q: Does militia morale hold (Very Likely) YES Q: Does goblin morale hold? (Unsure) EXCEPTIONAL YES E: Negative for Sir Jon Small: the Informing of Advice
The second volley strikes 9 goblins, killing three wounded and three fresh foes, wounding another three as Sylvia and I, along with the two soldiers nearest me target the ogre she wounded earlier…it falls in a heap. Several more arrows find their marks and goblin dead litter the barley field as they continue their charge.
Q: do the spike traps do damage? NO
The goblins are close now (distance 30 feet) as they cut loose, there are screams all around as arrows riddle the palisade. The ogres hurl their javelins, ripping through a few men, and suddenly, one of the goblins barks out an arcane command that what sounds like a thunderclap hits our watch post. “Kill that one!” I yell out to the men nearest me.
(21 dead goblins, 16 wounded, 27 unscathed. 1 dead ogre, 3 active. 4 goblin warriors, 2 chiefs, 1 shaman)
(4 dead militia, 17 lightly wounded, 4 badly wounded, 10 unscathed, 4 men at arms (2 lightly wounded), 4 hunters, and the party has taken some minor wounds)
Q: Does militia morale hold? (Likely)YES Q: Does Goblin morale hold? (Unsure) NO
“Fire! Then grab spears” commands Ronan as the levies cut loose.
And Terra calls out “Get us THIS ogre!”
(Chat GPT rolls for the militia, gives me 5 slain who had not been wounded, 8 newly wounded, and 4 wounded finished off. The goblin shaman takes six hits, and the ogre is absolutely pincushioned with multiple critical hits.)
Our men cut loose at close range, goblins screams. Their shaman tries to hide behind his fellows but to no avail. A bolt of flame strikes me when my arrow finds him, but it’s a mere nuisance. A second ogre falls, and the goblins bolt back towards the tree line.
“Hit them again!” Ronan yells, and the militia drop their spears, grab bows and let a parting salvo loose.
“Kill me another ogre!” I tell my men at arms. Terra echoes the call to her huntsmen.
(One of the two fleeing ogres falls, as do 9 more goblins as arrows strike home)
(the butcher’s bill, 39 dead goblins, 3 ogres and a shaman slain. 14 wounded and 11 unwounded goblins escape, along with 1 ogre and two bosses. Among the militia, 4 fall, 4 are badly wounded, 17 are lightly wounded, and 10 pull through unscathed)
As the goblins flee, I look down and see Brother Festus muttering prayers over men laying motionless on the ground. Clarissa and several other women are helping, administering Sunberry and Willowmoss treatments.
Q: Is Thorn burning? YES
Then I look north towards Thorn. The village is ablaze and its shrine bell has fallen silent, no longer answering ours. The hunters from that village look miserable, but our own people are jubilant. I look to Ronan, “I don’t think we can save them.”
He shakes his head, “Not a chance. Stay here, hold the watch. I’m going to check on the troops.” I nod as he climbs back down.
“Good shooting, Sylvia,” I nod and she smiles broadly. “Well done Terra!” I call up to her.
“Vengeance is sweet sometimes!” She calls back.
Q: Does the horde move on? YES
Looking towards Thorn, I see a pack of wolfriders emerge onto the roads between our two villages. Leading them is that old familiar sight of a worg mounted hobgoblin. “Damn it all…they’re here now too.”
Sylvia follows my gaze, “Is that a man leading them?”
“Half man. Hobgoblins…like from Gorad Mir. That explains a few things,” I explain. “I think this kingdom is in trouble.”
(Damage to Thorn, d6+3=5 or 50% dead) (Very Likely for all, d6+3×10% for no, d4x10% for yes) Q: Does Hothgorn repel the attack? NO (90% dead) Q: Does Fish Hook repel the attack? YES (30% dead) Q: Does Littleshir repel the attack? YES (10% dead) Q: Is Green Fox Inn burned? NO Q: Is the gate of Firth thrown open? YES Q: Surrender without a fight? YES
Herbalist has 3 Darkwater drops 10 e (30 gp), 1 willowmoss 15 e (15 gp), 2 sunberry salves 15 e (30 gp)
Posts From a Long Winded Gamer 
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