5 leagues from the borderlands – 04

Last time, our adventurers travelled to Camp Whitepoint, making new friends, before fighting off a group of bandits near Coldham. They uncovered that someone had put a price on their heads.

Turn 10

While the Saints rested and waited for the local blacksmith to fix Kara’s armour, a scholar visited Coldham. Taking advantage of his visit, Shade and Rosa spent their days in the manor library, gaining much knowledge.
(Local events: renowned scholar visits, I study and gain wits skill for Shade. Spend 1 gold repairing the light armour and sell the tools I found for 1 gold)

Ulrike took stock on the contracts they had taken. They had certainly gained a lot of trust from the local community lately.
Contract 1: Deliver a letter from a secretive group to a contact in Fort Solace (+3 adventure points, +1 Gold)
Contract 2: Patrol and secure the immediate area around Coldham manor (3 patrols) for the baron by turn 10 (D6+2 gold)
Contract 3: Locate an important item for a secretive group (+3 AP)
Contract 4: Chase off a group of northern wolves outside Camp Whiteshield by turn 11. (+1 SP)
Contract 5: Locate item for Camp Whiteshield council (D6 gold)

The baron’s contract was the most important to complete. One last patrol and they had been promised a big payday. They ventured out to the north-eastern forest road, patrolling the wood camps and coal burning pits nearby. Once again, they uncovered enemies.

Following human footprints, they came upon a horde of fiends. Outcast human cannibals driven mad by their debased practices, and at their rear, an enemy spellcaster was working on a ritual. Ulrike, having ranged ahead to scout, pulled back while the others got into a skirmish line.

Shade could feel a location of power nearby, she reached out and read the winds of power. She could feel a disturbance coming from the east. (found a delve location) Two fiends were slain by Odo and Ironbeard’s slings before the horde crashed into the Saint lines. Ironbeard tried to hold the line, killing one before he was overwhelmed. Ulrike stepped up to take his place at the front, killing two with her own warhammer, forcing another to flee. Stones and arrows killed more, and the fiends were all killed. The enemy sorcerer fled the field, his dark ritual disturbed for now. (+1AP for rattling the enemy’s plans)

Ironshield was at death’s door. Shade worked quickly with her silvertree root bandages, staunching the wounds with the healing herb. “He will live.” She said after a tense half hour.
(Re-rolled dead injury with silvertree rots, he is injured for 3 turns).

Advancements: Odo is level 2 and gains tough +1. Shade is level 3 and gains alchemy skill. Find fencing sword.

Back in Coldham, the steward presented them with their prize for making the area secure, 3 gold. The Saints felt fooled. They had been promised a huge payday, and after all that work, several near death experiences, they were left with 3 gold.
The only good news was that they found a fencing sword after the fiends were killed. Ulrike gave the blade to Odo. The young hopeful stared at the balanced blade with wide eyes of gratitude. One step closer to his dreams of becoming a knight.
There were news that Fort Solace needed timber supplies from Coldham, but the group was not ready to commit to delivering yet.
(Reward for contract is 3 gold. News: Fort Solace needs supplies within turn 12, free upkeep + 2 rations for completing)

Turn 11

That evening, trouble struck. Kara, drunk and angry about the baron stiffing them on payment and Ironbeard almost dying, ended up in a drunken brawl, knocking out two guards. The steward, having had his fill of the “Saints” complaining about the payment, demanded that they returned it to make up for the damages. Ulrike grudgingly accepted.
“We should get out of here. My friend needed us in Camp Whiteshield, maybe they will treat us better. However, with Ironbeard out for now, we need another blade. I will see if anyone wants to join us going north.”
Ulrike spent the evening in the tavern, buying beers and telling tales of the group’s adventures. As she hoped, a volunteer joined the crew. The wily rogue Reikhilda von Steuben, known among friends as “Dirk”.
(Got in a fight, which cost me 3 gold marks. Luckily just 1 gold upkeep this turn, so I chose to work hard for 2 gold. With Ironbeard down, and time running out on contracts, I decided to recruit someone. I sold the light weapon the rogue came with and gave her a sword from my stash. I invested into another sling for the new member as well. My friend sent me aid, giving me +1SP)

The contract battle is a camp raid: 6 northern wolves, 2 lieutenants (alpha wolf) in the foothills, Reward: D6 gold, vital information.

Following the wolf tracks, the group found the their den in the foothills. There were a lot of the wolves, and they were big. Ulrike signaled for everyone to be silent, and led the group up on higher ground. Most of the group got onto the outcropping before one of the wolves growled.

The wolves moved as one, all of them bounding far too rapidly towards the Saints. Bolts, arrows and stones rained down on the wolves, and Dirk got the first kill, hitting an alpha between the eyes, killing it instantly.

Even with the height advantage, the wolves were upon them too fast. Kara fought desperately, holding off two until Ulrike could shoot one of them, then she countered and killed the other. Odo fell beneath one, but Dirk killed it before it could kill him.

The group was pushed further up the mountain, surrounded by the fast and vicious beasts. Rosa fell with grave injuries before Kara and Ulrike managed to kill off the remaining wolves.

Odo luckily only had flesh wounds, but Rosa was nearly dead. Only Shade’s skill with silvertree herbs saved her, and even then, she would be bedridden for weeks.

Their mood was lightened when they surveyed the now empty wolf den. The wolves had clearly pulled their victims to this location, and among the scattered bones, they found two gold, an elven partial armour and a locket with an inscription, clearly someone’s personal item. Most surprising of all was a gleaming urn. “It must be the Urn of Radiance!” Shade picked it up, sensing the magics held inside. (I found the item for contract 3)

There were armoured tracks in the den as well. The chaos invaders had clearly used these wolves on purpose to isolate Camp Whiteshield. Ending them would surely hinder enemy plans. (found vital information that will negate next enemy plans result)

With the northern wolves taken care of, the threat of the chaos warrior invaders has been reduced. (Used 5AP to successfully reduce threat to 4)

(Odo was just knocked out. Rosa rolled dead, but she was saved by herbs. She is however out for 8 turns with serious wounds! Ulrike levels and initially gains expertise skill. I have practically only rolled speed/skill increases, so I used a story point and re-rolled, getting toughness increase instead.)

Turn 12

Back in Camp Whiteshield, Ulrike’s old friend Igor arranged for free rations for the group. Ironbeard visited the camp surgeon, and was back on his feet. Igor offered to pay some gold if the Saints would stay and patrol the area, securing his operation. However, the offered gold was not enough, and Igor already owed Ulrike a favour, so she declined his offer. Igor was understanding, and told Ulrike about some contacts in Fort Solace she could use if needed. (Town event: got a pack of rations. I helped the guards and visited the healer, getting Ironbeard back. Got a new contract offer from friend. Aid community, 3 patrols within turn 17. D3 gold + 1SP. Not worth three patrols for the poor pay. News event gave me “letter from a friend”, giving me another SP)

Instead they decided to deliver the wood needed in Fort Solace. The travel is fairly uneventful. They meet a sociable patrol of soldiers, who ask the group to locate a statue stolen from Fort Solace temple of Maanaan. The Saints promised to keep their eyes open for it.

Arriving in Fort Solace with the cargo of wood, the locals were grateful and offered free lodgings for the week as well as free rations.