[December 26 through Januarius 6 – What went wrong.]
[This game uses Adventures in the Green, a RPG based on the original rules for the world’s most popular roleplaying game. These rules are under development with Draft C available here. Game sessions happen an average of once a month. This is Part 2 of the session that happened July 3, 2021.]
Biggz’z Troop, CAC (Chartered Adventuring Company):
Biggz Bigguns of the Big’uns Clan – gender neutral goblin Family Priest (6th level Cleric)
Porkins – male human Conjuror (6th level Magic-User)
Tiny – male minotaur Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)
Tor Wind – male human Swashbuckler (6th level Fighter)
Mannin Darkshield – male dwarf Robber (4th level Thief)
Kunigunde Gruber – NPC female goblin Footpad/Petitioner (3rd level Thief/2nd level Cleric)
Hirelings:
Larn the Linkboy – male human hireling linkboy
Isidoros of Delphis – male Tolk hireling translator [specifically, German to Mü]
Deniska – female human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]
Ivan – male human hireling bodyguard [for Larn]
Bernagi – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]
Hardkira – male human hireling bodyguard [for Isidoros]
Moonday, December 26, 523rd year of the Empire
3:30 PM
The adventurers paused to catch their breaths after the hectic fight with the wererats and running around of the last several minutes. Tor was dead and partly eaten by the wererats that had killed him. Kunigunde used her staff of healing on Biggz to heal up her boss. Biggz cast Cure Light Wounds twice on Tiny to heal him up. No one else was going to die on this job! Biggz also treated their wounds with wolfsbane to avoid another case of lycanthropy in the party.
Tiny took a blanket from Tor’s pack and wrapped up the dead human in it for easier carrying of the corpse. Tiny then tied the [slightly sticky] body to his backpack. While he was doing this, Kunigunde and Mannin searched the nest of the wererats for valuables. Surprisingly, they found a small strongbox containing a couple thousand silver coins along with 4 pieces of gold jewelry.
Feeling somewhat exposed and alone two rooms away across unstable floor, Porkins called out, asking for someone to join him. Tiny attempted to jump across the unstable floor to join Porkins, but he landed short and fell through to the ground floor. Knowing how to get back to where Porkins was waiting, Tiny ran to the nearby stairs and then up a floor, rejoining Porkins quickly.
Biggz dithered a bit as to what to do next. If the adventurers left the ruins now without clearing the last building and more villagers disappeared, not only would the group not get paid by the local lord, but the villagers might riot against the adventurers. Porkins called out that he and Tiny had run off the huge phase spider and the only other people they had found in ground floor were some chained up villagers. With a slight trace of exasperation, Biggz suggested that Porkins could have started with sharing that information. Biggz ordered Tiny and Porkins to finish searching that area for loot and then rescue the villagers. The rest of the group would retreat to the breezeway and climb down to the ground via rope.
Tiny and Porkins went back the way Tiny had arrived from. They paused in the lair of the huge phase spider. It had not returned [still bloodied from its initial encounter with the adventurers, see Part 1] and so Tiny and Porkins took a look around. They found two human-sized lumps in the webbing. Thinking they might be villagers, they cut the lumps down and carefully opened them. Inside each was the dried husk of a dead adventurer. Porkins cast Detect Magic to see if anything on the corpses was magical and much was. The armor and shield of the fighting man were magical, as were a ring and a scroll on the second corpse, obviously a spellcaster. Each also had a sack of coins and the fighter’s sword was very ornate if not magical. Due to weight, it took Tiny and Porkins two trips to haul the loot down to the ground floor at the foot of the stairs.
Meanwhile, the rest of the adventurers backtracked out of the second floor to the breezeway that connected two of the ruined buildings. They hammered in a spike and tied a knotted rope to it for a safer way down to the ground. It took a short while, but eventually the entire group was on the ground again and they waited there for Porkins and Tiny to join them.
Back inside, Tiny and Porkins went to the room deep in the building that held the chained villagers. They were awake now and seemingly in possession of their reason, but all showed signs the wererats had clawed or bit them. Porkins explained Lord Helmar had sent them to rescue the villagers. This cheered up the villagers who clearly had been concerned about Tiny, the minotaur. Tiny broke their chains, freeing them. Tiny and Porkins needed to rest at that point, so Porkins chatted with the villagers to see what they knew. [Very little.] He also performed some first aid and realized all five villagers were likely infected with lycanthrope.
After the rest, the duo led the group to the doorway out of the building, pausing only to explain that the villagers needed to help carry back the loot the adventurers had found. The villagers were less cheerful at this, but at least they weren’t going to be eaten?
Once Tiny, Porkins, and the villagers joined up with the rest of the adventurers, the entire group returned to the first building the adventurers had raided that morning. There they freed the gnole captives [two foremen from the original work detail from the village] and picked up their stashed captives and other loot. They rested long enough to feed all the captives from the gnole larder [which was quality food - gnoles eat well]. This heartened all the villagers greatly. Porkins then paid them each a gold coin to help carry the loot and as much of the food as possible back to the inn in Stralbruck. A gold coin was very good pay, especially after being fed for free, so the villagers agreed.
5:00 PM
The entourage of adventurers and villagers, all laden with boxes, bags, and sacks of loot arrived back at Stralbruck. Biggz displayed the contract with Lord Helmar to get past the gate guards. The group made good time to the inn, but it was clear that word was spreading in the village that the adventurers were back with rescued villagers in tow.
At the inn, Biggz offered to feed the villager/porters all warm food and drink if they would just carry their loads up to one of the adventurers room. Happy to be home and fed again, the villagers easily agreed, depositing all the wealth into Biggz’ room. Porkins then cast Wizard Lock on the door to seal it up. Biggz paid the innkeep for whatever food and drink the villagers wanted and to have hot baths drawn for the adventurers.
By the time the adventurers were bathed, dressed, and all were fed [and maybe now a little tipsy], families of the missing villagers were showing up in numbers at the inn. Lord Helmar eventually arrived and took control of the situation.
Biggz stood on the front porch of the inn told the story of what the adventurers had found and done. This drew enough attention that Porkins and Tiny were able to sneak the five infected villagers out the back of the inn and through the village alleys to the church. At the church they meet with Father Solomon and Porkins explained, in Latin, that these five were likely infected with lycanthrope. Father Solomon looked at the villagers and recognized all of them. He was of the opinion that, since the full moon has just passed, they could safely let these villagers go home to their families that night. They would all return the next day at Father Solomon’s request so Biggz could cure them of their curse.
Back at the inn, Biggz wrapped up the recounting of the adventure. Displaying the still wrapped body of Tor, Biggz explained to Lord Helmar that the adventurers needed to go to Grossestadt immediately to see if they could have their friend brought back to life. Biggz anticipated the trip would take a month, but the adventurers would return to verify the ruins were completely empty and now safe. Lord Helmar agreed to this, stating they remainder of their payment would be waiting here in the village for their return. In the meantime, it would be best for the adventurers to hold onto the gnole prisoners until morning as trying to take them to the jail now would cause a riot and a lynching.
The ruckus of the returned villagers lasted long into the night as those whose family members were back celebrated and those who now knew their loses were permanent grieved.
Hernesday, December 27, 523rd year of the Empire
Morning
Isidoros and Tiny took the gnole prisoners over to the village jail and turned them in. At the same time, Biggz headed over to the church to work on the five potentially infected villagers.
Biggz first cast Detect Supernatural and all five registered as supernatural creatures, meaning they had all been infected and were now wererats in the same way Porkins had been just three days ago. Biggz cast Remove Curse on two of them successfully, curing both villagers. That left three cursed and Biggz without the ability to lift the curses. Biggz explained to Father Solomon that the adventurers had to leave Stralbruck that day to get their dead companion to Grossestadt in time to have any chance of bring him back. Father Solomon asked if Biggz would take the infected villagers as far as Wittingen, two and a half days away. This would give Biggz another two days with them to finish curing them before getting on a boat at the Wasser to sail down to Grossestadt. Biggz was concerned how the villagers would make it back safely. Father Solomon offered to write a letter of introduction and explanation for the priest in Wittingen. That priest would be able to get the cured villagers back safely. Biggz agreed to this, asking the Father Solomon have the letter ready by Noon.
Noon
The adventurers hired a horse and cart for the trip to Wittingen and loaded it up with their loot [both valuables and the remaining food from the gnole larder]. The three villagers still needing treatment arrived and room was made for them and their luggage. Father Solomon delivered the letter of introduction and explanation to Biggz so the villagers would be able to return safely. To some small fanfare, the adventurers left Stralbruck.
Evening
The laden horse and cart arrived at a travel inn on the road to Wittingen.
Magusday, December 28, 523rd year of the Empire
Morning
In the morning before leaving the travel inn, Biggz cast Remove Curse on two of the remaining villagers, curing them of lycanthrope.
Evening
The laden horse and cart arrived at a travel inn on the road to Wittingen.
Cromsday, December 29, 523rd year of the Empire
Morning
In the morning before leaving the travel inn, Biggz cast Remove Curse on the last villager, curing them of lycanthrope.
Evening
The group arrived at Wittingen. While Porkins and the rest got rooms for the night and inquired about boats heading downstream to Grossestadt the next morning, Biggz took the three cured villagers to the local church and presented the letter from Father Solomon. The priest verified the villagers were cured and then accepted responsibility for them, thanking Biggz for their assistance and circumspection.
Freysday, December 30, 523rd year of the Empire
The adventurers started their river trip to Grossestadt.
Sunday, Januarius 1, 523rd year of the Empire
The river boat arrived at the confluence of the Jeetzel and Wasser. Porkins changed boats here with his share of the loot to take a separate boat up the Jeetzel River to Smolberg. As the matter of the bounty on his head had not been settled yet, he felt it unwise to continue with the rest of the group to Grossestadt.
Hernesday, Januarius 3, 523rd year of the Empire
Porkins arrived in Smolberg. He immediately set in supplies for a bout of study and learning new spells.
Magusday, Januarius 4, 523rd year of the Empire
The rest of the adventuring party arrived at Grossestadt. Tor has been dead for seven days at this point, but due to the cold winter air had not deteriorated too much. While the group was having their goods unloaded from the river boat, Biggz hired a runner to take a message up to the cathedral, expressing an emergency need for a casting of Restore Life and Limb.
Biggz recieves a reply that no one at the cathedral that day could cast the rite requested, but one was being sent for.
Cromsday, Januarius 5, 523rd year of the Empire
Biggz and party carried Tor’s body to the cathedral. A caster was available [on the last possible day for the spell to be useful] and Biggz made the donation to the cathedral for the rite. Tor’s body was laid out and the rite enacted.
[At this point Tor’s player needed to roll 90 or less on percentile dice to survive the system shock. He rolled a 91.]
Once the rite completed, Tor stirred for a moment and then fell back into the arms of Death. His mortal coil was not able to sustain the energies of the rite and withered away, leaving only a skeleton. Shocked at this unexpected outcome, Biggz collected Tor’s bones into an ossuary provided by the cathedral and broke the news to the rest of the party.
Freysday, Januarius 6, 523rd year of the Empire
A strong winter storm arrived and closed all travel in the region.
End of Session
Behind the Green
[I really should have named the villagers and the priest in Wittingen, but we were trying to wrap up and get the party to Grossestadt in time. As it turned out, we didn’t need to hurry. When I had Tor’s player roll to survive resurrection, it was perfunctory as we all expected him to make a 90% chance of success. His dice had other plans.]
[The winter storms finally arrived, forcing a break in adventuring and allowing that player to create a new character and me time to work out how to introduce the new character. I had several options, but the player chose to create the brother of his dead character. We discussed it some and I worked out an idea about how things would go. In the following session we introduced Pio Vento of Piccolo, slightly elder brother of Tor Wind, or more properly, Torino Vento.]
[You might notice that the year did not change when the date went from December to Januarius. The calendar here still has the first day f the year as Marius 1 (March 1), something that changed some time in the Roman Republic (exactly when is not certain due to loss of records, but seems to be around 153 BCE).]
Biggz’z Troop, CAC
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