Session 5 – Flawless Victory
Campaign I, session 5. Previous: Session 4. Next: Session 6.
Between sessions, we had a ruling change that allowed the 0-level henches to level up, at an increased risk that they would strike off on their own later. As a result, Ana has decided to return to her bard school (the Hammil Philotomy Lakofka Historical Society) in time for graduation to receive her diploma in person. Also, a few party members invested with the local merchant Guildmaster, Aeropos. Also, Alwyn hires on an a gnomish elementalist-in-training, Tassi Coralyn.
On their way back to the dome, the party is flagged down at their friendly homestead and introduced to the mayor of Kendra (the nearest village). Apparently, brigands have raided twice during the few days since the party was last here, with two local elders unaccounted for and presumed kidnapped. “This morning, the grandchildren of each of these men have gone missing. We assume they are either searching for their family members, but we can’t be sure.”
The mayor is offering a reward for bringing back these characters alive. and a bonus if they are unmaimed (still able to work the fields) - with the dead, wounded, and missing, she is worried about planting all the necessary crops in time. Since it’s late by now, the party agrees to stand watch tonight on this farmstead, and set off in the morning under the assumption that Drusus is the most likely culprit.
When they arrive, for the first time they see no guards at the entrance. Instead, there is a single hobgoblin corpse. It has slash marks on the throat, but Singil thinks there is suspiciously less blood than their should be if the hobgoblin died here. Either someone transported the body, or someone was covering their tracks in some other way. [Insert conspiracy theory about changelings here].
The party moves quickly towards the bandit area, and this time achieves total surprise. Four bandits in the kitchen area are dispatched quickly. One of them is able to shout a warning before he goes down. “Oh god look what happened to Timmy!”
From a deeper room, the party hears “Bloody ‘ell, what is it this time! You lot form up! You know what you’re fighting for!”
The party takes some time to arrange themselves on one end of the hallway, hoping to formulate a “conga line of death”. However, what they see forming up on the other side is a quartet of youths wielding farm implements, gulping slightly. Behind them are some bandits, including the one bellowing orders, presumably Drusus.
Our heroes grit their teeth and prepare to look up the nonlethal damage rules, while Travain attempts to convince these peasants that “What happened to Timmy doesn’t need to happen to you!”
Once again, Travain’s Mystic Aura kicks in, and these peasants turn around to fight their captors. The party groans as the DM starts rolling their attacks…
“Oh no! They’re going to get cut to pieces!”
…the peasants proceed to cut down three of the brigands, and rather than cleaving through the four of them as we all expect, Drusus proceeds to whiff entirely.
Within a round he is surrendering and trying to formulate a way to stay alive. The party, of course, wants the 750gp bounty on his head, and his offer of information doesn’t sway them. He grabs a knife and makes a last ditch effort to go down fighting…
…and gets promptly put back in his place. Singil revives him with no apparent permanent damage, and begins inspecting the room for treasure, which includes a locked chest.
Forcing Drusus to strip, they find his key, and then decide to force him to open it… and he turns the key to a sharp right and cuts himself on the needle that juts out. Once again Singil steps in and neutralizes the poison with a great healing roll.
Resigned to his fate, Drusus refuses to speak any further.
All told, the party collects a bunch of coinage, crates of glassware, some truly excellent liquor, some gems and trinkets, and notes that the bandits have a massive stockpile of grain.
Returning to the farmstead, they collect the reward from the mayor and immediately force-march back to Teryk to minimize the chances of Drusus and the few other bandits escaping. The mayor traveled with them, wanting to speak to Count Roland about her village’s need for protection (and help securing the grain that the party could not extract from the dungeon).
In town, Drusus’ sword is identified as a magic sword that had been used by a Sairan cavalry captain in a crusade against Caernathi necromancers. The party now has a decision based on the ACKS rules - do we sell the sword and get XP, or use the sword ourselves?
Likewise, it turns out that there are no buyers for much of their loot in Teryk; they will need to return to the bigger market in Vedycaer to be able to sell things effectively.
So, the party spends a few days filling additional space in their cart with additional trade goods, finding that gems and dyes are available at a good price!
Drusus will be languishing in prison for ~5 months before his trial. The other bandits with him were tried much more quickly, given a harsh whipping (leaving scars on their backs) and turned over to the mayor of Kendra to work off their 300gp fine.
The mayor successfully convinced Count Roland to muster some troops and send them to help secure the grain from the dome. It will take him a few more days to muster and organize.