Session 10 – Rats on the Road
Campaign I, session 10. Previous: Session 9. Next: Session 11.
Pre-game shenanigans:
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Pashlatine hires Lorelea (1st level Venturer) as a hench
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Damonos hires Pash to send 70 stone of cargo to Teryk
Travel to Fort Talon
Remnants of an attacked caravan, the party spots ~10 people sifting through the wreckage. When these people spot the PCs, they dive for cover. Travain’s charming mouth convinces their “leader” to poke his head out and start to spin a yarn about how they were attacked by Ogres and their escorts fled with the horses, but since they were charmed by Travain’s Mystic Aura, he eventually admits the truth – “actually, we just killed these guys and we’re taking their stuff, wanna help us get it to town?”
Travain draws a sap and tries to knock the guy out, and the PCs definitively win initiative. They advance on the ruined wagons and score a couple of solid “hits” which the villains respond to with various “hey, quit that!” “that’s annoying!” “Ow that was my shoulder.” Finally, on their own turns the villains begin to hideously twist into terrifying rat-faced creatures!
In the second round, the party realizes to their horror that without any magical or silver weapons, they stand no real chance (one player comments – “Meta – I really have no idea what to do here!” Response: “you can try fire, you can try suffocation, or you can try to get the heck out of here”). Some of the rats are put to sleep, some berserkers are conjured to defend the party as they beat a retreat.
In rounds three and four, the party beats a retreat back to their own wagon, where the hired driver is getting ready to push the horses to maximum speed. The last couple of PCs are just able to catch a handhold to get inside. One of the wererats grabs on and tries to clamber inside, but is shoved off by King, the white ape.
Fort Talon Recovery
Once safely in town, the characters report on the existence of suspected wererats. They also remember their promise to pick up a cleric and some laborers to construct a shrine on the old Caernathi tomb. After a day’s rest to recover from minor scratches in the previous battle (Singil is pretty sure that nobody’s infected with lycanthropy), they continue on towards the old tomb.
On the road again
Now it’s time to mention that I’m having the PCs roll the dice for “wilderness stocking” – random encounters and other events. On the way to the old tomb, the rolls go something like: “Abandoned cache” to great cheers from the party. I have them roll some more dice to help determine that this is another abandoned wagon. “Treasure type K” – “Woohoo, free money!”
“30% chance of electrum pieces” – “83?” – “Nothing”
“25% chance of gold pieces” – “83 again?” – “Nothing”
“25% chance of gems” – [different player rolls] “77” – “Nothing”
“50% chance of jewelry” – [back to the first player rolling] “77 again?” – “Nothing”
“40% chance of… something special?” – [third player rolling] “97” – “…Nothing. I guess the wagon’s got some sacks of moldy grain or something?”
The PCs reach the tomb without further event. While they are waiting for the laborers to construct their shrine to the Binding Flame (a 1 day project), one of the horses ends up kicking open a barrel of provisions. Singil is able to forage a bit of extra food, and everyone tightens their belt a bit knowing that they should be able to reach Teryk the next day.
On the next day’s travel to Teryk, the weather is so pleasant that despite their troubles, the characters are able to count this as a day of rest while also making full time and reaching Teryk.
Teryk’s Troubles
Pash and Travain check in with Guildmaster Aeropos to collect interest on their moneylending investments – “Sorry, there’s been too much trouble getting caravans in here. I’ll make a double payment next month!” They would be within their rights to liquidate the investment (at a loss), but choose leniency for now.
The party is invited to another dinner with Count Roland, but this one is much more somber. Malyn is missing (possibly evil), Lieutenant Peleos has fled under suspicion of banditry and desertion, Lieutenant Miralen is dead. There is a new Lieutenant, Reynauld (briefly Casino’s hench). He’s parleyed the experience gained into a promotion! Reynauld thinks that it’s been a mistake to send smaller adventuring groups into the dome, but presses the Count to hire the PCs (and the PCs to accept).
Count Roland is offering a bounty for clearing the Dome, as well as a permanent waiver of tolls and tariffs in the Teryk market if the party succeeds. This sounds like a good deal!
While the new hench, Lorelea, unloads goods in the market, the PCs prep a plan of attack on the dome. They interview one of the survivors of a previous expedition, who gives them a bit of information and a potential reward for finding the remains of her friends.
Travain decides they should take a consistent approach. Using Casino’s maps they will check areas they’ve previously visited first, and clear everything they can. To start with, that means going towards the Bandit lair, where they have to bash their way in. They find a squad of goblins, as well as a pack of giant rats. Both sets of foes are quickly dispatched.
That’s where the session had to end due to a hard stop.