Of slaver mobs and falling hobbs

Sibbill tried to persuade the guards that we were on their side and they escorted us to their Ferret Hall assuming that we were new recruits. We were introduced to their leader Mihiniver who seemed like a nasty piece of work despite his friendly countenance.

We casually moved out of the hall and then Sibbill cast Blood Rage provoking them to fight each other. Chaos ensued! The first group were swiftly dealt with in the confusion, some of them killing each other and the rest being killed by us. Angor finished off the vile Mihiniver with some satisfaction.

We weren't out of the woods - three more large groups of slavers appeared, advancing towards us. Angor was determined to fight the slavers come what may. Sibbill cast fear on him to get him to run away with the rest of us.

We made a tactical retreat, abseiling down the rope, the only one failing being Boldo who slipped and fell. Ochs braced himself and caught the falling halfling. 

Of unappetising pastries and midnight raids

Walking through the woods we could smell the odour of freshly baked bread.  We found ourselves in a glad with a small cottage and a table out in front that was laid for a feast with strange pastries on display Torvik approached boldly and was greeted by a slightly off-putting halfling called Melkar. He explained that he had been evicted from his village (and didn't say why) and now he was a master baker, and offered us the chance to sample his wares.

It was at this point that we noticed that the buns appeared to be alive! We made our excuses and left.

We finally drew within sight of Grindbone and heard the distinctive clash of steel. There seemed to be an ongoing battle between the freed slaves sporting a green flag and the remaining slavers who were besieged at the higher levels of the settlement.

Angor was recognised by a former slave and we spent the night in one of the cottages outside the walls. We assessed the situation and realised that the first order of business was to retrieve Och's armour from the forge on the next level up where it had been completed and stored. 

Sibbil levitated to the next level up using the clasp and let down a rope for the rest of us. We followed cautiously under cover of darkness, retrieving the armour, but there was a shout from a guard asking who was there!

Of heroic deaths and disappointing crevices

The last few orcs realised that they were doomed but seemed determined to go out fighting. The one facing Larian made a furious stab with his scimitar, and although the half-elf tried to dodge the attack the wicked blade found its target and pierced his heart killing him instantly. Sibbil immediately struck the orc with a rock from her sling, killing him in turn. 

A sombre party searched the battlefield and took Larian's body with them to bury. As they made camp they were joined by a wandering dwarf minstrel called Torvik Fireheart who lifted their spirits somewhat and joined them as they returned to the Weakhold to take stock.

"In days past, the bloodthirsty giant Scrame ravaged the land. the stories tell of how the shieldmaiden Viridia slew him with the sword Maligarn – the Giant Slayer. She received help from Scrome, the giant’s brother, whose reward was to be appointed guardian of the gate where the deceased enter the underworld. But Viridia sustained such grave wounds during the battle against Scrame that she died soon after. the emerald that had made up her heart was set into the crown, Stanengist, but is later said to have been moved to the sword Maligarn. the weapon has been lost for a long time."

Drawing on our lore knowledge we realised that we needed to look for the Stoneloom mines beyond the Dankwood River, which was conveniently on our route past the dreaded Grindbone. On the way we found a crevice in the rock and remembered a rumour of a sorcerer called Bethelan and treasure to be found, but a brief exploration revealed only giant maggots and weird moths.

 

Of arena battles and treachery

 Emperor Hroka threw out a final challenge to Ochs and Angor - fight one more monster for a legendary treasure! Ochs wasn't sure but Angor's blood was up and before long a giant spectre was pushed into the arena.

A close and brutal fight and the beast nearly fell, but it unleashed  a mighty roar that left Angor in a catatonic state and Ochs broken. Tarua and Larian both shot arrows at the spectre, and Sibbil used her ancient sceptre to trigger an Earthquake almost killing it. Tarua ran out of arrows and tried  to stab it to no avail. Larian pulled back on his bowstring, putting all of his will into the shot, which hit doing just enough to finally kill the spectre.

We were rewarded with a slightly disappointing amount of treasure, and decided to escape while the getting was good, making our way out of the keep while our disguises were still intact. We reached the outskirts of the settlement and looking back, we saw the castle in uproar as the elves attacked, with the ent scaling the outside of the keep!

We shrugged our collective shoulders and headed through the woods. Larian quickly realised that we were being followed - it was Hranga Gala with six orc guards. Disdaining all opportunities to run away, Tarua immediately shot the treacherous human through the head. The orc guards proved a tougher fight, given that Angor was in no state to fight, but Sibil enchanted one orc to fight on our side and the others fell eventually.

 

Of arena fights and audacious heists

The situation looked tricky. Larian was in a cell, now back to his elf form and it was only a matter of time before the guards spotted him. Sibbil took charge, preparing vials of blood from Angor, Tarrua as well as her own blood. She was able to sneak downstairs and hand it off to Larian and the two jesters without being spotted.

Now as Tarrua, Larian protested about his imprisonment, but the orc guards were not convinced and one of them went to fetch Lord Gala. Meanwhile other party members prepared various disguises and went down to the cells too. The second guard went to see what had happened to the first one which gave Ochs time to get to work on the bars to the cells too. 

He had just managed to tear down the doors when Hranga Gala arrived with five more guards. Sibbil cast a stir the blood to make him obsequious which gave Larian the edge needed to bluff him without a fight. We returned to our room where we received a summons to see the Empress.

It turned out that she wanted to be rid of the troublesome ruby that she believed was speaking to her husband in his dreams. A plan was formed - Angor and Ochs would fight in the arena as a distraction while the rest went to steal the ruby.

The first creature into the arena was a fearsome Gatekeeper, but Ochs and Angor managed to battle it and eventually bring it down to the roar of the crowd. Meanwhile the heist team used the distraction and a combination of stealth, manipulation and insight to get within a whisker of reaching the ruby …

Forbidden Lands

Sibbil arrived, following the trail of chaos, while Baz (paid up to date) was left to guard the stronghold. We entered the tower still in our disguises, and asked for directions up to the top floor pretending to be a party of ambassadors. We were given a room to change out of our travel stained clothes.

Realising that our orc disguises were about to expire we grappled a servant and took some blood from him to assume his appearance, spinning a tale about saving him from a disease and inflicting mortal fear on him. Now two of us looked like the orc servant

Finally we were escorted into throne room to be presented to the emperor. A tall, wealthy looking human called Lord Hranga Gala appeared to be the power behind the throne. We made a gift of the book of magic we had found and he hid it under his cloak.   

One social faux pas later we returned to the room to rest. Sibbil and Larian went to investigate Hranga Gala’s room, with Larian gaining entry by pretending to deliver a water jug and then smashing it. This gave Sibbil a chance to confirm that Hranga Gala had been lining his own pockets. 

Unfortunately this also led to Larian being thrown into prison with some jesters where his disguise faded, revealing him as an elf!

Forbidden Lands

At last we were in sight of the Fortress of the Eye of the Rose. We knew that orc Emperor Hroka the First had gifted his spouse one of the gems missing from the crown of Stannenghast, so we had to find a way in. As we watched wagons laden with ale and barley passing by, Boldo spotted a cowled figure in the woods - an elf, clothed in living ivy of uncertain gender. They introduced themselves as Mergolene of the Red Runners and joined by other elves as well as a Treekin.

Angor bristled at the insults by a particularly snooty elf called Alserso and stood up to challenge him. The ent Kotinda was impressed with his bravado and patted him on the head. After further introductions, Mergolene told us that the ruby was in a clasp on the empress Soria's cloak and the gave us a replica that could be exchanged. They also told us of a secret route from the chapel of the gods that would lead us into the heart of the citadel along with a cryptic poem to guide us. Finally we were gifted three magical talismans in the shape of humans made from copper that could be filled with the blood of a living donor and transform us into their shape for a quarter day.

We entered the city cautiously to see much boisterous fighting and revelry going on amongst the orcs. Boldo offered his services as a healer and collected enough blood from broken noses to transform us to orc form and offer a little more safety. We headed into the throng, playing at being drunken, roistering orcs and managed to stock up on arrows and torches from a merchant before entering the chapel of the gods.

We passed a series of trials, following the clues in the poem, making our way up the tower, up endless staircases. We retrieved a book that none of us could make sense of from a lectern, before hearing an Orc guard and a human in the next room. Our attempt to make a stealthy attack failed and Boldo accidentally killed the human with a thrown rock intended merely to knock them out. Oops. The guard only managed to get one shout out before we silenced them - had anyone heard? Time would tell.

Forbidden Lands

It was Stillday, the 38th of Summerise and we started the day with training and foraging and preparations to strike out into the wilderness once more. We set off following the track along the lake side, but Boldo’s attempt to lead the way ended up in us getting bogged down in the marshy ground and then attacked by a tentacle monster from the depths. Fortunately we killed it without too many problems but both Tarua and Larian ran out of arrows which might be an issue.

Heading into the forest we made a bit more progress, although we all ended up getting chilled by the cold. On the first watch we heard the sounds of singing which turned out to be three jolly goblin grave diggers who, after some initial suspicion, shared our campfire and seemed interested in perhaps working at our stronghold. 

The next morning we came in sight of our destination - the Fortress of the Eye of the Rose!

Forbidden Lands

The Death Knight and his skeleton guards stood watch in the woods, swaying slightly, as we debated what to do. We lashed the remains of the gate together as best as we could and dug a pit behind, filled with oil soaked wood, as a possible trap. Eventually Sybill decided to force the Death Knight into action and went outside the walls to lure them in.

This did the trick. They immediately attacked, knocking Sybill out with a single blow. Meanwhile Tarua and Larian peppered them with arrows from the wall, and Ochs charged in to join the fight. Some lucky shots and judicious use of talents finished the fight and Stone Den keep was secure!

Forbidden Lands

 We started by taking stock in the guardhouse outside of the main tower, scavenging some food and a handful of arrows. We rested during the day keeping a weather eye out for any sneak attacks and bickering. We crept up to the tower and avoided the many bucket and rakes placed in the way. Ochs climbed the ladder to the next floor up, bursting in and slaughtering one of the rust brothers quickly followed by another as we joined him. The final Rust mage made it to the roof before his magic fatally backfired leaving him an easy target for a slingshot.

Searching the tower uncovered a strange spear with an aura of hate which might come in handy. Some running repairs on the shattered gate restored it to some level of protection, but our rest was disturbed by mysterious figures in the woods beyond the wall. It was a Death Knight!

Forbidden Lands

This session was effectively the season finale until the autumn, where we very much burnt our bridges in the scummy little town of Grindbone when we somehow got caught up in a running feud between the Bone Weasels and the Rust Brother factions. A handy lightning bolt from our magic trident obliterated Captain Kratullos of the town guard, giving us the chance to scarper and rescue Raven Sister Naveer on the way out of Dodge. Excellent fun!

 

Forbidden Lands

 We've only explored a tiny bit of the lands so far

Forbidden Lands

 We only killed the bloody dragon!

Forbidden Lands

 Another cracking session, as we are now coming to grips with how the system runs on Foundry. Quite combat heavy, but some fun negotiations with the orcs outside the caverns wanting us to scout into the depths where we knew a storm dragon was asleep. Finished on a classic cliff hanger - do I decide to put one more arrow into the wounded dragon or run for it? 

Forbidden Lands

The other game I'm playing in at the moment is Forbidden Lands on a Thursday night with Orlanth Rex. This is another fantasy game from Free League, but a complete contrast to Dragonbane. Whereas Dragonbane is free wheeling high fantasy in the old school tradition with a lot of humour (ducks!), Forbidden Lands is a procedural hex crawl that is verging on the grim dark. It really does feel like you are heading into a hostile wilderness where if the monsters don't get you then the weather or running out of food will finish you off instead.

One highlight of this is playing using the official module on Foundry which handles all of the party management and dice rolling (using another twist on the FL dice pool system), and has gorgeous animations with birds and clouds scudding over the hex map as you gradually explore the land.