Session #3 and #4 Summary

Hello, friends and allies!  Welcome to Worg Taxidermists, the blog dedicated to our first campaign!  Within each blog post, I’ll post an in-game recollection of the session in as much detail as I can remember.  I'll then include an OOC post which will include "Behind the Screens" DM commentary; this will contain an explanation or expansion on events from the session or little tidbits to enhance the story.  The OOC post will also feature a player and quote of the week for your viewing pleasure.  I'll also include announcements and the next day we are planning to meet. 

Thank you all for your continued dedication to the success of our group.  I couldn’t be more pleased!

First things first…

Session 3 and Session 4:

Wednesday, 22 March, NY 931

            “Find my lover…”

           

            Lord Nadmum’s resolute missive broils within your mind.  A man of influence, pride, and passion was reduced to shambles by a horde of malicious goblins overnight.  His mighty castle of Manifang now flies their tattered flag, and they vastly outnumber any local fighting force.  Such hate and wanton destruction is the calling card of the goblins.  Thoroma’s meager militia was at his command, but they would be no match against such a chaotic brigade.  Calling the Prince’s army down from the north would delay retaliation for days, even weeks.  The fate of Nadmum’s town and his citizens was shadowed by an imminent threat.  But you…

He trusts you.  He believes in you.  He hopes that you are up to the arduous task at hand…

Your eyes slide open.  The climb up Gall Ridge and the battle with the vicious worg has left your allies taxed.  Fortunately, the moist grass beneath them has revitalized them, and each awakens with a renewed vigor.  Kalecgos, the ambitious and handsome half-elf sorcerer, rises from his slumber, his mind expanded.  Beneath his fair skin, his blood courses with latent power.  Raina, the pint-sized but deadly halfling ranger, awakens with rested muscles.  The calluses on her stubby fingers are growing harder, and her keen eyes observe the moonlit ridge around her.  Naya, the lovely and graceful elven druid, has already been up for some time, meditating on the rustic power that embraces her.  Her owl hoots calmly; its head swivels around, gazing northwest towards the town of Thoroma, about two miles distant.  Seyer, the oafish but honorable fighter, kneels at the bank of the rushing Gall River, cleaning the blood from his scale mail.  Its scales clink like slick coins in the current.  Though seriously wounded the day before by the belligerent worg, he rallied and slew the creature.  The night brought him healing, wisdom and focus.  The rat bite he suffered two days earlier has swelled, and although he does not feel well, he prepares to lead his newfound friends to the castle.

The slaughtered worg lay idle near their camp, and the party devised a plan to scare the goblins away.  Perhaps wearing the worg’s skin or spiking its head would frighten them, they thought.  After multiple attempts, the darkness and lack of practice did little but eviscerate their target and bloody their hands.  Disappointed, they resigned themselves to advance clandestinely and, when needed, apply brute force.

The party suits up and heads west along the cliffs.  The dim moonlight does little to resolve the shadows behind a tree, the fluttering leaves of a bush, and the skittering squirrel which crosses their path.  Seyer’s hands twitch, ready to draw his greatsword at a moment’s notice.  Naya’s mind is clear and poised, reaching out with her mind to each tree, rock and shrub.  Raina’s nimble mitts message the fletching of a stowed arrow absent-mindedly.  Kale’s right hand lies sunken into his component pouch, groping for the needed reagents for his incantations.    

Suddenly, two hunched and slender creatures appear in the distance.  Their shadowed heads are bulbous and knotted and their arms are twisted and slender like rope.  They are perhaps as tall as Seyer’s stomach when erect, while Raina would be about eye-level with them. Each wields a gnarled, shafted weapon, and they are speaking to each other whilst unknowingly approaching the party.  The party springs into action and defeats each with precision and power. 

Farther up the ridge, another unsuspecting goblin party camps within a small recess in the hillside.  Although not as peacefully, the party quickly defeats several goblins; Seyer creates two halves of one goblin with a mighty swing.

Their weapons bloodied but their minds unphased, the party heads back towards the river from which they had wandered.  It flows more strongly and more widely now – it is likely the river’s mouth is nearby…

Not far up the riverbank, they see another telltale sign of activity; a flickering campfire illuminating three hunched bodies.  At Kale’s suggestion, they quietly approach the party, which resides on the other side of the rushing river.  Kale conjures a magical missile of emerald-green energy, Naya fires a steady bullet from her sling, and the others readied arrows.  At once, they fire, killing one and injuring another.  Neither faction wished to cross the river, but such a feat would certainly be necessary.  The goblins try to heave their javelins across the river.  Their willowy arms could not propel it as well as they hoped, and they fall short into the river.  Persistent, they attempt to ford the river.  Neither goblin was successful.  The party attack the vulnerable goblins at range, and the party claims victory once again.

The glittering gold the goblins carried rests on the other side of the rushing Gall, but Seyer decides to brave its sturdy current.  He removes his cumbersome armor and wades across the river.  Despite his sturdy frame, the loose silt and pebbles underfoot cause him to falter and stumble.  Nevertheless, with the help of Naya’s trusty owl and Seyer’s damp excursion, the party recoveres a measure of coins from their slain foes.

You and the party rest, anxious for a break.  The moon is nearly directly overhead; a few hours have passed since they awoke. 

Ready to complete their task and claim the reward, the party proceeds along the riverbank to the west.  Though trees flank both sides of the river, Manifang’s ominous parapets are still visible about a quarter mile away.   Suddenly, the uneasy noise of clamoring metal emanates from the forest.  It’s on our side of the river, and it’s getting closer.  The party shrinks down, hoping to avoid contact.  Naya peers through the staggered trees – the moonlight affords her little resolution, but she sees the shadows of two squat creatures moving parallel with the party.  One creature moves significantly slower than the other.  The glint of metal shimmers off his shoulders in the moon’s pallor.  The party shifts uneasily, and they motion to circumvent the group.  You and the party agree, but Kale stumbles back, breaking a twig with his fall.  At once the metallic creature and his companion turn towards the party, ready to attack. 

Another battle commences.  The two attackers are goblins, but one is heavily armored.  Raina attempts to get in a nearby tree to get a better angle, but she cannot secure a good grip, causing her to plummet back down the trunk, despite having help from both Kale and Naya.  A spear flies through the air towards Raina, but she hides herself just in time.  She attempts to use the embedded spear to climb, but still could not manage it.  After abandoning her goal of becoming a monkey, she and her allies turn to square off with the goblins face-to-face.  Seyer, brave and eager, charges the armored goblin, prepared to slay him despite his formidable defenses.  They clash in vicious melee, but Seyer cannot land a blow; the armored goblin seems clumsy, but the armor makes up for his missteps.  The tottering goblin laughs, taunting Seyer.  Meanwhile, the others surround the companion, with Naya hammering her staff down, decimating the feeble goblin.  Seyer lands a fortunate blow, slaying the armored invader.  The half-plate armor he wore is unscathed, though none but Raina can saddle the miniature epaulets, breastplate and other fittings.  She fears it will be far too bulky, so Seyer elects to carry the load within his own satchel, hoping its craftsmanship would be of value to someone else. 

The group traverses farther up the river, finally finding a fork; as the river hits the fork, some bends north towards Thoroma, and the rest curls to the east, down the ridge which the party had climbed.  Ahead, three goblins sit engaged in conversation, surrounding a small fire.  A small rowboat lay aground at the fork, and two tents lay opposite the boat, farther inland.  Kale suggests another volley, though Naya’s acute sight discerns that the closest goblin, whose back faces the party, is dressed differently.  He holds a staff in one hand and ivory robes, not leather, cover his back.  The party seals his fate; each launches their weapon of choice;  two arrows and a magic missile connect with the creature’s back, and a stone from Naya’s sling smashes into its head.  The goblin falls forward, dousing the fire with a plop.  The two companions retaliate ineffectively, only slightly damaging Naya’s knee.  They were dispatched as easily as the others. 

The party swells with confidence.  Surely the goblins are growing thin, they thought.  As they approach the fire, however, a rogue javelin sails from the forest beside the camp, striking Naya in the side, but it seemed to issue from nowhere.  Seyer bravely approaches the general direction of the attack and uncovered a total of four goblins, ready to ambush the group from behind a hedge.  Two dagger-wielding goblins lunge forth, but each is quickly put down.  Two others spring out, attacking wildly.  One is felled without a problem, but one clings to his bloodlust, dodging and evading blow after blow.  The party surrounds him; desperate, he thrusts his barbed mace at Kale, piercing him in the chest.  Kale thunders back against the slick pebble shore of the smaller branch of the Gall.  However, the bloodthirsty swing leaves him open, and Raina plunges her sword through the goblin’s middle, exacting revenge.

Naya rushes to her wounded half-kin and kneels beside him.  With a beautiful utterance of divine force, she places her soft, slender fingers on Kale’s bleeding chest.  A breeze arises and her braids flutter.  With a flick of her wrist and a burst of greenish light, the vicious wound closes before their eyes and the blood dries; the druidic breeze brushes the crimson flecks away.  Kale feels better than when he rose several hours before.  Grateful, he thanks her and stands to his feet.  

After gathering the loot and examining the unfortunately worthless staff of the slaughtered magician, the party sets their sights to cross the river.  Though decidedly narrower and shallower than its counterpart branch, this tributary would still be a challenge to cross without help.  Thankfully, the magician’s rowboat is aground nearby.  Seyer mans the boat and ferries each party member across the narrow stream.  Upon ferrying the group, Seyer realizes that the heavy oars could be intimidating and resourceful weapons.  He decides to take the hefty oars, and he strands the dinghy on the shore. 

The castle is within a few hundred feet; dark forest lay ahead, and the faintest hue of the upcoming dawn splashes across the night’s tapestry.  Raina discerns that perhaps only a couple hours remain before sunrise.  You decide to ruminate for a moment and prepare for the final assault.  Soon, the gates of Manifang will be within arm’s reach….