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Warhammer FRP (1st Edition): 17th July
2013
The Adventurers
Helga Thorgrimmsdottir – Female Dwarf Ranger (Coachwoman)
Male Elf Rogue (Footpad)
Male Elf Rogue (Smuggler)
Male Human Rogue (Footpad)
Male Human Warrior (Pit fighter)
Potted History
The party of
adventurers have known each other for about ten years, and live in a small
village just outside of The Empire. A bunch of ne’er-do-wells they were always
getting into scrapes until they were taken in by a kindly old gentleman, who gave
them lodgings in return for errands run. The old man seems to be an alchemist
of sorts; his study usually being off limits to the friends but the occasional
glimpse they get through a partially opened door confirms that he studies the
chemical goings on of a variety of substances in his plethora of bubbling glass
jars and vials full of strange coloured liquids.
A Request from the Alchemist
The adventurers were called together just after breakfast by
the old alchemist. He had another errand for them to run. He needed a special
chemical (Abelis powder?) brought back from the local town (two and a half days
travel time east) and a bunch of small flowers (Litmus) that grew only in deep,
dark places, like the mines two days distance but in the opposite direction
from the town.
The friends all agreed that travelling outside of their
backwater village was always a source of fun, so readily agreed to his request.
He gave them a picture of the flowers required, a handful of coin to keep them
going and a note of payment to be handed to the apothecary in the local town in
exchange for the powder.
The Disused Mine
The party set off for the mines to find the flowers first and
were able to get there in good time. The horse and cart they owned allowed them
to travel in some comfort until they were but a few hundred yards away from the
entrance.
They dismounted from the cart, hobbled the horse, loaded and
readied their weapons and set off towards the old mine entrance, Helga leading
the way with her blunderbuss as she was the only one who had any mining
experience.
The small, twisting overgrown trail led them directly to
main entrance that was thoroughly blocked with brambles. Helga, being the smallest
of the party, could have slipped through the gaps between the knotted limbs without
picking up more than a few scratches, but her taller companions needed
assistance, so she used her axe to cut a path for them.
The entrance to the mine showed what lay beyond was an
almost impenetrable blackness for the humans at least, so they gathered up as
much of the wood cuttings Helga had created and fashioned a few make-shift
torches from them.
After the party had gathered their wits, lit the torches and
readied their weapons they were ready to advance down into the Stygian depths
of the disused mines.
Rats!
The path into the mine led steadily downwards and a variety
of side-branches that struck off from the main corridor were explored in turn
and found to either double-back onto the main run or were blocked by rock falls
or purposely built walls of stone.
After a short time the sharp-eared elves of the party began
to hear scratching and rustling noises coming from up ahead. The party reached
a crossroads and decided to call a halt whilst they tried to figure out where
the sound was coming from.
Unfortunately the noises were heard coming from both sides
of the corridor, but before they could make up their minds which way to turn,
three large rats the size of dogs pounced upon them. Helga just had time to set
off her blunderbuss in their general direction; the noise and fumes causing
everyone to jump and search for cover. Luckily the flash and bang of the black
powder weapon caused one of the rats to turn tail and scamper off but the other
two continued with their attack.
The sharp-eyed Elf footpad transfixed one of the vermin with
a shaft from his bow and the pit fighter stepped in and cleaved the final one
in two with his sword.
After the brief melee, the party decided to explore the two
side tunnels. Both tunnels ended at small caves where the miners of yore had worked
the rock surface. One of the caves was empty, but the other contained the rats’
lair. The rat that had run from the noise and flash of the blunderbuss was
found cowering in a corner with one of its fellows, but a few swift sword and
axe blows made sure that they would not bother the party again.
The Wooden Casket
The group carried on exploring the underground warrens,
making sure that no side turning was left unchecked as the flowers could be
growing anywhere down there in the gloom. After a few minutes they came across
a network of criss-crossing paths and side tunnels. Each was explored in turn
but nothing of interest was found until one of the eagle-eyed elves spotted a
small piece of wood sticking out from under a pile of rock fall. Helga used her
pickaxe to dig it out. It was a small wooden chest.
The lock that held it closed was easily bashed off, but the
contents were rather disappointing; a few small pebbles and a load of rock dust.
The party decided to empty out the contents onto the floor and were rewarded
with a small nugget of copper. This was quickly pocketed, along with a pouchful
of the dust and the casket was then hacked apart in case it held a false
bottom. The only other thing of value they got from it was the iron surround
that ran around the base. Helga picked this up just in case it might come in
handy later.
The Undergound Lake
The network of criss-crossing tunnels was soon left behind
and the long corridor carried on in its downward direction. After a goodly few
yards, the corridor made a right-angled turn to the left before plunging down a
steep spiral walkway. This carried on for several revolutions, taking the
companions a long way underground by Helga’s reckoning.
The spiral walkway finally opened out into a large cavern
which their torches could not light the far end of. They walked into the
cavern, keeping to one side in case they missed any side passages, and came
upon a body of water lapping at their feet. They quickly tested its depth; it
seemed to get deeper at the same rate as the floor of the cavern did. Realising
that they would not be able to cross the water equipped as they were, they
decided to follow the waterline and carry on their search for side passages on
the opposite side of the cavern. Before they got to the other side though, they
espied an upturned rowing boat.
The Elf smuggler quickly righted the boat, made sure it was
sound to float and began to launch it into the water. As soon as the boat hit
the underground lake, a current seemed to snatch away at the vessel. He quickly
pulled it back to shore lest it was lost to the party.
Unfortunately there were no oars or paddles to accompany the
small craft and it would not fit the entire party into it at one go. It was
decided that the smuggler would attempt to ferry each of them across what they
presumed was an underground lake one at a time. He just hoped that the current would
lead them to dry land on the other side and that there might be a set of oars
that would allow him to row back to ferry across the rest of his companions.
…
(Thanks Rod for this diary entry - I had to collect my son from his school trip to Vienna)…
(dwarf leaves)
The smuggler and the fighter climb into the small
boat and it starts floating across the flooded cavern. Skittering noises are
heard coming from the passageway we came down. It doesn't sound like the dwarf
returning. A huge rat bursts out of the tunnel but a swift shot from the elven
archer's bow sinks into its body then a mighty swing from the footpad's hammer
crushes its skull.
Meanwhile the boat ride is equally eventful. A
large wormlike beast with gaping lamprey jaws shoots out of the water and tries
to make a meal out of me. Fortunately the mail shirt protects from its teeth
and we hack at it while careful not to overturn the boat. It lunges again but
can't get past my shield then chomps down on the side of the boat. Holding
still for a few seconds gives us time to make well placed blows and I hack the
head off. The rest of the body? tentacle? sinks back into the pool. We land at
the other side and find three small flowers growing at the back. The smuggler
carefully harvests two and feels a little dizzy from handling them with
unprotected hands. We recross the lake without incident but realise that we
can't get the magical boat out of the cavern without taking it apart, so we
abandon it.
Back upstairs we lever our way through the rock
collapse with the metal slats. Two small rooms are found behind. One has piles
of old clothing and searching turns up 5gc in loose coinage. The second room
has two bunks and footlockers. The elves leap to search them and a few more
coins are found. We can't see anything more of interest so we head home and
arrive without incident.
We give granddad his plants and after a good
night's sleep we set off for town. The elves are eager to make good time so
despite concerns for the poor horse they opt to travel for much of the day and
night with the group sleeping in the wagon by shifts. We meet a trader and cart
and barter for a few incidentals. We decline an offer of 6gc for the nugget.
The elves contemplate a number of devious tricks but in the end we pay up
fairly. The smuggler is content to have a new bow despite its inferior human
design.
During the night we meet a rambling drunk or local
idiot. He claims to be following a map but it is smeared to illegibility. His
ravings include prophesying that war is coming but these seem more the
spoutings of the village drunk than a genuine oracular fit. There is some sort
of altercation that I'm not clear about and the outlaw elf mercilessly shoots
him dead.
The next day we reach town. We find a
jeweller/metallurgist who is willing to buy the nugget for 10gc which we
accept. Our trip to the alchemist goes smoothly and we obtain a small vial of
granddad's mysterious powder. We are cautioned not to handle it or ingest it...
perhaps it's not an ingredient for his pile ointment after all. I'm eager to
have some time in town so persuade the others that we should 'invest' our 5gc
expenses money in drinks, food and a night at the inn. After a pretty good but
uneventful night we eat a hearty breakfast and prepare to leave...
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