I have written up a brief summary of what has progressed over the last 1,000 years in Doggerland and will be looking to use this website to be able to display it in a better way than in the body of the blog. If not, I will produce a separate blog/site that can be a repository for all the background fluff.
The characters were started at '0' Level - an experiment I have been wanting to run for many years - and will level up after the first adventure is complete. It seems to work OK. Anyway, here is the (quite long) introductory adventure write-up...
The Adventurers
Hallan – Fighter
Paulix – Thief
Vox Comwy – Magic User
Arrival in High Beeches - Wodensday 24th Tresober 963 (Day 1 – early morning)
His face covered by a deep cowl, the young teamster Paulix hurriedly
hopped off of the last of the line of wains leaving the small hamlet of High
Beeches and sought to distance himself from his previous employer. He watched,
without any regret, the caravan pull off into the distance along the road
running westwards into the distant hills to deliver its cargo of farm
implements and cloth to the eagerly awaiting villagers and farmers of the western
Vannin who were just emerging from the previous winter snows. The young rogue
thought that he should be plying his trade as a thief, not as a teamster, and
wished to head back to the main towns and cities where he could blend in and
thus make his escapes more easily. He surveyed the rest of the small hamlet
with its half-a-dozen wattle and daub buildings, round stone church dedicated
to Sol Invictus, and the cruck and
plaster tavern called the Barley Mow. On the surrounding hills were dotted the
farmsteads of other members of this small community, and the river to the north
sparkled in the sunlight from the early morning spring sun.
Hallan, having walked into the hamlet from another small
village in the hills, saw the young teamster hop off the waggon and decided to
watch what he would do. He too was new in town; the caravan having passed him
on its way out of the hamlet. Assuming that the hooded youth was in the same
predicament as himself he made towards him to introduce himself and offer his
friendship and strong right-arm for adventuring.
Paulix made his way towards the Barley Mow, looked around
furtively and entered the tavern. Hallan followed him into the common room
and unslung his short bow from his shoulder to protect it against any knocks.
The tavern was empty except for the bar keep, one of his
serving girls (his youngest daughter) and Old Grimwald who was nursing a small
flagon of ale. Just as the door to the tavern was about to slam shut, another
stranger entered. Vox, a navigator on his father’s small boat that
plied its trade up and down the Darenth River, furtively glanced about and made
his way to a table.
All three adventurers ordered a flagon of ale from the
bar-keep and managed to engage him, Grimwald and each other in conversation.
Each youngster mentioned that they were looking for adventure or a job that
would take them to one of the larger villages around. The three youths were told
about the trampled crops and stolen sheep from the farmsteads around,
especially those that were by the river to the north of the main hamlet, as
well as the set-to between local bigwig Simeon Graize and the new upcoming
trader Albus Perkins. Being a little backwater hamlet, not a lot really
happened in High Beeches, so anything unusual was a big event.
Footprints in the Sand (late morning)
The possibility of solving a mystery piqued the interest of
the three new companions, so they asked directions to the farmers who were most
affected by the crop and livestock disappearances. They were directed to the steading
of farmer Ham; a sheep farmer whose land bordered the river from the jetty
where Vox’s father’s boat was moored to the bridge about half a mile down
river.
They arrived at the door of the farmer’s small A frame hut
to the sound of barking dogs. They hallooed to make their presence known and
were greeted by a grizzled farmer and a few of his dogs. They got him talking
about the loss of his prized ram and two of his better ewes a few days after
the last new moon, and he also mentioned that he had previously lost a few
sheep to intruders about a month before then too. Likewise, he mentioned that
farmer Bristow had had his crops damaged in a most unusual way. The three
adventurers said that they would investigate the mysterious disappearance of
his sheep and he replied that he is not a rich man but could give them his
oldest sheep dog and a handful of coppers as a reward if they could return any
of his livestock or at least stop any further recurrences.
The three companions made their way towards farmer Bristow’s
lands and hallooed their presence to the three men working the fields. The
three farmers were very defensive and held their flails, hoes and pitchforks at
the ready as the three youths approached them. The farmers relaxed their
defensive stances a little after the youths had told them of their quest and
they mentioned that just after the new moon their new crop had been devastated
in places. It was weird the way the crops were destroyed. It was almost as if
something large had trampled through and around the fields and then pulled up
big clumps of new growth in a random fashion. Vox tried to pull up a clump of
about the same size but realised he would need much bigger hands and a lot more
strength to achieve the same result.
The companions mentioned that they were looking into the
disappearance of farmer Ham’s sheep too, and farmer Bristow mentioned that
others in the village had also been affected but not to the same degree. They
bid their farewells and went to investigate the stone walls and fences at the
perimeter of the farms.
The party traversed the entire length of the boundary wall
but could not find a single sign that it had been climbed over. That said there
were plenty of gaps in the walls and the west side of both farms was completely
open anyway.
Eventually, their searches brought them to the riverside
beside the bridge, about a mile or so downstream from farmer Ham’s hovel. They
searched about not really knowing what to look for when Paulix spotted a very
large footprint in the riverside sand and gravel. A closer inspection by Hallan
revealed part of a second footprint entering the river. The footprint was at
least twice the size of any of theirs and was not shod in anyway, so the
individual toe prints could be made out. They could see that it was not a hoax
footprint due to the depth it sank into the bankside. Vox mentioned that the
river at this point was about five to six feet deep; a good depth for his
father’s small boat to navigate upon.
The party scratched their heads a little and searched a
short way up the river, under the bridge and then down the river to the marshy
area about a quarter of a mile away. No further sign of the footprints could be
seen, so whatever made them was large, could wade up and down the river, could
possibly step over the stone wall boundaries of the farms, had an appetite for
meat and unripe barley, and that only seemed to come by the hamlet once a month
just a few days after the new moon.
An Altercation on the Village Green (early afternoon)
The three companions decided they would get no further clues
from the vicinity so returned to the hamlet. Just as they were about to cross
what was for all intents the village green they saw the ending of an
altercation between a group of men. Three men were seemingly engaged in an
argument with another, who was then knocked to the ground just as the party
arrived on the scene. The three others then left the scene in a
self-congratulatory mood. The party did not hear the actual argument but could
see that the man who had been knocked to the floor and had dropped all of his
leaflets was obviously not in favour with the other group.
The party helped him to his feet and gathered his leaflets.
He introduced himself as Albus Perkins and thanked them for their aid. He then
proceeded to nail one of his leaflets to the notice post and asked if any of
them wanted a job. All three were up for earning a bit of silver so they
replied in the affirmative. He asked them to accompany him to the tavern where
he bought them a small meal and a flagon of cheap ale each. The tavern was
busier at this time of day, and every table was full with farmers on their
lunchtime breaks from the fields.
Albus quickly ran through the situation. Just recently he
had gained a new contact in Darenth; the next village downstream about 15 miles
away. His rich brother had returned from some adventuring and had enough silver
to set up a merchant holding with which to ply trade between the villages all
around and the main town of the duchy of Vannin. All seemed to go well with the
set-up but Simeon Graize, the local bigwig who the party saw outside roughing
him up with a few of his goons, became envious of his new position and angry at
the loss of his own trade.
The feud began as just a verbal slanging match with insults
thrown at each other across the street, but yesterday four of Albus’s guards
and teamsters were taken ill just before a big shipment was due to be
caravanned down to Darenth. Albus now required a few extra guards and drivers
to help him take his latest cargo on the morrow. He offered twenty silver
pieces per person and all meals and lodgings along the way. They would be
travelling by ox cart (his horses had also been stolen) and should cover the
fifteen miles over a two day period if the going was good.
The three companions agreed to this and said that they would
be ready to go on the morrow at six o’clock. Albus left the party to their own
devices and left the tavern to prepare for the journey. Vox mentioned that he
had to grab some supplies for his father, so asked the others if they would aid
him with this and then help him face down his father when he got back to the
boat and told him of his decision to go adventuring. However, just before they
got up to leave the tavern, a furtive, rat-faced man scurried out just before
them. He appeared to have been earwigging their conversation with Albus and
looked like he was up to no good.
The goods were easily obtained and paid for out of the small
purse of silver Vox had for the purpose and all three of the youths made their
way down to the jetty where the small trading boat was tied up. Vox, who was
afraid of his bully of a father, approached the boat and with the help of his
new friends loaded the goods he had purchased. Plucking up his last reserves of
courage from he knew not where he voiced his plans to his father. Silence
greeted his statement to begin with and then his father muttered something
along the lines that he was useless anyway and it would be his brothers who
would share a greater part in the business. With a final grunt, his father
threw his knapsack over the side and ordered the crew to cast off. He warned
Vox not to come back unless he had made a name (and some silver) for himself to
compensate for the time and effort put into training him. The four man crew consisting
of his father and three older brothers cast off, but not before his closest
brother gave him a surreptitious good luck nod.
The party returned to the hamlet and not really having
anything better to do returned to the Barley Mow to pass the rest of the day
and night.
Things that go Bump in the Night (midnight)
The three companions managed to secure a place at the last
remaining table and a bedroll for the common room later that night. The evening
passed without event except for Albus dropping off a young lad he had hired to
be a teamster and the return of the rat-faced informant, who kept watch on the
party all the time he was there.
Eventually all of the patrons left for the night so the four
people left prepared their bed rolls. The young teamster was soon asleep, but
the other three were quite excited about their new adventure. They decided
that, because the dodgy-looking man had been watching them rather intently and
attempts had been made to scupper this caravan, they would keep a watch.
The empty waggons had been drawn up outside the tavern in
readiness for the next day, and the oxen were placed in the tavern’s stable.
Nothing really happened until around midnight. The slim waning moon (the new
moon was due in 5 days’ time) gave off very little light, but Hallan’s position
inside the stable enabled him to see the furtive approach of a hooded lantern
and a few men through the gaps in the slats. He knocked on the internal wall of
the tavern in agreement with their plan and the two others stirred from their
sleep.
The young teamster remained asleep, so Vox and Paulix flung
open the door to the tavern; Vox moved towards the night soil pail outside to
make water and Paulix readied his sling. The furtive movements outside stopped
until Vox pretended to then close the door after finishing his ablutions. Two
shadows began to move again and made their way towards the ox shed. They seemed
intent on hobbling the beasts of burden within, so Paulix let fly with his
sling in the dark. He could just make out the shape of the intruders and let
fly. There was a grunt, the sound of a person collapsing and the clatter of a
lantern hitting the floor. This was followed by a scurrying as of one making a
fast escape.
The three adventurers investigated the scene with a torch
grabbed from the front of the tavern and saw that the person who had been hit
by the sling bullet lay dead on the floor. In the light at the end of the
village they could see his companion had scurried off in the direction of
Simeon’s farm. They quickly recovered the lantern and weapons from the intruder
and hefted his body between them down to the jetty, where they threw the body,
weighted down with rocks into the river. It took them a while to do this but
they did it stealthily and without incident. They returned to their beds where
they fell asleep until the church bells rang out at six o’clock.
A Stolen Amulet (Day 2 – early afternoon)
They awoke to find
that the waggons were already hitched and the goods were being safely stowed
aboard. They quickly broke their fast and aided Albus in getting the rest of
the goods stowed. They set off not long after; Albus on his horse, his young
teamster driving the last waggon, his two guards on two of the waggons, and the
rest of the adventurers dotted throughout the three wain convoy.
They stopped off at
the church on their way out of the village to pick up a fourth cart in their
caravan and headed off. The last cart had a driver and four men on board it,
and it joined on to the end of the train.
The journey was
uneventful during the sunny but cool spring morning and they stopped for lunch
at the allotted time after making good headway. During the lunch break, the
various groups sat about their carts eating lunch, but Paulix noticed that one
of the teamsters from the fourth cart had peeled away from his group and
wandered around past Albus. He made a few furtive movements and then a grin
spread across his face as he made his way back to his team. Paulix told Albus
of his observations and after a little patting of pockets and chest realised
that his amulet had gone missing. Paulix confronted the teamster who happened
to be the same weasel-faced man they had espied in the tavern the day before!
He questioned him on the whereabouts of the amulet he had stolen and suggested
that if it was not returned by the end of the lunch break he would report its
disappearance to his employer. The sly looking fellow grinned a lop-sided grin
and said that he did not know what he was talking about, but at the end of the
break, the amulet had been left where Paulix suggested.
Ambush (Day 2 – late afternoon)
After the incident
with the amulet nothing else interrupted the journey until later in the
afternoon. They had just one small copse of trees to pass before the final hill
descended to the White Cross Inn; their destination for the night.
All of a sudden two
arrows came winging out of the copse striking into the front cart of the
caravan. Two armed men charged out of the copse yelling war-cries. Albus gave
the order for all to dismount and take defensive positions. Everyone did so but
those in the rear cart formed up facing the rest of the caravan rather than
their attackers. Hallan let loose with
two of his arrows and the two bandits charging them dropped in their tracks.
Paulix, realising that the rat-faced man was a part of this ambush decided to
shoot his sling at him, winging him in the process. Two of the gang took off as
soon as they realised that they were in a dangerous place.
Hallan did not have
it all his own way as he was suddenly hit by an arrow shot from the copse, as
was Paulix. Injured but unperturbed the two heroes shot back at the copse but
did not hear the satisfying thunk of arrow striking flesh. With a final cry of
frustration, the rat-faced man made off with his last two companions in the
direction of the copse and no more arrows came forth.
Albus checked over
his teamsters and administered some aid to them before the three companions
searched the bodies of the two dead bandits. They stripped them of their
weapons and armour and emptied their purses but left their corpses for the
wolves. The two teamsters who ran off came back to reclaim their waggon. Albus
questioned them as to their motive but they said that they just formed up
defensively under the orders of the sly man and his companions whom they had
hired to help defend their waggon. Albus had recognised the sly man as one of
Simeon’s ruffians and told his teamsters to be on their guard tonight as he was
sure they would continue to cause him strife. Simeon had now lost three of his
men so was sure to want revenge.
Night Raid (Day 3 – Early hours)
The caravan made its
way into the courtyard of the White Cross Inn and the oxen were put into their
berths. The waggons were secured behind the stone walls and Albus treated
everyone to a hearty meal and a flagon of ale.
The inn was quite
crowded but there was no-one there that anyone recognised. At the end of the
night, all of the merchants retired to their rooms upstairs but the three
companions and their fellow teamster were left on cots downstairs. They decided
to watch the waggons overnight in shifts.
The night wore on
with no attempts on the caravan, so Paulix and Vox settled down to sleep by the
strong door of the inn. Hallan took up position on one of the waggons. The
night wore on but just before dawn, Hallan heard the approach of someone across
the road. He spotted a dark shape approaching. He yelled out for his
companions, who woke immediately, the young teamster ran off towards the room
of Albus and his guards. They boiled out of the inn just as Hallan readied
himself to take the attack from the shadowy figure ahead of him. He missed with
his bow and took a nasty wound on the arm for his troubles by the shadowy
figure. A few arrows struck the side of the cart he was defending but caused
him no harm. Vox managed to grab the torch from the cresset beside the inn’s
door, whilst Paulix hurried around the corner just in time to see his companion
Hallan fall to a mighty sword blow from the attacker. A few more arrows thudded
into the side of the waggon but the commotion from within the inn had grown substantially
forcing the assailants to escape. They had evened up the odds by striking down
one of Albus’s team.
The wife of the
innkeeper was skilled in herb lore so she was able to stop the heavy blood flow
coming from Hallan, and then she revived him a little with a bowl of hot
chicken broth and some strong brandy. He had lost a lot of blood but would
survive with a good long rest as long as he did not get involved in any more
fights.
The waggons were
hitched up again and the party left at first light with Hallan laid up on the
front waggon to protect him from the journey ahead.
No comments:
Post a Comment