Dates: 12/26/20 and 12/27/20
PCs:
- Louis (FM 1)
- Osan (Elf F/MU 2/1)
- Omes (Half FM 2)
- Habru (Cleric 2)
NPCs:
Habru’s war dog, named Dog
Link to Discussion
Links to Previous Sessions
LL Notes:
The Larm setting includes the outline of a conflict between two merchants in town, Guido and Manticor. I fleshed this out a bit and had Guido working with some local bandits to harm his competition.
Session notes:
The PCs had a decent rest in Larm after their excursion to the fortress of the Mountain King. Several days after returning, they were in the Borderland Tavern when Osan spotted an unusual sight – a woman stumbling down the main street, with blood visible on her arm and dress. Osan and the others went outside to investigate, and learned that the woman was the wife of Manticor, a merchant in town known to them. She told the PCs her wagon had been waylaid by bandits a short distance from town, and that her husband’s apprentice, Gorn, had been taken along with the wagon of goods. The party escorted her to the temple, where they could attend to her wounds, and paid a visit to Manticor’s shop.
Manticor told the PCs he had a load of goods bound for Dolmvay and had never had problems with bandits before. He offered the party 100gp if they would help him find Gorn and his load of goods, before rushing off to the temple.
While the party geared up, Osan visited Commander McMillan of the town militia, and informed him of the bandit attack. He did not have any men to spare, but offered to loan the party a few horses to make their hunt for the bandits a bit easier.
The party rode out of town within the hour, easily finding the spot of the wagon attack a few miles south of Larm on the road to Dolmvay. They could see signs of a fight, and some wagon and horse tracks heading southwest into the forest. The tracks were still fresh and not hard to follow – they led the party to a large clearing and encampment. From a distance they could see several tents and horses, and two men who were clearly on guard duty.
Osan dug a scroll of invisibility out of his pack, casting it on Omes. Omes sneaked off to investigate the camp up close, while the others took up positions with bow, crossbow and sling at the ready. He made a complete circuit of the camp, counting eight bandits, a leader type, four tents, horses, some wagons and a dead body laid out next to some shovels – presumably that of Gorn the apprentice. Omes decided a distraction was in order, so he lit fire to three of the tents and backed out of camp, firing his bow as he did so. Now visible, the others took their cue and began firing at any bandits in range. Osan with his bow, Louis with a crossbow, and Habru with a sling.
The bandits took cover as best they could with several of their tents engulfed in flame, six of them forming a wedge and charging Omes and Habru. As melee was engaged, a robed figure emerged from the one remaining tent. Osan hopped on his horse and rode towards the figure, while Louis stayed back, taking pot-shots with his crossbow. As Osan bore down on the robed man – he could now see him casting a spell in the direction of the melee – Omes and Habru, with his war dog, bravely fought the bandits. Osan struck down the Magic-User with his axe, just as Habru came under the influence of a charm spell, and just as quickly was freed from it.
Meanwhile Habru and Omes were having a rough time of it, they had killed several bandits, but had been wounded themselves. Habru very nearly died, his shield taking the brunt of what surely would have been a fatal blow (LL note: shields shall be splintered house rule), and Omes lay unconscious (LL note: Omes would have been killed but for a successful death save), just as Osan and Louis arrived to finish off all but one of the remaining bandits, who surrendered.
The party tended to their wounds, and after questioning the lone bandit, they learned that the merchant Guido had engaged the services of the bandit leader Silas to undermine Manticor’s business. The bandit’s loot included the Magic-User’s study scroll, a staff of continual light (LL note: not truly continual, a 3 week duration), and two potions as well as a strongbox full of gold and silver coins. Habru and Louis returned to Larm with a plan to trap Guido, while the rest of the party stayed in camp, gathering the treasure and Maniticor’s wagon, as well as Gorn’s body.
Once in town, Habru and Louis updated Commander McMillan on what had transpired, and their plan to get Guido to admit his guilt. The Commander agreed to their plan, and sent Sir Harald, his closest lieutenant along as a witness and to offer what help he could. They arranged for a note to be delivered to Guido, asking for an urgent meeting just outside of town at dusk.
Their plan in motion, that evening Louis and Sir Harald hid off of the main road into town, while Habru waited for Guido in the road. Guido did show – but with two of his brothers in tow. Habru told Guido his plan had been foiled, and got Guido to admit his guilt as planned, but Guido, thinking the lone Cleric an easy target, cast a charm spell. Poor Habru was charmed for the second time that day!
Louis and Sir Harald rushed to confront Guido and his brothers, but were met with swords and a magic missile spell. Habru tried to protect his new best friend, but in the end Louis and Sir Harald had killed Guido and his two brothers, and the charm was broken.
