A tale of an Adventuring Group

[Karlak One-eye]

Hi everyone.  I have posted some stories of adventure in our campaign elsewhere and have had some good feedback. I came across a "diary" of one of my characters recently and enjoyed reading about what happened quite some time ago in the real world (but less long ago in campaign). Best guess this happened in 2015/6 well before we started integrating RQG into our RQ2/3 home brew campaign but some of the characters mentioned are still going and are now considering "taking their runes" - as we call making Rune level. If folks like this I can post a good few pages of the diary in the future.

As mentioned, our game is basically RQ2 with bits added from RQ3, Pendragon, and RQG. So we still use defence, differing attack and parry skills for the same weapon and separate hit location tables for missile fire for example.

Our campaign has been running on and off since 1982 and way back when, we chose to advance the campaign story into the 1700s allowing the hero wars of a century ago to fizzle out into quasi-myth as Argath et all variously disappeared or died leaving the Lunars retreating to Empire after dragon-rise with only residual commercial interests, albeit well-guarded by ex-lunar army mercenaries in Sartar. Balazar remains wild and woolly although some Lunar commercial interests are starting to make (literal) inroads. We have a (Player Character) Queen in Imther and there are ongoing efforts to purify Tork to create access to more good farming land.

The adventuring group came together in Elkoi, and have been charged by a senior Chalena to find and rescue three young healers who have been kidnapped. [Back story] Our author is a young squire whose Rune Lord has had to DI back to Glamour to avoid a horrible death in the Wilderness where they were off on errantry to find and slay new monsters. So Ludo is trying to stay alive and get home.  He has some advantages; his is a very wealthy family so he is superbly equipped even if he is very green, but he is part of The Lords and Ladies of the Moon - a powerful quasi-monastic order who have significant political clout in the Empire - and a large force of well trained troops not part of the "normal" military structures. The Lords and Ladies are not universally liked...

Truth be told Ludo is a pompous snob and as arrogant as you would expect a 15 year old scion of a noble house to be - He'll learn.

Anyway:

The Journal of Squire Ludovigo Carlstadt

1714; Windsday, Harmony Week, Dark Season.  (In the local calendar)

Holy Sedenya is sufficiently bright this night that I am able to write by Her light alone and may her radiance be strong to guide us in these dark places. Even under her gaze Valind’s reach spreads over this barbarous land, snow dusts the trees and my breath steams the air.

Our odd company is sore troubled this evening, exhausted after a day of travel, terror, tumult and tactics.  Our Auxiliary troops {from faraway Sartar no less} certainly earned their blood coin this day and the Durulz {who is given to death} was so wounded that he might have nigh gazed his god in the eye before the fair lady Olivia called him back.

But first I should tell more of my companions, ordered by rank:

The Lady Olivia is of the Octavius family and is a devotee of the Lady Deezola and companion to Her Majesty Elvianthea Queen of Imthere and outlaw, Olivia is a powerful healer, firm of mind and clear of vision.  She is fair to look upon though aloof and I have clearly made some grave offense, as she will barely glance at or indeed speak with me, though her healing was given freely and was most welcome in the fight against the beastmen. I am sure I recall something of this Lady’s family - a disgrace or scandal of some sort but I will bide my time on that matter – it would be unchivalrous in the extreme to do otherwise as we share and shared some significant danger.

Dagger Drake Brightbeak, Servant of Humakt, the old killer god! One of the legendary Durulz race, whose very existence I admit to have doubted hitherto. He is irascible and as sensitive to his honour as any student of the legends would expect, yet his bravery has no equal.  Despite his slight stature he stood off 3 of the beastmen all armed with great hammers and spears and even when driven to the stone hard earth, nigh unto death, he held the right flank until reinforcements arrived. He speaks the tongue of empire with grace and care though with an outlandish accent.

Auxiliary Morwen, A crossbow trooper from the land of Sartar beyond the Pass of dragons, she traversed the Rockwoods in the employ of Jo Myth, a famed local merchant, with 2 other barbarians from her village – a place with the rather agricultural name of Apple Lane. She has a pet, well an animal companion really, named Rem, some sort of mountain feline the size of a large hunting dog who obeys her command and seems an able war beast.

Auxiliary Icarus, A spear and shield Orlanthi barbarian, with no understanding of honour, a hot temper and an unseemly dislike of the Empire and the Goddess. A brave fighter though, prepared to stand in the front line despite weak armour and only elementary training with the spear. How does one deal with brave companions who have stood side by side with you in mortal battle yet have no understanding of manners or decorum?

Auxiliary Henrik, The third Orlanthi is quiet and seemingly timid, but I think he has a core of strength. He uses a war hammer of Mostali origin and though we have not spoken much I think it was the favoured weapon of a departed comrade in arms.  If so, these neophyte mercenaries have walked with the elder races and perhaps carry a deeper story than their furs and feathers might suggest.

Auxiliary Rowan an Aldyami was sent to us by his goddess (or a Wood lord?). I am not clear why the wood folk are helping us – they have no love for the moon, though all abhor abuse of the healing folk. But as my Lord says; “A man should not look a gift horse in the mouth” and Rowan has proved a useful comrade in battle using his woodland skills to flank the foul beastmen and deliver bitter blows to their livers and kidneys.

Now I should turn to the events if the day:

We follow the trail of a renegade Lord of the Moon who has taken three barbarian healers for his own purpose - 'Tis sad one of our Order should have fallen so low, mayhap he has become occluded.  He has with him sundry local cut-throats, though we know not their numbers. And it seems they have allies among the local Broo beasts, cursed unhealed ones that they are, but I get ahead of myself…

The tracks led from Elkoi into the forest, past the Hanging tree, until our Aldryami scout cut off the trail and led us towards a small hamlet that would provide shelter against the growing cold. As we approached the outer hovels we could see several of the peasantry scattered about dead, resting now under the fresh snow. It was soon revealed that these bodies held ghostly prisoners who cast damaging magics at us until the bodies were destroyed – an exercise that sorely tested our courage and endurance. 

As we moved into the village, engaged in the grisly task of killing these poor people for the second time, and taking many wounding spells we were attacked from whence we had come, by two sept of wild Broo, led by a well built and fast man at arms.  It was only due to the healing magics of Lady Olivia, the courage of our auxiliaries and the cowardice of our foes, that we were able to triumph in the battle.  In particular Henrik who was holding the horses to the rear of our group stood fast long enough in the face of their charge, for us to join him and form a shield wall, and also Morwen, our arbalesteer, who ensured the enemy did not flank us.  Now we must see what the body and harness of the man-at arms reveals… I have questions:

v Who sent the man at arms?

v Why and how did he lead two sept of unhealed broo?

v What has happened in the village?

Ludovigo C.

To be continued...

[Scornado]

Forty 1 years - wow!  I thought my intermitted Ars Magica campaign was doing well at 24 years.  I do think the background rich "better" games/worlds favour log-running campaigns.   Both ArM and RQ provide this.

[Karlak One-eye]

Hi Scornado, yes it is a long time and the game has been a Genertela wide sandbox for most of it. We happily use published scenarios and just adjust dates and as most key figures are heros and aging is optional we still have Naimless, Jo Myth, Gringle etc. We do still have Minarth Purple but more than a few people are keen to find him and he is proving elusive...

 

I got lots of views but only one like (cheers Ochoa!) for the diary so I'll drop one more entry to see further reaction, then decide whether to continues or not..

[Karlak One-eye]

1714 Fireday, Harmony Week, Dark Season.

The assaults from the unhealed Chaos continued – one wonders what we have that they value so or hate so, that it dragged them back to another defeat; being driven off with heavy casualties. Hopefully they will not return, anyway:

The morning started clear, colder than yesterday, and it is a relief that the snow has stopped.  It is perhaps only now that I appreciate the sacrifice of those worthies that undertake the Kaliakos quest each year to drive the spirits of Valind from the heartland…

The body revealed little save that he was a large man, a longstanding follower of the Seven-mothers and that his harness was made for him, a renegade no doubt. He carried a handful of sun wheels (7) and a goodly haul of silver (221) as well as a black blood stone. Why he had fallen as low as to lead this filth is shrouded in mist.

The clear still air certainly helped our strategy to free as many of the trapped spirits as possible with missile volleys “killing” the bodies from out of spell range. This worked well although some of us still suffered from spell attacks from bodies we had not seen. 

As our efforts to free the spirits approached their conclusion Aux. Rowan reported more Broo approaching from the South, Dagger-Drake Brightbeak took the group north over the stream to prepare an ambush using the only clearing available. This worked to some extent but the enemy were able to close with only limited damage as our rate of fire was not sufficient to break their charge.

A somewhat undisciplined melee took place with the wild storm barbarians once again demonstrating both their bravery and their disorganisation.  Again Dagger-Drake Brightbeak was to the fore at the extreme right of the line and therefore exposed to flanking attack which he courageously forced back even as Aux Morwen suffered a grievous arm wound which fortuitously Lady Olivia was able to heal. 

Eventually we drove the beasts off but with little magical power remaining and several of our force sore wounded we had to remain north of the stream using three outlying hovels to protect us from the cold.  Aux Icarus is suffering from some disease spirit but Lady Olivia assures us the he will recover in a week or so...

We will clear the village on the morrow…

Ludovigo C.

[Karlak One-eye]

For those who want to know...

1714 … Wild Day, Harmony Week, Dark Season.

The day started fair and clear with Yelm rising proud and glorious; casting his rays across the vaulted heavens and Greeting the blessed goddess in all her glory.  There was no presage of the dread to come in that bright dawning…

I and Aux. Morwen dealt with the remaining trapped spirits, their weakened magic sliding from us under the gaze of Sedenya.

The village contained nothing left alive; all the natives, their livestock and even the birds had been slaughtered, sadly again I must report that the evidence of the tracks and weapon blows showed Imperial training - specifically from the “Control of rebellious populations” chapter in the Academy manual. Who are these people?

After the spirits were freed we searched the village revealing the horror of an hastily built alter to the gods of unhealed Chaos in the Headman’s abode, stacked slabs of stone covered with crudely carved runes of Chaos, Disorder, Death and, blasphemously, the blessed moon rune itself. I cannot believe this is the work of a brother of the order. 

The alter itself enclosed a spirit of chaos which, had it not been for the direct blessing of the goddess working through Lady Olivia (and her mistress) would have taken Dagger Brightbeak who as ever honoured his god by taking the lead in investigating, despite the feeling of power in the hovel. I think his hatred of the undead drove him on.

On the alter we found the bodies of the headman his wife and one of the Chalena girls the Orlanthi were seeking to rescue, we destroyed the place by firing the hut!

Little was found in the village of any worth though the barbarians took some cooking pots, an axe head and spear head – presumably to honour the dead of the village.

Ludovigo C.

1714 … Gods Day, Harmony Week, Dark Season.

Today the sky clouded over but remained dry, a day of rest while we wait to see what news Rowan’s Aldryami friends can bring on the criminals we pursue.  Auxiliary Icarus looks more unwell than yesterday and I fear the disease spirits may be harder to drive away than Lady Olivia believes. Still his spirits remain high and he is determined to do his duty, though I do admit to some surprise that he knows what duty is…

Ludovigo C.