PinMar, the 7th of Nardur'Kiev 14063

PinMar, the 7th of Nardur'Kiev 14063

The group finally gets back onto the trail out of town, having made their good-bye's the night before. Before they can get to the crossroads the party is joined by their old friends with the Halfling caravan. Rorleerorlkin offers to let the group travel all he way to Twin Forks with his group, all for a first-hand account of what has transpired in the last week. The trip North/Northwest up the old Sageem Road goes buy rather uneventfully, which is the norm for everyone but the adventuring party.
The caravan reaches the city just before nightfall and they don't have much time to get through the city and out the side gate to the "8th Ward" before everything shuts up for the night. The caravan generally keeps a cold camp at Twin Forks, so Rorleerorlkin suggests that the group may prefer and inn. He points out a well-known establishment near the city's North Gate. He also makes a point to stop and introduce the trio to the gate guard, explaining they are friends of the caravan, before dropping them off on the inside of the city gate.

The group follows Rorleerorlkin's advice and seeks out a rather old-looking, but quaint inn. The proprietor, an elderly woman by the name of Rowera Silverslinger, informs them that there isn't any room. Well there is a room, but only one. If they don't mind sharing they can have the room. At least it does have a rather large bed. Dinner is a simple fare of stew, which after a long day on the trail is rather well received. Rowera has her husband Yarcane fix up a bath for the girls and they manage to get cleaned up.

The next morning the group eats a simple breakfast of gruel and heads over to the city side gate to check-in with Rorleerorlkin. The caravan is all packed up and about to get underway. Vrykor needs a new shield, having lost his during the battle with the Orcs, and wants to know where he can get one. Rorleerorlkin navigates the caravan through the city to stop at his "cousin's" shop, pointing out some of the wards and establishments of Twin Forks. After setting up another introduction with the Mercer Galaneepeddal, Rorleerorlkin and the caravan head out of town. Since Twin Forks is at the end of their route, it'll be another week or so before they will be back this way.

After making arrangements to obtain a new shield, the party heads around town seeking work. The best they can manage is to fill in for a the city's missing rat-catchers, brothers by the name of Alvir and Lamar. The Vegetable Seller Rowan expected them to make their usual rounds the day before. The party is quick to take any work and Rowan points them in the direction of his warehouse where a man of his will let them in. The party spends the rest of the day trying to figure out how to track and then catch/kill rats, with meager success. They don't even make enough money to pay for dinner. The only bright spot is that when they get back to the inn, Rowera has a nice, albeit small, room for each of them, provided they bath immediately.

Rats are commonly used in video RPGs as a low level monster that is plentiful and easy to kill. In the real world, rats aren't so easily kept under control. The fact that the party hasn't gone looking for the far easier prey, the rat-catchers, eludes me.

Another bath, simple bowl of good stew, and a clean bed is a welcome respite from poking around dark and dirty buildings looking for rats. In the morning the trio decides maybe they should take a different tact. They are running low on coin and can't keep spending more than they earn. They decide to go and report to the local leader to see if he has any work. To this end they walk over to the older part of town, the Military District, and try to visit with the garrison commander. Although the clerk doesn't seem to be that helpful, the Commander agrees to an audience. He doesn't have any immediate work for them on the spot, but he does note that he's heard word of several people missing from the town, including the rat-catchers. Almost all the missing are vagrants and paupers, so he suspects they found some recently abandoned house to hole up in. Eventually their whereabouts will be ascertained and any problems dealt with. If the group can give him a few days he might have something appropriate for their particular skill-set.

The party decides to look into the rat-catcher's disappearance on their own and seeks out their abode. The brother live in a tiny shanty at the edge of the North Gate District. The shack is barely big enough to house a pair of beds, but the beds are elevated (like two sets of bunkbeds missing the bottom bunk) and filled with assorted traps and implements. There are also several piles of rats skins in various stages of the skinning/tanning process. Although it smells, the shack is relatively clean.
It is nearing dinner time and the party decides to finally look up the "family friend" of Myka's. The walk almost halfway back through town to find the Bierhaus operated by Dvalinn. Originally an old guard tower, the Bierhaus has been expanded from a simple brewery to a full-fledged drinking establishment. The expansion isn't completely finished yet, but it is close. The group enters the large drinking hall and surprised by the sheer scope and scale compared to the Dark Titan Taproom. A server tells them to sit anywhere that is open and when the do she asks what they would like to drink. Vrykor asks for food and is laughed off. The Bierhaus does not serve food, but most of the patrons are eating. The server gives a wave and a small boy seems to come out of nowhere. A small troupe of urchins is allowed to work the Bierhaus, fetching food from area establishments. They work for tips and when not serving as gophers, they stay away from patrons and staff, tucked in the shadows behind the fireplaces. This urchin calls himself Jimmy and will get whatever the group wants. Since they are unfamiliar with the city they send Jimmy, with a few coins, back to their Inn for some stew. While they wait they flag down the server, order beer, and ask about Dvalinn. The server gets their names and delivers the Letter of Introduction.

Jimmy comes back rather swiftly with their stew, and some rolls he picked up on the way, along with their change. They tip Jimmy rather generously and the kid is ecstatic. After their meals and beer they get a private audience with Dvalinn, who clearly remembers Myka even if she doesn't quite remember him. Evidently Dvalinn isn't just a big customer, but an old adventuring partner of Myka's parents. He is more than happy to help the group look for work, but it might take some time. He is in the middle of inventory and suspects he might have some work for them tomorrow. Since it is getting late the group bids the Dwarf farewell and goes back to the inn. They suspect that they are being followed and discover that Jimmy is trailing them. When confronted, Jimmy offers to be a travel guide, porter, or really anything the group needs. Even though they don't need anything he walks with them anyway and points out the various homes and businesses along the way.

In the morning the group heads out of the Inn, bright and early, and they find Jimmy crawling out from underneath the Inn. He had slept there all night, waiting for the group to need him again. He introduces himself this morning as "James" and is put to work getting the group breakfast. They all head back over to the Bierhaus to meet with Dvalinn...well the party meets with Dvalinn. James heads off for something else since he isn't allowed in to the Bierhaus when there aren't patrons. Dvalinn makes some small-talk as the group eats breakfast and he tells them that he doesn't have any "real" work for them, but they are more than welcome to stay in his cellar for as long as they like. He has had a couple of kegs go missing. While it isn't a huge loss, he is more concerned that they have been managing to get in and out without him knowing. Dvalinn suspects the problem lies with the fact that the outer hall isn't finished yet and he might have to make some changes to the Bierhaus he doesn't want to in order to secure things. The group, too low on coinage anyway, quickly agrees and heads back to the Inn to get their belongings.

Tu'Mar, the 2nd of Nardur'Kiev 14063

Tu'Mar, the 2nd of Nardur'Kiev 14063
The girls wake up rather late in the day, having spent the previous night on a forced march back to town. After informing Elder Foxhorn of their discovery they crashed at their flophouse, the Dark Titan Taproom. When the do manage to rouse themselves, get cleaned up, and down to the main floor, Kaplea has a quick meal ready for them. The Dark Titan Taproom is a bit crowded for this time of day and the clientele contains a few more of the militia members than would normally be present. The party is informed that Elder Foxhorn has mobilized the militia in order to guard the town from a possible Orc attack. Normally the militia trains and stands guard later in the summer when Orc incursions are more the norm.

Kaplea Staffbane additionally informs Myka that her father took a small contingent of guards to directly confront the Orcs. With this new information the group decides they best get back out to the crossroads and see if they can help. Kaplea has anticipated this and already packed dinner for the trail. He doesn't charge them anything stating that everything has already been taken care of.
Rushing back to the crossroads on the second forced march in as many days, the party makes it back to the Halfling encampment not too long before dark, a bit quicker than expected. The group makes its way to the Orc campsite, thinking they might be able to follow Orc tracks back to their lair. Fortunately they really don't have to work very hard at it since the militia squad had the same idea. It is relatively easy, and much faster, to simply follow the path beaten down by their comrades. This is quite fortunate because the party eventually comes across the sound of battle. Near the top of a hill there is a generous level clearing and a small cave. In the clearing is a decent-sized clash between the militia and the Orcs and at this point there is no obvious side gaining the upper hand.

The group wades into battle, with Gala hanging back to tend to the wounded. Myka and Vrykor do a great job in turning the tide in battle and Anise manages to save one of the militia from certain death. Their help frees up Relemir Cinder to go after what appears to be the Lead Orc. Although badly wounded Relemir has no problem slipping past the last few Orcs of the main fray to approach their leader. The two exchange blows with neither gaining any purchase until the Orc reaches out, not with his weapon, but with an open hand. Although a slap is no match for his shield, Relemir instinctively brings it up anyway only to be met with a surge of energy travels through the shield and into his body, knocking him lifeless.

The players think this is divine, not arcane magic, which might be a bit of meta-gaming, but since they do have a Mage and a Cleric in the group, it isn't too much to have them come to that conclusion. They do find some out-of-game humor with the Orc giving the Knight a "bad touch" and decided to call this foe Pedo-Orc. Some days I think it isn't a good idea to drink at the game, but who am I kidding....I couldn't come up with all these gems by myself.

Although the battle is nearly won, this spurs on the party to attack their enemies with abandon and after the last Orc is downed, they rush to Relemir. While he already appears dead, Gala is able to ascertain he is dying and that she might be able to save him with a small measure of divine power. She casts a healing spell quickly, and more importantly, openly and does manage to bring Relemir back from the very brink of death. Once he isn't in danger of dying she begins to tend his wounds, which helps to reduce their severity. Since she has so many wounds to attend to, the rest of the group looks for the lead Orc, who disappeared in the confusion of the final moments of battle. The check out the cave which is little more than a few feet of rocky beach and a pool of water. There is a small alcove that has some Orc provisions, but nothing worth poking through.

Outside the cave is a small tent with a cot, table, and a few books. There looks to have been a horse, but the Orcs must have butchered it recently. While Gala tends to the other wounded, Relemir thanks the group and informs them that this is most likely the remaining possessions of the Knight that Annair Foamclaw was looking for. Even though it is getting dark, everyone decided it would be a good idea to at least get down the hill and back to the Halfling campsite at the crossroads. Once down the hill and relatively safe, the party takes watch and lets the wounded rest. In the morning Gala casts another healing spell, much to the amazement of Relemir. The group slowly makes its way back to town.

Once back in town Relemir has a private meeting with Elder Foxhorn and he brings Gala with him. Her ability to channel divine power means that the Gawds of old have returned and this knowledge drives Relemir to action. He understands, or at least he thinks he understands the implications and implores Gala to use her power to help the people of Badger Falls. With Elder Foxhorn's blessing the now-empty home of Ansen Redblack is given over to Gala to transform into a clinic of sorts.

The Cleric's player was only with us for a short time, pretty much to kill some time on Sundays. She lived within walking distance and was getting set to move to the next town, so this was her last game anyway. Made sense to keep the PC as an active NPC, especially based on what has happened. 

Over the next few days the party rests and recuperates from their minor wounds. Relemir spends every free moment with Gala, helping her with converting the home to suit her needs. Myka goes to speak to her mother about this turn of events and finds that she is not overly concerned because Relemir's drive has been rekindled to that of their younger days as Knights. She also lets on that isn't his only drive that has been rekindled, which is a bit much for Myka. The group, now back down to three, decides that they should reconsider their plan to leave Badger Falls and decides they should go to Twin Forks. Melena informs the group that an old friend of hers lives in Twin Forks and prepares a letter of introduction to one of the Farm's biggest customers, a Dwarven Brewer by the name of Dvalinn.