Lacking Natural Simplicity (Posts about rushing valley)https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/rushing-valley.atom2024-01-23T18:49:42ZT. Kurt BondNikolaRushing Valley D&D, Session #9https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2010/02/02/s009-rv-2010-02-02/2010-02-02T00:00:00-05:002010-02-02T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-9">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #9</h2>
<section id="tuesday-2-february-2010">
<h3>Tuesday, 2 February 2010</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 12:01:39</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> feeds from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the DM at 6 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as DM</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.H. playing Onchu</p></li>
</ul>
<p>C.A.H. is very late: <strong>–500 XP</strong>.</p>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>Bartha was gravely wounded (3 WP) in the last episode.</p>
<p>We start in the entrance room with Droston and Bartha on the exit side
of the chasm and Onchu and Polonius on the other side of the chasm,
next to the barred door into the rest of the cavern complex.</p>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="ropes-and-chasms">
<h5>Ropes and Chasms</h5>
<p>Droston and Bartha eventually join the others across the chasm, after
entirely too much fiddling around with rope.</p>
<p>Polonius picks up a light crossbow and 12 bolts from a defeated
hobgoblin.</p>
<p>Onchu and Droston press against the door while Polonius tries to raise
the bar with a knife. Eventually they succeed.</p>
</section>
<section id="a-storeroom">
<h5>A Storeroom?</h5>
<p>The next room proved to be a store room with two large piles of goods
and hobgoblin sleeping gear, with a cell to the south, a
kitchen (with a chimney) off a tunnel to the south-east, a large room
off a tunnel to the north, and a tunnel to the north-east that curved
and then forked northeast again, which lead to another large room,
which later turned out to be the same as the large room off the north
tunnel.</p>
</section>
<section id="straight-from-the-centaur-s">
<h5>Straight from the Centaur's…</h5>
<p>Bartha snuck around the the side of the southern pile of goods,
towards the cell, with Droston following with a drawn bow. The cell
to the south turned out to contain a centaur! Bartha, knowing
centaurs were Fey creatures thanks to her evening of revelry with the
Fey of the Lady of the Valley, rushed to free him, and tried to
converse; unfortunately, about all we could figure out was that he
recognized Whaler's fey name. He had us all turn around and look
elsewhere while he grunted a few times, then presented Bartha with a
vial of thick colored liquid. She drank, and was immediately healed.
She escorted the centaur back to the chasm room where it leaped the
chasm handily, and ran away. We, stupidly, didn't follow him.</p>
</section>
<section id="we-were-warned">
<h5>We were Warned…</h5>
<p>We were attacked by two hobgoblins from the north passage, and killed
them easily.</p>
<p>We investigated the south-east passage, which lead to an unoccupied
kitchen.</p>
<p>We investigated the north-east passage, taking the north fork, which
lead to a large room with a fire and some hobgoblins.</p>
</section>
<section id="but-we-didn-t-go">
<h5>…But We Didn't Go</h5>
<p>We investigated the north passage, which lead to a large room.</p>
<p>We were immediately attacked by 3 hobgoblins. Droston and Bartha
stayed in the tunnel and loosed arrows at them, while Onchu and
Polonius ran out and engaged them in melee.</p>
<p>Then three more hobgoblins showed up. Bartha ran to the help of Onchu
and Polonius.</p>
<p>Then an ogre and two wolves showed up. A wolf tripped Onchu, and
joined with the other wolf to tear him to shreds. Polonius, separated
from the others, fled south-east down the large room. Bartha fled the
room, taking with her the only light source, condemning Onchu and
Polonius to the darkness, and fled to the other end of the tunnel.
The ogre entered the tunnel and whacked Droston who screamed and
yelled for Bartha to flee and fled himself. (Luckily he was wearing
his night vision goggles and could see to flee!)</p>
</section>
<section id="and-then-we-died-or-fled">
<h5>And Then We Died, or Fled</h5>
<p>Onchu, meanwhile, died, and the wolves chased Polonius into the dark
of the other end of the room, and the hobgoblins followed. Bartha and
Droston made it back to the room with the chasm, and hearing
Polonius's death cries, Droston barred the door through the handles
with a hobgoblin longsword abandoned nearby.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Bartha had tied the ropes across the chasm, and she and
Droston fled into the open air beyond the caverns, where they
eventually caught up with the centaur, and they all hid, mourning
their fallen comrades.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>After the adventure, Bartha and Droston were both <strong>6200 XP</strong>
characters, and C.A.H. and B.MC. were working on new characters.</p>
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</section>
</section>
</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #8https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/12/30/s008-rv-2009-12-30/2009-12-30T00:00:00-05:002009-12-30T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-8">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #8</h2>
<section id="wednesday-30-december-2009">
<h3>Wednesday, 30 December 2009</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 12:01:01</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> feeds from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>(Probably) Clockwise round the table, starting with the DM at 6 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as DM</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.H. playing Onchu</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Unfortunately, J.H. had too many time commitments to continue with the
campaign. We hope he'll return later.</p>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>Eirnin stayed behind to help evacuate the village, while Onchu, Bartha,
Polonius, and Droston determined to continue the quest for the Elves.</p>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="evening-of-july-29">
<h5>Evening of July 29</h5>
<p>Droston lay sorely wounded.</p>
<p>Brock confirmed that the dwarven ruins dated from the last time the
goblin Horde descended upon the land. That war lasted until almost no
one on either side was left.</p>
<p>Brock went off to town on his pony to get dwarven powder to blow up
the bridge. When he returned <strong>[Was on the night of 29th or was it
not until the next day, the 30th?]</strong>, he had Whaler in bag, and told
us that the little maggot had been caught stealing. Bartha
immediately began indignant protestations, but the rest of us
reluctantly convinced Brock that — regardless of Whaler's character
flaws — he was a friend of the Lady of the Valley and our guide to the
next stage in our perilous quest, so Brock eventually threw the bag to
Bartha, with a warning about what Whaler could expect if he was caught
thieving again.</p>
<p>Droston, meanwhile, drifted in and out of consciousness. Luckily,
Brock had brought some Dwarven elixir. It had quite a kick, but after
drinking it Droston was feeling <em>fine</em>. And it healed him, too.</p>
</section>
<section id="july-30">
<h5>July 30</h5>
<p>To get to the elves, we have to travel through some caverns infested
by evil goblinoids, to find a long passage in the underdark that will
bring us to the elves, who can help us drive the goblinoids back
through the Chasm.</p>
<p>Somebody <strong>[Brock, or Whaler?]</strong> told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Durgeddin, master smith, driven out of his caverns by hobgoblins,
lead his folk south into the wilderness to new caverns, from which
he planned to take the fight to the evil goblinoids.
Unforutnately, that complex was also overrun, and Durgeddin
vanished from history.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, we needed to head southeast, back towards the goblinoid horde, and
then take one of the ravines running south from the main river valley,
following it up to the mountain, then up and over the saddle in the
mountains, to the entrance to the caverns. Whaler promised to lead us
there.</p>
<p>As we headed southeast along the river valley, we paralleled the road
further up on the mountainside, in the forest. We soon found two
goblin scouts approaching us, forerunners of a goblinoid caravan along
the Stone Road. We hid, and the lower scout went past, but the upper
one was too close, so Bartha attacked him and pinned him, and Droston
hacked his throat out.</p>
<p>A short time later we hid from another scout. At some point it began
to rain. We pushed on.</p>
<p>Later in the day we came to a place where the goblinoids had a large
camp. They had cut down and burned or destroyed everything in the
valley, from the river clear up the steep side of the valley. As we
were crossing the camp <strong>[At a small stream coming down to join the
river?]</strong> there was a mudslide on the wall of the valley which came
crashing and splashing down the stream. Bartha made it across to
solid ground and Droston made it back to solid ground, but both Onchu
and Polonius were caught by the mudslide and were barely able to catch
hold before they were washed over the cliff into the river. Droston
was able to throw a rope to Polonius and pull him out and then
together they pulled Onchu out. Bartha tied and untied ropes.</p>
</section>
<section id="july-31-and-august-1">
<h5>July 31 and August 1</h5>
<p>Whaler warned us about an oncoming goblin scout, so we hid again until
it went by.</p>
</section>
<section id="august-2nd">
<h5>August 2nd</h5>
<p>We come to stream, rushing down to the river from the south-east, and
that is the way we go. There is no road, and we continue traveling
through the forest. Eventually we see a hill that looks like a tooth,
with smoke from the hillside. There is a road that leads north east,
which Whaler said goes back to the dwarven road in the river valley,
but Whaler told us we have to follow the road up the hillside and over
a saddle, to the entrance to the caverns on the other side of the
hill. And then he fled as fast as his little wings could take him.</p>
<p>We follow the road up the saddle as fast and as quietly as we can,
hoping to elude any watchers. Two hobgoblins were watching not far
beyond the saddle. We came around the corner and everybody shot,
killing one hobgoblin in the first round and the second hobgoblin in
the second round. This got us 2 light crossbows with 20 bolts each, 2
long swords, good quality studded leather, and 2 light shields.</p>
<p>We could see that entrance to the caverns was up a small ravine in the
hillside, with a door ajar at the far end. Droston snuck up to the
open door, while the others came behind more slowly. They were
attacked by archers behind slits in the rock. Droston flung the doors
wide and yelled at the others to come quickly, and began loosing
arrows at the two hobgoblins beyond the rope bridge over the chasm.</p>
<p>Here followed a long melee, with Polonius and Onchu fighting on the
bridge. A hobgoblin pushes Polonius off the bridge, but Onchu grabs
him. Bartha rushes the hobgoblin over the edge, but he grabs the
bridge, but breaks, swinging them across the chasm and bashing them
against the wall, 30 feet below. Two more <strong>[goblins, hobgoblins]</strong>
approach from the other side. Everybody on the bridge trying to climb
and fight. The hobgoblin and Polonius grapple, Bartha kills the
hobgoblin, and <strong>[Polonius, Onchu]</strong> avoids the falling body.</p>
<p>The other goblinoids flee the room and bar the far door.</p>
<p>We end with Onchu and Polonius on one side of the chasm, and Bartha
and Droston on the other side, next to the exit.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>No XP were awarded this session.</p>
<p>Bartha was gravely wounded (3 WP).</p>
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</section>
</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #7https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/09/17/s007-rv-2009-09-17/2009-09-17T00:00:00-05:002009-09-17T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-7">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #7</h2>
<section id="thursday-17-september-2009">
<h3>Thursday, 17 September 2009</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 12:00:13</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the DM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as DM</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.H. playing Onchu</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
</ul>
<!-- J.H., playing Eirnin. -->
<p>J.H. was unable to attend, alas.</p>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>It was decided that Whaler would guide us to the elves, but first we
needed to sweep back by town to tell them where we are going and pick up
Eirnin. Whaler refused to accompany us into town (since he's scared
of humans), so we arranged to meet Whaler outside the tomb of the
Dwarven hero.</p>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<p>As we descended from the high grove of the Lady of the Valley, Droston
and Polonius saw that there was no trace of where they have been — no
path, no tracks.</p>
<section id="keep-your-voice-down">
<h5>Keep your voice down!</h5>
<p>We reached the bridge, where Brock was still directing the building of
new defenses and Sheriff Artair was directing defenders.</p>
<p>We went over to Sheriff Artair and Bartha started explaining, quite
eloquently, what we knew, but the Sheriff had difficulty believing us.
Droston went over to Brock, and after he got Brock's attention (and
been told to keep his damn voice down and not panic folks) he told
Brock about the fey and Lady of the Valley and the approaching Goblin
Horde. Brock said it was just like he remembered from his youth.
Brock and Artair conferred, we convinced them of the truth of the
matter — the Horde is only days away, and their vanguard is probably
only hours away.</p>
</section>
<section id="well-we-re-in-it-now">
<h5>Well, we're in it now!</h5>
<p>So, the Sheriff decided someone had to stay at the bridge to hold off
the vanguard as long as possible. We, of course, ended up as part of
the lucky group, along with three archers, two melee fighters, and
Brock, who refused to let these goblin scum trample over his home
without a fight.</p>
<p>The brush had been cleared back 85 feet from the bridge. Brock had his
dwarven crossbow, and there were plenty of arrows. One of the melee
fighters had a hammer, and one an axe. There were a couple of extra spears.
We <span class="company">Wolf-banes</span>'s each had one rye whiskey bomb. There are two <strong>(3,
P.D.F?)</strong> wagons with walls attached blocking the bridge, and walls
running along the town side of the ravine. The walls all had ledges
so we could fight over the top.</p>
<p>Two archers along the river wall, Onchu with a melee fighter at the
wagons across the bridge, Brock, Bartha, and another archer along the
upper wall, and Droston and a melee fighter at the big tree beyond the
upper wall, to ensure we weren't flanked.</p>
<p>Two spears. Five horses were left to help in our escape, should we
survive long enough.</p>
</section>
<section id="the-fight">
<h5>The Fight</h5>
<p><strong>[Unfortunately, I can't remember most of the details of the battle,
so what follows is merely parts of the battle — T.K.B.]</strong></p>
<p>Bartha and Onchu heard a wolf-like howl in the distance.</p>
<p>Large wolves crossed the ravine. Goblins <strong>[with ranged weapons?]</strong>
followed. Hobgoblin archers began shooting from just beyond the
cleared area.</p>
<p>Melee fighter with Droston was killed. When Droston got back to the
fighter, he picked up the fighter's axe and said that he'd carry it in
honor of the brave volunteer.</p>
<p>Goblins with large mantlet, with an ogre behind. Crashing and
breaking of wagons.</p>
<p>Polonius mainly stayed on the rock wall assailing the enemy with
arrows. His elven chainmail was crucial in keeping him from taking
damage from the enemy archers. He assisted with the dire wolves and
gave the killing blow to one of them.</p>
<p>Strange goblin in the spiky black armor attached Droston. Spit at him
and hit him in the neck. Strange goblin eventually ran away, just
like last time.</p>
<p>Droston unwisely charged to attack the ogre, and was struck down.</p>
<p>Polonius gave the killing blow on the ogre.</p>
<p>As Droston lay dying Bartha attempted to bind his wounds and bring him
back from the brink of death, but was so overwhelmed by the terrible
battle that she failed. Luckily, Brock strove mightily [and spent the
Hero point] and brought Droston back from the brink of death. Poor
brave, foolish Droston lies sorely wounded.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>We each got <strong>+750 XP</strong>.</p>
<p>The XP total on Onchu's character sheet didn't match the spreadsheet, so
the DM split the difference and gave Onchu <strong>+250 XP</strong>.</p>
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</section>
</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #6https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/05/19/s006-rv-2009-05-19/2009-05-19T00:00:00-05:002009-05-19T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-6">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #6</h2>
<section id="tuesday-19-may-2009">
<h3>Tuesday, 19 May 2009</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 11:59:14</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the DM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as DM</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.H. playing Onchu</p></li>
</ul>
<p>J.H. was unable to attend, alas.</p>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>This adventure started on the 29th. [#july?]_</p>
<!-- [#july?] I *think* it was July, anyway. Seems likely, since the
last adventure was July 25th. -->
<p>Some things we wanted to investigate:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>Witch</p></li>
<li><p>Hermit near Masonburg</p></li>
<li><p>Fairies (Well, Bartha mostly.)</p></li>
<li><p>Missing Patrol</p></li>
<li><p>Meteor</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="where-things-where">
<h5>Where things where</h5>
<p>Bartha asked Gertie about a witches. She had heard of a practicing
witch in the marshes around Riverton, but reports say that the witch is
<em>evil</em>!</p>
<p>The mayor has been directing defenses. We asked about a hermit south
of Masonburg and he guessed that was Old Hermit Goldsmith — he was the
finest gold smith in Riverton, moved to Masonburg, then moved south.
It has been a decade or so since the Mayor has seen him.</p>
<p><span class="company">Hammer & Block</span> will man bridge bridge defenses while Brock supervises new
defenses for the bridge.</p>
<p><span class="company">Axe & Bow</span> will ride with Sheriff Artair, they will be south of the bridge
(3 miles, about halfway).</p>
<p>Afternoon: Droston is not surprised by a mountain lion. He & Polonius
kill it.</p>
<p><strong>[From the fellow who escaped the goblin attack?]</strong>:
They discovered tracks in and around the new mine, followed them into
an ambush. Rain of missiles, then 2 huge hobgoblins with huge axe &
huge hammer. He observed that they could see in the dark, and they
targeted torch bearers.</p>
<p>The village is mostly stone buildings with slate roofs.</p>
</section>
<section id="oh-what-do-we-do">
<h5>Oh, What do we do?</h5>
<p>30th: We checked with Sheriff Artair, and got a briefing on the
defenses. He wanted us to patrol.</p>
<p>On Day 3 there is an attack by 3–5 goblins at the bridge.</p>
<p>It takes Onchu 5 days. <strong>[for what?]</strong></p>
<p>Be back in 2 days.</p>
<p>The Tomb of the Dwarven Hero is not far from the bridge, just a mile
or so.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-in-trouble-again">
<h5>Back in Trouble Again</h5>
<p>After 3 hours, not even to new mine, we heard goblins up ahead, making
no effort to hide.</p>
<p>Looks like they have had a little camp here for couple of days, moldy
bread. We attacked them, unfortunately without coordinating our
attack effectively. One of the goblins was dressed in strange black
armor with spikes all over it. During the melee the strange goblin
spit acid at both Bartha and Onchu, wounding Bartha's face and Onchu's
neck.</p>
<p>Eventually we killed the rest of the goblins and the strange goblin
sped off faster than anyone could follow.</p>
</section>
<section id="friends-in-high-places">
<h5>Friends in High Places</h5>
<p>Whaler Appleby came bringing a message: the Lady of the Valley asked he
speak with Bartha & her friends.</p>
<!-- she lives wh.x.x.x.x -->
<p>We noticed that Whaler's quiver was stocked more than usual.</p>
<p>Whaler told us that Nigel (the brownie) was recovering. Whaler gave
us (specifically Bartha) a necklace with a gem that glows. He lead us
south and up the valley wall, in places we've never been before,
though we've lived in the valley all our lives. Large stream
cascading down, 1 mile west & much higher, underbrush forms a tunnel
stream flows through. We crawled a long way through the beautiful
stream/tunnel, necklace brightening up in the shade, until it opens up
into a small level glade by grove of beautiful trees (300 yards by 300
yards or so). The glade is surrounded by steep cliffs.</p>
<p>The Lady of the Valley told us that goblins are pouring forth from an
ancient fissure to the south, thousands of them. They will kill and
eat everything in their path, and they are heading to Masonburg.</p>
<p>She told us we might have a chance if we can make allies with the
woodland elves. She said that she knows Bartha has a good heart, but
the others must prove themselves by doing a task for her.</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p><strong>To Droston</strong>: you must find a Sprig of the Blue Orchid, which can only be
found on the grave of the most heroic heroes of legend, and bring it
to her. K(Nature): Blue Orchid — cannot grow in sunlight, gets its
energy from heroism.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>To Onchu</strong>: you must learn to dance with the fairyfolk. F.F. are known to
have dances in glades.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>To Polonius</strong>: you who have been cruel & callous … must make amends
for your crimes & take all that you have and give back to everyone
you have wronged. [Didn't have to give up clothes, weapons,
or tools, but did have to sell his armor and give away all his money.]</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The enchanted necklace with the gem turns on if you touch it, and off
if you touch it again.</p>
<p>We waited for dawn, then Polonius and Droston started down to begin their
tasks.</p>
<p>During the day Whaler made up love poems and brought Bartha honey.</p>
</section>
<section id="droston-s-task">
<h5>Droston's Task</h5>
<p>Droston headed to the Tomb of the Dwaven Hero, and down into the
tunnel. Eventually it came to a flight of stone stairs that lead down
10 feet or so into cold black water. He removed his armor, put his
candles and fire-starter in a waterproof sack, left his lantern
hanging on the wall, and swam through the passage, to find another
flight of stairs that lead up to a tunnel that lead into a room with
Dwarven runes carved on each flagstone of the floor, and an
inscription on the left hand side of the tunnel, just before the room
that read: “Those who know me know that I was. Those who need me know
what to use.”</p>
<p>In the center of the room was a sarcophagus.</p>
<p>The room was circular, with mostly square flagstones. The following
is the layout of the runes on the flagstones, roughly transliterated
from the Drawvish, with the entrance tunnel from the bottom, at the G
& H runes.</p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><p>N</p></td>
<td><p>U</p></td>
<td><p>I</p></td>
<td><p>D</p></td>
<td><p>N</p></td>
<td><p>T</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>S</p></td>
<td><p>G</p></td>
<td><p>A</p></td>
<td><p>T</p></td>
<td><p>I</p></td>
<td><p>O</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>I</p></td>
<td><p>I</p></td>
<td><p>.</p></td>
<td><p>.</p></td>
<td><p>S</p></td>
<td><p>R</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>D</p></td>
<td><p>L</p></td>
<td><p>I</p></td>
<td><p>N</p></td>
<td><p>A</p></td>
<td><p>E</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>B</p></td>
<td><p>B</p></td>
<td><p>Y</p></td>
<td><p>E</p></td>
<td><p>M</p></td>
<td><p>M</p></td>
</tr>
<tr><td><p>Z</p></td>
<td><p>O</p></td>
<td><p>G</p></td>
<td><p>H</p></td>
<td><p>A</p></td>
<td><p>R</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><strong>[–25 XP to Bartha for M.A.H. apparently blurting out the solution;
T.K.B. was too flustered by the puzzle to even notice.]</strong></p>
<p>Droston was flustered by the puzzle (and T.K.B. was over-thinking
things way too much), and as he stood looking at the room he heard a
whoosh, and the air turned bad. Evenually he started out along the
runes H—A—M—M—E—R—S. he worked his way along the flagstones, if he
hesitated there was another whoosh and more poison gas was released.
Once he finally got to the last letter there were no more poison gas
releases.</p>
<p>On top of the sarcophagus were growing the Blue Orchids.</p>
<p>Droston respectfully told the Hero's spirit of his task, and took a
Blue Orchid and carefully put it in a watertight sack with some of the
mossy stuff that it was growing in. Then headed back to the Lady of
the Valley.</p>
</section>
<section id="polonius-s-humble-pie">
<h5>Polonius's Humble Pie</h5>
<p>Polonius talked to Sheriff Artair about the eggs on chair, manure in
saddle bags, itch powder in bed (which Artair allowed had upset his
wife considerably), … how many nasty tricks did Polonius play on
Sherriff Artair, anyway?</p>
<p>Polonius sold his armor and repaid the dozens, if not hundreds, of
folks he's stolen from or beaten up or wronged.</p>
</section>
<section id="onchu-bartha-whaler-go-to-the-dance">
<h5>Onchu, Bartha, & Whaler go to the dance!</h5>
<p>Whaler said the wine the centaur gives is Elven blossom wine, which is
very rare, very potent, & brings out your true nature.</p>
<p>Drink & Dance, Drink & Dance, Drink & Dance. Satyr said one last
pull, Drince & Dance, everybody started dancing along with Onchu — most
harmonious dance, Onchu felt at one with everything. Then he
collapsed and slept the rest of the day. Bartha and Whaler partied the
night away and end up <strong>very</strong> good friends.</p>
<p>Next day Onchu had <em>no</em> hangover, but noticed that his hands are longer &
more slender, and now his skin had a slight greenish brown forest hue
and his scar was almost covered. Bartha was asleep with Whaler tucked
up close. Onchu looked in the pool and found that he looked like an elf
(he's now essentially a half elf-elf: +4 to sneaking in woodlands, low
light vision).</p>
<p>Onchu still looks like Onchu, but a more handsome, elvish Onchu.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-to-the-lady">
<h5>Back to the Lady</h5>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>Droston was given a pair of goggles with darkvision (taken from goblins?)</p></li>
<li><p>Onchu was told “glad you are one of us”!</p></li>
<li><p>Bartha was told she was “one with the fairies, too” and was told to
keep the necklace.</p></li>
<li><p>Polonius was given a stunning shirt of chain, made by elves!</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>We each got <strong>+800 XP</strong>.</p>
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</section>
</section>
</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #5https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/04/15/s005-rv-2009-04-15/2009-04-15T00:00:00-05:002009-04-15T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-5">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #5</h2>
<section id="wednesday-15-april-2009">
<h3>Wednesday, 15 April 2009</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 11:50:57</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<aside class="admonition note">
<p class="admonition-title">Note</p>
<p>Sometimes when I write these sessions up, I attribute
actions to other folks' characters that may not have <em>actually</em>
occurred during play, but which I think were <em>implied</em>. Or just
amusing. So, if you spot something you don't think your character
would have done, just let me know.</p>
</aside>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the DM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as DM</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>J.H. playing Eirnin</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.H. playing Onchu</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>This adventure started July 25th, Sunday evening. The next day,
Monday, will be the first day of the <span class="company">Wolf-banes</span> 2nd patrol tour
of duty.</p>
<p>Another militia group skirmished with 8 goblins — two goblins were
killed and one militiaman was seriously injured.</p>
<p>Wolves have become much less common, which has been attributed to the
lessening of game. Those who are regularly in the woods have noticed
that game <em>is</em> very sparse on the ground. Kids are being kept in
town, and everybody who can stays as close to town as possible.</p>
<p>Coll the smith told Polonius that if Polonius brings Coll the meteor
that fell to earth in the south-east that Coll will take him on as an
apprentice.</p>
<p>Mrs. McVoy had accepted Droston's apology, so he was very relieved.</p>
<section id="income">
<h5>Income</h5>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>Bartha: 8 c.p.</p></li>
<li><p>Eirnin: 5 s.p.</p></li>
<li><p>Polonius: 5 c.p. Did various odd jobs around the village.</p></li>
<li><p>Droston: 5 c.p. Hunting has been pretty difficult of late.</p></li>
<li><p>Onchu: 8 s.p.</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="relaxing-at-the-pub-and-then-off-to-bed">
<h5>Relaxing At The Pub, And Then Off To Bed!</h5>
<p>We started out in the <em>Broken Stone</em>, the local tavern, and it was
getting close to the last round of drinks for the evening.</p>
<p>Droston and Bartha spent 7 c.p. each trying to find out about, in
Droston's case, the old Hermit who is rumored to live somewhere south
of Masonburg, and in Bartha's case, the witch who is rumored to live
somewhere in the swamp near Riverton. Unfortunately, nobody knew
anything about either of them.</p>
<p><span class="comment">[And the continuing confusion over what's north and what's south of
Masonburg was introduced.]</span></p>
</section>
<section id="or-not">
<h5>… Or Not!</h5>
<p>As we were leaving the tavern, Onchu, Bartha, and Droston noticed what
looked like a child's body floating in a pool in the river. Wading
out and turning it over revealed it to be a dead goblin, with a
militia arrow in its belly. The goblin was wearing roughly the same
colors as the ones we killed on our first tour of duty. The only
think of any value it had was a small knife, and that was in pretty
poor shape. Eirnin took it. The corpse was bloated and looking
pretty bad. Bartha thought it must be at least 2 days old.</p>
<p>We knew that the on-duty militia company was due in the next morning.</p>
<p>We took the body to the mayor, who was sitting on his porch, drinking
ale, and already at dusk feeling the effects. He found the goblin's
corpse to be quite sobering. The militia hadn't been seen in four
days, since they left the area of the new mine looking for creatures.</p>
<p>It is half a day's travel to the new mine.</p>
<p>Rumor has it that goblins see in the dark.</p>
<p>After some discussion the mayor called up the other companies. The
<span class="company">Block & Hammer</span> company was dispatched head north to Riverton (“Which
way to Riverton? North! No, south! No, north!”), our company, the
<span class="company">Wolf-banes</span> was assigned to scout towards the mines (“Which way are
the mines? South? North? South?”), and the <span class="company">Axe & Bow</span> company was
tasked to look for creatures across the river.</p>
</section>
<section id="all-this-in-the-dark">
<h5>All This In The Dark</h5>
<p>As they were scouting quietly Bartha and Droston heard something
crawling towards them, and Droston told Bartha to hang back while he
takes the torch up to see what it is. It is Evan, one of the members
of the <span class="company">Serpents</span>, the militia company that was on duty. He's been
crawling on the ground, badly hurt. Droston yelled for Bartha, and the
others heard and came running. Bartha managed to stabilize him, and we
built a little litter and carried him to the mayor. Bartha stayed with him,
hoping he'll revive enough to tell them something about what happened
to him and the rest of the militia, while Polonius and Droston ran to
the old mine and brought back the healer, old Gertie. By this time it's
3 a.m. Gertie told Bartha she's done a good job, and sent her off.
Evan hadn't said anything before she left.</p>
<p>We asked about Evan, and he still hadn't said anything. <span class="comment">[I think
this happened in the morning, right?]</span> His leather armor showed that
he'd been very badly beaten by some blunt object. He was also very
scratched up, as if he'd been running blindly through the woods. He
had his pack, but not his weapon, a big mason's hammer.</p>
</section>
<section id="scouting-for-trouble">
<h5>Scouting For Trouble</h5>
<p>In the morning, Droston and Bartha tracked him a mile past the close
mine — it looks like he missed the mines running through the woods and
ran until he fell down, then crawled another one-half mile. We followed the
track for another 2 miles, almost losing the tracks completely at one
point, but managed to find them and keep going. The tracks curve back
towards the road, and lead to a scene of carnage. Splatters of blood
and tissue were everywhere and broken weapons, broken trees, crossbow
bolts, and arrows littered the ground. It looked like many people
fought here. <strong>There were no bodies.</strong> Drag marks lead to the road
and across to the edge of the steep drop down to the river, and two
goblin bodies lay on the rocks just shy of the water, as if they'd
just missed being thrown far enough. Other tracks lead to the
stone-paved road and south-east along it.</p>
<p>By this point we were three miles from Masonburg, one mile from the
bridge we helped Brock build, and three miles from the new mine. We
headed there, keeping close watch as we went. When we're close,
Bartha and Droston snuck ahead to see if anything was amiss at the
mine. There were no miners in sight, and the door to the mine
barracks had been been torn off, and there were more crossbow bolts
and so forth lying about, and a goblin shortsword lying between the
mine and the barracks. Droston and Bartha headed back and got the
others, and returned to take a closer look. There had definitely been
a big melee here, too. The carnage inside the barracks was especially
bad, with blood and gore on the beds. The barracks had been looted.
Footprints lead to both the mine and to the road south-east, and there
were prints of wagon wheels headed south as well, though some effort
had been made to obfuscate the tracks.</p>
</section>
<section id="i-told-you-to-be-careful">
<h5>I Told You To Be Careful!</h5>
<p>After some discussion, we decided we should check the mine for
survivors before we go further south-east along the road. We lit some
torches and headed into the mine. After about 30 feet we came to the
first turn in the passage, and found a dead goblin. When we rolled
him over, we found he was killed by a crossbow bolt that we recognize
from its craftsmanship to be Brock Stonearm's. The body had 5 c.p.,
which Eirnin took, 2 javelins, which Bartha took, and 1 dagger, which
Eirnin took. After this Onchu and Eirnin both moved forward around
the bend. While Droston tried to warn them that Brock had probably
trapped the passageway they hit a tripwire and a huge timber swung
down from the roof of the tunnel and hit them both across the chest,
throwing them backwards violently. At that point we heard Brock
yelling that he'll kill any goblins that come near. Eventually we get
him to recognize us, and he eagerly staggers forward, barely able to
stay on his feet and awake after standing vigil in the mine all night
against goblins.</p>
<p>Brock told us that the mine had been attacked by a horde of hobgoblins and
goblins — there must have been more than 20 of them. He was unable to
sleep and was measuring things in the mine when the attack came, and
when he emerged and found the attackers he killed two and then headed
back into the mine to hold the rest off. When questioned he told us
that the militia company had already passed by on their way back to
Masonburg.</p>
<p>We decided we couldn't stay where we were, since if the horde returned
we'd be cut off with no food and water. Brock mentioned that the tomb
of the dwarven hero would probably be a good defensible place to spend
the night, if needed. Eventually, though, we decided to go back to
town and let them know what has happened. Droston suggested Brock
rearm his trap, and asked to watch, and Brock happily obliged. After
that we headed back to town, stopping first at the new mine to drop
Brock off at his fortified domicile and warn whoever is there. Turns
out that there is only the mayor and a skeleton force <span class="comment">[I think this
is when this happened, right???]</span>, and they all headed back to town
with us.</p>
</section>
<section id="dismay-and-disorder">
<h5>Dismay And Disorder</h5>
<p>In Masonburg the mayor, who was even more disturbed by the news of the
missing miners, called a town meeting for that evening, July 26th.
The <span class="company">Axe & Bow</span> militia company had returned from searching across the
river, and while they weren't able to cover much ground due to the
rain and rough terrain they'd seen no evidence of any intruders, and
were convinced that none have been across the river. The <span class="company">Block &
Hammer</span> militia company, which took horses and headed north (“Which
way to Riverton? South? North? South? North?”) to Riverton, were
not expected back yet.</p>
<p>The town meeting was loud and upset, with wives and kids crying about
their missing husbands and fathers, and lots of arguing about what is
to be done. It's finally decided that the <span class="company">Axe & Bow</span> company will,
with all the townsfolk who can lift a shovel or swing an axe, build
defenses at the bridge, while we, the <span class="company">Wolf-banes</span> company, will
continue south-east along the road, scouting and, if possible,
mount a rescue of the missing miners and militiamen. After that we
retired for the evening to the first sleep we've had in — what? 48
hours? — and slept like the dead.</p>
</section>
<section id="hope-and-preparations">
<h5>Hope And Preparations</h5>
<p>The next morning the mayor gave us a bullseye lantern from his days
working in the mines. Bartha came up with the excellent idea of
making rye whiskey firebombs, and after an initial experiment with
gourds, we each ended up with pottery rye whiskey flasks with attached
cloth for lighting.</p>
<p>Brock was appointed to be in charge of the defense building. Bartha
showed the bombs to Brock, who suggests tindertwigs would be useful,
and after seeing our blank stares, explains that tindertwigs are a
technology perfected by the drwarves for easily and quickly lighting
fires. Of course, when Bartha inquired if he could make us some, he
said he would be too busy building defenses.</p>
</section>
<section id="headed-for-trouble">
<h5>Headed For Trouble</h5>
<p>We headed out, and are soon traveling south-east along the old road
beyond the new mine. After many hours of travel, Bartha and Droston
decided that there's going to be a summer thunderstorm in an hour or
so. After some discussion we decided to keep going, and in only a
half hour the heavens opened and a tremendous deluge crashed down. We
trudged on for a little while, but with the tracks quickly washed
away, we decided (with Bartha grumbling about how if we'd stopped when
<em>she</em> wanted we'd be inside a nice shelter) to find someplace to sit
out the storm. We eventually ended up under the 2nd dwarven bridge,
which is still in reasonably good shape, and there we sat through the
night in the dark without a fire. The rain stopped at midnight.</p>
</section>
<section id="oh-yummy">
<h5>Oh, Yummy!</h5>
<p>On Polonius's watch he heard a large creature heading slowly down the
ravine towards us. He woke us up and Bartha started struggling with
flint and steel to light a torch. In the mean while the rest of us
drew our weapons.</p>
<p>When Bartha finally got the torch lit, we could see a huge grizzly
bear on the slope below us, nearly up to the bridge. Droston loosed
two arrows at it but, unnerved by the suddenness of it all, missed
with both. Onchu moved up and attacked the bear, which struck back
and landed a tremendous blow, wounding Onchu severely. Bartha then
stepped forward yelling and waving the torch in the bear's face. The
bear fled. Bartha tended to Onchu's wound, and we spent the rest of
the night in cold silence. We figured the bear was probably after
some of the tasty-smelling jerky Bartha always keeps with her.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-to-town">
<h5>Back To Town…?</h5>
<p>In the morning we headed back to Masonburg to get Onchu some more
medical attention. On the way back Onchu and Bartha noticed what
looked like a lightning strike off to the side of the road.
Remembering that Polonius wanted to find the meteor, they told the
company and we headed in that direction. We found a crater, as we'd
expected, but the meteor that should have been in the crater was
missing. The hole left at the center showed that it was about the
size of a basketball. Bartha and Droston figured out that a cart or
wagon came up out of the crater, to the road, and away from town,
headed south-east along the road. Polonius spent the next few mines
moaning about his bad luck.</p>
</section>
<section id="not-yet">
<h5>…Not Yet!</h5>
<p>When we got to the new mine, everybody but Polonius was halfway
expecting trouble. Polonius, still moaning about the missing meteor,
was therefore the only one surprised when three goblins, two
hobgoblins, and one strangely dressed goblin burst out of the mine. The
three normal goblins, in the lead, launched javelins at us, and
missed. Bartha launched a javelin back, and when it hit a goblin
shouted something about how she'd send their javelins back where it
would do some good!</p>
<!-- :comment:`[I think this was how he was described — is that right, P.D.F?]`
Pete said the description of the shaman was ok. -->
<p>The strangely dressed goblin, who had a skull on his head, elaborate
(for a goblin) robes, and a staff, began gesticulating oddly. The two
hobgoblins stayed in front of and close to the strangely dressed
goblin, as if they were its bodyguards. Droston immediately was
suspicious of the oddly behaving goblin, and started targeting him
with his arrows. Suddenly, a two-foot diameter spider appeared out of
nowhere and dropped on Eirnin's shoulder and bit him. Eirnin started
spinning around and trying to bash it with the blunt side of his axe,
and eventually did so, leading to lots of spider-guts all over his
face.</p>
<p>At this point things turned into a general melee, with Droston
continuing to fire at the oddly dressed goblin with little effect and
the others moving to attack the other goblins and the hobgoblin
bodyguards. As the melee continued the oddly dressed goblin again did
his gesticulation again When the melee had turned decisively against
the goblins, the oddly dressed goblin did his gesticulation a final
time and vanished, leaving Droston in frustration to fire one final
shot through the space where it had been before turning his arrows to
the remaining enemies. <span class="comment">[One of the other characters took a swipe
through the shaman's square, too, but I don't remember which one.
Anybody?]</span></p>
<p>Eventually all the normal goblins but one were killed, as were both
hobgoblins. Bartha grappled the remaining goblin, yelling out to the
rest of us to capture it. Droston attempted to help, trying to whack
it with the blunt side of one of his axes, but ended up hitting Bartha
instead! (And boy can Bartha blister your ears when you accidentally
whack her!) <span class="comment">[Did Droston continue to try and whack the goblin? Did
he finally hit it?]</span> Luckily the blow hadn't done any <em>real</em> damage,
and Bartha finally subdued the goblin, after which began an argument
about the appropriate way to transport a captured enemy to town.</p>
<p>So, at the end of the fight, we had: 1 goblin captured and trussed up,
6 more goblin javelins, 3 small goblin short-swords (of <em>terrible</em>
quality), 3 suits of bad goblin leather armor, two sets of
hobgoblin-sized studded leather armor, a light wooden shield, and a
small morning star, 12 sp, 35 cp, and in an evil-smelling bag, two
heads of folks we recognize as belonging to the <span class="company">Serpents</span> militia
company. <a class="footnote-reference brackets" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/04/15/s005-rv-2009-04-15/#hobgoblin-weapons" id="footnote-reference-1" role="doc-noteref"><span class="fn-bracket">[</span>1<span class="fn-bracket">]</span></a> Everybody takes 2 sp each, with Droston
taking the left over 2 sp, and everybody takes 7 cp each. Bartha
forgives Droston for hitting her, and tells him she can clean up and
repair the studded leather armor for him and <span class="comment">[…I can't remember who
else was going to get the studded leather armor…]</span> and he apologized
for accidentally hitting her.</p>
<aside class="footnote-list brackets">
<aside class="footnote brackets" id="hobgoblin-weapons" role="doc-footnote">
<span class="label"><span class="fn-bracket">[</span><a role="doc-backlink" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/04/15/s005-rv-2009-04-15/#footnote-reference-1">1</a><span class="fn-bracket">]</span></span>
<p>P.D.F. said that he thought the hobgoblins had
morningstars of average quality.</p>
</aside>
</aside>
</section>
<section id="finally-back-to-town">
<h5>Finally Back to Town!</h5>
<p>When we got to the old mine and quarry complex near the village the
only person left there was old Gertie, who pretty much does whatever
she wants. She tended to Onchu's wounds, and we continued to the
village. Once finally there we had a difficult time preventing the
mob from killing the goblin, but eventually we prevailed on the wiser
heads and got him thrown down in the ice cellar the village uses as a
lockup, to be interrogated by the elders.</p>
<p>Polonius talked to Coll about the missing meteor, but Coll was not
impressed. Polonius has to bring Coll the meteor if he wants to be
Coll's apprentice. We showed the Coll the goblin blades, and he said
the best thing to do was melt them down and reforge them, and that
there was about enough for a long sword. “I've never made a long sword
before, but I'm willing to give it a try.” Droston said go ahead.
Polonius begged and pleaded and Coll eventually relented enough to let
Polonius watch Coll working on the blade. <a class="footnote-reference brackets" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/04/15/s005-rv-2009-04-15/#skill-points" id="footnote-reference-2" role="doc-noteref"><span class="fn-bracket">[</span>2<span class="fn-bracket">]</span></a></p>
<aside class="footnote-list brackets">
<aside class="footnote brackets" id="skill-points" role="doc-footnote">
<span class="label"><span class="fn-bracket">[</span><a role="doc-backlink" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/04/15/s005-rv-2009-04-15/#footnote-reference-2">2</a><span class="fn-bracket">]</span></span>
<p>IIRC, P.D.F said this will let B.MC. spend one
skill point on a related skill when he levels Polonius next.</p>
</aside>
</aside>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>We each got <strong>500 XP</strong>.</p>
<p>E-mail after the session revealed that of the militia companies, the
<span class="company">Serpents</span> had 7 members originally, the <span class="company">Axe & Bow</span>
had 7 members originally, and the <span class="company">Block & Hammer</span> had 9
members originally.</p>
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</section>
</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #4https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/03/12/s004-rv-2009-03-12/2009-03-12T00:00:00-05:002009-03-12T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-4">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #4</h2>
<section id="thursday-12-march-2009">
<h3>Thursday, 12 March 2009</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2020-08-03 16:00:14</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the DM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as DM</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>J.H. playing Eirnin</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Unfortunately C.A.H. was unable to attend, so Onchu was otherwise occupied.</p>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>Each of the characters in the session were paid 5 silver pieces for
their work on the bridge.</p>
<p>The last session ended Tuesday, June 2 (?).</p>
<p>This session starts Monday, June 14.</p>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="what-s-been-happening">
<h5>What's been Happening</h5>
<p>Preparations for the new mine are underway. Preliminary housing has
been built and they're starting to get ready to start extracting
materials.</p>
<p>A group of miners coming back from the close mines (one-half mile from town)
were attacked by what Brock called a <em>dire</em> raccoon. One miner was
injured, but they managed to kill the dire raccoon. There has been
talk about calling up the militia and putting the three companies on
rotating escort and guard duty.</p>
</section>
<section id="another-job-from-mcvoy">
<h5>Another Job from McVoy</h5>
<p>Brand McVoy bursts in looking for us. After an exchange with
Polonius, McVoy tells Polonius to keep out of trouble. He offers the
group a job taking three wagons of cut stone to Riverton, with his
youngest son, young Brand, driving one of the wagons and the two
others to be driven by the us. He offers 20 silver pieces, we suggest
40 silver, and he counters with 30, which we accept.</p>
<p>We set out for Riverton the next morning at dawn, with Bartha in the
lead, young Brand in the middle, and Eirnin bringing up the rear. Not
far out on the first day, the wagon Eirnin's driving breaks a wheel,
but it doesn't take long to fix and we're back on the road.</p>
<section id="local-gossip-proves-true">
<h6>Local Gossip Proves True</h6>
<p>Now, local gossip has it young Brand was caught behind the woodsheed
with Gelsie (sp?) Hillfield, but normally he's a quiet 14 year old.
However, anytime any of us got near his wagon he gets belligerent.
Eventually we call him on it, and it turns out Gelsie's hiding in the
wagon under a tarp. He and Gelsie plan to run for distant parts where
there families won't try to keep them apart, or worse. After we are
unable to convince them to do otherwise, we continue our journey, with
Gelsie hiding. Eirnin, soft touch that he is, gives young Brand 2
silver for their journey. Droston's thinking that we'd better get
these two lovebirds to the Sheriff in Riverton before the
McVoy/Hillfield feud heats up to killing again.</p>
</section>
<section id="heading-for-a-hill-field-of-trouble">
<h6>Heading for a Hill(field) of Trouble</h6>
<p>On the second day of the journey Gelsie's two older brothers Hal (36)
and Heirnen (32) show up convinced young Brand has kidnapped their
sister and hidden her in his wagon. We refuse to let them search the
wagon, worried Brand and the brothers will come to blows, but
eventually convince them we'll got straight to the Sheriff in
Riverton. Droston starts ranging out in front, wanting to have a big
enough lead when we reach Riverton to get to the Sheriff's office and
explain the situation before the Hillfields arrive.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Droston runs into a couple of wolves while way out in
front and out of sight. He yells for backup, and wagons stop while
Eirnin and Polonius start running towards Droston. The Hillfields
take that opportunity to attack. Hal grabs Bartha, who screams rape,
while Heinen knocks young Brand out out, rips back the tarp, grabs
Gelsie, and with Gelsie kicking and screaming rides hard back toward
Masonberg.</p>
<p>Polonius turns back to the wagons while Eirnin continues towards
Droston. Polonius tries to shoot Hal's horse without hitting Hal or
Gelsie, but misses.</p>
<p>Heinen, on the other hand, isn't having it easy with Bartha, who is
giving better than she's getting. When she finally drives him off the
wagon he grabs his horses reins and runs back towards Masonburg, but
Bartha actually leaps on the back of his horse and continues the
struggle. Finally Heinen gets away.</p>
<p>Droston, meanwhile, kills one of the two wolves and the other runs
away, wounded. After skinning the wolf, he and Eirnin start back
towards the wagons. Once everybody gets back to the wagons we discuss
what to do next, comfort poor Brand, and decide to deliver the wagons
and go straight to the Sherrif in Riverton.
<span class="comment">[And we all netted +10 XP for roleplaying!]</span></p>
</section>
<section id="we-really-ought-to-stay-out-of-riverton">
<h6>We really ought to stay out of Riverton</h6>
<p>As soon as we'd gotten the wagons to the warehouse, Droston went off
to explain the situation McVoy/Hillfield situation to the sherrif
(including the fact he'd been planning to bring the two youngsters
straight to the sherrif as soon as Gelsie was found). The
sherrif was understandably perturbed about the possibility of the feud
starting up again.</p>
<p>They also talked about the the strange creatures being found around
Masonburg. The sherrif had a lot of trouble around Riverton with
wolves, since they're even less used to dealing with them than the
Masonburgers, and have had one toddler and lots of livestock killed.
<span class="comment">[P.D.F., were any strange animals showing up around
Riverton?]</span> They've instituted a 3 c.p. bounty on the wolf-skins, so
Droston turned his wolf-skin in for the bounty, since it's a c.p. more
than Masonburg is paying.</p>
<p>There has been a lot less vandalism and petty theft since Polonius
left town. Roy, the murder that we brought back to Masonburg after
finding him unconscious on the path, was found guilty and was to hang
in three days. There is a travelling circus coming to town next
month.</p>
<p>Brand spends the night in a jail cell with the door open. Droston
spends the night with him, and Bartha stays too, after she gets back
from an evening spent gathering information about the “witch” who
lives in the swamp.</p>
<p>Eirnin joins Polonius for a night out with Polonius's friends Chet and
Biff, and they plan a pie-theft, but as Polonius his approach he
notices that the pies literal have strings attached, and everybody
flees.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-to-masonburg">
<h6>Back to Masonburg</h6>
<p>In the morning the sherrif and young Brand set off at before dawn on
horseback for Masonburg, and we set off ourselves at dawn. We arrive
back in Masonburg on the afternoon of the second day, June 18th.</p>
<p>We drop the wagons and horses off at McVoy's. Big Brand isn't there,
and we talk to Mrs. McVoy, who tells them they'll have to talk to her
husband about their pay, and goes on about young Brand's inappropriate
behavior with that Hillfield girl. Droston is rude to her about the
delay in getting paid, and she tells him off, tells him she'll be
telling his mother about this, and orders him to leave and not come
back. Knowing he's let his anger get the best of him again, he stops
briefly to warn his mother of his misstep, and then rejoins the group
as the go to talk to McVoy.</p>
<!-- :comment:`[I couldn't remember if it's about young Brand's situation or
getting paid, but P.D.F. said it was about getting paid.]` -->
<p>Big Brand is completely distracted by young Brand's situation, and
pays them without most of his usual bad natured comments. Droston
tells McVoy that he was rude McVoy's wife, and that he was wrong to do
it, and that he'll apologize to her anytime she wants. McVoy absently
says he'll tell his wife, and that's the end of the conversation.</p>
<p>Droston stops back home to tell his mom what he told McVoy.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section id="you-want-us-to-do-what-we-re-always-in-trouble-anyway">
<h5>You want us to do <em>what</em>? We're always in trouble anyway…</h5>
<p>We get word that Mayor Gladston wants to meet with us (and Onchu, too,
of course, but he's still at work). He's sitting on his porch in the
cool shade, and cordially offers us ale. After chatting a bit, he
tells us that the town elders have decided to form a fourth militia
company, consisting of the four of us and Onchu, and are levying a new
tax to pay for it. We can pick a name and colors. (The other
companies are the <span class="company">Block & Hammer</span>, sponsored by the mason's
guild, the <span class="company">Axe & Bow</span>, sponsored by the foresters and
hunters, and the <span class="company">Serpents</span>.) Bartha wanted the Fairy
Tricksters, but was quickly overruled. We ended up with the name
<span class="company">Wolf-banes</span>, with colors of grey and black. (Droston thinks
we should add red, and get a flag with a bloody wolf's head as a
symbol.) Our first shift will start the next day, patrolling between
the new and old mines, and we'll be on duty for two weeks and off for
six weeks.</p>
<p>Droston asked if there is somebody who might know more about the old
history of the region, and the mayor says old hermit Kessleman might;
he used to live up the river to the south. <strong>[Is Kessleman the same as
Golsmith from Session #5, or are there two hermits south of
Masonburg?]</strong></p>
<p>Bartha started work on a shield [equivalent to a small wooden shield]
and Droston starts working on a composite bow.</p>
<section id="back-to-the-new-mines-and-a-fairy">
<h6>Back to the new mines and … a fairy?</h6>
<p>The miners at the new gem mine have been hearing strange sounds south
of the mine. <strong>[Didn't they all come back from the mines?]</strong></p>
<p>It's two days walk to the new gem mine, where we set up in the miner's
quarters, a building made of heavy logs with no windows. We are doing
an initial scan of the area when someone <strong>[who was it?]</strong> hears a
high-pitched voice say, “go get the other big uglies — my friend needs
help!” And a 2 and one-half foot tall man with gossamer wings, a
Robin Hood hat, curly-toed shoes, and a bow and arrows appears. He is
Whaler Appleby, who has played tricks on them and helped them before,
warning them about the murderer Roy and shooting him with one of his
sleep arrows for us to find. Now his friend, the brownie Nigel
Redbark, has been captured by “little uglies and a big little ugly”
and taken to their camp across the river.</p>
</section>
<section id="rescue-the-brownie">
<h6>Rescue the … brownie?</h6>
<p>We all get together, get the situation out of Whaler (with difficulty,
since he's not very good at concentrating on one thing, and both he
and Bartha find each other <em>very</em> “distracting”), and head toward the
“little uglies'” camp. It turns out that it's across the river in a
steep-sided hollow on the hillside, and is reached by a tree trunk
across the river. It's dark by the time we get there. Whaler told us
that there are three “little uglies”, one “big little ugly”, and an
evil-looking over-sized wolf. We decide that Droston and Bartha will
sneak up, and Whaler will light up the hollow with his magic so we can
see to fight, and to distract our opponents, and Eirnin and Polonius
will hurry up when the commotion starts.</p>
<p>Bartha heads across the tree trunk while Droston targets the wolf.
The “little uglies” retaliate with javelins and a crossbow. When
Bartha is across she attacks the nearest “little ugly”. The wolf
joins the attack on Bartha and soon another “little ugly” does as
well. Eirnin starts across the log and falls, barely catching
himself. Polonius has his bow out and is loosing arrows as well.
Finally the “big little ugly” appears, and is huge! He immediately
runs to the tree trunk and begins straining to lift it. Droston
starts targeting him. Eirnin pulls himself up. Somebody
<strong>[Eirnin?]</strong> is attacking the “big little ugly”. Polonius is trying
to get across the tree trunk. Bartha is taking a lot of heavy damage,
and eventually decides to tackle the wolf, taking it and her over the
steep cliff to the rocks and the river below. <strong>[And she earns a Hero
point!]</strong></p>
<p>Whaler Appleby appears in mid-air, carrying a tied-up brownie, and
yelling “Flee, Flee!” Unfortunately, we're too entangled in the fight
to do so, and we can't leave what is all to likely to be Bartha's
corpse behind in the river, so we struggle on. Eventually we kill the
wolf and the rest of the “little uglies”. It turns out the wolf broke
Bartha's fall, so she's still alive. We take the head of the “big
little ugly”, the head of a “little ugly”, and the head and skin of
the evil over-sized wolf. The “big little ugly” has a greatsword
(which is in good condition) and a chain shirt (which is not in good
condition), and the “little uglies” have a small morningstar, a small
shield, a small crossbow, and a rusty short sword. The “big little
ugly” also had 15 gp, 25 sp, 140 cp, and one gem. We divide this up
with Polonius taking the great sword, Eirnin the chain shirt, Polinus
talking 3 gp, everybody else 4 gp, everybody 6 sp each, everybody 35
cp each, and Droston carrying the gem.</p>
<p>We ended on day 6, June 20th, back at the barracks.</p>
</section>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>During the session we established that Polonius used a hero point last
session, and that Polonius is 16, Eirnin is 17, and Bartha is 17,
although she always says she's 14 when asked. Droston is the oldest
at 18. Droston has the shiny feel good stone that he picked up in an
earlier session from the stone where he'd left cakes and Bartha had
left pretty stones, and it is a luck stone that gives a +1 to saving
throws.</p>
<p>We each got +1500 XP for the adventure and +10 XP each as a
roleplaying bonus.</p>
<p>Droston obviously needs to work on his anger issues.</p>
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</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #3https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2009/01/29/s003-rv-2009-01-29/2009-01-29T00:00:00-05:002009-01-29T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-3">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #3</h2>
<section id="thursday-29-january-2009">
<h3>Thursday, 29 January 2009</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 12:00:32</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<p>Here's the very rough first draft of the log of the third session.</p>
<p>Please reply to this message with more details, or you'll end up with
only this rambling biased view as the permanent record.</p>
<p>I'll post this to P.D.F's forum after everybody has had time to comment.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the GM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as GM</p></li>
<li><p>B.MC. joins us, playing Polonius, Onchu's rowdy young cousin from Riverton</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.F. playing Onchu</p></li>
</ul>
<p>J.H. was unavailable.</p>
</section>
<section id="introduction">
<h4>Introduction</h4>
<p>Sunday, May 24th.</p>
<p>Wages:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>Bartha: 5 cp & leather armor</p></li>
<li><p>Droston: 12 cp</p></li>
<li><p>Onchu: 2 sp</p></li>
<li><p>Eirnin: 2 gp (sold a perfect cherry tree to a Riverton businessman)</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<p>Somebody (the mine owner?) hires the group to help rebuild a bridge on the
old road out past the village, where they want to open another quarry
(marble?). Onchu and Polonius are to help Brock Stonearm, old dwarf
who lives in a suite inside the iron ore mine, rebuild the bridge
while Bartha and Droston guard and supply food.</p>
<p>Leave at dawn and get to bridge site at 9:30 am.</p>
<p>Bartha: 19 on Survival, a deer; Droston: 16 on Survival, 4 rabbits.</p>
<p>Droston leaves out cakes at likely places.</p>
<p>Lots of wolf sign; usually pack of 30, but now split into small groups
of 3 or so? Also the tracks of a huge creature: Bartha says "Man
Bear" — feathered, beaked, bear.</p>
<p>Droston insists on plenty of fires.</p>
<p>Second watch Droston heard something. He quietly work Bartha, who yelled
and carried on. Eventually whatever it was went back the way it came.</p>
<p>Droston insists on more fires.</p>
<p>Tuesday? Day 2?</p>
<p>Bartha ran into 2 wolves 75 yards from camp. The wolves end up dead
and skinned.</p>
<p>Droston insists on even more fires.</p>
<p>Day 4? Droston kills a turkey for dinner, but is attacked by a giant
demonic weasel with horns and barbs, which he just barely manages to
kill by himself, but is severely wounded. The group estimates the
demonic weasel weighed 500 to 600 pounds, and its tracks come from the
north. The group skins it and takes the head, paws, and pelt to show
the village.</p>
<p>Bartha heals Droston to the best of her ability and treats his wounds.</p>
<p>Stonearm tells the friends that he had heard of such creatures, called
dire animals, and had even seen one in his childhood, though he didn't
want to discuss it any further. He suggests they head back to the
village immediately in the morning.</p>
<p>Brock said stay at the mine to get first aid — old Gerdie there is the
best in the village.</p>
<p>Somebody (Brock?) mentions that there is a witch in a swamp at
Riverton who is said to be able to make potions that can heal wounds.</p>
<p>Town meeting on Saturday, 2 cp bounty for wolf skins starting with the
two the group brought back.</p>
<p>Saturday, 2 gp, Monday fully healed.</p>
<p>Polonius is given a heirloom shortsword and a chaw of ‘baccie by old
man Grillus.</p>
<p>Brock tells the friends that the only smith who can make weapons is in
Riverton.</p>
<p>Back to bridge site on Monday.</p>
<p>On rock where Droston left sweet cake and Bartha left a pretty stone
is a marble that tingles when one holds it, the colors swirl and
change, and one feels happier when holding it.</p>
<p>Once back at the campsite the group discovers that some of the large
tools that they left and some of the timbers are missing, the campsite
has been picked through, and things moved and things missing — some
turn out to have been thrown down the ravine. Unfortunately, the
timber that Polonius (?) spent so much time shaping and the pulleys we
need to finish the bridge are missing.</p>
<p>The tracks told Bartha and Droston that four creatures wearing boots,
with very small feet, smaller than dwarven feet, were the culprits.
Brock said he hadn't seen gnomes here since the dwarves left, and
thought these tracks were were definitely not dwarven, and didn't seem
like gnome tracks.</p>
<p>The tracks lead them up a mile S.E. to a camp, which was filthy and
stank terribly. Found the big timber with end cut off with a rusty
saw and hacked about. Didn't find pulleys Droston and Bartha both
failed to follow the tracks any further (both rolled 17).</p>
<p>On the way back they found a vine covered carved opening in the hill
half way back to the bridge site — dwarven sized, with unknown complex
runes around the opening. Droston copied one simple glyph on bark,
after Polonius came up with the idea of using bark.</p>
<p>Brock comes back with them to the opening and translates the dwarven
rules: “Here lies Rorn (decayed) the savior of (decayed).” He tells
them that Rorn Golden Eye was a hero of the first goblin war, 1200
years ago. His chosen weapon was a large hammer, and he died young
saving a bunch of dwarves. Brock says leave the opening uncovered —
if this is his tomb it should be honored.</p>
<p>Tuesday morning there was a problem with the timber, rope, and pulley
arrangement erected to move the keystone into place, and Brock ended
up hanging at the end of a rope. Onchu made a furious effort to pull
things back to a stable position, but was unable to make any
progress. Luckily Polonius had better luck, tied off his side,
pulled Brock to safety, and didn't even loose the key stone.</p>
<p>The bridge is done Friday, hear wolves, get two more deer, which will
be enough hide to make another suit of leather armor.</p>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>We each got 350 XP, except for C.A.F., who got 335 XP (15 XP late penalty).</p>
<p>Droston got 1 Fame Point, for killing the Dire Weasel.</p>
<p>We split the 4 cp bounty for the two wolf-skins amongst the four PCs.</p>
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</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #2https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2008/11/05/s002-rv-2008-11-05/2008-11-05T00:00:00-05:002008-11-05T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-2">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #2</h2>
<section id="wednesday-5-november-2008">
<h3>Wednesday, 5 November 2008</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 10:54:48</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from TKB's blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<p>So, here's the actual play report of the second session.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the GM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F as GM</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.F playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.F playing Onchu Zillman (sp?)</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus, and since unfortunately J.H. wasn't able
to play, Eirnin</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section id="preface">
<h4>Preface</h4>
<p>For the first session we each got 500 XP, and M.A.H. and J.H. got an
extra 2 XP for roleplaying.</p>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="still-traveling-to-riverton">
<h5>Still Traveling to Riverton</h5>
<p>Tuesday morning, May 5th, we set off for Riverton, with the wounded Bartha
travelling on one of the wagons.</p>
</section>
<section id="finally-in-riverton">
<h5>Finally in Riverton</h5>
<p>We finally reached the outskirts of Riverton in the late afternoon,
and realized we had no idea where to deliver the stone. We knew it
must be a warehouse down near the docks, but weren't sure which one.
We stopped a few passersby and asked directions and for a surgeon.
Eventually we determined that Grian's Warehouse was where we needed to
go, and that Sawbones Colmün (or was that Cölmun?) was the doctor in
our price range, and that we needed to get there before he started
drinking for the night.</p>
</section>
<section id="taking-care-of-mcvoy-s-business">
<h5>Taking Care of McVoy's Business</h5>
<p>We needed to take care of our obligations to McVoy first and get the
wagons safely into the livery stables for the night, so we headed out
to Grian's. We got there just as the Grian was locking up, and he was
quite upset about how late we'd arrived, since all his workers had
already left for the day, but after seeing our injured Bartha he
allowed we could unload, if we'd do it ourselves and be quick. We did
and were (and I think Grian even pitched in, as well), and finished in
good time. Unfortunately, this left us all fatigued. We said goodbye
to Grian, who seemed in a good mood at the end, and set off for the
sawbones.</p>
</section>
<section id="bartha-gets-wasted-at-the-sawbones">
<h5>Bartha gets Wasted at the Sawbones</h5>
<p>Arriving at Sawbones Colmán's, it turned out he was a butcher with a
side trade in surgery, but the price was right. Onchu and Eirnin took
the wagons to the livery stable (Bran McVoy, as you'd expect from that
cheapskate, used the cheapest livery stable in town, even though it
was on the far side of town from Grian's.)</p>
<p>Bartha paid for the surgery, but wasn't going to pay for the whiskey
to make it easier, so Droston did, insisting this wasn't for her, it
was for him, so she'd let him pay. He wanted her to be well
anesthetized while the sawbones did his cutting. After a few pulls
off the jug she was feeling no pain, and got through the surgery
well. Sawbones said she'd have an ugly scar, but she'd do alright, as
long as she kept off that leg.</p>
</section>
<section id="wolves-no-just-a-kid-and-a-dog">
<h5>Wolves! No, just a Kid and a Dog</h5>
<p>On the way back from the livery stable Onchu and Eirnin heard a howling
approaching them, which after their wolf experience the day before set
them on edge, but it was just a dog being chased by a kid. (Or was it
the other way around?)</p>
</section>
<section id="supper-with-violence">
<h5>Supper, with Violence</h5>
<p>Once Onchu and Eirnin were back, we set off, two of us carrying Bartha
between us. Droston's intended kindness towards Bartha backfired: it
turns out that Bartha is a noisy, friendly, <em>curious</em> drunk, and in
the dock area after nightfall friendly women attract rather too much
attention. When we tried to get supper at a tavern three thugs
thought Bartha would have more fun with them, and the inevitable bar
fight ensued; things were not helped by Bartha throwing soup over the
combatants and mostly hitting Droston. The thugs were eventually
driven off, to their surprise, but Droston lost his temper when the
barkeep demanded we pay the damages, and told him off. Onchu, no
stranger to bar fights, knew when to leave, and took Bartha with him
over his shoulder, followed by Eirnin, but Droston, not so savvy, got
shot twice by the bartender with a crossbow. Luckily, both shots were
just minor flesh wounds, and Droston left, with the barkeep yelling
after them.</p>
</section>
<section id="sleep-at-last">
<h5>Sleep at last</h5>
<p>We left the area quickly, and eventually found a quiet dockside inn,
the “Wharf Rat”; luckily Bartha had moved on to being a quiet drunk
by that time, and although the innkeep warned them all he had was a
common room and he couldn't answer for Bartha's safety there, we told
him we'd have no problems keeping her safe. We put Bartha against the
wall and crowded around her, and one of us was wake at all times,
weapon nearby, during the night.</p>
</section>
<section id="headed-back-part-1">
<h5>Headed Back, Part 1</h5>
<p>In the morning Bartha had the expected unpleasant aftermath. After we
got her moving, we went back to the livery stable on the far side of
town got the wagons and horses and headed back through town. This
time we avoided the docks and went through the good part of town, a
much nicer trip. That night we stayed at the camp spot, but had a
better arrangement of fires and wagons, in hopes of avoiding more
canine entanglements, and luckily had an easy night.</p>
</section>
<section id="headed-back-part-2">
<h5>Headed Back, Part 2</h5>
<p>The next day, however, while Droston was ranging ahead, just past
halfway, he heard animals coming towards the wagons, and was able to
warn the drivers. It turned out to be a couple of deer chased by a
mountain lion. Thanks to the warning and their own efforts the
drivers were able to keep the horses and wagons under control. For a
few seconds it looked like Bartha was going to send a sling bullet the
mountain lion's way, but she was still recovering from her wound and
hard time in Riverton and decided against it, preventing Droston from
having a heart attack, imaging what her dad would have said.
(“What?!? You let Bartha get bit by a wolf!?!?!? What, you let
Bartha attack a mountain lion and get mauled?!?!?!?”)</p>
<p>Just outside the village we heard faint laughter and saw a coin purse
hanging in tree. Droston though it was probably the murderer from
Riverton trying to ambush people, and argued intently against Bartha
trying to get it.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-in-masonburg">
<h5>Back in Masonburg</h5>
<p>We turned the wagons and horses over to McVoy, who paid out as agreed.
We told McVoy about the purse, in an attempt to warn him and the
villagers about the possible ambush, but found him touched more by
greed at the thought than caution. Bartha proceeded to try to wind
McVoy up, but he just looked at her in disgust and left.</p>
<p>Jed, Bartha's dad, was not happy at all about the shape Bartha was in
when we brought her back, and told her she wasn't to leave her bed
until she'd healed. We told him about the hanging purse too, and he
was wistfully tempted by the thought of the money.</p>
<p>(Later we learned that Jed <em>had</em> gone down to look for the purse, and
found McVoy already there, no purse, and McVoy already half convinced
we'd been playing a trick on him, until Jed turned up. And when Jed
got back, he chastised Bartha for trying to wind McVoy up.)</p>
</section>
<section id="bad-news-for-droston">
<h5>Bad News for Droston</h5>
<p>When Droston checked with his family after dropping off Bartha, his
dad had a sour look for him at what little Droston told him of their
adventures going to town, and some really bad news about his cousin,
Brocc. Deputy Han found Brocc, Droston's cousin, who had been overdue a
day coming back from the high pastures, treed by two wolves. Brocc had
been attacked by 15 wolves several days ago, and while he had killed
two of them with his staff, some of them injured him and drove him up
the tree and stayed there threatening him while the others went
kill-mad and killed many of his fifty sheep and drove the others off.
Two of the wolves stayed there for several days until Deputy Han came
and drove them off and took Brocc, in pretty bad shape, back to town,
where he was bedfast still. Droston went over to him and got Broc to
tell him want happened, and it seemed very unusual and upsetting.</p>
<p>That day Droston and Eirnin searched the local area and found two of
the missing sheep, out of fifty in Brocc's herd originally.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-to-work">
<h5>Back to Work</h5>
<p>The next day Onchu and Eirnin had to go back to work. Droston spent
the day hunting extra to give to Brocc.</p>
</section>
<section id="no-rest-on-the-weekend">
<h5>No Rest on the Weekend</h5>
<p>By the weekend Bartha was healed enough she could walk without any
problems, and Droston asked if his friends could help him try to find
some more of Brocc's sheep. They agreed, and we all headed out for the
alpine pastures,</p>
<p>[My notes here say: “Sat Morn: 3 dead sheep”; I presume this means we
found 3 dead sheep on our way up to the pastures.]</p>
<p>While we were still on the road we came across another purse, lying in
the road. Bartha could not be gainsaid, and went for the purse, but
the purse disappeared when Bartha grabbed at it, leaving behind a very
elaborate but harmless trap, which exploded a red berry dye over the
side of Bartha's face, and we heard more laughter. After making sure
Bartha wasn't injured, Droston scouted the surrounding woods, but
found no tracks.</p>
<p>We arrived at the 1st alpine meadow late in the afternoon and found
approximately 20 dead sheep. We set up camp against a huge rock at
the far side of the meadow, away from the dead sheep, and found lots
of firewood so we could have a large, large fire to keep away the
wolves, if they came back.</p>
</section>
<section id="eirnin-hears-a-who">
<h5>Eirnin Hears a — Who?</h5>
<p>During the night while on guard Eirnin heard little wings
behind his head and a voice told him that there was a very bad man 20
yards thataway. Eirnin immediately woke everybody up, and he could
hear one humanoid running away.</p>
</section>
<section id="mini-arrows-and-murderers">
<h5>Mini-arrows and Murderers</h5>
<p>The next day we searched during the early part of the day, and found 3
more sheep, including 1 pregnant, all scared and thirsting. We left
in good time to make it back to the village before dark. Along the
way down we came across a man, who matched the description of Roy, the
murderer from Riverton, face down in the road with a tiny arrow in his
neck, unconscious. The arrow, when removed, proved not to have
injured him much, and there was no sign of injuries to explain the
unconsciousness. We carefully tied him up and took him in to town,
where we explained how we found him. The mayor told us to work near
town for a few days until someone came from Riverton to take him back
to face his unhappy fate.</p>
<p>Sheriff Artair came to pick up Roy and paid us 10 s.p. total as a
reward, which we divided evenly, 2.5 s.p. each.</p>
</section>
<section id="droston-in-trouble-again">
<h5>Droston in Trouble Again</h5>
<p>The Sheriff took Droston off and spoke to him about events in
Riverton, and Droston admitted he'd learned his lesson there.</p>
<p>We ended Thursday night, May 14th.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>We each got 1 Reputation/Fame point, which can be used to reroll any
Diplomacy type roll. We also got 400 XP.</p>
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</section>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #1https://tkurtbond.github.io/posts/2008/10/01/s001-rv-2008-10-01/2008-10-01T00:00:00-05:002008-10-01T00:00:00-05:00T. Kurt Bond<section id="rushing-valley-d-d-session-1">
<h2>Rushing Valley D&D, Session #1</h2>
<section id="wednesday-1-october-2008">
<h3>Wednesday, 1 October 2008</h3>
<dl class="field-list simple">
<dt>version<span class="colon">:</span></dt>
<dd><p>2021-08-09 10:56:45</p>
</dd>
</dl>
<p>This is an <a class="reference external" href="http://www.actualplay.com/">actual play</a> report from the “Rushing Valley” <em>Dungeons
and Dragons</em> campaign. These actual play reports are available in
<a class="reference external" href="https://tkurtbond.github.io/categories/cat_gaming/actual-play/wvhtf/rushing-valley/">html</a> from T.K.B.'s blog and from P.D.F.'s
<a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/forum.htm">RPG forum</a>'s <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/rushing-valley-campaign-c1/">Rushing Valley Campaign</a> <a class="reference external" href="http://pdf-rpg.motion-forum.net/history-f2/">History forum</a>.</p>
<p>So, here's the actually play report of the first session. Please add
any further details you can remember as replies. I'll see if I can
edit them in afterward.</p>
<section id="attending">
<h4>Attending</h4>
<p>Clockwise round the table, starting with the GM at 9 o'clock:</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li><p>P.D.F. as GM</p></li>
<li><p>M.A.H. playing Bartha</p></li>
<li><p>C.A.H. playing Onchu Zillman (sp?)</p></li>
<li><p>T.K.B. playing Droston a'Seamus</p></li>
<li><p>J.H. playing Eirnin</p></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section id="actual-play-1">
<h4>Actual Play</h4>
<section id="drinking-before-the-festival">
<h5>Drinking before the festival</h5>
<p>It was the night before the spring festival, and the four friends
began the night at the local tavern, the <em>Broken Stone</em>, chattering
about the festival and what competitions they wanted to enter. A long
time rival of Onchu, Halrig (sp?) Hillfield came over and began
chaffing Onchu about the wrestling competition the next day, which
lead to Eirnin wagering 2 c.p. on Onchu vs. Halrig and Bartha treating
Halrig to a couple of drinks to continue him on his way to a
hangover. After that the friends moved outside to the pre-festival
celebrations.</p>
</section>
<section id="out-of-town-ruffians">
<h5>Out-of-town ruffians</h5>
<p>One or more of the friends noticed three out-of-town ruffians forcing
young Lochlan a'Niall down a street and behind a building, and when
shouting for Niall gave no result, the friends hurried after the
youngster and ruffians. By the time the ruffians were in sight again
they hand young Lochlan up against the building side and were beating
his precious coins out of him. Eirnin ran forward and got between the
wee lad and his attacker, the leader of the thugs, and got him to run
and find Sheriff Artair, while the others moved up and engaged the
hoodlums, one of whom brandished a club and attacked them. Droston, in
a rage, began beating the leader with a stick of firewood, while the
others looked to his followers. By the time Niall and Sheriff Artair
arrived the leader was bleeding on the ground, one thug had run off in
fright and the other had surrendered. After interrogating everyone
involved the Sheriff told the friends that they had done well and
carted the leader and the thug off to a root cellar for the rest of
the festival where they were joined the next day by the other thug,
found shivering on the doorstep of the Broken Stone after being
frightened out of the woods. (It turns out that Droston had really
done a number on the leader, broken bones and smashed his face enough
he was possibly looking at losing an eye. Nobody cared.)</p>
</section>
<section id="the-festival">
<h5>The Festival</h5>
<p>The next day the wrestling competition was first in line. Onchu made
it through the necessary eliminations to fight Halrig Hillfield and
after a tense match won handily. Halrig, after recovering, declared it
was a good match and that he'd win next year, and paid Eirnin his 2
c.p. winnings without complaint. Continuing on the competition Onchu
was matched in the final bout with Coll, the reigning village
champion, and while he lost that bout Coll opined that Onchu had been
one of the best challenges he'd had for a while and with a few more
years under his belt would be a very interesting match.</p>
<p>After that Bartha won the sprint contest, and poor Onchu, barely
recovered from his bout with Coll, came in last. (Droston was
impressed that he was able to run at all after matching up with Coll!)</p>
<p>Eirnin won the distance run!</p>
<p>Droston was the runner-up in the Archery meet.</p>
<p>Eirnin came in third on the log chop.</p>
<p>Droston won the axe throw!</p>
<p>Bartha was the runner-up in the sling competition.</p>
<p>After that the friends just enjoyed the rest of the festival.</p>
</section>
<section id="back-to-work-on-monday">
<h5>Back to work on Monday</h5>
<p>The Monday after the festival, everybody went back to work. Droston
and Bartha were off hunting separately while Eirnan and Onchu were
setting out for work. Along the way, Bran McVoy of the Clan McVoy came
up to Eirnin and offered him a job running two of the McVoy wagons
into town, eventually offering Eirnin and Onchu 8 silver a piece, take
it or leave it, no damn bargaining because he'd just go and find the
next guy. Eirnin and Onchu accepted, Onchu cleared his day off with
his shift boss, promising 5 copper under the table, and they set off
to gather their gear and meet at the McVoy's stable.</p>
<p>Droston and Bartha, coming back into town loaded with game, met the
two and hearing of their adventure, decided to accompany them, no
payment besides the adventure needed. Bartha had everything she
needed, so she told her dad where they were off to and brought her
brace of rabbits for lunch. Droston ran back and dropped off his deer
and gathered his stuff, and then on the way back met his dad Seamus in
the street. His dad wasn't overjoyed at Droston's plans, but couldn't
deny Droston had already finished his day's work. He did tell Droston
that his cousin Brocc (who disliked crowds and therefore avoided the
village during festival), was due back in this morning from the alpine
pastures with his goat herd, but had not been seen yet, and although
it wasn't an immediate worry, somebody had to check up on him
soon. Droston promised to check the high pastures as soon as he was
back from town.</p>
</section>
<section id="on-the-way-to-riverton">
<h5>On the way to Riverton</h5>
<p>Once Droston caught up with the group they headed for town with Eirnin
driving the first wagon, Onchu the second, and Bartha riding a wagon
and Droston ranging alongside, scouting ahead and behind on occasion.</p>
<p>At lunchtime they stopped and cooked Bartha's rabbits and Droston
freely admitted she'd done the right thing bringing them along. After
that they continued along. Eventually they met one of the sheriff's
deputies, Deputy Han, returning from escorting the three thugs to
town. He told them of bad character from town, Roy, who'd killed
somebody over a card game and fled justice and was feared to have
taken to banditry and murder in the area. The friends promised to be
careful and not go looking for trouble, and continued on their way.</p>
<p>They reached the halfway camp that evening, but because they had the
wagons and horses they couldn't use the normal campsite, which was
reached by a narrow rope bridge across the river, and could only draw
the wagons up on the side of a wide area in the road and make camp
behind them. Unfortunately, a starving wolf attacked the horses during
Bartha's watch and before Bartha, Onchu, and Eirnin killed it, Bartha
was severly bitten. (Droston, tired out by his day of walking and
running beside the wagons, only woke up in time to see the aftermath
of the fight.) The wolf didn't seem to be rabid, just starving, but
Bartha needs some serious healing.</p>
<p>And that's where we left them.</p>
</section>
</section>
<section id="aftermath">
<h4>Aftermath</h4>
<p>No experience awards at the end of the session.</p>
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