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Man Hunt
The Hook
"What do you mean the cell is empty?!? Where the hell did they go?"
Prelude
The Broken Buckler is a Mercenary Hiring Hall in the Drake Ward, between the docks and the Imperial Way. It boasts a lively crowd, drinking under the watchful eye of the burly barkeep.
A guardsmen walks in and and speaks to the barkeep, who after a brief conversation bellows for quiet. “THE SERGEANT HERE NEEDS A FEW BODIES NOW! IF YOU ARE SOBER AND WANT WORK COME TALK TO THE MAN”
Summary
In the end, about 15 people presented themselves. The sergeant had them stand in a line and gave them all a good once over. Two were deemed too drunk to be of value and were sent away immediately.
"Anyone here a tracker?" asked the Sergeant.
A couple of men raised their hands. "Good, you two are hired".
"You," he said, pointing to a slight man who carried a staff and a crossbow, "is that stick you're only weapon?"
"That and my faith," replied the man, as he touched his holy symbol.
"You're hired; you look like a tunnel rat." He pointed to an elf near him and said, "you too. I could use some men with brains and less brawn." He said this eyeballing a giant of a man who stood a little behind the others and still managed to tower over them.
"You, big one, what's your name and what do you do?"
The man snapped to, "I'm a soldier sergeant, my name is Magnus."
"Alright, well this is a dead or alive thing, you can dcarry back any that wind up dead," he motioned for the man to come join the others. "One more," he said looking over the group. "you, are you some kind of a wizard?"
"The best kind," the man replied, brimming with confidence. "Alright, you're the last, go into that room there," he said, pointing to one of the conference rooms in the hiring hall.
A moment later, the man joined them. "A group of prisoners escaped from their cell. It looks like there was a hidden door into some tunnels. We want you to go in and bring them back dead or alive. Any questions?"
If anyone had questions, and certainly a few did, they kept them to themselves. The Sergeant grunted his approval. "Follow me. You'll be compensated for your efforts".
He led them across the city to a non-descript facility and then inside through a checkpoint and down a flight of stairs to what appeared to be a prison. He pointed at one of the cells and said, "the door is back there. We want the prisoners dead or alive. A few alive might get you a bonus." With that, he stepped aside and let them enter the room.
They quickly took up positions with the elf, who claimed to be most observant in front and one of the trackers behind him. The rest arranged themselves behind them with the big guy in the back. The wizard, whose name was Stier, suggested that since it meant no one would be able to come up behind them because the big man pretty much filled the space.
They moved forward aways, stopping at two doors along the way. The elf, whose name was Ivan, said the first one wasn't trapped which turned out to be true. He decided the second one wasn't trapped and didn't even check. He was wrong and took some damage to remind him to be more paranoid in the future.
They made their way down the narrow confines of the passage until it opened up a bit and they found themselves staring at some unholy creatures. They had the bones of men but were covered with only gobbets of flesh. They attacked, and the group responded in kind. Ivan the elf tried hard to pull his weight, but the horror of the creatures seemed to rob him of his courage and he could barely strike them. Vithmiris (the holy man), Zebulon (the scimitar wielding tracker), Mornan (the outdoorsman) and Stier (the wizard) made quick work of them. Of the big man, there was no sign and some jokes were made about his courage before they continued.
As the advanced further into the tunnels, they surprised a couple of goblins and their hideous goblin dog. As if from nowhere, the big man pushed his way to the front and cut the dog in twain. The goblins soon joined their erstwhile pet. It turned out that the big man had gotten hung up in a narrow part of the tunnel and had just managed to work himself free. At the wizard's suggestion, he switched from his two-handed sword to his two-handed hammer in case of more skeletons.
They moved further into the tunnels which Magnus now directly behind Ivan in case he got stuck again. They continued moving through the tunnels, killing a few goblins along the way, until they came to a makeshift door. Magnus kicked it down with a tremendous crash and it revealed a huge room, nearly 100 yards on a side with a depression in the middle. This seemed to be the goblins' home as there were many in the room and nearby.
The battle was joined and things did not go well for the goblins. Vithmiris and Stier unleashed magic to great effect leaving goblins trapped in stone or stunned and unconscious while their companions put them to death with hammer, sword, teeth, and claws. Suddenly a shadowy figure appeared in the pit and lobbed a ball of fire at Stier. With their own foes dead, Zebulon, Magnus, and Vithmiris moved quickly to confront the creature. It struck at Zebulon with a burning fist nearly killing him.
His victory was short-lived and as he was cleaved down, Magnus exulted and demanded the three remaining goblins surrender. They didn't quite surrender but neither did they engage, instead they ran towards an exit. Magnus and Mornan's bear moved to block the door, waiting for the goblins to either try the door or think better of their plan.
Part Two
The two goblins decided to throw themselves on the mercy of the group and were interrogated. They revealed the humans had arranced with the tribal shaman to get free passage through the goblin lair. They pointed out the tunnel where the humans had left.
The heroes headed down the passage and found a quartet of goblin's standing guard. Ivan, thinking quickly, told them the group had been sent by the shaman to join their friends. The goblins fell for it and the group was able to follow the passageway.
They continued along a series of passages and found a flight of stairs leading up. Osoo the Bear smelled something behind them, but no one could see it. After trying to find it with flour and dust, they decided to leave Osso and Mornan in the back and proceed, hopting that the bear would warn them if whatever was back there attacked.
They found a room with supplies and could see that across from the grate they were behind, there were a couple of guys trying to lock a similar grate. The group attacked through a variety of means and managed to knock down one of those bad guys before four more emeerged from hiding places around the room. The battle was tought enough before the two demons appeared and attacked Osso and Mornan.
As the battle raged, everyone but Mornan and Vith was knocked out at some point and the healing potions came in very handy. The cultistis had two healers, one of whom channeled negative energy twice. As most of those in the room were killed or knocked out, Magnus tore down the grate and Zebulon made quick work of one of the healers; the other managed to escape by plunging himself into the river.
All but one of the prisoners survived, but questioning them proved fruitless as they were dedicated members of the Cult of the New Dawn and were convinced they'd have better lives if they did in service to the cult.
The group returned with the prisoners and received some praise from the warden who also warned them that if word spread there was a secret way into the castle, he would hunt them down.
Quotes
Magnus: Well struck, my friend!
Steve: Don't you speak goblin?
Lou: Oh, yeah I do.
Joe: He's able to translate: "oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, he splatted our dog."
Joe: Maybe the two guys in front should put on their clothes.
Lou: I'm short, but not that short.
Mick: I drop my shield and scimitar in favor of my claws
Joe: Hey Look, free stuff.
Tim: I already have those things.
Mornan: You knocked his block off!
GM: There's only goblin surrounded by three party members and three others about 30' away who threw javelins.
Jimmy: Are they trying to interrogate him.
Steve: Usually we kill most of them before we ask any questions.
Magnus: Well done Stier, well done.
Stier: You're the only thing between me and the goblin! Focus!
Magnus: Well done Mornan, well done.
Magnus: Surrender Now!
GM: They stop and cower.
Magnus: Ivan, you can interrogate these two.
Part two
Tim: We also use our cameras so we can see each other.
Steve: Except for Lou.
Tim: All we can see is the top of his head.
Lou (adjusts his postion): Is that better?
Steve: Not really.
Lou: What's down there?
Joe: Six humans, he just told you.
GM: It's where we forage, mostly for rats.
Steve: Anyone need a healing potion now. (Pause) Okay, silense is a death sentence.
Joe: Look at your character sheet.
Jimmy: Nat 20
Steve: Man (it's probably his 4th or 5th roll over 15)
Tim: We need a camera on his dice.
Jimmy: I'll show it, I'm preud of this shit.
GM: Survival Check
Steve: 22.
Jimmy: 23.
GM and Steve together: Show off.
GM: You're travelling through the sewers.
Joe: Man, I didn't think that many people ate corn in the city.
Tim: It's probably going to kill me.
Joe: It's only the second session, you can't be too attached.
Joe: You have two healers and they're hiding behind a metal grate healing each other. I don't care if the rest of you get away, but those two are going to fucking die!
Joe: Now he's humping your leg.
Jimmy: Better than eating it.
Magnus: Thanks for softeniong him up.
Jimmy: We bring back the imp
GM: He was turned to ichor, you'd need a bucket or something.
Joe: If we pick the imp up with paper towel, at least we'll get one bounty on him.
The Spoils
gold ring 10gp
10gp , 15sp, garnet 55gp, 2 freshwater pearls 10gp ea strung onto a necklace
5 potions (4 clw 1 barkskin) the CLW were used
410 Gp
each player is given a silver medallion, a right of way for the roads and gates of the Empire
Each also receives a potion CLW in a simple pewter vial
Experience Points
| Character | Previous | Bonus | Base | New Total |
Part 1
| Character | Previous | Bonus | Base | New Total | |
| Ivan | 0.0 | 100.0 | 935.0 | 1035 | Need 265 for level 2 |
| It can't be trapped +50 We need to talk to one +50 | |||||
| Magnus Stramberg | 0.0 | 50.0 | 615.0 | 665 | Need 635 for level 2 |
| Leeroy Jenkins! +50 | |||||
| Mornan | 0.0 | 50.0 | 935.0 | 985 | Need 315 for level 2 |
| Bear rush and Flying elbow +50 | |||||
| Stier ( sty-er) | 0.0 | 50.0 | 935.0 | 985 | Need 315 for level 2 |
| This is the way +50 | |||||
| Vithmiris | 0.0 | 50.0 | 935.0 | 985 | Need 315 for level 2 |
| Siphoning off of Stier +50 | |||||
| Zebulon | 0.0 | 50.0 | 935.0 | 985 | Need 315 for level 2 |
| Wolverine +50 | |||||
Part 2
| Character | Previous | Bonus | Base | New Total | |
| Ivan | 1035 | 200.0 | 430.0 | 1665 | Went from Level 1 to 2 Need 1635 for level 3 |
| Not Killing the prisoners +50 Bluffing the guards +50 The goblins ate them +50 Wait, are there tracks +50 | |||||
| Magnus Stramberg | 665 | 250.0 | 430.0 | 1345 | Went from Level 1 to 2 Need 1955 for level 3 |
| Not Killing the Prisoners +50 Bluffing the guards +50 Gatecrasher +50 character background +50 doing the maintenance +50 | |||||
| Mornan | 985 | 150.0 | 430.0 | 1565 | Went from Level 1 to 2 Need 1735 for level 3 |
| Not Killing the Prisoners +50 Bluffing the Guards +50 Taking the rear guard +50 | |||||
| Stier ( sty-er) | 985 | 250.0 | 430.0 | 1665 | Went from Level 1 to 2 Need 1635 for level 3 |
| not killing prisoners +50 bluffing the guards +50 Swatting with a glaive +50 managing an extra character +100 | |||||
| Vithmiris | 985 | 150.0 | 430.0 | 1565 | Went from Level 1 to 2 Need 1735 for level 3 |
| not killing the prisoners +50 bluffing the guards +50 Not that kind of priest +50 | |||||
| Zebulon | 985 | 150.0 | 430.0 | 1565 | Went from Level 1 to 2 Need 1735 for level 3 |
| not killing the prisoners +50 bluffing the guards +50 Feats of strength +50 | |||||
| Chronicles | Survey =≫ |
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