25/7/23
18th & 19th Day of Rainmoot: 1492
Mission: Find Our Lady's Heart
Campaign: Tales from the Bard
Location(s): Mere, Barovia
Present: Bernadette Greycastle, Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, Roscoe Tosscoble, Moonwhisper , Plus Mule.
Some 4 years in time to update the introduction. My blog introduces you to some of the games I like playing, some solo game ideas and games from my DnD online sessions and my local wargaming club. I hope you enjoy.
25/7/23
18th & 19th Day of Rainmoot: 1492
Mission: Find Our Lady's Heart
Campaign: Tales from the Bard
Location(s): Mere, Barovia
Present: Bernadette Greycastle, Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, Roscoe Tosscoble, Moonwhisper , Plus Mule.
18/7/23
18th Day of Rainmoot: 1492
Mission: Find Our Lady's Heart
Campaign: Tales from the Bard
Location(s): Mere, Forest of Abbadon
Present: Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, (Roscoe Tosscoble), Moonwhisper , Plus Mule.
They watched the large tax collection convoy depart. Some 15 barbarians and 10 Gnolls were the escort, along with the large Half-Orc. The children waved as the wagon departed.
Ragul: "Pub?"
Roscoe: "Pub."
Niall: "And don't start any fights this time".
Moonwhisper: "Then tomorrow we can get back on the original task".
No one answered him.
11/7/23
17th Day of Rainmoot: 1492
Mission: Find Our Lady's Heart
Campaign: Tales from the Bard
Location(s): AMN: Small Teeth Mountains, Goblin Hideout, Mere.
Present: Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, Roscoe Tosscoble, Moonwhisper & (Talila Watercup), Plus Mule and 2 children.
17th: Talila stood her watch, 3rd of 4. Moonwhisper would follow her for the last guard. Niall and Moonwhisper having already gone before. Talila hummed and thought. Thought and hummed. Enough, she said to herself. She carefully picked up her things, crept to the closed door and opened it. She slid through quiet as a mouse. She went no more than 2 steps before turning back. Although she had decided to leave she could not leave the others with an open door that could cause unknown troubles.
Using her roguish skills she devised a way to close the sliding bar latch and secure the door behind her. She made good her journey and left no tracks for the others to follow. She was late and this delay had cost her.
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!
Voice: "What's keeping you. You must have seen us coming. We 'aint got all day?"
Moonwhisper was awake. What's that banging he thought. Then he realised, someone or something was banging on the door.
Moonwhisper: "Get up, get up, we've got company and I don't think it's friendly."
The others opened their eyes to see Moonwhisper donning armour and weapons as fast as he could. Then the banging noise registered and they too scuttled around arming and armouring themselves for what was to come.
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG!
Voice: "Come on. What's keeping you. Sleeping off a heavy night.? Well we 'aint got all day?"
Niall crossed the corridor as an arrow slammed into his side.
Voice: "Oops, sorry, but hey aint that an Elf I just hit........by mistake".
Loud raucous laughter followed.
Ragul, realising they were speaking Goblin dashed around the corner and into the corridor opposite Niall. He looked at Niall, who nodded his head to indicate he was ok. Ragul shouted in Goblin.
Ragul: " Oi, enough of that malarky, you'll have some ones eye out."
Voice: "Then open the bloody door and hand over the packages, ew got a long journey ahead and we're burning daylight"."
Ragul kept low as he hurried to the door and began making noises as though he was trying to open it, whilst keeping out of sight of the open hatch.
Ragul: " Having trouble opening this damn lock, its jammed!"
He then began to kick the door again.
Voice: "Look, you got 5 minutes then we're off an' you get no payment. You can explain the why's and where fore's later".
Ragul heard footsteps receding as the 'voice' went back down the steps. Moonwhisper came up the steps and was about to shout out when Ragul shushed him and beckoned him closer.
Ragul and Niall went with Moonwhisper back to the others. They quickly briefed the others as to what had happened. By the time Niall had taken up the watch position and Moonwhisper and Ragul were on the other side all they could see was a wagon with a large circular tent on the back trundling off over the small rise.
Ragul and Moonwhisper went back and gathered the others. By the time they found Niall he was studying the ground.
Niall: "I've searched all around, there is no trace of Talila. Either she's been taken by the 'visitors', unlikely, or she's gone off on her own, more likely. Any way it's a good hour to the old Dwarven road and the wagon tracks are easy to follow.
They followed the wagon tracks to the Old Dwarven Road. It was obvious by the signs that the wagon had come from the east, travelled to the hideout and had left heading west. A long discussion followed about what to do.
1. Take the children to the capital town Gulluvia.
2. Take the children with them and follow the wagon.
3. Take the children back to Mere.
It was decided to head back to Mere as it was the closest friendly habitation they knew. It would take them the rest of the day but Moonwhisper spurred them on and they made excellent time arriving at Mere in the late afternoon, early evening. During the journey Ragul had fashioned two 'charms' for the children. Both depicted the same thing, the holy symbol of Moradin. He had put a small hole in each and attached the charm to a piece of string. He gave gave one each to the children, fashioned out of a silver piece.
They watched the large tax collection convoy depart. Some 15 barbarians and 10 Gnolls were the escort, along with the large Half-Orc. The children waved as the wagon departed.
Ragul: "Pub?"
Roscoe: "Pub."
Niall: "And don't start any fights this time".
Moonwhisper: "Then tomorrow we can get back on the original task".
No one answered him.
PLAYERS INFORMATION:
Note: Each hex is roughly 12 miles across.
Stories told in the Pub that night.
Gulluvia: A ruthless place filled with terror,
especially to a young halfling like Roscoe.
The Lady D’Hmis rules the barony with a firm and unforgiving hand. To gain
supreme rulership of the tiny barony it is rumoured that she poisoned her
husband and killed her step-daughter, Argenta.
Dead Mule: A little shire and a once peaceful place. Named by a group of
Dwarven miners who settled here after their only pack mule died. Soldiers often
camp outside the shire and do not welcome visitors. No one seems to know why
they are here, but the soldiers often terrorise the surrounding area.
N’Sau: This small farming village is so small that
there is no inn or tavern. There is a small general store which doubles as a
tavern, of sorts, meeting hall and store.
Thorold: This lovely village prides itself on the
fact that it breeds the best thoroughbred’s horse in all Gulluvia specifically
for the Barony. Appears lawful but is just as chaotic as Gulluvia itself. The
mayor is related to the Baroness and follows her laws and orders to the letter.
The village is large and boasts 3 taverns, a general store and 2 smithies.
Mere: This tiny village is inhabited by halflings,
though Humans, Elves and Dwarves abide here too. The village is also under the
protection of Gulluvia, but because of its location, the Baroness has little to
do with the village until time to pay its taxes. Which is every 4 months.
Escaped prisoners and slaves who make their way here are given aid to enable
them to travel northward to Amn. Mereians say nothing of this fearing it would
increase the presence of Gulluvian soldiers. The village has 2 taverns, a
general store and an inn.
Velders: Under the protection of Gulluvia, though
this does Velders little good. The
Gulluvian guards fear the Wealdath Forest to the south. There is a trading post
in the centre of town. Orcs and Goblins have been known to raid outlying farms.
Misty Swamp: NO one knows exactly what lies behind
the veil of ever present mist that hovers over the swamp. Some old timers say
that Dwarves who make Anterian Brandy live in the swamp near their secret
ingredient, the swamp water. Others whisper of an evil wizard living there in
a massive tower of black stone. The only thing people who live near the swamp
will agree on is that most magic users and Elves had best stay clear of it or
they will find that their magic spells will not function properly.
Experience: