The Mythic World of Urd: Retainers & Revenge

** The Mythic World of Urd Campaign Page **

The following is GameDoc's after-session notes from our private social media.  It is included here for posterity and ease of access.  You can also listen to this session's notes at the Arcane Alienist!

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Retainers & Revenge

On the return from the forest, the reduced caravan guard Dominique recounts how her group was ambushed by orcs. She notes that they sprang silently from out of nowhere and reeked of death. She was unconscious before she knew it and awoke blindfolded and bound as her captors seemed to negotiate with some hobgoblins before roughly handing her over.

The heroes rerun to the keep and split up. Celestina, Khaine, and Jessup head into the keep to deliver the carcass of the tarantella spider to the wizard Olivair. He agrees to harvest its venom in exchange for half the yield. It will take a couple of days.

Outside the wizard’s tower, they’re met by a dwarf who asks about their progress in the mines. Khaine explains how they left things with the kobolds. The dwarf seems unsatisfied with the news and darts off to report in to Horrik, the leader of his clan.

They then visit the chapel where Khaine inquires about more access to healing magic. The curate tells him to either recruit more clerics into the party or find an alchemist or herbalist who can make potions. The curate can also pen scrolls, but it’s a lengthy and expensive endeavor.

In the Canopies, the rest of the party heads to the tavern to carouse with the locals. Harald beings talking up the warrior types, mostly unemployed mercenaries and caravan guards. He learns they’re none to happy with the castellan for not only closing down the tradeway, but insisting his own soldiers will handle the orcs rather than hire any of them. They mention a traveling priest who has come into camp who feels the same way.

Khaine makes a point to take in this priests next sermon at the shrine in the center of the encampment. The priest, Hedemar, is a cleric of St. Arnhilde the Liberator. Hes a firebrand who calls out the castellan and the merchants of the keep for imposing their will on the free people of the Hinterlands. He travels with two acolytes who have taken vows of silence - Volker and Thilo.

After some discussion, Khaine discovers that Hedemar is concerned about the orc situation. Hedemar points out that the orcs have long been peaceful neighbors and there most be something more afoot. He agrees the join the party as Khaine’s retainer, bringing the acolytes along as hirelings.

In the meantime, Durgash takes on Jessup as a retainer and Celestina offers to take on Dominique as a retainer and bodyguard. She cashes in on the offer of access the the castellan’s armory to properly and and equip herself.

Tuatara wrangling.

After a day of rest, the reinforced party heads back into the woods towards the goblin’s cave. Along the way they encounter the giant tuatara lizard that nearly killed Harald earned his enmity. Harald decides to capture rather than kill it, and with some help form the others manages to hogtie it and put it in the cart.

The party then proceeds to the caves to find that the goblins and hobgoblins have prepared for future invaders. They have posted guards and erected barricades. Scouting ahead, Jessup discovers a second interest higher up on the ridge. The part elects to storm that entrance. As they depart they just manage to notice a bugbear scout and prevent it from raising the alarm.

The party assaults the the entrance. Harald is seriously wounded and falls in battle, but is healed by Roderick. Khaine is also felled by a hobgoblin but is too far removed from the group to be healed in time and dies. The party secured the entrance but finds themselves out of healing resources with wounds remaining. They elect to retreat into the woods and make camp and try again later.