The sun was setting behind the mountain range that surrounded Fort Rannick. Lem stretched and let out a large yawn before standing from the stool that was his only companion in the guard tower. His shift was finally over, and he could get some sleep while Valeros took over.
Lem
Card Feats: Spell x2, Blessing
Skill Feats: Charisma +4
Power Feats: Once per check, you may recharge a card to add 1D4+2 to another character’s check at your location
Starting Deck
Heavy Crossbow
Medusa Mask
Sihedron Medallion
Burglar
Acolyte
Toad
Holy Light
Lightning Bolt
Toxic Cloud
Cure
Haste
Frost Ray
Blessing of Abadar
Blessing of Shelyn
Blessing of Erastil
Blessing of Desna
Blessing of Pharasma x2
Valeros was waiting for Lem at the bottom of the tower. Once he had descended from the short ladder that led to the top of the tower, Lem waved to his partner.
"Hope your shift is more exciting than mine!" he called as he passed the man.
Valeros grunted in response. That was his usual reply to any conversation, so Lem didn't take it personally. In the days since the flood, things had been settling down to as close to normal as Lem could imagine. He was almost daring to hope that they might get some relaxation in before the next catastrophe.
Valeros
Card Feats: Weapon, Blessing, Item
Skill Feats: Strength +4
Power Feats: Hand Size 5, Add 1D4+1 to another character’s combat check at your location
Starting Deck
Warhammer+1
Scythe+1
Shock Longbow+1
Impaler of Thorns
Icy Longspear+1
War Raazor+1
Magic Shield
Magic Leather Armor
Magic Half-Plate
Belt of Giant Strength
Staff of Minor Healing
Holy Candle
Grizzled Mercenary
Burglar
BoTorag x2
BoAbadar
BoGorum
Lem made his way to his room in the garrison, clearing away some of the clutter as he did so. In the panic to escape the torrential rain, those who had made it to the fort arrived with whatever they could carry out of Turtleback Ferry. As a result, the garrison was packed with random items that were slowly being sorted through. Lem sighed and lay down on the cot that had served as his bed since they moved into the fort.
Turn 1
Lem – BoTorag
Garrison
Dogsliceer – Banish forever
Discard BoDesna explore – Magic Chain Mail – Constitution = D6 = 6 = Success
Valeros stood atop the tower watching the last rays of sun disappear behind the snow-topped mountain peak. There were far fewer rangers manning the fort these days, between those lost to the flood and those killed by ogres or worse, so Lem and Valeros had volunteered to take over some of the guard duty for the time being. It largely amounted to standing around staring at the surrounding forest for hours. The night shift, like the one he was on now, was even worse. The dense forest coupled with a waning moon made it nearly impossible to see around the fort.
Turn 2
Valeros – BoG
Guard Tower – Summon Bandit Henchman – Recharge a card – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+2 = Auto-Success
Half Plate – Constitution = D8 = 5 = Success
Lem was woken from his deep slumber by a hand clamping over his mouth. A giant hand, rough and smelling of earth, gripped his face tightly while another hand wrapped a gag around him. He was lifted effortlessly and stuffed into a sack. He tried to call out, but a massive fist struck him and all turned to darkness.
Turn 3
Lem – BoErastil
Malgus Kreeg – Take all the damage – Lem moves to the Dam
Valeros looked over some of the items that others had left in the tower. An amulet, a suit of armor, and other assorted items. Did the owners of these items still live? He mused about the stories that these items might tell, for he had nothing else to pass the time.
Turn 4
Valeros – BoShelyn
Summon Bandit Henchman – Recharge a card – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+2 = Auto-Success
Amulet of Fortitude – Constitution = D8 = 3 = Fail
Discard BoAbadar explore – Potion of Gracefulness = Intelligence = D6 = 4 = Fail
Lem woke with a start. His head throbbed in agony as he tried to take in his surroundings. The sound of rushing water filled his ears, but around him he could see only the pitch black of night. Overhead, there were no stars. He must be indoors. He was beginning to pick up other noised as well: the heavy sound of metal striking rock. Lem was still bound, but managed to crawl towards the sound.
He exited the small hut to see that he was next to a massive ancient dam. Atop the dam were ogres, giants and their kin. It looked as though they were breaking it down, piece by piece. Could these creatures be responsible for the recent flood? It seemed likely. Lem saw one ogre in particular that was much larger than the rest. He whipped the lesser ogres mercilessly as they toiled over the stonework of the dam.
Lem took this chance to find something to cut his bonds. A broken jagged piece of wood nearby was all he could find, but it would have to do. He worked furiously to cut through the thick ropes. As he did so, the ogre leader began walking towards the hut. Lem did not want to find out what the ogre intended to do with him. After what felt like an eternity, the ropes broke and Lem stood up to face his foe head-on. He would find the halfling no easy prey.
He hid behind the doorway of the hut until the ogre was within his range. Lem muttered an incantation and watched as a luminescent green cloud formed above the lumbering creature. As an acidic rain began to pour down on the thing, Lem leapt from the doorway, blasting it with a flash of holy light. Blinded and burning, the ogre cried out as it stumbled backward. Lem followed up as quickly as he could with a ray of frost, rooting it to the spot in ice. Lem then ran into the nearby forest as quickly as he could while the ogre howled in rage and pain behind him.
Turn 5
Lem – BoG
Malgus Kreeg
Toxic Cloud
1st Check – Holy Light + Toxic Cloud = D10+5 + 2D6 + D6 = 18 = Success
2nd Check – Frost Ray + Toxic Cloud = D10+5 + 2D6 + D6 = 24 = Success
Location closed
Recharge Toxic Cloud = Success
Recharge Holy Light = Success
Recharge Frost Ray = Success
Valeros lit a candle inside the cramped quarters of the tower. He examined some of the items closer. Some of them exhibited excellent craftsmanship. He wondered how much they could be sold for in a more civilized place.
Turn 6
Valeros – BoTorag
Summon Bandit Henchman – Recharge a card – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+2 = Auto-Success
Lem Cure – 4
Recharge Cure = Fail
Battered Chest – Melee = Auto-Success
D4 items – Potion of healing, Wand of shield, Amulet of Life
Holy Candle – 5
Lem's lungs were burning, but he refused to stop running. He yelped involuntarily as he slid down a steep hillside. Tumbling head over heels, he landed at the bottom with a loud thump. He spat out some foliage as he raised his head to look around. The clearing he found himself in was eerie at best. The foliage seemed to glow with a kind of incandescence that was unsettling. In the distance, he saw the silhouette of a man walking.
Calling out, he picked himself up and began to move towards the silhouette. The man did not stop his slow walk, and as Lem reached him, the halfling gasped as he looked into the man's face. He was clothed in the garb of one of the Black Arrow Rangers that populated the region, but his eyes were white orbs. At first, Lem feared that the man might be undead. Upon closer examination, though, the man simply appeared to be in some kind of trance. Lem watched as he continued his mindless walk through the glen. Suddenly, Lem was staggered backward as an arrow pierced his arm. He instinctively dove into the nearby foliage, as he looked for his unseen attacker.
Turn 7
Lem – BoShelyn
Shimmerglens
Charm Person – Auto-Success
Use Charm Person – Night Watch to hand
Discard Toad explore – Scout – Strength + BoAbadar = 2D4 = 3 = 8 damage = Sihedron Medallion absorbs 4, Lem takes 4 damage
Recharge Sihedron = Success
Valeros took another swig from his flask. These rangers might not have much, but they could make damn fine moonshine. He sighed and wondered if Lem was asleep yet. This boredom would surely be the death of him.
Turn 8
Valeros – BoTorag
Summon Bandit Henchman – Recharge a card – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+2 = Auto-Success
Drink potion of healing – 1
BoShelyn – Wisdom = D4 = 2 = Fail
Lem was beginning to fade out of consciousness. His breath was coming in ragged gasps as he clenched his teeth and wrenched the arrow from his arm. He tore some of his tunic and attempted to wrap the wound. It would have to do for now. A howl in the distance brought his vision back into focus. More howls followed, and the noise was drawing closer. Perhaps it was the ogres, using some sinister hounds to track him? He had no time to ponder that further, as a twisted dog-creature literally flew on top of him. He blasted it backward with frost, pinning it to the tree in ice before he ran deeper into the glen.
Turn 9
Lem – BoIrori
Exchange Toxic Cloud for Cure
Cure – 4
Recharge Cure = Success
BoG – Banish
Discard BoShelyn explore – Yeth Hound – Fail wisdom check – Frost Ray + Valeros recharge Shock Longbow+1 = D10+5 + 2D6 + D4 = 27 = Success
Recharge Frost Ray = Success
Valeros was shaken from his reverie by a loud crashing just outside the gate. He looked down and saw an ogre picking itself up from the ground. It had stumbled into one of the ranger traps that lined the outside of the fort. Valeros smiled; finally he would have something to do! He dove from the guard tower, vaulting over the tall walls of the fort and pointing his longspear straight down. The ogre fell beneath him with a satisfying crunch. Man, that was fun. He had to go tell Lem about that. After confirming that there were no more ogres about, he walked towards the garrison to wake his partner.
Turn 10
Valeros – BoAbadar
Summon Bandit Henchman – Recharge a card – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+2 = Auto-Success
Recharge Staff of Minor Healing to heal 1
Kreeg Ogre – Impaler of Thorns = D10+7 + D8+2 = 17 = Success
Strength 5 to close location = Auto-Close
The glowing leaves of plants were a blur to Lem as he ran through the glen. He stumbled across another entranced man, then another. Lem didn't want to end up like them. He had to escape. An arrow whizzed by his ear and spun, unleashing a blast of lightning in the direction of the shot. He was relieved to hear a shrieking sound from the darkness. He turned and ran onward.
Turn 11
Lem – BoGorum
Soldier – Charisma – Auto-Success
Discard Soldier explore – Ven Vinder – Diplomacy = Auto-Success
Banish Vinder to get an item –Healing Potion
Banish Healing Potion – 1
Haste Explore – Scout – Lightning Bolt = D10+5 + 3D6 = 14 = Success
Recharge Haste = Success
Recharge Lightning Bolt = Success
Valeros stumbled through the cluttered darkness of the garrison. The snores of civilians and rangers alike assaulted him from all angles. Where the hell was the halfling? He cursed as he nearly tripped over an old man's walking stick.
Turn 12
Valeros – BoSarenrae
Move to Garrison
Quarterstaff – Banish forever
Lem could see the edges of the glen now, where the foliage had returned to its natural, non-glowing state. Where the hell was Valeros when he needed him? He would have thought that the man would have sensed battle and come running. He had a sixth sense for that sort of thing, after all.
Turn 13
Lem – BoG
Battered Chest – Dexterity + Burglar recharge = D8 + D10 = 7 = Fail
Valeros stumbled forward, crashing into a breastplate. Come [i]on[/i], this was getting absurd. The sound of rats chittering towards him made him groan. He stood and used the flat of the spear blade to smash as many rats as he could. Surely the noise he was making would wake someone, he thought. He looked around in the darkness, and heard only the relentless snoring. These people could sleep through anything.
Turn 14
Valeros – BoLamashtu
Elven Breastplate – Constitution = D8 = 2 = Fail
Discard BoTorag explore – Diseased Rats – Impaler of Thorns + Belt of Giant Strength = D10+7 + D8+2 + 1 = auto-success
Lem paused for a moment, hands on his knees. He was gasping for air, sweat dripping from all his pores. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. It was difficult in the sparse moonlight, but he did manage to identify the mountain peaks that surrounded him. He began to make his way towards what he thought was the fort.
Turn 15
Lem – BoNorgorber
Acid Arrow – auto-success
Valeros had had enough of this absurdity. He pulled a torch from his pack and lit it. These people's sleep be damned, he needed light. As the flame sprang to life, he looked directly down into the face of a hideous goblin snake. He spat at it and brought the shaft of his spear down on the thing's skull. He was officially never sleeping in this building again.
Turn 16
Valeros – BoG
BoIrori – Intelligence = D6 = 6 = Success
Discard BoIrori explore – Goblin Snake – Impaler of Thorns + Belt of Giant Strength = D10+7 + D8+2 + 1 = Auto-Success = Banished forever
The fort was in sight. Thank all that was holy, Lem thought. He slowed his pace some now that his salvation was in sight. As he did, a thunderous crash sounded behind him. Lem whirled to see a burned and bleeding ogre step into view.
"Thot you cud escape, did ya?" The ogre gurgled what Lem assumed was a laugh, "Nobody 'scapes Malgus Kreeg." he wheezed.
Lem was beyond pitying this wretched creature, though, and unleashed a crossbow bolt between it's eyes. The bolt embedded itself deeply, but the ogre continued forward. Lem shouted an inantation, and watched as the crossbow bolt began to glow a sickly green color, and melted through the ogre's skull. It collapsed in front of him, lifeless.
Turn 17
Lem – BoG
Malgus Kreeg
Valeros attempt to temp close Garrison – Defeat Bandit Henchman with +2 difficulty – Impaler of Thorns + Belt of Giant Strength = D10+7 + D8+2 + 1 = auto-success
Malgus
1st Check – Heavy Crossbow + BoErastil = D8 + D10 + 2D8 = 20 = Success
2nd Check – Acid Arrow + BoPharasma = D10+5 + 2D4 + 2D10 = 18 = Success
Valeros heard a shuffling sound and looked up to see Lem stumble through the door.
"You look like hell. Where have you been?"
Lem waved him away. "No, no words now. Talk later. Now sleep." With that, the halfling collapsed on the floor.
Well, at least [i]someone [/i]had an interesting night.
Scenario Reward – Power Feat
Lem – Light Armor
Valeros – add 1D4+2 to another character’s combat check at your location
Post-Game Analysis
I had a great deal of fun telling the story on this one. Lem getting "kidnapped" early on was just perfect. I loved the harrowing tale of Lem's journey back to the fort while Valeros just kind of stumbled around, bored to tears.
Not much in the way of loot this time. Just some new magic armor for Valeros. I decided to take light armor proficiency with Lem even though he doesn't yet have the card feat for it. I thought that it would help later on with his ability to cycle through the deck and maybe even avoid some of that damage he's so fond of taking. Guess we'll see!
Next time: The final scenario (in this adventure deck) :)
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