Friday 19 February 2016

Episode 12 - I do like a siege besides the seaside.

So the band visited the Ghoul King, Brettanus to see if he could be of any help in the coming conflict. The King and his ghastly court were intrigued by news of a new intelligent race and inquired as to how they tasted. The band politely replied that the did not know. Brettanus ordered Joruth to venture with the band to the surface and bring back some leg of human for the court to try. Donning some ancient armour and a mace that had seen better millenia, Joryth obeyed his liege.

The band then snuck across to the copse where the humans were hiding. Perrin and Cheet conspired through various woodland arts to approach the monsters undetected. Cheet then summoned a pack of wolves to attack the invaders from the other side. While they were distracted by the wolves the band attacked and, with Joryth's aid, they quickly defeated them. They then took back some leg of human to Brettanus and his court. The Ghoul King proclaimed these new creatures to be very tasty. The band beat a hasty retreat in case they also went on the menu and wondered what to do next.

They decided to plan their next move in a tavern. They quickly set on the idea of fortifying it on the basis that a last stand with a wet bar was the best of a bad situation. The remaining townsfolk soon gathered and offered their own opinions. Some wanted to flee, while others thought surrender could not be so bad. The Dwarves were not so bad, what with the roads, trade, food, law and order, etc. These Humans could not be too different. The band filled them in on various conversations they had had with charmed humans and their casual talk of murdering / brutally enslaving the incumbent races. They also pointed out that the human's creator was Bane, accounted as being a total bastard even by the standards of the local divinities. The remaining townsfolk then looked more worried, went back to being indecisive and panicking.

It was about this point Scawl decided the alchemist Sala might be of use. Travelling to her house and store he found the low elf leaving on a cart. Impressed with her presence of brain Scawl advised her to make for Mamucium. This was mainly so he could find her later. Sala gave Scawl a deadly poison and left.

The band then went about deciding how to best poison the approaching army and went to investigate. A day later saw them watching the humans on the march. The humans traveled in the manner of dwarves, making a fortified camp each night. Three elite humans were riders of savage winged beasts that had the manner of giant hexapedal eagles. Using magic, stealth and a dissembling guise they snuck in and poisoned a number of humans and one of the beasts. During the day they hid from the patrols of the flying things and also ran from some misshapen giants wreaking havoc on the lawless countryside.

The humans eventually brought things to a head by flying directly over the walls and telling the city the fate awaiting all poisoners, crucifixion for the first offence. Fortunately the band had made it back to Deva and engaged the humans, their mounts and despite the human leader bringing Bane's divine power to the battle, managed to prevail. This was in no small part due to Scawls creative use of his telekinetic powers to 'surprise' one of the beasts in a sensitive place, causing it to flee.

The band then wondered what to do about the remaining humans. Cheet suggested unleashing the ghouls upon them and so they went to ask a favour of Brettanus. The Ghoul King was welcome to the idea since their first taste of human had been so good, they could not resist the allure of more. That evening the entire ghoul court went on procession down to the human camp and slaughtered them all. They then proceeded back before morning leaving a torn and desolate camp. The band promptly organised the city to loot it. Strangely, the coins of the humans were sharp triangular objects made of iron. But the rest of their stuff was well made, if odd.

A few days later as the looting was coming to an end the band were informed they had a strange visitor asking for them at the inn. It was the strange being from the silver mine  near Navio. It had a little job for our intrepid band and could promise the location of some artifacts of Law amongst it's payment.

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