DAY ONE
The Lone Wolf Club was journeying around the countryside of Ardanach, seeking adventure and entertaining villagers, when they received a summons from the king. Puzzled but always up for a new adventure, they packed up and headed for the capitol city of Rodharc. At the city gates, they were met by an escort and taken directly to the castle.
There, in the castle's priceless chained library, the Lone Wolf Club enjoyed the honor of coming face-to-face with King Baedan of Ardanach. After a few jests about regicide (which the king, familiar with the nature of the Lone Wolf Club, suffered patiently), they got down to business. The king began:
"The rumors you have no doubt heard are true: I am dying. I have no sons, and my only hope of securing the stability of our nation is to marry my eldest daughter to a man I can trust. I would give her to one of my own lords, but greed for my throne has consumed them and I no longer know who I can trust. Someone in my confidence has taken the news of my illness to the Southern Kingdom, which has mobilized quickly. One of my spies now tells me that they plan to attack at the next full moon – thirty days from now."
King Baedan begged the Lone Wolf Club for their assistance. He would give them gold and his blessing to travel the seven kingdoms, searching for a solution to his dilemma… ANY solution.
- Should the king marry his daughter to a trusted lord? Or should he try to secure an alliance by marrying her to a prince of a foreign nation?
- Is there any hope that the king will survive the winter? Can a cure to his sickness be found?
- Can the southern army be stopped, or will Ardanach face a full-scale war in 30 days?
The king is desperate—desperate enough to pin his hopes on a rag-tag band of adventurers.
As the Lone Wolf Club began to discuss a plan of action, a pageboy burst into the library, crying out, "The wolves are loose! The wolves are loose!" Caught off guard, the king began to object—but then he heard the screams of his servants in the courtyard. He sent his bodyguard to protect his daughters, and begged the Lone Wolf Club to bring the bloodthirsty animals under control.
Much to the king's dismay, the Lone Wolf Club's quest almost came to an end right there, in the courtyard of his own castle! After rushing thoughtlessly into the fray, and suffering severe damage, the adventurers were able to slay only one of the three beasts. Fortunately, some… "guards" appeared to bring the massacre under control.
Will the Lone Wolf Club be able to muster the cooperation and forethought required to save the kingdom? Or will they perish in their next encounter—outside the safety of the castle walls?
No matter what, it is clear that they need to spend a little more time questioning the king…
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