Swit 1-7 501 4th age
The group was set down along the coastline some 40 miles from Miri Noche and some 10 miles from one of the large defense towers along the Rista River. The temperature was hot and humid. The group had a a small two level tower to live in and a beach that had three levels to it. Erich, their temporary leader gave them some instructions, mostly not to die as they were not getting paid well for this job and if things went bad, regroup at a place called the lost tower.
In addition to the group, a member of the White Company, Edu Appledoon was with the group. Edu made friends with the group and pitched in digging choke points for the exits from the beach. The work was tiring and hot. If the person wasn’t working they were in the ocean trying to keep cool as the temperatures went well above 100 degrees while they were there.
Finally, a sail appeared. As the group observed, they noticed that there was a second ship being towed by the long ship. The second ship detached from the larger one and made directly for the shores while the larger ship would make a later landing. The group engaged in arrow fight with the second ship, the group also noticed that the crew of the second ship were not Veristani in nature but mercs from the Red Crusaders.
The ramps came down as the ship grounded itself to the shore, and coming down the ramps were Kobolds. The group fought but were almost overwhelmed by the Kobolds. In the meantime, KELTAIN got separated from the group and went after the human invaders. He was overrun by the humans as the main group scrambled and beat the kobolds, and the Red Crusaders and saw that things were turning bad. Wolfram Trogar noticed that Keltain was down and went to save him and two to buy time for the group to take the smaller boat and get away. Wolfram presented a challenge to the band attacking him but failed completely in taking out any of the invaders but the group got away.
They sailed to the west and re-landed some 15 miles to the west where they made their way to the lost tower. There they found about a dozen dead mercs, all killed by something. The group searched around the tower. Eventually they found that a ooze like creature that was responsible for the deaths. After dispatching the creature, other survivors showed up and the group recognized the two of them as folks they met at sea. Their story was similar to what happened to the group. It was decided to head to Taba to warn the folks there. They reached there after nightfall and found the gates closed to them but the guards said that the invaders were at the river.
Aria 19-30 501 4th age
the group left Aruedas and spent the night at Castelo Araujo where they were attacked by a cockatrice. The group survived the attack and when near the village of Nosinos, they met a young woman with torn white clothing and a knife. Her name was Angie and she had escaped from Nosinos where her father had arranged a marriage to a merchant named Miguel whom she despised. She had refused and her father had hit her. She asked to be taken with the group to wherever they were going. The group debated for awhile and took a vote. The vote was 4-2 for taking the girl with them.
As they were passing around Nosinos, they encountered the jilted merchant whom tried to bribe them and then threaten them but eventually backed off. The group made it to QUEGO where the girl was taken in at the Albert to work as a laundry maid. The group went down to the docks to meet with Helio Porto to find new jobs, there were several offers but the group decided to go to Hebrean to help ward off potential invaders. the ship would leave in four days, while meeting with Helio they met some folks from two other merc companies, the White Company and Caines Raiders. The group headed out to see if they could sell off their goods which they captured from the bandits and increased their funds.
While waiting at the Albert, an attractive woman sat with the group. Her name was Vera Gimenez and she wanted protection from her husband who was drunk. She tossed money to the group and the group agreed. Kethaliael spotted somebody acting suspiciously who had left so the group decided to go to another tavern, the Tres Brujas(three witches) a watering hole for locales.
Apparently the husband found out and wandered into the tavern. A fight ensued with most of the group going down unconcious before the husband, a priest of SMERC. The group wanted to loot the priest but the lady said no and the group agreed
After resting up the group made their way to the Gallant Griffin the ship they were taking. They found that the mercs that they had met were also going along. The trip was uneventful, the captain told the group that their commander was in the Dallian Confederacy organizing things
The group made it to the north coast of Hebrean where they met one of the subcommanders from their mercenary company a man named Erich who assigned the group to the far eastern area. the group left.
Egil, drenched with water and having his beard showing signs of salt decided to call on his shaman Olaf to calm down the seas about his fleet. He decided that he should have done it before but wanted to test the mettle of his men and women. However the seas were being extremely nasty.
Olaf, with his long hair waving in the high winds, braced himself and began the chant. Eventually the spell took effect and the seas were much calmer but the winds were still brisk. Egil smiled. This would be a good raid.
Aria 16-19 501 4th Age
The group reached the village of Aruedas where they noticed that many of the folks there had similar facial features and were met by mostly silence. The first thing that was upbeat was the greeting from the priest of Sorte Miguel. The group was taken to the great meeting house where they started a discussion of what had gone by in the past. They were introduced to Lenice, who turned out to be the wife of Fernando,one of the gentlemen that had hired the group. Lenice was a striking beauty and out of place in this provincial town.
The group went out to Anna’s place. They were told of the story that Anna was the cause of the 20 year annual killing spree and searched about the house. Kethaliael suffered some problems with not being able to find and disable traps and was was incapacitated for the night. The group found a small doll in the image of Lord Ribero and took it back to the authority house.
The group split into three groups to patrol the edges of the village as a start. The creature showed up and attacked both Carlo Renzo and Miguel. The others scrambled to try to save the two priests. In the end the creature with its life draining ability nearly did in some of the heroes before dissipating as it attempted to fly out. the group suspected Lenice of knowing more and when confronted spilled the information. The creature was hidden under the temple that was being cleaned and getting back into use.
The group went over to the temple and began to speak with Miguel. Lenice tossed her cat at Carlo and attempted to cast a spell. Miguel attacked the group which suprised the group a little. Kethaliel earlier had been charmed to assist Lenice which one of the group had dispelled.
Lenice had confided earlier that she was a descendent of Annas and that the descentants had kept the creature alive to renew the vow to kill people.
Lenice was killed although she was pregnant and the child was Fernando’s. The group got their money and left the village.
Aria 15, 16 501 4th age
The ship slide quietly into port bearing the group who are members of the Falcon Raiders as well as other mercs from other companies who were also kicked out of Vemany. The group checked through the port authority and met with the moneychangers before heading along the port. They were told to report back to the port authority in a couple of hours as Helio Porto might have a job for them.
The group ended up at the Dancing Beggar Tavern where they ended up in a skirmish with members of a different merc company, the Red Crusaders. Darrius Dragovic and the elvish rogue with them made the fight go from a basic bar brawl to something more deadly. One of the companions, a priest of WOGNAR namedCarlo Renzo ended up healing the opposing members to keep the carnage down. The group prevailed in the fight.
The group went back to Helio who introduced them to two gentlemen from the village of Aruedas who had a problem that needed to be solved. Every twenty years, a series of murders would occur within this community. It was to be twenty years in several days. The group did accept the position and left with the two gentlemen. The two gentlemen provided the group with information about the history that led up the the current situation.
As the group passed through the town of Nosinos, the group was told that bandits had been seen in the area. The group prepared and when the attack came they were ready. In a drawn out fight, the group caused the bandits to retreat and although several of the group were down, it was decided that the group would press on and finish the bandits. Healing was done quickly and the group tracked the surviving bandits, where another brutal fight took place, with several of the group going down before the lone survivor surrendered.
The group took the prisoners back, most of the bandits were still alive but down for the count to where the local authorities took control of the prisoners and paid the group the bounty that was due. The group went on to Aruedas.
One of the humans stood up, resplendent in his turban and light chain spoke to the prisoners. To the side of him was another human dressed in the heavy desert garb of his people. He spoke in a loud resounding voice, “You, whom have led badly by the now deceased King Assuary, fought bravely in a bad situation and for that, I will grant you your lives. However, you all will be put on ships and banished from these lands forever. If you are found in these lands again you will be put to death. For those whom fought with their King, I will grant you amnesty and the ability to be part of our army again provided you swear fealty to this council. If you wish to proclaim your allegiance to your former King, then you will be killed, your family killed, and all existence of your miserable lives will be expunged.” Some of the prisoners translated the words to those who did not understand the tongue but all understood the tenor of the message.
There was a moment of silence, and then one shouted out, “Assuay was the rightful king. You and your kind are vultures, which shall be like carrion and destroy what is left of our kingdom.” The man stepped forth and spit on the dust. The man in the turban motioned and two of the Saurigs moved forward, their tails making a trail in the desert floor, their lizard like bodies moving sinuously to the defiant man. They grabbed the man and dragged him to the turbaned man.
The turbaned man just looked at the defiant man before him and smiled. He put his hands on the man’s’ face as if centering the head before speaking to him. The struggling man screamed, and there was a cracking sound, the man’s head exploded in a spray of blood and brains as it was crushed between the turbaned man hands. The turbaned man, covered in blood and brains quietly ripped the dead man’s shirt and wiped his face slowly clean and his hands. The silence seemed to go on forever. Finally the Turban man turned away and walked back to the rock.
He spoke again after mounting the rock, “These ships will take you away to various lands. May you fair well in other places. If you come back you will be dead.” With that he turned away and left the rock. The Saurigs and others pushed you to the ships. The native troops who decided to return to the army were led away. There were no others.
The crowd stood with their heads bowed as the body of Emmanuel the second was pulled by carriage behind a group of six Clydesdale horses. The Household cavalry of the order of the Lion was resplendent in their plate and barded horses followed in double ranks, followed by the elite infantry in their dress blues.
The Queen Wanda dressed in completely in black sat in the royal throne with her handkerchief in her hand. It was rumored that she had wanted the king brought back, but the king’s final wish was that his death be permanent as he was some 80 years of age and in great pain from the ravages of time and his penchant for fighting as a youth.
The queens’ retinue stood at attention behind her. Many in the crowd noted that one of the retinue was the ambassador from the Dallian Confederacy Ivo Gunduli was standing next to the Queen whispering words to her instead of standing at attention.
Ritari(king) Egil Stenmark awaited the word of the Oracle Astrid. The wizened old hag would show up and make her proclamations by gutting a sheep and performing writing for a period of time with the blood of said sheep. Egil was getting sleepy but was willing to perform his kingly duties on a couple of young wenches when a wind came up opening the doors and putting out the torches. The noise went to only the sound of the wind blowing.
He could make an outline of somebody advancing into the great house. It was Astrid. She was said to be old when Egil was still nursing at his mothers breast. She had the look of being emaciated but moved with a lithe grace. The smell from her was overpowering from at least feet away. Her hair was matted and her teeth rotted but her eyes shined brightly. “Ritari Egil, I have a vision. The Lion of Hebrean has fallen and the wolves surround the carcass, this I have seen. There can be much feasting upon the lands of Hebrean. “
Ritari Egil stood up at the news and shouted out. “Men, we have a reading from Astrid. We have a place to go and raid. Call out the chieftains, its time we make war again.”
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