AAR: Missing Farm Animals

[Jason]

Mission: Missing Farm Animals
GM: Jason
Date: 2017-11-13
Difficulty and circle rating: Circle 1 Medium (Failed - reward as easy)

Player Rewards:
Rilya: 400 Legend & 125 Silver
Jexel: 400 Legend, 125 Silver
Krel Tor: 400 LP, 125 silver
Ethica: 400 Legend and 87.5 Silver, Broadsword (forged +1)

Notes:
Jexel lost 1 broadsword
Ethica lost 1 broadsword (she had named it, given from her master)

[Jexel]

Journal of Jexel’thalas

Companions
Krel Tor: Troll Nethermancer
Rilya: Windling Weaponsmith
Ethica: Elf Swordmaster

Snabruth Brightriver has requested adventurers to help him with some missing animals.

We passed through Borgan’s Rest on our way to Brightriver’s homestead. Leaving Borgan’s Rest we do a quick patrol around the town before heading out.

Met up with Snabruth. He only had a couple farm animals left. Ethica appears to not want to get muddy.  Maybe a couple too many stories. It is dirty out here.

First night we set up a watch and four intruders come in.  I sneak around and wake up my companions  As I was sneaking around to get position they drop Krell with an arrow. Shortly after I emerged from the brush and eviscerated one of the bandits and wounded another.  The bandits retreated after that and I gave chase. We healed up some for Krel Tor and then at first light we started the pursuit.

The second bandit that I wounded bled nicely for us, allowing us to easily track them.  After crossing a fallen tree bridge we came across a Dappled Brithan that roared a challenge.  Our swordmaster Ethica quickly accepted. It seems odd to me that she willingly gave up the advantage of 4 on one. During the battle Ethica took quite a bit of claws before finally driving her broadsword into the elemental bears face. Ethica fights with the fury and recklessness of a Sky Raider.

We found the bandits cave.  After entering they spot our group and we go across the cave to take cover. Unfortunately Krel Tor wasn’t able to see where they were and chose poorly on where to bunker down.  Krel Tor took another couple arrows and went down. They took some defensive positions and were tough to get at.  I tried sneaking around and they were waiting for me.  Rilya popped around another corner and apparently was blindsided as well.

Ethica was dropped after engaging the others.  I was able to slice up and take out the bandit that was waiting for me and went back behind the rock to slip into the shadows.  During this time they shout out that the female Elf will die unless we throw down our weapons and retreat.

The situation was tough. I heard Rilya take some cuts but nothing looked serious for her. Krel and Ethica were not responsive and they were threatening to kill them. Rilya retreats and Ethica gets up. While sneaking I hide my Obsidian sword behind my back and toss out my old broadsword. Ethica and I drag Krel Tor out of the cave.

We uneasily lick our wounds and hobble back to Throal.

Unknowns: What were the bandits after? They didn’t appear to be Cultists of Raggok
Unfinished Business: Take revenge on the bandits.

[Arikail]

From the Journal of Rilya, a Windling Weaponsmith investigating the disappearance of local farm animals

This trip out was disappointing. A local farmer, one Snabruth Brightriver, has a problem with farm animals turning up missing. I decided to go help, and a few others joined up to help, Ethica, an Elven Swordmaster, Jexel the Elven Thief, and Krel Tor, a Troll Nethermancer (he's huge, but small for a troll, and decently friendly). Upon agreeing to journey together, we set out for Borgan's Rest. Lareth is doing well, I helped out a bit in the forge, learning about his time before becoming the main smith and mayor of Borgan's Rest. The next morning we first made a patrol around the town, at the direction of Jexel, before going to the farm.

Arriving at the farm, we quickly determined that the flowers around the farm are extraordinarily beautiful, so bright and vibrant and magnificent. I think someone found some light tracks heading away from the farm, but I didn't find anything among the flowers (Ixran really liked the red ones, so I gathered a few and made him a necklace). Based on the tracks and discussions with the farmer, we decided that whoever was taking the animals would probably be back, so we would wait for and surprise them. We settled in, Jexel hidden from sight and me on the barn roof, with Ethica and Krel Tor inside. It wasn't a very eventful night, very peaceful and serene, until Krel Tor burst out from the door beneath me, his head oozing blood and skinned to the bone. And then an arrow sprouted out of him, and he fell to the ground, hard. I saw Ethica follow him out and dart under the tree, leaping the fence with ease as she went, but I had to make sure the big guy was ok. The arrow found a bad spot, but it wasn't vital, he was alive. I helped him regain consciousness as the bandits fled. Jexel chased after them, and I tried to help, but they are really good at hiding. He returned a few minutes later. They escaped, but in the same direction as the tracks. We would follow in the morning. While the farmer helped clean up Krel Tor's wound, I examined the one bandit that Jexel managed to kill, and discovered that their weapons and armor had been forged by a Weaponsmith at some point. It was a minor job, but it was there. The next morning, after a nice meal, we set out.

Jexel was able to follow the trail easily, until we came across a small ravine with a narrow log across. Jexel provided a rope, which I flew to the other side and tied around a tree to help the others across. Preparing to follow the bandits once again, a most frightening sight stepped out of the woods: a large Dappled Brithan, and it proceeded to issue it's challenge. Ethica decided she was up for the challenge, and unsheathing her blade, met the challenge. The fight was a quick affair, but brutal. The brithan was mostly unable to keep up with Ethica's fancy footwork (I think I'd have a hard time with that, especially with a blade in my hand), though it did manage to grab her once, and I almost couldn't watch. Without missing a beat, she slipped out of it's grasp, almost as if it was planned, and as it reared up in frustration and retaliation, she sprung off it's arm, high into the air, and brought her blade down in a gruesome finish. It was a most impressive display.

The trail eventually led to a cave, and upon entering... well, it wasn't good. Jexel slipped off into the shadows, but the bandits noticed us quickly, and chaos followed. It was a vicious affair, with Krel Tor dropped quickly (big targets and tiny arrows.... But these bandits must be amazing marksmen to hit so precisely) as the rest of us moved into the cave. I won't recount the events, but we all lived... and so did they. But for us, it was a close thing, and Ethica lost her blade in exchange for her life. For now, she is using the sword we got off of the bandit corpse at the farm, but she wants to get it back. Such a blow was dealt to Krel Tor's pride from that defeat that I later found him wallowing in the Great Library. I had to remind him none of us died, and that had he not been there, someone very well may have.

[BattleChad]

The Great Library of Throal thanks Jexel and Rilya for their contributions.

Journal Rewards: 20 Legend Points and 40 Silver

[Slimshadow]

Ethica’s Journal log - missing animals

I saw a poster a few days ago that requested some adepts for help in a farm a little out from Borgan’s Rest. Said that a feller by the name of Brightriver has animals been going missing. Somebody scrawled on the poster The Spent Scarab. I heard of the bar, so I made my way there and found a couple of other adepts waiting. We decided to meet at the gates at first light and start on the path to Borgan’s Rest.
Our travel to town went well, no surprises. The windling was riding some kind of…lizard. I didn’t ask its name, I was happy it didn’t snap at my legs. We spent the night at the Rest. Ale was mediocre.

At first light we left, and our theif Jexel said he could navigate. We spent a couple hours searching for the farm, and we ended up back in town. Against my better judgement I gave the theif another chance, but he proved himself right that time and we made it to the farm. As expected, the farm was pretty quiet. Brightcreek greeted us without asking to prove who we were, a little too trusting of strangers in my opinion, and explained the situation. Apparently his livestock was disappearing over the past two weeks. I spoke with him in detail, and he was entirely unhelpful. Our nethermancer told us that there wasn’t any magic happening on the farm. Our thief did discover some tracks heading away, and Brightflower confirmed they weren’t his. We all agreed to set an ambush that night and see if anybody showed up. We slept in the barnhouse.

People showed up alright. I got woken up by the thief around midnight, and he told us that he spotted 4 people approaching the barnhouse. I didn’t know where the windling went, but the troll and I got ready while Jexel sneaked out of the barn. I put my back up to the barn wall near the north entrance to attack whoever tried to come in that way. Krel did something disgusting to his face, decided to walk outside, and promptly got knocked out by an arrow. I ran out and hopped the fence towards some bushes and found the archer, but wasn’t able to hit him before he ran away like a coward. It’s okay, most archers are born with a yellow belly, couldn’t blame him. The other bandits also hightailed it. So I walked back to our nethermancer who was awake now, and helped him to the house.

Jexel came back, having apparently gutted one of them and shanked another, and told us he pretty much saw which way they headed. Brightlake was already awake, apparently he was woken up by Krel Tor’s shriek, and he removed the arrowhead from Krel’s chest. Rilya came in at some point and told us that these bandits were packing serious heat, and that they probably had a weaponsmith of their own. So we decided to track their blood trail at first light. I made mention to the farmer that these thugs were pretty high profile, so he might consider it prudent to get the hell outta the area. After some protesting, I think he agreed with me.

The next day, we saw Brightbrook and his family heading out towards town, and he asked us to stop by town and let him know when it was safe to go back to his farm. I agreed, and we set out. The troll looked pretty injured still, but he kept face. After a few hours of Jexel’s tracking we made it to a ravine, too far to jump across and way too wide to reasonably travel around. There was a log laying across the ravine, which was probably what the bandits used to get across. Jexel and Rilya tied some rope to two trees, one on either side, so that the three of us had something to hold on to when walking across. I think Krel was hurting a little worse than he let on, since he didn’t seem to even notice the rope. We all made it across, but as the windling went back for the rope, we noticed a beast staring at us from the woods. Rilya said it was a dilapidated brithic, and that it liked fighting mono a mono. So I did what any respectable Swordmaster would do, and accepted the duel.

As I approached, the creature roared and stood up on its hind legs. I lept forward and struck a blow to its shoulder, and quickly twirled to the side as it swiped at me. It didn’t back down, so I jumped to the right and slashed its belly. Again it didn’t seem to care, and this time it caught me with a counter swipe. It picked me up and tried to take a bite out of my neck, but I blocked its jaws with my forearm. It tried to bite me again, but I wrestled out of its grip and jumped to the side. As it turned around to me it let out a roar and took a swing, but I deftly jumped up onto its arm and, with a single downstrike, cleaved its skull in two.

To be honest it was an easy fight, though the beast did wound me. So I took a minute to recover while I sat on the back of my defeated enemy, and I think our nethermancer was happy to take a rest as well. But soon after we resumed our tracking, and made it to the mouth of a dark cave.
I was given a light-quarts necklace for vision from Jexel, as he preferred to operate in the darkness. Not surprising for a thief. We let him take point, and the others followed. It wasn’t a deep cave, and the light from one of our torches allowed me to spot a bandit at the other end. So I yelled to the others that they’d spotted us, and that we should find cover.

Jexel ran for cover deeper into the cave, and I followed him hoping he would run into any traps before I did. I think our windling flew ahead of us, and Krel Tor brought up the rear. Well, he didn’t choose a good spot to stop, cause he almost immediately took an arrow or five to the chest. I thought he was dead, but Rilya flew over and confirmed he was just unconscious. A couple arrows flew past Rilya, and I peeked around the corner and spotted three bandits, all with war bows. Jexel had disappeared, and I had my back to the wall. I guess Rilya could see the bandits from her vantage point, cause she decided to fly into the fray with her spear. About a second after she passed me by she told me she got shot from behind, so I ran around the corner to hit whoever was attacking her. I missed him, and pretty immediately got shot in the back.

The next thing I knew, I was being woken up by Rilya with a bandit pointing a bow in my face. He told us that if we dropped our weapons and left, that’d be the end of it. Otherwise, I’d be a pin cushion. I heard Jexel yell something, but I didn’t see him and couldn’t hear what he said. So I stood up, and we were outnumbered, and I knew we’d die if we pushed our luck. Curse them all, I had to drop Tranquility and back away. As I approached the cave entrance, still facing the bandits, I noticed Jexel lurking around the corner. I didn’t know if he wanted to take them by surprise or not, but if he did I was good as dead. Thank the passions that he surrendered as well. We managed to drag the troll’s unconscious body out of the cave. The bandits saw us out.

The rest of the tale isn’t particularly noteworthy. I didn’t pay attention to much. The loss of my Tranquility weighed heavy on my mind on the way back. I believe we let Brightwater know that his farm wasn’t safe to go to, but I stayed in the bar. Rilya must’ve felt sorry for me, cause she gave me the blade of the bandit that was gutted back at the farm. It’ll work for now, but I have to get Tranquility back.

[BattleChad]

The Great Library of Throal thanks Ethica for her contributions.

Journal Rewards: 20 Legend Points and 40 Silver

[Rakaneth]

From the Adventure Journal of Krel Tor

Missing Animals

I begin to wonder if I can be of use to anyone.

Let me explain.

Snabruth Brightriver, a dwarf farmer, has apparently been having some trouble with missing animals, and has requested assistance. Three others respond to the request: Ethica, an elf Swordmaster; Rilya, a windling Weaponsmith; and Jexel'thalas, an elf Thief.

Brightriver's farm is not farm from Borgan's Rest. We put in a stop there to check on Lareth and the town. Little of import happens; we spend the night in the inn. That Troubadour is still there, telling the tale of the founding of Borgan's Rest.

After some travel, we arrive at Snabruth's farm. We perform some initial investigation into the matter, finding that there are no blood trails nor other signs of natural predators. I find no astral or magical presence, and, by his own account, Snabruth has no enemies or rivals that would steal from him. We decide to remain and lie in wait to see if the culprits will show this night. They oblige - I'm woken by Jexel on the first watch, who informs us that some shady figures are sneaking about the farm. Preparing to face them, I don the Death's Head, preparing to level my fell gaze upon the intruders when I feel a sudden, sharp pain in my gut. I roar in anger, surprise, and pain, and know no more.

I am woken some time later by Rilya. She says that Ethica and Jexel have felled one of the bandits and are chasing the rest. I decide to remain in case others show, and to avoid slowing the others. It is not long before they return as well, one apparently bleeding after the chase and with a trail to follow. We rest for the remainder of the night after Snabruth does what he can for my wound, which, all things considered, is a great boon and perhaps the reason why I still live to write this tale. We advise him to leave the farm until we return with word of our success, as the thieves might make an attempt in greater numbers, putting the farmer in danger.

The morning comes, and with it, the march toward the bandits' lair. We track them through the territory of a dappled brithan, which Ethica deftly slays in its ritual combat. (They must be common near Borgan's Rest. This is the second I've seen in the area.)

We come at last to the bandits' lair, a dark cave well-chosen for their hideout. Jexel slips into the darkness, catching sight of one of the villains and alerting us, which enjoins battle. We scurry to a nearby wall, behind which I do not fully obscure myself, having apparently missed sight of the bandits that had clear shots at me. I'm struck several times, and fall once more. I wake again outside the cave. I'm told the rest of the battle went poorly for us, despite the others fighting bravely.

With wounded flesh and pride, we return to Borgan's Rest to inform Snabruth of our failure. Perhaps that is the hardest thing for me to swallow about this mission. He depended on us to help him, and in the end, he lost his farm.

I am finding it very difficult to maintain confidence in my ability to help anyone. I wonder if Grandmother was right all along.

[BattleChad]

The Great Library of Throal thanks Krel Tor for his contributions.

Journal Rewards: 20 Legend Points and 40 Silver