Written by Peter Weilnböck
Published on: 2023-06-10
The group endeavours to get payed and to leave the island of Maidenholm
For this session I was rather tired and I did have far less time to prepare before the session than I had hoped. But, I think it was still fun, even though not a lot had happened. I tend to let players mill around even in linear adventures, so this game matched my GM style rather well. Even though I am still not used to having basically no thread to follow.
Before we started we had a bit of housekeeping to do:
Last time for the ranged weapons we had a few unclear points with regards to ammunition etc. I tried to look it up between the sessions, but it seems that it is not cleanly defined in the rules. Therefore I gathered a few suggestions from forums, and clarified with the group which option they like. This is the result:
The ammunition for slings are just stones that can be gathered. Since an infinite amount of ammunition does not seem fitting, slings also use resource dice like bows and arrows. However, the stones for slings can be gathered by foraging for stones (same rules as foraging for food).
Since the whole weapon is thrown, there is no resource die. To balance out the expense and weight of these weapons, they can be picked up again - during the fight if the character reaches the place where the weapon had landed, and after the fight automatically, unless there are special circumstances. The weapon con not be picked up if it went over a cliff, or if the PC need to flee / leave quickly without a chance to rummage around the fighting area.
After most of them awoke rested - with the exception of Vivirva, who was sleepy from keeping watch, they decided to fill not only the water barrels, but also their own water supplies from the well. Having learned from their mistake the night before, they ate from their food rations and left the remaining meat on the carcase of the beast. However, after some discussion that they promised to bring proof of their deed back to the village elder, they cut of the head of the monster. And, being at it, they also skinned it for pelts.
Feeling that slaying one beast certainly was enough, and not wanting to encounter another one, they started to make their way back to the village. They argued that it not really was necessary to investigate the area for other beasts, since they can just keep their eyes open on the way back. If they did not encounter another monster, it was basically proof that they had completely eliminated the threat to the village, right? Right?
Certainly they had earned the bonus for making the island safe again.
After spending the height of the day on the road, they first visited Vorovillia the village elder. She trusted their story and payed them the agreed sum of 15 silver. Which immediately started a debate about how to split their spoils. Somehow Solgas suggestion that everyone should get 3 silver: 3 for Hröd, 3 for Percival, 3 for Solga, 3 for Vivirva and 3 for Groms was not accepted by the others. While they discussed this issue, they made their way to “The Big Goblet” to deliver the water casks. Leaving Solga out with the animals again, the other 3 got their rewards, which was easy to split: 3 barrels meant 3 silver, one for each of the 3.
Vivirva immediately asked if Bleinalla, the proprietor and brewer was not so thankful for the water to give them a free round of ale and food.
Being a business woman, the Tavern owner pointed out that they had been paid a high sum for just delivering the water, so they will have to pay for her products as well. Not seeing the fairness of the argument, Vivirva then proofed the quickness of her fingers, by steeling from Bleinallas purse. To be more discreet she only stole some coins, and not the whole thing.
After that they went to “The Old Boar”, the Inn of Maidenholm for a straw mattress in the dormitory.
Early in the morning they decided to go to the docks, which turned out to be a single jetty strutting out a bit further into the see than the whole village on its stilts in the brackish mire. Instead of boats they encountered a single old man with his fishing rod.
Not having caught anything so far, the old man turned out to be quite talkative and quite hostile towards “outsiders” and “scum from the main land”. He however seemed to not realise, that the group belonged to this “scum”. Maybe his eyesight was too bad (the cloudiness might indicate this), or he was lonely enough to not care. In any case, he was waiting for “Young Ves”, who was out on the only real fisher boat of the village. Probably not being very successful, being out so late. This would never have happened when he was young! Back then everything was better. Even the village elder Vorovillia was older and more strict back then.
Being asked about the history of the village, he was able to tell 2 legends to the group.
The cunning sorcerer:
During the Alder Wars, there was a cunning sorcerer who sought a monster because of hid prophetic dreams and travelled to a grave a few days off in some hills south west. As the legend goes he was never seen again but at the grave there is a powerful artefact protected by hunting goblins.
The second legend was the one about Clay’s Rosary, which I will not copy here for spoiler and for copy-write reasons.
Finally, around noon, a fisher boar appeared and docked on the jetty. On board were a middle aged man and a teenage boy - young Ves and small Ves, as they seemed to be called. Young Ves sent small Ves to the market with todays catch and made some time to chat with the odd group. He agreed to take them to the main land, for the small fee of 5 silver - to cover his costs. Old Ves wanted to join as well, but was reminded by young Ves that he had fallen into the sea the last time he was out, and had needed to be rescued.
Since the trip would take quite some time, young Ves would like to leave at daybreak the next morning.
The group decided that, in sight of the upcoming costs, the 2 copper per person for a place in the dormitory were to expensive. So instead, they walked out of the village, Solga set up a small camp and the ate from their rations. Solga kept watch during the uneventful night and therefore was sleepy when they boarded the boat the next morning. At first the trip seemed pleasant until dark clouds gathered over the sea of Anger Bay and they heard thunder in the distance.
And this friendly note ended the session.