WANDERING LANDSLOTH

Dungeons of Thistlemoor 20 // Burning of the Beggars

SESSION 20

Adventurers 

Later…

DOWNTIME

EXPEDITION 21

3rd day of the 6th week of winter. Clear skies. 

Fourtower Bridge

Greedo and Üthred hired Warrick (Fighter HD 1), Nadia (Archer HD 1), Euphemia and Sidwel. Wispo also brought along Benedict (Retainer 1) for his first skirmish.
The dozen started their march in the morning to Stonehell by way of the West King’s Road.

Travel action. No encounter.

The Greenbottle Morass

At the frozen Greenbottle Morass, Floater tried convincing Bradavere to pay 25gp for his guidance. He was interested until the entire party heckled Floater. Instead, Brad convinced Floater’s bodyguard Cross (Dwarf - Black and yellow scarf, gruff, birch goggles) to come with them as his personal bodyguard for 50gp. 

Exploration turn. Encounter. Mountain Lion. 
Reaction: unsure (2d6=6)

At the gatehouse of Stonehell they heard the yowl of a large cat on the trail up the horseshoe valley. According to the information from the bandit in the donjon, that was the trail they needed to follow.

Greedo and Warrick scouted ahead, catching a glimpse of a mountain lion gnawing on something in front of its den over the path. Other yowls indicated possible cubs behind her. They discerned that their large party should be able to move by unmolested which they did.

Up the path the band maneuvered through the snow and cold. Promptly, the single file path opened wide enough for a wagon. The snow mixed with mud here from plenty of wheels, footprints, and horse hooves. “This track has been busy,” Morgan noted. From then on they moved cautiously and quietly.

The Brigand’s Cave

Bradavere and Greedo scouted ahead following the tracks to a stretched two meter high cave mouth that smelled of manure and hay.

2-in-6 chance the brigand guarding at the second entrance heared them? Yes (d6=2). He spotted the two dwarves and alerted the others in his cave who moved to the horse chamber and rose the call to arms.

Greedo leaned in, seeing 6 horses and a leather clad figure who looked right at him. Greedo pulled away quickly but was unsure if he was seen. The two dwarves rushed back to the larger group and relayed what they saw. They argued about how to move forward but resolved to send a volley of missiles into the first cave while the rest of them would charge towards the second cave opening they assumed to be there based on the bandit’s information.

Crossbows were wound and bowstrings secured. The archers led by Bradavere ran in front of the cave mouth and unleashed their quarrels and arrows at three shocked highwaymen dressed in yellow-checkered liveries and gambeson. Thuds, neighing, and cries erupted.

Üthred, knowing now that their opponents knew they were here changed the plan. He unwound his flail, “Charge in!”

What ensued was a cramped and bloody battle. The first two bandits in the stable cave went down quickly. Bradavere pursued and pulled the third down, stabbing him in the jugular “YOU CAN’T GET AWAY NOW! HAHA!”

Greedo found a map of the caves on one of the brigands bodies and they continued.
The second chamber was full of looted supplies, a small wagon, crates, and barrels. 3 shortbowmen behind the supplies drew their arrows. A well mail clad brigand stood in the front, punched his shield, and yelled out behind him "BLIND EYE! GET THE GUN!". 

Wispo reacted quickly, casting the Grasp of Yahzahar. Two giant ethereal green hands punched out of the ground, holding two of the archers in place while the party swept over them. The armored foe nearly killed Greedo, Uthred gave him a marigold concoction, and they firebombed the exit, keeping reinforcements out.

As the chamber filled with smoke and the cries and blood spilled about, they saw a rifleman prop up a long gun behind the flames. Bradavere just tore the second to last archer's thigh artery with his halberd (Natural 20!) when a blast and rocketed through the chamber followed by a cloud of smoke. Cross stared with horror at the burst skull of his employer. He flew 2 meters from the point of where he was shot.

Not soon after, Sneaky the Raccoon was sliced in two by an archer's shortsword before he too breathed his last, Morgan's blade in his stomach.

Greedo and Uthred, filled with grief and rage, threw a wine flask and another firebomb (Natural 20!) at the gunner, blowing him to pieces. Sparks and smaller explosions went off as his powder bottles caught and blew into pieces.

The party held their position, regathering and administering bandages and healing while the fire died down. Üthred led the second charge.

2 more armored brigands met them and arrows from another 2 at a cave opening up a three meter stone wall. They dispatched the fighters but the wall proved difficult to surmount. By this time, Greedo had run back to the porters to change and repair his armor. 

Nadia found a stray highway man who tried to attack Sidwel and Euphemia and shot him down (Natural 20!). 

While Wispo and some others were firing back at the archers, Benedict took a shaft to his shoulder. 

Finally, Booth Gnast, the Ghost Beggar leader showed his face atop the stone wall.  "You've made it this far! Take what you came for and don't lose any more men!" Üthred turned his bitter face to Morgan "They killed Sneaky. They must pay." 
Greedo firebombed the wall and they ran around the long way, hoping to find a side entrance. along the way they found a cuckoo in a cage which Midnight shot point blank with his crossbow. 

They eventually came to what they believed to be Booth’s personal quarters atop yet another small ledge face which overlooked him, and two other mail-clad brigands.
With Booth and two of his armored men below them, they launched a volley of missiles, killing Booth and wounding another. The two ran away and the party chose not to pursue.

The battle was finished.

For the rest of the day, they used the stolen horses and carts to bring and sell the lost goods, armor, weapons, and the horses themselves earning a whopping 5250gp in Fourtower Bridge. Another 1300gp was given by Athalgrim as his promised bounty for the Ghost Beggar scum.

Treasure Haul

Items Kept

Warden Notes