We began our first gaming session in high spirits. Using a mix of Skype, MSN messenger we rendevous at our agreed time and my eager victims sat at their computers, fingers poised over their favourite D20s. Meanwhile I was desperately trying to figure out technological faff like opening router ports, dropping firewalls and wondering why I couldn't host our game. That and trying to write the scenario. Starting your first session the day after you return from your honeymoon and your first day back at work seemed like a stupid prospect, and everything was going wrong.
In the end I threw in the towel. The program I had chosen, since it was simple to use, was Gametable. And it seemed my router didn't like it, the swine. After an hour the party-to-be were getting restless and I shared their discontentment. A few quick messages and we were all on Skype. And Jory had a faulty keyboard*.
*GM Note: For the majority of the night Jory's accent changed from West Country to French much to everyone's amusement. A prime example was when we, for a brief and shining moment believed he was playing an ALF elf warlock.
'Guys - introductions.'
Our motley crew consists of:
Rob -My name is Tezlastazex, the Dragonborn Paladin, and I fight on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. I am blue and enjoy smoking cigars, long walks on the beach and smiting evil. (GM - An honourable, glory-seeking hothead with his heart in the right place)
Sophie - Good Evening, my name is Larisse, a Tiefling Warlock. Red sking, d/blue hair, feline eyes. I am a complete snob, so if you think you are good at something then I am ten times better (or at least i think I am). Not easily impressed and I have a sueductive nature. (GM - An arrogant, looks-obsessed Warlock with a mean repetoire of spells)
Jory - I am a Half-elf Warlock. I am nimble and sneaky and strangers may want to check their pockets when I'm around. (A cocky, roguish Half-Elf who has displayed feelings for Larisse, though he has a dark past and possibly a dar future ahead)
Tamara - A logical though isolated Eladrin Druid dubbed Shoohey. (GM - A lonely Druid despite spending her last five years training with these people, who feels more comfortable in animal form than as her true self)
The group began in the bar of the Guild, celebrating their recent initiation into their roles as fully registered Heroes. Over the last five years the young warriors were trained and then put into their current Cadre, their mentors seeing that their natural abilities and personalities complimented each other well. The party are toasting their recent victory in the Trials (a sort of graduation test) against their obligatory rivals, The Brotherhood of the Sword*.
*GM Note - A title stolen with love from another campaign in which this group featured prominetly as the unseen rivals to the party. I'm sorry and thank you Alex.
A quick background note - The Guild is falling into disrepute. Over the last two decades it has been hiring out its sword arm to the highest bidder rather than upholding the values for which it stands. Due to this the publice view many of the Heroes that come its halls with wary eyes. Much like Spiderman, they love them when they are saving the day but once they've done the job then they're dubious, untrustworthy individuals. At best. King Voltera, a handsome, charismatica and all-round nice guy had just recently come to power under dubious circuimstances. While he is an alright gent, his court is full of sycophants and schemers.
The Guild Master, Thorne, had signed over to the King, the strength of the Guild as his standing army for a very handsome of money.
Cut back to the party, sat at a table commenting on their final test with the Brotherhood, playing 'Save the Peasant' which uses real peasants. Our noble Players were of course the rescuers, the snobbish Brotherhood playing the role of raiders. Now sitting round the table they make comments about how they feel the battle went (it seems Larisse did little more than fix her hair 'so the enemy may know I am a respectable warrior', much to the frustration of Lysimakos). Unfortunatley they wer shouting and getting raucous, especially when berating the damnable peasants who didn't seem very pleased about being used in the Guild's tests. Go figure. Three tables away the peasants from the test began to get a dark look in their eyes, and the images of broken furniture and shattered bottles seemed an iminent possibility.
Luckily in the nick of time the esteemed Taskbearer, Crux entered the bar. A quiet and hermitic man, Crux's only duty is to collect and distribute missions to the Heroes who have residence in the Guild halls.
'GM: A human with one leg, he walks hunched using a cane to support himself, his head bald, his face gaunt and thin like a blade, his eyes in shadow.
"Greetings Cadre 245. " said Crux, holding to his chest a large page of parchment.
"Good day to you Taskbearer," replied Lysimakos, before returning to his pint of ale.
"Greetings Crux! Do you have a mssion for us yet?" Tez stood up abruptly, squaring off with the Taskbearer, his form towering over the robed man.
The human seemed to bristle at the informal use of his name but bit his tongue despite it.
"It would be about time," muttered Larisse, sulkily holding her small glass of wine and leaning back on her chair.
"The Guildmaster and I have deigned to grant you your first mission, in the land of Meadowvale," snapped Crux, "And we shall do so as and when we decide Mistress Tiefling!"
"Now calm down friend." Ethanuel stood from his seat beside Larisse, placing himself between her and the Taskbearer.
Sneering, Crux quickly passed the parchment to Tez then spun on his heel and strode quickly through the parting crowd in the bar.'
With this opening interaction it seemed the party had been put immediately into the Taskmaster's bad books.*
*GM note - And because of this I'll be giving them a series of crap missions, reflecting Crux's attempts to deny them glory! Enjoy guys!
Tez quickly reviewed the sheet's instructions:
"Cadre 245,
Dire news has reached us from Lord Ely Bach that his daughter, the lady Elena Bach has disappeared. Travelling to a village named Vue in the realm of Meadowvale, she seems to have gone missing. No correspondence of any form has been received and the trade patrols confirm she reached her destination. No evidence of attack on the roads in the area has been discovered. Lord Bach has donated a significant sum to the Guild treasuries in return for the quick and safe return of his daughter.
Make haste to Vue and find Elena."
Tez quickly made an oath to find the young maiden to no one in particular before being reprimanded by his more sensible comrade Lysimakos. This lead to a five mionute debate as to when was the most appropriate time to make an oath and how much information you should ahve about a situation before swearing one. Meanwhile I recounted to the party what information and gossip they are aware of, regarding the fair Elena.
"A young and often flirtatious lady, Elena was seen with many men, and never the same one twice. Most men wanted to be with her, and most women simply called her tramp. She was known for disappearing for a few days at a time but never for as long as two weeks, which was the current case. What was strange was, as much as she flirted with the men at court, she never did more than that. None ever saw the inside of her bedchamber and there were rumours she was in love with a lowborn miller in Vue. Others thought she simply enjoyed the chase rather than the kill. She had few enemies, and the same could be said of her father. Though he was one of the wealthiest nobles, he was a libertarian and had little influence in the politcs of the court."
Upon reviewing their mission and their knowledge, Cadre 245 debated on the best methods to track down the girl's whereabouts. Three groups became evident. Lysimakos and Larisse wanted to trace Elena's journey (Lysimakos thought it was prudent, Larisse didn't want trees in her hair). Ethanuel and Shoohey wanted to make as much speed to Vue as possible through the forests. Tez was simply eager to get there. In the end the woods won out. Trade patrols had not seen any wreckages by the roadsides, and it was assumed that Elena had reached her destination. The group quickly snatched their belongings and leapt astride their horses*.
*GM note - Horses I felt they were obligated to name. Its much more difficult for them to ditch their steeds or forget about them if they've named them.
Tez - a mighty Destrier named Platelet
Larisse - a sweet-tempered and pampered mare called Passionfruit. That had tassles on its saddle.
Ethanuel - Pannowa, a strong and sturdy black stallion.
Shoohey - a light brown mare called Brina
Lysimakos - a compact, stocky gelding called Tragedy. No, seriously.
Trusting to Shoohey's preternatural sense of direction, the Cadre left the mighty walls of the Guild and rode to the forest edge. Still some debate raged between the party, unsure of having to sleep rough and fight wild beasts in the forest. Despite Lysimakos misgivings, they ventured into the thick foliage.
Two and a half days of travel passed uneventfully, as they Cadre journeyed through the forests and vales of the land*.
*GM note - I like the idea of the country being similar to Tolkein's fantasy world, and I felt particulary about combining the hills of the Shire and the thick forests of Fangorn.
Finally coming to rest on the early evening of the third day, they reached the edge of the forests that border on the village of Vue, having reached the land of Meadowvale. Though the village was only a short ride away, Lysimakos and Ethanuel felt it prudent to camp in the clearing before journeying to the village the next morning. The others, particularly Larisse who was becoming increasingly distressed by the absence of a bath, wished to press on and finally get a good night's sleep in a bed rather than on the dirt. Finally it was decided to risk the forest at night and they pressed on into the trees. Shoohey was the first to sense it. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she felt a strange and sudden emptiness in her as if she had lost her connection to the land around her. Thick fog rolled across the forest floor, smokey tendrils wrapping around the players' ankles and obscuring the ground they rode across. The animal noises they had become so used to in their journey had stopped and all was silent save the clumping, trotting noises of their steeds' hooves. The ground itself seemed soft, as if the land itself was slowly decaying and rotting away. Dismounting quickly and drawing arms, they continued to lead their steeds on, now on the lookout for the first sign of danger. All that is except Larisse who was desperately trying not to let her fine quality boots get sucked into the mud. Slipping for a moment, she squealed as her hair suddenly was tangled in the bare branches of a nearby tree. Her allies looked round, frustrated at her lack of commitment and priorities. Her vanity would be her downfall. Distracted, the player's failed to hear the flapping of wings in the night approaching quickly.
'Initiative!'
The group ware suddenly beset by a swarm of Stirges, seven large bat-like creatures with noses that were long and pointed like a mosquito's. Thankfully the players reacted quickly and set about the flying creatures with abandon. Both Tez and Lysimakos stepped forward and swatted the winged beasts from the air with mighty strokes of their swords; Larisse (whose hair was finally free of the dastardly tree) flung blasts of eldritch energy at her foes though her shots went wide; Ethanuel cursed one of the creatures, throwing a blast of energy at it as he did so. Unluckily it managed to dodge his attack, wrapping its leathery arms around his thigh and piercig his clothing with its razor sharp beak. Shoohey morphed into her panther form, leapt into the air and became a flurry of fur and claws, beating several of the monsters from mid-air and leaving them stunned on the forest floor. The creatures on the ground struggled to get airborne again, while their companions made futile attempts to attack the party. The one attached to Ethanuel's leg found itself feeding on nothing as he teleported his body a few feet away and blasted the creature to the ground. Lysimakos put himself between one of the airborne beasts and the desperate Larisse and knocked it from the air as it collided with his steel shield. Tez dispatched one of the creatures with a final slash of his sword. Shoohey, reverting to her Eladrin form, sent a massive gust of cold wind racing through the branches, flinging the remaining creatures into the trunks of the trees, their broken bodies littering the ground.
Brushing themselves down and checking their equipment, the party took sock the situation. They had come out of their first unmonitored combat with only a few scratches and no serious wounds to speak of, something to be proud of and hopefully an indicator of their combat successes in the future. Taking a hold of the reins of their horses, they continued to push for the village of Vue, realising that this mission may be more than just a case of a missing damsel and her lover.
Week 1 drew to a close, the scenario not even halfway through*.
*GM note - it is a true testament to the skills of any party that they are able to draw out a 3 hour scenario over a much longer period. Combined with my rusty skills at force-railroading them along the plot and it seems this first mission may go on for much longer than intended. Not that it's a bad thing. The more the players draw it out, the more inventive I need to get. Expecially if I can find some way to make their arsing around turn round and bite them in the...uh...arse.
