Raven Squad Annals

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Session 1: the squad assembles, a mission is assigned, preparations
Year 10, Greening 3 Rindamoor

After graduating from the military academy, the new soldiers with the highest potential are pulled from regular duty to form the squad. A dwarven paladin (Lucky Dolgaine), a human thief (Torin Bloodgoat), a human scout(Selvia), an orc warrior(Eagunghonük Glürn), and a human wizard(Tyberious Bowelmage), led by a grizzled veteran halfling sergeant (Bixel Proudpie) and a young lieutenant: a lizard-man fresh out of officer school (Marek). The lieutenant and sergeant meet briefly and discuss plans. The squad assembles on the parade ground of the Castle of Rindamoor and are introduced to their new lieutenant and sergeant by Major Marek. They then move into their new quarters in the Tower of the Hand. It’s a large room comprising about half of one side of one floor of the tower, with bunks and an enclosed room for the lieutenant with a bed, a desk, and chairs.

As they settle in, the lieutenant reviews his orders for their first mission:

Mission: escort Katlyn Sea of the so-called Free State from Shoreling Gate to the Castle. Deliver her to the Steward at the Gate House of the old castle.

Katlyn Sea is due to arrive tomorrow afternoon, on the road from Cardmoor. Stop her outside the walls. She’ll be alone and on horseback; easy to identify because she’s a human woman traveling alone and she wears a patch over her missing left eye. Leave her horse at the Gatehouse stables (give them this note), and walk her the long way to the Castle by way of the University, the Stadium, Goblintown, Bessin Square, and the City Gate -- make sure she sees that Rindamoor is enormous.

(How do they know she’s coming? Spies in the Free State gave the heads-up, and spies in Cardmoor spotted her coming through.)

The lieutenant wastes no time in assigning duties to his squad. The dwarf, the scout, and the wizard are sent to Shoreling Gate to liaise with the City Watch there. Both the lieutenant and the sergeant forget to send written orders or clear instructions, so the City Watch is uncooperative, mocking the young soldiers and attempting to bait them into a fight. (A watchman named Jekkins (they don’t even get his name) is particularly insulting to them, causing the autistic wizard to cry). Humiliated, the three soldiers leave without fighting back or achieving any part of their mission.

Side-quest: Goblintown
The orc is sent to do the same thing with his orc contacts in Goblintown. There is no plan or knowledge of Katlyn Sea. Glürn goes to his uncle Ghonük Glürn. Uncle is very suspicious at first, but eventually takes Glürn to a cell underneath the temple where a half-orc prisoner has been beaten. Uncle says this is a spy for the triumvirate who needs to die, and hands Glürn a dagger. Glürn kills the spy. Uncle was curious about who gave Glürn these orders and what that says about the military’s beliefs about orcs. And he suggests giving Katlyn Sea a tour of Goblintown, including the orc temple. Ultimately he tells Glürn to continue passing military information to him, and to attempt to rise through the ranks of the triumvirate military so as to influence them to allow the orcs to raise an army to retake Sharak-Im. Before saying goodbye, uncle suggests that Glürn give this emissary a full tour of Goblintown, including the temple, as a way to impress them and perhaps gain an ally. He tells Glürn that the Free State is known to be inclusive of orcs (though there aren't many that far south).

Side-quest: Southside
Torin Bloodgoat, the squad’s former thief, is sent to check in with his old underworld contacts to discover whether there are any plans in place to ambush the emissary tomorrow. He joined the military specifically to get away from those contacts, so this will likely be a dicey situation. There are no such plans, but it’s possible that this mission might cause someone to create a plan to at least follow them and perhaps more. He goes looking for Rindara, a prostitute he used to know in his old life.

She’s not at home in Sweetling, so he goes to the brothel where she used to work in Southside. After giving up his bow to the half-orc bouncer outside, Torin enters and speaks briefly with Madame Dargrace at the front desk. Rindara is in the bar, talking to a customer, but sees Torin and approaches him. She thought he was dead. He tells her he’s in the military now and asks if the Broken Coin has anything planned for tomorrow. Offended, she ends the conversation and Torin has no choice but to leave.

He skulks about Southside for a while, searching for his old friend Daniel Gall. Eventually he gives up and waits for Daniel outside Daniel’s home in Sweetling. Daniel arrives shortly after midnight; he’s happy to see Torin and they speak inside. Daniel has become hardened to life in the Broken Coin. He’s happy for Torin, but their friendship is strained. Torin tells him he’s in the military and asks about any operations the Broken Coin might have planned for tomorrow. Daniel is clearly offended and wraps up the conversation, but Torin is certain (critical success on Perception) that Daniel doesn’t know anything about a planned operation. Torin returns to the castle. He will be disadvantaged by the lack of sleep.

Daniel doesn’t tell anyone he’s seen Torin, but Rindara absolutely does. Partially she’s hurt by his behavior, but also she knows he was seen and she could get in trouble if she doesn’t report it. So Mister Morgane now knows that Torin is alive, is in the military, and was asking about a possible operation tomorrow. He doesn’t learn all this until later that night, and he doesn’t do anything with the knowledge right away -- though he might try to go after Torin in one way or another sometime soon.

Session 2: a pirate captain, the Jackanapes, the temple of Barlazam, an attack
Year 10, Greening 4 Rindamoor

Side-quest participants return and report. Selvia (with Lucky and Tyberious) lies, making up a list of names. Lt Marek and Sarge see through the ruse; Marek gives Selvia a talking-to. Lt Marek notes Torin’s willingness to risk returning to his former contacts.

Katlyn Sea is a pirate captain turned feminist utopian. She’s ostensibly here on behalf of the Free States to attempt to open diplomatic relations with the Triumvirate, in hopes that they can work out trade agreements and a non-aggression pact. But she’s also been in contact with representatives of Ayla Tammelhorne, and she’s working out a deal with her to buy geldren weapons from Tammelhorne. This would violate not the letter but certainly the spirit of Ayla’s relationship with the Triumvirate, so they’re all trying to keep it secret.

Assigning this squad -- rookies led by a reptilian -- as an honor guard is intended as both an insult and a threat. Glurn’s uncle told him as much, and Katlyn wondered aloud about it.

The City Watch guards the gate. Twelve humans are on guard duty, and they’re none too pleased to see Triumvirate troops on duty inside the walls. And they’re especially racist against orcs and lizard-men. They’ll give the soldiers a bunch of shit and try to provoke them into starting a fight inside the walls, which would be a huge embarrassment to the military. ''Actually, the squad handled this very well and avoided a conflict. They waited outside and met Katlyn, bringing her in and stabling her horse without incident.''

Katlyn, though surprised to be met at the gate, is immediately friendly and talkative with the soldiers, treating them as equals and attempting to put them off their guard. She compliments their strength and their weapons, and the lizardman’s frill. She tells them all about the Free State, and how well they’d be treated there. She’ll note that they’re taking her away from the castle when they head to the bridge leading south, but she’ll happily go along. At the foot of the bridge on the south side, she will insist that she needs a drink and attempt to enter a Riverside tavern which she apparently chooses at random. In fact, she has arranged to meet Mortider Beth at the Jackanapes. She’ll try to sweet-talk the soldiers into letting her into the tavern, even going so far as to essentially bribe them with silver, promises of alcohol, and sexual innuendo. If they refuse her, she’ll call their bluff and attempt to enter anyway. If they attempt to physically restrain her, she’ll attempt to escape and give them the slip. They let her in to the tavern rather than make a scene outside.

Inside the Jackanapes, Mortider Beth is waiting at a table in the corner, his back to a wall. If the soldiers are specifically looking for her to try to contact someone, they can roll to see (a) that she seems to be checking out the other customers as if looking for someone, then (b) that she has made eye contact with a man at a table in the corner. (She and Mortider Beth have never met, but she’s been given a description). Katlyn and Mortider won’t attempt to make contact while the soldiers are present, but Mortider will eventually create a distraction and try to slip Katlyn a note which says “Library Tower, midnight”. Meanwhile, she’ll try to get the soldiers to drink so that they’ll relax and talk with her, continuing to attempt to undermine their loyalty to the Triumvirate. She’ll be looking for a chance to have a moment alone with Mortider. If the Thieves’ Guild orphans are following, they’ll send a runner to Mister Morgane as soon as they enter the Jackanapes. Morgane might send his team in there instead.

''Marek had the sarge clear a space in the corner -- Mortider moved to the bar and they did not identify him. But now they’ve seen Mortider Beth and would likely recognize him if they see him again. Katlyn brushed past Mortider on her way to the restroom, and he slipped her the note undetected. ''

When the squad of Triumvirate soldiers cross the bridge to Southside, that will be noted by lookouts for the Thieves’ Guild and Mister Morgane will hear about it in time to react. He’ll keep the kids following them and reporting back -- if players are looking out, perception rolls will reveal the kids.

''Torin spotted all this and reported it; they didn’t attempt to confront the kids. ''

Glürn’s uncle has an orc watching for the squad and Katlyn Sea. Uncle is waiting in his cafe; when he hears they’re coming he’ll watch from the second-story window as they go by on their way to the Temple -- or if they’re not going that way, he’ll have them followed. If they’re heading for the Temple, he’ll arrive just after them. The Orc High Priest will welcome them and try to arrange a private meeting with Katlyn Sea. She’ll suggest he visit her at the castle -- she doesn’t have any particular distrust of orcs, but won’t want to be so vulnerable here. Maybe they’ll agree to have Glürn run messages between them.

''They had a perfectly nice visit, including coming inside the temple and seeing the main room with icons of Barlazam and the other gods. ''

Morgane will have a team attempt to steal whatever Katlyn Sea is carrying before they leave Southside, right before they get in sight of the bridge and the City Watch on guard there. Big dude (Pollard) “accidentally” jostles in between her and her escort, causes distraction; pickpocket (Carley) grabs her purse and pack and runs.

''They spotted Pollard coming; Sarge took him down with his club. And Torin spotted Carley ducking past Lucky on the other side. Marek killed Carley and ordered the squad to move to the bridge. Sarge ordered Glurn to bring Pollard with them, but when that slowed them down Marek killed Pollard too. They left the bodies. ''

Later, Mister Morgane will hear about this (he gets a first-hand account from someone who saw it). So now he knows the military escorted a one-eyed woman through Southside and Goblintown, including a visit to the Orcish Temple, and killed two of Morgane’s men. He’ll try to find out more, and will eventually hear about their stop at the Jackanapes as well -- which will include what people overheard of her talk about the Free State. Will Mister Morgane do anything with this information? Nope, he dies the next day.

Session 3: a warm welcome back
The squad, bloodied but unhurt, reach Eastbridge with Katlyn Sea -- who is genuinely impressed with the way they quickly handled her accosters, though she could have taken care of them herself. The City Watch on guard will be deeply concerned about a squad of Triumvirate soldiers apparently carrying out operations within the city walls. Depending on Charisma rolls, they may suspect that this is all a ruse (despite Marek’s written orders). If so, they will attempt to have the squad wait at the gatehouse while they send a runner across to the Guild Hall. Maybe they’ll attempt that regardless. If so, the runner will return with a City Watch captain. If things go poorly, the Watch may try to hold the group until a runner can be sent to the castle. They’ll ask them to wait in a room -- not exactly a cell, but not exactly not a cell -- while they wait. Hopefully there will be some time with the squad alone in the room with Katlyn Sea, with time to talk. She’ll try to get them talking about life in Rindamoor and in the military, and will particularly try to get the least talkative characters talking.

After crossing Eastside Bridge, there will be no further incidents in the city. They’ll reach the castle and presumably deliver Katlyn Sea to the Steward at the Gate House of the Old Castle. While crossing the parade ground, however, a group of off-duty dwarvish soldiers hanging out at the fountain will give them some grief -- “Here they come!” “Look, a fucking salamander leading an overgrown goblin”. “Scaley bastard stinks, doesn’t he?” “What the fuck is Major Marek thinking?” “They should go back where they came from” -- and laugh at them. Maybe Katlyn will start yelling back at the dwarves and provoking them further.

Major Marek is waiting with the Steward at the Gate House of the Old Castle. He’ll demand that Marek and Sarge come with him immediately, and he’ll have them tell the others to wait here in the outer ward. He takes Sarge and Marek into his office in the Tower of the Sword, where a young woman is in attendance (Isador Hellfish). Without introducing Hellfish, Marek demands that they account for the incident at Shoreling Gate last night as well as why they’re covered in blood. He will berate them, and will tell Marek that he’s being demoted to second lieutenant and bringing in a new lieutenant to lead the group and train Marek -- now he introduces Isador.

Meanwhile, the off-duty dwarven soldiers have followed the group from the parade ground into the outer ward, and will attempt to start a fight with them. If a brawl ensues, Marek and Sarge may hear (through the window) and respond. Regardless, it will quickly be broken up by on-duty soldiers.

When the squad returns to their room, it has been vandalized (by the group of dwarvish soldiers). “Go back to Goblintown” is painted across the door, which has been kicked in. Inside, the room has been trashed -- everything thrown around, and the Lieutenant’s bed has been pissed in.

Session Four: A new assignment
Year 10, Greening 6 Rindamoor

After the debacle of the first mission, Major Marek sends the squad on a mission out of town. There’s a village in the hills south of Rindamoor that’s trying to rebuild. It’s been empty since the war. Goblins have taken up residence in a nearby cave and are harassing the villagers. Requisition horses and whatever supplies you need, and head to the village with your guide, a dwarf named Artacus Redhammer. Make contact with Garrison Nightbeard (a dwarf) at the village, ask him for any information you might need.

Artacus Redhammer is a dwarf of indeterminate age, his face almost completely obscured by his bushy eyebrows, which connect to his sideburns and thus to his beard. He’s not given to talking. “The Nightbeard will explain it all to you when we get there” is his go-to reply. He’s a miner.

2nd Lieutenant Marek is enduring a shame-induced molting and cannot travel (Chris skipped a session), so the squad departs without him, and without incident other than Tyberious noticing a magic-dampening effect as they ride through Spellmont. They meet Artacus at the Jasmine Gate and head out. They make camp early each night, and Lieutenant Hellfish has the privates spar with each other to learn their strengths and to select a corporal. The trip, including a stop at Goliath Fort, is otherwise uneventful.

Session 5: Dead Inside
Year 10, Greening 10

Snowmont Village is up in the mountains on the Rindamoor side of the border with Tammelhorne, but it was abandoned during the war. There is a contingent of dwarven miners here; they have moved in to the abandoned village inn. A small temple of the Four has been boarded up with “Dead Inside” scrawled across the doors. The other buildings -- mostly houses and farms -- are still abandoned and falling apart. There are no children or elders and few women; it’s essentially a company town. Garrison Nightbeard is second cousin to the queen, and is leading this crew of miners. Unbeknownst to our heroes, Torristan Nightbeard, the queen’s father, has asked the military for help clearing out the goblins in the cave system.

At the turnoff for Spellmont, Lieutenant Hellfish sends Selvia ahead to scout the town. As the rest wait, 2nd Lieutenant Marek catches up. Selvia sees the temple and the words scrawled on the doors, and has an interaction with a dwarf before she heads back to the group.

Hellfish split the group, sending 2nd Lt Marek to scout the perimeter of the valley. They found the track leading between the town and the cave but didn’t follow it up.

In the inn, Garrison Nightbeard has set up a table as a desk for himself with his back to the hearth. Several other dwarves are at the various tables in the inn.

Two dwarven guards were with the miners. One was killed by the goblins, and the other was injured -- he’s lost the use of his left leg. His name is Lothar Hammerson, and he’s propped up in the inn’s common room with his busted leg up on a stool and an endless supply of ale near to hand. Nightbeard has ordered all the dwarves to not talk to the soldiers, but if Lothar gets the chance he’ll tell how he and his brave partner fought off dozens of goblins (I believe this did not end up happening). The killed dwarf was Lothar’s brother Otto.

Nightbeard was surprised to see that the soldiers weren’t dwarves (unbeknownst to our heroes, Cassius Stonehelm fucked up and let Major Marek grab the assignment as a way to get his new squad out of town for a while).

Nightbeard will tell them where to find the cave and order the players to clear it out. First, though, he’ll order them to clear out the temple. He treats them like they are his to command.

Twelve zombies have been locked in the abandoned temple for the past ten years. They include the clergy (male and female) and a few villagers. The zombies are engaged in a strange macabre ritual. In the center of the space, they have created a sculpture out of bones and pieces of furniture and their own dessicated bodies in the shape of a giant sword. When anyone approaches, they will attack.

Hellfish had the squad (with the Bowelmage’s magic) dig a pit outside the north door of the temple. They opened the door and saw the bodies. When they approached, the zombies stood up and moved towards them. Expecting this, they crossed the pit and pulled the plank they used as a bridge. Hellfish opened fire through the temple door with fire arrows, and Tyberious slicked up the floor under the zombies -- this led to a pit of flaming zombies. When the remaining zombies stopped moving forward, Hellfish got in an incredible shot -- a flaming arrow in the rear zombie. This sent the rest of them crashing into the pit, where Lucky magically stoked the flames. The rear zombie, however, moved further into the church and collapsed, starting a fire. Marek entered by a side door but couldn’t get the fire out in time. They called for help from the dwarves and started a bucket brigade, but it was too little too late. With both magic users spent, they could not save the temple.

Session 6: goblins
Year 10, Greening 11

Nightbeard could care less about the temple -- he’s a follower of Ghazant himself, though some of his men follow the Four and are disappointed. Nightbeard thinks it’s hilarious.

Presumably they’ll spend a night in the village. The inn is full of dwarves, but they are welcome to use the hayloft over the stables or to camp out in one of the abandoned houses or on the village green.

Nightbeard will tell them how to find the cave -- just follow the track -- but as little as possible about what to expect. If pressed, he’ll admit that they’re doing some mining but will insist that the goblins attacked them first, killing one of his men. He won’t allow any of his men to go with them.

The cave is indeed occupied by goblins, but they have not been raiding the village -- they are refugees themselves who took shelter here during the war and have been trying to make a life for themselves. They are aware of the dwarves in the village -- they killed one dwarf and two goblins were killed -- and they are completely terrified of what’s coming. They’ve set up what defenses they can, but they are not warriors. The noncombatants -- children, new mothers, the elderly, are hiding in the most secure part of the cave. Those who can fight are on guard duty. They will defend themselves, but will also plead to be left alone.

Goblin tribe:

(combatants in bold)

Fistsnout family Grunna - F 76 (Barkin’s mother, grouchy and sullen) Barkin - M 55 (Grunna’s son, nominal tribe leader but defers to Henna Clawhide) - shortsword Egda - F 41 (Barkin’s wife; her parents and other family died in the war) - 2 daggers Popper and Yog - M 19 (twins, sons to Egda and Barkin) - daggers, slings Gretch - F 17, Yog’s wife, from Clawhide family Snark - M 6 mos, Yog and Gretch’s son, born here (Zim, Barkin’s younger brother, and Clucky, his wife, were killed by the dwarves). Laga - F 10, Barkin’s niece, daughter to Zim and Clucky (so newly orphaned)

Clawhide Family Elbow - M 83 (Gretch’s great-grandfather, senile) Henna - F 60 (Elbow’s daughter, Gretch’s grandmother, the matriarch) Ratchet - M 38 (Henna’s son, Gretch’s father; Gretch’s mother is dead) (club) Peeko - F 20 (Ratchet’s daughter, Gretch’s sister) (sling, knife) Timtim - M 13 (Gretch’s brother) - club (Dirty Tom, Peeko’s husband, was killed by the dwarves) Bleekie - F 2 (Peeko and Dirty Tom’s daughter)

Others Jerko Bandicoot - M 33 - club Ulga Pepperstew - F 16, very pregnant, won’t say who the father is (it’s Barkin)

Prior to the war, these goblins were slaves in Cardmoor, part of a contingent of goblin slaves working in the city sewers. They lived in a slave complex in the city, raising their families there. When Cardmoor fell into chaos, they escaped and fled. They wandered for a while, and found this cave after Snowmont Village was destroyed but before the end of the war -- they know nothing of the Triumvirate.

After spending the night camped in the town square, Lt Hellfish failed to get any good info out of Garrison Nightbeard. They squad took their horses up the path to the cave. They left the horses outside with Lucky guarding them as they entered the cave. Torin triggered the goblins’ trap but Sarge pulled him back to avoid injury. Tyberious smoothed out the rockfall to open the passage, and after a couple of shots from the goblin slings Lt Hellfish managed to start a conversation with Barkin, and eventually with Henna. She convinced the goblins that they had no choice but to accept an offer of asylum rather than be overrun by the dwarves. The goblins agreed (despite Jerko’s reluctance -- he even attacked Hellfish at one point). The squad saw the goblins’ parts of the cave and examined the dwarves’ ongoing mining work. They haven’t figured out what the dwarves are up to.

Lt Hellfish is planning to send the squad with the goblins under 2nd Lt Marek’s command to get back to the main road without going through the village. Hellfish will go alone to the village and report to Nightbeard that the cave has been cleared.

Ulga Pepperstew is very very pregnant. Barkin is the father, which is supposedly a secret but Egda has certainly figured out and probably the rest of the goblins have as well. She cannot ride and can barely walk. She can ride in a wagon, but there are no wagons outside the mine -- only wheelbarrows. There are a couple of wagons outside the inn, that the dwarves used to get here.

They made it back to Rindamoor, leaving the goblins to fend for themselves in Sweetling or Goblintown -- some of them may have ended up finding work in the kitchens of the Tammelhorne Compound.

Session One: Escape
MEANWHILE, IN RINDAMOOR...

The squad of soldiers made their way back to Rindamoor from Snowmont Village, a ragtag extended family of goblins in tow. They managed to get the goblins through the gate, and left them in Goblintown to attempt to build new lives and seek their fate. Upon their return to the castle, following an intense debriefing of Lt Hellfish, the squad was broken apart. Isador Hellfish disappeared into the world of courtly intrigues. 2nd Lt Marek was demoted again, and reassigned to Isador’s personal guard, along with Selvia. Torin Bloodgoat deserted, leaving the remainder of the squad -- Sarge Proudpie, Tyberious Bowelmage, Lucky Dolgaine, and Eagunghonük Glürn -- without either a lieutenant or an assignment.

They languished in their barracks room in the Tower of the Sword, pulling occasional guard duties but mostly left to their own devices. They cheered their former lieutenant in her bewildering duel with Desmon Mattanhaft. They waited weeks for new orders, which never came. They wondered at the astonishing news of the Geldren Chalice competition. And they speculated on whether the sudden death of the Redbeard, Vidimus Stonehelm, was a murder by poison.

Stonehelm's sons, Cassius and Jarret, assumed control in Rindamoor. One afternoon, a lizard-man named Swasso arrived at the barracks, telling Sarge that he had just been reassigned to join the squad. As he was introducing himself, Lucky Dolgaine rushed in, uncharacteristically agitated. From his dwarven family members and friends, Lucky had heard that the new Stonehelm was enacting a purge of the military. And a contingent of dwarven soldiers was at that very moment on their way to assassinate the remaining members of the squad.

Sarge Proudpie had kept his remaining soldiers ready. They quickly gathered their weapons and supplies, and headed out. Dwarven soldiers were even then ascending the central staircase of the Tower of the Hand, so the squad headed to a back staircase as the Bowelmage slickened the stairs for the dwarves.

Three dwarves were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. With a fearsome halfling battle cry, Sarge Proudpie struck fear into the dwarves' hearts, causing one to bolt for the central stairs. Eagunghonük Glürn swung his mighty orcish axe, but adrenaline got the better of him and he missed; the dwarf he was facing rushed him, knocking the orc off balance. At the same time, the newest member of the squad -- the snakish lizard-man Swasso -- coolly speared his dwarf through the neck in his signature move. Proudpie smashed his mace into the belly of the dwarf facing Eagunghonük Glürn, then leapt for the stairs in pursuit of the frightened dwarf. The lizard-man dispatched the belly-injured dwarf with another stab to the neck.

The group headed south along a passage towards the Old Castle, while the Bowelmage melted the stone around the door behind them. Frightening courtiers and ignoring an agitated Castle Guard, they arrived at the Library Tower, where the lizard-man claimed they would find an entrance to the catacombs under the castle. The librarian, intimidated by the sudden appearance of a blood-spattered orc, lizard-man, and fearsome halfling, as well as a flummoxed wizard, informed them that the stairs down had long since been boarded up. Eagunghonük Glürn's axe made short work of the wooden planks, and the group began to descend. Glürn went last, and was waist-deep into the stairway down when three pursuing dwarves burst into the library and charged.

Still smarting from his previous failure, Eagunghonük Glürn summoned all his orcish might and dispatched all three with a single swing of his axe. The group descended and began moving northward through a series of rooms and passages. The agitated Bowelmage failed to summon his magic to block the way again, and a crossbow bolt from a pursuing dwarf struck the lizard-man in the leg.

Passing through another door, the squad found themselves in a natural cavern. Our story ends here, for now. Will our heroes find an exit to the catacombs? Eagunghonük Glürn intends to take them to his uncle in Goblintown for a safe haven -- will they make it?

Session Two: into the caverns
Sarge Proudpie, Eagunghonük Glürn, the Boulemage, and Swasso closed the door behind them. The natural cavern was not completely dark -- a bit of light spilled through a large crack in the southern wall, which opened onto the wellshaft in the courtyard of the Old Castle. The remaining members of the Raven Squad followed the natural passageway downwards and to the East, until it turned South an opened onto a cavern with three additional tunnels leading East, South, and Southwest. Waiting in this cavern was a strangely pale, skinny man in soldier's chainmail. Sarge recognized him and called him Tweety; he was also fleeing the purge.

The group took the southwest passageway, which soon opened onto a small cavern bisected by a giant spiderweb, and inhabited by a giant spider. Tweety snapped a crossbow string, so Swasso took the spider out with a single mighty thrust with his spear.

Continuing on, always taking the right-hand passage, the group arrived at a section of tunnel that had been shaped and smoothed, with a stone door in a carved stone arch blocking the passage North. The arch and door were decorated with geometric patterns in a style that Eagunghonük Glürn was convinced predated the Empire of Cardmoor and the Church of the Four. The door being locked, the Boulemage softened the stone of the arch, but only succeeded in sticking the door completely closed. Tweety noticed, however, that the melted arch opened up a small hole above the door. Climbing up and peeking through, Tweety saw an octagonal room with flat, even stone floors and walls, with a strange altar in the center upon which five golden candles burned. Standing facing the altar was a stone statue of a man holding a sword. As Tweety dropped to the floor inside, the statue turned its head to him. Sarge followed Tweety through. The statue saluted them with its sword, paused, and then moved to attack. Sarge batted away the attack, breaking the stone sword in the process.

On the other side of the door, the Boulemage again attempted to ease the passage of the door as Eagunghonük Glürn pushed against it. This time, the stone around the door softened and Glürn pushed the door right off its hinges; the door slammed to the ground inside the room (with Glürn on top), catching Tweety on the ankle.

With a surprising leap, Sarge landed a crushing blow on the statue's jaw, knocking a chunk of rock from its head and causing it to stagger back. This gave Glürn room to spring up, advance, and land a kick against the statue's chest, sending it back against the far wall where it shattered to pieces.

Convinced this was an ancient lizardfolk temple of some kind, Swasso examined both sides of the door for reptid runes, finding none. Tweety prayed to Amar and the Four, conjuring a spell of healing on his injured leg.

As the intrepid adventurers, soldiers of the Triumvirate no more, gather themselves and consider the strange altar and the other stone door on the north side of the chamber, they hear a distant crash and voices from back the way they came…

Session Three: underground battles
Having defeated the living statue, the former soldiers took a moment to catch their breath. Tweety examined the five candles built into the altar, discovering that the flames appear directly from the candlesticks -- there is no wax. The candles suddenly dimmed, then began growing brighter again. At almost the same moment, Swasso noticed the pieces of the shattered statue beginning to move and they all heard a distinctly dwarvish voice from the south passage saying "They went this way." Sarge smashed a piece of broken statue with his mace, then joined Glürn in pushing the pieces back down the passageway. Meanwhile, the Bowelmage attempted a new method for opening a locked door -- increasing the flow of the lock itself. This proved effective on the door leading north, and the five former soldiers passed through into a new passageway, locking the door behind them.

This passageway quickly turned east, and opened onto a room with more passageways to the north and southeast, as well as one to the east that had been blocked by a locked stone door, devoid of decoration. There was evidence that the passages north (leading up) and west (from whence they just came) had been in use, but not the passage southeast or the door. Turning right again, they took the southeast passage.

This led downwards. After some confusing twists and turns, and always going downwards, the passage opened onto the shore of a large subterranean lake. The rough ceiling was only a few feet above the water, which extended out of sight. A little light shone in from somewhere ahead -- Tweety speculated that this could be the wellshaft, but Glürn was certain they were in a different place. Glürn waded into the water, but the floor quickly dropped away. Not wanting to attempt to swim across the lake -- and unsure if there even would be another shore -- the group returned the way they had come.

Despite being convinced they were headed a different direction and had somehow entered a different tunnel, they returned to the room with the stone door and three other passages. As they discussed their options, they heard a crash from the west passage (towards the room with the statue and altar) and prepared themselves for the pursuing dwarves.

Tweety had been listening at that passage, and positioned himself along the wall as the first dwarf ran into the room. This was an enormous dwarf, almost the size of a man, wielding a large mace. When the second dwarf entered, Tweety stepped behind him and delivered a cut to the neck with his dagger. A third dwarf entered next.

A battle ensued, featuring a mighty leap by Sarge that had no effect on the battle whatsoever. After defeating the enormous dwarf, Glürn tripped over the body. Eventually the three dwarves were killed, Tweety healed some injuries, and the Bowelmage opened the door to the east.

Closing the door behind them, the group followed the passage as it slanted downwards and to the right, soon opening onto a smallish room with scattered bones. Tweety could not identify the bones immediately, but they seemed to be mammals of some kind. This room had two other passages, one leading north and one southeast. Heading to the right again, they took the southeast passage.

This quickly opened onto a small cavern with a pile of bones on the floor in the center. A human-sized millipede with a vicious-looking tail spike, partially wrapped around a large stalagmite, lifted its head at the intruders. Tweety cut to the left, only to have a second giant millipede drop on him from the ceiling and wrap around him. Sarge stepped to the side to let the others fight. Swasso speared the first millipede but took a tail spike in the arm as Glürn wrapped an arm around the tail of the second, preventing its tail spike from impaling Tweety's face.

The Bowelmage loosened the grip of the millipede, allowing Tweety to squeeze himself free. Sarge smashed the tail spike of the millipede fighting Swasso. Glürn chopped the tail spike off the other, and Tweety finished it off with a sword he had taken from one of the dwarves. Was it Sarge or Glürn who put the final one out of its misery?

Swasso's arm had gone completely numb from poison in the tail spike. Tweety spat into his hands and then rubbed it into Swasso's wound, negating the effects of the poison.

Session Four: mushrooms
The weary ex-soldiers continued through the caverns, finding a room filled with green and purple phosphorescent mushrooms. Tweety took a bite, and in doing so dislodged a cloud of spores. They explored a bewildering labyrinth of tunnels looping back on themselves, many filled with mushrooms and spores -- which proved to cause bouts of paranoia and hallucinations.

Eventually, they came to a chamber with several passageways. Sarge liked the look of one of them, and it led to a long tunnel trending upwards. At one point it opened onto a side room with a ruined door. Inside the room were the ruins of something unpleasant -- a partial skeleton was still strapped to a table -- this room reminded Tweety of the process he went through to become what he is.

The long tunnel eventually ended at a secret door deep in the catacombs under the cathedral of the Four inside the Castle of Rindamoor. The group climbed the stairs to the surface level, where they terrified a young priest and eventually caught the attention and strong disapproval of an older priest, who sent a runner to the barracks with a complaint.

Our heroes left the cathedral and found themselves on the parade ground near the fountain near the eastern gate. Seeing that the gate was guarded, and knowing the military would soon be on to them, they ducked into the Castle Village to seek a place to hide. Eventually they chose the back entrance to what looked like a closed shop. The Bowelmage, as the only human in the group, shed his military clothing and left to deliver a hastily-written plea for help from Glürn to his uncle in Goblintown (written in Ancient Orcish).

The remainder of the group broke into the shop and subdued the lone shopkeeper, then settled in to wait for help. Meanwhile Tyberious Bowelmage made it out the gate without incident, and hurried into the city and across Eastbridge to Goblintown. At the temple of Barlazam, he was directed to the Hog & Grog tavern, where the elder Glürn was known to spend time.

Session Five: Extraction
Glürn did everything he could to calm the shopkeeper, a 40ish human named Tolemew Eckleby. As various plans were floated, the group noticed military patrols of dwarves and humans on the streets. When a patrol knocked on the front door of the shop, Sarge answered in shopkeeper garb, holding a broom along with his trusty mace. He bluffed them well enough for them to move on, but caught the attention of the dwarvish lieutenant. Upstairs, Tweety watched through the window as the soldiers outside had a conversation with the proprietors of the shop next door. Clearly they had been made -- the lieutenant sent one soldier running off, then the rest of the patrol took a position outside the front door.

In an attempt to fight their pursuers in small groups, Sarge opened the door and invited the soldiers in. A battle ensued in the main part of the shop. Despite Glürn's best attempts, by the end of it the tables were smashed, the shelves had collapsed, blood was everywhere, and the decapitated head of the dwarf lieutenant came to rest on a platter on the shop's main display table.

Fortunately, Swasso had shut the door during the battle with a dashing tail maneuver. More soldiers gathered outside, in both the street in front of the shop and in the alley behind. Our heroes moved upstairs, blocking the stairwell with crates and barrels and preparing for a siege.

Meanwhile, in Goblintown, Ghonük Glürn read the letter from his nephew. He had had high hopes that an orc in the Triumvirate military might be able to work within the system to make positive change; those hopes were dashed by the news of the purge. He knew immediately how to help his nephew escape, but it would take time. He wrote a letter and handed it off to be delivered. Taking the Bowelmage with him, he set out for Riverside and a contact in the Broken Coin, bringing an extraction team of six Wor Maga orc warriors.

At a tavern in Riverside, Glürn  met with Shil Weaver, a halfling and the Broken Coin capo for Riverside (and The Farthing). He made a deal: Shil’s halfling subordinates would get Glürn and his group of Wor Maga into the Castle Village using their secret passage, and he would owe them a massive favor (maybe this can be retconned with something specific). Three halflings -- Merlin Bellyfull, Tom Naughtyboots, and Crackers McGee -- led Glürn, Tyberious Bowelmage, and six Wor Maga across the Aeryk in a couple of small boats, then into a sewer outlet in the north side of the river near Eastbridge.

Deep in the sewers, they diverted into a natural cavern that led up into the castle hill. They passed through a cavern with ancient paintings that caught Glürn's eye. The halflings led them to an unfinished sub-basement beneath a fabric shop run by Lewen and Helsa Underfoot.

Knowing that time was short, Glürn's group followed the halflings' lead onto the roofs and across the Castle Village, until they found themselves looking across at the shop where our heroes had barricaded themselves, and down at a large contingent of soldiers outside. They readied themselves and then attacked -- the Bowelmage conjured a mighty spell, causing cramping and some discomfort among the soldiers. The orcs leapt down and attacked the soldiers at close quarters.

Seeing this, our heroes readied some ropes and crashed through the second-story windows, landing gracefully as they entered the fray. Young Glürn battled through to his uncle, who was fighting with ancient orcish combat magic the likes of which no one there had ever seen. During the battle, Swasso -- already injured from the skirmish inside the store -- met his death at the hands of dwarvish soldiers. The Bowelmage, his magic exhausted, nevertheless shimmied down and drew his sword, unwilling to look on from the sidelines as his compatriots battled for their lives.

Eventually, the battle was won. More soldiers would surely arrive soon, but the group -- minus Swasso, and carrying the body of one of the Wor Maga -- ran back through the Castle Village to the fabric shop. Once inside, they dropped back into the caverns and were on their way.

Uncle Glürn had the group stop in the painted cavern, and explored a side chamber with even more magnificent cave paintings. This one depicted a battle with elves on one side fighting against a group of humans, dwarves, and orcs. Glürn pointed out that dwarves and orcs are not natural enemies, despite hundreds of years of enmity. Humans, dwarves, orcs, halflings -- all the true people of Amartain should be allies against the Elves.

Back at the Hog & Grog, uncle Glürn warned the survivors that this was not over. They were fugitives now. He could help them get out of Rindamoor, but he asked them to stay and join him in his quest to unite the people of the Triumvirate -- which might mean finding a way to topple the dwarvish Triumvir and his scheming brother. Glürn spoke of Sharak-Im in the orcish homelands, devastated by the War of the Dead, and still filled with the dead as Saint Bessin's spell did not reach that far north. On hearing of a land filled with the dead, Sarge and Tweety knew that this was their destiny. They would soon depart for the north, to do battle with their longtime foe.

Glürn's hope is to one day use the resources of the Triumvirate to raise a mighty army to clear Sharak-Im and make it habitable once again.

Tyberious Bowelmage felt himself ready for the next step in his wizardly training, and uncle Glürn invited him to study orcish magic. Young Glürn committed to joining his uncle's quest.

The Raven Squad is no more. But the story continues.

Oh, almost forgot: Young Glürn left poor Tolemew Eckleby, the shopkeeper, tied up in the back room of his own shop with handfuls of coins looted from the dead soldiers in his lap.