Way of the Wicked Book 1 Act 3

[CasualViking]

"Huh. Nope. Too busy having fun".

[archon_huskie]

“Well, I did spend some time with him.” Irene says. “So here’s what I learned:”

And instead of roleplaying Irene’s sharing of information, I’m going to pretend that this is Irene’s recitation of the information Timeon shared with her. In its place is that info and a little bit on the game mechanics behind this portion of the game.

I will keep track of your success by using Victory Points (VPs). When you think you have enough VPs, you can fire the rocket and the bugbear assault begins. You may estimate your VPs by rolling a DC 20 Knowledge (engineering) or Profession (Soldier) skill check.

Balentyne has its Lord Commander, four captains, a hundred soldiers, a cleric with acolytes, a squad of Dwarves who maintain the battlements, and a wizard. A direct assault on all of them at once would between a level 14 & 16 challenge depending on if the soldiers can bring their artillery to bear.

To give you a framework of VPs, without telling you what everyone is worth, there are 4 classes of opponents in Balentyne: Officers/key personnel, creatures, equipment, and nobodies. Nobodies are your common soldiers/acolytes/engineers. You have to eliminate them in a group to be worth a victory point. Truthfully, I will only be assigning them names if absolutely needed. Equipment is the siege weapons and siege defenses of the watchtower. Obviously you want the drawbridge dow and the porticulos up during the assault and the less ranged weapons they have the better. Creatures include any supernatural allies Balentyne has. FInally Officers. The nobodies will rally to their officer for leadership. The officers have names and a few have backstories.

In the case of two of the officers, their presence during the assault is actually worth negative points. So at the moment, you have 0 VP but if you did nothing for two weeks and released the rocket, you would be at -15 VP.

I won’t be suggesting strategies, unless you are stumped and make an INT check for a hint. Instead I prefer to let your actions enable you to discover facts and let you the players develop your strategy. The Sandbox is growing.

Spoiler: GM’s Note:

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Previously, I had told you that Balentyne’s Commander was Lord Richard Havelyn whose son Thomas had recently passed away. I somehow got that backwards, and it is information Cardinal Thorne would not have gotten wrong and would have corrected Timeon on it. Lord Richard Havelyn was the Lord of Havelyn. But he recently passed away. Richard’s son Thomas Havelyn is the Commander of Balentyn. Thomas is also a widower, his wife passed while giving birth to their only son, Richard II. When Thomas’s commission is finished, he will return to Havelyn to serve as its Lord. In the interim Richard II is serving as the acting Lord of Havelyn. By posting this, I am aware that I am essentially declaring it plot relevant information.

Spoiler: Also:

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(I will be referring to Balentyne as both a watchtower and a castle interchangeably, because that is what the books do. The pedantic historian in me knows this is wrong. But another gamer once warned me that trying to be too accurate is a bad thing and can get in the way of a good story.)

The Nessian Knot
The Frosthamar Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

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• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[CasualViking]

"Well. I think that was everything". Caleb looks over the loot and the party. "The Cardinal's instructions were quite exact, so.....who wants to do the honors?" He looks back at the Frosthamar.

[Zweanslord]

Amber grins wide upon hearing Caleb's words and she raises her hands and thrusts them forward to unleash a wave of fl- but only a spark of flame appears. Blinking, she tries again, but to the same affect. "Uhh.." Looking slightly distraught, she steps back. "You can do it." She offers to the half-orc, while frowning and looking at her own hands.

[Ionbound]

Mira listens intently to Irene, then replies, "Wait, the soldiers have artillery, you say? Did Timeon say what kind? I have an idea..."

[Farmerbink]

The Half-Orc eyes Amber askance, confused and unsure what to make of her deference. Sparks gather in his closed fists, and form a small swarm, racing up and down his forearms. He extends his hands and opens them, unleashing a torrent of flame, quickly clinging to the lines and pitch-covered surface of the Frosthamar. In the course of a few moments, the ship is ablaze, a beacon in the gathering gloom.

"Don't want to be holding the matches when the marshal shows up," he growls, turning his back to the inferno. "let's go."

[archon_huskie]

The Frosthamar burns quickly. Grumblejack pushes the fiery boat back into the water to float away.

ACT 3 closing text

You are close now. Just a few miles from here sits the small market town of Aldencross and less than a mile from there is the watchtower of Balentyne – your goal. Already Sakkarot’s horde gathers and prepares to move. Within two weeks, they will be in a small valley north of the lake awaiting your signal. Fire the rocket into the air at just the right moment and you will take the first step towards claiming vengeance against Talingarde. Destiny has taken you here. Destiny has given you a mission. There is no doubt that the future of this green and pleasant land lies in your hands. You could go to that town right now and warn them of the plots of the sinister Cardinal Thorn. You could give yourself up and face the justice you deserve. You could turn back from the horror and the slaughter that you are going to inflict upon these Mitran sheep. This is that moment. This is the turning point. After this, there is no going back. Any one eager for redemption?

Pause.

I thought not. Come, my friends. We have work to do. We must burn Balentyne.

Act 4
Aldencross is a small trading town barely worthy of being called a city. The town is laid out as a circle with crossroads in the center. Farmlands lay to the southwest, forests to the east as well as Balentyne. You approach from the North as the sun rises on the town. There is no town wall to speak of, save perhaps a treeline on the northwestern border. Likewise there is no guard posted as you enter town.

You can hear the noise of the workers who begin their day before dawn moving about. (Farmers tending to animals, servants heading to their master’s houses. A few heading the church for morning prayers. etc.).

Where would you like to go?

According to the Appendix of Book 6, it is November 20th. (As the Watch Wall is based on the Ice Wall from Game of Thrones, which in turn was based on Hardian’s Wall in England, I used the coordinates for Hardian’s Wall to calculate the sunrise. So it is 7:52 AM as you enter the town.

The Nessian Knot
Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

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• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Farmerbink]

The Half-Orc growls quietly as the humble town grows ever nearer. Those walking alongside hear fragments of words that sound like “pitiful” and “garbage,” but never quite enough to form complete thoughts. Taking a page out of Caleb’s book, he swallows his pride and with visible effort uses the pendant to mask his Orcish appearance. Looking every bit the young and wealthy Mitran, he marches closer to civilization for the first time since his branding.

As the group ventures among the buildings on the fringes of town, a spark drops from his fingers. He quickly stamps it out, and slaps his thigh in irritation. The energy stills for the moment, and he paces on.

”Might as well start simple,” he mutters. Raising his voice a bit, he calls out to a passing laborer, ”Ho there! Where might a group of weary travelers find rest and food, in your pleasant village?”

[archon_huskie]

“Mitra’s blessings to you worthy travelers,” the man says with a smile. “May you find our town comfortable. There is an inn on the West side of town called the Lord’s Dalliance Inn [marked as 2 on the map}. They serve quality food and the rooms are clean and comfortable.” He pauses as he notes the ogre in your party. “I don’t know if they have lodging for oversized guests. In the summer they set up a pavilion for adventures to accommodate . . . But it is too cold this late in Autumn for that. But if your hearts are as golden as your coin, I am sure they will find a place for all to rest.”

He resumes singing a song

“Off we go; today is the day
For an honest day’s work,
and an honest day’s pay!”

The Nessian Knot
Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Ionbound]

Mira nods, following the half-orc along as she looks around, disguised as a wealthy young woman, perhaps the traveling companion of the other two. She listens to their conversation, nodding along as she adds to the worker, "Mitra's light be with you," before heading further into the city. As she hears the man's song, she bites her tongue to avoid audibly retching in disgust, and grumbles under her breath to Irene, "I wonder if he'd feel that his pay was still honest if he knew how the nobles in Talingarde were living."

[CasualViking]

Off to the Lord's Dalliance it is, then.

[Zweanslord]

Walking along in her disguise of a well off, snubby lady who looks moderately, but not overtly important, she disdains to respond to the singing man as the other young and wealthy Mitran does the talking.

When he is out of sight, she looks somewhat troubled, fiddling with her hands, wondering why her fire did not work before. She gently looks at Mira, who grumbled. Smirking in response, she whispered as they moved off to the Lord's Dalliance. "He'd simply be too impressed to think of that."

[archon_huskie]

The Lord’s Dalliance Inn is a three floor building. A sign outside proudly declares that it is the only Inn in Aldencross. The first floor is a tavern style restaurant. There is a band stand with a stage in one corner, currently empty as it is still morning. The restaurant floor has a total of 7 round tables with 8 chairs, and a bar capable of sitting 15 people.

A bell jingles as you enter. A moment later a woman comes out of the kitchen behind the bar. “Oh Good Morning and may Mitra shine on you.” She says. “Are you interested in breakfast or renting a room?”

The Nessian Knot
Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Farmerbink]

The Half-Orc steps forward. Bowing his head slightly in greeting, his mellifluous baritone rings out, "Breakfast first, but likely both. Truly, our errand lies more with the people stationed at Balentyne, but I'm embarrassed to admit none of us have previously made the journey hence. Pray tell, would they have lodging in the fort to accommodate our party?" He takes a moment to gesture towards the door, where Grumblejack is trying to navigate entry. "As you can see, we have a, er... more complicated situation than most."

At the innkeeper's no doubt dubious expression, the Sorcerer raises his hands in a placating gesture. "Never fear, he's well-trained. I wouldn't say harmless exactly, but he's as much a companion for cargo as protection." His back turned momentarily to the villagers, he flashes a not-entirely-harmless smile at the Ogre, encouraging him to play along.

Spoiler: Skill check

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There are no lies, deliberately, in the text to the villagers, but nonetheless X is being deceitful. To that end, (1d20+14)[24] bluff, with the intention of setting the villagers at ease.

Further, if you rule it to be an attempt at passing a secret message to Grublejack, another check: (1d20+14)[23]

[Ionbound]

Mira flashes the innkeeper a sly smile as she adds, "You would not believe the hoops we had to jump through for that. I'll have to tell you the story later, but needless to say the proper authorities are all very sure he's tame."

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolling to Aid Another on Bluff: (1d20+2)[22] vs 10 for a +2 on X's bluff check.

[archon_huskie]

“Oh Mitra’s foot, yes. I can understand your problem.” the lady says. “We get a number of foriegn adventurers heading into the Savage North during the adventuring season, many rumors there of lost treasure and dragons up there. And I have seen a great variety pack animals and beasts of burden.

“I can assure you that Balentyne does not have room for visitors. Just a barracks for the brave soldiers, the priest and his acolytes, and quarters for the captains and Lord Commander. Outside of an emmisary of the king, no one guests at Balentyne. Why the dwarven engineers doing the gatehouse refurbishing are being housed here for lack of room!"

The lady makes mention of the pavilion that gets set up during the summer, but also acknowledges that it is too cold at night for that option. She takes a ledger out from under the bar, “Let’s see I have a number of rooms available for about a week and a half, but then we have the town’s monthly market sale and we are booked solid for that week. We can set up a cot in the commons for it. But if you are staying for market or longer I can ask around town for other options for your ogre. In fact I believe there is warehouse the revee has wanted to rent to pay for fixing it up better.”

She seems genuinely concerned about finding a comfortable place for Grumblejack to sleep, even if she sees him as more of an exotic animal than a person.

The Nessian Knot
Aldencross Map Amber Caleb “X” the Sorcerer Mira Irene Grumblejack

Spoiler: Group goals

Show

• Protect the Frosthamar and its cargo.
• Deliever munitions to Bug-bear chieftain Sakkarot Fire-Axe. Northern Coast of Lake Tarik
• Go South to the town of Aldencross
• Kill Odenkirk and crew. Burn the Frosthamar with no survivors
• Reclaim Odenkirk's payment for your own.
• Infiltrate Balentyne (One month)
• Kill Balentyne's Commander
• Open the gates of Balentyne for the horde.
• Break clay seal to contact Cardinal Thorn

[Ionbound]

Mira nods to the woman, and smiles warmly, replying, "Thank you! We'll be here for about a month before moving on, so I suppose we'll have to figure out something to do for the market. And thank you for telling us about the warehouse, I suppose we'll have to head down there now to check it out."

[archon_huskie]

"The Reeve is Dominick Vallison. And he is either at his manor or his store." She cheerfully give you directions to the Reeve's house marked as 4 on the map, the general store marked as 14 on the map, and the old warehouse marked as 18 on the map.

[Farmerbink]

The disguised Half-Orc nods thoughtfully. "I suppose we will grow familiar with that road, alongside these Dwarves you speak of. Hopefully they are not too boisterous traveling companions!" He laughs warmly- an odd sound to those more familiar with his usually more malicious sense of humor. It's convincing, though.

He turns to Mira, nodding. "Indeed, I suspect our business will keep us here for more than 10 days. Perhaps Grumblejack will find the warehouse to his liking? I dread the thought of setting up cots in the common room, but I suppose it will beat sleeping under the trees again..." He lets a small bit of playful disappointment linger on his face before turning back to the lady. "In the meantime, we will take a pair of your rooms until the market."

Finally, facing Mira once more, he puts on a mockery of the road-weary traveler. "Can we not rest our feet for a time and break our fast before charging off to another errand? If Master Vallison has wanted to rent it for a time, it will wait another hour, no?"

[Zweanslord]

"A breakfast sounds excellent to me. Let's take a moment's time to gather our wits before venturing forth." Amber states with a dignified air in her disguise. "Please do tell, what is it that you offer in this establishment?" She looks at woman that has been speaking.

[archon_huskie]

"I have pancakes, bacon, eggs, and baked apples." She replies. "Meals included with price of room."

Other patrons come in and purchase breakfast, If you spend an hour at the Lord's Dalliance, you make make an DC 10 Diplomacy check to pick up rumors.

[Ionbound]

Mira smiles, and replies to the woman, "May Mitra smile upon you for your generosity."

She does eat breakfast in the inn's common room, listening to conversations wash over her as well as gossiping with the locals, keeping an ear out for any information that might help her and the others with their mission.

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy check: (1d20+9)[28]

[CasualViking]

"AND baked apples?", Caleb exclaims. "Madam, are you sure I can't convince you to elope with me?". He winks at the bar lady.

He sits down with a hearty breakfast and engages the nearby patrons in small talk, mostly about food. Diplomacy - (1d20+5)[13].

[Zweanslord]

"I'll have pancakes and eggs." Amber notes as she takes place with the others, letting her ears pay attention to their surroundings.

Spoiler: Roll

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Diplomacy: (1d20+10)[25]

[archon_huskie]

rumor mongering Mira - (1d20)[3]
Lord Havelyn is a good soul but so grim and gloomy. For so great a lord to be unhappy, he must be guilty about something!

rumor mongering Caleb - (1d20)[19]
I hear a raven arrived at the rookery last night! I bet it carried important news though I know not about what.

rumor mongering AMber - (1d20)[14]
Those dwarves are a thieving lot! I heard one of them was caught picking a man’s pocket.

[archon_huskie]

"AND baked apples?", Caleb exclaims. "Madam, are you sure I can't convince you to elope with me?". He winks at the bar lady.

He sits down with a hearty breakfast and engages the nearby patrons in small talk, mostly about food. [roll0].

"Oh you are a right sweet one you charmer. best not to let my husband hear that talk though." She says.

[Farmerbink]

The Sorcerer chuckles at Caleb's jest. "I will leave the sweeter fare to my companions, but will gladly pay extra for a double portion of bacon and eggs!"

He too engages in seemingly-congenial conversation, making a point to listen more than he talks.

Spoiler: Rumormongoring

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(1d20+5)[14] diplomacy

[Ionbound]

Mira smiles and laughs as she gossips with the townsfolk, but when she hears one fellow mention Lord Havelyn having something to feel guilty about, she becomes more serious and asks, "Really, do you think so? What would a man such as him have to feel guilty about?"

[archon_huskie]

"Oh there's something there all right. Lord Havelyn should have returned home to serve as Havelyn's Lord after his father's passing. Doesn't he want to see his son?"


X rumormongering - (1d20)[13]

Have you had any of Mama Guisseppe’s beef stew? Delicious! I hear she goes up to the Watchtower and cooks a big batch of it for the men every Monday! What a nice old lady.

Spoiler: Secret

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rolls for later A - (1d20+7)[9]
rolls for later C - (1d20+12)[20]
rolls for later M - (1d20-1)[5]
rolls for later X - (1d20+4)[8]

[Ionbound]

Mira raises an eyebrow and replies, "Oh, is that so? Huh. I wonder what's keeping him here, then."