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Oliver D. Bernuetz's Campaign Chronicles Back to my home page - back to campaign chronicles Chronicles of the South - Part 4 Party: Hallelujah Harnsdottir (Barbeester Gor warrior)(Doug St.), Tamerlan (Waha noble)(Stephanie), Durnfal Slipspear (Yemalio farmer)(Gary), Greystone (Waha herder)(Doug Sh.), Gerhardt Frei (Orlanthi warrior)(Arne), Svart Ulfsson (Humakti warrior) (Henry) Targan Bash (Storm Bull warrior)(Darryl) and Peracles (sorcerer) (Jeff). Party also includes Zeena a Chalana Arroy High Healer married to Svart Ulfsson. The party is aghast at the death of Thosah and Zeena immediately goes into mourning to atone for his death. The villagers gather around the bodies of the slain lamia, Fethal and Thosah. The villagers stand quietly doing nothing until one of the ogre children dips his finger in Fethal's blood and licks the blood off. This inflames the villagers who begin to tear the ogre children to pieces hunting down those that escape with the aid of the party. Near the end of the hunt Penliss the village shaman returns from her exile. She tells the party about the succubus and tells them that she can see the succubus in her spirit form. The group unsuccessfully searches the village for the succubus. While the rest of the group searches Zeena and Peracles manage to resurrect Durnfal. The group discovers that their mounts had been slain. They decide to spend the night in the Yemalio shrine since it has only the one entrance. The villagers are placed in the granaries, watches are set and everyone beds down for the night. During Svart, Gerhardt and Greystone's watch the succubus sneaks up and begins to befuddle them. She befuddles first Svart and then Gerhardt. Gerhardt manages to fire an arrow at her before being befuddled so the Greystone is warned. The succubus is forced to entrance him and forces him to attack her enemies. He turns and hits Targan a mighty blow to the chest which almost slays him. The shaman awakes and begins to wake others. Hallelujah Harnsdottir grabs her axe and runs out to attack the enemy. She does not spot the succubus who attempts to sneak in and attack the group after Hallelujah runs out but is spotted by Svart who has just come out of his befuddlement. He cuts her leg off. She attempts to stab Svart with her dagger but misses and losses her next attack. Gerhardt comes out of his befuddlement believing he is on the wrong side and decides to run away when he realises that his side is out numbered. He sneaks out and runs off. The succubus rolls out of the door and lands on the ground. Svart jumps after her and falls on top of her. Greystone follows thinking to save the succubus. Hallelujah runs up to attack the succubus and finishes her off. Greystone comes out of his charmed state and eventually Gerhardt returns. Targan meanwhile has been saved by Zeena. The group rests for the remainder of the night. The next day they decide to track down the ogre children. The sorcerer summons an air elemental to take a message to the militia at Queenscliff (carrying a message written by Durnfal). The group marches out to the drying barn and Hallelujah and Greystone pick up the trail. The trail leads south into the Lunar Grantlands. As they head south in the general direction of Ronegarth a strange wind picks up and the locals quickly realize that something is wrong. The Eternal Battle was coming! They manage to cast their battle and rune magic and prepare themselves for battle! Nine skeletons and the Avatar of Chaos appear and the party prepares to die. The skeletons rush up and prove to be a pathetic threat. Svart and Hallelujah disable a dragon skeleton. The Avatar then spits acid and hits Svart in the leg knocking him to the ground as his leg dissolves. The skeletons and the Avatar ignore Targan who rushes up to attack the Avatar. He swings ineffectively at the Avatar who then punts him across the battlefield. Durnfal sneaks up behind the Avatar and critically impales him in the chest! Hallelujah rushes up to help attack the Avatar to keep him down. While the skeletons keep the rest of the party busy Hallelujah and Durnfal keep causing minor wounds to the Avatar. The Avatar spits acid at Hallelujah and misses, then spits acid at Durnfal and melts all the armour off of his left leg. Only his protection four saves him from actual physical damage. The Avatar d.i.'s for healing and attacks Hallelujah tearing her arm off. He then kicks Durnfal's head off. The Eternal Battle is soon to depart Prax taking Durnfal with them so everyone tries to d.i. for him. Hallelujah manages to do so. The Battle departs. The group beds down for the night. The next day the group tracks the ogre children almost all the way to the Pola Stead. The homesteader Nanni Pola leads the group to a nearby sinkhole where he had tracked the children. The group debates following the children down the sinkhole but decides not to and returns to Black Rock where they discover that the militia has impaled all the male villagers and senile elders save the priestess. The group then returns to Sun Dome.. 20) Fire/Fertility/Waterday 1615 Party: Hallelujah Harnsdottir (Barbeester Gor warrior)(Doug St.), Tamerlan (Waha noble)(Stephanie), Durnfal Slipspear (Yemalio farmer)(Gary), Greystone (Waha herder)(Doug Sh.), Gerhardt Frei (Orlanthi warrior)(Arne), Svart Ulfsson (Humakti warrior) (Henry) Targan Bash (Storm Bull warrior)(Darryl) and Peracles (sorcerer) (Jeff). Party also includes Zeena a Chalana Arroy High Healer married to Svart Ulfsson. Group receives reward for events at Black Rock. Hallelujah Harnsdottir is offered a chance to atone for her killing of Thosah Strongspear. She has to dedicate a year of service to Chalana Arroy. This involves her swearing to forego violence (unless ordered otherwise by a healer) for a one year period during which she will have to tend the sick and serve the healers. Because she is responsible for the well being of the sorcerer Peracles the healers at Sun Dome send her to Horn Gate where hopefully the sorcerer will receive a better reception (especially if no one discovers he's a sorcerer while he's there). (The Sun Domers refuse to have a soul-less, soul sucking sorcerer at Sun Dome for any length of time). The rest of the party hangs around waiting for their next orders. Targan and Svart are angered by the fact that the Sun Domers refuse to replace their lost mounts claiming that since they weren't lost in an actual battle their mercenary contract doesn't require their replacement. On Fire/Movement/Clayday the group is sent to Pavis with Thandren Clubfoot, Priest of Lokarnos to purchase some building materials and hire some craftsmen. The trip to Pavis takes twice as long because of the ox carts but they arrive there unscathed. The group is put up in the barracks at the Pavis Sun Dome temple until the supplies are purchased. On the next day of the dying moon (Fire/Illusion/Waterday) a red glow is seen in the mountains of Dragon's Pass. Fear sweeps the city as even the Lunars fear the possible presence of the Crimson Bat. People flee the city in droves by all exits until Sor-Eel has the gates sealed. A group of Storm Bulls race out of the Rubble to do battle with Chaos. By noon a powerful City Harmony spell calms the city and everyone learns that it is not the Bat that is coming but a magical Moon Boat. The boat arrives amid much speculation as to who is on it. Many speculate that it is either a Lunar tax collector (maybe even Ivex Devouring Dog) or a replacement for Sor-Eel. It turns out the boat holds the Lunar Coders, special agents of the Red Emperor. A day later Gerhardt Frei is asked by Krogar Wolfhelm to find a Tarshite Orlanthi named Alcibades a job. They try him out for their unit by having him fist fight Svart who is almost killed in the ensuing fight by two lucky shots to the head. Fortunately Gerhardt and Greystone have heals ready and one of them manages to heal him in time. A few days later the group begins the long trek to Chomorro. The caravan's journey is uneventful until just outside of Chomorro where they are attacked by a dozen Tusk Riders. Several of the oxen are slain in the battle but the group survives due to the timely intervention of the Lunar Provincial Survey. The Survey drops a scroll tube as they race by which Targan Bash discovers. Eventually the party arrives at Chomorro where the job of guarding the caravan falls to the Boatmen militia under Coriander. They return to Sun Dome where they discover two days later that Count Solanthos has decided not to renew their mercenary contracts. They are given their pay and a pay off for the training that Hector the Sun Dome librarian promised them in exchange for the scrolls in Auld Wyrmish they discovered in the caves at Weis Gap. They also learn that Durnfal Slipspear is now known as Strongspear and has been made Lord of the Golden Ears fief which includes Rabbit Hat Farm and that all the building materials they had been guarding where for repairs at the farm. After some unsubtle hints the group decides to travel to Pavis. While passing through Garhound the babies of Carylon and Melisande are born. A enormous storm whips up keeping everyone except Orlanthi's and Ernalda worshippers inside. That night three baby boys are born. All the babies were born able to walk and one was born holding a silver ball, one a silver comb and one a silver mirror. The party stays in Garhound for the celebration that follows the birth. The day after they head on to Pavis where they take up various residences. Tamerlan, Targan and Greystone stay in Badside where they throw some parties in the Waha temple. Alcibades, Svart and Gerhardt stay at Geo's. The three arrange for the scrolls they got from the Lunar Provincial Survey to be translated at the Lhankhor Mhy temple. One night after Alcibades has gone to sleep Svart and Gerhardt notice a man sitting in the corner wearing and displaying troll runes. As he leaves the inn four men slink out after him. The pair pursue and come upon the four and two others assaulting the man from the inn. They cast their spells and leap into combat managing to knock down three of the assailants who are armed with fighting claws. The assailants are part of a group known as White Hoods who are rapid xenophobes hating all nonhumans and any who willing associate with nonhumans. They have been engaged in a series of escalating attacks on nonhumans and nonhuman sympathizers. The stranger, (one Jurgen Trollbrother) was assaulted because he is a worshipper of Argan Argar. The White Hoods only manage to mildly wound him before most of them are knocked out of the fight by Svart and Gerhardt and the night patrol of trollkin show up and chase off the only assailant who managed to escape. The rest are taken into custody and the next day those without connections are crucified. The group learns that the scrolls refer to a cave complex in which hundreds of crystals can be found. They decide to investigate further... 21) Earth/Disorder/Clayday 1615 Party: Alcibades (Orlanth warrior)(Doug St.), Tamerlan (Waha noble)(Neil), Jurgen Trollbrother (Argan Argar trader)(Gary), Greystone (Waha herder)(Doug Sh.), Gerhardt Frei (Orlanthi warrior)(Arne), Svart Ulfsson (Humakti warrior) (Henry) and Targan Bash (Storm Bull warrior)(Darryl). Party also includes Zeena, a Chalana Arroy High Healer married to Svart Ulfsson. The party is in Pavis trying to get as much free information and equipment (which would be nice if it was free too but...) as they can. Svart discovers that he is wearing far too much armour and trades his plate limb armour for lamellar limb armour, a suit of ringmail for Alcibades and a mule. This deal involves Svart and Greystone going to Zebraside to check out the mule. The trip proves to be uneventful. That night as Svart opens his trunk to put his clothes away a rubble runner leaps out at him. He casts bladesharp on his dagger and manages to slay the rubble runner with the aid of the clothes chest. He takes the corpse to the management to complain and is told by one of the maids that Geo's doesn't allow pets. He eventually gets to stay the night free as well as a free dinner. Svart finds a threatening note in his clothes chest that he gets the manager to read for him. The note is from the Whitehoods and it threatens him with unspecified injury if he continues interfering in their business. Meanwhile Gerhardt has had a crossbow quarrel fired at him in the street outside. He ducks for cover and once he decides the coast is clear he looks around trying to see the assassin(s). By this time they've bolted and he sees nothing. Jurgen Trollbrother overhears the group discussing spelunking and he tells them that he saw a sign in the troll temple advertising the services of a troll caver named Bugstump Grubeater. He offers to arrange a meeting between the group and the troll for a fee. Svart and Gerhardt are quick to remind him that he owes them his life. His memory suddenly improved Jurgen rushes off to arrange the meeting after he arranges to borrow some money to buy some rotten meat. The two nomads have meanwhile decided to travel out into the Wastes on borrowed mounts to pay a Daka Fal shaman to teach Tamerlan the light spell. This trip takes two and a half days round trip and results in the pair meeting Krabble Impalafriend at his hut. After some negotiations as to price the shaman enters the spirit plane and finds a spell spirit so Tamerlan can learn the spell. The pair then return to Pavis. Meanwhile the rest of the group has met Bugstump Grubeater an aspiring Karrg's Son who is looking for interesting adventures he can go on to get the experience he need to make rune lord. The troll agrees to go along if offered an equal share in loot obtained. Jurgen asks to go along as translator and is also promised a fair share. The troll suggests that the group ask the Lhankor Mhy's for more information. They agree to do so and get the scroll interpreted by a priest. The priest suggests that there are references in the scroll to shrines of Thanatar, Vivamort and Primal Chaos being present in the caves. This information causes the group to rush out and buy leather collars as protection. After some considerations the group decides to travel through the Long Dry south to Weis Gap in order to avoid Sun County and its troll haters. They make preparations to depart... 22) Earth/Harmony/Windsday 1615 Party: Alcibades (Orlanth warrior)(Doug St.), Tamerlan (Waha noble)(Neil), Jurgen Trollbrother (Argan Argar trader)(Gary), Greystone (Waha herder)(Doug Sh.), Gerhardt Frei (Orlanthi warrior)(Arne), Svart Ulfsson (Humakti warrior) (Henry) and Targan Bash (Storm Bull warrior)(Darryl). Party also includes Bugstump Grubeater (Kyger Litor initiate) and Fisher and Spider two value trollkin. Party leaves Pavis. They travel half a day west of Pavis towards Aldachur in order to fool any potential pursuers. After half a day they head south into the Long Dry. They continue marching into the night and from then on march at night in order to minimize the possibility of being seen by Praxians. On the second night they march one of the trollkin stumbles across a sleeping Dinonychus. This wakes up the whole pack of seven who attack the party. A brief battle ensues in which no one is seriously injured. The two Praxians try and butcher the animals but only manage to successfully butcher one of them. The next night the group spots a banked campfire. Greystone and Bugstump sneak up and discover a group of sleeping Agrimori. They ignore the Agrimori and proceed on. The next night they spot another campfire and the pair are less successful at sneaking up. They discover a pair of Praxians who are camping out and who offer to share their campfire. Their offer is turned down and the party proceeds on. The next evening during the last watch the two Praxians and four morocanths sneak up on the party and try to capture them for slaves. Tamerlan spots two of the group sneaking up on them and shouts in order to wake up the party. Party members begin to wake up and Greystone begins to dispel the befuddles. A fierce fight breaks out and the party manages to hold their own. Bugstump casts a vigour and a strength and attacks one of the two humans biting off his leg. He charges one of the morocanths and goes into close combat with him. The other morocanth on that side of the battle fires his heavy crossbow at the troll but misses. He then charges in and attacks Greystone in order to save the man the troll attacked. He and Tamerlan exchange blows ineffectively. Alcibades joins in with his sling. Svart attacks the other human with his greatsword and cripples his shield arm. The morocanth Waha shaman moves in on Svart but is demoralized by Greystone. Svart has cast a Shield and a Truesword and turns to attack the shaman after he cuts the human's head off. The other morocanth on that side of the battle casts a conceal on the shaman and he disappears from view. Svart moves up against the morocanth who cast the conceal. That morocanth calls for an end to the fighting, they'll go their way and the humans would go their way. The party is divided on this, some wanting to stop the fighting (Greystone, Alcibades, Gerhardt and Bugstump), some wanting to continue it (Tamerlan and Targan) and others undecided (Svart). In fact when Targan tries to attack one of the morocanths Alcibades tries to stop him with his rapier. Targan parries the attack but does stop his advance. After some heated argument with some of the group demanding recompense in the form of looting the dead human which the morocanths refuse to allow the group decides to accept the morocanths offer in order to prevent further bloodshed. The party heals their wounds and marches on. That night they are followed by a pack of hyaenas but don't antagonize them. The next day as they sleep a group of bison riders slowly approaches and speaks to Greystone. They are in this part of Prax to see what's up. They have no hostile intentions towards the party and after speaking together for a while and exchanging foodstuffs they go their separate ways. The next morning the group finally arrives at the Pola homestead where they are put up for the rest of that day and the following night after they clean themselves up a bit. The Polas feed and (in Jurgen's case) futter them. The next morning they descend into the cave... Party: Alcibades (Orlanth warrior)(Doug St.), Tamerlan (Waha noble)(Neil), Jurgen Trollbrother (Argan Argar trader)(Gary), Greystone (Waha herder)(Doug Sh.), Gerhardt Frei (Orlanthi warrior)(Arne), Svart Ulfsson (Humakti warrior) (Henry) and Targan Bash (Storm Bull warrior)(Darryl). Party also includes Bugstump Grubeater (Kyger Litor initiate) and Fisher and Spider two value trollkin. The party accompanied by Nanni Pola treks over to the sinkhole where they fasten a rope to a cottonwood and descend into the depths. This decent is greatly aided by the strength of the troll Bugstump. The party manages to descend to the bottom without incident. They proceed into the cave complex where a few chambers on they run into a trio of dragonsnails and a walktapi left there by Nanni to harass them. The walktapi poisons Targan and Bugstump but they manage to knock it down and other party members keep it down. The dragonsnails pose little problem to the party (other than the one that spit acid which destroyed the troll's leg armour). The party marches onward and discovers the Garden. They proceed along the eastern edge of the Garden and had just decided to descend down into the Dark City when the ambush set by Drueke strikes! Three medium crossbow bolts fly out and strike Gerhardt Frei killing him! He successfully d.i.'s unfortunately using up all but one of his POW points in doing so. The party heads back in the direction the assassin's bolts had come from and a running battle begins. Ruventan, Rahmaso and Aven run ahead of the party (taking advantage of their ability to see the Dark Light) firing crossbow bolts when they are reloaded. This fire is ineffectual and the troll surprises the party by casting Dark Sight spells on four of the group (Targan, Svart, Alcibades and Tamerlan). Eventually the group catches up with the assassins and dispatches them with ease. The priest Drueke attempts to help his henchmen but is forced to flee into the morass of the Garden to escape his pursuers. Only a risky casting of mobility allows him to escape. This is at the cost of five of his heads that Rahmaso was carrying. The party decides to exit the caverns but when they return to the bottom of the sinkhole they discover that the rope has gone! They decide to look for another exit. The party continues to explore the maze. They discover the Thanatar temple complex and wreck havoc there. They also come across Mogo the scorpionman and easily slay him. They also come across a hidden niche of money and crystals. Although they have discovered the exit to the caverns that leads from the temple they decide to stay underground since they haven't found any great hoard of crystals (other than the few they recovered from the dead Thanatari). They wander around the cavern complex running across the Vivamort shrine which they decide not to investigate more closely. They find a relatively dry spot to camp "overnight" and await the morning... Party: Alcibades (Orlanth warrior)(Doug St.), Tamerlan (Waha noble)(Neil), Jurgen Trollbrother (Argan Argar trader)(Gary), Greystone (Waha herder)(Doug Sh.), Gerhardt Frei (Orlanthi warrior)(Arne), Svart Ulfsson (Humakti warrior) (Henry) and Targan Bash (Storm Bull warrior)(Darryl). Brief appearance by Silverstone (Waha herder) (Cam E.). Party also includes Bugstump Grubeater (Kyger Litor initiate) and Fisher and Spider two value trollkin. After a good night's rest the party continues to explore the caverns. They discover a sump in the Dark City and Fisher the trollkin is sent in to investigate. He returns with a bag full of crystals (15 in total). After some more marching around in the dark they see a light in the distance. Approaching the room (the Stone Court) they cautiously enter. After a brief battle with a pair of dragonsnails the group is ambushed by Nanni and Hadani Pola and Drueke the Thanatari priest. They are assisted by the services of the 25 ogre children from Black Rock. A furious battle occurs in which slowly but surely the three priests are defeated. The children are run off after taking severe casualties. Their disrupts were quite effective for a while as were the angry head spirits loosed after the priest dies. Tamerlan manages to release all the spirits with the aid of his spirit strengthening crystal. The party pursues the children and discovers the Temple Hall. After precursory examination of the hall which endangers party members they manage to find the exit the ogres used. They discover a trap door which leads into a cellar filled with butchered human bodies! This room has another exit a trap door in the ceiling. Bugstump forces this open setting off the trap the ogres set! (The room had been soaked in oil and other flammables and a lit brazier set on top of the trap door). The party manages to escape the burning house and discovers the outbuildings burning as well. Svart attempts to free the slaves chained in the outbuildings and manages to free two before the buildings burn down. The group manages to contain the fire long enough to allow all of the party to escape. After they've all escaped and are standing around deciding what to do the Lunar Provincial Survey rides up and its leader Dalamides has a brief discussion with Svart. He asks Svart what happened down below and after hearing about the slain Thanatari priest feels that he owes Svart and the party a favour. He tells Svart that his men want all the mundane loot or they will attack the party. They can keep all the crystals and magical loot they recovered. Svart tells the party to do this and (being outnumbered and outgunned) they do this. After the Survey leaves in pursuit of the ogres the party is approached by Silverstone, a young Bison rider who offers the services of his bison as a beast of burden to carry all their loot. They recover all the odds and ends Mogo had gathered and prepare to head to Pavis. They are "apprehended" by representatives of Duke Raus. The party is persuaded to travel to Ronegarth to explain what had happened to the Pola Stead. They agreed to do so and after spending a comfortable evening Duke Raus hears their story and rewards them each with 100L for their services (including the impressed young Bison rider). (Dalamides supports their account and informs them that the Survey lost track of the ogres in the North Bog). The rescued slaves remain with Duke Raus as freedmen at his insistence. An uneventful trip back to Pavis occurs except that the party comes across a strange set of tracks which turn out to be those of a Chaos Gaggle. They spot the Gaggle and wisely decide not to engage it. (Targan does save a Chaos Goat dropping as evidence). They enter Pavis and proceed to the Lhankhor Mhy temple where they quickly get to see a priest due to the dropping Targan bears. They make arrangements to get the crystals and items identified by the priests. That evening the Lunar Coders approach the party and ask if they will guide the Coders back to the site where they saw the Gaggle. They agree to do so. The next day most of the party excepting Gerhardt and Tamerlan lead the Coders back to where they last saw the Gaggle. The Coders track the Gaggle and wait until the next day (that of the full moon) to attack. A brief battle ensues in which the Gaggle is fairly easily slain with the aid of all the party members. The party members who helped each get 100L for their trouble. A few weeks later the group meets to pick up their now identified crystals and magic items. Everyone gets 5000L as their share. The troll takes one of the Martyr rubies as his share and insists that Gerhardt receive the iron broadsword. Gerhardt surprises the party by telling them that he is retiring and buying a farm in Garhound county with his share... (At this point the party goes their separate ways. Alcibades returns to Lunar Tarsh and Jurgen Trollbrother returns to the Holy Country. Svart Ulfsson after an unsuccessful attempt at reconciliation with Zeena disappears into the stews of Pavis. Durnfal Slip, err Strongspear is busy with his noblesse obligations, Targan the Bash is shovelling it at the Storm Bull in the Rubble temple, Gerhardt Frei is zapping rats in Garhound and Greystone and Tamerlan return to the bosoms of their tribes. Hallelujah Harnsdottir returns to Pavis from Horn Gate and takes up residence at the aforementioned Storm Bull temple. Time goes by...) Last updated January 01, 2017 Glorantha is a trademark of Chaosium, Inc. Gloranthan material on this page is copyright ©1997-2016 by Oliver D. Bernuetz or by the author specifically mentioned on an individual page. Glorantha is the creation of Greg Stafford, and is used with his permission. Email me at bernuetz@mymts.net
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