Here is the first session of the actual campaign, continuing on from the one-shot that we had done the week before. The three players Bridgett, Rachel, and RJ have kept their characters Moe, Mick, and Erica respectively. Todd, who missed the prior session, is joining in with Niccolo, a wizard of the Arcane Guild and, I believe, something of a treasure hunter. RJ wrote this journal entry.
It is also time to let everyone in on the “experiment” that I’m doing with this mini-campaign (that I mentioned a couple of posts ago). I’m re-imagining some classic D&D modules and running them with Savage Worlds. First up is the AD&D module for zero-level characters, N4 Treasure Hunt. Since Savage Worlds isn’t a strictly level-based game, I’m not using one of the selling points of N4…starting as 0-level characters. Instead, I’m using the basic situation/story and incorporating it into my own setting.
All that said, there are potential spoilers for Treasure Hunt below. As always, my GM comments are in [italics and brackets].
After a few days of travel, we arrived back in Porto without incident and needed to arrange transportation via ship to Ptolus. However, there was one problem…we had very little money. We decided to sell the dragon pistol that we had recovered from the fishman. Mick headed towards the market to see what he could get and we followed.
Before we could reach the market stalls, a man approached Nick and offered to sell him an eye patch. Rachel had mentioned something about, first and foremost, needing to find an eye patch to cover Mick’s now ruined eye. The man opened his vest and showed several eye patches, including a tough-looking strap of black leather that would act as an eye patch. A few coppers later, Mick had his desired tough-guy look.
Actually, he might have taken it a little too far. Mick pulled out the dragon pistol, which still had some dried blood on it, and offered to sell it to the purveyor of tough guy wear. I think the he felt threatened by Mick and quickly declined and hustled off to whatever business he might have elsewhere.
In the market, we found a stall that sold pistols and, hopefully, would by ours. The buyer was not overly impressed by what we were selling and argued that it was at least five years old and of Imperial make instead of one of the newer ones coming out of the Reikic League. He also made a note about the lack of care the pistol had seen, including the blood upon it. Mick countered that the blood proved that the gun worked. They settled on 250 Silver Lords and Mick could haggle for no higher, the buyer pointing out that he’d probably have to sell it to some unsavory types given the pistol’s age and condition.
As evening was not far away, we decided to find a place to eat and stay before it got dark. Not far from the market, we found an inn and entered. The place was empty except for a single man standing behind the bar, coughing and hacking. He suggested that we sit anywhere we’d like. Mick paid him a couple of Lords and that got us dinner, all the ale we could drink, and a night’s stay. It seemed like a good deal and it turned out to be too good of a deal…not that anyone of us realized it at the time.
The barkeep brought out three ales for us and then headed into the back. He proudly plopped three bowls of stew down on our table, stating that he hoped we enjoyed his “rat tail stew.” As he reassured us that despite the name the stew did not actually contain any rat tails, another man walked in.
[So it ain’t so! The party met in a tavern…how cliche. ;)]
He looked Oscan and laid some coins on the bar for ale and stew. I invited him over to join us for dinner. We all introduced ourselves and learned that his name was Niccolo and that he collects artifacts. The owner of the inn had joined us as well and asked what exactly Niccolo collected before being seized by another coughing fit. Once he could speak again, the barkeep introduced himself as Pietro and asked his question again.
Niccolo told him that he collects old things, things people want found, and that he also collects stories about old things. Pietro asked if it was dangerous work and how Niccolo does he not hurt himself in such activities. Niccolo concentrated and made a small gesture as though he was casting a spell but nothing happened. I figured that he wanted a light and perhaps was still an apprentice so I call on the holy power of the Twelve and brighten the room.
Pietro seemed to take a good deal of interest in my spellcasting so I explained that I am priestess of the Twelve. Looking back, the number of questions asked by Pietro should have caused us some concern but, as I’ve said before, I was quite naive in my youth. I simply took a bite of the stew, which was surprisingly good, and drained my ale. Pietro quickly brought another just as he did for each of my dinner companions.
Niccolo started concentrating again and a sharp piece of earth shot out from his hand to strike and knock over a cup on another table. He smiled at his accomplishment and Pietro smiled as well…a wicked, evil smile. My vision began to blur and I found it hard to think or concentrate. As I fell to the floor and began to lose consciousness, I could see that the other three were experiencing a similar fate.
[Why yes, I did just pull the whole you pass out, no saving throw, hate me if you want but deal with it card out of the deck. Got a problem with that? Now the spoilers for N4 really start.]
When I woke, my arms were tied above my head and my legs were restrained as well. I couldn’t see or speak and the air was stifled by some sort of bag over my head. I heard Mick call out and I grunted in return. Others called out in response as well, quite a few more than just my companions and Niccolo. Someone said that they had been taken from a small village in Kemorr, Giovanata, and it sounded like they thought the entire village was with us. Apparently, we were in the hold of a ship and everyone was chained and bound, although only Niccolo and I were gagged and hooded.
Although I couldn’t see, I couldn’t mistake Pietro’s voice when he came into the hold to explain what was going on. He explained that we were on our way to Freeport where we would each be sold into slavery. Some of the villagers began to weep but Mick threatened Pietro and spit in our slaver host’s face. From the thud and grunt that came from Mick, I assumed that he had been punched. Pietro left. We did our best to assure the Giovantans that we would all escape from this predicament.
After what must have been several hours, we could hear rain and thunder outside and the ship began to be tossed about by the swelling waves. Soon after, someone else came down into the hold and asked if any of us could sail. Three voices responded that they could and I heard the sound of chains rattling. As four individuals began to leave the hold, the voice warned that if anyone tried to escape, they would be killed.
At some point later…telling time while hooded, gagged, and bound is rather difficult…as the ship had begun to rock even more violently, the same voice shouted into the hold and asked if anyone else could sail. No one answered and I could hear footsteps come closer. They stopped and asked someone near to me if they could sail. The person responded that they could not.
Upping the ante, the voice of what I assumed to be one of Pietro’s crew asked again and warned that he would slit the throat of another if he didn’t get the truth. I could here a woman cry out. The same man that had responded previously again said that he could sail. A woman’s scream was abruptly cut short. More chains rattled and feet leaving the hold.
[While Erica could not see the individual that came into the hold to fetch extra sailors, Mick and Moe could. He was from the Southlands beyond the edges of the Known World, lands also known as Auster. Few in the Known World know much about Auster but it is home to the Lands of the Dead, a place rumored to be ruled by undead, and other less than savory places. Slaves sold to men from the Southlands rarely, if ever, return to their homes in the Known World.]
Although it seemed like it was days, and as far as I knew it was, and the storm didn’t abate. The boat was tossed and thrown about and it seemed as though it would never end. But it did end in an abrupt and violent manner. With a loud cracking sound, the ship struck something large and hard and capsized. Water rushed in and filled the hold. If this was the fate the Twelve had in mind for me, to drown while gagged and bound, I would accept it. Another loud crack and the water receded and I could feel a strong wind against my body.
I could barely hear Mick’s shout above the strong wind but he came over to me and freed me from the hood and gag. He couldn’t get me free of my chains and so walked off into the storm to look for better tools to do so.
[When the ship came to rest on the beach it washed up against, the beam to which Mick’s chains had been attached had snapped about half-way up. Mick was eventually able to get the manacles around his feet free from their anchor in the beam as well.]
With my hood off, I looked around. We were still in the ship’s hold but very little of it remained. Moe was slumped unconscious, held upright only by his bonds. Niccolo was chained up just like the rest of us. He started to concentrate and spoke a few words and disappeared. In his place was a rat! A moment later, the rat was gone and Niccolo was back and free of his bounds. I had heard of such magics but had never witnessed such before.
Mick returned shortly and after some effort, we were all freed. Moe had just knocked his head hard against the beam he was chained to and was not seriously hurt. The wind and rain lashed into the hold and it was clear that we needed to find some shelter. This storm was fiercer than anything I had seen or had heard of before.
As we headed down the beach, we could see debris from the ship washed up here and there. Mick mentioned that when he had gone out earlier he had found some dead bodies as well. On one side of us was an angry ocean and on the other a small cliff. Eventually we found a small crevice in the cliff that at least provide a small amount of shelter. We took turns sheltering and warming each other as best we could until morning.
In the morning, we took stock of our situation. We had no idea where we were. Each of use was dressed in nothing but our undergarments. We had no food and we were hungry, wet, and cold. At least the storm had let up some. We headed out to see if we could find anything to eat, to use, or find survivors.
Mick found another part of the ship intact about half a mile up the beach and Pietro was standing atop it swearing up a storm. Although he hadn’t spotted Mick, Pietro climbed down and started down the beach towards Mick and us beyond. Mick hid in a crevice of the cliff as best he could and Pietro passed him by.
When Pietro spotted the rest of us, he drew his pistol and fired but missed. We grabbed whatever stick or debris we could use as a weapon and rushed our would-be slaver. Mick came up behind Pietro and attacked and Niccolo let loose with one of his earthy shards. Pietro did not fare well in a straight-up fight and we killed our abductor with relative ease. Given our desperate situation, we looted the dead and took the leather armor, rapier, and dragon pistol Pietro had been carrying. Sadly, he had no more powder or shot.
Reaching the other portion of ship Mick had seen earlier, we found a crossbow, three bolts, and some wet gunpowder. With nothing else of use, we decided to head inland to seek food and shelter. It took a little while but we found a way up the cliffs and into the interior of the island.
The rain was still pounding and the wind was pushing against so shelter was our primary concern. After a short hike, we heard the sound of metal against metal over the wind. It sounded like combat coming from just beyond a small hill. Sneaking up to the crest of the hill, we spotted a bunch of orcs battling skeletons! Behind the line of orcs, an older man lay on the ground watching the battle. From our vantage we could see that he was tied up.
Vile undead! I reacted first and blasted them with the Twelve’s holy fire. One of the orcs was caught in my blast as well. It certainly got the attention of the orcs and two turned from their battle to come towards us. One had a pistol and fired it but fortunately missed. Mick fired the crossbow we found but the string broke! Moe moved in with the rapier he had taken and Niccolo used his sorcery.
Despite being outnumbered and having little to no gear, we slew the remaining orcs and skeletons with little difficulty.
After the fight, Moe succumbed to the exhaustion, elements, and the blow to his head when the ship crashed and he collapsed, unconscious. As I checked on Moe and the storm began to worsen again, Niccolo rushed over to the old man lying on the ground and untied. The man introduced himself as Demenus and spoke of how he had been on the island every since he was boy, of a pirate attack nearly sixty years ago that killed everyone but him (as he had hid), how a necromancer had recently come to the island with orc guards and a pirate force had also arrived recently (both looking for treasure), and that he knew of a place where we could take shelter from the storm…the old Temple.
We didn’t have much choice so, carrying Moe, we followed him as he rushed off towards the east. After nearly an hour of walking, we could just make out a dark structure through the pelting rain. As we approached closer, it was clear that it was once a magnificent temple to the Twelve but time and neglect had taken its toll. As lightning crashed about us, we made for the doors…
Yep, that’s where we stopped. Moe had failed a third Fatigue check due to the elements, hunger, and lack of sleep and so collapsed. Mick and Niccolo were starting to succumb to the effects as well (one Fatigue each) but Erica, apparently, was made of sterner stuff.
Demenus explained that the name of the island was Carcerus and that it was part of the Empire. He kept referring to the characters as citizens and asked about the provinces that they must have come frome (he is Talasian and the PCs are all non-Talasian). Demenus spoke of the king of the island and often used terms like Him and Himself to refer to this king. He told of the pirate attack that had happened many, many years ago when he was boy that left everyone but him dead. Rats had comprised the bulk of his diet since then.
A few days ago, two new forces arrived on the island. One, he explained, were pirates coming to look for treasure. The other was a young woman from the Southlands, a necromancer. She had brought both undead and pirates with her and she too was searching for treasure. The two forces were relatively balanced and each held certain parts of the island and the old palace of Him. The orcs had captured him just a little while before and, he guessed, that they were taking him back to the necromancer to be questioned. He had no idea why the skeletons would attack the orcs and, again guessing, mused that perhaps they were just attacking anything living.
Given that he had spent the last sixty years, his manners (as he admitted) probably were not as good as they should be and he did tend to babble on just a bit as they made there way to the temple.
For those familiar with N4, you probably see some similarity in the above events but probably also recognize that a number of things have been changed. I’m not running this straight (e.g., A necromancer? What?!? That’s not in N4!); I’m re-imangining it and integrating it with the setting we are developing as we play. I’d like to say more about how I’m re-imagining the module but that would ruin some things for the players at this point…maybe later. đŸ˜‰
