Age of Strife 1: Episode 4

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==Recap==
200 Exp to Toran Amberfall for the on-show Recap.
In Waadsworth, King Orwyn Ironwyrm is conscripting one-eighth of the men from the eastern families in the East Duchy for a new army to be sent to the West Duchy to help against the Orc raids. The new force is to be called the Blackguard, and will be under the command of Duke Maldris Ironwyrm, the King'd Younger Brother, and the Duke of the West Duchy. 
There have also been daytime goblin attack north of Waadsworth on the muckmen.
===Saturday, 15th October, 56 AoS ===
Jonathon visits with Lady Danny Amberfall, and talks about his future plans, and self-doubts. He wishes to enter an alliance with the Brewers family. Lady Amberfall is aghast, she isn't against marrying a commoner for money, but a noble doesn't marry a commoner for an alliance. Jonathon implies if it is an issue, once his plan is done, he could kill off his new spouce, and Lady Amberfall orders him not to go around murdering.
Amy visits with her friends Jack & Jessica and puts them to work changing the anti-Amberfall graffiti into pro-Amberfall, by changing the alms bowl in the art into a carp, to reference their victory over the Gill Gang.
Toran visits the Ruined Champion Hall, the former location of a Merencary Group. Amy runs into him Toran, and he explains he is thinking of restoring the burnt down building one day. Amy shares her plans about changing the graffiti, and Toran approve of the clever idea. The two then return to their estate. Toran and Lady Danny do some sparing, helping Danny refine her blind fighting and giving her some exercise. Amy wants to join in the sparing one day.
Jonathan visits the brewery and arranges to be told when the owner is back in town, with the brewer's son, Bob.
That evening a party across the road is being held at the Greendall Estate. Louisa & Astrid report that representatives from the other noble familys in town, Lorwin, Thresher, Wyatt, Lithman & Genhal, are in attendance. The Amberfall however were given no invitation. Jonathan wants to crash the party, suspecting the Greendall tipping off the Longclaw Gang of Lady Amberfall's treasure, resulting in the attack on her. Toran is against crashing the party, but Amy is for the idea.
Dressed in their noble clothes, Jonathan escorts Amy across the road to the gates of the Greendall Estate. With no invitation, they are refused entry. The two instead taking a long path, end up in the field behind the Greendall Estate. Amy spots a commoner witness, and Jonathan pays them off with a gold coin to leave, and claims he will go visit the tailor tomorrow to buy a cloak.
With no witnesses around, Jonathan and Amy climb the wall and enter the party, acting like they belong. Jonathan walks up to the head of the Greendall Family, Lord Rugsbin Greendall and thanks him for the invitation, and complements him on the party. Lord Rugsbin puts on a front with his etiquette and welcomes the two Amberfalls to his house.
Amy and Jonathan go over to get some refreshments. The table has lots of artefacts on it. Jonathan notes some golden candlesticks, and thinks they could have been one of the ones stolen from their mother. Amy says they should put on a good showing and not take anything. Amy does better than Jonathan at socialising. Eventually the party ends and all the guests head home.
===Sunday, 16th October, 56 AoS ===
Toran arranges some hay-pales to the field to the east of the temple. Then he uses them to train with spears. He pays the crown crier to spread the news tomorrow to come help train with him, with the cost of a copper a day.
Jonathan and Amy talk about raising the rest of the funds they owe at the end of the month, and think about taking on the goblins to the north. They visit Astrid & Louisa, who gossip about Jonathan and Amy unexpected appearance at the party last night. Jonathan changes the topic to that of Bob, the Brewer's Son, and he gets Astrid & Louisa to play Rock-Paper-Sisors, and claims that Astrid has to marry Bob now, as a "joke". Astrid & Louisa say some gossip they heard from the Wyatts that the Greendall had some artefacts out on display on the dinner table, and word is they got it from a old family crypt.
===Monday, 17th October, 56 AoS ===
The family is gathered at their estate. The Lithman Noble Family have placed a bounty on the Goblins behind the day-time raids & murder on the Muckmen. 1 silver bounty per goblin head.
There is a large family meeting with the whole family there. Jonathan asks Astrid & Louisa to leave the room before describing his theory again about Greendall connection to the attack on Lady Amberfall's, and the artefacts on display perhaps being the items taken from her at the time. Lady Danny Amberfall is sceptical, finds the evidence circumstantial, and the fact the items were being flaunted isn't the act of someone trying to cover up the crime.
Jonathan suggests they go out to the edge of the Stinking Marsh and the Blackthorn Forest to the north of Waadsworth. Lady Amberfall warns that is Bullywug territory. Grandfather Henry says the Bullywugs like pointless baubles, which could be use as a gift to gain access. 
===Tuesday, 18th October, 56 AoS ===
The party set out with Saddlebags the Donkey.
3/4 of the way though the day they reach the foothills just north of the stinking marsh. They keep going north, and by the end of the day encounter no intelligent beings. The foothills are also very swampy as well.
They get a good view of the Tuk-Tuk Mountains, that were created over 56 years ago by magic.
That night they make camp in the hills. Jonathan makes an astrology check on Amy, but the stars tell him nothing.
===Wednesday, 19th October, 56 AoS ===
The Amberfalls head east, along the edge of the forest and though the hills. During the day they come cross some Bullywugs riding giant beetles. The party give the baubles as gifts to the Bullywugs, and they agree to take the Amberfalls to some nearby Human Ruins, avoiding the Bullywug territory. They are lead into the swamp and to the east, avoiding an area.
Near the end of the day the Bullywugs go their separate way from the Amberfalls, pointing the direction the ruins are in, a "stone structure". The party set up camp in a dry spot in the swamp.
Jonathan makes an astrology check on Toran. He gets the reading "Sadness and Hardship Remain".
===Thursday, 20th October, 56 AoS ===
The Amberfalls head north east in the direction the bullywug indicated towards the stone structure.
As they travel still in the early morning, they run into 6 goblins, which is late for goblins. 5 spear goblins, 1 archer goblin, all in crude leather goblin armor. Battle is joined.
Amy kills one Spear Goblin with a crossbow as the other 4 Spear Goblins charge the Amberfalls. Amy is knocked out and is bleeding out by a goblin spear. Toran decapitates a Spear Goblin. Jonathon kills 2 Spear Goblin with his sword. The last Spear Goblins starts to withdrawal, but Toran catches up and kills it. Jonathan stabilises Amy (at -3). The Archer Goblin escapes.
Jonathan and Toran put Amy over Saddlebags the Donkey and head quickly towards the ruins, trying to get some distance from the goblins.
2 hours later Jonathan spots 50 years away three Goblins kneeling over a recently dead Bullywug in some swampy ground between the hills. Jonathan figures out they are Zombie Goblins. As Toran ties up Saddlebags, the Zombie Goblins spot the party and charge. Jonathan open fire with his crossbows before the Zombie Goblins close the distance, with Toran finishing it off with his sword. The 2 Zombie Goblins attack Toran as Jonathan charges into melee as well. Toran takes the past 2 zombie goblin, but accidentally hits Jonathan's armor twice in the process.
With the first over, Toran cuts off the goblin ears for the goblin bounty. Jonathan decapitates the zombie goblins to be safe. Then the Amberfalls push onwards to the ruins.
In late afternoon they arrive at the base of the unnatural mountains with no sign of the ruins. The Amberfalls head east in search for the ruins.
As they travel, they are ambushed by a pack of 6 Zombie Goblins. Toran tells Jonathan to get Amy & Saddlebags the Donkey and Amy out, with Toran covering the retreat, Jonathan agrees. Toran walks behind Jonathan and Amy, doing a fighting withdrawal. 2 Zombie Goblins critical Toran and take him down.
Jonathan retreats with Amy & Saddlebags westwards leaving Toran & the Zombie Goblins behind. 
==Journal of Jonathon Ramsey of House Amberfall==
Amy Amberfall awakens in the Frogman Village in the swamp were she has been out cold for multiple days as the race of frog men tend to her wounds. When she awakens instantly she feels clinched in her hands a piece of paper. She unfolds the piece of paper which was torn out from the journal of his eldest brother Jonathan Ramsey of House Amberfall. She unfolds the paper and begins to read the following. 
"My dear sister let me start by saying you are beautiful and amazing. I love you with all the love there is in my cold and black heart. If you are reading this..... I am dead. 
Fear not. 
It is okay. 
I chose you my dear sister. I died not a monster but a good man. A Man of virtue. 
After you went down we had to keep pushing. I think Toran and I knew it was unwise but our hands were forced. We had no choice. 
I do not want to go into great detail but as we pushed Toran gave his life so that we could live. My brother was my greatest rival but he was the greatest man I ever knew. My morality has been questioned so much through the years. I believe the questioning of my morality stems solely from how pure his heart was. No heart compares in virtue to the heart of our brother. 
I watched Toran fall so that we could live. In that moment though I faced a choice. I could have abandoned you and saved myself. Or I could have attempted to save you as well and put myself in danger. I chose you. 
With you secured on saddlebags we tried to flee the treat that devoured our brother. It come obvious though that we could not escape together. I faced another choice. One we die together, Two I sacrifice you so I can live or three I sacrifice myself so that you possibly may live. 
Again.. I chose you my dear sister. I did so for multiple reasons. 
One, it is what is best for the family. The world looks at me with disdain and they see my blackness. It cannot be hidden. You though, when the world sees you, they see a beckon. The same light that was in our grandmother and our mother is what is in you. 
My second reason, you are my greatest joy and my dearest friend. The world questions my morality and I question it as well. In a world were I am without you because I sacrificed you so I could live, that is a world I do not want to be apart and the man who would do such a thing is a man I refuse to be. 
My dear sister, in my death I ask you to do a couple things. You must make a promise to me. Promise me you will never return to the wilds again. The Amberfall banner was founded on adventuring. However what we once were, it has become apparent we are no longer that. 
I also need you to promise me that you will attend every party there is. Dance every chance you have. Live and love life in every moment. Take a ride on every fishing boat on the docks and if no one is looking, I won't judge you if you off one of the fishermen. As Toran, Radric and myself look down on you from heaven I will tell Toran to look away if you off one of the fishermen and when he tries to spue his judgement I will tell him if my little sister wants to off a fisherman then she will off a fishermen. I love you my dear sister. 
Our best bet is in you. Not because of adventuring skills but because of the way the world adores you. You must marry and you must do it quick. It is our only hope my dear sister. 
I love you. Do not fear. Be strong. Be courageous. I am always with you. Toran is always with you. Uncle Radric is with you. 
Radric, Toran and I have sacrificed for you, for our banner. 
Now you must Strive. 
In the end I have no doubt my dear sister, you will surpass and Waadsworth will eat from your hands. 
Your loving Brother, Jon"
Category:Age of Strife Episodes