Hardcore Heroes: Episode 02

__NOTOC__
== Synopsis ==
The episode begins two weeks after Lady Twintowers was disfigured by a potion. Croak seeks Van-Healsing’s blessing for the birth of an illegitimate child but instead, Frederick is sent. Croak recruits Corni, Rohana, and Malakai for the task. They arrive at the village just as the baby is born but are interrupted by armed men, led by Spike, claiming the child. Violet, the mother, urges Croak to help retrieve her son. Back in town, Van-Healsing agrees to assist. On their way, they encounter and defeat robbers, and later seek advice from their local knight who suggests resolving the matter without noble involvement. As they confront Spike, bugbears attack, resulting in a rescue and regroup. In Burnshire, they negotiate with Sir Edgar, who proposes buying the child back from Spike, who is greedy. Eventually, Corni pays Spike to return the baby, and they head back home. The group shares their loot, sells weapons, and Corni invests in his brewing business, ending the day with new plans and spells.
==Recap==
===Saturday, 1509-01-16===
Game begins 2 weeks after the apprehension of the perpetrators that snuck Lady Twintowers a potion of ugliness which disfigured her face. Croak comes to Van-Healsing with a request to bless a baby of a friend of his, baby that was made out of wedlock and as such the mother-to-be wants make sure it's not an affront to the gods. The request seems a somewhat of an odd one to Van, so reluctant to leave his church he offers to send Frederick in his stead. Next Croak goes to seek out Corni asking whether he'd like to come along, who agrees to come along quite readily. Lastly he goes to speak with Rohana and then invites Malakai to come along as well who perks up about the prospect when Rohana calls childbirth a magical event.
The road to the village is uneventful and they make just in time for the event with a few family members Croak recognizes having gathered there. The birth goes as it naturally should, bloody, messy and loud. A baby boy is brought into the world.
However the magical moment is interrupted as armed men burst into room, pointing crossbows at people, followed by a lordly seeming man who declares that he will be taking the boy since he is the father. Surprisingly no one except the mother, Violet, object and the boy is taken out of midwives arms as Violet screams after them. Violet urges Croak to go after the man, Spike, but he attempts to slither his way around the idea, even though she continues to call Spike a fraud and a peasant just like them. But at one point Violet's father joins in and says that he will gather men for the task and Croak is left without an option, but to help. He mentions asking Van for help as well, a real flesh and blood cleric.
Back in town, Croak informs Van-Healsing of the abduction of the child and he, being a holy man and pure of heart, says that he will help in this matter though will need to talk to the family first.
Back on the road Croak leads the party to his village when suddenly they come upon a scene of robbery- 2 armed men holding 3 women at sword and arrow point. It quickly escalates into fight and just as quickly it de-escalates into 2 dead robbers. Van notes that the women seems somewhat suspicious so he takes the last position in the little group, but when Croak asks to see their wares they do indeed seem to be the genuine article. As the rest of the party hang out Malakai goes to inquire with Lord Twintowers about the Spike fellow and whether he is a true nobleman. The answer he gets there is only one person in the village, Burnshire, of higher standing and it's a knight that by name of Edgar. Corni meanwhile gets grilled by his father of his absence from ale brewing duties warning him that they are running out.
===Sunday, 1509-01-17===
As a new day dawns the party meets up in Halfpint inn and begins making plans and sharing information on how they're going to proceed with the confrontation. They also mention that they should try to dispel the disfigurement of Lady Twintowers once they have the power and spells to do so. On the road to Croak's village they notice that the robbers bodies are still by the roadside and are being eaten by a pack of wolves. Somewhat taken aback by their behavior they retreat a little ways back and try to wait out the wolves.
A while later they finally make it to the village. Immediately they are met with one of the concerned uncles and discuss the approach, whether they should speak to sir Edgar and whether they should speak to their own local knight. Everyone agrees that perhaps seeking help from their local landed knight would be a good idea and so the crowd of 10 people make their way to her manor. They are invited in and the knight explains this would better be resolved without the involvement of her or Sir Edgar. They also says this case is too tricky to have a clearly correct way of approach.
With only course of action now to just go and confront the man everyone heads out, however the merry band of peasants is intercepted by 3 bugbears sitting around. In a split second Van yells RUN and every breaks in a haphazard retreat, everyone except Croak who attempts to hide in a tree trunk and is promptly found, disarmed and carried off by the bugbears. A moment later the group realizes they're missing a member and grudgingly start making plans how to engage the bugbears with least amount of killed people. Meanwhile, Croak attempts his own escape by stabbing a piton into the heel of a bugbear which does a little bit of damage and prompts the injured bugbear to reach for a knife luckily though the rest of the group crest the edge of the hill and begin assaulting the bugbears with magic and ranged weapons. One bugbear goes down before realizing what's happening, another flees seeing his downed friend and the last one goes down in the following round without a single casualty from the group of people.
The peasants congratulate each other on the successful battle while the party loot the bodies finding some gold, some usable weapons that could be sold later and take the bugbear ears. Having had their jolly time the march resumes and 2 hours later everyone arrives in Burnshire.
Van takes Violet and they both head towards Sir Edgar's house leaving the rest of the gang at the village. He comes out his keep meeting Van halfway, questioning why there's a group of armed men in his village, but Van quickly de-escalates and all 3 of them go inside to speak about the situation. It comes to light that Spike is a problem in the village, but is also fairly influential having a 2-story house where his family lives. This means having a straight up fight might lead to a lot of bloodshed so Sir Edgar proposes perhaps attempting to buy the child bag since the man is exceptionally greedy. This doesn't quite sit well with Van so he counters with charming the man magically which the knight doesn't quite like either. They go back and forth for a while until Van mentions him pretending to be a noble which counts as a capital offence. In the end they decide to sleep and try to figure it out tomorrow, Croak stays with Violet while his extended family bed in a barn nearby.
===Monday, 1509-01-18===
Spells ready, men ready, the party heads towards Spikes mansion. As they approach it he comes out on his balcony and greets them in his slithery way, accusing them of bringing weapons to his home and village. 4 men and 2 dogs filter out through the doors as they continue to negotiate, the party uncertain whether to just buy the baby back or maybe get shared custody. Spike refuses the custody concept and offers Violet to become his wife which of course isn't a deal she'd take. Then he drops the offer of 20 gold to Van. As the party squabbles and discusses it Corni suddenly, disgusted with the haggling over a child, goes over to and offers his own gold to Spike. A deal is struck, in front of the law that is Sir Edgar and everyone heads back towards Shirebrook.
Once back in their hometown, Croak goes around giving people their share of the gold looted, some refuse, some take it, but surely the gesture is noted. Looted weapons are sold as well. Corni invests 20 gold into spices for his brewing. Malakai learns some new spells from Rohana and with that the day closes out.
== Experience and level ups ==
Croak gains 2nd level.
* Rolls 1HP for a total of 4HP.
* 5 skill points in pickpockets
* 15 skill points in hide in shadows
* 10 skill points in move silently
Malakai is at 909XP
Category:Hardcore Heroes Episodes