Session 3x4

Session 3x4 occurred on 11 March 2021. The players were PsychoXer0 (Romeron), Cbum (Tolgyrd), LaurenDanger (Bea Naturalis), BigSpoon (Tyriok), and LannGeal(Fitz) (Ayute). Their goal was to assault the Rust Brother Lodge.

## Summary

The War Party formed up and headed west. While camping overnight in the harpy-trapped cabin on hex 010.024, they spotted the harpies alerting a group of torch-bearing wanderers in the night. This turned out to be a robed Rust Brother and accompanying marauders. The party set an ambush, killed three marauders and set the Rust Brother to flight.

The next day, they continued marching to the lodge, and the party camped in the plains near a bridge heading northwest (from 009.023 to 008.023) and was assaulted by swarms of rats in the evening. Whether these were sent by the Rust Brother or just a weird occurrence of these lands is unknown. Tolgyrd was infected from rat bites but Ayute was able to treat the disease.

Finally, the party began their march up to the lodge and were ambushed by the Rust Brother leading three archers and two swordfighters. It was a difficult fight and both Tolgyrd and Bea were left crawling on the ground, the former after the Rust Brother used blood magic, and the latter from an arrow. But the group pressed on, once again setting the Brother to flight and eliminating the marauders.

There were no prisoners at the lodge but some valuables were brought back to Dryvault and both wood and stone can be salvaged from the stores at this time.

## In-character tales

### Bea's tale

Harken to the tale of our war against the Rust Brothers and their lodge. It was perilous, we bled much, burned and were battered and bitten, but we persevered… The beginning: Block 3, session 4. We made for the lodge through the valley, and camped overnight at the abandoned farmhouse. Sure enough, the harpies would harass us, but not directly. They alerted a Rust Brother patrol, but our eyes were watching. We set a trap in the remains of the house and waited.

Their robed leader ordered us to leave, and threatened to drag us out if we did not. Romeron threw a rock at him, grazing his head and the marauders moved. Ayute laid in wait behind a tree and slung a rock to hit the leader and wound him, while two of their numbers stumbled over our tripwire at the entrance. We dispatched them, wounded others, and drove them off. I rushed the archer and wounded him, driving him off. He fell as he fled and we caught up to him. The fool begged for his life but Romeron dispatched him swiftly.

The next day we pressed on, closing in on the mountain of the lodge, where the sad sight of a tortured wolfkin lay dead and tied to a stake. We would try to bury the fallen under a cairn of rocks but also worked to make a camp in the evening and we went without fire. Thankfully, we heard the onrushing of an attack. A horrid attack. Skittering and scattering in a flowing wave of darkness approached.

Rats! Swarms of rats, clawing, gnawing, trying to drown us in their hordes. We stood fast against the assault and held off their terror, Our warriors slashing with ferocity and obliterating the foes. But Tolgyrd suffered a wound and was diseased, his armour chewed through. Ayute was willing to use his experience of healing and treating animals to see if Tolgyrd could be saved, and with help from Tyriok who found some medicinal herbs, our friend was saved.

We rested for the morning to allow recovery. We moved into the mountains and while we kept our path quite well, we failed to notice the ambush of Rust Brothers. Arrows flew! Tolgyrd was set ablaze! But we fought on. I fell to an arrow and cannot tell much more of the battle but was told Tyriok cleaved through two Rust marauders to save me, while Ayute and Romeron finished off the remainder. The Rust Brother fled, because the followers of Rust are cowards.

Eight marauders and four swarms of rats fell to us on this journey. The lodge has been cleared of the Rust Brothers and we have recovered the goods pilfered from many a traveller who had been enslaved or murdered. No prisoners were found, but the trap that was their lodge has been emptied and we can claim it as our own if we wish.