Adventure Four

The group started off searching for someone who might be interested
in purchasing a ship. Luckily in the large port city of Summer Coast we
were able to locate someone quickly, and with some haggling were able to
 fetch 20g for it. After a short debate on who possessed the crew of the
 boat, we were informed we would be unable to sell them with the ship,
nor were they willing to come with us on our journey to Valegate. (Gurg
also dumped all drug contraband into the sea as it was beginning to
burden the overall mission.)

 The party agreed to split our
acquired currency 7 ways equally so that there were no frivolous
expenditures that some may not agree with or be present for. After the
selling of the boat everyone walked away with 3g2s2c (or 322 copper.)
With our new found wealth we made quick work of gathering our provisions
 for the trek ahead and found a farmer who was heading through the
mountains to Windmarsh. We left the next morning.

 Was quite an
uneventful journey. The farmer a middle aged man was traveling in his
wagon with his son, back north of Windmarsh. His wagon was empty so we
were able to stow the sleeping Derek in back. We agreed to accompany him
 as an escort. He wasn't worried about bandits though as he had traveled
 this path many times in his years. On the second day, we spotted a herd
 of Elk just off the worn path. A few well placed arrows (and one wild
shot,) scored us 300lbs of uncured meat and a medium quality hide.
Loaded up the wagon and carried on to Windmarsh.

 We arrived late
on the 3rd night, business's had closed for the day and there was no
activity on the streets. The farmer insisted on traveling north and us
emptying our contents. A quick haggle and a generous gift of 50lbs of
raw meat allowed us to leave our belongings until dawn.

 The inn
was all but closed up for the night, but the kind lady allowed us in and
 offered us rooms for the evening. \*Jody picks up the 12c tab for
everyone to sleep the night, Derek is still in the wagon.\* When asked if
 there have been any word from Valegate or any fellow Chapter men
through these parts she said no, only Torch Bearer patrols from the
south. They come through the town "requesting" able bodied men to join
their club. They've all but laid claim to Windmarsh at this point. She's
 not able to offer up much help, but directs us to Alvin, the town's
candle maker. To her knowledge he's had a loss due to their presence in
town.

 We sleep for the night, gather out belongings in the
morning and have a beautiful breakfast served by our host. Our uncured
meat is begining to spoil, we seek out a butcher for salt and a barrel.
We procured enough salt to cure 50lbs of meat and a barrel which Gurg
has now strapped to his back. On our way out of town we seek the Candle
Maker to see if he knows anything. We are informed that his son Brody
has recently been takin by the Torch Bearers during one of their
patrols, but to his knowledge he went willingly. We get a brief
description of his son and if we are to locate him, just to tell him
that his father is doing well and misses him.

 The distance on
foot between Windmarsh and Valegate is 5 days in good weather. Luckily
we had good weather during the Spring in Erde. Gurg carrying the barrel
of meat, and Jody strapping Derek to his back were unburdened with their
 new load. First day went fine, but on the 3rd day we encountered a
patrol headed towards Windmarsh. With a quick spot the front Justicars
quickly threw down their shields and held the line (quite skiddish.) But
 our anticipation for bad things was good, for this was a 5 man Torch
Bearer patrol, 3 men in back wearing initiates uniforms and the front
two's skin as black as ash from a fire.

 TL;DR Combat happened,
Durzo (Harvey) was a bad ass and killed shit with sneak attacks. Mario
found his mark with his crossbow, sadly the mark was the back of Jody,
several times. Jody raged and power attacked a bunch but connected
twice, the arrows in his back must have been bothering him (tried to
have Derek's character take damage but not allowed.) Abel was in the
back lobbing arrows, but had greasy hands and couldn't keep a solid grip
 on his bow. 7 Fingers (Cody) inspired everyone with a wonderful song
that hardened our vigor and sharpened our steel, he dazzled the enemy
with visions of fire, some were affected more than others. Cheap magic
tricks can't fool everyone of the Torch. Gurg smashed their leader in
the sides enough times to finally kill him. He removed his arm as it was
 gripping a nice spiked mace.

 We won: Jody almost died, 2 lay on
hands later and he was stable. Combat lasted nearly 10 rounds. Removed
the Initiate Uniforms and kept them for later.

 We rested for the
night just off the road. Abels' character took the severed arm of the
leader unbeknownst to the rest of the group. We made camp and laid out
our plan for the remainder of the journey. We sent two forward scouts,
Durzo and Abel, to Valegate. They would meet up with us the following
night and report their findings. Shit healed and we beat feet while
eating meat as we marched as fast as we could.

 Durzo and Abel
left that night and ran until they came to the edge of the forest and
before them was the wonderful stone stronghold of Valegate. Durzo was
exhausted from the run and was spotted by a tower look out. Before they
were able to investigate if it was a deer or human, Durzo hauled ass
back for rendezvous. He brought back knowledge of, yup there be Torch
Bearer's at Valegate. Abel's ranger decided to turn into a surveyor and
spent the next half day walking the perimeter trying to size up the
stronghold. Octagon in shape, towers on every corner, ass loads of
troops. Before being caught he left to meet back up with the party.

 We hashed out our plan after receiving our forward information. 7
fingers, Gurg and Cody would don the 3 initiate uniforms and bury their
personal belongings. Mario would act as a prison who'm we would disguise
 as some rat we found snooping around on the outskirts. The two scouts
would hold back and wait for a grand signal to let them know to come in.
 Look for the Pegasus on the watch tower 7 Fingers said to them.

With ease we were able to approach the front gate and were permitted
entry. We were told to fall into rank in front of a platform. The
prisoner was escorted by the gate guards and taken to the front of the
platform. There were easily 50 ground soldiers standing here. As the
crowd began to chant "Fekal Masa" a man who's size dwarfs those standing
 near him approached the stage with a female. The man summoned the gate
guards forward with the prisoner, instructed them to throw him into the
jail down where he will die with the rest.

 Ended the session here!