Session 003

## A Fortuitous Meeting

**Age of the Wolf, Year 5, Spring, Laelun Toil 1, days 7-8**

*The party leaves the river to approach Raendale on foot. They meet up with an old friend on the way and find out some interesting information. They make their first contact with Umbrian (One God worshipper) troops.*

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## Player Characters Involved

* Nygäär the Dark the Fey Blooded Rogue/Fighter played by Dana
* Gryfhild Völundson the Fey Blooded Cloistered Cleric played by Justin
* Esbjörn Sigvardson the Giant Blooded Barbarian/Cleric played by Greg
* Brydd Hjarta the Jörmung Human Sorcerer played by Jason

## A Friendly Face in Enemy Territory

Following an uneventful night at camp, the party packed up and headed towards Raendale on foot. The terrain gradually became more difficult, as the plains and small hills gave way to steeper terrain as they approached the Geatling Fjord. As they marched, they spotted a stone tower upon a hillside and the telltale signs of a campfire. Esbjörn told the boy Kirg to stand guard, and the party approached the fire. What they found would be most unexpected.

Nygäär the Dark, cousin to the nobleman Gryfhild Volundson, was a young man with a troubled and difficult past. The gods had seen fit to set him on a new path, however, and he saw a golden opportunity to improve his station in life. Olof Blood-Eye, a clanless outlaw and old contact of Nygäär's, had let him know about the conversion of the Geat Chieftain Orri Karrson. In return, the old man was set to get a shipment of gold and arms from the Umbrians. All the old man had to do was forswear the true gods and (rumor had it) marry off his only daughter to a foreigner. It just so happened Nygäär was meeting Olof outside the town of Raendale, the place most likely to be where the shipment would arrive. Shortly after arriving at the stone tower, and talking over possible plans to steal the shipment, Olof's dogs bristled. There was a group of warriors coming their way.

After a tense few moments, Gryf and Nygäär recognized one another. They were genuinely glad to see each other - Gryf had looked up to his rebel older cousin when the two were boys. Nygäär had been sent away to be taught the ways of a warrior by the savage Wulfling Clan following an ill-advised attempt to steal "Runding" - the famed Elvish blade of Volund the Wise (Gryf's father). The two parties became one, with the understanding that it would be a great idea to gain some gold and steel arms for themselves and strike a blow against the One God and his followers in the process. But Olof, the foul looking rogue in stinking hide armor and brandishing two short swords (along with a branded rune upon his brow which proclaimed "rapist") had other news to share. He had passed a small encampment of One God soldiers guarding a group of women and children on his way from Raendale. When a raven landed upon a tree nearby, they took it as an omen that the All-Father would look favorably upon striking back at the invaders.

## Bloody Revenge

The party headed out, following Olof to the enemy encampment. While Rigg did not trust the outlaw, a warning by Esbjörn to Olof seemed to secure his loyalty, at least temporarily. Nygäär and Olof crept forward, taking a closer look at the camp. This is what they saw:

*You look down into a small cleft in-between two high hills. There are two men in leather armor who you assume are guarding the trail, although they are drinking and talking loudly. They don’t seem terribly alert. Behind them further down the trail, you see a group of people huddled around a number of fires. Women and children from the looks of it. There are three more soldiers dicing and drinking. One one side of the small valley is a large tent, with ornate plate armor hanging on a stand near one side of the flap.  On the other side of the tent flap, there is a white flag with a flaming star on it flying from a spear in the ground. It looks as if this small group has been here for some time, judging by the offal pile and latrine trench. Even from this distance, the stench is palpable. The wind is whipping viciously, but it appears there is some shelter for the camp from the elements based on the terrain.*

Nygäär decided he would stay, and work his way around the steep terrain to stand behind the tent. As Olof headed back to gather the others, Nygäär watched a tall proud warrior come out of the tent, and begin to don his plate armor. Clearly the leader, he ordered one of his men to come assist him. Seeing this Nygäär crept closer, hiding behind the tent and planning to take the enemy warrior by surprise. He nearly gave himself away but was able to quickly duck behind the tent before being seen. While this was happening, the rest of the party arrived.

With Gryf and Esbjörn leading the way, the party approached the encampment. Brydd and Gryf both used magical enchantments to protect themselves before facing their foes. The two guards upon the path only spoke Umbrian Common, and Gryf pretended not to understand them. Brydd cast a spell which allowed him to understand their bluster as well. After a few moments of shouting and with the Umbrians calling the party heathens and demanding their business, Gryf had had enough. He threw a spear, and battle was joined. Esbjörn made light work of his first foe, while Gryf and Brydd quickly dispatched the other. Meanwhile, Nygäär had crept around the tent and attacked the leader, catching him off guard. Unfortunately, he took a blow in return. It would seem their enemy's leader was a much more fearsome fighter than his subordinates. The party made quick work of the other three foot soldiers, especially Esbjörn who flew into a frenzy and proceeded to hack through his enemies with reckless abandon. Even the boy Kirg entered the fray, attempting to strike at the enemy leader with a clumsy blow of his long sword. Nygäär took a number of serious wounds and would have fallen had it not been for his fey blood and the power to heal which that granted him. Finally, Gryf intervened, showering the enemy leader and his tent with glitterdust, blinding him. After that the party made the leader submit, and he took a knee, no longer able to fight. A young man in blue robes fled the tent but was quickly dispatched when Dagfinn struck him a glancing blow and Gryf finished the job by brutally smashing the youths head into the hillside, knocking him unconscious. Meanwhile, the women and children in the camp wept and prayed, making the 5 pointed sign of the One God in front of their faces. One even went so far as to hurl a rock at Brydd. The battle over, the party was now faced with a dilemma; what to do with these former slaves and One God worshippers?

Gryf attempted to show the slaves the folly of their ways, putting on a magnificent performance that told the ancient tale of the true gods. The five children (2 boys and 3 girls) seemed convinced, but the ten women were adamant in their beliefs. Gryf led the children away into the tent. Gryf, Bryd, and Nygäär then searched the prisoners and slain enemies, finding some treasure and a spellbook, along with the captured arms of their enemies. Meanwhile, Esbjörn laid a task before his young charge Kirg. He must demand that the women convert, and execute them if they did not. Incredibly, the women would not forswear their false god. With regret, Esbjörn built a pyre and burned half of the women in honor of Surtr. It was a gruesome spectacle. The other five women were sacrificed to Odin by Gryff, as was proper due to the desecration of a village full of his worshippers that occurred just days ago. Once all the women were dead, Esbjörn taught the boy the proper technique to execute the dreaded Blood Eagle. Kirg was a quick study. Now with blood on their hands, the party contemplated what to do with the children in their charge. They were now only a few miles from Raendale and the next major part of their quest. They had come seeking an item of great power. But they would find more than that...

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